Collection: Biography & Memoir

Marsha Linehan tells the story of her journey from suicidal teenager to world-renowned developer of the life-saving behavioral therapy DBT, using her own struggle to develop life skills for others.

"This book is a victory on both sides of the page."--Gloria Steinem

"Are you one of us?" a patient once asked Marsha Linehan, the world-renowned psychologist who developed Dialectical Behavior Therapy. "Because if you were, it would give all of us so much hope."

Over the years, DBT had saved the lives of countless people fighting depression and suicidal thoughts, but Linehan had never revealed that her pioneering work was inspired by her own desperate struggles as a young woman. Only when she received this question did she finally decide to tell her story.

In this remarkable and inspiring memoir, Linehan describes how, when she was eighteen years old, she began an abrupt downward spiral from popular teenager to suicidal young woman. After several miserable years in a psychiatric institute, Linehan made a vow that if she could get out of emotional hell, she would try to find a way to help others get out of hell too, and to build a life worth living. She went on to put herself through night school and college, living at a YWCA and often scraping together spare change to buy food. She went on to get her PhD in psychology, specializing in behavior therapy. In the 1980s, she achieved a breakthrough when she developed Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, a therapeutic approach that combines acceptance of the self and ways to change. Linehan included mindfulness as a key component in therapy treatment, along with original and specific life-skill techniques. She says, "You can't think yourself into new ways of acting; you can only act yourself into new ways of thinking."

Throughout her extraordinary scientific career, Marsha Linehan remained a woman of deep spirituality. Her powerful and moving story is one of faith and perseverance. Linehan shows, in Building a Life Worth Living, how the principles of DBT really work--and how, using her life skills and techniques, people can build lives worth living.

The author of the runaway hit Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies shares honest and practical lessons for healing your past and owning your future so you can radiate strength, bravery, and joy when life gets dark.

"A revealing and powerful book that lit me up from the inside out."--GLENNON DOYLE, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Untamed

Tara Schuster thought she was on stable ground. For years, she'd worked like hell to repair the emotional wounds inflicted during what she refers to as her "mess-wreck disaster" of a childhood. She'd brought radical healing rituals and self-love into her life. On most days, she was a happy, stable adult. She even wrote a book about it!

But then she lost her job, the one on which she had staked her entire identity. Cue a panic-attack-doom-spiral that brought her harshest childhood traumas to the surface. Isolated at home during a global pandemic, she felt piercing loneliness and a lack of purpose like she had never known. Finally, after experiencing a terrifying dissociative episode while driving down the highway, she realized that enough was enough; she needed to slow down and pull over--literally. It was time for Tara to stop the hustling and to reclaim her essential, free, and loving self.

Glow in the F*cking Dark is a guide to healing your deepest wounds, getting off your "good enough" plateau, and creating the spectacular life that you most desire. Tara clawed her way out of the darkness and recovered her shine, and in this book, she shows how to

- recognize trauma reactions and choose new ways to respond
- find what's really under your anxiety
- repair your relationship with your body
- find solace and purpose in something bigger than yourself

Full of practical, achievable baby steps that we can take today, this book is for anyone ready to liberate themselves from their emotional suffering, discover their purpose, and finally sit in the driver's seat of their life. It's for anyone who is tired, hurting, and feeling like their essential brightness has dimmed. It's for people who are ready to glow, even when sh*t gets grim.

In this compelling memoir, Jerad Romo reflects on a life shaped by hard work, determination, and unexpected twists. From his early days mowing lawns and toiling in carrot fields, to the pinnacle of high school sports triumphs, the journey took a sharp turn when coveted scholarships eluded the athlete. Undeterred, he navigated the challenges of college sports, facing setbacks and ultimately finding success at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. The narrative weaves through personal and professional milestones, from a chance encounter with Carl Sewell Jr. to a lasting bond with football legend Roger Staubach. Now a devoted family man with sixteen years at Sewell Automotive Companies, he imparts the invaluable lessons of faith, generosity, and perseverance. Through highs and lows, Rise Above is a testament to the resilience that fuels the pursuit of greatness-a journey that will resonate with readers, inspiring them to embrace life's lessons with unwavering determination.

Learn about the exciting record-breaking career of home run hero Aaron Judge in the Who HQ Now format featuring newsmakers and trending topics.

