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Grace and Grit: Spirituality and Healing in the Life and Death of Treya Killam Wilber (2nd edition)
by Ken WilberHere is a deeply moving account of a couple's struggle with cancer and their journey to spiritual healing. "Grace and Grit" is the compelling story of the five-year journey of Ken Wilber and his wife Treya Killam Wilber through Treya's illness, treatment, and, finally, death.
Grace and Power: The Private World of the Kennedy White House
by Sally Bedell SmithNew York Times bestselling author Sally Bedell Smith takes us inside the Kennedy White House with unparalleled access and insight. Having interviewed scores of Kennedy intimates, including many who have never spoken before, and drawing on letters and personal papers made available for the first time, Smith paints a richly detailed picture of the personal relationships behind the high purpose and political drama of the twentieth century's most storied presidency. At the dawn of the 1960s, a forty-three-year-old president and his thirty-one-year-old first lady - the youngest couple ever to occupy the White House - captivated the world with their easy elegance and their cool conviction that anything was possible. Jack and Jackie Kennedy gathered around them an intensely loyal and brilliant coterie of intellectuals, journalists, diplomats, international jet-setters and artists. Perhaps as never before, Washington was sharply divided between the "ins" and the "outs." In his public life, JFK created a New Frontier, stared down the Soviets, and devoted himself to his wife and children. As first lady, Jackie mesmerized foreign leaders and the American people with her style and sophistication, creating a White House renowned for its beauty and culture. Smith brilliantly recreates the glamorous pageant of the Kennedy years, as well as the daily texture of the Kennedys' marriage, friendships, political associations, and, in Jack's case, multiple love affairs. Smith's striking revelations include new information about what drew Jack to his numerous mistresses - and what effects the relationships ultimately had on the women; about the rivalries and resentments among Kennedy's advisers; and about the poignant days before and after Kennedy's assassination.Smith has fashioned a vivid and nuanced portrait not only of two extraordinary individuals but of a new age that sprang to life around them. Shimmering with intelligence and detail, GRACE AND POWER is history at its finest.
Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call: The Heroic Story of WWI Telephone Operators
by Claudia FriddellNCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade BookNCSS Septma Clark Award, Elementary Level HonoreeBank Street College of Education Best Book of the YearLed by twenty-five-year-old Grace Banker, thirty-two telephone operators — affectionately called "Hello Girls" back in the US — became the first female combatants in World War I.Follow Grace Banker's journey from her busy life as a telephone switchboard trainer in New York to her pioneering role as the Chief Operator of the 1st Unit of World War I telephone operators in the battlefields of France. With expert skill, steady nerves, and steadfast loyalty, the Signal Corps operators transferred orders from commanders to battlefields and communicated top-secret messages between American and French headquarters. After faithfully serving her country —undaunted by freezing weather and fires; long hours and little sleep, and nearby shellings and far off explosions — Grace was the first and only woman operator in the Signal Corps to be awarded the Army's Distinguished Service Medal.
Grace Coolidge and Her Era
by Ishbel RossOf the First Ladies to preside in the White House, Grace Coolidge was one of the most beloved for her diplomacy, her quiet sense of humor, her warm response to people everywhere. Calvin Coolidge adored her and appeared with her always at his side. The author traces Mrs. Coolidge's history from her childhood days in Vermont, through her years as teacher of the deaf, then as wife of the rising young politician whom she married in 1905, and eventually as First Lady. Her popularity was at its height when she went back with her husband to live in Northampton, Massachusetts. There is an absorbing picture of life and events in the White House during the 1920's, of the personalities and political figures surrounding the Coolidges, of the parties and manners, the clothes and menus, and of the family tragedy the nation shared when the Coolidges' young son died. Focused against the austere presidential regime is the panorama of one of the most flamboyant periods in American history--the years of prosperity preceding the crash in 1929. Miss Ross, who was a reporter for the New York Herald Tribune, writes of the 1920's with authority. She knew Mrs. Coolidge and had a chance to observe her at the inaugurations of President Harding and President Coolidge as well as on other occasions. She covered many of the notable news stories that figure in this narrative--the Lindbergh kidnaping, the Hall-Mills murders, the clash of Modernist and Fundamentalist forces in the churches, and numerous spectacles, crimes and follies of the prohibition era. The period background is sustained through the depressed 1930's, the war-clouded 1910's and down to the time of Mrs. Coolidge's death in 1957. In preparing this closely documented biography, Miss Ross had the benefit of family letters and reminiscences, and the recollections of Mrs. Coolidge's intimate friends. She shows her as wife, mother, hostess, community worker, baseball enthusiast and humanitarian who did notable work for the education of the deaf. The book has fresh and illuminating touches on Calvin Coolidge, husband and father as well as President.
