Title search results
Showing 121 - 140 of 3551 items
All in: An autobiography
By Billie Jean King. 2021
An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of the champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an…
ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice. In this spirited account, Billie Jean King details her life's journey to find her true self. She recounts her groundbreaking tennis career—six years as the top-ranked woman in the world, twenty Wimbledon championships, thirty-nine grand-slam titles, and her watershed defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous "Battle of the Sexes." She poignantly recalls the cultural backdrop of those years and the profound impact on her worldview from the women's movement, the assassinations and anti-war protests of the 1960s, the civil rights movement, and, eventually, the LGBTQ+ rights movement. She describes the myriad challenges she's hurdled—entrenched sexism, an eating disorder, near financial peril after being outed—on her path to publicly and unequivocally acknowledging her sexual identity at the age of fifty-one. And she talks about how her life today remains one of indefatigable service. She offers insights and advice on leadership, business, activism, sports, politics, marriage equality, parenting, sexuality, and love. She shows how living honestly and openly has had a transformative effect on her relationships and happiness. Hers is the story of a pathbreaking feminist, a world-class athlete, and an indomitable spirit whose impact has transcended even her spectacular achievements in sports. *Includes a downloadable PDF of Appendices from the bookBaggage: Tales from a fully packed life
By Alan Cumming. 2021
"An intimate look at the making of a man, an actor, an advocate—and most importantly—a happy human being. A wonderful…
book that is funny, honest, fearless, and generous in its vulnerability." — Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize-winning author of Shuggie Bain There is absolutely no logical reason why I am here. The life trajectory my nationality and class and circumstances portended for me was not even remotely close to the one I now navigate. But logic is a science and living is an art. The release I felt in writing my first memoir, Not My Father's Son, was matched only by how my speaking out empowered so many to engage with their own trauma. I was reminded of the power of my words and the absolute duty of authenticity. But... No one ever fully recovers from their past. There is no cure for it. You just learn to manage and prioritize it. I believe the second you feel you have triumphed or overcome something – an abuse, an injury to the body or the mind, an addiction, a character flaw, a habit, a person – you have merely decided to stop being vigilant and embraced denial as your modus operandi. And that is what this book is about, and for: to remind you not to buy in to the Hollywood ending. Ironically maybe, much of Baggage chronicles my life in Hollywood and how, since I recovered from a nervous breakdown at 28, work has repeatedly whisked me away from personal calamities to sets and stages around the world. It is also about marriage(s): starting with the break-up of my first (to a woman) and ending with the ascension to my second (to a man) with many kissed toads in between! But in everything, each failed relationship or encounter with a legend (Liza! X Men! Gore Vidal! Kubrick! Spice Girls!), in every bad decision or moment of sensual joy I have endeavored to show what I have learned and how I've become who I am today: a happy, flawed, vulnerable, fearless middle-aged man, with a lot of baggage. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobookOne LGBTQ family's inspiring, heartfelt story of the many alternative paths that lead to a loving family, with lessons for…
every parent Trystan and Biff had been dating for just a year when the couple learned that Biff's niece and nephew were about to be removed from their home by Child Protective Services. Immediately, Trystan and Biff took in one-year-old Hailey and three-year-old Lucas, becoming caregivers overnight to two tiny survivors of abuse and neglect. From this unexpected start, the young couple built a loving marriage and happy home-learning to parent on the job. They adopted Hailey and Lucas, tied the knot, and soon decided to try for a baby that Trystan, who is transgender, would carry. Trystan's groundbreaking pregnancy attracted media fanfare, and the family welcomed baby Leo in 2017. In this inspiring memoir, Trystan shares his unique story alongside universal lessons that will help all parents through the trials of raising children. How We Do Family is a refreshing new take on family life for the LGBTQ community and beyond. Through every tough moment and touching memory, Trystan shows that more important than getting things right is doing them with loveSissy: A coming-of-gender story
By Jacob Tobia. 2019
THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER "Transformative ... If Tobia aspires to the ranks of comic memoirists like David Sedaris and Mindy Kaling,…
