Early Reviewers: Free advance copies of books

Click the Publisher information link below to sign up to receive In The Beginning, the free prequel story to Any Given Doomsday.

Elizabeth Phoenix, a former cop, once used her unique skills as a psychic to help in the Milwaukee Police Department’s fight against injustice. But when Liz’s foster mother is found viciously murdered—and Liz is discovered unconscious at the scene—her only memory of the crime comes in the form of terrifying dreams...of creatures more horrific than anything Liz has seen in real life. What do these visions mean? And what in the world do they have to do with her former lover, Jimmy Sanducci? ... (show rest)

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Nidali, the rebellious daughter of an Egyptian Greek mother and a Palestinian father, narrates the story of her childhood in Kuwait, her teenage years in Egypt (to where she and her family fled the 1990 Iraqi invasion), and her family’s last flight to Texas. Nidali mixes humor with a sharp, vibrant portrait of an eccentric middle class family, and this perspective keeps her buoyant through the hardships she encounters: the humiliation of going through a checkpoint on a visit to her father’s home in the West Bank; the fights with her father, who wants her to become a famous professor and stay away from boys; the end of her childhood as Iraq invades Kuwait on her thirteenth birthday; and the scare she gives her family when she runs away from home.

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This book contains a 21st Century tale of celebrity-obsession, identity crisis and personality disorder. Ben Tippet's "novel autobiography" is ostensibly a self-portrait, but the arsonist's tale takes broader strokes, painting the landscape of a contemporary world hooked on sex, fame and fortune. Nuanced with literary and pop-cultural references, it explores universal themes of love, loss, sex and death.

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The snow ceased as the assistant state pathologist arrived, black medical bag in hand. I stood by the river as she worked, and watched the sun exploding low over the horizon. ... (show rest)

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In this extraordinary novel, Karen Maitland delivers a dazzling reinterpretation of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales—an ingenious alchemy of history, mystery, and powerful human drama. ... (show rest)

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I thought the best newspaper comic strips were long gone, and I've never been happier to be wrong. Richard Thompson's Cul de Sac has it all—intelligence, gentle humor, a delightful way with words, and, most surprising of all, wonderful, wonderful drawings. I hope you enjoy Cul de Sac as much as I do. I think you're in for a real treat. —Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes, 2008 ... (show rest)

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In 1664 Dr. Olaf van Schuler flees the Old World and arrives in New Amsterdam with his lunatic mother, two bags of medical implements, and a carefully guarded book of his own medicines. He is the first in what will become a long line of peculiar physicians. Plagued by madness and guided by an intense desire to cure human affliction, each generation of this unusual family is driven by the science of its day: spontaneous combustion, phrenology, animal magnetism, electrical shock treatment, psychosurgery, genetic research. As they make their way in the world, New York City, too, evolves—from the dark and rough days of the seventeenth century to the towering, frenetic metropolis of today. ... (show rest)

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The Government has sold the country to a supermarket on eBay, only for the Civil Service to buy it back and launch their own benign dictatorship. Ten years on, it is all going horribly wrong. There are Hairshirts on every corner, the incompetent Leader and his transvestite first lady pole dance and the dogs are being systematically eradicated to deflect attention from the ruling Department's failure to achieve their promises. "Doggone" is a modern fable, a surreal and bizarre satire on a world of spin, greed, excess and the dangers of letting politicians rule unchecked. It is also very funny.

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From The Golden Compass to online communities like Brass Goggles, Steampunk’s mix of retro Victoriana and modern technology is the hottest trend in science fiction. ... (show rest)

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Is it possible to drive coast-to-coast without stopping at a single gas pump? Journalist Greg Melville is determined to try. With his college buddy Iggy riding shotgun, this green-thinking guy—who's in love with the idea of free fuel—sets out on an enlightening road trip. The quest: to be the first people to drive cross-country in a french-fry car. Will they make it from Vermont to California in a beat-up 1985 Mercedes diesel station wagon powered on vegetable oil collected from restaurant grease Dumpsters along the way? More important, can two guys survive 192 consecutive hours together? ... (show rest)

