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Janesville: An American Story
by Amy Goldstein* Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year * Winner of the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize * 800-CEO-READ Business Book of the Year * A New York Times Notable Book * A Washington Post Notable Book * An NPR Best Book of 2017 * A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2017 * An Economist Best Book of 2017 * A Business Insider Best Book of 2017 * &“A gripping story of psychological defeat and resilience&” (Bob Woodward, The Washington Post)—an intimate account of the fallout from the closing of a General Motors assembly plant in Janesville, Wisconsin, and a larger story of the hollowing of the American middle class.This is the story of what happens to an industrial town in the American heartland when its main factory shuts down—but it&’s not the familiar tale. Most observers record the immediate shock of vanished jobs, but few stay around long enough to notice what happens next when a community with a can-do spirit tries to pick itself up. Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter Amy Goldstein spent years immersed in Janesville, Wisconsin, where the nation&’s oldest operating General Motors assembly plant shut down in the midst of the Great Recession. Now, with intelligence, sympathy, and insight into what connects and divides people in an era of economic upheaval, Goldstein shows the consequences of one of America&’s biggest political issues. Her reporting takes the reader deep into the lives of autoworkers, educators, bankers, politicians, and job re-trainers to show why it&’s so hard in the twenty-first century to recreate a healthy, prosperous working class. &“Moving and magnificently well-researched...Janesville joins a growing family of books about the evisceration of the working class in the United States. What sets it apart is the sophistication of its storytelling and analysis&” (Jennifer Senior, The New York Times). &“Anyone tempted to generalize about the American working class ought to meet the people in Janesville. The reporting behind this book is extraordinary and the story—a stark, heartbreaking reminder that political ideologies have real consequences—is told with rare sympathy and insight&” (Tracy Kidder, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Soul of a New Machine).
The Sisters of Versailles: A Novel (The Mistresses of Versailles Trilogy #1)
by Sally Christie&“An intriguing romp through Louis XV's France. Filled with lush backdrops, rich detail, and colorful characters, fans of historical fiction will enjoy this glimpse into the lost golden era of the French monarchy.&” —Allison Pataki, author of The Accidental Empress &“Tantalizing descriptions and cliff-hangers will leave the reader rapidly turning the pages in anticipation…A wickedly delightful read.&” —New York Daily NewsCourt intriguers are beginning to sense that young King Louis XV, after seven years of marriage, is tiring of his Polish wife. The race is on to find a mistress for the royal bed as various factions put their best feet—and women—forward. The King&’s scheming ministers push sweet, naïve Louise, the eldest of the aristocratic Nesle sisters, into the arms of the King. Over the following decade, she and three of her younger sisters—ambitious Pauline; complacent Diane, and cunning Marie Anne—will conspire, betray, suffer, and triumph in a desperate fight for both love and power as each becomes the king&’s favorite for a time. In the tradition of The Other Boleyn Girl, The Sisters of Versailles is a clever, intelligent, and absorbing novel that historical fiction fans will devour. Based on meticulous research on a group of women never before written about in English, Sally Christie&’s stunning debut is a complex exploration of power and sisterhood—of the admiration, competition, and even hatred that can coexist within a family when the stakes are high enough.
Jugosa y fit: El verdadero secreto de los jugos y ejercicios para tener un cuerpazo (Atria Espanol)
by Claudia MolinaDescubre el verdadero secreto de los jugos y ejercicios para lograr y mantener un cuerpazo con esta guía completa para vivir de una manera natural y saludable, traída a ustedes por la experta en nutrición y ejercicios de Univision, Claudia Molina.En Jugosa y fit, Claudia comparte las recetas de sus jugos favoritos, el modelo de alimentación que ha seguido desde su adolescencia y los ejercicios que ella practica con frecuencia. Este método es el que ella ha recomendado por años a la audiencia de Despierta América y el que le ha dado excelentes resultados con las concursantes de Nuestra Belleza Latina para que logren un cuerpo saludable y en forma. ¿Quieres tener un vientre plano, eliminar la celulitis y lucir más joven? Claudia te ofrece una gran variedad de jugos con propiedades excepcionales para que alcances estas anheladas metas y muchas más. Además, incluye la guía personalizada de Claudia con ejercicios para aplanar tu abdomen y delinear tu cintura. A través de la jugoterapia y los ejercicios, Claudia Molina ha logrado un cuerpo envidiable y ahora quiere compartir contigo todos sus secretos sobre la jugoterapia, la nutrición y el entrenamiento físico. Nunca es tarde para rejuvenecer, embellecer y revitalizar tu cuerpo. ¡Únete a Claudia para celebrar una vida jugosa y fit!
