In an English seaside town, lovers and children, men and women weave in and out of each other's lives and stories. A mother is tormented by her daughter's tattoo; another only pretends to love her baby. A wife stalks her husband and his new lover; a broken egg through a mailbox tells a story that will not go away; the cat thinks he knows best. Threaded throughout are longings for love and poignant disappointments, surprising pleasures and temptations. Some will fall but some, like the small boy at the circus who sees his babysitter fly past on a trapeze wearing little more than a blue bra and spangles, will retain their feeling of awe. The stories in Perfect Lives are rueful, knowing, witty, poignant, bashful, bold. Polly Samson's genius is in the nuance.

"Also includes selections from a series of talks at the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College in 1989"--Pref.

From the beloved author of Because of Mr. Terupt comes the sequel to The Perfect Score, about a lovable group of students at Lake View Middle School and the rewards and challenges of seventh grade. These students are in for a year of secrets, discoveries, and kid power! GAVIN finally joins the football team—a dream come true!—but Coach Holmes refuses to play him for reasons that also threaten to tear Gavin's family apart. When RANDI attends an elite gymnastics camp, she uncovers a startling family connection. SCOTT starts researching an article for the school newspaper and stumbles right into a hornet's nest of lies. With his loser older brother, Brian, out of the house, TREVOR's life is loads better—until he realizes that only he can save Brian from getting into deep trouble. NATALIE's top goals: (1) find out why Mrs. Woods and Mrs. Magenta no longer speak to each other—a mission shared by all the kids—and (2) teach a certain someone an important life skill without anyone knowing. It's tough keeping secrets. And tougher still to deal with the fallout when secrets spill out.

Perfect Fool: The Life and Career of Ed Wynn is the first-ever biography of the master comedian, chronicling a legendary career that spanned over half a century. It was Ed who coined this famous definition: "A comedian is not a man who says funny things; a comedian is a man who says things funny." Ed did both, first as a vaudeville and Ziegfeld Follies star, then as the "Perfect Fool" (so named from one of his many self-produced Broadway revues), as radio's "Fire Chief" on the popular Texaco-sponsored program, and as an early pioneer at the dawn of network television. He attained a level of praise and respect from his comedy peers, critics, and, of course, the public, rarely matched by any other comedian since. In his later years, he became a highly acclaimed dramatic character actor, much to the surprise and joy of all who didn't know he had it in him (including Ed himself). Yet for all his impressive achievements, this comedian/actor/director/writer has been too often overlooked in the years since his death in 1966. Perfect Fool is meant to help correct this injustice, with reviews, interviews, and never before published photos, some courtesy of grandson Tracy Keenan Wynn. This book is an appreciation of Ed Wynn's talents, foresight, and highly regarded ability to make people laugh virtually at will. About the Author: Garry Berman is an entertainment historian and freelance writer. His previous books include Best of the Britcoms, a celebration of the finest British situation comedies to appear on American television, and We're Going To See The Beatles!, an oral history of the Beatlemania era as told by the original generation of fans who lived it first-hand. Berman has also published a comic novel, Old Wave, and writes comedy scripts in between book projects. He lives in New Jersey with his wife Karen and their two spoiled dogs.

Argues that for the first time in history we're in a position to end extreme poverty throughout the world, both because of our unprecedented wealth and advances in technology, therefore we can no longer consider ourselves good people unless we give more to the poor. Reprint.

An electrifying memoir of one woman's extraordinary effort to save her husband's life-and the discovery of a forgotten cure that has the potential to save millions more. "A memoir that reads like a thriller." -New York Times Book Review "A fascinating and terrifying peek into the devastating outcomes of antibiotic misuse-and what happens when standard health care falls short." -Scientific American Epidemiologist Steffanie Strathdee and her husband, psychologist Tom Patterson, were vacationing in Egypt when Tom came down with a stomach bug. What at first seemed like a case of food poisoning quickly turned critical, and by the time Tom had been transferred via emergency medevac to the world-class medical center at UC San Diego, where both he and Steffanie worked, blood work revealed why modern medicine was failing: Tom was fighting one of the most dangerous, antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the world. Frantic, Steffanie combed through research old and new and came across phage therapy: the idea that the right virus, aka "the perfect predator," can kill even the most lethal bacteria. Phage treatment had fallen out of favor almost 100 years ago, after antibiotic use went mainstream. Now, with time running out, Steffanie appealed to phage researchers all over the world for help. She found allies at the FDA, researchers from Texas A&M, and a clandestine Navy biomedical center -- and together they resurrected a forgotten cure. A nail-biting medical mystery, The Perfect Predator is a story of love and survival against all odds, and the (re)discovery of a powerful new weapon in the global superbug crisis.

If you’re living a perfect, charmed life . . . well, then this book isn’t for you. But if, like the rest of us, you are at times broken, confused, lonely, or scared—if you’re struggling with problems that you think “good Christians” don’t have—then welcome, girlfriend, and pull up a chair! This quirky, friendly, and gut-honest devotional comes straight from the heart of Ellen Miller (CEO, marketing executive, mom, and unapologetic “glorious mess”). Despite the serious struggles she’s faced, Ellen today lives a life of profound joy, and The One Year Book of Inspiration for Girlfriends contains 365 days’ worth of the principles and philosophies that have gotten her there. There’s no subject she’s afraid to tackle! Her quick, daily doses of encouragement will make you laugh, give you something to look forward to, help you to stay (somewhat!) sane . . . and remind you that you’re never alone.