502 record(s) found
*SHARPE'S STORM, the brand new novel in the global bestselling series, is available to pre-order now* Spain, June 1812 In the beautiful city of Salamanca, Captain Richard Sharpe must hunt down and safeguard Britain's most valuable spy, 'El Mirador', before he's silenced by France's deadliest assassin – even at the risk of his own life. In the shadowy world of Salamanca's high society, where secrecy blurs the lines between friend and foe, it seems that other figures are out to destroy the British. Whilst outside the city's walls, the armies gather for one of the biggest battles of the war – and risking everything for victory, even betraying one he loves, is Sharpe . . . 'A master storyteller' DAILY TELEGRAPH.
'Glorious fun, packed with puzzles and twists. An absolute riot' Tom Mead, author of The Murder Wheel A gripping new mystery featuring Detective Tess Fox and her con-artist sister Sarah Jacobs. Members of the Lewes Bonfire Society would say afterwards that the event would have been a huge success that year, if it hadn't been for the dead body... When the charred remains of MP Rupert Millington are found inside a burning effigy, no one knows how they got there, but there are plenty of rumours about whodunnit. The lead suspect wants Detective Tess Fox and her con-artist sister Sarah Jacobs to help clear her name. She says she's being framed, but surely there is no smoke without fire. The heat is on when a second victim is killed in a locked room while Tess and Sarah are in the building. Can the duo solve this puzzling mystery and find the real killer before they strike again? Praise for J.L. Blackhurst 'A tasty whodunnit' The Sun 'One of the few authors where the twists leave me speechless' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A real puzzle box of a story' J.M. Hall, author of A Spoonful of Murder 'Incredibly ingenious' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Twisty, tricksy and whip-smart ... crackles with tension and humour' Marion Todd, author of the Detective Clare Mackay series 'From the first sentence to the end I was hooked' Reader review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.
Praise for the DS Rick Turner series 'A compulsive thriller' Ann Cleeves 'A terrifically tense sequel!' Daniel Sellers Justice is served As criminal gangs rampage unchecked across London, a secretive elite squad begins a campaign of action, delivering the guilty to the cops – along with all the evidence they need for a conviction. Lines are drawn But when innocent people are shot after the vigilante crew blunders into a major police operation – Detective Rick Turner among the unintended victims – it's clear they must be stopped. Rick's brother Sam might be able to help, but he's a fugitive from the law himself, on nobody's side but his own. In too deep As Sam and Rick are drawn into a vast criminal web, allegiances are tested to the limit. mistrusted by his bosses, and targeted by a deadly enemy out for revenge, Rick must decide where his true loyalties lie. Perfect for fans of Gytha Lodge, Michael Wood and Matt Brolly. Readers LOVE Detective Rick Turner 'So many twists and surprises' reader reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I read it in one sitting' reader reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Ticked all the boxes for a great thriller' reader reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Had me gripped' reader reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.
Million-copy bestseller David Walliams' funniest book yet – a laugh-out-loud tale of the most blundering and lovable family in history Meet the Blunders: Bertie, Betsy, their children, Brutus and Bunny, along with their beloved grandma Old Lady Blunder, and their pet ostrich, Cedric. An ostrich is not a sensible pet, but then the Blunders are not sensible people. This family of upper-class twits lives in a crumbling country house named Blunder Hall. When their home comes under threat, they must embark on a series of comic misadventures to save it. Absurd and hilarious, The Blunders is David Walliams' funniest book yet. A laugh-out-loud tale of the most blundering and lovable family in history. David Walliams was most recently Children's number one bestseller with The World's Worst Monsters (TCM Chart, 22 August 2023).Credit: 'Classical music – Audio Network'
Tom Palmer celebrates the unsung athletic heroes of the Armistice in a powerful intergenerational tale of the fell-running messengers on the front-line of war. Lily has lots of worries. She's struggling to compete in her fell-running races and, worse, she's losing her gran to Alzheimer's. But then she discovers her great-great-grandfather's diaries from the First World War. Could his incredible story of bravery help her reconnect with her gran and even give her the inspiration she needs to push through and win?.
On 6 June 1944, Emile Corteil parachuted into France with his dog, Glen – and Jack is determined to discover their fate ... Master storyteller Tom Palmer returns with a touching celebration of the heroic paratroopers of WWII and their parachuting canine companions. Jack can't wait for the school trip to the D-Day landing beaches. It's his chance to learn more about the war heroes he has always admired – brave men like his dad, who is a reserve soldier. But when his dad is called up to action and things at home spiral out of control, everything Jack believes about war is thrown into question. Finding comfort only in the presence of his loyal dog, Finn, Jack is drawn to the heart-wrenching true story of one particular D-Day paratrooper. On 6 June 1944, Emile Corteil parachuted into France with his dog, Glen – and Jack is determined to discover their fate ...
'Cozy and thrilling!' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ NetGalley reviewer One new owner. One hot barista. And one seriously weird coffee shop... Adele is down on her luck. She's just failed her last musical theatre, and it now looks like the bright lights of Broadway are behind her for good. So, when the opportunity comes up to take over a Brooklyn coffee shop, finally it feels like at last things are going her way. The only issue is the coffee shop comes with strings attached in the form of one very grumpy (but roasting hot) barista, Ben. He's worked there for years and he's not about to move on just because there's a new owner in town. But soon it's not only Ben who's smouldering, because strange things are happening with the old coffee roasting machine in the basement, with roaring flames and weird noises that seem to come from nowhere. She'd ask Ben for help, but he never seems to be around when there's a problem to fix. And to add to it all, now some of the regular customers are nowhere to be seen... Trouble is brewing for Adele and, before she knows it, she's in a whole latte trouble... Readers are loving this coffee shop: 'What a fun, if slightly terrifying, five-star read' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ NetGalley reviewer 'Read this book for a rest and a laugh' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ NetGalley reviewer 'Heartwarming, cozy and thrilling. I was captivated from start to finish and absolutely adored this enchanting, fun-filled adventure.' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ NetGalley reviewer.
Kehinde must put everything on the line to find herself during a time of war. Lagos, 1939 With the announcement of World War Two and a change that sends shockwaves through her family, Kehinde is forced to put aside her dreams of writing and become the third wife of Mr Ogunjobi. Kehinde makes her peace by selling snacks at a small market. When she gets the chance to assist the leader of the Lagos Women's Market Association, fighting for the rights the British are trying to take away, Kehinde finally feels useful again. But if her husband finds out he'll abandon her. Can Kehinde find the courage to fight for herself and the other women of Lagos? Or will she remain a caged bird, a parlour wife, forever. A poignant story of a young Nigerian woman, living with the consequences of a war her country didn't choose. Praise for The Parlour Wife: '1940's Nigeria as you've rarely seen it ... Kehinde's journey to discovering her own voice, and ultimately her own autonomy, will resonate with many. A delightful debut!' Chioma Okereke, author of Water Baby 'A delightful and evocative journey that starts in the heart of a young woman in Lagos whose destiny is threatened when the clouds of family and societal expectations, thesecond World War and the new wave of change sweeping West Africa make their impact on her life and choices' Ola Awonubi, author of A Nurse's Tale 'We all studied WW2, but Nigeria's role, as a British colony, doesn't feature in many books. Agbage corrects this in her poignant debut. I rooted for feisty Kehinde from the get-go. It's not easy to be a feminist when you're a third wife and destined for the parlour – her courage was wonderfully written' Nikki May, author of Wahala and This Motherless Land 'Written in a warm, compassionate voice, Foluso Agbaje's The Parlour Wife is a harmonious marriage of historical events and memorable characters' Sefi Atta, author of The Bad Immigrant.
