Author: Gary Fishgall
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439131570
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 732
Book Description
A major reappraisal of the life of legendary entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr., Gonna Do Great Things is at once an intimate portrait and an exuberant celebration of a wholly American icon. Through his multifaceted talent and personality, Sammy became one of the most magnetic and contentious figures in modern entertainment history. His outstanding talents as a dancer, singer, actor, impressionist, and comedian, combined with his close association with megastars and his interracial marriage, made him a celebrity in the truest sense. Born in Harlem in 1925, Sammy debuted onstage with Will Mastin's vaudeville troupe when he was only three years old. He was an instant hit, and his talent propelled him into one of the most luminous entertainment careers of his generation. No one could please a crowd like Sammy, whose overwhelming energy and infectious humor exhilarated audiences for sixty years. However, Sammy's life was not without hardship, and his high-spirited attitude often masked a fragile ego. From an impoverished, broken home, he lacked even a single day of formal education, and the rigors of his blossoming show business career denied him the traditional pleasures of childhood. Racism constantly affected his life, particularly when he joined the army in 1943. Because he refused to acknowledge any race-related restrictions, his very existence became a political statement. An active member of the Civil Rights movement and America's first African-American superstar, Sammy paved the way for other black entertainers. As a charter member of the Rat Pack, Sammy spent the 1950s and 1960s basking in an image of "cool" and endearing himself to the public. But by the 1970s he was relying on cocaine and alcohol, flirting with Satanism, indulging in scandalous sexual behavior, and becoming the punchline of jokes on Saturday Night Live. Though his fans still adored him, his performances suffered. A four-pack-a-day smoker, Sammy succumbed to cancer when he was sixty-four, shortly after celebrating six decades in the spotlight. Renowned biographer of Hollywood giants Jimmy Stewart, Burt Lancaster, and Gregory Peck, Gary Fishgall brings an actor's and director's understanding of the entertainment industry to Sammy's complicated existence. Meticulously researched and filled with insights gathered from interviews with those who knew Sammy best, Gonna Do Great Things reveals the fascinating and controversial life of this beloved entertainer.
Gonna Do Great Things
Author: Gary Fishgall
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439131570
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 732
Book Description
A major reappraisal of the life of legendary entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr., Gonna Do Great Things is at once an intimate portrait and an exuberant celebration of a wholly American icon. Through his multifaceted talent and personality, Sammy became one of the most magnetic and contentious figures in modern entertainment history. His outstanding talents as a dancer, singer, actor, impressionist, and comedian, combined with his close association with megastars and his interracial marriage, made him a celebrity in the truest sense. Born in Harlem in 1925, Sammy debuted onstage with Will Mastin's vaudeville troupe when he was only three years old. He was an instant hit, and his talent propelled him into one of the most luminous entertainment careers of his generation. No one could please a crowd like Sammy, whose overwhelming energy and infectious humor exhilarated audiences for sixty years. However, Sammy's life was not without hardship, and his high-spirited attitude often masked a fragile ego. From an impoverished, broken home, he lacked even a single day of formal education, and the rigors of his blossoming show business career denied him the traditional pleasures of childhood. Racism constantly affected his life, particularly when he joined the army in 1943. Because he refused to acknowledge any race-related restrictions, his very existence became a political statement. An active member of the Civil Rights movement and America's first African-American superstar, Sammy paved the way for other black entertainers. As a charter member of the Rat Pack, Sammy spent the 1950s and 1960s basking in an image of "cool" and endearing himself to the public. But by the 1970s he was relying on cocaine and alcohol, flirting with Satanism, indulging in scandalous sexual behavior, and becoming the punchline of jokes on Saturday Night Live. Though his fans still adored him, his performances suffered. A four-pack-a-day smoker, Sammy succumbed to cancer when he was sixty-four, shortly after celebrating six decades in the spotlight. Renowned biographer of Hollywood giants Jimmy Stewart, Burt Lancaster, and Gregory Peck, Gary Fishgall brings an actor's and director's understanding of the entertainment industry to Sammy's complicated existence. Meticulously researched and filled with insights gathered from interviews with those who knew Sammy best, Gonna Do Great Things reveals the fascinating and controversial life of this beloved entertainer.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439131570
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 732
Book Description
