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The book of fire : a novel / by Lefteri, Christy,1980-author.;
"In present-day Greece, deep in an ancient forest, lives a family: Irini, a musician, who teaches children to read and play music; her husband, Tasso, who paints pictures of the forest, his greatest muse; and Chara, their young daughter, whose name means joy. On the fateful day that will forever alter the trajectory of their lives, flames chase fleeing birds across the sky. The wildfire that will consume their home, and their lives as they know it, races toward them. In the smoldering aftermath, Irini stumbles upon the body of the man who started the fire, a land speculator who had intended only a small, controlled burn to clear forestland to build on and instead ignited a catastrophe. He is dead, although the cause is unclear, and in her anger at all he took from them, Irini makes a split-second decision that will haunt her. As the local police investigate the mysterious death, Tasso mourns his father, who has not been seen since before the fire. His hands were burnt in the flames, leaving him unable to paint, and he struggles to cope with the overwhelming loss of his artistic voice and his beloved forest. Only his young daughter, who wants to repair the damage that's been done, gives him hope for the future. Gorgeously written, sweeping in scope and intimate in tone, The Book of Fire is a masterful work about the search for meaning in the wake of tragedy, as well as the universal ties that bind people to each other, and to the land that they call home"--
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Psychological fiction.; Novels.; Families; Fires; Guilt; Life change events; Perseverance (Ethics); Resilience (Personality trait); Villages;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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System collapse / by Wells, Martha,author.;
"Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back in the next installment in Martha Wells's New York Times bestselling Murderbot Diaries series. Am I making it worse? I think I'm making it worse. Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there's an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can't have the planet, they're sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize. But there's something wrong with Murderbot; it isn't running within normal operational parameters. ART's crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza's SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they're going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what's wrong with itself, and fast! Yeah, this plan is ... not going to work. The Murderbot Diaries All Systems Red Artificial Condition Rogue Protocol Exit Strategy Network Effect Fugitive Telemetry System Collapse"--
Subjects: Science fiction.; Novels.; Androids; Artificial intelligence; Corporations; Human-computer interaction; Interplanetary voyages; Life on other planets; Robots;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Decoding the world : a road map for the questioner / by Bronson, Po,1964-author.; Gupta, Arvind,author.;
"In Decoding the World, Po Bronson and Arvind Gupta-two renegade venture capitalists from Silicon Valley-take everyday news headlines and decode them, leading us on a journey through their twisted and highly entertaining view of the world. Each chapter is prefaced with a real-world headline ripped from today's chaotic news cycle: Trump's trade war. Dying bees. Rogue planets. Beyond Meat. Glaciers melting. Bronson and Gupta then decipher what's really going on behind these headlines, and why. What they offer is first-hand experience in funding technologies to solve these problems, most of which involve genetic engineering. But what the authors then do with that premise is always surprising and unexpected. In one paragraph they are ripping it down to the bare bones physics or chemistry, and in the very next paragraph invoking history, philosophy, or psychology-while using literary devices borrowed from the surrealists, along with storylines from popular movies. The narrative holds a tightrope suspense, as we wonder what they'll do next, or what brazen thing they'll say. Decoding the World is the kind of book you get when you give two guys $40 million, a world full of messy big problems, a genetics laboratory to play in, and a set of Borges' collected works. After looking through their lens, you'll never see the world the same"--
Subjects: Genetic engineering; Genetic engineering.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Entitlement [text (large print)] / by Alam, Rumaan,author.;
"Brooke Orr is on a mission to change her life and the world. Assisting an octogenarian billionaire in the quest to give away his vast fortune turns out to be deeply satisfying work, a noble life path. All you need to make the world a better place, it turns out, is the right ideals with the right amount of money. She and her billionaire make an uncommon pair: Brooke, 33, is a Black woman raised by a single mother in New York City; Asher Jaffee, 83, is a white business tycoon with an elaborate lifestyle. Each is exhilarated by the new friendship. Asher loves Brooke's willingness to spar with him, and Brooke finds her proximity to Asher's power intoxicating, even mind altering. As limits are increasingly pushed and unusual boundaries crossed, the line between need and want blurs dramatically."--
