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Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted
by Gretchen Ronnevik Elyse FitzpatrickWhen we mistake spiritual disciplines for to-dos, time slots on our schedule, or Instagram-able moments, we miss the benefits of Christ's continual and constant work for us. In Ragged, Gretchen Ronnevik aims to reclaim spiritual disciplines as good gifts given by our good Father instead of heavy burdens of performance carried by the Christian. Only when we recognize our failures to maintain God's commands do we also realize the benefit of our dependence on his promises. Gretchen uses this distinction on law and gospel, presented throughout Scripture, to guide readers through spiritual disciplines including prayer, meditation, Scripture reading, and discipleship among others. Despite our best efforts, the good news is that spiritual disciplines have less to do with what we bring before God and more about who Christ is for us, not only as the author but also as the perfector of our faith.
Who Am I?: Exploring Your Identity through Your Vocations
by Scott Ashmon Adam S Francisco Edward Mendez John J Norton Ken Sundet Jones Jeff MallinsonWho am I? What's my purpose in life? How should I live? This book invites you to explore your identity through your callings, to imagine living virtuously for others, and to discover deep meaning and satisfaction in life. You'll look at many vocations that young people have or will have later in life. Callings covered include being a student, citizen, neighbor, worker, care-taker of nature, husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, parent, child, sibling, saint and priest, and friend. Chapters on these callings examine the nature and responsibilities of these roles in light of human and divine wisdom found in the liberal arts tradition and the Bible. You'll also entertain the role that avocations play in life and how such enthusiastic pursuits can renew and equip you. Each chapter contains exercises for reflection and discussion that can be done privately, with a partner, or in a group.
Take Courage: Essays in Honor of Harold L. Senkbeil
by Mark A. Pierson Timothy J PaulsTake Courage is a collection of essays, written by pastors and professors, about the care and cure of souls in the 21st century. As spiritual physicians, pastors are called to diagnose and treat all those suffering with the disease of sin. This noble task requires much from these undershepherds who are placed over Christ's flock. Yet the Good Shepherd himself has provided the effective tools of this healing art: the life-giving word and sacraments. Pastors, then, specialize in applying the medicine of forgiveness and bringing comfort to broken consciences. Collectively, these essays teach and expound upon this theme.This helpful book honors the 45 years of faithful service given by one such undershepherd, Harold L. Senkbeil. As a pastor, seminary professor, author, speaker, husband, father, and the executive director of DOXOLOGY, Senkbeil has consistently provided competent treatment for both laity and pastors by distributing the forgiveness won by Jesus on the cross.
Star Splitter
by Matthew J. KirbyA 2024 Edgar Award Nominee!Survival and self-determination collide in this haunting, pulse-pounding science fiction novel from Edgar Award–winning author Matthew J. Kirby that spans both space and time.&“An intense, read-in-one-sitting kind of ride.″—Kirkus, starred review 2199. Deep-space exploration is a reality and teleportation is routine. But this time something has gone very, very wrong. Seventeen-year-old Jessica Mathers wakes up in a lander that&’s crashed onto the surface of Carver 1061c, a desolate, post-extinction planet fourteen light-years from Earth. The planet she was supposed to be viewing from a ship orbiting far above.The corridors of the empty lander are covered in bloody hand prints; the machines are silent and dark. And outside, in the alien dirt, there are fresh graves carefully marked with names she doesn&’t recognize. Now Jessica must unravel the mystery of the destruction all around her—and the questionable intentions of a familiar stranger.
