This work includes the life story of two people in love, who faced insurmountable obstacles to that love. It also contains the life story of both so the reader can evaluate life choices that may be helpful to anyone faced with similar choices. Perhaps the reader may even avoid counterproductive choices anticipated and avoid a huge amount of heartache thereby. The inclusion of career changes, unfortunate or otherwise, may be entertaining as well as informative. This may not only be an entertaining read but a source of helpful information about the dreaded bipolar disorder.

This work includes the life story of two people in love, who faced insurmountable obstacles to that love. It also contains the life story of both so the reader can evaluate life choices that may be helpful to anyone faced with similar choices. Perhaps the reader may even avoid counterproductive choices anticipated and avoid a huge amount of heartache thereby. The inclusion of career changes, unfortunate or otherwise, may be entertaining as well as informative. This may not only be an entertaining read but a source of helpful information about the dreaded bipolar disorder.

This is the story of Condoleezza Rice that has never been told, not that of an ultra-accomplished world leader, but of a little girl--and a young woman--trying to find her place in a sometimes hostile world, of two exceptional parents, and an extended family and community that made all the difference. Condoleezza Rice has excelled as a diplomat, political scientist, and concert pianist. Her achievements run the gamut from helping to oversee the collapse of communism in Europe and the decline of the Soviet Union, to working to protect the country in the aftermath of 9-11, to becoming only the second woman--and the first black woman ever--to serve as Secretary of State. But until she was 25 she never learned to swim, because when she was a little girl in Birmingham, Alabama, Commissioner of Public Safety Bull Connor decided he'd rather shut down the city's pools than give black citizens access. Throughout the 1950's, Birmingham's black middle class largely succeeded in insulating their children from the most corrosive effects of racism, providing multiple support systems to ensure the next generation would live better than the last. But by 1963, Birmingham had become an environment where blacks were expected to keep their head down and do what they were told--or face violent consequences. That spring two bombs exploded in Rice’s neighborhood amid a series of chilling Klu Klux Klan attacks. Months later, four young girls lost their lives in a particularly vicious bombing. So how was Rice able to achieve what she ultimately did? Her father, John, a minister and educator, instilled a love of sports and politics. Her mother, a teacher, developed Condoleezza’s passion for piano and exposed her to the fine arts. From both, Rice learned the value of faith in the face of hardship and the importance of giving back to the community. Her parents’ fierce unwillingness to set limits propelled her to the venerable halls of Stanford University, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become the university’s second-in-command. An expert in Soviet and Eastern European Affairs, she played a leading role in U.S. policy as the Iron Curtain fell and the Soviet Union disintegrated. Less than a decade later, at the apex of the hotly contested 2000 presidential election, she received the exciting news--just shortly before her father’s death--that she would go on to the White House as the first female National Security Advisor. As comfortable describing lighthearted family moments as she is recalling the poignancy of her mother’s cancer battle and the heady challenge of going toe-to-toe with Soviet leaders, Rice holds nothing back in this remarkably candid telling.

Alice and Fidel Flores. One remarkable, everyday couple. One love. One story. Biography of an Everyday Couple takes the reader through a sentimental, motivational journey of inspiration, romance and happiness. This nonfiction story is a honest depiction of dealing with death and having the faith to know when it is time to let your loved one go. The reader experiences the lives of Alice and Fidel growing up in the small hometown of Floresville and the major metropolitan area of Houston, both in Texas. The romance tells a tale of love at first sight for the couple who met at an informal engagement party for Fidel. Yes, he was engaged to someone else! Like Alice and Fidel, there are so many people who believe they only lead ordinary, everyday lives and believe they don't really make a difference. They do. They are extraordinary people. They just may not realize it.

The longer WorldCom Chief Audit Executive Cynthia Cooper stares at the entries in front of her, the more sinister they seem. But the CFO is badgering her to delay her team's audit of the company's books and directing others to block Cooper's efforts. Still, something in the pit of her stomach tells her to keep digging. Cooper takes readers behind the scenes on a riveting, real-time journey as she and her team work at night and behind closed doors to expose the largest fraud in corporate history. Whom can they trust? Could she lose her job? Should she fear for her physical safety? In Extraordinary Circumstances, she recounts for the first time her journey from her close family upbringing in a small Mississippi town, to working motherhood and corporate success, to the pressures of becoming a whistleblower, to being named one of Time's 2002 Persons of the Year. She also provides a rare insider's glimpse into the spectacular rise and fall of WorldCom, a telecom titan, the darling of Wall Street, and a Cinderella story for Mississippi. With remarkable candor, Cooper discusses her struggle to overcome these challenges, and how she has found healing through sharing the lessons learned with the next generation. This book reminds us all that ethical decision-making is not forged at the crossroads of major events but starts in childhood, "decision by decision and brick by brick." At a time when corporate dishonesty is dominating public attention, Extraordinary Circumstances makes it clear that the tone set at the top is critical to fostering an ethical environment in the work-place. Provocative, moving, and intensely personal, Extraordinary Circumstances is a wake-up call to corporate leaders and an intimate glimpse at a scandal that shook the business world.

REEL LIFE - REAL LIFE is a video guide with a difference. Whether you are looking for a movie that will help you probe the mysteries of love & sex, appreciate the demands & rewards of striving for personal fulfillment or face the challenges of serious illness, you will find guidance in these pages. The four authors, life-long film buffs, have pooled their professional experience in social work, education, & journalism to prepare more than 700 penetrating reviews of feature films. Including classics of the early cinema & the latest video releases, these movies provide valuable insights into 17 major life issues & situations, from aging to substance abuse. Other chapters include Family, Marriage & Divorce, Homosexuality, Friendship, Coming of Age, Prejudice, Violence & Rape, Feisty Women, Single Life, Taking a Stand, Mental Illness & War. The authors also offer their personal selection of "popcorn" movies - movies that promise pure entertainment for those moments when everyone longs to be transported by laughter, fantasy or adventure. Call Mary Ann Horenstein at 800-900-REEL for information or send a check for $12.95 plus $2.50 mailing costs to Fourth Write Press, P.O. Box 156, Kendall Park, NJ 08824-0156. Quantity discounts available.

How safe is your marriage? The answer may surprise you. The biggest threat to any marriage isn’t infidelity or miscommunication. The greatest enemy is ordinary. Ordinary marriages lose hope. Ordinary marriages lack vision. Ordinary marriages give in to compromise. Ordinary is the belief that this is as good as it will ever get. And when we begin to settle for ordinary, it’s easy to move from “I do” to “I’m done.” Justin and Trisha Davis know just how dangerous ordinary can be. In this beautifully written book, Justin and Trisha take us inside the slow fade that occurred in their own marriage—each telling the story from their own perspective. Together, they reveal the mistakes they made, the work they avoided, the thoughts and feelings that led to an affair and near divorce, and finally, the heart-change that had to occur in both of them before they could experience the hope, healing, and restoration of a truly extraordinary marriage.