"How a female artisan became the Arab world’s top jewelry designer"—CNBC on Azza Fahmy The inspiring personal story of an exceptional female artist and entrepreneur who overcame great obstacles to become one of the most recognized jewelers in the Arab world and an international luxury brand In the Egypt of the 1970s, a young Azza Fahmy set out into the all-male world of Historic Cairo's jewelry district to apprentice as a silversmith. This was the start of a remarkable success story that would make her name an international luxury brand. With warmth and candor, she recalls a happy childhood in Upper Egypt, spent in the bygone world of postwar Egypt. This idyllic start to life ended abruptly with the death of her father, when Azza Fahmy was only thirteen, and the family was forced to move to Cairo, to begin a new life under much reduced circumstances. It was a chance find at a book fair that changed the course of events for her—sparking a passion for silversmithing, and inspiring her to seek out the master craftsmen of Khan al-Khalili, the great craft district of Historic Cairo, and the nearby Sagha, or goldsmiths’ and silversmiths’ district. Through her intimate knowledge of these jewelry workshops, Azza Fahmy takes us through the quarter’s exquisite architecture and bustling alleyways, peopled with silversmiths, goldsmiths, brass workers, and artisans of every stripe, and lays out the indelible influence this now disappearing world has left on her acclaimed jewelry designs. While Azza Fahmy’s story is one of great accomplishment, woven through it are her struggles as a single mother, a middle-class Egyptian, and a woman working in a man's profession. This memoir, a tribute to the people and places that shaped her creative imagination, is also an ode to the conviction that with hope and perseverance, anything is possible.

My Life with Nobi is a story of two people whose lives were such that they had little or no chance of meeting had it not been for World War II. She was born and lived her early life on the Island of Hokkaido, Japan while I was born and lived my early life in Little Rock, Arkansas. I have always thought that she was given to by God, not because I deserved her, but because we were two lost souls aimlessly going through life. Our story takes us through the problems of Army Regulations prohibiting us from showing affection to the Japanese women and a few times where racial prejudice raised its ugly head. There were times when I had to be approved by her guardian before I was permitted to kiss her goodnight. When all of the problems were solved our love for each other grew and span over a period of sixty-two years. Our story includes how we raised our children, the heartache of losing one to a dreaded disease called Systemic Lupus Erythematosis, and the problems of everyday life like the middle class family that we are. I am not too proud of the period immediately following my return from the Vietnam War. I was sick and needed the help of a psychologist to put my life back together. It was because of the love for each other that we got through this period.

Life is a journey. Long for some and short for others. Nevertheless, we select our own paths to reach our destination. In doing so, we are forced to stop at various junctions, becoming emotionally, sensationally, and spiritually involved with what we encounter. As the duration of the journey progresses, we age with time. The subconscious mind projects past images in sequences or by association, making life surreal. Like actors on stage, we perform, aware of our entrances and exits. Every performance is a prologue to what might be or what might have been.

This book tells the story of the author's life, work, travel and experiences. The book also deals with the geopolitical circumstances of the world specifically of Asia and South Asia during his life time and provides some dream-like options for future. The book also vividly describes some conflicts - economic, social, political and familial- that the author experiences at personal, national, regional levels. It is a real life captivating story.

Meet Vanessa, an almost thirty-something New Yorker who thinks she's got it all: marriage-material boyfriend Ethan, her own bilingual preschool, a closet full of designer fashions, and daily diner dates with her best friend Emily. But when Ethan doesn't turn out to be all he's supposed to be, Vanessa's world instantly unravels. Suddenly single, she stumbles upon a wealthy man and moves to Palm Beach to marry him, only to find the shocking truth behind the source of his wealth. Is having everything worth sacrificing who you really are? But what about the Shoe Salon at Bergdorf's? The Louboutin collection? Vanessa finds herself at a crossroads, and the choices she makes might surprise everyone-even herself. Witty, insightful, and eminently relatable, Erica Negi's story is a modern twist on the Cinderella tale-albeit in designer shoes. Reminiscent of the works of Jennifer Weiner and Candace Bushnell, My Life in Loubies is one woman's uproarious journey to adulthood.

