Search results for ""lost in""

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICKMAJOR TV ADAPTATION IN DEVELOPMENT BY AMY ADAMS'Calling it The Handmaid's Tale crossed with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid goes some way to describe this novel's memorable world, but it is also wholly its own' KIRKUS '2021 is already a year that could use a little joy. Here to provide some is Outlawed . . . It's an absolute romp and contains basically everything I want in a book: witchy nuns, heists, a marriage of convenience, and a midwife trying to build a bomb out of horse dung' Vox 'Outlawed sets a high bar for the 12 months of publishing still to come . . . It upends the tropes of the traditionally macho and heteronormative genre while also being a rip-snortin' good read, too' THE WEEK (Most Anticipated Books of the Year) 'North is a riveting storyteller . . . Reader, you are in for a real treat' JENNY ZHANG'Fans of Margaret Atwood and Cormac McCarthy finally get the Western they deserve' ALEXIS COE 'A thrilling tale eerily familiar but utterly transformed ... In North's galloping prose, it's a fantastically cinematic adventure that turns the sexual politics of the Old West inside out' WASHINGTON POST 'A western unlike any other, Outlawed features queer cowgirls, gender nonconforming robbers and a band of feminists that fight against the grain for autonomy, agency and the power to define their own worth' MS. 'A grand, unforgettable tale' ESMÉ WEIJUN WANG In the year of our Lord 1894, I became an outlaw.On the day of her wedding-dance, Ada feels lucky. She loves her broad-shouldered, bashful husband and her job as an apprentice midwife.But her luck will not last. It is every woman's duty to have a child, to replace those that were lost in the Great Flu. And after a year of marriage and no pregnancy, in a town where barren women are hanged as witches, Ada's survival depends on leaving behind everything she knows.She joins up with the notorious Hole in the Wall Gang. Its leader, a charismatic preacher-turned-robber, known to all as The Kid, wants to create a safe haven for women outcast from society. But to make this dream a reality, the Gang hatches a treacherous plan. And Ada must decide whether she's willing to risk her life for the possibility of a new kind of future for them all.

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This important new reference work details all those ships and vessels of the Royal Navy, large and small, which were lost by accident or enemy action, during the twentieth century, from the end of the First World War, to the last years of the century. In all, the fates of over 2,000 ships and small craft are covered, from aircraft carriers and battleships to motor launches, harbour tenders and tugs. Those vessels hired or purchased for wartime service, such as trawlers, paddle steamers and yachts are also listed. During wartime ships are lost; it is their purpose to go in harm's way. Hostile gunfire, torpedoes and mines were established threats throughout the period, while the increasing threat of air attack and the introduction of weapons employing new technology, such as influence-triggered mines, homing torpedoes or air-launched guided weapons added to the risks of operating in a hostile environment. Ships operating in extremely hazardous conditions, such as at Dunkirk in 1940 or Singapore in 1942, suffered heavy losses in brief, concentrated conflicts; but the long continuous campaigns, such as the Atlantic convoys or the constant need to sweep for mines also took their toll. Peacetime losses are dominated by submarine casualties, demonstrating the dangerous character of that service. To this may be added the hazardous nature of the sea itself, when ships are lost in heavy weather; sometimes, human error or plain foolishness may play a part. The core of the book is taken up by those losses experienced during the Second World War, but peacetime losses and more recent conflicts such as the Falklands War of 1982 are included. Arranged chronologically, every entry notes the outline details of the vessel, identifies the Commanding Officer, where known, and gives a full and often harrowing account of the circumstances of the loss and the number of casualties. The details come from extensive original research using primary source material wherever possible, particularly the relevant War Diaries and the collected loss and damage reports, casualty reports and reports of proceedings, now in the National Archives. Wartime losses of the Dominions are included, to ensure completeness. This comprehensive record of warship losses, from all causes, suffered by the Royal Navy over the past one hundred years, is the first single-volume work on the subject and represents a major milestone in naval research and publishing.

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The spicy start to a truly astonishing and steamy romantasy series you will not want to put down. Elena and Raphael are about to find out they can't stop thinking about each other, no matter how hard they try.Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best - but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear - failure is not an option ... even if the task she's been set is impossible. Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad. The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other ... and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may. Because when archangels play, mortals break ...Readers can't get enough of Angels' Blood:'A really slow burn as far as the relationship between Elena and Raphael go. They didn't get together until almost the end but the sexual tension was thick from the start' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Ms. Singh managed to capture the razor edge of the attraction, the unfolding relationship between Elena and Raphael and pair it to a very dark, very noir murder mystery' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Let me begin by saying THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE BEST EVER! This book and generally this series is a 10/5 stars! It isn't just one of my favourites. It is one of MY ABSOLUTELY FAVORITE fantasy-romance series!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I always get lost in the characters and the new world. I love all the details that make me believe in everything that I'm reading. Not many authors have that talent but Nalini sure does' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'It wasn't just that the romance between Raphael and Ellie was really sweet and funny, it was this whole new world that NS has created. Angels ruling the cities, vampires who are owned by the angels. I mean, what an imagination' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'The romance was fantastic. The chemistry between these two were passionate and intense, and I loved it. The sexy times were VERY hot' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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"Re-reading is one of life's joys," Anne Drury Hall reminds us. Not simply from the sweetness of remembering or because of the way a book can be like an old friend, but because returning to a great book is inseparable from the endeavor to succeed at being human. The "pull of something old and steady and reliable, the pull to rise to a higher plane" is an important aspect of this experience, where the reader truly "notices" and "connects" with the world and himself. This is why books are the cornerstones of education and the source of the power of concentration. After leaving school and becoming lost in adulthood, can one return to these books and revive the quest to be great? For this is why we call such books "great". Yet as Hall says, "few people use the phrase 'great books' any more except ironically, because there is an odd view in the current intellectual fog that there is no such thing as 'greatness'". She is compelled, then, to reexamine the so-called great books and make the case for their eternal importance. It is a task that requires not only swimming against the disenchanted march of the post-modern reader into adulthood, but also asserting the unthinkable––namely, that great books were written by great men who achieved this status through their own labor and endurance. Hall reintroduces the reader to Plato, Homer, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton and Melville and hopes this will expose the fraud of most of contemporary literature, and encourage taste and stamina for the works that promise to exhilarate. And Hall argues well that the thrill of these books draws from one shared feature: "The heart of these books is the drama of choice." If Roger Scruton is famous for showing us that ideas have consequences, Hall provides the reader the vision of himself as standing on the brink and the urgency of taking life seriously again. For many this means taking books seriously again. This book is an important companion to the works treated therein, for teachers and students alike. Both need encouragement in the laboring of instruction or reading the impressive classics. Particularly apt is Hall's treatment of the difficulty of teaching Shakespeare. For the not-so-recent university graduate, perhaps this book will bring him once again to wander where the Muses still haunt. Indeed, even the well-read will enjoy Hall's keen interpretation of the glory of these stories. This is a book written by a true teacher.

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Provides a clear introduction to the key terms and frameworks in cognitive poetics and stylisticsHow do texts create meaning? How do we arrive at our textual interpretations? Why do we become 'lost in a book' or feel deep emotion in response to a literary character? Through close attention to the way texts are written and the language they use, as well as what we know about the human mind, 'Contemporary Stylistics' provides readers with the tools to begin answering these questions. In doing so, it introduces the theoretical principles and practical frameworks of stylistics and cognitive poetics, supplying the practical skills to analyse your own responses to literary texts. Including innovative activities for students and with case studies of work by writers like Dylan Thomas, EL James and Kazuo Ishiguro, this is a detailed analysis of contemporary stylistics that offers both historical contextualization of the discipline and points towards its possible future direction.Key Features:Introduces the key terms for each contemporary stylistic frameworkOutlines the foundations of the discipline and addresses cutting-edge developments such as reader response research, corpus methods, multimodality and reader emotion Contains practical analyses, innovative exercises for students, and further reading suggestions in each chapterAddresses the recent attention to multimodal and digital literature and research into empiricism and emotionEach topic is explored through original analyses of a wide range of texts, including poetry, prose, dialogue, song lyrics, political discourse, and linguistic transcriptsThere are stylistic and cognitive poetic analyses through the book. The key case studies include:'The Canal' Lee Rourke (2010)'Zang Tumb Tumb' by Marinetti (1914)'River in Spate' by Louis MacNeice'Under Milk Wood' by Dylan Thomas (1954)'Space Sonnet & Polyfilla' by Edwin Morgan (1977)'In Defense of Our Overgrown Garden' by Matthea Harvey (2000)'House of Cards''What is the What' by Dave Eggers (2006)'Ash Wednesday' by Ethan Hawke (2002)'Fresh Meat''Fifty Shades of Grey' by E. L. James (2012)'Received Pronunciation' by Sally Goldsmith (2012)'The house is not the same since you left' by Henry Normal (1993)'The Lives of Others' by Neel Mukherjee (2014)'My Name is Lucy Barton' by Elizabeth Stroud (2016)'How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia' by Mohsin Hamid (2013)'The Unconsoled' by Kazuo Ishiguro (2005)'The One Ronnie''The Girl on the Train' by Paula Hawkins (2015)'I Am The Song' by Charles Causley'Hypothetical' by Maria Taylor'This is the Poem in which I Have Not Left You' by Julia Copus (2012)'13, rue Therese' by Elena Mauli Shapiro (2011)'Illuminae' by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (2015)'Karen' by Blast Theory (2015)'Blood Story' by Melvin Burgess

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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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Rediscover the Promise of Enlightenment As Western culture has embraced practices like meditation and yoga, has something been lost in translation? "What we see in America today in both the yoga boom and mindfulness fad," writes Dr. Miles Neale, "is a presentation of technique alone, sanitized and purged of the dynamic teachings in wisdom and ethics that are essential for true liberation." For anyone seeking a path dedicated to both authentic personal growth and the overthrow of the nihilism, hedonism, and materialism that are threatening our planet, this compelling teacher presents a well-conceived, sustainable solution with Gradual Awakening. The core of this book is Tibetan Buddhism’s "gradual path"—or Lam Rim—interpreted with fresh insights from modern scientific research. Offering an illuminating new presentation of Tibet’s deep psychology, meditative techniques, and virtuous rituals, Dr. Neale presents a time-honored path of enormous transformational potential. Each chapter serves as a practical manual that will allow you to experiment with and actualize the benefits of role-modeling visualization, affirmations, contemplative themes, textual recitation, prayers, altars, offerings, and meditation. Here you’ll explore: • Uprooting the "sickness of paradigm"—why a complete spiritual practice must directly confront the fundamental human suffering caused by the modern ethos of scientific reductionism • The Lam Rim path—the history, heritage, and power of this 30-step "hero’s journey" of awakening • Evolutionary self-care—understanding the Buddhist concept of renunciation as a form of self-love and healing • Radical altruism—awakening Bodhicitta, our innate aspiration to evolve fully in service to others • Quantum vision—how the teaching of "emptiness" allows us to pierce the illusion of materialism and accurately perceive the subtlest nature of reality • Dr. Neale’s MAPS process (Maturity, Acceptance, Possibility, and Seeds) to integrate and manifest key insights and skills in your everyday life The mass-market dilutions of Eastern wisdom that focus on symptom relief and easy answers have left behind the ultimate promise of spiritual practice: enlightenment. "Enlightenment is an unfolding process—open to everyone." writes Dr. Neale. For most of us, this path to awakening must be realized through a gradual process: building on incremental insights into who we truly are, learning to care for ourselves and others, and discovering creative ways to engage the problems we all face. Gradual Awakening will serve as a lifelong companion for anyone willing to embrace a new paradigm that integrates science with spirit, theory with practice, and personal meditation with the desire to transform the world. A portion of the proceeds from this book will benefit the Buddhist nuns of Kopan Nunnery in Nepal.

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With a strong, warm voice that brings the South to life, New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe writes richly textured stories that intimately portray the complex and emotional relationships we share with families, friends, and the natural world. "Every book that Mary Alice Monroe has written has felt like a homecoming to me," writes Pat Conroy, bestselling author of The Prince of Tides. Time Is a River is an insightful novel that will sweep readers away to the seductive southern landscape, joining books by authors such as Anne Rivers Siddons and Sue Monk Kidd. Recovering from breast cancer and reeling from her husband's infidelity, Mia Landan flees her Charleston home to heal in the mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. She seeks refuge in a neglected fishing cabin belonging to her fly-fishing instructor, Belle Carson. Belle recently inherited the cabin, which once belonged to a grandmother she never knew -- the legendary fly fisher and journalist of the 1920s, Kate Watkins, whose life fell into ruins after she was accused of murdering her lover. Her fortune lost in the stock market crash and her reputation destroyed, Kate slipped into seclusion in the remote cabin. After her death the fishing cabin remained locked and abandoned for decades. Little does Belle know that by opening the cabin doors to Mia for a summer's sanctuary, she will open again the scandal that plagued Belle's family for generations. From her first step inside the dusty cabin, Mia is fascinated by the traces of Kate's mysterious story left behind in the eccentric furnishings of the cabin. And though Belle, ashamed of the tabloid scandal that tortured her mother, warns Mia not to stir the mud, Mia is compelled to find out more about Kate...especially when she discovers Kate's journal. The inspiring words of the remarkable woman echo across the years. Mia has been learning to fly-fish, and Kate's wise words comparing life to a river resonate deeply. She begins a quest to uncover the truth behind the lies. As she searches newspaper archives and listens to the colorful memories of the local small-town residents, the story of a proud, fiercely independent woman emerges. Mia feels a strange kinship with the woman who, like her, suffered fears, betrayal, the death of loved ones, and a fall from grace -- yet found strength, compassion and, ultimately, forgiveness in her isolation. A story timeless in its appeal emerges, with a power that reopens old wounds, but also brings a transforming healing for Mia, for Kate's descendants, and for all those in Mia's new community.

