Download or read book One Helluva Ride written by Liz Clarke and published by Villard. This book was released on 2008-02-12 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From its raw beginnings on Southern dirt tracks, NASCAR smacked of a slightly depraved spectacle, as if nothing but trouble could come from the unbridled locomotion of a V8 engine. By the time NASCAR roared into the twenty-first century, it had grown into a billion-dollar sports and marketing colossus, its races attended by hundreds of thousands of fans on any given weekend from mid-February through mid-November, watched on television by the second-largest viewing audience in sports, and bankrolled by the marketing largesse of the Fortune 500’s elite. One Helluva Ride, a full-throttle account of the rise and reign of NASCAR nation, is award-winning motorsports reporter Liz Clarke’s chronicle of how stock car racing exploded from regional obsession to national phenomenon. In covering the sport for more than fifteen years, Clarke has developed a strong rapport with NASCAR’s drivers, team owners, and hard-core fans. Through her reporting and analysis, we get to know the public and private sides of NASCAR’s most iconic figures, including seven-time champion Richard Petty, who set the standard for treating fans with respect, and the late Dale Earnhardt, whose brazen, bullying tactics wreaked havoc on the track, but whose heart was as big as Daytona’s infield. The sports world stopped in its tracks the day Earnhardt was killed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Some feared that NASCAR’s soul would die with him. But it has raced on, steered by visionary promoters, the all-controlling France family (who founded the sport), and, above all, the next generation of drivers to stir fans’ passions: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., son of the NASCAR legend and now, like his father before him, the circuit’s most popular driver; Jeff Gordon, the beloved but oft-maligned outsider, bred from the cradle to be NASCAR’s winningest modern champion; and Kasey Kahne, a reluctant heartthrob whose confidence derives entirely from an accelerator pedal. Clarke also brings us inside NASCAR’s most triumphant and tragic dynasties: the Pettys, the Earnhardts, and the Allisons–and reveals how faith, family, and a deep-seated love of their sport helps them cope with grief and loss. Clarke shows NASCAR to be at a crossroads. In pursuit of a broader audience, NASCAR has severed its sponsorship ties to Big Tobacco, abandoned racetracks in small markets in favor of speedways near glitzy major cities, and welcomed Japan’s Toyota into a sport traditionally restricted to American-made sedans. As NASCAR races toward mass appeal, some suggest it is leaving its roots behind. To others, it is boldly extending its reach from the Southern workingman to every man, woman, and child in the world. Whether you’re one of the die-hard NASCAR faithful or just a casual follower, nobody brings you closer to the sport and business of big-time stock car racing than Liz Clarke. This book, like the phenomenon it profiles, really is One Helluva Ride.

Download or read book Me the Mob and the Music written by Tommy James and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-02-16 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now in paperback, after five hardcover printings, Tommy James’s wild and entertaining true story of his career—part rock & roll fairytale, part valentine to a bygone era, and part mob epic—that “reads like a music-industry version of Goodfellas” (The Denver Post). Everyone knows the hits: “Hanky Panky,” “Mony Mony,” “I Think We’re Alone Now,” “Crimson and Clover,” “Crystal Blue Persuasion.” All of these songs, which epitomize great pop music of the late 1960s, are now widely used in television and film and have been covered by a diverse group of artists from Billy Idol to Tiffany to R.E.M. Just as compelling as the music itself is the life Tommy James lived while making it. James tells the incredible story, revealing his complex and sometimes terrifying relationship with Roulette Records and Morris Levy, the legendary Godfather of the music business. Me, the Mob, and the Music is a fascinating portrait of this swaggering, wildly creative era of rock ’n’ roll, when the hits kept coming and payola and the strong-arm tactics of the Mob were the norm, and what it was like, for better or worse, to be in the middle of it.

Download or read book A Helluva Ride How a Father son Family Business Overcame Crisis to Achieve the American Dream written by and published by Legacy of Smiles LLC. This book was released on 2021-12-08 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A highly entertaining memoir and business book specifically designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs, family business members, and general readers to help find their passion and achieve their career goals.

