Can average be amazing? The bestselling author of Frindle shows that with a little kindness, it can.Jordan Johnston is average. Not short, not tall. Not plump, not slim. Not gifted, not flunking out. Even her shoe size is average. She’s ordinary for her school, for her town, for even the whole wide world, it seems. Then Marlea Harkins, one of the most popular girls in school—and most definitely the meanest—does something unthinkable, and suddenly nice, average Jordan isn’t thinking average thoughts anymore. She wants to get Marlea back! But what’s the best way to beat a bully? Could it be with kindness? Called “a genius of gentle, high concept tales set in suburban middle school” by The New York Times, bestselling author Andrew Clements presents a compelling story of the greatest achievement possible—self-acceptance. Views: 33
After Ann Walmsley was mugged near her house in Hampstead, she found she was unable to walk alone down the street and it shook her belief in the fundamental goodness of people. In Canada a few years later, when her friend Carol asked her to participate in a bold new venture in a men's medium security prison, Ann had to weigh her curiosity and desire to be of service with her anxiety and fear.But she signed up and for eighteen months went to a remote building a few hours outside of Toronto, meeting a group of heavily tattooed book club members without the presence of guards or security cameras. There was no wine and cheese, plush furnishings, or superficial chat about jobs or recent vacations. But a book club on the inside proved to be a place to share ideas, learn about each other, and regain humanity.For the men, the books were rare prized possessions, and the meetings were an oasis of safety and a respite from isolation in an otherwise hostile environment. Having been... Views: 33
When Jay Desmarteaux steps out of from prison after serving twenty-five years for murdering a vicious school bully, he tries to follow his convict mentor's advice: the best revenge is living well.But questions gnaw at his gut: Where have his folks disappeared to? Why do old friends want him gone? And who wants him dead?Teaming with his high school sweetheart turned legal Valkyrie, a hulking body shop bodybuilder, and a razor-wielding gentleman's club house mother, Jay will unravel a tangle of deception all the way back to the bayous where he was born. With an iron-fisted police chief on his tail and a ruthless mob captain at his throat, he'll need his wits, his fists, and his father's trusty Vietnam war hatchet to hack his way through a toxic jungle of New Jersey corruption that makes the gator-filled swamps of home feel like the shallow end of the kiddie pool.Praise for Bad Boy Boogie ..."Thomas Pluck has launched himself into the rare category of...must read novels...must... Views: 33
A dead child in the streets. And a dead woman on the grounds of an estate owned by Declan Scott, whose own child was abducted and whose wife subsequently died. Of course the two incidents connect in Jury's 19th case. Views: 33
Swashbuckling counter Spy Alex Hawke returns in New York Times bestselling author Ted Bell's most explosive tale of international suspense to date. There dwells, somewhere in Russia, a man so powerful no one even knows his name. His existence is only speculated upon, only whispered about in American corridors of power and CIA strategy meetings. Though he is all but invisible, he is pulling strings – and pulling them hard. For suddenly, Russia is a far, far more ominous threat than even the most hardened cold warriors ever thought possible. The Russians have their finger on the switch to the European economy and an eye on the American jugular. And, most importantly, they want to be made whole again. Should America interfere with Russia's plans to "reintegrate" her rogue states, well then, America will pay in blood. In Ted Bell's latest pulse-pounding and action-packed tour de force, Alex Hawke must face a global nightmare of epic proportions. As this political crisis plays out, Russia gains a new leader. Not just a president, but a new tsar, a signal to the world that the old, imperial Russia is back and plans to have her day. And in America, a mysterious killer, known only as Happy the Baker, brutally murders an innocent family and literally flattens the small Midwestern town they once called home. Just a taste, according to the new tsar, of what will happen if America does not back down. Onto this stage must step Alex Hawke, espionage agent extraordinaire and the only man, both Americans and the Brits agree, who can stop the absolute madness borne and bred inside the modern police state of Vladimir Putin's 'New Russia'. Views: 33
These elements have sustained the peaceful people of Shaftal for generations, with their subtle powers of healing, truth, joy, and intuition. But now, Shaftal is dying. The earth witch who ruled Shaftal is dead, leaving no heir. Shaftal's ruling house has been scattered by the invading Sainnites. The Shaftali have mobilized a guerrilla army against these marauders, but every year the cost of resistance grows, leaving Shaftal's fate in the hands of three people: Emil, scholar and reluctant warrior; Zanja, the sole survivor of a slaughtered tribe; and Karis the metalsmith, a half-blood giant whose earth powers can heal, but only when she can muster the strength to hold off her addiction to a deadly drug. Separately, all they can do is watch as Shaftal falls from prosperity into lawlessness and famine. But if they can find a way to work together, they just may change the course of history. Views: 33
Hackers
In the tradition of Mirrorshades—stories from the virtual frontier…
A collection of short stories from the virtual frontier follows the exploits of the world's most notorious hackers and includes contributions from Greg Bear, William Gibson, Robert Silverberg, and Bruce Sterling. This wide-ranging collection of cyberspace tales, featuring the most cutting-edge writers in science fiction, goes beyond the stereotypes of computer rogues and delves into the true heart--and art--of hackerdom.
“Burning Chrome” by William Gibson
“Spirit of the Night” by Tom Maddox
“Blood Sisters” by Greg Egan
“Rock On” by Pat Cadigan
“The Pardoner’s Tale” by Robert Silverberg
“Living Will” by Alexander Jablokov
“Dogfight” by Michael Swanwick and Willia Gibson
“Our Neural Chernobyl” by Bruce Sterling
“(Learning about) Machine Sex” by Candas Jane Dorsey
“Conversations with Michael” by Daniel Marcus
“Gene Wars” by Paul J. McAuley
“Spew” by Neal Stephenson
“Tangents” by Greg Bear
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DescriptionCharlie Fox is a bodyguard hired to protect spoiled and surly teenager Trey Pelzner. Charlie accompanies her boss (and lover) Sean, from England to South Florida for what appears to be a low-key security job. Not exactly. Her trip to Florida begins in an amusement park, where Charlie and Trey are ambushed. Whisking Trey to safety just in time, Charlie learns that she can trust no one—not even those who hired her—and goes on the lam with the boy, killing a few bad guys and becoming one of America's most wanted in the process. Views: 33
Half-pixie, Kayseri Bruin, has waited all her life for Captain Fawr...She is through waiting. At thirty-four, widowed, and disillusioned, Kree Fawr is about to come face to face with his fiercest opponent yet, a determined young woman in love. Sparks will fly. Views: 33
