Search results for ""chance""

'I can honestly say I can't think of another book that ever made me laugh this much. Ever' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the WindEnsign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, and Andrew is even more delighted when he's assigned to the ship's Xenobiology laboratory. Life couldn't be better ... although there are a few strange things going on:(1) every Away Mission involves a lethal confrontation with alien forces(2) the ship's captain, the chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these encounters(3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed. Suddenly it's less surprising how much energy is expended below decks on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned an Away Mission. Andrew's fate may have been sealed ... until he stumbles on a piece of information that changes everything ... and offers him and his fellow redshirts a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives ...Readers are crying with laughter at Redshirts:'One of the best Star Trek novels without really being about Star Trek . . . a fine masterpiece of crafty reading' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'It's never a good thing to wear a red shirt in sci-fi . . . I am very impressed with how creative, funny and moving it is all at the same time. It pokes fun at cheesy sci-fi television while honouring it at the same time' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'It begins as a pretty funny, genre-aware, semi-parody of old school Star Trek . . . Slowly though, the flavour transitions into a more serious, meta-narrative quest' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Satirical without being mean or mocking, and it is extremely, laugh out loud funny. But rather than taking the easy way out, Mr Scalzi slowly takes the story in a very meta direction, but in doing so turns the story into something real and thought-provoking' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I fell in love with all of the characters, their plight, and the plot, all equally . . . What fantastic fun this book was!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The story veers in unexpected directions and becomes about fate and creativity and love and the dialogue a creator has with their creations. It was so unexpected and brilliant. This really was a laugh and cry read for me. I loved it' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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#1 New York Times non-fiction bestseller #2 Sunday Times non-fiction bestsellerSHORTLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDCHOSEN AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY APPLE, AMAZON, THE TIMES AND FINANCIAL TIMESEpic feats. Epic failures. An epic story.Walter Isaacson charts Elon Musk’s journey from humble beginnings to one of the wealthiest people on the planet – but is Musk a genius or a jerk? From the author of Steve Jobs and other bestselling biographies, this is the astonishingly intimate story of Elon Musk, the most fascinating and controversial innovator of our era – a rule-breaking visionary who helped to lead the world into the era of electric vehicles, private space exploration and artificial intelligence. Oh, and took over Twitter. When Elon Musk was a kid in South Africa, he was regularly beaten by bullies. One day a group pushed him down some concrete steps and kicked him until his face was a swollen ball of flesh. He was in the hospital for a week. But the physical scars were minor compared to the emotional ones inflicted by his father, an engineer, rogue and charismatic fantasist. His father’s impact on his psyche would linger. He developed into a tough yet vulnerable man-child with an exceedingly high tolerance for risk, a craving for drama, an epic sense of mission, and a maniacal intensity that was callous and at times destructive. At the beginning of 2022 – after a year marked by SpaceX launching thirty-one rockets into orbit, Tesla selling a million cars, and him becoming the richest man on earth – Musk spoke ruefully about his compulsion to stir up dramas. ‘I need to shift my mindset away from being in crisis mode, which it has been for about fourteen years now, or arguably most of my life,’ he said. It was a wistful comment, not a New Year’s resolution. Even as he said it, he was secretly buying up shares of Twitter, the world’s ultimate playground. Over the years, whenever he was in a dark place, his mind went back to being bullied on the playground. Now he had the chance to own the playground.For two years, Walter Isaacson had unprecedented access. He shadowed Musk, attended his meetings, walked his factories with him and spent hours interviewing him, his family, friends, coworkers and adversaries. The result is the revealing inside story, filled with amazing tales of triumphs and turmoil, that addresses the question: are the demons that drive Musk also what it takes to drive innovation and progress? The book includes over 100 integrated black and white images.

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"Small Store Survival should challenge retailers' views of smallstore retailing by questioning key areas of business. What is thevision for the store in 10 years? How have the customers changedover the past few years? How current are the managers about whatcustomers genuinely like and dislike? What is being done toattract, educate, and motivate the best retail talent in the area?How effective is the merchandising strategy? What plans exist forsuccession? "The real lesson of this study is that the best retailers neverstop learning. They never stop growing. They never lose theirenthusiasm for the customers and the business. And they never ceaseto revel in change and the chance to deal with it." --from theExecutive Summary of Small Store Survival Small Store Survival Over the past decade, thousands of small retail stores have fallenvictim to overwhelming competition from huge discount chainsdetermined to take in every retail dollar in sight. But noteveryone succumbs to the megastore invasion; many small retailersgrow and prosper in spite of this cutthroat competition. How dothey do it? Even more important, how can you do it? Small Store Survival is the how-to book that belongs behind thecounter of every independent retail store. It analyzes small-storeoperation in detail and lays out optimal survival strategies andtactics for seven key areas of business practice that are criticalto success: customer service, marketing, merchandising, storeoperations, management, human resources, and finance. Its clear andlogical organization enables you to evaluate your businesspractices function by function, identify strengths and weaknesses,and develop action plans to improve operations in each of thesecrucial functions. Written by a team of experts from Arthur Andersen LLP, this guidepresents detailed solutions and best practices culled from retailersurveys, site visits, and industry research. Its recommendationsare applicable to a broad variety of retail formats, includingstores that specialize in apparel; appliances; books; drugs,health, and beauty care products; electronics; hardware; home andgarden supplies; pets and pet supplies; as well as other specialtystores. Numerous case studies illustrate the problems that plaguemany retailers and demonstrate ways you can overcome theseobstacles and improve your business. You'll learn how to: * Identify customer expectations and meet or exceed them at everyturn * Identify, pursue, and capture a distinct customer market * Establish a vision and culture for your store, plan where thecompany needs to go, and take steps to get there * Compete for quality employees and, once you hire them, keep them * Establish budgetary controls and contain costs * Negotiate effectively for favorable terms from vendors andsuppliers The most successful retailers never stop learning, growing, andadapting to changing circumstances. The hundreds of sound ideaspresented in this study were developed and implemented by the mostsuccessful small store operators in the industry. Here is yourchance to learn and grow with them by adapting these solutions toyour own business needs.

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Ever since Pearl Jam first blasted onto the Seattle grunge scene three decades ago with their debut album, Ten, they have sold 85M+ albums, performed for hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, and have even been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack Of A Generation, music critic and journalist Steven Hyden celebrates the life, career, and music of this legendary group, widely considered to be one of the greatest American rock bands of all time. Long Road is structured like a mix tape, using 18 different Pearl Jam classics as starting points for telling a mix of personal and universal stories. Each chapter tells the tale of this great band - how they got to where they are, what drove them to greatness, and why it matters now.Much like the generation it emerged from, Pearl Jam is a mass of contradictions. They were an enormously successful mainstream rock band who felt deeply uncomfortable with the pursuit of capitalistic spoils. They were progressive activists who spoke in favor of abortion rights and against the Ticketmaster monopoly, and yet they epitomized the sound of traditional, male-dominated rock 'n' roll. They were looked at as spokesmen for their generation, even though they ultimately projected profound confusion and alienation. They triumphed, and failed, in equal doses - the quintessential Gen-X tale.Impressive as their stats, accolades, and longevity may be, Hyden also argues that Pearl Jam's most definitive accomplishment lies in the impact their music had on Generation X as a whole. Pearl Jam's music helped an entire generation of listeners connect with the glory of bygone rock mythology, and made it relevant during a period in which tremendous American economic prosperity belied a darkness at the heart of American youth. More than just a chronicle of the band's career, this book is also a story about Gen- X itself, who like Pearl Jam came from angsty, outspoken roots and then evolved into an establishment institution, without ever fully shaking off their uncertain, outsider past. For so many Gen-Xers growing up at the time, Pearl Jam's music was a beacon that offered both solace and guidance. They taught an entire generation how to grow up without losing the purest and most essential parts of themselves.Written with his celebrated blend of personal memoir, criticism, and journalism, Hyden explores Pearl Jam's path from Ten to now. It's a chance for new fans and old fans alike to geek out over Pearl Jam minutia-the B-sides, the beloved deep cuts, the concert bootlegs-and explore the multitude of reasons why Pearl Jam's music resonated with so many people. As Hyden explains, "Most songs pass through our lives and are swiftly forgotten. But Pearl Jam is forever."

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With an enemy in their midst, can they still protect their fighters in the skies?Pearl has given up on her dreams of being a journalist after being denied a promotion because of her gender. Joining the WAAF as a radio telephone operator for Bomber Command, Pearl's new job at RAF Fenthorpe serves two purposes – providing an income for her grandmother, and keeping a close eye on her younger sister, Thea, an instrument repairer at another Lincolnshire bomber station.Pearl befriends Met WAAF Jenny as well as Australian pilot Greg, who she guides home safely during an emergency. Pearl's journalism background doesn't go to waste, however – a series of thefts from pilots rekindles her investigative fire and she is soon caught up in the mystery.But when all signs point to the perpetrator being her sister, she finds herself up against the clock to prove her sister’s innocence…A captivating and heartwarming WWII saga for fans of Daisy Styles and Johanna Bell.Praise for The Girls of Bomber Command ‘I absolutely adored The Girls of Bomber Command. It's a real page-turner and a wonderful mix of love, loss, friendship, action and romance. There were parts of the book that had me on the edge of my seat for all kinds of reasons!’ Johanna Bell‘What a read! Fast-paced, exciting and superbly researched, this story brings World War II to life’ Lesley Eames‘When I was asked to read Vicki Beeby’s new book, I jumped at the chance! The Girls of Bomber Command is an exceptional tale that had me on the first page. Readers will delight in period details, a tight and pacy plot, and beautifully flawed characters. I couldn’t stop reading!’ Andie Newton, USA Today bestseller‘Another brilliant WW2 saga from the queen herself. Loved this book and hoping for more from the Bomber Girls. Fantastic read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘Vicki Beeby has done it again! An enthralling read. The author’s notes on the research undertaken to inspire and also to make this story authentic were fascinating. I can’t wait for the next book.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘There’s a couple of wartime authors that I always read as soon as they have a new book out and Vicki Beeby is one of them! She writes the most perfect wartime stories.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘A well-researched and well-written book… All in all a thoroughly good read – which actually brought me to tears at one point – a sign of a good book.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘What a great start to a new series!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

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Doom's Day is a multi-platform Doctor Who story to celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, introducing a brand-new character on a 24-hour pursuit of the Doctor. Someone has sent literal Death after Doom. She can only outrun it for 24 hours. Unless she can find the Doctor... Tick... Tock... As Doom's final hours come into sharp focus, she'll need to do whatever's necessary to complete her missions, find the Doctor, and escape what increasingly seems like the inevitable. But how best to find the person who can save Doom's life? Will the Doctor's friends be her salvation? Or perhaps the Doctor's enemies will be the route to survival? Doom is about to travel across thousands of years of time, and lightyears of space in search of her last, best hope. But even if she finds the Doctor, will a person who is all about saving lives help a person whose only job is to take them? Doom's day is almost over. Time is running out. This could be the end. Dawn of an Everlasting Peace by Jacqueline Rayner Venus, 3975. The day of the non-aggression pact. The perfect ironic location for an assassination! But Doom’s mission is about to become much more complicated thanks to an explosive plot to undermine the treaty itself. The Howling Wolves of Xan-Phear by Simon Clark A warring world of wolves. Doom’s target turns out to be the puppeteer of the warring Xan: a Silent. But what if she’s already completed her mission? How will she know? What if this wasn’t even her mission in the first place? No time to waste. The countdown is on. A Date with Destiny by Robert Valentine A romantic dinner turns life-threatening for an unsuspecting human in 2007. But this time, Doom has competition. And if she loses, then her last chance to find the Doctor could be snatched away. Cue an action-packed chase through the streets of London. But has Doom met her match? The Crowd by Lizzie Hopley “Follow the crowd”, that’s what they say, right? In this case, however, devastation, murder and destruction follow this particular Crowd - Doom’s next target. But amongst them - an unfamiliar face, with a familiar name. Could this be Doom’s salvation? CAST: Sooz Kempner (Doom), Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler), Paul McGann (The Doctor), India Fisher (Charlotte Pollard), Ben Arogundade (Dennis / Diamante Roxx), Yasmin Bannerman (Destiny), Nicholas Briggs (Chu’Lac), Jonathan Case (Shabby Youth), Rebecca Crankshaw (Jeppra), Jon Edgley Bond (Fettzer), Wayne Forester (Thin Man), Trevor Littledale (Klorin / Compuvac), Richard Reed (Karlton), Susie Riddell (Lonnet), Frog Stone (PO / Waitress), Tam Williams (Lan-Say), Becky Wright (Terri / Fynix / Stout Woman). Other parts played by members of the cast.