A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Through Loss
by Gerald L. SittserIn an instant, an accident took the author's mother, wife and young daughter. How can we begin with a new life, one with joy, depth and compassion?
Grace, Faith and Holiness: A Wesleyan Systematic Theology
by H. Ray DunningA treatise on traditional Wesleyan theology in the light of the current theological milieu. He examines the doctrines of God, humankind, salvation, and sanctification. He also examines the sources of theology as well as the nature and scope of the theological task. Cloth.
Grace from the Rubble: Two Fathers' Road to Reconciliation after the Oklahoma City Bombing
by Jeanne Bishop"Readers should have tissues at hand before beginning Bishop&’s affecting story. This incredible and empathetic story is a testament to the powers of forgiveness, fellowship, and redemption." --Publishers Weekly Starred Review The heart-stirring story of how the father of a young woman killed in the Oklahoma City bombing and the father of her killer, Timothy McVeigh, forged an unlikely friendship and found forgiveness. In what was to become the deadliest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor, the Oklahoma City bombing was one in a long line of violent attacks that have left communities across the nation searching for healing and hope. With the soaring message of the power of love to conquer evil, Grace from the Rubble tells the intertwining stories of four captivating individuals: Julie Welch, a young professional full of promise, and Tim McVeigh, the troubled mind behind the horrific event; Bud Welch, a father whose only daughter (Julie) was murdered, and Bill McVeigh, the father of her killer. With searing details by first-hand witnesses, including the Governor of Oklahoma, masterful storyteller Jeanne Bishop describes the suspenseful scenes leading up to that fateful day and the dramatic events afterward as one father buried his daughter and the other saw his only son arrested and tried for mass murder.Vivid and haunting, this true story is rich with memories and beautiful descriptions of the nation's heartland, a place of grit and love for neighbors and family. Bishop tells how murder affected her own family and led her to meet Bud and, ultimately, how she learned to see humanity amidst inhuman violence.With compassion for all who have been touched by tragedy, this poignant narrative will touch your heart with the astonishing forgiveness that led to an extraordinary friendship.
Grace Goes to Prison: An Inspiring Story of Hope and Humanity
by Melanie G. SnyderGrace Goes to Prison tells the story of Marie Hamilton and her volunteer work in the Pennsylvania prison system. For more than thirty years, Marie used principles of nonviolence and restorative justice to create unique programs for inmates.
Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith
by Michelle Burford Gabrielle DouglasIn the 2012 London Olympics, US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas stole hearts and flew high as the All-Around Gold Medal winner, as well as acting as a critical member of the US gold-medal-winning women gymnastics team. In this personal autobiography, Gabrielle tells her story of faith, perseverance, and determination, demonstrating you can reach your dreams if you let yourself soar.
Grace Hopper: Navy Admiral and Computer Pioneer
by Charlene W. BillingsTraces the life of the scientist who, as well as having a distinguished career in the Navy, was a pioneer contributor to computer science and is known as the grandmother of the computer age.
