My Hero
Extraordinary People on the Heroes Who Inspire Them
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
In My Hero, some of the brightest lights from around the globe share -- in their own words -- stories about the people who have been the greatest source of strength and inspiration to them. With essays by military heroes, political leaders, and Nobel Prize winners, sports heroes, firefighters, scientists, and schoolteachers -- and with an introduction by basketball legend, businessman, and philanthropist Earvin "Magic" Johnson -- this collection gathers individuals who themselves are shining examples to tell us about the people who have illuminated their own lives.
• How did Dana Reeve come to find such grit and grace when her fairy-tale prince was thrown from his real-life steed, paralyzed from the neck down?
• What traits of baseball great Ted Williams have inspired war hero Senator John McCain since childhood?
• What impact did Nelson Mandela have on boxing legend Muhammad Ali?
• Why does one of the all-time greats of baseball, Yogi Berra, believe that he owes each of his legendary home runs to his brothers?
• How did Michael J. Fox find a woman who would walk away from a spectacular career in finance in order to fight for a cure for Parkinson's disease at the helm of his nonprofit foundation?
• Why does John Glenn, a man who flew into space twice and served a quarter century on the Senate floor, look up to his own wife, Annie Glenn, as the true hero in the family?
In a world hungry for good examples, My Hero reminds us that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. It also teaches us that the words and deeds of those who inspire us are as varied as the stars that illuminate the night.
The editors of My Hero and the contributors are donating all royalties from this book to the nonprofit My Hero Project.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This anthology of tepid uplift celebrates the democratization of the once larger-than-life status of the hero. Initiated by the myhero.com website of inspirational postings aimed at kids, the volume gathers short essays from heroic (or at least well-known) people paying personal tribute to their own heroes. The old prerequisites for heroism-nearly super-human achievement and self-sacrifice for the public good-have now broadened to include graceful coping with the normal vicissitudes of life and being friendly and supportive of other people. Close relatives of the contributors constitute the largest category of heroes, often extolled for their care-taking and courage in the face of their own or others' illnesses and disabilities; teachers and career mentors come in a close second. Many of these salutes amount to little more than wan personal appreciations: Physicist Leon Lederman calls his wife his hero, citing her skills as a hostess, horsewoman and photographer, while WNBA star Sue Bird admires her older sister because "she's real-with no pretensions and no airs." Nelson Mandela is the primary exemplar of old-school heroism, named by figures like heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali and children's troubadour Raffi. A few offbeat tributes-social scientist Felton Earle credits Charles Darwin as inspiring his opposition to the Vietnam War, while Senator John McCain celebrates baseball great Ted Williams for his sheer orneriness-add some interest.
