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The Kingdom of Infinite Number: A Field Guide
by Bryan BunchJust as bird guides help watchers tell birds apart by their color, songs, and behavior, The Kingdom of Infinite Number is the perfect handbook for identifying numbers in their native habitat. Taking a field guide-like approach, it offers a fresh way of looking at individual numbers and the properties that make them unique, which are also the properties essential for mental computation. The result provides new insights into mathematical patterns and relationships and an increased appreciation for the sheer wonder of numbers.Every number in this book is identified by its "field marks," "similar species," "personality," and "associations." For example, one field mark of the number 6 is that it is the first perfect number-- the sum of its divisors (1, 2, and 3) is equal to the number itself. Thus 28, the next perfect number, is a similar species. And the fact that 6 can easily be broken into 2 and 3 is part of its personality, a trait that is helpful when large numbers are being either multiplied or divided by 6. Associations with 6 include its relationship to the radius of a circle. In addition to such classifications, special attention is paid to dozens of other fascinating numbers, including zero, pi, 10 to the 76th power (the number of particles in the universe), transfinite and other exceptionally larger numbers, and the concept of infinity.Ideal for beginners but organized to appeal to the mathematically literate, The Kingdom of Infinite Number will not only add to readers' enjoyment of mathematics, but to their problem-solving abilities as well.
The World According to Color: A Cultural History
by James FoxA kaleidoscopic exploration that traverses history, literature, art, and science to reveal humans' unique and vibrant relationship with color.We have an extraordinary connection to color—we give it meanings, associations, and properties that last millennia and span cultures, continents, and languages. In The World According to Color, James Fox takes seven elemental colors—black, red, yellow, blue, white, purple, and green—and uncovers behind each a root idea, based on visual resemblances and common symbolism throughout history.Through a series of stories and vignettes, the book then traces these meanings to show how they morphed and multiplied and, ultimately, how they reveal a great deal about the societies that produced them: reflecting and shaping their hopes, fears, prejudices, and preoccupations.Fox also examines the science of how our eyes and brains interpret light and color, and shows how this is inherently linked with the meanings we give to hue. And using his background as an art historian, he explores many of the milestones in the history of art—from Bronze Age gold-work to Turner, Titian to Yves Klein—in a fresh way. Fox also weaves in literature, philosophy, cinema, archaeology, and art—moving from Monet to Marco Polo, early Japanese ink artists to Shakespeare and Goethe to James Bond. By creating a new history of color, Fox reveals a new story about humans and our place in the universe: second only to language, color is the greatest carrier of cultural meaning in our world.
Beggars and Choosers: How the Politics of Choice Shapes Adoption, Abortion, and Welfare in the United States
by Rickie SolingerIn the late 1960s and early 1970s, advocates of legal abortion mostly used the term rights when describing their agenda. But after Roe v. Wade, their determination to develop a respectable, nonconfrontational movement encouraged many of them to use the word choice--an easier concept for people weary of various rights movements. At first the distinction in language didn't seem to make much difference-the law seemed to guarantee both. But in the years since, the change has become enormously important.In Beggars and Choosers, Solinger shows how historical distinctions between women of color and white women, between poor and middle-class women, were used in new ways during the era of "choice." Politicians and policy makers began to exclude certain women from the class of "deserving mothers" by using the language of choice to create new public policies concerning everything from Medicaid funding for abortions to family tax credits, infertility treatments, international adoption, teen pregnancy, and welfare. Solinger argues that the class-and-race-inflected guarantee of "choice" is a shaky foundation on which to build our notions of reproductive freedom. Her impassioned argument is for reproductive rights as human rights--as a basis for full citizenship status for women.
