- Table View
- List View
Basketball Junkie: A Memoir
by Bill Reynolds Chris HerrenI was dead for thirty seconds. That's what the cop in Fall River told me. When the EMTs found me, there was a needle in my arm and a packet of heroin in the front seat. At basketball-crazy Durfee High School in Fall River, Massachusetts, junior guard Chris Herren carried his family's and the city's dreams on his skinny frame. His grandfather, father, and older brother had created their own sports legends in a declining city; he was the last, best hope for a career beyond the shuttered mills and factories. Herren was heavily recruited by major universities, chosen as a McDonald's All-American, featured in a Sports Illustratedcover story, and at just seventeen years old became the central figure in Fall River Dreams,an acclaimed book about the 1994 Durfee team's quest for the state championship. Leaving Fall River for college, Herren starred on Jerry Tarkanian's Fresno State Bulldogs team of talented misfits, which included future NBA players as well as future convicted felons. His gritty, tattooed, hip-hop persona drew the ire of rival fans and more national attention: Rolling Stoneprofiled him, 60 Minutes interviewed him, and the Denver Nuggets drafted him. When the Boston Celtics acquired his contract, he lived the dream of every Massachusetts kid - but off the court Herren was secretly crumbling, as his alcohol and drug use escalated and his life spiraled out of control. Twenty years later, Chris Herren was married to his high-school sweetheart, the father of three young children, and a heroin junkie. His basketball career was over, consumed by addictions; he had no job, no skills, and was a sadly familiar figure to those in Fall River who remembered him as a boy, now prowling the streets he once ruled, looking for a fix. One day, for a time he cannot remember, he would die. In his own words, Chris Herren tells how he nearly lost everything and everyone he loved, and how he found a way back to life. Powerful, honest, and dramatic, Basketball Junkieis a remarkable memoir, harrowing in its descent, and heartening in its return.
Basketball Junkie: A Memoir
by Bill Reynolds Chris HerrenAs seen in ESPN Films’ Unguarded, a “powerful . . . bracing . . . exceptional” true account of the former NBA and overseas pro’s rise and harrowing fall (NPR Books).I was dead for thirty seconds.That’s what the cop in Fall River told me.When the EMTs found me, there was a needle in my arm and a packet of heroin in the front seat.At basketball-crazy Durfee High School in Fall River, Massachusetts, junior guard Chris Herren carried his family’s and the declining city’s dreams on his skinny frame. He was heavily recruited by major universities, chosen as a McDonald’s All-American, featured in a Sports Illustrated cover story, and at just seventeen years old became the central figure in Fall River Dreams, an acclaimed book about the 1994 Durfee team’s quest for the state championship.Leaving Fall River for college, Herren starred on Jerry Tarkanian’s Fresno State Bulldogs team of talented misfits, which included future NBA players as well as future convicted felons. His gritty, tattooed, hip-hop persona drew the ire of rival fans and more national attention: Rolling Stone profiled him, 60 Minutes interviewed him, and the Denver Nuggets drafted him. When the Boston Celtics acquired his contract, he lived the dream of every Massachusetts kid—but off the court Herren was secretly crumbling, as his alcohol and drug use escalated and his life spiraled out of control.Twenty years later, Chris Herren was a husband, a father, and a heroin junkie, who would flirt with death—and ultimately live to tell about it.
Basketball Stars: Stories and Skills from the NBA's and WNBA's Best Players (Sports Stars)
by Chris NavaltaA collection of stories about great basketball players to inspire young fans, with famous skills they&’ll want to try out on the courtIs your child obsessed with basketball? Do they talk nonstop about their favorite players and unforgettable games? Basketball Stars: Stories and Skills from the NBA's and WNBA's Best Players is the perfect gift for young players and fans of the sport—a treasure trove of some of the greatest and most inspiring stories in the history of professional basketball, tailored for young readers.Authored by a sportswriter/basketball superfan, this book will teach readers about each player&’s signature skills and how they practiced them to win. Readers will learn about Steph Curry&’s rise to becoming a global basketball icon and his supreme ball-handling skills; Caitlin Clark&’s success story and the art of the step-back; LeBron James&’s path to legendary status, including his iconic moves; and many more inspiring stories and techniques from other top players. Basketball Stars features:10 captivating stories about legends and soon-to-be legends of basketball. Go beyond just the stats to discover the secrets that propelled each player to greatness and the inspiring life lessons they learned along the way.Signature skills from every featured player to try on the court, with step-by-step instructions to practice and improve your game.Engaging illustrations that show each player in action, with dynamic visuals for each signature skill.Ideal for basketball fans ages 8–12, this book will inspire both basketball fans and new readers excited to learn more about the game of basketball.