Sissy succeeds." — The New York Times Book Review A heart-wrenching, eye-opening, and giggle-inducing memoir about what it's like to grow up not sure if you're (a) a boy, (b) a girl, (c) something in between, or (d) all of the above. "A beautiful book . . . honest and funny."—Trevor Noah, The Daily Show " Sensational ."—Tyler Oakley "Jacob Tobia is a force." — Good Morning America "A trans Nora Ephron . . . both honest and didactic." — OUT Magazine "A rallying cry for anyone who's ever felt like they don't belong." — Woman's Day As a young child in North Carolina, Jacob Tobia wasn't the wrong gender, they just had too much of the stuff. Barbies? Yes. Playing with bugs? Absolutely. Getting muddy? Please. Princess dresses? You betcha. Jacob wanted it all, but because they were "a boy," they were told they could only have the masculine half. Acting feminine labelled them "a sissy" and brought social isolation. It took Jacob years to discover that being "a sissy" isn't something to be ashamed of. It's a source of pride. Following Jacob through bullying and beauty contests, from Duke University to the United Nations to the podiums of the Methodist church—not to mention the parlors of the White House—this unforgettable memoir contains multitudes. A deeply personal story of trauma and healing, a powerful reflection on gender and self-acceptance, and a hilarious guidebook for wearing tacky clip-on earrings in today's world, Sissy guarantees you'll never think about gender—both other people's and your own—the same way againPunch me up to the gods: A memoir
By Brian Broome. 2021
The light streamed beneath it: A memoir of grief and celebration
By Shawn Hitchins. 2021
A Publishers Weekly Notable Book 49th Shelf Recommended Read A modern gay memoir exploring love, death, pain, and community that…
will resonate long after the last page. "This is an embodied story of love, loss, and recovery — raw, candid, and filled with a sense of awe at human resilience." — Shelf Awareness "A timely story so human, so beautiful, so bravely told with heart and humour." — Rosie O'Donnell A lifetime of finding punchlines in his heartache comes to a shuddering stop when comedian and writer Shawn Hitchins loses two great loves, five months apart, to sudden death. In this deeply poignant memoir that combines sober self-portrait with tender elegy, Hitchins explores the messiness of being alive: the longing and desire, scorching-earth anger, raw grief — and the pathway of healing he discovers when he lets his heart remain open. Never without an edge of self-awareness, The Light Streamed Beneath It invites the reader into Hitchins's world as he reckons with his past and stays painfully in the present. As he builds an embodied future, he confronts the stories that have shaped him, sets aside his ambition, and seeks connection in what he used to deflect with laughter — therapy, community and chosen family, movement, spirituality, and an awareness of death's ever-presence. A heartrending and hope-filled story of resilience in the wake of death, The Light Streamed Beneath It joyfully affirms that life is essentially good, as Hitchins weaves his tale full of tenacious spirit, humor, kindness, and grit through life's most unforgiving challengesThe man who ate too much: The life of james beard
By John Birdsall. 2021
In the first portrait of James Beard in twenty-five years, John Birdsall accomplishes what no prior telling of Beard's life…
and work has done: He looks beyond the public image of the "Dean of American Cookery" to give voice to the gourmet's complex, queer life and, in the process, illuminates the history of American food in the twentieth century. At a time when stuffy French restaurants and soulless Continental cuisine prevailed, Beard invented something strange and new: the notion of an American cuisine. Informed by previously overlooked correspondence, years of archival research, and a close reading of everything Beard wrote, this majestic biography traces the emergence of personality in American food while reckoning with the outwardly gregarious Beard's own need for love and connection, arguing that Beard turned an unapologetic pursuit of pleasure into a new model for food authors and experts. In stirring, novelistic detail, The Man Who Ate Too Much brings to life a towering figure, a man who still represents the best in eating and yet has never been fully understood-until now. This is biography of the highest order, a book about the rise of America's food written by the celebrated writer who fills in Beard's life with the color and meaning earlier generations were afraid to examineTrans figured: my journey from boy to girl to woman to man
By Brian Belovitch. 2018
Account of the author's life as a gender outlier and his many difficulties with gender identity. Discusses his initial coming…
out as a queer teenager, his transition to a transgender woman, and his eventual shift to identifying as a gay man. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2018Zen beyond mindfulness: using Buddhist and modern psychology for transformational practice
By Jules Shuzen Harris, Jules Harris. 2019
Psychotherapist and Zen teacher advocates committed meditation practices, a study of traditional Buddhist psychological models, and the use of "mind-body…