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Photographer Todd Selby is back, this time focusing his lens on the kitchens, gardens, homes, and restaurants of more than 40 of the most creative and dynamic figures working in the culinary world today. He takes us behind the scenes with Noma chef René Redzepi in Copenhagen; to Tokyo to have a slice with pizza maker Susumu Kakinuma; and up a hilltop to dine at an inn without an innkeeper in Valdobbiadene. Each profile is accompanied by watercolor illustrations and a handwritten questionnaire, which includes a signature recipe. Reveling in the pleasures of a taco at the beach, foraging for wild herbs, and the art of the perfectly cured olive, Selby captures the food we love to eat and the people who passionately grow, cook, pour, and serve these incredible edibles every day.Praise for Edible Selby:“Todd Selby has turned his curious eye to the kitchens of some of the world’s most imaginative cooks, artisans, and foragers. Far too often, food and the people who produce it are hidden behind closed doors or lost in an industrial food system, so it’s heartening to see this book champion those who have nothing to hide. With Todd’s trademark good humor and disarmingly quirky style, Edible Selby is a pure celebration of the creativity and authenticity of the wonderful individuals who are bringing real food to the table.”- Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse Restaurant“Todd Selby’s foray into the world of food is every bit as intriguing as his eccentric take on the world of interiors. Long live Signor Selby!”- Simon Doonan, Barneys New York creative ambassador“Edible Selby captures the energy and excitement of today's food world. This book is pure Selby.”- Thomas Keller, The French Laundry“Books On My Gifts List…Photographer Todd Selby’s scrapbook reportage on passionate cooks and famous chefs around the world. Messy, magnificent, inspiring.”—Food & Wine magazine“Exploring the world for food, that’s what Edible Selby is all about…and hopefully, you get really hungry when you read it.”—New York Daily News“Photographer Todd Selby has an uncanny eye for the beauty of the unconventional kitchen; in his second book, he features cooks, chefs, and other culinary creative types in their workspaces—complete with recipes and witty hand-drawn illustrations.” —Saveur“This is a book to read on the couch and leave there. Next you’ll want to go to the kitchen and get crazy and make a mess. You will let your hair down, and the meal will be infused with life.” —TheKitchn.com

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'A romantic book-filled treat' Heidi Swain, author of The Secret Seaside EscapeThe Borrow-a-Bookshop Bookshop Café invites literature lovers to run their very own bookshop … for a fortnight.Spend your days talking books with customers in your own charming bookshop and serving up delicious cream teas in the cosy café.Bookworms, what are you waiting for? Your holiday is going to be LIT(erary).Apply to: The Borrow-a-Bookshop Bookshop Café, Down-a-long, Clove Lore, Devon.Jude Crawley should be on top of the world. She’s just graduated as a mature student, so can finally go public about her relationship with Philosophy professor, Mack.Until she sees Mack kissing another girl, and her dreams crumble. And worse, their dream holiday – running a tiny bookshop in the harbour village of Clove Lore for two weeks – is non-refundable.Throwing caution to the winds, Jude heads down to Devon, eager to immerse herself in literature and heal her broken heart.But there’s one problem – six foot tall, brooding (but gorgeous) Elliot, who’s also reserved the bookshop holiday for two weeks…As Jude and Elliot put their differences aside to run the bookshop, it seems that Jude might be falling in love with more than just words. Until she discovers what Elliot is running from – and why he’s hiding out in Clove Lore.Can Jude find her own happy ending in a tiny, tumbledown bookshop? Or is she about to find out that her bookish holiday might have an unexpected twist in the tale…The perfect cosy, romantic read for any bookworm! Fans of Jenny Colgan, Cressida McLaughlin and Philippa Ashley will love this feelgood romcom.Readers are loving their stay at The Borrow-A-Bookshop!‘Every bookworm should read this book. It’s just delightful and my heart feels so happy!’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘Pure escapism…I highly recommend this book to totally get lost in’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘I really loved this story and was thoroughly charmed…the characters were interesting and fabulous’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘Emotional, fun, charming and delightful… I absolutely loved this book’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘Such a heartwarming and humorous read…I thoroughly recommend this book if you need a pick me up!’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘An enchanting and endearing story… Perfect romantic read!’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘I absolutely loved this book…This was the perfect escapism’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘This book is total holiday goals! ...A heartwarming, cosy, feel good romcom.’ ☆☆☆☆☆ Reader Review‘The perfect summer read that leaves you wanting to feel the sand beneath your toes’ Reader Review‘I loved this fun, uplifting feelgood book. It really made me smile’ Reader Review

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The one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower.Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again—this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight—Sir Gerek—Rapunzel in turn rescues him further down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to this knight than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?As Rapunzel acclimates to a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery is about to be revealed after seventeen years of lies. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?“The Golden Braid is a delightful, page-turning retelling of the story of Rapunzel. Dickerson brings this familiar fairy tale to life with a fresh and unique plot that is full of complex characters, a sweet romance, and danger at every turn. Rapunzel’s search to understand her place in the medieval world is a timeless identity struggle that modern readers will relate to. Her growing courage and faith are inspirational and will have readers cheering her on and sad to see the story come to an end.” —Jody Hedlund, bestselling author of An Uncertain Choice“Readers who love getting lost in a fairytale romance will cheer for Rapunzel’s courage as she rises above her overwhelming past. The surprising way Dickerson weaves threads of this enchanting companion novel with those of her other Hagenheim stories is simply delightful. Her fans will love it.” —Jill Williamson, Christy Award-winning author of the Blood of Kings trilogy and the Kinsman Chronicles Full-length clean fairy-tale reimagining Part of the Hagenheim series but can be read as a stand-alone Includes discussion questions for book clubs

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"Jane King" is very much present in these poems, though never in obvious autobiographical ways. She is the observant eye taking in the beauties and droughts, climatic and human, she sees in St Lucia and in the semi-public lives of her neighbours. Hers is also the inward eye that plumbs dream states, the unconscious and the alarming darkness that the free-floating imagination sometimes reaches. If the poems selected from her previous collections, In to the Centre and Fellow Traveller have a greater focus on the absurdities of race, the traps of history and the dread context of Caribbean postcolonial politics in the 1980s and early 90s, and witty acidic poems on gender and male betrayal, Performance Anxiety takes further those signs in the earlier collections that Jane King is a distinctively original explorer of the inner person, and of the world on the margins of perception. In the new poems, organised around the metaphors of spectacle, performance and vulnerability, there is a reaching for a vision that offers some map to being "lost in this strange century". This is sought in the dialectics of birth and death and in remembering the vision of the child "innocent as clay" in the midst of adult despairs. Not least is vision sought in the making of the poem itself, the "frail boat" that if built wrong, surrenders to the sea, but whose risky venturing may lead to clarity. As the tree teaches in the poem "The Performer Gains Some Comfort from a Tree", it is "what's softest, most vulnerable [that] conquers drought".Jane King Hippolyte was born in St Lucia. She was educated in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia and Scotland. She was awarded an MA in Literary Studies at Deakin University, Australia.She has worked as a secondary teacher in Scotland and St Lucia, then as a senior lecturer in English at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in St Lucia where she is currently Dean of the Division of Arts, Science and General Studies. She has also been an assistant chief examiner for CAPE Literatures in English, and has served as a judge and chairperson for the Commonwealth Writers Prize.She was awarded Witter Bynner and James Michener fellowships at Yaddo, New York, and the University of Miami respectively. She was awarded the Minvielle & Chastanet Fine Arts Award for Poetry in 1990 and the James Rodway Memorial Prize, awarded by Derek Walcott for Fellow Traveller in 1994.She has a number of acting and directing credits in theatre and was a founding director of the Lighthouse Theatre Company, St Lucia. She has been active in community service.Her previous publications are In to the Centre (1993) and Fellow Traveller (1994) and her work has appeared in numerous journals and is widely anthologised.

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Tune into the news and you’ll hear stories of war, disease, natural disasters, corruption, violence, poverty, crime, nuclear proliferation, terrorism and political dysfunction in Washington. Polls show many believe the American dream is fading, our children face limited opportunities, and the country is decidedly on the wrong track. Yet this dour perspective – one recycled 24/7 by the national media – is a gross distortion of the world we live in today. As national investment expert and bestselling author Alexander Green reveals in this engrossing and provocative new book, the human race has never had it so good. In the West today, we work shorter hours, have more purchasing power, enjoy goods and services in almost limitless supply, and have more leisure time than ever before. Living standards are the highest they have ever been. The human life span has nearly doubled over the past hundred years. Literacy and education levels – even I.Q.’s – are at all-time highs. Technology and medicine are revolutionizing our lives. All forms of pollution – with the exception of greenhouse gases – are in decline. Access to the arts has never been greater. Crime is in a long-term cycle of decline. And the risk of death by violence has never been smaller for most of humanity. By almost every measure, our lives today are wealthy beyond measure. We are all heir to an embarrassment of riches. Yet – thanks in large part the drumbeat of negative media coverage – most of us don’t realize it. Green compares the average citizen to “a lottery winner whose ticket is lost in some upstairs drawer.” The consequences of adopting the cynical but popular worldview are many, including needless pessimism, missed investment opportunities, and – surprisingly – even poorer health. Yet An Embarrassment of Riches provides a powerful antidote. Green begins with a robust survey of the many ways our lives are becoming longer, easier, safer, healthier and more prosperous. He then embarks on a wide-ranging exploration of the ideas and the many men and women – both living and dead – that are still enriching our lives today. Among the many subjects explored are American exceptionalism, the extraordinary power of economic freedom, the lifesaving role of medicine and technology, the life-extending benefits of optimism, the radical theology of Thomas Jefferson, the keys to civility and greatness, the wisdom of Confucius and Aristotle, the ability of beauty to enrich our lives, and even one artist’s thought-provoking take on “how to defeat death.” In An Embarrassment of Riches, New York Times bestselling author Alexander Green offers a holistic approach to wealth – and offers a welcome perspective that allows us to live fuller, richer lives.

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The S&P futures pit is the ultimate arena for traders. It is a place where trading titans make split-second decisions on huge amounts of money, and fortunes appear and vanish with the blink of an eye. Successful day traders are brilliant, aggressive-and lucky. Lewis J. Borsellino is all three. And now he is telling his story. The nation's top S&P futures trader, Borsellino takes you inside the world of the day trader. Chronicling Borsellino's incredible run on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, The Day Trader offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at his everyday strategies and tactics. Raised to be a fierce and fearless competitor, Borsellino felt at home the first day he walked into the chaos and excitement of the Merc. In The Day Trader, he offers both a compelling story as well as an inside look at day trading and the S&P market. Borsellino outlines exactly what contributed to his unparalleled success-a rare blend of discipline, drive, intelligence, and an uncanny ability to read and interpret the market. The Day Trader is also a candid memoir of a second generation Italian American who learned tough life lessons from his father. The senior statesman of the S&P pit, Borsellino offers vivid firsthand accounts of the unique dynamics of the trading floor, the fortunes won and lost in the crash of 1987, the FBI investigation that rocked the futures trading industry, and the tense political battles between Merc titans Leo Melamed and Jack Sandner. He also shares war stories from the floor, many involving top traders such as Richard Dennis and George Soros. Finally, Borsellino chronicles the latest phase of his career, as he moves beyond the beloved trading pit to the challenges and opportunities of the electronic trading arena. More than the success story of one the nation's most respected traders, The Day Trader offers practical insights into the futures markets, pit trading, market psychology, fundamental and technical analysis, and risk. It is a rare opportunity to see inside the mind of one of today's most brilliant traders. LEWIS J. BORSELLINO is the top S&P futures trader in the United States with a career that has spanned an unprecedented 18 years. His long-term success puts him into the trading pantheon that features such luminaries as Paul Tudor Jones, Victor Niederhoffer, and bond trader Tom Baldwin. Borsellino is a frequent contributing commentator on CNN and CNBC where he is regarded as the "biggest and best trader" in S&Ps. PATRICIA CRISAFULLI COMMINS is a freelance business writer and former correspondent for Reuters America Inc. She has also written for The Christian Science Monitor and the Wall Street Journal.

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'Beautiful and engaging and clever' Manda Scott, bestselling author of A Treachery of Spies 'A young witch to rival Tiffany Aching. Magic!' FMA Dixon August 1940. In a quiet village in rural Kent, the enemy is at the gates . . . The Battle of Britain rages and Faye Bright encounters the ghost of a pilot who won't give up the fight. Before she can help him, Faye is whisked away to join a motley crew of witches to perform a top secret ritual on the White Cliffs of Dover that could repel the invaders. But there's a catch. The ritual must be executed in the nuddy. Mrs Teach threatens mutiny. Miss Charlotte is intrigued. And Faye wants to call the whole thing off when she suspects there's a spy in their midst. It's up to Faye Bright to uncover the traitor, all while dealing with the ghost haunting Ivy Barn who may hold the key to the truth. But first, Faye has to learn to fly . . . ***For fans of Lev Grossman and Terry Pratchett comes the third novel in this delightful series of war, mystery and a little bit of magic . . .Don't miss the other magical books in the WITCHES OF WOODVILLE series! #1 The Crow Folk #2 Babes in the Wood #3 The Ghost of Ivy Barn #4 The Holly King Praise for The Witches of Woodville series 'I so enjoyed The Crow Folk. Set in an endearingly odd village in deepest Kent, it's full of engaging characters and weird, witchy goings-on. Fast-paced, entertainingly creepy and at times laugh-out-loud funny, it's also genuinely moving' Michelle Paver, author of Wakenhyrst 'ACE. Smart and funny and written so warmly. It's an absolutely smashing read' Pernille Hughes, author of Probably the Best Kiss in the World ​ 'Swept me straight back to days of losing myself in Diana Wynne Jones novels, and getting lost in truly absorbing, sometimes scary, sometimes emotive adventure with its roots in folklore and history. A story that is full of magic and delight that will thrill readers of any age' Rowan Coleman, author of The Girl at the Window 'A delightful mash-up of Dad’s Army and Charmed. An absolute treat' CK McDonnell, author of Stranger Times 'Warm, witty, witchy wartime fun. With Mark Stay as writer you're always guaranteed a magical read' Julie Wassmer, author of the Whitstable Pearl Mysteries 'You'll love it: Doctor Who meets Worzel Gummidge' Lorna Cook, author of The Forgotten Village 'A jolly romp with witches, demons, and bellringing. Pratchett fans will enjoy this, and Faye is a feisty and fun hero. Dad's Army meets Witches of Eastwick' Ian W Sainsbury

