Each Christmas, adults and children alike delight at the story of the kings from the East who followed the star to Bethlehem to offer gifts to the newborn Christ. While this familiar tale is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, another little-known version later emerged that claimed to be the eyewitness account of the wise men. This ancient manu* has lain hidden for centuries in the vaults of the Vatican Library, but through the determined persistence of a young scholar, Brent Landau, this astonishing discovery has been translated into English for the very first time as the Revelation of the Magi. Everything we know about the wise men is based on only a few verses from the Bible. With the Revelation of the Magi, we can now read the story from the Magi's perspective. Readers will learn of the Magi's prophecies of God's incarnation from the beginning of time, their startling visitation in the form of a star, the teachings they receive from the baby Jesus, and the wise men's joyous return to their homeland to spread the good news. This ancient version of the Christmas story is guaranteed to astonish and delight. It will also raise larger questions of the significance and meaning of Christ's birth, and the mission to spread the good news to every corner of the globe. All the drama and intrigue of the brief de*ion of Jesus's birth in the Bible is filled out in greater, more colorful detail, offering for the first time the complete story of these beloved characters.

February 6, 2011, marks the one hundredth anniversary of Ronald Reagan's birth. Known as "the Great Communicator," Ronald Reagan combined the best of small-town values and remarkable virtues with the eloquence and charm that came from a life spent in the public eye. From his early days, Reagan was a leader, whether saving lives as a lifeguard or demonstrating for students' rights as a college undergraduate. His career as a sports broadcaster and later as a leading man in Hollywood paved the way for a career in politics. As governor of California, Reagan earned the respect of world leaders and the American public. But it was as president of the United States that his strength of character, leadership, and love of country were best displayed. His eight years in the Oval Office ushered in remarkable change domestically and brought international peace, prosperity, and freedom.A visual celebration of all that is Ronald Reagan, Ronald Reagan: 100 Years is the official centennial publication for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. Inspiring and uplifting, it is a fitting homage to one of America's greatest legends. A foreword by former Senator Howard H. Baker, Jr., distinguished politician and personal friend of the Reagans, completes this handsome volume, making it a must-have nostalgic tribute to the life and times of the man who led our nation and inspired the world.

Seeing is believing . . . The Smash Hit SuperFreakonomics is now Bigger and Better SuperFreakonomics was an instant New York Times bestseller that caused a media uproar, continuing the amazing success begun with the groundbreaking, worldwide sensation Freakonomics.With the Illustrated Edition, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner bring alive their smart thinking and great storytelling with an explosion of visual evidence, including: A by-the-numbers tally of a high-priced call girl's career, and a tracking sheet from an intensive survey of Chicago street prostitutes. A visual quiz that lets you pit your memory against the memory of a chess grand master. Images of the hurricane-killing machine and other geo-engineering inventions described in SuperFreakonomics. A look into whether doctors are better at saving lives in TV dramas or in real hospitals. Whether probing the intricacies of sex change oper-ations, the effectiveness of child car seats, or what really motivates people to do good, the Illustrated Edition of SuperFreakonomics employs photographs, drawings, and graphs that will lead readers to see the world in a bold, fresh way.

A leading historian and bestselling author re-creates the growth, decline, and legacy of 3,000 Years of Egyptian civilization with an authoritative text splendidly illustrated with 150 illustrations in full color.Ancient Egypt, with its legacy of pyramids, pharaohs and sphinxes, is a land of power and mystery to the modern world. In The Civilization of Ancient Egypt Paul Johnson explores the growth and decline of a culture that survived for 3,000 years and maintained a purity of style that rivals all others. Johnson's study looks in detail at the state, religion, culture and geographical setting and how they combined in this unusually enduring civilization. From the beginning of Egyptian culture to the rediscovery of the pharaohs, the book covers the totalitarian theocracy, the empire of the Nile, the structure of dynastic Egypt, the dynastic way of death, hieroglyphs, the anatomy of perspective art and, finally, the decline and fall of the pharaohs, Johnson seeks, through an exciting combination of images and analysis, to discover the causes behind the collapse of this, great civilization while celebrating the extra-ordinary legacy it has left behind.Paul Johnson on Ancient Egypt and the Egyptians"Egypt was not only the first state, it was the first country.... The durability of the state which thus evolved was ensured by the overwhelming simplicity and power of its central institution, the theocratic monarchy." "The Egyptians did not share the Babylonian passion for astrology, but they used the stars as one of many guides to behavior. No Egyptian believed in a free exercise of will in important decisions: he always looked for an omen or a prophecy or an oracle." "The development of hieroglyphics mirrors and epitomizes the history of Egyptian civilization. . . . No one outside Egypt understood it and even within Egypt it was the exclusive working tool of the ruling and priestly classes. The great mass of Egyptians were condemned to illiteracy by the complexities (and also the beauties) of the Egyptian written language.""The affection the Egyptians were not. ashamed to display towards their children was related to the high status women enjoyed in Egyptian society.""If we can understand Egyptian art we can go a long way towards grasping the very spirit and outlook on life, of this gifted people, so remote in time. The dynamic of their civilization seems to have been a passionate love of order (maat to them), by which they sought to give to human activities and creations the same regularity as their landscape, their great river, their sun-cycle and their immutable seasons."