Shattered Pillars (The Eternal Sky)
by Elizabeth BearThe Shattered Pillars is the second book of Bear's The Eternal Sky trilogy and the sequel to Range of Ghosts. Set in a world drawn from our own great Asian Steppes, this saga of magic, politics and war sets Re-Temur, the exiled heir to the great Khagan and his friend Sarmarkar, a Wizard of Tsarepheth, against dark forces determined to conquer all the great Empires along the Celedon Road.Elizabeth Bear is an astonishing writer, whose prose draws you into strange and wonderful worlds, and makes you care deeply about the people and the stories she tells. The world of The Eternal Sky is broadly and deeply created—her award-nominated novella, "Bone and Jewel Creatures" is also set there.The Eternal Sky Trilogy#1 Range of Ghosts#2 Shattered Pillars#3 Steles of the SkyAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Coyote Moon: A Novel
by John A. MillerYou may think Field of Dreams meets Cocoon, or perhaps, The Natural meets Love Story, some may even say that it's Ball Four clashing with Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time.But, John Miller's Coyote Moon is all of these and more. In a gone-to-seed trailer park on the edge of the Mojave Desert, quantum physics runs headlong into reincarnation as the park's highly eccentric residents sit around in the evenings drinking home-brewed beer and asking themselves: Can a young, previously unheard-of rookie baseball player be the latest in a line of reincarnated spirits leading back to Sir Isaac Newton?And in the clubhouse of the Oakland Athletics, the mysterious athlete in question, Henry Spencer, a young North Carolinian with nothing more than a high school education and a fuzzy memory, tries to reconcile, among other arcane topics, Werner Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle with the somewhat less intellectual world of baseball.Coyote Moon, John Miller's eagerly awaited fourth novel, will have you laughing with delight and wondering to the very end just who the young Henry Spencer really is, and what exactly links him to the most unusual trailer park in Needles, California.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Mirror's Edge: A Novel
by Steven SidorTwin brothers, two years old, are snatched out of their Chicago home at noon on their birthday, never to be seen again. The kidnappers never make contact. The crime haunts the city, devastating those left behind. As the anniversary of the abduction approaches, freelance journalist Jase Deering begins to investigate a case gone cold for the police. What he finds is a paranoid former nanny who had the word "mirrorrorrim" carved into her flesh that fateful day and a trail that leads to a fabled figure, Aubrey Hart Morick. Morick, dead for many years, was an iconic practitioner of the black arts whose legacies are a scandalous reputation and a son named Graham. Increasingly convinced that Graham Morick is more than the simple, innocent man he claims to be, Jase Deering finds the line between natural and supernatural beginning to blur. His determined search for the truth may cost him, and everyone he holds dear, more than he can bear.
Esrever Doom: A Fun-Filled Adventure in the Magical Land of Xanth (Xanth)
by Piers AnthonyPiers Anthony's 37th adventure in Xanth changes the Mood to one of Doom!Kody woke up in a hospital bed, not knowing how he got there. Before his questions could be answered, he was told that he was about to undergo surgery, and that there could be some side effects…. And then he woke up again, this time in Xanth.Kody is the only person in Xanth who has not been affected by a dreadful spell that reverses how people see each other. What was adorable is now loathsome. What was ugly is now beautiful. What was loved is now hated. Kody has clearly arrived just in time! Only he has any hope of reversing the spell, turning Esrever Doom into Reverse Mood.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
50+: Igniting a Revolution to Reinvent America
by Bill Novelli Boe Workman50+ is a call to arms. It's a groundbreaking look at the revolution that's going on right now among seventy-eight million American baby boomers. From age 50+ on up, Americans are refusing to rock away their retirement. They're starting new careers, rallying for causes close to their hearts, raising grandchildren, becoming more active in their communities, and, above all else, changing the face of aging in America. Bill Novelli, CEO of AARP, knows that with the largest generation of Americans ever recorded nearing traditional retirement age, this revolution is changing the way 50+ Americans live their lives. The boomers have vast technological expertise, are actively involved in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, have been politically active throughout their lives, and are comfortable managing their own finances. They're no strangers to the gym, the voting booth, online investing sites, or the day-to-day management of their 401(k)s, and they're joining an already active and savvy group of Americans 50+ and beyond who are determined to leave their mark on the world. Novelli knows that there's strength in numbers and that 50+ Americans can seize the day by:--Working to transform health care not only by demanding quality care and lower pharmaceutical costs, but also by engaging in healthy lifestyles and preventive care--Creating a secure retirement by planning personal finances well in advance and working to make Social Security solvent for all Americans--Revolutionizing the workplace so those of us who want or need to continue working can do so in a way that benefits everyone.--Building livable communities with improved housing, transportation, and services, allowing all Americans to age in place.--Changing the marketplace by driving the development of innovative products and services that add value to 50+ lives, and using collective purchasing power to make them affordable--Advocating for causes that will really make a difference--Creating a lasting legacy so we can leave the world a better place than we found it.By discovering the possibilities that lie within all of us, we can ignite a twenty-first-century revolution to make America better and stronger. If you're 50+, Bill Novelli has a message for you: The best is yet to come.
