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Awesome Achievers in Science: Super and Strange Facts about 12 Almost Famous History Makers (Awesome Achievers #2)
by Alan Katz Chris JudgePart of a super fun middle grade series, Awesome Achievers in Science puts the spotlight on lesser-known heroes and their contributions in major scientific fields.Everyone has heard the names Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, but what about Michael Collins--the third brave Apollo 11 astronaut who didn't get to walk on the moon? Many of the most relevant figures in scientific history have remained in the shadows, but not any longer! From Alan Katz's new Awesome Achievers series, Awesome Achievers in Science gives kids a look behind the scenes at 12 lesser-known scientists whose contributions are personally relevant to their lives today. Each figure is given a traditional biography but is also subject to Katz's unique brand of silliness, with humorous elements such as imagined poems, song lyrics, and diary entries by or about the not-so-famous figure accompanying each bio. Spot illustrations throughout add to the lighthearted and appreciative humor each figure receives. Reluctant readers and budding scientists alike will delight in this imaginative and engaging continuation of a new series of laugh-out-loud biographies.
Awesome Achievers in Technology: Super and Strange Facts about 12 Almost Famous History Makers (Awesome Achievers)
by Alan Katz Chris JudgePart of a super fun middle grade series, Awesome Achievers in Technology puts the spotlight on lesser-known heroes and their contributions in tech.Everyone has heard the name Steve Jobs, but what about Nolan Bushnell--Jobs's boss before the invention of Apple, and the founder of the first major video game, Pong? Many of the most relevant figures in tech history have remained in the shadows, but not any longer! From Alan Katz's new Awesome Achievers series, Awesome Achievers in Technology gives kids a look behind the scenes at 12 lesser-known inventors whose contributions to tech are personally relevant to their lives today. Each figure is given a traditional biography but is also subject to Katz's unique brand of silliness, with humorous elements such as imagined poems, song lyrics, and diary entries by and about the not-so-famous figure accompanying each bio. Spot illustrations throughout add to the lighthearted and appreciative humor each figure receives. Reluctant readers and budding tech enthusiasts alike will delight in this imaginative and engaging introduction to a new series of laugh out loud biographies.
Awesome Bill from Dawsonville: My Life in NASCAR
by Bill Elliott Chris MillardIn this long-awaited autobiography, the legendary Bill Elliott details his childhood in rural North Georgia, building cars from scratch, struggling on the anonymous small-time tracks of the South to his against-the-odds rise to the pinnacle of NASCAR stardom: Winston Cup Champion. From Daytona to Talladega, from Bristol to Sonoma, ride shoulder to shoulder with Elliott as he battles Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Ricky Rudd, Rusty Wallace, and Alan Kulwicki for NASCAR's ultimate prize. Through Elliott's eyes we meet the colorful cast of old-school characters who built NASCAR: Cale Yarborough, Junior Johnson, the Allisons, Carl Kiekhaefer, and, of course, the France family. We join Bill in the car (and under it) as he sets the all-time record for the fastest official speed ever recorded in a stock car (a record he still holds today). Learn the secret—revealed for the first time—behind the Elliott family's unquestioned mastery of the sport's super speedways. Watch NASCAR grow from a southern diversion into a national phenomenon, and see Bill Elliott grow with it, ultimately becoming one of the sport's most popular heroes. In 1985 Elliott captured the inaugural Winston Million and became the first NASCAR driver ever to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Three years later he captured the Winston Cup Championship. He went on to be voted NASCAR Driver of the Decade for the 1980s by NASCAR fans. He was also voted Most Popular Driver sixteen times. Elliott also shares his thoughts on the dark side of the racing life: the stresses it can place on relationships, the ever-present physical risks, and the weight of fame. He addresses the racing-related deaths of competitors and friends. He is candid and critical in discussing the intense rivalry between him and the late Dale Earnhardt, and he sheds new light on their storied relationship as well as on Earnhardt's shocking death. Elliott discusses the future of NASCAR with critiques of its management and restrictor plates, and he takes on the controversial issues of track and driver safety. A window into the compelling personality of Bill Elliott, as well as a primer on the ascent of America's fastestgrowing sport, this is the definitive insider's view of the rising NASCAR nation.
