New Releases by Don Yaeger

This is not your everyday restaurant story. In 2006--before food trucks were cool--Mike Rypka had a used trailer, a red vespa, and a resolute dream of opening a taco joint. Zipping around Austin, Texas, making deliveries, and spreading the word, he staked his reputation on a menu of experimental tacos coined by customers as "Damn good!" Over 100 brick-and-mortar locations later, a lot has changed at Torchy''s Tacos, but the dedication to honesty and originality remains--alongside Rypka''s memories of the steppingstones and wild chances that brought him here. In The Devil Is in the Details, bestselling author Don Yaeger takes readers on a madcap journey of redemption, risk, and ultimately reward, chronicling the pivotal choices and hard-earned wisdom that went into building a restaurant chain from the ground up. This thrilling story touches all corners of the restaurant industry, from Rypka''s rock-bottom teenage years working his first job as a fry cook, to country clubs and corporate kitchens, to the recent, unprecedented challenge of expanding his business during the coronavirus pandemic. Part love story, part biography, part manifesto. What is depicted in these pages is not just the history of a taco restaurant, but an account of the people behind a beloved brand, its quirky culture, and its big heart.

The NFL champion whose life inspired the hit movie The Blind Side is back with an inspiring and motivating book on overcoming any obstacle, no matter how tough the odds Millions of people became part of Michael Oher’s story when they watched a version of him on the big screen; read his memoir, I Beat the Odds; or cheered him on from the stands. After speaking to so many of them over the years, Oher knows that more than anything, people want to believe great things can happen, even when the situation looks bleak. His story of overcoming the toughest of odds serves as their hope. Oher’s life has had a lot of unexpected highs: a college degree; four beautiful, healthy children and a happy marriage; drafted in the first round; a Super Bowl victory; and a second chance to play in the “big game.” He’s also run up against quite a few walls: poverty, hunger, homelessness, struggles in school, bullying, job loss, brain injury, anxiety, and depression. What he knows now is that your wall can be your opportunity. In When Your Back’s Against the Wall, he offers encouragement and shows readers how to get back up—again, and again, and again.

A page-turning middle-grade adaptation of the New York Times bestseller, now in paperback! When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa routinely captured American sailors and held them as captives demanding ransom and tribute far beyond what the new country could afford. Jefferson found it impossible to negotiate a truce, and decided to move beyond diplomacy. He sent the U.S. Navy and Marines to blockade Tripoli--launching the Barbary Wars and beginning America''s journey toward future superpower status. This vivid and accessible young readers adaptation of the New York Times bestseller features an exclusive new introduction, extensive back matter, and eye-catching art throughout. Chronicling a crucial moment in American history, this historical thriller will excite and inspire the next generation of readers.

Another history pageturner from the authors of the #1 bestsellers George Washington''s Secret Six and Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates. The War of 1812 saw America threatened on every side. Encouraged by the British, Indian tribes attacked settlers in the West, while the Royal Navy terrorized the coasts. By mid-1814, President James Madison’s generals had lost control of the war in the North, losing battles in Canada. Then British troops set the White House ablaze, and a feeling of hopelessness spread across the country. Into this dire situation stepped Major General Andrew Jackson. A native of Tennessee who had witnessed the horrors of the Revolutionary War and Indian attacks, he was glad America had finally decided to confront repeated British aggression. But he feared that President Madison’s men were overlooking the most important target of all: New Orleans. If the British conquered New Orleans, they would control the mouth of the Mississippi River, cutting Americans off from that essential trade route and threatening the previous decade’s Louisiana Purchase. The new nation’s dreams of western expansion would be crushed before they really got off the ground. So Jackson had to convince President Madison and his War Department to take him seriously, even though he wasn’t one of the Virginians and New Englanders who dominated the government. He had to assemble a coalition of frontier militiamen, French-speaking Louisianans,Cherokee and Choctaw Indians, freed slaves, and even some pirates. And he had to defeat the most powerful military force in the world—in the confusing terrain of the Louisiana bayous. In short, Jackson needed a miracle. The local Ursuline nuns set to work praying for his outnumbered troops. And so the Americans, driven by patriotism and protected by prayer, began the battle that would shape our young nation’s destiny. As they did in their two previous bestsellers, Kilmeade and Yaeger make history come alive with a riveting true story that will keep you turning the pages. You’ll finish with a new understanding of one of our greatest generals and a renewed appreciation for the brave men who fought so that America could one day stretch “from sea to shining sea.”

