- Table View
- List View
Learn React with TypeScript 3: Beginner's guide to modern React web development with TypeScript 3
by Carl RipponStart developing modern day component based web apps using React 16, Redux and TypeScript 3 with this easy to follow guide filled with practical examples.Key FeaturesLearn the latest and core features of React such as components, React Router, and suspenseDive into TypeScript 3 and it`s core components such as interfaces, types aliases, tuples, generics and much more.Build small-to-large scale single page applications with React, Redux, GraphQL and TypeScriptBook DescriptionReact today is one of the most preferred choices for frontend development. Using React with TypeScript enhances development experience and offers a powerful combination to develop high performing web apps. In this book, you’ll learn how to create well structured and reusable react components that are easy to read and maintain by leveraging modern web development techniques. We will start with learning core TypeScript programming concepts before moving on to building reusable React components. You'll learn how to ensure all your components are type-safe by leveraging TypeScript's capabilities, including the latest on Project references, Tuples in rest parameters, and much more. You'll then be introduced to core features of React such as React Router, managing state with Redux and applying logic in lifecycle methods. Further on, you'll discover the latest features of React such as hooks and suspense which will enable you to create powerful function-based components. You'll get to grips with GraphQL web API using Apollo client to make your app more interactive. Finally, you'll learn how to write robust unit tests for React components using Jest. By the end of the book, you'll be well versed with all you need to develop fully featured web apps with React and TypeScript. What you will learnGain a first-hand experience of TypeScript and its productivity featuresTranspile your TypeScript code into JavaScript for it to run in a browserLearn relevant advanced types in TypeScript for creating strongly typed and reusable componentsCreate stateful function-based components that handle lifecycle events using hooksGet to know what GraphQL is and how to work with it by executing basic queries to get familiar with the syntaxBecome confident in getting good unit testing coverage on your components using JestWho this book is forThe ideal target audience for this book are web developers who want to get started with creating modern day web apps with React and TypeScript.You are expected to have a basic understanding of JavaScript and HTML programming. No prior knowledge of TypeScript and React is needed.
LLVM Code Generation: A deep dive into compiler backend development
by Quentin ColombetExplore the world of code generation with the LLVM infrastructure, and learn how to extend existing backends or develop your ownKey FeaturesUnderstand the steps involved in generating assembly code from LLVM IRLearn the key constructs needed to leverage LLVM for your hardware or backendStrengthen your understanding with targeted exercises and practical examples in every chapterPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBookBook DescriptionThe LLVM infrastructure is a popular compiler ecosystem widely used in the tech industry and academia. This technology is crucial for both experienced and aspiring compiler developers looking to make an impact in the field. Written by Quentin Colombet, a veteran LLVM contributor and architect of the GlobalISel framework, this book provides a primer on the main aspects of LLVM, with an emphasis on its backend infrastructure; that is, everything needed to transform the intermediate representation (IR) produced by frontends like Clang into assembly code and object files. You’ll learn how to write an optimizing code generator for a toy backend in LLVM. The chapters will guide you step by step through building this backend while exploring key concepts, such as the ABI, cost model, and register allocation. You’ll also find out how to express these concepts using LLVM's existing infrastructure and how established backends address these challenges. Furthermore, the book features code snippets that demonstrate the actual APIs. By the end of this book, you’ll have gained a deeper understanding of LLVM. The concepts presented are expected to remain stable across different LLVM versions, making this book a reliable quick reference guide for understanding LLVM.What you will learnUnderstand essential compiler concepts, such as SSA, dominance, and ABIBuild and extend LLVM backends for creating custom compiler featuresOptimize code by manipulating LLVM's Intermediate RepresentationContribute effectively to LLVM open-source projects and developmentDevelop debugging skills for LLVM optimizations and passesGrasp how encoding and (dis)assembling work in the context of compilersUtilize LLVM's TableGen DSL for creating custom compiler modelsWho this book is forThis book is for both beginners to LLVM and experienced LLVM developers. If you’re new to LLVM, it offers a clear, approachable guide to compiler backends, starting with foundational concepts. For seasoned LLVM developers, it dives into less-documented areas such as TableGen, MachineIR, and MC, enabling you to solve complex problems and expand your expertise. Whether you’re starting out or looking to deepen your knowledge, this book has something for you.