Awesome Minds: Comic Book Creators (Awesome Minds)
by Alejandro ArbonaDid you know that Superman debuted in 1938 and is considered to have fueled the birth of the superhero craze? Or that Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira was instrumental in introducing manga to the world outside of Japan? Comic books are now fully part of mainstream pop culture, and this engaging read introduces kids ages 8-12 to the pivotal creators of the world's most beloved comics, as well as the unknown names that have guided the industry to where it is today. From classic superhero tales like Spider-Man to epic fantasy adventures like Elfquest, comic books have inspired legions of devoted fans and accrue sales of over $1 billion annually. Awesome Minds: Comic Book Creators will walk kids through the important milestones in comic book history and the visionaries who helped develop some of the most iconic fictional characters today.
Awesome Minds: Video Game Creators (Awesome Minds)
by Alejandro Arbona Chelsea O'MaraDid you know that Nintendo started in the mid-19th century as a playing card company and that the Japanese giant also sold rice and operated taxi cabs? And did you know that the very first video game was called Tennis for Two and was created by a US government scientist named William Higinbotham? <P><P>Today, video games play a gigantic role in our culture and none of this would have been possible without people like Shigeru Miyamoto, the creative mastermind that turned a failed business venture into the game that eventually inspired him to build Donkey Kong and Mario Bros., or Donna Bailey, who created the arcade video game sensation Centipede. <P><P>With full-color illustrations and lively text, and chock-full of interesting facts, Awesome Minds: Video Game Creators tells the stories of these amazing men and women who turned a small hobby into a multimillion-dollar industry that changed the way we play and interact, from our living rooms to the arcades, on our computers to our handheld devices. Awesome Minds: Video Game Creators is the perfect read for those with creative spirits, curious minds, and a love of technology and video games.
Awful Beautiful Life: When God Shows Up in the Midst of Tragedy
by Katherine Reay Becky PowellA gripping story of grace, faith, and triumph for a woman whose world shattered hours after her husband's suicide. Becky Powell faced the unthinkable on May 16, 2013. Her husband Mark called and said, "I've done something terrible." Within hours, she learned that he had taken his own life and, over a period of several years, millions of dollars from friends and colleagues. Everything she believed to be true, the very fiber of her marriage, was called into question. Within a week, rather than planning carpool runs and volunteer fundraisers, she owed almost one hundred creditors millions of dollars and had her own team of ten lawyers. She was also the subject of open FBI, SEC and DOJ investigations-and faced potential criminal charges. And, although she instantly denounced every cent of Mark's $15M in life insurance and promised to repay every penny taken, her lawyers knew that in reality she faced years of court battles and lawsuits, and possible jail time. Yet from that first horrific moment, God was there. He showed up in his Word, in Becky's friends, in her lawyers and in the generosity of those around her. He worked miracles. CNBC, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others covered the first moment, but what about the last? What about the story in which God gives your next breath because you can't find it on your own? What about the story of a mom and three kids trying to make sense of their pasts, present and future while living under a microscope? AWFUL BEAUTIFUL LIFE is Becky's journey through the two years surrounding Mark's death and how she overcame. It came down to a loving God who surrounded her, a present and dedicated family, and friends, who made her life, offered her sanctuary and showed up for her and her kids in tangible ways. This is a story of remarkable grit, strength and what the Body of Christ in action looks like.
Awkward
by Mary CappelloLos Angeles Times Bestseller"Mary Cappello['s] inventive, associative taxonomy of discomfort . . . [is] revelatory indeed." -MARK DOTY, author of Dog Years: A Memoir and Fire to Fire: New and Selected Poems"A wonderful, multi-layered piece of writing, with all the insight of great cultural criticism and all the emotional pull of memoir. A fascinating book." -SARAH WATERS, author of The Night Watch and The Little StrangerWithout awkwardness we would not know grace, stability, or balance. Yet no one before Mary Cappello has turned such a penetrating gaze on this misunderstood condition. Fearlessly exploring the ambiguous borders of identity, she mines her own life journeys-from Russia, to Italy, to the far corners of her heart and the depths of a literary or cinematic text-to decipher the powerful messages that awkwardness can transmit.Mary Cappello is the author of four books of literary nonfiction, including Awkward: A Detour, which was a Los Angeles Times bestseller, Called Back: My Reply to Cancer, My Return to Life, which won a ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Award and an Independent Publishers Prize, and Swallow: Swallow: Foreign Bodies, Their Ingestion, Inspiration, and the Curious Doctor Who Extracted Them. Professor of English at the University of Rhode Island, she lives in Providence, Rhode Island and Lucerne-in-Maine, Maine.