bridging" psychotherapeutic techniques to reconnect with Buddhist philosophical and ethical teachings and confront social and psychological issues. Provides guided meditation exercises. 2019Aging for beginners
By Ezra Bayda, Elizabeth Hamilton. 2018
Longtime meditation instructor addresses the difficulties in aging that exercise, social contact, and meaningful activities alone cannot address. Believing that…
learning to relate to these problems in a new way is both possible and meaningful, he examines anxiety, depression, grief, loss, loneliness, helplessness, and physical pain. 2018Real queer America: LGBT stories from red states
By Samantha Allen. 2019
A transgender reporter provides a peek at LGBT communities that exist in conservative-leaning states along the course of a cross-country…
road trip from Utah to Texas and on through the Bible Belt and the Deep South. Profiles drag shows, political rallies, hubs of queer life, and individuals working for change. Strong language. 2019Almost nothing: the 20th-century art and life of Józef Czapski
By Eric Karpeles. 2018
Biography of Polish painter Józef Czapski (1896-1993), best known for his work in the Kapist art movement and for being…
one of the few survivors of the Katyn massacre of 1940. Describes his early years and artistic influences, his experiences during World War II, and his lasting impact. Some violence. 2018Officer Clemmons: a memoir
By Dr Francois S. Clemmons, François Clemmons. 2020
Memoir of an actor who appeared on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, becoming the first African American to have a recurring role…
on a children's television show. He shares about his early life, his sexuality, his friendship with Fred Rogers, and his career on tv and as an operatic tenor. Some strong language. 2020A wild and precious life: a memoir
By Edie Windsor, Joshua Lyon. 2019
A memoir from the woman famous for successfully suing the United States government for federal recognition of her marriage to…
her partner of more than four decades. She recounts her childhood, her realization that she was a lesbian, her life in 1950s Greenwich Village, her work in computing, and her marriages. Some strong language. 2019The Dalai Lama: an extraordinary life
By Alexander Norman. 2020
Biography of the fourteenth Dalai Lama (born 1935). Discusses his early childhood and identification as the next incarnation of the…
Dalai Lama, Tibet's occupation by China, and years he has spent in exile. Examines the role he plays both as Tibet's spiritual leader and his worldwide political influence. 2020A Gay Man's Guide to Life: Get Real, Stand Tall, and Take Your Place
By Britt East. 2020
Many gay men find ourselves trapped in a series of no-win situations. If we don't live honestly and openly, we…
won't have the skills, wisdom, or relationships necessary to manifest our dreams. But when we do come out, we must confront the full force of societal homophobia, and consider a variety of questions: Can we create family without mimicking the norms of straight society? How do we cultivate sustainable gay friendships amidst our internalized homophobia? In a world of hook-up apps and disposable relationships, how do we find lasting love? A Gay Man's Guide to Life answers these questions. Britt East presents an approachable, no-nonsense path for gay men, to set down the excuses and get to the business of improving their lives. No new-age mumbo jumbo or wishy washy self-help jargon. Just real work focused on real results to unleash our true selves and unlock our best lives.Why Buddhism is true: the science and philosophy of meditation and enlightenment
By Robert Wright. 2017
The author of The Moral Animal (DB 41255), NonZero (DB 57895), and The Evolution of God (DB 69801) uses neuroscience…
and psychology research to examine the fundamental claim of Buddhist meditation, which is that one can learn to see the world and oneself more clearly and gain happiness. Bestseller. 2017At the broken places: a mother and trans son pick up the pieces
By Mary Collins, Donald Collins. 2017
Collaborative memoir of the transition process experienced by a parent and a transgender child. Discusses terms related to transition, communication…
challenges, family dynamics, coming out to loved ones and the outside community, grief, and more. Includes short essays from others and a reading list. Some strong language. 2017A None's story: searching for meaning inside Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, & Islam
By Corinna Nicolaou. 2016
Nicolaou, who was raised without a religious tradition, discusses her experiences exploring Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism in the Pacific…
Northwest, California, Texas, and Washington, D. C. Discusses the people she meets, what she learns about various sects, and what it means for her to continue to identify as a "none."2016Tibetan Buddhism: a very short introduction (Very Short Introductions)
By Matthew T. Kapstein. 2013
Professor of Buddhist studies examines the history, teachings, and practice of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition over the course of its…
thirteen centuries of development and worldwide dispersion. Looks at the life and times of the exiled Dalai Lama and the growth of his global prestige. 2014