Award-winning actor, director, producer, and activist Kerry Washington shares the deeply moving journey of her life so far, and the bravely intimate story of discovering her truth. While on a drive in Los Angeles, on a seemingly average afternoon, Kerry Washington received a text message that would send her on a life-changing journey of self-discovery. In an instant, her very identity was torn apart, with everything she thought she knew about herself thrown into question. In Thicker than Water, Washington gives readers an intimate view into both her public and private worlds - as an artist, an advocate, an entrepreneur, a mother, a daughter, a wife, a Black woman. Chronicling her upbringing and life's journey thus far, she reveals how she faced a series of challenges and setbacks, effectively hid childhood traumas, met extraordinary mentors, managed to grow her career, and crossed the threshold into stardom and political advocacy, ultimately discovering her truest self and, with it, a deeper sense of belonging.
Little, Brown Spark
|
9780316497398
|
Hardcover
Uncensored
By Wood, Zachary
Drawing upon his own powerful personal story, Zachary Wood shares his perspective on free speech, race, and dissenting opinions--in a world that sorely needs to learn to listen.As the former president of the student group Uncomfortable Learning at his alma mater, Williams College, Zachary Wood knows from experience about intellectual controversy. At school and beyond, there's no one Zach refuses to engage with simply because he disagrees with their beliefs--sometimes vehemently so--and this view has given him a unique platform in the media.But Zach has never shared the details of his own personal story. In Uncensored, he reveals for the first time how he grew up poor and black in Washington, DC, where the only way to survive was resisting the urge to write people off because of their backgrounds and perspectives. By sharing his troubled upbringing--from a difficult early childhood to the struggles of code-switching between his home and his elite private school--Zach makes a compelling argument for a new way of interacting with others and presents a new outlook on society's most difficult conversations.
Dutton
|
9781524742447
|
Hardcover
Where There's Hope
By Smart, Elizabeth A
Elizabeth Smart follows up her #1 New York Times bestseller, My Story -- about being heldin captivity as a teenager, and how she managed to survive -- with a powerful and inspiringbook about what it takes to overcome trauma, find the strength to move on, and reclaim one's life.Author. Activist. Victim -- no more.In her fearless memoir, Elizabeth detailed, for the first time, the horror behind the headlines ofher abduction by religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. Since then,she's married, become a mother, and travelled the world as the president of the Elizabeth SmartFoundation, sharing her story with the intent of helping others along the way.Over and over, Elizabeth is asked the same question: How do you find the hope to go on? In thisbook, Elizabeth returns to the horrific experiences she endured, and the hard-won lessons shelearned, to provide answers. She also calls upon others who have dealt with adversity -- victims ofviolence, disease, war, and loss -- to explore the pathways toward hope. Through conversationswith such well-known voices as Anne Romney, Diane Von Furstenburg, and Mandy Patinkin tospiritual leaders Archbishop John C. Wester and Elder Richard Hinckley to her own parents,Elizabeth uncovers an even greater sense of solace and understanding. Where There's Hope is theresult of Elizabeth's mission: It is both an up-close-and-personal glimpse into her healing processand a heartfelt how-to guide for readers to make peace with the past and embrace the future.
St. Martin's Press
|
9781250115522
|
Hardcover
A Checkerboard of Nights and Days
By Fahmy, Irandukht Vahidi
A Checkerboard of Nights and Days is the story of Iran Fahmy's extraordinary cultural journey. A native of Iran, she arrived in the U.S. in 1957 at age 24 to attend graduate school on a Royal Scholarship. Unable to speak or understand English very well, she faced many challenges in adapting to an unfamiliar culture, enduring loneliness and isolation. Yet she went on to earn two graduate degrees, marry an Egyptian scholar she met at Columbia University, raise three children as first-generation Americans, and, through her work, touch the lives of children and families who were challenged by special needs. Iran's childhood was a magical one in many ways, as she grew up in a secular region of Iran that was a vibrant mix of ethnic groups, religions, and cultures, a place where food, poetry, music, and an appreciation of nature's beauty were intertwined pleasures of daily life.
