Get inside the head of one of the most influential musicians of our time, a pop music phenomenon turned titan of industry and cultural icon: Taylor Swift.

This collection of quotes has been carefully curated from Swift's numerous public statements--interviews, op-eds, social media posts, and more, specifically geared toward middle and high school readers. It's a comprehensive picture of her meteoric rise to the top, her ever-savvy business sense, and her increasingly outspoken perspective on the music world and beyond. This edition includes educational materials and resources for lesson plans designed to provoke discussion and thought for readers in grades 7-12 about Taylor Swift's ideas.

Swift's catchy, chart-topping songs have propelled her to become one of the bestselling musicians of all time. But in the nearly 20 years she's been making music, she has also amassed enough power to buck the norms of an industry notorious for controlling the images of its often very young female artists.

Her latest, unprecedented record deal gives her ownership of all her master records, the ability to dictate the terms of her albums' streaming releases in order to maximize her profits, and a requirement that her label share proceeds from the sale of its stake in Spotify with its musicians. She has championed the rights of artists to earn fair royalties, and more recently, she has inspired tens of thousands of fans to register to vote.

Swift's achievements have earned her spots on both Forbes's Most Powerful Women and Time's 100 Most Influential People lists. Now, for the first time, young readers find her most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place.

Special educational materials for classrooms are available from Agate Publishing.

Get inside the head of LeBron James: basketball star, activist, philanthropist, and one of the most influential athletes in the world.

This collection of quotes has been curated from LeBron James's numerous public statements--interviews, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It's a comprehensive picture of his legacy as one of the world's most recognizable and influential athletes, specifically geared toward middle and high school readers. The quotes in the collection touch on sports, community, life lessons, opportunity, equality, justice, and more. This edition includes educational materials and resources for lesson plans designed to provoke discussion and thought for readers in grades 7-12 about LeBron James's ideas.

LeBron James's meteoric rise to basketball fame started when he was just a teenager, being billed by Sports Illustrated as The Chosen One while he was still playing for his high school team in Akron, Ohio. He became the top overall selection for the 2003 NBA draft and signed an unprecedented $90 million endorsement deal with Nike before he ever played a professional game. James spent the first seven years of his career playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, with whom he would establish himself as a premier player in the league before going on to play for the Miami Heat and the L.A. Lakers. His unmatched athleticism and drive have led to multiple NBA championships, MVP awards, Olympic gold medals, and more points scored than anyone else in the history of professional basketball. Off the court, he has spoken up for racial equality, founded a school for at-risk children in his hometown, launched multiple media companies, and even tried his hand at acting.

Since emerging on the global stage, James has become a source of inspiration for people all over the world. Now, LeBron James: In His Own Words Young Reader Edition offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world's most influential athletes by collecting over 100 of his most insightful quotes to create a comprehensive picture of LeBron James and his legacy for young readers everywhere.

Special educational materials for classrooms are available from Agate Publishing.

Economic anxiety and loss of trust in civic institutions are driving more and more people to political extremes. How did we get here, and how do we get our economic policies back on track before the democracies of the world derail?

From former Belgian minister of finance and bestselling author Johan Van Overtveldt comes a new analysis of the economic forces that have driven us to the brink of a democratic breakdown. The Icarus Curse offers a stark assessment of the current state of Western democracies, once celebrated as the pinnacle of political and economic success. With the demise of the Soviet Union and China's emergence onto the world stage, the Western model faced no viable challengers. However, three decades later, Western democracies find themselves under siege both externally and internally. Russia, Iran, and especially China openly challenge the liberal Western order, while internally, citizens increasingly question the democratic and free market system, leading to polarization and social unrest. The political elite in most Western democracies flew too close to the sun, and now they're crashing.

In The Icarus Curse, Van Overtveldt argues that decades of Keynesian-inspired policies have led to policy exhaustion, with politicians fueling unrealistic expectations and accumulating debt. Despite central bankers' efforts to mitigate crises, the current policy model is unsustainable, leaving little room for significant change. Yet, there is hope for redemption: Van Overtveldt reviews the ideas of Adam Smith, John Maynard Keynes, and Paul Volcker to put forward ideas to redesign policies for a brighter economic future.

Get inside the head of one of the most beloved musicians of our time, a longtime country music phenomenon turned titan of industry and cultural icon: Dolly Parton.

This collection of quotes has been carefully curated from Parton's numerous public statements--interviews, speeches, social media posts, and more. It's a comprehensive picture of her legacy as one of America's most recognizable music superstars, whose considerable impact can be felt well beyond popular culture.

