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Friday, July 31, 2009

The Twilight Saga Collection BOX SET by Stephenie Meyer



All four Twilight saga books in one box set

The Twilight
The New Moon
The Eclipse
The Breaking Dawn


Twilight is a series of four vampire-based fantasy/romance novels by the American author Stephenie Meyer. It follows the life of Isabella "Bella" Swan, a teenager who moves to Forks, Washington, and finds her life radically changed when she falls in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen. The series is told primarily from Bella's point of view, with the epilogue of Eclipse and a portion of Breaking Dawn being told from the viewpoint of character Jacob Black. Midnight Sun, if published, will be a retelling of the first book, Twilight, from Edward Cullen's point of view.

Since the release of the first novel Twilight in 2005, the books have gained immense popularity and commercial success around the world. The series is most popular among young adults and the four books have won several awards, most notably the 2008 British Book Award for "Children's Book of the Year" for Breaking Dawn, while the series as a whole won the 2009 Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Book.

As of 2009, the books have sold over 53 million copies worldwide with translations into 37 different languages around the globe. The four Twilight books have consecutively set records as the biggest selling novels of 2008 on the USA Today Best-Selling Books list and have spent over 102 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list for Children's Series Books

Thus far, the first three books are being made into a series of motion pictures by Summit Entertainment; the film adaptation of Twilight was released in 2008 and the second, New Moon, will be released on November 20, 2009



Product Description
This stunning set, complete with all four hardcover books as well as four collectible prints, makes the perfect gift for fans of the bestselling vampire love story.

About the Author
Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature, and she lives with her husband and three young sons in Arizona. Stephenie is the author of Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.


More of Stephenie Meyer's books in blog here


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Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association



American Psychological Association (APA) style is a widely accepted style of documentation, particularly in the social sciences. APA style specifies the names and order of headings, formatting, and organization of citations and references, and the arrangement of tables, figures, footnotes, and appendices, as well as other manuscript and documentation features. APA style uses the author-date style of parenthetical referencing, with such source citations keyed to a subsequent list of "References." Also known as the Harvard Style. The APA Publication Manual provides basic guidelines for documenting both print and electronic resources. The section on electronic resources is updated and supplemented by the APA Style Guide to Electronic References (APA, 2007). The sixth edition is to be published by the American Psychological Association in July 2009. It will offer new and expanded instruction on publication ethics, statistics, journal article reporting standards, electronic reference formats, and the construction of tables and figures

Product Description
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association" is the style manual of choice for writers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences. It provides invaluable guidance on all aspects of the writing process, from the ethics of authorship to the word choice that best reduces bias in language. Well-known for its authoritative and easy-to-use reference and citation system, the Publication Manual also offers guidance on choosing the headings, tables, figures, and tone that will result in strong, simple, and elegant scientific communication. The sixth edition offers new and expanded instruction on publication ethics, statistics, journal article reporting standards, electronic reference formats, and the construction of tables and figures. The sixth edition has been revised and updated to include: new ethics guidance on such topics as determining authorship and terms of collaboration, duplicate publication, plagiarism and self-plagiarism, disguising of participants, validity of instrumentation, and making data available to others for verification; new journal article reporting standards to help readers report empirical research with clarity and precision; simplified APA heading style to make it more conducive to electronic publication; updated guidelines for reducing bias in language to reflect current practices and preferences, including a new section on presenting historical language that is inappropriate by present standards; new guidelines for reporting inferential statistics and a significantly revised table of statistical abbreviations; and, new instruction on using supplemental files containing lengthy data sets and other media. This book includes significantly expanded content on the electronic presentation of data to help readers understand the purpose of each kind of display and choose the best match for communicating the results of the investigation, with new examples for a variety of data displays, including electro physiological and biological data. It offers consolidated information on all aspects of reference citations, with an expanded discussion of electronic sources emphasizing the role of the digital object identifier (DOI) as a reliable way to locate information. It features expanded discussion of the publication process, including the function and process of peer review. It contains a discussion of ethical, legal, and policy requirements in publication; and guidelines on working with the publisher while the article is in press. Key to this edition of the Publication Manual is an updated and expanded Web presence. Look up additional supplemental material keyed to this book. This book lets you test your knowledge of APA Style with a free tutorial on style basics. It lets you learn about the changes in the sixth edition with a free tutorial reviewing key revisions. Sign up for an on-line course to enrich and enhance your understanding of APA Style. Read the APA Style blog and share your comments on writing and referencing. Consult frequently asked questions to sharpen your understanding of APA Style. This title lets you examine additional resources on such topics as ethics, statistics, and writing. It lets you familiarize yourself with submission standards for APA books and journals.

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Death Note Box Set (Vol. 1-13) by Tsugumi Ohba,Takeshi Obata


The Complete box set of famous japanese manga serie.

Death Note is a Japanese manga series created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and manga artist Takeshi Obata. The series centers on Light Yagami, a university student who discovers a supernatural notebook, the titular "Death Note", dropped on Earth by a shinigami (death god) named Ryuk. The Death Note grants its user the ability to kill anyone whose face they have seen, by writing the victim's name in the notebook. The story follows Light's attempt to create and rule a world cleansed of evil using the notebook, and the complex conflict between him, his opponents and a mysterious detective known to the world only as L.




Product Description
The entire Death Note manga story arc is now available in a box set for the first time! This custom box set includes all 12 books from the Death Note series, the information How To Read "Death Note 13" and exclusive Death Note premium gifts! The high gloss printed box set also comes with a recessed handle and velcro closure. The box set is 10% off the total retail price of 13 volumes of Death Note! This is a perfect gift for either yourself or anyone not yet exposed to the amazing intrigue of this Obha / Obata masterpiece.



Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life?

Light tests the boundaries of the Death Note's powers as L and the police begin to close in. Luckily Light's father is the head of the Japanese National Police Agency and leaves vital information about the case lying around the house. With access to his father's files, Light can keep one step ahead of the authorities. But who is the strange man following him, and how can Light guard against enemies whose names he doesn't know?


About the Author
Artist, Takeshi Obata made his debut in 1989 with Cyborg Ji-Chan G. The runner-up recipient of the 30th Annual Tezuka Award, Obata's major works include Chikarabito Densetsu and Mashin Boukentan Lamp-Lamp.


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Thursday, July 30, 2009

The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis



The classic fantasy fiction which has reigned in
the world leading books for more than 50 years.

Amazon.com Review
The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, is one of the very few sets of books that should be read three times: in childhood, early adulthood, and late in life. In brief, four children travel repeatedly to a world in which they are far more than mere children and everything is far more than it seems. Richly told, populated with fascinating characters, perfectly realized in detail of world and pacing of plot, and profoundly allegorical, the story is infused throughout with the timeless issues of good and evil, faith and hope. This boxed set edition includes all seven volumes. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"Superlative" -- The Horn Book

Product Description
Beloved by generations for more than 50 years, this classic children's series is now available in a special adult edition.

