"A lab accident, a bio-attack, a global pandemic, and the collapse of human society. In this essential new book, based on dozens of new interviews with experts with high-level political, governmental, medical, and military responsibility, Annie Jacobsen examines this very scenario. It would be only a matter of days from such a global infection before the infrastructure built to handle this gravest of situations would be in a battle for human existence. The fallout: mass death, total societal breakdown, widespread insurrection, anarchy, and a plague-ravaged wasteland that no longer resembles modern civilization. In other words: dystopia. Following the gripping narrative style that launched Nuclear War to the New York Times bestseller list, Jacobsen looks deeply at a situation that is in some ways the opposite of a nuclear bomb: There is no mushroom cloud, no shock wave or blast. Instead, the scenario that could end the world as we know it begins with something so small, and something so malicious, that when used for evil, only evil can result. This is what could happen; a ticking-clock roadmap to the hours, days, and weeks following the release of a biological agent, that serves as the most essential, forward-looking journalism in preparation for urgent societal upheaval"--

Being a grown-up isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. What if we got back in touch with the joy, freedom, silliness, and creativity of being a kid? When we were children, we were passionate, imaginative, and curious, and we loved without judgment. Now we are adults . . . neurotic, anxious, socially inept, and oh so very lonely. Why did we rush to become grown-ups? Why must we trade dream jobs for high-paying ones, tree climbing for social climbing, and juice boxes for juice cleanses? Is it possible to get back what we lost? Julian Shapiro-Barnum, comedian, former child, and creator/host of the viral, beloved show Recess Therapy, has spent the past five years interviewing thousands of children. He’s talked to them about everything from love, anger, and death to Spider-Man and farts. And he’s gathered a wealth of information leading him to believe that there’s a lot we can learn from kids on how to live a better life.

"A science educator explains the compelling evidence for human evolution and explores its implications for people of faith"-- Provided by publisher.

"In Own Your Time: 10 Financial Steps to Put Your Family First and Escape the Corporate Grind, Andy Hill, husband, father of two, and award-winning family finance coach, walks readers through simple yet highly effective steps families can take to achieve family financial independence. Covering the two biggest causes of parental stress, financial anxiety and being overworked, this book features real-life examples of couples who've conquered these family financial independence milestones and found better lives for themselves because of it. The book is broken down into 10 actionable steps that will take couples from overwhelmed to empowered. Topics include: Defining the life you want to live; Investing early and consistently; Growing the gap between income and expenses; Inspiring generational wealth for kids; Finding your three-day workweek (and four-day weekend); Maximizing family experiences. Own Your Time: 10 Financial Steps to Put Your Family First and Escape the Corporate Grind is an essential field-tested guide for parents seeking to break free from the constraints of financial stress and instead enjoy the benefits of financial independence." --

From Congressman Jared Huffman, a behind-the-scenes look at the shocking extent of Christian nationalism's reach in our government--and the fight to defend church-state separation.

"Spanning two continents and over ten years, Hoang's journey begins with his childhood in Saigon, South Vietnam, in the 1960s before crossing the Pacific Ocean to study in the US in 1974. When Saigon fell to the Communists of North Vietnam just six months later, he found himself cut off from his family in a new and vastly different country. Struggling to adapt and survive while hanging on to his college dreams, Hoang embarked on a quest to reunite with his family as they risked life and limb to escape from the communist regime. Having lived through the Vietnam War and come to America young enough to absorb its culture as his own, Hoang offers a unique, human-scale perspective on the aftermath of one of the most significant conflicts in living memory"-- Provided by publisher.

An elegant, iridescent mosaic of autobiographical fragments, both real and invented, forming a portrait of a creative life, from the life of the Pulitzer Prize finalist for Same Bed Different Dreams In 1998, Ed Park wrote a memoir and saved it to the vanishing technology of the floppy disk, losing it for more than twenty years. Until one day, emptying out an old, unmarked box in his family's cramped New York City home, he came across a hefty manila folder. Out slid the only remaining copy of Three Tenses. The piece of writing that Park found -- "a voice lesson, a language experiment, an autobiography with lies, a document of sustained artistic bliss of a sort that I have never found again" -- was an assemblage of beguiling anecdotes, sly observations, and collected esoterica, produced within the confines of the shoebox apartment of his twenties and only now allowed to see the light of day. Two Ed Parks emerge on the page: within the prose of the young, struggling writer arises the voice of the artist he would become. Profound, wily, and beautifully wrought, Three Tenses is a meeting of memory and myth, confession and obfuscation, coalescing to offer a singular picture of creativity in action.

