Most Popular Books by Scott Simon

A moving memoir about NPR host Scott Simon''s connection to his mother—inspired by the popular tweets he shared during her death.

In a novel as brawling and boisterous as Chicago itself, Scott Simon delivers a tale both laugh-out-loud funny and deeply moving, capturing the multiethnic tumult of big city politics. The mayor of Chicago is found in his office late at night, murdered, facedown in a pizza. As police race to find the killer, the interim mayor, Sundaran “Sunny” Roopini, tries to juggle his responsibilities as a recently widowed father of two teenage daughters while herding his forty-nine fellow city aldermen toward choosing a new mayor. Over the course of four days, this raft of colorful characters–heroes, rascals, and pinky-ringed pols of all creeds, colors, and proclivities–will clash, as Sunny, a flawed but decent man, tries to hold together his family and his city.

The #1 Los Angeles Times bestseller from the host of NPR''s Weekend Edition -- "absolutely spectacular-wise and intimate, often funny, always touching" (Scott Turow) -- now in paperback. In a beautifully written narrative that runs from childhood to adulthood through times of war and peace, Scott Simon movingly tracing his life as a fan -- of sports, theater, politics, and the people and things he holds dear. Sports Illustrated columnist Ron Fimrite says of Home and Away, "Rarely do you find in books of this genre a clearer look into mysteries and confusions of childhood . . . moving and often amusing portraits . . . insights into the complex and often corrupt world of Chicago politics, the city being this book''s true protagonist. There are compelling scenes from Simon''s years as a war correspondent, roving reporter, and political operative . . . There is also an emotional account of Michael Jordan''s last championship season with the Bulls that is a book within a book . . . "The writing is uniformly superb. This is, in fact, a memoir of such breadth and reach it compares favorably with another book that is allegedly about the nature of sports allegiance, Frederick Exley''s A Fan''s Notes. And that, believe me, is saying something."

NPR''s Scott Simon''s personal, heartfelt reflections on his beloved Chicago Cubs, replete with club lore, memorable anecdotes, frenetic fandom and wise and adoring intimacy that have made the world champion Cubbies baseball''s most tortured—and now triumphant—franchise. Heartbreak and hope. Charmed and haunted. My Cubs is Scott Simon’s love letter to his Chicago Cubs, World Series winners for the first time in over a century. Replete with personal reflections, club lore, memorable anecdotes, and tales of frenetic fandom, My Cubs recounts the franchise’s pivotal moments with the wise and adoring intimacy of a long-suffering devotee and Chicago native. Simon illustrates how the condition of “Cubness” has defined the life of so many Chicagoans and how the team’s fortunes became intertwined with the aspirations of its faithful. With the curse finally broken on November 2, 2016, My Cubs is the perfect portrayal of paradise lost and found.

Wonder meets Three Times Lucky in a story of empowerment as a young woman decides to help solve the mystery of multiple suspicious deaths in her group home. Sally Miyake can''t read, but she learns lots of things. Like bricks are made of clay and Vitamin D comes from the sun. Sally is happy working in the kitchen at Sunnyside Plaza, the community center she lives in with other adults with developmental disabilities. For Sally and her friends, Sunnyside is the only home they''ve ever known. Everything changes the day a resident unexpectedly dies. After a series of tragic events, detectives Esther Rivas and Lon Bridges begin asking questions. Are the incidents accidents? Or is something more disturbing happening? The suspicious deaths spur the residents into taking the investigation into their own hands. But are people willing to listen? Sunnyside Plaza is a human story of empowerment, empathy, hope, and generosity that shines a light on this very special world.

“As breezy and meaningful as one of his trademark songs as readers learn about the man by the company he kept and the heroes he worships.” —Booklist “For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business, the best exponent of a song. He excites me when I watch him. . . . He moves me. He’s the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more.” —Frank Sinatra Tony Bennett was one of our most vibrant musicians ever to grace the stage. In his previous book, Life Is a Gift, Tony reflected on the lessons he learned over the years. In Just Getting Started, he pays homage to the remarkable people who inspired those lessons. In his warm and inviting voice, Tony talks about who and what have enriched his own life, including Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Cole Porter, Amy Winehouse, Fred Astaire, Lady Gaga, members of his family, and more. Just Getting Started chronicles the relationship Tony enjoyed with each one of these legends, entertainers, humanitarians, and loved ones, and reveals how the lessons and values they imparted have invaluably shaped his life. As unforgettable as his music, Just Getting Started is a beautiful compilation of reflections every Bennett fan will treasure, and a perfect introduction for those just getting to know this remarkable star and humanitarian. “Fans of heralded crooner Bennett will revel in this inviting charming book.” —Publishers Weekly “What comes through in all forty-two chapters is the singer’s gratitude . . . Let’s hope this new generation can learn a lesson from Mr. Bennett’s unflagging class and graciousness. —Wall Street Journal

