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Over the Top
by Jonathan Van NessWho gave Jonathan Van Ness permission to be the radiant human he is today? No one, honey. <P><P>The truth is, it hasn’t always been gorgeous for this beacon of positivity and joy. <P><P>Before he stole our hearts as the grooming and self-care expert on Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye, Jonathan was growing up in a small Midwestern town that didn’t understand why he was so…over the top. <P><P>From choreographed carpet figure skating routines to the unavoidable fact that he was Just. So. Gay., Jonathan was an easy target and endured years of judgement, ridicule and trauma - yet none of it crushed his uniquely effervescent spirit. <P><P>Over the Top uncovers the pain and passion it took to end up becoming the model of self-love and acceptance that Jonathan is today. In this revelatory, raw, and rambunctious memoir, Jonathan shares never-before-told secrets and reveals sides of himself that the public has never seen. JVN fans may think they know the man behind the stiletto heels, the crop tops, and the iconic sayings, but there’s much more to him than meets the Queer Eye. <P><P>You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll come away knowing that no matter how broken or lost you may be, you’re a Kelly Clarkson song, you’re strong, and you’ve got this. <P><P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
Over the Top and Back: The Autobiography
by Tom Jones'For a lot of years, I've answered a lot of questions, but have never told my story before.'Across six decades, Sir Tom Jones has maintained a vital career in a risky, unstable business notorious for the short lives of its artists. <P><P>With a drive that comes from nothing but the love for what he does, he breaks through and then wrestles with the vagaries of the music industry, the nature of success and its inevitable consequences. Having recorded an expansive body of work and performed with fellow artists from across the spectrum and across every popular music genre, from rock, pop and dance to country, blues and soul, the one constant throughout has been his unique musical gifts and unmistakable voice.But how did a boy from a Welsh coal-mining family attain success across the globe?<P> And how has he survived the twists and turns of fame and fortune to not only stay exciting, but actually become more credible and interesting with age? In this, his first ever autobiography, Tom revisits his past and tells the tale of his journey from wartime Pontypridd to LA and beyond. He reveals the stories behind the ups and downs of his fascinating and remarkable life, from the early heydays to the subsequent fallow years to his later period of artistic renaissance.It's the story nobody else knows or understands, told by the man who lived it, and written the only way he knows how: simply and from the heart. Raw, honest, funny and powerful, this is a memoir like no other from one of the world's greatest ever singing talents.This is Tom Jones and Over the Top and Back is his story.From the Hardcover edition.
Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love
by Jonathan Van NessA laugh-and-cry-out-loud memoir from the beloved star of Netflix’s Queer Eye, Jonathan Van NessWho gave Jonathan Van Ness permission to be the radiant human he is today? No one, honey.The truth is, it hasn’t always been gorgeous for this beacon of positivity and joy.Before he stole our hearts as the grooming and self-care expert on Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye, Jonathan was growing up in a small Midwestern town that didn’t understand why he was so…over the top. From choreographed carpet figure skating routines to the unavoidable fact that he was Just. So. Gay., Jonathan was an easy target and endured years of judgement, ridicule and trauma—yet none of it crushed his uniquely effervescent spirit.Over the Top uncovers the pain and passion it took to end up becoming the model of self-love and acceptance that Jonathan is today. In this revelatory, raw, and rambunctious memoir, Jonathan shares never-before-told secrets and reveals sides of himself that the public has never seen. JVN fans may think they know the man behind the stiletto heels, the crop tops, and the iconic sayings, but there’s much more to him than meets the Queer Eye.You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll come away knowing that no matter how broken or lost you may be, you’re a Kelly Clarkson song, you’re strong, and you’ve got this.
Over the Wire: A POW's Escape Story from the Second World War
by Philip NewmanIn this WWII memoir, a British POW recounts his captivity, his thrilling escape, and his time as a fugitive on the run through occupied France.British army doctor Philip Newman was left behind after the evacuation from Dunkirk. As a prisoner of war, he was first held in France, then in Germany, where he treated the wounded and sick and planned to escape. After several failed attempts, he finally got out over the wire and journeyed for weeks as a fugitive from northern France to Marseilles. Newman was guided along the way by French civilians, resistance fighters, and the organizers of the famous Pat O’Leary escape line. He eventually crossed the Pyrenees into Spain, reaching Gibraltar and freedom. In this memoir, Newman vividly recounts his work as a doctor at Dunkirk, life in the prison camps, and his dramatic escape. His story shines a light on the ingenuity and courage of the ordinary men and women who risked their lives to help him on his way. It is also one of the best accounts we have of what it was like to be on the run in occupied Europe.
