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Everything Flows

'Everything Flows is as important a novel as anything written by Solzhenitsyn, and Robert Chandler's superb translation makes it a joy to read'Antony BeevorIvan Grigoryevich has been in the Gulag for thirty years. Released after Stalin's death, he finds that the years of terror have imposed a collective moral slavery. He must struggle to find a place for himself in an unfamiliar world. Grossman tells the stories of those people entwined with Ivan's fate: his cousin Nikolay, a scientist who never let his conscience interfere with his career, Pinegin, the informer who had Ivan sent to the camps and Anna Sergeyevna, Ivan's lover, who tells of her involvement as an activist in the Terror famine of 1932-3.Everything Flows is Vasily Grossman's final testament, written after the Soviet authorities suppressed Life and Fate.'Vasily Grossman is the Tolstoy of the USSR' Martin Amis

Starters (Starters, #1)

HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVERCallie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders--seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party--and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .

Kiss of Midnight (Midnight Breed, #1)

He watches her from across the crowded dance club, a sensual black-haired stranger who stirs Gabrielle Maxwell's deepest fantasies. But nothing about this night--or this man--is what it seems. For when Gabrielle witnesses a murder outside the club, reality shifts into something dark and deadly. In that shattering instant she is thrust into a realm she never knew existed--a realm where vampires stalk the shadows and a blood war is set to ignite.Lucan Thorne despises the violence carried out by his lawless brethren. A vampire himself, Lucan is a Breed warrior, sworn to protect his kind--and the unwitting humans existing alongside them--from the mounting threat of the Rogues. Lucan cannot risk binding himself to a mortal woman, but when Gabrielle is targeted by his enemies, he has no choice but to bring her into the dark underworld he commands.Here, in the arms of the Breed's formidable leader, Gabrielle will confront an extraordinary destiny of danger, seduction, and the darkest pleasures of all. . . .

Mark of the Lion Trilogy

This best-selling trilogy chronicles a tale of persecution and perseverance of 1st-century Christians in hedonistic Rome.#1 A Voice in the Wind: Torn by her love for a handsome aristocrat, a young slave girl clings to her faith in the living God for deliverance from the forces of decadent Rome. #2 An Echo in the Darkness: Turning away from the opulence of Rome, Marcus is led by a whispering voice from the past into a journey that could set him free from the darkness of his soul. #3 As Sure As the Dawn: Atretes. German warrior. Revered gladiator. He won his freedom through his fierceness . . . but his life is about to change forever.

Fire from Heaven (Alexander the Great, #1)

Alexander the Great died at the age of thirty-three, leaving behind an empire that stretched from Greece and Egypt to India and a new cosmopolitan model for western civilisation. In Alexander's childhood, his defiant character was molded into the makings of a king. His mother, Olympias, and his father, King Philip of Macedon, fought each other for their son's loyalty, teaching Alexander politics and vengeance from the cradle. His love for the youth Hephaistion, on whom he depended for he rest of his life, taught him trust, whilst Aristotle's tutoring provoked his mind and Homer's Iliad fuelled his aspirations. He killed his first man in battle at the age of twelve and became the commander of Macedon's cavalry at eighteen - by the time his father was murdered and he acceded to the throne, Alexander's skills had grown to match his fiery ambition.

Will I Ever Be Good Enough? Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers

The first book for the millions of daughters suffering from the emotional abuse of selfish, self-involved mothers, Will I Ever Be Good Enough? provides the expert advice readers need to overcome debilitating histories and reclaim their lives.

Essays and Poems

Essays and Poems, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, is part of the Barnes & Noble Classics series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of Barnes & Noble Classics:New introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholarsBiographies of the authorsChronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural eventsFootnotes and endnotesSelective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the workComments by other famous authorsStudy questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectationsBibliographies for further readingIndices & Glossaries, when appropriateAll editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. Barnes & Noble Classics pulls together a constellation of influences--biographical, historical, and literary--to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works. As an adolescent America searched for its unique identity among the nations of the world, a number of thinkers and writers emerged eager to share their vision of what the American character could be. Among their leaders was Ralph Waldo Emerson, whose essays, lectures, and poems defined the American transcendentalist movement, though he himself disliked the term.Emerson advocates a rejection of fear-driven conformity, a total independence of thought and spirit, and a life lived in harmony with nature. He believes that Truth lies within each individual, for each is part of a greater whole, a universal "over-soul" through which we transcend the merely mortal.Emerson was extremely prolific throughout his life; his collected writings fill forty volumes. This edition contains his major works, including Nature, the essays "Self-Reliance," "The American Scholar," "The Over-Soul," "Circles," "The Poet," and "Experience,", and such important poems as "The Rhodora," "Uriel," "The Humble-Bee," "Earth-Song," "Give All to Love," and the well-loved "Concord Hymn."Includes a comprehensive glossary of names.Peter Norberg has been Assistant Professor of English at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia since 1997. A specialist in New England transcendentalism and the history of the antebellum period, he also has published on Herman Melville's poetry. He currently is writing a history of Emerson's career as a public lecturer.

What Do You Care What Other People Think?

The New York Times best-selling sequel to "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" One of the greatest physicists of the twentieth century, Richard Feynman possessed an unquenchable thirst for adventure and an unparalleled ability to tell the stories of his life. "What Do You Care What Other People Think?" is Feynman's last literary legacy, prepared with his friend and fellow drummer, Ralph Leighton. Among its many tales--some funny, others intensely moving--we meet Feynman's first wife, Arlene, who taught him of love's irreducible mystery as she lay dying in a hospital bed while he worked nearby on the atomic bomb at Los Alamos. We are also given a fascinating narrative of the investigation of the space shuttle Challenger 's explosion in 1986, and we relive the moment when Feynman revealed the disaster's cause by an elegant dropping a ring of rubber into a glass of cold water and pulling it out, misshapen.

Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #3)

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion--until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist's thirst for vengeance against Bella's tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her...

Coin Locker Babies

A surreal coming-of-age tale that establishes Ryu Murakami as one of the most inventive young writers in the world today. Abandoned at birth in adjacent train station lockers, two troubled boys spend their youth in an orphanage and with foster parents on a semi-deserted island before finally setting off for the city to find and destroy the women who first rejected them. Both are drawn to an area of freaks and hustlers called Toxitown. One becomes a bisexual rock singer, star of this exotic demimonde, while the other, a pole vaulter, seeks his revenge in the company of his girlfriend, Anemone, a model who has converted her condominium into a tropical swamp for her pet crocodile.Together and apart, their journey from a hot metal box to a stunning, savage climax is a brutal funhouse ride through the eerie landscape of late-twentieth-century Japan.

V for Vendetta

"Remember, remember the fifth of November..."A frightening and powerful tale of the loss of freedom and identity in a chillingly believable totalitarian world, V for Vendetta stands as one of the highest achievements of the comics medium and a defining work for creators Alan Moore and David Lloyd.Set in an imagined future England that has given itself over to fascism, this groundbreaking story captures both the suffocating nature of life in an authoritarian police state and the redemptive power of the human spirit which rebels against it. Crafted with sterling clarity and intelligence, V for Vendetta brings an unequaled depth of characterization and verisimilitude to its unflinching account of oppression and resistance.

Lost Identity (The Remmich/Miller Series Book 1)

Paul Remmich sweated while he slept. His subconscious mind spun traitorous thoughts to control his actions and satisfy his handler's quest for secrets. He's powerless to refuse.The US Army acquires a new top-secret energy source. News of this discovery leaked into the wrong hands, Iraq's Tariq'Allah. They offer Captain Eric Miller a bribe to participate in espionage for a kickback. The military intelligence officer refuses. This clandestine encounter leaves one of the foreign emissaries dead.The lethal outcome forces Miller to flee Stockholm and take refuge at a US Army station in Germany to work with his West Point friend, Captain Paul Remmich. But the pursuit is renewed, and the Iraqi agents devise a new strategy to achieve their goal that ups the ante. Then Remmich makes a crucial mistake that plays into the Iraqi agents' hands. Remmich now functions from a controlled personality while his true self lies dormant. His colleagues are oblivious to his duplicity except for Miller, who senses something is off."The taller, older man motioned toward the pile of money with his left hand, and his partner's eyes followed. As the two looked down at the bundles of cash, Miller stepped to the side and quickly pulled the 9mm out of his coat's inner breast pocket. The short thug with the silencer looked up and turned as Miller fired two rounds in quick succession."All that stands between the agents and their prize is intrigue, twists, and high-octane confrontation. If you like deception and determination, you'll love this tight, fast-paced adventure.

Gates of Fire

At Thermopylae, a rocky mountain pass in northern Greece, the feared and admired Spartan soldiers stood three hundred strong. Theirs was a suicide mission, to hold the pass against the invading millions of the mighty Persian army.Day after bloody day they withstood the terrible onslaught, buying time for the Greeks to rally their forces. Born into a cult of spiritual courage, physical endurance, and unmatched battle skill, the Spartans would be remembered for the greatest military stand in history--one that would not end until the rocks were awash with blood, leaving only one gravely injured Spartan squire to tell the tale. . . ."A novel that is intricate and arresting and, once begun, almost impossible to put down."--Daily News "A timeless epic of man and war . . . Pressfield has created a new classic deserving a place beside the very best of the old."--Stephen Coonts

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3)

In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

The Humans

When an extraterrestrial visitor arrives on Earth, his first impressions of the human species are less than positive. Taking the form of Professor Andrew Martin, a leading mathematician at Cambridge University, the visitor wants to complete his task and return home to his planet and a utopian society of immortality and infinite knowledge.He is disgusted by the way humans look, what they eat, and the wars they witness on the news, and is totally baffled by concepts such as love and family. But as time goes on, he starts to realize there may be more to this weird species than he has been led to believe. He drinks wine, reads Emily Dickinson, listens to Talking Heads, and begins to bond with the family he lives with, in disguise. In picking up the pieces of the professor's shattered personal life, the narrator sees hope and redemption in the humans' imperfections and begins to question the very mission that brought him there--a mission that involves not only thwarting human progress...but murder.