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THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO PROGRAM MANAGEMENT--FULLY UPDATED AND REVISEDProgram managers must strike a balance between operations and project implementations in order to develop and maintain a culture in which the components of success are repeatable. The Handbook of Program Management is designed to help you do exactly that.This go-to guide supplies you with the insight and tools you need to establish processes that ensure the success of your project managers--and increase the profitability of your products and services. Fully updated and heavily revised, this new edition helps you incorporate new technologies and people into your processes while delivering improved products and services that continually outpace your competition.The Handbook of Program Management providescritical information from a trusted expert. In addition to the classic chapters on Attributes of the Effective Program Manager, Stakeholder Management, and Portfolio Management Essentials, this updated edition is packed with brandnew material covering: Change management Interfaces How bad projects are stopped or postponed How consultants and subcontractors should be used Program performance analysis The role of governance Avoiding the complicated theories and phantom quick-fixes you'll find in other books, The Handbook of Program Management offers straightforward, actionable methods for establishing a highly effective project management culture: one with integrity, energy, and full stakeholder support.Nowhere else will you find such comprehensive,authoritative information on creating successful program management outcomes. The author takes you on the entire journey, from strategically creating a program culture, to building effective relationships, and to analyzing ways ofaccomplishing your program objectives.The Handbook of Program Management is essential reading for program managers of all levels, whether you're a novice seeking certification in the field or an executive looking to build a flexible organization that can support dynamic on-going product development.Praise for the previous edition of The Handbook of Program Management:"Brown's book captures the essential skills of program and project management. It serves as a 'how to' guide for those entering the business, as well as a refresher on the skills and attributes for those ready to take the next step. The book effectively defines the leader’s role in creating the team culture and environment for success." -- Eugene F. Kranz, Apollo 13 Flight Director, author of Failure Is Not an Option, and retired Director NASA Space Operations"Program management is one of the toughest jobs a person can hold…and James Brown knows Program Management. Here's a chance to learn from the scar tissue of others rather than your own." -- Norman R. Augustine, retired Chairman and CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation"Finally, a pragmatic book that shares the secrets behind successful program management. If I was giving one book to program managers, this would be it! Any business leader in today's environment of accelerating change willbenefit from this book." -- Jack Cooper, former CIO, Bristol-Myers Squibb

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2016 continues to be the most surreal and unpredictable election year in recent memory and this is due in large part to one Donald J. Trump and the millions of Americans who made him this year's Republican nominee for president. As Trump continues to succeed despite behavior that would cripple any other politician, whether it is questioning the patriotism of the Gold Star Khan family or banishing a baby from one of his press conferences, it is imperative to understand why so many continue to support him. And this is what makes The Gilded Rage so important; it provides insight into the forgotten Americans that continue to befuddle pundits and "experts" on CNN and FOX alike. This grippingly intimate and heart-breaking book provides a portrait of the walking wounded who make up the base of the Trump movement. Desperate and angry, these are the Americans of the vanishing industrial heartland, depressed Appalachian coal country, and the no-man's land along the Southwestern border. These are coal miners, out of work construction workers, and small business owners, who have watched their fortunes dwindle with each passing year. They have no illusions about the grandstanding billionaire and his glaring flaws. But these men and women feel forgotten and screwed over by political, corporate and media elites...and they feel that Donald Trump, despite his flamboyant demagoguery, might well be their last chance for salvation. Reminiscent of Studs Terkel's Working, with a dash of Hunter S. Thompson, Alexander Zaitchik in this important book takes us deeper into the ravaged soul of America than any other chronicler of our times.Selected as one of Publishers Weekly's Top Ten picks for Politics & Current Events of Fall 2016Praise for Alexander Zaitchik's Common Sense: Glenn Beck and the Triumph of Ignorance: “A sharp and informative smackdown. For Zaitchik, [Glenn] Beck is just one more American con artist in the P.T. Barnum tradition, a shameless pseudoconservative bottom-feeder who will say anything to keep the spotlight on himself while the money rolls in.” —Mark Lilla, The New York Review of Books “A sensational book… This is a beautifully written and insightful biography—thoughtful, considered, and very intentional about the need to understand Beck both as a symbol of something larger going on in America and as a person.” —Susan Gardner, Daily Kos “A scathing profile that follows the powerful pundit from a single-parent home in rural Washington state to conservative superstardom.” —The Boston Globe “A great political book. Zaitchik tells [Beck’s story] well and nobody has told it more soberly.” —Slate “An informative study.” —Sean Wilentz, The New Yorker “A gripping and thoroughly researched biography.” —Joe Conason, Salon

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From three bestselling authors come sweet stories about love, friendship, and happily ever after.A Brush with Love by Rachel Hauck (also published in A Season to Wed)Ginger emerges from the pain of a childhood tragedy with a gift for bringing out the beauty in others. Despite her prestigious partnerships and clients, Ginger can’t help feeling like she’s on the outside looking in. But Ginger will have to rally her confidence when she’s asked to be the “beauty-maker” for the Alabama society wedding of the decade.Then her high-school crush Tom Wells Jr. also returns to town and asks her for a haircut, Ginger’s thinly veiled insecurities threaten to keep her locked away from love. Despite Tom’s best efforts, Ginger can’t forget how he disappeared on her twelve years ago and broke her heart. Can she ever trust him again?Love in the Details by Becky Wade (also published in To Have and to Hold)Eight years have passed since Holly last saw her high school sweetheart, Josh. Now his best friend’s wedding has brought Josh back to Martinsburg, Texas. His duties as best man and Holly's as the church's volunteer wedding coordinator link them together. She never told him the true reason for their breakup all those years ago, but it’s hard to keep the secret as feelings reemerge. And with those feelings comes the fear that held her back the last time.Not a day's gone by since Josh parted from Holly that he hasn't thought about her. He doesn't want to make himself vulnerable to her again, but the more time he spends with her, the harder it is to deny the love he still has for her. As the wedding approaches, both Holly and Josh will have to decide if they want to risk everything for love.An October Bride by Katie Ganshert (also published in Autumn Brides)Emma Tate has just ended an engagement. So when she suddenly announces that she’s engaged—again—this time to her lifelong buddy Jake Sawyer, every busybody in town is talking about it. Of course, no one but Jake and Emma know the real reason they’re getting married: so Emma’s dying father will have a chance to walk her down the aisle.But while Jake and Emma move forward with their plan and frantically organize an October wedding, it becomes clear that their agreement has a few complications—the biggest being their true feelings for each other. With dubious friends, ecstatic parents, and nosy neighbors, Emma and Jake have a lot to contend with if they’re going to pull this off. The real question is who wants this wedding more, Emma’s dad or Emma?

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“Shiver-inducingly delicious.”—The New York Times Book Review “[Suma’s] narratives are subtle, quicksilver creatures, her language is elegant, and her characters keep more secrets than they reveal. If this book was a dessert, it wouldn't be a chocolate chip cookie or a vanilla birthday cake — it would be an earl grey lavender macaroon, or maybe balsamic fig ice cream.” – NPR.com “This beautiful story is full of magical-realism and luscious, lyrical writing.” – BuzzFeed“Terrific . . . A gothic love letter to secret places of New York City and the runaway girls who find them.”—Kelly Link, author of Pulitzer Prize finalist Get in Trouble“Nova Ren Suma surpasses herself with this gorgeously-told, mesmerizing, tense and twisted story.”— Laura Ruby, National Book Award Finalist and Printz-Winning author of Bone Gap"Nova Ren Suma is a force to be reckoned with. Nobody writes like her."—Courtney Summers, author of Sadie "A Room Away From the Wolves is a page-turning thrill. Prepare to be left shivery and spooked and a little bit heartbroken.”—Emily X.R. Pan, New York Times bestselling author of The Astonishing Color of After "A Room Away from the Wolves is a beautifully tangled chain, a modern gothic haunting by one of our masters."—Elana K. Arnold, author of National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of Bina has never forgotten the time she and her mother ran away from home. Her mother promised they would hitchhike to the city to escape Bina’s cruel father and start over. But before they could even leave town, Bina had a new stepfather and two new stepsisters, and a humming sense of betrayal pulling apart the bond with her mother—a bond Bina thought was unbreakable.Eight years later, after too many lies and with trouble on her heels, Bina finds herself on the side of the road again, the city of her dreams calling for her. She has an old suitcase, a fresh black eye, and a room waiting for her at Catherine House, a young women’s residence in Greenwich Village with a tragic history, a vow of confidentiality, and dark, magical secrets. There, Bina is drawn to her enigmatic downstairs neighbor Monet, a girl who is equal parts intriguing and dangerous. As Bina’s lease begins to run out, and nightmare and memory get tangled, she will be forced to face the terrible truth of why she’s come to Catherine House and what it will cost for her to leave . . . In A Room Away from the Wolves, critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author Nova Ren Suma weaves a spellbinding ghost story about who deserves a second chance, how we lie to those around us and ourselves, and what lengths girls will go to in order to save each other.

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How Service Orientation Will Change Your Business "The real value of this book is that it makes SOA and Web services, which are critical and business-transforming, crystal-clear to the layman, both business and IT leaders. The book stays focused on the real-world issues facing business and government institutions today. In an industry full of experts of many stripes, Ron and Jason are the real thing: savvy, experienced, and realistic. They have produced a must-read book for management." —Paul Lipton, Senior Architect, Unicenter Web Services and Application Management Computer Associates "This is by far the finest publication on SOA of our time. From cover to back, Service Orient or Be Doomed! strips away the layers of confusion most IT stakeholders face when confronted with enterprise architecture, and illustrates pragmatic and practical paths towards a sustainable and efficient enterprise architecture. Both the technically savvy and the bean counters will enjoy this book that speaks to the critical points they need to understand." —Duane A. Nickull Senior Standards Strategist, Adobe Systems, Inc. Chair, OASIS SOA Reference Model Technical Committee Vice chair, United Nations CEFACT (UN/CEFACT) "If you're looking for a guide that's based on reality, this is it. These guys know how you can service-orient your enterprise and have the best chance of success. This book is the best SOA tool you can buy. I'm recommending it to everyone." —Dave Linthicum, CEO, BRIDGEWERX "Jason and Ron are experts on Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and have written the first book that is aimed at helping a nontechnical businessperson understand why the SOA computing revolution is critical to business. Rather than provide a nerdy death via buzzword book, Jason and Ron take a humorous, clever, and insightful romp through this new technology and how it impacts business in general." —Brad Feld, Mobius Venture Capital Authors Jason Bloomberg and Ronald Schmelzer-senior analysts for highly respected IT advisory and analysis firm ZapThink-say it all in the title of their new book, Service Orient or Be Doomed!: How Service Orientation Will Change Your Business. That is, if you fail to service orient your company, you will fail in competing with the organizations that do. This provocative new book takes service orientation out of its more familiar technological surroundings within service-oriented architecture and introduces it as a philosophy that advocates its rightful place within a business context, redefining it as a new way of thinking about organizing your business and its processes. Informal, challenging, and intelligent in style, Service Orient or Be Doomed!: How Service Orientation Will Change Your Business shows you how you can best use technology resources to meet your company's business goals and empower your company to go from "stuck" to "competitive."

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Billie Timmons was fourteen when he met Charles Goodnight—over a wagonload of manure that had been jammed on a gatepost—and he went to work on the Goodnight Cross J Ranch shortly thereafter. The spirit of helpfulness that led Mr. Goodnight to strip off his coat and lift the wagon free for a lad in need sets the tone of this book, in which the author unwinds a spool of recollections of range-riding in Texas and North Dakota over an eighteen-year period. When Billie Timmons went to work for Mr. Goodnight in 1892, Texas was undergoing a rapid transition from open range to fences. But around Texas campfires he heard tales about the northern range, told by cowboys who had ridden there and who had seen the northern lights, the tall free grass, swollen streams, and stampeding cattle. A longing to see that exciting country took hold of young Timmons. His chance came when four buffaloes from the Goodnight ranch needed a nursemaid for their freight car trip to Yellowstone Park. Once in the northern country, Timmons stayed, casting his lot with the cowmen of North Dakota. He became the protégé of an extraordinary man, William Ray; he was foreman, friend, and confidant of banker-rancher Wilse Richards, a member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame. But even during his days in North Dakota he never lost touch with Charles Goodnight, a lifelong friend, and his portrayal of Goodnight provides much insight into the character of the man whose name belongs to the West. In this book you experience the terror of being lost in the dead-white expanse of a North Dakota snowstorm; the gaiety of cowboy dances, for which there were never enough women available; the excitement of a near-riot in a Hebron, North Dakota, saloon, where cowboys from the 75 Ranch drank up or poured out all the liquor, then smashed all the glasses and bottles—one day before the state became bone-dry; and the loneliness of work on the range, where a flickering lantern on the side of a chuck wagon on a stormy night meant home for many a cowboy. Running like a bright thread through the narrative is Billie Timmons’s love of horses, from whom he learned the wisdom that some horses and some men are to be handled with great care and others are not to be handled at all. His chapter on Buck, his best-loved horse, is memorable. In North Dakota, as in Texas, fences brought the end of the big herds and the end of cowboying for a man who enjoyed it to the hilt.

