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About

Maura Stone comes from a leading borscht belt entertainment family known as "Catskill Royalty" in comedy. She grew up in the lap of humor where famous American comedians sat at her kitchen table swapping jokes with her family; her father a sit-com writer and her cousin, Sam Levenson, known nationwide from the 1950's until his death in 1978. Today, most people recall Sam Levenson from his best-selling books, appearances on tv shows and for his poem that Audrey Hepburn loved.

No stranger to comedy as she was trained in the Stone/Levenson tradition of intellectual humor (both high and lowbrow), Maura pursued a different career path, commercial banking. Which gave rise to shock from colleagues when her first novel, Five-Star FLEECING, received rave reviews and won a national book award in 2011 for comedy. Although fictional in scope, the stories in the book are based upon true tales from the crypt of incidents formerly known to those involved in the high-end hospitality industry.   More importantly, Five-Star FLEECING broke all the rules of traditional literature, making it the first novel in American literary history where the major protagonist, a woman, is NOT a victim of love, men or abuse. Five-Star FLEECING is also the first comedy about hospitality in over three decades as well as the first novel about corruption in that industry.

Since Five-Star FLEECING, Maura has published several mini ebooks, some of which have won awards, that are currently being compiled into a major edition. Her blog, KISS-keepitsimpleschmuck.blogspot.com is the top comedy blog on the planet, winning awards and acclaim.

For more reviews, feel free to check out goodreads.com

www.MauraStone.com

Description

<p><b>The absorbing, definitive account of CrossFit's origins, its explosive grassroots growth, and its emergence as a global phenomenon.</b><br /> <br />One of the most illuminating books ever on a sports subculture, <i>Learning to Breathe Fire </i>combines vivid sports writing with a thoughtful meditation on what it means to be human. In the book, veteran journalist J.C. Herz explains the science of maximum effort, why the modern gym fails an obese society, and the psychic rewards of ending up on the floor feeling as though you're about to die. <br /> <br />The story traces CrossFit’s rise, from a single underground gym in Santa Cruz to its adoption as the workout of choice for elite special forces, firefighters and cops, to its popularity as the go-to fitness routine for regular Joes and Janes. Especially riveting is Herz’s description of The CrossFit Games, which begin as an informal throw-down on a California ranch and evolve into a televised global proving ground for the fittest men and women on Earth, as well as hundreds of thousands of lesser mortals. <br /> <br />In her portrayal of the sport's star athletes, its passionate coaches and its “chief armorer,” Rogue Fitness, Herz powerfully evokes the uniqueness of a fitness culture that cultivates primal fierceness in average people. And in the shared ordeal of an all-consuming workout, she unearths the ritual intensity that's been with us since humans invented sports, showing us how, on a deep level, we're all tribal hunters and first responders, waiting for the signal to go all-out. </p>

Story Behind The Book

The raunchy and unsophisticated 2011 award-winning comedy, Five-Star FLEECING, is a delicious, fast-paced and satisfying romp through the hospitality industry. Loosely based on the true story of the demise of a 5-star luxury hotel in NYC, the hilarious Five-Star FLEECING proved so incendiary that a Bank placed a Cease & Desist order to prohibit publication! Come join the madness (yes, madness), the fun, the laughter & be party to the party behind the toppling of a luxury hotel! www.maurastone.com

Reviews

<span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;color:#2f2f2f;"></span><ol style="margin-top:15px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;list-style-type:none;"><li style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:25px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;"><a href="http://www.indiependentbooks.com/shop/index.php/review/product/view/id/51/" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;color:#000000;text-decoration:underline;"><strong style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;">A humorous delve into the underworld of class, highly recommended</strong></a> Review by 5 Star Review from Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI)<table class="ratings-list" cellspacing="0" style="margin-top:4px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:4px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;"><tbody style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;"><tr style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;"><td class="label" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:3px;padding-right:8px;padding-bottom:3px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:top;font-weight:bold;font-size:.95em;line-height:1em;"><strong style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;">Overall Rating (5 stars)</strong></td><td style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:3px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:3px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:top;"><div class="rating-box" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:5px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;float:left;width:69px;height:13px;background-image:url(http://www.indiependentbooks.com/shop/skin/frontend/default/default/images/product_rating_blank_star.gif);background-repeat:repeat-x;"><div class="rating" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;height:13px;background-image:url(http://www.indiependentbooks.com/shop/skin/frontend/default/default/images/product_rating_full_star.gif);background-repeat:repeat-x;width:69px;"></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:.8em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;clear:both;">Even the classiest isn't immune from the lowest common denominator. "Five-Star Fleecing" looks into the life of Linda Lane, as she embraces her new career as manager of the Supreme Superior, a five star New York City hotel. But her classy career is not what it's cracked up to be as she soon finds herself again associating with criminals. Presented as a dark comedy, "Five-Star Fleecing" is a humorous delve into the underworld of class, highly recommended. (April 2010)</p></li> <li> </li> <li style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:25px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;"><a href="http://www.indiependentbooks.com/shop/index.php/review/product/view/id/50/" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;color:#000000;text-decoration:underline;"><strong style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;">This is a superb scathing satire of the hospitality business</strong></a> Review by 5 Star Review from Harriet Klausner, #1 book reviewer:<table class="ratings-list" cellspacing="0" style="margin-top:4px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:4px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;"><tbody style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;"><tr style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;"><td class="label" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:3px;padding-right:8px;padding-bottom:3px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:top;font-weight:bold;font-size:.95em;line-height:1em;"><strong style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;">Overall Rating (5 stars)</strong></td><td style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:3px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:3px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:top;"><div class="rating-box" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:5px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;float:left;width:69px;height:13px;background-image:url(http://www.indiependentbooks.com/shop/skin/frontend/default/default/images/product_rating_blank_star.gif);background-repeat:repeat-x;"><div class="rating" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;height:13px;background-image:url(http://www.indiependentbooks.com/shop/skin/frontend/default/default/images/product_rating_full_star.gif);background-repeat:repeat-x;width:69px;"></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:.8em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;clear:both;">Posted February 8, 2010, 4:50 PM EST: In 1995 after losing her legal position at a firm doing questionable practices, Linda Lane obtains a job as assistant resident manager at the Manhattan luxurious Supreme Superior Hotel. Her boss Herr Ganiff explains the rules of working at a five-star hotel and assigns her to work up a plan on how to keep their high rollers happy while also bringing in some middle income. However, Linda observes all sorts of questionable practices at the hotel owned in absentia by a Japanese trio. In fact, she sees theft, poor handling of guests and a management team that takes care of itself exclusively. As she tries to ignore what she observes, Linda thinks of her father who told her to never back down from an ethics scenario as she did as a lawyer. This is a superb scathing satire of the hospitality business at a time when Wall St. is in the news with Too Big To Fail bonuses to many of those who failed. The cast is eccentric and over the top of the Empire State Building with me-me attitudes that stun idealistic newcomer Linda Lane who cannot understand the philosophy that the guest must not get in the way of bonuses. Maura Stone provides a well written tale of avarice, American style of capitalism.<br /><br />Harriet Klausner (February 2010)</p></li> </ol>

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Learning to Breathe Fire: The Rise of CrossFit and the Primal Future of Fitness

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