Read the New York Times bestselling memoir that is "revealing, humble, and cool-aunt chatty" about the incredible life that inspired the hit Broadway musical Beautiful . ( Rolling Stone ) Carole King takes us from her early beginnings in Brooklyn, to her remarkable success as one of the world's most acclaimed songwriting and performing talents of all time. A Natural Woman chronicles King's extraordinary life, drawing readers into her musical world, including her phenomenally successful #1 album Tapestry , and into her journey as a performer, mother, wife and present-day activist. Deeply personal, King's memoir offers readers a front-row seat to the woman behind the legend and includes dozens of photos from her childhood, her own family, and behind-the-scenes images from her performances.

In this highly entertaining and insightful memoir, one of television’s most respected broadcasters interweaves the story of his life and career with lively firsthand tales of some of the most thrilling events and fascinating figures in modern sports. No sportscaster has covered more major sporting events than Al Michaels. Over the course of his forty-plus year career, he has logged more hours on live network television than any other broadcaster in history, and is the only play-by-play commentator to have covered all four major sports championships: the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, and the Stanley Cup Final. He has also witnessed first-hand some of the most memorable events in modern sports, and in this highly personal and revealing account, brings them vividly to life. Michaels shares never-before-told stories from his early years and his rise to the top, covering some of the greatest moments of the past half century—from the “Miracle on Ice”—the historic 1980 Olympic hockey finals—to the earthquake that rocked the 1989 World Series. Some of the greatest names on and off the field are here—Michael Jordan, Bill Walton, Pete Rose, Bill Walsh, Peyton and Eli Manning, Brett Favre, John Madden, Howard Cosell, Cris Collinsworth, and many, many more. Forthright and down-to-earth, Michaels tells the truth as he sees it, giving readers unique insight into the high drama, the colorful players, and the heroes and occasional villains of an industry that has become a vital part of modern culture.

"Val embodies what it means to live the American dream." — Robin Roberts, Good Morning America Valentin Chmerkovskiy, the world championship-winning and beloved Dancing with the Stars ballroom dancer invites fans into his life as never before, sharing the experiences, including the failures and successes, that have shaped him, from his early childhood in Ukraine to growing up as an immigrant in the U.S. to his rise to international fame. Val has captivated viewers of Dancing with the Stars since his first performance in 2011. While DWTS demonstrates Val’s beautiful physicality, this moving memoir illuminates his soul, revealing a deep, thoughtful person who channels his emotions and socially conscious views through his art. The beloved dance champion and choreographer assesses his life and career so far—where he’s come from and where he hopes to go. For the first time, Val looks back at his childhood in Odessa, Ukraine, and his Jewish family’s immigration to the United States—including what it was like to grow up as a stranger desperate to fit into a different culture, how he worked to become a premiere dancer, and, of course, the collaborations and competitions with his brother and fellow DWTS sensation, Maksim "Maks" Chmerkovskiy. Val speaks warmly of his close-knit family and shares intimate and inspiring stories meant to offer hope and motivation not only to fans but to everyone with a dream. Enduring anti-Semitism in their native land, Val’s parents wanted a better life for their children—a desire that led them to leave everything they knew and start again thousands of miles away in a foreign country. It was a gamble that paid off—after years of practice and discipline, Val, along with his older brother Maks, have reached the pinnacle of success. Though he admits he sometimes still feels like an outsider, Val expresses his enduring gratitude for everything that America represents and pays homage to his adopted nation and the opportunities it has afforded him and his family. Inspiring, heartfelt, and compulsively readable—and showcasing sixteen-pages of never-before-seen photographs, as well as a foreword by brother Maks—Val’s memoir is filled with the moments that have moved and shaped him, and is sure to touch readers’ hearts as well.

