The author addresses key scientific questions previously explained by rich mythologies, from the evolution of the first humans and the life cycle of stars to the principles of a rainbow and the origins of the universe.

Over the past decade, American outlets such as PolitiFact, FactCheck.org, and the Washington Post's Fact Checker have shaken up the political world by holding public figures accountable for what they say. Cited across social and national news media, these verdicts can rattle a political campaign and send the White House press corps scrambling. Yet fact-checking is a fraught kind of journalism, one that challenges reporters' traditional roles as objective observers and places them at the center of white-hot, real-time debates. As these journalists are the first to admit, in a hyperpartisan world, facts can easily slip into fiction, and decisions about which claims to investigate and how to judge them are frequently denounced as unfair play. Deciding What's True draws on Lucas Graves's unique access to the members of the newsrooms leading this movement. Graves vividly recounts the routines of journalists at three of these hyperconnected, technologically innovative organizations and what informs their approach to a story. Graves also plots a compelling, personality-driven history of the fact-checking movement and its recent evolution from the blogosphere, reflecting on its revolutionary remaking of journalistic ethics and practice. His book demonstrates the ways these rising organizations depend on professional networks and media partnerships yet have also made inroads with the academic and philanthropic worlds. These networks have become a vital source of influence as fact-checking spreads around the world.

The tenth-anniversary edition of the book that changed lives in profound ways, now with a new foreword and afterword. In 2006, a groundbreaking feature-length film revealed the great mystery of the universe—The Secret—and, later that year, Rhonda Byrne followed with a book that became a worldwide bestseller. Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it. In this book, you’ll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life—money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You’ll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that’s within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life. The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers—men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.

Ted Everett has lived in eight different states while working with some of the largest cemetery/funeral companies in the world. In his position, he heard more eulogies/sermons than most and was intrigued that no matter what part of the country he was living in or no matter what religious denomination, gender, or ethnicity, all of them were quite similar. The overwhelming majority were going to live in heaven for eternity. Based on the fact that he was raised in a Christian home as a pastor’s kid, this did not seem to hold true with what he knew about the Holy Scriptures. Hence, the birth of this book to answer the question, “Is it really true, what you hear in the pew?”

Named a Best Nonfiction Book of 2022 by Esquire A sociological study of reality TV that explores its rise as a culture-dominating medium—and what the genre reveals about our attitudes toward race, gender, class, and sexuality What do we see when we watch reality television? In True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us, the sociologist and TV-lover Danielle J. Lindemann takes a long, hard look in the “funhouse mirror” of this genre. From the first episodes of The Real World to countless rose ceremonies to the White House, reality TV has not just remade our entertainment and cultural landscape (which it undeniably has). Reality TV, Lindemann argues, uniquely reflects our everyday experiences and social topography back to us. Applying scholarly research—including studies of inequality, culture, and deviance—to specific shows, Lindemann layers sharp insights with social theory, humor, pop cultural references, and anecdotes from her own life to show us who we really are. By taking reality TV seriously, True Story argues, we can better understand key institutions (like families, schools, and prisons) and broad social constructs (such as gender, race, class, and sexuality). From The Bachelor to Real Housewives to COPS and more (so much more!), reality programming unveils the major circuits of power that organize our lives—and the extent to which our own realities are, in fact, socially constructed. Whether we’re watching conniving Survivor contestants or three-year-old beauty queens, these “guilty pleasures” underscore how conservative our society remains, and how steadfastly we cling to our notions about who or what counts as legitimate or “real.” At once an entertaining chronicle of reality TV obsession and a pioneering work of sociology, True Story holds up a mirror to our society: the reflection may not always be pretty—but we can’t look away.

The New York Times bestseller that gives readers a paradigm-shattering new way to think about motivation from the author of When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing Most people believe that the best way to motivate is with rewards like money—the carrot-and-stick approach. That's a mistake, says Daniel H. Pink (author of To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Motivating Others). In this provocative and persuasive new book, he asserts that the secret to high performance and satisfaction-at work, at school, and at home—is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world. Drawing on four decades of scientific research on human motivation, Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows and what business does—and how that affects every aspect of life. He examines the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, mastery, and purpose-and offers smart and surprising techniques for putting these into action in a unique book that will change how we think and transform how we live.

How Are Your Finances Shaping Your Heart? Jesus knew that how we think about money shapes our character. Our approach can make us more like him—full of contentment, purpose, and freedom—or it can cause a tragic separation from God and the joy he offers. We need a firm foundation for faith and finances. In True Riches, John Cortines and Gregory Baumer invite us to experience four transformations in our financial lives, moving from pride to gratitude so that we see everything as a gift; coveting to contentment so that we spend wisely; anxiety to trust so that we save appropriately; and indifference to love so that we give extravagantly. Full of scripture, personal stories, and practical application, True Riches offers a clear path away from the empty pursuit of wealth and into more intimate relationship with God. All author proceeds donated to charity.

"In this compendium of 5-minute really true stories about bedtime, you can go on a journey of wonder and learning to find out the answers to all these questions, and many more! Travel to Ancient Egypt to explore the beds of Tutankhamun, jet off into space to see how astronauts get ready for bed, or even plunge underwater to learn how hibernating turtles breathe through their bottoms!"--Back cover.

See the Bible come to life before your eyes as New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin uses his storyteller imagination to present the Bible as a novel to help you engage with your faith in new ways. Years ago, Charles Martin cracked open his Bible and began wrestling with a few fundamental questions: What if every single word of Scripture is absolutely true and I can trust it? How do I respond? Something in me should change, but what? How? This book is the result of that exploration. In What If It’s True? Martin brings key moments from the life and ministry of Jesus to life through his descriptive, novelistic words. This unique book: Fosters a stronger appreciation, love, and respect for Jesus Covers topics including rejection, sexual sin, generational curses, and forgiveness Draws on Old and New Testament references as well as cultural background information Includes a prayer at the end of each chapter Martin shares key moments from his own journey as a disciple—and bondservant—of Christ and a mentor to others. The result is an exploration of truth that will help you not just think differently but live differently—starting today.

The Civil War was a pivotal event in American history. Readers gain insight about both the war itself and how those telling its story shape our understanding. Topics covered include the complicated, troubling history of slavery in the United States and the daily life of soldiers on both sides of the conflict.