Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 I hated waking up. It was a struggle to face life, and I saw no way out other than through death. I had been battling depression for years, and I thought about suicide almost daily. #2 I was extremely depressed, and I didn’t know how to express my pain. I was afraid of what it would mean to lose my voice, but part of my depression was rooted in not knowing why my voice had deteriorated. #3 I had come to resent the group for a number of reasons. I felt like I was being used, and I didn’t have a problem making money, but that trip sealed for me just how far we had fallen as a group and how useless I had become to everyone around me. #4 I was not feeling music at the time, but I had been a music lover my entire life. The only song I listened to was a soft-pop ballad by Sarah McLachlan called Angel. It kept me serene even when life was difficult.

In this surprising and moving memoir, the legendary rap star and cofounder of Run D.M.C. keeps it a hundred percent, speaking out about his battle with depression and overcoming suicidal thoughts—one of the most devastating yet little known health issues plaguing the black community today. As one third of the legendary rap group Run D.M.C., Darryl “DMC” McDaniels—aka Legendary MC, The Devastating Mic Controller, and the King of Rock—had it all: talent, money, fame, prestige. While hitting #1 on the Billboard charts was exhilarating, the group’s success soon became overwhelming. A creative guy who enjoyed being at home alone or with his family, DMC turned to alcohol to numb himself, a retreat that became an addiction. For years, he went through the motions. But in 1997, when intoxication could no longer keep the pain at bay, he plunged into severe depression and became suicidal. He wasn’t alone. During the same period, suicide became the number three leading cause of death among black people—a health crisis that continues to this day. In this riveting memoir, DMC speaks openly about his emotional and psychological struggles and the impact on his life, and addresses the many reasons that led him—and thousands of others—to consider suicide. Some of the factors include not being true to who you are, feelings of loneliness, isolation, and alienation, and a lack of understanding and support from friends and family when it’s needed most. He also provides essential information on resources for getting help. Revealing how even the most successful people can suffer from depression, DMC offers inspiration for everyone in pain—information and insight that he hopes can help save other lives.

From hip-hop pioneer Darryl “DMC” McDaniels comes Darryl’s Dream, a new picture book about creativity, confidence, and finding your voice. Meet Darryl, a quiet third grader with big hopes and dreams. He loves writing and wants to share his talents, but he’s shy—and the kids who make fun of his glasses only make things worse. Will the school talent show be his chance to shine? Darryl’s Dream, by iconic performer Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, is a story about finding confidence, facing bullies, and celebrating yourself. This full-color picture book is certain to entertain children and parents with its charming art and important message.

Darryl McDaniels, better known as DMC, is only one-third of the groundbreaking rap group Run-DMC, but his trendsetting style and street-smart wisdom have made him a star in his own right. Darryl formed Run-DMC fifteen years ago with two friends, and since then the group has been transforming rap and hip-hop into the most popular music in the world, while building a fan base that quietly rivals the biggest acts in rock and roll. From the streets of Hollis, Queens, to the world's largest arenas, Darryl and Run-DMC blazed the trail that would take rap and hip-hop to the top of the charts, but as pioneers the group would also face a number of trials and tribulations. In King of Rock: Respect, Responsibility, and My Life with Run-DMC, Darryl candidly talks for the first time about his career as a rap artist and the people he has met throughout the years. Through hilarious anecdotes and thoughtful reflection, Darryl shares the wisdom he has accumulated in his thirty-five years, detailing his battles with fame, money, drugs, and alcohol. Darryl's sharp, flavorful tales of the rise of the group and the fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpses he offers of the rap and hip-hop world capture the excitement and the hardship of being in the spotlight, while also revealing the knowledge he has gained along the way. Written from the distinct perspective of an artist who has been an integral part of the rap and hip-hop scene since day one, King of Rock is at once the story of Run-DMC and the memoir of Darryl McDaniels-a boy from Queens trying to make it in the big time. With confidence, compassion, and an acute awareness of life's troubles and rewards, Darryl traces his experiences growing up and into the rap mogul DMC, and finally settling into marriage, fatherhood, and a shift of focus to respect, responsibility, and peace. King of Rock is a sharply observed, unpretentious, and often very funny account of being a part of one of the most important acts in the history of popular music.

