The New York Times bestselling collection of humorous autobiographical essays by the Academy Award­?nominated actress and star of Up in the Air and Pitch Perfect. Even before she made a name for herself on the silver screen starring in films like Pitch Perfect, Up in the Air, Twilight, and Into...  more

The New York Times bestselling collection of humorous autobiographical essays by the Academy Award­?nominated actress and star of Up in the Air and Pitch Perfect. Even before she made a name for herself on the silver screen starring in films like Pitch Perfect, Up in the Air, Twilight, and Into the Woods, Anna Kendrick was unusually small, weird, and ?10 percent defiant.? At the ripe age of thirteen, she had already resolved to ?keep the crazy inside my head where it belonged. Forever. But here?s the thing about crazy: It. Wants. Out.? In Scrappy Little Nobody, she invites readers inside her brain, sharing extraordinary and charmingly ordinary stories with candor and winningly wry observations. With her razor-sharp wit, Anna recounts the absurdities she?s experienced on her way to and from the heart of pop culture as only she can?from her unusual path to the performing arts (Vanilla Ice and baggy neon pants may have played a role) to her double life as a middle-school student who also starred on Broadway to her initial ?dating experiments? (including only liking boys who didn?t like her back) to reviewing a binder full of butt doubles to her struggle to live like an adult woman instead of a perpetual ?man-child.? Enter Anna?s world and follow her rise from ?scrappy little nobody? to somebody who dazzles on the stage, the screen, and now the page?with an electric, singular voice, at once familiar and surprising, sharp and sweet, funny and serious (well, not that serious).

There's nothing cozier than a winter evening in Greenwich Village. Streetlights shimmer through icy flakes, cafes glow with welcoming warmth, and a layer of snow dusts historic townhouses like powdered sugar on holiday confections. Murder has no place in such a pretty picture, until...  more

There's nothing cozier than a winter evening in Greenwich Village. Streetlights shimmer through icy flakes, cafes glow with welcoming warmth, and a layer of snow dusts historic townhouses like powdered sugar on holiday confections. Murder has no place in such a pretty picture, until now... Coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi has grown very fond of Alfred Glockner, the part-time comic and genuinely jolly charity Santa who's been using her Village Blend as a place to warm his mittens. When she finds him brutally gunned down in a nearby alley, a few subtle clues convince her that Alfred's death was something more than the tragic result of a random mugging -- the conclusion of the police. With Clare's boyfriend, NYPD Detective Mike Quinn, distracted by a cold case of his own, and ex-husband Matt investigating this year's holiday lingerie catalogs (an annual event), Clare charges ahead solo to solve her beloved Santa's slaying. Then someone tries to ice Clare, and she really gets steamed. But she'd better watch out, because if she fails to stop this stone cold killer, she may just get the biggest chill of her life. This very special holiday entry in Cleo Coyle's nationally bestselling mystery series includes a bonus section of delicious holiday recipes as well as a glossary of coffeehouse terms, instructions on making espressos and lattes without an expensive machine, and tips for creating tasty coffeehouse syrups at home.

Clare Cosi, manager and head barista of the landmark Village Blend coffeehouse, has perfected the pulling of steaming hot espresso. But ,can she keep New York's Bravest from getting burned? When the firefighters of Ladder Company 189 pull Clare's friends out of a blazing...  more

Clare Cosi, manager and head barista of the landmark Village Blend coffeehouse, has perfected the pulling of steaming hot espresso. But ,can she keep New York's Bravest from getting burned? When the firefighters of Ladder Company 189 pull Clare's friends out of a blazing café, she happily comes to their rescue -- visiting their firehouse kitchen to teach them the finer points of operating their newly donated espresso machine. But as someone starts torching cafés around the city and firefighters begin to die in suspicious ways, Clare investigates, staking out a five-borough bake sale and sniffing out clues in the pizza joints of Brooklyn. After her detective boyfriend, Mike Quinn, is pulled into the fire of a false accusation, Clare is desperate to put out the flames. But will she be able to come to Mike's rescue before someone tries to extinguish her?

Some of the stories from Chicken Soup For The Christian Soul are in this cute little book.

