Showing results for "The Means" in Literature & Fiction

""The Means is such a fast-paced, breezy comedic novel that you may find yourself surprised that Fusselman deftly and directly leads you to existential dilemmas and the absurdity of capitalism and striving for more."" – The Millions Shelly Means, a stay-at-home mom and disgraced former PTA...

The Origin of Species sold out on the first day of its publication in 1859. It is the major book of the 19th century and one of the most readable and accessible of the great revolutionary works of the scientific imagination. Though, in fact, little read, most people know what it says—at least they think they do. The Origin of Species was the first mature and persuasive work to explain how species change through the process of natural selection. Upon its publication, the book began to transform attitudes about society and religion.

With a supply of sarin nerve gas as well as explosives and automatic weapons, members of a radical group who believe they have been betrayed by a high-level Middle East negotiator decide to seek revenge by attacking a Long Island high school attended by the negotiator's daughters. It is against the horrific shadow of this approaching attack, that The Mean reveals the inner conflicts of Central High School through the humorous, sometimes sardonic, viewpoint of the school's assistant principal.

Don't Mean Nuthin' tells the story of Frank Morgan, a young college grad raised on army discipline who begins his career as a Phoenix Program assassin in Vietnam believing in his country. The audiobook starts with Morgan on the Freedom Bird to 'Nam in 1969, sitting next to a grizzled grunt. It's Morgan's first hint of what may be in store.

Join American naturalist Winthrop Packard on a captivating journey through Floridas stunning landscapes, from the vibrant orange groves of Jacksonville to the serene shores of Key West. In this immersive narrative, Packard shares his keen observations from November to April, bringing to life the diverse inhabitants of this unique habitat. Encounter warblers, butterflies, pelicans, alligators, and wild turkeys as he weaves together informative insights with a poetic touch. With a storytelling style that is both engaging and dramatic, Packard invites you to explore the wonders of nature in a way...

In this captivating exploration, Oskar Pfungst delves into the fascinating story of Clever Hans, an Orlov Trotter horse that was believed to possess extraordinary arithmetic abilities. Through rigorous investigative journalism, Pfungst meticulously details a series of experiments that ultimately reveal the true mechanisms behind Hanss seemingly intelligent performances. This classic case of the observer-expectancy effect not only illuminates the complexities of animal cognition but also serves as a cautionary tale for contemporary studies of animal intelligence. Join narrator Jordan as he ...

Read Our Lips is a light-hearted, comedic book-club podcast diving headfirst into the world of spicy fiction. Each week, hosts Gayle, a curious first-time reader, Rebecca, a seasoned lover of cliterature, and Mathew, a sharp-witted reader with strong opinions and zero patience for bad writing, tackle a quarter of the same book and unpack everything it made them feel.Part read-along, part cultural commentary, the show blends genuine literary discussion with panic, side-eye, laughter, and the occasional existential wobble. From confusing tropes and questionable metaphors to moments of unexpected...

One of NPR's Books We Love This Year! “A powerful, thought-provoking saga.” —Woman’s World "An evocative story of love and sacrifice.”—People From the acclaimed author of The Kindest Lie, a heartrending novel about a mother and daughter each seeking justice and following their dreams...

Beneath the still blue waters off Key Largo, a woman dives into a dazzling array of color. But behind the shimmering schools of fish, somewhere in the shadows of the reef, a death trap awaits. In minutes one life will be expertly, brutally taken, and another plunged into a mean season of fury, obsession, and revenge.

An alcoholic teacher and father’s world spirals out of control when a former student is killed and he is left with her dog and the dark presence that follows it. Matt Matheny teaches during the day, drinks at night, and barely hides his functioning alcoholism from his veterinarian ex-wife, Lucy, and his six-year-old son, Mikey. His world spirals out of control when a former student is killed, and he's left with her dog, Conehead. But something isn't right with Conehead.

Just ...listen!

In this pyrotechnic memoir-in-essays, Mak ranges widely over our landscape of paranoia, crisis, and frenetic, clickable consumption. He grants listeners an inside pass to the spaces where culture was made and unmade over the past decade, from the antiseptic glare of white-walled galleries to the darkest corners of Berlin techno clubs. As the gay son of an evangelical minister, Mak fled to those spaces, hoping to join a global, influential elite. But when calamity struck, it forced Mak to confront the costs of mistaking status for belonging.

On the orders of his boyhood friend, now King Philip of Macedon, Aristotle postpones his dreams of succeeding Plato as leader of the Academy in Athens and reluctantly arrives in the Macedonian capital of Pella to tutor the king’s adolescent sons. An early illness has left one son with the...

Humans have always been fascinated by darkness. Especially the darkness of a city at night, when the black sky is made ever more inky by the pools of illumination dropped under streetlights. Whether the mean streets be in an alternate past charmed with dark magic or the dirty alleyways of futuristic crowded space stations, the city—and its darkened streets—will always fascinate us. Here then, an anthology of all new stories of science fiction and fantasy with a hardboiled noir twist that acknowledge that the city is a living, breathing entity...and it isn’t always on our side.

A violent criminal with a knack for evading justice. A beautiful victim with a secret to hide. Between them stands one good cop, torn between justice and the law. This rape case is an exception: The victim is more than willing to testify. And there’s abundant evidence to put the suspect behind...

Spurned by his father and driven from his home, Stone Hillyard is struggling to find shelter in the Michigan winter when he lucks upon the horse farm run by Geoff Laughton and his partner Eli. They take him in, warm him up, and give him a job working with their No Boundaries therapy riding program. A drunk driver left Preston Harding unable to walk, and after months of hard work, his therapist recommends Geoff and Eli’s program. But Preston’s anger and arrogance nearly get him kicked out until Stone intercedes on his behalf.

The Hayden War has ended, and now SOLCOM and the Alliance are face to face in talks, but neither side has the slightest idea what happened in the ultimate battle of the war. Amid political jockeying and diplomatic gamesmanship, Captain Sorilla Aida has been given an assignment: Find a weakness to exploit, buy SOLCOM time to learn just what the hell happened to Valkyrie, and make sure that the Alliance isn't prepared to risk another conflict in the open.

Roaming the west with Doc is a band of wild outlaws including a pair of hate-filled ex-cons and the voluptuous Zenobia “Zee” Swallow, Doc’s kill-crazy lady. The gang have been on a killing spree, leaving a trail of bodies near Ty Brannigan’s Powderhorn spread in Wyoming’s Bear Paw Mountains. U.S. marshals want Ty to help them track down Smilin’ Doc’s bunch. But when the hunt puts the Brannigan clan in the outlaws’ sights, Ty and his kin take justice into their own hands—and deliver it with a furious, final vengeance.

Sylvia is still struggling with the terrible secret she has learned about Miles, when she is dealt a fresh blow. During a visit to an art museum, she unknowingly becomes the last person to speak with a murder victim alive. Forced to set aside her misgivings, Sylvia must trust Miles enough to lean on his help once again. Together, can the pair catch an elusive killer before the trail goes cold?

The Halloween Parade is coming up, and former CIA agent-turned-suburbanite Merry Wrath's Girl Scout Troop hopes to repeat a 1st place trophy for the 3rd year in a row. But when they find a dead woman dressed as a witch, a mysterious treasure, and face a ruthless kidnapping, it looks like Merry's in for a different kind of triple threat. To add fuel to her bonfire, Mom's in town—meaning Merry has to replace all that bullet-riddled furniture in the guest room—and with her wedding date approaching, her groom-to-be's twin taxidermist sisters are insisting on doing the decorating.