A Gentleman Gets Dressed Up: What to Wear, When to Wear it, How to Wear it


John Bridges - 2003
    It answers such questions as: What does "black tie optional" mean? What do I wear to a wedding at 7:00 on a Saturday evening? What do I wear to a job interview? What do I wear to a second interview, even if they observe a casual dress code? What do I wear to the Academy Awards? What do I wear to a funeral? And what button do I leave open on my suit coat?This GentleManners book is divided into sections about specific items of clothing and specific accessories. It also delves into the different types of events to which a gentleman may find himself invited. The book concludes with sections on extreme etiquette, such as what to wear to meet the pope, and a section on fashion emergencies, such as what to do when your pants split.A gentleman knows that dressing up may require going to great pains; but it does not require that he feel any pain at all.A gentleman knows that a formal shirt does not have a button-down collar.A colorblind gentleman is not ashamed to mention his disability to a clothing salesperson and to ask for assistance in selecting a shirt or tie to match a suit.

Behind Deep Blue: Building the Computer That Defeated the World Chess Champion


Feng-Hsiung Hsu - 2002
    Written by the man who started the adventure, Behind Deep Blue reveals the inside story of what happened behind the scenes at the two historic Deep Blue vs. Kasparov matches. This is also the story behind the quest to create the mother of all chess machines. The book unveils how a modest student project eventually produced a multimillion dollar supercomputer, from the development of the scientific ideas through technical setbacks, rivalry in the race to develop the ultimate chess machine, and wild controversies to the final triumph over the world's greatest human player.In nontechnical, conversational prose, Feng-hsiung Hsu, the system architect of Deep Blue, tells us how he and a small team of fellow researchers forged ahead at IBM with a project they'd begun as students at Carnegie Mellon in the mid-1980s: the search for one of the oldest holy grails in artificial intelligence--a machine that could beat any human chess player in a bona fide match. Back in 1949 science had conceived the foundations of modern chess computers but not until almost fifty years later--until Deep Blue--would the quest be realized.Hsu refutes Kasparov's controversial claim that only human intervention could have allowed Deep Blue to make its decisive, "uncomputerlike" moves. In riveting detail he describes the heightening tension in this war of brains and nerves, the "smoldering fire" in Kasparov's eyes. Behind Deep Blue is not just another tale of man versus machine. This fascinating book tells us how man as genius was given an ultimate, unforgettable run for his mind, no, not by the genius of a computer, but of man as toolmaker.

Best American Poetry 2016


Edward Hirsch - 2016
    Each year, this series presents essential American verse and the poets who create it. Truly the “best” American poetry has appeared in this venerable collection for over twenty-five years. A poet of decided brilliance since his 1981 debut collection, For the Sleepwalkers, Edward Hirsch curates a thoughtful selection of poetry for 2016 and an Introduction to be savored. Jumpha Lahiri said of Hirsch, “The trademarks of his poems are…to be intimate but restrained, to be tender without being sentimental, to witness life without flinching, and above all, to isolate and preserve those details of our existence so often overlooked, so easily forgotten, so essential to our souls.” Hirsch’s choices for this collection reflect the soul of poetry in America. As ever, series editor David Lehman opens this year’s edition with an insider’s guide and a thoughtful contemplation of poetry today.

The Kings of New York: A Year Among the Geeks, Oddballs, and Geniuses Who Make Up America's Top High School Chess Team


Michael Weinreb - 2007
    With strict admission standards and a progressive curriculum, Brooklyn's Edward R. Murrow High School has long been one of New York's public-education success stories, serving a diverse neighborhood of immigrants and minorities and ranking among the nation's best high schools. At Murrow, there are no sports teams, and the closest thing to jocks are found on the school's powerhouse chess team, which annually competes for the national championship.In "The Kings of New York" sportswriter Michael Weinreb follows the members of the Murrow chess team through an entire season, from cash games in Washington Square Park to city and state tournaments to the SuperNationals in Nashville, where this eclectic bunch competes against private schoolers and suburbanites. Along the way, Weinreb brings to life a number of colorful characters: the Yale-educated calculus teacher (and former semipro hockey player) who guides the savants while struggling to find funding for his team; an aspiring rapper and tournament hustler who plays with cutthroat instinct; the team's lone girl, a shy Ukrainian immigrant; the Puerto Rican teen from the rough neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant who plays an ingenious opening gambit named the Orangutan; and the Lithuanian immigrant and team star whose chess rating is climbing toward grandmaster status.In the bestselling tradition of such books as "Word Freak" and "Friday Night Lights, The Kings of New York" is a riveting look inside the world of competitive chess and an inspiring profile of young genius.

