Walls of Fame


Book Description

“The poster made you cool, You didn’t make the poster cool.” –Charles Barkley, Basketball Hall of Famer From Poster Boys: How the Costacos Brothers Built a Wall Art Empire Rediscover your childhood sense of awe with the Costacos Brothers’ official collection of the iconic sports posters that adorned the bedrooms of a generation. John and Tock Costacos share stories of the hard work, luck, giant prop baseball bats, wild animals, explosives, Ferraris, and semi-automatic weapons that forged an indelible bond between fans and their NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL idols. With more than 100 posters and never-before-seen outtakes and concept art, Walls of Fame: The Unforgettable Sports Posters of the Costacos Brothers is an extraordinary look back at the golden age of sports heroes. More than 100 posters are featured, including: * Brian Bosworth: The Land of Boz (Seattle Seahawks) * Michael Jordan: Space (Chicago Bulls) * Jose Canseco & Mark McGwire: The Bash Brothers (Oakland A’s) * Bo Jackson: Black & Blue (Los Angeles Raiders & Kansas City Royals) * Aaron Judge: Judgement Time (New York Yankees) * Magic Johnson & Wayne Gretzky: L.A. Story (L.A. Lakers & L.A. Kings) * Roger Clemons: The Rocket (Boston Red Sox) * Lawrence Taylor: The Terminator (New York Giants) * Sergei Fedorov: From Russia with Love (Detroit Red Wings) * Charles Barkley: Get Off My Backboard (Philadelphia 76ers) * Jim McMahon & Walter Payton: Chicago Vice (Chicago Bears) * Dave Winfield: Class (New York Yankees) * Larry Bird: Legend (Boston Celtics) * Troy Aikman: Strong Arm of the Law (Dallas Cowboys) * Kirby Puckett: Wrecking Ball (Minnesota Twins) * Dominique Wilkins: The Highlight Zone (Atlanta Hawks) * Jerry Rice: Goldfingers (San Francisco 49ers) * Ken Griffey Jr. & Ken Griffey Sr.: The Next Generation (Seattle Mariners & Cincinnati Reds) * Shawn Kemp & Jeff Ament: Slam & Jam (Seattle SuperSonics & Pearl Jam) * John Elway: The Rifleman (Denver Broncos) * Kevin Mitchell: Batman (San Francisco Giants) * Luc Robitaille: Cool Hand Luc (L.A. Kings) * Shaquille O’Neal: Rim Shaker (Orlando Magic) * Christian Okoye: Nigerian Nightmare (Kansas City Chiefs) * Don Majkowski: Majik Man (Green Bay Packers) * Kirk Gibson: Big Game Hunter (L.A. Dodgers) * Patrick Ewing: Madison Square Guardian (New York Knicks) * Reggie White: Minister of Defense (Philadelphia Eagles) * Andre Dawson: The Hawk (Chicago Cubs) . . . and more!







Walls of Freedom


Book Description

A powerful portrayal of the Egyptian Revolution, telling the story with striking images of art that turned Egypt's walls into a visual testimony of bravery and resistance. Even the army tanks that rolled onto Tahrir Square were immediately adorned with graffiti. This survey of current Egyptian street art looks at the most influential artists who have made their iconic marks on the streets. Spanning Cairo, Alexandria and Luxor, this is a document of the volatile and fast-shifting political situation there. Since the start of the Arab revolution the Middle East has seen an unparalleled explosion of graffiti. * With contributions by experts in the fields of typography, graphic design, sociology and Egyptology These images of the revolution taken by acclaimed photographers and activistsvplaces the graffiti of the revolution in a broader context, and examines the historical, socio-political and cultural backgrounds which have shaped the movement.




Black Sabbath


Book Description

Decades before reality television was invented, Ozzy Osbourne was subversive and dark. Ozzy was the singer in the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and they meant business. In an era when rock bands were measured by how 'heavy' they were, no one was weightier than Black Sabbath. All four founding members of the original Black Sabbath grew up within half-a-mile of each other in a tiny Birmingham suburb. Though all shared a deep love of music--The Beatles for Ozzy, the Mothers of Invention for Geezer, the Shadows and Chet Atkins for Iommi, and Gene Kruppa for Ward— they formed their group "as the quickest way out of the slums." This is the story of how they made that dream come true--and how it then turned into a nightmare for all of them. At the height of their fame, Sabbath discovered they'd been so badly ripped off by their managers they didn't even own their own songs. They looked for salvation from Don Arden—an even more notorious gangster figure, who resurrected their career but still left them indebted to him, financially and personally. It finally came to a head when in 1979 they sacked Ozzy: "For being too out of control--even for us," as Bill Ward put it. The next fifteen years were a war between the post-Ozzy Sabbath and Ozzy himself, whose solo career overshadowed Sabbath so much that a reunion was entirely on his terms. Or rather, those of his wife and manager—to add a further bitter twist for Sabbath, daughter of Don Arden —Sharon Osbourne.




