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Posts Tagged ‘Nonfiction’

UNLIKELY PILGRIM News!

Friday, September 6th, 2019 Unlikely Pilgrim book cover

FEATURE: WHAT IS GAINED FROM AN UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE

As summer comes to a close, travelers are shaking sand out of their selfie-sticks, packing up their beach reads, and plastering self-satisfied smiles at their Instagram vacations. The thought to describe their vacations as “pilgrimages” is not likely to occur. In fact, a pilgrimage might seem like something from another era.

But that is the subject of Al Regnery’s latest book, “Unlikely Pilgrim.” Regnery is a long-time Washington, D.C. denizen more likely to be associated with publishing houses and exclusive dinners with national and international leaders than contemplative travel. Over the course of spending half a century in politics, he has written well-regarded books about the history of conservatism and is associated with presidents and diplomats.

But in his latest book, Regnery sets all that aside for more profound pursuits—reflection, the state of his soul, and, as he describes it, an opportunity for the “unruffled contemplation of God.”

Over 11 summers, Regnery takes several unique trips with his friend and traveling companion, Nick. Perhaps because of Nick’s training in theology, or merely in spite of it, their travels take on far deeper ramifications than simple sight-seeing tours.

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To learn more about Unlikely Pilgrim, click here.

BOTTOM-UP REVOLUTION News!

Tuesday, August 27th, 2019

FEATURE: MASTERING THE EMERGING WORLD OF CONNECTIVITY

Our civilization is a top-down hierarchical one, as are most large-scale ones in the past, i.e., one-to-the-many, ‘top-down’, explains Kall in an interview with Tom Hartmann. Kall’s book, The Bottom-Up Revolution: Mastering the Emerging World of Connectivity, is the distillation of his experience founding and running the website Opednews, which started as a personal blog, i.e., one-to-the-many, ‘bottom-bottom’, and morphed into a many-to-the-many, with the potential of bottom-top, as a volunteer-based collective.

Kall calls this ‘gayan’, as contributors and management are directly interconnected in a symbiotic, transparent relationship. Writers can ‘fan’ their favorite writers at Opednews and both comment, generating discussions of controversial topics, and contact other members directly.

I have been a member since 2008 and can attest that it is a unique site, allowing would-be writers to submit, learning the ropes and getting feedback to hone their skills. It struggles with the tension between being open to new ideas, but constrained by the existing zeitgeist. Writers are warned on submitting to ‘think twice’ about using red-flag words (scatology, Hitler, Zionist), and the editors can just not publish something. Publishing progressive material which is highly critical of the powers-that-be (including PCness) is not easy.

For more information about Rob Kall, click here.

For more information about THE BOTTOM-UP REVOLUTION, click here.

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A Walk for Sunshine

Jeff Alt takes you along every step of his 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail adventure filled with humorous, frightening, and inspirational stories including, bears, bugs, blisters, skunk bed mates, and hilarious food cravings. As Alt walked through freezing temperatures, driving rain, and sunny skies, he was constantly buoyed by the knowledge that his walk was dedicated to his brother who has cerebral palsy. Alt’s adventure inspired an annual fundraiser which has raised over $400,000 for the Sunshine Home where his brother lives. As you walk along with Alt, you experience the success of turning dreams into goals and achieving them. Alt shares his life lessons from the trail with a focus on family, stewardship of the earth, and good health.

About: Jeff Alt

Paperback: $15.95 (ISBN: 9780825307768)

E-book: $9.95 (ISBN: 9780825307058)

Travel

303 pages

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My Feet Aren’t Ugly: A Girl’s Guide to Loving Herself

Do you ever feel bad about yourself or have trouble being yourself while still fitting in? Do you have tough questions you are afraid to ask? In this funny, honest book, teen mentor Debra Beck provides personal stories, quizzes, journaling exercises, and thoughts from teens themselves to help you develop your self-confidence. Learn how to make healthy decisions in the face of peer pressure, have strong relationships with family and friends, and respect and love yourself for who you are. This revised and updated edition also has new chapters on bullying and internet safety.