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
|
9781983786808
|
Paperback
Make Trouble
By Richards, Cecile
To Make Change, You Have to Make Trouble From Cecile Richards - president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund for more than a decade, daughter of the late Governor Ann Richards, featured speaker at the Women's March on Washington, and a "heroine of the resistance" (Vogue) - comes a story about learning to lead and make change, based on a lifetime of fighting for women's rights and social justice.Cecile Richards has been an activist since she was taken to the principal's office in seventh grade for wearing an armband in protest of the Vietnam War. Richards had an extraordinary childhood in ultra-conservative Texas, where her civil rights attorney father and activist mother taught their kids to be troublemakers. In the Richards household, the "dinner table was never for eating - it was for sorting precinct lists." From the time Richards was a girl, she had a front-row seat to observe the rise of women in American politics. She watched her mother, Ann, transform from a housewife to an electrifying force in the Democratic party who made a name for herself as the straight-talking, truth-telling governor of Texas. But Richards also witnessed the pitfalls of public life that are unique to women. Her experiences paint a powerful portrait of the misogyny, sexism, fake news, and even the threat of violence confronting those who challenge authority. As a young woman, Richards worked as a labor organizer alongside women earning minimum wage, and learned that those in power don't give it up without a fight. Now, after years of advocacy, resistance, and progressive leadership, she shares her story for the first time - from the joy and heartbreak of activism to the challenges of raising kids, having a life, and making change, all at the same time. She shines a light on the people and lessons that have gotten her through good times and bad, and encourages readers to take risks, make mistakes, and make trouble along the way. Richards has dedicated her life to taking on injustice, and her memoir will inspire readers to hope and action.
Touchstone
|
9781501187599
|
Hardcover
Jackie
By Taraborrelli, J. Randy
From New York Times bestselling author of Jackie, Janet & Lee comes a fresh and often startling look at the life of the legendary former first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.Based on hundreds of interviews with friends, family, and lovers over a thirty-year period -- as well as previously unreleased material from the JFK Library -- Kennedy historian J. Randy Taraborrelli paints an unforgettable new portrait of a woman whose flaws and contradictions only serve to make her even more iconic. "I have three lives," Jackie told a former lover, "public, private and secret." In this revealing biography, readers will become intimately familiar with all three. . New insights from the book include:· Jackie's cold feet before her wedding to Jack Kennedy and her secret plan to avoid moving into the White House with him.
St. Martin's Press
|
9781250276216
|
Hardcover
To Shake the Sleeping Self
By Jenkins, Jedidiah
From travel writer and Instagram phenomenon Jedidiah Jenkins, a long-awaited memoir of adventure, failure, and lessons learned while bicycling the 10,000 miles from Oregon to Patagonia.On the eve of turning thirty, terrified of being sucked into a life he didn't choose, Jedidiah Jenkins quit his dream job and spent the next sixteen months cycling from Oregon to Patagonia. He chronicled the trip on Instagram, where his photos and profound reflections on life soon attracted hundreds of thousands of followers and got him featured by National Geographic and The Paris Review. In this unflinchingly honest memoir, Jed narrates the adventure that started it all: the people and places he encountered on his way to the bottom of the world, and the internal journey that prompted it--the question of what it means to be an adult; his struggle to reconcile his sexual identity with his conservative Christian upbringing; and his belief in travel as a way to "wake us up" to our lives back home.
Convergent Books
|
9781524761387
|
Hardcover
Agnostic
By Hazleton, Lesley
A widely admired writer on religion celebrates agnosticism as the most vibrant, engaging - and ultimately the most honest - stance toward the mysteries of existence. One in four Americans reject any affiliation with organized religion, and nearly half of those under thirty describe themselves as "spiritual but not religious." But as the airwaves resound with the haranguing of preachers and pundits, who speaks for the millions who find no joy in whittling the wonder of existence to a simple yes/no choice? Lesley Hazleton does. In this provocative, brilliant book, she gives voice to the case for agnosticism, breaks it free of its stereotypes as watered-down atheism or amorphous "seeking," and celebrates it as a reasoned, revealing, and sustaining stance toward life.
Riverhead Books
|
9781594634130
|
Print book
An American Family
By Khan, Khizr
This inspiring memoir by the Gold Star parent and captivating DNC speaker is the story of one family's pursuit of the American dream and why--especially in these tumultuous times--we must not be afraid to step forward for what we believe in when it matters most. An American Family is an intensely personal story about the nature of true patriotism and what it's like to risk everything you know for the promise of a 226-year-old piece of parchment. As Khizr Khan traces his remarkable journey--from humble beginnings on a poultry farm in Pakistan to obtaining a degree from Harvard Law School and raising a family in America--he shows what it means to leave the limitations of one's country behind for the best values and promises of another. He also tells the story of the Khans' middle child, U.