From the Back Cover
C.S. Lewis' classic series is now available in an attractive streamline paperback volume that includes the complete text of all seven books. A Pauline Baynes illustration pulled from the original 1950s editions graces each chapter, and the unabridged text is presented in C.S. Lewis' original spelling and punctuation. Now adults can enjoy the entire series as much as the next generation.

About the Author
C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably the most influential Christian writer of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English literature at Oxford University until 1954 when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. His major contributions in literary criticism, children’s literature, fantasy literature, and popular theology brought him international renown and acclaim. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include The Chronicles of Narnia, Out of the Silent Planet, The Four Loves, The Screwtape Letters, and Mere Christianity.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958-2009 by J. Randy Taraborrelli

The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story of the King of Pop journey of his life.
Hardcover with 768 pages containing Michael Jackson various real story.
Will be available from August 5, 2009


Product Description
So much has how been said and written about the life and career of Michael Jackson that it has become almost impossible to disentangle the man from the myth. This book is the fruit of over 30 years of research and hundreds of exclusive interviews with a remarkable level of access to the very closest circles of the Jackson family - including Michael himself. Cutting through tabloid rumours, J. Randy Taraborrelli traces the real story behind Michael Jackson, from his drilling as a child star through the blooming of his talent to his ever-changing personal appearance and bizarre publicity stunts. This major biography includes the behind-the-scenes story to many of the landmarks in Jackson's life: his legal and commercial battles, his marriages to Lisa Marie Presley and Debbie Rowe, his passions and addictions, his children. Objective and revealing, it carries the hallmarks of all of Taraborrelli's best-sellers: impeccable research, brilliant storytelling and definitive documentation.

About the Author
J. Randy Taraborrelli is a respected journalist, a recognizable entertainment personality, and in-demand guest on many television programs. He is the bestselling author of eight books. Taraborrelli is a reporter for the Times (London), Paris Match, and The Daily Mail (UK) and a contributor to Redbook,McCall's, and Good Housekeeping.

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Saturday, July 25, 2009

Game Plan for Life: Your Personal Playbook for Success by Joe Gibbs


Joe Jackson Gibbs a legendary American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins. Well known for his long hours and work ethic.

Review about this book
“Game Plan for Life is a great guide to successful living. Joe Gibbs has always been driven, and unwilling to settle for second best. Whatever challenges he’s undertaken, he has always delivered championship results. Once again, he’s done it at a Super Bowl level.
— Tony Dungy Indianapolis Colts Head Coach

Product Description
Three-time Super Bowl and NASCAR champion Joe Gibbs’s Game Plan for Life is an “average Joe’s” guide to what the Bible has to say about the 11 most-important topics for men aged 20-50. Topics such as: finances, relationships, living a life of purpose, finding the right vocation, physical, emotional, and spiritual health, and overcoming sin and addictions. Edited by Jerry Jenkins, and featuring contributions from Randy Alcorn, Ravi Zacharias, John Lennox, Tony Evans, Chuck Colson, Josh McDowell, Don Meredith, Walt Larimore, Ron Blue, Ken Boa, and Os Guinness, Game Plan for Life shows readers how to live a balanced, God-centered, purpose-filled life, using examples of Coach Gibbs’s own storied championship careers as a backdrop. A perfect blend of sports and basic theology, Game Plan for Life is designed to bring God’s word home to sports fans of all generations.

From the Inside Flap

Meet Joe’s team
There’s no question that the game of life is the most important game we’ll ever play. It’s bigger than any Super Bowl or Cup Championship. Fortunately, God has provided us with the ultimate game plan in the Bible. Now, I know what you’re thinking—the Bible is too big to read, too hard to understand, and too old to be relevant. Well, think again.

My goal in writing this book was to show you just how practical and relevant the Bible really is. That’s why I went out and recruited the best of the best to help me explain how God’s Game Plan applies specifically to you!

These are the guys I turn to when I have questions about God, the Bible, and what each has to say about life. I can’t think of a better team to help walk you through the greatest playbook for success ever written.

Here’s the lineup:
Randy Alcorn on Heaven
Ron Blue on managing your finances
Ken Boa on God
Chuck Colson on becoming a member of God’s team
Tony Evans on finding your purpose in life
Os Guinness on choosing a successful career
Walt Larimore on attaining peak physical and emotional health
John Lennox on the origins of life
Josh McDowell on the Bible
Don Meredith on sex, marriage, and relationships
Ravi Zacharias on overcoming sin and addiction

Following God’s Game Plan has made all the difference in my life. I promise it can do the same for you!

Now, let’s get started.

From the Back Cover

How do you define success?
Not many people rise to the top of two elite, highly competitive professions in their lifetime, but that is exactly what 3-time Super Bowl champion and 3-time NASCAR champion Joe Gibbs has done.

Now, for the first time, Coach Gibbs shares the principles that have guided him to success in every area of his life and explains how you can make those same principles work for you.
Join Joe and his team of experts as they walk you through the greatest playbook for success ever written and address the eleven issues a national survey identified as the most important ones facing men today:


The Bible: Can I believe it?
God: Who is He?
Origins of Life: How did it all begin?
Sin and Addiction: How do I overcome temptation?
Salvation: How do I get on the winning team?
Relationships: How can I strengthen my marriage?
Finances: How do I master my money?
Work: How do I build a successful career?
Health: How do I achieve peak physical and emotional health?
Purpose: How do I get the most out of life?
Heaven: Where will I spend eternity?
So, what do you say?

Are you ready to become a champion?

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Harry Potter Paperback Boxed Set (Books 1-7) by J.K. Rowling


All of Harry Potter Series books in box set.

The Sorcerers' Stone
The Chamber of Secrets
The Prisoner of Azkaban
The Goblet of Fire
The Order of the Phoenix
The Half Blood Prince
The Deathly Hallow

Product Description

Now for the first time ever, J.K. Rowling’s seven bestselling Harry Potter books are available in a stunning paperback boxed set! The Harry Potter series has been hailed as “one for the ages” by Stephen King and “a spellbinding saga’ by USA Today. And most recently, The New York Times called Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows the “fastest selling book in history.” This is the ultimate Harry Potter collection for Harry Potter fans of all ages!


