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Nailing It
by Rich Hall'An uproariously funny collection of true stories from one of the comedy greats' - BILL BAILEY'I loved this book. Absolutely adored it. I devoured it and savoured every word. A wild and wonderful love letter to comedy' - ADAM HILLS'It's rare for comedians to be as funny on paper as they are on stage, but Rich Hall nails it' - CARL HIAASENA collection of hilarious and often absurd epiphanies in the legendary comedian's life that defined him - more in a for worse than for better kind of way - and all delivered in his unique deadpan style. Growing up, Rich Hall aspired to be a writer, and after school he trained to be a journalist. But after a stint at the Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee, he found himself trying to impress a girl by doing a one-man show in a state university campus in Kansas, armed with a bucket, a loudhailer and some dog biscuits. It wasn't exactly a triumph, and he didn't get the girl, but he had found his true calling.Nailing It is a collection of true stories from both Hall's professional and personal life where he really had to nail it. They're not about glitz, or fame, or how he met his seventh wife at the rehab clinic and found spiritual direction. None of that happened to him.They're about accidentally melting Kraft cheese at his first Edinburgh Fringe Festival, alienating an entire convention of RV holiday-makers in Las Vegas, singing The Who's 'You Better You Bet' at a charity gig and turning his performance into a legendary rock 'n' roll disaster, and attempting to seduce Karen, which must have been successful because she is now his wife. And other such escapades.Hall doesn't always come out of them all covered in glory - far from it - but if someone propped him up at the end of the comedy bar and put a 50p coin in him, these are the tunes he would spin. And you'd be laughing all night.
Nailing It
by Rich Hall'An uproariously funny collection of true stories from one of the comedy greats' - BILL BAILEY'I loved this book. Absolutely adored it. I devoured it and savoured every word. A wild and wonderful love letter to comedy' - ADAM HILLS'It's rare for comedians to be as funny on paper as they are on stage, but Rich Hall nails it' - CARL HIAASENA collection of hilarious and often absurd epiphanies in the legendary comedian's life that defined him - more in a for worse than for better kind of way - and all delivered in his unique deadpan style. Growing up, Rich Hall aspired to be a writer, and after school he trained to be a journalist. But after a stint at the Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee, he found himself trying to impress a girl by doing a one-man show in a state university campus in Kansas, armed with a bucket, a loudhailer and some dog biscuits. It wasn't exactly a triumph, and he didn't get the girl, but he had found his true calling.Nailing It is a collection of true stories from both Hall's professional and personal life where he really had to nail it. They're not about glitz, or fame, or how he met his seventh wife at the rehab clinic and found spiritual direction. None of that happened to him.They're about accidentally melting Kraft cheese at his first Edinburgh Fringe Festival, alienating an entire convention of RV holiday-makers in Las Vegas, singing The Who's 'You Better You Bet' at a charity gig and turning his performance into a legendary rock 'n' roll disaster, and attempting to seduce Karen, which must have been successful because she is now his wife. And other such escapades.Hall doesn't always come out of them all covered in glory - far from it - but if someone propped him up at the end of the comedy bar and put a 50p coin in him, these are the tunes he would spin. And you'd be laughing all night.