The youngest living Medal of Honor recipient delivers an unforgettable memoir that "will inspire every reader” (Jim Mattis) NATIONAL BESTSELLER | A Marine Commandant''s Reading List selection On November 21, 2010, U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Kyle Carpenter was posted atop a building in violent Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when an enemy grenade skittered toward Kyle and fellow Marine Nick Eufrazio. Without hesitation, Kyle chose a path of selfless heroism that few can imagine. He jumped on the grenade, saving Nick but sacrificing his own body. Kyle Carpenter’s heart flatlined three times while being evacuated off the battlefield in Afghanistan. Yet his spirit was unbroken. Severely wounded from head to toe, Kyle lost his right eye as well as most of his jaw. It would take dozens of surgeries and almost three years in and out of the hospital to reconstruct his body. From there, he began the process of rebuilding his life. What he has accomplished in the last nine years is extraordinary: he’s come back a stronger, better, wiser person. In 2014, Kyle was awarded the nation’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his “singular act of courage” on that rooftop in Afghanistan, an action which had been reviewed exhaustively by the military. Kyle became the youngest living recipient of the award–and only the second living Marine so honored since Vietnam. Kyle’s remarkable memoir reveals a central truth that will inspire every reader: Life is worth everything we’ve got. It is the story of how one man became a so-called hero who willingly laid down his life for his brother-in-arms—and equally, it is a story of rebirth, of how Kyle battled back from the gravest challenge to forge a life of joyful purpose. You Are Worth It is a memoir about the war in Afghanistan and Kyle’s heroics, and it is also a manual for living. Organized around the credos that have guided Kyle’s life (from “Don’t Hide Your Scars” to “Call Your Mom”), the book encourages us to become our best selves in the time we’ve been given on earth. Above all, it’s about finding purpose, regardless of the hurdles that may block our way. Moving and unforgettable, You Are Worth It is an astonishing memoir from one of our most extraordinary young leaders.

A page-turning middle-grade adaptation of the New York Times bestseller about George Washington''s top-secret spy ring that helped defeat the British. The American Revolution is well under way in 1776, but things are looking bleak for General George Washington and his Continental Army. With Washington''s hasty retreat from New York City in August, many think the war might soon be over. After all: how on earth is this ragtag group going to defeat its enemy, the well-trained and well-funded military of the largest empire in history? But Washington soon realizes he can''t win with military might. Instead, he must outsmart the British, so he creates a sophisticated intelligence network: the top-secret Culper Spy Ring. Drawing on extensive research, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger tell the fascinating stories of these long unrecognized spies: a reserved merchant, a tavern keeper, a brash young longshoreman, a curmudgeonly Long Island bachelor, a coffeehouse owner, and a mysterious woman. This vivid and accessible young readers adaptation of the New York Times bestseller features an exclusive new introduction, extensive back matter, and eye-catching art throughout. Chronicling a crucial moment in American history, this historical thriller will excite and inspire the next generation of patriots.

In 1963, Dick Portillo built a 6'' x 12'' trailer with no running water or bathroom and opened a simple hot dog stand in Villa Park, Illinois. He called it "The Dog House." More than 50 years and 50 locations later, his namesake Portillo''s restaurants are a Windy City institution, famous for perfect, Chicago-style dogs. In Out of the Dog House, Portillo tells the incredible story of his life, sharing the ingenuity and hard-earned wisdom that went into building a beloved restaurant chain. From a modest childhood as the son of Greek and Mexican immigrants, to the core principles that became essential in growing a national business, this is a singular, at times surprising, tale of how one man crafted his own American dream, one hot dog at a time.