"In American popular music, we often glorify rebellious artists and 'outlaws.' But in The Midnight Special, Colin Asher tells a deeper story about the criminal justice system's impact on our musicians, explored through compelling portraits of five artists whose careers span the twentieth century. Opening with folk and blues artist Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter, who was made to perform wearing prison clothes, Asher traces the intertwined histories of music and incarceration, from Southern prison farms of the Jim Crow era, through the heroin-driven mid-century drug wars that villainized a generation of jazz artists, and to our present era of mass incarceration. Asher shows how the suggestion of criminality has often benefited white artists, while prosecutions often hurt Black musicians. Comparing the divergent trajectories of jazz pianist Elmo Hope with country singer Johnny Cash, Asher examines how violent and discriminatory policing stifled Hope's career and led to the creation of his album Sounds from Rikers Island (1963), while forgiveness and lenience brought us Cash's masterpiece At San Quentin (1969). With keen musical analysis and sociological insight, The Midnight Special examines key themes in culture and criminal justice, from the movement for prison reform that allowed soul musician Ike White to stage thrilling concerts while locked up and record his album Changin' Times (1977), to the crushing cultural weight of mass incarceration a generation later. Closing with Tupac Shakur's Me Against the World (1995) and stories of music in prisons today, The Midnight Special recounts how prisons occasionally incubate talent but more often shorten careers and distort the public's perception of musicians and their value to society."--Dust jacket flaps.

"Thirty million albums sold worldwide, 14 million monthly listeners on Spotify and a return to the stage and spotlight with their first new album in 18 years in 2022, followed by a sold-out global tour. Tears for Fears, and their unforgettable songs, have been part of the fabric of rock and roll for forty years. Welcome to Your Life is a surprising memoir from co-founder, guitarist, and songwriter of Tears for Fears, Roland Orzabal. Roland Orzabal, along with Curt Smith, formed Tears for Fears in Bath, England, in the wake of the punk explosion and at the dawn of New Wave. With their smash album Songs from the Big Chair, and songs like 'Shout,' 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World,' 'Head over Heels' they became mainstays of American radio and MTV, popstars beyond their wildest dreams. In Welcome to Your Life, Orzabal shares the story of his band, and also his life, a journey marked by massive fame, mental health struggles, a changing political and musical landscape, the creative and personal breakdown of Roland's relationship with Curt Smith, the devastating loss of his wife, Caroline, and the road back to fulfillment as a man, father, and musician. As any fan of TFF is aware, Roland's songwriting is rich in imagery, especially mythological and astrological. Astrology is a lifelong passion and here, Roland uses astrology as narrative tool to underpin the storytelling, teaching readers the power of the stars and how his life has been moved by where he was in his astrological chart. A unique take on the memoir format, Roland Orzabal weaves together stories of musical and creative triumph with dark valleys of grief and drug addiction, stories he's never shared before. As he reflects on love, faith, and recovery, Orzabal shows how the power of music can heal even the deepest wounds. A must-read for fans of Tears for Fears, Gen-Xers, and those keen to embrace a story of resilience and creativity." --

"A transformative guide for anyone working with the child who is left out, left behind, or labeled 'difficult.' Heart-Centered Connections teaches the best practices to support kids who are misunderstood and marginalized--those who are neurodivergent, have a learning disability, or are trauma survivors. They have extraordinary potential waiting to be unleashed. Heart-Centered Connections is based on decades of groundbreaking research with over 1,000 child-serving professionals--principals, teachers, foster care program directors, social workers, and parents. Dr. Elliott offers seven pillars that will help you create environments where kids can achieve their full potential. Children mirror adults' emotions, which is why the first pillar is Self-Awareness. What is your state when you engage with the child? Other pillars include Interpersonal Awareness, Neuroinclusive Spaces, Activated Genius, Engaged Learning, Mindful Communication, and Heart-Centered Repair. You will learn how to: Increase your ability to handle stress so you remain composed when a child acts out Establish stronger bonds, even with kids who initially seem defiant Teach in a way that creates joy and confidence Design neuroinclusive environments in which youth of all abilities can flourish View the child from a new perspective, offering them choice and dignity Help the child settle their nervous system state so they can focus and learn In this practical book, Dr. Elliott brings clear guidance and a hopeful message: when safety, compassion, and trust come first, real learning can begin. Heart-Centered Connections shows you how to create that foundation"--

From the acclaimed Pacific War historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist, the harrowing story of America's bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the dramatic struggle to end World War II.

"Does a day without difficult news seem out of reach? Does this world seem topsy-turvy at best, toxic at worst? Max Lucado's sound biblical insights and signature storytelling provide strength and encouragement amid the current chaos and exhaustion"-- Provided by publisher.

