A revelatory and vibrant story of measurement which will make you look at the world around you anew. 'A wildly ambitious book by a formidably talented young writer.' ROBERT MACFARLANE 'Vivid, epic, and full of curiosities. This is a book to delight and fascinate.' TIM HARFORD, bestselling author of How to Make the World Add Up 'Beyond Measure offers, with much intellectual flair and style, a bracing new history: how the once innocent urge to quantification took over our lives, our sense of ourselves and the world.' PANKAJ MISHRA 'The exact value of this book is hard to quantify. Weighty, precise and satisfyingly obsessive, it's also an absolute pleasure to read.' SIMON GARFIELD, bestselling author of The Timekeepers We measure rainfall and radiation, the depths of space and the emptiness of atoms, calories and steps, happiness and pain. But how did measurement become ubiquitous in modern life? When did humanity first take up scales and rulers, and why does this practice hold authority over so many aspects of our lives? Written with vim and dazzling intelligence, James Vincent provides a fresh and original perspective on human history as he tracks our long search for dependable truths in a chaotic universe. Full of mavericks and visionaries, adventure and the unexpected, Beyond Measure shows that measurement has not only made the world we live in, it has made us too. 'An epic story about humankind's relationship with the physical world. Vincent is an erudite and perceptive guide, who with energy and skill weaves history, science and reportage into an enthralling tale.' ALEX BELLOS 'Telling the story of metrology is not easy [but] Vincent is equal to the task . . . this book is extremely good.' THE TIMES 'This quirky history is inch-perfect.' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Gripping.' NEW SCIENTIST 'Worth its weight in gold . . . Enlightening.' OBSERVER 'Fascinating . . . an erudiite and elegant read.' MAIL ON SUNDAY

"I had to think long and hard about writing any of this down . . ." So begins Detective Jimmy Feterello's account of three unspeakably horrible cases. Knowing that alone he is no match for the perpetrators, Jimmy turns to a wartime friend, Fior Firsen for help. Firsen's tactics and easy way with the switchblade were excessive even in Viet Nam. It's thirty years later and Firsen's fury is back in modern day San Francisco . . . only this time . . . it may not be enough. The perpetrators? The Angels of the Earth. A coven of twenty-five members who capture Linda Lauman as she is about to give birth. They bury her alive while she's in labor so that her death and the death of her child will atone for the loss of trees. The story begins in the wee hours of the morning at the gravesite in Golden Gate Park as Feterello struggles to open the coffin lid. He's too late this time. The Macoute Twins. A savage pair of Haitian brothers whose MO is to invade a home and force the family into a cannibalistic mass. They simultaneously invade homes on opposite sides of town and leave behind a baffling trail of DNA evidence. Feterello figures it out, but is frankly afraid to face the monsters alone. The third case proves more perplexing. Initial evidence points to a group of carnival face painters using their art to dispense a devastating virus. Deeper analysis shows that a rogue mercenary, Roqual Fauxfransez, is unleashing the cruel poison. But why? The Mercenary is a tough talking and brutal novel on the surface. Closer inspection isn't necessary but, when performed, reveals an unsettling commentary about who we are and how good addresses evil. Or, as Detective Feterello confesses, read now about how in the middle of life we found strength in friendship and managed to do something about what was wrong.

James Vincent is a "world class" musician. That he is not a household name is entirely by his choice, yet almost all who have seen him perform or heard his recordings have become his fans. He has written a unique, brutally honest account of his life... his childhood and discovery of the guitar; his going on the road at seventeen to play in seedy dives and military service clubs; later, in famous upscale clubs across the country; then making records and playing huge concert venues. James gives us an inside look at the recording industry... the studios, the performers, producers and promoters. He gives us behind the scenes insights into many famous personalities... names like Santana, Garcia, Harrison and Cetera, and acknowledges some unsung heroes in the music world. His cast of characters includes the very rich and the down and out, the saint and the prostitute, the famous, the infamous and the very bizarre. This is a story about learning the hard way; about dysfunctional families, choices and consequences, lust, infidelity, despair, triumph, tragedy, friendship and betrayal. Most of all, it is a life's journey to discover the meaning of unconditional love and spiritual fulfillment. It is indeed, an odyssey. -R.J.M.

Sarah Morgan spells big trouble for Jon Burns even before they meet. In a dream, the wayward slacker hears her crying out. In visions, he's confronted by a demonic image from her extreme paintings. When the two twenty-somethings meet at a Michigan college, it gets worse. Sarah, a prolific artist, is beyond gorgeous, but wild and maddeningly aloof. Ignoring the omens, Jon enters the fray and wins the brassy siren (sort of), only to discover the secret past that has left her damaged.

As the darkness in Sarah rises up, she becomes unpredictable. Aaron, an analyst, studies Sarah's art and warns Jon of her precarious balance. Jon's own grip starts slipping and his life gets bizarre--more than usual, that is. But the lovers are linked in spite of themselves, and they battle through Sarah's ordeal until a great test is forced upon them.

