This is an anthology designed to help you get through the stresses of modern life. For rapid and effective relief around the clock, 24-7, without side effects, try a poem -- whatever the time of the day (or night), you can be sure that some poet, past or present, has been there too.To help you find the right poem at the right time, the organization of the book is like that of a book of hours. Starting with Getting Up, it then moves on to those other morning traumas: Stepping on the Scale and Looking into the Mirror.As the day moves on there are sections to cover everything, from Office Politics to Off to School. And if by five p.m. your head is throbbing, dig into the poems in the Take 5 section and let the world recede. By the end of the day you may want to look for inspiration among the poems in Going Home, but if you are intent on veering from the straight and narrow, then turn to the Behaving Badly poems and you'll find you're in good company. Anyone who feels vaguely guilty about settling down in front of the TV instead of taking café society by storm should turn to the poems in the Not Tonight section.

The Collins College Outline for Introduction to Business provides students with a detailed overview of the basic business studies curriculum. This guide covers business foundations, the global economy, company structure and formation, personnel and production management, labor-management relations, marketing concepts and logistics, statistical analysis, financial strategies, careers in business, and much more. Completely revised and updated by Dr. H. James Williams, Introduction to Business includes practical "test yourself" sections with answers and complete explanations at the end of each chapter. Also included are bibliographies for further reading, as well as charts, graphs, and illustrations.The Collins College Outlines are a completely revised, in-depth series of study guides for all areas of study, including the Humanities, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Science, Language, History, and Business. Featuring the most up-to-date information, each book is written by a seasoned professor in the field and focuses on a simplified and general overview of the subject for college students and, where appropriate, Advanced Placement students. Each Collins College Outline is fully integrated with the major curriculum for its subject and is a perfect supplement for any standard textbook.

Since the day she was scouted by a modeling agent while shopping at a London street fair when she was just nineteen, Alek Wek's life has been nothing short of a fantasy. When she's not the featured model in print campaigns for hip companies, or gracing the cover of Elle, she is working the runways of Paris, New York, and Milan to model for the world's leading designers, including Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. But nothing in her early years prepared her for the life of a model.Born in Wau, in the southern Sudan, Alek knew only a few years of peace with her family before they were caught up in a ruthless civil war that pitted outlaw militias, the Muslim-dominated government, and southern rebels against each other in a brutal conflict that killed nearly two million people. Here is her daring story of fleeing the war on foot and her escape to London, where her rise from young model to supermodel was all the more notable because of Alek's non-European looks. A probe into the Sudanese conflict and an inside look into the life of a most unique supermodel, Alek is a book that will inspire as well as inform.

Autumn Rose has the chance to save the world she loves. But how much will she have to sacrificeAutumn Rose lives in a sleepy seaside town, but buried deep under the surface of her quiet life are dark secrets. Her grandmother is dead, murdered eighteen months ago, and the vibrant London social scene in which she was brought up is a world away. Even worse, at her new school she is shunned and condemned––all because of the swirling marks on her skin that prevent her from blending in with the crowd. Then the appearance at her school of a handsome young man—who has the same curious markings as Autumn—sends her world into turmoil. Suddenly the marks are deemed cool, and Autumn is thrust into the limelight. But her sudden popularity brings danger as her secrets threaten to come to light. And then there are her recurring dreams about a girl who is about to be seduced by a very dark prince . . . and Autumn must figure out how to save her before it is too late.

In between her fairy-tale wedding and her premature death, there lived the most beloved royal presence of our century, surely as multifaceted as any celebrity of our time. The radical twists and turns in her brief life drew the fascination of millions. Yet the most photographed woman in the world was also the least quoted--her actual words were seldom heard, and never gathered, until now. This unique book is the result of a scrupulous worldwide search for every one of Diana's significant quotes. Upon reading this collection, one will find that behind her shy veneer dwelled a woman of extraordinary resourcefulness, stamina, and, perhaps above all, vulnerability. In fact, her open frankness about the events and people around her is both disarming and startling. The reader will discover the sharp clarity, endless warmth, and ready wit that she brought to her legendary life in this intimate self-portrait. This is the closest we will ever get to an autobiography from the People's Princess.