House of the Rising Sun: A Novel (A Holland Family Novel)
by James Lee BurkeBestselling author James Lee Burke&’s &“stunning&” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) masterpiece is the story of a father and son separated by war, circumstance, and a race for the Holy Grail—a thrilling entry in the Holland family saga.After a violent encounter that leaves four Mexican soldiers dead, Texas Ranger Hackberry Holland escapes the country in possession of a stolen artifact believed to be the mythic cup of Christ, earning the ire of a bloodthirsty Austrian arms dealer who places Hack&’s son, Ishmael, squarely in the cross hairs of a plot to recapture his prize. On the journey from revolutionary Mexico in 1918 to the saloons of San Antonio during the Hole in the Wall Gang&’s reign, we meet three extraordinary women: the Danish immigrant who is Ishmael&’s mother and Hackberry&’s one true love; a brothel madam descended from the Crusader knight who brought the Shroud of Turin back from the Holy Land; and a onetime lover of the Sundance Kid, whose wiles rival those of Lady Macbeth. In her own way, each woman will aid Hack in his quest to reconcile with Ishmael, to vanquish their enemies, and to return the Grail to its rightful place. An epic tale of love, loss, betrayal, vengeance, and retribution, The House of the Rising Sun further cements Burke&’s reputation as &“one of America&’s all-time masters&” (New York Journal of Books).
All the Missing Girls: A Novel
by Megan Miranda***A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*** A New York Times Book Review &“Editors&’ Choice&” Entertainment Weekly — Thriller Round-Up The Wall Street Journal — 5 Killer Books Hollywood Reporter — Hot Summer Books…16 Must Reads &“This thriller&’s all of your fave page-turners (think: Luckiest Girl Alive, The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl) rolled into one.&” —TheSkimm &“Both [Gillian] Flynn&’s and Miranda&’s main characters also reclaim the right of female characters to be more than victim or femme fatale… All the Missing Girls is set to become one of the best books of 2016.&” —Los Angeles Review of Books &“Extremely interesting…a novel that will probably be called Hitchcockian.&” —The New York Times Book Review &“Are you paying attention? You&’ll need to be; this thriller will test your brain with its reverse chronological structure, and it&’s a page-turner to boot.&” —Elle Like the spellbinding psychological suspense in The Girl on the Train and Luckiest Girl Alive, Megan Miranda&’s novel is a nail-biting, breathtaking story about the disappearances of two young women—a decade apart—told in reverse.It’s been ten years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared from Cooley Ridge without a trace. Back again to tie up loose ends and care for her ailing father, Nic is soon plunged into a shocking drama that reawakens Corinne’s case and breaks open old wounds long since stitched. The decade-old investigation focused on Nic, her brother Daniel, boyfriend Tyler, and Corinne’s boyfriend Jackson. Since then, only Nic has left Cooley Ridge. Daniel and his wife, Laura, are expecting a baby; Jackson works at the town bar; and Tyler is dating Annaleise Carter, Nic’s younger neighbor and the group’s alibi the night Corinne disappeared. Then, within days of Nic’s return, Annaleise goes missing. Told backwards—Day 15 to Day 1—from the time Annaleise goes missing, Nic works to unravel the truth about her younger neighbor’s disappearance, revealing shocking truths about her friends, her family, and what really happened to Corinne that night ten years ago. Like nothing you’ve ever read before, All the Missing Girls delivers in all the right ways. With twists and turns that lead down dark alleys and dead ends, you may think you’re walking a familiar path, but then Megan Miranda turns it all upside down and inside out and leaves us wondering just how far we would be willing to go to protect those we love.
The Perfect Stranger: A Novel
by Megan MirandaFrom the author of the New York Times bestseller All the Missing Girls—the gripping story of a journalist who sets out to find her missing friend, a friend who may never have existed at all. &“Think: Luckiest Girl Alive, The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl&” (TheSkimm).When Leah Stevens&’ career implodes, a chance meeting with her old friend Emmy Grey offers her the perfect opportunity to start over. Emmy, just out of a bad relationship, convinces Leah to come live with her in rural Pennsylvania, where there are teaching positions available and no one knows Leah&’s past. Or Emmy&’s. When the town sees a spate of vicious crimes and Emmy Grey disappears, Leah begins to realize how very little she knows about her friend and roommate. Unable to find friends, family, a paper trail or a digital footprint, the police question whether Emmy Grey existed at all. And mark Leah as a prime suspect. Fighting the doubts of the police and her own sanity, Leah must uncover the truth about Emmy Grey—and along the way, confront her old demons, find out who she can really trust, and clear her own name. Megan Miranda delivers a deep, dark and twisty novel just as thrilling as her New York Times bestseller All the Missing Girls.
