Bio1

Contributor: Kailyn S.
 * //The Zookeeper's Wife// by Diane Ackerman **

When people are named after animals while animals are named for people, keeping everyone straight is tough. During World War II, this is just one of the numerous challenges Polish Christian zookeepers Jan and Antonia Żabiński faced on a daily basis. Horrified by Nazi racism, their story of saving hundreds of people is told in Diane Ackerman’s book, The Zookeeper’s Wife. After the Warsaw Zoo lost a majority of its exotic animals, the Żabińskis began hiding Resistance activist and refugee Jews in the empty cages. The people were code-named after the animals whose cages they occupied. The whole family risked their lives in order to save these people, some of whom were complete strangers. The Żabińskis’ young son carried food to the guests while Jan led a group of saboteurs. This left Antonia responsible for the basic household duties, caring for the remaining animals, and protecting her family, both old and new. Being caught would result in immediate death for everyone. However, Jan and Antonia were determined to help as many people as they could. They willingly took the initiative and managed to save 300 people in the years during “the greatest crime” the world has seen. All the while they knew the possible consequences they could face if they were caught. This book serves as a tribute to the Żabińskis’ heroic actions and a reminder to future generations of what can be accomplished by love and determination.

**//Tuesdays With Morrie// by Mitch Albom** Contributor: Jordan S.

It is the story of “a young man, an old man, and life’s greatest lesson.” The book //Tuesdays With Morrie// by Mitch Albom is a story of strength, love, and friendship. It gives an outlook on life that can’t be forgotten. When Mitch goes to college, he meets the professor that will teach him for the next years of his life, and somewhere along the lines, becomes his best friend. Then after many years of not seeing eachother, Morrie and Mitch meet again. Morrie is gradually getting sicker and sicker. Every day that Mitch visits Morrie, their discussion becomes more meaningful and life changing. As you read the story, you will feel as though you are there, in Morrie’s house, talking to him and Mitch. You will become close to the characters and you won’t want to put the book down. This book illustrates the meaning of life-that every day should be lived as if it is your last. So, pick up this book and read the amazing story of how Mitch and Morrie become “Tuesday people.”

Contributor: Hannah J.
 * //J. Alexander: Don't Be A Drag, Just Be A Queen //**

"How does a six-foot-four, Bronx-born black gay male become Queen of the Catwalk? In one word: attitude." Miss J. Alexander, diva-coach extraordinaire, thoughtfully writes about his journey to the fashion world in //Follow the Model: Miss J's Guide To Unleashing Presence, Poise, and Power//. Known best for his appearances on America's Next Top Model as runway coach and judge, Miss J has trained supermodels such as Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, and Kimora Lee. Alexander, his given name, was seventh of ten children born in the heart of the Bronx. With a rapidly growing family, Alex could never afford designer labels, let alone new clothes each school year, but he soon learned complaining would not accomplish anything. His mother, undoubtedly, had the most impact on his persona. Her strong personality and stubborn attitude left and undeniable impression in her son. At a young age, Alex learned two significant lessons: the value of a dollar and creativity. His amazing knowledge of fashion began with couture knockoffs on his grandmother's sewing machine. This emotional journey of Miss J. Alexander takes its course through his milestones, including becoming a father and hesitantly waiting the results of an HIV test. Nothing shy of a remarkable read, Miss J delivers the perfect mix of fashionable advice for your heart, soul, and closet.

**//Mary Kay Ash; Miracles Happen//** **by Mary Kay Ash** Contributor: Lexi H.

Rags to riches stories are always inspiring. Mary Kay Ash describes her rags to riches story in her biography, //Mary Kay Ash; Miracles Happen//. Life was never easy for Mary Kay. She had to take care of her sick father while her mother worked to pay bills. Mary Kay’s mother instilled in her the confidence that she could do anything. She would always tell Mary Kay, “You can do it!” and “Anything anyone else can do, you can do better!” Later in life when she was a single mother, Ash sold Stanley Products, skin care and make up, to support her own family. Her determination drove her to do her best. Twenty five years later, after retiring from selling products, she decided to take on a bigger challenge. Although she was a middle-aged grandmother, she decided to start her own business. Mary Kay trusted in God and started her “dream company.” The company, Mary Kay Cosmetics, had its challenges, but was and still is successful. Her business lets women work their own hours, strive to do their best, and love the work that they do. Mary Kay Cosmetics is located in 33 countries and employs millions of women in the company today. Mary Kay Ash’s story shows that anything is possible if one has the right attitude and is willing to work for it.