Sometimes I can almost remember what it was like before— I was about God's business— But I cannot even write my own story. THE TOWN OF WEM, SHROPSHIRE 1643 Civil war is ripping England apart. Families are divided, emotions run high. Whether on the bleakness of the moors or in snug, wood-panelled rooms, danger lurks. A body is found, its mouth pierced with thorns. The Justice of the Peace, a godly man, is certain that witchcraft is involved. Only his assistant, former cavalryman John Carne, looks for reason where others see demons and witches. But John has secrets of his own – secrets that concern his cold and distant wife. And it's not long before the darkness that has engulfed Wem grows darker still...
FROM THE GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING 'Ingenious' THE TIMES, Book of the Month 'A triumph... a brilliant idea carried out with confidence and brio and a deep love of an extraordinary city. The ingenuity of the time-skipping is beyond admiration' PHILIP PULLMAN 'Spellbinding.... Chevalier at her fabulous best. A rich, vivid and gently enchanting novel' ELIF SHAFAK Venice, 1486. Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here – like the glass the island's maestros spend their lives learning to handle. Women are not meant to work with glass, but Orsola Rosso flouts convention to save her family from ruin. She works in secret, knowing her creations must be perfect to be accepted by men. But perfection may take a lifetime. Skipping like a stone through the centuries, we follow Orsola as she hones her craft through war and plague, tragedy and triumph, love and loss. The beads she creates will adorn the necks of empresses and courtesans from Paris to Vienna – but will she ever earn the respect of those closest to her? Tracy Chevalier is a master of her own craft, and The Glassmaker is vivid, inventive, spellbinding: a virtuoso portrait of a woman, a family and a city that are as everlasting as their glass.
"Brilliantly imagined in its harrowing account of the Chernobyl disaster and exhilarating in its sweep, All That Is Solid Melts into Air is a debut to rattle all the windows and open up the ventricles of the heart. . . . The book is daring, exhilarating, generous and beautifully written." — Colum McCann A brilliant and gripping novel set against the tragedy of Chernobyl and the way in which the lives of its survivors were forever changed in its wake. Part historical epic, part love story, it recalls The English Patient in its mix of emotional intimacy and sweeping landscape. Russia, 1986. On a run-down apartment block in Moscow, a nine-year-old prodigy plays his piano silently for fear of disturbing the neighbors. In a factory on the outskirts of the city, his aunt makes car parts, hiding her dissident past. In a nearby hospital, a surgeon immerses himself in his work, avoiding his failed marriage. And in a village in Belarus, a teenage boy wakes to a sky of the deepest crimson. Outside, the ears of his neighbor's cattle are dripping blood. Ten miles away, at the Chernobyl Power Plant, something unimaginable has happened. Now their lives will change forever. An end-of-empire novel charting the collapse of the Soviet Union, All That Is Solid Melts into Air is a riveting and epic love story by a major new talent.
A razor-sharp literary thriller about three women vying for power at a wellness startup, where the cost of ambition might be deadly One woman's elixir is another woman's poison Rhoda West is Silicon Valley's favorite female CEO: the luminously charismatic founder of the fast-growing startup Radical, a wellness company whose core mission is the betterment of women's lives. Rhoda's Instagram page offers intimate glimpses of her personal life alongside promotions for the cult-status products developed in the Well, Radical's secretive lab. Dani Lang is a "quester," as Rhoda calls her most avid followers. Dani found Radical at a low point in her life, and took an entry level job just to get in the door. When she volunteers to test a controversial new supplement, Dani wins an opportunity to rise in the company, even to work with Rhoda herself. Cecelia Cole is a "quasher." She grinds away at the Customer Worship queue, resenting the entitled customers, the woo-woo Radical jargon, and Rhoda's smiling hypocrisy. Cecelia, who suffers from a miserable chronic illness, knows that the remedies Rhoda sells can't cure real sickness. Just as Rhoda announces another fundraising round that could turn Radical into a billion-dollar unicorn, an anonymous Twitter account begins spilling snarky gossip from inside the startup. Is Rhoda really the nurturing leader she presents to the world, or a fraud? Or is this just another case of a woman in business being punished for her strength and audacity? Tensions rise and loyalties clash, then tragedy strikes during a company party. In the aftermath of what looks more and more like a crime, even the most faithful questers begin to wonder to what lengths Rhoda will go to protect her company. Part page-turning suspense, part darkly comic skewering of startup culture, Snake Oil is a gripping exploration of ambition and authenticity, shining a revealing light on the wellness world.
Erin Hunter's #1 bestselling Warriors series continues! Discover more epic adventure in this fourth book in the Starless Clan arc. Frostpaw was told to trust no cat, but a brutal attack has left her gravely injured, and she'll need to depend on someone. When help arrives in the form of a young warrior, she convinces him to protect her as she follows StarClan's cryptic directions toward the roots of RiverClan, where Riverstar has promised she'll find the answers she's been so desperately seeking. Back at the lake, the tension between ShadowClan and its neighbors might be easing, but the peace is fragile. Until StarClan's chosen leader is found, the slightest push could lead the Clans back into outright war. Packed with action and intrigue, this seventh Warriors series is a perfect introduction for new readers, while long-time fans will be thrilled to discover what unfolds after the events of The Broken Code.
Erin Hunter's #1 bestselling Warriors series continues! Discover more epic adventure in this fifth book in the Starless Clan arc. Frostpaw has returned to the lake just in time to reveal all she knows at the Gathering—but the Clans are reluctant to believe an apprentice who's already admitted to lying about her visions in the past, and she is forced to take refuge in ShadowClan as Splashtail seizes control of her home. While the other Clan leaders debate whether to interfere any further in RiverClan affairs, Nightheart has his paws full teaching Clan ways to the two park cats who followed him home, and Sunbeam's efforts to fit in as the newest member of ThunderClan are hampered by her concerns for her mother, who is paying for her treachery with exile and illness. As Berryheart's schemes take an alarming new turn—and Splashtail's ambitions turn toward violence—a few cats' efforts may not be enough to preserve the peace.
