Product Description

Large map Poster inside 
Labeled with important locations, major roads, and hold capitals

A Champion for Skyrim
Multiple character builds based on hundreds of hours of playtesting reveal exactly what Skills, Perks, equipment, and other items to pick, and how to advance through the game, no matter the type of character you want to be.
 
All Collectibles Gathered
If you’re searching Skyrim for Skill Books, Unique Items and Weapons, every single Shout, Dragon Priest Masks, Treasure Maps, Unusual Gems, or even Captured Critters, we show you where every rare item is.
 
The Atlas of Skyrim
A comprehensive tour of every single location, from the vast Hold Cities to the smallest woodland den. Every major exploration point receives a walkthrough flagging important items, with detailed maps throughout.
 
Prowess in Combat
Every weapon, piece of equipment, and spell is detailed so you know which blade, bow, or incantation to crush your enemies with. Every type of combat is tactically analyzed, so you can better any foe in battle.
 
Trainers and Traders
Skyrim is full of merchants to barter with, and trainers to further
increase your Skill, Crafting, and Bartering proficiencies. Every alchemist, blacksmith, innkeeper, trainer, Khajiit caravan, and other vendor revealed.
 
Followers and Friends
Build your friendships across Skyrim and locate every Follower with information inside this guide. Become a Thane. Own property. Marry your favorite Housecarl. Details inside.
 
Massive and Complete IndexComputers perform best when they are brand new. As time goes by and we install different types of applications, download music, videos and other content from the internet, the performance of our computers will suffer. You will learn maintenance techniques and configuration settings that will make your computers run like new, even if you have had it for a few years. Whether you have a laptop or desktop, this guide will provide you with the best tips and strategies to turbo charge you computer!

This book is designed specifically for non-technical users. The power is now in your hands to keep your PC running like the pros. Buy this book NOW to solve your computer performance problems.
Computers perform best when they are brand new. As time goes by and we install different types of applications, download music, videos and other content from the internet, the performance of our computers will suffer. You will learn maintenance techniques and configuration settings that will make your computers run like new, even if you have had it for a few years. Whether you have a laptop or desktop, this guide will provide you with the best tips and strategies to turbo charge you computer!

This book is designed specifically for non-technical users. The power is now in your hands to keep your PC running like the pros. Buy this book NOW to solve your computer performance problems.

Product Description

Product Description

Must one honorable man pay for the sins of his cruel, aristocratic family? Can an old man brutally wronged by that family find forgiveness before it’s too late? And will history–the sweeping violence of the French Revolution–force father to betray child in his search for vengeance? A Tale of Two Cities is Charles Dickens’s immortal story of love and ultimate sacrifice.#1 NYT Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy delivers an emotional and poignant story with touches of humor and a cast of quirky, lovable characters. A touch of mysticism adds an extra layer to this story of love and family.

Alone in the world, Faith Christopher had always yearned for love … and a man who’d make her heart pound. But her dreams of a place to call home were getting harder to hold on to …

Alex Carrigan liked fast cars, fast women and fast deals – then a tough-talking teenager arrived on his doorstep claiming she was his long-lost daughter, and his meddling grandfather decided to move in. Suddenly, Alex has to face the family he never expected.

Enter Faith. Little did the outspoken and beautiful baker know that deep inside Alex was a well of tenderness … and that she might have the recipe to bring him true love – the sweetest thing life has to offer.

Reviews…

“The Sweetest Thing is a heart-tugging tale of family and the healing power of love. Barbara Freethy has created a delightful cast of quirky yet lovable characters and brought them to full life. The Sweetest Thing is a story as enjoyable and richly satisfying as one of the heroine’s chocolate eclairs!” Romance Fiction Forum – AOL

“Freethy has crafted an entertaining and moving contemporary romance. The paranormal elements are well handled and enrich the story. But ultimately, The Sweetest Thing is about the importance of love and family, for it is love that makes family sweet.” The Romance Reader

“Ms. Freethy has again done a wonderful job of crafting an intriguing plot line and peopling it with fully developed characters that have all of the flaws and foibles common to human beings.” Bookbug on the Web
Setting: Contemporary San Francisco

Sensuality: 6

Successful entrepreneur Alex Carrigan’s life is neatly organized and focused on building his company. But fate drops a series of bombshells when his eccentric grandfather appears on his doorstep to move in with him, the sudden death of his ex-wife leaves him with a precocious 12-year-old daughter he’s convinced he didn’t sire, and beautiful redhead Faith Christopher walks into his life.

Faith has her own set of problems. She’s been in emotional limbo since the death of her fiancé several years before, and the ties to his family are growing increasingly troublesome. She’s wondering if she should give in to family pressure and marry the second son when Alex wanders into her bakery looking for his grandfather. The physical connection she feels with Alex is instantaneous and mutual, making her question whether a marriage based on companionship is wise or even possible.