Basketball Superstar Kevin Durant (Bumba Books ® -- Sports Superstars Ser.)
by Jon M FishmanBasketball forward Kevin Durant plays for the Golden State Warriors. This title's reader-friendly text, critical-thinking questions, and bright design will attract young fans of Durant and the Warriors.
Basketball Superstar Stephen Curry (Bumba Books ® -- Sports Superstars Ser.)
by Jon M FishmanStephen Curry is a star player for the Golden State Warriors. With carefully leveled text, colorful photos, and critical thinking questions, this title will be a slam dunk with young basketball fans.
Basketball's Greatest Players (Step into Reading)
by S. A. KramerWhose hands were so big he held the basketball like a grapefruit? Which center singlehandedly changed the way defense was played? From Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, young hoops fans can read about eleven legendary players in this exciting look at basketball's greatest slam-dunking, hoop-hanging superstars.
Basta: My Life, My Truth
by Marco Van BastenTriple European Footballer of the Year. Once World Footballer of the Year. European Champion two UEFA Super Cups, European Champion with the Dutch National Team in 1988 and numerous national championships with both Ajax and AC Milan. Marco van Basten is known as one of the greatest footballers of all time, but his personal life has always remained somewhat of a mystery, until now. <p><p> Basta is the raw, honest, but above all gripping autobiography of Marco van Basten.It's the unfiltered story of his rise to fame, from being under the wing of Cruyff and experiencing life as an Ajax player to being propelled into the spotlight following Euros '88 - and scoring the greatest goal ever to win a major final - and playing for AC Milan at the peak of Italian football's popularity. <p>But despite countless successes, Marco van Basten experienced many low points, including losing a childhood friend, battling with pain after his numerous fluffed operations, and ultimately coming to terms with life after playing football. Basta is his story.
Basta: My Life, My Truth – The International Bestseller
by Marco van Basten***'This account is often poetic and sometimes haunting.' - FourFourTwoTriple European Footballer of the Year. Once World Footballer of the Year. European Champion two UEFA Super Cups, European Champion with the Dutch National Team in 1988 and numerous national championships with both Ajax and AC Milan. Marco van Basten is known as one of the greatest footballers of all time, but his personal life has always remained somewhat of a mystery, until now.Basta is the raw, honest, but above all gripping autobiography of Marco van Basten.It's the unfiltered story of his rise to fame, from being under the wing of Cruyff and experiencing life as an Ajax player to being propelled into the spotlight following Euros '88 - and scoring the greatest goal ever to win a major final - and playing for AC Milan at the peak of Italian football's popularity.But despite countless successes, Marco van Basten experienced many low points, including losing a childhood friend, battling with pain after his numerous fluffed operations, and ultimately coming to terms with life after playing football.Basta is his story.
Basta: My Life, My Truth – The International Bestseller
by Marco van Basten***'This account is often poetic and sometimes haunting.' - FourFourTwoTriple European Footballer of the Year. Once World Footballer of the Year. European Champion two UEFA Super Cups, European Champion with the Dutch National Team in 1988 and numerous national championships with both Ajax and AC Milan. Marco van Basten is known as one of the greatest footballers of all time, but his personal life has always remained somewhat of a mystery, until now.Basta is the raw, honest, but above all gripping autobiography of Marco van Basten.It's the unfiltered story of his rise to fame, from being under the wing of Cruyff and experiencing life as an Ajax player to being propelled into the spotlight following Euros '88 - and scoring the greatest goal ever to win a major final - and playing for AC Milan at the peak of Italian football's popularity.But despite countless successes, Marco van Basten experienced many low points, including losing a childhood friend, battling with pain after his numerous fluffed operations, and ultimately coming to terms with life after playing football.Basta is his story.
