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Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Free Audiobook - Why Gettysburg Mattered

Why Gettysburg Mattered: 150 Years Later (Bonus Material: The Gettysburg Address), by Allen C. Guelzo, narrated by Mark Boyett and Kevin Pariseau, is free in the Audible store.
Book Description
The Battle of Gettysburg - the turning point of the American Civil War - would, in the words of one staff officer, stand "like Waterloo, conspicuous in the history of all ages." In this stirring production, adapted from the New York Times' award-winning online journal and Audible audiobook Disunion, we revisit the meaning and importance of the battle that forever changed US history. Timed to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the battle which took place over several days starting July 1st, 1863, Why Gettysburg Mattered concludes with an inspiring performance of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
Get the free ebook from Audible.

Nook Daily Find 7/4

America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great ($2.99 Kindle, B&N), by Ben Carson [Zondervan/HarperCollins], is the Nook Daily Find, price matched on Kindle.
Book Description
What is America becoming? Or, more importantly, what can she be if we reclaim a vision for the things that made her great in the first place?

In the Zondervan ebook, America the Beautiful, Dr. Ben Carson helps us learn from our past in order to chart a better course for our future. From his personal ascent from inner-city poverty to international medical and humanitarian acclaim, Carson shares experiential insights that help us understand ... what is good about America ... where we have gone astray ... which fundamental beliefs have guided America from her founding into preeminence among nations

Written by a man who has experienced America's best and worst firsthand, America the Beautiful is at once alarming, convicting, and inspiring. You'll gain new perspectives on our nation's origins, our Judeo-Christian heritage, our educational system, capitalism versus socialism, our moral fabric, healthcare, and much more. An incisive manifesto of the values that shaped America's past and must shape her future, America the Beautiful calls us all to use our God-given talents to improve our lives, our communities, our nation, and our world.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Free Audiobook - The Federalist Papers

The Federalist Papers ($32.19 Audible), by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay, narrated by Arthur Morey, is free direct from Tantor Media. There are many editions to choose from on Kindle; you can spend anything from nothing to a few dollars and probably get an edition that will work for reading along while listening, if you don't like the free PDF that Tantor provides.

Book Description
The Federalist Papers—a collection of eighty-five essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in support of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution—serves as the primary source for interpreting the Constitution and outlines the philosophy and motivation behind this newly proposed government system.

Originally published anonymously, The Federalist Papers first appeared in 1787 as a series of letters to New York newspapers exhorting voters to ratify the proposed Constitution of the United States. Still hotly debated and open to often controversial interpretations, the arguments first presented here by three of America's greatest patriots and political theorists were created during a critical moment in our nation's history, providing readers with a running ideological commentary on the crucial issues facing a democracy. Today, The Federalist Papers are as important and vital a rallying cry for freedom as ever.
Get the free ebook from Tantor Media.

Friday, June 21, 2013

UK Kindle Daily Deal 6/22

Au Revoir, Europe: What if Britain left the EU? (£1.39 UK), by David Charter [Biteback Publishing], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for those in the UK (the US edition is $10.41).
Book Description
Forty years ago, Britain joined the club of European nations. The idea was to guarantee peace and prosperity on the continent through ‘ever closer union’ following centuries of terrible wars. But after four decades of membership, costing the UK more than £200 billion, public disenchantment with the European Union has never been so great. In Au Revoir, Europe David Charter, Europe Correspondent for The Times, looks at what went wrong – and what happens next. It charts Britain’s increasing detachment from the European project amid a barrage of bureaucracy, mindboggling expenditure and concern at sharing sovereignty for goals that were never truly embraced. From trade to transport, fishing to finance, investment to immigration, the decision that Britain takes on its future relationship with Brussels will touch many parts of everyday life. In presenting the unvarnished truth of what it would really mean for Britain to say goodbye, this book is a unique contribution to the European debate and essential reading for all.

The Inn at Eagle Point (£0.99 UK), the first Chesapeake Shores novel by Sherryl Woods [MIRA], is the Kindle Deal of the Day for for Romance Fans in the UK (the US edition is $6.15).
Book Description
Home, heart and family.

Sherryl Woods knows what truly matters. It may be years since Abby O’Brien Winters set foot in Chesapeake Shores but her memories are picture perfect. Nothing has changed in the little town her father built, except Abby isn’t the girl she once was. Jaded from her demanding career and ruined marriage, Abby knows her life hasn’t been right for a while. The plea for help from her sister may have come at just the right time. Chesapeake has called her home…

Helping her family save the crumbling Inn at Eagle Point could heal old wounds in Abby’s heart. But saving the inn from ruin means dealing with not only her own fractured family, but also Trace Riley, the man Abby left ten years ago! In Chesapeake second chances happen in the most unexpected ways.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Two Free Audiobooks - Once & Letter from Birmingham Jail

It's time for this week's free audiobooks from Sync. I've linked in the info from the ebook or audiobook version of each title (Amazon has the best reviews), followed by the link to get your copies free, with directions to ensure you get the complete download.

