The Curious Barista's Guide to Coffee


Tristan Stephenson - 2015
    The ultimate guide to the history, science and community behind coffee. Here, Tristan Stephenson explores the origins of coffee, its journey around the world and cultural influence. A section on Farming, Roasting & Assessing coffee takes an in-depth look at the growing and harvesting process, the evolution of the coffee roaster and the science behind the many flavours of coffee. There is also advice on buying coffee, understanding the differences between espresso blends and single origin coffee, packing and storing. We then move into Espresso and get to grips with grinding and making espresso-based drinks including the latte, cappuccino, flat white and macchiato, as well as pouring latte art and introducing chocolate, sugar and syrups. Other Brewing Methods showcases a selection of classic brewing techniques that bring the coffee to your kitchen table, from the mocha pot and French press to pourover and siphon brewers. Finally a section on Enjoying Coffee offers 25 recipes for coffee-based drinks and baked treats to serve them with. From iced to Irish, espresso martinis to coffee beer, this is an essential anthology for the coffee enthusiast.

Lady Osbaldestone's Christmas Goose


Stephanie Laurens - 2017
     Three years after being widowed, Therese, Lady Osbaldestone finally settles into her dower property of Hartington Manor in the village of Little Moseley in Hampshire. She is in two minds as to whether life in the small village will generate sufficient interest to keep her amused over the months when she is not in London or visiting friends around the country. But she will see. It’s December, 1810, and Therese is looking forward to her usual Christmas with her family at Winslow Abbey, her youngest daughter, Celia’s home. But then a carriage rolls up and disgorges Celia’s three oldest children. Their father has contracted mumps, and their mother has sent the three—Jamie, George, and Lottie—to spend this Christmas with their grandmama in Little Moseley. Therese has never had to manage small children, not even her own. She assumes the children will keep themselves amused, but quickly learns that what amuses three inquisitive, curious, and confident youngsters isn’t compatible with village peace. Just when it seems she will have to set her mind to inventing something, she and the children learn that with only twelve days to go before Christmas, the village flock of geese has vanished. Every household in the village is now missing the centerpiece of their Christmas feast. But how could an entire flock go missing without the slightest trace? The children are as mystified and as curious as Therese—and she seizes on the mystery as the perfect distraction for the three children as well as herself. But while searching for the geese, she and her three helpers stumble on two locals who, it is clear, are in dire need of assistance in sorting out their lives. Never one to shy from a little matchmaking, Therese undertakes to guide Miss Eugenia Fitzgibbon into the arms of the determinedly reclusive Lord Longfellow. To her considerable surprise, she discovers that her grandchildren have inherited skills and talents from both her late husband as well as herself. And with all the customary village events held in the lead up to Christmas, she and her three helpers have opportunities galore in which to subtly nudge and steer. Yet while their matchmaking appears to be succeeding, neither they nor anyone else have found so much as a feather from the village’s geese. Larceny is ruled out; a flock of that size could not have been taken from the area without someone noticing. So where could the birds be? And with the days passing and Christmas inexorably approaching, will they find the blasted birds in time? First in series. A novel of 60,000 words. A Christmas tale of romance and geese.

DON’T HURT MY BABY: A Bad Boy Hitman Romance


Zoey Parker - 2018
     She’s a pawn in our twisted game. Caught between two killers. And we each have VERY different ideas on how to use her. She’s better off with me than she is with the sadistic scum who owns her. But that’s not saying much. Because I’m a killer and a beast. And when this beautiful prey falls in my path, You can be damn sure I’m going to devour her. After I’d had my fill, I thought I’d just throw her aside and get back to what I was doing: Putting a bullet in her drug lord owner. But I didn’t go through with it. There’s something different about this one. She’s special. Fragile. Worth protecting. And if she wants to survive this hellhole, she’ll have to recognize the truth – That I’m the only one who can keep her alive. She might not care about herself anymore. But there’s someone else whose life is worth saving… The life of the baby I put in her womb. I never thought I’d say these words. But if any man lays a finger on my little angels… I’ll kill him where he stands. DON’T HURT MY BABY is a standalone contemporary bad boy baby heist romance. It's hot, exciting, safe, and of course comes with a perfect HEA. It also includes bonus novels so you never have to stop reading!