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With his personal life at a bit of a cross-roads, Boston attorney Brady Coyne finds his own past coming back to haunt his professional life when his ex-girlfriend Alex Sinclair turns up looking for a lawyer to represent her brother. Augustine Sinclair was a notable photo-journalist, happily married to his high-school sweetheart with two small children – until he returned from a stint a freelancer photographer in Iraq missing a hand and suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – now he’s lost his career, his peace of mind and his family. Brady is brought in to help him handle the divorce so that he does lose any more but before they get very far, the photographer is found dead in his rented apartment, an apparent suicide. ... (show rest)

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Fourteen-year-old Kate has had to overcome a lot of adversity, rising from the cracks of Brooklyn's notorious foster-care system. She used to be in a tough all-girl gang, fighting and stealing every other day. But now she's finally with a family she can learn to like, even if her foster mother wants to give her grief over every tiny little thing. Kate's even doing well in school for a change and beginning to shed her "tough girl" exterior. ... (show rest)

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At 34, Scarlet Kavanagh has the kind of homecoming no child wishes, a visit back to family and dear friends for the gentle passing of her mother, Addie, a famous bird artist and an even more infamous environmental activist. Though Addie and her husband, ornithologist Tom Kavanagh, have made their life in southeastern Pennsylvania, Addie has chosen to die at the New Jersey home of her dearest friend, Cora. This is because the Kavanagh's ramshackle cottage is filled with too much history and because, in the last ten years or so, and for reasons that are not entirely clear, even bird song has seemed to make Addie angry, or sad, or both. Now, in their final moments together, Scarlet hopes to put to rest the last tensions that have marked their relationship. ... (show rest)

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Winner of THE EDGAR AWARD for Best Novel ... (show rest)

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The brand-new, shiny Eiffel Tower is the pride and glory of the 1889 World Exposition. But one sunny afternoon, as visitors are crowding the viewing platforms, a woman collapses and dies on this great Paris landmark. Can a bee sting really be the cause of death? Or is there a more sinister explanation? Enter young bookseller Victor Legris. Present on the tower at the time of the incident, and appalled by the media coverage of the occurence, he is determined to ?nd out what actually happened. In this dazzling evocation of late nineteenth-century Paris, we follow Victor as his investigation takes him all over the city and he suspects an ever-changing list of possible perpetrators. Could mysterious Kenji Mori, his surrogate father and business partner at the bookstore Legris operates, be involved in the crime? Why are beautiful Russian illustrator Tasha and her colleagues at the newly launched sensationalist newspaper Passepartout always up-to-date in their reporting? And what will Legris do when the deaths begin to multiply and he is caught in a race against time? ... (show rest)

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Bengal Station: an exotic spaceport that dominates the ocean between India and Burma. Jaded telepath, Jeff Vaughan, is employed by the spaceport authorities to monitor incoming craft from the stars. There, he discovers a sinister cult that worships a mysterious alien god. The Church of the Adoration of the Chosen One uses drugs to commune with the Ultimate, and will murder to silence those who oppose their beliefs. The story follows Vaughan as his mistrust of his fellow humans is overturned by his love for the Thai street-girl Sukura, while he attempts to solve the murders and save himself from the psychopath out to kill him. Necropath is Eric Brown’s triumphant return to hard SF.

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What price would you pay to keep your soul? ... (show rest)

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Retelling of the classic Jack in the Beanstalk with a southwest twist. Bilingual format in English and repeated again in Spanish.

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In this third book of the series, set in 1801, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Matty Graves is still recovering from his ordeal during the slave rebellion in the French colony of Saint-Dómingue when he is ordered to Washington to answer questions about the death of his former captain. Back on home soil, he must deal with the mystery and shame surrounding his birth as well as the attractions of his best friend’s sister. But when he’s offered a command of his own, he seizes the opportunity to make a name and fortune for himself—even if it means destroying those closest to him.

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Kate McCall’s husband has been killed by her teenage son, Luke, in a tragic bow-hunting accident. In the aftermath, Jack, a charismatic but troubled ex-con from Kate’s past, shows up. When Luke takes off on his own for their rural Michigan cabin, Kate and Jack follow, but they’re not the only ones hot on his heels. Two-time losers Teddy and Celeste, along with hitman DeJuan, are all looking to cash in on the money left to Kate. As they all head for the woods of Northern Michigan, events rapidly spiral towards a dramatic life-and-death confrontation. Filled with unforgettable characters, razor-sharp dialogue and masterful plotting, Quiver displays the remarkable maturity and verve of a hugely exciting first-time novelist.