Meanwhile, Alex’s grandfather has an agenda of his own. Fifty-six years earlier, he’d fallen in love, broken a piece of ancient Indian pottery, and brought a curse on himself and his heirs. He’s convinced he must locate his lost love, return the pottery to its hiding place, and lift the curse, a plan Alex has heard many times before and doesn’t want to get involved in. But Faith is intrigued by the elderly gentleman’s tale and agrees to help him. Little does she know what life-changing forces have been set in motion by her decision.

Can a woman who wants commitment find happiness with a man who doesn’t believe in love? Will Alex be able to accept that not only is Faith everything he wants but also everything he needs? If Alex and Faith don’t help his grandfather solve the more than half-century-long mystery, will the curse doom the two lovers and all the people they love? And what about the child he doesn’t believe is his but who needs him so desperately? It’s a pleasure to read Freethy’s answers to these questions and more, thanks to her charming writing style and expert plotting in The Sweetest Thing.–Lois Faye Dyer
#1 NYT Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy delivers an emotional and poignant story with touches of humor and a cast of quirky, lovable characters. A touch of mysticism adds an extra layer to this story of love and family.

Alone in the world, Faith Christopher had always yearned for love … and a man who’d make her heart pound. But her dreams of a place to call home were getting harder to hold on to …

Alex Carrigan liked fast cars, fast women and fast deals – then a tough-talking teenager arrived on his doorstep claiming she was his long-lost daughter, and his meddling grandfather decided to move in. Suddenly, Alex has to face the family he never expected.

Enter Faith. Little did the outspoken and beautiful baker know that deep inside Alex was a well of tenderness … and that she might have the recipe to bring him true love – the sweetest thing life has to offer.

Reviews…

“The Sweetest Thing is a heart-tugging tale of family and the healing power of love. Barbara Freethy has created a delightful cast of quirky yet lovable characters and brought them to full life. The Sweetest Thing is a story as enjoyable and richly satisfying as one of the heroine’s chocolate eclairs!” Romance Fiction Forum – AOL

“Freethy has crafted an entertaining and moving contemporary romance. The paranormal elements are well handled and enrich the story. But ultimately, The Sweetest Thing is about the importance of love and family, for it is love that makes family sweet.” The Romance Reader

“Ms. Freethy has again done a wonderful job of crafting an intriguing plot line and peopling it with fully developed characters that have all of the flaws and foibles common to human beings.” Bookbug on the Web
STOPPING A WEDDING: WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

Medieval History Professor Thomas Charlemagne thinks he’s finally slaying the dragon of his “Timid Tommy” reputation when he responds to an outlandish dare at a bachelor party and stops a wedding the very next morning.

The only problem? He wanders into the wrong church.

That doesn’t matter to bride DeeDee McGowan, however, who was having second, third, and fourth thoughts about saying “I do” anyway. She grabs the chance to leave her groom at the altar, dragging Tom with her.

DeeDee and Tom share a history, a fling more than ten years ago, before he went off to graduate school and started ascending the career ladder of academe and she took over her father’s car dealership in sleepy Oyster Point, Maryland, building it into a coveted business treasure. Their reconnection sets sparks flying between them — from the original passion that bonded them and the class differences that parted them.

Meanwhile, what started as a prank leads to serious legal issues for both Tom and DeeDee as the groom sues them, DeeDee countersues, and Tom is caught in the middle. Concerned that this distraction will affect his quest for tenure, Tom encounters an unsympathetic department chair eager to replace him with a renaissance expert from the UK and a women’s studies professor committed to challenging the “validity” of Thomas’s signature research into an obscure poetry-writing medieval monk, Aefle, and his lady-love, Gisela.

A comic romp blended with sharp satire, AEFLE AND GISELA delivers laughs and love as Thomas learns, along with his “little monk,” that life outside the “scriptorium” requires him to find real courage at last.

_________

PRAISE FOR LIBBY MALIN’S ROMANTIC COMEDIES:

MY OWN PERSONAL SOAP OPERA by Libby Malin:
– Malin creates a world of wit and chaos that is …smart and insightfully written. – Booklist
– Malin’s latest is heavy on humor… (she) coaxes plenty of laughs…- Publishers Weekly
– I wholly recommend this romance… You’ll not be disappointed. Trust me! Rating: 5 Stars. – Love Romance Passion

FIRE ME by Libby Malin:
– This fast-paced, humorous book kept me giggling throughout the night. – A Novel Menagerie
– Fire Me …had this reader chuckling out loud. – Jo-Anne Greene Lancaster Sunday News
– Libby Malin pens a tale that is hilarious while still being poignant and introspective. – The Romance Studio

LOVES ME, LOVES ME NOT by Libby Malin:
– The love story is charming and will be appreciated by any woman with bad taste in men who somehow inexplicably ends up with Mr. Right. – Washington Post
– A whimsical look at the vagaries of dating… an intriguing side plot adds punch and pathos to the story… – Publishers Weekly
– Malin’s clever debut toys with chick-lit stereotypes and offers quite a few surprises along the way. – Booklist
– Loves Me, Loves Me Not will leave the reader feeling refreshed and hopeful…a simply terrific book. – A “Top Pick” at Romance Reader at Heart

_____________

ABOUT LIBBY MALIN
Libby Malin is the award-winning author of romance, literary, mystery and young adult fiction. In an attempt to thoroughly confuse her reader fans, she writes comedy under the name Libby Malin and serious fiction under the name Libby Sternberg. Her first young adult mystery, UNCOVERING SADIE’S SECRETS, was an Edgar nominee, and her first romantic comedy, FIRE ME, was optioned for film. She lives in Pennsylvania, has three children and one husband, and confesses to watching “Real Housewives” shows despite enormous amounts of culture-guilt. She can be reached through her website: www.LibbyMalin.com.
STOPPING A WEDDING: WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

Medieval History Professor Thomas Charlemagne thinks he’s finally slaying the dragon of his “Timid Tommy” reputation when he responds to an outlandish dare at a bachelor party and stops a wedding the very next morning.

