Punished for Purpose is a compelling true-life story of abuse, hardship and inspiration-the vivid tale of a beaten child turned prostitute and heroin addict who could only reconcile her tragic existence as punishment for sins committed in a past life. Close to the ultimate self destruction, she is guided by thirteen people, virtual angels, each of whom crosses her path at exactly the right moment to lead her back to the light. Far beyond coincidence, she can only view it as a sign that her life was meant to be, that she was returned from the darkness for a purpose: To rescue those left behind, to save as many of America's throwaway children as her time on earth will allow.

A daughter is forever. No matter how old she is, in your heart she'll always be that little girl full of imagination, dreams, and fantastic potential -- the one who captured your heart the day she came into your life... Bestselling poet Susan Polis Schutz and Grammy Award-winning songwriter Donna Fargo, along with many other authors, have contributed to this book some of the most eloquent words any daughter could ever receive. This is a beautiful, lasting way to convey your love for your daughter, your confidence in her, and your promise to always be there for her no matter where life takes her... "My day always becomes wonderful when I see your pretty face smiling so sweetly. There is such warmth and intelligence radiating from you. It seems that every day you grow smarter and more beautiful." - Susan Polis Schutz

A new translation by Sergio E. Serrano of this inspirational book containing sound advice on the art of living by the late historian, biographer, and philosopher, Andre Maurois. ?Our lives are works of art, expressions of inner beauty, conceived and created by our inner selves, tested by the circumstances and experiences of life, perfected and modified by the learning and growth resulting from these experiences. Few authors have expressed these timeless principles with more eloquence than Andr Maurois (1885-1967), one of the most celebrated and prolific French writers of the 20th century. An Art of Living was first published in France in 1939. It is divided into five sections: The Art of Thinking, The Art of Loving, The Art of Working, The Art of Leadership, and The Art of Growing Old. Each section contains very profound, timeless, wisdom about the most important aspects we face in life. Maurois was an erudite, an acclaimed scholar, a historian, and a deep observer of human nature and psyche. The real value of An Art of Living, is that the sentences are not merely a collection of words to convey a practical thought, but a communication to the spirit of the reader. Maurois speaks to the soul of the reader. The principles he conveys remain as valid and as useful in the 21st century as they were in the 20th. There is so much insight in this book! Maurois accurately predicts the ultimate failure of all social revolutions; the necessity of slow change in human customs and attitudes as a key to lasting changes; the technological development and implementation of robots in large assembly lines; the characteristics of a reasonable and effective government; the inner virtues to cultivate in order to successfully overcome the adversities of life; the qualities to seek in order to maintain stable, loving, relationships; the attributes to encourage as an effective manager; the essentials by which to plan a long and enjoyable retirement; and the principles behind an effective educational system. The book speaks to young and old alike. An Art of Living remained out of print for several decades. This new translation intends to resurrect this little treasure of a book for the English readers of today; it remains faithful to the original French edition and to the style of the author.

Every extra pound tells a story . . . At five four and 230 pounds, film critic Jami Bernard took the plunge into what she half-jokingly calls "the heart of darkness"- her innermost self, where, by confronting a past both funny and painful, she was able to let go of those pounds, one by one, week after week. At the end of this intensely personal, bitterly humorous journey, she had lost seventy-five of them. Jami chronicled her weight loss in the New York Daily News , where she was a film critic for thirteen years. This book goes behind the scenes to tell the unvarnished truth of what it's like to live large in a body-obsessed culture that takes no prisoners. Here is the reality of weight loss: a stock-market chart of crazy gains and losses, a crumb trail of doomed relationships, the terrors of pleasure, and the best pizza this side of Naples. With a sharp wit and the confident, easy style that makes her a nationally known critic and champion of women's issues, Jami candidly explores the secret world of fat people-their fears, bodies, clothing; their forbidden love affair with food; and what it's like to leave that all behind and emerge thin again on the other side. Moving, sometimes shocking, and always mordantly funny, The Incredible Shrinking Critic takes it all off-seventy-five pounds and counting.