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Jeff Rasley lives on the White River in Indianapolis with Alicia and Bandit. Jeff is the author of nine books. His first published writing was melancholic-adolescent poetry in the Hanover College Fine Arts Journal. Over 50 feature articles in law, travel, spirituality, and human interest followed in Newsweek, Chicago Magazine, ABA Journal, and other periodicals. Jeff dropped out of college, saved money from factory work, then hitch-hiked across the USA. Money earned on a road crew financed travels in Europe and motorcycling from Indiana to Mexico City. Marriage and kids lessened travel time, but he leads Himalayan treks and mountaineering expeditions, has scuba dived throughout the Caribbean, and sea-kayaked in Palau, Tonga, and the Greek Isles. Jeff's commitment to social activism and philanthropy began in high school when he co-founded the Goshen Walk for Hunger. In law school he fought for renters' rights and organized the first rent strike in Indiana as president of the Indianapolis Tenants Association. He was lead counsel on class action suits for prisoners which resulted in the construction of two new jails in Central Indiana. Jeff was plaintiff in a class action requiring clean-up of the White River after it was polluted by an industrial chemical spill. Jeff is president of the Basa Village Foundation, which funds culturally sensitive development in Nepal. He is a director for five nonprofits. He is U.S. liaison for the Himalayan expedition company Adventure GeoTreks Ltd, and teaches philosophy of philanthropy at Butler University. Jeff's BA is from U of Chicago magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, All-Academic All-State Football, letter winner in swimming and football; JD Indiana University Law School cum laude, Moot Court, Indiana Law Review; M Div Christian Theological Seminary magna cum laude, co-valedictorian and Faculty Award Scholar. He has been admitted to the Indiana, US District Court, and US Supreme Court Bars. Jeff describes reading Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past as great an adventure as climbing Himalayan peaks. Contact through: http://www.jeffreyrasley.com

What makes a real hero? Chip Hilton was an ideal hero for boys growing up in small Midwestern towns in the 1950s and 60s. Chip was the best athlete at his school, an A-student, loving son, and hard worker at the local drug store. He had a gang of loyal friends and was the star player on his high school teams. But Chip was just a fictional character in a series of sports-action books. John Ritter was a real-live boy who seemed to be as close to Chip Hilton-like perfection as humanly possible. He grew up in Goshen, Indiana, to become a record-breaking All-Star basketball player and captain of Bob Knight's first outstanding Indiana Hoosiers team. After his college heroics, John Ritter's life began to diverge from the expectations of his hometown fans. Real life has turned out much different for John Ritter than his fictional twin. Jeff Rasley's childhood memories of his storybook and real-life sports heroes are the launch pad for a far-ranging study on how we create, treat, and mistreat our heroes. Hero's Journey taps voices as diverse as Patti Smith, Homer, Shakespeare, the Grateful Dead, and Dennis Rodman in an examination of the cultural shifts in the meaning of hero. The lustrous triumphs and pitiable travails of mythical heroes, like Achilles and Lancelot, are compared to ethical martyrs, like Gandhi and King, and to more troubling champions like Allen Iverson, Mike Tyson, Caitlyn Jenner, and Donald Trump. The term Hero has been trivialized by its excessive use in popular media. Reporters refer to all veterans, cops, and firefighters as heroes. They will even call victims of terror heroes. But the media also delights in scandals that reveal our heroes to have feet of clay. The mythologist Joseph Campbell, building on the work of Freud and Carl Jung, explained how archetypal heroes are created in myth and out of legends. Hero's Journey discusses how the Hero Archetype has influenced contemporary culture and how the meaning of hero has been transformed by recent historical and cultural developments. Interwoven into the discussion is Rasley's memoir about his childhood heroes and the story of John Ritter's hero journey. Our heroes exemplify the greatest human qualities and virtues, like courage, wisdom, and compassion. We will tear some of them down as false idols and knock them off their pedestals. But we need our heroes. Real heroes reveal the best in us and point the way toward a better world. Other books by Jeff Rasley - Bringing Progress to Paradise; What I Got from Giving to a Mountain Village in Nepal describes an astounding Himalayan adventure which becomes a critical reflectionon the damage charitable giving can do to the intended beneficiaries. The rest of the story of Basa Village is told in Light in the Mountains - Namaste, Rakshi, and Electricity in a Himalayan Village and its prequel India - Nepal Himalayas In the Moment (an honest Three Cups of Tea). To get out of the snow and mountains and onto sandy beaches and swaying palms, check out the lyrical Islands in my Dreams. For a change of pace curl up with False Prophet. It's a romantic mystery and inspirational tale based on a case Rasley handled in his 30-year Indianapolis law practice. If you enjoy sports action, history, humor, romance, set during the cultural revolution of the 60s, check out MONSTERS OF THE MIDWAY 1969: Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll, Viet Nam, Civil Rights, and Football. Pilgrimage: Sturgis to Wounded Knee and Back Home, a Memoir begins with a motorcycle road trip to the Bacchanalia of Sturgis Bike Week, then takes a detour to the massacre at Wounded Knee, and crosses the ocean to a remote village in the Himalayas. Reconciliation is found back home in Indiana. GODLESS - Living a Valuable Life beyond Beliefs makes the case that beliefs divide us, but values unite us. So we should fight religious and political violence with positive values.

