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Play by Play: Calling the Wildest Games in Sports–From SEC Football to College Basketball, The Masters, and More
by Verne LundquistThe SEC. The Masters. The Olympics. March Madness. The Dallas Cowboys. Yes sir, Uncle Verne has seen it all.Over the last fifty years, few voices have epitomized the sound of sports television quite like that of Verne Lundquist’s. A fixture on air since the 1960s—first broadcasting University of Texas baseball and Dallas Cowboys football games on radio before eventually joining the legendary CBS Sports team—Verne has covered just about every sport there is, and in the process he’s made some of the most enduring calls in the history of golf, football, figure skating—and everything in between.In Play by Play, Verne goes inside those calls and his remarkable career, telling the behind-the-scenes story of how he ended up with the best seats in the house, giving voice to history time and time again. From Christian Laettner’s buzzer-beater in the 1992 NCAA tournament, to the saga of Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding at the 1994 Olympics, to the shocking finish of the Iron Bowl in 2013, to Jack Nicklaus’s and Tiger Woods’s unforgettable victories at the Masters, Verne’s five decades as a sportscaster routinely put him in the midst of greatness. With his trademark humility and his goal to make the athlete the legend, instead of the call itself, Verne details his view of the plays that have captured our collective imagination for two generations, featuring an incredible cast of characters that includes names like Terry Bradshaw, Pat Summerall, John Madden, Scott Hamilton, and Tom Landry.What emerges is an invigorating portrait of the games that matter most, in life and on the field. A moving recollection of the moments that make sports worth watching, Play by Play reminds us all that sports are about more than games played—they’re about the history that we share together and the voices that we remember long after the final whistle has blown.
The Play Goes On: A Memoir
by Neil SimonIn his critically acclaimed Rewrites, Neil Simon talked about his beginnings -- his early years of working in television, his first real love, his first play, his first brush with failure, and, most moving of all, his first great loss. Simon's same willingness to open his heart to the reader permeates The Play Goes On. This second act takes the reader from the mid-1970s to the present, a period in which Simon wrote some of his most popular and critically acclaimed plays, including the Brighton Beach trilogy and Lost in Yonkers, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize. Simon experienced enormous professional success during this time, but in his personal life he struggled to find that same sense of happiness and satisfaction. After the death of his first wife, he and his two young daughters left New York for Hollywood. There he remarried, and when that foundered he remarried again. Told with his characteristic humor and unflinching sense of irony, The Play Goes On is rich with stories of how Simon's art came to imitate his life. Simon's forty-plus plays make up a body of work that is a long-running memoir in its own right, yet here, in a deeper and more personal book than his first volume, Simon offers a revealing look at an artist in crisis but still able and willing to laugh at himself.
Play Hungry: The Making of a Baseball Player
by Pete RoseThe inside story of how Pete Rose became one of the greatest and most controversial players in the history of baseball Pete Rose was a legend on the field. As baseball’s Hit King, he shattered records that were thought to be unbreakable. And during the 1970s, he was the leader of the Big Red Machine, the Cincinnati Reds team that dominated the game. But he’s also the greatest player who may never enter the Hall of Fame because of his lifetime ban from the sport. Perhaps no other ballplayer’s story is so representative of the triumphs and tragedies of our national pastime. In Play Hungry, Rose tells us the story of how, through hard work and sheer will, he became one of the unlikeliest stars of the game. Guided by the dad he idolized, a local sports hero, Pete learned to play hard and always focus on winning. But even with his dad’s guidance, Pete was cut from his team as a teenager—he wasn’t a natural. Rose was determined, though, and never would be satisfied with anything less than success. His relentless hustle and headfirst style would help him overcome his limitations, leading him to one of the most exciting and brash careers in the history of the sport. Play Hungry is Pete Rose’s love letter to the game, and an unvarnished story of life on the diamond. One of the icons of a golden age in baseball, he describes just what it was like to hit (or try to hit) a Bob Gibson fastball or a Gaylord Perry spitball, what happened in that infamous collision at home plate during the 1970 All-Star Game, and what it felt like to topple Ty Cobb’s hit record. And he speaks to how he let down his fans, his teammates, and the memory of his dad when he gambled on baseball, breaking the rules of a sport that he loved more than anything else. Told with candor and wry humor—including tales he’s never told before—Rose’s memoir is his final word on the glories and controversies of his life, and, ultimately, a master class in how to succeed when the odds are stacked against you.
