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Out of Line: A Life of Playing with Fire
by Barbara Lynch&“If you have an appetite for culinary adventure, you&’ll devour the feisty and fun memoir&” (Elle magazine) by James Beard award-winning chef, restaurateur, and Top Chef judge Barbara Lynch as she recounts her rise from her rough &“Southie&” childhood to culinary stardom.Celebrated chef Barbara Lynch—named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2017—credits the defiant spirit of her upbringing in tough, poor &“Southie,&” a neighborhood ruled by the notorious Whitey Bulger gang, with helping her bluff her way into her first professional cooking jobs; develop a distinct culinary style through instinct and sheer moxie; then dare to found an empire of restaurants ranging from a casual but elegant &“clam shack&” to Boston&’s epitome of modern haute cuisine. As award-winning chef Ana Sortun raves, &“Her heroic story inspires us to remain true to who we are and honor our dreams with conviction.&” One of seven children born to an overworked single mother, Lynch was raised in a housing project. She earned a daredevil reputation for boosting vehicles (even a city bus), petty theft, drinking and doing drugs, and narrowly escaping arrest—haunted all the while by a painful buried trauma. Out of Line describes Lynch&’s remarkable process of self-invention, including her encounters with colorful characters of the food world, and vividly evokes the magic of creation in the kitchen. It is also a love letter to South Boston and its vanishing culture, governed by Irish Catholic mothers and its own code of honor. &“Foodies will enjoy the vivid language used to describe Lynch&’s food exploits, and old neighbors will be treated to a trip around south Boston through the eyes of a local&” (Library Journal). Through her story, Lynch explores how the past—both what we strive to escape from and what we remain true to—can strengthen and expand who we are.
Out of Many, One: Obama and the Third American Political Tradition
by Ruth O'BrienFeared by conservatives and embraced by liberals when he entered the White House, Barack Obama has since been battered by criticism from both sides. In "Out of Many, One," Ruth O Brien explains why. We are accustomed to seeing politicians supporting either a minimalist state characterized by unfettered capitalism and individual rights or a relatively strong welfare state and regulatory capitalism. Obama, O Brien argues, represents the values of a lesser-known third tradition in American political thought that defies the usual left-right categorization. Bearing traces of Baruch Spinoza, John Dewey, and Saul Alinsky, Obama s progressivism embraces the ideas of mutual reliance and collective responsibility, and adopts an interconnected view of the individual and the state. So, while Obama might emphasize difference, he rejects identity politics, which can create permanent minorities and diminish individual agency. Analyzing Obama s major legislative victories financial regulation, health care, and the stimulus package O Brien shows how they reflect a stakeholder society that neither regulates in the manner of the New Deal nor deregulates. Instead, Obama focuses on negotiated rule making and allows executive branch agencies to fill in the details when dealing with a deadlocked Congress. Similarly, his commitment to difference and his resistance to universal mandates underlies his reluctance to advocate for human rights as much as many on the Democratic left had hoped. By establishing Obama within the context of a much longer and broader political tradition, this book sheds critical light on both the political and philosophical underpinnings of his presidency and a fundamental shift in American political thought. "
Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants
by George W. BushIn this powerful new collection of oil paintings and stories, President George W. Bush spotlights the inspiring journeys of America’s immigrants and the contributions they make to the life and prosperity of our nation. <P><P>The issue of immigration stirs intense emotions today, as it has throughout much of American history. But what gets lost in the debates about policy are the stories of immigrants themselves, the people who are drawn to America by its promise of economic opportunity and political and religious freedom—and who strengthen our nation in countless ways. <P><P>In the tradition of Portraits of Courage, President Bush’s #1 New York Times bestseller, Out of Many, One brings together forty-three full-color portraits of men and women who have immigrated to the United States, alongside stirring stories of the unique ways all of them are pursuing the American Dream. <P><P>Featuring men and women from thirty-five countries and nearly every region of the world, Out of Many, One shows how hard work, strong values, dreams, and determination know no borders or boundaries and how immigrants embody values that are often viewed as distinctly American: optimism and gratitude, a willingness to strive and to risk, a deep sense of patriotism, and a spirit of self-reliance that runs deep in our immigrant heritage. In these pages, we meet a North Korean