It is difficult for us now, even with all our engineering and architectural skills, to imagine the extraordinary ways these medieval houses of worship were constructed. Midway through the twelfth century, the building of cathedrals became a crusade to erect awe-inspiring churches across Europe. In their zeal, bishops, monks, masons, and workmen created the architectural style known as Gothic, arguably Christianity’s greatest contribution to the world’s art and architecture. The style evolved slowly and almost accidentally as medieval artisans combined ingenuity, inspiration, and brute strength to create a fitting monument to their God. Here are the dramatic stories of the building of Saint-Denis, Notre Dame, Chartres, Reims, and other Gothic cathedrals.

    Over the course of 4 Olympic Games and throughout her career as a world champion triathlete, Taormina refined her exceptional technique as a student of the sport, studying the world's best swimmers using underwater photographs and video analysis. From Johnny Weissmuller to Michael Phelps, the world’s fastest swimmers share one common element: a high-elbow underwater pull. Too many swimmers and triathletes neglect the pull, distracted by stroke count or perfecting details like body position or streamlining. Taormina uses simple science and crystal clear underwater photos of Olympic athletes to show how the high-elbow underwater pull is the most crucial technique for faster swimming. With a commonsense approach that comes from decades of practice and 15 years of hands-on coaching experience, Taormina’s Swim Speed Secrets gives triathletes and swimmers the clear direction they need to overhaul their swim stroke and find the speed that’s been eluding them. Swim Speed Secrets includes: · The best drills to cultivate a more sensitive feel for the water· Dryland and strength building exercises to develop arm position and upper body musculature· Crisp photos of Olympic swimmers and variations in their high-elbow underwater pull· Clear descriptions of the key moments of the underwater pull· Tips that helped her perform at a world-class level for two decades Swim Speed Secrets brings the focus back where it belongs—to a powerful underwater stroke. With this book, triathletes and swimmers can stop swimming for survival and break through to new levels of speed and confidence in the water.

     Are you stuck in an endless loop of the same negative thoughts and emotions? If any of the following questions apply to you, you are at the right place for your solution Your mind is running at full speed, and you can get no sleep? Are you constantly worried for apparently no reason? You were happy, and all of a sudden you feel angry for no reason and snap at your loved ones? Is your mind doing its chitchat all day long and commanding your life? Welcome to the club. You are not alone. Thanks to our modern society, that got even worse. Too many people are stuck in their mind and are often dominated by negative thoughts and emotions. Am I good enough? Why is this guy at work so mean? Why did he do that? How can I get more money? I hate everything. And when you think the disturbing thoughts and emotions are gone, they will come back to you in the most unpleasant situations, like happily playing with your kids. Fortunately, you can change that. We can train our mind to stop those thoughts and regain control of our life. In the book, we will step you through the process of regaining control of your thoughts and emotions. You will learn: why our mind behaves like that and what is going wrong. how you can use your body to change your mind how your environment can help you in silencing your mind why drinking tea helps how Mindfulness will guide you to freedom how proven meditation techniques will assist you in your journey Don't stay paralyzed in what feels like your personal hell; join us and learn how to get your freedom. Do Not Hesitate, Buy the Book and Start Now This book is part of the How To Relax Guide Series; a series helping you to find relaxation and a happier life. With each book in the series, we cover one topic and teach you how to learn the methods in a highly actionable manner while leaving the fillers out.

    There are treatments available that can halt, and in some cases, even reverse the aging process.But how do you know what treatments are best for you? Which of the hippest, hottest, and newest are fabulously effective and which are nothing more than new-age snake oil? Let us be your guides. Dr. and Mrs. Guinea Pig Present The Only Guide You'll Ever Need to the Best Anti-Aging Treatments will outline all the best techniques and treatments, from the so-new-you-haven t-heard-of-them-yet to the tried-and-true; from the perfectly legal to the are-you-trying-to-get-me-arrested; from the simple to the outrageous; and from the cheapest drugstore creams to the most complicated surgeries. We will provide you with the information and research you need to create your own, unique anti-aging plan to look and feel your best forever!"

    But don’t blame yourself if you’ve struggled losing weight. There’s a lot of conflicting information and nonsense out there. Drawing on years of research, Fat Funeral answers critical questions, busts myths, and introduces The Five Golden Weight-Loss Habits—a system of simple, science-based habits that are proven, practical, and powerful enough to completely change your life.

    Giles, acclaimed filmmaker Richard Dutcher, and bestselling author Jaron Briggs, Asylum Archives is prescribed as a few milligrams of insanity!

