biography

At fourteen Dianne Lake?with little more than a note in her pocket from her hippie parents granting her permission to leave them?became one of "Charlie?s girls," a devoted acolyte of cult leader Charles Manson. In this poignant and disturbing memoir of lost innocence, coercion, survival, and healing, Dianne Lake chronicles her years with Charles Manson, revealing for the first time how she became the youngest member of his Family and offering new insights into one of the twentieth century?s most notorious criminals and life as one of his "girls.".

In a moment, Chris went from a talented eighteen-year-old college football player with a promising future to a quadriplegic with a 3 percent chance of ever moving or feeling anything below his neck, much less walking again. Determined to prove the doctors wrong, he pushed himself through grueling, daily workouts until four years later, he did the impossible. Chris walked across the stage to receive his college diploma with the help of Emily, the love of his life and the worlds astonished applause. Meanwhile, Emily faced her own challenges as she sunk into a deep battle against anxiety and depression. Despite having a devoted fiance, a fulfilling career working with youth, and a strong faith, she couldn't shake the mental darkness that clouded their promising future. Day by day, decision by decision, Chris and Emily committed themselves to taking the extra step, trusting God, and leaning on the help of others.

"Starting in the early 1940s, Tuskegee Institute was at the forefront of helping prepare young African-American pilots to fight for freedom in the skies. Harry Stewart is one of those aspiring aviators who came to our campus as a first step in earning their wings, and then went on to become proudly identified as a Tuskegee Airman. His story of serving our country and overcoming obstacles-not to mention the legacy the Tuskegee Airmen leave us with-is an inspiration for us all." -- Lily D. McNair.

"When Galdikas saw her first image of an orangutan in the wild, she was immediately captivated. It haunted her and she found its gaze 'almost hypnotic.' She moved to Borneo, where she made it her life's mission to study and work to protect these mysterious creatures. Like primatologists Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, Galdikas was driven by incredible ambition and a fascination with apes and human origins, making her way to the harsh rain forests of Indonesian Borneo when she was just 25 years old. She set up a simple camp, named after her mentor, Louis Leakey, and proceeded to look...and look...and look for wild orangutans, one of the most elusive species on the planet. Her studies brought these critically endangered apes to the world stage, and they are still making an impact today. Now in her 70s, Dr. Galdikas has conducted the longest running study by any single scientist"--Provided by the publisher.

Former NHL star Bryan Berard shares the inspiring story of his life on and off the ice; from finding early success in the league and suffering a life-changing eye injury to discovering the inner strength to overcome whatever life threw at him and continue to play the game he loved.

The Shahanis came to Queens; from India, by way of Casablanca, in the 1980s. They were undocumented for a few unsteady years and then, with the arrival of their green cards, they thought they'd made it. This is the story of how they did, and didn't; the unforeseen obstacles that propelled them into years of disillusionment and heartbreak; and the strength of a family determined to stay together.

John F. Kennedy grew up surrounded by wealth and privilege. He was given opportunities that most young people only dream of having. However, Kennedy learned quite young that money can?t buy everything. He fought sickness and pain throughout his life, endured the death of a brother in World War II, and lost his favorite sister in a plane crash. It was, perhaps, this balance of privilege and pain that made it possible for Kennedy to understand the ?common links? that, in spite of our differences, all humans share. We all want to be treated fairly, to feel safe, to dream big dreams, and to feel proud of our country. When Kennedy became President, he made these links the heart of his work. And when he died, his brother Bobby, and then his brother Ted, carried on the work that John had begun.

Drake began his career as an actor, but his fame skyrocketed when he focused his talents on music. The multiple award-winning singer, songwriter, and rapper is one of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B today. Young readers will learn about Drake's career and life through highly accessible text accompanied by a variety of nonfiction text features, including dynamic full-color photographs, fact boxes, and direct quotes from Drake himself.

This photo illustrated book is a biogrphy of pop singer Pharrell Williams.

This photo illustrated book is a biography of pop singer Ed Sheeran.