Whether you're a lifelong believer, a devout atheist, or someone who remains uncertain about the role of religion in our lives, this insightful manifesto will engage you with its provocative ideas.With a close and studied reading of the major religious texts, Christopher Hitchens documents the ways in which religion is a man-made wish, a cause of dangerous sexual repression, and a distortion of our origins in the cosmos. With eloquent clarity, Hitchens frames the argument for a more secular life based on science and reason, in which hell is replaced by the Hubble Telescope's awesome view of the universe, and Moses and the burning bush give way to the beauty and symmetry of the double helix.In the tradition of Bertrand Russell's Why I Am Not a Christian and Sam Harris's The End of Faith, Christopher Hitchens makes the ultimate case against religion.
"e;We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."e;---Randy PauschA lot of professors give talks titled "e;The Last Lecture."e; Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them. And while they speak, audiences can't help but mull the same question: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave--"e;Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"e;--wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because "e;time is all you have...and you may find one day that you have less than you think"e;). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.
"For video game fans, the name Blizzard Entertainment was once synonymous with perfection. ... When Blizzard cancelled a buzzy project in 2013, it gave Bobby Kotick, the infamous CEO of corporate parent Activision, the excuse he needed to start cracking down on Blizzard's proud autonomy. Led by executives from McKinsey and Procter & Gamble, Activision began invading Blizzard from the inside. ... Based on firsthand interviews with more than 300 current and former employees, Play Nice chronicles the creativity, frustration, beauty, and betrayal across the epic 33-year saga of Blizzard Entertainment. From previously unrevealed stories of Blizzard's early culture, including fist fights and a hotel ban, to the full story of Titan, Blizzard's most high-profile canceled project, and the behind-the-scenes saga of how Blizzard executives battled their Activision overlords tooth and nail, this book explores the delight and despair of what it really means to 'bleed Blizzard blue'"--]cProvided by publisher.
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA strange and charming collection of hilariously absurd poetry, writing, and illustration from one of today's most popular young comedians..."e;Like Walt Whitman, Bo Burnham has made the transition from an internet comedy sensation to a soulful poet. No, not that Walt Whitman. A different guy."e; - Conan O' BrienBo Burnham was a precocious teenager living in his parents' attic when he started posting material on YouTube. 100 million people viewed those videos, turning Bo into an online sensation with a huge and dedicated following. Bo taped his first of two Comedy Central specials four days after his 18th birthday, making him the youngest to do so in the channel's history. Now Bo is a rising star in the comedy world, revered for his utterly original and intelligent voice. And, he can SIIIIIIIIING!In EGGHEAD, Bo brings his brand of brainy, emotional comedy to the page in the form of off-kilter poems, thoughts, and more. Teaming up with his longtime friend, artist, and illustrator Chance Bone, Bo takes on everything from death to farts in this weird book that will make you think, laugh and think, "e;why did I just laugh?"e;
After Pendergast is presumed dead from a supernatural encounter, his bodyguard Proctor is the only one who can chase a kidnapper across international waters and into the deadly unknown.A TRAGIC DISAPPEARANCEAfter a harrowing, otherworldly confrontation on the shores of Exmouth, Massachussetts, Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast is missing, presumed dead.A SHOCKING RETURNSick with grief, Pendergast's ward, Constance, retreats to her chambers beneath the family mansion at 891 Riverside Drive--only to be taken captive by a shadowy figure from the past.AN INTERNATIONAL MANHUNTProctor, Pendergast's longtime bodyguard, springs to action, chasing Constance's kidnapper through cities, across oceans, and into wastelands unknown.BUT IN A WORLD OF BLACK AND WHITE, NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMSAnd by the time Proctor discovers the truth, a terrifying engine has stirred-and it may already be too late . . .
This acclaimed post-apocalyptic novel of hope and terror from an award-winning author "pairs well with 1984 or The Handmaid's Tale" and includes a foreword by N. K. Jemisin (John Green, New York Times). When global climate change and economic crises lead to social chaos in the early 2020s, California becomes full of dangers, from pervasive water shortage to masses of vagabonds who will do anything to live to see another day. Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives inside a gated community with her preacher father, family, and neighbors, sheltered from the surrounding anarchy. In a society where any vulnerability is a risk, she suffers from hyperempathy, a debilitating sensitivity to others' emotions. Precocious and clear-eyed, Lauren must make her voice heard in order to protect her loved ones from the imminent disasters her small community stubbornly ignores. But what begins as a fight for survival soon leads to something much more: the birth of a new faith . . . and a startling vision of human destiny.