Empire of Shadows: The Epic Story of Yellowstone
by George BlackThe story of the conquest of America's majestic national landmark, a landscape uninhabited, inaccessible, and shrouded in myth in the Civil War's aftermath.Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist“George Black rediscovers the history and lore of one of the planet's most magnificent landscapes. Read Empire of Shadows, and you'll never think of our first—in many ways our greatest—national park in the same way again.” —Hampton Sides, New York Times–bestselling authorEmpire of Shadows is the epic story of the conquest of Yellowstone, a landscape uninhabited, inaccessible and shrouded in myth in the aftermath of the Civil War. In a radical reinterpretation of the nineteenth century West, George Black casts Yellowstone's creation as the culmination of three interwoven strands of history—the passion for exploration, the violence of the Indian Wars and the “civilizing” of the frontier—and charts its course through the lives of those who sought to lay bare its mysteries: Lt. Gustavus Cheyney Doane, a gifted but tormented cavalryman known as “the man who invented Wonderland”; the ambitious former vigilante leader Nathaniel Langford; scientist Ferdinand Hayden, who brought photographer William Henry Jackson and painter Thomas Moran to Yellowstone; and Gen. Phil Sheridan, Civil War hero and architect of the Indian Wars, who finally succeeded in having the new National Park placed under the protection of the US Cavalry.George Black's Empire of Shadows is a groundbreaking historical account of the origins of Yellowstone—”epic, essential and often bloody” (Washington Post).“Masterful and riveting. . . . Will forever change our understanding and conception of this sacred American place.” —David Grann, #1 New York Times–bestselling author
The Survival Game: How Game Theory Explains the Biology of Cooperation and Competition
by David P. Barash“An accessible, intriguing explanation of game theory . . . can help explain much human behavior.” —Seattle Post-IntelligencerHumans, like bacteria, woodchucks, chimpanzees, and other animals, compete or cooperate in order to get food, shelter, territory, and other resources to survive. But how do they decide whether to muscle out or team up with the competition?In The Survival Game, psychology professor David P. Barash synthesizes the newest ideas from psychology, economics, and biology to explore and explain the roots of human strategy. Drawing on game theory—the study of how individuals make decisions—he explores the give-and-take of spouses in determining an evening's plans, the behavior of investors in a market bubble, and the maneuvers of generals on a battlefield alongside the mating and fighting strategies of “less rational” animals. Ultimately, Barash's lively and clear examples shed light on what makes our decisions human, and what we can glean from game theory and the natural world as we negotiate and compete every day.“Draws out the implications of game theory for matters great and small, and does so in a thoroughly accessible and inviting way.” —New York Times–bestselling author Steven Pinker“Barash combines game theory with evolutionary biology, arguing that the strategic choices people make as they go through life [are] encoded in their brains by millions of years of evolution . . . His examples—including farm economics, jungle mating strategies and World War II battlefields—are convincing.” —Washington Post
A Promise to Ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce
by Mark Tabb Alec BaldwinIn this New York Times bestseller, an award-winning actor offers practical guidance to help others avoid the anguish he endured during his divorce.An Academy and Tony Award nominee and a recipient of Golden Globe, SAG, and Television Critics Association Awards for best actor in a comedy, Alec Baldwin is one of the best-known, most successful actors in the world. His relationship with Kim Basinger, the Academy Award–winning actress, lasted nearly a decade. They have a daughter named Ireland, and for a time, theirs seemed to be the model of a successful Hollywood marriage. But in 2000 they separated and in 2002 divorced. Their split—specifically the custody battle surrounding Ireland—would be the subject of media attention for years to come.In his own life and others', Baldwin has seen the heavy toll that divorce can take—psychologically, emotionally, and financially. He has been extensively involved in divorce litigation, and he has witnessed the way that noncustodial parents, especially fathers, are often forced to abandon hopes of equitable rights when it comes to their children. He makes a powerful case for reexamining and changing the way divorce and child custody is decided in this country and levels a scathing attack at what he calls the “family law industry.”When it comes to his experiences with judges, court-appointed therapists, and lawyers, Baldwin pulls no punches. He casts a light on his own divorce and the way the current family law system affected him, his ex-wife, and his daughter, as well as many other families. A Promise to Ourselves is an important, informative, and deeply felt book on a contentious subject that offers hope of finding a better way.