The mass market edition of the New York Times Bestseller. This is the little-known story of how a newly independent nation was challenged by four Muslim powers and what happened when America''s third president decided to stand up to intimidation. When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa routinely captured American sailors and held them as slaves, demanding ransom and tribute far beyond what the new country could afford. Jefferson found it impossible to negotiate with the leaders of the Barbary states, who believed their religion justified the plunder and enslavement of non-Muslims. These rogue states would show no mercy, so President Jefferson decided to move beyond diplomacy. He sent the U.S. Navy''s new warships and a detachment of Marines to blockade Tripoli--launching the Barbary Wars and beginning America''s journey toward future superpower status. As they did in George Washington''s Secret Six, Kilmeade and Yaeger have transformed a nearly forgotten slice of history into a dramatic story that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next. Among the many suspenseful episodes: · Lieutenant Andrew Sterett''s ferocious cannon battle on the high seas against the treacherous pirate ship Tripoli. · Lieutenant Stephen Decatur''s daring night raid of an enemy harbor, with the aim of destroying an American ship that had fallen into the pirates'' hands. · General William Eaton''s 500-mile march from Egypt to the port of Derne, where the Marines launched a surprise attack and an American flag was raised in victory on foreign soil for the first time.

When George Washington beat a hasty retreat from New York City in August 1776, many thought the American Revolution might soon be over. Instead, Washington rallied—thanks in large part to a little-known, top-secret group called the Culper Spy Ring. He realized that he couldn’t defeat the British with military might, so he recruited a sophisticated and deeply secretive intelligence network to infiltrate New York. Drawing on extensive research, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger have offered fascinating portraits of these spies: a reserved Quaker merchant, a tavern keeper, a brash young longshoreman, a curmudgeonly Long Island bachelor, a coffeehouse owner, and a mysterious woman. Long unrecognized, the secret six are finally receiving their due among the pantheon of American heroes.

What makes a team great? Not just good and not just functional—but great? Over six years, long-time Sports Illustrated editor Don Yaeger was invited by some of the greatest companies in the world to speak about the habits of high-performing individuals. From Microsoft and Starbucks to the New England Patriots and San Antonio Spurs, what do some organizations do seemingly better than most of their opponents? Don took the challenge. He began building into his travel schedule opportunities to interview our generation’s greatest team builders from the sports and business worlds. During this process, he conducted more than 100 interviews with some of the most successful teams and organizations in the country. From those interviews, Don identified 16 habits that drive these high-performing teams. Building on the stories, examples, and first-hand accounts, each chapter in Great Teams comes with applicable examples on how to apply these characteristics in any organization. Great Teams includes: Life lessons from some of the most notable names in sports and business applied to team-making in any situation Interviews from well-known players from Peyton and Eli Manning to Kevin Durant Skills to allow culture to shape who you recruit, manage dysfunction, friction, and strong personalities Advice on how to win in critical situations, embrace change, build a mentoring culture, and see value others miss Great Teams is the ultimate intersection of the sports and business worlds and a powerful companion for thought leaders, teams, managers, and organizations that seek to perform similarly. The insight shared in this book is sure to enhance any team in its pursuit of excellence.

If you believe that success leaves clues, then you understand why successful people seek the clues of others. In What Makes the Great Ones Great, author Don Yaeger asked more than 2,500 people, including some of the Greatest winners of all time, how they stayed ahead of the competition year after year. The result is characteristics of Greatness that can be translated into anyone''s life. It isn''t a secret formula. It''s about doing common things uncommonly well.

One of hockey''s most feared enforcers reveals his off-ice battles with heroin and depression Chris Nilan, who grew up in the tough and gritty Irish enclavein Boston, was a feared enforcer for the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers, and a Stanley Cup champion never afraid to go into the corners or take off his gloves. He was a valued teammate whose very presence on the ice affected the way the game was played. Always a colourful character, Nilan was married for many years to the daughter of the longtime girlfriend of Boston mob figure Whitey Bulger, among the most notorious, ruthless and murderous gangsters in American history--almost all of his Habs teammates attended the wedding. As an enforcer and as a teammate, Nilan ranks among the greatest of all time. When the cheering stopped, however, Chris Nilan did not do well. The same qualities--his aggressiveness and high-emotion style--that proved so valuable on the ice did not serve him well when his career ended. Nilan turned to drugs and alcohol to dull his pain, and nearly died from an overdose. Nilan''s story is a fascinating and troubling exposé of the booze, bills and drugs that destroy so many athletes after their careers are over. But it''s also a story of triumph--Nilan has been the victor in his fight against his demons.

Nada é impossível. Essa é a mensagem contida na história que narra a trajetória de Dick e Rick Hoyt, um pai e um filho que se uniram para compartilhar - mais que uma paixão em comum - uma ligação de amor e apoio incondicional de um para o outro que os levou a realizar feitos que, no mínimo, extrapolam o imaginável. Símbolos de coragem, Dick e Rick servem de inspiração não apenas para todas as pessoas com algum tipo de deficiência, mas sim para todos nós.

