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Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life: A Psychologist Investigates How Evolution, Cognition, and Complexity are Revolutionizing our View of Human Nature
by Douglas T. Kenrick"Kenrick writes like a dream. "--Robert Sapolsky, Professor of Biology and Neurology, Stanford University; author of A Primate's Memoir and Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers What do sex and murder have to do with the meaning of life? Everything. In Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life, social psychologist Douglas Kenrick exposes the selfish animalistic underside of human nature, and shows how it is intimately connected to our greatest and most selfless achievements. Masterfully integrating cognitive science, evolutionary psychology, and complexity theory, this intriguing book paints a comprehensive picture of the principles that govern our lives. As Kenrick divulges, beneath our civilized veneer, human beings are a lot like howling hyenas and barking baboons, with heads full of homicidal tendencies and sexual fantasies. But, in his view, many ingrained, apparently irrational behaviors--such as inclinations to one-night stands, racial prejudices, and conspicuous consumption--ultimately manifest what he calls "Deep Rationality. " Although our heads are full of simple selfish biases that evolved to help our ancestors survive, modern human beings are anything but simple and selfish cavemen. Kenrick argues that simple and selfish mental mechanisms we inherited from our ancestors ultimately give rise to the multifaceted social lives that we humans lead today, and to the most positive features of humanity, including generosity, artistic creativity, love, and familial bonds. And out of those simple mechanisms emerge all the complexities of society, including international conflicts and global economic markets. By exploring the nuance of social psychology and the surprising results of his own research, Kenrick offers a detailed picture of what makes us caring, creative, and complex--that is, fully human. Illuminated with stories from Kenrick's own colorful experiences -- from his criminally inclined shantytown Irish relatives, his own multiple high school expulsions, broken marriages, and homicidal fantasies, to his eventual success as an evolutionary psychologist and loving father of two boys separated by 26 years -- this book is an exploration of our mental biases and failures, and our mind's great successes. Idiosyncratic, controversial, and fascinating, Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life uncovers the pitfalls and promise of our biological inheritance.
Sex: An Uncensored Introduction
by Nikol HaslerBefore you get busy, you need to get educated. Thinking about having sex? Or just thinking about sex, period? Well, that's certainly a good place to start — because there's a lot to think about, and a lot to learn. And Nikol Hasler is here to help. This honest, funny, and uncensored guide covers everything from sexual orientation and masturbation to foreplay, first-time concerns, birth control, and protection against diseases. New sections in this revised edition also address online dating, sex-related bullying, important new sex-related legislation, and sexting — a topic of particular interest and concern today. No subject is off-limits and no question is taboo in this hilarious, in-depth, all-in-one guide. "What a clever, well-written, and creatively illustrated book that speaks to teens and their parents about teenage sexuality! Both the content and form are superb."—M. Joycelyn Elders, MD, former Surgeon General of the United States
Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind
by Suzanne Fisher StaplesLife is both sweet and cruel to strong-willed young Shabanu, whose home is the windswept Cholistan Desert of Pakistan. The second daughter in a family with no sons, she’s been allowed freedoms forbidden to most Muslim girls. But when a tragic encounter with a wealthy and powerful landowner ruins the marriage plans of her older sister, Shabanu is called upon to sacrifice everything she’s dreamed of. Should she do what is necessary to uphold her family’s honor—or listen to the stirrings of her own heart?<P><P> Newbery Honor Book
Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and a Town that Looked Away
by Candy J. CooperHere is the explosive story of the Kids for Cash scandal in Pennsylvania, a judicial justice miscarriage that sent more than 2,500 children and teens to a for-profit detention center while two judges lined their pockets with cash, as told by Candy J. Cooper, an award-winning journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist.In the early 2000s, Judge Mark Ciavarella and Judge Michael Conahan of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania were known as no-nonsense judges. Juveniles who showed up in their courtrooms faced harsh words and even harsher sentencing. In the post-Columbine era, many people believed that was just what the county needed to ensure its children and teens stayed on the straight and narrow path. But as more and more children faced shocking sentences for seemingly benign crimes, and a newly built for-profit detention center filled up further and further, a sinister pattern of abuses and bribery emerged. Through extensive research and original reporting leading into contemporary times, award-winning journalist Candy J. Cooper tells the story of a scandal that the Juvenile Law Center calls &“one of the largest and most serious violations of children&’s rights in the history of the American legal system.&”
Shade Me (Shade Me #1)
by Jennifer BrownThe first book in acclaimed author Jennifer Brown’s thrilling suspense series for fans of Sara Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars, Shade Me is about a unique girl who becomes entangled in a mysterious crime and lured into a sexy but dangerous relationship with a boy who may be a suspect.Nikki Kill has always been an outsider. Born with rare synesthesia, she sees the world differently. In Nikki’s eyes, happiness is pink, sadness is a mixture of brown and green, and lies are gray.To Nikki, Peyton Hollis, the ultrarich it-girl at school, was seemingly untouchable. That is, until Peyton is violently attacked and the only phone number the hospital finds in Peyton’s cell is Nikki’s. Suddenly Nikki is pulled into Peyton’s glittering, fast-paced world as she tries to unravel an unfolding conspiracy.As Nikki gets closer to the dark truth—and to Peyton’s gorgeous older brother—the only thing she can be sure of is death is a deep, pulsing crimson.
