- Table View
- List View
Jesus, My Good Shepherd
by Erik RottmannThis book is the story of Jesus, the Good Shepherd (Mark 6:34; John 10:1-18). The Arch Book series tells popular Bible stories through fun-to-read rhymes and bright illustrations. This well-loved series captures the attention of children, telling scripturally sound stories that are enjoyable and easy to remember.
The Very First Easter
by Paul L. Maier"Would you like to hear the true story of the very first Easter? " Christopher prefers stories that are real; truth, not fiction. So in their home, far away from Jerusalem, his parents tell about the sorrow and joy of Jesus' trial, death, and resurrection. This book places the focus of Easter on the truth of God's story- His plan for the salvation of mankind through Jesus Christ. It will become a treasured classic to be enjoyed year after year."
Timothy Joins Paul: Acts 16:1-5, 2 Timothy 1:1-7, 2 Timothy 4:14-17; and 1 Timothy 1:3 for Children
by Erik RottmannThis book tells of Timothy joining Paul and Silas on Paul's Second Missionary Journey (Acts 16:1-5; 1 Timothy 1:3; 2 Timothy 1:1-7, 4:14-17). The Arch Books series tells popular Bible stories through fun-to-read rhymes and bright illustrations. This well-loved series captures the attention of children, telling scripturally sound stories that are enjoyable and easy to remember. Other Arch books are available in this library.
David and Goliath
by Martha Streufert JanderThis book retells the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17). The Arch Book series tells popular Bible stories through fun-to-read rhymes and bright illustrations. This well-loved series captures the attention of children, telling scripturally sound stories that are enjoyable and easy to remember. Other books in this series are available in this library.
Inside a Thug's Heart
by Angela ArdisAn intimate and revealing window into one of modern culture&’s most iconic figures, this twentieth-anniversary re-release of Inside a Thug&’s Heart celebrates the gifted and impassioned yet vulnerable and uncertain human behind the legend of Tupac Shakur. In 1995, one year before Tupac Shakur was shot dead in Las Vegas, he was jailed for two months inside New York City&’s notorious Rikers Island. While there, he received a letter from a stranger—Angela Ardis, acting on a casual bet with her friends. She included her photo and phone number . . . and soon found herself answering a call from Tupac himself. Remarkably, their near-daily contact grew into a complex kinship of souls that neither could define—and touched both in unexpected ways. Alive in letters and original poems—some available nowhere else—Tupac&’s ever-relevant heart beats within these pages. Playful, sensual, and serious, he gives insightful observations on music, prison, and life&’s uncertainties—and his dreams for a future that would soon be tragically cut short. In this moving, one-of-a-kind tribute, generations of fans can experience a profound connection to the mind and unbroken spirit of a passionate, unpredictable musical icon.
Pee-Shy
by Frank SpinelliIn his stunningly honest and poignant memoir, Frank Spinelli recounts a childhood marked by trauma and of finding the courage that ultimately transformed his life...Frank Spinelli grew up on Staten Island in the 1970s to Italian-born parents who viewed cops and priests as second only to the Pope in infallibility. His mother, concerned that her son was being bullied at school for being "different," signed Frank up for Boy Scouts when he turned eleven. For the next two years, Frank's life had two realities--one lived in full view of his family, and the other a secret he shared with his Scoutmaster that he couldn't confess to anybody. Eventually Frank went to college, established a thriving medical practice, and found a home in Manhattan. But the emotional and physical effects of his past continued to shadow every aspect of his life. Then a shocking discovery gave Frank the opportunity to overturn thirty years of confusion and self-blame--for himself, and for other boys like him. Pee-Shy is a remarkable story of overcoming the unimaginable to choose resilience over darkness, and love over loss. "A devastatingly heartbreaking look at life after childhood abuse, with wit and piercing insight that can only come from a place of brutal honesty." --Josh Kilmer-Purcell "This is a memoir about a grown-up boy's generous--and healing--heart."--Kevin Sessums "This is one of those horrific, true stories that Dr. Spinelli so courageously reveals. With raw honesty he makes us understand that monsters do exist and a child's innocence is precious. His story is one of too many, but maybe, this one will help open our eyes a little more and shine a light on a taboo subject that many chose not to see or believe." --Whoopi Goldberg
