6 Points, Paperback, 1995Like the one-time bestseller <I>Jonathan Livingston Seagull</I>, <i>The Alchemist</i> presents a simple fable, based on simple truths and places it in a highly unique situation. And though we may sniff a bestselling formula, it is certainly not a new one: even the ancient tribal storytellers knew that this is the most successful method of entertaining an audience while slipping in a lesson or two. Brazilian storyteller Paulo Coehlo introduces Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who one night dreams of a distant treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. And so he's off: leaving Spain to literally follow his dream. <p> Along the way he meets many spiritual messengers, who come in unassuming forms such as a camel driver and a well-read Englishman. In one of the Englishman's books, Santiago first learns about the alchemists--men who believed that if a metal were heated for many years, it would free itself of all its individual properties, and what was left would be the "Soul of the World." Of course he does eventually meet an alchemist, and the ensuing student-teacher relationship clarifies much of the boy's misguided agenda, while also emboldening him to stay true to his dreams. "My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy confides to the alchemist one night as they look up at a moonless night. <p> "Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself," the alchemist replies. "And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity." <i>--Gail Hudson</i>
12 Points, Hardcover, 2002The recent popularity of personal coaching has received much media attention. Here, two experienced coaches provide helping professionals with a comprehensive guide to the field of life coaching. Case vignettes, exercises, and practical advice will aid therapists who wish to expand their practices into this exciting new field.
3 Points, DVD, 2005Released amidst rumors of romance between costars Angelina Jolie and soon-to-be-divorced Brad Pitt, <I>Mr. and Mrs. Smith</I> offers automatic weapons and high explosives as the cure for marital boredom. The premise of this exhausting action-comedy (no relation to the 1941 Alfred Hitchcock comedy starring Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery) is that the unhappily married Smiths (Pitt and Jolie) will improve their relationship once they discover their mutually-hidden identities as world-class assassins, but things get complicated when their secret-agency bosses order them to rub each other out. There's plenty of amusing banter in the otherwise disposable screenplay by Simon Kinberg (<I>xXx: State of the Union</I>, <I>Fantastic Four</I>), and director Doug Liman (<I>The Bourne Identity</I>) gives Pitt and Jolie a slick, glossy superstar showcase that's innocuous but certainly never boring. It could've been better, but as an action-packed summer confection, <I>Mr. and Mrs. Smith</I> kills two hours in high style. <I>--Jeff Shannon</I>
7 Points, Paperback, 2005It's 1808 and that Corsican upstart Napoleon is battering the English army and navy. Enter Mr. Norrell, a fusty but ambitious scholar from the Yorkshire countryside and the first practical magician in hundreds of years. What better way to demonstrate his revival of British magic than to change the course of the Napoleonic wars? Susanna Clarke's ingenious first novel, <I>Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell</I>, has the cleverness and lightness of touch of the Harry Potter series, but is less a fairy tale of good versus evil than a fantastic comedy of manners, complete with elaborate false footnotes, occasional period spellings, and a dense, lively mythology teeming beneath the narrative. Mr. Norrell moves to London to establish his influence in government circles, devising such powerful illusions as an 11-day blockade of French ports by English ships fabricated from rainwater. But however skillful his magic, his vanity provides an Achilles heel, and the differing ambitions of his more glamorous apprentice, Jonathan Strange, threaten to topple all that Mr. Norrell has achieved. A sparkling debut from Susanna Clarke--and it's not all fairy dust. <I>--Regina Marler</I>
8 Points, Hardcover, 1997This true story about the love between a spiritual mentor and his pupil has soared to the bestseller list for many reasons. For starters: it reminds us of the affection and gratitude that many of us still feel for the significant mentors of our past. It also plays out a fantasy many of us have entertained: what would it be like to look those people up again, tell them how much they meant to us, maybe even resume the mentorship? Plus, we meet Morrie Schwartz--a one of a kind professor, whom the author describes as looking like a cross between a biblical prophet and Christmas elf. And finally we are privy to intimate moments of Morrie's final days as he lies dying from a terminal illness. Even on his deathbed, this twinkling-eyed mensch manages to teach us all about living robustly and fully. Kudos to author and acclaimed sports columnist Mitch Albom for telling this universally touching story with such grace and humility. <I>--Gail Hudson</I>