refugee fighting for human rights, a Dallas-based CEO who crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico at age seventeen, and a NASA engineer who as a girl in Nigeria dreamed of coming to America, along with notable figures from business, the military, sports, and entertainment. <P><P>President Bush captures their faces and stories in striking detail, bringing depth to our understanding of who immigrants are, the challenges they face on their paths to citizenship, and the lessons they can teach us about our country’s character. As the stories unfold in this vibrant book, readers will gain a better appreciation for the humanity behind one of our most pressing policy issues and the countless ways in which America, through its tradition of welcoming newcomers, has been strengthened by those who have come here in search of a better life. <P><P><b>A New York Times Best Seller</b>
Out of My Head: On the Trail of Consciousness
by Tim ParksAdventures in cutting-edge ideas about consciousness, from bestselling non-fiction writer Tim Parks.Hardly a day goes by without some discussion about whether computers can be conscious, whether our universe is some kind of simulation, whether mind is a unique quality of human beings or spread out across the universe like butter on bread. Most philosophers believe that our experience is locked inside our skulls, an unreliable representation of a quite different reality outside. Colour, smell and sound, they tell us, occur only in our heads. Yet when neuroscientists look inside our brains to see what's going on, they find only billions of neurons exchanging electrical impulses and releasing chemical substances.Five years ago, in a chance conversation, Tim Parks came across a radical new theory of consciousness that undercut this interpretation. This set him off on a quest to discover more about this fascinating topic and also led him to observe his own experience with immense attention.Out of My Head tells the gripping, highly personal, often surprisingly funny, story of Tim Parks' quest to discover more about this fascinating topic. It frames complex metaphysical considerations and technical laboratory experiments in terms we can all understand. Above all, it invites us to see space, time, colour and smell, sounds and sensations in an entirely new way. The world will feel more real after reading it.
Out of My Later Years: The Scientist, Philosopher, and Man Portrayed Through His Own Words
by Albert EinsteinAn inspiring collection of essays, in which Albert Einstein addresses the topics that fascinated him as a scientist, philosopher, and humanitarian Divided by subject matter—&“Science,&” &“Convictions and Beliefs,&” &“Public Affairs,&” etc.—these essays consider everything from the need for a &“supranational&” governing body to control war in the atomic age to freedom in research and education to Jewish history and Zionism to explanations of the physics and scientific thought that brought Albert Einstein world recognition. Throughout, Einstein&’s clear, eloquent voice presents an idealist&’s vision and relays complex theories to the layperson. Einstein&’s essays share his philosophical beliefs, scientific reasoning, and hopes for a brighter future, and show how one of the greatest minds of all time fully engaged with the changing world around him. This authorized ebook features rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the Albert Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Out of My Later Years: The Scientist, Philosopher, and Man Portrayed Through His Own Words
by Albert EinsteinAn inspiring collection of essays, in which Albert Einstein addresses the topics that fascinated him as a scientist, philosopher, and humanitarian Divided by subject matter—&“Science,&” &“Convictions and Beliefs,&” &“Public Affairs,&” etc.—these essays consider everything from the need for a &“supranational&” governing body to control war in the atomic age to freedom in research and education to Jewish history and Zionism to explanations of the physics and scientific thought that brought Albert Einstein world recognition. Throughout, Einstein&’s clear, eloquent voice presents an idealist&’s vision and relays complex theories to the layperson. Einstein&’s essays share his philosophical beliefs, scientific reasoning, and hopes for a brighter future, and show how one of the greatest minds of all time fully engaged with the changing world around him. This authorized ebook features rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the Albert Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Out of My League: The Classic Hilarious Account of an Amateur's Ordeal in Professional Baseball
by Jane Leavy George PlimptonThe baseball classic that Ernest Hemingway called "beautifully observed and incredibly conceived," now repackaged and including a foreword from Jane Leavy and photographs from the Plimpton archives.The first of Plimpton's remarkable forays into participatory journalism, OUT OF MY LEAGUE chronicles with wit, charm, and grace what happens when a self-professed amateur has the chance to answer every fan's question: could he strike out a major league star? Plimpton's inspired idea--to get on the mound and pitch a few innings to the All-Stars of the American and National Leagues--begins as a fun-filled stunt and comes to a deeply hellish, nearly humiliating end. This honest and hilarious tale features Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Whitey Ford, Ralph Houk, and other baseball greats and is "a baseball book such as no one else ever wrote, and one of the best ever." --New York Herald Tribune