From the author of the bestselling Dorothy Dandridge comes a dazzling look at one of America's brightest and most troubled theatrical stars. Almost no other star of the twentieth century reimagined herself with such audacity and durable talent as did Ethel Waters. In this enlightening and engaging biography, Donald Bogle resurrects this astonishing woman from the annals of history, shedding new light on the tumultuous twists and turns of her seven-decade career, which began in Black vaudeville and reached new heights in the steamy nightclubs of 1920s Harlem. Bogle traces Waters' life from her poverty-stricken childhood to her rise in show business; her career as one of the early blues and pop singers, with such hits as "Am I Blue?," "Stormy Weather," and "Heat Wave"; her success as an actress, appearing in such films and plays as The Member of the Wedding and Mamba's Daughters; and through her lonely, painful final years. He illuminates Waters' turbulent private life, including her complicated feelings toward her mother and various lovers; her heated and sometimes well-known feuds with such entertainers as Josephine Baker, Billie Holiday, and Lena Horne; and her tangled relationships with such legends as Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, Harold Clurman, Elia Kazan, Count Basie, Darryl F. Zanuck, Vincente Minnelli, Fred Zinnemann, Moss Hart, and John Ford.In addition, Bogle explores the ongoing racial battles, growing paranoia, and midlife religious conversion of this bold, brash, wildly talented woman while examining the significance of her highly publicized life to audiences unaccustomed to the travails of a larger-than-life African American woman.Wonderfully atmospheric, richly detailed, and drawn from an array of candid interviews, Heat Wave vividly brings to life a major cultural figure of the twentieth century a charismatic, complex, and compelling woman, both tragic and triumphant.

The author of The Back of Beyond continues the chronicle of his odyssey into some of the farthest corners of the world, from the Mountains of the Moon in Zaire, to wilderness Tasmania, to the unknown regions of New Guinea.

For the past thirty years, Steve Miller has done the messy, unpleasant work of salvaging America's lost companies with such success that the Wall Street Journal has dubbed him "U.S. Industry's Mr. Fix It." From his very first crisis assignment as point man for Lee Iaccoca's rescue team at Chrysler, Miller built an international reputation while fixing major problems in such varied industries as steel, construction, and health care. Most recently, as chairman and CEO of the bankrupt automotive parts manufacturer Delphi Corporation, he has confronted head-on the major issues threatening the survival of Detroit's Big Three. A battle is being fought in the heart of industrial America or what is left of it Miller observes. In the auto industry as well as every manufacturing corporation, management and labor are at loggerheads over wages and the skyrocketing costs of employee benefits. The way out of this battle is often painful and Miller is deeply aware of the high price individual workers and many communities have had to pay as a result.In this frank and unsparing memoir, Miller reveals a rarely seen side of American management. Miller recounts the inside story of the many turnaround jobs that have led to his renown as Mr. Fix It. But he also paints an intimate picture of his relationship with Maggie Miller, his wife of forty years, with whom Miller shares the credit for his success. Described by Miller as "my mentor and tormentor," Maggie served as his most trusted adviser and kept him focused on what truly matters until her death from brain cancer in 2006. A deeply moving personal story and timely snapshot of the state of American manufacturing and what it will take to restore it to profitability, The Turnaround Kid is Steve Miller's fascinating look at his education as an American executive.

