- Table View
- List View
One Face: Shed the Mask, Own Your Values, and Lead Wisely
by Sarah McDugalA &“motivating, encouraging, concise, clear, effective and efficient&” primer for anyone who wants to live, work, and find success as their true self (Jason O&’Rourke, Hospital Chaplain, US Army Special Ops). Are you missing out on future success because your internal values are out of alignment with your external message? In One Face, Sarah McDugal takes you on a journey of personal discovery and growth, showcasing stories of wildly successful entrepreneurs and professionals who are committed to leading with transparency and living with a clear, honest, and singular purpose. Here, you will discover how to Define your personal core values.Transform even the harshest feedback into fuel for growth.Use a proven framework to make decisions you won&’t regret.Live with less stress, less guilt, and more freedom to be yourself. Utilizing the lessons in this book, you will possess a clearly defined set of core values, a four-step framework for making decisions without regret, and the tools you need to build your brand to last beyond a lifetime.
ABCs of Speaking: Your Building Blocks to Speaking Success
by Caterina Rando Adryenn Ashley Bret RidgwayAn A–Z primer for all levels of public speaking, from securing engagements to delivering unforgettable speeches to making money as a speaker. Can you make it as a professional speaker? Knowing how to deliver a great presentation is obviously important, but truly understanding how the speaking industry really works is probably even more important. What do you need to know to deal with event promoters? What can you do to take control of the room and not let the unexpected derail your presentation? Should you pursue the fee or free speaking model? What about technology? What do they mean by &‘buying units.&’ Industry insiders Adryenn Ashley, Bret Ridgway, and Caterina Rando share their combined decades of experience from both the platform and the promoter perspectives. They pull back the curtains and give you a sneak peek into how the speaking world really works. You&’ll learn how to build a profitable speaking business that allows you to more effectively build your platform and share your powerful message with the world. Even if you already consider yourself a professional speaker, you&’re guaranteed to pick up a few nuggets that can help you take things to the next level with your speaking. Get more gigs, make more money and impact more lives today!
From Persia to Tehr Angeles: A Contemporary Guide to Understanding and Appreciating Ancient Persian Culture
by Kamran Sharareh Chef KSharAn Iranian-American explains the history and heritage of his people, in both the old world and the new. From Persia to Tehr Angeles is a fascinating look at everything from Persia&’s ancient past to the modern world of Persian-American immigrants in places like Los Angeles—offering a rich, rounded view a culture many are unfamiliar with. For those who are part of this history, their friends and families, or anyone interested in this corner of the world, it&’s an enlightening look at traditions, food, religion, and other aspects of this complex society over many generations.
Cold Serial: The Jack The Strangler Murders (The Jack the Strangler Murders)
by Brian ForschnerAn &“impressively well-crafted&” true crime account of the murder of five girls in the early days of police investigations (Midwest Book Review). Cold Serial tells the true stories of five girls who were raped and murdered in the Dayton, Ohio, area between 1900 and 1909. They were victims not only of grizzly crimes, but of the prevailing sexism, horrifying working conditions, and lack of rights and police protection that all women of their time were forced to endure. As the tragic stories unfold, a common thread begins to link them together. The deaths of these five girls left a legacy of better protections for women and more acceptance and recognition of their rights. Their cases led to the annexation of large areas into what is now modern-day Dayton, which initiated restructuring of the Dayton Police department. They also led to the creation of the first chamber of commerce in the United States. Cold Serial not only chronicles these harrowing cases, but illuminates how they influence the issues we still face today—such as sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination—as well as the historical impact religion, politics, and the media have had on the lives of women. &“If you love true crime with a novelist&’s flair, add Brian Forschner&’s Cold Serial to your bookshelf.&” —Northern Kentucky Tribune &“A compelling read.&” —Midwest Book Review
Halfway to Crazy
by Mark ThriceEntertaining essays that find the funny side in everything from fatherhood to fishing to financial planning. This collection of the best and funniest columns published by syndicated humor columnist Mark Thrice takes a hilarious look at normal everyday life—from husbanding to parenting to holding down the job that is paying for both. With over fifty columns showcasing Mr. Thrice&’s witty and whimsical turns, this treasure produces laughs on every page.
