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A Ball, a Dog, and a Monkey
by Michael D'AntonioA Ball, a Dog, and a Monkey tells the remarkable story of America's first efforts to succeed in space, a time of exploding rockets, national space mania, Florida boomtowns, and interservice rivalries so fierce that President Dwight Eisenhower had to referee them. When the Soviet Union launched the first orbital satellite, Sputnik I, Americans panicked. The Soviets had nuclear weapons, the Cold War was underway, and now the USSR had taken the lead in the space race. Members of Congress and the press called for an all-out effort to launch a satellite into orbit. With dire warnings about national security in the news almost every day, the armed services saw space as the new military frontier. But President Eisenhower insisted that the space effort, which relied on military technology, be supervised by civilians so that the space race would be peaceful. The Navy's Vanguard program flopped, and the Army, led by ex-Nazi rocket scientist Wernher von Braun and a martinet general named J. Bruce Medaris (whom Eisenhower disliked), took over. Meanwhile, the Soviets put a dog inside the next Sputnik, and Americans grew more worried as the first animal in space whirled around the Earth. Throughout 1958 America went space crazy. UFO sightings spiked. Boys from Brooklyn to Burbank shot model rockets into the air. Space-themed beauty pageants became a national phenomenon. The news media flocked to the launchpads on the swampy Florida coast, and reporters reinvented themselves as space correspondents. And finally the Army's rocket program succeeded. Determined not to be outdone by the Russians, America's space scientists launched the first primate into space, a small monkey they nicknamed Old Reliable for his calm demeanor. And then at Christmastime, Eisenhower authorized the launch of a secret satellite with a surprise aboard. A Ball, a Dog, and a Monkey memorably recalls the infancy of the space race, a time when new technologies brought ominous danger but also gave us the ability to realize our dreams and reach for the stars.
Ball and Mallet
by Christy LenziTaribu and Riheti are an unlikely pair— Taribu is a slave while Riheti is a noble. Determined to prove themselves, they attend the New Year Festival to play a game of Ball and Mallet. Will Taribu be able to face his fears and help Riheti win the game?
The Ball and the Cross
by G. K. ChestertonThe adventures of two men, one an atheist, the other a Catholic, who want to fight a duel over God and the Virgin Mary. The world thinks them both mad, of course, because they seem to be serious, and the story ends by shutting up in a lunatic asylum all the people who are sane enough to care one way or another about their quarrel.
The Ball and the Cross
by G. K. ChestertonLike much of G. K. Chesterton's fiction, The Ball and the Cross is both witty and profound, cloaking serious religious and philosophical inquiry in sparkling humor and whimsy. Serialized in the British publication The Commonwealth in 1905-06, Chesterton's second novel first appeared in book form in America in 1909, delighting and challenging readers with its heady mixture of fantasy, farce, and theology. The plot of The Ball and the Cross chronicles a hot dispute between two Scotsmen, one a devout but naive Roman Catholic, the other a zealous but naive atheist. Their fanatically held opinions--leading to a duel that is proposed but never fought--inspire a host of comic adventures whose allegorical levels vigorously explore the debate between theism and atheism. Martin Gardner's superb introduction to The Ball and the Cross reveals the real-life debate between Chesterton and a famous atheist that provided inspiration for the story, and it explores some of the novel's possible allegorical meanings. Appraising the book's many intriguing philosophical qualities, Mr. Gardner alerts readers as well to the pleasures of its "colorful style . . . amusing puns and clever paradoxes . . . and the humor and melodrama of its crazy plot."
The Ball and the Cross (Barnes And Noble Library Of Essential Reading Ser.)