Start off with Once ($6.76 Kindle; $16.95 Audible), the first novel in the series by Morris Gleitzman, read by Morris Gleitzman.
Book Description
Felix, a Jewish boy in Poland in 1942, is hiding from the Nazis in a Catholic orphanage. The only problem is that he doesn't know anything about the war, and thinks he's only in the orphanage while his parents travel and try to salvage their bookselling business. And when he thinks his parents are in danger, Felix sets off to warn them--straight into the heart of Nazi-occupied Poland.

To Felix, everything is a story: Why did he get a whole carrot in his soup? It must be sign that his parents are coming to get him. Why are the Nazis burning books? They must be foreign librarians sent to clean out the orphanage's outdated library. But as Felix's journey gets increasingly dangerous, he begins to see horrors that not even stories can explain.

Despite his grim suroundings, Felix never loses hope. Morris Gleitzman takes a painful subject and expertly turns it into a story filled with love, friendship, and even humor.

Letter from Birmingham Jail ($4.95 Audible), by Martin Luther King, narrated by Dion Graham, is the second selection for this week. There are a couple of editions to choose from on Kindle ($2.99+), for those that like to read as they listen.
Book Description
April 16th, the year is 1963. Birmingham, Alabama, has had a spring of nonviolent protests known as the Birmingham Campaign, seeking to draw attention to the segregation against blacks by the city government and downtown retailers. The organizers longed to create a nonviolent tension so severe that the powers that be would be forced to address the rampant racism head on. Recently arrested was Martin Luther King, Jr....

It is there in that jail cell that he writes this letter; on the margins of a newspaper he pens this defense of nonviolence against segregation. His accusers, though many, in this case were not the white racist leaders or retailers he protested against, but eight black men who saw him as "other" and as too extreme. To them and to the world he defended the notion that "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere".
Click HERE to get the free downloads (you'll need to enter your name and an email address. You'll end up clicking about three pages (for each book), before the audiobook actually downloads. Don't stop so long as you still see a button that talks about your Sync download (or until you see the Overdrive software open up; there is a link at Sync, if you don't already have Overdrive installed).

Once in Overdrive, you'll need to tell it where to save the files (just click OK to use the default location, since Overdrive will keep track of them for you), then again to actually start the download (by default, all parts of the book are downloaded; I would suggest not changing this in the last dialog box, just click on OK to get the download started). Make sure your audiobook is fully downloaded before the end of the week, as once the promo period is over, you won't be able to get them free.

You can't get any titles that have been missed, but once they are loaded into Overdrive (which you will need to install, if you are not already using it for library books), they are yours to keep (there is no expiration date).

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Nook Daily Find 4/30

Afghanistan Revealed ($9.99 Kindle, $2.99 B&N), by Ahmed Rashid, Jules Stewart, Yossef Bodansky, Greg Mill, et al, is the Nook Daily Find.
Book Description
Afghanistan Revealed offers the reader an incisive view into a country that has held the world’s attention for more than a decade. Hardly a day goes by without Afghanistan making news in the media – but behind the headlines, what do we really know about this complex and enigmatic country, its people, its culture and most importantly, its future? This ebook takes us beyond the media focus on politics and war into the lives of the Afghan people, and the forces that have shaped their individual and collective history.

A range of distinguished specialists shed light on Afghanistan, from the earliest Aryan migrations and the emergence of Islam, through the country's role as a key Central Asian trade centre, the Anglo-Afghan wars and the Soviet invasion, to the emergence of a post-Taliban state. We are reminded of how the Afghans have suffered in centuries of violent conflict and have stubbornly resisted all efforts to invade and dominate their land. We are presented with the tasks Afghanistan faces after the 2014 withdrawal of NATO-led combat troops, specifically the need to rebuild the country, create jobs, provide education, tap into its huge economic potential, and provide political and social harmony.

Readable and accessible, Afghanistan Revealed is essential background for anyone wishing to understand why peace and stability in the region have been so elusive. It is also an indispensable tool for foreign and Afghan policymakers who play a role in determining Afghanistan's future.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Free Audiobook - Letter from Birmingham Jail

Get a free download of Letter from Birmingham Jail ($5.58 Audible), by Martin Luther King Jr., narrated by Dion Graham, over at Christianaudio. There doesn't appear to be a Kindle edition containing only the letter, but civil rights buffs might enjoy reading Gospel of Freedom: Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail and the Struggle That Changed a Nation, by Jonathan Rieder, published by Bloomsbury.
Book Description
April 16th. The year is 1963. Birmingham, Alabama has had a spring of non-violent protests known as the Birmingham Campaign, seeking to draw attention to the segregation against blacks by the city government and downtown retailers. The organizers longed to create a non-violent tension so severe that the powers that be would be forced to address the rampant racism head on. Recently arrested was Martin Luther King, Jr.. It is there in that jail cell that he writes this letter; on the margins of a newspaper he pens this defense of non-violence against segregation. His accusers, though many, in this case were not the white racist leaders or retailers he protested against, but 8 black men who saw him as “other” and as too extreme. To them and to the world he defended the notion that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.
Get the free audio download from Christianaudio.