Naked: The Life And Pornography Of Michael Lucas
by Corey TaylorAsk anyone who the biggest name in gay porn is and they'll tell you, "Michael Lucas." Ask what he's like and you'll get the gamut of replies: He's a smart, shrewd businessman who studied law and loves the opera. A witty raconteur who doesn't drink, smoke or do drugs. A loyal son who is close to his family. Bracingly honest. Ruthless. A hot top with a killer body. Sexy. Razor-tongued and iron-fisted. Michael Lucas has been called everything on his climb from rent boy to running the most successful gay porn business in the entire world--but he's never been called boring. Now, in this no-holds-barred biography, Corey Taylor delivers a delicious portrait of gay porn's hottest maverick. From the start, Michael Lucas challenged the stereotype of a porn star. He did not grow up in an abusive family. Instead, he was born and raised in Soviet Russia as Andrei Treyvas to a close-knit family of outspoken, intellectual Russian Jews. The shy, skinny kid grew up to be a handsome man determined to make his mark on the world--and how. From his start as an escort in Europe, to his hustling days in America, making the money he would invest in his own company, Lucas Entertainment, Michael's life is inspiring, provocative, and 100% candid--no filter. NAKED lays bare the fascinating, often surreal life of a sexy, complex man who has set his own standards and played by his own rules. Chock full of outrageous quotes and "you've got to hear this" stories, this is one biography just like its subject: one of a kind. Corey Taylor has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Memphis. He has written for U.S. publications (Unzipped, Men, Artisan Northwest) as well as for publications in the UK (reFRESH) and Australia (DNA), covering celebrity features, art, fashion, and politics. Corey lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Tweaked
by Patrick Moore"There are moments when I suddenly realize that I'm a nice boy from Iowa who is entirely comfortable sitting in a room of freaks."So begins Patrick Moore's unforgettable account of life as a crystal meth addict--a "tweaker." Like a wild ride down Alice's rabbit hole with a guide who is darkly funny and heartbreakingly honest, Tweaked chronicles a twenty-year trip that stretches from Moore's lonely childhood in Iowa with his grandmother, Zelma--an alcoholic artist who, when loaded, turns frozen food into crafts projects --to the day he sits, naked, in a Los Angeles rental, hallucinating about psycho-robbers while talking to a possum he's sure is God. Along the way, there are acid trips at the V.F.W., Dexetrim study halls with his Bad Girl Posse in the seventies, teeth-grinding nights of dancing and anonymous sex in New York City's hottest eighties clubs, taking pictures of Andy Warhol, losing friends and lovers, and navigating a Byzantine underworld of cookers, users, club kids, dealers, and colorful characters as intense as the drug itself. There is Lee, the glamorous, outré bad boy with a devastating wit and a taste for danger; Tony, the tweaker who likes to remove his eyebrows; Ding-Dong, the Depends-wearing, nearly blind housemate; Hisako, the artist and squatter with an impenetrable Japanese accent and a fondness for hot plate cooking; "Mother" Judy, the tough, butch rehab counselor who takes no prisoners, and countless others on the road from crystal meth hell to eventual sobriety. Candid, gripping, and ultimately triumphant, Tweaked is that rarest of memoirs--a tale so vivid and personal in the telling it feels like fiction, but every word is true.