Shockingly honest, richly detailed, and pulling no punches, Friends and Enemies traverses the highs and lows of Barbara Amiel's storied life in journalism and high society. From her early childhood in London during the Blitz to emigrating to North America and her rise to the top rungs of journalism; to her four husbands and other assorted beaus both famous and not; and right up to her marriage to Conrad Black and their prolific legal battles against the powerful and vengeful American justice system, Barbara Amiel's life has been as dramatic as it is glamorous. She has been called every conceivable name in the book by the media (and authors of unauthorized biographies about her), pilloried for her extravagant lifestyle and sometimes regrettable quotes to the press ("My extravagance knows no bounds," for instance, to Vogue ), not to mention her outspoken conservative political views as stated in her weekly newspaper columns around the world. It's no surprise she remains to this day a subject of utter fascination after over four decades in the public eye. But until now, very few people actually know her real story—the break-up of her family when she was a child, her bouts of debilitating depression and other chronic health issues, her thoughts on feminism and #MeToo, her travels with the international jet set and A-list celebrities, and, of course, her unvarnished views on the trial and conviction (since overturned) of Conrad Black and the iron-clad bond they have shared since they were married in 1992. Whether you are an admirer or critic of Amiel’s, you will be completely engrossed in her operatic life, one that seems ripped from the pages of a scandalous novel. She also distinguishes herself as a woman well ahead of her time—the first female editor of a national newspaper in Canada, she challenged the sexual mores of society while also angering the feminist establishment. She has certainly had many friends and enemies over the years—Henry and Nancy Kissinger, Elton John, Tom Stoppard, David Frost, Anna Wintour, Oscar de la Renta, Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana, Marie Jose Kravis, to name but a few—and she brings these personalties into the spotlight in this larger-than-life memoir that is sure to cause a sensation with readers everywhere.

KQED Radio's Michael Krasny is one of the country's leading interviewers of literary luminaries, a maestro for educated listeners who prefer their discourse high and civil. He is a writer's interviewer. But it didn't start out that way. In Off Mike , Krasny, host of one of public radio's most popular and intellectually compelling programs, talks of his strong desire to become a novelist in the footsteps of Bellow and Philip Roth, and then discovering his real talent as a communicator—a deft ability to draw others out as an interlocutor. In a mix of memoir and reportage, Krasny takes readers inside his world. He gives an account of the polarizing transformation of talk radio, from his early days at KGO commercial radio, through to his current role at NPR, where he manages to keep the flow of talk in his San Francisco based show animated and politically balanced. Forum fans and lovers of literature will be riveted by the insightful and amusing vignettes and behind the scenes accounts. They will get a taste of the sharp commentary from his encounters with panels of experts, and interviews with cultural and political personalities as well as writers.

"So Morey was the family megastar. I was the also-ran, even something of a clan pariah... I was convinced that at root I was worthless, and maybe crazy.""The Sheik and the Shadow: A Memoir of Brotherly Bond, Celebrity, and Madness" imparts the intertwined accounts of Bob's intense relationship with his older brother, Morey; his experience as a certified-insane patient in a then-world-renowned mental hospital (Chestnut Lodge, the setting of the book, movie, and play "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden"); and his brother's descent from extreme literary success and fame to a bizarre, reclusive end.In his mid-thirties, Morey capped his multi-millionaire business career with "The Search for Bridey Murphy," a book that sold over 6 million copies in 30 languages across 34 countries and became a movie starring an Academy Award winner. Meanwhile, Bob was labeled schizophrenic, and locked-up with a group of creatures from his most nightmarish snake-pit fantasies. Early readers have been alternately amazed, appalled, and beguiled by the account of his confinement in this macabre setting.

Through The Years: An Autobiography is a memoir written by Nathan S. Jonas, detailing his life from childhood to adulthood. The book offers a comprehensive account of Jonas' experiences, including his upbringing, education, career, and personal life. It covers his early years growing up in a small town, his academic pursuits, and his eventual rise to success in his chosen field. The book also delves into his personal relationships, including his marriage and family life. Throughout the book, Jonas reflects on the challenges he faced and the lessons he learned, offering readers a unique perspective on his life and the world around him. The book is a compelling read for anyone interested in personal memoirs and the journey of self-discovery.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Time in Africa: Flying and Fun from 1963 to 1983 covers 20 amazing years of David Price’s life as a pilot, working primarily in Africa. Although filled with personal adventures and humorous anecdotes, Time in Africa is much more than an autobiography. It is also an amazing glimpse of a time in aviation before computerized flight controls and when some older planes were still made of plywood and canvas. Having flown planes such as a DC3, Dove, Comet 4, Viscount, B737 and B707, the author shares stories of near disaster, having to make mechanical repairs and adjustments while flying—including once with a fire ax, and landing and taking off in the desert without a runway. Adding further interest to these stories is the setting: Libya, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Zambia, Guinea, and Nigeria in their early days of independence post colonization. A natural storyteller, David portrays what life was like in Africa—both for the privileged Whites and the native Blacks—along with providing insight into the politics and attitudes of the time. From starting an airplane with car batteries strapped to a baggage trolley to having to put out a charcoal fire started in the aisle of a plane to brew a cup of tea, it is clear that there were few dull moments during David’s time as a pilot in Africa. It is also evident that he enjoyed every minute there, as will his readers as he takes them back to an amazing place in an interesting time.