Awkward!: Your Stars' Oops, Goofs and Blushes
by Michael-Anne JohnsEveryone has embarrassing moments at school . . . even your favorite celebs! Includes info about One Direction, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Austin Mahone, Taylor Swift, and more!Sure, being a superstar may look like it's all red-carpet events, fabulous parties, and premieres. But the fact is, your favorite celebrities are ordinary people, too--people who make mistakes and find themselves in embarrassing situations, just like everyone else. We've uncovered some hysterical and unforgettable moments we just had to share. And your fave stars are all such good sports, they're the ones who revealed these oops-worthy moments. So take a peek at what life's like on the other side of the red carpet. Hint: It isn't always pretty!
Awo: The Autobiography of Chief Obafemi Awolowo
by Obafemi AwolowoAwolowo (1909-1987) was the leader of the Action Group party, former Premier of the Western Region of Nigeria, and Leader of the Opposition in the Federal Parliament of Nigeria.
Axed: Who Killed Australian Magazines?
by Phil BarkerAxed charts the dramatic decline of the magazine industry in Australia from the million-selling highs of the 1990s to the recent round of mergers, closures and mass-redundancies. What went wrong?Australian magazines once boasted the highest circulation per capita in the world. Former magazine editor Phil Barker follows the story from this golden age to today, showing how mismanagement, unchecked spending and the challenge presented by the rise of the internet all combined to undermine the previously unassailable position magazines held in the Australian consciousness.Prominent magazine executives and editors who witnessed the industry&’s decline and failure to capitalise on digital opportunities have gone on the record for the first time. Featuring in-depth analysis of archival reporting and brand-new interviews with key players, Axed lifts the lid on the scandals behind the industry&’s swan dive.But Phil also talks to the people who have managed to pivot in a fast-moving media landscape and believe magazines are a part of Australia&’s future. Are magazines really dead, or is there still some hope for survival?
Axis Sally: The American Voice of Nazi Germany
by Richard LucasA &“fascinating, well-researched account&” of Mildred Gillars, the failed actress who turned on her country and became a Nazi propagandist during WWII (Publishers Weekly). One of the most notorious Americans of the twentieth century was a failed Broadway actress turned radio announcer named Mildred Gillars (1900–1988), better known to American GIs as &“Axis Sally.&” Despite the richness of her life story, there has never been a full-length biography of the ambitious, star-struck Ohio girl who evolved into a reviled disseminator of Nazi propaganda. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, Gillars had been living in Germany for five years. Hoping to marry, she chose to remain in the Nazi-run state even as the last Americans departed for home. In 1940, she was hired by the German overseas radio, where she evolved from a simple disc jockey and announcer to a master propagandist. Under the tutelage of her married lover, Max Otto Koischwitz, Gillars became the personification of Nazi propaganda to the American GI. Spicing her broadcasts with music, Gillars&’s used her soothing voice to taunt Allied troops about the supposed infidelities of their wives and girlfriends back home, as well as the horrible deaths they were likely to meet on the battlefield. Supported by German military intelligence, she was able to convey personal greetings to individual US units, creating an eerie foreboding among troops who realized the Germans knew who and where they were. After broadcasting for Berlin up to the very end of the war, Gillars tried but failed to pose as a refugee, and was captured by US authorities. Her 1949 trial for treason captured the attention and raw emotion of a nation fresh from the horrors of the Second World War. Gillars&’s twelve-year imprisonment and life on parole, including a stay in a convent, is a remarkable story of a woman who attempts to rebuild her life in the country she betrayed.
