Biography & Autobiography

Get inside the head of one of the most influential musicians of our time, a pop music phenomenon turned titan of industry and cultural icon: Taylor Swift.

This collection of quotes has been carefully curated from Swift’s numerous public statements—interviews, op-eds, social media posts, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of her meteoric rise to the top, her ever-savvy business sense, and her increasingly vocalized perspective on the music world and beyond.

Swift’s catchy, chart-topping songs have propelled her to become one of the bestselling musicians of all time. But in the 15 years she’s been making music, she has also amassed enough power to buck the norms of an industry notorious for controlling the images of its often very young female artists.

Her latest, unprecedented record deal gives her ownership of all her master records, the ability to dictate the terms of her albums’ streaming releases in order to maximize her profits, and a requirement that her label share proceeds from sale of its stake in Spotify with its musicians. She has championed the rights of artists to earn fair royalties, and more recently, she has inspired tens of thousands of fans to register to vote.

Swift’s achievements have earned her spots on both Forbes’s Most Powerful Women and Time’s 100 Most Influential People lists. Now, for the first time, you can find her most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place.

Richard Branson, who has been called "England's most outrageous billionaire," is also one of the world's most successful business leaders.Since the age of 16, when he founded Student magazine, Branson has been creating companies and finding innovative ways to grow them into the prodigious conglomerate known as the Virgin Group. At the age of 20, Branson founded a mail-order record retailer. Two years later he built a recording studio where the first artist signed to his Virgin label, Mike Oldfield, recorded the haunting soundtrack to The Exorcist. Decades later, industries as varied as entertainment (Virgin Music), retail (Virgin Megastores), transportation (Virgin Airlines), and telecommunications (Virgin Mobile) all bear Branson's business moniker. For the first time, the most thought-provoking, revealing, and inspiring quotes from Branson have been compiled in a single book.

Updated and redesigned since its initial publication in 2013 as Virgin Rebel: Richard Branson in His Own Words, this new edition is a comprehensive guidebook to the inner workings of the Virgin Group chairman and founder. Hundreds of Branson's best quotes, comprising thoughts on business, music, entrepreneurship, politics, exploration, and life lessons, provide an intimate and direct look into the mind of this modern business icon.

Get inside the head of Jane Fonda: actress, political activist, environmentalist, philanthropist, and creator of an unlikely fitness empire that captivated the country beginning in the 1980s.
This collection of quotes has been curated from Jane Fonda’s numerous public statements—interviews, books, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of her legacy and her impact on American popular culture.
Fonda began her career in the public eye as a model before taking up acting and bursting onto the scene as a stage actress in New York in the 1950s. She transitioned to film work in the 60s and skyrocketed to global prominence through her performance as the title character in Barbarella (1968). While she continued to headline in major motion pictures through the 70s and into the 80s, she became just as well known for the political activism she pursued in the late 60s and early 70s, most notably in the anti-war movement during the Vietnam era.
In an effort to fund some of her activist efforts, she launched a second career in fitness. Fonda built a multi-million dollar aerobics exercise empire, starting with the release of Jane Fonda’s Workout Book (1981), which was a national bestseller, and quickly followed by her popular exercise video, Jane Fonda’s Workout, which was the top-selling VHS tape for a number of years. She went on to film more than 20 other workout videos, which collectively sold more than 17 million copies worldwide.
She took a brief hiatus from acting throughout the 90s, during which time she founded several philanthropic organizations, including the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential, the Fonda Family Foundation, and the Jane Fonda Foundation. Her foundations make charitable donations to a number of causes including reproductive services, education, human services, and the environment.
Fonda eventually returned to acting in the early 2000s, capturing a new generation of fans through her work in film and on popular television series including The Newsroom and the contemporary Netflix hit series Grace and Frankie. She has continued to do activist work, particularly in opposing the Iraq War and supporting environmental causes.
Now, for the first time, you can find Jane Fonda’s most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place.

Get inside the head of Michelle Obama: author, lawyer, humanitarian, and the trailblazing first Black woman to serve as the First Lady of the United States.

This collection of quotes has been carefully curated from Michelle Obama’s numerous public statements—interviews, books, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of her legacy as one of America’s most recognizable and influential women.

Now, for the first time, you can find Michelle Obama’s most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place, providing an intimate and direct look into the mind of this beloved first lady.

Get inside the head of LeBron James: basketball star, activist, philanthropist, and one of the most influential athletes in the world.

This collection of quotes has been curated from LeBron James’s numerous public statements—interviews, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of his legacy as one of the world’s most recognizable and influential athletes. The quotes in the collection touch on sports, community, life lessons, opportunity, equality, justice, and more.

