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Mermaids in the Basement: A Novel
by Michael Lee WestReeling from the loss of her mother, plagued with a bad case of writer's block (and don't even talk about those extra twenty pounds), Renata DeChavannes feels as though everything is just plain wrong. And that was before the tabloids caught her sweetheart, filmmaker Ferg Lauderdale, sharing an intimate squeeze with Hollywood's hottest young tamale. But the granddaughter of the formidable Honora DeChavannes possesses more hell than belle in her backbone—and she's about to reclaim it. Heading south to Honora's home on the Gulf Coast, Renata is determined to stop feeling like a wilted gardenia and emerge as the unstoppable kudzu her beloved grandmother proudly proclaimed she would be. But for that to happen Renata's got to face some not-so-genteel ghosts from her past, discover the truth about the mother she desperately misses, and make peace with the first man who abandoned her and broke her heart: her handsome and distant father.
The Sea King's Daughter
by Barbara MichaelsSince Sandy Frederick first set foot on the volcanic Greek isle of Thera, this breathtaking place of ancient myth and mystery has haunted her dreams. Joining her estranged, obsessed father on a dive to find astonishing secrets from the ocean's floor, she cannot shake the feeling that she was meant to be here; that some ancient, inscrutable power is calling to her. But there are others who have been eagerly waiting for her arrival to drag her into a tangled and terrifying web of secrets, dark superstition, betrayal, blood, and death. And suddenly Sandy's heritage and her destiny could be her doom.
I Wish I Had a Red Dress (Idlewild Ser. #2)
by Pearl CleageA New York Times–bestselling author “captures . . . the romantic tensions between . . . black adults as she weaves contemporary issues into a love story” (Booklist).Since Joyce Mitchell was widowed five years ago, she’s kept herself occupied by running the Sewing Circus, an all-girl group she founded to provide badly needed services to young women at risk, many of whom are single mothers. But some nights, home alone, she has to admit that something is missing. And soon she may not even have the Sewing Circus to fill up her life, as the state legislature has decided not to fund the group.Feeling defeated and pessimistic, Joyce reluctantly agrees to dinner at the home of her best friend, Sister, and finds not only a perfect meal but a tall, dark stranger named Nate Anderson. His unexpected presence touches a chord in Joyce that she thought her heart had forgotten how to play.Suddenly, Joyce feels ready to grab a sexy red dress and the life that goes with it . . . if she can keep her girls safe from the forces—useless boyfriends and government agencies—against them.“Inspirational, idealistic and spiritual.” —Publishers Weekly“Cleage captures the struggles, tensions, and “cosmic confusion” of the war between the sexes in her fictional African American community.” —Library Journal
Woman Power
by Dr Laura SchlessingerLa reacción que provocó el séptimo bestseller de la Dra. Laura Schlessinger, Cómo Cuidar y Tener Contento al Esposo, comprobó lo mucho que le ha ayudado a miles de lectores a mejorar sus matrimonios y a salvar aquellos que estaban al borde del divorcio. A raíz de los comentarios y las opiniones de sus lectores y oyentes que querían saber más acerca del poder especial que tienen las mujeres para transformar a sus esposos, sus matrimonios y sus vidas, la Dra. Laura decidió escribir Poder de Mujer.En Poder de Mujer, el libro que acompaña a Cómo Cuidar y Tener Contento al Esposo, la Dra. Laura les explica a las mujeres cómo evaluar lo valioso y lo frágil en sus matrimonios a través de una serie de innovadoras preguntas, incitándolas a reflexionar acerca de lo que es realmente importante de ser mujer, esposa y madre.En su libro, la Dra. Laura comparte inspiradoras historias, consejos y cartas al igual que una serie de preguntas para contestar en pareja y hasta algunas páginas en blanco para anotar sus pensamientos.Poder de Mujer le ayudará a poner en práctica y reforzar las ideas y los conceptos fundamentales que ofrece la Dra. Laura en Cómo Cuidar y Tener Contento al Esposo para transformar su vida y la de su familia en una experiencia llenadora y espiritual.