Since making his Major League Baseball debut in 2016, Aaron Judge has taken the world of baseball by storm. He has won Home Run Derby competitions and has been named an All-Star. In 2022, he broke the American League record for most home runs in a season when he hit 62 homers. Young readers will learn about how Aaron became the star he is today after excelling in college baseball at Fresno State University and growing up playing football, basketball, and baseball. Get to know more about #99 on the New York Yankees in this nonfiction title perfect for baseball fanatics and young athletes.

James Herriot's timeless, heartwarming, and perceptive stories about animals and people have charmed millions of readers around the world, and millions more have watched the popular PBS series All Creatures Great and Small, which is based on his four books. The Wonderful World of James Herriot excerpts the best of his stories to shape the larger tale of his life, his family, and his world, illustrated with evocative drawings and family photographs, including a special introduction written by his two children Rosie Page and Jim Wight.

With astute observations and boundless humor, Herriot captures the spirit of the Yorkshire Dales and of rural communities on the cusp of change, before tractors and machines had taken over and modern medicines and antibiotics transformed veterinary work. Herriot's unforgettable portraits of farm animals and the people he served as a country veterinarian are moving, dramatic, warm, touching, and profound. This beautiful book is the perfect gift for Herriot readers of all ages.

By the author of the acclaimed bestsellers Benjamin Franklin and Steve Jobs, this is the definitive biography of Albert Einstein.

How did his mind work? What made him a genius? Isaacson's biography shows how his scientific imagin

A New York Times bestseller!

National Book Award finalist Sy Montgomery reflects on the personalities and quirks of 13 animals--her friends--who have profoundly affected her in this stunning, poetic, and life-affirming memoir featuring illustrations by Rebecca Green.

Understanding someone who belongs to another species can be transformative. No one knows this better than author, naturalist, and adventurer Sy Montgomery. To research her books, Sy has traveled the world and encountered some of the planet's rarest and most beautiful animals. From tarantulas to tigers, Sy's life continually intersects with and is informed by the creatures she meets.

This restorative memoir reflects on the personalities and quirks of thirteen animals--Sy's friends--and the truths revealed by their grace. It also explores vast themes: the otherness and sameness of people and animals; the various ways we learn to love and become empathetic; how we find our passion; how we create our families; coping with loss and despair; gratitude; forgiveness; and most of all, how to be a good creature in the world.

Perfect gift for the holiday season.Engaging back matter showcases personal black-and-white photos of Sy and the animals she so lovingly depicts.Don't miss Sy Montgomery's other books including Of Time and Turtles, The Soul of an Octopus, and The Hawk's Way.

Learn about the record-breaking gymnastics career and inspiring life of Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles in this book from the New York Times Best-Selling Who HQ series.

In 2021, Simone Biles shocked the world when she pulled out of the Tokyo Olympic Games after experiencing the "twisties" -- a scary feeling during which gymnasts lose control of their bodies while mid-air. Audiences had expected Simone to dominate these games. With seven Olympic medals, twenty-five World Championships medals, and four gymnastic skills named after her, she is considered to be the G.O.A.T. of women's gymnastics. That summer, however, Simone became more than just a legendary athlete. She became an advocate for mental health and protecting yourself even when the world is watching.

This spine-tingling collection of spooky stories features over 20 eerie tales from across the globe. Discover bewitching retellings of ghost- and monster-filled myths regaled with ghoulish relish and journey continent-by-continent through this haunting book. With shocks and twists like you wouldn't believe - are you brave enough to read them all?

Packed with mind-boggling mysteries, real unexplained enigmas and traditional stories that are sure to send shivers down your spine, Spooky Stories of the World is the ultimate feast for Halloween-loving kids and readers in search of a fright. Meet vampires, werewolves and fearsome monsters that hide in the shadows in this one-of-a-kind round-the-world collection of hair-raising tales.

Inside Spooky Stories of the World:

- More than 20 fang-tastic stories from around the world featuring both traditional tales and unexplained mysteries from modern times
- Arranged continent by continent with spooky illustrations, original artwork and additional creepy characters for readers to look out for on their travels
- Chilling tales include: The Vampire Skeleton (Canada and USA), The Luz Mala (Argentina), The Basilisk of Vilnius (Lithuania), The Bite of the Queen Rat (UK), The Fox Sister (South Korea), The Ghost on Pinjarra Bridge (Australia), The Devouring Gourd (East Africa)

Spooky Stories of the World is the much-anticipated follow-up to Myths and Legends of the World. Written by British-Guyanese author and professional storyteller Wendy Shearer, and beautifully illustrated by Teo Georgiey, this is the perfect book for curious kids in search of a creepy kick to their reading list and is probably best read with the lights left on...