Mott Street: A Chinese American Family's Story of Exclusion and Homecoming
by Ava Chin&“Essential reading for understanding not just Chinese American history but American history—and the American present.&” —Celeste Ng, #1 bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere* TIME 100 Must-Read Books of 2023 * San Francisco Chronicle's Favorite Nonfiction * Kirkus Best Nonfiction of 2023 * Library Journal Best Memoir and Biography of 2023 * One of Elle's Best Memoirs of 2023 (So Far) * An ALA Notable Book *&“The Angela&’s Ashes for Chinese Americans.&” —Miwa Messer, Poured Over podcastAs the only child of a single mother in Queens, Ava Chin found her family&’s origins to be shrouded in mystery. She had never met her father, and her grandparents&’ stories didn&’t match the history she read at school. Mott Street traces Chin&’s quest to understand her Chinese American family&’s story. Over decades of painstaking research, she finds not only her father but also the building that provided a refuge for them all.Breaking the silence surrounding her family&’s past meant confronting the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882—the first federal law to restrict immigration by race and nationality, barring Chinese immigrants from citizenship for six decades. Chin traces the story of the pioneering family members who emigrated from the Pearl River Delta, crossing an ocean to make their way in the American West of the mid-nineteenth century. She tells of their backbreaking work on the transcontinental railroad and of the brutal racism of frontier towns, then follows their paths to New York City.In New York&’s Chinatown she discovers a single building on Mott Street where so many of her ancestors would live, begin families, and craft new identities. She follows the men and women who became merchants, &“paper son&” refugees, activists, and heads of the Chinese tong, piecing together how they bore and resisted the weight of the Exclusion laws. She soon realizes that exclusion is not simply a political condition but also a personal one.Gorgeously written, deeply researched, and tremendously resonant, Mott Street uncovers a legacy of exclusion and resilience that speaks to the American experience, past and present.
A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women
by Emma SouthonRome as you&’ve never seen it before – brazenly unconventional, badly behaved and ever so feminine. &‘Hugely entertaining and illuminating&’ —Elodie Harper, author of The Wolf Den A WATERSTONES BEST HISTORY BOOK OF 2023 Here&’s how the history of the Roman Empire usually goes… We kick off with Romulus murdering his brother, go on to Brutus overthrowing Tarquin, bounce through an appallingly tedious list of battles and generals and consuls, before emerging into the political stab-fest of the late Republic. After &‘Et tu, Brute?&’, it runs through all the emperors, occasionally nodding to a wife or mother to show how bad things get when women won&’t do as they&’re told, until Constantine invents Christianity only for Attila the Hun to come and ruin everything. Let&’s tear up this script. The history of Rome and its empire is so much more than these &‘Important Things&’. In this alternative history, Emma Southon tells another story about the Romans, one that lives through Vestal Virgins and sex workers, business owners and poets, empresses and saints. Discover how entrepreneurial sex worker Hispala Faecenia uncovered a conspiracy of treason, human sacrifice and Bacchic orgies so wild they would make Donna Tartt blush, becoming one of Rome&’s unlikeliest heroes. Book yourself a table the House of Julia Felix and get to know Pompeii&’s savviest businesswoman and restauranteur. Indulge in an array of locally sourced delicacies as you take in the wonderful view of Mount Vesuvius… what could possibly go wrong? Join the inimitable Septimia Zenobia, who – after watching a series of incompetent, psychopathic and incompetently psychopathic emperors almost destroy the Empire – did what any of us would do. She declared herself Empress, took over half the Roman Empire and ran it herself.
The Way of Our People: Weekly Inspiration for American Indians in Recovery
by Donald Richard WrightThese inspirational meditations, prayers, and stories were written by an Ojibwe Elder and alcohol and drug counselor to speak directly to American Indians about their everyday experience of recovery from alcoholism. A combination of Ojibwe and Twelve Step spiritual principles and practices, along with stories from Indians struggling with recovery, create an authentic experience of the challenges and rewards of living sober. People from all tribes will recognize spiritual laws like Honesty, Sharing, Kindness, and Strength, along with traditional rituals such as offering tobacco with prayers, and can apply teachings from their own culture to these messages.The importance of reliance on the Creator, the wisdom of Elders, and sober community support inform these writings to provide strength while counteracting the harsh realities of poverty, violence, and broken relationships fueled by alcohol abuse. A meditation, seven daily prayers, and selected stories “from the rooms” of AA meetings are presented for each of the 52 weeks of the year, providing a weekly and daily source of inspiration and hope.
