The father of cognitive neuroscience and author of Human offers a provocative argument against the common belief that our lives are wholly determined by physical processes and we are therefore not responsible for our actionsA powerful orthodoxy in the study of the brain has taken hold in recent years: Since physical laws govern the physical world and our own brains are part of that world, physical laws therefore govern our behavior and even our conscious selves. Free will is meaningless, goes the mantra; we live in a determined world. Not so, argues the renowned neuroscientist Michael S. Gazzaniga in this thoughtful, provocative book based on his Gifford Lectures one of the foremost lecture series in the world dealing with religion, science, and philosophy. Who's in Chargeproposes that the mind, which is somehow generated by the physical processes of the brain, constrains the brain just as cars are constrained by the traffic they create. Writing with what Steven Pinker has called his trademark wit and lack of pretension, Gazzaniga shows how determinism immeasurably weakens our views of human responsibility; it allows a murderer to argue, in effect, It wasn't me who did it it was my brain. Gazzaniga convincingly argues that even given the latest insights into the physical mechanisms of the mind, there is an undeniable human reality: We are responsible agents who should be held accountable for our actions, because responsibility is found in how people interact, not in brains.An extraordinary book that ranges across neuroscience, psychology, ethics, and the law with a light touch but profound implications, Who's in Chargeis a lasting contribution from one of the leading thinkers of our time.

For two hundred years, scholars have been analyzing one of the most important books ever written the Bible and overturning much of what we once thought we knew. Everyday Christians, however, are not privy to this deeper conversation. It is for these people that renowned bishop and author John Shelby Spong presents Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World, a book designed to take readers into the contemporary academic debate about the Bible.A definitive voice for progressive Christianity, Spong frees readers from a literal view of the Bible. He opens the possibility that some of the characters in the New Testament are imaginary composites or even literary creations such as Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus; Judas Iscariot; Nicodemus; the Samaritan woman by the well; and Lazarus who was raised from the dead. He presents the Bible as an ever-changing and always growing story. He demonstrates that it is possible to be both a deeply committed Christian and an informed twenty-first-century citizen.In this thorough, substantive guide, Spong explores the origin and essential meaning of each of the individual books in the Bible, examining the background, the context, the level of authenticity and even the trustworthiness of the messages found there. He explains why these particular books, written between two and three thousand years ago, came to be regarded as authoritative and preserved as sacred; he traces the pathway that biblical religion has traveled as it evolved through the centuries, and he shows how people have misused many of these texts in the service of their prejudices.Reaching far beyond the familiar Sunday-school stories that have provided the content of most people’s biblical knowledge, Spong’s journey into the heart of the Bible is his attempt to call his readers into their own journeys into the mystery of God. One does not,” he asserts, have to twist one’s brain into a first-century pretzel in order to take the Bible seriously in this increasingly non-religious world.”

Featuring all new material not included in the print edition, including: two deleted chapters, the contents of Neil's Bugout Bag, a disaster survival cheat sheet on how to survive 35 catastrophic events, and ten emergency-preparedness myths that can kill you.Terrorist attacks. Natural disasters. Domestic crackdowns. Economic collapse. Riots. Wars. Disease. Starvation.What can you do when it all hits the fanYou can learn to be self-sufficient and survive without the system.**I've started to look at the world through apocalypse eyes.** So begins Neil Strauss's harrowing new book: his first full-length worksince the international bestseller The Game, and one of the most original-and provocative-narratives of the year.After the last few years of violence and terror, of ethnic and religious hatred, of tsunamis and hurricanes and now of world financial meltdown Strauss, like most of his generation, came to the sobering realization that, even in America, anything can happen. But rather than watch helplessly, he decided to do something about it. And so he spent three years traveling through a country that's lost its sense of safety, equipping himself with the tools necessary to save himself and his loved ones from an uncertain future. With the same quick wit and eye for cultural trends that marked The Game, The Dirt, and How to Make Love Like a Porn Star, Emergency traces Neil's white-knuckled journey through today's heart of darkness, as he sets out to move his life offshore, test his skills in the wild, and remake himself as a gun-toting, plane-flying, government-defying survivor. It's a tale of paranoid fantasies and crippling doubts, of shady lawyers and dangerous cult leaders, of billionaire gun nuts and survivalist superheroes, of weirdos, heroes, and ordinary citizens going off the grid.It's one man's story of a dangerous world–and how to stay alive in it.Before the next disaster strikes, you're going to want to read this book. And you'll want to do everything it suggests. Because tomorrow doesn't come with a guarantee...

