For anyone who fears the thought of writing and giving a speech--be it to business associates, or at a wedding--help is at hand. Acclaimed presidential speechwriter Peggy Noonan shares her secrets to becoming a confidence, persuasive speaker demystifying topics including: Finding you own authentic voice Developing a text that interest you Acing the all-important first paragraph Using logic to move your audience Creating, developing, and reinventing the "core speech" for diverse audiences Strengthening your speech with a vital element: humor Winnowing your thought down to the essentials Handling professional jargon, clich s, and the sound bite syndrome Presenting your speech in the best way Collecting intellectual income--conversing your speech treasures Breaking all the rules and still succeeding Reading for inspiration--how to use the excellence of others Complete with lessons, tips and memorable examples, On Speaking Well shows us how to create forceful, persuasive, relevant speeches that will resonate with our audiences. Engaging, informative, and always entertaining, this is undoubtedly the authoritative how-to guide for anyone writing or giving a speech

A Far-out adventure! The President of the United States has chosen Stanley Lambchop and his family to become the first humans to fly in the Star Scout, a new top-secret spaceship. Stanley's most exciting adventure is about to begin. He'll meet the Queen of England, have a birthday party in outer space, and save a whole planet of aliens from danger. Oh, that Stanley!

Is Stanley flat again!Stanley Lambchop has had his share of unusual adventures. But being flat was one thing he thought he was through with forever. Then one morning, he discovers he was wrong. Still, there is so much that a boy who is only one inch thick can do that a round person can’t. Maybe this time, all it will take is one amazing event for everything to finally make sense.

This "masterful treatment of one of the most complex periods of American history" (New Republic ) made history when it was originally published in 1988. It redefined how Reconstruction was viewed by historians and people everywhere in its chronicling of how Americans -- black and white -- responded to the unprecedented changes unleashed by the war and the end of slavery. This "smart book of enormous strengths" (Boston Globe ) has since gone on to become the classic work on the wrenching post-Civil War period -- an era whose legacy reverberates still today in the United States.

The time when "fashion" was defined by French designers whose clothes could be afforded only by elite has ended. Now designers take their cues from mainstream consumers and creativity is channeled more into mass-marketing clothes than into designing them. Indeed, one need look no further than the Gap to see proof of this. In The End of Fashion, Wall Street Journal, reporter Teri Agins astutely explores this seminal change, laying bare all aspects of the fashion industry from manufacturing, retailing, anmd licensing to image making and financing. Here as well are fascinating insider vignettes that show Donna Karan fighting with financiers,the rivalry between Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, and the commitment to haute conture that sent Isaac Mizrahi's business spiraling.

My Weirder School weirder than ever! Election day is right around the corner, and guess who's running for class presidentA.J. and Andrea! Mayor Hubble is going to teach the kids all the ins and outs of politics, and every vote counts. Who's going to winWho's going to loseAnd who's going to kiss a babyEw, gross!

A journey beyond imagination is about to unfold. . . . It begins in the most boring place in the world: Chickentown, U.S.A. There lives Candy Quackenbush, her heart bursting for some clue as to what her future might hold. When the answer comes, it's not one she expects. Welcome to the Abarat.

Food is meant to be enjoyed, and Sophie Dahl would have it no other way. Growing up in a family of true food lovers, she began cooking at a young age and never looked back. Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights presents nearly one hundred of her tried-and-true recipes, organized around the four seasons and using the freshest ingredients available. Accented with her stories about how she came to know these foods and why she loves them, Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights provides a complete picture of what a meal should provide. From lemon-scented summer stews, to crisply burnished pies, to salads and soups for breezy lunches, to decadent desserts, Sophie Dahl cooks food that is indulgent, delicious, and wholesome.

What if your mother-in-law turned out to be evil. . . literallyEver since fabulously wealthy Malcolm Doran walked into her life and swept her off her feet, fledgling architect Jane Boyle has been living a fairy tale. When he proposes with a stunning diamond to seal the deal, Jane can't believe her incredible luck and decides to leave her Paris-based job to make a new start with Malcolm in New York. But when Malcolm introduces Jane to the esteemed Doran clan, one of Manhattan most feared and revered families, Jane fairy tale takes a darker turn. Soon everything she thought she knew about the world and herself is upended. Now Jane must struggle with newfound magical abilities and the threat of those who will stop at nothing to get them. Cover Art ABC 2012 ABC logo is a registered trademark of American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I'm still a child. Thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me. . . ." Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleepYour name, your identity, your past, even the people you love all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may be telling you only half the story. Welcome to Christine's life.

The legend begins... Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia to be raised in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. The best of all the Greeks strong, beautiful, and the child of a goddess Achilles is everything the shamed Patroclus is not. Yet despite their differences, the boys become steadfast companions. Their bond deepens as they grow into young men and become skilled in the arts of war and medicine much to the displeasure and the fury of Achilles’ mother, Thetis, a cruel sea goddess with a hatred of mortals. When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece, bound by blood and oath, must lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice. Built on the groundwork of the Iliad , Madeline Miller page-turning, profoundly moving, and blisteringly paced retelling of the epic Trojan War marks the launch of a dazzling career.