A major reappraisal of the life of legendary entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr., Gonna Do Great Things is at once an intimate portrait and an exuberant celebration of a wholly American icon. Through his multifaceted talent and personality, Sammy became one of the most magnetic and contentious figures in modern entertainment history. His outstanding talents as a dancer, singer, actor, impressionist, and comedian, combined with his close association with megastars and his interracial marriage, made him a celebrity in the truest sense. Born in Harlem in 1925, Sammy debuted onstage with Will Mastin's vaudeville troupe when he was only three years old. He was an instant hit, and his talent propelled him into one of the most luminous entertainment careers of his generation. No one could please a crowd like Sammy, whose overwhelming energy and infectious humor exhilarated audiences for sixty years. However, Sammy's life was not without hardship, and his high-spirited attitude often masked a fragile ego. From an impoverished, broken home, he lacked even a single day of formal education, and the rigors of his blossoming show business career denied him the traditional pleasures of childhood. Racism constantly affected his life, particularly when he joined the army in 1943. Because he refused to acknowledge any race-related restrictions, his very existence became a political statement. An active member of the Civil Rights movement and America's first African-American superstar, Sammy paved the way for other black entertainers. As a charter member of the Rat Pack, Sammy spent the 1950s and 1960s basking in an image of "cool" and endearing himself to the public. But by the 1970s he was relying on cocaine and alcohol, flirting with Satanism, indulging in scandalous sexual behavior, and becoming the punchline of jokes on Saturday Night Live. Though his fans still adored him, his performances suffered. A four-pack-a-day smoker, Sammy succumbed to cancer when he was sixty-four, shortly after celebrating six decades in the spotlight. Renowned biographer of Hollywood giants Jimmy Stewart, Burt Lancaster, and Gregory Peck, Gary Fishgall brings an actor's and director's understanding of the entertainment industry to Sammy's complicated existence. Meticulously researched and filled with insights gathered from interviews with those who knew Sammy best, Gonna Do Great Things reveals the fascinating and controversial life of this beloved entertainer.
Mr. Bojangles, Dance
Author: Ryan B. Case
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476650551
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 257
Book Description
Three men's lives, told through the story of one song. Jerry Jeff Walker, the singer and writer behind the classic hit "Mr. Bojangles," never would have expected that his song, inspired by an experience in a New Orleans jail cell, would make Richard Nixon cry, or that it would be covered by Sammy Davis, Jr., the entertainment giant and, controversially, a supporter of Nixon. This work, told through the perspective of writer, performer and listener, traces these three men's overlapping journeys through the American consciousness. Chapters discuss the history of Walker's song, Davis's rise from rags to riches, Nixon's journey from grocer's son to president, and more.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476650551
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 257
Book Description
Three men's lives, told through the story of one song. Jerry Jeff Walker, the singer and writer behind the classic hit "Mr. Bojangles," never would have expected that his song, inspired by an experience in a New Orleans jail cell, would make Richard Nixon cry, or that it would be covered by Sammy Davis, Jr., the entertainment giant and, controversially, a supporter of Nixon. This work, told through the perspective of writer, performer and listener, traces these three men's overlapping journeys through the American consciousness. Chapters discuss the history of Walker's song, Davis's rise from rags to riches, Nixon's journey from grocer's son to president, and more.
The Last Lecture
Author: Randy Pausch
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780340977002
Category : Cancer
Languages : en
Pages : 206
Book Description
A lot of professors give talks titled 'The Last Lecture'. Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy? When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave, 'Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams', wasnt about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living. In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humour, inspiration, and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780340977002
Category : Cancer
Languages : en
Pages : 206
Book Description
A lot of professors give talks titled 'The Last Lecture'. Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy? When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave, 'Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams', wasnt about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living. In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humour, inspiration, and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.
Living Miracle
Author: Greg Perry
Publisher: Outskirts Press
ISBN: 147877374X
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 407
Book Description
Greg Perry considers himself a living miracle. The youngest of six kids, Greg grew up in South-Central Los Angeles, running the streets and living life in the fast lane. One day, Greg came to a turning point and surrendered his life to God. Greg’s life is a true rags to riches story that has taken him from poverty to a life of spiritual, family, business, and financial wealth. Greg is a successful businessman, entrepreneur, community leader, mentor, family man, and father. He is blessed beyond his wildest imagination. Greg became an overnight superstar in real estate and a self-made millionaire. He has been blessed with a wonderful wife and seven beautiful, healthy children. Through Greg’s life-long experiences of joy and pain, success and failure, he discovered how to play the game of Life and win. When people ask, “What is the key to your success?” Greg always says, “G-O-D.” Greg knew that to truly succeed in life, he had to put God first, help others, and be an outstanding person. Greg is on a mission to change the world, make a difference, and teach others that they have the power within to change their life and achieve true wealth in every aspect of life. Currently, Greg is the President and CEO of Lifestyles of Success, a life-changing brand that includes 12 affiliated companies. Greg’s amazing life story, Living Miracle, reveals his incredible and inspiring personal journey to a life of health, wealth, and success. Greg’s life is a living testament to the power of prayer, faith, and action.