Little Altars Everywhere: A Novel (The Ya-Ya Series #Bk. 1)
by Rebecca Wells“Brilliant. . . . .a classic Southern tale. . . . The author’s gift for giving life to so many voices leaves the reader profoundly moved.” —Seattle WeeklyThe companion novel to Rebecca Wells’s celebrated #1 New York Times bestseller Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya SisterhoodWho can resist the rich cadences of Sidda Walker and her flamboyant, secretive mother, Vivi? Here, the young Sidda—a precocious reader and an eloquent observer of the fault lines that divide her family—leads us into her mischievous adventures at Our Lady of Divine Compassion parochial school and beyond. A Catholic girl of pristine manners, devotion, and provocative ideas, Sidda is the very essence of childhood joy and sorrow.Little Altars Everywhere is an insightful, piercing, and unflinching evocation of childhood, a loving tribute to the transformative power of faith, and a thoroughly fresh chronicle of a family that is as haunted as it is blessed.“The trials and triumphs of a fascinating but extremely dysfunctional family. . . . an essential purchase for all popular fiction collections.” —Library Journal“Wells's people pop with life.” —Kirkus Reviews“Just wonderful!” —Pat Conroy, New York Times bestselling author of Prince of Tides
Red Herrings & White Elephants: The Origins of the Phrases We Use Every Day
by Albert JackThe international bestseller. “Amusing and informative . . . [takes] you on a trip through the most fascinating and richest regions of the English language.” —Knutsford Guardian (UK)Mad hatter . . . pie in the sky . . . egg on your face. We use these phrases every day, yet how many of us know what they really mean or where they came from?From bringing home the bacon to leaving no stone unturned, the English language is peppered with hundreds of common idioms borrowed from ancient traditions and civilizations throughout the world. In Red Herrings & White Elephants, Albert Jack has uncovered the amazing and sometimes downright bizarre stories behind many of our most familiar and eccentric modes of expression . . . If you happen to be a bootlegger, your profession recalls the Wild West outlaws who sold illegal alcohol by concealing slender bottles of whiskey in their boots. If you’re on cloud nine, you owe a nod to the American Weather Bureau’s classification of clouds, the ninth topping out all others at a mountainous 40,000 feet. If you opt for the hair of the dog the morning after, you’re following the advice of medieval English doctors, who recommended rubbing the hair of a dog into the wound left by the animal’s bite.A delightful compendium of anecdotes on everything from minding your Ps and Qs to pulling out all the stops, Red Herrings & White Elephants is an essential handbook for language-lovers of all ages.
Storm Runners
by T. Jefferson ParkerMatt Stromsoe has come a long way since his wife and son were killed in an explosion meant for him. Wounded severely in both body and spirit, Stromsoe gave up the last thing that held any meaning for him—his job on the police force—and proceeded to hit rock bottom, hard.That was a lifetime ago, and finally the spiral of personal destruction and despair seems to have come to an end. The man responsible for the murders—Stromsoe's best friend from childhood and his wife's old lover—is behind bars and Stromsoe has put the past behind him, rescued from the abyss by a former colleague who offers him a job at his private security firm. Stromsoe's first assignment is to protect local television personality Frankie Hatfield from a stalker. But the further Stromsoe is drawn into this case, the more he finds that the net of intrigue is wide and ultimately leads back to the man who killed his family. As events conspire against him, Stromsoe learns that prison is no safeguard against revenge.T. Jefferson Parker has been hailed as belonging "in the first rank of American crime novelists" (Washington Post Book World) and praised for "some of the finest writing you'll ever read" (Chicago Sun-Times). Superbly crafted, emotionally complex, and filled with heart-stopping action, Storm Runners proves why the novels of T. Jefferson Parker are impossible to resist.
The Laughter of Dead Kings
by Elizabeth PetersFor the first time in more than a decade, New York Times bestselling Grand Master Elizabeth Peters brings beautiful, brainy Vicky Bliss back into the spotlight for one last investigation. But this time the peerless art historian and sleuth will be detecting in Amelia Peabody territory, searching for solutions to more than one heinous offense in the ever-shifting sands of Egypt's mysterious Valley of the Kings. Who stole one of Egypt's most priceless treasures? That is the question that haunts the authorities after a distinguished British gentleman with an upper-crust accent cons his way past a security guard and escapes into the desert carrying a world-famous, one-of-a-kind historic relic. But the Egyptian authorities and Interpol believe they know the identity of the culprit. The brazen crime bears all the earmarks of the work of one "Sir John Smythe," the suave and dangerously charming international art thief who is, in fact, John Tregarth, the longtime significant other of Vicky Bliss. But John swears he is retired-not to mention innocent-and he vows to clear his name by hunting down the true criminal. Vicky's faith in her man's integrity leaves her no choice but to take a hiatus from her position at a leading Munich museum and set out for the Middle East. Vicky's employer, the eminent Herr Doktor Anton Z. Schmidt, rotund gourmand and insatiable adventurer, decides to join the entourage. But dark days and myriad dangers await them in this land of intriguing antiquity. Each uncovered clue seems to raise even more questions for the intrepid Vicky-the most troubling being, Where is John going during his increasingly frequent and unexplained absences? And the stakes are elevated considerably when a ransom note arrives accompanied by a grisly memento intended to speed up negotiations-because now it appears that murder most foul has been added to the equation.
