Foreign rights guide

Mixed Martial Arts pioneer Urijah “The California Kid” Faber combines The 48 Laws of Power, the humor of Got Fight?, and the classic Eastern philosophy of The Art of War in this unconventional and enlightening guide to mental dominance and personal success. Thanks to a combination of physical prowess, indomitable will, and sharp and unconventional powers of observation, Urijah Faber has risen to the top of the mixed martial arts food chain. In LAWS OF THE RING, he draws from these strengths, providing a unique and deeply personal look at life in and outside the cage—lessons fans can use to shape their own worlds. Part self-help book, personal journey, and meditation on a well-lived life, LAWS OF THE RING is filled with funny, provocative, and inspirational stories that provide a colorful glimpse into the rise of a young superstar and the philosophy behind his success. LAWS OF THE RING offers his reflections on success and failure through his “10 Laws of Power” and his “Five Laws of Weakness.” He speaks frankly about personal role models like Randy Couture, as well as human barnacles such as “Internet Steve,” one of the many hangers-on who have given Faber a unique look at the dark side of fame. “My way isn’t for everyone,” Faber says, “but everyone can take something away from my experience.” William Morrow

Estimated length: 240 pages, with 8-page color photo insert

Manuscript available: April 2012
Fawcett, Bill

DOOMED TO REPEAT

The saying goes…“Those Who Forget History are Doomed to Repeat It.” This engrossing and fact-filled collection sheds light on the historical lessons we’ve failed to learn and the failures this has doomed us to repeat over and over again. Time and again mankind has faced down problems, but has failed to take the hard earned knowledge into the next battle of the same nature. In this unique compilation, Fawcett illuminates those problems and the common threads that have stumped us for centuries, including: Financial disasters like the Tulip Bubble and the South Pacific Bubble; Terrorists, Anarchists, Wobblies, Luddites; military insurencies; inflation and devaluation of currency; the rise of radical political minorities; pandemics and epidemics; ecological collapse and more. With over 35 chapters, DOOMED TO REPEAT is full of trivia, history, and fascinating looks at the world’s repeated mistakes. William Morrow Paperbacks

Estimated length: 320 pages

Manuscript available: June 2012
Fox, John

THE BALL: Discovering the Object of the Game

An engaging, popular history of the ball and the evolution of human play, THE BALL takes us to the far reaches of the globe and the deep recesses of our ancient past to answer a child’s question: “Why do we play ball, anyway?” Inspired by the curiosity of his sport-obsessed 8-year-old son, anthropologist John Fox sets off on a global adventure to explore the untold history of our favorite ball games, their origins and evolution, and how a simple invention like the ball has come through time to stake an unrivaled claim on our passions, our money, and our lives. Part history, part travelogue, and part sportscast, THE BALL takes us from the jungles of Mexico to the farm country of Ohio and from the courts of the ancient Pharaohs to the virtual playing fields of “Second Life,” to explore the gritty, ritualistic, violent, bizarre, primal drama of ball games as we’ve played them across the centuries. John Fox, a Harvard Ph.D. in anthropology, has excavated ancient ball courts in Central America, traced Marco Polo’s route across China, and biked Africa’s Rift Valley in search of human origins. He has worked as an academic, and, more recently, as a co-leader of the Quest Channel Expeditions, a pioneering adventure learning program that took him and an online audience of a million young people on expeditions across six continents to explore the world’s greatest scientific and historic mysteries. His writing has appeared in Smithsonian, Outside, Salon, CNN.com, and other publications. Harper Perennial

