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The Scions of Shannara (Heritage of Shannara #1)
by Terry BrooksBONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Terry Brooks's The Measure of the Magic.Since the death of Allanon, life in the Four Lands has drastially changed. Yet Par Ohmsford still has some power of the Wishsong. And when a message from the ancient Druid, Allanon, reaches them, Par is ordered to recover the long-lost Sword of Shinnara, and the glory that once was the Four Lands....
The Talismans of Shannara (Heritage of Shannara #4)
by Terry BrooksBONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Terry Brooks's The Measure of the Magic.Although some of the goals to keep Shannara safe had been met, the work of Walker Boh, Wren, and Par was not yet done. For The Shadowmen still swarmed over the Four Lands, poisoning all with their dark magic. Each Shannaran had a special death waiting for him- at the hands of The Shadowmen-unless Par could find a way to free them all with the Sword of Shannara.
The LCP Solution
by B. Jacqueline Stordy Malcolm J. NichollThis important new book documents a major breakthrough in the treatment of the three most widespread learning disabilities--ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia ("clumsy child syndrome"). Although these conditions have reached epidemic proportions, treatment has been limited to ineffective behavioral therapies or the controversial prescription drug Ritalin. Now Dr. B. Jacqueline Stordy, a leading researcher in the field, reveals a stunning new treatment based on a simple nutritional supplement: LCP (long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids). The LCP Solution is the first book to describe this new natural treatment and to explain how children (and adults) can incorporate it into their daily lives.As a member of a family with a long history of dyslexia, Dr. Stordy discovered in a pioneering experiment that dyslexic and dyspraxic children who began taking a dietary supplement consisting of LCP experienced dramatic transformations in the quality of their lives. At the same time, parallel studies conducted at Purdue University came up with similar results with children who had ADHD. The effect of this dietary supplement was nothing short of revolutionary: after only a few weeks, dyslexic and ADHD children became calmer, more focused, easier to teach, while dyspraxics improved significantly in dexterity and balance, showing markedly less anxiety.In The LCP Solution, Dr. Stordy documents how this life-changing treatment came about and explains step-by-step how sufferers of each of the three major conditions can use it to change their lives at home, at school, and at work. Illuminating, vividly presented, and authoritative in its findings, this book will revolutionize our approach to learning disabilities. LCPs are natural, simple to use, and amazing in their benefits. If you or someone you love suffers from a learning disability, this book is essential reading.
A Kiss of Shadows (Merry Gentry #1)
by Laurell K. Hamilton"My name is Meredith Gentry, but of course it's not my real name. I dare not even whisper my true name after dark for fear that one hushed word will travel over the night winds to the soft ear of my aunt, the Queen of the Air and Darkness. She wants me dead. I don't even know why."Meredith Gentry, Princess of the high court of Faerie, is posing as a human in Los Angeles, living as a P.I. specializing in supernatural crime. But now the Queen's assassin has been dispatched to fetch her back-whether she likes it or not. Suddenly Meredith finds herself a pawn in her dreaded aunt's plans. The job that awaits her: enjoy the constant company of the most beautiful immortal men in the world. The reward: the crown-and the opportunity to continue to live. The penalty for failure: death.
Slaves of Obsession
by Anne PerryThe year is 1861. The American Civil War has just begun, and London arms dealer Daniel Alberton is becoming a very wealthy man. His quiet dinner party seems remote indeed from the passions rending America. Yet investigator William Monk and his bride, Hester, sense growing tensions and barely concealed violence. For two of the guests are Americans, each vying to buy Alberton's armaments. Soon Monk and Hester's forebodings are fulfilled as one member of the party is brutally murdered and two others disappear- along with Alberton's entire inventory of weapons. As Monk and Hester track the man they believe to be the murderer all the way to Washington, D.C., and the bloody battlefield at Manassas, Slaves of Obsession twists and turns like a powder-keg fuse and holds the reader breathless and spellbound. . . .
The Playful World
by Mark PesceAs you read these words, the architects of the new virtual reality are inventing a world you never imagined: call it the playful world. It's a world of interactive Web-based toys that instantly collapse the gulf between wish and existence, space and time, animate and inanimate. It's a world where the entire fabric of the material world becomes manipulable, programmable, mutable. Situated at the crossroads of high technology and popular culture, the playful world is taking shape at the speed of electro...
