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Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire: Business Sense & Sensibility
by Mireille GuilianoFrom the #1 New York Times bestselling “high priestess of French lady wisdom” (USA Today) comes every woman’s guide to navigating the world of work, living the good life, and savoring every minute of it.Mireille Guiliano, internationally bestselling author of French Women Don’t Get Fat and former senior executive for Veuve Clicquot, uses her distinctive French woman’s philosophy and style to share lively lessons, stories, and helpful hints from her experiences at the front lines and highest echelons of the business world. Guiliano offers every reader the practical advice she needs to make the most of work without ever losing sight of what is most important: feeling good, facing challenges, getting ahead, and maximizing pleasure at every opportunity.
Society and the Environment: Pragmatic Solutions to Ecological Issues
by Michael S CarolanThe fourth edition of Society and the Environment centers its discussion on realistic solutions to the problems that persist and examines current controversies within a socio‑organizational context, shifting focus away from simply explaining what is wrong with the world around us. Introducing this “pragmatic environmentalism,” Carolan discusses the complex pressures and variables that exist where ecology and society collide, with population growth, the increase in demands for food and energy, and transportation and its outsized influence on urban and community patterns. With further attention given to the social phenomena and structural dynamics driving today’s environmental problems, the book concludes with an important reflection on truly sustainable solutions and what constitutes meaningful social change.Each chapter in this interdisciplinary text follows a three‑part structure beginning with an overview of what is wrong and why. This leads into a discussion on each issue’s wide‑ranging implications and, finally, a balanced consideration of realistic solutions. Featuring updated and expanded examples, discussion points, and coverage of recent developments, including the US withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, “booming” national economies and wealth distribution, growing global interest in environmental justice—with particular focus on the links between injustice and race and inequality—climate change, and renewable energy, this new edition remains an essential companion for courses on environmental sociology and sustainability.
Psychosocial and Cultural Perspectives on the War in Ukraine: Imprints and Dreamscapes
by Bohdan Shumylovych Magdalena ZolkosThis innovative and important book explores how war imprints on culture and the psychosocial effects of war on individuals and societies, based on the first few months after the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022.The book approaches the conflict in Ukraine through the prism of creative and artistic material alongside scholarly analysis to highlight the multiplicity of subjective experiences. Essays are complemented by material from the ‘war diaries’, which comprise day diaries, dream diaries, artistic and poetic material composed by students and academics in February and March 2022. With chapters focusing on fear, ruptures and resistance, the book examines different aspects of subjective, cultural and embodied experiences of war. It examines elements that dominant perspectives of war often overlook; the quotidian, personal and emotive ways that war is registered individually and collectively in societies and cultures.Highlighting different narratives that illuminate the complex effects of war, this book is highly relevant for postgraduate students, researchers and advanced undergraduate students in the fields of cultural psychology, psychosocial studies, peace and conflict studies and cultural history.Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 7 and Chapter 10 of this book are freely available as downloadable Open Access PDFs at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.To read the online archive of Two Months of War, please visit the Urban Media Archive of the Center for Urban History (Lviv, Ukraine): https://uma.lvivcenter.org/en/collections/178/interviews
Amy Is a Little Bit Chicken: Liz And The Sand Castle Contest; Marion Takes Charge; Amy Is A Little Bit Chicken; Ellie The Flower Girl; Liz's Night At The Museum; Marion And The Secret Letter; Amy On Park Patrol; Ellie Steps Up To The Plate; Liz And The Nosy Neighbor; Etc (The Critter Club #Bk. 13)
by Callie BarkleyAmy and her friends care for some chickens and prepare for the Santa Vista Quiz Bowl in the thirteenth book of The Critter Club series!Amy has never liked being in the spotlight. When all of her friends decide to form a team for the Santa Vista Quiz Bowl, Amy isn’t so sure it’s a good idea. She knows she can answer the quiz questions…but can she do it in front of hundreds of people?Meanwhile, the Critter Club is caring for a few chickens that need a home. And as the day of the Quiz Bowl gets closer, Amy starts to feel a little bit chicken herself! Will she get over her stage fright and help her team win?With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Critter Club chapter books are perfect for beginning readers!
