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The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom
by Shari FrankeFrom eldest daughter Shari Franke, the shocking true story behind the viral 8 Passengers family vlog and the hidden abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, and how, in the face of unimaginable pain, she found freedom and healing. Shari Franke&’s childhood was a constant battle for survival. Her mother, Ruby Franke, enforced a severe moral code while maintaining a façade of a picture-perfect family for their wildly popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers, which documented the day-to-day life of raising six children for a staggering 2.5 million subscribers. But a darker truth lurked beneath the surface – Ruby&’s wholesome online persona masked a more tyrannical parenting style than anyone could have imagined. As the family&’s YouTube notoriety grew, so too did Ruby&’s delusions of righteousness. Fueled by the sadistic influence of relationship coach Jodi Hildebrandt, together they implemented an inhumane and merciless disciplinary regime. Ruby and Jodi were arrested in Utah in 2023 on multiple charges of aggravated child abuse. On that fateful day, Shari shared a photo online of a police car outside their home. Her caption had one word: 'Finally'. For the first time, Shari will reveal the disturbing truth behind 8 Passengers and her family&’s devastating involvement with Jodi Hildebrandt&’s cultish life coaching program, 'ConneXions'. No stone is left unturned as Shari exposes the perils of influencer culture and shares for the first time her battle for truth and survival in the face of her mother&’s cruelty.
Exit Nowhere
by Juliana BrandtHaunted Mansion meets the ultimate escape room in this tense and twisty middle grade horror following four kids who must beat a series of games to make it out of a haunted house.The creepiest place in Barret Eloise&’s small town is the abandoned Raithfield Manor, a decrepit house surrounded by rumors of ghosts and kids going missing. So she certainly never planned on stepping foot inside. But when her history teacher gives her a group project to research a local landmark, the manor is the location her group chooses. Determined to ace the project and fix her awkward first impression on her assigned partners—which include her former friend Helena, smart and confident Wayne, and school basketball star Ridge—Barret Eloise isn&’t about to let some tall tales scare her off. When the kids first enter the house, it seems to be nothing more than an empty building. But when the sun goes down, the doors and windows lock, sealing them inside. Even worse, the room they&’re in transforms into an all-too-real game of The Floor is Lava. It doesn&’t take long for the group to realize the mansion is a maze of childhood games. Win the game and you keep moving forward, lose and you disappear. And complicating it all is a worrying revelation—they are not alone in the house. If Barret Eloise wants to make it home, she and her dysfunctional group are going to have to learn to work together quickly.
Bunny Lake Is Missing (Femmes Fatales)
by Evelyn PiperThe classic novel of suspense is &“a headlong story of nerve-wracking tension, psychological validity and emotional drive&” (Oakland Tribune). Blanche Lake is not like the other mothers who come to collect their children at the local nursery school on New York&’s Upper East Side. She lives alone, has a job, and has never been married. It&’s the first day of school when this story begins, and Blanche is eager to see how her daughter, Bunny, has fared away from home. But her expectant waiting becomes a mother&’s most dreaded nightmare: Bunny never materializes. Neither teachers nor students recall the small girl, and soon Blanche is engaged in a frantic search for any trace of her missing daughter. And the worst part is . . . no one believes her. In this fraught and at times freakish tale of suspense, Evelyn Piper takes us deep into the psyche of the 1950s to explore American fetishes, fallacies, and fears around motherhood and sexuality. Blanche emerges as a new kind of heroine—a hard-boiled mom with gun in hand, willing to take any risk to find her missing daughter. &“A classic thriller—a riveting revisit to the dark side of the fifties, where the tension beneath the calm surface has an undertow that drags the reader into its grip. Prime pulp—pure pleasure.&” —Linda Fairstein, author of The Bone Vault
The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band: More Than a Century of a New Orleans Icon (Music Ser.)
by Sally NewhartA lively look at the long career of these legendary musicians, from a Storyville dance hall to the White House and beyond. In 1910, the Tuxedo Jazz Band played its first show at the Tuxedo Dance Hall in Storyville under Oscar Celestin. The popular ensemble would go on to play all over New Orleans, as well as across the South and the nation—and in 1953, it became the first jazz band to play the White House. The band has punctuated jazz history and produced some of the most memorable musicians of the past century: Bob French, Albert French, William Ridgley, Octave Crosby, Louis Armstrong, and more. Author Sally Newhart has written a definitive and captivating history of the band from inception to present, including oral histories, archival photos, a discography, and a previously unpublished complete list of members since 1910.