**//Eight Men Out//** **by Eliot Asinof** Contributor: Robert W.

Baseball is the American past time. This American sport ran into some problems during the 1919 World Series. The book //Eight Men Out// written by Eliot Asinof tells the detailed story of this 1919 World Series scandal. This book reveals behind the scenes information on the World Series and how gambling affected the sport of baseball back before and during this World Series. This book is completely about baseball and could be boring to non baseball fans. For all huge baseball fans out there, this is a great book. “In the history of American sport, it would be difficult to find another meeting that led to events so shattering.” As you can tell, this was a landmark event for the game of baseball and even sports in general. The book illustrates the intent of the ballplayers and gamblers before the series. It also portrays how people reacted and what went on after the Series. The last half of the book took the events of the ballplayers and gamblers involved in the fix and revealed what happened in the federal court cases that they were involved in. Overall, this is a superior book for baseball fans and is enjoyable for anyone interested in this great game.

Contributor: Jake F.
 * //Patton// by Alan Axelrod**

The Great Wars were a dark time: millions died. But during this time a couple of military geniuses appeared. Among these was General George S. Patton. //Patton,// written by Alan Axelrod and General Wesley K. Clark, talks about the life story of one of the most incredible generals. Born in 1885 into a military family, Patton found it was his destiny to join the military. It was not so easy for the young boy, though. He had dyslexia and found it difficult to go to school. It toke him two tries to make it into West Point. And, once he finally joined the military, Patton found it hard to find action. During that time, the US was out of war and it was difficult to earn a promotion in the military while there was no combat. He persevered and engaged in every small combat situation he could find. By the breakout of World War I he found himself in the inner circle of General Pershing. General Patton had a few success during World War I, but the highlight of his career occurred during World War II. During this war, Patton had military achievements that could rival the best conquers in history. He turned a demoralized army into the conquest of northern Africa, and in Europe, he successfully pulled off a maneuver that most thought impossible. His actions at the Battle of the Bulge would be a “defining moment” in his career and would stop the last chance Germany had at winning the war.

Contributor: Hannah G.
 * A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah **

Surrounded by trees, gunshots, and screams – screams of close friends who cry out in agony as they die by bullet wounds – this is not the ideal life of a thirteen-year-old boy, but it was the life of Ishmael Beah as a teen. Beah’s book, //A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier,// is a heart breaking and miraculous autobiography that leaves one in tears as it accounts the tale of a young boy who is separated from his family and forced to fight in his country’s war. A seemingly average day for Beah, visiting his grandmother, led him to a time of turmoil because when he came home that evening, his town was burnt to the ground and he had no evidence of his family’s survival. For the next three years of his life, living in the unknown became customary as he searched for somewhere to belong, even if that meant becoming a “boy soldier.” Would Beah ever find his family? Was he going to live through this day? This wound? Beah soon became consumed by the civil war in Sierra Leone but hope for a future was renewed when he was placed into a rehabilitation center. The transition was difficult because Beah felt he “needed more violence” and he was not receptive toward those around him. Living as a soldier taught him to trust no one but to fend for himself, so those who tried to help him were often treated with hostility. Though Beah face many obstacles while healing from the wounds of the war, he showed persistence. He eventually opened the door of forgiveness and trust. Through a young nurse, Esther, a once detached teenage learned to love and heal. Beah moved on from the events of yesterday and lived each day dreaming of a better tomorrow.

Contributor: Alex S.
 * //David Beckham: Both Feet on the Ground//**

“There is only one David Beckham.” He is considered one of the best soccer players of his time. In his autobiography, Beckham: Both Feet on the Ground, he shares his thoughts on life, work, family, and falling in and out of love. Beckham, on the field, is different form the Beckham off the field. While playing, he is very much in a “zone” where nothing distracts him or sways his judgment and he, at times, can seem aggressive, that’s just how the game goes. But at home, David is a loving and caring being. He has two sons, Romeo and Brooklyn, a beautiful pop-star wife Victoria (Posh of the Spice Girls), and two sisters, who he is devoted to. The book illustrates how he made a name for himself in the business and the hard work behind it all, from signing with one of the best teams, Manchester United, to winning championship titles with the same team, as captain, at age twenty. One purpose of this book was for David to explain that if one takes away the cameras and all the people, he is a normal guy doing what he loves, whether he’s kicking a soccer ball or relaxing with his family.

**//Back in the Day: My Life and Times With Tupac Shakur //** **by Darrin Bastfield** Contributor: Lauren D.

The fame and fortune which is granted upon famous celebrities is just the icing on top of their adventurous cake. On June 16, 1971, “a revolutionary was born,” and his name was Lesane Parish Crooks, commonly referred to by his rap disguise name of Tupac Amaru Shakur. In the eye opening biography called //Back in the Day: My Life and Times With Tupac Shakur// by Darrin Bastfield, Tupac is seen venturing through his strange, teenage years, searching for his own enlightenment and becoming a successful rapper. He undergoes harsh turmoil to arise and sell a whopping 37.5 million records alone in the United States. The book stresses his younger years of his life like going through hardship, violence, and racism, but none of these characteristics ever held back Tupac’s incredible determination to do what he was born to do. He breathed, lived, and obsessed over rap; it was something that ran through his blood. Tupac would even be “rapping while he was washing dishes at the restaurant where he used to work.” This inspirational book spoke words of Tupac’s wisdom and his unthinkable path of life, which created his fearless and visionary ego. Tupac strived to make a difference not only on the music scene but in the black community which he referred to as his home. Tupac’s close friends and family show the world what Tupac Shakur was really like as a teenager destined for greatness. He was a revolutionary while he was living, but moreover he is and always will be an influential legend. The presence of Tupac’s spirit is still shining throughout rap as it lives on today.