Like Tina Fey, Chelsea Handler, and other (bestselling) co-stars, Judy Greer is taking pen to paper and in her honest, self-deprecating, and hilariously relatable way reminding us why she's not America's sweetheart but America's best friend. You know Judy Greer, right? Wait, what was she...  more

Like Tina Fey, Chelsea Handler, and other (bestselling) co-stars, Judy Greer is taking pen to paper and in her honest, self-deprecating, and hilariously relatable way reminding us why she's not America's sweetheart but America's best friend. You know Judy Greer, right? Wait, what was she in again? The Wedding Planner, 13 Going on 30, 27 Dresses, The Descendants. Yes, you totally recognize her. And, odds are, if you're like most women in America, you feel like she's already your friend. Thankfully, Greer has finally written a book of essays about all the moments, topics, observations, and confessions that you would hope to hear from your best friend. How a midnight shopping trip to CVS can cure all? The time she thought her blind date had AIDS? What it's like to have stepchildren? And how she really feels about her mother? Yes, it's all in there. But Judy Greer isn't just a regular friend-she's a celebrity friend. Want to know which celebs she's peed next to? Or what the Oscars were actually like? Or which hot actor gave her father a Harley Davidson? Don't worry?that's included, too. Besides being laugh-out-loud funny, you'll love her because she makes us genuinely feel like she's one of us. Because even though she sometimes has a stylist and a make-up artist, she still wears (and hates!) Spanx. Because she starts her book like this: "This is who I am. This is what I think about things. This is stuff that happened to me, that could have just as easily have happened to you. I'm not that special, and we're probably not that different. I think I am really lucky to be where I am in life, but I've never really lost that feeling that I don't fit in, and if you have, will you please email me and tell me how you did it? I'm serious."

In A Mother's Reckoning, Sue Klebold, for the first time, recounts, based on her recollections, her daily journals, and the difficult and harrowing writings and video recordings her son left behind, the days and months leading up to the tragic shooting at Columbine High School, where 12 students...  more

In A Mother's Reckoning, Sue Klebold, for the first time, recounts, based on her recollections, her daily journals, and the difficult and harrowing writings and video recordings her son left behind, the days and months leading up to the tragic shooting at Columbine High School, where 12 students and one teacher, as well as the shooters themselves, died--and the indelible impact on Sue, her family, the community, and our culture. In large measure, this candid and unflinching narrative was written to explore how Sue and others close to Dylan missed potential signs. How did her beloved golden boy go so utterly off the rails, without her knowledge? Did she miss the indications, subtle or obvious, that Dylan was in trouble? That her child, who had just attended the senior prom and was soon to graduate and go off to college, had a dark, secret life, and an inner rage, that she could not even imagine? Is there something valuable and important that she can share with other mothers and families in terms of recognizing the signs that might get others the help they need? In an age when the number of mass shootings has escalated to unprecedented levels, is there something we as parents and concerned citizens and community members can do to help our children and prevent such senseless tragedies? With fresh wounds from Newtown and Charleston, never has the need or yearning for insight and understanding been more urgent.  Author profits from the book will be donated to research and to charitable foundations focusing on mental health issues. 

Joan Plowright, fresh from making a new film with Peter O'Toole, has, after years of saying no, finally written her memoirs. She's had quite a life, not least having been married for twenty years to Laurence Olivier. She feels enough time has elapsed for a no holds barred approach. They...  more

Joan Plowright, fresh from making a new film with Peter O'Toole, has, after years of saying no, finally written her memoirs. She's had quite a life, not least having been married for twenty years to Laurence Olivier. She feels enough time has elapsed for a no holds barred approach. They met in the mid-1950s when Olivier was still married to Gone With the Wind star Vivien Leigh. Joan was the daughter of a north country newspaper editor and his wife who was an amateur actor of note. One of her brothers, David, became the chief executive of Grenada TV. She went to drama school, worked at the Royal Court at the height of its Look Back in Anger celebrity, starred in plays by Arnold Wesker and John Osborne, and then Olivier came into her life. They started an affair -- she had been married briefly to a young actor. Then Vivien Leigh, a manic depressive, suddenly consented to Olivier divorcing her. Her marriage to Olivier coincided with the lauch of two companies directed by Olivier, the Chichester Festival and the National, in which Joan appeared. They had three children, but she confesses that he was 'not the easiest man to be married to.' But they stayed together and she nursed him through ten years of fighting illness, including cancer. At the core is the relationship with Olivier and the book includes their love letters. She also refutes the wilder claims that have been made questioning Olivier's sexuality in several unauthorised biographies She has always enjoyed writing as these feisty, poignant and funny memoirs show.

From the master of the Christmas novel, The Mistletoe Secret is a moving holiday story about two people who brave loneliness and loss to find love. Twenty-nine-year-old Kelly Arrington is at a low point in life. Briefly married, her husband abandoned her before the birth of their stillborn...  more

From the master of the Christmas novel, The Mistletoe Secret is a moving holiday story about two people who brave loneliness and loss to find love. Twenty-nine-year-old Kelly Arrington is at a low point in life. Briefly married, her husband abandoned her before the birth of their stillborn child. Lonely and in mourning, she copes by starting an anonymous blog, The Mistletoe Letters, named for her home on Mistletoe Road. ?Is anyone out there?? She signs each of her deeply personal posts LBH, which only she knows stands not for her initials, but for ?Last Breaking Heart.? New York writer Tyler Richards is reading her posts. Nursing his own broken heart and trust issues, he finds himself falling for this anonymous blogger. Following a trail of clues LBH has inadvertently revealed, he tracks her down to the small town of Tribe, Alabama. He makes his way there, and begins the search for a Lisa, Lori, maybe a Luanne. Instead, he finds a woman named Kelly to help him track down the mysterious LBH.

