Work absenteeism skyrockets. Political campaigns grind to a halt. Fans mortgage their houses to buy tickets. And teams employ every means possible—even consulting witch doctors and astrologers—in their quest for national glory. Veteran soccer commentator Jamie Trecker traveled to Germany for FIFA World Cup 2006. Here, reported from the restaurants, trains, bars, town squares, hostels, press boxes, and brothels, is his unvarnished account of the games and parties, great plays and fistfights, gossip and tacky souvenirs that turn the largest sporting event on earth into a true world bazaar. With equal measures insight and irreverence, Trecker captures the passion, politics, controversies, and economics that make soccer a reflection of the world.

    The Art of Smart Football is an eye-opening, fascinating and accessible contribution to our understanding of America’s favorite sport. The Art of Smart Football features analysis of football's top strategists and schemes, including: Pete Carroll's aggressive defense Chip Kelly's spread offense and new-school methods The roots of Bill Belichick's defensive genius Gus Malzahn's up-tempo offense The strategies Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers use to shred defenses Art Briles and Baylor's wide open attack Nick Saban's defensive evolution The book also includes explorations of the newest trends in football, including "packaged plays" that combine runs and passes into one play, "pattern match" defenses that blend man-to-man and zone pass coverages, how defenses are responding to the spread offense, and much more. Praise for The Art of Smart Football: "The Art of Smart Football made me a smarter football writer . . . Football, as presented by these coaches and by Brown, is such an imaginative game. It’s a great read: Go buy it." -- Peter King, The MMQB/Sports Illustrated"A must read if you are a football junkie." -- Trent Dilfer, ESPN/13-year NFL Veteran Quarterback"The best analysis in the game today."-- Rolling Stone"Awesome stuff. I recommend The Art of Smart Football to any coach or fan." -- Matt Bowen, ESPN Columnist/NFL Veteran"When Chris B. Brown releases a book, you should buy it."-- Bill Barnwell, Grantland/ESPN"A deep dive into football. Highly recommended."-- Field Yates, ESPN"The Art of Smart Football is a perfect read for anyone looking to take their knowledge of the game up a notch."-- ElevenWarriors.com

    David Wangerin's humorous and thorough book tells the story of American soccer's long struggle from the brief promise of the 1920's, through the euphoric highs and extravagant follies of the North American Soccer League, to today's hard-won acceptance.

    Since then, Argentina's World Cup victory has become the stuff of legend, particularly their infamous victory over England--only four years after the country's defeat in the Falklands War--which featured arguably the best goal in history (Maradona's "Goal of the Century") and the worst (the notorious "Hand of God"). But Argentina's victory came after months of struggle and discord within the team, including the Argentine government's attempt to remove the team's management, a lack of equipment that forced the players to buy their own uniforms, and an argument that caused the team's captain to quit on the eve of the tournament. Now, thirty years after Argentina's magical victory, Maradona tells his side of the story, vividly recounting how he led the team to win one of the greatest World Cup triumphs of all time.

    She's in L.A. How do you hold on to love when you're 5,000 miles apart? GinnyI thought I had it all.Good job, great friends and a loving boyfriend...Until I caught him with the sultry vixen from the fifth floor.I'm so done with men and their cheating ways.Until my fun-loving BFF drags me out for a night on the town.In walks a tattooed billionaire who curls my toes with his British accent.He's young, rich, powerful, and can't seem to keep his eyes off me.Only problem is... he goes back to his life in England in two short days.Oh, well. Nice while it lasted.TristanI grew up in construction, thanks to my overbearing father.But stuck in a suit, making deals in L.A. is so not my cup of tea.I may be the boss's son, but getting dirty and working with the guys on-site is where I'm at.Then a quiet drink at the bar and the sight of those delicious curves makes it all worthwhile.And I'm as happy as Larry when she offers to show me around her city before I leave.I'm captivated by her alluring smile and warm personality the more time I spend with her.I know I have to fly back to England, but she makes it even harder to go back there.I hope we'll meet again...soon

     Ada Houston is alone. Her grandfather has recently passed away and her brother is missing, last seen working on the Liverpool docks. Everyone assumes him to be dead. But she will not give up hope. Ada's determined search takes her to the Crimea where she joins the team of Florence Nightingale's nurses. She may have set off looking for her brother, but along the way Ada finds friends, romance and a new purpose in her own life in the most troubling and difficult of places.

    I read every book I could get my hands on and practised and practised, day after day and night after night. Magic became my world...some might say an obsession.” When you’re a kid life can seem tough; tougher for some than others. But the darkest of times can also be the most enlightening.When his late granddad showed him magic for the first time, Steven Frayne knew there was more to life than hiding from bullies. He had a destiny. A calling. In that moment Dynamo was born: the most exciting magician of the 21st century.Since then, Dynamo has shocked, thrilled and amazed men, women and children, from all walks of life, all over the world. With his mind-blowing illusions, he has catalysed a whole new era of magic.Now, in his very first book, Dynamo invites you to join him on a breathtaking journey across the globe. Be prepared to levitate Lindsay Lohan in Singapore, transform snow into diamonds in the Austrian mountains, and walk on water across the River Thames. Along the way, he reveals how to make the impossible possible, what it takes to pull off the greatest stunts man has seen, and why everyone needs magic in their lives.This is no illusion. This is the real story of the awe-inspiring Dynamo.