Axolote atropellado
by Helene HegemannEl libro que ha escandalizado a Alemania y que se ha vendido en todo el mundo. Berlín, 2010. Mifti, 16 años, drogadicta, alcohólica, adicta al sexo y a las fiestas nocturnas, padece síndrome de pseudo estrés debilitado. Lo que la diferencia de los demás es su hipersensibilidad y su abierta e incisiva curiosidad por una generación mayor que no parece ser capaz de preocuparse por sus hijos. El diario de una joven que lleva al límite los excesos de la adolescencia y sus consecuencias, con una prosa extremadamente literaria y poética, plagada de duras realidades que deberían hacernos reflexionar a todos. Mifti sólo busca un compañero de aventuras incondicional, que no le falle, y lo encuentra en una mascota inesperada y sorprendente: el axolote que da título a esta novela, una especie de salamandra mexicana que, por un defecto genético, se queda en estado larvario sin madurar. A fin de cuentas, Mifti, a pesar de su mordacidad y madurez, es sencillamente una adolescente, rabiosa y abandonada por su madre, que no quiere entrar en el mundo adulto porque es un engaño del que prefiere no participar.
Ayer, hoy y mañana
by Sophia LorenEl 20 de septiembre de 1934 nacía en Roma una niña que nadie había deseado y todos acabaron adorando: esa niña era Sophia Loren. Ahora, al cumplir los ochenta años, la gran actriz ha querido contar su vida en unas memorias que son también la imagen de una época, pues la vida de Sophia anda de la mano de la historia del siglo XX.Hija de una mujer joven y espléndida que también quería abrirse paso en el cine y de un joven que no estaba dispuesto a formar una familia, Sofia Villani Scicolone fue criada por sus abuelos en un barrio pobre de Nápoles, pero su belleza y sus dotes para la interpretación pronto le abrieron el camino al cine. Su encuentro con Carlo Ponti fue decisivo en su vida personal y profesional: él fue su marido, el productor de la mayoría de sus películas y su mejor amigo en los momentos duros.Ahora, en su casa, la actriz abre la caja de los recuerdos, y de ahí salen palabras, fotos y documentos inéditos que se muestran por primera vez al público lector. Los perfiles de los grandes protagonistas del cine, la fotografía, la literatura y la moda desfilan por estas páginas: de Vittorio de Sica a Giorgio Armani, pasando por Cary Grant, Marcello Mastroianni y Alberto Moravia, el pasado vuelve a nosotros gracias a una voz que fue musa de la gran pantalla pero nunca olvidó sus orígenes, y ahora puede permitirse el lujo de recordar todos los años de su vida."Lo mejor que me pasó en la vida fue nacer sabia y pobre...y todo eso que ustedes ven se lo debo a los spaghetti."Sophia Loren
Ayesha's Gift: A daughter's search for the truth about her father
by Martin SixsmithFrom the author of the bestselling Philomena, made into the award-winning film starring Steve Coogan and Judi Dench, comes the story of a young woman, born in Pakistan, living in Britain, whose life is thrown into desperate turmoil by the violent death of her father. The Pakistani authorities talk of suicide, but why would Ayesha’s happy, gentle father kill himself? Ayesha’s quest to find the truth takes her right away from her safe London existence. She meets with threats, intimidation and smiling perjurers who resent her intrusion into their world. She is warned that her life is in danger; powerful, ruthless men have reasons to want her silenced. But there are things she needs to know, that compel her to press on with her search for the truth. Was her father an innocent victim? Can she continue to revere the image of him she grew up with, that of a good, loving parent? Or will she be forced to accept that her father was not the person she thought he was? Ayesha decides that the only way forward is to fly to Pakistan and confront his killers. When she goes, Martin Sixsmith goes with her. The denouement of their journey together is extraordinarily moving, with unforeseen repercussions for them both.
Ayn Rand Cult
by Jeff WalkerDespised by the intellectual establishment, Ayn Rand continues to attract many thousands of devoted followers. Her "Objectivist" movement preaches an uncompromising hard line on politics, art, sex, and psychological health. Though much has been written about Rand, The Ayn Rand Cult is the first book to explain the true origin of her ideas and to show how they were shaped into a new, atheistic religion. Jeff Walker shatters many myths about Rand, exposing Objectivism as a classic cult, unusual because of its overt emphasis on self-interest, rationality, and atheism, but typical of cults in its guru-worship, thought control, trial and excommunication of deviants, and hostility to existing society.
