It’s astonishing to sit and watch tape of Kobe Bryant side by side with those of Michael Jordan. The footwork is the same. The post moves are the same. The spots on the floor the players choose are the same. The confidence is the same. The clutch gene is the same. The titles and game winning shots are celebrated the same. And even the badgering and belittling of their teammates is the same (it’s no secret that Michael Jordan was one of the harshest leaders to grace the hardwood). It’s eerily ironic how many similarities both players really share. They were both even coached by the same guy: Phil Jackson. It’s almost as if the basketball gods wanted to play a sick joke on the fans and send us a replica version of Michael Jordan.

Pasternak selected 10 countries with the lowest obesity rates and highest life expectancies and studied what they eat, how they eat it, and how they burn it off. His world diet includes chapters on each country's dietary staples and food philosophies, including Japan, Singapore, Sweden, France, and Israel. The chapters are peppered with tips from each nation, like in Japan there is an emphasis on food presentation as well as flavor. We also learn that Swedes practice lagom, which means "just enough," eating until they are satisfied but not full. We learn that cabbage is popular in both Japan and Sweden and that yogurt is a staple in France as well as Israel.

What seems like a gimmicky idea for a book-life with the world's tallest dog (with a Guinness Book of World Records certificate to prove it)-turns out to be an engaging, humorous read. "Giant" George begins life, paradoxically, as the runt of the litter, a Great Dane selected somewhat haphazardly by Nasser and his wife, Christie. George's breeder tries to impart some words of caution-"the parents are real big," she says. Soon George is wreaking havoc in the Nasser home, outgrowing the "the biggest dog crate available on the market" (the "Colossus") and eventually requiring his own queen-sized bed to sleep on. Fully grown, he weighs 245 pounds. But rather than the rambles of an obsessed owner, the book is a well-plotted and compelling story, which takes us into the Nasser family dynamic: when Dave and Christie start trying for a baby, they encounter heartbreak. Startlingly honest and well-written, Giant George's story stands apart from the slew of other dog books on the shelves.

When Bob Lutz got into the auto business in the early 1960s, CEOs knew that if you captured the public’s imagination with innovative car design and top quality craftsmanship, the money would follow. The “car guys” held sway, and GM dominated with bold, creative leadership and iconic brands like Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, GMC, and Chevrolet.                       But then GM’s leadership began to put their faith in numbers and spreadsheets. Determined to eliminate the “waste” and “personality worship” of the bygone creative leaders and maximize profitability, management got too smart for its own good. With the bean counters firmly in charge, carmakers, and much of American industry, lost their single-minded focus on product excellence and their competitive advantage. Decline soon followed.                                                                                                In 2001, General Motors hired Lutz out of retirement with a mandate to save the company by making great cars again. As Vice Chairman, he launched a war against the penny-pinching number-crunchers who ran the company by the bottom line, and reinstated a focus on creativity, design, and cars and trucks that would satisfy GM customers.                                        After emerging from bankruptcy in 2009, GM is finally back on track thanks in part to its embrace of Lutz’s philosophy with acclaimed new models like the Chevrolet Volt, Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Equinox, and Buick LaCrosse.                               Lutz’s common-sense lessons, combined with a generous helping of fascinating anecdotes, will inspire readers in any industry. As he writes “It applies in any business. Shoemakers should be run by shoe guys, and software firms by software guys, and supermarkets by supermarket guys. With the advice and support of their bean counters, absolutely, but with the final word going to those who live and breathe the customer experience. Passion and drive for excellence will win over the computer-like, dispassionate, analysis-driven philosophy every time.”

For an accident-prone "normal girl from Norfolk" who didn't run a serious race until she was 25, Chrissie Wellington has done pretty well for herself. A multiple world champion and record-holder, she remained unbeaten in 13 straight races at her chosen event, the Ironman triathlon, before her retirement in December. And what a fiendish event it is – a 2.4-mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride, topped off with a marathon. Wellington's account of how she graduated from entering her first marathon on a whim in 2002 to the Ironman – surely Ironwoman would be more apt – title five years later is inspirational in the truest sense, because she feels strongly that sport can make ordinary people do extraordinary things. She was helped/bullied on her way by a tyrannical coach with a chequered past but was obviously deeply competitive by nature, and her accounts of the more brutal aspects of Ironman are not for the squeamish; if a competitor was illegally slipstreaming her in the cycling phase, for instance, she would let fly an airborne stream of pee to make them back off.

