The election of Barack Obama has brought worldwide attention not only to what his policies will be, but to what kind of First Lady Michelle Obama will be. Throughout the long campaign season, Michelle Robinson Obama garnered a good amount of attention, kudos and criticism about her words, actions, even her appearance, but few people know what kind of role she will play once she settles into the White House. One clue is to examine her words and statements of the past, and the proposed book "Michelle Obama In Her Own Words" will show readers who are eager to learn more about America's new history-making First Lady. "Michelle Obama In Her Own Words" will be a book that contains 200-250 quotations arranged in approximately 75 different categories. A short introduction and biography of the new First Lady will precede the quotes. Drawing on quotations from a variety of newspaper and magazine articles, transcripts, speeches, and TV interviews and profiles, the quotations date from Michelle's career as a high-powered corporate lawyer in Chicago and her high-powered executive jobs in the Chicago Mayor's office and at the University of Chicago, up through the election of November 5th, 2008. Rogak locates and organizes the funny, fascinating, inspiring (and occasionally controversial) words of our future First Lady, on topics such as:

- Abortion
- Affirmative Action
- Balancing career and family
- Barack's safety
- Being compared to Jackie Onassis
- Her childhood
- Her critics
- Her fashion sense
- Hillary Clinton
- Iraq
- Racism
- Rev. Jeremiah Wright
- Sarah Palin
- Terrorism
- The "elitist" tag
- The Presidential campaign
- The role of the First Lady
- Women who have influenced her

Whether it's for their solace and beauty or for the sense of history that seeps from the ground, cemeteries are fascinating places to visit, this guide shows where to find the most interesting and unusual ones in all of New England. Some have headstones that are fine art, others are associated with notorious events, and others are the final resting place of famous poets, soldiers, and statesmen. Included are large public facilities as well as the small family burying grounds hidden away behind crumbling stone walls and along once-cultivated farmland. A sampling of cemeteries profiled: *Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont, where lifelike sculptures of angels and Greek goddesses stand next to a stone soccer ball and Shell Oil truck gravemarker, all elaborately carved from local granite by immigrant Italian stonecutters. *Spider Gates Cemetery, in Leicester, Massachusetts, a notorious Quaker burying ground famed for its frequent ghost sightings and still in use today. *A cemetery situated on the raised median of the Interstate in Warner, New Hampshire, which was preserved in 1970 by highway planners, who constructed the roadway around it. *Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven, Vermont, final resting place of Timothy Clark Smith, whose 1893 crypt includes a window to help him escape in case he was buried alive. Driving directions are provided for each cemetery, and detailed maps show the location of the more obscure graveyards. This unique guide offers an intriguing way to learn about the history and culture of New England.

Get inside the head of one of the most important leaders of our time with this collection of quotes from-global business icon and philanthropist Bill Gates, the co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft. After founding Microsoft in 1975, Bill Gates took the software industry by storm. Today, Microsoft has become one of the largest technology companies in the world-boasting a market capitalization of more than $1.6 trillion. From the Windows operating system to Microsoft Office Suite, Gates and his team forever changed the way people use computers-and ultimately planted the seeds of a global technology revolution in the process. Gates has long been ranked as one of the world's wealthiest men-which gave him a name recognition far greater than that of most CEOs-and businesspeople of all stripes have looked to him as a role model, using his words and business strategies to help create, inspire, and grow their own companies. After he stopped running Microsoft's day-to-day operations in 2008 to devote himself full-time to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a kinder, gentler Gates began to emerge. In stark contrast to the implacable reputation Gates earned as a CEO, as a philanthropist, Gates has helped to change the lives of millions of people worldwide. In technology, in business, and now, in philanthropy, Gates has proven himself to be one of the most influential people of our time. Bill Gates's second act is no less compelling than his first. This collection of quotes provides an inside look into the inner workings of one of the most revered, and occasionally controversial, business icons of the past four decades. And whether you're interested in his personal life or looking for inspiration to drive you forward in your own business endeavors, Bill Gates: In His Own Words has much to offer. As the tech giants who distinguished the turn of the 21st century shape public life in ways that outstrip the previous century's titans of industry, we look to figures like Gates for inspiration. Now updated, expanded, and redesigned since its original publication in 2012 as Impatient Optimist: Bill Gates In His Own Words, you can find Gates's most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place.