The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times
by Michelle Obama#1 NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER • In an inspiring follow-up to her acclaimed memoir Becoming, former First Lady Michelle Obama shares practical wisdom and powerful strategies for staying hopeful and balanced in today&’s highly uncertain world. There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life&’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with readers, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much? Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles—the earned wisdom that helps her continue to &“become.&” She details her most valuable practices, like &“starting kind,&” &“going high,&” and assembling a &“kitchen table&” of trusted friends and mentors. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness. &“When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it,&” writes Michelle Obama. A rewarding blend of powerful stories and profound advice that will ignite conversation, The Light We Carry inspires readers to examine their own lives, identify their sources of gladness, and connect meaningfully in a turbulent world.
Adventures of the Soul: Journeys Through the Physical and Spiritual Dimensions
by James Van PraaghAdventures of the Soul is a manual for anyone who has ever questioned where they come from, why they are here, and where they go after they die. Sharing his intuitive experiences of communicating with the Spirit World for the past 30 years, internationally renowned medium James Van Praagh takes you on a spiritual sojourn to discover the unique design of your very own soul and explore its various adventures as it travels between worlds. You&’ll learn to open up your mind to your soul&’s unbounded wisdom and gain a bigger perspective on life and a better grasp of your significant part in it.This book will further assist you in understanding and recognizing the soul lessons you came back to Earth to learn, such as sorrow, forgiveness, grief, compassion, and joy. By utilizing this knowledge, you will come to identify your soul&’s intricacies and start to live a life that truly fulfills your soul&’s destiny: following the path of love.This is one journey that will force you to look at life and death in a completely different light!
Chore Whore: Adventures of a Celebrity Personal Assistant
by Heather H. HowardI have been used, abused, lied to, and cheated on, blamed, shamed, screamed at, and ridiculed. I've been scammed and damned, had my ass kissed, my reputation dissed, and my face spat on. All in the name of working as a celebrity personal assistant . . . a CHORE WHORE!After twenty years of working thanklessly for a dozen high-powered Hollywood hotshots, Corki Brown has had enough. She's sick to death of handling elaborate extortion deals, washing groupies' dirty underwear, and having to whip up intimate dinners on no notice for spoiled stars, each with his or her own bizarre dietary demands. And now her ten-year-old son is starting to exhibit some disturbing signs of Tinseltown weirdness. It's time to get out, but escape won't be easy. . . .
Letter to a Man in the Fire: Does God Exist and Does He Care?
by Reynolds PriceDoes God Exist and Does He Care?In April 1997 Reynolds Price received an eloquent letter from a reader of his cancer memoir, A Whole New Life. The correspondent, a young medical student diagnosed with cancer himself and facing his own mortality, asked these difficultQuestions. The two began a long-distance correspondence, culminating in Price's thoughtful response, originally delivered as the Jack and Lewis Rudin Lecture at Auburn Theological Seminary, and now expanded onto the printed page as Letter to a Man in the Fire.Harvesting a variety of sources -- diverse religious traditions, classical and modern texts, and a lifetime of personal experiences, interactions, and spiritual encounters -- Price meditates on God's participation in our fate. With candor and sympathy, he offers the reader such a rich variety of tools to explore these questions as to place this work in the company of other great tetsaments of faith from St. Augustine to C. S. Lewis.Letter to a Man in the Fire moves as much as it educates. It is a rare combination of deep erudition, vivid prose, and profound humanity.