Nailing It
by Rich Hall'An uproariously funny collection of true stories from one of the comedy greats' - BILL BAILEYA collection of hilarious and often absurd epiphanies in the legendary comedian's life that defined him - more in a for worse than for better kind of way - and all delivered in his unique deadpan style. Growing up, Rich Hall aspired to be a writer, and after school he trained to be a journalist. But after a stint at the Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee, he found himself trying to impress a girl by doing a one-man show in a state university campus in Kansas, armed with a bucket, a loudhailer and some dog biscuits. It wasn't exactly a triumph, and he didn't get the girl, but he had found his true calling.Nailing It is a collection of true stories from both Hall's professional and personal life where he really had to nail it. They're not about glitz, or fame, or how he met his seventh wife at the rehab clinic and found spiritual direction. None of that happened to him.They're about accidentally melting Kraft cheese at his first Edinburgh Fringe Festival, alienating an entire convention of RV holiday-makers in Las Vegas, singing The Who's 'You Better You Bet' at a charity gig and turning his performance into a legendary rock 'n' roll disaster, and attempting to seduce Karen, which must have been successful because she is now his wife. And other such escapades.Hall doesn't always come out of them all covered in glory - far from it - but if someone propped him up at the end of the comedy bar and put a 50p coin in him, these are the tunes he would spin. And you'd be laughing all night.(P) 2022 Quercus Editions Limited
Nailing It: How History's Awesome Twentysomethings Got It Together
by Robert L. DilenschneiderMozart * Mary Shelley * Honore Daumier * Ulysses S. Grant * Einstein * Othmar Ammann * Helen Keller When you&’re in your twenties, life can seem full of obstacles. Where&’s that glorious career you dreamed of? How can you make your way past student debt, economic uncertainty, and other challenges of adulting? Respected advisor Robert L. Dilenschneider takes you into the pages of history to show how 25 fascinating and diverse twenty-somethings found their way and created their legacies.Elizabeth Kenny * Branch Rickey * Jackie Robinson * Coco Chanel * Golda Meir *Roberto Marinho * Do you think Albert Einstein had his science career together by his mid-20s? Actually, he was a clerk in a patent office. Maya Angelou became a beloved, acclaimed poet and writer after a string of odd jobs during her young adulthood. Steve Jobs was at the top of his game by age 25. But his beginnings were marked by adoption, displacement, bullying, and many more challenges lay ahead. This absorbing book examines the trajectories of iconic figures to reveal the choices that enabled them to fulfill their potential. Rita Levi-Montalcini * Edith Piaf * I.M. Pei * Akio Morita * Maria Tallchief * Maya Angelou * For those who are coming of age now, and for those who care about them and their futures, these eye-opening time capsules provide inspiration, instruction, and encouragement. Audrey Hepburn * Rudolf Nureyev * Sally Ride* Christa McAuliffe * Steve Jobs * Jean-Michel Basquiat Foreword by U.S. Ambassador Donald Blinken
Naked
by David SedarisA riotous collection of memoirs which explores the absurd hilarity of modern life and creates a wickedly incisive portrait of an all-too-familiar world. It takes Sedaris from his humiliating bout with obsessive behaviour in 'A Plague of Tics' to the title story, where he is finally forced to face his naked self in the company of lunatics. At this soulful and moving moment, he brushes cigarette ashes from his pubic hair and wonders what it all means.This remarkable journey into his own life follows a path of self-effacement and a lifelong search for identity leaving himself both under suspicion and over dressed.
Naked Mountain: A Memoir
by Marcia MabeeThis compelling memoir of one woman’s journey of enchantment, tragedy and romance unfolds against the backdrop of a stunning mountaintop in rural Virginia. Purchased on a lark for weekend camping by a clueless suburban couple, the mountain brings Marcia Mabee and her husband Tim surprising wildlife encounters, dramatic botanical discoveries, and a passion for conservation that leads to its dedication by the state as the Naked Mountain Natural Area Preserve. Naked Mountain veers in an unexpected direction when Marcia faces a life-threatening cancer diagnosis. Struggling with energy-sapping treatments, she continues to battle environmental threats to the beloved mountain where her ashes are to be spread. Just as her prognosis brightens, the story takes a darker turn, extinguishing the couple’s hopes for the future and throwing Marcia into the depths of despair. But in a surprising twist, she confronts the divergent forces of deep grief and new love to remake a life. Naked Mountain is an amazing personal journey that explores the joys of discovery, the uncertainties of life and the enduring bonds of marriage.
Naked On God's Doorstep: A Memoir
by Marion Duckworth“Finally, I knelt by my bed, risking rejection by the One who counted most. …” Marion Duckworth was young when her mentally ill father was institutionalized. In her child’s mind she concluded,Daddy decided to leave me. Growing up in poverty as “Crazy Izzie’s daughter,” Marion believed she was someone worth abandoning. It would be years before Marion realized that her Father God would never stop caring for her. As she writes, “God’s love healed the wounds created by abandonment. All through the pain, He created golden moments in my plain book of days–signs that He is my very own Father. ” Naked on God’s Doorstepis the story of life in a Coney Island tenement, a cockroach-infested Manhattan apartment, and an apartment above a tavern. It’s the story of pennies saved in sewing machine drawers, of a startling midnight on the beach, and of a many-windowed living room where miracles happened. It’s a story of longing to be safe someday. It’s a story of hope. Marion weaves her own story of her redemption with the stories of others, sharing practical helps as well. The result is a journey of healing that guides us all in transforming pain from the past into something beautiful. This story is for anyone who needs to know that God will never leave. … From the Trade Paperback edition.
