Discusses and refutes common misconceptions and myths that have become accepted beliefs, covering topics ranging from history and science to the arts, sports, and entertainment.
Stories always involve a main character, and Jesus' character is unlike any other. No other hero-whether of history, myth, imagination, or legend-has loved as he loved, led the way he led, been a friend the way he was a friend, or understood himself as Jesus understood himself.
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “One of the most important books I’ve ever read—an indispensable guide to thinking clearly about the world.” – Bill Gates “Hans Rosling tells the story of ‘the secret silent miracle of human progress’ as only he can. But Factfulness does much more than that. It also explains why progress is so often secret and silent and teaches readers how to see it clearly.” —Melinda Gates "Factfulness by Hans Rosling, an outstanding international public health expert, is a hopeful book about the potential for human progress when we work off facts rather than our inherent biases." - Former U.S. President Barack Obama Factfulness: The stress-reducing habit of only carrying opinions for which you have strong supporting facts. When asked simple questions about global trends—what percentage of the world’s population live in poverty; why the world’s population is increasing; how many girls finish school—we systematically get the answers wrong. So wrong that a chimpanzee choosing answers at random will consistently outguess teachers, journalists, Nobel laureates, and investment bankers. In Factfulness, Professor of International Health and global TED phenomenon Hans Rosling, together with his two long-time collaborators, Anna and Ola, offers a radical new explanation of why this happens. They reveal the ten instincts that distort our perspective—from our tendency to divide the world into two camps (usually some version of us and them) to the way we consume media (where fear rules) to how we perceive progress (believing that most things are getting worse). Our problem is that we don’t know what we don’t know, and even our guesses are informed by unconscious and predictable biases. It turns out that the world, for all its imperfections, is in a much better state than we might think. That doesn’t mean there aren’t real concerns. But when we worry about everything all the time instead of embracing a worldview based on facts, we can lose our ability to focus on the things that threaten us most. Inspiring and revelatory, filled with lively anecdotes and moving stories, Factfulness is an urgent and essential book that will change the way you see the world and empower you to respond to the crises and opportunities of the future. --- “This book is my last battle in my life-long mission to fight devastating ignorance...Previously I armed myself with huge data sets, eye-opening software, an energetic learning style and a Swedish bayonet for sword-swallowing. It wasn’t enough. But I hope this book will be.” Hans Rosling, February 2017.
One of our most brilliantly iconoclastic playwrights takes on the art of profession of acting with these words: invent nothing, deny nothing, speak up, stand up, stay out of school. Acting schools, “interpretation,” “sense memory,” “The Method”—David Mamet takes a jackhammer to the idols of contemporary acting, while revealing the true heroism and nobility of the craft. He shows actors how to undertake auditions and rehearsals, deal with agents and directors, engage audiences, and stay faithful to the script, while rejecting the temptations that seduce so many of their colleagues. Bracing in its clarity, exhilarating in its common sense, True and False is as shocking as it is practical, as witty as it is instructive, and as irreverent as it is inspiring.
If you love the danger and sword-fighting of MERLIN, you'll like this! In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point - he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. As Sage's journey continues, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally a truth is revealed that proves more dangerous than all of the lies put together.
In this timely new P.I. Guide, Murphy reveals the stark truth: free market failure didn't cause the Great Depression and the New Deal didn't cure it. Shattering myths and politically correct lies, he tells why World War II didn t help the economy or get us out of the Great Depression; why it took FDR to make the Depression Great; and why Herbert Hoover was more like Obama and less like Bush than the liberal media would have you believe. Free-market believers and capitalists everywhere should have this on their bookshelf and in their briefcases.