Over to You: Letters Between a Father and Son
by John Berger Yves BergerCompelling and intimate, this collection of never-before-seen letters between the celebrated art critic and essayist, John Berger and his son Yves, an artist, is a moving look at their musings on art, memory, life, death, and beyond.Written between 2015-16, with 53 color images of well-known old masters and contemporary art as well as some of the Bergers&’ own drawings and watercolors, Over to You is an informal back and forth not unlike the ping-pong games father and son used to play in the barn of their house. It begins when John—who is in a Parisian suburb—sends Yves—who is in Haute Savoie—an envelope of reproductions of art that have moved him. And so they begin to reveal their thoughts looking at a Goya, Watteau, Twombly, Joan Mitchell, Durer, Caravaggio, Manet, and Euan Uglow, among many others. But the art is just a way to summon shared emotions and memories, as well as deepen their understanding of the world and its mysteries.John at 89 is the more formal teacher, Yves at 39 comes across as the younger, philosophical artist. There are John&’s thoughts on the use of color, light and space in, say, a Dürer, or a Beckmann to the question of &“staying fully alive&”; or Yves noting how much in life exceeds our understanding, the gap between our consciousness and our feeling, between the said and the unsaid. &“That&’s the zone where I would like us to meet. Are you coming?&” He asks his father. &“I may need other eyes to confirm what is really there. Like your eyes always did.&” This is an exceptional and moving tribute to a relationship between a father and son, and between two artists, as well as a thought provoking look at questions we all have about work, time, the universe, life and death.
Overcoming Cancer: The 5 Most Powerful Tools for Fighting Cancer
by Gary NullOne word strikes more fear into a person’s mind than any other: cancer. The physical, mental, emotional, and financial toll that comes with a cancer diagnosis is immense and affects not only cancer patients but also families and entire communities. The vast majority of individuals who lose the battle against cancer are treated with the standard orthodox therapy. These people may never have questioned their oncologists, believing that they were in the best possible hands with their physicians’ advanced education, their knowledge of the latest treatments, and all the tools of modern research at their disposals.In Overcoming Cancer, Gary Null explores the alternative treatments that most mainstream doctors will never discuss with their patients. Did you know that eating melons balances your body’s pH, which can help slow the growth of cancer? You were aware that fiber is an important part of a healthy diet, but did you know that it lowers the risk of breast, colorectal, uterine, and prostate cancers? Find health and vitality with Dr. Null’s five most powerful tools for fighting cancer.
Overcoming: A Memoir
by Vicky PhelanWhen Vicky Phelan delivered an emotionally charged statement from the steps of the Four Courts in April 2018 - having refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement in the settlement of her action against the HSE - she unearthed the medical and political scandal of our times. It would emerge that, like Vicky, 220 other women who were diagnosed with cervical cancer were not informed that a clinical audit -carried out by the national screen programme CervicalCheck - had revised their earlier, negative smear tests. Their cancers could possibly have been preventable.Since then, Vicky has become women's voice for justice on the issue, and her system-changing activism has made her a household name.In her memoir Overcoming, Vicky shares her remarkable personal story, from a life-threatening accident in early adulthood through to motherhood, a battle with depression, her devastating later discovery that her cancer had returned in shocking circumstances - and the ensuing detective-like scrutiny of events that led the charge for her history-making legal action.An inspiring story of rare resilience and power, Overcoming is an account of how one woman can move mountains - even when she is fighting for her own life - and of finding happiness and strength in the toughest of times.