Since her career began in the Nashville music scene of the 1960s, Parton has become revered for her work as a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. Parton has sold over 100 million records world-wide, she's one of the most-honored female country performers of all time, and in 1999, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Her profile has long transcended her musical achievements, as she became a successful businesswoman and co-owner of the Dollywood Company. She has also been recognized for her philanthropic work, providing scholarships and awards through her Dollywood Foundation and successful literacy program.

This collection is a look into the inner workings of the woman known for penning such hits as I Will Always Love You and 9 to 5. Now, for the first time, you can find Parton's most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place, providing an intimate and direct look into the mind of this legendary musical icon.

Get inside the head of one of the most influential women in the world, one who has penetrated almost every media space with her unique combination of savvy business sense, practical homemaking advice, and good humor.

This collection of quotes has been gathered from Martha Stewart's numerous public statements--interviews, op-eds, television appearances, books, and more. It's a comprehensive picture of her business empire, her advice for life and the home, and her comeback after scandal and imprisonment.

Martha Stewart has called herself a late bloomer, but after she published her first book, Entertaining, at the age of 49, she rapidly built on that first success, launching magazines, television shows, retail lines, and more books to establish a media empire. Her name is synonymous with tasteful decor, delicious from-scratch foods, and the covetable estates she keeps in upstate New York, the Hamptons, and Maine.

Even after the insider trading scandal that threatened to derail her career in 2004, Stewart was able to rebuild her image of classic domesticity matched by a tireless work ethic. New ventures like Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party have added a sense of playfulness to her personal brand and introduced her to new audiences.

A winner of multiple Emmys and James Beard Awards, and the chairperson of her own media conglomerate, Stewart has proven she has staying power across generations. She's a true icon, not just for fans who learned how to cook and keep house from her books and television shows, but for audiences who associate her name with taste, simplicity, and style.

An updated and expanded collection of more than 350 quotes from Taylor Swift, pop culture icon and one of the bestselling musicians of all time. Part of the In Their Own Words series.

This collection of quotes, curated from Swift's numerous public statements--interviews, op-eds, social media posts, and more--has been updated to include Swift's thoughts on all her latest record-breaking achievements: new music, new ventures, and an iconic tour. It's a comprehensive picture of her meteoric rise to the top, her ever-savvy business sense, and her increasingly vocalized perspective on the music world and beyond.

Swift's catchy, chart-topping songs have propelled her to become one of the bestselling musicians of all time. In the nearly two decades she's been making music, she has amassed enough power to buck the norms of an industry notorious for controlling the images of its often very young female artists. Through an unprecedented record deal she has championed the rights of artists to earn fair royalties, and through social media she has inspired tens of thousands of fans to register to vote. She has also earned the status of feminist icon due to her vocal stance against gender inequality in the music industry and her empowerment of young women through her music and public actions.

Since the release of the first edition of Taylor Swift: In Her Own Words in 2019, Swift's achievements have continued to soar. She has released four more critically acclaimed albums that broke streaming records and won multiple Grammy Awards. In 2023, she embarked on the historic Eras Tour, which shattered records for the highest-grossing tour in history and culminated in a movie that became the highest-grossing concert film of all time.

Swift's activism and business acumen have earned her spots on both Forbes's Most Powerful Women and Time's 100 Most Influential People lists. Now, for the first time, you can find her latest, most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place.

The sixth edition of Professional Meeting Management is the newest edition of the longtime standard reference and textbook for the meetings industry and meetings education. This is the first student and meeting professionals textbook aligned with the new Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) International Standards, which will be used by the Convention Industry Council as a reference book for item writing for the CMP Certification Examination. It includes the most up-to-date information on current trends, strategic planning for meetings, budgeting and funding, marketing and promotion, technology, running and closing the meeting, and industry developments on the horizon.

What do ancient Shaolin monks, NASA astronauts, and the Mafia have in common? How did the rites of passage that have shaped groups ranging from the U.S. Marines to the Swiss Guard influence the way those elite organizations operate today? And what can modern leaders learn from the crucibles that shape the members of the world's most formidable organizations?

