Download or read book Motorhome Prophecies written by Carrie Sheffield and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2024-03-12 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the vein of Educated and Hillbilly Elegy comes a young woman’s memoir chronicling her harrowing journey from despair to salvation that showcases the depths and resilience of the human spirit and empowers readers on their own paths toward healing, forgiveness, and redemption. Carrie Sheffield grew up fifth of eight children with a violent, mentally ill, street-musician father who believed he was a modern-day Mormon prophet destined to become U.S. president someday. She and her seven siblings were often forced to live as vagabonds, remaining on the move across the country. They frequently subsisted in sheds, tents, and, most notably, motorhomes. They often lived a dysfunctional drifter existence, camping out in their motorhome in Walmart parking lots. Carrie attended 17 public schools and homeschool, all while performing classical music on the streets and passing out fire-and-brimstone religious pamphlets—at times while child custody workers loomed. Carrie’s father was eventually excommunicated from the official LDS Church, and she was the first of her siblings to escape the toxic brainwashing of his fundamentalist creed. Declared legally estranged from her parents, Carrie struggled with her mental health during college and for most of her adult life. But she eventually seized control of her life, transcended her troubled past, and overcame her toxic inner voice (and a near death experience)—thanks to the power of forgiveness, cultivated through her conversion to Christianity. She evolved from a scared and abused motorhome-dwelling girl to a Harvard-educated professional with a passion for empowering others to reject the cycles of poverty, depression, and self-hatred. Motorhome Prophecies is the story of Carrie’s unbelievable, yet in many ways, very American journey. It resonates with those trapped in difficult situations and awes all who are enchanted by the depths and resilience of the human spirit.

Download or read book Diplomacy and Diamonds written by Joanne King Herring and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2011-10-19 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: She's been dirt poor; she's been filthy rich. Rich was more fun. She married three times, divorced twice, found her true love, and lost him to cancer. At twenty-one, she was told she would soon die. She lived. Doctors said she'd never be able to have children. She had 'em. She's bargained with God, dictators, and Democrats. She's partied with princes, presidents, premiers, Barbara Walters, Anwar Sadat, Margaret Thatcher, Tom Hanks, and Francisco Franco . . . though not all at the same time. She captivated powerful men with her feminine charm, and then persuaded them toward unlikely political alliances through her formidable intelligence. She waltzed with Prince Philip in Buckingham Palace, dressed in men's clothes and smuggled herself in a barrel across the Pakistani border, threw a Roman-themed party so extravagant it was featured in Life magazine, and survived a Soviet gunship attack in the mountains of Afghanistan. Joanne Herring, the Houston socialite portrayed by Julia Roberts in the film Charlie Wilson's War, is far more colorful, funny, and likable than any screenwriter could have guessed. The former Texas television anchor is known for her improbable fight with the mujahideen against the former Soviet Union. But her full story-with all its God, guns, and Gucci glory-has never been told. Born in the man's world of Texas in a time when women had limited choices, Joanne Herring blazed a trail with allies as unlikely as Charlie Wilson, Pierre Cardin, and President Ronald Reagan . . . and in so doing forged new paths for women in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and America.

Download or read book Living with the Monks written by Jesse Itzler and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2018-05-29 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Equal parts memoir and road map to living a less stressful and more vibrant life, bestselling author Jesse Itzler offers an illuminating, entertaining, and unexpected trip for anyone looking to feel calmer and more controlled in our crazy, hectic world. Entrepreneur, endurance athlete, and father of four Jesse Itzler only knows one speed: Full Blast. But when he felt like the world around him was getting too hectic, he didn't take a vacation or get a massage. Instead, Jesse moved into a monastery for a self-imposed time-out. In Living with the Monks, the follow-up to his New York Times bestselling Living with a SEAL, Jesse takes us on a spiritual journey like no other. Having only been exposed to monasteries on TV, Jesse arrives at the New Skete religious community in the isolated mountains of upstate New York with a shaved head and a suitcase filled with bananas. To his surprise, New Skete monks have most of their hair. They're Russian Orthodox, not Buddhist, and they're also world-renowned German shepherd breeders and authors of dog-training books that have sold in the millions. As Jesse struggles to fit in amongst the odd but lovable monks, self-doubt begins to beat like a tribal drum. Questioning his motivation to embark on this adventure and missing his family (and phone), Jesse struggles to balance his desire for inner peace with his need to check Twitter. But in the end, Jesse discovers the undeniable power of the monks and their wisdom, and the very real benefits of taking a well-deserved break as a means of self-preservation in our fast-paced world.