Building a Market: The Rise of the Home Improvement Industry, 1914–1960 (Historical Studies of Urban America)
by Richard HarrisA unique study of how the American Dream came to be—and came to be constantly updated and renovated: &”A pleasure to read.&”—American Historical Review Each year, North Americans spend as much money fixing up their homes as they do buying new ones. This obsession with improving our dwellings has given rise to a multibillion-dollar industry that includes countless books, magazines, cable shows, and home improvement stores. Building a Market charts the rise of the home improvement industry in the United States and Canada from the end of World War I into the late 1950s. Drawing on the insights of business, social, and urban historians, and making use of a wide range of documentary sources, Richard Harris shows how the middle-class preference for home ownership first emerged in the 1920s—and how manufacturers, retailers, and the federal government combined to establish the massive home improvement market and a pervasive culture of Do-It-Yourself. Deeply insightful, Building a Market is the carefully crafted history of the emergence and evolution of a home improvement revolution that changed not just American culture but the American landscape as well. &“An important topic that deserves to be widely read by scholars of business history, urban history, and social history.&”—Journal of American History
Jellyfish: A Natural History
by Lisa-ann GershwinAn introduction to these bizarre and beautiful creatures of the sea, filled with color photos and illustrations: &“Fascinating.&”—Boing Boing Jellyfish are the oldest multi-organed life form on the planet, having inhabited the ocean for more than five hundred million years. With their undulating umbrella-shaped bells and sprawling tentacles, they are compelling and gorgeous, strange and dangerous. In many places they&’re also vastly increasing in number, and these population blooms may be an ominous indicator of the rising temperatures and toxicity of the oceans.Jellyfish presents these aquarium favorites in all their glory. Fifty unique species, from the purple people eater to black sea nettles, are presented in stunning photos along with the most current scientific information on their anatomy, history, distribution, position in the water, and environmental status. Foremost jellyfish expert Lisa-ann Gershwin provides an insightful look at the natural history and biology of each of these spellbinding creatures, plus a timely take on their place in the rapidly changing and deteriorating condition of the oceans. Learn about immortal jellyfish who live and die and live again—as well as those who camouflage themselves amid sea grasses and shells, hiding in plain sight. Discover the jellyfish that&’s the world&’s most venomous animal, and the jellyfish that helped scientists win the Nobel Prize. They&’re all here and more in this delightful volume. &“A thorough coverage of jellyfish history, biology and ecology. Gershwin, a marine biologist who has discovered over 200 new species of jellyfish, does an excellent job of combining a compelling narrative of 50 different jellyfish with luscious, I-can&’t-believe-they&’re-real photos.&”—Boing Boing
Allergy Free with Dr. Z: Understanding Allergies, Asthma, and Much, Much More
by John F. ZwetchkenbaumAn allergist reveals why patients have a hard time finding relief—and offers three steps to ease your symptoms. Allergy sufferers around the world—rejoice! For decades, allergies have been misunderstood and misdiagnosed; as a result, millions of people with allergies (whether they know it or not) have been mistreated. Finally, here is a no-nonsense resource that will educate the reader on what allergies are, what allergies are not, and what we can all do to have a sneeze-free day—every day!
Second Time Foster Child: One Family's Fight for Their Son's Mental Healthcare and Preservation of Their Family
by Toni Hoy&“Toni walks us through the experience of having foster children with undiagnosed mental illness . . . moving and heart-wrenching&” (Marcia Stein, PHR, CA, author of Strained Relations). As an infant, Daniel entered the foster care system as a result of severe neglect, which manifested in violence and aggression later in his childhood after he was adopted by Jim and Toni Hoy. Desperate to get him into a residential treatment center and keep their other children safe, Jim and Toni were given two options by the state of Illinois: either keep him in a psychiatric hospital or be charged by the Department of Children and Family Services with child endangerment for failure to protect their other children. Mental health professionals recommended abandoning Daniel at the hospital after the state denied all viable sources of funding for his treatment. So Daniel re-entered the foster care system for no other reason than he was mentally ill. A year later, Daniel&’s mother discovered that his treatment was covered by a funding source that he was awarded as part of his special needs adoption. How could they get the state government to understand the federal law and re-gain custody of their son? Second Time Foster Child is the story of parents who never gave up on their son, despite being prosecuted and persecuted in exchange for his medically necessary treatment. &“Toni Hoy bares her soul in this courageous true story of her family&’s journey to help and heal her severely traumatized adopted son.&” —Michael Groomer, founder, and Beverly Hansen, executive director, Advocates for Children of Trauma
Working Toward Excellence: 8 Values for Achieving Uncommon Success in Work and Life