Kindle Price: $4.99

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

Beliefs divide us, Values unite us. The contemporary history of religious and political ideologies is bloody. From the Nazi Holocaust to beheadings by Islamic Jihadist terrorists, fanatics have divided the world into believers and heretics. Their propaganda has persuaded followers to torture and slaughter unbelievers. The cure for the pathology of fanatical beliefs is to discard religious doctrines and political ideologies. Let shared values be the guides of personal and policy decisions. Godless advocates a pragmatic middle way to counter both fundamentalist extremism and secular cynicism through community connectivity and activism. Godless -- Living a Valuable Life beyond Beliefs begins as a memoir reaching back into the author's Puritan family history and the Salem witch trials. Rasley's worldwide travels and cross-cultural interests have led him far from his small-town roots in the Presbyterian Church and Republican Party. He discovered interesting and surprising commonalities between two communities with which he has been involved, an Indianapolis Quaker Meeting and the Rai people of Basa village, Nepal. These very different communities on opposite sides of the world share fundamental values in their tolerant, peaceful, and simple approach to life. Godless blends what Rasley has learned from the Basa Rai and Quakers with the classic American philosophy of Pragmatism to describe a values-based way of living. It encourages a spiritual response of awe and gratitude for being alive and conscious in this wonderful shared world. Godless addresses a deeply serious subject in an engaging conversational style. It advocates guiding our lives by positive values and pragmatic decision-making rather than superstitious or irrational beliefs. Godless recommends a modern pragmatic version of the Judeo-Christian ethic of loving self and neighbor. It does not encourage readers to abandon their religious communities, but suggests a way to worship focused on awe and gratitude. It doesn't advocate an end to political parties, but proposes a pragmatic method of conflict resolution to replace the political gridlock of divisive ideological politics. Jeff Rasley's undergraduate studies at the University of Chicago combined concentrations in Philosophy, Religion, and Politics. He received a J. D. from Indiana University and M. Div from Christian Theological Seminary. He teaches a class on philanthropy and nonprofit organizations in the Honors Program at Butler University. Other books by Jeff Rasley - Bringing Progress to Paradise; What I Got from Giving to a Mountain Village in Nepal describes an astounding Himalayan adventure which becomes a critical reflection on the damage charitable giving can do to the intended beneficiaries. The rest of the story of Basa Village, is told in Light in the Mountains - Namaste, Rakshi, and Electricity in a Himalayan Village and its prequel India - Nepal Himalayas In the Moment (an honest Three Cups of Tea). To get out of the snow and mountains and onto sandy beaches and swaying palms, check out the lyrical Islands in my Dreams For a change of pace curl up with False Prophet. It's a romantic mystery and inspirational tale based on a legal case Rasley handled in his 30-year Indianapolis law practice. If you enjoy sports action, history, humor, romance,set during the cultural revolution of the 60s, check out MONSTERS OF THE MIDWAY 1969: Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll, Viet Nam, Civil Rights, and Football. Pilgrimage: Sturgis to Wounded Knee and Back Home, a Memoir begins with a motorcycle road trip to the Bacchanalia of Sturgis Bike Week, then takes a detour to the massacre at Wounded Knee, and crosses the ocean to a remote village in the Himalayas. Reconciliation is found back home in Indiana. Hero's Journey - John Ritter, the Chip Hilton of Goshen, Indiana; a Memoir is a meditation on what makes a real hero and a nostalgic reminiscence about childhood heroes.

