All material in this book originally appeared in The New Yorker Includes index.

“MAYA BANKS…I’M READY FOR THE NEXT RIDE NOW!” SAID USA TODAY. AND NOW, MAYA BANKS IS READY TO DELIVER. FROM THE “MUST-READ AUTHOR” (ROMANCE JUNKIES) OF LETTING GO AND GIVING IN—THE NEW NOVEL IN HER SURRENDER TRILOGY. In her sensational Breathless Trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Maya Banks tested the boundaries of desire. In her new trilogy, there’s only one thing left to do: cross them. And for a married couple taking steps to renew their marriage, the consequences of one single moment of inattention may come at a price the husband never expects… Chessy and Tate have been married for several years. In the beginning, their relationship was everything she wanted. Passionate. All-consuming. She offered her submission freely and Tate cherished her gift with a tenderness that made her feel safe. Content. Wanted. Loved beyond all measure. But as the years have gone by, Tate has become more immersed in making his business a success, and Chessy has taken a back seat to his business obligations. Growing unhappy with the status of their once blissful marriage, Chessy knows that something has to give, or they stand to lose it all. Tate loves his wife. Has always loved her. Providing for her has always been his number-one priority. But lately she’s seemed unhappy, and he’s worried. Worried enough that he arranges for a night together that he hopes will reignite the fire that once burned like an inferno between them. But a business call at the wrong time threatens everything. Chessy’s safety, his concentration, his wife’s faith in him as her husband—a man sworn to love and protect her above all else. Gutted with the realization that he’s going to lose her—has already lost her—he readies for the fight of his life. Whatever it takes, he’ll get her back, show her that nothing is more important than her love. And that if she’ll allow him to prove himself one more time, he’ll take it all. Everything. But he’ll give back far more: Himself. His undying love.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The groundbreaking investigation of how the global elite's efforts to "change the world" preserve the status quo and obscure their role in causing the problems they later seek to solve. An essential read for understanding some of the egregious abuses of power that dominate today’s news. "Impassioned.... Entertaining reading.” —The Washington Post Anand Giridharadas takes us into the inner sanctums of a new gilded age, where the rich and powerful fight for equality and justice any way they can—except ways that threaten the social order and their position atop it. They rebrand themselves as saviors of the poor; they lavishly reward “thought leaders” who redefine “change” in ways that preserve the status quo; and they constantly seek to do more good, but never less harm. Giridharadas asks hard questions: Why, for example, should our gravest problems be solved by the unelected upper crust instead of the public institutions it erodes by lobbying and dodging taxes? His groundbreaking investigation has already forced a great, sorely needed reckoning among the world’s wealthiest and those they hover above, and it points toward an answer: Rather than rely on scraps from the winners, we must take on the grueling democratic work of building more robust, egalitarian institutions and truly changing the world—a call to action for elites and everyday citizens alike.

This compelling look at graffiti explores the many aspects of this shocking, raw, and often vulgar art form that are not typically discussed. The hearts and minds of obsessive graffiti writers are revealed, and a range of controversial topics are addressed. What motivates them? How do they live? Why and how do they become interested in what many see as vandalism? The techniques and tools of the trade are examined, and interviews with notorious graffiti writers from around the world are included. Filled with stunning and rare color photographs of some of the deadliest tags, throw-ups, cross-outs, and burners from the private collections of graffiti legends, this book will be treasured by graffiti writers, those fascinated by hip-hop culture, and individuals interested in urban art and the lives and motives of obsessive vandals.

Private George, aka 00Hood, is in the United States Army in Europe. He skates on a case in Chicago; he has looming, knowing that he might be doing jail time. He parties in Nuremburg, Germany, like a rap star. He plugs in with his wit, funny, rugged Chi town style! This opens his world up to the German frauline, aka women! He teams up with his partners Chill and Jay. He schools them to the mack game Chi town style. He works the underground black market to get money. He faces a kidnap attempt. Sergeant First Class Owens and Sergent Davis are his nemesis to break his will or kick him out with a dishonorable discharge. Hell have neither!

A Wall Street Journal bestseller, now in paperback. Poker champion turned decision strategist Annie Duke teaches you how to get comfortable with uncertainty and make better decisions. Even the best decision doesn't yield the best outcome every time. There's always an element of luck that you can't control, and there's always information hidden from view. So the key to long-term success (and avoiding worrying yourself to death) is to think in bets: How sure am I? What are the possible ways things could turn out? What decision has the highest odds of success? Did I land in the unlucky 10% on the strategy that works 90% of the time? Or is my success attributable to dumb luck rather than great decision making? Annie Duke, a former World Series of Poker champion turned consultant, draws on examples from business, sports, politics, and (of course) poker to share tools anyone can use to embrace uncertainty and make better decisions. For most people, it's difficult to say "I'm not sure" in a world that values and, even, rewards the appearance of certainty. But professional poker players are comfortable with the fact that great decisions don't always lead to great outcomes, and bad decisions don't always lead to bad outcomes. By shifting your thinking from a need for certainty to a goal of accurately assessing what you know and what you don't, you'll be less vulnerable to reactive emotions, knee-jerk biases, and destructive habits in your decision making. You'll become more confident, calm, compassionate, and successful in the long run.