Estimated length: 400 pages, with 8-pg b&w insert

Galley available
*Froymovich, Riva

THE END OF THE GOOD LIFE

From Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires reporter Riva Froymovich comes the definitive account of the effects of the financial crisis on Generation Y, or those born between 1976 and 2000. Members of Generation Y are coming of age in the bleakest economic landscape in modern history. In alarming numbers they are unemployed, mired in student debt, moving back into their parents’ homes, and postponing marriage and child bearing.  THE END OF THE GOOD LIFE will give voice to those struggling in the new economy,  but it  will go beyond reportage to offer a fresh analysis of why Generation Y finds itself in such dire straits. Drawing on interviews with high-level policy makers, political leaders, and prominent thinkers on both sides of the ideological divide, the book will take a clear-eyed look at government policies that could wreak havoc for our nation's youth, including cuts to education and social programs, short-sighted initiatives to save failing industries, and a federal budget that prioritizes retirement over investing in our nation's future. As a Brussels-based reporter with a global perspective, Froymovich also offers unique insight into how the ongoing recession in Europe—particularly in Italy, Spain, Greece, and the United Kingdom—should serve as a cautionary tale for our own country. Looking abroad, she deftly analyzes the problem of mass youth unemployment and the danger of brain drain, asking if the same thing could happen in America. Based in Brussels, Belgium, Riva Froymovich writes about European economics for The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires.  She has appeared on Fox Business News, BBC, Sky Television, and The Wall Street Journal’s online video network. Riva is a member of Generation Y. Harper Perennial

Estimated length: 256 pages

Manuscript available: August 2012
Greene, Melissa Fay

*WONDER DOG

In WONDER DOG, National Book Award nominee Melissa Fay Greene introduces us to Karen Shirk, the unshakable founder of 4 Paws for Ability, whose determination made healing possible for countless disabled children who'd been told there was nothing else that could be done. No stranger to affliction, Shirk received the grim diagnosis, at age 24, of myasthenia gravis, a rare neuromuscular disease. She left the hospital only to become a respirator-dependent patient in need of constant care. After years of depression and loneliness, Shirk took a nurse's advice and began to look for a service dog, but time and again she was denied - no agency had ever placed a service animal with people on ventilators. Undeterred, Shirk adopted her own dog, a German shepherd named Ben, and with his companionship, she roared back to life. In 1998, after wondering how many other people were told they were "too disabled" to get a dog, Shirk founded 4 Paws for Ability with a simple philosophy: if your life can be improved by a dog, and if you and your family can take good care of a dog, we're going to give you a dog. With Shirk's story at the forefront, Greene introduces us to a number of families navigating the emotional labyrinth of having a child with physical or mental disabilities, and the dogs that have changed and saved their lives. Whether it's an attentive German shepherd, a funny beagle-mix, or an obedient Papillon – dogs have provided newfound stability and profound friendship for not only the kids, but for their families as well. WONDER DOG is a book that will reveal the emotional complexity that exists between humans and animals and just how deeply-wired for companionship we all are. Melissa Fay Greene is the author of five books of nonfiction including PRAYING FOR SHEETROCK, LAST MAN OUT, and THERE IS NO ME WITHOUT YOU: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue her Country’s Children. Her honors include two National Book Award nominations, a National Book Critics Circle Award nomination, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize, the Southern Book Critics Circle Award, and the ACLU National Civil Liberties Award. PRAYING FOR SHEETROCK was named one of the top 100 works of American journalism of the 20th century and appears on Entertainment Weekly's list of "The New Classics- The 100 Best Books of the Last 25 Years." Melissa has contributed to The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, Readers Digest, Life, Newsweek, Parade, Redbook, Parenting, the HuffingtonPost, Salon, TheDailyBeast, and CNN.com, and her books have been translated into 15 languages. Ecco

Estimated length: 256 pages; black and white illustrations throughout

Manuscript available: January 2014

Proposal available

From the most decorated F-16 pilot ever comes the high-octane memoir VIPOR PILOT. The F-16 “Fighting Falcon” (known to pilots as “The Viper”) is the world’s most iconic fighter plane. And author Dan Hampton is its most decorated pilot. The recipient of a remarkable three Distinguished Flying Crosses for bravery and a host of other medals that make him “the best of the best,” Hampton saw extensive action in the Iraq War. He was scrambled into the skies on 9/11 and secured American airspace in the weeks that followed, and he flew combat missions during the first Gulf War and the Kosovo conflict. His memoir is a first-person thriller offering a rare look into the cockpit and mind of a real-life ace. Hampton recounts gripping stories of his saving US ground soldiers from certain death, of evading heat-seeking missiles that have locked on his tail, and of being wounded in an enemy’s air strike on his base. He also reveals what it takes psychologically to become “the best of the best.” U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Dam Hampton flew 151 combat missions during his twenty years in the USAF (1986-2006). For his service in the Iraq War, Kosovo conflict, and first Gulf War, Col. Hampton received three Distinguished Flying Crosses with Valor, a Purple Heart, seven Air Force Medals with Valor, four Meritorious Service Medals, and numerous other citations. He has published articles in the Journal of Electronic Defense, Air Force Magazine, Airpower Magazine, and several classified tactical works for the USAF Fighter Weapons Review.

