The human spirit is among the most powerful and resilient forces on the planet, and the stories of these incredible people prove that, with commitment and perseverance, you can do anything! From daunting physical challenges to spiritual crises to utter poverty, these success stories of people young and old, rich and poor, famous and not-so-famous demonstrate the incredible strength inside all people to overcome unbelievable odds and make their dreams a reality.Find inspiration in t...

Some find talking to others uncomfortable, difficult, or intimidating. Here is a way to overcome these communication challenges. HOW TO TALK TO ANYONE, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE is the key to building confidence and improving communication skills. Written by Larry King, this guide provides simple and practical advice to help make communication easier, more successful, and even more enjoyable. Anecdotes from a life spent talking--on television, radio, and in person,--add to the fun and value of the...

Irvin Muchnick - a widely published writer and nephew of the late, legendary St. Louis wrestling promoter Sam Muchnick - has produced a book unlike any other on the astonishing growth of professional wrestling and its profound impact on mainstream sports and society. In Wrestling Babylon , he traces the demise of wrestling's old Mafia-like territories and the rise of a national marketing base thanks to cable television, deregulation and a culture-wide nervous breakdown. Naturally, the figu...

“Revelatory…fascinating” (The New York Times): The first definitive biography of Bob Hope, featuring exclusive and extensive reporting that makes the persuasive case that he was the most important entertainer of the twentieth century.With his topical jokes and his all-American, brash-but-cowardly screen character, Bob Hope was the only entertainer to achieve top-rated success in every major mass-entertainment medium of the century, from vaudeville in the 1...

Look beneath the surface of the world’s most interesting people--past and present--to uncover what makes them tick. Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges into Great Lives looks beneath the surface and uncovers fascinating but little-known stories behind the famous, the near-famous, the infamous, and the should-have-been famous. You’ll meet child prodigies, spies, traitors, celebrities (and sidekicks), gossips, hermits, humanitarians, and zealots. There are incredible stories here, and every...

An unforgettable story about a couple who follow their dream of converting a run-down country house into a working bed and breakfast, and what they learn along the way from an old home, a close-knit community, and a parade of extraordinary guests.One spring, Carol Eron Rizzoli and her husband Hugo bought a dilapidated farmhouse in the tiny village of Royal Oak, Maryland, on the edge of the Chesapeake Bay. They spent two years transforming it into a bed and breakfas...

The all-time champion and host of Jeopardy! gives you the chance to test your trivia mettle in this ingeniously organized book of 8,888 questions.For example–February 21: In 1912, on this day, Teddy Roosevelt coined the political phrase “hat in the ring,” so Ken Jennings fires off a series of “ring” questions. In 1979, who became the first NFL quarterback with four Super Bowl rings*?* What rings are divided by the Cassini Division? Also on this date, in 19...

The first major biography of an American icon, comedian Bill Cosby. Based on extensive research and in-depth interviews with Cosby and more than sixty of his closest friends and associates, it is a frank, fun and fascinating account of his life and historic legacy.Far from the gentle worlds of his routines or TV shows, Cosby grew up in a Philadelphia housing project, the son of an alcoholic, largely absent father and a loving but overworked mother. With novelistic ...

Since the birth of his son in 2003, bestselling novelist Brad Meltzer (The Book of Fate, The Tenth Justice, The Book of Lies) has been collecting heroes from whom his son can learn how to live a good life. In Heroes for My Son, Meltzer shares, with parents everywhere, the stories of 52 such heroes—from Dr. Seuss and Mr. Rogers to Mother Theresa and Mohandas Gandhi.Discover the real stories behind the icons and the quiet virtues they championed:Values and Virtu...

Oprah Winfrey rose out of hardship and incredible poverty to become one of the most recognized and well-respected people in the world. In The World According to Oprah, Ken Lawrence captures this amazing woman in her own words, as she expresses the ideas and beliefs that made her who she is today.Since her start at a tiny Nashville radio station, Oprah Winfrey has become a media mogul, founding a film and television production company, an inspirational magazine, and a $20...

The movie The Founder, starring Michael Keaton, focused the spotlight on Ray Kroc, the man who amassed a fortune as the chairman of McDonald’s. But what about his wife Joan, the woman who became famous for giving away his fortune? Lisa Napoli tells the fascinating story behind the historic couple.Ray & Joan is a quintessentially American tale of corporate intrigue and private passion: a struggling Mad Men–era salesman with a vision for a ...

In the tradition of the instant bestsellers The Intellectual Devotional and The Intellectual Devotional: American History comes the third installment in this indispensable series. In The Intellectual Devotional: Modern Culture, authors David S. Kidder and Noah D. Oppenheim explore the fascinating world of contemporary culture to offer 365 daily readings that provide the essential references needed to navigate the world today.Quench your intellectual thirs...