When a straightforward murder case spirals out of control, Pendergast and his ward investigate an ancient witches' colony in a sleepy New England town where a terrible evil awaits . . . A secret chamber.A mysterious shipwreck.A murder in the desolate salt marshes.A seemingly straightforward private case turns out to be much more complicated-and sinister-than Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast ever could have anticipated.Pendergast, together with his ward Constance Greene, travels to the quaint seaside village of Exmouth, Massachusetts, to investigate the theft of a priceless wine collection. But inside the wine cellar, they find something considerably more disturbing: a bricked-up niche that once held a crumbling skeleton. Pendergast and Constance soon learn that Exmouth is a town with a very dark and troubled history, and this skeleton may be only the first hint of an ancient transgression, kept secret all these years. But they will discover that the sins of the past are still very much alive. Local legend holds that during the 1692 witch trials in Salem, the real witches escaped, fleeing north to Exmouth and settling deep in the surrounding salt marshes, where they continued to practice their wicked arts. Then, a murdered corpse turns up in the marshes. The only clue is a series of mysterious carvings. Could these demonic symbols bear some relation to the ancient witches' colony, long believed to be abandoned?A terrible evil lurks beneath the surface of this sleepy seaside town-one with deep roots in Exmouth's grim history. And it may be that Constance, with her own troubled past, is the only one who truly comprehends the awful danger that she, Pendergast, and the residents of Exmouth must face . . .
"After losing her job as a celebrity chef and returning to her hometown, kitchen witch Sirena Caraway is desperate to get her life back on track. Growing restless and tired of being surrounded by happy endings, Sirena decides to cast one last desperate wish-to return to the life she longs for. Magician-born Gus Dearworth wants nothing to do with his past. He's ready to retire his wand, rehome his black cat, and put away his cape for good in favor of a normal, quiet life working at the local Historical Society. Gus plans to relinquish his powers on Halloween, but not before casting a final spell on his unrequited crush-the alluring Sirena. Sirena's wish is finally granted, but through a twist of holiday magic and mischief she finds herself repeating the same fateful Halloween day alongside Gus... over and over again. With their life plans upended and their feelings growing, only time will tell if Gus and Sirena can truly have everything they wished for"-- Provided by publisher.
A single dad and his best friend's younger sister find themselves brought together during the holidays in this delightful romantic comedy full of secret (steamy) romance, second chances, and festive fun, perfect for fans of Maggie Knox and Lyssa Kay Adams.
"Rachel Weiss has it all: a fabulous social life, three best friends she can confide in, and a job that sucks but pays the bills. Unfortunately, she also has an anxious mother desperate for her to be married. So when a millionaire tech CEO named Christopher buys the house next door, Rachel's mom fixates on him as the perfect eligible bachelor. But Rachel has worked in the tech industry for years and knows guys like Christopher: arrogant, algorithm-obsessed capitalist overlords. Yet, no matter how much she tries, she can't stop bumping into him. The more time she spends with Christopher-who perhaps isn't quite as unfeeling or self-centered as she expected-the more Rachel questions what she's doing with her own life... And with every interaction that leaves her heart racing and even more confused than ever, she wonders if she possibly had him wrong all along"--
"Librarian Marcela Ortiz has been secretly in love with her best friend for years--and when he gets engaged, she knows it's long past time to move on. But before she gets the chance, she has a bigger problem to contend with in the form of Theo Young, ex-NFL player and older brother of the man she's in love with. When she discovers Theo's plans to confess his feelings for his brother's fiancâee at their engagement party, Marcela is quick to stop him--despite how tempting it is to let him run away with the bride-to-be. She manages to convince Theo to sleep off his drunken almost-mistake at her place and when they arrive at a family brunch the next day together, everyone wrongly assumes they hooked up. Since Theo needs a cover for his feelings for the bride and Marcela needs a distraction from her unrequited feelings for the groom, they decide to roll with the lie"--
