The Why Not

The place is gaudy yet drab, lively yet death-like, dispassionate mother hen to a brood of dithered chicks. Discover its bizarre existence from the inside, through the muddled collective mind of the outcast in-group, a gay throng of third-sex bewildered ones who frantically seek a why--but must always settle for The Why Not! Borgo Press is pleased to represent a true classic of gay literature, now available again for the first time in four decades. Includes an introduction by the author, written for this release.

The place is gaudy yet drab, lively yet death-like, dispassionate mother hen to a brood of dithered chicks. Discover its bizarre existence from the inside, through the muddled collective mind of the outcast in-group, a gay throng of third-sex bewildered ones who frantically seek a why--but must always settle for The Why Not! Borgo Press is pleased to represent a true classic of gay literature, now available again for the first time in four decades. Includes an introduction by the author, written for this release. VICTOR J. BANIS is the author of 140 books, ranging from classics of gay literature to gothic romances to major historical novels. He recently published an account of his life as a paperback writer: Spine Intact, Some Creases, which is being reprinted by Borgo Press together with many of his novels. He currently lives in West Virginia.

This is the story of perseverance, strength, trials and tribulations of a first generation Czech whose parents escaped Prague in 1968. It was during the Warsaw Pact when the Russian military invaded Prague, Czechoslovakia, in order to promote communism. Without a father in my life to help me become a man and with a mother who struggled most of her adult life with paranoid delusional schizophrenia, I was left alone to grow up. I started in foster homes, angry, confused and lacking answers to several questions about my life. At eleven years old I became hooked on drugs and alcohol and was on my way to becoming a criminal. I was brought up on the streets of Vancouver and had many encounters with the authorities, so was heading to a place I really didn't want to go. Instead of going to jail I tried to enlist in the Canadian Army, and with a letter of intent I was saved from a life behind bars. In a surprising turn, I was denied joining the Canadian Forces because of my lack of education. I took advantage of the situation and decided to change my life. By the time I was 22, the deaths of 12 people around me challenged me to escape the world I once knew and search for a new, better life. I met a beautiful older woman, fell in love again and started a family. Not much time went by until I was tested once again by the break up of my family. Soon afterwards I was introduced to an exquisitely fantastic English lady and a wonderfully talented acting coach who is so friendly, patient and understanding. I eventually overcame the challenging demons of my past. After 18 months of acting classes I started as an extra, then in theatre and commercials. Now, I am an actor. I immerse myself into taking any roles that are put in front of me. My life turned around and seemed to be more manageable. And being distracted by new challenges left me feeling useful and contented. My construction career became another stage. I worked on some of the biggest projects in British Columbia history. At the age of twenty I was hired as a labourer for a gas company in Victoria, British Columbia. There was a mad panic to get every commercial and residential building hooked up to natural gas. I took advantage of every opportunity and gradually started operating equipment. I had my sights on the big jobs, big equipment, even bigger paychecks, to where I would work for some of the biggest companies in the world and on the largest projects in the province. This was just another persona I undertook. I eventually became an actor, author, journeyman excavator operator, foreman, security person, bodybuilder, usher, host, volunteer, world traveller. I am an advocate for positive reinforcement of oneself. Everyone has a story to tell, how many chapters is up to you.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From Grammy-winning pop star Ciara and Super Bowl champ Russell Wilson comes a story to inspire young readers to see value in themselves, be brave, and go after their biggest dreams—now as a board book! Why not you? Amazing you! You’re a winner! You’re so strong! You are perfect and important—you and all your gifts belong! We all have big dreams! Sometimes it’s hard to imagine our big dreams coming true. But what if someone saw all the amazing and spectacular parts of us—our winning smiles, our fancy feet, our warm hearts—and asked, “Why not you?” Whether it’s becoming a football player or a pop star or the president or a scientist: Why not you? In this new, more durable format—perfect for babies and toddlers— superstars Ciara and Russell Wilson encourage little ones to achieve their dreams, no matter how outrageous they may seem. It’s a lyrical celebration of self-esteem, perseverance, and daring to shoot for the stars.

Why Not? is a primer for fresh thinking, for problem-solving with a purpose, for bringing the world a few steps closer to the way it should be. Idealistic? Yes. Unrealistic? According to Why Not? authors Barry Nalebuff and Ian Ayres, no. Illustrated with examples from every aspect of life, Why Not? offers techniques which will help you take the things we all see, every day, and think about them in a new way. Great ideas are waiting. Why not be the one to discover them?

In this autobiography, Jimmy Carter details the youth and experiences that led him to seek the highest office in the land. He describes his idyllic childhood, his naval career, his strong Christian underpinnings, and the values of his mother and father.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and creator of The Mindy Project and Never Have I Ever comes a hilarious collection of essays about her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life. “This is Kaling at the height of her power.”—USA Today In Why Not Me?, Kaling shares insightful, deeply personal stories about falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places, attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behavior modification whatsoever, and believing that you have a place in Hollywood when you’re constantly reminded that no one looks like you. In “How to Look Spectacular: A Starlet’s Confessions,” Kaling gives her tongue-in-cheek secrets for surefire on-camera beauty, (“Your natural hair color may be appropriate for your skin tone, but this isn’t the land of appropriate–this is Hollywood, baby. Out here, a dark-skinned woman’s traditional hair color is honey blonde.”) “Player” tells the story of Kaling being seduced and dumped by a female friend in L.A. (“I had been replaced by a younger model. And now they had matching bangs.”) In “Unlikely Leading Lady,” she muses on America’s fixation with the weight of actresses, (“Most women we see onscreen are either so thin that they’re walking clavicles or so huge that their only scenes involve them breaking furniture.”) And in “Soup Snakes,” Kaling spills some secrets on her relationship with her ex-boyfriend and close friend, B.J. Novak (“I will freely admit: my relationship with B.J. Novak is weird as hell.”) Mindy turns the anxieties, the glamour, and the celebrations of her second coming-of-age into a laugh-out-loud funny collection of essays that anyone who’s ever been at a turning point in their life or career can relate to. And those who’ve never been at a turning point can skip to the parts where she talks about meeting Bradley Cooper.