Circle of Terror
by Larry PowaliszA female federal agent and Milwaukee PD join forces against domestic terrorists in a timely and explosive thriller. Ex-Marine Force Recon Officer and Milwaukee Police Detective, Declan Tomczyk, is dispatched to investigate the desecration of headstones at Holy Cross Cemetery. What first appears to be the work of vandals becomes something far more alarming. Tomczyk has come upon a trip wire connected to a crude homemade bomb. With it, an anonymous note threatening that &“the days of terror have returned&” . . . Murder by murder, the promises are being fulfilled. Enlisting the help of FBI Agent Anne Dvorak, Tomczyk is now tracking a series of violent crimes, eerily similar to those that paralyzed the state decades before. With the unlikely assistance of a former pro linebacker and a World War II veteran—each one a surprising conduit between the past and the present—Tomczyk and Dvorak are getting closer to the truth. But who is the ultimate target? And what&’s the inconceivable endgame for homegrown extremists determined to hold the city hostage? With time running out, and casualties running high, Tomczyk and Dvorak must risk their own lives for the answers.
Elegies for Uncanny Girls (Break Away Book Club Edition)
by Jennifer ColvilleThe ordinary and the extraordinary merge in the strange and complex lives of young women in this &“frequently luminous&” debut short story collection (Kirkus Reviews). Unsettling and perceptive, this debut story collection challenges our notion of American girlhood in all its delusions, conflicting messages, and treacherous terrain. Alternately wide-eyed, wise, and mysterious, the girls at the center of these stories leave their realities behind for curious new places where the barrier between real and unreal begins to blur. Still others hover over their Midwestern homes in interior worlds of their own creation. The stories in Elegies for Uncanny Girls take place at a boundary where both the girls&’ bodies and their narratives belong either to themselves or to the cultures that surround them. A young woman whose body continually shrinks and expands moves to Los Angeles to make a movie about tragic merpeople; bewildered and seeking guidance, a new mom strikes up a conversation with a woman with detachable hands; and spurred on by a new ally who might just be a figment of her imagination, a girl decides she can choose her own friends. &“Brisk, satisfying, and fiercely observant.&” —Publishers Weekly
Ebert's Bests (Chicago Shorts)
by Roger EbertA treasury of year-by-year ten-best lists, plus personal reminiscences by the man whose name became synonymous with the movies. In Ebert&’s Bests, the iconic Roger Ebert takes us through the journey of how he became a film critic, from his days at a student-run cinema club to his rise as a television commentator in At the Movies and Siskel & Ebert. Recounting the influence of the French New Wave; his friendships with Werner Herzog and Martin Scorsese; and travels to Sweden and Rome to visit Ingrid Bergman and Federico Fellini, Ebert never loses sight of film as a key component of our cultural identity. In considering the ethics of film criticism—why we should take all film seriously, without prejudgment or condescension—he argues that film critics ought always to engage in open-minded dialogue with a movie. All this is accompanied by decades&’ worth of annual ten-best lists, which showcase Roger Ebert&’s recommendations—while at the same time reminding us that hearts and minds, and even rankings, are bound to change.