Hollywood's survivors share their secrets to success -- where, they came from, how they made it, and how you can too In a heyday of reality television and overnight stardom, it's easy to forget that most players had to work hard to make it big. How I Broke into Hollywood brings together dozens of Tinseltown's greatest success stories, from legends Sydney Pollack and Lalo Schifrin to rising starlet Erika Christensen to über-producer Gavin Polone. Icons of their industry -- writers, actors, directors, designers, cinematographers, executives and more -- they were once outsiders themselves, and their beginnings have all the grit and glamour of the best Hollywood films. Among the figures profiled: Comedian Bernie Mac, whose earliest stand-up shows were on subway cars and at funeral parties. Actor Charles Dutton, who was convicted of manslaughter at age seventeen, then went on to the Yale School of Drama and a brilliant career on stage, screen, and television. Actor Peter Gallagher, who suffered a crippling bout of stage fright moments before leaping onstage as Snoopy -- but whose jitters moved him to a performance that brought the audience to its feet and launched his career. Superagent Jay Kanter, who started out as a mailroom guy -- before nabbing Marlon Brando as his first star client. Producer Caryn Mandabach, whose first job was making beer runs for the production guys at the Olympic Auditorium -- but who paid attention and soon was developing such hits as The Cosby Show, Roseanne, and That '70s Show. Director John Landis, who hunted down his first job as a production assistant by buying a one-way ticket to London, then hitchhiking and hopping trains all the way to the set . . . in Yugoslavia. How I Broke into Hollywood shares the voices of nearly fifty Hollywood survivors as they revisit the highs and lows of their careers in their own words, dishing dirt and imparting the wisdom they gained along the way. We learn what drew them to the industry and what made them stay, what inspired and appalled them, and what secrets propelled them to professional stardom. (Hint: a good attitude -- and an unflappable ego -- don't hurt.)The road to success is a bumpy, angst-ridden, star-studded thrill ride -- but for these insiders, at least, it was worth every pitfall and lesson learned. Often hilarious, always instructive, How I Broke into Hollywood is an irresistible read for anyone fascinated by those who've made it big . . . and for people everywhere hoping to make it big themselves.

"When I got knocked down by guys bigger than me . . . [my mother] sent me back out and demanded that I bloody their nose so I could walk down the street the next day." Joe Biden In this, the first definitive biography of Vice President Joe Biden, renowned journalist Jules Witcover examines the fascinating life of a man who, with his tenacity, outspokenness, and charming smile, has shaped Washington politics for the past forty years and who now serves as the forty-seventh vice president of the United States.Raised in the working-class towns of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware, and with lackluster grades in school and no particular goals other than to play sports or, fleetingly, to become a priest, Biden shocked the nation in 1972 when he became one of the youngest elected senators in U.S. history. From that point forward, he carved a legacy for himself as one of the most respected legislators in the country. Biden's record in Congress was impressive. He chaired three Senate committees, confronted Slobodan Miloevic head-on as a war criminal, and conducted the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court justices. After voting for the 2002 Senate resolution to use force in Iraq, he later called for its repeal and became an outspoken critic of the conduct of the war.Yet for all of Biden's achievements in the Senate, his life has been filled with tragedy and countless challenges. Within two months of being elected in 1972, Biden lost his wife, Neilia, and his young daughter in a tragic accident a loss that brought him to the nadir of despair and shook his resolve to stay in politics. And even after Biden vowed to continue his career, his tenure was marked by two brain aneurysms and career-threatening verbal gaffes. Then, after being considered among the front-runners in the 1988 Democratic presidential primaries, Biden was accused of plagiarism for a speech he made at the Iowa State Fair. He dropped out of the race to the sounds of Washington pundits chattering that the presidency would never be his. Through it all, Biden survived and ran and eventually dropped out again in the 2008 primaries. But even with this defeat, Barack Obama recognized Biden's vast experience in domestic and foreign affairs, and selected him to be his running mate.Joe Biden: A Life of Trial and Redemption is based on exhaustive research by one of Washington's most prolific journalists. In drawing on numerous exclusive interviews with Biden's confidants and family members, as well as President Obama and Vice President Biden, Witcover has gone beyond conventional biography to track the forces that have shaped a man who, with his plainspoken style and inspiring life story, has resonated with millions of Americans and whose work is now influencing the Obama-Biden administration and shaping America.

