Combining two novellas into one volume, this collection explores the effects of prejudice and the ramifications of violence with a slightly unhinged sense of humor and unexpected tenderness. Lockpick Pornography, originally published in 2005, is a gender-queer adventure story that was not widely available until now. We All Got It Coming presents the experiences of a young couple dealing with the aftermath of an act of violence. From kidnapping the son of a "family values" politician to violent confrontation, these are characters who fight back.
Jackie's mother is a ghosht that only Jackie can see, while Ann's mother and sister have turned into violent creatures that must be kept in the basement. Up the road, Charlie and his blind dog live in a building haunted by a headless ghost.
Cover letters are all the same. They're useless. You write the same lies over and over again, listing the store-bought parts of yourself that you respect the least. God knows how they tell anyone apart, but this is how it's done. And then one day a car comes out of nowhere, and suddenly everything changes and you don't know if he'll ever wake up. You get out of bed in the morning, and when you sit down to write another paint-by-numbers cover letter, something entirely different comes out. You start threatening instead of begging. You tell impolite jokes. You talk about your childhood and your sexual fantasies. You sign your real name and you put yourself honestly into letter after letter and there is no way you are ever going to get this job. Not with a letter like this. And you send it anyway.
A precisely crafted, darkly humorous portrait of a family in mourning SundayÕs father is dying of cancer. TheyÕve come home to Malagash, on the north shore of Nova Scotia, so he can die where he grew up. Her mother and her brother are both devastated. But devastated isnÕt good enough. Devastated doesnÕt fix anything. Sunday has a plan. SheÕs started recording everything her father says. His boring stories. His stupid jokes. Everything. SheÕs recording every single ÒI love youÓ right alongside every ÒCould we turn the heat up in here?Ó ItÕs all important. Because Sunday is writing a computer virus. A computer virus that will live secretly on the hard drives of millions of people all over the world. A computer virus that will think her fatherÕs thoughts and say her fatherÕs words. She has thousands of lines of code to write. Cryptography to understand. Exploits to test. She doesnÕt have time to be sad. Her father is going to live forever.
"A whole book of “I hope this...” and “I hope that...” and you think, blah blah, blah, until you read that particular hope which is just for you, it must be just for you it is so perfect, and the whole book opens like a window onto a sunny day."–Joey Comeau, Author of A Softerworld, Lock Pick Pornography, One Bloody Thing After Another and Overqualified, amongst other things This collection of hope will move you and remind you of what's important in life as you live it. From Iain S. Thomas, the creator of I Wrote This For You, and artist Carla Kreuser comes a collection of 300 things they truly and sincerely hope for you: from wishing you always have a pen, to hoping you're never lonely, and everything in-between. This collection of inspiring prose and illustrations will move you, and remind you of what's important in life as you live it. Or, that's what they hope.
The world's most infamous hacker offers an insider's view of the low-tech threats to high-tech security Kevin Mitnick's exploits as a cyber-desperado and fugitive form one of the most exhaustive FBI manhunts in history and have spawned dozens of articles, books, films, and documentaries. Since his release from federal prison, in 1998, Mitnick has turned his life around and established himself as one of the most sought-after computer security experts worldwide. Now, in The Art of Deception, the world's most notorious hacker gives new meaning to the old adage, "It takes a thief to catch a thief." Focusing on the human factors involved with information security, Mitnick explains why all the firewalls and encryption protocols in the world will never be enough to stop a savvy grifter intent on rifling a corporate database or an irate employee determined to crash a system. With the help of many fascinating true stories of successful attacks on business and government, he illustrates just how susceptible even the most locked-down information systems are to a slick con artist impersonating an IRS agent. Narrating from the points of view of both the attacker and the victims, he explains why each attack was so successful and how it could have been prevented in an engaging and highly readable style reminiscent of a true-crime novel. And, perhaps most importantly, Mitnick offers advice for preventing these types of social engineering hacks through security protocols, training programs, and manuals that address the human element of security.
The Best of A Softer World. Over 200 comics from the critically acclaimed series, including many that have never been printed before. Today is a good day to just start over. Be wary of saving too much money, because disaster could strike at any time, and I'm pretty sure heaven is just you sitting there wishing you'd bought an Xbox because it turns out you can take it with you but there's nothing to buy in the great beyond. Be on the lookout for new love! Everyone has kisses. Who is going to slip one into your pocket when you aren't looking? Your lucky numbers this week are: 1,2,3 all the way up to infinity, I am just saying. Good times are on the way. Open your mouth! Get Ready! A Softer World started in 2003, and ended in 2015, and will live forever in this book, and on asofterworld.com
“So good, so fully realized. . . . A book about how easily our lives are wrecked, but also how powerfully we’re able to survive and rebuild.” —Nathan Hill, The New York Times Book Review A blistering dark comedy, Rafael Frumkin’s The Comedown is a romp across America, from the Kent State shootings to protest marches in Chicago to the Florida Everglades, that explores delineating lines of race, class, religion, and time. Scrappy, street smart drug dealer Reggie Marshall has never liked the simpering addict Leland Bloom-Mittwoch, which doesn’t stop Leland from looking up to Reggie with puppy-esque devotion. But when a drug deal goes dramatically, tragically wrong and a suitcase (which may or may not contain a quarter of a million dollars) disappears, the two men and their families become hopelessly entangled. It’s a mistake that sets in motion a series of events that are odd, captivating, suspenseful, and ultimately inevitable. Both incendiary and earnest, The Comedown steadfastly catalogs the tangled messes the characters make of their lives, never losing sight of the beauty and power of each family member’s capacity for love, be it for money, drugs, or each other. “A resounding success.” —The L.A. Review of Books “Ambitious, exhilarating . . . so compelling that, even when the novel concludes, the reader is left wondering where their lives took them.” —The Columbus Dispatch “An engrossing read. . . . Frumkin is whip-smart and funny.” —The Millions “Frumkin’s debut may find itself sharing shelf space with Franzen and Chabon.” —Full Stop “Frumkin has talent to burn.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review “Vivid and compassionately drawn characters.” —Library Journal (starred) “Funny, heartbreaking. . . . Frumkin’s intelligence and empathy radiates off every page.” —Carmen Maria Machado, author of Her Body and Other Parties
Keith Elliot Greenberg chronicles the growth of indie wrestling from bingo halls to a viable alternative to the WWE and speaks to those involved in the Alternative Wrestling League with remarkable candor, gaining behind-the-scenes knowledge of this growing enterprise. As COVID-19 utterly changed the world as we know it, only one sport was able to pivot and offer consistent, new, live programming on a weekly basis: professional wrestling. In 2017, after being told that no independent wrestling group could draw a crowd of more than 10,000, a group of wrestlers took up the challenge. For several years, these gladiators had been performing in front of rabid crowds and understood the hunger for wrestling that was different from the TV-slick product. In September 2018, they had the numbers to prove it: 11,263 fans filled the Sears Center Arena for the All In pay-per-view event, ushering in a new era. A year later, WWE had its first major head-to-head competitor in nearly two decades when All Elite Wrestling debuted on TNT. Acclaimed wrestling historian Keith Elliot Greenberg’s Too Sweet takes readers back to the beginning, when a half century ago outlaw promotions challenged the established leagues, and guides us into the current era. He paints a vivid picture of promotions as diverse as New Japan, Ring of Honor, Revolution Pro, Progress, and Chikara, and the colorful figures who starred in each. This is both a dynamic snapshot and the ultimate history of a transformational time in professional wrestling.
