"In the fifty years since Sylvester Stallone ran up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, he and those steps have become symbols of resilience and determination, and have inspired millions from all over the world to pursue their dreams. In The Steps, Stallone recounts how he pursued his own dreams. A culmination of decades of reflection, Stallone shares where he came from--a difficult birth, an even more difficult childhood, years of struggle in school being misunderstood--and he explains how the real story of a successful life is built by facing, embracing, and ultimately overcoming our challenges. It's found in the distances we are willing to go and the steps we must take to get from where we are to where we want to go. In a narrative framed between his arrival in New York City in 1969 and the triumph of Rocky at the 1977 Academy Awards, Stallone weaves a vivid and propulsive portrait of struggle, subsistence, and ultimately success. He writes of his early days and later years, too, and the persistence, creativity, and resilience that led not only to the creation of Rocky but to a career filled with remarkably iconic roles. The Steps is a testament to Stallone's extraordinary life and a profound meditation on the importance of vision and willpower and hard work"--

"Everywhere you turn, Americans are getting ripped off: Online ticket sellers hide behind exorbitant extra fees. Landlords use software to band together and organize artificial rent hikes. Ride-sharing apps spike their fares when it rains. And car companies install software that reports your driving behavior to auto insurance companies so that they can hike your premiums. Surveillance pricing, algorithmic price fixing, and other high-tech forms of price gouging are the latest frontiers in corporate profiteering--and they're gutting the American economy and your wallet. In Gouged, economic expert and veteran consumer advocate Lindsay Owens takes us inside the corporate boardrooms where pricing decisions are made, uncovering the tricks, traps, and grifts corporations use to jack up the price you pay at checkout. From data collection to drone surveillance, modern technology provides companies a staggering arsenal of sophisticated tools to squeeze as much money out of consumers as possible, resulting in record profits. Drawing on original reporting, shareholder meeting transcripts, and rigorous economic analysis, Owens takes aim at Big Tech behemoths, airlines, health insurance companies, and others to pull back the curtain on how price gouging is coming for almost every line item in your household budget, from doctor visits to rent, groceries to diapers, and even your summer vacation. Gouged arms us with the essential knowledge we need to first recognize, and then sidestep, the traps that corporations try to conceal from us. In a world where price gouging has become ubiquitous, Gouged is necessary reading for anyone looking to stay an informed consumer, save money rather than surrender it to greedy CEOs, and stand up for fair prices in America." --jacket flap.

You Are On Native Land collects stories and art donated by some of comics' biggest Indigenous creators. Tales of Native resistance; family and kinship; love and grief fill this beautiful collection, which includes a special reprint of Jon Proudstar's Tribal Force #1, credited as the first comic to feature a superhero team made up entirely of Indigenous heroes.

"Blending ancient traditions with modern elegance--and featuring more than 75 delicious Jewish recipes--this inspired guide to celebrating Shabbat and the major holidays will infuse your life with more Jewish joy and meaning, every day of the year."-- Provided by publisher.

"In this highly anticipated memoir, the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Sex and the City, Fallout, and more shares his utterly original account of his offbeat journey in Hollywood, his battles with fear and fame, and the projects that shaped him--and created a cult icon. Everywhere I go I am followed by a mystery man. He looks like me but--not quite. On talk shows, I sip coffee on couches and pretend to be him; on social media, I put on his mask to engage in suburban silliness. And of course, we work together. But for him, the movies and TV shows never end. Where does this guy--this Kyle MacLachlan--end and where do I begin? And is he even real? And, holy mackerel... am I? To be in the black suit, or not to be? Kyle MacLachlan's funny, moving, and playfully self-aware memoir charts a career that could belong to no other. Plucked from obscurity to star in David Lynch's Dune, the Hollywood blockbuster that never was, MacLachlan rebounded with a startling performance in Lynch's provocative masterpiece Blue Velvet, which would mark him as a master of the unusual and ultimately lead to his career-defining role as Agent Dale Cooper on the TV sensation Twin Peaks. Fictional Selves is a book of doppelgangers, with MacLachlan mirrored by his own prodding ego ('Other Kyle'), the iconic characters he inhabited, and the ones that eluded his grasp but gave him a profound and surprising lens onto himself as a person and a performer. Taking us from the heights of critical success for Blue Velvet to the depths of the backyard pool in his infamous (and delightful) Showgirls love scene, MacLachlan brings us into the mind of one of the most distinctive actors of his generation, offering profound insights on collaborators like David Lynch, Laura Dern, Dennis Hopper, Anthony Hopkins, and more. Featuring lessons learned the hard way about ambition, love, and fatherhood, this memoir is an honest look into the remarkable--and often unpredictable--life of an enduring and endearing Hollywood icon"--

