In this witty and trenchant social analysis, James Twitchell shows how churches, universities, and museums have learned to embrace Madison Avenue rather than risk losing market share. Branded Nation uncovers a society where megachurches resemble shopping malls (and not by accident); where a university lives or dies on the talents of its image makers -- and its ranking in U.S. News & World Report; and where museums have turned to motorcycle exhibits and fashion shows to bolster revenue, even franchising their own institutions into brands. In short, says Twitchell, high culture is beginning to look more and more like the rest of our culture. But in perhaps his most subversive observation, he doesn't condemn this trend; on the contrary, he believes that branding may be invigorating our high culture, bringing it to new audiences and making it a more integral part of our lives. Savvy, sharply observed, and bitingly funny, Branded Nation is sure to both enlighten and entertain.

    BOOKS

    This book is about giving yourself the space—the mental margin—to reconnect with your creative self by trying new things and, yes, even by failing sometimes. With lush illustrations, empowering interactive prompts, and inspiring personal stories, Give Yourself Margin is the perfect gift for anyone who is looking to rediscover their spark.

    With a street value over eight million dollars, the grungy duo sets up a buyer then rumbles through Florida in their 1973 El Camino to unload the square grouper and end their financial woes. Unfortunately, in their efforts to make the rendezvous, they become unexpectedly entangled with a host of unsavory characters, including an expatriate haunted by his single testicle, a destitute real estate developer with a penchant for GMILFs, a toupee-wearing pederast, Florida’s first closet-gay Governor, and a game warden turned eco-maniac, all of whom must be dealt with as a Category 5 hurricane, Cyclone Tyrone, spins ashore.

    

    Things changed for her when the family moved to Oxfordshire. Lew was a doting, loving father who turned into an alcoholic and mentally and physically abused Agnes, his wife. She spent time in prison for a crime she didn’t commit, that’s when it all started. At the age of twelve Tina was being bullied at school, sexually, mentally and physically abused by Lew, and as a punishment he sodomised her. Over a period of two years he persistently raped her and beat her. When Agnes was released from prison Lew carried on raping Tina. Agnes never knew. Eventually Agnes plucked up the courage to divorce him. Tina couldn’t tell Agnes about the abuse, thinking she may not be believed. Everything got too much for Tina, she ran away from home and hitched hiked up to Scotland where the rest of the family lived, but got caught by the police in Edinburgh and returned home. She kept running away and ended up in Birmingham, where she got raped and impregnated by the rapist, she had a baby girl who died eight hours after birth. Tina was kept being put in hostels but kept absconding from them. She had a relationship with Alan and had his child but he denied it was his because his mother told him Tina had an affair with a black man and the baby was black. She met Dan and got into a relationship with him, she had his child and he ended up beating her. Tina married Keith who took on the two eldest children as his own. Tina found him out to be a serial adulterer and had a messy divorce with him going for custody of Naomi and not the other four. Tina married Omar, an Egyptian. He took her into hospital for an operation and after she came round they told her she had cervical cancer. Omar disappeared and came back two days later with no explanation where he’d been, and when she came home no one had seen him for a week. She phoned his friends to find out if they had seen him, they told her that he’d gone back to Egypt for a couple of weeks because his family needed him. The marriage lasted for another two years and eventually ended in divorce. Tina found out her abuser - her father - was in hospital dying with cancer. She went to make sure he was dying and ask him why he did what he did? She went to his funeral just to make sure he was dead and buried. As she passed his coffin she spat on it. Twenty-five years later the truth came out. Tina wasn’t a victim anymore, but the truth divided the family. Ann and Marie called Tina a liar and wouldn’t believe her because Marie asked Lew and he blamed Tina.

    

    When Rob's busy schedule leaves Sheila longing for love and affection, she falls into the arms of Jason, her husband’s brother.Jason is the handsome and powerful heir to The Young Family Empire. He has been married to his beautiful wife Karen for three years. He loves her and treats her like a queen, but lately, he seeks adventure. When he begins an affair with Sheila he finds out she is just the adventure he needs.After they decide they will keep their affair going, Jason creates some rules they both swear to abide by: Rule number one, our spouses come first. Rule number two, no falling in love, because I will never leave my wife. Rule number three, if anything starts to change or one of us breaks a rule, we end the affair. But when the rules get broken and secrets they both never could have imagined are exposed, the real drama begins. How far will Jason and Sheila go to protect and keep their affair going? In this Three Book Box Set, Readers Will Enjoy Over 100,000 words of page-turning drama and explosive love scenes!

    Her only care in the world is fast money, partying and designer labels. She doesn’t have real responsibilities or plans for the future. As far as she was concerned, only today was important. She will worry about tomorrow when it comes. No one is going to stop her from enjoying her life to the fullest. She refused to live the life she watched her mother endure by the hands of her father. Her and her brother, Tone struggled together after their parent’s death. Jiera is determined to make up for all the years she struggled as a young girl. No one else's opinions about her life mattered to her. King Owens is a twenty-five-year-old, handsome rich man. He was taken from his unfit mother and raised by his father and stepmom. King wants out of the life his father was determined he inherit. He doesn’t want the throne to his father’s drug empire. For now, he is living the life that he's determined to get away from. He has a beautiful, career-oriented woman in his life. A successful career, wealth, and a beautiful family was his goals in life. He is determined to have everything he wants, even if it means going against his father’s wishes. King and Jiera have totally different plans for their future. Upon laying eyes on Jiera, King couldn’t deny himself from having her for just one night. What happens when one night of passion binds the two together for the rest of their lives? The ones that supposed to love them the most are the ones trying to hurt them the most. Will lies, betrayal and deceit take the two on a journey together? Or will it tear them apart?