Book Reviews and Bargain reads for the Amazon Kindle, nook, Kobo, Sony and other ereaders, Kindle Fire, nookColor, Kobo Vox, and other tablets, along with some games, music, technology and computers tossed in now and then.
NOOKstudy's How to Land an Internship: 25 Tips, by SparkNotes, is free from Barnes & Noble. Might come in handy for the student or new grad at your house (and an internship can lead to a paid position or resume experience that lands one later). 
Business Strategies for the Bottom of the Pyramid ($55.19 Kindle), a collection of business books by Stuart L. Hart, Eric Kacou and Ted London, is free from Barnes & Noble. Those of you that just click on everything beware, this one is NOT free on Kindle (but you can report the lower price and maybe it will be). It's also entirely free that it wasn't supposed to be free at B&N, but my order for it went thru with no problems.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
3 extraordinary eBooks show how to build “bottom of the pyramid” businesses that are sustainable, scalable, and profitable!
Three remarkable eBooks help you overcome the pitfalls of “bottom of the pyramid” business, learn from the pioneers’ successes and failures, and build “BoP” businesses that are sustainable, scalable, and consistently profitable! In Entrepreneurial Solutions for Prosperity in BoP Markets: Strategies for Business and Economic Transformation, Eric Kacou shows how to escape the “survival trap” that keeps many BoP businesses small, inefficient, and unprofitable. Drawing on his unique on-the-ground experience in Africa’s most challenging business environments, Kacou identifies new business models, operational techniques, and leadership approaches that can help BoP businesses grow rapidly and successfully. In Next Generation Business Strategies for the Base of the Pyramid: New Approaches for Building Mutual Value, Ted London and Stuart L. Hart share proven, “on-the-ground” insights for building “Base of the Pyramid” businesses that really are sustainable and green, really will help alleviate social ills, and really can scale. Finally, in Capitalism at the Crossroads: Next Generation Business Strategies for a Post-Crisis World, Third Edition, Hart offers an up-to-the-minute primer on sustainable business for today’s executives, practical insights into what’s working and what isn’t, and expert insights for crafting and executing your company’s optimal sustainability strategy.
From world-renowned leaders in successful bottom-of-the-pyramid business innovation.
Is It Good for the Jews?: More Stories from the Old Country and the New ($9.90 Kindle), by Adam Biro and Catherine Tihanyi, is this month's free book from The University of Chicago Press.Book DescriptionSign up for the free book from the University of Chicago. You'll need to enter your email address, then check your email for the link to download the book. Mine arrived within seconds -- you get a .ACSM file, which, when opened, will load the PDF book inside of Adobe ADE. This is a DRM'd PDF and is not compatible with the Kindle.
“Jewish stories,” writes Adam Biro, “resemble every people’s stories.” Yet at the same time there is no better way to understand the soul, history, millennial suffering, or, crucially, the joys of the Jewish people than through such tales—“There’s nothing,” writes Biro, “more revelatory of the Jewish being.”
With Is It Good for the Jews? Biro offers a sequel to his acclaimed collection of stories Two Jews on a Train. Through twenty-nine tales—some new, some old, but all finely wrought and rich in humor—Biro spins stories of characters coping with the vicissitudes and reverses of daily life, while simultaneously painting a poignant portrait of a world of unassimilated Jewish life that has largely been lost to the years. From rabbis competing to see who is the most humble, to the father who uses suicide threats to pressure his children into visiting, to three men berated by the Almighty himself for playing poker, Biro populates his stories with memorable characters and absurd—yet familiar—situations, all related with a dry wit and spry prose style redolent of the long tradition of Jewish storytelling.
A collection simultaneously of foibles and fables, adversity and affection, Is It Good for the Jews? reminds us that if in the beginning was the word, then we can surely be forgiven for expecting a punch line to follow one of these days.
Christmas is Not Your Birthday (US/UK), by Mike Slaughter, is free in the Kindle store, courtesy of Christian publisher Abingdon Press.Book Description
Every year, we say we’re going to cut back, simplify, and have a family Christmas that focuses on the real reason for the season—Jesus. But every year, advertisements beckon, the children plead, and it seems easier just to indulge our wants and whims. Overspending, overeating, materialism, and busyness rob us of our peace and joy and rob Jesus of his rightful role as the center of our celebration.This Christmas, cut through the hype that leaves you exhausted and broke at the end of the year. Instead, experience the peace of knowing that God is truly with us, the joy of giving sacrificially, and the love of a Savior who gave everything he had for us. In five short, engaging chapters, Pastor Mike Slaughter inspires readers to approach Christmas differently, and be transformed in the process.
Hurry Less, Worry Less at Christmastime: Having the Holiday Season You Long For (US/UK), by Judy Pace Christie, is free for UK customers in the Kindle store, courtesy of the Dimensions for Living imprint of Christian publisher Abingdon Press. I'll be looking for this one for US customers by morning.Book Description
This useful book will help busy people learn to celebrate more joyfully, peacefully, and deeply during “the holiday season”—the days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day—and on through the Christian celebration of Epiphany. Judy Pace Christie meets us where we are, in a frenzied, out-of-control frame of mind, and helps us begin to have a deeper understanding of the joy of the season and its deep meaning for our lives overall—and how that can be a starting point for a more abundant life in the new year.
Using the holiday season as an entry point, Christie guides us to a more helpful, Christian understanding of this time of year. Aspects of the liturgical calendar are introduced as part of this process, including the Christian understandings of Advent, Christmas, and Ephiphany. She gives us practical tools for coping with holiday pressures but above all stresses the need for transformation from a secular perspective to a Christian one.
Hurry Less Worry Less at Christmastime will assist in identifying what people love about the holiday season and what they want to change. The book can also be used as a study book for church small groups or Sunday school classes, leading up to the holidays.