"They say that each death opens all the graves. The pandemic has brought this understanding to all of us. Many have lost people they loved. And the pains of separation, isolation, lack and even distrust of community have thrown open the lids of all the caskets of all the people and dreams lost before this. After channeling her own grief over her parents' deaths into her first novel, Diane Zinna started hosting hour-long drop-in writing classes during the pandemic that explored the beginnings, middles, and ends of writers' "grief stories." As the work continued and classes grew in size, she noticed that certain prompts had deeper and more resonant engagement with those experiencing grief than other, more generic writing prompts. Zinna began to think of these prompts as "portals," entryways in which out-of-control feelings around grief events can be faced narratively and navigated in ways that keep one grounded. Providing 90 portals for grief writing that are at turns gentle, unexpected, rebellious, and wonderfully strange, Letting Grief Speak meets writers of all levels where they are, no matter what kind of grief they are carrying. The book is meant for anyone who has found the act of writing to be an effective means of managing loss and is also intended for people at every stage of grief"-- Provided by publisher.

Many warn that AI will accelerate authoritarianism. In Reboot, Beth Simone Noveck makes a different case. Drawing on decades of work building technology and working inside government, from the White House to 10 Downing Street, she shows how democratic institutions can deliberately design, govern, and invest in AI to strengthen democracy rather than undermine it. Noveck takes readers inside real-world efforts already under way, from European cities engaging residents in policymaking to Latin American legislatures drafting stronger laws and U.S. states transforming how they deliver public services, revealing what democratic AI looks like in practice and what it takes to make it work at scale.

"An unfiltered, no-nonsense roadmap to financial freedom from a self-made entrepreneur with a proven method to build lasting wealth. Tired of struggling to pay your bills? Of being broke or behind on your financial goals? No matter where you find yourself in life, Pick Money will equip you with the mindset you need to get rich-with enough time to enjoy it. Shawn Meaike, founder and CEO of a billion-dollar business, will be the first to tell you he's not some flashy guru, born with a silver spoon. He grew up poor, went to college just to play football, and spent his early twenties partying. The journey to turn his life around taught him that building lasting wealth requires a wholesale change in perspective: you have to pick money. Guiding you through a focused five-year journey, Pick Money gives you the tools and tips you need to create wealth and provides the foundation you need to use those tools for the right results. Five simple steps, rigorously applied, will enrich your life and your bank account: Know Your "Whys" Know Your Budget Set Your Money Goals Do the Math Hone Your Skills Putting an end to excuses and second-guessing, Pick Money is designed to instill clarity, discipline, and accountability to help you get what you want: financial independence for the rest of your life"-- Provided by publisher.

"A handbook for activating your body's naturally occurring weight-loss hormones without relying on medication"--

"Over the past two decades, platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have revolutionized how we document and share our lives. We once archived our experiences in photo albums, and now we capture our most significant moments in reels and photo dumps. Whether we prefer to admit it or not, social media is where our history lives now. In The Story of Your Life, journalist and New York magazine columnist Kathryn Jezer-Morton examines how these algorithm-driven platforms not only change the way we share information but also shape the content itself. What stories do we choose to tell, and how do these choices reflect and shape our evolving identities? Through rigorous research and intimate interviews with everyday people, Jezer-Morton explores how the platforms on which we have told our life stories for the past twenty years have determined what those stories have come to look and sound like. Today our attention spans are short, and our stories reflect that, with spectacle and exaggeration playing ever-larger roles in our accounts of everyday life. By examining how we share, talk, and post about our milestones, vacations, homes, relationships, hardships, politics, and more, Jezer-Morton shows just how pervasive and influential our social media platforms have become in how we view ourselves and what we consider to be a life well lived."--Provided by publisher.

"The evolution of video games from a niche pursuit to the world's largest entertainment medium, with billions of players and billions of dollars at stake, has made it a perfect place for states and non-state actors to advance their goals online. In Power Play, leading games industry expert George E. Osborn explores the burgeoning foreign and domestic movements to spread influence through video games, showing that our failure to date to take games seriously has led to a culture of complacency around their true impact and importance on the geopolitical stage. More than a simple form of entertainment, video games are an ecosystem that connects billions of people across the globe. Video games create spaces where people talk, share ideas, and build identities that bleed into our reality. And whilst democracies have underestimated the potential for influence in this space, others have seized the opportunity. This is why Russia has been funding the development of video games designed to promote their world view. It's why Saudi Arabia has acquired one of gaming's biggest publishers, EA, to help wash its reputation. It's why Steve Bannon utilized tactics learned from online game communities to propel Donald Trump to the White House. And it's why Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin carved video game references into his bullets.Supported by the insights of dozens of politicians, academics, and industry experts, Power Play is the vital guide to understanding this new frontier for political influence, and what democracies must do to protect play and harness its immense power before this essential battle for digital influence is lost for good"-- Provided by publisher.

