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Bootstrapping Microservices, Second Edition: With Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub Actions, and Terraform
by Ashley DavisBuild a microservices application from scratch using industry standard tools and battle-tested best practices.The best way to learn microservices development is to build something! Bootstrapping Microservices with Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub Actions, and Terraform, Second Edition guides you from zero through to a complete microservices project, including fast prototyping, development, and deployment. In Bootstrapping Microservices, Second Edition you&’ll get hands-on experience with microservices development skills like: Creating, configuring, and running a microservice with Node.js Building and publishing a microservice using Docker Applying automated testing Running a microservices application in development with Docker Compose Deploying microservices to a production Kubernetes cluster Implementing infrastructure as code and setting up a continuous delivery pipeline Monitoring, managing, and troubleshooting Bootstrapping Microservices with Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub Action, and Terraform has helped thousands of developers create their first microservices applications. This fully revised second edition introduces the industry-standard tools and practical skills you&’ll use for every microservices application. Author Ashley Davis&’s friendly advice and guidance helps cut down the learning curve for Docker, Terraform, and Kubernetes, showing you just what you need to know to start building. About the technology Taking a microservices application from proof of concept to production requires many steps and a host of tools like Kubernetes, Terraform, and GitHub Actions. But where do you start? With clear, practical introductions to each concept and tool, this book guides you hands-on through designing and building your first microservices application. About the book Bootstrapping Microservices, Second Edition is your microservices mentor. It teaches you to use industry-standard tools to create a working video streaming application from the ground up. You&’ll learn the pillars of cloud-native development, including Terraform for configuration, Docker for packaging, and a basic Kubernetes deployment. Plus, this second edition includes coverage of GitHub Actions, continuous delivery, and Infrastructure as Code. What's inside Deploying microservices to Kubernetes Automated testing and continuous delivery Monitoring, managing, and troubleshooting About the reader Examples are in JavaScript and Node. No experience with microservices required. About the author Ashley Davis is a software craftsman, entrepreneur, and author with over 25 years of experience in software development—from coding, to managing teams, to founding companies. Table of Contents 1 Why microservices? 2 Creating your first microservice 3 Publishing your first microservice 4 Data management for microservices 5 Communication between microservices 6 The road to production 7 Infrastructure as code 8 Continuous deployment 9 Automated testing for microservices 10 Shipping FlixTube 11 Healthy microservices 12 Pathways to scalability
Build an Orchestrator in Go (From Scratch)
by Tim BoringDevelop a deep understanding of Kubernetes and other orchestration systems by building your own with Go and the Docker API.Orchestration systems like Kubernetes can seem like a black box: you deploy to the cloud and it magically handles everything you need. That might seem perfect—until something goes wrong and you don&’t know how to find and fix your problems. Build an Orchestrator in Go (From Scratch) reveals the inner workings of orchestration frameworks by guiding you through creating your own. In Build an Orchestrator in Go (From Scratch) you will learn how to: Identify the components that make up any orchestration system Schedule containers on to worker nodes Start and stop containers using the Docker API Manage a cluster of worker nodes using a simple API Work with algorithms pioneered by Google&’s Borg Demystify orchestration systems like Kubernetes and Nomad Build an Orchestrator in Go (From Scratch) explains each stage of creating an orchestrator with diagrams, step-by-step instructions, and detailed Go code samples. Don&’t worry if you&’re not a Go expert. The book&’s code is optimized for simplicity and readability, and its key concepts are easy to implement in any language. You&’ll learn the foundational principles of these frameworks, and even how to manage your orchestrator with a command line interface. About the technology Orchestration frameworks like Kubernetes and Nomad radically simplify managing containerized applications. Building an orchestrator from the ground up gives you deep insight into deploying and scaling containers, clusters, pods, and other components of modern distributed systems. This book guides you step by step as you create your own orchestrator—from scratch. About the book Build an Orchestrator in Go (From Scratch) gives you an inside-out perspective on orchestration frameworks and the low-level operation of distributed containerized applications. It takes you on a fascinating journey building a simple-but-useful orchestrator using the Docker API and Go SDK. As you go, you&’ll get a guru-level understanding of Kubernetes, along with a pattern you can follow when you need to create your own custom orchestration solutions. What's inside Schedule containers on worker nodes Start and stop containers using the Docker API Manage a cluster of worker nodes using a simple API Work with algorithms pioneered by Google&’s Borg About the reader For software engineers, operations professionals, and SREs. This book&’s simple Go code is accessible to all programmers. About the author Tim Boring has 20+ years of experience in software engineering. For most of that time he has worked with orchestration systems, including Borg, Kubernetes, and Nomad. Table of Contents PART 1 INTRODUCTION 1 What is an orchestrator? 2 From mental model to skeleton code 3 Hanging some flesh on the task skeleton PART 2 WORKER 4 Workers of the Cube, unite! 5 An API for the worker 6 Metrics PART 3 MANAGER 7 The manager enters the room 8 An API for the manager 9 What could possibly go wrong? PART 4 REFACTORINGS 10 Implementing a more sophisticated scheduler 11 Implementing persistent storage for tasks PART 5 CLI 12 Building a command-line interface 13 Now what?
Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition: Write and organize scripts and tools (In a Month of Lunches)
by James Petty Don Jones Jeffery HicksAutomate complex tasks and processes with PowerShell scripts. This amazing book teaches you how to write, test, and organize high-quality, reusable scripts for Windows, Linux, and cloud-based systems.Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition takes you beyond command-line PowerShell and opens up the amazing world of scripting and automation. In just 27 bite-sized lessons, you&’ll learn to write scripts that can eliminate repetitive manual tasks, create custom reusable tools, and build effective pipelines and workflows. In Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition you&’ll learn: Setting up a reliable scripting environment Designing functions and scripts Effective pipeline usage Scripting and security Dealing with errors and bugs Source control with git Sharing and publishing scripts Professional-grade scripting practices The PowerShell language lets you write scripts to control nearly every aspect of Windows. Just master a few straightforward scripting skills, and you'll save yourself from hours of tedious tasks. This revised second edition is fully updated to PowerShell&’s latest version, including hands-on examples that perfectly demonstrate modern PowerShell&’s cross-platform applications. About the technology You can write PowerShell scripts to automate nearly any admin task on Windows, Linux, and macOS. This book shows you how! In just 27 short lessons you can complete on your lunch break, you&’ll learn to create, organize, test, and share scripts and tools that will save you hours of time in your daily work. About the book Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition is a hands-on introduction to PowerShell automation and toolbuilding. Updated for the latest version of PowerShell, this thoroughly revised bestseller teaches you how to write efficient scripts, find and squash bugs, and organize your tools into libraries. Along the way, you&’ll even pick up tips for securing and managing Linux and macOS systems. What's inside Setting up a reliable scripting environment Designing functions and scripts Effective pipeline usage Sharing and publishing scripts About the reader Beginning to intermediate knowledge of PowerShell required. About the author James Petty is CEO of PowerShell.org and The DevOps Collective and a Microsoft MVP. Don Jones and Jeffery Hicks are the authors of the first edition of Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches. Table of Contents PART 1 1 Before you begin 2 Setting up your scripting environment 3 WWPD: What would PowerShell do? 4 Review: Parameter binding and the PowerShell pipeline 5 Scripting language: A crash course 6 The many forms of scripting (and which to choose) 7 Scripts and security PART 2 8 Always design first 9 Avoiding bugs: Start with a command 10 Building a basic function and script module 11 Getting started with advanced functions 12 Objects: The best kind of output 13 Using all the streams 14 Simple help: Making a comment 15 Errors and how to deal with them 16 Filling out a manifest PART 3 17 Changing your brain when it comes to scripting 18 Professional-grade scripting 19 An introduction to source control with Git 20 Pestering your script 21 Signing your script 22 Publishing your script PART 4 23 Squashing bugs 24 Enhancing script output presentation 25 Wrapping up the .NET Framework 26 Storing data—not in Excel! 27 Never the end
Inside AI: Over 150 billion purchases per year use this author's AI
by Akli AdjaouteSeparate the AI facts from the AI fiction, and discover how you can best put these tools to work in your organization.In Inside AI AI professor and entrepreneur Dr. Akli Adjaoute puts AI in perspective, with informed insights from 30 years spent in the field. His book lays out a pragmatic blueprint that every leader can utilize to drive innovation with artificial intelligence. In Inside AI you&’ll learn how to: Gain insight into diverse AI techniques and methodologies Learn from both successful and failed AI applications Identify the capabilities and limitations of AI systems Understand successful and failed uses of AI in business See where human cognition still exceeds AI Bust common myths like AI&’s threat to jobs and civilization Manage AI projects effectively Inside AI takes you on a journey through artificial intelligence, from AI&’s origins in traditional expert systems all the way to deep learning and Large Language Models. There&’s no hype here—you&’ll get the grounded, evidence-based insights that are vital for making strategic decisions and preparing your business for the future. About the technology Artificial Intelligence enthusiasts promise everything from human-like collaboration on everyday tasks to the end of work as we know it. Is AI just a flash in the pan, or can it really transform how you do business? This intriguing book sifts through the hype and separates the truth from the myths, with clear advice on what AI can—and can&’t—achieve. About the book Inside AI provides a clear-headed overview of modern artificial intelligence, including the recent advances of Generative AI and Large Language Models. Its accessible and jargon-free explanations of leading AI techniques showcase how AI delivers tangible advantages to businesses. Both inspiring and practical, this book provides a proven framework for developing successful AI applications. What's inside Insights from successful and failed AI applications A survey of AI techniques and methodologies