11 Points, Hardcover, 2002<p>In this lively and colorful book of popular history, journalist Betsy Israel shines a light on the old stereotypes that have stigmatized single women for years and celebrates their resourceful sense of spirit, enterprise, and unlimited success in a world where it is no longer unusual or unlikely to be unwed.</p> <p>Drawing extensively on primary sources, including private journals, newspaper stories, magazine articles, advertisements, films, and other materials from popular media, Israel paints remarkably vivid portraits of single women -- and the way they were perceived -- throughout the decades. From the nineteenth-century spinsters, of New England to the Bowery girls of New York City, from the 1920s flappers to the 1940s working women of the war years and the career girls of the 1950s and 1960s, single women have fought to find and feel comfortable in that room of their own. One need only look at Bridget Jones and the <i>Sex and the City</i> gang to see that single women still maintain an uneasy relationship with the rest of society -- and yet they radiate an aura of glamour and mystery in popular culture.</p> <p>As witty as it is well researched, as thoughtful as it is lively, <i>Bachelor Girl</i> is a must-read for women everywhere.</p>
11 Points, Hardcover, 2005Amy Tan, who has an unerring eye for relationships between mothers and daughters, especially Chinese-American, has departed from her well-known genre in <i>Saving Fish From Drowning</i>. She would be well advised to revisit that theme which she writes about so well. <p> The title of the book is derived from the practice of Myanmar fishermen who "scoop up the fish and bring them to shore. They say they are saving the fish from drowning. Unfortunately... the fish do not recover," This kind of magical thinking or hypocrisy or mystical attitude or sheer stupidity is a fair metaphor for the entire book. It may be read as a satire, a political statement, a picaresque tale with several "picaros" or simply a story about a tour gone wrong. <p> Bibi Chen, San Francisco socialite and art vendor to the stars, plans to lead a trip for 12 friends: "My friends, those lovers of art, most of them rich, intelligent, and spoiled, would spend a week in China and arrive in Burma on Christmas Day." Unfortunately, Bibi dies, in very strange circumstances, before the tour begins. After wrangling about it, the group decides to go after all. The leader they choose is indecisive and epileptic, a dangerous combo. Bibi goes along as the disembodied voice-over. <p> Once in Myanmar, finally, they are noticed by a group of Karen tribesmen who decide that Rupert, the 15-year-old son of a bamboo grower is, in fact, Younger White Brother, or The Lord of the Nats. He can do card tricks and is carrying a Stephen King paperback. These are adjudged to be signs of his deity and ability to save them from marauding soldiers. The group is "kidnapped," although they think they are setting out for a Christmas Day surprise, and taken deep into the jungle where they languish, develop malaria, learn to eat slimy things and wait to be rescued. Nats are "believed to be the spirits of nature--the lake, the trees, the mountains, the snakes and birds. They were numberless ... They were everywhere, as were bad luck and the need to find reasons for it." Philosophy or cynicism? This elusive point of view is found throughout the novel--a bald statement is made and then Tan pulls her punches as if she is unwilling to make a statement that might set a more serious tone. <p> There are some goofy parts about Harry, the member of the group who is left behind, and his encounter with two newswomen from Global News Network, some slapstick sex scenes and a great deal of dog-loving dialogue. These all contribute to a novel that is silly but not really funny, could have an occasionally serious theme which suddenly disappears, and is about a group of stereotypical characters that it's hard to care about. It was time for Amy Tan to write another book; too bad this was it. <I>--Valerie Ryan</I>
6 Points, Paperback, 2002From board games to beauty pageants, a smart, witty, pop-culture history of the perilous path to achieving the feminine ideal. <P>Deluged by persuasive advertisements and meticulous (though often misguided) advice experts, women from the 1940s to the 1970s were coaxed to "think pink" when they thought of what it meant to be a woman. Attaining feminine perfection meant conforming to a mythical standard, one that would come wrapped in an adorable pink package, if those cunning marketers were to be believed. With wise humor and a savvy eye for curious, absurd, and at times wildly funny period artifacts, Lynn Peril gathers here the memorabilia of the era —from kitschy board games and lunch boxes to outdated advice books and health pamphlets—and reminds us how media messages have long endeavored to shape women's behavior and self-image, with varying degrees of success. <P>Vividly illustrated with photographs of vintage paraphernalia, this entertaining social history revisits the nostalgic past, but only to offer a refreshing message to women who lived through those years as well as those who are coming of age now. 8 pages of color, 45 black-and-white illustrations.
