Anny Butler is a caretaker, a nurturer, first for her own brothers and sisters, and then as a director of an agency devoted to the welfare of children. What she has never had is a real family. That changes when she meets and marries Lewis Aiken, an exuberant surgeon fifteen years older than Anny. When they marry, she finds her family -- not a traditional one, but a group of Charleston childhood friends who are inseparable, who are one another's surrogate family. They are called the Scrubs, and they all, in some way, have the common cord of family. Views: 25
Amazon.com ReviewAs a boy, Brian Greene read Albert Camus' __ and was transformed. Camus, in Greene's paraphrase, insisted that the hero triumphs "by relinquishing everything beyond immediate experience." After wrestling with this idea, however, Greene rejected Camus and realized that his true idols were physicists; scientists who struggled "to assess life and to experience the universe at all possible levels, not just those that happened to be accessible to our frail human senses." His driving question in The Fabric of the Cosmos, then, is fundamental: "What is reality?" Over sixteen chapters, he traces the evolving human understanding of the substrate of the universe, from classical physics to ten-dimensional M-Theory.Assuming an audience of non-specialists, Greene has set himself a daunting task: to explain non-intuitive, mathematical concepts like String Theory, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, and Inflationary Cosmology with analogies drawn from common experience. For the most part, he succeeds. His language reflects a deep passion for science and a gift for translating concepts into poetic images. When explaining, for example, the inability to see the higher dimensions inherent in string theory, Greene writes: "We don't see them because of the way we see…like an ant walking along a lily pad…we could be floating within a grand, expansive, higher-dimensional space."For Greene, Rhodes Scholar and professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University, speculative science is not always as thorough and successful. His discussion of teleportation, for example, introduces and then quickly tables a valuable philosophical probing of identity. The paradoxes of time travel, however, are treated with greater depth, and his vision of life in a three-brane universe is compelling and--to use his description for quantum reality--"weird."In the final pages Greene turns from science fiction back to the fringes of science fact, and he returns with rigor to frame discoveries likely to be made in the coming decades. "We are, most definitely, still wandering in the jungle," he concludes. Thanks to Greene, though, some of the underbrush has been cleared. --Patrick O'KelleyFrom Publishers WeeklyString theory is a recent development in physics that, by positing that all which exists is composed of infinitesimally small vibrating loops of energy, seeks to unify Einstein's theories and those of quantum mechanics into a so-called "theory of everything." In 1999, Greene, one of the world's leading physicists, published The Elegant Universe (Norton), a popular presentation of string theory that became a major bestseller and, last fall, a highly rated PBS/Nova series. The strength of the book resided in Greene's unparalleled (among contemporary science writers) ability to translate higher mathematics (the language of physics) and its findings into everyday language and images, through adept use of metaphor and analogy, and crisp, witty prose. The same virtues adhere to this new book, which offers a lively view of human understanding of space and time, an understanding of which string theory is an as-yet unproven advance. To do this, Greene takes a roughly chronological approach, beginning with Newton, moving through Einstein and quantum physics, and on to string theory and its hypotheses (that there are 11 dimensions, ten of space and one of time; that there may be an abundance of parallel universes; that time travel may be possible, and so on) and imminent experiments that may test some of its tenets. None of this is easy reading, mostly because the concepts are tough to grasp and Greene never seems to compromise on accuracy. Eighty-five line drawings ease the task, however, as does Greene's felicitous narration; most importantly, though, Greene not only makes concepts clear but explains why they matter. He opens the book with a discussion of Camus's The Myth of Sisyphus, setting a humanistic tone that he sustains throughout. This is popular science writing of the highest order, with copious endnotes that, unlike the text, include some math. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Views: 25
The girl spy in training is falling for the bad boy of baseball, and love isn't all they'll need! When Sierra Taylor’s brother, Zack, fell in love with a spy from the Society, she wished she could join the secret group. Knowing that wasn’t an option, she went back to work at the auction house in her hometown. Now, with Reina Corrigan running things, the Society has recruited her as a trainee. She’s not worried about passing the classes on etiquette, technology, or even hand to hand combat. It’s mastering languages that’s giving her a hard time. Or at least one language in particular: Portuguese. The language that her brother’s infuriating friend can help her with—at a price she knows she shouldn’t want to pay. Joel Cruz was born in Brazil, but has lived in the States for most of his life. The son of diplomats, he found his calling when he first picked up a baseball bat. He also found himself surrounded by plenty of women willing to be on his arm in public, and in his bed at night. Sierra Taylor is one of the only women who has ever said no to him. Unfortunately for her, she needs his help, and in order to receive it, she’ll have to say yes. To everything—and anything—he wants from her. Training in the Society is pass or fail, and failure is not an option Sierra’s willing to consider. Can she master the language, while keeping the player out of her heart? Or will she strike out on both counts, and lose it all?** Views: 25
