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Life Interrupted
by Teisha RoseTeisha Rose was just twenty-two and on a fast track to corporate success when her life was interrupted by a huge and unexpected hurdle. For the next four years she grieved for her lost dreams, caught in an avalanche of endless hospital ordeals and gruelling rehabilitation. Her devastating physical condition came to dominate her identity ... until she decided to turn her hurdle into hope. Teisha committed herself to finding joy where it seemed impossible. Turning an existence of debilitating lows into a life of exhilarating highs, she left her homeland to travel the world. She left creature comforts to help orphans overseas. She left corporate life to become a social worker among the homeless and lonely. She found new gifts, new perspectives, new homes, new friends and in an amazing set of circumstances she found love. Teisha's extraordinary story will break your heart, inspire you, enthral you and thrill you. Yet Life Interrupted is more than a life story. In the second part of her book, Teisha uses her unique discoveries to help you find your way through whatever might have interrupted your own dreams. Your challenges need not be as tragic as Teisha Rose- few people's are - but like her, you can find your way past your hurdle to a new life full of hope.
Life Interrupted: The Unfinished Monologue
by Spalding GrayAs the first decade of the new century was getting underway, Spalding Gray worried that the joy he'd finally found with his wife, stepdaughter, and two sons would fail to fuel his work as a theatrical monologist the way anxiety, conflict, doubt, and various crises once had. Before he got the chance to find out, however, an automobile accident in Ireland left him with the lasting wounds of body and spirit that ultimately led him to take his own life. But as his dear friend novelist Francine Prose notes in this volume's foreword, "Even when his depression became so severe that he was barely able to hold a simple conversation, he was, miraculously, able to perform." As was always his method, Gray began to fashion a new monologue in various workshop settings that would tell the story of the accident and its aftermath. Originally titled Black Spot--for what the locals called the section of highway where Gray's accident occurred--it began as a series of workshops at P.S. 122 in New York City and eventually became Life Interrupted.Gray died in early 2004, and though never completed, Life Interrupted is rich with brave self-revelation, masterfully acute observations of wonderfully peculiar people, penetrating wit and genuine humor, an irresolvable fascination with life and death, and all the other attributes of Gray's singular and unmistakable voice.In the final performance of Life Interrupted, Gray read two additional pieces: a short story about a day he spent with his son Theo at the carousel in Central Park and a brief, poignant love letter to New York City that he wrote after the terrorist attacks in 2001. This volume includes these pieces as well as many of the eulogies that were delivered by his friends and family at memorial services held at Lincoln Center and in Sag Harbor.[If you had to reduce all of Spalding's work to its essence, its core, if you wanted to locate the subject to which, no matter what else he talked about, he kept returning, I suppose you could say that his work was a profoundly metaphysical inquiry into how we manage to live despite the knowledge that we are someday going to die. . . .If there is a consolation, it's what he left behind: the children whom he so loved and, of course, his work. Reading the unfinished pieces in this volume . . . we hear his voice again and feel the happiness we felt when he sat on stage behind his wooden desk, took a sip from his water glass, transformed the raw material of his life into art, and the crowd applauded each brilliant, beautiful sentence.] --Francine Prose, from the Foreward.
Life Is A Rollercoaster
by Ronan Keating'Brilliant' OK! 'Engagingly warm' Heat 'Sensational' The Mirror'Ronan Keating demolishes his 'Mr Perfect of Pop image in a new warts-and-all book of his amazing ride to stardom.' The MirrorRonan Keating is a very real idol. In a life-story that received extensive press and ecstatic reviews as 'a classic - honest, funny and gripping', Ronan Keating tells the full story of his incredible journey. He may be only 23 but he has lived an extraordinary life so far, from playing football on a housing estate in North Dublin to headlining Madison Square Garden with Elton John. But Ronan has never forgotten it's his fans that got him there. It's an inspirational story of a boy from modest beginnings who confounded the critics and made his mark with talent, boyish good looks and, above all, an integrity that has helped him move from the teen market to a broader, adult audience. In a surprisingly honest, remarkably frank style he talks openly of his background and his beloved mother, Boyzone's extraordinary catapult to fame, his friends and band-mates and his new solo career and his wife and son. Brimming with anecdote and revelation, this is a brilliantly written book by a true star - Ronan.