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Saturday, July 18, 2009

The Defector by Daniel Silva ( Gabriel Allon Series )



The 9th book of bestselling Gabriel Allon series

Review

Amazon Best of the Month, July 2009: "If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared." The ninth book in Daniel Silva's smart, fast-paced series about enigmatic assassin and art restorer Gabriel Allon begins with an epigraph courtesy of Machiavelli. A fitting start to a twisty spy thriller chock full of clandestine meetings, tenuous alliances, and ruthless men. The beauty of Silva's series is that it is easy on acronyms and byzantine operations (so you don't have to be a spy novel aficionado to enjoy it), and each book gives you a discreet rundown on familiar characters and back-stories (so you don't have to start at the beginning). In The Defector, the disappearance of Russian defector and dissident Grigori Bulganov draws Gabriel out of semi-retirement and into the path of Ivan Kharkov, the former KGB agent and Russian oligarch from Moscow Rules
. Exotic locales, intriguing characters, and a breakneck pace make for a riveting summer read. --
Daphene Durham

Amazon Exclusive Essay: Daniel Silva on Gabriel Allon and the "Accidental Series"

Writers tend to be solitary creatures. We toil alone for months on end, then, once a year, we emerge from our dens to publish a book. It can be a daunting experience, especially for someone like me, who is not gregarious and outgoing by nature. But there is one aspect of promotion I truly love: meeting my readers and answering their questions. During each stop on my book tour, I reserve the bulk of my time for a lively conversation with the audience. I learn much from these encounters-indeed, some of the comments are so insightful they take my breath away. There is one question I am asked each night without fail, and it remains my favorite: "How in the world did you ever think of Gabriel Allon?" The answer is complicated. In one sense, he was the result of a long, character-construction process. In another, he was a bolt from the blue. I'll try to explain.

In 1999, after publishing The Marching Season, the second book in the Michael Osbourne series, I decided it was time for a change. We were nearing the end of the Clinton administration, and the president was about to embark on a last-ditch effort to bring peace to the Middle East. I had the broad outlines of a story in mind: a retired Israeli assassin is summoned from retirement to track down a Palestinian terrorist bent on destroying the Oslo peace process. I thought long and hard before giving the Israeli a name. I wanted it to be biblical, like my own, and to be heavy with symbolism. I finally decided to name him after the archangel Gabriel. As for his family name, I chose something short and simple: Allon, which means "oak tree" in Hebrew. I liked the image it conveyed. Gabriel Allon: God's angel of vengeance, solid as an oak.

Gabriel's professional résumé-the operations he had carried out-came quickly. But what about his other side? What did he like to do in his spare time? What was his cover? I knew I wanted something distinct. Something memorable. Something that would, in many respects, be the dominant attribute of his character. I spent many frustrating days mulling over and rejecting possibilities. Then, while walking along one of Georgetown's famous redbrick sidewalks, my wife, Jamie, reminded me that we had a dinner date that evening at the home of David Bull, a man regarded as one of the finest art restorers in the world. I stopped dead in my tracks and raised my hands toward the heavens. Gabriel Allon was complete. He was going to be an art restorer, and a very good one at that.

Over my objections, the book was entitled The Kill Artist and it would go on to become a New York Times bestseller. It was not, however, supposed to be the first book in a long-running series. But once again, fate intervened. In 2000, after moving to G.P. Putnam & Sons, my new publishers asked me what I was working on. When I mumbled something about having whittled it down to two or three options, they offered their first piece of advice. They really didn't care what it was about, they just wanted one thing: Gabriel Allon.

I then spent the next several minutes listing all the reasons why Gabriel, now regarded as one of the most compelling and successful continuing characters in the mystery-thriller genre, should never appear in a second book. I had conceived him as a "one off" character, meaning he would be featured in one story and then ride into the sunset. I also thought he was too melancholy and withdrawn to build a series around, and, at nearly fifty years of age, perhaps a bit too old as well. My biggest concern, however, had to do with his nationality and religion. I thought there was far too much opposition to Israel in the world-and far too much raw anti-Semitism-for an Israeli continuing character ever to be successful in the long term.

My new publishers thought otherwise, and told me so. Because Gabriel lived in Europe and could pass as German or Italian, they believed he came across as more "international" than Israeli. But what they really liked was Gabriel's other job: art restoration. They found the two opposing sides of his character-destroyer and healer-fascinating. What's more, they believed he would stand alone on the literary landscape. There were lots of CIA officers running around saving the world, they argued, but no former Israeli assassins who spent their spare time restoring Bellini altarpieces.

The more they talked, the more I could see their point. I told them I had an idea for a story involving Nazi art looting during the Second World War and the scandalous activities of Swiss banks. "Write it with Gabriel Allon," they said, "and we promise it will be your biggest-selling book yet." Eventually, the book would be called The English Assassin, and, just as Putnam predicted, it sold twice as many copies as its predecessor. Oddly enough, when it came time to write the next book, I still wasn't convinced it should be another Gabriel novel. Though it seems difficult to imagine now, I actually conceived the plot of The Confessor without him in mind. Fortunately, my editor, Neil Nyren, saved me from myself. The book landed at #5 on the New York Times bestseller list and received some of the warmest reviews of my career. After that, a series was truly born.

I am often asked whether it is necessary to read the novels in sequence. The answer is no, but it probably doesn't hurt, either. For the record, the order of publication is The Kill Artist, The English Assassin, The Confessor, A Death in Vienna, Prince of Fire, The Messenger, The Secret Servant, and Moscow Rules, my first #1 New York Times bestseller. The Defector pits Gabriel in a final, dramatic confrontation with the Russian oligarch and arms dealer Ivan Kharkov, and I have been told it far surpasses anything that has come before it in the series. And to think that, if I'd had my way, only one Gabriel Allon book would have been written. I remain convinced, however, that had I set out in the beginning to create him as a continuing character, I would surely have failed. I have always believed in the power of serendipity. Art, like life, rarely goes according to plan. Gabriel Allon is proof of that.


Review
'In true Bauer fashion, shootouts, kidnappings and international terror plots follow him wherever he goes' USA Today 'It is an exciting, entertaining novel with a terrifying message' - Literary Review on, Secret Servant 'Nerve-searing and painfully brilliant' - Patricia Cornwell on, Death in Vienna 'Ranks among the best of the younger American spy novelists' Washington Post 'Shootouts, kidnappings and international terror plots follow Gabriel Allon wherever he goes' USA Today

Product Description
In the #1 New York Times bestseller Moscow Rules, Gabriel Allon brought down the most dangerous man in the world. But he made one mistake. Leaving him alive

Over the course of a brilliant career, Daniel Silva has established himself as the “gold standard” of thriller writers (Dallas Morning News), a “master writer of espionage and intrigue” (The Cincinnati Enquirer), and the creator of “some of the most exciting spy fiction since Ian Fleming put down his martini and invented James Bond” (Rocky Mountain News). Now Silva takes that fiction—and his hero, the enigmatic art restorer and assassin Gabriel Allon—to a whole new level, delivering a riveting tale of vengeance that entertains as well as enlightens.

