He was born in a middle-class family in small-town India of the late fifties. His parents chose for him the direction that his life should take. Yet, something was lacking. Was this the path that he was meant to walk? Did he want this? He fought his chosen destiny at every stage of his life. Would he be able to realise his true destiny?

"From all-American boy, to juvenile mischief-making delinquent, to blue-collar guy, to fledgling broadcaster, to radio talk show gadfly and 'Radio Romeo,' [this book] takes you down the long and winding Yellow Brick Road of Dan Cole's life and times. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you might even become physically ill reading the tall tales sown within these pages by self-proclaimed 'Radio Gardener.' You'll ride in the passenger seat as the Skip Barber Racing School graduate takes you through the twists and turns and hairpin curves of his childhood days, preteen athletic accomplishments, the Haight Ashbury days, and his town-to-town travels up and down the radio dial. The thrills and chills, the highs and lows the ebbs and flows of Common's nearly sixty years on earth and documented in this lighthearted look at the world through his eyes"--Page 4 of cover.

For half a century, the Times of India has thoughtfully provided an antidote to all the bad news brimming on its front pages. It s a sketch, a single box, inked by R.K. Laxman, the country s sharpest cartoonist and political satirist. Each morning, Laxman s frazzled character, known as the Common Man, confronts India s latest heartbreak with a kind of wry resignation. . . . What s common about this character is that like most Indians, he sees his country being forced through endless indignities by its leaders and yet doesn t even whimper in protest.

The Common Man, Maurice Manning’s fourth collection, is a series of ballad-like narratives, set down in loose, unrhymed iambic tetrameter, that honors the strange beauty of the Kentucky mountain country he knew as a child, as well as the idiosyncratic adventures and personalities of the oldtimers who were his neighbors, friends, and family. Playing off the book’s title, Manning demonstrates that no one is common or simple. Instead, he creates a detailed, complex, and poignant portrait—by turns serious and hilarious, philosophical and speculative, but ultimately tragic—of a fast-disappearing aspect of American culture. The Common Man’s accessibility and its enthusiastic and sincere charms make it the perfect antidote to the glib ironies that characterize much contemporary American verse. It will also help to strengthen Manning’s reputation as one of his generation’s most important and original voices.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author of The First American comes the first major single-volume biography in a decade of the president who defined American democracy • "A big, rich biography.” —The Boston Globe H. W. Brands reshapes our understanding of this fascinating man, and of the Age of Democracy that he ushered in. An orphan at a young age and without formal education or the family lineage of the Founding Fathers, Jackson showed that the presidency was not the exclusive province of the wealthy and the well-born but could truly be held by a man of the people. On a majestic, sweeping scale Brands re-creates Jackson’s rise from his hardscrabble roots to his days as frontier lawyer, then on to his heroic victory in the Battle of New Orleans, and finally to the White House. Capturing Jackson’s outsized life and deep impact on American history, Brands also explores his controversial actions, from his unapologetic expansionism to the disgraceful Trail of Tears. Look for H.W. Brands's other biographies: THE FIRST AMERICAN (Benjamin Franklin), THE MAN WHO SAVED THE UNION (Ulysses S. Grant), TRAITOR TO HIS CLASS (Franklin Roosevelt) and REAGAN.

Does God speak to the common man? Is His voice heard among the populace of the pews, and can a common man speak from the pews? Realizing that not everyone holds a doctorate or serves as a professional church leader, A Voice from the Pews attempts to share insights and devotionals from the life and experiences of just such a common man. Using word pictures, Scripture references, and life experiences, Mr. Sheldon hopes his book will encourage you through a variety of circumstances.

Revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide with translations in 29 languages. After too many years of unfulfilling work, Bronnie Ware began searching for a job with heart. Despite having no formal qualifications or previous experience in the field, she found herself working in palliative care. During the time she spent tending to those who were dying, Bronnie's life was transformed. Later, she wrote an Internet blog post, outlining the most common regrets that the people she had cared for had expressed. The post gained so much momentum that it was viewed by more than three million readers worldwide in its first year. At the request of many, Bronnie subsequently wrote a book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, to share her story. Bronnie has had a colourful and diverse life. By applying the lessons of those nearing their death to her own life, she developed an understanding that it is possible for everyone, if we make the right choices, to die with peace of mind. In this revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide, with translations in 29 languages, Bronnie expresses how significant these regrets are and how we can positively address these issues while we still have the time. The Top Five Regrets of the Dying gives hope for a better world. It is a courageous, life-changing book that will leave you feeling more compassionate and inspired to live the life you are truly here to live.