Fire Cops: On the Case with America's Arson Investigators
by Michael Sasser Charles W. SasserFrom the big cities to dense forests to disasters at sea, authors Michael Sasser and Charles W. Sasser present some of the toughest cases and most harrowing missions faced by arson investigators.A brutal inferno snuffs out the lives of eighty-seven at the Happy Land Social Club in New York City... The Branch Davidians torch their compound in Waco, Texas, killing eighty-one men, women and children… Flames engulf the streets of Detroit on its deadliest Devil’s Day… In each case, some of America’s most intrepid detectives were on the case, seeking out the truth amid the ashes.Here are the toughest cases from real arson investigators—men and women who apply steely determination and extraordinary skills in the pursuit of one goal: to catch scheming profiteers, vicious vandals, and diabolical pyromaniacs. Where the untrained eye sees nothing but destruction, these investigators see clues—and they plunge undaunted into the charred debris of destroyed buildings and incinerated lives to seek them out. From big cities to dense forests to disasters at sea, they bring one vow to every case: to never let justice go up in smoke.
Once a Cop: The Street, the Law, Two Worlds, One Man
by Corey PeguesNew York City Book Awards Hornblower Award Winner African American Literary Award Winner for Best Biography/Memoir As a youth, Corey Pegues was a criminal. As an adult, he became a high-ranking police officer.In this fascinating look at life on both sides of the law, Corey Pegues opens up about why he joined the New York Police Department after years as a drug dealer. Pegues speaks honestly about the poor choices he made while coming of age in New York City during the height of the crack epidemic. He&’s equally candid about why he turned his life around, and takes you inside the NYPD, where he becomes a decorated officer despite bureaucratic pitfalls and discriminatory practices. Written with the voice and panache of someone who knows the streets, Once a Cop is a credible and informative look at the forces that lead some into a life of crime and what it means to make good on a second chance.
Opening Belle: A Novel
by Maureen SherryMaureen Sherry’s funny insider novel about a female Wall Street executive also trying to be a mother and a wife is a “compulsively readable…cheeky—and at times, romantic—battle-cry for any woman who’s ever strived to have it all and been told by a man that she couldn’t” (Entertainment Weekly).It’s 2008 and Isabelle, a thirty-something Wall Street executive, appears to have it all: the sprawling Upper West Side apartment; three healthy children; a handsome husband; and a job as managing director at a large investment bank. But her reality is something else. Her work environment resembles a frat party, her husband feels employment is beneath him, and the bulk of childcare logistics still fall in Belle’s already crowded lap.Enter Henry, the former college fiancé she never quite got over; now a hedge fund mogul. He becomes her largest client, and Belle gets to see the life she might have had with him. While Henry campaigns to win Belle back, the sexually harassed women in her office take action to improve their working conditions, and recruit a wary Belle into a secret “glass ceiling club” whose goal is to mellow the cowboy banking culture and get equal pay for their work. All along, Belle can sense the financial markets heading toward their soon-to-be historic crash and that something has to give—and when it does, everything is going to change: her marriage, her career, her bank statement, and her colleagues’ frat boy behavior.Optioned by Reese Witherspoon who called it “smart, biting, and honest,” Opening Belle is “funny, relevant, and often shocking….Even if your own life is far from a fairy tale, it will allow you to laugh, learn, and maybe even lean in—to hug your own family a little closer.” (The Washington Post).
121 First Dates: How to Succeed at Online Dating, Fall in Love, and Live Happily Ever After (Really!)
by Wendy NewmanBased on years of research and 121 real-life first dates, relationship expert Wendy Newman dishes up practical wisdom for navigating the online dating trenches with grace, efficiency, and a strong dose of humor.Wendy Newman has made every imaginable dating mistake so you don’t have to. Part guidebook, part personal tell-all, 121 First Dates chronicles Wendy’s funny, real-life misadventures and the practical wisdom she gained from them. Her dating tales will find you laughing, commiserating, and nodding your head as you learn how to stay in the dating game until you find the right man, just like Wendy did.This book busts myths, answers age-old questions, and examines pitfalls that make you want to give up on dating altogether. Just when you’re about to submit to a lifetime at home with a pint of Haagen-Dazs and sitcom reruns, 121 First Dates will inspire you to keep stepping out. Wendy discusses how to date successfully and efficiently, avoid the most common dating pitfalls, have an amazing first date with anyone, end uncomfortable situations with grace, and much, much more. She offers up realistic Dos and Don’ts as well as tips for making the most of any situation you find yourself in—whether you want to run or you think he’s the one.Brimming with humor, hope, and authenticity, 121 First Dates will give every woman the tools, confidence, and determination to be and stay real when dating. How else will you find the best match for you?