Life Is About Losing Everything
by Lynn CrosbieFrom the author of the wildly controversial books Liar and Paul's Case comes one of the most anticipated — and perhaps, in some quarters, feared — books of the year. This is author Lynn Crosbie at her most honest, most cutting, most hilarious, and most heartbreaking. The stories told here are at once a cache, a repository, of a seven-year period in the author's life; and, too, a gymnasium, a place where she can flex her prodigious wit and her dazzling stash of literary tricks Deft with matters both low- and highbrow (here are stories about 80s big-hair bands and the lasting, theological value of the Rocky series; here, too are stories contemplating critical theory and fine art), Life is About Losing Everything speaks with manic yet grave authority about risking and losing everything, and then sorting through the remains to discover what is beautiful, what is trash, and what, ultimately, belongs.
Life Is Just What You Make It: My Story So Far
by Donny Osmond Patricia RomanowskiAutobiography of the pop star
Life Is Just What You Make It: The Autobiography
by Donny OsmondThe 1970s heartthrob who remains just as popular as ever finally reveals all in this 'emotionally raw and startlingly candid autobiography'By the time Donny Osmond's first solo single, 'Puppy Love', hit Number One in the summer of 1972, the 14-year-old was already a veteran of TV and Las Vegas. Part of the hitmaking family The Osmonds, and famed for his duets with sister Marie, with whom he went on to make the hugely popular series The Donny & Marie Show, Donny Osmond was THE teen pin-up of the 1970s. But after punk, the clean-cut approach wasn't so popular, and record companies felt that there would be no interest in the grown man.In this revealingly honest memoir, Donny Osmond reveals how he kept faith, how he battled against a debilitating social phobia and made a hugely successful comeback, not just as a recording artist, but also as a star of stage in a record-breaking musical. He continues to tour regularly and remains hugely popular to his fans around the world. This book shows how he kept on going, and will be an inspirational read to all.
Life Is Magic: My Inspiring Journey from Tragedy to Self-Discovery
by Jon Dorenbos&“Jon Dorenbos is a magical person. Life Is Magic shows how we can all choose happiness in the face of overwhelming odds.&” —Ellen DeGeneres An extraordinary and empowering story of resilience, forgiveness, and living a life of purpose in the face of unfathomable obstacles.You may know him as an NFL All-Pro or as a world-class magician who made the finals of America&’s Got Talent, but Jon Dorenbos says that what he does is not who he is. He is someone who coached himself, at the most tender of ages, to turn tragedy to triumph. One morning in August 1992, when Jon was twelve years old and living a seemingly idyllic childhood in suburban Seattle, he woke up for baseball camp. His dad waved goodbye. Later that day, Jon heard the news: his father had murdered his mother in the family&’s three-car garage. In an instant, his life had shattered. He&’d essentially been orphaned. Thrust into foster care while his father stood trial for murder, Jon struggled. Left to himself, he discovered an unlikely escape performing magic tricks. If you found a way to alter your reality, after your dad—your hero—killed your mom, wouldn&’t you cling to it too? Then came football, which provided a release for all of his pent-up anger. Together, magic and football saved him, leading to fourteen NFL seasons on the gridiron and raucous sleight of hand performances to packed houses across the globe. In 2017, he was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition leaving him with a choice. To either break down or—as he&’d by now long taught himself—bounce back. &“Life Is Magic shows how we can all choose happiness in the face of overwhelming odds&” (Ellen DeGeneres) and provides a roadmap for overcoming even the darkest of times. Jon&’s story is poignant and powerful, told by a charismatic and optimistic man who has overcome life-or-death challenges with grace, persistence, a childlike sense of wonder…and jaw-dropping card tricks.