Play Like a Girl: How a Soccer School in Kenya's Slums Started a Revolution
by Ellie RoscherGrowing up and living in Kibera, Kenya, Abdul Kassim was well aware of the disproportionate number of challenges faced by women due to the extreme gender inequalities that persist in the slums. After being raised by his aunts, mother, and grandmother and having a daughter himself, he felt that he needed to make a difference. In 2002, Abdul started a soccer team for girls called Girls Soccer in Kibera (GSK), with the hope of fostering a supportive community and providing emotional and mental support for the young women in the town. The soccer program was a success, but the looming dangers of slum life persisted, and the young women continued to fall victim to the worst kinds of human atrocities. Indeed, it was the unyielding injustice of these conditions that led Abdul to the conclusion that soccer alone was not enough to create the necessary systemic change. In 2006, after much work, the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy (KGSA) was established with their first class of 11 girls and 2 volunteer teachers. Today, KGSA is composed of 20 full-time staff, provides a host of artistic and athletic programs for more than 130 students annually, and continues to expand. By providing academics inside and outside of the classroom along with artistic and athletic opportunities, KGSA inspires the young women of Kibera to become advocates for change within their own communities and for Kenya as a whole. Play Like a Girl tells the KGSA story through Abdul’s voice and vision and the stories of key staff and students. It is written by Ellie Roscher who spent 2 summers doing research at KGSA and several years writing this book.
Play Like a Girl
by Misty WilsonDebut author Misty Wilson chronicles her seventh-grade experience as the only girl on her town’s football team in this empowering graphic memoir about teamwork, friendship, crushes, and touchdowns.Misty never shies away from a challenge, on or off the field. So when the boys tell her she can’t play football, there’s only one thing to do: join their team and show them what she’s got.But the training is rougher than she thought—and so are the other guys, who aren’t thrilled about having a girl on their team.Middle school isn’t so easy, either. Misty wants to fit in with the popular kids, but they think a girl playing football is “weird.” Even her best friend doesn’t get it.Can Misty find a way to score points with her teammates, make new friends, and show everyone—including herself—what it means to play like a girl?“I am a huge fan of Misty and her courageous journey of staying true to herself. Readers will love her!” —Terri Libenson, New York Times bestselling author of the Emmie & Friends series“This is the book I wish I’d had as a kid. Misty’s passion for football and her fight to play in a male-dominated sport while balancing friendship and crushes makes for a winning read!” —Dr. Jen Welter, first female NFL coach, first female running back in men’s pro football, and founder of Grrridiron Girls
Play Like a Man: My Life in Poster Children (Music in American Life)
by Rose MarshackAs a member of Poster Children, Rose Marshack took part in entwined revolutions. Marshack and other women seized a much-elevated profile in music during the indie rock breakthrough while the advent of new digital technologies transformed the recording and marketing of music. Touring in a van, meeting your idols, juggling a programming job with music, keeping control and credibility, the perils of an independent record label (and the greater perils of a major)—Marshack chronicles the band’s day-to-day life and punctuates her account with excerpts from her tour reports and hard-learned lessons on how to rock, program, and teach while female. She also details the ways Poster Children applied punk’s DIY ethos to digital tech as a way to connect with fans via then-new media like pkids listservs, internet radio, and enhanced CDs. An inside look at a scene and a career, Play Like a Man is the evocative and humorous tale of one woman’s life in the trenches and online.
