From the critically acclaimed author of Crazy '08 comes the thrilling true story of the most colorful and notorious law firm in American history. Scoundrels in Law offers an inside look at crime and punishment in the nineteenth century, and a whirlwind tour of the Gilded Age. Gangsters and con men. Spurned mistresses and wandering husbands. Strippers and Broadway royalty. Cat killers and spiritualists. These were the friends and clients of Howe Hummel, the most famous (and famously rotten) law firm in nineteenth-century America.The partners gloried in their reputation and made a rich living from it. William Howe left London a step ahead of the law to find his destiny defending the perpetrators of murder and mayhem in post-Civil War New York, in an age of really good murders. A dramatic, diamond-encrusted presence, Howe was one of the great courtroom orators of his era, winning improbable acquittals time after time.Abraham Hummel enjoyed a quieter but perhaps more fearsome notoriety, shaking down high society so well and so often that receiving an envelope with the law firm's name on it became almost a rite of passage.The partners bestrode Gilded Age New York with wit and brio, and everyone from Theodore Roosevelt to Lola Montez had a part in their story. In Howe Hummel's prime, it would not have been unusual to see a leading politician, a pickpocket, a Broadway star, a bank robber, and a socialite all crowded together into the waiting room of their offices, located conveniently across the street from the city jail. Howe and Hummel were not particularly good men. They were perfectly ready even eager to lie, cheat, and bribe on behalf of their clients. They did stop short of murder, though, a principle that played a critical role when the famous firm imploded in a truly spectacular web of deceit gone wrong.Through the windows of the dingy premises of Howe Hummel, readers can glimpse the Gilded Age in all its grime and grandeur. Cait Murphy restores this once-famous duo to their rightful place in the pantheon of great American characters.

Time is not money.Time is more important than money. Today's customers are overwhelmed, overworked, and overstressed, and it seems that everyone from CEOs to soccer moms is short on time and inundated with information. As a result, despite the availability of 24/7 commerce and countless ways of engaging people in our multiscreen (mobile, TV, and PC) economy, companies find it more difficult than ever to claim even a fraction of the 1,440 minutes in their customers' precious 24 hours. In The 24-Hour Customer, Adrian C. Ott, CEO of a successful Silicon Valley consultancy, argues that companies need to strategically harness the ebbs and flows of customer time and attention in order to win in today's competitive landscape. She explores the economics of time and attention, including why customers will devote hours addicted to social networks, yet will say "I have no time!" to other offerings. Based on extensive research and real-world results with market-leading companies, this book provides tools, such as Time-Value Tradeoffs and Time-ographics, that pinpoint opportunities to increase revenue and gain market traction. Filled with fascinating case studies from companies like Johnson Johnson, Amazon, and iPhone app start-ups, The 24-Hour Customer offers fresh ideas for capitalizing on the elements of time, attention, and value to innovate never-before-considered products, services, and programs for today's ber-connected, multitasking customer. Readers will discover how: Zipcar utilized time-slicing to redefine automobile ownership and grew by 70 percent, while the auto industry struggled in 2009; Netflix, Hulu, and others time-shifted to movies on-demand, ultimately restructuring the entertainment industry; P&G leveraged inattention by enabling habit-formation for some of its most successful brands. This book shares the latest strategic weapons for achieving market leadership and will change the way executives think about their businesses and their customers.

Award-winning journalist and leading consumer advocate William J. McGee offers a shocking, essential exposé that reveals the real state of the "friendly skies."From outsourced call centers in India to the Alabama location where all lost baggage ends up, William J. McGee crisscrossed the country and traveled around the globe immersing himself deep into the world of commercial airlines. And what he found was shocking.McGee interviewed countless industry insiders pilots, TSA security screeners, FAA inspectors, legislators, the CEOs of the major carriers, and even Ralph Nader and Steven Slater, the disgruntled flight attendant who famously jettisoned a JetBlue flight. Here he reveals how airline executives are cutting costs in "a mad race to the bottom" by delegating flights to second-tier regional airlines and outsourcing critical aircraft maintenance and repairs to unlicensed "mechanics" in China, Singapore, Mexico, and El Salvador. And while the U.S. airlines have raked in tens of billions of dollars for checked baggage alone in recent years, our skies (and our airports) are not getting any safer. What's more, McGee explains how both political parties and all branches of the U.S. government have conspired to place corporate interests above the interests of consumers, workers, the nation's economy, and even the planet itself. Attention All Passengers will change the way you view the airline industry and make you think twice the next time you see the fasten seat belts sign.