Relentless and ominous, the drumbeat echoes across the land: Social Security is on the verge of bankruptcy. These repeated warnings have become a dismal article of faith for the millions of Americans who pay Social Security taxes and expect to collect benefits someday. But they are flatly untrue. Social Security today is on a stronger financial footing than it has been for decades. The Plot Against Social Security will explain who is really behind the efforts to reform this system and will show that the most frequently proposed fix increased privatization will damage it beyond repair by undermining retirement security for generations to come. Award-winning journalist Michael Hiltzik also offers a clear set of remedies for those few elements of Social Security that do need repair proposals that will shore up the most efficient social insurance program in America's history, rather than destroying it in the name of reform.

In Giant, Plaxico Burress takes you into the locker room, onto the practice field, and into the huddle, providing a flat-out-honest look at life on and off the field with the New York Giants and at the making of a champion. Throughout the 2007 season, Plaxico battled near-crippling injuries, and despite rarely practicing, being heavily bandaged, and on serious painkillers, he led the New York Giants in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He continued to play through pain in the playoffs, only to be further injured before Super Bowl XLII. Playing the arrogant Patriots who were inviting the Giants to their victory party before the game was over Plaxico concealed a significant injury that might have changed the outcome of the game if the Pats had known.When he first joined the Giants, Plaxico expected to be the go-to guy for the young quarterback Eli Manning. What he didn't expect was the media and fan scrutiny that was heaped on Manning as they battled to win games.What Plaxico also didn't expect was the difficult relationship he had with head coach Tom Coughlin, who was a stickler for discipline and who would fine players for even the mildest offenses. For five years Plaxico had played for the laid-back Bill Cowher and the Pittsburgh Steelers. In contrast, within weeks of joining the Giants, Plaxico and Coughlin were butting heads, and the fines followed. But there to make things a little easier were friends like Jeremy Shockey and Amani Toomer, nearly polar opposites. With Shock, everything was always full-tilt and his mouth would usually get him into trouble. Toomer was the easygoing elder statesman at times absentminded, but a brilliant receiver. And in 2007, Manning, with Plaxico's advice and support, would rise above the scrutinizing media and come into his own, and Coach Coughlin would relax his grip somewhat and let the team breathe. The results were obvious.It's all here. The ups and downs, the trash-talking, the sweat and blood, and what it takes to be the best.

Master the art of testing and automating your SOA using SoapUI About This Book Design real-time test automation frameworks for Enterprise applications using SoapUI Learn how to solve test automation issues for complex systems A complete guide to understanding SOA automation from quality assurance to business assurance Who This Book Is For The book is intended for test architects, SOA test specialists, automation testers, test managers, and software developers who have a good understanding of SOA, web services, Groovy Scripting, and the SOAP UI tool. What You Will Learn Familiarize yourself with Test Web services from functional, nonfunctional, and security aspects Learn to test real-time service orchestrations Design test automation solutions for SOA-based Enterprise applications Learn multilayer test automation Selenium plus SoapUI under a single umbrella Integrate your SoapUI framework with Jenkins In Detail SoapUI is an open-source cross-platform testing application that provides complete test coverage and supports all the standard protocols and technologies. This book includes real-time examples of implementing SoapUI to achieve quality and business assurance. Starting with the features and functionalities of SoapUI, the book will then focus on functional testing, load testing, and security testing of web services. Furthermore, you will learn how to automate your services and then design data-driven, keyword-driven, and hybrid-driven frameworks in SoapUI. Then the book will show you how to test UIs and services using SoapUI with the help of Selenium. You will also learn how to integrate SoapUI with Jenkins for CI and SoapUI test with QC with backward- and forward-compatibility. The final part of the book will show you how to virtualize a service response in SoapUI using Service Mocking. You will finish the journey by discovering the best practices for SoapUI test automation and preparing yourself for the online certification of SoapUI. Style and approach Filled with real-time examples, this book will help readers take their knowledge to the next level. This book is a comprehensive guide that will cover the end-to-end life cycle of implementing SoapUI in various phases of software testing and the software development life cycle.