12 Points, Hardcover, 2006<b>Emotional Intelligence</b> was an international phenomenon, appearing on the<i> New York Times</i> bestseller list for over a year and selling more than five million copies worldwide. Now, once again, Daniel Goleman has written a groundbreaking synthesis of the latest findings in biology and brain science, revealing that we are “wired to connect” and the surprisingly deep impact of our relationships on every aspect of our lives.<br><br>Far more than we are consciously aware, our daily encounters with parents, spouses, bosses, and even strangers shape our brains and affect cells throughout our bodies—down to the level of our genes—for good or ill. In <b>Social Intelligence</b>, Daniel Goleman explores an emerging new science with startling implications for our interpersonal world. Its most fundamental discovery: we are designed for sociability, constantly engaged in a “neural ballet” that connects us brain to brain with those around us.<br><br>Our reactions to others, and theirs to us, have a far-reaching biological impact, sending out cascades of hormones that regulate everything from our hearts to our immune systems, making good relationships act like vitamins—and bad relationships like poisons. We can “catch” other people’s emotions the way we catch a cold, and the consequences of isolation or relentless social stress can be life-shortening. Goleman explains the surprising accuracy of first impressions, the basis of charisma and emotional power, the complexity of sexual attraction, and how we detect lies. He describes the “dark side” of social intelligence, from narcissism to Machiavellianism and psychopathy. He also reveals our astonishing capacity for “mindsight,” as well as the tragedy of those, like autistic children, whose mindsight is impaired.<br><br>Is there a way to raise our children to be happy? What is the basis of a nourishing marriage? How can business leaders and teachers inspire the best in those they lead and teach? How can groups divided by prejudice and hatred come to live together in peace? <br><br>The answers to these questions may not be as elusive as we once thought. And Goleman delivers his most heartening news with powerful conviction: we humans have a built-in bias toward empathy, cooperation, and altruism–provided we develop the social intelligence to nurture these capacities in ourselves and others.<br><br><br><i>From the Trade Paperback edition.</i>
13 Points, Hardcover, 1992Earthy, magical, and utterly charming, this tale of family life in turn-of-the-century Mexico became a best-selling phenomenon with its winning blend of poignant romance and bittersweet wit. The classic love story takes place on the De la Garza ranch, as the tyrannical owner, Mama Elena, chops onions at the kitchen table in her final days of pregnancy. While still in her mother's womb, her daughter to be weeps so violently she causes an early labor, and little Tita slips out amid the spices and fixings for noodle soup. This early encounter with food soon becomes a way of life, and Tita grows up to be a master chef. She shares special points of her favorite preparations with listeners throughout the story.
8 Points, Paperback, 1999Tony award-winning Ken Howard (<I>1776</I>, <I>Child's Play</I>) reads <I>I Know This Much Is True</I> with the conviction of a used car salesman and the charm of a seasoned politico. Reminiscent of a former football coach recalling his glory days, Howard's booming, rich voice is a beefy compliment to Lamb's powerful prose. Never to be mistaken as a ventriloquist, Howard makes little distinction when moving in and out of character--his voice barely cracks an octave for dainty female personalities. However, this understatement (so to speak) lends to smooth transitions and believable, down-to-earth narration. (Running time: six hours, four cassettes) <I>--Rebekah Warren</I>
7 Points, Paperback, 2005
5 Points, Paperback, 1990<I>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change</I> was a groundbreaker when it was first published in 1990, and it continues to be a business bestseller with more than 10 million copies sold. Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas. His anecdotes are as frequently from family situations as from business challenges. <p> Before you can adopt the seven habits, you'll need to accomplish what Covey calls a "paradigm shift"--a change in perception and interpretation of how the world works. Covey takes you through this change, which affects how you perceive and act regarding productivity, time management, positive thinking, developing your "proactive muscles" (acting with initiative rather than reacting), and much more. <p> This isn't a quick-tips-start-tomorrow kind of book. The concepts are sometimes intricate, and you'll want to study this book, not skim it. When you finish, you'll probably have Post-it notes or hand-written annotations in every chapter, and you'll feel like you've taken a powerful seminar by Covey. <I>--Joan Price</I>
