Most Popular Books by Bret Witter

"The Master Plan is less of a road map and more of a philosophy that we should all take to heart: We are all better than our worst decision, our sense of justice should honor the redemptive possibilities inherent in every person, and our destinies are truly intertwined."--Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes Moore Growing up in Washington, DC, Chris Wilson was surrounded by violence and despair. He watched his family and neighborhood shattered by trauma, and he lost his faith. One night when he was seventeen, defending himself, he killed a man. He was sentenced to life in prison with no hope of parole. But what should have been the end of his story became the beginning. Behind bars, Wilson embarked on a remarkable journey of self-improvement--reading, working out, learning languages, even starting a business. At nineteen, he sat down and wrote a list of all the things he intended to accomplish, and all the steps he''d have to take to get there. He called it his Master Plan. He revised that plan regularly and followed it religiously. Sixteen years later, it led him to an unlikely opportunity--and to a promise he has been working hard to live up to every day since. Harrowing, heartbreaking, and ultimately triumphant, The Master Plan is a memoir for this moment, proving that every person is capable of doing great things.

Moving and inspirational reflections on life from one woman, diagnosed with ALS, making the most of her final days with family and friends. In June 2011, award–winning journalist Susan Spencer-Wendel was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig''s disease, a disease that systematically destroys nerves that power muscles. Forty-five years old and a mother of three, Susan walks with braces and is losing her ability to speak. Unable to stop the rapid decline of her body, she refuses to let her life stop before its time. Since her diagnosis, Susan makes sure every day counts, is more present than ever in her daily life, and ready to share her strength, determination, and spirit. Until I Say Goodbye is a truly magical story and so much more than one woman''s "bucket list." It''s a celebration of life, a look into the face of death, and the effort we must make to show the people that we love and care about how very much they mean to us. "Touching and brutally honest." — USA Today "Susan Spencer-Wendel had to face the question, ''What would you do if you had a year to live?'' This profound, tender, and often funny account of her experiences will remind readers of what really matters most: love." — New York Times bestselling author Gretchen Rubin "This heartbreaking and heartwarming good-bye will make you laugh as much as it makes you cry. Susan Spencer-Wendel''s determination to find the joy in life after having been dealt the ALS card is both inspirational and enlightening." — New York Times bestselling author Cokie Roberts

Experience the uplifting, "unforgettable" New York Times bestseller about an abandoned kitten named Dewey, whose life in a library won over a farming town and the world -- with over 2 million copies sold! ( Booklist) Dewey''s story starts in the worst possible way. On the coldest night of the year in Spencer, Iowa, at only a few weeks old--a critical age for kittens--he was stuffed into the return book slot of the Spencer Public Library. He was found the next morning by library director Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm, a breast cancer scare, and an alcoholic husband. Dewey won her heart, and the hearts of the staff, by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love. For the next nineteen years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility (for a cat), and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most. As his fame grew from town to town, then state to state and finally, amazingly, worldwide, Dewey became more than just a friend; he became a source of pride for an extraordinary Heartland farming community slowly working its way back from the greatest crisis in its long history.

Based on the New York Times bestseller, Until Tuesday this full-color book filled with adorable photographs tells the story of the amazing service dog who helps former U.S. Army Captain Luis Carlos Montalva..n overcome his combat-related wounds.

The former homeless man featured in a viral YouTube radio-voice video shares the complete story of how he lost his successful career to a crack addiction, tracing his journey through homelessness and crime before finding love and redemption.

A middle-grade adaptation of the #1 New York Times bestseller with an eight-page photo insert—including exclusive, never-before-seen photos of the Dew! Now everyone''s favorite library cat can inspire a new audience of young readers with his story of courage and love. Abandoned in a library book drop slot in the dead of winter, this remarkable kitten miraculously endured the coldest night of the year. Dewey Readmore Books, as he became known, quickly embraced his home inside Spencer''s public library, charming the struggling small town''s library-goers, young and old. As word of Dewey''s winning tail, or rather his tale, spread, the library cat gained worldwide fame as a symbol of hope and proof positive that one small cat could change a town, one reader at a time. "Myron''s friendly and pleasantly pragmatic voice, as well as her mostly judicious selection of anecdotes, brings poignancy to the tale of her special bond with Dewey. Her story also offers readers another bit of insight into how animals and humans can emotionally enrich each other''s lives." — Publishers Weekly "Dewey will no doubt have young readers pining for their own library cats, but astute readers will also pick up on the message that a town''s heart beats strongest in its library." — School Library Journal

Chart-topping comedian Rodney Carrington offers up his first book helping of the Texas-sized, down-home humor that has sold out his comedy tour across the nation.

The newest adventure in our New York Times bestselling series celebrates Dewey''s very first Christmas! The holiday season is in full swing in Spencer -- the lights are twinkling, the wreaths are hung, and Christmas bells are ringing. Inside the library, Dewey longs to be part of the holiday fun and after a series of silly misadventures, Dewey finds a way to add his own special touch to his beloved Christmas tree -- and the results are Dew-rific! A wonderful way to celebrate the season with everyone''s favorite library cat.