Learn and monitor your entire IT infrastructure to ensure your systems, applications, services, and business function effectively. About This Book Packed with tips, tricks and illustrations, the book will explain the configuration and monitoring concepts in a simplified manner Experience the scalability and flexibility of Nagios in a very practical and easy-to-understand approach. Unleash the power of Nagios Core and Nagios XI 5 to monitor and secure your infrastructure with ease. Who This Book Is For This book is targeted at System Administrators, both, who have no prior knowledge of Nagios as well as readers experienced with it. It not only covers the basics of Nagios but also the advanced features. What You Will Learn Set up and use the built-in Nagios web interface Upskill the additional interfaces available for Nagios to monitor your IT infrastructure Learn how to perform various checks using both, Nagios standard plugins and third-party plugins Explore the working of notifications and events in Nagios Familiarize yourself with SNMP and use it for monitoring devices such as routers, switches, modems and printers Discover how can be Nagios can be customized and tailored to your needs Get to know more about the entreprise version of Nagios, Nagios XI In Detail Nagios, a powerful and widely used IT monitoring and management software for problem -solving. It detects problems related to your organizations infrastructure and helps in resolving the issue before it impacts the business. Following the success of the previous edition, this book will continue to help you monitor the status of network devices and also notify the system administrators of network problems. Starting with the fundamentals, the book will teach you how to install and configure Nagios for your environment. The book helps you learn how to end downtimes, adding comments and generating reports using the built-in Web interface of Nagios. Moving on, you will be introduced to the third-party web interfaces and applications for checking the status and report specific information. As you progress further in Learning Nagios, you will focus on the standard set of Nagios plugins and also focus on teach you how to efficiently manage large configurations and using templates. Once you are up to speed with this, you will get to know the concept and working of notifications and events in Nagios. The book will then uncover the concept of passive check and shows how to use NRDP (Nagios Remote Data Processor). The focus then shifts to how Nagios checks can be run on remote machines and SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) can be used from Nagios. Lastly, the book will demonstrate how to extend Nagios by creating custom check commands, custom ways of notifying users and showing how passive checks and NRDP can be used to integrate your solutions with Nagios. By the end of the book, you will be a competent system administrator who could monitor mid-size businesses or even large scale enterprises. Style and approach This will be a practical learning guide for system administrators which will teach them everything about Nagios along with implementing it for your organization and then ending with securing it.

Discover over 70 real-world examples to overcome the most complex concepts you will face developing with Visualforce About This Book This book provides an enhanced user experience with dynamically-generated, reactive pages Access data over additional channels via public web sites and mobile pages Packed with easy-to-follow recipes, including step-by-step instructions and Apex/Visualforce code downloads this title is the all in one package you need to get more from Visualforce. Who This Book Is For This book will be beneficial to developers who are already well-versed with the basics of Visualforce. An awareness of the standard component library and the purpose of controllers is expected. What You Will Learn Pass parameters between Visualforce pages Update attributes in component controllers Avoid validation errors with action regions Refresh record details from embedded Visualforce Create and develop a website template from scratch Get to know about the Salesforce Lightening Design system and use Visualforce in Salesforce1 Effectively tackle frequently-faced problems while developing Visualforce pages In Detail Visualforce is a framework that allows developers to build sophisticated, custom user interfaces that can be hosted natively on the Force.com platform. The Visualforce framework includes a tag-based markup language, similar to HTML that is used to write the Visualforce pages and a set of controllers that are used to write business logic to the Visualforce pages. Visualforce Development Cookbook provides solutions to a variety of challenges faced by Salesforce developers and demonstrates how easy it is to build rich, interactive pages using Visualforce. Whether you are looking to make a minor addition to the standard page functionality or override it completely, this book will provide you with the help you require throughout. You will start by learning about the simple utilities and will build up to more advanced techniques for data visualization and to reuse functionality. You will learn how to perform various tasks such as creating multiple records from a single page, visualizing data as charts, using JavaScript to enhance client-side functionality, building a public website, and making data available to a mobile device. With an interesting chapter on tackling common issues faced while developing Visualforce pages, the book provides lots of practical examples to enhance and extend your Salesforce user interface. Style and approach Following a cookbook structure, the book provides recipes on some essential technical scenarios and a few that focus on real-world development problems. This book is packed with illustrations and contains lots of code samples to improve your understanding.