Indestructible: The Unforgettable Memoir of a Marine Hero at the Battle of Iwo Jima
by Jack H. Lucas D. K. DrumThe classic World War II memoir of a U.S. Marine's heroism at Iwo Jima from a Medal of Honor recipient.Foreword by Bob Dole“One of the most remarkable true stories one is ever likely to read.” —WWII HistoryOn February twenty, 1945, the second day of the assault on Iwo Jima—one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific theater in World War II—Private Jack Lucas, who was only seventeen, and three other Marines engaged in a close-proximity firefight with Japanese soldiers. When two enemy grenades landed in their trench, Lucas jumped on one and pulled the other under his body to save the lives of his comrades. Lucas was blown into the air as his body was torn apart by 250 entrance wounds. He was so severely wounded that his team left him for dead. Miraculously, he survived.While on the hospital ship Samaritan, his spirit soared to see the American flag flying atop Mount Suribachi—the same flag immortalized in Joe Rosenthal’s iconic photograph, Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima. Lucas endured twenty-one grueling surgeries and carried 200 pieces of shrapnel in his body for the rest of his life. Awarded the Medal of Honor, he became the youngest Marine in U.S. history—and the youngest of all World War II servicemen—to receive the honor.Indestructible tells the remarkable story of an extraordinary American possessed with a fierce determination to serve his country.
Tripping the Prom Queen: The Truth About Women and Rivalry
by Susan Shapiro BarashA professor of critical thinking and gender studies presents a groundbreaking investigation into the dark secret of female friendship: rivalry.Susan Shapiro Barash has exploded the myth that women help one another, are supportive of one another, and want each other to succeed. Based on interviews with women across a broad social spectrum, she has discovered that the competition between women is more vicious precisely because it is covert. She tells us:Why women can't and won't admit to rivalry.How women are trained from an early age to compete with one another.In which areas women most heatedly compete.How rivalry is different among women than among men.The differences between competition, envy, and jealousy.When competition is healthy and when it isn't.Why women find it irresistible to “trip the prom queen.”Useful strategies to stop the competition and forge a new kind of relationship with other women.Whether you've tripped the prom queen or been tripped yourself, you will discover an engrossing exploration of this female phenomenon, as well as a beacon of hope for better, more fulfilling relationships.“Tripping the Prom Queen is a must read for women who want to reach their full individual potential and form strong relationships with friends, family, and work colleagues. Although it pulls no punches in the ways women can be their own worst enemies, it also shows a way out for any woman wanting to improve her sense of self and her experiences with others.” —Rosalind Wiseman, New York Times–bestselling author of Queen Bees and Wannabees
Downtrodden Abbey: The Interminable Saga of an Insufferable Family
by Gillian FetlocksA parody of the beloved English Masterpiece TV series Downton Abbey that mocks the misfortunes of the upper class family and their lower class servants.Welcome to Downtrodden Abbey, where a battle for the deed to the property is waged between legitimate aristocrats and literal pretenders to the throne.The Crawfish family—Marry, Supple, Enid, Lady Flora, and Lord Roderick—are content wiling their days away with naughty charades and twenty-two course dinners until the sinking of the Gigantic takes down the next in line to inherit Downtrodden. Soon, cousin Isabich and her son, Atchew, the rightful heir to the Abbey, arrive to claim what's theirs. Downstairs, the servants are running amok, as crippled weakling Brace is aggressively courted by teen hottie Nana, and lady's maid “Potatoes” O'Grotten and her flamboyant sidekick, Tomaine, cause trouble at every turn.This ensuing, insufferably overwrought melodrama takes the reader upstairs and downstairs, into parlors and drawing rooms, boudoirs and bathrooms, and across every class—from the classiest to the classless—in the social pecking order of Edwardian England.Uproariously funny, with a wicked sense of humor that Downton Abbey diehards will enjoy, Gillian Fetlocks skewers your favorite characters with panache in this winning parody.