The in-flight explosion of TWA Flight 800 on July 17, 1996, was one of the deadliest disasters in American history, spurring the most expensive airline investigation ever undertaken by the U.S. government. To this day the crash remains clouded in doubt and shadowed by suspicion of a government conspiracy.If there was any conspiracy to hide the truth about what really happened to Flight 800, it began long before the crash. Past crashes tell the story: What happened on Flight 800 has happened before and will again, unless drastic changes are made. Now veteran journalist Christine Negroni reveals what the commercial aviation industry has known for more than thirty-five years that during flight confined vapors in the fuel tanks can create a bomb like environment. It takes only a small energy source to ignite it.TWA Flight 800 was the fourteenth fuel tank explosion on a commercial airliner in thirty-five years. Yet each and every time, the airline industry persuaded regulators to deal with the symptoms of the problem and ignore the cause. When investigators could not immediately determine what happened, they were finally forced to look at the bigger picture. And, for the first time, this book exposes the hubris of aircraft manufacturers who knew all along, but dismissed as acceptable, the risk of fuel tank explosions.Deadly Departure shines a spotlight on the chaos behind the most massive crash investigation ever conducted, how the White House had to intervene between feuding investigators, and the surprising stories behind the missile theory conspiracies. It also tells the stories of the passengers and their families, the people of TWA and Boeing, the rescue and crisis workers, and the investigators and scientists involved illustrating the devastating effects on human lives. An impeccably researched, eye-opening examination of one of the great disasters of our time, Deadly Departure is a stunning exposé of how industry pressure continues to undermine regulatory policy, placing air travelers' lives at risk.

A brilliantly original and gripping new look at the sinking of the Titanic through the prism of the life and lost honor of J. Bruce Ismay, the ship's owner Books have been written and films have been made, we have raised the Titanic and watched her go down again on numerous occasions, but out of the wreckage Frances Wilson spins a new epic: when the ship hit the iceberg on April 14, 1912, and one thousand men, lighting their last cigarettes, prepared to die, J. Bruce Ismay, the ship's owner and inheritor of the White Star fortune, jumped into a lifeboat filled with women and children and rowed away to safety. Accused of cowardice and of dictating the Titanic's excessive speed, Ismay became, according to one headline, The Most Talked-of Man in the World.The first victim of a press hate campaign, he never recovered from the damage to his reputation, and while the other survivors pieced together their accounts of the night, Ismay never spoke of his beloved ship again. In the Titanic's mail room was a manu* by that great narrator of the sea, Joseph Conrad, the story of a man who impulsively betrays a code of honor and lives on under the strain of intolerable guilt. But it was Conrad's great novel Lord Jim, in which a sailor abandons a sinking ship, leaving behind hundreds of passengers in his charge, that uncannily predicted Ismay's fate. Conrad, the only major novelist to write about the Titanic, knew more than anyone what ships do to men, and it is with the help of his wisdom that Wilson unravels the reasons behind Ismay's jump and the afterlives of his actions.Using never-before-seen letters written by Ismay to the beautiful Marion Thayer, a first-class passenger with whom he had fallen in love during the voyage, Frances Wilson explores Ismay's desperate need to tell his story, to make sense of the horror of it all, and to find a way of living with the consciousness of lost honor. For those who survived the Titanic, the world was never the same. But as Wilson superbly demonstrates, we all have our own Titanics, and we all need to find ways of surviving them.

When Bill O'Reilly interviewed then-Senator Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential elections, the two had a lively debate about the nation's future. Since that time, America has changed rapidly some would even say seismically. And many believe these shifts are doing more than just rocking the political and social climate; they're rocking the American core.What are these changesWho, in addition to President Obama, have been the biggest forces behind themWhat exactly do they mean for you, the everyday American citizenHow are they affecting your money, health, safety, freedom, and standing in this nationWhich are Pinheaded moves and which are truly PatrioticIn his latest spirited book, O'Reilly prompts further debate with the President and the American people on the current state of the union. After five consecutive, no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is megabestsellers, you can count on Bill to offer blunt and constructive political commentary. And as he did in his popular memoir, he offers some introspection too, looking back at his own actions and those of past Pinheads and Patriots who have inspired a code of conduct for such taxing times.As always, O'Reilly is fair, balanced, and uncompromisingly tough when guarding the American way. Only Pinheads would fail to fight for what they love most about this country or to embrace some measure of change to make it better. The rest of us Patriots will read this book to discover the difference between the two.

