Underprivileged Overachiever

The true story of an African American man who grew up amid poverty, homelessness, gang violence and drugs. But unlike many others, he found success. He reached for the skies and became a multi-decorated graduate of the Air Force Academy.

What made the West 'western'? And has Western civilisation found modernity but lost itself? This provocative and stimulating polemic argues that western culture and civilisation have been destroyed not only in, but indeed by, modernity. How the West Was Lost argues that all modern upheavals – the Reformation, the English, American, French and Russian Revolutions, the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War, both World Wars – can only be understood if seen as resulting in an assault on the core values of the West. At its heart lies the belief that the central conflict of our time is cultural and that traditional culture and civilised society have been under attack ever since the Enlightenment. The author traces the development of Western civilisation from its origins – paradoxically in the East – and examines what he sees as its inexorable decline in all forms of art and all walks of life. He asks uncomfortable questions about politics, philosophy, psychology and religion and suggests answers which are provocative and unorthodox. This book is a bold and challenging attempt to present a new concept of modern history for our complacent times. The results are often unexpected but always original and invigorating.

The groundbreaking classic that explores how women can and should negotiate for parity in their workplaces, homes, and beyond When Linda Babcock wanted to know why male graduate students were teaching their own courses while female students were always assigned as assistants, her dean said: "More men ask. The women just don't ask." Drawing on psychology, sociology, economics, and organizational behavior as well as dozens of interviews with men and women in different fields and at all stages in their careers, Women Don't Ask explores how our institutions, child-rearing practices, and implicit assumptions discourage women from asking for the opportunities and resources that they have earned and deserve—perpetuating inequalities that are fundamentally unfair and economically unsound. Women Don't Ask tells women how to ask, and why they should.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the genre-defying icon Ben Folds comes a memoir that is as nuanced, witty, and relatable as his cult-classic songs. “A Dream About Lightning Bugs reads like its author: intelligent, curious, unapologetically punk, and funny as hell.”—Sara Bareilles NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR AND PASTE Ben Folds is a celebrated American singer-songwriter, beloved for songs such as “Brick,” “You Don’t Know Me,” “Rockin’ the Suburbs,” and “The Luckiest,” and is the former frontman of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. But Folds will be the first to tell you he’s an unconventional icon, more normcore than hardcore. Now, in his first book, Folds looks back at his life so far in a charming and wise chronicle of his artistic coming of age, infused with the wry observations of a natural storyteller. In the title chapter, “A Dream About Lightning Bugs,” Folds recalls his earliest childhood dream—and realizes how much it influenced his understanding of what it means to be an artist. In “Measure Twice, Cut Once” he learns to resist the urge to skip steps during the creative process. In “Hall Pass” he recounts his 1970s North Carolina working-class childhood, and in “Cheap Lessons” he returns to the painful life lessons he learned the hard way—but that luckily didn’t kill him. In his inimitable voice, both relatable and thought-provoking, Folds digs deep into the life experiences that shaped him, imparting hard-earned wisdom about both art and life. Collectively, these stories embody the message Folds has been singing about for years: Smile like you’ve got nothing to prove, because it hurts to grow up, and life flies by in seconds. Praise for A Dream About Lightning Bugs “Besides being super talented, and an incredibly poignant and multifaceted musician, Ben Folds is a fantastic author. I couldn’t put this book down—and not just because I taped it to my hand. Ben takes us into his mind and into his process from the very beginnings of his childhood to where he is today—one of the greatest musicians and writers that has ever graced the art.”—Bob Saget

When a triangle of friends loses one of its members, the surviving friends piece together the remnants of a man's surprisingly secret life. It all starts with a tragic message--Brian "Buddy" Collins has died of a massive heart attack. Buddy's sister, Sami, shares the devastating news with his best friend and her former lover, Rick. In the days following the funeral, Sami and Rick begin to peel back the layers of Buddy's secret life, discovering a man torn apart by betrayal, loneliness and despair. Buddy has left behind a manuscript in which he shares his feelings of being deserted by his wife and 9-year-old son. The manuscript includes details of Buddy's chance encounter with an enchanting young Tunisian woman named Jawhera who is suffering from a seemingly mysterious illness. In her presence, Buddy is rejuvenated and re-gains his will to live--only to learn that his new love is in the final stages of a terminal disease. Author Ayadh Farooq captures a fleeting time in the life of two very different people as Buddy and Jawhera seek to console one another in their time of need. A Magical Moment also takes two surviving friends on a journey of discovery toward a shocking conclusion.

Management, Gender, and Race in the 21st Century summarizes the experiences of specific racial and ethnic minorities and women in leadership positions in U.S. organizations since World War II, with emphasis on the past 10 years. This comprehensive study explores new leadership styles, changes in organizational structure aimed at empowering previously disenfranchised groups, and the increasing prevalent role of women in major corporations.