Shut the Door: A Novel
by Amanda MarquitIn the vein of "American Beauty," Shut the Door offers a glimpse into the world of a family in crisis. It focuses on two teenage sisters struggling to carve their identities as young adults, taking risks and undergoing disturbing transformations that go unchallenged by their emotionally absent parents. Meanwhile, their parents' marriage is disintegrating and no longer provides the support the girls so desperately need. Their father's prolonged absence on a business trip provides the impetus to reevaluate family roles and relationships--and the choices made are shocking. This evocative family portrait reveals just what happens when our support system falls away and we become disconnected from the ones we love the most.
The Woman Who Couldn't Scream: A Novel (The Virtue Falls Series)
by Christina DoddA beautiful, mute woman returns to Virtue Falls, Washington, to exact revenge on a deadly enemy in The Woman Who Couldn't Scream, a mesmerizing, emotional thriller from bestselling author Christina Dodd. Merida Falcon is a trophy wife who seems to have it all...except she has no voice. On the death of her wealthy elderly husband, Merida vanishes...and reappears in Virtue Falls with a new name, a new look, and a plot to take revenge on the man who loved her, betrayed her, and walked away, leaving her silent and bound to an old man’s obsession. But a chance meeting with her former lover brings him on the hunt for her, and meeting him face-to-face shakes her convictions. Will she have time to discover the truth about the events that occurred nine years ago? For someone in Virtue Falls is stalking women and slashing them...to death. As danger closes in, Merida has to wonder: Does the killer know her true identity—and is he trying to silence her forever?“Tense, taut, and beautifully paced…a stunner.” —Library Journal (starred review) “Complex storytelling, a rollicking pace, and surprising twists and turns…Readers will be thrilled to get back to Virtue Falls.” -Kirkus Review
Housebroken: Three Novellas
by Yael HedayaIn a striking debut, three piercing, powerful novellas that unveil the hazards of love and desire.The men, women, and even animals in this enthralling collection live at the mercy of their hearts. Young and old, on two legs or four, they grope for love and tenderness, knowing that all connection is fraught with danger and all relationship random and evanescent. Yet the heart wants what it wants.The title novella, a wrenching account of the end of love, traces a gentle dog's transformation into a vicious beast as the couple who owns him breaks apart. In "The Happiness Game," the tenuous bonds between husband and wife are undermined by black crows and weak hearts, while "Matti" presents a chorus of voices -- doctors, nurses, jilted wife, dying husband -- that recounts an old man's passion for his lover, a fifteen-year-old Lolita.Wise and deft, tart yet tender, written in supple, beautifully inflected prose, Yael Hedaya's Housebroken navigates the moments of decision, betrayal, longing, and jealousy that torment the souls of wounded lovers.
Warsaw 1944: Hitler, Himmler, and the Warsaw Uprising
by Alexandra RichieHistorian Alexandra Rich presents the full untold story of how one of history's bravest revolts ended in one of its greatest crimes.In 1943, the Nazis liquidated Warsaw's Jewish ghetto. A year later, they threatened to complete the city's destruction by deporting its remaining residents. A sophisticated and cosmopolitan community a thousand years old was facing its final days—and then opportunity struck. As Soviet soldiers turned back the Nazi invasion of Russia and began pressing west, the underground Polish Home Army decided to act. Taking advantage of German disarray and seeking to forestall the absorption of their country into the Soviet empire, they chose to liberate the city of Warsaw for themselves. Warsaw 1944 tells the story of this brave, and errant, calculation. For more than sixty days, the Polish fighters took over large parts of the city and held off the SS's most brutal forces. But in the end, their efforts were doomed. Scorned by Stalin and unable to win significant support from the Western Allies, the Polish Home Army was left to face the full fury of Hitler, Himmler, and the SS. The crackdown that followed was among the most brutal episodes of history's most brutal war, and the celebrated historian Alexandra Richie depicts this tragedy in riveting detail. Using a rich trove of primary sources, Richie relates the terrible experiences of individuals who fought in the uprising and perished in it. Her clear-eyed narrative reveals the fraught choices and complex legacy of some of World War II's most unsung heroes.