No Walls and the Recurring Dream


Book Description

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "A memoir as fierce, freewheeling, and passionate as her music." --O, the Oprah magazine A memoir by the celebrated singer-songwriter and social activist Ani DiFranco In her new memoir, No Walls and the Recurring Dream, Ani DiFranco recounts her early life from a place of hard-won wisdom, combining personal expression, the power of music, feminism, political activism, storytelling, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and much more into an inspiring whole. In these frank, honest, passionate, and often funny pages is the tale of one woman's eventful and radical journey to the age of thirty. Ani's coming of age story is defined by her ethos of fierce independence--from being an emancipated minor sleeping in a Buffalo bus station, to unwaveringly building a career through appearances at small clubs and festivals, to releasing her first album at the age of 18, to consciously rejecting the mainstream recording industry and creating her own label, Righteous Babe Records. In these pages, as in life, she never hesitates to question established rules and expectations, maintaining a level of artistic integrity that has inspired and challenged more than a few. Ani continues to be a major touring and recording artist as well as a celebrated activist and feminist, standing as living proof that you can overcome all personal and societal obstacles to be who you are and to follow your dreams.




The Walls Are Talking


Book Description

This book narrates the harrowing and life-changing experiences of former abortion clinic workers, including those of the author, who once directed abortion services at a large Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas. These individuals, whose names have been changed to protect their identities, left their jobs in the abortion industry after experiencing a change of heart. They have come forward with their stories, not for fame or notoriety, but to shed light on the reality of abortion. They want their stories to change the lives of others for the better. These stories are difficult to read, because an abortion is an act of violence, harming not only the obvious victim—the unborn child-- but also the mother, the father, the doctor, and everyone else involved. But these stories also offer hope, for they show that anyone, no matter what part the person has played in an abortion, can start anew, can make amends for past mistakes. They demonstrate that the first step on that journey is telling the truth, as these courageous individuals do in these pages. "Those of us that have worked in the abortion industry all live with a constant burden. We can't let our burden slide off of our shoulders; it is what keeps us on fire. It reminds us of why we fight so hard. We have seen death and evil in a way that most haven't—and we participated. But we are forgiven. He who has been forgiven much, loves much. And we love a lot. I am eagerly awaiting the day when we can call all abortionists and clinic workers former and repentant abortion providers." — Abby Johnson, author




Writings on the Wall


Book Description

A New York Times and Washington Post Bestseller Bestselling author, basketball legend and cultural commentator Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explores the heart of issues that affect Americans today. Since retiring from professional basketball as the NBA's all-time leading scorer, six-time MVP, and Hall of Fame inductee, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has become a lauded observer of culture and society, a New York Times bestselling author, and a regular contributor to The Washington Post, TIME magazine and TIME.com. He now brings that keen insight to the fore in Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White, his most incisive and important work of non-fiction in years. He uses his unique blend of erudition, street smarts and authentic experience in essays on the country's seemingly irreconcilable partisan divide - both racial and political, parenthood, and his own experiences as an athlete, African-American, and a Muslim. The book is not just a collection of expositions; he also offers keen assessments of and solutions to problems such as racism in sports while speaking candidly about his experiences on the court and off. Timed for publication as the nation debates whom to send to the White House, the combination of plain talk on issues, life lessons, and personal stories places Writings on the Wall squarely in the middle of the conversation, as many of Abdul-Jabbar's topics are at the top of the national agenda. Whether it is sparring with Donald Trump, within the pages of TIME magazine, or full-length features in the The New York Times Magazine, writers, critics, and readers have come to agree on what The Washington Post observed: Abdul-Jabbar "has become a vital, dynamic and unorthodox cultural voice."




The Walls


Book Description

A heart-stopping psychological suspense novel about a Texas prison official driven to commit the perfect crime, by the author of the international bestselling thriller Baby Doll. YOU WOULD DIE FOR YOUR FAMILY. WOULD YOU KILL FOR THEM? Working on death row and raising her son as a single mom is tough. When Kristy Tucker meets and falls in love with handsome Lance Dobson, at last she can imagine a better future. But after their wedding, her life becomes one of constant terror. And as Lance's violence escalates, Kristy must decide how far she will go to save herself -- and her son. The Walls is a riveting thriller about domestic violence, murder, and one woman's desperate gambit to protect her family.




The Book of Honor


Book Description

A national bestseller, this extraordinary work of investigative reporting uncovers the identities, and the remarkable stories, of the CIA secret agents who died anonymously in the service of their country. In the entrance of the CIA headquarters looms a huge marble wall into which seventy-one stars are carved-each representing an agent who has died in the line of duty. Official CIA records only name thirty-five of them, however. Undeterred by claims that revealing the identities of these "nameless stars" might compromise national security, Ted Gup sorted through thousands of documents and interviewed over 400 CIA officers in his attempt to bring their long-hidden stories to light. The result of this extraordinary work of investigation is a surprising glimpse at the real lives of secret agents, and an unprecedented history of the most compelling—and controversial—department of the US government.




Ghosts of Manila


Book Description

When Muhammad Ali met Joe Frazier in Manila for their third fight, their rivalry had spun out of control. The Ali-Frazier matchup had become a madness, inflamed by the media and the politics of race. When the "Thrilla in Manila" was over, one man was left with a ruin of a life; the other was battered to his soul. Mark Kram covered that fight for Sports Illustrated in an award-winning article. Now his riveting book reappraises the boxers -- who they are and who they were. And in a voice as powerful as a heavyweight punch, Kram explodes the myths surrounding each fighter, particularly Ali. A controversial, no-holds-barred account, Ghosts of Manila ranks with the finest boxing books ever written.