Subjects: Large print books.; Psychological fiction.; Novels.; African American women; Billionaires; Charitable uses, trusts, and foundations; Charity organization; Desire; Entitlement attitudes; Interpersonal relations; Privilege (Social psychology); Rich people; Social classes; Wealth;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Evolution under pressure : how we change nature and how nature changes us / by Ridge, Yolanda,1973-; Thibeault, Dane.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."Immersive non-fiction with STEM and social justice themes that proves that the future of the environment is in our hands--and helps pave the way forward. Evolution isn't just a thing of the past. It is happening right now, in every species across the world--and our influence on the future of the plants and animals around us is much bigger than we might think. A closer look at the science behind evolution shows how human behaviors like hunting, farming, and urban development have contributed to major physical changes in everything from rhinos to pigs to lizards. And these changes impact us in turn--triggering environmental shifts and contributing to climate change. The good news is there's hope: by learning to see how everything is connected, we can weigh the consequences of our choices and help shape a world that works for plants, animals, and humans alike. Making connections across anthropology, biology, and ecology, award-winning author Yolanda Ridge takes an intersectional approach to a challenging topic--examining the factors that influence human behavior while looking forward to explain the changes we can make and the ethics of those choices. Profiles of young activists and innovators highlight the ways readers can contribute to restoring ecological balance, while vibrant illustrations by Dane Thibeault evoke the energy and beauty of the natural world we are working to preserve."--
Subjects: Nature; Human beings; Human ecology; Sustainability;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Unsettled : how the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy failed the victims of the American overdose crisis / by Hampton, Ryan,author.; Aron, Hillel,author.; Foster, Claire Rudy,author.;
A shocking inside account of reckless capitalism and injustice in the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy case. In September 2019, Purdue Pharma--the maker of OxyContin and a company controlled by the infamous billionaire Sackler family--filed for bankruptcy to protect itself from 2,600 lawsuits for its role in fueling the U.S. overdose crisis. Author and activist Ryan Hampton served as co-chair of the official creditors committee that acted as a watchdog during the process, one of only four victims appointed among representatives of big insurance companies, hospitals, and pharmacies. He entered the case believing that exposing the Sacklers and mobilizing against Purdue would be enough to right the scales of justice. But he soon learned that behind closed doors, justice had plenty of other competition-and it came with a hefty price tag. Unsettled is the inside story of Purdue's excruciating Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, the company's eventual restructuring, and the Sackler family's evasion of any true accountability. It's also the untold story of how a group of determined ordinary people tried to see justice done against the odds-and in the face of brutal opposition from powerful institutions and even government representatives. Although America was envisioned as an equitable place, where the vulnerable are protected from the greed of the powerful, the corporate-bankruptcy process betrays those values. In its heart of hearts, this system is built to shield the ultra-wealthy, exploit loopholes for political power, promote gross wealth inequality, and allow companies such as Purdue Pharma to run amok. The real story of the Purdue bankruptcy wasn't that the billion-dollar corporation was a villain, a serial federal offender. No matter what the media said, Purdue didn't do this alone. They were aided and abetted by the very systems and institutions that were supposed to protect Americans. Even on-your-side elected officials worked against Purdue's victims-maintaining the status quo at all costs. Americans deserve to know exactly who is responsible for failing to protect people over profits-and what a human life is worth to corporations, billionaires, and lawmakers. Unsettled is what happened behind closed doors-the story of a sick, broken system that destroyed millions of lives and let the Sacklers off almost scot-free.
Subjects: Purdue Pharma L.P.; Bankruptcy; Opioid abuse; Pharmaceutical industry;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Godwin / by O'Neill, Joseph,1964-author.;
"Mark, a millennial technical writer who lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Sushila, and their toddler daughter, grew up a world apart from his much younger half-brother Geoff. Raised in the UK by the mother who deserted Mark when she divorced his dad and married a richer man, Geoff is now a fast-talking soccer agent, who pulls Mark across the ocean into a scheme to find an elusive prospect known only as "Godwin"--an African teenager Geoff believes will be the next Pele. All they have to go on is a video of Godwin; they don't even know which country it was shot in. Narrated in turns by the intellectually rigorous yet self-thwarting Mark, and Lakesha Williams, the conscientious leader of the writers' collective where he works, the novel becomes a twisty international adventure that is part heart-of-darkness and part American Main Street in the 2010s--deliciously far-flung geographically, ethically, and emotionally. Godwin immerses us in the hazy world of high-stakes soccer-recruiting and the beautiful game itself, weaving the search for Godwin together with the moving story of Mark's mixed-race family and Lakesha's surprising path into their lives."--
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Sports fiction.; Novels.; Brothers; Quests (Expeditions); Racially mixed families; Soccer players; Sports agents;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Liberation day : stories / by Saunders, George,1958-author.; Saunders, George,1958-Liberation day (Compilation);
"The 'best short story writer in English' (Time) is back with a masterful collection that explores ideas of power, ethics, and justice, and cuts to the very heart of what it means to live in community with our fellow humans. With his trademark prose--wickedly funny, unsentimental, and perfectly tuned--Saunders continues to challenge and surprise: here is a collection of prismatic, deeply resonant stories that encompass joy and despair, oppression and revolution, bizarre fantasy and brutal reality. 'Love Letter' is a tender missive from grandfather to grandson, in the midst of a dystopian political situation in the not-too-distant future, that reminds us of our obligations to our ideals, ourselves, and each other. 'Ghoul' is set in a Hell-themed section of an underground amusement park in Colorado, and follows the exploits of a lonely, morally complex character named Brian, who comes to question everything he takes for granted about his 'reality.' In 'Mother's Day,' two women who loved the same man come to an existential reckoning in the middle of a hailstorm. And in 'Elliott Spencer,' our eighty-nine-year-old protagonist finds himself brainwashed--his memory 'scraped'--a victim of a scheme in which poor, vulnerable people are reprogrammed and deployed as political protesters. Together, these nine subversive, profound, and essential stories coalesce into a case for viewing the world with the same generosity and clear-eyed attention as Saunders does, even in the most absurd of circumstances"--
Subjects: Short stories.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Plays well with others : the surprising science behind why everything you know about relationships is (mostly) wrong / by Barker, Eric,author.;
Includes bibliographical references."From the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Barking Up the Wrong Tree comes a cure-all for our increasing emotional distance and loneliness--a smart, surprising, and thoroughly entertaining guide to help build better friendships, reignite love, and get closer to others, whether you're an extrovert or introvert, socially adept or socially anxious. Can you judge a book by its cover? Is a friend in need truly a friend indeed? Does love conquer all? Is no man an island? In Plays Well with Others, Eric Barker dives into these age-old maxims drawing on science to reveal the truth beyond the conventional wisdom about human relationships. Combining his compelling storytelling and humor, Barker explains what hostage negotiation techniques and marital arguments have in common, how an expert con-man lied his way into a twenty-year professional soccer career, and why those holding views diametrically opposed to our own actually have the potential to become our closest, most trusted friends. Inside you will learn: The two things essential to making friends--and what Dale Carnegie got wrong. What creates love, reignites love, and sustains love. (There's no Build-A-Bear store for a happy marriage but this is close.) The ethical and effective way to get your partner to change. How social media can actually improve relationships. The antidote to loneliness and why what we usually hear doesn't work. And so much more. The book is packed with high-five-worthy stories about the greatest female detective to ever live, the most successful liar to ever open his mouth, genius horses, thieving hermits, the perils of perfect memories, and placebos. Leveraging the best evidence available--free of platitudes or magical thinking--Barker analyzes multiple sides of an issue before rendering his verdict. What he's uncovered is surprising, counterintuitive, and timely--and will change the way you interact in the world and with those around you just when you need it most."--
Subjects: Friendship.; Interpersonal communication.; Interpersonal relations.; Loneliness.; Love.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Strip tees : a memoir of millennial Los Angeles / by Flannery, Kate,author.;
"Strip Tees is a fever dream of a memoir--Hunter S. Thompson meets Gloria Steinem--about a recent college graduate and what happens when her feminist ideals meet the real world. At the turn of the new millennium, LA is the place to be. "Hipster" is a new word on the scene. Lauren Conrad is living her Cinderella story in the "Hills" on millions of television sets across the country. Paris Hilton tells us "That's hot" from behind the biggest sunglasses imaginable, while beautiful teenagers fight and fall in love on The O.C. Into this most glittering of supposed utopias, Kate Flannery arrives with a Seven Sisters diploma in hand and a new job at an upstart clothing company called American Apparel. Kate throws herself into the work, determined to climb the corporate fashion ladder. Having a job at American Apparel also means being a part of the advertising campaigns themselves, stripping down in the name of feminism. She slowly begins to lose herself in a landscape of rowdy sex-positivity, racy photo shoots, and a cultlike devotion to the unorthodox CEO and founder of the brand. The line between sexual liberation and exploitation quickly grows hazy, leading Kate to question the company's ethics and wrestle with her own. Strip Tees captures a moment in our recent past that's already sepia toned in nostalgia, and also paints a timeless portrait of a young woman who must choose between what business demands and self-respect requires."--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Flannery, Kate.; American Apparel (Firm); Sexual harassment of women;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Results 51 to 60 of 75 | « previous |