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Nobody's magic / by Birdsong, Destiny O.,1981-author.;
"In this glittering triptych novel, Suzette, Maple and Agnes, three Black women with albinism, call Shreveport, Louisiana, home. At the bustling intersection of the American South and Southwest, these three women find themselves at the crossroads of their own lives. Suzette, a pampered twenty-year-old, has been sheltered from the outside world since a dangerous childhood encounter. Now, a budding romance with a sweet mechanic allows Suzette to seek independence, which unleashes dark reactions in those closest to her. In discovering her autonomy, Suzette is forced to decide what she is willing to sacrifice in order to make her own way in the world. Maple is reeling from the unsolved murder of her free-spirited mother. She flees the media circus and her judgmental grandmother by shutting herself off from the world in a spare room of the motel where she works. One night, Maple connects with Chad, someone who may understand her pain more than she realizes, and discovers that the key to her mother's death may be within her reach. Agnes is far from home, working yet another mind-numbing job. She attracts the interest of a lonely security guard and army veteran who's looking for a traditional life for himself and his young son. He's convinced that she wields a certain "magic," but Agnes soon unleashes a power within herself that will shock them both and send her on a trip to confront not only her family and her past, but also herself. This novel, told in three parts, is a searing meditation on grief, female strength, and self-discovery set against a backdrop of complicated social and racial histories. Nobody's Magic is a testament to the power of family-the ones you're born in and the ones you choose. And in these three narratives, among the yearning and loss, each of these women may find a seed of hope for the future"--
Subjects: Bildungsromans.; Psychological fiction.; African American women; Albinos and albinism; Man-woman relationships; Self-actualization (Psychology) in women;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The mosquito : a human history of our deadliest predator / by Winegard, Timothy C.(Timothy Charles),1977-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index.A pioneering and groundbreaking work of narrative nonfiction that offers a dramatic new perspective on the history of humankind, showing how through millennia, the mosquito has been the single most powerful force in determining humanity's fate. Why was gin and tonic the cocktail of choice for British colonists in India and Africa? What does Starbucks have to thank for its global domination? What has protected the lives of popes for millennia? Why did Scotland surrender its sovereignty to England? What was George Washington's secret weapon during the American Revolution? The answer to all these questions, and many more, is the mosquito. Across our planet since the dawn of humankind, this nefarious pest, roughly the size and weight of a grape seed, has been at the frontlines of history as the grim reaper, the harvester of human populations, and the ultimate agent of historical change. As the mosquito transformed the landscapes of civilization, humans were unwittingly required to respond to its piercing impact and universal projection of power. The mosquito has determined the fates of empires and nations, razed and crippled economies, and decided the outcome of pivotal wars, killing nearly half of humanity along the way. She (only females bite) has dispatched an estimated 52 billion people from a total of 108 billion throughout our relatively brief existence.As the greatest purveyor of extermination we have ever known, she has played a greater role in shaping our human story than any other living thing with which we share our global village. Imagine for a moment a world without deadly mosquitoes, or any mosquitoes, for that matter?Our history and the world we know, or think we know, would be completely unrecognizable. Driven by surprising insights and fast-paced storytelling,The Mosquitois the extraordinary untold story of the mosquito's reign through human history and her indelible impact on our modern world order.
