This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it." Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive--dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son.

"Diamond has written a book of remarkable scope ... one of the most important and readable works on the human past published in recent years." Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a national bestseller: the global account of the rise of civilization that is also a stunning refutation of ideas of human development based on race. In this "artful, informative, and delightful" (William H. McNeill, New York Review of Books) book, Jared Diamond convincingly argues that geographical and environmental factors shaped the modern world. Societies that had a head start in food production advanced beyond the hunter-gatherer stage, and then developed writing, technology, government, and organized religion—as well as nasty germs and potent weapons of war—and adventured on sea and land to conquer and decimate preliterate cultures. A major advance in our understanding of human societies, Guns, Germs, and Steel chronicles the way that the modern world came to be and stunningly dismantles racially based theories of human history. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science, the Rhone-Poulenc Prize, and the Commonwealth Club of California's Gold Medal

Brilliant, illuminating, and immensely absorbing, Collapse is destined to take its place as one of the essential books of our time, raising the urgent question: How can our world best avoid committing ecological suicide? In his million-copy bestseller Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond examined how and why Western civilizations developed the technologies and immunities that allowed them to dominate much of the world. Now in this brilliant companion volume, Diamond probes the other side of the equation: What caused some of the great civilizations of the past to collapse into ruin, and what can we learn from their fates? As in Guns, Germs, and Steel, Diamond weaves an all-encompassing global thesis through a series of fascinating historical-cultural narratives. Moving from the Polynesian cultures on Easter Island to the flourishing American civilizations of the Anasazi and the Maya and finally to the doomed Viking colony on Greenland, Diamond traces the fundamental pattern of catastrophe. Environmental damage, climate change, rapid population growth, and unwise political choices were all factors in the demise of these societies, but other societies found solutions and persisted. Similar problems face us today and have already brought disaster to Rwanda and Haiti, even as China and Australia are trying to cope in innovative ways. Despite our own society's apparently inexhaustible wealth and unrivaled political power, ominous warning signs have begun to emerge even in ecologically robust areas like Montana. Brilliant, illuminating, and immensely absorbing, Collapse is destined to take its place as one of the essential books of our time, raising the urgent question: How can our world best avoid committing ecological suicide?

The national bestseller, now available in a non-illustrated, standard format paperback edition   The Power of Myth launched an extraordinary resurgence of interest in Joseph Campbell and his work. A preeminent scholar, writer, and teacher, he has had a profound influence on millions of people--including Star Wars creator George Lucas. To Campbell, mythology was the “song of the universe, the music of the spheres.” With Bill Moyers, one of America’s most prominent journalists, as his thoughtful and engaging interviewer, The Power of Myth touches on subjects from modern marriage to virgin births, from Jesus to John Lennon, offering a brilliant combination of intelligence and wit. This extraordinary book reveals how the themes and symbols of ancient narratives continue to bring meaning to birth, death, love, and war. From stories of the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome to traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, a broad array of themes are considered that together identify the universality of human experience across time and culture. An impeccable match of interviewer and subject, a timeless distillation of Campbell’s work, The Power of Myth continues to exert a profound influence on our culture.   From the Trade Paperback edition.

There's Magic in the Wilds. Maggie O'Shea expected the worst when her family relocated from the lively beaches of Boca Raton to the secluded forests of the Ozark Mountains. What she didn't expect was a new beginning - one full of Fae, magical powers, dangerous physical and mental trials, and two surprisingly gorgeous young men. These aren't the fairies you're familiar with, but dangerous superpowers embroiled in an enduring struggle among themselves over the fate of all humanity. Some want to protect us, and others would love nothing more than to see us, and especially fifteen-year-old Maggie, dead and buried. Now, torn between her new duties as Steward of the most sacred Fae land and her burgeoning love for Gavin, a powerful Fae, Maggie must fight to protect her family, her friends, herself, and the fate of the entire world. Join Maggie as she learns that fairy lore is not as far from the truth as she had believed, but neither is it anything like the tales in books or movies. As she navigates the treacherous schemes of the Fae, Maggie must become a quick study if she hopes to protect the lives of many, and possibly all, people from the insidious plot the Unseelie Fae have planned for centuries. The Steward is the first book in the exciting and magical four part series: the Weald Fae Journals by Christopher Shields.

From A Child Called “It” to The Lost Boy, from A Man Named Dave to Help Yourself, Dave Pelzer’s inspirational books have helped countless others triumph over hardship and misfortune.  In The Privilege of Youth, he shares the missing chapter of his life: as a boy on the threshold of adulthood.  With sensitivity and insight, he recounts the relentless taunting he endured from bullies; but he also describes the thrill of making his first real friends—some of whom he still shares close relationships with today.  He writes about the simple pleasures of exploring his neighborhood, while trying to forget the hell waiting for him at home.From high school to a world beyond the four walls that were his prison for so many years, The Privilege of Youth bravely and compassionately charts this crucial turning point in Dave Pelzer’s life and will inspire a whole new generation of readers.

