First Christmas


Trevor McCall - 2019
    Her private equity firm just made a multi-billion dollar offer for a regional retail chain, and there were less than three months left to plan her lavish wedding to her perfect fiancé. Imagine her surprise when she yielded to her mother's request to make the trip home, only to find her childhood sweetheart waiting to pick her up at the airport. The same childhood sweetheart that broke up with her twelve years before on prom night of their senior year of high school.

An Irish Country Christmas


Alice Taylor - 1995
    Her tales of the season and the Irish countryside sparkle with magic -- from the gathering of holly to the capturing of geese. Taylor beautifully recalls the wondrous innocence of youth, where every snow-dusted corner of the landscape holds a joyful surprise.

My Nepenthe: Bohemian Tales of Food, Family, and Big Sur


Romney Steele - 1905
    My Nepenthe serves a big, gorgeous slice of American culture that I loved visiting through words and memory." --Deborah Madison, author of What We Eat When We Eat Alone and Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone "Romney Steele grew up in the lively bohemian milieu of Nepenthe on the Big Sur coast and knows all the stories worth telling. In My Nepenthe, an intimate, richly illustrated memoir with recipes culled from the restaurant's 60 years, she writes marvelously about her "crazy stew of a family" and especially her beloved grandmother, whose kindness and hospitality were legendary. --Caroline Bates, contributing editor, Gourmet magazineMy Nepenthe weaves together stories and tales about the famous California restaurant perched on the majestic cliffs of Big Sur. It celebrates the magic and history of place through food and the Fassett family who started Nepenthe.A lyrical feast written by the owners' granddaughter, Romney Steele, who grew up at the restaurant, My Nepenthe is as much about a family enterprise as it is about the Fassett family and their legacy. It recounts stories about the family's more than sixty-year history on the coast, the arts and architecture, and the colorful people who were the genesis of this legendary restaurant.My Nepenthe marks the restaurant's vibrant past as a gathering place and noted bohemian haunt, and its foray into the film industry during the shooting of The Sandpiper, featuring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. It also explores the lively scene that played out into the '70s, and onward through the current decade where it showcases Nepenthe's unique relationship with Pisoni Vineyards, owned by the renowned winemaker family. My Nepenthe includes more than seventy-five special recipes from the Fassetts, the restaurant, and the cafe, along with spectacular photography that completes the tale.Ultimately, My Nepenthe is a story about food, family, and the culture of place, and how it all unfolds around the table and why that matters.About NepentheLocated on the Big Sur cliffs 808 feet above the Pacific Ocean, Nepenthe Restaurant boasts sweeping views of the rugged Santa Lucia Mountains and the wild south coast of Monterey County. Angular mountains plunge into the crashing surf below, and on a clear day there is no limit to the scenery, unspoiled and immense in nature. Opened in 1949 by the Fassett family, the restaurant is nestled among native oak trees and a historic log cabin (now faced by brick) that was once owned by Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth.

The Matchmakers of Holly Circle


Chautona Havig - 2014
    Well, if so, Ruth and Richard are “the old masters” of the flirting game. Despite their strictly platonic relationship, there’s “something there,” as so many of their friends and families say. Neighbors and friends for ten years, neither seems willing to change the course of their relationship. Three doors down, at the end of the cul-de-sac, Mason Dickenson has watched his favorite neighbors with an interested eye, but he’s finally had it with the dance. So, with a pack of cards and a few tricks up his sleeve, he's determined to get them out of the "friend rut" and into romance. Thanks to Mason’s unique matchmaking scheme, Ruth and Richard concoct one of their own—a deeper, stronger, eternal love and relationship that nothing on earth can match.

The Epic Santa Chase: An Angus Adams Christmas Short Story


Lee M. Winter - 2015
    Determined to stop the thief, Angus uses everything he’s got and more. This fast paced story will have you running alongside him right up until the surprise ending that you won’t see coming.(A Christmas short-story for kids 9-12 years.)

