The Way It Is

A candid and eye-opening inside look at the final decades of Sinatra's life told by his longtime manager and friend, Eliot Weisman. By the time Weisman met Sinatra in 1976, he was already the Voice, a man who held sway over popular music and pop culture for forty years, who had risen to the greatest heights of fame and plumbed the depths of failure, all the while surviving with the trademark swagger that women pined for and men wanted to emulate. Passionate and generous on his best days, sullen and unpredictable on his worst, Sinatra invited Weisman into his inner circle, an honor that the budding celebrity manager never took for granted. Even when he was caught up in a legal net designed to snare Sinatra, Weisman went to prison rather than being coerced into telling prosecutors what they wanted to hear. With Weisman's help, Sinatra orchestrated in his final decades some of the most memorable moments of his career. There was the Duets album, which was Sinatra's top seller, the massive tours, such as Together Again, which featured a short-lived reunion of the Rat Pack--until Dean Martin, having little interest in reliving the glory days, couldn't handle it anymore--and the Ultimate Event Tour, which brought Liza Minelli and Sammy Davis Jr. on board and refreshed the much-needed lining of both their pocketbooks. Weisman also worked with many other acts, including Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, and an ungrateful Don Rickles, whom Weisman helped get out from under the mob's thumb. Over their years together, Weisman became a confidant to the man who trusted few, and he came to know Sinatra's world intimately: his wife, Barbara, who socialized with princesses and presidents and tried to close Sinatra off from his rough and tough friends such as Jilly Rizzo; Nancy Jr., who was closest to her dad; Tina, who aggressively battled for her and her siblings' rights to the Sinatra legacy and was most like her father; and Frank Jr., the child with the most fraught relationship with the legendary entertainer. Ultimately Weisman, who had become the executor of Sinatra's estate, was left alone to navigate the infighting and hatred between those born to the name and the wife who acquired it, when a mystery woman showed up and threatened to throw the family's future into jeopardy. Laden with surprising, moving, and revealing stories, The Way It Was also shows a side of Sinatra few knew. As a lion in winter, he was struggling with the challenges that come with old age, as well as memory loss, depression, and antidepressents. Weisman was by his side through it all, witness to a man who had towering confidence, staggering fearlessness, and a rarely seen vulnerability that became more apparent as his final days approached.

From Pulitzer Prize–winning author Annie Proulx, an "unforgettable" (Miami Herald) and "vivid" (Oprah Daily) collection of stories set in Wyoming. Winner of two O. Henry Prizes, Annie Proulx has been anthologized in nearly every major collection of great American stories. Her bold, inimitable language, her exhilarating eye for detail, her dark sense of humor, and her compassion inform this profoundly compelling collection of stories. Proulx creates a fierce, visceral panorama of American folly and fate in these nine dazzling stories about multiple generations of Americans struggling through life in the West. Each character is a pioneer of a sort—some are billionaires, some are escapists, and some just think the rest of the country has it wrong. Deeply sympathetic to the men and women fighting to survive in this harsh place, Proulx turns their lives into fiction with the power of myth, leaving the reader in awe.

Greg Curnoe is one of the most adventurous and exciting Canadian artists of the second half of the twentieth century. In a series of vividly coloured works he found a multitude of ways to construct an autobiography that, contrary to establishment ideas of his time, obliterates the boundary between art and artist.

Patrick Sanchez's wickedly funny debut novel, GIRLFRIENDS, shimmied off the shelves and brought him an instant legion of fans. Now, in THE WAY IT IS, he introduces three thirty-something roommates with insatiable appetites for life, love, and anything deep-fried in this delicious, delirious celebration of women whose hearts are as big as their hips. . . When The Chips Are Down, These Girls Bring The Dip Livin' large has never gotten Ruby Waters what she wants in life. Overweight and addicted to every fad diet on the planet, Ruby's sure that the only thing that stands between her and the good life are those extra pounds she can't seem to shed. But when a girl's stuck caring for an annoying ex-husband, an impossibly critical mother, and the world's most psychotic, incontinent Chihuahua, her best friend is a dozen doughnuts and a can of whipped topping. She'll starve herself tomorrow, and soon, she just might have the courage to go after what she really wants. . .the hunky coworker with the bod of steel. . . Fat is where it's at, honey. That's plus-sized model Wanda Johnson's motto. The larger-than-life African-American goddess may top the scales, but there are plenty of men begging for her phone number. The only thing standing between Wanda and fashion fame is another model who wants what Wanda has and would do anything--that's anything--to get it. . . Simone Reyes, D.C.'s most famous Latina, certainly goes after what she wants--and it's usually ripped with muscles and under thirty. As the city's sexiest anchorwoman, the glamorous, svelte Simone doesn't have time to mess with commitment. She's too focused on making it all the way to the top. . .while protecting a secret that could blow the lid off her whole fraudulent life. . . In the nation's capitol, where the drinks are cold and so is the competition, these three roomies are joining forces, battling their way through a maze of Chubby Chaser web sites, scam diet centers, outrageous fantasies, romantic entanglements, power shopping, and plus-size fashion shows. . .because when life throws you a few curves, it's best to show them off! Patrick Sanchez is a native Washingtonian, having grown up in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia and has been a professional writer for several years. He currently lives in Arlington, Virginia. He is also the author of Girlfriends, and is currently working on his next novel.

This story describes the strong bond that exists between a little girl and her dad. The girl's parents are divorced and she has to live in two houses. When she asks her dad why, he says That's Just The Way It Is. The little girl has learned that lots of things in her life are a certain way and she has begun to accept it as That's Just The Way It Is. This story is designed to show that both parents usuallylove their children equally and that even though everyone sufferes when custody is an issues, and there has been an unsuccessful resolution to make things work out in a marriage, that a father's impact can remain constant and positive in the life of a child. This story conveys the loving, nurturing and critical relationship between a father and his daughter. This story is told through the fresh and simple style of a 5 year old little girl. Children who rea and enjoy this will receive a message without even realizing that this is a teaching tool. A sincere look at children and their perceptions of parents in divorce, through the eyes of a child.

About the Book This is the way it is from the Heart is all my Poetry from 1992 till present day. The poems relate to sadness, trauma, humour, everyday life, relationships, dark side, Environment, and Mother Nature. Something within my book could relate to you the reader. I have experienced some of the poems within this book. You should enjoy reading it may make you cry or laugh but you will enjoy reading.. Paul Pattinson

In 1947, at the age of 18, Thomas Gilrane immigrated from County Leitrim, Ireland to America. By all standards, he has been successful. Tom found work, served in the US Army, married and earned his American citizenship. His childhood of farming, family, hard work and religion provided him with all he needed to succeed. With his wife Lorraine, he made a life in America, earning his way and raising four children. His memoir details life growing up in a thatched cottage, without electricity, water or any modern conveniences. The simple joys, challenges and difficulties that were typical of living a traditional farm life in rural Ireland are described in vivid detail. It is a fascinating journey, and one that is typical for thousands of Irish families in the early 1900's. This story of immigration is bitter-sweet, full of emotion, humor and sometimes harsh realities. He tells his story matter-of-factly, as he remembers it-Just the Way It Was. Website: Justthewayitwas.com

A collection of poems by twentieth-century American poet William Stafford, featuring unpublished works from his last year of life, including the poem he wrote the day he died, and providing selections drawn from throughout his career, from the 1960s through the 1990s.