Master the art of building dynamic, modern web applications with React About This Book Learn the hot new frontend web framework from Facebook – ReactJS, an easy way of developing the V in MVC and a better approach to software engineering in JavaScript A fast-paced guide to designing and building scalable and maintainable web apps with React.js Learn all the new ES6 features and be among the most prominent JavaScript developers who can write efficient JS programs as per the latest standards Master the art of building modern web applications using React Learn to build modern native iOS and Android applications using JavaScript and the incredible power of React Who This Book Is For This course is for web developers that want to unlock high performance dynamism in the applications that they create. If you want a comprehensive journey into one of the most important JavaScript frameworks around today, dive into this course. What You Will Learn Take control of the front end with reactive JavaScript programming Discover what ReactJS offers your development - before mastering it Create React elements with properties and children Use JSX to speed up your React development process Test your React components with the Jest test framework Learn the latest syntax of ES6 Execute ES6 in a non-supported ES6 environment Learn the principles of object-oriented programming Create a complete single-page application Use an application design plan to write smarter, more meaningful code Learn how to use animations to give extra style to your application Get to grips with the React Native environment Write your own custom native UI components Integrate native modules in Objective-C and Java that interact with JavaScript In Detail ReactJS has helped to transform the web as we know it. Designed by Facebook to help developers build rapid, responsive UI that can deal with data-intensive usage, it’s an essential component in any web developer’s skillset. This ReactJS course, in five connected modules, provides you with a fast, engaging and practical route into ReactJS—so you can build powerful, elegant, and modern web applications. Beginning with the Reactive Programming with JavaScript module, you will learn how to take advantage of a reactive and functional programming paradigm to rethink how you approach your JavaScript code. It’s built to help you understand the concepts, relevant and applicable for any frontend developer. You’ll then dive a little deeper into ReactJS. The second module gives you a rapid look through the fundamentals of ReactJS, showing you how to build a basic application and demonstrating how to implement the Flux architecture. In the third module you will get to grips with ES6—this will make you a more fluent JavaScript developer, giving you control over ReactJS. You can put your old JavaScript hacks aside and instead explore how to create ES6 custom iterators. In the final two modules you’ll learn how to fully master ReactJS, exploring its wider ecosystem of tools that have helped to make it one of the most important tools in web development today. Ending with insights and guidance on React Native, the tool built for today’s demand for native, intuitive user experiences and interfaces, with this course you can be confident in building dynamic and modern apps with React. Style and approach Consisting of five separate modules, journey from the fundamentals of reactive programming to the exciting possibilities of React Native. Each module builds on each other, helping you to incrementally develop your skills and knowledge.

Master the art of making Docker more extensible, composable, and modular by leveraging plugins and other supporting tools About This Book Get the first book on the market that shows you how to extend the capabilities of Docker using plugins and third-party tools Master the skills of creating various plugins and integrating great tools in order to enhance the functionalities of Docker A practical and learning guide that ensures your investment in Docker becomes more valuable Who This Book Is For This book is for developers and sys admins who are well versed Docker and have knowledge on basic programming languages. If you can’t wait to extend Docker and customize it to meet your requirements, this is the book for you! What You Will Learn Find out about Docker plugins and the problems they solve Gain insights into creating your own plugin Use Docker tools to extend the basic functionality of the core Docker engine Get to grips with the installation and configuration of third-party tools available to use with Docker plugins Install, configure, and use a scheduling service to manage the containers in your environment Enhance your day-to-day Docker usage through security, troubleshooting, and best practices In Detail With Docker, it is possible to get a lot of apps running on the same old servers, making it very easy to package and ship programs. The ability to extend Docker using plugins and load third-party plugins is incredible, and organizations can massively benefit from it. In this book, you will read about what first and third party tools are available to extend the functionality of your existing Docker installation and how to approach your next Docker infrastructure deployment. We will show you how to work with Docker plugins, install it, and cover its lifecycle. We also cover network and volume plugins, and you will find out how to build your own plugin. You’ll discover how to integrate it with Puppet, Ansible, Jenkins, Flocker, Rancher, Packer, and more with third-party plugins. Then, you’ll see how to use Schedulers such as Kubernetes and Amazon ECS. Finally, we’ll delve into security, troubleshooting, and best practices when extending Docker. By the end of this book, you will learn how to extend Docker and customize it based on your business requirements with the help of various tools and plugins. Style and approach An easy to follow guide with plenty of hands-on practical examples which can be executed both on your local machine or externally hosted services.

