Full of Heart: My Story of Survival, Strength, and Spirit

TV star Martinez's heartwarming memoir tells of his transformation from cocky, underprivileged kid to wounded soldier to household name.%C2%A0As a wet-behind-the-ears soldier in Iraq in 2003, he drove his Humvee over an anti-tank mine. In the blast, he writes, "My uniform had melted into my skin%E2%80%A6. Parts of my swollen face were scorched black."%C2%A0He describes the long painful journey back to health, including plastic surgery for his disfigured face. And in 2007, "the world of make-believe [came] calling"%E2%80%94All My Children looking for an Iraqi war vet.%C2%A0 Recently, he has become a father with a renewed sense of purpose.%C2%A0Part luck and part destiny, Martinez's story of triumph over tragedy is related with humility, humor, and love.%C2%A0Part of Martinez's appeal is that he doesn't take his fame and success for granted. Readers will find it impossible not to love him, with some%C2%A0grateful reflections on their own lives in between. 16 pages of b&w photos. Agent: Robert Guinsley, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Oct.)