The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs
by Madeleine AlbrightDoes America, as George W. Bush has proclaimed, have a special mission, derived from God, to bring liberty and democracy to the world? How much influence does the Christian right have over U.S. foreign policy? And how should America deal with violent Islamist extremists? <P><P> Madeleine Albright, the former secretary of state and bestselling author of Madam Secretary, offers a thoughtful and often surprising look at the role of religion in shaping America's approach to the world. Drawing upon her experiences while in office and her own deepest beliefs about morality, the United States, and the present state of world affairs, a woman noted for plain speaking offers her thoughts about the most controversial topics of our time.
Heartstone
by Phillip MargolinThey were young, popular, the perfect couple -- an all-American boy and a beautiful cheerleader. But the youthful passion that led them to Lookout Point that terrible evening would prove fatal. For Richie Walters the end came swiftly, as death descended upon him in a savage orgy of horrific violence. Elaine Murray would live long enough to learn just how lucky her boyfriend had been ... Two brutal slayings have rocked a stunned city. But the murders are merely the nightmare's beginning, flinging open a terrifying Pandora's box of sordid secrets and dark revelations more deadly than the bloodlust that lives in the rock-hard heart of a killer.
Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life
by Thomas MooreThis New York Times bestseller (more than 200,000 hardcover copies sold) provides a path-breaking lifestyle handbook that shows how to add spirituality, depth, and meaning to modern-day life by nurturing the soul.
Battle Flag (Nathaniel Starbuck Chronicles #3)
by Bernard CornwellDistinguished at the Battle of Cedar Mountain, Confederate Captain Nate Starbuck's career is jeopardized once again by the suspicion and hostility of his brigade commander, General Washington Faulconer. The outcome of this vicious fight drastically changes both men's fortunes and propels AX into the ghastly bloodletting at the Second Battle of Manassas.Evocative and historically accurate, Battle Flag continues Bernard Cornwell's powerful series of Nate's adventures on some of the most decisive battlefields of the American Civil War.
Pronto
by Elmore LeonardThe feds want Miami bookmaker Harry Arno to squeal on his wiseguy boss. So they're putting word out on the street that Arno's skimming profits from "Jimmy Cap" Capotorto-which he is, but everybody does it. He was planning to retire to Italy someday anyway, so Harry figures now's a good time to get lost. U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens knows Harry's tricky-the bookie ditched him once in an airport while in the marshal's custody-but not careful. So Raylan's determined to find the fugitive's Italian hideaway before a cold-blooded Sicilian "Zip" does and whacks Arno for fun. After all, it's a "pride thing"...and it might even put Raylan in good stead with Harry's sexy ex-stripper girlfriend Joyce.
Veronika Decides to Die: A Novel of Redemption (P. S. Ser.)
by Paulo CoelhoTwenty-four-year-old Veronika seems to have everything -- youth and beauty, boyfriends and a loving family, a fulfilling job. But something is missing in her life. So, one cold November morning, she takes a handful of sleeping pills expecting never to wake up. But she does -- at a mental hospital where she is told that she has only days to live. Inspired by events in Coelho's own life, Veronika Decides to Die questions the meaning of madness and celebrates individuals who do not fit into patterns society considers to be normal. Bold and illuminating, it is a dazzling portrait of a young woman at the crossroads of despair and liberation, and a poetic, exuberant appreciation of each day as a renewed opportunity.
Playing with Fire (Inspector Banks #14)
by Peter RobinsonFire--It consumes futures and pasts in a terrified heartbeat, devouring damning secrets while leaving even greater mysteries in the ashes. The night sky is ablaze as flames engulf two barges moored side by side on an otherwise empty canal. On board are the blackened remains of two human beings. To the seasoned eye, this horror was no accident, the method so cruel and calculated that only the worst sort of fiend could have committed it. There are shocking secrets to be uncovered in the charred wreckage, grim evidence of lethal greed and twisted hunger, and of nightmare occurrences within the private confines of family. A terrible feeling is driving police inspector Alan Banks in his desperate hunt for answers--an unshakable fear that this killer's work will not be done until Banks's own world is burned to the ground.
