Search results for ""Beaufort Books""

Why do some client/agency relationships thrive while others fail? At a time of unprecedented change and complexity in marketing and advertising, Agency Mania will transform the way you look at client/agency relationships and invite you to build sustained partnerships that deliver unmatched work and results.The world of marketing is a trillion-dollar industry and is changing at a drastic pace. The advertiser/agency relationship is under incredible pressure. Some may argue it’s even broken. The future of the advertising industry is uncertain. The entire marketing ecosystem is being tested. What will the agency of tomorrow look like? What competencies will agencies need to build? How will they deliver greater value to their clients? Similarly, how will advertisers reap the benefits agencies bring to their table? How will they become better clients? How will they set their partnerships up for success?In Agency Mania, partnership guru Bruno Gralpois demonstrates that these partnerships, once managed professionally, have remarkable transformational value and measurable business impact. The author shines a bright light on the insanity of advertisers and agencies failing to work optimally together or hold each other truly accountable. Building a successful long-term advertiser/agency partnership requires a robust set of competencies and operating principles. Agency Mania shows you step-by-step how it is done.

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Finalist for the 2020 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards! It's spring on Washington Island. Despite her concerns about Roger's desire to bartend, Elisabeth is eager to plan a grand opening for their newly remodeled hotel, but she quickly realizes that she may also need to make accommodations for Roger's proposed goat yoga classes. Bored and lonely, Oliver Robert joins bartender Eddie in forming a great books club at Nelsen's, and Emily Martin, determined to make her mark on the community, forms a new Committee of the Concerned. When Emily decides that the Island needs a literary festival, complete with a famous author, she imprudently seeks out a notorious celebrity, hoping, as always, to enhance her own prestige. Real estate agent Marcie Landmeier confides that an unknown someone is buying up the Island's shoreline, newly-appointed Fire Chief Jim Freeberg contends with a string of suspicious fires, and Pali and Ben have a spiritual encounter that will change them both. Meanwhile, drawn once more into local controversy, and awash in suspicion herself, Fiona Campbell must determine the answers to questions that will affect her future, and the future of the entire Island. A Small Earnest Question is Book Four in the award-winning North of the Tension Line series, set on a remote island in the Great Lakes. Called a modern-day Jane Austen, author J.F. Riordan creates wry, engaging tales and vivid characters that celebrate the beauty and mysteries of everyday life.

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Following her success with Playboy Swings, Patty Farmer looks at Playboy's relationship with comedians and cartoonists in her new book Playboy Laughs.Playboy Laughs invites readers onto the sets of the organization's groundbreaking TV shows, Playboy Penthouse and Playboy After Dark. These popular variety series brought top-tier comedians, impressionists, and monologists—as well as the finest musicians—into people's homes each week.Readers will learn how before he ever dreamed of conquering the magazine publishing world—and along the way establish a worldwide brand—Hugh Hefner harbored aspirations of making his mark in the world as a cartoonist.Playboy Laughs delves into the darker aspects of the time as well, tackling the ways Playboy and its comedy stars helped break down social and racial barriers as well as sexual ones.Known for her devotion to meticulous research and clear, honest storytelling, Farmer has gained the full cooperation of the Playboy organization—and Hugh Hefner himself—making this not only an entertaining read but a trustworthy history of an under-appreciated aspect of American comic culture.

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Koi are unusually beautiful creatures. Perhaps because of their unusual beauty, koi have inspired a variety of legends. The recurrent theme in these legends is that koi, because of their endurance and perseverance, have become symbolic of overcoming adversity and fulfilling one's destiny. In one of the more celebrated versions of this legend, koi are rewarded for their endurance and perseverance by being transformed into dragon fish.In their book KOI, Margery and Sheldon Harnick have created their own version of this legend in photographs and verses. In their version, koi are rewarded for a reason other than endurance and perseverance. Though the years, the gods have noted how much pleasure men and women have derived simply from observing the prismatic beauty of the koi. For this gift to mankind, the gods decided to transform the most beautiful koi into majestic and powerful dragons.Margery Harnick's photographs not only show this transformation taking place but also capture the remarkable beauty of these creatures in ways that most people have never seen. (Additional photographs by Matt Harnick portray the gods and the dragons.) And since koi are Asian in origin, Sheldon Harnick has chosen to deliver the narrative in the form of haiku verses. The union of photographs and verses makes a charming and artistically satisfying combination.

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Bruce Herschensohn challenges the same old beliefs most often heard in the media and read in the textbooks. Is Afghanistan really the longest war in the history of the United States? Was Hong Kong given back to the People's Republic of China in 1997 because of the lease signed by Great Britain in 1898? Herschensohn convinces us with evidence that the answer to both questions is no.The book covers a wide range of controversial issues in domestic as well as international politics from US president's constitutional rights to the Israeli-Palestinian Authority peace process. As you read on, you will realize sooner or later that you have been put into a "coma" by the media. This book is a call to start, reconsidering, questioning, and digging deeper into what the media feeds the public.Lucid, succinct, abundant in historical evidence, and easy to read, this book will draw general readers interested in contemporary politics as well as scholars and students of history and politics. But perhaps most important, it will win the applause of the people who like to engage in true critical thinking.

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In 2006, author Patricia Sexton set out on a journey most of us have only fantasized about. She quit her job to pursue her dream. Thirty years old and a rising star at a Wall Street investment bank, Patricia wanted nothing more than to work as a foreign correspondent. So, that's just what she did, moving to Mongolia after landing an internship at the country's national TV station. Live from Mongolia follows Patricia's unlikely journey from Wall Street to Ulan Bator. Not only does Patricia manage to get promoted to anchor of the Mongolian news, she also meets some unusual people following unusual dreams of their own. There's the Mongolian hip-hop star who worked in London restaurants to make his dream come true or the French corporate exec now tracking endangered horses in the steppe. All the while, Patricia is living with Mongolian Mormons, camping with nomads in the Gobi desert, and even crashing Genghis Khan's 800th anniversary party. But of course Patricia has her fair share of stumbles, including a brief return to Wall Street—even after meeting with the president of CNN. Live from Mongolia is the story of this ongoing journey—from a corporate career to a dream job Patricia hadn't even imagined she would land.