We Got Him!: A Memoir of the Hunt and Capture of Saddam Hussein
by Steve RussellFrom retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steve Russell comes a compelling firsthand account of the blow-by-blow plays of the actual raids that led to the capture of Saddam Hussein in 2003.When U.S. forces exterminated Osama bin Laden in Pakistan on May 1, 2011, the world witnessed a brilliantly fruitful example of history repeating itself; less than a decade earlier, the capture of Saddam Hussein, a triumph of military strategy in and of itself, opened the door for the more recent and essential victory in the War on Terror. At the center of the six-month manhunt were Lt. Col. Steve Russell and his men of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. With his extensive journal notes, combat reports, and painstaking research, Russell has preserved the story as only someone who lived the experience can do. His narrative chronicles the daily successes and dead ends, and describes, blow-by-blow, the actual raids that netted Saddam, culminating in the electrifying quote heard around the globe, &“We Got Him!&”
Ascension: A Novel
by Nicholas BingeNAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY VULTURE!"You've gotta read Ascension by Nicholas Binge. Old-school creepy. . .five-star horror."—Stephen King"Smartly paced, deploying twists and turns strategically to keep the reader moving. . . The ideas are big and the journey is a whole lot of fun." —The New York Times"[An] excellent page-turner. . . a macabre, escapist pleasure for the thoughtful set.&”—The Wall Street JournalA mind-bending speculative thriller in which the sudden appearance of a mountain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean leads a group of scientists to a series of revelations that challenge the notion of what it means to be humanThe only way out is up. . . An enormous snow-covered mountain has appeared in the Pacific Ocean. No one knows when exactly it showed up, precisely how big it might be, or how to explain its existence. When Harold Tunmore is contacted by a shadowy organization to help investigate, he has no idea what he is getting into as he and his team set out for the mountain. The higher Harold&’s team ascends, the less things make sense. Time moves differently, turning minutes into hours, and hours into days. Amid the whipping cold of higher elevation, the climbers&’ limbs numb and memories of their lives before the mountain begin to fade. Paranoia quickly turns to violence among the crew, and slithering, ancient creatures pursue them in the snow. Still, as the dangers increase, the mystery of the mountain compels them to its peak, where they are certain they will find their answers. Have they stumbled upon the greatest scientific discovery known to man or the seeds of their own demise? Framed by the discovery of Harold Tunmore&’s unsent letters to his family and the chilling and provocative story they tell, Ascension considers the limitations of science and faith and examines both the beautiful and the unsettling sides of human nature.
A Little Ray of Sunshine
by Kristan HigginsA kid walks into your bookstore and… Guess what? He&’s your son. The one you put up for adoption eighteen years ago. The one you never told anyone about. Surprise! And a huge surprise it is. It&’s a huge surprise to his adoptive mother, Monica, who thought she had a close relationship with Matthew, her nearly adult son. But apparently, he felt the need to secretly arrange a vacation to Cape Cod for the summer so he could meet his birth mother…without a word to either her or his dad. It&’s also a surprise— to say the least—to Harlow, the woman who secretly placed her baby for adoption so many years ago. She&’s spent the years since then building a quiet life. She runs a bookstore with her grandfather, hangs out with her four younger siblings and is more or less happily single, though she can&’t help gravitating toward Grady Byrne, her old friend from high school. He&’s moved back to town, four-year-old daughter in tow, no wife in the picture. But she&’s always figured her life had to be child-free, so that complicates things. When Matthew walks into Harlow&’s store, she faints. Monica panics. And all their assumptions—about what being a parent really means—explode. This summer will be full of more surprises as both their families are redefined…and as both women learn that for them, there&’s no limit to a mother&’s love.
The Secret: A Jack Reacher Novel (Jack Reacher #28)
by Lee Child Andrew Child#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Don&’t miss the hit streaming series Reacher! A string of mysterious deaths. A long-classified mission. A young MP with nothing to lose.1992. All across the United States respectable, upstanding citizens are showing up dead. These deaths could be accidents, and they don&’t appear to be connected—until a fatal fall from a high-floor window attracts some unexpected attention. That attention comes from the secretary of defense. All of a sudden he wants an interagency task force to investigate. And he wants Jack Reacher as the army&’s representative. If Reacher gets a result, great. If not, he&’s a convenient fall guy. But office politics isn&’t Reacher&’s thing. Three questions quickly emerge: Who&’s with him, who&’s against him, and will the justice he dispenses be the official kind . . . or his own kind?