If only I could stay with you forever. I would. Eric is having a hard time adjusting to his family’s move from California to Utah. Then he meets Grace -- his classmate and a runaway -- dumpster diving behind the burger joint where he works. Eric decides the only thing to do is...  more

If only I could stay with you forever. I would. Eric is having a hard time adjusting to his family’s move from California to Utah. Then he meets Grace -- his classmate and a runaway -- dumpster diving behind the burger joint where he works. Eric decides the only thing to do is to hide Grace in the clubhouse in his backyard. With the adults concerned about the looming Cuban Missile Crisis and his father recovering from an immune disorder, Eric grows closer to Grace but can their new relationship survive the harsh realities of life? Also published as Grace

Part memoir, part guide to life, and all incredibly funny, How to Succeed in Business without Really Crying is a book by a woman?and for women?who are driven, determined, and definitely not afraid to ?lean in.? Carol Leifer is lucky to have had a long career in comedy, from 1970s stand-up to...  more

Part memoir, part guide to life, and all incredibly funny, How to Succeed in Business without Really Crying is a book by a woman?and for women?who are driven, determined, and definitely not afraid to ?lean in.? Carol Leifer is lucky to have had a long career in comedy, from 1970s stand-up to behind the scenes at Seinfeld to Academy Awards writer and beyond?but she knows better than anyone that success is more than luck. With hilarious anecdotes drawing from her tenure at Saturday Night Live, her work cocreating The Ellen Show, and her enduring friendships with fellow comedians like Larry David, Leifer presents tried-and-true tips and tricks for getting ahead, finding your way, and opening doors?even if you have to use a sledgehammer.

The shocking, never-before-told story of the bizarre world inside the legendary Playboy Mansion and, finally, the secret truth about the man who holds the key from one of the few people who truly knows: Hef s former #1 girlfriend and star of The Girls Next DoorA spontaneous decision at age...  more

The shocking, never-before-told story of the bizarre world inside the legendary Playboy Mansion and, finally, the secret truth about the man who holds the key from one of the few people who truly knows: Hef s former #1 girlfriend and star of The Girls Next DoorA spontaneous decision at age twenty-one transformed small-town Oregon girl Holly Sue Cullen into Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner s #1 girlfriend. But like Alice s journey into Wonderland, after Holly plunged down the rabbit hole, what seemed like a fairytale life inside the Playboy Mansion including A-list celebrity parties and her own #1-rated television show for four years quickly devolved into an oppressive routine of strict rules, manipulation, and battles with ambitious, backstabbing bunnies. Life inside the notorious Mansion wasn t a dream at all and quickly became her nightmare. After losing her identity, her sense of self-worth, and her hope for the future, Holly found herself sitting alone in a bathtub contemplating suicide.But instead of ending her life, Holly chose to take charge of it.In this shockingly candid and surprisingly moving memoir, this thoughtful and introspective woman opens up about life inside the Mansion, the drugs, the sex, the abuse, the infamous parties, and her real behind-the-scenes life with Bridget, Kendra, and, of course, Mr. Playboy himself.With great courage, Holly shares the details of her subsequent troubled relationship, landing her own successful television series, and the hard work of healing, including her turn on Dancing with the Stars. A cautionary tale and a celebration of personal empowerment, Down the Rabbit Hole reminds us of the importance of fighting for our dreams and finding the life we deserve."

Three months after George Saunders gave a graduation address at Syracuse University, a transcript of that speech was posted on the website of The New York Times, where its simple, uplifting message struck a deep chord. Within days, it had been shared more than one million times....  more

Three months after George Saunders gave a graduation address at Syracuse University, a transcript of that speech was posted on the website of The New York Times, where its simple, uplifting message struck a deep chord. Within days, it had been shared more than one million times. Why?  Because Saunders’s words tap into a desire in all of us to lead kinder, more fulfilling lives. Powerful, funny, and wise, Congratulations, By the Way is an inspiring message from one of today’s most influential and original writers.

