From a brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning and best-selling author: a rollicking murder mystery set in Gold Rush California, as two young prostitutes follow a trail of missing girls.

Monterey, 1851. Ever since her husband was killed in a bar fight, Eliza Ripple has been working in a brothel. It seems like a better life, at least at first. The madam, Mrs. Parks, is kind, the men are (relatively) well behaved, and Eliza has attained what few women have: financial security. But when the dead bodies of young women start appearing outside of town, a darkness descends that she can't resist confronting. Side by side with her friend Jean, and inspired by her reading, especially by Edgar Allan Poe's detective Dupin, Eliza pieces together an array of clues to try to catch the killer, all the while juggling clients who begin to seem more and more suspicious.

Eliza and Jean are determined not just to survive, but to find their way in a lawless town on the fringes of the Wild West - a bewitching combination of beauty and danger - as what will become the Civil War looms on the horizon.

As Mrs. Parks says, 'Everyone knows that this is a dangerous business, but between you and me, being a woman is a dangerous business, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise . . .'

They say you are what you eat--but apparently, with whom you eat is pretty important too. Current medical research bears this out. But wellness was not what motivated mil-blogger/Navy wife and mom Sarah Smiley to invite one guest every week for 52 weeks to have dinner with herself and her three young sons.
Sarah's motivation was to fill a void in her family life: that empty chair at the dining room table while her Navy pilot husband, Dustin, was deployed overseas for a year. But what started as a gesture meant to distract the boys from missing their Dad became a joyous journey as the unlikeliest people accepted the invitations... and brought dessert. The Smiley family discovered that a surprising number of people really are available for dinner. You just have to ask.
Each dinner guest taught them about life, and the importance of sharing something simple and intimate--like a meal--to cement these valuable lessons in place.
From a state senator (she baked brownies) to sports superstars (ice cream), from the boys' teachers (cookies) to their 94-year old neighbor--with R2-D2 making a very special visit--each Smiley dinner guest leaves an indelible impression. Throughout the book, Sarah Smiley's unvarnished detailing of the emotional ebb and flow of being a "single mom" to three irrepressible boys while trying to balance career, car pool and dinner prep is Bombeck-esque at times, deeply moving at others. DINNER WITH THE SMILEYS transformed the family, so much so that even upon Dad's return home, the dinners have continued... one new guest every week.
DINNER WITH THE SMILEYS shows how one family made a difference not only in their own lives, but the life of each guest as well. Full of humor and heart, this memoir will remind readers how nice it is to sit down, break bread, and connect, as well as surely inspire many invitations to the dinner table.

The verdant pastures of the Karlson farm in Illinois have the placid charm of a landscape painting, but the horses that graze there have become the consuming obsession of a woman who sees in them the ultimate fulfilment of her every wish - to win, to be honoured, to be the best. Her vaulting ambition becomes a tragically destructive force; a force that will drive a wedge between her and her family, and have unforeseen and brutal consequences for them all...

From the author of the Pulitzer-winning A Thousand Acres, two novellas which showcase Jane Smiley's unique gift for capturing the nuances of American domestic life. 'I have given my children the two cruellest gifts I had to give... the experience of perfect family happiness and the certain knowledge that it could not last.' So says the narrator of Ordinary Love, the first of two thematically linked novellas, each investigating the dream of the perfect family. Ordinary Love gives voice to a mother, loving but unsure of her love's value. In forfeiting her powerful husband she fears that she has done her children - insecure Joe; restless Michael; cynical Ellen - irrevocable harm. Good Will, by contrast, is the story of a father, a relentlessly self-sufficient man determined to live apart from a coarsely materialistic world. In his singlemindedness, he does not see the damage he is causing until it is too late: his domestic idyll explodes in a frenzy of discontent. Together, the novellas raise a multitude of questions - about being a parent and being a child; about the desire to control other people and the need to compromise.

From Jane Smiley, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres, The Strays of Paris is a captivating story of a group of extraordinary animals – and one little boy – whose lives cross paths in Paris.

Paras is a spirited young racehorse living in a stable in the French countryside. That is until one afternoon when she pushes open the gate of her stall and, travelling through the night, arrives quite by chance in the dazzling streets of Paris.