UNSUB (UNSUB, #1)

A riveting psychological thriller inspired by the never-caught Zodiac Killer, about a young detective determined to apprehend the serial murderer who destroyed her family and terrorized a city twenty years earlier. Caitlin Hendrix has been a Narcotics detective for six months when the killer at the heart of all her childhood nightmares reemerges: the Prophet. An UNSUB--what the FBI calls an unknown subject--the Prophet terrorized the Bay Area in the 1990s and nearly destroyed her father, the lead investigator on the case.The Prophet's cryptic messages and mind games drove Detective Mack Hendrix to the brink of madness, and Mack's failure to solve the series of ritualized murders--eleven seemingly unconnected victims left with the ancient sign for Mercury etched into their flesh--was the final nail in the coffin for a once promising career.Twenty years later, two bodies are found bearing the haunting signature of the Prophet. Caitlin Hendrix has never escaped the shadow of her father's failure to protect their city. But now the ruthless madman is killing again and has set his sights on her, threatening to undermine the fragile barrier she rigidly maintains for her own protection, between relentless pursuit and dangerous obsession.Determined to decipher his twisted messages and stop the carnage, Caitlin ignores her father's warnings as she draws closer to the killer with each new gruesome murder. Is it a copycat, or can this really be the same Prophet who haunted her childhood? Will Caitlin avoid repeating her father's mistakes and redeem her family name, or will chasing the Prophet drag her and everyone she loves into the depths of the abyss?

The Bedroom Secrets of the Master Chefs

"A family saga, a revenge fantasy, a Twilight Zone-esque parable, and, most importantly, a very fun read." Entertainment WeeklyThis story of two men locked in a war of wills that threatens their very existence is vintage Irvine Welsh. Troubled restaurant inspector Danny Skinner is on a quest to find the mysterious father his mother will not identify. Unraveling this hidden information is the key to understanding the crippling compulsions that threaten to wreck his young life. His ensuing journey takes him from the festival city of Edinburgh to the foodie city of San Francisco. But the hard-drinking, womanizing Skinner has a strange nemesis in the form of mild-mannered fellow inspector Brian Kibby.It is Skinner's unfathomable, obsessive hatred of Kibby that takes over everything, threatening to destroy not only Skinner and his mission but also those he loves most dearly. When Kibby contracts a horrific, undiagnosable illness, Skinner understands that his destiny is inextricably bound to that of his hated rival, and he is faced with a terrible dilemma.Irvine Welsh's work is a transgressive parable about the great obsessions of our time: food, sex, and celebrity.

The Summer Remains (The Summer Remains #1)

Twenty-four-year-old Summer Johnson knows two things. The first is that due to a quickly worsening medical condition, she faces a risky surgery in three months' time that may or may not end in her death. The second is that she would like to fall in love before then. As spring sinks into her namesake season on the Florida coastline, Summer plays the odds and downloads a new dating app - and after one intriguing message from a beautiful surfer named Cooper Nichols, it becomes clear that the story of what may be her last few months under the sun is about to be completely revised. All she has to do now is write something worth reading. Tender, honest, devastating and triumphant, The Summer Remains explores a very human battle being waged in a very digital age: the search for a love that will outlast this temporary borrowing of bones. In an era when many feel compelled to share and re-share anything about everything, prepare to feel a love so special, you will want to hug it close and make it yours forever.

Life Of Love

Fate was at work when John Deane saw Sarah Miller at a bus station in Manhattan. He was instantly captivated by her, but she disappeared before he could say a single word. Later that night, he found her again at a wedding party, and they both felt a strange pull towards each other. As their relationship blossoms into a serious romance, they find themselves overcoming obstacles that threaten to tear them apart. Work stress, a disapproving mother, a secret past filled with alcohol, and tragedy will all jeopardize their happy ending. Their faith, strength, and love are tested, and they must dig deep within to find the courage to face the decisions that will affect their future.Full of emotion, charm, and compassion, Life of Love is a fresh new romance novel that will take you along on John and Sarah's journey as they travel down love's occasionally rocky path, overcoming the challenges their relationship brings, and ultimately discovering what it truly means to be loved.

Ahab's Wife, or The Star-Gazer

A magnificent, vast, and enthralling saga, Sena Jeter Naslund's Ahab's Wife is a remarkable epic spanning a rich, eventful, and dramatic life. Inspired by a brief passage in Moby Dick, it is the story of Una, exiled as a child to live in a lighthouse, removed from the physical and emotional abuse of a religion-mad father. It is the romantic adventure of a young woman setting sail in a cabin boy's disguise to encounter darkness, wonder, and catastrophe; the story of a devoted wife who witnesses her husband's destruction by obsession and madness. Ultimately it is the powerful and moving story of a woman's triumph over tragedy and loss through her courage, creativity, and intelligence.

Advanced WORLDBUILDING: A creative writing guide.

"A fast, fun, and informative guide on how to create your own world. Now if Jaime would only write a guide on how to rule your creations gently!" - David FarlandEvery story requires worldbuilding.What if there was a way to simplify the process of worldbuilding? A system that would open the door to your mind and create a constant flow of ideas?Advanced Worldbuilding is a unique guide that takes you by the hand and shows you the 'why' of worldbuilding so you can create better and faster than EVER before!Written in the form of a conversation, Wanted Hero creator Jaime Buckley takes you step by step, through the process of creation, providing unique tips and specific methods to develop whatever your heart desires.Create continents, races, governments, religions, technology, magic, plant & animal life--all with a specific check list of what readers will be looking for!Over 100 'trigger' questions are provided to force your creative skills into overdrive!Record your creations on printable templates, including: characters, plants, animals, artifacts, events, illnesses, lore, objects & races...or use them as examples to create your own!Study detailed examples of the Wanted Hero world, provided to demonstrate how the author achieved his own amazing results that have garnered flattering reviews from his readers!Transform your notes into a personalized "hub" of information, which can be added to at any time!Advanced Worldbuilding is a fantastic tool for any writer, regardless of skill level...and a critical addition to any worldbuilding arsenal."I must dedicate part of this review to the author, Jaime Buckley. This guy is a genius. The effort and heart he has obviously put into his work, the characters and this world is mind-blowing." -- Jennifer Elgy, UK"Jaime is an amazingly talented storyteller, artist, and illustrator. The first time I saw his work I was blown away -- and he's only gotten better since." -- International & NYTimes Bestselling Author Barry Eisler

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

Rejected by mission agencies, Englishwoman earns the money to send herself to China. There she opens an inn for mule drivers, serves as "foot inspector," and advises the local Mandarin. But when the Japanese invade, she discovers her true destiny---leading 100 orphans across the mountains to safety.

The Room

Funny, clever, surreal, and thought-provoking, this Kafkaesque masterpiece introduces the unforgettable Bjorn, an exceptionally meticulous office worker striving to live life on his own terms.Bjorn is a compulsive, meticulous bureaucrat who discovers a secret room at the government office where he works - a secret room that no one else in his office will acknowledge. When Bjorn is in his room, what his co-workers see is him standing by the wall and staring off into space looking dazed, relaxed, and decidedly creepy. Bjorn's bizarre behavior eventually leads his co-workers to try to have him fired, but Bjorn will turn the tables on them with help from his secret room. Debut author Jonas Karlsson doesn't leave a word out of place in this brilliant, bizarre, delightful take on how far we will go--in a world ruled by conformity - to live an individual and examined life.

Who is Audrey Wickersham?

I know everything that's happened is my fault. I try to tell myself that it's okay, I never wanted a normal life to begin with. But then I think about who's been hurt, and I wish that I could go back to the beginning. Back to when I was just a nobody wandering the halls of my high school, alone and unnoticed. Back to when I was completely oblivious to what killing somebody felt like.You have to understand though, I had no choice.

2666

A cuatro profesores de literatura, Pelletier, Morini, Espinoza y Norton, los une su fascinacion por la obra de Beno von Archimboldi, un enigmatico escritor aleman cuyo prestigio crece en todo el mundo. La complicidad se vuelve vodevil intelectual y desemboca en un peregrinaje a Santa Teresa (trasunto de Ciudad Juarez), donde hay quien dice que Archimboldi ha sido visto. Ya alli, Pelletier y Espinoza se enteran de que la ciudad es desde anos atras escenario de una larga cadena de crimenes: en los vertederos aparecen cadaveres de mujeres con senales de haber sido violadas y torturadas. Es el primer asomo de la novela a sus procelosos caudales, repletos de personajes memorables cuyas historias, a caballo entre la risa y el horror, abarcan dos continentes e incluyen un vertiginoso travelling por la historia europea del siglo XX. 2666 confirma el veredicto de Susan Sontag: "el mas influyente y admirado novelista en lengua espanola de su generacion. Su muerte, a los cincuenta anos, es una gran perdida para la literatura".

The Shaman's Apprentice (Jovai, #1)

Her master calls her shaman. Her people call her witch. Gods, spirits, and demons won't stop calling. In this first book of B. Muze's epic primitive fantasy, Yaku Shaman believes he has at last found his apprentice--a girl who talks with ghosts, spirits and gods with equal ease. Unfortunately, his people refuse to accept her. The shaman forces Jovai to sacrifice every hope of a normal life, until the people, unaware of the dangers threatening them, revolt.

Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength

One of the world's most esteemed and influential psychologists, Roy F. Baumeister, teams with New York Times science writer John Tierney to reveal the secrets of self-control and how to master it. In Willpower, the pioneering researcher Roy F. Baumeister collaborates with renowned New York Times science writer John Tierney to revolutionize our understanding of the most coveted human virtue: self-control.In what became one of the most cited papers in social science literature, Baumeister discovered that willpower actually operates like a muscle: it can be strengthened with practice and fatigued by overuse. Willpower is fueled by glucose, and it can be bolstered simply by replenishing the brain's store of fuel. That's why eating and sleeping- and especially failing to do either of those-have such dramatic effects on self-control (and why dieters have such a hard time resisting temptation).Baumeister's latest research shows that we typically spend four hours every day resisting temptation. No wonder people around the world rank a lack of self-control as their biggest weakness. Willpower looks to the lives of entrepreneurs, parents, entertainers, and artists-including David Blaine, Eric Clapton, and others-who have flourished by improving their self-control.The lessons from their stories and psychologists' experiments can help anyone. You learn not only how to build willpower but also how to conserve it for crucial moments by setting the right goals and using the best new techniques for monitoring your progress. Once you master these techniques and establish the right habits, willpower gets easier: you'll need less conscious mental energy to avoid temptation. That's neither magic nor empty self-help sloganeering, but rather a solid path to a better life.Combining the best of modern social science with practical wisdom, Baumeister and Tierney here share the definitive compendium of modern lessons in willpower. As our society has moved away from the virtues of thrift and self-denial, it often feels helpless because we face more temptations than ever. But we also have more knowledge and better tools for taking control of our lives. However we define happiness-a close- knit family, a satisfying career, financial security-we won't reach it without mastering self-control.

Selfish: Permission to Pause, Live, Love and Laugh Your Way to Joy

It's time to redefine... Selfish women get the life they want...Are you exhausted from work/life burnout? Do you lack balance, or does love always seem to pass you by no matter how hard you try to connect? Maybe it's time to get Selfish... Naketa Ren Thigpen, the #1 Balance and Relationship Advisor in the World, presents a book for ambitious women everywhere... In Selfish, Naketa shares her own deeply personal experiences as an ambitious woman who battled dysfunction, trauma, abandonment, and toxic relationships... All while growing a family, career, global business, and re-igniting the sparks in her marriage. Naketa guides you along her journey, and shares how you can move from breakdown to breakthrough. After reading this book, you * Change the conversation. Redefine the terms used to make so many women playsmall, give birth to your biggest dream, and create your joy! * End 'over-giving'. Quit spreading yourself too thin, and focus on the relationshipsthat really matter. * Stop believing in false narratives that hold you back, diminish intimacy, and keep you stuck in survival mode. * Break the pattern... Re-script disruptive cycles of unhealthy, toxic and energy draining 'situationships' that bind your brilliance. Selfish isn't a license to be insensitive, egoistic nor inhumane. It's a movement that gives you permission to pause, live, love and laugh through your pain, and find your way to joy. A necessary remedy to over-giving and cyclical unhealthy relationships. Learning to get a little selfish is the missing ingredient to holistic self-care and improving mental wellness. You'll gain access to hope, healing, and victory, and shatter the cycles of shame and guilt that are keeping you from the life you deserve... By the end of this book, you will shake the shame of carving out me time, strengthen boundaries, be keenly aware of energy vampires, and be on your way to becoming "Certified Selfish" - a label worth wearing.

Poppy the Proud

Poppy is the prettiest peacock in the entire garden, but one day his privileged existence is upset when an all-white peacock is born and promptly named the most beautiful by a smitten flock. Intensely jealous, Poppy no longer knows where he fits in and decides to reclaim his title as the fairest bird in all the land, no matter what it takes.In a desperate attempt to regain the admiration of his peers, Poppy steals items from the humans that visit his park. He wraps himself in a beautiful silk scarf, wears a series of ornate bangles around his neck, and even tries to dye his feathers with colored dust from a festive Holi celebration. Unfortunately, each of these attempts not only fails to improve his appearance, they actually make it worse. What's a poor bird to do?In this compelling tale of self-esteem, pride, and learning what makes each of us special, Poppy the peacock discovers that true beauty lies beneath the feathers.Poppy the Proud is the third in a new series of color-illustrated books for children entitled The Bird Brain Books.

Darshan

In 1911 rural India, Baba Singh Toor commits a shocking act of violence to avenge a crippling loss, setting a secret in motion that will haunt--and claim--the Toors for generations.Hardened by a crime for which he was never caught, Baba's past casts shadows over his sons, even as the era of British Colonial tyranny and oppression reaches its height. In the distant colony of 1940s Fiji, his son, Manmohan, a virtuoso of enterprise, bears the burden of his father's sin, plagued by an all-consuming insecurity that suffocates his own children. And twenty-five years later in San Francisco, Darshan--inextricably linked to his grandfather, Baba Singh, by both birth and fate--finds himself dragged to the center of conflict. Held accountable for the Toors' dark history, he labors to honor his name--meaning one who is blessed with clarity of sight--attempting to keep the family from irreparably splintering apart. A novel in three parts, Darshan is a raw examination of the lifetimes required to reconcile one man's fatal mistake.An ambitious, epic debut novel that finely balances historical elements of nations struggling under Colonial rule with the tragedy of men who refuse to release their sorrow, written in keenly descriptive, fluid, and penetrating prose."A multigenerational family epic in every sense of the term: nuanced, thoughtful, well-written, and deftly mixing history with fiction." --IndieReader

Media Magnetism: How to Attract the Favorable Publicity You Want and Deserve

IS YOUR BUSINESS CLOSE-UP IN PERFECT FOCUS? Attracting - and maximizing - great PR opportunities for you, your idea and your organization is as much an art as it is a science if you want to sparkle in the spotlight. In this must-have book covering all aspects of today's media relations, industry experts offer "been there/done that" tips, resources and guidelines on how to: Make influential connections Become sound-bite savvy Endear yourself to reporters Survive awkward moments Use social media wisely Manage a cost-effective campaign Looking for that portal to media magic? It's right here in your hands.

Born Under a Million Shadows

For fans of THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hossein and Yasmin Khadra's THE SWALLOWS OF KABUL, a devastating tale of forbidden love between an Englishwoman and a Kabul warlord.The Taliban have disappeared from Kabul's streets, but the long shadows of their brutal regime remain. In his short life eleven-year-old Fawad has known more grief than most: his father and brother have been killed, his sister has been abducted, and Fawad and his mother, Mariya, must rely on the charity of family to eke out a hand-to-mouth existence. Then Mariya finds a position as housekeeper for a charismatic western woman, Georgie, and Fawad dares to hope for an end to their struggle. He soon discovers that his beloved Georgie is caught up in a dangerous love affair with the powerful Afghan warlord Haji Khan, a legendary name on the streets of Kabul. At first resentful of Haji Khan's presence, Fawad learns that love can move a man to act in surprising ways, and an overwhelming act of generosity persuades him of the warlord's good intentions.But even a man as influential as Haji Khan can't protect Fawad from the next tragedy to blight his young life, a tragedy so devastating that it threatens to destroy the one thing Fawad thought he could never lose: his love for his country.

The Magic of Ordinary Days

Olivia Dunne, a studious minister's daughter who dreams of being an archaeologist, never thought that the drama of World War II would affect her quiet life in Denver. An exhilarating flirtation reshapes her life, though, and she finds herself banished to a rural Colorado outpost, married to a man she hardly knows. Overwhelmed by loneliness, Olivia tentatively tries to establish a new life, finding much-needed friendship and solace in two Japanese American sisters who are living at a nearby internment camp. When Olivia unwittingly becomes an accomplice to a crime and is faced with betrayal, she finally confronts her own desires. Beautifully written and filled with memorable characters, Creel's novel is a powerful exploration of the nature of trust and love.

Ryan White: My Own Story

A touching tale of a courageous young man, his battle against fear and hatred, and his fight to educate the public about AIDS. "A story of tragedy and courage that should be reade by all."--Dallas Morning News.

Big Little Lies

From the author of Truly Madly Guilty and The Husband s Secret comes a novel about the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.A murder...A tragic accident...Or just parents behaving badly? What's indisputable is that someone is dead.Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She's funny, biting, and passionate; she remembers everything and forgives no one. Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare but she is paying a price for the illusion of perfection. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for a nanny. She comes with a mysterious past and a sadness beyond her years. These three women are at different crossroads, but they will all wind up in the same shocking place. Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the little lies that can turn lethal.

Amazonia

The Rand scientific expedition entered the lush wilderness of the Amazon and never returned. Years later, one of its members has stumbled out of the world's most inhospitable rainforest: a former Special Forces soldier - scarred, mutilated, terrified, and mere hours from death - who went in with one arm missing...and came out with both intact.Unable to comprehend this inexplicable event, the government sends Nathan Rand into this impenetrable secret world of undreamed - of perils to follow the trail of his vanished father...toward mysteries that must be solved at any cost. But the nightmare that is awaiting Nate and his team of scientists and seasoned U.S. Army Rangers dwarfs any danger they anticipated...an ancient, unspoken terror - a power beyond human imagining-that can forever alter the world beyond the dark, lethal confines of the Amazon rainforest for better... and for worse.

The Gettysburg Address

The Gettysburg Address is the most famous speech of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and one of the most quoted speeches in United States history. It was delivered at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863, during the American Civil War, four and a half months after the Union armies defeated the Confederates at the decisive Battle of Gettysburg.

They F*** You Up: How to Survive Family Life

Do your relationships tend to follow the same destructive pattern? Do you feel trapped by your family's expectations of you? Does your life seem overwhelmingly governed by jealousy or competitiveness or lack of confidence? In this ground-breaking book, clinical psychologist Oliver James shows that it is the way we were cared for in the first six years of life that has a crucial effect on who we are and how we behave. Nurture, in effect, shapes our very nature. James combines the latest scientific research with fascinating interviews to show that understanding your past is the first step to controlling your present.