Ayn Rand For Beginners
by Andrew Bernstein Owen BrozmanAyn Rand, author of the best-selling novels, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, is beloved by millions of readers, and equally despised by a significant number of detractors. Her novels and her revolutionary philosophy of Objectivism have acquired a world-wide following. They have also created legions of readers who are hungry for a deeper understanding of her writings. Despite her undeniably significant contributions to the literary canon and the progression of philosophy, there has been no simple, comprehensive introduction to Rand's books and ideas, until now. Ayn Rand For Beginners sheds new light on Rand's monumental works and robust philosophy. In clear, down-to-earth language, it explains Rand to a new generation of readers in a manner that is entertaining, and easy to read and comprehend.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Ayn Rand Nation: The Hidden Struggle for America's Soul
by Gary WeissThirty years after her death in March 1982, Ayn Rand's ideas have never been more important. Unfettered capitalism, unregulated business, bare-bones government providing no social services, glorification of selfishness, disdain for Judeo-Christian morality—these are the tenets of Rand's harsh philosophy.In Ayn Rand Nation, Gary Weiss explores the people and institutions that remain under the spell of the Russian-born novelist. He provides new insights into Rand's inner circle in the last years of her life, with revelations of never-before-publicized predictions by Rand that still resonate today. Weiss charts Rand's infiltration of the Tea Party and Libertarian movements, and provides an inside look at the radical belief system that has exerted a powerful influence on the Republican Party and its presidential candidates. It's a fascinating cast of characters that ranges from Glenn Beck to Oliver Stone, and includes Rand's most influential disciple, Alan Greenspan. Weiss describes in penetrating detail how Greenspan became a stalking horse for Rand—slashing and burning regulations with ideological zeal, and then seeking to conceal her influence on his life and thinking. Lastly, Weiss provides a strategy for a renewed national dialogue, an embrace of the nation's core values that is needed to deal with Rand's pervasive grip on society. From The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged to Rand's lesser-known and misunderstood nonfiction books, Gary Weiss examines the impact of Rand's thinking across our society.
Ayn Rand and the World She Made
by Anne C. HellerA New York Times Notable Book A Chicago Tribune Favorite Book of the Year A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year Ayn Rand’s books have attracted three generations of readers, shaped the Libertarian movement, influenced White House economic policies throughout the Reagan years and beyond, and inspired the Tea Party movement. Yet twenty-eight years after her death, readers know very little about her life. In this seminal biography, Anne C. Heller traces the controversial author’s life from her childhood in Bolshevik Russia to her years as a Hollywood screenwriter, the publication of her blockbuster novels, and the rise and fall of the cult that worshipped her in the 1950s and 1960s. Based on original research in Russia and scores of interviews with Rand’s acquaintances and former acolytes, Ayn Rand and the World She Made is a comprehensive and eye-opening portrait of one of the most significant and improbable figures of the twentieth century.
Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics
by Tara SmithAyn Rand is well known for advocating egoism, but the substance of that instruction is rarely understood. Far from representing the rejection of morality, selfishness, in Rand's view, actually demands the practice of a systematic code of ethics. This book explains the fundamental virtues that Rand considers vital for a person to achieve his objective well-being: rationality, honesty, independence, justice, integrity, productiveness, and pride. Tracing Rand's account of the harmony of human beings' rational interests, Smith examines what each of these virtues consists of, why it is a virtue, and what it demands of a person in practice. Along the way she addresses the status of several conventional virtues within Rand's theory, considering traits such as kindness, charity, generosity, temperance, courage, forgiveness, and humility. Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics thus offers an in-depth exploration of several specific virtues and an illuminating integration of these with the broader theory of egoism.