Balance Point: Star Wars (The New Jedi Order) (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order - Legends #6)
by Kathy TyersIn the aftermath of one tragedy,will a young Jedi's search for redemptionlead to yet another?There is no place else to channel the flood of refugees fleeing the murderous Yuuzhan Vong but the overcrowded planet Duro, poisoned by centuries of technological excess. Fortunately a deal is struck: In exchange for a new home, the refugees will work to restore the planet to health, under the watchful eye of Leia Organa Solo.While tempers flare between the Duros and the New Republic, Han Solo, his son, Jacen, and the Ryn called Droma arrive to keep the peace. They are unaware that Leia is on Duro . . . and that Luke, Mara, and Anakin are on their way, searching for a missing Jedi apprentice. And none realize that the Yuuzhan Vong have chosen this embattled planet as the next target in their brutal coreward thrust.Now, as the fragile stability on Duro threatens to collapse into violence, Jacen Solo must face his greatest dilemma: At what point does the use of power become aggression? Whatever he decides, his next step could tip the galaxy's destiny toward the light or toward darkness-with the life of someone he loves hanging in the balance . . .Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!
The Redemption of Althalus
by David Eddings Leigh EddingsIt would be sheer folly to try to conceal the true nature of Althalus, for his flaws are the stuff of legend. He is, as all men know, a thief, a liar, an occasional murderer, an outrageous braggart, and a man devoid of even the slightest hint of honor.Yet of all the men in the world, it is Althalus, unrepentant rogue and scoundrel, who will become the champion of humanity in its desperate struggle against the forces of an ancient god determined to return the universe to nothingness. On his way to steal The Book from the House at the End of the World, Althalus is confronted by a cat--a cat with eyes like emeralds, the voice of a woman, and the powers of a goddess. She is Dweia, sister to The Gods and a greater thief even than Althalus. She must be: for in no time at all, she has stolen his heart. And more. She has stolen time itself. For when Althalus leaves the House at the End of the World, much wiser but not a day older than when he'd first entered it, thousands of years have gone by.But Dweia is not the only one able to manipulate time. Her evil brother shares the power, and while Dweia has been teaching Althalus the secrets of The Book, the ancient God has been using the dark magic of his own Book to rewrite history. Yet all is not lost. But only if Althalus, still a thief at heart, can bring together a ragtag group of men, women, and children with no reason to trust him or each other.
The Skies of Pern
by Anne MccaffreyThanks to Anne McCaffrey, millions of readers have soared the skies on dragonback, shared the thoughts and dreams of the great dragons of Pern, and risked life and limb to safeguard the planet from the deadly threat of falling Thread. With the Dragonriders of Pern, McCaffrey has given us more than just an extraordinary masterwork of imagination. She has given us a whole world--and has taught us to fly. Now, in this triumphant return to Pern, Anne McCaffrey takes us on an adventure as surprising and unforgettable as any that has come before . . .It is a time of hope and regret, of endings and beginnings. The Red Star, that celestial curse whose eccentric orbit was responsible for Thread, has been shifted to a harmless orbit, and the current Threadfall will be the last. Technological marvels are changing the face of life on Pern. And the dragonriders, led by F'lessan, son of F'lar and Lessa and rider of bronze Golanth, and Tia, rider of green Zaranth, must forge a new place for themselves in a world that may no longer need them.But change is not easy for everyone. There are those who will stop at nothing-- not even violence--to keep Pern and its people pure. And now a brand-new danger looms from the skies . . . and threatens a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions. Once again, the world looks to the dragons and their riders to solve the crisis and save the world. But now, as the friendship of F'lessan and Tia begins to bloom into something more, unforeseen tragedy strikes: a tragedy destined to forever change the future--not just of the two young lovers, but of every human and dragon on Pern . . .