Life Is Mostly Edges: A Memoir
by Calvin MillerOne man’s backward glance at unexpected lessons, the beauty of relationship, and God’s mysterious guiding hand.Bestselling author and poet Calvin Miller turns his hand to the most moving story of all – his own. The reader is taken through a myriad of experiences of a young man coming of age in mid-20th century America. Following his life into college, seminary, a small local church and eventually to a new life as an author and professor, the memoir touches on those points that make all of us uniquely human and intensely vulnerable.
Life Is Not a Fairy Tale
by FantasiaFANTASIA tells of her astonishing rise from hopeless high school dropout to American Idol superstar in the inspirational New York Times bestseller Life Is Not a Fairy Tale In one moment, with one tearful performance of "Summertime," the nineteen-year-old Fantasia captured the hearts -- and the votes -- of millions of American Idol fans. Her powerful voice and independent style made her an overnight national sensation. But life wasn't always sensational for Fantasia. At the age of seventeen, despite the promise of her extraordinary voice, Fantasia was in danger of becoming just another sad statistic: an uneducated, unmarried teenage mother living in the projects. But Fantasia had been raised by two strong, influential women: Both her grandmother and mother are preachers, and she was raised with an unshakable faith. In Life Is Not a Fairy Tale, Fantasia speaks -- with a spirit as strong as her voice -- about what it takes to believe in the power of one's self. She turns all that she's learned into uplifting life lessons, including: Recognize your gift You made your bed, now lie in it Give props where props are due Like mother, like daughter It ain't about the bling Fantasia keeps it real with her sassy, self-confident style and down-to-earth advice, making readers laugh and cry with her. Life Is Not a Fairy Tale is more than just a celebrity success story. It's a book of revelations that will inspire all readers to reach for their greatest potential.
Life Is Not a Fairy Tale
by Fantasia BarrinoFANTASIA began singing at the age of five. At nineteen, she became an American Idol. She captured the hearts, and the votes, of millions of American Idol fans. Her powerful voice and independent style made her an overnight national sensation. But life wasn't always sensational for Fantasia. Fantasia could have been just another sad statistic. At the age of seventeen, despite the promise of her extraordinary voice, she was just another young girl who dropped out of high school, a baby on her hip. Her life and her plans for her future seemed to be going nowhere. The choices she had made were closing every door to the life she had hoped to live. But Fantasia had been raised by strong women of faith. Both her grandmother and mother are preachers. She was raised with an unshakable faith in God, the kind of faith that she needed when it came time to rethink her choices and redirect her life. Fantasia hoped that by using her gift to inspire others, she would be able to someday take care of her family and herself. Now readers can share the intimate moments of her life. In Life Is Not a Fairy Tale, Fantasia offers a deeply emotional look at her rise to the top and the life-altering revelations she came to during her lowest moments along the way. With a spirit as strong as her voice, she speaks with heartfelt, humorous frankness about what it takes to get off the wrong path and onto the right one. Fantasia confides in readers, walking with them through the trials of her family life and loving a man who didn't love her, through the challenge of being a baby mama to managing the joys and pressures of fame. Fantasia keeps it real with her sassy, self-confident style and down-to-earth advice, making readers laugh and cry with her. Fantasia's story will inspire readers to believe in themselves and have the faith it takes to reach for their greatest potential.
Life Is Not a Reality Show: Keeping It Real with the Housewife Who Does It All
by Kyle RichardsIn Life Is Not a Reality Show, breakout star of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Kyle Richards reveals everything she’s learned about succeeding without getting stuck up, with insights into everything from keeping a marriage fresh while juggling four kids (with not a nanny in sight) to finding the best beauty steals and home-decorating inspirations.Pop culture fanatics and fans of hip, no-nonsense women’s books from Kelly Cutrone, Bethenny Frankel, and Brandi Glanville will find all they’re looking for and more in Richards’s Life Is Not a Reality Show.