The shocking true-crime story of a U.S. Border Patrol agent turned serial killer, the four sex workers whom he mercilessly killed, and the upended border town of Laredo where his heinous crimes occurred. Twelve days is all it took. Melissa Ramirez, Claudine Anne Luera, Guiselda Hernandez, and Janelle Ortiz were four marginalized women striving to make ends meet as sex workers. They looked out for one another. But they would soon share a connection that none of them could have imagined. When Melissa was found dead, the other three women were on edge but assumed they were safe. Twelve days later, they too were dead and police had detained an unlikely suspect—Juan David Ortiz, a ten-year veteran of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where he carried a badge, a service revolver, and was entrusted to protect the community in which he eventually killed. From September 3 through September 15, 2018, Ortiz, a husband and doting father to three children, lured his victims into his white Dodge truck and drove them to the outskirts of town where he violently executed them, leaving them dead or dying on the sides of dark, rural roads. In this fast-paced, electrifying tick-tock, Pulitzer Prize–winning USA TODAY journalist Rick Jervis tells the gripping story of the four murders that shook the small border town of Laredo, and the quest to unmask a cold, calculated killer who was hiding in plain sight. The Devil Behind the Badge is also a deeply human portrait of the four lives lost and an attempt to uncover what motivated Ortiz's descent into darkness. Along the way, it raises serious questions about the border crisis, the abuse of law enforcement, and the challenges of a federal agency to police its own ranks. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
From Moon Unit Zappa, the daughter of musical visionary Frank Zappa, comes a memoir of growing up in her unconventional household in 1970s Los Angeles, coming of age in the Hollywood Hills in the 1980s as the "Valley Girl," gaining momentum as an accidental VJ on a new network called MTV, and finding herself after losing her father, then her mother, and the testing of her most important relationships. How can you navigate life as the "normal" child of an extraordinary creative? What is it like to live in a hothouse of individuality that on one hand fosters freedom of expression, and on the other tamps down the basic desires of a child for boundaries and affection? Should you call your parents Frank and Gail from birth? For Moon Unit Zappa, processing a life so punctuated by the whims of genius, the tastes of popular culture, the calculus of celebrity, and the nature of love, was at times eviscerating, at times illuminating—but mostly deeply confusing. Yes, this is a book about growing up in the shadow of Frank Zappa. Moon and her family were a source of constant curiosity, for their unique names and for their father's reputation as a musical savant and fierce protector of the First Amendment, even though he was never a commercial success. Searching for her own path, first as her father's inadvertent musical collaborator and public sidekick with their surprise mega radio hit, then as an actress, an artist, a spiritual person, a wife and mother, Moon Unit calculates ever-changing equations of fame, family, death and ultimately legacy when dealt the shocking news that Gail's will established an unequal distribution among the remaining, tight-knit Zappas, catalyzing a quest for meaning and redemption. With love, humor, and humility, Earth to Moon reminds us that every family is faced with problems that are unique to their particular makeup, but the journey to growing into yourself with grace is as universal as it gets.
"Robert Harris is, simply put, masterful."—Karin Slaughter A spellbinding novel of passion, intrigue, and betrayal set in England in the months leading to the Great War from the bestselling author of Act of Oblivion, Fatherland, The Ghostwriter, and Munich. Summer 1914. A world on the brink of catastrophe. In London, twenty-six-year-old Venetia Stanley—aristocratic, clever, bored, reckless—is part of a fast group of upper-crust bohemians and socialites known as "The Coterie." She's also engaged in a clandestine love affair with the Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, a man more than twice her age. He writes to her obsessively, sharing the most sensitive matters of state. As Asquith reluctantly leads the country into war with Germany, a young intelligence officer with Scotland Yard is assigned to investigate a leak of top-secret documents. Suddenly, what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that could topple the British government—and will alter the course of political history. An unrivaled master of seamlessly weaving fact and fiction, Precipice is another electrifying thriller from the brilliant imagination of Robert Harris.
Ten-year-old Sunny Williams is resilient—she knows this because it's what her beloved grandma, Nanna, always tells her. So when Nanna is put into a care home after her memory loss issues get worse and social workers intend to put Sunny and her seven-year-old brother, Miles, into a foster home, she takes charge and hatches a plan for them to avoid getting split up. Luckily, Sunny also realizes Nanna has left her a message in the form of their favorite story. With the help of their guide (and temporary guardian), Mr. Darrious Evens, and her best friend, Folake, Sunny embarks on a quest to collect the three magical ingredients that are sure to cure Nanna's dementia and help them find their way home again. Mr. Evens also happens to be the choir director, and he encourages Sunny, with her beautiful singing voice, to perform in front of the school, even though Nanna isn't there to cheer her on. Sunny's quest to fix her nanna will lead her to understand herself and what's important—and that home can be any place you feel loved.
New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance returns with a new pulse-pounding suspense novel featuring beloved private investigator J. P. Beaumont as his investigation of a seemingly accidental death uncovers a complex web of evil. Former Seattle homicide cop J. P. Beaumont faces trouble in the small town of Ashland, as both his personal and professional lives are thrown into turmoil. Beau's daughter and son-in-law are having marital troubles, and his grandson, a senior in high school, shows up on his doorstep, wanting to live with Beau and his wife Mel as he finishes out the school year. Meanwhile, a friend from his past asks for Beau's help in looking into what appears to be an accidental death. A young man died of a fentanyl overdose, but those closest to him are convinced that he would never have used the drug, and that something much more sinister has happened. Beau agrees to unofficially reopen the case, and his investigation leads him to uncover similar mysterious deaths that all point to a most unlikely suspect. As the case becomes more complicated than he could have imagined, and past and present mysteries collide, it will take everything Beau has to track down a dangerous vigilante killer.
Knives Out meets Finding Orion in this funny and heartwarming middle grade mystery by award-winning author Kristin O'Donnell Tubb about a girl investigating the recent death of her uncle only to find the healing power of family. Chloe Alvarez has never been to the reading of a last will and testament before, but she hopes it is just like the movies. Lies! Intrigue! The reading of her Uncle Will's will is standard, until he announces his gift for Chloe: his African grey parrot, Charlie. Uncle Will was Chloe's best friend. Without him, she's left with only her memories of them together—which come to her in snapshots—and her new friend, Charlie. The parrot has a vast vocabulary, and soon Chloe hears her say something odd: It was murder, followed by homicide and cyanide. Chloe becomes convinced her uncle Will's death was foul play. Why else wouldn't he have told anyone in the family—especially Chloe—that he was sick? With the help of her family, Chloe begins the investigation to uncover Uncle Will's murderer. The suspects: His nosy neighbor. An ex-girlfriend. A rude landlord. A loan shark. But it all leads to more questions than answers. Did someone really kill Uncle Will? Or could this journey help reunite Chloe's grieving family?.
In the fourth pulse-pounding thriller in the series, DEA Special Agent Garrett Kohl must find out what's truly tainted in the energy industry and uncover a deep-rooted plot in order to protect his new business, beloved ranch, and family. Perfect for fans of C. J. Box and Jack Carr. On leave from the DEA, Garrett Kohl is ready to settle down and build a stable foundation for his family. But that's easier said than done. In order to give his girlfriend, Lacey, and adopted son, Asadi, the life they deserve, and get out from under crippling debt, some risks have to be taken. And shocking alliances have to be formed. First, Garrett partners with an old nemesis to form his new energy venture: Savage Exploration. Then his estranged, aloof sister, Grace, reemerges, keen on brokering a contract to connect the Kohl Ranch energy play to a pipeline on the Texas coast. But the company's earlier success is endangered when an explosion at a nearby natural gas plant injures several workers. Garrett begins to suspect foul play and embarks on a winding investigation, teaming up with his old war buddy, Kai Stoddard, and reaching out to his CIA contacts, uncovering a sinister conspiracy overseas. From an ex-CIA intelligence officer and consultant for the Department of Defense, this exhilarating thriller follows a man's turbulent journey to fight for his family and hold on to the land that he calls home, culminating in an explosive final showdown that he never could have expected.