Quick Hits for Adjunct Faculty and Lecturers: Successful Strategies from Award-Winning Teachers
by Robert WolterValuable practical advice for managing classrooms, workloads, and careers.Non-tenure-track lecturers and adjunct instructors face particular challenges at US colleges, including heavy teaching loads, lack of office space, little control over the selection of course topics or textbooks, and long commutes between jobs at two or more schools.Quick Hits for Adjunct Faculty and Lecturers contains short, practice-oriented articles by experienced instructors that offer valuable teaching and career tips for balancing competing demands, addressing student issues, managing classrooms, and enhancing professional development.
Once Upon a Tim (Once Upon A Tim Ser. #1)
by Stuart GibbsJoin New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs in this first book in a hilarious, highly illustrated new middle grade series about a peasant boy who wants to be a knight, perfect for fans of Max & the Midknights.Tim is just a peasant, but he dreams big. He wants more out of life than to grow up to be a woodsman like his father. Unfortunately, the only route to success in the kingdom of Wyld is to be born a prince. Still, Tim is determined. He is brave and clever and always tries to do the right thing—even though he rarely gets the credit for it.Then news spreads that Princess Grace of the neighboring kingdom has been abducted by the evil Stinx and Prince Ruprecht needs a legion of knights to join him on his quest to rescue her. Tim finally has the lucky break he&’s been waiting for, the opportunity to change his station in life. And even though he doesn&’t know how to ride a horse or wield anything more deadly than a water bucket, he&’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure his dream becomes a reality.
E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth's Core!: Nicholas St. North And The Battle Of The Nightmare King; E. Aster Bunnymund And The Warrior Eggs At The Earth's Core!; Toothiana, Queen Of The Tooth Fairy Armies (The Guardians #2)
by William JoyceForget the bunny trail.…In this addition to the groundbreaking series from the legendary William Joyce, Guardian E. Astor Bunnymund is on the warpath.Pitch, the Nightmare King, and his Fearlings had been soundly driven back by Nicholas St. North and company in the first Guardians’ adventure. But now Pitch has disappeared completely—and out of sight does NOT make for out of mind. It seems certain that he’s plotting a particularly nefarious revenge, and the Guardians suspect he might have gone underground. But how can they find him there? Enter E. Aster Bunnymund, the only emissary of the fabled brotherhood of the Pookas—the league of philosophical warrior rabbits of imposing intellect and size. Highly skilled in martial arts (many of which he invented himself), Bunnymund is brilliant, logical, and a tunnel-digger extraordinaire. If the Guardians need paths near the Earth’s core, he’s their Pooka. He’s also armed with magnificent weapons of an oval-sort, and might just be able to help in the quest for the second piece of the Moonclipper.This second book in The Guardians series is about much more than fixing a few rotten eggs—it brings the Guardians one step closer to defeating Pitch!
Hugs: 365 Devotions to Inspire Your Day
by Howard BooksInspirational hugs of appreciation for the love that grandmothers share -- every day of the year.
Methods of Social Research
by Kenneth D. BaileyAn introduction for undergraduates to every stage of sociological research, showing how to deal effectively with typical problems they might encounter. The book is fully updated to include examples from the LA riots and the 1992 presidential elections.