"When war comes, you look for certain special qualities in the people you'll be working with. General Tom Franks embodies those qualities: strength, experience, a keen mind, energy, honor, good humor, and a deep loyalty to his troops and to his country. "Tom Franks is truly a soldier's soldier."-- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld The Commander in Chief of the United States Central Command from July 2000 through July 2003, General Tommy Franks made history by leading American and Coalition forces to victory in Afghanistan and Iraq -- the decisive battles that launched the war on terrorism. In this riveting memoir, General Franks retraces his journey from a small-town boyhood in Oklahoma and Midland, Texas, through a lifetime of military service -- including his heroic tour as an Artillery officer in Vietnam, where he was wounded three times. A reform-minded Cold War commander and a shrewd tactician during Operation Desert Storm, Franks took command of CENTCOM at the dawn of what he calls a "crease in history" -- becoming the senior American military officer in the most dangerous region on earth. Now, drawing on his own recollections and military records declassified for this book, Franks offers the first true insider's account of the war on terrorism that has changed the world since September 11, 2001. He puts you in the Operations Center for the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom just weeks after 9/11, capturing its uncertain early days and the historic victory that followed. He traces his relationship with the demanding Donald Rumsfeld, as early tensions over the pace of the campaign gave way to a strong and friendly collaboration. When President Bush focused world attention on the threat of Iraq, Franks seized the moment to implement a bold new vision of joint warfare in planning Operation Iraqi Freedom. Rejecting Desert Storm style massive troop deployment in favor of flexibility and speed, Franks was questioned by the defense establishment -- including Secretary of State Colin Powell. Yet his vision was proven on the ground: Within three weeks, Baghdad had fallen.American Soldier is filled with revelation. Franks describes the covert diplomacy that helped him secure international cooperation for the war, and reveals the role of foreign leaders -- and a critical double agent code-named "April Fool" -- in the most successful military deception since D-Day in 1944. He speaks frankly of intelligence shortcomings that endangered our troops, and of the credible WMD threats -- including eleventh-hour warnings from Arab leaders -- that influenced every planning decision. He offers an unvarnished portrait of the "disruptive and divisive" Washington bureaucracy, and?a candid assessment?of the war's aftermath. Yet in the end, as American Soldier demonstrates, the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq remain heroic victories -- wars of liberation won by troops whose valor was "unequalled," Franks writes, "by anything in the annals of war." Few individuals have the chance to contribute so much of themselves to the American story as General Tommy Franks. In American Soldier, he captures it all.

Whitman's genius, passions, poetry, and androgynous sensibility entwined to create an exuberant life amid the turbulent American mid-nineteenth century. In vivid detail, Kaplan examines the mysterious selves of the enigmatic man who celebrated the freedom and dignity of the individual and sang the praises of democracy and the brotherhood of man.

As featured in Newsweek, Time, USA Today, and on Oprah, Dateline NBC, MTV and 20/20, this leading sexuality educator now helps parents guide their children through the difficult adolescent years from the author of From Diapers to Dating.Debra Haffner's valuable, award-winning book first book on raising sexually healthy children, From Diapers to Dating, helps parents through the infant-to-age-12 period. Her sequel, Beyond the Big Talk, now guides them through the difficult adolescent years, when they are likely to confront such issues as peer pressure, dating and parties, alcohol and drugs, harassment, abstinence, and much more. Organized by age group middle school (grades seven and eight), early high school (grades nine and ten), late high school (grades eleven and twelve), and beyond (ages 18 and up), each section provides: "Values Exercises" to help parents decide their own beliefs on various topics, and how to communicate them to their teen. "Special Issues" advice on topics such as eating disorders, date rape, sexual violence, and dealing with your teen's questions about your own sexual history. Advice on finding "teachable moments" with your teens entry points into discussions on important topics in television, in the movies, and in your daily lives. A frank and supportive foreword by Haffner's teen-age daughter, Alyssa, gives a young person's perspective on the challenges teens face every day. An extensive Appendix offers a wealth of books, websites, and organizations for both teens and their parents. In her trademark "realistic, practical, and informative" style (Kirkus Reviews), Haffner's values-oriented approach is an invaluable resource to both parents and children.