Death of a New American: A Novel (Jane Prescott Novels #2)
by Mariah FredericksDeath of a New American by Mariah Fredericks is the atmospheric, compelling follow-up to the stunning debut A Death of No Importance, featuring series character, Jane Prescott. In 1912, as New York reels from the news of the Titanic disaster, ladies’ maid Jane Prescott travels to Long Island with the Benchley family. Their daughter Louise is to marry William Tyler, at their uncle and aunt’s mansion; the Tylers are a glamorous, storied couple, their past filled with travel and adventure. Now, Charles Tyler is known for putting down New York’s notorious Italian mafia, the Black Hand, and his wife Alva has settled into domestic life.As the city visitors adjust to the rhythms of the household, and plan Louise’s upcoming wedding, Jane quickly befriends the Tyler children’s nanny, Sofia—a young Italian-American woman. However, one unusually sultry spring night, Jane is woken by a scream from the nursery—and rushes in to find Sofia murdered, and the carefully locked window flung open. The Tylers believe that this is an attempted kidnapping of their baby gone wrong; a warning from the criminal underworld to Charles Tyler. But Jane is asked to help with the investigation by her friend, journalist Michael Behan, who knows that she is uniquely placed to see what other tensions may simmer just below the surface in this wealthy, secretive household. Was Sofia’s murder fall-out from the social tensions rife in New York, or could it be a much more personal crime?
Do One Green Thing: Saving the Earth Through Simple, Everyday Choices
by Mindy PennybackerIf you can only read and reference one green thing, make it this book: an easily comprehensible, clearly presented source for green living and conservation. Everything you need to know is right here at your fingertips. Unlike a lot of other overwhelming environmental guides on the market, this is green decision making in bite sized pieces. With chose it/lose it comparisons throughout, now it's simple to figure out it's worth switching to a green detergent, what kind of plastic your sports bottle is made of, or which fish is safest to eat. Rather than spending time trying to figure out how best to conserve, recycle, and protect the environment, use this book and devote that time to making the difference.
Funny Accent: A Novel
by Barbara Shulgasser-ParkerFunny, sophisticated and fiercely intelligent, 32-year-old Anna Schopenhauer has one weakness: men old enough to be her father. Heading home to Scarsdale for her father's 70th birthday party, she wants to break the pattern and plots revenge on a family friend--the first older man in her life--about whom she has written a recently published short story in The Atlantic Monthly. Wry and sharply observant, Funny Accent introduces a fresh new fiction talent.
The Absolutely Worst Places to Live in America
by Dave GilmartinThe Absolutely Worst Places to Live in America surveyed thousands of Americans to find the fifty dirtiest, smelliest, most miserable cesspools, armpits, and tourist traps that make up this great land of ours. The "winners" of this awful distinction include the likes of:· Atlantic City, New Jersey—Come for the slots. Stay for the gang warfare and fourth-rate prostitutes.· Gary, Indiana—Like a sewer populated by 100,000 people.· Carson City, Nevada—Perfect for folks burned out on the high culture of Reno.· Fairbanks, Alaska—Take the most horrible place you've ever been, then subtract the sun.· Jacksonville, Florida—Possibly the foulest-smelling city in the Western hemisphere.· Camden, New Jersey—Once the proud home of America's first mass murderer, it's been all downhill since then.Perfect for your friends unfortunate enough to live in Baltimore or Houston, The Absolutely Worst Places to Live in America is an uproarious look at the dregs of our otherwise wonderful country.
