Breaking the Chains of Bondage

Thirty-four years ago, Charles Smith was incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (or ‘Injustice,’ as he would say) with two life sentences. Now, he shares with us the harrowing and horrific experience of life in a Texas prison. Breaking the Chains of Bondage is his personal memoir that guides us through the fields and down the halls of everyday life, torture, and trauma in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison system. It is a read you won’t soon forget.

Despite facing numerous hardships and challenges during his 30+ years of incarceration, Charles persevered and achieved a master’s degree in psychology from UT-Clear Lake in Houston, earning widespread respect as a motivational speaker. He shares his passion for justice for all and his love for Esther and humanity at large. Breaking the Chains of Bondage is a riveting story of courage, resilience, and love. Open it up—take a walk inside.

Child Protection in America

Child abuse and neglect are tragically common. Each year, more than 1,000 American children die due to maltreatment. Thousands more suffer physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Across the country, every community has a system of government-operated and funded child protective services (CPS). But given that social workers of CPS have the authority to remove children from unsafe parents, it is no surprise that CPS is controversial. Does CPS protect children? Does CPS do more good than harm? Is CPS fundamentally racist, as some critics argue? Should CPS be abolished? To answer these questions, it is essential to understand the origins of child protection in America. How did we arrive at the child protection system in place today? This book traces the history of child protection from colonial times to the present and provides the most in-depth analysis ever published of the origins of child protection.

Confidence Matters

This book can help you to develop your self-awareness, your self-belief, and your sense of self-worth so that you can feel confident whenever, wherever, and with whomever.

Go on a journey of self-discovery with practical step-by-step exercises, and develop and strengthen your authentic motivation and self-confidence with techniques based on the powerful behavioural science of neuro-linguistic programming.

Confidence Matters by Dr. Louise J. Goddard EdD is for everyone – from teachers to business leaders, entrepreneurs to coaches, parents, and people from all walks of life. It goes beyond positive thinking. It contains no-nonsense step-by-step exercises for self-discovery, transcendence of unconscious limiting beliefs, and enhancement of mental clarity, self-awareness, motivation, gratitude, and self-empowerment.

Connections

I am a practicing psychotherapist with over fifty years of experience, still actively seeing patients in the San Diego area. I currently specialize in those needing treatment for long-term care, chronic conditions, and PTSD.

I returned to my roots in writing Connections. I expanded upon the developmental frameworks I taught in my UCSD courses; my students encouraged me to adapt these core psychological constructs into a matrix encompassing my other passions, like physics and spirituality. I believe we need an ongoing inner Renaissance if we hope to spark one in the wider world.

Conscious (R)Evolution, Humanity, Insanity, and the Planet

In Conscious (R)Evolution, Humanity, Insanity, and the Planet, the author brings together two powerful insights: that all life on this planet is interconnected, and that humanity’s current path of consumerism and industrialization is leading to catastrophe. From deforestation to pollution, we are damaging the very environment that sustains us. This book asks us to stop and consider the bigger picture: as an intelligent species, why would we willingly destroy the planet that gave us life? With urgency and clarity, the author calls for a new way of living, one that recognizes our place in the natural world and uses our intelligence to create a better future for all.

CRO'67 a Golden Bear Story

Buckle up for a thrilling journey through the vibrant 1950s and 1960s with this riveting coming-of-age memoir. Echoing the nostalgia and charm of classics like American Pie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Stand by Me, American Graffiti, and Pleasantville, this graphic memoir offers a unique blend of heartfelt stories and vivid adventures.

Set in the idyllic suburb of Upper Arlington, Ohio, during a Camelot era, this tale follows a group of friends navigating the exhilarating highs and lows of adolescence. From mischievous escapades to moments of poignant self-discovery, the narrative captures the essence of youth, marked by friendships, first loves, and unforgettable parties.

Against a backdrop of significant historical events – social pressures, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War – our protagonists brush shoulders with the elite, all while experiencing the raw and joyful transformation from childhood to teenage years.

DAMN: An Emotional and Physical Journey Through the Corridors of the Justice System

DAMN: Emotional and Physical Journey Through the Corridors of the Justice System uncovers the hidden and taboo stories of gay relationships within the prison system. Venturing into a world often associated with violence and isolation, this book offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of individuals seeking love, intimacy, and self-authentication under the harshest of conditions. Drawing on firsthand accounts, research, and personal experiences, the author delves into the labyrinth of emotions, charting both the struggles and the triumphs that defy the barriers of incarceration.

