Staying True

BONUS: This edition contains a Staying True discussion guide. In this candid and compelling memoir, the first lady of South Carolina reveals the private ordeal behind her very public betrayal—and offers inspiration for anyone struggling to keep faith during life’s most trying times. She’s been a successful investment banker, a mother of four, and the campaign manager for one of American politics’ rising stars—her husband, Mark Sanford of South Carolina, once widely hailed as a possible candidate for president in 2012. Yet to most Americans, Jenny Sanford is best known for the one role she refused to play—that of conventional political spouse standing silently by while her husband went before the media and confessed his infidelity. Instead, she stayed true—to herself, to her faith, and to her highest ideals of parenthood and public service. She chose to let Mark Sanford deal with the embarrassment and political fallout from his own actions while focusing her own efforts privately on raising their children to be men of character, even in the face of the lies their father has told. In Staying True, Jenny Sanford recalls her shock and anguish upon discovering that her husband was having an affair with a woman in Argentina, and the further pain when she learned—just a day ahead of most Americans—that he had not ended the affair when she believed he had. She reveals the source of her determination to be honest and forthright instead of the victim in the tabloid passion play that gripped the nation in June 2009. But her story neither begins nor ends with Mark Sanford’s astounding fall from grace. Writing with uncommon candor from a deep well of spiritual strength, Sanford shares personal stories and life lessons from before and after she stepped into the public realm. She recounts the many stresses—as well as the myriad joys—that she experienced on a daily basis while living in the governmental spotlight. (Just try keeping four young boys out of mischief in the governor’s mansion!) And she describes the many ways that the seductions of power can drive apart even the most committed couples. At every step along her journey, Jenny Sanford has made choices: She gave up her career, moved far from her home state of Illinois, even changed her religious practices. Every choice was a glad concession to harmonious married life and, in some cases, to the support of her husband’s political aspirations. But the one thing she never gave up was her sense of self, her inner moral compass. Her remarkable poise and decency make her a role model for men and women alike. Her story will empower anyone who has fought to maintain independence and integrity—within a marriage or elsewhere in life.

Stories: Eric, To Be, Randy, No To Drugs, Inspired By Liam, Healing Us, Am I Different, Staying True, One Person Can, We Can, and Girl In A Wheelchair

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • A gripping memoir on friendship, grief, the search for self, and the solace that can be found through art, by the New Yorker staff writer Hua Hsu “This book is exquisite and excruciating and I will be thinking about it for years and years to come.” —Rachel Kushner, New York Times bestselling author of The Flamethrowers and The Mars Room In the eyes of eighteen-year-old Hua Hsu, the problem with Ken—with his passion for Dave Matthews, Abercrombie & Fitch, and his fraternity—is that he is exactly like everyone else. Ken, whose Japanese American family has been in the United States for generations, is mainstream; for Hua, the son of Taiwanese immigrants, who makes ’zines and haunts Bay Area record shops, Ken represents all that he defines himself in opposition to. The only thing Hua and Ken have in common is that, however they engage with it, American culture doesn’t seem to have a place for either of them. But despite his first impressions, Hua and Ken become friends, a friendship built on late-night conversations over cigarettes, long drives along the California coast, and the successes and humiliations of everyday college life. And then violently, senselessly, Ken is gone, killed in a carjacking, not even three years after the day they first meet. Determined to hold on to all that was left of one of his closest friends—his memories—Hua turned to writing. Stay True is the book he’s been working on ever since. A coming-of-age story that details both the ordinary and extraordinary, Stay True is a bracing memoir about growing up, and about moving through the world in search of meaning and belonging.

The first time he lays eyes on his new roommate, Spencer knows he's one lucky nerd. Troy is unbelievably hot and a nice guy too. It could be love at first sight. But Spencer isn't supposed to fall in love. Troy only just came out, and he's trying things for the first time. He can't get stuck on one guy before having a taste of freedom. He wants to explore his new sexuality with no pressure. Spencer is willing to help him with that, but can he keep his feelings under control? And what about Troy? He finally has the chance to be true to himself, but he's starting to get all mixed up about what that means. He and Spencer aren't supposed to be exclusive, so why can't Troy face being with anyone else? With every kiss and touch, and every minute spent together, they are becoming too close. Can he get over his feelings for Spencer, or has his hold on Troy already become too strong to break? It might be that the love of one man is all the experience Troy needs.

In 1998, Harold Burchett’s life changed drastically. After almost half a century serving as a pastor and teacher, he became both homemaker and caregiver to his wife, Jane, who was battling the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease. Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s—or any serious illness—is difficult and painful. In Last Light, Burchett shares his story, weaving hope, spiritual inspiration, and practical suggestions with his personal narrative. Particularly helpful for spouses of Alzheimer’s patients, this book: • Demonstrates how the love between a devoted husband and wife can become deeper and more profound. • Offers a candid description of the extreme highs and lows that accompany Alzheimer’s. • Provides guidance for managing self-pity, giving continually without view of repayment, and turning miseries into the joy of answered prayer. • Suggests 40 hints for caregivers, from using nail clippers to expressing empathy, to handling the patient’s resistance. Written with tenderness, honesty, and appropriate humor, Last Light is an excellent source of encouragement for those walking through the struggles of any intense trial. This Expanded Edition completes Burchett’s account of his devoted care for his wife. Here he shares additional stories and lessons learned from the time of the First Edition (2002) until Jane’s death in 2010.

A collection of short stories by various authors, including Andrea Davis Pinkney, M.E. Kerr, and Anne Mazer, about adolescent girls coming of age.

Revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide with translations in 29 languages. After too many years of unfulfilling work, Bronnie Ware began searching for a job with heart. Despite having no formal qualifications or previous experience in the field, she found herself working in palliative care. During the time she spent tending to those who were dying, Bronnie's life was transformed. Later, she wrote an Internet blog post, outlining the most common regrets that the people she had cared for had expressed. The post gained so much momentum that it was viewed by more than three million readers worldwide in its first year. At the request of many, Bronnie subsequently wrote a book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, to share her story. Bronnie has had a colourful and diverse life. By applying the lessons of those nearing their death to her own life, she developed an understanding that it is possible for everyone, if we make the right choices, to die with peace of mind. In this revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide, with translations in 29 languages, Bronnie expresses how significant these regrets are and how we can positively address these issues while we still have the time. The Top Five Regrets of the Dying gives hope for a better world. It is a courageous, life-changing book that will leave you feeling more compassionate and inspired to live the life you are truly here to live.

These pages encourage women of faith to stay true in all situations to their God-given natures and to their Christian commitment.