A laugh-out-loud humor book from one of the most celebrated comedians, Bernie Mac, the star of Fox's The Bernie Mac Show, winner of the prestigious Peabody Award. The Chicago-bred performer and royal king of the Original Kings of Comedy, Bernie Mac, has won over countless fans of cutting comedy and family humor with an edgy show that tells it like it is but never loses heart. No surprise, Mac has earned a reputation as perhaps the truest voice of modern humor. Here, in his debut book, Mac brilliantly captures the R-rated side of his comedic genius in print. Touring through a wide range of topics with equal parts insight and irreverence, Bernie presents a way of looking at the world guaranteed to make you laugh. Tackling superstar athletes, the movie business, his fellow comedians, his marriage, and, of course, his friends and family, Mac offers side-splitting riffs on sex, religion, hygiene, money, and more. Nobody is safe; nothing is sacred. Not even Bernie himself. Throughout I Ain't Scared of You, Mac turns his humor inward, firing off hilarious self-deprecating salvos about his golf game and his own hypocrisies. Bernie Mac's hit show and his vital live performances have earned him critical acclaim and international popularity. Now, I Ain't Scared of You reveals his humor whole—unpretentious, unafraid, and unbelievably funny and raw.

Journalists Cokie and Steve Roberts take a look at the institution of marriage American style, including their own match of thirty-three years, in this compelling and wise new book that is destined to be another bestseller With a narrative structure similar to We Are Our Mothers' Daughters, Cokie and Steve Roberts use personal recollections as a springboard for the discussion of larger issues such as marriage, love, and family. When Cokie and Steve Roberts got married, some "friends" said it wouldn't last-just because she's Catholic and he's Jewish. Proving the doubters wrong, they have been married for over thirty years and have a few pieces of advice. Cokie and Steve will discuss issues from their own marriage as well as open a window onto famous unions in history, as seen from their different perspectives as husband and wife. Those stories tell a tale of the particular strengths and weaknesses of marriage in America and show the foundation of marriage as one that's undergone tremendous amounts of change while remaining fundamentally the same. With a narrative structure similar to We Are Our Mothers' Daughters, Cokie and Steve Roberts use personal recollections as a springboard for the discussion of larger issues such as marriage, love, and family. When Cokie and Steve Roberts got married, some "friends" said it wouldn't last-just because she's Catholic and he's Jewish. Proving the doubters wrong, they have been married for over thirty years and have a few pieces of advice. Cokie and Steve will discuss issues from their own marriage as well as open a window onto famous unions in history, as seen from their different perspectives as husband and wife. Those stories tell a tale of the particular strengths and weaknesses of marriage in America and show the foundation of marriage as one that's undergone tremendous amounts of change while remaining fundamentally the same.With a narrative structure similar to We Are Our Mothers' Daughters, Cokie and Steve Roberts use personal recollections as a springboard for the discussion of larger issues such as marriage, love, and family. When Cokie and Steve Roberts got married, some "friends" said it wouldn't last-just because she's Catholic and he's Jewish. Proving the doubters wrong, they have been married for over thirty years and have a few pieces of advice. Cokie and Steve will discuss issues from their own marriage as well as open a window onto famous unions in history, as seen from their different perspectives as husband and wife. Those stories tell a tale of the particular strengths and weaknesses of marriage in America and show the foundation of marriage as one that's undergone tremendous amounts of change while remaining fundamentally the same.

100 Cars That Changed the World showcases vehicles from the end of the nineteenth century to today. Along the way, you'll see vehicles such as the Ford Model T that put America on wheels; the Volkswagen Beetle that was loved around the world; the Jeep that helped win World War II and popularized off-road adventure; the Pontiac GTO that launched the muscle car era; the Dodge Caravan that changed the way families travel; the Ford Explorer that ingnited the SUV movement; and the Tesla Model S that made electric cars exciting.