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Using the letters of the 19th-century explorer Pierre Jean De Smet, Steven Faulkner and his eighteen-year-old son, Alex, follow De Smet across the High Plains to the fur trappers' rendezvous on the Green River, then on to the Lewis and Clark Trail. Lewis and Clark take them over the Rockies (a part of their journey that almost killed the explorers) into the homeland of the Nez Perce whose fate (recorded by a young warrior named White Thunder) is strangely tied to these emissaries from the east.By road, foot, mountain bike, and canoe, Steven and Alex experience the vast landscape and try to capture an understanding of the Wild Northwest, an understanding supported by many chance encounters with modern residents: Bubba, the LA gangster taking refuge in Idaho's mountains; Jean, the retired school teacher who has a visceral hatred of the EPA; Mary the dog trainer who fought the Forest Service for ten years and won—losing $100,000 in the process; the Knife Lady who is raising nine kids in a blue school bus; the combative waitress who misinforms us about the Chinese Massacre of Rock Springs; the drug-addicted boy whose search for his father finds an unexpected ending.

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Although relatively unknown in modern day San Antonio, John H. Kampmann was an imposing force during his lifetime (1819-1885). Maggie Valentine explores the lasting legacy Kampmann had as a craftsman, builder, contractor, stonemason, construction supervisor, building designer, materials supplier, and business and civic leader for thirty-five years in San Antonio. He changed the face of the city from an adobe Spanish village to a city of stone and mortar.The book also looks at what it meant to be an architect, the business of building, and the role of immigrants. John and Caroline Bonnet Kampmann's de­scendants contributed much to the history of the city for generations. His client list reads like a Who's Who in 19th-century San An­tonio. His work included the Menger Hotel, St. Joseph's Catholic Church, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and the German-English School, as well as the Steves, Eagar, Halff, Groos, and Oppenheimer Houses.In addition, he ran businesses from a bank to a brewery, and served as city alderman and fire captain. This study brings to light an important chap­ter in the formation of the urban fabric of San Antonio and its evolution into a multicultural community. Valentine explores the built environment as it exemplified the social, political, and economic history.

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Great Food Jobs 2: Ideas and Inspirations for Your Job Hunt, winner of the the 2013 Gourmand Special Award of the Jury, is an almanac of eminently useful career guidance mixed with tasty bites of utterly useless gastronomical nonsense, including weird sushi combinations and odd names of bakeries such as "Nice Buns." A companion to the award-winning Food Jobs: 150 Great Jobs for Culinary Students, Career Changers and Food Lovers, this second volume describes an abundance of careers in the food industry in and out of the kitchen. In an era of 'txt msgs,' Chalmers' Great Food Jobs 2 is refreshingly erudite, urbane, wry, witty,and consummately British. This sparkling, extraordinary compendium will astonish and amuse, inform and make you laugh out loud!

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In 2011, Jennifer Pharr Davis became the overall record holder on the Appalachian Trail. By hiking 2,181 miles in 46 days—an average of 47 miles per day—she became the first female to ever set that mark. But this is not a book about records or numbers; this is a book about endurance, faith, and, most of all, love.The most amazing part of this story is not found at the finish, but is discovered through the many challenges, lessons and relationships that present themselves along the trail. This is Jennifer's story, in her own words, about how she started this journey with a love for hiking and more significantly a love for her husband Brew. Together, they were able to overcome rugged mountains and raging rivers, sleet storms and 100 degree heat, shin-splints and illnesses. They made new friends and tested old friendships; they shared together laughter, and tears—a lot of tears. But, through it all, they fell more in love with one another and with the wilderness.By completing this extraordinary amateur feat, Jennifer rose above the culture of multi-million dollar sports contracts that is marked by shortcuts and steroids. This is the story of a real person doing something remarkable. Jennifer Pharr Davis is a modern role-model for women—and men. She is an authentic hero.

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In 1915, Armenian Christians in Turkey were forced to convert to Islam, barred from speaking their language, and often driven out of their homes as the Turkish army embarked on a widespread campaign of intimidation and murder. In this riveting book, Margaret Ajemian Ahnert relates her mother Ester's terrifying experiences as a young woman during this period of hatred and brutality. At age 15, Ester was separated from her family during a forced march away from her birth town of Amasia. Though she faced unspeakable horrors at the hands of many she met, and was forced into an abusive marriage against her will, she never lost her faith, quick wit, or ability to see the good in people. Eventually she escaped and emigrated to America. Ahnert's compelling account of her mother's suffering is framed by an intimate portrait of her relationship with her 98-year-old mother. Ester's inspiring stories, told lovingly by her daughter, will give you a window into the harrowing struggle of Armenians during a terrible period in human history.

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46 Days chronicles the trials, successes, joys, and frustrations of Jennifer Pharr Davis's record-winning Appalachian Trail thru-hike through the eyes of her husband, Brew Davis. Brew led her pit crew, the group of generous, loving hikers who supported Jen along the way, providing company along the epic trail and as much food as Jen could stomach.Experience the trek with Jen and Brew as they battle shin splints and a stomach scare that threatens to end the attempt early, encounter wildlife at every turn, and meet the colorful cast of characters that help Jen complete her journey. 46 Days also includes an introduction and afterword by Jennifer with first-hand reflections on her life-changing voyage.

