Beans calls her dad 'Gadgetman' because of the weird and wonderful gadgets he comes up with - everything from exploding biscuits to Spy Kits. But when Gadgetman accidentally invents a device that could be used to steal millions of pounds, the wrong people find out and Gadgetman is kidnapped!With the help of her friends - and her special Gadgetman Spy Kit - Beans is determined to track down the kidnappers and rescue her dad. But can she find Gadgetman before he is forced to hand over the details of his invention...?

The Republic of Southern California was in serious trouble. The casually repressive rule of the junta was threatened, not only by the growing band of guerrillas in the south, but also by the sudden, inexplicable outbreak of riots in the Republic's wealthiest suburbs. Then word reached the Social Wing of the Police Corps that the daughter of the guerrillas' leader had information about the cause of the riots, and Sergeant James Xavier Hecker was sent to investigate. Hecker was an unlikely policeman: not only did he lack any overwhelming personal ambition, but he also retained a vestigial faith in the good will of the men and women around him. And his odyssey through the rubble of our consumption-oriented, gadget-filled, anything-for-kicks society-by turns surprising, appalling, and devilishly funny-makes an unusually entertaining and perceptive novel.

A NATIONAL BESTSELLER A programmer, musician, and father of virtual reality technology, Jaron Lanier was a pioneer in digital media, and among the first to predict the revolutionary changes it would bring to our commerce and culture. Now, with the Web influencing virtually every aspect of our lives, he offers this provocative critique of how digital design is shaping society, for better and for worse. Informed by Lanier’s experience and expertise as a computer scientist, You Are Not a Gadget discusses the technical and cultural problems that have unwittingly risen from programming choices—such as the nature of user identity—that were “locked-in” at the birth of digital media and considers what a future based on current design philosophies will bring. With the proliferation of social networks, cloud-based data storage systems, and Web 2.0 designs that elevate the “wisdom” of mobs and computer algorithms over the intelligence and wisdom of individuals, his message has never been more urgent.

The acclaimed social psychologist and New York Times–bestselling author of The Art of Loving discusses the nature of evil and humanity’s capacity for it. Originally published in 1964, The Heart of Man was influenced by turbulent times. Average Americans were suffering from different forms of evil, including a rise in juvenile delinquency. On a grander scale, the threat of nuclear war loomed over the nation, and President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated. What could drive humanity to do things such as these? In The Heart of Man, renowned humanist philosopher and psychoanalyst Erich Fromm investigates man’s capacity to destroy, his narcissism, and his incestuous fixation. He expands upon ideas he presented in Escape from Freedom, Man for Himself, and The Art of Loving, and examines the essence of evil, as well as the choice between good and evil. He also explores man’s ability to destroy and further considers freedom, aggression, destructiveness, and violence. “The Heart of Man questions human nature itself, from the forms of violence that plague it to individual and social narcissism to how the positive value of “love of life” can potentially outweigh the destructive “syndrome of decay” caused by the love of death and other harmful tendencies of thought.” —Midwest Book Review

An exciting fantasy novel for 8 to 12 year olds involving enchantment, mystery and a garden gnome. To the boy called Red, it seems the most marvellous escape he could wish for: a gift that grants him more freedom than he ever believed possible - the chance to fly, to soar with the gulls, high over the tall brick walls that have imprisoned him for so long. But this gift comes with a terrible price - and puts him in grave danger. Is there anyone Red can trust to help him? The curious Captain Bass who has strange powers of his own? The wildly unpredictable twin sisters he is strongly drawn to? In this magical, mysterious story, Red's adventure is like a chamber of mirrors at a carnival - a dazzling and breathtaking tale. 'This is a rich fantasy - alive with original twists, surprises and mysteries which I dare not reveal. Children's Literature is about to be enriched with a new classic.' Margaret Mahy

Ring in the New Year in style with The Southern Review's jewel-studded winter 2012 issue. Featured poets include Charles Simic, Mary Ruefle, Stephen Dunn, Bob Hicok, Wendy Barker, Elana Bell, Daniel Johnson, and Anna Journey. A snow-dusted Copenhagen at Christmas is the site of Thomas E. Kennedy's surprising and movingly human account of what it means to face death and emerge grateful to the world. Jason Brown brings us "Wintering Over," a chilling story about an artist couple isolated in a neglected Maine house over a winter that may be prove too long for them to endure. New fiction by Stuart Dybek, Christie Hodgen, Christine Sneed, Ted Sanders, and Reese Okyong Kwon joins nonfiction by Rachel Ida Buff and paintings by Gwyneth Scally.

How do you escape being the loblolly boy? Find the boy who stole your life and Exchange. An exciting fantasy novel for junior readers The NZ Post Junior Fiction winner returns with outstanding sequel! Following on from the highly acclaimed The Loblolly Boy, this magical and astonishing story, full of lurches and unexpected twists, will keep readers captivated from beginning to end. How do you escape from being the loblolly boy? The answer is simple: find the boy who stole your life and Exchange. But when the loblolly boy seeks help from the mysterious Captain Bass, he discovers it’s not going to be simple. Standing in his way will be the Jugglers, the unpredictable Gadget Man and the sinister Sorcerer. Lost in a strange town with only one friend — the feisty Mel — the loblolly boy has to deal with the biggest obstacle of all: Benjy, the treacherous boy who stole his life.

The Last Transaction is a deep and fascinating glimpse into the memories, inner compulsions, torments, triumphs, and events in the life of a President of the United States in a world gone mad, from 1980 to 1985. Even more, it is a perceptive vision of the major issues our society will face tomorrow. Sure to be a controversial, possibly prophetic, like anything Barry Malzberg writes, this novel is an experience you will not forget.

Humor essays from a radio host and syndicated columnist who is the “Erma Bombeck for a whole new generation of frazzled moms and dads” (Amy Carr, Daily Herald). Disguised as an average soccer mom, she’s faster than a speeding toddler, more powerful than a teenage temper tantrum, and able to leap loads of laundry in a single bound! Deb DiSandro is here to save the day. Her hilarious, heartfelt essays on the ages and stages of motherhood are sure to help families everywhere see the humor in their own foibles. From bringing home the new baby to dog training and the thermostat wars, Supermom has seen it all. She has negotiated peace over paint finishes, she has overthrown the powerful regime of the kitchen gadgets, and she has even pinned down the elusive wild teenager in the farthest reaches of suburban malls. But this mom is slightly off: she finds humor in her teenager’s unintelligible mumbling, in the dog’s flagrant disobedience, and in her husband’s merciless drive for the perfect dimmer switch. “Deb DiSandro is not slightly off—she is straight on target. Her essays bubble with wit, freshness, and ever-so-real life.” —Jacquelyn Mitchard, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean “Anyone thinking of committing to parenthood needs to read Deb DiSandro. Her humor and wisdom on the subject of child-raising may help you appreciate the many advantages of getting a Yorkie instead.” —D. L. Stewart, author of Paternity Ward “Deb DiSandro’s instincts about family life are sound and her perspective refreshing.” —William H. Doherty, author of Putting Family First