From New York Times bestselling author and groundbreaking politician Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison comes a history of the extraordinary women who shaped the state of Texas.The only woman ever to represent Texas in the United States Senate, Kay Bailey Hutchison has been a trailblazer in the Lone Star State. Nevertheless, Hutchison is just one of many women who, for two hundred years, have embodied what we've come to recognize as the spirit of Texas rugged independence, fierce loyalty, and an unflappable entrepreneurial streak. In Unflinching Courage, Senator Hutchison tells the dynamic history of her home state through the lives of some of these pioneering women and their remarkable achievements.Among the brave souls Senator Hutchison profiles are Jane Wilkinson Long, the Mother of Texas, and others who claimed a stake in the land when it struggled under Spanish and Mexican rule; Dilue Rose Harris, whose memoir of the Runaway Scrape exhibits the strength so many women were forced to call upon as the Texas Revolution drew able-bodied husbands, sons, and brothers to the battlefield; Margaret Houston and Emily Austin Bryan Perry, who stood behind the great leaders of a burgeoning republic and helped usher in a new era of statehood; Henrietta King, Molly Goodnight, Sarah Cockrell, and Oveta Culp Hobby, ranchers and entrepreneurs who have helped Texas thrive; and numerous others who valiantly held their ground in the face of raids and unimaginable violence. In Unflinching Courage, Senator Hutchison pays tribute to these extraordinary Texan women whose lives inspire us today and will continue to do so for generations to come.

Honest and heartbreaking, a mother's story of tears, joy, and her greatest love of all—her daughter, Whitney On the eve of the 2012 Grammy Awards, the world learned of a stunning tragedy: Whitney Houston, unquestionably one of the most remarkable and powerful voices in all of music, had been silenced forever. Over the weeks and months that followed, family, friends, and fans alike tried to understand how such a magnificent talent and beautiful soul could have been taken so early and so unexpectedly. Glamorous and approachable, captivating and sweet, Whitney had long ago won the hearts of America, but in recent years her tumultuous personal life had grabbed as many headlines as her soaring vocal talents. Her sudden death left behind not only a legacy of brilliance, but also painful questions with no easy answers. Now, for the first time, the beloved superstar's mother, Cissy Houston—a gospel legend in her own right—relates the full, astonishing scope of the pop icon's life and career. From Whitney's earliest days singing in the church choir to her rapid ascent to the pinnacles of music stardom, from her string of number one hits to her topping the Hollywood box office, Cissy recounts her daughter's journey to becoming one of the most popular and successful artists of all time. Setting the record straight, Cissy also speaks candidly about Whitney's struggles in the limelight, revealing the truth about her turbulent marriage to singer Bobby Brown, her public attempts to regain her celebrated voice, and the battle with drugs that ultimately proved too much. In this poignant and tender tribute to her "Nippy," Cissy summons all her strength to reveal not only Whitney the superstar, but also Whitney as a sweet girl, a bright-eyed young woman, and a deeply caring mother. Complete with never-before-seen family photographs, Remembering Whitney is an intimate, heartfelt portrait of one of our most revered artists, from the woman who cherished her most.

Was Sandy a freak of nature, or the new normalOn October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy reached the shores of the northeastern United States to become one of the most destructive storms in history. But was Sandy a freak event, or should we have been better prepared for itWas it a harbinger of things to come as the climate warmsIn this fascinating and accessible work of popular science, atmospheric scientist and Columbia University professor Adam Sobel addresses these questions, combining his deep knowledge of the climate with his firsthand experience of the event itself. Sobel explains the remarkable atmospheric conditions that gave birth to Sandy and determined its path. He gives us insight into the science that led to the accurate forecasts of the storm from genesis to landfall, as well as an understanding of why our meteorological vocabulary failed our leaders in warning us about this unprecedented weather system--part hurricane, part winter-type nor'easter, fully deserving of the title "Superstorm." Storm Surge brings together the melting glaciers, the warming oceans, and a broad historical perspective to explain how our changing climate and developing coastlines are making New York and other cities more vulnerable. Engaging, informative, and timely, Sobel's book provokes us to think differently about how we can better prepare for the storms in our future.