Six months after the dramatic conclusion of Moscow Rules, Gabriel has returned to the tan hills of Umbria to resume his honeymoon with his new wife, Chiara, and restore a seventeenth-century altarpiece for the Vatican. But his idyllic world is once again thrown into turmoil with shocking news from London. The defector and former Russian intelligence officer Grigori Bulganov, who saved Gabriel’s life in Moscow, has vanished without a trace. British intelligence is sure he was a double agent all along, but Gabriel knows better. He also knows he made a promise.

Do you know what we do with traitors, Gabriel? Many things have changed in Russia since the fall of Communism. But the punishment for betrayal remains the same. Promise me one thing, Gabriel. Promise me I won’t end up in an unmarked grave.

In the days to come, Gabriel and his team of operatives will find themselves in a deadly duel of nerve and wits with one of the world’s most ruthless men: the murderous Russian oligarch and arms dealer Ivan Kharkov. It will take him from a quiet mews in London, to the shores of Lake Como, to the glittering streets of Geneva and Zurich, and, finally, to a heart-stopping climax in the snowbound birch forests of Russia. Faced with the prospect of losing the one thing he holds most dear, Gabriel will be tested in ways he never imagined possible. And his life will never be the same.

Filled with breathtaking turns of plot and sophisticated prose, and populated by a remarkable cast of characters, The Defector is more than the most explosive thriller of the year. It is a searing tale of love, vengeance and courage created by the writer whom the critics call “the perfect guide to the dangerous forces shaping our world” (Orlando Sentinel). And it is Daniel Silva’s finest novel yet.


About the Author
Daniel Silva is the author of The Unlikely Spy, The Mark of the Assassin, The Marching Season, The Kill Artist, The English Assassin, The Confessor, A Death in Vienna, Price of Fire, The Messenger, The Secret Servant and Moscow Rules.

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Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain



Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best of July 2009 :For Yankee fans, catcher Thurman Munson remains a sentimental standout among the storied lineup of George Steinbrenner’s late '70s Bronx Zoo dynasty of Yankee baseball, when the team made it to three consecutive World Series, winning in '77 and '78. Former Yankee Public Relations Director Marty Appel was the ghostwriter on Munson's autobiography, and now, three decades later, returns to his legendary subject in the biography, Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain.
As a Yankee insider, Appel keeps Munson, "the heart and soul of a world championship team," in a mostly positive light, though he does reveal more sensational elements of Munson's troubled childhood in Canton, Ohio, where his emotionally abusive father criticized him right up to the end of his short life, even chewing out the casket at Munson's funeral. Appel documents Munson's career as a scholarship athlete at Kent State, his time in the Cape Cod league, and his quick ascension to the major leagues and the Yankees, where he won Rookie of the Year in 1970 and was eventually made team captain, the first player to hold the title since Lou Gehrig. His blue-collar work ethic and gruff but lovable demeanor made him an instant fan favorite (a shot of him making a tag at home plate was the first action photo used in a Topps baseball card). And during that Bronx Zoo era, gloriously depicted in Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning, it was the down-to-earth Munson who balanced out (and butted heads with) his flashy teammate Reggie Jackson. After Jackson made his infamous "I'm the straw that stirs the drink" comments in a Sport magazine interview, Munson was asked if Jackson was quoted out of context. Munson's reply: "For three pages?"
Munson was only 32 when he was killed after the plane he was piloting crashed in Canton, Ohio, on August 2, 1979. Despite so many bitter memories of Ohio, it's where he ended up marrying and starting a family, and part of the reason he learned how to fly was to be able to increase visits to his family from New York. Even though he was a relatively inexperienced pilot, he quickly worked his way up from a two-piston engine to a jet. And pilot error was eventually cited as the reason for the crash, which occurred while practicing touch-and-go-landings. At the home-opener the day after his death, when No. 15 was retired, there was a ten-minute standing ovation in memory of the Yankee catcher. Munson was never inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, but Marty Appel's biography remains a fitting tribute. --Brad Thomas Parsons

From Publishers Weekly
Appel co-wrote New York Yankees catcher Thurman Munson's autobiography 30 years ago, and his stated goal here is to tell the story that didn't get told then. The revelations, however, are few. We learn, for example, that Munson grew up in Canton, Ohio, with a father whose coldness and resentment bordered on emotional abuse. (On the day Munson signed with the Yankees, his father openly criticized his playing skills to team executives; years later, he came to his son's funeral and taunted the closed casket.) There's also, naturally, much more information about the 1979 plane crash that ended Munson's life, including the transcript of a lengthy interview with one of the survivors; again, however, the conclusion that Munson was a relatively inexperienced pilot who made fatal errors in judgment is not a new one. Otherwise, Appel covers familiar territory, casting Munson as a journeyman ballplayer who inspired his teammates with his tenacious work ethic, but didn't get along with the press and couldn't stand Reggie Jackson or George Steinbrenner. Excerpts from several other baseball memoirs and transcripts from archival interviews with Munson extend the story, but do little to expand upon it. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Review
“Seldom does a biographer get a do-over. Appel, who collaborated with legendary New York Yankees captain Thurman Munson on a standard “then-we-played” sports bio in 1977, decided to revisit the subject nearly 30 years after Munson’s death in a plane crash in 1979. It was worth the effort. Appel, the Yanks public-relations director and Munson’s friend during the catcher’s years with the team, digs a lot deeper this time. The product of a harsh blue-collar upbringing in Ohio, Munson was not a simple man. He was capable of great loyalty, perpetual enmity, profound kindness, and arrogant egotism toward the press and sometimes–not always–the fans. His father resented his son’s success, and the two were estranged most of Thurman’s adult life. This time around Appel researches the life of a man, not a sports hero, and emerges with a textured portrait of a flawed but likable individual, often angry and bitter, occasionally an ass, but ultimately worthy of our respect, on and off the field. The best biographies recount the public life, reveal the private life, and give readers a sense of the critical intersection between the two. Appel manages all three and deserves high praise for keeping one of baseball’s most intriguing players in the forefront.”
--Booklist (starred review)


“Marty Appel’s examination of Thurman Munson’s traumatic life and controversial death is fascinating. The detail is amazing, and there’s an anthology’s worth of illuminating quotes. The glimpses of George Steinbrenner behind the scenes are priceless. As a longtime New York Yankee “insider,” Appel knew Munson intimately, knew his family, knew his teammates and knew–knows–almost everyone of importance in Munson’s often difficult life. An extraordinary book.”
--Robert Creamer, bestselling author of Babe: The Legend Comes to Life


"Only Marty Appel could do justice to this fallen leader; a man who, a generation after his death, continues to inspire all who learn about him. Bravo, Marty, for every page!"
--Suzyn Waldman, NY Yankees Radio Broadcaster