Estimated length: 336 pages, 12-25 photos

Manuscript available: April 2012
Heimbuch, Craig

*AND NOW WE SHALL DO MANLY THINGS: Discovering My Manhood Through the Great (and Not-So-Great) American Hunt

From an award-winning journalist and urban dad, a humorous exploration of the hunting culture. Craig Heimbuch aspires to tap into the ideal of traditional masculinity and better understand the men in his family by immersing himself for one year in the manly art of hunting. When Craig receives a shotgun from his father he commits to try hunting for the first time in his life. Coming from a family of hunters, he set out to learn what putting food on the table entails, and better understand his family legacy. In the tradition of Bill Bryson’s A WALK IN THE WOODS and A. J. Jacob’s THE KNOW-IT-ALL, Craig takes a wry look at some of our most deeply-cherished cultural beliefs and encourages men to reassess their definitions of manhood. During his journey he discovers it is possible to be an active father, loving spouse, and hunter, without being mistaken for a gun-toting lunatic. Craig Heimbruch is the editor-in-chief of www.ManoftheHouse.com, an online magazine for dads with 1 million monthly readers. William Morrow Paperbacks

Estimated length: 320 pages

Manuscript available: April 2012
Hirshman, Linda

VICTORY: The Triumphant Gay Revolution

In the vein of Taylor Branch’s classic on the civil rights movement (Parting of the Waters), VICTORY is a popular history of the gay rights movement—the stunning success story of how a dedicated minority transformed the notion of American equality and forged a classic campaign for cultural change. Through rich archival material and over 100 interviews, VICTORY tells the story of how, in less than forty years, a band of despised, quarrelsome, marginal, closeted people grew to the army that made a revolution in the most fundamental area of human identity: how we find love and how we reproduce ourselves. Much has been written about the gay struggle and gay rights—the Plague Years, the men and women who made Stonewall, the short career of Harvey Milk, the marriage arguments pro and con—but no one has written the full story from start to finish and certainly not as a political classic. A retired labor lawyer, Linda Hirshman is the author of Get to Work: A Manifesto for Women of the World, Hard Bargains: The Politics of Sex, and A Woman’s Guide to Law School (1999, Viking/Penguin). She received her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago and taught Philosophy and Women’s Studies at Brandeis University. Harper

Estimated length: 464 pages, with 8-pg b&w insert

Imagine if THE BOOK OF QUESTIONS were boiled down to just one: If your house were on fire, what would you take? The answers are evocative, compelling, and completely addictive. From the creator of TheBurningHouse.com, this confessional book sets in motion a philosophical conflict between the practical, the valuable, and the sentimental. You are forced to prioritize and boil down a life of accrued possessions into what you can carry with you, offering a meditation on materialism and what’s truly important. With a broad array of contributions from around the world, plus photographs throughout, THE BURNING HOUSE opens an incisive window into the heart of a person. !t Books

Estimated length: 224 pages; 8 x 9; 200 color photos

PDF available
Joseph, Lawrence E.