A Simple Amish Christmas (US/UK), by Vannetta Chapman, is free for UK customers in the Kindle store, courtesy of Christian publisher Abingdon Press. I'll be looking for this one for US customers by morning.Book Description
Annie Weaver always planned to return home, but the 20-year old RN has lived in Philadelphia for three years now. As her time of rumschpringe is about to come to an abrupt end, bringing for Annie an overwhelming sense of loneliness. She returns home and finds herself face-to-face with a budding romance with an Amish farmer and Annie has several important choices to make.
The Myth of the Garage, by Dan Heath and Chip Heath, is free to pre-order in the Kindle store.Book Description
From Chip and Dan Heath, the bestselling authors of Switch and Made to Stick, comes The Myth of the Garage: And Other Minor Surprises, a collection of the authors’ best columns for Fast Company magazine — 16 pieces in all, plus a previously unpublished piece entitled “The Future Fails Again.”
In Myth, the Heath brothers tackle some of the most (and least) important issues in the modern business world:
- Why you should never buy another mutual fund (“The Horror of Mutual Funds”)
- Why your gut may be more ethical than your brain (“In Defense of Feelings”)
- How to communicate with numbers in a way that changes decisions (“The Gripping Statistic”)
- Why the “Next Big Thing” often isn’t (“The Future Fails Again”)
- Why you may someday pay $300 for a pair of socks (“The Inevitability of $300 Socks”)
- And 12 others . . . Punchy, entertaining, and full of unexpected insights, the collection is the perfect companion for a short flight (or a long meeting).
Queen of New Beginnings, by Erica James, is free in the Kindle store and on the publisher's website.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
What happens when your best hope for the future is through the past?
Voice-over artist Alice avoids telling the truth. It’s not lying, exactly, and the freedom of reinvention makes those tough years in the past a little easier to bear. So when she meets writer Clayton Miller, she recognizes the suspicious signs of someone who wants to shrug off his old life. Untangling the web of secrets they’ve constructed creates an unlikely friendship—until Alice discovers that Clayton has betrayed her in the worst possible way.
The author of fifteen international bestsellers, Erica James deftly explores infidelity, bereavement, and the bonds of family with a sparkling voice that will resonate long after the book is finished.
The Spook's Stories: Grimalkin's Tale, by Joseph Delaney, is free in the Kindle store. This is a short story set in his Wardstone Chronicles / Last Apprentice series.Book Description
"I fear nobody. But my enemies fear me . . . Without ruthlessness and savagery I would not survive even a week of the life I lead. I am the witch assassin of the Malkin clan."
Meet Grimalkin the fearsome witch assassin and find out how she came to take the role she now holds.
This exclusive digital short story set in the world of Joseph Delaney's best-selling series The Wardstone Chronicles first appeared in the spine-tingling collection The Spook's Stories: Witches. Now available separately for the first time and including a preview of the first chapter of I Am Grimalkin this is perfect for existing fans and newcomers alike. The only question is are you brave enough . . .
Blood Island, the third in the Matt Royal Mystery series by H. Terrell Griffin, is free in the Kindle store, courtesy of Oceanview Publishing.Book Description
Matt Royal never has to look far for excitement. Excitement-and sometimes trouble-has a way of finding him first. But for this fun-loving lawyer turned beach bum, things are about to get serious. Dead serious.
When his ex-wife asks for help in tracking down her stepdaughter, last seen in Matt's hometown of Longboat Key, Matt agrees to do a little searching. But what looks like the case of one missing girl turns out to be something much bigger-and much more dangerous. Enlisting the aid of his buddies Jock Algren and Logan Hamilton, Matt launches a full-speed-ahead search that leads from Longboat Key to Key West to an ominous strip of land called Blood Island.
But this is no island paradise. Blood Island is home base to a cult of religious zealots. And they're making devastating plans that could change the world forever.Bullets fly, and as the clock ticks down, it will be up to Matt to make sure that what happens on Blood Island stays on Blood Island.
Stuff to Die For, the first title in the Lessor and Moore Mystery series by Don Bruns, is free in the Kindle store, courtesy of Oceanview Publishing.Book Description
Best friends James Lessor and Skip Moore are hardly on the fast track. While James works as a line cook at Cap'n Crab, Skip spends his days selling - or rather, attempting to sell - security systems to people who (a) have no money, and (b) have nothing they care to protect.
James and Skip aren't upwardly mobile, but they're about to get literally mobile when James spends a surprise inheritance on a white box truck. An investment in the future, he surmises, as these two are starting a business - solely devoted to hauling other people's stuff. But the fledgling business takes a shocking turn when James and Skip unload the contents of their first moving job and find some unexpected cargo - a bloody human finger.
James and Skip must scramble to stay one step ahead of the perpetrators of the gruesome crime in this witty, gritty mystery about big dreams, big ideas - and big trouble.
Instead of chasing the American dream, James and Skip will be running for their lives.
Neon Dragon, the first title in the Michael Knight series by John F. Dobbyn, is free in the Kindle store, courtesy of Oceanview Publishing.Book Description
Amid the flash and din of Boston's raucous Chinese New Year's celebration, an elderly man is shot while watching the parade from his window. Anthony Bradley, the son of an African-American judge, is standing across the street at the time and is immediately arrested for the crime.
Michael Knight, a young lawyer who's going places, is surprised when Judge Bradley asks him to defend his son in such a high profile and politically delicate case. Luckily, Knight finds powerful support from Lex Devlin, a senior partner at his firm. Once the foremost criminal defense attorney in Boston, Devlin has mysteriously withdrawn from defense work in recent years. As Knight and Devlin investigate and prepare their client's defense, Knight is forced to confront the murky allegations that eclipsed his mentor's career, and enter into the shadow world of gangland Chinatown.
From the halls of Harvard to the streets of Chinatown, Knight doggedly pursues an investigation that involves drugs, prostitution, human trafficking, and a corruption scandal that could bring down the most powerful people in Boston.