Tweaked: A Crystal Memoir
by Patrick Moore"There are moments when I suddenly realize that I'm a nice boy from Iowa who is entirely comfortable sitting in a room of freaks. "So begins Patrick Moore's unforgettable account of life as a crystal meth addict—a "tweaker. " Like a wild ride down Alice's rabbit hole with a guide who is darkly funny and heartbreakingly honest, Tweaked chronicles a twenty-year trip that stretches from Moore's lonely childhood in Iowa with his grandmother, Zelma—an alcoholic artist who, when loaded, turns frozen food into crafts projects —to the day he sits, naked, in a Los Angeles rental, hallucinating about psycho-robbers while talking to a possum he's sure is God. Along the way, there are acid trips at the V. F. W. , Dexetrim study halls with his Bad Girl Posse in the seventies, teeth-grinding nights of dancing and anonymous sex in New York City's hottest eighties clubs, taking pictures of Andy Warhol, losing friends and lovers, and navigating a Byzantine underworld of cookers, users, club kids, dealers, and colorful characters as intense as the drug itself. There is Lee, the glamorous, outré bad boy with a devastating wit and a taste for danger; Tony, the tweaker who likes to remove his eyebrows; Ding-Dong, the Depends-wearing, nearly blind housemate; Hisako, the artist and squatter with an impenetrable Japanese accent and a fondness for hot plate cooking; "Mother" Judy, the tough, butch rehab counselor who takes no prisoners, and countless others on the road from crystal meth hell to eventual sobriety. Candid, gripping, and ultimately triumphant, Tweaked is that rarest of memoirs—a tale so vivid and personal in the telling it feels like fiction, but every word is true.
Rooster: The Life and Times of the Real Rooster Cogburn, the Man Who Inspired True Grit
by Brett CogburnThe True Story Behind True GritImmortalized in the classic novel and films, the real "Rooster" Cogburn was as bold, brash, and bigger-than-life as the American West itself. Now, in this page-turning account, Cogburn's great-great-grandson reveals the truth behind the fiction--and the man behind the myth. . . He was born in 1866 in Fancy Hill, Arkansas, the descendant of pioneers and moonshiners. Six foot three, dark eyed, and a dead shot with a rifle, Franklin "Rooster" Cogburn was as hard as the rocky mountain ground his family settled. The only authority the Cogburn clan recognized was God and a gun. And though he never packed a badge, Rooster meted out his own brand of justice--taking on a posse of U. S. deputy marshals in a blazing showdown of gunfire and blood. Now a wanted man, with a $500 reward on his head, Rooster would ultimately have to defend himself before a hanging judge. Proud, stubborn, fearless, and ornery to the bitter end. A fascinating portrait of a true American icon, Rooster shows us the making of a legend--fashioned by Arkansas newspaperman Charles Portis with bits and pieces of historical figures, including Deputy Reuben M. Fry, one-eyed Deputy Marshal Cal Whitson, Joseph Peppers (Lucky Ned), Joseph Spurling (Mattie Ross's grandfather) and bank robber Frank Chaney (scar-faced Tom Chaney. ) Behind it all stood a man named "Rooster," with two good eyes and a tale all his own. With never-before-seen photosSome folks are just born to tell tall tales. Brett Cogburn was reared in Texas and the mountains of Southeastern Oklahoma. He was fortunate enough for many years to make his living from the back of a horse, where on cold mornings cowboys still straddled frisky broncs and dragged calves to the branding fire on the end of a rope from their saddlehorns. Growing up around ranches, livestock auctions, and backwoods hunting camps filled Brett's head with stories, and he never forgot a one. In his own words: "My grandfather taught me to ride a bucking horse, my mother gave me a love of reading, and my father taught me how to hunt my own meat and shoot straight. Cowboys are just as wild as they ever were, and I've been damn lucky to have known more than a few. " The West is still teaching him how to write. His first novel, Panhandle, will be published in November 2012. Brett Cogburn lives in Oklahoma with his family.
Lessons from the Mountain: What I Learned From Erin Walton
by Mary McdonoughA fascinating look at what it's like to grow up in front of and beyond the cameras. --Eve PlumbFor nine seasons, Mary McDonough was part of one of the most beloved families in television history. Just ten years-old when she was cast as the pretty, wholesome middle child Erin, Mary grew up on the set of The Waltons, alternately embracing and rebelling against her good-girl onscreen persona. Now, as the first cast member to write about her experiences on the classic series, she candidly recounts the joys and challenges of growing up Walton--from her overnight transformation from a normal kid in a working class, Irish Catholic family, to a Hollywood child star, to the personal challenges that led her to take on a new role as an activist for women's body image issues. Touching, funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and always illuminating, Lessons from the Mountain is the story of everything Mary McDonough learned on her journey over--and beyond--that famous mountain. "For someone who started out as a sweet little girl afraid to speak up, it certainly is a pleasure to hear her shout from the top of the mountain now! --Alison Arngrim, New York Times bestselling author of Confessions of a Prairie Bitch"She's a radiant woman whose truth comes from within. . .if I had to pick one word that described Mary Beth, it would be resilience." --Earl Hamner, Creator of The Waltons"Mary is a whole lot more than Erin on The Waltons. This book shows how she's handled all the highs and lows with grace." -George Clooney Includes Never Before Published Bonus Chapter!