Publisher: Outskirts Press
ISBN: 147877374X
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 407
Book Description
Greg Perry considers himself a living miracle. The youngest of six kids, Greg grew up in South-Central Los Angeles, running the streets and living life in the fast lane. One day, Greg came to a turning point and surrendered his life to God. Greg’s life is a true rags to riches story that has taken him from poverty to a life of spiritual, family, business, and financial wealth. Greg is a successful businessman, entrepreneur, community leader, mentor, family man, and father. He is blessed beyond his wildest imagination. Greg became an overnight superstar in real estate and a self-made millionaire. He has been blessed with a wonderful wife and seven beautiful, healthy children. Through Greg’s life-long experiences of joy and pain, success and failure, he discovered how to play the game of Life and win. When people ask, “What is the key to your success?” Greg always says, “G-O-D.” Greg knew that to truly succeed in life, he had to put God first, help others, and be an outstanding person. Greg is on a mission to change the world, make a difference, and teach others that they have the power within to change their life and achieve true wealth in every aspect of life. Currently, Greg is the President and CEO of Lifestyles of Success, a life-changing brand that includes 12 affiliated companies. Greg’s amazing life story, Living Miracle, reveals his incredible and inspiring personal journey to a life of health, wealth, and success. Greg’s life is a living testament to the power of prayer, faith, and action.
The Ghosts of Lone Jack
Author: Lance Lee Noel
Publisher: The Ghosts of Lone Jack
ISBN: 9780980036909
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
Ten-year-old Jared Millhouse and his dad plan to spend an uneventful summer on his grandfather s farm in Lone Jack, Missouri. Then Jared runs into the ghost of a Civil War innkeeper and wonders if he s lost his mind. With the help of his grandfather--and some local characters--Jared and the Crossroads Gang uncover the truth about the Civil War battle that trapped so many bloodthirsty ghosts in Lone Jack. They even recruit a pair of eccentric ghost hunters to help. When it comes to facing down the local bully, dodging the power-crazy sheriff, or escaping convicts, Jared can count on his friends. Together, they face haunted baseball diamonds, embattled cornfields and abandoned mines. But when Confederate and Union ghouls line up on the battlefield, the entire town relives the gruesome Battle of Lone Jack, as it was fought in 1862. Then only Jared can save the town from its ghosts.
Publisher: The Ghosts of Lone Jack
ISBN: 9780980036909
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
Ten-year-old Jared Millhouse and his dad plan to spend an uneventful summer on his grandfather s farm in Lone Jack, Missouri. Then Jared runs into the ghost of a Civil War innkeeper and wonders if he s lost his mind. With the help of his grandfather--and some local characters--Jared and the Crossroads Gang uncover the truth about the Civil War battle that trapped so many bloodthirsty ghosts in Lone Jack. They even recruit a pair of eccentric ghost hunters to help. When it comes to facing down the local bully, dodging the power-crazy sheriff, or escaping convicts, Jared can count on his friends. Together, they face haunted baseball diamonds, embattled cornfields and abandoned mines. But when Confederate and Union ghouls line up on the battlefield, the entire town relives the gruesome Battle of Lone Jack, as it was fought in 1862. Then only Jared can save the town from its ghosts.
What If Our Father Were Not a Man
Author: Geneva Turner Phd Rn
Publisher: WestBow Press
ISBN: 1449764495
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 372
Book Description
MAKE A CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE—FOR YOUR CHILDREN! You’ve remodeled your home and landscaped your yard, you like your new hairdo and fabulous clothes. However, your family is a different story. Interested in transformation tips? Dr. Turner shows you how to set you and your family on a new course in life using God’s plan in What if Our Father Were Not a Man. Parts of this insightful book are written from a child’s perspective. It is loaded with life lessons she and her siblings learned as their parents protected them from plan wreckers. Each chapter aims to catapult you to new levels of family living. When and what do you teach your children about work, leadership, people and life issues? Dr. Turner provides opportunities for you to examine your behavior and explains how you can turn your start in life into teaching points for your children. You can change external features of everything imaginable, but if your family is not transformed internally, external changes are short-lived. Get ready to laugh and for challenges! Your transformed family is on the way as you change how your story ends.