Consequential Strangers: The Power of People Who Don't Seem to Matter. . . But Really Do


Melinda Blau - 2009
    . . . A mind-expanding and heart-opening book.”—Daniel Goleman, author of Social Intelligence Our barista, our mechanic, our coworker—they populate our days, but we often take them for granted. Yet these are the people who bring novelty and information into our lives, allow us to exercise different parts of ourselves, and open us up to new opportunities. In their unprecedented examination of people on the periphery, psychologist Karen Fingerman, who coined the term “consequential strangers,” collaborates with journalist Melinda Blau to expand on and make her own groundbreaking research come alive. Drawing as well from Blau’s more than two hundred interviews with specialists in psychology, sociology, marketing, and communication, the book presents compelling stories of individuals and institutions, past and present. A rich portrait of our social landscape—on and off the Internet—it presents the science of casual connection and chronicles the surprising impact that consequential strangers have on business, creativity, the work environment, our physical and mental health, and the strength of our communities. 1 chart.

We're Parents! The New Dad Book for Baby's First Year: Everything You Need to Know to Survive and Thrive Together


Adrian Kulp - 2019
     Quick advice—Key childcare tips are broken into short, convenient guides—unlike other new dad books, there’s no reading an entire textbook just to change a diaper. The big moments—Track your baby’s development at a glance with charts that lay out the most important milestones in one place. Who needs other new dad books when you have the expert guidance of We’re Parents! at hand?

How to Develop a Perfect Memory


Dominic O'Brien - 1993
    O'Brien is able to memorize the sequence of 36 shuffled packs of cards using his method.

The Social Photo: On Photography and Social Media


Nathan Jurgenson - 2019
    The glowing camera screen is the lens through which many of seek to communicate our experience. But our thinking about photography has been slow to catch-up; this major fixture of everyday life is still often treated in the terms of art or journalism.In The Social Photo, social theorist Nathan Jurgenson develops bold new ways of understanding photography in the age of social media and the new kinds of images that have emerged: the selfie, the faux-vintage photo, the self-destructing image, the food photo. Jurgenson shows how these devices and platforms have remade the world and our understanding of ourselves within it.

Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest


Zeynep Tufekci - 2017
    An incisive observer, writer, and participant in today’s social movements, Zeynep Tufekci explains in this accessible and compelling book the nuanced trajectories of modern protests—how they form, how they operate differently from past protests, and why they have difficulty persisting in their long-term quests for change.   Tufekci speaks from direct experience, combining on-the-ground interviews with insightful analysis. She describes how the internet helped the Zapatista uprisings in Mexico, the necessity of remote Twitter users to organize medical supplies during Arab Spring, the refusal to use bullhorns in the Occupy Movement that started in New York, and the empowering effect of tear gas in Istanbul’s Gezi Park. These details from life inside social movements complete a moving investigation of authority, technology, and culture—and offer essential insights into the future of governance.From New York Times opinion columnist Zeynep Tufekci, an firsthand account and incisive analysis of the role of social media in modern protest“[Tufekci’s] personal experience in the squares and streets, melded with her scholarly insights on technology and communication platforms, makes [this] such an unusual and illuminating work.”—Carlos Lozada, Washington Post “Twitter and Tear Gas is packed with evidence on how social media has changed social movements, based on rigorous research and placed in historical context.”—Hannah Kuchler, Financial Times

The Scarlet Promise


Sangeeta Kathuria - 2018
    This invisible red thread will never break and you will either find your way back to me somehow, or me to you.” This is the promise that Jack makes to Esha at the end of their precious week together in London. Esha has to return to India for her wedding to Dev, which has been arranged by her wealthy parents. Aware of her cultural commitments and knowing in her heart that they cannot have a future together, their separation is marked with a single promise. The turbulent years that follow are recorded in Esha’s journal, in the form of letters to Jack, which eventually find their way into his hands and which rock his world to the core. The rigid traditions and formalities of the social world of Amritsar, in which Esha is trapped, and to which Jack has no access, may well stretch their scarlet thread to breaking point. Can a single promise made seven years ago bring together two star crossed lovers in this gripping tale, spanning two cities?

Think Small: The Surprisingly Simple Ways to Reach Big Goals


Owain Service - 2017
    While it is undoubtedly good advice to set yourself goals that have the potential to make you and those around you healthier and happier, how to reach those goals is often less clear. From getting fit or securing a new job to becoming a better manager or parent, simply setting your mind to something will rarely get you where you want to be, and big plans can quickly become overwhelming, leaving us feeling as though we've failed.Most of us set goals with very good intentions, so why do our best-laid plans so often go awry? When we're so committed to making positive changes and fulfilling our ambition at the outset, is there a way of avoiding the common roadblocks that stand between our goals and us? Thankfully, the answer is yes - and it's much easier to achieve than you might think.Working inside the world's first Nudge Unit, Owain Service and Rory Gallagher know the huge impact that small changes and clear plans, based on a scientific understanding of human behaviour, can have from an individual to an international level. For the first time, Think Small takes these successful approaches and translates them into an easy, simple framework that has the potential to make a big difference to all our lives.