The Grace in Dying: A Message of Hope, Comfort and Spiritual Transformation
by Kathleen Dowling SinghIn this brilliantly conceived and beautifully written book, Kathleen Dowling Singh illuminates the profound psychological and spiritual transformations experiences by the dying as the natural process of death reconnects them with the source of their being. Examining the end of life in the light of current psychological understanding, religious wisdom, and compassionate medical science, The Grace of Dying offers a fresh, deeply comforting message of hope and courage as we contemplate the meaning of our mortality.While the prevailing Western medical tradition has seen death as an enemy to be fought and overcome, Singh offers a richer and more rewarding path of understanding. Combining extensive training and education in developmental psychology with profound spiritual insight, she balances expert analysis with moving accounts drawn from her experiences working with hundreds of dying patients at a large hospice.Singh moves beyond the five stages of dying revealed in Kübler-Ross's classic On Death and Dying, and finds in the "nearing death experience" even more significant and forming stages of surrender and transcendence. These stages involve the qualities of grace: letting go, radiance, focusing inward, silence, a sense of the sacred, wisdom, intensity, and, in the end, a merging with Spirit. Through this intense process, we come to experience at last the reality of our true self, which transcends our finite ego and bodily existence, and our merging with the source of being from which we originated. Dying is safe.In clear, nontechnical language, Singh reveals the transformations that come with dying, using the vocabulary of growing Western, as well as Eastern, wisdom.Written for those aware that their life is coming to an end, those who care for the dying, and, ultimately, for all of us who inevitably face our owndeath and the deaths of the people we love, The Grace in Dying reveals that dying is the most transforming, powerful, and spiritually rich of life's experiences.
Grace Kelly: Hollywood Dream Girl (Apple FF)
by Jay Jorgensen Manoah BowmanThe definitive visual biography of Grace Kelly’s unforgettable Hollywood career, chronicled in 400 extraordinary black-and white and color photographs, including many never-before-seen."Mr. Hitchcock taught me everything about cinema. It was thanks to him that I understood that murder scenes should be shot like love scenes and love scenes like murder scenes."—Grace KellyNo movie star of the 1950s was more beautiful, sophisticated, or glamorous than Grace Kelly. The epitome of elegance, the patrician young blonde from Philadelphia conquered Hollywood and won an Academy Award for Best Actress in just six years, then married a prince in a storybook royal wedding. Today, more than thirty years after her death, Grace Kelly remains an inspiring fashion icon.Filled with a dazzling array of photographs, many from original negatives, Grace Kelly showcases the legend’s brief yet significant acting career as never before. Blending pictures and memorabilia, this breathtaking compendium traces every step of her artistic journey, including her early television appearances, her breakout role opposite Gary Cooper in High Noon (1952), her exceptional collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock on her most indelible films—Dial M for Murder with Ray Milland (1954), Rear Window with Jimmy Stewart (1954), and To Catch a Thief with Cary Grant (1955)—and her performance in the musical High Society (1956) alongside Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.A stunning gallery of more than 400 prized and rare photographs and illustrations—precious childhood snapshots, previously unpublished Edith Head and Helen Rose wardrobe sketches, original portraits, scene stills, on-set candids, wardrobe test shots, vintage magazine covers, and rare reproductions of exhibitor’s showmanship manuals showing how film studios marketed Grace Kelly as a star—Grace Kelly captures this beloved luminary’s eternal beauty as never before, and is a fresh, celebratory look at her remarkable career and her enduring cultural influence.