After finishing your order, download a the MP3 if you want to be able to play the book on your Kindle (M4B for the iOS, iTunes or QuickTime) and copy it to the \audiobooks directory on your Kindle (not \music) in order to have audiobook controls and see it on your Kindle home page.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Bargain Book Roundup

BooksonBoard is having a 33% off sale on all titles (EPUB or PDF only), including 33% all HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Hachette titles.

Kobo's 90% off sale has been updated - pick any one book on the list and get 90% off using promo code 90BK during checkout. Note that the code seems to be limited to some countries and the list of books you'll see varies by country, as well. Limit one book using the code (but it seems to have reset, for those who used the code last Fall).

Crazy Sexy Diet ($2.99 Kindle), by Kris Carr with contributions by Dean Ornish M.D. (Foreword) and Rory Freedman (Preface)
Book Description
On the heels of Kris Carr’s best-selling cancer survival guidebooks and her acclaimed TLC documentary comes her new journey into a realm vital to anyone’s health. Infused with her signature sass, wit and advice-from-the-trenches style, Crazy Sexy Diet is a beautifully illustrated resource that puts you on the fast track to vibrant health, happiness and a great ass!

Along with help from her posse of experts, Carr lays out the fundamentals of her Crazy Sexy Diet: a low-glycemic, vegetarian program that emphasizes balancing the pH of the body with lush whole and raw foods, nourishing organic green drinks, and scrumptious smoothies. Plus, she shares the steps of her own twenty-one-day cleanse, and simple but delectable sample recipes.

In ten chapters with titles such as, “pHabulous,” “Coffee, Cupcakes and Cocktails,” “Make Juice Not War,” and “God-Pod Glow,” Carr empowers readers to move from a state of constant bodily damage control to one of renewal and repair. In addition to debunking common diet myths and sharing vital tips on detoxifying our bodies and psyches—advice that draws both on her personal experience as a cancer survivor and that of experts—she provides helpful hints on natural personal care, how to stretch a dollar, navigate the grocery store, eating well on the run, and working through the inevitable pangs and cravings for your old not-so-healthy life.

Crazy Sexy Diet is a must for anyone who seeks to be a confident and sexy wellness warrior.

Including contributions by:
  • Dean Ornish, M.D. – author and founder and president of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute
  • Neal Barnard, M.D. – author, founder of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), author of Food for Life
  • Kathy Freston – author of Quantum Wellness and health advocate
  • Alejandro Junger, M.D. – author of Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself, and director of integrative medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, NYC
  • Rory Freedman – coauthor of Skinny Bitch and health advocate
  • Mark Hyman, M.D. – author of The UltraMind Solution and pioneer in functional medicine
  • Emily Deschanel – star of the Fox series Bones and health advocate
  • Sharon Gannon – author of Yoga and Vegetarianism, and cofounder of Jivamukti Yoga
  • Wayne Pacelle – president & CEO, The Humane Society of the United States
  • Stacy Malkan – author and cofounder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
  • Dr. Lilli Link – specialist in raw foods and integrative nutrition
  • Frank Lipman – author of Revive: Stop feeling Spent and Start Living Again and founder of the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center

Troubleshooter ($2.99 Kindle), the third novel in the Tim Rackley series by Gregg Hurwitz [HarperCollins].
Book Description
The maestro of pulse-pounding suspense delivers an explosive new white-knuckle thriller featuring deputy U.S. Marshal Tim Rackley -- a lawman driven by honor, morality, and a thirst for justice. The leader of one of the country's most violent biker gangs, Den Laurey should have been behind bars. But thanks to a daring escape on an L.A. freeway, several deputy marshals are dead and Laurey is riding free. Rackley, back on the Service's warrant squad, is in hot pursuit of the outlaw and his ruthless gang -- with a media whirlwind and the entire Los Angeles law-enforcement community driving him.

Just when Laurey is within his grasp, circumstances force Rackley to let him go -- with devastating results. A few miles up the road, a sheriff's deputy is attacked: Tim's pregnant wife, Dray. Driven by guilt, Tim vows to hunt Laurey down -- a search that will lead him into a dark world of deception and lies, a world of criminals and undercover cops, drugs and mutilation. And the key to the violent puzzle lies in the discarded corpses of women -- women for whom Tim must seek justice when no one else will. With the stakes rising, Tim must unravel a horrifying secret and confront a deadly terror that reaches from the back alleys of Mexico to the poppy fields of Afghanistan ... and threatens to explode on the dark streets of L.A.