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"This strip offers a fresh outlook and appeals to everyone . . . LIO is a comic strip that's edgy, funny, visually stunning, and truly different." —Daily Cartoonist ... (show rest)

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Two voices interweave, an ageing mother and her adult son, to carry us from Boston to London to Moscow and back again. Through physics, religion, travel and even baseball, they express the often unknown, yet undeniable, influences one life will have on another.

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“One of the first works of art with the courage to live up to our historical moment. The Army of the Republic is brilliant, terrifying and much too close for comfort.” –Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine and No Logo ... (show rest)

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A series of frightening murders plagues San Francisco. To solve the crimes, Homicide Inspector Clemson Yao enlists the help of Angie Strachan, a realtor who once tried—and failed—to become the city’s first female homicide inspector. The two face off against a ghoulish, black-humored serial killer who whimsically refers to his grotesque murders as “messies.” Gripped by macabre obsession for a decade, he’s evolved into a grandmaster of slow, anguished death. Clem and Angie slowly unravel the murderer’s clues, but their quarry is always one step ahead of them. It’s a desperate race against time, for the killer has an agenda. His next victims are already picked out—and it seems no one can stop him.

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From the inimitable voice of one of America's most creative nonfiction writers, Pagan Kennedy's The Dangerous Joy of Dr. Sex and Other True Stories is a collection of nonfiction essays that portray the lives of striving individuals, each trying to make the country and the world a better place. In one essay, an aging scientist-a survivor of Japanese internments camps in California during World War Two-seeks to bring water to the desert of drought-stricken Eritrea. In another, students at MIT struggle to make biodiesel fuels a better, more efficient means of powering cars. And in the title essay-which was selected for inclusion in WW Norton's Best American Creative Nonfiction 2008—the strange life of British sexologist Alex Comfort, author of the bestselling The Joy of Sex, is brought to the public for the very first time. In each of these tales, Kennedy mines the odd, eccentric dreams of iconoclastic America, and shows us how a group of vibrant, future-thinking people can remake the planet for the 21st Century. The stories in this collection are smart, funny, and irresistibly charming.

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The Glass of Time is a page-turning period mystery about identity, the nature of secrets, and what happens when past obsessions impose themselves on an unwilling present. In the autumn of 1876, nineteen-year-old orphan Esperanza Gorst arrives at the great country house of Evenwood to become a lady's maid to the twenty-sixth Baroness Tansor. But Esperanza is no ordinary servent. She has been sent by her guardian, the mysterious Madame de l'Orme, to uncover the secrets that her new mistress has sought to conceal, and to set right a past injustice in which Esperanza's own life is bound up. As Evenwood she meets Lady Tansor's two dashing sons, Perseus and Randolph, and finds herself enmeshed in a complicated web of seduction, intrigue, deceit, betrayal, and murder. Few writers are as gifted at evoking the sensibility of the nineteenth century as Michael Cox, who has made the world of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins his own.

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A traditional-style fairy tale set near the Black Hills ... (show rest)

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Ever have a moment you wish you could undo? A wickedly brilliant tale of revenge, mystery, and fate, Antony Moore’s The Swap is at once a gripping thriller and a hilarious black comedy—a book for anyone who’s ever wondered what could have been. . . . ... (show rest)

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The Western Front dominates our memories of the First World War. Yet a million and half men died in North East Italy in a war that need never have happened, when Italy declared war on the Habsburg Empire in May 1915. Led by General Luigi Cadorna, the most ruthless of all the Great War commanders, waves of Italian conscripts were sent charging up the limestone hills north of Trieste to be massacred by troops fighting to save their homelands. This is a great, tragic military history of a war that gave birth to fascism. Mussolini fought in these trenches, but so did many of the greatest modernist writers in Italian and German – Ungaretti, Gadda, Musil, Hemingway. It is through these accounts that Mark Thompson, with great skill and empathy, brings to life this forgotten conflict.