Out of My Life and Thought: An Autobiography
by Albert SchweitzerPublished to commemorate Albert Schweitzer's only visit to the United States 60 years ago, this anniversary edition of his autobiography gives 21st-century readers a unique and authoritative account of the man John F. Kennedy called "one of the transcendent moral influences of our century."Schweitzer is celebrated around the world as a European pioneer of medical service in Africa, a groundbreaking philosopher and musical scholar, and a catalyst of environmental and peace activism. Yet people most revere Schweitzer for his dedication to serving others and his profound and influential ethic of reverence for life. For Schweitzer, reverence for life was not a theory or a philosophy but a discovery—a recognition that the capacity to experience and act on a reverence for all life is a fundamental part of human nature, a characteristic that sets human beings apart from the rest of the natural world.This anniversary edition coincides with several high profile celebrations of his 1949 visit, as well as the release of a new feature film starring Jeroen Krabbe and Barbara Hershey. In addition to a foreword by Nobel Laureate and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, this edition features a new foreword by Lachlan Forrow, president of The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship.--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Out of My Mind: (Not Quite a Memoir)
by Alan ArkinAlan Arkin, one of the most beloved and accomplished actors of our time, reveals a side of himself not often shown on stage or screen. Like many teenagers, 16-year-old Alan Arkin had it all figured out. Then came young adulthood, and with it a wave of doubt so strong it caused him to question everything he thought he knew about himself and the world. Ever skeptical and full of questions, Arkin embarked on a spiritual journey to find something—anything—to believe in. An existential crisis in his 30s led him to the study of Eastern philosophy. Soon he began opening himself to the possibility that there was more to life than what he had simply seen, heard, or been taught. In this "mini-memoir," the 84-year-old actor shares his powerful spiritual experiences, from his brush with reincarnation to the benefits of meditation. In a gruff, earthy voice that sounds more suited to a New York cabbie than a spiritual guide, he shows us that wisdom can come from the most unexpected places and teachers. Out of My Mind is a candid, relatable, and delightfully irreverent take on how one man went searching for meaning and ended up discovering himself.
Out of My Shell: Overcoming Social Anxiety from Childhood to Adulthood
by Natasha DanielsLook around you at all the people connecting and socializing. And you are just standing here alone, like a social reject, again. Nobody likes you. Why would they want someone like you around?For years, social anxiety whispered its way into Natasha Daniels' mind and quietly sabotaged her life. Even while working as a therapist, helping children to cope with their own anxiety, insecurity lurked in the shadows pointing out the stares, the rejection, the vicious comments from online strangers.In this memoir, Natasha takes on the therapist's role with her past selves to drag her social anxiety into the open. From feisty Miss 6, lonely Miss 14 reeling from a tumultuous childhood, and defiant Miss 18 pushing back against a world where she didn't fit, through to her present self, Natasha explores the way social anxiety colored her experiences and finds healing through self-acceptance.
Out of Orange: A Memoir
by Cleary WoltersThe real-life Alex from Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black tells her own story in this memoir of crime, punishment, and her relationship with Piper.When Cleary Wolters first saw a commercial for the TV show Orange is the New Black, she knew her life would never be the same. After a blur of words and images alluding to lesbian lovers, drug smuggling, and life behind bars, Cleary saw a character wearing her signature black-rimmed glasses. In that moment, she knew that her private past had been brought to light in the most public way imaginable.Based on Piper Kerman’s sensational memoir, Orange is the New Black tells the story of a privileged white woman who spent thirteen months in prison for her involvement in an international drug-smuggling ring. On the show, Alex Vause is Piper’s antagonist/love interest who seduced her into a life of crime. Now, pseaking out for the first time, Cleary sets the record straight on the show, life in prison, and much more . . . In Out of Orange, Cleary tells a brutally honest, emotional tale of the bold decisions and epic mistakes she made—and the struggle to keep them from defining the rest of her life.