The Point Man (The Max August Magikal Thrillers)
by Steve EnglehartA magickal novel by comics legend Steve Englehart in which an ex-Army DJ is recruited by a legendary alchemist to fight a cabal that is using magick as a weapon of mass destruction.Max August was a point man when he served during the Vietnam War, the guy who had to lead his patrol through dangers he couldn't possibly anticipate. Now he's a disc jockey, at one with the music and his faithful audience . . . until the day when he is swept into a battle invisible to all but the participants.For nearly five centuries, Cornelius Agrippa has fought against an evil that has threatened to corrupt and destroy everything good and untainted in the world. Now, Max has joined the battle. It wasn't his idea to fight a demonic entity that can become anything it wants: an undying monster or the most desirable woman in the world. Max has been chosen by fate to fight those who would use magick to destroy freedom and wreak havoc on an unsuspecting world. Along with Agrippa and Valerie Drake, a beautiful, talented singer, Max is the only hope of the free world.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Born on a Train: 13 Stories
by John McManusTwo years ago--at twenty-two--John McManus captivated writers and critics with his first story collection and became the youngest recipient of the Whiting Writers Award. Now McManus returns with a collection of stories equally piercing and visionary: stories about the young and old, compromised by circumstance and curiosity, and undergoing startling transformations. In "Eastbound," a car driven by two elderly sisters breaks down on an elevated highway: Beneath them lies the lost country of the South, overrun with concrete and shopping centers but still possessing the spectres and secrets of the past. In "Brood," a plucky young heroine moves with her mother into the home of the mother's online boyfriend: She will use the Audubon Guide to Birds, and her own wits to survive the advances of the boyfriend's teenaged son. In "Cowry," two backpackers in New Zealand race to witness the first sunrise of the twenty-first century.
Denim Mania: 25 Stylish Ways to Transform Your Jeans
by Carmen Webber Carmia MarshallDesigners Carmen Webber, a contestant on Season 4 of Bravo's Project Runway, and Carmia Marshall, aka Sistahs of Harlem, have created a sensation with their fabulous blend of street couture and uptown chic, as seen in the pages of many fashion magazines and on the backs of many style-conscious fashionistas.In Denim Mania Carmen and Carmia teach you to make 25 of their hottest designs, with patterns and instructions so easy you can start the project in the morning and wear it out that night. With their unique blend of vintage and couture designs you can transform your denim, both old and new, into fabulous tops, bottoms, jackets, and accessories. Their designs reflect a fusion of many influences--including the sassy street style of New York City, distant world cultures, and the rich cultural legacy of Harlem. Full-color photographs, how-to illustrations, sketches, and complete step-by-step instructions accompany each project. Denim Mania shows you how to transform basic blue jeans into sassy denim couture in no time at all--so you can make it today and wear it tonight!
The Interior Design Handbook: The Essential Planning Guide to Creating Your Perfect Living Space
by Joanna WissingerWhether you are moving into a new home or renovating and redecorating an existing one, The Interior Design Handbook is the perfect first step to creating an intimate and unique space that is a joy to live in and simple to maintain. With thought-provoking exercises and tips and helpful checklists full of often-forgotten details, this handbook from Joanna Wissinger offers a relaxed yet well-informed look at home decoration and covers everything from the practical to the aesthetic: from low-maintenance, high-style flooring materials, paints, and wall coverings to rich fabrics and fabulous furnishings. It offers readers an appealing and systematic way to accomplish their goals and dreams for the ideal living space suited to their own tastes--whether the rustic charm of the French country look, the clean lines of Bauhaus, or the ornate richness of the Victorian style.Perfect for both the novice and the home owner more experienced in decoration, this how-to book boasts an easy-to-use format that allows you to record thoughts, make plans, and daydream about your new living space.
Camouflage: Stories
by Murray BailFrom the "world-class Australian novelist" (The New York Times) comes Camouflage, a deft, angular, and highly entertaining collection of stories. "The Seduction of My Sister" tells of the increasingly bizarre events between siblings when a new family moves in across the street, while "Healing" recalls a vanished time when a boy's headlong, innocent rush into certain disaster could be averted by a simple miracle. A man named Huebler decides to photograph everyone alive, and an unassuming piano-tuner is sent to the center of Australia in 1943 to contribute to the war effort. A captivating, piquant collection from a master of the craft.