About Lonely Planet Kids: Lonely Planet Kids - an imprint of the world's leading travel authority Lonely Planet - published its first book in 2011. Over the past 45 years, Lonely Planet has grown a dedicated global community of travelers, many of whom are now sharing a passion for exploration with their children. Lonely Planet Kids educates and encourages young readers at home and in school to learn about the world with engaging books on culture, sociology, geography, nature, history, space and more. We want to inspire the next generation of global citizens and help kids and their parents to approach life in a way that makes every day an adventure. Come explore!

The definitive biography of the creator of 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, and A Clockwork Orange, presenting the most in-depth portrait yet of the groundbreaking film-maker.

The enigmatic and elusive filmmaker Stanley Kubrick has not been treated to a full-length biography in over twenty years.

Stanley Kubrick: An Odyssey fills that gap. This definitive book is based on access to the latest research, especially Kubrick's archive at the University of the Arts, London, as well as other private papers plus new interviews with family members and those who worked with him. It offers comprehensive and in-depth coverage of Kubrick's personal, private, public, and working life. Stanley Kubrick: An Odyssey investigates not only the making of Kubrick's films, but also about those he wanted (but failed) to make like Burning Secret, Napoleon, Aryan Papers, and A.I.

Revealingly, this immersive biography will puncture the controversial myths about the reclusive filmmaker who created some of the most important works of art of the twentieth century

Help your little one dream big with a Little Golden Book biography about Queen Elizabeth II! The perfect introduction to nonfiction for young readers--as well as fans of all ages!

This Little Golden Book about Queen Elizabeth II who sat on the throne for more than 70 years and was the longest ruling monarch of the United Kingdom is an inspiring read-aloud for young girls and boys.

Look for more Little Golden Book biographies:
- Misty Copeland
- Frida Kahlo
- Iris Apfel
- Bob Ross
- Harriet Tubman

WINNER OF THE 2022 NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE

Shortlisted for the 2019 Man Booker International Prize

Considered by many to be the iconic French memoirist's defining work and a breakout bestseller when published in France in 2008

The Years is a personal narrative of the period 1941 to 2006 told through the lens of memory, impressions past and present--even projections into the future--photos, books, songs, radio, television and decades of advertising, headlines, contrasted with intimate conflicts and writing notes from 6 decades of diaries.

Local dialect, words of the times, slogans, brands and names for the ever-proliferating objects, are given voice here. The voice we recognize as the author's continually dissolves and re-emerges. Ernaux makes the passage of time palpable. Time itself, inexorable, narrates its own course, consigning all other narrators to anonymity. A new kind of autobiography emerges, at once subjective and impersonal, private and collective.

On its 2008 publication in France, The Years came as a surprise. Though Ernaux had for years been hailed as a beloved, bestselling and award-winning author, The Years was in many ways a departure: both an intimate memoir "written" by entire generations, and a story of generations telling a very personal story. Like the generation before hers, the narrator eschews the "I" for the "we" (or "they", or "one") as if collective life were inextricably intertwined with a private life that in her parents' generation ceased to exist. She writes of her parents' generation (and could be writing of her own book): "From a common fund of hunger and fear, everything was told in the "we" and impersonal pronouns."

Co-winner of the 2018 French-American Foundation Translation Prize in Nonfiction
Winner of the 2017 Marguerite Yourcenar Prize for her entire body of work
Winner of the 2016 Strega European Prize

The first full-length biography of civil rights hero and congressman John Lewis

"The perfect book, at the right time."--Michael Henry Adams, The Guardian

For six decades John Robert Lewis (1940-2020) was a towering figure in the U.S. struggle for civil rights. As an activist and progressive congressman, he was renowned for his unshakable integrity, indomitable courage, and determination to get into "good trouble."

In this first book-length biography of Lewis, Raymond Arsenault traces Lewis's upbringing in rural Alabama, his activism as a Freedom Rider and leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, his championing of voting rights and anti-poverty initiatives, and his decades of service as the "conscience of Congress."