"A staggering examination of how America's wealthiest infiltrated the government and allied with dictators, transforming the U.S. from democracy to oligarchy. For years, a small group of billionaires has amassed increasing power, steering American politics for their own benefit. Many of these figures are familiar. There's Elon Musk, who has used his wealth to help place Donald Trump back in the White House. There's Mark Zuckerberg, who has used his resources to transform America into his own digital playground. There's Jared Kushner, who has used family connections to gain more political power than he ever dreamed of. There is only one word to describe such extreme levels of wealth, avarice, and political control: Oligarchy. But the oligarchs are not working alone. From China to Russia to Saudi Arabia and beyond, many of these men have cultivated alliances with America's most notorious adversaries, opening the doors for autocrats around the world to sink their teeth into the U.S. Placing profit over patriotism, they have transformed into vectors of influence for some of the world's most repulsive dictatorships, all of whom are trying to create a world dominated by imperialism and tyranny. Connecting everything from the devastation in Ukraine to destruction in Gaza to destabilization in Greenland, these oligarchs have transformed American policy and American politics into their own private fiefdoms, regardless of what Americans actually want. In United States of Oligarchy, Casey Michel illuminates a story decades in the making, from the earliest efforts to corral and combat American oligarchs, to the new crop of individuals monopolizing American democracy and making the world safe for dictatorship - all for their own benefit. The oligarchs have risen, and are attempting to reign. The only question remaining is whether or not it's too late to stop them"-- Provided by publisher.

"As the climate emergency worsens and biodiversity shrinks, we somehow get used to it. We struggle to remember what summers were like before the unrelenting heat, in those years before wildfires became an annual routine. We adapt, we normalize. Scientists call this "shifting baseline syndrome," and they warn that it's why we are increasingly sleepwalking toward disaster. In this inspiring manifesto, environmental advocate and longtime editor-in-chief of Sierra magazine Jason Dove Mark offers antidotes that everyone can use to resist ecological amnesia and make lasting progress to repair and revive a livable planet. He puts forth four simple but powerful rules for a life lived in communion with the Earth: Go outside; Bear witness; Make a record; Pass it on. From the mountains of California to the lakes of Wisconsin and across the lush forests of his beloved Pacific Northwest, Mark shares moving examples of citizen scientists, birdwatchers, mountain climbers, and fishermen who are putting these remedies into practice. And he makes the case for easy, everyday practices that can help us "remember the earth" and support environmental conservation, restoration, and rewilding. The Earth Said Remember Me is a hopeful, achievable prescription for protecting the planet, one citizen at a time" --Jacket sleeves.

"A pioneering researcher unveils the neuroscience of executive function: how it works and what we can (and can't) do to improve it. From the ever-rising rate of ADHD diagnoses to the life-changing challenges of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's to the everyday brain fog many of us muddle through, so-called deficits of executive function are everywhere. Whether you're tearing the house apart trying to find the keys you've been holding all along, struggling to stay on task at work, or watching a loved one lose their social filter, the consequences when executive function falters can be frustrating, puzzling--sometimes even devastating. We're told it governs everything from planning and decision-making to self-control and social behavior. But what exactly is executive function, and what can we do to sharpen it? In Think Before You Think, internationally renowned neuroscientist Adrian Owen cuts through the confusion, showing how the underlying systems that orchestrate executive function interact, why they sometimes fail us, and what that tells us about the everyday business of being human. Drawing on decades of groundbreaking research, Owen reveals the six core components of executive function that shape how we think and act: working memory, planning, inhibition, attention, theory of mind, and emotional regulation. Crucially, he also busts many common brain myths. Sharpening your mind isn't about brain-training apps or quick fixes; in many cases, a good night's sleep will do more than any puzzle or game. But the latest discoveries in neuroscience offer a simpler--and more powerful--solution: understanding your own executive functions and learning to take conscious control of how you use them. As practical as it is profound, Think Before You Think offers a new way of understanding your brain--its strengths, its limitations, and its remarkable potential. You'll never say 'I wasn't thinking' in quite the same way again." -- publisher's website.

"A century of conventional farming has left our planet with sick soil. Once fertile farmlands are now dusty and degraded, accelerating food insecurity, biodiversity loss, and climate change. David Montgomery has devoted decades to investigating this damage. ReGen, his manifesto, lays out practical and productive solutions to recover the health of our land through soil-building regenerative agriculture.Drawing on the work of farmers, historians, and researchers, he forcefully articulates the power of combining cover cropping, no or lowtillage, and crop diversity to rebuild soil health. The combinationallows farmers to greatly reduce or eliminate synthetic fertilize and pesticide use, and can help address a number of today's most pressing problems. Along the way, he takes apart common myths around conventional farming, animal agriculture, and plant-based diets. Charting a course for action, Montgomery lays out ten policy recommendations--from subsidizing young farmers to establishing a national network of demonstration farms--to safeguard the future of our food supply. ReGen shows us how reforming the way we see and treat the land canaddress critically underappreciated and yet eminently solvable problems to restore the health of our land and secure civilization's agricultural foundation--and a healthy future for our society and ourselves."--