Sunny Days: The Children's Television Revolution That Changed America
by David KampOne of the &“Best Books&” of the year from The Smithsonian, The Washington Independent Review, and more!From bestselling writer David Kamp, the &“fun, fascinating, and surprisingly touching,&” (People) behind-the-scenes story of the cultural heroes who created the beloved children&’s TV programs Sesame Street, The Electric Company, Mister Rogers&’ Neighborhood, Free to Be…Youand Me, and Schoolhouse Rock!—which transformed American childhood for the better, teaching kids about diversity, the ABCs, and feminism through a fun, funky 1970s lens.With a foreword by Questlove.In 1970, on a soundstage on Manhattan&’s Upper West Side, a group of men, women, and Muppets of various ages and colors worked doggedly to finish the first season of a children&’s TV program that was not yet assured a second season: Sesame Street. They were conducting an experiment to see if television could be used to better prepare disadvantaged preschoolers for kindergarten. What they didn&’t know then was that they were starting a cultural revolution that would affect all American kids.In Sunny Days, bestselling author David Kamp captures the unique political and social moment that gave us not only Sesame Street, but also Fred Rogers&’s gentle yet brave Mister Rogers&’ Neighborhood; Marlo Thomas&’s unabashed gender politics primer Free to Be…You and Me; Schoolhouse Rock!, an infectious series of educational shorts dreamed up by Madison Ave admen; and more, including The Electric Company and ZOOM. It was a unique time when an uncommon number of media professionals and thought leaders leveraged their influence to help children learn—and, just as notably, a time of unprecedented buy-in from American parents.&“Sunny Days is full of such nostalgic jolts…it makes the era a pleasure to revisit&” (The Wall Street Journal) and captures a wondrous period in the US when a determined few proved that, with persistence and effort, they could change the lives of millions. It is &“a lively and bewitching recounting of a particularly ripe period in television and cultural history&” (The New York Times Book Review) and, as the Los Angeles Times notes, &“a sublime book about a variety of creative people coming together not in the pursuit of fame or money, but to enrich the lives of children.&”
Promise Me: A Novel
by Richard Paul EvansThe #1bestselling author of The Christmas Box and A Christmas Memory presents a breathtaking story of the transcendent power of love.Beth Cardall has a secret. For eighteen years, she has had no choice but to keep it to herself, but on Christmas Eve 2008, all that is about to change. For Beth, 1989 was a year marked by tragedy. Her life was falling apart: her six-year-old daughter, Charlotte, was suffering from an unidentifiable illness; her marriage transformed from a seemingly happy and loving relationship to one full of betrayal and pain; her job at the dry cleaners was increasingly at risk; and she had lost any ability to trust, to hope, or to believe in herself. Then, on Christmas Day, as she rushed through a blizzard to the nearest 7-Eleven, Beth encountered Matthew, a strikingly handsome, mysterious stranger, who would single-handedly change the course of her life. Who is this man, and how does he seem to know so much about her? He pursues her relentlessly, and only after she&’s fallen deeply in love with him does she learn his incredible secret, changing the world as she knows it, as well as her own destiny.
The Emerald Berries (The Adventures of Sophie Mouse #2)
by Poppy GreenIn this second book of The Adventures of Sophie Mouse, Sophie and her friend Hattie Frog go on a daring adventure through the woods in search of some special art supplies!In the second book in The Adventures of Sophie Mouse, Sophie learns about some special emerald berries that will make the most perfect color for a painting she wants to do! But the seamstress who’s using the berries tells Sophie that they can only be found in one part of the forest: Weedsnag Way. Though that’s far from home, and a little scary, Sophie convinces her best friend, Hattie Frog, that they will be fine.But all is not quite fine, and the girls get lost along the way! Thanks to the help of a squirrel who disappeared from Pine Needle Grove years ago, Sophie and Hattie find the emerald berries…and their way home!With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Adventures of Sophie Mouse chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.
The Everything Everyday Math Book: From Tipping to Taxes, All the Real-World, Everyday Math Skills You Need
by Christopher MonahanAll the math basics you'll ever need!It's not too late to learn practical math skills! You may not need to use quadratic equations very often, but math does play a large part in everyday life. On any given day, you'll need to know how long a drive will take, what to tip a waiter, how large a rug to buy, and how to calculate a discount. With The Everything Everyday Math Book, you'll get a refresher course in all the basics you need, including:Adding and subtracting fractionsUnderstanding percentagesUsing ratiosFinding area and perimeter You'll the learn formulas and shortcuts to help in hundreds of everyday situations, from budgeting and paying bills to shopping, redecorating, preparing taxes, and evaluating loans and other financial instruments. With this easy-to-follow guide, you'll never get stuck on a math problem again!