Bastard Child
by Joh'Vonnie JacksonSome life stories are so unique they demand to be told. But there was a time when Joh'Vonnie Jackson wasn't ready to share her truth. As the one child Joseph Jackson fathered out of wedlock, Joh'Vonnie experienced an oftentimes emotionally chaotic, underappreciated and uncelebrated life compared with those of her world famous kin, some of whom saw her very existence as a threat to their public image.
Bastard Prince: Henry VIII's Lost Son
by Beverley A MurphyIt took Henry VIII twenty-eight years, three wives, and a break with Rome before he secured a legitimate male heir. Yet he already had a son – the illegitimate Henry Fitzroy. Fitzroy was born in 1519 after the King’s affair with Elizabeth Blount. He was the only illegitimate offspring ever acknowledged by Henry VIII, and Cardinal Wolsey was even one of his godparents. So just how close did he come to being Henry IX?
Bastardos y Borbones: Los hijos desconocidos de la dinastía
by José María ZavalaUn apasionante recorrido por el pasado más turbio y desconocido de la dinastía de los Borbones: el de los hijos secretos de reyes y príncipes, a quienes, para evitar el escándalo, se negó su verdadera condición A principios del siglo XIX, los cimientos de la dinastía de los Borbones se tambalean: María Luisa de Parma, esposa del rey Carlos IV, confiesa que el monarca no es el padre de ninguno de sus hijos. A partir de ese día, la bastardía será la tónica en este lujurioso linaje desde los numerosos amantes de la reina Isabel II, uno de los cuales fue el verdadero padre de Alfonso XII, hasta Alfonso XIII -conocido como el "rey de los bastardos"-, padre de numerosos hijos ilegítimos, entre ellos, posiblemente un célebre actor español que llegó a interpretarle en el cine, incluyendo a Juan Carlos I, que tampoco se ha librado de que le adjudicasen la paternidad de una hija ilegítima. Con ayuda de documentos inéditos rescatados de los archivos del Ministerio de Justicia, el Archivo Histórico Nacional y el Palacio Real, así como de valiosos testimonios de amigos y familiares, José María Zavala nos brinda en Bastardos y Borbones un inolvidable recorrido a través de las vidas de todos ellos y sus esperanzas de ser, al fin, reconocidos. Reseña:«Muerto prematuramente Juan Balansó, Zavala es quizá el mayor conocedor de las interioridades de los Borbones.»Carmelo López-Arias Montenegro
Bastards: A Memoir
by Mary Anna King"A stirring, vividly told story of a young woman's quest to find the family she lost . . . an impressive debut." --Peter Balakian In the early 1980s, Mary Hall is a little girl growing up in poverty in Camden, New Jersey, with her older brother Jacob and parents who, in her words, were "great at making babies, but not so great at holding on to them." After her father leaves the family, she is raised among a commune of mothers in a low-income housing complex. Then, no longer able to care for the only daughter she has left at home, Mary's mother sends Mary away to Oklahoma to live with her maternal grandparents, who have also been raising her younger sister, Rebecca. When Mary is legally adopted by her grandparents, the result is a family story like no other. Because Mary was adopted by her grandparents, Mary's mother, Peggy, is legally her sister, while her brother, Jacob, is legally her nephew. Living in Oklahoma with her maternal grandfather, Mary gets a new name and a new life. But she's haunted by the past: by the baby girls she's sure will come looking for her someday, by the mother she left behind, by the father who left her. Mary is a college student when her sisters start to get back in touch. With each subsequent reunion, her family becomes closer to whole again. Moving, haunting, and at times wickedly funny, Bastards is about finding one's family and oneself.
