A fascinating account that takes us from ancient China to renaissance Italy to everywhere today, by the bestselling author of Fermat's Last Theorem. Annotation. Bestselling science writer Amir Aczel uncovers the fascinating story of the invention of the compass and its impact on the world. Amir D. Aczel, the distinguished science writer, turns detective as he uncovers the fascinating story of the invention of the compass. It's a fabulous tale of Chinese lodestones directing the building of palaces and ancient mariners following the flights of birds to reach their destinations. The arrival of the compass in Europe and an understanding of its potential revolutionized trade in the Mediterranean and ushered in the great Age of Exploration. Tracking down the roots of the compass and telling the story of navigation through the ages, Aczel instructs and charms as never before. Amir Aczel is known for his ability to write delightful books about hard topics in math and science. And this is the book he was born to write. Raised on ocean liners by his ship's captain father, the young Aczel stood at the helm and steered ships through the Mediterranean. His experience adds depth and resonance to the telling of this terrific story.

If you've ever been fired, you're in good company. That's what actress and writer Annabelle Gurwitch discovered when she was fired by her idol Woody Allen, who added, "You look retarded." In confiding her tale of woe to others, she realized there is a world of people out there with similar laugh-out-loud experiences. How did Bob Saget learn he was being phased out of his job on The Morning Program? "One day I showed up and my hosting chair was gone!" A collection of anecdotes from people who've all gotten the ax, the boot, or been canned at some point in their lives, Fired! boasts an all-star cast from Tim Allen to Jeff Garlin and features contributions from people all over the country. Uproariously funny and refreshingly true, this book proves it's not the bounce that counts, it's the bounce back.

The internationally acclaimed author of Tapestry continues the magnificent Werner Family saga with this tumultuous and breathtaking novel. In the difficult times of the 1960s, a university student unwittingly precipitates a chain of events that spirals the Werner family downward with no forseeable end. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

Devastated by the stillbirth of his child, banking magnate Paul Werner struggles with his forbidden passion for the elusive Anna, while continuing his work to help the Jews fleeing Germany

In September 1939 the head of the Lubavitch hasidic community (also called Habad), Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak Schneersohn, was caught in the German occupation of Warsaw. His hasidim in the USA pressed the government to save the Rebbe. At the same time, some Nazi officials, like Canaris and Wohltat, decided that it would serve German interests to allow the Rebbe to leave for America. The Wehrmacht officer Ernst Bloch, a half-Jew, was instrumental in the Rebbe's release. Notes that many high-ranking Nazi officials protected officers who were half-Jews. Bloch was dismissed from his Army post after 20 July 1944, when repression of "Mischlinge" in the military resumed; he was killed in April 1945. Contends that Schneersohn, as well as all of the Habad leadership, failed to understand the urgency of helping the Jews stranded in Europe; he never deplored the lack of U.S. actions in this regard and he shunned any protest actions. Compares his attitude to that of Rabbi Aharon Kotler, who was ready to cooperate even with the Pope if it were possible to save a single Jewish child.

* Conjure Spells for Love, Money, Protection, and Luck;* Cursing and Reversing Tricks with Dolls and Mirror Spells;* The Secrets of Kitchen Witchery and Grocery Store Magic;* Candle and Oil Lamp Magic in the Hoodoo Tradition; * How to Make Your Own Mojo Hands, Doll-Babies, and Packet Amulets;* Divination and Seership with Bones, Tea Leaves, and Candle Wax. From 2002 through 2013, the Lucky Mojo Curio Company offered an assortment of informational "shop flyers" to all in-store and mail-order customers, featuring basic information about African American hoodoo drawn from catherine yronwode's book "Hoodoo in Theory and Practice." Meanwhile, from 20008 through 2013, the Missionary Independent Spiritual Church annual Hoodoo Workshops, attendees who came to receive hands-on training in the practice of conjure and other forms of world folk-magic received hand-out flyers describing the spells, recipes, and methods of practice being taught. All of these three-hole-punched information sheets -- the Lucky Mojo Shop Flyers and the Hoodoo Workshop Hand-Outs -- were then collected together into a black school-report cover -- which we called The Black Folder. As the years went on, the content of The Black Folder grew and grew and grew, until there were so many pages that they could no longer easily fit into a single report cover ... and so we put together the complete set of all of the past Missionary Independent Spiritual Church Workshop flyers, plus a complete set of all of the Lucky Mojo shop flyers into a 136 page professionally printed BOOK. The name of the book is "The Black Folder" -- but don't let the name (or the cover) fool you -- it's a regular 8 1/2" x 11" trade paperback book, like nothing else available anywhere.Contributors include an all-star line-up of well-known conjure doctors from around the world: ConjureMan Ali, Deacon Millett, Dr. E., Lara Rivera, Prof. Charles Porterfield, Dr. James Dotson, Khi Armand, Sister Robin Petersen, Sindy Todo, Susan Diamond, Marin Graves, Miss Elvyra Curcuruto-Love, Ms. Robin York, Dr. Johannes Gardback, Michele Jackson, Valentina Burton, Tanisia Mooney, and catherine yronwode.