Out of Orbit: The True Story of How Three Astronauts Found Themselves Hundreds of Miles Above the Earth With No Way Home
by Chris JonesIn February 2003, American astronauts Donald Pettit and Kenneth Bowersox and Russian flight engineer Nikolai Budarin were on a routine fourteen-week mission maintaining the International Space Station. But then the space shuttle Columbia exploded far beneath them. With the launch program suspended indefinitely, these astronauts had suddenly lost their ride back to earth. Out of Orbit chronicles the efforts of the beleaguered mission controls in Houston and Moscow as they worked frantically against the clock, ultimately settling on a plan that felt, at best, like a long shot. Latched to the side of the space station was a Russian-built Soyuz TMA-1 capsule, the rocket equivalent of a 1976 Gremlin. Despite the inherent danger, the Soyuz became the only hope to return Bowersox, Budarin, and Pettit home. Their harrowing journey back to earth is a powerful reminder that space travel remains an incredibly dangerous pursuit.
Out of Place
by Edward W. Said<P>From one of the most important intellectuals of our time comes an extraordinary story of exile and a celebration of an irrecoverable past. <P>A fatal medical diagnosis in 1991 convinced Edward Said that he should leave a record of where he was born and spent his childhood, and so with this memoir he rediscovers the lost Arab world of his early years in Palestine, Lebanon, and Egypt. <P>Said writes with great passion and wit about his family and his friends from his birthplace in Jerusalem, schools in Cairo, and summers in the mountains above Beirut, to boarding school and college in the United States, revealing an unimaginable world of rich, colorful characters and exotic eastern landscapes. <P>Underscoring all is the confusion of identity the young Said experienced as he came to terms with the dissonance of being an American citizen, a Christian and a Palestinian, and, ultimately, an outsider. <P>Richly detailed, moving, often profound, Out of Place depicts a young man's coming of age and the genesis of a great modern thinker.
Out of Place: Coming of Age in Cold War West Germany
by Mary E. McKnightFor fans of coming-of-age narratives and feminist journeys, an empowering tale of one teen&’s quest to establish her own voice as an Army Brat living in Cold War–era West Germany.Relocated with her family to Cold War–era West Germany, Army Brat and middle sister of three Mary grapples with the torment exacted by her older sister, the high moral expectations of her military father, and societal pressure to conform to traditional gender roles during the rise of the feminism movement. Through the transformative power of place, travel, and the people she encounters, Mary embarks on a journey of self-discovery, learning about social justice and finding her voice in a world still shaped by male dominance. Rich with historical context, Out of Place is a poignant and compelling exploration of identity, personal growth, and the enduring strength that comes from embracing one&’s purpose.
Out of Sight: An Undercover Investigator's Fight for Animal Rights and Her Own Survival
by Gail A. EisnitzOut of Sight is both an investigative deep dive into the meat industry&’s treatment of farm animals, and a story of resilience and, ultimately, professional and personal triumph. This insightful and often harrowing memoir chronicles the author&’s forty-year career conducting undercover investigations and documenting animal abuse in the U.S. meat industry while simultaneously coping with a mysterious and incapacitating medical condition. Due to the isolation she experienced in childhood suffering from an undiagnosed neurological disorder, Gail Eisnitz found solace with animals, especially those who were neglected or injured. Her childhood desire to rescue animals was eventually realized when she was hired as staff writer at the largest animal protection organization in the United States. She later transitioned to become the only female cruelty investigator at that organization, initiating investigations into many issues, including violations in puppy mills and the dog racing industry, ritual animal sacrifice, factory farms, and slaughterhouses. Her continued efforts—ultimately as chief investigator for the Humane Farming Association (HFA)—resulted in an annual multimillion-dollar appropriation for enforcement of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, the first funding for what had been a zero-budgeted law for more than forty years. The author&’s campaign to expose the meat industry was marked by high-level cover-ups, personal health challenges, violent encounters, and ongoing legal battles as she fought to hold animal abusers accountable.Out of Sight is a powerful exploration of resilience, healing, and a lifelong mission for justice, and a call to action for every reader who dreams of a kinder world.