Grace Kelly
by Cristina MoratóCristina Morató ofrece una fascinante mirada, más allá de la leyenda, de una mujer atravesada por el deseo de la emancipación. Grace Kelly es para el imaginario colectivo un mito dorado. Elegante y sensual a partes iguales, su recuerdo evoca el Hollywood que nunca volverá y el cuento donde por fin la doncella consigue ser princesa. Más allá del lujo y del glamour, de Hitchcock y James Stewart, de la corte, el protocolo y el palacio, Gracia de Mónaco fue una mujer real, vulnerable, tímida, sometida a los mandatos paternos, que solo deseaba libertad. Libertad para vivir independientemente, para experimentar su sexualidad, para escoger su carrera, para amar. Pero el amor, aunque a algunos sorprenda, le fue esquivo y su vida estuvo marcada por la soledad, los desengaños, la abnegación y el desasosiego. Cristina Morató nos descubrió el lado más humano de las grandes estrellas en Divas de Hollywood. Hoy Flash selecciona el capítulo dedicado a Grace Kelly para ahondar en el que fue el papel más ingrato y difícil de su carrera: ser mujer. «Tuve que alejarme de lo que había sido Grace Kelly, y me resultó muy duro. Pero no podía ser dos personas a la vez, una actriz norteamericana y la esposa del príncipe de Mónaco. Entonces, durante un tiempo, perdí mi identidad». Grace Kelly De Divas Rebeldes se dijo:«Cristina Morató sigue fiel a su empeño en profundizar en grandes mujeres de leyenda».El Mundo «Un interesante libro que descubre aspectos inéditos de siete mujeres que pisaron fuerte y dejaron huella por su personalidad y su trabajo».El Periódico de Catalunya De Divina Lola se dijo:«La escritora Cristina Morató ha recreado la asombrosa historia de la que conocemos como Lola Montes en un libro de corte biográfico que hace honora la desmesura y pasión de su existencia y que se lee, y en este caso no es ninguna frase hecha, como una novela».Jacinto Antón, El País «Divina Lola es en efecto una biografía, pero está escrita en clave de novela. Solo curtidas escritores como Morató consiguen que las costuras entre ambos géneros no se noten hasta poner en pie una narración apasionante, subyugante, para leer de una sentada».Manuel Mateo Pérez, El Mundo De Cautiva en Arabia se dijo:«Una historia digna de conocerse, en el mejor catálogo de mujeres audaces y adelantadas de su tiempo».Qué leer
Grace Kelly: The Life Of Grace Kelly
by Donald SpotoLa biografía de una de las mujeres más fascinantes del siglo XX Si un accidente de coche no hubiera acabado con su vida en septiembre de 1982, hoy Grace Kelly tendría poco más de ochenta años, y aún podemos imaginarla hermosa y cálida. Donald Spoto, que la tuvo como amiga, pasó con ella muchas horas charlando y tomando notas, pero le prometió que no revelaría nada de lo hablado hasta que hubieran pasado veinticinco años de su muerte. Ahora por fin se publica esta biografía, que revela los aspectos más íntimos de Grace. Nacida en Filadelfia en 1929 e hija de una de las familias más ricas de la ciudad, Grace Kelly pasó solo siete años trabajando en Hollywood, pero su presencia y su manera de actuar la convirtieron en un icono del siglo XX. Cuando tenía veintisiete años, la actriz interrumpió su trabajo para casarse con Rainiero de Mónaco. La boda llenó cientos de páginas de las revistas de entonces y su fama creció aún más si cabe. No fue fácil para ella adaptarse a su nueva vida, y la relación con Rainiero tuvo sus altibajos, pero sus tres hijos eran fuente de satisfacción y orgullo. Spoto revela en estas páginas la verdadera vida de Grace Kelly, recurriendo a documentos hasta ahora inéditos y también a los recuerdos de quien trabajó con ella, desde James Stewart a Cary Grant y Alfred Hitchcock. De ahí que esta biografía pueda considerarse el retrato definitivo de una mujer que con su belleza e inteligencia supo reinar en Hollywood y en Europa. «¿Quién ha dicho que Grace era fría? Cualquiera que haya rodado una escena de amor con ella, sabe que esta mujer no era fría.» James Stewart
Grace Kelly
by Donald SpotoSi un accidente de coche no hubiera acabado con su vida en septiembre de 1982, hoy Grace Kelly tendría poco más de ochenta años, y aún podemos imaginarla hermosa y cálida.Donald Spoto, que la tuvo como amiga, pasó con ella muchas horas charlando y tomando notas, pero le prometió que no revelaría nada de lo hablado hasta que hubieran pasado veinticinco años de su muerte. Ahora por fin se publica esta biografía, que revela los aspectos más íntimos de Grace.Nacida en Filadelfia en 1929 e hija de una de las familias más ricas de la ciudad, Grace Kelly pasó solo siete años trabajando en Hollywood, pero su presencia y su manera de actuar la convirtieron en un icono del siglo xx. Cuando tenía veintisiete años, la actriz interrumpió su trabajo para casarse con Rainiero de Mónaco. La boda llenó cientos de páginas de las revistas de entonces y su fama creció aún más si cabe. No fue fácil para ella adaptarse a su nueva vida, y la relación con Rainiero tuvo sus altibajos, pero sus tres hijos eran fuente de satisfacción y orgullo.Spoto revela en estas páginas la verdadera vida de Grace Kelly, recurriendo a documentos hasta ahora inéditos y también a los recuerdos de quien trabajó con ella, desde James Stewart a Cary Grant y Alfred Hitchcock. De ahí que esta biografía pueda considerarse el retrato definitivo de una mujer que con su belleza e inteligencia supo reinar en Hollywood y en Europa.«¿Quién ha dicho que Grace era fría? Cualquiera que haya rodado una escena de amor con ella, sabe que esta mujer no era fría.»James Stewart