Bastards: A Memoir
by Mary Anna King"Searing . . . explores how identity forms love, and love, identity. Written in engrossing, intimate prose, it makes us rethink how blood’s deep connections relate to the attachments of proximity."—Andrew Solomon, author of Far from the Tree In the early 1980s, Mary Hall is a little girl growing up in poverty in Camden, New Jersey, with her older brother Jacob and parents who, in her words, were "great at making babies, but not so great at holding on to them." After her father leaves the family, she is raised among a commune of mothers in a low-income housing complex. Then, no longer able to care for the only daughter she has left at home, Mary's mother sends Mary away to Oklahoma to live with her maternal grandparents, who have also been raising her younger sister, Rebecca. When Mary is legally adopted by her grandparents, the result is a family story like no other. Because Mary was adopted by her grandparents, Mary’s mother, Peggy, is legally her sister, while her brother, Jacob, is legally her nephew. Living in Oklahoma with her maternal grandfather, Mary gets a new name and a new life. But she's haunted by the past: by the baby girls she’s sure will come looking for her someday, by the mother she left behind, by the father who left her. Mary is a college student when her sisters start to get back in touch. With each subsequent reunion, her family becomes closer to whole again. Moving, haunting, and at times wickedly funny, Bastards is about finding one's family and oneself.
Bat Boy: My True Life Adventures Coming of Age with the New York Yankees
by Matthew McgoughMost of us have dreamed of sitting in the dugout with our favorite baseball team, and at sixteen Matt McGough was no different. A few months after sending a blind application letter to George Steinbrenner, on Opening Day 1992 Matt found himself walking into the legendary Yankee clubhouse. There, amid the chaos and excitement, he was greeted by none other than his idol Don Mattingly — who promptly played a prank on him. Thus began two years of adventures and misadventures, from being set up on a date by the bullpen to playing blackjack on the team plane to studying for an exam at 3 am in Yankee Stadium. Through these often hilarious experiences, and especially through his friendships with the ballplayers, Matt learned priceless lessons about honor, responsibility, and the importance of believing in oneself. A magical tale of what happens to a young man when his fondest dream comes true,Bat Boywonderfully evokes that twilight time just before adulthood, ripe with possibility, foolishness, and hard-won knowledge.
Bat, Scalpel, Sheepskin, Beneath the Cross: Narratives on the Life of Gail Eason Hopkins
by Thomas H. Olbricht Leah G. HopkinsDr. Hopkins played major league baseball, became an orthopedic surgeon, and obtained graduate degrees in the sciences and Biblical Studies. He perceived his central commitment to be to Jesus Christ. He has served as an elder in Churches of Christ and on the board of Christian Colleges. Dr. Hopkins’ life is told by admiring relatives and friends.
Bathsheba's Breast: Women, Cancer, and History
by James S. OlsonThe stories of women throughout the ages who have confronted breast cancer, from ancient times to the present.A Los Angeles Times Best Book of 2003 and Winner of the Association of American Publishers Professional and Scholarly Publishing Award for the History of Science"Breast cancer may very well be history's oldest malaise, known as well to the ancients as it is to us. The women who have endured it share a unique sisterhood. Queen Atossa and Dr. Jerri Nielsen—separated by era and geography, by culture, religion, politics, economics, and world view—could hardly have been more different. Born 2,500 years apart, they stand as opposite bookends on the shelf of human history. One was the most powerful woman in the ancient world, the daughter of an emperor, the mother of a god; the other is a twenty-first-century physician with a streak of adventure coursing through her veins. From the imperial throne in ancient Babylon, Atossa could not have imagined the modern world, and only in the driest pages of classical literature could Antarctica-based Jerri Nielsen even have begun to fathom the Near East five centuries before the birth of Christ. For all their differences, however, they shared a common fear that transcends time and space."—from Bathsheba's BreastIn 1967, an Italian surgeon touring Amsterdam's Rijks museum stopped in front of Rembrandt's Bathsheba at Her Bath, on loan from the Louvre, and noticed an asymmetry to Bathsheba's left breast; it seemed distended, swollen near the armpit, discolored, and marked with a distinctive pitting. With a little research, the physician learned that Rembrandt's model, his mistress Hendrickje Stoffels, later died after a long illness, and he conjectured in a celebrated article for an Italian medical journal that the cause of her death was almost certainly breast cancer.A horror known to every culture in every age, breast cancer has been responsible for the deaths of 25 million women throughout history. An Egyptian physician writing 3,500 years ago concluded that there was no treatment for the disease. Later surgeons recommended excising the tumor or, in extreme cases, the entire breast. This was the treatment advocated by the court physician to sixth-century Byzantine empress Theodora, the wife of Justinian, though she chose to die in pain rather than lose her breast. Only in the past few decades has treatment advanced beyond disfiguring surgery.In Bathsheba's Breast, historian James S. Olson—who lost his left hand and forearm to cancer while writing this book—provides an absorbing and often frightening narrative history of breast cancer told through the heroic stories of women who have confronted the disease, from Theodora to Anne of Austria, Louis XIV's mother, who confronted "nun's disease" by perfecting the art of dying well, to Dr. Jerri Nielson, who was dramatically evacuated from the South Pole in 1999 after performing a biopsy on her own breast and self-administering chemotherapy. Olson explores every facet of the disease: medicine's evolving understanding of its pathology and treatment options; its cultural significance; the political and economic logic that has dictated the terms of a war on a "woman's disease"; and the rise of patient activism. Olson concludes that, although it has not yet been conquered, breast cancer is no longer the story of individual women struggling alone against a mysterious and deadly foe.