Once you let a book into your life, the most unexpected things can happen... Broken Wheel, Iowa, has never seen anyone like Sara, who traveled all the way from Sweden just to meet her book-loving pen pal. When she arrives, however, she finds Amy's funeral guests just leaving. The...  more

Once you let a book into your life, the most unexpected things can happen... Broken Wheel, Iowa, has never seen anyone like Sara, who traveled all the way from Sweden just to meet her book-loving pen pal. When she arrives, however, she finds Amy's funeral guests just leaving. The residents of Broken Wheel are happy to look after their bewildered visitor -- not much else to do in a small town that's almost beyond repair. They just never imagined that she'd start a bookstore. Or that books could bring them together -- and change everything.

Killers are suppose to be cold-hearted strangers, people whom you hear about and never meet, but what happens when you suspect someone close to you might be a murderer? In Dark Pursuit by Brandilyn Collins, Kaitlan Serig discovers that her boyfriend, the son of the police chief, might have...  more

Killers are suppose to be cold-hearted strangers, people whom you hear about and never meet, but what happens when you suspect someone close to you might be a murderer? In Dark Pursuit by Brandilyn Collins, Kaitlan Serig discovers that her boyfriend, the son of the police chief, might have caused three women to enter an early grave. She can’t call 911, so she has to turn to the only family she has left: her grandfather, whom she once stole money from. Even if he doesn’t turn her away, can Darrel help her? Will they be able to mend their broken relationship while trying to catch a killer?

One late autumn evening in a Texas town, two strangers walk into an ice cream shop shortly before closing time. They bind up the three teenage girls who are working the counter, set fire to the shop, and disappear. SEE HOW SMALL tells the stories of the survivors -- family, witnesses, and...  more

One late autumn evening in a Texas town, two strangers walk into an ice cream shop shortly before closing time. They bind up the three teenage girls who are working the counter, set fire to the shop, and disappear. SEE HOW SMALL tells the stories of the survivors -- family, witnesses, and suspects -- who must endure in the wake of atrocity. Justice remains elusive in their world, human connection tenuous. Hovering above the aftermath of their deaths are the three girls. They watch over the town and make occasional visitations, trying to connect with and prod to life those they left behind. "See how small a thing it is that keeps us apart," they say. A master of compression and lyrical precision, Scott Blackwood has surpassed himself with this haunting, beautiful, and enormously powerful new novel.

A touching and intimate correspondence between Anderson Cooper and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, offering timeless wisdom and a revealing glimpse into their lives Though Anderson Cooper has always considered himself close to his mother, his intensely busy career as a journalist for CNN and...  more

A touching and intimate correspondence between Anderson Cooper and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, offering timeless wisdom and a revealing glimpse into their lives Though Anderson Cooper has always considered himself close to his mother, his intensely busy career as a journalist for CNN and CBS affords him little time to spend with her. After she suffers a brief but serious illness at the age of ninety-one, they resolve to change their relationship by beginning a year-long conversation unlike any they had ever had before. The result is a correspondence of surprising honesty and depth in which they discuss their lives, the things that matter to them, and what they still want to learn about each other. Both a son’s love letter to his mother and an unconventional mom’s life lessons for her grown son, The Rainbow Comes and Goes offers a rare window into their close relationship and fascinating life stories, including their tragedies and triumphs. In these often humorous and moving exchanges, they share their most private thoughts and the hard-earned truths they’ve learned along the way. In their words their distinctive personalities shine through -- Anderson’s journalistic outlook on the world is a sharp contrast to his mother’s idealism and unwavering optimism. An appealing memoir with inspirational advice, The Rainbow Comes and Goes is a beautiful and affectionate celebration of the universal bond between a parent and a child, and a thoughtful reflection on life, reminding us of the precious insight that remains to be shared, no matter our age.

The panic unleashed by a mysterious contagion threatens the bonds of family and community in a seemingly idyllic suburban community. The Nash family is close-knit. Tom is a popular teacher, father of two teens: Eli, a hocky star and girl magnet, and his sister Deenie, a diligent student. Their...  more

The panic unleashed by a mysterious contagion threatens the bonds of family and community in a seemingly idyllic suburban community. The Nash family is close-knit. Tom is a popular teacher, father of two teens: Eli, a hocky star and girl magnet, and his sister Deenie, a diligent student. Their seeming stability, however, is thrown into chaos when Deenie's best friend is struck by a terrifying, unexplained seizure in class. Rumors of a hazardous outbreak spread through the family, school and community. As hysteria and contagion swell, a series of tightly held secrets emerges, threatening to unravel friendships, families and the town's fragile idea of security. A chilling story about guilt, family secrets and the lethal power of desire, THE FEVER affirms Megan Abbot's reputation as "one of the most exciting and original voices of her generation."* *Laura Lippman

Twenty of America's bestselling authors share tricks, tips, and secrets of the successful writing life. Anyone who's ever sat down to write a novel or even a story knows how exhilarating and heartbreaking writing can be. So what makes writers stick with it? In Why We Write, twenty...  more