Both in the streets and in Congress, Lewis promoted a philosophy of nonviolence to bring about change. He helped the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders plan the 1963 March on Washington, where he spoke at the Lincoln Memorial. Lewis's activism led to repeated arrests and beatings, most notably when he suffered a skull fracture in Selma, Alabama, during the 1965 police attack later known as Bloody Sunday. He was instrumental in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and in Congress he advocated for racial and economic justice, immigration reform, LGBTQ rights, and national health care.

Arsenault recounts Lewis's lifetime of work toward one overarching goal: realizing the "beloved community," an ideal society based in equity and inclusion. Lewis never wavered in this pursuit, and even in death his influence endures, inspiring mobilization and resistance in the fight for social justice.

"Hot and Bothered removes the shame, disdain, and mystery that's surrounded menopause....An informative, entertaining and desperately needed book." --Jen Sincero, author of You Are a Badass

When Jancee Dunn hit her mid-forties, she was bombarded by seemingly random symptoms: rampant insomnia, spring-loaded nerves, weirdly dry mouth, and Rio Grande-level periods. After going to multiple doctors who ran test after fruitless test, she was surprised to finally discover the culprit--perimenopause. For more than two decades, Jancee had been reporting on mental and physical health. So if she was unprepared for this, what about all the women who don't write about health for a living?

Hot and Bothered is the book she wishes existed as she was scrambling for information: an empowering, research-based guide on how women can tackle this new stage of life. Menopause isn't a disease, but a natural, normal life transition. Why, then, are we still speaking in whispers about something that affects half the earth's population?

Through in-depth interviews with renowned menopause experts and trusted authorities, Dunn peels back the layers on this still-mystifying topic with her trademark humor and unpacks the science on both hormonal and nonhormonal treatments. She provides actionable ways to improve sleep, sex, moods, mental clarity, and skin; details the latest treatments for hot flashes; and explores the best practices to stop "peezing" (that would be peeing when you sneeze, thanks to your new urinary issues). Dunn's clear, easy-to-follow advice will help you reclaim yourself--and fully embrace life's next chapter.

A giftable collection of essays from celebrity contributors celebrating the great work of teachers or a teacher they admire, curated by ABC News journalist Deborah Roberts. Contributors include Oprah Winfrey, Jenna Bush Hager, Robin Roberts, Brooke Shields, Octavia Spencer, Rachael Ray, Misty Copeland, and more.

Everyone can name a teacher who had an impact on their life. Educators not only open our minds to new ideas, but they also help us recognize our potential and our passions. However, rarely do they get credit for the life-changing work they do, and often teachers have no idea how their work can influence a student all the way into adulthood.

In Lessons Learned and Cherished: The Teacher Who Changed My Life, award-winning ABC News journalist Deborah Roberts curates a collection of essays and musings from celebrity friends and colleagues alike that share how teachers changed them, imparted life lessons, and helped them get to where they are today.

The author has made a donation to DonorsChoose (DonorsChoose.org), a non-profit that encourages people to empower public school teachers by funding their classroom resources.

From the moment European settlers reached these shores, the American apocalypse began. But Native Americans did not vanish. Apocalypse did not fully destroy them, and it doesn't have to destroy us.

Pandemics and war, social turmoil and corrupt governments, natural disasters and environmental collapse--it's hard not to watch the signs of the times and feel afraid. But we can journey through that fear to find hope. With the warnings of a prophet and the lively voice of a storyteller, Choctaw elder and author of Ladder to the Light Steven Charleston speaks to all who sense apocalyptic dread rising around and within.

You'd be hard pressed to find an apocalypse more total than the one Native America has confronted for more than four hundred years. Yet Charleston's ancestors are a case study in the liberating and hopeful survival of a spiritual community. How did Indigenous communities achieve the miracle of their own survival and live to tell the tale? What strategies did America's Indigenous people rely on that may help us to endure an apocalypse--or perhaps even prevent one from happening?

Charleston points to four Indigenous prophets who helped their people learn strategies for surviving catastrophe: Ganiodaiio of the Seneca, Tenskwatawa of the Shawnee, Smohalla of the Wanapams, and Wovoka of the Paiute. Through gestures such as turning the culture upside down, finding a fixed place on which to stand, listening to what the earth is saying, and dancing a ghostly vision into being, these prophets helped their people survive. Charleston looks, too, at the Hopi people of the American Southwest, whose sacred stories tell them they were created for a purpose. These ancestors' words reach across centuries to help us live through apocalypse today with courage and dignity.