Disillusioned ex-cop Simon Brenner decides to take a job as an ambulance driver, in the hopes of getting away from the drudgery and corruption in the police force, and finding a worthy profession.' But the ambulance service he goes to work for has a problem - their major competitors are beating them to every pick-up, somehow listening on their radio communications. And Brenner can't help being just a little bit curious about this chance to do some detective work. Things turn darker as he digs deeper, and it turns out that ambulances are a cutthroat business...'

A lyrical story of star-crossed love perfect for readers of The Hate U Give, by National Ambassador for Children’s Literature Jacqueline Woodson--now celebrating its twentieth anniversary, and including a new preface by the author Jeremiah feels good inside his own skin. That is, when he's in his own Brooklyn neighborhood. But now he's going to be attending a fancy prep school in Manhattan, and black teenage boys don't exactly fit in there. So it's a surprise when he meets Ellie the first week of school. In one frozen moment their eyes lock, and after that they know they fit together--even though she's Jewish and he's black. Their worlds are so different, but to them that's not what matters. Too bad the rest of the world has to get in their way. Jacqueline Woodson's work has been called “moving and resonant” (Wall Street Journal) and “gorgeous” (Vanity Fair). If You Come Softly is a powerful story of interracial love that leaves readers wondering "why" and "if only . . ."

"The fundamental inanity of existence has already pierced my heart, and I know now that only cakes have any savor." In a tiny room under the Parisian rooftops, a precocious student concocts a rather unusual plan for a simple task: suicide. A dizzying array of desserts--pastries, chocolates, cookies, custards and more--are the instruments of her demise. A Sweet Death is the macabre and humorous record of a young woman's eccentric progression. A rumination on life, literature, philosophy, fashion, love, and--most importantly--food. By turns sumptuous, horrific and hopeful, Claude Tardat's novel is an original and compelling exploration of what it means to be alive.

*The basis for the wonderfully funny and moving TV series developed by Amy Poehler and Scout Productions* A charming, practical, and unsentimental approach to putting a home in order while reflecting on the tiny joys that make up a long life. In Sweden there is a kind of decluttering called döstädning, dö meaning “death” and städning meaning “cleaning.” This surprising and invigorating process of clearing out unnecessary belongings can be undertaken at any age or life stage but should be done sooner than later, before others have to do it for you. In The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, artist Margareta Magnusson, with Scandinavian humor and wisdom, instructs readers to embrace minimalism. Her radical and joyous method for putting things in order helps families broach sensitive conversations, and makes the process uplifting rather than overwhelming. Margareta suggests which possessions you can easily get rid of (unworn clothes, unwanted presents, more plates than you’d ever use) and which you might want to keep (photographs, love letters, a few of your children’s art projects). Digging into her late husband’s tool shed, and her own secret drawer of vices, Margareta introduces an element of fun to a potentially daunting task. Along the way readers get a glimpse into her life in Sweden, and also become more comfortable with the idea of letting go.

“Then I felt his body leaning over mine and his fingers holding my nostrils shut. I could not breathe. My teeth were clenched. His fingers remained sealing my nose, when suddenly my mouth and jaw opened up and I gasped for air. Startled, he released his grip on my nose and left the room, leaving me paralyzed, naked, and curled up on the floor.” A few years ago, Ana Christina was left for dead. Despite the horrific circumstances, it was a blessing in disguise - the Lord delivered her from the hands of her perpetrator. “Ana Christina shares in such a vulnerable way that she takes her readers on a journey. Her incredible path leaves one with the realization that the human soul is unconquerable. Her honest, open way of revealing herself literally gives her readers the permission and courage to get real with themselves, experiencing a journey of self discovery, self disclosure and eventually the uncovering of self immortality.” - Jeffery Olsen, Author of KNOWING and WHERE ARE YOU?

This book examines our oft emotional relationship with food; the way science has been used and misused by those who govern, provide advice to the public, or try to sell food; and why we tend to believe the statements about healthy eating that we wish were true, rather than those which are true. The book discusses and challenges how the science and knowledge of food, health and nutrition are derived; why knowledge can appear valid even when it is not; how the misleading use of descriptors of risk has been responsible for the strangest ideas about eating in the history of humankind, perverted our approach to the role of food in our lives, and engendered hysterical attitudes; and why public health policy is subject to the whims of activists and lobbyists, and how it becomes dogma that is highly resistant to change despite new evidence. The role of the media and how, and why, science is “modified” and sometimes “falsified”, and why how, not just what, we eat may be crucial are also examined. The book also explores those foods that come ready loaded with poisonous compounds and carcinogens. The conclusions presented here are firmly based upon an extensive bibliography, and a detailed and trustworthy re-examination of key pieces of research that have been influential in setting the present food agenda. The text is set within an historical context dating back to the 16th century, and illustrates how it is that we have always known what we must eat and do to be healthy. The book is written in an approachable and engaging style for all readers regardless of pre-existing scientific knowledge. It is intended for all who have an interest in their food and health, and for students of the food, nutrition, medical, and social sciences.