The Christmas Elf


Carolyn Ridder Aspenson - 2016
    In The Christmas Elf, An Angela Panther Mystery Holiday Short, psychic medium Angela Panther, her sidekick and best friend Mel, and celestial super sleuth Fran join forces to help a lost elf find its way back home. Celebrate the holiday season with this quirky holiday women's sleuth mystery short story featuring Angela, Mel and the celestial super sleuth, Fran!

The Midrange Theory


Seth Partnow - 2021
    But what is a “good” shot? Are all good shots created equally? And how might one identify players who are more or less likely to make and prevent those shots in the first place? The concept of basketball “analytics,” for lack of a better term, has been lauded, derided, and misunderstood. The incorporation of more data into NBA decision-making has been credited—or blamed—for everything from the death of the traditional center to the proliferation of three-point shooting to the alleged abandonment of the area of the court known as the midrange. What is beyond doubt is that understanding its methods has never been more important to watching and appreciating the NBA. In The Midrange Theory, Seth Partnow, NBA analyst for The Athletic and former Director of Basketball Research for the Milwaukee Bucks, explains how numbers have affected the modern NBA game, and how those numbers seek not to “solve” the game of basketball but instead urge us toward thinking about it in new ways.The relative value of Russell Westbrook’s triple-doublesWhy some players succeed in the playoffs while others don’tHow NBA teams think about constructing their rosters through the draft and free agencyThe difficulty in measuring defensive achievementThe fallacy of the “quick two”From shot selection to evaluating prospects to considering aesthetics and ethics while analyzing the box scores, Partnow deftly explores where the NBA is now, how it got here, and where it might be going next.

Fall of the Phantom Lord: Climbing and the Face of Fear


Andrew Todhunter - 1998
    Again and again, protected by the rope, he fell. He decided then that it would not be in climbing but in falling that he would embrace his fear--bathe in it, as he says, and move beyond it.A captivating exploration of the daredevil world of rock climbing, as well as a thoughtful meditation on the role of risk and fear in the author's own life.In the tradition of the wildly popular man-versus-nature genre that has launched several bestsellers, Andrew Todhunter follows the lives of world-class climber Dan Osman and his coterie of friends as he explores the extremes of risk on the unyielding surface of the rock.Climbing sheer rock faces of hundreds or thousands of feet is more a religion than a sport, demanding dedication, patience, mental and physical strength, grace, and a kind of obsession with detail that is crucial just to survive. Its artists are modern-day ascetics who often sacrifice nine-to-five jobs, material goods, and the safety of everyday life to pit themselves and their moral resoluteness against an utterly unforgiving opponent.In the course of the two years chronicled in Fall of the Phantom Lord, the author also undertakes a journey of his own as he begins to weigh the relative value of extreme sports and the risk of sudden death. By the end of the book, as he ponders joining Osman on a dangerous fall from a high bridge to feel what Osman experiences, Todhunter comes to a new understanding of risk taking and the role it has in his life, and in the lives of these climbers.Beautifully written, Fall of the Phantom Lord offers a fascinating look at a world few people know. It will surely take its place alongside Into Thin Air and The Perfect Storm as a classic of adventure literature.

HUMMINGBIRD BAKERY CUPCKES AND MUFFINS


Tarek Malouf - 2010
    This book shares the bakery chefs' recipes for a range of deliciously light cupcakes with pretty buttercream frosting and muffins in a variety of flavours.

The Peanuts Guide to Christmas


Charles M. Schulz - 2017
    Featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, and the whole PEANUTS gang, The Peanuts Guide to Christmas celebrates the holiday season the PEANUTS way! This lovable cast of characters is always up to something leading up to Christmas. And now, with this gifty collection of beloved illustrations from the classic comics, fans of all ages can get in the spirit by cherishing all of their favorite PEANUTS Christmas memories. This PEANUTS holiday keepsake is for the millions of faithful Charles Schulz fans and those who fondly remember our best-loved beagle and his friends.