Trust Fund
by Stephen FreyFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Takeover and The Insider comes a riveting new novel pitting brother against brother and putting personal honor to the ultimate test--in the world of high finance and boundless ambition among power brokers from Wall Street to Washington. A scion of wealth and privilege, Bo Hancock is the youngest son of Connecticut's most influential clan--and the financial genius at Warfield Capital, the multibillion dollar investment firm at the heart of the family dynasty. He is also stranded in the shadow of his charismatic brothers, Teddy and Paul, and starved for the approval of their domineering father. While his brothers enjoy the spotlight, Bo can be counted on to "clean up" when anything threatens to tarnish the sterling Hancock name. Sixteen years ago, Bo covered up a monstrous crime involving Paul and a call girl. Now Paul is on the fast track to the White House--and Bo has become a liability, thanks to his weakness for alcohol and for women other than his wife. Stripped of his position and exiled to the backwoods of Montana--away from temptation and the public eye--Bo thinks his life has hit rock bottom. But a deathbed reconciliation with his father brings him home and reinstalls him at Warfield Capital, sparking a rapid-fire chain of events that could destroy the family and its vast fortune. First Warfield is left vulnerable to every Wall Street shark out to make a killing. Then a sudden rash of real killings forces Bo to confront the specter of a sinister conspiracy--and brings him face to face with one shocking truth after another, shattering the world and the family he thought he knew . . . leaving him utterly alone and running for his life. Trust Fund moves at hyperspeed from the canyons of Wall Street to the corridors of Congress to private sanctums of inherited wealth and power. It is the tale of a great American political and financial dynasty wrenched apart by its own fierce ambition--and by one son's determination to forge his own destiny on his own terms.
Star Wars: Saboteur (Short Story)
by James LucenoBONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Star Wars: Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter.A dazzling new short story featuring Darth Maul, merciless apprentice of evil . . . On the distant planet Dorvalla, precious ore is mined by two competing companies: InterGalactic Ore and Lommite Limited. Neither rival suspects that they are central to a sinister plot masterminded by Darth Sidious, Lord of the Sith, himself. Dispatched by Sidious on his very first solo mission, Darth Maul infiltrates Lommite Limited. There, his unique gifts of deception and subterfuge will set off an explosive chain of events that could destroy both companies, leaving them ripe for takeover by the Trade Federation. But a vengeful Lommite Limited Manager with his own thirst for retaliation against InterGal could blow Maul's cover--and all of Sidious's fiendishly layed plans . . .
Inside Oscar 1995-2000
by Damien BonaFINALLY, A SEQUEL AS GOOD AS THE ORIGINAL! Enlivened by humorous incidents, brewing controversies, and deeply moving personal dramas, Inside Oscar 1995-2000 offers the complete lowdown on six more years of Academy Awards glory ... from Braveheart in 1995 through Gladiator in 2000, with the Titanic phenomenon and the Saving Private Ryan/Shakespeare in Love feud in between. There is also complete coverage of the awards ceremonies?with delicious anecdotes on the presenters and performers, the producers and egos, the fashion stars and fashion victims. And, of course, a complete list of all the nominees and winners, as well as a list of notable non-nominees. Picking up where the classic Inside Oscar leaves off, this must-have guide treats us to a behind-the-scenes look at one of America's most beloved annual traditions!
The Mists of Avalon
by Marion Zimmer BradleyIn Marion Zimmer Bradley's masterpiece, we see the tumult and adventures of Camelot's court through the eyes of the women who bolstered the king's rise and schemed for his fall. From their childhoods through the ultimate fulfillment of their destinies, we follow these women and the diverse cast of characters that surrounds them as the great Arthurian epic unfolds stunningly before us. As Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar struggle for control over the fate of Arthur's kingdom, as the Knights of the Round Table take on their infamous quest, as Merlin and Viviane wield their magics for the future of Old Britain, the Isle of Avalon slips further into the impenetrable mists of memory, until the fissure between old and new worlds' and old and new religions' claims its most famous victim.
The New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology Revised Edition Star Wars
by W. Haden BlackmanFrom the Geonosian sonic blaster to the Wookiee bowcaster; from the Imperial energy grenade to the Yuuzhan Vong fire spitter; from dart shooters and laser cannons to Sun Crushers and World Devastators, find the facts about Star Wars firepower--and much more--in The New Essential Guide to Weapons + Technology. There's more to the arms, artillery, and exotic equipment of the Star Wars galaxy than Jedi lightsabers and blasters. Species such as the tree-dwelling Wookiees, the amphibious Gungans, and the deadly Yuuzhan Vong have yielded a staggering array of unique weapons and devices. And as the Star Wars mythos continues to grow--in prequels and video games, on screen, in print, and beyond--these remarkable technical creations also multiply and evolve. The New Essential Guide to Weapons + Technology is the fully updated and greatly expanded reference resource that organizes and explains every key class, make, and model of Star Wars munitions--from the smallest personal sidearms to the most devastating interplanetary superweapons--along with a host of other high-tech paraphernalia. This exhaustive compendium includes:- New in this edition: A fascinating look at the historical significance of Star Wars weaponry and the major technological turning points--including the Clone Wars, the creation of the first Death Star, and the Yuuzhan Vong invasion - A roster of the major manufacturers who created the most powerful armaments for the Old and New Republics, the Empire, the Sith, the Rebel Alliance, andall of the exotic governments that populate the Star Wars galaxy - In-depth descriptions of more than 100 weapons and more than 100 additional devices used for defense, communication, survival, and security--including key technology featured in the films
Secrets of the Baby Whisperer
by Tracy Hogg Melinda BlauUnnerved by the ceaseless demands of your toddler? Concerned that your two-year-old isn’t developing on schedule? You clearly need to spend some time with Tracy Hogg. Nicknamed the “baby whisperer” by grateful parents because of her extraordinary gift for understanding and connecting with children, Tracy became internationally famous after the smashing success of herNew YorkTimesbestsellerSecrets of the Baby Whisperer. Now Tracy is back with the same winning blend of common sense, uncanny intuition, an...