"No-nonsense lawyer Tara Sloane Chadwick is perfectly fine with going to her ex's wedding--the break-up was congenial, and Tara is nothing if not well-mannered. But after one too many reminders of her dismal dating track, Tara panics when asked if she'll need a plus-one and declares she's bringing her new girlfriend. One issue: Tara is seriously single. Thankfully, Holly, the waitress she's been crushing on, happily offers to be her fake date... Only Holly's offer isn't quite selfless-she's been lusting over Tara for ages, but Tara only dates women she can marry. And Holly has no interest in settling down with anyone or in any one place. A temporary arrangement is the perfect solution: Holly and Tara can enjoy a no-strings fling for the wedding and part ways after. However, between sharing kisses and hotel beds and cuddling under the mistletoe, Tara begins to dream of a life with Holly in Charleston... just as Holly starts wishing she could travel with Tara by her side. Soon, neither can see a future without the other, but can they find a path forward where they both can thrive?"--
"The only mortal daughter of two sea gods, Medusa works as a priestess in Athena's temple when she suffers a horrific violation at the hands of Poseidon. Insulted by the desecration of her name and to send a message, Athena transforms Medusa into the snake-haired creature of legend: A creature who, with one look, will petrify anyone who meets her gaze; whose power will ignite a king's fury (and fear) so greatly that he will instruct a boy, Perseus, to bring him her head. With a power that will spare no one-is it fate or punishment? a curse or blessing?-Medusa knows only that she must leave the city she has come to call home before she harms another soul. As she searches for a haven free from mortals, anger buoying her every step, Medusa journeys across ancient Greece, her eyes hidden beneath a blindfold, with nothing but the snakes tangled in her scalp for company. Should she turn back and wreak havoc on the city that has become Athena's namesake? The very thought of it threatens to consume her. As she continues forward, Medusa discovers solace and understanding in the mythical figures she stumbles upon, including a debaucherous wine god, an alluring nymph, and a three-headed dog. But one cannot escape their future forever, and even a monster can be taken down by a boy with something to prove. As Perseus closes in, Medusa faces a choice: to become the monster everyone expects her to be, or to cling to the last piece of her humanity"--
"There is no Ethan" catalogues Akbari's experiences as both victim and investigator of a catfishing scheme to emotionally con women. She joins with two other women to track down the perpetrator and explores what it means to live in a world where technology mediates relationships and truth, reality, and identity have become slippery terms.
A powerful novel that's "hilarious, heartbreaking, and ass-kicking" (Jamie Ford), of a Puerto Rican family in Staten Island who discovers their long‑missing sister is potentially alive and cast on a reality TV show, and they set out to bring her home. The Ramirez women of Staten Island orbit around absence. When thirteen‑year‑old middle child Ruthy disappeared after track practice without a trace, it left the family scarred and scrambling. One night, twelve years later, oldest sister Jessica spots a woman on her TV screen in Catfight, a raunchy reality show. She rushes to tell her younger sister, Nina: This woman's hair is dyed red, and she calls herself Ruby, but the beauty mark under her left eye is instantly recognizable. Could it be Ruthy, after all this time? The years since Ruthy's disappearance haven't been easy on the Ramirez family. It’s 2008, and their mother, Dolores, still struggles with the loss, Jessica juggles a newborn baby with her hospital job, and Nina, after four successful years at college, has returned home to medical school rejections and is forced to work in the mall folding tiny bedazzled thongs at the lingerie store. After seeing maybe‑Ruthy on their screen, Jessica and Nina hatch a plan to drive to where the show is filmed in search of their long‑lost sister. When Dolores catches wind of their scheme, she insists on joining, along with her pot-stirring holy roller best friend, Irene. What follows is a family road trip and reckoning that will force the Ramirez women to finally face the past and look toward a future—with or without Ruthy in it. What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez is a vivid family portrait, in all its shattered reality, exploring the familial bonds between women and cycles of generational violence, colonialism, race, and silence, replete with snark, resentment, tenderness, and, of course, love. A Most Anticipated Book of 2023 by Elle • USA Today • Today.com • Ms. Magazine • Good Housekeeping • Bustle • The Week • Goodreads • Bookriot • Pop Culturely • SheReads • Litreactor • Electric Lit • The Mary Sue • People Español • Zibby Mag • Debutiful • Her Campus Best Books of March by Shondaland • Ms. Magazine • Popsugar • Bookriot • Debutiful • Powell’s Book Blog • TIME 100 must-read book of 2023 • Booklist Top 10 debut of 2023 • Library Journal Best Pop Fiction of 2023 • The Latinidad List Best Debut Novel of 2023 • Chicago Public Library Favorite Book of 2023 • Good Housekeeping Must-Read Book of 2023 • Today.com Standout Book of 2023A March Indie Next Pick! Belletrist, Phenomenal, and Readers Digest book club pick! Longlisted for the Aspen Words Literary Prize!Includes a Reading Group Guide.
