Self Biography

Imagine if you lived without the fear of failure, without the fear of not measuring up. If you no longer felt the need to stifle your thoughts and swallow what you really want to say in order to please and appease others. If you could stop berating yourself mercilessly for human mistakes, let go of the guilt and the strangling pressure to be perfect, and just breathe. What if, in every decision you faced, you made the brave choice or took the bolder path. Would you be happier? Would you impact the world in the ways you dream you can? I believe the answer to both is yes.

Rhonda Hayes promised to give her 35-year-old dying daughter, Sherry, anything she wanted. When Sherry requested that her mother sign up for a dating site, Rhonda was panic-struck. What would people think? Only nine months earlier, Rhonda’s devoted husband, Greg, had died from cancer. Keeping her promise, Rhonda acquiesced to Sherry’s wish. Together they completed a dating profile; moments before hitting "Submit", Rhonda added these words: My daughter has terminal cancer and she is my life right now. Why would I be on a dating site?

The story of Malcolm X's journey to Islam is world-known. But how many stories do we have of the brave women who joined on to the Nation of Islam? Very few. To add to the dilemma, Black women face unfair stereotypes when it comes to their acceptance of Islam. Many people unfairly accuse them of joining for vain reasons such as marriage and the desire to imitate Arab culture. This book will change the narrative about Black Muslim women. A Final Call to Self is a story of courage, audacity, failure, and triumph.

Whether you're becoming a mum for the first time or you have children who are growing up faster than you could have ever imagined, motherhood can feel like the most joyful and yet the most daunting of times. But you're not alone. From the moment I knew my first baby was a girl I started to plan, hope and dream. I couldn't wait to experience that special bond, but I wondered how I'd feel about being a working mum, how I'd hold on to the person I am.

From the suburbs of Leeds to the streets of Sydney, from the queer clubs of London to a quiet life by the sea, through love, family, friendship and heartache, join Roxy Bourdillon on a journey to work out exactly who she is. What a Girl Wants is the perfect listen for anyone who’s searched for their place in the world, for anyone who’s ever been catcalled, anyone who's despaired about their body, fallen in love, had their heart broken and found friends who can put it back together.

The Girl with the Self-Esteem Issues is the remarkable story of Rosie Mercado’s journey from helplessness to becoming a model, life coach, and daytime celebrity and one of the “top 25 most powerful Latinas” (People). But as Rosie reveals, that success came after years of pain.

America knew George Zimmer for one of the most famous slogans in television advertising history: “I guarantee it.” Zimmer rode his promise to lead the Men’s Wearhouse to unimagined success as a retail giant. Now, years removed from his stunning dismissal as leader of the company he founded, I Guarantee It recounts the journey of Zimmer’s rise, the fall of the Men’s Wearhouse, and his personal renewal.

In Not My Circus, the author shares her extraordinary story of resilience amidst unimaginable adversity. From drug abuse and sexual trauma to homicide, she recounts her harrowing coming-of-age experiences in gritty detail. This powerful memoir will take you on a rollercoaster ride through the author's traumatic teenage and young adult years. You'll venture into the vibrant nightlife of West Hollywood, with all its temptation and danger in the height of the AIDS epidemic. You'll experience the terror of being raped and the frustration of seeking justice.

At seven years old, Lynnie Vessels stepped out of the bathtub to discover her father had just shot her mother with a shotgun across their dining room table. Literally standing naked in her mother's blood throughout the ensuing horror, she was magically transported into the loving eyes of her younger sister. Simultaneously, her older sister used words to convince her maniacal father to put down the gun. In those moments, the author came to understand the miraculous power of eye contact and words.

There is nothing more normal than feeling fear, and there is nothing wrong with fear. Too often, we let it drive us away from our greatness instead of viewing it as an indicator that what we are doing is important. Fear can make us run away from challenges instead of meeting them head on. Fear can stop us from pursuing our dreams. But here's the thing: Fear and progress can co-exist. We can be scared and be great anyway!

The trauma of abuse as a child. A hedonistic lifestyle in London and New York during the AIDS crisis. Sex and love. Addiction. Ecstasy. Despair. A skyrocketing international career that spirals out of control. And then, a chance encounter that changes everything.... Drawing on the ancient wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, Dragon King's Daughter is a 21st-century love story, a searingly honest memoir of addiction and recovery through a combination of 12-Step, intensive yoga, and Buddhist philosophy. It charts a journey of transformation from suffering to self-realization.

Covering seven decades of living, traveling, and growing, Does My Voice Matter? follows James’ journey of self-discovery and authenticity as she gradually recognizes that she has a voice—and learns how to use it. She uses her own life experiences as a backdrop for her exploration of how the voice is used as a tool of engagement.

In Akilah Hughes' world, family - and life - are often complicated, but always funny. Through intimate and hilarious essays, Akilah takes listeners along on her journey from the small Kentucky town where she was born - and eventually became a spelling bee champ and 15-year-old high school graduate - to New York City, where she took careful steps to fulfill her dream of becoming a writer and performer.

Jen Lancaster hates to burst your happy little bubble, but life in the big city isn't all it's cracked up to be. Contrary to what you see on TV and in the movies, most urbanites aren't party-hopping in slinky dresses and strappy stilettos. But lucky for us, Lancaster knows how to make the life of the lower crust mercilessly funny and infinitely entertaining.

A faded sign with the words "Vegetables for Sale" is one of Michael Barber's most prized possessions. Michael and his grandmother created the homemade sign after she became weary of his continuous begging for candy money. At five years of age, Michael's grandmother placed him alongside the Heart of Dixie Highway to operate a vegetable stand.

For so long, people have been trying to tell your story. They’ve put you in a box. Made you feel less than, and challenged you to live life their way. You may feel frustration, anger, disgust. You’re hungry for success. You’re tired of giving your story away. In May 2013, Nate Howard made the front page of the LA Times for sparking a movement against racial profiling after 79 LAPD officers shut down his event at USC. Realizing someone was attempting to tell his story, he founded Movement BE, a nonprofit organization that helps young people discover their stories.

This book sprung forth from the dark earth of my failure and despair. I gave my life to Christ at age twenty-one but only found a truly joy-filled life in Christ twenty years later. The difficulties that I faced in those two decades in between - the tireless grappling with my hedonistic tendencies, the vanity of religion, my failures in one marriage after another, the sin that beset me, the deep desire for fulfilment that remained unmet, the flawed people that God used to shape my character and reveal my mission – all provided the resource material for Authentic Joy. In my deepest ...

The remarkable true story of a group of former Special Operation soldiers turned entrepreneurs on a mission to end the war in Afghanistan with business, not bullets.

Richard Branson, one of the world's most famous and admired business leaders, argues that it's time to turn capitalism upside down - to shift our values from an exclusive focus on profit to also caring for people, communities and the planet. As he writes: "It's a vibrant and definite sea change from the way business was always done, when financial profit was a driving force. Today, people aren't afraid to say, Screw business as usual!-and show they mean it."

Learn valuable lessons while Hollywood actors voice the parts in this entertaining and true story of Barefoot Wine. A Sherwood Players Production featuring a full ensemble cast ​including Hollywood Legends Ed Asner and Gigi Perreau​, an original cinematic score, sound effects, and behind the scenes interviews with the real Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey (creators of Barefoot Wine) with author Rick Kushman. It is amazing that such an iconic brand as Barefoot Wines began as a startup in the laundry room of a rented farmhouse.