In Crucibles: How Rites of Passage Shape the World's Most Elite Organizations, readers will encounter the unique initiation rituals of fourteen elite groups--both historical and contemporary--that have shaped civilizations, fortified leaders, and made lasting impacts on culture and power dynamics in societies around the globe and across time. From the grueling physical trials of traditional warrior castes to the intellectual challenges faced by members of secret societies, Crucibles delves deep into the tests such groups design and deploy to separate aspirants from the chosen few.
Why are people willing to endure such demanding trials? What do these crucible experiences reveal about human nature and commitment? And how do these crucibles shape the organizations that require them--both for better and worse? This book uncovers the universal principles behind these rites of passage and offers insights that modern organizations can use to design their own rigorous processes, fostering excellence while remaining ethical and relevant in today's world.
With practical lessons for leaders in business, education, and beyond, Crucibles is an in-depth journey into understanding how elite groups are forged. Readers will discover how these time-honored practices can inform and inspire the next generation of leaders. If you are curious about how elite groups have marshaled these experiences to shape human excellence as they define it, Crucibles offers a provocative exploration of the unique and sometimes hidden role played by such initiation rituals.

Discover the power of relationship-building to enhance your leadership, boost your team's well-being, and drive organizational success.

In today's dynamic business environment, the success of any organization is deeply rooted in the quality of its internal relationships. In The Relationship-Driven Leader, psychologist and organizational behavior expert Dr. Karen Bridbord offers a revolutionary guide to career success and advancement, regardless of your industry, your company's size, or your role. This groundbreaking book sheds light on how nurturing strong work relationships can lead to unmatched productivity and greater overall wellness throughout the organization and among its staff. Through compelling research and insightful case studies, Bridbord reveals the detrimental impact dysfunctional relationships can have on both personal and business achievements, and how to come back from relationship system failure. By rethinking workplace relationships, you can foster deeper connections within your team, resulting in enhanced cohesion and well-being for all members.

The Relationship-Driven Leader explores the profound influence of everyday interactions on team experience and team performance. Bridbord emphasizes the importance of micro-moments in leadership to spark significant improvements. This book empowers you to take the first step toward becoming the leader everyone aspires to work with by enhancing your leadership skills, boosting workplace productivity, and mastering innovative conflict-management techniques. By focusing on well-being through relationship-building, you can create a healthier, more engaged, and more productive team.

Get inside the head of LeBron James: basketball star, activist, philanthropist, and one of the most influential athletes in the world.

This collection of quotes has been curated from LeBron James's numerous public statements--interviews, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It's a comprehensive picture of his legacy as one of the world's most recognizable and influential athletes. The quotes in the collection touch on sports, community, life lessons, opportunity, equality, justice, and more.

LeBron James's meteoric rise to basketball fame started when he was just a teenager, being billed by Sports Illustrated as The Chosen One while he was still playing for his high school team in Akron, Ohio. He became the top overall selection for the 2003 NBA draft and signed an unprecedented $90 million endorsement deal with Nike before he ever played a professional game. James spent the first seven years of his career playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, with whom he would establish himself as a premier player in the league before going on to play for the Miami Heat and the L.A. Lakers. His unmatched athleticism and drive have led to multiple NBA championships, MVP awards, Olympic gold medals, and more points scored than anyone else in the history of professional basketball. Off the court, he has spoken up for racial equality, founded a school for at-risk children in his hometown, launched multiple media companies, and even tried his hand at acting.

Since emerging on the global stage, James has become a source of inspiration for people all over the world. Now, LeBron James: In His Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world's most influential athletes by collecting over 400 of his most insightful quotes to create a comprehensive picture of LeBron James and his legacy for readers everywhere.

Get inside the head of RuPaul: award-winning TV personality, musician, actor, LGBTQ+ icon, business mogul, and the most influential drag queen in the world.

This collection of quotes has been carefully curated from RuPaul's numerous public statements--interviews, books, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It's a comprehensive picture of his decades-long career, his transformative effect on pop culture, and his wise perspective on identity, love, and life.

Now, for the first time, you can find his most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place.

Get inside the head of Michelle Obama: author, lawyer, humanitarian, and the trailblazing first Black woman to serve as First Lady of the United States.

This collection of quotes has been carefully curated from Michelle Obama's numerous public statements--interviews, books, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It's a comprehensive picture of her legacy as one of America's most recognizable and influential women, specifically geared toward middle and high school readers. The quotes in the collection touch on education, friendship and community, life lessons, America, the role of First Lady, making change, inequality and injustice, and more. This edition includes educational materials and resources for lesson plans designed to provoke discussion and thought for readers in grades 7-12 about Michelle Obama's ideas.