Accidental Revolution: The Story of Grunge
by Kyle AndersonAn in-depth history of grunge and the bands behind the pop culture music phenomenon including Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains.Grunge, a style of music that wed classic rock riffs with punk ethos, was the musical movement that defined the 90s and left an indelible mark on the music scene at large. But how did this musical phenomenon emerge from the Seattle underground to become a universal beacon of despair for millions of restless kids around the globe, and why did it resonate with so many disenchanted outsiders?Kyle Anderson answers these questions and more, examining the connection between grunge and punk, how Kurt Cobain's disdain for Axl Rose propelled Nirvana to instant success, the singer who officially killed off grunge with his trite lyrics and pseudo-grunge attitude, and the band that ripped off Pearl Jam, made millions of dollars by selling out to the media, and went on to become the most hated band ever.Accidental Revolution is an essential guide to the triumphs and defeats of a musical revolution and its unforgettable icons.“The way Kyle Anderson writes about grunge mirrors how the music sounded in 1993: Humor within seriousness, heaviness within distortion, enthusiasm within detachment. This book will make you get on the snake.” —New York Times–bestselling author Chuck Klosterman“Kyle Anderson details the roots, the rise, the demise, and the legacy rock and roll's last big thin. Anderson's witty, clear-eyed insights cut through the flannel haze to capture rock's last movement for what it truly was—and what it wasn't.” —New York Times–bestselling author Anthony Bozza
When Montezuma Met Cortés: The True Story of the Meeting that Changed History
by Matthew RestallA re-evaluation of the meeting between the Spanish adventurer and the Aztec ruler that challenges history's perspective about the conquest of the Americas.On November eight, 1519, the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortés first met Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, at the entrance to the capital city of Tenochtitlan. This introduction—the prelude to the Spanish seizure of Mexico City and to European colonization of the mainland of the Americas—has long been the symbol of Cortés’s bold and brilliant military genius. Montezuma, on the other hand, is remembered as a coward who gave away a vast empire and touched off a wave of colonial invasions across the hemisphere.But is this really what happened? In a departure from traditional tellings, When Montezuma Met Cortés uses “the Meeting” —as Latin American history professor Matthew Restall dubs their first encounter—as the entry point into a comprehensive reevaluation of both Cortés and Montezuma. Drawing on rare primary sources and overlooked accounts by conquistadors and Aztecs alike, Restall explores Cortés’s and Montezuma’s posthumous reputations, their achievements and failures, and the worlds in which they lived—leading, step by step, to a dramatic inversion of the old story. As Restall takes us through this sweeping, revisionist account of a pivotal moment in modern civilization, he calls into question our view of the history of the Americas, and, indeed, of history itself.“A new, startlingly persuasive picture of what actually happened during the Spanish Conquest, based on a radical question: What if the tough, canny leaders of these native military empires didn’t suddenly fold up like wet cardboard at the arrival of a couple of hundred bearded oddities from some faraway place?” —Charles C. Mann, author of 1491
The Hanging at Leadville
by Cameron JuddTwo newsmen are on the trail of an outlaw reputed to be dead in this historical novel of the American West.Welcome to Leadville. A melting pot of Irish and Swedes, steelworkers and scam artists. Growing faster than it can bear, tainted by the soot of smelters and the smell of whiskey, Leadville is the town where two reporters carrying pencils, pads and six-guns will meet their match.Brady Kenton, America's foremost traveling reporter, has come to the violent mining town to sniff out a story for Gunnison's Illustrated American. Alex Gunnison, son of the famous publisher, comes along for the ride, as Kenton's assistant and to keep the trouble-seeking journalist out of harm's way. But with a dead body found and lost, and an innocent boy running from a killer, the two men have more than a story on their hands. They're searching for a Civil War criminal who may be alive and well in Leadville—and up to his killing ways again . . .