She soon meets a German shorthaired pointer named Frida, two irrepressible ducks and an opinionated crow, and life amongst the animals in the city’s lush green spaces is enjoyable for a time. But everything changes when Paras meets a human boy, Étienne, and discovers a new, otherworldly part of Paris: the secluded, ivy-walled house where the boy and his nearly one-hundred-year-old great-grandmother live quietly and keep to themselves. As the cold weather of Christmas nears, the unlikeliest of friendships blooms between human and animals.

But how long can a runaway horse live undiscovered in Paris? And how long can one boy keep her all to himself? Charming and beguiling in equal measure, Jane Smiley’s novel celebrates the intrinsic need for friendship, love and freedom, whoever you may be . . .

Two of the hottest topics today -- safety and do-it-yourself ingenuity -- are combined in 'The Safe Baby'. In a warm, breezy style that says 'Welcome', every time the reader turns a page, this book covers child-proofing essentials from making the nursery safe to keeping the baby safe in the kitchen, the bathroom, and every other space in the house. Debra Holtzman tells parents how to prevent falls and avoid poison injuries, what to do about environmental hazards and how to keep back yards safe, which pets are safe and suitable, and how to choose a babysitter or day care center that is the best fit for the child. These and many other aspects of safety are addressed in a down-to-earth, do-it-yourself manner that empowers the reader. Your parents will think, here's a mother who has been there; if she can do it, so can I.

Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888) is, of course, best known as the author of Little Women (1868). But she was also a noted essayist who wrote on a wide range of subjects, including her father’s failed utopian commune, the benefits of an unmarried life, and her experience as a young woman sent to work in service to alleviate her family’s poverty. Her first literary success was a contemporary close-up account of the American Civil War, brilliantly depicted in Hospital Sketches drawn from her own experience of serving as an army nurse near the nation’s capitol. As with her famous novel, Alcott writes these essays with clear observation, unforgettable scenes, and one of the sharpest wits in American literature. Blending gentle satire with reportage and emotive autobiography, Alcott’s exquisite essays are as exceptional as the novels she is known for. Published together for the first time, this delightful selection shows us another side to one of our most celebrated writers.

'Sunshine in book form' – Daily Mail 'A joyfully escapist celebration of friendship and freedom' – Mail on Sunday 'Delightful, heartwarming . . . An especially welcome reminder of the bright spots even in dark times' – NPR Paras is a spirited young racehorse living in a stable in the French countryside. That is until one afternoon when she pushes open the gate of her stall and, travelling through the night, arrives quite by chance in the dazzling streets of Paris. She soon meets a German shorthaired pointer named Frida, two irrepressible ducks and an opinionated crow, and life amongst the animals in the city’s lush green spaces is enjoyable for a time. But everything changes when Paras meets a human boy, Étienne, and discovers a new, otherworldly part of Paris: the secluded, ivy-walled house where the boy and his nearly one-hundred-year-old great-grandmother live quietly and keep to themselves. As the cold weather of Christmas nears, the unlikeliest of friendships blooms between human and animals. But how long can a runaway horse live undiscovered in Paris? And how long can one boy keep her all to himself? Charming and beguiling in equal measure, Jane Smiley’s novel celebrates the intrinsic need for friendship, love and freedom, whoever you may be . . . From Jane Smiley, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres, The Strays of Paris is a captivating story of a group of extraordinary animals – and one little boy – whose lives cross paths in Paris.

Discover hidden gems around Cambridge with 20 walking routes. Featuring 20 walks in and around the city, including lesser-known circuits and details on popular walks. Accompanied by guided walking instructions and written by a local expert, A-Z Cambridge Hidden Walks is the perfect way to explore the city in a new light. Small enough to fit in a bag or pocket, this handy guidebook is ideal for tourists or locals looking to discover more about the city. Each route varies in length from 1 to 6 miles (1.6 to 9.6 km), and is clearly outlined on detailed A-Z street mapping. 20 walking routes with instructions and maps Full-colour photographs of hidden gems and city attractions Key sights and locations clearly marked on map Information such as start/finish points, nearest postcodes, distance and terrain included More from the A-Z Hidden Walks series: A-Z Birmingham Hidden Walks A-Z Bristol & Bath Hidden Walks A-Z Edinburgh Hidden Walks A-Z London Hidden Walks A-Z Oxford Hidden Walks A-Z York Hidden Walks A-Z Brighton Hidden Walks A-Z Cambridge Hidden Walks A-Z Manchester Hidden Walks A-Z Liverpool Hidden Walks