The Atheist's Bible: The Most Dangerous Book That Never Existed
by Georges MinoisThis intellectual history of a rumored book of heresy reveals a persistent undercurrent of atheism from the Middle Ages into the 18th century. In 1239, Pope Gregory IX accused Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor, of heresy. Without disclosing evidence of any kind, Gregory announced that Frederick had written a supremely blasphemous book—De tribus impostoribus, or the Treatise of the Three Impostors—in which Frederick denounced Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad as impostors. Of course, Frederick denied the charge, and over the following centuries the story played out across Europe, with libertines, freethinkers, and other &“strong minds&” seeking a copy of the scandalous text. The fascination persisted until finally, in the eighteenth century, someone brought the purported work into actual existence—in not one but two versions, Latin and French. Although historians have debated the origins and influences of this most apocryphal book, there has not been a comprehensive biography of the Treatise of the Three Impostors. In The Atheist&’s Bible, historian Georges Minois tracks the course of the book from its origins in 1239 to its most salient episodes in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, introducing readers to the colorful individuals obsessed with possessing the legendary work—and the equally obsessive passion of those who wanted to punish people who sought it. Minois&’s compelling account sheds much-needed light on the power of atheism, the threat of blasphemy, and the persistence of free thought during a time when the outspoken risked being burned at the stake. &“[A] timely and elegant study…Readers who are intrigued or scandalized by the diatribes of Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens will discover in The Atheist&’s Bible that, as that other Bible says, there is nothing new under the sun.&”—Walter Stephens, author of Demon Lovers
Even If You Were Perfect, Someone Would Crucify You: Stop Trying to Please People. Start Pleasing God
by Rob Shepherd&“In short, digestible chapters Shepherd shares several truths every human needs to know . . . You&’ll enjoy reading and laughing your way through this book!&” (Terrace Crawford, nationally recognized speaker & author of Going Social). He should have seen it coming. Anonymous letters are rarely good. On the day after preaching a sermon at his church, Rob Shepherd opened a letter filled with hurtful words and a very strong opinion about how awful his sermon was. On his fourth reading of the letter, Rob heard a still small voice say, &“Even if you preached the perfect sermon somebody would crucify it.&” That thought began the process of setting Rob free from being a lifelong people pleaser. With humor, personal stories, and great conviction Rob shares his personal story of learning to care less about what people say and more about what God says. Even If You Were Perfect Somebody Would Crucify You uncovers what our real struggle is when it comes to pleasing people. You can be set free from the fear of saying no to people, win the battle with avoiding confrontation, learn the power of confession, and find your true identity in Jesus. &“This book will nail you in regards to cutting out the paralyzing noises of life and opinions of others. Be ready for a tugging at your heart to rest and rediscover your identity FULLY in Him.&” —Chad Johnson, director of the Catalyst Conference
Creative Change: Why We Resist It . . . How We Can Embrace It
by Jennifer Mueller&“This book completely changed the way I think about creative innovation. . . . A must read&” (Cal Newport, bestselling author of Deep Work). Business leaders say they want creativity and need real innovation in order to thrive. But according to startling research from management professor Jennifer Mueller, these same leaders chronically reject creative solutions, even as they profess commitment to innovation. Mueller&’s research reveals that it&’s not just CEOs but educators, parents, and other social trendsetters who struggle to accept new and creative ideas. Mueller parses the tough questions these findings raise. Do we all have an inherent prejudice against creative ideas? Can we learn to outsmart this bias? Creative Change combines analysis of the latest research with practical guidance on how to shift your mindset, and offers a wealth of counterintuitive recommendations to help you embrace the creative ideas you want. &“If we all crave creativity so much, why do we reject new ideas so often? Jen Mueller&’s smart new book unravels this puzzle.&” —Daniel H. Pink, New York Times–bestselling author of When and Drive &“Mueller, an accomplished scholar in the management field, has developed a well-formulated argument for creativity. Her ideas and research need to be available to academics, business practitioners, and, really, everyone.&” —Library Journal
Guerrilla Business Secrets: 58 Ways to Start, Build, and Sell Your Business