The Elephant in the Room: One Fat Man's Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America
by Tommy TomlinsonAn NPR Best Book of the Year: This story of a man’s reckoning with his 460-pound body is “warm and funny and honest . . . genuinely unputdownable” (Curtis Sittenfeld, New York Times–bestselling author of Romantic Comedy).When he was almost fifty years old, journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist Tommy Tomlinson weighed an astonishing—and dangerous—460 pounds, at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, unable to climb a flight of stairs without having to catch his breath, or travel on an airplane without buying two seats. Raised in a family that loved food, he’d been aware of the problem for years, seeing doctors and trying diets from the time he was a preteen. But nothing worked, and every time he tried to make a change, it didn’t go the way he planned—in fact, he wasn’t sure that he really wanted to change.In The Elephant in the Room, Tomlinson chronicles his lifelong battle with weight—and hits the road to meet other members of the plus-sized tribe in an attempt to understand how, as a nation, we got to this point. From buying a Fitbit to contemplating the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas, America’s “capital of food porn,” Tomlinson takes a candid and sometimes brutal look at the everyday experience of being constantly aware of your size. He confronts these issues head-on and recounts the practical steps he has to take to lose weight by the end—in a memoir that will resonate with anyone who’s grappled with addiction, shame, or self-consciousness.“What could have been a wallow in memoir self-pity is raised to art by Tomlinson’s wit and prose.” —Rolling Stone“Heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud . . . I could not turn the pages fast enough.” —Beth Macy, author of Dopesick“Inspirational . . . witty and punchy.” —The New York Times
Crashback: The Power Clash Between the U.S. and China in the Pacific
by Michael FabeyThis chilling account of the &“warm war&” over control of the South China Sea—one that is threatening to flare into full-scale conflict—presents a &“telling picture of the operational challenges the US Navy faces in the western Pacific&” (Wall Street Journal) from an award-winning journalist with unprecedented access to the highest naval officers in America and China.Out in the Pacific Ocean, there is a war taking place. It is a &“warm war,&” a shoving match between the United States, the uncontested ruler of the seas since WWII, and China, which now possesses the world&’s largest navy. The Chinese regard the Pacific, and especially the South China Sea, as their ocean, and they&’re ready to defend it. Each day the heat between the two countries increases as the Chinese try to claim the South China Sea for their own, and the United States insists on asserting freedom of navigation. Throughout Southern Asia, countries are responding with outrage and growing fear as China turns coral reefs into manmade islands capable of supporting airstrips and then attempts to enforce twelve-mile-radius, shoot-down zones. The immediate danger is that the five trillion dollars in international trade that passes through the area will grind to a standstill. The ultimate danger is that the US and China will be drawn into all-out war.Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist Michael Fabey has had unprecedented access to the Navy&’s most exotic aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, aircraft, and submarines, as well as those who command them. In his &“well-informed, readable treatment&” (Library Journal, starred review), Fabey offers &“good…reporting from both sides of the conflict. He gives his Chinese sources a thorough workout, the little emperors and true believers alike, and he has a sharp eye for what faces the American fleet if push comes to shove&” (Kirkus Reviews). Fabey predicts the next great struggle between military superpowers will play out in the Pacific, and Crashback, more than any other book, is an accurate preview of how that conflict might unfold.