Amsterdam DIRECTIONS has all you need to get the most out of the city: the top places to stay, the sights not to miss, the coolest bars ... in short, the best the city has to offer. Browse our IDEAS section and you'll know what you want to do, 24 hours a day. Flip to the places section to explore the city district, with evry sight, restaurant, bar and shop located on our easy-to-use maps. It's like having a local friend plan your trip. Views: 25
Enter the world of Geronimo Stilton, where another funny, cheesy adventure is always right around the corner. Each book is fast-paced with lively art and a unique format kids 7-10 will love. Rat-munching rattlesnakes! I can't believe it. I, Geronimo Stilton, just let my super-sporty friend Bruce Hyena convince me to go on another one of his extreme adventures. You know me—I just can't say no to a friend! This time, we're going to be climbing to the top of the famouse Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. Moldy mozzarella! I'm in no shape for a mountain climb. How will I ever make it to the top? Views: 25
"Diana Cosby is superbly talented." —Cathy Maxwell, New York Times bestselling authorDeep within Scotland, a healer and a warrior join forces to protect Scotland's future . . .There is an intruder in the woods near King Robert Bruce's camp, but when Sir Thomas MacKelloch comes face-to-face with the interloper, he is shocked to discover his assailant is a woman. The fair lady is skilled with a bow and arrow and defiant in her responses. The wary Knight Templar dare not allow her beauty to lower his guard. Irritated by his attraction, he hauls her before his sovereign to expose her nefarious intent.Outraged Sir Thomas dismissed her claim, Mistress Alesone MacNiven awaits the shock on the arrogant knight's face when he learns that she has told the truth. But it is she who is shocked, and then horrified, as it is revealed that her father, the king's mortal enemy, has betrothed her to a powerful noble, a deal that could jeopardize the... Views: 25
The Number One Russian bestsellerSpy School:Train your Memory Like a KGB Agent by Denis Bukin is part spy-story, part brain gym as test yourself against the techniques that produced the most skillful spies the world has every seen. Full of puzzles, tests tricks and brain hacks, learn the secrets to a vastly improved memory and see if you have what it takes to be a Russian spy. Views: 25
Vi never liked math and aftermath isn't floating her boat either....Hurricane Wu Tamika Felipe has moved north. Yeah, the storm almost killed Detective Violet Baker, but it also blew some romance her way. Her uptight partner, Dzholh "Joe" Ban!drn actually kissed her.But there's no time for any follow-up kissing, much to Vi's regret. They are hunting something very bad. Something that tried to kill them while they were dirt side during the storm.And has now escaped up into New Orleans New.It's not business as usual, though there is some deja vu in there, when Vi and Joe get sent to a FEMA camp to check out a dead body.Until that body turns into a trail that might lead to the evil it. Or to its next victim.Just when Vi thinks things are crapeau enough, the MITSC (Men In Top Secret Color) show up and take over their case. Are they after Joe or the evil it?Before they can find out, the evil it lures them into a trap.It's 'it' versus them and it hasn't lost yet.... Views: 25
"Fans of Stephanie Meyer and Charlaine Harris will be engaged by Johnson's light, tongue-in-cheek approach."--Publishers Weekly In Wicked City, the page-turning follow up to Moonshine, it's summer in the city and most vampires are drunk on the blood-based intoxicant Faust. The mayor has tied his political fortunes to legalizing the brew, but Zephyr Hollis has dedicated herself to the cause of Faust prohibition--at least when she isn't knocking back sidecars in speakeasies.But the game changes when dozens of vampires end up in the city morgue after drinking Faust. Are they succumbing to natural causes, or have they been deliberately poisoned? When an anonymous tip convinces the police of her guilt, Zephyr has to save her reputation, her freedom and possibly her life. Someone is after her blood--and this time it isn't a vampire.In a New York City populated by flappers and vampires, debutantes and djinn, it's best to watch your back. You... Views: 25
There is no pain as the blade slices her skin. She is only conscious of a warm, sticky sensation dribbling slowly down her neck.Her own blood . . .For eight years Lexie Rogers has been a uniform cop in Sydney's red light district, Kings Cross. Having survived a violent knife attack, she's witnessed far more than most cops her age. Now she's back at work as the newest member of the Bondi Junction detectives' office and ready to start again.One of her first jobs is to execute a search warrant at a bikie clubhouse, belonging to one of the two local gangs in the eastern suburbs. What she uncovers begins a chilling investigation into a vicious world where loyalty is deadly and unwavering and can't be bought . . . Or can it?Lexie forms an unlikely alliance with one of the bikies, who's realised his family's in danger. But what neither of them knows is that Lexie is the one who's in too deep. She knows too much. And as the stakes get personal, it... Views: 25