LeBron James’s meteoric rise to basketball fame started when he was just a teenager, being billed by Sports Illustrated as “The Chosen One” while he was still playing for his high school team in Akron, Ohio. He became the top overall selection for the 2003 NBA draft and signed an unprecedented $90 million endorsement deal with Nike before he ever played a professional game. James spent the first seven years of his career playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, with whom he would establish himself as a premier player in the league before going on to play for the Miami Heat and the L.A. Lakers. His unmatched athleticism and drive have led to multiple NBA championships, MVP awards, Olympic gold medals, and more points scored than anyone else in the history of professional basketball. Off the court, he has spoken up for racial equality, founded a school for at-risk children in his hometown, launched multiple media companies, and even tried his hand at acting.

Since emerging on the global stage, James has become a source of inspiration for people all over the world. Now, LeBron James: In His Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world’s most influential athletes by collecting over 400 of his most insightful quotes to create a comprehensive picture of LeBron James and his legacy for readers everywhere.

Get inside the head of Rihanna: musician, fashion designer, and business mogul.

This collection of quotes has been curated from Rihanna’s numerous public statements—interviews, books, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of a beloved icon and her impact on popular culture.

Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty burst onto the American music scene in the mid-2000s when she released her single “Pon de Replay,” which hit number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. Her debut album sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, opening the door for her second album, A Girl Like Me, to go platinum. She continued to climb the music charts as she released her Good Girl Gone Bad album, featuring the hit track “Umbrella,” which earned her her first Grammy Award. She has gone on to become one of the most streamed artists of all time.

As she gained global fame for her musical abilities, Rihanna also became known as a fashion leader. She earned a Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and her 2015 Met Gala dress “broke the internet,” garnering a billion impressions on social media.

In 2017, Rihanna launched her own makeup line, called Fenty Beauty, which she expanded in the years following into a line of lingerie, Savage X Fenty, and a luxury fashion line, Fenty. She has been praised for her dedication to inclusion both in terms of the diversity of skin tones represented in her makeup and lingerie lines, and for the variety of body types featured in promotion for her products. 

Her global impact extends beyond music and fashion—Rihanna has founded a number of foundations and charities to facilitate her philanthropic work. Her Believe Foundation is dedicated to assisting children with terminal illnesses and her Clara Lionel Foundation supports climate justice programs. She was one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2012 and 2018 and listed by Forbes as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women of 2019. In 2021, Forbes identified her as the richest female musician in the world, and the second richest female entertainer in the world behind Oprah Winfrey.

Rihanna has already established herself as a hit recording artist, business mogul, and global influencer, and she’s still at the relative outset of her career. Now, for the first time, you can find Rihanna’s most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place, painting a comprehensive picture of this superstar’s impact on the world so far.

Get inside the head of RuPaul: award-winning TV personality, musician, actor, LGBTQ+ icon, business mogul, and the most influential drag queen in the world.

This collection of quotes has been carefully curated from RuPaul’s numerous public statements—interviews, books, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of his decades-long career, his transformative effect on pop culture, and his wise perspective on identity, love, and life.

Now, for the first time, you can find his most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place.

Get inside the head of one of the most influential women in the world, one who has penetrated almost every media space with her unique combination of savvy business sense, practical homemaking advice, and good humor.

This collection of quotes has been gathered from Martha Stewart’s numerous public statements—interviews, op-eds, television appearances, books, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of her business empire, her advice for life and the home, and her comeback after scandal and imprisonment.

Martha Stewart has called herself a “late bloomer,” but after she published her first book, Entertaining, at the age of 49, she rapidly built on that first success, launching magazines, television shows, retail lines, and more books to establish a media empire. Her name is synonymous with tasteful decor, delicious from-scratch foods, and the covetable estates she keeps in upstate New York, the Hamptons, and Maine.

Even after the insider trading scandal that threatened to derail her career in 2004, Stewart was able to rebuild her image of classic domesticity matched by a tireless work ethic. New ventures like “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party” have added a sense of playfulness to her personal brand and introduced her to new audiences.

A winner of multiple Emmys and James Beard Awards, and the chairperson of her own media conglomerate, Stewart has proven she has staying power across generations. She’s a true icon, not just for fans who learned how to cook and keep house from her books and television shows, but for audiences who associate her name with taste, simplicity, and style.

As one of only nine women in a class of 500 at Harvard Law School when she enrolled in 1956 and one of only four female Supreme Court justices in the history of the United States, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is frequently viewed as a feminist trailblazer and an icon for civil rights.

Ginsburg has always been known as a prolific writer and speaker. Now, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world’s most influential women by collecting 300 of Ginsburg’s most insightful quotes. Meticulously curated from interviews, speeches, court opinions, dissents, and other sources, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words creates a comprehensive picture of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her wisdom, and her legacy.

A collection of more than 300 quotes from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: pro wrestling phenom, actor, businessman, and cultural icon, providing a unique look into the mind of one of the most recognizable and influential figures of our era. Part of the In Their Own Words series.