Twenty of America's bestselling authors share tricks, tips, and secrets of the successful writing life. Anyone who's ever sat down to write a novel or even a story knows how exhilarating and heartbreaking writing can be. So what makes writers stick with it? In Why We Write, twenty well-known authors candidly share what keeps them going and what they love most--and least--about their vocation. Isabel Allende -- David Baldacci -- Jennifer Egan -- James Frey -- Sue Grafton -- Sara Gruen -- Kathryn Harrison -- Gish Jen -- Sebastian Junger -- Mary Karr -- Michael Lewis -- Armistead Maupin -- Terry McMillan -- Rick Moody -- Walter Mosley -- Susan Orlean -- Ann Patchett -- Jodi Picoult -- Jane Smiley -- Meg Wolitzer

"Open this diverting tale of family dysfunction and you'll find a holiday package filled with humor, romance and realism." --USA Today Kelley Quinn is the owner of Nantucket's Winter Street Inn and the proud father of four grown children: Patrick, a hedge fund manager; Kevin, a bartender; Ava,...  more

"Open this diverting tale of family dysfunction and you'll find a holiday package filled with humor, romance and realism." --USA Today Kelley Quinn is the owner of Nantucket's Winter Street Inn and the proud father of four grown children: Patrick, a hedge fund manager; Kevin, a bartender; Ava, a school teacher; and Bart, who has recently shocked everyone by joining the Marines. As Christmas approaches, Kelley looks forward to spending the holidays with his family at the inn. But when he walks in on his wife Mitzi kissing another man, utter chaos descends, and things only get more interesting when Kelley's ex-wife, news anchor Margaret Quinn, arrives on the scene. Before the mulled cider is gone, the delightfully dysfunctional Quinn family will survive a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, and endless rounds of Christmas caroling in this heart-warming novel about coming home for the holidays.

The Quinn family celebrates their most dramatic Christmas yet in this enchanting sequel to Elin Hilderbrand's bestselling Winter Street. Christmas on Nantucket finds Winter Street Inn owner Kelley Quinn and his family busily preparing for the holiday season. Though the year has brought...  more

The Quinn family celebrates their most dramatic Christmas yet in this enchanting sequel to Elin Hilderbrand's bestselling Winter Street. Christmas on Nantucket finds Winter Street Inn owner Kelley Quinn and his family busily preparing for the holiday season. Though the year has brought tragedy, the Quinns have much to celebrate: Kelley has reunited with his first wife Margaret, Kevin and Isabelle have a new baby; and Ava is finally dating a nice guy. But when Kelley's wife Mitzi shows up on the island, along with Kevin's devious ex-wife Nora and a dangerously irresistible old fling of Ava's, the Inn is suddenly overrun with romantic feuds, not to mention guests. With jealousy, passion, and eggnog consumption at an all-time high, it's going to take a whole lot more than a Christmas miracle to get the Quinns--and the Inn--through the holidays intact.

A Moment for Prayers is the perfect book to keep at your bedside, on your kitchen table, at your workplace, or next to your favorite chair. Share this book, too, with a friend who could use encouragement and support. Turn to any of the simple prayers in this book and lift a thought, care, or...  more

A Moment for Prayers is the perfect book to keep at your bedside, on your kitchen table, at your workplace, or next to your favorite chair. Share this book, too, with a friend who could use encouragement and support. Turn to any of the simple prayers in this book and lift a thought, care, or concern to God. At any time if your day, bless yourself with a moment for prayer.

A divorced, single mom in her forties, Clare Cosi is a coffee shop manager by day, an irrepressible snoop by night. When something is wrong, she considers it her mission in life to right it, and murder is as wrong as it gets.  Can coffee enhance your love life? Clare's Village...  more

A divorced, single mom in her forties, Clare Cosi is a coffee shop manager by day, an irrepressible snoop by night. When something is wrong, she considers it her mission in life to right it, and murder is as wrong as it gets.  Can coffee enhance your love life? Clare's Village Blend coffee beans are being used to create a new java love potion: a Mocha Magic Coffee that's laced with an herbal aphrodisiac. The product, expected to rake in millions, will be sold exclusively on Aphrodite's Village, one of the most popular online communities for women. But at the product's launch party, one of the website's editors is murdered. Clare is convinced someone wants control of the coffee's secret formula and is willing to kill to get it. Can she stir up evidence against this bitter killer? Or will she be next on the hit list?   