I had a life anyone would kill for. Then someone did. The worst part of being dead is that there nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet. Now Emma desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friendsConvince my boyfriend she the girl he fell in love withPretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good nightAnd can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every moveFrom Sara Shepard, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars books, comes a riveting new series about secrets, lies, and killer consequences. Let the lying game begin.

The first book of a thrilling prequel arc in Erin Hunter's #1 nationally bestselling Warriors series! In the action-packed Dawn of the Clans arc, discover how the warrior Clans came to be. Long before Firestar left his kittypet home to join ThunderClan, a band of cats from the mountains set off on a dangerous journey in search of a new home. . . . Dawn of the Clans #1: The Sun Trail delivers all the epic adventure and thrilling fantasy that Warriors fans have come to expect. This prequel arc is the perfect introduction for new Warriors readers and a long-awaited tale of the origins of the Clans that will thrill dedicated Erin Hunter fans!

A deadly love triangle Elena: beautiful and popular, the girl who can have any guy she wants. Stefan: brooding and mysterious, desperately trying to resist his desire for Elena . . . for her own good. Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Elena finds herself drawn to both brothers . . . who will she choose?

Torn between two vampire brothers Damon: determined to make Elena his, he'd kill his own brother to possess her. Stefan: desperate for the power to destroy Damon, and protect Elena, he gives in to his thirst for human blood. Elena: the girl who can have anyone finds herself in the middle of a love triangle . . . one that might turn deadly.

Release stuck stress with MELT Over a decade ago, Sue Hitzmann was at the height of her career as an international fitness presenter and instructor. She appeared to be in perfect health, yet she was experiencing debilitating pain in her foot. With a master degree in exercise science and advanced training in neuromuscular therapy, she thought it would be easy to find out what was going on in her body, but even the most prominent doctors and physical therapists couldn't explain what was wrong. Although she was only in her twenties, Hitzmann career was threatened and her quality of life was in decline. Hitzmann learned the hard way that diet, exercise, and muscular strength are not the foundation of a healthy, pain-free body. As she sought the true source of her pain, she radically changed her focus from fitness to hands-on bodywork. In her quest to live an active, pain-free life, she became fascinated by the emerging science of connective tissue, or fascia, which surrounds all aspects of your body, including your muscles, bones, nerves, and organs. The researchers she met were discovering that connective tissue the system of the body that supports, protects, and stabilizes was responsive, adaptable, and renewable. What Hitzmann came to realize is that connective tissue dehydration is the underlying cause of the daily aches, stiffness, and strain that leads to pain, as well as weight gain, sleep problems, and many other seemingly unrelated issues. Through her personal exploration and private practice, she developed the MELT Method, and has since trained thousands of instructors in the science and application of Hands-Off Bodywork. MELT can help you fall asleep more easily and sleep more soundly, have more energy during the day, improve your posture, reduce stress and tension, shed excess body fat, and reduce cellulite. While it may seem too good to be true, it worked for more than 200,000 people so far. Translated into eight languages, The MELT Method is now helping people around the world. Live your best, most youthful and vibrant life possible. Free yourself of chronic pain and be healthy and active with MELT!

I never have been in love; it is not my way, or my nature; and I do not think I ever shall. Emma Woodhouse is certain of one thing: that she an excellent matchmaker . . . even though she never been in love. Emma dives into the game of finding an admirer for her newest project, Harriet Smith. But Emma quickly realizes she in over her head and that she might lose everything if she keeps playing. Beautifully presented for a modern teen audience, this is the must-have edition of Jane Austen timeless romantic satire.

In combat, men measure up. Or don't. There are no second chances. In this vivid account of the U.S. Army's legendary 10th Mountain Division's heroic stand in the mountains of Afghanistan, Captain Sean Parnell shares an action-packed and highly emotional true story of triumph, tragedy, and the extraordinary bonds forged in battle. At twenty-four years of age, U.S. Army Ranger Sean Parnell was named commander of a forty-man elite infantry platoon a unit that came to be known as the Outlaws and was tasked with rooting out Pakistan-based insurgents from a mountain valley along Afghanistan's eastern frontier. Parnell and his men assumed they would be facing a ragtag bunch of civilians, but in May 2006 what started out as a routine patrol through the lower mountains of the Hindu Kush became a brutal ambush. Barely surviving the attack, Parnell's men now realized that they faced the most professional and seasoned force of light infantry the U.S. Army had encountered since the end of World War II. What followed was sixteen months of close combat, over the course of which the platoon became Parnell's family: from Staff Sergeant Greg Greeson, the wise, chain-smoking veteran who never lost his cool; to Specialist Robert Pinholt, a buttoned-down conservative with the heart of a warrior and the mind of an economist; to Staff Sergeant Phil Baldwin, the platoon's voice of calm and reason, a man who sacrificed everything following the events of 9/11 career, home, financial stability to serve his country. But the cost of battle was high for these men: Over 80 percent were wounded in action, putting their casualty rate among the highest since Gettysburg, and not all of them made it home. A searing and unforgettable story of friendship in battle, Outlaw Platoon brings to life the intensity and raw emotion of those sixteen months, showing how the fight reshaped the lives of Parnell and his men and how the love and faith they found in one another ultimately kept them alive.