How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life

Packed with tested strategies and practical tips, this book is the essential, life-changing guide for everyone who owns a smartphone. Is your phone the first thing you reach for in the morning and the last thing you touch before bed? Do you frequently pick it up "just to check," only to look up forty-five minutes later wondering where the time has gone? Do you say you want to spend less time on your phone--but have no idea how to do so without giving it up completely? If so, this book is your solution.Award-winning journalist Catherine Price presents a practical, hands-on plan to break up--and then make up--with your phone. The goal? A long-term relationship that actually feels good. You'll discover how phones and apps are designed to be addictive, and learn how the time we spend on them damages our abilities to focus, think deeply, and form new memories. You'll then make customized changes to your settings, apps, environment, and mindset that will ultimately enable you to take back control of your life.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

A pioneering researcher and one of the world's foremost experts on traumatic stress offers a bold new paradigm for healing. Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Such experiences inevitably leave traces on minds, emotions, and even on biology. Sadly, trauma sufferers frequently pass on their stress to their partners and children. Renowned trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain's wiring--specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including neurofeedback, mindfulness techniques, play, yoga, and other therapies. Based on Dr. van der Kolk's own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score offers proven alternatives to drugs and talk therapy--and a way to reclaim lives.

The Jewel in the Crown (The Raj Quartet, #1)

No set of novels so richly recreates the last days of India under British rule--"two nations locked in an imperial embrace"--as Paul Scott's historical tour de force, "The Raj Quartet." The Jewel in the Crown opens in 1942 as the British fear both Japanese invasion and Indian demands for independence.

mRtyuNjy

The search for the meaning of Being is man's eternal quest and the subject of his greatest creations. Shivaji Sawant's Mrityunjaya is an outstanding instance of such a literary masterpiece in which a contemporary Marathi novelist investigates the meaning of the bewildering skein that is life through the personae of the Mahabharata protagonists. For over two decades since its first publication the vast non- Marathi and non-Hindi readership remained deprived of this remarkable exploration of the human psyche till the publication of this English translation by the Writers workshop - a contribution for which there is much to be grateful for. Mrityunjaya is the autobiography of Karna, and yet it is not just that. With deceptive case, Sawant brings into play an exceptional stylistic innovation by combining six "dramatic soliloquies" to form the nine books of this novel of epic dimensions. Four books are spoken by Karna. These are interspersed with a book each from the lips of his unwed mother Kunti, Duryodhana (who considers Karna his mainstay), Shon (Shatruntapa, his foster-brother, who here-worships him), his wife Vrishali to whom he is like a god and, last of all, Krishna. Sawant depicts an uncanny similarity between Krishna and Karna and hints at a mystic link between them, investing his protagonist with a more-than-human aura to offset the un-heroic and even unmanly acts which mar this tremendously complex and utterly fascinating creating of Vyasa.

Congo

Deep in the African rain forest, near the legendary ruins of the Lost City of Zinj, an expedition of eight American geologists is mysteriously and brutally killed in a matter of minutes.Ten thousand miles away, Karen Ross, the Congo Project Supervisor, watches a gruesome video transmission of the aftermath: a camp destroyed, tents crushed and torn, equipment scattered in the mud alongside dead bodies -- all motionless except for one moving image -- a grainy, dark, man-shaped blur.In San Francisco, primatologist Peter Elliot works with Amy, a gorilla with an extraordinary vocabulary of 620 "signs," the most ever learned by a primate, and she likes to fingerpaint. But recently, her behavior has been erratic and her drawings match, with stunning accuracy, the brittle pages of a Portuguese print dating back to 1642 . . . a drawing of an ancient lost city. A new expedition -- along with Amy -- is sent into the Congo where they enter a secret world, and the only way out may be through a horrifying death ...source: michaelcrichton.com

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Judean desert between 1947 and 1956 was one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time. Hidden in the caves at Qumran by the Essenes, a Jewish sect in existence before and during the time of Jesus, the Scrolls have transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism, and the origins of Christianity. This fully revised edition of the classic English translation by Geza Vermes, the world's leading scholar on the subject, offers an astonishing look into the organization, customs, and beliefs of the community at Qumran. Enhanced by much previously unpublished material and a new preface, this will remain the authoritative translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls for years to come.

In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad, #1)

As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children. He is gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a 12-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox (his partner and closest friend) find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.A gorgeously written novel that marks the debut of an astonishing new voice in psychological suspense.

The Right Stuff

Tom Wolfe began The Right Stuff at a time when it was unfashionable to contemplate American heroism. Nixon had left the White House in disgrace, the nation was reeling from the catastrophe of Vietnam, and in 1979--the year the book appeared--Americans were being held hostage by Iranian militants. Yet it was exactly the anachronistic courage of his subjects that captivated Wolfe. In his foreword, he notes that as late as 1970, almost one in four career Navy pilots died in accidents. "The Right Stuff," he explains, "became a story of why men were willing--willing?--delighted!--to take on such odds in this, an era literary people had long since characterized as the age of the anti-hero." Wolfe's roots in New Journalism were intertwined with the nonfiction novel that Truman Capote had pioneered with In Cold Blood. As Capote did, Wolfe tells his story from a limited omniscient perspective, dropping into the lives of his "characters" as each in turn becomes a major player in the space program. After an opening chapter on the terror of being a test pilot's wife, the story cuts back to the late 1940s, when Americans were first attempting to break the sound barrier. Test pilots, we discover, are people who live fast lives with dangerous machines, not all of them airborne. Chuck Yeager was certainly among the fastest, and his determination to push through Mach 1--a feat that some had predicted would cause the destruction of any aircraft--makes him the book's guiding spirit. Yet soon the focus shifts to the seven initial astronauts. Wolfe traces Alan Shepard's suborbital flight and Gus Grissom's embarrassing panic on the high seas (making the controversial claim that Grissom flooded his Liberty capsule by blowing the escape hatch too soon). The author also produces an admiring portrait of John Glenn's apple-pie heroism and selfless dedication. By the time Wolfe concludes with a return to Yeager and his late-career exploits, the narrative's epic proportions and literary merits are secure. Certainly The Right Stuff is the best, the funniest, and the most vivid book ever written about America's manned space program. --Patrick O'Kelley

The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity

Was God telling the truth when he said, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart"? In his #1 bestseller The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel examined the claims of Christ, reaching the hard-won verdict that Jesus is God's unique son. In The Case for Faith, Strobel turns his skills to the most persistent emotional objections to belief---the eight "heart barriers" to faith. This Gold Medallion-winning book is for those who may be feeling attracted to Jesus but who are faced with difficult questions standing squarely in their path. For Christians, it will deepen their convictions and give them fresh confidence in discussing Christianity with even their most skeptical friends. "Everyone --seekers, doubters, fervent believers-- benefits when Lee Strobel hits the road in search of answers, as he does again in The Case for Faith. In the course of his probing interviews, some of the toughest intellectual obstacles to faith fall away." --Luis Palau "Lee Strobel has given believers and skeptics alike a gift in this book. He does not avoid seeking the most difficult questions imaginable, and refuses to provide simplistic answers that do more harm than good." --Jerry Sittser, professor of religion, Whitworth College, and author of A Grace Disguised and The Will of God as a Way of Life

Donnie Brasco

Posing as jewel thief "Donnie Brasco," FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone carried out the most audacious sting operation ever, working undercover for six years to infiltrate the flamboyant community of mafia soldiers, "connected guys," captains, and godfathers. Now his unforgettable eyewitness account brings to pulsating life the entire world of wiseguys--their code of honor and their treachery, their wives, girlfriends and whores, their lavish spending and dirty dealings.With the drama and suspense of a high-tension thriller, Joseph Pistone reveals every incredible aspect of the jealously guarded world he penetrated...and draws a chilling picture of what the mafia is, does, and means in America today.

Worth Dying For (Jack Reacher, #15)

There's deadly trouble in the corn county of Nebraska . . . and Jack Reacher walks right into it. First he falls foul of the Duncans, a local clan that has terrified an entire county into submission. But it's the unsolved, decades-old case of a missing child that Reacher can't let go. The Duncans want Reacher gone--and it's not just past secrets they're trying to hide. For as dangerous as the Duncans are, they're just the bottom of a criminal food chain stretching halfway around the world. For Reacher, it would have made much more sense to put some distance between himself and the hard-core trouble that's bearing down on him. For Reacher, that was also impossible.

Living the Wisdom of the Tao

Accessibly interpreted by Wayne Dyer, this title gives simple steps that are easy to follow all from the Tao Te Ching. It offers you an opportunity to internalize and directly experience the great wisdom of the Tao Te Ching, a collection of verses authored by the Chinese prophet Lao-tzu.

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson, #1)

There are six things very wrong with my life:1. I have one of those under-the-skin spots that will never come to a head but lurk in a red way for the next two years.2. It is on my nose3. I have a three-year-old sister who may have peed somewhere in my room.4. In fourteen days the summer hols will be over and then it will be back to Stalag 14 and Oberfuhrer Frau Simpson and her bunch of sadistic teachers.5. I am very ugly and need to go into an ugly home.6. I went to a party dressed as a stuffed olive.In this wildly funny journal of a year in the life of Georgia Nicolson, British author Louise Rennison has perfectly captured the soaring joys and bottomless angst of being a teenager. In the spirit of Bridget Jones's Diary, this fresh, irreverent, and simply hilarious book will leave you laughing out loud. As Georgia would say, it's "Fabbity fab fab!"