Sheetrock & Shellac: A Thinking Person's Guide to the Art and Science of Home Improvement
by David OwenIn a world of extreme makeovers, this book is a thoughtful, adventure-filled, witty look at what the space we live in says about us, the pleasures of home renovation projects great and small, and how home renovation can change our lives. Few things define us as powerfully as the place where we live. The size and location of a house may reveal basic facts about our financial or social status, but it is the personal touches -- a paint color or a homemade desk -- that reflect our aspirations, our tastes, our secret desires. In Sheetrock & Shellac, David Owen recounts his renovation and home construction projects in small-town Connecticut -- from catching the home improvement bug while watching workmen replacing a leaky roof to his first tentative foray into DIY (successfully building an enclosure for a bathroom radiator that had "turned into a sort of low-tech factory for converting splattered urine into odor and dust"). As his skill grows, so does his confidence: replacing a broken light switch turns into wiring an entire room, making bookcases is followed by building an office. Some of the more overly imaginative projects -- for instance, an ambition to install sinks and hot and cold faucets in all the rooms of the house -- never come to fruition but are amusingly recounted for other intrepid home designers. Owen's two-hundred-year-old farmhouse provides numerous occasions for home improvement projects, and layers (literally) of fascination. Owen quickly learns the hard way when to tackle a project himself and when to turn for help. But soon he's so comfortable with the undertaking that he decides to take the big leap from renovation to building a completely new home from the ground up. In this case, Owen decides to build a weekend cabin a mere six miles away from his home. From a discourse on kitchen countertop materials to the complete history of concrete, to a near-disastrous mishap with a tree, a newly constructed roof, and an overzealous chainsaw, Owen's journey through home designing and building proves both enthrallingly educating and hilariously detailed. New Yorker writer Owen's engaging narrative, filled with a wealth of practical information, hands-on tips, and canny insights, explores the ways in which the human processes of construction and renovation leave all the parties transformed. More than a simple how-to, Sheetrock & Shellac is a why-to, a wellspring of savvy advice and encouragement for anyone who has ever contemplated changing their surroundings and changing their life.
The Ambassadors: America's Diplomats on the Front Lines
by Paul RichterVeteran diplomatic correspondent Paul Richter goes behind the battles and the headlines to show how American ambassadors are the unconventional warriors in the Muslim world—running local government, directing drone strikes, building nations, and risking their lives on the front lines.The tale&’s heroes are a small circle of top career diplomats who have been an unheralded but crucial line of national defense in the past two decades of wars in the greater Middle East. In The Ambassadors, Paul Richter shares the astonishing, true-life stories of four expeditionary diplomats who &“do the hardest things in the hardest places.&”The book describes how Ryan Crocker helped rebuild a shattered Afghan government after the fall of the Taliban and secretly negotiated with the shadowy Iranian mastermind General Qassim Suleimani to wage war in Afghanistan and choose new leaders for post-invasion Iraq. Robert Ford, assigned to be a one-man occupation government for an Iraqi province, struggled to restart a collapsed economy and to deal with spiraling sectarian violence—and was taken hostage by a militia. In Syria at the eruption of the civil war, he is chased by government thugs for defying the country&’s ruler. J. Christopher Stevens is smuggled into Libya as US Envoy to the rebels during its bloody civil war, then returns as ambassador only to be killed during a terror attach in Benghazi. War-zone veteran Anne Patterson is sent to Pakistan, considered the world&’s most dangerous country, to broker deals that prevent a government collapse and to help guide the secret war on jihadists.&“An important and illuminating read&” (The Washington Post) and the winner of the prestigious Douglas Dillon Book Award from the American Academy of Diplomacy, The Ambassadors is a candid examination of the career diplomatic corps, America&’s first point of contact with the outside world, and a critical piece of modern-day history.
Religion 101: From Allah to Zen Buddhism, an Exploration of the Key People, Practices, and Beliefs that Have Shaped the Religions of the World (Adams 101)
by Peter ArcherDiscover the origins and traditions of world religions!With so many religions in the world, it isn't always easy to recall each faith's key influences, spiritual figures, and dogmas. Written in easy-to-understand language, Religion 101 offers a fascinating--and memorable--glimpse at the sacred stories, traditions, and doctrines that have influenced today's most popular religions.From Jesus and the Four Noble Truths to the Buddhist Wheel of Existence, this book provides you with thought-provoking insight into the customs and beliefs of common faiths like Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam. Inside, you will also discover hundreds of important religious facts, illustrations, and thought puzzles that you won't be able to find anywhere else.So whether you're looking to unravel the mysteries of existence and meaning, or just want to find out what Kabbalah is all about, Religion 101 has all the answers--even the ones you didn't know you were looking for.