“If the measure of a great biography is the amount of new, previously un-mined material on the subject, then Marty Appel has hit a grand slam home run with this definitive portrait of Thurman Munson. Thirty years after Thurman's tragic death, we finally get the whole story of a very complex and private man. You don't even have to be a Yankee fan to find this a compelling read.”
--Bill Madden, New York Daily News

“Thirty years after teaming with Munson on the Yankee catcher's autobiography, Appel comes back to finish the ultimately sad tale. No one else could have written this book. No one else could have written it better. Great stuff.”
--Leigh Montville, New York Times bestselling author of The Big Bam and Ted Williams

"Told through the voice of a friend and colleague for whom the death of the Yankee captain was a personal and a professional loss, Marty Appel's incisive and insightful biography of Thurman Munson is not just another sports book. It is a gift to baseball!"
-- Jane Leavy, author of Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy

"Thurman Munson was the heart and soul of a team that transitioned from also-ran to champion. Marty Appel lived those years with the captain from the inside and now gives us a rare and intimate look at this remarkable, legendary Yankee. This is a must read for any baseball fan."
--Michael Kay, YES Network, ESPN Radio


“Appel, former Yankee PR director and coauthor of Thurman Munson’s 1978 autobiography, offers a comprehensive study of the enigmatic Yankee catcher. Appel details Munson’s rough relationship with his father, his tumultuous years with the Yankees, the fatal crash, and the ensuing funeral….Highly recommended for Yankees and Munson fans.”
-- Library Journal


"Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain" …is spectacular. If you can get through this book without getting choked up, then you possess impressive resolve.…[W]ith Appel as a first-hand witness, you get great inside information on the '70s Yankees. And incredible details on the days immediately following Munson's plane crash. Sorry to be so over the top. It's just fantastic.
--Ken Davidoff’s Baseball Insider on Newsday.com

Product Description

Our captain and leader has not left us, today, tomorrow, this year, next … Our endeavors will reflect our love and admiration for him.”
—Honorary plaque to Munson in Yankee Stadium


Thurman Munson is remembered by fans as the fiercely competitive, tough, and—most of all—inspiring Yankee captain and champion from the wild Bronx Zoo years. He is also remembered for his tragic death, at age thirty-two, when the private plane he was piloting crashed in Canton, Ohio, on August 2, 1979.

Munson is the intimate biography of a complex and larger-than-life legend. Written by former Yankees public relations director Marty Appel, who worked closely with Thurman throughout his career, Munson captures the little-known details of the young man from Canton and his meteoric rise to stardom in baseball’s most storied franchise. Appel examines the tumultuous childhood that led Thurman to work feverishly to escape Canton—and also the marriage and cultural roots that continually drew him back.

www.doubleday.com


About the Author

Following his years as the Yankees’ PR director, Marty Appel became an Emmy Award–winning television producer and coauthored Munson’s bestselling autobiography, as well as a number of other books. Appel lives in New York City and appears frequently on YES Network, ESPN, MLB, and HBO.

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Friday, July 10, 2009

Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling by Harold Kerzner


The Bestbook for the Project Management Professional ( PMP ) Certification Exam preparation. by Harold Kerzner,The Senior Executive Director for Project, Program and Portfolio Management at International Institute of Learning, Inc. (IIL),

Product Description

The landmark project management reference, now in a new edition

Now in a Tenth Edition, this industry-leading project management "bible" aligns its streamlined approach to the latest release of the Project Management Institute's Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMI's PMBOK® Guide), the new mandatory source of training for the Project Management Professional (PMP®) Certificat-ion Exam. This outstanding edition gives students and professionals a profound understanding of project management with insights from one of the best-known and respected authorities on the subject.

From the intricate framework of organizational behavior and structure that can determine project success to the planning, scheduling, and controlling processes vital to effective project management, the new edition thoroughly covers every key component of the subject. This Tenth Edition features:

-New sections on scope changes, exiting a project, collective belief, and managing virtual teams

-More than twenty-five case studies, including a new case on the Iridium Project covering all aspects of project management

-400 discussion questions

-More than 125 multiple-choice questions




About the Author

Harold Kerzner, Ph.D., is Senior Executive Director for Project, Program and Portfolio Management at International Institute of Learning, Inc. (IIL), a global learning solutions company that conducts training for leading corporations throughout the world.

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FE Review Manual: Rapid Preparation for the General Fundamentals of Engineering Exam by Michael R. Lindeburg PE



Product Description

The Best-Selling Book for FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) Exam Preparation
The FE ( Fundamentals of Engineering ) Review Manual gives you the power to pass the FE exam the first time. Designed to prepare you for the general FE exam in the least amount of time, this review manual provides you with a complete and comprehensive review of the topics covered on the FE exam. Diagnostic exams on 13 separate topics help you identify where you need the most review, and the chapters that follow each exam provide the information you need to get up to speed in those areas. Over 1,200 practice problems give you experience in solving exam-like problems, while you can use the realistic 8-hour practice exam to simulate the actual FE exam.
Everything You Need to Succeed on the FE/EIT Exam Over 1,200 practice problems, with step-by-step solutions 13 diagnostic exams help you to assess your strengths and weaknesses An 8-hour practice exam, with 180 multiple-choice questions SI units throughout, just like the exam 50 short chapters create manageable study blocks NCEES nomenclature and formulas Sample study schedule Exam tips and advice from recent examinees



From the Publisher
This manual is ideal for the engineering student or the practicing engineer who doesn't have much free time to devote to studying for the FE ( Fundamentals of Engineering ) exam. The text is short and to the point, providing basic theory and relevant formulas and data for each exam topic. Each chapter can be easily covered in an hour or two. This review, coupled with over 1,000 FE-style practice problems and a full-scale practice exam, offers all the preparation needed to pass the test. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author
Michael R. Lindeburg, PE ( Professionall Engineering) , is recognized among the engineering community as the leading authority on professional engineering licensing exam preparation. The author of many books on this subject, he has taught and supervised exam-review courses for over 25 years. He holds BS and MS degrees from Stanford University in industrial engineering. When not writing, he can be found hosting the "Licensing Exam Forum," an online bulletin board for FE and PE candidates. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


Monday, July 6, 2009

Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography by Andrew Morton



From Publishers Weekly
Morton's massively hyped, overly contentious and sometimes far-fetched account of Cruise's Scientology-driven life owes a lot to John Hinch's unwavering reading the material. Hinch offers a sincere, unbiased take on the material, but also manages to create a believable listening experience through his innate performance ability when assuming the roles of various characters, most notably, Cruise himself. Though there is little in the way of dialect changes and impersonation, listeners will be astounded at how close Hinch comes to capturing the Cruise persona. While the material is debatable and lacks anything profound or fresh, Hinch presents it in a way that keeps the audience thoroughly engaged throughout.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --


Review

“Explosive.”—FOXNews.com

“Morton digs deep for the real Tom Cruise.”—Cindy Adams, The New York Post

“Scalding.”—The New York Times

Product Description

1992: Andrew Morton showed a Princess in a light we had never seen before--Diana: Her True Story became a #1 New York Times bestseller.