In this warm, funny, and wise new book, NPR’s award-winning and beloved Scott Simon tells the story of how he and his wife found true love with two tiny strangers from the other side of the world. It’s a book of unforgettable moments: when Scott and Caroline get their first thumb-size pictures of their daughters, when the small girls are placed in their arms, and all the laughs and tumbles along the road as they become a real family. Woven into the tale of Scott, Caroline, and the two little girls who changed their lives are the stories of other adoptive families. Some are famous and some are not, but each family’s saga captures facets of the miracle of adoption. Baby, We Were Meant for Each Other is a love story that doesn’t gloss over the rough spots. There are anxieties and tears along with hugs and smiles and the unparalleled joy of this blessed and special way of making a family. Here is a book that families who have adopted—or are considering adoption—will want to read for inspiration. But everyone can enjoy this story because, as Scott Simon writes, adoption can also help us understand what really makes families, and how and why we fall in love.

The universally respected NPR journalist and bestselling memoirist Scott Simon makes a dazzling fiction debut. In Pretty Birds, Simon creates an intense, startling, and tragicomic portrait of a classic character–a young woman in the besieged city of Sarajevo in the early 1990s. In the spring of 1992, Irena Zaric is a star on her Sarajevo high school basketball team, a tough, funny teenager who has taught her parrot, Pretty Bird, to do a decent imitation of a ball hitting a hoop. Irena wears her hair short like k. d. lang’s, and she loves Madonna, Michael Jordan, and Johnny Depp. But while Irena rocks out and shoots baskets with her friends, her beloved city has become a battleground. When the violence and terror of “ethnic cleansing” against Muslims begins, Irena and her family, brutalized by Serb soldiers, flee for safety across the river that divides the city. If once Irena knew of war only from movies and history books, now she knows its reality. She steals from the dead to buy food. She scuttles under windows in her own home to dodge bullets. She risks her life to communicate with an old Serb school friend and teammate. Even Pretty Bird has started to mimic the sizzle of mortar fire. In a city starved for work, a former assistant principal offers Irena a vague job, “duties as assigned,” which she accepts. She begins by sweeping floors, but soon, under the tutelage of a cast of rogues and heroes, she learns to be a sniper, biding her time, never returning to the same perch, and searching her targets for the “mist” that marks a successful shot. Ultimately, Irena’s new vocation will lead to complex and cataclysmic consequences for herself and those she loves. As a journalist, Scott Simon covered the siege of Sarajevo. Here, in a novel as suspenseful as a John le Carré thriller, he re-creates the atmosphere of that place and time and the pain and dark humor of its people. Pretty Birds is a bold departure, and the auspicious beginning of yet another brilliant career for its author.

The main objective of Introduction to Group Therapy is to give the reader a solid understanding of group therapy while simultaneously creating scholars in the group therapy paradigm. This unique book combines theory and practice in a reader-friendly format, presenting practical suggestions to guide both students and novice group therapists through the nuts and bolts of running a group. This third edition continues the clinically relevant and highly readable work of the previous editions, demonstrating the therapeutic power group therapy has in conflict resolution and personality change. A proven resource for introductory and advanced coursework, the book promotes group therapy at the grassroots level – students – where it has the most opportunity to be put into effect.

From the founder of Scare Your Soul, this self-help guide will help you find the courage to embrace all of life''s uncertainties so that you can live a more elaborate life of your dreams. Like a muscle, courage grows stronger the more you exercise it. Scare Your Soul will not only teach you how to exercise courage–it will guide you in taking small, boundary-pushing actions to expand your comfort zone. Combining research on positive psychology with real-life stories, international thought leader and happiness entrepreneur Scott Simon challenges you to confront your limiting beliefs. With writing prompts and activities, Scare Your Soul is an interactive roadmap to building bravery. If you crave an extraordinary life but feel like you don’t know how to take “extra” ordinary action, this book is for you. It’s time to Scare Your Soul.