In the same inimitable, uncensored, and hilarious style that has made him one of the most popular voices on satellite radio, Jason Ellis unleashes his no-holds-barred words of advice on diet and exercise, cultivating your signature look, partying, getting laid, maintaining a relationship and more! Maybe like Jason Ellis you want to have sex with multiple partners and then talk about it on the radio while wearing cheetah pants . . .Or maybe you have some goals of your own. Whatever the case may be, Jason believes it's all about getting off your ass and maximizing the opportunities that life has to offer. It's about remembering that you are alive, right now, and that won't always be the case. So do something. Anything. Enjoy the ride. Go outside and get naked.Jason can tell you how to handle every situation life throws at you and play it like a champ: how to look, how to act, how to pick up a stripper you name it.But that's just for starters. Jason believes that to get what you really want out of life, you have to have confidence. And true confidence is something you have to earn, by deciding what you want from life and then pursuing your passion until you make your dreams a reality.This book will show you how to develop the positive attitude that will allow you to truly make things happen.

What happens when German spies collaborate to unleash a campaign of terror upon America at the start of World War I?In the summer of 1914, New York Police Department captain Tom Tunney is preoccupied by Manhattan's raging gang rivalries and has little idea that, halfway around the world, a much more ominous threat to the city is brewing. As Germany teeters on the brink of war, its ambassador to the United States is given instructions to find and finance a team of undercover saboteurs who can bring America to its knees before it has a chance to enter the conflict on the side of the Allies.At the page-turning pace of a spy thriller, Dark Invasion tells the remarkable true story of Tunney and his pivotal role in discovering, and delivering to justice, a ruthless ring of German terrorists determined to annihilate the United States. Overwhelmed and undermatched, Tunney's small squad of cops was the David to Germany's Goliath, the operatives of which included military officers, a germ warfare expert, a gifted Harvard professor, a bomb technician, and a document forger. As explosions leveled munitions plants and destroyed cargo ships, particularly in and around New York City, pan- icked officials talked about rogue activists and anarchists but it was Tunney who suspected that these incidents were part of something bigger and became determined to bring down the culprits.Through meticulous research, Blum deftly reconstructs an enthralling, vividly detailed saga of subterfuge and bravery. Enhanced by more than fifty images sourced from global archives, his gritty, energetic narrative follows the German spies with Tunney hot on their heels from the streets, harbors, and warehouses of New York City to the genteel quads of Harvard, the grand estates of industry tycoons, and the steps of the U.S. Capitol. The New York Police Department's breathtaking efforts to unravel the extent of the German plot and close in on its perpetrators are revealed in this riveting account of America's first encounter with a national security threat unlike any other the threat of terrorism that is more relevant now than ever.

Jim Bishop's trademark suspenseful, hour-by-hour storytelling style drives this account of an unforgettable day in American history. Culled from interviews with more than three hundred individuals, his retelling tracks all the major and minor characters of that day JFK, Oswald, Ruby, LBJ, Jackie, and others illuminating a human drama that many readers believe they know well. At once moving and terrifying, and filled with vivid detail, it delivers the haunting feeling of being there as the day's events unfolded in both Dallas and Washington.As gripping as fiction but with a journalist's exacting detail, The Day Kennedy Was Shot captures the action, mystery, and drama that unfolded on November 22, 1963.

Julie Brannagh's delightful Love and Football series returns in time for Christmas ...Holly Reynolds has a secret. Make that two. The first involves upholding her grandmother's hobby of answering Dear Santa letters from dozens of local schoolchildren. The second ... well, he just came strolling in the door.For the last two years, Holly has not been able to stop thinking about gorgeous Seattle Shark Derrick Collins. His on-field exploits induce nightmares in quarterbacks across the NFL, but she knows he has a heart of gold.Derrick has never known a woman he wanted to bring home to meet his family, mostly because he keeps picking the wrong ones until he runs into sweet, shy Holly Reynolds. Different from anyone he's ever known, Derrick realizes she might just be everything he needs.When he discovers her holiday letter writing, he is determined to play Santa too. And as the pair team up to bring joy to one little boy very much in need, they discover the most precious Christmas gift of all: love.

He'll leave town when he's good and ready...and when the pretty and proper young schoolmarm consents to be his bride.A Bad Man's DesireAt first glance, the lovely Easterner Anthea Bright seems woefully unsuited for her position as the new schoolmarm in Haven, Kansas. But behind that fine finishing school polish is a fiery spirit and a determination to succeed. Gabriel Jackson, however, is a different kind of challenge. The intensely passionate, devastatingly sexy man is Haven's most disreputable citizen -- and he's put Anthea's level head and her heart in a furious spin. How can theprim, pretty newcomer hope to stand firm to her principles when she feels breathless whenever Gabriel's nearAnd though a small voice inside tells her the "bad man's" not nearly as bad as his reputation would suggest, does she dare surrender to this dangerous stranger who is bound and determined to make Anthea his bride?

