The Public Library: A Photographic Essay


Robert Dawson - 2014
    Today, the more than 17,000 libraries in America also function as de facto community centers offering free access to the internet, job-hunting assistance, or a warm place to take shelter. And yet, across the country, cities large and small are closing public libraries or curtailing their hours of operation. Over the last eighteen years, photographer Robert Dawson has crisscrossed the country documenting hundreds of these endangered institutions. The Public Library presents a wide selection of Dawson's photographs— from the majestic reading room at the New York Public Library to Allensworth, California's one-room Tulare County Free Library built by former slaves. Accompanying Dawson's revealing photographs are essays, letters, and poetry by some of America's most celebrated writers. A foreword by Bill Moyers and an afterword by Ann Patchett bookend this important survey of a treasured American institution.

Perfect Husband: The True Story of the Trusting Bride Who Discovered Her Husband Was a Coldblooded Killer


Gary Provost - 1991
    As Lisa and Kosta Fotopoulos lay sleeping in their home, a burglar broke in and shot Lisa at point-blank range in the head. Miraculously, she survived to learn the sobering truth about her would-be assassin—and about her sociopathic husband's deadly agenda.

Fake: Forgery, Lies, & Ebay


Kenneth A. Walton - 2006
    Optimistic bidders went online to the world's largest flea market in droves, ready to spend cash on everything from garden gnomes to Mercedes convertibles. Among them were art collectors willing to spend big money on unseen paintings, hoping to buy valuable pieces of art at below-market prices. EBay also attracted the occasional con artist unable to resist the temptation of abusing a system that prided itself on being "based on trust." Kenneth Walton -- once a lawyer bound by the ethics of his profession to uphold the law -- was seduced by just such a con artist and, eventually, became one himself. Ripped from the headlines of the "New York Times," the first newspaper to break the story, "Fake" describes Walton's innocent beginnings as an online art-trading hobbyist and details the downward spiral of greed that ultimately led to his federal felony conviction. What started out as a satisfying exercise in reselling thrift store paintings for a profit in order to pay back student loans and mounting credit card debt soon became a fierce addiction to the subtle deception of luring unsuspecting bidders into overpaying for paintings of questionable origins.In a landscape peopled with colorful eccentrics hoping to score museum-quality paintings at bargain prices, Walton entered into a partnership with Ken Fetterman, an unslick (yet somehow very effective) con man. Over the course of eighteen months they managed to take in hundreds of thousands of dollars by selling forged paintings and bidding on their own auctions to drive up the prices. When their deception was discovered and made international headlines, Walton found himself stalked by reporters and federal agents while Fetterman went on the lam, sparking a nationwide FBI manhunt. His elaborate game of cat and mouse lasted nearly three years, until the feds caught up with him after a routine traffic violation and brought him to justice.In this sensational story of the seductive power of greed, Kenneth Walton breaks his silence for the first time and, in his own words, details the international scandal that forever changed the way eBay does business.

The Pearls of Love and Logic for Parents and Teachers


Jim Fay - 2000
    Book by Fay, Charles, Fay, Jim, Cline, Foster W.

Photographing the World Around You: A Visual Design Workshop


Freeman Patterson - 1994
    PHOTOGRAPHING THE WORLD AROUND YOU, is about learning to see and about using your camera to record and interpret what you see where ever you are.

It Came from Beyond Zen!: More Practical Advice from Dogen, Japan's Greatest Zen Master -- Vol. 2 of a Radical But Reverent Paraphrasing of Dogen's Treasury of the True Dharma Eye


Brad Warner - 2017
    That man was the Zen monk Eihei Dogen. For centuries his main work, the Shōbōgenzō, languished in obscurity, locked away in remote monasteries until scholars rediscovered it in the twentieth century. What took so long? In Brad Warner's view, Dogen was too ahead of his time to find an appreciative audience. As Warner writes, "He understood aspects of human nature that we take for granted today but that there weren't even words for in his time." In order to bring Dogen's work to a bigger audience in the West, Warner began paraphrasing the Shōbōgenzō, recasting it in simple, everyday language. The first part of this project resulted in Don't Be a Jerk, and now Warner presents this follow-up volume, It Came from Beyond Zen. Once again, Warner uses humor and pop-culture references to bridge the gap between past and present, making Dogen's words clearer and more relevant than ever before.

World's Worst Crimes: An A-Z of Evil Deeds


Charlotte Greig - 2012
    From the Woman in the Box and the Online Murderer to the Düsseldorf Vampire and the House of Horror, this book delves into every major category of crime, sifting through the evidence to present a grisly, compelling, and blood-spattered history of the worst crimes ever committed.