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2018 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards FinalistWho was Harold Spencer? All D.C. Lawyer Jack Patterson knew was that Spencer's dead body had been found on the 18th Green of Columbia Country Club, cancelling Jack's Saturday golf game.Who is Rachel Goodman? Her name has been plastered on the front page of every newspaper in the country for weeks, branded as a thief of confidential info vital to U.S. National Security and a spy for Israel. She is also the daughter of Jack's long-time friend and mentor, Ben Jennings.Despite the opposition, Jack feels compelled to defend Rachel. He goes to work against the government, the all-powerful military-industrial complex, most of the press and Congress, all of whom are convinced that Rachel is guilty and should receive the death penalty for her treason. Clovis Jones, Jack's friend, is the victim of a vicious attack. The more Jack digs, the more complicated and dangerous his work becomes. Even a volunteer group of Navy SEALs may not be enough protection.Jack discovers the key to Rachel's exoneration lies with Harold Spencer, the man found dead on the 18th Green. Jack rushes to discover who killed Spencer and why, but the murderer has now trained his sights on Jack and will stop at nothing.

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Grace Tingley and Brian Posey are forty-something twins whose lives have gone in very different directions. Grace is a private school teacher in coastal Connecticut, Brian an adventure travel executive in Seattle. Grace nearly won a Rhodes Scholarship at Princeton and was a PhD candidate at Yale when an unexpected pregnancy threw her plans into a tailspin. Brian barely scraped through an obscure New England college and recently married Ella, a lively, pot-smoking realtor, after three years in an intimate relationship with a charismatic man from Jamaica.When their mother Cinny, a widowed charter member of Woodstock Nation, is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, she opts for an early exit from life and stops eating. Grace and Brian are there for her last days in hospice care, where they learn Cinny has plans for them after she’s gone. They’re to sprinkle her ashes, mixed with their father’s, at a series of exotic locations around the globe—some remote, some challengingly public, all known and loved by the Poseys.Joined by Grace’s husband Jack, a “recovering good ol’ boy lawyer” from Clearwater, their daughter Chelsea, recently moved in with a widower twenty years her senior, Ella, and Ella’s daughter Sage, a self-described “sixteen-year-old nihilistic feminist socialist,” Grace and Brian set off around the globe on a funereal odyssey that teaches them more about their parents’ relationship and about themselves than they find it easy to accept.By turns hilarious, profound, jarring, and poignant, Pocket Full of Poseys bounds dizzily through New Zealand, Thailand, Italy, Switzerland, and England before pulling off at a rest area on the New Jersey Turnpike, as the last of Cinny Posey’s secrets are revealed and her survivors confront the strength of the ties that bind them all together—for worse and for better.

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For Scott Hatcher, a former television writer turned struggling novelist with a failing marriage to boot, social-distancing and mask-wearing feel like fitting additions to his already surreal life. When his wife Marie and neighbor John Bergman disappear in the middle of the raging COVID-19 pandemic, Scott is naturally mystified and disturbed, but he is also about to learn that his picturesque neighborhood hides more than just the mundane routines of suburban life. When a fire claims the empty house for sale next door, the entire community is shocked when the charred remains of Marie and John are found inside. Stranger still, stockpiles of valuable Personal Protection Equipment, clearly stolen, were destroyed in the blaze alongside them. As the neighborhood reels from the loss, Scott and Bergman’s earthy and enticing widow, Rachel, not only find themselves under investigation for the crime, but also inexorably drawn to one another. As tensions reach a fever pitch, the tale—which is at once familiar and ordinary, yet bizarre and eerie—shows that, just like life in 2020’s uncertain times, dread and danger lurk below the hidden underside of everyday suburbia.

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Winner of the 2020 Silver Nautilus Book Award On a cold winter night in February of 1967, a large rock shattered a bedroom window in Virginia Walden Ford's home in Little Rock, Arkansas, landing in her baby sister's crib. Outside, members of the Ku Klux Klan burned a cross on her family's lawn. Faceless bigots were terrorizing Virginia, her parents, and her sisters–all because her father, Harry Fowler, dared to take a job as the assistant superintendent of personnel for the Little Rock School District. He was more than qualified, but he was black. In her searing new memoir, legendary school choice advocate Virginia Walden Ford recounts the lessons she learned as a child in the segregated south. She drew on those experiences—and the legacies handed to her by her parents and ancestors—thirty years later, when she built an army of parents to fight for school choice in our nation's capital. School Choice: A Legacy to Keep, tells the dramatic true story of how poor D.C. parents, with the support of unlikely allies, faced off against some of America's most prominent politicians—and won a better future for children.

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After graduating from college, Jennifer isn't sure what she wants to do with her life. Through inexperienced and unprepared, she feels drawn to the Appalachian Trail and sets out along on the long-distance footpath that stretches 2, 175 miles from Georgia to Maine. The next five months are the most physically and emotionally challenging of her life--coping with blisters and aching shoulders, hiking through endless torrents of rain and a blizzard, facing unwanted company and encountering tragedy. The trail becomes a modern day Odyssey that tests Jennifer's faith in God, humanity and herself. But even at her lowest points, it provides enduring friendships, unexpected laughter, and the gift of self-discovery. With every step she takes, Jennifer transitions from an over-confident college graduate to a student of the trail. As she travels along the ridges of the ancient mountain chain, she realizes that she isn't walking through nature--she realizes she is part of nature. And she learns that the Appalachian Trails is more than a 2,175 mile hike: it is a journey that will change a person forever.

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Throughout the journey of life, we all have moments of feeling lost. Experiences where we feel tested. It's at these times we need a signpost to point the way through the darkness and confusion to a clearer and better path. Signposts by Eric Kampmann shares the insights and wisdom he discovered as he journeyed through the pages of the New and Old Testaments. Prepare yourself for the journey and keep your eyes open to the signposts along the way. You too will discover that God is always near and available for those who seek him.