Life Is Not a Stage: From Broadway Baby to a Lovely Lady and Beyond
by Florence Henderson Joel BrokawFor millions of people around the world, Carol Brady is synonymous with motherhood, but growing up as the youngest of ten children in rural Indiana in the aftermath of the Great Depression, Florence Henderson lived a life quite different from that of the quintessential TV mom she later played on television. Florence's father was a dirt-poor tobacco tenant farmer who was nearly fifty years old when he married Florence's twenty-five-year-old mother, and was nearly seventy when Florence was born. Florence's childhood was full of deprivation and abandonment. Her father was an alcoholic at a time when there was no rehab or help for the disease. Their home rarely had electricity or running water. When she was twelve, Florence's mother left the family to work in Cleveland and never returned.Florence opens up about her childhood, as well as the challenges she's faced as an adult, including stage fright, postpartum depression, her extramarital affairs, divorce, her hearing loss, and heart problems. She writes with honesty and wisdom of how her faith and ability to survive has brought her through rough times to a life of profound joy and purpose.
Life Is Not an Accident: A Memoir of Reinvention
by Jay WilliamsNew York Times BestsellerThis big-hearted memoir by the most promising professional basketball player of his generation details his rise to NBA stardom, the terrible accident that ended his career and plunged him into a life-altering depression, and how he ultimately found his way out of the darkness.Ten years ago, Jay Williams was at the beginning of a brilliant professional basketball career. The Chicago Bulls’ top draft pick—and the second pick of the entire draft—he had the great Michael Jordan’s locker. Then he ran his high-performance motorcycle head-on into a light pole, severely damaging himself and ending his career.In this intense, hard-hitting, and deeply profound memoir, Williams talks about the accident that transformed him. Sometimes, the memories are so fresh, he feels like he’ll never escape the past. Most days, he finds a quiet peace as a commentator on ESPN and as an entrepreneur who can only look back in astonishment at his younger self—a kid who had it all, thought he was invincible, and lost everything . . . only to gain new wisdom.Williams also shares behind the scenes details of life as an All-American. He tells it straight about the scandalous recruiting process and his decision to return to Duke and Coach K—a man who taught him about accountability—to finish his education. He also speaks out about corruption—among coaches, administrators, players, and alumni—and about his time in the NBA, introducing us to a dark underworld culture in the pros: the gambling, drugs, and sex in every city, with players on every team.
Life Is Real Only Then, When I Am: All and Everything Third Series
by G. I. GurdjieffBegun in 1934, this final volume of Gurdjieff's trilogy, All and Everything, is a primary source for Gurdjieff's ideas, methods, and biography. Gurdjieff offers guidance to his "community of seekers," through a selection of talks given in 1930, autobiographical material crucial to understanding his ideas, and the incomplete essay "The Outer and Inner World of Man. " Available for the first time in paperback, this is the ultimate piece of Gurdjieff's work that his numerous followers have been waiting for. .
Life Is So Good
by Richard Glaubman George DawsonA heartwarming memoir of a man who knew that something was missing in his life. That something was reading. At 98 years old, he learned, and at 101 he worked on this book.