7 Points, Paperback, 1994A front-page byline in <I>The New York Times</I>! A <I>People</I> magazine cover story! A travel assignment in Katmandu! Dream on. "This is a book," says author Lucy V. Parker, "about commercial writing, business writing, nonfiction writing. It is a book about obtaining practical, often unglamorous assignments that can pay the bills." Sure, celebrity profiles and investigative journalism can be thrilling, but so can paying the rent. Besides, someone has to write all those newsletters, brochures, press releases, speeches, instructional manuals, and articles for employee magazines. With Parker's help, you can write a business plan, form a business, market your services, learn what to charge (and how to collect your due), and deal with taxes and contracts. Parker even tells you how to cope with the loneliness inherent in running a solo venture. Hint: online chat rooms are OK, but "people breaks" are better. With profiles of 10 successful professionals from a variety of specialties and a list of 60 key assignments for home-based writers. <I>--Jane Steinberg</I>
5 Points, Paperback, 1992Mike Davis peers into a looking glass to divine the future of Los Angeles, and what he sees is not encouraging: a city--or better, a concatenation of competing city states--torn by racial enmity, economic disparity, and social anomie. Looking backward, Davis suggests that Los Angeles has always been contested ground. In the 1840s, he writes, a combination of drought and industrial stock raising led to the destruction of small-scale Spanish farming in the region. In the 1910s, Los Angeles was the scene of a bitter conflict between management and industrial workers, so bitter that the publisher of the <I>Los Angeles Times</I> retreated to a heavily fortified home he called "The Bivouac." And in 1992, much of the city fell before flames and riot in a scenario Davis describes as thus: "Gangs are multiplying at a terrifying rate, cops are becoming more arrogant and trigger-happy, and a whole generation is being shunted toward some impossible Armageddon." Davis's voice-in-a-whirlwind approach to the past, present, and future of Los Angeles is alarming and arresting, and his book is essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary affairs. <I>--Gregory MacNamee</I>
6 Points, Paperback, 2003Daniel Mason's debut novel, <I>The Piano Tuner</I>, is the mesmerizing story of Edgar Drake, commissioned by the British War Office in 1886 to travel to hostile Burma to repair a rare Erard grand piano vital to the Crown's strategic interests. Eccentric Surgeon-Major Anthony Carroll has brokered peace with local warlords primarily through music, a free medical clinic, and the "powers" of common scientific instruments, much to the dismay of warmongering officers suspect of such unorthodox methods. Drake is an introspective, well-mannered soul who, once there, falls in love with Burma and stays long past the piano-fixing to aid Carroll's political agenda. Drake's arduous journey to reach the outpost, however, takes far too long (nearly half the book) and the plotting is rather heavy-handed at times (one night, Drake learns of a mysterious "Man with One Story" who rarely speaks, and the very next morning the Man tells all to Drake). The story is ambitious, the language florid and sure to please, but the dialogue and melodrama are sometimes tedious. While out on the town with Carroll's love interest, Khin Myo (who enchants Drake), Mason offers the townspersons' view of Drake: <blockquote>It is only natural that a guest be treated with hospitality, the quiet man who has come to mend the singing elephant is shy, and walks with the posture of one who is unsure of the world, we too would keep him company to make him feel welcome, but we do not speak English.... They say he is one of the kind of men who has dreams, but tells no one.</blockquote> Drake's complexity is thin; perhaps the beauty of Burma takes over any real need for introspection. Despite these quibbles, <I>The Piano Tuner</I> is a memorable achievement. <I>--Michael Ferch</I>
5 Points, Paperback, 1987
4 Points, Paperback, 1986Jamaica Kincaid beautifully delineates hatred and fear, because she knows they are often a step away from love and obsession. At the start of <I>Annie John,</I> her 10-year-old heroine is engulfed in family happiness and safety. Though Annie loves her father, she is all eyes for her mother. When she is almost 12, however, the idyll ends and she falls into deep disfavor. This inexplicable loss mars both lives, as each grows adept at public falsity and silent betrayal. The pattern is set, and extended: "And now I started a new series of betrayals of people and things I would have sworn only minutes before to die for." In front of Annie's father and the world, "We were politeness and kindness and love and laughter." Alone they are linked in loathing. Annie tries to imagine herself as someone in a book--an orphan or a girl with a wicked stepmother. The trouble is, she finds, those characters' lives always end happily. Luckily for us, though not perhaps for her alter ego, Kincaid is too truthful a writer to provide such a finale.
5 Points, Paperback, 2002This hilarious book confronts every aspect of a flight attendants absurd worldfrom the endless array of passenger demands, to the secret language of flight attendants, and a unique version of the Safety Demo Shuffle. Fasten your seatbelt and prepare yourself for a side-splitting perspective on the trials and tribulations of air travel.