"The Weald is at War!" Now a Maebown, and pitted against a swelling number of Fae siding with Ozara and the Alliance, Maggie is in more danger than ever—so is everything and everyone she cares about. The Alliance is on the move, forcing the original clans across the globe to choose between the enemy they know—Ozara—and an eighteen-year-old human they do not trust. As the Alliance unleashes its insidious plans, creating havoc the world over, Maggie builds a coalition—the last, best chance to defeat Ozara—but the young Maebown must overcome centuries of distrust the original clans’ harbor for one another. Lines are drawn, sides are chosen, allegiances are galvanized, and friends are lost. Maggie returns to the Weald to force a final showdown. THE MAEBOWN is the final book in the four-part epic fantasy series, Weald Fae Journals.

This is the second in a series of short stories based in the same world as the book series A Life in After World. Instead of telling the life story of one character, these stories tell the story of one day in the life of a person in After World.Dru’Ar is perfectly suited for life in the forest. His keen sense of smell alerts him to sources of food. His night vision helps him to see in the dark. And his fur not only keeps him warm but it’s mottled grey color makes it perfect for hiding in the shadows. Dru’Ar is a furry. His people have developed some animal like features that make them well suited for forest life. But Dru’Ar never felt comfortable in the forest. He likes the city. And so he has set out to make his life in Saint Ellwood.

In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden? Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward.

Having endured years of an abusive marriage, Grace Evans finally walks out on her loveless marriage and boards a train for York. Within hours of arriving in the ancient city, her destiny is changed forever by a portrait in her hotel room.Having endured years of an abusive marriage, Grace Evans finally walks out on her loveless marriage and boards a train for York. Within hours of arriving in the ancient city, her destiny is changed forever by a portrait in her hotel room. Haunted by the ghost of Robert Hamilton and confronted with a portrait of herself painted four hundred years ago, Grace has every reason to doubt her sanity. Then Grace finds herself four hundred years in the past, in the bed of the man who has haunted her. A man she barely knows but who, with just one kiss, filled the empty space that had been her shattered heart.How are Grace and Robert connected to Simon and Corran of ‘When Fate Dictates’?I’d love to tell you, but that would ruin the surprise, so I’m sorry folks, you are just going to have to wait for ‘Entwined’, book three of the Highland Secret Series.

To us humans the sex lives of many animals seem weird. In fact, by comparison with all the other animals, we are the ones with the weird sex lives. How did that come to be?Just count our bizarre ways. We are the only social species to insist on carrying out sex privately. Stranger yet, we have sex at any time, even when the female can't be fertilized (for example, because she is already pregnant, post-menopausal, or between fertile cycles). A human female doesn't know her precise time of fertility and certainly doesn't advertise it to human males by the striking color changes, smells, and sounds used by other female mammals.Why do we differ so radically in these and other important aspects of our sexuality from our closest ancestor, the apes? Why does the human female, virtually alone among mammals go through menopause? Why does the human male stand out as one of the few mammals to stay (often or usually) with the female he impregnates, to help raise the children that he sired? Why is the human penis so unnecessarily large?There is no one better qualified than Jared Diamond--renowned expert in the fields of physiology and evolutionary biology and award-winning author--to explain the evolutionary forces that operated on our ancestors to make us sexually different. With wit and a wealth of fascinating examples, he explains how our sexuality has been as crucial as our large brains and upright posture in our rise to human status.