A wide-ranging collection of quotes from the new Pope's writings and speeches, revealing his opinions on the moral issues surrounding the Catholic Church today. Pope Francis won the hearts of Catholics all over the world when he was elected in March 2013, with his natural humility and commitment to putting those who are poor at the centre of his mission. Jorge Mario Bergoglio - the 265th successor of St Peter and the first non-European Pope in over 1200 years - has encouraged people to live simpler lives and shown the world a more compassionate face of Catholicism, bringing fresh hope for a renewal in the Church. In his own life, he has long demonstrated both his belief in simplicity and his concern for those who are poor, refusing to live in palatial accommodation during his tenure as a cardinal in Buenos Aires, riding the bus to work and even persuading the diocese to allow a group of poor missionaries to live in the official residence. 'Pope Francis in His Own Words' has been compiled to give Catholics and non-Catholics alike an insight into the thoughts of the new pontiff.

An all-you-need-to-know introduction to building, maintaining, and profiting from your own business

• Smart Strategies for choosing a business to match your personality and skills, and avoiding the common pitfalls of entrepreneurial start-ups
• Smart Advice on all the behind-the-scenes tasks—dealing with taxes and legal concerns, keeping the books, hiring employees, working with suppliers, and more
• Smart Tips on today's vast range of high-tech tools—what you really need and how to get it without breaking the bank
• Smart Definitions and insights on proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations—and which structure best suits your goals and circumstances
• Quick reading and easy referencing with a comprehensive index and loads of sidebars and tables

An all-you-need-to-know introduction to time management—starting you on the Smart path to a well-balanced and fulfilling life

• Smart Advice on how a series of surprisingly simple lifestyle changes can truly liberate your overloaded daily schedule
• Smart Strategies for coping with information overload at work—how to negotiate and prioritize the overwhelming demands of nonstop meetings, correspondence, presentations, and deadlines
• Smart Tips on identifying and modifying your particular management style—maximizing strengths, minimizing short-comings, and ensuring lasting change
• Smart Information on using time-saving computer programs and daily planners to help clear a path through all the clutter
• Quick reading and easy referencing with a comprehensive index and loads of sidebars and tables

Military Working Dogs have played a vital role in the United States armed forces throughout history. In this celebration of their contributions to our nation, Lisa Rogak profiles these heroic dogs and showcases them in vivid photographs that capture the devotion and respect these amazing canines, their devoted handlers, and fellow soldiers share for each other. A heart-warming collection for dog lovers everywhere, this is the first illustrated tribute to America's Military Working Dogs.

One of the most prolific and popular authors in the world today, Stephen King has become part of pop culture history. His best-selling novels such as "Carrie," "It," "Christine," and many others have captured the imaginations of millions of readers. But who is the man behind those tales of horror, grief, and the supernatural? Where do these ideas come from? And what drives him to keep writing at a breakneck pace after a thirty year career?

In this unauthorized biography, Lisa Rogak reveals the troubled background and lifelong fears that inspire one of the twentieth century's most influential authors. Despite his dark and disturbing work, Stephen King has become revered by critics and his countless fans as an all-American voice more akin to Mark Twain than H. P. Lovecraft. "Haunted Heart" chronicles his story, revealing the character of a man who has created some of the most memorable---and frightening---stories found in literature today.

After a contestant wrote "We love you, Alex!" as his Final Jeopardy! answer, fans around the world quickly chimed in to proclaim their own love and support for beloved Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. In the wake of his devastating cancer diagnosis, the moment provided the perfect opportunity to reflect on what the show--and the man--meant to them. Millions of devoted viewers have long considered Alex Trebek to be a part of their daily lives ever since he began hosting the show in 1984. Now, bestselling biographer Lisa Rogak gives readers a look at Trebek's early life, his career, and his personal life throughout the years, drawing on many sources to tell his full story for the first time. There are many surprises, like the fact that Trebek was almost 50 when he discovered that he had a half brother, as well as the revelation that for a short time he actually dreamed of becoming a priest. The native Canadian also struggled with depression after the failure of his first marriage, and for years afterward he despaired of ever having a family of his own, until he met the woman who would become his soulmate. Who Is Alex Trebek? is the first biography of the much-loved game show host, and as such, celebrates the man who has created a remarkable legacy that will live on in popular culture for generations to come.

