ZIG: The Autobiography of Zig Ziglar

This rags-to-riches memoir by one of America's most popular faith-based motivational speakers details Ziglar's life from his poor childhood during the Depression, through his up-and-down career as a direct salesman, to his entry into the upper echelons of corporate America, to sitting on the platform during the inauguration of President George W. Bush. The death of his father when Zig was only five had a profound effect on this 10th child of 12. The family was forced to move to Mississippi, where his mother worked tirelessly to feed and clothe her brood and give them a firm foundation of love, faith and responsibility. Throughout the book, Ziglar is generous in his praise of those who guided his life, from his mother to the man he worked for in a grocery store as a youngster, to his business and religious mentors and role models, including Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. And through the good and the bad, his wife (whom he affectionately calls the "Redhead") stuck by him, even when they came to the brink of financial disaster because of his foolish business decisions. Readers who aren't familiar with Ziglar's business philosophy and motivational books might find the grandfatherly memoir tedious. But those who have followed his career and whose lives have been influenced positively by it through the years will discover here an ordinary and honest man who never quit and who credits Jesus Christ for his success. (July)