A unique anthology of 10 individuals who influenced, or were influenced by the University of Notre Dame make up the new, inspirational book, "The Pluck of the Irish: 10 Notre Dame sports figures who made a difference."But it is not just about athletes. As noted in the second Foreward by former Los Angeles Times sports editor Bill Dwyre:"Some of them are famous athletes - a quarterback who broke records, a running back who was a Vietnam war hero, a basketball star who pioneered race relations. There's a story about a hall-of-fame coach, a swimmer whose accident almost left her paralyzed, a broadcaster who wasn't good enough to play sports, but excels at describing them. There are stories about Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, who explained what happened on the playing field and also why."But the first profile "is the story of a priest who made sure that everyone at Notre Dame was a good person as well as a good athlete, coach, or teacher; a leader, who made a difference at his university, and all over the world." That would be the Father Theodore Hesburgh, who served as the president at Notre Dame over a period of extraordinary change for 35 years from 1952-87.Written by Notre Dame alum Jim Hayden, it's a fun read for anyone who wants to understand the impact that an institution like Notre Dame can have, and how students, staff and administrators can have a profound impact on the university they attend.Muffet McGraw, the coach of Notre Dame's 2018 NCAA women's basketball championship team, details her journey as a high school point guard from Pottsville, Pennsylvania to being in charge of teaching inning basketball to young women.And how the son of a railroad boilermaker returned to Notre Dame after World War II because it "was a place where good thing happen to you." Johnny Lujack became the Heisman Trophy winner and a four-sport letterman.It finishes with a dozen facts and anecdotes about Notre Dame, including who wrote the "greatest of all fight songs," the Notre Dame Victory March.

David Monagan has always dreamed of relocating to Ireland, the land of his forebears. With humour and candour, he describes the pleasures and pitfalls, challenges and frustrations of moving a feisty family to a foreign land. Jaywalking with the Irish isan honest, penetrating and often hilarious portrait of a contemporary Ireland that is so often portrayed through the wistful lens of cliches that no longer apply. Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

Heartwarming and hilarious stories and advice from Ireland's most famous matchmaker. In his long career as a matchmaker, Willie Daly has helped hundreds of couples find happiness. With his unique blend of intuition, quiet wisdom and a small drop of cunning, Willie reveals the secret to finding true love, and shares the story of a life spent bringing people together in love and marriage. For centuries, Irish matchmakers have performed the vital service of bringing people together. It is a mysterious art, and the very best matchmakers have an almost magical quality to them. Willie Daly, whose father and grandfather were matchmakers before him, is the most famous of them all. The path to love can be heart-warming, hilarious, sometimes hair-raising—and Willie is the perfect guide. For those still looking for romance, he also has some hard-earned, practical advice. Rich with characters, humor, drama and—of course—Guinness, Willie Daly regales us with some of his funniest and most touching matchmaking stories.

Are you a thinker, a doer, or a lover? In Three Irish Saints: A Guide to Finding Your Spiritual Style, Dr. Kevin Vost mines ancient and modern sources to reveal what Saints Kevin of Glendalough, Patrick of Ireland, and Brigid of Kildare can teach us about the joys of contemplation, evangelization, and charitable living. Thinking, doing, and loving! Included is a a simple self-test to find out which spiritual master you are most like. Would you rather: plop down in your easy chair and enjoy a good book? Celebrate life and the company of others? Engage in long conversations with your close friends? Vost examines the lives of these three great saints, unearthing the gifts and virtues that made one a thinker, one a doer, and one a lover. So which one are you? Read the book. Take the test. And find out.

Northern IlliNOISE Tales of a Territory Theres noise. And then, theres Northern IlliNOISE the sounds of which are unlike anything else that youll encounter. Anywhere. Take Dave Wischnowskys word for that. Because, from August 2002 to July 2005, the author of the popular Wisch List column for The Daily Times a newspaper located in the picturesque town of Ottawa in the heart of North Central Illinois did nothing but listen to those sounds. And then wrote about every dang story he heard. In Northern IlliNOISE: Tales of a Territory, follow Wischnowsky as he chronicled life and the people who live it in and around La Salle County in north central Illinois. Featured in "Northern IlliNOISE" are 75 of the versatile Wischnowskys award-winning "Wisch List" columns, which cover any and every topic under the sun. From the inspirational to the silly, from the hapless Chicago Cubs to the University of Illinois rollicking basketball program, to the rich history and geography of Northern Illinois, it can all be found along with much, much more in "Northern IlliNOISE." Included among the books scads of terrific tales is the powerful legend of former Ottawa Township High School student Mark Wiebe, a young man diagnosed shortly after birth with the debilitating disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which left him for the most part paralyzed and his body weighing only 40 pounds. In spite of his limitations, however, nothing could keep the wheelchair-bound, but utterly-irrepressible Mark and his beloved marbles from carrying more weight in the hearts of others than an entire army of able-bodied men. Marks amazing spirit and story touched thousands both before and after his death at the age of 17 in June 2003. Through "Northern IlliNOISE," youre also invited to follow Wischnowsky, a former award-winning sports writer, as he followed his beloved Chicago Cubs on a wild, wacky, funny and (big surprise) ultimately fruitless cross-country journey through the 2003 and 04 Major League Baseball seasons. From Chicago to Miami to Atlanta to Milwaukee to Denver ... to Despair, Wischnowsky was there for the Cubs entire comitragic playoff run of 2003. And then back again for their high hopes and, of course, ultimate heartbreak during the wild summer of 2004. In addition to Wischnowskys array of "Wisch List" columns, "Northern IlliNOISE" also includes the remarkable tale of "Pilgrim George," a man with a gray, waistlong beard, denim robe and wooden staff who, for the past 34 years, has been walking the earth on a neverending pilgrimage in the name of Jesus Christ. An astounding story of faith, determination and courage, Pilgrim George who has no job, no money, no family and no home relies on the goodwill of others and the grace of God each day as he fulfills the calling he said he received from the Lord more than three decades ago. The 29-year-old Wischnowsky is the winner of a total of 18 editorial awards from 2001-05, including six first-places and one Top 10 National. Through his "Wisch List" columns and now through "Northern IlliNOISE" Wischnowsky has touched lives, moved hearts, and tickled funny bones with a style and passion for writing unlike anything youll find elsewhere. So, cmon ... feel the NOISE.