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In his introduction to The Lord Is My Strength, Eric Kampmann places the psalms at the epicenter of the biblical narrative. Implicitly, the psalms weave all the way back to the creation story, forward to the advent of Jesus, and beyond to the end of times. And within this epic scope, the psalms tell the story of each one of us: our hopes, our dreams, our fears and conflicts in a way that ignites our imagination, providing a full and deep picture of who we are as we live day to day in our own time and place. The Lord Is My Strength was originally envisioned as a book of morning prayers posted on social media. But it quickly became more than that when Kampmann began posting a photograph and a short commentary along with the passage from the psalms. The result is a new book that will speak through words and pictures of the beauty, harmony and mystery that has been gifted to everyone who has the desire to see where they stand in God's story.Of Kampmann's previous book, Getting To Know Jesus, Publishers Weekly said, "Every aspect of human nature can be seen in Kampmann's fascinating daily readings…"

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When a bomb rips the façade off the Kensington Hotel in Tokyo, dozens are killed and injured while one man walks calmly away from the wreckage, a coy smile playing on his lips. Former Army intelligence officer Dan Reilly, now an international hotel executive with high level access to the CIA, makes it his mission to track him down. He begins a jet-setting search for answers as the clock ticks down to a climactic event that threatens NATO and the very security of member nations. Reilly begins mining old contacts and resources in an effort to delve deeper into the motive behind these attacks, and fast. Through his connections he learns that the Tokyo bomber is not acting alone. But the organization behind the perpetrator is not who they expect. Facilitated by the official government from a fearsome global superpower, the implications and reasons for these attacks are well beyond anything Reilly or his sources in the CIA and State Department could have imagined, and point not to random acts of terror, but calculated acts of war. RED Hotel is an incredibly timely globe-trotting thriller that's fiction on the edge of reality.

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In a distant war, in a city under siege, U.S. Ambassador John W. Blaney faced a terrible choice: abandon the mission or risk the lives of his team to give diplomacy a last chance...In 2003, Liberia was one of the most dangerous and isolated countries in the world. President Charles Taylor, a feared warlord, presided over a fractured state and countless unruly militiamen and child soldiers as two rebel armies marched to depose him. When an international court indicted Taylor for war crimes, the rebels attacked the capital and months of vicious fighting ensued.With Washington split on how to respond and pressure mounting to shutter the chancery once and for all, the Ambassador kept the flag flying. The U.S. embassy served as a rallying point for international efforts to save Liberia. West African peacekeepers backed by U.S. forces prepared to deploy, but a final, merciless attack by the rebels left the capital split and Taylor's forces dug in for a last, blood-soaked stand. With no margin for error, the Ambassador and his team made three forays across the front lines in a desperate bid to broker a local ceasefire that would lift the siege, stop the killing, and give space for peace to take root.The Embassy is a graphic, cinematic retelling of the harrowing climax of the Liberian civil war and the U.S. and West African role in ending it. Through interviews with the Ambassador and key members of the country team, as well as with peacekeepers, U.S. troops, relief workers, foreign correspondents, senior Liberian officials and rebel leaders, Dante Paradiso reconstructs the violence and chaos of those times to create an enduring portrait of a U.S. embassy under fire and the kind of daring frontline diplomacy that can change the fate of a nation and the harrowing climax of the Liberian civil war.The views expressed in this book are the author's own and not necessarily those of the United States Department of State or the United States Government.

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There have been countless crime dramas written about murder mysteries, but none written by two actual Police Chiefs. Co-Written by retired NYPD Deputy Chief John Cutter and retired City of Stamford Chief of Police Bob Nivakoff, The Squad Room touches on the real-life experiences of Chief Cutter and Chief Nivakoff, through the lens of fiction.The Squad Room tells the tale of NYPD Captain William "Bill" Morrison's hunt to track down a ferocious serial killer and sexual predator that is terrorizing New York City. Morrison is a world-class investigator, a "Cop's Cop," with the respect of his peers, but his personal life is in disarray. His son, also a NYPD Officer, is dead, gunned down in the line of duty, leaving Bill a haunted shell of a man. His second marriage is in shambles as his only true loves are his children and "the job." Morose, Morrison finds solace in an extra-marital affair, alcohol and the members of his Detective Squad, the men and women in blue that constitute his second family.You may believe you know what evil looks like, but The Squad Room shows you that the face of unspeakable horror can come in many forms. Morrison and his team are racing against time to identify and bring the murderer to justice. Meanwhile, his Detective Squad runs up against villains inside the system: a Chief and a Detective who got where they are by political maneuvering, rather than skill and merit.Cutter and Nivakoff don't hold back—The Squad Room gives you a genuine insider's view into the NYPD and the triumphs and tribulations that Police officers experience on a regular basis and the toll that policing takes on the mental and physical health of police officers and their families.

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Winner of the 2017 CSPA Book of the Year Award in DevotionalsGetting to Know Jesus is the perfect devotional for the person who knows some but wants to know much more about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. This award winning book is designed follow the life of Jesus Christ chronologically based on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The origins of this book were a series of podcasts that author Eric Kampmann and Dr. Chuck Davis, Senior Pastor at Stanwich Church, recorded over the course of one full year. For this book, Kampmann used the content of the podcasts to build a commentary on the passage that provides a deeper look into the accounts of Jesus' life, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection.In addition to the book, Kampmann has provided an index that lists 31 bible or individual studies. The studies include an in depth look at the Sermon on the Mount, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Raising Lazarus, the Seven Words of the Cross, the High Priestly Prayer, and much more.