    But when her perfect husband turns out to be a lying, cheating slimeball—and bad in bed to boot—Savannah kicks the jerk to the curb and embarks on life on her own terms. With a new apartment, a new career, and a brand new outlook on life, she’s all set to take the world by storm. If only the world would stop throwing her curveballs... KICKOUT CLAUSE - #7 When Shelby Ferguson, Savannah’s ex-husband’s new wife, begs Savannah’s help in figuring out what’s going on with Bradley, Savannah can’t in good conscience say no. Shelby has no one else to turn to, no one to whom she can admit that her marriage is on the rocks and that Bradley may be straying. But helping Shelby turns out to be just the tip of the iceberg. With two different sets of buyers vying to purchase Mrs. Jenkins’s house, and an escaped prisoner targeting Savannah, she has more than enough to deal with. And that’s before TBI rookie Manny Ortega is shot down in cold blood. With Savannah’s boyfriend Rafe Collier, and their friend, homicide detective Tamara Grimaldi, busy looking for Manny’s murderer, it’s up to Savannah to juggle buyers and adulterers and vandals and lawyers, and come out on top... without losing her Southern Belle poise or her life in the process. PAST DUE - #8 The sins of the past are coming due, and someone has to pay... Savannah Martin’s high school reunion is supposed to be a fun weekend of catching up with old friends and parading her boyfriend—Sweetwater bad boy Rafael Collier—in front of everyone who used to sneer at him back in the day. Not even the daily battle she’s waging with morning sickness can douse Savannah’s anticipation. But when Rafe won’t come to Sweetwater, Savannah has to face her old schoolmates without his support. And her best friend Charlotte isn’t as happy for Savannah’s new relationship as Savannah had hoped. And when a dead body turns up in the Colliers’ old mobile home in the Bog, Savannah is thankful to be on her own. The sheriff is always looking for a reason to shove Rafe back behind bars, and a fresh homicide is just the excuse he needs. But when another murder takes place at the reunion, even the threat of jail can’t keep Rafe away. Soon old classmates are dropping like bowling pins, and Rafe and Savannah are scrambling to catch up with a killer hell bent on making sure old enemies pay for old sins... all while trying to stay one step ahead of Sheriff Satterfield and the Columbia PD. DIRTY DEEDS - #9 With hotels in downtown filled to capacity months in advance, real estate agent Savannah Martin decides to pick up some extra money renting out her empty East Nashville apartment. She’s living with her boyfriend, and the place is just sitting there, begging to be put to use. But when her latest tenant ends up dead—strangled in Savannah’s bed by what might have been a paying customer—the promise of easy money quickly turns sour. As the hunt for the killer leads to their shared hometown of Sweetwater, Tennessee, Savannah’s boyfriend, TBI agent Rafe Collier, is tapped to help with the investigation.

    But God is moving everything into place—planning for something good to come from their individual heartbreaks. Naomi, Rebecca, and Hannah have futures bright with hope—even if they can’t see it at first.A Lady in DefianceCharles McIntyre owns everything and everyone in Defiance. Still, he is intrigued enough by the sisters to allow them to open a hotel in his town, especially since he views feisty middle sister Naomi as his next conquest. Naomi, angry with God for widowing her, wants no part of Defiance or the saloon-owning, prostitute-keeping Mr. McIntyre. But the Lord may have other plans.Hearts in DefianceMcIntyre built Defiance practically with his bare hands … and without any remorse for the lives he destroyed along the way. Then a glimpse of true love, both earthly and heavenly, changed him. The question is, how much? His wife is a beautiful, decent woman. She says she loves McIntyre, that God does, too, and the past is behind them now. But McIntyre struggles to believe he’s worth saving … worth loving. Unfortunately, the temptations in Defiance only reinforce his doubts. Eventually, old enemies and old weaknesses will come calling...A Promise in DefianceWhen McIntyre founded Defiance, he was more than happy to rule in hell rather than serve in heaven. But things have changed. Now, he has faith, a new wife...and a ten-year-old half-breed son. Logan Tillane carries a Bible in his hand, wears a gun on his hip, and fights for lost souls any way he can. Newly arrived in Defiance, though, he has trouble telling the saints from the sinners. When a scandalous madam flings open the doors to a raunchy saloon, these two good men will fight their personal demons to the death. Unfortunately, only one will survive.The Lost Chapters – A NovellaIn this prequel novella, set in North Carolina, meet Naomi’s first husband, her childhood sweetheart. He is faced with trying to hold the family together before a scandal and a greedy rich man can tear it apart. And what was it like for sixteen-year-old Hannah to deal with the shame of carrying a bastard child? Rumors are swirling. Did the father of the baby abandon them of his own accord, or was he forced to leave by a family bent on protecting a grand ambition?Rich with gritty drama and historical detail, these tales are told by real, flawed women who fight for love and faith in a godless frontier town. The Ladies of Defiance.