Amazon and Audible are giving away a free download of Water for Elephants ($6.99 Kindle), by Sara Gruen, narrated by David LeDoux and John Randolph Jones. This is supposed to be a Kindle with Special Offers deal, but you don't have to actually claim the offer on this one (I didn't and it downloaded just fine). In fact, the KSO page says it is to read on your Kindle, but you can download it to your PC, just like any other Audible book (and presumably copy it to any device, although I haven't tried that, yet). Book DescriptionGet the free audiobook from Audible.
An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of Riding Lessons.
When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.
Beautifully written, Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.
Wow! It must be the first of the month! Twelve new free books this morning (counting the one that was UK only) and there is more to come. I'm skipping the bargain books this morning, but only because I'm off to look thru the new list of 100 Kindle books for $3.99 or less, hand selected by the editors at Amazon. I will mention one title, The Berry Bible: With 175 Recipes Using Cultivated and Wild, Fresh and Frozen Berries ($1.99), by Janie Hibler, which I bought as soon as it came out on Kindle, in April of last year (and, at full price, too). This was an out-of-print title from William Morrow Cookbooks and amongst the earliest books that Amazon has brought back to life under their AmazonEncore imprint.Book Description
Few foods capture the sweetness of nature like fresh berries, whether eaten straight off the bush or baked to perfection beneath a flaky crust. Now berry lovers can maximize their enjoyment with The Berry Bible, the new offering from James Beard Book Award-winning author Janie Hibler.
Part encyclopedia, part cookbook, The Berry Bible begins with an explanation of the health benefits of nutrient-rich berries and goes on to profile dozens of important culinary berries and berrylike fruits in the vibrantly illustrated "A-to-Z Berry Encyclopedia." Tips on how to remove berry stains and freeze for the off-season pave the way for 175 delectable recipes that use cultivated, wild, fresh, and frozen berries.
From Blackberry-Blueberry Cardamom Muffins, Mango-Raspberry Summer Soup, and Boysenberry Applesauce to Blackberry-Port Lamb Shanks, Almond-Gooseberry Cream Pie, and The Perfect Strawberry Shortcake, these succulent dishes are sure to garner The Berry Bible a permanent spot in any kitchen.
About the Author
Janie Hibler is a contributing writer to Gourmet, Food & Wine, and Bon Appetit magazines. She is the past president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the author of five books, including the bestselling Dungeness Crabs and Blackberry Cobblers, and Wild About Game, winner of the 1999 James Beard Award for Best Book: Single Subject. She divides her time between her home in Portland, Oregon, and her cabin in the Cascade Mountains.
If you partied a bit too hearty last night, you might need to pick up a copy of So Now You're a Zombie: A Handbook for the Newly Undead ($1.99), by John Austin, today's Kindle Deal of the Day (although I'd hold off on the pictures until after any queasiness has passed).Book Description
Being undead can be disorienting. Your arms and other appendages tend to rot and fall off. It’s difficult to communicate with a vocabulary limited to moans and gurgles. And that smell! (Yes, it’s you.) But most of all, you must constantly find and ingest human brains. Braaaains!!!
What’s a zombie to do?
Thankfully, zombiologist John Austin details everything you need to know, as a newly undead soul, to hunt, fight, and feed on the living. As the first handbook written specifically for the undead, So Now You’re a Zombie explains how you ended up in this predicament, the stages of zombification, and what you need to survive in this zombiphobic world. Dozens of helpful diagrams outline attack strategies, such as the Ghoul Reach, the Flanking Zack, the Bite Hold, and the Aerial Fall, to secure your human prey. You’ll even learn how to successfully extract the living from boarded up farmhouses and broken down vehicles.
This handbook also explores the upside of being a zombie. Gone are the burdens of employment, taxes, social networks, even basic hygiene, allowing you to focus on simple necessities in “life”: the juicy gray matter found in the skulls of the living.
The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have ($3.39 Kindle, B&N), by Mark Nepo, is the Nook Daily Find (and price matched at Amazon).Book Description
Cancer survivor, poet, and philosopher Mark Nepo has consciously allowed life to move through him. The Book of Awakening is the result of his journey of the soul and will inspire others to embark on their own.
Nepo speaks of spirit and friendship, urging readers to stay vital and in love with this life, no matter the hardships. Encompassing many traditions and voices, Nepo's words offer insight on pain, wonder, and love. Each entry is accompanied by an exercise that will surprise and delight the reader in its mind-waking ability.
Chili Con Corpses (US/UK/DE), the third title in the Supper Club Mystery series by J.B. Stanley, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
Things are chugging merrily along for librarian James Henry. He has a closet filled with new clothes, a trimmer waistline, and a closer bond with his father. His only real problem is that his girlfriend Lucy's interest in him seems to have inexplicably cooled. When schoolteacher Lindy suggests the club members join a Mexican cooking class, James jumps at the idea. Over cervezas and black bean dip, the supper club members warm to their new adventure. The class heats up even more when a reporter and her friends, twin sisters with supermodel physiques, enroll. But when people start turning up dead, and the evidence points toward Lindy, things become hotter than a jalapeño. James, who was looking to add a little more spice to his life, gets much more than he bargained for.
One September Morning (US/UK), by Rosalind Noonan, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble, where it is a repeat freebie.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble. Be careful from the nook, as there is another edition which is full price.
The moment Abby Fitzgerald sees two soldiers approach her front door, she knows her husband is dead. John Stanton, who gave up his career as a star NFL running back to serve after 9/11, has been killed in Iraq. Suddenly Abby's kitchen is overflowing with casseroles brought by the army wives' club to which she has never really belonged. And her in-laws arrange a lavish funeral at Arlington National Cemetery in spite of Abby's misgivings. John had grown to hate the war even though he loved his country, and Abby can't reconcile the complex man she knew with the version being portrayed by self-serving politicians, military, and the media.