Play like You Mean It: Passion, Laughs, and Leadership in the World's Most Beautiful Game
by Rex RyanNo football fan will want to be without the book that delivers pure, unfiltered Rex Ryan--head coach of the New York Jets and one of the most popular, outspoken, well-liked, and widely respected personalities in the National Football League. Rex Ryan is known for his exuberance . . . and Play Like You Mean It explores every aspect of Ryan's amazing passion for the game of football, plus the lessons he has learned in leadership and motivation during his years in and around the game. In his own words, Ryan takes readers behind the scenes of the NFL as he shares colorful football stories from his experiences with the Jets and the Ravens as well as his years recruiting players, coaching college football, and growing up as a child of legendary NFL coach Buddy Ryan. Rex's unique brand of enthusiasm and motivation comes through on every page. Most of all, fans will get insider access to Ryan's headline-grabbing, brutally honest, and undeniably entertaining views on the NFL . . . and the very human side of the larger-than-life athletes who devote their lives to the game of football. From Ryan's acceptance of the Jets head coaching job to his success in turning around a team that has long been number two in New York, from his drafting and believing in Mark Sanchez to kicking off the 2010 season with massive expectations (and a target on his back)--this book goes deep, and entertains on every level.
Play, Louis, Play!: The True Story of a Boy and his Horn
by Muriel Harris WeinsteinThe book delivers a rollicking biography of jazz great Louis Armstrong's childhood, told from the perspective of his dearest companion--his horn.
Play Nice But Win: A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader
by Michael Dell James KaplanFrom Michael Dell, renowned founder and chief executive of one of America&’s largest technology companies, the inside story of the battles that defined him as a leaderIn 1984, soon-to-be college dropout Michael Dell hid signs of his fledgling PC business in the bathroom of his University of Texas dorm room. Almost 30 years later, at the pinnacle of his success as founder and leader of Dell Technologies, he found himself embroiled in a battle for his company&’s survival. What he&’d do next could ensure its legacy—or destroy it completely. Play Nice But Win is a riveting account of the three battles waged for Dell Technologies: one to launch it, one to keep it, and one to transform it. For the first time, Dell reveals the highs and lows of the company's evolution amidst a rapidly changing industry—and his own, as he matured into the CEO it needed. With humor and humility, he recalls the mentors who showed him how to turn his passion into a business; the competitors who became friends, foes, or both; and the sharks that circled, looking for weakness. What emerges is the long-term vision underpinning his success: that technology is ultimately about people and their potential. More than an honest portrait of a leader at a crossroads, Play Nice But Win is a survival story proving that while anyone with technological insight and entrepreneurial zeal might build something great—it takes a leader to build something that lasts.
Play On: Now, Then and Fleetwood Mac
by Mick Fleetwood"After forty-six years of being on the road, now is the right time to look back in a way I've never done before: now and then. I'm looking forward to sharing it with you." Mick Fleetwood has been part of one of the world's most successful and adored bands for over four decades. Here he tells the full and candid story of that life, and what it is to be part of the ever evolving Fleetwood Mac. His all-access autobiography spans the career of one of classic rock's greatest drummers and band leaders, the co-founder of the deeply loved super group that bears his name. In this intimate portrait of a life lived in music, Fleetwood vividly recalls his upbringing in Cornwall, Egypt and Norway tapping along to whatever song was playing on the radio; his experiences as a musician in Sixties London; the early days of the band featuring Peter Green, and his close friendship with George Harrison and seemingly all of music royalty. Play On sheds new light on Fleetwood Mac's raucous history describing the highs and lows of being part of a band that he often single-handedly kept together. His love affair with Stevie Nicks, the creation of landmark albums like Rumours and Tusk, and the many incredible and outrageous moments of recording, touring, fighting, and loving with Fleetwood Mac: all are here. He describes his life's moments with the honesty and immediacy that his fans expect, taking us to the very heart of this multi layered life. It's been a tumultuous journey with the excesses of the band's huge success at times threatening to destroy what they strived so hard to create. But through it all it's been the drive to play on that has won out. Now, then, and always, it's Fleetwood Mac.