Naked Truth: Strip Clubs, Democracy, and a Christian Right
by Judith Lynne HannaAcross America, strip clubs have come under attack by a politically aggressive segment of the Christian Right. Using plausible-sounding but factually untrue arguments about the harmful effects of strip clubs on their communities, the Christian Right has stoked public outrage and incited local and state governments to impose onerous restrictions on the clubs with the intent of dismantling the exotic dance industry. But an even larger agenda is at work, according to Judith Lynne Hanna. In Naked Truth, she builds a convincing case that the attack on exotic dance is part of the activist Christian Right’s “grand design” to supplant constitutional democracy in America with a Bible-based theocracy. Hanna takes readers onstage, backstage, and into the community and courts to reveal the conflicts, charges, and realities that are playing out at the intersection of erotic fantasy, religion, politics, and law. She explains why exotic dance is a legitimate form of artistic communication and debunks the many myths and untruths that the Christian Right uses to fight strip clubs. Hanna also demonstrates that while the fight happens at the local level, it is part of a national campaign to regulate sexuality and punish those who do not adhere to Scripture-based moral values. Ultimately, she argues, the naked truth is that the separation of church and state is under siege and our civil liberties—free speech, women’s rights, and free enterprise—are at stake.
Naked and Marooned
by Ed StaffordWhat do you do after you walk the Amazon? Ed Stafford--adventurer extraordinaire and Guinness World Record holder for walking the length of the Amazon River--likes a challenge. Casting about for an adventure that would top the extraordinary feat he recounts in Walking the Amazon, Stafford decides to maroon himself on an uninhabited island in the South Pacific. His mission: to survive for sixty days equipped with nothing--no food, water, or even clothing--except the video cameras he would use to document his time. Detailing Stafford's jaw-dropping sojourn on the island of Olourua, Naked and Marooned is a tale of unparalleled adventure and of one man's will to push himself to the outer limits--and survive.
Naked at the Helm: Independence and Intimacy in the Second Half of Life
by Suzanne SpectorAt age thirty-nine, Suzanne Spector found herself looking at what conventional 1950s thinking had brought her. Yes, she was a wife, mother of three, and successful school director. But she was also neglected in a sexless marriage, and feeling and as if the passion and juice of life had passed her by. She began with two questions: Who am I, really? and Is it too late ? After divorcing her husband, Suzanne set out to discover who she was as an independent woman with curiosity, questions, and lust for life. Tracing more than four decades of self-discovery and intellectual, spiritual, and creative exploration, Naked at The Helm is Spector’s story of becoming the captain of her own ship in midlife. Her adventurous journey led her from a nude beach on Ibiza at forty-one to a Siberian banya at fifty-five to a hot love affair at eighty. Her intellectual quest, meanwhile, led to a second career as director of a world-renowned psychology center, while deep friendships with women, including her daughters, sustained and nourished her through decades of global travel. These probably would not be the tales your mother or grandmother would tell about her life, but this eighty-six-year old’s ebullient memoir of the second half of her life will move you to weave some rich new yarns into the tapestry of your own story. And no, it’s not too late.
Naked in the Promised Land: A Memoir
by Lillian FadermanBorn in 1940, Lillian Faderman was the only child of an uneducated and unmarried immigrant Jewish woman. Her mother, whose family perished in the Holocaust, was racked by guilt at having come to America and left them behind; she suffered recurrent psychotic episodes. Her only escape from the brutal labor of her sweatshop job was her fiercely loved daughter, Lilly, whose poignant dream throughout an impoverished childhood was to become a movie star and "rescue" her mother. Lilly grew up to become Lil, outwardly tough, inwardly innocent, hungry for love and success. A beautiful young woman who was learning that her deepest erotic and emotional connections were to women, she found herself in a dangerous but seductive lesbian underworld of addicts, pimps, and prostitutes. Desperately seeking to make her life meaningful and to redeem her mother's suffering, she entered the University of California at Berkeley and worked her way through college as a burlesque stripper. A brilliant student, she ultimately achieved a Ph. D. At last she became Lillian, the woman who in time became a loving partner, a devoted mother, an acclaimed writer, and a charismatic, groundbreaking scholar of gay and lesbian studies. Told with wrenching immediacy and great power, this is an extraordinary memoir: the nakedly honest -- and very American -- story of an exceptional woman and her remarkable, unorthodox life.