by Paul Buyer&“Weaves together thoughts, stories, and quotes from top performers in music, business, and sports to help you achieve excellence&” (Jeff Janssen, founder and president of the Janssen Sports Leadership Center). Does excellence relentlessly drive you? Does mediocrity constantly bother you? In Working Toward Excellence, Clemson University professor Paul Buyer identifies eight values for achieving excellence in work and life including hunger, effort, process, quality, consistency, leadership, time, and perseverance. Each chapter features inspiring stories, questions, and quotes from respected professionals who have achieved uncommon success in business, sports, education, and the arts such as John Maxwell, Jim Collins, Stephen Covey, John Wooden, Mike Krzyzewski, Wynton Marsalis, Isaac Stern, and many others. Also included is a Working Toward Excellence Evaluation to help you and your organization reach your true potential and further develop, improve, and measure these essential attributes of success. &“Working Toward Excellence has captures my attention in a big way. It is filled with valuable and practical information. It will make a major difference in your life.&” —Pat Williams, Orlando Magic, senior vice president, author of Leadership Excellence
The Colonial Wars, 1689–1762 (The Chicago History of American Civilization)
by Howard H. PeckhamA fascinating look at over seventy years of fighting in the American colonies—as France, England, and Spain tried to stake their claims in the New World. Although the colonial wars consisted of almost continuous raids and skirmishes between the English and French colonists and their Indian allies and enemies, they can be separated into four major conflicts, corresponding to four European wars of which they were, in varying degrees, a part: King William's War (1689-97) (War of the League of Augsburg); Queen Anne's War (1702-13) (War of the Spanish Succession); King George's War (1744-48) (War of the Austrian Succession); and The French and Indian War (1755-62) (Seven Years' War). This book chronicles the events of these wars, summarizing the struggle for empire in America among France, England, and Spain. He indicates how the colonists applied the experience they gained from fighting Indians to their engagements with European powers. And what they learned from the colonial wars, they translated into a political philosophy that led to independence and self-government.
The Sensory Order: An Inquiry into the Foundations of Theoretical Psychology
by F. A. HayekThe Nobel Prize-winning economist explores how the mind works—an early landmark in the field of cognitive science. The Sensory Order, first published in 1952, sets forth F. A. Hayek's classic theory of mind in which he describes the mental mechanism that classifies perceptions that cannot be accounted for by physical laws. Though Hayek is more commonly known as an icon in the field of economics, his genius was wide-ranging—and his contribution to theoretical psychology is of continuing significance to cognitive scientists as well as to economists interested in the interplay between psychology and market systems, and has been addressed in the work of Thomas Szasz, Gerald Edelman, and Joaquin Fuster. &“A most encouraging example of a sustained attempt to bring together information, inference, and hypothesis in the several fields of biology, psychology, and philosophy.&”—Quarterly Review of Biology
Haunted Santa Cruz, California (Haunted America)
by Maryanne PorterFrom inspiring Alfred Hitchcock&’s Psycho to being the stalking ground of serial killers, Surf City, USA, has a spooky history with a West Coast twist. Though generally a peaceful coastal city, the dark stains from Santa Cruz&’s past still linger. A former Spanish Mission, Holy Cross Catholic Church harbors a dark history of a brutal revolt of native Ohlone people that killed the cruel Fr. Andres Quintana. Frequented by mobsters and celebrities in its heyday, the famous Brookdale Lodge&’s most talked-about guest is the ghost of a little girl who died nearby in 1892 after nearly drowning. Terrorized by three different serial killers during the 1970s, the city earned the nickname of &“the Murder Capital of the World.&” Local resident Alfred Hitchcock derived inspiration for his iconic film Psycho from the haunted mid-nineteenth-century Hotel McCray. Tracing the city&’s eeriest incidents back to their roots, historical researcher and paranormal investigator Maryanne Porter details these and many more stories of local legend and lore. Includes photos! &“[Porter] vividly retells the darker aspects of Santa Cruz history, and shares recorded experiences, including some of her own, at popular local haunted sites like the Brookdale Lodge and Sunshine Villa.&” —GoodTimes
Haunted Akron (Haunted America)
by Jeri HollandThe ruins of an industrial past provide the perfect haunting grounds in this spirited Ohio city. Run down the apparitions that float down Rubber City streets and façades like the shadow of a passing blimp. Stroll along forgotten canals amid the restless chatter and clank of spirits cut down before their hard lives became easier. Catch a show at the Civic Theater with a &“former&” engineer who prophesied that death wouldn&’t keep him from work. A more restive spirit is that of John Tedrow, a twenty-something mauled and murdered during a drunken brawl in 1882; he wails for help and resolution. In this ghostly tour through Akron&’s haunted and sometimes brutal past, paranormal specialist and historian Jeri Holland digs into the ghost tales and local legends that linger here like this city&’s industrial heritage. &“Haunted Akron is a tour of events, places and creepy legends.&” —Ohio.com
Murder in Visalia: The Coin Dealer Killer (Murder And Mayhem Ser.)