After four decades in the music industry, Michael Bolton has become one the most successful musicians of our time. THE SOUL OF IT ALL is his backstage pass into his life lived thus far-into the venues, busses, limos, and hotel rooms of stardom, and finally into his home and heart. His story will go long and dive deep, not only into his self-proclaimed "vagabond vampire" life, but also into the belly of the beast that is the music industry, with its joys, follies, and torments. From a 14 year old kid performing in dive bars in his hometown of New Haven, CT, to struggling to provide for his wife and kids, to finally breaking through with the Soul Provider album, and going on to sell more than 53 million albums and singles worldwide, Bolton has fought for and earned a life most just dream of. THE SOUL OF IT ALL is his life, chock-full of all the incredible stories, and the star-studded cast you'd expect, including: Luciano Pavarotti, Paula Abdul, Cher, Bob Dylan, Barbara Streisand, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Placido Domingo, Renee Fleming, Bon Jovi, Wynonna Judd, BB King, Patti LaBelle, Carlos Santana, Nicolette Sheridan, Teri Hatcher and others...

It’s Your Move: How to Play the Game and Win the Man You Want by Nick Savoy that features highlights of the new book plus never-before-revealed details about how Nick Savoy and Erika Awakening met, and how this top-notch dating coach inspired her to begin a whole new career.

Nicholasa Mohr’s El Bronx Remembered is a collection of short stories depicting life in a Puerto Rican barrio in New York City during the 1960’s and 1970’s. Well known for her treatment of child, adolescent, and young adult characters, Mohr’s depiction of Puerto Rican urban life concentrates on subjects of particular importance to those age groups. Mohr’s narratives do not offer a denunciation of the troubled lives of these immigrants and children of immigrants. Instead, her stories bring forward voices that were often, in literature, considered unimportant. Female characters of several age groups and social backgrounds stand out for analysis.

In the first part of the autobiography, Mandela describes his upbringing as a child and adolescent in South Africa, and being connected to the royal Thembu dynasty. His childhood name was Rolihlahla, which is loosely translated as "pulling the branch of a tree", or a euphemism for "troublemaker". Mandela describes his education at a Thembu college called Clarkebury, and later at the strict Healdtown school, where students were rigorously put in routines. He mentions his education at the University of Fort Hare, and his practice of law later on. He also then writes; "Democracy meant all men to be heard, and decision was taken together as a people. Majority rule was a foreign notion. A minority was not to be clashed by a majority."  

At the age of sixteen, Monica Seles crashed on to the world tennis scene by becoming the youngest winner in French Open History. For three years, she dominated the tennis circuit, racking up eight Grand Slam titles, winning three back-to-back French Open titles. At post-match conferences she charmed the media with her trademark giggle. In January 1993, Seles defeated Steffi Graf in the Australian Women's Open and in April of that year, while playing a quarter-final in Hamburg, a boning knife was plunged between her shoulder blades by a Graff fan. Everything changed. The incident shocked the tennis world. Seles' injuries healed, but Seles did not. Now, in this compelling book she tells us in her own words what followed - years of seclusion, the fog of despair, binge eating, dealing with criticism about her weight from a brutal press, losing her father-coach to cancer and never regaining her dominance on court despite getting in to the top 10. After years battling to regain fitness and tennis glory, an excruciating injury forced Monica to take time off from tennis in 2003 and she embarked on her own journey. She abandoned the arduous workouts and punitive diets, and slowly uncovered the painful emotions behind years of tumultuous feelings. This is a human and inspiring story of determination, amazing talent and touching vulnerability, that Seles hopes will motivate and inspire others to find happiness in their own lives. Monica Seles is a former No 1 professional tennis player who became the youngest-ever champion at the French Open in 1990 and went on to win nine Grand Slam singles titles. In 2007, she was appointed goodwill ambassador for the UN's Global Sports for Peace and Development Initiative.