The legendary New York Yankees catcher tells the incredible and unexpected story of his career, his past, and the father-son bond that fueled his love of the gameFor seventeen seasons, the name Jorge Posada was synonymous with New York Yankees baseball. A fixture behind home plate throughout the Yankees' biggest successes, Jorge worked tirelessly to become the Yankees' star catcher, and in the years that followed, his accomplishments, work ethic, and leadership established him as one of the greatest Yankees ever to wear pinstripes.Now, in this long-awaited memoir, Jorge details his road to home plate, sharing a remarkable generational account of his journey from the ball fields of Puerto Rico to the House That Ruth Built. Offering a view from behind the mask unlike any other, Jorge discusses the key moments, great plays, and big-league personalities that marked Yankees baseball for a generation. With pitch-by-pitch recall, he looks back across the years, going inside friendships forged on the field and explaining how as part of the Core Four alongside Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera he helped to reestablish the Yankees as a dynasty and win five World Series. Along the way he tells a story of how his team, along with manager Joe Torre, became his home away from home, teaching him that family isn't defined by blood, but by the people who supported him through it all. Going beyond his all-star career, Jorge also shares his life in full for the first time. Examining how his path to the big leagues began in the most unexpected of ways, Jorge digs into his cultural roots in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba to illuminate three generations of cherished father-son relationships that have made him the man he is today. At the center is the deep bond he shares with his father and namesake, Jorge Sr., who escaped Cuba and helped to mold his son into a ballplayer, honing his talent and instilling in him the drive necessary to fulfill his childhood dream of playing in the Bronx.More than just a baseball story, The Journey Home is a tale of two families the inspiring yet challenging family Jorge was born into, and the adoptive Yankees family that catapulted him to glory. Complete with sixteen pages of color photographs, this touching and earnest memoir is a testament to hard work, brotherhood, and the generational gift of baseball between fathers and sons.

A collection of thrilling new and beloved past work from one of America's most celebrated poets, Eileen Myles, a cult icon and modern favoriteEileen Myles's poetry and prose are known for their blend of reality and fiction, the sublime and the ephemeral, in which Myles not only lets her readers peer into existent places, like the East Village in her iconic Chelsea Girls, but also lifts them into dreams, imbuing the landscapes of her writing with the vividness and energy of fantasy.I Must Be Living Twice brings selections from the poet's previous work together with a set of bold new poems, through which Myles continues to refine her sardonic, unapologetic, and fiercely intellectual literary voice. Steeped in the culture of New York City, Myles's stomping grounds and the home of her most well-known work, she provides a wide-open lens into a radical life.

She is an uncompromising apologist for the right and a hater of all things left. Is there anything she won't do or say to further her agendaThe answer is no.Brainless: The Lies and Lunacy of Ann Coulter is an unbridled look at a woman who twists the truth, misleads, plays loose with facts and allusions, and has been accused of plagiarism in hammering home her logic-defying arguments.Brainless illustrates the dangers, ironies, and hypocrisies of the Mistress of Malice. She spews her venom generously across the spectrum. Democrats and Liberals are just the beginning. If you're a woman (you shouldn't vote), gay (you're going to hell), a 9/11 widow (dancing on your murdered husband's grave) or Bill Clinton (slurs and charges too numerous to mention here), you will find yourself the object of her ire.Now it's time to turn the tables and take a good hard look at the High Priestess of Hypocrisy. Journalist Joe Maguire takes apart her arguments, picks apart her agenda, and gives us a look at the psychology and background of the woman who has reduced public political and cultural debate to browbeating and name-calling.Diligently researched (with source notes you can verify!), Maguire separates fact from myth and gives us an unvarnished look at the REAL Ann Coulter.Let's face it. You don't ever want to read a book by Ann Coulter. Read this so you don't have to!