The Best of the Best American Poetry: 25th Anniversary Edition
by David LehmanRobert Pinsky, distinguished poet and man of letters, selects the top 100 poems from twenty-five years of The Best American PoetryThis special edition celebrates twenty-five years of the Best American Poetry series, which has become an institution. From its inception in 1988, it has been hotly debated, keenly monitored, ardently advocated (or denounced), and obsessively scrutinized. Each volume consists of seventy-five poems chosen by a major American poet acting as guest editor—from John Ashbery in 1988 to Mark Doty in 2012, with stops along the way for such poets as Charles Simic, A. R. Ammons, Louise Glück, Adrienne Rich, Billy Collins, Heather McHugh, and Kevin Young. Out of the 1,875 poems that have appeared in The Best American Poetry, here are 100 that Robert Pinsky, the distinguished poet and man of letters, has chosen for this milestone edition.
Boogeymen (Star Trek: The Next Generation #17)
by Mel GildenEric Baldwin is the Federation's premier exologist, a specialist in all manner of alien life forms -- and one of Captain Picard's oldest, most trusted friends. But Baldwin's discoveries have made him enemies across the galaxy, and now he wants Picard to help him by erasing all traces of his existence. but Picard soon finds himself with little time to worry about Baldwin's problems. For the U.S.S. Enterprise . has suddenly become a strange and dangerous place -- a ship where assassins lurk in every corner, and even old trusted friends are not what they seem. Threats all masterminded by the strangest race of aliens Picard and his crew have yet encountered...
The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition: The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
by Ira Steven BehrThe Ferengi are greedy, avaricious, ruthless, cowardly and completely unscrupulous.For centuries the famous Ferengi Rules of Acquisition have been the guiding principles of the galaxy's most successful entrepreneurs. These 285 Rules of Acquisition range from, #1 "Once you have their money, never give it back."to#21 "Never place friendship before profit."These rules and hundreds more have taken many successful Ferengi to new frontiers of profit.
Napalm Dreams: A Men Of Valor Novel (The Men of Valor Novels #1)
by John F. MullinsA shattering novel of courage, heroism, and unbreakable bonds forged in the heat of battle. Green Beret Captain Finn McCulloden and his troops are having a very bad day -- even by the nightmarish standards of Vietnam. They've just been dropped into a meat grinder with orders to reinforce a Special Forces border camp that's about to be overrun by the North Vietnamese. Outnumbered twenty-to-one, beset by treachery from within, and saddled with an incompetent second-in-command, McCulloden knows that all hell is about to break loose. Through one brutal day and night McCulloden and his men fight alongside their native Montagnard allies in a pitched battle of blood and guts against an unwavering foe who never stops coming. The Green Berets can neither give up nor give in, and all will become heroes in the truest sense of the word. But one extraordinary soldier man rises above them all in an ultimate act of valor....
