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The Best Kind of Magic (Windy City Magic #1)
by Crystal CestariAmber Sand is not a witch. The Sand family magical gene somehow leapfrogged over her. But she did get one highly specific bewitching talent: she can see true love. As a matchmaker, Amber's pretty far down the sorcery food chain (even birthday party magicians rank higher), but after five seconds of eye contact, she can envision anyone's soul mate.Amber works at her mother's magic shop--Windy City Magic--in downtown Chicago, and she's confident she's seen every kind of happy ending there is: except for one--her own. (The Fates are tricky jerks that way.) So when Charlie Blitzman, the mayor's son and most-desired boy in school, comes to her for help finding his father's missing girlfriend, she's distressed to find herself falling for him. Because while she can't see her own match, she can see his--and it's not Amber. How can she, an honest peddler of true love, pursue a boy she knows full well isn't her match?The Best Kind of Magic is set in urban Chicago and will appeal to readers who long for magic in the real world. With a sharp-witted and sassy heroine, a quirky cast of mystical beings, and a heady dose of adventure, this novel will have you laughing out loud and questioning your belief in happy endings.
The Best Little Boy in the World
by Andrew Tobias John ReidThe classic account of growing up gay in America.<P><P> "The best little boy in the world never had wet dreams or masturbated; he always topped his class, honored mom and dad, deferred to elders and excelled in sports . . . . The best little boy in the world was . . . the model IBM exec . . . The best little boy in the world was a closet case who 'never read anything about homosexuality.' . . . John Reid comes out slowly, hilariously, brilliantly. One reads this utterly honest account with the shock of recognition." The New York Times<P> "The quality of this book is fantastic because it comes of equal parts honesty and logic and humor. It is far from being the story of a Gay crusader, nor is it the story of a closet queen. It is the story of a normal boy growing into maturity without managing to get raped into, or taunted because of, his homosexuality. . . . He is bright enough to be aware of his hangups and the reasons for them. And he writes well enough that he doesn't resort to sensationalism . . . ." San Francisco Bay Area ReporterFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace
by Ron FriedmanFor readers of Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel Pink, and Freakonomics, comes a captivating and surprising journey through the science of workplace excellence. Why do successful companies reward failure? What can casinos teach us about building a happy workplace? How do you design an office that enhances both attention to detail and creativity? In The Best Place to Work, award-winning psychologist Ron Friedman, Ph.D. uses the latest research from the fields of motivation, creativity, behavioral economics, neuroscience, and management to reveal what really makes us successful at work. Combining powerful stories with cutting edge findings, Friedman shows leaders at every level how they can use scientifically-proven techniques to promote smarter thinking, greater innovation, and stronger performance. Among the many surprising insights, Friedman explains how learning to think like a hostage negotiator can help you diffuse a workplace argument, why placing a fish bowl near your desk can elevate your thinking, and how incorporating strategic distractions into your schedule can help you reach smarter decisions. Along the way, the book introduces the inventor who created the cubicle, the president who brought down the world's most dangerous criminal, and the teenager who single-handedly transformed professional tennis--vivid stories that offer unexpected revelations on achieving workplace excellence. Brimming with counterintuitive insights and actionable recommendations, The Best Place to Work offers employees and executives alike game-changing advice for working smarter and turning any organization--regardless of its size, budgets, or ambitions--into an extraordinary workplace.
The Best Summer Programs for Teens: America's Top Classes, Camps, and Courses for College-Bound Students
by Sandra BergerRecord numbers of teens are applying to selective universities and the competition to gain entrance into college is tougher than ever before. The fourth edition of The Best Summer Programs for Teens helps teenagers find the coolest, most exciting, and most fulfilling summer programs across the United States. College-planning expert Sandra L. Berger provides students and parents with advice on using summer opportunities to help gain entrance into selective universities, and guidance on researching, choosing, applying for, and making the most out of summer programs. Students will be able to peruse the updated directory of more than 200 of the best summer opportunities in the areas of academic enrichment; fine arts; internships and paid positions; leadership and service; math, science, computer science, and technology; and study abroad or international travel, to find the program that fits them best.
