Of course, it’s not all cooking; we’ll also run the New York and Chicago marathons, pay visits to Cinderella and Lewis Carroll, and even get to the bottom of a tomato’s identity as a vegetable. This is not the math of our high school classes: mathematics, Cheng shows us, is less about numbers and formulas and more about how we know, believe, and understand anything, including whether our brother took too much cake.At the heart of How to Bake Pi is Cheng’s work on category theory—a cutting-edge “mathematics of mathematics.” Cheng combines her theory work with her enthusiasm for cooking both to shed new light on the fundamentals of mathematics and to give readers a tour of a vast territory no popular book on math has explored before. Lively, funny, and clear, How to Bake Pi will dazzle the initiated while amusing and enlightening even the most hardened math-phobe.

    She attended school against her parents' wishes. Despite her intellectual curiosity, she consistently failed her subjects because she couldn't keep up with the fast-paced, competitive, shame-inducing educational style.Flunking her 10th-grade finals just about extinguished her academic hopes. But one act of kindness radically changed her trajectory when an inspired acquaintance convinced her to redo the grade. Her new teacher--who was passionate and caring--taught students instead of subjects. A friend from her church gave her the finest tutoring, much-needed friendship, and even an example of a loving home and family.After completing 10th grade with top marks, she spent her remaining school years working tirelessly, eventually earning the Best All-Round Student award. Her passion for learning expanded into a passion for teaching; she pursued post-secondary degrees in America and began an influential career as a professor of education and international education consultant.Hong's eloquent present-tense narration animates scenes of family strife and academic struggle and evokes an astounding range of emotions--commiseration, frustration, and eventually elation. Something is always developing, whether it's the narrator herself or the plot.Though the memoir charts the author's intellectual growth, it also considers complex family relationships, poverty, Southeast Asian culture and education, disability, and determination. Hong demonstrates, through her own experiences, the pleasures and rewards of scholarship and effective teaching, and her account underscores how ordinary people can have life-changing effects on others.DescriptionWhen people first meet Barbara Hong, they often conclude that her life must have always been enriched. They assume she had loving, successful parents and all the support she needed to reach her goals. Nothing could be further from the truth.Hong's path to an Ivy League university and beyond started in a filthy tenement in Singapore where she lived with an abusive father and an illiterate mother. Even as a child of six, she worked in her sweatshop home to help with extra money, which her father often wasted on alcohol. As she endured his drinking and abuse, she feared that the pain she internalized could shatter her.But instead of falling apart, Hong managed to escape her misery, thanks to a teacher who believed in her. Once she knew she wasn't the brainless "cabbage head" her mother called her, she began excelling as a student, eventually finding the courage to leave her home and discover her true calling as a knowledge seeker, educator, and advocate.Hong's inspirational journey from a sweatshop home upbringing to influential professor movingly illustrates the true strength of the human spirit and the power of teachers.Failing UP was recognized as one of only 2% of books reviewed to earn a Kirkus STAR--the most prestigious designation in the book industry in awarding books of exceptional merit. To Read the Kirkus Review, visit: https: //www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ba...

    That’s what happens when you spend your life hunting monsters, though. This go-around everybody’s favorite over-the-top circus performers travel to Hemlock Cove, where they meet a group of witches they didn’t see coming, before heading to the Detroit area and visiting Poet Parker’s old stomping grounds. There, they come across with a family of snarky reapers who challenge their world view … and a group of at-risk street kids who are in danger of being swallowed whole by a dark enemy. Finally, they stop at Mammoth Caves, where vampires (and something a little more sinister) seem to be taking over a small town and leaving nothing but devastation in their wake. It’s going to be a bumpy ride, but Mystic Caravan is up for the challenge. This three-book omnibus includes: Freaky Witches, Freaky Reapers and Freaky Fangs.

    A "legit fan base" as my fellow "influencer" Katya Vlahos describes it, and even better, they're not made up of women who only clicked Follow to hate on me.And yes, I do know I've used more "air quotes" than what's appropriate for a single paragraph, but the thing is, that whole air quote thing also perfectly sums up my feelings about the past five years.Everything that's happened since the post is like one long air quote: I'm a nobody the whole world has mistaken for somebody, and I feel like it's only a matter of time before everyone wises up to the truth.If my life were a romance novel, I'd never be the girl who would end up with Prince Charming, and I don't think you'd even see my name pop up until Chapter Three. If my life were a romance novel, I'd just be the hero's token best friend. The kind of girl guys hang out with until they fall in love with someone else. If my life were a romance novel, someone as gorgeous as Aidan Blackwood shouldn't even know I exist...so why have I caught him checking me out like I'm his next meal?