Caveat Emptor: The Secret Life of an American Art Forger ($2.99 Kindle, Kobo), by Ken Perenyi [Pegasus Books].
Book Description
It is said that the greatest con man in the world is the one who has never been caught—and here for the first time is the astonishing story of America’s most accomplished art forger

Ten years ago, an FBI investigation in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York was about to expose a scandal in the art world that would have been front-page news in New York and London. After a trail of fake paintings of astonishing quality led federal agents to art dealers, renowned experts, and the major auction houses, the investigation inexplicably ended, despite an abundance of evidence collected. The case was closed and the FBI file was marked “exempt from public disclosure.”

Now that the statute of limitations on these crimes has expired and the case appears hermetically sealed shut by the FBI, this book, Caveat Emptor, is Ken Perenyi’s confession. It is the story, in detail, of how he pulled it all off.

Glamorous stories of art-world scandal have always captured the public imagination. However, not since Clifford Irving’s 1969 bestselling Fake has there been a story at all like this one. Caveat Emptor is unique in that it is the first and only book by and about America’s first and only great art forger. And unlike other forgers, Perenyi produced no paper trail, no fake provenance whatsoever; he let the paintings speak for themselves. And that they did, routinely mesmerizing the experts in mere seconds.

In the tradition of Frank Abagnale’s Catch Me If You Can, and certain to be a bombshell for the major international auction houses and galleries, here is the story of America’s greatest art forger.

500 Days: Secrets and Lies in the Terror Wars ($2.99 Kindle, Kobo), by Kurt Eichenwald [Simon and Schuster].
Book Description
Kurt Eichenwald—New York Times bestselling author of Conspiracy of Fools and The Informant— recounts the first 500 days after 9/11 in a comprehensive, compelling page-turner as gripping as any thriller.

In 500 Days, master chronicler Kurt Eichenwald lays bare the harrowing decisions, deceptions, and delusions of the eighteen months that changed the world forever, as leaders raced to protect their citizens in the wake of 9/11.

Eichenwald’s gripping, immediate style and true-to-life dialogue puts readers at the heart of these historic events, from the Oval Office to Number 10 Downing Street, from Guantanamo Bay to the depths of CIA headquarters, from the al-Qaeda training camps to the torture chambers of Egypt and Syria. He reveals previously undisclosed information from the terror wars, including never before reported details about warrantless wiretapping, the anthrax attacks and investigations, and conflicts between Washington and London.

With his signature fast-paced narrative style, Eichenwald — whose book, The Informant, was called “one of the best nonfiction books of the decade” by The New York Times Book Review — exposes a world of secrets and lies that has remained hidden for far too long.

Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Women's Rights Movement ($1.99 Kindle, companion audiobook $5.49), by Sally McMillen [Oxford University Press]
Book Description
In the quiet town of Seneca Falls, New York, over the course of two days in July, 1848, a small group of women and men, led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, held a convention that would launch the women's rights movement and change the course of history. In Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Women's Rights Movement, Sally McMillen reveals, for the first time, the full significance of that revolutionary convention and the enormous changes it produced. The book covers 50 years of women's activism, from 1840 to 1890, focusing on four extraordinary figures--Mott, Stanton, Lucy Stone, and Susan B. Anthony. McMillen tells the stories of their lives, how they came to take up the cause of women's rights, the astonishing advances they made during their lifetimes, and the far-reaching effects of the work they did. At the convention they asserted full equality with men, argued for greater legal rights, greater professional and education opportunities, and the right to vote--ideas considered wildly radical at the time. Indeed, looking back at the convention two years later, Anthony called it "the grandest and greatest reform of all time."

Bruiser ($1.99 Kindle, Kobo), by Neal Shusterman [HarperCollins]
Book Description
Tennyson:
Don't get me started on the Bruiser. He was voted "Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty" by the entire school. He's the kid no one knows, no one talks to, and everyone hears disturbing rumors about. So why is my sister, Brontë, dating him? One of these days she's going to take in the wrong stray dog, and it's not going to end well.

Brontë:
My brother has no right to talk about Brewster that way—no right to threaten him. There's a reason why Brewster can't have friends—why he can't care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can't be explained. I know, because they're happening to me.

Award-winning author Neal Shusterman has crafted a chilling and unforgettable novel about the power of unconditional friendship, the complex gear workings of a family, and the sacrifices we endure for the people we love.

Vengeance ($2.99 Kindle, Kobo), the first title in The Tainted Realm series by Australian author Ian Irvine, is this month's Orbital Book Drop [Hachette]. The book is quite long (>650 pages), so you can wait a few days to pick up the second in the series, Rebellion, which was released this week.
Book Description
Ten years ago, two children witnessed a murder that still haunts them as adults.

Tali watched as two masked figures killed her mother, and now she has sworn revenge. Even though she is a slave. Even though she is powerless. Even though she is nothing in the eyes of those who live above ground, she will find her mother's killers and bring them to justice.

Rix, heir to Hightspall's greatest fortune, is tormented by the fear that he's linked to the murder, and by a sickening nightmare that he's doomed to repeat it.

When a chance meeting brings Tali and Rix together, the secrets of an entire kingdom are uncovered and a villain out of legend returns to throw the land into chaos. Tali and Rix must learn to trust each other and find a way to save the realm -- and themselves.

Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town ($2.99 Kindle; companion audiobook $3.99), by Nick Reding [Bloomsbury]
Book Description
Crystal methamphetamine is widely considered to be the most dangerous drug in the world, and nowhere is that more true than in the small towns of the American heartland. Methland is the story of the drug as it infiltrates the community of Oelwein, Iowa (pop. 6,159), a once-thriving farming and railroad community. Tracing the connections between the lives touched by meth and the global forces that have set the stage for the epidemic, Methland offers a vital and unique perspective on a pressing contemporary tragedy.

Oelwein, Iowa is like thousand of other small towns across the county. It has been left in the dust by the consolidation of the agricultural industry, a depressed local economy and an out-migration of people. If this wasn't enough to deal with, an incredibly cheap, long-lasting, and highly addictive drug has come to town, touching virtually everyone's lives. Journalist Nick Reding reported this story over a period of four years, and he brings us into the heart of the town through an ensemble cast of intimately drawn characters, including: Clay Hallburg, the town doctor, who fights meth even as he struggles with his own alcoholism; Nathan Lein, the town prosecutor, whose case load is filled almost exclusively with meth-related crime, and Jeff Rohrick, who is still trying to kick a meth habit after four years.

Methland is a portrait of a community under siege, of the lives the drug has devastated, and of the heroes who continue to fight the war. It will appeal to readers of David Sheff's bestselling Beautiful Boy, and serve as inspiration for those who believe in the power of everyday people to change their world for the better.

The Journeys of Socrates ($2.99 Kindle, Kobo), by Dan Millman [HarperCollins].
Book Description
The Way Begins . . .

Sergei was three when the soldiers took him. At fifteen he fled into the wilderness, with nothing to cling to but the memories of a grandfather who called him Socrates and the promise of a gift buried near St. Petersburg. Thus begins The Journeys of Socrates -- an odyssey that forged the character of Sergei Ivanov, whose story would one day change the lives of millions of readers worldwide. This saga of courage and faith, of love and loss, reveals the arts of war and the path to peace. Ultimately, it speaks to the quest we all share for a meaningful life in a challenging world.

The Evil that Men Do ($2.51 Kindle), the eleventh novel in the Dorothy Martin series by Jeanne M Dams [Severn House]
Book Description
Dorothy Martin and her husband, retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, are on holiday in the idyllic English village of Broadway when they stumble across the body of a man who appears to have fallen down a disused quarry. When it is revealed that the man, a local farmer, was probably pushed over the edge, and that the police have failed to find any suspects or motives for the murder, Dorothy can't help but get involved . . .

Into the Darkest Corner ($1.99 Kindle; companion audiobook $4.49), by Elizabeth Haynes
Book Description
Catherine Bailey has been enjoying the single life long enough to know a catch when she sees one. Gorgeous, charismatic and spontaneous, Lee seems almost too perfect to be true. And her friends clearly agree, as each in turn falls under his spell.

But what begins as flattering attentiveness and passionate sex turns into raging jealousy, and Catherine soon learns there is a darker side to Lee. His increasingly erratic, controlling behaviour becomes frightening, but no one believes her when she shares her fears. Increasingly isolated and driven into the darkest corner of her world, a desperate Catherine plans a meticulous escape.

Four years later, Lee is behind bars and Catherine—now Cathy—compulsively checks the locks and doors in her apartment, trusting no one. But when an attractive upstairs neighbour, Stuart, comes into her life, Cathy dares to hope that happiness and love may still be possible . . . until she receives a phone call informing her of Lee’s impending release. Soon after, Cathy thinks she catches a glimpse of the former best friend who testified against her in the trial; she begins to return home to find objects subtly rearranged in her apartment, one of Lee’s old tricks. Convinced she is back in her former lover’s sights, Cathy prepares to wrestle with the demons of her past for the last time.

Utterly convincing in its portrayal of obsession, Into the Darkest corner is an ingeniously structured and plotted tour de force of suspense that marks the arrival of a major new talent.

Lark ($0.99 Kindle) is an interesting looking fantasy, self-published by Erica Cope.
Book Description
The last time she checked, Mia Carrington was pretty sure that she was a normal girl with a completely ordinary life.

She goes to high school, has a crush on the gorgeous and mysterious new boy in town, and has strange dreams that she can’t help but feel are real somehow.

Okay, so maybe she’s not all that normal after all.

A freak accident changes Mia’s life forever when she is thrown into another world and left to deal with the revelation that she is the daughter of the King of the Light Elves. Throw in an ominous prophecy predicting that Mia will break a curse unleashing the Dark Elves on the world and well, things don’t look too good.

There is danger lurking at every corner in this strange world and Mia isn’t sure who she can trust…
The only thing she is certain of is that the Dark Elves know about her, and they will stop at nothing until they have her.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Free Audiobook - Speeches and Writings of Abraham Lincoln

The MP3 download edition of Speeches and Writings of Abraham Lincoln ($17.49 Audible), narrated by Alan Sklar, is free direct from Tantor Media.
Book Description
From Lincoln's personal letters to the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, and many more, this vital collection of speeches and writings gives listeners a uniquely intimate view of America's sixteenth president.

