Your Life Is Not A Label

Jerry Newport, diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome / High Functioning Autism at age 47, wrote this book for those with developmental disorders, but it resonates with people with any disability. His message: everyone has the power, and the right, to improve the quality of their lives despite their disability. Don't believe you must be "normal" to be happy; learn to co-exist with neuro-typicals, and become the best human being you can be. Jerry candidly reveals his own failures and successes. His heartfelt advice stems from a deep sense of caring for "his people" on the spectrum. If you read only one personal account about autism, this should be it!

In this stylishly illustrated biography anthology, meet 30 artists, thinkers, athletes, and activists with disabilities, from past and present. From Frida Kahlo to Stephen Hawking, find out how these iconic figures have overcome obstacles, owned their differences, and paved the way for others by making their bodies and minds work for them. These short biographies tell the stories of people who have faced unique challenges that have not stopped them from becoming trailblazers, innovators, advocates, and makers. Each person is a leading figure in their field, be it sports, science, math, art, breakdancing, or the world of pop. Challenge your preconceptions of disability and mental health with the eye-opening stories of these remarkable people: Ludwig van Beethoven, Gustav Kirchoff, Henri Matisse, Eliza Suggs, Helen Keller, Frida Kahlo, John Nash, Stephen Hawking, Temple Grandin, Stevie Wonder, Nabil Shaban, Terry Fox, Peter Dinklage, Wanda Diaz Merced, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, Dr Victor Pineda, Farida Bedwei, Stella Young, Lady Gaga, Arunima Sinha, Naoki Higashida, Isabella Spingmuhl Tejada, Aaron Philip, Catalina Devandas Aguilar, Redouan Ait Chitt, Jonas Jacobsson, Trischa Zorn, Ade Adepitan, and Nick Jonas.

This book brings together 34 disabled artists, thinkers, athletes and activists from past and present.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER THAT SHOWED US WHAT WAS REALLY IN OUR FOOD In 2004 Felicity Lawrence published her ground-breaking book, Not on the Label, where, in a series of undercover investigations she provided a shocking account of what really goes into the food we eat. She discovered why beef waste ends up in chicken, why a single lettuce might be sprayed six times with chemicals before it ends up in our salad, why bread is full of water. And she showed how obesity, the appalling conditions of migrant workers, ravaged fields in Europe and the supermarket on our high street are all intimately connected. And, when the horsemeat scandal hit the headlines in 2013, she uncovered how the great British public ended up eating horses. Her discoveries would change the way we thought about the UK food industry for ever. ***** 'A brave examination of the calamities caused by a policy laughingly called one of 'cheap food'' Jeremy Paxman, Observer 'Book of the Year' 'Challenges each and every one of us to think again about what we buy and eat. It's almost like uncovering a secret state within the state' Andrew Marr, BBC Radio 4's Start The Week 'A thorough, complex and shocking insight into the food we eat in the twenty-first century . . . Perhaps this should be sold as the most effective diet book ever written' Daily Mail

Colleen Kachmann kept a close eye on calories, was active with her four energetic children, and exercised regularly. But her best efforts were futile against midlife reality. Dieting led to weight gain. Her emotions were unstable. Her body hurt. Various medications proved ineffective. She wasn't sick, exactly, but she wasn't healthy, either. Sound familiar? Life Off the Label details Colleen's dedicated efforts to live and be well, only to discover she wasn't. She's not alone. Seventy percent of Americans are overweight and take at least one medication. Colleen did not want to be a statistic, so she deconstructed the habits and beliefs that limited her potential. What she discovered will change your life.

Meet the cast. Ms. Perfection, Ms. Confidence, Ms. Happiness, Ms. Spirituality. Do you know them? Maybe, if you're honest with yourself, you may recognize you are one of them. Let's admit it: the stories behind our eyes often go untold. We tend to cover our insecurities and heartaches with engaging smiles, fashionable clothes, and manufactured conversations. We impersonate the women we want to be – deeply spiritual, caring, supportive, capable, put together, and ridiculously happy. We desperately want to be accepted and loved, but we're afraid to reveal our true selves to others. In Behind Those Eyes, Bible teacher and speaker Lisa Whittle encourages women to get real – real with ourselves, real with one another, and real before God. With humor, compassion, and biblical insight, Whittle takes a refreshingly honest look at how we often mask our fear of rejection. In this book you learn how to: See your impersonations for what they really are Free yourself from shallow interactions with others Learn to choose authenticity over pretense Practice truth as a healing agent in your relationships

"Don't Label Me should be labeled as genius. It's an amazing book." - Chris Rock A unique conversation about diversity, bigotry, and our common humanity, by the New York Times bestselling author, Oprah “Chutzpah” award-winner, and founder of the Moral Courage Project In these United States, discord has hit emergency levels. Civility isn't the reason to repair our caustic chasms. Diversity is. Don't Label Me shows that America's founding genius is diversity of thought. Which is why social justice activists won't win by labeling those who disagree with them. At a time when minorities are fast becoming the majority, a truly new America requires a new way to tribe out. Enter Irshad Manji and her dog, Lily. Raised to believe that dogs are evil, Manji overcame her fear of the "other" to adopt Lily. She got more than she bargained for. Defying her labels as an old, blind dog, Lily engages Manji in a taboo-busting conversation about identity, power, and politics. They're feisty. They're funny. And in working through their challenges to one another, they reveal how to open the hearts of opponents for the sake of enduring progress. Readers who crave concrete tips will be delighted. Studded with insights from epigenetics and epistemology, layered with the lessons of Bruce Lee, Ben Franklin, and Audre Lorde, punctuated with stories about Manji's own experiences as a refugee from Africa, a Muslim immigrant to the U.S., and a professor of moral courage, Don't Label Me makes diversity great again.

" ""Gestalt psychotherapist Beron, in her debut self-help book, examines the positive and negative impacts of being socially labeled and how such labels shape one's feelings, thoughts and behavior. ""The power of labels is like an invisible pressure...which intercepts our thoughts and actions, distorts beyond recognition the mirror...and makes us vulnerable to the pain of the past and the fear of the future,"" asserts the author in the book's foreword. Although people may acquire labels at any age, Beron contends that most first appear in childhood and come from such sources as classmates, teachers, parents and friends. She briefly describes the Gestalt theory of psychotherapy, which emphasizes personal responsibility, and uses it as a basis for exploring ways that people may assume positive control over their lives. Beron reminds readers that people may be labeled in direct and indirect ways, with or without cruel intent, due to name-calling, nicknames or comparison to others. What's important, then, is how people believe such characterizations and how they become a part of their identities. In turn, those conceptions of identity influence people's thoughts and habits and may deter them from changing their lives. A helpful, hopeful and thorough guide that invites readers to change the images in their mirrors."" -- KIRKUS Review ""In The Power of Labels, a self-help book with an encouraging tone, Marsy Beron discusses a range of ways people label themselves or are labeled by others, and the detrimental psychological effects this can have on children and adults. Through a series of personal stories, Beron focuses on how labels are created for others by parents, coworkers, and spouses, and how that can influence people's perceptions of themselves and their environments. She relies on many anecdotal experiences, not only from her own life but also from her clients and group therapy work, to offer advice."" --CLARION Review "