He Will Be My Ruin: A Novel
by K. A. Tucker“A smart sexy thriller” from an international bestselling author: “[A] dark, twisty tale of lurid secrets, lavish lifestyles, and devastating loss” (Lisa Gardner, New York Times–bestselling author of Before She Disappeared).A woman who almost had it all. . . . Celine Gonzalez had everything a young woman in Manhattan could want: an apartment on the Lower East Side, a job that (mostly) paid the bills, and an acceptance letter to a prestigious art institute, where she would finally live out her dream of becoming an antiques appraiser. All she had worked so hard to achieve was finally within her reach. So why would she kill herself?A man who was supposed to be her salvation. . . . Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after her shocking death. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a lethal cocktail of pills and vodka, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers a scandalous photograph hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man Celine believed would change her life.Until he became her ruin. . . . Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer. A killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.“A nail biting thriller.” —Publishers Weekly“A seductive, suspenseful story that will keep you guessing.” —USA Today“Tucker is a pro at delivering hot romance, but here she combines it with heart pounding suspense. The results are terrifyingly good.” —Toronto Star
Danger Close: My Epic Journey as a Combat Helicopter Pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan
by Amber SmithInspiring and “riveting…vivid and harrowing” (Sean Parnell, author of Outlaw Platoon), Danger Close is the first memoir of active combat by a female helicopter pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan. New York Times bestselling author Brad Thor raves, “Men and women alike will love this incredible tale of heroism, humility, and high-octane feats of bravery.”Amber Smith flew into enemy fire in some of the most dangerous combat zones in the world. One of only a few women to fly the Kiowa Warrior helicopter—whose mission, armed reconnaissance, required its pilots to stay low and fly fast, perilously close to the fight—Smith deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and rose to Pilot-in-Command and Air Mission Commander in the premier Kiowa unit in the Army. She learned how to perform and survive under extreme pressure, both in action against an implacable enemy and within the elite “boy’s club” of Army aviation.In Danger Close, Smith “covers each mission with edge-of-your-seat detail and a coolness that demonstrates how she gained the respect of fellow pilots and soldiers on the ground” (Library Journal). Smith’s unrelenting fight for both mastery and respect delivers universal life-lessons that will be useful to any civilian, from “earning your spurs” as a newbie to “embracing the suck” through setbacks that challenge your self-confidence to learning to trust your gut as a veteran of your profession.Intensely personal, cinematic, poignant, and inspiring, Danger Close is “the captivating story of one woman’s fight to serve her country in the direct line of danger” (Dana Perino, co-host of The Five on Fox News).
The House of the Spirits: A Novel (Sparknotes Literature Guide Ser.)
by Isabel Allende&“Spectacular...an absorbing and distinguished work...The House of the Spirits...is a unique achievement, both personal witness and possible allegory of the past, present, and future of Latin America.&” —The New York Times Book ReviewThe House of the Spirits, the unforgettable first novel that established Isabel Allende as one of the world&’s most gifted storytellers, brings to life the triumphs and tragedies of three generations of the Trueba family. The patriarch Esteban is a volatile, proud man whose voracious pursuit of political power is tempered only by his love for his delicate wife Clara, a woman with a mystical connection to the spirit world. When their daughter Blanca embarks on a forbidden love affair in defiance of her implacable father, the result is an unexpected gift to Esteban: his adored granddaughter Alba, a beautiful and strong-willed child who will lead her family and her country into a revolutionary future. One of the most important novels of the twentieth century, The House of the Spirits is an enthralling epic that spans decades and lives, weaving the personal and the political into a universal story of love, magic, and fate.
The Lion of Sabray: The Afghan Warrior Who Defied the Taliban and Saved the Life of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell
by Patrick RobinsonPatrick Robinson, coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Lone Survivor and “preeminent writer of modern naval fiction” (The Florida Times Union) shares the gripping untold story of Mohammed Gulab, the Afghani warrior who defied the Taliban and saved the life of American hero and Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell.Bestselling author Patrick Robinson helped Marcus Luttrell bring his harrowing story of survival to the page and the big screen with Lone Survivor. But the Afghani man who saved his life was always shrouded in mystery. Now, with The Lion of Sabray, Robinson reveals the amazing backstory of Mohammed Gulab—the brave man who forever changed the course of life for his Afghani family, his village, and himself when he discovered Luttrell badly injured and barely conscious on a mountainside in the Hindu Kush just hours after the firefight that killed the rest of Luttrell’s team.Operating under the 2,000-year-old principles of Pashtunwali—the tribal honor code that guided his life—Gulab refused to turn Luttrell over to the Taliban forces that were hunting him, believing it was his obligation to protect and care for the American soldier. Because Gulab was a celebrated Mujahedeen field commander and machine-gunner who beat back the Soviets as a teenager, the Taliban were wary enough that they didn’t simply storm the village and take Luttrell, which gave Gulab time to orchestrate his rescue.In addition to Gulab’s brave story, The Lion of Sabray cinematically reveals previously unknown details of Luttrell’s rescue by American forces—which were only recently declassified—and sheds light on the ramifications for Gulab, his family, and his community. Going beyond both the book and the movie versions of Lone Survivor, The Lion of Sabray is a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about the brave man who helped the Lone Survivor make it home.