Ph.D in Murder is a cozy mystery short by bestselling author R. Barri Flowers. A doctoral student’s independent study reenactment of the real life murder of Marilyn Sheppard ends with a modern day murder and killer on the loose.Ph.D in Murder is a cozy mystery short by bestselling author R. Barri Flowers. A doctoral student’s independent study reenactment of the well-known and still unsolved murder of Marilyn Sheppard ends with a modern day murder and killer on the loose.Also includes a bonus mystery suspense short, “Kill and Say Goodbye.” A woman discovers a dead woman on the beach that bears a striking resemblance to her.Included as well are excerpts from the bestselling women’s sleuth novel, Murder In Honolulu: A Skye Delaney Mystery, by R. Barri Flowers.PRAISE FOR MYSTERY AND THRILLER FICTION BY R. BARRI FLOWERS:“A heart-thumping thriller, this is that rare novel that is downright scary. Pick it up at your peril, because you won't put it down until you've read the last word." -- John Lutz, Edgar Winner and bestselling author of Twist on BEFORE HE KILLS AGAIN“A masterful thriller set in the dark underbelly of Maui, with lots of fine action, down and dirty characters, and the vivid details of police procedure one would expect from an author who is also a top criminologist. A terrific read!" -- Douglas Preston, co-creator of the bestselling Pendergast series of novels on MURDER IN MAUI."An excellent look at the jurisprudence system...will appeal to fans of John Grisham and Linda Fairstein." -- Harriet Klausner on PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE"An exquisitely rich and masterfully constructed mystery.... A savvy, smooth, and sumptuous read that's as hot as Waikiki beach sand." -- Jon Land, bestselling author of Strong Vengeance on MURDER IN HONOLULU"It gets no better than this! R. Barri Flowers has written another thriller guaranteed to hold onto its readers! -- Huntress Reviews on DARK STREETS OF WHITECHAPEL“A gripping and tightly woven tale you won't want to put down. Author Flowers neatly contrasts the natural beauty of a tropical paradise with the ugliness of murder and its aftermath." -- John Lutz, Edgar Winner and bestselling author of Pulse on MURDER IN MAUI"R. Barri Flowers writes with the passion and knowledge of someone who truly knows his craft. A steamy, non-stop thrill-ride through the seamy underbelly of Hawaii." -- Allison Leotta, former federal prosecutor and author of Discretion on MURDER IN MAUI“Flowers once again has written a page-turner legal thriller that begins with a bang and rapidly moves along to its final page.” -- Midwest Book Review on STATE’S EVIDENCE“A model of crime fiction .... Flowers may be a new voice in modern mystery writing, but he is already one of its best voices.” -- Statesman Journal on JUSTICE SERVED

"The Weald is No More!"Much has changed for Maggie O’Shea in the past eight months. The Weald is abandoned—its last Steward dead and the Seelie Clan in tatters. Maggie, her family, and her friends are on the run, frantically traversing the globe as they are hunted by Ozara’s Alliance, Rogue Fae, and a ruthless vampire tracker named Mara, who is capable of seeing through all of Maggie’s cleverest tricks and disguises.As Maggie travels deeper and deeper into Europe’s most ancient Fae territories, danger and destruction follow her at every turn. The only things that can save her? Discovering the identity of the Second Aetherfae—her most dangerous adversary—and learning the secret to creating Aether, the only weapon strong enough to destroy her enemy. And the clock is ticking.THE AETHERFAE is the third book in the four part epic fantasy saga, Weald Fae Journals by Christopher Shields. Look for the first and second books, THE STEWARD (Weald Fae Journals, Book 1), and THE CHANGELING (Weald Fae Journals, Book 2), also available on Amazon. For more information about the Weald Fae Journals, including exclusive story and character content, please visit: www.wealdfaejournals.com

An exceptional father-son story about the reality that tests us, the myths that sustain us, and the love that saves us. Paul Coates was an enigmatic god to his sons: a Vietnam vet who rolled with the Black Panthers, an old-school disciplinarian and new-age believer in free love, an autodidact who launched a publishing company in his basement dedicated to telling the true history of African civilization. Most of all, he was a wily tactician whose mission was to carry his sons across the shoals of inner-city adolescence--and through the collapsing civilization of Baltimore in the Age of Crack--and into the safe arms of Howard University, where he worked so his children could attend for free. Among his brood of seven, his main challenges were Ta-Nehisi, spacey and sensitive and almost comically miscalibrated for his environment, and Big Bill, charismatic and all-too-ready for the challenges of the streets. The Beautiful Struggle follows their divergent paths through this turbulent period, and their father's steadfast efforts--assisted by mothers, teachers, and a body of myths, histories, and rituals conjured from the past to meet the needs of a troubled present--to keep them whole in a world that seemed bent on their destruction. With a remarkable ability to reimagine both the lost world of his father's generation and the terrors and wonders of his own youth, Coates offers readers a small and beautiful epic about boys trying to become men in black America and beyond.

The Development of an Extraordinary Species We human beings share 98 percent of our genes with chimpanzees. Yet humans are the dominant species on the planet -- having founded civilizations and religions, developed intricate and diverse forms of communication, learned science, built cities, and created breathtaking works of art -- while chimps remain animals concerned primarily with the basic necessities of survival. What is it about that two percent difference in DNA that has created such a divergence between evolutionary cousins? In this fascinating, provocative, passionate, funny, endlessly entertaining work, renowned Pulitzer Prize–winning author and scientist Jared Diamond explores how the extraordinary human animal, in a remarkably short time, developed the capacity to rule the world . . . and the means to irrevocably destroy it.