    He became a Texas Ranger, and fought as an American in the Mexican-American War, and roamed the Southwest with other mountain men such as Kit Carson. He belongs to that class of pioneers and trappers, now extinct, of which the famed Kit Carson, who was for many years the companion of the author, has been considered the most perfect type. In addition to his experiences as a hunter and trapper, we have an account of his life as a prisoner among the powerful and warlike Comanches, his adventures as a trader in Mexico, his services as interpreter and guide, under Doniphan, in our war with Mexico, and with the Liberals in the Franco-Mexican war as Captain of artillery, as well as his experience in mining in the days of the “ forty-niners” in California, and elsewhere. Probably no man then living passed through so varied and exciting a life as this one. Hobbs writes: "I was nearly full grown when I found an excellent chance to join a fur company that had just started out from St. Louis, under the lead of Charles Bent, and were going out to a fort and trading-post called Bent’s Fort, some three hundred miles south of Pike’s Peak on Big Arkansas river. The party consisted of about sixty men. The more prominent hunters were Charles Bent, Guesso Chauteau, William Savery, and two noted Indian trappers named Shawnee Spiebuck, and Shawnee Jake." On this expedition, he was captured by the Camanches, with whom he spent four years, marrying the daughter of "Old Wolf". Four years later, was ransomed by Charles Bent, who paid Old Wolf when the Indians had come to trade at Bent's Fort. It was during this time at Bent's Fort that Hobbs went out trapping with Kit Carson, and he became his lifelong friend. Hobbs became one the most famous mountain men, trappers, and fighter, partly due to his years of training in the ways of the wilderness with the Comanche. Hobbs writes: "IN the foregoing pages I have endeavored to give an account of a portion of my adventures in a life of more than usual peril and excitement. I was induced to publish this account by the earnest recommendation of many friends. It has been written out, as I have had time, entirely from memory, as I never kept a diary of events, never thinking that I should publish my experiences. For this reason, I have been unable to give exact dates in all cases; but as the object I had in view, was not to publish a history of the country where I have been, but to relate personal adventures, this will not prove, I hope, any drawback to the interest of the reader. As far as the narrative relates to my transactions, I have confined myself to the literal facts. "In looking back over my life, I find that although I have not, perhaps, always obeyed the Golden Rule, yet it is a great satisfaction to me to think of the numbers of my fellow beings I have been instrumental in saving from death and misery at the hands of savages, and from the horrors of starvation. "And now, that my labors in this direction are completed, I shall probably retire to my California home, and devote myself to stock raising. Hoping that this narrative may prove of interest to the reader, I will say -—GOOD-BYE." Originally published in 1872; reformatted for the Kindle; may contain an occasional imperfection; original spellings have been kept in place.

     There are loads of 'sugar free diet' books available right now, but precious few that give you a blow-by-blow account of what happens when you cut sugar from your diet. And believe me, LOTS happens! This is a personal story (cut through with some good information on going sugar free) about what happened to me, my body, my mood, my family when I started my sugar free diet. If you're considering taking the big step of cutting sugar from your diet and you want to know what you're in for, then this is the book for you. If you want detailed, scientific information on the nutritional benefits of a sugar free life, go look elsewhere. If you want a 12 step plan, go buy a different book. This is one woman's struggle with her sugar addiction and her waistline, and her determination to become healthier without going insane (from lack of chocolate.)

    And Black knows that better than anyone. After a drug heist gone bad, Black and Buzzy are hellbent on selling off all the pills they thought they'd gotten away with. All they want now is to unload the narcotics and live the high life by spending the cash and getting out of the business. But that's easier said than done...The two men they lifted the drugs from are making demands, and Black and Buzzy can't turn away. Now, Black is faced with a new challenge, falling for Layla, a chick he just can't have. After all, she's married to the man who's doing time for Black's heist. Black can't possibly take everything from him. With the cops on his tail, a desire to bail on the game, and a guilty conscience, Black must act carefully. But will his next move involve another man's wife?

    4 Sugar Detox Options. 1 Life-Changing Experience. Live healthier. Lose weight. Cut carbs. Gain energy. Sleep better. Most people who choose to do a sugar detox have similar goals. But just because you want to achieve the same things doesn't mean you're starting from the same place. 10-Day Sugar Detox takes into account the real eating habits of aspiring sugar detoxers. It offers four different detoxes, each of which can be undertaken to end sugar addiction safely and successfully. Which sugar detox is right for you? Orange Plan: Vegetarian Yellow Plan: Carnivorous Green Plan: Grain-free, legume-free Blue Plan: Grain-free, legume-free, dairy-free Each sugar detox includes its own shopping list and meal plan for the 10-day period-so the only thing you have to think about is how good you're going to feel by the end. Recipes include: Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Casserole, Steak Salad with Goat Cheese, Curried Carrot Soup with Basil, Sesame-Ginger Soba Noodles, Spicy Salmon Burgers, Grilled Garlic-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin, Chocolate-Almond Fondue, and more!"