Shade's Children
by Garth NixShade is the only "living" adult and he is a stored personality. He helps a group of rebellious children seek to end the dominance of the Overlords who have taken over the earth and who use children to provide the raw materials of their war machines, literally. This is well-written by an Australian author of great promise.
Shades of Magenta
by Echo FreerMagenta can't hide her disappointment: her dream destination turns out to be a holiday camp in the middle of nowhere. But she's looking forward to topping up her tan and starring in the talent contest ... not to mention a bit of holiday romance.Soon Magenta's back on form, with parachute pandemonium and disaster on the diving board ... Will gorgeous Daniel be able to stop her getting into deep water?
Shadow
by Michael MorpurgoAuthor of War Horse,and bestselling storyteller Michael Morpurgo touched our hearts with this beautiful story of a boy, his lost dog, and the lengths he would go to be reunited. This timely story of battle-scarred Afghanistan delivers a masterful portrait of war, love, and friendship. With the horrors of war bearing down on them, Aman and his mother are barely surviving in an Afghan cave, and staying there any longer will end horribly. The only comfort Aman has is Shadow, the loyal spaniel that shows up from places unknown, it seems, just when Aman needs him most. Aman, his mother, and Shadow finally leave the destroyed cave in hopes of escaping to England, but are held at a checkpoint, and Shadow runs away after being shot at by the police. Aman and his mother escape--without Shadow. Aman is heart-broken. Just as they are getting settled as free citizens in England, they are imprisoned in a camp with locked doors and a barbed wire fence. Their only hope is Aman's classmate Matt, his grandpa, and the dream of finding his lost dog. After all, you never lose your shadow.
Shadow
by Ms. Jenny MossAdventure, romance, and magic fill this tale of a girl who longs for love and freedom, and above all, to know herself. In a time of kings, queens, and conspiracy, it's impossible to know whom one can trust. . . . In a kingdom far away and long ago, it was prophesied at her birth that the queen would die before her sixteenth birthday. So Shadow, an orphan girl the same age as the young queen, was given the duty to watch her every move. And as prophesies do tend to come true, the queen is poisoned days before her birthday. When the castle is thrown into chaos, Shadow escapes with a young knight, whom she believes was betrothed to the queen. Unsure of why she is following Sir Kenway, but determined to run as far from her longtime prison as possible, Shadow sets off on an adventure with the handsome knight. But the kingdom is dying around them, and Shadow senses there are unknown forces at work. As mystery and romantic tension build, will Shadow uncover her own destiny?
Shadow Breakers
by Daniel BlytheCan she escape the shadows and face the truth before the darkness destroys her?"If the enemy is a fire, the evil is its shadow, flickering upon the wall.""That's very poetic, Miss Bellini. I just wish I knew what it meant."Miranda's new home is a dull seaside town at the edge of the world, the sort of forgotten place where nothing ever happens. Until something does. Something strange and sinister. With her schoolteacher and her classmates, who might be more clued in than they let on, Miranda sets out to uncover the mystery. Her bravery borders on recklessness. She thinks she's chasing shadows, tortured spirits from centuries past, but could true darkness lie within? With a mixture of science and magic, Miranda's got to figure out how to break and banish the evil before it destroys her.An electrifying paranormal thriller that will have readers guessing till the end!