It all started with the bereavement flowers with my name on them. Not the best way to wake up, right? I work in a flower shop. I know a funeral arrangement when I see one. I know a killer when I see one, too. And one is standing in my hospital room right now, straight behind the man who saved my life. I can’t tell anyone the truth, because that’s the fastest way to really die. So I do the next best thing. I “lose” my memory. I fake my amnesia. Pretending not to remember a brutal attempted murder has its perks. The killer is backing down, spending less time around me, loosening the noose. The less I claim to recall, the more my rescuer, Duff, works to help me “remember.” I hate lying to him. But he doesn’t understand that my memory is dangerous. To me. And to him. Fooling everyone isn’t easy. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Except it’s starting to look like I’ve been fooling myself. In more ways than one. Read Book 1 in the newest series from USA Today bestselling author Meli Raine. “The first book in the False trilogy is a psychological thriller worthy of Hitchcock, keeping you guessing until the very end. Lily Thornton is the ultimate unreliable narrator — after waking from a 14-month coma, she struggles to remember the day she was shot. As Lily slowly recovers, she’s terrified when she recognizes the face of her would-be killer among her inner circle — but can she trust her own memory? With potential enemies at every turn, a twisty political conspiracy, and just a hint of romance, False Memory offers thrills that will delight both romance and mystery readers.” — Apple Books Editors “…intrigue and dark humor on display in this thriller…” While the immediate—and more compelling—tension in Raine’s (A Shameless Little Bet, 2018, etc.) heart-pumping series opener comes from Lily’s constant proximity to her would-be killer, the action takes place against a backdrop of secret government scandals. Fortunately, Lily’s voice is captivating, wry, and tough enough to sell this thriller. The novel ends with a cliffhanger that startles, if only because readers will have become so attached to Lily. — Kirkus Reviews Praise for Meli Raine’s books: “Fresh, riveting, and thrumming with emotion and romantic suspense, False Memory is absolutely unputdownable. You need this book!” - New York Times bestselling author Meghan March “I accidentally lost a day to this trilogy! It is unputdownable. Apparently I'm on a dark-and-twisty binge, and this book is addictive.” - USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen (Harmless series)
"For through Him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created the whole universe through Him and for Him." Colossians 1:16 The Mighty Hand of God With one divine decision, history began. Existence became measurable. Because God spoke out, out of nothing came light. Out of this light came day. Then, in obedience to His command came the sky and earth. And on this earth we call home, His mighty hand went to work. Canyons were carved deep into the face of the earth, oceans were dug, mountains erupted out of flat land, stars were flung into the heavens, and a new universe sparkled simply because Almighty God spoke and willed it so! All we must do is look at the Grand Canyon's splendor and touch the gentle fragrant petals of a flower and we see His loving delicate work. We but have to listen to thunder and see the storm to stand in awe of His mighty power. As you travel through each day, you will encounter God's creation. As you see the beauty around you, allow each detail to remind you to bow down before Him and lift up your hands in praise. We should daily express our appreciation for God's creations around us. As parents, we must encourage our children to see the beauty of His love. Anonymous
Animals have existed on Earth for many hundreds of millions of years. In that time they have evolved into a great variety of forms, exploiting nearly every habitat the planet has to offer. In the dark depths of the oceans, in the seemingly inhospitable Polar Regions, in the driest deserts, even within the bodies of other animals, there are animal species that have developed unique and extraordinary means of surviving and thriving. Extraordinary Animals: An Encyclopedia of Curious and Unusual Animals is an exploration of those members of the animal kingdom who possess strange and bizarre adaptations that allow them to survive in the most extreme environments, or whose complex lives can only be said to be bewildering. From the tar-baby termite to the blue whale, from the harpy eagle to the naked mole rat, these species reflect the exceptionally broad spectrum of life, showing just how diverse the animal kingdom is. Extraordinary Animals has been thoroughly researched for scientific accuracy, but is accessibly written in everyday language. Each entry includes a description of the animal, an explanation of its odd behavior, other interesting scientific and trivial facts, and black and white illustrations. In addition, a fun and interactive Go Look section encourages readers to go look for the animals in the outside world.
The "unputdownable" (Dave Eggers, National Book award finalist) story of the most infamous American con man you've never heard of: James Strang, self-proclaimed divine king of earth, heaven, and an island in Lake Michigan, "perfect for fans of The Devil in the White City" (Kirkus) A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice Longlisted for the 2021 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist for the Midland Authors Annual Literary Award A Michigan Notable Book A CrimeReads Best True Crime Book of the Year "A masterpiece." —Nathaniel Philbrick In the summer of 1843, James Strang, a charismatic young lawyer and avowed atheist, vanished from a rural town in New York. Months later he reappeared on the Midwestern frontier and converted to a burgeoning religious movement known as Mormonism. In the wake of the murder of the sect's leader, Joseph Smith, Strang unveiled a letter purportedly from the prophet naming him successor, and persuaded hundreds of fellow converts to follow him to an island in Lake Michigan, where he declared himself a divine king. From this stronghold he controlled a fourth of the state of Michigan, establishing a pirate colony where he practiced plural marriage and perpetrated thefts, corruption, and frauds of all kinds. Eventually, having run afoul of powerful enemies, including the American president, Strang was assassinated, an event that was frontpage news across the country. The King of Confidence tells this fascinating but largely forgotten story. Centering his narrative on this charlatan's turbulent twelve years in power, Miles Harvey gets to the root of a timeless American original: the Confidence Man. Full of adventure, bad behavior, and insight into a crucial period of antebellum history, The King of Confidence brings us a compulsively readable account of one of the country's boldest con men and the boisterous era that allowed him to thrive.