#1 New Release in Children's Studies, Educators, and Public Policy ? Leveling the Playing Field for All Our Young Children

Readers of Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson will love Dave Lawrence's A Dedicated Life

What are you going to do for the rest of your life? For Dave Lawrence, a brilliant newspaper editor and publisher with a distinguished, three-decade-long journalism career who retired in 1999 at the age of 56, the answer in his words was to dedicate his life to a "newly energized purposefulness: that every child have a real chance to succeed."

The Children's Movement of Florida: Dave Lawrence, a life-long champion of children, became a leading national advocate for children and was instrumental in founding The Children's Movement of Florida. Dave Lawrence's Movement is focused on making Florida's children, especially in their early years, the No. 1 priority for state investment.

Jeb Bush, Florida's 43rd governor from 1999 to 2007 and 2016 presidential candidate: "This special book is the story of a good man who has lived an impressive, fascinating, full life dedicated to his family, his profession, his faith and his service to others, especially the youngest and most vulnerable among us. How he describes the passion, persistence and skills of civic engagement to accomplish these building blocks to success is worth the price of the book."

Bob Graham, Florida's 38th governor from 1979 to 1987, U.S. senator from Florida from 1987 to 2005, and presidential candidate in 2003: "For more than 40 years, Dave was a journalist, rising from co-editor of his high school newspaper to editor or publisher of several of America's most distinguished newspapers. At each, he inspired the highest standards of journalism built upon a deep immersion into the communities these newspapers served. But the most lasting impression you'll have will be of a highly principled man applying his talents and values in a transitioning America."

Carefully selected by Mitchell Kaplan for the Books & Books imprint, this inspirational memoir comes at a time when people need to be reminded about the importance of serving others and the importance of the role of journalists as truth tellers and bastions of our democracy. From his start at the St. Petersburg Times to his time as an editor at the Washington Post to his career-capping leadership as publisher of the Miami Herald, David brought integrity to the field, and to Florida journalism in particular. David Lawrence's work took him all over the globe and his list of interviews reads like a Who's Who of movers and shakers of the last 60 years of our history. In addition to this exemplar of journalism, Lawrence's book also serves as a how to in founding a nonprofit that can change children's lives for the better and, along with it, our future.

"I loved this book! After a brilliant career in journalism David Lawrence turns his big heart and passion to improving the lives of children." - Donna Shalala, member of the Clinton Administration Cabinet and former president of the University of Miami