About the Author: Debra Beck

Paperback: $12.95 (ISBN: 9780825306020)

Ebook: $12.95 (ISBN: 9780825306112)

YA Nonfiction/ Self-Help

Pages: 176

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Simple, Fresh & Healthy

At the end of the day, gather around the table for a simple, fresh, and healthy meal. That’s Linda Hafner’s no-fail formula for a thriving family. With her farm-fresh focus and divide-and-conquer strategy, it’s entirely do-able, even for those with the busiest schedules.

Linda has developed a repertoire of simple, delicious, and visually stunning recipes that celebrate local seasonal produce. She’s a master at cooking in easy increments, so that meals come together in a flash at the end of a busy day. In the time it takes to cook a pound of pasta, Linda can prepare her vibrant Pure Plum Tomato Sauce from scratch. Her signature After-Dinner Salad is much easier, and more nutritious than a prepackaged salad mix drenched in preservatives and processed salad dressing.

And, while fresh, healthy meals are Linda’s priority, she’s also famous for fabulous, indulgent desserts such as her Sublime Strawberry Trifle and Happy Birthday Chocolate Cake. With Linda, it’s all about finding the balance between nourishing the body and fueling the family spirit.

About: Linda Hafner

Paperback: $19.95 (ISBN: 9780825305573)

Cooking

192 pages

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Funny Business

Imagine getting career advice from Muhammad Ali; a lesson in stardom from Bill Clinton; watching Don Rickles embarrass one of your most important customers; being caught red-handed using the product of your client’s biggest competitor; lying to the president of the United States; firing your wife from your company; taking Lee Iacocca bowling at midnight; seeing your weekend with “another woman” advertised on a billboard.

The stories in Funny Business really happened. They come from Allen Rosenshine’s more than forty years at BBDO, one of the world’s foremost advertising agencies. And what a supporting cast-Jack Welch, George H.W. Bush, Michael Jackson, Joe DiMaggio, Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Lou Dobbs, Rudy Giuliani, Joe Louis, Henry Kissinger, Bob Newhart, Catfish Hunter, Thurman Munson, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Don King, Luciano Pavarotti, Tommy Lasorda, Lionel Richie, Duke Snider, and many other movers and shakers-a host of famous names (and a few aliases) in less than famous but truly funny scenarios.

The moguls-many of America’s most recognizable captains of industry-appear in scenes not customary in any corporate boardroom. The mobsters are characters far more funny than threatening. The megastars-from presidents to pop artists to pro athletes-are captured here as no camera has ever seen them. When these crowds mix with the madcap world of Madison Avenue, it is never business “as usual.”

And there’s the author himself, owning up to his own follies, foibles, and foul-ups-a comic counterpoint to his recognition as one of the most prominent people in advertising.

Funny Business is not just about business. It’s about all of us-the only creatures on earth who can laugh at ourselves.

About: Allen Rosenshine

Hardcover: $24.95 (ISBN: 9780825305399)

Business

296 pages

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Betty Shotton

Betty Shotton is committed to elevating the role of leaders in our society. To that end she is an avid speaker, author and advocate for leadership accountability and contribution. She motivates her audiences and her readers to reach beyond conventional measures of success with the goal of maximizing their unique capacity to contribute in meaningful ways to their organizations and to the lives of others.

Betty has over 35 years experience as a CEO, Entrepreneur, and Leadership Consultant.Today she is the CEO & Founder of LIFTOFF LEADERSHIP LLC and a Partner with Berkana Consulting Group. She has founded and led six companies in vacation rentals and aviation including one that went public(NYSE) and is known today as ResortQuest International, a part of Wyndham Worldwide. She developed and led two regional airlines, SouthEast Air and SeaAir in her commitment to commercial air service for the OuterBanks of North Carolina and served on the Board Directors of Cape Air .

Betty graduated in the first class of women at the University of Virginia and has an MBA from The College of William & Mary and Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. She holds a commercial pilot’s license and is ATP rated. She and her husband Chris Hyland live and work on Ocracoke Island and Black Mountain, North Carolina.

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