Elissa R. Sloan, author of The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes, returns with a sweeping drama about two A-list stars—a former star couple—as they cross each other's paths over and over again through the years, in a story that examines the work we have to do in order to grow into the people we want to become. Maiko Fox and Adrian Hightower were young, beautiful, in love...and famous. The latest model to grace the Valentina Posh runway show and the hottest new superhero actor were Hollywood's breakout couple. They were in every magazine, all over the most popular celebrity-blogs, and on countless E! News stories. They starred in a blockbuster film together, reaping box-office gold. Fans were at a fever pitch. No one could get enough of Madrian, the couple that printed money for the studios, for the paparazzi, for themselves. But then, their relationship crumbled. Years later, with Adrian topping the Hollywood A-list as a writer and director, dating the country's biggest pop star, and Maiko starring in movies for her celebrated producer-director husband, they live totally different lives. But they can never be too far apart. Madrian is still a box office draw, and the studios keep throwing them together. As the two grow more and more entangled again professionally, Maiko and Adrian have to reckon with themselves: are they happy with their current lives? Or have they grown to be better people when with each other?.
The incredible story of MOVE, the revolutionary Black civil liberties group that Philadelphia police bombed in 1985, killing 11 civilians—by one of the few people born into the organization, raised during the bombing's tumultuous aftermath, and entrusted with repairing what was left of his family. ""As necessary and powerful as it is captivating."" – Michael Harriot, New York Times bestselling author of Black AF History ""Searing and urgent."" – Bakari Sellers, New York Times bestselling author of My Vanishing Country and The Moment Before police dropped a bomb on a residential neighborhood on May 13, 1985, few people outside Philadelphia were aware that a Black-led civil liberties organization had taken root there. Founded in 1972 by a charismatic ideologue called John Africa, MOVE's mission was to protect all forms of life from systemic oppression. They drew their ideology from the Black Panther Party and pre-dated animal and environmental rights groups like PETA and Earth First. MOVE emerged in an era when Black Philadelphians suffered under devastating policies brought by the long, doomed war in Vietnam, Mayor Frank Rizzo's overtly racist police surveillance, and, eventually, President Ronald Reagan's War on Drugs. MOVE members lived together in a collection of West Philadelphia row houses and took the surname Africa out of admiration for the group's founder. But in MOVE's lifestyle, city officials saw threats to their status quo. Their bombing of MOVE homes shocked the nation and made international news. Eleven people were killed, including five children. And the City of Brotherly Love became known as the City That Bombed Itself. Among the children most affected by the bombing was Mike Africa Jr. Born in jail following a police attack on MOVE that led to his parents' decades-long incarcerations, Mike was six years old and living with his grandmother when MOVE was bombed. In the ensuing years, Mike sought purpose in the ashes left behind. He began learning about the law as a teenager and became adept at speaking and inspiring public support with the help of other MOVE members. In 2018, at age 40, he finally succeeded in getting his parents released from prison. On a Move is one of the most unimaginable stories of injustice and resilience in recent American history. But it is not only one of tragedy. It is about coming-of-age for a young activist, the strong ties of family, and, against all odds, learning how to take indignities on the chin and to work within the very system that created them. At once a harrowing personal account and an impassioned examination of racism and police violence, On a Move testifies to the power of love and hope, in the face of astonishing wrongdoing.
The thrilling new whodunit from Joël Dicker, master of the plot twist and the author of The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair and The Enigma of Room 622. April 1999. The body of Alaska Sanders is found on the shore of a lake near the quiet town of Mount Pleasant, New Hampshire. The young woman's death rocks the small community, but the murder is quickly solved. Within days, a suspect is identified and soon convicted. Case closed. Or so it seemed. . . . Eleven years later, Marcus Goldman, celebrity author and amateur sleuth, picks up a thread that will unravel not only the "open and shut" case of Alaska Sanders, but the very fabric of his best friend,–Sergeant Perry Gahalowood–'s life. Gahalowood, who led the original Alaska Sanders investigation, is hell-bent on finding the truth and setting the record straight. Teaming up with Marcus, he hopes to find redemption by solving the most intricate and trying case of his career. Set both before and after the events of his phenomenal worldwide bestseller The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair, Dicker's latest delivers the last word in slow-burn police procedurals. Clue by clue, witness by witness, question by question, his characters painstakingly piece together an unguessable puzzle that could only have been set by this acclaimed master of the plot twist. And as they uncover who Alaska Sanders truly was, other ghosts from the past emerge . . . Translated from the French by Robert Bononno.
One of Barack Obama's longest-serving speechwriters reveals the public speaking lessons that will help you become a more confident and compelling communicator and leader. As a White House speechwriter, Terry Szuplat helped craft hundreds of speeches for President Obama. But when it came to public speaking himself, Szuplat—like many people—was gripped by anxiety and preferred to stay in the shadows. When he was invited to give the first major speech of his life, he faced a choice: keep hiding from what scared him, or finally face his fears. In Say It Well, Szuplat shares the life-changing lessons he learned from Barack Obama—one of the most admired speakers of our time—and how he applied these techniques to become a better speaker himself. In every chapter, he shares never-before-heard advice from Obama on speaking well, along with riveting behind-the-scenes stories of writing for a president—so you can master every step of public speaking, including: • Tips for overcoming stage fright • Best practices for using artificial intelligence to compose a memorable speech • Attention-grabbing openings to pull in any audience • Framing techniques to make your arguments more persuasive • Scientifically-proven ways to inspire people to action and to create the change you want • Tricks for editing, polishing, and practicing your words for maximum impact • The only way to end any great speech Along the way, Szuplat introduces you to remarkable people from all walks of life—students, advocates, business executives, veterans—who have used these techniques to give speeches that have gone viral and inspired millions of people around the world. At a time of division and distrust, Say It Well also shows how we can all speak with the empathy, civility, and honesty that we need now more than ever. In sharing his journey to find his own voice, Szuplat will help you find yours. Written with humor and warmth, this is your new guide to the art of public speaking. And the next time you speak—whether you're giving a toast or a eulogy for a loved one, a presentation at work, or an impassioned appeal for a cause you care about—not only will you know what to say, you'll know how to say it well..