In 1976, Argentina is governed by a military junta bankrolled by former Nazis. It is the anniversary of a mysterious village fire in the jungle. The lone survivor, a Guarani boy, is now a Jesuit priest. A Jewish journalist, Ariel Guzman, interviews him at his mission. The man claims Adolf Hitler escaped from Berlin with Eva Braun and made a secret camp near the Iguacu Falls. The Fuhrer ordered the village's destruction, but the priest refuses to say why. He mentions the codename Edelweiss and will only reveal the person's identity if he dies. Argentina's most powerful man is billionaire and Waffen-SS veteran Tiago Hecht. He is searching for Edelweiss so that he can establish a Fourth Reich. Hecht now has confirmation Hitler's son is alive. But so does the Mossad and they have sent an agent to eliminate him. The only sanctuary for 'Edelweiss' is at the Vatican, but time is running out. The hunt is on...

A nervous glance from a man in a parked car. Muted instincts from a soldier on patrol. Violent destruction followed by total darkness. Two weeks later, Scotty Smiley woke up in Walter Reed Army Medical Center, helpless . . . and blind.

Blindness became Scotty's journey of supreme testing. As he lay helpless in the hospital, Captain Smiley resented the theft of his dreams--becoming a CEO, a Delta Force operator, or a four-star general.

With his wife Tiffany's love and the support of his family and friends, Scotty was transformed--the injury only intensifying his indomitable spirit. Since the moment he jumped out of a hospital bed and forced his way through nurses and cords to take a simple shower, Captain Scotty Smiley has climbed Mount Rainier, won an ESPY as Best Outdoor Athlete, surfed, skydived, become a father, earned an MBA from Duke, taught leadership at West Point, commanded an army company, and won the MacArthur Leadership Award.

Scotty and Tiffany Smiley have lived out a faith so real that it will inspire you to question your own doubts, push you to serve something bigger than yourself, and encourage you to cling to a Hope Unseen.

Jude Law stars in this underwater thriller directed by Kevin Macdonald. Law stars as Captain Robinson, a seasoned submarine captain who, after losing his crew and his job, learns of an unclaimed bounty of Nazi gold lying in a U-boat at the bottom of the Black Sea. Seeing an opportunity to strike it rich and leave the job behind him once and for all, Robinson acquires the support of a shady businessman and assembles a crew of British and Russian sailors before embarking on the hunt. However, with such a huge pay off on offer, it isn't long before tensions flare on board and some of the crew begin to think about how they can increase their share of the gold...

'Sunshine in book form' - Daily Mail 'A joyfully escapist celebration of friendship and freedom' - Mail on Sunday 'Delightful, heartwarming . . . An especially welcome reminder of the bright spots even in dark times' - NPR Paras is a spirited young racehorse living in a stable in the French countryside. That is until one afternoon when she pushes open the gate of her stall and, travelling through the night, arrives quite by chance in the dazzling streets of Paris. She soon meets a German shorthaired pointer named Frida, two irrepressible ducks and an opinionated crow, and life amongst the animals in the city's lush green spaces is enjoyable for a time. But everything changes when Paras meets a human boy, Etienne, and discovers a new, otherworldly part of Paris: the secluded, ivy-walled house where the boy and his nearly one-hundred-year-old great-grandmother live quietly and keep to themselves. As the cold weather of Christmas nears, the unlikeliest of friendships blooms between human and animals. But how long can a runaway horse live undiscovered in Paris? And how long can one boy keep her all to himself? Charming and beguiling in equal measure, Jane Smiley's novel celebrates the intrinsic need for friendship, love and freedom, whoever you may be . . . From Jane Smiley, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres, The Strays of Paris is a captivating story of a group of extraordinary animals - and one little boy - whose lives cross paths in Paris.

