Al is finally turning fourteen, and this birthday is going to bring a lot of changes—starting with a new name! Al has reached the most important point in her life: her fourteenth birthday. Her biggest worry is how boring her life has been so far—nothing exciting has ever happened to her. What if nothing ever does? What’s more, she no longer feels like an Al, but she still hates her real name, Alexandra. She needs to find a more dignified name—and fast—so that she can unveil the new her in time for her birthday. With her new name and her newfound adulthood, Al wants to start leading a meaningful life. But it turns out that saving the world is a little harder than it sounds—even for a girl like Al.

Electra is a utopian type city and the envy of every city in the U.S. Its citizens enjoyed the benefits of good government and therefore, lulled into complacency by its many amenities, believing the good life would last forever without their participation in civic affairs and henceforth, neglected their right to vote. Their indifference to the political process left the door ajar for the criminal element to establish a foothold in city government. Gradually, the tentacles of corruption penetrated every office of city government. This once great city, is now degenerated into one of crime and vice, with the establishment of gambling, prostitution, and drugs. This story centers on two wealthy individuals who decided on restoring the city to its former greatness by combining their resources, influence, and expertise in a resourceful, dangerous, and questionable plan. Alvin Cain came from humble origins; and through his intelligence and fearless nature, he became a wealthy man and the architect of a daring plan to restore Electra to respectability. John Winthrop Hamilton III was born into wealth, a philanthropist and the moral guide of the two men; he had to be convinced that Alvin Cains method was the only viable plan that could succeed. Although daring, dangerous, and unethical, the plan was adopted.

Rare is the opportunity to chat with a legendary financial figure and hear the unvarnished truth about what really goes on behind the scenes. Hedgehogging represents just such an opportunity, allowing you to step inside the world of Wall Street with Barton Biggs as he discusses investing in general, hedge funds in particular, and how he has learned to find and profit from the best moneymaking opportunities in an eat-what-you-kill, cutthroat investment world.

"A frightening story that gets you thinking, what if..." -- Tim Green, New York Times bestselling author of suspense novels.Corrupt White House officials sell out to the American and Russian mobs to re-elect a weak President Corgan at all costs. American ambassadors and Russian spies who get in the way are killed. Diplomat Bob Innes falls into this conspiracy of political intrigue and murder and becomes the target of hired assassins and Russian mafia hitmen. He and Lydia, a beautiful Russian escort to powerful men, work with the FBI to bring down the President's men and the Russian mob's Godfather. Al Malandrino, a colorful New York mob boss, becomes their unexpected ally. PERMANENT INTERESTS authentically captures political intrigue, greed and treachery in the highest levels of government. And it all comes crashing down in face of relentless pursuit of the truth by the system's would-be victims.

Heroes, a man and his dog, the American landscape, remembered passion, conflict a dying father and a prodigal son, pioneer journals, reflections of a young boys Eden, a hooker on a corner in West Oakland, love in all its myriad formsthese are just a few of the stories revealed within the covers of Body of Work, Dan Strawns personal collection of six decades of Twentieth Century Americana. Strawn tells his stories through the mediums of poems, family history, serious and humorous nonfiction, and short fiction. Take your pick: civil rights, family history, everyday life, or bits of irony served up on a plate of no-holds-barred satire by a self-professed American contradiction: both cynic and patriot. Open the book and read. You will be entertained and informed; you may even come away with a changed perspective about yourself or your world.

Can Oliver become a hero—even when no one needs saving? Oliver knows he’s destined for greatness. Deep in his bones, he feels his courage growling like a lion, just waiting for a chance to prove itself. As for a Boy Scout or a firefighter, the trick is to always be prepared. Oliver’s only problem is that he’s already finished the fourth grade and might be running out of chances to show his stuff. But don’t bet against him. The odds are that when he’s tested, Oliver will be ready to save the day. In a series of wacky misadventures spanning a day of fishing turned shark attack and an evening at a red-hot Tex-Mex restaurant, Oliver does his best to be heroic.