Into the Gray Zone: A Neuroscientist Explores the Mysteries of the Brain and the Border Between Life and Death
by Adrian OwenIn this &“riveting read, meshing memoir with scientific explication&” (Nature), a world-renowned neuroscientist reveals how he learned to communicate with patients in vegetative or &“gray zone&” states and, more importantly, he explains what those interactions tell us about the working of our own brains.&“Vivid, emotional, and thought-provoking&” (Publishers Weekly), Into the Gray Zone takes readers to the edge of a dazzling, humbling frontier in our understanding of the brain: the so-called &“gray zone&” between full consciousness and brain death. People in this middle place have sustained traumatic brain injuries or are the victims of stroke or degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer&’s and Parkinson&’s. Many are oblivious to the outside world, and their doctors believe they are incapable of thought. But a sizeable number—as many as twenty percent—are experiencing something different: intact minds adrift deep within damaged brains and bodies. An expert in the field, Adrian Owen led a team that, in 2006, discovered this lost population and made medical history. Scientists, physicians, and philosophers have only just begun to grapple with the implications. Following Owen&’s journey of exciting medical discovery, Intothe Gray Zone asks some tough and terrifying questions, such as: What is life like for these patients? What can their families and friends do to help them? What are the ethical implications for religious organizations, politicians, the Right to Die movement, and even insurers? And perhaps most intriguing of all: in defining what a life worth living is, are we too concerned with the physical and not giving enough emphasis to the power of thought? What, truly, defines a satisfying life? &“Strangely uplifting…the testimonies of people who have returned from the gray zone evoke the mysteries of consciousness and identity with tremendous power&” (The New Yorker). This book is about the difference between a brain and a mind, a body and a person. Into the Gray Zone is &“a fascinating memoir…reads like a thriller&” (Mail on Sunday).
Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved by Beauty
by Kate Hennessy&“An intimate, revealing and sometimes wrenching family memoir of the journalist and social advocate who is now being considered for canonization&” (The New York Times), told with illuminating detail by her granddaughter.Dorothy Day (1897-1980) was a prominent Catholic, writer, social activist, and co-founder of a movement dedicated to serving the poorest of the poor. Her life has been documented through her own writings as well as the work of historians, theologians, and academics. What has been missing until now is a more personal account from the point of view of someone who knew her well. Dorothy Day:The World Will Be Saved by Beauty is a frank and reflective, heartfelt and humorous portrayal written by her granddaughter, Kate Hennessy.Dorothy Day, writes Hennessy, is an unusual candidate for sainthood. Before her conversion, she lived what she called a &“disorderly life,&” during which she had an abortion and then gave birth to a child out of wedlock. After her conversion, she was both an obedient servant and a rigorous challenger of the Church. She was a prolific writer whose books are still in print and widely read. Although compassionate, Hennessy shows Day to be driven, dogmatic, loving, as well as judgmental, in particular with her only daughter, Tamar. She was also full of humor and laughter and could light up any room she entered.An undisputed radical heroine, called &“a saint for the occupy era&” by TheNew Yorker, Day&’s story unfolds against a backdrop of New York City from the 1910s to the 1980s and world events spanning from World War I to Vietnam. This thoroughly researched and intimate biography provides a valuable and nuanced portrait of an undersung and provocative American woman. &“Frankly,&” says actor and activist Martin Sheen, &“it is a must-read.&”
Surrender the Dark
by L. A. BanksNational bestselling author L.A. Banks’s electrifying new paranormal series is set in a sizzling world where Dark and Light are trapped in an eternal struggle for the fate of mankind. Celeste Jackson has fought all her life against a fog of hallucination and substance abuse, but it’s not until she meets her protector, Azrael, an angel who has left the safety of the Light, that she learns of the evil forces that have been trying to ruin her, and why. A fierce battle for control of the mortal realm is brewing, and only Celeste—with the help of the Remnant, her half-human, half-angel brethren—can stand in the way. Together, Celeste and Azrael must gather an army of sensitives to defeat the dark powers that have ruled humanity for centuries, but time is running out. If Azrael surrenders to his growing desire for Celeste, he risks being trapped among humanity forever. But the longer he stays, the harder she is to resist. To save the world, Celeste must draw on her own dark experiences with addiction to help Azrael overcome the one temptation that could possibly make him an eternal prisoner—his obsession with her.