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This Christmas escape to Cornwall with a sweet and uplifting romance, perfect for fans of Jo Thomas, Sue Moorcroft and Holly Martin! Emmie Weaver has it all – a handsome fiancé and students who love her. So why does she feel so lost? When Emmie's estranged grandfather dies, leaving her a barge in Starry Cove, it's a welcome chance to hit pause. But as soon as she arrives in the Cornish village, it's clear this won't be the relaxing break she was expecting. Her grandmother wants nothing to do with her and Jago Moon, a handsome yet hostile town bad boy, is inexplicably determined to not let her boat touch water. Christmas is fast approaching and so is her wedding date. Can Emmie stay long enough to see snow fall over Starry Cove? And will finding out about her past help her decide her future? Readers love Snow Falls Over Starry Cove! 'Lovely, uplifting and heartwarming Christmas read... filled with lots of Christmas spirit, heart and charm.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Sweet and cozy, just the way I like it. A highly recommended read if you want to experience the magic of winter and Christmas in a lovely Cornish village full of warmth and joy.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Couldn't put the book down, so much to find out, so much happening & so much you want to happen. Now, I want more.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Grabs readers from the beginning and won't let them go until they finish the last page... I loved absolutely everything! Fantastic... I was immediately swept up. Dazzling and sweeping tale of love.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Fabulous festive story with a lovely heartwarming story. Really loved the setting and the characters. It's really gotten me in the festive mood!' @pinkpygmypuff_, 4* Review 'Gave perfect winter/Christmas vibes, which is my favorite season of the year!... Super awesome... The romance was super cute.' NetGalley 4* Review 'A must read for fans of Nancy Barone and for those fans of romance set in the U.K. Five amazing stars.' @cyireadbooks, 5* Review 'Christmassy read that makes you fall in love with Starry Cove and its residents... Starry Cove is full of secrets and mysteries... Brilliant... Amazing setting, makes me wish I lived in Starry Cove as well.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Another delightful Christmassy book by Nancy.' NetGalley 5* Review 'Beautifully woven tale that I soon found myself lost in... Twists and turns... A lovely Christmas read with some beautiful descriptions.' NetGalley 4* Review

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Maps are universal forms of communication, easily understood and appreciated regardless of culture or language. This truly magisterial book introduces readers to the widest range of maps ever considered in one volume: maps from different time periods and a variety of cultures; maps made for divergent purposes and depicting a range of environments; and maps that embody the famous, the important, the beautiful, the groundbreaking, and the amusing. Built around the functions of maps - the kinds of things maps do and have done - maps confirms the vital role of maps throughout history in commerce, art, literature, and national identity. The book begins by examining the use of maps for wayfinding, revealing that even maps as common and widely used as these products of historical circumstances and cultural differences. The second chapter considers maps whose makers employed the smallest of scales to envision the broadest of human stages - the world, the heavens, even the act of creation itself. The next chapter looks at maps that are, literally, at the opposite end of the scale from cosmological and world maps - maps that represent specific parts of the world and provide a close-up view of areas in which their makers lived, worked, and moved. Having shown how maps help us get around and make sense of our greater and lesser worlds, "Maps" then turns to the ways in which certain maps can be linked to particular events in history, exploring how they have helped Americans, for instance, to understand their past, cope with current events, and plan their national future. The fifth chapter considers maps that represent data from scientific instruments, population censuses, and historical records. These maps illustrate, for example, how diseases spread, what the ocean floor looks like, and how the weather is tracked and predicted. Next comes a turn to the imaginary, featuring maps that depict entire fictional worlds, from Hell to Utopia and from Middle Earth to the fantasy game World of Warcraft. The final chapter traces the origins of map consumption throughout history and ponders the impact of cartography on modern society. A companion volume to the most ambitious exhibition on the history of maps ever mounted in North America, "Maps" will challenge readers to stretch conventional thought about what constitutes a map and how many different ways we can understand graphically the environment in which we live. Collectors, historians, mapmakers and users, and anyone who has ever "gotten lost" in the lines and symbols of a map will find much to love and learn from in this book.

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'Romance, mystery, and a family curse - The Ladies of the Secret Circus has it all' PopsugarFrom the author of A Witch in Time comes a magical story spanning from Jazz Age Paris to modern-day America of family secrets, sacrifice, and lost love set against the backdrop of a mysterious circus. Perfect for fans of The Night Circus and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.The surest way to get a ticket to Le Cirque Secret is to wish for it . . .Paris, 1925: To enter the Secret Circus is to enter a world of wonder - a world where women weave illusions, carousels take you back in time, and trapeze artists float across the sky. Bound to her family's circus, it's the only world Cecile Cabot knows until she meets a charismatic young painter and embarks on a passionate affair that could cost her everything.Virginia, 2004: Lara Barnes is on top of the world, but when her fiancé disappears on their wedding day every plan she has for the future comes crashing down. Desperate, Lara's search for answers unexpectedly lead to her great-grandmother's journals.Swept into a story of a dark circus and ill-fated love, secrets about Lara's family history come to light and reveal a curse that has been claiming payment from the women in her family for generations. A curse that might be tied to her fiancé's mysterious fate . . .Why readers love The Ladies of the Secret Circus . . .'A spellbinding historical fantasy . . . Fans of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus will love this page-turning story of dark magic, star-crossed love, and familial sacrifice' Publishers Weekly (starred review)'At times decadent and macabre, The Ladies of the Secret Circus is a mesmerizing tale of love, treachery, and depraved magic percolating through four generations of Cabot women' Luanne G. Smith, author of The Vine Witch'Ambitious and teeming with magic, Sayers creates a fascinating mix of art, The Belle Époque, and more than a little murder' Erika Swyler, author of The Book of Speculation'The Ladies of the Secret Circus is a dazzling tale, laced with sinister magic, blood and beauty, love and loss. This is a book that will haunt you long after the last page is turned' Alyssa Palombo, author of The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel'Spellbinding. The Ladies Of The Secret Circus is a dazzling, high-wire feat of storytelling' Catherine Taylor, author of Beyond the Moon'The Ladies of the Secret Circus is a book to get lost in' BookPage

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The USA Today bestseller 'A compelling and powerful read' – Gill Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of The Child on Platform One 'A powerful and thoughtful novel' – Louise Fein, author of Daughter of the Reich 'A gripping tale of wartime sacrifice and innocence lost in the cause of freedom' – Jina Bacarr, author of Her Lost Love She's done running. Now she fights. 1942. With the war raging in Europe, Adèle Ambeh dreams of a France that is free from the clutches of the Nazis. As the date of her marriage to a ruthless man draws closer, she only has one choice: she must run. Adèle flees to Lyon and seeks refuge at the Sisters of Notre Dame de la Compassion. From the outside this is a simple nunnery, but the sisters are secretly aiding the French Resistance, hiding and supplying the fighters with weapons. Adèle quickly finds herself part of the efforts to take down the regime. As each day fills with a different danger and she begins to fall for another man, Adèle's entire world could come crashing down around her. She must fight for her family, her country – and her own destiny. Praise for The Girl from Vichy: 'A beautiful story' NetGalley Reviewer 'A great historical read' NetGalley Reviewer 'This book is a wonderful book' NetGalley Reviewer 'Andie Newton's realistic, well-researched, and seamlessly delivered story-writing, immediately engages the reader in The Girl from Vichy' NetGalley Reviewer 'The Girl from Vichy offers the reader fully formed characters, a heart-pounding plot, and an ending that brought a tear to my eye' NetGalley Reviewer Praise for Andie Newton: 'A powerful debut!' Gill Paul, author of The Secret Wife 'A captivating story with a twist of romance threaded throughout' Glynis Peters, author of The Secret Orphan 'A heart-clenching emotionally evocative debut!' Terry Lynn Thomas, author of The Silent Woman 'A compelling tale of friendship, courage and espionage in a frightening and uncertain world' Charlotte Betts, author of The Dressmaker's Secret 'The Girl I Left Behind made me cry and left me wanting more, which to me are signs of a truly wonderful book, one that will stay with me long after I've finished reading' Lana Kortchik, author of The Story of Us 'Wonderful story where it has you on the edge of your seat but have the tissues with you!' NetGalley Reviewer 'The author has a gift for creating a sense of place whether the setting was on a snowy mountain or the streets of Germany in the early 1940s' NetGalley Reviewer 'Excellent story. Strong characters' NetGalley Reviewer

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Illustrations and examples have always been deemed rare in the otherwise abundant materials Kant sent to be printed. In this sense, tradition has made out of the Königsbergs philosopher a rather arid writer. He himself advocated for the perks of a proper scholastic method in presenting arguments. It is thus a common place among scholars that Herr Professor valued discursive clarity over any whimsical rhetorical garments the popular thinker could have been tempted to wield in defense of his surely more than dubious reasons. But even with that in mind, in Kants writings there is this persistent and everlasting metaphor regarding the activity of navigation. A metaphor going all through the Kantian philosophical enterprise: either in the form of sailing the thin air and pretending to avoid -- or surf -- any resistance, like the figure of the dove in the Critique of Pure Reason (1781); or better with the picture of the wandering unconcerned under the celestial and immeasurable vault only to discover we were lost in search for the North in What Does It Mean To Orient Oneself In Thinking?(1786), Kants critical philosophy insisted in the depiction of the task of thinking not only as a concrete one depending on facts and experience gathered -- pinpoint locations -- but also as a matter of orientation depending on the necessity of categories -- criteria, cardinal points -- of thought. If fanciful aspirations of ideas happen to take off from the objective ground irresponsibly as if empirical experience and facts had no substance at all -- it is with good reason that due operations of counterbalance should be taking place with help of the sound weight of articulated reasonable concepts based on formal and material reality. Kants theory of mind presupposes a responsibility of a subject in relation to several types of objects. The two of these epistemic extremes are intertwined and in need of each other. When it comes to orientation, leaning on some sort of inner compass, each of us would have both in regard to sensitivity, knowledge, and moral thinking which serves like a guide to the trip within all three domains, and even comes in handy to map them out. This collective volume is precisely devoted to the task of revisiting some landscapes of the Kantian thought-itinerary along the brave seas and deep into the thick forests of justified knowledge, principles of morals and judgement in aesthetics: through its pages this work has put together renowned scholars from very different traditions eager to circumnavigate again the issues and concerns of 18th Century Philosophy and the particular Kantian solution of a new branded type of metaphysical inquiry, one inquiry subject to intellectual global duties as well.

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Switch on the business news and you will probably be bombarded with yet more workplace experts telling you that everyone nowadays is grossly overworked, madly juggling their work-life balance until they finally keel over and die from the sheer stress of it all. We all know that's right, don't we? The real truth is that there are millions upon millions of people who are actively disengaged from their jobs, who spend months and years sitting in offices doing next to nothing, lost in the cracks of laughably inefficient and abysmally managed large organisations, their talents wasted and long forgotten. The Living Dead unmasks the myth of the workplace for the first time. It tells the truth. Not cloaked in humour, as in Dilbert and The Office, but in plain black and white. The Living Dead will captivate anyone anywhere in the world who has ever worked in a large office environment, or those who have a genuine desire to make people's working lives more productive and enjoyable. Here are some astonishing statistics about office life you probably never knew: 40 per cent of all casual drugs users in the US (people who use drugs just once a month) still choose to do it at work. 19.6 per cent of people who take drugs at work do so at their workstation. One in three mid-week visitors to the theme park Alton Towers has taken the day off work on a dishonest pretext. One in five US workers has had sex with a co-worker during work hours. Full sex, that is. 44 per cent of men and 35 per cent of women have had at least some sexual contact at work. One third of UK young professionals are hungover at least twice a week on working days. Two thirds admitted to having called in sick due to alcohol at least once in the previous month. 70 per cent of Internet porn sites are accessed during the 9 to 5 working day. More than half of the UK's 14.5 million pet owners say they would need between two and five days off work to grieve for a dead pet, while 10 per cent said they would need as much as two weeks. Monday (23 per cent) and Friday (25 per cent) are the days most commonly taken off sick by UK employees. Wednesday is the most rarely taken (8 per cent). UK doctors receive 9 million 'suspicious' or 'questionable' requests each year for sick notes. David Bolchover writes frequently on business and management issues for The Times and The Sunday Times as well as a number of other national newspapers and specialist publications. His first book, The 90-Minute Manager, outlines the lessons which business managers can learn from football managers. Previously, he was employed for several years in a large office. But now he wants to do something with his life.

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Never Stop is the wrenching memoir of Simba Sana, the co-founder and CEO of Karibu Books, a major indie bookselling phenomenon and perhaps the most successful black-owned book-industry business ever. Sana, the son of a poor, mentally ill single mother, built Karibu into a nationally celebrated mini-chain based in his native city of Washington, D.C.--and then experienced its collapse and failure while also going through a personal bottoming out. Sana shows how his experience with Karibu jump-started his lifelong journey to better understand himself, human nature, faith, and American culture--which ultimately helped him develop the powerful personal philosophy that drives his life today. Born Bernard Sutton in Washington, D.C., in the aftermath of the city's riots over Martin Luther King's assassination, Sana grew up in the cycle of poverty and violence that dominated inner-city life in the 70s and 80s. Although Sana's drive and intelligence helped set him apart in the classroom, he still spent plenty of time on D.C.'s tough streets. As a result of being bullied and from a desire to gain respect, he became involved with boxing, first as a fighter and later as a manager. Sana's academic success got him into college, where he began to evolve into a man whose life embodied contradictions: committed to self-improvement and self-discipline but irrevocably marked by the chaos of his upbringing; an emerging businessman who's also an impassioned Black Nationalist and Pan-Africanist; living the corporate life at Ernst and Young by day while leading radical consciousness-raising groups at night. Building Karibu became Sana's opportunity to bind the disparate elements in his life together. He was able to capitalize on his business acumen while also cultivating his racial and cultural consciousness. Ultimately, though, the divisions in his identity and his accumulated emotional wounds confounded his effort to overcome his business reversals, and everything Sana built--marriage, family, and business--was lost in an incredibly brief time. Sana had to rebuild his life, and his identity, and set out to do so in a way that focused principally on the meaning and importance of love. In this memoir, Sana details his search for love and truth with startling and profoundly moving intimacy. Never Stop is a personal story of immense power and insight that will appeal to anyone seeking to live a more fulfilling life, no matter where they're from or what path they've taken thus far. Throughout, Sana is guided by Einstein's dictum: "The right to search for truth implies also a duty; one must not conceal any part of what one has recognized to be true."

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The S&P futures pit is the ultimate arena for traders. It is a place where trading titans make split-second decisions on huge amounts of money, and fortunes appear and vanish with the blink of an eye. Successful day traders are brilliant, aggressive-and lucky. Lewis J. Borsellino is all three. And now he is telling his story. The nation's top S&P futures trader, Borsellino takes you inside the world of the day trader. Chronicling Borsellino's incredible run on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, The Day Trader offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at his everyday strategies and tactics. Raised to be a fierce and fearless competitor, Borsellino felt at home the first day he walked into the chaos and excitement of the Merc. In The Day Trader, he offers both a compelling story as well as an inside look at day trading and the S&P market. Borsellino outlines exactly what contributed to his unparalleled success-a rare blend of discipline, drive, intelligence, and an uncanny ability to read and interpret the market. The Day Trader is also a candid memoir of a second generation Italian American who learned tough life lessons from his father. The senior statesman of the S&P pit, Borsellino offers vivid firsthand accounts of the unique dynamics of the trading floor, the fortunes won and lost in the crash of 1987, the FBI investigation that rocked the futures trading industry, and the tense political battles between Merc titans Leo Melamed and Jack Sandner. He also shares war stories from the floor, many involving top traders such as Richard Dennis and George Soros. Finally, Borsellino chronicles the latest phase of his career, as he moves beyond the beloved trading pit to the challenges and opportunities of the electronic trading arena. More than the success story of one the nation's most respected traders, The Day Trader offers practical insights into the futures markets, pit trading, market psychology, fundamental and technical analysis, and risk. It is a rare opportunity to see inside the mind of one of today's most brilliant traders. LEWIS J. BORSELLINO is the top S&P futures trader in the United States with a career that has spanned an unprecedented 18 years. His long-term success puts him into the trading pantheon that features such luminaries as Paul Tudor Jones, Victor Niederhoffer, and bond trader Tom Baldwin. Borsellino is a frequent contributing commentator on CNN and CNBC where he is regarded as the "biggest and best trader" in S&Ps. PATRICIA CRISAFULLI COMMINS is a freelance business writer and former correspondent for Reuters America Inc. She has also written for The Christian Science Monitor and the Wall Street Journal.

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FINALIST - CALIFORNIA BOOK AWARD FOR POETRYAward-winning poet explores new formal terrain in seven long poems against the violence of the present political moment.The third full-length collection from Bay Area poet Alli Warren, Little Hill comprises seven long poems written with propulsive prosody in a daybook fashion, examining our present, politically charged moment. These poems are at once energetic and contemplative, intimate and direct, as Warren focuses her attention on capitalism, gender, love, inequality, and resistance. Despite the dystopian now, Warren finds promise in the smallest human instances of tenderness, ecological connection, and political solidarity. Little Hill is about learning to live and love in the 21st century while not shying away from all there is to struggle against.Praise for Little Hill:"In Little Hill Alli Warren’s principle method is articulation of exquisite units of speech (thought) that, maintaining separation, are capable of connection. The line might be a sentence or a part of one … I mean a delicious sense of grammatical distinctness is maintained. The poet, also a lone unit, seems to exist less in relation than as that lone one, condemning this hard world with its villain work and elusive hierarchies. The language is precise, lush, unexpected and often thrilling. Articulation would seem to be the true other, or maybe nature is. The book is gift more than condemnation, though as the latter it’s unsparing. Still, it’s a gift."—Alice Notley, author of For the Ride and Benediction"The number of gasps and everything else gets lost in the concentration of Little Hill. Alli Warren keeps company with those rare poets whose every new book is their best. 'This is an old machine with a pulley / It makes music work,' Warren writes, reworking the ancient technology of poetry to a shine! Dear Poet, thank you for the wow WOW wowing!"—CAConrad, author of While Standing in Line for Death"Reading Alli Warren’s Little Hill, I find it incredible that amidst the relentless circulation of capital and commodities—and despite attempts to make all life yield to the logics of extraction, work, accumulation, and the entrepreneurial self—a remainder is created, that of poetry. Little Hill embodies a poetics of radical uncertainty, one that attends to its horrific condition of possibility and is produced through the unmooring catastrophes that define our present moment: the destruction of the earth, mass imprisonment, late-capitalism—the litany does not end there. 'I saw the death of the earth in a child’s toy,' she writes. Everywhere the speaker looks there is 'congealed shit, sometimes on sale.' Yet yearning, even as it is raised tentatively, is not crushed. In and against it all, a question is raised—the question of what it means to love in times of terror."—Jackie Wang, author of Carceral Capitalism

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Finalist of the 2023 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction'Told in a rich array of voices, this gorgeously written debut explores the myriad syncopations of love and desire' Celeste Ng, author of Little Fires Everywhere'Beautifully and cleverly written...The novel's tender, sensual, enchanting prose entices you into a world of deep longing' Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church LadiesLove is messy. Love can make us feel alive. It can also bring us down. Sometimes we look for it in all the wrong places. This is a novel about longing, desire and dreams; about passion and risk and all the places in between.Maggie is pregnant with Circus Palmer's child. This may be her last chance, but she craves her freedom.Pia is Circus's ex-wife, still in love with the fantasy of the man who conjured jazz tunes for her into the night, but who left many years before.Koko, Circus's daughter, is lost in the maelstrom of teenage years, the confusion of awakening desire and yearning for the father she barely knows.Peach is a barmaid who just wants someone to see the person she is inside.Odessa is on the run from a mistake that can't be undone.And then there's Circus, Circus Palmer, a jazz trumpeter whose moment of glory is fading. Selfish, damaged, scared, perhaps the only person Circus is fooling is himself.Delivered in a lush orchestration of diverse female voices, Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm is a provocative and gripping novel about the desire to be loved, and the need to belong.*****'An exceptional debut...This story is an example of how love, in all of its polyrhythms, can sometimes sound like song, and other times like noise. And this book is an example of how a great story can become a bass drum, kicking and thumping in your belly far after it's over. A modern masterpiece.' Jason Reynolds, author of Look Both Ways'Soulful... Elegant, unexpected and wrenching as the "fierce" sounds that emerge from Circus's trumpet . . . Unforgettable' New York Times Book Review'[An] emerging literary superstar . . . This sensual and sensuous debut is a kaleidoscopic character study, a polyphonic riff on the modern-day Casanova from the perspectives of the myriad women in his wake' Oprah Daily'A sultry and subversive debut. Laura Warrell's prose sparkles, but it's what she's got to say about sex and love and being a woman that will take your breath away. This book is a love song, and Warrell knows how to hold all the right notes.' Rachel Beanland, author of Florence Adler Swims Forever'Jazz music is to be played sweet, soft, plenty rhythm,' proclaimed Jelly Roll Morton, and Warrell plays her exceptional first novel with plenty of rhythm and tenderness, delivered in brisk, mordantly gorgeous language' Library Journal'A book about desire and about love, about where these emotions meet and part and sometimes interlace in inescapable ways...a classic in the making.' Brian Castleberry, author of Nine Shiny Objects

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Finalist of the 2023 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction'Told in a rich array of voices, this gorgeously written debut explores the myriad syncopations of love and desire' Celeste Ng, author of Little Fires Everywhere'Beautifully and cleverly written...The novel's tender, sensual, enchanting prose entices you into a world of deep longing' Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church LadiesLove is messy. Love can make us feel alive. It can also bring us down. Sometimes we look for it in all the wrong places. This is a novel about longing, desire and dreams; about passion and risk and all the places in between.Maggie is pregnant with Circus Palmer's child. This may be her last chance, but she craves her freedom.Pia is Circus's ex-wife, still in love with the fantasy of the man who conjured jazz tunes for her into the night, but who left many years before.Koko, Circus's daughter, is lost in the maelstrom of teenage years, the confusion of awakening desire and yearning for the father she barely knows.Peach is a barmaid who just wants someone to see the person she is inside.Odessa is on the run from a mistake that can't be undone.And then there's Circus, Circus Palmer, a jazz trumpeter whose moment of glory is fading. Selfish, damaged, scared, perhaps the only person Circus is fooling is himself.Delivered in a lush orchestration of diverse female voices, Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm is a provocative and gripping novel about the desire to be loved, and the need to belong.*****'An exceptional debut...This story is an example of how love, in all of its polyrhythms, can sometimes sound like song, and other times like noise. And this book is an example of how a great story can become a bass drum, kicking and thumping in your belly far after it's over. A modern masterpiece.' Jason Reynolds, author of Look Both Ways'Soulful... Elegant, unexpected and wrenching as the "fierce" sounds that emerge from Circus's trumpet . . . Unforgettable' New York Times Book Review'[An] emerging literary superstar . . . This sensual and sensuous debut is a kaleidoscopic character study, a polyphonic riff on the modern-day Casanova from the perspectives of the myriad women in his wake' Oprah Daily'A sultry and subversive debut. Laura Warrell's prose sparkles, but it's what she's got to say about sex and love and being a woman that will take your breath away. This book is a love song, and Warrell knows how to hold all the right notes.' Rachel Beanland, author of Florence Adler Swims Forever'Jazz music is to be played sweet, soft, plenty rhythm,' proclaimed Jelly Roll Morton, and Warrell plays her exceptional first novel with plenty of rhythm and tenderness, delivered in brisk, mordantly gorgeous language' Library Journal'A book about desire and about love, about where these emotions meet and part and sometimes interlace in inescapable ways...a classic in the making.' Brian Castleberry, author of Nine Shiny Objects

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If you loved From Lukov with Love - the sensational TikTok hit that is captivating readers all over the world - then you don't want to miss any of Mariana's unique romances! No one writes slow burn like Mariana Zapata and her millions of fans agree!'Just so incredibly sweet that it reaches into your soul . . . Thank you, MZ, for sharing such an incredible gift' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'There is nothing Mariana will put out that I wouldn't put on a pedestal. Ahhhhh. This book was so good I don't want it to end. I swooned. I cried. I laughed. And I enjoyed every bit of it' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'As always Mariana brings us a story that we can get lost in . . . we have amazing characters . . . a second chance romance . . . the slow burn as always . . . but so much banter and emotional you cant help but know you are in a Zapata book!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'Mariana Zapata, I love your words, your humour and your imaginary characters . . . A deliciously funny and heartfelt read. Definitely recommend. A 5 STAR READ' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'This is one of my all-time favourite books from Mariana Zapata' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'Man, I loved this book!!! MZ has done it again, another amazing slow-burn romance' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'This slow-burn romance burned me in the best way. It was definitely the best thing I did the day I decided to pick it up' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'A beautiful, slow burn, with characters that actually seem like human beings, in classic Zapata fashion' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'So many feels in one book: I laughed, I cried and I sobbed . . . the characters all felt so real to me I loved everything about this book. I know that this will stay with me for a long time an absolute must-read' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'Never disappointed with a Mariana Zapata book. Special and amazing, as always' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review.........................................Some things are easily forgiven. Other things . . . not so much.Lenny DeMaio made herself a promise: she was done.Done thinking about him.Done worrying about him.Done reaching out to a man who clearly didn't want to be found.Too bad no one gave Jonah Collins the memo..........................................Want more of Mariana's delicious slow burn? Why not start with her sensational hit, From Lukov with Love! And don't miss any of her romances beloved by millions of readers!Dear AaronLingusRhythm, Chord & MalykhinThe Best ThingUnder LockeKultiThe Wall of Winnipeg and MeWait for ItLuna and the LieHands DownAll Rhodes Lead Here

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'Smart, witty and bursting with joie de vivre' WENDY HOLDENRomantic comedy with a twist in its tail, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk and Louise Pentland. Jess, a 29-year-old Londoner with a Kate Beckett fringe and a tendency for dramatics, gets taken on a surprise trip by her long-term boyfriend, Pete, to attend her best friend’s last-minute wedding in South Africa. Jess imagines sun, sand, wine and safaris. And returning to London with an ethically mined diamond on her left hand... But this holiday isn’t set to be quite the fairy tale Jess has planned... Suddenly she finds her world tilting on its axis, and things are only set to get worse when Jess returns home…When the truth comes out, will it be... Make or Break? Catherine Bennetto is back with her trademark wit and an equally hilarious cast of characters who will have you rooting for them from the first page. 'If you like laugh-out-loud dialogue, brilliant characters and plenty of plot twists, this is for you’ heat 5 star review 'Warm and witty' My Weekly 'You will laugh and cry with every high and low. WE LOVED IT!' Take a Break 'Eloquent and heartfelt - seamlessly ensuring that the laughter and the lump-in-the-throat moments follow hot on each other's heels - another sure-fire hit' PENNY PARKES 'Warm and witty, heart-breaking and heart-warming, an emotional roller coaster of a read' ANNA BELL, author of It Started with a Tweet ‘Another awesome read by Catherine. Couldn’t put the book down – Literally!! – read entirely on one rainy Sunday afternoon' Lucy ‘Bennetto made me laugh out loud with her debut and has done it again with this one. It is witty, quick, pacey and full of the sharp-tongued humour that runs through all of her writing. Fantastic!’ Dawn ‘This is a perfect book to cheer you up on a dark day, filled with light wit. It’s very topical, with gentle mockery of things like clean-living trends, the genial chaos of family life and relationships in general…’ Alexandra Clare ‘What a page turner! Loved it! Got myself lost in the magic of Capetown, the author really captures the essence of the place, along with some funny, lovable characters!’ Rachel *~* Praise for How Not to Fall in Love, Actually *~* 'A phenomenal cast of characters and some real laugh out loud moments. Brilliant!' Heidi Swain ‘This superb debut is a romcom at its very best and the perfect book to chase away the winter blues. I haven’t fallen so in love with a bunch of characters in a long while. Loved it' Sun ‘A charming, feel-good gem of a debut novel that’s guaranteed to leave you smiling… An honest narrative and a fresh voice to tell it… a great way to spend a lazy afternoon' CultureFly 'More bubbly than a big glass of champers and just as fun. How Not To Fall In Love, Actually is bright, breezy, and the perfect way to beat back the winter blues' Georgia Clark, author of The Regulars

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The bestselling author of Good Girls Die First, It's Behind You and Tag, You're Dead is back with an entertaining, high-octane and read-in-a-single-sitting new thriller. Walking disaster Saffron and her perfectionist twin sister Georgia have only one thing in common-they are both obsessed with battle royale video game Sole Survivor. While working at a brand new, high tech escape room complex, Saffron poses a question to the resident AI: which high school stereotype would survive the longest in a real life version of Sole Survivor? She is convinced a rebel like her would beat a know-it-all like Georgia. Unbeknown to her, the AI decides to determine the answer to her question by testing it out for real. It invites Saffron and Georgia's gamer friends to a preview of the escape rooms, but then it locks the doors and turns the rooms into a life-or-death battle to be the last player standing. The rebel, the know-it-all, the princess, the jock, the geek, the weirdo, the star, the artist and the criminal. Just like in Sole Survivor, only one can survive the night... It's Cabin in the Woods meets Squid Game Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen McManus. Knife-edge tension and twists you won't see coming. PRIASE FOR KATHRYN FOXFIELD'S PREVIOUS BOOKS Good Girls Die First "Deliciously dark and unsettling in the best possible way. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one!"- Fantastic Book Dragon "Stephen King-esque…with a fast-paced plot" - Irish Times " . . . the most gripping thriller of the year; hugely entertaining, high-octane and read-in-a-single-sitting." - ReadingZone" "Foxfield's focus on social niches and escalating suspense will appeal to fans of Karen McManus." - Publishers Weekly "This gothic-inspired thriller with nods to Agatha Christie and Daphne du Maurier will keep readers on the edge of their seats and turning pages as quickly as they can. It is immersing, puzzling, and unpredictable, with a surprise ending that's sure to have teens talking. - School Library Journal "Undeniably creepy from the start... With a macabre escape and a surprising amount of heart, this will leave readers feeling oddly optimistic and perhaps a little kinder to themselves..." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, STARRED Review It's Behind You "addictive, easy to get lost in, and utterly compelling to read" - And On She Reads "keeps you on the edge of your seat and guessing who did it until the very last pages" - ReadingZone Tag, You're Dead "The characters are addictive, the ending satisfying and the reveals at the end pack a punch. If you love your twisty thrillers, then Tag, You're Dead is a must read!" - Rosie Talbot, author of Sixteen Souls "Full of tension and twists, readers will be unsure who to trust as the book heads to an explosive conclusion." - The ReadingZone "a smart and calculated read with a killer storyline that shows the dark side of fame" - Pretty Little Memoirs

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'Empowering and cathartic' – Dr Tracy Cooper, International Consultant on High Sensitivity 'Deeply moving and informative' – Lily Bailey, author As an adolescent, Russell’s face and neck would turn crimson at the slightest thing. In his twenties he began suffering from an extreme form of blushing (idiopathic craniofacial erythema). It sent out all the wrong signals — to friends, family and to the opposite sex. And it triggered something worse: Social Anxiety Disorder. Up to one in 10 people develop this irrational fear of other human beings. From university to the workplace, Russell desperately tried to hide his secret from everyone. In an attempt to be ‘normal,’ he grabbed every remedy going, from drugs to herbs to bottles of absinthe. Through trial and error, he discovered a way to overcome social anxiety and live a fulfilling and rich life. By turns wry and shocking, dark and optimistic, Redface is the eye-opening true story of how one man found his own way forward in a world built for others. It will fascinate readers who are socially anxious, their friends and family, and anyone who wants to know what it’s like to travel to the edge of human experience and back. Read this memoir and discover how to conquer your social anxiety and learn how to be yourself. Reviews 'Immersive and raw in its emotional intensity, Norris's Redface invites us into his private world of avoidance, compensation and adaptation. Ultimately culminating in a deep awareness of himself and the world he moves through, it's empowering and cathartic for everyone who has experienced SAD.' – Dr Tracy Cooper, International Consultant on High Sensitivity 'Deeply moving and informative. I raced through it. Norris's portrayal of the cyclical struggle of Social Anxiety Disorder is stunning. This book is the perfect response to anyone who's ever said "don't we all get anxious about socialising?"' – Lily Bailey, Because We Are Bad: OCD and a Girl Lost in Thought Extract Chapter 1: Closed Door I’m hovering just in front of a closed door. It’s in the office building where I work. I can see through the window of the door into the room beyond it. I’m listening carefully for approaching voices. As soon as another person comes into view, I’ll have to make a snap decision: commit and go through that door or abort and quickly walk away from it, surreptitiously double back at some point, then try to hold my nerve for a second attempt. I’ve been doing this in secret for my entire career and if I could calculate exactly how much time I’ve lost in this state of limbo, all the seconds, minutes and hours spent holding back in hallways or pacing back and forth just behind closed doors, it might add up to a lifetime. And a waste of one. Because there’s nothing out of the ordinary on the other side of those doors. Just the usual setup of any modern workplace. Open plan desks, meeting rooms, breakout sofas, whiteboards, water coolers, tea and coffee points – spaces designed to help people work together. But people is the key word. On the other side of every door there will be people. People I know. People who know me. People I’m about to meet. People who’ve yet to meet me. And once I’m on the other side there’s no turning back. I’ll attend a meeting. A briefing. A brainstorm. Or I’ll run into someone and they’ll stop for some small talk. I’ll start to feel like I’m walking in the glare of a giant magnifying glass, growing hotter and hotter like a beam of sunshine intensifying through a lens. And if I’m not sufficiently prepared for it all, I’ll start to feel something quiver and give way inside. And I’ll know that if I don’t escape to the other side of the door again, to the relative safety of my desk, I’ll fall apart in front of everyone. For just about as long as I can remember, I’ve had Social Anxiety. Not the shyness or self-consciousness everyone feels at one time or another in their lives. Not the nerves you might get before taking a driving test or going on a first date. Not the butterflies that start fluttering in your stomach before you stand up and give a speech. What lives deep inside me is an inexhaustible phobia of any social interaction. It creeps across all situations and all people, from the ordinarily stressful stuff like giving a presentation or having a job interview, to everyday things like buying groceries or speaking to a stranger on the phone. Presentations and interviews are nervous moments for most people: they put you at the centre of attention, while other people evaluate your performance. But the man working the checkout in Sainsbury’s? The woman taking my pizza order over the phone? Are they putting me in the spotlight, assessing my social performance? No, they’re not. But I feel anxious dealing with them nonetheless. Big events, small events, everything in between: they all distress me in ways I can’t control. Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is formally classed as a mental disorder, which affects millions of people worldwide – and up to 10% of the UK population. It can manifest itself in many ways. Symptoms often surface as secondary phobias, ranging from a fear of eating or writing in front of others to a fear of being watched in a public bathroom. For me, social anxiety plays out on my skin... Its symptom is called Idiopathic Craniofacial Erythema, which means uncontrollable and unprovoked facial blushing. They are the evil twins who constantly embarrass me. When I blush it’s involuntary and I have no control over it. What will stop the blushing? The absence of people. Will there ever be a world without people? No. Will I try to create that world for myself? Yes. I have to. I will withdraw and avoid human contact whenever I can. If you have social anxiety, this book is for you. If you’ve never heard of social anxiety, this book is for you. I’ve been quietly avoiding people all my life, hesitating behind a door. But I’m pushing that door wide open now. And I’m coming through it. To talk to you. Order now and start reading.

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In the vein of Emily Henry's You and Me On Vacation, Love, Just In is a friends-to-lovers romance with just enough spice to heat up the summer.Sydney TV news reporter Josie Larsen is approaching thirty and coming dangerously close to failing at life. Lost in a vortex of other people's career milestones, engagement parties and baby showers, Josie is perennially single, abandoned by her globetrotting family, and invisible to her boss - except for the one time he tuned in while she was mid-panic-attack on live TV. As punishment, Josie is shipped off to cover another reporter's six-month leave at a regional bureau in Newcastle.But Josie has more waiting for her in Newcastle than yawn-inducing stories about bicycle lane protests. The city is also the domain of Zac Jameson - her best friend since high school. This should be a happy turn of events, but Zac has barely spoken to Josie for the past two years. Not since a tragic event caused him to leave Sydney to try and cope with his grief.Now thrown back into each other's lives, Josie and Zac have to navigate their neglected friendship and secret attraction to each other while struggling with their careers and mental health.Hilarious, sexy and heartwarming, this is the perfect romcom to sit on the shelves alongside Emily Henry, Sally Thorne and Ali Hazelwood.'Natalie Murray has written a delightful and heartfelt rom com about career, friendship and confronting your deepest fears. Flirty, fun and realistic, Love, Just In is a sizzling story with real depth. Natalie Murray has written a page turning friends-to-lovers romance with a local setting which is an ideal summer read!' Steph Vizard, author of The Love ContractAustralia's answer to Emily Henry, Natalie Murray has written the rule book on sweet to sexy. Love, Just In is the ultimate summer read.' Karina May, author of Never Ever Forever'Love, Just In is catnip for friends-to-lovers fans. Natalie Murray imbues her characters with honesty, depth and an aching amount of heart as they navigate their changing relationship. Rich with sparkling banter and the kind of inside jokes that can only happen between the best of friends, Love, Just In is an irresistible slow burn that sizzles on every hastily turned page.' Amy Hutton, author of Sit, Stay, Love'Clever, witty and the perfect amount of steamy, Love Just In is an addictive friends-to-lovers story, the ultimate summer read.' Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus, authors of Fancy Meeting You Here'If you like your romance bubbly and believable, full of brewing chemistry and building to an epic pay-off, Natalie Murray has got you.' Clare Fletcher, author of Five Bush Weddings'Love, Just In will break your heart - then mend it. Beautifully written, tender and funny, it's a story I won't ever forget.' Penelope Janu, author of Shelter from the Storm

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Examine the high yield market for a clear understanding of this evolving asset class High Yield Debt is the one-stop resource for wealth advisors seeking an in-depth understanding of this misunderstood asset class. The high yield market provides a diverse opportunity set, including fixed and floating rate debt, high and low quality debt issues and both short- and long-term duration; but many fail to understand that not all high yield exposure is the same, and that different market segments and strategies work best at different points in the economic cycle. This guide addresses the confusion surrounding high yield debt. You'll find the information you need to decide whether or not to buy in to a high yield fund, and how to evaluate the opportunities and risks without getting lost in the jargon. The U.S. corporate high yield market is worth $2.4 trillion—more than the stock markets of most developed countries. Market growth has increased the number of funds with high yield exposure, as well as the types of debt products available for investment. This book breaks it down into concrete terms, providing the answers advisors need to effectively evaluate the opportunities on offer. Understand the high yield asset class Learn the debt structures, performance and defaults Evaluate risk and investment opportunities Penetrate the jargon to make sense of high yield investment Over 300 publicly traded funds provide exposure to U.S. high yield, but despite it's size and ubiquity, understanding of the asset class as a whole remains somewhat of a rarity—even among participants. A lack of transparency is partially to blame, but the market's evolution over the past fifteen years is the larger issue. High Yield Debt explains the modern high yield market in real terms, providing a much-needed resource for the savvy investor. "Rajay Bagaria has written the first book that captures a 360 degree view of the high yield debt market. Whether you are an investor, investment banker, corporate lawyer, CFO or layperson simply trying to gain insights into the fundamentals of high yield debt, this book translates financial and legal concepts, trends and structures of high yield bonds and leveraged loans into a simple, understandable format. Mr. Bagaria’s book is a valuable resource for anyone involved in the new issue or secondary leveraged finance markets."—Frank J. Lopez, Co-Head Global Capital Markets, Proskauer "Bagaria does a great service for both high yield professionals and beginners by providing an accessible, well-written, insightful market primer."—Steven Miller, Managing Director, S&P Capital IQ, Leveraged Commentary & Data "High-Yield Debt - An Insider’s Guide to the Marketplace is a comprehensive book that provides an in-depth understanding of the history, growth, basics and details of high-debt and the high-yield market. The author gives insights that only an experienced professional can provide. The book will be invaluable to readers both starting out and knowledgeable about an important segment of corporate finance, dealing with concepts, structures and performance."—Arthur Kaufman, Retired Partner, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP / Member of Adjunct Faculty, Columbia Law School

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Everyone's favorite Dirty Old Man returns with a new volume of uncollected work. Charles Bukowski (1920--1994), one of the most outrageous figures of twentieth-century American literature, was so prolific that many significant pieces never found their way into his books. Absence of the Hero contains much of his earliest fiction, unseen in decades, as well as a number of previously unpublished stories and essays. The classic Bukowskian obsessions are here: sex, booze, and gambling, along with trenchant analysis of what he calls "Playing and Being the Pet." Among the book's highlights are tales of his infamous public readings ("The Big Dope Reading," "I Just Write Poetry So I Can Go to Bed with Girls"); a review of his own first book; hilarious installments of his newspaper column, Notes of a Dirty Old Man, including meditations on neo-Nazis and driving in Los Angeles; and an uncharacteristic tale of getting lost in the Utah woods ("Bukowski Takes a Trip"). Yet the book also showcases the other Bukowski-an astute if offbeat literary critic. From his own "Manifesto" to his account of poetry in Los Angeles ("A Foreword to These Poets") to idiosyncratic evaluations of Allen Ginsberg, Robert Creeley, LeRoi Jones, and Louis Zukofsky, Absence of the Hero reveals the intellectual hidden beneath the gruff exterior. Our second volume of his uncollected prose, Absence of the Hero is a major addition to the Bukowski canon, essential for fans, yet suitable for new readers as an introduction to the wide range of his work. "He loads his head full of coal and diamonds shoot out of his finger tips. What a trick. The mole genius has left us with another digest. It's a full house--read 'em and weep."--Tom Waits "This second volume of Bukowski's uncollected stories and essays offers all that Bukowski is known for--wry obscenity, smutty wisdom, seeming ramblings whose hidden smarts catch you unaware--but in addition there are moments here in which he takes off the mask and strips away the bravado to show himself at his most vulnerable and human. A must for Bukowski aficionados." --Brian Evenson, author of Last Days and The Open Curtain "Like a brass-rail Existentialist or a skid-row Transcendentalist, [Bukowski] is candid, unblinking, leaving it to his readers to cast their own judgment about his mishaps, his drinking, his sexual appetite or his own pessimism. He is Ralph Waldo Emerson as a Dirty Old Man, not lounging in the grape-arbor of Concord, Massachusetts, but bent-over a table in an L.A. flophouse scribbling in pencil to the strains of Sibelius."--Paul Maher Jr., Phawker "[Bukowski] could be generous and mean-spirited, heroic and defensive, spot-on and slanted, but he became the world-class writer he had set out to be; he has joined the permanent anti-canon or shadow-canon whose denizens had shown him the way. Today the frequent allusions to him in both popular and mainstream culture tend more to respect than mockery. If scholarship has lagged, this book would indicate that this situation is changing." --Gerald Locklin, Resources for American Literary Study "The pieces range over nearly half a century, and include a story about a baseball player seized by a sudden bout of existential paralysis, along with early, graphically sexual (and masterfully comic) stories published in such smut mags as Candid Press."--Penthouse "An absolute must for fans of Charles Bukowski's work, Absence of a Hero is also a welcome addition to public and college library literary studies shelves."--Midwest Book Review

