What does it really take to make the podium? Which of the biological, environmental and psychological factors really shape a champion's route to the top? To answer these questions, Ben Oakley has taken the original step of combining existing research with a study of leading athletes' autobiographies. Looking at the early histories and initial challenges of serial champions in their own words, Podium sheds new light on their commonalities. A similar focus in training, similar influences around them and, above all, similar mental attributes are revealed – and tales of individual brilliance are given a fresh twist. From Ian Thorpe, Usain Bolt and Chrissie Wellington to Victoria Pendleton, Lionel Messi and Roger Federer, all we see is a smooth progression to glory, but each is a rocky path punctuated by critical episodes, and it is the response to these events that can transform talented people into winners. Podium is fascinating reading for anyone interested in the big names at the peak of their respective sports, and essential for coaches or parents of the next budding star. This enthralling read will enrich your interpretation of champions' lives and provide a map of the complex paths through sport to the podium.

From the battlefield and the pulpit, before cameras and vast crowds, women have long shaped history with powerful, impassioned words. Now, in the first anthology of its kind, S. Michele Nix brings together the memorable speeches of women throughout the ages. Filled with courage, poignancy, and wit, Women at the Podium pairs issues of war, patriotism, social justice, women's rights, religion, politics, and the press with leaders who helped to change the world. With this landmark collection, relive history alongside the women who rose to champion their causes and countries. Listen as Elizabeth I braces her troops for battle against the Spanish Armada and Margaret Thatcher steadies Britain through the Falklands War. Lean in as Frances Harper advocates liberty for slaves and Margaret Chase Smith denounces McCarthyism. Engage in the battle for women's rights as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth campaign for the right to vote. Watch the drama unfold as Barbara Jordan argues for the impeachment of Richard Nixon and Lady Jane Grey says farewell from the gallows. Hear Eleanor Roosevelt, Golda Meir, Elizabeth II, Katharine Graham, Barbara Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and many others in a collection that presents a unique and compelling view of history. Spanning centuries and crossing cultures, Women at the Podium stands as the definitive anthology of women's oratory. It is a stirring tribute to the many women who fought so hard to be heard.

In this book, a well-known speech writer and brilliant public speaker explains how to use humor effectively in speeches for every occasion and for any type of audience. Included are more than 600 humorous stories and anecdotes from the author's own collection -- stories and anecdotes that anyone can use to enliven a speech. In Part One of Podium Humor, the author discusses from the speaker's standpoint as well as from that of the audience. With numerous examples he explains what humor is made of, what triggers laughter, how to tell a story, and how to use humor to build suspense. From the basics supplied by the author, you learn how to develop your own humorous stories to suit your individual needs. Part Two of the book features a cross-indexed collection of humor: anecdotes, stories, and one-liners on many topical subjects. The author shows you how to work these humorous pieces into your speech by suggesting "lead-in" lines for particular stories plus "bridge" lines to return to the main sppech. Whether you wish to use humor to start or end a speech, to illustrate a point, or to establish rapport with an audience, Podium Humor will give you practical, easy-to-follow advice and a wealth of humorous material for use in your next speech.

A decade after the sudden and tragic loss of his father, we witness the unfolding of grief. “In the night I brush / my teeth with a razor,” he tells us, in one of the collection’s piercing two-line poems. Capturing the strange silence of bereavement (“Not the storm / but the calm / that slays me”), Kevin Young acknowledges, even celebrates, life’s passages, his loss transformed and tempered in a sequence about the birth of his son: in “Crowning,” he delivers what is surely one of the most powerful birth poems written by a man, describing “her face / full of fire, then groaning your face / out like a flower, blood-bloom,/ crocused into air.” Ending this book of both birth and grief, the gorgeous title sequence brings acceptance, asking “What good/are wishes if they aren’t / used up?” while understanding “How to listen / to what’s gone.” Young’s frank music speaks directly to the reader in these elemental poems, reminding us that the right words can both comfort us and enlarge our understanding of life’s mysteries.

FBI AGENTS TOM MERRITT AND STEVE FRANKANO aren't accomplices to murder, but they're beginning to feel that way. As they watch a young woman's mangled body being removed from a landfill, they know who committed the crime. They also know he's an evil man of power--a politician who stays beneath the law enforcement radar. And yet they can't arrest and convict him. Because the murderer is also guilty of treason, the US government waits in hopes that the treason is what will ultimately bring down the man in question, retired US Air Force Colonel Simon Moss. Moss is a charismatic official who is climbing the political ladder. On the side, he's also selling secrets to the Syrian government. If Merritt and Frankano bring him in for murder, how will they catch Moss's Syrian connection? It's not an easy war being waged as espionage takes precedence over cold-blooded killing. The FBI watches and waits as more innocent lives are lost, but the law can't wait forever.

All too often, children approach the podium with hesitation, fearing humiliation from peers and teachers alike. Parents often ask, What can I do to help my child have confidence in the realm of public speaking? Author Ted McIlvain approaches the podium and delivers an informative look into the world of public speaking in Playground to Podium. Urging parents to enhance personal self-esteem while building confidence in their children, Playground to Podium engages the reader by simplifying the technical theories of human behavior for practical use. By his own personal experiences, Ted relays important life lessons that people can learn and use to develop positive mental pictures for themselves and their children. Parents and teachers will enjoy this practical approach to raising children to be confident and courageous speakers and leaders. Expectations will change as parents lead their children from?Playground to Podium.