Download or read book Out of the Ashes written by Charlie Morecraft and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2012-10-02 with total page 173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Accidents happen, but they're usually the result of human carelessness. Charlie Morecraft found that out one August night years ago, when he literally blew himself up. A long time worker at an Exxon refinery in New Jersey, Morecraft was rushing to leave for vacation and too macho to bother following standard safety procedures when performing a late night repair job. The result? Burns covering 50 percent of his body, months upon months of hospitalization and rehab, dozens of surgeries, and emotional suffering that outdid the indescribable physical pain. Ultimately, Morecraft emerged from that inferno -- as damaging to his family as to himself -- to become a sought-after safety expert whose clients number more than 5,000 companies worldwide. Now, in Out of the Ashes, Morecraft presents a wake-up call and a plan of action for anyone who's not in the habit of taking safety seriously. Morecraft's inspiring story has already helped thousands to put on their helmets, their safety goggles, and use their common sense before tackling any job or potentially dangerous activity.

Download or read book Pilgrimage and Healing written by Jill Dubisch and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2005-10 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bikers converge at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Thousands flock to a Nevada desert to burn a towering effigy. And the hopeless but hopeful ill journey to Lourdes as they have for centuries. Although pilgrimage may seem an antiquated religious ritual, it remains a vibrant activity in the modern world as pilgrims combine traditional motivesÑsuch as seeking a cure for physical or spiritual problemsÑwith contemporary searches for identity or interpersonal connection. That pilgrimage continues to exercise such a strong attraction is testimony to the power it continues to hold for those who undertake these sacred journeys. This volume brings together anthropological and interdisciplinary perspectives on these persistent forms of popular religion to expand our understanding of the role of the traditional practice of pilgrimage in what many believe to be an increasingly secular world. Focusing on the healing dimensions of pilgrimage, the authors present case studies grounded in specific cultures and pilgrimage traditions to help readers understand the many therapeutic resources pilgrimage provides for people around the world. The chapters examine a variety of pilgrimage forms, both religious and non-religious, from Nepalese and Huichol shamanism pilgrimage to Catholic journeys to shrines and feast days to NevadaÕs Burning Man festival. These diverse cases suggest a range of meanings embodied in the concept of healing itself, from curing physical ailments and redefining the self to redressing social suffering and healing the wounds of the past. Collectively and individually, the chapters raise important questions about the nature of ritual in general, and healing through pilgrimage in particular, and seek to illuminate why so many participants find pilgrimage a compelling way to address the problem of suffering. They also illustrate how pilgrimage exerts its social and political influence at the personal, local, and national levels, as well as providing symbols and processes that link people across social and spiritual boundaries. By examining the persistence of pilgrimage as a significant source of personal engagement with spirituality, Pilgrimage and Healing shows that the power of pilgrimage lies in its broad transformative powers. As our world increasingly adopts a secular and atheistic perspective in many domains of experience, it reminds us that, for many, spiritual quest remains a potent force.

Download or read book Platform written by Cynthia Johnson and published by Lorena Jones Books. This book was released on 2019-02-05 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The indispensable guide to developing a personal brand, building an audience, and nurturing followers, by digital marketing thought-leader Cynthia Johnson. In the modern world, influence is everything and personal branding equals influence. Platform is the why-to, how-to handbook by top expert Cynthia Johnson for everyone who wants to develop and manage a personal brand. In Platform, Johnson explains the process of going from unknown to influencer by achieving personal proof, social proof, recognition, and association. Johnson herself went from an on-staff social media manager to social media influencer, entrepreneur, and marketing thought-leader in just three years using her process of accelerated brand development, continuous brand management, and strategic growth. Fans of #GirlBoss and #AskGaryVee, who wonder how their favorite influencers found their voices and built their audiences, will find the answers here and discover that the process is technical, creative, tactical, and much easier than they might have expected.

