Amy Purdy, who inspired a nation on Dancing with the Stars and has been called a hero by Oprah Winfrey, reveals the intimate details of her triumphant comeback from the brink of death to making history as a Paralympic snowboarder.
In this poignant and uplifting memoir, Dancing With the Stars sensation Amy Purdy reveals the story of how losing her legs led her to find a spiritual path. When the Las Vegas native was just nineteen, she contracted bacterial meningitis and was given less than a two percent chance of survival. In a near-death experience, she saw three figures who told her: “You can come with us, or you can stay. No matter what happens in your life, it’s all going to make sense in the end.” In that moment, Amy chose to live.
Her glimpse of the afterlife—coupled with a mysterious premonition she’d had a month before —became the defining experiences that put Amy’s life on a new trajectory after her legs had to be amputated. She wouldn’t just beat meningitis and walk again; she would go on to create a life filled with bold adventures, big dreams, and boundless vitality—and share that spirit with the world. In 2014, Amy—the only competitor, male or female, with two prosthetic legs—claimed a bronze medal for the U.S. Paralympic team in adaptive snowboarding. She then became a contestant on season eighteen of Dancing With the Stars, and viewers were captivated as the girl with bionic legs managed to out-dance her competitors all the way to the finale.
Amy’s journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity we all have to dream bigger, defy expectations, and rewrite our stories. Amy was given a second chance for a reason—to use her life to inspire others. Her powerful memoir urges us to live life to the fullest, because we are all a lot more capable than we could ever imagine.

On My Own Two Feet: From Losing My Legs to Learning the Dance of Life

Purdy, Amy

Burford, Michelle

Reference

William Morrow

Religion & Spirituality

William Morrow Paperbacks

Grace, Gold, and Glory My Leap of Faith

The inspiring autobiography from Gabrielle Douglas—the first African-American gymnast in Olympic history to become the individual All-Around champion—revealing her journey from the time she first entered a gym to her gold-medal-winning performances.
In the 2012 London Olympics, US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas stole hearts and flew high as the All-Around Gold Medal winner and the brightest star of the US gold-medal-winning women’s gymnastics team. That same year, Gabrielle was also named the 2012 Sportswoman of the Year by the Women's Sports Foundation.
In this personal autobiography, Grace, Gold, and Glory My Leap of Faith, Gabrielle tells her story of faith, perseverance, and determination. Walk with Gabby Douglas through her journey of faith and what her family overcame, from the time she first entered a gymnasium to her gold-medal-winning performances, demonstrating to readers ages 13 and up that they can reach their dreams when they let themselves soar.
Grace, Gold, and Glory My Leap of Faith:
<ul>
<li>Is the official autobiography of renowned US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas</li>
<li>Chronicles Gabrielle’s journey from her first practice to becoming a 2012 gold-winning US gymnast</li>
<li>Celebrates Gabrielle as the first African-American gymnast in Olympic history to become the individual All-Around champion, and the first American gymnast to win gold in both the individual All-Around and team competitions at the same Olympics.</li>
<li>Is one of the most inspiring books on the market today for reader ages 13 and up</li>
</ul>

Teen & Young Adult

Douglas, Gabrielle

Biographies

Zonderkidz

The Dallas police chief who inspired a nation with his response to the killing of five of his officers shares his personal story and his faith in America’s potential to unite communities through a dedication to transparency and trust. “The real deal: a real Christian, a real man, a real leader.”—Whoopi Goldberg, The View “A front-row seat to the tension between law enforcement and minority residents nationwide.”—The Dallas Morning News On July 7, 2016, protesters marched in the streets of Dallas to demonstrate against the killings of unarmed black men by the police. As the peaceful event drew to a close, a sniper opened fire, targeting white cops and killing five of them. Into this charged situation stepped Dallas police chief David O. Brown, who, with a historic new tactical approach, quickly ended the gunman’s siege and calmed his community and the nation. In this powerful memoir, Chief Brown takes us behind the scenes of that tragedy and shares intimate moments from his early life: his childhood, in which he was raised by a single mom in a neighborhood poor in resources but rich in love and faith; his college years—cut short when he felt called to save his hometown from its descent into drug-related violence; and, as he moved up the ranks, a series of deeply personal tragedies. His first partner on the job was killed in the line of duty; his younger brother was murdered by drug dealers; and during Brown’s first month as chief of police, his mentally ill son was killed by a cop after taking two other lives. Called to Rise charts how, over his thirty-three-year career, Brown evolved from a “throw ’em in jail and let God sort ’em out” beat cop into a passionate advocate for community-oriented law enforcement, rising from crime scene investigator to S.W.A.T. team leader to the head of a municipal police department widely regarded as one of America’s finest. Now retired, “America’s chief” wants to bring his hard-earned knowledge of Dallas—emphasizing outreach, accountability, and inclusion—to help encourage unity in the nation’s hurting communities. Chief Brown believes that we have to band together to engage in the kind of dialogue that can lead to solutions. In place of complaining, we all have to take action—and one first great step is to tune in to what is being said. Called to Rise explores the keys to that dialogue—trust, transparency, and compassion—that have made Brown a leader on the front lines of social change in America.

