From the #1 New York Times bestseller, the launch of a new generation of Wild Cards tales

"Varon interweaves recollections of growing up in Vietnam-era Denver with stories of her gambler father, son of Sephardic Jewish immigrants, and offers an introduction to Sephardic culture contrasted with Ashkenazic culture, examines the forging of identity within the potentially destructive American "melting pot," and challenges stereotypes of the American West"--Provided by publisher.

In the year 2140, on the red planet Mars, a bold project is underway. The Tyson Research and Space Corporation has assembled teams to embark on a groundbreaking mission: launching spacecraft towards our solar system’s nearest stars. Their flagship vessel, the Inside Straight, is set to venture towards nearby Gliese, with the hope of establishing first contact with extraterrestrial life. But the journey is far from ordinary. Onboard the Inside Straight are two Sentient Exoplanetary Exploration Devises, or SEEDs, named Luna Splendida and Sol Lucet. These androids possess functioning human brains, harvested from the International Cryobiosis Laboratories on Earth. As they hurtle through the vast expanses of space, they recall the memories of their past lives, slowly realizing the true essence of humanity. Join Luna and Sol on their epic voyage, as they grapple with existential questions and unravel the mysteries of the universe. Will they achieve their mission and make history, or will their quest for knowledge lead them down an uncertain path? Find out in this gripping sci-fi adventure that explores what it means to be alive, and what it takes to reach for the stars.

Graham Ellis is reliable, efficient, focused - the best pit boss Sovereign Casinos has, even if he does say so himself. But rumours of mental instability, along with the fallout of a particularly bloody night on the tables, relegate him to day shifts at a low-rent Salford club. There he catches the attention of local gangster Barry Pollard, who has every intention of making Graham his inside man and is about to make him an offer he can't refuse... "a fantastic novel; as much about the gambling pits of the north and the development of its protagonist as it is straight crime novel." - Crime Scene Scotland"a ridiculously entertaining tale ... an intense crime novel that breathes new life into a classic story" - Spinetingler Magazine"a marvellous read, I loved it" - The Crime Warp"a brilliant addition to the Ray Banks pantheon, and I suspect any fan of the crime/noir genre will agree. Highly recommended." - Ian Ayris, author of Abide With Me"Ray Banks writes with harshness, humour and elegance, and his punchy dialogue teems with vigorous authenticity." - The Times"Tough and assured . . . Banks is updating the noir novel with an utterly original sensibility." - Publisher's Weekly"Bleakly, desperately funny, Ray Banks offers us a glimpse of what Samuel Beckett might have read like had he turned his hand to crime fiction." - Crime Always Pays"Saturday's Child is a knock-out, written with the kind of energy and passion that far too few writers can muster. Fresh and fierce, it raises the bar for hardboiled fiction on both sides of the Atlantic." - New York Times Bestseller Laura Lippman, author of What The Dead Know"Banks wields language with a knifefighter's precision, with much the same result. From the first words to the last, this book flashes brilliantly." - Don Winslow, The Power Of The Dog and Savages"Banks is part of the post-Rankin generation for whom hardboiled is not just a state of mind but a reality. Tough-guy colloquial prose and a pace fast enough to skin a rabbit, at the service of a tale of down-and-dirty realism: this is fiery stuff." - Maxim Jakubowski, The Guardian"...terrific, brooding and chilling prose" - Tom Adair, The Scotsman"...a fine example of energetic, visceral and compelling storytelling... This is properly thrilling stuff." - The Big Issue In Scotland Ray Banks is the author of nine novels, including Dead Money, Angels of the North and Saturday's Child.

This hilarious new book from acclaimed author Mark Herrmann is a compilation of the best blog posts about life as an in-house counsel--dealing with the lawyers and law firms he throws business to, dealing with the management of his company, dealing with communications and writing issues and more. You'll be entertained and educated, and have your eyes opened to a few things in the legal arena.

This book teaches how to play the popular poker variation known as Texas Hold'em. Readers also get a comprehensive analysis of online poker, including how to use their computer to play poker on the Internet, and concise profiles and addresses of 15 online card-rooms. Beginners will learn the rules of Texas Hold'em, basic strategy, and how to play in a card-room. More advanced players will benefit from statistical charts, vignettes from actual poker games, and detailed information on how the social and psychological aspects of the game determine strategy. Locations and contact information for 220 card-rooms in the U.S. and Canada are included.

Gambling as a betting action – wagering money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money or material goods. A guide about what is gambling (with a special section for online gambling), casino games with both beatable casino games (poker , blackjack, video poker with progressive jackpot, pai gow poker, sports betting, horse racing – parimutuel, slot machines and other gambling machines) and unbeatable casino games (baccarat, craps, roulette, keno, casino war, faro, pachinko, sic bo, let it ride, 3-card poker, 4-card poker, red dog, Caribbean stud poker, etc.), and non-casino gambling games (bingo, lottery, mahjong, backgammon, bridge, etc.). Fixed-odds gambling in sports is also present in this book with horse racing, greyhound racing, football (particularly association football, American football and rugby), golf, tennis, cricket, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, snooker, motor sports, boxing, darts, cross-country skiing and biathlon. Please, don’t forget to take a look to the legality of the gambling and online gambling, as well as to the articles, warnings and links dedicated to the gambling addiction. Extreme cases of problem gambling may cross over into the realm of mental disorders.