Shell-shocked, Abby strives to cope with her own heartache while comforting John's loved ones, including his mother Sharice, his staunchly anti-war sister Madison, and his bitter younger brother Noah. But amidst her loss is a growing conviction that the truth about John's death is far from over.
Gripping, thoughtful, and emotionally powerful, One September Morning is a story of loyalty and betrayal, of a shattered family's journey toward healing, and of the courage it takes to confront the truth not just about our enemies, but about those we love best.
Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington (US/UK), by Tricia Goyer, is free in the Kindle store.Book Description
The Second World War has stolen Rosalie's fiance from her. But rather than wallow, Rosalie throws herself into her work at the Boeing plant in Victory Heights, shooting rivets into the B-17 bombers that will destroy the enemy. A local reporter dubs her Seattle's Own Rosie the Riveter, and her story lends inspiration to women across the country. While Rosalie's strong arms can bear the weight of this new responsibility, her heart cannot handle the intense feelings that begin to surface for Kenny, the handsome reporter. Fear of a second heartbreak is a powerful opponent - but will it claim victory over love?
Songbird Under a German Moon (US/UK), by Tricia Goyer, is free in the Kindle store.Book Description
The year is 1945. The war is over and 21-year-old Betty Lake has been invited to Europe to sing in a USO tour for American soldiers who now occupy Hitler's Germany. The first night's performance is a hit. Betty becomes enthralled with the applause, the former Nazi-held mansion they're housed in and the attention of Frank Witt, the US Army Signal Corps Photographer. Yet the next night this songbird is ready to fly the coop when Betty's dear friend, Kat, turns up missing. Betty soon realizes Frank's photographs could be the key to finding Kat. Betty and Frank team up against post-war Nazi influences and the two lovebirds' hearts may find the answers...in each other. But will they have a chance for their romance to sing? The truth will be revealed under a German moon.
About the Author
Tricia Goyer is an award-winning author of twelve novels, more than 300 articles and six nonfiction books. In researching for her WWII novels, Tricia has interviewed over one hundred veterans and service women involved in support efforts. She has also traveled to Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria for research. She lives with her husband and three children in Kalispell, Montana.
What A Demon Wants (US/UK), the fourth title in the New Orleans Vampires series by Kathy Love, is a repeat freebie in both the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
She's No Angel
A bodyguard? Why in the world would a demon need a bodyguard? Yes, it's true Ellina Kostova is only half demon ... and an author with a cult following, but that just means strange stuff happens. She isn't in real danger. Heck, she's in more danger from Jude Anthony, the guy her brother has hired to protect her. In big danger, actually. Because she just cannot be attracted to ... well, anyone. She's too much of a demon in bed. No, really.
Jude has grown accustomed to being an outcast, adrift in both the mortal and preternatural worlds. Being a paid fighting machine isn't glamorous, but he does it -- and many other things -- spectacularly well. And man does Ellina Kostova need a lot of protection. But he needs protection, too. She's making him remember what it feels like to be human. And he's already learned no good can come of that. Especially when he's been hired not only to protect her -- but also kill her....
I Dream of Genies (US/UK/DE), the first in the Genie series by Judi Fennell, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble. This one looks like a good read from Sourcebooks Casablanca (and has a starred review from PW).Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
Having a 2,000 year old magic genie fall right into your lap should be a good thing. At least, that's what down-on-his luck Matt Ewing thought. But Eden is no subservient fairy tale genie. Beautiful and independent, Eden isn't so keen on having to answer to yet another master. Then, after centuries of being alone, and against her better judgment, Eden suddenly finds herself in danger of falling for Matt. When she flips his already unstable world upside down, Matt is at his wits' end-if only he didn't find his inept genie so darn irresistible!
Carinian's Seeker (US/UK/DE), the first title in the Vampire Council of Ethics series by T. J. Michaels, is free in the Kindle store, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble, courtesy of Samhain Publisher (so, watch that content warning).Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
She's his target...and his mate. Aw,hell! Book One in the Vampire Council of Ethics series. Beautiful genius, Carinian Derrickson, wants to live long enough to date a man from the future generations of spacemen, complete with ray guns and starships. She's not crazy, she's just afraid of dying young of some dreaded disease, like all the rest of her family. Her research into gene therapy has shown her the way to extend her life is by emulating traits only before seen in fiction. Vampire fiction. Only the beings that shouldn't exist are very real indeed.
Unknown to her, there's a bad boy vampire in the lab next door with a goal quite the opposite of hers. If he has his way, he'll bring the Vampire Council of Ethics (V.C.O.E.) to its knees.
Jon Bixler is a Seeker for the Council-an assassin and undercover operative in a world of humans. Bix must get close enough to this rogue to find out exactly how he plans to dismantle the Council. And Carinian is just the ticket. But when he meets her, all his vampire common sense flies out the window as his libido leaps off the charts. What's he going to do now that the woman is in danger and secretly trying to do the impossible?
Bix and Carin can't deny the combustion of love and lust between them. They accept their mating. But can they stay alive long enough to enjoy it?
Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, and violence.
A Measure of Mercy (US/UK), the first in the Home to Blessing series by Lauraine Snelling, is free in the Kindle store, courtesy of Christian publisher Bethany House.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
Eighteen-year-old Astrid Bjorklund has always dreamed of becoming a doctor. She had intended to study medicine in Chicago or Grand Forks, but when a disaster wiped out a major portion of her family's income, Astrid stayed home instead, receiving hands-on training from Dr. Elizabeth.
Joshua Landsverk left Blessing two years ago, but he's never forgotten Astrid. Returning to town, he seeks to court her. Astrid is attracted to him, and when the opportunity unexpectedly opens for her to go to Chicago for medical training, she finds it difficult to leave. Love blossoms through their letters, but upon arriving back home, she makes a heartbreaking discovery. Will she have to give up love to pursue her dream?