The only problem? He wanders into the wrong church.

That doesn’t matter to bride DeeDee McGowan, however, who was having second, third, and fourth thoughts about saying “I do” anyway. She grabs the chance to leave her groom at the altar, dragging Tom with her.

DeeDee and Tom share a history, a fling more than ten years ago, before he went off to graduate school and started ascending the career ladder of academe and she took over her father’s car dealership in sleepy Oyster Point, Maryland, building it into a coveted business treasure. Their reconnection sets sparks flying between them — from the original passion that bonded them and the class differences that parted them.

Meanwhile, what started as a prank leads to serious legal issues for both Tom and DeeDee as the groom sues them, DeeDee countersues, and Tom is caught in the middle. Concerned that this distraction will affect his quest for tenure, Tom encounters an unsympathetic department chair eager to replace him with a renaissance expert from the UK and a women’s studies professor committed to challenging the “validity” of Thomas’s signature research into an obscure poetry-writing medieval monk, Aefle, and his lady-love, Gisela.

A comic romp blended with sharp satire, AEFLE AND GISELA delivers laughs and love as Thomas learns, along with his “little monk,” that life outside the “scriptorium” requires him to find real courage at last.

_________

PRAISE FOR LIBBY MALIN’S ROMANTIC COMEDIES:

MY OWN PERSONAL SOAP OPERA by Libby Malin:
– Malin creates a world of wit and chaos that is …smart and insightfully written. – Booklist
– Malin’s latest is heavy on humor… (she) coaxes plenty of laughs…- Publishers Weekly
– I wholly recommend this romance… You’ll not be disappointed. Trust me! Rating: 5 Stars. – Love Romance Passion

FIRE ME by Libby Malin:
– This fast-paced, humorous book kept me giggling throughout the night. – A Novel Menagerie
– Fire Me …had this reader chuckling out loud. – Jo-Anne Greene Lancaster Sunday News
– Libby Malin pens a tale that is hilarious while still being poignant and introspective. – The Romance Studio

LOVES ME, LOVES ME NOT by Libby Malin:
– The love story is charming and will be appreciated by any woman with bad taste in men who somehow inexplicably ends up with Mr. Right. – Washington Post
– A whimsical look at the vagaries of dating… an intriguing side plot adds punch and pathos to the story… – Publishers Weekly
– Malin’s clever debut toys with chick-lit stereotypes and offers quite a few surprises along the way. – Booklist
– Loves Me, Loves Me Not will leave the reader feeling refreshed and hopeful…a simply terrific book. – A “Top Pick” at Romance Reader at Heart

_____________

ABOUT LIBBY MALIN
Libby Malin is the award-winning author of romance, literary, mystery and young adult fiction. In an attempt to thoroughly confuse her reader fans, she writes comedy under the name Libby Malin and serious fiction under the name Libby Sternberg. Her first young adult mystery, UNCOVERING SADIE’S SECRETS, was an Edgar nominee, and her first romantic comedy, FIRE ME, was optioned for film. She lives in Pennsylvania, has three children and one husband, and confesses to watching “Real Housewives” shows despite enormous amounts of culture-guilt. She can be reached through her website: www.LibbyMalin.com.
*Sleeping with Paris won first place in the Women’s Fiction category of the 2010 Washington Romance Writers Marlene Awards and was a finalist in the 2010 Valley Forge Romance Writers Sheila Contest.

Charlotte Summers is a sassy, young French teacher who is two days away from moving to Paris with the love of her life and from fulfilling her dream of studying at the prestigious Sorbonne University in France. But when she discovers her fiancé’s online dating profile and has a little chat with the busty red-head he’s been sleeping with on the side, she gives up on committed relationships altogether and decides to navigate Paris on her own.

Determined to stop other women from finding themselves in her shoes, Charlotte creates an anonymous blog on how to date like a man in the City of Love—that is, how to jump from bed to bed without ever falling in love. But, with a slew of Parisian men beating down her door, a hot new neighbor who feeds her chocolate in bed, and an appearance by her sleazy ex-fiancé, she isn’t so sure she can keep her promise to remain commitment-free.

And, when Charlotte agrees to write an article for a popular women’s magazine about her Parisian dating adventures—or disasters, rather—will she risk losing the one man who’s swept her off her feet and her dream job in one fell swoop?
*Sleeping with Paris won first place in the Women’s Fiction category of the 2010 Washington Romance Writers Marlene Awards and was a finalist in the 2010 Valley Forge Romance Writers Sheila Contest.