One of Barack Obama's longest-serving speechwriters reveals the public speaking lessons that will help you become a more confident and compelling communicator and leader. As a White House speechwriter, Terry Szuplat helped craft hundreds of speeches for President Obama. But when it came to public speaking himself, Szuplat—like many people—was gripped by anxiety and preferred to stay in the shadows. When he was invited to give the first major speech of his life, he faced a choice: keep hiding from what scared him, or finally face his fears. In Say It Well, Szuplat shares the life-changing lessons he learned from Barack Obama—one of the most admired speakers of our time—and how he applied these techniques to become a better speaker himself. In every chapter, he shares never-before-heard advice from Obama on speaking well, along with riveting behind-the-scenes stories of writing for a president—so you can master every step of public speaking, including: Tips for overcoming stage fright Best practices for using artificial intelligence to compose a memorable speech Attention-grabbing openings to pull in any audience Framing techniques to make your arguments more persuasive Scientifically-proven ways to inspire people to action and to create the change you want Tricks for editing, polishing, and practicing your words for maximum impact The only way to end any great speech Along the way, Szuplat introduces you to remarkable people from all walks of life—students, advocates, business executives, veterans—who have used these techniques to give speeches that have gone viral and inspired millions of people around the world. At a time of division and distrust, Say It Well also shows how we can all speak with the empathy, civility, and honesty that we need now more than ever. In sharing his journey to find his own voice, Szuplat will help you find yours. Written with humor and warmth, this is your new guide to the art of public speaking. And the next time you speak—whether you're giving a toast or a eulogy for a loved one, a presentation at work, or an impassioned appeal for a cause you care about—not only will you know what to say, you'll know how to say it well. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
Named one of the Most Highly Anticipated Books of Fall by the New York Times Vogue Vulture The Millions. . . and more! ""Rejection is unrelentingly brutal and gut-bustingly funny and spares no one—not you, not me. Tulathimutte is a pervert and a madman and a stone-cold genius."" — Carmen Maria Machado , author of Her Body and Other Parties From the Whiting and O. Henry–winning author of Private Citizens ("the first great millennial novel," New York Magazine), an electrifying novel-in-stories that follows a cast of intricately linked characters as rejection throws their lives and relationships into chaos. Sharply observant and outrageously funny, Rejection is a provocative plunge into the touchiest problems of modern life. The seven connected stories seamlessly transition between the personal crises of a complex ensemble and the comic tragedies of sex, relationships, identity, and the internet. In "The Feminist," a young man's passionate allyship turns to furious nihilism as he realizes, over thirty lonely years, that it isn't getting him laid. A young woman's unrequited crush in "Pics" spirals into borderline obsession and the systematic destruction of her sense of self. And in "Ahegao; or, The Ballad of Sexual Repression," a shy late bloomer's flailing efforts at a first relationship leads to a life-upending mistake. As the characters pop up in each other's dating apps and social media feeds, or meet in dimly lit bars and bedrooms, they reveal the ways our delusions can warp our desire for connection. These brilliant satires explore the underrated sorrows of rejection with the authority of a modern classic and the manic intensity of a manifesto. Audacious and unforgettable, Rejection is a stunning mosaic that redefines what it means to be rejected by lovers, friends, society, and oneself.
Two of the nation's most respected sports journalists team up for a vital, hard-hitting investigation into the tumultuous state of big-time college football. We are living in the Wild West of college sports. Name, Image and Likeness endorsements, the transfer portal, collectives, conference realignment, the powerful influence of media companies have all rendered the notion of amateur athletics a quaint relic of the past, replaced by a Brave New World where money and self-interest rule. The Price is a sweeping, in-depth, thought-provoking look at an inflection point in big-time college football. Six time New York Times bestselling author Armen Keteyian and award-winning national college football reporter John Talty conducted more than two hundred wide-ranging interviews with head coaches, athletic directors, conference commissioners, administrators, politicians, power brokers, agents and media executives from one corner of the sport to the other. They reveal never-before-reported details on major players such as Nick Saban, Jim Harbaugh, Kirby Smart, Jimbo Fisher, and Lane Kiffin. Keteyian and Talty's reporting also lays bare the machinations that destroyed the historic conference that was the Pac-12, purely in the name of greed. As the sport's premier coaches race for the exits, Keteyian and Talty reveal deep, dark truths about a beloved game under siege—and the financial, physical, emotional and psychological toll taken on everyone whose dreams and fortunes often depend on the final score on a Saturday afternoon.
An empowering story from #1 New York Times bestseller and Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park starring a young snorkeling enthusiast who draws inspiration for fighting climate change from interacting with her pesty little brother. Inspired by her own experience, beloved author Linda Sue Park tells the story of a girl learning how to impact a cause she cares about while navigating the ups and downs of a sibling relationship and turning disappointment into opportunity. Gracie loves snorkeling! She loves it so much, she convinces her parents to let her plan a family vacation to Roatán, Honduras, where they can all snorkel together. She even makes a new friend there. Now, if only her irritating little brother would leave her alone, everything would be perfect. Then Gracie hurts her leg, and all her carefully made plans start to come apart. Worse still, she learns the reef itself is in serious danger. Gracie wants to help the reef . . . but she's just a kid. What can she do to make a difference? Fortunately, her new friend has a few ideas!.
""Splendid . . . what really sells this imaginative, scary, verge-of-growing-up tale is its characters, each with a distinct voice and personality. . . . Kois' surprising second novel is a natural for fans of the character-based horror fiction of Grady Hendrix or Paul Tremblay and will win him a whole new sphere of readers."" —Booklist ""Marvelous, tender, and unpredictable, Hampton Heights captures the uncanniness and discomfort of early adolescence. There's a pinch of Ray Bradbury, a soupçon of Stephen King, a dash of fairy tale logic, but Dan Kois makes something entirely his own out of this familiar and always pleasurable territory.""—Kelly Link, author of The Book of Love ""Like Stand by Me mixed with Stranger Things and The Twilight Zone, Hampton Heights is a rollicking chronicle of youth set loose among mystery and monsters. Dan Kois deftly conjures a boundless world that's chilling, wondrous, and delightful.""—Adam Sternbergh, author of The Eden Test From the author of the Washington Post notable novel Vintage Contemporaries, something completely unexpected: a hair-raising and rollicking adventure set on one night in 1987, when six paperboys must confront a slew of monsters as well as their own personal demons in a haunted Midwestern neighborhood. On a cold winter's evening in 1987, six middle-school paperboys wander an unfamiliar Milwaukee neighborhood, selling newspaper subscriptions, fueled by their manager Kevin's promises of cash bonuses and dinner at Burger King. But the freaks come out at night in Hampton Heights. Sent out into the neighborhood in pairs, the boys will encounter a host of primordial monsters—and triumph over them. Sigmone, who is bussed to a white school, is stuck with Joel, a white kid who idolizes Black culture. Mark, who's wrestling with his sexuality, joins his secret crush, Ryan. Nishu and Al are outsiders; one is a second-generation immigrant, the other a poor kid in a rich school. Over the course of one eventful evening, the three pairs will encounter the wild things of Hampton Heights—werewolves, witches with a centuries-old story to tell, and a creepy, ancient monster who feeds on memories. Meanwhile, Kevin is having an adventure of his own, seducing a beautiful woman in the neighborhood's tavern . . . but who is actually in control? Funny, thrilling, outrageous, and sneakily beautiful, Dan Kois's Hampton Heights captures without sentimentality the dreams and fears of teenage boys in a tender horror-comedy about camaraderie, bravery, vulnerability, and the terrifying prospect of growing up.
In this shocking memoir, a former FBI informant reveals what he learned from successfully infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan in the backwoods of the Sunshine State, uncovering details about the hate group's structure and its modern far-right spinoffs which are operating to achieve the same goal: inciting a second civil war by whatever violent means necessary. "We need you back." It was a call FBI informant and former Army sniper Joe Moore never expected to get. He'd already infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan once before, and his contributions prevented an assassination attempt targeting then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. Moore nearly lost his life in the process. But now, the FBI needed Moore's help once again. In White Robes and Broken Badges, Moore reveals the astounding true story of how he became one of the most entrenched and valuable undercover agents in the FBI's history. Gripping, told with astonishing detail, this heart pounding and darkly propulsive memoir vividly recounts how he infiltrated the "Invisible Empire" at the highest levels—not once, but twice—becoming a Grand Knighthawk, overseeing security, defense, and internal communications for the domestic terrorist group across Florida and Georgia. Moore makes clear how the seeds of violence and hate spawned the tragedy in Charlottesville, the failed January 6 Capitol coup, and the growing threat posed by extremist militias—including the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, Three Percenters, and others. Going undercover, Moore discovered the shocking connections between the KKK and law enforcement across Florida—police officers, prison guards, and sheriff's deputies who all belonged to the Klan—and eventually exposed the terrifying presence of right-wing extremists throughout law enforcement today. Moore reflects on the steep personal costs of immersing himself in the Klan's racist ideology and twisted rituals—and its effect on himself and his family—while secretly providing the FBI with invaluable information on the Klan's inner workings, murderous plots, and plans for civil war. With a foreword by Congressman Jamie Raskin, White Robes and Broken Badges is a comprehensive and unprecedented look at a growing threat in America and an urgent call-to-action—because ultimately, the answers to healing the divides in this country lie in its perilous history.
In the tradition of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Noonday Demon , a moving, eye-opening exploration of PTSD Just as polio loomed over the 1950s, and AIDS stalked the 1980s and '90s, posttraumatic stress disorder haunts us in the early years of the twenty-first century. Over a decade into the United States' "global war on terror," PTSD afflicts as many as 30 percent of the conflict's veterans. But the disorder's reach extends far beyond the armed forces. In total, some twenty-seven million Americans are believed to be PTSD survivors. Yet to many of us, the disorder remains shrouded in mystery, secrecy, and shame. Now, David J. Morris — a war correspondent, former Marine, and PTSD sufferer himself — has written the essential account of this illness. Through interviews with individuals living with PTSD, forays into the scientific, literary, and cultural history of the illness, and memoir, Morris crafts a moving work that will speak not only to those with the condition and to their loved ones, but also to all of us struggling to make sense of an anxious and uncertain time.
"Fred Goodman makes this world come alive, and any fan of rock or insider tales of the music industry will be in heaven reading about this fascinating, troubling character." — Judd Apatow, Omnivoracious "Writing about contracts, percentages, and deals can be tedious, but Goodman makes it as exciting as reading about an artist's sex life. The book explodes with inside dope." — New York Daily News Allen Klein was like no one the music industry had seen before. Though he became infamous for allegedly causing the Beatles' breakup and robbing the Rolling Stones, the truth is both more complex and more fascinating. As the manager of the Stones and then the Beatles—not to mention Sam Cooke, Pete Townshend, Donovan, the Kinks, and numerous others—he taught young soon-to-be legends how to be businessmen as well as rock stars. While Klein made millions for his clients, he was as merciless with them as he was with anyone, earning himself an outsize reputation for villainy that has gone unchallenged until now. Through unique, unprecedented access to Klein's archives, veteran music journalist Fred Goodman tells the full story of how the Beatles broke up, how the Stones achieved the greatest commercial success in rock history, and how the music business became what it is today. "Fred Goodman is a superb writer . . . and his account here of one of rock 'n' roll's most polarizing figures could not be more readable. The even-handed tone, the supposition that readers are moderately intelligent and sophisticated, and the rather astounding involvement Allen Klein had with pop music's largest legends—put all that together, and you've got one highly engrossing read." —Yahoo! Music "Succeed[s] both as a compelling work of rock 'n' roll history and as a cautionary business primer." — Wall Street Journal.
"Unpredictable, fantastic. . . . It takes a charged narrative, like Dickens achieves, and as Dalton does too, to reach the heart and the brain. . . . To tell you more would spoil this complicated and surprising story. You should read it."—Sydney Morning Herald Bighearted, gritty, magical and moving, an irresistible novel from the #1 internationally bestselling author of Boy Swallows Universe and All Our Shimmering Skies. A girl and her mother have been on the run for sixteen years, from the monster they left in their kitchen with a knife in his throat and the police who want to make them pay for his death. Home is now a van with four flat tires in a junkyard by the edge of the Brisbane River. The girl has no name, because names are dangerous when you're on the run. But she has a dream. A vision of a life as an artist. A life outside the grip of the Brisbane underworld. A life of love with the boy who's waiting for her on the bridge above the deadly river. And once her mother can no longer protect her, there's only one person who can help make her dreams come true. That person is Lola. But she has to find her first. Internationally bestselling author Trent Dalton delivers a big, moving, darkly funny, violent, heartbreaking and beautiful novel of love and fate, life and death, and all the things we see when we look in the mirror: all our past, all our present, and all our possible futures. Lola in the Mirror is illustrated with black-and-white line art throughout.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize "The book is a form of meditation, written with headlong urgency, about seeing. . . . There is an ambition about her book that I like. . . . It is the ambition to feel." — Eudora Welty, New York Times Book Review Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is the story of a dramatic year in Virginia's Roanoke Valley, where Annie Dillard set out to chronicle incidents of ""beauty tangled in a rapture with violence."" Dillard's personal narrative highlights one year's exploration on foot in the Virginia region through which Tinker Creek runs. In the summer, she stalks muskrats in the creek and contemplates wave mechanics; in the fall, she watches a monarch butterfly migration and dreams of Arctic caribou. She tries to con a coot; she collects pond water and examines it under a microscope. She unties a snake skin, witnesses a flood, and plays King of the Meadow with a field of grasshoppers. The result is an exhilarating tale of nature and its seasons.
An ALA Notable Title "Absurdly entertaining. Victorious on all fronts." —ALA Booklist (starred review) Renowned for their courage, their chivalry, and their ability to fight mythical creatures, the Knights of the Round Table must face their most dangerous opponents yet—DINOSAURS! This middle grade novel from award-winning author and artist Matt Phelan is a hilarious, rip-roaring tale of derring-do perfect for reluctant readers and fans of How to Train Your Dragon and The Terrible Two. Let me tell you a secret about the Knights of the Round Table: They don't have much to do. The realm is at peace and dragons are few and far between. So Merlin decides to send the knights out on a real adventure to a world filled with the most terrible lizards of all: DINOSAURS! Knights vs. Dinosaurs is a fast-paced adventure full of uproarious knightly hijinks, surprising secrets, and terrifying dinosaurs. This engaging story is Monty Python for young middle school readers. A great choice for reluctant readers, aspiring knights, and fans of Peter Brown's The Wild Robot. "This rollicking story is suspenseful and silly. An excellent choice for all readers." — School Library Journal (starred review)
'The memory of a particular image is only regret for a particular moment...' The Swann Way is the first volume of Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time (1913-27), one of the most important novels of the twentieth century. The work is a portal to Proust's novel and an introduction to its unforgettable first-person narrator-protagonist. Immersed in themes of time, memory, identity, art, sensation, love, and jealousy, the narrator embarks on the story of his life and the paths he takes towards fulfilling his vocation as a writer. Principally focused on the narrator's childhood, this volume lays the foundation of Proust's extraordinary literary edifice. The first volume in a major new translation of In Search of Lost Time, co-edited by Brian Nelson and Adam Watt. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
A philosophical task force explores how AI is revolutionizing our lives - and what moral problems it might bring, showing us what to be wary of, and what to be hopeful for. There is no more important issue at present than artificial intelligence. AI has begun to penetrate almost every sphere of human activity. It will disrupt our lives entirely. David Edmonds brings together a team of leading philosophers to explore some of the urgent moral concerns we should have about this revolution. The chapters are rich with examples from contemporary society and imaginative projections of the future. The contributors investigate problems we're all aware of, and introduce some that will be new to many readers. They discuss self and identity, health and insurance, politics and manipulation, the environment, work, law, policing, and defence. Each of them explains the issue in a lively and illuminating way, and takes a view about how we should think and act in response. Anyone who is wondering what ethical challenges the future holds for us can start here.
The incredible book behind the primetime Channel 4 documentary, Peter: The Human Cyborg 'A remarkable account of what it means to be human and what technology can really achieve' Sunday Telegraph 'Peter's story is one of the most extraordinary you will ever hear. I urge people to read it' Stephen Fry 'A remarkable story . . . you're left desperate to take nothing for granted' Radio Times __________ Peter, a brilliant scientist, is told that he will lose everything he loves. His husband. His family. His friends. His ability to travel the world. All will be gone. But Peter will not give up. He vows that this will not be the end and instead seeks a completely new beginning . . . Peter has Motor Neurone Disease, a condition universally considered by doctors to be terminal. He is told it will destroy his nerve cells and that within about two years, it will take his life too. But, face-to-face with death, he decides there is another way. Using his background in science and technology, he navigates a new path, one that will enable him not just to survive, but to thrive . This is the astonishing true story about Peter Scott-Morgan: the first person to combine his very humanity with artificial intelligence and robotics to become a full Cyborg. His discovery means that his terminal diagnosis is negotiable, something that will rewrite the future. And change the world. By embracing love, life and hope rather than fear, tragedy and despair, he will become Peter 2.0. __________ 'Compelling . . . Scott-Morgan is a true one-off. It is in the telling of the love story, rather than the technical details of becoming a cyborg, that this book succeeds' The Times 'What's striking is Peter's constant optimism, bravery and his ability to find radical answers to problems that have confounded Britain's brightest minds' Daily Telegraph 'A soaring love story' Financial Times 'Fascinating and extremely moving' Sun.
Brought to you by Penguin. The global economy has weathered the most tumultuous century in modern financial history. Since the Wall Street Crash in 1929, financial meltdowns have repeatedly sent shockwaves through our world. From the currency crises of the 1980s and 1990s, to Japan's housing crash, the dot com boom and bust, the global financial meltdown, the euro crisis and the COVID pandemic, The Great Crashes tells the stories of ten of these historic events. They serve as a series of cautionary tales, each with their own set of lessons to be learnt. With clear-eyed analysis, renowned economist Dr Linda Yueh extracts a three step framework to help recognise the early signs of a crash and mitigate the effects - all with the hope of preventing the worst mistakes of the past from being repeated in the next inevitable financial crisis. She warns about where the next one might come from and shows how her framework could contain it. Combining her in-depth knowledge with compelling storytelling, The Great Crashes is essential reading that offers urgent lessons for the modern world. ————————————————————————————————- 'An important contribution that can help society anticipate and tackle potential crashes in the future' Christine Lagarde 'A masterclass in spotting the early signs of a crisis' Nouriel Roubini 'This is the historical perspective we need' John Kay ©2023 Linda Yueh (P)2023 Penguin Audio.
Brought to you by Penguin. Serendipity Dahlquist is a headstrong roller-blading teenager living in LA who has lost her dog. She asks private investigator Leo Bloodworth to help her find the missing pet. In what proves to have been a moment of madness, Bloodworth agrees to take on the case, unleashing an appalling—but also extremely entertaining—series of extremely homicidal events. Sleeping Dog remains, almost 40 years after its publication, one of the most wonderful crime debuts: by turns charming, hilarious and pathological, Lochte's novel is a great celebration of everything that is most deplorable and hair-raising about California in the 1980s. ©2023 Dick Lochte (P)2023 Penguin Audio.
Borrowing from Peter to pay Paul? The American economy is dragging, with unemployment rates rising and consumer debt hitting $2.5 trillion. Many people are in deep and need help. Here, a Certified Financial Planner explains the mathematics of debt; strategies to deal with credit card, mortgage, student, and other loans; why debt consolidation and taking loans from a 401(k) can lead to problems; truths about bankruptcy; and how to use debt while eliminating it. *Includes essential resources and websites, sample letters and forms, loan forgiveness programs, bankruptcy resources *Author a Certified Financial Planner *Covers every kind of debt, mortgages to credit cards to student loans *National credit card debt is growing exponentially.
'A masterclass in spotting the early signs of a crisis' Nouriel Roubini 'This is the historical perspective we need' John Kay 'A first point of entry for anybody who wants to learn how the world sleep-walked into multiple crashes' Daron Acemoglu 'Fascinating, well-written and authoritative' Tim Harford ————————————————————————————————- The global economy has weathered the most tumultuous century in modern financial history. Since America's Wall Street Crash of 1929, the global economy has weathered the most tumultuous century in financial history. From the currency crises of the 1980s, to Japan's housing meltdown, the dot com boom and bust, the global financial crash and the COVID pandemic, crash after crash has sent shockwaves through our world. The Great Crashes tells the stories of ten of these historic financial events. They serve as a series of cautionary tales, each with their own lessons to be learnt. With clear-eyed analysis, renowned economist Professor Linda Yueh uses these meltdowns to extract a critical three-step framework to help recognise the early signs of a crash, mitigate the effects and even prevent them in the future. There is very little that is certain in economics, except for this: there will be another financial crisis. Combining her in-depth knowledge with compelling storytelling, The Great Crashes is essential reading that offers urgent lessons for the modern world. ————————————————————————————————- 'An important contribution that can help society anticipate and tackle potential crashes in the future' Christine Lagarde.
Brought to you by Penguin. You can run away from your life. But you can't run away from murder. —————————————- When her family tragedy is splashed across the newspapers, Nancy decides to disappear. Her grandmother's beautiful Regency house in a quiet seaside village seems like the safest place to hide. But the old house has its own secrets and a chilling wartime legacy . . . Now someone knows the truth about the night Nancy's mother and stepfather were murdered. Someone knows where to find her. And they have nothing to lose . . . So what really happened that night? And how far will she go to keep it hidden? DON'T MISS THE CAPTIVATING NEW BOOK FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR JANE CORRY —————————————— Praise for Jane Corry 'I devoured We All Have Our Secrets in one sitting' Teresa Driscoll, I Am Watching You 'Full of intrigue and twists galore' BA Paris, The Therapist 'An unputdownable read' Emma Curtis, Invite Me in ©2023 Jane Corry (P)2023 Penguin Audio.
LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2024 An exhilarating tale of twisted desire, histories and homes, and the unexpected shape of revenge - for readers of Patricia Highsmith, Sarah Waters and Ian McEwan's Atonement . It's 1961 and the rural Dutch province of Overijssel is quiet. Bomb craters have been filled, buildings reconstructed, and the war is well and truly over. Living alone in her late mother's country home, Isabel's life is as it should be: led by routine and discipline. But all is upended when her brother Louis delivers his graceless new girlfriend, Eva, at Isabel's doorstep-as a guest, there to stay for the season... Eva is Isabel's antithesis: sleeps late, wakes late, walks loudly through the house and touches things she shouldn't. In response Isabel develops a fury-fuelled obsession, and when things start disappearing around the house-a spoon, a knife, a bowl-Isabel' suspicions spiral out of control. In the sweltering peak of summer, Isabel's paranoia gives way to desire - leading to a discovery that unravels all Isabel has ever known. The war might not be well and truly over after all, and neither Eva - nor the house in which they live - are what they seem. 'A razor-sharp, perfectly plotted debut novel' Sunday Times 'Moving, unnerving and deeply sexy' Tracy Chevalier, bestselling author of GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING 'An impressive debut; I already look forward to Van der Wouden's next' Guardian ' We loved this debut novel for its remarkable inhabitation of obsession. It navigates an emotional landscape of loss and return in an unforgettable way.'' Booker Prize Judges 2024.
Exposed to a high-tech dust that can transport people from one dimension to another, three travelers must try to escape the totalitarian Philadelphia of 2118. When three people in Philadelphia inhale dust developed by a scientist who has discovered parallel universes, they are transported into an interdimensional no-man’s-land that is populated by supernatural beings. From there, they go on to an alternate-future version of Philadelphia—a frightening dystopian nation-state in which citizens are numbered, not named. How will they escape? In The Heads of Cerberus and Other Stories, introduced by Lisa Yaszek, you will find this world-bending story as well as five others written by Francis Stevens, the pseudonym of Gertrude Barrows Bennett, a pioneering science fiction and fantasy adventure writer from Minneapolis who made her literary debut at the precocious age of 17. Often celebrated as “the woman who invented dark fantasy,” Bennett possessed incredible range; her groundbreaking stories—produced largely between 1904 and 1919—suggest that she is better understood as the mother of modern genre fiction writ large. Bennett’s work has anticipated everything from the work of Philip K. Dick to Superman comics to The Hunger Games , making it as relevant now as it ever was. Francis Stevens (Gertrude Barrows Bennett, 1884-1948) was the first American woman to publish widely in fantasy and science fiction. Her five short stories and seven longer works of fiction, all of which appeared in pulp magazines such as Argosy , All-Story Weekly , and Weird Tales , would influence everyone from H.P Lovecraft to C.L. Moore.
The fantasies that underpin common perceptions of Virtual Reality—and what we need to know about VR’s potential risks as well as its opportunities. Virtual reality is the next new frontier for Silicon Valley. Mark Zuckerberg, who has overseen Meta’s investment of billions into VR, pitches it as the next dominant computing paradigm. More than just a gaming technology, VR is top of mind for academics, tech reportage, and industry evangelists who all see the potential for VR to revolutionize fields such as education and health, as well as the way we work and communicate. But will VR achieve all this? In Fantasies of Virtual Reality, Marcus Carter and Ben Egliston strip bare the tech industry’s vision of a future dominated by immersive VR experiences, challenging the utopian promises of this technology’s potential. Carter and Egliston offer a critical account of VR in a variety of contexts, from gaming to human resources to policing and the military. They argue that while VR does hold significant potential, the overhyped expectations surrounding it, from achieving true empathetic understanding to transforming traditional education and office work, are often overstated and fraught with issues of privacy, control, and exclusion. What’s more, there is nothing truly virtual about virtual reality: VR is deeply entrenched in the material world, driven by tangible technological, economic, and social logics. An accessible introduction to this emerging technology, Fantasies of Virtual Reality is essential reading for anyone interested in what VR can really do—and what is just plain fantasy.
How Big Tech is taking advantage of us, how AI is making it worse, and how we can create a thriving, AI-positive world. On balance, will AI help humanity or harm it? AI could revolutionize science, medicine, and technology, and deliver us a world of abundance and better health. Or it could be a disaster, leading to the downfall of democracy, or even our extinction. In Taming Silicon Valley , Gary Marcus, one of the most trusted voices in AI, explains that we still have a choice. And that the decisions we make now about AI will shape our next century. In this short but powerful manifesto, Marcus explains how Big Tech is taking advantage of us, how AI could make things much worse, and, most importantly, what we can do to safeguard our democracy, our society, and our future. Marcus explains the potential—and potential risks—of AI in the clearest possible terms and how Big Tech has effectively captured policymakers. He begins by laying out what is lacking in current AI, what the greatest risks of AI are, and how Big Tech has been playing both the public and the government, before digging into why the US government has thus far been ineffective at reining in Big Tech. He then offers real tools for readers, including eight suggestions for what a coherent AI policy should look like—from data rights to layered AI oversight to meaningful tax reform—and closes with how ordinary citizens can push for what is so desperately needed. Taming Silicon Valley is both a primer on how AI has gotten to its problematic present state and a book of activism in the tradition of Abbie Hoffman’s Steal This Book and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense . It is a deeply important book for our perilous historical moment that every concerned citizen must read.
For a human being to exist, does it require an immaterial mind, a physical body, a functioning brain, a soul? Is there a shared nature common to all human beings? What essential qualities might define this nature? These questions are among the most widely discussed topics in the history of philosophy and remain subjects of perennial interest and controversy. The Nature of Human Persons offers a metaphysical investigation of the composition of the human essence. Jason Eberl also considers the criterion of identity for a developing human being—that is, what is required for a human being to continue existing as a person despite undergoing physical and psychological changes over time? Eberl places Thomas Aquinas's account of human nature into direct comparison with several prominent contemporary theories: substance dualism, emergentism, animalism, constitutionalism, four-dimensionalism, and embodied mind theory. These theories inform conclusions regarding when human beings first come into existence (at conception, during gestation, or after birth), how we ought to define death for human beings, and whether (and if so how) human beings may survive death. Ultimately, The Nature of Human Persons argues that the Thomistic account of human nature addresses the matters of human nature and survival more holistically than other theories and offers a cohesive portrait of one's continued existence from conception through life to death and beyond.
The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care offers unprecedented opportunities to improve patient and clinical team outcomes, reduce costs, and impact population health. While there have been a number of promising examples of AI applications in health care, it is imperative to proceed with caution or risk the potential of user disillusionment, another AI winter, or further exacerbation of existing health- and technology-driven disparities. This Special Publication synthesizes current knowledge to offer a reference document for relevant health care stakeholders. It outlines the current and near-term AI solutions; highlights the challenges, limitations, and best practices for AI development, adoption, and maintenance; offers an overview of the legal and regulatory landscape for AI tools designed for health care application; prioritizes the need for equity, inclusion, and a human rights lens for this work; and outlines key considerations for moving forward. AI is poised to make transformative and disruptive advances in health care, but it is prudent to balance the need for thoughtful, inclusive health care AI that plans for and actively manages and reduces potential unintended consequences, while not yielding to marketing hype and profit motives.