'I raced through this murder mystery' Good Housekeeping, 10 Books to Read Right Now! 'Smiley is a masterful writer' Sunday Times 'Outstanding. Her sentences are sublime' Roxane Gay From a brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning and best-selling author: a rollicking murder mystery set in Gold Rush California, as two young prostitutes follow a trail of missing girls. Monterey, 1851. Ever since her husband was killed in a bar fight, Eliza Ripple has been working in a brothel. It seems like a better life, at least at first. The madam, Mrs. Parks, is kind, the men are (relatively) well behaved, and Eliza has attained what few women have: financial security. But when the dead bodies of young women start appearing outside of town, a darkness descends that she can't resist confronting. Side by side with her friend Jean, and inspired by her reading, especially by Edgar Allan Poe's detective Dupin, Eliza pieces together an array of clues to try to catch the killer, all the while juggling clients who begin to seem more and more suspicious. Eliza and Jean are determined not just to survive, but to find their way in a lawless town on the fringes of the Wild West - a bewitching combination of beauty and danger - as what will become the Civil War looms on the horizon. As Mrs. Parks says, 'Everyone knows that this is a dangerous business, but between you and me, being a woman is a dangerous business, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise . . .'

This groundbreaking edited volume evaluates prisoner reentry using a critical approach to demonstrate how the many issues surrounding reentry do not merely intersect but are in fact reinforcing and interdependent. The number of former incarcerated persons with a felony conviction living in the United States has grown significantly in the last decade, reaching into the millions. When men and women are released from prison, their journey encompasses a range of challenges that are unique to each individual, including physical and mental illnesses, substance abuse, gender identity, complicated family dynamics, the denial of rights, and the inability to voice their experiences about returning home. Although scholars focus on the obstacles former prisoners encounter and how to reduce recidivism rates, the main challenge of prisoner reentry is how multiple interdependent issues overlap in complex ways. By examining prisoner reentry from various critical perspectives, this volume depicts how the carceral continuum, from incarceration to reentry, negatively impacts individuals, families, and communities; how the criminal justice system extends different forms of social control that break social networks; and how the shifting nature of prisoner reentry has created new and complicated obstacles to those affected by the criminal justice system. This volume explores these realities with respect to a range of social, community, political, and policy issues that former incarcerated persons must navigate to successfully reenter society. A springboard for future critical research and policy discussions, this book will be of interest to U.S. and international researchers and practitioners interested in the topic of prisoner reentry, as well as graduate and upper-level undergraduate students concerned with contemporary issues in corrections, community-based corrections, critical issues in criminal justice, criminal justice policies, and reentry.

Tavis Smiley and Maya Angelou met in 1986, when he was twenty-one and she was fifty-eight. For the next twenty-eight years, Angelou was a teacher and a maternal figure to Smiley, and they talked often of art, politics, history, music, religion, and race. In My Journey with Maya, Smiley beautifully recounts a friendship filled with conversation that began when he, a recent college graduate and a poor kid from a big family in the Midwest, accompanied the revered writer on a sojourn to Ghana. Smiley stumbled into a relationship with her that shaped his future and affected the man he became. Like a mother to him, she was generous, challenging, and inspirational--as she was to so many. Here he shares his portrait of Angelou--a highly complex individual who left an indelible imprint on American culture.