Bust common AI myths Manage AI projects effectively About the reader For anyone seeking grounded insights into AI&’s capabilities, including business leaders and decision makers. About the author Akli Adjaoute is the founder of multiple AI-related companies. He served as an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco and as Scientific Committee Chair and Head of the AI department at EPITA. The technical editor on this book was Richard Vaughan. Table of contents 1 The rise of machine intelligence 2 AI mastery: Essential techniques, Part 1 3 AI mastery: Essential techniques, Part 2 4 Smart agent technology 5 Generative AI and large language models 6 Human vs. machine 7 AI doesn&’t turn data into intelligence 8 AI doesn&’t threaten our jobs 9 Technological singularity is absurd 10 Learning from successful and failed applications of AI 11 Next-generation AI A Tracing the roots: From mechanical calculators to digital dreams B Algorithms and programming languages
Acing the System Design Interview
by Zhiyong TanThe system design interview is one of the hardest challenges you&’ll face in the software engineering hiring process. This practical book gives you the insights, the skills, and the hands-on practice you need to ace the toughest system design interview questions and land the job and salary you want.In Acing the System Design Interview you will master a structured and organized approach to present system design ideas like: Scaling applications to support heavy traffic Distributed transactions techniques to ensure data consistency Services for functional partitioning such as API gateway and service mesh Common API paradigms including REST, RPC, and GraphQL Caching strategies, including their tradeoffs Logging, monitoring, and alerting concepts that are critical in any system design Communication skills that demonstrate your engineering maturity Don&’t be daunted by the complex, open-ended nature of system design interviews! In this in-depth guide, author Zhiyong Tan shares what he&’s learned on both sides of the interview table. You&’ll dive deep into the common technical topics that arise during interviews and learn how to apply them to mentally perfect different kinds of systems. Foreword by Anthony Asta, Michael D. Elder. About the technology The system design interview is daunting even for seasoned software engineers. Fortunately, with a little careful prep work you can turn those open-ended questions and whiteboard sessions into your competitive advantage! In this powerful book, Zhiyong Tan reveals practical interview techniques and insights about system design that have earned developers job offers from Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, PayPal, and Uber. About the book Acing the System Design Interview is a masterclass in how to confidently nail your next interview. Following these easy-to-remember techniques, you&’ll learn to quickly assess a question, identify an advantageous approach, and then communicate your ideas clearly to an interviewer. As you work through this book, you&’ll gain not only the skills to successfully interview, but also to do the actual work of great system design. What's inside Insights on scaling, transactions, logging, and more Practice questions for core system design concepts How to demonstrate your engineering maturity Great questions to ask your interviewer About the reader For software engineers, software architects, and engineering managers looking to advance their careers. About the author Zhiyong Tan is a manager at PayPal. He has worked at Uber, Teradata, and at small startups. Over the years, he has been in many system design interviews, on both sides of the table. The technical editor on this book was Mohit Kumar. Table of Contents PART 1 1 A walkthrough of system design concepts 2 A typical system design interview flow 3 Non-functional requirements 4 Scaling databases 5 Distributed transactions 6 Common services for functional partitioning PART 2 7 Design Craigslist 8 Design a rate-limiting service 9 Design a notification/alerting service 10 Design a database batch auditing service 11 Autocomplete/typeahead 12 Design Flickr 13 Design a Content Distribution Network (CDN) 14 Design a text messaging app 15 Design Airbnb 16 Design a news feed 17 Design a dashboard of top 10 products on Amazon by sales volume Appendix A Monoliths vs. microservices Appendix B OAuth 2.0 authorization and OpenID Connect authentication Appendix C C4 Model Appendix D Two-phase commit (2PC)
Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas: A Year-Round Christmas Mystery (Year-Round Christmas Mystery #6)
by Vicki DelanyIt&’s beginning to look a lot like murder in the sixth installment of this charming cozy mystery series, perfect for fans of Donna Andrews and Jacqueline Frost.It&’s the beginning of December in Rudolph, New York, America's Christmas Town, and business is brisk at Mrs. Claus&’s Treasures, a gift and décor shop owned by Merry Wilkinson. The local amateur dramatic society is intensely preparing a special musical production of A Christmas Carol. But it&’s not a happy set, as rivalries between cast and crew threaten the production.Tensions come to a head when a member of the group is found dead shortly after a shopping excursion to Mrs. Claus's Treasures. Was someone looking to cut out the competition? Everyone in the cast and crew is a potential suspect, including Aline, Merry&’s mother, and Merry's shop assistant Jackie O'Reilly, who was desperate for a starring role.It could be curtains for Christmas—and for Merry—unless the killer can be ferreted out of the wings.