House of Sticks: A Memoir
by Ly TranNew York City Book Awards Hornblower Award Winner One of Vogue and NPR&’s Best Books of the Year This beautifully written &“masterclass in memoir&” (Elle) recounts a young girl&’s journey from war-torn Vietnam to Queens, New York, &“showcas[ing] the tremendous power we have to alter the fates of others, step into their lives and shift the odds in favor of greater opportunity&” (Star Tribune, Minneapolis).Ly Tran is just a toddler in 1993 when she and her family immigrate from a small town along the Mekong river in Vietnam to a two-bedroom railroad apartment in Queens. Ly&’s father, a former lieutenant in the South Vietnamese army, spent nearly a decade as a POW, and their resettlement is made possible through a humanitarian program run by the US government. Soon after they arrive, Ly joins her parents and three older brothers sewing ties and cummerbunds piece-meal on their living room floor to make ends meet. As they navigate this new landscape, Ly finds herself torn between two worlds. She knows she must honor her parents&’ Buddhist faith and contribute to the family livelihood, working long hours at home and eventually as a manicurist alongside her mother at a nail salon in Brooklyn that her parents take over. But at school, Ly feels the mounting pressure to blend in. A growing inability to see the blackboard presents new challenges, especially when her father forbids her from getting glasses, calling her diagnosis of poor vision a government conspiracy. His frightening temper and paranoia leave a mark on Ly&’s sense of self. Who is she outside of everything her family expects of her? An &“unsentimental yet deeply moving examination of filial bond, displacement, war trauma, and poverty&” (NPR), House of Sticks is a timely and powerful portrait of one girl&’s coming-of-age and struggle to find her voice amid clashing cultural expectations.
Ross MacDonald: A Biography (Library Of America Ross Macdonald Edition Ser. #2)
by Tom NolanWhen he died in 1983, Ross Macdonald was the best-known and most highly regarded crime-fiction writer in America. Long considered the rightful successor to the mantles of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, Ross Macdonald and his Lew Archer-novels were hailed by The New York Times as "the finest series of detective novels ever written by an American."Now, in the first full-length biography of this extraordinary and influential writer, a much fuller picture emerges of a man to whom hiding things came as second nature. While it was no secret that Ross Macdonald was the pseudonym of Kenneth Millar -- a Santa Barbara man married to another good mystery writer, Margaret Millar -- his official biography was spare. Drawing on unrestricted access to the Kenneth and Margaret Millar Archives, on more than forty years of correspondence, and on hundreds of interviews with those who knew Millar well, author Tom Nolan has done a masterful job of filling in the blanks between the psychologically complex novels and the author's life -- both secret and overt.Ross Macdonald came to crime-writing honestly. Born in northern California to Canadian parents, Kenneth Millar grew up in Ontario virtually fatherless, poor, and with a mother whose mental stability was very much in question. From the age of twelve, young Millar was fighting, stealing, and breaking social and moral laws; by his own admission, he barely escaped being a criminal. Years later, Millar would come to see himself in his tales' wrongdoers. "I don't have to be violent," he said, "My books are."How this troubled young man came to be one of the most brilliant graduate students in the history of the University of Michigan and how this writer, who excelled in a genre all too often looked down upon by literary critics, came to have a lifelong friendship with Eudora Welty are all examined in the pages of Tom Nolan's meticulous biography. We come to a sympathetic understanding of the Millars' long, and sometimes rancorous, marriage and of their life in Santa Barbara, California, with their only daughter, Linda, whose legal and emotional traumas lie at the very heart of the story. But we also follow the trajectory of a literary career that began in the pages of Manhunt and ended with the great respect of such fellow writers as Marshall McLuhan, Hugh Kenner, Nelson Algren, and Reynolds Price, and the longtime distinguished publisher Alfred A. Knopf.As Ross Macdonald: A Biography makes abundantly clear, Ross Macdonald's greatest character -- above and beyond his famous Lew Archer -- was none other than his creator, Kenneth Millar.