by Jay Conrad Levinson Steve SavageFrom a master salesperson and a revolutionary marketing strategist: A take-no-prisoners guide to making your small business dreams come true. Do you long to break out of the corporate rate race and run your own business? Jay Conrad Levinson, author of the bestselling Guerrilla Marketing series, and Steve Savage, management consultant and salesman extraordinaire, team up to show you how in this truly captivating guide. By learning from Steve&’s desolate disasters and tremendous triumphs, you will gain the knowledge you need to start and run a business—covering every facet from picking a hot product to navigating government bureaucracy to expanding overseas. Learn how Steve develops dazzling products, builds successful sales forces, and once took a company from zero to $60 million in six years. Guerrilla Business Secrets tells how hundreds of men and women trained by Steve were able to fulfill their dreams and stretch to the outer limits of their potential. &“I have never seen anyone who could organize a business, recruit a sales force, and motivate an entire company better than Steve Savage. He is a genuine business visionary.&” —Rod Turner, Senior Executive Vice President, Colgate Palmolive
One God, Two Voices: Life-Changing Lessons from the Classroom on the Issues Challenging Today's Families
by Deidre Hester Sue WhitedAn inspirational, faith-based guide to raising the next generation of leaders—based on the real-life experiences of two amazing educators. Hailing from the hills of West Virginia and the ghettos of New York City, two teachers—one an older Caucasian and the other a younger African American—somehow find each other in the halls of a middle school in Hampton, VA. Becoming the best of friends, Deidre Hester and Sue Whited join together to educate their eighth-grade students in curriculum and life. One God Two Voices comes from their hearts as they speak to teachers, parents, students, and the world at-large on diverse topics, such as the racial divide (from the O.J. Simpson trial to the tragic deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown), repeating history, &“acting white,&” and the reality of being a teacher while maintaining your integrity, sanity, and sense of humor. From the tragic shooting death of a student who had sung Boyz II Men&’s version of &“It&’s So Hard to Say Good-bye to Yesterday&” in the eighth-grade talent show to the guidelines for setting a model of leadership in the classroom, One God Two Voices weaves together the authors&’ unique and personal teaching experiences to create an inspirational tapestry of faith and education. In this updated version of their 2004 title For Such A Time As This . . . We Are But Small Voices, Hester and Whited make a difference for today—and the future.
The Blood of the Lamb: A Novel
by Peter De VriesThis autobiographical novel of family tragedy by the author of Slouching Towards Kalamazoo &“moves deftly from manic hilarity to manic fury, and back again&” (Newsday). The most poignant of Peter De Vries&’s novels, The Blood of the Lamb is also his most personal. It follows the life of Don Wanderhop from his childhood in an immigrant Calvinist family living in Chicago in the 1950s through the loss of a brother, his faith, his wife, and finally his daughter—a tragedy drawn directly from De Vries&’s own life. Despite its basis in personal tragedy, The Blood of the Lamb offers glimpses of the comic sensibility for which De Vries was famous. Written with a powerful blend of grief, love, wit, and fury, De Vries&’s &“sensitive treatment of the death of a beloved child it has scarcely a superior in contemporary fiction" (Chicago Tribune).
Mr. Penrose: The Journal of Penrose, Seaman
by William WilliamsAn 18th century sailor is cast away in a multi-ethnic New World in this long-neglected classic regarded as the first American novel every written. Mr. Penrose narrates the adventures of a Llewellin Penrose who flees an unhappy home life to seek his fortune on the high seas. Having learned the sailor&’s trade, Penrose survives a series of nautical mishaps, only to be cast adrift on the Mosquito Coast. When rescue finally comes, Penrose refuses to abandon the new home he has made among the Indians. Though not officially published until 1815—posthumously and bowdlerized—painter and seafarer William Williams&’s dynamic adventure was actually written before 1780, making it unjustly forgotten as, arguably, the first American novel. Publishers may have been wary of &“a work of imagination&”, but Lord Byron could barely contain his enthusiasm for this unique tale: &“I have never read so much of a book in one sitting in my life. He kept me up half the night, and made me dream of him the other half.&” Equal parts travel narrative, sea-merchant yarn and historical document, this original version of Mr. Penrose reflects on some of the most pressing moral and social issues of its time: imperialism, racial equality, religious freedom, and the nature of an ethical government. In fact, it contains the first unequivocal critique of slavery in a transatlantic novel and the most realistic portrayals of Native Americans in early American fiction. In the afterword, Sarah Wadsworth imparts new research on the author and his career, shedding light on the novel&’s subjects and timely themes, and situating Mr. Penrose at the forefront of the American literary canon.