The Meeting Of the Waters: 7 Global Currents That Will Propel the Future Church (US/UK), by Fritz Kling, is free in the Kindle store, courtesy of Christian publisher David C Cook.Book Description
A young Christian from Ireland moves to India—not to evangelize but to help girls escape prostitution. A retiring missionary in Brazil who long ago left all remnants of home encounters a thirty-year-old, laptop-carrying family man who rarely stops texting friends in the States. A Kenyan pastor struggles to connect with a congregation that watches a mega church pastor on the Internet every Sunday morning.
The community of Christians around the world—also known as the Global Church—is stunning in its scope and spiritual impact. But what is happening to the Church as technology, generational transitions, and cultural shifts make their mark?
In The Meeting of the Waters, Fritz Kling identifies seven trends—such as migration, machines, and the growing Mercy Generation—having an impact on today’s Global Church. Equal parts travelogue, character study, and global documentary, this breakthrough book is for anyone eager to make a difference in a changing world.
Holy Bible, GOD'S WORD Translation (US/UK), by Baker Publishing Group, is a repeat freebie in the Kindle store.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from ChristianBook.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW) accurately translates the meaning of the original biblical texts into clear, everyday language. Readable and reliable, GW is living, active, and life-changing. The combination of accuracy and readability makes GW ideally suited for devotional reading and in-depth study, preaching, teaching, and worship, memorization, and discipleship.
The Kindle edition of GW includes direct verse lookup and book and chapter navigation.
To navigate this Bible on the Kindle, just start typing a Bible reference in the lookup bar using the book abbreviation. The search results will come up automatically, and you can move the cursor to click the verse you want to view. You can also type a full reference, using the period in place of a colon (e.g., Ps 119.111). On Kindle for the PC and other non-device versions of the Kindle, use the Table of Contents. Links to the Bible books will lead you to pages with links to individual chapters.
Kick the Tyres, Light the Fires (US/UK), by Sir Torquil Norman, is free for UK customers only in the Kindle store. It doesn't appear that this one will be available at all, for those in the US (although you can get it for $9.99 at B&N, so it's only Kindle that isn't available).Book Description
On 1st June 2006 a Grade II listed north London landmark reopened following extensive refurbishment. The rebirth of the Roundhouse was the culmination of more than a decade’s hard work, led by philanthropist Torquil Norman. The transformation was nothing short of remarkable, and whilst the Roundhouse’s artistic plans include circuses, music festivals, large scale theatre, multimedia festivals, installations, talks and screenings it is the organisation's focus on young people that makes it a leader. The Roundhouse places young people at its heart, involving them at every level from membership of the Board of Directors to generating market campaigns. Kick the Tyres, Light the Fires is the story of Torquil Norman’s extraordinary life, leading up to the acquisition and the launch of the Roundhouse, as well as a series of reflections on how the welfare state, taxation and prison systems can be reformed to give disadvantaged young people a fighting chance of success.
Copia is giving away a specially annotated edition of Dracula, by Bram Stoker. You can side-load it into Adobe ADE (use the Settings and Purchase History menu), but if you want the annotations, you'll need to stick to the Copia app.Book Description
More than 100 years after it was written, Bram Stoker's Dracula remains as powerful and potent as ever. This classic Gothic horror story has crossed into popular culture, inspiring an entire underworld, as it were, of vampire related movies, stories and costumes. The sweeping, cross-cutting plot, told in a series of diary entries and letters, finds two sets of lovers inadvertently caught up in a blood thirsty scheme by Transylvania's erudite, mysterious Count Dracula.
This Copia Editions volume features over 150 exclusive annotations by Dr. Anne DeLong and Dr. Curtis Herr, co-editors of The Journal of Dracula Studies. These notes, which appear in the margins of the eBook, can only be accessed using the free Copia eReader App
God's Eye ($2.51), by A.J. ScudiereBook Description
A demon . . .
Every soul he claims is another chance to advance. Until he can walk among us, look like us, make us believe in him. The only thing holding him back is . . .
An angel. . .
The rules of the realm bind him from fighting on the demon’s terms. But this is his chance to steal something away from the demon, to steal the thing the demon wants most . . .
A woman who must choose . . .
A woman who has been chosen. Katharine is suddenly a pawn in a game where the rules and the stakes are beyond her comprehension. She must take a side even though she can’t tell angel from demon.
And in the end, they will all be judged.
It's a bit early for The Gift of Thanks: The Roots and Rituals of Gratitude ($3.46), by Margaret Visser, but it's likely to have gone back up price by it's holiday season.Book Description
Known as an ‘anthropologist of everyday life,’ Margaret Visser has, in five award-winning books, uncovered and illuminated the intriguing and unexpected meanings of everyday objects and habits. Now she turns her keen eye to another custom so frequently encountered that it often escapes notice: saying ‘Thank you.’ What do we really mean by these two simple words?
This fascinating inquiry into all aspects of gratitude ranges from the unusual determination with which parents teach their children to thank, to the difference between speaking the words and feeling them, to the ways different cultures handle the complex matters of giving, receiving, and returning favors and presents. Visser illuminates the fundamental opposition in our own culture between gift-giving and commodity exchange, and the similarities between gratitude and its opposite, vengefulness. The Gift of Thanks considers cultural history, including the modern battle of social scientists to pin down the notion of thankfulness and account for it, and the newly awakened scientific interest in the biological and evolutionary roots of emotions.
With her engaging combination of curiosity and erudition, Visser once again reveals the extraordinary in the everyday.
Quick-Fix Vegetarian: Healthy Home-Cooked Meals in 30 Minutes or Less ($2.99), by Robin RobertsonBook Description
Featuring 150 delicious recipes, Quick-Fix Vegetarian provides both novice and longtime cooks with practical and robust vegetarian dishes that can be prepared in less time than it takes to have a pizza delivered. Written by best-selling vegetarian chef Robin Robertson, Quick-Fix Vegetarian is the answer for busy families who are looking for healthy food, fast.