Create a fascinating 3D printing-ready puzzle in no time! About This Book Learn how to design a 3D printable model from an existing physical object Rekindle your mathematical mind to design perfectly interlocking complex pieces of a puzzle Personalize the puzzle’s design with a photo or shape of your own choice Who This Book Is For The book is meant for fairly advanced 3D printing designers who know their way around Blender, and know how to print out basic shapes. What You Will Learn Design, manipulate, and export 3D models for 3D printing with Blender Master the art from creating meshes, scaling, subdivision, and adding detail with the Boolean modifier to sculpting a custom shape Cut a model into small pieces and learn to design complex interlocking joints In Detail Jigsaw puzzles derive their name from when they were cut from wood sheets using a hand-woodworking tool called a jig saw back in the 1760s. Have you ever wondered how a model idea for a jigsaw puzzle is articulated, and how it was made with these traditional toolsThrough this book, you will master the techniques of designing simple to complex puzzles models for 3D printing. We will quickly introduce you to some simple and effective principles of designing 3D printed objects using Blender. Through the course of the book, you'll explore various robust sculpting methods supported by Blender that allow you to edit objects with actions such as bends or curves, similar to drawing or building up a clay structure of different shapes and sizes. Finally, when the model is sculpted, you'll learn some methods to cut the model and carve out multiple pieces of perfectly-fitting edges of different geometries to complete the puzzle. Style and approach This practical guide explores the union of 3D printing techniques and working with Blender to create intuitive puzzle designs. With a step-by-step approach, you'll learn to use Blender’s shape editing tools to make a basic puzzle shape and combine that with the sculpted model to create the final piece for 3D printing.

Lucifer Cynster has sworn never to pledge his heart -- but fate has other plans...The last unwed Cynster, Alasdair -- known as Lucifer -- has escaped to Devon one step ahead of London's matchmaking mamas. Yet, despite his dedication to avoiding the parson's mousetrap, the irresistible Phyllida Tallent -- a willful, independent beauty -- brings all his masterful Cynster instincts rioting to the fore. Initially Lucifer tries to suppress the desire Phyllida evokes, but fate intervenes, leaving him facing the ultimate challenge for a Cynster -- wooing a reluctant bride.Her wit, charm, and beauty have garnered Phyllida a bevy of suitors, but not one has tempted her the way Lucifer does. His offer to teach her all about love is almost too tantalizing to refuse. And although she has not yet surrendered completely, Phyllida knows only a fool resists a determined Cynster.And Phyllida is certainly no one's fool.

The Search For Her Sister Could Cost A Woman Her Life Christy McKenna, the smartest fashion writer in New York, thought she'd escaped her childhood in the impoverished rural West. Then came a call for help from the one person she could not refuse her sister, the internationally celebrated model known only as Jo.Jo's plea draws Christy back to the magnificent mountains and mysterious red-rock canyons of the Four Corners country. But she's too late Jo has disappeared. However, Christy does find an unlikely ally in outlaw archaeologist Aaron Cain, and together they pursue Jo and a fabulous cache of ancient Indian artifacts worth millions.Christy and Cain clash at every turn, but their antagonism soon turns into partnership and blazing passion.

Based on Lawrence Block's extremely popular seminar for writers. Discover Block's tips for overcoming writer's block and unleashing your creativity.

Steve Harvey New York Times bestselling author, nationally syndicated television and radio host, accomplished entrepreneur, and esteemed philanthropist shares his personal principles of success, in this enlightening work that will guide you to a life of riches.Steve Harvey was not always the dynamic television host and internationally renowned funny man whom we know and love today. It took him years to recognize his personal gift his unique talent of making people laugh, and listen and even then he still struggled, at one point being homeless and living out of his car. But through it all he remained focused on his goals, using his gift and his tenacity to achieve unimaginable success. And now, in Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success, he's paying it forward to help you live your dreams and create your own legacy.Every person is born with a gift whether it's the ability to solve problems, connect with people, or create beauty with your hands and that gift can never be taken away from you. You need only to harness it, build it, and attach it to the right vehicle, using it in your job, your marriage, your community, and every aspect of your life. With Steve's easy advice and his sensible yet innovative principles, Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success is your road map to identifying your gift, perfecting it, and letting it transform your life.Finding success and creating a legacy is not easy it takes time, and courage. With this essential guide, and through Steve's warm humor and remarkable insights, you can harness your gift and create the life you've always wanted. You need only to open this book and begin.Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success will inspire you. It will motivate you. And it will change your life.

How is it possible to have vivid memories of something that never happenedHow can siblings remember the same event from their childhoods so differently?Do the selections and distortions of memory reveal a truth about the self?Why are certain memories tied to specific places?Does your memory really get worse as you get older?A new consensus is emerging among cognitive scientists: rather than possessing fixed, unchanging memories, we create recollections anew each time we are called upon to remember. As the psychologist Charles Fernyhough explains, remembering is an act of narrative imagination as much as it is the product of a neurological process. In Pieces of Light, he eloquently illuminates this compelling scientific breakthrough via a series of personal stories a visit to his college campus to see if his memories hold up, an interview with his ninety-three-year-old grandmother, conversations with those whose memories are affected by brain damage and trauma each illustrating memory's complex synergy of cognitive and neurological functions.Fernyhough guides readers through the fascinating new science of autobiographical memory, covering topics including imagination and the power of sense associations to cue remembering. Exquisitely written and meticulously researched, Pieces of Light brings together science and literature, the ordinary and the extraordinary, to help us better understand the ways we remember and the ways we forget.

A desperate need Sassy Grace Atwood never expected to find her proper self accidentally tumbling into a stranger's bed. If she weren't desperate for a man to lead a wagon train of brides to a woman-starved town out West, she never would have gone near Jackson Blake-former lawman or not. She should send the ruggedly charming Texan packing...only he's perfect for the job. Now if her mind would just stop going blank every time she looked at him, they might get this train to Kansas yet.A comsuming passion What's a man to do when a beautiful woman leans over his bed in the middle of the nightCome to think of it, that was the only time Blake's ever seen the straitlaced Miss Atwood the least bit ruffled. He's certain that beneath her buttoned-up appearance lies a passionate woman aching to break free. But though Blake longs to take her in his arms, all he can offer Grace is a life on the run. And when the demons from his past catch up with them, Blake is couaght between the ties that bind and a love that could last...always and forever.

Even the hardest heart can be softened by love ...Cassandra Zerek is a true innocent in a wild anddangerous place -- but her indomitable spirit and gentle soul make her stronger than anyone suspects.The owner of a Colorado mining empire, Luke Taggart's wealth and position can buy him anything, yet he has grown bored with a life of saloons, gambling, and loose women. Nothing soothes his restless inner yearning -- until he spies Cassandra, as fresh and pure as a spring morning, and vows he will possess her. The radiant, charmingly nave youngbeauty seems blind to the depth of Luke's desire or the lengths he is willing to go to seduce her. But the lady is wise, with an unwavering faith in the magical powers of love. And she's determined to awaken the good man hiding in Luke's tormented heart, for only one precious giftwill truly win her: his deep, passionate, and unsullied love.

New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky captures the magic and truth of love in this delightful tale, first published in 1983, of opposites attracting.A controversial Boston radio talk-show host, Monica Grant is a strong, willful, and independent woman. She wants an equally strong man. Someone like the heroes in the romance novels she's addicted to . . . someone like Michael Shaw.A cop with the heart of a poet, Michael is looking for that special someone, too an old-fashioned, feminine woman. And for some reason he thinks Monica just might be the one. By turns infuriatingly chauvinistic and irresistibly attractive, Michael demands something from Monica that she doesn't know if she can give or even wants to. With Michael, can she find the happy ending of her own love story?

New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky enthralls millions of readers with emotionally powerful stories that vividly demonstrate the heart's, power to love. Here, first published in 1984, is an unforgettable story of a woman who must discover who she is before she can give herself to the man she loves.Although he'd already heard a great deal about Rachel Busek, nothing prepared Jim Guthrie for the beautiful flutist's gentle grace. A rough-hewn private investigator, Jim is nearly overwhelmed with the urge to love and protect her. And Rachel is both amazed and delighted at the ease with which Jim slips into her life. Yet as quick passion gives way to leisurely love, Rachel finds herself holding back. Troubling pieces of her past remain a mystery even to her, and keep her from trusting her heart. Now, she must either discover the truth about her past or risk losing the first man in her life worth keeping.