Life Is Yours to Win: Lessons Forged from the Purpose, Passion, and Magic of Baseball
by Augie GarridoPRACTICE PERFECT,PLAY FOR FUN August “Augie” Garrido has led his baseball teams to more victories than any coach in any sport in NCAA Division I history. He is also the winner of more National Coach of the Year awards than any other college coach. Garrido’s former teams at Cal State Fullerton and, more recently, at the University of Texas together have compiled a total of five College World Series championships under his leadership. But despite his unmatched record as a winner, Coach Garrido is not a win-at-all-costs coach. He teaches his players to focus on developing character, being good teammates, mastering all facets of the game, and playing with joy in the moment rather than focusing on the scoreboard. Augie teaches that the challenges faced in the batter’s box or on the pitcher’s mound are universal—and that the lessons learned on the diamond are applicable off the field, too. Life Is Yours to Win follows the coach’s journey of self-discovery and his evolution from being driven by fear to being motivated by passion. His unique and compelling book offers this revered leader’s philosophy on life and his thoughtful approach to helping young men understand both who they are and how they can be successful in their work, their relationships, and their communities. Every individual will find advice worth following including: •BE A PLAYER, NOT A PROSPECT—If you want to be considered a star in your field, whatever that may be, you need to be fully engaged. Augie once had his Labrador retriever demonstrate the joy of play to a team that needed a reminder of why they loved baseball as children. •STEP UP, SUPERMAN—Augie stages a costumed Superhero Scrimmage each Halloween to remind his players that their inner superhero is just waiting for the perfect moment when preparation meets opportunity, potential is fulfilled, and destiny is realized. •THE FEARLESS FIELD—To be successful in the often cruel game of baseball, players must master fear and other emotions so they are energized rather than paralyzed. Augie once rented a hearse and placed a casket on the pitcher’s mound to help a slumping Cal State Fullerton team bury their fears and put losses behind them. •BUDDHA AT BAT—Bunting and other “small ball” skills are not as glorified as home runs and big plays, but Coach Garrido’s teams are known for putting players in scoring position and winning games by following a Zen-like philosophy of claiming small victories during each at bat, in each inning that add up to winning records. Augie’s coaching methods are unconventional, but his creativity and wry humor provide masterful life lessons. His insights will help you both on and off the field by providing fresh approaches to conquering fears, living with joy and passion in each moment, establishing personal principles, and appreciating the value of both losing and winning. This is a book by a beloved college coach but it is packed with Major League insights and anecdotes featuring many of baseball’s greatest players and most inspiring spirits. Life Is Yours to Win will appeal to anyone who appreciates the wisdom of a proven winner in sports and in life.
Life Is a Gift: The Zen of Bennett
by Tony BennettA moving and inspiring memoir from one of the greatest musical artists of all time"My given name is Anthony Dominick Benedetto, and Benedetto in Italian means 'the blessed one.' I couldn't say it any better than that."—Tony BennettLegendary singer, artist, and performer, Tony Bennett has been one of the world's most beloved entertainers for more than six decades. From the 78 to the LP to the digital age, Tony has done it all and is still at the top of his game. In decade after decade, this artistic icon—who has won seventeen Grammys, sung for ten presidents, and performed for royalty—has refused to compromise his vision or values. His unwavering commitment to quality has helped him stay true to his classic sound and is the reason his music continues to endure. Mentored by such legends as Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nat King Cole, Bennett has only gotten better with age, and his popularity continues to grow as each new generation discovers his timeless songs and incredible voice.In this entertaining and thoughtful memoir, a collection of soulful reflections and philosophies from his life and career, Bennett shares stories of friends and family and the essential lessons they have taught him: of the value of hard work and of creating art that continues to inspire; of perseverance and a dedication to excellence; of the necessity of humility, love, respect, and, most important, gratitude. Bennett cherishes the passion and insatiable thirst for knowledge that have shaped his life and made each day a journey of discovery. He pays tribute to all the remarkable talents he has had the honor to work with and to learn from, including Luciano Pavarotti, Judy Garland, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney, Amy Winehouse, Willie Nelson, Lady Gaga, David Hockney, and k.d. lang, to name just a few.A magnificent testament to an extraordinary man and his art, and illustrated with Tony Bennett's own beautiful hand-drawn artwork, Life Is a Gift is a work that will captivate, delight, and be cherished by music lovers of all ages.
