Sugar Ray Leonard‘s brutally honest and uplifting memoir reveals in intimate detail for the first time the complex man behind the boxer. The Olympic hero, multichampionship winner, and beloved athlete waged his own personal battle with depression, rage, addiction, and greed.

Coming from a tumultuous, impoverished household and a dangerous neighborhood on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., in the 1970s, Sugar Ray Leonard rose swiftly and skillfully through the ranks of amateur boxing-and eventually went on to win a gold medal in the 1976 Olympics. With an extremely ill father and no endorsement deals, Leonard decided to go pro.

The Big Fight takes readers behind the scenes of a notoriously corrupt sport and chronicles the evolution of a champion, as Leonard prepares for the greatest fights of his life-against Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, and Wilfred Benitez. At the same time Leonard fearlessly reveals his own contradictions and compulsions, his infidelity, and alcohol and cocaine abuse.

With honesty, humor, and hard-won perspective, Leonard comes to terms with both triumph and struggle-and presents a gripping portrait of remarkable strength, courage, and resilience, both in and out of the ring.

The Big Fight: My Life In and Out of the Ring
Sugar Ray Leonard (Author), Michael Arkush (Author)

Viking Adult
Available June 6, 2011 in Hardcover

Ice is Ice-T in his own words — raw, uncensored, and unafraid to speak his mind. About his orphan upbringing on the gang-infested streets of South Central Los Angeles. About his four-year stint in the U.S. Army’s famed “Tropic Lightning” outfit. About his successful career as a hustler and thief, the car crash that nearly killed him, and the fateful decision to turn away from a life of crime and forge his own path to international entertainment stardom.

Ice by Ice-T is both a tell-it-like-it-is tale of redemption and a star-studded tour of the pop culture firmament. The acclaimed rapper and actor shares never-before-told stories about friends like Tupac, Dick Wolf, Chris Rock, and an antler-clad Flavor Flav, among others. Readers will ride along as Ice-T’s incendiary rock band Body Count narrowly escapes from a riotous mob of angry concertgoers in Milan, and listen in as the music legend battles the self-appointed censors over his controversial “Cop Killer” single.

Most of all, Ice is the place where one of the game’s most opinionated players breaks down his own secret plan for living, offering up candid observations on marriage and monogamy, the current state of hip-hop, and his latest passion: doing one-on-one gang interventions and mentoring at-risk youths around the country.

With insights into the cutthroat world of the street — and the cutthroat world of Hollywood — Ice is the inspirational story of a true American original.

Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption-from South Central to Hollywood
by Ice-T and Douglas Century

One World/Ballantine
Available April 19, 2011 in Hardcover

HOW TO GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY is organized into a series of fundamental questions that helped Tyrese redefine who he was as a human being, and evolve into a new man. Tyrese stresses that life becomes infinitely richer when one takes the time to know him or herself and understand the true meaning of peace and fulfillment. This book is a guide to helping yourself, using his experiences as a learning tool. “It’s not about talking down to people, it’s about elevating them,” Tyrese says.

Some of Tyrese’s chapter-based questions include: How much do you love yourself? How much do you want for yourself? Why do men cheat? What is your bottom line? Are you ready for the next level?

Grand Central Publishing
Available April 7, 2011 in Hardcover

Free Press
Available November 2, 2010 in Paperback

Gabriel Alvarez (Author), Dan Charnas (Author), Cheo Hodari Coker (Author), Selwyn Sefu Hinds (Author), “Chairman” Jefferson Mao (Author), Kierna Mayo (Author), Marcus Reeves (Author), Carlito Rodriguez (Author), Greg Tate (Author), Dave Tompkins (Author), Jordan Sommers (Editor), Mike Thompson (Illustrator), Jonathan Mannion (Photographer), Martha Cooper (Photographer), Joe Conzo (Photographer), Charlie Ahearn (Photographer), Janette Beckman (Photographer), Trevor Traynor (Photographer), Estevan Oriol (Photographer), Laura Levine (Photographer), Ricky Powell (Photographer), David Corio (Photographer), Afrika Bambaataa (Introduction)

Aria Multimedia Entertainment
Available February 8, 2011 in Leather Bound

This pioneering anthology brings together more than three hundred lyrics written over thirty years, from the “old school” to the “golden age” to the present day. Rather than aim for encyclopedic coverage, Bradley and DuBois render through examples the richness and diversity of rap’s poetic tradition. They feature both classic lyrics that helped define the genre, including Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five’s “The Message” and Eric B. & Rakim’s “Microphone Fiend,” as well as lesser-known gems like Blackalicious’s “Alphabet Aerobics” and Jean Grae’s “Hater’s Anthem.”