Shadow Dragons (Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica #4)
by James A. OwenThe Caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica are at war. The last stones from the Keep of Time are falling, and, at the request of an old enemy, a new tower is being built in our world. The old enemy is the Winter King's Shadow, and he wields a terrible weapon - the Spear of Destiny - which can be used to command the shadows of anyone it touches. . . including the protectors of the Archipelago, the dragons. The Shadow King returns to the Archipelago using the ship, the Iron Dragon, and enlists an unstoppable army of Dragon Shadows. . . While WWII rages in our world, all the caretakers, both past and present, must come together to save the Archipelago. All hope lies with a small group of companions, along with mythical knight, Don Quixote, who must sail beyond the very ends of the Archipelago in search of a broken sword, and the only being alive who can repair it: a scholar, who, once upon a time, was called Madoc.
Shadow Girl
by Liana LiuThe Memory Key author Liana Liu delivers a thrilling story of one girl struggling to claim her own identity while becoming an unwitting participant in the strange fate of a wealthy dynasty.The house on Arrow Island is full of mystery.Yet, when Mei arrives, she can’t help feeling relieved. She’s happy to spend the summer in an actual mansion tutoring a rich man’s daughter if it means a break from her normal life—her needy mother, her delinquent brother, their tiny apartment in the city. And Ella Morison seems like an easy charge, sweet and well behaved. What she doesn’t know is that something is very wrong in the Morison household.Though Mei tries to focus on her duties, she becomes increasingly distracted by the family’s problems and her own complicated feelings for Ella’s brother, Henry. But most disturbing of all are the unexplained noises she hears at night—the howling and thumping and cries.Mei is a sensible girl. She isn’t superstitious; she doesn’t believe in ghosts. Yet she can’t shake her fear that there is danger lurking in the shadows of this beautiful house, a darkness that could destroy the family inside and out...and Mei along with them.
Shadow Kiss: A Vampire Academy Novel (Vampire Academy #3)
by Richelle MeadIs Rose's fate to kill the person she loves most? It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason's death, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can't concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret . . . .She's in love with Dimitri. And this time, it's way more than a crush. Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever...
Shadow Spinner (Jean Karl Bks.)
by Susan FletcherEvery night, Shahrazad begins a story. And every morning, the Sultan lets her live another day -- providing the story is interesting enough to capture his attention. After almost one thousand nights, Shahrazad is running out of tales. And that is how Marjan's story begins.... It falls to Marjan to help Shahrazad find new stories -- ones the Sultan has never heard before. To do that, the girl is forced to undertake a dangerous and forbidden mission: sneak from the harem and travel the city, pulling tales from strangers and bringing them back to Shahrazad. But as she searches the city, a wonderful thing happens. From a quiet spinner of tales, Marjan suddenly becomes the center of a more surprising story than she ever could have imagined.
Shadow Warriors
by Nathan B. DodgeFive misfit teens kidnapped to space must create a fighting force to confront an alien threat. Can they save themselves, save Earth, and save their own kidnappers? Cal&’s father is drinking himself to death over the passing of his wife. He has lost his job and spent himself into complete bankruptcy. Their home is posted for foreclosure. Letty&’s parents started out poor, but the business they founded has made them rich. Now, though, they fight all the time, and it&’s driving Letty crazy. Tony has lived on the street for months with his prostitute mother, but he woke up this morning to find her dead, OD&’ed on drugs. Ophelia is the daughter of a billionaire, but her father died mysteriously and now her stepmother is plotting to take all her inheritance. Sasha lives in a foster home with an abusive family that feeds him scraps and threatens that if he complains, they will send him to jail. All five have terrible personal problems—and then one day, they wake up aboard a spaceship, kidnapped. They must train as the crew of a galactic fighter to defend the very civilization that has abducted them. The enemy is a predatory, unstoppable enemy that threatens the entire galaxy, including their home planet Earth. Most of these &“Shadow Warriors&” hate each other, and none of them wants to train or fight, but regardless, they will be summarily loaded aboard a fighter and sent into battle to die. Train they must—and yet, they can&’t even get along. Can they coalesce as a team and go on to become a top fighting crew—to save themselves and save the Earth? A gripping new adventure series in the spirit of Ender&’s Game!
