In the spirit of a young Barack Obama's Dreams from My Father, comes a candid and compelling memoir about race and poverty in America. In many ways, there was no reason Julian Castro would have been expected to be a success. Born to unmarried parents in a poverty-stricken neighborhood of a struggling city, his prospects of escaping his circumstance seemed bleak. But he and his twin brother Joaquin had something going for them: their mother. A former political activist, she provided the launch pad for what would become an astonishing ascent. Julian and Joaquin would go on to attend Stanford and Harvard before entering politics at the ripe age of 26. Soon after, Joaquin become a state representative and Julian was elected mayor of San Antonio, a city he helped revitalize and transform into one of the country's leading economies. His success in Texas propelled him onto the national stage, where he was the keynote speaker at the 2012 DNC--the same spot President Obama held three conventions prior--and then to Washington D.C. where he served as the Obama Administration's Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. After being shortlisted as a potential running mate for Hillary Clinton, he is now seen by many as a future presidential candidate. Julian Castro's story not only affirms the American dream, but also resonates with millions, who in an age of political cynicism and hardening hearts are searching for a new hero. No matter one's politics, this book is the transcendent story of a resilient family and the unlikely journey of an emerging national icon.

Derick Lugo had never been hiking. He didn't even know if he liked being outside all that much. He certainly couldn't imagine going more than a day without manicuring his goatee. But with a job overseas cut short and no immediate plans, this fixture of the greater New York comedy circuit began to think about what he might do with months of free time and no commitments. He had heard of the Appalachian Trail and knew of its potential for danger and adventure, but he had never seriously considered attempting to hike all 2,192 miles of it. Then again, what could go wrong for a young black man from the city trekking solo through the East Coast backwoods? The Unlikely Thru-Hiker is the story of how an unknowing ambassador of one of the AT's least common demographics, unfamiliar with both the outdoors and thru-hiking culture, sets off with an extremely overweight pack and a willfully can-do attitude to conquer the infamous trail. What follows are eye-opening lessons on preparation, humility, race relations, and nature's wild unpredictability. But this isn't a hard-nosed memoir of discouragement or intolerance. What sets Lugo apart from the typical walk in the woods is his refusal to let any challenge squash his inner Pollyanna. Through it all, he perseveres with humor, tenacity, and an unshakeable commitment to grooming--earning him the trail name "Mr. Fabulous"--that sees him from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Katahdin in Maine.

This is a story of perseverance and awakening. As a child, Angela Walker Franklin faced clear expectations for success from very supportive and engaged parents, yet self-doubt and trepidation continued to raise its ugly head along the way. She was steadfast and determined in her journey, which took several twists and turns until she let go and let God order her steps. This journey evolved into a purpose-driven life that led her to a college presidency in a most unlikely place. The lessons learned along the way have defined her current approach to leadership and should be inspirational to others who are trying to chart their own path.

PRAISE for A BUM DEAL "Hannah's recollections of his mental state at the time are almost heartbreaking in their honesty and intensity...remarkable story of personal redemption." -Booklist starred review "Here is the remarkable story behind an American tragedy, a twisted fall into unspeakable exploitation and the hoary depths of human existence followed by a redemptive return to grace."-Steve Lopez, author of The Soloist and LA Times columnist "A remarkable true story of how a chance meeting between two very different men transformed them not only into friends, but humanitarians on a crucial mission. If there was ever a lesson on the nobility of the human spirit, even under the most adverse circumstances, it is found in the pages of this incredible book." -Brian Levin "A Bum Deal: An Unlikely Journey from Hopeless to Humanitarian artfully explains theimportance of understanding homelessness one life at a time. This gritty no-holds-barred memoir juxtaposes acts of unthinkable exploitation with instances of profound and encouraging exhortation." -Neil J. Donovan, Executive Director, National Coalition for the Homeless Rufus Hannah is known to millions around the world, unfortunately, as "Rufus the Stunt Bum" because of his participation in the infamous Bumfights video series. But his story doesn't end there...it is a story of incredible pride and perseverance, and a recovery few could have imagined. Rufus's story is inspiring to anyone who has ever struggled with personal demons and life challenges and wondered where they would find the strength to survive even one more day.

Born into a family of wealth and privilege during World War II, Mark Erwin's childhood was less than normal or happy. The son of a free-spirited, socialite mothers who was used to getting whatever she desired, he witnessed her decline into depression, alcoholism, and despair, which almost destroyed the family. This could be called a story of "riches to rags and back to riches," with plenty of life lessons between. "An Unlikely Journey" follows Erwin's miraculous path from a rocky beginning to the curious and extraordinary places and positions neither Mark nor his family and closest friends could have ever envisioned. With no financial resources, little education, and few prospects, he overcame many challenges to achieve success in business, philanthropy, politics, diplomacy, and life, developing along the way a credo to "Make a Difference. Do Good. Have fun."

In this inspiring coming-of-age memoir, a world-renowned astrophysicist emerges from an impoverished childhood and crime-filled adolescence to ascend through the top ranks of research physics. Navigating poverty, violence, and instability, a young James Plummer had two guiding stars-a genius IQ and a love of science. But a bookish nerd was a soft target in his community, where James faced years of bullying and abuse. As he struggled to survive his childhood in some of the country's toughest urban neighborhoods in New Orleans, Houston, and LA, and later in the equally poor backwoods of Mississippi, he adopted the persona of "gangsta nerd"-dealing weed in juke joints while winning state science fairs with computer programs that model Einstein's theory of relativity. Once admitted to the elite physics PhD program at Stanford University, James found himself pulled between the promise of a bright future and a dangerous crack cocaine habit he developed in college. With the encouragement of his mentor and the sole Black professor in the physics department, James confronted his personal demons as well as the entrenched racism and classism of the scientific establishment. When he finally seized his dream of a life in astrophysics, he adopted a new name, Hakeem Muata Oluseyi, to honor his African ancestors. Alternately heartbreaking and hopeful, A QUANTUM LIFE narrates one man's remarkable quest across an ever-expanding universe filled with entanglement and choice.

A powerful story touched with family trauma, deprivation, and adversity balanced by a life of hard work and philanthropy! On the Road Less Traveled is the inspirational story of Edmund A. Hajim, an American financier and philanthropist who rises from dire childhood circumstances to achieve professional success and personal fulfillment. At age three, Hajim is kidnapped by his father, driven from St. Louis to Los Angeles, and told that his mother is dead. His father soon abandons him in order to seek employment—mostly in vain—leaving his son behind in a string of foster homes and orphanages. This establishes a pattern of neglect and desertion that continues for Hajim’s entire childhood, forever leaving its mark. From one home to another, the lonely boy learns the value of self-reliance and perseverance despite his financial deprivation and the trauma of being an orphan. As time passes, Hajim displays a powerful instinct for survival and a burning drive to excel. A highly motivated student and athlete, he earns an NROTC college scholarship to the University of Rochester; serves in the United States Navy; works as an application research engineer; then attends Harvard Business School, where he finds that the financial industry is his true calling. So begins his rapid ascent in the corporate world, which includes senior executive positions at E. F. Hutton, Lehman Brothers, and fourteen years as CEO of Furman Selz, growing the company more than tenfold. He also creates a happy and abundant family life, though he never forgets what it means to struggle. At age sixty, he is reminded of his painful past when a family secret emerges that brings the story full circle.