Michelle Obama has been challenging others' expectations since she was a young woman growing up on Chicago's South Side. When a high school counselor told her, I'm not sure you're Princeton material, Obama graduated as the salutatorian and went off to Princeton anyway. After graduating from Harvard Law School, Obama spent several years as an attorney at a prestigious Chicago law firm before committing her efforts to public service and community outreach. When her husband, Barack Obama, was elected president in 2008, she began a new chapter of her life as the first Black woman to serve as First Lady of the United States of America. While always conscious of the unique pressures and difficulties of her role, Obama made it her mission to present her authentic self to the American people. Her pride in and openness about the aspects of her identity that made her unusual among First Ladies--including her race, working-class upbringing, career path, and educational achievement--made her a figure beloved by the general public.

Since emerging on the global stage, Obama has become a source of inspiration for young people all over the world, largely due to her engaging authenticity and candor. Now, Michelle Obama: In Her Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world's most influential women by collecting 200 of her most insightful quotes. Meticulously curated from interviews, speeches, statements, and other sources, Michelle Obama: In Her Own Words creates a comprehensive picture of Michelle Obama, her wisdom, and her legacy.

Special educational materials for classrooms are available from Agate Publishing.

For more than half a century, Warren Buffett, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has been one of the world's most respected businessmen, not just because of his savvy investments and unmatched record of returns, but also because of his humility, candor, and refreshing perspective on wealth.

Despite this tremendous success, the Oracle of Omaha doesn't feel entitled to the $89 billion net worth his abilities have earned him. Instead, he likes to say that he was born at the right place and time, and as an active philanthropist, he has already pledged to give most of his money to charity. This modesty in the face of proven talent is part of what makes Buffett as popular on Main Street as he is on Wall Street--he is one of the world's wealthiest men and yet he is still personable and relatable.

Now, hundreds of the most thought-provoking and inspiring quotes from Buffett are compiled in a single book. Warren Buffett: In His Own Words is a comprehensive guidebook to the inner workings of this business icon, providing insight into his thoughts on investing, Wall Street, business, politics, taxes, life lessons, and more.

This collection of quotations draws from decades of interviews, editorials, and annual shareholder reports, amassing a comprehensive outline of how Buffett believes a good business is run and a good life is led. It's advice that Buffett has successfully adhered to throughout his 88 years, and it's now available in Warren Buffett: In His Own Words.

As one of only nine women in a class of 500 at Harvard Law School when she enrolled in 1956 and one of only four female Supreme Court justices in the history of the United States, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is frequently viewed as a feminist trailblazer and an icon for civil rights.

Ginsburg has always been known as a prolific writer and speaker. Now, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world's most influential women by collecting 300 of Ginsburg's most insightful quotes. Meticulously curated from interviews, speeches, court opinions, dissents, and other sources, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words creates a comprehensive picture of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her wisdom, and her legacy.

For millions of Americans, the COVID shock has brought retirement saving to an abrupt halt--now it's time to get back on track.

Even before the pandemic, a large share of households by Americans over age 50 faced the threat that their living standards would decline sharply in retirement. In the wake of COVID-19, these numbers will surely worsen. In Retirement Reboot: Commonsense Financial Strategies for Getting Back on Track, finance writer and regular New York Times retirement contributor Mark Miller offers practical strategies for Americans to improve their retirement prospects.

If you're nearing retirement age and worry you haven't saved enough, Retirement Reboot will walk you through the core decisions to make now to improve your retirement outcomes--even if retirement is just a few years away. You'll learn how to make a plan, think through the timing of retirement, optimize Social Security, navigate Medicare, build savings, and tap home equity. You'll also explore ongoing strategies, such as careful budgeting, generating income from work even after retirement, planning for long-term care, and leveraging special assistance aimed at low-income workers. If you have low savings, or none at all, Miller's simple steps can help you make the most of your remaining working years and reboot the retirement you always imagined.

Get inside the head of one of the most compelling entrepreneurs of our time with this collection of quotes from global business icon Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX.

Elon Musk, the South African-born entrepreneur who made his first fortune with Internet companies such as PayPal, has risen to global prominence as the visionary CEO of both Tesla Motors and SpaceX, two companies with self-proclaimed missions to improve life as we know it and better secure the future of humanity.

Now, the most insightful, thought-provoking, and revealing quotes from this entrepreneurial engineer have been compiled into a single book. Elon Musk: In His Own Words is a comprehensive guide to the inner workings of the man dubbed the real Tony Stark. Hundreds of his best quotes, comprising thoughts on business, clean energy, innovation, engineering, technology, space, electric vehicles, entrepreneurship, life lessons, and more, provide an intimate and direct look into Silicon Valley's most ambitious industrialist.