Kindle Price: $4.95

Category: Religion & Spirituality

False Prophet is a gritty insider's confession and rant against the corruption of our legal system. The author practiced law in Indianapolis for 30 years. It's also a love story about healing wounds and redemption. Jack Ross loses his soul but finds redemption representing an evangelical African-American preacher. Jack's downward spiral begins with his idealistic but doomed defense of his best friend and colleague. It becomes an existential crisis. His wife leaves. His partner is in alcohol rehab. Jack's struggle to reclaim his professional standing and self respect is aided by a petty criminal and a hot young reporter. Jack sets out to right the wrongs done to his Christian prophet-client. The pursuit of justice turns up political conspiracy, real estate fraud, kidnapping, and murder. A high price is paid for the truth. False Prophet reveals the seamy underside of local politics and the legal system in Indianapolis. But it also shows how white folks and African-Americans can worship and work together for justice. The love story is one of frustration and self-destruction, but ultimately understanding, reconciliation, renewed intimacy, and a baby. Jeff Rasley practiced law in Indiana and the federal courts for 30 years. The legal case in the book involving the persecution of an inner-city preacher and his fight to hold on to land it took him 20 years to purchase is inspired by one the author handled. Characters and events are fictional, but based on Rasley's experience of representing clients ranging from Fortune 500 CEOs to crooks and crack heads -- the silk stocking and seamy under belly of law practice in Indy. Other books by Jeff Rasley - Bringing Progress to Paradise; What I Got from Giving to a Mountain Village in Nepal describes an astounding Himalayan adventure which becomes a critical reflection on the damage charitable giving can do to the intended beneficiaries. The rest of the story of Basa Village, is told in Light in the Mountains - Namaste, Rakshi, and Electricity in a Himalayan Village and its prequel India - Nepal Himalayas In the Moment (an honest Three Cups of Tea). To get out of the snow and mountains and onto sandy beaches and swaying palms, check out the lyrical Islands in my Dreams If you enjoy sports action, history, humor, romance,set during the cultural revolution of the 60s, check out MONSTERS OF THE MIDWAY 1969: Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll, Viet Nam, Civil Rights, and Football. Pilgrimage: Sturgis to Wounded Knee and Back Home, a Memoir begins with a motorcycle road trip to the Bacchanalia of Sturgis Bike Week, then takes a detour to the massacre at Wounded Knee, and crosses the ocean to a remote village in the Himalayas. Reconciliation is found back home in Indiana. GODLESS - Living a Valuable Life beyond Beliefs makes the case that beliefs divide us, but values unite us. So we should fight religious and political violence with positive values. Hero's Journey - John Ritter, the Chip Hilton of Goshen, Indiana; a Memoir is a meditation on what makes a real hero and a nostalgic reminiscence about childhood heroes.

Kindle Price: $4.99

Category: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

From 1892 until the 1930s the legendary Monsters of the Midway dominated college football. However, in 1939 the University of Chicago dropped out of the Big Ten and killed off its varsity football program. But now, it's 1969 and football is back. The resurrection of Chicago football hasn't brought the Monsters fully back to life. The team plays more like the lab mice of the Midway. The new Maroons are called "the worst team in college ball" by People Magazine. Players refuse to attend mandatory practices and flout NCAA rules. They lose game after game. Yet, guys who have IQ scores greater than their weight eventually commit to the goal to win one game for their old coach, Wally Hass. Coach Hass is the rare coach that truly believes student-athletes should be scholars first and athletes for fun. Wally just wants his players to experience wining one game before he retires. Sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll, the Draft Lottery, the Anti-War Movement, and student rebellion on college campuses in 1969 -- the University of Chicago is swimming against the cultural tide by resurrecting its football program. Jack Blair is a small town Hoosier kid who just wanted to go to the best college in the Midwest. In Chicago Jack encounters characters as disparate as Muhammad Ali, Milton Friedman, and George Halas. And, he falls in love. Alice hates football, but she is attracted to Jack. She wears a beret. He wears a helmet. She is a radical feminist from Chicago. He is a Hoosier farm boy. Jack comes of age in a bewildering cultural milieu of frats, jocks, hippies, and Marxist radicals. But his greatest challenge is whether he can learn to love and make an authentic commitment to his team, his girl friend, or anyone. His coach, his philosophy professor, and Alice offer to show him the way. The book is inspired by the author's experience of playing on the resurrected University of Chicago Maroons a/k/a the Monsters of the Midway. Jeff Rasley is also the author of six other books, Pilgrimage: Sturgis to Wounded Knee and Back Home, a Memoir; Bringing Progress to Paradise; Light in the Mountains; False Prophet, a Legal Thriller; Islands in my Dreams; and India - Nepal Himalayas in the Moment. Other books by Jeff Rasley - Bringing Progress to Paradise; What I Got from Giving to a Mountain Village in Nepal describes an astounding Himalayan adventure which becomes a critical reflection on the damage charitable giving can do to the intended beneficiaries. The rest of the story of Basa Village, is told in Light in the Mountains - Namaste, Rakshi, and Electricity in a Himalayan Village and its prequel India - Nepal Himalayas In the Moment (an honest Three Cups of Tea). To get out of the snow and mountains and onto sandy beaches and swaying palms, check out the lyrical Islands in my Dreams For a change of pace curl up with False Prophet. It's a romantic mystery and inspirational tale based on a legal case Rasley handled in his 30-year Indianapolis law practice. Pilgrimage: Sturgis to Wounded Knee and Back Home, a Memoir begins with a motorcycle road trip to the Bacchanalia of Sturgis Bike Week, then takes a detour to the massacre at Wounded Knee, and crosses the ocean to a remote village in the Himalayas. Reconciliation is found back home in Indiana. GODLESS - Living a Valuable Life beyond Beliefs makes the case that beliefs divide us, but values unite us. So we should fight religious and political violence with positive values. Hero's Journey - John Ritter, the Chip Hilton of Goshen, Indiana; a Memoir is a meditation on what makes a real hero and a nostalgic reminiscence about childhood heroes.