So Wild a Dream


Win Blevins - 2003
    They blazed the trails across the Rocky Mountains, opened the vast country between the Missouri frontier and the Pacific, and they rose into the stuff of legends.Young Sam Morgan has itchy feet and a hungry spirit. In 1822, life in Pennsylvania feels too hemmed in. He nurtures a wild dream of a woodsman’s life, a truly free American life.But where? Perhaps the far West. Since Captains Lewis and Clark came back, people are telling stories about the Shining Mountains. He sets off.

In My Father's House


E. Lynn Harris - 2010
    Lynn Harris introduces Bentley L. Dean, owner of the hottest modeling agency in Miami’s sexy South Beach. Only the world’s most beautiful models make the roster of Picture Perfect Modeling agency and they only do shoots for the most elite photographers and magazines. They are fashionista royalty—and the owners, Bentley L. Dean and his beautiful partner Alexandra, know it. But even Picture Perfect isn’t immune from hard times, so when Sterling Sneed, a rich, celebrity party planner promises to pay a ludicrously high fee for some models, Bentley finds he can’t refuse. Even though the job is not exactly a photo shoot, Bentley agrees to supply fifteen gorgeous models as eye candy for an “A” list party—to look good, be charming and, well, entertain the guests. They don’t have to do anything they don’t want to, but...His models are pros and he figures they can handle the pressure, until one drops out and Bentley asks his protégé Jah, a beautiful kid who Bentley treats as if he were his own son, to substitute. Suddenly, the stakes are much higher, particularly when Jah falls in love with the hottest African American movie star in America. Seth Sinclair is very handsome, very famous, and very married—and his closeted gay life makes him very dangerous as well. Can Bentley’s fatherly guidance save Jah from making a fatal mistake?

After the Workshop


John McNally - 2010
    You stay in town and work on your novel. And work on your novel. Until, finally, twelve years have passed and you are working as a media escort for author tours and your unfinished novel sits in a box under your bed. Your girlfriend has left you. Your car is missing a muffler. Your neighbor is walking around naked because his hands are bandaged and he can’t unzip his pants. You are at the whims of a slew of increasingly crazy writers, and when one of them disappears, an insane New York publicist begins stalking you. This is the life of Jack Hercules Sheahan, a character well understood by author John McNally. He is also a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop as well as a former media escort, and these misadventures are brought to life by his very own. Recalling the ease and humor of novels by Nick Hornby and Michael Chabon, After the Workshop tells the satirical story of a writer who confronts the demons from his past while escorting those of his present.

The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit


Sloan Wilson - 1954
    They have every reason to be happy, but for some reason they are not. Like so many young men of the day, Tom finds himself caught up in the corporate rat race - what he encounters there propels him on a voyage of self-discovery that will turn his world inside out. At once a searing indictment of coporate culture, a story of a young man confronting his past and future with honesty, and a testament to the enduring power of family, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit is a deeply rewarding novel about the importance of taking responsibility for one's own life.

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis


Max Shulman - 1951
    He cowrote The Tender Trap, which became a big-screen vehicle for Frank Sinatra, and his hilarious, Elvis-intensive satire Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys! also made it to Hollywood, pairing the young Paul Newman with the equally young Joanne Woodward. Shulman's best-known creation, however, is probably Dobie Gillis--that smooth-talking schlemiel of a college student, always on the make for female companionship. And in this case, the synergistic success of the book--which generated both a limp movie musical and a much-beloved television series--does Shulman a real disservice. Why? The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis is much funnier than either of its live-action spin-offs, for one thing. With Dobie himself narrating, the plots shake off at least a grain of their sitcom stiffness. More to the point, though, is Shulman's mastery of wise-guy prose: the goofy, comical elevation of Dobie's voice suggests a kind of broad-brush S. J. Perelman, and if Shulman is a tad less clever than that comedic monster, he's also superior at inducing the world-class belly laugh. Certainly The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis does the trick nicely, and the period illustrations are an irresistible bonus, suitable for framing.

