Best Reference eBooks

Now a major motion picture from Lionsgate starring Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, and Naomi Watts. MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST The perennially bestselling, extraordinary, one-of-a-kind, “nothing short of spectacular” ( Entertainment Weekly ) memoir from one of the world’s most gifted storytellers. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home. What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor. But I have a very vivid memory of this tough, leathery woman; she sang, she danced, she shot guns, she’d play honky tonk piano. Half Broke Horses is a compilation of family stories, stitched together with gaps filled in. A: Several years ago, the abandoned building on New York’s Lower East Side where Mom had been squatting for more than a decade caught fire and she was back on the streets again at age 72. She doesn’t live in the house with us-- I have not reached that level of understanding and compassion-- but in an outbuilding about a hundred yards away. Mom is great with the animals, loves to sing and dance and ride horses, and is still painting like a fiend. She opens her memoir by describing looking out the window of her taxi, wondering if she's "overdressed for the evening" and spotting her mother on the sidewalk, "rooting through a Dumpster." Walls's parents—just two of the unforgettable characters in this excellent, unusual book—were a matched pair of eccentrics, and raising four children didn't conventionalize either of them. Her father was a self-taught man, a would-be inventor who could stay longer at a poker table than at most jobs and had "a little bit of a drinking situation," as her mother put it. With a fantastic storytelling knack, Walls describes her artist mom's great gift for rationalizing. While Walls's father's version of Christmas presents—walking each child into the Arizona desert at night and letting each one claim a star—was delightful, he wasn't so dear when he stole the kids' hard-earned savings to go on a bender. The Walls children learned to support themselves, eating out of trashcans at school or painting their skin so the holes in their pants didn't show.

A forceful argument against America's vicious circle of growing inequality by the Nobel Prize–winning economist. "Paul Boehmer's deep but gentle tone provides a comforting voice for the harsh realities that Stiglitz reveals.…More importantly, Boehmer knows how to project the key sentences of every paragraph, bringing home Stiglitz's point and giving the listener its full weight."

From uncovering what happens to lost luggage to New York City's plan to crack down on crime by banning pinball, this book will challenge your knowledge of the fascinating stories behind the world's greatest facts. "Every story in the book is interesting, and Lewis includes a 'bonus fact' at the end of each story which is a mini mind bender on its own."

Praised as a "treasure trove of political, economic, scientific and educational statistics and information" by The Wall Street Journal , The World Almanac and Book of Facts will answer all of your trivia needs—from history and sports to geography, pop culture, and much more. Historical Anniversaries: The World Almanac 's recurring feature expands to incorporate milestone events and cultural touchstones dating to the book's founding year, from the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson to the publication of Little Women . Other New Highlights: A brand-new biography of the 45th president and profile of the Trump administration; 2016 election results; and statistics on crime, health care, overdose deaths, shootings, terrorism, and much more. 2017—Year in Sports: Hundreds of pages of trivia and statistics that are essential for any sports fan, featuring a preview of the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympic Games, complete coverage of the 2017 World Series, new tables of NBA, NHL, and NCAA statistics, and much more. Sarah Janssen is the senior editor of The World Almanac® and Book of Facts .

Robert Strassler's new edition removes these obstacles by providing a new coherence to the narrative overall, and by effectively reconstructing the lost cultural context that Thucydides shared with his original audience. The Landmark Thucydides includes a vast array of superbly designed and presented maps, brief informative appendices by outstanding classical scholars on subjects of special relevance to the text, explanatory marginal notes on each page, an index of unprecedented subtlety, and numerous other useful features. But the bulk of the book itself, where Thucydides chronicles the long struggle between Athens and Sparta, enjoys an unexpected freshness on these pages--partly due to Strassler's magnificent editorial labors, but mostly because it's a great story resonant with heroes, villains, bravery, desperation, and tragedy. He has added descriptive paragraph-by-paragraph synopses, topic headers on every page, numerous maps keyed to the adjoining text, explanatory footnotes, an extensive index, an excellent introduction by Victor Davis Hanson (California State Univ.

The official companion book to the British Library exhibition and the ultimate gift for Harry Potter fans! The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world’s greatest research libraries.

