Memphis, Tennessee, 1990. High School football star AJ Tallisdales journey from jerkdom begins when Victory Poindexter who he believes to be a virgin piques his interest. After developing feelings for her, he finds out that she is not the virgin of everyones report and breaks up with her. Feeling betrayed, AJ unknowingly feeds her to the wolves, namely his friend and fellow jerk, Yellow. After finding a new love in college, AJ regrets the damage done to Victorys reputation during high school and seeks redemption. Over the course of twenty years, AJ and Yellow suffer a wave of trials and tribulations that ultimately bring them to their knees and their destiny.
In the spirit of the mega-selling On Bullshit, philosopher Aaron James presents a theory of the asshole that is both intellectually provocative and existentially necessary. What does it mean for someone to be an asshole? The answer is not obvious, despite the fact that we are often personally stuck dealing with people for whom there is no better name. Try as we might to avoid them, assholes are found everywhere—at work, at home, on the road, and in the public sphere. Encountering one causes great difficulty and personal strain, especially because we often cannot understand why exactly someone should be acting like that. Asshole management begins with asshole understanding. Much as Machiavelli illuminated political strategy for princes, this book finally gives us the concepts to think or say why assholes disturb us so, and explains why such people seem part of the human social condition, especially in an age of raging narcissism and unbridled capitalism. These concepts are also practically useful, as understanding the asshole we are stuck with helps us think constructively about how to handle problems he (and they are mostly all men) presents. We get a better sense of when the asshole is best resisted, and when he is best ignored—a better sense of what is, and what is not, worth fighting for.
In a year of war, sixteen-year-old Charlotte sets off on a mission of love in the backwoods of Louisiana, only to be violated by three soldiers in a lonely section of the forest. Charlotte's young life is destroyed, but another life is growing inside her. Years later, in peacetime, Charlotte comes to House of Gentle Men, a mysterious sanctuary where sad, damaged women are administered to by haunted men wishing to atone for their past crimes. Here, Charolotte falls in love with one of the Gentle Men, a tormented young soldier with a terrible secret of his own. An artistic triumph of the highest order, this debut is a transcendent tale of salvation that celebrates the strength of the heart.
Travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic don't have to keep you stuck--neither physically nor spiritually. This book invites us to encounter the world through the eyes of an amazing author, and explore the even larger realm of love and healing inside each of us. Stop Being Mean to Yourself is a compassionate guide filled with new ideas for overcoming the pitfalls of guilt and self-doubt, and helps readers find a happier place in the world. "In this wonderfully practical book, Melody Beattie gives you the tools to discover the magnificence and splendor of your being." -- Deepak Chopra, M.D. Beckoning readers toward a spiritual territory beyond even that of her revolutionary best-seller Codependent No More, Melody Beattie conducts us through teeming Casablanca, war-torn Algeria, and the caverns of Egypt's great pyramids as she embarks on a new kind of journey of the soul. An enlightening blend of travel adventure and spiritual discovery, filled with new ideas for overcoming the pitfalls of guilt and self-doubt, Stop Being Mean to Yourself is a compassionate tour guide for the troubled and the heartsick, for those who seek a happier place in the world. A tale that is at once modern and timeless, rich with the promise of personal discovery, it is a book about learning the art of living and of loving others -- and ourselves. As full of suspense and excitement as it is of hope and encouragement, it is as rewarding for its pure reading pleasure as for the wisdom it imparts.
MEN of the YEAR MAN of the YEAR "Me, lonesome? Hell, I'm too mean to ever get lonesome." —Rafe McClain, ornery ex-Texan Love? Mighty scarce in Rafe's hardscrabble life. So he'd learned to live solo—and liked it that way. Until a mysterious plea for help had the restless, ruthless mercenary headed back to Texas like some dashing white knight. And there waited delicious Amanda Crenshaw, the rancher's daughter who'd once, indelibly, branded his heart. Taking what Mandy offered proved impossible to resist. But soon Rafe would be gone again. Unless Mandy could transform this lean, mean loner into the loving family man he desperately longed to become…. Some men are made for lovin'—and you'll love our MAN OF THE MONTH!
Notable not only for its comprehensiveness but also for its inclusion of the Chinese pictograms, this complete text of the *Analects* of the greatest philosopher of Chinese history is a must-own volume for any student of Confucius (551Bi479 Be. From the disposition of a land's rulers to the value of prayer, the thoughts of Confucius have powerfully shaped the moral life and political structures of Asian nations, and influenced the direction of the Western world as well. Here, Legge offers an enlightening introduction to the *Analects,* copious notes that place the sayings in cultural context, and much more assistance for the lay reader in understanding the depth of Confucius' wisdom. This three-in-one volume, originally published in this form in 1893, also includes *The Great Learning,* the Confucian illustration of illustrious virtue, and *The Doctrine of the Mean,* the thinker's explication of the path of duty. Scottish scholar JAMES LEGGE (1815-1897) was the first professor of Chinese language and literature at Oxford University, serving from 1876 to 1897. Among his many books are The Life and Teaching of Confucius (1867), The Religions of China (1880), and the 50-volume Sacred Books of the East (1879-1891).