Seams Deadly (A Measure Twice Sewing Mystery #1)
by Maggie BaileyWhen sewist Lydia Barnes finds a dead body soon after moving to a new town, she will need more than shear luck to find the killer, in this novel perfect for fans of Molly MacRae and Anna Gerard.Lydia Barnes is excited for a fresh start when she moves to the quaint mountain town of Peridot, Georgia. Her friend, Fran, offers her a job at the Measure Twice fabric store and even sets her up on a date with the handsome Brandon Ivey, who also happens to be Lydia&’s new next-door neighbor. Finally, things are looking up. But after a disaster first date that ends with a fist bump instead of a kiss, Lydia doesn&’t think her night can get any worse. She&’s soon proven wrong when she later stumbles upon Brandon&’s dead body.Considered the prime suspect by the police, Lydia calls on her friends to help her hunt for the truth and prove her innocence. But when another body is soon found inside the Measure Twice store, Lydia knows that the killer must be close by, and that this town has more than its fair share of secrets. Who would want to frame the newest addition to Peridot for these terrible murders—and why?Lydia may discover that while sewing might have a pattern, killing rarely does. Will she be able to stitch together the clues and clear her own name before the killer strikes again?
The Last to Pie (A Pies Before Guys Mystery #3)
by Misha PoppPerfect for fans of Mia P. Manansala and Elle Cosimano, in Misha Popp&’s third Pies Before Guys mystery, the pies are deadlier than ever when Daisy receives a request for revenge against an abusive cop.Daisy Ellery is back to doing what she does best: making pies and killing guys. And it&’s about to get more dangerous than ever. Daisy knows the statistic–domestic violence perpetrated by cops is rampant. It was only a matter of time before she was called in to help. But when this request arrives in her inbox, it isn&’t accompanied by the required referral and that makes Daisy nervous. Is this really a woman trapped in a violent relationship, or is it a shady cop trying to uncover Daisy&’s murdery side hustle?Daisy hesitates to accept the job–until the woman who left the request goes missing and it&’s clear her boyfriend is responsible. Knowing the boyfriend&’s work buddies won&’t be any help with the investigation, Daisy sets out to find the woman and plans a little justice of her own. When Daisy finds evidence that the boyfriend wasn&’t just a monster in private, but corrupt at work too, things get even more perilous.Feeling guilty that she hesitated to help the woman, Daisy is determined to find her and get her justice–whatever it takes.
At the Edge of the Woods (A Lew Ferris Mystery #3)
by Victoria HoustonSomeone is murdering pickleball players in Loon Lake and Sheriff Ferris is on the hunt for their killer in Victoria Houston&’s third nail-biting Lew Ferris mystery, perfect for fans of Marc Cameron and Nevada Barr.When a local pickleball player is shot in the head while practicing at an abandoned tennis court with his partner-slash-lover, Sheriff Lew Ferris suspects that the bullet was a stray shot from hunters in the area. It&’s not until a second player–the first victim&’s mistress and pickleball partner–is killed that Sheriff Ferris realizes this is no hunting accident. Someone is hunting people, and it&’s up to her to find out who.With the first victim&’s crazed widow breathing down Lew&’s neck, there&’s no room to breathe, let alone to find time to appreciate the beautiful Loon Lake fall and go fishing. Adding to Sheriff Ferris&’ difficulties are three pickleball players convinced someone has targeted them, someone who will do anything, even murder, to frighten them away from the courts where they play – but why?Who is really at risk? The pickleball players, or Lew and the people close to her?
Summer After Summer: A Novel
by Lauren BaileyA woman returns to her family's Hamptons beach house for a final time—and a final chance at the love she's lost before, in this contemporary retelling of Persuasion, perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Rebecca Serle.Olivia Taylor&’s marriage is in a death spiral when she agrees to come home to the Hamptons to help her father and sisters pack up the family estate. If it looks like she&’s running away from her soon-to-be ex, Wes, and New York City, well, she is. But someone has to take care of things and that&’s always been Olivia&’s role in the family. After years of financial trouble, someone&’s finally bailing them out with a huge offer to buy their beachfront property, which is a good thing, although it means losing the home she grew up in, where her mother died, and where she first met Fred, the love of her life.It&’s been five years since the last time things blew up between Olivia and Fred, but much longer since the first time. At this point, Olivia fears it was never meant to be, so there&’s no reason to feel butterflies in her stomach at the idea of seeing him again. They&’ve already tried, and tried again…and again…but she&’s newly single, and she isn&’t the same person she was the last time–and Fred has changed too. This time, things will be different. Maybe, just maybe, the fifth time&’s the charm.
