Spawned in the intensely fertile music scene that blossomed in and around Seattle in the late 1980s, Nirvana instantly distinguished itself from the bulk of its peers by virtue of the singular passion that drove its leader, Kurt Cobain. Few were prepared for worldwide Nirvana-mania set off by the 1991 release of Nevermind. With the instantaneous success of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' the album stormed the charts. Their next album, In Utero, was the last studio recording released by Nirvana: the demons that made Cobain's writing so powerful took their toll: he took his own life less than a year later. Although the band released just five albums, Nirvana's influence is certain to be felt for many years to come: Nirvana, an unofficial publication, shows the multiple reasons behind that impact through the words of the band, their friends and their colleagues. Through interviews with those close to the band coupled with intensive archive research, the unique status this band occupies-as representatives of the time, and as timeless songwriters-will be revealed.

The "affectionate...charming" (Kirkus Reviews) story of Tim Shanahan's remarkable and little-known forty-year friendship with boxing legend Muhammad Ali, filled with stories never told as well as never-before-published personal photos.In 1975, Tim Shanahan was a medical instruments salesman living in Chicago and working with a charity that arranged for pro athletes to speak to underprivileged kids. Muhammad Ali had just reclaimed his title as heavyweight champion of the world by defeating George Foreman (the "Rumble in the Jungle") and then successfully defended it in a rematch against Joe Frazier (the "Thrilla in Manila"). When Shanahan learned Ali was planning a move to Chicago, he contacted the Champ to ask whether he would participate in the charity program. Not only did Ali agree, he invited Shanahan to his new home, where the two spent a night talking, laughing, and bonding over bowls of ice cream--the beginning of an incredible friendship. Ali soon enlisted Shanahan as his early morning running partner. Quickly, Shanahan became a trusted confidant and travel companion, and Ali often stunned strangers by introducing Shanahan as his cousin. The two grew even closer over family dinners with Shanahan's wife, Helga, and Ali's wife, Veronica. Shanahan was with Ali as the Champ trained for his legendary battles with Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks, and Larry Holmes, and moved to Los Angeles with Ali when the Champ prepared for a life after boxing. Shanahan was a recipient of and witness to Ali's tremendous generosity, and as Ali's health began to deteriorate, Shanahan had a chance to return the favor, encouraging and comforting his ailing friend. Running with the Champ is an insightful personal portrait of the Greatest of All Time. But, above all, it is a touching, candid narrative of an extraordinary friendship that continued until Ali's death.

Amidst the deluge of advice for businesspeople, there lies an overlooked tool, a key to thriving in today's fast-paced, unpredictable environment: improvisation. In Getting to "Yes And" veteran improv performer, university professor, CEO, and consultant Bob Kulhan unpacks a form of mental agility with powers far beyond the entertainment value of comedy troupes. Drawing on principles from cognitive and social psychology, behavioral economics, and communication, Kulhan teaches readers to think on their feet and approach the most typical business challenges with fresh eyes and openness. He shows how improv techniques such as the "Yes, and" approach, divergent and convergent thinking, and focusing on being present can translate into more productive meetings, swifter decisions, stronger collaboration, positive conflict resolution, mindfulness, and more. Moving from the individual to the organizational level, Kulhan compiles time-tested teaching methods and training exercises into an instrumental guide that readers can readily implement as a party of one or a company of thousands.

Critical, in-depth examination of Nirvana's entire output. There have been precious few truly revolutionary events in rock history: Elvis Presley's first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show... the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and the unforeseen, meteoric ascent of a band from Seattle: Nirvana. Unflaggingly faithful to its punk rock roots, Nirvana was the catalyst behind a sea of change the likes of which the music world had not seen since The Beatles spearheaded the British Invasion more than a quarter of a century before. Crisafulli tells the story behind every track on the band's albums. Why did Cobain feel moved to write 'Polly'? What is Teen Spirit? Who is Floyd the Barber? All is revealed in this book, which discusses and examines all of the band's output. Contents: The book follows Nirvana from its earliest beginnings to rock superstardom, pinpointing the genesis of each of the band's original songs, and exploring the sources from which they chose the cover songs that punctuated their records. It is the story of the most important band in what will surely stand as one of the most important times in the history of rock 'n' roll.

Close your eyes and picture -- just for a moment -- hell. Fire? Demons? Eternal torment?
Well, yes -- that's the place, in one very hot nutshell. But that's not all there is to the forbidding world beneath us. For a few millennia now, we mortals have imagined and reimagined hell in countless ways: as a realm of damnation, as an inspiration for highest art, as a setting for the lowest of lowbrow comedy. One might conclude that for all our good intentions to enter para- dise, we can't seem to get enough vivid details of its counterpart, hell.
Provocative, colorful, and damned entertaining, "Go to Hell" takes readers on a tour of the underworld that is both darkly comical and seriously informative. From the frozen hell of the Vikings to the sun-drenched Cayman Islands' town of Hell (where tourists line up to have their postcards aptly postmarked), from Dante's circles of hell to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer's" Hellmouth, "Go to Hell" embraces our evolving relationship with the sinner's final destination, revealing how we truly think of ourselves in "this" world.
What's down below?
Meet HEL, the hideous, half-rotting goddess of the Viking underworld.
Beware the Egyptians' AM-MUT, an unsightly mix of lion, crocodile, and hippo parts, and insatiably hungry for wicked souls.
Visit JIGOKU, a Buddhist realm of eight fiery hells and eight icy hells: an all-you-can-suffer hot-and-cold buffet.
Step into the INFERNO for a tour of Dante's nine circles of the damned...