Abraham Lincoln was undeniably one of the most influential politicians in American history. In this collection of letters, speeches, and other writings by Lincoln, listeners can gain a uniquely intimate perspective on the sixteenth president of the United States. From personal letters to friends and family to Lincoln's speeches as an Illinois state legislator and a United States Representative, from his first inaugural address to the Emancipation Proclamation and the famous Gettysburg Address, Lincoln addresses such important political issues as slavery and states' rights and relates his personal views on marriage and depression. Also included are Lincoln's eulogy for Henry Clay, a letter of condolence for one of the Civil War's first casualties, the second inaugural address, Lincoln's last public address, his last written words, and many more. A vital glimpse into the mind of one of America's greatest statesmen, this is a must-listen for anyone interested in Lincoln's life and legacy.
Get the free ebook from Tantor Media, along with a bonus PDF ebook when you download the complete ZIP file from your library.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Free AudioBook - The Jefferson Bible

The audiobook download of The Jefferson Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth ($12.59 Audible), by Thomas Jefferson, narrated by Mel Foster, is free over at Tantor Media thru the end of December.
Book Description
Thomas Jefferson believed that the pure-principled teachings of Jesus should have been separated from the dogma and abuse of organized religion of the day. This led him to recast, by cutting and pasting from the gospels, a new narrative of the life and teachings of Jesus.

In the early nineteenth century, Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, conceived the idea of extracting a gospel purified of what he saw as extraneous philosophical, mythological, and theological elements. To do so, he took verses from the four canonical gospels and arranged them into a single narrative, focusing on the actual words of Jesus. This work was never published during Jefferson's lifetime but was inherited by his grandson and printed for the first time in the early twentieth century. The original bound manuscript, popularly referred to as The Jefferson Bible, is held by the United States National Museum in Washington.
Get the free audiobook from Tantor Media. Included in the ZIP download is a PDF edition of the book, as well.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Free Audiobook - What is the Mission of the Church?

Christianaudio's free audiobook this month is What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom and the Great Commission ($8.51 Kindle; $14.95 Audible), by Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert, narrated by Adam Verner.
Book Description
Social justice and mission are hot topics today: there's a wonderful resurgence of motivated Christians passionate about spreading the gospel and caring for the needs of others. But in our zeal to get sharing and serving, many are unclear on gospel and mission. Yes, we are called to spend ourselves for the sake of others, but what is the church’s unique priority as it engages the world?

DeYoung and Gilbert write to help Christians “articulate and live out their views on the mission of the church in ways that are theologically faithful, exegetically careful, and personally sustainable.” Looking at the Bible’s teaching on evangelism, social justice, and shalom, they explore the what, why, and how of the church’s mission. From defining “mission”, to examining key passages on social justice and their application, to setting our efforts in the context of God’s rule, DeYoung and Gilbert bring a wise, studied perspective to the missional conversation.

Readers in all spheres of ministry will grow in their understanding of the mission of the church and gain a renewed sense of urgency for Jesus’ call to preach the Word and make disciples.
Get the free audio download from Christianaudio and scroll down the page for several titles on sale for $4.98 this month, three of them by the same authors as the free title. Francis Chan titles are also half-price thru Nov 5.

The checkout process is very streamlined (a coupon code is no longer required), as is the download process (no longer do you have to download each part of the book separately). You can also send a gift download of the free audiobook to someone else!

After finishing your order, download a zip file with the entire audiobook: select MP3 if you want to be able to play the book on your Kindle (M4B for the iOS, iTunes or QuickTime). Unzip the contents to the \audiobooks directory on your Kindle (not \music) in order to have audiobook controls and see it on your Kindle home page.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Free Audiobook - How Should Christians Vote?

Christianaudio's free audiobook this month is How Should Christians Vote? ($3.93 Kindle; $4.95 Audible), by Tony Evans, narrated by Mirron Willis.
Book Description
Christians are a large and influential voting block today. But as each governmental election approaches, an increasing polarity occurs within those claiming the Christian faith. This comes as a result of party-voting rather than voting according to Biblical mandates and authority. To refocus correctly, Dr. Tony Evans goes back to the basics and teaches on how God established government as a divine institution whose tasks include promoting the well-being of those within its realm and protection from evil.

Scripture trumps all political alliances making the voting decision a critical opportunity for Christians to promote God's Word and His values through whom they elect. In the face of increasing emotions the Christians representing God's kingdom values should communicate His truths in a manner reflective of the King - in a gracious and strategic way. Dr. Evans also looks at the necessary qualities in a good candidate which include intellect, education, competency, skill and spiritual beliefs - whether certain issues are non-negotiables, and how a responsible citizen is to research a candidates' position in order to evaluate it against God's Word.
Get the free audio download from Christianaudio and scroll down the page for several discounted political or Mormon related titles.