Announcing the completely revised and updated edition of The Wine Bible , the perennial bestselling wine book praised as “The most informative and entertaining book I’ve ever seen on the subject” (Danny Meyer), “A guide that has all the answers” (Bobby Flay), “Astounding” (Thomas Keller), and “A magnificent masterpiece of wine writing” (Kevin Zraly). “MacNeil’s writing style is engaging and conversational, and if you want to know anything about wine her book is the place to start” – Forbes.com. Karen MacNeil is the only U.S. winner of every major wine award in the English language, including the James Beard Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year (2004). She is the host of Wine, Food and Friends with Karen MacNeil (PBS nationally); a writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, Saveur, and Town & Country ; and chairman emeritus of the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley.

You can set this dictionary as your default Kindle dictionary and look up words while reading. Today, the company continues as the leader in language reference, publishing a diverse array of print and electronic products, including the best-selling Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.

Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television. Bradbury's vividly painted society holds up the appearance of happiness as the highest goal--a place where trivial information is good, and knowledge and ideas are bad. Their dull, empty life sharply contrasts with that of his next-door neighbor Clarisse, a young girl thrilled by the ideas in books, and more interested in what she can see in the world around her than in the mindless chatter of the tube. After fleeing to avoid arrest, Montag winds up joining an outlaw band of scholars who keep the contents of books in their heads, waiting for the time society will once again need the wisdom of literature. Stephan Hoye's narration is perfectly matched to the subject matter: his tone is low and ominous, and his cadence shifts with the prose to ratchet up tension and suspense.

Man Up! Kate McKay has taught history and humanities at Tulsa Community College and is one of the main content creators on the popular Web site ArtofManliness.com.

And don't miss Runny Babbit Returns , the new book from Shel Silverstein! In Shel Silverstein's popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. At this point in the story, the double-page spread shows a pathetic solitary stump, poignantly cut down to the heart the boy once carved into the tree as a child that said "M.E. When there's nothing left of her, the boy returns again as an old man, needing a quiet place to sit and rest. (All ages) --Karin Snelson “If you’re looking for a children’s book that teaches generosity or unselfishness, most people will point you right to The Giving Tree , Shel Silverstein’s lovely story of a tree that will do anything for the boy it loves—and for good reason.

Whether you've just heard of DNA testing or you've tested at all three major companies, this guide will give you the tools you need to unpuzzle your DNA and discover what it can tell you about your family tree. "[This] Guide to DNA Testing offers a lot of information for the beginner and advanced researcher alike...[and] is easy to read and comprehend" -- Bobbi King for Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter. "There are very few titles on my book shelf in my genealogy office that I refer to constantly. I know that The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy will be one of those titles for years to come.

National Best Seller From the best-selling author of Wild , a collection of quotes--drawn from the wide range of her writings--that capture her wisdom, courage, and outspoken humor, presented in a gift-sized package that's as irresistible to give as it is to receive. This book gathers, each on a single page, more than 100 of Strayed's indelible quotes and thoughts--"mini instruction manuals for the soul" that urge us toward the incredible capacity for love, compassion, forgiveness, and endurance that is within us all. Cheryl is gritty and honest, more honest than I've ever seen a woman write - Reese Witherspoon.

From uncovering what happens to lost luggage to New York City's plan to crack down on crime by banning pinball, this book will challenge your knowledge of the fascinating stories behind the world's greatest facts. "Every story in the book is interesting, and Lewis includes a 'bonus fact' at the end of each story which is a mini mind bender on its own."

One of the biggest problem areas for writers is conveying a character's emotions to the reader in a unique, compelling way. Angela and Becca also co-founded their popular Writers Helping Writers site, a hub where authors can hone their craft, as well as One Stop For Writers , an innovative online library built to help writers elevate their storytelling.

One of the biggest problem areas for writers is conveying a character's emotions to the reader in a unique, compelling way. Angela and Becca also co-founded their popular Writers Helping Writers site, a hub where authors can hone their craft, as well as One Stop For Writers , an innovative online library built to help writers elevate their storytelling.

"How to Boost You Credit score 100+ Points Without Credit Repair" will show credit industry secrets for maximizing the other 65%.