This compelling narrative serves not just as a testament to human resilience and the transformative power of love, but also as a call to action. Addressing the systemic issues that exacerbate the hardships faced by LGBTQ+ individuals behind bars, it challenges us to confront our biases and advocate for a more inclusive and empathetic prison system. A catalyst for meaningful conversations and reforms, this book reminds us of the inherent worth of every human being, urging us toward a more equitable and compassionate society.

Developing Practical Wisdom

Many people recognize wisdom as an important ideal, but the subject is rarely studied in public education or widely understood outside academia. Drawing from historical and contemporary research in psychology, philosophy, and education, Developing Practical Wisdom describes, in language accessible to any thoughtful reader, how people can intentionally learn to become wiser. The narrative provides a comprehensive set of pedagogical tools, including theories and practices, for developing deeply coherent perspectives on the world and the people in it. It explains how to cultivate coherent thinking and apply moral principles in daily life.

Don Harris Oben: In Search of a Future

This book chronicles the captivating journey of Don, who as a young boy used to listen with rapt attention to the fascinating stories his father told about his travels in colonial Nigeria. These tales invoke in little Don a burning desire to one day undertake his own voyage of discovery, to broaden his horizons beyond the familiar.

So Don sets out into the unknown at the tender age of 14, quickly realizing that expanding one’s worldview is no one-time event. Rather, it is a lifelong process full of twists, turns, and unexpected revelations about places, peoples, and even himself. As Don navigates a complex and often bewildering world, we walk alongside him through monumental challenges, missed opportunities and connections made.

With a wife and five third-culture kids in tow, Don’s pursuit to continually push boundaries and search for a brighter future proves as epic and demanding as that of history’s great exploratory figures. His tireless voyage makes us reflect on what it means to have an inquisitive mind, confront hardship, and leave behind footprints that point others to higher horizons long after we are gone.

Dresden: Portrait of a City

The world knows Dresden as the victim of vicious Allied bombing at the end of World War II that destroyed its famed Baroque architecture. But Dresden is more than this stereotype implies. This portrait explores the highs and lows of Dresden’s individual experiences. It captures the visions of the princes who created the Baroque city. It displays the talents of the individuals who turned a princely residence into a modern industrial hub. It traces the city’s historically conflicted relationship with its Jewish community. And it reveals how the city’s identification with the arts was often at odds with its economic, social, and political realities. This background led Dresden to act as spearhead of the peaceful revolution that re-united Germany in 1990. The multiple facets of Dresden’s past inspire its current vitality and energize its response to contemporary challenges.

Economic Myths and Economic Realities

The world’s ten richest countries have about 60 times the income per capita of the bottom ten. Nobel Prize-winning economists have acknowledged their ignorance regarding the sources of economic growth. This explains why, despite considerable financial assistance, the gap between poorer and richer countries has grown year after year, both globally and within countries like the USA and Europe.

Using straightforward statistical diagrams, this book explains approximately 90% of the variance in income among countries or states. First, it empirically demonstrates what does not work – the myths – from reindustrialization to Keynesianism. Then, it examines the real drivers of growth by evaluating whole countries (public, social and private sectors combined, including the non-working population) as companies, assessing their business administration across areas like marketing, work culture, strategy and operations. After all, numerous multinationals are larger than countries.

The lessons are twofold: First, nothing is more pointless than perfecting the irrelevant. Second, there are no underdeveloped countries, only undermanaged ones (P. Drucker). The wealthiest countries are, overall, the best-run companies.

Eight Fought to Live

1988: 82,362 gay and bisexual men had AIDS.

1989: 100,000 gay and bisexual men had AIDS.

1990: 307,000 gay and bisexual men had AIDS.

These are the two years Dr. Rosiello led an AIDS therapy group at Gay Men’s Health Crisis in New York City. Within two years each man in her group passed away from AIDS complications. One of these men was Vito Russo, an AIDS activist and historian.

This is the story of eight gay men living with advanced AIDS and one inexperienced fresh out of training psychoanalyst. Each man’s intimate story is peppered with Dr. Rosiello’s anxiety and her growing awareness regarding the importance of emotional authenticity in psychotherapy. The group members had no spare moments for Dr. Rosiello to use her newly learned psychoanalytic techniques. There was only time to be real.

Early on these group members pledged to not die. They pledged emotional support for the life of the group. This pledge held true for over a year. Blood brothers in their fight to live.