A last major work by the influential Serbian writer to be translated into English demonstrates his use of lyrical and unguarded language and is inspired by the stories of real inmates and warders at Auschwitz, including Dr. Mengele, whose experiences shaped the themes and patterns of Kis' subsequent writings.

Two sixth-grade boys try to control their teacher's mind, but find their project getting out of hand when serious things start happening to her.

When Andy and his friend Tamika travel to the city for a weekend with Tamika's aunt, they arrive in time to rescue hamsters parachuting down from Aunt Mandy's building! Andy resolves to uncover who's behind the troublesome incident, but first he must endure trips to fancy restaurants, museums and the ballet, made more unpleasant by annoying Jason, a young friend of Aunt Mandy's, who she invited along. The big-city fun he was expecting turns into some surprising discoveries for Andy in this engaging mystery - container.

Andy Russell tries--he really does. But his teacher, Ms. Roman, can be so boring. He daydreams in class and forgets about tests, and finally Ms. Roman has had enough. Andy always knew she had it in for him! But when Ms. Roman is out sick, Andy's class gets a fishy substitute teacher and things turn from bad to worse. Guess who is sent to the principal's office when someone starts playing tricks on the sub!

The son of Reuven Tamiroff, who emigrated to America from Eastern Europe following World War II, discovers secrets from his father's past and sets out for Germany to avenge his brother's death by destroying his killer, an S.S. officer known as "The Angel"

Discover the Heartbreaking Confession Franz Kafka Never Meant for the World to See Franz Kafka, the literary genius behind The Metamorphosis and The Trial, opens the door to his most personal struggle in Letter to His Father. This raw and emotional text, written in 1919 but never sent, is both a plea for understanding and a scathing account of the turbulent relationship between a son and his overbearing father. Letter to His Father is now presented in a fresh, modern translation designed to make Kafka’s poignant and powerful words accessible to contemporary readers. This updated version brings clarity and immediacy to Kafka’s timeless exploration of the complex and fraught relationship between a son and his overbearing father. In this searing letter, Kafka grapples with feelings of fear, guilt, and inadequacy, offering readers a unique window into the forces that shaped his identity and his work. With his signature introspection and masterful prose, he examines the weight of familial expectations, the wounds inflicted by power imbalances, and the desperate longing for reconciliation. Published posthumously in 1952, Letter to His Father is more than a personal document—it is a universal exploration of the human condition, relatable to anyone who has felt misunderstood or struggled to find their place in the shadow of someone else. This is Kafka at his most vulnerable, unguarded, and unforgettable. Whether you are a longtime admirer or discovering his work for the first time, Letter to His Father is a powerful testament to the man behind the masterpieces. Step into Kafka’s world and uncover the story behind the stories. Order your copy today!

Atticus Kodiak knows where people go to hide. That's why he and Alena Cizkova have come to a secluded Georgian town in the former U.S.S.R. What he doesn't know is what his friend and neighbor Bakhar Lagidze was hiding from. Bakhar and his entire family have been viciously murdered--all except for Lagidze's fourteen-year-old daughter, whose nightmare is just beginning. To rescue her, Atticus must enter a lethal web that stretches from Russia to Istanbul, from Dubai to Las Vegas, and into the very heart of evil. But what troubles Atticus the most is that Alena, once one of the world's most fearless assassins, is clearly terrified of what Atticus will uncover--and what he'll become when he does.