Subjects: Mosquitoes; Human ecology.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The full-body fat fix : the science-based 7-day plan to cool inflammation, heal your gut, and build a healthier, leaner you! / by Perrine, Stephen,author.;
Includes bibliographical references (pages 236-248) and index."Discover a groundbreaking new way of eating that can reverse inflammation, heal your gut, and improve your overall health, fitness and athletic performance -- in just one week -- while setting you on the path to easy, sustainable weight loss for life! Journalist and bestselling author Stephen Perrine reveals how in his intensely researched, yet simple and engaging new book, The Full-Body Fat Fix. With a unique blend of humor and science, Perrine explains how chronic inflammation and an unhealthy microbiome are the underlying causes of weight gain, and how classic 'dieting' strategies -- like cutting calories, eliminating certain foods or only eating during specific times -- actually undermine our weight-loss goals. The new science of weight management is more exciting and delicious than we ever imagined. Simply by eating a greater variety of plant-based foods -- at least 30 different plants each week, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seeds, nuts, herbs and legumes -- and not getting stuck with the same old 'healthy' foods again and again, science shows we can bring healing back to our guts, turn off the mechanisms that cause inflammation and reduce our risk of obesity and its related diseases. In Perrine's hands, this trick is as easy as it is delicious, starting with 'The Fire Fightin' Five,' a yummy combination of five meals and snacks (including pizza!) that will give you 30 unique plants -- effortlessly! And with his 7-Day Challenge, you'll be able to track and maximize your dietary goals -- and make a game out of healthy eating and weight loss. (How many different plants can you eat? Can you squeeze in more than your friends and family?) To make it even easier, dozens of recipes populate the book, each one as enticing as the next. Weight loss has never been as fun, as delicious, or as easy to enjoy"--
Subjects: Health.; Inflammation; Nutrition.; Reducing diets.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The character edge : leading and winning with integrity / by Caslen, Robert L.,Jr.,1953-author.; Matthews, Michael D.,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."The former superintendent at West Point and a psychologist explain why all successful leaders rely on a foundation of strong character. Among the most successful leaders throughout history-from Abe Lincoln to Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi to Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King, Jr. to Nelson Mandela-some were brilliant mathematicians and economists, others were creative visionaries, still others were masterful at strategic planning. Their mastery of their field wasn't the secret to their highly effective leadership. All of their skill, grit, resilience, charisma, and courage emanated from one thing: their strength of character. Character-the moral values and habits of an individual-is in the spotlight now more than perhaps at any other point in modern history. Politicians distort facts. Corporations cheat customers and investors. Athletes are caught using illegal supplements. In addition to harming our culture at large, these failures of character have a profound and undermining impact on leadership. The authors of this book are experts on the value of character, its correlation with successful leadership, and how to build it in individuals and prospective leaders. General Robert L. Caslen, Jr. served the US Army for over 43 years and served as Superintendent at the US Military Academy at West Point. Psychologist Dr. Michael D. Matthews is a Professor of Engineering Psychology at West Point who has focused on the psychology of character for years. Together they witnessed firsthand that raw talent is not enough to stand on its own; successful leadership relies on the critical foundation of a strong character. In The Character Edge they leverage their perspectives to offer an empowering, story-driven argument-backed by the latest scientific research-that character is vital to success. They give readers the tools to build and sustain character in themselves and their organizations by testing readers' strengths of the gut, head and heart and teaching how to build trust and nurture the seeds of character"--
Subjects: Character.; Executive ability.; Integrity.; Leadership.;
Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 1
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Dark calories : how vegetable oils destroy our health and how we can get it back / by Shanahan, Catherine,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."In recent years, on the heels of high-profile revelations about nutrition gatekeepers and new technologies that are capable of measuring how foods are metabolized in the body, Dr. Catherine Shanahan has been shouting something new from the rooftops. If you are looking for the most powerful driver of the obesity and nearly all disease epidemics afflicting both young and old, you need look no further than the vegetable oils listed as main ingredients on the packages you buy. If you've had trouble losing weight, or experience heartburn, hypoglycemia symptoms, seasonal allergies, asthma, eczema, frequent headaches, or palpitations, just to name a few symptoms, your body may be giving you early warning signs that it's struggling to control the inflammation induced by seed oils. And that vegetable oil's meteoric rise in our food supply more perfectly parallels the explosion of obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases than any other single variable in the modern diet equation. And it's time to expunge it, for good. Dark Calories is the first book to definitively show that vegetable oil is the defining ingredient in not just junk food but all processed food, from frozen meals, canned soup, pizza, and even your vitamin gummies, and makes the case that eliminating it is the single best thing you can do for your health. Through a narrative account of the speedy rise of the vegetable oil industry, a walk through the science of how it fundamentally alters our cells, and an action plan to help you take your health back into your own hands today, Dr. Catherine Shanahan shows how three factors -- a combination of endless advertising sound bites, undisclosed conflicts of interest in research, and the failure of medicine to focus on prevention -- have destroyed human health and turned nutrition science into a farce"--
Subjects: Recipes.; Diet.; Vegetable oils in human nutrition.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The fall of Númenor : and other tales from the Second Age of Middle-Earth / by Tolkien, J. R. R.(John Ronald Reuel),1892-1973,author.; Lee, Alan,illustrator.; Sibley, Brian,editor.;
"J.R.R. Tolkien's writings on the Second Age of Middle-earth, collected for the first time in one volume. J.R.R. Tolkien famously described the Second Age of Middle-earth as a 'dark age, and not very much of its history is (or need be) told'. And for many years readers would need to be content with the tantalizing glimpses of it found within the pages of The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, including the forging of the Rings of Power, the building of the Barad-dur and the rise of Sauron. It was not until Christopher Tolkien published The Silmarillion after his father's death that a fuller story could be told. Although much of the book's content concerned the First Age of Middle-earth, there were at its close two key works that revealed the tumultuous events concerning the rise and fall of the island of Numenor. Raised out of the Great Sea and gifted to the Men of Middle-earth as a reward for aiding the angelic Valar and the Elves in the defeat and capture of the Dark Lord Morgoth, the kingdom became a seat of influence and wealth; but as the Numenoreans' power increased, the seed of their downfall would inevitably be sown, culminating in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. Even greater insight into the Second Age would be revealed in subsequent publications, first in Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth, then expanded upon in Christopher Tolkien's magisterial twelve-volume The History of Middle-earth, in which he presented and discussed a wealth of further tales written by his father, many in draft form. Now, adhering to the timeline of 'The Tale of Years' in the appendices to The Lord of the Rings, editor Brian Sibley has assembled into one comprehensive volume a new chronicle of the Second Age of Middle-earth, told substantially in the words of J.R.R. Tolkien from the various published texts, with new illustrations in watercolour and pencil by the doyen of Tolkien art, Alan Lee."--Provided by publisher.