The Surgeon (A Rizzoli & Isles Novel #1)
by Tess Gerritsen<p>He slips into homes at night and walks silently into bedrooms where women lie sleeping, about to awaken to a living nightmare. The precision of his methods suggests that he is a deranged man of medicine, prompting the Boston newspapers to dub him "The Surgeon." <p>Led by Detectives Thomas Moore and Jane Rizzoli, the cops must consult the victim of a nearly identical crime: Two years ago, Dr. Catherine Cordell fought back and filled an attacker before he could complete his assault. Now this new killer is re-creating, with chilling accuracy, the details of Cordell's ordeal. <p>With every new murder he seems to be taunting her, cutting ever closer, from her hospital to her home. And neither Moore nor Rizzoli can protect Cordell from a ruthless hunter who somehow understands--and savors--the secret fears of every woman he kills. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
Antrax (The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara #2)
by Terry BrooksBONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Terry Brooks's The Measure of the Magic.A new novel by Terry Brooks is always a cause for celebration. For more than twenty years, the New York Times bestselling author of the classic Shannara epic has proven himself one of the modern masters of fantasy, winning the hearts and minds of devoted readers around the world. In his last acclaimed novel, Ilse Witch, a brave company of explorers led by the last Druid, Walker Boh, traveled across unknown seas in search of an elusive magic. Yet perhaps Boh and his team were lured there for sinister, unforeseen purposes . . . Now in Antrax, as the crew aboard the airship Jerle Shannara is attacked by evil forces, the Druid's protégé Bek Rowe and his companions are pursued by the mysterious Ilse Witch. Meanwhile, Boh is alone, caught in a dark maze beneath the ruined city of Castledown, stalked by a hungry, unseen enemy. For there is something alive in Castledown. Something not human. Something old beyond reckoning that covets the magic of Druids, elves, even the Ilse Witch. Something that hunts men for its own designs: Antrax. It is a spirit that commands ancient technologies and mechanical monsters, feeds off enchantment, and traps the souls of men. With the Jerle Shannara under siege and Antrax threatening the bold and unwary, the Ilse Witch finds herself face-to-face with a boy who claims to be the brother she last saw as an infant. Now a young man, Bek wields the magic of the wishsong and carries the Sword of Shannara upon his back. Unsure whether to trust Bek or to slay him, the Ilse Witch takes him prisoner. One has come pursuing truth, the other revenge. Yet both seek Walker Boh-with the fate of the Four Lands hanging in the balance. Return to the world of beloved novelist Terry Brooks, where creatures drift up from the earth like mist, a hypnotic song can kill, a sword can cut through a veil of lies-and one man, the true heir of an ancient magic, must choose between betrayal and redemption.
Best Friends, Worst Enemies
by Michael Thompson Cathe O'Neill-GraceFriends broaden our children's horizons, share their joys and secrets, and accompany them on their journeys into ever wider worlds. But friends can also gossip and betray, tease and exclude. Children can cause untold suffering, not only for their peers but for parents as well. In this wise and insightful book, psychologist Michael Thompson, Ph.D., and children's book author Catherine O'Neill Grace, illuminate the crucial and often hidden role that friendship plays in the lives of children from birth through adolescence.Drawing on fascinating new research as well as their own extensive experience in schools, Thompson and Grace demonstrate that children's friendships begin early-in infancy-and run exceptionally deep in intensity and loyalty. As children grow, their friendships become more complex and layered but also more emotionally fraught, marked by both extraordinary intimacy and bewildering cruelty. As parents, we watch, and often live through vicariously, the tumult that our children experience as they encounter the "cool" crowd, shifting alliances, bullies, and disloyal best friends.Best Friends, Worst Enemies brings to life the drama of childhood relationships, guiding parents to a deeper understanding of the motives and meanings of social behavior. Here you will find penetrating discussions of the difference between friendship and popularity, how boys and girls deal in unique ways with intimacy and commitment, whether all kids need a best friend, why cliques form and what you can do about them.Filled with anecdotes that ring amazingly true to life, Best Friends, Worst Enemies probes the magic and the heartbreak that all children experience with their friends. Parents, teachers, counselors-indeed anyone who cares about children-will find this an eye-opening and wonderfully affirming book.