Raised in small-town Arkansas, Billy Bob Thornton grew up amid a rich storytelling tradition. See, the South is just different than other places. . . . You can feel the ghosts there. As a kid, he would sit on the porch listening to his family or some old man down the road spinning yarns about colorful neighbors. These stories didn't have to be made up. The characters were already there, so the stories just came out of the characters we knew. Thus was borne his Oscar-winning masterpiece Sling Blade and now The Billy Bob Tapes a narrative based on late-night conversations with Kinky Friedman and other friends who gathered 'round to hear Billy mine a cave full of ghosts. Billy grew up shooting squirrels, playing drums in VFW clubs, and dreaming of rock 'n' roll stardom or pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals. Then at sixteen he took a drama class to meet chicks and met Mrs. Treadway, who noticed the young man's talent and encouraged him as an actor and writer. "You don't know what it's like to be a drama teacher in a small town in Arkansas where nobody really cares," she said, "but let me tell you something. You can do this." Everything I've accomplished since, I can trace back to this woman, Maudie Treadway.The colorful characters, stories, and experiences of his youth would find their way into Billy's work, in his films and music, and in his perspective and attitude. It's like the old saying goes: you can take the boy out of the hills, but you can't take the hills out of the boy. That boy did leave the hills for Hollywood Hills. A true fish out of water, he recalls stories of miserable jobs, the cheapest accommodations, and physical hunger but also a devoted writing partner Tom Epperson, a life-changing acting teacher in L.A., and a compassionate nurse who snuck him milk shakes when he was near starvation. But there was always the dream of being an actor, and his fortunes turned when he served hors d'oeuvres as a catering waiter to legendary director Billy Wilder, who advised him, "Write about your interesting life." Billy's long career in Hollywood yields stories of inspired collaborations and failed ones, true friendships with other actors and musicians, and good friends gone too soon. In The Billy Bob Tapes, he reflects on the critics, the culture around fame, and the challenges of conveying an artistic vision in film. Most striking is Billy's clear-eyed perspective about the magic of entertainment, and how we perceive it in a rapidly changing world. With passion, unvarnished honesty, wry humor, and a little help from friends Angelina Jolie, Robert Duvall, Dwight Yoakam, Tom Epperson, and Daniel Lanois, Billy Bob finally talks.

A Kesley and Lambert novel. A chance meeting with the attractive Julie Dawson should have been no more than a pleasant interlude for DS Lambert. When she is reported missing two months later however, Lambert decides to look into the matter himself. He discovers that Dawson may be conducting her own private investigation, and starts to follow in her footsteps - but will the trail, which has already unearthed suspicious deaths from the past, lead to a present-day murder?

A short story by Joanna Briscoe from the collection Reader, I Married Him：Stories inspired by Jane Eyre. In ‘To Hold’, a woman looks back on her life, which has been defined by three marriages. Edited by Tracy Chevalier, the full collection, Reader, I Married Him, brings together some of the finest and most creative voices in fiction today, to celebrate and salute the strength and lasting relevance of Charlotte Bront?’s game-changing novel and its beloved narrator.

A short story by Francine Prose from the collection Reader, I Married Him：Stories inspired by Jane Eyre. ‘The Mirror’ boldly imagines Jane Eyre’s married life after the novel ends. Edited by Tracy Chevalier, the full collection, Reader, I Married Him, brings together some of the finest and most creative voices in fiction today, to celebrate and salute the strength and lasting relevance of Charlotte Bront?’s game-changing novel and its beloved narrator.

A short story by Tracy Chevalier from the collection Reader, I Married Him：Stories inspired by Jane Eyre. In ‘Dorset Gap’, two students walk in the countryside after a night of partying and miscommunicate over Jane Eyre. Edited by Tracy Chevalier, the full collection, Reader I Married Him, brings together some of the finest and most creative voices in fiction today, to celebrate and salute the strength and lasting relevance of Charlotte Bront?’s game-changing novel and its beloved narrator.

A short story by Esther Freud from the collection Reader, I Married Him：Stories inspired by Jane Eyre. In ‘Transference’, a woman in a troubled relationship is drawn to her enigmatic therapist. Edited by Tracy Chevalier, the full collection, Reader I Married Him, brings together some of the finest and most creative voices in fiction today, to celebrate and salute the strength and lasting relevance of Charlotte Bront?’s game-changing novel and its beloved narrator.