The Summer Fletcher Greel Loved Me: A Novel
by Suzanne Kingsbury"It is the things that happen to you which no one else knows about that make you important in life," says Haley Ellyson in this captivating first novel about loss of innocence and the ties of passion and friendship. Set in Houser Banks, Mississippi, a fictional town frozen in time, Suzanne Kingsbury's debut is an intense and evocative tale of young people coming to terms with the legacy of racism over the course of a sultry Southern summer. Deserted by her mother and raised by her whiskey-drinking, gun-shooting father, beautiful Haley has broken the heart of every boy in town. Yet she hides two intimate and explosive secrets that empower her just as they threaten to undermine everything she holds dear. Haley is engaged in a dangerous flirtation with one of her father's friends when Fletcher Greel, the Judge's son, comes home for the summer, having just graduated from a New England prep school. Fletcher's friend Riley is in love with a blues-singing black girl named Crystal, and Fletcher falls instantly for Haley. These four soon become inseparable, intoxicated by love, desire, and the new-found freedoms of late adolescence. But Houser Banks is a small town where attitudes hearken back to a time of racism and hatred. As the summer wanes, disapproval of Riley and Crystal's romance takes increasingly violent turns, and Haley's secrets surface to devastating results. An enormously talented young writer, Suzanne Kingsbury has crafted a pitch-perfect, cinematic first novel rich with unforgettable characters, mesmerizing prose, and smoldering sexual tension. A fresh and vivid rendering of timeless themes, The Summer Fletcher Greel Loved Me captures the exhilaration of first love and the consequences of rebellion in a place resistant to change.
Snake Eyes (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation #8)
by Max Allan CollinsLuck is on the side of most during the incident at the Four Kings Casino and Hotel, when the simmering tension between two rival biker gangs suddenly boils over into all-out violence -- miraculously, there are only two fatalities despite the hundreds of rounds fired on the casino floor. Called to an out-of-control crime scene -- located outside Las Vegas in the legendary town of Boot Hill -- forensic investigators Gil Grissom, Catherine Willows, Nick Stokes, and Sara Sidle quickly discover that the two casino shootout victims were no innocent bystanders: one was the powerful leader of the Predator gang, and the other a luckless card dealer who may have borne witness to an elaborately staged execution. Meanwhile, back in the glitter of Sin City, CSIs Warrick Brown and Greg Sanders have their own hands full, as the dark side of this desert metropolis is about to wreak havoc on the two investigators via a seemingly endless series of crimes. . . .
A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them
by Timothy EganNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A Washington Post Notable Work of Nonfiction • An NPR Best Book of the Year • A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year • A Chicago Review of Books Best Book of the Year • A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year • A Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist"With narrative elan, Egan gives us a riveting saga of how a predatory con man became one of the most powerful people in 1920s America, Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, with a plan to rule the country—and how a grisly murder of a woman brought him down. Compelling and chillingly resonant with our own time." —Erik Larson, author of The Splendid and the Vile&“Riveting…Egan is a brilliant researcher and lucid writer.&” —Minneapolis Star TribuneA historical thriller by the Pulitzer and National Book Award-winning author that tells the riveting story of the Klan's rise to power in the 1920s, the cunning con man who drove that rise, and the woman who stopped them.The Roaring Twenties--the Jazz Age--has been characterized as a time of Gatsby frivolity. But it was also the height of the uniquely American hate group, the Ku Klux Klan. Their domain was not the old Confederacy, but the Heartland and the West. They hated Blacks, Jews, Catholics and immigrants in equal measure, and took radical steps to keep these people from the American promise. And the man who set in motion their takeover of great swaths of America was a charismatic charlatan named D.C. Stephenson.Stephenson was a magnetic presence whose life story changed with every telling. Within two years of his arrival in Indiana, he&’d become the Grand Dragon of the state and the architect of the strategy that brought the group out of the shadows – their message endorsed from the pulpits of local churches, spread at family picnics and town celebrations. Judges, prosecutors, ministers, governors and senators across the country all proudly proclaimed their membership. But at the peak of his influence, it was a seemingly powerless woman – Madge Oberholtzer – who would reveal his secret cruelties, and whose deathbed testimony finally brought the Klan to their knees.A FEVER IN THE HEARTLAND marries a propulsive drama to a powerful and page-turning reckoning with one of the darkest threads in American history.