No woman in the three-hundred-year history of the karyukai has ever come forward in public to tell her story -- until now.

"Many say I was the best geisha of my generation," writes Mineko Iwasaki. "And yet, it was a life that I found too constricting to continue. And one that I ultimately had to leave." Trained to become a geisha from the age of five, Iwasaki would live among the other "women of art" in Kyoto's Gion Kobu district and practice the ancient customs of Japanese entertainment. She was loved by kings, princes, military heroes, and wealthy statesmen alike. But even though she became one of the most prized geishas in Japan's history, Iwasaki wanted more: her own life. And by the time she retired at age twenty-nine, Iwasaki was finally on her way toward a new beginning.

Geisha, a Life is her story -- at times heartbreaking, always awe-inspiring, and totally true.

If you want to C reason for taking the time to read my story, then here they are: A Child who survives a Coma that later Causes him Confusion and Creates a Comma, from Convictions of Crime to a life and a Career with a Car Company that made him a number one Commercial sales professional in the Country and then Conquered the Cancer that Claimed the life of his father, which Created in him a Cause to Convey to his Children that Courage is what Chances are made of and is the only Cord to Contention and a will to Continue."

A Journey Through Life And Business
Fred was born into a middle class family in 1936. He takes us along his life's journey as he grows into manhood, marries and becomes a nationally known land surveyor. He has crafted a tale where he takes the reader on his life's journey from the end of the Great Depression, World War II, the decades of the 50's and 60's to the present.
His narrative takes the reader through his early years as a child growing up during World War II and its aftermath. The story than continues as the author enters the world of professional practice and business. This is all told in the context of family, culture and world travel. Some of his stories will make you smile, while others may bring a few tears.
He has written a refreshingly candid, no-holds-barred narrative regarding school, business, country and culture.

Whenever I mention my Frankie Laine association to someone for the first time, two questions always come up: Why are you interested in Frankie Laine and his music? and How did you meet Frankie?

I suppose the first question relates to my age. I was born a decade after Frankie had recorded That s My Desire in 1946. That record became Frankie s first to sell a million copies in 1947. Furthermore, Frankie was already internationally famous by 1954, the year my parents were married.

Why did I become interested in Frankie Laine and his music? I can sum it up in one word "emotion." Frankie, now retired, is an expressive person. As a true song stylist, Frankie shaped and phrased the words in a melody, thus creating a style that was all his own. Indeed, all Frankie Laine fans treasure Frankie s great ability as a vocalist. However, as far as I am concerned, the allure of Frankie Laine goes beyond his musical voice. I think Frankie s immense emotion and profound appreciation for what he sang, regardless of whether it was a jazzy, up-tempo song or a slow ballad (or any other type of song), were what always captivated me.

This book answers the second question detailing the story associated with the first time I met Frankie Laine. Nonetheless, when I met Frankie in 1985, our time together was notable in an unexpected way. I experienced another aspect of Frankie Laine, which had absolutely nothing to do with music his kindness. Although I had read stories about what a nice person Frankie always was, I witnessed, firsthand, how much he truly cherishes his fans.

Primarily, I had two goals in writing this book. First, I needed to assemble all my wonderful Frankie Laine adventures and put them down on paper in an organized fashion before my memories of the events faded. Therefore, I searched through numerous videotapes, audiotapes, newspaper articles, letters, photographs, and e-mail notes within my prized Laine library. Of course, I also utilized my personal recollections. Second, I aspired to relate to readers how an ordinary person (me), by sheer determination and action, had succeeded in his initial quest I "did" meet Frankie Laine. Additionally, I developed a friendship with this amazing, famous singer.