The Best War Ever
by Sheldon Rampton John StauberThe war in Iraq may be remembered as the point at which the propaganda model perfected in the twentieth century stopped working: the world is too complex, information is too plentiful, and-as events in Iraq reveal- propaganda makes bad policy. The Best War Ever is about a war that was devised in fantasy and lost in delusion. It highlights the futility of lying to oneself and others in matters of life and death. And it offers lessons to the current generation so that, at least in our time, this never happens again. As the team of Rampton and Stauber show in their first new book since President Bush's reelection, the White House seems to have fooled no one as much as itself in the march toward a needless (from a security perspective) war in Iraq. As the authors argue, one of the most tragic consequences of the Bush administration's reliance on propaganda is its disdain for realistic planning in matters of war. Repeatedly, when faced with predictions of problems, U. S. policymakers dismissed the warnings of Iraq experts, choosing instead to promulgate its version of the war through conservative media outlets and PR campaigns. The result has been too few troops on the ground to maintain security; failure to anticipate the insurgency; and oblivious disregard, even contempt, for critics in either party who attempted to assess the human and economic costs of the war. Even now that withdrawal seems imminent, however, the administration and its allies continue their cover-ups: downplaying civilian deaths and military injuries; employing marketing buzzwords like "victory" repeatedly to shore up public opinion; and botched attempts, through third-party PR firms, at creating phony news. The Bush administration entered Iraq believing that its moral, technological, and military superiority would ensure victory abroad, and that its mastery of the politics would win support at home. Instead, it found a morass of problems that do not lend themselves to moralistic, technological, or propaganda-based solutions.
The Best of Everything: A Novel
by Rona JaffeWhen Rona Jaffe’s superb page-turner was first published in 1958, it changed contemporary fiction forever. Some readers were shocked, but millions more were electrified when they saw themselves reflected in its story of five young employees of a New York publishing company. Almost sixty years later, The Best of Everything remains touchingly—and sometimes hilariously—true to the personal and professional struggles women face in the city. There’s Ivy League Caroline, who dreams of graduating from the typing pool to an editor’s office; naïve country girl April, who within months of hitting town reinvents herself as the woman every man wants on his arm; and Gregg, the free-spirited actress with a secret yearning for domesticity. Jaffe follows their adventures with intelligence, sympathy, and prose as sharp as a paper cut.
The Bestseller Job
by Greg Cox Electric EntertainmentThe new Leverage Novel in the series that includes The Con Job and The Zoo Job The rich and powerful take what they want. We steal it back for you. THE BESTSELLER JOB After bestselling author Gavin Lee is killed by a hit-and-run driver, his estranged brother Brad appears out of nowhere to claim the estate, cutting off Gavin's girlfriend and secret collaborator, Denise. Luckily, Denise knows Gavin had a good friend in Eliot Spencer. It's not money Denise is worried about. Gavin had intended to donate much of his profits to human-rights organizations, and Brad has no plan to honor those wishes. So the team sets out to use Brad's own greed to get him out of the picture. But soon Denise notices she's being followed. Is it Brad? Her boyfriend's mysterious informant? Or his killer? Whoever it is, Nate and the crew will have to read between the lines if they're going to close the book on this case. Based on the hit TV series Leverage!
The Betrayal of Trust: A Chief Superintendent Simon Serailler Mystery
by Susan HillSusan Hill—the Man Booker Prize nominee whose ghost story The Woman in Black is now a major film starring Daniel Radcliffe—has written her most captivating work in The Betrayal of Trust. The English town of Lafferton is ravaged by flash floods. A shallow grave is exposed; the remains of missing teenager Harriet Lowther have been uncovered. Harriet was the daughter of a prominent local businessman, and her death twenty years before had led to her mother’s suicide. Cold cases are always tough, and in this mystery in the enduringly popular series, Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler must confront his most grisly, dangerous, and complex case yet. Susan Hill’s understanding of the human heart, her brilliance when evoking characters, and her tremendous powers of storytelling come into full force in The Betrayal of Trust. .
The Betrayal of Trust: A Simon Serailler Mystery
by Susan HillSusan Hill's readers met the enigmatic and brooding Simon Serrailler in The Various Haunts of Men and got to know him better in the four mysteries that followed. In The Betrayal of Trust, she has written the most chilling and unputdownable book yet. Freak weather and flash floods have hit southern England. The small cathedral town of Lafferton is underwater, and a landslip on the moor has closed the roads. As the rain slowly drains away, a shallow grave––and a skeleton––are exposed; twenty years on, the remains of missing teenager Joanne Lowther have finally been uncovered. The case is reopened and Simon Serrailler is called in as Senior Investigating Officer. Joanne, an only child, had been on her way home from a friend's house that night. She was the daughter of a prominent local businessman, and her mother had killed herself two years after she disappeared, unable to cope. Cold cases are always tough, and in this latest mystery in the acclaimed series from Susan Hill, Simon Serrailler is forced to confront his most grisly, dangerous, and complex case yet.