Charlotte Summers is a sassy, young French teacher who is two days away from moving to Paris with the love of her life and from fulfilling her dream of studying at the prestigious Sorbonne University in France. But when she discovers her fiancé’s online dating profile and has a little chat with the busty red-head he’s been sleeping with on the side, she gives up on committed relationships altogether and decides to navigate Paris on her own.

Determined to stop other women from finding themselves in her shoes, Charlotte creates an anonymous blog on how to date like a man in the City of Love—that is, how to jump from bed to bed without ever falling in love. But, with a slew of Parisian men beating down her door, a hot new neighbor who feeds her chocolate in bed, and an appearance by her sleazy ex-fiancé, she isn’t so sure she can keep her promise to remain commitment-free.

And, when Charlotte agrees to write an article for a popular women’s magazine about her Parisian dating adventures—or disasters, rather—will she risk losing the one man who’s swept her off her feet and her dream job in one fell swoop?
“Bullet holes in a Life Is Great T-shirt. It was the kind of cheap irony I would have written a song about, normally. But it wasn’t so funny when it happened to someone I knew.”

Singer Baxter McLean had one hit in the 1980s, “Mirror Ball Man,” but he’s barely scraped by as a barroom folksinger ever since. Now yuppies and developers are taking over the funky little harbor town of Libertyport, Massachusetts, where he lives. When he sings a protest song against a waterfront hotel project, Baxter finds himself the prime suspect in at least one murder. Solving the case himself is the only way out. On the bright side, the publicity might jump-start his career – and his love life.
“Bullet holes in a Life Is Great T-shirt. It was the kind of cheap irony I would have written a song about, normally. But it wasn’t so funny when it happened to someone I knew.”

Singer Baxter McLean had one hit in the 1980s, “Mirror Ball Man,” but he’s barely scraped by as a barroom folksinger ever since. Now yuppies and developers are taking over the funky little harbor town of Libertyport, Massachusetts, where he lives. When he sings a protest song against a waterfront hotel project, Baxter finds himself the prime suspect in at least one murder. Solving the case himself is the only way out. On the bright side, the publicity might jump-start his career – and his love life.

Product Description

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts – the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.Once Upon A Time, A True Story of Memory, Murder and the Law.

By Harry N. MacLean

In 1989, Eileen Franklin, a young California housewife, claimed to recover a repressed memory of her father killing her playmate 20 earlier. In a landmark trial, the father was charged and convicted of first-degree murder, based solely on his daughter’s testimony. This book chronicles the trial, explores the remarkably dysfunctional Franklin family and delves into the credibility of repressed memories as evidence.

This version contains a 2011 Epilogue, which details the reasons for the reversal of George Franklin’s conviction and the refusal of the district attorney to retry him for murder.

Once Upon a Time was selected as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. The New York Times called it a “deceptively important work. . . a many faceted and important study. MacLean gives an account of the trial which is comprehensive yet suspenseful, enriched by his insights into the tactics and emotions of the opposing lawyers.”

Steve Martini, author of Compelling Evidence, wrote: “A tragic but gripping story, and expertly crafted. Mr. MacLean has a positive talent for detail, and an obvious knowledge of the law. I congratulate him on a masterfully told story”.

Nancy Taylor Rosenberg, author of Mitigating Circumstances, wrote: “Once Upon A Time is a well-written and meticulous account of a true human drama. . The author’s objective viewpoint in presenting these facts makes for a compelling and challenging read. . The uncharted terrain of the human mind and its ability to repress as well as deceive are fascinating food for thought.”

Tony Hillerman, author of Talking God and Coyote Waits, declares that “MacLean gives us a fascinating look at a fascinating crime.”

Kim Kantrell of True Crime Book Review, wrote: “If there’s any true crime writer out there that can give my favorite author the late Jack Olsen a run for his spot on the list, it has to be Harry MacLean. . MacLean has a unique ability to take a high profile case, dig up new and interesting facts, put it together with a detailed and thought-provoking narrative. . It is so well written that not to read it would be to miss a true crime classic.
Once Upon A Time, A True Story of Memory, Murder and the Law.

By Harry N. MacLean

In 1989, Eileen Franklin, a young California housewife, claimed to recover a repressed memory of her father killing her playmate 20 earlier. In a landmark trial, the father was charged and convicted of first-degree murder, based solely on his daughter’s testimony. This book chronicles the trial, explores the remarkably dysfunctional Franklin family and delves into the credibility of repressed memories as evidence.

This version contains a 2011 Epilogue, which details the reasons for the reversal of George Franklin’s conviction and the refusal of the district attorney to retry him for murder.

Once Upon a Time was selected as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. The New York Times called it a “deceptively important work. . . a many faceted and important study. MacLean gives an account of the trial which is comprehensive yet suspenseful, enriched by his insights into the tactics and emotions of the opposing lawyers.”