*THE SUN FACTOR: How the Sun Shaped Our Past and Threatens Our Future

The connection between solar activity and human history has been largely untold. Connecting current research in solar physics to biology, politics and culture, this book will force us to rethink our understanding of human history in ways reminiscent of Jared Diamond’s Collapse and Alan Weisman’s The World Without Us. With an engaging voice and never before seen research, bestselling author Lawrence Joseph offers evidence that the changes in the sun’s behavior not only provoke shifts in the climate, but also disrupt our personal lives, determine the course of history, and shape our destiny. More importantly, the sun continues to communicate with us and change our daily lives, and in 2012 scientists predict one of the greatest solar activity years in history, which could have a huge impact on our world. According to Joseph, spikes in solar output have been correlated with drops in the stock market, and the Vikings would not have discovered North America if fluctuations in solar activity hadn’t melted the formerly ice-choked North Atlantic. The sun does more than influence our climate and help plants grow. Solar activity is at the root of all that we know and it soon could be the cause of major disasters if we don’t start taking heed of its lessons. Lawrence E. Joseph has authored a number of bestselling books, on a wide variety of topics including most recently, AFTERMATH and APOCALYPSE 2012: An Investigation into Civilization’s End, which has sold more than 200,000 copies worldwide. Joseph has written on international science, nature, politics and business for publications including The New York Times, Discover, and Salon.com. Currently he blogs for the Huffington Post. He has given more than 500 film, television, radio and print interviews on the subject of solar EMP and other Sun-Earth phenomena. HarperOne

Publication: October 2012 (CBR)

Estimated length: 288 pages

Manuscript due: April 2012

A paradigm-shifting model for revolutionizing schools and leading organizations by changing culture, from the founder of one of education’s greatest success stories. Deborah Kenny was a young single mother of three who turned personal tragedy into triumph when she founded the Harlem Village Academies. Under her leadership, students have achieved dramatic gains. Despite entering among the lowest 20th percentile in the country in 2008, Harlem Village Academies made history when 100% of eighth graders passed the New York State math test, ranking them #1 of all public schools in New York State. In 2010, 100% scored proficient in science and 100% in social studies. Their teachers are smart, driven, and caring. How do they do it? The answer is culture. How people feel at work—how they are treated, and the values exhibited by their colleagues-determines the caliber of people who are attracted to an organization. But BORN TO RISE is not just an education book. It’s also a model for leading organizations of all kinds. Through a culture of accountability, Kenny shows teachers, parents, and business leaders how to create a passion for learning and change in their own organizations. Dr. Deborah Kenny is widely regarded as one of the most influential education entrepreneurs in the country, and a highly respected authority on public education. Oprah named Kenny one of the most powerful women of 2010, and Esquire named her one of the country’s “Best and Brightest.” Kenny is the founder and CEO of Harlem Village Academies, and she is founder of a new, national multimedia venture, “Education Community,” which launched in Spring 2011, and shares insights and inspiration with parents, educators, college students, and the general public. Harper

Estimated length: 256 pages

Manuscript available
LaCava, Stephanie

*AN EXTRAORDINARY THEORY OF OBJECTS: The Story of Seeking Solace in the Unusual

Girl, Interrupted meets Miranda July--with a touch of Joan Didion--in this quirky collection of personal essays on the author’s adolescence in Paris told in the most unconventional way – through the strange and beautiful objects that provide tangible comfort to LaCava as she navigates growing up in a foreign country. As a young teen, Stephanie LaCava found herself unexpectedly whisked away from her suburban New York home to live in Paris with her mother and brother as part of her father’s mysterious line of work. The narrative follows LaCava as she optimistically begins her new life in Paris, becoming acquainted with her peers at a wildly unconventional international school, and dealing with the threat of terrorism on an international political landscape (during the French/Algerian bombings of the nineties). LaCava’s journey to finding happiness, security, and comfort in her own skin is told in a cinematic fashion, with flashes of scenes followed by informative entries on the objects or characters that inhabit them. It is a story told in snapshots, ending with the present-day when LaCava revisits France to seek peace and understanding with her childhood. At once intensely personal and widely universal, LaCava’s story shows the power of objects to distract us from our lives, but also to understand the discovery of different sorts of beauty in an unpredictable world. Stephanie LaCava is a writer based in New York and Paris, having worked at Vogue magazine, before becoming an independent journalist. Her work has appeared in T: The New York Times Style Magazine and the British and American editions of Vogue, as well as other print and online publications, such as The Paris Review. On her website (www.stephanielacava.com) and tumblr (stephanielacava.tumblr.com), she posts striking photographs and words daily, which she refers to as phantom cabinet of curiosities. Harper
Publication: December 2012 (JS)

Estimated length: 224 pages with 30 b/w line illustrations

Manuscript available: April 2012
Largo, Michael