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Getting away with murder. Seems unlikely, but in the gated community of Avalon it’s what’s in style.It all starts with Hudson’s accidental decapitation. It was a terrible accident. He was drunk and in the middle of a fight with his second wife. They both pressed the garage door button at the same time. The LAPD didn’t give it a second thought. Instead of grieving, his wife breathes free air again. She is a rich woman with freedom. The other wives secretly envy her.From the outside, Avalon seems like the ideal place to live, full of rich men and beautiful women. Six couples form a close-knit friendship; the men all golf together, the women all shop together, and their six children all skip school together. But the wives begin to resent feeling like possessions and realize that the men become crueler every day.When more husbands start dying, the so-called “Ladies of the Lake” find themselves under suspicion from the LAPD and their own children.The six children try to uncover their parents’ secrets before the handsome Detective Daniels can discover what is truly going on behind closed gates.

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America has been steadily sliding in global education rankings for decades. In particular, our students are increasingly unable to compete globally in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. According to the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), in 2010 only 26 percent of high school seniors in the U.S. scored at or above proficient level in math. Another 36 percent were failing. Only 3 percent scored at an advanced level in math, and only 1 percent scored at an advanced level in science.Students in K-12 across the U.S. struggle with STEM subjects, often because the subjects are poorly presented or badly taught. When students reach college, they choose to pursue non-STEM degrees, and too many struggle to find jobs upon graduation. Meanwhile, U.S. employers are having an increasingly hard time filling STEM jobs. Economic projections for the next decade show we will need approximately 1 million more professionals in STEM fields than our education system will produce. If we want to maintain our historical pre-eminence in science and technology, we must increase the number of students graduating with STEM degrees by 34 percent each year.One Nation Under Taught offers a clear solution, providing a blueprint for helping students fall in love with STEM subjects, and giving them the tools they need to succeed and go on for further study in these fields. The book challenges our whole way of thinking about education, and encourages educators and policy-makers at all levels to work together to make our schools places that promote curiosity and inspire a love of learning. If we do not change course, we will set our students and our country on the path to a lifetime of poverty. But if we can implement the reforms Dr. Bertram suggests, we can achieve long-lasting prosperity for our children and our nation as a whole.

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At the age of twenty-two, Lisa Jakub had what she was supposed to want: she was a working actor in Los Angeles. She had more than forty movies and TV shows to her name, she had been in blockbusters like Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day, she walked the red carpet and lived in the house she bought when she was fifteen.But something was missing. Passion. Purpose. Happiness.Lisa had been working since the age of four, after a man approached her parents at a farmer's market and asked her to audition for a commercial. That chance encounter dictated the next eighteen years of her unusual—and frequently awkward—life. She met Princess Diana... and almost fell on her while attempting to curtsy. She filmed in exciting locations... and her high school asked her not to come back. She went to fancy parties... and got kind of kidnapped that one time. Success was complicated.Making movies, traveling the world, and meeting intriguing people was fun for a while, but Lisa eventually realized she was living a life based on momentum and definitions of success that were not her own. She battled severe anxiety and panic attacks while feeling like she was living someone else's dream. Not wanting to become a child actor stereotype, Lisa retired from acting and left L.A. in search of a path that felt more authentic to her.In this funny and insightful book, Lisa chronicles the adventures of growing up in the film industry and her difficult decision to leave behind the only life she had ever known, to examine her priorities, and write the script for her own life. She explores the universal question we all ask ourselves: what do I want to be when I grow up?

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This one of a kind book aims to highlight the importance of being a present father while breaking the stereotype that surrounds Black fatherhood. Written by Dr. Curtis L. Ivery and his son Marcus, the book is a blueprint for being a successful family man as well as a model African-American man. It's also an account of the current state of the African-American community and family, which is increasingly viewed as disconnected and falling apart. Riddled with quotes by celebrated leaders, including Frederick Douglass, Bill Cosby, and Nelson Mandela, the book provides tips on how to be a father each day, every day. Ivery talks about the importance of instilling a value system and emphasizes ways in which fathers can have optimal relationships with their children. The book also delves into our current society and examines how it's affecting African-American communities and families, as well as how we can overcome this. This book is an indispensable guide for fathers and children alike that will surely strengthen any family's bond.

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Newlyweds Jeff and Beth Alt could not be more different. Jeff, an avid hiker, prefers long, exhausting thru-hikes and sleeping under a canopy of stars. Beth, on the other hand, prefers hotels, hot showers, and ending the day in a warm, clean bed. But when Beth’s brother dies tragically by suicide, Jeff convinces Beth to join him on a 218-mile hike along the John Muir Trail to honor her brother’s memory and spread awareness about depression. Their journey is never short of surprises, and they encounter everything from menacing bears, lightning bolts, and mountain lions to food shortages and altitude sickness. But as they pass through three national parks—Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Park—including the highest mountain in the contiguous United States, Mt. Whitney, Beth discovers the joys, trials, and extraordinary beauty of exploring nature with just a backpack to your name. A Hike for Mike, Four Boots One Journey is a heartwarming, humorous tale of one couple’s adventurous journey to healing, rediscovering nature, and falling more in love with each other every step of the way.

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On January 2, 2013, the murder trial of Jodi Arias began, setting off a national obsession with Jodi's story of sex, lies, and murder. Jodi Arias became a household name overnight when she was charged with the heinous murder of her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander. Travis was found dead in his shower, with approximately thirty stab wounds, his throat slit, and a bullet hole in his forehead. From nightly news specials covering every moment of the trial to CNN Headline News featuring daily updates on the case, the media circus only fueled the hunger of the public to learn more about this twisted tale. Associated Press reporters Brian Skoloff and Josh Hoffner were there covering every moment of the court case. Killer Girlfriend provides the first comprehensive account of the case, from the moment Jodi and Travis met, through the killing, her arrest, the four-month trial, and ending, finally, with the verdict.