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When the mother of an autistic young man hires a call girl to make him happy, three lives collide in unexpected and moving ways … changing everything. A devastatingly beautiful, rich and thought-provoking novel that will warm and break your heart… ‘One of the best writers of her generation’ John Marrs, author of The One ‘A brilliant premise, executed beautifully … such a moving, tender and unexpected read’ Catherine Isaac, author of Messy, Wonderful Us ‘I guarantee you will not read anything like it this year … you will fall in love with this book’ Miranda Dickinson, author of Our Story ‘Incredibly moving, gripping, and full of heart … The novel everyone will be talking about this year’ Gill Paul, author of The Secret Wife _______________ Sebastian James Murphy is twenty years, six months and two days old. He loves swimming, fried eggs and Billy Ocean. Sebastian is autistic. And lonely. Veronica wants her son Sebastian to be happy … she wants the world to accept him for who he is. She is also thinking about paying a professional to give him what he desperately wants. Violetta is a high-class escort, who steps out into the night thinking only of money. Of her nursing degree. Paying for her dad’s care. Getting through the dark. When these three lives collide – intertwine in unexpected ways – everything changes. For everyone. A topical and moving drama about a mother’s love for her son, about getting it wrong when we think we know what’s best, about the lengths we go to care for family … to survive … This Is How We Are Human is a searching, rich and thought-provoking novel with an emotional core that will warm and break your heart. _______________ ‘Every now and then you read a book that takes your breath away. This is How We Are Human does just that … you feel from the first page to the last’ Liz Fenwick, author of The River Between Us ‘A writer of beautiful sentences, and they are in abundance. This sensitive subject is treated with the utmost care’ Nydia Hetherington, author of A Girl Made of Air ‘Such a complex and emotive book’ Claire King, author of The Night Rainbow ‘It had me gripped from the start and changed the way I see the world. Beautiful, bold and compelling – another fearless story from Beech’ Katie Marsh, author of Unbreak Your Heart ‘A searching, rich and thought-provoking novel with an emotional core’ LoveReading ‘This book is just what the world needs right now’ Fiona Mills, BBC ‘Oh, Sebastian, I’ll never forget him. Heart is always at the core of Louise’s books and this one is no exception’ Madeleine Black, author of Unbroken ‘What a brave and prejudice busting story this is … brava’ S. E. Lynes, author of Can You See Her ‘A convincing, bittersweet tale of misplaced kindness, a myriad types of vulnerability, and unexpected consequences … All the stars and more’ Carol Lovekin, author of Wild Spinning Girls ‘A tender, insightful read’ Michael J. Malone, author of A Song of Isolation ‘An exceptional book that will make you laugh, cry and feel better for having read it’ Audrey Davis, author of Lost in Translation ‘The most exquisite and moving story I have read in a very long time’ Book Review Café ‘I don’t know of another writer who portrays characters so true, flaws and all … mesmerising, the characters are beautiful but, more importantly, they’re REAL’ J. M. Hewitt, author of The Quiet Girls For fans of Maggie O’Farrell, David Nicholls, Ali Smith and JoJo Moyes.

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A message meant for another. A love meant only for her.'The Last Message is the perfect romantic page-turner. This powerful and emotional story of grief, healing, self-discovery and love will tug at even the hardest of heartstrings. I was captivated and rooting for Lizzie and Nick right up to the very last page' Holly MillerIf you love Holly Miller's The Sight of You, Rebecca Serle's In Five Years and Nicholas Sparks, you won't want to miss the breathtaking love story of the year that will grip your heart in every way.What readers are saying about The Last Message:'This book completely wrecked me! It was so good and it captivated me. It was perfect! I was absolutely entranced with this . . . 5 star read!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ NetGalley review'Stunning, beautiful, heartwrenching, heartwarming, uplifting and joyful. This book is everything. Don't miss reading this one. Put it on the top of all your lists'⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ NetGalley review'Gosh this was a story and a half . . . Loved it. A perfect curl-up-on-the-sofa book' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ NetGalley review'Great, great, great - I am giving it a lot of love . . . read this one! An intense, emotional and utterly compelling narrative!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ NetGalley review'This was such a devastatingly beautiful story! I fell in love with the characters Lizzie and Nick . . . Truly deep and powerful. The story is thought-provoking and sweet!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ NetGalley review........................................This year I am sending my last message to you. I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive myself, and I will never forget you, but I have to find a way to let you go.When Lizzie is woken in the night by a text message clearly not meant for her, she is intrigued and haunted by the words she sees. After losing her beloved twin brother, she knows something of grief and the struggle to rebuild a life.Nick, a widower for three years, is haunted by the disappearance and presumed death of his wife, but when he meets Lizzie, he finally finds a kindred spirit.When these two lonely hearts are drawn together, an unexpectedly deep and powerful emotional connection is formed. Perhaps finally this is the chance for both of them to live again - if they can overcome scars of the past which have a longer reach than either could have imagined.More fabulous praise from readers of The Last Message:'WOW!!!! What can I say?!?! . . . clear your schedules and grab the tissues as you will need them!!! One of the most STUNNING books I have ever read!!! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'I loved this breathtakingly well written love story. This is a beautiful slow burn romance, filled with grief, healing, secrets, and mystery.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'I loved how the author portrayed the emotions of each character, describing their inner turmoil exactly as one would envision it. The character development was FANTASTIC' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'Well what can I say other than this kept me gripped and I finished it in one afternoon. Very well put together, great writing and just a truly believable storyline. This story covered every emotion and at times was incredibly powerful.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review'A breathtakingly beautiful story that pulls you in from beginning to end. I was so lost in the story and never wanted it to end.' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review

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'The Outsider is as authentic and suspenseful as any John Grisham novel – and I like Grisham a lot' JAMES PATTERSON He's always watching... Grayson Hernandez isn't happy. He's drowning in student debt from law school and the only job he's got is as a messenger. Worst of all, it's for the Supreme Court, where Gray is forced to watch the best and the brightest – the elite group of lawyers who serve as the justices' law clerks – from the outside. When Gray intervenes in a violent mugging, he makes a powerful friend: the victim was the Chief Justice of the United States. Gray becomes the newest law clerk at the Supreme Court. It's another world, with highbrow debates in the inner sanctum of the nation's highest court and upscale dinners with his new friends. But just as Gray adapts to his new life, the FBI approaches him with unsettling news. There's a killer embedded in the Supreme Court, and they want Gray to be their eyes and ears. But what Gray doesn't know is that the FBI will soon set its sights on him. And when they do, Gray must navigate a world cloaked in secrecy, to uncover the truth before the murderer strikes again. Praise for The Outsider: 'Crafty and clever! Franze's insider knowledge of the Supreme Court sets this twisty legal thriller apart. The sympathetic plight of the outsider hero, Grayson Hernandez, will keep you glued to the pages; the explosive plot will leave you breathless' LISA GARDNER 'With an insider's eye for detail, Franze delivers supreme wickedness in a world few of us will ever be privy to. Franze is taking the legal thriller to new heights' LINWOOD BARCLAY 'It's like a mix of John Grisham and Scott Turow alongside the inner workings of the court system. Toss it all together and the end result is this winning novel' WASHINGTON POST 'Franze has earned a seat at the table of legal thriller masters, and his latest book is compelling proof of that' STRAND MAGAZINE 'The Outsider is a stellar look inside the Supreme Court, and a killer thriller to boot. Franze has cemented himself as a top-notch legal thriller writer. If you like Grisham, you will love this book' J.T. ELLISON 'Franze has fashioned a potboiler of a tale that channels John Grisham, David Baldacci and Thomas Harris all at the same time... The Outsider moves at a blistering clip, never letting up or letting us down for a moment' PROVIDENCE JOURNAL 'Franze brings that rare combination of great storytelling and insider knowledge that will keep readers turning pages well into the night' JAMES GRIPPANDO 'In The Outsider, Franze pulls off a remarkable feat: an adrenaline-fueled thriller that simultaneously illuminates Supreme Court history, precedent, and procedure. It's a must-read for anyone who savors getting lost in a great book' ABOVE THE LAW 'The mind of this author is so quick that he weaves a story so exciting it becomes a one-day read automatically' SUSPENSE MAGAZINE 'Franze is being hailed as the next John Grisham – and for good reason. The Outsider is a high-wire act of political intrigue and mystery, atmospheric, and a wild narrative you don't want to stop reading' THE PRESS REPUBLICAN (NY)

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This book is the first detailed and comprehensive account of the Kharkov counteroffensive, the operations of the SS divisions and the supporting actions of Armeeabteilung Fretter-Pico and 1. Panzerarmee, and is supported by over 210 photographs and maps. By the end of January of 1943, Hitler’s armies had been dealt a series of defeats by the Russians, beginning with the disaster at Stalingrad. Successive Soviet offensives had destroyed the German 6. Armee and annihilated the armies of Germany’s Axis allies, Italy, Rumania and Hungary. Germany teetered on the brink of defeat in World War II because the Soviet advance threatened to drive to the Dnepr River and encircle the remaining Germans armies in southern Russia. Stalin and the Russian high command believed that the war could be won with just one more great effort. Accordingly, they planned and launched two offensives, designated Operations “Star” and “Gallop.” The focal points of the two offensives included the recapture of Kharkov, the industrial heart of the Ukraine and the destruction of Armeeabteilung Hollidt, 4. Panzerarmee and 2. Armee. Feldmarschall Erich von Manstein entered the picture in late 1942 when he was appointed commander of Heeresgruppe Don. Beginning in February he engineered a remarkable operation that changed the course of the war in Russia. Manstein’s counteroffensive destroyed or severely damaged four Russian armies and regained much of the territory lost in January. The troops that played the most important role in the offensive were three divisions of the Waffen-SS. “Leibstandarte,” “Das Reich” and “Totenkopf” were combined for the first time into a corps, which was commanded by SS-Obergruppenführer Paul Hausser, the senior commander of the Waffen-SS. “Leibstandarte” and “Das Reich” participated in the defense of Kharkov, along with the elite Army division “Grossdeutschland” supported by three weak infantry divisions. This handful of divisions was attacked by four Soviet armies, but under command of Armeeabteilung Lanz, was able to hold the city for two weeks. On 14 February, 1943 the SS-Panzerkorps and the rest of Armeeabteilung Lanz withdrew from Kharkov under disputed circumstances that involved Hausser and his violation of a direct order from Hitler. Almost exactly a month later, the Germans had recaptured Kharkov and destroyed or crippled the four Soviet armies that had driven them out of the city in February. The divisions that played the key role in Manstein’s counteroffensive were the three divisions of the Waffen-SS. While “Leibstandarte” defended the supply base of the SS-Panzerkorps from the entire Soviet 3rd Tank Army, “Das Reich” and “Totenkopf” conducted a complex series of operations that began with a 100 kilometer thrust to the south which saved the Dnepr bridges, thus securing supply lines for the armies of Heeresgruppe Don/Süd. Subsequent operations by the SS divisions drove the Russians away from the rail net south of Kharkov and wrested Kharkov from the Russians once again. During the recapture of the city, there was controversy regarding Hausser’s command decisions. Hausser has been accused of disregarding his instructions from superior officers and throwing his divisions into costly combat in the city for reasons of personal and SS prestige, in order to regain Hitler’s favor. This study has found that the records of the SS-Panzerkorps and 4. Panzerarmee provide a different explanation for Hausser’s actions.

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Author Marilyn Martin's daughter Sara was diagnosed with Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD). Marilyn offers a comprehensive developmental profile of children with NLD and explores the controversies surrounding the condition so parents and professionals can identify learners with NLD and ensure they receive early intervention. Offering practical advice on NLD at home and at school, the book describes step by step interventions for improving a range of skills from penmanship to social acumen.'- Autism Us'Marilyn Martin's book Helping Children with Nonverbal Learning Disorder to Flourish is an exciting and essential new addition to the literature. Martin shines in her ability to match interventions to a broad range of problems and examples abound in every chapter. Clear, concise, and detailed explanations are given so that the interventions can be applied skillfully. Each intervention is presented in a terrifically useful and usable format that includes the problem, strengths available, proposed solution, how the solution can be generalized, the goal of the intervention, and a very up-to-date and helpful listing of relevant resources.'- from the Foreword by Michele Berg, Director, Center for Learning Disorders, Family Service and Guidance'Imagine getting lost in your own home, forgetting where the bathroom is at work, or being unable to operate a simple door knob. These are just some of the myriad challenges faced by individuals with a Nonverbal Learning Disability, or NLD. In Helping Children With Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities to Flourish, Marilyn Martin gives an overview of NLD and strategies for teaching individuals with this disability. Using examples of her struggles to help her daughter, who has NLD, as well as current research, she has written a book helpful for both parents and professionals. In addition to her experiences with her daughter, Martin is a Learning Specialist with more than fifteen years of experience working with students who have dyslexia, NLD, and other learning disorders. This book is a good introduction to NLD and interventions for treating it. As it gains recognition as a distinct learning disorder, interventions and informative books, like this one, will open doors, literally and figuratively, for families and individuals touched by NLD.'- Foreword ReviewsWhen you continuously cannot find the bathroom in your best friend's house, or you cannot print the letter 't' when all your friends are writing volumes, you notice, and you ask questions. So it was for Marilyn Martin's daughter, Sara, who was diagnosed with Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD).This book skilfully combines a comprehensive guide to NLD with the inspiring story of how Sara transformed herself from that young girl whose existence seemed darkened by learning difficulties into the capable young woman she is today.In Helping Children with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities to Flourish, Marilyn Martin presents a comprehensive developmental profile of children with NLD. She explores the controversies surrounding the disorder so parents and professionals can identify learners with NLD and insure they receive early intervention. Offering practical advice on NLD at home and at school, she describes step-by-step interventions for improving a range of skills from penmanship to social acumen.This book is essential reading for parents and professionals working with children with NLD.