This collection of quotes has been curated from Dwayne Johnson’s numerous public statements—interviews, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of his legacy as one of the world’s most recognizable and influential celebrities. The quotes in this collection touch on football, wrestling, Hollywood, building a business, heritage, activism, and more. 

Johnson, a third-generation wrestler, rose to prominence in the late 1990s as one of the most electrifying and charismatic performers in the history of professional wrestling. Debuting in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) as Rocky Maivia, he quickly gained attention for his athleticism, microphone skills, and larger-than-life persona. Embracing the moniker "The Rock," he became a cornerstone of the Attitude Era, and his unparalleled ability to connect with audiences propelled him to multiple WWE Championships. His catchphrases and signature moves became iconic in wrestling lore and garnered mainstream attention beyond the world of wrestling as well. 

After achieving superstardom in the ring, Johnson transitioned to Hollywood, eventually becoming one of the highest-paid actors in the world and starring in blockbuster films including The Mummy and Jumanji, as well as appearing in DC Comics franchise films and voicing Maui in the Disney hit Moana, a nod to his Samoan heritage that he proudly touts as central to his identity. Beyond acting, he has built a business empire that spans multiple enterprises, including a production company, a premium tequila brand, sportswear, and a digital content platform.

Johnson’s entrepreneurial spirit and versatility beyond his entertainment career earned him a nod as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2019. Now, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson: In His Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world’s most captivating and beloved personas.

An updated and expanded collection of more than 350 quotes from Taylor Swift, pop culture icon and one of the bestselling musicians of all time. Part of the In Their Own Words series.

This collection of quotes, curated from Swift’s numerous public statements—interviews, op-eds, social media posts, and more—has been updated to include Swift’s thoughts on all her latest record-breaking achievements: new music, new ventures, and an iconic tour. It’s a comprehensive picture of her meteoric rise to the top, her ever-savvy business sense, and her increasingly vocalized perspective on the music world and beyond.

Swift’s catchy, chart-topping songs have propelled her to become one of the bestselling musicians of all time. In the nearly two decades she’s been making music, she has amassed enough power to buck the norms of an industry notorious for controlling the images of its often very young female artists. Through an unprecedented record deal she has championed the rights of artists to earn fair royalties, and through social media she has inspired tens of thousands of fans to register to vote. She has also earned the status of feminist icon due to her vocal stance against gender inequality in the music industry and her empowerment of young women through her music and public actions.

Since the release of the first edition of Taylor Swift: In Her Own Words in 2019, Swift’s achievements have continued to soar. She has released four more critically acclaimed albums that broke streaming records and won multiple Grammy Awards. In 2023, she embarked on the historic Eras Tour, which shattered records for the highest-grossing tour in history and culminated in a movie that became the highest-grossing concert film of all time.

Swift’s activism and business acumen have earned her spots on both Forbes’s Most Powerful Women and Time’s 100 Most Influential People lists. Now, for the first time, you can find her latest, most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place.

Get inside the head of Steve Jobs: inventor, visionary, business mogul, and one of the most influential entrepreneurs in the world.

Drawn from more than three decades of media coverage, this tribute serves up the best, most thought-provoking insights ever spoken by Steve Jobs: more than 200 quotations that are essential reading for everyone who seeks innovative solutions and inspirations applicable to their business, regardless of size.

Jobs, who passed away on October 5, 2011, at the age of 56, cofounded Apple in 1976. He stepped down from that role in August 2011, bringing an end to one of the greatest, most transformative business careers in history. Over the years, Jobs gave countless interviews to the media, explaining what he called “the vision thing”—his unmatched ability to envision, and successfully bring to the marketplace, consumer products that people find simply irresistible.

Jobs made an indelible mark in multiple industries, and played an enormous role in creating others. Consider how Jobs and Apple shaped the following fields: personal computers (laptop and desktop), apps (for multiple electronic devices), computer animation (Pixar), music (iTunes), telecommunications (iPhone), personal digital devices (iPod), books (iBook), and tablets (iPad). Jobs was the greatest business visionary of our era.

Steve Jobs: In His Own Words is the perfect gift or reference item for everyone interested in this great American original.

Get inside the head of one of the most beloved musicians of our time, a longtime country music phenomenon turned titan of industry and cultural icon: Dolly Parton.

This collection of quotes has been carefully curated from Parton’s numerous public statements—interviews, speeches, social media posts, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of her legacy as one of America’s most recognizable music superstars, whose considerable impact can be felt well beyond popular culture.

Since her career began in the Nashville music scene of the 1960s, Parton has become revered for her work as a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. Parton has sold over 100 million records world-wide, she’s one of the most-honored female country performers of all time, and in 1999, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Her profile has long transcended her musical achievements, as she became a successful businesswoman and co-owner of the Dollywood Company. She has also been recognized for her philanthropic work, providing scholarships and awards through her Dollywood Foundation and successful literacy program.