The checkout process is very streamlined (a coupon code is no longer required), as is the download process (no longer do you have to download each part of the book separately). You can also send a gift download of the free audiobook to someone else!

After finishing your order, download a zip file with the entire audiobook: select MP3 if you want to be able to play the book on your Kindle (M4B for the iOS, iTunes or QuickTime). Unzip the contents to the \audiobooks directory on your Kindle (not \music) in order to have audiobook controls and see it on your Kindle home page.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Free Book - The Squire Quartet (K-AU)

The Squire Quartet, by Brian Aldiss, is free to pre-order for Australian customers in the Kindle store. Since the individual titles are also due to release on April 30, along with this one, and are all priced in the $7.50-$12 range, I strongly suspect this is a pricing error and the price will go up as soon as they figure out what they've done (if your receipt for the pre-order says $0.00, though, that's what you pay, no matter what the price is when the release date hits).
Book Description
For the first time ever, all four books in the Squire Quartet collected in one volume.

Set during the last years of the Cold War, and spanning the duration of Thatcher’s Britain, The Squire Quartet follows the political, professional and private adventures of a group of linked characters. It is a vivid fictional portrait of Britain’s recent history.

All four volumes - Life in the West, Forgotten Life, Remembrance Day and Somewhere East of Life - are collected here for the first time in one volume and for the first time in ebook form.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Free Book - Death by China (K/N)

Death by China: Confronting the Dragon - A Global Call to Action, by Peter W. Navarro and Greg Autry, is a repeat freebie in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble.
Book Description
Bestselling author Peter Navarro (The Coming China Wars) and Greg Autry challenges the dominant paradigm of a "Chinese Miracle" - the one featuring a modernizing, progressive Chinese state heading toward political reform and driving global economic growth with its new found embrace of capitalism and freedom.

Tearing this delusion away, Death by China documents the myriad ways that a powerful, wealthy, and corrupt Chinese Communist Party emboldened by a growing nationalistic frenzy is becoming the biggest threat to global peace, prosperity, and health since Nazi Germany.

From currency manipulation and abusive trade policies, to slave labor and deadly consumer products, China's ruthless rulers threaten the livelihood of the citizens of every developed nation. These thugs have created a frightening amoral society ruled by a constant fear hidden to outsiders and bought off with the ill gotten profits of a myopic quest for economic advantage at any cost - social, environmental, or civil rights concerns be damned. Worse, as with everything else, China is scaling and exporting the model around this world, threatening their neighbors and exploiting developing nations across the globe with a new imperialism.

While America worries that Al Qaeda or Iran may get their hands on a weapon of mass destruction, China is using our Wal-Mart dollars to build them by the score; filling brand new nuclear submarines with missiles aimed at our heartland and building stealth planes designed to obliterate our friends in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

America's policy of appeasement and perpetual bending to Beijing's tacit threat to stop funding our unsustainable consumption based economy and deficit addicted government has left the Chinese people and the world in a frightening position while achieving absolutely nothing. With each new attempt at further "engagement" China simply rounds up more artists, writers, and political dissidents into its gulags and continues its policies of virtual genocide against the peoples of Tibet and the Uighars of East Turkestan. It tightens control over media and the Internet and expands its regional, territorial and resource claims. Laughing at our timidity, it becomes ever bolder in executing its plan to shutter every last manufacturing plant in the West.

Meanwhile, Western turncoat CEO's are content with pumping up one more quarterly report by driving every last high-value manufacturing jobs to Guangzhou or Chengdu. Congress is happy to be re-elected with contributions from those same corporations. Together they are happy to leave the rest of us with a future of low paying service and retail "careers" based on selling junk made in China to each other while accumulating a pile of Chinese debt and building a geopolitical time bomb of epic proportions.

For every American, European, Japanese or Korean reader who wonders where his job has gone and worries about the world his children will inherit, Death by China is a must read. The book features an inspiring Forward by Chinese Dissident, Baiqiao Tang and a brilliant Epilog by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher.
Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.

Free Book - Black Market Billions (K/N)

Black Market Billions: How Organized Retail Crime Funds Global Terrorists, by Hitha Prabhakar, is a repeat freebie in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble.
Book Description
Organized retail crime is now a $38 billion business. Synchronized global teams are pilfering immense volumes of high-value products, counterfeiting even more — and using the profits to support the world’s most vicious terrorists and criminal gangs.

In this eye-opening exposé, business journalist Hitha Prabhakar connects the dots and follows the money deep into the world’s fastest growing criminal industry. You’ll learn how the Internet, social media, and disposable cell phones have opened the floodgates for a new generation of criminals—and how their multimillion-dollar ripoffs are funding everyone from Al-Qaeda to Central America’s drug lords.