Over 600,000 American children are in the foster care system each year-and the number is growing. So is the number of good-hearted people willing to become foster parents. But what does it take to become a foster parent? How does one begin? What about your own family? What does it cost? Success as a Foster Parent has the answers to these basic questions and much more. Written by Rachel Greene Baldino, MSW, in association with the National Foster Parent Association, it is the first and only commercially available book to clearly explain the process of becoming a foster parent.

Marilyn & Me, a memoir in words and photographs, is an intimate story of Monroe before her fall and a young photographer on his way to the top. Schiller’s original text and extraordinary photography is a story that has never been told before, and he tells it with tact, humor and compassion. What emerges during the final months of her life is a portrait of an artist self-aware, in control of her image, yet fragile and vulnerable, and uniquely touching.

Compiled from the 22 issues and six years that constituted the life of "Gentry" magazine, "The Gentry Man" aims to highlight the best of the culturally impactful magazine's lifespan. The collection is billed as "A Guide for the Civilized Male", much of its content applicable to men then and now. Moreover, the book is a snapshot of mid-century manliness, showing the perceived ideals of a generation of post-war men searching for guidance in peacetime. Uniting the content is Gentry's phenomenally creative layout, which changes vastly with from page to page.

‘China is not a superpower, nor will she ever seek to be one,” said Deng Xiaoping to the United Nations in 1974. If China should ever “subject others to her bullying, aggression and exploitation,” continued Deng, “the people of the world should identify her social- imperialism, expose it, oppose it, and work together with the Chinese people to overthrow it.” To be fair, in 1974 Deng was not yet the Little Helmsman who would dismantle Maoism and introduce the market systems that within three decades turned China into a superpower with a growing appetite for social-imperialism. He was still lurking beneath the shadows of the Cultural Revolution and the Gang of Four. His words remind us nonetheless of how much has changed since the East was Red. They cannot come back now to embarrass Deng Xiaoping, who died in 1997 at 92 years. His successors are doubtless grateful that the people of China and the rest of the world failed to take them to heart. Deng’s protestations to the UN are quoted towards the end of China’s Silent Army. The thesis developed by Spanish journalists Juan Pablo Cardenal and Heriberto Araujo in the course of their extraordinary international investigations is that China is creating “a new, informal empire”, and not only in the developing world.

Offers all the know-how you need to create an ideal water feature in any garden. Examines a variety of ponds according to their size and type, from formal to wildlife, and considers their installation and equipment. Well illustrated in color.

A deeply personal account of Elton John's life during the era of AIDS and an inspiring call to action. In the 1980s, Elton John saw friend after friend, loved one after loved one, perish needlessly from AIDS. He befriended Ryan White, a young Indiana boy ostracized because of his HIV infection. Ryan's inspiring life and devastating death led Elton to two realizations: His own life was a mess. And he had to do something to help stop the AIDS crisis. Since then, Elton has dedicated himself to overcoming the plague and the stigma of AIDS. The Elton John AIDS Foundation has raised and donated $275 million to date to fighting the disease worldwide. Love Is the Cure includes stories of Elton's close friendships with Ryan White, Freddie Mercury, Princess Diana, Elizabeth Taylor, and others, and the story of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Sales of Love Is the Cure benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

The workplace is changing. From the boardrooms to non-profit organizations to the military, the typical...

Business students often object to required courses in business ethics, and the more cynical members of the general public consider the term business ethics to be a contradiction in and of itself. In fact, business ethics — that is, doing the right thing in the way you run your company — makes sound business sense. Ethical lapses can harm a company just as thoroughly (and perhaps even more so) as a garden-variety business mistake. On the other hand, a reputation for ethical behavior can enhance a company’s success and even help a company through tough times. A good reputation is like a good brand: When customers and employees trust a company to do the right thing, the business is more productive inside and out.