Kindle Price: $4.95

Category: Romance

In this second book in the series of Memoirs of a Thoughtful Traveler the reader is asked to consider these questions: What does it mean tobring progress--schools, electricity, roads,running water--to paradise?Will introducing the benefits of modern progressive cultures reallyimprove life within a community that has survived contentedly forcenturies? Does it matter whether the desire to "do good" is amotivation of the ones helping to bring progress?In October2008, climbing expedition leader and attorney, Jeff Rasley, led a trekto a village named Basa on a Himalayan mountainside in the remote Soluregion of Nepal. His group of three adventurers was only the third group of "white people" ever seen in this village of subsistence farmers. What they found was a people thoroughly unaffected by Westernconsumer-culture values. They had no running water, electricity, oranything that moves on wheels. Each family lived in abeautiful,hand-chiseled stone house with a flower garden. Beyond whatthey already had, it seemed all the villagers wanted was education forthe children. Rasley and his friends helped finish a school buildingalready in progress. But then, the villagers asked for help to bringelectricity to Basa. Bringing Progress to Paradise describes Rasley's transformation from adventurer to committed philanthropist. "We are attracted to the simpler way of life in these communities, and weare changed by our experience of it. They are attracted to us,because we bring material benefits. " Bringing Progress to Paradise offersRasley's critical reflection on the tangled relationships amongtourists, "do-gooder" missionaries, and native people in "exotic"locales. He provides a surprising analysis of the effect of Westernvalues on some of the most remote locations on earth. Other books by Jeff Rasley - If you are interested in learning the rest of the story of Basa Village, read Light in the Mountains - Namaste, Rakshi, and Electricity in a Himalayan Village and its prequel India - Nepal Himalayas In the Moment (an honest Three Cups of Tea). Want to get out of the snow and mountains and onto sandy beaches and swaying palms, check out the lyrical Islands in my Dreams For a change of pace curl up with False Prophet. It's a romantic mystery and inspirational tale based on a legal case Rasley handled in his 30-year Indianapolis law practice. If you enjoy sports action, history, humor, romance, or thesex/drugs/rock 'n roll cultural revolution of the 60s, check out MONSTERS OF THE MIDWAY: Love and Redemption in College Football. Pilgrimage: Sturgis to Wounded Knee and Back Home, a Memoir - It begins with a motorcycle road trip to the Bacchanalia of Sturgis Bike Week, then takes a detour to the massacre at Wounded Knee, and crosses the ocean to a remote village in the Himalayas. But, reconciliation is found back home in Indiana. GODLESS - Living a Valuable Life beyond Beliefs makes the case that beliefs divide us, but values unite us. So weshould fight religious and political violence with positive values. Hero's Journey - John Ritter, the Chip Hilton of Goshen, Indiana; a Memoir is a meditation on what makes a real hero and a nostalgic reminiscence about childhood heroes.

Kindle Price: $9.99

Category: Travel