It is my personal belief that no one, absolutely no one succeeds alone. This statement is true in every facet of life, especially when it comes to marriage and parenting. Oh how I would’ve loved to have read this book earlier in my life, as it could’ve saved me a lot of “failing forward” moments. This book is written for those who want to succeed in marriage, for those who desire unbreakable bonds with their children and those who desire to live a life in balance with family and career. It’s a simplistic instruction manual of sorts with truth at its core. It’s not perfect and neither am I, but I’m certain that it will inspire you.

Two generations of American music lovers have grown up listening with Robert Christgau, attuned to his inimitable blend of judgment, acuity, passion, erudition, wit, and caveat emptor. His writings, collected here, constitute a virtual encyclopedia of popular music over the past fifty years. Whether honoring the originators of rock and roll, celebrating established artists, or spreading the word about newer ones, the book is pure enjoyment, a pleasure that takes its cues from the sounds it chronicles. A critical compendium of points of interest in American popular music and its far-flung diaspora, this book ranges from the 1950s singer-songwriter tradition through hip-hop, alternative, and beyond. With unfailing style and grace, Christgau negotiates the straits of great music and thorny politics, as in the cases of Public Enemy, blackface artist Emmett Miller, KRS-One, the Beastie Boys, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. He illuminates legends from pop music and the beginnings of rock and roll—George Gershwin, Nat King Cole, B. B. King, Chuck Berry, and Elvis Presley—and looks at the subtle transition to just plain “rock” in the music of Janis Joplin, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and others. He praises the endless vitality of Al Green, George Clinton, and Neil Young. And from the Rolling Stones to Sonic Youth to Nirvana, from Bette Midler to Michael Jackson to DJ Shadow, he shows how money calls the tune in careers that aren’t necessarily compromised by their intercourse with commerce. Rock and punk and hip-hop, pop and world beat: this is the music of the second half of the twentieth century, skillfully framed in the work of a writer whose reach, insight, and perfect pitch make him one of the major cultural critics of our time.

Who feels like a grown up when they're twenty-one? Or, well, ever? With a significant birthday fast approaching, journalist and agony aunt Daisy Buchanan found herself worrying about whether or not she was a 'proper' adult yet. Her twenties had been a familiar tale of bad boyfriends, worse jobs, money worries, and mistakes. But was she getting it so wrong? Or was she learning vital life lessons along the way? In her unstintingly honest and hilarious account of a defining decade, Daisy shares her personal highs and lows in order to show us that there is no perfect path to adulthood - but we're all far stronger, smarter, and closer to being a grown-up than we realise...

A national bestseller from the New York Times best-selling author of The Middlesteins, All Grown Up is a wickedly funny novel about a thirty-nine-year-old single, childfree woman who defies convention as she seeks connection. Who is Andrea Bern? When her therapist asks the question, Andrea knows the right things to say: she’s a designer, a friend, a daughter, a sister. But it’s what she leaves unsaid—she’s alone, a drinker, a former artist, a shrieker in bed, captain of the sinking ship that is her flesh—that feels the most true. Everyone around her seems to have an entirely different idea of what it means to be an adult: her best friend, Indigo, is getting married; her brother—who miraculously seems unscathed by their shared tumultuous childhood—and sister-in-law are having a hoped-for baby; and her friend Matthew continues to wholly devote himself to making dark paintings at the cost of being flat broke. But when Andrea’s niece finally arrives, born with a heartbreaking ailment, the Bern family is forced to reexamine what really matters. Will this drive them together or tear them apart? Told in gut-wrenchingly honest, mordantly comic vignettes, All Grown Up is a breathtaking display of Jami Attenberg’s power as a storyteller, a whip-smart examination of one woman’s life, lived entirely on her own terms.