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It is 1842—a dramatic year in the history of Texas-Mexican relations. After five years of uneasy peace, of futile negotiations, of border raids and temporary, unofficial truces, a series of military actions upsets the precarious balance between the two countries. Once more the Mexican Army marches on Texas soil; once more the frontier settlers strengthen their strongholds for defense or gather their belongings for flight. Twice San Antonio falls to Mexican generals; twice the Texans assemble armies for the invasion of Mexico. It is 1842—a year of attack and counterattack. This is the story that Joseph Milton Nance relates, with a definitiveness and immediacy which come from many years of meticulous research. The exciting story of 1842 is a story of emotions which had simmered through the long, insecure years and which now boil out in blustery threats and demands for vengeance. The Texans threaten to march beyond the Sierra Madres and raise their flag at Monterrey; the Mexicans promise to subdue this upstart Texas and to teach its treacherous inhabitants their place. With communications poor and imaginations fertile, rumors magnify chance banditry into military raids, military raids into full-scale invasions. Newspapers incite their readers with superdramatic, intoxicating accounts of the events. Texans and Mexicans alike respond with a kind of madness that has little or no method. Texas solicits volunteers, calls out troops, plans invasions, and assembles her armies, completely disregarding the fact that her treasury is practically empty—there is little money to buy guns. Meanwhile, in Mexico, where gold and silver are needed for other purposes, “invasions” of Texas are launched—but they are only brief forays more suitable for impressive publicity than for permanent gains. Still, the conflicts of threat and retaliation, so often futile, are frequently dignified by idealism, friendship, courage, and determination. Both Mexicans and Texans are fighting and dying for liberty, defending their homes against foreign invaders, establishing and maintaining friendships that cross racial and national boundaries, struggling with conflicting loyalties, and—all the while—striving to wrest a living for themselves and their families from the grudging frontier. Attack and Counterattack, continuing the account which was begun in After San Jacinto, tells from original sources the full story of Texas-Mexican relations from the time of the Santa Fe Expedition through the return of the Somervell Expedition from the Rio Grande. These books examine in great detail and with careful accuracy a period of Texas history that had not heretofore been thoroughly studied and that had seldom been given unbiased treatment. The source materials compiled in the notes and bibliography—particularly the military reports, letters, diaries, contemporary newspapers, and broadsides—will be a valuable tool for any scholar who wishes to study this or related periods.

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Four new adventures follow Rose's mission to seek out the Doctor, the only person who can save the doomed multiverse. Rose Tyler’s world is ending. As she begins a desperate mission to find the one person who can make a difference, Rose discovers that it’s not only her universe at stake. Across alternate dimensions, parallel timelines – where divergences may be tiny or cataclysmic – every Earth is under threat. Time is running out, but Rose won’t stop searching until she finds the Doctor 1. The Endless Night by Jonathan Morris. As his parallel universe darkens, Pete Tyler has found a chance of survival. Punch a hole through dimensions and someone can jump through - and maybe find a way to the Doctor’s universe. On her very first trip, Rose visits an Earth that’s about to get colder. As a long night begins, Rose meets different versions of her parents. And one man who could help her search. His name is Clive. 2. The Flood by Lisa McMullin. Making another leap with a new companion, Rose finds a world suffering environmental change. The rain won’t stop, and the government could be hiding the scale of the impending disaster. While Rose connects with another version of Pete and a strangely compelling young man, Clive meets someone special of his own. In this world, there was no Clive for Caroline to meet, but love can cross dimensions. 3. Ghost Machines by AK Benedict. Pete decides it’s time he accompanied Rose on one of her dimension jumps. But he couldn’t have picked a worse time. They arrive in a world where technology took an extraordinary path, and where the recently deceased Pete Tyler had a very different kind of success. As machines start to break down, Pete meets his widow, and he and Rose must confront truths about their ‘family’. But they may not escape this Earth alive. 4. The Last Party on Earth by Matt Fitton. Rose and Jackie visit a home very close to the one they left behind. But some old friends are missing, and some are unexpectedly present… Rose meets two young men she knows should be together - it can sometimes take the end of the world to see what’s right in front of you. Meanwhile, the Powell Estate faces Armageddon in the only way it can – by throwing a party. CAST: Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), Jackie Tyler (Camille Coduri), Shaun Dingwall (Pete Tyler), Mark Benton (Clive Finch), Ellie Garnett (Caroline), Joe Jameson (Rob), Julia Hills (Margot Kinnear), Alistair Petrie (Wallace Richards), Claire Wyatt (Cee-Cee), Dan Starkey (Machines), Syrus Lowe (Patrice Okereke), Waleed Akhtar (Mook Jayasundera), Elizabeth Uter (Odessa Smith), Amerjit Deu (Roni Bandara). Other parts played by members of the cast.

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A house is a representation of the idea of the world, of life, of existence. For the Cologne architect Oswald Mathias Ungers (19262007), owner of a famous collection of books on architecture, who also repeatedly addressed the theoretical aspects of building, the construction of his own house, in 1958/59, was more than a private adventure. For him it meant a chance to gain spatial experience and explore what was possible. It was a laboratory, a little universe, a piece of world. In the course of his life, Ungers built himself and his family no less than three houses, two in the Cologne suburb of Müngersdorf, one in the Eifel highlands. Even the first house, to which this richly illustrated volume is dedicated, caused an international sensation; it was considered to be an important example of so-called Brutalism. It showed "everything I knew how to do at the time", Ungers wrote regarding the building. He wanted a house that enveloped and sheltered, he wanted metamorphosis and transformation; architecture that was autonomous but at the same time respected the genius loci. At the time, architects preferred to build their private homes as freestanding bungalows in the countryside. Ungers, on the other hand, settled in a place where there were traces of the Roman past and purchased a plot of land adjacent to an already existing row of terraced houses. Three decades later, Ungers expanded the cataract of forms of his first home by adding a geometrically strict cube, intended to house his library. The shock aesthetics of the early work had evolved into the rigorous abstractness of his late work. This building too one of a kind, and in interplay with its predecessor became a manifesto. It corresponded to the idea of a house as a small town and the town as a large house, an idea that has run through European architectural history since Alberti. In spite of all their differences, the two contrasting formats make common cause. They show a world full of contradictions, illusions and realities that reflects the entire spectrum of the image of architecture, from the fiction to the reality of the function. Today the house and the library are the seat of the UAA, the Ungers Archiv für Architekturwissenschaft, and open to the public. The architectural historian Wolfgang Pehnt often visited Ungers. The author of an authoritative book about the architecture of Expressionism, he profited by Ungers' collection of material back in the years when Ungers was still interested in Expressionism. Thus he is familiar with the house in its details and has witnessed its modifications. As portrayed by him, the history of the origins of the house gives access to the impressive uvre of a great German architect.

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In 1965, photographer Jerry Schatzberg, already well-established in the field due to his fashion and portrait photography for various publications, such as Vogue, Esquire and Life, listened to Bob Dylan for the first time. He had been hearing about the singer for close to three years; two friends were especially dogged and would ask him every time they spoke if he had heard the music yet. Finally, feeling obligated to them for their persistency, he listened and understood immediately why Dylan was inspiring such passionate excitement. Shortly thereafter, Schatzberg was photographing a job in his studio and had some fortuitous company. Famed music journalist Al Aronowitz and disc jockey Scott Ross were discussing Dylan and a recent performance they had seen of his. Half listening to their conversation, he volunteered that he'd like to photograph the singer if given the chance. Dylan's new wife (one of the friends mentioned above) called the following day and gave him an open invitation to the studio where he was currently recording 'Highway 61 Revisited'. Excited and curious, Schatzberg set off the very next day for the studio, exactly six days after the seminal Newport Folk Festival set where Dylan went electric and was collectively booed. Schatzberg received a warm welcome from the singer, who immediately sat him down to listen to what he had been recording that day. Dylan gave him free rein of the studio once he started shooting and the images that emerged from that day make obvious the comfortable and relaxed atmosphere that was already brewing between photographer and subject. Considering Dylan's almost-universal dislike of journalists (and by extension photographers), this was a completely unprecedented situation, one that Schatzberg took seriously. That almost-instant trust and rapport quickly grew into a friendship and they are part of the reason Schatzberg's sittings with Dylan work so successfully and are so important. Dylan is relaxed, he's funny, he takes the props that the photographer gives him and has fun with them - he's obviously not taking himself too seriously. Working and socialising together, Schatzberg would eventually do nine more photo shoots with Dylan from 1965-6, arguably the singer's most creative period, and capture the (now) Nobel laureate during one of the most pivotal moments in music history. Part of their uniqueness is their basic broad range of intimate and public locations: music and photography studios, live performances and street portraits. But more than that, each session (including the one for possibly his greatest album, 'Blonde on Blonde') says something different about Dylan, the man and the musician, and manages to perfectly capture the many facets of one of the most unique, complex and mysterious individuals of all time.

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Save time and money with in-depth reviews, ratings, and details from the trusted source for a successful Walt Disney World vacation. How do some guests get on the big, new attraction in less than 20 minutes while others wait for longer than 2 hours—on the same day? Why do some guests pay full price for their visit when others can save hundreds of dollars? In a theme park, every minute and every dollar count. Your vacation is too important to be left to chance, so put the best-selling independent guide to Walt Disney World in your hands and take control of your trip. The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2024 explains how Walt Disney World works and how to use that knowledge to stay ahead of the crowd. Authors Bob Sehlinger and Len Testa know that you want your vacation to be anything but average, so they employ an expert team of researchers to find the secrets, the shortcuts, and the bargains that are sure to make your vacation exceptional! Find out what’s available in every category, ranked from best to worst, and get detailed plans to make the most of your time at Walt Disney World. Stay at a top-rated hotel, eat at the best restaurants, and experience all the most popular attractions. Keep in the know on the latest updates and changes at Walt Disney World. Here’s what’s NEW in the 2024 book: Learn when to visit Walt Disney World to get lower crowds and bigger hotel discounts Find insider coverage of the Magic Kingdom’s new TRON Lightcycle/Run coaster, including how to save time in line Read a review of EPCOT’s new Journey of Water, inspired by Moana Get tips on playing EPCOT’s new DuckTales World Showcase Adventure game Take in the latest on Disney programs such as Early Theme Park Entry Successfully navigate Disney’s ridiculously complicated admissions, transportation, and Genie+ and Lightning Lane reservations systems Uncover the newest, best places for ticket and hotel deals Save more with information on discounted stroller rentals, car rentals, and vacation homes Preview the new tower building at Disney’s Polynesian Resort Utilize new touring plans to save the most time in line at every Disney park Discover the highest-rated rooms and buildings to ask for at every Disney resort Make the right choices to give your family a vacation they’ll never forget. The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2024 is your key to planning a perfect stay. Whether you’re putting together your annual trip or preparing for your first visit, this book gives you the insider scoop on hotels, restaurants, attractions, and more.

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The Palladian Way is the brainchild of Cotswold walker Guy Vowles. It was born out of a previous idea for a long distance walk between Oxford and Bath but was extended northwards to Buckingham where the author was educated nearby. The realization that there was a Palladian bridge at Prior Park outside Bath to match the one at Stowe suggested a suitable title and the discovery of many classical houses and large estates along the route has helped to make the trail more than just another long walk. The majority of this 200km (125m) trail passes through beautiful countryside and many interesting villages with a wealth of historical background so that walkers can discover parts of England they would not normally visit. THE MAKING OF A LONG DISTANCE TRAIL The inspiration for a new long distance walk can come from many sources. In my case it was a loan of a book. "The Wayfarers Journal" is an elaborate production describing a number of routes which a small, rather quirky group of men who called themselves the "Viators" (Latin for "the travellers") started walking in the 1950s. They researched their routes and kept records. Some 30 years later a chance meeting with a journalist one lunch time at a pub close to Hadrian's Wall, led eventually to publication. Many of their walks or "iters" had Roman connections and ITER XXXVI particularly interested me. The cover pages contain a map of a route "South Cotswolds-Bath to Oxford 108 miles" but unfortunately there is no descriptive text. The book is out of print but I managed to acquire a copy and transposed the route on to modern OS maps. One January I set off to walk the first three days from Oxford. Their route was quite convoluted and I soon decided that I could plan something more interesting. I started the first walk over with a good friend with whom I had walked the length of Scotland and England a few years previously. We left Oxford via the tow path of the Oxford canal which we found to be rather unattractive with some of the houseboats described by my friend as "sinking assetsA". He also enquired about the length of the intended new route which now fell short of the magic 100 mile mark. By coincidence, about the same time, I was talking to another friend about my old school, Stowe, and he commented that his own old school, Prior Park, also had a Palladian bridge in the grounds. This was an eye opener to me and set me thinking. Stowe is north of Oxford and a route via Woodstock and Blenheim would not only avoid the difficulties around Oxford but would also take the distance down to Prior Park and Bath to over the 100 mile distance.