The Betrayal of Trust: A Simon Serailler Mystery
by Susan HillSusan Hill's readers met the enigmatic and brooding Simon Serrailler in The Various Haunts of Men and got to know him better in the four mysteries that followed. In The Betrayal of Trust, she has written the most chilling and unputdownable book yet. Freak weather and flash floods have hit southern England. The small cathedral town of Lafferton is underwater, and a landslip on the moor has closed the roads. As the rain slowly drains away, a shallow grave--and a skeleton--are exposed; twenty years on, the remains of missing teenager Joanne Lowther have finally been uncovered. The case is reopened and Simon Serrailler is called in as Senior Investigating Officer. Joanne, an only child, had been on her way home from a friend's house that night. She was the daughter of a prominent local businessman, and her mother had killed herself two years after she disappeared, unable to cope. Cold cases are always tough, and in this latest mystery in the acclaimed series from Susan Hill, Simon Serrailler is forced to confront his most grisly, dangerous, and complex case yet.
The Betrayal of the Living (Blood Ninja #3)
by Nick LakeThe fate of feudal Japan hangs in the balance in this bloody conclusion to the epic trilogy.Taro is at a crossroads: He has vanquished Lord Oda for good, but with no land and no title, he has no hope of marrying Hana, the daughter of a daimyo. So when Taro receives news of a murderous dragon and the large reward for killing it, he and his friends find themselves on a dangerous quest to slay the beast. Their mission has the potential to save the people of Japan--but failure will result in the deaths of thousands. And dragons are not the only monsters they will encounter: The dead, led by the odious Kenji Kira, have begun to rise, and they have Taro in their sights. In this heart-stopping conclusion to the Blood Ninja trilogy, the future of all feudal Japan is in danger, and everything Taro holds dear will be threatened. But it is the betrayal of flesh and blood--his own flesh and blood--that may be his ultimate undoing.
The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined (Playaway Adult Nonfiction Ser.)
by Steven PinkerFaced with the ceaseless stream of news about war, crime, and terrorism, one could easily think we live in the most violent age ever seen. Yet as New York Times bestselling author Steven Pinker shows in this startling and engaging new work, just the opposite is true: violence has been diminishing for millennia and we may be living in the most peaceful time in our species's existence. For most of history, war, slavery, infanticide, child abuse, assassinations, pogroms, gruesome punishments, deadly quarrels, and genocide were ordinary features of life. But today, Pinker shows (with the help of more than a hundred graphs and maps) all these forms of violence have dwindled and are widely condemned. How has this happened?<P><P> This groundbreaking book continues Pinker's exploration of the essence of human nature, mixing psychology and history to provide a remarkable picture of an increasingly nonviolent world. The key, he explains, is to understand our intrinsic motives- the inner demons that incline us toward violence and the better angels that steer us away-and how changing circumstances have allowed our better angels to prevail. Exploding fatalist myths about humankind's inherent violence and the curse of modernity, this ambitious and provocative book is sure to be hotly debated in living rooms and the Pentagon alike, and will challenge and change the way we think about our society.<P> Chosen for Mark Zuckerberg's "A Year of Books" <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
The Bible's Greatest Stories
by Paul RocheFrom the awe-inspiring story of the Creation to the defeats and triumphs of the Children of Israel and the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus, here are the greatest accounts from the greatest book ever written, presented in an accessible form for contemporary readers. Enhanced with annotations, Paul Roche's brilliant retelling of these stories is at once impeccably accurate and vibrantly told. He brings to life the saga of Joseph and the coat of many colors, the drama of the fall of Jericho, the heroism of a young David fighting Goliath and the lust of an older David for Bathsheba, the glory and wisdom of Solomon, the bravery of Judith, the dark despair of Job, the faith of Daniel in the lion's den, the joy of the Nativity, and the miracle of the Resurrection. These are just a few of the many great biblical stories presented in this masterful translation by a distinguished poet and scholar.