1999: Andrew Morton revealed the young woman behind the blue dress--Monica’s Story was a #1 New York Times bestseller.

January 15, 2008: Andrew Morton uncovers the true story of the biggest celebrity of our age.

Everyone knows Tom Cruise---or at least what he wants us to know. We know that he overcame a difficult childhood to star in astonishing array of blockbusters: Top Gun, Rain Man, Born on the Fourth of July, A Few Good Men, Interview with the Vampire, Jerry Maguire, three Mission: Impossible movies, War of the Worlds, and more. We know he has taken artistic chances, too, and as a result has earned three Academy Award nominations and three Golden Globes, along with the respect of acting legends like Paul Newman and Dustin Hoffman.

After that, the picture becomes a little less clear. We know that Tom is a Scientologist, but not necessarily what that means in his life. We know that, despite persistent rumors about his sexuality, he has been married to Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman, and Katie Holmes. But it was not until the spring of 2005, when he jumped on Oprah’s couch to proclaim his love for Katie and denounced Brooke Shields for turning to the “Nazi science” of psychiatry, that we began to realize how much we didn’t know about the charming, hardworking star.

For two years, award-winning biographer Andrew Morton has been tirelessly seeking out everyone from former teachers and girlfriends to Scientology insiders to friends who have watched a once-bullied, “nothing special” outsider transform himself into an icon Forbes has called the most powerful celebrity in the world Here, with never-seen photos and never-heard revelations, is a riveting, sometimes shocking portrait of the real Tom Cruise---his work, his love life, his marriages, his religion---from a master at uncovering the true story behind the public face of celebrity.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

ANDREW MORTON is one of the world's best-known biographers and a leading authority on modern celebrity. His groundbreaking 1992 biography revealed the secret world of Princess Diana, prompting Tina Brown to declare in The Diana Chronicles, “The journalist Morton most reminds me of is Bob Woodward.” Diana: Her True Story became a #1 New York Times bestseller, as did Monica’s Story, Morton’s portrait of the young woman behind the blue dress in the Clinton White House. The winner of numerous awards, including Author of the Year by the British Book Awards and Scoop of the Year by the London Press Club, he lives in London and has traveled extensively in the U.S., Canada, and Europe in his research for this biography.

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance




From Publishers Weekly
Elected the first black president of the Harvard Law Review, Obama was offered a book contract, but the intellectual journey he planned to recount became instead this poignant, probing memoir of an unusual life. Born in 1961 to a white American woman and a black Kenyan student, Obama was reared in Hawaii by his mother and her parents, his father having left for further study and a return home to Africa. So Obama's not-unhappy youth is nevertheless a lonely voyage to racial identity, tensions in school, struggling with black literature?with one month-long visit when he was 10 from his commanding father. After college, Obama became a community organizer in Chicago. He slowly found place and purpose among folks of similar hue but different memory, winning enough small victories to commit himself to the work?he's now a civil rights lawyer there. Before going to law school, he finally visited Kenya; with his father dead, he still confronted obligation and loss, and found wellsprings of love and attachment. Obama leaves some lingering questions?his mother is virtually absent?but still has written a resonant book. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Obama argues with himself on almost every page of this lively autobiographical conversation. He gets you to agree with him, and then he brings in a counternarrative that seems just as convincing. Son of a white American mother and of a black Kenyan father whom he never knew, Obama grew up mainly in Hawaii. After college, he worked for three years as a community organizer on Chicago's South Side. Then, finally, he went to Kenya, to find the world of his dead father, his "authentic" self. Will the truth set you free, Obama asks? Or will it disappoint? Both, it seems. His search for himself as a black American is rooted in the particulars of his daily life; it also reads like a wry commentary about all of us. He dismisses stereotypes of the "tragic mulatto" and then shows how much we are all caught between messy contradictions and disparate communities. He discovers that Kenya has 400 different tribes, each of them with stereotypes of the others. Obama is candid about racism and poverty and corruption, in Chicago and in Kenya. Yet he does find community and authenticity, not in any romantic cliche{‚}, but with "honest, decent men and women who have attainable ambitions and the determination to see them through." Hazel Rochman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"[Barack Obama] is that rare politician who can actually write - and write movingly and genuinely." Michiko Kakutani, New York Times "Fluidly, calmly, insightfully, Obama guides us straight to the intersection of the most serious questions of identity, class, and race." Washington Post Book World "Beautifully crafted... moving and candid... this book belongs on the shelf beside works like James McBride's The Color of Winter and Gregory Howard Williams's Life on the Color Line as a tale of living astride America's racial categories.." Scott Turow" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
“Provocative . . . Persuasively describes the phenomenon of belonging to two different worlds, and thus belonging to neither.”
—New York Times Book Review

“Fluidly, calmly, insightfully, Obama guides us straight to the intersection of the most serious questions of identity, class, and race.”
—Washington Post Book World

“Beautifully crafted . . . moving and candid . . . this book belongs on the shelf beside works like James McBride’s The Color of Water and Gregory Howard Williams’s Life on the Color Line as a tale of living astride America’s racial categories.”
—Scott Turow

“Obama’s writing is incisive yet forgiving. This is a book worth savoring.”
—Alex Kotlowitz, author of There Are No Children Here

Product Description
In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father—a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man—has been killed in a car accident. This sudden death inspires an emotional odyssey—first to a small town in Kansas, from which he retraces the migration of his mother’s family to Hawaii, and then to Kenya, where he meets the African side of his family, confronts the bitter truth of his father’s life, and at last reconciles his divided inheritance.


Pictured in lefthand photograph on cover: Habiba Akumu Hussein and Barack Obama, Sr. (President Obama's paternal grandmother and his father as a young boy). Pictured in righthand photograph on cover: Stanley Dunham and Ann Dunham (President Obama's maternal grandfather and his mother as a young girl).

From the Inside Flap
In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father—a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man—has been killed in a car accident. This sudden death inspires an emotional odyssey—first to a small town in Kansas, from which he retraces the migration of his mother's family to Hawaii, and then to Kenya, where he meets the African side of his family, confronts the bitter truth of his father's life, and at last reconciles his divided inheritance.

About the Author
BARACK OBAMA graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991, where he served as the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. He has worked as a community organizer, civil rights attorney, and law professor. Since 1997, he has represented parts of Chicago's South Side in the Illinois General Assembly, and he is currently 44th president of the United State of America.