Naked in the Rideshare: Stories of Gross Miscalculations
by Rebecca Shaw Ben KronengoldFrom Rebecca Shaw and Ben Kronengold, the youngest comedy writers ever for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and masterminds behind the viral 2018 Yale graduation speech, comes a hilarious collection of short stories taking on coming-of-age, memes, sex, politics, relationships, and Goop, with satire, self-deprecation, and utter irreverence.Showing off their trademark humor and writing chops that have made them a viral sensation, Rebecca Shaw and Ben Kronengold provide a collection of startlingly funny short stories that will keep readers laughing.Naked in the Rideshare is a riotous collection of comedic short stories, bursting with the safe spaces, shrooms dealers, and Notes app apologies that define growing up right now. The essays take a drunken cannonball into this generation’s hopes and anxieties. A camp color war ends in ritual sacrifice. A twenty-something enters a sexual relationship with his childhood fairy god milf. A summit outside of space and time brings together a teen's selves from ages 1 to 81.Irreverent, disturbing, and surprisingly rife with hope, Naked in the Rideshare aims to shine a light on the generation we can’t stop talking about—and all the ways we get them so wrong.
Naked in the Zendo: Stories of Uptight Zen, Wild-Ass Zen, and Enlightenment Wherever You Are
by Grace ShiresonA collection of charming and funny stories on how to turn the awareness we find on the meditation cushion into wisdom for every day.We need to remove our ego's clothing to truly see ourselves and the world as they are. Grace Schireson's stories about her Zen journey--from child to grandmother--share deep insight about how we can find awareness, feel it in our bodies, and experience it wherever we are. Grace's path is at times ordinary--with stories of youthful naiveite ("Will Zen Get You High?"), parenting ("You Exist; Therefore, I Am Embarrassed"), and pets ("The Honorable Roshi Bully Cat")--and groundbreaking--with stories of her studies with Suzuki Roshi ("What's Love Got to Do with It?"), Keido Fukushima Roshi ("Don't Bow"), and more. Each story, whether humorous or poignant, highlights the power of awareness to transform our lives and the remarkable work of this pioneering woman in American Zen.
Naked on the Page
by Jane GanahlJane Ganahl is one of millions of single people out there looking for love at midlife, and she's (more or less) happy (damn it!) Jane Ganahl is forty-nine, single, and loving it-mostly. In Naked on the Page, Ganahl chronicles the highs, lows, and in-betweens of dating at midlife, along with the professional and personal changes that come fast and furious as she heads toward her fiftieth birthday. Writer of the popular "Single Minded" column for the San Francisco Chronicle, Ganahl employs keen insight and lively wit as she recounts the events of one tumultuous year in her life. Smart, funny, and always honest, Naked on the Page proves that there's still plenty of life-and love-after youth is gone.
Naked on the Page
by Jane GanahlJane Ganahl is one of millions of single people out there looking for love at midlife, and she?s (more or less) happy (damn it!) Jane Ganahl is forty-nine, single, and loving it?mostly. In Naked on the Page, Ganahl chronicles the highs, lows, and in-betweens of dating at midlife, along with the professional and personal changes that come fast and furious as she heads toward her fiftieth birthday. Writer of the popular ?Single Minded? column for the San Francisco Chronicle, Ganahl employs keen insight and lively wit as she recounts the events of one tumultuous year in her life. Smart, funny, and always honest, Naked on the Page proves that there?s still plenty of life?and love?after youth is gone.