Quick-Fix Vegetarian by Robin Robertson recently was named Best New Cookbook by PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The international organization's Proggy Award (short for progress) recognizes animal-friendly achievement in 21st century culture and commerce. No longer considered a hippie fad, the vegan lifestyle is becoming going mainstream. In her latest book vegetarian expert Robin Robertson creates recipes such as Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Quesadillas, Chipotle-Kissed Black Bean Soup, Mediterranean Orzo Salad, Beat-the-Clock Lasagna, Five-Minute Slow-Cooker Chili, and No-Bake Oatmeal Almond Cookies for this growing consumer base. In addition, Quick-Fix Vegetarian shows how to use many of the new commercial vegetarian products and includes recipe variations and tips for speedy, stress-free entertaining without sacrificing flavor or mainstream appeal.
The Line of Beauty ($2.51), by Alan Hollinghurst, won the 2004 Man Booker Prize for fiction.Book Description
In the summer of 1983, twenty-year-old Nick Guest moves into an attic room in the Notting Hill home of the Feddens: conservative Member of Parliament Gerald, his wealthy wife Rachel, and their two children, Toby-whom Nick had idolized at Oxford-and Catherine, highly critical of her family's assumptions and ambitions.
As the boom years of the eighties unfold, Nick, an innocent in the world of politics and money, finds his life altered by the rising fortunes of this glamorous family. His two vividly contrasting love affairs, one with a young black clerk and one with a Lebanese millionaire, dramatize the dangers and rewards of his own private pursuit of beauty, a pursuit as compelling to Nick as the desire for power and riches among his friends. Richly textured, emotionally charged, disarmingly comic, this U.K. bestseller is a major work by one of our finest writers.
Murder in the Latin Quarter ($2.70), by Cara Black, is the ninth in her Aimee Leduc series.Book Description
A Haitian woman arrives at the office of Leduc Detective and announces that she is Aimée’s sister, her father’s illegitimate daughter. Aimée is thrilled. A virtual orphan since her mother’s disappearance and her father’s death, she has always wanted a sister. Her partner, René, is wary of this stranger, but Aimée embraces her and soon finds herself involved in murky Haitian politics leading to murder. The setting is the Latin Quarter on the Left Bank of the Seine, in the old university district of Paris.
If you are a Deborah Smith fan, then you need to run over and grab Silver Fox and Red-Hot Dove and the rest of her backlist books available for $2.99 pre-order from Bantam (Random House).Silver Fox and Red-Hot Dove
When Elena Petrovic, a member of a visiting Soviet delegation and possessor of a secret healing power, runs away, T.S. Audubon is determined to find her before the American and Soviet agents do.
Jed's Sweet Revenge
When Wyoming cowboy Jed Powers came to claim Sancia Island, he was prepared to evict a squatter -- but instead found himself bewitched by a woman.
Hot Touch
Rugged vet Paul Belue was part Clark Gable, part Cajun Gypsy, and all male, but when Caroline Fitzsimmons arrived to train his pet wolf for a movie, he vowed to drive her from his bayou mansion!
Honey and Smoke
Tackling an intruder in the old moonshiner's cave, ex-Marine Max Templeton is astonished to find the beautiful and wiry Betty Quint, and he vows to win her over, even as she swears she will wait for a more marriage- and family-minded man.
Hold on Tight
Rucker McClure had drowned beer and chased women everywhere south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but he couldn’t resist heading straight for Mount Pleasant, Alabama, when the town’s mayor, ex-Miss Georgia Dinah Sheridan, sent him a baby possum in retaliation for a column that savaged their annual Possum Days celebration! Not a bit subtle where seduction was concerned, Rucker did his best to rough up Dinah’s smooth edges, mesmerizing her with burning caresses and a voice that drawled steamy promises. “Keep your heart open and lips puckered,” he warned her when he left town, but when he returned and began unraveling her mystery, Dinah knew her fate was sealed. If Rucker discovered the scandal that had once cost her everything, she’d lose him–and the life she loved. But if she wouldn’t trust him with her secrets, how could he prove he cherished her?
Sara's Surprise
Dr. Sara Scarborough is tormented by memories when Kyle Surprise, a man from her painful past, shows up at her Kentucky mountain refuge.
Stranger in Camelot
Cautious Agnes Hamilton, owner of a horse breeding farm, tries in vain to resist the advances of the wickedly handsome John Bartholomew, a mystery man who rides into her life and tries to sweep her off her feet.
Caught by Surprise
Brig McKay was a hell-raiser, a rebel without a cause -- and he was Deputy Sheriff Millie Surprise's duty for the next sixty days!
California Royale
Shea Somerton was elegant and glamorous, just like Estate Mendocino, the resort she managed -- but behind her classy facade there was a hint of recklessness in her violet eyes.
Heart of the Dragon
While searching all over Bangkok for her half-sister, Rebecca Brown captures the attention of Kash Santelli, a man who suspects her of being a spy.
Cranioklepty: Grave Robbing and the Search for Genius ($3.03), by Collin Dickey, is one of two Kindle editions (the other is $7.99). This one is likely in Topaz format.Book Description
Beginning dramatically with the opening of Haydn s grave two days after his death in October 1820, Cranioklepty takes us on an extraordinary history of a peculiar kind of obsession. The desire to own the skulls of the famous, for study, for sale, for public (and private) display, seems to be instinctual and irresistible in some people. The rise of Phrenology at the beginning of the 19th century only fed that fascination with the belief that genius leaves its mark on the very shape of the head. The after-death stories of Franz Joseph Haydn, Ludwig Beethoven, Swedenborg, Sir Thomas Browne and many others have never before been told in such detail and vividness. Fully illustrated with some surprising images, this is a fascinating and authoritative history of ideas carried along on the guilty pleasures of an anthology of real-after-life gothic tales.
