Two weeks after the United States officially entered World War I, Irish American "Bricklayer Bill" Kennedy won the Boston Marathon wearing his stars-and-stripes bandana, rallying the crowd of patriotic spectators. Kennedy became an American hero and, with outrageous stories of his riding the rails and sleeping on pool tables, a racing legend whose name has since appeared in almost every book written on the Boston Marathon. When journalist Patrick Kennedy and historian Lawrence Kennedy unearthed their uncle's unpublished memoir, they discovered a colorful character who lived a tumultuous life, beyond his multiple marathons. The bricklayer survived typhoid fever, a five-story fall, auto and train accidents, World War action, Depression-era bankruptcy, decades of back-breaking work, and his own tendency to tipple. In many ways, Bill typified the colorful, newly emerging culture and working-class ethic of competitive long-distance running before it became a professionalized sport. Bricklayer Bill takes us back to another time, when bricklayers, plumbers, and printers could take the stage as star athletes.

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING NINA DOBREV AND AARON ECKHART “Terrific pace, surprises galore….Move over Jack Reacher, here comes The Bricklayer.” —James Patterson Someone will kill and kill again if it means he can fool the FBI . . . Ex-FBI agent Steve Vail is more than happy to leave the Bureau behind, but they aren’t through with him yet. A group called the Rubaco Pentad is holding the FBI up for buckets of cash, with an escalating body count as leverage. The Feds are stumped. Some signs point to a corrupt agent while others lead to completely dead ends. Vail has built a reputation for being able to find anybody anywhere. Now, with no official ties, he’s the perfect choice for this under-the-radar investigation. But as Vail well knows, going after people who use killing as a bargaining chip is asking for the worst kind of trouble. The Bricklayer is a gripping debut of an iconic new hero, and is brought to us with the startling authenticity only a real insider can provide. Noah Boyd has created a mind-twisting maze of clues inside a nonstop thrill ride that is guaranteed to keep readers on edge until the final page. "Non-stop action and non-stop authenticity make this a real winner." —Lee Child Don't miss Steve Vail's next pulse-pounding thriller from Noah Boyd: Agent X, available now!

A memoir with all the page-turning drama of a good novel, Brick by Brick tells the author's story of coming of age in the gritty South End of New Bedford, Massachusetts, as a tough teenage dropout without direction . . . until she took a job as a bricklayer.

Achieve Anything You Set Your Mind To Without Feeling Overworked and Overwhelmed! What if a few simple habits and strategies could help you stop putting things off and start getting things done? What if you kept every promise you made to yourself? What if you could enjoy guilt-free leisure at the end of each day? Mental trainer Patrik Edblad has helped hundreds of coaching clients and thousands of readers beat procrastination and achieve their goals. In this book, he lays out the complete step-by-step guide to developing relentless self-discipline. You'll discover: The four fundamental "keystone habits" of self-discipline How to change your mindset to cultivate success How to establish your mission in life using The Hedgehog Concept How to find your unique "why" using The Golden Circle How to get laser-focused on the right things by defining your Circle of Competence How to biologically reshape your mind and body for success by creating a Winner Effect Several research-backed strategies to radically transform your behavior BONUS: The Self-Discipline Blueprint Workbook — A complimentary resource you can use to easily put everything you learn into immediate action Get your copy now and start building your self-discipline today!

La crisis, a period of political and economic turmoil in Mexico that began in the late 1960s, spawned a new era in Mexican cinema. Known as el Nuevo Cine (the New Cinema), these films presented alienated characters caught in a painful transition period in which old family, gender, and social roles have ceased to function without being replaced by viable new ones. These are the films explored by Charles Ramírez Berg in Cinema of Solitude, the first book-length critical study of Mexican cinema in English. Berg discusses the major films and filmmakers of el Nuevo Cine in depth. He analyzes dozens of commercial movies, from popular comedies and adventures to award-winning films. Introductory chapters address the issue of mexicanidad (Mexican national identity) and outline Mexican history, the history of film as popular culture and as a leading national industry, and the ideological dynamics of Mexican cinema. In thematically arranged chapters, Berg investigates the images of women, men, and social structures portrayed in New Cinema films. He finds that women characters have begun to reject traditional stereotypes for more positive images, while male characters have grown ambiguous and undefined as machismo is abandoned. Other chapters trace the continuing marginalization of Indians in Mexican culture, the changes in male dominance within the family, and the disruptive social and economic effects caused by migration. For everyone interested in Mexican culture as reflected in its major cinematic productions, as well as students of film theory and national cinemas, this book will be important reading.