Star Struck (A Hollywood Mystery #2)
by Marjorie McCownPerfect for fans of Elle Cosimano and Kellye Garrett, in this second Hollywood mystery, film costumer Joey Jessop discovers that Hollywood buries its secrets deep when a superstar&’s assistant turns up dead.Costumer Joey Jessop is working on a movie set in 1930s Hollywood and starring two of the world&’s biggest stars. The male lead is also a dedicated social activist, and the female lead, Gillian Best, is known for her lifestyle brand. After a hit-and-run near the set, Joey realizes that the car involved belongs to Gillian, and she begins to wonder if the actress has more to hide than her Botox appointments.Her suspicions deepen when Gillian&’s personal assistant, Rita, vows to get revenge for Gillian replacing her and is found dead shortly after. Gillian quickly labels Rita&’s death a suicide, and the police seem to agree–but Joey isn&’t so sure.With the police standing aside, it&’s up to Joey to dig up the truth—but Hollywood stars know how to keep their secrets close, and a woman like Gillian Best won&’t take kindly to someone sniffing around her affairs. Joey is certain that Gillian has something to hide–and she&’s determined to find out what.
The Only Black Girl in the Room: A Novel
by Alex TravisAn ambitious reporter stuck doing diversity checks for her white colleagues gets her big break in this compelling debut novel perfect for fans of Jayne Allen, Jasmine Guillory, and Zakiya Dalila Harris.Genevieve Francis, a 25-year-old Black reporter, assumed she&’d go into her fourth year at her newspaper job with a bigger story than the latest seasonal ice cream flavor. Instead, she&’s relegated to doing copyedits and sensitivity reads on the articles her white colleagues write. So when Gen finally gets the opportunity to cover a prominent CEO&’s gala, she leaps at the chance—this will be her biggest assignment to date. The only problem: The CEO is her ex, Jude, whose marriage proposal she publicly rejected four years prior.Following their awkward run-in, Jude personally requests Gen to write the first-ever authorized profile of him. The potential for scandal, if anyone digs into their past, is high, but Gen decides to risk it—if she proves herself with this profile, it could jumpstart her dream of writing articles centered on Black voices. But between the racist backlash from her colleagues and her conflicting feelings toward her ex, Gen soon realizes she&’s in way over her head. And it may be more than just her career on the line. Timely and thoughtful, this energetic debut explores what it means to believe in your future when everyone and everything is working against you.
Wish You Weren't Here: A Novel
by Christy SchilligIn this transportive debut, a woman spending a summer in Italy finds her world completely upended–but it may be the kick she&’s needed to figure out who she truly wants to be, perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle and Tessa Bailey.Ava Graham's ducks are in a row as she heads off to Italy to complete her final law school credits and fulfill a promise she made to her late mother five years ago. Ava expects her long-term boyfriend to propose before her trip, but instead of giving her a ring, he suggests they use her time abroad as a &“break&” before settling down. When James Massini arrives–late–to the airport to pick up Ava as a favor to his aunt and uncle, he&’s surprised to find that she&’s not a young co-ed, but a fascinating woman approaching thirty with a serious superiority complex and a habit of underestimating him. When she&’s assigned to his class as a TA, he becomes determined to prove to her that there is more to life than plans and lists, no matter how hard she fights with him–or how annoyingly charming he finds their banter. Despite the sudden disaster of her life, type A Ava might actually enjoy Italy—if only annoyingly carefree James wasn&’t there, too. As Ava reluctantly lets James try to show her a different way of life in Italy, she begins to find beauty in the chaos. Of course, it&’s when things begin to make sense again that her past comes storming back.With a humorously relatable protagonist and a rich Italian setting, this debut novel is an escapist treat and a necessary reminder that life doesn&’t always care about the plans we&’ve made for ourselves.
Here for the Wrong Reasons: A Novel
by Annabel Paulsen Lydia WangIn this swoon-filled lesbian romcom, two dating show contestants vying for the affection of the leading man fall head over heels—for each other.Fans of Ashley Herring Blake and Alexandria Bellefleur, and readers who love The Bachelor, will adore this steamy, laugh-out-loud debut romance.Krystin knows exactly what she wants: a husband, a horse, and a place to hang all her competitive rodeo blue ribbons. But when none of the eligible bachelors in Montana end up being right for her, she turns to reality TV. On Hopelessly Devoted, Krystin will compete against dozens of other women for the heart of this season&’s Hopeless Romantic, Josh Rosen. She&’s determined to win the perfect life she came here for—if she can just ignore the glossy brunette whose crimson smile gives her goosebumps.Lauren has never done anything for the right reasons—and she&’s definitely not on Hopelessly Devoted to win Josh&’s heart. Lauren&’s plan is simple: stay on the show long enough to build her social media following, and then gracefully leave when it's her turn to be eliminated. With enough followers, she&’ll finally have the clout to do whatever she wants—including come out of the proverbial walk-in closet. But the longer she stays on the show, the more she finds herself tangled up in a certain blonde&’s lasso. Neither contestant expects a heteronormative dating show to challenge their own deeply-ingrained ideas of who they are—and what they want. Fans of The Charm Offensive and Love Island will swoon for this sparkling debut romcom.
