Books in Classic Biography series

These women made sacrifices for their faith. They endured pain and suffering in order to give glory to their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and they have given us a legacy. With these twenty-one heroines you can go through history and see how these women made a difference in their world and in church. From the slave girl Blandina through to the young mother Betty Stam, we discover the women from the early church to modern missionaries who face their struggles with the strength of God. Nothing could separate them, or us, from the love of God.

In his own words, this is the life of William Frederick Cody, known to the world simply as “Buffalo Bill.” With showmanship rivaling that of P.T. Barnum, he entertained the world with his famous “Wild West Shows” in the days when memory of the real West was still fresh. Indeed, his shows often featured the living legends—notably the great Sioux Chief Sitting Bull—of that period. But Buffalo Bill was a legend in his own right. He was a trapper, a stagecoach driver, a Pony Express rider, a buffalo hunter. Most notably, beginning during the Civil War and extending throughout the great Indian wars, he was the most famous military scout of his time. Cody tells his story without overdue humility. He is obviously proud of his accomplishments, but he is quick to praise others as equally deserving. He mourns the passing of Native American dominance of the plains—of those who had been his courageous adversaries—as much as he mourns the passing of his own frontier era. When he died, in 1917, "Buffalo Bill" was one of the most famous personalities in the Western world.

Since the publication of 'A child called "it"' by Dave Pelzer there hasn't been a story like this. But this is not just another harrowing story about an excruciating childhood and the ravages on a life it produces. The difference is that Mez not only escaped from his 'trial by parent' but he discovered a hope that has transformed his life. He in turn has helped others find hope in their lives. Mez's story is told with a frankness and wit that hides much of the pain and despair that was his everyday experience. Nevertheless, although his story at times may sicken you, his first brushes with the faith that restored him will make you laugh out loud! Mez's life involved abuse, violence, drugs, thieving and prison - but you don't have to fall as far as him in order to climb out of the traps in your life. Do you like happy endings? Mez still suffers from his experiences but you'll be amazed at how far you can be restored from such a beginning.

Much more than a book of sage business advice-though it is that, too-this extraordinary autobiography of one of the greatest American success stories is the tale of the nation's entrepreneurial spirit itself. The man who made a fortune in steel relates, in a lively and at times even poetic voice, the story of his life, from the vital lessons he learned from his "poor but honest" family about the value of hard work and a generous, liberal philosophy and his early work in telegraph and railroad offices to his investments in oil and steel and the great pleasure he took in his philanthropic causes, including setting up pensions for his steelworkers. Published in 1920, just after his death, and written as if to family and friends, this is an important reminder that there was a time in American business when a multimillion-dollar deal could be conducted on a handshake and greed wasn't good. Entrepreneur and philanthropist ANDREW CARNEGIE (1835-1919) was born in Scotland and emigrated to America as a teenager. His Carnegie Steel Company launched the steel industry in Pittsburgh, and after its sale to J.P. Morgan, he devoted his life to philanthropic causes. His charitable organizations built more than 2,500 public libraries around the world, and gave away more than $350 million during his lifetime.

Originally published in the United States in 1855, P.T. Barnum recounts "the true history" of his adventures and the many enterprises in which he had engaged. A fascinating and-to say the least-colorful man, Barnum regales us with a storied chronicle of his checkered career, where he had been everything from farmer's boy to small town merchant to bank president and, ultimately, a master showman. He had frequented jails and palaces, known poverty and wealth, traveled over a large portion of two continents, and had seen all varieties of people and characters. This light-hearted, intriguing history will endeavor the reader to laugh at the antics of this inimitable showman, who, interestingly enough, never coined the phrase, "There's a sucker born every minute." PHINEAS TAYLOR ("P.T.") BARNUM (1810-1891) is one of the most peculiarly famous personalities in American history. A consummate showman and entrepreneur, Barnum was famous for bringing both high and low culture to American audiences. From the melodious opera singer Jenny Lind to the bizarre hoax of the Feejee Mermaid, from the clever and quite diminutive Tom Thumb to Jumbo the Elephant, Barnum's oddities, spectacles, galas, extravaganzas, and events tickled the fancies of Americans of all ages.