John Smoltz was one of the greatest Major League pitchers of the late twentieth / early twenty-first century—one of only two in baseball history ever to achieve twenty wins and fifty saves in single seasons—and now he shares the candid, no-holds-barred story of his life, his career, and the game he loves in Starting and Closing. A Cy Young Award-winner, future Baseball Hall of Famer, and currently a broadcaster for his former team, the Atlanta Braves, Smoltz delivers a powerful memoir with the kind of fascinating insight into game that made Moneyball a runaway bestseller, plus a heartfelt and truly inspiring faith and religious conviction, similar to what illuminates each page of Tim Tebow’s smash hit memoir, Through My Eyes.

The incredible story of a gang member who became a multimillionaire CEO. Ryan Blair''s middle-class upbringing came to an abrupt end when his father succumbed to drug addiction and abandoned his family. Blair and his mother moved to a dangerous neighborhood, and soon he was in and out of juvenile detention, joining a gang just to survive. Then his mother fell in love with a successful entrepreneur who took Ryan under his wing. With his mentor''s help, Blair turned himself into a wildly successful multimillionaire, starting and selling three companies worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This book will inspire and guide people who are willing to do whatever necessary-hard work, long hours, sweat equity-to take their vision from paper to pavement. Blair gives readers a road map for successful entrepreneurship.

Business lessons from one of the greatest Olympic teams of all time It''s been called the greatest upset of all time, the most memorable Olympic moment ever, the "Miracle on Ice." No matter which superlative is used, no one can deny that the U.S. men''s hockey team''s defeat of the Soviet Union in the medal round of the Lake Placid Olympic Games was a defining moment for Cold War America. The U.S. team''s goalie was a Boston University student named Jim Craig, who is now a leadership expert and keynote speaker to business audiences. Gold Medal Strategies gives you Craig''s unique lessons from the "Miracle" team on team dynamics, leadership, motivation, and other important management topics. With his unparalleled perspective, Craig dissects and analyzes the elements of a successful team, how to assemble one, and what philosophies will keep the team''s shared goal a reality. This book outlines the necessary skills and details the specific techniques you need to maximize your business readiness, hone competitive cooperation, gather your strategies, and attack your challengers.

New York Times bestselling author Yaeger tells the electrifying story of the game that broke down the last racial division in college football.

What had begun as an off-campus team party with two hired strippers would accelerate into a rape investigation that exposed prosecutorial misconduct, shoddy police work, an administration''s rush to judgment, as well as the media''s disregard for the facts.

"In order that there will be no misunderstanding regarding the eligibility of a candidate, the recipient of the award must be a bona fide student of an accredited university. The recipient must be in compliance with the bylaws defining an NCAA student." -- From the ballot for the Heisman Trophy December 10, 2005: Amid a roaring ovation and media crush, with his family standing proudly by his side, Reginald Alfred Bush is named the year''s Heisman Trophy winner. With his honest demeanor, effervescent smile and, of course, stunning talent displayed on the fields of the University of Southern California, Reggie Bush is, on that celebratory night, the portrait of a great American sportsman, and the pinnacle of everything the NCAA espouses in its athletes. What America didn''t know about the acclaimed college star was that, in direct violation of NCAA policies, Bush and his family had allegedly taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gifts long before he ever laid his hands on the Heisman. The rumors first surfaced one week before the 2006 NFL draft: allegations of improper benefits that transformed Bush''s final year at USC into a financial windfall. The resulting scandal from such charges could mark one of the darkest chapters in college football history. Now, drawn together for the first time in Tarnished Heisman, the facts are laid bare. Don Yaeger, a former Sports Illustrated investigative reporter who documented the Duke University lacrosse case in the shattering New York Times bestseller It''s Not About the Truth, reveals the heated controversy behind Bush''s high-flying rise before turning pro for the New Orleans Saints, going back to his first taste of fame, when Bush landed in the pages of Sports Illustrated and all eyes were watching to see what was next for the USC sophomore. What few eyes saw, however, were the ties between Bush and two San Diego men, cofounders of a fledgling sports agency, who claim to have paid Bush and his family in cash and gifts to ensure his endorsement -- benefits including a vintage car, lavish trips, and an upscale home where Bush''s family lived rent-free. Don Yaeger exposes the NCAA-prohibited activity in which Bush allegedly engaged, and also shows how USC and its coaching staff appeared to have turned a blind eye to the increasingly luxurious lifestyle of their star athlete and his family. With the explosive information revealed in Tarnished Heisman, Bush stands to be ruled ineligible -- a decision that could cost his alma mater the 2004 national championship title, force the forfeit of every game Bush played in after losing his eligibility, and potentially strip Reggie Bush of the shining prize of his college career: the Heisman Trophy.