Two Whole Cakes: How to Stop Dieting and Learn to Love Your Body
by Lesley KinzelFrom the internationally renowned Fatshionista blogger, a &“vulnerable, funny, whip-smart&” celebration of fat acceptance and body confidence (Hanne Blank). From Photoshopped pictures to food-shaming to the latest crop of diet fads, our culture is obsessed with weight—as in, the less of it the better. In this spirited book based on the popular blog of the same name, Lesley Kinzel urges readers to do away with calorie-counting, cutting carbs, and all of the diet &“secrets&” foisted on us by the media. Instead of conforming to an unrealistic and unnecessary standard, the key to confidence—and happiness—is to learn to love the body you have, no matter what shape you are. Full of personal observations, enthusiastic encouragement, and straightforward advice, this is the non-diet book for everyone who wants to enjoy life at any size. Hannah Blank, author of Big, Big Love, calls it, &“a delightfully readable way out of our culture&’s unrealistic expectations of body size and appearance.&” &“Every single page of this book contains an AHA! moment. Two Whole Cakes is super empowering and fun to read—you seriously can&’t put it down. I&’ve read it twice, and I&’m keeping it for my daughter.&” —Jane Pratt, founding editor of xoJane and Sassy &“This accessible blend of memoir and cultural theory is a lifeline and a love letter; one is better off in the world for having read it.&” —Marianne Kirby, co-author of Lessons From the Fat-o-Sphere
Last Wolf at Eagle Well
by Robert C. MowryA Native American FBI agent must navigate the wilds of New Mexico—and deadly legends of the past—to catch a killer in this chilling crime novel. Rookie FBI agent Rusty Redtail is a man of two worlds—the federal government&’s world of law and order, and the Muscalero Apache&’s world from which he came. So he&’s a natural choice to take on the case of a savage murder involving a Federal Bureau of Land Management agent in a remote region of New Mexico. But death is nothing new to the area. There are plenty of unsolved murders, disappearances and unusual fatalities dating back hundreds of years. Most involve the legendary Wolf family—now deceased—whose secret Eagle Well is rumored to hold both golden treasure and a cache of damning information. Many have searched for hit. And many have died trying. Someone is still protecting the Eagle Well. And if Rusty can&’t put together the clues of the past, his own future is going to be cut brutally short . . .
The School at Thrush Green: A Novel (The Beloved Thrush Green Series #9)
by Miss ReadTwo favorite villagers make a life-changing decision. &“If you&’ve ever enjoyed a visit to Mitford, you&’ll relish a visit to Thrush Green&” (Jan Karon, #1 New York Times–bestselling author). The School at Thrush Green returns readers to the heart of the Cotswolds just as beloved primary school teachers Dorothy Watson and Agnes Fogerty announce their retirement and make plans to leave Thrush Green and buy a new home at Barton-on-Sea. The village people are aflutter with the news, musing about the teachers&’ replacements, the fate of the schoolhouse, and an appropriate farewell gift. Further drama unfolds as Dorothy takes up driving and Agnes finds a new friend in a stray cat. As summer turns to fall, the changing seasons reflect the changing face of Thrush Green, where old and new friends settle down and find happiness. &“Once again, Miss Read renders a charming recital of events in Thrush Green, a quaint English village caught in time (most likely teatime).&” —Booklist
The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book: Everything You Need to Know to Put Your EQ to Work
by Dr. Travis Bradberry Dr. Jean GreavesAn accessible, how-to guide that brings focus to the unique skills that comprise emotional intelligence and incorporate these tools into your life.EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: THE #1 PREDICTOR OF PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS AND PERSONAL EXCELLENCE In today's fast-paced world of competitive workplaces and chaotic personal lives, each of us is searching for effective tools that can make our schedules, behaviors, and relationships more manageable. The Emotional Intelligence Quickbook shows us how understanding and utilizing emotional intelligence can be the key to exceeding our goals and achieving our fullest potential. Authors Bradberry and Greaves use their years of experience as emotional intelligence researchers, consultants, and speakers to revitalize our current understanding of emotional intelligence. They have combined their latest research on emotional intelligence with a quick, easy-to-use format and cut-to-the-chase information to demonstrate how this other kind of "smart" helps us to decrease our stress, increase our productivity, understand our emotions as they happen, and interact positively with those around us. The Emotional Intelligence Quickbook brings this concept to light in a way that has not been done before -- making EQ practical and easy to apply in every aspect of our daily lives. The Quickbook will help you to: -Engage the four unique areas of EQ: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management -Increase your EQ through the use of these skill-building techniques -Apply your EQ at work to develop leadership skills and improve teamwork, making you a better manager and a more desirable employee -Practice your EQ outside the office environment to benefit your relationships with loved ones, making you a better partner and parent -Access the link between your EQ and your physical well-being to improve your overall health -Measure your current EQ through access to the authors' bestselling online Emotional Intelligence Appraisal
