Tom Reasons thought that a money bet was enough for him. Then he put his career, his love, even his life on the line. Tom is just a year out of school, a paralegal in a Wall Street firm, and he's already asking himself, "Is this all there is?" He's not finding any thrills on the job, and off it he sees his friends sliding into marriages and careers. He also finds himself spending way too much time thinking about his ex-girlfriend, Lisa. Tom's pleasures are few and simple - chasing good times in bars with his old gang from school, leading his dart team. But his real escape is gambling. Every Friday night he bets his paycheck on a single game. If he wins, he lives the high life - checking out bands, standing his friends drinks, going after girls. If he loses, it's ramen noodles and TV until his next check. Win or lose, though, it's all worth it to Tom, because the thrill of risking it all is what reminds him he's alive. Tom's life works surprisingly well - until he crosses Joe Duggan. Duggan is the tough Irish captain of the meanest dart team in the league, an outfit from Hell's Kitchen known as the Hellions. After Tom's team has the nerve to beat the Hellions for the league championship, Duggan wants a rematch - this time for a little money. When a little money becomes a lot, Tom's scramble through the underworld of New York to raise the money brings him, his friends, and Lisa into dangerous territory. When it all comes down to one throw of a dart, with everything on the line, Tom discovers what he's really wanted, really needed, all along.

    Frances Mayes offers her readers a deeply personal memoir of her present-day life in Tuscany, encompassing both the changes she has experienced since Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany appeared, and sensuous, evocative reflections on the timeless beauty and vivid pleasures of Italian life. Among the themes Mayes explores are how her experience of Tuscany dramatically expanded when she renovated and became a part-time resident of a 13th century house with a stone roofin the mountains above Cortona, how life in the mountains introduced her to a "wilder" side of Tuscany--and with it a lively engagement with Tuscany's mountain people. Throughout, she reveals the concrete joys of life in her adopted hill town, with particular attention tolife in the piazza, the art of Luca Signorelli (Renaissance painter from Cortona), and the pastoral pleasures of feasting from her garden.Moving always toward a deeper engagement, Mayes writes of Tuscan icons thathave become for her storehouses of memory, of crucible moments from which bigger ideas emerged, andof the writing life she has enjoyed in the room where Under the Tuscan Sun began. With more on the pleasures of life at Bramasole, the delights and challenges of living in Italy day-to-day and favorite recipes, Every Day in Tuscany is a passionate and inviting account of the richness and complexity of Italian life."

    Thou Shalt Not Be Horrible.Imagine for a moment what the world might look like if we as people of faith, morality, and conscience actually aspired to this mantra.What if we were fully burdened to create a world that was more loving and equitable than when we arrived?What if we invited one another to share in wide-open, fearless, spiritual communities truly marked by compassion and interdependence?What if we daily challenged ourselves to live a faith that simply made us better humans?John Pavlovitz explores how we can embody this kinder kind of spirituality where we humbly examine our belief system to understand how it might compel us to act in less-than-loving ways toward others.This simple phrase, Thou Shalt Not Be Horrible, could help us practice what we preach by creating a world where:• spiritual community provides a sense of belonging where all people are received as we are;• the most important question we ask of a religious belief is not Is it true? but rather, is it helpful?• it is morally impossible to pledge complete allegiance to both Jesus and America simultaneously;• the way we treat others is the most tangible and meaningful expression of our belief system.In If God Is Love, Don't Be a Jerk, John Pavlovitz examines the bedrock ideas of our religion: the existence of hell, the utility of prayer, the way we treat LGBTQ people, the value of anger, and other doctrines to help all of us take a good, honest look at how the beliefs we hold can shape our relationships with God and our fellow humans--and to make sure that love has the last, loudest word.

    From its first moment on air, the series's rich characters, subversive themes, and layered humor resounded deeply with audiences both young and old who wanted more from their entertainment than what was being meted out at the time by the likes of Full House, Growing Pains, and Family Matters. Spawned as an animated short on The Tracy Ullman Show—mere filler on the way to commercial breaks—the series grew from a controversial cult favorite to a mainstream powerhouse, and after nineteen years the residents of Springfield no longer simply hold up a mirror to our way of life: they have ingrained themselves into it.  John Ortved's oral history will be the first-ever look behind the scenes at the creation and day-to-day running of The Simpsons, as told by many of the people who made it: among them writers, animators, producers, and network executives. It’s an intriguing yet hilarious tale, full of betrayal, ambition, and love. Like the family it depicts, the show's creative forces have been riven by dysfunction from the get-go—outsize egos clashing with studio executives and one another over credit for and control of a pop-culture institution. Contrary to popular belief, The Simpsons did not spring out of one man's brain, fully formed, like a hilarious Athena. Its inception was a process, with many parents, and this book tells the story.