Tug McGraw''s "Ya Gotta Believe!" was the rallying cry of the 1973 New York Mets. But it was also the rallying cry of the boisterous left-handed relief pitcher who made millions of fans believe in the impossible, especially when-as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies-he struck out Kansas City''s Willie Wilson to win the 1980 World Series. And when he was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2003, it was the son he denied fathering for seventeen years who came to his rescue-country music star Tim McGraw. Tug was a man who would rise to fame, fall from grace, and become a champion not just in baseball, but in life. From Casey Stengel, Tom Terrific and the Amazin'' Mets; to Lefty, Schmitty, and Pete Rose from the championship Phillies; to his return to baseball; to brain surgery and chemotherapy; Tug McGraw writes openly of his on-field triumphs and off-field antics, of family tragedy and financial problems, and what happens to a professional athlete when the cheering stops. Above all, he turns his no-holds-barred style on his cancer recovery and his ever-evolving relationship with Tim. It wasn''t until his own American Dream threw him a curve that Tug began to understand that "Ya Gotta Believe."

"Never die easy. Why run out of bounds and die easy? Make that linebacker pay. It carries into all facets of your life. It''s okay to lose, to die, but don''t die without trying, without giving it your best." His legacy is towering. Walter Payton—the man they called Sweetness, for the way he ran—remains the most prolific running back in the history of the National Football League, the star of the Chicago Bears'' only Super Bowl Championship, eleven times voted the most popular sports figure in Chicago''s history. Off the field, he was a devoted father whose charitable foundation benefited tens of thousands of children each year, and who—faced with terminal liver disease—refused to use his celebrity to gain a preferential position for organ donation. Walter Payton was not just a football hero; he was America''s hero. Never Die Easy is Walter Payton''s autobiography, told from the heart. Growing up poor in Mississippi, he took up football to get girls'' attention, and went on to become a Black College All-American at tiny Jackson State (during which time he was also a finalist in a Soul Train dance contest). Drafted by the Bears in 1975, he predicted that he would last only five years but went on to play thirteen extraordinary seasons, a career earning him regular acknowledgment as one of the greatest players in the history of professional football. And when his playing days were over, he approached business and charity endeavors with the same determination and success he had brought to the football field, always putting first his devotion to friends and family. His ultimate battle with illness truly proved him the champion he always had been and prompted a staggering outpouring of love and support from hundreds of thousands of friends and admirers. Written with veteran journalist and author Don Yaeger in the last weeks of Walter Payton''s life, Never Die Easy presents Walter''s singular voice—warm, plainspoken, funny, self-aware—along with the voices of the friends, family, teammates, and business associates who knew him best at all stages of his life, including his wife, Connie, and their children, Brittney and Jarrett; his teammate and friend Matt Suhey; former Bears head coach Mike Ditka; and many, many others. Walter made Don Yaeger promise that his book would be "inspirational and leave people with some kind of lesson . . . and make sure you spell all the words right." Never Die Easy keeps all those promises.

Explosive and controversial, this expos uncovers the exploitation of college, high school, and even junior high basketball players by the billion-dollar atheltic shoe companies competing for national endorsements. photo insert.

Discloses the names of the convicted criminals in the NFL, the stunning severity of their crimes, & why they''re still playing.

The star of the Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. softball team offers a personal account of her athletic career and training for the 1996 summer games.

Under the Tarnished Dome is the bestselling book that rocked the Notre Dame football program. Don Yaeger and Douglas S. Looney investigate the contrast between the Notre Dame image—that of a place where wins on the field are no more important than the integrity off it—and the Notre Dame football program''s reality, with trash talking, rampant steroid use, pregame fights, and academic misconduct.

Examines the Fighting Irish over the past ten years and describes the current state of football at Notre Dame.