Author: Morris, Ian, 1960- author. Published: 2022 Call Number: 327.4104 Format: Books Summary: "In the wake of Brexit, Ian Morris chronicles the eight-thousand-year history of Britain's relationship to Europe as it has changed in the context of a globalizing world"-- When Britain voted to leave the European Union in 2016, the 48 percent who wanted to stay and the 52 percent who wanted to go each accused the other of stupidity, fraud, and treason. In reality, the Brexit debate merely reran a script written ten thousand years earlier, when the rising seas physically separated the British Isles from the European continent. Ever since, geography has been destiny--yet it is humans who get to decide what that destiny means. Ian Morris, the critically acclaimed author of Why the West Rules--for Now, describes how technology and organization have steadily enlarged Britain's arena, and how its people have tried to turn this to their advantage. For the first seventy-five hundred years, the British were never more than bit players at the western edge of a European stage, struggling to find a role among bigger, richer, and more sophisticated continental rivals. By 1500 CE, however, new kinds of ships and governments had turned the European stage into an Atlantic one; with the English Channel now functioning as a barrier, England transformed the British Isles into a United Kingdom that created a worldwide empire. Since 1900, thanks to rapid globalization, Britain has been overshadowed by American, European, and--increasingly--Chinese actors. In trying to find its place in a global economy, Britain has been looking in all the wrong places. The ten-thousand-year story bracingly chronicled by Geography Is Destiny shows that the great question for the current century is not what to do about Brussels; it's what to do about Beijing.
Author: Hoover, Colleen, author. Published: 2022 Call Number: LP F HOOVER Format: Large print Summary: Released from prison, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter, but with everyone against her, she turns to local bar owner Ledger Ward who, risking everything, secretly helps her make amends. After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter's life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself. The only person who hasn't closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna's daughter. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna's life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them. The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing.
Author: Colgan, Jenny, author. Published: 2022 Call Number: F COLGAN Format: Books Summary: New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan brings us a delightful summer novel that will sweep you away to the remote Scottish island of Mure, where two very different weddings are about to take place... On the little Scottish island of Mure--halfway between Scotland and Norway--Flora MacKenzie and her fiance Joel are planning the smallest of sweetheart weddings, a high summer celebration surrounded only by those very dearest to them. Not everyone on the island is happy about being excluded, though. The temperature rises even further when beautiful Olivia MacDonald--who left Mure ten years ago for bigger and brighter things--returns with a wedding planner in tow. Her fiance has oodles of family money, and Olivia is determined to throw the biggest, most extravagant, most Instagrammable wedding possible. And she wants to do it at Flora's hotel, the same weekend as Flora's carefully planned micro-wedding. As the summer solstice approaches, can Flora handle everyone else's Happy Every Afters--and still get her own?--
Author: Moshfegh, Ottessa, author. Published: 2022 Call Number: F MOSHFEGH Format: Books Summary: "In a village in a medieval fiefdom buffeted by natural disasters, a motherless shepherd boy finds himself the unlikely pivot of a power struggle that puts all manner of faith to a savage test, in a spellbinding novel that represents Ottessa Moshfegh's most exciting leap yet. Little Marek, the abused and delusional son of the village shepherd, never knew his mother; his father told him she died in childbirth. One of life's few consolations for Marek is his enduring bond with the blind village midwife, Ina, who suckled him when he was a baby, as she did so many of the village's children. Ina's gifts extend beyond childcare: she possesses a unique ability to communicate with the natural world. Her gift often brings her the transmission of sacred knowledge on levels far beyond those available to other villagers, however religious they might be. For some people, Ina's home in the woods outside of the village is a place to fear and to avoid, a godless place. Among their number is Father Barnabas, the town priest and lackey for the depraved lord and governor, Villiam, whose hilltop manor contains a secret embarrassment of riches. The people's desperate need to believe that there are powers that be who have their best interests at heart is put to a cruel test by Villiam and the priest, especially in this year of record drought and famine. But when fate brings Marek into violent proximity to the lord's family, new and occult forces upset the old order. By year's end, the veil between blindness and sight, life and death, the natural world and the spirit world, will prove to be very thin indeed"--
Author: Seabrook, Nicholas R., author. Published: 2022 Call Number: 328.3345 Format: Books Summary: "Nicholas Seabrook, authority on constitutional and election law, and expert on gerrymandering, begins with the earliest gerrymandering (pronounced with a hard 'g'!) before our nation's founding with the rigging of American elections for partisan and political gain and the election-meddling of the colonial governor of North Carolina (George Burrington) in retaliation against his critics. The author writes of Patrick Henry, who used redistricting to settle an old score with political foe and fellow Founding Father, James Madison, almost preventing the Bill of Rights from happening and of Elbridge Gerry, the Massachusetts governor from whom the naming of gerrymander derives. Seabrook writes of the Supreme Court's 20th century battles to curtail gerrymandering, first with Felix Frankfurter, the court's most outspoken advocate of judicial restraint, who fought for decades to prevent the judiciary from involving itself in disputes over the drawing of districts, only to see his judicial legacy collapse before his eyes; and Byron White, professional football player turned Supreme Court Justice who tried, and failed, to convince his colleagues to put a stop to partisan gerrymandering before most Americans were even aware that it was happening... One Person, One Vote explores the rise of the most partisan gerrymanders in U.S. history put in place by the Republican Party after the 2010 Census. We see how the battle has shifted to the states with REDMAP, the GOP's successful strategy to use control of state government and rig the results of state legislative and congressional elections for an entire decade. Seabrook makes clear that a vast new redistricting is already here and to safeguard our republic, action is needed before it is too late"--
Author: Bourgon, Lyndsie, author. Published: 2022 Call Number: 333.7513 Format: Books Summary: Weaving together investigative reporting, colorful characters, logging history, political analysis, and cutting-edge tree science, this gripping account reveals the complexity of the illegal timber market. "A gripping account of the billion-dollar timber black market--and how it intersects with environmentalism, class, and culture. In Tree Thieves, Lyndsie Bourgon takes us deep into the underbelly of the illegal timber market. As she traces three timber-poaching cases, she introduces us to tree poachers, law enforcement officers, forensic wood specialists, the enigmatic residents of former logging communities, environmental activists, international timber cartels, and Indigenous communities." --Front jacket flap
Author: McKinty, Adrian, author. Published: 2022 Call Number: LP F MCKINTY Format: Large print Summary: "After moving from a small country town to Seattle, Heather Baxter marries Tom, a widowed doctor with a young son and teenage daughter. A working vacation overseas seems like the perfect way to bring the new family together, but once they're deep in the Australian outback, the jet-lagged and exhausted kids are so over their new mom. When they discover remote Dutch Island, off-limits to outside visitors, the family talks their way onto the ferry, taking a chance on an adventure far from the reach of iPhones and Instagram. But as soon as they set foot on the island, which is run by a tightly knit clan of locals, everything feels wrong. Then a shocking accident propels the Baxters from an unsettling situation into an absolute nightmare"--
Author: Hunter, Denise, 1968- author. Published: 2021 Call Number: LP F HUNTER Format: Large print Summary: "When Katie Loveland's car veered off a winding Appalachian Mountain road, she thought she was done for. That is until Cooper Robinson, local sheriff's deputy, came to her rescue. And though Katie narrowly escaped her brush with death, she still fell. Hard. She wasn't the only one. But soon Cooper learns that the woman he's more attracted to than any he's ever met is his brother's new girlfriend--and therefore unquestionably off limits. Yet, despite his best efforts, Cooper and Katie can't seem to avoid running into each other. Or ignore the undeniable chemistry between them. As they grow closer, Katie shares the secrets of her past and the real reason she moved to their small North Carolina town. She also wins over Cooper's welcoming and bighearted family. But they don't know that her feelings for Cooper keep growing--all while she's dating his brother. Soon the stakes of their emotional connection become higher than either of them could have imagined. Katie stands to lose the first family she's ever had, and a scandal could doom Cooper's campaign for sheriff's office. Suddenly they find themselves on the edge of another precipice--and they're forced to make a decision that could change their lives forever"--Provided by publisher
Author: Hoover, Colleen, author. Published: 2020 Call Number: F HOOVER Format: Books Summary: "When Leeds meets Layla, he's convinced he'll spend the rest of his life with her--until an unexpected attack leaves Layla fighting for her life. After weeks in the hospital, Layla recovers physically, but the emotional and mental scarring has altered the woman Leeds fell in love with. In order to put their relationship back on track, Leeds whisks Layla away to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. Once they arrive, Layla's behavior takes a bizarre turn. And that's just one of many inexplicable occurrences"--Provided by publisher.
Author: Fitzgerald, F. Scott (Francis Scott), 1896-1940, author. West, James L. W., III, editor, writer of introduction. Published: 2020 2007 Call Number: F FITZGERA Format: Books Summary: "The Beautiful and Damned, F. Scott Fitzgerald's second novel, tells the story of Anthony Patch, a 1920s socialite and presumptive heir to a tycoon's fortune, the relationship with his wife Gloria, his service in the army, and alcoholism. Anthony and Gloria are young and gorgeous, rich and leisured and they dedicate their lives to the pursuit of happiness and we follow the intimate story of their marriage as it disintegrates under the weight of their expectations, fueled by dissipation, jealousy and aimlessness" --
Author: Konrath, Joe, 1970- author. Published: 2019 Call Number: F KONRATH Format: Books Summary: Retired cop Jacqueline "Jack"Daniels and her husband, former criminal Phines Troutt, have made a lot of enemies over the years. But none worse than The Cowboy, a gunslinging nutcase who wants to slaughter them both, and Hugo Troutt, who has been plotting revenge against his younger brother for over a decade.
Author: Dooley, Roger, 1952- author. Published: 2019 Call Number: 658.812 Format: Books Summary: "How business leaders can boost profits and growth by reducing 'friction' in every customer interaction"-- "In 2016, $4.6 trillion of merchandise was left in abandoned e-commerce shopping carts. Every year, the U.S. economy loses $3 trillion dollars in productivity due to excess bureaucracy. Red tape and over-complicated licenses have contributed to China's GDP exceeding India's by $82 trillion over the span of just three decades. If you're a business leader, these statistics should give you nightmares. According to science-based marketing and business expert Roger Dooley, they illustrate the real and growing threat of 'friction,' which he defines as the unnecessary expenditure of time, effort, or money in performing a task. In today's high-speed, customer-empowered world, the levels of swiftness and efficiency of business transactions will determine ultimate success or failure. In this groundbreaking guide, Dooley helps you spot the inevitable points of friction in your organization, and he provides the tools and insight you need to eliminate them. By truly understanding the impact friction can have, you'll be able to establish positive habits and eliminate negative ones--all with the end result of building a company that's the envy of your industry. Friction takes you step-by-step through the process of: empowering frank conversations, guiding individual and team behaviors, getting ahead of friction, optimizing the customer experience, building a frictionless corporate culture, combining scientific research with real-life examples of leaders who have conquered business friction, Dooley teaches you how to identify roadblocks, alter them for the benefit of both business and customer, and create positive, lasting change. If you're in a leadership position, now is the time to declare war on friction--before your competitors do. Stamp out ridiculous rules, pointless procedures, and meaningless meetings. Become a relentless advocate for the customer and for minimizing customer effort. Lubricate every point of friction and make your company run like a well-oiled machine. Friction provides the know-how you need to lead your company to industry dominance"--
Author: Bachman, Richard author. Published: 2016 1979 Call Number: F BACHMAN Format: Books Summary: Against the wishes of his mother, sixteen-year-old Ray Garraty is about to compete in the annual grueling match of stamina and wits known as The Long Walk. One hundred boys must keep a steady pace of four miles per hour without ever stopping ... with the winner being awarded "The Prize"--Anything he wants for the rest of his life. But, as part of this national tournament that sweeps through a dystophian America year after year, there are some harsh rules that Garraty and ninety-nine others must adhere to in order to beat out the rest. There is no finish line--the winner is the last man standing. Contestants cannot receive any outside aid whatsoever. Slow down under the speed limit and you're given a warning. Three warnings and you're out of the game--permanently.
Author: Hoover, Colleen author. Published: 2015 Call Number: F HOOVER Format: Books Summary: "Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse. Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon's last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist. Can Ben's relationship with Fallon and simultaneously his novel be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?"-- Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. They spend Fallon's last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives they continue to meet on the same date every year. But has Ben has been telling her the truth... or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist?
Author: O'Connor, Ian. Published: 2012 2011 Call Number: B JETER Format: Books Summary: "In The captain, Ian O'Connor draws on unique access to Derek Jeter and more than 200 new interviews to reveal how a biracial kid from Michigan became New York's most beloved sports figure and the face of the steroid-free athlete. O'Connor takes us behind the scenes of a legendary baseball life, from Jeter's early struggles in the minor leagues, when homesickness and errors threatened a stillborn career, to the heady days of Yankee superiority and nightlife, to the battles with former best friend A-Rod. All along the way, Jeter has made his Hall-of-Fame destiny look easy. But behind that leadership and hero's grace there are hidden struggles and complexities that have never been explored, until now."--P. [4] of cover.
Author: Rumelt, Richard P., author. Published: 2011 Call Number: 658.4 Format: Books Summary: Developing and implementing a strategy is the central task of a leader, whether the CEO at a Fortune 100 company, an entrepreneur, or a government official. Richard Rumelt shows that there has been a growing and unfortunate tendency to equate Mom-and-apple-pie values, fluffy packages of buzzwords, motivational slogans, and financial goals with 'strategy.' He debunks these elements of 'bad strategy' and awakens an understanding of the power of a 'good strategy.' He defines a good strategy as a specific and coherent response to- and an approach for overcoming- the obstacles to progress. A good strategy works by harnessing and applying power where it will have the greatest effect in respect to the challenge. Thus, Rumelt argues that the heart of a good strategy is insight into the true nature of the situation, so that the hidden power in a situation can be discerned and an appropriate response be devised. He shows you how insight can be cultivated using a wide variety of tools for guiding your own thinking and to that end he presents nine sources of power- ranging from leverage to effectively focusing on growth- that are eye-opening yet pragmatic tools that can be immediately put to work. -- from Publisher Description. Argues that a manager's central responsibility is to create and implement strategies, challenges popular motivational practices, and shares anecdotes discussing how to enable action-oriented plans for real-world results.
Author: Byrne, Rhonda. Published: 2006 Call Number: 158.1 Format: Books Summary: Argues that The Secret, a way of thinking, has been found in oral traditions throughout history and that by understanding it and using it in every aspect of life, money, health, and happiness will follow.
Author: Blythe, Will. Published: 2006 Call Number: 796.323 Format: Books Summary: The story of the rivalry between North Carolina's and Duke University's basketball teams discusses the long-term feud between the teams and their fans, citing a long history of race, family, loyalty, privilege, and Southern belief systems.
Author: Savage, Thomas. author. Published: 2001 1967 Call Number: F SAVAGE Format: Books Summary: Set in the wide-open spaces of the American West, The Power of the Dog is a stunning story of domestic tyranny, brutal masculinity, and thrilling defiance from one of the most powerful and distinctive voices in American literature. The novel tells the story of two brothers -- one magnetic but cruel, the other gentle and quiet -- and of the mother and son whose arrival on the brothers' ranch shatters an already tenuous peace. From the novel's startling first paragraph to its very last word, Thomas Savage's voice -- and the intense passion of his characters -- holds readers in thrall.