Batista Unleashed (WWE)
by Dave BatistaPeople around the world know Dave Batista as World Wrestling Entertainment's "the Animal," the rope-shaking, spine-busting World Heavyweight Champion, one of the most popular Superstars in recent years.The crowd turned Batista from heel to babyface after they were electrified by his awesome physique and physical wrestling style. Few fans, however, know that Batista didn't join the profession until he was thirty years old -- an age at which many wrestlers are thinking about hanging up their boots. Nor do most fans know the tremendous toll the climb to the top has taken on Batista's personal life. While successfully staying away from hard drugs and -- usually -- liquor, he found sex too tempting to resist. "Women were my drug of choice," the Animal confesses. That addiction cost him his marriage, destroying a relationship that had helped him climb from poverty to the pinnacle of sports entertainment in less than two years. Now, in Batista Unleashed, the WWE Superstar comes clean about the choices he made and the devastating effects they had on his family. He talks about the injury that stripped him of his title -- an injury he blames on Mark Henry's carelessness. While being sidelined cost Batista untold hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost income, it also set the stage for a tremendous comeback that cemented the Animal's reputation as a true champion. Batista talks about growing up in the worst part of Washington, D.C., where three murders occurred in his front yard before he was nine. He speaks lovingly about his mother -- a lesbian -- and how hard she worked to keep the family not just together but alive. He talks candidly about his own criminal past: a conviction on a drug charge and another, since overturned, on assault. He speaks of his days as a bouncer and a lifeguard, and tells how bodybuilding may have saved his life. Once he made it to the WWE, Batista realized he wasn't really ready for the big time. His career seemed headed for a fall until Fit Finlay took him under his wing. But his real education came when he joined Evolution and rode with Triple H and Ric Flair, two of sports entertainment's all-time greats. Batista talks about what they taught him, and details some of their wild times on the road. But the champ also reveals a kinder, gentler side. While his soft-spoken manner in the locker room has sometimes been misinterpreted as arrogance, in truth Batista's always been somewhat shy and quiet. Emotional by nature, he reveals for the first time that the tears fans saw at WrestleMania 21, when he won the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time, were very real. And he speaks movingly about his problems with his ex-wives and teenage daughters, and how it felt to become a grandfather. While his straight-shooting mouth has occasionally gotten him into trouble -- most notably in a backstage confrontation with Undertaker after some remarks about SmackDown! -- Batista is his own harshest critic. He explains his early limitations as a wrestler and the work he has done to overcome them. Interspersing his memoir with accounts from life on the road, Batista lightens the narrative with a surprising sense of humor. An Animal in the ring, he reveals himself as an honest and even humble man in everyday life.