Over the Edge (Troubleshooters #3)
by Suzanne BrockmannSuzanne Brockmann has taken romantic suspense by storm with her action-packed thrillers. Now she has written the most gripping novel of her career-an unforgettable story of an explosive hostage situation in which two people are caught between the call of duty and the lure of destiny.Her passion is flying. As one of the best helicopter pilots in the naval reserves, Lieutenant Teri Howe is strong, dedicated, and highly skilled-until a past mistake surfaces, jeopardizing everything she's worked for.Rock steady Senior Chief Stan Wolchonok has made a career of tackling difficult challenges. So it's no surprise when he comes to Teri's aid, knowing that his personal code of honor-and perhaps his heart-will be at risk. But when a jet carrying an American senator's daughter is hijacked, Stan's unflinching determination and Teri's steadfast courage are put to the ultimate test. The rescue mission will be daring and dangerous. But somewhere between peril and resolution, the line between friends and lovers begins to blur, pushing both their lives over the edge. . . .
Funeral in Blue: A William Monk Novel (William Monk #12)
by Anne PerryTwo beautiful women have been found strangled in the studio of a well-known London artist. To investigator William Monk and his wife, Hester, the murders are a nightmare. One of the victims is the wife of Hester's cherished colleague, surgeon Dr. Kristian Beck, a Viennese émigré who becomes the prime suspect. With an intensity born of desperation, the Monks seek evidence that will save Dr. Beck from the hangman. From London's sinister slums to the crowded coffeehouses of Vienna, where embers of the revolution still burn in the hearts of freedom-loving men and women, Hester and Monk seek to penetrate not only the mystery of Elissa Beck's death but the riddle of her life.
The Dragon Queen: Tales Of Guinevere Vol 1 (Tales of Guinevere #1)
by Alice BorchardtArthur turned and strode toward us. He was magnificent, and I will never forget that, in that moment, I first loved him. And I believe--had I known what the future held for us: all the trouble, torment, battle, and grief of our lives--I still believe that I would have yielded my heart into his keeping as I did then . . .In a sweeping epic of the imagination, Alice Borchardt enters the wondrous realm of Arthurian legend and makes it her own. The Dragon Queen is the first volume in a trilogy of novels that boldly re-imagines Camelot--and casts Guinevere as a shrewd, strong-willed, magical warrior queen.Born into a world of terrible strife, where war is constant and weapons are never far from the hands of men or women, Guinevere, daughter of a mighty pagan queen, is a threat to her people and a prize to the dreaded sorcerer Merlin. Sent into hiding, she grows up under the protection of a shapeshifting man-wolf and an ornery Druid. But even on the remote coast of Scotland, where dragons feed and watch over her, she is not safe from the all-seeing High Druid Merlin. He knows the young beauty's destiny, and he will stop at nothing to prevent what has been foretold. For if Guinevere becomes Queen and Arthur, King, they will bring a peace to the land that will leave the power-hungry Merlin a shriveled magician in a weary cloak.Yet Guinevere possesses power of her own--dazzling power to rival even that of Merlin. Summoned from her home by forces she cannot fathom, she travels from the Underworld to an Otherworld of the Past, at each step calling on ancient powers to aid her way. When young Guinevere proves her mettle to an embarrassed Merlin, even her faithful dragon protectors cannot prevent the evil that the sorcerer rains down. Seeking revenge, Merlin banishes Arthur to a world from which the only escape is death. Now Guinevere must face Merlin's wrath without him--and prove that she is worthy of being Arthur's Queen.From the glass-roofed Great Hall at Tintigal to the lush garden forts of Wales, Alice Borchardt details the travels of Guinevere in a rich fabric of prose. The Dragon Queen is a novel of great emotional depth, timeless romance, and soul-stirring adventure.