This collection is a look into the inner workings of the woman known for penning such hits as “I Will Always Love You” and “9 to 5.” Now, for the first time, you can find Parton’s most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place, providing an intimate and direct look into the mind of this legendary musical icon.

For more than half a century, Warren Buffett, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has been one of the world’s most respected businessmen, not just because of his savvy investments and unmatched record of returns, but also because of his humility, candor, and refreshing perspective on wealth.

Despite this tremendous success, the Oracle of Omaha doesn’t feel entitled to the $89 billion net worth his abilities have earned him. Instead, he likes to say that he was born at the right place and time, and as an active philanthropist, he has already pledged to give most of his money to charity. This modesty in the face of proven talent is part of what makes Buffett as popular on Main Street as he is on Wall Street—he is one of the world’s wealthiest men and yet he is still personable and relatable.

Now, hundreds of the most thought-provoking and inspiring quotes from Buffett are compiled in a single book. Warren Buffett: In His Own Words is a comprehensive guidebook to the inner workings of this business icon, providing insight into his thoughts on investing, Wall Street, business, politics, taxes, life lessons, and more.

This collection of quotations draws from decades of interviews, editorials, and annual shareholder reports, amassing a comprehensive outline of how Buffett believes a good business is run and a good life is led. It’s advice that Buffett has successfully adhered to throughout his 88 years, and it’s now available in Warren Buffett: In His Own Words.

Jeff Bezos started Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore based out of his garage. Since then, the ever-expanding enterprise has revolutionized shopping and, in many important ways, invented e-commerce as we know it. Today, Amazon is the third-most valuable company in the world, and Bezos's vast customer-oriented empire has mushroomed to include everything from cloud computing and fresh food delivery to movie production and consumer electronics. In recent years, Bezos also has invested in rocket technology, newspaper publishing, and artificial intelligence. Every arm of Bezos's business, however, is guided by a fundamental goal: to give customers what they want before they even think to ask for it.

Jeff Bezos: In His Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world's most successful entrepreneurs by collecting more than 500 of Bezos's quotes on business, technology, customer service, e-commerce, innovation, entrepreneurship, and more. Meticulously curated from interviews, speeches, shareholder letters, press releases, and other sources, this book creates a comprehensive picture of Jeff Bezos, his obsessions, and what makes his ventures thrive.

After more than 20 years at the helm of Amazon and its subsidiaries, Bezos continues to operate on what he calls "Day One time" in order to maintain the early experimental spirit of his business. Since the beginning, when he first saw the potential of the internet as a powerful tool for commerce, he has looked for trends and technologies that can alter not just business but daily life. Jeff Bezos: In His Own Words reveals in detail a man who wants to push the future forward—and will inspire readers to do the same.

Hundreds of candid quotes from Chinese tech giant Jack Ma that reveal his thoughts on business values, innovation, competition, teamwork, philanthropy, and more.

Ever since the Alibaba Group went public on September 19, 2014—with an initial public offering of a record-breaking $25 billion—Jack Ma, the founder and charismatic “spiritual leader” of the e-commerce behemoth, has been making headlines around the world. Alibaba is now the largest retailer in the world, and since 2015, the company’s online sales and profits have outstripped those of Amazon, eBay, and Walmart combined. Recently, Alibaba’s cloud computing arm has been outperforming major players such as Google and Amazon, and Jack Ma has been widening its investments into new sectors, such as entertainment and electric cars.

Ma—the first Chinese entrepreneur to appear on the cover of Forbes and the third-richest man in China—has a net worth that is estimated to be more than $39 billion. But despite Ma’s massive influence in China and in the global tech world, his inspirational rags-to-riches story is relatively unknown to the general American public. Jack Ma: In His Own Words is a detailed look at the thoughts and words of arguably the most prominent figure in internet entrepreneurship in the past 20 years—made up entirely of Ma’s own thought-provoking and candid quotes.

Many of these quotes are translated directly from the Chinese press and interviews. For readers who do not read Chinese and have no other access to these materials, this book provides invaluable insight into the mind of one of the world’s most successful business magnates.

Mark Zuckerberg: In His Own Words details the visionary thoughts and opinions of Facebook’s founder entirely through direct quotations from Zuckerberg himself. It is an intimate and authoritative look at the man behind Facebook’s once-in-a-generation success. This book serves up his most thought-provoking insights, as researched and chosen by George Beahm, the New York Times bestselling editor of I, Steve: Steve Jobs In His Own Words.

Mark Zuckerberg: In His Own Words provides crucial illumination of Zuckerberg and the company he’s created, emphasizing insights, business strategies, and lessons learned. It is essential reading for people who seek innovative solutions applicable to their business, regardless of size, and makes an ideal gift or reference item for anyone interested in this American business icon.