by Ronn M. Couillard&“Recounts all the twists and turns of the case . . . two jury trials, a surprising appellate court ruling . . . and, decades later, a shocking development&” (Visalia Times Delta). One October morning in 1979, a stamp and coin dealer was gunned down in his Visalia shop. There were no witnesses. Persistent police efforts across jurisdictional lines connected it to another death. Two months earlier, the body of a Fresno coin dealer was found locked in the trunk of his car. The trail of evidence led to a most unlikely suspect. Author Ronn M. Couillard, retired judge and former Visalia district attorney, lays out the facts in this compelling case from the investigation to the court proceedings and the surprise that almost derailed the conviction. Includes photos!
Haunted Breckenridge (Haunted America)
by Gail WestwoodGhostly tales of Colorado&’s colorful—and chilling—past . . . photos included! From the old gold-mining towns of Summit County to skiing destinations in Breckenridge, eerie and true tales of life and loss in the Wild West abound in this corner of Colorado. The spirit of mutilated miner William Goodwin is said to haunt Blue River, warning of the dangers lurking below. Some say that the ghost of the widow Sylvia, who died destitute and alone at a boarding house on Main Street, still haunts the building today. Coldblooded killer Dr. Condon took revenge on his stalker and killed the town&’s favorite barkeeper. In this fascinating book, tour guide and author Gail Westwood explores the area&’s most haunted buildings and introduces the ghastly characters who seemingly never left.
Civil War Ghosts of Atlanta (Haunted America)
by Jim MilesThe author of the Civil War Explorer series unearths the ghostly legends and lore that haunt Georgia&’s capital city since the War Between the States. The Atlanta metropolis is one of America&’s most modern and progressive cities, it&’s easy to forget that 150 years ago it was the scene of a long and deadly campaign. Union general William T. Sherman hammered relentlessly against Atlanta at Kennesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, Ezra Church, and Jonesboro. Months later, as he began his infamous March to the Sea, much of Atlanta was destroyed by fire. Thousands died in the fighting, and thousands more succumbed to wounds and disease in large hospitals constructed around the city. Today, ghosts of Atlanta&’s Civil War haunt battlefields, hospital sites, cemeteries, homes, and commercial structures, all a testament to the tragic history of the city. Join author Jim Miles as he details the Civil War spirits that still haunt Atlanta. Includes photos! &“He&’s a connoisseur of Georgia&’s paranormal related activity, having both visited nearly every site discussed in his series of Civil War Ghost titles . . . Miles has covered a lot of ground so far from the bustling cities to the small towns seemingly in the middle of nowhere. This daunting task takes an inside look to the culture and stories that those born in Georgia grow up hearing about and connect with.&” —The Red & Black
Louisville Murder & Mayhem: Historic Crimes of Derby City (Murder And Mayhem Ser.)
by Keven McQueen&“Lovers of true crime will be thrilled to find a book devoted to Louisville&’s more iniquitous side . . . and McQueen captures it all with obvious glee&” (The Courier-Journal). Life in Louisville in the years following the Civil War, and through the turn of the century, was as exciting as it was dangerous. The city continued to grow as important urban hub of culture and commerce, connecting the South with the Midwest and Northern states. As Keven McQueen proves in this collection of morbid tales of crime and depravity, life in Louisville certainly had a darker side. Journey back to a time when Louisville&’s streets were filled with rail cars, its alleys populated by thieves, and its brothels hummed with activity. Whether it&’s the tale of the marriage of a convicted murderer to a notorious prostitute, or the exploits the criminal duo dubbed Louisville&’s Bonnie and Clyde, this is a true crime collection that is truly hard to believe. Includes photos!