Thorndike Press Large Print
|
9781432845575
|
On the House
By Boehner, John
"A memoir by former speaker of the house John Boehner"--
Thicker than Water
By Washington, Kerry
Award-winning actor, director, producer, and activist Kerry Washington shares the deeply moving journey of her life so far, and the bravely intimate story of discovering her truth. While on a drive in Los Angeles, on a seemingly average afternoon, Kerry Washington received a text message that would send her on a life-changing journey of self-discovery. In an instant, her very identity was torn apart, with everything she thought she knew about herself thrown into question. In Thicker than Water, Washington gives readers an intimate view into both her public and private worlds - as an artist, an advocate, an entrepreneur, a mother, a daughter, a wife, a Black woman. Chronicling her upbringing and life's journey thus far, she reveals how she faced a series of challenges and setbacks, effectively hid childhood traumas, met extraordinary mentors, managed to grow her career, and crossed the threshold into stardom and political advocacy, ultimately discovering her truest self and, with it, a deeper sense of belonging.
Uncensored
By Wood, Zachary
Drawing upon his own powerful personal story, Zachary Wood shares his perspective on free speech, race, and dissenting opinions--in a world that sorely needs to learn to listen.As the former president of the student group Uncomfortable Learning at his alma mater, Williams College, Zachary Wood knows from experience about intellectual controversy. At school and beyond, there's no one Zach refuses to engage with simply because he disagrees with their beliefs--sometimes vehemently so--and this view has given him a unique platform in the media.But Zach has never shared the details of his own personal story. In Uncensored, he reveals for the first time how he grew up poor and black in Washington, DC, where the only way to survive was resisting the urge to write people off because of their backgrounds and perspectives. By sharing his troubled upbringing--from a difficult early childhood to the struggles of code-switching between his home and his elite private school--Zach makes a compelling argument for a new way of interacting with others and presents a new outlook on society's most difficult conversations.
Where There's Hope
By Smart, Elizabeth A
Elizabeth Smart follows up her #1 New York Times bestseller, My Story -- about being heldin captivity as a teenager, and how she managed to survive -- with a powerful and inspiringbook about what it takes to overcome trauma, find the strength to move on, and reclaim one's life.Author. Activist. Victim -- no more.In her fearless memoir, Elizabeth detailed, for the first time, the horror behind the headlines ofher abduction by religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. Since then,she's married, become a mother, and travelled the world as the president of the Elizabeth SmartFoundation, sharing her story with the intent of helping others along the way.Over and over, Elizabeth is asked the same question: How do you find the hope to go on? In thisbook, Elizabeth returns to the horrific experiences she endured, and the hard-won lessons shelearned, to provide answers. She also calls upon others who have dealt with adversity -- victims ofviolence, disease, war, and loss -- to explore the pathways toward hope. Through conversationswith such well-known voices as Anne Romney, Diane Von Furstenburg, and Mandy Patinkin tospiritual leaders Archbishop John C. Wester and Elder Richard Hinckley to her own parents,Elizabeth uncovers an even greater sense of solace and understanding. Where There's Hope is theresult of Elizabeth's mission: It is both an up-close-and-personal glimpse into her healing processand a heartfelt how-to guide for readers to make peace with the past and embrace the future.
A Checkerboard of Nights and Days
By Fahmy, Irandukht Vahidi
A Checkerboard of Nights and Days is the story of Iran Fahmy's extraordinary cultural journey. A native of Iran, she arrived in the U.S. in 1957 at age 24 to attend graduate school on a Royal Scholarship. Unable to speak or understand English very well, she faced many challenges in adapting to an unfamiliar culture, enduring loneliness and isolation. Yet she went on to earn two graduate degrees, marry an Egyptian scholar she met at Columbia University, raise three children as first-generation Americans, and, through her work, touch the lives of children and families who were challenged by special needs. Iran's childhood was a magical one in many ways, as she grew up in a secular region of Iran that was a vibrant mix of ethnic groups, religions, and cultures, a place where food, poetry, music, and an appreciation of nature's beauty were intertwined pleasures of daily life.