After the Flood: A Novel
by Kassandra MontagA far future climate catastrophe novel about “a mother’s terrifying quest to find her missing daughter in a post-apocalyptic world.”*A Chicago Tribune Best Book of the YearA little more than a century from now, our world has been utterly transformed. After years of slowly overtaking the continent, rising floodwaters have obliterated America’s great coastal cities and then its heartland, leaving nothing but an archipelago of mountaintop colonies surrounded by a deep expanse of open water.Stubbornly independent Myra and her precocious seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, fish from their small boat, the Bird, visiting dry land only to trade for supplies and information in the few remaining outposts of civilization. Seven years have passed since Myra's oldest daughter, Row, was stolen by her father after a monstrous deluge overtook their home in Nebraska. Now, Myra discovers that Row was last seen in a far-off encampment near the Arctic Circle. Throwing aside caution, Myra and Pearl embark on a perilous voyage into the icy northern seas, hoping against hope that Row will still be there.On their journey, Myra and Pearl join forces with fellow seekers who hope to build a safe haven together in this dangerous new world. But secrets, lust, and betrayals threaten their dream, and after their fortunes take a shocking—and bloody—turn, Myra can no longer ignore the question of whether saving Row is worth endangering Pearl and her newfound friends.“Haunting and shocking.” —*New York Times–bestselling author Liv Constantine“A soaring, brilliantly imagined novel about love and desperation, set in an astonishing new world that still feels utterly gripping and contemporary.” —New York Times–bestselling author Karin Slaughter
Thanks for Coming: One Young Woman's Quest for an Orgasm
by Mara AltmanA young woman chronicles her search for an orgasm—and the elusive connections between sex and love—in this uproarious and touching memoir.“[Altman] writes about the parade of research scientists, professional dominants, and prospective boyfriends with self-deprecating humor and a grudging recognition of what others peg as her sexual and emotional immaturity. . . . Inspiring.” —Publishers WeeklyTwenty-six-year-old Mara Altman wanted to know what all the screaming was about. She’d lost her virginity at seventeen; grown up in southern California with sexually free parents; had lovers in India, Burma, and Peru; and spent a year in Bangkok observing all manner of depravity. And yet she was an attractive, successful, single woman in New York who’d never had an orgasm.And so she embarked on a wildly funny, emotionally resonant odyssey—a journey both inside and outside herself—only to discover that, for Mara, orgasm was connected to a part of her that no vibrator could reach. Thanks for Coming is one woman’s look at our obsession with and anxiety over the female orgasm. Her quest to get her own yields poignant results that will surprise even the sexually awakened among us. From sex shows to sex conventions, from a therapist's couch to her own couch, from the bedroom to the bar, Mara Altman proves to be a guide as hilarious as she is investigative.
Midlife Motherhood: A Woman-to-Woman Guide to Pregnancy and Parenting
by Jann Blackstone-FordHard-won advice from women for women having children and becoming mothers at middle age.“The future doesn't frighten me, but sometimes I wish there was help, a type of midlife mom roadside assistance—someone who would show up exactly when you need it and tell you how to handle the problem.” —Janice Stewart, mother at thirty-nine to JoshuaWhat's a woman to do when she's facing menopause, toddlers, and elder care all at the same time?Offering humor, warmth, and frankness, Midlife Motherhood is a handholding guide for the uninitiated, providing insight on such thoughts as:· Common fears and concerns: from Down's syndrome to being too old· Fertility challenges and what to physically expect from pregnancy· How to juggle postpartum demands—parenting, working, caring for aging parents . . . and all at once!· Getting back into shape· Hot flashes and warm bottles: coping with hormonal changes while caring for a new baby· and more!“This is the perfect gift for any mom over thirty-five. If your girlfriends missed it, treat yourself to this reassuring and helpful been-there, done-that book of wisdom.” —Valerie Davis Raskin, M.D., author of Great Sex for Moms
To Tell the Truth Freely: The Life of Ida B. Wells
by Mia Bay“Finally, we have a biography worthy of one of the bravest and most influential activists in U.S. history.” ―Michael Kazin, author of What It Took to WinBorn to slaves in 1862, Ida B. Wells became a fearless anti-lynching crusader, women's rights advocate, and journalist. Wells's refusal to accept any compromise on racial inequality caused her to be labeled a “dangerous radical” in her day but made her a model for later civil rights activists as well as a powerful witness to the troubled racial politics of her era.Wells's fight for racial and gender justice began in 1883, when she was a young schoolteacher who traveled to her rural schoolhouse by rail. Forcibly ejected from her seat one day on account of her race, Wells sued the railroad. Though she ultimately lost her case on appeal in the Supreme Court of Tennessee, the published account of her legal challenge to Jim Crow changed her life, propelling her into a career as an outspoken journalist and social activist.A fierce critic of the racial violence, Wells went on to launch a crusade against lynching that took her across the United States and eventually to Britain. Though she helped found the NAACP in 1910 after resettling in Chicago, she would not remain a member for long. Always militant in her quest for racial justice, Wells rejected not only Booker T. Washington's accommodationism but also the moderating influence of white reformers within the early NAACP.The life of Ida B. Wells and her enduring achievements are dramatically recovered in Mia Bay's To Tell the Truth Freely.