"The powerful proven blueprint for confident conversations and meaningful connection, from the bestselling author of Cues and Captivate Does the thought of small talk with strangers make you want to hide under the couch? Do you crave close friendships but find yourself overanalyzing every social interaction afterward? Do you want to be seen as confident, capable, and genuinely likable - without feeling fake or forced? Are you tired of communication advice that makes you feel manipulative, rehearsed, or inauthentic? If you feel like you were never taught the unspoken rules for how to interact with others, look no further. In Conversation, popular behavior researcher and bestselling people skills author Vanessa Van Edwards delivers a practical, science-backed playbook for transforming how you show up in any situation. Grounded in decades of research and written in clear, engaging language, Conversation gives you a powerful framework for mastering small talk, building instant rapport, and being the most memorable person in the room (in a good way!) You'll discover how to: Break the ice without being awkward Stop overthinking what to say next and tune in to your conversation partner Pose the 9 power questions that will level up any relationship Change the subject or end a conversation without damaging the relationship Decode people's personality patterns so you're never guessing how to respond Be authentically assertive so you come across as both credible and likable without sacrificing what makes you, you If you're ready to feel grounded instead of anxious, speak with authority without sounding rehearsed, and build relationships that elevate both your career and your personal life - this book will show you how"-- Provided by publisher.

"In Dear Mothership, Marcus Wicker channels the lyrical dexterity of Outkast and the speculative vision of poet Robert Hayden to chart a course through personal and political upheaval. The collection's centerpiece is the "Break Beat Crown"--Wicker's original take on the heroic crown of sonnets--presented as a travelogue from an extraterrestrial who has touched down in modern-day Atlanta. Across linked poems, the outsider records field notes on pandemic discord, isolation, tenderness, late-stage capitalism, empathy, and art. The longer the speaker inhabits a dysfunctional society, the more alien he feels. In addition to these science fictional experiments, Wicker delivers affecting, personal poems grounded in lived experience: lingering grief over two miscarriages, the sudden death of a friend, a sustained search for joy on the other side of those heartbreaks. With its singular imagination, Dear Mothership kindles a new understanding of what makes us most human."--

A bold assessment of America's populist turn--and a roadmap for rebuilding faith in liberal democracy. Former Congressman Barney Frank offers a timely analysis of how liberals in the United States and other democracies lost support to xenophobic populism--and how they can find their way back. He argues that this shift stems from two critical failures of the Left: first, ignoring rising economic inequality, and second, failing to disassociate itself from the politically toxic social agenda of "the left wing of the left wing's left"--especially on immigration, policing, and sexual identity. These errors led many voters to believe that the Left was either indifferent or hostile to their interests. Combining history and policy insight with his characteristic humor, Frank offers a strategic path toward reclaiming a just and democratic future by decreasing economic inequality and addressing social problems without alienating the majority of voters.