Download or read book Close Encounters of the Third Grade Kind written by Phillip Done and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2009-09-04 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A twenty-year veteran of the classroom, elementary school teacher Phillip Done takes readers through a lively and hilarious year in the classroom. Starting with the relative calm before the storm of buying school supplies and posting class lists, he shares the distinct personalities of grades K-4, what he learned from two professional trick or treating 8-year-old boys, the art of learning cursive and letter-writing, how kindergartners try to trap leprechauns, and what every child should experience before he or she grows up. These charming, sweet, and funny tales of Mr. Done's trials and triumphs as an award-winning schoolteacher will touch readers' hearts and remind them of the true joys of childhood. We all have that one special, favorite grade school teacher whom we fondly remember throughout our adult lives - and every teacher also has students whom they will never forget. This is the perfect book for teachers, parents, and anyone else who is looking for a lighthearted, nostalgic read.

Download or read book River of Time written by Naomi Judd and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2016-12-06 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Naomi Judd's life as a country music superstar has been nonstop success. But offstage, she has battled incredible adversity. Struggling through a childhood of harsh family secrets, the death of a young sibling, and absent emotional support, Naomi found herself reluctantly married and an expectant mother at age seventeen. Four years later, she was a single mom of two, who survived being beaten and raped, and was abandoned without any financial support and nowhere to turn in Hollywood, CA. Naomi has always been a survivor: She put herself through nursing school to support her young daughters, then took a courageous chance by moving to Nashville to pursue their fantastic dream of careers in country music. Her leap of faith paid off, and Naomi and her daughter Wynonna became The Judds, soon ranking with country music's biggest stars, selling more than 20 million records and winning six Grammys. At the height of the singing duo's popularity, Naomi was given three years to live after being diagnosed with the previously incurable Hepatitis C. Miraculously, she overcame that too and was pronounced completely cured five years later. But Naomi was still to face her most desperate fight yet. After finishing a tour with Wynonna in 2011, she began a three-year battle with Severe Treatment Resistant Depression and anxiety. She suffered through frustrating and dangerous roller-coaster effects with antidepressants and other drugs, often terrifying therapies and, at her absolute lowest points, thoughts of suicide. But Naomi persevered once again. RIVER OF TIME is her poignant message of hope to anyone whose life has been scarred by trauma.

Download or read book Bite Me written by Ally Hilfiger and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2016-05-10 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ally was at a breaking point when she woke up in a psych ward at the age of eighteen. She couldn't put a sentence together, let alone take a shower, eat a meal, or pick up a phone. What had gone wrong? In recent years, she had produced a feature film, a popular reality show for a major network, and had acted in an off-Broadway play. But now, Ally was pushed to a psychotic break after struggling since she was seven years old with physical symptoms that no doctor could explain; everything from joint pain, to night sweats, memory loss, nausea, and brain fog. A doctor in the psych ward was finally able to give her the answers her and her family had desperately been searching for, and the diagnosis that all the previous doctors had missed. She learned that she had Lyme disease-and finally had a breakthrough. What she didn't know was that this diagnosis would lead her down some of the most excruciating years of her life before beginning her journey to recovery from eleven years of misdiagnosis and physical pain. She would need to find her courage to heal physically, mentally, and emotionally, and become the survivor she is today. Set against the backdrop of the fast-paced fashion and entertainment industries, Bite Me shares the heartbreaking and hilarious stories that moved Ally forward on her journey from sickness to health. Its themes will be familiar to more than 300,000 Americans diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, many of whom, like Ally, wondered for years what was wrong with them. Bite Me offers readers hope and ideas for how one can transition from victim to survivor, and shares the spiritual principles and actions that have contributed to her wholeness as a human, mother, and international spokesperson against Lyme disease.