People Tribute: Remembering Michael 1958-2009





New Special Edition of People Magazine
Tribute to Michael Jackson
Release Date: 11 August 2009



Book Description
Packed with unforgettable photographs and archival reporting, People’s special tribute to the late pop star looks back at a life like no other. From his impoverished upbringing in Gary, Ind., to child stardom, to the unprecedented global success of Off the Wall and Thriller, to ground-breaking videos, his marriage to Lisa Marie Presley, and the well-publicized dramas of his later years, Thriller: Remembering Michael Jackson, tells the King of Pop’s story as only People, America’s diary of popular culture, can tell it.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott


A very magnificent and bestselling book
about Internet Marketing and Online Medias.

Here is the Video Clip about this book from the author himself.





From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review
. Though it may not yet have affected the value of 30 seconds of Super Bowl advertising, PR insider Scott argues that understanding the growing irrelevance of marketing's "old rules" is vital to thriving in the new media jungle. Already apparent in newspapers and magazines (with sharp downturns in circulation and ads), radio (on the losing end of the iPod revolution) and direct mail (digitally replaced by spam), the imminent fall of traditional mass media marketing means new opportunities for legions of smaller companies and independent professionals who need to reach niche markets cheaply and effectively. The way Scott sees it, this is also good news for consumers: the online culture of integrity and information tends to produce quality content for less, as opposed to the vapid, one-sided and pricey advertising of print media and television. Scott provides the technical novice a thoughtful and accessible guide to cutting-edge media arenas and formats such as RSS, vodcasts and viral marketing, without neglecting the fact that technological wizardry can't substitute for a well-thought out marketing program. Besides emphasizing fundamentals like defining one's audience, Scott also drills home the ethos and etiquette of the web, encouraging content that's both useful and unobtrusive. This excellent look at the basics of new-millennial marketing should find use in the hands of any serious PR professional making the transition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"This is the first to explain the options in a way I find non-tech growth company executives can understand" (GulfNews.com, April 8th 2009)

Review
"The Internet is not so much about technology as it is about people. David Meerman Scott, in his remarkable The New Rules of Marketing and PR, goes far beyond technology and explores the ramifications of the Web as it pertains to people. He sets down a body of rules which show you how to negotiate those ramifications with maximum effectiveness. And he does it with real-life case histories and an engaging style."
—Jay Conrad Levinson, The Father of Guerrilla Marketing and Author, Guerrilla Marketingseries of books

"The New Rules of Marketing & PR teaches readers how to launch a thought leadership campaign by using the far-reaching, long-lasting tools of social media. It is an invaluable guide for anyone who wants to make a name for themselves, their ideas, and their organization."
—Mark Levy, Co-author of How to Persuade People Who Don’t Want to be Persuaded and founder of Levy Innovation: A Marketing Strategy Firm

"The history of marketing communications - about 60 years or so - has been about pushing messages to convince prospects to take some action we need. Now marketing communications, largely because the overwhelming power and influence of the web and other electronic communications, is about engaging in conversation with prospects and leading / persuading them to take action. David Meerman Scott shows how marketing is now about participation and connection, and no longer about strong arm force."
—Roy Young, Chief Revenue Officer, MarketingProfs.com and co-author Marketing Champions: Practical Strategies for Improving Marketing’s Power, Influence and Business Impact

Product Description
For marketers, The New Rules of Marketing and PR shows you how to leverage the potential that Web-based communication offers your business. Finally, you can speak directly to customers and buyers, establishing a personal link with the people who make your business work. This one-of-a-kind guide includes a step-by-step action plan for harnessing the power of the Internet to create compelling messages, get them in front of customers, and lead those customers into the buying process.

From the Inside Flap
The Internet has profoundly changed theway people communicate and interact witheach other. It has also changed the way businesses communicate with current and potential customers. In the old days, marketers could only communicate through the filter of expensive advertising or media ink placed by a PR firm. Today, the rules have changed entirely.

The New Rules of Marketing and PR shows you how to leverage the potential that Web-based communication offers large and small companies, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, political organizations, consultants, even rock bands and churches. Finally, you can speak directly to customers and buyers, establishing a personal link with those who make your business work. You can reach niche buyers with targeted messages that cost a fraction of your big-budget advertising campaign. Rather than bombard them with advertising they'll likely ignore, you can focus on getting the right message to the right people at the right time.

When people visit your company's Web site, they aren't there to hear your slogan or see your logo again. They want information, interaction, and choice—and you'd be a fool not to give it to them. This one-of-a-kind guide to the future of marketing includes a step-by-step action plan for harnessing the power of the Internet, showing you how to identify audiences, create compelling messages, get those messages to the right people, and lead consumers into the buying process. Including a wealth of compelling case studies and real-world examples, this is a practical guide to the new reality of PR and marketing.

Smart marketers who want to communicate with buyers directly, raise online visibility, and increase sales will discover everything they need to put the new rules to work. This book will show you how to stay ahead of the curve—and your competitors—by using the Internet to its full PR, marketing, and customer-communications potential. If you want your business to succeed, forget tradition and adopt The New Rules of Marketing and PR. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From the Back Cover

Totally updated with a new introduction and fresh insights on social media

The Internet and social media have transformed the way companies communicate with consumers. The New Rules of Marketing and PR shows you how to leverage the potential of Web-based communication to build a personal link with your market. Forget old advertising tactics that don't work online. Adopt the new rules and start a profitable relationship with your buyers and those who influence them.

Praise for The New Rules of Marketing and PR

"This excellent look at the basics of new-millennial marketing should find use in the hands of any serious PR professional making the transition."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"[Scott] goes far beyond technology and explores the ramifications of the Web as it pertains to people. He sets down a body of rules that shows you how to negotiate those ramifications with maximum effectiveness. And he does it with real-life histories and an engaging style."
—Jay Conrad Levinson, "The Father of Guerrilla Marketing" and author of the Guerrilla Marketing series of books


"The New Rules of Marketing and PR teaches readers how to launch a thought leadership campaign by using the far-reaching, long-lasting tools of social media. It is an invaluable guide for anyone who wants to make a name for themselves, their ideas, and their organization."
—Mark Levy, coauthor of How to Persuade People Who Don't Want to Be Persuaded and founder of Levy Innovation, a marketing strategy company


"'Revolution' may be an overused word in describing what the Internet has wrought, but revolution is exactly what Scott embraces and propels forward in this book. With this rule book to the online revolution, you can learn how to win minds and markets, playing by the rules of new media."

