Memoir

Warrior dog book cover

Warrior dog

Will Chesney

j636.7088 Chesney
Memoir

"The powerful true story of a SEAL Team Six member and military dog handler, and the dog that saved his life. Two dozen Navy SEALs descended on Osama bin Laden's compound in May 2011. After the mission, only one name was made public: Cairo, a Belgian Malinois and military working dog. This is Cairo's story, and that of his handler, Will Chesney, a member of SEAL Team Six whose life would be irrevocably tied to Cairo's. Starting in 2008, when Will was introduced to the DEVGRU canine program, he and Cairo worked side by side, depending on each other for survival on hundreds of critical operations in the war on terrorism. But their bond transcended their service. Then, in 2011, the call came: Pick up your dog and get back to Virginia. Now. What followed were several weeks of training for a secret mission. It soon became clear that this was no ordinary operation. Cairo was among the first members of the U.S. military on the ground in Pakistan as part of Operation Neptune Spear, which resulted in the successful elimination of bin Laden. As Cairo settled into a role as a reliable "spare dog," Will went back to his job as a DEVGRU operator, until a grenade blast in 2013 left him with a brain injury and PTSD. Unable to participate in further missions, he suffered from crippling migraines, chronic pain, memory issues, and depression. Modern medicine provided only modest relief. Instead, it was up to Cairo to save Will's life once more-and then up to Will to be there when Cairo needed him the most"--

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Born just right book cover

Born just right

Jordan Reeves

j617.574 Reeves
Memoir

When Jordan Reeves was born without the bottom half of her left arm, the doctors reassured her parents that she was "born just right." And she has been proving that doctor right ever since! With candor, humor, and heart, Jordan's mother, Jen Lee Reeves, helps Jordan tell her story about growing up in an able-bodied world and family, where she was treated like all of her siblings and classmates--and where she never felt limited. Whether it was changing people's minds about her capabilities, trying all kinds of sports, or mentoring other kids, Jordan has channeled any negativity into a positive, and is determined to create more innovations for people just like her. -- publisher's web site.

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Not so different : what you really want to ask about having a disability book cover

Not so different : what you really want to ask about having a disability

Shane Burcaw

j617.482 Burcaw
Memoir

A picture book answering the questions young children ask Shane Burcaw about his wheelchair and life with Spinal Muscular Atrophy with equal parts optimism, humor, and empathy.

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Not so different : what you really want to ask about having a disability book cover

Not so different : what you really want to ask about having a disability

Shane Burcaw

j617.482 Burcaw
Memoir

A picture book answering the questions young children ask Shane Burcaw about his wheelchair and life with Spinal Muscular Atrophy with equal parts optimism, humor, and empathy.

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Calypso book cover

Calypso

David Sedaris

817.54 /Sedaris
Memoir

Personal essays share the author's adventures after buying a vacation house on the Carolina coast and his reflections on middle age and mortality.

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I have never been disappointed reading a collection of David Sedaris' essays, and this book was no exception. I laughed out loud, felt like crying and once again feel like David Sedaris is one of the most relatable writers ever. -Mari

Untamed book cover

Untamed

Glennon Doyle

BIOGRAPHY Doyle, Glennon
Memoir

"There is a voice of longing inside every woman. We strive so mightily to be good: good mothers, daughters, partners, employees, citizens, and friends. We believe all this striving will make us feel alive. Instead, it leaves us feeling weary, stuck, overwhelmed, and underwhelmed. We look at our lives, relationships, and world, and wonder: Wasn't it all supposed to be more beautiful than this? We quickly silence that question, telling ourselves to be grateful. We hide our simmering discontent--even from ourselves. Until we reach our boiling point. Four years ago, Glennon Doyle--bestselling Oprah-endorsed author, renowned activist and humanitarian, wife and mother of three--was speaking at a conference when a woman entered the room. Glennon looked at her and fell instantly in love. Three words flooded her mind: There She Is. At first, Glennon assumed these words came to her from on high. Soon she realized that they came to her from within. Glennon was finally hearing her own voice--the voice that had been silenced by decades of cultural conditioning, numbing addictions, and institutional allegiances. This was the voice of the girl Glennon had been before the world told her who to be. She vowed to never again abandon herself. She decided to build a life of her own--one based on her individual desire, intuition, and imagination. She would reclaim her true, untamed self. Soulful and uproarious, forceful and tender, Untamed is both a memoir and a galvanizing wake-up call. It offers a piercing, electrifying examination of the restrictive expectations women are issued from birth; shows how hustling to meet those expectations leaves women feeling dissatisfied and lost; and reveals that when we quit abandoning ourselves and instead abandon the world's expectations of us, we become women who can finally look at our lives and recognize: There She Is. Untamed shows us how to be brave. As Glennon insists: The braver we are, the luckier we get"--

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Marley Dias gets it done : and so can you! book cover

Marley Dias gets it done : and so can you!

Marley (Marley Emerson) Dias

j305.48896 Dias
Black Lives Matter, Kids, Memoir

In this accessible "keep-it-real" guide, Marley explores activism, social justice, volunteerism, equity and inclusion, and using social media for good. Drawing from her experience, Marley shows kids how they can galvanize their strengths to make positive changes in their communities, while getting support from parents, teachers, and friends to turn dreams into reality.

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Reach for the Skai : how to inspire, empower, and clapback book cover

Reach for the Skai : how to inspire, empower, and clapback

Skai Jackson

jBIOGRAPHY Jackson, Skai
Black Lives Matter, Memoir, Kids

"Actress and activist Skai Jackson shares her lessons on life and her rise to stardom in this vibrant memoir about self-acceptance, girl empowerment, and the classy clapback"--

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Child of the dream : a memoir of 1963 book cover

Child of the dream : a memoir of 1963

Sharon Robinson

jBIOGRAPHY Robinson, Sharon
Black Lives Matter, Kids, Memoir

"In January of 1963, Sharon Robinson turned thirteen the night before George Wallace declared on national television 'segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever' in his inauguration for governor of Alabama. That was the start of a year that would become one of the most pivotal years in the history of America. As the daughter of Jackie Robinson, Sharon had incredible access to some of the most important events of the era, including her family hosting several fundraisers for Martin Luther King Jr. at their home in Connecticut, other Civil Rights heroes of the day calling Jackie Robinson for advice and support, and even attending the March on Washington for Freedom and Jobs. But Sharon was also dealing with her own personal problems like going through puberty, being one of the only black children in her wealthy Connecticut neighborhood, and figuring out her own role in the fight for equality. This memoir follows Sharon as she goes through that incredible year of her life"--

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Life in motion : an unlikely ballerina book cover

Life in motion : an unlikely ballerina

Misty Copeland

jBIOGRAPHY Copeland, Misty
Black Lives Matter, Kids, Memoir

Determination meets dance in this middle grade adaptation of the New York Times bestselling memoir by the first African-American principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre history, Misty Copeland. Life in Motion is a story for all the kids who dare to be different, dream bigger, and want to break stereotypes in whatever they do.

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