A short story by Namwali Serpell from the collection Reader, I Married Him：Stories inspired by Jane Eyre. In ‘Double Men’, a secret liaison during a Zambian bonding ceremony has repercussions for two old female friends. Edited by Tracy Chevalier, the full collection, Reader I Married Him, brings together some of the finest and most creative voices in fiction today, to celebrate and salute the strength and lasting relevance of Charlotte Bront?’s game-changing novel and its beloved narrator.

Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk and Mean Girls. Margot Blythe：20-something, sharp, friendly and totally incapable of letting her college glory days go. When she returns to her old college as an advisor, she can't wait to be reunited with her sorority sisters. But her homecoming reception isn't exactly what she expected. Tragedy strikes, sending shock waves down sorority row, and Margot is forced to step up. She's determined to save her fifty frazzled sisters, keep the suspicious (but dangerously cute) police officer at bay and find out the real truth - could a sister have committed such an unimaginable sin as murder? A sassy, hilariously funny murder mystery where the closest bonds of friendship might just kill you ...

The final instalment of the Elementia Chronicles：an unofficial MINECRAFT-fan adventure series, inspired by the bestselling game. It’s the Republic’s darkest hour. The Noctem Alliance, under the command of the ruthless Lord Tenebris, has finally conquered the entire server of Elementia. The citizens of Element City are forced to hide underground and although President Stan has re-united with his friends, the relentless Elite Legion of Mobhunters are still in hot pursuit. Lord Tenebris is drawing more and more power from the server and his actions threaten to create a devastating glitch that could destroy Minecraft forever. Time is running out. Will President Stan be able to defeat the evil demon before it’s too late? Disclaimer：This book is not authorized, sponsored, endorsed or licensed by Mojang AB, Microsoft Corp. or any other person or entity owning or controlling any rights to the Minecraft name, trademarks or copyrights. Minecraft is a registered trademark of Mojang Synergies AB.

Public relations expert Lexi Harlow is the queen of getting her clients out of sticky situations. But can she do it for herself? After an incendiary breakup (setting fire to her cheating boyfriend’s pants), Lexi decides to play the field for the first time in her life. Two suitors are vying for her affections：New York’s most eligible bachelor and pro quarterback Jake Frost, and sports agent Kyle Caruso. But when the athlete hires the agent, and both enlist her services to take care of public relations, well… There’s only one way Lexi can get out of this love triangle before everything blows up in her face：choose one. But when the candle she’s burning at both ends meets in the middle, the choice is no longer hers.

This novelette is set parallel to events in THE VAGRANT and tells the story of what the Hammer that Walks and the goat get up to when left to their own devices…

We all have moments we wish we could relive. We'd give anything to skid down the toboggan hills of our youth, to breathe in the smell of our children as babies, or to spend just one more minute with someone we've lost. Dear Photograph provides a way to link these memories from the past to the present, overlapping them to see how the daydreams of our memories collide with our current realities.The idea is simple: hold up a photograph from the past in front of the place where it was originally taken, take a second photograph, and add a sentence of dedication about what the photograph means to you. The results, however, are astounding, which is why millions have flocked to dearphotograph.com and thousands have submitted their own Dear Photographs.This stunning visual compilation includes more than 140 never-before-seen Dear Photographs, as well as a space for you to attach your own cherished photo. By turns nostalgic, charming, and poignant, Dear Photograph evokes childhood memories, laments difficult losses, and, above all, celebrates the universal nature of love.

With information on entertaining, etiquette, housekeeping, basic home repair, decorating, sex, and beauty, The Modern Girl's Guide to Life became a sensational bestseller as young women everywhere discovered this indispensable book covered everything they should know . . . but might not. Now, in this revised edition of the classic, style maven Jane Buckingham reveals more of the helpful tips and secrets that get passed down from generation to generation, but that many of us have somehow missed.Full of practical, definitive advice on the basics the day-to-day necessities like finding a bra that fits, balancing a checkbook, making a decent cup of coffee, and hemming a pair of pants The Modern Girl's Guide to Life, Revised Edition includes new topics such as: Social Media 101: where you should and shouldn't be online Online dating: should you, shouldn't you, and how you can find the right guy Sexting: dos and don'ts Online flash sales: Are you really savingTips and tricks for eating organic, shopping at farmers' markets, and juicing safely Updated recipes, including vegan and gluten-free How to find the exercise you won't skip out on doing Interview etiquette: everything from what to wear to what to say Updated financial section . . . and more! Modern Girl guru Jane Buckingham includes loads of savvy counsel to help us feel more refined, in charge, and together as we navigate the rocky terrain that is twenty-first-century womanhood.