The Mayfair Dagger: A Novel
by Ava JanuaryA witty, feminist mystery set in the heart of nineteenth-century London, this daring adventure featuring an intrepid woman detective will thrill fans of Deanna Raybourn and Katharine Schellman.London, 1894. Albertine Honeycombe never wanted a husband and certainly not the one with fifteen children that her cousin, Aubrey, is trying to marry her off to. She reinvents herself as Countess Von Dagga, a private detective aiding the upper echelons of women in society. As the Countess, she is a married woman, with a conveniently absent husband who doesn&’t exist, which allows her far more freedom than being single.When Lord Grendel, from whom she has recovered blackmail letters, is murdered, Albertine is suspect number one—having been the last person to see him. And when the Duke of Erleigh comes looking for her utterly fictitious husband, she realizes she has landed herself in hot water, without a tea bag. When Albertine also becomes the prime suspect in her fictional husband&’s death, things are looking grim.Unless Albertine can prove who murdered Lord Grendel and clear her name, her choices are stepmothering enough small children to start a school or hanging from the end of Her Majesty's rope.
A Lonesome Place for Dying: A Novel
by Nolan ChasePerfect for fans of C. J. Box and William Kent Krueger, a sleepy town is rocked to its core when a dead body is found in this debut novel.In the quiet seaside town of Blaine, Washington, the most serious police work involves dealing with stray coyotes or ticketing speeders along the I-5. But on Ethan Brand's first day as the town's chief of police, he finds a threat on his porch, along with a gruesome souvenir, a bloody animal heart. There are plenty of people who are upset about Ethan replacing the last Chief, but when a body shows up on the railroad tracks, Ethan has to turn his focus from the threats against him to the first homicide case the town has seen in years. Blaine's population is only five thousand, but eight million vehicles pass through its railroad crossing every year. It&’s the perfect site for drug smuggling, human trafficking, larceny, and murder. Ethan begins to realize that the small town has many more secrets than its quiet surface suggests. With no one to trust, his job already on the line, and the threats getting bolder and more reckless, Ethan Brand must find the killers and bring them to justice before anyone else winds up dead.
Surviving the Daily Grind: Bartleby's Guide to Work (Economist Books)
by Philip CogganOne of today's pre-eminent financial journalists, and the Bartleby columnist for the Economist, reveals strategies and tips for surviving—and making the most out of—the work week. We spend a lot of our time at work and would be depressed with nothing to do. But when it gets to Monday, many of us are already longing for the weekend and the prospect of escape. How did work become so tedious and stressful? And is there anything we can do to make it better? Based on his popular Economist Bartleby column, Philip Coggan rewrites the rules of work to help us survive the daily grind. Ranging widely, he encourages us to cut through mindless jargon, pointless bureaucracy and endless meetings to find a new, more creative—and less frustrating—ways to get by and get things done at work. Incisive, original, and endlessly droll, this is the guide for beleaguered underlings and harried higher-ups alike. As Rousseau might have said: "Man was born free, but is everywhere stuck in a meeting." If you've ever thought there must be a better way, this is the book for you.
A Nest of Vipers: A Bangalore Detectives Mystery (Bangalore Detectives Club)
by Harini NagendraThe latest novel in the award-winning Bangalore Detectives Club series finds amateur sleuth Kaveri Murthy involved in a dangerous plot that endangers the life of the visiting Prince of Wales.This latest novel in the Bangalore Detectives Club mystery series takes the reader deep into the historical era surrounding the visit by Edward, Prince of Wales, to Bangalore in 1921. When the prince begins a tour of a number of Indian cities, he encounters passionate crowds demanding independence from Britain, with rioting on the streets of Bombay in November 1921. The mood of the prince's subsequent trip to Bangalore and Mysore in January 1922 appears, at first glance, very different and is made to large, welcoming crowds. But perhaps all is not what it seems to be. While exploring another (seemingly unrelated) crime scene, Kaveri and Ramu become tangled in a complex web of intrigue, getting pulled into a potentially dangerous plan that could endanger the life of the visiting prince. This new novel also takes us into the world of jadoo—Indian street magic—with sleight-of-hand magicians, snake charmers, and rope tricks. Kaveri and Ramu continue their sleuthing, with help from the Bangalore Detectives Club, amidst the growing rumblings of Indian independence and the backdrop of female emancipation.