“She stood in the deep, dark woods, breath shallow and cold prickling over her skin despite the hot, heavy air. She took a step back, then two, as the urge to run fell over her.”    Naomi Bowes lost her innocence the night she followed her father into the woods. In...  more

“She stood in the deep, dark woods, breath shallow and cold prickling over her skin despite the hot, heavy air. She took a step back, then two, as the urge to run fell over her.”    Naomi Bowes lost her innocence the night she followed her father into the woods. In freeing the girl trapped in the root cellar, Naomi revealed the horrible extent of her father’s crimes and made him infamous. No matter how close she gets to happiness, she can’t outrun the sins of Thomas David Bowes.   Now a successful photographer living under the name Naomi Carson, she has found a place that calls to her, a rambling old house in need of repair, thousands of miles away from everything she’s ever known. Naomi wants to embrace the solitude, but the kindly residents of Sunrise Cove keep forcing her to open up -- especially the determined Xander Keaton.    Naomi can feel her defenses failing, and knows that the connection her new life offers is something she’s always secretly craved. But the sins of her father can become an obsession, and, as she’s learned time and again, her past is never more than a nightmare away.

Holiday time is party time in New York City, but after a sparkling winter bash ends with a murder, Village Blend coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi vows to put the killer on ice...  At the Great New York Cookie Swap, pastry chefs bake up their very best for charity. Clare is in charge of...  more

Holiday time is party time in New York City, but after a sparkling winter bash ends with a murder, Village Blend coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi vows to put the killer on ice...  At the Great New York Cookie Swap, pastry chefs bake up their very best for charity. Clare is in charge of the beverage service, and her famous Fa-la-la-la Lattes make the gathering even merrier. But her high spirits come crashing down to earth when she discovers the battered body of a hard-working baker's assistant. Police suspect a serial attacker whose escalating crimes have become known as "The Christmas Stalkings." Clare's boyfriend, NYPD detective Mike Quinn, finds reason to believe even more sinister forces are involved. Clare isn't so sure, until she finds a second bludgeoned baker and becomes a target herself. Now Clare must investigate "Saint Nick," crash a pro-hockey party, and dodge a pair of reality TV divas -- because she's not going to rest until justice is served. Includes holiday and cookie recipes!  

What will you do when you get the call that a loved one has had a heart attack or a stroke? Or when you realize that a family member is too frail to live alone, but too healthy for a nursing home?Journalist Paula Span shares the resonant narratives of several families who faced these questions....  more

What will you do when you get the call that a loved one has had a heart attack or a stroke? Or when you realize that a family member is too frail to live alone, but too healthy for a nursing home?Journalist Paula Span shares the resonant narratives of several families who faced these questions. Each family contemplates the alternatives in elder care (from assisted living to multigenerational living to home care, nursing care, and at the end, hospice care) and chooses the right path for its needs. Span writes about the families' emotional challenges, their practical discoveries, and the good news that some of them find a situation that has worked for them and their loved ones. And many find joy in the duty of caring for an older loved one.There are 45 million Americans caring for family members currently, and as the 77 million boomers continue to age, this number will only go up. Paula Span's stories are revealing and informative. They give a sense of all the emotional and practical factors that go into the major decisions about caregiving, so that readers will be better able to figure out what to do when the time comes for them and their loved ones.

September 3, 1940. Ten peculiar children flee an army of deadly monsters. And only one person can help them -- but she’s trapped in the body of a bird. The extraordinary journey that began in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound...  more

September 3, 1940. Ten peculiar children flee an army of deadly monsters. And only one person can help them -- but she’s trapped in the body of a bird. The extraordinary journey that began in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound friends journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. There, they hope to find a cure for their beloved headmistress, Miss Peregrine. But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. And before Jacob can deliver the peculiar children to safety, he must make an important decision about his love for Emma Bloom.

For those of us who find ourselves at a loss as to how we can help friends faed with some kind of misfortunate, here are practical suggestions -- what to say, what to do, what to write, what to give. Helps you be the kind of person you want to be (and really are)!

Rosemary (Rosie) Kennedy was born in 1918, the first daughter of a wealthy Bostonian couple who later would become known as the patriarch and matriarch of America's most famous and celebrated family. Elizabeth Koehler was born in 1957, the first and only child of a struggling Wisconsin farm...  more

Rosemary (Rosie) Kennedy was born in 1918, the first daughter of a wealthy Bostonian couple who later would become known as the patriarch and matriarch of America's most famous and celebrated family. Elizabeth Koehler was born in 1957, the first and only child of a struggling Wisconsin farm family. What, besides their religion, did these two very different Catholic women have in common? One person: Stella Koehler, a charismatic woman of the cloth who became Sister Paulus Koehler after taking her vows with the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis of Assisi. Sister Paulus was Elizabeth's Wisconsin aunt. For thirty-five years indeed much of her adult life Sister Paulus was Rosie Kennedy's caregiver. And a caregiver, tragically, had become necessary after Rosie, a slow learner prone to emotional outbursts, underwent one of America's first lobotomies an operation Joseph Kennedy was assured would normalize Rosie's life. It did not. Rosie's condition became decidedly worse. After the procedure, Joe Kennedy sent Rosie to rural Wisconsin and Saint Coletta, a Catholic-run home for the mentally disabled. For the next two decades, she never saw her siblings, her parents, or any other relative, the doctors having issued stern instructions that even the occasional family visit would be emotionally disruptive to Rosie. Following Joseph Kennedy's stroke in 1961, the Kennedy family, led by mother Rose and sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver, resumed face to face contact with Rosie. It was also about then that a young Elizabeth Koehler began paying visits to Rosie. In this insightful and poignant memoir, based in part on Sister Paulus' private notes and augmented by over one-hundred never-before-seen photos, Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff recalls the many happy and memorable times spent with the missing Kennedy.