Subjects: Fantasy fiction.; Epic fiction.; Novels.; Middle Earth (Imaginary place); Quests (Expeditions);
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Gwynne's grammar : the ultimate introduction to grammar and the writing of good English / by Gwynne, N. M.;
"Crushing national Debt? Climate Change? No: the greatest danger to our way of life is the decline of grammar. Thus preaches the inimitable Mr Gwynne as he shows us the way out of this sorry state. "Grammar is the science of using words rightly, leading to thinking rightly, leading to deciding rightly, without which-as both common sense and experience show-happiness is impossible. Therefore, happiness depends at least partly on good grammar." So writes Mr. Gwynne in his small but perfectly formed new book of grammar with an attitude. Mr. Gwynne believes passionately that we must regain our knowledge of the workings of our language before it is too late. Schools don't teach it, and as the Internet drives the written word to new lows of informality, we approach a tipping point of expressive dysfunction. Into the breach steps this doughty grammarian. Rejecting popular notions that language is simply a matter of the way people use it, he meticulously spells out what tradition and common sense have, over centuries, dictated to be the right and the wrong. His teaching method is also defiantly old school: no one can follow a rule he hasn't committed to memory. But not all rules are equal. For a country whose only broadly subscribed guide to writing is Strunk and White, Mr. Gwynne performs a radical procedure. He presents its original seed: Strunk's 1918 essay, which E. B. White expanded. But neither form was ever meant as a guide to grammar, and so Mr. Gwynne presents only the kernel of Strunk's useful advice as a companion: a guide to putting words together nicely set within Gwynne's wisdom about putting them together correctly. The result is the last word on the subject anyone should need."--Provided by publisher."Crushing national Debt? Climate Change? No: the greatest danger to our way of life is the decline of grammar. Thus preaches the inimitable Mr Gwynne as he shows us the way out of this sorry state."--Provided by publisher.
Subjects: English language; English language; English language;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The beading bible : a comprehensive guide to beading techniques / by Wood, Dorothy,1955-author.; reprint of (manifestation):Wood, Dorothy,1955-Beader's bible.;
"An indispensable guide to beads and beading techniques, presenting essential beading know-how together with a wide range of inspirational projects, tips and ideas. Beads are the oldest and most widespread art form, having been used in virtually every culture since ancient times. Over the years new materials and methods of making beads have been introduced and now bead workers have a vast array of stunning beads to work with. Beading has also developed over the years and, even though many traditional techniques are still popular, the craft is constantly evolving. With so many techniques, and such a vast array of beads and materials available for the contemporary beader, there is definitely a need for a comprehensive guide. The Beading Bible is just that-- an encyclopaedia of beads and beading techniques that aims to educate and inspire anyone who loves working with beads. The Beading Bible begins by looking at beads themselves; how to choose beads from metal, modelled, gemstone, seed beads and cylinder beads to hex beads, crystals, glass and bugle beads. There are handy tables to help you to understand how beads are measured and bead quantities, as well as advice on choosing bead colors. You are then guided through the basic to more specialist tools and equipment that you will need in beadwork. You will find each beading technique explained in detail throughout the chapters. However, the book begins by giving you the basic knowledge of essential techniques, such as working from a chart and knotting. The book is divided into eight chapters that cover all the traditional techniques : bead loom weaving, off loom bead stitches, ropes and cords, fringing, netting and tassels, threading and stringing, wire work and jewellery techniques, bead embroidery and even knitting and crochet with beads. Within each chapter you are guided through the basic skills, tools and materials, before tackling more advanced techniques. Inspiration pages will give you interesting ideas using the different techniques, and there are over 30 fabulous projects, ranging from beautiful bags and jewellery to stylish scarves and accessories-- perfect excuses for trying out your new skills! Easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions, clear diagrams and stunning photography combine to create the must-have resource for beaders of all abilities." --
Subjects: Beadwork; Beadwork.; Beadwork;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Red zone : from the offensive line to the front line of the pandemic / by Duvernay-Tardif, Laurent,1991-author.;
"On July 24, 2020 Laurent Duvernay-Tardif sent shockwaves through the sports world by becoming the first NFL player to opt out of the coming season. The only active player who is also a medical doctor, Laurent spent the months directly after winning the Super Bowl working in a health facility in Quebec on the front lines of the pandemic. As plans for the 2020 NFL season ramped up and daily cases continued to skyrocket, Laurent realized that playing and potentially spreading the virus was antithetical to everything he believed. For the first time in his remarkable career, he couldn't square his twin passions of football and medicine. So he temporarily stepped away from the game he loved, returning to his medical work and enrolling in Harvard to earn his master's in public health, hoping to maximize his celebrity status in order to effect change on a larger scale. But that was just the beginning of this fascinating story. As Laurent settled into his new reality, he quickly came up against a severe COVID outbreak in his hospital unit. Meanwhile, his team, the Kansas City Chiefs entered the playoffs as the #1 seed in the AFC and were favorites to repeat as champions amidst a season that saw countless games postponed due to league-wide outbreaks, including one in his own offensive line group in Kansas City. This fast-paced memoir will take you inside Laurent's life as he grappled with his role as both a medical professional and NFL football player, taking readers on a journey into Duvernay-Tardiff's remarkable personal story, where his insatiable curiosity and work ethic led him from his family's bakery in downtown Montreal to his dual role as both a medical school graduate and championship-winning right guard in the NFL. From the incredible highs of winning the Super Bowl to the incredible sorrow of losing a patient on his ward to Covid, from the high of Super Bowl win to an unexpected trade, RED ZONE is riveting account of Tardiff's incredible intelligence, determination, sacrifice, and conviction. It's also a captivating story of one of the most fascinating and accomplished people in professional sports."--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Duvernay-Tardif, Laurent, 1991-; COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-; Football players; Physicians;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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This is your mind on plants / by Pollan, Michael,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Pollan, a radical challenge to how we think about drugs, and an exploration into the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants -- and the equally powerful taboos Of all the things humans rely on plants for--sustenance, beauty, fragrance, flavor, fiber--surely the most curious is our use of them is to change consciousness: to stimulate or calm, fiddle with or completely alter, the qualities of our mental experience. Take coffee and tea: people around the world rely on caffeine to sharpen their minds. We don't usually think of caffeine as a drug, or our daily use as an addiction, because it is legal and socially acceptable. So then what is a "drug?" And why, for example, is making tea from the leaves of a tea plant acceptable, but making tea from a seed head of an opium poppy a federal crime? In THIS IS YOUR MIND ON PLANTS, Michael Pollan dives deep into three plant drugs -- opium, caffeine, and mescaline -- and throws the fundamental strangeness, and arbitrariness, of our thinking about them into sharp relief. Exploring and participating in the cultures that have grown up around these drugs, while consuming (or in the case of caffeine, trying not to consume) them, Pollan reckons with the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants, and the equally powerful taboos with which we surround them. Why do we go to such great lengths to seek these shifts in consciousness, and then why do we fence that universal desire with laws and customs and such fraught feelings? A unique blend of history, science, memoir, as well as participatory journalism, Pollan examines and experiences these plants from several very different angles and contexts, and shines a fresh light on a subject that is all too often treated reductively -- as a drug, whether licit or illicit. But that's one of the least interesting things you can say about these plants, Pollan shows, for when we take them into our bodies and let them change our minds, we are engaging with nature in one of the most profound ways we can. Based in part on an essay written more than 25 years ago, this groundbreaking and singular consideration of psychoactive plants, and our attraction to them through time, holds up a mirror to our fundamental human needs and aspirations, the operations of our minds, and our entanglement with the natural world"--
Subjects: Psychotropic plants.; Opium.; Mescaline.; Caffeine.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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