Former international event rider Eric Smiley has brought along his own top-level horses for decades. Now he taps his immense knowledge to help riders whose horses may not have had "the right start." Every horse comes with his own "baggage"-behavior or training issues, minor or significant, that may be difficult to pinpoint or resolve. In these pages, Smiley addresses the most common problems he has seen over the years in dressage, eventing, and show jumping, including: - Problems with head and neck position. - Connection issues. - Failure to follow the rules of forward, straight, and regular. - Difficulty with collection. - Lack of consistency. Smiley teaches readers how to identify what isn't working by looking at how things should work. Then he walks us through dismantling and reassembling the issues, providing an easy-to-follow system for determining what's potentially wrong with a horse and choosing sensible exercises for fixing it. He introduces a troubleshooting five-point system: - Ask yourself, "What is the problem?" - Ask, "How, when, and why did it arise?" - Ask, "Why does it need solving?" - Formulate a plan. - Analyze the results in the context of "now" and what they may mean for the future. Layers and shifts of understanding in horses combined with the physical and psychological challenges of riding can often make solving problems that arise seem complicated, and sometimes it is difficult to know where to even begin. Smiley's system helps readers find that "start point" and map out a sensible plan for future training. He shows how to determine when something may have become an issue for your horse or your performance, ways to try and avoid it happening in the first place, and of course, offers highly practical solutions to employ when you find you do have a problem. Smiley's goal is to "always leave people and horses with a positive journey to go on, with the prospect of 'better to come.'" With its usefulness, cross-disciplinary approach, and optimism, The Sport Horse Problem Solver is all you need to achieve success in partnership with your horse, wherever you are in your journey together.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling novel from one of America's greatest contemporary writers. Larry Cook's farm is the largest in Zebulon County, Iowa, and a tribute to his hard work and single-mindedness. Proud and possessive, his sudden decision to retire and hand over the farm to his three daughters, is disarmingly uncharacteristic. Ginny and Rose, the two eldest, are startled yet eager to accept, but Caroline, the youngest daughter, has misgivings. Immediately, her father cuts her out. In A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley transposes the King Lear story to the modern day, and in so doing at once illuminates Shakespeare's original and subtly transforms it. This astonishing novel won both of America's highest literary awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Critics' Circle Award.

As chemical companies strive to be more competitive in the world economy, it is essential that their employees, including sales and marketing personnel, as well as administrative support groups understand the basic concepts of the science upon which the industry is based. The authors, who have over 100 years of combined experience in the chemical industry, developed this easy-to-read book to provide a fundamental understanding of the chemical industry for non-chemists and those poised to enter the chemical profession.

Designed specifically for self-study, Chemistry and the Chemical Industry: A Practical Guide for Non-Chemists reviews the important aspects of industrial chemistry in a way that can be easily understood even if you have not taken any formal chemistry courses. The authors provide a clear, concise presentation of the foremost issues behind the chemical discipline along with key definitions and concepts so you can readily obtain an appreciation of the nature of the industry and its contribution to society. Even though you are not at the lab bench, you can still understand, recognize, and partake in discussions about the work being done at your company. Compiled in a straightforward and accessible manner, this book is unique in that it bridges the gap between nonscientific employees and the scientific world in which they operate.

The first chapter begins with a description of the chemical industry. It defines the most common terms used in chemistry, drawing on nonscientific analogies whenever possible. In the following chapters, the authors review the concepts and terminology of organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer chemistry, high volume chemicals, and environmental concerns about chemical production with each subject presented as a graphic representation accompanied by a description. Finally, there is a short compilation of general information sources for further study. Chemistry and the Chemical Industry: A Practical Guide for Non-Chemists will allow you to communicate effectively within your organization and become more familiar with this vital industry.

'Outstanding. Her sentences are sublime' Roxane Gay From a brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning and best-selling author: a rollicking murder mystery set in Gold Rush California, as two young prostitutes follow a trail of missing girls. Monterey, 1851. Ever since her husband was killed in a bar fight, Eliza Ripple has been working in a brothel. It seems like a better life, at least at first. The madam, Mrs. Parks, is kind, the men are (relatively) well behaved, and Eliza has attained what few women have: financial security. But when the dead bodies of young women start appearing outside of town, a darkness descends that she can't resist confronting. Side by side with her friend Jean, and inspired by her reading, especially by Edgar Allan Poe's detective Dupin, Eliza pieces together an array of clues to try to catch the killer, all the while juggling clients who begin to seem more and more suspicious. Eliza and Jean are determined not just to survive, but to find their way in a lawless town on the fringes of the Wild West - a bewitching combination of beauty and danger - as what will become the Civil War looms on the horizon. As Mrs. Parks says, 'Everyone knows that this is a dangerous business, but between you and me, being a woman is a dangerous business, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise . . .'