Lessons From My Grandfather

You are never too young or too old to make your dreams come true. Lessons From My Grandfather shows how you can achieve success and fulfillment in life by following 15 timeless principles handed down by the Marc Demetriou's grandfather, Haralambos Georgiou Pistis, -or just "Charlie."

‘You empower yourself and then you reach out to others.’ Uplifting life lessons from one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known... through the eyes of the grandson whose life he changed forever. In his book Going to the Mountain, Ndaba Mandela shares the story of his coming-of-age alongside South Africa’s rebirth. It is a remarkable journey, and one that took him from the violent, segregated Soweto ghettos to his grandfather’s presidential home. As a young boy, Ndaba was constantly shunted from place to place. But at eleven years old he was unexpectedly invited to live with his grandfather, Nelson Mandela, even though he had met him only once before, during a prison visit. And, slowly, they built a relationship that would affect both of them profoundly. Ndaba's teenage years were complicated, but as he approached his twenty-first birthday, Mandela decided that Ndaba was finally ready to ‘go to the mountain’ – a test of courage during which you become a man. At the end of this gruelling ritual journey, the elders of the Mandelas’ tribe gathered and Ndaba’s grandfather was there, as ever, to share his greatest life lessons. From Nelson Mandela, Ndaba learned the spirit of endurance, the triumph of forgiveness, the power of resistance and the beauty of reconciliation. And as Mandela grew older, Ndaba had the chance to repay his grandfather’s love and support by demonstrating the ways in which he’d understood all that he had taught him. Intimate and inspirational, Going to the Mountain is a powerful reminder of how one person can impact profoundly on another, and a testament to the awesome power within us to change ourselves and our world.

In My Grandfather's Blessings, Rachel Naomi Remen, a cancer physician and master storyteller, uses her luminous stories to remind us of the power of our kindness and the joy of being alive. Dr. Remen's grandfather, an orthodox rabbi and scholar of the Kabbalah, saw life as a web of connection and knew that everyone belonged to him, and that he belonged to everyone. He taught her that blessing one another is what fills our emptiness, heals our loneliness, and connects us more deeply to life. Life has given us many more blessings than we have allowed ourselves to receive. My Grandfather's Blessings is about how we can recognize and receive our blessings and bless the life in others. Serving others heals us. Through our service we will discover our own wholeness—and the way to restore hidden wholeness in the world.

Recipes for young chefs:“Any novice cook, not just a teenager, has much to gain as Mr. Pépin describes cooking with his 13-year-old granddaughter.”—Florence Fabricant, The New York Times The James Beard Award-winning grand master has a new apprentice in the kitchen: his granddaughter. Jacques Pépin is one of the nation’s most famous cooking teachers, renowned for his knife skills. Ever since she was very young, his granddaughter, Shorey, has loved helping him in the kitchen. Now, Jacques gives his charismatic pupil a short course on preparing food that is plain, but elegant, and more than anything, fun. In the process, he proves himself as inspiring to her as he is to the country’s greatest chefs. Curly hot dogs, spinach with croutons, sushi salmon cakes, skillet bread and homemade butter, raspberry cake: These recipes will become irresistible new classics for kids. Along the way, Jacques imparts lessons in kitchen etiquette, from how to set a table to how to fold a napkin properly—even how to load a dishwasher. And perhaps the most important lesson of all: that the best meals are the ones shared at home with family. “[The recipes are] perfect for parents who want to jump-start their child’s gastronomic education.”—Library Journal

Captured in the Battle of the Bulge, Jesse Cozean’s grandfather spent 103 days as a prisoner of the German Army, losing sixty pounds and several friends to the bitter cold and starvation fare of a Nazi prison camp. After being liberated by the tanks of General Patton, he rejoined his wife, resumed his work as a carpenter, and raised a family without ever mentioning what he endured. Nearly fifty years later, Robert Cozean suddenly began talking about his wartime experiences; he would travel to ex-POW conventions, look through old books—and he found a receptive audience in his oldest grandson. As Jesse began interviewing him about his time as a POW, Robert underwent his second round of heart surgery in ten years. While recovering, he lived with Jesse, his “first sergeant,” as he called him,who oversaw his grandfather’s medical care. Along the way, their relationship changed from that of a kid and his Papa to two men seeing each other for the first time. Part war story, part biography, part memoir, and intensely moving throughout, My Grandfather’s War is a treasure for all generations.

The grandson of Mahatma Gandhi shares ten vital and extraordinary life lessons imparted by the iconic philosopher and peace advocate, sharing Gandhi's particular insights into how emotions like anger can be guiltless motivational tools if properly used for good purposes.

Self help business and personal success book

Provocative, inspiring, and unflinchingly honest, My Grandfather's Son is the story of one of America's most remarkable and controversial leaders, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, told in his own words. Thomas speaks out, revealing the pieces of his life he holds dear, detailing the suffering and injustices he has overcome, including the polarizing Senate hearing involving a former aide, Anita Hill, and the depression and despair it created in his own life and the lives of those closest to him. In this candid and deeply moving memoir, a quintessential American tale of hardship and grit, Clarence Thomas recounts his astonishing journey for the first time.