Alzheimer's in America: The Shriver Report on Women and Alzheimer's
by Maria ShriverThe Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Takes on Alzheimer’s will be the first comprehensive multi-disciplinary look at these questions at this transformational moment. The Report will digest the current trends in thinking about Alzheimer’s, examine cutting-edge medical research, look at societal impacts, and include a groundbreaking and comprehensive national poll. It will feature original photography and personal essays by men and women – some from the public arena with names you know, some from everyday America – sharing their personal struggles with the disease as patients, caregivers and family members.
To the Greatest Heights: Facing Danger, Finding Humility, and Climbing a Mountain of Truth
by Vanessa O'BrienThis riveting and uplifting memoir by Vanessa O&’Brien, record-breaking American-British explorer, takes you on an unexpected journey to the top of the world&’s highest mountains. Long before she became the first American woman to summit K2 and the first British woman to return from its summit alive, Vanessa O&’Brien was a feisty suburban Detroit teenager forced to reinvent her world in the wake of a devastating loss that destroyed her family.Making her own way in the world, Vanessa strove to reach her lofty ambitions. Soon, armed with an MBA and a wry sense of humor, she climbed the corporate ladder to great success, but after the 2009 economic meltdown, her career went into a tailspin. She searched for a new purpose and settled on an unlikely goal: climbing Mount Everest. When her first attempt ended in disaster, she trudged home, humbled but wiser. Two years later, she made it to the top of the world. And then she kept going.Grounded by a cadre of wise-cracking friends and an inimitable British spouse, Vanessa held her own in the intensely competitive world of mountaineering, summiting the highest peak on every continent, and skiing the last degree to the North and South Poles. She set new speed records for the Seven Summits, receiving a Guinness World Record and the Explorers Grand Slam, and finally made peace with her traumatic past. During her attempt on K2, she very nearly gave up. But on the &“savage mountain,&” which kills one out of every four climbers who summit, Vanessa evolved from an adventurer out to challenge herself to an explorer with a high-altitude perspective on a changing world—and a new call to share her knowledge and passion across the globe.Told with heart and humor, Vanessa&’s journey from suburban Detroit to Everest&’s Death Zone to the summit of K2 and beyond, is a transformative story of resilience, higher purpose, and the courage to overcome any obstacle.
Seeing the Unseen
by Joe BeamSpiritual warfare is real, and your faith is at stake. Based on Biblical principles, Seeing the Unseen helps you fight back against the enemy. In today&’s world, Satan seems to be everywhere, and he seems to have the advantage. But the enemy is not of this world, and the war is in the spiritual world. Satan is trying to attack you and destroy your faith, and the only way to defeat him is to fight back.In this newly revised and updated bestseller, Joe Beam reveal Satan's powerful weaponry—his lies, deceptions, and manipulations—and unmasks his strategy to destroy your life and those you care for. This book will show you his plans and tactics, and teach you where he is likely to strike next and how to fight him.Based on a dedicated study of God&’s word, this book is filled with stories of tragedy and triumph and will give you the tools you need to defeat the enemy.
Wee Little Bunny (Wee Little Ser.)
by Lauren ThompsonSettle down with Little Bunny in this board book edition of his hop-along adventures.Little Bunny just can’t sit still. It’s not that he doesn’t want to hear the tortoise’s story or play with the fox. He just can’t seem to stay in one place long before he has to hop, hop, hop off and play. The only person who can get him to calm down is his mama, and when she does, he gets to tell her all about his busy day!This sturdy board book edition is perfect for even the youngest of readers!
Rights Talk: The Impoverishment Of Political Discourse
by Mary Ann GlendonPolitical speech in the United States is undergoing a crisis. Glendon's acclaimed book traces the evolution of the strident language of rights in America and shows how it has captured the nation's devotion to individualism and liberty, but omitted the American traditions of hospitality and care for the community.
