At the beginning of the twenty-first century, China is poised to become a major global power. And though much has been written of China's rise, a crucial aspect of this transformation has gone largely unnoticed: the way that China is using soft power to appeal to its neighbours and to distant countries alike. This original book is the first to examine the significance of China's recent focus on soft power, that is, diplomacy, trade incentives, cultural and educational exchange opportunities, and other techniques, to project a benign national image, pose as a model of social and economic success, and develop stronger international alliances. Drawing on years of experience tracking China's policies in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa, Joshua Kurlantzick reveals how China has wooed the world with a charm offensive that has largely escaped the attention of American policymakers. Beijing's new diplomacy has altered the political landscape in Southeast Asia and far beyond, changing the dynamics of China's relationships with other countries. China also has worked to take advantage of American policy mistakes, the author contends. In a provocative conclusion, he considers a future in which China may be the first nation since the Soviet Union to rival the U.S. in international influence.

In this book the eminent psychoanalyst Leonard Shengold looks at why some people are resistant to change, even when it seems to promise a change for the better. Drawing on a lifetime of clinical experience as well as wide readings of world literature, Shengold shows how early childhood relationships with parents can lead to a powerful conviction that change means loss. Dr. Shengold, who is well known for his work on the lasting effects of childhood trauma and child abuse in such seminal books as Soul Murder and Soul Murder Revisited, continues his exploration into the consequences of early psychological injury and loss. In the examples of his patients and in the lives and work of such figures as Edna St. Vincent Millay, William Wordsworth, and Henrik Ibsen, Shengold looks at the different ways in which unconscious impressions connected with early experiences and fantasies about parents are integrated into individual lives. He shows the difficulties he’s encountered with his patients in raising these memories to the conscious level where they can be known and owned; and he also shows, in his survey of literary figures, how these memories can become part of the creative process. Haunted by Parents offers a deeply humane reflection on the values and limitations of therapy, on memory and the lingering effects of the past, and on the possibility of recognizing the promise of the future.

A brand-new young chapter book series from Edgar Award winner Dori Hillestad Butler! When ghost boy Kaz’s haunt is torn down and he is separated from his ghost family, he meets a real girl named Claire, who lives above the town library with her parents and her grandmother. Claire has a special ability to see ghosts when other humans cannot and she and Kaz quickly form a friendship. The two join forces to solve the mystery of the ghost that’s haunting the library. Could it be one of Kaz’s lost family members?

Is Your House Haunted? Today, many homes are haunted by ghosts of their family’s past. Some people are haunted by the horrible way they were parented. Unfortunately, they find themselves repeating the same terrible mistakes with their own children. Does history have to repeat itself? How do you break the cycle of brokenness, pain and abuse in your family? How do you create healthy relationships with the people closest to you? In this life-changing book, bestselling author Bo Sanchez turns into a spiritual exorcist for wounded families whose homes are haunted. Bo shares powerful secrets on how to stop toxic patterns inherited from one generation to the next. You’ll learn how to deal with monster parents and break the cycle of horror parenting. You’ll discover the three hats you need to wear to raise healthy kids. You’ll also find out the secrets on how to create a loving family and cut the roots of envy among your siblings. This book has the power to transform your families from horror families to happy families, from haunted houses to healthy homes. Find out how you can help your loved ones change, grow and love. Learn how to heal your family’s past, rise from the rubble of pain, and build a beautiful future. Yes, the cycle of broken families can stop. The contents of this book, if applied, will change your family life forever. There is hope. It starts with you.

ONE OF ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'S "BIGGEST AND BEST YA BOOKS OF THE SUMMER" From Danielle Vega, YA's answer to Stephen King, comes a new paranormal novel about dark family secrets, deep-seated vengeance, and the horrifying truth that evil often lurks in the unlikeliest of places. Clean slate. That's what Hendricks Becker-O'Malley's parents said when they moved their family to the tiny town of Drearfield, New York. Hendricks wants to lay low and forget her dark, traumatic past. Forget him. But things don't go as planned. Hendricks learns from new friends at school that Steele House--the fixer upper her parents are so excited about--is notorious in town. Local legend says it's haunted. But Hendricks isn't sure if it's the demons of her past haunting her ...or of the present. Voices whisper in her ear as she lays in bed. Doors lock on their own. And, then, one night, things take a violent turn. With help from the mysterious boy next door, Hendricks makes it her mission to take down the ghosts . . . if they don't take her first.

“Part ghost story, part coming-of-age story, John Searles’ Help for the Haunted is a dazzling, dark portrait of a troubled family beset by the supernatural. Searles ratchets up the tension with every passing chapter, and delivers authentic and well-earned scares--all written through the lens of a lonely teenager searching for answers. The result is a novel both frightening and beautiful.” — Gillian Flynn An unforgettable story of a most unusual family, their deep secrets, their harrowing tragedy, and ultimately, a daughter’s discovery of a dark and unexpected mystery. Sylvie Mason’s parents have an unusual occupation—helping “haunted souls” find peace. After receiving a strange phone call one winter’s night, they leave the house and are later murdered in an old church in a horrifying act of violence. A year later, Sylvie is living in the care of her older sister, who may be to blame for what happened to their parents. Now, the inquisitive teenager pursues the mystery, moving closer to the knowledge of what occurred that night—and to the truth about her family’s past and the secrets that have haunted them for years. Capturing the vivid eeriness of Stephen King’s works with the compelling quirkiness of John Irving’s beloved novels, Help for the Haunted is that rare story that brings to life a richly imagined and wholly original world. From the very first page, it takes readers on a captivating journey, told in the heartbreakingly resonant voice of a young heroine who is determined to discover the truth about her family and what went wrong one snowy winter night.

ARE YOU HAUNTED by your past, unable to be the person you long to be? The core cause of your emotional, physical or spiritual problems may be unresolved issues from being raised by a GHOST MOTHER. Ghost mothers are unable to connect emotionally. You needed so much from her, and got so little. Now this reality keeps you from becoming the empowered woman you want to be. Illuminating the ghost-issues that keep you stuck will immediately help you to move beyond the pain of your past. Based on the authors healing journey, and the haunting stories of other ghost daughters, this book explores the impact of an illusive past, and provides healing strategies for embracing a visible life. LEARN the 6 proven ghost-busting strategies to create a life in which you are no longer haunted by the pain of being raised by a ghost mother. RECOGNIZE: the reality of your past and what your ghost mother couldnt provide. RELEASE: the pain that creates negative emotions, and damages your spirit. REFOCUS: on a strong identity that allows you to get your needs met. RESTORE: your confidence, emotional strength, and self-knowledge. RENOVATE: your perception of yourself in powerful ways. REWRITE: a new life-script using the hidden gifts of being raised by a ghost.

"Dr. Fink explains how and why people are seduced by many virtual realities, both simple and complex, and compares our respective experiences of reality and virtuality, showing how humanity has adapted and evolved."--BOOK JACKET.

The bestselling author of "Ghosts Across Kentucky" now presents an all-new collection of amazing ghost stories of the state.