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BASED ON THE TRUE STORY
The True Story of The Woman Who Built A House Using YouTube
This must-read memoir traces one family’s rise from battered victims to stronger, better versions of themselves, all through one extraordinary do-it-yourself project. Equipped only with YouTube videos, a small bank loan, and a mile-wide stubborn streak, Cara built her own house from the foundation up with a work crew composed of her four children.
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A Straightforward Guide To Getting Unstuck (once & for all)
Whether you're a team looking to break records, an organization dreaming of massive growth, a leader aspiring to change the world, or an individual reaching for a goal that everyone said is impossible, Unstuck gives you the tools - and the motivation - to overcome procrastination and reshape the way you think about productivity.
CARA’S MEMOIR
More About Rise
If you were inspired by Wild and Eat, Pray, Love, you’ll love this extraordinary true story of a woman taking the greatest risk of her life in order to heal from the unthinkable.
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The magnificent true story of a woman who, after losing everything, found a way to heal and build a new life
Cara Brookins escaped an abusive marriage with four children to provide for and no one to turn to but herself. In desperate need of a home but without the means to buy one, she did something incredible.
Equipped only with YouTube instructional videos, a small bank loan, and a mile-wide stubborn streak, Cara built her own house from the foundation up with a work crew composed of her four children.
It would be the hardest thing she had ever done. With no experience nailing together anything bigger than a bookshelf, she and her kids poured concrete, framed the walls, and laid bricks for their two-story five-bedroom house. She had convinced herself that if they could build a house, they could rebuild their broken family.
This must-read memoir traces one family's rise from battered victims to stronger, better versions of themselves, all through one extraordinary do-it-yourself project.
Rise Reviews
"…reminded me of the power of a truly good book … to raise ideas, stir emotions, and bring the reader to a place he or she had never been before."
PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON
"An inspiring memoir of absolute determination.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS
"A tough, honest memoir. Brookins deftly narrates the extreme learning curve her family experienced while putting a family back together again."
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"Telling a story like Rise takes guts. It also takes talent, which Cara has in spades. To paraphrase Sondheim, she made a house, where there never was a house. And then she wrote this memorable book about it. Believe me, it's pretty rare for those skill sets to overlap."
LAURA LIPPMAN, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF AFTER I’M GONE
"This inspiring real-life story that's all the more amazing because it's true. Readers will be both spellbound and lifted by it."
DAVID MORRELL, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR
"Cara Brookins did something remarkable with her life: She turned trauma into power and fear into courage. She refused to be a victim anymore. In powerful ways, her extraordinary memoir, Rise, tells the story of her resurrection from victim of domestic abuse to bad-ass mom with a hammer and carpenter’s square. You will be enlightened. You will be inspired. You will cheer her on as she builds a new home and a new life for herself and her four children ― one brick at a time."
JOHN GROGAN, #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MARLEY & ME
"If Rise were a novel, the plot―woman escapes domestic violence to build her own house, assisted only by her children and YouTube videos―would seem impossibly far-fetched. But Cara Brookins actually lived this story, and reading her account of it slowly filled me to the brim with admiration, hope, and belief that a determined human can do practically anything. Rise is a compelling story, lovingly told, that will uplift and inspire readers whatever their circumstances."
MARTHA BECK, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FINDING YOUR OWN NORTH STAR
"Sometimes the universe puts us in a bad place and dares us to fight our way out. Cara Brookins did just this. We should all be as strong as her. This book will provide the powerful imagery and guidance for a generation of people who need to change their lives."
TOM HART, #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ROSALIE LIGHTNING
"An uplifting story of resilience."
REAL SIMPLE MAGAZINE
"This rousing memoir beautifully illustrates how one family can look apprehension dead in the eye and scoff at it. For readers looking for inspiration to accomplish a daunting task, they need look no further than Brookins’ highly engaging and encouraging book."
BOOKLIST
"Rise takes readers along on a transformative journey...all readers can find inspiration in Brookins’ endeavor."
BOOKPAGE
"It has been a very long time since I have read a book as singular and as profoundly moving as Rise. Rise, by turns daunting and uplifting, gives new meaning to the concepts of heroism and sacrifice, and it is a remarkable construct in itself."
LES STANDIFORD, AUTHOR OF WATER TO THE ANGELS
"Readers will be torn between believing Cara is a one-of-a-kind hero, and that anyone can be. At once heartbreaking and deeply inspiring, in Rise, Cara proves to herself, her children, and the rest of the world that strength comes from within and can be rebuilt, brick by brick.
HILARY LIFTIN, CO-AUTHOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER STORI TELLING
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
More About Unstuck
Taking the next step in your life can feel daunting whether it's the first step of a massive new project or the first step on a tough Tuesday morning. Your procrastination isn't a character flaw or laziness. Your brain is wired to avoid risks (or in the case of a new project, first steps). Unstuck gives you a proven system to work with your brain to actually do the work.
Readers from around the world have drawn inspiration from Brookins' bestselling book, Rise, How a House Built a Family, where she chronicled her unconventional idea to build a 3500 square foot house from the ground up by watching how-to videos. Now in Unstuck, she reveals her proven strategy for getting unstuck for good, maintaining motivation, and living up to your greatest potential.
Brookins cutting-edge research combines ancient principles and modern neuroscience to show how anyone can leverage the science of how-to videos to generate endless motivation. With true stories from ordinary people around the world who achieved extraordinary things, Unstuck entertains, inspires, and teaches the science and psychology of getting things done against all odds. From the man who carved through a mountain to the eight-year old who drove himself on an important mission to the woman who had a billion-dollar idea and the man who electrified a remote village, humans have proven time and time again that no obstacle or disadvantage is too big.
Unstuck Reviews
“I have to confess, when we began YouTube in the garages of Menlo Park, I never thought that the future reality would be meeting an extraordinary person like Cara… her determined, innovative use of how-to videos is motivation for anyone!"
STEVE CHEN, CO-FOUNDER OF YOUTUBE
"When executives and sales professionals fail to reach their goals, it's often because they or their team are stuck without a plan. This uplifting book is filled with stories that illustrate a powerful, sensible formula to deliver tremendous success."
IAN ALTMAN, BESTSELLING CO-AUTHOR, SAME SIDE SELLING & FOUNDER SAME SIDE SELLING ACADEMY
"If you've ever been paralyzed by doubt, indecision, uncertainty, and fear, take hold of Cara Brookins' hand and let her walk you through the solution, one how-to video strategy at a time. With equal parts warmth, wit, and wisdom, Unstuck will show you the way to reach the biggest goal possible. All you need to do is press play!"
LAURA GASSNER OTTING, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF WONDERHELL
"We all get stuck. When it happens to you, use Unstuck as your how-to guide for what to do next."
BRIAN LEVENSON, EXECUTIVE COACH AND AUTHOR OF SHIFT YOUR MIND
"Whether you're ready to climb a mountain or knock one down, Unstuck delivers your strategy for success!"
ALISON LEVINE, HISTORY-MAKING ADVENTURER AND NEW YORK BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ON THE EDGE
"In Unstuck, Cara Brookins delivers laugh-out-loud examples of how to engage the most stubborn parts of your brain and then use them to accomplish your biggest goals."
MARC C. PITMAN, AUTHOR OF THE SURPRISING GIFT OF DOUBT
"Unstuck is a charming and practical masterpiece in tackling life's goals. This book rocks!"
JIM KNIGHT, KEYNOTE SPEAKER, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF CULTURE THAT ROCKS, PART-TIME PROCRASTINATOR
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