This book, a sequel and companion volume to Marcus's Real Life Rock: The Complete Top Ten Columns, 1986-2014, is a collection of hundreds of items from the crisscrossing spectrum of culture and politics throughout the tumultuous past six years of American life. Tracking the evolution of national identity during the convulsive Trump administration, Marcus spotlights the most whip-smart cultural artifacts to compose a mosaic portrait of American society, replete with unexpected heroes and villains, absurdity and its consequences, humor and despair, terror and defiance--as seen through media, music, and more. Bursting with Marcus's effortless, no-nonsense, unapologetic verve, this book features seventy-three columns from 2014 through February 2021

Considered the bible of speechmaking, this updated reference is designed to keep speakers upright, articulate, and successful by showing them how to think on their feet.

With The World Is the Home of Love and Death, Harold Brodkey completes the extraordinary literary voyage that began with the publication of his first short story in The New Yorker in 1952. During the past four decades, Brodkey established himself as a modern master of short fiction. In The World Is the Home of Love and Death, Brodkey returns to themes he has treated so memorably in the past--the conformity and stupefying monotony of suburbia, the malevolence of cocktail-party conversation--bringing to them a new refinement and compression. In all of these stories, Brodkey proves that there has never been a more acute translator of the language of power, coercion, and, ultimately, love. It is altogether appropriate that Brodkey's final return to fiction should be to the short story, a form that he has influenced so profoundly.

Menedemos, the young dashing sea captain, and his helper, the scholarly Sostratos, are sea-traders from the Greek island of Rhodes. Fearless sailors, they will travel any distance to make a profit or to search for rich treasures. *** While they trade in fineries such as wine and silk (and even, to the chagrin of many, peacocks), they live in dangerous times with pirates, thieves and barbarians. As if avoiding death by the hands of these miscreants isn't enough (particularly the barbarians from an obscure town called Rome), they are also caught between the political intrigues of Alexander's former generals.

"Owls to Athens demonstrates Turteltaub's excellent research skills ... an entertaining and intelligent story"-SF Site "Scholar and bestselling author [Turteltaub], encapsulates his vision of the ancient world through the eyes of these two engaging merchants."-Historical Novel Society After some long and perilous journeys, Menedemos and Sostratos finally head back to Athens just in time for the Dionysia, a bacchanalian festival of plays and celebrations. Like earlier installments in the series, Owls to Athens has the cousins going through various adventures, trade negotiations and sexual escapades, all set against a finely painted mosaic of Hellenic life in the fourth century BCE. However, this time, most of their time is spent in the City of Athens instead of sailing on the high seas. But even in the City, life can be treacherous, particularly when Menedemos decides to have an affair with one of the most influential and dangerous women in Athens.

"all will be impressed by Turtledove's immersive ancient world." − Publishers Weekly A new novel by one of the most acclaimed writers of alternate history in the world; a New York Times bestselling author who has been crowned as 'the Master of Alternate History' by Publisher Weekly and has won virtually every major award associated with the genre. Salamis is the fifth (standalone) novel in Harry Turtledove's critically acclaimed Hellenic Traders universe, detailing the adventures of two cousins, Menedemos and Sostratos, who work as seaborne traders following the death of Alexander the Great. This time the stage is one of the greatest sea battles ever fought in ancient times; the Battle of Salamis of 306 BC . The small, free, and independent polis of Rhodes is trying to stay neutral between the local great powers, each ruled by one of Alexander the Great's marshals: Asia Minor, controlled by one-eyed Antigonos, and Egypt, under the rule of Ptolemaios. As tensions between the great powers escalate, Menedemos and Sostratos are trying to resolve their own problems, oblivious to the fact that one of the greatest navel fleets in ancient history is about to set sail. Ptolemaios, needing shipping to carry weapons for the army he intends to land, coerces Menedemos into bringing their ship, the Aphrodite , along as part of his expeditionary force. And so, very much against their will, Menedemos and Sostratos become small parts of one of the ancient world's most significant naval battles.