#MAXOUT Your Life


Ed Mylett - 2018
    Strategies for: 1. Creating Strong Habits and Rituals 2. What is the RAS & How to Program 3. Raising and Shifting Your Identity 4. How to Truly Build Self Confidence 5. Elevating Your Physical Body 6. Goal Setting Strategies 7. Developing Your Will to Win Become the ultimate and best version of you. The YOU that you were BORN TO BE. "Let's take a look at Ed Mylett, who's one of the best business leaders, peak performance experts, and motivational speakers in the world. Ed has a passion for mentoring and coaching others on what it takes to become a champion in all areas of life." - Inc.

The Art of Manliness: Manvotionals


Brett McKay - 2011
    But then, through time, the art of manliness was lost.Now, after decades of excess and aimless drift, men are looking for something to help them live an authentic, manly life-a primer that can give their life real direction and purpose.This book holds the answers. To master the art of manliness, a man must live the seven manly virtues: ManlinessCourageIndustryResolutionSelf-RelianceDisciplineHonorEach chapter covers one of the seven virtues and is packed with the best classic advice ever written down for men. From the philosophy of Aristotle to the speeches and essays of Theodore Roosevelt, these pages contain the manly wisdom of the ages-poems, quotes, and essays that will inspire you to live life to the fullest and realize your complete potential.Learn the art. Change your life. Become a man.

Difficult Women


David Plante - 1983
    It is a given that these women will be complicated, stubborn, strong-willed, and that the relationship between each of them and the novelist will be tricky, even suspect. If this were the 1870's, the circumstances would provide a Jamesian subtext fulfilling, only very slowly, some psychologically unforeseen purpose; but as it is the 1970's, the entire matter is at once laid self-consciously before us, and we are free to decide how much or how little it all means.By Vivian Gornick

Violence of Mind: Training and Preparation for Extreme Violence


Varg Freeborn - 2018
    The subjects of criminal violence, self-defense, lethal force, mindset, firearms training and concealment have never been introduced so comprehensively in one place. Having successfully sold world-wide in its independently published and distributed paperback form, it is now available on Kindle. "A powerful, gripping, and self-reflective roller-coaster that's part cautionary tale, part how-to book on building the counterpart to the high-order predator, Varg makes no apologies for it being an in-your-face look at real violence from the perspective of that rare someone who can speak from deep personal experience, from both sides of the fence. In an industry littered with those often driven by ego, fantasy, and disconnected from reality, there are a vast number of people in this industry that NEED to read this. A book only an authentic leader in the industry could produce, fully-recommended. Read this book if you're serious about personal protection." D.P. Friesen, CLTP, Costa RicaVarg Freeborn is an author, fitness coach, violence educator and lethal force instructor widely known for his unique background in the violent criminal underworld. His breadth of experience is unmatched in criminal violence education and self-defense training.

Kill or Get Killed


Rex Applegate - 1976
    Reprinted and in current use by the U.S. Marine Corps as an official training manual, it details methods of self-defense, offensive close combat, combat shooting and crowd-control techniques in riot situations. Colonel Rex Applegate is widely regarded as the father of modern close combat and combat shooting, and this book is considered the standard by which all other books on the subject are judged.

The Fighter


Craig Davidson - 2006
    It reminds me how vacuous, banal and insipid most highly-touted fiction is. Craig Davidson asks—and answers—some big, uncomfortable questions about the nature of our humanity. The Fighter is an essential novel, destined for cult status at the very least.”—Irvine Welsh “While the novel’s brutal fights will entice readers of other virile allegories like Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club, Davidson’s story takes a more nuanced, realistic approach.”—Kirkus Reviews Everything has been handed to Paul Harris, the son of a wealthy southern Ontario businessman. But after a vicious beating shakes his world, he descends into the realm of hardcore bodybuilders and boxing gyms, seeking to become a real man, reveling in suffering. Rob Tully, a working-class teenager from upstate New York, is a born boxer. He trains with his father and uncle, who believe a gift like his can change their lives, but he struggles under the weight of their expectations. Inevitably, these two young men’s paths will cross. Craig Davidson was born in Toronto and now lives in Calgary, Alberta. He is the author of the acclaimed short story collection Rust and Bone, which was published by W.W. Norton in the United States, Penguin in Canada, Albin Michel in France, and Picador in the United Kingdom.From the Trade Paperback edition.