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A TLS, SPECTATOR AND TIME MAGAZINE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023FINALIST FOR THE NBCC AWARD FOR POETRY 2023'Celebrating the incredible moral clarity, beauty, fearlessness and power of the spirit of Saskia Hamilton - and of her poetry' Jorie Graham'Full of delicate and muscular truths and graced with rare intelligence, this posthumous volume offers the gifts of a uniquely sensitive mind' Publisher's Weekly (starred review)'To read Saskia Hamilton's opening poem in her forthcoming collection, All Souls, is to move through time in acts of seeing and of noting what is seen . . . For now, the day seems to say, Let the ordinary amaze, it's the grace we hold . . . Hamilton rests her sights on what can be apprehended from a bed, sofa, chair, or window, and named in the quotidian. These small recognitions ensure a life's weightiness, wariness, worthiness' Claudia RankineWho becomes familiar with mortalillness for very long. I was a stranger, &c.Not everyone appreciates it, noone finds being the third personbecoming, it's never accurate,and then one is headed for the past tense.Futurity that was once a lark, a gamble,a chance messenger, traffic and trade, under sail.The boy touches your arm in his sleepfor ballast. It's warm in the hold. Betweenship and sky, the bounds of sightalone, sphere so bounded.-from 'All Souls'In All Souls, Saskia Hamilton transforms compassion, fear, expectation, and memory into art of the highest order. Judgment is suspended as the poems and lyric fragments make an inventory of truths that carry us through night's reckoning with mortal hope into daylight. But even daylight - with its escapements and unbreakable numbers, 'restless, / irregular light and shadow, awakened' - can't appease the crisis of survival at the heart of this collection. Marked with a new openness and freedom - a new way of saying that is itself a study of what can and can't be said-the poems give way to Hamilton's mind, and her unerring descriptions of everyday life: 'the asphalt velvety in the rain.'The central suite of poems vibrates with a ghostly radioactive attentiveness, with care unbounded by time or space. Its impossible charge is to acknowledge and ease suffering with a gaze that both widens and narrows its aperture. Lightly told, told without sentimentality, the story is devastating. A mother prepares to take leave of a young son. Impossible departure. 'A disturbance within the order of moments.' One that can't be stopped, though in these poems language does arrest and in some essential ways fix time.Tenderness, courage, refusal, and acceptance infuse this work, illuminating what Elizabeth Hardwick called 'the universal unsealed wound of existence.'

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Chris Taylor has had a very successful career as a Royal Navy officer, helicopter pilot, test pilot, instructor and as an internationally acclaimed civil certification test pilot. His first book, Test Pilot, concentrates on anecdotes and incidents from the most recent phase of his career. This book is the prequel and is his account of his ten years' service as an experimental test pilot, from 1994 until 2004, at MoD Boscombe Down, the UK's tri-Service home of military aircraft testing and evaluation. In this book, Chris explains what led to his passion to be a test pilot and how, with tenacity, he plays the cards he was dealt as well as he could. The story captures the difficulties and challenges associated with being selected for the single annual place at the Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS) and the dedication required to then complete the very demanding twelve-month course. Chris was one of only three helicopter experimental test pilots posted to the Experimental Flying Squadron (EFS). It was there that he worked with scientists from the Defence Research Agency (DRA) at Bedford and Farnborough on a number of cutting-edge technologies, specialising in ship/helicopter interface testing. In addition to flying the Westland Wessex, Lynx and Sea King, Chris was able to act as an evaluation pilot in the Hunter, Jaguar, Andover, Hawker Siddeley HS748, and the Comet. During his time as an active test pilot, EFS was merged into three platform squadrons which gave Chris the chance to play a full part in conventional release to service' activities in a wide variety of rotorcraft. Asked to take on the role of a flight test instructor (FTI), Chris served at ETPS where he made sweeping changes to the syllabus, acquired a new helicopter type and had to deal with a number of students who could not cope with the rigours of the course. In his first year he suffered a flame out' in a Hawk jet, an engine failure during his first flight in the twin-engine Basset and crashed the school's Westland Scout helicopter- all of which are fully discussed. Following four successful years teaching helicopter flight test, Chris was recruited to manage the ETPS short course portfolio. This required the design, sale and delivery of numerous flight test courses, while also introducing innovative teaching methods and the use of civil registered aircraft. In this new, exciting and rewarding role Chris taught both fixed wing and rotary wing students and the book explains the difficulties of learning the additional skills and flight test techniques required of a fixed wing test pilot. This autobiography explores the military flight test career of an individual who is arguably one of the best qualified and most experienced test pilots working today anywhere in the world.

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A big board book, including a Peter Rabbit hand puppet!Peter Rabbit: Let's Cuddle is a board book with a big, furry, friendly Peter Rabbit hand puppet to play with! Read the heart-warming rhyme, and follow the simple actions with your little one for an extra special story-time experience. Peter Rabbit is everyone's favourite bunny and this lovely book gives children a chance to really play with him as they listen to the story and join in with the actions.Beatrix Potter is regarded as one of the world's best-loved children's authors of all time. From her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, published by Frederick Warne in 1902, she went on to create a series of stories based around animal characters including Mrs.Tiggy-winkle, Benjamin Bunny, Jemima Puddle-duck, Mr. Jeremy Fisher and Tom Kitten.Her humorous, lively tales and beautiful illustrations have become a natural part of childhood. From the revenue from the sales of her books, Beatrix Potter bought a farm - Hill Top - in the English Lake District, where she later became a farmer and prize-winning sheep breeder. She launched the now vast merchandise programme by patenting the very first Peter Rabbit doll in 1903. The product range continues to grow today with licences around the world including baby clothing and bedding, nursery decor products and collectables. Upon her death, Beatrix Potter left 14 farms and over 4000 acres of Lake District farmland to the National Trust so that the place that she loved would remain undeveloped and protected for future generations to enjoy.Today Beatrix Potter's original 23 tales are still published by Frederick Warne, alongside a wide range of other formats including baby books, activity books and gift and sound books.Look out for Beatrix Potter's original series of classic tales, published by Warne:1 The Tale of Peter Rabbit2 The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin3 The Tailor of Gloucester4 The Tale of Benjamin Bunny5 The Tale of Two Bad Mice6 The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle7 The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher8 The Tale of Tom Kitten9 The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck10 The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies11 The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse12 The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes13 The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse 14 The Tale of Mr. Tod15 The Tale of Pigling Bland16 The Tale of Samuel Whiskers17 The Tale of The Pie and the Patty-Pan18 The Tale of Ginger and Pickles19 The Tale of Little Pig Robinson20 The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit21 The Story of Miss Moppet22 Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes23 Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes

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When Heinz Lüning posed as a Jewish refugee to spy for Hitler's Abwehr espionage agency, he thought he had discovered the perfect solution to his most pressing problem: how to avoid being drafted into Hitler's army. Lüning was unsympathetic to Fascist ideology, but the Nazis' tight control over exit visas gave him no chance to escape Germany. He could enter Hitler's army either as a soldier... or a spy. In 1941, he entered the Abwehr academy for spy training and was given the code name "Lumann." Soon after, Lüning began the service in Cuba that led to his ultimate fate of being the only German spy executed in Latin America during World War II. Lüning was not the only spy operating in Cuba at the time. Various Allied spies labored in Havana; the FBI controlled eighteen Special Intelligence Service operatives, and the British counterintelligence section subchief Graham Greene supervised Secret Intelligence Service agents; and Ernest Hemingway's private agents supplied inflated and inaccurate information about submarines and spies to the U.S. ambassador, Spruille Braden. Lüning stumbled into this milieu of heightened suspicion and intrigue. Poorly trained and awkward at his work, he gathered little information worth reporting, was unable to build a working radio and improperly mixed the formulas for his secret inks. Lüning eventually was discovered by British postal censors and unwittingly provided the inspiration for Graham Greene's Our Man in Havana. In chronicling Lüning's unlikely trajectory from a troubled life in Germany to a Caribbean firing squad, Thomas D. Schoonover makes brilliant use of untapped documentary sources to reveal the workings of the famed Abwehr and the technical and social aspects of Lüning's spycraft. Using archival sources from three continents, Schoonover offers a narrative rich in atmospheric details to reveal the political upheavals of the time, not only tracking Lüning's activities but also explaining the broader trends in the region and in local counterespionage. Schoonover argues that ambitious Cuban and U.S. officials turned Lüning's capture into a grand victory. For at least five months after Lüning's arrest, U.S. and Cuban leaders -- J. Edgar Hoover, Fulgencio Batista, Nelson Rockefeller, General Manuel Benítez, Ambassador Spruille Braden, and others -- treated Lüning as a dangerous, key figure for a Nazi espionage network in the Gulf-Caribbean. They reworked his image from low-level bumbler to master spy, using his capture for their own political gain. In the sixty years since Lüning's execution, very little has been written about Nazi espionage in Latin America, partly due to the reticence of the U.S. government. Revealing these new historical sources for the first time, Schoonover tells a gripping story of Lüning's life and capture, suggesting that Lüning was everyone's man in Havana but his own.

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“This masterpiece of dogged and loving reporting will astonish you and touch your heart. The struggles and quest for redemption of football star Jackie Wallace make for a fall-from-grace tale that’s both unsettling and uplifting.”—Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs and Leonardo da VinciThe heartbreaking, timeless, and redemptive story of the transformative friendship binding a fallen-from-grace NFL player and a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist who meet on the streets of New Orleans, offering a rare glimpse into the precarious world of homelessness and the lingering impact of systemic racism and poverty on the lives of NOLA’s citizens. In 1990, while covering a story about homelessness for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Ted Jackson encountered a drug addict sleeping under a bridge. After snapping a photo, Jackson woke the man. Pointing to the daily newspaper by his feet, the homeless stranger looked the photojournalist in the eye and said, “You ought to do a story about me.” When Ted asked why, he was stunned by the answer. “Because, I’ve played in three Super Bowls.”That chance meeting was the start of Ted’s thirty-year relationship with Jackie Wallace, a former NFL star who rose to the pinnacle of fame and fortune, only to crash and lose it all. Getting to know Jackie, Ted learned the details of his life, and how he spiraled into the “vortex of darkness” that left him addicted and living on the streets of New Orleans. Ted chronicles Jackie's life from his teenage years in New Orleans through college and the NFL to the end of his pro career and the untimely death of his mother—devastating events that led him into addiction and homelessness. Throughout, Ted pays tribute to the enduring friendship he shares with this man he has come to know and also look at as an inspiration. But Ted is not naïve; he speaks frankly about the vulnerability of such a relationship: Can a man like Jackie recover, or is he destined to roam the streets until his end? Tragic and triumphant, inspiring and unexpected, You Ought to Do a Story About Me offers a rare glimpse into the precarious world of homelessness and the lingering impact of systemic racism and poverty on the lives of NOLA’s citizens. Lyrical and evocative, Ted's account is pure, singular, and ambitious—a timeless tale about loss, redemption, and hope in their multifarious forms.“This book will melt your heart. The story of Jackie Wallace is an unforgettable tale of hope, grace, and the miracle of the human spirit. Ted Jackson writes with searing honesty and deep love for a troubled man who started as his subject and became his lifelong friend.”—Jonathan Eig, bestselling author of Ali: A Life and Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig

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A gripping debut thriller that introduces a heroine like no other - perfect for fans of Michelle Frances's The Girlfriend and TM Logan's Lies. You're sixteen, you're pregnant and you've been kidnapped.If you're anyone else you give in, but if you're a manipulative prodigy you fight back in the only way you can. You use what you've been given against your captors.You have only one chance to save your life and that of your unborn child. You're calculating, methodical, and as your kidnappers are about to discover, they made a big mistake in abducting you.What happens when the victim is just as dangerous as the captors?If you like Michelle Frances, TM Logan, Patricia Gibney, Rachel Caine, John Marrs and Saskia Sarginson then you'll love this dark and gripping thriller.Praise for The Method:'Disturbing, fresh, gripping and unforgettable' Heat'Deft ... refreshing ... Shannon Kirk is a writer to watch' Stylist'Completely original' Lisa Gardner'A monster twist' Glamour'The premise of this novel had me hooked as soon as I read it' Cara MackenzieIf anyone wants to know how to write a fantastic thriller, this book is it! I can't recommend this book enough!' SILVXR'Shannon Kirk is now an author I'll be on the lookout for. A 100% recommended read' Lauren's Book Addiction'It had me gripping on a little tighter to my blanket and keeping my light on full while I was reading' Angel Wings and Petticoats'To sum up in a few words: buy this book' Hollie in Wanderlust'I haven't read a book quite like The Method before and I really enjoyed the twist on the damsel-in-distress stories you usually get' Carole Heidi'I absolutely loved this book. The story was brilliant, there was a real twist which made my jaw drop. The writing was really fresh and just grabs you right from the beginning. I cannot wait to read more by Shannon Kirk and I think we will be hearing big things from this author' Murder She Reviewed'Fast paced, suspenseful, thought provoking, and at times brutal, plus a twist you will definitely not see coming is what makes this book a must read for 2017' Whispering Stories'It's nail-biting, intense and has a shock or two in store for readers. I recommend The Method for readers who like to get inside the head of the person in the book. I have never felt so deeply ensconced in the psyche of a character' Book Magnet'A riveting debut novel ... welcome to a thrilling new voice in crime fiction' Boston Globe'A dark, literate page turner, utterly compelling. I read it in one sitting' Leonard Rosen, author of All Cry Chaos'This exciting tale builds to a surprising climax' Publishers Weekly