Life Is a Joke: A Writer's Memoir
by Rosemary FriedmanThe hazards and secrets of the book trade and writing for television and the theatre are revealed and co-mingle with the joys of travel, family and entertaining. The alarums and excursions of an arson attack and the efforts to ease the lot of fellow writers imprisoned for their beliefs in democracy are eclipsed temporarily as Rosemary Friedman emerges from the valley of the shadow of death into which she is unexpectedly precipitated. With her skill and acute eye she takes us behind the scenes of the theatre (in which applause is the writer's personal laurel wreath) and lets us into the machinations of auditions, directors and stage managers and the dynamics of plays themselves in which every actor is expected to be 'dead letter perfect'. In summing up she concludes (with WS Gilbert) that life ' - is a joke that's just begun'.
Life Is a Joke: A Writer's Memoir
by Rosemary FriedmanThe hazards and secrets of the book trade and writing for television and the theatre are revealed and co-mingle with the joys of travel, family and entertaining. The alarums and excursions of an arson attack and the efforts to ease the lot of fellow writers imprisoned for their beliefs in democracy are eclipsed temporarily as Rosemary Friedman emerges from the valley of the shadow of death into which she is unexpectedly precipitated. With her skill and acute eye she takes us behind the scenes of the theatre (in which applause is the writer's personal laurel wreath) and lets us into the machinations of auditions, directors and stage managers and the dynamics of plays themselves in which every actor is expected to be 'dead letter perfect'. In summing up she concludes (with WS Gilbert) that life ' - is a joke that's just begun'.
Life Is a Lazy Susan of Sh*t Sandwiches
by Jennifer Welch Angie SullivanFrom the beloved hosts of the hit podcast I've Had It, an honest, irreverent and inspiring guide to overcoming life's unexpected challenges and finding joy, stability and humor in today's chaotic world, for fans of Big Friendship and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Long before their blockbuster podcast, I&’ve Had It, Jennifer Welch and Angie &“Pumps&” Sullivan were simply two best friends, supporting each other through the ups and downs of life. Together they&’ve celebrated family milestones and cheered on professional successes, but they&’ve weathered the storms together too. When Jennifer&’s husband battled alcoholism and drug addiction, she turned to Angie for support. When Angie&’s own marriage began to crumble, she turned to Jennifer. And crucially, through it all they&’ve kept one another laughing in stitches. For the first time, Angie and Jennifer open up about the most personal moments that shaped their worldviews, sharpened their humor and inspired the &“hopeful cynicism&” that underpins their I&’ve Had It podcast. Using their friendship as a roadmap, Jennifer and Angie share the wisdom that got them through life&’s biggest challenges and the lessons they&’ve absorbed along the way. From infidelity, addiction and sobriety to economic instability, struggles with self-worth and brushes with fame, they've seen it all, and they're here to help guide readers on their own journeys, showing us how we too can center our lives around humor, hope and connection and let go of the rest.
Life Is a Marathon: A Memoir of Love and Endurance
by Matt FitzgeraldAn endurance athlete and coach reveals how the marathon transforms the lives of everyone who attempts it--and how it has helped his own family cope with serious adversityStep after step for 26.2 miles, hundreds of thousands of people run marathons. But why--what compels people past pain, lost toenails, 5.30 am start times, The Wall? Sports writer Matt Fitzgerald set out to run eight marathons in eight weeks across the country to answer that question. At each race, he meets an array of runners, from first timers, to dad-daughter teams and spouses, to people who'd been running for decades, and asks them what keeps them running. But there is another deeply personal part to Matt's journey: his own relationship to the sport--and how it helped him overcome his own struggles and cope with his wife Nataki's severe bipolar disorder. A combination of Matt's own How Bad Do You Want It? and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, Life Is a Marathon captures the magic of those 26.2 miles. At the end of the day--and at the end of the race--the pursuit of a marathon finish line is not unlike the pursuit of happiness. You will pick up the book for a powerful personal story about what running does for the people for whom it does the most. You will put it down with a greater understanding of what it means to be alive in this world.