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The international relations of the United States has changed radically from what had been U.S. foreign policy for decades under presidents from both major political parties. Those were times in which people around the world could count on Presidents of the United States to treat the U.S.A.'s friends as friends and adversaries as adversaries.The book makes no predictions other than the obvious: on January the 20th of 2013 there will be an inaugural ceremony above the west steps of the U.S. Capitol Building. It might be the Second Inaugural of Barack Obama or it might be the First Inaugural of someone else. Either way, that elected leader will be a War-Time President.

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This stunning, hardcover wedding design book features beautiful photography of all aspects of wedding design, including never-before-seen weddings designed by Sasha Souza Events. A culmination of her many years as a top wedding designer, Signature Sasha: Magnificent Weddings by Design will provide brides, event planners, and florists with unique wedding design inspiration and is the first book of its kind to offer details on event design from inspiration to execution—ranging from color couture, to florals, to creating inspiration boards, and much more.

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Two middle-aged men, fast friends, make eleven foreign trips—pilgrimages you might call them—to parts of the world rich in the history of Christianity. The trips combine adventure, strenuous physical activity, exhilaration, discovery, and friendship.Three of the journeys were to Western Europe; six were to Eastern Europe and the Balkans and two to the Middle East. The trips were spontaneous and unplanned, often requiring improvisation along the way. Told in a lighthearted and often amusing style, An Unlikely Pilgrim provides a vivid and colorful picture of parts of the world often out of the range of American tourists, but deep in both ancient and current geopolitical, historical, and cultural wealth.

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The only thing that spreads faster than gossip in Palm Beach is news of a mysterious death.Maribelle, the eldest of the three Barrows sisters, deserves to be envied. Not only for her plum position as editorial director of Palm Beach Confidential, but for her impressive husband, Samuel, and his involvement in the family business. Together, they present themselves as the “it” couple of Palm Beach. She might have even aced her two stunning younger sisters.But things aren’t always what they seem. When Samuel unexpectedly dies, suspicion around the Barrows family swirls. Suddenly the authenticity of their socially ambitious mother, Lucinda, and their lavish existence of mansions, prestige, privilege, and couture wardrobe are in question.As their carefully constructed image unravels, their tidily placed aspirations are challenged. Each sister realizes she must fend for herself and fight for not only what she longs for, but believes in. For Maribelle, it is the will to rise above the discovery that her husband was not who he seemed. For Caroline, the middle sister, it is facing the fact that she is suffocating from the life she built to please her family. For Raleigh, the youngest, her double life surfaces, threatening her status of wife and young mother.As each of the Barrows sisters searches for a pathway out, an unexpected power play emerges. Until the price of escape is too dear and worth any risk. Until the winner takes all. A compelling tale of betrayal and lies, deception and ambition, Maribelle’s Shadow is a memorable novel about what lurks beneath and the price of family loyalty.

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Jack is back! Attorney Jack Patterson returns to Little Rock, Arkansas after an old acquaintance, Dr. Douglas Stewart, is arrested for marijuana cultivation, possession, and distribution. Jack is no expert on drug cases, but meets with Stewart to fulfill a promise to his late wife, Angie, who was close to Stewart.Expecting to wrap up his involvement in an hour and enjoy the rest of the weekend golfing, Jack hears from Stewart that his arrest isn't about the marijuana. Teaming up with his bodyguard, Clovis, and defense attorney Micki Lawrence, Jack begins to investigate why this highly-respected scientist was growing marijuana. He learns that Stewart had alerted the government about the existence of his marijuana garden years ago.Why the arrest now? Why are the Feds claiming terrorist involvement? Stewart's wife, Liz, claims it has to be about her ginger snaps which are laced with marijuana to help ease the pain of cancer patients. As Jack delves deeper into the case, he discovers that both Stewarts and the federal government are hiding secrets, secrets that connect to a past Jack and all involved would rather forget.

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Billy Hopper’s life is pretty damn good. He’s a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Lobos and he’s just been named Rookie of the Year. But he’s about to lose it all. On a frigid March morning at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., Billy wakes up to find that he’s been sleeping with a dead girl. And now he’s got her blood on his hands—literally. But he’s also got Jack Patterson: a D.C. lawyer who’s determined to get to the bottom of the murder and prove Billy’s innocence. There’s only one problem. They’re at war with a powerful, sinister man, and the people closest to Jack are in the line of fire. Can Jack and his team solve this case before his family pays the ultimate price? This latest Jack Patterson thriller exposes the underbelly of the NFL and the role of big money in shady D.C. politics. Believe it or not, murder is just the tip of the iceberg.

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Why would Woody Cole, a peaceful, caring man, shoot a US Senator in cold blood on live television? That's the mystery facing attorney Jack Patterson as he returns to Little Rock, Arkansas, a town he swore he would never step foot in again.When Men Betray is the first book of fiction from author, lecturer, and political insider Webb Hubbell. A departure from his previous book, Friends in High Places, an account of his rise and fall in Little Rock, Hubbell crafts a deft narrative of mystery and political intrigue. Set in a fictionalized version of his home town of Little Rock, Arkansas, readers will be immersed into the steamy world behind the southern BBQ and antebellum facade-a seedy underbelly of secrets and betrayals. Clever readers may recognize the colorful personalities and locales of the Arkansas political scene.Jack is supported by a motley but able crew: loyal assistant Maggie, college-aged daughter Beth, feisty lawyer Micki, and his bodyguard Clovis. Together, Jack and his rag-tag team are in a race against time to discover Woody's hidden motive. All he has is a series of strange clues, hired thugs gunning for him, and the one man who knows everything isn't talking. Alliances are tested, buried tensions surface, and painful memories are relived as he tries to clear the name of his old college friend. Jack Patterson will find that even the oldest friendships can be quickly destroyed when men betray.

