"Before there was Catherine the Great, there was Catherine Alexeyevna: the first woman to rule Russia in her own right. Ellen Alpsten's rich, sweeping first-person narrative is the story of her rise to power. St. Petersburg, 1725. Peter the Great lies dying in his magnificent Winter Palace. The weakness and treachery of his only son has driven his father to an appalling act of cruelty and left the empire without an heir. Russia risks falling into...

The amazing autobiography of a young Sudanese boy who went from a child soldier to an international peace activist, a struggling refugee to a Hollywood actor. Sudan, 1980s: Ger Duany knew what he wanted out of life--make his family proud, play with his brothers and sisters, maybe get an education like his brother Oder suggested, and become a soldier for his people when he's old enough. But then his village was attacked by the North Sudanese military,...

She never expected this Cahill to be her hero -- or the only man she'd need . It's hard to forget a beautiful woman who picks your pocket the first time you meet. Darby Cahill recognizes Mariah Ayres the moment she walks into his bar looking for a job. He shouldn' hire her?or crave more after one impulsive kiss. But what starts as curiosity about her motives turns to concern when he senses how much danger she's inches Mariah has been running...

"This fresh perspective on crucial questions of history identifies the root metaphors that cultures have used to construct meaning in their world. It offers a glimpse into the minds of a vast range of different peoples: early hunter-gatherers and farmers,ancient Egyptians, traditional Chinese sages, the founders of Christianity, trail-blazers of the Scientific Revolution, and those who constructed our modern consumer society. Taking the reader on...

"Early in the twenty-first century, a quiet revolution occurred. For the first time, the major developed economies began to invest more in intangible assets, like design, branding, R & D, and software, than in tangible assets, like machinery, buildings, and computers. For all sorts of businesses, from tech firms and pharma companies to coffee shops and gyms, the ability to deploy assets that one can neither see nor touch is increasingly the main source...

Dr. Henry Lodge provides the science. Chris Crowley provides the motivation. And through their New York Times bestselling program, you'll discover how to put off 70 percent of the normal problems of aging--weakness, sore joints, bad balance--and eliminate 50 percent of serious illness and injury. Plus, prominent neurologist Allan Hamilton now explains how following "Harry's Rules" for diet, exercise, and staying emotionally connected directly affects...

While children with Asperger's are generally of average or above average intelligence, they experience challenges with social skills, communication, and coordination, among other issues. The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Asperger's Syndrome is an informative resource that helps parents to recognize areas in which their child needs support. Filled with helpful hints and practical guidance, this authoritative work is designed to provide...

"Even with a blizzard bearing down on New Jersey, Alison can count on at least two guests--Paul and Maxie, the stubborn ghosts who share her shore town inn. Then there's her widowed mother, who hasn't just been seeing ghosts, she's been secretly dating one: Alison's father. But when he stands her up three times in a row, something's wrong. Is he a lost soul...or a missing apparition? Their only lead is an overdramatic spirit--stage name Lawrence Laurentz--who...

Beetlejuice is the name of a wild bug-eating ghost from the Netherworld with a bad habit of acting stupid and a weakness for not working well with others. His best friend Lydia is a mortal who, despite being best friends, is consistently getting pranks pulled on her by Beetlejuice. Trapped in the Netherworld, the only way Beetlejuice can visit the Outerworld (mortal world) is when his name is repeated three times, but unfortunately for him that is...

"A former prodigy refuses to believe her best years are behind her in this sparkling debut about second chances, unexpected joys, and the miraculous healing power of art and connection. It's a lot of pressure being compared to Mozart. Especially when you're only five. Prudence Childs was once the most famous kindergartner on the planet. She played at the White House, appeared on talk shows, and inspired a generation of children to take up piano. But...