ÊMy life is a lovely story, happy and full of incident. If, when I was a boy, and went forth into the world poor and friendless, a good fairy had met me and said, "Choose now thy own course through life, and the object for which thou wilt strive, and then, according to the development of thy mind, and as reason requires, I will guide and defend thee to its attainment," my fate could not, even then, have been directed more happily, more prudently, or better. The history of my life will say to the world what it says to meÑThere is a loving God, who directs all things for the best. My native land, Denmark, is a poetical land, full of popular traditions, old songs, and an eventful history, which has become bound up with that of Sweden and Norway. The Danish islands are possessed of beautiful beech woods, and corn and clover fields: they resemble gardens on a great scale. Upon one of these green islands, Funen, stands Odense, the place of my birth. Odense is called after the pagan god Odin, who, as tradition states, lived here: this place is the capital of the province, and lies twenty-two Danish miles from Copenhagen. In the year 1805 there lived here, in a small mean room, a young married couple, who were extremely attached to each other; he was a shoemaker, scarcely twenty-two years old, a man of a richly gifted and truly poetical mind. His wife, a few years older than himself, was ignorant of life and of the world, but possessed a heart full of love. The young man had himself made his shoemaking bench, and the bedstead with which he began housekeeping; this bedstead he had made out of the wooden frame which had borne only a short time before the coffin of the deceased Count Trampe, as he lay in state, and the remnants of the black cloth on the wood work kept the fact still in remembrance. Instead of a noble corpse, surrounded by crape and wax-lights, here lay, on the second of April, 1805, a living and weeping child,Ñthat was myself, Hans Christian Andersen. During the first day of my existence my father is said to have sate by the bed and read aloud in Holberg, but I cried all the time. "Wilt thou go to sleep, or listen quietly?" it is reported that my father asked in joke; but I still cried on; and even in the church, when I was taken to be baptized, I cried so loudly that the preacher, who was a passionate man, said, "The young one screams like a cat!" which words my mother never forgot. A poor emigrant, Gomar, who stood as godfather, consoled her in the mean time by saying that the louder I cried as a child, all the more beautifully should I sing when I grew older.

In this unique anthology of more than 80 personal stories, subjects ranging from the frivolous to the deadly serious combine to paint a picture of humanity at its most upbeat. A housewife and mother describes her extraordinary achievement in becoming one of the first two women to walk to both of the Earth's poles. Gavin and Stacey writer/co-star James Corden recalls welcoming his beloved father home from the first Gulf War. Former champion rugby player Phil Greening celebrates avoiding a life of crime and winning his first cap for England. Comedian Alan Carr recounts his nerve-wracked triumph at The Royal Variety Performance, while 'Keith' from The Office describes the day he won his hilarious supporting role. Alongside the above are moving personal testimonies of becoming the youngest man to climb Everest, escaping death in Iraq, recovering from cancer - and release into the outside world after 13 years of wrongful imprisonment. THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE will enlighten, amuse, and provide the perfect tonic for those days when life just seems to get you down

'I am the Guv'nor's daughter - but what does that mean?' Lenny McLean, better known as The Guv'nor, was a legendary and sometimes terrifying figure: a bare-knuckle fighter, bouncer and, in later life, an actor. He was a formidable force in the East End and across London, but behind his towering demeanour was a loving father who provided a safe haven for his children. For his only daughter, Kelly, his status brought with it a reputation both to live up to, and sometimes escape. Kelly experienced the old East End way of life, often lived just outside the law, first-hand and equally the uncertainty that came with her father's mood swings and the 'black dog' that followed him around, despite their close bond. The connection between father and daughter became even more apparent as Kelly began to battle her own mental health issues that, as a mum to two young children, would threaten to destroy her life. In this incredibly frank and poignant memoir, Kelly McLean provides a unique insight into life growing up as the daughter of one of the last old-school fighters, featuring many previously untold stories. This is the story of East End life from a woman who has seen it, lived it, and sometimes been plagued by it.

This book is inspired by the true story of my life and journey from homelessness and beyond. It ́s an inspiring story of courage, tragedy, adventure, perseverance, determination, resilience, faith, and redemption. The story is about my life in the beginning, growing up, surviving the fire incident, and early demise of my three sisters. Life without my father; fear of my mother, and life in the navy. I suffered thirty years from low self-esteem, fear, anger, resentments, worthlessness, loneliness, hopelessness, homelessness, substance abuse, failed attempts to maintain employment, mental institutions, churches, shelters, jails, bad relationships, and marriages too! I walked in the kingdom of darkness(Hell) for thirty years determined to find myself; I finally made a final decision to get my life on track once and for all! One day, I evaluated my entire life as far as I could remember. I began to peel off the layers of my unresolved issues like a banana. I confronted the tragic death of my three sisters, which I honestly haven ́t done before, for closure purposes. I confronted the anger and resentments I harbored toward my mother for her failures, including my father for abandoning me. I was angry with myself for my history of substance abuse and homelessness, also for not reaching out for help in the beginning when I should have done so. I completed an intense, detailed evaluation of my life one day. I began to cry until I was all cried out. I had enough faith to pray to God at the time. I asked God to renew in me a new heart and spirit to serve him. To be the man that he intended me to be. After I finished praying, I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. This was my defining moment and the turning point of my life. I began to see light at the end of the tunnel! I began to seek treatment for my depression and PTSD. I attented (NA)meetings. I began to read and apply the word of God in my life daily. The wounds of my past miraculously began to heal. Over a period of time, my wife noticed an internal transformation taking place in my life! I began to foregive everyone who done me wrong, including my worse enemy of all, myself! Today, I live a life of purpose, not defeat, drug free and living one day at a time. I was compelled to write my life and journey from homelessness and beyond in hopes that my story may convey to anyone who may be struggling with their personal giants, especially the homeless; their is hope!!! You can make it. I ́m grateful that I had the opportunity to have gotten the help I needed. There are good people in the world. I ́m a veteran who enlisted and was honorably discharged from both, the US Navy from 1986 to 1991, and the Army reserve from 1992 to 2000. Today, I currently serve as an enlisted soldier in the Army of the Lord!

I feel that, all that happen to man is pre-ordained in our GENES and that God does not make mistakes. Many are always called but only those who sees the light are chosen, and those that are chosen also select those that are known to them. They all started like me, without money, gold or silver and so they are gods or lords. While some people move out of their countries and returned successful, some does not but I am glad that, I moved out of my country and at least for now, I am happy in a foreign land, when I finally return I hope that I would have every course to say LAUS DEO which to me means PRAISE GOD. I struggled through difficult situations, in my land, left my land for a greener pasture, got to different lands with people of different cultures and behaviors, under severe weather conditions of summer and winter, hoping to gain good life, sometimes working and other times not having work to do. Mum and brothers always calling from my land to bring or send something. My dear fellows, this is my situation for now and I wish you all goodluck as I wish my self.