**//The Bus: My Life in and out of a Helmet //****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">by Jerome Bettis ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Contributor: Ryan M.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Every child idolizes an actor or actress, a musician, or an athlete. Jerome Bettis, a former professional football player, is worshipped by many, many children. The inspirational life story written by Jerome Bettis, himself, and Gene Wojciechowski, tells an incredible and unexpected story of the former Pittsburgh Steelers’ running back, from childhood until retirement, in the book //The Bus: My Life in and out of a Helmet//. This story reveals some startling events. During Bettis’ childhood, he lived in a ghetto and was known for selling drugs, stealing, and not focusing on his future. Many people that Jerome knew as a kid ended up dead or in a prison due to this lifestyle. He was a good, responsible boy with his parents, but “led a double life” out on the streets. Bettis didn’t start out wanting to play football in the NFL; he wasn’t introduced to football until his freshman year in high school. Eventually, Jerome Bettis was hooked on the sport and strove to succeed so he could attain a scholarship to college. He accomplished that goal, and attended Notre Dame, playing football under the instruction of the well-known coach Lou Holtz. Holtz turned out to be more than a coach but also a friend as he watched over Bettis and advised important decisions regarding his professional career. Later, Bettis joined the Pittsburgh Steelers after an unpleasant time with the Rams. With the Steelers, he won Super Bowl XL in his final football season. This extraordinary story of a man who started out with nothing and made it to the NFL is moving and motivational not just for football fans, but anyone.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">//**Whatever You Say I Am: The Life and Times of Eminem**// **by Anthony Bozza** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Contributor: Mary Ann E. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Growing up in the heart of Detroit with a low income and trying to make it in the entertainment business is nearly impossible. Eminem is an extraordinary exception to this statement. As shown in //Whatever you say I Am: The life and Times Of Eminem// by Anthony Bozza, Eminem grew up in a predominately black neighborhood and when he pursued his dream of becoming an artist in a genre that was unusual for a white man, he had to overcome many obstacles. Marshall Mathers, who goes by the names of Eminem or Slim Shady, grew up in a tough situation. He was working two jobs and pursued music in his free time at night but music was always first in his heart. Marshall had a family to support and the music was the only thing that could save them from a bad area in Detroit. Marshall and his wife Kim were married and lived in a trailer park with their daughter, Hailie Mathers. When Eminem got fired from his one job at a neighborhood diner, music was almost his last hope. After numerous attempts to put himself out there and for his extreme talent to be recognized, he took his audition tape to Dr.Dre who realized his potential and saw his passion. Once he met the prominent producer his life took off and his career skyrocketed and he was headed for only the best. Marshall went from “trying so hard to get noticed and heard by companies and producers”, to being a household name and selling billions of records worldwide. His life and biography is a touching story of triumph of the music industry.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Contributor: Kelly J
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">//The Way We Were Remembering Diana// by Paul Burrell **

Charismatic, compassionate, and courageous are just a few words that describe Diana, Princess of Wales. Diana’s life story has been displayed into many different books, but none are as personal as Paul Burrell’s story, //The Way We Were Remembering Diana//. Burrell was not just any ordinary servant, but Diana’s right hand man. With insider information, he takes the reader on a tour of her life and gives them a closer look at royalty. Diana experienced significant changes in her life, and those experiences are elaborated on in this book. The Princess was a caring person and showed immense gratitude toward her fellow colleagues and friends. One way people remember Diana today, is by how much she did for others. She created some charities and gave to other charities, but her most memorable experience occurred when she sold sixty two dresses that she no longer needed and made 1.85 million dollars. She gave all of the money to charity, and will never be forgotten because of it. The princess “had an abundance of love and understanding for those in need.” Not only was Diana a giving woman, but she was also a loving woman. She put others before herself on numerous occasions, especially her boys. Her two boys, Harry and William, were her life and were the most important thing to her. She would, and did everything for them. Diana was an adventurous woman, and took many risks when it came to life. For Example, after her divorce from Prince Charles, she found a new love, but not many people know that because it never went public. Although a tragic car accident in 1997 took the life of the Princess, she still lives on in hearts forever.