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Buy this gorgeous, feel good and heartwarming romance for a slice of escapism to the Swiss alps! Christmas magic at the turn of a page… ‘Transports you right to the heart of the most magical Christmas – a snow covered chalet, a lovely community and a gorgeous tummy flip worthy man.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Life has gone a little bit downhill for Naomi Winters… Ever since her ex-husband Ollie filed for a divorce last Christmas, Naomi is a self-confessed scrooge. She hates her job, has exactly zero hobbies, and on top of that she’s all alone this holiday season. Spurred on by her best-friend Mia – who has invited her to spend Christmas at her snow-kissed Chateau in the Swiss Alps – she decides it’s time for change. But, when she arrives, she’s shocked to see Mia’s big brother Gabriel. It’s been fifteen years since they last saw eachother, forcing her to face memories she’d rather forget. As Naomi grapples with getting her life back on track, she throws herself into various festive activities, and she can’t seem to escape Gabriel this time… Will he manage to thaw her icy heart, or is she on a downward slope to disappointment? Escape to the Swiss Alps with this festive, feel-good novel! Full of warmth and romance, it’s perfect for fans of Lucy Coleman, Karen Swan and Katie Fforde. Readers love Christmas at the Chateau: ‘So cute that I cried along with Naomi! A lovely winter read.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The star of the book was the scenery – the soft powdery snow, the crisp pine trees, the fairy lights twinkling, the smell of the hot chocolate. I loved this book! It was gorgeous, festive and romantic.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An absolutely delightful novel, wonderful characters, glorious Swiss setting and all the trimmings of a white Christmas.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is such a lovely book, exactly the kind I need at Christmas!’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The perfect book to get lost in for a few hours and to get you feeling Christmassy! 🌲’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Perfect read for curling up on the sofa with a blanket and a decadent hot chocolate. This is definitely a winner.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A beautifully written heartwarming romance that transports you right to the heart of the most magical Christmas – a snow covered chalet, a lovely community and a gorgeous tummy flip worthy man.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A perfect piece of romantic, cosy Christmas escapism’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘As comforting as a roaring fire on a freezing cold day – not one to be missed.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘With a picturesque setting and the promise of a potential romance rekindling, this is a gorgeous second-chance love story.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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An insurance mathematician’s carefully ordered life is turned on its head when he unexpectedly loses his job and inherits an adventure park … with a whole host of problems. A quirky, tense and warmly funny thriller from award-winning Finnish author Antti Tuomainen. **Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell for Amazon Studios** 'Laconic, thrilling and warmly human. In these uncertain times, what better hero than an actuary?' Chris Brookmyre ‘The antic novels of Antti Tuomainen prove that comedy is not lost in translation … Tuomainen, like Carl Hiaasen before him, has the knack of combining slapstick with genuine emotion’ The Times 'The funniest writer in Europe, and one of the very finest. There is a beautiful rhythm and poetry to the prose … original and brilliant story-telling' Helen FitzGerald_______________ Just one spreadsheet away from chaos… What makes life perfect? Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen knows the answer because he calculates everything down to the very last decimal. And then, for the first time, Henri is faced with the incalculable. After suddenly losing his job, Henri inherits an adventure park from his brother – its peculiar employees and troubling financial problems included. The worst of the financial issues appear to originate from big loans taken from criminal quarters … and some dangerous men are very keen to get their money back. But what Henri really can’t compute is love. In the adventure park, Henri crosses paths with Laura, an artist with a chequered past, and a joie de vivre and erratic lifestyle that bewilders him. As the criminals go to extreme lengths to collect their debts and as Henri's relationship with Laura deepens, he finds himself faced with situations and emotions that simply cannot be pinned down on his spreadsheets… Warmly funny, rich with quirky characters and absurd situations, The Rabbit Factor is a triumph of a dark thriller, its tension matched only by its ability to make us rejoice in the beauty and random nature of life. _______________ ‘British readers might think they know what to expect from Nordic noir: a tortured detective, a bleak setting, a brutal crime that shakes a small community. Finnish crime novelist Tuomainen turns all of this on its head … The ear of a giant plastic rabbit becomes a key weapon. It only gets darker and funnier’ Guardian 'Antti Tuomainen turns the clichéd idea of dour, humourless Scandi noir upside down with The Rabbit Factor. Dark, gripping and hilarious … Tuomainen is the Carl Hiaasen of the fjords' Martyn Waites 'The Rabbit Factor is a triumph, a joyous, feel-good antidote to troubled times' Kevin Wignall ‘Finland's greatest export’ M.J. Arlidge ‘The Rabbit Factor is an astounding read. It has the suspenseful twists of a thriller, the laugh-out-loud moments of a comedy and a tragic dimension that brings a tear to the eye’ Crime Fiction Lover 'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times ‘Tuomainen is the funniest writer in Europe’ The Times ‘Right up there with the best’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Tuomainen continues to carve out his own niche in the chilly tundras of northern’ Daily Express

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Many English-speaking people who want to be educated try to read Dante, the 'best known, least read' of all the classical poets, and find him impossible. In my thirties I did just that: 'Where do I begin?' The library yielded a translation of 'The Divine Comedy' - a great fat epic in three volumes. Wading into the Inferno, I struggled through a couple of sections and decided this wasn't for me. Too gloomy, too stilted, too difficult to grasp - and above all - too many words. I gave up almost at once. I cannot be the only one who as a result of that kind of experience thinks the work of this great Master is exclusively about Hell. 'Dante? - oh, you mean Dante's Inferno!' they say. NO! That's not it. There's far, far more. Dante wrote in Italian in order to reach ordinary people who, like me, needed the story itself. He wrote in the vernacular about the famous of the time - well-known entertainers and politicians, poets and artists, churchmen and musicians, the great and the awful. He wanted to be understood by everyone, including those not too well-versed in Latin. 'What a story this is,' I thought, when finally I was properly introduced to it. 'Why don't we all know this story? Dante is so warm-hearted, so exciting, so full of hope and humour, justice and joy - but, like me, my friends hardly ever get into Hell, let alone out of it and on.' My aim is to tell Dante's story in the way I remember it - not primarily for its history, or its theology, or even its most gracious poetry, but for the unfolding journey he made through those amazing landscapes. It was all in his imagination, yet so vividly brought to life in his poem that irresistibly it invites us to accompany him on a life-changing, life-saving adventure of our own. The tale begins when, depressed and lost in a Dark Wood, Dante meets Virgil, his hero among much earlier poets. At the request of Beatrice - his great love, now in Heaven - Virgil has come from Limbo to guide him on a huge journey. Sure enough, they start by going down through Hell; but they emerge, ascend the Mountain of Purgatory through many adventures, and rise to the threshold of Paradise. There, human knowledge fails and Virgil leaves him. Meeting people all the way, he flies on into Heaven with Beatrice, and up through the stars to God. I hope that by travelling with him, we too may come to find in the poetry something of the depth of the vision. I hope we may come to love Dante as a person, with all his directness, his immense compassion for those he meets on the way, and his chuckling ability to laugh at himself. I hope we shall rejoice that his passion for Beatrice, who leads him through Heaven, is at last so blissfully fulfilled in the divine. May our own landscape of the mind be enhanced - even transformed - by the journey.

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This revised second edition presents 15 years of data on Virtual Distance metrics and their predictive impact on organizational success factors shedding new light on how to correct for communication challenges that often show up as a foggy set of digital disconnects where the vitality of the virtual workforce often gets lost in transmission. This still-evolving Digital Age conundrum continues to present new complications. The rise of remote work which rests on an increasing reliance on electronic communication and the overall growth of virtual interactions has led to the escalation of a phenomenon called Virtual Distance. Virtual Distance, which influences our behavior through three components Physical Distance, Operational Distance, and Affinity Distance affects not only how we relate to others thousands of miles away but even to co-workers sitting right next to each other! Perhaps even more problematic, Virtual Distance causes measureable malfunctions in teamwork, innovation, leader effectiveness and overall performance. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The Power of Virtual Distance offers specific, proven and predictable solutions that can reverse these trends and turn Virtual Distance into a unification strategy to capture untapped competitive advantage. Surprised? The Power of Virtual Distance, 2nd Edition is a must-read for leadership who want to understand the true and quantifiable costs of the virtual workplace. For the first time ever, readers can take the guesswork out of managing the virtual workforce by applying a mathematical approach derived from the extensive Virtual Distance data set: The Virtual Distance Ratio. The Virtual Distance Ratio can precisely pinpoint the particular impacts of Virtual Distance on the organization’s critical success factors. Beyond business metrics, Virtual Distance solutions also detail ways to restore meaningfulness and well-being into people’s experience of work, enhancing life lived in the Digital Age. The Power of Virtual Distance reveals an updated set of data, including the first award-winning analysis, collected from an extended range of executives to individual contributors, that represent situations and solutions in more than 36 industries in 55 countries across the globe. Readers will get a “first look” at the data and its revelations on how to be less isolated and more integrated. Helping managers globally, this book: Offers new, real-world case studies and a chance for readers to participate in thought experiments to help with personal performance, group synergy and by extension, relationship dynamics of all kinds Demonstrates (with statistically significant trend analyses) that Virtual Distance is growing at exponential rates in every corner of communities worldwide Offers expert advice on how to manage the “unintended human consequences” of today’s digital technologies Companies that successfully harness the power of Virtual Distance demonstrate better performance. The second edition of The Power of Virtual Distance is a valuable, one-of-a-kind resource for everyone – from the C-suite to human resource professionals; from divisional leaders to project managers. Everyone in the organization can benefit by discovering how to improve financials, innovation, trust, employee engagement, satisfaction, organizational citizenship and other key performance indicators. And perhaps best of all, by following the prescriptions on how to reduce Virtual Distance, the entire workforce will have the tools they need to bring about a revival of meaning, purpose and an enlivened sense of “humanhood” back into everyday work and everyday life.

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Jacqui Burnett wants to kill her father. At the age of 16. With a gun. The setting: apartheid South Africa in the 1970s and 80s. The mood: the apparent bliss and harmony of white conservative Christian life. Driven to extremes by her father’s criminal schemes and corrosive emotional abuse, Jacqui barely survives the first part of this turbulent memoir, as near-death experiences lacerate the pages with suicide attempts, a death-defying car accident, an illegal abortion, and that near-patricide episode… to name just a few. At this point, Jacqui is only 18. This is truth stranger than fiction and it’s only the beginning of her journey… Part one is dedicated to her father and tells the visceral, switchback story of the twisted father-daughter relationship that formed her character, fuelled by her first 26 years in his thrall. Part two switches settings as we find Jacqui in her mid-40s travelling across America, searching for answers. Perhaps surprisingly, this section is dedicated to her mother, the woman who turned a blind eye while supporting the tyrant she remained married to – all his life. The opening chapter drops Jacqui at 11 300 feet in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Having achieved material success, Jacqui remains dogged by unresolved anger and co-dependency - damaged by her history, despite a bucket load of therapy. Trying to make sense of her life after a decade-long legal battle against the giant multinational accounting firm, Deloitte, which against all odds she wins, she now faces a failing marriage and a ninth near-death experience: Jacqui is lost in a snowstorm. Cue her rebound romance, with a man who at first appears to be her soulmate on a white horse come to rescue her. By the end of part two, however, the reader and Jacqui’s close friend Amanda are on the same page: this man is ultimately an unavailable emotional fool. Finally, in part three, after an avalanche of events strips Jacqui of everything she values, Jacqui learns to put herself first, to tell her story of survival through the prism of self-love and its potential for self-regeneration. In essence, Life’s Not Yoga is about self-discovery and self-recovery. Of course, every twelve-step program shares a similar tale of a shattering life journey (parts one and two) where the wounded soul is guided to recovery (part three). So how is this memoir different? While the themes are universal, the dialogue is cracking, coupled with Jacqui’s unapologetic authentic voice and her hard-won belief in discovering her own path to a Higher Power. This combination makes for compelling storytelling. On one level it’s a tale of looking for love in all the wrong places, but on a deeper level, it’s a story of how adversity viewed through the lens of insight and wisdom lead to hope and redemption. To get to this point – to quote Laurie Hertzel – requires ‘a certain plumbing of the soul’, at which Jacqui Burnett excels. It’s a tumultuous, terrifying, frustrating but finally redemptive journey as she struggles to uncover the heroine within. The miracle is that she comes out the other side alive and – more than that – willing to use her life story to inspire others to survive and flourish. This is a book that will attract readers well beyond her already 40 000-strong online following. Compulsory reading for all of us living through challenging relationships with parents, partners, families, colleagues, our histories and ourselves. That would be all of us, then. (Written by Giles Griffin)