Notes from the Universe: New Perspectives from an Old Friend
by Mike DooleyWhat if the Universe were to send you frequent reminders of the absolute power you have over your life? Author Mike Dooley, an interpreter for the Universe, has done exactly that in Notes from the Universe—a collection of empowering, invaluable truths that can be read front to back or opened at random.This first book in the Notes from the Universe trilogy teaches its readers to live a life far richer than they had previously thought imaginable.The Universe is here to remind us that we are in control. To have the life you desire, all you have to do is ask. The secret to manifesting change is not focusing on the how but instead, the end result of what you’re after—the kind of life you want. Then, once you are truly focused, the Universe will conspire on your behalf. Author Mike Dooley has turned over every stone, knocked on every door, and followed every impulse. He has immersed himself in the truths he needed to hear most; these were the kind of lessons he wrote about in his weekly emails. What started in 1998 as a little poem sent out once a week to 38 email addresses has evolved into an inspiring anecdote delivered to over 300,000 subscribers from 169 countries, each receiving a new note from the Universefive days a week. Mike Dooley serves as an interpreter for the Universe.Notes from the Universe begins a three-volume set that is brimful with powerful affirmations that will have you thinking positively, feeling confident, and walking the path to personal success. When readers discover the truths the Universe is unveiling in Notes from the Universe,they will begin living happier, more fulfilling lives.
Almost Worthy: The Poor, Paupers, and the Science of Charity in America, 1877–1917
by Brent RuswickA history and analysis of scientific charity organizations that arose in late nineteenth century America.In the 1880s, social reform leaders warned that the “unworthy” poor were taking charitable relief intended for the truly deserving. Armed with statistics and confused notions of evolution, these “scientific charity” reformers founded organizations intent on limiting access to relief by the most morally, biologically, and economically unfit. Brent Ruswick examines a prominent national organization for scientific social reform and poor relief in Indianapolis in order to understand how these new theories of poverty gave birth to new programs to assist the poor.“Ruswick’s well-researched monograph traces the history of the charity organization society in the US from its origins in the Gilded Age to its merging with social work in the Progressive Era. . . . Recommended.” —Choice“[This] study provides a welcome insight into the inner workings of charity organization societies and their drive to eliminate poverty.” —Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Volume43, Issue 4, 2014“Almost Worthy offers a lot of interesting detail pulled from COS case files, professional conference proceedings, journals of the field, and more; some possibly fruitful hypotheses about what to make of changes in COS approaches over time; thoughtful new propositions about the relationship between scientific charity and eugenics (including some charity reformers’ apparent remorse); and a fresh, new mini-biography of Oscar McCulloch interspersed throughout.” —H-SHGAPE“Brent Ruswick wants to put the science back into scientific charity. He argues that the essence of organized charity was not its class prejudices and censorious attitude toward the poor, but rather its belief that systematic evidence-gathering could serve to improve the quality of charity work and public policy.” —American Historical Review, Volume119, Issue 4, October 2014
The Nature of Technology: What It Is and How It Evolves
by W. Brian Arthur“More than anything else technology creates our world. It creates our wealth, our economy, our very way of being,” says W. Brian Arthur. Yet despite technology’s irrefutable importance in our daily lives, until now its major questions have gone unanswered. Where do new technologies come from? What constitutes innovation, and how is it achieved? Does technology, like biological life, evolve? In this groundbreaking work, pioneering technology thinker and economist W. Brian Arthur answers these questions and more, setting forth a boldly original way of thinking about technology. The Nature of Technology is an elegant and powerful theory of technology’s origins and evolution. Achieving for the development of technology what Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions did for scientific progress, Arthur explains how transformative new technologies arise and how innovation really works. Drawing on a wealth of examples, from historical inventions to the high-tech wonders of today, Arthur takes us on a mind-opening journey that will change the way we think about technology and how it structures our lives. The Nature of Technology is a classic for our times.
Lost December: A Novel
by Richard Paul EvansFrom one of America’s most beloved storytellers comes his most spiritual book since The Christmas Box. The New York Times bestselling author of The Christmas Box and The Walkseries returns with a modern-day, Christmas-themed retelling of the story of the prodigal son.It has been said that sometimes the greatest hope in our lives is just a second chance to do what we should have done right in the first place. This is the story of my second chance.When Luke Crisp graduates from business school, his father, CEO and cofounder of Fortune 500 Crisp’s Copy Centers, is ready to share some good news: he wants to turn the family business over to his son. But Luke has other plans. Taking control of his trust fund, Luke leaves home to pursue a life of reckless indulgence. But when his funds run out, so do his friends. Humbled, alone, and too ashamed to ask his father for help, Luke secretly takes a lowly job at one of his father’s copy centers. There he falls in love with a struggling single mother and begins to understand the greatest source of personal joy. Lost December is New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans’s modern-day holiday version of the biblical story of the prodigal son, a powerful tale of redemption, hope, and the true meaning of love.