William Coperthwaite is a teacher, builder, designer, and writer who for many years hasexplored the possibilities of true simplicity on a homestead on the north coast of Maine. In the spirit of Henry David Thoreau, Emily Dickinson, and Helen and Scott Nearing, Coperthwaite has fashioned a livelihood of integrity and completeness-buying almost nothing, providing for his own needs, and serving as a guide and companion to hundreds of apprentices drawn to his unique way of being. A Handmade Life carries Coperthwaite's ongoing experiments with hand tools, hand-grown and gathered food, and handmade shelter, clothing, and furnishings out into the world to challenge and inspire. His writing is both philosophical and practical, exploring themes of beauty, work, education, and design while giving instruction on the hand-crafting of the necessities of life. Richly illustrated with luminous color photographs by Peter Forbes, the book is a moving and inspirational testament to a new practice of old ways of life.

Sierra Madre, a suburban town in the Pasadena-Los Angeles orbit, has a distinct history. By contrast, Southern California's story is huge, varied, difficult to grasp. Examining the two together, and looking at how Sierra Madre has reflected regional and national experiences, brings new focus to the whole. Unlike histories of regions, states, and nations that must draw broad strokes at the expense of details about place--this work uses such references as windows onto larger meanings, taking readers beyond the local. Peeking out from behind intimate stories are big historical themes and epochs: the Industrial Revolution, Westward expansion, the role of illness in forming regional culture, Americanization policies of the Progressive Era, Japanese internment, and post-war development. Sierra Madre provides a sharp lens through which to interpret Southern California's intense allure, its history as a real estate deal, and its racial ambivalence. The context of a specific town--and the quest for a better life--lends fresh perspective that enlivens and deepens out understanding of the Southern California story.

The founder of Better Life Bags, Rebecca Smith, teaches us how to take little steps, say yes when God calls, and follow the passion He has given us. Let love stretch you. As the founder of one of the most popular custom handbag companies in the country, Rebecca Smith knows a thing or two about business. A highly successful entrepreneur in a world where the focus is on scalability, brand strategy, and global marketing, Rebecca Smith also knows the truth: that every success she's experienced at Better Life Bags has been the result of very small, very ordinary, very obedient steps of faith. Moving from Savannah, Georgia, to Hamtramck, Michigan, was culture shock enough for Rebecca. But trying to feel at home in a city where twenty-six different languages were spoken and most of the inhabitants were immigrants seemed downright impossible. It was only when Rebecca recognized that God had called her to this specific neighborhood at this particular moment in time that his plans began to unfold for her. Stepping forward into the place God had called her - a place that seemed messy and uncomfortable and unfamiliar - Rebecca discovered the true secret to success: when we slow down, pay attention, and trust that still, small voice of God to guide us, we just might change the world. Though Rebecca never set out to build a brand or create an empire, God saw Rebecca's heart for others, and began to multiply her efforts in ways she could have never imagined, creating a company where women from different cultures, faiths, and backgrounds work together for the good of others - for a better life. As you read this inspiring story, you will discover how to hear and follow God's voice for yourself as you slow down, take one small step at a time, and make a difference in the world right where you are.

A National Bestseller! What does an undocumented immigrant look like? What kind of family must she come from? How could she get into this country? What is the true price she must pay to remain in the United States? JULISSA ARCE knows firsthand that the most common, preconceived answers to those questions are sometimes far too simple-and often just plain wrong. On the surface, Arce's story reads like a how-to manual for achieving the American dream: growing up in an apartment on the outskirts of San Antonio, she worked tirelessly, achieved academic excellence, and landed a coveted job on Wall Street, complete with a six-figure salary. The level of professional and financial success that she achieved was the very definition of the American dream. But in this brave new memoir, Arce digs deep to reveal the physical, financial, and emotional costs of the stunning secret that she, like many other high-achieving, successful individuals in the United States, had been forced to keep not only from her bosses, but even from her closest friends. From the time she was brought to this country by her hardworking parents as a child, Arce-the scholarship winner, the honors college graduate, the young woman who climbed the ladder to become a vice president at Goldman Sachs-had secretly lived as an undocumented immigrant. In this surprising, at times heart-wrenching, but always inspirational personal story of struggle, grief, and ultimate redemption, Arce takes readers deep into the little-understood world of a generation of undocumented immigrants in the United States today- people who live next door, sit in your classrooms, work in the same office, and may very well be your boss. By opening up about the story of her successes, her heartbreaks, and her long-fought journey to emerge from the shadows and become an American citizen, Arce shows us the true cost of achieving the American dream-from the perspective of a woman who had to scale unseen and unimaginable walls to get there.

