Bad Motherfucker

A fascinating exploration and celebration of the life and work of the coolest man in Hollywood, Samuel L. Jackson—from his star-making turns in the films of Spike Lee and Quentin Tarantino to his ubiquitous roles in the Star Wars and Marvel franchises, not to mention the cult favorite Snakes on a Plane. Samuel L. Jackson’s embodiment of cool isn’t just inspirational—it’s important. Bad Motherfucker lays out how his attitude intersects with his identity as a Black man, why being cool matters in the modern world, and how Jackson can guide us through the current cultural moment in which everyone is losing their cool. Edwards details Jackson’s fascinating personal history, from stuttering bookworm to gunrunning revolutionary to freebasing addict to A-list movie star. Drawing on original reporting and interviews, the book explores not only the major events of Jackson’s life but also his obsessions: golf, kung fu movies, profanity. Bad Motherfucker features a delectable filmography of Jackson’s movies—140 and counting!—and also includes new movie posters for many of Jackson’s greatest roles, reimagined by dozens of gifted artists and designers. The book provides a must-read road map through the vast territory of his on-screen career and more: a vivid portrait of Samuel L. Jackson’s essential self, as well as practical instructions, by example, for how to live and work and be.

In our mothers’ day there were good mothers, indifferent mothers, and occasionally, great mothers. Today we have only Bad Mothers: If you work, you’re neglectful; if you stay home, you’re smothering. If you discipline, you’re buying them a spot on the shrink’s couch; if you let them run wild, they will be into drugs by seventh grade. Is it any wonder so many women refer to themselves at one time or another as a “bad mother”? Writing with remarkable candor, and dispensing much hilarious and helpful advice along the way—Is breast best? What should you do when your daughter dresses up as a “ho” for Halloween?—Ayelet Waldman says it's time for women to get over it and get on with it in this wry, unflinchingly honest, and always insightful memoir on modern motherhood.

The Trillium Award-winning autobiographical novel "La mauvaise mere" by Marguerite Andersen is now in English. Prolific author Marguerite Andersen traces the important moments of her life in this honest and harrowing examination of motherhood. She gives an unflinching account of her relationship with her three children and her years spent following her caprices and lovers, trying to regain the agency she lost when she became a mother. Born in Germany, Andersen was fifteen years old when World War II began. Just into her twenties, she became pregnant with her first son and moved to Tunisia with her French lover before the birth. They soon were married and it was not long before the relationship became abusive. Andersen fled, leaving her children behind. She confesses the large and small choices that she made -- the times she stayed and the times she didn't -- all the while asking herself, "What kind of mother am I?" The story is fuelled by emotion as Andersen revisits a period of her life that tortures her still today.

Funny, acutely observed, frighteningly honest and drawing on her own and hundreds of other mum's real experiences, Stephanie Calman serves up the perfect antidote to all those books that tell you that your children must be perfect, and to all those Stepford mums and kids out there who look as if they just might be: perfectly groomed, perfectly behaved and perfectly brilliant. The reality, as we all know, encompasses sleepless nights, no sex for years, baby sick on your best cashmere cardy, the terrible twos and then, just when you thought it was safe to go back in the sitting room, terrible teenagers whose only means of communication is the slamming door or the grunt.

" . . . a rare combination of inclusiveness and honesty. . . . cogent introduction[s] . . . confirm the central point of the tales: a search for cultural identity and freedom. First-rate." —Library Journal " . . . deserves a place alongside the classic collection of Negro tales, Mules and Men. Folktales are the stories people tell, and Shuckin' and Jivin' presents a splendid representative sheaf of the stories black Americans of all social classes tell today . . . . Professional folklorists will applaud Dance's candor and scholarly rigor." —Richard M. Dorson An exciting new collection of Black American folklore, running the gamut from anecdotes concerning life among the slaves to obviously contemporary jokes. In their frank expression of racial attitudes and unexpurgated wit, these tales represent a radical departure from earlier collections.

Pressurised by the media, scrutinised by their peers, frowned upon even by those closest to them, mothers today face relentless criticism and pressure. Breast or bottle? Work or stay at home? Routine or feeding-on-demand? The choices are infinite and at the heart of each question is the more controversial and divisive debate of what makes a good mother. Good Mother, Bad Mother is an illuminating, moving and thought-provoking study of this enigmatic question. Never before has the subject of motherhood been tackled with such unflinching honesty. Drawing on her experience of thousands of mothers, bestselling parenting author Gina Ford has turned her attention to the women charged with bringing up the next generation. She addresses the challenges of contemporary motherhood and fervently argues that these awe-inspiring women seldom receive the support, respect and admiration they deserve. And for the first time, in a candid, personal account, Gina interweaves stories from her own childhood, revealing how her relationship with her own mother has shaped the choices she has made. Any woman who has ever doubted her capabilities as a mother will find comfort and reassurance in the insights of the woman whose books have been justly described a 'godsend'.

BAD MOTHER RULE #1: NEVER, EVER, DO WHAT I DID! For seventeen-year-old Charlotte Cooper, it’s too late. Despite her best efforts to finish school, tune out her angry, slightly hysterical mother, and cope with her loving but dotty grandmother, she is unexpectedly (now that’s an understatement) pregnant. And don’t even mention the jerk who knocked her up. Charlotte’s mother, Karen, is trying to convince herself that there are worse things than becoming a grandmother at thirty-three. For instance, there’s wanting to kill Charlotte for the mess she’s made of her life. Between struggling to pay the bills and halfheartedly filling out questionnaires on Internet dating sites, Karen uncovers a scandalous family secret involving her own birth, and then falls back into bed with her sexy ex-husband. So much for perfect timing. In the meantime, Karen’s mother, Nan, is having a wee bit of trouble with names (sometimes her own). But that doesn’t keep her from retaining a few things she’d rather forget. Of course, Nan knows that everything will work out fine for Charlotte and the baby–these things usually do. Now, if only she could put the pieces of her own fragmented memory together, she might have an interesting tale or two to share. In this wickedly funny, disarmingly moving novel, three generations of mothers learn that it’s the simplest mistakes that can change your life forever. With wit and wisdom, Kate Long proves that there are as many kinds of mothers as there are daughters, but the love that binds them all is what truly matters.

God Is a Bad Mother…Plus 9 Other Things God Told Me You Should Know By Tereatha Allen Akbar Tereatha Allen Akbar is a mother, daughter, sister, wife, teacher, and a conduit for God’s voice in the real story of her life. Though she and her family have dealt with more than their fair share of obstacles, she deals with them all with grace, poise, and a healthy dose of humor. Throughout it all, she realizes that God never puts more in front of you than you can handle, especially if you’re not afraid to ask for help and know that He speaks your language.