Insecurity Detox: A Breakout Plan to Rejuvenate Your Body, Mind, and Spirit
by Trish BlackwellWhat if you could experience a unique detoxification that would rid you of insecurity, self-doubt, worry, fear, anxiety, and more—and all those “impurities” could be replaced with confidence, purpose, joy, and better relationships? That’s what Insecurity Detox is all about.In this book you will find thirty very doable detoxes that will help you get rid of the toxic mindsets and behaviors that pull you away from God’s truths and your best self, and replace them with a new way of thinking and acting.This progressive detoxification journey can be done in thirty days, thirty weeks, or whatever works best for you and your busy schedule. Each detox builds on the ones before, and as you journey through this unique 3-fold approach, you’ll find healing for your body, mind, and spirit. With healthy eating tips, ways to reprogram your thinking process, and meaningful principles for your spiritual life, the whole direction of your life can change.Each of the thirty chapters has three detoxes—for body, mind, and spirit—that will teach you new thought strategies and practical applications that will empower you to live with a positive perspective, grounded in God’s love and purpose for you. What we tell ourselves about ourselves either steals the joy of life from us or infuses us with ever-growing life. In this book, you will discover a new life for yourself where dreams really do come true.
Old Flame
by Molly PrentissThis &“enthralling&” (The New York Times Book Review) and &“introspective, energetic novel&” (Booklist) explores what it means to be a woman in her many forms—daughter, friend, partner, lover, and mother—from the acclaimed author of Tuesday Nights in 1980.Emily writes for women&’s catalogs for a living, but she&’d rather be writing books. She has a handsome photographer boyfriend, but she actively wonders how and when they will eventually hurt each other. Her best work friend was abruptly laid off. When her world is further upended by an unplanned pregnancy, Emily is forced to make tough decisions that will change her life forever. What will she sacrifice from her old life to make room for a new one? What fires will she be forced to extinguish, and which will keep burning? Old Flame is an essential, &“warmhearted, and luminous page-turner about desire, time, love, parenthood, work, and art in women&’s lives&” (Sophie McManus, author of The Unfortunates).
Merchants of Truth: The Business of News and the Fight for Facts
by Jill AbramsonFormer executive editor of The New York Times and one of our most eminent journalists Jill Abramson provides a &“valuable and insightful&” (The Boston Globe) report on the disruption of the news media over the last decade, as shown via two legacy (The New York Times and The Washington Post) and two upstart (BuzzFeed and VICE) companies as they plow through a revolution that pits old vs. new media.&“A marvelous book&” (TheNew York Times Book Review), Merchants of Truth is the groundbreaking and gripping story of the precarious state of the news business.The new digital reality nearly kills two venerable newspapers with an aging readership while creating two media behemoths with a ballooning and fickle audience of millennials. &“Abramson provides this deeply reported insider account of an industry fighting for survival. With a keen eye for detail and a willingness to interrogate her own profession, Abramson takes readers into the newsrooms and boardrooms of the legacy newspapers and the digital upstarts that seek to challenge their dominance&” (Vanity Fair). We get to know the defenders of the legacy presses as well as the outsized characters who are creating the new speed-driven media competitors. The players include Jeff Bezos and Marty Baron (TheWashington Post), Arthur Sulzberger and Dean Baquet (TheNew York Times), Jonah Peretti (BuzzFeed), and Shane Smith (VICE) as well as their reporters and anxious readers.Merchants of Truth raises crucial questions that concern the well-being of our society. We are facing a crisis in trust that threatens the free press. &“One of the best takes yet on journalism&’s changing fortunes&” (Publishers Weekly, starred review), Abramson&’s book points us to the future.
Democracy Now!: Twenty Years Covering the Movements Changing America
by Amy Goodman David Goodman Denis MoynihanA celebration of the revolutionary change Amy and David Goodman have witnessed during the two decades of their acclaimed television and radio news program Democracy Now!—and how small individual acts from progressive heroes have produced lasting results.In 1996 Amy Goodman began hosting a show called Democracy Now! to focus on the issues and movements that are too often ignored by the corporate media. Today it is the largest public media collaboration in the US. This important book looks back over the past twenty years of Democracy Now! and the powerful movements and charismatic leaders who are re-shaping our world. Goodman takes us along as she goes to where the silence is, bringing out voices from the streets of Ferguson to Staten Island, Wall Street, and South Carolina to East Timor—and other places where people are rising up to demand justice.Giving voice to those who have been forgotten, forsaken, and beaten down by the powerful, Democracy Now! pays tribute to those progressive heroes—the whistleblowers, the organizers, the protestors—who have brought about remarkable, often invisible change over the last couple of decades in seismic ways. This is “an impassioned book aiming to fuel informed participation, outrage, and dissent” (Kirkus Reviews).
Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America
by Mel White&“Compelling…eloquent and compassionate…We learn as much about growing up in the Christian right as we do about gay life in Mel White&’s heartfelt and revealing memoir.&” —San Francisco ExaminerUntil Christmas Eve 1991, Mel White was regarded by the leaders of the religious right as one of their most talented and productive supporters. He penned the speeches of Oliver North. He was a ghostwriter for Jerry Falwell, worked with Jim Bakker, flew in Pat Robertson&’s private jet, walked sandy beaches with Billy Graham. What these men didn&’t know was that Mel White—evangelical minister, committed Christian, family man—was gay. &“An engrossing journey to unite sexuality with faith&” (Dallas Morning News), Stranger at the Gate details Mel White&’s twenty-five years of being counseled, exorcised, electric-shocked, prayed for, and nearly driven to suicide because his church said homosexuality was wrong. But his salvation—to be openly gay and Christian—is more than a unique coming-out story. It is a chilling exposé that goes right into the secret meetings and hidden agendas of the religious right. Told by an eyewitness and sure to anger those Mel White once knew best, Stranger at the Gate is a warning about where the politics of hate may lead America…an important book by a brave man whose words can make us both richer in spirit and much wiser too.
It Takes One to Tango: How I Rescued My Marriage with (Almost) No Help from My Spouse—and How You Can, Too
by Winifred M. ReillyWith a focus on self-empowerment and resilience, this refreshing and witty relationship guide has a reassuring counterintuitive message for unhappy spouses: you only need one partner to initiate far-reaching positive change in a marriage.Conventional wisdom says that &“it takes two&” to turn a troubled marriage around and that both partners must have a shared commitment to change. So when couples can&’t agree on how—or whether—to make their marriage better, many give up or settle for a less-than-satisfying marriage (or think the only way out is divorce).Fortunately, there is an alternative. &“What distinguishes Reilly&’s book is that she says a warring couple don&’t have to agree on the goal of staying together; it takes one person changing, not both, to make a marriage work&” (The New York Times).Marriage and family therapist Winifred Reilly has this message for struggling partners: Take the lead. Doing so is effective—and powerful. Through Reilly&’s own story of reclaiming her now nearly forty-year marriage, along with anecdotes from many clients she&’s worked with, you&’ll learn how to:-Focus on your own behaviors and change them in ways that make you feel good about yourself and your marriage -Take a firm stand for what truly matters to you without arguing, cajoling, or resorting to threats -Identify the &“big picture&” issues at the basis of your repetitive fights—and learn how to unhook from them -Be less reactive, especially in the face of your spouse&’s provocations -Develop the strength and stamina to be the sole agent of changeCombining psychological theory, practical advice, and personal narrative, It Takes One to Tango is a &“wise and uplifting&” (Dr. Ellyn Bader, Director of The Couples Institute) guide that will empower those who choose to take a bold, proactive approach to creating a loving and lasting marriage.
Wolf Boys: Two American Teenagers and Mexico's Most Dangerous Drug Cartel
by Dan SlaterThe tale of two American teenagers recruited as killers for a Mexican cartel, and the Mexican American detective who realizes the War on Drugs is unstoppable. &“A hell of a story…undeniably gripping.&” (The New York Times)In this astonishing story, journalist Dan Slater recounts the unforgettable odyssey of Gabriel Cardona. At first glance, Gabriel is the poster-boy American teenager: athletic, bright, handsome, and charismatic. But the ghettos of Laredo, Texas—his border town—are full of smugglers and gangsters and patrolled by one of the largest law-enforcement complexes in the world. It isn’t long before Gabriel abandons his promising future for the allure of juvenile crime, which leads him across the river to Mexico’s most dangerous drug cartel: Los Zetas. Friends from his childhood join him and eventually they catch the eye of the cartel’s leadership. As the cartel wars spill over the border, Gabriel and his crew are sent to the States to work. But in Texas, the teen hit men encounter a Mexican-born homicide detective determined to keep cartel violence out of his adopted country. Detective Robert Garcia’s pursuit of the boys puts him face-to-face with the urgent consequences and new security threats of a drug war he sees as unwinnable.In Wolf Boys, Slater takes readers on a harrowing, often brutal journey into the heart of the Mexican drug trade. Ultimately though, Wolf Boys is the intimate story of the lobos: teens turned into pawns for the cartels. A nonfiction thriller, it reads with the emotional clarity of a great novel, yet offers its revelations through extraordinary reporting.