Overcoming: The powerful, compelling, award-winning memoir
by Vicky PhelanSunday Times Memoir of the Year 2019An Post Irish Book of the Year 2019When Vicky Phelan delivered an emotionally charged statement from the steps of the Four Courts in April 2018 - having refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement in the settlement of her action against the HSE - she unearthed the medical and political scandal of our times. It would emerge that, like Vicky, 220 other women who were diagnosed with cervical cancer were not informed that a clinical audit -carried out by the national screen programme CervicalCheck - had revised their earlier, negative smear tests. Their cancers could possibly have been preventable.Since then, Vicky has become women's voice for justice on the issue, and her system-changing activism has made her a household name.In her memoir Overcoming, Vicky shares her remarkable personal story, from a life-threatening accident in early adulthood through to motherhood, a battle with depression, her devastating later discovery that her cancer had returned in shocking circumstances - and the ensuing detective-like scrutiny of events that led the charge for her history-making legal action.An inspiring story of rare resilience and power, Overcoming is an account of how one woman can move mountains - even when she is fighting for her own life - and of finding happiness and strength in the toughest of times.'Calls to mind the work of Emilie Pine, or the memoir by Maggie O'Farrell, I Am, I Am, I Am ... Overcoming is more than the retelling of an extraordinary life. Its pacing and gentleness leaves plenty of room for tears and for reflection' Irish Independent
Overcoming: The powerful, compelling, award-winning memoir
by Vicky Phelan'If there's any message I want people to take from this book, it is hope that, even in the hardest of times, life is worth living, one precious moment at a time.' Vicky PhelanWhen Vicky Phelan delivered an emotionally charged statement from the steps of the Four Courts in April 2018 - having refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement in the settlement of her action against the HSE - she unearthed the medical and political scandal of our times. It would emerge that, like Vicky, 220 other women who were diagnosed with cervical cancer were not informed that a clinical audit -carried out by the national screen programme CervicalCheck - had revised their earlier, negative smear tests. Their cancers could possibly have been preventable. Since then, Vicky has become women's voice for justice on the issue, and her system-changing activism has made her a household name.In her memoir Overcoming, Vicky shares her remarkable personal story, from a life-threatening accident in early adulthood through to motherhood, a battle with depression, her devastating later discovery that her cancer had returned in shocking circumstances - and the ensuing detective-like scrutiny of events that led the charge for her history-making legal action.An inspiring story of rare resilience and power, Overcoming is an account of how one woman can move mountains - even when she is fighting for her own life - and of finding happiness and strength in the toughest of times.(P)2019 Hachette Books Ireland
Overdrive: A Personal Documentary
by William F. Buckley Jr.Whether one agrees or disagrees with his politics, it is impossible to deny that William F. Buckley, Jr. lives deep and sucks out all the marrow of life with an energy and drive that few can match.
Overdue: Reckoning with the Public Library
by Amanda OliverWhen Amanda Oliver began work as a school librarian, fueled by a lifelong love of books and a desire to help, she felt qualified for the job. What she learned was that librarians are expected to serve as mediators and mental-health-crisis support professionals, customer service reps and administrators of overdose treatment, fierce loyalists to institutionalized mythology and enforced silence, and arms of state surveillance. <p><p> Based on firsthand experiences from six years of professional work as a librarian in high-poverty neighborhoods of Washington, DC, as well as interviews and research, Overdue begins with Oliver's first day at Northwest One, the DC Public Library branch where she would ultimately end her library career. <p><p> Through her experience at this branch, Oliver highlights the national problems that have existed in libraries since they were founded, troublingly at odds with the common romanticization of the library as a shining beacon of equality: racism, segregation, and economic oppression. These fundamental American problems manifest today as police violence, the opioid epidemic, widespread inaccessibility of affordable housing, and a lack of mental health care nationwide—all of which come to a head in public library spaces. Can public librarians continue to play the many roles they are tasked with? Can American society sustain one of its most noble institutions? <p><p> Libraries will not save us, but Oliver helps us imagine what might be possible if we stop expecting them to.
Overexposed: The Price of Fame
by Eliot TiegelIn Overexposed: The Price of Fame, entertainment journalist Eliot Tiegel left no stone unturned in his probing examination of the effects of in-your-face publicity and the growing importance, presence— and profits— of the paparazzi. Over the last several decades, the world has watched the publicity game change drastically, and, as a result, the potential for lives to be ruined has never been greater.An enlightening exposé , Overexposed closely examines the troubles of Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Nicole Richie from a host of perspectives, including in-depth interviews with major media figures, publicists, and celebrities— from George Clooney to Dr. Phil, infamous paparazzo Ron Galella to LiLo herself. In the end, one question resonates from this powerful analysis of the paparazzi-fueled media frenzy: How much is too much?