The Beach at Night
by Elena FerranteA &“beautifully written&” dark fable from a doll&’s point of view—by the New York Times–bestselling author of The Lost Daughter and the Neapolitan Novels (The Washington Post). One of NPR&’s Best Books of the Year. Readers of Elena Ferrante&’s The Lost Daughter may recall the little doll—lost or stolen—around which that novel revolves. Here, Ferrante retells the tale from the doll&’s perspective. Celina is having a terrible night, one full of jealousy for the new kitten, Minù; feelings of abandonment and sadness; misadventures at the hands of the beach attendant; and dark dreams. But she will be happily found by Mati, her child, once the sun rises . . . &“Everyone should read anything with Ferrante&’s name on it.&” —The Boston Globe
The Cornfield: Antietam's Bloody Turning Point
by David A. WelkerThe Civil War battle in western Maryland that killed 22,000 men—and served no military purpose. For generations of Americans, the word Antietam—the name of a bucolic stream in western Maryland—held the same sense of horror and carnage that the date 9/11 does for Americans today. But Antietam eclipses even this modern tragedy as America&’s single bloodiest day, on which 22,000 men became casualties in a war to determine our nation&’s future. Antietam is forever burned into the American psyche as a battle bathed in blood that served no military purpose and brought no decisive victory. This much Americans know was true. What they didn&’t know was why the battle broke out at all—until now. The Cornfield: Antietam&’s Bloody Turning Point tells for the first time the full story of the struggle to control &“the Cornfield,&” the action on which the costly battle of Antietam turned. Because Federal and Confederate forces repeatedly traded control of the spot, the fight for the Cornfield is a story of human struggle against fearful odds, men seeking to do their duty, and a simple test of survival. Many of the firsthand accounts included in this volume have never before been revealed to modern readers or assembled in such a comprehensive, readable narrative. At the same time, The Cornfield offers fresh views of the battle as a whole, arguing that two central facts doomed thousands of soldiers. This new, provocative perspective is certain to change our modern understanding of how the battle of Antietam was fought and its role in American history.
The American Heroes Collection: Hal Moore, Shadow Commander, and American Guerrilla
by Mike GuardiaThree stirring military portraits—including a biography of the Vietnam War hero who wrote the New York Times bestseller, We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young. Hal Moore: A heroic commander in the Vietnam War, Harold G. Moore cowrote the New York Times–bestselling memoir of the battle at Ia Drang and was portrayed by Mel Gibson in the film We Were Soldiers. This &“outstanding&” and definitive biography expands on the account of that pivotal battle to encompass Moore&’s distinguished military career from the Korean War through his courageous and invaluable service in Vietnam (Armchair General). Shadow Commander: In World War II, US Army legend Donald Blackburn escaped from Bataan along with Russell W. Volckmann and organized the guerrilla fighters known as &“Blackburn&’s Headhunters&” against the Japanese. He would go on to play a key role in the Vietnam War, revitalizing Army Special Forces operations in Southeast Asia, spearheading Operation White Star in Laos, and eventually taking command of the highly classified Studies and Observations Group (SOG). Blackburn was also the architect of the infamous Son Tay Prison Raid, officially termed Operation Ivory Coast, the largest prisoner-of-war rescue mission of the Vietnam War. &“A follow-up to a fine bio of Russell Volckmann, this tale of guerrilla warfare spans from Bataan to Vietnam.&” —World War II Magazine American Guerrilla: Here is Russell Volckmann&’s own story, from his refusal to surrender at Bataan to raising a Filipino army of more than twenty-two thousand men and leading a guerrilla war against the Japanese for the next three years. When General Yamashita finally surrendered, he made his initial overtures not to General Douglas MacArthur, but to Volckmann. The progenitor of modern counterinsurgency doctrine, Volkmann wrote the field manuals that became the US Army&’s first handbooks outlining the precepts for both special warfare and counter-guerrilla operations, making him the true &“father&” of Army Special Forces. &“[Volckmann&’s private army] waged arguably the most successful guerrilla campaign of the entire war . . . Mr. Guardia argues, convincingly, that Volckmann deserves the title of &‘father&’ of Special Forces.&” —The Washington Times
The CIA War in Kurdistan: The Untold Story of the Northern Front in the Iraq War
