In turbulent economic times, when careers are derailed by layoffs and leaders are forced to rewrite their professional plans, readers are hungry for introspection that can enlighten as well as uplift. Comebacks features an all-star cast of business leaders who suffered a public fall from the pinnacle of their careers, often in the midst of extreme media scrutiny. Based on revealing interviews, the ten profiles in the book provide a behind-the-headline glimpse into the lives of seasoned leaders, showing how they drew upon resources, both internal and external, to navigate their way forward and to learn leadership and life lessons that allowed them to excel in future ventures. Together, the ten profiles reveal that all leaders face adversity, but true leaders turn adversity into success–and redefine success through their leadership. High-profile leaders featured include: Jamie Dimon, renowned CEO of JPMorgan Chase, who at the peak of his career with Citigroup was fired as president Former HP Chair Patricia Dunn who, forced to resign after being indicted for corporate espionage charges and while battling cancer, was exonerated from any wrongdoing and now is active in philanthropic work. Former Baxter International CEO Harry Kraemer who, after 22 years at the pharmaceutical firm, had to step down due to poor corporate earnings, is now a highly regarded business professor at Northwestern University Former Ford Motor Company CEO Jacques Nasser who, forced to resign from the automaker after devoting years to the company, has recently landed the coveted position of Chairman of Chairman of BHP Billiton, the worlds largest natural resources company. Former founder and CEO of JetBlue David Neeleman who, asked to step down after a series of weather-related delays in 2007 caused an uproar among passengers and consumers, has moved on to found a new airline in Brazil. Honest and soul-searching, the stories in Comebacks will resonate with readers who are experiencing their own reversal, are disillusioned by career choices, or are exploring other paths aligned with their values and priorities.

Eighteen years after the genocide that made Rwanda international news, yet left it all but abandoned by the West, the country has achieved a miraculous turnaround. Rising out of the complete devastation of a failed state, Rwanda has emerged on the world stage yet again–this time with a unique model for governance and economic development under the leadership of its strong and decisive president, Paul Kagame.

Here, Patricia Crisafulli and Andrea Redmond look at Kagame’s leadership, his drive for excellence and execution that draws comparisons to American CEOs and emphasizes the development of a sophisticated and competitive workforce that leverages human capital. In Rwanda, the ultimate turnaround, strong and effective leadership has made a measurable and meaningful difference. Rwanda’s progress offers an example for other developing nations to lift themselves out of poverty without heavy reliance on foreign aid through decentralization, accountability, self-determination, and self-sufficiency. The authors also explore Rwanda’s journey toward its goal of becoming a middle-income nation with a technology-based economy and its progress in encouraging private sector development and fostering entrepreneurship while also making gains in education, health care, and food security–and all with a strong underpinning of reconciliation and unification. As so many nations stand on the brink of political and economic revolution, this is a timely and fascinating look at the implications of Rwanda’s success for the rest of the continent–and the world.

“Amid a mountain of rain-soaked donations to the Ohnita Harbor Public Library rummage sale, Gabriela Domenici finds a small box that contains an odd-looking cross. The carved center turns out to be ivory, and a clue links the cross to Catherine of Siena, a medieval saint. Gabriela turns to her expertise as an authenticator of historic documents to lead the quest to discover the truth about this mysterious object. But the cross isn’t the only secret in town: first, a beloved Ohnita Harbor resident is found floating in the harbor; then, someone else is murdered on the library lawn. As Gabriela races to solve the mystery of the cross, she discerns between infatuation and what could be the start of true love. All the while, she must stay one step ahead of the danger that slowly encircles her.”