Overland to Starvation Cove: With the Inuit in Search of Franklin, 1878-1880
by Heinrich Klutschak William BarrIn May 1845 Sir John Franklin sailed westward from England in search of the Northwest Passage and was never seen again. Some thirty-five years later, Heinrich Klutschak of Prague, artist and surveyor on a small expedition led by Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka of the 3rd US Cavalry Regiment, stumbled upon the grisly remains at Starvation Cove of the last survivors among Franklin's men.Overland to Starvation Cove is the first English translation of Klutschak's account. A significant contribution to Canadian exploration history, it is also an important anthropological document, providing some of the earliest reliable descriptions of the Aivilingmiut, the Utkuhikhalingmiut, and the Netsilingmiut. But above all, it is a fascinating story of arctic adventure.
Overland with Kit Carson: A Narrative of the Old Spanish Trail in ‘48
by George Douglas BrewertonGold had just been discovered in California at the close of the Mexican War when Kit Carson started east from Los Angeles with dispatches. Going with him was Lieutenant George Douglas Brewerton, who describes their journey over the Old Spanish Trail. It was a torturous route across deserts and mountains requiring the kind of expert survival skills that made Kit Carson famous. The scout, who was carrying the news that would begin the rush for gold, went as far as Taos, where he was reunited with his wife. From there Brewerton joined a wagon train that labored over the Santa Fé Trail to Independence, Missouri.Overland with Kit Carson is a colorful and authentic account of encounters with Indians and white adventurers and of the hazards and hardships that accompanied anyone who undertook such a long journey in a sparsely populated country.“Of prime importance to many general readers as well as to historians will be Brewerton’s intimate and concrete pictures of Kit Carson.”—Southwest Review.
Overlander: One man's epic race to cross Australia
by Rupert GuinnessA powerful memoir about an epic bike race across one of the most challenging landscapes in the world Rupert Guinness set out on the trip of a lifetime: to race across Australia in the inaugural Indian Pacific Wheel Race. This was no ordinary bike race. Unlike the Tour de France, which Guinness had made his name reporting on for decades, competitors rode completely unassisted from Fremantle in Western Australia to the Opera House in Sydney on the other side of the country - a gruelling distance of over 5000 kilometres that would not only test riders' physical endurance but their psychological resilience. Dubbed 'The Hunger Games on Wheels', there would be no help, just riders and their bikes crossing one of the most beautiful – and often most inhospitable – places on earth. Rupert’s mission was to test his own grit, physical and emotional, as he followed the trail of the pioneering men and women whose historic rides over the last two centuries unveiled a largely unknown interior. But when a terrible tragedy stopped everyone in their tracks, what he discovered was the extraordinary power of the human spirit. Rupert and his fellow competitors were forced to make some of the toughest decisions they had ever faced.
Overlay: Storia di una ragazza nella Las Vegas degli anni '70
by Marlayna Glynn Brown Bruno MazzaAmbientato nell'affascinante Las Vegas degli anni Settanta, Overlay è la storia di una bambina nata in un contesto di violenza e abbandono. Mentre gli adulti che dovrebbero occuparsi di lei si sbriciolano via via, vittime delle proprie dipendenze e debolezze, Marlayna sviluppa un forte senso di autoconservazione, che le permette di superare le avversità con forza e determinazione. I personaggi con cui entra in contatto e le situazioni entro cui si muove la protagonista, vengono esplorati in profondità, mentre è costretta a vagare di casa in casa e di famiglia in famiglia, finché non diventa una senzatetto all'età di quattordici anni. L'infanzia travagliata dell'autrice rivela una forza interiore che affascinerà il lettore, e che rimarrà nella sua coscienza per molto tempo dopo aver letto l'ultima riga del libro. Nel 2013 il romanzo si è aggiudicato il Premio per il Miglior Libro Indipendente della Nuova Generazione.