For most of the twentieth century, reports of unidentified flying objects were treated as cultural error: cranks, hoaxes, late-night radio. Then, abruptly, the posture changed. The Pentagon released videos it could not explain. Navy pilots testified under oath about encounters that defied known technology. Intelligence agencies acknowledged that something unfamiliar appears to move through the skies. In We Want to Believe, Adam Kirsch, one of our most searching literary critics, traces the intellectual history behind this reversal to see UAPs not as fantasies or threats, but as a mystery closer to home. Moving from Cold War skeptics such as physicists Edward Condon and Carl Sagan--who helped define the boundaries of legitimate inquiry--to figures like Air Force officer Edward Ruppelt and astronomer J. Allen Hynek, who encountered anomalies from within official institutions, Kirsch follows how UAPs migrated from dismissed error to unresolved problem. Tracing how figures such as Pentagon official Luis Elizondo and astrophysicist Avi Loeb have reopened the question under radically different conditions, Kirsch draws on declassified documents, military encounters, and a wide literature of belief and skepticism to examine why some questions endure and what it means for modern societies when certainty fails and curiosity persists.

The Nat Turner rebellion of August 1831, the iconic uprising of enslaved people in the United States, was much more extensive than we have understood. This powerful exploration of a Tidewater Virginia plantation reveals how the daily resistance of the enslaved was heightened by spiritual beliefs to seek the divine overthrow of a wicked world. Tower Hill draws on a previously untapped family archive to reveal the routines of daily life and the fraught family dynamics on a slave plantation in southeastern Virginia in the early- to mid-nineteenth century. Owned by generations of a local merchant family, the Blows, Tower Hill was a struggling enterprise mired in debt, degrading soil, volatile climate, endemic diseases, and social isolation. All this exacted an emotional toll that drove the Blows--husbands and wives, fathers and sons--to family turmoil and madness. The enslaved Blacks at Tower Hill endured in part by claiming an evangelical Christianity as their own, embracing its promise of ultimate deliverance from suffering and, in the here and now, its broad communities of support. Nearby, the Great Dismal Swamp provided a haven for runaways who built lasting enclaves there. Nat Turner's rebels struck slaveholding families near Tower Hill suddenly, killing more than fifty men, women, and children in a single day. George Blow helped lead the suppression that took twice that many Black lives. He also helped mold the memory of the uprising as an exceptional event mounted by a lone fanatic leading a few deluded followers. But Alan Taylor shows that the revolt emerged from a broader network of spiritual agitation reaching throughout Tidewater Virginia and North Carolina. A much larger uprising might have erupted but for a mistake in timing by Turner and his followers. The shockwaves of the Turner rebellion, running through secession and civil war, still reach us today.

"Fagan's luminous seventh collection, The Unbecoming, begins with the sequence "Listening to Others," and a command: Run, into a process that is, for all of us, a circle of becoming and unbecoming simultaneously. Favoring perspective over nostalgia and clarity over certainty, the poems are, then, memento mori, a loving reminder, a poet's reckoning with the rewards and losses of age, and with our painfully beautiful little lives 'rounded with a sleep'."--

"Earth's changing climate is the defining issue of our time. Climate science should be accessible to everyone, but for too long it has remained impenetrable to nonexperts. Paul Palmer throws open the doors to this vital area of research, inviting readers to discover for themselves how scientists take the measure of a warming planet, how the Sun's rays help to balance Earth's energies, how the planet's rotation affects large-scale atmospheric patterns, how the Anthropocene is fundamentally altering the climate, and much more. Each chapter of this lively and informative book covers one of the seven key ideas that are central to understanding how our climate works--temperature, energy, air, water, cycles, time, and uncertainty--providing a user-friendly guide to the whole system. Palmer distills complex scientific concepts into plain language, making crucial facts about the climate available to all, regardless of their background. He explores the critical role of molecules and microbes, showing how the smallest elements profoundly influence our planetary destiny, and frames climate science not just in terms of crisis but as an elegant and fascinating area of inquiry, discovery, and shared purpose. Bridging the gap between science and public perception, How Our Climate Works goes beyond politics and alarmism, empowering readers with the knowledge they need to truly appreciate the profound beauty and fragility of the planet we call home"-- Provided by publisher.

