Morgan doesn't like the new kid, Curtis, who can juggle, do karate and play guitar, and loves to brag about it. But some of the kids in his class are impressed, especially when Curtis teases Aldeen, the Queen of Mean -- who isn't even mean back! Does Aldeen actually like Curtis? A game of egg toss at a neighbourhood party will show how Aldeen really feels. Who do you think ends up with egg on his face?

In this second edition of his widely read book, bullwhip expert (and 4-time Guinness World Record holder) Robert Dante teaches whip cracking for beginners to advanced performers, from A to Z, covering the dynamics of safe bullwhip handling, basic cracks, elementary tricks and stunts, advanced whip cracking routines and flashes, performing, whips as exercise for fitness, whip maintenance, teaching, two-handed whips, blacklight nylon whips, and much more. Includes photos of some superstars of the world-wide bullwhip community. With Sylvia Rosat. Illustrated, with appendices.

Global business today is played by new rules -- many of which are being written by the Japanese and their remarkably successful companies. Because the Japanese are redefining business as we know it, Western companies expecting to profit from the new global marketplace must first learn to compete and succeed against the Japanese in Japan. James C. Morgan, Chairman of Applied Materials, Inc., the leading supplier of advanced processing equipment to the worldwide semiconductor industry which does about forty percent of its business in Japan, and J. Jeffrey Morgan, who has worked in Tokyo on the "inside" at Mitsui & Co., Japan's oldest trading conglomerate, contend that apathy and ignorance have prevented many Western companies from capitalizing on the enormous opportunities for business in Japan. In this brilliant examination of Japanese markets, companies, and business practices -- with special emphasis on the establishment of Applied Materials Japan -- the Morgans, father and son, assert that success in the world of Japanese business is determined by two factors: technology and relationships. Candidly discussing their own mistakes and failures as well as their triumphs, the authors provide invaluable insights into the specific challenges facing Western companies in establishing a presence in Japan: problems in financing the venture, product design and production, marketing and distribution, and most important, creating long-term relationships or "putting on a Japanese face." The extraordinary success of Applied Materials Japan -- hailed by George Bush on the campaign trail in 1988 as "a model for all America" -- is testimony to the valuable lessons to be learned from this book. The Morgans provide a clearly written, step-by-step framework for reorienting company thinking, revising corporate strategy, and revitalizing any organization for world class competitiveness. Using vivid examples of Western companies that have both succeeded admirably and failed miserably in Japan, Cracking the Japanese Market is a straightforward examination of what it takes to compete successfully there -- and by extension in the world today.

“This book was a breath of fresh air. I loved it so much.” -- Elizabeth for GoodReads Come visit the beautiful U.S southwest and meet the Morgan family and friends as this series begins in Saguaro Valley! EMMA’S DREAM A woman is the last thing on Ben Morgan’s mind as he comes home to Morgan’s Run, his family’s ranch in Saguaro Valley. Doctor’s orders, he’s home to heal, but the sooner he can get back to Santa Barbara, the better. Then he runs into Maggie Williams on Main Street, prompting vivid memories of a magical night, and Ben’s ailing heart skips a beat. Father of her beloved four year old daughter, the eldest of the Morgan sons is the last person Maggie expects to have crash into her car and back into her life. For years, she has struggled to forget him and to make a life for herself and her daughter, Emma, the mirror image of a father who is unaware of her existence. Now, here he is, looking more gorgeous than the day he ran out of town. Maggie swears Ben Morgan will never break her heart again. LANG’S RETURN In this sweet, sexy romance, Lang Dillon’s life is flipped upside down when he discovers a tall, beautiful woman bent over her truck’s hood sobbing. His reluctant return home for his parents’ wedding anniversary, takes a major detour on that dusty road in Saguaro Valley. Beth Morgan’s neat ordered life shattered, she turns to the sexy, handsome visitor for comfort and finds more than she bargained for as their white-hot romance develops. Should she risk her heart again when Lang heads home to Boston in less than two weeks? Stay away she tells herself, but that proves impossible and Beth’s risks a broken heart all over again. As a teenager, Lang could not get out of Arizona fast enough, but this time it’s not so easy. If he goes back to the life he loves, he leaves behind the woman he adores, who has rocked his world as no woman ever has. He also leaves his heart. JEB’S PROMISE Spark Foster drags his daughter Amy kicking and screaming on an extended vacation to Morgan’s Run. After a painful break-up, Amy has sworn off men. Then she takes a ride with adorably cute, wrangler Jeb Barnes and her broken heart skips more than one beat! Jeb is grieving the loss of his “almost fiancée,” and his white hot attraction to the beautiful stranger from Portland shakes him to the core. Like moths to flames, neither can stay away from each other as they work side-by-side at Emma’s Dream, a camp for handicapped kids. As her vacation ends, Amy must face the hardest decision of her life-- walking away from Jeb and Emma’s Dream as well as four-year old Toby Cooper, a foster child, who has captured her heart and Jeb’s so completely. “Wonderful things happen in this book . A must read.” -- Tony Lewis for GoodReads M. Lee Prescott writes romances, mysteries, suspense and books for children and young adults. She is also the author of the popular Morgan’s Run romance series set in the U.S. southwest and the Morgan’s Fire series set in New England. Visit her website and sign up for her newsletter. Lee loves to hear from readers. Email her at [email protected], follow her on Amazon and BookBub, or ask her anything on Goodreads!