Batman's Batman: A Memoir from Hollywood, Land of Bilk and Money
by Michael E. UslanAn insider's look at Hollywood and how movies and television shows are made.In Batman's Batman, Michael E. Uslan, executive producer of the Batman movie franchise, offers an insider's look at Hollywood and the process of how movies and television shows go from the drawing board to your screens.Continuing the delightful tale of his adventures begun in The Boy Who Loved Batman, Uslan draws on both his successful and less successful attempts to bring ideas to the screen, offering a helpful, honest, and breezily told guide to producing films. From passion to promotion, from the initial pitch to selecting the best partners and packaging, Uslan reveals the 13 qualities essential to would-be producers. A lively memoir and a valuable glimpse inside Hollywood rarely seen by the public, Batman's Batman is sure to please fans of Michael Uslan and the Batman franchise, but will also prove to be an invaluable resource for any aspiring producers, as he guides readers through the Land of Bilk and Money.
Batman: Gotham City's Guardian
by Matthew ManningWhat was Bruce Wayne's childhood like? Why does he dress up like a bat? What compels him to protect Gotham City? How did he become the world's greatest detective? Who are his most trusted allies and fearsome foes? In this biography--complete with black-and-white illustrations, timelines, and fact boxes--young readers will delight in learning the complete history of Gotham's fearless protector.
Bats in the Larder: Memories of a 1970s Childhood by the Sea
by Jeremy WellsWhen 11-year-old Jeremy Wells moved home with his family from a bustling London suburb to the Sussex coast, he was scarcely prepared for the weird and wonderful world he would encounter. Here was a place in which goats used public transport, buses waited for people, trains didn't fit the stations and seeing a film was the last reason for going to the cinema. And the neighbours were even stranger... In this affectionate and hilarious recollection of forty years ago, the author recalls the culture-shock of a family moving to an ancient town by the sea which was just two hours - and two decades - away from the capital.
Batter Will Fly: 21 Life-Flipping Lessons from a Seasoned Chef
by Marisol MuranoBatter Will Fly is an inspiring book with 21 life-flipping lessons from international destination chef Marisol Murano, based on her travels around the world. Chef Marisol’s advice will inspire and give you the confidence to flip your life around both in and out of the kitchen. Equal parts travelogue, memoir, and motivational self-help book, Batter Will Fly will be the new secret ingredient to fulfilling your life. After joining Chef Marisol in her travel and cooking adventures, you’ll be eager to embrace your life and to take the biggest risk of all: living on your own terms. Love, money, and sacred cows, you’ll find them all here, alongside travel stories that will inspire you to get out of the rut.
Battersea Girl: Tracing a London Life
by Martin KnightA couple of years ago, Martin Knight began a quest to delve into his family history. He had a head start on many amateur genealogists, as 30 years earlier he had produced a school project on the very subject. The project was based on the papers and oral history of his then elderly grandmother, Ellen Tregent. Martin dusted this off and began to assemble the chain of events that shaped his grandmother's life. He even made contact with several living relatives who had known Ellen or some of the people and events she described.Ellen Tregent was born in 1888 and died in 1988 - her lifetime encompassing an unprecedented century of social change and world upheaval. She was born into a poor working-class family in Battersea, London. Her grandfather had arrived from Ireland 40 years earlier to escape almost certain death as potato famine ravaged his country. In Battersea Girl, Martin Knight charts Ellen's long and eventful life and the lives of her siblings. They encounter abject poverty, disease, suicide, murder, war and inevitably death, but, equally, the spirit of stoical people who were determined to make the most of their lives shines through in this enchanting book.
Battle Diary: From D-Day and Normandy to the Zuider Zee and VE
by Charles Cromwell Martin Roy WhitsedA fast-paced account by a soldier who was twice decorated. Charlie Martin, company sergeant-major in the Queen’s Own, was with his beloved A Company in all of the significant Normandy actions.
Battle Hardened: An Infantry Officer's Harrowing Journey from D-Day to V-E Day
by Craig S. ChapmanBattle-Hardened: An Infantry Officer's Harrowing Journey from D-Day to VE-Day tells the story of an American soldier's growth from a 2nd Lieutenant eager to prove his worth in battle to a skilled and resolute commander over the course of the Northern European Campaign. Craig Chapman delves deep into the personal recollections and mental state of Bill Champman as he fought against the Nazis, enduring frontline combat and witnessing horror on a massive scale. Lieutenant Chapman maintains his sanity by isolating his emotions from the chaos of the battlefield, and the young officer turns into a hard-edged warrior who dispassionately orders men to risk their lives yet still manages to hold onto his humanity.