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Jack Patterson is summoned to New Orleans to meet with the heads of the Louisiana crime syndicate. For years, the syndicate has been protecting Jack’s daughter, and now the syndicate expects a favor in return. The favor involves representing the head of the syndicate’s grandson—a computer geek who has designed a unique software program that threatens national security and the way most technology companies do business. The young man is being held without bond in DC’s jail, and a conglomerate of major corporations have sued him in Federal Court. Jack breathes a sigh of relief. He believes the grandson’s case will be complex but not dangerous. Before Jack even meets the new client, he is kidnapped and left to die in the swamps of southern Louisiana. An environmental scientist, Judy Clawson, rescues Jack. He returns to DC to battle the Justice Department. To make matters worse, there is a traitor in the crime syndicate who has plans for the invention and will do anything to gain its possession.

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Bold and forceful in its condemnation of contemporary religion, Our Father Forsaken is a meticulously researched work that demands the attention of all Jews and Christians who seek the truth. In 120 A.D., Marcion of Sinope, a charismatic preacher, appeared in Rome to reveal the "hidden" teachings of Jesus. The real Jesus, according to Marcion, was a pure spirit sent from the highest God to free mankind from the clutches of the evil God of the Old Testament, a lesser deity among the thousands of celestial beings. The disparity between the God of Moses and the God of Jesus, Marcion maintained, was obvious with rational comparison of Old and New Testaments.The God of the Old Testament demanded "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," while Jesus said: "Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." Although Marcion was drummed out of Rome in disgrace, his movement never died and it crystallized into the religion of Freemasonry. In the 19th Century, Marcionism was embraced by the German rationalists and made its way into contemporary Christianity. Such rationalists argued that the Torah had been composed not by Moses but a host of sources and could not be accepted as authentic. The New Testament, they argued, was equally unreliable. It was composed not by eyewitnesses but editors and that the gospel accounts had been subjected to the process of myth-making. The theology of the rationalists was taught in every leading Catholic and Protestant seminary in the United States. Since the scriptures were "contradictory" and a product of primitive times, students of religion were taught that Christian doctrine should be centered, on the "social gospel"—a gospel stripped of all supernatural elements and all passages deemed offensive to modern sensibilities. The result has been the creation of a religion that is devoid of the ambiguity and precariousness of life, of the awe before the divine majesty, and the judgment before the ineffable holiness.

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In the fourth book of this award-winning national park series, Tommy "Bubba Jones" and his sister, Jenny "Hug-a-Bug," uncover amazing facts about the Grand Canyon while on a mission to solve a park mystery. This is no ordinary brother and sister duo, they are part of a legendary time travel family with a mission to preserve and protect our national parks and they have developed a reputation for solving mysteries in the parks. As they time travel back hundreds, thousands, and millions of years, they not only learn about the past, they experience it. They encounter all sorts wild creatures and plants. They meet the people involved in the establishment of this national park, they learn about the Native Americans that call this land home and they unravel some of the park's secrets. Explore the Grand Canyon in a whole new way.

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When Manhattanite Sarah Rock meets a mysterious and handsome stranger in the park, she is drawn to him. Sarah wants to get away from her daily routine, her cheating husband and his crazy mistress, her frequent sessions with her heartless therapist, and her moody children.But nothing is as it seems. Her life begins to unravel when a woman from the park goes missing and Sarah becomes the prime suspect in the woman’s disappearance. Her lover is nowhere to be found, her husband is suspicious of her, and her therapist is talking to the police. With no one to trust, Sarah must face her inner demons and uncover the truth to prove her innocence.A thriller that questions what is real-with its shocking twists, secrets, and lies—The Woman in the Park will leave readers breathless.

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Aspiring travel writer Eddie Rock has hit hard times. Drowning in a midlife crisis of fear and debt, he looks for a second chance. A night of debauchery with a sexy hippy girl on the west coast of Ireland and a fortuitous encounter with a false prophet in Artic Canada triggers his story with warnings in the not-so-distant-future. An unfortunate brush with the law, and an unforgettable stag party in Amsterdam set the tone for Eddie's timeless European misadventure. Following in the footsteps of countless saints and sinners before him, Rock travels the well-trodden road to Santiago de Compostela in search of enlightenment, salvation, and forgiveness, with a full cast of strange and interesting characters, spectacular places and plenty of wine. Eddie Rock's book is honest, entertaining, a warts-and-all romp as he takes us on a long walk of alcoholic indiscretions, more brushes with the law and accidental applications of deep heat, all the while providing an entertaining commentary of his surroundings and never taking himself too seriously. It makes for a refreshing change from the usual run of Camino stories, treating the whole thing as some reverential sacred cow!

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All is not well north of the tension line. A series of unsettling nighttime incidents have left the islanders uncertain whether to be nervous or annoyed. Are they victims of an elaborate teenage prank, or is there a malevolent stranger lurking on the island? Meanwhile, out-of-state owners of a new goat farm seem to consider themselves the self-proclaimed leaders of the island; Pali, the ferry captain, is troubled by his own unique version of writer's block; and Ben, the captain's ten year-old son, appears to be hiding something. But it is only when the imperturbable Lars Olafsen announces his retirement, and Stella declares her candidacy for office, that the islanders realize trouble is brewing. Fiona must decide whether it is time to leave the island for good, or to make another reckless gamble. Book two in the award-winning North of the Tension Line series, The Audacity of Goats is the continuing tale of Fiona Campbell, and her reluctant adventures among the pleasures, mysteries, and exasperations of small town life