Inventing the Alphabet: The Origins of Letters from Antiquity to the Present
by Johanna Drucker“A rich, detailed account of how western thinkers have understood the origins and development of the alphabet.” ―BBC History MagazineInventing the Alphabet provides the first account of two-and-a-half millennia of scholarship on the alphabet. Drawing on decades of research, Johanna Drucker dives into sometimes obscure and esoteric references, dispelling myths and identifying a pantheon of little-known scholars who contributed to our modern understandings of the alphabet, one of the most important inventions in human history.Beginning with Biblical tales and accounts from antiquity, Drucker traces the transmission of ancient Greek thinking about the alphabet’s origin and debates about how Moses learned to read. The book moves through the centuries, finishing with contemporary concepts of the letters in alpha-numeric code used for global communication systems. Along the way, we learn about magical and angelic alphabets, antique inscriptions on coins and artifacts, and the comparative tables of scripts that continue through the development of modern fields of archaeology and paleography.This is the first book to chronicle the story of the intellectual history through which the alphabet has been “invented” as an object of scholarship.
Lonely at the Top: The High Cost of Men's Success
by Thomas Joiner“An important and insightful book about the vulnerability of aging men to isolation and loneliness.” ―Marianne Legato, MD, author of Why Men Die FirstMen appear to enjoy many advantages in society—on average they make more money, have more power, and enjoy a greater degree of social freedom than women. But many men pay a high price for the pursuit of success and power. Taking family and friends for granted, men will often let relationships take a back seat to their professional ambitions, only to ultimately find themselves with few real friends they can rely on in hard times. As a result, they turn to affairs, alcohol, and other self-destructive behaviors. Sadly, millions of men suffer untreated depression.In this groundbreaking and provocative book, award-winning clinical psychologist Thomas Joiner makes an impassioned call for society to recognize the harmful effects that solitude can have on men. Drawing on original research done for the National Institute of Mental Health, he focuses on the particular situations that leave men rudderless. He offers advice on support systems that are most useful to men, and he offers prescriptive advice on how men can improve their lives.“An effective exploration of why many men succumb to loneliness and the ways to assuage the condition.” ―Kirkus Reviews
The Photo Hustle: An Insider Guide on How to Book Clients, Get Paid, and Master the Business of Photography
by Karen WilliamsUnlock the Secrets to Commercial Photography SuccessThe Photo Hustle by Karen Williams is the ultimate guide for photographers looking to break into the world of commercial photography, providing insider knowledge on how to land and keep prestigious clients.#1 Best Seller in Photography Business & CareersLooking for photo jobs or careers in photography? Karen Williams, a seasoned photo editor for top brands like Netflix and Wired, reveals the insider knowledge you need to land your dream gigs. The Photo Hustle is the ultimate resource for photographers—beginners and professionals alike—ready to transform their passion into a thriving career in commercial photography. Photography isn&’t just about capturing stunning images; it&’s about understanding the business, overcoming workplace discrimination, and navigating the unwritten rules of the industry. Whether you&’re eyeing jobs involving photography, launching your first photo studio, or breaking into commercial photography, this book equips you with the tools to succeed and the confidence to thrive. Inside, you&’ll find: Practical steps for building your personal brand and landing photo jobs. Expert tips on pitching, creating estimates, and negotiating contracts for photography careers near you and beyond. Strategies to navigate workplace discrimination and adapt to industry trends in photography occupations. Perfect for those seeking photography books for beginners or seasoned pros looking to level up, The Photo Hustle is your go-to guide to break into the competitive world of commercial photography and claim the success you deserve.If you liked What They Didn&’t Teach You in Photo School, Learning to See, or Wisdom of Wildly Creative Women, you&’ll love The Photo Hustle.