"An extraordinary book . . . invitingly written and brisk." --Chicago Tribune "Perhaps no one has ever told the tale [of Robinson''s arrival in the major leagues] so well as [Simon] does in this extended essay." --The Washington Post Book World "Scott Simon tells a compelling story of risk and sacrifice, profound ugliness and profound grace, defiance and almost unimaginable courage. This is a meticulously researched, insightful, beautifully written book, one that should be read, reread, and remembered." --Laura Hillenbrand, author of the New York Times bestseller Seabiscuit The integration of baseball in 1947 had undeniable significance for the civil rights movement and American history. Thanks to Jackie Robinson, a barrier that had once been believed to be permanent was shattered--paving the way for scores of African Americans who wanted nothing more than to be granted the same rights as any other human being. In this book, renowned broadcaster Scott Simon reveals how Robinson''s heroism brought the country face-to-face with the question of racial equality. From his days in the army to his ascent to the major leagues, Robinson battled bigotry at every turn. Simon deftly traces the journey of the rookie who became Rookie of the Year, recalling the taunts and threats, the stolen bases and the slides to home plate, the trials and triumphs. Robinson''s number, 42, has been retired by every club in major league baseball--in homage to the man who had to hang his first Brooklyn Dodgers uniform on a hook rather than in a locker.

An ethnography of the leather-tanning industry in Southern Taiwan, Tanners of Taiwan examines what it means to be Chinese.

Learn effective techniques that will enhance your group therapy practice or educational program!Group Therapy in Independent Practice, written by seasoned clinicians, presents discussion on a wide spectrum of related issues that will help therapists to effectively handle group situations. Within its pages you will find proven and effective strategies that also examine group therapy as a whole, group therapy practices in Israel, and how you can use the Internet to enhance your professional practice. In addition to being an invaluable guide for practicing therapists, Group Therapy in Independent Practice is of particular interest for classroom use. The topics explored in relation to group therapy are diverse, covering the age range from adolescence to geriatrics. There is a focus on issues of intimacy and anger which are often two of the more difficult experiences for novice clinicians to effectively deal with in the beginning of their careers. There is also a very interesting chapter which explains the practice of group therapy in another country, lending a cross-cultural perspective to the work.Some of the areas that Group Therapy in Independent Practice will increase your expertise in are: personality disorders intimacy issues bereavement issues identity development in ADHD adolescents anger issues group dynamics internet resources for therapists Group Therapy in Independent Practice brings to light the profound influence that this continuing and rapidly growing force in psychotherapy has on personality change, in America and around the world. It is a vital tool to make you more effective as a group leader.

Sweet and Sour explores the experiences of women entrepreneurs amidst the contradictions of a freewheeling commercial culture set within the patriarchal constraints of contemporary Taiwan. To what extent are Taiwanese women empowered by entrepreneurship? What challenges do they face as women in their families and in the marketplace? How do they construct physical and social space for themselves in a traditionally male-dominated society? Most important, how do they perceive their businesses, their families, and their personal identities both as women and as business owners? Focusing on the voices and perspectives of the women themselves, Scott Simon draws from life-narratives of women from various ages, ethnic groups, social classes, and occupations to provide a diverse set of rarely heard native voices speaking out on gender and entrepreneurship in Taiwan.

Preformations is a collection of philosphic essays concerning debates both ancient and contemporary. Epistemology and Phenomenology are two important topics of focus. Philosophers analyzed include Plato, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Hans Jonas, Merleau-Ponty, and Michel Foucault. These engaging essays should prove enlightening to the critical reader.

Each chapter in 101 Interventions in Group Therapy is carefully broken down into logical sections for ease of reading and comprehension. This innovative source clearly explains what steps clinicians need to take for the intervention, provides a description of the appropriate instances in which to apply the intervention, what situational conditions to consider, typical client responses, conclusions, and contraindications. Clinicians will find a treasure trove of helpful ideas and creative interventions in this practical resource.

Este es un libro centrado en prácticas místicas. Aquí el lector encontrará prácticas y meditaciones místicas que le ayudarán a establecer una rutina mística adecuada, desde la configuración básica hasta la práctica más avanzada, mediante la cual un estudiante puede lograr esta última realización divina. La encarnación física de lo divino también es relevante, y esta se describe en el libro. El libro también lo ilustrará sobre los grandes beneficios que la meditación puede brindar a su salud, y cómo la meditación le ayudará a tener éxito en la vida en sus tareas diarias. Lea "Meditación para Todos: Cómo Hacer que sea Parte de su Vida Cotidiana". Conozca los principios y la información que se encuentran en el libro y póngalos en práctica. Esto es todo lo que necesitará para hacer que la meditación forme parte de su sistema. Así que manténgase en calma, viva una vida más productiva y más fructífera con la meditación diaria. Sea más consciente de sí mismo, de su entorno y de sus emociones meditando diariamente. Esto no quiere decir que tendrá que sentarse en una habitación oscura con las piernas cruzadas. De hecho, la meditación se puede personalizar para que se adapte a lo que usted quiera. Puede tener diferentes objetivos con la meditación y aun así alcanzar sus objetivos a través de los diversos tipos de meditación que están a su alcance. Conviértase en una persona más saludable a través de la meditación y descubra algo más de felicidad en su vida. ¡Compre hoy su libro!

Unbeknownst to the aged Queen, her priceless Diamond Jubilee Crown has been secretly shipped to New York City, where it is stolen. The theft occurs in view of security cameras and a trusted guard, who is now missing and presumed dead. If the crown isn''t found and returned to London, where it is scheduled for public display, the crime will become fodder for a scandal-hungry media, and Her Majesty will be humiliated. The prime suspect is rich, beautiful Piper Sutton, a young jewelry executive in charge of special clients. Despite her vast wealth, she is haunted by a compulsion to steal. Enter Jedidiah Alcatraz: an autistic private eye with an uncanny ability to see what most people ignore and a compulsion of his own. His investigation involves a childhood friend whose skills may be just this side of legal, a Russian cabby with a taste for adventure, and a self-proclaimed Egyptian prince with unsavory motives. The trail leads from Chinatown to the elite environs of Newport, Rhode Island; from Fifth Avenue penthouses to a down-at-the-heels Coney Island strip club. And as evidence against Piper mounts, Jedidiah wonders whether she''s the key to his obsession.

Male Bulimia: My Dark Demon is a powerful, firsthand account of author Scott Simon''s triumph over a lifelong deadly disease-bulimia. After developing bulimia while participating in school sports, Scott learned how to hide his disorder. He continued on a downhill slide into drugs, alcohol, and excessive eating. At the age of thirty-two, Scott finally admitted to himself that he needed to make serious changes in his life. Simon explains his childhood years of tough discipline and high expectations, an adolescence of rebellion and isolation, and adult years consumed by multiple addictions and undiagnosed manic-depression. Simon tells his life story not only for bulimics and anorexics, but also for families and friends who are caught up on the emotional roller coaster of dealing with their loved one''s eating disorder. Male Bulimia: My Dark Demon is also for mental health professionals who understand the seriousness of bulimia and anorexia and who recognize the growing number of bulimic males. For those people slowly killing themselves with bulimia or anorexia, Scott''s story shows that there is hope.

This book is a selection of conversations between radio host Nancy Wiegman and writers who were guests on "Nancy''s Bookshelf," a weekly author interview show produced by Northstate Public Radio, KCHO 91.7 FM Chico / KFPR 88.9 FM Redding. Nancy interviews mostly local and regional writers, but some who come to Chico are nationally known, such as Maya Angelou and Scott Simon.

Purpose. This experiment was conducted in an attempt to better understand the magnocellular pathway’s function as it relates to humans’ ability to coordinate vision and to accurately interact with an object in space. By blocking the subject’s central vision, we decreased the input from the parvocellular pathway, allowing us to study the magnocellular system as the primary system used for judging the distance and spatial location of a target. Methods. We focused our experimentation on eye-hand coordination as it relates to tossing a beanbag into a bucket from 10 feet away. Our experimental group consisted of 17 subjects. Results. Our hypothesis was that subjects would have increased accuracy while tossing a bean bag into a 5 gallon bucket from 10 feet away while central vision was blocked such that they were unable to directly see that target, compared to when subjects were allowed to fixate centrally. Conclusion. Since there are parvocellular ganglion cells in the peripheral retina, complete isolation of the magnocellular system is not possible using the methods in this experiment. However, by blocking the subjects’ central vision, input into the parvocellular system could be reduced, allowing us to draw conclusions regarding the magnocellular pathway’s role in coordinating vision and in allowing us to accurately interact with objects in space.