This book was written to shine light on the many devastating situations people face on a daily basis. On average, every 40 seconds someone somewhere has committed suicide because they couldnt find a reason to go on. The stories in this book are non fiction and allow readers to understand that things happen, people go through hardships, and situations that lead them to a dead end road. People lose relationships, friends, jobs, and loved ones on a daily basis. Everyone has a story; thus everyone has a past which ultimately hinders their future due to ones inability to let go of past problems. Its not easy; nor is it hard to let go. One must find the courage to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it isnt death; it is HOPE. Finding reasons to continue striving and believingis finding strength within yourselves that you never knew existed. Never allow your past to hinder your futures because the people and (or) things that have brought you to a halt, will not stop functioning because you chose to shut down. Never allow anyone to make you BITTER; but allow those situations to be the reason you are BITTER then yesterday.

In this collection of hilarious essays that mull everything from the horror of chin hairs to why the "glass ceiling" is better described as a thick layer of men, Barreca tells women to stop believing the lies and conquer the world.

Named a Best Book of 2021 by NPR This inspirational memoir serves as a call to action from prison reform activist Yusef Salaam, of the Exonerated Five, that will inspire us all to turn our stories into tools for change in the pursuit of racial justice. They didn't know who they had. So begins Yusef Salaam telling his story. No one's life is the sum of the worst things that happened to them, and during Yusef Salaam's seven years of wrongful incarceration as one of the Central Park Five, he grew from child to man, and gained a spiritual perspective on life. Yusef learned that we're all "born on purpose, with a purpose." Despite having confronted the racist heart of America while being "run over by the spiked wheels of injustice," Yusef channeled his energy and pain into something positive, not just for himself but for other marginalized people and communities. Better Not Bitter is the first time that one of the now Exonerated Five is telling his individual story, in his own words. Yusef writes his narrative: growing up Black in central Harlem in the '80s, being raised by a strong, fierce mother and grandmother, his years of incarceration, his reentry, and exoneration. Yusef connects these stories to lessons and principles he learned that gave him the power to survive through the worst of life's experiences. He inspires readers to accept their own path, to understand their own sense of purpose. With his intimate personal insights, Yusef unpacks the systems built and designed for profit and the oppression of Black and Brown people. He inspires readers to channel their fury into action, and through the spiritual, to turn that anger and trauma into a constructive force that lives alongside accountability and mobilizes change. This memoir is an inspiring story that grew out of one of the gravest miscarriages of justice, one that not only speaks to a moment in time or the rage-filled present, but reflects a 400-year history of a nation's inability to be held accountable for its sins. Yusef Salaam's message is vital for our times, a motivating resource for enacting change. Better, Not Bitter has the power to soothe, inspire and transform. It is a galvanizing call to action.

Being thrown into prison (or jail) is a soul-crushing life experience, and any prisoner has one of the two following choices pertaining to how they handle the experiencethey can become bitter, or they can become better. The natural choice is to become bittermany times, very, very bitter. Mr. Decker provides the reader his experience and understanding as to the basis of either choice. This is framed as either a fear-based or a love-based choice. This frame applies to both prisoner and nonprisoners alike, including why we incarcerate people in the first place. Using his prison experiences, social science, and many wise peoples quotes, he helps the reader see that if a prisoner or nonprisoner uses only the authors fear-based insights, anyone will naturally become bitter. However, if we all use the authors love-based insights, well become better. Mr. Decker's insights and wisdom can and should be liberally applied to nonprison environments as his insights apply equally to every person in every walk of life. The reader comes away knowing hes able to withstand any and every one of lifes challenges using love and forgiveness. Mr. Decker demonstrates that love-based thinking is the key to our peace of mind. Each one of us is entitled to and capable of the peace of mind he describes.

All Groan Up: Searching for Self, Faith, and A Freaking Job! is the story of the GenY/Millennial generation told through the individual story of author Paul Angone. It’s a story of struggle, hope, failure, and doubts in the twilight zone of growing up and being grown, connecting with his twentysomething post-college audience with raw honesty, humor, and hope.

The champion of uncelebrated foods including fat, offal, and bones, Jennifer McLagan turns her attention to a fascinating, underappreciated, and trending topic: bitterness. What do coffee, IPA beer, dark chocolate, and radicchio all have in common? They’re bitter. While some culinary cultures, such as in Italy and parts of Asia, have an inherent appreciation for bitter flavors (think Campari and Chinese bitter melon), little attention has been given to bitterness in North America: we’re much more likely to reach for salty or sweet. However, with a surge in the popularity of craft beers; dark chocolate; coffee; greens like arugula, dandelion, radicchio, and frisée; high-quality olive oil; and cocktails made with Campari and absinthe—all foods and drinks with elements of bitterness—bitter is finally getting its due. In this deep and fascinating exploration of bitter through science, culture, history, and 100 deliciously idiosyncratic recipes—like Cardoon Beef Tagine, White Asparagus with Blood Orange Sauce, and Campari Granita—award-winning author Jennifer McLagan makes a case for this misunderstood flavor and explains how adding a touch of bitter to a dish creates an exciting taste dimension that will bring your cooking to life.

There are many hurting and damaged people in the body of Christ. Most are products of their environment or victims of unwanted suffering. Many are crippled today emotionally, psychologically, and internally as a result of the painful infractions of the past. It is the will of God that we not only be saved but also be whole, complete, and entire in him, lacking nothing.