Shadow Warriors: Book 2 In The Shadow Warriors Series
by Nathan B. DodgeThey were kidnapped and forced to fight in an alien space fleet . . . Cal, Letty, Tony, Opi, and Sasha were thrust together when they were kidnapped by the alien Molethan civilization and forced to become a fighting unit against The Horde, the most vicious, predatory enemy in the galaxy. At first, only Letty could get along with her fellow trainees, and largely due to her efforts, they became not only the top fighting crew in the Shadow Warriors, but also a close unit bound together with love and support. Thanks to Opi&’s amazing strategic thinking, Letty&’s organizational skills, Sasha&’s unparalleled weapons ability, Tony&’s crack talent as a navigator, and Cal&’s icy nerve as a battle leader, they found a way to defeat a huge Horde invasion force. But since Molethians don&’t fight their own battles, the High Command put no credence in the story of a small Shadow Warrior force destroying an enemy fleet fifty times their size. A bungling investigating committee wrongly, and vastly underestimated the enemy casualty total, and since the commanding officer T&’Kell suffered many losses, she has been returned to the home world of Molethan and put on trial for incompetence. The Shadow Warriors are called to testify in their commander&’s defense. Can they save her career? They&’ll need to do it quickly, because The Horde has sent out a huge new invasion force. If our heroes can&’t save their commander, the Molethan civilization will surely be destroyed. Even with Commander T&’Kell back in command, can Opi and her crew pull off another miracle? Meanwhile, the incompetent High Command threatens to take over the defensive plans, and Molethan&’s top navy commanders may snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!
Shadow Warriors: Book 4 In The Shadow Warriors Series
by Nathan B. DodgeThe Shadow Warriors face two grave threats that could destroy the galaxy! Heavy responsibilities and far-reaching assignments begin to fracture the relations of Opi, Cal, Letty, Sasha, and Tony—the five original crew members, all now high ranking officers. Now they have two enemies to contend with and a looming fourth war with these enemies. Can they maintain their close ties, or will the team be broken up permanently?
Shadow Warriors: Resolution
by Nathan B. DodgeThey were kidnapped teens, taken to an alien world and forced to fight in someone else's war. Cal and Letty are missing, and the Horde appears to be massing a titanic fleet to attack Earth. Tony, Opi, and Sasha rally together to lead the Alliance fleet in what may be both Molethan&’s and the Alliance&’s last stand. Can the remaining members of crew Red-17 lead Alliance forces to one final victory?
Shadow Warriors: Retaliation
by Nathan B. DodgeThe Shadow Warriors are a proven force in galactic battle but a new threat looms. Cal, Letty, Tony, Opi, and Sasha were thrust together when they were kidnapped by the Molethian civilization and forced to become a fighter crew to battle against The Horde, the most vicious, predatory enemy in all the Milky Way galaxy. At first, only Letty could get along with the rest of them, and they basically hated each other. However, due largely to Letty&’s efforts, they became not only the top fighting crew in the Shadow Warriors, but also a close family that love and support each other. Due to Opi&’s amazing strategic thinking, Letty&’s organizational skills, Sasha&’s unparalleled ability as a weapons officer, Tony&’s crack talent as a navigator, and Cal&’s icy nerve as a battle leader, they have found a way to defeat two major Horde invasions. Opi, already becoming the chief strategist for an entire wing of the Molethian space forces, decides that an entirely new way of fighting Horde forces must be put in place. Her audacious plan is to search a central volume of the Milky Way through which the Horde always travels, discover the military bases they have no doubt established, and destroy them all. She is convinced that a huge base has been built by The Horde on the opposite side of the galaxy, very near The Horde&’s own small galactic home, the Dwarf Spheroidal Sagittarius Galaxy. In the meantime, a third Horde invasion of about 40,000 ships nears Molethan&’s home planet. Using Opi&’s old strategies, Molethian forces manage to destroy it, but the new, highly capable Horde fighters make this victory far more difficult. In addition, Tony is reported missing and presumed lost. Grieving over Tony, whom she loved, Opi refuses to succumb to her grief, immediately commissioning the search for the other Horde home bases in the Milky Way. A search party finds the monstrous Horde base almost 70,000 lightyears across the galaxy. Molethan appeals to the other Alliance systems, and a major attack on the base is started, with Cal the attack leader. Things seem to be going well when suddenly, in the midst of the battle, a new enemy strikes, heavily damaging not only Shadow Warriors fighters but also many of the Alliance carriers. The fate of the battle hangs on a razor&’s edge. Can the Alliance, led by Cal, Opi, and the rest of their team, manage to win over two opponents, or are they destined to be destroyed by the combined forces of two enemies?
