An invitation to readers from every walk of life to rediscover the impractical splendors of a life of learning In an overloaded, superficial, technological world, in which almost everything and everybody is judged by its usefulness, where can we turn for escape, lasting pleasure, contemplation, or connection to others? While many forms of leisure meet these needs, Zena Hitz writes, few experiences are so fulfilling as the inner life, whether that of a bookworm, an amateur astronomer, a birdwatcher, or someone who takes a deep interest in one of countless other subjects. Drawing on inspiring examples, from Socrates and Augustine to Malcolm X and Elena Ferrante, and from films to Hitz's own experiences as someone who walked away from elite university life in search of greater fulfillment, Lost in Thought is a passionate and timely reminder that a rich life is a life rich in thought. Today, when even the humanities are often defended only for their economic or political usefulness, Hitz says our intellectual lives are valuable not despite but because of their practical uselessness. And while anyone can have an intellectual life, she encourages academics in particular to get back in touch with the desire to learn for its own sake, and calls on universities to return to the person-to-person transmission of the habits of mind and heart that bring out the best in us. Reminding us of who we once were and who we might become, Lost in Thought is a moving account of why renewing our inner lives is fundamental to preserving our humanity.

The story of a search for a new art of living. How can one escape from work colleagues who are bores and from organisations that thrive on stress? What new priorities can people give to their private lives? When the romantic ideal is disappointing, how else can affections be cultivated? If only a few can become rich, what substitute is there for dropping out? If religions and nations disagree, what other outcomes are possible beyond strife or doubt? Where there is too little freedom, what is the alternative to rebellion? When so much is unpredictable, what can replace ambition? Questions include: What is the great adventure of our time? What is a wasted life? How can people lose their illusions about themselves? What alternatives are there to being a rebel? What can the poor tell the rich? What could the rich tell the poor? How many ways of committing suicide are there? How can an unbeliever understand a believer? How can a religion change? How can prejudices be overcome? How can one think about the future, without trying to predict it or worrying about it? Is ridicule the most effective form of non-violent protest? How does one acquire a sense of humour? What stops people feeling completely at home in their own country? How many nations can one love at the same time? Why do so many people feel unappreciated, unloved and not fully alive? How else might women and men treat one another? What can replace the shortage of soul-mates? Is another kind of sexual revolution achievable? What can artists aim for beyond self-expression? What is more interesting than becoming a leader? What is the point of working so hard? Are there more amusing ways of earning a living? What else can one do in a hotel? What more can the young ask of their elders? Is remaining young at heart enough to avoid becoming old? What is worth knowing? What does it mean to be alive? Where can one find nourishment for the mind?

All she has to do is be his lover for a week… And when the man is gorgeous Galen Steele, what woman could possibly say no? Brittany Thrasher has her own hidden motives for accepting Galen's proposal. Only the savvy businesswoman draws the line at actually falling for the sexy playboy. Even if he is the incredible lover of her most taboo fantasies…. The moment their paths crossed again at an auction, Galen knew Brittany was special. If she wants the house he just won so badly, how far is she willing to go to get it? That's when the Phoenix entrepreneur makes her an offer he fully expects her to refuse. But once their passion heats up, the bidding really begins. And Galen will uncover Brittany's secret. Because this determined man of Steele isn't about to let the woman of his dreams get away….

Forced into a marriage of convenience with a dissolute older lord, beautiful, innocent Lady Genelle Tisne has little knowledge of true passion. When she finds herself the prime suspect in the murder of her husband, she hires enigmatic private investigator Rulan Roak and is swept into a secret world of forbidden temptations and sensual abandon where every seduction has its pleasures and its price.

"Hidden pleasures" previously published in 2010.

BESTSELLING AUTHOR COLLECTION Reader-favorite romances in collectible volumes from our bestselling authors. Texas Tycoon by New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer Matt Caldwell must be the hardest-hearted man in the Lone Star State. The last thing he wants to do is open up to a woman and risk getting hurt…until his beautiful new assistant walks through the office door. Leslie Murray is on the run and in need of a protector, stat—her new boss just might be up for the job. But when Leslie suddenly finds herself in Matt's strong arms, she wonders if she could be the one to knock down the bachelor's protective walls and finally bring love to this long, tall Texan. FREE BONUS STORY INCLUDED IN THIS VOLUME! Hidden Pleasures by New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson The moment their paths crossed again at an auction, Galen Steele knew Brittany Thrasher was special. If she wants the house he just won so badly, how far is she willing to go to get it? That's when the Phoenix entrepreneur makes her an offer he fully expects her to refuse. All she has to do is be his lover for a week…

While Madeline tries to resist Liam, the world of pleasure he offers might just be too tempting to ignore… If real estate broker Madeline Swift wants to keep her job, she needs to make a sale and she needs to make it fast. So when a new client is in the market to buy a property, they’re assigned to the disheartened and severely unoptimistic Madeline who comes face to face with the man on whom her job now depends – Liam Benedict. But Liam is no stranger to Madeline. The boy she had been infatuated with as a sophomore in college is now a man who’s nothing like what she remembered. He’s older, more sophisticated, gorgeous and impossibly hotter with a new cool, calm authoritativeness that excites and intimidates her at the same time. Liam knows exactly who Madeline is, and plans to seduce her into a world of sensual exploration that she had been too naïve for all those years ago. The question is—is Madeline now ready for everything that Liam has in store?