Vicki Myron follows up her #1 New York Times bestseller Dewey with stories of cats who inspire their owners and includes two brand-new Dewey stories! Dewey''s Nine Lives offers nine funny, inspiring, and heartwarming stories about cats—all told from the perspective of "Dewey''s Mom," librarian Vicki Myron. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World was a blockbuster bestseller and a publishing phenomenon. It has sold nearly a million copies, spawned three children''s books, and will be the basis for an upcoming movie. No doubt about it, Dewey has created a community. Dewey touched readers everywhere, who realized that no matter how difficult their lives might seem, or how ordinary their talents, they can-and should-make a positive difference to those around them. Now, Dewey is back, with even more heartwarming moments and life lessons to share. The amazing felines in this book include Dewey, of course, whose further never-before-told adventures are shared, and several others who Vicki found out about when their owners reached out to her. Vicki learned, through extensive interviews and story sharing, what made these cats special, and how they fit into Dewey''s community of perseverance and love. From a divorced mother in Alaska who saved a drowning kitten on Christmas Eve to a troubled Vietnam veteran whose heart was opened by his long relationship with a rescued cat, these Dewey-style stories will inspire readers to laugh, cry, care, and, most importantly, believe in the magic of animals to touch individual lives.

Now a major film starring GEORGE CLOONEY, MATT DAMON, CATE BLANCHETT, BILL MURRAY, JOHN GOODMAN, HUGH BONNEVILLE, BOB BALABAN, JEAN DUJARDIN and DIMITRI LEONIDAS. What if I told you that there was an epic story about World War II that has not been told, involving the most unlikely group of heroes? What if I told you there was a group of men on the front lines who didn''t carry machine guns or drive tanks; a new kind of soldier, one charged with saving, not destroying. From caves to castles in a thrilling race against time, these men risked their lives daily to save hundreds of thousands of the world''s greatest works of art. THEY were the Monuments Men, and THIS is their extraordinary true story. ''Remarkable'' Washington Post ''Engaging, inspiring'' Publishers Weekly

There is nothing stronger than a mother''s love . . . except a good glass of moonshine. The mountains of North Carolina are rich—lush with the greens and blues of the seven-mile views and bursting with a culture where the ways of Old Appalachia meet the new South. This is the heart of moonshine country, where they practice an art passed down from generation to generation, crafted not only out of pride and ingenuity, but also out of a daring to push the boundaries of the law to create a product that has come, in many ways, to symbolize America. Troy Ball is a classic Southern belle, with an easy charm, impeccable manners, a wide smile, and golden-blond hair. But beneath that crisp white blouse and strand of pearls is a streak of tenacity a mile wide. In the early 2000s, Troy and her husband, Charlie, left their native Texas for the up-and-coming town of Asheville, North Carolina, because the climate was better for the health of their two severely ill, special-needs sons. Troy found there something the dedicated mom never expected: time for herself. And then along came Forrest Jarrett, an Appalachian raconteur with a pickup truck, a thousand stories to tell, and a sip or two of white squeezings, aka moonshine, to share with the newcomer. What followed was a surprising friendship and a five-year journey into the heart of distilling old-fashioned corn whiskey. Stretching back to Colonial times and forward to today and the Byzantine laws Troy had to navigate to become the first female legal moonshiner in the history of the South, this a true moonshine-making odyssey that will touch your soul. When the real estate crash wiped out her family financially and threatened the safety of her children, Troy realized that moonshine was more than a hobby . . . her world-class whiskey (and newfound friends) could save her family, too. Pure Heart is a story of dedication, inspiration, and days spent in a run-down shack in the company of some of the finest and funniest good-old boys you''d ever want to meet. It is the story of how a strong woman used grit and determination to launch a thriving business, and what a mother will do to help her children. It is also about sharing a drink with friends—and all that is great about the South.

"The previously untold story of a little-known WWII Allied division whose mission was to track down European art and treasures that had been looted by the Nazis at Hitler''s command"--Provided by the publisher.

The New York Times bestselling memoir of the 27-year-old Boston Marathon bombing survivor and the basis of the major motion picture starring Jake Gyllenhaal. When Jeff Bauman woke up on Tuesday, April 16th, 2013 in the Boston Medical Center, groggy from a series of lifesaving surgeries and missing his legs, the first thing he did was try to speak. When he realized he couldn''t, he asked for a pad and paper and wrote down seven words: "Saw the guy. Looked right at me," setting off one of the biggest manhunts in the country''s history. Just thirty hours before, Jeff had been at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon cheering on his girlfriend, Erin, when the first bomb went off at his feet. As he was rushed to the hospital, he realized he was severely injured and that he might die, but he didn''t know that a photograph of him in a wheelchair was circulating throughout the world, making him the human face of the Boston Marathon bombing victims, or that what he''d seen would give the Boston police their most important breakthrough. In Stronger, Jeff describes the chaos and terror of the bombing itself and the ongoing FBI investigation in which he was a key witness. He takes us inside his grueling rehabilitation, and discusses his attempt to reconcile the world''s admiration with his own guilt and frustration. . Brave, compassionate, and emotionally compelling, Jeff Bauman''s story is not just his, but ours as well.

"A heartwarming true-life fable from the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Santa--including his personal journey of discovering the magic of Christmas"--Provided by publisher.