Called “God’s angry man” for his unyielding demands in pursuit of personal and artistic freedom, Oscar-winning filmmaker Richard Brooks brought us some of the mid-twentieth century’s most iconic films, including Blackboard Jungle, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Elmer Gantry, In Cold Blood, and Looking for Mr. Goodbar. “The important thing,” he once remarked, “is to write your story, to make it believable, to make it live.” His own life story has never been fully chronicled, until now. Tough as Nails: The Life and Films of Richard Brooks restores to importance the career of a prickly iconoclast who sought realism and truth in his films. Douglass K. Daniel explores how the writer-director made it from the slums of Philadelphia to the heights of the Hollywood elite, working with the top stars of the day, among them Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor, Jean Simmons, Sidney Poitier, Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, and Diane Keaton. Brooks dramatized social issues and depicted characters in conflict with their own values, winning an Academy Award for his Elmer Gantry screenplay and earning nominations for another seven Oscars for directing and screenwriting. Tough as Nails offers illuminating insights into Brooks’s life, drawing on unpublished studio memos and documents and interviews from stars and colleagues, including Poitier, director Paul Mazursky, and Simmons, who was married to Brooks for twenty years. Daniel takes readers behind the scenes of Brooks’s major films and sheds light on their making, their compromises, and their common threads. Tough as Nails celebrates Brooks’s vision while adding to the critical understanding of his works, their flaws as well as their merits, and depicting the tumults and trends in the life of a man who always kept his own compass. Best Books for General Audiences, selected by the American Association of School Librarians Outstanding Book, selected by the Public Library Reviewers

Gail O'Sullivan Dwyer graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1981-- only the second Academy class to have women among its members.

The cofounder of the Hard as Nails Ministries describes his unconventional methods of spreading the word of God, explains why he goes to such extremes to make his message heard, and presents stories of people whose lives have been transformed by his work.

What's better than a man who's good with his hands? Try a trio of hard-bodied hunks who'll be happy to flip your house, your heart...and anything else you have in mind... This Old House Architect Cole Carruthers's mission is simple--visit his company's latest rehab project and cajole the sweet old lady who once owned it into vacating the premises. But the sultry, sledge-hammer-wielding woman he finds is far from old, nor particularly sweet. For reasons she won't reveal, Aubrey Matheson refuses to leave the house she claims is her birthright. As far as Cole's concerned, there's only one thing to do with this squatter: hunker down with her and discover every single one of her sexy secrets... All About Adam The last meeting tough-as-nails Becky Carter took with sharp-witted, wicked sexy lawyer and real estate rehabber Adam Thomas culminated in a scorching-hot game of kiss-and-run. Becky was the one running, and she's regretted it ever since. Now Adam's back to do some actual business...or so he says. If Becky has her way, this weekend of negotiation will speed from boardroom to bedroom--and stay there... Man at the Door After finding herself famous for all the wrong reasons, artist Erin McHugh just wants to fix up her house, open her art studio, and settle down out of the spotlight. Then job foreman Ray Hammond walks through her door and Erin recognizes broad-shouldered trouble. Hot, young, and always in the news, Ray is everything Erin wanted to avoid. The challenge is how to resist a guy who can build anything, fix anything--and make Erin feel everything...

If you're going to shoot Joe Kurtz, you'd better shoot to kill. Ex-PI Joe Kurtz's survival is on the line when an ambush leaves him badly wounded and his parole officer, Peg O'Toole, clinging to life. Their respective professions have ensured that neither suffers from a shortage of enemies, so narrowing down the suspects isn't easy. But Kurtz knows who's at the head of his list: Angelina Farino Ferrara, the lethal beauty who leads the Farino crime family, and her mob rival, Toma Gonzaga. The odd thing is, each would rather hire Joe Kurtz than fire at him. Someone's causing trouble beneath the gray skies of western New York, and it's drawn the notice of the mobs and the cops. Kurtz is caught in the middle along with the rest of them, and no one knows who's tightening the vise.

Sweet As Sugar Tough As Nails: Sugar and Sweets Lover Recipe Book Are you the ultimate recipe collector, or do you know someone who is? This simple yet functional recipe book to write your favorite recipes in provides ample space to write. Each page has space for one recipe and contains prompts for recipe name, servings, prep time, cook time, temperature, ingredients, methods, wine pairing, and from the kitchen of. Add To Cart Now An easy way to keep your family recipes in order, this simple journal keeps all your essential recipes and instructions in one place and allows you to compile your favorite dishes for quick and easy reference. Features: 110 Pages of Recipe Templates with Space for Ingredients, Methods, Wine Pairings and More Basic Recipe Pages with a Clean Layout that is Easy to Write In Great for all Recipes or Used for Dessert Recipes Exclusively Product Description: 6x9" 110 Pages Uniquely Designed Matte Cover High Quality, Heavy Paper We have lots of great trackers, journals, and notebooks so be sure to check out our other listings by clicking on the "Designs for Foodies by Foodies" link just below the title of this recipe keeper. Ideas On How To Use This Planner: Mother's Day Gift Birthday Gift Gift for Baker Stocking Stuffer Valentine's Day Gift

God's ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We are called to follow, to take the next step, to keep coming. We don't know what God is doing and He has a reason for that. I know I have tried to "help" many times, and God has graciously cleaned up my messes, set me back on my feet, and kept my feet on the path as I followed Him. I know these poems will bless you. They have blessed me. Sometimes I just "stood on the side" and wrote what God was saying. I wasn't even part of it, but I wrote the words and was amazed. I am still amazed today. And God is getting great glory for Himself.

Sitting in a hospital room after her father suffered a major heart attack, Paula Marshall watched her dad desperately try to decide who would now run their family's business. Even though Paula had worked for the company for ten years, she fully expected her brothers to takeover for her father. And then something unexpected happened. Faced with the impossible choice of selling his business or passing it down to his only daughter, who became pregnant at 17, her father took the bigger gamble. Since that day in the hospital, Marshall has taken The Bama Companies to new heights of success and growth. Now a major corporation with plants all over the world, Bama has set benchmarks in manufacturing quality products for some of the nation's largest restaurant chains. Here, Marshall tells her story of going from teen mom to successful CEO, and the challenges she's faced along the way.

Inside This Special 20-Page Report From Tactical Training Specialist Mike Gillette You’ll Find Out… 1. The most important character traits all tough guys MUST have. 2. That toughness has nothing to do with the size of your muscles or physical strength. 3. Why guys today have become mentally weak wimps. 4. What EVERY Medal of Honor recipient has in common. 5. How to take control of anger & get rid of self limiting beliefs.