Make Trouble
By Richards, Cecile
To Make Change, You Have to Make Trouble From Cecile Richards - president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund for more than a decade, daughter of the late Governor Ann Richards, featured speaker at the Women's March on Washington, and a "heroine of the resistance" (Vogue) - comes a story about learning to lead and make change, based on a lifetime of fighting for women's rights and social justice.Cecile Richards has been an activist since she was taken to the principal's office in seventh grade for wearing an armband in protest of the Vietnam War. Richards had an extraordinary childhood in ultra-conservative Texas, where her civil rights attorney father and activist mother taught their kids to be troublemakers. In the Richards household, the "dinner table was never for eating - it was for sorting precinct lists." From the time Richards was a girl, she had a front-row seat to observe the rise of women in American politics. She watched her mother, Ann, transform from a housewife to an electrifying force in the Democratic party who made a name for herself as the straight-talking, truth-telling governor of Texas. But Richards also witnessed the pitfalls of public life that are unique to women. Her experiences paint a powerful portrait of the misogyny, sexism, fake news, and even the threat of violence confronting those who challenge authority. As a young woman, Richards worked as a labor organizer alongside women earning minimum wage, and learned that those in power don't give it up without a fight. Now, after years of advocacy, resistance, and progressive leadership, she shares her story for the first time - from the joy and heartbreak of activism to the challenges of raising kids, having a life, and making change, all at the same time. She shines a light on the people and lessons that have gotten her through good times and bad, and encourages readers to take risks, make mistakes, and make trouble along the way. Richards has dedicated her life to taking on injustice, and her memoir will inspire readers to hope and action.
Jackie
By Taraborrelli, J. Randy
From New York Times bestselling author of Jackie, Janet & Lee comes a fresh and often startling look at the life of the legendary former first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.Based on hundreds of interviews with friends, family, and lovers over a thirty-year period -- as well as previously unreleased material from the JFK Library -- Kennedy historian J. Randy Taraborrelli paints an unforgettable new portrait of a woman whose flaws and contradictions only serve to make her even more iconic. "I have three lives," Jackie told a former lover, "public, private and secret." In this revealing biography, readers will become intimately familiar with all three. . New insights from the book include:· Jackie's cold feet before her wedding to Jack Kennedy and her secret plan to avoid moving into the White House with him.
To Shake the Sleeping Self
By Jenkins, Jedidiah
From travel writer and Instagram phenomenon Jedidiah Jenkins, a long-awaited memoir of adventure, failure, and lessons learned while bicycling the 10,000 miles from Oregon to Patagonia.On the eve of turning thirty, terrified of being sucked into a life he didn't choose, Jedidiah Jenkins quit his dream job and spent the next sixteen months cycling from Oregon to Patagonia. He chronicled the trip on Instagram, where his photos and profound reflections on life soon attracted hundreds of thousands of followers and got him featured by National Geographic and The Paris Review. In this unflinchingly honest memoir, Jed narrates the adventure that started it all: the people and places he encountered on his way to the bottom of the world, and the internal journey that prompted it--the question of what it means to be an adult; his struggle to reconcile his sexual identity with his conservative Christian upbringing; and his belief in travel as a way to "wake us up" to our lives back home.
Agnostic
By Hazleton, Lesley
A widely admired writer on religion celebrates agnosticism as the most vibrant, engaging - and ultimately the most honest - stance toward the mysteries of existence. One in four Americans reject any affiliation with organized religion, and nearly half of those under thirty describe themselves as "spiritual but not religious." But as the airwaves resound with the haranguing of preachers and pundits, who speaks for the millions who find no joy in whittling the wonder of existence to a simple yes/no choice? Lesley Hazleton does. In this provocative, brilliant book, she gives voice to the case for agnosticism, breaks it free of its stereotypes as watered-down atheism or amorphous "seeking," and celebrates it as a reasoned, revealing, and sustaining stance toward life.
An American Family
By Khan, Khizr
This inspiring memoir by the Gold Star parent and captivating DNC speaker is the story of one family's pursuit of the American dream and why--especially in these tumultuous times--we must not be afraid to step forward for what we believe in when it matters most. An American Family is an intensely personal story about the nature of true patriotism and what it's like to risk everything you know for the promise of a 226-year-old piece of parchment. As Khizr Khan traces his remarkable journey--from humble beginnings on a poultry farm in Pakistan to obtaining a degree from Harvard Law School and raising a family in America--he shows what it means to leave the limitations of one's country behind for the best values and promises of another. He also tells the story of the Khans' middle child, U.
On the House
By Boehner, John
"A memoir by former speaker of the house John Boehner"--