Forget the 10,000 hour rule— what if it’s possible to learn the basics of any new skill in 20 hours or less? Take a moment to consider how many things you want to learn to do. What’s on your list? What’s holding you back from getting started? Are you worried about the time and effort it takes to acquire new skills—time you don’t have and effort you can’t spare? Research suggests it takes 10,000 hours to develop a new skill. In this nonstop world when will you ever find that much time and energy? To make matters worse, the early hours of prac­ticing something new are always the most frustrating. That’s why it’s difficult to learn how to speak a new language, play an instrument, hit a golf ball, or shoot great photos. It’s so much easier to watch TV or surf the web . . . In The First 20 Hours, Josh Kaufman offers a systematic approach to rapid skill acquisition— how to learn any new skill as quickly as possible. His method shows you how to deconstruct com­plex skills, maximize productive practice, and remove common learning barriers. By complet­ing just 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice you’ll go from knowing absolutely nothing to performing noticeably well. Kaufman personally field-tested the meth­ods in this book. You’ll have a front row seat as he develops a personal yoga practice, writes his own web-based computer programs, teaches himself to touch type on a nonstandard key­board, explores the oldest and most complex board game in history, picks up the ukulele, and learns how to windsurf. Here are a few of the sim­ple techniques he teaches: Define your target performance level: Fig­ure out what your desired level of skill looks like, what you’re trying to achieve, and what you’ll be able to do when you’re done. The more specific, the better. Deconstruct the skill: Most of the things we think of as skills are actually bundles of smaller subskills. If you break down the subcompo­nents, it’s easier to figure out which ones are most important and practice those first. Eliminate barriers to practice: Removing common distractions and unnecessary effort makes it much easier to sit down and focus on deliberate practice. Create fast feedback loops: Getting accu­rate, real-time information about how well you’re performing during practice makes it much easier to improve. Whether you want to paint a portrait, launch a start-up, fly an airplane, or juggle flaming chain­saws, The First 20 Hours will help you pick up the basics of any skill in record time . . . and have more fun along the way.

A young girl's loss and sorrow leads her to a life she could never imagine. How can so much pain bring happiness? As Nelly goes through life, she learns what love and happiness are. After the loss of her father, she decides to move to New York to live with her Aunt. On that journey she meets a man that shows her what it means to be loved. Shortly after their marriage, Base Morgan was killed and Nelly didn't have time to tell him he was to be a father How could this keep happening to her? However, this tragedy would bring her to an ultimate love affair that would consume her and yet lift her to the realms of her dreams when she meets the man who would dedicate his life to her, secretly. Joe Barnatelli knew, the moment he first laid eyes on her, that she had to be in his life. He knew he needed to see her, to be near her, to hear her voice. He employed her, and shared his love. Nelly gave him her son. Joe took the baby as his own, although he carried the name of his father J'Dee Morgan. For Nelly and Joe, not to share love, not to make love would be the most difficult thing they would have to do. As the years went by they tried not to show any affection because Joe's life was complicated. He was married to Alicee and married to a family' in Brooklyn; which supposedly was to run its businesses alongside Joe's many enterprises. As much as he tried to stay away, problems would come up and as they arose, Joe dealt with them. There were attempts on his life. Men tried to destroy his family and his businesses. Meanwhile, Joe wanted to live a quiet life which seemed impossible to achieve. With J'Dee and his brothers, the Pyzaono's, growing into men and with the friends he had made along the way, Joe became more powerful and the family' in Brooklyn became more concerned. The Brooklyn Don waited until the time was right. He had a plan. He'd turned the tables on Joe by using more kindness, to lure him closer. Don Cello's wanted his plan to work so badly that he took a trip to Italy and invited Joe to travel with him. But Don Cello was in for a surprise. And you'll be too.

Popular Mechanics inspires, instructs and influences readers to help them master the modern world. Whether it’s practical DIY home-improvement tips, gadgets and digital technology, information on the newest cars or the latest breakthroughs in science -- PM is the ultimate guide to our high-tech lifestyle.

Bernice Archer has raised her blind twin daughters, Eva and Ava, in the relative isolation of their low-income downtown neighborhood. Every night Bernice tells her daughters the same bedtime stories; stories that are sometimes magical, and often cautionary, about the dangers of the world outside the walls of their small apartment. Eva and Ava, now middle-aged, still wait for their motherÕs stories with a combination of excitement and suspicion, knowing that there is much they havenÕt been told. They are particularly mistrustful of BerniceÕs warnings of the dangers of the opposite sex, and want to know more about the story of their own origins. As loving as she is loud and as full of secrets as she is of stories, Bernice is the centre of the universe for Eva and Ava, even as they yearn for freedom and experiences of their own. When Bernice notices two new neighbours in their building, she is inspired to tell a new story. And so begins the saga of Violet and Rose. Bernice believes that these two women were born at the exact same moment, hemispheres apart, and that they share the same soul. Like Eva and Ava, the reader is swept along in the wake of Bernice's stories, not knowing what is real and what is fantasy, but believing none the less.