'If you've ever wondered why we keep secrets and what motivates us to spill them, look no further' Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think AgainAn eye-opening look at why we keep the secrets we keep, how to better understand and cope with them, and when (and how) we should bring them to light.Think of a secret that you're keeping from others. It shouldn't take long. Psychologist Michael Slepian finds that, on average, we are keeping as many as thirteen secrets at any given time. His research, involving more than 50,000 participants from around the world, shows that we most frequently keep secrets about lies we've told, ambitions, addictions, mental health challenges, hidden relationships and financial struggles.Our secrets can weigh heavily upon us. Yet the burden of secrecy rarely stems from the work it takes to keep a secret hidden. Rather, the weight of our secrets comes from carrying them alone. Whether we are motivated to protect our reputation, a relationship, a loved one's feelings, or some personal or professional goal, one thing is clear: holding back some part of our inner world is often lonely and isolating. But it doesn't have to be. Filled with fresh insight into one of the most universal - yet least understood - aspects of human behaviour, The Secret Life of Secrets sheds fascinating new light on questions like: At what age do children develop the cognitive capacity for secrecy? Do all secrets come with the same mental load? How can we reconcile our secrets with our human desires to relate, connect and be known? When should we confess and to whom? And can keeping certain types of secrets actually enhance our well-being? Drawing on over a decade of original research, this book reveals the surprising ways in which secrets pervade our lives, and offers science-based strategies that make them easier to live with. The result is a rare window into the inner workings of our minds, our relationships and our sense of who we are.

A New York Times Bestseller For almost a century, Americans have been losing their hearts and losing their minds in an insatiable love affair with the American musical. It often begins in childhood in a darkened theater, grows into something more serious for high school actors, and reaches its passionate zenith when it comes time for love, marriage, and children, who will start the cycle all over again. Americans love musicals. Americans invented musicals. Americans perfected musicals. But what, exactly, is a musical? In The Secret Life of the American Musical, Jack Viertel takes them apart, puts them back together, sings their praises, marvels at their unflagging inventiveness, and occasionally despairs over their more embarrassing shortcomings. In the process, he invites us to fall in love all over again by showing us how musicals happen, what makes them work, how they captivate audiences, and how one landmark show leads to the next—by design or by accident, by emulation or by rebellion—from Oklahoma! to Hamilton and onward. Structured like a musical, The Secret Life of the American Musical begins with an overture and concludes with a curtain call, with stops in between for “I Want” songs, “conditional” love songs, production numbers, star turns, and finales. The ultimate insider, Viertel has spent three decades on Broadway, working on dozens of shows old and new as a conceiver, producer, dramaturg, and general creative force; he has his own unique way of looking at the process and at the people who collaborate to make musicals a reality. He shows us patterns in the architecture of classic shows and charts the inevitable evolution that has taken place in musical theater as America itself has evolved socially and politically. The Secret Life of the American Musical makes you feel as though you’ve been there in the rehearsal room, in the front row of the theater, and in the working offices of theater owners and producers as they pursue their own love affair with that rare and elusive beast—the Broadway hit.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Ali Wong’s heartfelt and hilarious letters to her daughters (the two she put to work while they were still in utero) cover everything they need to know in life, like the unpleasant details of dating, how to be a working mom in a male-dominated profession, and how she trapped their dad. “Knife-sharp . . . a genuine pleasure.”—The New York Times NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Time • Variety • Chicago Tribune • Glamour • New York In her hit Netflix comedy special Baby Cobra, an eight-month pregnant Ali Wong resonated so strongly that she even became a popular Halloween costume. Wong told the world her remarkably unfiltered thoughts on marriage, sex, Asian culture, working women, and why you never see new mom comics on stage but you sure see plenty of new dads. The sharp insights and humor are even more personal in this completely original collection. She shares the wisdom she’s learned from a life in comedy and reveals stories from her life off stage, including the brutal single life in New York (i.e. the inevitable confrontation with erectile dysfunction), reconnecting with her roots (and drinking snake blood) in Vietnam, tales of being a wild child growing up in San Francisco, and parenting war stories. Though addressed to her daughters, Ali Wong’s letters are absurdly funny, surprisingly moving, and enlightening (and gross) for all. Praise for Dear Girls “Fierce, feminist, and packed with funny anecdotes.”—Entertainment Weekly “[Wong] spins a volume whose pages simultaneously shock and satisfy. . . . Dear Girls is not so much a real-talk handbook as it is a myth-puncturing manifesto.”—Vogue “[A] refreshing, hilarious, and honest account of making a career in a male-dominated field, dating, being a mom, growing up, and so much more…Yes, this book is addressed to Wong’s daughters, but every reader will find nuggets of wisdom and inspiration and, most important, something to laugh at.”—Bustle