Shadow Wave: Book 12 (Cherub Ser. #12)
by Robert MuchamoreAfter a tsunami causes massive devastation to a tropical island, its governor sends in the bulldozers to knock down villages, replacing them with luxury hotels.Guarding the corrupt governor's family isn't James Adams' idea of the perfect mission, especially as it's going to be his last as a CHERUB agent. And then retired colleague Kyle Blueman comes up with an unofficial and highly dangerous plan of his own.James must choose between loyalty to CHERUB, and loyalty to his oldest friend.For official purposes, these children do not exist.
Shadow Weaver (Shadow Weaver #1)
by MarcyKate ConnollyFans of Coraline, Doll Bones and The Night Gardener will devour this award winning dark fantasy about twelve-year-old Emmeline who is desperate to save the only friend she has … her own shadow. But what happens when her shadow starts craving a life of its own?A Texas Bluebonnet NomineeEmmeline's gift to control and manipulate shadows makes her the subject of mockery…and fear. Forbidden to leave home by her parents, Emmeline's closest confidant is her own shadow, Dar. When a noble stranger visits and offers her parents a cure, Emmeline is terrified of losing her power—and her only friend. So Dar proposes a deal: she will change the noble's mind if Emmeline will help her become flesh.When the man ends up in a coma, Emmeline is stunned—and blamed. Now forced to flee, her only hope of clearing her name is to find a way to give the shadow she's no longer sure she can trust what it craves—life.With the gripping feel of a new classic, award winning Shadow Weaver will enthrall middle school readers who love fantasy, magic, and danger. Perfect for 5th grade and above.
Shadow of Doubt (Robyn Hunter Mysteries #5)
by Norah McClintockRobyn's new substitute teacher Ms. Denholm is cool, pretty, and possibly the target of a stalker. When Denholm receives a threatening package, Robyn wonders who's responsible. But Robyn has a mystery of her own to worry about. What's with the muddled phone message she receives from her missing ex-boyfriend Nick? Should she try to forget him—or is the call a sign he still cares?
Shadow of Fear (The Thorne Twins Adventure Books #14 )
by Dayle CourtneyLisa Harwood had some wonderful news to tell her friend Alison Thorne. She had just inherited an estate in England! She was excited about making the trip there to see it, but a little worried. Along with the inheritance came an old family legend: "Every female heir under the age of 21 has been killed by a wolf." Lisa hadn't thought much about it at first. But then a wolf was seen prowling on the outskirts of town, the first ever in the memories of the people of Ivy. And soon after that came the appearance of Jeremy Taylor, a strange, wild boy who seemed more at home among wolves than among people. Was the legend coming back to haunt her, even here in Ivy?
Shadow of a Hero
by Peter DickinsonTo save a country, a girl and her grandfather must learn what it means to be a hero The greatest hero in the history of Varina was baptized in a cave. Every schoolchild knows the story. His parents were on their way to the city when a storm drove them to take shelter in the mountainside, along with a priest, a bandit, and a scholar. When the storm did not abate, they asked the priest to give their child a name, and he christened the boy Restaur Vax. The boy would grow to be a warrior, a scholar, and a man of god, and his name would lead an oppressed people to independence for the first time. Alas, that liberty would not survive. Generations later, Vax’s oldest living descendant is in London, teaching the language of Varina to his inquisitive young granddaughter. When his homeland is torn apart once more by war, calls come for this man to take up the mantle of the Vax name—and become a hero for a new age. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Peter Dickinson including rare images from the author’s collection.
Shadow of a Hero
by Peter DickinsonLetta begins to take an interest in Varina, the tiny Balkan state where her parents grew up. But after the collapse of communism the nation calls for independence, and Letta's enthusiasm for her parent's culture leads her to discover just how fragile the nation really is. A powerful and timely novel from the award-winning author of TULKU, EVA, A. K. and A BONE FROM A DRY SEA.