Publisher: WestBow Press
ISBN: 1449764495
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 372
Book Description
MAKE A CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE—FOR YOUR CHILDREN! You’ve remodeled your home and landscaped your yard, you like your new hairdo and fabulous clothes. However, your family is a different story. Interested in transformation tips? Dr. Turner shows you how to set you and your family on a new course in life using God’s plan in What if Our Father Were Not a Man. Parts of this insightful book are written from a child’s perspective. It is loaded with life lessons she and her siblings learned as their parents protected them from plan wreckers. Each chapter aims to catapult you to new levels of family living. When and what do you teach your children about work, leadership, people and life issues? Dr. Turner provides opportunities for you to examine your behavior and explains how you can turn your start in life into teaching points for your children. You can change external features of everything imaginable, but if your family is not transformed internally, external changes are short-lived. Get ready to laugh and for challenges! Your transformed family is on the way as you change how your story ends.
Some Great Thing
Author: Colin McAdam
Publisher: Soho Press
ISBN: 1616954434
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 417
Book Description
“A powerful, poetic, bawdily funny, and tenderly sad novel about class, about love, about drink, about poetics, about land, and about money—a few of the salient things that life and history are made of.” —O, The Oprah Magazine In his highly acclaimed debut novel, Colin McAdam depicts the struggle between two men involved in building a city’s future: developer Jerry McGuinty, blue collar, selfmade, a master craftsman, and Simon Struthers, a civil servant from a prominent, wealthy background who shapes land-use policy. Jerry has a blind spot for his alcoholic wife, and Simon moves between women, consumed by a frantic emptiness. When their two stories begin to intertwine, their lives and ambitions are set on a collision course. A richly observed story of family, class, love and the individual contributions we make to the bigness of the world, Some Great Thing is a powerful work from one of the most exciting voices of his generation.
Publisher: Soho Press
ISBN: 1616954434
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 417
Book Description
“A powerful, poetic, bawdily funny, and tenderly sad novel about class, about love, about drink, about poetics, about land, and about money—a few of the salient things that life and history are made of.” —O, The Oprah Magazine In his highly acclaimed debut novel, Colin McAdam depicts the struggle between two men involved in building a city’s future: developer Jerry McGuinty, blue collar, selfmade, a master craftsman, and Simon Struthers, a civil servant from a prominent, wealthy background who shapes land-use policy. Jerry has a blind spot for his alcoholic wife, and Simon moves between women, consumed by a frantic emptiness. When their two stories begin to intertwine, their lives and ambitions are set on a collision course. A richly observed story of family, class, love and the individual contributions we make to the bigness of the world, Some Great Thing is a powerful work from one of the most exciting voices of his generation.
Dancing Down the Barricades
Author: Matthew Frye Jacobson
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520409663
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 343
Book Description
A deep dive into racial politics, Hollywood, and Black cultural struggles for liberation as reflected in the extraordinary life and times of Sammy Davis Jr. Through the lens of Sammy Davis Jr.'s six-decade career in show business--from vaudeville to Vegas to Broadway, Hollywood, and network TV--Dancing Down the Barricades examines the workings of race in American culture. The title phrase holds two contradictory meanings regarding Davis's cultural politics: Did he dance the barricades down, as he liked to think, or did he simply dance down them, as his more radical critics would have it? Davis was at once a pioneering, barrier-busting, anti-Jim Crow activist and someone who was widely associated with accommodationism and wannabe whiteness. Historian Matthew Frye Jacobson attends to both threads, analyzing how industry norms, productions, scripts, roles, and audience expectations and responses were all framed by race against the backdrop of a changing America. In the spirit of better understanding Davis's life and career, Dancing Down the Barricades examines the complexities of his constraints, freedoms, and choices for what they reveal about Black history and American political culture.