Secrets Of A Gay Marine Porn Star
by Rich MerrittYes, It All Really Happened Just Like This. . . Here's the story of Rich Merritt--the good son, teacher's pet, Southern gentleman, model Christian student at Bob Jones University, Marine officer, and the not-so-anonymous poster boy for a New York Times Magazine article on gays in the military--whose complicated sexual past caused an international scandal when The Advocate "outed" him as "The Marine Who Did Gay Porn," putting his life in a tailspin. It's the compelling, poignant story of how a boy who never listened to pop music, never cursed, and didn't have his first drink until he was eighteen exploded into a life of drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, prostitution, and pornography. And above all, it's a triumphant story of self-forgiveness and identity, of a man who refused to allow himself to be defined by the standards of anyone else--gay or straight. Along the way, Rich Merritt writes with humor, compassion, insight and naked truth about: * What it's really like growing up behind the "Fortress of Fundamentalism" and how he ultimately came to despise their views * The harsh realities of military life under the "Don't ask, don't tell" Clinton policy * A real insider's experience of working in the male porn industry--the good, the bad, and the extremely hot * Why he chose not to reveal his porn past to the New York Times journalist * What it felt like to be the most notorious marine in the world and what it took to come through the fire By turns harrowing and heartbreaking, angry and affirming, Secrets of a Gay Marine Porn Star is that rarest of memoirs--a fascinating slice of life that reads like the most absorbing fiction, but is all true. Rich Merritt has written an Op-Ed column for the Navy Times. He has been profiled for The New York Times Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, and The Advocate. Stories about him have appeared in the London Times, The Washington Post and many other publications. He is now an attorney living in Atlanta.
All The Days of My Life (So Far): So Far
by Alison SweeneyYou think your life is nuts? Since I was sixteen, I've spent time on Death Row, tried to sell my baby sister on the black market, been stranded at the altar (repeatedly), lied about my son's paternity, and fought viciously with just about everybody in town. Well, okay, it wasn't really me--it was my character, Sami Brady on Days of Our Lives. But like Sami, I've had my share of struggles. I've been told I was fat, watched fellow actresses starve themselves, been cruelly rejected, and wondered if I would ever date. (Hey, the first time I kissed a boy was in front of a TV camera!) There was even a time when I hated myself. Sound familiar? This is my story. It's an account of my years on daytime's most popular soap, and of my life off-screen--the major ups and downs, the craziness of Hollywood, balancing work and play, looking for love, concerns about weight, peer pressure, and finally learning to accept myself for who I am. I'll tell you fun stories about myself and my co-stars. . . recollections of my most memorable scenes. . . and everything you've always wanted to know about Sami. I think you'll find a lot in these pages that will remind you of all the days of your life. . . and perhaps inspire you to follow your own dreams in the days to come. Alison Sweeney was born in Los Angeles, one of three children of a concert violinist mother and a business investor father. Her acting career began when she was four years old. Throughout her childhood, Alison appeared in numerous television commercials, as well television series including Friends, Simon & Simon, Webster, St. Elsewhere, and Tales from the Darkside. She had starring roles in the films The Price of Life and The End of Innocence. Alison joined the cast of Days of Our Lives as Sami Brady in 1993. In her years on the series, her character has evolved from a troubled teenager to a scheming villainess. In 2002, Alison won a fan-voted Emmy as America's Favorite Villain. She has also won the fan-voted Soap Opera Digest Award four times, and in 2001 was elected by the same publication as one of the Most Beautiful Women in Daytime Television. Soap Opera Weekly named Alison 1999's Breakout Performer of the year, and in Australia, she was voted "Best Bad Girl" in 2000 and 2001 by readers of Inside Soaps magazine. Alison lives in a suburb of Los Angeles with her husband, Dave.