Play On: Now, Then and Fleetwood Mac
by Mick Fleetwood"After forty-six years of being on the road, now is the right time to look back in a way I've never done before: now and then. I'm looking forward to sharing it with you." Mick Fleetwood has been part of one of the world's most successful and adored bands for over four decades. Here he tells the full and candid story of that life, and what it is to be part of the ever evolving Fleetwood Mac. His all-access autobiography spans the career of one of classic rock's greatest drummers and band leaders, the co-founder of the deeply loved super group that bears his name. In this intimate portrait of a life lived in music, Fleetwood vividly recalls his upbringing in Cornwall, Egypt and Norway tapping along to whatever song was playing on the radio; his experiences as a musician in Sixties London; the early days of the band featuring Peter Green, and his close friendship with George Harrison and seemingly all of music royalty. Play On sheds new light on Fleetwood Mac's raucous history describing the highs and lows of being part of a band that he often single-handedly kept together. His love affair with Stevie Nicks, the creation of landmark albums like Rumours and Tusk, and the many incredible and outrageous moments of recording, touring, fighting, and loving with Fleetwood Mac: all are here. He describes his life's moments with the honesty and immediacy that his fans expect, taking us to the very heart of this multi layered life. It's been a tumultuous journey with the excesses of the band's huge success at times threatening to destroy what they strived so hard to create. But through it all it's been the drive to play on that has won out. Now, then, and always, it's Fleetwood Mac.(P)2014 Hodder & Stoughton
Play On: Now, Then, and Fleetwood Mac: The Autobiography
by Mick Fleetwood Anthony BozzaMick Fleetwood, the drummer and cofounder of the mega-selling band Fleetwood Mac, tells all.In this candid, intimate portrait of a life lived in music, Mick Fleetwood sheds new light on well-known points in his history, including many incredible moments of recording and touring with Fleetwood Mac, as well as personal insights from a man who has been a major player in blues and rock n' roll since his teens.The group Fleetwood Mac has sold over 140 million records worldwide, and they continue to attract a huge following, selling out their biggest arena tour ever in 2013, decades after their debut. Finally, the group's admirers will have a unique portrait of what made Mick and the rest of the group tick in the midst of their massive success and personal trials.
Play Pretty Blues
by Snowden WrightThe mysteries of blues legend Robert Johnson's live and death long ago became myth. Part researched reconstruction, part vivid imagination, this lyrical novel brings Johnson alive through the voices of his six wives, revealing the husband and son inside the legend, illuminating the vacuum Johnson left in the worlds of those who loved him and those he would never meet.
Playa Fire: Spirit and Soul at Burning Man
by Stewart HarveyForeword by Burning Man founder Larry HarveyA stunning visual and narrative homage—featuring more than 100 black & white and color photographs, many never before seen—that captures the wonder and metaphysical power of Burning Man past present, and future, and the magic that draws us to it, by the ultimate Burning Man insider.Growing up in 1950s Oregon, brothers Stewart and Larry Harvey rebelled against their small-town culture and the conformist norms of Eisenhower’s America. Stewart turned to photography. Larry, drawn by the siren call of the burgeoning counter-cultural movement, fled to San Francisco, where he met a group of alternative artists like himself. During his frequent visits south, Stewart, camera always in hand, photographed the intimate creative worlds of Larry and his friends—images that would chronicle the birth of one of the most important cultural, artistic, and social movements of the twentieth century: Burning Man.Filled with the rare insights of Stewart’s decades-long friendships with his brother and the five other founders, as well as the many people who have shaped it, Playa Fire is a Burning Man story like no other. An artist and writer of striking emotional depth, Stewart marries stunning photos reflecting the beauty and grandeur of the desert landscape and the ephemeral, hallucinatory beauty of Black Rock City with a compelling narrative journey that captures the landmark festival’s spiritual essence.Drawn from his personal archives and taken over thirty years at Burning Man—many at "First Camp"—his panoramic photographs are accompanied by never-before-seen memorabilia, including Larry’s original sketch of the first Man as well as family photos of the young Harvey brothers and their band of merrymakers. An exquisite work of art that embodies the radical imagination at the core of this transformative event, Playa Fire celebrates both the spectacle and the meditative that is Burning Man. It is an enchanting portrait for die-hard "Burners," arts enthusiasts, and the intellectually curious fascinated by this iconoclastic, beloved cultural phenomenon.