31 Inspirational Christmas Romances: Sweet Christmas Romance Box Set


Indiana Wake - 2017
     Do you like your romance sweet, and inspirational? Then you will love the 31 romances in this box set. They are all readers favorites and have been brought together for a short time only for your reading pleasure. 31 Bestselling romances by four bestselling authors giving you enough stories to keep you reading for a long time to come. If you love sweet and inspirational romance then you will love this because all the stories are suitable for any age and all are guaranteed to have a happy ever after. 31 Books, over 2000 pages, over half a million words, yes 500,794 words of wonderful romance. Enjoy these sweet romances which include historical, western, mail order bride, inspirational, Amish, Regency, and of course Christmas there is something here for every reader. Included: Christmas Miracle The Duke’s Secret Christmas Escape Amish Christmas Baby Christmas Baby The Duke’s Holiday Seduction The Christmas Bride & the Surprise Wedding The Duke’s Christmas Ball Selection The Burned and Rejected Bride A Twelfth Night Rendezvous A Sweet Amish Christmas A Christmas Miracle The Duke’s Christmas Visit Amish Christmas Gift The Shamed and Shunned Bride The Duke the Lady and the Christmas Rescue Amish Christmas Peace The Plump & Pregnant Second-Time Bride The Duke’s Christmas Memories A Season of Abundance The Frightened Bride & the Second Chance Groom The Wrong Duke His Amish Christmas Grace A Christmas Celebration A New Year Proposal Baby Rose – A Gift of Love A New Life for a New Year Kept from the Earl Young Rose – The Lost Girl A Christmas Gift for the lonely Doctor Rejected by the Duke Amish Rose – A Prayer for Rose Scroll up now and grab this Christmas Box Set now.

A Frame for Life: The Designs of StudioIlse


Ilse Crawford - 2014
    Studioilse, the award-winning design studio founded by Ilse Crawford, bridges the worlds of interior design, architecture, and product design with the philosophy of putting the human being at the center. Fascinated by what drives us and makes us feel alive, Crawford says: "When I look at making spaces, I don’t just look at the visual. I’m much more interested in the sensory thing, in thinking about it from the human context, the primal perspective, the thing that touches you." Featuring Studioilse’s work to date, from private residences to hotels, restaurants, and retail projects, this book illustrates the effectiveness of design grounded in human needs and desires. Layering materials and textures, combined with her understanding of human behavior, Crawford’s designs are sensual and accessible. A forerunner of the holistic design movement a decade ago, her humanistic approach has now become the norm. This volume illustrates why Crawford’s design philosophy is so seminal—her work has influenced not only a generation of Dutch and European designers, but also Americans due to her acclaimed Soho House New York. With new photography and essays by Crawford and design critic Edwin Heatcote, this inspirational volume is sure to be one of the most important design books of the year.

Christmas with Family & Friends


Gooseberry Patch - 2009
    Chapters include Homemade Memories, Breakfast & Brunch wtih Friends, Home for Christmas Dinner, Festive Family Desserts & more. Hardcover, 224 pages.

Mary Indiana


Anneke Campbell - 2004
    There’s just GOTTA be an explanation.But it’s not coming from Mary, as she’s quickly dubbed. She seems to have taken a vow of silence. So it’s up to the citizens of Bellingham to make their own miracles—or at least their own myths. The new celeb is instantly surrounded by hangers-on, miracle-seekers, paparazzi, preachers, and promoters—to hilarious effect.But are they dealing with an angel here, or someone playing an angle? Con, in a word, or icon? And by the way, what’s up with that strange light in the sky? Could be she came off a spaceship.Neither sacred nor profane, nor even paranormal, Campbell’s beautifully written book is at once funny and wise, a savvy story of how myths are made, how minds twist and turn around the extraordinary, how the human organism just can’t help grabbing for the supernatural, whether out of the spiritual need for a miracle or a mundane desire for cash.Think Barbara Kingsolver, Margaret Atwood, Anne Tyler, only really really funny.

Mary Engelbreit: The Art And The Artist


Mary Engelbreit - 1996
    This book features the most extensive collection of Mary Engelbreit's work ever published, and it represents nearly 40 years of Mary's art. The new paperback version features a revised preface.