Cracking the Nazi Code: The Untold Story of Agent A12 and the Solving of the Holocaust Code
by Jason BellThe thrilling true story of Agent A12, the earliest enemy of the Nazis, and the first spy to crack Hitler&’s deadliest secret code: the framework of the Final Solution.In public life, Dr. Winthrop Bell was a Harvard philosophy professor and wealthy businessman. As an MI6 spy—known as secret agent A12—in Berlin in 1919, he evaded gunfire and shook off pursuers to break open the emerging Nazi conspiracy. His reports, the first warning of the Nazi plot for World War II, went directly to the man known as C, the mysterious founder of MI6, as well as to various prime ministers. But a powerful fascist politician quietly worked to suppress his alerts. Nevertheless, Dr. Bell's intelligence sabotaged the Nazis, in ways only now revealed in Cracking the Nazi Code. As World War II approached, Bell became a spy once again. In 1939, he was the first to crack Hitler&’s deadliest secret code: Germany&’s plan for the Holocaust. At that time, the führer was a popular politician who said he wanted peace. Could anyone believe Bell&’s shocking warning? Fighting an epic intelligence war from Eastern Europe and Russia to France, Canada, and finally Washington, DC, agent A12 was a real-life 007, waging a single-handed struggle against fascists bent on destroying the Western world. Without Bell&’s astounding courage, the Nazis just might have won the war.
Fallen: George Mallory and the Tragic 1924 Everest Expedition
by Mick ConefreyAn authoritative, myth-piercing study of the world-famous explorer George Mallory, who disappeared on Mount Everest in 1924.In the years following his disappearance near the summit of Mount Everest in June 1924 at the age of thirty-seven, George Mallory was elevated into a legendary international hero. Dubbed "the Galahad of Everest,&” he was lionized by the media as the greatest mountaineer of his generation—a man who had died while taking the ultimate challenge. His body was only recovered in 1999 and there is still speculation about whether he made it to the summit. Handsome, charismatic, and daring, Mallory was a skilled public speaker, athlete, technically-gifted climber, a committed Socialist, and a supremely attractive figure to both men and women. His friends ranged from the gay artists and writers of the Bloomsbury group to the best mountaineers of his era. But that was only one side to him. Mallory was also a risk-taker who, according to his friend and first biographer David Pye, could never get behind the wheel of a car without trying to overtake the vehicle in front; a climber who pushed himself and those around him to the limits; a chaotic technophobe who was forever losing or mishandling equipment; a man who led his porters to their deaths in 1922, as well as his young climbing partner Andrew Irvine only two years later. So who was the real Mallory? What were the forces that made him and ultimately destroyed him? Why did the man who, in 1922, denounced oxygen sets as "damnable heresy&” himself perish on an oxygen-powered summit attempt two years later? And perhaps most importantly, what made him return to Everest for his third and final attempt? Using diaries, letters, memoirs, and thousands of contemporary documents, Fallen is a gripping forensic investigation of Mallory&’s last expedition that, at long last, separates the man from the myth.
Shake It Up, Baby!: The Rise of Beatlemania and the Mayhem of 1963
by Ken McNabA vivid, captivating account of the Beatles&’s musical transformation throughout the pivotal year of 1963, as the world became caught up in the maelstrom of Beatlemania and its far-reaching cultural impact. The Beatles broke up more than half a century ago, yet millions around the globe are still drawn to the legacy of four lads from Liverpool. From the carefree innocence of "A Hard Day's Night" to the experimental psychedelia of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,&” their message of love, peace, and hope still resonates. In Shake It Up, Baby! we go back to the start—to 1963, when they went from playing in small clubs in the remote Scottish Highlands to four number one singles, two number one albums, three national tours, and being besieged by thousands of fans at gigs all over Britain. Ken McNab tells the story through gripping, exclusive eye-witness accounts from those who were there: the Beatlemaniacs, the journalists, broadcasters, and television producers who were scrambling to make sense of it all—and the other bands who could only watch in awe as the Beatles went from bottom of the bill to headline act to the biggest band on the planet, forever transforming musical history.
All You Need is Rhythm & Grit: How to Run Now—for Health, Joy, and a Body That Loves You Back
by Cory Wharton-MalcolmAn infectiously positive and inclusive guide to running, from everyone's favourite Apple Fitness+ and Nike trainer, Coach Cory Wharton-Malcolm."Everything Wharton-Malcolm does has the aim of helping people achieve the best version of themselves."—Evening Standard Think running isn't for you? Cory Wharton-Malcolm challenges this idea head-on with this joyful love letter to running and motivational guide for everyone. Advocating running as an inclusive and community-focused activity, Cory shows us how to celebrate the incredible mind-body connection by getting your sneakers on and starting your running journey from the couch to the end of the road and beyond. Sharing stories of his own mental and physical health challenges and the way running—both alone and with track buddies—lifted him up, All You Need is Rhythm and Grit includes advice on gear, running routes, pacing, good beats, and the will to start . . . and keep going. Cory believes you don't have to be a tall and slim superhuman to run and feel good doing it! For anyone who thinks running isn't for them, here is a vibrant and inclusive guide to one of the most egalitarian sports for people of all genders, all bodies, all identities and every class and color.