The Playbook for Dads: Parenting Your Kids In the Game of Life
by Jim Kelly Dan Marino Ted KluckOn the football field NFL great Jim Kelly was a strong-armed passer, leading his team to victory after victory. In THE PLAYBOOK FOR DADS he passes principles instead of footballs, still using his talent to lead men, but now he leads them to greatness as fathers, in his view the world's most important job. With an emphasis on preparation, hard work and perseverance, Kelly tackles such essential issues as respect, character, accountability and spiritual discipline. From commitment and courage to honesty and humility, Kelly's lessons-learned on and off the field- guide men striving to be the fathers God designed them to be - so their children can grow to be everything they are meant to be. Conversational and refreshingly honest, Jim challenges fathers to work hard, pray for their children often, love their wives and implement these principles. Both practical and inspirational this is Jim Kelly coaching every dad how to be the star quarterback for the home team-his family.
Playboy: 50 Years of the Playboy Bunny
by Josh Robertson Hugh Hefner John DanteFor the first time ever, Playboy presents the complete, official account of the iconic Playboy Bunny. Coinciding with the Bunny's 50th anniversary, this richly illustrated book presents stunning pictorials of famous and classic Bunnies—from the likes of Debbie Harry, Lauren Hutton, and Gloria Steinemas well as rare images unearthed from the Playboy vault. A fascinating narrative charts the 50-year history of the Bunny, from the opening of the first Playboy club in Chicago to the making of a global empire. Former Bunnies and Playboy legends share insider secrets: a former "Bunny Mother" dishes on daily life in the clubs, Hugh Hefner reminisces on the swinging '60s, and his brother Keith discusses Bunny etiquette. With oodles of gorgeous Bunnies and a foreword by Hef himself, this is the perfect gift for any Playboy fan.
Playboy Laughs: The Comedy, Comedians, And Cartoons Of Playboy
by Patty FarmerFollowing her success with Playboy Swings, Patty Farmer looks at Playboy’s relationship with comedians and cartoonists in her new book Playboy Laughs. Playboy Laughs invites readers onto the sets of the organization’s groundbreaking TV shows, Playboy Penthouse and Playboy After Dark. These popular variety series brought top-tier comedians, impressionists, and monologists—as well as the finest musicians—into people’s homes each week. Readers will learn how before he ever dreamed of conquering the magazine publishing world—and along the way establish a worldwide brand—Hugh Hefner harbored aspirations of making his mark in the world as a cartoonist. Playboy Laughs delves into the darker aspects of the time as well, tackling the ways Playboy and its comedy stars helped break down social and racial barriers as well as sexual ones. Known for her devotion to meticulous research and clear, honest storytelling, Farmer has gained the full cooperation of the Playboy organization—and Hugh Hefner himself—making this not only an entertaining read but a trustworthy history of an under-appreciated aspect of American comic culture.
The Playboy Princes: The Apprentice Years of Edward VII and VIII
by Peter BeerA fascinating dual biography proves that controversial Royal Family members are not necessarily only a feature of late 20th- or 21st-century lifeEdward VII (1841-1910) and his grandson Edward VIII (1894-1972) were born in different eras, but it is illuminating to compare the early and middle years of the two Princes of Wales as kings in waiting and discover how their youth informed their years on the British throne. The privileges of rank aside, they were heirs to an unenviable role, and this study presents a unique portrait of strained apprenticeships for which there was no satisfactory precedent. Theirs was an upbringing dictated by dogmatic prescription and the heavy weight of obligation. As they pursued their lives according to their distinct personalities, they were never relieved of parental strictures, especially with regard to Queen Victoria and her eldest son, who filled the void with shallow interests, a profligate style of living, and the delights of Parisian nightlife. Inevitably the two princes were consigned to filling much of their time with insubstantial engagements not best suited to their characters and which reveal a common vulnerability. In the case of the future Edward VIII, he took a jaundiced view of matters of state and preferred dance floors, riding to hounds, and the ministrations of lovers. This book is the story of the heirs' progress that provides often unexpected perspectives on two public figures better known through the history of their respective reigns. For readers in this era, the similar position of Prince Charles ensures that this survey is a timely as well as a surprisingly entertaining read.