Stand on the shoulders of giants!Have you ever wished you could have a mentor like the Apostle Paul—someone trustworthy to guide your spiritual development and ministry? Tony Cooke, author, teacher, and student of church history, has assembled a panel of the greatest Christian spiritual leaders of all time, curating a profound, yet...

“Callings will inspire readers at every stage of their careers to view work with a new appreciation for the possibilities it holds beyond the mundane.” —Booklist Stories of passion, courage, and commitment, following individuals as they pursue the work they were born to do, from StoryCorps founder Dave Isay In Callings, StoryCorps founder Dave Isay presents unforgettable stories from people doing what they love. Some found their paths at a very young age, others later in life; some overcame great odds or upturned their lives in order to pursue what matters to them. Many of their stories have never been broadcast or published by StoryCorps until now. We meet a man from the barrios of Texas whose harrowing experiences in a family of migrant farmers inspired him to become a public defender. We meet a longtime waitress who takes pride in making regulars and newcomers alike feel at home in her Nashville diner. We meet a young man on the South Side of Chicago who became a teacher in order to help at-risk teenagers like the ones who killed his father get on the right track. We meet a woman from Little Rock who helps former inmates gain the skills and confidence they need to rejoin the workforce. Together they demonstrate how work can be about much more than just making a living, that chasing dreams and finding inspiration in unexpected places can transform a vocation into a calling. Their shared sense of passion, honor, and commitment brings deeper meaning and satisfaction to every aspect of their lives. An essential contribution to the beloved StoryCorps collection, Callings is an inspiring tribute to rewarding work and the American pursuit of happiness.

Cover subtitle: Inspiration, influence, and persuasion through the art of storytelling

Read how trusting in Jesus Christ and calling upon His name helped a fifty-nine-year-old bricklayer to go from bricks to books and beyond. This is an inspiring story about how God's Word helped a bricklayer gain the courage to overcome obstacles placed in his path. This book is a reminder that life is a journey, and when the Lord closes one door, he always opens another. My message in this book is that we have to turn the doorknob of our hearts to let Jesus in. Dr. John H. LaManque pushes back against the attack on Christian Church values in foreign lands. Hindu fundamentalists and Muslims who hate Christians have burnt their churches to the ground and killed Christian people. The author sees a greater threat to American Christians coming from within, and he identifies the threat as coming from the secular humanist movement in the form of a new religion. The new religion is led by groups that follow Marxist theology and includes atheists, educators, and the media, who want to sell the idea that sinful behavior is just another alternative lifestyle.

Storytelling has come of age in the business world. Today, many of the most successful companies use storytelling as a leadership tool. At Nike, all senior executives are designated "corporate storytellers." 3M banned bullet points years ago and replaced them with a process of writing "strategic narratives." Procter Gamble hired Hollywood directors to teach its executives storytelling techniques. Some forward-thinking business schools have even added storytelling courses to their management curriculum. The reason for this is simple: Stories have the ability to engage an audience the way logic and bullet points alone never could. Whether you are trying to communicate a vision, sell an idea, or inspire commitment, storytelling is a powerful business tool that can mean the difference between mediocre results and phenomenal success. Lead with a Story contains both ready-to-use stories and how-to guidance for readers looking to craft their own. Designed for a wide variety of business challenges, the book shows how narrative can help: * Define culture and values * Engender creativity and innovation * Foster collaboration and build relationships * Provide coaching and feedback * Lead change * And more Whether in a speech or a memo, communicated to one person or a thousand, storytelling is an essential skill for success. Complete with examples from companies like Kellogg's, Merrill-Lynch, Procter Gamble, National Car Rental, Wal-Mart, Pizza Hut, and more, this practical resource gives readers the guidance they need to deliver stories to stunning effect.