The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century
by Harry TurtledoveExplore fascinating, often chilling "what if" accounts of the world that could have existed-and still might yet . . .Science fiction's most illustrious and visionary authors hold forth the ultimate alternate history collection. Here you'll experience mind-bending tales that challenge your views of the past, present, and future, including:* "The Lucky Strike": When The Lucky Strike is chosen over The Enola Gay to drop the first atomic bomb, fate takes an unexpected turn in Kim Stanley Robinson's gripping tale.* "Bring the Jubilee": Ward Moore's novella masterpiece offers a rebel victory at Gettysburg which changes the course of the Civil War . . . and all of American history.* "Through Road No Wither": After Hitler's victory in World War II, two Nazi officers confront their destiny in Greg Bear's apocalyptic vision of the future.* "All the Myriad Ways": Murder or suicide, Ambrose Harmon's death leads the police down an infinite number of pathways in Larry Niven's brilliant and defining tale of alternatives and consequences.* "Mozart in Mirrorshades": Bruce Sterling and Lewis Shiner explore a terrifying era as the future crashes into the past-with disastrous results.. . . as well as works by Poul Anderson * Gregory Benford * Jack L. Chalker * Nicholas A. DiChario * Brad Linaweaver * William Sanders * Susan Shwartz * Allen Steele * and Harry Turtledove himself!The definitive collection: fourteen seminal alternate history tales drawing readers into a universe of dramatic possibility and endless wonder.
Last Breath
by Peter Stark"Forget the edge of your seat. Last Breathtakes you to the edge of your life, for a pulse-pounding glimpse into the Great Beyond. There are many ways to risk your life in the out-of-doors, and Stark has captured them in exquisite and harrowing detail. " -JIM ROBBINS Author ofA Symphony in the Brain An enthralling blend of adventure and science, Last Breath re-creates in heart-stopping detail what happens to our bodies and our minds in the perilous last moments of life when an extreme adventure goes awry. Combining the adrenaline high of extreme sports with the startling facts of physiological reality, veteran travel and outdoor sports writer Peter Stark narrates a series of adventure stories in which thrill can cross the line to mortal peril. Each death or brush with death is at once a suspense story, a cautionary tale, and a medical thriller. Will they survive, or will they succumb? Readers will shiver with a man lost in the snowy woods, suffering from hypothermia and tearsing off his clothes as he's burning up from the cold; they will hallucinate with a young woman stranded at the top of Annapurna as she experiences a cerebral edema; and while a kayaker tumbles helplessly underwater for two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes, readers, too, will gasp for their last breath.
Last Breath: The Limits of Adventure
by Peter StarkSudden, extreme deaths have always fascinated us-- and now more than ever as athletes and travelers rise to the challenges of high-risk sports and journeys on the edge. In this spellbinding book, veteran travel and outdoor sports writer Peter Stark reenacts the dramas of what happens inside our bodies, our minds, and our souls when we push ourselves to the absolute limits of human endurance. Combining the adrenaline high of extreme sports with the startling facts of physiological reality, Stark narrates a series of outdoor adventure stories in which thrill can cross the line to mortal peril. Each death or brush with death is at once a suspense story, a cautionary tale, and a medical thriller. Stark describes in unforgettable detail exactly what goes through the mind of a cross-country skier as his body temperature plummets-- apathy at ninety-one degrees, stupor at ninety. He puts us inside the body of a doomed kayaker tumbling helplessly underwater for two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes. He conjures up the physiology of a snowboarder frantically trying not to panic as he consumes the tiny pocket of air trapped around his face under thousands of pounds of snow. These are among the dire situations that Stark transforms into harrowing accounts of how our bodies react to trauma, how reflexes and instinct compel us to fight back, and how, why, and when we let go of our will to live.In an increasingly tamed and homogenized world, risk is not only a means of escape but a path to spirituality. As Peter Stark writes, "You must try to understand death intimately and prepare yourself for death in order to live a full and satisfying life." In this fascinating, informative book, Stark reveals exactly what we’re getting ourselves into when we choose to live-- and die-- at the extremes of endurance.
The Bride Of Willow Creek
by Maggie OsborneTen years ago Angie Bartoli eloped with Sam Holland. But before their impetuous marriage even began, they were torn apart by chance. For Angie, the gold band on her finger is a constant reminder of the man she could never forget. Aiming to find her husband and resolve their relationship once and for all, Angie sets out on the adventure of a lifetime. In a small Colorado town, Angie discovers that her young groom has grown into a man--still handsome, irresistible, and infuriating as ever . . . and ...