Ayya's Accounts: A Ledger of Hope in Modern India
by Anand Pandian M. P. Mariappan“An absorbing exploration of one man’s life” —as an orphan, refugee, shopkeeper, and grandfather—through a century of upheaval in India (Library Journal).Born in colonial India into a despised caste of former tree climbers, Ayya lost his mother as a child and came of age in a small town in lowland Burma. Forced to flee at the outbreak of World War II, he made a treacherous 1,700-mile journey by foot, boat, bullock cart, and rail back to southern India.Becoming a successful fruit merchant, Ayya educated and eventually settled many of his descendants in the United States. Luck, nerve, subterfuge, and sorrow all have their place along the precarious route of his advancement. Emerging out of tales told to his American grandson, Ayya’s Accounts embodies a simple faith—that the story of a place as large and complex as modern India can be told through the life of a single individual.“At once a mesmerizing memoir of an ordinary man’s life and an anthropologist’s revealing examination of the astounding changes experienced by persons and families . . . impossible to put down.” —South Asia“No one deemed a superhero by the movies has had a more interesting life with such extraordinary sweep.” —Scott Simon, NPR Weekend Edition
Azha.Valliyappa
by poovannanThis book is a monograph in Tamil on Children’s Poet, Azha.Valliyappa, popularly known as 'Kuzhanthai Kavignar' who wrote plenty of simple and enjoyable rhymes for children.
Azim Premji
by N. ChokkanThis book is a biography of Azim Hashim Premji who is an Indian business tycoon, philanthropist and the chairman of Wipro Limited, an enterprise which emerged as one of the Indian leaders in the software industry.
Aún no estoy muerto
by Phil CollinsCon cientos de millones de discos vendidos y una asombrosa capacidad para conectar con la gente, Phil Collins marcó una época en la música pop. Aún no estoy muerto es su autobiografía. «Tal vez seas un admirador o tal vez te pique la curiosidad sobre ese pesado que no dejaba de salir en las listas de grandes éxitos hace unos treinta años# En cualquier caso, te doy la bienvenida».Phil Collins En Aún no estoy muerto Phil Collins nos ofrece una crónica sincera, ocurrente y sin pelos en la lengua de las canciones y los conciertos, los éxitos y los patinazos, los matrimonios y los divorcios, su irrupción en las listas de éxitos y en las portadas de los tabloides. Collins, uno de los tres músicos que ha vendido más de cien millones de discos tanto como integrante de un grupo como en solitario, no ha perdido ni al llegar a lo más alto el talento para crear canciones que emocionan al público de todo el mundo. Esta es la historia de una trayectoria épica, la de un niño actor que se convierte en uno de los compositores más exitosos de la época del pop. Collins empezó a tocar la batería casi antes de dar sus primeros pasos y aprendió el oficio en los sórdidos y apasionantes bares y clubes nocturnos del Londres de los alocados años sesenta, antes de hacerse con el puesto de batería de Genesis. Con el tiempo daría un paso al frente como cantante tras la marcha de Peter Gabriel y compondría las canciones que lo catapultarían a la fama internacional en solitario con el lanzamiento de Face Value e In The Air Tonight. Tanto cuando toca junto a Eric Clapton o Robert Plant como cuando forma una orquesta de jazz con Tony Bennett al frente, actúa por partida doble en el Live Aid o compone la oscarizada música de la exitosa Tarzán de Disney, Collins mantiene un tono íntimo y su don para contar historias no decae jamás.
B & Me
by J. C. HallmanA funny, frisky, often outrageous book about love, literature, and modern life--and a wink of the eye toU and I, Nicholson Baker's classic book about John Updike--by an award-winning author called "wonderfully bright" by The New York Times Book Review.Nearly twenty-five years ago, Nicholson Baker published U and I, the fretful and handwringing--but also groundbreaking--tale of his literary relationship with John Updike. U and I inspired a whole sub-genre of engaging, entertaining writing about reading, but what no story of this type has ever done is tell its tale from the moment of conception, that moment when you realize that there is a writer out there in the world that you must read--so you read them. B & Me is that story, the story of J.C. Hallman discovering and reading Nicholson Baker, and discovering himself in the process. Our relationship to books in the digital age, the role of art in an increasingly commodified world, the power great writing has to change us, these are at the core of Hallman's investigation of Baker--questions he's grappled with, values he's come to doubt. But in reading Baker's work, Hallman discovers the key to overcoming the malaise that has been plaguing him, through the books themselves and what he finds and contemplates in his attempts to understand them and their enigmatic author: sex, book jackets, an old bed and breakfast, love, Monica Lewinsky, Paris, marriage, more sex, the logistics of libraries. In the spirit of Geoff Dyer's Out of Sheer Rage and Elif Batuman's The Possessed, B & Me is literary self-archaeology: a funny, irreverent, incisive story of one reader's desperate quest to restore passion to literature, and all the things he learns along the way.