The Romance of Reality
The Romance of Reality

Author: Bobby Azarian

Publisher: BenBella Books

Published: 2022-06-28

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 1637740441

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Why do we exist? For centuries, this question was the sole province of religion and philosophy. But now science is ready to take a seat at the table. According to the prevailing scientific paradigm, the universe tends toward randomness; it functions according to laws without purpose, and the emergence of life is an accident devoid of meaning. But this bleak interpretation of nature is currently being challenged by cutting-edge findings at the intersection of physics, biology, neuroscience, and information theory—generally referred to as “complexity science.” Thanks to a new understanding of evolution, as well as recent advances in our understanding of the phenomenon known as emergence, a new cosmic narrative is taking shape: Nature’s simplest “parts” come together to form ever-greater “wholes” in a process that has no end in sight. In The Romance of Reality, cognitive neuroscientist Bobby Azarian explains the science behind this new view of reality and explores what it means for all of us. In engaging, accessible prose, Azarian outlines the fundamental misunderstanding of thermodynamics at the heart of the old assumptions about the universe’s evolution, and shows us the evidence that suggests that the universe is a “self-organizing” system, one that is moving toward increasing complexity and awareness. Cosmologist and science communicator Carl Sagan once said of humanity that “we are a way for the cosmos to know itself.” The Romance of Reality shows that this poetic statement in fact rests on a scientific foundation and gives us a new way to know the cosmos, along with a riveting vision of life that imbues existence with meaning—nothing supernatural required.

Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley

Author: Emily W. Sunstein

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 1991-08

Total Pages: 514

ISBN-13: 9780801842184

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Winner of the Prize for Independent Scholars from the Modern Language AssociationNotable Book of the Year from The New York Times Daughter of pioneer feminist Mary Wollstonecraft and radical philosopher William Godwin, lover and wife of Percy Bysshe Shelley, author of Frankenstein and creator of the science fiction genre, Mary Shelley has remained a figure both undervalued and enigmatic. In this authoritative, ground-breaking biography, she is finally restored to her rightful stature as one of the major figures in English literary history. Here for the first time is a full account of Mary Shelley's career, significant areas of which have never before been examined: her precocious childhood, her adolescent liaison with the radical poet Shelley, her creation of Frankenstein at the age of nineteen, her tempestuous but brilliant married years with Shelley, and, of particular note, the dramatic second half of her life, after Shelley's death. Emily Sunstein has also discovered previously unknown works written by Mary Shelley and traces the development of her unjustly clouded posthumous reputation.

Pick Me
Pick Me

Author: Kristine Mason

Publisher: Kristine Mason

Published: 2013-04-08

Total Pages: 198

ISBN-13:

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To help save the TV reality show, Pick Me, from cancellation, Valentina Bonasera swaps her position as the show’s Production Assistant, to play the role of Bachelorette, only to discover Bachelor Number One, rancher and sports agent, Colt Walker, happens to be her one and only one-night-stand she’d snuck away from six months ago. Colt had never forgotten the hot, sensual night he’d shared with Valentina, or how she’d left him without so much as a note or her contact information. He’d spent months searching for the woman who’d given him a night he couldn’t forget and thought he’d never see again. Now that she’s in Dallas, he’s determined to make her his…

Under the Black Flag
Under the Black Flag

Author: David Cordingly

Publisher: Random House

Published: 2013-02-06

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 0307763072

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“This is the most authoritative and highly literate account of these pernicious people that I have ever read.”—Patrick O'Brian “[A] wonderfully entertaining history of pirates and piracy . . . a rip-roaring read . . . fascinating and unexpected.”—Men's Journal This rollicking account of the golden age of piracy is packed with vivid history and high seas adventure. David Cordingly, an acclaimed expert on pirates, reveals the spellbinding truth behind the legends of Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, Sir Francis Drake, the fierce female brigands Mary Read and Anne Bonny, and others who rode and robbed upon the world's most dangerous waters. Here, in thrilling detail, are the weapons they used, the ships they sailed, and the ways they fought—and were defeated. Under the Black Flag also charts the paths of fictional pirates such as Captain Hook and Long John Silver. The definitive resource on the subject, this book is as captivating as it is supremely entertaining. Praise for Under the Black Flag “[A] lively history . . . If you've ever been seduced by the myth of the cutlass-wielding pirate, consider David Cordingly's Under the Black Flag.”—USA Today, “Best Bets” “Engagingly told . . . a tale of the power of imaginative literature to re-create the past.”—Los Angeles Times “Entirely engaging and informative . . . a witty and spirited book.”—The Washington Post Book World “Plenty of thrills and adventure to satisfy any reader.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Reality of Us
The Reality of Us

