Books in Influential Lives series

Even though he was born with an otherworldly athletic gift, Cristiano Ronaldo's early life was anything but easy. A poor kid from Portugal, he was expelled from school at age fourteen and then diagnosed with an abnormal heart condition. But through hard work and an intense desire to succeed, he soon blossomed into one of the greatest soccer players in the world. When he transferred to Real Madrid for a record-breaking salary, Ronaldo transformed himself into a worldwide celebrity, reinventing the ideal of an international sports icon. Sports fans will be inspired by this soccer superstar's rags-to-riches story.

What happens when a young executive at an investment firm quits his job to start an online bookstore? If he's Jeff Bezos, he ends up changing the world. This informative biography of technology entrepreneur Jeff Bezos describes the rise of Amazon.com and the way Bezos changed the Internet, retail, book publishing, television, and the way we organize our homes. It also explores Bezos's business ventures outside Amazon, including his aerospace company Blue Origin and his purchase of The Washington Post. Readers will be inspired by the insights of this genius, who continues to change the way we live.

Cartoonist Charles Schulz died in 2000, but his work, most notably the Peanuts comics, is as alive as ever. His comic strip continues to run in newspapers around the world, the classic television specials are aired annually, and somewhere at this moment a high school drama club is performing the stage play You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. This entertaining biography tells the story of a shy, awkward teenager who went on to create some of the most beloved and iconic characters in modern history.

Born in Brooklyn, Jimmy Kimmel grew up in Las Vegas, in a stereotypical Italian family. As a teenager he was a practical joker. He dropped out of college to work at radio stations, and then got his big break as a TV game-show host. This led to The Man Show, a frat-boy comedy that turned him into a household name. In 2003, he began hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! and transformed into a worldwide celebrity. Today he is an influencer in popular culture and national politics. This biography examines how Kimmel has reinvented the perception of the late-night talk show host.

Born in Brooklyn, Jimmy Kimmel grew up in Las Vegas, in a stereotypical Italian family. As a teenager he was a practical joker. He dropped out of college to work at radio stations, and then got his big break as a TV game-show host. This led to The Man Show, a frat-boy comedy that turned him into a household name. In 2003, he began hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! and transformed into a worldwide celebrity. Today he is an influencer in popular culture and national politics. This biography examines how Kimmel has reinvented the perception of the late-night talk show host.

This biography paints a picture of an intriguing and complex individual who rose from a small-town Midwestern boy to a major player in world politics. From his early days as an altar boy to hosting a popular radio program to obtaining a seat in Congress and then becoming Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence has filled numerous roles, all leading to his most important one yet as running mate of Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Readers will follow the journey of the staunch Christian, conservative, and Republican who became the Vice President of the United States.

Over the course of his 50-year career, musician Bob Dylan has won a Nobel Prize, has had an audience with the Pope, and has earned a multitude of accolades, from a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award to a coveted Kennedy Center honor. Not bad for a kid from a small city in northern Minnesota who just wanted to play rock and roll. His songs are legendary and his spiritual journeys have taken him all over the world. This biography explores the man, his music, and his distinctive life.

What happens when a young executive at an investment firm quits his job to start an online bookstore? If he's Jeff Bezos, he ends up changing the world. This informative biography of technology entrepreneur Jeff Bezos describes the rise of Amazon.com and the way Bezos changed the Internet, retail, book publishing, television, and the way we organize our homes. It also explores Bezos's business ventures outside Amazon, including his aerospace company Blue Origin and his purchase of The Washington Post. Readers will be inspired by the insights of this genius, who continues to change the way we live.

Cartoonist Charles Schulz died in 2000, but his work, most notably the Peanuts comics, is as alive as ever. His comic strip continues to run in newspapers around the world, the classic television specials are aired annually, and somewhere at this moment a high school drama club is performing the stage play You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. This entertaining biography tells the story of a shy, awkward teenager who went on to create some of the most beloved and iconic characters in modern history.