Both a fan’s guide and a resource for the uninitiated, The Anthology of Rap showcases the inventiveness and vitality of rap’s lyrical art. The volume also features an overview of rap poetics and the forces that shaped each period in rap’s historical development, as well as a foreword by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and afterwords by Chuck D and Common. Enter the Anthology to experience the full range of rap’s artistry and discover a rich poetic tradition hiding in plain sight.

The Anthology of Rap
Adam Bradley (Editor), Andrew DuBois (Editor), Common (Afterword), Chuck D (Afterword), Henry Louis Gates Jr. (Foreword)

Yale University Press
Available November 9, 2010 in Hardcover

Spiegel & Grau
Available November 16, 2010 in Hardcover

Roaring Brook Press
Available 06/22/10 in Hardcover

Born as Arthur John Johnson in the southern state of Texas, Jack Johnson was one of the most renowned boxers of the 20th century. Through hard work and persistence he climbed the ranks, taking a swing and a jab and eventually busting the color barrier. As the first black man to win the Heavyweight Championship, there was more than a title on the line. Published to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this history-making bout (July 4, 1910), this is an extraordinary marriage of poetry, fabulous collage artwork, and a splendid achievement in its own right.

A deeply personal memoir of the private Ray Charles – the man behind the legend – by his eldest son.

Ray Charles is an American music legend. A multiple Grammy Award-winning composer, pianist, and singer with an inimitable vocal style and a catalog of hits including “What I Say,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “Unchain My Heart,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” and “America the Beautiful,” Ray Charles’s music is loved by fans around the world.

Now his eldest son, Ray Charles Robinson Jr., shares an intimate glimpse of the man behind the music, with never-before-told stories. Going beyond the fame, the concerts, and the tours, Ray Jr. opens the doors of his family home and reveals their private lives with fondness and frankness.

He shares his father’s grief and guilt over his little brother’s death at the age of five — as well of moments of personal joy, like watching his father run his hands over the Christmas presents under their tree while singing softly to himself. He tells of how Ray overcame the challenges of being blind, even driving cars, riding a Vespa, and flying his own plane. And, in gripping detail, he reveals how as a six-year-old boy he saved his father’s life one harrowing night.

Ray Jr. writes honestly about the painful facts of the addiction that nearly destroyed his father’s life. His father’s struggles with heroin addiction, his arrests, and how he ultimately kicked the drug cold turkey are presented in unflinching detail. Ray Jr. also shares openly about how, as an adult, he fell victim to the same temptations that plagued his father.

He paints a compassionate portrait of his mother, Della, whose amazing voice as a gospel singer first attracted Ray Charles. Though her husband’s drug use, his womanizing, and the paternity suits leveled against him constantly threatened the stability of the Robinson home, Della exhibited incredible resilience and inner strength.

Told with deep love and fearless candor, You Don’t Know Me is the powerful and poignant story of the Ray Charles the public never saw — the father and husband and fascinating human being who also happened to be one of the greatest musicians of all time.

Harmony
Available June 8, 2010 in Hardcover

Adams Media
Available May 18, 2010 in Hardcover

While so many talented and ambitious kids have become tabloid fodder, Raven-Symon, beloved star of That’s So Raven, has remained grounded and happy as she’s created a massive franchise for Disney, won multiple Kids’ Choice Awards, and made history as the first African-American woman with her own sitcom. The difference? Her parents’ positive-approach plan–which you can now use with your own children.

As her father and manager, Christopher B. Pearman worked tirelessly to nurture Raven’s dream, while teaching her to believe in herself and, most importantly, never losing sight of their family’s core values. Inside, Pearman breaks down his plan into eight “Dream Catchers”–spiritual and practical principles that filter out negativity, and allow only affirming thoughts into your child’s consciousness. Make no mistake: This is not a guide to stage parenting, but a doctrine for raising your kids to reach their full potential in any endeavor, simple or grand.

As a parent, you know there’s nothing more important than making sure your children become all they want to be. Dream So Big shows how commitment, responsibility, and dedication to your children’s innermost wishes can catapult them to great success–and happiness.