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"A chance meeting of a sewing machine and an umbrella. The impossible face-off between a whale and a polar bear. One was devised by Lautréamont; the other punctuated by Freud. Both are memorable. Why so? They certainly tickle something in us. Lacan says what it is. It's about man and woman. There is neither accord nor harmony between man and woman. There’s no programme, nothing has been predetermined: every move is a shot in the dark, which in modal logic is called contingency. There's no way out of it. Why is it so inexorable, that is, so necessary? It really has to be reckoned that this stems from an impossibility. Hence the theorem: 'There is no sexual relation.' The formula has become famous. In the place of what thereby punctures a hole in the real, there is a plethora of luring and enchanting images, and there are discourses that prescribe what this relation must be. These discourses are mere semblance, the artifice of which psychoanalysis has made apparent to all. In the twenty-first century, this is beyond dispute. Who still believes that marriage has a natural foundation? Since it's a fact of culture, one devotes oneself to inventing. One cobbles together different constructions from whatever one can. It may be better ... or worse. 'There is Oneness.' At the heart of the present Seminar, this aphorism, which hitherto went unnoticed, complements the 'there is no' of sexual relation, stating what there is. It should be heard as One-all-alone. Alone in jouissance (which is fundamentally auto-erotic) and alone in significance (outside any semantics). Here begins Lacan's late teaching. Everything he has already taught you is here, and yet everything is new, overhauled, topsy-turvy. Lacan had taught the primacy of the Other in the order of truth and the order of desire. Here he teaches the primacy of the One in its real dimension. He rejects the Two of sexual relation and that of signifying articulation. He rejects the Big Other, the fulcrum of the dialectic of the subject, disputing its existence, which he consigns to fiction. He depreciates desire and promotes jouissance. He rejects Being, which is mere semblance. Henology, the doctrine of the One, here outclasses ontology, the theory of Being. What about the symbolic order? Nothing more than the reiteration of the One in the real. Hence the abandoning of graphs and topological surfaces in favour of knots made of rings of string, each of which is an unlinked One. Recall that Seminar XVIII sighed for a discourse that would not be semblance. Well, with Seminar XIX, we have an attempt at a discourse that would take its point of departure in the real. The radical thought of modern Uni-dividualism."—Jacques-Alain Miller

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Technology offers coaches new horizons and a chance to connect with clients with new techniques. This book addresses these opportunities as well as the dilemmas and difficult questions that are part of the new landscape. What will happen when a big coaching platform is hacked? Will coaches ever be replaced by robots? Or perhaps, when will coaches be replaced by robots? As digital tools become increasingly enmeshed in our world, it is essential for coaches to use technology wisely, to build rapport and operate effectively. With the support of this book, coaches can use technology to enhance their practice and feel confident when working with clients. By breaking coaching technology down to its foundational principles, this book equips coaches to enrich their practice by proactively identifying its benefits, while protecting themselves and their clients from its threats. A coach reading this book will:•Unearth the truth behind the glossy veneer of technology, to discover what makes it work and why•Explore the capabilities of technology to disrupt coaching, and discover what to do to optimise its use•Develop an understanding of the sorts of technology available to enhance coaching practice at strategic and tactical levels•Experiment with futurology, constructing a plan to preserve the profession of coaching"The future lies in coach-AI partnerships — using the strengths of both to provide even better client support. This book is perfectly timed to support coaches in making the transition to such partnerships."David Clutterbuck, Special Ambassador, European Mentoring and Coaching Council"Sam has written a thoughtful and engaging book that will help coaches of any technical ability to navigate the digital world."Christine Bakewell, Board Member for Technology Thought Leadership UK ICF, IT Consultant and Leadership Coach"A must read if you are a coach or people leader that wants to explore what is possible when coaching with tech. It made me truly consider how technology could help democratise coaching. Eye opening stuff!"Liz Rochester, Director and Owner of Liz Rochester & Associates Ltd, Voluntary UK Chapter President for the International Coaching Federation 2021"What the book does admirably is to provide an entertaining, enlightening, thought-provoking and practically useful overview of where we are with ‘coachtech’, and where we’re likely to go with it, should we be open to the possibilities it offers." James Bridgeman, Co-Editor, Coaching Perspectives magazineWith a background in technology assurance, Sam Isaacson now leads Grant Thornton’s coaching services and is active with the coaching professional bodies. He has advised a range of organisations, from local charities through to global companies and government bodies. Sam led the introduction of the UK’s new Coaching Professional apprenticeship and is the first person to have coached a client in virtual reality.

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‘A lovely, sunshiney story, bursting with wit and joy’ – MILLY JOHNSON ‘Has the Bella Osborne hallmark combination of wit, wonderful characters and meaningful conflicts … a fantastic read’ – SUE MOORCROFT The brand-new summery rom com from Bella Osborne, full of laughter, love and life’s twists and turns! ***An Invitation to Seashell Bay was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.*** One ambitious businesswoman. One irresponsible heir. A deal that will turn both their lives upside down… To grow her craft business, Nancy is in desperate need of two things: help and money. So when a potential investor she’s looking to impress recommends an assistant, she jumps at the chance to secure both. Freddy Astley-Davenport is a notorious playboy with zero work experience. He’s poised to inherit his family’s estate in sunny Seashell Bay – but only if he can hold down a job for six months first. His plan is to take the assistant role in name only, then do the least work he possibly can. Nancy has other ideas, though, and the pair butt heads from day one. However, as they argue, sparks begin to fly, and they soon discover exactly why opposites attract… An absolutely escapist, funny, feel-good summer romance. Fans of Cathy Bramley, Katie Fforde and Milly Johnson will adore Bella Osborne. Everyone is loving An Invitation to Seashell Bay!: ‘A lovely, sunshiney story, bursting with wit and joy’ bestselling author Milly Johnson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Not your typical romance book … I laughed a lot as the sparring between Nancy and Freddie was wonderfully written.’NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘(Bella) never fails to provide a fantastic read’ Sue Moorcroft ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A lovely book full of warmth, humour and a naughty peacock!’NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Sparkling and laugh out loud’ Phillipa Ashley ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Great characters and well-crafted dialogue. Everything you want in a romance book.’NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another gorgeous page turner of a story’ Jules Wake ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is a really positive, uplifting and relaxing read which I sped through in no time.’NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The summer invite you need to accept … a funny, warm and gloriously uplifting romance’ Cressida McLaughlin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘There are some hilarious action scenes that would look great in a movie. I definitely recommend this book!’NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Pure joyous escapism bursting with sunshine! An absolute delight to read!’ Christie Barlow ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A contemporary romance novel perfect to pack in your suitcase’My Weekly ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Her dream escape is about to become a nightmare… Kimberley King has spent the last five years trying to outrun the reason she left the police force. Her life is a mess and she’s desperate for change. So when she is randomly selected for the new series of the hit show LoveWrecked, she can’t pass up the chance to win the £100,000 prize. All Kimberley needs to do is couple up with one of her fellow contestants, win the infamous LoveWrecked challenges, and she will have enough cash for a fresh start.But the island isn’t the paradise she was promised and within hours, one of the contestants is dead. Then the announcement comes: one of the islanders is a murderer and Kimberley must find out who, live on television. For every hour it takes her, one more person will die. The game is rigged, everyone is hiding secrets, and time is running out… An addictive and unputdownable crime thriller, perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and T.M. Logan.Readers are loving The Islanders A Grazia Best Book of 2021‘Sinister and twisty, The Islanders shows the terrifying darker side of reality TV … An utterly compelling read.’ Lisa Hall, author of The Party‘The Islanders is a confident debut with a crackling mystery at its heart. Anyone who has ever thought a murder might spice up a reality show will have a fantastic time with this wonderfully frenetic and wildly entertaining read.’ Chris McGeorge, author of Guess Who‘I found it highly addictive, which of course, led me to finishing this book off in the early hours of the morning! This is a great thriller with an end that feels suited to its surroundings.’ Crimesquad‘What a thrilling ride! I Know What You Did Last Summer meets Love Island! Fast paced and fresh – essential reading for fans of a murder mystery!’ Carys Jones, author of The List‘The Islanders is an energetic, fast-paced ride you won't be able to put down.’ NetGalley Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘A great story, fast-paced, I loved it!’ NetGalley Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘An addictive, mysterious thriller which keeps you gripped right until the last page! I absolutely loved this book!’ NetGalley Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘Such fun! I absolutely loved this book.’ NetGalley Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘If you love a good locked room mystery that will keep you on your toes as well as entertained until the very last page, I can highly recommend this debut. I will definitely be hoping to see more of her work in the future!’ NetGalley Review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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DI Clare Mackay starts the new year with a death… It is the stroke of midnight on Hogmanay when Alison Reid admits a caller to her home. When her death is later reported, DI Clare Mackay attends the scene. The initial evidence does not rule out murder, but it’s not possible to say for certain if foul play was involved. Yet when the pathologist informs Clare about a post mortem of a young woman found in the Kinness Burn, and with some similarities to Alison’s case, it seems there’s a strong chance that there’s a killer on the loose in St Andrews. Clare and her team will have to look past the obvious conclusions and delve deeper into the lives of the victims to get to the truth. But who else risks meeting the same fate while the clock is ticking?Don’t miss this compulsive new addition to the gripping DI Clare Mackay series from Bloody Scotland Scottish Debut Crime Novel 2020 shortlisted author Marion Todd.Readers are loving What They Knew ‘....more twists, turns and page-turning action from what will soon be your favourite Tartan Noir detective.’ The Scottish Sun‘Marion Todd does not disappoint... A great read that kept me guessing until nearly the end’ Joy Kluver, author of Last Seen ‘Todd has found a great character in Clare Mackay and both women have definitely been added to my 'must read' list. A highly entertaining read.’ Crimesquad‘Todd keeps getting better and better... One of my favourite discoveries of recent years’ NetGalley review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘This is the fourth in what has become one of my favorite police procedurals. It’s like taking a trip to Scotland and hanging out with a savvy detective and her team as they investigate the latest murder.’ NetGalley review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘Another excellent book in the Clare Mackay series. I was hooked from the first page, plenty of twists and turns... If you have never read any of this series or any by this author you won’t regret reading them, you are in for a treat. I can’t wait for the next instalment’ NetGalley review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘Marion Todd never fails to deliver with this series.’ NetGalley review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘What They Knew is another cracking read, the tension really building in the latter half of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope that Todd sustains her current rate of production because I can't get enough of the DI Mackay series.’ NetGalley review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐‘I started reading it immediately and was straight back in the world of DI Clare MacKay, just like visiting an old friend. If gripping crime / police procedurals are your thing you will love this series’ NetGalley review ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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A lifetime of love. Six months of silence. One last chance: read the unique and moving Radio 2 Book Club pick, adored by readers and shortlisted for the RNA Debut Romantic Novel of the Year Award.An unforgettable novel about the power of love and the importance of leaving nothing unsaid.'A remarkable debut' JOJO MOYES'Beautifully written' WOMAN & HOME'An unforgettable love story' CATHERINE ISAAC___________________________Frank hasn't spoken to his wife Maggie for six months.For weeks they have lived under the same roof, slept in the same bed and eaten at the same table - all without words.Maggie has plenty of ideas as to why her husband has gone quiet, but it will take another heartbreaking turn of events before Frank finally starts to unravel the secrets that have silenced him.Is this where their story ends?Or is it where it begins?READERS ARE FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE SILENT TREATMENT***** 'The best book I have read this year'***** 'It's impossible not to fall in love with Frank and Maggie'***** 'A wonderful story, it made me laugh and cry'***** 'I read it in two sittings I was so hooked!'___________________________'An original and moving debut from a talented new voice' SANTA MONTEFIORE'Empathetic, beautifully written ... will resonate with fans of Jojo Moyes, David Nicholls and Gail Honeyman' EXPRESS'It's beautiful, so moving and clever. I truly adored it' JOSIE SILVER'This is an extraordinarily tense yet tender portrait of a marriage ... written with assurance and agonising insight, and the characters of Maggie and Frank will stay with me for a long time' MAIL'Beautifully written in Greaves's unique voice... Poignant, heart-breaking and insightful' WOMAN & HOME'Heart-breaking secrets tenderly evoked with intelligence and depth. Maggie and Frank are unforgettable characters' RACHEL HORE, author of The Memory Garden'Such stunning prose, and such insight for a debut author... I was bowled over by Abbie's writing' CLARE MACKINTOSH'A beautifully written and compelling novel that enthralled us from beginning to end. Frank and Maggie feel so real, and their moving story is simple, but powerfully told' HEATWhen a debut is praised by the likes of Jojo Moyes, you know it's worth reading ... You won't be able to put down this tender and heartbreaking read' COSMOPOLITAN'An unforgettable love story with a mystery that had me captivated until the last, heart-wrenching page. It deserves to be huge' CATHERINE ISAAC, author of You Me Everything'A tender, heartfelt portrayal of a long marriage with all its secrets. Cleverly structured and beautifully written, this novel celebrates love, hope - and the importance of finding the right words' LUCY DIAMOND'Tremendously moving' GILLY MACMILLAN, author of The Nanny'I really loved it...It's a very moving book' JO WILEY'It's bittersweet and beautifully written...It's a book that stays with you' ASHLEY AUDRAIN

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A mesmeric, harrowing and uplifting childhood memoir that will open up much-needed conversations about identity and mental health'This will blow you away'- Stylist'Joly's prose is sensitive and heartbreaking...darkly compelling' - Business Post'An extraordinary and thought-provoking memoir' - Belfast TelegraphIt was an ordinary day in 2016. In Gatwick Airport, Jonathan and his wife Anna were having breakfast with their two little children while waiting for their flight to be called. And then it happened, a familiar sensation that Jonathan hadn't had for decades: an out-of-body experience that transported him to another place, the safe place he used to escape to in his mind when he was a boy. Because growing up in conservative 1980s Dublin, where there was little tolerance for children who were 'different', Jonathan Joly was, indeed, a different sort of child: creative, expressive, and - on the inside - a girl. The limitations of the people around him to understand his differences led to years of tyrannical bullying and abuse, forcing him to withdraw within himself to the point of clinical absence. His only chance for survival was the inner world he created for himself, rich with loving and supportive friends and playmates, that only he could see. Jonathan's invisible friends were his lifeline, and on that day at the airport, they came flooding back, and have remained with him to this day. This extraordinary childhood memoir is not only an important, thought-provoking and exhilarating read, it gives hope and community for all those who have ever felt 'other', and proves how vital it is to provide children with the safe space to be themselves. In All My Friends are Invisible, Jonathan Joly, known widely as one of social media's most successful content creators, shares the secret he's kept hidden these many years. He shows the beautiful world he retreated to time and time again when life was unbearable for his 'skin machine'. Most importantly, he introduces us to his invisible friends, and in so doing you may be transported back to the friends you had as a child that no one else could see, and who may have saved you, too.'When you find yourself living in a world that doesn't understand you, and you lack any connection to anyone or any place, you are faced with few options. You can choose to leave this world and hope whatever lies beyond ends up being better, or you can create your own. It will require grit, hardship, pain and suffering, but the rewards will be great, and the journey will be greater, and the adventures will be endless. So, at a very young age and faced with these options, I chose the latter.'