Witty and darkly comic, May I Walk You Home, Sarah Morgan? tells of two lost souls, locked in different struggles, but mysteriously thrown together to face hard lessons of life and love.

Sci-fi action thriller co-written by Luc Besson and starring Guy Pearce. It is 2079 and the world's most dangerous criminals are incarcerated in a secure prison in outer space. During an official visit by the president's daughter, Emilie (Maggie Grace), a breakout occurs and Emilie is taken hostage. In desperation, the president enlists the services of wrongly-convicted spy (Pearce), offering him a deal: if he can rescue Emilie from the clutches of the prison's most violent inmates, he can be assured of his own acquittal and future freedom.

A revelatory and vibrant story of measurement which will make you look at the world around you anew. 'A wildly ambitious book by a formidably talented young writer.' ROBERT MACFARLANE 'Vivid, epic, and full of curiosities. This is a book to delight and fascinate.' TIM HARFORD, bestselling author of How to Make the World Add Up 'Beyond Measure offers, with much intellectual flair and style, a bracing new history: how the once innocent urge to quantification took over our lives, our sense of ourselves and the world.' PANKAJ MISHRA 'The exact value of this book is hard to quantify. Weighty, precise and satisfyingly obsessive, it's also an absolute pleasure to read.' SIMON GARFIELD, bestselling author of The Timekeepers We measure rainfall and radiation, the depths of space and the emptiness of atoms, calories and steps, happiness and pain. But how did measurement become ubiquitous in modern life? When did humanity first take up scales and rulers, and why does this practice hold authority over so many aspects of our lives? Written with vim and dazzling intelligence, James Vincent provides a fresh and original perspective on human history as he tracks our long search for dependable truths in a chaotic universe. Full of mavericks and visionaries, adventure and the unexpected, Beyond Measure shows that measurement has not only made the world we live in, it has made us too. 'An epic story about humankind's relationship with the physical world. Vincent is an erudite and perceptive guide, who with energy and skill weaves history, science and reportage into an enthralling tale.' ALEX BELLOS 'Telling the story of metrology is not easy [but] Vincent is equal to the task . . . this book is extremely good.' THE TIMES 'This quirky history is inch-perfect.' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Gripping.' NEW SCIENTIST 'Worth its weight in gold . . . Enlightening.' OBSERVER 'Fascinating . . . an erudiite and elegant read.' MAIL ON SUNDAY

A revelatory and vibrant story of measurement which will make you look at the world around you anew. 'A wildly ambitious book by a formidably talented young writer.' ROBERT MACFARLANE 'Vivid, epic, and full of curiosities. This is a book to delight and fascinate.' TIM HARFORD, bestselling author of How to Make the World Add Up 'Beyond Measure offers, with much intellectual flair and style, a bracing new history: how the once innocent urge to quantification took over our lives, our sense of ourselves and the world.' PANKAJ MISHRA 'The exact value of this book is hard to quantify. Weighty, precise and satisfyingly obsessive, it's also an absolute pleasure to read.' SIMON GARFIELD, bestselling author of The Timekeepers We measure rainfall and radiation, the depths of space and the emptiness of atoms, calories and steps, happiness and pain. But how did measurement become ubiquitous in modern life? When did humanity first take up scales and rulers, and why does this practice hold authority over so many aspects of our lives? Written with vim and dazzling intelligence, James Vincent provides a fresh and original perspective on human history as he tracks our long search for dependable truths in a chaotic universe. Full of mavericks and visionaries, adventure and the unexpected, Beyond Measure shows that measurement has not only made the world we live in, it has made us too. 'An epic story about humankind's relationship with the physical world. Vincent is an erudite and perceptive guide, who with energy and skill weaves history, science and reportage into an enthralling tale.' ALEX BELLOS 'Telling the story of metrology is not easy [but] Vincent is equal to the task . . . this book is extremely good.' THE TIMES 'This quirky history is inch-perfect.' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Gripping.' NEW SCIENTIST 'Worth its weight in gold . . . Enlightening.' OBSERVER 'Fascinating . . . an erudite and elegant read.' MAIL ON SUNDAY

The Essential Guide for Buying from China's Manufacturers is packed with practical information, advice, insights and tips for purchasing managers and buyers wanting to work successfully with Chinese companies. This book contains secrets that few people know about Chinese companies and business practices, information that will give the reader a crucial advantage over competitors. This book will save time and money, and is guaranteed to dramatically improve results in China. It includes the sources of quality problems and why quality control is crucial to success; how to successfully negotiate with the Chinese; identifying and selecting quality factories and suppliers; understanding the importance of relationships and their relevance to business in China; avoiding problems by following the fundamental rules of communication; preventing loss of 'face' while doing business in China; protecting intellectual property rights in China. Wave goodbye to problems in China forever