Nothing we think we know - NOTHING - is likely to be correct. If Ignorance is Bliss, We Should All Be Ecstatic explores the limitations of knowledge and argues that neither reasoning nor direct observation can be trusted. Not only are they unreliable sources, but they do not even justify assigning probabilities to claims about what we can know. This position, called radical skepticism, has intrigued philosophers since before the birth of Christ, yet nobody has been able to refute it. Fred Leavitt uses two unique methods of presentation. First, he supports abstract arguments with summaries of real-life examples from many and varied fields, which make the arguments much more convincing and compelling. He cites more than 200 studies from psychology, mathematics, chaos theory, quantum mechanics, evolutionary theory, history, the corporate world, politics, the military, and current news reporting. Second, Leavitt's writing is user-friendly, even when dealing with complex issues. Whether answering the telephone, turning on the TV, talking with friends, or munching on an apple, we expect things to happen predictably. These expectations, paired with radical skepticism, exemplify cognitive dissonance at the highest level.

This Book Eight of the Earth Manifesto contains incisive essays, including "The True State of the Union" and "A Clarion Call for Common Sense Action and "Climate Change Considerations," along with provocative Pope Francis-inspired "Views on High from an Angular Unconformist," and "Sad Implications of the Two Dueling Santa Claus Strategies in Political Economics." It also contains renewed assessments of optimum economic and social planning for the United States and nations around the world. And it contains an interesting Open Letter to President Obama and the American People, written back when he was president, which articulates ways to achieve political reforms that would contribute to the common good over the long run. And there is a provisional Film Script for this manifesto.

A companion volume to the Emmy Award–winning PBS® series—interviews with “an essential voice in our national conversation” (Brian Williams, MSNBC anchor). This “provocative” and “absorbing” (Star Tribune) companion book to Bill Moyer’s acclaimed PBS series invites readers into conversations with some of the most captivating voices on the scene today, in what Kirkus Reviews calls “a glittering array of discussions.” From Jon Stewart on politics and media to Michael Pollan on food, The Wire creator David Simon on the mean streets of our cities, James Cone and Shelby Steele on race in the age of Obama, Robert Bly and Nikki Giovanni on the power of poetry, Barbara Ehrenreich on the hard times of working Americans, and Karen Armstrong on faith and compassion, Moyer’s own intelligence and insight match that of his guests and their discussions animate many of the most salient issues of our time. With extensive commentary from Moyers, marked by his customary “respect, intelligence, curiosity, humor, and graciousness,” here are the debates; cultural currents; and, above all, lively minds that shape the conversation of democracy (Booklist). “In an era of much instant and ephemeral talk, it is a pleasurable thing to hold this ‘book of ideas.’” —Publishers Weekly “[Moyers] has always been about something beyond the moment. Or put another way, while everyone else in the media has been exploring topography, Moyers has been exploring geology.” —Los Angeles Times

Suspense with romance. The small East Texas town of Coreyville is shaken by brutal murders and kidnappings, striking too close to home for Greg Tenorly. And the only witness is a mentally ill neighbor whose remarks are rejected by the police as gibberish. But Greg listens carefully to the man's seemingly incoherent statements, and later realizes that they just might contain enough clues to point him in the direction of the killer. But his investigation leads him into a hornet's nest of dark secrets, old grudges, jealousy, and greed. Now, caught in the crossfire between two families, Greg's life is in serious jeopardy. By morning, more bodies will be headed for the morgue. The only question is whether Greg Tenorly will be among them.