Naked: On Sex, Work, and Other Burlesques
by Fancy FeastIn Naked, a celebrated burlesque performer, sex educator, and social worker bares it all, with incisive and hilarious essays about selling, performing, and consuming desire. Fancy Feast draws back the curtain to reveal a world that most denizens of the daytime never see. Part exclusive backstage pass, part long-form literary striptease, these essays confront our culture&’s tightly held beliefs—like so many clutched pearls—about sex, communication, power, and the messiness of life on the margins of respectability. In &“Dildo Lady,&” Fancy recounts her time compensating for the failures of the American sex education system while working retail at a sex toy store. In &“Doing Yourself,&” Fancy tackles fatphobia and dating, self-love, and fantasies. In &“Yes/No/Maybe,&” Fancy brings the reader from sex parties to polyamorous relationships as she contrasts the undeniable sexiness of enthusiastic consent with the devastating effects of miscommunication and entitlement. Fancy Feast does this all as a fat woman who makes a living taking off her clothes—a triumphant punch-back at a culture that wants fat people to be self-hating or sexless. For fans of Lindy West and Melissa Febos, Naked is by turns splashy, vulnerable, and always powerful.
Naked: The Life And Pornography Of Michael Lucas
by Corey TaylorAsk anyone who the biggest name in gay porn is and they'll tell you, "Michael Lucas." Ask what he's like and you'll get the gamut of replies: He's a smart, shrewd businessman who studied law and loves the opera. A witty raconteur who doesn't drink, smoke or do drugs. A loyal son who is close to his family. Bracingly honest. Ruthless. A hot top with a killer body. Sexy. Razor-tongued and iron-fisted. Michael Lucas has been called everything on his climb from rent boy to running the most successful gay porn business in the entire world--but he's never been called boring. Now, in this no-holds-barred biography, Corey Taylor delivers a delicious portrait of gay porn's hottest maverick. From the start, Michael Lucas challenged the stereotype of a porn star. He did not grow up in an abusive family. Instead, he was born and raised in Soviet Russia as Andrei Treyvas to a close-knit family of outspoken, intellectual Russian Jews. The shy, skinny kid grew up to be a handsome man determined to make his mark on the world--and how. From his start as an escort in Europe, to his hustling days in America, making the money he would invest in his own company, Lucas Entertainment, Michael's life is inspiring, provocative, and 100% candid--no filter. NAKED lays bare the fascinating, often surreal life of a sexy, complex man who has set his own standards and played by his own rules. Chock full of outrageous quotes and "you've got to hear this" stories, this is one biography just like its subject: one of a kind. Corey Taylor has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Memphis. He has written for U.S. publications (Unzipped, Men, Artisan Northwest) as well as for publications in the UK (reFRESH) and Australia (DNA), covering celebrity features, art, fashion, and politics. Corey lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Nala's World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride around the Globe
by Dean NicholsonDiscover the heartwarming true story of a life-changing friendship between a man and his rescue cat, Nala, as they adventure together on a bike journey around the world -- from the Instagram phenomenon @1bike1world. When 30-year-old Dean Nicholson set off from Scotland to cycle around the world, his aim was to learn as much as he could about our troubled planet. But he hadn't bargained on the lessons he'd learn from his unlikely companion. Three months after leaving home, on a remote road in the mountains between Montenegro and Bosnia, he came across an abandoned kitten. Something about the piercing eyes and plaintive meowing of the bedraggled little cat proved irresistible. He couldn't leave her to her fate, so he put her on his bike and then, with the help of local vets, nursed her back to health. Soon on his travels with the cat he named Nala, they forged an unbreakable bond -- both curious, independent, resilient and adventurous. The video of how they met has had 20 million views and their Instagram has grown to almost 750k followers -- and still counting! Experiencing the kindness of strangers, visiting refugee camps, rescuing animals through Europe and Asia, Dean and Nala have already learned that the unexpected can be pretty amazing. Together with Garry Jenkins, writer with James Bowen of the bestselling A Street Cat Named Bob, Dean shares the extraordinary tale of his and Nala's inspiring and heart-warming adventure together.