Steve Martini, author of Compelling Evidence, wrote: “A tragic but gripping story, and expertly crafted. Mr. MacLean has a positive talent for detail, and an obvious knowledge of the law. I congratulate him on a masterfully told story”.

Nancy Taylor Rosenberg, author of Mitigating Circumstances, wrote: “Once Upon A Time is a well-written and meticulous account of a true human drama. . The author’s objective viewpoint in presenting these facts makes for a compelling and challenging read. . The uncharted terrain of the human mind and its ability to repress as well as deceive are fascinating food for thought.”

Tony Hillerman, author of Talking God and Coyote Waits, declares that “MacLean gives us a fascinating look at a fascinating crime.”

Kim Kantrell of True Crime Book Review, wrote: “If there’s any true crime writer out there that can give my favorite author the late Jack Olsen a run for his spot on the list, it has to be Harry MacLean. . MacLean has a unique ability to take a high profile case, dig up new and interesting facts, put it together with a detailed and thought-provoking narrative. . It is so well written that not to read it would be to miss a true crime classic.

Product Description

With small town journalist Cal Murphy quickly losing his big city dreams of writing for a metro newspaper, his passion is reignited when three star prep athletes are found dead in a 24-hour period. As he and fellow photographer Kelly Mendoza attempt to make sense of bizarre circumstances that led to the teens’ deaths, Cal makes a chilling discovery, uncovering a vast conspiracy that grows darker with every twist and turn. With a mastermind determined to silence Cal and Kelly for good, the young reporters ultimately must decide if their lives are worth the risk to reveal the truth.

Product Description

Product Description

Product Description

The Mass Effect 3 Collector’s Edition guide includes the following exclusive content:

• Hardcover with a metallic finish – Protect the quality 80# interior paper
• Behind-the-Scenes at BioWare – Exclusive photos, art, and interviews. Learn how the team created the Mass Effect universe from Cinematics to Characters, Art, Audio, and more.
• BONUS Digital Guide Access - With interactive multiplayer maps and video strategy.
• See Mass Effect 3 like never before - Discover environments and parts of the game you won’t see anywhere else. Panoramic views will leave you amazed

With this guide you will:

• Fight YOUR Way – Multiple approaches to every key battle
• Dominate in Multiplayer - Comprehensive maps prepare you for battle and help you survive
• Choose the Best Gear – Every weapon and piece of armor revealed, including mods and upgrades
• Take Earth Back - Class breakdowns and build recommendations give you the advantage you need against the reapers

Product Description

That’s the question Elliott Goodman hears in the OR as he’s about to have emergency surgery following a heart attack. But it isn’t Elliott’s surgeon who’s asking. It’s God. As in the Almighty. And God has a wager for Elliott. He challenges him to an eighteen-hole golf match. If Elliott wins, he is saved; if he loses…So begins this witty, insightful, and very funny novel about golf and life and the lessons learned from both. To be fair (isn’t He always?), God sends down eighteen legendary opponents to play against Elliott and hopefully teach him a few tricks along the way. From Leonardo da Vinci (nice clubs) to Marilyn Monroe (nice…everything), Babe Ruth (pass the hot dogs), Abraham Lincoln (cheater!), and fourteen other luminaries, including Moses, John Lennon, Joan of Arc, Picasso, W.C. Fields, Socrates, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Beethoven, Gandhi, and Shakespeare, Elliott squares off against some of the most extraordinary people who’ve ever lived. As shots are analyzed, balls enter bunkers, and Freud drives the cart (control freak), Elliott has a chance to examine his life and his form, to see what he can correct or improve before facing his ultimate adversary. Bighearted and delightfully original, Bob Mitchell’s Match Made in Heaven is a grand celebration of golf and a profound parable of traveling our own personal fairways in a game where no effort is wasted, and every failure is just another chance to try again.Based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.

At a time when America is seeking ways to sustain its innovative edge, and when societies around the world are trying to build digital-age economies, Jobs stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. He knew that the best way to create value in the twenty-first century was to connect creativity with technology. He built a company where leaps of the imagination were combined with remarkable feats of engineering.  

Although Jobs cooperated with this book, he asked for no control over what was written nor even the right to read it before it was published. He put nothing off-limits. He encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly. And Jobs speaks candidly, sometimes brutally so, about the people he worked with and competed against. His friends, foes, and colleagues provide an unvarnished view of the passions, perfectionism, obsessions, artistry, devilry, and compulsion for control that shaped his approach to business and the innovative products that resulted.

Driven by demons, Jobs could drive those around him to fury and despair. But his personality and products were interrelated, just as Apple’s hardware and software tended to be, as if part of an integrated system. His tale is instructive and cautionary, filled with lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values.
Amazon Best Books of the Month, November 2011: It is difficult to read the opening pages of Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs without feeling melancholic. Jobs retired at the end of August and died about six weeks later. Now, just weeks after his death, you can open the book that bears his name and read about his youth, his promise, and his relentless press to succeed. But the initial sadness in starting the book is soon replaced by something else, which is the intensity of the read–mirroring the intensity of Jobs’s focus and vision for his products. Few in history have transformed their time like Steve Jobs, and one could argue that he stands with the Fords, Edisons, and Gutenbergs of the world. This is a timely and complete portrait that pulls no punches and gives insight into a man whose contradictions were in many ways his greatest strength. –Chris Schluep

Amazon Exclusive: A Q&A with Walter Isaacson

Q: It’s becoming well known that Jobs was able to create his Reality Distortion Field when it served him. Was it difficult for you to cut through the RDF and get beneath the narrative that he created? How did you do it?

