The Crow Folk


Book Description

***THE HOLLY KING is on his way . . . Get ready for the next thrilling wartime fantasy adventure in the Witches of Woodville series – available to pre-order now!*** 'Beautiful and engaging and clever and what more could you ask for in a book?' Manda Scott, bestselling author of A Treachery of Spies 'A story that is full of magic and delight that will thrill readers of any age' Rowan Coleman, author of The Girl at the Window 'Extremely funny, full of imagination, verve and typical English "home counties" wit' Irish Independent As Spitfires roar overhead and a dark figure stalks the village of Woodville, a young woman will discover her destiny . . . Faye Bright always felt a little bit different. And today she’s found out why. She’s just stumbled across her late mother’s diary which includes not only a spiffing recipe for jam roly-poly, but spells, incantations, runes and recitations . . . a witch's notebook. And Faye has inherited her mother’s abilities. Just in time, too. The Crow Folk are coming. Led by the charismatic Pumpkinhead, their strange magic threatens Faye and the villagers. Armed with little more than her mum's words, her trusty bicycle, the grudging help of two bickering old ladies, and some aggressive church bellringing, Faye will find herself on the front lines of a war nobody expected. *** For fans of Lev Grossman and Terry Pratchett comes this delightful novel of war, mystery and a little bit of magic . . . Don't miss the other magical books in the WITCHES OF WOODVILLE series! #1 The Crow Folk #2 Babes in the Wood #3 The Ghost of Ivy Barn #4 The Holly King Praise for THE CROW FOLK 'Stay has brewed a cracking blend of charm and creepiness in The Crow Folk. A rip-roaring tale of bravery and witchcraft on the wartime home front, expertly told with lashings of wit and warmth' Pernille Hughes, author of Probably the Best Kiss in the World 'A delightful mash-up of Dad’s Army and Charmed. An absolute treat' CK McDonnell, author of Stranger Times 'Warm, witty, witchy wartime fun. With Mark Stay as writer you're always guaranteed a magical read' Julie Wassmer, author of the Whitstable Pearl Mysteries 'You'll love it: Doctor Who meets Worzel Gummidge' Lorna Cook, author of The Forgotten Village 'A jolly romp with witches, demons, and bellringing. Pratchett fans will enjoy this, and Faye is a feisty and fun hero. Dad's Army meets Witches of Eastwick' Ian W Sainsbury




The Happiest Musician


Book Description

As a musician, do you feel Successful? Respected? Creatively fulfilled? Supported in your creative goals? Financially comfortable? Balanced and spacious in your life?If you answered no to any of these questions, you need to read The Happiest Musician.In her signature inspiring, direct, and approachable style, Jennet Ingle walks you through the path she's followed to thrive in her own creative career and life. She shares advice and tips on navigating auditions, freelancing, soloing, starting a side business, running a teaching studio, becoming more visible, and identifying and creating your own perfect portfolio career.




River Teeth


Book Description

In his passionate, luminous novels, David James Duncan has won the devotion of countless critics and readers, earning comparisons to Harper Lee, Tom Robbins, and J.D. Salinger, to name just a few. Now Duncan distills his remarkable powers of observation into this unique collection of short stories and essays. At the heart of Duncan's tales are characters undergoing the complex and violent process of transformation, with results both painful and wondrous. Equally affecting are his nonfiction reminiscences, the "river teeth" of the title. He likens his memories to the remains of old-growth trees that fall into Northwestern rivers and are sculpted by time and water. These experiences—shaped by his own river of time—are related with the art and grace of a master storyteller. In River Teeth, a uniquely gifted American writer blends two forms, taking us into the rivers of truth and make-believe, and all that lies in between.




The Art of Being Human


Book Description

Anthropology is the study of all humans in all times in all places. But it is so much more than that. "Anthropology requires strength, valor, and courage," Nancy Scheper-Hughes noted. "Pierre Bourdieu called anthropology a combat sport, an extreme sport as well as a tough and rigorous discipline. ... It teaches students not to be afraid of getting one's hands dirty, to get down in the dirt, and to commit yourself, body and mind. Susan Sontag called anthropology a "heroic" profession." What is the payoff for this heroic journey? You will find ideas that can carry you across rivers of doubt and over mountains of fear to find the the light and life of places forgotten. Real anthropology cannot be contained in a book. You have to go out and feel the world's jagged edges, wipe its dust from your brow, and at times, leave your blood in its soil. In this unique book, Dr. Michael Wesch shares many of his own adventures of being an anthropologist and what the science of human beings can tell us about the art of being human. This special first draft edition is a loose framework for more and more complete future chapters and writings. It serves as a companion to anth101.com, a free and open resource for instructors of cultural anthropology. This 2018 text is a revision of the "first draft edition" from 2017 and includes 7 new chapters.




The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative


Book Description

"Highly informative and remarkably entertaining." —Elle From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Florence Williams investigates the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain. Delving into brand-new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas—and the answers they yield—are more urgent than ever.




Version Control with Git


Book Description

Get up to speed on Git for tracking, branching, merging, and managing code revisions. Through a series of step-by-step tutorials, this practical guide takes you quickly from Git fundamentals to advanced techniques, and provides friendly yet rigorous advice for navigating the many functions of this open source version control system. This thoroughly revised edition also includes tips for manipulating trees, extended coverage of the reflog and stash, and a complete introduction to the GitHub repository. Git lets you manage code development in a virtually endless variety of ways, once you understand how to harness the system’s flexibility. This book shows you how. Learn how to use Git for several real-world development scenarios Gain insight into Git’s common-use cases, initial tasks, and basic functions Use the system for both centralized and distributed version control Learn how to manage merges, conflicts, patches, and diffs Apply advanced techniques such as rebasing, hooks, and ways to handle submodules Interact with Subversion (SVN) repositories—including SVN to Git conversions Navigate, use, and contribute to open source projects though GitHub




The 4-hour Workweek


Book Description

How to reconstruct your life? Whether your dream is experiencing high-end world travel, earning a monthly five-figure income with zero management, or just living more and working less, this book teaches you how to double your income, and how to outsource your life to overseas virtual assistants for $5 per hour and do whatever you want.




Private Lessons


Book Description

In a standout debut for the #MeToo era, a young pianist devotes herself to her art — and to the demanding, charismatic teacher she idolizes. After seventeen-year-old Claire Alalay’s father's death, only music has helped her channel her grief. Claire likes herself best when she plays his old piano, a welcome escape from the sadness — and her traditional Filipino mother’s prayer groups. In the hopes of earning a college scholarship, Claire auditions for Paul Avon, a prominent piano teacher, who agrees to take Claire as a pupil. Soon Claire loses herself in Paul’s world and his way of digging into a composition’s emotional core. She practices constantly, foregoing a social life, but no matter how hard she works or how well she plays, it seems impossible to gain Paul’s approval, let alone his affection. Author Cynthia Salaysay composes a moving, beautifully written portrait of rigorous perfectionism, sexual awakening, and the challenges of self-acceptance. Timely and vital, Private Lessons delves into a complicated student/teacher relationship, as well as class and cultural differences, with honesty and grace.




Chop Wood Carry Water


Book Description

Guided by "Akira-sensei," John comes to realize the greatest adversity on his journey will be the challenge of defeating the man in the mirror. This powerful story of one boy's journey to achieve his life long goal of becoming a samurai warrior, brings the Train to be Clutch curriculum to life in a powerful and memorable way.




Programming Pearls


Book Description

When programmers list their favorite books, Jon Bentley’s collection of programming pearls is commonly included among the classics. Just as natural pearls grow from grains of sand that irritate oysters, programming pearls have grown from real problems that have irritated real programmers. With origins beyond solid engineering, in the realm of insight and creativity, Bentley’s pearls offer unique and clever solutions to those nagging problems. Illustrated by programs designed as much for fun as for instruction, the book is filled with lucid and witty descriptions of practical programming techniques and fundamental design principles. It is not at all surprising that Programming Pearls has been so highly valued by programmers at every level of experience. In this revision, the first in 14 years, Bentley has substantially updated his essays to reflect current programming methods and environments. In addition, there are three new essays on testing, debugging, and timing set representations string problems All the original programs have been rewritten, and an equal amount of new code has been generated. Implementations of all the programs, in C or C++, are now available on the Web. What remains the same in this new edition is Bentley’s focus on the hard core of programming problems and his delivery of workable solutions to those problems. Whether you are new to Bentley’s classic or are revisiting his work for some fresh insight, the book is sure to make your own list of favorites.