The changes which brought the city of Miami of today are delightfully described in this book of personal reminiscences, written by one of Florida’s earliest settlers in collaboration with his life-long friend, Vincent Gilpin. Ralph Munroe first went to Biscayne Bay in 1887. Soon after that time he and his friends built his home, The Barnacle, in Coconut Grove, where he has lived ever since. From this center his influence has been felt for almost fifty years—during the vivid and exciting period of early exploration and settlement,—during the slow development which led up to Flagler and the railroad,—through the boom, the disastrous hurricanes against which the Commodore’s warnings went unheeded, down to the present time. No one interested in southern Florida or in the sea can afford to miss this picturesque story of a Biscayne Bay pioneer who is today so widely and affectionately known. One of Florida’s earliest lovers, the Commodore has been unswervingly devoted to the best interests of the region and has been close to the most significant incidents of its growth. Beautifully illustrated throughout with photographs from Ralph Munroe’s private collection, the earliest on the Bay.

For over thirty years Lionel Richie has never looked back as a performer. From fronting his group the Commodores - the premier R&B pop unit of the seventies - he became the most popular singer/songwriter in the world by the eighties. A decade later he was the ultimate star entertainer with a 'nice guy' image. The Lionel Richie story is about a five-time Grammy winner who has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. For nine consecutive years he had no 1 singles in America, a feat matched only by Irving Berlin. It is also the story of two broken marriages, personal insecurities, near-death experiences and an insight into the man behind a success story that broke the rules. Lionel Richie is the first book written about Lionel Richie and the Commodores and draws on Sharon Davis' unique access to the Motown archive, her numerous in depth interviews with Richie as well as her time as the Commodores' publicist.

In September 2000 Bill Carey released his first book Fortunes, Fiddles, and Fried Chicken: A Business History of Nashville. It quickly became a local bestseller, reminding people of the fascinating stories behind the companies and industries that put Nashville on the map -- such as Genesco, the National Life and Accident Insurance Co., Kentucky Fried Chicken, and the country music industry. The Tennessee Library Association and Tennessee Historical Commission named the book History Book of the Year. "I was amazed with how much Bill Carey uncovered that even I didn't know," former Tennessee governor Ned McWherter said upon reading it. Now Carey has turned his attention to the most revered institution in Nashville, Vanderbilt University. And, much like with his first book, the author proves there are fascinating stories behind everything -- anecdotes about chancellors and students, buildings and campus plans, schemes that succeeded, and ideas that failed. Most of these tales are long forgotten.

You will get an inside look at the personal stories behind your favorite songs as songwriters get up close and personal with exclusive stories about how and why they wrote them. Songs tell a story, and now popular singers and songwriters are sharing more of the story! These artists reveal the inspiration, influence, and background, and when and why they wrote their most famous songs, in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song. Includes great photos of the songwriters. The print edition contains the lyrics to all 101 songs, and the eBook includes lyrics to 85 of the songs.

Part memoir, part warm-hearted journey through the life and musical career of Thomas McClary, Heart and Soul is an intense and inspirational story of a man who unselfishly sacrificed himself in the name of music and erasing hatred with love.

Filled with first-hand accounts of ambition, greed, and inspired engineering, this history of the personal computer revolution takes readers inside the cutthroat world of Commodore. Before Apple, IBM, or Dell, Commodore was the first computer manufacturer to market its machines to the public, selling an estimated 22 million Commodore 64s. Those halcyon days were tumultuous, however, owing to the expectations and unsparing tactics of founder Jack Tramiel. Engineers and managers with the company between 1976 and 1994 share their memories of the groundbreaking moments, soaring business highs, and stunning employee turnover that came with being on top in the early days of the microcomputer industry. This updated third edition includes additional interviews and first-hand material from major Commodore figures like lead engineer Jeff Porter, engineers Bob Welland, Michael Sinz, Hedley Davis and Electronics Arts founder Trip Hawkins.

"Jack Tars and Commodores" is a lively and authoritative account of the United States Navy from Independence throught the War of 1812.