Isaacson: Andy Hertzfeld, who worked with Steve on the original Macintosh team, said that even if you were aware of his Reality Distortion Field, you still got caught up in it. But that is why Steve was so successful: He willfully bent reality so that you became convinced you could do the impossible, so you did. I never felt he was intentionally misleading me, but I did try to check every story. I did more than a hundred interviews. And he urged me not just to hear his version, but to interview as many people as possible. It was one of his many odd contradictions: He could distort reality, yet he was also brutally honest most of the time. He impressed upon me the value of honesty, rather than trying to whitewash things.

Q: How were the interviews with Jobs conducted? Did you ask lots of questions, or did he just talk?

Isaacson: I asked very few questions. We would take long walks or drives, or sit in his garden, and I would raise a topic and let him expound on it. Even during the more formal sessions in his living room, I would just sit quietly and listen. He loved to tell stories, and he would get very emotional, especially when talking about people in his life whom he admired or disdained.

Q: He was a powerful man who could hold a grudge. Was it easy to get others to talk about Jobs willingly? Were they afraid to talk?

Isaacson: Everyone was eager to talk about Steve. They all had stories to tell, and they loved to tell them. Even those who told me about his rough manner put it in the context of how inspiring he could be.

Q: Jobs embraced the counterculture and Buddhism. Yet he was a billionaire businessman with his own jet. In what way did Jobs’ contradictions contribute to his success?

Isaacson: Steve was filled with contradictions. He was a counterculture rebel who became a billionaire. He eschewed material objects yet made objects of desire. He talked, at times, about how he wrestled with these contradictions. His counterculture background combined with his love of electronics and business was key to the products he created. They combined artistry and technology.

Q: Jobs could be notoriously difficult. Did you wind up liking him in the end?

Isaacson: Yes, I liked him and was inspired by him. But I knew he could be unkind and rough. These things can go together. When my book first came out, some people skimmed it quickly and cherry-picked the examples of his being rude to people. But that was only half the story. Fortunately, as people read the whole book, they saw the theme of the narrative: He could be petulant and rough, but this was driven by his passion and pursuit of perfection. He liked people to stand up to him, and he said that brutal honesty was required to be part of his team. And the teams he built became extremely loyal and inspired.

Q: Do you believe he was a genius?

Isaacson: He was a genius at connecting art to technology, of making leaps based on intuition and imagination. He knew how to make emotional connections with those around him and with his customers.

Q: Did he have regrets?

Isaacson: He had some regrets, which he expressed in his interviews. For example, he said that he did not handle well the pregnancy of his first girlfriend. But he was deeply satisfied by the creativity he ingrained at Apple and the loyalty of both his close colleagues and his family.

Q: What do you think is his legacy?

Isaacson: His legacy is transforming seven industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, digital publishing, and retail stores. His legacy is creating what became the most valuable company on earth, one that stood at the intersection of the humanities and technology, and is the company most likely still to be doing that a generation from now. His legacy, as he said in his “Think Different” ad, was reminding us that the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.

Photo credit: Patrice Gilbert Photography

We’ve all met people who made a difference for us, who stepped up at just the right time with advice and wisdom. Finnegan, a mysterious, congenial man who may or may not be British, is just such a person. He’s the focus of this life-changing fable: Finnegan’s Way: The Secret Power of Doing Things Badly. Finnegan is not dispensing advice on how to grind the last bit of work out of underpaid employees. Instead, he has a life-affirming message for everyone: the manager, the employee, the lonely man seeking a relationship, the stressed-out woman seeking to lose a few pounds, the dispirited person trying to get going again. Finnegan forgives. He understands human failings. He doesn’t chide us for complaining that someone moved our cheese. Instead, he shows us a way to use our mistakes to get us where we want to go. Once you meet Finnegan, your life will never be the same again.
We’ve all met people who made a difference for us, who stepped up at just the right time with advice and wisdom. Finnegan, a mysterious, congenial man who may or may not be British, is just such a person. He’s the focus of this life-changing fable: Finnegan’s Way: The Secret Power of Doing Things Badly. Finnegan is not dispensing advice on how to grind the last bit of work out of underpaid employees. Instead, he has a life-affirming message for everyone: the manager, the employee, the lonely man seeking a relationship, the stressed-out woman seeking to lose a few pounds, the dispirited person trying to get going again. Finnegan forgives. He understands human failings. He doesn’t chide us for complaining that someone moved our cheese. Instead, he shows us a way to use our mistakes to get us where we want to go. Once you meet Finnegan, your life will never be the same again.