Inside Joss' Dollhouse: From Alpha to Rossum ($0.89), by Jane Espenson Book Description
Though Joss Whedon’s television show Dollhouse ended in January 2010 after its second season, its small but devoted cult following is still reeling from not only from its mind-blowing plot twists but also its challenging, dystopic look at the ethics of new technology.
INSIDE JOSS' DOLLHOUSE is a fitting tribute to this complex, engaging show. The anthology’s 18 sometimes funny, always insightful pieces cover Dollhouse from anticipated start to explosive finish. Drawn from an international contest judged by fan favorite Whedon screenwriter Jane Espenson, its essays get right to heart of what Dollhouse viewers loved most about the show.
Espenson also acts as the book’s editor, offering context and extra insight on its topics and the show—a role she played in previous anthologies Finding Serenity and Serenity Found, also on Joss Whedon creations.
From programmer Topher’s amorality to the accuracy of the show’s neurobiology, INSIDE JOSS' DOLLHOUSE brings Dollhouse back to life with a depth sure to satisfy its many still-mourning fans.
HOME: A MEMOIR OF MY EARLY YEARS ($2.51), by Julie AndrewsBook Description
Since her first appearance on screen in Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews has played a series of memorable roles that have endeared her to generations. But she has never told the story of her life before fame. Until now.
In Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, Julie takes her readers on a warm, moving, and often humorous journey from a difficult upbringing in war-torn Britain to the brink of international stardom in America. Her memoir begins in 1935, when Julie was born to an aspiring vaudevillian mother and a teacher father, and takes readers to 1962, when Walt Disney himself saw her on Broadway and cast her as the world's most famous nanny.
Along the way, she weathered the London Blitz of World War II; her parents' painful divorce; her mother's turbulent second marriage to Canadian tenor Ted Andrews, and a childhood spent on radio, in music halls, and giving concert performances all over England. Julie's professional career began at the age of twelve, and in 1948 she became the youngest solo performer ever to participate in a Royal Command Performance before the Queen. When only eighteen, she left home for the United States to make her Broadway debut in The Boy Friend, and thus began her meteoric rise to stardom.
Home is filled with numerous anecdotes, including stories of performing in My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison on Broadway and in the West End, and in Camelot with Richard Burton on Broadway; her first marriage to famed set and costume designer Tony Walton, culminating with the birth of their daughter, Emma; and the call from Hollywood and what lay beyond.
Julie Andrews' career has flourished over seven decades. From her legendary Broadway performances, to her roles in such iconic films as The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hawaii, 10, and The Princess Diaries, to her award-winning television appearances, multiple album releases, concert tours, international humanitarian work, best-selling children's books, and championship of literacy, Julie's influence spans generations. Today, she lives with her husband of thirty-eight years, the acclaimed writer/director Blake Edwards; they have five children and seven grandchildren.
Featuring over fifty personal photos, many never before seen, this is the personal memoir Julie Andrews' audiences have been waiting for.
Forever Liesl: A Memoir of The Sound of Music ($4.99), by Charmian CarrBook Description
The magic of The Sound of Music lives on in the minds and hearts of everyone it has touched. Now, Charmian Carr, who in 1965 captivated moviegoers as Liesl "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" von Trapp, tells what it was like to be a part of the film that has become a cultural phenomenon. It's all here: from how she got the role (and why she almost didn't) to romances on the set and wild nights in Salzburg; from the near-disaster during the gazebo dance to her relationships--then and now--with her six celluloid siblings. Charmian offers stories from fans and friends and a treasury of photographs. And she reveals why she left acting, what she learned when she met the real von Trapp children; and how The Sound of Music has helped her get through stormy times in her own life.Forever Liesl celebrates the spirit of the movie and what it stands for: family love, romance, inspiration, nostalgia, and the joy and power of music.
Circle of Friends Cookbook - 25 Savory Pie Recipes, by Gooseberry Patch, is free in the Kindle store.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
From Flaky Chicken Pot Pie and Spaghetti Pie to Upside-Down Mexican Pot Pie and Slow-Cooker Sausage Pie, this new collection features 25 savory pies that are sure to get mouths watering and tastebuds tingling!
Today's Free Android App at Amazon is an interactive children's book, The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin, by Oceanhouse Media, Inc. This is the type of app that will be perfect on the Kindle Fire, so it's a shame it isn't already out (although there is good reason they delayed launch until closer to Christmas), but for those of you that already have an Android phone or tablet, be sure to pick this one up. If you don't have compatible hardware yet, you might want to check out my earlier post for some tips on getting Amazon's Android apps now (the app runs fine in VirtualBox, btw, if you want to read it with your kids tonight).Book Description
"One day in the pumpkin patch the strangest little pumpkin hatched. Spookley wasn't like his friends—where they had curves, he had ends."
So begins The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin. This delightful and inspiring book for your Android device combines the original text of author Joe Troiano and artwork of Susan Banta with features that entertain and promote reading.
Spookley the square pumpkin was different. In a world where "the only good pumpkins are round pumpkins," Spookley is shunned. Until one day during a terrible storm he gets the chance to make a difference. In The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin, a unique pumpkin delivers a special message of tolerance and self-acceptance that's just right for Halloween or any day of the year.
This Oceanhouse Media omBook features professional narration, background sounds, and enlarged artwork for each scene. Children can choose the Read to Me option if they would like the audio narration but want to go at their own pace (turning the pages themselves); beginning readers can opt for the Read it Myself mode. Auto Play reads the entire story without any prompting or page-turning, which is especially useful for very young children.
Support for Little Readers
To help kids learn to read in a fun way, individual words are highlighted as the story progresses and words zoom up when pictures are touched. Kids can slide a finger from right to left on the screen, and the "page" actually turns just like a real book. The overall effect is to make a classic story come alive, providing hours of entertainment for all ages.
