In these two stories from bestselling author Nick Hornby revelations are at hand. In "Not a Star", Lynn has always thought her son, Mark, was a little, well, unremarkable. Until the day a neighbor drops off a porn video at her house, with a note telling her to watch it. Turns out, Mark is rather remarkable in one specific area of his life (and anatomy). Lynn and her husband, Dave, don’t quite know what to think. The revelation of their son’s talent ripples through Lynn’s life as she alternately encounters humor, horror, and unexpected emotional reactions. What do you do in the face of impending doom? In "Otherwise, Pandemonium," you lose your virginity with the hottest girl in the Little Berkeley Big Band… Here, the world is a different place; the future is uncertain; the choices one makes are the only thing standing between a semblance of order or utter chaos. And the TV’s been acting funny. This is a story that makes you think and feel, and reminds us of the fleeting nature of time.

In May 2005 Penguin will publish 70 unique titles to celebrate the company's 70th birthday. The titles in the Pocket Penguins series are emblematic of the renowned breadth of quality of the Penguin list and will hark back to Penguin founder Allen Lane's vision of good books for all'. trademark wit and poignancy that have made him one of the UK's most popular writers and one written specially for this volume.

A “luminous” story of love and sorrow spanning from London to Romania, from a prize-winning novelist (Publishers Weekly, starred review). Kitty Crozier first laid eyes on Virgil Florescu, a dissident poet who swam across the Danube to escape Ceausescu’s Romania, in the hospital. She woke up after surgery to find a stranger sitting beside her bed gazing at her. He just smiled, then stood and left the room. She next sees him in London’s Green Park picking up litter from the grass with a long spike. So begins the most important, most demanding, most exhilarating relationship of Kitty’s life. As their love for each other deepens, their previous lives, and very different families, reveal themselves to be oddly connected, in this novel from a recipient of literary honors including a Somerset Maugham Award, an E. M. Forster Award, and a George Orwell Prize, as well as two Man Booker Prize nominations. “At once a wistful and tender love story and a harrowing account of how people from two utterly different cultures and ways of looking at the world can find, then lose, each other . . . Virgil is a superb creation.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

The Human Computer: Get The Most Out of Yours is a book that will radically change the course of technology and medicine, and affect the entire spectrum of human relationships across the globe. The Human Computer draws unprecedented and critical parallels between the human brain and the desktop computer. This book will touch and affect the lives of everyone on the planet, now and into the foreseeable future. How men and women think and approach life's problems is explained. Why teens struggle so much with their parents becomes exceedingly clear. The differences that have plagued relationships between men and women since antiquity are revealed. The Human Computer challenges many of the ancient and flawed paradigms that have been the cornerstones of society and scientific knowledge since antiquity. It is vitally important you read this book, to prepare for a new age of enlightenment. Understand what your Human Computer is all about...to take advantage of it in your career, your life's goals, your search for fortune...take advantage of its power in relationships...so that you can get the most out of yours.... The clock is ticking and time may be running out.

Visions of post-apocalyptic worlds have proved to be irresistible for many 21st-century writers, from literary novelists to fantasy and young adult writers. Exploring a wide range of texts, from the works of Margaret Atwood, Cormac McCarthy, Tom Perrotta and Emily St. John Mandel to young adult novels such as Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games series, this is the first critical introduction to contemporary apocalyptic fiction. Exploring the cultural and political contexts of these writings and their echoes in popular media, Apocalyptic Fiction also examines how contemporary apocalyptic texts looks back to earlier writings by the likes of Mary Shelley, H.G. Wells and J.G. Ballard. Apocalyptic Fiction includes an annotated guide to secondary readings, making this an essential guide for students of contemporary fiction at all levels.

Basic semiotic theories are taught in most art schools as part of a contextual studies program, but many students find it difficult to understand how these ideas might impact on their own practice. Visible Signs tackles this problem by introducing key theories and concepts, such as signs and signifiers, and language and speech, within the framework of visual communication. Each chapter provides an overview of a particular facet of semiotic theory, with inspiring examples from graphic design, typography, illustration, advertising and art to illustrate the ideas discussed in the text. Creative exercises at the end of the book will help exemplify these ideas through practical application. The fourth edition of Visible Signs includes new imagery and updated exercises, as well as coverage of propaganda, diversity in 'neutral' communication (like emojis), and issues related to social media representation.

How to be Good is Nick Hornby's hilarious bestselling novel on life, love and charity 'I am in a car park in Leeds when I tell my husband I don't want to be married to him any more. . . ' London GP Katie Carr always thought she was a good person. With her husband David making a living as 'The Angriest Man in Holloway', she figured she could put up with anything. Until, that is, David meets DJ Goodnews and becomes a good person too. A far-too-good person who starts committing crimes of charity like taking in the homeless and giving their kids' toys away. Suddenly Katie's feeling very bad about herself, and thinking that if charity begins at home, then maybe its time to move. . . This laugh-out-loud novel, from the bestselling author of About a Boy and High Fidelity, will have you gripped from start to finish and will appeal to fans of David Nicholls and Jonathan Coe, as well as readers in need of a moral compass everywhere. 'Pins you in your armchair ad won't let go . . . How to be Good? How to be bloody marvellous, more like' Mail on Sunday 'It does exactly what it says on the cover. Hornby's prose is artful and effortless, his spiky wit as razored as a number-two cut' Independent 'The writing is so funny, and the set-pieces so brilliant...Hornby's best book since Fever Pitch' Lynn Truss, The Times

The clear and easy way to get a handle on the science of speech The science of how people produce and perceive speech, phonetics has an array of real-world applications, from helping engineers create an authentic sounding Irish or Canadian accent for a GPS voice, to assisting forensics investigators identifying the person whose voice was caught on tape, to helping a film actor make the transition to the stage. Phonetics is a required course among students of speech pathology and linguistics, and it's a popular elective among students of telecommunications and forensics. The first popular guide to this fascinating discipline, Phonetics For Dummies is an excellent overview of the field for students enrolled in introductory phonetics courses and an ideal introduction for anyone with an interest in the field. Bonus instructional videos, video quizzes, and other content available online for download on the dummies.com product page for this book.

A bad-boy prince in need of protection… and the woman who'll protect, but never obey. His reluctant bodyguard I'm a loyal, disciplined, deadly weapon. I'll never be bested by a playboy prince. His selfish betrayal earned the ire of his kingdom—now someone wants him dead. I should despise this reckless royal. But I've seen behind the mask. His savage smirk hides a wounded boy begging to be loved. Their forbidden love… I've mixed business with pleasure and paid the price—with my job, my heart and almost my life. I refuse to repeat my mistakes. But his honeyed words and soul-searing touch shatter my resolve. This damaged prince holds my fragile heart and I'll fight to keep them both safe. Can Cat place her trust in this reckless royal? Can Dav ever believe he's worthy of her love? Discover a world of danger, drama and dizzying romance in the Rich & Royal series by USA Today bestselling author, Jen Katemi. These steamy contemporary romances featuring billionaire royals and their rocky road to love are connected yet designed as stand-alone stories which can be read in any order. Grab your copy now! Note: Protect and Obey contains references to adult themes including PTSD.