Black Market Billions draws on extensive first person interviews with law enforcement, industry personnel, and the criminals themselves. Prabhakar goes “inside” to reveal why the piracy economy has exploded ... why preventative measures have failed ... and what to expect next, as organized retail crime reaches a terrifying critical mass.
Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Nine Free Books from New Word City (K)

These are all short "mini-books", so I'm grouping them all together. It's likely that one or all may only be free in the Kindle store today, as New Word City has been doing recently, and not likely to be free elsewhere.

Decadent Desserts, by Stonyfield Farm
Book Description
Dessert just got even better. Use Stonyfield’s recipes for decadent dessert to make your favorite treats a little less sinful.

What's Your Strategic Heartbeat?, by Jon L. Luther
Book Description
For close to 45 years, Jon Luther, a 2010 inductee into the Menu Masters Hall of Fame, whose members include Wolfgang Puck, Colonel Sanders, and Jacques Pepin, has been running some part of the U.S. food-service industry - from managing the cafeteria at the Wurlitzer jukebox and company to leading Dunkin’ Brands, serving 3 million customers a day around the world. Drawing on lessons learned in that long career, he describes how he overcame organizational inertia and reset the organizational inertia and reset the strategic direction of three of the companies he has led. In each case, he began by identifying the epicenter of the brand, the strategic heartbeat.

There is a trio of titles from Thomas Fleming:
John Adam's for the Defense
Here, from New York Times bestselling author and historian Thomas Fleming, is the surprising and little-known story of the trial that followed the Boston Massacre. John Adams undertook, on the eve of the American Revolution, to defend the hated British soldiers who fired into a mob, killing five. There are echoes of our own times in the events that followed.

The Imperial Congress
Today’s spectacle of an imperial Congress battling the president of the United States – be his name Barack Obama or George Bush – is unsettling to many Americans. But it should not come as a surprise. Since the earliest days of the republic, writes New York Times bestselling historian Thomas Fleming, Congress has sought to seize power for itself and diminish the presidency.

Presidents on Presidents
All American presidents have had things to say about their fellow chief executives. Once in a great while, writes New York Times bestselling historian and novelist Thomas Fleming, their comments were even flattering.

The editors of New Word City have three biographies that are free to download:
Ronald Reagan: A Life
President Ronald Reagan presided over, and had a hand in, many of the major world events of the twentieth century, from the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union to an unprecedented resurgence of the U.S. economy. Called The Great Communicator, he was reticent when it came to the story of his own life. Here’s his inspiring story.

Jack London, A Life
Jack London is best remembered for his novels White Fang and Call of the Wild. But his life was every bit as thrilling and tumultuous as his words. Born the illegitimate son of a San Francisco spiritualist, he went on to be a cannery worker, sailor, gold prospector, war correspondent, and self-made celebrity. And he published 51 books. Here’s his amazing story.

Rudyard Kipling, A Life
One of the greatest of English writers, Rudyard Kipling created a literary world teeming with unforgettable people, animals, moral quandaries, and unforgettable wisdom. But snobbish critics and a misreading of Kipling’s political views have condemned him to decades of undeserved neglect. No more. Here’s the fascinating (and surprising) story of his life.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Free Book - Benjamin Franklin in Paris (K)

Benjamin Franklin in Paris, by Thomas Fleming, is free in the Kindle store courtesy of publisher New Word City; it's only likely to be free for today and possibly tomorrow.
Book Description
Here’s New York Times bestselling historian and novelist Thomas Fleming on how 70-year-old Benjamin Franklin charmed Paris and pulled off a diplomatic miracle that led to the British defeat in the American Revolution.

Free Book - Ronald Reagan's Leadership Lessons (K)

Ronald Reagan's Leadership Lessons is free in the Kindle store courtesy of publisher New Word City; it's only likely to be free for today and possibly tomorrow.
Book Description
Ronald Reagan was a product of America’s heartland, a kid who had a Huck Finn childhood and never lost his aw-shucks, all-American optimism. He moved to Hollywood, became a minor film star, and got involved in politics -- at first on the left. But in the shadow of the 1950s’ anti-communism furor, he moved to the right and began a steady rise to the pinnacle of power. Initially derided as a lightweight, a not-too-bright actor incapable of leading a nation, he proved his detractors wrong. Using extraordinary charm, conviction, communication skills, and stagecraft, Reagan became one of the most beloved, admired, and influential presidents in American history. Here, in this brief eBook, is what you can learn from his story.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Free Book - Margaret Thatcher (K)

Margaret Thatcher: A Life, from The Editors of New Word City, is free in the Kindle store.
Book Description
Margaret Thatcher served as Britain’s Prime Minister for 11 years. She prevailed by the force of her ideas, her iron will, her whip-sharp wit, and the strength of her character. Here’s here inspiring story.

Free Book - Winston Churchill's Leadership Lessons (K)

Winston Churchill's Leadership Lessons, from The Editors of New Word City, is free in the Kindle store.
Book Description
Sir Winston Churchill’s particular blend of talents made him uniquely fitted to carry Great Britain through the ordeal of World War II. It was his determination to rally his fellow citizens that not only saved his country but, in all likelihood, all free peoples. Leaders everywhere can profit by emulating him.