"We remember Whitney Houston for her soaring voice on songs that defined a generation and kicked open the door to Black women in pop music. Her trademark stance was a picture of elegance and power: head thrown back, arms flung straight out. Then there was her sound. One producer recalled Whitney's otherworldly ability to hold notes, comparing it to "holding lightning in your hand, holding lightning in your throat." She tried to hold the lightning as she bathed us all in the glow. But since her death in 2012, the woman known as "The Voice" has been reduced to just that. Whitney's critics have slotted her memory into a tired genre of famous doomed women whose success owed more to their labels and their producers than to any agency of their own. Yet a closer look reveals a serious artist and woman of conviction striving to be who she was. She said it best: "There would beno 'Whitney Houston' without Whitney Houston." In Holding Lightning, leading cultural critic and professor Emily Lordi has gained unique access to Houston's innermost circle to show us the Whitney we've been unwilling to see--her fluid sexuality, her unapologetic love ofher own talent, her insistence that she be the architect of her owncareer. And, crucially, Lordi positions Houston's pivotal life in the long history of Black celebrity. Before "rooting for everybody Black" became the norm, Whitney worked as a relentless advocate for Black female talent across the entertainment industry. Now, finally, in Holding Lightning, we have the essential, up-close portrait of theicon we thought we knew."--Publisher description.

"With her playful spirit and lovingly chaotic home life, Alex MacLaren has captured the hearts of parents everywhere simply trying to get dinner on the table. From elevating inexpensive cuts of meat with bold flavors to employing her secret weapon--cheese--to transform any vegetable, she's mastered the art of balancing her budget and schedule with the joy of family mealtime. More than 1 million followers turn to Alex for real-life kitchen inspiration, drawn to her skill for making the most with whatever is already in her fridge or pantry. These tricks and techniques are the core of her beloved catch phrase: "We use what we have." Her recipes empower and encourage readers to actually look forward to preparing dinner after a long day (even if they forgot to thaw the chicken) rather than resorting to takeout. Alex's recipes are accessible, while also offering bold, exciting flavors. With most meals costing less than $20, her repertoire includes comforting classics, such as Weeknight Beef Stroganoff and crowd-pleasing favorites, like Chicken Parm Garlic Toast. She even finds clever ways to make dinner feel extra special, like satisfying her family's takeout cravings by packaging her homemade creations in real takeout containers, just for fun. Unfussy and inspiring, We Use What We Have will empower home cooks to get in their kitchens and cook great, simple meals"--

"While being photographed in 1966, Warhol reportedly said, 'Everyone wants to be famous.' (To which his photographer Nat Finkelstein responded, 'Yeah, for about fifteen minutes, Andy.') Warhol was right then, and he's right now. Fifteen minutes be damned, all you need is the drive--or desperation--and a singular spark. But if you're not careful, you'll end up a Who. Who is a Who? In I Want to Be Famous, Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber, the journalists behind the pop culture podcast Who? Weekly, distill celebrity into two categories--Whos and Thems--transcending the snarky, antiquated judgment of the 'A-listers' to 'D-listers.' If you come across an allegedly famous face you've never seen before and are compelled to utter 'Who?', well, there's your answer. (Can you picture Rita Ora, Ava Max, or Hilaria Baldwin without googling them?) If the subject elicits something along the lines of, 'Oh, Them,' there you've found the opposite (Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Tom Cruise). It's the fundamental binary of fame. And yet, as more Whos spawn, the path to Themdom narrows. We've entered an era where accessibility to fame is within everyone's grasp, though only a select few can crack the algorithm and hold our ever-diminishing attention spans. Celebrities have taken desperate measures to stay relevant--from the makeup, supplements, and alcohol they peddle to the Notes app apologies they post--as the media who cover them compete with celebrities breaking their own news on social media and as PopCrave decides who 'stuns' next. Blending juicy pop culture history with the authors' signature wit, I Want to Be Famous argues fame no longer means ubiquity and examines what the future holds for those seeking our collective attention"--

"Training for a bikini body? No, thank you. We're training for dense bones, a healthy heart, good balance, and to maintain physical independence in our senior years. To carry our groceries up a flight of stairs. To play with our children and our grandchildren after them. We're training for our old lady bodies. Whether you are starting from scratch or a seasoned pro in the gym, these pages contain everything you need to know to strength train safely and effectively. This essential guide offers practical instruction and powerful motivation to build strength for life...Filled with expert guidance and 50 illustrations showcasing various exercises, this empowering companion will provide you with the tools and confidence to establish a healthy, consistent fitness practice, enabling you to feel your best and strongest at any age." --

"A collection of recipes inspired by ten diverse, moving stories of Holocaust survivors and WWII heroes, celebrating the tenacity of the human spirit and the transformative power of a good meal"-- Provided by publisher.