When hearts are open, love takes hold this Christmas in Cape Light. Adele Morgan has made mistakes in her life. After a serious medical scare, she realizes her greatest regret is that she sat idly by while a petty dispute tore her family apart. She has returned to Cape Light determined to...  more

When hearts are open, love takes hold this Christmas in Cape Light. Adele Morgan has made mistakes in her life. After a serious medical scare, she realizes her greatest regret is that she sat idly by while a petty dispute tore her family apart. She has returned to Cape Light determined to mend broken relations and bring everyone together for the holidays. But Adele’s arrival elicits little delight. Neither Molly Willoughby nor Sam Morgan has time for their grandmother’s plan to reconcile. It will take a miracle to unite Adele’s family. Luckily for Adele, miracles can happen at the Inn at Angel Island. Meanwhile, there’s another visitor, a skeptic determined to debunk Angel Island’s legend. Grad student Jonathan Butler plans to prove the angel lore is nonsense and leave with a grand “bah humbug!” Stuck on the island for Christmas, he spends his time doing research in the Historical Society where he meets local undergrad Tess Wyler. It’s only a matter of time before he too falls under the island’s spell and realizes that the proof of Angel Island and Cape Light’s magic lies within.

Celebrate Christmas with Charlie Brown, Snoopy and all their friends. Part of the popular Look and Find series, this book is filled with activities in all eight festive scenes where Snoopy and his friends are ice-skating, decorating, having fun in the snow, and much more. At the end of the book...  more

Celebrate Christmas with Charlie Brown, Snoopy and all their friends. Part of the popular Look and Find series, this book is filled with activities in all eight festive scenes where Snoopy and his friends are ice-skating, decorating, having fun in the snow, and much more. At the end of the book you ll discover even more look and find challenges for every scene. This fun-filled activity book is perfect for kids to share or take along on trips.

Fourth Installment in the Raine Stockton Dog Mystery Series: a short novella. Dog trainer Raine Stockton has lived all her life in the quiet community of Hansonville North Carolina. She is the daughter of a judge, the niece of a sheriff, and the ex-wife of a deputy. She does not lead the...  more

Fourth Installment in the Raine Stockton Dog Mystery Series: a short novella. Dog trainer Raine Stockton has lived all her life in the quiet community of Hansonville North Carolina. She is the daughter of a judge, the niece of a sheriff, and the ex-wife of a deputy. She does not lead the kind of life, generally speaking, in which people get buried in her back yard. But when Cisco, Raine?s mischievous golden retriever, digs up human bones beneath the site of what will soon be her new training kennel, mayhem ensues. With the state police swarming everywhere, references to a mass grave and suspicions of a serial killer, Raine is surrounded by chaos. But when her beautiful collie Majesty keeps disappearing and cryptic messages from a pet psychic only add to the confusion, Raine soon finds herself plunged into the midst of a mystery that is far too close to home. Can she and Cisco track down the truth before it?s too late?

For readers of Jonathan Franzen and Richard Russo, Jonathan Dee?s novels are masterful works of literary fiction. In this sharply observed tale of self-invention and public scandal, Dee raises a trenchant question: what do we really want when we ask for forgiveness?   Once a privileged and...  more