—Don Dunnington, President of the International Association of Online Communicators (IAOC), Director of Business Communications at K-Tron International, and graduate instructor in online communication at Rowan University

About the Author


David Meerman Scott is an award-winning marketing strategist, best-selling author, conference speaker, and seminar leader.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Shanghai Girls: A Novel by Lisa See



Exclusive Interview : Lisa See on Shanghai Girls

I’m writing this on a plane to Shanghai. For the last couple of weeks I’ve been thinking about all the things I want to see and do on this research trip: look deeper into the Art Deco movement in Shanghai, visit a 17th-century house in a village of 300 people to observe the Sweeping the Graves Festival, and check out some old theaters in Beijing. But as I sit on the plane, I’m not thinking of the adventures that are ahead but of the people and places I’ve left behind. I’ve been gone from home only a few hours and already I’m homesick!

This puts me in mind of Pearl and May, the characters in Shanghai Girls. This feeling--longing for home and missing the people left behind--is at the heart of the novel. We live in a nation of immigrants. We all have someone in our families who was brave enough, scared enough, or crazy enough to leave the home country to come to America. I’m a real mutt in terms of ancestry, but I know that the Chinese side of my family left China because they were fleeing war, famine, and poverty. They were lured to America in hopes of a better life, but leaving China also meant saying goodbye to the homes they’d been born in, to their parents, brothers, and sisters, and to everything and everyone they knew. This experience is the blood and tears of American experience.

Pearl and May are lucky, because they come to America together. They’re sisters and they have each other. I’ve always wanted to write about sisters and I finally got my chance with Shanghai Girls. You could say that either I’m an only child or that I’m one of four sisters, because I have a former step-sister I’ve known for over 50 years and two half-sisters from different halves who I’ve known since they were born. Is Shanghai Girls autobiographical? Not really, but my sister Katharine and I once had a fight that was like the flour fight that May and Pearl got into when they were girls. And there was an ice cream incident that I used in the novel that sent my sister Clara right down memory lane when she read the manuscript. I’m also the eldest, and we all know what that means. I’m the one who’s supposed to be the bossy know-it-all. (But if that’s true, then why are they the ones who are always right?) What I know is that we’re very different from each other and our life experiences couldn’t be more varied, and yet we have a deep emotional connection that goes way beyond friendship. My sisters knew me when I was a shy little kid, helped me survive my first broken heart, share the memories of bad family car trips, and were at my side for the happiest moments in my life. More recently, we’ve begun to share things like the loss of our childhood homes, the changing of the neighborhoods we grew up in, and the frailties and illnesses of our myriad parents.

My emotions and experiences are deeply entwined with the stories I write. So as I fly over the Pacific, of course I’m thinking about May and Pearl, the people and places they left behind, the hopes and dreams that kept them moving forward, and the strength and solace they found in each other, but I’m thinking about myself too. As soon as I get to the hotel, I’m going to call my husband and sons to tell them I arrived safely, and then I’m going to send some e-mails to my sisters.--Lisa See


From Publishers Weekly
See (Peony in Love) explores tradition, the ravages of war and the importance of family in her excellent latest. Pearl and her younger sister, May, enjoy an upper-crust life in 1930s Shanghai, until their father reveals that his gambling habit has decimated the family's finances and to make good on his debts, he has sold both girls to a wealthy Chinese-American as wives for his sons. Pearl and May have no intention of leaving home, but after Japanese bombs and soldiers ravage their city and both their parents disappear, the sisters head for California, where their husbands-to-be live and where it soon becomes apparent that one of them is hiding a secret that will alter each of their fates. As they adjust to marriage with strangers and the challenges of living in a foreign land, Pearl and May learn that long-established customs can provide comfort in unbearable times. See's skillful plotting and richly drawn characters immediately draw in the reader, covering 20 years of love, loss, heartbreak and joy while delivering a sobering history lesson. While the ending is ambiguous, this is an accomplished and absorbing novel. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Today they would be called fashion models. But in early-twentieth-century China, sisters Pearl and May were known quaintly as “beautiful girls,” whose sophisticated cover-girl images set the standard for young Chinese women and exemplified the hopes of an ancient nation catapulted into anxious modernity as it balanced on the brink of war. Paradoxically, Pearl and May were also the products of a traditional upbringing in which their father controlled their destiny, selling them into marriage to Chinese men from America to settle gambling debts to a depraved Shanghai mobster. The tortuous route they take to first avoid, then accept, and finally embrace their abrupt fall from grace is rife with the most heinous tragedies—rape and murder, betrayal and abandonment, poverty and servitude. Through it all, one thing ensures their survival: the sisters are tenaciously devoted to each other, though time and events will strain this loyalty nearly to the point of destruction. Examining the chains of friendship within the confines of family, See’s kaleidoscopic saga transits from the barbaric horrors of Japanese occupation to the sobering indignities suffered by foreigners in 1930s Hollywood while offering a buoyant and lustrous paean to the bonds of sisterhood.


Review

“See is a gifted writer, and in Shanghai Girls she again explores the bonds of sisterhood while powerfully evoking the often nightmarish American immigrant experience.”—USA Today

“A buoyant and lustrous paean to the bonds of sisterhood.”–Booklist

“A rich work. . . . as compulsively readable as it is an enlightening journey.”—Denver Post

“The glamour of prewar Shanghai is recalled in Lisa See’s deftly plotted Shanghai Girls.”—Vogue

“Splendid”—More


Product Description
In 1937, Shanghai is the Paris of Asia, a city of great wealth and glamour, the home of millionaires and beggars, gangsters and gamblers, patriots and revolutionaries, artists and warlords. Thanks to the financial security and material comforts provided by their father’s prosperous rickshaw business, twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Though both sisters wave off authority and tradition, they couldn’t be more different: Pearl is a Dragon sign, strong and stubborn, while May is a true Sheep, adorable and placid. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree . . . until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth and that in order to repay his debts he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from California to find Chinese brides.

As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on the journey of a lifetime, one that will take them through the Chinese countryside, in and out of the clutch of brutal soldiers, and across the Pacific to the shores of America. In Los Angeles they begin a fresh chapter, trying to find love with the strangers they have married, brushing against the seduction of Hollywood, and striving to embrace American life even as they fight against discrimination, brave Communist witch hunts, and find themselves hemmed in by Chinatown’s old ways and rules.

At its heart, Shanghai Girls is a story of sisters: Pearl and May are inseparable best friends who share hopes, dreams, and a deep connection, but like sisters everywhere they also harbor petty jealousies and rivalries. They love each other, but each knows exactly where to drive the knife to hurt the other the most. Along the way they face terrible sacrifices, make impossible choices, and confront a devastating, life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines of this astounding new novel hold fast to who they are–Shanghai girls.


About the Author
Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of Peony in Love, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Flower Net (an Edgar Award nominee), The Interior, and Dragon Bones, as well as the critically acclaimed memoir On Gold Mountain. The Organization of Chinese American Women named her the 2001 National Woman of the Year. She lives in Los Angeles.