The modern Battle of the Gods with epic fights against mutated demons starts when this pig wanders into a bar; well, not quite, but... Hawai' i, 1946. The goddess Pele need a hero. But why did she choose an alcoholic, war wounded ex-U.S. naval commander, Hunter Hopewell, to battle fire-breathing dragons and evil gods and save the world? Maybe, because he' s changing... but changing into what? Meanwhile, attractive, young Tommi Chen, once a Japanese student and spy, now successful in the black market, but not what she seems, is seeking revenge and has decided to steal an atomic bomb... before it explodes.Atomic Dreams at the Red Tiki Lounge is a fast-paced historical fantasy, featuring a transoceanic chase, a race against the countdown, battles against war gods and Godzilla-like sea creatures for control over earth and the heavens.Award-winning author S.P. Grogan introduces the reader to a post-World War II watering hole, the Red Tiki Lounge and Bar, a Pacific oasis of dreams and visions, located in Honolulu, Hawai' I, American territory. Famed island pop surrealist artist Brad &‘ Tiki Shark' Parker offers up a colorful collection of his best-known works that captures the exotic world of tiki culture, and helps to bridge within Atomic Dreams a truly believable alternate reality.

**the awakening epic novel of our times** A fast-paced epic of suspense, mysterious clue solving, political intrigue, terrorist plots of bombings and nuclear poisonings, romantic entanglements of strong women, a legal adventure of The Trial of the Century: this is the historical thriller intertwined with actual events of 2011 and no-holds barred critical commentary on Hollywood culture and social media. The 'What if?' epic novel What if, in 2011, Osama bin Laden, the al Qaeda jihadist terrorist, was captured instead of killed? How would a trial in the U.S. judicial system look like? And what if the ones who captured him were stars of a reality TV show trying to boost their ratings. And what if when bin Laden was captured al Qaeda was planning an attack on the United States, worse than 9/11? Who do you think will come to the rescue? Finally, would you cheer for a young al Qaeda jihadist who might bring peace to the Mideast?

New Englanders are as far away from the South Pacific as any American can be, yet when tiki fever gripped the country in the mid-twentieth century, even they were not immune. Tropical-themed restaurants and bars sprang up in the unlikeliest of places, from coastal cities to far-flung suburbs. Places like the Hu Ke Lau, the Aku-Aku and the Kowloon were packed every night. Decades after the fever ended, it re-emerged as a new century dawned, and New Englanders took up the mantles of Polynesian pop to escape to places of tropical leisure in their own backyard. Local author Kevin Quigley dives deep into the region's unusual history with tiki culture.

Legendary leadership and elite performance expert Robin Sharma introduced The 5am Club concept over twenty years ago, based on a revolutionary morning routine that has helped his clients maximize their productivity, activate their best health and bulletproof their serenity in this age of overwhelming complexity. Now, in this life-changing book, handcrafted by the author over a rigorous four-year period, you will discover the early-rising habit that has helped so many accomplish epic results while upgrading their happiness, helpfulness and feelings of aliveness. Through an enchanting—and often amusing—story about two struggling strangers who meet an eccentric tycoon who becomes their secret mentor, The 5am Club will walk you through: How great geniuses, business titans and the world’s wisest people start their mornings to produce astonishing achievements A little-known formula you can use instantly to wake up early feeling inspired, focused and flooded with a fiery drive to get the most out of each day A step-by-step method to protect the quietest hours of daybreak so you have time for exercise, self-renewal and personal growth A neuroscience-based practice proven to help make it easy to rise while most people are sleeping, giving you precious time for yourself to think, express your creativity and begin the day peacefully instead of being rushed “Insider-only” tactics to defend your gifts, talents and dreams against digital distraction and trivial diversions so you enjoy fortune, influence and a magnificent impact on the world Part manifesto for mastery, part playbook for genius-grade productivity and part companion for a life lived beautifully, The 5am Club is a work that will transform your life. Forever.

Lucy Carnegie, wife of industrialist Thomas Carnegie, dreamed of creating on Cumberland Island a home where her children would be safe from the smoke and soot-filled skies over Pittsburgh. Protected by the waters of the Cumberland Sound, the estate she built encompassed nearly the entire island. It was a perfect world, until the outside world intruded. Stone by stone it all came tumbling down. Wild horses now crop the grass around the burnt-out mansion. Rattlesnakes nest among the ruins. A century later, another family comes to Cumberland to walk among the horses and to accept what gifts the island has to offer: solitude, unspoiled wilderness, and wildlife free to roam undisturbed. Returning year after year, Rhamy and her parents explore the island and swim in the ocean. They picnic on the beach where servants once served champagne, shrimp cocktails, and crab cakes to the Carnegie family and their guests. They gaze at the chimneys surrounding Stafford house, all that remain of slave quarters that once housed plantation field hands. They mourn for Zabette, daughter of a plantation owner and his black servant, sold to a man who fathered her six children, then abandoned her. Always, everywhere on the island, the horses graze nearby, unaware of efforts by environmentalists to remove them from the island where they have lived for centuries. Traveling to the north end of the island, the family sits for a quiet moment in the church where JFK Jr. married Carolyn Bessette. Across the pasture is the shack where naturalist Carol Ruckdeschel has lived for fifty years and the porch where her lover lay dead, shot through the heart. In the campgrounds, on the beach, at the Dungeness dock, wild horses graze. For now, they are safe.

Born to nomadic parents and humble beginnings, Luke Richmond grew up running wild and free in the Australian outback. After finishing school, he joined the Australian Army and served his country overseas as a qualified infantry soldier – an experience that sparked in him an unrelenting desire for adventure. But when he leaves the army Luke finds himself broke and adrift in London, caught up in the soulless world of drug and alcohol addiction. When he wakes up in a police cell with no memory of how he got there, he knows he has hit rock bottom, and makes the snap decision to turn his life around. Within days he is in Thailand, training his mind and body at a Muay Thai boxing camp in the jungles of Phuket. In suffering Luke finds his salvation, and he decides to make the most out of life by seeking adventure in remote corners of the world. Since then Luke has climbed the highest mountains on six continents, set a new world record for ocean rowing across the Atlantic, battled -60 degree temperatures in the Antarctic, witnessed death at high altitude, was held captive in the humid jungles of West Papua and has thrown himself from cliffs in the adrenalin-fueled world of BASE jumping. More than an awe-inspiring story of endurance and adventure, One Life One Chance will ultimately remind you that we only have one shot, so don’t waste a second of it.

As Penelope Bauer celebrates her acceptance into the Classics program at Boston University, she is unaware that fate has groomed her for a grand adventure, a wild ride of Homeric proportions. Like her ancient namesake, the wife of Odysseus, she will have to depend on the courage of a woman warrior to see her through the perils of her own Odyssey.

The Art of Tiki is a passionate study of the Tiki idol as an art form. For the first time, contemporary Tiki art is united and presented equally with what inspired it, original mid-century Polynesian pop. Author Sven Kirsten combines his first-hand experiences in exploring the birth of Tiki style with his intimate knowledge of the Tiki Revival, painting a vivid, visually arresting portrait of a unique, always new art genre.

Los Angeles magazine is a regional magazine of national stature. Our combination of award-winning feature writing, investigative reporting, service journalism, and design covers the people, lifestyle, culture, entertainment, fashion, art and architecture, and news that define Southern California. Started in the spring of 1961, Los Angeles magazine has been addressing the needs and interests of our region for 48 years. The magazine continues to be the definitive resource for an affluent population that is intensely interested in a lifestyle that is uniquely Southern Californian.