    With advice and psychological perspective, it gives you a range of defense strategies against such creatures.

    In his gripping and controversial new work, New York Times bestselling author Steven Pinker shows that despite the ceaseless news about war, crime, and terrorism, violence has actually been in decline over long stretches of history. Exploding myths about humankind's inherent violence and the curse of modernity, this ambitious book continues Pinker's exploration of the essence of human nature, mixing psychology and history to provide a remarkable picture of an increasingly enlightened world.

    Fat, they told us, was the enemy. Then it was salt, then sugar, then cholesterol... and on it goes. Americans listened and they lost -- but not their excess fat. What they lost was their health and waistlines. Americans are the fattest people on earth... and why? Mainly because of the food they eat. In this scientific and revolutionary book, based on Nobel Prize-winning research, medical visionary and former Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher Dr. Barry Sears makes peak physical and mental performance, as well as permanent fat loss, simple for you to understand and achieve. With lists of good and bad carbohydrates, easy-to-follow food blocks and delicious recipes, The Zone provides all you need to begin your journey toward permanent fat loss, great health and all-round peak performance. In balance, your body will not only burn fat, but you'll fight heart disease, diabetes, PMS, chronic fatigue, depression and cancer, as well as alleviate the painful symptoms of diseases such as multiple sclerosis and HIV. This Zone state of exceptional health is well-known to champion athletes. Your own journey toward it can begin with your next meal. You will no longer think of food as merely an item of pleasure or a means to appease hunger. Food is your medicine and your ticket to that state of ultimate body balance, strength and great health: the Zone.

    This trilogy includes: Taming Emma Emma had always been interested in exploring the world of BDSM, and given her desperate circumstances, this sounded like the perfect opportunity. One weekend of complete submission to the highest bidder among a select group of wealthy men, and her financial troubles would be over. Emma wasn’t really sure what to expect when she agreed to the deal, but one thing she definitely did not expect was Luke Roark. The moment Luke removed the blindfold and recognized the beautiful, nearly-nude young woman standing before him as Emma Lawson, his best-friend’s little sister, he knew what he had to do. However, after buying her contract with the intention of giving her a firm lecture and taking her home, he cannot help but imagine the things he could teach her. Emma spent many years as a teenager fantasizing about Luke, and when he is suddenly thrust into her life again she is torn between her fears and her desires, but her need to submit wins out. Emma chooses to stay and honor her contract, and she quickly finds herself on her knees before him, bare, bound, helpless, and forced to take whatever he wishes to give her… and he wishes to give her a great deal, relishing the chance to play Emma’s naked, trembling body like a finely-tuned instrument until she is blushing red and begging for more. It is not long, though, before both Luke and Emma can feel that something much more than just physical attraction binds them together, but can they put aside their painful pasts and embrace a future together? Taming Megan Jake Roark is the husband Megan never dreamed she could have—handsome, responsible, kind-hearted, and so much more. Before she ever said her wedding vows, though, she also knew that he was traditional enough to take a misbehaving wife in hand. When the bad habits from the wild life she led before she met Jake begin to resurface, Megan soon finds herself over his knee for a bare bottom spanking. Jake's firm hand and old-fashioned ways only increase her love for him, but when a mistake from the past is suddenly thrust into the forefront of her life and her marriage, will Jake's love for Megan be strong enough to keep her in his arms forever, no matter what he learns about her? Taming Naia Naia knows that Liam Roark has every right to be angry with her for sabotaging his career ten years ago with the accusation that he spanked her. When she seeks him out to ask his forgiveness, though, he will only give it on one condition: she'll have to accept the bare-bottom spanking she once falsely claimed to have been given. Although hesitant, Naia agrees, but after a painful and humiliating punishment which leaves her tearful and blushing, Liam sends her on her way. Despite her protests he is determined not to see her again… for his sake and for hers. He knows full well how strongly he yearns to dominate and have his way with her, and he fears she is far from ready to see that side of him. But Liam isn't the only one who has to come to terms with the past, and when Naia persists, he finds himself unable to resist the twenty-eight year old beauty any longer. Deciding to give her a taste of the life he lives, Liam brings her with him to his vacation home in Miami. He will demand her absolute obedience, thoroughly punish any defiance, and take her in any way he pleases, leaving her begging on her knees for more.