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Mademoiselle Lenormand, the infamous Parisian fortune-teller, has been given the impossible task: find the golem she’d conjured, and bring it back to the shadowy society of witches where it belongs. She must hold her tarot cards close to her chest to survive as the drums of war start to sound between England and her homeland. The entire fate of womankind rests upon her success. But for Mlle. Lenormand success is entirely dependent upon the quality of her repas. Suffice to say, the ship’s biscuit and salted pork is just not up to snuff.Napoleon Bonaparte curses the day he’d ever met that drat fortune-teller who stole his emerald. She had the gall to blame it all on a golem. Golem, indeed! There is no such thing! That slippery swindler Lenormand knew full well the emerald holds the only key to a peaceful world. “Find that woman and her accomplice,” he tells his minister of police. “I’ll hang them both by their fingernails until they give me what I want.”Elise Dubois, unwitting golem and 21st Century time-traveler, has one thing in mind: getting the heck out of the 19th Century and back to Tucson, Arizona. She clutches the emerald like it’s her only ticket, but so far it’s only dragged her into a marriage she doesn’t want and a nurse’s position with the British Army. She prays she’ll wake up from her nightmare before the war begins…Okay, two. Elise has two things in mind: getting home, and Thomas, the sultry and sulking former barman of the Quiet Woman. But Thomas doesn’t count, does he?The Brazen Woman, Book Two of The Emerald Scarab Adventures, is a tale of hot pursuit on the high seas and passion on the battlefield. When magic and manipulation doesn’t help the situation, at least there’s rum and romance.

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In the early 19th Century, Adelaide Lenormand, a fortune teller popular with the Paris elite, conjures a golem for Napoleon Bonaparte during a dinner party. But something goes wrong. It looks nothing like the manservant she promised. Even worse, immediately after it arrives, the golem steals the Emperor’s Emerald Scarab from a chain around his neck and mysteriously disappears.Minutes later in London, Elise Dubois, an ER nurse from Tucson, is found sprawled in front of The Quiet Woman Public House. She’s wearing nothing but tattered shorts, a sports bra, and one pink running shoe. Gripped in her fist is an Egyptian jewel, the scarab.Now Bonaparte’s Minister of Police is breathing down Adelaide’s neck while her wealthy clients are abandoning her. The women of La SociÉtÉ d’Isis, so wickedly encouraging when she’d first launched her plot, remain silent to her pleas for help. Adelaide has no choice but to find the golem and restore her reputation.Troubled by nightmares of a wild-eyed French woman and worried she might be losing her mind, Elise tries to blend in at the pub. But blending in is not her forte. She knows the moment the opportunity arises she’ll stop at nothing to return to 21st Century Arizona, even if that means breaking the heart of the one man who understands her.The Conjured Woman is the first in The Emerald Scarab Adventure series aimed at lovers of hard-edged heroines. In a story of time travel, romance, and fortune, anything can happen.

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Billy Hopper’s life is pretty damn good. He’s a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Lobos and he’s just been named Rookie of the Year. But he’s about to lose it all. On a frigid March morning at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., Billy wakes up to find that he’s been sleeping with a dead girl. And now he’s got her blood on his hands—literally. But he’s also got Jack Patterson: a D.C. lawyer who’s determined to get to the bottom of the murder and prove Billy’s innocence. There’s only one problem. They’re at war with a powerful, sinister man, and the people closest to Jack are in the line of fire. Can Jack and his team solve this case before his family pays the ultimate price? This latest Jack Patterson thriller exposes the underbelly of the NFL and the role of big money in shady D.C. politics. Believe it or not, murder is just the tip of the iceberg.

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Drawing from his own experiences of rural childhood poverty in Texas, to prominent roles as a government official, and now as an acclaimed educational leader, Dr. Ivery demonstrates his motivational gifts, as he seeks to inspire young men to live lives of purpose and integrity.A father and grandfather, Dr. Ivery's words are presented as a personal conversation with a young man, inviting him to stop for a moment and think about the path his life is taking, where he'd like it to lead, and how best to get there. Whether it's navigating the ups and downs of friendships and relationships; how to manage difficult emotions like frustration, anger or disappointment; or how to navigate challenges with self-confidence and control to achieve success, Dr. Ivery brings time-tested wisdom to the table. His voice is clear and direct, but more importantly—compassionate. He understands the struggles of young men and rises admirably to the challenge of communicating to their hearts.

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Before the nation came to know them as the President and First Lady, Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham were close friends of Webb Hubbell’s. Now Hubbell offers insight into how he and the Clintons climbed the political ranks from Arkansas to the White House.Included in this book are intricate tales of Hubbell’s support of Bill Clinton in his tensest moments; his friendship with Hillary Rodham Clinton; the tragic death of Vince Foster; details of involvement in Whitewater; an inside look at the Justice Department and partnership with Janet Reno; and insights into famous personalities such as Mac McLarty, Bernie Nussbaum, Bruce Lindsey, Mickey Kantor, and George Stephanopoulos.Hubbell’s story is told from the perspective of one who personally knows the President and First Lady. Their friendship began when Hubbell and Hilary Rodham Clinton were partners at Little Rock’s Rose Law Firm; and when Bill Clinton worked as Governor of Arkansas, Hubbell served with him as Mayor of Little Rock, and later as chief justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court. Hubbell joined the Clintons in the White House as associate attorney general, the third highest ranking member of the Justice Department. His political career ended, however, with the Whitewater scandal and incarceration in federal prison.The reasons why Hubbell committed the crimes he assumes responsibility for are detailed; a conflicted soul struggling with the cynical maelstrom of power and politics. Hubbell comments on his resignation and prison sentence, and reflects on his old friends who have since isolated him from the White House.The journey is Webb Hubbell’s, yet his recounting resonates with the humanity in us all: the love he shares with his wife and family, the grief over losing friends to death or circumstances, and humility when faced with calamity. In the end Hubbell faces the truth with a steadfastness seldom seen in Washington.

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