Product Description

Must one honorable man pay for the sins of his cruel, aristocratic family? Can an old man brutally wronged by that family find forgiveness before it’s too late? And will history–the sweeping violence of the French Revolution–force father to betray child in his search for vengeance? A Tale of Two Cities is Charles Dickens’s immortal story of love and ultimate sacrifice.If you don’t have anything nice to say about motherhood, then… read this book. Robin O’Bryant offers a no holds barred look at the day to day life of being a mother to three, running a household and the everyday monotony of parenting.

It’s not always pretty but it’s real. Whether she’s stuffing cabbage in her bra… dealing with defiant yet determined daughters… yelling at the F.B.I… or explaining the birds and the bees to her preschooler… you’re sure to find dozens of humorous and relatable situations.

From the creator of Robin’s Chicks, one of the South’s most popular blogs on motherhood, misunderstandings and musings, comes a collection of essays that will not only make you laugh and cry, but realize that you’re not alone in your journey.

Sit back and relax, pour yourself some “mommy juice,” throw a fresh diaper on your baby and deadbolt the bedroom door to keep your kids out… because once you start reading you’ll be too busy wiping away tears of laughter to wipe anybody’s butt.

“With the humor of Bombeck and the warmth of a best girlfriend, Robin O’Bryant gives every mom permission to not be perfect. The chapter on road-tripping with three tiny children and a flu-stricken husband was one of the funniest things I’ve ever read. Pour yourself some “mommy juice” and enjoy meeting Robin and her “chicks.” Celia Rivenbark, New York Times bestselling author of You Don’t Sweat Much for a Fat Girl

“Sitting down with Ketchup is a Vegetable is like sitting down with a hot cup of coffee -if the coffee was witty, insightful and also a mommy. Laugh out loud, witty observations from my favorite mom on Twitter!” Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, bestselling author of Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay, and Naptime Is the New Happy Hour

“A book about motherhood that will make you nod with recognition, while simultaneously reminding you to schedule a hysterectomy.” -Jenny Lawson, The Bloggess and author of Let’s Pretend This Never Happened
If you don’t have anything nice to say about motherhood, then… read this book. Robin O’Bryant offers a no holds barred look at the day to day life of being a mother to three, running a household and the everyday monotony of parenting.

It’s not always pretty but it’s real. Whether she’s stuffing cabbage in her bra… dealing with defiant yet determined daughters… yelling at the F.B.I… or explaining the birds and the bees to her preschooler… you’re sure to find dozens of humorous and relatable situations.

From the creator of Robin’s Chicks, one of the South’s most popular blogs on motherhood, misunderstandings and musings, comes a collection of essays that will not only make you laugh and cry, but realize that you’re not alone in your journey.

Sit back and relax, pour yourself some “mommy juice,” throw a fresh diaper on your baby and deadbolt the bedroom door to keep your kids out… because once you start reading you’ll be too busy wiping away tears of laughter to wipe anybody’s butt.

“With the humor of Bombeck and the warmth of a best girlfriend, Robin O’Bryant gives every mom permission to not be perfect. The chapter on road-tripping with three tiny children and a flu-stricken husband was one of the funniest things I’ve ever read. Pour yourself some “mommy juice” and enjoy meeting Robin and her “chicks.” Celia Rivenbark, New York Times bestselling author of You Don’t Sweat Much for a Fat Girl

“Sitting down with Ketchup is a Vegetable is like sitting down with a hot cup of coffee -if the coffee was witty, insightful and also a mommy. Laugh out loud, witty observations from my favorite mom on Twitter!” Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, bestselling author of Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay, and Naptime Is the New Happy Hour

“A book about motherhood that will make you nod with recognition, while simultaneously reminding you to schedule a hysterectomy.” -Jenny Lawson, The Bloggess and author of Let’s Pretend This Never Happened
#1 NYT Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy delivers an emotional and poignant story with touches of humor and a cast of quirky, lovable characters. A touch of mysticism adds an extra layer to this story of love and family.

Alone in the world, Faith Christopher had always yearned for love … and a man who’d make her heart pound. But her dreams of a place to call home were getting harder to hold on to …

Alex Carrigan liked fast cars, fast women and fast deals – then a tough-talking teenager arrived on his doorstep claiming she was his long-lost daughter, and his meddling grandfather decided to move in. Suddenly, Alex has to face the family he never expected.

Enter Faith. Little did the outspoken and beautiful baker know that deep inside Alex was a well of tenderness … and that she might have the recipe to bring him true love – the sweetest thing life has to offer.

Reviews…

“The Sweetest Thing is a heart-tugging tale of family and the healing power of love. Barbara Freethy has created a delightful cast of quirky yet lovable characters and brought them to full life. The Sweetest Thing is a story as enjoyable and richly satisfying as one of the heroine’s chocolate eclairs!” Romance Fiction Forum – AOL

“Freethy has crafted an entertaining and moving contemporary romance. The paranormal elements are well handled and enrich the story. But ultimately, The Sweetest Thing is about the importance of love and family, for it is love that makes family sweet.” The Romance Reader

“Ms. Freethy has again done a wonderful job of crafting an intriguing plot line and peopling it with fully developed characters that have all of the flaws and foibles common to human beings.” Bookbug on the Web
Setting: Contemporary San Francisco

Sensuality: 6

Successful entrepreneur Alex Carrigan’s life is neatly organized and focused on building his company. But fate drops a series of bombshells when his eccentric grandfather appears on his doorstep to move in with him, the sudden death of his ex-wife leaves him with a precocious 12-year-old daughter he’s convinced he didn’t sire, and beautiful redhead Faith Christopher walks into his life.