In this biography, Lisa Rogak presents a funny and personal portrait of Stephen Colbert, the comedian who became the star of "The Colbert Report." She reveals the tragedy that forever altered his family and charts his early yeaers, first as a serious acting student and later as a budding improv comic, before co-creating the cult TV show "Strangers with Candy. "And she offers a look inside "The Daily Show," and the exclusive bond that Colbert and Jon Stewart formed that led to Colbert's own rise to celebrity.

'I'm afraid of everything.' Stephen King Since Stephen King's wife fished his first novel Carrie out of the waste paper basket, King has written more than 50 books, selling 300 million copies worldwide. Here, for the first time, is the ultimate biography of this prolific and widely-loved writer. Lisa Rogak has interviewed friends, relatives and stars who know King in order to fully uncover the story behind King's childhood through to his becoming a successful writer, and beyond. She follows the effects of abandonment by his father at an early age ('We were ashamed not to have a father'), and his mum giving him a nickel for every story he wrote. At the age of four he saw a neighbouring boy get hit by a freight train. At 13, he was sent to his grandmother's room to wake her but instead found her cold, lifeless body. His local Bookmobile which visited every week allowed him to take out Edgar Allan Poe, HP Lovecraft and he ran through the classics of horror. Haunted Heart is the story of one of the greatest horror writers, and his trials both as a young boy and, now 70, an ageing citizen. It covers everything from his love of buying scratch cards to the real-life stories and events that have provided the backdrop to many of his novels. Lisa Rogak is the co-author of Barack Obama: In His Own Words, The Man Behind The Da Vinci Code: An unauthorized Biography of Dan Brown amongst many other titles. Her works have been reviewed and otherwise mentioned in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Family Circle, and hundreds of other publications. She lives in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Few authors are as beloved as Shel Silverstein. His inimitable drawings and comic poems have become the bedtime staples of millions of children and their parents, but few readers know much about the man behind that wild-eyed, bearded face peering out from the backs of dust jackets.

In "A Boy Named Shel, " Lisa Rogak tells the full story of a life as antic and adventurous as any of his creations. A man with an incurable case of wanderlust, Shel kept homes on both coasts and many places in between---and enjoyed regular stays in the Playboy Mansion. Everywhere he went he charmed neighbors, made countless friends, and romanced almost as many women with his unstoppable energy and never-ending wit.

His boundless creativity brought him fame and fortune---neither of which changed his down-to-earth way of life---and his children's books sold millions of copies. But he was much more than "just" a children's writer. He collaborated with anyone who crossed his path, and found success in a wider range of genres than most artists could ever hope to master. He penned hit songs like "A Boy Named Sue" and "The Unicorn." He drew cartoons for "Stars & Stripes "and got his big break with "Playboy." He wrote experimental plays and collaborated on scripts with David Mamet. With a seemingly unending stream of fresh ideas, he worked compulsively and enthusiastically on a wide array of projects up until his death, in 1999.

Drawing on wide-ranging interviews and in-depth research, Rogak gives fans a warm, enlightening portrait of an artist whose imaginative spirit created the poems, songs, and drawings that have touched the lives of so many children---and adults.

Dogs don't just make lovable pets. They also work at an incredible number of jobs, helping humans in countless ways. From working with search-and-rescue teams to find missing persons to helping patients recover from injuries, Lisa Rogak covers the many ways in which dogs are an essential part of our world. And she tells the surprising stories of regular dogs who have gone above and beyond to help their owners - and even each other. "Dogs of Courage" reveals the heart-warming and awe-inspiring stories of these hard-working dogs, from the training they receive to the ways we honour their sacrifices and reward their years of service. Affirming what every dog lover knows, this book shows how deep a dog's loyalty and friendship can go.

Since delivering his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama has been hailed as the clear savior of not only the Democratic party, but of the integrity of American politics. Despite the fact that he burst onto the national scene seemingly overnight, his name recognition has grown by leaps and bounds ever since.
"Barack Obama in His Own Words," a book of quotes from the Illinois Senator, allows those who aren't as familiar with his politics to learn quickly where he stands on abortion, religion, AIDS, his critics, foreign policy, Iraq, the War on Terror, unemployment, gay marriage, and a host of other important issues facing America and the world.