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520409663
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 343
Book Description
A deep dive into racial politics, Hollywood, and Black cultural struggles for liberation as reflected in the extraordinary life and times of Sammy Davis Jr. Through the lens of Sammy Davis Jr.'s six-decade career in show business--from vaudeville to Vegas to Broadway, Hollywood, and network TV--Dancing Down the Barricades examines the workings of race in American culture. The title phrase holds two contradictory meanings regarding Davis's cultural politics: Did he dance the barricades down, as he liked to think, or did he simply dance down them, as his more radical critics would have it? Davis was at once a pioneering, barrier-busting, anti-Jim Crow activist and someone who was widely associated with accommodationism and wannabe whiteness. Historian Matthew Frye Jacobson attends to both threads, analyzing how industry norms, productions, scripts, roles, and audience expectations and responses were all framed by race against the backdrop of a changing America. In the spirit of better understanding Davis's life and career, Dancing Down the Barricades examines the complexities of his constraints, freedoms, and choices for what they reveal about Black history and American political culture.
Jade
Author: J Tyson Mitchell
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 1504900634
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 177
Book Description
From infancy to adulthood...a powerful...riveting...and amazingly courageous...true story. Jade is fascinating and intriguing as she takes you on a journey of her life...from horrendous to tremendous...with a host of interesting, colorful, and truly, unforgettable characters.
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 1504900634
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 177
Book Description
From infancy to adulthood...a powerful...riveting...and amazingly courageous...true story. Jade is fascinating and intriguing as she takes you on a journey of her life...from horrendous to tremendous...with a host of interesting, colorful, and truly, unforgettable characters.
Someday Is Not a Day in the Week
Author: Sam Horn
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1250201225
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 289
Book Description
"Inspired me to ask myself why and to stop postponing the forgotten dreams." —Geneen Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Women Food and God and This Messy Magnificent Life Full of inspirational insights and advice, lifehacks, and real-world examples, Someday is Not a Day in the Week is CEO Sam Horn’s motivational guide to help readers get what they want in life today rather than "someday." Are you: • Working, working, working? • Busy taking care of everyone but yourself? • Wondering what to do with the rest of your life? • Planning to do what makes you happy someday when you have more time, money, or freedom? What if someday never happens? As the Buddha said, “The thing is, we think we have time.” Sam Horn is a woman on a mission about not waiting for SOMEDAY ... and this is her manifesto. Her dad’s dream was to visit all the National Parks when he retired. He worked six to seven days a week for decades. A week into his long-delayed dream, he had a stroke. Sam doesn’t want that to happen to you. She took her business on the road for a Year by the Water. During her travels, she asked people, “Do you like your life? Your job? If so, why? If not, why not?” The surprising insights about what makes people happy or unhappy, what they’re doing about it (or not), and why...will inspire you to carve out time for what truly matters now, not later. Life is much too precious to postpone. It’s time to put yourself in your own story. The good news is, there are “hacks” you can do right now to make your life more of what you want it to be. And you don’t have to be selfish, quit your job, or win the lottery to do them. Sam Horn offers actionable, practical advice in short, snappy chapters to show you how to get started on your best life — now.
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1250201225
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 289
Book Description
"Inspired me to ask myself why and to stop postponing the forgotten dreams." —Geneen Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Women Food and God and This Messy Magnificent Life Full of inspirational insights and advice, lifehacks, and real-world examples, Someday is Not a Day in the Week is CEO Sam Horn’s motivational guide to help readers get what they want in life today rather than "someday." Are you: • Working, working, working? • Busy taking care of everyone but yourself? • Wondering what to do with the rest of your life? • Planning to do what makes you happy someday when you have more time, money, or freedom? What if someday never happens? As the Buddha said, “The thing is, we think we have time.” Sam Horn is a woman on a mission about not waiting for SOMEDAY ... and this is her manifesto. Her dad’s dream was to visit all the National Parks when he retired. He worked six to seven days a week for decades. A week into his long-delayed dream, he had a stroke. Sam doesn’t want that to happen to you. She took her business on the road for a Year by the Water. During her travels, she asked people, “Do you like your life? Your job? If so, why? If not, why not?” The surprising insights about what makes people happy or unhappy, what they’re doing about it (or not), and why...will inspire you to carve out time for what truly matters now, not later. Life is much too precious to postpone. It’s time to put yourself in your own story. The good news is, there are “hacks” you can do right now to make your life more of what you want it to be. And you don’t have to be selfish, quit your job, or win the lottery to do them. Sam Horn offers actionable, practical advice in short, snappy chapters to show you how to get started on your best life — now.