Download or read book Your Heart My Hands written by Arun K Singh and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2019-04-16 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An encouraging, inspiring, and "absorbing" (Jhumpa Lahiri, Pulitzer Prize winner) true story of how a boy from India overcame a difficult childhood and devastating hand injuries and became one of the most prolific cardiac surgeons in U.S. history. An encouraging and inspiring true story on how a boy from India overcame a difficult childhood and devastating hand injuries and became one of the most prolific cardiac surgeons in U.S. history. Leaving a life marked by crippling setbacks and his father's doubt, in 1967 a twenty-something doctor from India arrived in America with only five dollars and the desire to claim his American dream. The journey still awaiting Dr. Arun K. Singh would be unparalleled. Faced with an entirely new culture, racism, and the lasting effects of disabling childhood injuries, through hard work and perseverance he overcame all odds. Now having performed over 15,000 open heart surgeries, more than nearly every surgeon in history, Dr. Singh reflects on his most memorable patients and his incredible personal life. Shared for the first time, these intimate and uplifting accounts, along with photos, will have you cheering for the underdog and appreciating the enduring determination of the human spirit.

Download or read book Trailblazer written by Dorothy Butler Gilliam and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2019-01-08 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dorothy Butler Gilliam, whose 50-year-career as a journalist put her in the forefront of the fight for social justice, offers a comprehensive view of racial relations and the media in the U.S. Most civil rights victories are achieved behind the scenes, and this riveting, beautifully written memoir by a "black first" looks back with searing insight on the decades of struggle, friendship, courage, humor and savvy that secured what seems commonplace today-people of color working in mainstream media. Told with a pioneering newspaper writer's charm and skill, Gilliam's full, fascinating life weaves her personal and professional experiences and media history into an engrossing tapestry. When we read about the death of her father and other formative events of her life, we glimpse the crippling impact of the segregated South before the civil rights movement when slavery's legacy still felt astonishingly close. We root for her as a wife, mother, and ambitious professional as she seizes once-in-a-lifetime opportunities never meant for a "dark-skinned woman" and builds a distinguished career. We gain a comprehensive view of how the media, especially newspapers, affected the movement for equal rights in this country. And in this humble, moving memoir, we see how an innovative and respected journalist and working mother helped provide opportunities for others. With the distinct voice of one who has worked for and witnessed immense progress and overcome heart-wrenching setbacks, this book covers a wide swath of media history -- from the era of game-changing Negro newspapers like the Chicago Defender to the civil rights movement, feminism, and our current imperfect diversity. This timely memoir, which reflects the tradition of boot-strapping African American storytelling from the South, is a smart, contemporary consideration of the media.

Download or read book Carolina Cruising written by Carolina Esguerra Colborn and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2015-05-01 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a little over four years, author Carolina Esguerra Colborn and her husband traveled almost a hundred thousand miles to forty-nine American states, nine Canadian provinces, and six Mexican states. In Carolina: Cruising to an American Dream, she offers fascinating facts about irresistible places, surprising insights about unique encounters, and useful guides borne out of their experience. A former jet-setting Filipina executive, Carolina also shares her American dream, a story of retirement, immigration, and love. At fifty-five, she immigrated to the United States and four years later became a new bride to an American businessman. Together, theyve created an extensive travel bucket list, crisscrossed North America four times, and blogged about a cruising lifestyle. Carolina: Cruising to an American Dream tells how Carolina discovered America from within the cozy confines of an RV with lessons that came as fast as scenes changed. She not only learned to be a wife without losing her identity, but also to be an American without losing her roots. But, most of all, she learned about the beauty of America and her people, past, present, and future.

Download or read book Home and Away written by Nancy French and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2011-07-01 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: David French, potential independent candidate for the 2016 presidential election, and his wife Nancy deliver a powerful story of what happens when a person--or rather, a family--answers the call to serve their nation. David French picked up the newspaper in the comfort of his penthouse in Philadelphia, and read about a soldier - father of two - who was wounded in Iraq. Immediately, he was stricken with a question: Why him and not me? David was a 37-year-old father of two, a Harvard Law graduate and president of a free speech organization. In other words, he was used to pushing pencils, not toting M16s. His wife Nancy was raising two children and writing from home. She was worrying about field trips and playdates, not about her husband going to war. HOME AND AWAY chronicles not just a soldier at war, but a family at war - a husband in Iraq, a wife and children at home, greeting each day with hope and fear, facing the challenge with determination, tears, and more than a little joy.