Haunted Bachelors Grove (Haunted America)
by Ursula BielskiA terrifying exploration of &“the most historic haunted cemetery in the Chicagoland area, and most likely one of the most known in the world&” (Chicago Now)! Slumbering beneath a shroud of deep forest and deliberate secrecy, Bachelors Grove Cemetery still exerts a powerful pull on paranormal pilgrims and curiosity-seekers around the world. Shielding the orphaned burial ground from ritual and idle vandalism has also buried the rich history of this magical place. Still, its eerie presence has dominated the folklore of the southwest side of Chicago for every generation since 1838. Brave the woods with Ursula Bielski to unearth decades of mysteries and myriad ghost stories, from the Magic House to the Madonna of Bachelors Grove. Includes photos! &“Historian and paranormal investigator Ursula Bielski says Bachelors Grove, a cemetery located on the edge of Rubio Woods in Midlothian, is among the most haunted places in the world. Her book . . . is the culmination of years of research at the site.&” —Chicago Tribune &“Bielski ascribes the site&’s high level of activity to &‘an ancient force, something malevolent,&’ as well as a spate of occult activity in the &’60s and &’70s that may have involved unsettling practices like animal sacrifice and grave desecration.&” —Time Out Chicago
Michigan Literary Luminaries: From Elmore Leonard to Robert Hayden
by Anna ClarkDiscover the novelists, poets, and others who are part of this Midwestern state&’s rich literary tradition. From Ernest Hemingway&’s rural adventures to the gritty fiction of Joyce Carol Oates, the landscape of the &“Third Coast&” has inspired generations of the nation&’s greatest storytellers. Michigan Literary Luminaries shines a spotlight on this rich heritage of the Great Lakes State. Discover how Saginaw greenhouses shaped the life of Pulitzer Prize–winning writer Theodore Roethke. Compare the common traits of Detroit crime writers like Elmore Leonard and Donald Goines. Learn how Dudley Randall revolutionized American literature by doing for poets what Motown Records did for musicians, and more. With a mixture of history, criticism, and original reporting, journalist Anna Clark takes us on a surprising literary tour.
The American Way of War: How Bush's Wars Became Obama's (TomDispatch Books)
by Tom EngelhardtThe creator of TomDispatch.com &“tackles our military fetish . . . He takes on our war-possessed world with clear-eyed, penetrating precision&” (Mother Jones).Tom Engelhardt, creator of the website TomDispatch.com, takes a scalpel to the American urge to dominate the globe. Tracing developments from 9/11 to present day, this is an unforgettable anatomy of a disaster that is yet to end.Since 2001, Tom Englehardt has written regular reports for his popular site TomDispatch that have provided badly needed insight into US militarism and its effects, both at home and abroad. When others were celebrating the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, he warned of the enormous dangers of both occupations.In The American Way of War, Engelhardt documents Washington&’s ongoing commitment to military bases to preserve—and extend—its empire; reveals damning information about the American reliance on air power, at great cost to civilians in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan; and shows that the US empire has deep historical roots that precede the Bush administration—and continued through the presidency of Barack Obama.Praise for Tom Engelhardt and The American Way of War&“Engelhardt is absorbing and provocative. Everything he writes is of a satisfyingly congruent piece.&” —The New York Times&“Tom Engelhardt provides a clear-eyed examination of U.S. foreign policy in the Bush and Obama years, and details unsparingly how Obama has inherited—and in many cases exacerbated—the ills of the Bush era.&” —Daniel Luban, Inter Press Service &“Tom Engelhardt is a national treasure and always worth reading.&” —Juan Cole, professor of history at the University of Michigan
The Skeleton Code: A Satirical Guide to Secret Keeping
by Alla Campanella Ken MasseyA revealing look at what we hide and why: &“Funny, well-written, and absolutely the best self-help book I have come across in a while&” (Urban Book Reviews). In an of age of social media, computer hacking, recorders on every new device we can get our hands on, and security cameras following every shameless move we make, privacy is a thing of the past. Unfortunately, the skeletons in our closets aren&’t so gone, forgotten, or protected. With one errant text, unfortunate photo, or midnight tweet, they can start rattling. This tongue-in-cheek, yet cautionary book explores the many ways, and great lengths we go to, to shield our public personas, reputations, and most embarrassing and cringe-worthy secrets. With scores of funny and alarming interviews with people who didn&’t take extreme measures to guard their now-free and feral skeletons, it also outlines the strategies you can take to make sure your secrets never see the light of day. If you don&’t think you need the key to The Skeleton Code, you&’re treading the dark and increasing crowded waters of that infamous river called Denial.