Dawn of the Knight I - Xeltian Invitation

In the spring of 220 Minores, the world of Xeltia brought its black army to bear down upon the kingdoms of mankind. Led by the Corrupter and her Knight, they sought the Collapse - a fate worse than death, encompassing all and never to be undone.Yet as the three kings united and the true knights arose, the onslaught was met on the eastern plains of Rolace. Many lives were ended, kingdoms shattered, but in the end the terrible evil was driven away. An era of flourishing peace would follow, which men called the Dawn.But decades would pass, and this would become legend. True knights would fade, and the Corrupter would return, once again seeking the Collapse. Her Xeltian Knight would pit the hearts of man against his brothers using their anger, greed, and lust. There would be no united resistance this time... Only a boy seeking to fulfill a promise.

The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron

There were dozens of books about Watergate, but only All the President's Men gave readers the full story, with all the drama and nuance and exclusive reporting. And thirty years later, if you're going to read only one book on Watergate, that's still the one. Today, Enron is the biggest business story of our time, and Fortune senior writers Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind are the new Woodward and Bernstein.Remarkably, it was just two years ago that Enron was thought to epitomize a great New Economy company, with its skyrocketing profits and share price. But that was before Fortune published an article by McLean that asked a seemingly innocent question: How exactly does Enron make money? From that point on, Enron's house of cards began to crumble. Now, McLean and Elkind have investigated much deeper, to offer the definitive book about the Enron scandal and the fascinating people behind it.Meticulously researched and character driven, Smartest Guys in the Room takes the reader deep into Enron's past--and behind the closed doors of private meetings. Drawing on a wide range of unique sources, the book follows Enron's rise from obscurity to the top of the business world to its disastrous demise. It reveals as never before major characters such as Ken Lay, Jeff Skilling, and Andy Fastow, as well as lesser known players like Cliff Baxter and Rebecca Mark. Smartest Guys in the Room is a story of greed, arrogance, and deceit--a microcosm of all that is wrong with American business today. Above all, it's a fascinating human drama that will prove to be the authoritative account of the Enron scandal.

Next

Welcome to our genetic world.Fast, furious, and out of control.This is not the world of the future --- it's the world right now.Is a loved one missing some body parts? Are blondes becoming extinct? Is everyone at your dinner table of the same species? Humans and chimpanzees differ in only 400 genes; is that why an adult human being resembles a chimp fetus? And should that worry us? There's a new genetic cure for drug addiction --- is it worse than the disease?We live in a time of momentous scientific leaps; a time when it's possible to sell our eggs and sperm online for thousands of dollars; test our spouses for genetic maladies and even frame someone for a genetic crime.We live in a time when one fifth of all our genes are owned by someone else, and an unsuspecting person and his family can be pursued cross-country because they happen to have certain valuable genes within their chromosomes ...Devilishly clever, Next blends fact and fiction into a breathless tale of a new world where nothing is what it seems, and a set of new possibilities can open at every turn. Next challenges our sense of reality and notions of morality. Balancing the comic and bizarre with the genuinely frightening and disturbing, Next shatters our assumptions, and reveals shocking new choices where we least expect.The future is closer than you think. Get used to it.

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

An unforgettable true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to end mass incarceration in America -- from one of the most inspiring lawyers of our time.Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit law office in Montgomery, Alabama, dedicated to defending the poor, the incarcerated, and the wrongly condemned.Just Mercy tells the story of EJI, from the early days with a small staff facing the nation's highest death sentencing and execution rates, through a successful campaign to challenge the cruel practice of sentencing children to die in prison, to revolutionary projects designed to confront Americans with our history of racial injustice.One of EJI's first clients was Walter McMillian, a young Black man who was sentenced to die for the murder of a young white woman that he didn't commit. The case exemplifies how the death penalty in America is a direct descendant of lynching -- a system that treats the rich and guilty better than the poor and innocent.

Einstein: His Life and Universe

Einstein was a rebel and nonconformist from boyhood days, and these character traits drove both his life and his science. In this narrative, Walter Isaacson explains how his mind worked and the mysteries of the universe that he discovered.

Golden Fool (Tawny Man, #2)

The acclaimed Farseer and Liveship Traders trilogies established Robin Hobb as one of the most splendidly imaginative practitioners of world-class fantasy. Now, in Book 2 of her most stunning trilogy yet, Hobb continues the soul-shattering tale of FitzChivalry Farseer. With rich characters, breathtaking magic, and sweeping action, Golden Fool brings the reluctant adventurer further into the fray in an epic of sacrifice, salvation, and untold treachery.Golden FoolPrince Dutiful has been rescued from his Piebald kidnappers and the court has resumed its normal rhythms. But for FitzChivalry Farseer, a return to isolation is impossible. Though gutted by the loss of his wolf bondmate, Nighteyes, Fitz must take up residence at Buckkeep and resume his tasks as Chade's apprentice assassin. Posing as Tom Badgerlock, bodyguard to Lord Golden, FitzChivalry becomes the eyes and ears behind the walls. And with his old mentor failing visibly, Fitz is forced to take on more burdens as he attempts to guide a kingdom straying closer to civil strife each day.The problems are legion. Prince Dutiful's betrothal to the Narcheska Elliania of the Out Islands is fraught with tension, and the Narcheska herself appears to be hiding an array of secrets. Then, amid Piebald threats and the increasing persecution of the Witted, FitzChivalry must ensure that no one betrays the Prince's secret--a secret that could topple the Farseer throne: that he, like Fitz, possesses the dread "beast magic."Meanwhile, FitzChivalry must impart to the Prince his limited knowledge of the Skill: the hereditary and addictive magic of the Farseers. In the process, they discover within Buckkeep one who has a wild and powerful talent for it, and whose enmity for Fitz may have disastrous consequences for all.Only Fitz's enduring friendship with the Fool brings him any solace. But even that is shattered when unexpected visitors from Bingtown reveal devastating secrets from the Fool's past. Now, bereft of support and adrift in intrigue, Fitz's biggest challenge may be simply to survive the inescapable and violent path that fate has laid out for him.From the Hardcover edition.

The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #12)

Dear Reader, If this is the first book you found while searching for a book to read next, then the first thing you should know is that this next-to-last book is what you should put down first. Sadly, this book presents the next-to-last chronicle of the lives of the Baudelaire orphans, and it is next-to-first in its supply of misery, despair, and unpleasantness.Probably the next-to-last thing you would like to read about are a harpoon gun, a rooftop sunbathing salon, two mysterious initials, three unidentified triplets, a notorious villain, and an unsavory curry.Next-to-last things are the first thing to be avoided, and so allow me to recommend that you put this next-to-last book down first, and find something else to read next at last, such as the next-to-last book in another chronicle, or a chronicle containing other next-to-last things, so that this next-to-last book does not become the last book you will read. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket

Close to Home (DI Adam Fawley, #1)

They know who did it. Perhaps not consciously. Perhaps not yet. But they know. When eight-year-old Daisy Mason vanishes from her family's Oxford home during a costume party, Detective Inspector Adam Fawley knows that nine times out of ten, the offender is someone close to home. And Daisy's family is certainly strange--her mother is obsessed with keeping up appearances, while her father is cold and defensive under questioning. And then there's Daisy's little brother, so withdrawn and uncommunicative . . . DI Fawley works against the clock to find any trace of the little girl, but it's as if she disappeared into thin air--no one saw anything; no one knows anything. But everyone has an opinion, and everyone, it seems, has a secret to conceal.

Paralysis: Beating the Odds

After a life altering medical fiasco Addison spends the next few years fighting to get her old life back and beat the original diagnosis of left side hemiplegia. Through this journey she finds out the biggest hindrances as well as the most helpful tips and tricks along the way. In this book you will find out what she did to recover from her stroke at age sixteen when she was told she would never walk on her own again.

SACRIFICE

It had been two years since her husband passed away.Caz is desperately trying to move on with her life and decides to buy a new cottage out of town. Her two young children are not thrilled about the idea.When she moves in to her new home strange things start happening, endangering all of their lives. Caz tries frantically to save her family and keep them from harm's way not realizing in order to save her family she must enter a different world and fight for them from afar.

Who's Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build Deep, Trusting Relationships That Create Success--And Won't Let You Fail

Disregard the myth of the lone professional "superman" and the rest of our culture's go-it alone mentality. The real path to success in your work and in your life is through creating an inner circle of "lifeline relationships" - deep, close relationships with a few key trusted individuals who will offer the encouragement, feedback, and generous mutual support every one of us needs to reach our full potential. Whether your dream is to lead a company, be a top producer in your field, overcome the self-destructive habits that hold you back, lose weight or make a difference in the larger world, Who's Got Your Back will give you the roadmap you've been looking for to achieve the success you deserve.Keith Ferrazzi, the internationally renowned thought leader, consultant, and bestselling author of Never Eat Alone, shows us that becoming a winner in any field of endeavor requires a trusted team of advisors who can offer guidance and help to hold us accountable to achieving our goals. It is the reason PH.D candidates have advisor teams, top executives have boards, world class athletes have fitness coaches, and presidents have cabinets.In this step-by-step guide to the powerful principles behind personal growth and change, you'll learn how * Master the mindsets that will help you to build deeper, more trusting " lifeline relationships"* Overcome the career-crippling habits that hold you back, once and for all* Get further, faster by setting goals in a dramatically more powerful way* Use "sparring " as a productive tool to make the decisions that will fuel personal success* Replace the yes men in your life with those who get it and care - and will hold you accountable to achieving your goals* Lower your guard and let others help!None of us can do it alone. We need the perspective and advice of a trusted team. And in Who's Got Your Back, Keith Ferrazzi shows us how to put our own "dream team" together.

Grave Sight (Harper Connelly, #1)

Grave Sight (Harper Connelly Mysteries, Book 1)Harper Connelly has what you might call a strange job: she finds dead people. She can sense the final location of a person who's passed, and share their very last moment. The way Harper sees it, she's providing a service to the dead while bringing some closure to the living - but she's used to most people treating her like a blood-sucking leech. Traveling with her step-brother Tolliver as manager and sometime-bodyguard, she's become an expert at getting in, getting paid, and getting out fast. Because for the living it's always urgent - even if the dead can wait forever.