For readers of Jonathan Franzen and Richard Russo, Jonathan Dee?s novels are masterful works of literary fiction. In this sharply observed tale of self-invention and public scandal, Dee raises a trenchant question: what do we really want when we ask for forgiveness?   Once a privileged and loving couple, the Armsteads have now reached a breaking point. Ben, a partner in a prestigious law firm, has become unpredictable at work and withdrawn at home?a change that weighs heavily on his wife, Helen, and their preteen daughter, Sara. Then, in one afternoon, Ben?s recklessness takes an alarming turn, and everything the Armsteads have built together unravels, swiftly and spectacularly.   Thrust back into the working world, Helen finds a job in public relations and relocates with Sara from their home in upstate New York to an apartment in Manhattan. There, Helen discovers she has a rare gift, indispensable in the world of image control: She can convince arrogant men to admit their mistakes, spinning crises into second chances. Yet redemption is more easily granted in her professional life than in her personal one.   As she is confronted with the biggest case of her career, the fallout from her marriage, and Sara?s increasingly distant behavior, Helen must face the limits of accountability and her own capacity for forgiveness.   Praise for The Privileges   ?Full of elegance, vitality and complexity . . . Dee is at once funny, subversive and sympathetic.??The New York Times Book Review   ?Scintillating . . . Dee is a remarkably skilled portraitist.??The Washington Post   ?Admirably relentless.??The New Yorker   ?Transfixing . . . composed in Dee?s typically elegant style?gorgeous winding sentences.??Los Angeles Times   ?Pitch-perfect prose?a real delight for those who have all but given up on recent fiction . . . a riveting book about the new American family and the atomizing pressures of modern life.??Chicago Tribune   ?Dee?s book is so witty and savvy and adroit and basically humane?as well as breathtakingly intelligent?that it shines beyond all categories on its astonishing merits.??Richard Ford   ?Dee?s luminous prose never falters; he?s a master.??Entertainment Weekly

In Let's Pretend This Never Happened, Jenny Lawson baffled readers with stories about growing up the daughter of a taxidermist. In her new book, Furiously Happy, Jenny explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. A hysterical, ridiculous book about crippling depression and anxiety? That...  more

In Let's Pretend This Never Happened, Jenny Lawson baffled readers with stories about growing up the daughter of a taxidermist. In her new book, Furiously Happy, Jenny explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. A hysterical, ridiculous book about crippling depression and anxiety? That sounds like a terrible idea. And terrible ideas are what Jenny does best. According to Jenny: "Some people might think that being 'furiously happy' is just an excuse to be stupid and irresponsible and invite a herd of kangaroos over to your house without telling your husband first because you suspect he would say no since he's never particularly liked kangaroos. And that would be ridiculous because no one would invite a herd of kangaroos into their house. Two is the limit. I speak from personal experience. My husband says that none is the new limit. I say he should have been clearer about that before I rented all those kangaroos." "Most of my favorite people are dangerously fucked-up but you'd never guess because we've learned to bear it so honestly that it becomes the new normal. Like John Hughes wrote in The Breakfast Club, 'We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it.' Except go back and cross out the word 'hiding.'" Jenny's first book, Let's Pretend This Never Happened, was ostensibly about family, but deep down it was about celebrating your own weirdness. Furiously Happy is a book about mental illness, but under the surface it's about embracing joy in fantastic and outrageous ways-and who doesn't need a bit more of that?

At loose ends with her daughter leaving home and her husband on the road, Sue Halpern decided to give herself and Pransky, her under-occupied Labradoodle, a new lease on life by getting them certified as a therapy dog team. Smart, spirited, and instinctively compassionate, Pransky turned out to...  more

At loose ends with her daughter leaving home and her husband on the road, Sue Halpern decided to give herself and Pransky, her under-occupied Labradoodle, a new lease on life by getting them certified as a therapy dog team. Smart, spirited, and instinctively compassionate, Pransky turned out to be not only a terrific therapist but an unerring moral compass. And little by little, their adventures expanded and illuminated Halpern's sense of what virtue is and does.

Are the skies clearing up at last for the Quinn family? Some of the stormy weather of the last few years seems to have finally lifted for the Quinns, and if there's one holiday that lets them be grateful for the good times, it's Christmas. This year promises to be a celebration unlike...  more

Are the skies clearing up at last for the Quinn family? Some of the stormy weather of the last few years seems to have finally lifted for the Quinns, and if there's one holiday that lets them be grateful for the good times, it's Christmas. This year promises to be a celebration unlike any other as they prepare to host a family wedding at the Inn. As the special day approaches, a once-in-a-century blizzard bears down on Nantucket, threatening to keep the Quinns away from the place, and the people, they love most. Before the snow clears, the Quinns will have to survive enough upheavals to send anyone running for the spiked eggnog, in this touching novel that proves when the holidays roll around, you can always go home again.

STORMS OF PERFECTION is a collection of letters from over fifty of the world's most successful people. In their correspondence with author Andy Andrews, they tell the story of the biggest problem or worst rejection they personally encountered before becoming successful. Thought provoking and...  more

STORMS OF PERFECTION is a collection of letters from over fifty of the world's most successful people. In their correspondence with author Andy Andrews, they tell the story of the biggest problem or worst rejection they personally encountered before becoming successful. Thought provoking and inspirational, the actual words of these incredible achievers are reprinted here in unedited form. The stories they have written bring new insight to the price of success and an appreciation for the perseverance these winners displayed as they faced life-changing "storms of perfection".