From Publishers WeeklyThe serenity of Tinker's Cove, Maine, is shattered when an arsonist creates havoc and sends amateur sleuth Lucy Stone, introduced in [Mistletoe Murder], on her [third] adventure. After several historic buildings are damaged or destroyed by fire, the stakes escalate when the body of socialite Monica Mayes is found inside the charred wreckage of her summer home. Lucy, mother of four, including new baby Zoe, casts a suspicious eye on Roland Mayes, Monica's unfaithful husband, and decides to do a little investigating of her own. Lucy's husband, Bill, a restoration carpenter, has reluctantly joined the local historic commission, which has recently denied the plans submitted by unsavory Randy Lenk to remodel his gas station. Another suspicious fire coincides with Halloween trickery and leads to a red hot finale. Although the plot is thin, the charming setting and likable cast, including crotchety old Miss Tilley, former librarian and head of the historic council, and Lucy herself, juggling motherhood and murder, make for enjoyable reading. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Kirkus ReviewsNot content with a flickering jack-o'-lantern for Halloween, somebody has torched the old Hopkins Homestead. It's the fourth case of arson Tinker's Cove has seen in five months, and the most deadly, since Homesteader Monica Mayes, enjoying a rare off- season overnight stay at her summer house, was killed in the flames. Whodunit? The obvious suspect for Lucy Stone (Tippy-Toe Murder, 1994, etc.) is the widower, Dr. Roland Mayes, who's been extending his gynecological research to bodybuilding bimbo Krissy Wright. But would Mayes really go to the trouble of burning down all those other buildings in preparation for offing his inconvenient wife? Forget the mystery; the burning questions here (and the only time the tale flickers to life) concern the commercialization of rural Maine, the need of older drivers to turn in their licenses, and the breast-feeding of Zoe, the latest among fecund Lucy's progeny. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. Views: 25
On the verge of Mt. St. Helens’ historic eruption, three women must face the mountain: two to search for their missing husbands; the third, to rediscover her life…After a local mountain becomes a deadly and imminent threat, three strikingly different women become linked in a desperate mission. Children’s author Katherine Sommers is searching for her depressed husband, David, and their son Brian, camping together on Mt. St. Helens’ tumultuous north slope. Mellie Sedor seeks her husband, Daniel, who has taken a logging job to pay for their daughter’s chemotherapy. Fashion photographer Jen Stockton joins Cowlitz County Sheriff Frank McKenzie, himself the victim of a brutal loss, in his quest to evacuate the awakening volcano.Jen came to the mountain in an effort to recover the peace she experienced as a child. Instead, she finds destruction and heroism, tragedy and friendship. When Women Strive Together, They Can Face Even the Unthinkable. Written by best-selling and award-winning author Lauraine Snelling, The Way of Women celebrates the resilience and strength of women, both individually and collectively, in the face of extraordinary crisis.From the Trade Paperback edition.From Publishers WeeklyThe 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption provides the backdrop for this uneven exploration of the resiliency of women by bestselling inspirational novelist Snelling (The Healing Quilt). The characters all have potential: Melissa "Mellie" Sedor and her husband, Harvey, are trying to afford the expensive treatments their small daughter, Lissa, needs to survive leukemia, and Harvey is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. Katheryn Sommers's depressed husband, David, and 10-year-old son, Brian, are off on a camping trip just as an eruption seems imminent. Capt. Mitchell Ross is hooked on danger and still has an eye for a beautiful girl—even if she's not his wife. Model-turned-photographer Jenn Stockton leaves New York to return to the mountain and revisit an old love. Cowlitz County Sheriff Frank McKenzie seeks to erase his recurring nightmare of his family's murder with plenty of bourbon. The lives of these characters all intersect, of course, when the volcano erupts. There's a promising metaphor for one woman's pregnancy in the volcano's "labor" pains, but the mountain's "point of view" presented throughout the book jars (" 'Creator of all things, I ache,' she screamed."). The pacing drags in the middle of the novel, and a particularly gruesome disclosure may startle readers. Laudably, Snelling does not offer a happily-ever-after pat ending, but readers may find themselves dissatisfied. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistSnelling, best known for her Red River of the North historical series, now tries her hand, more or less, at contemporary realism. By accident and deliberately, several characters congregate near Mount St. Helens in 1980, just before the mountain erupts. The most appealing of the group are Sheriff Frank McKenzie, a good man who keeps drowning his sorrows in booze, and Jen Stockton, a semifamous ex-model on the skids from drugs and too many men. Together, maybe they can cancel out each other's debilities and make a life. Other characters seek redemption in other ways, but they are all a bit overdrawn and sentimentalized, and Snelling's odd use of the mountain itself as a sentient character never clicks. But there is much entertaining lore about the eruption here, and while Snelling's characters may be predictable, they are also easy to root for. John MortCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Views: 25