No Place Safe
by Kim ReidIn this compelling memoir, Kim Reid hauntingly transports readers to the innocent world of a childhood protected by a loving home, yet threatened by a danger beyond any childs understanding. . . Thirteen-year-old Kim Reid will never forget the summer of 1979. In those precious free moments when she is not taking care of her little sister while her single mother works as a cop, Kims days are filled with thoughts of boys, makeup, and starting high school in the fall. When a heartbreaking discovery along a quiet Atlanta road makes the news, Kims mother instructs her girls to be careful. Accustomed to her mothers warnings, Kim feels she already knows how to stay alert and carry herself as if shes not scared. But as the shadow of danger lengthens over Kims once-sunny landscape of friends and family, she learns there is no place safe. While her mother becomes preoccupied with her increasingly high-profile job, Kim feels life unraveling. Straddling the worlds of her black neighborhood and her wealthy white school, teetering on the brink between girl and woman, Kim is torn between fitting in and finding her own voice; between becoming strong and clinging to the last traces of her childhood. In this deeply intimate, powerful narrative, Kim Reid weaves an unforgettable story of growing up and the events that shape us forever. . .
Cloris: My Autobiography
by Cloris LeachmanShe received two Emmy Awards as the irrepressible Phyllis on The Mary Tyler Moor Show. . .she won an Oscar for her supporting role as a frustrated housewife in The Last Picture Show. . .she delighted audiences with her deliciously villainous turns as Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein and Nurse Diesel in High Anxiety. . .and she earned even more award nominations playing a hard-drinking grandmother in Spanglish.Now, for the first time, the incomparable Cloris Leachman reflects on her amazing life and illustrious career. . .From her hometown in Des Moines, Iowa, (where she first saw Katharine Hepburn perform on stage, never imagining they would one day do Shakespeare together) to the bright lights of Broadway and the television studios of L.A., Cloris's journey has been filled with laughter and tears, marriage and motherhood, tragedy and triumph. Along the way, she shares wonderfully revealing anecdotes about Marlon Brando, Meryl Streep, Dianne Keaton, Sissy Spacek, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, the Kennedy family, and many more. Funny, frank, brilliant, and altogether human, this is the real Cloris Leachman as you've never seen her before.Sparkling praise for Cloris!"Funny, gimlet-eyed and unpretentious--someone get this woman a talk show." --Kirkus Reviews"She lives what she preaches." --Library Journal
Don't Let The Lipstick Fool You
by Lisa Leslie Larry BurnettForeword by Earvin "Magic" Johnson"Absolutely one of the best players ever to play the game." --Bill Walton A three-time Olympic gold medalist, three-time MVP of the WNBA, and the first woman ever to dunk in a professional basketball game, Lisa Leslie is considered one of the greatest players in the history of women's basketball. But before the superstar was the child growing up too fast in South Central Los Angeles. Over six feet tall in the sixth grade, with a father Lisa never knew, and a sister she couldn't trust, her life seemed destined to go nowhere fast--another failed statistic in the American dream. Today, Lisa is a poised, beautiful, assertive, six-foot-five-inch basketball powerhouse. Her elegance and charm have made her a favorite with fans, the fashion world, and even Hollywood. With hard-won candor and confidence, Lisa Leslie shares in her own words her empowering story about finding grace under pressure, and exceeding expectations--including your own--by playing like a girl. "There are a lot of young girls out there who look up to Lisa Leslie. I think it's great that they can look at Lisa and say we don't have to make sacrifices." --Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets and U.S. Olympic Team "Lisa is doing for women what Michael Jordan has done for young men." --Michael Cooper, Lakers great and L.A. Sparks head coach "She has it all: beauty, brains, and athleticism. She brings class, fashion, and she's sassy in her own way. She has all that and the championship rings to back it up." --Nancy Lieberman, ESPN analyst and Hall of Famer "Lisa Leslie is absolutely one of the best players ever to play the game. She is a leader who works hard, plays hard, and carries herself with incredible poise, grace and dignity. She is an icon and a perfect role model." --Bill Walton, ESPN commentator and NBA Hall of Famer Larry Burnett is an Emmy award-winning journalist and sports broadcaster. He has known Lisa for fifteen years and has been the radio and television play-by-play announcer for her L.A. Sparks' games for the past nine seasons. Burnett has anchored Sports Center and The NBA Today Show for ESPN, and he has hosted the Lakers' radio broadcasts and The Phil Jackson Show.