Nala's World: One man, his rescue cat and a bike ride around the globe
by Dean Nicholson**THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**'As a chronicle of an extraordinary friendship between man and animal, and its unexpected consequences, it's entirely delightful' DAILY MAIL'This uplifting retelling of their adventures together proves a welcome tonic' THE SUN'Heartwarming and utterly charming' GUARDIAN'A heart-warming and captivating travelogue' THE i'A gorgeous book about their adventures, complete with photos that will melt your heart' Lorraine Kelly, ITV***Instagram phenomenon @1bike1world Dean Nicholson reveals the full story of his life-changing friendship with rescue cat Nala and their inspiring adventures together on a bike journey around the world.When 30-year-old Dean Nicholson set off from Scotland to cycle around the world, his aim was to learn as much as he could about our troubled planet. But he hadn't bargained on the lessons he'd learn from his unlikely companion.Three months after leaving home, on a remote road in the mountains between Montenegro and Bosnia, he came across an abandoned kitten. Something about the piercing eyes and plaintive meowing of the bedraggled little cat proved irresistible. He couldn't leave her to her fate, so he put her on his bike and then, with the help of local vets, nursed her back to health.Soon on his travels with the cat he named Nala, they forged an unbreakable bond - both curious, independent, resilient and adventurous. The video of how they met has had 20 million views and their Instagram has grown to almost 750k followers - and still counting!Experiencing the kindness of strangers, visiting refugee camps, rescuing animals through Europe and Asia, Dean and Nala have already learned that the unexpected can be pretty amazing. Together with Garry Jenkins, writer with James Bowen of the bestselling A Street Cat Named Bob, Dean shares the extraordinary tale of his and Nala's inspiring and heart-warming adventure together.
Nala's World: One man, his rescue cat and a bike ride around the globe
by Dean NicholsonInstagram phenomenon @1bike1world Dean Nicholson reveals the full story of his life-changing friendship with rescue cat Nala and their inspiring adventures together on a bike journey around the world.When 30-year-old Dean Nicholson set off from Scotland to cycle around the world, his aim was to learn as much as he could about our troubled planet. But he hadn't bargained on the lessons he'd learn from his unlikely companion.Three months after leaving home, on a remote road in the mountains between Montenegro and Bosnia, he came across an abandoned kitten. Something about the piercing eyes and plaintive meowing of the bedraggled little cat proved irresistible. He couldn't leave her to her fate, so he put her on his bike and then, with the help of local vets, nursed her back to health.Soon on his travels with the cat he named Nala, they forged an unbreakable bond - both curious, independent, resilient and adventurous. The video of how they met has had 20 million views and their Instagram has grown to almost 750k followers - and still counting!Experiencing the kindness of strangers, visiting refugee camps, rescuing animals through Europe and Asia, Dean and Nala have already learned that the unexpected can be pretty amazing. Together with Garry Jenkins, writer with James Bowen of the bestselling A Street Cat Named Bob, Dean shares the extraordinary tale of his and Nala's inspiring and heart-warming adventure together.(P) 2020 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
Nam Sense: Surviving Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division
by Arthur Wiknik Jr.A candid memoir of being sent to Vietnam at age nineteen, witnessing the carnage of Hamburger Hill, and returning to an America in turmoil. Arthur Wiknik was a teenager from New England when he was drafted into the US Army in 1968, shipping out to Vietnam early the following year. Shortly after his arrival on the far side of the world, he was assigned to Camp Evans near the northern village of Phong Dien, only thirty miles from Laos and North Vietnam. On his first jungle patrol, his squad killed a female Viet Cong who turned out to have been the local prostitute. It was the first dead person he had ever seen. Wiknik's account of life and death in Vietnam includes everything from heavy combat to faking insanity to get some R & R. He was the first in his unit to reach the top of Hamburger Hill, and between sporadic episodes of combat, he mingled with the locals; tricked unwitting US suppliers into providing his platoon with hard-to-get food; defied a superior and was punished with a dangerous mission; and struggled with himself and his fellow soldiers as the antiwar movement began to affect them. Written with honesty and sharp wit by a soldier who was featured on a recent History Channel documentary about Vietnam, Nam Sense spares nothing and no one in its attempt to convey what really transpired for the combat soldier during this unpopular war. It is not about glory, mental breakdowns, flashbacks, or self-pity. The GIs Wiknik lived and fought with during his yearlong tour were not drug addicts or war criminals or gung-ho killers. They were there to do their duty as they were trained, support their comrades—and get home alive. Recipient of an Honorable Mention from the Military Writers Society of America.