5 Points, Paperback, 1993
6 Points, Paperback, 1996What are the most important things in your life? Do they get as much care, emphasis, and time as you'd like to give them? Far from the traditional "be-more-efficient" time-management book with shortcut techniques, <I>First Things First</I> shows you how to look at your use of time totally differently. Using this book will help you create balance between your personal and professional responsibilities by putting first things first and acting on them. Covey teaches an organizing process that helps you categorize tasks so you focus on what is important, not merely what is urgent. First you divide tasks into these quadrants: <ol> <LI>Important and Urgent (crises, deadline-driven projects) <LI> Important, Not Urgent (preparation, prevention, planning, relationships) <LI> Urgent, Not Important (interruptions, many pressing matters) <LI> Not Urgent, Not Important (trivia, time wasters)</ol><p> Most people spend most of their time in quadrants 1 and 3, while quadrant 2 is where quality happens. "Doing more things faster is no substitute for doing the right things," says Covey. He points you toward the real human needs--"to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy"--and how to balance your time to achieve a meaningful life, not just get things done. <I>--Joan Price</I>
8 Points, Paperback, 2000As popular and indispensable a guide as Writer's Market (or the "writer's Bible," as it has come to be known) is, its intense focus on market listings leaves little room for the informative articles writers crave. With the revised edition of Writer's Market Companion, readers will find all the answers they need about the business of writing. <P>Seventeen chapters updated with all of the latest statistics, trends, and news will provide writers with a comprehensive overview of the publishing world. Insider advice from successful authors and editors gives readers a professional view of what it takes to get their work in the market, get it published, and get paid. Topics featured in the book include: *The Writer's World *Your Writing Plan *Selling Your Articles and Other Short Nonfiction *Selling Your Fiction *Promoting Your Business and Yourself *Making and Saving Money *Finding A Community <P>With one of the most trusted names in writing, this book is bound to take its place alongside Writer's Market on every author's desk!
5 Points, Hardcover, 1988
6 Points, Paperback, 1994During the week Robert J. Ray was a teacher.ÃÂ ÃÂ On weekends he learned the fiction writer's craft and produced his first novel.ÃÂ ÃÂ He ended up selling six books in six years.ÃÂ ÃÂ The same success as a writer can happen to you.<br><br><br><br>His step-by-step program, the same one he uses himself and teaches in his popular fiction-writing class, organizes your writing around the weekends.ÃÂ ÃÂ Each weekend you work through the basics of character, scene, and plot, the construction of the novel in scenes and chapters, and the actual writing and editing of your book.
4 Points, Paperback, 1986The story of a travel-hating writer of travel books, Macon Leafy, who systematically avoids adventure... until he meets the frizzy-haired, stiletto-heeled, astonishing Muriel (she's trying to train his unmanageable Welsh corgi, Edward), who up-ends Macon's world and thrusts him into engagement with life. Anne Tyler's most famous best seller.<br><br>Winner of the 1985 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction. 2 cassettes.
4 Points, Paperback, 1990<b>Oprah Book Clubî Selection, October 1997</b>: Gibbons's novel, <I>A Virtuous Woman</I>, takes place in the same hardscrabble part of the world as <I>Ellen Foster</I>. The virtuous woman is Ruby Pitt Woodrow, a woman who might have ended up like Ellen Foster's mother if fate, in the shape of Jack Stokes, hadn't crossed her path. The daughter of prosperous farmers, Ruby runs off with a migrant worker who treats her badly, then abandons her far from home. When she meets Jack, a man 20 years her senior, she's working as a cleaning woman in another prosperous farmer's house. Jack is a man women don't look at even once, let alone twice; Ruby is a woman who needs someone to take care of her. Out of this unlikely union grows a quiet kind of love that is no less powerful for being unstated. <p> <I>Ellen Foster</I> and <I>A Virtuous Woman</I> share more than just location and a few characters in common. Though each is a complete novel in and of itself, taken together the two books resonate one another: Ellen Foster and Ruby Pitt Woodrow are both damaged people who find the kind of love they need to heal. These multilayered novels are tough-minded and resolutely unsentimental, just like their protagonists. Yet like Ellen and Ruby, each contains a nut of sweetness at its core that takes the bitter edge off the hard lives and hard stories Kaye Gibbons has to tell.
4 Points, Paperback, 1992In her novels <b>Ellen Foster</b> and <b>A Virtuous Woman</b>, Kaye Gibbons has compiled what one critic has called "a fictional oral history of female wishes [and] hopes." That tradition continues in <b>A Cure for Dreams</b>, a richly woven story that traces the bonds between four generations of Southern women through stories passed from mother to daughter to granddaughter. Gibbons shows us shrewd, resourceful women prevailing over hard times and heartless men and finding unexpected pleasures along the way: gossip, gambling, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing more than they're supposed to.