From the author of The Struggle Is Real: “One of the best devotionals for moms . . . a very real look at motherhood and what the Bible says about it all” (Fishbowl Family). Because Crack Is Illegal takes a unique and witty approach to daily devotionals for mothers in every stage of life. For thirty days mothers are encouraged through personal, transparent, and comical stories of trials, as well as some bargaining and victory. Each day the reader is challenged to learn, grow, and laugh through reflection and daily application of scripture. “It’s hilarious, full of rich truth, and it’s a 30 day devo. I don’t even typically like devotion books, but this one is so great. What more could you need? . . . For both new moms and seasoned moms . . . it’s for you.” —Happily Rooted “As a mom, and as a Jesus girl, I just can’t tell you how much I enjoyed Raema’s fresh and transparent writing. Both of her short devotionals were such a breath of fresh, reassuring air in my life. They encouraged me to draw closer to Christ while assuring me that I am not alone in this crazy journey of motherhood.” —A Momma’s Joy “It’s always refreshing when a writer (and especially a fellow mom) can be honest about the struggles of life. And with short (about two pages) entries and Bible references for each of the thirty days, Mauriello makes it easy to get your daily quiet time in. Winning all around.” —Christina Fowler Blog

Like Conrad's Marlow, whose tale of journeying into the "heart of darkness" gives us as much insight into one man's personality as it does into the mysteries of the dark world he explored, so the anthropologist's record of another culture contains more than objective, scientific data about his investigation. Embedded within it are clues to the "personality" of anthropology itself: the attitudes, approaches, even prejudices that at any given stage in history are inextricable from the ideology of the anthropologist. Therefore, the mirror he holds up to show us another culture can never be a perfect one. His own professional attitude toward his subject, as well as his choice of medium, are factors that create "cracks" in the mirror of anthropology through which we believe we view the life of other cultures. Hence, the concept of "reflexivity" and the striving to recognize how it warps in the portrayal of anthropological truth lie at the core of the twelve finely wrought essays collected in this volume. Wide ranging in geography as well as viewpoint, they highlight various methods and media (film, ethnography, text) through which an anthropologist chooses to portray a culture, and the various forms, such as art, theater, and ritual, through which a culture portrays itself. Recognizing the link between these two processes provides the key to cultural and methodological self awareness. Reflexivity is defined and clarified in the introduction and in three of the essays, and the remaining nine essays evince the principle through fieldwork and startling case studies. Essays by Jay Ruby and Eric Michaels shed new light on the enormous potential of film and video, showing how a form generally thought to be "nonscientific" can in fact give fresh insight into the scientific premises underlying the discipline's methodology. Essays by Barbara Babcock and Carol Ann Parssinen focus on the novel and ethnography, examining existing works. Anthropologists, as well as students of film, art, and theater, will find that this intriguing work begins to redefine traditional distinctions between science and the arts and brings to light fresh resources that are utilized in the search for anthropological truth. Contributors: Richard Schechner, Victor Turner, Barbara Myerhoff, Jay Ruby, Eric Michaels, Dennis Tedlock, George Marcus, Paul Rabinow, Barbara Babcock, Carol Ann Parssinen, and Dan Rose.

Asphalt Pavements provides the know-how behind the design, production and maintenance of asphalt pavements and parking lots. Incorporating the latest technology, this book is the first to focus primarily on the design, production and maintenance of low-volume roads and parking areas. Special attention is given to determining the traffic capacity, required thickness and asphalt mixture type for parking applications. Topics covered include: material information such as binder properties, testing grading and selection; construction information such as mixing plant operation, proportioning, mixture placement and compaction; and design information such as thickness and mixture design methods and guidelines on applying these to highways, city streets and parking Areas. It is an essential practical guide aimed at those engineers and architects who are not directly involved in the asphalt industry, but who nonetheless need to have a good general knowledge of the subject. Asphalt Pavements provides a novice with enough information to completely design, construct and specify an asphalt pavement.