The Grace Livingston Hill Story
by Robert MunceGRACE LIVINGSTON HILL has long been known as one of the nation’s foremost writers of inspirational romances. She is still widely read and appreciated by thousands of readers. What is not so well known is that her personal life was fraught with joys and sorrows not unlike those experienced by many of her fictional heroines! As the author writes, “Her own life is as inspirational as her romances.” Grace Livingston Hill’s grandson, Robert Munce, now brings to life the fascinating story of her sometimes joyful, often sorrowful life—from her eventful birth at the end of the Civil War to her death in 1947. Amusing, delightful family anecdotes mingle with intriguing accounts of how Grace’s story ideas were conceived and eventually developed into published books. The author’s close relationship to this remarkable woman lends warmth and insight to this biography of America’s most beloved author. Robert Livingston Munce, the son of Grace Livingston Hill’s youngest daughter Ruth, is the president of R.L. Munce Publishing. He lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, with his wife, Martha, and their three daughters.
Grace Notes: My Recollections
by Katey SagalGripping, singular, and gorgeously reflective, Grace Notes is a memoir told in essays by beloved actress, Hollywood veteran, and singer/songwriter Katey Sagal—perfect for fans of Mary Louise Parker’s Dear Mr. You and Patti Smith’s M Train.Popular and award-winning star Katey Sagal chronicles the rollercoaster ride of her life in this series of evocative and beautifully written vignettes, resulting in a life story recounted unlike any other Hollywood memoir you’ve read before. Sagal takes you through the highs and lows of her life, from the tragic deaths of her parents to her long years in the Los Angeles rock scene, from being diagnosed with cancer at the age of twenty-eight to getting her big break on the fledgling FOX network as the wise-cracking Peggy Bundy on the beloved sitcom Married…with Children. Sparse and poetic, Grace Notes is an emotionally riveting tale of struggle and success, both professional and personal: Sagal’s path to sobriety; the stillbirth of her first daughter, Ruby; motherhood; the experience of having her third daughter at age fifty-two with the help of a surrogate; and her lifelong passion for music. Intimate, candid, and offering an inside look at a remarkable life forged within the entertainment industry, Grace Notes offers unprecedented access to the previously unknown life of a woman whom audiences have loved for over thirty years.
Grace of Monaco (A True Book (Relaunch))
by Michael BurganA True Book: Queens and Princess tells the stories of women who were born or married into royalty. Who were these women who ruled nations and kingdoms and touched the lives of their people? Being a queen or princess is more than sitting on a throne. A True Book: Queens and Princess tells the stories of women who were born or married into royalty. Who were these women who ruled nations and kingdoms and touched the lives of their people? They led sensational and sometimes luxurious lives. They also made sacrifices. They impacted war and peace, politics and economics, culture and tradition. These queens and princesses were so much more than their bejeweled crowns!With engaging text, primary source material, infographics, photography, and artwork, Queens and Princesses follows these vibrant women from childhood to the end of their reign. Long a source of fascination, Queens and Princesses introduces royals from the ancient world to contemporary times...all of whom influenced their era and left a compelling legacy.Elegant screen actress turns philanthropic princess. Born to a well-known Philadelphia family, the beautiful Grace Kelly found success and fame as a Hollywood actress. She gave up her film career to marry Prince Rainier III of Monaco and stand by his side to lead the small principality. Princess Grace brought charm and intelligence to the role. Forever in the public eye, the world was enchanted by her dignity and poise as a princess. Sadly, this real-life fairytale ended in tragedy.