    102 appearances for England women’s national football team. First female pundit on Match of the Day. UN Women UK ambassador. Guardian columnist. All of these achievements belong to Eni Aluko, who, is keen to share her experiences, aiming to inspire readers to be the best possible versions of themselves. Aluko was appointed UN Women UK ambassador with a focus on promoting gender empowerment in 2016, and in October 2018 she was named by Marie Claire as one of ten Future Shapers Award Winners, recognising individuals who are changing women’s futures for the better. She is currently playing football for Juventus in Italy and writing a weekly column for The Guardian.They Don’t Teach This steps beyond the realms of memoir to explore themes of dual nationality and identity, race and institutional prejudice, success, failure and faith. It is an inspiring manifesto to change the way readers and the future generation choose to view the challenges that come in their life applying life lessons with raw truths of Eni’s own personal experience

    While it is often assumed that an interest in objects amounts to a form of materialism, Harman rejects this view and develops instead an "immaterialist" method. By examining the work of leading contemporary thinkers such as Bruno Latour and Levi Bryant, he develops a forceful critique of 'actor-network theory'. In an extended discussion of Leibniz's famous example of the Dutch East India Company, Harman argues that this company qualifies for objecthood neither through 'what it is' or 'what it does', but through its irreducibility to either of these forms. The phases of its life, argues Harman, are not demarcated primarily by dramatic incidents but by moments of symbiosis, a term he draws from the biologist Lynn Margulis.This book provides a key counterpoint to the now ubiquitous social theories of constant change, holistic networks, performative identities, and the construction of things by human practice. It will appeal to anyone interested in cutting-edge debates in philosophy and social and cultural theory.

    The direct sequel to Ender's Game! Thirteen year-old Ender Wiggin has saved mankind from an alien threat. His reward? Exile. Branded a monster by those who feel threatened by his military genius, Ender is suddenly a hero without a home.

     TOM: I’m loaded and can get any girl I want. But relationships are bullsh**t. I’ve been burned before - big time. I’ll never let that happen again. When I see that young curvy girl get up on stage At the county fair and announce that her virginity is for auction I’m intrigued. I know it’s a terrible idea in this small town, but my hard d**k is telling me otherwise. She’s a good girl but not for long. She doesn’t know what she’s in for with me. Her V-card is all mine. NICOLE: I hate this place. My dad is a filthy liar and I need to get out. To escape this sh*thole town and everyone in it, I’m willing to sell everything of value to the highest bidder - and I mean everything.

    He's a jerk. He's a bully. He's hot as hell. FML! Caleb Knight is every girls dream but my nightmare. Don't worry though, I can take care of myself. Things are becoming interesting when the star quarterback has his targets set on me, but Caleb keeps getting in the way! He won't leave me alone.I want nothing to do with him, but it’s hard  when he just so happens to be my neighbor. When my mom leaves on a much needed vacation, Caleb Knight and his family are asked to check up on me. More time with Caleb and his annoying brother, means more headaches. How can someone so good looking be so annoying? It’s hard to believe we were best friends when we were kids. It’s hard to believe I once had the biggest crush on such a douche.Caleb seems determined to stop any romance in my life.I'm completely peeved.It’s time I stand up for myself! This is Book One in the Hillview Academy series. This Young Adult/ New Adult romance is filled with secrets, parties, and raw chemistry. If you want an ultimate experience in teen angst and romance, than start reading and meet your new favorite bad boy.Please note that this is a high school bully romance story that may have some scenes that can trigger readers.

    

    Is Victorian masturbation anxiety the root cause of England's many World Cup failures? What links Roy Keane to a soldier who never lived but died in the Charge of the Light Brigade? And how did thick mud and wet leather shape the contours of the English soul? In this playful and highly original look at English football, David Winner, author of the acclaimed Brilliant Orange, journeys to the heart of Englishness itself, and shines a peculiar light on the true nature of a rapidly-changing game which was never really meant to be beautiful.

    The real problem for her lies in the fact that she can't get the fireman, the same man who rescued her, out of her mind and after a couple chance encounters, she can't get him out of her bed either. Reluctant to trust her heart to a man again, her efforts to push him away fail and when Misty's sister arrives and announces she's pregnant with Richard's child, Misty's life is once again turned upside down. It is the solace she finds in Aaron's arms and the all-consuming love she feels for him that helps her to realize that it's okay to forgive, forget, and trust again.