The Bifrost Guardians: Volume One (Bifrost Guardians #1)
by Mickey Zucker ReichertHere, for the first time in one volume, are the first three novels in Mickey Zucker Reichert's most startlingly original series: an epic saga of a Vietnam soldier sent through time and space to a battlefield where the weapons are not bullets and grenades but swords and spells--and where elves, thieves, and martial arts masters can find themselves unwillingly enlisted in a war between the gods....
The Big Backyard: The Solar System beyond Pluto
by Ron MillerThousands of years ago, humans believed that Earth was the center of the universe, that the world they lived on was all there was. Truthfully, the solar system extends almost halfway to the nearest star. And it is composed of not only planets, asteroids, and comets, but also powerful forces and vast fields of energy. This is our solar system’s big backyard. The cold, dark world that lies at the farthest reaches of our solar system holds a vast collection of secrets, and for most of human history, we had no idea anything was out there. But, driven by curiosity and equipped with new technology, astronomers have determined that beyond the orbit of Neptune are countless icy comets, strange particles that dance under the influence of the sun, and signs of undiscovered planets. To learn more about these far-flung objects, scientists have finally begun to explore the distant solar system, finding answers to age-old questions at the same time that they encounter new mysteries. With Ron Miller’s incredible illustrations and photographs from NASA probes and telescopes, The Big Backyard takes us on a tour through the solar system’s most obscure neighborhoods and into its darkest corners, to places beyond the limits of the human eye. Miller expertly describes the formation of the solar system and the history of the exploration of the outer solar system before delving into the latest discoveries and missions. Read on to learn what sorts of objects orbit at such extreme distances, what happens at the boundary between the sun’s influence and interstellar space, whether there is such a thing as the mysterious Planet X, and how life on Earth could not exist without the happenings at the edge of the solar system.
The Big Book of Reading Comprehension Activities, Grade 4: 100 Activities for After-School and Summer Reading Fun (Reading Comprehension Activities)
by Susan B. KatzMake reading comprehension a blast with 100 activities for 4th gradersShow 4th graders how much fun practicing their reading comprehension can be. This workbook is full of exercises that help kids develop essential reading skills while exploring fun stories. Get kids primed for school with engaging lessons that cover everything from identifying themes to understanding poetry and building their vocabulary!100 activities—Keep kids interested with puzzles, word searches, and graphic organizers that get their minds working.Key reading topics—4th graders can deepen their understanding of what they read by practicing comparing points of view, recognizing story structure, describing characters, and more.Progressive skill building—Students will discover reading comprehension fun and games that start simple and grow more challenging to match their growing skills.Targeted learning—These exercises are aligned with the national standards for 4th grade learning and include labels to indicate which core skill each one teaches.Give early readers a boost in school with this colorful 4th grade workbook for reading comprehension.
The Big Book of Reading Comprehension Activities, Grade 5: 100 Activities for After-School and Summer Reading Fun (Reading Comprehension Activities)
by Ann Richmond FisherMake reading comprehension fun with 100 activities for 5th gradersWhen kids can learn cool new facts or go on fictional journeys with talking dragons and pirate ships, reading doesn't feel like homework—it feels like an adventure! This workbook is filled with exercises that help students practice core reading comprehension skills while exploring fun stories and ideas. Kids will learn essential 5th grade concepts like using context clues, integrating information from multiple sources, drawing inferences, and more.This reading comprehension workbook for 5th graders includes:A variety of activities—Keep kids engaged with word puzzles, drawing, matching games, and other creative exercises that make learning enjoyable.Core curriculum—This workbook is aligned with the national standards for 5th grade learning, complete with a label for each activity to indicate which core skill it teaches.Progressive skill-building—Students will strengthen their skills with reading comprehension exercises that start simple and grow more challenging.Boost reading comprehension skills with help from this fun-filled 5th grade workbook.
The Big Bucks
by Thomas NelsonEvery year approximately 460,000 people under the age of 35 years old declare bankruptcy. In the last decade, loan debt has risen 142% for college students.1 The Big Bucks will explain in clear, conversational language the basics of money management-from credit cards to checking accounts to leases on cars. This is the info students need to know as they head off to college. It's the perfect graduation gift for any student in your church or school!