I'll Be Watching You
by Andrea Kane"I'll be watching you . . ."the cryptic e-mail read. Taylor Halstead, psychologist and successful radio personality, is terrified that she'll never be safe again. Coming on the heels of a series of tragic and terrible events, the e-mail sends chills racing up her spine. Her safe, secure world has already been violated by her cousin Stephanie's boyfriend, Gordon Mallory, in her own apartment. Only the door buzzer and Stephanie's intervening voice rescue her, but not before Gordon promises to return. Soon after, he is killed along with Stephanie in an inexplicable explosion aboard his yacht. Or is he? The e-mail is just the beginning. The terror campaign escalates when an electronically disguised voice on Taylor's telephone threatens to kill her, and her life becomes a nightmare. It seems the only one she can turn to is attorney Reed Weston, her confidant, protector, and, ultimately, lover. But is Reed's determination to protect her enough to avert disaster? And can Taylor trust Gordon's identical twin, Jonathan, who always seems to show up when she least expects him? Grief and dread unravel Taylor's sanity, playing tricks with her mind and heart. Someone out there wants her dead--a crazed fan or the troubled teenage boy she's been counseling or, impossibly, Gordon himself. His vow to return and those final menacing words--"I'll be watching you"--haunt her day and night. Whoever is out there is coming closer, and Taylor Halstead has nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
Understanding Iraq
by William R. PolkThe Dramatic History of Iraq in One Concise Volume The destinies of Iraq and America will be tightly intertwined into the foreseeable future due to the U.S. incursion into this complex, perplexing desert nation -- the latest in a long history of violent outside interventions. A country sitting atop the world's largest supply of crude oil, Iraq will continue to play an essential role in global economics and in Middle Eastern politics for many decades to come. Therefore, it is more important than ever for Westerners to have a clear understanding of the volatile, enigmatic "Land of Two Rivers" -- its turbulent past and its looming possibilities. In this acutely penetrating and endlessly fascinating study, acknowledged Middle East authority William R. Polk presents a comprehensive history of the tumultuous events that shaped modern Iraq, while offering well-reasoned judgments on what we can expect there in the years to come.
Takeover: A Novel of Suspense (The Theresa MacLean Series #1)
by Lisa BlackA gutsy forensic investigator is caught between a gruesome murder and a high stakes bank heist in this crime thriller series debut.Early one Thursday morning, forensic scientist Theresa MacLean is called to the scene of a gruesome murder. A powerful executive was beaten to death in front of his own house in suburban Cleveland. It appears to be another grim day at the office for Theresa. But what unfolds during the next eight hours is unlike anything she could imagine.During a robbery at the Federal Reserve Bank, seven people are taken hostage—including Theresa’s police detective fiancé. The police bring in the city's best hostage negotiator: handsome, high-profile Chris Cavanaugh. He hasn't lost a victim yet, but Theresa suspects he may be too arrogant to save the day this time.When her fiancé is injured, Teresa manages to trade places with him. Once on the inside, she will use wits, wiles, and technical skills to gain control of the situation. But what appears to be a bank heist turns into something far more complex and deadly, and Theresa must decide how much more she is willing to sacrifice to save innocent lives.
Gold Coast
by Elmore LeonardWhen he kicked off, Florida mob boss Frank DiCilia left his gorgeous widow Karen everything, but with strings attached. She loses the millions, the cars, the palatial Gold Coast mansion if she ever gets involved with another man. And there's a crazy cowboy-wannabe thug named Roland who's acting as Frank's eyes beyond the grave, making sure Karen doesn't dally, with serious muscle, if necessary. But now Cal Maguire's come into the picture. A sexy, street-smart Detroit ex-con, Cal's got a line and a scam for every occasion. And he's got the perfect plan for getting Karen DiCilia her money and her freedom ... if it doesn't get them both killed first.
Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
by John WoodJohn Wood discovered his passion, his greatest success, and his life's work not at business school or helping lead Microsoft's charge into Asia in the 1990s but on a soul-searching trip to the Himalayas. He made the difficult decision to walk away from his lucrative career to create Room to Read, a nonprofit organization that promotes education across the developing world. By the end of 2007, the organization will have established over 5,000 libraries and 400 schools, and awarded long-term scholarships to more than 3,000 girls, giving more than one million children the lifelong gift of education. If you have ever pondered abandoning your desk job for an adventure and an opportunity to give back, Wood's story will inspire you. He offers a vivid, emotional, and absorbing tale of how to take the lessons learned at a hard-charging company like Microsoft and apply them to the world's most pressing social problems.
Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
by John WoodJohn Wood discovered his passion, his greatest success, and his life's work not at business school or helping lead Microsoft's charge into Asia in the 1990s but on a soul-searching trip to the Himalayas. He made the difficult decision to walk away from his lucrative career to create Room to Read, a nonprofit organization that promotes education across the developing world. By the end of 2007, the organization will have established over 5,000 libraries and 400 schools, and awarded long-term scholarships to more than 3,000 girls, giving more than one million children the lifelong gift of education. If you have ever pondered abandoning your desk job for an adventure and an opportunity to give back, Wood's story will inspire you. He offers a vivid, emotional, and absorbing tale of how to take the lessons learned at a hard-charging company like Microsoft and apply them to the world's most pressing social problems.
S.C.O.R.E. for Life: The Secret Formula for Thinking Like a Champion
by Jim FanninHave you ever choked during a performance?Have you ever been told how much talent you have, yet you're not reaching it?Are you self-conscious or doubtful during performances?Does your level of concentration fluctuate wildly?Do you feel overwhelmed at times?We all dream of overcoming our challenges. We dream of the perfect job, achieving new wealth, of living the life we choose in harmony with the people we love. For many of us, the dream stops there. We wonder what leads some extraordinary people to confront and exceed their goals and compete at the highest level, while others run in place, distracted by fears and a sense of intimidation. We seek the insights that will liberate us from anxiety and self-doubt. In this book, Jim Fannin shares a collection of ideas and daily exercises that transform everyday performers into true champions.Using the secrets of Fannin's time-tested S.C.O.R.E. System (Self-Discipline, Concentration, Optimism, Relaxation, and Enjoyment), S.C.O.R.E. for Life shows you how to balance and apply these five principles in every arena of life. The result: more moments, days, and years performing and thinking in the state of flow we call the "Zone," and more of the results and success that matter. Every chapter includes reader-friendly tests and exercises, like the "90-Second Rule" (a lesson in discipline) and "The Palm Tree Versus the Oak Tree" (a lesson in adaptability).For more than thirty years, Jim Fannin has coached hundreds of top-performing athletes and business leaders, who testify to what the S.C.O.R.E. System can do. It is a tried and proven blueprint for realizing our extraordinary human potential and overcoming the fears and worries that hold us back. With commitment and consistent use of this success formula, you will blaze new paths to personal and professional achievement.
Torpedo Juice
by Tim DorseyThe drinks are on Sunshine State historian/spree killer Serge A. Storms, who's decided it's high time he got married. So he's motoring down to the Florida Keys -- the ultimate end of the line -- in search of Ms. Right . . .and finding his doped-up basket case bud Coleman along the way. But for Serge, "getting hitched" doesn't necessarily mean "settling down" -- not when South Florida is crawling with slimeballs, swindlers, unrepentant jerks, and annoying bystanders whose ranks need some serious thinning.
Eleven Minutes: A Novel
by Paulo CoelhoEleven Minutes is the story of Maria, a young girl from a Brazilian village, whose first innocent brushes with love leave her heartbroken. At a tender age, she becomes convinced that she will never find true love, instead believing that "love is a terrible thing that will make you suffer. . . ." A chance meeting in Rio takes her to Geneva, where she dreams of finding fame and fortune. Maria's despairing view of love is put to the test when she meets a handsome young painter. In this odyssey of self-discovery, Maria has to choose between pursuing a path of darkness -- sexual pleasure for its own sake -- or risking everything to find her own "inner light" and the possibility of sacred sex, sex in the context of love. This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
The Sins of Scripture
by John Shelby SpongIn the history of the Western World, the Bible has been a perpetual source of inspiration and guidance for countless Christians. However, this Bible has also left a trail of pain. It is undeniable that the Bible is not always used for good. Sometimes the Bible can seem overtly evil. Sometimes its texts are terrible. Bishop John Shelby Spong boldly approaches those texts that have been used through history to justify the denigration or persecution of others while carrying with them the implied and imposed authority of the claim that they were the "Word of God." As he exposes and challenges what he calls the "terrible texts of the Bible", laying bare the evil done by these texts in the name of God, he also seeks to redeem these texts, hoping to recover their ultimate depth and purpose. Spong looks specifically at texts used to justify homophobia, anti-Semitism, treating women as second-class humans, corporal punishment, and environmental degradation, but he also delivers a new picture of how Christians can use the Bible today. As Spong battles against the way the Bible has been used throughout history, he provides a new framework, introducing people to a proper way to engage this holy book of the Judeo-Christian tradition.