Pain, Passion and Faith: Revisiting the Place of Charles Wesley in Early Methodism is a significant study of the 18th-century poet and preacher Charles Wesley. Wesley was an influential figure in 18th-century English culture and society; he was co-founder of the Methodist revival movement and one of the most prolific hymn-writers in the English language. His hymns depict the Christian life as characterized by a range of intense emotions, from ecstatic joy to profound suffering. With this book, author Joanna Cruickshank examines the theme of suffering in Charles WesleyOs hymns, to help us understand how early Methodist men and women made sense of the physical, emotional and spiritual pains they experienced. Cruickshank uncovers an area of significant disagreement within the Methodist leadership and illuminates Methodist culture more broadly, shedding light on early Methodist responses to contemporary social issues like charity, slavery, and capital punishment.

The wild blood-on-the-mat saga of the rise and fall of the infamous Stampede Wrestling company.

A brief illustrated study of the life and career of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

A definitive biography of Hector Lavoe's rise from Puerto Rico to stardom in New York that led to sold-out concerts and best-selling salsa albums, yet gave way to drug addiction, a strained marriage and tragedy. From the poverty-stricken streets of Ponce, Puerto Rico to the vibrant barrios of New York City, HECTOR LAVOE became the singer of all singers, and the driving-force behind the Salsa movement in the mid-1960s. His popularity rivaled that of his contemporaries, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco. Behind the music, Hector's life was filled with drugs, alcohol and women. An endless stream of tragedy plagued him, including a gun-related accident that killed his son, Hector's ninth floor jump from a hotel window, and his death in 1993 from AIDS. But Hector's pristine voice, one-of-a-kind stage performances, sold-out concerts and bestselling albums were what his fans remember most and what made him an international icon. His music brought joy to legions of people, and it continues today. Marc Shapiro's Passion and Pain is "A no-holds barred biography" (Uptown Magazine) of a fascinating life.

Passion and Pain: Prose, Poems, Psalms, and Proverbs is about not only how the power of words helped a son find his dad through letters from prison, but also how author Stephen Hooks discovered his voice and himself through his own writing. He believes that writing with passion can facilitate healing the souls of males in urban communities and prisons by giving them a voice. He believes many men are crippled in their relationships by anger, bitterness, regret, doubt, and fear, but they might have better, more productive lives by writing and expressing their feelings in journals a safe outlet for misunderstood emotions. The writings in Passion and Pain are from Stephen Hooks' personal journals, written over the course of fifteen years. From his longing for the right woman his own soulsista to share his life with to the reality of his father's life in prison, Hooks explores his own life-journey. As he shares the emotions of sitting on his grandmother's grave to talk with her six months after her death, the depth of his pain surfaces, giving us a window into his passion. A collection with a great deal of heart and soul, it bears witness to the vulnerability of a man pursuing a life well-lived.

Everyone has an opinion about Pino Luongo. To Tony Bourdain, he was the notorious Pino Noir, the shadowy kingpin of a restaurant empire. To Manhattanites, he was either the savior or the scourge of the city's dining scene. To the many fans of his cookbooks, he was the herald of Tuscan cuisine. In Dirty Dishes, Luongo emerges to tell his side of the story. And it's quite a story: After an idyllic (and well-fed) childhood in Tuscany, Luongo came to New York as an actor, and, after quickly washing out, fell into the restaurant business. Within ten years, he had risen from a position as a dishwasher to build a string of the hottest restaurants in the city, including Le Madri, Coco Pazzo, Tuscan Square, and Centolire. For a decade, he was one of the undisputed kings of New York nightlife, building a reputation for brilliance, volatility, and charm - as well as a long list of hilarious and jaw-dropping "Pino stories." But after a flirtation with a corporate chain went sour, he cashiered his restaurants and returned to his first love, the kitchen. Pino has had an incredible life, full of amazing twists and famous names- and he's a born storyteller. Along with his expert coauthor, Andrew Friedman (who helped craft Don't Try This at Home), he's created an immensely readable inside look at the New York restaurant world, in all its Byzantine glory.