Examines the early years of the second Trump administration through the experiences of federal employees whose work brought them into conflict with the Department of Government Efficiency. Lewis profiles public servants responsible for such tasks as protecting sensitive tax information, enforcing government rules, reducing wildfire risks, and supporting medical research, exploring their work, their encounters with efforts to restructure the federal government, and the broader role of career civil servants in American government.

"Sarah Hepola wanted so much: a big career; travel and adventure; deep relationships; passion. Having realized so many of those desires, she also grieved the ways her life was not what she'd always imagined it would be. Did I want too much, she wondered. Did I make the wrong choices? Love the wrong people? In The Only Thing There Is To Want, Hepola revisits three complicated love affairs from her past, seeking to understand how they might have kept her from the life she'd envisioned, but also made her who she is. Examining her own decisions, Hepola probes the question: Is love ever really a choice?"--

"In A Fabulous Debt, Robin Wigglesworth-The Financial Times' Global Finance Correspondent, and author of the acclaimed Trillions-offers a sweeping, affectionate history of the bond market. From the dyke-builders of 17th-century Holland to the trillion-dollar portfolios of BlackRock, this is a people's history of finance: rich in drama, full of colorful characters, and bursting with insight. With clarity and wit, Wigglesworth takes readers from medieval Venice to modern Wall Street, tracing how bonds evolved from obscure financial instruments into the invisible architecture of the modern world. Along the way, we meet warlords and water boards, merchant princes and mathematicians, financiers and fraudsters-all of whom helped build the most powerful machine in global finance. This isn't just a book about the past. It's a guide to the present and future of the financial system-and a love letter to the engine that keeps it running."-- Provided by publisher.

"As D-Day looms, three crack commandos parachute into enemy territory on a high-stakes mission of lies and deception. To succeed--and to save D-Day--they'll need to get arrested by the Nazis. By March 1944, World War II had raged for four and a half years. Tens of millions were already dead. Adolf Hitler knew an Allied invasion was coming and planned to crush it--if only he knew where it would land. If the führer's forces were in the right place, the Nazis could stop D-Day and continue their murderous control of Europe. But the Allies had a plan. Operation Sparrow called for an elite three-man commando team to drop behind enemy lines, walk into German hands and craft a web of lies strong enough to sway Hitler. The mission seemed impossible: survive Nazi interrogation while making D-Day lies sound true. The three men would risk everything to convince the führer the invasion would strike the Balkans, two thousand kilometres away from Normandy. It was either genius or suicidal. Probably both. Operation Sparrow is the never-before-told story of one of the most daring and successful missions of World War II--a razor's-edge campaign that diverted millions of Axis troops from Normandy's beaches through cunning, espionage and audacity."--

"Explore 45+ hobbies that range far and wide, from birdwatching and woodworking to video gaming and embroidery"-- Provided by publisher.

"For the foreseeable future, America is stuck with a Supreme Court compromised by a crisis of legitimacy. Beyond expanding presidential power, dismantling voting rights, and protecting other forms of antidemocratic government, the court continues to usurp lawmaking power that should belong to the people and their elected representatives in a constitutional democracy. Julie C. Suk offers a novel solution to the problems plaguing the Supreme Court: a Shadow Court. All over the world, shadow governments act as watchdogs for representative democracies, and constitutional courts prevent slides into authoritarianism. Suk shows how Congress can build on these modern models and break the Supreme Court's monopoly on constitutional interpretation by creating a Shadow Court that would decide contested constitutional questions in the abstract before the Supreme Court could rule on them in a concrete case. Ambitious but pragmatic, The Shadow Court offers a hopeful and enduring solution for rescuing democracy in the United States"-- Provided by publisher.