Life Is a Zoo - No Matter What Side of the Cage You're On
by Gary RichmondGary Richmond tells the comical and hair-raising adventures of his own journey into manhood. Tales portray a young who tested every law of God and nature. He inspired teachers to retire early, his father to lay down the law, his mother to throw up her hands, and his friends to risk their lives. But underneath the antics emerges a young man who grappled with his rocky passage into adulthood.
Life Itself!: An Autobiography
by Elaine DundyAuthor of the celebrated and hilarious THE DUD AVOCADO, the classic novel about a young American ingenue in Paris, Elaine Dundy was born in New York in the 1930s. Her first years were spent in an apartment on Park Avenue until the stock market crash wiped out most of the family's money. She went to university in the south where, among other studies, she worked hard at losing her virginity. Deciding the stage was her true home, Elaine Dundy headed first to Paris and then to London, where she met and married the famous theatre critic Kenneth Tynan. Though their union was intoxicating, it was far from easy and the successful publication in 1958 of her novel finished off the marriage. But it was the opening of a new world of writers for Elaine Dundy, including friendships with Tennessee Williams, Hemingway and Gore Vidal. Extremely funny and extraordinarily honest this wonderfully remembered story of growing up in America is as much a tonic as life itself.
Life Itself!: An Autobiography
by Elaine DundyAuthor of the celebrated and hilarious THE DUD AVOCADO, the classic novel about a young American ingenue in Paris, Elaine Dundy was born in New York in the 1930s. Her first years were spent in an apartment on Park Avenue until the stock market crash wiped out most of the family's money. She went to university in the south where, among other studies, she worked hard at losing her virginity. Deciding the stage was her true home, Elaine Dundy headed first to Paris and then to London, where she met and married the famous theatre critic Kenneth Tynan. Though their union was intoxicating, it was far from easy and the successful publication in 1958 of her novel finished off the marriage. But it was the opening of a new world of writers for Elaine Dundy, including friendships with Tennessee Williams, Hemingway and Gore Vidal. Extremely funny and extraordinarily honest this wonderfully remembered story of growing up in America is as much a tonic as life itself.
Life Itself: A Memoir
by Roger EbertRoger Ebert is the best-known film critic of our time. He has been reviewing films for the Chicago Sun-Times since 1967, and was the first film critic ever to win a Pulitzer Prize. He has appeared on television for four decades, including twenty-three years as cohost of Siskel & Ebert at the Movies.In 2006, complications from thyroid cancer treatment resulted in the loss of his ability to eat, drink, or speak. But with the loss of his voice, Ebert has only become a more prolific and influential writer. And now, for the first time, he tells the full, dramatic story of his life and career.Roger Ebert's journalism carried him on a path far from his nearly idyllic childhood in Urbana, Illinois. It is a journey that began as a reporter for his local daily, and took him to Chicago, where he was unexpectedly given the job of film critic for the Sun-Times, launching a lifetime's adventures.In this candid, personal history, Ebert chronicles it all: his loves, losses, and obsessions; his struggle and recovery from alcoholism; his marriage; his politics; and his spiritual beliefs. He writes about his years at the Sun-Times, his colorful newspaper friends, and his life-changing collaboration with Gene Siskel. He remembers his friendships with Studs Terkel, Mike Royko, Oprah Winfrey, and Russ Meyer (for whom he wrote Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and an ill-fated Sex Pistols movie). He shares his insights into movie stars and directors like John Wayne, Werner Herzog, and Martin Scorsese.This is a story that only Roger Ebert could tell. Filled with the same deep insight, dry wit, and sharp observations that his readers have long cherished, this is more than a memoir-it is a singular, warm-hearted, inspiring look at life itself."I believe that if, at the end, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn't always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out."-from LIFE ITSELF