In the Casa Azul: A Novel of Revolution and Betrayal
by Meaghan DelahuntPursued from country to country by Stalin's GPU agents, Leon Trotsky finds refuge in Mexico City in 1937. There he encounters the fire and splendor of the artist Frida Kahlo who, with her husband Diego Rivera, welcomes Trotsky and his wife Natalia into their home, the Casa Azul. Meaghan Delahunt's breathtaking first novel explores those extraordinary years in Mexico, but also spreads before the reader a panorama of Russian history, revolution, and upheaval throughout the first half of the twentieth century. We hear from Stalin's desolate young wife, and Trotsky's Ukrainian Jewish father, baffled by the dissolution of his own estate and the rise of his son, and from Trotsky himself, still smarting from his brief love affair with the mesmerizing Frida. Their voices mingle with the tales of the lesser known who, in their way, have also created history: the Mexican artist who foretells Trotsky's death; a Bolshevik engineer surviving the chill of the Stalinist regime; and the bodyguard who is unable to prevent Trotsky's assassination.In the Casa Azul insightfully examines politics and art, as well as disillusionment and loss in the service of high ideals. This is a remarkable debut, a work of deep understanding and stunning literary artistry.
Hidden Treasure (Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries)
by Jane K. ClelandThe discovery of a mysterious antique trunk leads to a disappearance—and murder—in the latest in this beloved cozy series set on the rugged New Hampshire coast, Jane K. Cleland's Hidden Treasure.When antiques expert Josie Prescott finds a mysterious trunk, no one thinks it could lead to murder. Josie, the owner of Prescott’s Antiques & Auctions, and her new husband, Ty, have finally found their dream home, a Victorian beauty on the beach known in the town of Rocky Point as the “Gingerbread House.” It was recently vacated by Maudie Wilson, an aging widow, whose concerned nieces have moved her into a nearby assisted living facility. Josie befriends Maudie, who seems surprisingly sharp, considering her family’s doubts about her soundness of mind.As Josie and Ty joyfully begin renovations on the Gingerbread House, the nieces report that Maudie, in her forgetfulness, may have left behind an old trunk, which she’s desperate to get back. Sure enough, Josie finds the trunk inside a hidden compartment, and within it a jewel-encrusted box holding a sculpture of a cat. Josie can understand the sense of urgency about getting the objects back—they look valuable, and not just in the sentimental sense.But when Josie goes to return the box to Maudie, the woman has vanished. And on the floor of her empty apartment lies a corpse, a woman bludgeoned to death. Sick with worry for Maudie’s safety, Josie begins to piece together the clues to the murder. Everyone around her seems to want to pitch in, from Maudie’s family, to the receptionist at the facility, to the young couple helping Josie with her renovations, but with the killer so close to home, Josie has to be on her guard.
The Assailant (Lieutenant George Hastings)
by James Patrick HuntCO-ED SLAIN. That's the call that brings St. Louis Police Lieutenant George Hastings to the downtown banks of the Mississippi River, where Reesa Woods has been strangled and dumped. The hard-charging Hastings is no stranger to murder, but he's stuck without any leads until a second body—also strangled—turns up across town and he knows he's chasing a monster.A talented doctor with an otherwise ordinary and enviable life, Raymond Sheffield has some very dark needs. His first victims are targets of opportunity, but his ambitions go far beyond that. He's formed a taste for killing, and his only interest is in getting better at it.As the violence mounts, the line between upstanding citizens and their secret desires gets thinner and thinner in this thrilling game of catch-me-if-you-can from acclaimed crime novelist James Patrick Hunt.
Hurt Yourself: In Executive Pursuit of Action, Danger, and a Decent-Looking Pair of Swim Trunks
by Harry Hurt IIIHurt Yourself presents a collection of Harry Hurt III's Executive Pursuits columns from the New York Times, in which he volunteers for one wild activity after another, from playing professional football to driving high-performance sports cars to dancing with the ballet.Harry Hurt III is a journalist and professional dilettante who puts it all on the line in the search for freedom and joy in the most unlikely of places. And the likely ones, too. Whether he's flying a vintage Mustang, risking his neck at polo, or risking his dignity dancing with the New York City Ballet, Hurt gives the readers of his "Executive Pursuits" columns in The New York Times a Plimpton-esque glimpse of the adventures hidden just around the corner.Hurt writes about hedonism, but the columns collected for the first time here in Hurt Yourself are really about finding fulfillment as a man in the second half of his life. He writes about marriage, as he gets into, and out of, trouble with wife; fatherhood, as he struggles to connect with his son; and manhood, as he battles the demons of vanity, insecurity, and fear.Through it all, Hurt tackles each premise—from playing quarterback for the New York Jets to finding a swim suit a middle-aged man can actually wear—with self-deprecating humor and an unfailingly honest journalist's eye.