This Is Not My Beautiful Life

ONE OF PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'S TEN MOST ANTICIPATED MEMOIRS OF THE SEASON IF YOU THINK IT SUCKS TO LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS WHEN YOU’RE THIRTY-SIX AND NINE MONTHS PREGNANT, JUST WAIT TILL THE DEA COMES KNOCKING (WITH THE IRS IN TOW): WELCOME TO VICTORIA FEDDEN’S LIFE. When a squad of federal agents burst through her parents’ front door, Victoria Fedden felt ill-prepared to meet them: She was weeks away from her due date and her T-shirt wasn’t long enough to hide her maternity undies. As for the question of how to raise a child when you’ve just discovered that your mother and stepfather have allegedly masterminded a pump-and-dump scheme? She was pretty sure that wasn’t covered in What to Expect When You’re Expecting—and she really hoped that Bradford Cohen, the noted criminal defense attorney who famously waived his exemption on The Apprentice, would prove them innocent. This Is Not My Beautiful Life is the story of how Victoria lost her parents to prison and nearly lost her mind. No one ever said motherhood would be easy, but as she struggles to change diapers, install car seats, and find the right drop-off line at pre-school—no easy task, when each one is named for a stage in the lifecycle of a f*cking butterfly—she’s also forced to ask herself whether a jump-suit might actually complement her mom’s platinum-blonde extensions and fend off the cast of shady, stranger-than-fiction characters (like the recovering addict who scored a reality show when he started an escort service for women) who populated her parents’ world. A real-life Arrested Development that could only unfold in southern Florida, This Is Not My Beautiful Life is a hilariously funny and unexpectedly moving memoir of a just-functional family you’ll never forget.

In 1987 Mina Dobic was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer that had metastasized to her liver, bones and lymph system. Her doctors gave her only two months to live. Instead of accepting the death sentence, Mina decided to adopt the macrobiotic way of life. Six and a half months later, she was cancer free. This book tells the inspiring story.

Nigel and Debbie Desmond, young, in love and full of starry-eyed dreams are unprepared for a series of adversities which shake the very foundations of their happiness. Their distress following the miscarriage of their first baby, the un-expected death of a close family member, a disastrous holiday, the sudden onset of panic attacks and surviving a few bomb scares leaves them disillusioned, traumatised and exhausted.As everything shakes around them the things which are truly valuable and meaningful become clear. However knowing the truth and living it out are not necessarily synonymous and so they embark on a remarkable journey of breakthrough and healing to discover and unashamedly embrace the freedom of being authentic and fully themselves. Sharing their hard-earned, astute, perceptions with good humour and gentleness they reveal the discoveries and insights which have helped them navigate into A Beautiful Life.You can objectively share their life story of finding Joy, Holiness, Gratitude, Bliss and Hope by reading this book ... but if you would like to build on your own sure foundation, find peace in your imperfection, feel unconditional love and discover your own joy-filled and free Beautiful Life, Nigel and Debbie will show you how.

A photo journal of the successful pop star's life on tour details her creative process throughout the creation of a new album and shares insights into the highs and lows of her daily routines on stage and behind the scenes.

Life is funny sometimes. And not always the ha, ha kind. Like that one time where a hot guy tried to kiss me and I fell. Down. Hard. And then found out I had cancer. I’m trying to be strong for my friends and my mom. And I’m trying so hard to be “just friends” with that hot guy, even though he seems to want so much more. But I won’t do that to him. He’s been through this before with his family, and I’m not going to let him watch me die. So, I tell myself: Smile Ellie. Be funny Ellie. Don’t cry Ellie, because once I start, I might not stop.

"ThisBeautiful Life is a gripping, potent and blisteringly well-written story offamily, dilemma, and consequence. . . . I read this book with white-knuckledurgency, and I finished it in tears. Helen Schulman is an absolutely brilliantnovelist." —Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love Theevents of a single night shatter one family’s sense of security and identity inthis provocative and deeply affecting domestic drama from Helen Schulman, theacclaimed author of A Day at the Beach and Out of Time. In thetradition of Lionel Shriver, Sue Miller, and Laura Moriarty, Schulman crafts abrilliantly observed portrait of parenting and modern life, cunningly exploringour most deeply-held convictions and revealing the enduring strengths thatemerge in the face of crisis.