5 Points, Paperback, 1995
5 Points, DVD, 2002
3 Points, DVD, 2003
7 Points, Paperback, 1993
7 Points, Paperback, 2000
6 Points, Paperback, 2001In our hype-infested society, honest and positive word of mouth can multiply sales explosively. But for those who think it happens by chance (as most marketers do), this book will be an eye-opener. <P>The surprising truth is that word of mouth can be implemented as strategically as any other form of marketing--and at significantly lower cost! This is especially good news for any seller of products or services who must maximize every marketing dollar. <P>Central to this book is the innovative Decision Matrix, which helps readers identify who their potential buyers are and what messages those prospects need to hear from friends, coworkers, and trusted advisors. This matrix is followed by step-by-step guidance on how to construct an integrated "no vested interest" campaign that leverages all channels (including traditional media, the Internet, and PR), penetrates successive tiers of audiences, and builds sales exponentially. Marketers will learn how to: <P>* Target the predominate adopter type (innovator, early, middle, late, laggard) * Create the content--the actual words--needed to accelerate the process * Identify the sources and delivery mechanisms that will be most persuasive * Use a wide variety of the methods that trigger runaway word of mouth.
4 Points, Hardcover, 1997Lester Wunderman's <b>Being Direct: Making Advertising Pay</b> truly is both informative and entertaining. It combines an extraordinary personal history of "direct marketing" with a remarkably candid look at the field's most acclaimed practitioner. Written in an easy-going and deliberately persuasive style obviously honed during Wunderman's six decades in the trenches, the book shows his skill developing and gaining acceptance as he creates revolutionary advertising programs for future corporate stalwarts like the Columbia Record Club and American Express.
6 Points, Hardcover, 1994Cliches. Once they were so original, so fresh. Now, everybody uses them, and if your work depends on lively prose, they're a problem. This book is the solution. Fiske takes you on a tour of the world of "dimwitticisms"; moribund metaphors, torpid terms and wretched redundancies that have all the impact of foam-rubber cannonballs. Fiske's comprehensive thesaurus lists hundreds of problem phrases along with witty commentary and useful synonyms that will help you make your writing energetic and interesting. In this book you'll learn: how to keep your prose fat-free; the shelf life of a metaphor; how to avoid insipid similes; why the road to obscurity is paved with superlatives; how to use language with intelligence and panache. You will also learn to identify and change those moldy oldies that can dull your writing style, and then avoid them forever.
4 Points, Paperback, 1997The backdrop of <i>The Statement</i> is worth a historical book alone. After Nazi Germany occupied France, many Frenchmen took a direct hand in the deportation of more than 80,000 Jews. Following the war, some -- Paul Touvier among them -- were convicted of treason, pardoned in the 1970s, and then rearrested and jailed. Brian Moore takes off from there with a thrilling fictional account of Pierre Brossard, who lives a shadowy life, flees from pursuers and confronts some of France's most vexing questions from an horrific time in its history.
6 Points, Paperback, 2006Despite all of the progress we've made toward equal rights over the last few decades, less than 4 percent of America's largest companies employ women as senior executives. This is not, according to business coach John M. McKee, because female professionals lack the desire or ability to lead. In his thirty years of experience in corporate life, McKee has found that a working woman cannot improve her situation until she more actively manages her career, gains a better understanding of the traditionally masculine culture of the workplace, and refuses to accept lower pay scales and unequal treatment. <p> If you want to take control of your career-and not depend on those who consciously or unconsciously subscribe to a lingering "old boys" mentality for advancement-you need this book. 21 Ways Women in Management Shoot Themselves in the Foot presents specific, practical tactics that will help you rise to the top: <p> <ul> <li>How to navigate gender bias in the workplace (it still exists!) <li>How to avoid common habits that will sabotage your career <li>The single most important tool used by highly successful professionals </ul> <p> And much more . . .
4 Points, Paperback, 2004Praised by <i>The New York Times</i> for his "wicked black humor" and by Thomas Pynchon for putting readers on "an extraordinary emotional ride," Jim Knipfel has written about the failings of his body (Slackjaw) and the failings of his mind (Quitting the Nairobi Trio). <br><br> Now, in his third-and finest-memoir, Knipfel looks unflinchingly at his soul, and comes to some surprising conclusions in this anti-spirituality spiritual manifesto.