Grace of Monaco
by Jeffrey RobinsonThe acclaimed biography by Jeffrey Robinson, now revised and updated to coincide with the major motion picture starring Nicole Kidman as Princess Grace. It was one of the most famous romances of the 20th century#151;Europe's most eligible bachelor, Prince Rainier of Monaco, and America's most beautiful movie star, the Academy Award-winning actress Grace Kelly, fell in love against the backdrop of the closest thing the modern world has to a magical kingdom, the French Riviera's Principality of Monaco. Told with affection and humor, and written with the unprecedented cooperation of Prince Rainier III and his children, Prince Albert, Princess Caroline, and Princess Stephanie, Grace of Monaco takes readers beneath the surface glitz and the glamour of Monte Carlo for a never-to-be-forgotten portrait of the House of Grimaldi
Grace of Monaco: The True Story
by Jeffrey RobinsonThe acclaimed biography by Jeffrey Robinson, now revised and updated to coincide with the major motion picture starring Nicole Kidman as Princess Grace. It was one of the most famous romances of the 20th century-Europe's most eligible bachelor, Prince Rainier of Monaco, and America's most beautiful movie star, the Academy Award-winning actress Grace Kelly, fell in love against the backdrop of the closest thing the modern world has to a magical kingdom, the French Riviera's Principality of Monaco. Told with affection and humor, and written with the unprecedented cooperation of Prince Rainier III and his children, Prince Albert, Princess Caroline, and Princess Stephanie, Grace of Monaco takes readers beneath the surface glitz and the glamour of Monte Carlo for a never-to-be-forgotten portrait of the House of Grimaldi.
The Grace of Silence: A Memoir
by Michele NorrisIn the wake of talk of a "postracial" America upon Barack Obama's ascension as president of the United States, Michele Norris, cohost of National Public Radio's flagship program All Things Considered, set out to write, through original reporting, a book about "the hidden conversation" on race that is unfolding nationwide. She would, she thought, base her book on the frank disclosures of others on the subject, but she was soon disabused of her presumption when forced to confront the fact that "the conversation" in her own family had not been forthright. Norris unearthed painful family secrets that compelled her to question her own self-understanding: from her father's shooting by a Birmingham police officer weeks after his discharge from the navy at the conclusion of World War II to her maternal grandmother's peddling pancake mix as an itinerant Aunt Jemima to white farm women in the Midwest. In what became a profoundly personal and bracing journey into her family's past, Norris traveled from her childhood home in Minneapolis to her ancestral roots in the Deep South to explore the reasons for the "things left unsaid" by her father and mother when she was growing up, the better to come to terms with her own identity. Along the way she discovered how her character was forged by both revelation and silence. Extraordinary for Norris's candor in examining her own racial legacy and what it means to be an American, The Grace of Silence is also informed by rigorous research in its evocation of time and place, scores of interviews with ordinary folk, and wise observations about evolving attitudes, at once encouraging and disturbing, toward race in America today. For its particularity and universality, it is powerfully moving, a tour de force.From the Hardcover edition.
Grace Paley: Illuminating the Dark Lives
by Jacqueline TaylorDrawing on interviews with the author, as well as the three short story collections, Taylor (communication and women's studies, DePaul U. ) explores the source of Paley's originality, locating it in the way Paley transforms language to create strongly woman-centered stories. Annotation(c) 2003 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Grace & Steel: Dorothy, Barbara, Laura, and the Women of the Bush Dynasty
by J. Randy TaraborrelliFrom New York Times bestselling celebrity biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli comes Grace & Steel, the epic, hidden history of the exceptional women behind the greatest political dynasty of all time—the Bush family.Bestselling author J. Randy Taraborrelli reveals the unsung heroines of the inimitable Bush family dynasty: not only First Ladies Barbara and Laura, but other colorful women whose stories have been left out of history for far too long, including Barbara’s mother-in-law, the formidable Dorothy Bush; the enigmatic Columba and the controversial Sharon; and Laura’s twins, Jenna and Barbara.No matter the challenges related to power and politics, the women of the Bush dynasty always fought for equality in their marriages as they raised their children to be true to American values. In doing so, they inspired everyday Americans to do the same. Or, as Barbara Bush put it, “The future of this nation does not depend on what happens in the White House, but what happens in your house.”Details from the book include:—The tragedy Barbara faced in burying her three-year-old daughter, Robin, and her struggle with depression over the decades that followed.—The tragic night a teenage Laura Bush accidentally killed a good friend—a story she did not discuss publicly for decades.—The revelation of the affair that almost doomed George HW's hopes for the presidency.—The truth behind the fraught relationship between Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush that culminated in an angry phone call during which Barbara told her she would never speak to her again—and she didn't.