Black Wave
by Michelle TeaThis metaliterary end-of-the-world novel is &“scary, funny and genre-bending . . . wonderfully strange . . . yet completely universal and true&” (Jill Soloway, creator of Transparent). Desperate to quell her addiction to drugs and alcohol, disastrous romance, and nineties San Francisco, Michelle heads south to LA But soon it&’s officially announced that the world will end in one year, and life in the sprawling metropolis becomes increasingly weird. While living in an abandoned bookstore, dating Matt Dillon, and keeping an eye on the encroaching apocalypse, Michelle begins a new novel, a meta-textual exploration to complement her vows to embrace maturity and responsibility. But as she tries to make queer love and art without succumbing to self-destructive impulses, the boundaries between storytelling and everyday living begin to blur, and Michelle wonders how much she&’ll have to compromise her artistic process if she&’s going to properly ride out doomsday.
Scandinavian from Scratch: A Love Letter to the Baking of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden [A Baking Book]
by Nichole AccettolaIACP AWARD WINNER • Transport the taste of Scandinavia to your home kitchen with the delightful sweet and savory bites compiled in this delightful baking book.A SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE BEST COOKBOOK OF THE YEARFrom chef Nichole Accettola, Scandinavian from Scratch brings to the page an assortment of baked goods and simple morning and midday meals rooted in Scandinavian cuisine. After moving back to the United States following more than a decade abroad, Accettola found herself longing for the wholesome breads, buttery pastries, decadent cakes, and cookies that she enjoyed on a daily basis while living in Copenhagen. She set out on a mission to bring the tastes and treats of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark to San Francisco and opened her now beloved bakery café, Kantine. In Scandinavian from Scratch, Accettola has curated 75 delicious bakes, organized by occasion and arranged from simplest to most complex, drawing from her collection of each Scandinavian country&’s baking traditions. Fill your home kitchen with the enticing aromas of Coconut Dream Cake, Black Currant Caves, Cardamom Morning Buns, Saffron Rusks, Gravlax and Chive Potato Salad Smørrebrød, and so much more. The easy-to-follow recipes will expand your baking horizons and bring something special to the table, from breakfast and brunch to afternoon tea to holiday celebrations.
The Girl in the Spider's Web: A Lisbeth Salander Novel (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Series #4)
by David Lagercrantz#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist return to the Girl in the Dragon Tattoo series in this ripped-from-the-headlines, high-octane follow-up to Stieg Larsson's The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. • Also known as the Millennium series&“Rest easy, Lisbeth Salander fans—our punk hacker heroine is in good hands.… A twisty, bloody thrill ride.… An instant page-turner.&” —USA TodayThe next installment in the Millennium series: a genius hacker who has always been an outsider; a journalist with a penchant for danger. She is Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo. He is Mikael Blomkvist, crusading editor of Millennium. One night, Blomkvist receives a call from a source who claims to have been given information vital to the United States by a young female hacker. Blomkvist, always on the lookout for a story, reaches out to Salander for help. She, as usual, has plans of her own. Together they are drawn into a ruthless underworld of spies, cybercriminals, and government operatives—some willing to kill to protect their secrets.Look for the latest book in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, The Girl in the Eagle's Talons, coming soon!