The Big Crunch
by Pete HautmanA funny, clear-eyed view of the realities of teenage love from National Book Award winner Pete Hautman.A funny, clear-eyed view of the realities of teenage love from National Book Award winner Pete Hautman.Jen and Wes do not "meet cute." They do not fall in love at first sight. They do not swoon with scorching desire. They do not believe that they are instant soul mates destined to be together forever. This is not that kind of love story.Instead, they just hang around in each other's orbits...until eventually they collide. And even after that happens, they're still not sure where it will go. Especially when Jen starts to pity-date one of Wes's friends, and Wes makes some choices that he immediately regrets.From National Book Award winner Pete Hautman, this is a love story for people not particularly biased toward romance. But it is romantic, in the same way that truth can be romantic and uncertainty can be the biggest certainty of all...
The Big Dreams of Small Creatures
by Gail LernerFrom Black-ish writer and director Gail Lerner comes a whimsical and heartwarming tale where two unlikely allies band together to protect and defend the insect world from the worst enemy of all…humans.&“What an enchanting and wondrous book for young readers.&” —Jamie Lee Curtis, actress and bestselling children&’s book authorTen-year-old Eden&’s quiet life is upended when she saves a paper wasp nest from destruction and discovers, to her awe and amazement, that she and its haughty queen can talk to each other. This first conversation is the start of a grand adventure, leading Eden to The Institute for Lower Learning, a secret laboratory devoted to the peaceful coexistence of humans and insects. The Institute is more fantastic and idyllic than Eden could&’ve imagined but hidden deep within its tunnels is an old secret that could spell the end for all insects on earth.Nine-year-old August, an aspiring actor and bullied fourth-grader, is looking for that very secret after a few disastrous encounters have left him wanting to squash every annoying bug into oblivion. After all insects are small—he is big. And if there is anything he&’s learned from the bullies at school—it's that being bigger is what counts.But in the world of the Institute where insects have a place of their own, both Eden and August discover being bigger isn't necessarily better and sometimes the most courageous thing to do is to set out to make a new friend.
The Big Fix (Bareknuckle)
by Nathan SacksGeorge Choogart has just stepped off the boat to Manhattan. In England, he was a teenage star reporter. But he'll have to prove himself all over again if he wants an American newspaper job. When George stumbles across the Woodrat, an underground boxing club, he realizes he's found his next story. The Woodrat's owner shows George a world of corruption—a world that might be too dangerous for either of them. Woodrat staffers are disappearing. Big Jim Dickinson, one of New York's wealthiest men, might be to blame. But if George wants to stop Big Jim, he'll have to conquer the boxing ring first.
The Big Over Easy: A Nursery Crime (Nursery Crime Ser. #No. 1)
by Jasper FfordeIt's Easter in Reading - a bad time for eggs - and no one can remember the last sunny day. Humpty Dumpty, well-known nursery favourite, large egg, ex-convict and former millionaire philanthropist is found shattered beneath a wall in a shabby area of town. Following the pathologist's careful reconstruction of Humpty's shell, Detective Inspector Jack Spratt and his Sergeant Mary Mary are soon grappling with a sinister plot involving cross-border money laundering, the illegal Bearnaise sauce market, corporate politics and the cut and thrust world of international Chiropody. As Jack and Mary stumble around the streets of Reading in Jack's Lime Green Austin Allegro, the clues pile up, but Jack has his own problems to deal with. And on top of everything else, the JellyMan is coming to town. . .
The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop
by Dan CharnasThe Big Payback takes us from the first $15 made by a "rapping DJ" in 1970s New York to the recent multi-million-dollar sales of the Phat Farm and Roc-a-Wear clothing companies in 2004 and 2007. On this four-decade-long journey from the studios where the first rap records were made to the boardrooms where the big deals were inked, The Big Payback tallies the list of who lost and who won. Read the secret histories of the early long-shot successes of Sugar Hill Records and Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC's crossover breakthrough on MTV, the marketing of gangsta rap, and the rise of artist/ entrepreneurs like Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs. 300 industry veterans-well-known giants like Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, the founders of Def Jam, and key insiders like Gerald Levin, the embattled former Time Warner chief-gave their stories to renowned hip-hop journalist Dan Charnas, who provides a compelling, never-before seen, myth-debunking view into the victories, defeats, corporate clashes, and street battles along the 40-year road to hip-hop's dominance. Watch a Video .