A “candid, courageous, and unsparing memoir” (The New York Review of Books) of post–Cold War politics and global statecraft Written with eloquence and unprecedented candor, Interventions is the story of Kofi Annan’s remarkable time at the center of the world stage. After forty years of service at the United Nations, Annan—who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001—shares his unique experiences during the terrorist attacks of September 11; the American invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan; the war between Israel, Hizbollah, and Lebanon; the brutal conflicts of Somalia, Rwanda, and Bosnia; and the geopolitical transformations following the end of the Cold War. A personal biography of global statecraft, Interventions is as much a memoir as a guide to world order—past, present, and future.

Now, "Inside Apple," Lashinsky expands on the attributes that last year made Apple the world's most valuable company. It's an entertaining account that explains how other companies could emulate Apple's success - while also making clear how difficult that task would be. By now Apple's approach to product development and marketing is well known. Lashinsky's chapter titles boil them down into succinct commands: "Embrace Secrecy." "Focus Obsessively." "Overwhelm Friends/Dominate Foes." All of which is easier said than done. Lashinsky credits Apple's outsize success largely to co-founder Steve Jobs, a noted micromanager whom he likens to "a domineering orchestra conductor.

While it is impossible to stop the passage of time, there are ways to prevent it from taking its toll on your appearance and your health—without resorting to injections and painful, expensive plastic surgery. The secret is in the foods you eat every day! The right diet can renew your energy; help you to maintain smooth, clear skin and a youthful glow; and actually add years to your life. This remarkable handbook will be your Fountain of Youth—providing meal plans, delicious recipes, and essential information that will enable you to turn back the clock and get a fresh and healthy new start on life! Your indispensable guide to looking and feeling younger

• An easy-to-use nutrition counter covering more than 3,000 foods, broken down by their anti-aging nutrients
• Mouth-watering recipes to revitalize the body and soul
• How to shop, how to eat, what to look for to achieve optimum health and maximize your quality of life in later years

And much more!

Not For Turning is the first volume of Charles Moore's authorized biography of Margaret Thatcher, the longest serving Prime Minister of the twentieth century and one of the most influential political figures of the postwar era. Charles Moore's biography of Margaret Thatcher, published after her death on 8 April 2013, immediately supersedes all earlier books written about her. At the moment when she becomes a historical figure, this book also makes her into a three dimensional one for the first time. It gives unparalleled insight into her early life and formation, especially through her extensive correspondence with her sister, which Moore is the first author to draw on. It recreates brilliantly the atmosphere of British politics as she was making her way, and takes her up to what was arguably the zenith of her power, victory in the Falklands. (This volume ends with the Falklands Dinner in Downing Street in November 1982.) Moore is clearly an admirer of his subject, but he does not shy away from criticising her or identifying weaknesses and mistakes where he feels it is justified. Based on unrestricted access to all Lady Thatcher's papers, unpublished interviews with her and all her major colleagues, this is the indispensable, fully rounded portrait of a towering figure of our times.

Join the world's hottest pop star on his rollercoaster ride to superstardom His debut album has already gone platinum. He's sung for the President of the United States. His screaming fans have stormed TV studios and shut down shopping malls. Justin Bieber is a global superstar and now, for the first time ever, he's going to tell all in his very own book.Justin's story is the stuff that every kid dreams of. Growing up an only child in Ontario, Canada, Justin had a natural talent for music; he was forever singing around the house and taught himself to play drums, guitar, piano and trumpet. He entered a local singing competition and despite not having had any vocal coaching, Justin came second aged only 12 years old.But it was when he posted homemade pop videos on YouTube that Justin's dreams really came true: the videos quickly became a word-of-mouth sensation, garnering an astonishing 10 million hits. Months later, Justin was spotted by top music manager Scooter Braun who later joined forces with superstar Usher to sign 13-year-old Justin to Island Def Jam. And the rest, as they say, is history.In his very first book, complete with free wall poster, Justin will tell the story of his amazing journey from small-town schoolboy to global superstar. Stunningly designed and jam packed full of exclusive unseen photos of Justin on and off stage, plus private captured moments, the awesome story of Justin's phenomenal rise to superstardom is a must-have for any true fan.