Overlooked: A Celebration of Remarkable, Underappreciated People Who Broke the Rules and Changed the World
by Amisha Padnani New York TimesAn unforgettable collection of diverse, remarkable lives inspired by &“Overlooked,&” the groundbreaking New York Times series that publishes the obituaries of extraordinary people whose deaths went unreported in the newspaper—filled with nearly 200 full-color photos and new, never-before-published content Since 1851, The New York Times has published thousands of obituaries—for heads of state, celebrities, scientists, and athletes. There&’s even one for the person who invented the sock puppet. But, until recently, only a fraction of the Times&’s obits chronicled the lives of women or people of color. The vast majority tell of the lives of men—mostly white men.Started in 2018 as a series in the Obituary section, &“Overlooked&” has sought to rectify this, revisiting the Times&’s 170-year history to celebrate people who were left out. It seeks to correct past mistakes, establish a new precedent for equitable coverage of lives lost, and refocus society&’s lens on who is considered worthy of remembrance.Now, in the first book connected to the trailblazing series, Overlooked shares 66 extraordinary stories of women, BIPOC and LGBTQIA figures, and people with disabilities who have broken rules and overcome obstacles. Some achieved a measure of fame in their lifetime but were surprisingly omitted from the paper, including Ida B. Wells, Sylvia Plath, Alan Turing, and Major Taylor. Others were lesser-known, but noteworthy nonetheless, such as Katherine McHale Slaughterback, a farmer who found fame as &“Rattlesnake Kate&”; Ángela Ruiz Robles, the inventor of an early e-reader; Terri Rogers, a transgender ventriloquist and magician; and Stella Young, a disabled comedian who rejected &“inspiration porn.&” These overlooked figures might have lived in different times, and had different experiences, but they were all ambitious and creative, and used their imaginations to invent, innovate, and change the world.Featuring stunning photographs, exclusive content about the process of writing obituaries, and contributions by writers such as Veronica Chambers, Jon Pareles, Amanda Hess, and more, this visually arresting book compels us to revisit who and what we value as a society—and reminds us that some of our most important stories are hidden among the lives of those who have been overlooked.
Overnight Code: The Life of Raye Montague, the Woman Who Revolutionized Naval Engineering
by Paige Bowers David MontagueOvernight Code tells the story of Raye Montague, an ambitious little girl from segregated Little Rock who spent a lifetime educating herself, both inside and outside of the classroom, so that she could become the person and professional she aspired to be. Where some saw roadblocks, Montague only saw hurdles that needed to be overcome. Her mindset helped her become the first person to draft a Naval ship design by computer, using a program she worked late nights to debug. She did this as a single mother during the height of the Cold War, all the while imbuing her son with the hard-won wisdom she had accumulated throughout the years.Equal parts coming-of-age tale, civil rights history, and reflection on the power of education, Overnight Code is a tale about the persistence and perseverance required to forge the life of your dreams when the odds against you seem insurmountable, and shows how one woman refused to let other people's prejudices stand in the way of her success.
Overpaid, Oversexed and Over There: How a Few Skinny Brits with Bad Teeth Rocked America
by David HepworthThe Beatles landing in New York in February 1964 was the opening shot in a cultural revolution nobody predicted. Suddenly the youth of the richest, most powerful nation on earth was trying to emulate the music, manners and the modes of a rainy island that had recently fallen on hard times.The resulting fusion of American can-do and British fuck-you didn’t just lead to rock and roll’s most resonant music. It ushered in a golden era when a generation of kids born in ration card Britain, who had grown up with their nose pressed against the window of America’s plenty, were invited to wallow in their big neighbour’s largesse.It deals with a time when everything that was being done - from the Beatles playing Shea Stadium to the Rolling Stones at Altamont, from the Who performing their rock opera at the Metropolitan Opera House to David Bowie touching down in the USA for the first time with a couple of gowns in his luggage - was being done for the very first time.Rock and roll would never be quite so exciting again.