A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for a Beautiful, Affordable, and Stress-free Celebration


Meg Keene - 2019
    After all, what really matters on your wedding day is not so much how it looked as how it felt. In this refreshing guide, expert Meg Keene shares her secrets to planning a beautiful celebration that reflects your taste and your relationship. You'll discover:The real purpose of engagement (hint: it's not just about the planning)How to pinpoint what matters most to you and your partnerDIY-ing your wedding: brilliant or crazy?How to communicate decisions to your familyWhy that color-coded spreadsheet is actually worth itWedding Zen can be yours. Meg walks you through everything from choosing a venue to writing vows, complete with stories and advice from women who have been in the trenches: the Team Practical brides. So here's to the joyful wedding, the sensible wedding, the unbelievably fun wedding! A Practical Wedding is your complete guide to getting married with grace.

Shake Up Learning: Practical Ideas to Move Learning from Static to Dynamic


Kasey Bell - 2018
    This is a book about LEARNING! Technology is not a magic solution for education. It is an opportunity! An opportunity to shake things up, to connect and grow, and to create dynamic learning experiences for our students!   In this three-part book, you will explore WHY it's time to Shake Up Learning, WHAT changes we can make in our classrooms to support dynamic learning experiences, and HOW to plan meaningful lessons for your classroom. Rapidly evolving technology and the demands of the digital age are transforming not only the way we live but also the way we learn. The tools students are using are newer, sleeker, and faster than ever before. In some cases, the medium is even changing the message. One thing is certain: Educators cannot continue the status quo if they expect to equip young people for the world to come.  Here's the good news: With digital tools that are available 24/7, learning doesn't have to stop when the bell rings. Learning can take on a life of its own! Even better, technology can help you connect with students and empower them to grow and develop a lifelong love for learning--and it doesn't have to be scary or complicated.  Shake Up Learning is a powerful guide and planning tool to help educators at all grade levels make the most of technology. Educator and blogger Kasey Bell guides you through the process of using technology and proven techniques to make learning dynamic. You'll discover . . .  Practical strategies to help move from static teaching to dynamic learning Straightforward and easy-to-use templates for crafting engaging learning opportunities  Tips and tricks for fearless implementation of powerful lesson plans Advice for moving from one-and-done activities to learning that evolves and inspires throughout the school year--and beyond!  This is MORE than just a book! This is a full LEARNING EXPERIENCE! This book is jammed packed with ideas, lessons, and resources, but you can bring it all to life with the companion website, ShakeUpLearningBook.com, and the companion online course, The Dynamic Learning Workshop! Be dynamic! Shake up learning in your classroom this year.

50 Instructional Routines to Develop Content Literacy


Douglas Fisher - 2010
    Every teacher needs to use instructional routines that allow students to engage in all of these literacy processes. Classroom examples from science, social studies, English, math, visual and performing arts, and core electives ensure that all middle and high school teachers will find useful ideas that they can implement immediately. This book provides readers with examples of fifty evidence-based instructional routines that can be used across content areas to ensure that reading and writing occur in all classes. Evidence-based-a clear research base is presented with every instructional routine, helping you further understand when and why a particular approach should be used. Practical examples-for each instructional routine presented, a practical example is provided that illustrates ways this routine has been used in today's classrooms. Quick reference -- instructional routines are arranged alphabetically, and an index on the inside front cover specifies the literacy focus for each strategy and whether the strategy is meant to be used before, during, or after reading. Instructional routines- recommended actions a teacher can take to foster comprehension, such as thinking aloud, using Question-Answer Relationships, and teaching with word walls.

Vanished: Cold-Blooded Murder in Steeltown


Jon Wells - 2009
    A woman had wanted to leave him. You're not going anywhere, he told her. Later that day, a police officer reports to the house and finds some human tissue and organs in a bag left out for garbage. The person of interest in the case is a steelworker named Sam Pirrera, who lives in the house. But who is the victim? Sam's current estranged wife, Danielle? It is known that they had a stormy relationship; Sam had assaulted her as his coke addiction returned. Forensic detectives find traces of blood in the basement, and then the entire corpse, dismembered, the parts hidden behind a false wall and packed in boxes, each of the parts wrapped and doused in gasoline. The victim's identity is discovered through prints to be a prostitute named Maggie Karer. The dismemberment, defensive mutilation, is so calculated and deliberate, the detectives wonder, are there more victims? But Pirrera's first wife was named Beverly, and a woman named Lesa Davidson shows up at the police station to say she hasn't heard from her daughter-Beverly-in eight years. And Sam's estranged wife, Danielle, who is in fact alive, tells police that Sam had once told her he had killed his first wife and dumped her parts in a vat of molten steel at a steel plant. Detectives now pursue a double murder case, led by veteran homicide detective Peter Abi-Rashed, who had once chased a young Sam Pirrera on the streets of Hamilton's east end many years before. The outcome is shocking - and a mystery remains.

Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen


Brad Tolinski - 2021
    Since his band Van Halen burst onto the scene with their self-titled debut album in 1978, Eddie had been hailed as an icon not only to fans of rock music and heavy metal, but to performers across all genres and around the world. Van Halen’s debut sounded unlike anything that listeners had heard before and remains a quintessential rock album of the era. Over the course of more than four decades, Eddie gained renown for his innovative guitar playing, and particularly for popularizing the tapping guitar solo technique. Unfortunately for Eddie and his legions of fans, he died before he was ever able to put his life down to paper in his own words, and much of his compelling backstory has remained elusive—until now. In Eruption, music journalists Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill share with fans, new and old alike, a candid, compulsively readable, and definitive oral history of the most influential rock guitarist since Jimi Hendrix. It is based on more than 50+ hours of unreleased interviews they recorded with Eddie Van Halen over the years, most of them conducted at the legendary 5150 studios at  Ed’s home in Los Angeles. The heart of Eruption is drawn from these intimate and wide-ranging talks, as well as conversations with family, friends, and colleagues. In addition to discussing his greatest triumphs as a groundbreaking musician, including an unprecedented dive into Van Halen’s masterpiece 1984, the book also takes an unflinching look at Edward’s early struggles as young Dutch immigrant unable to speak the English language, which resulted in lifelong issues with social anxiety and substance abuse. Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen also examines his brilliance as an inventor who changed the face of guitar manufacturing.As entertaining as it is revealing, Eruption is the closest readers will ever get to hearing Eddie’s side of the story when it comes to his extraordinary life.

Teaching Arguments: Rhetorical Comprehension, Critique, and Response


Jennifer Fletcher - 2015
    Students need to know how writers’ and speakers’ choices are shaped by elements of the rhetorical situation, including audience, occasion, and purpose. In Teaching Arguments: Rhetorical Comprehension, Critique, and Response , Jennifer Fletcher provides teachers with engaging classroom activities, writing prompts, graphic organizers, and student samples to help students at all levels read, write, listen, speak, and think rhetorically. Fletcher believes that, with appropriate scaffolding and encouragement, all students can learn a rhetorical approach to argument and gain access to rigorous academic content. Teaching Arguments opens the door and helps them pay closer attention to the acts of meaning around them, to notice persuasive strategies that might not be apparent at first glance. When we analyze and develop arguments, we have to consider more than just the printed words on the page. We have to evaluate multiple perspectives; the tension between belief and doubt; the interplay of reason, character, and emotion; the dynamics of occasion, audience, and purpose; and how our own identities shape what we read and write. Rhetoric teaches us how to do these things. Teaching Arguments will help students learn to move beyond a superficial response to texts so they can analyze and craft sophisticated, persuasive arguments—a major cornerstone for being not just college-and career-ready but ready for the challenges of the world.

The Boy from Hell: Life with a Child with ADHD


Alison M. Thompson - 2013
    Daniel has pushed me to my absolute wits’ end. Sometimes it really does feel like he is the original child from hell.”When he was younger Daniel’s behaviour was challenging, earning him the nickname “the boy from hell” – and it was no real surprise when he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at the age of six.The Boy from Hell: Life with a Child with ADHD is the story of the first fifteen years of Daniel’s life, as told by his mum. From struggles to find the right schooling through diagnosis and medication to brushes with the law, it’s been a rollercoaster ride of a journey that every parent of a child with ADHD will recognise.As well as sharing their unique experience, Alison Thompson shares advice and information that has helped her along the way, and offers hope for the future for the many families living with an ADHD child. You’ll also hear about life with ADHD from the sibling’s perspective, and from Daniel himself.“A well researched, informative and accessible guide, full of practical tips for parents and professionals - especially teachers! This book is a must for anyone whose life has been touched by ADHD.”Dr Tony Lloyd, CEO, ADHD Foundation“The Boy from Hell is like a parents’ survival guide, offering private comfort and reassurance that it won’t always be like this, and though every battle may take you to the brink of exhaustion it will all be worth it in the end. Oh, and it’s proof that a mother’s instinct about her beautiful yet challenging son is always right!”Annemarie Main, mother of a child with ADHD

Anatomy of a Haunting: The Nightmare on Baxter Road


Lee Strong - 2013
    In 1981, Jon and Carlie Summers moved into an inherited home in rural Iowa, leaving behind their workaday lives as a lawyer and a professor in Chicago. Soon after moving in, Jon and Carlie’s lives begin a downward spiral as Carlie experiences violent dreams, possessions, hallucinations, and physical illness. Through old journals, nightmares, and personal encounters with evil, Carlie relives the history of the house, embodying its past of abuse, denial, obsession, broken lives, and death.Anatomy of a Haunting is a terrifying true story that leaves Jon dead and pushes Carlie to the brink of insanity. Through interviews and exhaustive research into the 150-year-old McPherson house, author Lee Strong delves into the history of the haunting and paints a nightmarish picture of one couple’s descent into supernatural madness.