Catherine the Great: Love, Sex, and Power
by Virginia RoundingThis biography of the longest reigning monarch of Imperial Russia is “a vivid portrait of a sensual and intellectual woman” (Washington Post).Dutiful daughter, frustrated wife, passionate lover, domineering mother, doting grandmother, devoted friend, tireless legislator, generous patron of artists and philosophers—the Empress Catherine II, the Great, was all these things, and more. Her reign lasted from 1762 until her death in 1796; during those years she built on the work begun by her most famous predecessor, Peter the Great, to establish Russia as a major European power and to transform its new capital, St. Petersburg, into a city to rival Paris and London in the beauty of its architecture, the glittering splendor of its Court and the magnificence of its art collections. Yet the great Catherine was not even Russian by birth and had no legitimate claim to the Russian throne; she seized it and held on to it, through wars, rebellions and plagues, by the force of her personality, by her charm and determination, and by an unshakable belief in her own destiny.This is the story of Catherine the woman, whom power alone could never satisfy, for she also wanted love, affection, friendship and humor. She found these in letter-writing, in grandchildren, in gardens, architecture and greyhounds—as well as in a succession of lovers which gave rise to salacious rumors throughout Europe. The real Catherine, however, was more interesting than any rumor.Using many of Catherine's own words from her voluminous correspondence and other documents, as well as contemporary accounts by courtiers, ambassadors and foreign visitors, Virginia Rounding penetrates the character of this most powerful, fascinating and surprisingly sympathetic of eighteenth-century women.
Sam Curtin
by Doug BowmanA struggling rancher turned manhunter finds vengeance more rewarding than dollars in this Western adventure.Times are hard for the Curtin clan. Farming and raising cattle don't bring in enough money, and payments on the ranch are due.Sam Curtin is the best there is with a six-shooter—and there are more wanted men than the law can handle. To save the ranch, Curtin brings ruthless criminals to justice—dead or alive. He becomes known far and wide as The Judge, a bounty hunter who will outdraw any man for a fair reward.But when his own brother is stabbed to death, there's more than money at stake.This time the bounty is revenge, in Doug Bowman's Sam Curtin.
Conservatism: An Invitation to the Great Tradition (Pelican Ser.)
by Roger ScrutonA brief magisterial introduction to the conservative tradition by one of Britain’s leading intellectuals.“One of the most eloquent and even moving evocations of the conservative tradition in Western politics, philosophy and culture I have ever read . . . the ideal primer for those who are new to conservative ideas.” —Wall Street JournalIn Conservatism, Roger Scruton offers the reader an invitation into the world of political philosophy by explaining the history and evolution of the conservative movement over the centuries. With the clarity and authority of a gifted teacher, he discusses the ideology's perspective on civil society, the rule of law, freedom, morality, property, rights, and the role of the state. In a time when many claim that conservatives lack a unified intellectual belief system, this book makes a very strong case to the contrary, one that politically-minded readers will find compelling and refreshing.Scruton analyzes the origins and development of conservatism through the philosophies and thoughts of John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Adam Smith and Milton Friedman, among others. He shows how conservative ideas have influenced the political sector through the careers of a diverse cast of politicians, such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Disraeli, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. He also takes a close look at the changing relationship between conservative politics, capitalism, and free markets in both the UK and the US. This clear, incisive guide is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand Western politics and policies, now and over the last three centuries.
The Missing Ink: The Lost Art of Handwriting
by Philip Hensher“Acclaimed British novelist Hensher . . . provides a droll and eclectic tour of handwriting history” —Booklist.“Rediscover the joys of writing. . . . Like a charming dinner guest, [Hensher] brims with fun facts, good humor and amusing reminiscences . . . [He] enlivens his musings about penmanship's demise with sharp insights and wry wit.” ―The New York Times Book ReviewWhen Philip Hensher realized that he didn’t know what a close friend’s handwriting looked like, he felt that something essential was missing from their friendship. It dawned on him that having abandoned pen and paper for keyboards, we have lost one of the ways by which we come to recognize and know another person. People have written by hand for thousands of years—how, Hensher wondered, have they learned this skill, and what part has it played in their lives?The Missing Ink tells the story of this endangered art, investigating historical changes in script, the role handwriting plays in the novels of Charles Dickens, and the claims made by the practitioners of graphology that penmanship can reveal personality. Hensher also celebrates the physical act of writing, paying tribute to the warmth and personality of the handwritten love note, postcards sent home, and daily diary entries.With the teaching of handwriting now required in only five states and many expert typists barely able to hold a pen, the future of handwriting is in jeopardy. Or is it? Hugely entertaining, witty, and thought-provoking, The Missing Ink will inspire readers to pick up a pen and write.“A winningly casual mix of cultural history and personal anecdote.” —San Francisco Chronicle“The wisest and wittiest argument imaginable for the preservation of handwriting . . . I am compelled to recommend it to everyone.” ―The Literary Review