    Dixon details the four pillars of performance that form the foundation of his highly successful purplepatch fitness program, showing triathletes of all abilities how they can become well-built triathletes and perform better year after year. The Well-Built Triathlete does not focus narrowly on workouts and training, but instead gives equal weight to training and workouts, recovery and rest, workout and daily nutrition, and functional strength and mobility. Dixon considers the demands of career and family to prepare athletes to achieve their goals through a realistic, practical ecosystem of stress and recovery. The Well-Built Triathlete is Dixon’s guide to every aspect of triathlon performance. Chapters on swimming, cycling, and running explain the most effective ways to train for each. His pragmatic approach to stretching, recovery, and effective strength training shows athletes where they can recover valuable time. A purplepatch section shows how triathletes can achieve long streaks of high performance. Dixon’s whole-athlete approach to triathlon will help triathletes become greater than the sum of their workouts. By becoming better all-around athletes, well-built triathletes will train and race faster than ever.

    Sadly, many programs focus on one or the other, and others leave raw lifters broken down, and for that matter some geared lifters as well. Too many programs emphasize the “PR” in the gym. While PR’s are extremely important, there is nowhere more important than on the platform.The Most Fun You Will Have Training For PowerliftingThe Cube Method is the powerlifting training program that has taken athlete after athlete to the next level of strength. Powerlifters have been hitting PR after PR taking their strength to levels previously not thought possible. The Cube Method is not just another powerlifting program. It combines and rotates Heavy Days, Rep Days, and Explosive Days in a way that has never been done before.Time to take the guesswork out of powerlifting training. In the revolutionary Cube E-book you will learn….The Journey to the Cube-How the Cube method was formed-Why it became the training method of Elite Level Powerlifter Brandon Lilly, and numerous other powerlifters .The Method Behind the Cube-Explanation of the program and the secret to the unique rotation of training modes.-Get set up on your own Cube rotation to maximize strength, and preparedness.Gym Training-Learn how to rethink what strength is. It’s not just 1 Rep PR’s that matter. We find ways to set PR’s for weight, reps, time, and speed.-How to rotate the training waves of each of the main lifts-Proper weight, rep and set schemes needed in order to make you the very best powerlifting you can be.Assistance Work-Assistance work takes a huge role on the Cube Method. We set up assistance to absolutely maximize future barbell lifts-Find out how to maximize certain assistance exercises in order toget the most benefit from them.Warm Ups-How to warm up properly in order to prevent injury and prime your body for training.Conditioning-Use the sled and Prowler to build strength, size and a powerful physique that reflects your strengthThe Cube Method is a comprehensive program that will help you take out all of the uncertainty in your training and finally give you a definitive program to help you to achieve your goals!THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF A 10 YEAR CAREER IN POWERLIFTINGThe Cube Method has given me the greatest Multi-Ply, and Raw Totals in my career.Here is a short list of my powerlifting career:-Member of the 1000 lbs. Squat, 800lbs. Bench, and 800 lbs. Deadlift Club-Trained at both Westside Barbell, Lexen Xtreme Barbell alongside some of the greatest lifters in the world.-Competed for 9 years in all specialties from Raw, Single Ply, and Multi-Ply-Totaled Elite in 5 weight classes (220,242,275,308, and SHW)-Totaled 2,204 lbs. raw ranking 16th All-Time regardless of weight. One of 19 men ever to total over 2,200 lbs. raw.-Totaled 2,530 lbs. Multi-PlyWhat does that mean? All of that knowledge and training experience has come together in The Cube Method. I wish I had a program like this when I coming up in powerlifting. I would have avoided injury, and burnout. This is the best advice I have to offer based on all the lessons I have learned, in one place, for you.The Cube Method has allowed my training to make me the strongest, most conditioned and explosive I have ever been! Not to mention all of the Cube lifters who are continuously smashing PR’s!

    But when Rob's journalist father dragged him along to investigate the legend of the Witchopper for the local paper, her curse became their reality.She was priestess to the pagan god of the wild wood, hanged by a rabid mob for her unspeakable crimes. Now, something far worse than the hell of high school is after Rob and his dad...In the vein of The Wicker Man and Midsommar, Witchopper is an epic ordeal of a father and son relationship, where past sins echo in the present. Dan Soule delivers another of his terrifying Fright Nights, with a tale of love, lies and truth that will leave you sleeping with the light on.