    Social media marketing is a cheaper and highly effective way to spread up-to-the-minute news; an easy, inexpensive way to enlarge your audience, customers, and business.Social Media Marketing For Dummies provides an indispensable resource for small businesses and start-ups looking for low-cost online marketing strategies, as well as for marketers in larger companies who want to be more involved with social media. Learn which social media site best fits you and your business and how to:Use Twitter, blogs, Facebook, and other social media outlets to full advantage Create your own online spokesperson for your brand Identify social media sites that appeal to your target audience Tell which social platform works for which objectives Develop a unique, Google-able voice in social media Optimize your page to attract clicks and customers Set up a program to assess your success and measure your results Social Media Marketing helps you learn the art of social media marketing to build your business to its full potential. Includes contributions by Michael Becker, Jeannette Kocsis and Ryan Williams

    Hundreds of thousands of women have been inspired to “use their head” and get real about the food they eat after reading the best-selling manifesto Skinny Bitch. But it turns out some men have been reading over their girlfriends’ shoulders. Professional athletes such as Milwaukee Brewers’ Prince Fielder and the Dallas Mavericks’ Jerry Stackhouse have adopted a whole new eating plan because of the book. Now authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin think it’s time for the guys to have a book of their own. In Skinny Bastard, they’ll explain why the macho “meat and potatoes” diet is total crap, why having a gut is un-cool (and a turn-off), and how to get buff on the right foods. Eating well shouldn’t be a “girlie” thing—and the Bitches will whip any man into shape with their straight-talk, sound guidance, and locker room language.

    

    The most common interference is the summoning of heroes and reincarnation. This story is no different except that in the process of calling the desired people, the efforts of three goddesses were messed with causing the summoned to not be the older brother or the father. Instead a four year old child was summoned. Backed by her love of fairy tales and folklore, we shall see how this young child with the help of her lazy best friend and pet cat will change the very face of the world starting from a tiny cloud and becoming a dungeon filled with any and all fairy tales she had heard of and watched.

     Tomas longs for adventure. Rejected by the villagers of Terrano all his life for his magical abilities, he knows peasants like him are not permitted to serve aboard the Seven Kingdom’s Starships. But when someone reports him for practicing the dark art of magic and Tomas has to run from his accusers, he finds himself caught up in a world of starships, alien worlds and mutant creatures. Join Tomas on his adventure through space!

    Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn brought to light struggles faced by women and girls around the globe, and showcased individuals and institu­tions working to address oppression and expand opportunity. A Path Appears is even more ambi­tious in scale: nothing less than a sweeping tap­estry of people who are making the world a better place and a guide to the ways that we can do the same—whether with a donation of $5 or $5 mil­lion, with our time, by capitalizing on our skills as individuals, or by using the resources of our businesses. With scrupulous research and on-the-ground reporting, the authors assay the art and science of giving, identify successful local and global initia­tives, and share astonishing stories from the front lines of social progress. We see the compelling, in­spiring truth of how real people have changed the world, upending the idea that one person can’t make a difference. We meet people like Dr. Gary Slutkin, who devel­oped his landmark Cure Violence program to combat inner-city conflicts in the United States by applying principles of epidemiology; Lester Strong, who left a career as a high-powered television anchor to run an organization bringing in older Americans to tu­tor students in public schools across the country; MIT development economist Esther Duflo, whose pioneering studies of aid effectiveness have revealed new truths about, among other things, the power of hope; and Jessica Posner and Kennedy Odede, who are transforming Kenya’s most notorious slum by ex­panding educational opportunities for girls. A Path Appears offers practical, results-driven advice on how best each of us can give and reveals the lasting benefits we gain in return. Kristof and WuDunn know better than most how many urgent challenges communities around the world face to­day. Here they offer a timely beacon of hope for our collective future.

     If you've been on social media lately, or turned on your TV, you may have noticed a lot of dumb ideas floating around."We know when history will repeat and when it won't.""We can tell the difference between evidence and coincidences.""The simplest explanation is usually true."Wrong, wrong, and dangerous!If we're not careful, loserthink would have us believe that every Trump supporter is a bigoted racist, addicts should be responsible for fixing the opioid epidemic, and that your relationship fell apart simply because you chewed with your mouth open.Even the smartest people can slip into loserthink's seductive grasp. This book will teach you how to spot and avoid it--and will give you scripts to respond when hollow arguments are being brandished against you, whether by well-intentioned friends, strangers on the internet, or political pundits. You'll also learn how to spot the underlying causes of loserthink, like the inability to get ego out of your decisions, thinking with words instead of reasons, failing to imagine alternative explanations, and making too much of coincidences.Your bubble of reality doesn't have to be a prison. This book will show you how to break free--and, what's more, to be among the most perceptive and respected thinkers in every conversation.