Under the Skin

Isserley picks up hitchhikers with big muscles. She, herself, is tiny--like a kid peering up over the steering wheel. She has a remarkable face and wears the thickest corrective lenses anyone has ever seen. Her posture is suggestive of some spinal problem. Her breasts are perfect; perhaps implants. She is strangely erotic yet somehow grotesque, vulnerable yet threatening. Her hitchhikers are a mixed bunch of men--trailer trash and travelling postgrads, thugs and philosophers. But Isserley is only interested in whether they have families and whether they have muscles. Then, it's only a question of how long she can endure her pain--physical and spiritual--and their conversation. Michel Faber's work has been described as a combination of Roald Dahl and Franz Kafka, as Somerset Maugham shacking up with Ian McEwan. At once humane and horrifying, Under the Skin takes us on a heart-thumping ride through dangerous territory--our own moral instincts and the boundaries of compassion.

The Plot Against America

In an astonishing feat of narrative invention, our most ambitious novelist imagines an alternate version of American history. In 1940 Charles A. Lindbergh, heroic aviator and rabid isolationist, is elected President. Shortly thereafter, he negotiates a cordial "understanding" with Adolf Hitler, while the new government embarks on a program of folksy anti-Semitism.For one boy growing up in Newark, Lindbergh's election is the first in a series of ruptures that threatens to destroy his small, safe corner of America - and with it, his mother, his father, and his older brother.(back cover)

Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself

The #1 bestseller that has helped heal millions of readers, this modern classic holds the key to understanding codependency and unlocking its hold on your life. Melody Beattie's compassionate and insightful look into codependency--the concept of losing oneself in the name of helping another-- has helped millions of readers understand that they are powerless to change anyone but themselves and that caring for the self is where healing begins. Is someone else's problem your problem? If, like so many others, you've lost sight of your own life in the drama of tending to a loved one's self-destructive behavior, you may be codependent--and you may find yourself in this book. With instructive life stories, personal reflections, exercises, and self-tests, Codependent No More helps you to break old patterns, maintain healthy boundaries, and say no to unhealthy relationships. It offers a clear and achievable path to freedom and a lifetime of healing, hope, and happiness. This ground-breaking book is even more relevant today, as readers confront new, urgent challenges with greater self-awareness, than it was when it first entered the national conversation over 35 years ago.

The Sheltering Sky

In this classic work of psychological terror, Paul Bowles examines the ways in which Americans apprehend an alien culture--and the ways in which their incomprehension destroys them. The story of three American travelers adrift in the cities and deserts of North Africa, The Sheltering Sky is at once merciless and heartbreaking in its compassion. It etches the limits of human reason and intelligence--perhaps even the limits of human life --when they touch the unfathomable emptiness and impassive cruelty of the desert.

Messenger (The Giver, #3)

Messenger is the masterful third novel in the Giver Quartet, which began with the dystopian bestseller The Giver, now a major motion picture. Matty has lived in Village and flourished under the guidance of Seer, a blind man known for his special sight. Village once welcomed newcomers, but something sinister has seeped into Village and the people have voted to close it to outsiders. Matty has been invaluable as a messenger. Now he must risk everything to make one last journey through the treacherous forest with his only weapon, a power he unexpectedly discovers within himself.

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

The beautiful practicality of her teaching has made Pema Chodron one of the most beloved of contemporary American spiritual authors among Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. A collection of talks she gave between 1987 and 1994, the book is a treasury of wisdom for going on living when we are overcome by pain and difficulties. Chodron discusses: * Using painful emotions to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage * Communicating so as to encourage others to open up rather than shut down * Practices for reversing habitual patterns * Methods for working with chaotic situations * Ways for creating effective social action

The Conquest of Happiness

The Conquest of Happiness is Bertrand Russell's recipe for good living. First published in 1930, it pre-dates the current obsession with self-help by decades. Leading the reader step by step through the causes of unhappiness and the personal choices, compromises and sacrifices that (may) lead to the final, affirmative conclusion of 'The Happy Man', this is popular philosophy, or even self-help, as it should be written.

Bloodlines (Bloodlines, #1)

I wasn't free of my past, not yet.Sydney's blood is special. That's because she's an alchemist - one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. But the last encounter Sydney had with vampires got her in deep trouble with the other alchemists. And now with her allegiances in question, her future is on the line.When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the unlikeliest of places: a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one.The Moroi court believe Jill and Sydney will be safe at Amberwood Prep, but threats, distractions, and forbidden romance lurk both outside - and within - the school grounds. Now that they're in hiding, the drama is only just beginning.

Doctor Sleep (The Shining, #2)

Stephen King returns to the characters and territory of one of his most popular novels ever, The Shining, in this instantly riveting novel about the now middle-aged Dan Torrance (the boy protagonist of The Shining) and the very special 12-year-old girl he must save from a tribe of murderous paranormals.On highways across America, a tribe of people called The True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless - mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky 12-year-old Abra Stone learns, The True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the "steam" that children with the "shining" produce when they are slowly tortured to death.Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father's legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant "shining" power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes "Doctor Sleep."Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan's own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra's soul and survival. This is an epic war between good and evil, a gory, glorious story that will thrill the millions of hyper-devoted fans of The Shining and wildly satisfy anyone new to the territory of this icon in the King canon.

Love is the Answer, God is the Cure: A True Story of Abuse, Betrayal and Unconditional Love

Her family secrets burst in the spotlight when Aimee and her sister went to the authorities. In this riveting memoir Aimee Cabo shares the inside story of a young girl's courage to stand up to sexual, physical, and emotional abuse while facing her abusers in a trial the media dubbed "The Case from Hell." As she fought court battles, poverty, abuse, and addiction Aimee always turned to love and God.Love is the Answer, God is the Cure is a story of a woman who triumphed against all odds, persevered to find true love and form a family that could withstand anything.

The Silent Corner (Jane Hawk, #1)

Meet Jane Hawk--a remarkable new heroine certain to become an icon of suspense, propelled by the singular narrative genius of #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz."I very much need to be dead." These are the chilling words left behind by a man who had everything to live for--but took his own life. In the aftermath, his widow, Jane Hawk, does what all her grief, fear, and fury demand: find the truth, no matter what. People of talent and accomplishment, people admired and happy and sound of mind, have been committing suicide in surprising numbers. When Jane seeks to learn why, she becomes the most-wanted fugitive in America. Her powerful enemies are protecting a secret so important--so terrifying--that they will exterminate anyone in their way. But all their power and viciousness may not be enough to stop a woman as clever as they are cold-blooded, as relentless as they are ruthless--and who is driven by a righteous rage they can never comprehend. Because it is born of love.

Leadership: Past, Present & Future

What is leadership? What qualities do true leaders have? Can you learn to be a leader? These questions and more are answered. Described are the most common virtues of a leader and past and present examples.

Girl with a Pearl Earring

With precisely 35 canvases to his credit, the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer represents one of the great enigmas of 17th-century art. The meager facts of his biography have been gleaned from a handful of legal documents. Yet Vermeer's extraordinary paintings of domestic life, with their subtle play of light and texture, have come to define the Dutch golden age. His portrait of the anonymous Girl with a Pearl Earring has exerted a particular fascination for centuries--and it is this magnetic painting that lies at the heart of Tracy Chevalier's second novel of the same title.Girl with a Pearl Earring centers on Vermeer's prosperous Delft household during the 1660s. When Griet, the novel's quietly perceptive heroine, is hired as a servant, turmoil follows. First, the 16-year-old narrator becomes increasingly intimate with her master. Then Vermeer employs her as his assistant--and ultimately has Griet sit for him as a model.

Choke

Victor Mancini, a medical-school dropout, is an antihero for our deranged times.Needing to pay elder care for his mother, Victor has devised an ingenious scam: he pretends to choke on pieces of food while dining in upscale restaurants. He then allows himself to be "saved" by fellow patrons who, feeling responsible for Victor's life, go on to send checks to support him.When he's not pulling this stunt, Victor cruises sexual addiction recovery workshops for action, visits his addled mom, and spends his days working at a colonial theme park.His creator, Chuck Palahniuk, renowned author of classics like Fight Club, is the visionary we need and the satirist we deserve.

Simple Genius (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell, #3)

In a world of secrets, human genius is power. And sometimes it is simply deadly... A three-hour drive from Washington, D.C., two clandestine institutions face each other across a heavily guarded river. One is the world's most unusual laboratory, whose goals and funding are a mystery. The other is an elite CIA training camp shrouded in secrecy. Now a man and a woman are about to run a gauntlet between these two puzzle factories, straight into a furious struggle to exploit a potentially world-shattering discovery--and keep some other secrets underwraps forever... Former secret service agents turned private investigators Sean King and Michelle Maxwell have seen their lives splinter around them. Michelle lies unconscious ina hospital bed after a night of suicidal violence. And Sean is forced to take on a thankless investigation into the mutder of a scientist just inside the CIA's razor-wire fence near Williamsburg, Virginia. Soon he is uncovering layer after layer of disinformation that shields a stunning world filled with elite mathematics, physicists, war heroes, spies, and deadly field agents. Amid more murder, a seemingly autistic girl's extraordinary genius, and a powerful breakthrough in the realm of classified codes, Sean soon learns enough to put his life at risk. Now more than ever, he needs Michelle--at her best--to help stop a conspiracy of traitors operating in the shadow of the White House itself. From Michelle's courageous struggle to defeat her long-buried personal demons to a centuries-old secret that surfaces in the heat of action, SIMPLE GENIUS pulses with stunning, high-intensity suspense. The heroes of Split Second and Hour Game, David Baldacci's #1 New York Times bestsellers, are back--as you've never seen them before.