by G. K. ChestertonThe thrilling allegorical novel from the author of The Man Who Was Thursday and the Father Brown Stories First serialized in the Commonwealth, G. K. Chesterton's fantastical third novel opens with a debate between Professor Lucifer and Brother Michael as they soar across the sky above London. Part farce, part theological exploration, The Ball and the Cross soon settles on the story of another pair of contraries. When differences of opinion lead an atheist and a devout Roman Catholic to plan a duel to the death, fate intervenes and propels the two men toward deeper understanding. Widely considered to be one of Chesterton's most accessible and substantive works, The Ball and the Cross was commended by Pope John Paul I for the profound truths it reveals. Readers for over a hundred years have marveled at the brilliance of this exhilarating tale about belief, nonbelief, and our collective search for the truth. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Ball at Versailles: A Novel
by Danielle SteelNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Four American debutantes attend a renowned Paris cotillion in Danielle Steel&’s captivating new novel.It&’s the summer of 1959 and the Palace of Versailles is hosting an event that will make history. It is an exclusive dusk-to-dawn ball in which a select group of American and French debutantes will be presented to international society and royalty. Four young women, all with something to prove, receive what some see as the invitation of a lifetime.Amelia Alexander, who hopes to eventually attend law school, hesitates to participate in what she sees as an archaic and privileged tradition. But her indomitable widowed mother, Jane, who&’s struggled financially and sacrificed for a career, encourages her to attend. Jane would do anything for Amelia to have the chance at a happily ever after.Felicity Smith is equally uncertain about the ball. Although her family is prominent in the Dallas social scene, Felicity prefers to keep to herself, avoiding the older sister who torments her. But to get out of her sister&’s shadow, Felicity decides to accept. If it&’s a success, the tables will have turned at last.For Caroline Taylor, the beautiful ingénue and daughter of Hollywood legends, the ball is an irresistible opportunity. But an unexpected heartbreak just before she leaves for France gets things off to a bad start.Then there&’s Samantha Walker, an art history major with an overprotective father. Her excitement about the invitation is overshadowed by the emotional and physical effects of a past tragedy that still haunts her. For all these young women, Paris and one transcendent night will change their lives forever. Bestselling author Danielle Steel extends an invitation to all, in The Ball at Versailles.
Ball Buster (The Playbook #1)
by Kara SheridanIn Kara Sheridan's sexy new series, these hard-hitting pro footballers don't play by the book. Playbook Rule #1: Never ever give upIt's official. The Alabama Warriors have the worst reputation in pro football. As the team's captain, Carson Savage has his ass on the line and - thanks to a leaked photo - his ass is also online. Now the team is getting an image makeover from Sadie Reynolds, the hottest redhead in the South and Carson's high school sweetheart. Maybe making a play for his sexy ex is a risky move... but Carson didn't make it this far by playing it safe.Alabama is the last place in the world Sadie wants to be. Going home again only reminds her of what - and who - she gave up. Seeing the insanely hot ex she never quite forgot is dangerous. Carson's too sexy. Too tempting. And Sadie can't afford to go out of bounds. So she'll do whatever it takes to finish this job and leave town with her heart still intact. The only problem? Carson's decided it's not about winning the game... it's about winning the girl.The Playbook series: Ball BusterTight EndBig Jock
Ball Canning Back to Basics: A Foolproof Guide to Canning Jams, Jellies, Pickles, and More
by Ball Home Canning Test KitchenCan it, pickle it, and store it with confidence.If you can boil water, you can make your own delectable jams and jellies, try your hand at fresh-pack pickling, and jar savory sauces. Ball Canning Back to Basics focuses on the building-block techniques and easy, classic recipes every canner should know. The book begins with in-depth information on water bath canning, the equipment you need, and food safety guidance. Each preserving method is thoroughly explained with beginner-friendly tutorials and step-by-step photographs highlighting key steps. Learn to capture the sweet, ripe flavors of your favorite fruits and vegetables with 100 approachable, versatile recipes for the modern pantry. Packed with simple variation ideas for low-sugar and flavor change-ups, and time-tested tips from the most trusted authority in home canning, this handy guide delivers everything you need to successfully master home canning safely and deliciously.
Ball Cap Nation
by James LillieforsAs the country grows increasingly diverse and complicated, Americans seek, and occasionally find, a common thread to unite them. And, as Jim Lilliefors reveals in his new book, that common thread is what the baseball cap is made of - indeed, what has transformed it into America's National Hat. As fads go, it's no longer even a fad, but a part of the national identity that, for better or worse, is a symbol of America. It feeds an illusion that Americans cherish - that despite their differences, and no matter what position they play - when wearing a baseball cap, they're all part of the same team. Exploring every aspect of caps and their culture - including the history, manufacturing, and evolution of baseball caps; collecting and caring for caps; cap etiquette; and even cap urban legends - and packed with photos throughout, Ball Cap Nation is a delightful look at a uniquely American phenomenon.