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Mark Lockwood's life is a small one. He's made his living as a freelance writer, producing a series of little books for hire called How to Talk to Your Teen about . . . . But for the past few months he's been at work on a ghostwriting assignment beyond his dreams. To prepare her "autobiography", he has been interviewing the internationally renowned diva, Mercè Casals. When the Señora dies suddenly—floating sizable in her elegant scented bath—she is suddenly a hot property and a celebrity biographer arrives to take over the writing of her book. ... (show rest)

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Early Reviewers will also get a copy of the first two books in the Erlendur series. ... (show rest)

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After receiving a desperate and confusing call from her sister, Hannah Lapp reluctantly returns to the Old Order Amish community of her Pennsylvania childhood. ... (show rest)

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From John W. Campbell Award winner and "Whatever" blogger, John Scalzi, comes an exciting new novel in the Old Man's War universe: Zoe's Tale. ... (show rest)

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“Along the Grapevine Trail is well-written, easy to read, and chock full of must-have information.”—Jeff Cox, author of From Vines to Wines: The Complete Guide to Growing Grapes and Making Your Own Wine ... (show rest)

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Just like Scheherazade, undercover agents talk to save their lives. Only if they put in a poor performance, they don't see the curtain rise again. Art of Darkness pries open the virtuoso identity techniques practiced by undercover operatives, fugitives, disguise artists, pranksters, con artists, and federally protected witnesses. It draws on original interviews with undercover operators in order to show how identity artists on both sides of the law obtain fake ID, develop a disguise, build a cover story, maintain believability in street performances, and deal with threats to their identities—all without formal acting training. ... (show rest)

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We all know that "sandwich" and "eggs benedict" are named after people and that "Dover sole" and "Irish stew" are named after places. But how about the "Granny Smith" apple or the "Bing cherry," the "Bermuda onion" or "Anaheim chile"? If you have always been curious about the origin of the names of certain foods, dishes and beverages, this fun and informative reference is set forth like a menu—first dinner, then breakfast and lunch, where you are free to gorge yourself on the literary dainties inside. Bon appetit!

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This engaging memoir follows the life and career of circus performer Tiny Kline (1891-1964) from the burlesque house to the circus tent, and on to Disneyland and the silver screen. While working for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Kline became well known for her signature "slide for life" stunt, an "iron jaw" act in which she slid to the ground while dangling from trapeze rigging by her teeth. Kline renewed her spectacular acrobatics at the age of seventy when she played Tinker Bell in the "Fantasy in the Sky" fireworks show at Disneyland. In that same year, she also began writing her life story. ... (show rest)

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Transcend the "matching to the focus fabric" habit and instead develop your own imaginative color combinations. Whether you are a traditional quilter trapped in a color rut or an art quilter looking for a deeper understanding of color, Color Mastery is your essential guide for a revolutionary new way of approaching color in your quilts. ... (show rest)

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A thrilling true crime narrative and groundbreaking historical account, "Dime Novel Desperadoes" recovers the long-forgotten story of Ed and Lon Maxwell, the outlaw brothers from Illinois who once rivaled Jesse and Frank James in national notoriety. ... (show rest)

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A blend of humor, satire, and fashion sense, this uniquely humorous look at trends in fashion throughout the ages will be the talk of the town. Forgotten Fashion is a fake history book of clothing trends that never really happened, but are based on actual fashion movements from the early 1900s until the present. Each entry examines the life and death of a supposed fashion trend while poking fun at the social climate of the times. With smart humor, a tongue-in-cheek academic tone, and a keen sense of style, this book will appeal to fashionistas, sophisticates, and anyone who keeps up with what's en vogue.

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"Whether they are bumping about our attics, hitchhiking on a moonlight road, or fraternizing with our reflections, ghosts tantalize us with their secrets." —Leslie Rule ... (show rest)

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If the iPod is too loud, does Steve Jobs have to pay? Can Steven Spielberg cut a kid's hair without permission? Did Mickey Mouse and Fred Flintstone really cast votes for Ralph Nader? ... (show rest)

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Members of the military experience unique and challenging situations on a daily basis. He Shall Direct Thy Paths is a practical devotional that will help Soldiers consider their words and deeds in light of God’s guidance. The author provides an introduction to the Ten Commandments and comments on how they apply to Soldiers in their personal affairs. Through prayers, Scripture, brief quotations, and short passages for reflection, this volume will inspire Soldiers to examine their thoughts and actions in light of God’s design for purity and meaningful living. ... (show rest)

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A unique on-the-ground account of a country shattered

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The book is about violence, especially about the difference between violence as it exists in the world and violence as it’s taught in martial arts classes. The author, a martial artist and veteran correction officer, distills what he has learned from jailhouse brawls, tactical operations and ambushes to explore the difference between the two. This book appeals to those interested in self-defense, police, military, TV shows "Law and Order," "CSI," as well as those studying martial arts.