Download or read book Charlize written by Chris Karsten and published by Human & Rosseau. This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As a young girl Charlize Theron saw Darryl Hannah in Splash and she was convinced that she would make a better mermaid. Ever since, she has pursued her dream with single-minded obsession. Prize-winning author Chris Karsten traces Charlize's meteoric rise from a smallholding in South Africa to the pantheon of stars. Personal interviews with friends and family in South Africa and extensive research flesh out the life and career of this remarkable woman. Judging from the first 33 years of her life as revealed in this part-biography, Charlize will indeed one day be able to look back on her life and say: "This has been one helluva ride."

Download or read book The Disturbed Girl s Dictionary written by NoNieqa Ramos and published by Carolrhoda Lab& 8482. This book was released on 2019-08-06 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Told with laugh-out-loud humor and take-no-prisoners frankness, this is a story of incredible resilience amid the dangers and chaos of poverty, prejudice, and personal demons.

Download or read book Save Me from Dangerous Men written by S. A. Lelchuk and published by Flatiron Books. This book was released on 2019-03-19 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “An outstanding debut...If you’re a fan of Jack Reacher or Lisbeth Salander, you are gonna love Nikki Griffin.” —New York Times bestselling author Douglas Preston “Action packed and razor sharp - Jack Reacher would love Nikki Griffin.” —Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Past Tense Nikki Griffin isn't your typical private investigator. In her office above her bookstore’s shelves and stacks, where she luxuriates in books and the comfort they provide, she also tracks certain men. Dangerous men. Men who have hurt the women they claim to love. And Nikki likes to teach those men a lesson, to teach them what it feels like to be hurt and helpless, so she can be sure that their victims are safe from them forever. When a regular PI job tailing Karen, a tech company's disgruntled employee who might be selling secrets, turns ugly and Karen's life is threatened, Nikki has to break cover and intervene. Karen tells Nikki that there are people after her. Dangerous men. She says she'll tell Nikki what's really going on. But then something goes wrong, and suddenly Nikki is no longer just solving a case—she's trying hard to stay alive. Part Lisbeth Salander, part Jack Reacher, part Jessica Jones, Nikki Griffin is a kickass character who readers will root for as she seeks to right the world's wrongs. S.A. Lelchuk’s Save Me From Dangerous Men marks the beginning of a gripping new series and the launch of a fabulous new character.

Download or read book Who Did It First written by Bob Leszczak and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2014-07-10 with total page 333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Everybody has to start somewhere. Businessmen start on the ground floor and try to work their way up the corporate ladder. Baseball players bide their time in the minor leagues wishing for an opportunity to move up and play in the majors. Musical compositions aren’t very different – some songs just don’t climb the charts the first time they’re recorded. However, with perseverance, the ideal singer, the right chemistry, impeccable timing, vigorous promotion, and a little luck, these songs can become very famous.” So writes Bob Leszczak in the opening pages of Who Did It First?: Great Rock and Roll Cover Songs and Their Original Artists. In this third and final volume to the Who Did It First? series, readers explore the hidden history of the most famous, indeed legendary, rock songs and standards. Did you know that the Wild Ones had a “Wild Thing” before the Troggs? Were you aware that it took a second shot for “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love” to make the charts? Had you heard that Guy Villari and the Regents dated “Barbara Ann” five years before the Beach Boys? Were you privy to the fact that there was “Hanky Panky” going on with Ellie Greenwich and the Raindrops, as well as the Summits, before Tommy James and the Shondells made the song a number 1 classic? Some of the information contained within these pages will shock, rattle and roll you. You may fancy yourself a music expert, but this third and last in a series of titles devoted to the story of great songs and their revival as great covers is filled with eye openers. In many instances, one’s eyes will open even wider as a result of the list of cover artists (with Paul Anka’s remake of Nirvana’s “Smells like Teen Spirit” leading the pack). Who Did It First?Great Rock and Roll Cover Songs and Their Original Artistsis the perfect playlist builder. So whether quizzing friends at a party, answering a radio station contest, or just satisfying an insatiable curiosity to know who really did do it first, this work is a must-have.