Called to Rise: A Life in Faithful Service to the Community That Made Me

Biographies & Memoirs

Brown, Chief David O.

Professionals & Academics

Random House Audio |

Coming Home

Griner, Brittney

Community & Culture

KNOPF

The star of Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin presents her personal story of the real plight of undocumented immigrants in this country―updated for 2018. Diane Guerrero was just fourteen years old on the day her parents and brother were arrested and deported while she was at school. Born in the U.S., Guerrero was able to remain in the country and continue her education, depending on the kindness of family friends who took her in and helped her build a life and a successful acting career for herself, without the support system of her family.  In the Country We Love is a moving, heartbreaking story of one woman’s extraordinary resilience in the face of the nightmarish struggles of undocumented residents in this country. There are over 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the US, many of whom have citizen children, whose lives here are just as precarious, and whose stories haven’t been told. Written with Michelle Burford, this memoir is a tale of personal triumph that also casts a much-needed light on the fears that haunt the daily existence of families like the author’s and on a system that fails them over and over.

In the Country We Love: My Family Divided

GUERRERO, DIANE

Humor & Entertainment

St. Martin's: Griffin

Michelle was a young single mother when she was kidnapped by a local school bus driver named Ariel Castro.
For more than a decade afterward, she endured unimaginable torture at the hand of her abductor. In 2003 Amanda Berry joined her in captivity, followed by Gina DeJesus in 2004. Their escape on May 6, 2013, made headlines around the world. Barely out of her own tumultuous childhood, Michelle was estranged from her family and fighting for custody of her young son when she disappeared. Local police believed she had run away, so they removed her from the missing persons lists fifteen months after she vanished. Castro tormented her with these facts, reminding her that no one was looking for her, that the outside world had forgotten her.
But Michelle would not be broken.
In Finding Me, Michelle will reveal the heartbreaking details of her story, including the thoughts and prayers that helped her find courage to endure her unimaginable circumstances and now build a life worth living. By sharing both her past and her efforts to create a future, Michelle becomes a voice for the voiceless and a powerful symbol of hope for the thousands of children and young adults who go missing every year.

Finding Me

Knight, Michelle

True Crime

HarperCollins, Publishers

Michelle Knight, the first of three women abducted by notorious Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro, recounts the full story of her years in captivity, her escape, and the powerful inner strength and capacity for hope that has helped her rebuild her life.
Michelle was a young single mother fighting for custody of her young son when she was kidnapped on August 21, 2002, by a local school bus driver named Ariel Castro. For more than a decade afterward, she endured unimaginable torture at the hands of her abductor. In 2003 Amanda Berry joined her in captivity, followed by Gina DeJesus in 2004. Their escape on May 6, 2013, made headlines around the world.
In Finding Me, Michelle reveals the heartbreaking details of her story, including the thoughts and prayers that helped her find courage to endure unimaginable circumstances and now build a life worth living. By sharing both her past and her efforts to create a future, Michelle becomes a voice for the voiceless and a powerful symbol of hope for the thousands of children and young adults who go missing every year.
Now with additional material describing her second year of freedom

Grace, Gold & Glory: My Leap of Faith

Zondervan on Dreamscape Audio

Ballantine Books

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Books by Burford, Michelle