To the Gorge: Running, Grief, and Resilience & 460 Miles on the Pacific Crest Trail
by Emily HalnonA riveting narrative of love and loss, grief and joy, as one woman embarks on a quest for a record on the Pacific Crest Trail. When Emily Halnon lost her beloved mother to a rare uterine cancer at just sixty-six years old, she wanted to do something monumental to honor the person her mother had been: adventurous, courageous, inspiring. Emily&’s mom had taken up running in her late forties; she ran her first marathon at fifty. She learned to swim at sixty so she could do triathlons, and she lived through a grim diagnosis with extraordinary joy and strength, still going for long bike rides and walks up until the final weeks before her death. She even went skydiving to celebrate her sixtieth birthday. It was going to take something special to pay tribute to such a remarkable, lifeloving spirit. Emily, already an accomplished ultrarunner (inspired to initially start running by her mother), decided to try to break the record for the Fastest Known Time by a woman on the Pacific Crest Trail&’s 460 miles across Oregon. As she laid out plans for her run, she began to wonder: Could she also break the men&’s record? To the Gorge takes the reader through her 7 days, 19 hours, and 23 minutes on the trail, covering nearly sixty miles a day on foot over rugged terrain, and battling all the issues that could arise during such a monstrous undertaking: hammered muscles, golf ballsized blisters, sleep deprivation, alpine storms, and debilitating self-doubt. All the while, she simultaneously struggles with how to get through the profound grief of losing her mom and grapples with how to move forward after experiencing devastating loss. Interwoven with Halnon&’s eight-day effort are her remembrances from her mother&’s life and death, exploring the complicated experience of grief—and what shines through it. To the Gorge will resonate with anyone whom life has hit with a hardball and has had to dig deep as they wonder how they will pull through. Filled with adventure and heart, To the Gorge invites readers to consider what our greatest losses can teach us about how to live the one life we get.
Big Red's Mercy: The Shooting of Deborah Cotton and a Story of Race in America
by Mark HertsgaardThe moving story of a New Orleans woman who fought for justice and her community even amidst one of the city's darkest moments.Mark Hertsgaard and Deborah Cotton were strangers to one another, united only by a love of jazz and New Orlean&’s distinctive Second Line tradition. And then, during a Mother&’s Day parade, they were thrown together when two gunmen fired into the crowd… Deborah Cotton—known to all as Big Red—was among the most grievously injured. She is the driving force of this deeply reported parable of two of America&’s most deeply rooted issues. A racial justice activist in her forties who was born to a Black father and a white mother, Cotton was one of twenty people—including the author—shot in the biggest mass shooting in the modern history of New Orleans. Once one of the largest slave ports, the city has long been a vortex of violence and racism. From her apparent deathbed, Big Red shocked observers by urging mercy for two young Black men accused of the attack. &“Racism can kill Black people even when a Black finger pulls the trigger,&” she tells Hertsgaard, who, she later said, is &“called&” to investigate what actually happened, and why. Charismatic, complicated, and struck down in her prime, Big Red and her heroic life will captivate readers. In the wake of the shooting, she never stopped fighting as she sought to get to the core of this uniquely American maelstrom. Big Red's Mercy is an illuminating narrative that provides a human and unflinching look at modern America.
High on Life: How to Naturally Harness the Power of Six Key Hormones and Revolutionize Yourself
by David J. PhillipsA revolutionary guide to optimizing your brain and becoming the best version of yourself. "A hands-on manual for influencing human happiness through your own biology. It doesn't get any better than this!"—Thomas Erikson, author of Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human BehaviorNeurochemicals affect just about everything in our bodies, including how we think and feel. David J. P. Phillips, an internationally acclaimed Swedish public speaker and coach, guides you through ways to harness the immense power of your mind and optimize your body's chemical factory by diving deep into six neurochemicals and how they can transform your life from within. Already an international bestseller, High on Life is a mood manual that will guide you through how to use these six key substances naturally produced by your body to create a unique recipe to transform your life. If you're struggling to feel motivated or finding it hard to enjoy the small things in life, learning how to balance dopamine will help you feel more motivated. Dialing up your oxytocin will fill your cup up with compassion, generosity and a sense of connectedness with the world and people around you. If the mood rollercoaster is something you desperately want to get off, focus on serotonin, the hormone that serves as a foundation of long-lasting happiness and harmony. Feeling good but missing that extra nudge to challenge yourself a bit more? Cortisol produced in small doses can help you break out of your comfort zone—and get excited about it. When nothing really happens, anyone can get a little bit bored. Have a laugh, smile more, or sweat it out and get those endorphins flowing. Or if you want to walk into an important meeting oozing confidence, testosterone is your ally. Just be careful not to boost it when making important life decisions. A mood manual that will transform how we think and feel, this book is for anyone who wants to feel high on life—naturally.