"Hannah Rosenstein should be happy: after a lonely childhood of traipsing all over the world, she finally has a home as the co-owner of destination inn Carrigan's All Year. But her thoughts keep coming back to Levi "Blue" Matthews: her first love, worst heartbreak, and now, thanks to her great-aunt's meddling will, absentee business partner. When Levi left Carrigan's, he had good intentions. As the queer son of the inn's cook and groundskeeper, he never quite fit in their small town and desperately wanted to prove himself. Now that he's a celebrity chef, he's ready to come home and make amends. Only his return goes nothing like he planned: his family's angry with him, his best friend is dating his nemesis, and Hannah just wants him to leave. Again. Levi sees his chance when a VIP bride agrees to book Carrigan's--if he's the chef. He'll happily cook for the wedding, and in exchange, Hannah will give him five dates to win her back. Only Hannah doesn't trust this new Levi, and Levi's coming to realize Hannah's grown too. But if they find the courage to learn from the past . . . they just might discover the love of your life is worth waiting for"--
Mercilessly bullied in high school, May Wu took her first ticket out of town and never looked back. Her job as a travel writer keeps her on the move, and that's how she likes it. Right until her editor assigns her a story in the last place she ever wanted to go: home. Even worse? The first person she runs into is her ex. After the death of his father, Han Leung took over his family's restaurant. It's a far cry from his dream of opening his own place, but duty comes first. His own desires always come last. Until May shows up again and makes those desires impossible to ignore. She was his first love, and he's never really gotten over her. Back in school, they couldn't find a way to let her have her wings while he kept his feet on the ground. But it turns out love is even stronger the second time around...
Twain & Stanley Enter Paradise, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Oscar Hijuelos, is a luminous work of fiction inspired by the real-life, 37-year friendship between two towering figures of the late nineteenth century, famed writer and humorist Mark Twain and legendary explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley. Hijuelos was fascinated by the Twain-Stanley connection and eventually began researching and writing a novel that used the scant historical record of their relationship as a starting point for a more detailed fictional account. It was a labor of love for Hijuelos, who worked on the project for more than ten years, publishing other novels along the way but always returning to Twain and Stanley; indeed, he was still revising the manuscript the day before his sudden passing in 2013. The resulting novel is a richly woven tapestry of people and events that is unique among the author's works, both in theme and structure. Hijuelos ingeniously blends correspondence, memoir, and third-person omniscience to explore the intersection of these Victorian giants in a long vanished world. From their early days as journalists in the American West, to their admiration and support of each other's writing, their mutual hatred of slavery, their social life together in the dazzling literary circles of the period, and even a mysterious journey to Cuba to search for Stanley's adoptive father, Twain & Stanley Enter Paradise superbly channels two vibrant but very different figures. It is also a study of Twain's complex bond with Mrs. Stanley, the bohemian portrait artist Dorothy Tennant, who introduces Twain and his wife to the world of sv©ances and mediums after the tragic death of their daughter. A compelling and deeply felt historical fantasia that utilizes the full range of Hijuelos' gifts, Twain & Stanley Enter Paradise stands as an unforgettable coda to a brilliant writing career.
Winter vacation has never seemed so long. Normally, Bailey would enjoy the break from schoolwork, but this year he can't wait to get back to Fairmount Academy in order to spend more time with his Animas, the white tiger Taleth. After years without his kin, Bailey's anxious to strengthen the bond that connects him to the magnificent animal at last.But Viviana Melore, the head of the Dominae, has plans to visit the school on a goodwill tour that is anything but-and Bailey and Taleth are forced apart for their safety. He and his friends know Viviana will be on the lookout for the Animas White Tiger prophesized to stand in the way of her rule.While the kids must tip toe around Viviana and her army, Bailey and Hal flee to the Dust Plains after tragedy occurs, and run straight into the path of another sinister enemy. On the other side of Aldermere, Gwen is tasked with hiding the Seers' glass, a tool that could reveal dangerous details of the prophecy if it fell into the wrong hands. And when it becomes clear that someone has followed her all the way from Fairmount, Gwen must do everything she can to protect it.In the second book in the Animas series, Bailey, his friends, and their kin embark on a desperate flight across the kingdom to stop Viviana and the Dominae as new bonds are created-and others are twisted beyond recognition.Praise for Legacy of the Claw, Animas Book OneWinter 2014?2015 Kids' Indie Next List Pick"[A] fun page-turner with interesting characters and unexpected plot twists. Readers will be propelled toward the next volumes in this entertaining new series." -School Library Journal"Drawing on the traditions of Harry Potter and His Dark Materials, Grey has created a fantastical boarding-school adventure with steampunk sensibilities and political intrigue...This series will grab fans of the Warriors and Guardians of Ga'Hoole series, as well as anyone up for a suspenseful adventure." -Booklist Online
Includes a reading group guide, an interview with the author, and an excerpt from Killing Mr. Griffin.
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