Out of Sync: A Memoir
by Marc Eliot Lance BassAt sixteen, Lance Bass received a phone call from Justin Timberlake that would change his life forever. Soon after, he left his small-town home in Clinton, Mississippi, to join an emerging musical group called *NSYNC. Two years later *NSYNC was inspiring Beatles-esque mania around the world, becoming the face of the new MTV generation, and earning the all-time record for most album sales in a single day (more than one million) and in a single week for No Strings Attached. He's remained in the spotlight ever since, and here he talks in depth for the first time about his childhood, his astonishing experiences as a young man and Christian growing up in one of the biggest bands in the world, his shock and frustration at the band's eventual dissolution, and his subsequent career, including his four months in Russia, training to become a cosmonaut. He also frankly discusses life as a gay man -- his first same-sex relationship at twenty-one, his struggle to keep his sexuality hidden from *NSYNC's fans in case it jeopardized the band's success, and the true circumstances that led to his decision to publicly come out at the age of twenty-seven. Full of fascinating behind-the-scenes lore and revealing insights from a pop star who, until now, has been notoriously private, Out of Sync is the book that millions of fans have been waiting for.
Out of The Blue, Young Reader's Edition
by Victor CruzFrom the beloved and charismatic wide receiver for the 2012 Super Bowl-winning New York Giants comes a root-for-the-underdog memoir about always believing in yourself. Victor Cruz, the Super Bowl-winning and record-breaking wide receiver, is best known for his explosive plays and salsa touchdown celebrations. While his meteoric rise in the NFL looked like the result of a magical year, it was actually a lifetime in the making. Raised in Paterson, New Jersey, Victor overcame numerous setbacks through hard work, perseverance, and the support of his loving family--from his grandmother who gave him his signature dance moves; to his late father, a former firefighter, who introduced him to football and taught him how to play; to his hard-working, single mother who never let him give up in the face of a challenge. They all helped to keep him on the right path, as did his coaches, but Cruz's journey was never easy. There were academic struggles, injuries, and more. In this inspiring, never-before-seen account, Cruz pays tribute to the people and places that made him the man he is today, recounts his most defining moments, and illustrates how his hardships ultimately unleashed his impenetrable will to win.
Out of Tune: David Helfgott and the Myth of Shine
by Margaret Helfgott Tom Gross"The Academy Award winning film Shine made pianist David Helfgott a household name. While purporting to be a true story, the movie is actually full of fabrications. Now for the first time, Margaret, David Helfgott's eldest sister, who knows him better than anyone from their early years, sets the record straight. Dispelling the many untruths propagated by the movie, Margaret tells the real story of her extraordinary brother, of a life, a career, and a legacy that will remain forever... Out Of Tune."--BOOK JACKET. Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Out of Winter
by Carol LeeOUT OF WINTER is a personal account of how a father's sudden illness affects a family fraught by conflict over many years. It charts the process of grief which follows his death in 2008, and that of Carol Lee's mother only eight weeks later. Her mother's death, so swiftly after her father's, tests the limits of her ability to re-configure herself, to find who and what her mother and father are to her now, and to understand her brother's long flight into silence. In OUT OF WINTER, Carol Lee uncovers the history of people - her parents - whom, at the end, she comes to know and love. OUT OF WINTER confronts the idea of how well do we really know our parents?
Out of Winter
by Carol LeeOUT OF WINTER is a personal account of how a father's sudden illness affects a family fraught by conflict over many years. It charts the process of grief which follows his death in 2008, and that of Carol Lee's mother only eight weeks later. Her mother's death, so swiftly after her father's, tests the limits of her ability to re-configure herself, to find who and what her mother and father are to her now, and to understand her brother's long flight into silence. In OUT OF WINTER, Carol Lee uncovers the history of people - her parents - whom, at the end, she comes to know and love. OUT OF WINTER confronts the idea of how well do we really know our parents?
Out of the Ashes: The Mothers love that healed the scars of the Bali Bombings
by Megan NorrisOut of the Ashes is the inspirational story of an Australian mother&’s journey back from hell after the 12 October 2002 Bali bombings. The deadly terrorist attacks on Paddy&’s Irish Bar and the Sari Club in Kuta&’s party precinct claimed the lives of 202 innocent people, and maimed and injured hundreds more. The holiday of a lifetime turned into their worst nightmare for Australian nurses Bronwyn Cartwright and Therese Fox. Tragically, Bronwyn, 28, perished in the deadly bomb blast which ripped through Paddy&’s Irish Bar. Therese survived, but suffered such horrific burns that doctors believed she would not survive a flight home to Australia. This is the story of her fight to get home to her children, and her long road to recovery. Therese&’s story is interwoven with the tales of others who were there, detailing the horrors of that night and the long journey of healing for all those involved – and their families. Out of the Ashes is ultimately a story of hope, belief in the power of love, friendships forged in fire, and the extraordinary courage of a woman doctors nicknamed The Miracle of Bali.