On the unforgiving Arctic Ice . . . United once again, Toklo, Lusa, Kallik, and Ujurak continue across the ice. Conditions are harsh and especially treacherous for the black bear and grizzly bears who are not used to the brutal cold, never-ending snow, and limited food. But the bears are certain now that they're on the right course, and with the stars still guiding them, they push forward. When they reach land at last, the group is overjoyed, but something is not right. The bears who live here are ill. What's wrong with themWhat can the foursome do to helpIs aiding these strangers the ultimate goal of their questUjurak just might hold the key to their mission in his paws, yet it's Lusa the new bears are especially interested in. Three young cubs, each from different backgrounds, and their mysterious shape-shifting companion have grown up together in their long and dangerous journey to save the wild. Now, when their task appears more difficult than ever, the bears must make a critical decision . . . and for one bear the path ends here.

Master GUI programming in Tkinter as you design, implement, and deliver ten real-world applications from start to finish About This Book Conceptualize and build state-of-art GUI applications with Tkinter Tackle the complexity of just about any size GUI application with a structured and scalable approach A project-based, practical guide to get hands-on into Tkinter GUI development Who This Book Is For Software developers, scientists, researchers, engineers, students, or programming hobbyists with basic familiarity in Python will find this book interesting and informative. People familiar with basic programming constructs in other programming language can also catch up with some brief reading on Python. No GUI programming experience is expected. What You Will Learn Get to know the basic concepts of GUI programming, such as Tkinter top-level widgets, geometry management, event handling, using callbacks, custom styling, and dialogs Create apps that can be scaled in size or complexity without breaking down the core Write your own GUI framework for maximum code reuse Build apps using both procedural and OOP styles, understanding the strengths and limitations of both styles Learn to structure and build large GUI applications based on Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture Build multithreaded and database-driven apps Create apps that leverage resources from the network Learn basics of 2D and 3D animation in GUI applications Develop apps that can persist application data with object serialization and tools such as configparser In Detail Tkinter is the built-in GUI package that comes with standard Python distributions. It is a cross-platform package, which means you build once and deploy everywhere. It is simple to use and intuitive in nature, making it suitable for programmers and non-programmers alike. This book will help you master the art of GUI programming. It delivers the bigger picture of GUI programming by building real-world, productive, and fun applications such as a text editor, drum machine, game of chess, media player, drawing application, chat application, screen saver, port scanner, and many more. In every project, you will build on the skills acquired in the previous project and gain more expertise. You will learn to write multithreaded programs, network programs, database driven programs and more. You will also get to know the modern best practices involved in writing GUI apps. With its rich source of sample code, you can build upon the knowledge gained with this book and use it in your own projects in the discipline of your choice. Style and approach An easy-to-follow guide, full of hands-on examples of real-world GUI programs. The first chapter is a must read as it explains most of the things you need to get started with writing GUI programs with Tkinter. Each subsequent chapter is a stand-alone project that discusses some aspects of GUI programming in detail. These chapters can be read sequentially or randomly depending upon the readers experience with Python.

A complete guide to dominating search engines with your WordPress siteAbout This BookEverything you need to get your WordPress site to the top of search engines and bring thousands of new customers to your blog or businessLearn everything from keyword research and link building to customer conversions, in this complete guidePacked with real-word examples to help get your site noticed on Google, Yahoo, and Bing Who This Book Is For This book is for anyone who runs any of the over 90,000,000 WordPress installations throughout the world. If you can login to your WordPress website, you can implement most of the tips in this book without any coding experience.What You Will LearnThe elements that search engines use to rank websites—and how to optimize your site for premium placementHarness social media sites to extend the reach of your site and gain more visitorsDiscover the high-volume, high-value search phrases that customers use when searching for your products or servicesAvoid dangerous black-hat optimization techniques and the people who advocate and purvey themBuild high-quality, high-value links from other websites to raise your rankings in search enginesCreate optimized and engaging content that both search engines and readers will loveAvoid common SEO mistakes that can get your site penalized by search engines In Detail WordPress is a powerful platform for creating feature-rich and attractive websites but, with a little extra tweaking and effort, your WordPress site can dominate search engines and bring thousands of new customers to your business. WordPress Search Engine Optimization will show you the secrets that professional SEO companies use to take websites to the top of search results. You'll take your WordPress site to the next level; you'll brush aside even the stiffest competition with the advanced tutorials in this book.Style and approach This is a practical, hands-on book based around sound SEO techniques specifically applied to WordPress. Each chapter starts with a brief overview of the important concepts then quickly moves into practical step-by-step actions you can take immediately. Throughout the book, you'll get clear instructions and detailed screenshots, so you can see exactly what to do each step of the way.