Even with no prior experience in the complex, ultra-high-barrier-of-entry automotive and space industries, Musk has excelled. Tesla, the first successful American car startup in more than 90 years, received more than 325,000 reservations for its economical Model 3 in a single week--advancing the company's cause to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport: via affordable, reliable electric vehicles. SpaceX, the first private company to launch, orbit, and recover a rocket and dock at the International Space Station, has drastically reduced the cost of launching and manufacturing reusable spacecraft, which the company sees as the first step toward its ultimate goal of making life multiplanetary. In the words of Richard Branson, Whatever skeptics have said can't be done, Elon has gone out and made real.

Newly updated and repackaged from its original publication in 2017 as Rocket Man: Elon Musk In His Own Words, this book curates Musk quotes from interviews, public appearances, online postings, company blogs, press releases, and more. What emerges is a 'word portrait' of the man whose companies' swift rise to the top will undoubtedly keep their status-quo competitors scrambling to keep up.

Get inside the head of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, history's second woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice.

This collection of quotes has been curated from Ruth Bader Ginsburg's numerous public statements--interviews, court opinions, oral arguments from her time as a lawyer, speeches, and more. It's a comprehensive picture of her legacy and her impact on American history, specifically geared toward middle and high school readers. The quotes in the collection touch on equality, the law, feminism, the United States justice system, education, and more. This edition includes educational materials and resources for lesson plans designed to provoke discussion and thought for readers in grades 7-12 about Ginsburg's ideas.

Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg earned respect and admiration over the course of her remarkable lifetime, during which she broke barriers and set her sights on the highest levels of achievement at every turn. Beginning with her graduation from Cornell as the highest-ranking woman in her class, and then her enrollment in Harvard Law School in 1956, where she was one of only nine women in a class of 500, she steadily moved up the ranks of the American legal system until she was appointed as the second woman in history to join the Supreme Court in 1993.

During her time on the Supreme Court, she became known for her fiery dissents, her fundamental work toward equality and fair treatment, and her eloquent thought-leadership. Even after her death in 2020, she serves as an inspiration to all and a role model for women everywhere.

Now, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world's most influential women by collecting 200 of Ginsburg's most insightful quotes. Meticulously curated from interviews, speeches, court opinions, dissents, and other sources, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words creates a comprehensive picture of Ginsburg, her wisdom, and her legacy.

Special educational materials for classrooms are available from Agate Publishing.

A collection of more than 300 quotes from Dwayne The Rock Johnson: pro wrestling phenom, actor, businessman, and cultural icon, providing a unique look into the mind of one of the most recognizable and influential figures of our era. Part of the In Their Own Words series.

This collection of quotes has been curated from Dwayne Johnson's numerous public statements--interviews, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It's a comprehensive picture of his legacy as one of the world's most recognizable and influential celebrities. The quotes in this collection touch on football, wrestling, Hollywood, building a business, heritage, activism, and more.

Johnson, a third-generation wrestler, rose to prominence in the late 1990s as one of the most electrifying and charismatic performers in the history of professional wrestling. Debuting in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) as Rocky Maivia, he quickly gained attention for his athleticism, microphone skills, and larger-than-life persona. Embracing the moniker The Rock, he became a cornerstone of the Attitude Era, and his unparalleled ability to connect with audiences propelled him to multiple WWE Championships. His catchphrases and signature moves became iconic in wrestling lore and garnered mainstream attention beyond the world of wrestling as well.

After achieving superstardom in the ring, Johnson transitioned to Hollywood, eventually becoming one of the highest-paid actors in the world and starring in blockbuster films including The Mummy and Jumanji, as well as appearing in DC Comics franchise films and voicing Maui in the Disney hit Moana, a nod to his Samoan heritage that he proudly touts as central to his identity. Beyond acting, he has built a business empire that spans multiple enterprises, including a production company, a premium tequila brand, sportswear, and a digital content platform.

Johnson's entrepreneurial spirit and versatility beyond his entertainment career earned him a nod as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2019. Now, Dwayne The Rock Johnson: In His Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world's most captivating and beloved personas.

A collection of more than 300 quotes from Oprah Winfrey, one of the most adored, respected, and powerful women in the world. Part of the In Their Own Words series.

A collection of more than 300 quotes from Rihanna, one of the most beloved and influential women in the world. Part of the In Their Own Words series.