Out of the Ashes: The True Story of How One Man Turned Tragedy into a Message of Safety
by Charlie MorecraftAccidents happen, but they're usually the result of human carelessness. Charlie Morecraft found that out one August night years ago, when he literally blew himself up. A long time worker at an Exxon refinery in New Jersey, Morecraft was rushing to leave for vacation and too macho to bother following standard safety procedures when performing a late night repair job. The result? Burns covering 50 percent of his body, months upon months of hospitalization and rehab, dozens of surgeries, and emotional suffering that outdid the indescribable physical pain. Ultimately, Morecraft emerged from that inferno--as damaging to his family as to himself--to become a sought-after safety expert whose clients number more than 5,000 companies worldwide. Now, in OUT OF THE ASHES, Morecraft presents a wake-up call and a plan of action for anyone who's not in the habit of taking safety seriously. Morecraft's inspiring story has already helped thousands to put on their helmets, their safety goggles, and use their common sense before tackling any job or potentially dangerous activity.
Out of the Blue
by Jerry B. Jenkins Orel HershiserAutobiography of former Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Orel Hershiser, written the year after the Dodgers 1988 World Series victory.
Out of the Blue
by John S. FriedmanThe odds of being hit by lightning each year are only about 1 in 750,000 in the U. S. And yet this rare phenomenon has inspired both fear and fascination for thousands of years. In this groundbreaking, brilliantly researched book, journalist John S. Friedman probes lightning’s scientific, spiritual, and cultural roots. Blending vibrant history with riveting first-hand accounts of those who have clashed with lightning and lived to tell about it,Out of the Bluecharts an extraordinary journey across the ages that explores our awe and dread in the face of one of nature’s most fearsome spectacles. Herman Melville called it “God’s burning finger. ” The ancient Romans feared it as the wrath of God. Today we have a more scientific understanding, so why our eternal fascination with lightning?Out of the Blueattempts to understand this towering force of nature, exploring the changing perceptions of lightning from the earliest civilizations through Ben Franklin’s revolutionary experiments to the hair-raising adventures of storm chasers like David Hoadley, who’s been chronicling extreme weather for half a century. And Friedman describes one of the most treacherous rescues ever attempted in American mountain climbing. Friedman profiles a Virginia ranger who was struck by lightning seven times—and dubbed the human lightning rod—along with scores of others who tell astonishing tales of rescue and survival. And he charts lightning’s profound, life-altering effects on the emotional and spiritual lives of its victims. Combining captivating fact with thrilling personal stories,Out of the Bluetells a remarkable true tale of fate and coincidence, discovery and divine retribution, science and superstition. As entertaining as it is informative, it is a book for outdoor adventurers, sports enthusiasts, science and weather buffs, nature lovers, and anyone who has ever been awed or frightened by the sight of lightning. From the Hardcover edition.
Out of the Blue
by Victor Cruz“It may seem like I came out of the blue. But, my road was long, windy, full of hurdles, and even some dead ends. I lost family. I lost friends. I even lost my way. When I reached what felt like rock bottom, I realized I had a responsibility to everyone who believed in me and to kids, like me, who just needed a chance and something to believe in. ”—from the epilogue of Out of the Blue Victor Cruz, the Super Bowl-winning and record-breaking wide receiver, is best known for his explosive plays and salsa touchdown celebrations. While his meteoric rise in the NFL looked like the result of a magical year, it was actually a lifetime in the making. Raised in Paterson, New Jersey’s gritty Fourth Ward, Cruz overcame numerous setbacks through hard work, perseverance, and the support of his loving family—from his grandmother who gave him his signature dance moves; to his late father, a former firefighter, who introduced him to football and taught him how to play; to his hard-working, single mother who never let him give up in the face of a challenge. They all helped to keep him on the right path, as did his coaches, but Cruz’s journey was never easy. There were family tragedies, academic struggles, injuries, and more. In this inspiring, never-before-seen account, Cruz pays tribute to the people and places that made him the man he is today, recounts his most defining moments, and illustrates how his hardships ultimately unleashed his impenetrable will to win. Out of the Blue is a candid and moving reflection of an overlooked and undersized athlete with an uncommon last name in American football that was determined to beat the odds and earn his chance to succeed. .