Namaste the Hard Way: A Daughter's Journey to Find Her Mother on the Yoga Mat
by Sasha Brown-WorshamMy mother used to chant in Sanskrit in her study before sunrise every morning. Though she died when I was 16—22 years ago—I always hear her voice that way. Off-key, but strangely hypnotic, the language both complicated and pure, reverberating around our house. For a kid growing up in Southern Ohio — Bible belt country — the sound was both alluring and repellent. "What's your mother doing?" my friends would ask. "Being a weirdo," I told them. And so encapsulates the coming of age story of Sasha Brown, a transplanted tween plunked in the middle of the Bible Belt with a macrobiotic hippy mom and a ribs-eating dad. A writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Redbook, and Cosmopolitan, Brown's prose is heartfelt and hilarious, revealing her quest to find her way as two worlds collide. While other moms were at Bible study, her mom was studying Sanskrit; while other were finding friendship at Tupperware parties, her mom was finding enlightenment at the ashram. And when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, she chose a healthy diet and yoga over aggressive chemo. When her mother died, Brown ran as far away from yoga as she could until a running injury left her needing the very thing she was running from. It was there—on the mat—that she processed her grief and found her mother again. As she went deeper into the poses, she discovered she was more like her mother than she thought. Through it all, she found a deeper understanding of the practice, of the breath, and of the life her mother lost too young. The practice that once seemed easy and slow compared to pounding the pavement in a new pair of Asics became the biggest challenge of her life. She learned that yoga is so much more than asana. So much more than breath. So much more than perfect poses. The "union" of yoga became one of heart and mind, and finally, with that maternal energy Sasha had been missing for so many years. In the space that she focused her mind and pushed her body to its breaking point was where she would see her mother. In the space of her yoga mat, she and her mother connect across time. Namaste the Hard Way is an ode to the timeless bond between mothers and daughters. Plucky and poignant, Namaste the Hard Way is for anyone who didn't want to walk in their mother's shoes (or sandals).
Namath
by Mark KriegelIn between Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan there was Joe Namath, one of the few sports heroes to transcend the game he played. Novelist and former sports-columnist Mark Kriegel’s bestselling biography of the iconic quarterback details his journey from steel-town pool halls to the upper reaches of American celebrity—and beyond. The first of his kind, Namath enabled a nation to see sports as show biz. For an entire generation he became a spectacle of booze and broads, a guy who made bachelorhood seem an almost sacred calling, but it was his audacious “guarantee” of victory in Super Bowl III that ensured his legend. This unforgettable portrait brings readers from the gridiron to the go-go nightclubs as Kriegel uncovers the truth behind Broadway Joe and why his legend has meant so much to so many. .
Name All the Animals
by Alison SmithA luminous, poignant true story, Alison Smith's stunning first book, Name All the Animals, is an unparalleled account of grief and secret love: the tale of a family clinging to the memory of a lost child, and a young woman struggling to define herself in the wake of his loss. As children, siblings Alison and Roy Smith were so close that their mother called them by one name: Alroy. But on a cool summer morning when Alison was fifteen, she woke to learn that Roy, eighteen, was dead. This is Smith's extraordinary account of the impact of that loss -- on herself, on her parents, and on a deeply religious community. At home, Alison and her parents sleepwalk in shifts. Alison hoards food for her lost brother, hides in the backyard fort they built together, and waits for him to return. During the day, she breaks every rule at Our Lady of Mercy School for Girls, where the baffled but loving nuns offer prayer, Shakespeare, and a job running the switchboard. In the end, Alison finds her own way to survive: a startling and taboo first love that helps her discover a world beyond the death of her brother. An intimate book written in clear-eyed prose, Name All the Animals announces a brilliant new writer with a keen insight into the emotional life of the American family, the power of sibling love and loyalty, and the excruciating joy of first, forbidden love. Smith tells the story through her own fifteen-year-old eyes, with such expert pacing and narrative suspense that readers will find the book hard to put down. Heartbreaking but hopeful, this is ultimately a book less about loss than it is about love -- about the excitement and anguish of Alison's first love, about her parents' enduring romance, about a community's passion for its faith, and about a well-loved boy who dies too young. A fiercely beautiful, redemptive book, it is sure to be a classic.
Name All the Animals: A Memoir
by Alison SmithA story of a family's grief and healing after one of them is killed in an accident