The Grace to Race: The Wisdom and Inspiration of the 80-Year-Old World Champion Triathlete Known as the Iron Nun
by Sister Madonna Buder Karin EvansSISTER MADONNA BUDER is 80 years old, has run more than 340 triathlons, and doesn’t know what all the fuss is about. In The Grace to Race, she shares the no-nonsense spirit and deep faith that inspired her extraordinary journey from a prominent St. Louis family to a Catholic Convent and finally to championship finish lines all over the world. As a beautiful young woman, she became an elegant equestrian and accomplished amateur actress. But as she describes in this intimate memoir, she had a secret plan as early as 14: she wanted to devote her life to God. After being courted by the most eligible bachelors in her hometown, she chose a different path and became a Sister of the Good Shepherd. She lived a mostly cloistered life as a Nun until her late forties, when a Priest suggested she take a run on the beach. She dug up a pair of shorts in a pile of donated clothes, found a pair of second-hand tennis shoes, and had a second epiphany. This time, she discovered the spiritual joy of pushing her body to the limit and of seeing God’s natural world in all its splendor. More than thirty years later, she is known as the Iron Nun for all the triathlons she has won. Just five years ago, the age 75–79 category was created for her at the Hawaiian Ironman in Kona, where she completed a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a full 26.2-mile marathon in record time. Now she has set her sights on a new goal: inaugurating another new Ironman age group, 80–84, in 2010. Sister Madonna holds dozens of records, has broken dozens of bones, and tells of dozens of miracles and angels that propelled her to a far-flung race. "It is my faith that has carried me through life’s ups and downs," she writes. "Whenever injured, I wait for the Lord to pick me up again and set me on my feet, confidently reminding Him, ‘God, you know, my intent is to keep running toward you.’" The Grace to Race is the courageous story of a woman who broke with convention, followed her heart, and found her higher mission.
Grace Under Fire: Letters of Faith in Times of War
by Andrew CarrollWords of wisdom, hope, humor, and strength from those who have been tested by fire and maintained their faith. The first book of its kind, Grace Under Fire is an inspiring and spiritual collection of letters and e-mails by U.S. troops and their families from the American Revolution through the War on Terrorism. Andrew Carroll, editor of the bestselling War Letters, went through his massive archive of seventy-five-thousand previously unpublished wartime correspondence to pick out the most intimate, dramatic, historic, and insightful letters and e-mails ever written about God, religion, and spirituality. The fifty best of these are featured in this incredible book, and they emphasize how extremely important faith has been, and continues to be, in the lives of U.S. troops and their families. What is especially remarkable about Grace Under Fire is the sheer diversity of the collection, which includes several extraordinary letters by two brothers who fought on opposing sides of the Civil War; a prophetic letter by Rabbi David Goode, one of the famed Immortal Chaplains who gave his life for his fellow soldiers; a lighthearted letter by a World War II nurse who met the Pope; and a profound and impassioned reply to the timeless question, "Where is God in wartime?" by a doctor serving in Iraq. Warfare can reveal the worst in human nature, but it can also bring out the best, and these correspondences are a testament to the heroism, compassion, grace, intelligence, and inherent goodness of American troops and their families. And although the letters and e-mails featured in this book were written in times of armed conflict, they transcend the subject of war. They are about determination, hope, patriotism, fighting for something greater than one's self, and, of course, the enduring value of faith. Regardless of whether we have served in the military or not, we can all find inspiration and courage in these powerful and insightful words.