Author: Vanessa North

Publisher:

Published: 2021-08-10

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13: 9780989903462

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The reality of Alden... Arrogant. Aloof. Argumentative. Antagonistic. Angry. Alden Kaufman is many things, and none of them are nice. Trauma has left him deeply scarred and incapable of easy friendships. He doesn't know how to let anyone past his walls, and he doesn't think it's worth the trouble. The reality of Kit... Everybody's best friend, nobody's boyfriend. In spite of a lifestyle that doesn't invite attachments, Kit Taylor gets along with everyone he meets-except Alden. He can't entice his prickly co-worker out of his shell, and has given up on trying. The Reality of Us... Two men at odds with themselves and each other embark on what should be a simple team-building exercise, but nothing goes as planned. Unexpected intimacy and a freak accident leave Kit and Alden dependent on each other long after they leave the mountain behind. Now they have a choice-to continue as they've been, or trust a shaky new reality together.

Free Will
Free Will

Author: Sam Harris

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2012-03-06

Total Pages: 96

ISBN-13: 1451683405

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From the New York Times bestselling author of The End of Faith, a thought-provoking, "brilliant and witty" (Oliver Sacks) look at the notion of free will—and the implications that it is an illusion. A belief in free will touches nearly everything that human beings value. It is difficult to think about law, politics, religion, public policy, intimate relationships, morality—as well as feelings of remorse or personal achievement—without first imagining that every person is the true source of his or her thoughts and actions. And yet the facts tell us that free will is an illusion. In this enlightening book, Sam Harris argues that this truth about the human mind does not undermine morality or diminish the importance of social and political freedom, but it can and should change the way we think about some of the most important questions in life.

A Fraught Embrace
A Fraught Embrace

Author: Ann Swidler

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2018-12-04

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 0691183201

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In the wake of the AIDS pandemic, legions of organizations and compassionate individuals from faraway places descended on Africa to offer help and save lives. Ann Swidler and Susan Cotts Watkins vividly describe the often mismatched expectations and fantasies of altruists who dream of transforming lives, of the villagers who desperately seek help, and of the brokers on whom both Western altruists and impoverished villagers must rely. Based on years of fieldwork in the heavily AIDS-affected country of Malawi, this incisive, irreverent book digs into the sprawling AIDS enterprise and unravels the paradoxes of policy and practice. All who want to do good—from idealistic volunteers to world-weary development professionals—depend on brokers as guides, fixers, and cultural translators. The mutual misunderstandings among these players create all the drama of a romance: longing, exhilaration, disappointment, heartache, and sometimes an enduring connection. A Fraught Embrace unveils the tangled relations of those involved in the collective struggle to contain an epidemic.

Marrying Mister Perfect
Marrying Mister Perfect

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9781311486868

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Sometimes it takes a reality television show to show you the love that's right in front of you.To Louisa Tanner, Jack Doyle is perfect--heart surgeon, loving single father, and best friend a girl could have--so it's no surprise when he's tapped as the next Mister Perfect for the reality dating series Marrying Mister Perfect.The thought of watching her secret crush romancing a bevy of gorgeous women on national television is torture--but Jack has never seen Lou as more than his live-in nanny and pal--and now he's officially out of reach.Jack is skeptical of reality shows as a path to love, but drastic measures are needed to shake him and Lou out of their rut. She deserves better and will never chase her dreams if she is busy taking care of him and his kids, so he vows to take the show seriously and find a new wife.But the more stunning women he romances on command, the more he begins to realize the only woman he wants just might be the one he left back home. How can he seduce his best friend without jeopardizing their friendship? Especially when the cameras are always rolling..."A fresh, fun voice in contemporary romance, Lizzie Shane shines!"-RITA Nominated Contemporary Romance Author Kim Law