We think we are indestructible. We pretend of being in full control of our destiny and become arrogant and unapproachable on a human level. Man is only a component in the vast scenario of universal existence. The human race breeds in a constant conflict of manipulations, distortions, Machiavellian schemes and Sisyphean delusions. When he learns to bend his knee in a state of humility, he begins to grow.

Children choose their heroes more carefully than we think. From Pokemon to the rapper Eminem, pop-culture icons are not simply commercial pied pipers who practice mass hypnosis on our youth. Indeed, argues the author of this lively and persuasive paean to the power of popular culture, even violent and trashy entertainment gives children something they need, something that can help both boys and girls develop in a healthy way. Drawing on a wealth of true stories, many gleaned from the fascinating workshops he conducts, and basing his claims on extensive research, including interviews with psychologists and educators, Gerard Jones explains why validating our children's fantasies teaches them to trust their own emotions, helps them build stronger selves, leaves them less at the mercy of the pop-culture industry, and strengthens parent-child bonds. Jones has written for the Spider-Man, Superman, and X-Men comic books and created the Haunted Man series for the Web. He has also explored the cultural meanings of comic books and sitcoms in two well-received books. In Killing Monsters he presents a fresh look at children's fantasies, the entertainment industry, and violence in the modern imagination. This reassuring book, as entertaining as it is provocative, offers all of us-parents, teachers, policymakers, media critics-new ways to understand the challenges and rewards of explosive material. News From Killing Monsters: Packing a toy gun can be good for your son-or daughter. Contrary to public opinion, research shows that make-believe violence actually helps kids cope with fears. Explosive entertainment should be a family affair. Scary TV shows can have a bad effect when children have no chance to discuss them openly with adults. It's crucial to trust kids' desires. What excites them is usually a sign of what they need emotionally. Violent fantasy is one of the best ways for kids to deal with the violence they see in real life.

Jillian Lauren had no idea what she was getting into when she wrote her first letter to prolific serial killer Samuel Little. All she knew was her research had led her to believe he was good for far more murders than the three for which he had been convicted. While the two exchanged dozens of letters and embarked on hundreds of hours of interviews, Lauren gained the trust of a monster. After maintaining his innocence for decades, Little confessed to the murders of ninety-three women, often drawing his victims in haunting detail as he spoke. How could one man evade justice, manipulating the system for over four decades? As the FBI, the DOJ, the LAPD, and countless law enforcement officials across the country worked to connect their cold cases with the confessions, Lauren's coverage of the investigations and obsession with Little's victims only escalated. New York Times bestselling author and lead of the Starz docuseries Confronting a Serial Killer Jillian Lauren delivers the harrowing report of her unusual relationship with a psychopath. But this is more than a deep dive into the actions of Samuel Little. Lauren's riveting and emotional accounts reveal the women who were lost to cold files, giving Little's victims a chance to have their stories heard for the first time.

In this first book to sound the alarm on a possible pandemic, Davis tracks the avian flu crisis as the virus moves west and the world remains woefully unprepared to contain it.

I hunt monsters, but not for glory or money. I'm searching for my wife. A decade ago, she was taken. Now, I've found a clue. The twisted horns. The eerie glow in its eyes. Is this the creature I've been chasing? Time is running out. Hope blurs with madness. Can I confront the past without losing myself to vengeance? Will I find her, or become the very thing I hunt? Death to All Monsters is the first book in the pulse-pounding Sebastian Winter series. Dive into a world where not all monsters are guilty, and not all hunters play by the rules. If you crave urban fantasy with a gritty edge, witty banter, and heart-stopping action, this book is for you. Perfect for fans of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files and the Winchester brothers from Supernatural. Don't miss out on this thrilling new series - grab your copy now and join the hunt!

Like so many millions of other misguided people, I am a conditioned result of a celebrity-worshipping culture, systematically taught that fame and fortune are admirable goals and that celebrities are somehow superior beings, like gods, if you will. It has taken many years to expunge oneself from this false frivolity. Although many Halloweens have come and gone, I am finally cured of what today is labeled Celebrity Worship Syndrome. I believe that I'm not alone and I feel better. The following is not just another Hollywood Who's Who or Kiss and Tell book (with a couple of exceptions.) It is, however, peppered in part with an ample supply of sometimes meaningless and petty gossip; Now, my grandchildren and I can commiserate over whom Hillary Duff and Lindsay Lohan are dating. As is the propensity for certain current and former star-struck fools, like myself, to spew forth tales of meetings with famous people, just so, I have chosen to believe that these writings simply screamed out for ubiquitously shameless namedropping, thus, I giggled and gave in, while fully realizing than no one under forty will recognize half of the names mentioned (other than the two aforementioned). Anyway, Viva Hollywood! This memoir might be viewed as a personal record of one man's almost (in the Buddhist sense of not fully awakened) human encounter with the banal and the divine.

After taking part in a science experiment that should have only lasted hours, Alex wakes to a world very different from the one he left behind. Everyone he's ever known is gone, and what's left of America lies in ruin, but those are the least of his worries. Relentlessly pursued by powerful forces wielding advanced technology, and forced to contend with the dangerous inhabitants of this new land, Alex must do everything he can to survive. At least he won't be facing these challenges alone, but his new friends be enough to protect him from what the future holds?