Zombie, Ohio: A Tale of the Undead ($1.99), by Scott Kenemore, is the Kindle Daily Deal. I usually skip the zombie books, but I read the sample on a recommendation and ended up buying this one in August.Book Description
“No one is safe in a zombie apocalypse. Not even a zombie.”
When rural Ohio college professor Peter Mellor dies in an automobile accident during a zombie outbreak, he is reborn as a highly intelligent (yet somewhat amnesiac) member of the living dead. With society crumbling around him and violence escalating into daily life, Peter quickly learns that being a zombie isn’t all fun and brains. Humans—unsympathetic, generally, to his new proclivities—try to kill him at nearly every opportunity. His old friends are loath to associate with him. And he finds himself inconveniently addicted to the gooey stuff inside of people’s heads.
As if all this weren’t bad enough, Peter soon learns that his automobile accident was no accident at all. Faced with the harrowing mystery of his death, Peter resolves to use his strange zombie “afterlife” to solve his own murder.
Skillfully combining the genres of horror, humor, and film noir, Zombie, Ohio weaves an enthralling and innovative tale that any fan of the current zombie craze is sure to relish. Followers of detective and horror fiction alike will find something to love about Zombie, Ohio—a tale of murder, mystery, and the walking dead.
Goth Girl Rising ($2.70 Kindle; B&N), by Barry Lyga, is the Nook Daily Find; price matched at Amazon.Book Description
Time is a funny thing in the hospital. In the mental ward. You lose track of it easily.
After six months in the Maryland Mental Health Unit, Kyra Sellers, a.k.a. Goth Girl, is going home. Unfortunately, she's about to find out that while she was away, she lost track of more than time. Kyra is back in black, feeling good, and ready to make up with the only person who's ever appreciated her for who she really is. But then she sees him. Fanboy. Transcended from everything he was into someone she barely recognizes. And the anger and memories come rushing back.
There's so much to do to people when you're angry. Kyra's about to get very busy.
The Rules of Work: A Definitive Code for Personal Success, by Richard Templar, is a repeat freebie on Kindle and from Barnes & Noble.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
Some people are simply great at their job. They always seem to say the right thing; do the right thing. They are mentioned in every conversation. Everybody likes them. They get promoted. They get pay rises. They get along with the boss. And somehow, they do all these things without being unpleasant, breaking much of a sweat or seeming to put in excess effort. And when they are offered another step up the corporate ladder or a fabulous new job, no one is surprised. After all, they have 'potential' written all over them. How do they do it? Do they know some secret we don't? Yes, they know The Rules of Work. These rules aren't about how to do your job, day-to-day (assuming you are pretty good at that already). The Rules of Work are about how you are seen to be doing it. They are about how you appear to others. And they are about helping you to achieve the success you richly deserve.
The first edition of The Rules of Work became a global phenomenon, topping bestseller charts around the world. This new, even better, edition includes 10 brand new rules to take you further, faster. These rules are the guiding principles that will improve both what you do and how you do it, giving you the unmistakable air of confidence that will win you admiration, respect, and the next promotion. With The Rules under your belt you'll have the edge in everything you do, without having to compromise your principles.
The Truth About Negotiations, by Leigh L. Thompson, is a repeat freebie on Kindle and from Barnes & Noble.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
You can learn to be a world-class negotiator and get what you want!
This book reveals 53 PROVEN NEGOTIATION PRINCIPLES and bite-size, easy-to-use techniques that work.
- The truth about how to prepare within one hour
- The truth about negotiating with friends, colleagues, and spouses
- The truth about the win-win litmus test
The Glass Case is a free short story by Kristin Hannah, released as a promo for her upcoming novel, Home Front.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
THE GLASS CASE explores the heart and mind of a mother – April Bannerman is a young mother of three, married to her high school sweetheart & living in the same town she grew up in. Although she loves her children and husband, April is plagued by the growing doubt that she has not lived up to the expectations of her own mother – who passed away years ago. When her youngest son goes missing one afternoon, April’s views on her own life – and what is most important – goes through a sudden transformation.
The Truth About Managing People, by Stephen P. Robbins, is a repeat freebie on Kindle and from Barnes & Noble.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
You can succeed brilliantly as a leader and overcome the “killer” problems faced by every manager!
This book reveals 53 Proven Principles for handling virtually every management challenge The Truth About Managing People offers real solutions for the make-or-break problems faced by every manager. You'll discover: how to overcome the true obstacles to teamwork; why too much communication can be as dangerous as too little; how to improve your hiring and employee evaluations; how to heal "layoff survivor sickness"; even how to learn charisma. This isn't someone's opinion; it's a definitive, evidence-based guide to effective management: a set of bedrock principles you can rely on throughout your entire management career.
- The truth about building winning teams and designing high-productivity jobs
- The truth about why “happy” employees aren’t always more productive
- The (surprising) truth about what behaviors you really want to reward
Germs, Genes, & Civilization: How Epidemics Shaped Who We Are Today, by David P. Clark, is a repeat freebie on Kindle and from Barnes & Noble.Book DescriptionGet the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.
The Stunning Hidden Interconnections Between Microbes and Humanity...
AD 452: Attila the Hun stands ready to sack Rome. No one can stop him--but he walks away. A miracle? No...dysentery. Microbes saved the Roman Empire. Nearly a millennium later, the microbes of the Black Death ended the Middle Ages, making possible the Renaissance, western democracy, and the scientific revolution. Soon after, microbes ravaged the Americas, paving the way for their European conquest.
Again and again, microbes have shaped our health, our genetics, our history, our culture, our politics, even our religion and ethics. This book reveals much that scientists and cultural historians have learned about the pervasive interconnections between infectious microbes and humans. It also considers what our ongoing fundamental relationship with infectious microbes might mean for the future of the human species.