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"Every day and age has its rules. Currently, good behavior dictates that we be politically correct, evade conflicts, espouse tolerance, and make no hasty judgments. To be judgmental is viewed as one of the most reprehensible human traits. People are likely to think today that an optimist is a good person, while a pessimist is the lowest of the low. Picking your nose in public is more forgivable then being pessimistic. [. . .] We live in a time that urges us to behave as if we are in paradise. Yet the world we live in is no paradise. This book breaks the rules of good behavior, because it bickers." ... (show rest)

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Few books have caused as big a stir as John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, when it was published in April 1939. By May, it was the nation's number one bestseller, but in Kern County, California—the Joads' newfound home—the book was burned publicly and banned from library shelves. Obscene in the Extreme tells the remarkable story behind this fit of censorship.

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In 2005, The Woman at the Washington Zoo was published to major critical acclaim. The late Marjorie Williams possessed "a special voice, one capable not just of canny political observations but of tenderness and bracing intimacy," observed the New York Times Book Review. ... (show rest)

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Did you know they started 'hearing through the grapevine' during the American Civil War? It was a reference to the telegraph lines used for communicating with the army. These looked like twisted grapevines. And why does the phrase now suggest unreliable information? Because the lines were used by enemy troops to send false battle reports. ... (show rest)

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Welcome to that place where hopes and dreams become real—the place of surrender that Joni Lamb describes and leads you to find with wisdom, sincerity, and simplicity. ... (show rest)

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The author applies logic and basic scientific principles of anatomy, physiology, and physics to muscular action, breathing, and alignment in Taiji (Tai Chi) movement and push-hands. Detailed explanations, photographs, and illustrations of Taiji movements. Discusses “correct force;” sheds light on Zheng Manqing (Cheng, Man-Ch'ing) and his students. Exercises provided to give readers a chance to confirm their understand. Additional sections include self development and spiritual growth, healh, self-massage, fasting, and teaching TAi Chi.

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Like the single white eyelash that graces her row of dark lashes–seen by her people as a mark of good fortune–Halima Bashir’s story stands out. Tears of the Desert is the first memoir ever written by a woman caught up in the war in Darfur. It is a survivor’s tale of a conflicted country, a resilient people, and the uncompromising spirit of a young woman who refused to be silenced. ... (show rest)

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Everyone wants to make a difference in the world, but most have no idea how to maximize their impact. In The Encore Effect, best-selling author and leadership expert Mark Sanborn provides the answer. He leads readers in six practices that will move them beyond excellence to distinction and from mundane to memorable. These principles guide readers to draw on their passion and devote themselves to preparation, practice, presentation, polishing, and finally, avoiding pitfalls. When readers follow these principles they will find that people are attracted to them. More importantly, they’ll find that they now have an influence over others that can impact lives for eternity. ... (show rest)

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Discover the unapologetically Christian and liberal Barack Obama—and how he represents the changing face of religion in American politics. ... (show rest)

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Jesus said, “…whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24, NKJV). More than 1,500 of Jesus’ statements are recorded in the New Testament, but his teachings are interspersed with descriptions and stories. When reading the Bible, it is difficult to piece together Jesus’ complete answer to a pressing question or a troubling issue in life. ... (show rest)

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Steven Spielberg’s Oscar winning film Schindler’s List popularized the true story of a German businessmen who manipulated his Nazi connections and spent his personal fortune to save some 1,200 Jewish prisoners from certain death during the Holocaust. But few knew that those lists were made possible by a secret strategy designed by a young Polish Jew at the Plaszow Concentration camp. Mietek Pemper’s compelling and moving memoir tells the less – known story of how Schindler's list really came to pass.

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Irene Watson's pretentious life could go no further until she faced her past. Her moving and inspiring memoir begins at the end, in a recovery center, where she has gone to understand a childhood fraught with abuse, guilt, and uncertainty.
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