In this explosive expose, bestselling author Kenneth Timmerman gives us the real story of what happened in Benghazi, and the lengths to which the Obama administration has gone to hide the truth from the American people.Forget what you've heard: the September 11, 2012, attack on U.S. Government Compounds in Benghazi, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans, including our ambassador, was not a spontaneous demonstration. Nor was it planned by local militias.It was a state-sponsored terrorist attack with Iranian fingerprints all over it.What's more, the Obama administration knew from the first minutes of the attack that the compound had been targeted by an organized, professionally trained terrorist group. But the administration made up a ridiculous cover story about a nonexistent demonstration over an Internet movie in an attempt to fool the American public on the eve of a national election. The Iran-Contra scandal consumed Ronald Reagan's second term and nearly destroyed his presidency. Yet as bad as that was, what happened in Benghazi is much worse. As Ken Timmerman reveals in Dark Forces, the Benghazi affair will go down as the deepest, darkest, dirtiest political scandal of recent American history. And for all the coverage it has received, the real story has still not been told. It's a story of clandestine arms deliveries to Libyan rebels that wound up in the hands of Islamist guerrillas allied with al Qaeda. It's a story of a romantic American diplomat who gets caught up in a whirlwind beyond his comprehension or control. It's a story of bald-faced lies, heroic acts, and the deepest corruption. Dark Forces is much more than a retelling of what happened in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. It puts those events into the larger context of the Obama administration's policy toward the Middle East from Iran to the Arab Spring. It examines the administration's record of systematically supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and al Qaeda affiliated groups in their efforts to overthrow pro-U.S. autocrats in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. It shows how this went along with the administration's outreach to the Islamist regime in Iran. It argues that President Obama's obsessive outreach to the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran led the Iranian regime to dismiss him as a weak, ineffective leader who would not fight back when hit. And it reveals why and how this deadly combination cost the lives of four Americans, and today endangers thousands more.Written with the breakneck pacing of a political thriller, and drawing on exclusive research and privileged sources, Dark Forces tells the full story of Benghazi as you have never heard it before.

Hal Rubenstein, author of the bestselling 100 Unforgettable Dresses, explores the union of love and fashion in fifty fully illustrated, entertaining stories highlighting landmark moments in style.This gorgeous anthology examines the marriage of love and style in fashion, film and television, music, politics and royalty, and advertising in contemporary culture. From extraordinary runway shows like Alexander McQueen's stunning dance-marathon presentation inspired by the film They Shoot Horses, Don't Theyto shoulder-pad-clad Krystle and Alexis Carrington's jealous catfights on Dynasty, from all eight of Elizabeth Taylor's wedding ensembles to the gleaming, entwined nude bodies in Calvin Klein's first ad campaign for Obsession, every entry addresses the concept and entertaining backstory of each significant stop along our cultural timeline, elaborating on its influences and design details as well as its contribution to fashion and sway in popular culture. Rubenstein also includes stories and quotations from more than a dozen world-class designers and commercial artisans interviewed especially for the book. Travel to Paris to experience some of the greatest fashion shows in history, including Marc Jacobs's Louis Vuitton Express and John Galliano's extravaganza for Christian Dior at the Palais Garnier. Discover the secrets about the making of director Baz Luhrmann's $30 million short film for Chanel No 5, starring Nicole Kidman. Go behind the scenes in Vera Wang's studio to learn the real story of the unforgettable yellow gown Michelle Williams wore to the Academy Awards, when she and Heath Ledger were Hollywood's "It" couple. Examine the world's ongoing romance with James Dean and his black motorcycle jacket, how Doris Day's sex comedies made her a pioneer of women's liberation, and why Woodstock lives on in bohemian style.With its delightful anecdotes, captivating facts, insider's perspective on fashion, and lots of pop-culture dish, The Looks of Love is an informative, entertaining read for anyone who loves fashion, film and music, celebrity, and a tug or two at the heart.With 225 full-color and black-and-white photographs