A candid, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the emotional, dynamic and often entertaining life of Ramona Singer, the spunky, tell-it-like-it-is reality star whose unfiltered personality viewers have adored through seven seasons of The Real Housewives of New York City. In this alternately heart-wrenching and hilarious memoir, Ramona offers readers a look at her dysfunctional childhood, her parents’ abusive relationship, her inspiring journey of renewal, and opens up for the first time about the events surrounding the tragic collapse of her twenty-year marriage. Never before have her fans seen her so raw, introspective and honest.
Provides advice on etiquette and modern social graces, covering the art of being oneself in any situation, ways to make other people comfortable, and the art of seduction.
Ramona is back! New and old friends alike will rejoice in Beverly Cleary's latest book about spunky Ramona and the whole Quimby family. From the minute that Howie Kemp's "rich" Uncle Hobart arrives from Saudi Arabia, things are off to a rousing start. There are new beginnings and discoveries and two very special surprises -- one surprise is big and one is very little. It's a time of change for all the Quimbys; a time of new joys and little sadnesses, too. There are new worries -- Mr Quimby is worried about finding a teaching job, Ramona is worried they may have to move if he does, and Beezus is worried about her teenage complexion. And through it all Ramona, a grown up third-grader, remains a sometimes pesty, sometimes brave, sometimes blunderful, but always wonderful Ramona -- forever!
Real Housewives of New Jersey star Melissa Gorga shows you how to love your man and keep him happy, satisfied, faithful, and devoted to you. What you see is what you get with Melissa Gorga. On Real Housewives of New Jersey, she's that beautiful, ambitious woman with a successful career who puts her family first. In fact, her stable yet sexy marriage to lovable Joe is a welcome antidote to the constant fighting and backbiting on the show. Despite the pressure of life in the spotlight, she makes marriage look easy. How does she do it? Melissa's overriding principle: Treat your husband like a king! And in return, you'll be treated like a queen! In Love Italian Style, Melissa shares her (and his) secrets to relationship success—generations-tested old-fashioned values served up with a modern, sexy twist. To her, the four tenets to a happy marriage are respect, honesty, loyalty, and passion (underscore passion). By sharing her and Joe's life together—from the story of their first date to how they still keep it hot in the bedroom a decade later—Melissa admits that, yes, marriage has been a lot of work, but the rewards are ten-fold. With her time-tested strategies, you can "Gorganize" your own relationship, strengthen your bond, and amp up the passion for lifelong bliss. Some of Melissa's how-to's: · Dress to impress your man. · Flirt with your hubby. · Cook Italian style. · Fight right. · Keep the romance alive and the home fires burning. · Raise little princes and princesses. This playful guidebook promises to make any marriage better—the Gorga way!
Everything about Angela “Big Ang” Raiola is larger than life: her lips, her 36JJ breasts, and especially her personality! In a lifestyle guide as genuine and fun as Big Ang herself, the star of VH1’s Mob Wives, called the show’s “den mother” by the New York Times, serves up the hilarious and poignant wisdom she’s learned while running her bar, raising her family, and dating made men. Big Ang has rules to live by for beauty, food, family, friendship, and more. Here she is... ON HER KILLER BOOBS: I was on vacation with my family in the Catskills when out of nowhere, this bat flies right into my chest and then falls splat on the ground. Turned out, he died on impact. ON FAMILY TRADITIONS: Every Sunday, we do a feast for fifteen to twenty-five people. Last week, we went through seventy-five meatballs. Even by my family’s standards, that’s a lot of balls. ON DIETING: Swearing off lasagna to lose weight? You might fit into smaller jeans. But you’re still the same person— except hungrier and bitchier. ON HOBBIES: Would I rather cook for people or have sex? No hard-and-fast rule there. But I will say this: Cooking is always satisfying.
Outrageous, captivating, and unafraid to tell it like it is, Nene Leakes shares her wild journey from a scandalous past to the pinnacle of reality television stardom. Lauded by her fans for her refreshing honesty, infectiously genuine style, and clever sense of humor, Nene is an empowered, self-made woman who has not forgotten where she came from and knows exactly where she wants to go. In this straight-talking and provocative memoir Nene charts her journey from family black sheep to single mother to making good and realizing her dreams. With her charm and bold, self-possessed voice, Nene tackles her painful childhood; the abuse she suffered at the hands of a violent boyfriend; her struggle to support her firstborn son; and her path to true love, self-acceptance, and pride. In Never Make the Same Mistake Twice, Nene dishes on her cast mates; takes on the rumors about her past; and shares hard-earned and inspiring life lessons in her fierce, no-nonsense, and irreverent style.