“Another brilliantly emotional story from M. Lee Prescott. I couldn’t stop reading. Recommend to all.” -- Bec, on GoodReads Come on back to beautiful Saguaro Valley and join the Morgan family and friends in three powerful new Morgan’s Run romances and a bonus Christmas story! POLLY’S HEART Polly Granger comes to Morgan’s Run to help run the ranch’s new day care, never dreaming she’ll find love with the scruffy, gorgeous Kevin Larrabee, a contractor, whose crew is building a thoroughbred farm and training center north of the ranch for Ben Morgan Senior and his buddy, Spark Foster. From the moment they meet, Polly’s fragile heart belongs to Kevin. Seventeen years her senior and divorced, he loves her more than he’s ever loved any woman, but decides he’s too old for the beautiful schoolteacher. Then, Kevin learns of a child from his past who might be his son and his life spirals out of control. In the midst of this, the two begin a passionate affair that threatens Polly’s health and Kevin’s resolve to let her go. Surrounded and embraced by their adopted Valley families, the two wonder if their path to love will ever be clear. KYLE’S JOURNEY Once again Saguaro Valley works its magic when Harriet Winthrop agrees to a vacation with her mom Helen a friend of the Morgans and Spark Foster. After wrenching heartbreak, Harriet has sworn off men forever. Her first valley evening she meets “swoon-worthy” Kyle Morgan and jumps headlong into a white hot love affair. “Love em and leave em” Kyle is bowled over by his feelings for the shy, beautiful east coaster. Then shadows of Harriet’s traumatic past sweep over the lovers and their relationship is threatened -- by distance, dangers on the trail and bone shattering memories. Will love bring these two together or keep them apart? GUS’S HOME Hoping a fresh start will be good for him and his two young children, widower Gus Casey takes a job as assistant trainer at Spark Foster and Ben Morgan Senior’s thoroughbred training facility north of Morgan’s Run. A deathbed promise to his wife, never marry or have children with another woman, seems reasonable until he begins a white hot affair with teacher Lynn Manguilli. Crazy about the handsome, horse whisperer, Lynn’s heart is shattered when Gus’ promise comes between them. Will these two star-crossed lovers find a way to be together? A VALLEY CHRISTMAS A Valley Christmas is Leonora and Ben’s love story. As they plan their fortieth wedding anniversary party and deal with an unexpected health issue, the beloved couple reminisce about when they first fell in love. And it’s the holidays in Saguaro Valley! Family and friends gather to celebrate a wedding, kindle the fires of a new relationship, welcome a Christmas baby, and revel in the ranch’s bountiful Christmas season. Join this loving family, their friends, and east coast cousins in book ten of Morgan’s Run! “If you want ideas what to cook or a love story this is your book but there is so much more and I enjoyed it even a courtroom drama is added and a chase.” -- Anne Peverett for GoodReads (about Kyle’s Journey) M. Lee Prescott writes romances, mysteries, suspense and books for children and young adults. She is also the author of the popular Morgan’s Run romance series set in the U.S. southwest and the Morgan’s Fire series set in New England. Visit her website and sign up for her newsletter. Lee loves to hear from readers. Email her at [email protected], follow her on Amazon and BookBub, or ask her anything on Goodreads!

The Drunken Silenus is a book that is as hard to categorize as it is to put down--an enlightening and mesmerizing blend of philosophy, history, and art criticism. Morgan Meis begins simply enough, with a painting by the Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens of the figure from Greek mythology who is mentor to Dionysus, god of wine and excess of every kind. We learn who this obscure, minor god is--why he must attend on the god who dies and must be re-born and educated all over again--and why Rubens depicted him not as a character out of a farce, but as one whose plight evokes pity and compassion. The narrative spirals out from there, taking in the history of Antwerp, bloody seventeenth-century religious wars, tales of Rubens's father's near-execution for sleeping with William of Orange's wife, Nietzsche's Birth of Tragedy and the impossibility of there being any meaning to human life, and the destruction of all civilization by nefarious forces within ourselves. All of this is conveyed in language that crackles with intelligence, wit, and dark humor--a voice that at times sounds a bit tipsy and garrulous, but which ultimately asks us to confront the deepest questions of meaning, purpose, and hope in the face of death and tragedy.