#1 New York Times Bestseller “Funny and smart as hell” (Bill Gates), Allie Brosh’s Hyperbole and a Half showcases her unique voice, leaping wit, and her ability to capture complex emotions with deceptively simple illustrations. FROM THE PUBLISHER: Every time Allie Brosh posts something new on her hugely popular blog Hyperbole and a Half the internet rejoices. This full-color, beautifully illustrated edition features more than fifty percent new content, with ten never-before-seen essays and one wholly revised and expanded piece as well as classics from the website like, “The God of Cake,” “Dogs Don’t Understand Basic Concepts Like Moving,” and her astonishing, “Adventures in Depression,” and “Depression Part Two,” which have been hailed as some of the most insightful meditations on the disease ever written. Brosh’s debut marks the launch of a major new American humorist who will surely make even the biggest scrooge or snob laugh. We dare you not to. FROM THE AUTHOR: This is a book I wrote. Because I wrote it, I had to figure out what to put on the back cover to explain what it is. I tried to write a long, third-person summary that would imply how great the book is and also sound vaguely authoritative—like maybe someone who isn’t me wrote it—but I soon discovered that I’m not sneaky enough to pull it off convincingly. So I decided to just make a list of things that are in the book: Pictures Words Stories about things that happened to me Stories about things that happened to other people because of me Eight billion dollars* Stories about dogs The secret to eternal happiness* *These are lies. Perhaps I have underestimated my sneakiness!

This is the author's life story of growing up in Exton, Pa., from 1931-2010. He shares his memories of how Exton grew from a tiny village into a thriving town in the middle of Chester Co., Pa. He worked hard and long his whole life, beginning at his parents' farm and restaurant/gas station. He has worked for Nat Gas delivering propane tanks; Murray's Appliance in Paoli hauling appliances and installing a.c. units and antennas; Cabrini College as a baker; and at Beloit Eastern and Pepperidge Farm in Downingtown. He has hauled milk; sold ice, real hardwood charcoal, and firewood; set up for dog shows; and peddled produce and flowers for roadside stands and stores, such as Genuardi's. At one time he owned Twin City Beverage in Spring City and had his own bakery where he sold his famous sticky buns. One of his most important contributons was helping to start the West Whiteland Fire Company and being a volunteer fireman. He includes the stories of many of the fires as well as the times they assisted Downingtown, Lionville, and East Whiteland Fire Companies, among others. (184pp. illus. Masthof Press, 2015.)

Finding himself the sole survivor of the Bronson family after the night of terror on Loco Ridge, Andy Bronson must face the demons that plague his life. Trying to prove his love for Rose Dander, he alienates himself from the very people who would claim him as their son. The modern West, complete with cattle rustlers, heroes, and murderers, fills this fast moving story with suspense, love, intrigue, and humor. A compelling must read sequel to TERROR ON LOCO RIDGE.

A 2020 Newbery Honor Recipient! Christian McKay Heidicker, author of the Thieves of Weirdwood trilogy, draws inspiration from Bram Stoker, H. P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe for his debut middle-grade novel, a thrilling portrait of survival and an unforgettable tale of friendship. "Clever and harrowing." —The Wall Street Journal "Into the finest tradition of storytelling steps Christian McKay Heidicker with these highly original, bone-chilling, and ultimately heart-warming stories. All that’s needed is a blazing campfire and a delicious plate of peaches and centipedes.” —Kathi Appelt, Newbery Award honoree and National Book Award finalist The haunted season has arrived in the Antler Wood. No fox kit is safe. When Mia and Uly are separated from their litters, they discover a dangerous world full of monsters. In order to find a den to call home, they must venture through field and forest, facing unspeakable things that dwell in the darkness: a zombie who hungers for their flesh, a witch who tries to steal their skins, a ghost who hunts them through the snow . . . and other things too scary to mention. Featuring eight interconnected stories and sixteen hauntingly beautiful illustrations, Scary Stories for Young Foxes contains the kinds of adventures and thrills you love to listen to beside a campfire in the dark of night. Fans of Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Auxier, and R. L. Stine have found their next favorite book. A Booklist 2019 Editors' Choice Selection

At thirteen, Jonah wished he was like all the other kids, worrying about pimples or spilt milk on his shirt during lunch. But he had a much worse problem . . . "God, I hate this," he would mumble to himself, looking up at the ceiling. "I know this is just whining, but come on, why me? What is the purpose of me being this? If there were more like me, I could understand, but just me? Why, God, why does it have to hurt so much? Why every time? Maybe just once, just once, God, maybe I could black out or something, please? I could understand if something good came out of this, but come on. This just bites." And then, he did the one thing he dreaded more than anything else in his life—he became a monster, a werewolf . . .