Download or read book Reaching for the Stars written by José M. Hernández and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2012-09-04 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book that inspired the new film A Million Miles Away. Born into a family of migrant workers, toiling in the fields by the age of six, Jose M. Hernàndez dreamed of traveling through the night skies on a rocket ship. Reaching for the Stars is the inspiring story of how he realized that dream, becoming the first Mexican-American astronaut. Hernàndez didn't speak English till he was 12, and his peers often joined gangs, or skipped school. And yet, by his twenties he was part of an elite team helping develop technology for the early detection of breast cancer. He was turned down by NASA eleven times on his long journey to donning that famous orange space suit. Hernàndez message of hard work, education, perseverance, of "reaching for the stars," makes this a classic American autobiography.

Download or read book Kid Carolina written by Heidi Schnakenberg and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2010-03-10 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Reynolds tobacco family was an American dynasty like the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and Astors. R.J. "Dick" Reynolds Jr. was born into privilege and decadence, but his disastrous personal life eventually destroyed almost every relationship he cherished and stole his health at a relatively young age. Dick Reynolds was dubbed "Kid Carolina" when as a teenager, he ran away from home and stowed away as part of the crew on a freighter. For the rest of his life he'd turn to the sea, instead of his friends and family, for comfort. Dick disappeared for months at a time, leading the dual life of a business mogul and troubled soul, both of which became legendary. Despite his personal demons, Dick played a pivotal role in shaping twentieth-century America through his business savvy and politics. He developed Delta and Eastern Airlines, single handedly secured FDR's third term election, and served as mayor of Winston-Salem, where his tobacco fortune was built. Yet below the gilded surface lay a turbulent life of alcoholism, infidelity, and loneliness. His chaotic existence culminated in a surprise fourth marriage and was shortly followed by a strange death, the end of a life every bit as awe-inspiring as it was disturbing.

Download or read book My Seven Sons and How We Raised Each Other written by Don Diamont and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2018-05-29 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soap star Don Diamont's most interesting storyline to date is being the real-life father and ringleader of his seven rambunctious boys. Called a "daytime deity" by Soap Opera Digest, Don Diamont is best known as the dashing publishing titan with steel abs, "Dollar Bill Spencer," on the most-watched daytime drama in the world, The Bold and the Beautiful. But all of that takes second place to his most important role to date: father to seven boys. By turns hilarious and poignant, My Seven Sons and How We Raised Each Other is a family memoir for our time. Don writes with openness and courage about the ways his family came together: by marriage, divorce, the death of his sister, and marriage again. Today's blended families might look different from the households of even a few decades ago, but the first dates, first cars, busting curfew, talking back, grounding, broken hearts, laughs, tears, and the love are the same. From his childhood growing up in LA, to his Zoolander phase as a model in both Paris and Los Angeles, to the iconic place he now occupies in daytime television, Don also gives us a glimpse into a life that at times could have been scripted for a soap opera. And, with brutal honesty, he tells of the personal devastation he suffered after the deaths of his father, brother, and sister. My Seven Sons is required reading for everyone who is a parent, and all those who have one.

Download or read book A Life Without Limits written by Chrissie Wellington and published by Center Street. This book was released on 2012-05-15 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2007, Chrissie Wellington shocked the triathlon world by winning the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. As a newcomer to the sport and a complete unknown to the press, Chrissie's win shook up the sport. A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS is the story of her rise to the top, a journey that has taken her around the world, from a childhood in England, to the mountains of Nepal, to the oceans of New Zealand, and the trails of Argentina, and first across the finish line. Wellington's first-hand, inspiring story includes all the incredible challenges she has faced--from anorexia to near--drowning to training with a controversial coach. But to Wellington, the drama of the sports also presents an opportunity to use sports to improve people's lives. A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS reveals the heart behind Wellington's success, along with the diet, training and motivational techniques that keep her going through one of the world's most grueling events.