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'This book took hold of me and wouldn't let me go until I turned the final page' BETH O'LEARY 'Funny, tender and uplifting' BBC RADIO 4 'Beautifully written and thought-provoking' KATIE FFORDE 'This is one of those books you just want to gulp down in one' GOOD HOUSEKEEPINGThe Art of Belonging, Eleanor Ray's utterly heartwarming new novel about what it truly means to belong to those you love, is available to preorder now! ........................................... When Amy Ashton's world fell apart eleven years ago, she started a collection. Just a few keepsakes of happier times: some honeysuckle to remind herself of the boy she loved, a chipped china bird, an old terracotta pot . . . Things that others might throw away, but to Amy, represent a life that could have been. Now her house is overflowing with the objects she loves - soon there'll be no room for Amy at all. But when a family move in next door, a chance discovery unearths a mystery, and Amy's carefully curated life begins to unravel. If she can find the courage to face her past, might the future she thought she'd lost still be hers for the taking? Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant and The Keeper of Lost Things, this exquisitely told, uplifting novel shows us that however hopeless things might feel, beauty can be found in the most unexpected of places. ........................................... Everyone is talking about Eleanor Ray: 'This novel is a treasure' WOMAN 'A joy to read, and very beautiful indeed' LISA DICKENSON 'A total treat of a read - warm, enchanting and intriguing, with an unforgettable protagonist at its heart' HOLLY MILLER 'There's an intriguing mystery at the heart of this emotional but uplifting debut novel' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'Beautifully written and full of compassion, kindness and hope' IRISH INDEPENDENT 'A gorgeous, warm hug of a novel' SINEAD MORIARTY 'A tonic for the soul' LESLEY KARA 'Charming and thrilling, romantic and gripping' CLAIRE KENDAL 'Eleanor Ray has perfectly captured how it feels to not quite fit in' M W CRAVEN 'A wonderful celebration of the power of kindness' HANNAH TOVEY 'Heart-warming and thought-provoking, a mystery with a difference' ANDREA MARA'I relished it from start to finish. A beautiful book. Thought-provoking. Evocative. A treat to read' AMANDA ROBSON 'A gently absorbing entry into the mystery-uplit canon' VASEEM KHAN 'Charming, endearing . . . will melt even the hardest of hearts' JOANNA NELL 'My book of the year! An absolute must read' LAUREN NORTH 'I loved every bit of it. I think the term in book reviewer lingo is "utterly captivated" - and I was, as it was not only so beautifully written but the story was brilliant, too' FLISS CHESTER 'A brilliantly original protagonist and an intriguing mystery - this book brings a tear to the eye and uplifts the spirit' JACKIE KABLER

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Do you believe you have barely tapped your potential career? Do you know that you could change your business, your industry, and the lives of those around you if you just got the chance? It's time to make your own chances with The Peak Performance Formula. As a Bay Area resident and longtime Silicon Valley executive coach, Bob Lesser knows the stresses of career development firsthand. His advice, research, and 30 Day Peak Performance Challenge draw from his own experiences and research, yet can be applied much further than just the workplace.Whether you are a struggling athlete or a high powered executive, The Peak Performance Formula will guide you to become your best and not settle for mediocrity. In this actionable guide to achieving one's peak performance, Lesser shares his analysis of the three pillars of success: purpose, values, and vision. He incorporates case studies from real-life peak performers: people and organizations that are the best and the brightest. Bob will help you examine these questions in detail, so you can find the answers that are waiting within you: What exactly is purpose and how can you pinpoint yours? How can values improve your fulfillment and performance? How can you utilize vision to ensure you're getting where you want to go, regardless of your chosen endeavor? Bob will show you how the most successful leaders are innovative and influential, and contextualizes his argument within neurological, psychological, and religious research so you can trust your instincts and have the relentless courage to succeed. Read about: Iron Man Dick Hoyt Musician G Love Activist Suraya Sadeed Former Governor Michael Dukakis ...and many more real life peak performers! This simple-but-powerful equation - Purpose + Values + Vision = Peak Performance - will open the doors that have been closed to you until now.Readers of Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, Start With Why by Simon Sinek, The 10x Rule by Grant Cardone and Relentless by Tim S. Grover will love The Peak Performance Formula. TAKE IT FROM THOSE AT THE TOP: THIS REALLY WORKS! "We all need tools and tactics to achieve at the highest levels—both at work and in life. This book gives you the framework."—Eric Schmidt, Cofounder, Schmidt Futures, and Former CEO, Google"As a cofounder, leader, and CEO, I need to manage my time, relationships, energy, and company at the highest levels. The Peak Performance Formula will show you how." —Meirav Oren, Cofounder and CEO, Versatile"The principles in this book have made me a better leader and have helped us build one of the most valuable new companies in our industry." — Bradley Rothenberg, CEO, nTopology"Purpose and values guide everything we do as an organization. This book shows you how to use these powerful tools in your own work." —Charles Best, Founder and CEO, DonorsChoose

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Sardinia, the second largest island in the Mediterranean, is a countryside lover's paradise. Touring Sardinia by car, you quickly leave all traces of tourism behind: the six car tours cover about 1600km (1000 miles). The tours are arranged in such a way that they can be combined, allowing you to tour round the whole island.-------------------- As you tour, explore on foot: walking in Sardinia, crushing the fragrant Mediterranean macchia underfoot, will give you the real flavour of the island. Its scenic diversity ranges from rough and primeval landscapes to gentle golden sand dunes, from scorching rocky plateaux and windswept plains reminiscent of Africa to rolling hills with lush pastures and dense brushwood, from towering mountains cloaked in fine oak woods to a turquoise sea that touches the rocky coast. Colourful rock roses and an extravaganza of wild flowers flourish in spring.----------------- 6 car tours (with accompanying touring maps), 37 long and short walks (each with 1:50,000 topo map), 16 picnic suggestions. Plans of Cagliari and Sassari. Free online update service with specific route change information on the publisher's website, maintained daily.- --------------- The 'Landscapes' series, with 50 destinations, has been dubbed 'the blue Bibles' by the Sunday Times and led to Sunflower coming third out of a field of 15 publishers in the 2014 Holiday Which? guidebook roundup.-------------- As with all Sunflower books, these are great walking books, and you can use the Sunflower website to check for any updates to the routes before you go on each trip. A great book and great after-sales service from the writers. We did some fantastic walks and you get so much good local information on the region too. Would recommend all Sunflower books. [We also have] the Crete, Majorca and Menorca books...(JJ, Amazon)---------------- A great book!!! I highly recommend it, even if, like me, you are not fluent in English, all terms are easily understandable. (PG, Amazon)---------------- Another faultless Sunflower Book. Sunflower guides are always the ones I look for whenever I'm considering a destination. Although pitched heavily at walkers they generally offer a very good synopsis of the best natural sites which are available to the visitor and even those who don't walk much will get something out of them.The detail [in the car tours] is excellent and we were able to use them for the basis of a week long road tour of Sardinia and certainly felt well guided around much of the natural wonder of the island. The few walks we had the chance to do were excellently described in both terms of difficulty and directions, meaning we had no worries about being lost at any time. (Cubegame, Amazon)

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In 2008, American journalist Jere Van Dyk was kidnapped and held for 45 days. At the time, he had no idea who his kidnappers were. They demanded a ransom and the release of three of their comrades from Guantanamo, yet they hinted at their ties to Pakistan and to the Haqqani network, a uniquely powerful group that now holds the balance of power in large parts of Afghanistan and the tribal areas of Pakistan. After his release, Van Dyk wrote a book about his capture and what it took to survive in this most hostile of circumstances. Yet he never answered the fundamental questions that his kidnapping raised: Why was he taken? Why was he released? And who saved his life?Every kidnapping is a labyrinth in which the certainties of good and bad, light and dark are merged in the quiet dialogues and secret handshakes that accompany a release or a brutal fatality. In The Trade, Jere Van Dyk uses the sinuous path of his own kidnapping to explain the recent rise in the taking of Western hostages across the greater Middle East. He discovers that he was probably not taken by the anonymous "Taliban," as he thought, but by the very people who helped arrange his trip and then bargained for his release. It was not a matter of chance: CBS, Van Dyk's employer at the time, launched a secret rescue and, he learned later, paid an undisclosed ransom to a tribal chief who controlled the area in which he was kidnapped and who delivered him and his guide safely to a US Army base. In 2013, Van Dyk returned to the Middle East to unravel the links among jihadist groups, specifically that of the Haqqani network. His investigation finally paid off in 2015, when Van Dyk was taken to a discreet room in a guesthouse in Islamabad where he met Ibrahim Haqqani, part of the leadership of the Haqqani network who has been seen by very few outsiders since 9/11. There, Van Dyk learned of the Haqqanis' links to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the ISI, and the CIA and their involvement in the kidnapping of Bowe Bergdahl and many others. Back in the United States, Van Dyk saw the other side of the kidnapping labyrinth as he became involved with other former hostages and the families of recent kidnapping victims murdered by the Islamic State. Van Dyk's investigation shows how America's foreign policy strategy, the terrible cynicism of the kidnappers, and a world of shadowy interlocutors who play both sides of many bargains combine to create a brutal business out of the exchange of individual human lives for vast sums of money.