A Player and a Gentleman: The Diary of Harry Watkins, Nineteenth-Century U.S. American Actor
by Amy E Hughes Naomi J StubbsHardworking actor, playwright, and stage manager Harry Watkins (1825–94) was also a prolific diarist. For fifteen years Watkins regularly recorded the plays he saw, the roles he performed, the books he read, and his impressions of current events. Performing across the U.S., Watkins collaborated with preeminent performers and producers, recording his successes and failures as well as his encounters with celebrities such as P. T. Barnum, Junius Brutus Booth, Edwin Forrest, Anna Cora Mowatt, and Lucy Stone. His is the only known diary of substantial length and scope written by a U.S. actor before the Civil War—making Watkins, essentially, the antebellum equivalent of Samuel Pepys. Theater historians Amy E. Hughes and Naomi J. Stubbs have selected, edited, and annotated excerpts from the diary in an edition that offers a vivid glimpse of how ordinary people like Watkins lived, loved, struggled, and triumphed during one of the most tumultuous periods in U.S. history. The selections in A Player and a Gentleman are drawn from a more expansive digital archive of the complete diary. The book, like its digital counterpart, will richly enhance our knowledge of antebellum theater culture and daily life in the U.S. during this period.
The Players Ball: A Genius, a Con Man, and the Secret History of the Internet's Rise
by David Kushner“An engrossing microcosm of the internet's Wild West years” (Kirkus Reviews), award-winning journalist David Kushner tells the incredible battle between the founder of Match.com and the con man who swindled him out of the website Sex.com, resulting in an all-out war for control for what still powers the internet today: love and sex.In 1994, visionary entrepreneur Gary Kremen used a $2,500 loan to create the first online dating service, Match.com. Only 5 percent of Americans were using the internet at the time, and even fewer were looking online for love. He quickly bought the Sex.com domain too, betting the combination of love and sex would help propel the internet into the mainstream. Imagine Kremen’s surprise when he learned that someone named Stephen Michael Cohen had stolen the rights to Sex.com and was already making millions that Kremen would never see. Thus follows the wild true story of Kremen’s and Cohen’s decade-long battle for control. In The Players Ball, author and journalist David Kushner provides a front seat to these must-read Wild West years online, when innovators and outlaws battled for power and money. This cat-and-mouse game between a genius and a con man changed the way people connect forever, and is key to understanding the rise and future of the online world. “Kushner delivers a fast-paced, raunchy tale of sex, drugs, and dial-up.” —Publishers Weekly
Players First
by Michael Sokolove John Calipari"If you are a college basketball fan like I am, you'll understand why I've long admired John Calipari's leadership style. While no coach treasures a win more than John, this terrific book reveals his greater purpose--to lead his young players to better lives, and then challenge them to give back to others." --President William J. Clinton In Players First, John Calipari relates for the first time anywhere his experiences over his first four years coaching the Kentucky Wildcats, college basketball's most fabled program, from the doldrums to a national championship, drawing lessons about leadership, character, and the path to personal and collective victory. At its core, Calipari's coaching philosophy centers on keeping his focus on the players--what they need to get the best out of themselves and one another. He is beloved by his players for being utterly honest with them and making promises that he always keeps, no matter what. He knows that in this age, they come to Kentucky to prepare for the NBA; every year he gets players who in a previous era would have gone directly into the pros from high school but now have to play college basketball for one year. Calipari has fought against this system, but he has to play within it, and so he does, better than anyone. The result is an extraordinary leadership challenge: every year Coach Cal gets a handful of eighteen-year-old kids who have been in a bubble for the previous four years at least, filled with hype about their own greatness, and they come to Kentucky feeling sure that they will play for their coach only for seven months before they go on to greater glory. Every year, he has to reinvent his team. After his 2012 NCAA championship, it was particularly dramatic; he lost his first six players in the first round, meaning that someone who couldn't even start for Kentucky was a first-round draft pick. The overall record at Kentucky, and for his career, puts Calipari in the pantheon of the greatest coaches in the history of the game. Bold, funny, and truthful, like Coach Calipari himself, Players First is truly the first deep reckoning with the meaning of his experiences and the gifts of insight they offer.