by Sam Faddis&“A valuable history [and] a stark warning to Washington policy and strategy makers.&” —James Stejskal, former US Army Special Forces and CIA officer In 2002, Sam Faddis was named to head a CIA team that would enter Iraq to facilitate the deployment of follow-on conventional military forces numbering over 40,000 American soldiers. This force, built around the 4th Infantry Division, would, in partnership with Kurdish forces and with the assistance of Turkey, engage Saddam&’s army in the North as part of a coming invasion. Faddis expected to be on the ground in Iraq within weeks, the entire campaign likely to be over by summer. Over the course of the next year, virtually every aspect of that plan for the conduct of the war in northern Iraq fell apart. The 4th Infantry Division never arrived, nor did any other conventional forces in substantial number. The Turks not only refused to provide support, they worked overtime to prevent the United States from achieving success. And an Arab army that was to assist US forces fell apart before it ever made it to the field. Alone, hopelessly outnumbered, short on supplies, and threatened by Iraqi assassination teams and Islamic extremists, Faddis&’s team, working with Kurdish peshmerga, miraculously paved the way for a brilliant and largely bloodless victory in the North and the fall of Saddam&’s Iraq. That victory, handed over to Washington and the Department of Defense on a silver platter, was then squandered. The decisions that followed would lead to catastrophic consequences that continue to this day. This is the story of the brave and effective team of men and women who overcame massive odds to help end the nightmare of Saddam&’s rule. It is also the story of how incompetence, bureaucracy, and ignorance threw that success away and condemned Iraq and the surrounding region to chaos
A History Lover's Guide to New York City (History And Guide Ser.)
by Alison FortierThis guidebook to the Big Apple goes beyond the traditional tour, offering visitors a fascinating exploration of the city&’s rich history. New York is a city of superlatives. It has the largest population, greatest wealth, broadest diversity, and most elegant museums in the nation. With that comes an amazing history that you can experience firsthand with this unique guide. George Washington took his first oath of office on the steps of Federal Hall. Visitors can still dine at the famed Fraunces Tavern and worship at historic St. Paul&’s Chapel. From the Brooklyn Bridge to stunning skyscrapers, the city celebrates its own history and that of the nation. Join author Alison Fortier as she traces the history and heritage of America&’s largest metropolis.
Less Oil or More Caskets: The National Security Argument for Moving Away from Oil
by Gregory A. BallardThe former Marine and Indianapolis mayor issues &“a call to action to shift from gasoline to electricity in transportation&” to transform our foreign policy (Hoosier History Live). Every day, millions of Americans get behind the wheels of their car, peacefully unaware of where the gas that powers their vehicle originates. Only transportation and industrial uses consume significant quantities of oil in the United States, with transportation by far the dominant user. Electric power generated by oil is virtually nonexistent, while residential and commercial heating uses for oil continue to fall. In Less Oil or More Caskets, Greg Ballard profiles the history of US troops in the Middle East the last forty plus years and the impact the oil industry has had on our international politics. More than a recap, Ballard makes a call to action for American politicians and citizens to change their ideas about transportation in America. By changing the fuel in our vehicles and embracing new technologies in transportation, he argues that within two decades our nation and the world could be on the path to freedom from the current dependence on oil-rich nations. This would preclude the United States from having to send troops overseas to protect the supply of oil for the entire world, saving both dollars and lives. &“Ballard is still proud of his initiatives to reduce the city&’s reliance on gasoline and has transformed that zeal into a national policy. His book emphasizes his hopes to bring the troops home by cutting funds that go to terrorism.&”—The Herald Bulletin &“An important, admonitory argument and appeal that will reward determined readers with open minds.&”—Kirkus Reviews
My Brilliant Friend: Neapolitan Novels, Book One (Neapolitan Novels #1)
by Elena FerranteNamed the #1 Book of the 21st Century by the New York Times: The &“enduring classic&” about the lifelong friendship of two women from Naples (The Atlantic). Beginning in the 1950s in a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples, Elena Ferrante&’s four-volume story spans almost sixty years, as its main characters, the fiery and unforgettable Lila and the bookish narrator, Elena, become women, wives, mothers, and leaders, all the while maintaining a complex and at times conflicted friendship. This first novel in the series follows Lila and Elena from their fateful meeting as ten-year-olds through their school years and adolescence. Through the lives of these two women, Ferrante tells the story of a neighborhood, a city, and a country as it is transformed in ways that, in turn, also transform the relationship between two women. &“An intoxicatingly furious portrait of enmeshed friends.&” —Entertainment Weekly &“Spectacular.&” —Maureen Corrigan, NPR&’s Fresh Air &“Captivating.&” —The New YorkerBasis for the HBO series