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Insurance mathematician Henri has his life under control, when a man from the past appears and a shady trio take over the adventure park’s equipment supply company … Things are messier than ever in the absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly tense second instalment in Antti Tuomainen’s bestselling series… ‘In these uncertain times, what better hero than an actuary?' Chris Brookmyre ‘One of those rare writers who manages to deftly balance intrigue, noir and a deliciously ironic sense of humour … a delight’ Vaseem Khan ‘What a book! Antti has managed to put the fun into funerals and take it out of fun fairs in a gripping nail-biter … a thrilling and hilarious read’ Liz Nugent**Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell** _______________________________ Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen has finally restored order both to his life and to YouMeFun, the adventure park he now owns, when a man from the past appears – and turns everything upside down again. More problems arise when the park’s equipment supplier is taken over by a shady trio, with confusing demands. Why won’t Toy of Finland Ltd sell the new Moose Chute to Henri when he needs it as the park’s main attraction? Meanwhile, Henri’s relationship with artist Laura has reached breaking point, and, in order to survive this new chaotic world, he must push every calculation to its limits, before it’s too late… Absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly poignant and full of nail-biting suspense, The Moose Paradox is the second instalment in the critically acclaimed, pitch-perfect Rabbit Factor Trilogy and things are messier than ever… ________________________________ ‘Finnish crime maestro Antti Tuomainen is unique in the Scandi-crime genre, infusing his crime narratives with the darkest humour … [his] often hilarious, chaotic narrative never vitiates the novel’s nicely tuned tension’ Financial Times ‘Enter hitmen, serendipity, offbeat comedy and the reappearance of literally the last person Henri expects to see … unlike anything else out there’ The Times ‘A thriller with black comedy worthy of Nabokov’ Telegraph Book of the YearPraise for The Rabbit Factor Trilogy**Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger** **Shortlisted for the Last Laugh Award** ‘The antic novels of Antti Tuomainen prove that comedy is not lost in translation … Tuomainen, like Carl Hiaasen before him, has the knack of combining slapstick with genuine emotion’ The Times 'The funniest writer in Europe, and one of the very finest … original and brilliant story-telling' Helen FitzGerald ‘British readers might think they know what to expect from Nordic noir: a tortured detective, a bleak setting, a brutal crime that shakes a small community. Finnish crime novelist Tuomainen turns all of this on its head … The ear of a giant plastic rabbit becomes a key weapon. It only gets darker and funnier’ Guardian ‘Dark, gripping and hilarious … Tuomainen is the Carl Hiaasen of the fjords' Martyn Waites ‘A triumph, a joyous, feel-good antidote to troubled times' Kevin Wignall ‘Finland's greatest export’ M.J. Arlidge 'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times ‘Tuomainen is the funniest writer in Europe’ The Times ‘Right up there with the best’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Tuomainen continues to carve out his own niche in the chilly tundras of northern’ Daily Expres

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A new full cast adventure for the Eighth Doctor. The Doctor's past is catching up with him. And so is his future...As a dark chapter dawns for the universe, a friend is at hand. But how can River Song help the Doctor if she can't meet him? 2.1 BEACHHEAD by Nicholas Briggs. In an attempt to recharge his batteries after his confrontation with the Eleven, the Doctor takes Liv and Helen to the sleepy English seaside village of Stegmoor. But they find the village in turmoil and, to make matters worse, their arrival uncovers a mystery from the Doctor's past which threatens the future safety of the planet. Can the Doctor prevent the Voord from invading Earth? And more importantly why have they come in the first place? 2.2 SCENES FROM HER LIFE by John Dorney. Investigating the appearance of the Voord on Earth, the Doctor, Liv and Helen follow a trail which takes them to the other side of the universe. There they discover a mysterious and almost deserted gothic city lost in space and time, in which the grotesque inhabitants are conducting a vile and inhumane experiment.The Doctor and his companions must hurry to save the lives of those in danger before the experiment is a success and the unimaginable consequences become all too real. 2.3 THE GIFT by Marc Platt. The TARDIS deposits its crew on Earth in San Francisco, 1906. There they find an actor-manager desperate to stage his definitive production of King Lear. But a real storm is headed their way when he becomes the possessor of a mysterious psychic 'Gift' which is hungry for power and intent on wreaking havoc and destruction. But exposure to so much psychic activity has the Doctor becoming increasingly erratic. Can he battle his demons and save the world? 2.4 THE SONOMANCER by Matt Fitton. On the other side of the galaxy a mining company is exploiting the already unstable planet of Syra for every precious mineral it contains. River Song is attempting to save the native people. She needs the Doctor's help, but she also knows he mustn't yet discover her true identity. The final confrontation sees the Doctor once again face his enemy the Eleven in an attempt to prevent the destruction of Syra and the genocide of its inhabitants.Fullerlove (Yeva), John Banks (Galactic Heritage) and Mark Bonnar as The Eleven. Doctor Who - Doom Coalition is a follow-up to Big Finish's Dark Eyes series - the first of which received the Best Online Drama at the 2014 BBC Drama Awards.British TV and Hollywood star Paul McGann returns to his hugely popular portrayal of the Doctor (as seen on BBC TV in 2013's Night of the Doctor).Hattie Morahan has now appeared opposite two British fictional greats - the Doctor here, and Sherlock Holmes in 2015's film Mr Holmes with Sir Ian McKellen and Nicola Walker was one of the longest serving actresses in BBC's Spooks series.CAST: Paul McGann (The Doctor), Alex Kingston (River Song), Nicola Walker (Liv Chenka), Hattie Morahan (Helen Sinclair), Rebecca Night (Matilda Gregson), Julia Hills (Phillipa Gregson/Dispatch), Kirsty Besterman (Ishtek), Andrew Dickens (Voord Guard), Emma Cunniffe (Caleera), Vincent Franklin (Lord Stormblood), Jacqueline King (Lady Sepulchra), Hamish Clark (Swordfish), James Jordan (Charles Virgil McLean), Paul Marc Davis (Pepe Gonzalez), Cory English (Sam Sonora), Laura Harding (Ethel Halliday), Enzo Squillino Jnr (Aldo Deluca), Derek Ezenagu (Ruslan), Janet Fullerlove (Yeva), John Banks (Galactic Heritage) and Mark Bonnar as The Eleven.

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Avalon was thriving. The cold sleep colonists from Earth had settled on a verdant, livable world. The fast and cunning predators humans named "grendels" were under control, and the mainland outposts well established. Avalon's new mainland hydroelectric power station was nearly complete, and when on-line would compensate for the nuclear power systems lost in the Grendel Wars. Humans would have power, and with power came the ability to make all the necessities for life. They would survive. They would not survive as a spacefaring people. What they were losing faster than they knew was the ability to get to space. But unbeknownst to the planet-bound humans, something was moving out there in the stars, decelerating at a rate impossible for a natural object. And its destination was Avalon. The most probable origin was Earth's Solar System. This is a novel of first contact—between the human Starborn and the self-named Godsons who followed on, between the first generation of Avalon born humans and their descendants, and between humans and the almost ineffably alien species native to their new world.... About prequel The Legacy of Heorot: "Page-turning action and suspense, good characterization and convincing setting . . . may be the best thing any of those authors has written.”—The Denver Post “Outstanding! …The best ever, by the best in the field . . . the ultimate combination of imagination and realism.”—Tom Clancy “Well written, action-packed, and tension filled … makes Aliens look like a Disney nature film."—The Washington Post “Spine-tingling ecological tale of terror.”—Locus About prequel Beowulf's Children: "Few writers have a finer pedigree than those here . . . As one might suspect, Beowulf's Children is seamless . . . absorbing, substantial . . . masterful novel."—Los Angeles Times "Panoramic SF adventure at its best."—Library Journal About Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle: "Possibly the greatest science fiction novel I have ever read."—Robert A. Heinlein on The Mote in God's Eye About Larry Niven: “Larry Niven’s Ringworld remains one of the all-time classic travelogues of science fiction — a new and amazing world and fantastic companions.”—Greg Bear "Our premier hard SF writer.”—The Baltimore Sun "The scope of Larry Niven's work is so vast that only a writer of supreme talent could disguise the fact as well as he can."—Tom Clancy "Niven is a true master."—Frederik Pohl About Jerry Pournelle: "Jerry Pournelle is one of science fiction's greatest storytellers."—Poul Anderson "Jerry Pournelle's trademark is first-rate action against well-realized backgrounds of hard science and hardball politics."—David Drake "Rousing. . . . The Best of the Genre"—The New York Times "On the cover . . . is the claim 'No. 1 Adventure Novel of the Year.' And well it might be."—Milwaukee Journal on Janissaries About Steven Barnes: “Brilliant, surprising, and devastating.”—David Mack “Sharp, observant and scary.”—Greg Bear "Profound and exhilarating."—Maurice Broaddus, author of The Knights of Breton Court “Barnes gives us characters that are vividly real people, conceived with insight and portrayed with compassion and rare skill?and then he stokes the suspense up to levels that will make the reader miss sleep and be late for work.”—Tim Powers “[Barnes] combines imagination, anthropology and beautiful storytelling as he takes readers to the foot of the Great Mountain, today known as Mount Kilimanjaro.”—Durham Triangle Tribune on Great Sky Woman

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Insurance mathematician Henri has his life under control, when a man from the past appears and a shady trio take over the adventure park’s equipment supply company. Things are messier than ever in the absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly tense second instalment in Antti Tuomainen’s bestselling series. ‘In these uncertain times, what better hero than an actuary?' Chris Brookmyre ‘One of those rare writers who manages to deftly balance intrigue, noir and a deliciously ironic sense of humour … a delight’ Vaseem Khan ‘What a book! Antti has managed to put the fun into funerals and take it out of fun fairs in a gripping nail-biter … a thrilling and hilarious read’ Liz Nugent**Soon to be a major motion picture starring Steve Carell** _______________________________ Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen has finally restored order both to his life and to YouMeFun, the adventure park he now owns, when a man from the past appears – and turns everything upside down again. More problems arise when the park’s equipment supplier is taken over by a shady trio, with confusing demands. Why won’t Toy of Finland Ltd sell the new Moose Chute to Henri when he needs it as the park’s main attraction? Meanwhile, Henri’s relationship with artist Laura has reached breaking point, and, in order to survive this new chaotic world, he must push every calculation to its limits, before it’s too late… Absurdly funny, heart-stoppingly poignant and full of nail-biting suspense, The Moose Paradox is the second instalment in the critically acclaimed, pitch-perfect Rabbit Factor Trilogy and things are messier than ever… ________________________________ ‘Finnish crime maestro Antti Tuomainen is unique in the Scandi-crime genre, infusing his crime narratives with the darkest humour … [his] often hilarious, chaotic narrative never vitiates the novel’s nicely tuned tension’ Financial Times ‘Enter hitmen, serendipity, offbeat comedy and the reappearance of literally the last person Henri expects to see … unlike anything else out there’ The Times ‘A thriller with black comedy worthy of Nabokov’ Telegraph Book of the YearPraise for The Rabbit Factor Trilogy**Shortlisted for the CWA Crime in Translation Dagger** **Shortlisted for the Last Laugh Award** ‘The antic novels of Antti Tuomainen prove that comedy is not lost in translation … Tuomainen, like Carl Hiaasen before him, has the knack of combining slapstick with genuine emotion’ The Times 'The funniest writer in Europe, and one of the very finest … original and brilliant story-telling' Helen FitzGerald ‘British readers might think they know what to expect from Nordic noir: a tortured detective, a bleak setting, a brutal crime that shakes a small community. Finnish crime novelist Tuomainen turns all of this on its head … The ear of a giant plastic rabbit becomes a key weapon. It only gets darker and funnier’ Guardian ‘Dark, gripping and hilarious … Tuomainen is the Carl Hiaasen of the fjords' Martyn Waites ‘A triumph, a joyous, feel-good antidote to troubled times' Kevin Wignall ‘Finland's greatest export’ M.J. Arlidge 'You don’t expect to laugh when you’re reading about terrible crimes, but that’s what you’ll do when you pick up one of Tuomainen’s decidedly quirky thrillers' New York Times ‘Tuomainen is the funniest writer in Europe’ The Times ‘Right up there with the best’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Tuomainen continues to carve out his own niche in the chilly tundras of northern’ Daily Express

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"MOONRAY is gloriously epic, exploding scifi fantasy world daydreams in every wonderful way! I can't think of anything I've enjoyed more in recent memory!" -Michael Allred: Madman, Silver Surfer, Bowie: Stardust, Rayguns and Moonage Daydreams, Red Rocket 7, Superman: Space Age "Moonray is a deeply personal work built on top of a licensed property, that provides a stunning meta-mythical framework for how to live happily in 21st century." — Carson Grubaugh, The Strange Death of Alex Raymond, The Abolition of Man “Moonray is a heady rich stew of psychedelic science fiction, my favorite kind. And in the skillful hands of Brandon Graham and Xurxo Penalta, it’s served with an unsettling ease in every bite. The perplexing becomes the flavors. It’s joyful to get lost in it.” — J H Williams III, Echolands, Batwoman, The Sandman Overture, Promethea In a post-human world, the man of miium is born. Created to avenge a slain goddess, our nameless warrior travels an unrecognizable landscape, constantly evolving with new wonders and terrors: Zanikam pirates, deadly reflections, a living bridge, and a red tear in the sky. Written and drawn by Eisner-award-winning author and artist Brandon Graham (PROPHET, KING CITY, RAIN LIKE HAMMERS), and featuring artist Xurxo G. Penalta, Moonray presents a mind-altering new dawn for a distant sci-fi future unlike any other. This bold graphic odyssey births the Moonray universe, from comic book to video game and beyond. Moonray is a daring experiment in world-building, a true graphic epic that began in a truly unusual way. Moonray the graphic novel series shares its name and characters with a surreal 3rd-person multiplayer battle arena game set in a fantastical sci-fi world. Featuring intense combat, stunning visuals, and a world-class soundtrack, Moonray the game has been in development by the independent game developers Moonray PBC since 2019, and will be available publicly in an arena-combat form this fall of 2023. But Moonray was written and drawn almost entirely in reverse of the normal process of a video game “tie-in” book. Rather than developing a book based on a game, the game team is developing a game based on Graham's work. In Moonray Book One, Graham leverages his narrative freedom to create a story of untethered exploration, of naivete and determination, a graphic novel as gentle as it is thrilling. Brandon Graham was born in 1976, the grandson of pin-up artist Bill Randall. He grew up in Seattle around a lot of graffiti and comics from all over the word. His books include KING CITY, MULTIPLE WARHEADS, PROPHET, ROYALBOILER, and RAIN LIKE HAMMERS. Xurxo G Penalta is a Galician artist who’s collaborated with Brandon on KIEM and PROPHET. He's been published by Image, Dark Horse, IDW, Marvel, and illustrated for multiple music labels and live events. He focuses on science fiction and fantasy artwork in the European clear line style, with late 70s and 80s influences from comics, animation and film. Graham was born in 1976, the grandson of pin-up artist Bill Randall. He grew up in Seattle around a lot of graffiti and comics from all over the word. His books include KING CITY, MULTIPLE WARHEADS, PROPHET, ROYALBOILER, and RAIN LIKE HAMMERS. Xurxo G Penalta is a Galician artist who’s collaborated with Brandon on KIEM and PROPHET. He's been published by Image, Dark Horse, IDW, Marvel, and illustrated for multiple music labels and live events. He focuses on science fiction and fantasy artwork in the European clear line style, with late 70s and 80s influences from comics, animation and film.

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