Overseas American: Growing Up Gringo in the Tropics (Willie Morris Books in Memoir and Biography)
by Gene H. Bell-VilladaBorn in 1941 of a Hawaiian mother and a white father, Gene H. Bell-Villada, grew up an overseas American citizen. An outsider wherever he landed, he never had a ready answer to the innocuous question “Where are you from?” By the time Bell-Villada was a teenager, he had lived in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Cuba. Though English was his first language, his claim on US citizenship was a hollow one. All he knew of his purported “homeland” was gleaned from imported comic books and movies. He spoke Spanish fluently, but he never fully fit into the culture of the Latin American countries where he grew up. In childhood, he attended an American Catholic school for Puerto Ricans in San Juan, longing all the while to convert from Episcopalianism so that he could better fit in. Later at a Cuban military school during the height of the Batista dictatorship, he witnessed fervent political debates among the cadets about Fidel Castro's nascent revolution and US foreign policy. His times at the American School in Caracas, Venezuela, are tinged with reminiscences of oil booms and fights between US and Venezuelan teen gangs. When Bell-Villada finally came to the United States to stay, he found himself just as rootless as before, moving from New Mexico to Arizona to California to Massachusetts in quick succession. His accounts of life on the campuses of Berkeley and Harvard during the tumultuous 1960s reveal much about the country's climate during the Cold War era. Eventually the “Gringo” came home, finding the stability in his marriage and career that allowed him to work through and proudly claim his identity as a “global nomad.”
Overshare: Love, Laughs, Sexuality and Secrets
by Rose Ellen Dix Rosie SpaughtonRose and Rosie are known for their candid and hilarious YouTube videos... but now they are taking oversharing to a whole new level. Discussing sexuality, revealing secrets and empowering others, OVERSHARE is a book packed with Rose and Rosie's unique take on friendships, fame, mental health and LGBT issues.As visibly out members of the LGBT community, they open up about their own experiences, both together and as individuals, and have written this book in the hope that it gives strength to those who have faced similar difficulties. They are spreading a message of positivity and inclusivity, and want everyone to feel comfortable in their own skin, no matter what their sexuality. Delve deep into the unfiltered highs and lows of Rose and Rosie's life: family relationships, secrets of a happy marriage, struggles with OCD and anxiety, finding love and navigating the world as a gay couple. Get ready to laugh, cry, cringe and OVERSHARE.
Overshare: Love, Laughs, Sexuality and Secrets
by Rose Ellen Dix Rosie SpaughtonRose and Rosie are known for their candid and hilarious YouTube videos... but now they are taking oversharing to a whole new level. Discussing sexuality, revealing secrets and empowering others, OVERSHARE is a book packed with Rose and Rosie's unique take on friendships, fame, mental health and LGBT issues.As visibly out members of the LGBT community, they open up about their own experiences, both together and as individuals, and have written this book in the hope that it gives strength to those who have faced similar difficulties. They are spreading a message of positivity and inclusivity, and want everyone to feel comfortable in their own skin, no matter what their sexuality. Delve deep into the unfiltered highs and lows of Rose and Rosie's life: family relationships, secrets of a happy marriage, struggles with OCD and anxiety, finding love and navigating the world as a gay couple. Get ready to laugh, cry, cringe and OVERSHARE.
Overtime: Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines at the Crossroads of College Football
by John U. BaconNATIONAL BESTSELLERFrom the “poet laureate of Michigan football," a riveting inside chronicle of the Jim Harbaugh era, and "an unprecedented look at the inner workings" (Sporting News) of a big-time college football programJohn U. Bacon received rare access to Head Coach Jim Harbaugh’s University of Michigan football team: coaches, players, and staffers, in closed-door meetings, locker rooms, meals, and classes. Overtime captures this storied program at the crossroads, as the sport’s winningest team battles to reclaim its former glory. But what if the price of success today comes at the cost of your soul? Do you pay it, or compete without compromising?In the spirit of HBO’s Hardknocks, Overtime delivers a deeply reported human portrait that follows the Wolverine coaches, players, and staffers. Above all, thisis a human story. In Overtime we not only discover what these public figures are like behind the scenes, we learn what the experience means to them as they go through it – the trials, the triumphs, and the unexpected answers to a central question: Is it worth it?From the “poet laureate of Michigan football” (according to New York Times’s Joe Drape), and one of the keenest observers of college football, Overtime offers a window into a legendary program and the sport itself that only John U. Bacon could deliver.
Overworld
by Larry J. KolbLarry Kolb was born into a house of spies. Raised all over the world as the son of a high-ranking American spymaster, Kolb was taught by his father to think, look, and listen like a spy. But when Kolb himself was recruited to join the CIA, he declined, choosing instead to pursue a career in business. He became, among other things, Muhammad Ali's agent, a role that turned out to be a circuitous route back to the world of espionage.