The Tommyknockers

Librarian's Note: This is alternate cover edition #2ISBN 10: 0451156609ISBN13: 9780451156600 See: Original Record HereLate Last Night and the Night Before ...... Tommyknockers, tommyknockers, knocking at the door.Something was happening in Bobbi Anderson's idyllic small town of Haven, Maine. Something that gave every man, woman, and child in town powers far beyond ordinary mortals. Something that turned the town into a death trap for all outsiders. Something that came from a metal object, buried for millennia, that Bobbi accidentally stumbled across. It wasn't that Bobbi and the other good folks of Haven had sold their souls to reap the rewards of the most deadly evil this side of hell. It was more like a diabolical takeover...an invasion of body and soul--and mind....Note: All information herein, such as number of pages, publisher, etc., refer to this alternate cover edition and may or may not coincide with the main entry for this ISBN or any other alternate covers.~

O My Son

One of the duties parents owe their children is to guide them aright by educating them. They should correct their children's errors and most importantly guide them to live a life that is pleasing to Allah and teach them a means of achieving it. Allah points these duties to parents, particularly the fathers, In His book (the Qur'aan) when he gave the example of Luqmaan and his son. 'And (remember) when Luqmaan said to his while he was advising him: "O my son! join not in worship others with Allah. Verily! joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed. "Luqmaan (31:13). Our success as parents is determined largely by how well we are able to discharge those responsibilities Allah has placed on us regarding out children. this book explains different aspects of the advice of Luqmaan to his son and its significance for a successful life.

Exodus

Following the discovery of "wet tunnels" linking the majority of the world's oil wells together, combined with the now vividly apparent oil shortage, panic among the global populous ensues. Violent riots become commonplace as the critical infrastructure, previously dependent on the black gold, grinds suddenly to a halt. The citizens of the United States cry out for government intervention and a national savior. The response: Martial Law. Realizing they are losing control, the U.S. government calls its troops home and isolationism becomes the new norm.Out of the torrent of chaos and oppression an underground movement forms: the Pilgrims. Founded with the sole purpose of recapturing their once held rights to freedom, the plan from which to obtain their dream is nearly complete. Operating from the shadows, the pilgrims must tread carefully if they are to succeed.The story itself follows a young man named Devin, who falls unwillingly into the Pilgrim movement and finds himself an enemy of the state. With his survival at stake, the teen, joined by a group of refugees, struggles to escape the government controlled city and on to the Pilgrim capital of freedom: Lake Haven.

Rock Chick (Rock Chick, #1)

Indy Savage, cop's daughter, rock chick and used bookstore owner, has been in love with Lee Nightingale, once bad boy, now the man behind Nightingale Investigations, since she was five years old. No matter what ingenious schemes Indy used to capture his attention, Lee never showed an interest and Indy finally gave up. Now Indy's employee, Rosie, has lost a bag of diamonds and bad guys are shooting at him. When Indy gets involved, Lee is forced to help. Complicating matters, Lee has decided he's interested, Indy's decided she's not. But she can't seem to keep Lee out of her life when she's repeatedly stun gunned, kidnapped and there are car bombs exploding (not to mention she's finding dead bodies).Indy's best bet is to solve the mystery of the diamonds before Lee. Lee's challenge is to keep Indy alive and, at the same time, win back her heart.

The Nanny Diaries (Nanny, #1)

Wanted: One young woman to take care of four-year-old boy. Must be cheerful, enthusiastic and selfless--bordering on masochistic. Must relish sixteen-hour shifts with a deliberately nap-deprived preschooler. Must love getting thrown up on, literally and figuratively, by everyone in his family. Must enjoy the delicious anticipation of ridiculously erratic pay. Mostly, must love being treated like fungus found growing out of employers Hermes bag. Those who take it personally need not apply. Who wouldn't want this job? Struggling to graduate from NYU and afford her microscopic studio apartment, Nanny takes a position caring for the only son of the wealthy X family. She rapidly learns the insane amount of juggling involved to ensure that a Park Avenue wife who doesn't work, cook, clean, or raise her own child has a smooth day. When the X's' marriage begins to disintegrate, Nanny ends up involved way beyond the bounds of human decency or good taste. Her tenure with the X family becomes a nearly impossible mission to maintain the mental health of their four-year-old, her own integrity and, most importantly, her sense of humor. Over nine tense months, Mrs. X and Nanny perform the age-old dance of decorum and power as they test the limits of modern-day servitude. Written by two former nannies, The Nanny Diaries deftly punctures the glamour of Manhattan's upper class.

Christianity for Modern Pagans: Pascal's Pensees - Edited, Outlined & Explained

Peter Kreeft believes that Baise Pascal is the first post-medieval apologist. No writer in history, claims Kreeft, is a more effective Christian apologist and evangelist to today's uprooted, confused, secularized pagans (inside and outside the Church) than Pascal. He was a brilliant man--a great scientist who did major work in physics and mathematics, as well as an inventor--whom Kreeft thinks was three centuries ahead of his time. His apologetics found in his Pensees are ideal for the modern, sophisticated skeptic.

The Noisy Paint Box

In this exuberant celebration of creativity, Barb Rosenstock and Mary Grandpre tell the fascinating story of Vasily Kandinsky, one of the very first painters of abstract art. Throughout his life, Kandinsky experienced colors as sounds, and sounds as colors--and bold, groundbreaking works burst forth from his noisy paint box.

Scar Tissue

Now in paperback, the New York Times bestseller by one of rock's most provocative figures Scar Tissue is Anthony Kiedis's searingly honest memoir of a life spent in the fast lane. In 1983, four self-described "knuckleheads" burst out of the mosh-pitted mosaic of the neo-punk rock scene in L.A. with their own unique brand of cosmic hardcore mayhem funk. Over twenty years later, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, against all odds, have become one of the most successful bands in the world. Though the band has gone through many incarnations, Anthony Kiedis, the group's lyricist and dynamic lead singer, has been there for the whole roller-coaster ride. Whether he's recollecting the influence of the beautiful, strong women who have been his muses, or retracing a journey that has included appearances as diverse as a performance before half a million people at Woodstock or an audience of one at the humble compound of the exiled Dalai Lama, Kiedis shares a compelling story about the price of success and excess. Scar Tissue is a story of dedication and debauchery, of intrigue and integrity, of recklessness and redemption--a story that could only have come out of the world of rock.

The Making of a Surgeon

The Making of a Surgeon is the memoir of an apprentice. It is William Nolen's story of his transformation from student to practitioner, from a brash medical school graduate to a surgeon possessing skill and judgment. And, as happens in the best memoirs, with his brilliant flash of self-discovery William Nolen illuminates the world outside himself.First published in 1970, The Making of a Surgeon received critical acclaim and touched a world audience. The book's universal themes propelled it to the rarefied heights of a best seller. In this reprinted edition, with a foreword by the author's daughter, his classic returns.

The Deeper Wound

The author of How to Know God provides help for healing deep trauma--whenever it arises--so we may find peace in ourselves and in our world.Terror came from the sky, and afterward the world would never be the same. September, 11, 2001, defined tragedy for a generation. On that day Deepak Chopra found himself driving from city to city, meeting thousands of people who begged for meaning and solace in the face of suffering. In response he has written The Deeper Wound, offering a way of healing as a memorial to the thousands of victims who perished.The opening section, "In the Face of Tragedy," defines suffering as the pain that threatens to make life meaningless. When our deepest needs go unfulfilled, suffering begins. We begin to heal when we go beyond personal anger and fear to a realization of our true self, the self that was never afraid and can never be wounded.The true self contains the light that no darkness can attack. Having described a path of awareness and compassion that leads to the light, the second half of The Deeper Wound takes us there through "A Hundred Days of Healing," daily affirmations, exercises, insights, lessons, and questions--each a step out of pain toward a higher reality. "We can become living memorials to tragedy by restoring the power of life," writes Deepak Chopra. "You are that life, you are that power. Let us see if we can find the spark that will make the spiritual flame spring up."Healing yourself comes in two stages--first releasing the energy of suffering, then replacing it with the soul's energy. It is a gentle and fragile path, very much like holding on to a thread as it leads you from step to step.If you take the time to listen to the voice of silence, you will be astonished at the power you have at your command, however long that power has been overlooked.A portion of the proceeds earned by the author and publisher from the sale of this book will be donated to the Red Cross to aid in humanitarian relief efforts around the world.

The Search for Artemis (The Chronicles of Landon Wicker, #1)

Fifteen-year-old Landon Wicker is psychokinetic, but the tragic unleashing of his abilities forces him to run from everything he knows. Alone, terrified and unable to remember the events that compelled him to flee, Landon fights to survive and understand what's happening to him. He finds solace, however, in the company of hundreds of psychokinetics like him when he's brought to the Gymnasium.Forced into a life where people don't just see - but control - the world around them and teenagers lift city buses with a thought, Landon struggles to accept his new reality and the guilt over his painful secret. But everything changes when a chance encounter with a mysterious girl propels him on a hunt for answers. Uncovering dark truths the Gymnasium would do anything to keep hidden, Landon must choose where his loyalties lie.Will Landon accept his past - and his future? Will he discover the truth? What's hidden in the Restricted Tower, and who is Artemis?