    Each book completes a story arc, but it includes a series cliffhanger that connects Books 1-4; And then Books 5-8. IN BOOK 7 OF THE TOTLANDIA EPISODIC SERIES: For the women of Totlandia, spring brings new life and emotional renewal: A big question for Bettina is whether she'll succumb to an easy fix for her problems, or will she embrace the challenge that may lead to the financial and emotional freedom she craves... At the same time, Bettina's mysterious disappearances are adding to Lorna's anxieties to keep the club on an even keel up until she delivers her twins. Little does she know that a cruel trick by the power-hungry Kelly will curdle Lorna's relationship with her mother-in-law, Eleanor; Jillian is fighting her former mother-in-law for custody of her deceased ex-husband's infant child. The good news: Caleb has taken to his new role as über-dad with gusto. The bad news: it’s causing trouble in the Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club; As for Jade, she is given an opportunity of a lifetime to prove herself: both as an academic researcher, and as the perfect partner for her fiánce, Reggie. But will his assistant Samantha's attentions come between them? And Brady's quest to reunite Ally with her father may be the one thing that will tear their relationship apart; Last but not least: Top Moms are in full revolt. They know that their only hope of getting out from under Bettina’s thumb is to secure their secrets-filled files hidden deep within a sculpture to be auctioned off with the rest of her possessions. Let the bidding begin! REVIEWS FOR THE TOTLANDIA SERIES “I love a good mommy send-up as much as the next gal, and this peek into the ridiculousness of the San Francisco uppercrust is delightful. Whether or not you’ve ever had the pleasure (or pain) of joining a playgroup, Brown’s tale is as charming as it is cringeworthy. I laughed, I winced, I kept scrolling.” —Romantic Times “With affairs, pending divorces, secret jobs and unsavory pasts, each wannabe member hides something that could blow her chances for good.Like the characters in reality shows such as “Dance Moms,” the women in Pacific Heights might be over-the-top, but in the end the best interests of their kids are (almost) always at heart. Laugh-out-loud funny and sometimes touching, the “Totlandia” novellas serve as the perfect quick read for busy moms or anyone looking to escape with some gossipy fun.” —Examiner.com “Josie Brown writes Totlandia with her usual storytelling flair. The dialogue is smooth and flowing. The characters are easy to side with or become angry with, depending on each situation. The scenery is easy to visualize. And we mustn’t forget all the sex (blushworthy, at that) and scandal that is a staple of a true Josie Brown novel. Totlandia: The Onesies (book one) kept me entertained and on my toes the entire time. It showed that there are mothers who are human and sometimes screw up even with the best intentions at hand. It’s like a soap opera for mommies. Guilty pleasure, anyone?!? I look forward to reading book two next and will share my thoughts on that one, as well!”—Melissa Amster, ChickLitCentral.com “This book is wonderfully written and has more than just drama. There are touching moments, parts that made me laugh out loud, and as I read the story I felt like I was reading a television show!”—Divine Secrets of a Domestic Goddess

    Learners develop useful and relevant vocabulary while exploring and expanding critical thinking skills.

    One of those victims — his wife. As he gets closer to finding the killer, he falls deeper into an elaborate conspiracy.A man wakes buried alive with no memory of who or what he is. In his pocket, a note: “Avoid the sunlight and don’t touch anybody.” Now he is being hunted by the FBI while trying to remember his monstrous past. He must control the darkness within before it consumes him and the child whose life he must protect.11-year-old Abigail was dying slowly each day as the prisoner of a sick man. Until she is saved by the most unlikely of heroes — a vampire with a deadly touch. He is her only hope, and she may hold the key to unlocking the memories of his hidden past.Past, present, fate, and future are on a collision course as the hours of AVAILABLE DARKNESS are ticking away and a force greater than anything the world has ever seen threatens humanity.Available Darkness is an epic serialized journey that reinvents vampire mythology with a fast paced, character-driven thriller that blends action, mystery, fantasy, and horror in an addictive, tragically romantic story.As usual, episode prices will be .99 during the season. After we release the full compilation on Oct. 31, episodes will go to $2.99, but the full season will be available for $5.99.SEASON TWO COMING SOON