Hello, Everybody! The furry red monster known as Elmo has charmed his way into hearts and homes throughout the world with his unmistakable laugh, over-the-top enthusiasm, and boundless love. Elmo’s appeal is nothing short of magical. Kids adore him, and parents find him irresistible. What is it about this little monster? Meet Kevin Clash, the man behind the Muppet and the unassuming heart and soul of Elmo. At last, the puppeteer who has performed Elmo for nearly twenty years comes out from behind the stage to share his story. Weaving together his memories of growing up with the life lessons gained from his furry red alter ego, Kevin reveals himself to be as caring, and as eager to grow and learn and love, as the very special character he brings to life. You will discover how young Kevin honed his talent entertaining the kids in his mother’s home day care with puppets he made from slippers and coat liners; how, as a struggling young artist, he realized his dream to meet and then work for his idol, Muppet creator Jim Henson; and how each and every day of performing Elmo reinforces for him what is most important in life. As Kevin has been inspired by Elmo, now we can all learn from his furry red ways. Kevin’s (and Elmo’s) thoughts on love, creativity, friendship, and optimism remind us of life’s simple truths and ultimately encourage us all to be a little bit more like Elmo—to live with joy, to love more easily, and to laugh more often.
Stars of Bravo TV’s The Real Housewives of New York City, Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen, have a hit show and a great book, Little Kids, Big City, a lighthearted and critically acclaimed he-said, she-said rant, about their experiences raising their two young children in the Big Apple. More of a Momoir (and Dadoir) covering the last 10 years of their lives, Alex & Simon write with a unique and humorous insight into the challenges facing parents today. They use their own hard-won experience as a springboard to discuss life before children and their determination not to have any, followed by their journey and eventual change of heart and the rollercoaster ride of having two children in two years in a seemingly non-child-friendly environment. Rather than a preachy, how-to guide, Simon & Alex take the reader on a romp through the indignities and surprises that befell them. Their informative and often hair-raising stories of life in the concrete jungle make Little Kids, Big City a must-read for anyone who has ever had children, hated children or thought they might want to have them someday, as well as for any fan of their hit show.
Meet the Real Danielle… You’ve seen her on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, turning heads, raising eyebrows, and igniting feuds with her feisty suburban neighbors. Now, the always fascinating Danielle Staub gets real about her scandalous past in the year’s most explosive tell-all memoir. . . . When she signed on to appear in a reality TV show, Danielle had no idea what she was getting herself into. Hoping for a new lease on life after her recent divorce, the single mother of two became the target of vicious gossip, heated arguments, and endless controversy. When her housewife costars confronted her with the true crime book written about her ex-husband, the you-know-what hit the fan. Danielle knew she could no longer keep her checkered past a secret—and she had to set the record straight. This is the real Danielle Staub, in her own words, as you’ve never seen her before. The child of an unmarried Italian teenager, Danielle was born in Pennsylvania (under the name Beverly Merrill) after her mother was pressured by her well-to-do family to leave Italy and not return until after she’d put her baby up for adoption. After years of sexual abuse, she fled to Miami, where she became a model, living the kind of lifestyle she could only dream of as a child. She partied like a rock star and with them as well, but ended up marrying a deceitful man who held dangerous secrets of his own. Soon Danielle was caught up in a tangled web of lies, drugs, and abuse that landed her in the hospital more than once. How she survived—leaving her husband, changing her name, and finally giving birth to two lovely daughters—is one shocking story you have to read to believe. If you thought The Real Housewives of New Jersey gave you the real story of Danielle Staub, you don’t know the half of it. Filled with glamour and grit, heartbreak and heroism, this brave, no-holds-barred memoir reveals the naked truth behind reality TV’s most talked-about star. “You either love me or you hate me, there is no in between .” —Danielle Staub For the first time ever, one of the stars of the hit television show The Real Housewives of New Jersey tells her side of the story, including . . . • The truth behind Cop Without a Badge, the book that shocked the other housewives in the first season’s explosive finale. • Her flashy, fast-paced life as a Miami model—and exotic dancer. • Her controversial arrest and time spent in prison. • Her wild hookups with famous celebrities, including an Olympian and a Miami Vice star. • Her abusive childhood, rocky marriages, stormy divorces—and her triumphant rise as one of television’s most intriguing personalities. It’s all here—and all real—in this straight-from-the-hip memoir from the Real Housewife who has all of New Jersey talking . . . and the whole world watching.