Download or read book F k It Do What You Love written by John C. Parkin and published by Hay House, Inc. This book was released on 2016-01-05 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A recent Gallup poll in the US found that 70% of those in work didn't enjoy their job. In his latest book, John C. Parkin brings the power of saying "F**k It" to the subject of doing what we love. In this highly entertaining and motivational book, John sets out to prove that when we do what we love, we're actually more likely to be happier, healthier, wealthier, and more successful. He addresses the significant blocks that people experience when they consider doing what they love, including: "Doing what you love is for time off, not work", "Doing what I love would be selfish", "I just don't know what I love" and "I could never make a living from doing what I love". Through no-nonsense ideas, fascinating facts and motivating calls to action, John brings us from pessimism to inspiration, so that our thoughts become powered by "F**k it, I can't waste any more of my life", "F**k it, I will find a way to make this work", "F**k it, I will do what I love". F**k It: Do What You Love is not just a book: it's a step-by-step map to get every single person to spend their precious time on this planet doing what they love.

Download or read book Just a Cowboy and His Baby written by Carolyn Brown and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2024-08-06 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Brown sends readers on a wild ride in this enemies to lovers romance between a rugged rodeo cowboy and a fierce competitor who thinks it's time for a woman to take the crown. Gemma O'Donnell was incensed when she wasn't the first woman to win the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Championship Association) buckle for bronc riding. This year, she heads out on the PRCA ProRodeo Tour burning to be the second. First stop is Cody, Wyoming where her stiffest competition is Trace Coleman, who already has a jump on her. A tall, dark-haired cowboy with a sexy grin and a swagger, he doesn't really give a damn about the trophy belt buckle—he wants the purse to buy a ranch he has his eye on. He damn sure doesn't have time for a sassy bit of Irish baggage who can evidently ride anything with four legs and make anything with two legs want to take her to bed. Gemma wins a few; Trace wins a few. In the end they both qualify for the final cut in Las Vegas. But when it comes down to the wire, only one can win the bronc-riding competition and take home one helluva prize. But in this competition, it just might be loser takes all...

Download or read book Comin Right at Ya written by Ray Benson and published by University of Texas Press. This book was released on 2015-10-01 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A six-foot-seven-inch Jewish hippie from Philadelphia starts a Western swing band in 1970, when country fans hate hippies and Western swing. It sounds like a joke but—more than forty years, twenty-five albums, and nine Grammy Awards later—Asleep at the Wheel is still drawing crowds around the world. The roster of musicians who’ve shared a stage with the Wheel is a who’s who of American popular music—Van Morrison, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, George Strait, Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett, and so many more. And the bandleader who’s brought them all together is the hippie that claimed Bob Wills’s boots: Ray Benson. In this hugely entertaining memoir, Benson looks back over his life and wild ride with Asleep at the Wheel from the band’s beginning in Paw Paw, West Virginia, through its many years as a Texas institution. He vividly recalls spending decades in a touring band, with all the inevitable ups and downs and changes in personnel, and describes the making of classic albums such as Willie and the Wheel and Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. The ultimate music industry insider, Benson explains better than anyone else how the Wheel got rock hipsters and die-hard country fans to love groovy new-old Western swing. Decades later, they still do.

Download or read book Body Rides written by Richard Laymon and published by Feature. This book was released on 1996-08-15 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'If you've missed Laymon, you've missed a treat' Stephen King. When Neal shoots a man assaulting a woman, as a reward the woman gives him a magic bracelet that enables him to see through other people's eyes and experience their feelings; to take 'body rides'. But the man he shot is not dead - he's alive and breathing vengeance. Neal's only chance of survival is to use the bracelet and go inside his would-be-killer's skull...

Download or read book Bicycling written by and published by . This book was released on 2006-03 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bicycling magazine features bikes, bike gear, equipment reviews, training plans, bike maintenance how tos, and more, for cyclists of all levels.