African American Firsts
by Joan PotterDid you know that. . . Ralph Bunche was the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Tony Dungy was the first African American NFL coach to win a Super Bowl game. Eric Holder became the first African American to serve as United States Attorney General. Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie were the first African Americans to win Grammy awards. An African American doctor performed the first open-heart surgery. Excluded from history books, overlooked in classrooms, and neglected by media, African Americans have long been denied an accurate picture of their contributions to our nation, from colonial days to the present. But times have changed and the record will be set straight. From the inventor of the traffic light and the gas mask to winners of an Oscar and the Olympic gold, this authoritative resource reveals over 450 "firsts" by African Americans--wonderful accomplishments achieved often despite poverty, discrimination, and racism. Leaders in government, entertainment, education, science and medicine, the law, military, and in the business world, African Americans have made their mark. African American Firsts is a clear reflection of that prideful legacy, and a signpost to an even greater future. "African American Firsts works, works well, and works brilliantly. " --St. Louis Post-Dispatch "For browsing or serious queries on great achievements by blacks in America. " --Booklist "Fascinating. . . an excellent source for browsing and for locating facts that are hard to find elsewhere. " --School Library Journal "Reveals African American history as Potter had never been taught in predominantly white schools. " --Publishers Weekly "I recommend this book, a tool with innumerable possibilities which will help individuals understand. . . the contributions and inventions of African Americans. " --The late Dr. Betty Shabazz Over 75 Pages of Photographs Fully Revised and Updated Joan Potters nonfiction writing has appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, including the New York Times, which published more than fifty of her articles. She is the co-author of two books: The Book of Adirondack Firsts, and the childrens book, African Americans Who Were First. Her personal essays appear in the anthologies Rooted in Rock, Living North Country, and Illness & Grace, Terror & Transformation, and in the Syracuse University literary journal, Stone Canoe. She has led writing workshops for Adirondack women and prison inmates, and has been teaching a memoir class since 1998 at the Hudson Valley Writers Center in Sleepy Hollow, New York.
Things I Learned About My Dad in Therapy Essays
by Heather B ArmstrongI Said Stop Throwing Peas! Dammit! Whether we've inherited his nose, sense of humor, or entire value system, our dads loom large in who we are and the choices we make. In this collection of true life tales from the trenches of parenting, Heather B. Armstrong, creator of dooce.com, brings together some of the best and brightest voices of the blogosphere to share their fears, foibles, and fantastic moments of fatherhood. Bracingly funny, cheerfully cranky, and always honest, this charming collection of essays redefines the notion of the "modern American family," and reads like a love letter to fatherhood. Heather B. Armstrong is the award winning publisher of dooce®. She gained notoriety in 2002 as one of the first people to be fired because of a blog, and in 2005 dooce.com was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 50 Coolest Websites. Armstrong has been on Good Morning America, CNN, NPR, and ABC's World News Tonight as a featured commenter on both blogging and postpartum depression, as well as profiled in the New York Times Sunday Style section and the Washington Post Weekend Magazine. She was published in Real Simple's Family edition in August, 2007. Armstrong lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, daughter, and dog.