These days the cost of food and other basic necessities is going through the roof. Teri Gault's groundbreaking website, <"http://www.thegrocerygame.com/">www.TheGroceryGame.com, has already helped millions save serious money. And now she shares the secrets to sensible shopping in one essential volume, so you can feed your family and take care of their needs for thousands of dollars a year less! Shop Smart, Save More provides step-by-step instructions on how to: find and shop the right stores decode "Everyday Low Prices" and other grocery store lingo master the science of coupons organize your shopping list stockpile effectively recognize bogus "bargains" and anticipate real sales go green for less green . . . and much, much more!

From bra shopping to babysitting, from making close friends to making great grades, Girltalk has all the answers Upbeat and up-to-date, honest and hip, Girltalk is an "indispensable guide" (Working Mother) for girls ages eleven to eighteen. This Fourth Edition is the ultimate preteen and teen source for advice on: Body: looking and feeling your best Friendship: you don't like everybody -- why should everybody like youLove: falling in, falling out Sex: what you should know before saying yes Family: making the best of your nest Education: getting through school, getting into college Money: making it, saving it, spending it Smoking, Drinking, and Drugs: advice without lectures Quizzes: getting to know yourself

For the first time, the collected prose of national treasure Nikki GiovanniGemini: An Extended Autobiographical Statement on My First Twenty-Five Years of Being a Black PoetNominated for the National Book Award, this is a journey -- both private and public -- through the trials and triumphs of 1960s America.Sacred Cows ... And Other EdiblesWinner of the Ohioana Library Award, these fresh and wryly humorous essays explore some of America's lofty institutions and the poet's pivotal life experiences.Racism 101This collection of essays contributes a vital and critical chapter to the debate on American national values.

Here, in this compelling assembly of writings, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Dillard explores the world of natural facts and human meanings.

Leverage benefits of machine learning techniques using Python About This Book Improve and optimise machine learning systems using effective strategies. Develop a strategy to deal with a large amount of data. Use of Python code for implementing a range of machine learning algorithms and techniques. Who This Book Is For This title is for data scientist and researchers who are already into the field of data science and want to see machine learning in action and explore its real-world application. Prior knowledge of Python programming and mathematics is must with basic knowledge of machine learning concepts. What You Will Learn Learn to write clean and elegant Python code that will optimize the strength of your algorithms Uncover hidden patterns and structures in data with clustering Improve accuracy and consistency of results using powerful feature engineering techniques Gain practical and theoretical understanding of cutting-edge deep learning algorithms Solve unique tasks by building models Get grips on the machine learning design process In Detail Machine learning and predictive analytics are becoming one of the key strategies for unlocking growth in a challenging contemporary marketplace. It is one of the fastest growing trends in modern computing, and everyone wants to get into the field of machine learning. In order to obtain sufficient recognition in this field, one must be able to understand and design a machine learning system that serves the needs of a project. The idea is to prepare a learning path that will help you to tackle the real-world complexities of modern machine learning with innovative and cutting-edge techniques. Also, it will give you a solid foundation in the machine learning design process, and enable you to build customized machine learning models to solve unique problems. The course begins with getting your Python fundamentals nailed down. It focuses on answering the right questions that cove a wide range of powerful Python libraries, including scikit-learn Theano and Keras.After getting familiar with Python core concepts, it’s time to dive into the field of data science. You will further gain a solid foundation on the machine learning design and also learn to customize models for solving problems. At a later stage, you will get a grip on more advanced techniques and acquire a broad set of powerful skills in the area of feature selection and feature engineering. Style and approach This course includes all the resources that will help you jump into the data science field with Python. The aim is to walk through the elements of Python covering powerful machine learning libraries. This course will explain important machine learning models in a step-by-step manner. Each topic is well explained with real-world applications with detailed guidance.Through this comprehensive guide, you will be able to explore machine learning techniques.