Bare Bones: I'm Not Lonely If You're Reading This Book
by Bobby BonesThe #1 New York Times–bestselling memoir from The Voice of Country Radio, host of one of the most listened-to drive time morning radio shows in the nation.Growing up poor in Mountain Pine, Arkansas, with a young, addicted mom, Bobby Estell fell in love with country music. Abandoned by his father at the age of five, Bobby saw the radio as his way out—a dream that came true in college when he went on air at the Henderson State University campus station broadcasting as Bobby Bones, while simultaneously starting The Bobby Bones Show at 105.nine KLAZ. Bobby’s passions were pop, country music, and comedy, and he blended the three to become a tastemaker in the country music industry, heard by millions daily. Bobby broke the format of standard country radio, mixing country and pop with entertainment news and information, and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the business, including Luke Bryan, Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, and Jason Aldean.Yet despite the glamour, fame, and money, Bobby has never forgotten his roots, the mom and grandmother who raised him, the work ethic he embraced which saved him and encouraged him to explore the world, and the good values that shaped him. In this funny, poignant memoir told in Bobby’s distinctive patter, he takes fans on a tour of his road to radio. Bobby doesn’t shy away from the curves he continues to navigate—including his obsessive-compulsive disorder—on his journey to find the happiness of a healthy family.Funny and tender, raw and honest, Bare Bones is pure Bobby Bones—surprising, entertaining, inspiring, and authentic.
The Very Nice Box: A Novel
by Eve Gleichman Laura BlackettAn office romantic comedy novel about an eccentric product engineer at a hip furniture company whose charismatic boss seems determined to get close to her.Ava Simon designs storage boxes for STÄDA, a slick Brooklyn-based furniture company. She’s hard-working, obsessive, and heartbroken from a tragedy that killed her girlfriend and upended her life. It’s been years since she’s let anyone in.But when Ava’s new boss—the young and magnetic Mat Putnam—offers Ava a ride home one afternoon, an unlikely relationship blossoms. Ava remembers how rewarding it can be to open up—and, despite her instincts, she becomes enamored. But Mat isn’t who he claims to be, and the romance takes a sharp turn.The Very Nice Box is a funny, suspenseful debut—with a shocking twist. It’s at once a send-up of male entitlement and a big-hearted account of grief, friendship, and trust.“Laura Blackett and Eve Gleichman are linguistic magicians, and their sparkling debut manages to expose the hollowness of well-being jargon while exploring, with tender care and precision, how we dare to move on after unspeakable loss . . . [They have] constructed a mirrored fun house, one that leads us down different paths, each masterfully tied up at the end, yet reflecting and refracting our own quirky selves.” —New York Times Book Review, An Editors' Choice“Very funny—and perhaps the most original office satire of the year.” —Washington Post“The story charms, it entices, and it keeps the reader in their hands, wanting more.” —Los Angeles Review of Books
Being Strategic
by Erika AndersenA step-by-step guide for developing strategic thoughts and actions that are broadly applicable and thoroughly practical in business and life.Everybody talks about strategy, but there is a big gap between discussing strategy, defining strategy and actually being strategic—so you can accomplish something.Being Strategic helps you approach business—and life—strategically, explaining what strategy is, why it's important, and how to do it:• First, get clear about the problem you're trying to solve• Then, figure out where you're starting from• Now, imagine your “castle on the hill,” the future you want to create• Identify the “trolls under the bridge”; the obstacles in your path• Next, outline the path to the castle: your core strategies and the tactics for implementing them• Re-evaluate your strategy and your tactics as conditions changeFramed around the story of thirteenth-century Welsh nobles building an actual castle, and weaving in dozens of real-life examples from her practice, which has helped restaurateur Danny Meyer and many others, noted consultant Erika Andersen offers a complete course in turning around a business, or a life.“[A] clear, practical and powerful approach for navigating through tough times.” ―Bonnie Hammer, Vice Chair, NBCUniversal“Unlike most experts in her field, Erika Andersen has an approach to being strategic that's sensible and accessible. With her, you feel capable of creating the business, career and life you want. She's to strategy what Suze Orman is to personal finance.” ―Nancy Tellem, Former President, CBS Paramount Television Network Entertainment Group