Stolen Innocence: Triumphing Over a Childhood Broken by Abuse: A Memoir
by Erin MerrynEleven-year-old Erin Merryn's life was transformed on the night she was sexually abused by her cousin, someone she loved and trusted. As the abuse continued, and as she was forced to see her abuser over and over again in social situations, she struggled with self-doubt, panic attacks, nightmares and the weight of whether or not to tell her terrible secret. It wasn't until a traumatic series of events showed her the cost of silence that she chose to speak out-in the process destroying both her family and the last of her innocence. Through her personal diary, written during the years of her abuse, Erin Merryn shares her journey through pain and confusion to inner strength and, ultimately, forgiveness. Raw, powerful and unflinchingly honest, Stolen Innocence is the inspiring story of one girl's struggle to become a woman, and a bright light on the pain and devastation of abuse. Stolen Innocence is written with conviction and clarity. [Erin Merryn] doesn't hold back, and I respect her honesty and openness...By the end of the book, I thought I was reading passages from a much older adult than a high school senior. Erin has grown into a strong, wise, intelligent, perceptive, spiritual, caring adult."—Susan Reedquist, The Children's Advocacy Center
The Butterfly Garden: Surviving Childhood on the Run with One of America's Most Wanted
by Chip St. ClairThere is for all of us a profound Moment of Truth that lies in wait—a moment that transfixes our attention and forces us to confront the essential question in life: Who am I? For Chip St. Clair that moment came when he learned that the man he called “Dad” was an impostor—a child killer who had been on the run for nearly three decades. After turning his father in on a cold January night in 1998, St. Clair embarked on a quest for his true identity, a journey that began when he opened a nondescript black trunk: Inside he found his birth certificate—typed over and forged. His “date of birth”? The same day his father had killed a child five years earlier. Along with that, more “answers” that spawned more questions: photographs of young children he didn’t know; locks of hair; a jewelry box full of baby teeth; and records of tens of thousands of dollars in loans taken out by his parents in his name. While forensic tests and DNA proved the answer to the most important question—was he the biological son of a convicted child killer?—the rest of the mysteries may never be solved. What St. Clair discovered as he tried to unravel the swath of lies his “parents” had woven across at least seven states is something that all of us can learn from: Oftentimes the answers we seek are within us and the only path to fulfillment is to make peace with the unknown. His eventual epiphany, which took place in a butterfly garden, freed him to leave his haunted past behind and to construct a future full of light and hope. Most important, he learned that our fate, our path in life, is not determined by demons of the past or by DNA, but the power of our own free will and what we hold in our hearts.
The White House Boys: An American Tragedy
by Roger Dean KiserHidden far from sight, deep in the thick underbrush of the North Florida woods are the ghostly graves of more than thirty unidentified bodies, some of which are thought to be children who were beaten to death at the old Florida Industrial School for Boys at Marianna. It is suspected that many more bodies will be found in the fields and swamplands surrounding the institution. Investigations into the unmarked graves have compelled many grown men to come forward and share their stories of the abuses they endured and the atrocities they witnessed in the 1950s and 1960s at the institution. The White House Boys: An American Tragedy is the true story of the horrors recalled by Roger Dean Kiser, one of the boys incarcerated at the facility in the late fifties for the crime of being a confused, unwanted, and wayward child. In a style reminiscent of the works of Mark Twain, Kiser recollects the horrifying verbal, sexual, and physical abuse he and other innocent young boys endured at the hands of their "caretakers." Questions remain unanswered and theories abound, but Roger and the other 'White House Boys' are determined to learn the truth and see justice served.
The Survivor: 21 Spine-Chilling Adventures on the Edge of Death
by John GoddardJohn Goddard, a career explorer and adventurer, experienced many thrilling close calls with death during his adventurous life. As told in one of the most memorable stories in the original Chicken Soup for the Soul, when he was a boy, John Goddard made a list of 127 things he would like to do in his life, from living with pygmies in Africa and headhunters in Borneo to exploring the world's greatest rivers and highest peaks. The Survivor captures some of these adventures as it follows his experiences from boyhood, through his teen years and into adulthood. Each individual adventure is sure to thrill readers—from the exquisite details of exotic locales, to the raw power of Pacific storms, to the hair-raising brushes with death—always emphasizing the danger and exhilaration intrinsic to the adventurous life. Unique to this book, though, is the author's reverence for life and all living things, his honesty in admitting his own recklessness, his awe and gratitude to the supreme force that miraculously allowed him to survive each of these close calls with death, and his ability to use his experiences and the lessons he learned to set and achieve clear, meaningful goals. This great read will entertain and inspire people to live their dreams.