Earth Sink

Earth Sink is a challenging and insightful read that demands an attentive mind and some awareness of the sociopolitical trends going on in America and around the world. Secret societies, banking cartels, and terrorist regimes have been funding and grooming political candidates for the highest offices of American government. A one man sleeper cell has been in play since 2008. The American people blindly voted him into position. Or did they? In a day when it is becoming a crime to worship Jesus Christ, signs of the times and biblical prophecies are unfolding at ever increasing rates. The story starts way back in a time veiled from your mind, when you fought a war you don't remember, a war for your very right to be born. Events playing out on Earth are extensions of that war. The original foes know you better than you know yourself, and they cannot be killed. They were never alive. The story is a fictional dramatization framed around principles of eternal truth. Earth Sink will penetrate your soul to the core. You will not be able to remain neutral or indifferent after reading this book in its entirety. The open minded reader will find answers to some of man's most profound questions and will likely come away with even more questions and some intensely emotional opinions. Earth Sink contains personal dreams experienced by the author and is based in part on the author's dreams. It is written mostly in narrative form with very little dialog. The eternal future of every individual on earth, alive or dead, hangs in the balance. A simple vicarious work can tip the scales toward eternal life. The sheer volume of vicarious work to be done is astronomical. Scant few ever attempt it. Will they endure long enough to complete the work, or will they succumb to the swelling tides of evil? While offering insights into theological anthropology and eschatology, Earth Sink depicts the tragic results of prevailing modern societal trends. The book exposes the primordial roots of political influences operating works of darkness that drive a progressive global state of affairs that exclusively favors the world's elites at the expense of liberty and individual freedoms. Earth Sink warns about the deliberate dismantling of the United States constitution from the inside by a compromised and corrupted executive branch of American government collaborating with secret combinations of banking cartels, mega corporations, and terrorist organizations. The most powerful position in the world is handed over to diabolical figures bent on seating a world government that opposes every virtue that once set mankind above beasts. The catastrophic consequences of globalized mainstream sociopolitical movements leading up to the second coming of Jesus Christ are unrelentingly drilled home in overwhelmingly graphic detail unleashed from the vivid and explosive imagination of the author. Earth Sink does not skimp on cataclysmic mayhem and apocalyptic doom. Take heed if you want to live. End times have already been underway longer than you realize. Earth Sink is a scathing and brutal portent. The author is absolutely unmindful of reader sensitivity. He employs no semblance of political correctness. Some readers may find parts of the story extremely disturbing, offensive, and controversial. Though written as fiction, the story alludes to the serious truth of what is going on around us and among us right now. In addition to whetting the inquisitive mind with a glimpse of cutting edge science and futuristic technologies, Earth Sink is both politically relevant and spiritually applicable to everyone. It describes a globalized society driven by influences that promote and then exploit worldwide pacifism, greed, envy, pride, and chaos which in turn drives a desperate need for change. Upon that desperate need for change, the world's elites slide into coveted positions of absolute power and total control while their bovine, unthinking constituents and porcine subjects wallow in passive complacency, recklessly relying on the mercies of those they have allowed to gain power over them. All will be well, or will it? Earth Sink extrapolates a possible future from past and present issues. Read the story as if it were real. Some of it is unequivocally real. Some of it may become real. Ponder it carefully and decide for yourself what is real and what is fiction. Beware, your time will soon run out. Earth Sink was written to do more than merely entertain. It was written as a wake up call to change lives, hopefully for the better.

Doll Bones

Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends for ever. They love playing with their action figure toys, imagining a magical world of adventure and heroism. But disaster strikes when, without warning, Zach's father throws out all his toys, declaring he's too old for them. Zach is furious, confused and embarrassed, deciding that the only way to cope is to stop playing . . . and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice. But one night the girls pay Zach a visit, and tell him about a series of mysterious occurrences. Poppy swears that she is now being haunted by a china doll - who claims that it is made from the ground-up bones of a murdered girl. They must return the doll to where the girl lived, and bury it. Otherwise the three children will be cursed for eternity . . .

Letters to a Young Poet

In 1903, a student at a military academy sent some of his verses to a well-known Austrian poet, requesting an assessment of their value. The older artist, Rainer Maria Rilke (), replied to the novice in this series of letters--an amazing archive of remarkable insights into the ideas behind Rilke's greatest poetry. The ten letters reproduced here were written during an important stage in Rilke's artistic development, and they contain many of the themes that later appeared in his best works. The poet himself afterwards stated that his letters contained part of his creative genius, making this volume essential reading for scholars, poetry lovers, and anyone with an interest in Rilke, German poetry, or the creative impulse.

Median Gray

SFPD Sgt. Adam Plantinga, author of 400 Things Cops Know and Police Craft. At a time when New York's mean streets were their meanest, one NYPD detective at the end of his career takes one last chance to correct a 20-year-old injustice, and another cop at the beginning of his career tries to stop him before a police department already scarred by corruption investigations takes another hit.

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

Researcher and thought leader Dr. Brene Brown offers a powerful new vision that encourages us to dare greatly: to embrace vulnerability and imperfection, to live wholeheartedly, and to courageously engage in our lives. "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly." --Theodore RooseveltEvery day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable, or to dare greatly. Whether the arena is a new relationship, an important meeting, our creative process, or a difficult family conversation, we must find the courage to walk into vulnerability and engage with our whole hearts.In Daring Greatly, Dr. Brown challenges everything we think we know about vulnerability. Based on twelve years of research, she argues that vulnerability is not weakness, but rather our clearest path to courage, engagement, and meaningful connection. The book that Dr. Brown's many fans have been waiting for, Daring Greatly will spark a new spirit of truth--and trust--in our organizations, families, schools, and communities.

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future

Elon Musk, the entrepreneur and innovator behind SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, sold one of his internet companies, PayPal, for $1.5 billion. Ashlee Vance captures the full spectacle and arc of the genius's life and work, from his tumultuous upbringing in South Africa and flight to the United States to his dramatic technical innovations and entrepreneurial pursuits. Vance uses Musk's story to explore one of the pressing questions of our age: can the nation of inventors and creators who led the modern world for a century still compete in an age of fierce global competition? He argues that Musk is an amalgam of legendary inventors and industrialists including Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and Steve Jobs. More than any other entrepreneur today, Musk has dedicated his energies and his own vast fortune to inventing a future that is as rich and far-reaching as the visionaries of the golden age of science-fiction fantasy

The Very Devil, Herself!

Beginning in the late 1600s we follow Alexandra on a journey through history which is filled with blood, fear, and terror. Alexandra is a supernatural creature who must feast on human flesh and blood to survive. For over 200 years this immortal woman has to prowl the dirty streets of London in search of her next victim until the King of England decides to employ her special skills to hunt real life serial killers for his needs instead. "Horrifying, Terrifying, & Captivating from cover to cover."

No Lullaby for Tommy

Tommy has lost his wife, children, job, savings -- basically his whole world. Nothing seems to go his way. Trying to change his life, he becomes a poker player. Tommy wins a very heated poker game against the son of a Chicago Mafia kingpin in Lake Tahoe. Then he joins up with the son's hooker, who knows a few too many dirty little secrets about Chicago. A hit man is sent to kill the woman by the son's father. After he fails and is killed, she and Tommy are forced to flee to Las Vegas. But the mob has placed a huge bounty on their lives. They team up with the hooker's pimp and a police detective from Tahoe. Will they outsmart and escape the mobsters or are their lives fated to be ruled by Murphy's Law? Charles Hardman lives in Walnut Creek, California, where he is working on his second book. Publisher's Web site: http: //www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/titl...

Shadows of Atlantis: Awakening

Brigitte is an emissary of nature chosen to renew the treaty between Atlantis and the ancient bloodline of Lemuria. Her sacred betrothal would renew the elemental function of the Crystal Grid that powers the ten kingdoms of Atlantis. But her people are attacked by a storm of shadows, and now she is running for her life. Upon her arrival in the ruling city, she meets D'Vinid, a dejected musician who lives the quintessential Atlantean lifestyle of revelry, escapism and apathy. Under the eclipse of a holy festival, they are swept into an attraction they cannot resist. Their union may protect humanity from its worst enemy - the shadows of Atlantis. But there is one problem, this man is not her betrothed. Brigitte discovers the Grid is corrupted by psychic parasites that feed off human suffering, an epidemic called "the madness". The rituals required to charge the Grid with psychic emanations have been poorly attended, and this has caused the Grid to malfunction. But as nature always strives toward balance, the crystals have activated a genetic upgrade among the people. The youth have begun to express supernatural powers. Could it be that D'Vinid and Brigitte are meant to be leaders among the awakened? And if so, why does it seem impossible for them to be together? A mysterious tale of romance, seduction and betrayal that reaches just enough into the modern mind to ask - will we learn the lessons of Atlantis?

I,Legal in the U.S.A. - a memoir

Autobiographical account of a young Hispanic woman meeting difficult challenges early in life. Her decision to move to the United States takes her to some unexpected places and decisions as she seeks out the American Dream. Along the way Alejandra points out the reasons she has encountered for people to decide to come to the States. She also makes a surprising personal decision that will cause you to think about your own life changing decisions. Read this for a new perspective on immigration - legal and illegal, discrimination, life dreams and goals, and sacrifice for future rewards. Two editions are available: Full-Color and Black & White. Being distributed on Amazon.com

The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism

In her ground-breaking reporting from Iraq, Naomi Klein exposed how the trauma of invasion was being exploited to remake the country in the interest of foreign corporations. She called it "disaster capitalism." Covering Sri Lanka in the wake of the tsunami, and New Orleans post-Katrina, she witnessed something remarkably similar. People still reeling from catastrophe were being hit again, this time with economic "shock treatment" losing their land and homes to rapid-fire corporate makeovers. The Shock Doctrine retells the story of the most dominant ideology of our time, Milton Friedman's free market economic revolution. In contrast to the popular myth of this movement's peaceful global victory, Klein shows how it has exploited moments of shock and extreme violence in order to implement its economic policies in so many parts of the world from Latin America and Eastern Europe to South Africa, Russia, and Iraq. At the core of disaster capitalism is the use of cataclysmic events to advance radical privatization combined with the privatization of the disaster response itself. By capitalizing on crises, created by nature or war, Klein argues that the disaster capitalism complex now exists as a booming new economy, and is the violent culmination of a radical economic project that has been incubating for fifty years.