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Is it ever too late to leave the friend zone? Friends-to-lovers TikTok sensation, The Cheat Sheet, is the rom-com that has readers laughing and rooting for these lovable best friends from the first page! 'Falling for my best friend - tick! Fake dating - tick! So stinking cute I want to throw glitter over it - tick!'⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This book is amazing! I'm calling it as one of my top 5 books to the year, and yes, I know it's only February' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'I just adored this story . . . I'm ready to eat up anything that Sarah Adams writes' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'A perfect mix of hilarious banter, comical situations, and sweet romance' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'This romance is brilliant! It is fast paced, laugh out loud and so cute!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'A feel-good rom-com with everything you want in a romance!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'This book, just wow! . . . One of best books written by Sarah Adams' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ................................... Bree Camden is helplessly (and secretly) in love with her longtime best friend and NFL legend, Nathan Donelson. And that's the least of her problems. After a car accident ended her chance of becoming a ballerina, Bree now runs her own dance studio - if she can afford the rent to keep it open, that is. When Nathan comes to the rescue and buys the entire building, a stubborn Bree is not happy about it. Rebelling with a couple - okay, maybe more than a couple - of tequila shots, she spills her deepest, darkest secret to a TMZ reporter. One viral video later, the world thinks Nathan and Bree are the perfect couple and Nathan's publicist has an idea that could mean financial security for Bree. The catch? They have to pretend to be in love. For three. whole. weeks. Is now the moment for Bree to finally act on her hidden feelings? And is it possible that Nathan has been hiding some of his own?................................... Discover the heartwarming friends-to-lovers romance that became a sensation on TikTok!FEATURES A NEW CHAPTER AND Q&A WITH SARAH! 'A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy' SOPHIE SULLIVAN 'As slapstick funny as it is both sizzling and sweet, this best-friends-to-lovers sports romance brings its RomCom A-game' CHLOE LIESE 'The perfect mix of laugh-out-loud entertaining and intensely tender' DEVON DANIELS'My heart is explodinggggg! Sarah Adams has done it yet again' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Please PLEASE read this one. It gives you hope back for love and humanity!'⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I loved this book! Cutesy romance with a dash of humour and touched on very important mental health issues!'⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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THE INSTANT SATURDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERA DYMOCKS BOOK OF THE MONTHA PANDORA SYKES/FANE BOOK CLUB PICK'Truly one of the most beautiful stories you'll ever read' Joanna Cannon'Unique and tender' Pandora Sykes'An arresting debut novel about grief, but in the most wonderfully oblique way' Reverend Richard Coles Heartbreaking and heart-stealing, this bestselling modern-day fable is an unforgettable novel about sorrow, joy, friendship and love.When Isaac Addy walks into the woods on the worst day of his life and finds something extraordinary there, he already knows he's going to take it home. A grieving Isaac and his curious new friend are unlikely companions. They don't even speak the same language. But their chance encounter will transform Isaac's life in ways he cannot yet imagine. And maybe he will finally be able to tell the truth. Sometimes, to get out of the woods, you have to go into them. Isaac and the Egg is one of the most hopeful, honest and wildly imaginative novels you will ever read. --- THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THAT EGG BOOK...'Mad, sad and funny' PATRICK GALE'I read it in one breath... true and tragic and funny and hopeful and big - big enough somehow to contain all of our stories and all of our lives inside it' JOANNA GLEN'I laughed, I cried, I sat quietly and thought about what I'd read... a future classic' CLARE MACKINTOSH 'This book is just magic' KATE SAWYER'A tender, funny and surprising meditation on grief and hope . . . like nothing I've ever read before' STYLIST 'Fresh, original and beautifully written' RUTH HOGAN'An utter sparkler of a novel... highly imaginative, extremely funny and profoundly empathetic' SUNDAY INDEPENDENT 'Will stay with me for a long time' MARK WATSON'Heart-wrenching yet oddly soothing, this is utterly beautiful' PRIMA 'Book of the Month' 'Sublime' BRYONY GORDON'An extraordinary story . . . brimming with magic and - perhaps most importantly - hope' GLAMOUR'Wonderfully playful... exquisitely written' i NEWS 'A mesmerising debut, capturing everything that's funny and sad about real life' DAVID WHITEHOUSE 'Moving and clever... Although it starts with a death and darkness, it's a story of hope and embracing newness' JUSTIN MYERS, THE GUYLINER'Clever and imaginative' WOMAN & HOME'Quirky and raw' GRAZIA'Measured, comic and moving... A sad, funny and original novel about grief, loss and embracing change' DAILY MAIL'One of the most eagerly awaited books of the year . . . an incredibly moving and at times heartbreaking - and sometimes funny - book' HELLO!'A strange but beautiful tale about grief, which can make you laugh and cry all on the same page' IRISH EXAMINER'A bold, beautiful undertaking' POORNA BELL 'Bizarre, beautiful and like nothing else I've ever read' ANNIE LORD

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Text in English & German. Three places mark the chequered history of the provost church of St Trinitatis Leipzig. Not far from the site of the present new building was the historic church built in 1847 that was largely destroyed in World War Two. It took almost three decades for this church finally to be replaced in 1982. At the insistence of the East-German authorities, however, this building had to be erected in a suburb. Because of its inconvenient location and also because the building had structural damage from the very beginning, the congregation decided in 2008 to take a chance on a new start in the city centre. The third church of St Trinitatis, consecrated in 2015, is the largest Catholic church to be built in East Germany since the political turnover of 1989/90. The new church is located not only in the centre of town, but at a place that could not be more prominent: facing the large complex of the Neues Rathaus. In 2009 a competition held for the new church building with the adjacent parish centre was won by the Leipzig architects Ansgar and Benedikt Schulz. Their clever use of the triangular site particularly impressed the selection committee; at the same time, with the compact body of the church on the east and the tower on the west, they created two striking urban landmarks. Between the tower and the church is the spacious courtyard, which is open on two sides towards the surrounding area, emphasising the congregations programmatic 'openness'. The complex owes its homogenous appearance to the fact that all parts of the buildings are clad with local porphyry, an igneous rock that shimmers in delicate shades of red. While outwardly the church looks quite hermetic, the interior, with an inside height of 14.5 m, surprises the visitor by its vibrant luminosity. The decisive factor here is the skylight on the east side at a height of 22 m. From a source that is invisible to the worshippers, zenith light falls on the entire back wall behind the altar. In its disposition the church interior follows the decisions of the Second Vatican Council: separation between the priests space and the congregations space is abolished, the high altar is replaced by a peoples altar, and the faithful gather of the believers in communio around the liturgical centre. In addition to his main activity as an architecture publicist Wolf-gang Jean Stock was head of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für christ-liche Kunst and its gallery in Munich for nine years. Considering his rigorous artistic attitude, instinctively reminiscent of the work of Hilla and Bernd Becher, there is a certain consistency about the fact that the photographer Stefan Müller congenially creates images of the buildings of Owald Mathias Ungers, Max Dudler, Kleihues + Kleihues or Schulz und Schulz.

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Dr. Pearce's coaching methodology is a testament to his unwavering life philosophy, which centers around assisting his dental clients in successfully transitioning their practices to offer more comprehensive care. His approach is transformative, leading to a significant increase in patient acceptance of full mouth treatment while simultaneously reducing the number of working hours they must engage in. This remarkable shift ultimately yields increasingly greater financial rewards for his clients, as well as offering the best dental care possible for their patients.Through Dr. Pearce's coaching, practitioners discover a newfound ability to navigate the complexities of their profession with confidence and ease. By adopting his proven strategies, they become adept at effectively communicating the value and benefits of comprehensive care to their patients. As a result, more patients are inclined to accept the full mouth treatment, allowing dental practitioners to provide comprehensive care to a broader range of individuals. This not only enhances the overall health and well-being of dental patients but also significantly boosts the financial success of the practice.However, Dr. Pearce's coaching goes beyond mere financial gains. It involves a fundamental paradigm shift from a traditional "doctor/owner-led business" to a collaborative "doctor/leader and team-driven business." With Dr. Pearce's guidance, practitioners learn to create an environment where team members are actively engaged and motivated to contribute to their own success as well as the overall success of the practice.In this new model, team members are empowered to take ownership of their roles and responsibilities. They are encouraged to bring their unique talents and perspectives to the table, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability. Dr. Pearce emphasizes the importance of cultivating a culture of collaboration and mutual support within the practice. By doing so, practitioners experience the extraordinary benefits of harnessing the collective expertise and passion of their team members.As the team becomes more engaged and motivated, the practice thrives. Dentists will find themselves working smarter, not harder, as the burden of responsibilities is distributed among the team. This redistribution of tasks allows the practitioners to focus on their core competencies, delivering exceptional care to their patients while also having the chance to dedicate more time to their personal lives.Through Dr. Pearce's coaching approach, practitioners are able witness a remarkable transformation in their professional and financial lives. They not only achieve a much greater income through increased patient acceptance of comprehensive care, but they also cultivate a fulfilling and harmonious work environment where every team member contributes to the collective success. Dr. Pearce's coaching transcends conventional business strategies, creating a sustainable framework that enables practitioners to thrive personally, professionally, and financially.

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Do you remember your fond childhood memories? Those were the innocent days when technology was not a part of our lives yet, games were played outside and the world was not so polluted. Ordinary and classic toys were enough for kids to enjoy. This book will take you back to your happy childhood days with 19 beautiful "innocent" amigurumi toys. Some toys from the book are granny and little helper, grandma and grandpa, lovely girl dolls, rag doll, duck, bunnies, Red Riding Hood, cowgirl and hobby horse, vintage robot, baby doll twins, gardener girl doll and bear.. These all were designed by a different amigurumi designers. AUTHORS: Vivyane is an amigurumi-designer and the person behind "Happy Crochet, Etc" on Instagram. She fell in the crochet cauldron seven years ago. Until then she was drawing and painting a lot but was looking for a new hobby that would re-boost her creativity and give it a new momentum. That is how she discovered the world of amigurumi. Vivyane is a self-taught crocheter who learned through books and videos, and later decided she wanted to create her own crochet designs. Skaiste Kivci is a translator and amigurumi designer based in Lithuania. She has been into handicraft ever since she was a child but she happened to get into the charming, colourful world of amigurumi simply out of wanting to bring joy to her kids and friends by my handmade toys. She feels lucky to find this hobby also brought her to like-minded peers and friends. She is a mom of three and living in Lithuania with her family. Mei Li Lee, better known as Amigurumei, is a self-professed daydreamer who discovered amigurumi by chance. Now she enjoys sharing the joy of the craft with like-minded daydreamers, splitting her hours between being a mom of twin boys and designing magical dolls, each packed with a little unique personality of their own (much like her boys). The former journalist and craft columnist is also the author of Hello Kitty Crochet. Elisa Ems-Domenig has been a crochet artist and designer for the past 6 years. She designs and creates her own cute toy range under the name "Lulu loves the Moon." She lives with her husband, 5 children, and lots of farm animals in the forest at the foot of the Alps in Austria. Sandra Muller lives in France in Lyon with her husband and children. As a textile designer she is passionate about the arts of yarn and creates amigurumi and crochet patterns. Dolls and their dressing and accessories have taken a great place in her collection. She is known as Lucienne Compatine on Instagram.

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Dive into an epic fantasy full of crunching revolutionary action, twisted magic, and hard choices in dark times.The war is over. The enemy won.Jia's people learned the hard way that there are no second chances. The Egril, their ancient enemy, struck with magic so devastating that Jia's armies were wiped out. Now terror reigns in the streets, and friend turns on friend just to live another day.Somehow Tinnstra - a deserter, a failure, nothing but a coward - survived. She wants no more than to hide from the chaos.But dragged into a desperate plot to retake Jia, surrounded by people willing to do anything to win the fight, this time Tinnstra will need to do more than hide.If Jia is to get a second chance after all, this time she will need to be a hero.With all the grit of Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence and Ed McDonald, this is a debut epic fantasy with the sharpest of edges.* * * * * * * * * *Readers can't put down We Are the Dead:'The next Game of Thrones' Glen Cook, author of The Black Company'Tarantino crossed with David Gemmell' Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones'A powerful debut' Gavin Smith, author of The Bastard Legion'So much bloodshed and actions, Shackle's debut is fast-paced, grim, and unputdownable' Novel Notions'This is a fantastic story that I think everyone would enjoy. Every aspect, from prose to characters to plot is just superbly crafted' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Utterly gripping, original fantasy that really must be counted amongst the best in the genre' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'If you are looking for a fantasy read with phenomenal magic, battle scenes that are so vividly described that you experience them through all of your senses, villains who are entirely despicable, and a compelling story filled with crushing heartbreak and glorious redemption, then you need to pick up WE ARE THE DEAD right now' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A fantastic tale of rebellion against an occupying force . . . I really loved how this one all pulled together, and seeing the rebellion from different viewpoints was a real treat' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This is a fast paced and intense story that never lets up in its brutality and dark environment' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'From start to finish this will keep you on the edge of your seat . . . This is an outstanding debut, you don't want to miss it' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐THE LAST WARBook One: We Are the DeadBook Two: A Fool's HopeBook Three: Until the Last

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'This was a BEAUTIFUL love story. If you enjoyed The Flatshare, you will love Lease on Love!'⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'I don't think I have ever been in love with a book more than I am in love with Lease on Love' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader reviewA fun, heart-warming light heated read. Highly enjoyable, and I can't wait to see what the talented Falon comes up with next' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader reviewBeach Read meets The Flatshare in this warmly funny and delightfully sharp rom-com about a down-on-her-luck young woman who turns an innocent mix-up between a dating app and a roommate app into a new chance at love.................................................................................She wasn't looking for love until it landed on her doorstep.Sadie's looking for a fresh start. After missing out on an overdue promotion, she drunkenly re-opens a long-ignored dating app and, two days later, finds herself on a date with Jack. Except it isn't a date.Realizing that she mistakenly matched with Jack on a roommate-finding app, Sadie prepares to make a hasty exit, only to finally notice the gorgeous Brooklyn brownstone that Jack is advertising . . . and the unbelievably cheap rent.Introverted Jack doesn't know what to make of the talkative whirlwind in front of him. But he offers Sadie his spare bedroom while she gets back on her feet, and Sadie, recognizing that her dreams of starting her own florist business might now finally be possible, accepts.As Sadie's presence starts to turn the brownstone into a real home, and Jack learns to come out of his shell, they both begin to wonder if this accidental roommate arrangement is the best deal they ever made.................................................................................Warm praise for Lease on Love:'A hopeful, heartwarming debut. With a relatable disaster of a protagonist and an adorably nerdy hero, this opposites-attract, roommates-to-lovers romance is a true delight' Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of The Ex Talk'Lease on Love warmly and wittily underscores that none of us are perfect, but we are all worthy, we are all enough: we all deserve to be loved, not just by others, but by ourselves too' Sarah Hogle, author of Twice Shy and You Deserve Each Other'Lease on Love was a delight on every level. Ballard delivers a soft, sweet story with enough shadows to make the happily ever after feel that much more earned... This is a beautiful love story about finding something precious that seems out of reach!' Denise Williams, author of How to Fail at Flirting'Lease on Love is a crackling, compulsively readable debut... I enjoyed every minute of it!' Suzanne Park, author of Loathe at First Sight and So We Meet Again