From the moment she first saw tall, dashing Eric Ford, Camille's heart was lost. In her most cherished fantasy she is standing by his side, exchanging sacred wedding vows with her beloved. But Eric seems content to be no more than her unofficial protector, watching over the younger sister of his dear friend and, despite her every attempt to open his eyes, it appears Camille's dream of wedded bliss might never come true.Eric knows a spirited and passionate beauty like Camille deserves much better than him, an ex-military man who has no patience for the games of the ton. Still, he aches each time a potential suitor approaches her, or when he sees her dancing in another man's arms. Eric knows he will never be complete until Camille is his. With each lingering glance and caressing touch he must tempt the lady to be his bride. But when danger and betrayal threaten, will it destroy a secret love or bind two hearts for all eternity?

Unlike her two sisters who followed their dreams to the altar,Kathryn Bright Goodale doesn't want to be a bride.What she needs is to win the Great Centennial Race now that her late husband has left her penniless. So Kate reluctantly turns to the famous adventurer Lord James Bennett for help. Once, long ago, James stole from her a lingering, forbidden, and unforgettable kiss. And now the lady wants the incorrigible rogue to stick strictly to business -- and is troubled that shemay not be able to resist him if he does not.James, too, can never forget that wild, passionate moment in Kate's garden, and he's certain the rigors of a far-reaching adventure will be too much for her. But the fetching young widow surprises him with her bold determination and a courage that compliments her breathtaking sensuality. Might Lord James be competing for a more elusive, yet far more valuable, prize: the hand and heart of Kathryn Bright Goodale?

Wealthy, handsome, and devastatingly charming, the expatriate Viscount Hathaway Wycoff could easily win most women's affections. But the lovely Lucy Stone isn't most women. Though the self-respecting beauty is drawn to him, she refuses to give in to passion. Once before Lucy had followed her heart--a journey that took her to America and left her there a penniless young widow and mother.A rich relative unexpectedly offers Lucy and her son passage back to England, answering her longtime prayer. She doesn't want to leave Wycoff, but given his scandalous reputation, it seems the right choice. Wycoff promises he will change to win her, but Lucy cannot allow herself to believe him. When a devious plot threatens all Lucy holds dear, she must turn to the man she's vowed not to trust. Neither knows what final destination fate has in store--but they are willing to risk everything to find out.

Handsome and fearless, Garrick Asquith-Wolf relished battling pirates on the high seas until one reckless fight cost him his life. But the daring sailor's place in heavan isn't guaranteed. To earn it, he has to return to earth to protect lovely Miss Lucy Hartford without succumbing to physical temptation.No previous adventure could have prepared Garrick for his role as guardian angel to titian-haired Lucy, the most stubborn, impetuous, and beautiful female he's ever met. Exceptionally curious, Lucy is trying to find the truth about a young orphan boy's past a dark secret that someone will kill to protect.However, discovering answers can be more dangerous that either Lucy or Garrick expected. Desire flares between this heavenly angel and his charge a passion that Garrick must resist to save his beloved Lucy and his own soul.

Rugged Zach MacKenzie has a dangerous secret that could cost him his one chance to win the woman he wants . . . Rose Dubois became a Harvey Girl and came West looking for a new life and a husband preferably a wealthy rancher. She certainly knows better than to get involved with a no-account cowboy like Zach MacKenzie. He's strong and good-looking enough to stop a girl's breath but the dangerous ruffians he runs with are surely heading for bad ends. So why can't Rose calm her pounding heart whenever he's nearbyBut Zach's only pretending to be no good in order to infiltrate an outlaw gang. If he tells Rose he's really a Texas Ranger, not only is his mission in jeopardy, but both of their lives as well! Yet this spirited filly is everything he ever dreamed of. Her lips are downright irresistible, and her passionate fire burns hot enough to make a smart man do something real stupid . . . like fall in love.