A scandalously talented stage performer, a practiced seductress of both men and women, and the flamboyant author of some of the greatest works of twentieth-century literature, Colette was our first true superstar. Now, in Judith Thurman's Secrets of the Flesh, Colette at last has a biography worthy of her dazzling reputation. Having spent her childhood in the shadow of an overpowering mother, Colette escaped at age twenty into a turbulent marriage with the sexy, unscrupulous Willy--a literary charlatan who took credit for her bestselling Claudine novels. Weary of Willy's sexual domination, Colette pursued an extremely public lesbian love affair with a niece of Napoleon's. At forty, she gave birth to a daughter who bored her, at forty-seven she seduced her teenage stepson, and in her seventies she flirted with the Nazi occupiers of Paris, even though her beloved third husband, a Jew, had been arrested by the Gestapo. And all the while, this incomparable woman poured forth a torrent of masterpieces, including Gigi, Sido, Cheri, and Break of Day. Judith Thurman, author of the National Book Award-winning biography of Isak Dinesen, portrays Colette as a thoroughly modern woman: frank in her desires, fierce in her passions, forever reinventing herself. Rich with delicious gossip and intimate revelations, shimmering with grace and intelligence, Secrets of the Flesh is one of the great biographies of our time. NOTE: This edition does not include a photo insert.

From "the guru" of her generation (U.S. News & World Report) comes the first practical book for achieving extraordinary success regardless of your age or experienceWhat does it take to go for the gold - and get it - before you've gone gray? Secrets of the Young & Successful explains how youth and inexperience can actually work for you even if you don't have a dazzling resume or major league connections. Jennifer Kushell and Scott Kaufman, founders of Young & Successful Media Corp., reveal the steps and strategies for charting a nonconventional path to success, including how to: Make important connections that will lead to access and power * Position your offbeat skills and interests as irresistible talents and strengths * Gain critical insight on how to survive and thrive in any career * Weather life's storms with safety nets that mitigate mistakes * Balance work and the rest of your lifePacked with profiles, anecdotes, and key ideas for strategizing, Secrets of the Young & Successful is an express ticket for anyone seeking an edge in getting ahead.

Arriving in the United States from Colombia at the age of twelve and not speaking any English, Betty Uribe's first job was cleaning houses to help support her family. Fast forward to today, and Dr. Betty Uribe is a nationally and internationally renowned senior banking executive, entrepreneur, speaker and author. The secret to her success? Values-based leadership. In her remarkable life journey, "Dr. Betty" has touched the lives of thousands upon thousands of people around the world. From humble beginnings, her journey has included our Heavenly Father, family, and friends at the center of her life; impacting companies and communities throughout her twenty-eight-year banking career; earning four college degrees; owning five small businesses; and serving on the boards of several private, educational, and non-profit organizations. Early on, Dr. Betty recognized that the world was crying out for better leadership. She had achieved significant success but at the same time realized that across societies, trust levels in leaders were dropping as more and more people became disillusioned and lost confidence in everyone from high-profile public figures, to CEOs, to political leaders. This realization, combined with having a heart for helping others succeed and for making the world a better place, sparked her pursuit of the secret to top-level performance in business and life--values-based leadership. From diverse communities in North America, South America, and Asia, to African Massai Mara villages, to the Presidential Palace of Colombia, the White House, and the Vatican, Betty has engaged in values-based leadership with everyone from student leaders to world leaders. It became readily apparent there was a strong thread across diverse industries and walks of life. The most successful and trusted leaders all embodied strong, personal, higher values; they made decisions based on these values, and made a difference for others while living with a higher purpose. This translated into powerful, values-based leadership that propelled these leaders to succeed at the highest levels of society, and, equally as important, to succeed in their personal lives. Dr. Betty began gathering the lessons she learned in her life, career, educational pursuits, and leadership activities, with the goal of helping others succeed in both their professional and personal lives. Thus was born the book, #Values: The Secret to Top Level Performance in Business and Life. In her book, Dr. Betty highlights the values and leadership strengths of some of the top culture-drivers in North America. #Values challenges the reader to ask themselves, Can I be a better leader? then provides the tools, advice, and encouragement needed to help people do just that. One leader at a time, Dr. Betty and #Values are effecting the transformation in America's and the world's culture, business environment, and human capital.