Players & the Game Around the World
by Z. B. HillBasketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. Fans everywhere watch both local games and games played in the NBA. Millions of people around the globe play pick-up games with friends, while professional basketball players have become celebrities who are recognized everywhere. Fans from Japan to Brazil and Canada to Kenya love players like Jeremy Lin, Shaquille O'Neal, Yao Ming, LeBron James, and many more. The NBA may play in the United States, but basketball is the world's sport, with fans, leagues, and players worldwide. Discover how basketball is seen around the world and find out how the sport became so popular. Learn more about the world's best basketball players. Explore the connections between fans in different places--and find out how basketball brings people together no matter where they live.
Playground
by Jennifer SaginorYou are six years old. Every day after school your father takes you to a sprawling castle filled with exotic animals, bowls of candy, and half-naked women catering to your every need. You have your own room. You have new friends. You have an uncle Hef who's always there for you. Welcome to the world of Playground, the true story of a young girl who grew up inside the Playboy Mansion. By the time she was fourteen, she'd done countless drugs, had a secret affair with Hef's girlfriend, and was already losing her grip on reality. Schoolwork, family, and "ordinary people" had no meaning behind the iron gates of the Mansion, where celebrities frolicked, pool parties abounded, and her own father--Hugh Hefner's personal physician and best friend, the man nicknamed "Dr. Feel Good"--typically held court. Every day was a party, every night was an adventure, and through it all was a young girl falling faster and faster down the rabbit hole--trying desperately hard not to get lost.
Playground: A Childhood Lost Inside the Playboy Mansion
by Jennifer SaginorYou are six years old. Every day after school your father takes you to a sprawling castle filled with exotic animals, bowls of candy, and half-naked women catering to your every need. You have your own room. You have new friends. You have an uncle Hef who's always there for you. Welcome to the world of Playground, the true story of a young girl who grew up inside the Playboy Mansion. By the time she was fourteen, she'd done countless drugs, had a secret affair with Hef's girlfriend, and was already losing her grip on reality. Schoolwork, family, and "ordinary people" had no meaning behind the iron gates of the Mansion, where celebrities frolicked, pool parties abounded, and her own father -- Hugh Hefner's personal physician and best friend, the man nicknamed "Dr. Feel Good" -- typically held court. Every day was a party, every night was an adventure, and through it all was a young girl falling faster and faster down the rabbit hole -- trying desperately hard not to get lost.
Playin' Possum: My Memories of George Jones
by Nancy JonesIn Playin' Possum, readers get an intimate look at country music legend George Jones through the eyes of his wife of thirty years.Ask anyone who knows country music, &“Who was the GOAT—the greatest of all time?&” and the answers will inevitably lead to George Jones. Millions of people know the name of the iconic country music artist, George Jones, but few people know that behind the man and his golden voice was a strong, feisty woman who not only saved his life from cocaine addiction, alcoholism, and other abusive and self-destructive behaviors, but also was instrumental in saving his soul. Legends, half-truths, and downright lies abound about the iconic singer, but what secrets do people not know about him? What was it like to live with him through the darkest shadows and in the brightest of lights? Married for more than thirty years to the greatest country music singer who ever lived, the man Frank Sinatra had whimsically referred to as &“the second-greatest singer in America,&” Nancy Jones knew George Jones better than anyone else on earth—the good George and the bad George, the horrendous, and the hilarious. George and Nancy married March 4, 1983, and with her help and encouragement, he quit his wild and wicked ways—for a while. Nancy soon learned, however, that the demons held a strong grip on the man she loved, and they were not about to release him without a fight. But Nancy Jones is a tenacious fighter, and most people who knew &“the Possum,&” credit Nancy with saving his life and rebuilding his career. For the first time, in Playin' Possum, Nancy Jones reveals the true &“insider&” perspectives and little known poignant and as well as humorous stories about the country music icon—his battles with cocaine, alcohol, abusive behavior toward her and others, his battles with himself, and most of all, his battles against the demons that sought to control him and ultimately destroy him. Nancy knew there was a good man inside George Jones, and she felt strongly that God had given her the assignment to help him, even if he hurt her. She refused to give up on Jones. Although Tammy Wynette sang &“Stand By Your Man,&” it was actually Nancy Jones who stood by George for more than thirty years, and helped bring him to the Light. Together, they brought joy and light to millions of people.