Ball Caps and Khakis (Deep Secrets and Hope #6)
by Jo RamseyDeep Secrets and Hope: Book SixMan-Shik "Manny" Park, grandson of strict Korean immigrants, is trying to protect his friend Jim Frankel from bullies who don't think Jim should be allowed to live in Ludington, Michigan, let alone have any friends. Manny is determined to stand by Jim, even if Jim isn't willing to defend himself. But Jim's problems aren't the only ones facing Manny. Against his parents' wishes, Manny yearns to be an artist. He's also more attracted to guys than girls, and he's asexual. Only Jim knows these secrets, and Manny knows a few of Jim's too. Bonded by their shared confidences, Manny supports Jim after he's accused of sending explicit Facebook messages to middle school girls, including Manny's sister. While Manny sets out to prove Jim's innocence, things go from bad to worse. Soon after the incident, Manny and Jim receive intimidating messages, and Jim is put in danger. To help his friend, Manny risks everything to try to learn who's behind the threats and why they want to destroy Jim's life.
Ball Don't Lie
by Matt de la PeñaNewbery Award-winning author Matt de la Pena's Ball Don't Lie about basketball "is a must-read." [The Bulletin] <P> <P> Sticky is a beat-around-the-head foster kid with nowhere to call home but the street, and an outer shell so tough that no one will take him in. He started out life so far behind the pack that the finish line seems nearly unreachable. He's a white boy living and playing in a world where he doesn't seem to belong. But Sticky can ball. And basketball might just be his ticket out . . . if he can only realize that he doesn't have to be the person everyone else expects him to be. Matt de la Peña's breakout urban masterpiece, Ball Don't Lie takes place where the street and the court meet and where a boy can be anything if he puts his mind to it.
A Ball for Daisy: (Caldecott Medal Winner)
by Chris RaschkaWinner of the 2012 Randolph Caldecott MedalThis New York Times Bestseller and New York Times Best Illustrated Book relates a story about love and loss as only Chris Rashcka can tell it. Any child who has ever had a beloved toy break will relate to Daisy's anguish when her favorite ball is destroyed by a bigger dog. In the tradition of his nearly wordless picture book Yo! Yes?, Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka explores in pictures the joy and sadness that having a special toy can bring. Raschka's signature swirling, impressionistic illustrations and his affectionate story will particularly appeal to young dog lovers and teachers and parents who have children dealing with the loss of something special.
Ball Four: The Final Pitch
by Jim BoutonWhen Ball Four was first published in 1970, it hit the sports world like a lightning bolt. Commissioners, executives, and players were shocked. Sportswriters called author Jim Bouton a traitor and ""social leper."" Commissioner Bowie Kuhn tried to force him to declare the book untrue. Fans, however, loved the book. And serious critics called it an important social document. Today, Jim Bouton is still not invited to Oldtimer's Days at Yankee Stadium. But his landmark book is still being read by people who don't ordinarily follow baseball. For the updated edition of this historic book, Bouton has written a new epilogue, detailing his perspective on how baseball has changed since the last edition was released.
Ball Four
by Jim BoutonInsider's takes on baseball In 1963, Jim Bouton won 21 games for the Yankees. In 1964 he won 18 games for them, and two more in the World Series. Then Bouton lost his fast ball, and came to the gut-twisting decision to try to make it with the knuckleball -the most erratic and difficult pitch there is. Bouton got sent to the minors, fought his way back to the majors. Almost wrecked himself working on his knuckleball. Incited people. Made enemies. Made friends. Never gave up. And wrote a book. The biggest bestseller about the game of baseball, and the men who play it, ever published. "Here is Bouton as a day-to-day observer, hard thinker, marvellous listener, comical critic, angry victim and unabashed lover of a sport. What he has given us is a rare view of a complex public profession seen from the innermost side, along with an even more rewarding view of an ironic and courageous mind. And, very likely, the funniest book of the year."
Ball Four: The Final Pitch (RosettaBooks Sports Classics #1)
by Jim BoutonThe 50th Anniversary edition of &“the book that changed baseball&” (NPR), chosen by Time magazine as one of the &“100 Greatest Non-Fiction&” books. When Ball Four was published in 1970, it created a firestorm. Bouton was called a Judas, a Benedict Arnold, and a &“social leper&” for having violated the &“sanctity of the clubhouse.&” Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn tried to force Bouton to sign a statement saying the book wasn&’t true. Ballplayers, most of whom hadn&’t read it, denounced the book. It was even banned by a few libraries. Almost everyone else, however, loved Ball Four. Fans liked discovering that athletes were real people—often wildly funny people. David Halberstam, who won a Pulitzer for his reporting on Vietnam, wrote a piece in Harper&’s that said of Bouton: &“He has written . . . a book deep in the American vein, so deep in fact that it is by no means a sports book.&” Today Ball Four has taken on another role—as a time capsule of life in the sixties. &“It is not just a diary of Bouton&’s 1969 season with the Seattle Pilots and Houston Astros,&” says sportswriter Jim Caple. &“It&’s a vibrant, funny, telling history of an era that seems even further away than four decades. To call it simply a &‘tell all book&’ is like describing The Grapes of Wrath as a book about harvesting peaches in California.&” Includes a new foreword by Jim Bouton's wife, Paula Kurman &“An irreverent, best-selling book that angered baseball&’s hierarchy and changed the way journalists and fans viewed the sports world.&” —The Washington Post
Ball Games (Fountas & Pinnell Classroom, Guided Reading)
by Amy TichbourneNIMAC-sourced textbook. Bounce! What can you do with a ball?