Videocracy: How YouTube Is Changing the World with Double Rainbows, Singing Foxes, and Other Curious Trends


Kevin Allocca - 2018
    (It would take you more than sixty-five years just to watch to watch the vlogs, music videos, tutorials, and other content posted in a single day!) This activity reflects who we are, in all our glory and ignominy. As Allocca says, if aliens wanted to understand our planet, he'd give them Google. If they wanted to understand us, he'd give them YouTube.In Videocracy, Allocca lays bare what YouTube videos say about our society and how our actions online--watching, sharing, commenting on, and remixing the people and clips that captivate us--are changing the face of entertainment, advertising, politics, and more. Via YouTube, we are fueling social movements, enforcing human rights, and redefining art--a lot more than you'd expect from a bunch of viral clips.

Fashion Photography 101


Lara Jade - 2012
    Lara shares her experience of fashion photography in the digital age, including dedicated sections on retouching, genres of fashion photography, and making the best use of social media. Whether you're taking your first-ever shot, working with a professional model for the first time, or pitching to new clients, here is everything you need to produce moody, magical images that leap from the page straight into the viewer's imagination.

HBR Guide to Project Management


Harvard Business School Press - 2011
    MEET YOUR GOALS—ON TIME AND ON BUDGET.How do you rein in the scope of your project when you’ve got a group of demanding stakeholders breathing down your neck? And map out a schedule everyone can stick to? And motivate team members who have competing demands on their time and attention?Whether you’re managing your first project or just tired of improvising, this guide will give you the tools and confidence you need to define smart goals, meet them, and capture lessons learned so future projects go even more smoothly.The HBR Guide to Project Management will help you:• Build a strong, focused team• Break major objectives into manageable tasks• Create a schedule that keeps all the moving parts under control• Monitor progress toward your goals• Manage stakeholders’ expectations• Wrap up your project and gauge its success

The Inner Game of Work: Focus, Learning, Pleasure, and Mobility in the Workplace


W. Timothy Gallwey - 1999
    His bestselling books The Inner Game of Tennis and The Inner Game of Golf, with over one million copies in print, changed the way we think about learning and coaching. But the Inner Game that Gallwey discovered on the tennis court is about more than learning a better backhand; it is about learning how to learn, a critical skill that, in this case, separates the productive, satisfied employee from the rest of the pack. For the past twenty years Gallwey has taken his Inner Game expertise to many of America's top companies, including AT&T, Coca-Cola, Apple, and IBM, to teach their managers and employees how to gain better access to their own internal resources.What inner obstacles is Gallwey talking about? Fear of failure, resistance to change, procrastination, stagnation, doubt, and boredom, to name a few. Gallwey shows you how to tap into your natural potential for learning, performance, and enjoyment so that any job, no matter how long you've been doing it or how little you think there is to learn about it, can become an opportunity to sharpen skills, increase pleasure, and heighten awareness. And if your work environment has been turned on its ear by Internet technology, reorganization, and rapidly accelerating change, this book offers a way to steer a confident course while navigating your way toward personal and professional goals. The Inner Game of Work teaches you the difference between a rote performance and a rewarding one. It teaches you how to stop working in the conformity mode and start working in the mobility mode. It shows how having a great coach can make as much difference in the boardroom as on the basketball court-- and Gallwey teaches you how to find that coach and, equally important, how to become one. The Inner Game of Work challenges you to reexamine your fundamental motivations for going to work in the morning and your definitions of work once you're there. It will ask you to reassess the way you make changes and teach you to look at work in a radically new way."Ever since The Inner Game of Tennis, I've been fascinated and have personally benefitted by the incredibly empowering insights flowing out of Gallwey's self-one/self-two analysis. This latest book applies this liberating analogy to work inspiring all of us to relax and trust our true self."--Stephen R. Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

A New Beginning


Michelle Stimpson - 2015
    Or the second. Now in her third marriage, Angelia is hoping for her happily-ever-after with former pro-football player Darren Holley. But soon after they move into their sprawling mini-mansion, Darren’s new job as a high school football coach in a trophy-hungry Texas town consumes him, leaving Angelia feeling like a single mother to her two children as well as Darren’s twin diva-daughters. Not to mention the drama from Darren’s mother, who can’t get over the fact that her son has married a woman with so much baggage. When Angelia confides in a few ladies from the local church, their nice, sweet, holy-wife advice may prove ineffective and too burdensome. Should Angelia cut her losses and get out before the ink settles on their marriage certificate, or will she finally learn the true meaning of marriage as she and Darren attempt to blend two very different backgrounds in the face of adversity and nosy church folk? A New Beginning is the first book in the Blended Blessings series by newcomer CaSandra McLaughin and bestselling author Michelle Stimpson.