Central Skagit Library District

In just a few generations, Michelle Obama's family has blazed a path from a slave cabin to the White House. She's now writing a new chapter in history as a fresh kind of first lady, old-fashioned in many ways, yet so genuine and natural that she constantly surprises and inspires.

"Sarah Sentilles relationship with God was not a casual one. When it began to unravel she was in the ordination process to become an Episcopal priest. She was a youth minister at a church in a suburb of Boston and a doctoral student in theology at Harvard. You might say they were engaged and that the wedding was all planned- the church reserved, the menu chosen, the flowers arranged. Calling it off would be more than a little awkward. But in fact,...

From the tsunami in Sri Lanka to the war in Iraq to the starvation in Niger and ultimately to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Mississippi, Cooper gives us a firsthand glimpse of the devastation that takes place, both physically and emotionally, when the normal order of things is violently ruptured on a massive scale. Cooper had been in his share of life-threatening situations before, but he had never seen human misery quite like this. Writing...

"From her years as a presidential press secretary to her debates with colleagues on Fox News' The Five, Dana Perino reveals the lessons she's learned that have guided her through life, including stories from behind the scenes at the White House with President George W. Bush that the cameras never captured. Thoughtful, inspiring and often surprising, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS ... traces Dana's unlikely journey through politics, the White House, and television....

This fascinating book features 30 young women who accomplished remarkable things before their twentieth birthdays. Visually compelling with original illustrations, this book will inspire the next generation of strong, fearless women. -- Amazon.com.

She was a country music superstar facing nonstop success-- but offstage she struggled with harsh family secrets, absent emotional support, teenage motherhood, rape, and hepatitis. Here, Judd uncovers her struggles with depression, PTSD and addiction, a journey that included extended hospital stays and moving lessons about how to find hope and help. She has persevered -- and shares a message for anyone whose life has been scarred by trauma.

Tarbell was the catalyst for exposing the truth behind corruption and unfair business practices. She investigated and published works about the Standard Oil Trust for McClure's Magazine that informed the world of shady business dealings and skyrocketed her into the public eye. She wrote inspiring and engaging biographies on public figures, her most notable on Abraham Lincoln. Although largely forgotten as the country forged into the 20th century,...

"The first book for the general public about mindfulness and medical practice, a groundbreaking, intimate exploration of how doctors think and what matters most--safe, effective, patient-centered, compassionate care--from the foremost expert in the field, "--Amazon.com. "As a third-year Harvard Medical School student doing a clinical rotation in surgery, Ronald Epstein watched an error unfold: an experienced surgeon failed to notice his patient's...

June 4, 1942, high above the tiny Pacific atoll of Midway. Lt. (j.g.) "Dusty" Kleiss burst out of the clouds and piloted his SBD Dauntless into a near-vertical dive aimed at the heart of Japan's Imperial Navy, which six months earlier had ruthlessly struck Pearl Harbor. Within a three-day period he became the only pilot from either side to land hits on three different ships, all of which sank-- losses that crippled the once-fearsome Japanese fleet....

What do you do when you want to pursue a technical education but face obstacles? Certainly not become a boring, dusty accountant, right? In my case, that's exactly what happened. I found economics and administration interesting. While I thought I could do accounting well and applied for the position of assistant accountant, my life took a second turn. Uniquely, this led me into the realm of technology. The narrative of an IT professional originally...