His connection at age fifteen with L.A.'s most notorious gangster, his sinister lifestyle while working for a renowned private investigator, Johnny Ortiz's exciting life involved close friendships with Hollywood superstars and sports champions. In Palm Springs he mingled with the Rat Pack; in Las Vegas he attended celebrity-ridden parties; in Los Angeles the saloons he owned became a hangout for sports figures and famous actors. Champions worked out at his legendary Main St. Gym and most of Hollywood's top boxing movie gym scenes were filmed there including the first three Rocky movies. In his revealing reminiscences Ortiz fondly relates previously untold stories of celebrities including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Jim Morrison, Henry Fonda, Antonio Banderas, Woody Harrelson, Robert Mitchum, Lynda Carter, Olivia De Havilland, Bette Davis, Jackie Gleason, Ben Johnson, Dorothy Lamour, Milton Berle, Mickey Rooney, Lenny Bruce, Cliff Gorman, Phil Crosby, and John Drew Barrymore, along with sports icons like Muhammad Ali, O.J. Simpson, Sugar Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong, Rocky Marciano, and Joe Louis. Johnny Ortiz has been a fighter, trainer, manager, boxing historian and a twelve year host of his own radio show. He is a longtime member of the Screen Actors Guild, has numerous TV and film credits, and is also an accomplished stage actor. In 1999, he completed his role opposite Antonio Banderas and Woody Harrelson in the film, Play It To The Bone. In 2001, director Michael Mann cast him in the Will Smith movie, Ali.

From the moment Mathell Givens was born in 1952 in Illinois, God began sending angels. In this heartfelt autobiography, Givens narrates her life story and describes the angels who rescued her during her times of need. Beginning at birth, Givens' path was not an easy one, but she credits both her faith in God and the angels in her life for her blessed existence today. In Angels in My Life, Givens details the many painful hurdles she's overcome—from being preyed upon by a pedophile as a young girl, to experiencing a teen pregnancy, dealing with an unfaithful spouse, raising three boys as a single mother, and coping with an array of health problems. But through all of her trials and tests, Givens has remained steadfast and true in her devotion to God. A personal testament to God's saving grace, Angels in My Life tells an inspirational story of faith and love.

This book is a history of My Life on the Navajo. I was assigned to travel to the Navajo Nation at Window Rock Arizona to help a group of seven Professors create an Indian school of medicine. After that I came to the Navajo for a week each month for the next eight years. I helped the Controller, Dino, with their accounting and their silver business. We became good friends and had a number of great experiences. I made other friends on the Navajo including the first Miss Navajo, Beulah Allen, who taught me about the Navajo life and how the Mountains came together at night. I also found the lost city of Lukichuki, which is now one of the busiest sites on the reservation. What a great experience.

This book is a refreshing glimpse into the life of people in Pakistan today. Seen through the eyes of the author, who keeps moving home every year or so, to live in different cities of Pakistan. Most of these articles were printed during the last two decades in different magazines and dailies. Shireen Gheba Najib has a refreshing and humorous viewpoint of the incidents and situations she finds herself in. There are also interviews of prominent personalities from different walks of life. These articles fulfill the need to get out of statistics of poverty and illiteracy, and measure the charm and hospitality of Pakistanis. About the Author:Writer, artist and educationist Shireen Gheba Najib has an MSc degree in Related Arts, Home Economics, Lahore and an MBA in Human Resource Management, Islamabad. Her first article was written for Dawn newspaper, on life in Kuwait ¿ after the invasion of Kuwait, in 1990. Editor Dawn invited her to write regularly for them. Seven hundred articles and three books later, she is an established writer. Last year she had her own column on personalities in Islamabad, in Dawn. Her books, Fun Cook Book, Kitchen Management and Entertaining Guests are available online.