Faith has her own set of problems. She’s been in emotional limbo since the death of her fiancé several years before, and the ties to his family are growing increasingly troublesome. She’s wondering if she should give in to family pressure and marry the second son when Alex wanders into her bakery looking for his grandfather. The physical connection she feels with Alex is instantaneous and mutual, making her question whether a marriage based on companionship is wise or even possible.

Meanwhile, Alex’s grandfather has an agenda of his own. Fifty-six years earlier, he’d fallen in love, broken a piece of ancient Indian pottery, and brought a curse on himself and his heirs. He’s convinced he must locate his lost love, return the pottery to its hiding place, and lift the curse, a plan Alex has heard many times before and doesn’t want to get involved in. But Faith is intrigued by the elderly gentleman’s tale and agrees to help him. Little does she know what life-changing forces have been set in motion by her decision.

Can a woman who wants commitment find happiness with a man who doesn’t believe in love? Will Alex be able to accept that not only is Faith everything he wants but also everything he needs? If Alex and Faith don’t help his grandfather solve the more than half-century-long mystery, will the curse doom the two lovers and all the people they love? And what about the child he doesn’t believe is his but who needs him so desperately? It’s a pleasure to read Freethy’s answers to these questions and more, thanks to her charming writing style and expert plotting in The Sweetest Thing.–Lois Faye Dyer
#1 NYT Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy delivers an emotional and poignant story with touches of humor and a cast of quirky, lovable characters. A touch of mysticism adds an extra layer to this story of love and family.

Alone in the world, Faith Christopher had always yearned for love … and a man who’d make her heart pound. But her dreams of a place to call home were getting harder to hold on to …

Alex Carrigan liked fast cars, fast women and fast deals – then a tough-talking teenager arrived on his doorstep claiming she was his long-lost daughter, and his meddling grandfather decided to move in. Suddenly, Alex has to face the family he never expected.

Enter Faith. Little did the outspoken and beautiful baker know that deep inside Alex was a well of tenderness … and that she might have the recipe to bring him true love – the sweetest thing life has to offer.

Reviews…

“The Sweetest Thing is a heart-tugging tale of family and the healing power of love. Barbara Freethy has created a delightful cast of quirky yet lovable characters and brought them to full life. The Sweetest Thing is a story as enjoyable and richly satisfying as one of the heroine’s chocolate eclairs!” Romance Fiction Forum – AOL

“Freethy has crafted an entertaining and moving contemporary romance. The paranormal elements are well handled and enrich the story. But ultimately, The Sweetest Thing is about the importance of love and family, for it is love that makes family sweet.” The Romance Reader

“Ms. Freethy has again done a wonderful job of crafting an intriguing plot line and peopling it with fully developed characters that have all of the flaws and foibles common to human beings.” Bookbug on the Web
Laugh Lines features the author interviewing more than 50 prominent comedians, from legends such as George Carlin, Don Rickles and Phyllis Diller to contemporary humorists like Kathy Griffin, Jim Gaffigan and Nick Swardson.
The humorists discuss their writing styles, performance techniques and share a few jokes as well.
Laugh Lines also showcases interviews with Kids in the Hall, Dan Aykroyd, Chris Elliott, Lily Tomlin, Monty Python’s Eric Idle, David Sedaris, Jeff Foxworthy, Andy Dick, Mo’Nique, David Alan Grier, Lisa Lampanelli, Kathleen Madigan, Mitch Hedberg, Ron White, Margaret Cho, David Cross, Bob Odenkirk, Stephen Colbert, Stella, Judd Apatow, Paula Poundstone, Paul Mooney, Dane Cook, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Dave Barry, Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane and many others.
Features more than 30 original drawings of the comedians in the book.
Laugh Lines features the author interviewing more than 50 prominent comedians, from legends such as George Carlin, Don Rickles and Phyllis Diller to contemporary humorists like Kathy Griffin, Jim Gaffigan and Nick Swardson.
The humorists discuss their writing styles, performance techniques and share a few jokes as well.
Laugh Lines also showcases interviews with Kids in the Hall, Dan Aykroyd, Chris Elliott, Lily Tomlin, Monty Python’s Eric Idle, David Sedaris, Jeff Foxworthy, Andy Dick, Mo’Nique, David Alan Grier, Lisa Lampanelli, Kathleen Madigan, Mitch Hedberg, Ron White, Margaret Cho, David Cross, Bob Odenkirk, Stephen Colbert, Stella, Judd Apatow, Paula Poundstone, Paul Mooney, Dane Cook, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Dave Barry, Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane and many others.
Features more than 30 original drawings of the comedians in the book.