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Most Anticipated from Buzzfeed, BookPage, Nerd Daily, and more. Featured on NPR Weekend Edition Sunday.'An extravaganza from start to finish' Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights'Riveting. Unflinching. Powerful' Ayana Gray, New York Times-bestselling author of Beasts of Prey'Sings with hope and barely disguised rage. Fantastic from start to finish' TJ Klune, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Cerulean SeaIn New Orleans gods meddle and magic will betray you, but this time justice will reign. Thirty years ago, a young woman was murdered, a family was lynched, and New Orleans saw the greatest magical massacre in its history. In the days that followed, a throne was stolen from a queen.On the anniversary of these brutal events, Clement and Cristina Trudeau - the sixteen-year-old twin heirs to the powerful, magical, dethroned family - are mourning their father and caring for their sick mother. Until, by chance, they discover their mother isn't sick - she's cursed. Cursed by someone on the very magic council their family used to rule. Someone who will come for them next.Cristina, once a talented and dedicated practitioner of Generational magic, has given up magic for good. An ancient spell is what killed their father and she was the one who cast it. For Clement, magic is his lifeline. A distraction from his anger and pain. Even better than the random guys he hooks up with.Cristina and Clement used to be each other's most trusted confidant and friend, now they barely speak. But if they have any hope of discovering who is coming after their family, they'll have to find a way to trust each other and their family's magic, all while solving the decades - old murder that sparked the still - rising tensions between the city's magical and non-magical communities. And if they don't succeed, New Orleans may see another massacre. Or worse.Praise for Blood Debts 'Riveting and relevant'Kirkus Reviews, Starred review'Blood Debts is a force and Terry J. Benton-Walker is truly an author to watch'Roseanne A. Brown, New York Times bestselling author of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin'Steeped in magic that's every bit as dark as it is moving'Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching and House of Hunger'The real magic is this book-don't let it slip through your fingers'Mark Oshiro, author of Anger is a Gift'Intricately woven threads of magic, intergenerational trauma, and well-placed social commentary'Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin'Sharp and searing'J. Elle, New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Ebony

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With a wife he loves and an exciting London-based career, architect Charles Waterston's life seems in perfect balance. Nothing in his comfortable existence prepares him for the sudden end to his ten-year marriage - or his unwanted transfer to his firm's New York office. With nothing left to lose, Charlie takes a leave of absence from his job to drive through New England, hoping to make peace with himself. Christmas is approaching when Charlie leaves New York, heading to Vermont to ski. But a sudden, blinding snowstorm strands him in a small Massachusetts town. There, as if by chance, Charlie meets an elderly widow who offers to rent him her most precious possession: a remote, exquisite lakeside chateau. Hidden deep in the woods, it once belonged to a woman who lived and died there two centuries before. Her name was Sarah Ferguson. And from the moment Charlie sets foot inside the chateau's graceful depths, he feels her presence, and longs to know more about the life she led. It is Christmas Eve when Charlie first glimpses her, a beautiful young woman with jet black hair. He thinks it is a neighbour playing a joke on him, until he finds her diaries hidden away in an old trunk. As he begins to turn the brittle, dusty pages, Sarah Ferguson comes alive. Intrigued and unafraid, Charlie immerses himself in the diaries, eager to learn more about the woman for whom the house was built. Sarah's first entry is dated 1789, the year she arrived in America. Without self-pity or sentiment, she writes of her harrowing journey from her native England, having fled the brutality of her aristocratic husband. Settling in Massachusetts, Sarah finds an unfamiliar land seething with the turbulence of the Indian wars. Determined to start a new life in the vast new world, Sarah finds freedom - and danger - as she builds her home in the wilderness and meets a man who will transform her life. His name is François de Pellerin, a French nobleman adopted by Indians and drawn into the battle for the growing nation. Their fateful union is a testament to a love so powerful it reaches across the centuries. And for Charlie Waterston, caught between Sarah's world and his own, their story is a gift - one that gives him the courage to let go of his past, and the freedom to grasp a future that is right before his eyes.In The Ghost, Danielle Steel has created a stunning blend of history and drama. Brilliantly interweaving past and present, she brings to life two stories, centuries apart, in a timeless novel of courage, healing and love.

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'Sharply observed, snappily written and thoroughly researched, She Merchants provides a fabulous panorama of a largely ignored area of social history. Katie Hickman successfully challenges the stereotype of the snobbish, matron-like memsahib by deploying a riveting gallery of powerful and often eccentric women ranging from stowaways and runaways through courtesans and society beauties to Generals' feisty wives and Viceroys' waspish sisters. It is full of surprises and new material and completely engaging from beginning to end' William Dalrymple The first British women to set foot in India did so in the very early seventeenth century, two and a half centuries before the Raj. Women made their way to India for exactly the same reasons men did - to carve out a better life for themselves. In the early days, India was a place where the slates of 'blotted pedigrees' were wiped clean; bankrupts given a chance to make good; a taste for adventure satisfied - for women. They went and worked as milliners, bakers, dress-makers, actresses, portrait painters, maids, shop-keepers, governesses, teachers, boarding house proprietors, midwives, nurses, missionaries, doctors, geologists, plant-collectors, writers, travellers, and - most surprising of all - traders. As wives, courtesans and she-merchants, these tough adventuring women were every bit as intrepid as their men, the buccaneering sea captains and traders in whose wake they followed; their voyages to India were extraordinarily daring leaps into the unknown. The history of the British in India has cast a long shadow over these women; Memsahibs, once a word of respect, is now more likely to be a byword for snobbery and even racism. And it is true: prejudice of every kind - racial, social, imperial, religious - did cloud many aspects of British involvement in India. But was not invariably the case. In this landmark book, celebrated chronicler, Katie Hickman, uncovers stories, until now hidden from history: here is Charlotte Barry, who in 1783 left London a high-class courtesan and arrived in India as Mrs William Hickey, a married 'lady'; Poll Puff who sold her apple puffs for 'upwards of thirty years, growing grey in the service'; Mrs Hudson who in 1617 was refused as a trader in indigo by the East Indian Company, and instead turned a fine penny in cloth; Julia Inglis, a survivor of the siege of Lucknow; Amelia Horne, who witnessed the death of her entire family during the Cawnpore massacres of 1857; and Flora Annie Steel, novelist and a pioneer in the struggle to bring education to purdah women. For some it was painful exile, but for many it was exhilarating. Through diaries, letters and memoirs (many still in manuscript form), this exciting book reveals the extraordinary life and times of hundreds of women who made their way across the sea and changed history.

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'Real sagas with female characters right at the heart' Woman's HourIf you love Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin, you'll LOVE Glenda Young's 'amazing novels!' (ITV's This Morning presenter Sharon Marshall)'In the world of historical saga writers, there's a brand new voice' My WeeklyWhat readers are saying about Glenda's dramatically powerful and romantic saga of tragedy and triumph:'Better than a Catherine Cookson' 5* reader review'Wonderful read, full of rich characters, evocative description and a touch of romance' 5* reader review'Just wanted it to go on forever and read more about the characters and their lives' 5* reader review............................................'Any rag and bone!'Everyone recognises the cry of Meg Sutcliffe as she plies her trade along the back streets of Ryhope. She learnt the ropes from her dad when he returned from the War. But when tragedy struck, Meg had no choice but to continue alone, with only her trusty dog Spot and beloved horse Stella for company. Now the meagre money she earns is the only thing that stands between her family's safety and predatory rent collector Hawk Jackson...Many say it's no job for a woman - especially a beauty like Meg who's noticed everywhere she goes. When she catches the eye of charming Clarky it looks like she might have found a protector and a chance of happiness. But is Clarky really what he seems? And could Adam, Meg's loyal childhood friend, be the one who really deserves her heart?............................................Praise for Glenda Young:'I really enjoyed Glenda's novel. It's well researched and well written and I found myself caring about her characters' Rosie Goodwin'Will resonate with saga readers everywhere...a wonderful, uplifting story' Nancy Revell'All the ingredients for a perfect saga and I loved Meg; she's such a strong and believable character. A fantastic debut' Emma Hornby'Glenda has an exceptionally keen eye for domestic detail which brings this local community to vivid, colourful life and Meg is a likeable, loving heroine for whom the reader roots from start to finish' Jenny Holmes'I found it difficult to believe that this was a debut novel, as "brilliant" was the word in my mind when I reached the end. I enjoyed it enormously, being totally absorbed from the first page. I found it extremely well written, and having always loved sagas, one of the best I've read' Margaret KaineLook out for all of Glenda's compelling sagas - Belle of the Back Streets, The Tuppenny Child, Pearl of Pit Lane, The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon, The Paper Mill Girl and The Miner's Lass - out now!Plus, Glenda has launched a brand-new cosy-crime mystery series - don't miss Murder at the Seaview Hotel and Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel - out now!

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The incredible Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller from the million-copy bestselling author of the phenomenon and­ 80-week Sunday Times bestselling The Salt Path'Beautiful, a thrill to read . . . you feel the world is a better place because Raynor and Moth are in it' The Times'Winn's writing transforms her surroundings and her spirits, her joy coming across clearly in her shimmering prose' i 'A beautiful, luminous and magical piece of writing' Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry _______ 'It was the land, the earth, the deep humming background to my very being' In 2016, days before they were unjustly evicted from their home, Raynor Winn was told her husband Moth was dying.Instead of giving up they embarked on a life-changing journey: walking the 630-mile South West Coast Path, living by their wits, determination and love of nature.But all journeys must end and when the couple return to civilisation they find that four walls feel like a prison, cutting them off from the sea and sky that sustained them - that had saved Moth's life.So when the chance to rewild an old Cornish farm comes their way, they grasp it, hoping they'll not only reconnect with the natural world but also find themselves once again on its healing path . . ._______'Confirms Raynor as a natural and extremely talented writer with an incredible way with words. This book gives us all what we wanted to know at the end of The Salt Path which is what happened next. So moving, it made me cry . . . repeatedly' Sophie Raworth, BBC'Brilliant, powerful and touching . . . will connect with anyone who has triumphed over adversity' Stephen Moss, author and naturalist'Unflinching . . . There is a luminous conviction to the prose' Observer'Notions of home are poignantly explored . . . wonderful' GuardianLONGLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2021**Nominated for the Holyer an Gof Memoir Award** Praise for The Salt Path 'An astonishing narrative of two people dragging themselves from the depths of despair along some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country, looking for a solution to their problems and ultimately finding themselves' Independent 'This is what you need right now to muster hope and resilience . . . a beautiful story and a reminder that humans can endure adversity' Stylist 'The landscape is magical: shapeshifting seas and smugglers' coves; myriads of sea birds and mauve skies. Raynor writes exquisitely . . . it's a tale of triumph; of hope over despair, of love over everything' The Sunday Times 'The Salt Path is a life-affirming tale of enduring love that smells of the sea and tastes of a rich life. With beautiful, immersive writing, it is a story heart-achingly and beautifully told' Jackie Morris, illustrator of The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane

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" In a chance meeting in the 1980's, I had a discussion with Elie Wiesel, the famous Holocaust author, historian, and teacher. I told him that I had not been able to tell my story. He said that it was my obligation to speak out and to tell the world about the Holocaust. He told me that I had survived for a reason-to tell the world what had happened to my family and to me.Suddenly I remembered that my mother had once told me the same thing-that it was beshert, or meant to be, that I survive to tell the story of my family."-Eliezer AyalonFor ten-year-old Lazorek Hershenfis in Radom, Poland, life with his family is joyful. Lazorek's father, Israel (known as "Srul") operates a leather-cutting business from the front of the family's sparsely furnished, one0romm apartment, and the family spends idyllic summers harvesting fruit from orchards in the nearby countryside. His brothers Mayer and Abush work as tailors to supplement the family's income, slipping Lazorek occasional pocket money for the movies with friends. Lazorek's sister Chaya is a kindergarten teacher and a playmate especially cherished, whether the game is catch the homemade balls of the challenging "strulkies" with stones. A deeply respected healer in the community, Lazorek's beautiful mother Rivka shows him the meaning of caring unselfishly for others, from the breastfeeding the child of an ill friend as if it were her own and preparing special food for Lazorek himself to making middle-of-the-night visits to help sick neighbor. But what is given does not always appear to be returned in kind, as Lazorek discovers on his journey into the ghetto and the concentration camps.Although Lazorek's father and mother sell much of their jewelry and silver for cash to pay for a visa to Palestine the British mandatory government denies the application. It is then that they lose hope of a better life, and according to Lazorek, events begin to happen so quickly that he runs out of time to be afraid.Lazorek survives and journeys to Palestine, taking the name Eliezer Ayalon. A new life begins.. . but can memories be forgotten? With "A Cup of Hone," Neile Sue Friedman and Eliezer Ayalon impart the richness and endurance of the family love that inspires the Holocaust survivor to perpetuate the lives of those he lost by telling their story."Neile played an essential role in bringing my part of this history to lights," notes Mr. Ayalon. "I hope that by reading my story, as well as others like it, the next generation will learn the lessons of the Holocaust—that hate and intolerance were defeated by hope and courage."

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