Ball Hog (Animal All-stars Ser.)
by Hoss MastersonSpikelle Jordan is the star point guard for the Hedgehogs. The only thing more amazing than her super spin move or dig-down defense is her awesome ability to take over a basketball game in the clutch. Unfortunately for Spikelle, her Hedgehog teammates wouldn’t mind a little more limelight for themselves. What’s a talented Ball Hog to do?
The Ball in the Air: A Golfing Adventure
by Michael BambergerAfter a lifetime of writing about the professional sport, Michael Bamberger, &“the poet laureate of golf&” (GOLF magazine), delivers an exhilarating love letter to the amateur game as it&’s played—and lived—by the rest of us.Over Michael Bamberger&’s celebrated writing career, he has written a handful of books and hundreds of Sports Illustrated stories about professional golf and those who play it—that is, the .001 percent. Now, Bamberger trains his eye on the rest of us. In his most personal book yet, Bamberger takes the lid off a game that is both quasi-religious and a nonstop party, posing an age-old question that is answered over its pages: Why does the game cast such a spell on us? Here is the story of modern golf that is not on TV. This is our story, we who pay to play, who can&’t wait to get another crack at the game, even when golf doesn&’t love us back. And just as every round is an adventure, every life in golf is, too. The golfers Michael Bamberger introduces will leave you inspired and moved. You&’ll meet Sam Reeves, a golf-loving US Army soldier who becomes captivated by a fellow soldier, Cliff Harrington, a gifted Black golfer who&’s cruelly robbed of the chance to show the world all he can do. You&’ll meet Ryan French, who plays on a college golf team out of Animal House. You&’ll get to know Pratima Sherpa, who grew up in a maintenance shed at the Royal Nepal Golf Club in Kathmandu and took up the game with a stick whittled by her father. The Ball in the Air is reported with Bamberger&’s you-are-there intimacy and captures the sweep of time. Pratima finds her way from Nepal to a university golf team in Southern California. Ryan and his father caddie in minor-league events while sleeping in tents, a preamble to Ryan&’s becoming the godfather of the popular Monday Qualifier Twitter feed. Sam Reeves, born in rural Georgia during the Depression, becomes a cotton king, the oldest amateur to make the cut at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and the ultimate man for all seasons. And there are Bamberger sightings, too, as he finds his own path in the game. You&’ll make joyful side trips with the author, who&’s spent more than forty years exploring golfers and golf, a way of life that captivates him down to his bones. You&’ll visit the golf course at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and compete with Bamberger and other purists at the National Hickory Championship in rural Pennsylvania. At St. Andrews, you&’ll get up close and personal with Lee Trevino, one of the few professionals in these pages, because Trevino, when you really get to the core of the man, is one of us. He can&’t get enough of it. The Ball in the Air is Bamberger&’s valentine to golf. The modern world, obsessed with fame and fortune, has infiltrated professional golf—but it hasn&’t infiltrated golf. Bamberger is here to highlight the distinction and to celebrate the game and all who play it.
The Ball Is Round: A Global History of Soccer
by David GoldblattAt nearly 1000 pages, this global history of the sport of soccer is determined to be as comprehensive as possible. Goldblatt, an English writer who has previously published "World Football Yearbook", traces the history of soccer from its ritualistic past into its current incarnation as an international phenomenon. Combining statistics and development of this sport with dozens of witty anecdotes, this book should interest anyone who has ever kicked a black-and-white ball into a net.
The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer
by David GoldblattThe definitive book about soccer. With a new foreword for the American edition. <P><P>There may be no cultural practice more global than soccer. Rites of birth and marriage are infinitely diverse, but the rules of soccer are universal. No world religion can match its geographical scope. The single greatest simultaneous human collective experience is the World Cup final. <P><P>In this extraordinary tour de force, David Goldblatt tells the full story of soccer's rise from chaotic folk ritual to the world's most popular sport-now poised to fully establish itself in the USA. <P>Already celebrated internationally, The Ball Is Round illuminates soccer's role in the political and social histories of modern societies, but never loses sight of the beauty, joy, and excitement of the game itself.