Download or read book Elvis Hank and Me written by Horace Logan and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 1998 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The creator of the radio show that changed the face of country music remembers the early careers of Elvis, Hank Williams, and other legends.From 1948 to the late 1950s, Horace "Hoss" Logan produced the Louisiana Hayride, a weekly country music show broadcast on the CBS Radio Network. The Hayride made country music part of the mainstream and was known as the "Cradle of the Stars" for building dozens of country music careers and introducing Elvis to a national audience. In this affectionate memoir, Logan remembers the Hayride's heyday with behind-the-scenes details about the many musicians he knew and nurtured -- Hank Williams, Elvis, Slim Whitman, Jim Reeves, Kitty Wells, Johnny Cash, George Jones, and many others.

Download or read book Just a Simple Cowboy written by Laurie Hartman and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2017-10-30 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Miles circled the date on the calendar for the bull riding benefit that he had agreed to participate in with a sigh. He had already been wondering how long he could continue to make a living riding green-broke horses five days a week and rodeoing weekends, but it was all he knew. He did take heart that he had been able to stash back quite a bit of money lately with a good clientele wanting their horses broke, plus hed been on a winning streak at the rodeos, but, he knew, that could change in a minute. Miles Deroin starts out with one goal for the summer, and that is winning amateur rodeos calf roping championship. He has the talent, the want, and the horse that can get him there, but luck is another matter. Luck, however, can be what you make it, and Miles has always had a knack for making the best of whatever comes his way. But as Miles rodeo season unfolds he finds it a trip peppered with almost as many slumps as there are wins. And, making matters worse, after bumping into an old acquaintance, he comes to discover there is a bit more on the line than just winning a gold buckle. Living a simple life doesnt necessarily mean life is going to be simple. Just ask Miles Deroin.

Download or read book Harlequin Superromance September 2014 Bundle 2 of 2 written by Jennifer Lohmann and published by Harlequin. This book was released on 2014-09-01 with total page 640 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Harlequin Superromance brings you three new novels for one great price, available now! Experience powerful relationships that deliver a strong emotional punch and a guaranteed happily ever after. This Harlequin Superromance bundle includes Winning Ruby Heart by Jennifer Lohmann, More Than A Rancher by Claire McEwen and Desert Heat by Kathleen Pickering. Enjoy more story and more romance from Harlequin Superromance with 6 new novels every month!

Download or read book Half baked Holidays written by Kat Bastion and published by Kat Bastion and Stone Bastion. This book was released on 2021-11-07 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nestle down for a joyride of unparalleled mistletoe mischief as multiple award-winning author Kat Bastion unveils five brand-new multicultural romantic comedies in… Half-baked Holidays. Delicious chaos as romance and yuletide collide. Family chaos erupts as former high school crushes toss mischief into their first Christmas in… So NOT a Silent Night A sweet volunteer bedecks herself in Christmas trimmings to lure a dreamy firefighter in… Enticing Wrapper Number 9 A Wharton MBAer ditches her trying family for a spontaneous Hawaiian yoga instructor in… Give Me a Christmas Break Two daring college students engage in breaking and entering—a personal baking contest—in… Half-baked Holiday When besties con their way into the ultimate party, a law student finds herself caught in… Billionaire Bash New Year’s Crash Half-baked Holidays: A Romantic Comedy Holiday Collection of five original romantic comedies… So NOT a Silent Night Enticing Wrapper Number 9 Give Me a Christmas Break Half-baked Holiday Billionaire Bash New Year’s Crash

Download or read book Half baked Holiday written by Kat Bastion and published by Kat Bastion and Stone Bastion. This book was released on 2021-12-16 with total page 75 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nestle down for a joyride of unparalleled mistletoe mischief as multiple award-winning author Kat Bastion unveils five brand-new multicultural romantic comedies in… Half-baked Holidays. Delicious chaos as romance and yuletide collide. Two daring college students engage in breaking and entering—a personal baking contest—in… Half-baked Holiday ​​​​​​​ Other standalone books in the HALF-BAKED HOLIDAYS series... Family chaos erupts as former high school crushes toss mischief into their first Christmas in… So NOT a Silent Night A sweet volunteer bedecks herself in Christmas trimmings to lure a dreamy firefighter in… Enticing Wrapper Number 9 A Wharton MBAer ditches her trying family for a spontaneous Hawaiian yoga instructor in… Give Me a Christmas Break When besties con their way into the ultimate party, a law student finds herself caught in… Billionaire Bash New Year’s Crash