Relatively affluent individuals from various corners of the globe are increasingly choosing to migrate, spurred on by the promise of a better and more fulfilling way of life within their destination. Despite its increasing scale, migration academics have yet to consolidate and establish lifestyle migration as a subfield of theoretical enquiry, until now. This volume offers a dynamic and holistic analysis of contemporary lifestyle migrations, exploring the expectations and aspirations which inform and drive migration alongside the realities of life within the destination. It also recognizes the structural conditions (and constraints) which frame lifestyle migration, laying the groundwork for further intellectual enquiry. Through rich empirical case studies this volume addresses this important and increasingly common form of migration in a manner that will interest scholars of mobility, migration, lifestyle and culture across the social sciences.

You're in need of a living kidney donor, but you're not sure how to go about the process. You've been told to share your story with family and friends-but striking up a conversation about your need for a kidney transplant (and search for a living kidney donor) is the most nerve-racking conversation you can imagine. Whether you're trying to avoid dialysis or be "free of the machine," this book can help get you there. In Pursuit of a Better Life provides communication principles, campaign strategies, template letters and old fashion relationship skills that can instantly create a desire to help. In this book, the author shares strategies taught in her motivational seminars and webinars, and with her mentoring and coaching clients. Living her best life possible as a preemptive (live-donor) kidney transplant recipient, the author invites her readers to proactively engage as their own best advocate and "join her at the top," where dreams do come true. Known as the quintessential marketing plan for finding living kidney donors, this book reveals strategies rarely discussed in your doctor's office or transplant center. Uncover this wildly successful path for attracting potential kidney donors today! ABOUT THE AUTHOR The highlight of Risa Simon's life was the day an unexpected, unrelated, living kidney donor offered to give her a kidney and tests revealed a sister-like match. That day didn't come easy-and it might never have if she wasn't willing to become a proactive contender, competing for her best life possible. Risa knows all too well what it's like to be a kidney patient trapped in a hopeless sinkhole headed towards dialysis. As she watched her renal function numbers decline, her emotions escalated. The thought of surrendering her sense of control over her future consumed her thoughts and immobilized her dreams. Unwittingly, she discovered a new paradigm after attending a kidney patient conference. The presentation she attended caused an awakening that compelled her to stand before her disease and use her voice to proactively secure her best choice - a transplant before dialysis. Today, Risa is living her best life ever as a preemptive (live-donor) transplant recipient. Her passion for helping others reflects in the names of her principal firms, The Proactive Path and the TransplantFirst Academy, a non-profit (501c3) organization leading the way to better outcomes. As an enthusiastic "positive-disruptor," she's dedicated her life to inspiring eligible kidney patients to bypass dialysis (or become dialysis-free) by proactively seeking live-donor transplant opportunities. Known for her trailblazing patient empowerment strategies, she invites her fans and followers to "join her at the top" - where dreams can come true.

The first American presbytery was founded in 1706. In the following years, Presbyterians grew to form one of the largest and most eminent denominations in the United States. Now, more than three hundred years later, that church is dwindling. What has happened? Lively, bracing, and informative, Seeking a Better Country takes an honest look at the rise and decline of American Presbyterianism, giving context to Presbyterians of all stripes.