The Ball is Round
by David GoldblattThe definitive book about soccer. With a new foreword for the American edition. There may be no cultural practice more global than soccer. Rites of birth and marriage are infinitely diverse, but the rules of soccer are universal. No world religion can match its geographical scope. The single greatest simultaneous human collective experience is the World Cup final. In this extraordinary tour de force, David Goldblatt tells the full story of soccer's rise from chaotic folk ritual to the world's most popular sport-now poised to fully establish itself in the USA. Already celebrated internationally, The Ball Is Round illuminates soccer's role in the political and social histories of modern societies, but never loses sight of the beauty, joy, and excitement of the game itself.
Ball Lightning: A Popular Guide to a Longstanding Mystery in Atmospheric Electricity
by Herbert BoernerBall lightning is an enigma. These luminous objects that appear occasionally during thunderstorms and can reach several meters in diameter have been a mystery to science for about 200 years. Despite several thousands of reported observations, their nature is still unknown. In this book, well documented cases of ball lightning are described and used to unravel some aspects of this mysterious form of atmospheric electricity. Throughout the book, the author discusses the various facets of the problem in an accessible but rigorous style, delivering a readable and informative text that will captivate the curious reader. He finally reaches the surprising conclusion that the solution to this puzzle may have been hidden in plain sight for many years. A foreword by Earle Williams, leading lightning researcher at MIT, introduces the book.
Ball Lightning
by Cixin Liu Joel MartinsenA science fiction adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of the Three-Body Trilogy, Cixin Liu's Ball Lightning is the story of what happens when the beauty of scientific inquiry runs up against the drive to harness new discoveries with no consideration of their possible consequences.When Chen’s parents are incinerated before his eyes by a blast of ball lightning, he devotes his life to cracking the secret of this mysterious natural phenomenon. His search takes him to stormy mountaintops, an experimental military weapons lab, and an old Soviet science station. The more he learns, the more he comes to realize that ball lightning is just the tip of an entirely new frontier. While Chen’s quest for answers gives purpose to his lonely life, it also pits him against soldiers and scientists with motives of their own: a beautiful army major with an obsession with dangerous weaponry, and a physicist who has no place for ethical considerations in his single-minded pursuit of knowledge.
Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency
by Andrew McCarthy<p>The real collusion in the 2016 election was not between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. It was between the Clinton campaign and the Obama administration. <p>The media–Democrat “collusion narrative,” which paints Donald Trump as cat’s paw of Russia, is a studiously crafted illusion. <p>Despite Clinton’s commanding lead in the polls, hyper-partisan intelligence officials decided they needed an “insurance policy” against a Trump presidency. Thus was born the collusion narrative, built on an anonymously sourced “dossier,” secretly underwritten by the Clinton campaign and compiled by a former British spy. Though acknowledged to be “salacious and unverified” at the FBI’s highest level, the dossier was used to build a counterintelligence investigation against Trump’s campaign. <p>Miraculously, Trump won anyway. But his political opponents refused to accept the voters’ decision. Their collusion narrative was now peddled relentlessly by political operatives, intelligence agents, Justice Department officials, and media ideologues―the vanguard of the “Trump Resistance.” Through secret surveillance, high-level intelligence leaking, and tireless news coverage, the public was led to believe that Trump conspired with Russia to steal the election. <p>Not one to sit passively through an onslaught, President Trump fought back in his tumultuous way. Matters came to a head when he fired his FBI director, who had given explosive House testimony suggesting the president was a criminal suspect, despite privately assuring Trump otherwise. The resulting firestorm of partisan protest cowed the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel, whose seemingly limitless investigation bedeviled the administration for two years. <p>Yet as months passed, concrete evidence of collusion failed to materialize. Was the collusion narrative an elaborate fraud? And if so, choreographed by whom? Against media–Democrat caterwauling, a doughty group of lawmakers forced a shift in the spotlight from Trump to his investigators and accusers. This has exposed the depth of politicization within American law-enforcement and intelligence agencies. It is now clear that the institutions on which our nation depends for objective policing and clear-eyed analysis injected themselves scandalously into the divisive politics of the 2016 election. <p>They failed to forge a new Clinton administration. Will they succeed in bringing down President Trump?</p>