Anne Sayer learned long ago that fairy tales don't come true. Connor Emory was the "prince" of a rich and powerful family and she was the "hired help," and for one glorious Maine summer, it was heaven. But evil stepmothers do exist, so Anne's "happily-ever-after" -- wasn't.Dashing, charismatic, and successful, Connor never understood what happened all those years ago, but he's sure now it was for the best. As the reigning heir to the family estate, he returns to Candlewick Island for one reason only: to sell the cursed castle where his heart was broken and dismiss from his life the woman responsible. But Anne, now more beautiful and confident than ever, no longer fits his memory -- and Connor is intrigued. But enough so to risk his heart again?A long way from the girl she had been, Anne knows what she wants. Armed with a scheme to save the estate and aided by a houseful of eccentric cohorts, this "Cinderella" intends to win back her prince. Because the glass slipper that would never have fit a decade ago is the perfect size now ...

In a spellbinding novel of depth and sensitivity, award-winning author Kathleen Eagle masterfully weaves the richness of Native American folklore into a contemporary story of hope, courage, and the power of love to lift the human spirit.Angela Prescott has pulled up stakes and moved halfway across the country, seeking refuge from a man who has made her life a nightmare. Starting over in an unfamiliar city, she's wary and keeps to herself, until she meets twelve-year-old Tommy T. Street-smart Tommy T knows how to keep secrets. He's told no one of the mysterious recluse living in an underground hideaway, whose face he's never seen. A gifted comic book artist with no place to live, Tommy T needs someone to believe in, and in this phantom stranger he finds the comic book superhero of his dreams. Jesse Brown Wolf's past has driven him underground in many ways. By day, he is a handsome repairman who fixes the plumbing in Angela's rooms. By night he lives in the shadows, acting with reckless bravery to make the streets safer for kids. . .and whispering into Angela's sleeping ear promises of comfort, security, and heart's ease.

Did fate send her a villain with the blackest soul...or a lover with The Truest Heart Her name is her only crime, yet Lady Gillian must take refuge in a humble cottage on the on the stormy Cornish coast, hiding from a king who seeks her death for her father's treason.Now destiny has sent Gillian a cure for her loneliness: a handsome shipwrecked stranger washed ashore on a perilous tide who requires a kind lady's gentle touch to heal his broken body and tormented spirit.His own name -- Gareth -- is all that he remembers. Yet he knows he has found paradise in the company of an exquisite beauty whose caress is sweet rapture and whose smile warms his soul. But as his memories slowly return, so does the dark task entrusted to him by King John. If he fails, a young boy will surely perish. Yet how can he betray Gillian, whose passionate love has lit a blaze in Gareth's heart that no vengeful king's decree could ever extinguish?

Meet Californian Téa Caruso . . . her mother drives her crazy, her sisters give "advice." She has a family just like any other, except for one tiny difference . . .Her grandfather isn't just in the mob . . . he is the mob! And no one knows this better than Johnny Magee. The Caruso family destroyed his dad. Now, it's payback time—and he's going to need an unsuspecting insider . . . one who won't realize what he's really after. Téa loves her family but hates what they do. She's tried to stay far away from her notorious relatives, making a legit name for herself as an interior designer. But her grandfather Cosimo's gala 80th birthday is coming up. Every mobbed-up member of the family from San Francisco to Sarasota will be there—and it's time for Téa to face the family or face the consequences. Intent on using Téa for revenge, Johnny hires her to redo his home, but then she makes him "offers" he can't refuse. Soon he's falling in love with the enemy and when all the secrets are revealed, what will Téa do . . . and even worse, what will her family?

One Person Can Make a Difference In search of adventure, twenty-nine-year-old Conor Grennan traded his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Children's Home, an orphanage in war-torn Nepal. Conor was initially reluctant to volunteer, unsure whether he had the proper skill, or enough passion, to get involved in a developing country in the middle of a civil war. But he was soon overcome by the herd of rambunctious, resilient children who would challenge and reward him in a way that he had never imagined. When Conor learned the unthinkable truth about their situation, he was stunned: The children were not orphans at all. Child traffickers were promising families in remote villages to protect their children from the civil war for a huge fee by taking them to safety. They would then abandon the children far from home, in the chaos of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.For Conor, what began as a footloose adventure becomes a commitment to reunite the children he had grown to love with their families, but this would be no small task. He would risk his life on a journey through the legendary mountains of Nepal, facing the dangers of a bloody civil war and a debilitating injury. Waiting for Conor back in Kathmandu, and hopeful he would make it out before being trapped in by snow, was the woman who would eventually become his wife and share his life's work. Little Princes is a true story of families and children, and what one person is capable of when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. At turns tragic, joyful, and hilarious, Little Princes is a testament to the power of faith and the ability of love to carry us beyond our wildest expectations.