The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family (Windsor Selection Ser.)
by Dave PelzerImagine a young boy who has never had a loving home. His only possesions are the old, torn clothes he carries in a paper bag. The only world he knows is one of isolation and fear. Although others had rescued this boy from his abusive alcoholic mother, his real hurt is just begining -- he has no place to call home. This is Dave Pelzer's long-awaited sequel to A Child Called "It". In The Lost Boy, he answers questions and reveals new adventures through the compelling story of his life as an adolescent. Now considered an F-Child (Foster Child), Dave is moved in and out of five different homes. He suffers shame and experiences resentment from those who feel that all foster kids are trouble and unworthy of being loved just because they are not part of a "real" family. Tears, laughter, devastation and hope create the journey of this little lost boy who searches desperately for just one thing -- the love of a family.
Getting It Through My Thick Skull: Why I Stayed, What I Learned, and What Millions of People Involved with Sociopaths Need to Know
by Mary Jo Buttafuoco"I think, every once in a while, about the life I should be living, the one I fully expected to be enjoying right about now. In the life I was supposed to have, my husband and I would be admiring the view from our waterfront home in the town where we were both born and raised. Good friends and neighbors would be next door, up the street, and all over the neighborhood. Our parents would live only blocks away, in our childhood homes. We'd be taking our grandchildren to the beach club on weekends, enjoying the fruits of our labors and looking forward to a peaceful retirement. That was the plan, anyway . . . but the whole world knows how that turned out."Mary Jo Buttafuoco's anonymous life as a suburban wife and mother in sleepy Massapequa, New York, on Long Island, ended in May 1992, when she was shot in the head on her own front porch by her husband's sixteen-year-old mistress. The 'Long Island Lolita' saga sparked a media frenzy that continues to this day. As the years passed and Mary Jo steadfastly stood by her man, Joey Buttafuoco, while he and Amy Fisher continued to make headlines, one question lingered in the minds of people everywhere: Why did she stay for so long? In Getting It Through My Thick Skull, Mary Jo finally answers that question fully and convincingly. The answer is simple, yet it took almost three decades of turmoil to discover for herself—she was married to a sociopath. Using her tragic and triumphant life lessons and never-before-told accounts of life with Joey, Mary Joe helps readers undrestand sociaopathic behavior and the emotional traps it springs on willing partners, and offers hope and help for the millions of people caught in the cycle of toxic relationships.In addition, readers will meet a new-and-improved Mary Jo, confident and at peace with her new life, and will be inspired by her comback. Through private details of the resiliency and rebuilding she has forged over the past seventeen years, Mary Jo shares for the first time: Her addiction to painkillers and her recovery through the Betty Ford Center Her overdue decision to leave Joey and start over again in California—3,000 miles from her support system Taking control of her physical, spiritual, and emotional health and learned to feel attractive and in control again Her highly controversial forgiveness of Amy Fisher The letters she recieved from both Amy and Joy, and her reactions to both How she found the courage to trust, believe, and find hope in a committed relationship once again The details of the new love in her life and the joys and challenges of raising a Brady Bunch—style family Includes a 16-page color insert from the Buttafuoco family album.
Living for Today: From Incest and Molestation to Fearlessness and Forgiveness
by Erin MerrynSilence Broken and Stigmas Shattered -- Help for Incest Survivors Is HereFans of Erin Merryn's heart-wrenching debut memoir Stolen Innocence were left wondering at the end what would become of an emotionally fragile Erin after her confrontation with the reality of being a child of incest and molestation. In Living for Today, readers find that Erin cultivated the strength to face her abuser and eventually facilitated and experienced relief from years of emotional restlessness, while also igniting the beginnings of a new fearless journey. Living for Today chronicles that journey, which began with the unearthing of private shame and releasing of ugly memories and letting go of guilt and becoming the mouthpiece of millions of her generation. Through her compelling narrative, readers will learn how they, too, can: Learn to look forward, in spite of an abusive past Block off any impending guilt from outing an abuser Deal with interfamily strife as a result of incest and molestation Shake off the "victim" tag and replace it with one that reads "survivor" Living for Today is Merryn's contribution to an audience that has felt victimized, ashamed, isolated, and silenced by its abusers and offers a roadmap for self-discovery, forgiveness, and empowerment to help readers rid the stigma they have attached to their trauma and live fully and fearlessly for today.