Each person has a special dream. Some dreams "do" come true.
Craig Cronbaugh, 2005

'Fascinating, harrowing, courageous, and deeply felt, these explorations of "dangerous stories", harmful past events and trials of the soul speak to all who've encountered dark waters and have had to navigate them.' Margaret Atwood Sarah Polley's work as an actor, screenwriter and director is celebrated for its honesty, complexity and deep humanity. She brings all those qualities, along with her exquisite storytelling skills, to these six essays. Each one captures a piece of Polley's life as she remembers it, while at the same time examining the fallibility of memory and the embodied reactions of children and women adapting and surviving. The guiding light is the possibility of experiencing the past anew, as the person she is now but was not then. In this extraordinary book, Polley explores what it is to live in one's body, in a constant state of becoming, learning and changing. As she was advised after a catastrophic head injury - if we relinquish our protective crouch and run towards the danger, then life can be reset, reshaped and lived afresh. '[Polley is] a stunningly sophisticated observer of the world and an imperfect witness to the truth.' New York Times

This memoir of a Harvard trained lawyer turned artist is, among other things, about the power of commitment. Here are some highlights from Joe Novak's book: His friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt. Novak's proposed plan to extend capital ownership to low income workers in Puerto Rico, promoted by Governor Luis A. Ferre, who later stated it was the most important agenda of his administration. Publishing a major monograph on the Cuban artist, Agustin Fernandez. Designing and drafting the plans of a residence on Fire Island featured in House Beautiful. Co-producing an Off-Broadway musical. Conversing with Andy Warhol at Studio 54, from which came the title of this book. Joining Alcoholics Anonymous in New York City, and within three months becoming a full time painter, a career he has pursued with passion for almost three decades. Being mentored in East Hampton by Peter Busa, an original member of the New York School, and visiting Willem de Kooning in his studio with Busa. Exploring the effects of light on perception in a project called Light Emanations in Santa Fe. A retrospective of Novak's paintings was held at the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College in conjunction with his fiftieth reunion. Novak's works are in hundreds of collections, public and private, including major art museums. He lives in Rancho Mirage, California with his partner, Willie Lebron. His website is www.joenovak.com.

Dee Quemby's book is not just a wonderfully warm read but a very actual account of the most demanding and difficult life in show business, that of the COMEDIAN! I told Dee many moons ago that she should enter the idiom that is the easiest life in showbusiness, that of the TV drama actor. That of course she has done to grand acclaim. Get the book it's a great read! BILL maynard Deirdre was my first dancing teacher for 13 years and I owe her a great debt. She is a very talented performer in her own right and it would be great to dance with her again. I still think there's something very big around the corner for her! Stephen Mear (Olivier winning choreographer of Mary Poppins) Dee was brilliant as Emmerdale's Lulu Dingle. But if she'd had access to Lulu's crystal ball and been able to see how tough it would be for a mainstream comedienne to get a break in modern TV, would she have persevered? Dee's book is moving, honest and funny. Garry Bushell (tv critic)

One of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring book that traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness, and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had.

Will Smith's transformation from a fearful child in a tense West Philadelphia home to one of the biggest rap stars of his era and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, with a string of box office successes that will likely never be broken, is an epic tale of inner transformation and outer triumph, and Will tells it astonishingly well. But it's only half the story.

Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life: not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way: they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for. It turned out Will Smith's education wasn't nearly over.

This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, author of the multi-million-copy bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Will is the story of how one exceptional man mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Few of us will know the pressure of performing on the world's biggest stages for the highest of stakes, but we can all understand that the fuel that works for one stage of our journey might have to be changed if we want to make it all the way home. The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself.

A biography that crackles with as much energy as the great bluesman's songs."
-Ted Drozdowski, Boston Phoenix

The epic, rollicking, up-and-down life of Muddy Waters-who went from Mississippi farmhand to musical legend, invented electric blues, and created the template for the rock-and-roll band and its wild lifestyle-is chronicled with rare vividness in Robert Gordon's widely praised biography.

Enter the shady and exciting world of New York City nightlife. Starting from the year, 1999, "Bounce" depicts the true events in the life of a seventeen year old bouncer, who is introduced to an adult world of sex, money, and violence. The narrator recollects vivid encounters with mobsters, celebrities, and women, who all contribute to his adolescent euphoria. Everything is like a fantasy...until...it all comes crashing down! Then, his close female friend helps him mature and pick up the shattered pieces of his questionable future in a romantic twist!