Seeing Ezra is the soulful, beautifully written memoir of a mother’s fierce love for her autistic son, and a poignant examination of what it means to be “normal.” When Kerry Cohen’s son Ezra turns one, a babysitter suggests he may be “different,” setting her family on a path in which autism dominates their world. As he becomes a toddler and they navigate the often rigid and prescriptive world of therapy, Cohen is unsettled by the evaluations they undergo: At home, Ezra is playfully expressive, sharing profound, touching moments of connection and intimacy with his mother and other family members, but in therapy he is pathologized, prodded to behave in ways that undermine his unique expression of autism. It soon becomes clear that more is at stake than just Ezra’s well-being; Cohen and her marriage are suffering as well. Ezra’s differentness, and the strain of pursuing varied therapies, takes a toll on the family—Cohen’s husband grows depressed and she pursues an affair—all as she tries to help others recognize and embrace Ezra’s uniqueness rather than force him to behave outside his comfort level. It isn’t until they abandon the expected, prescriptive notions about love, marriage, and individuality that they are able to come back together as two parents who fiercely love their little boy. Powerful and eye-opening, Seeing Ezra is an inspirational chronicle of a mother’s struggle to protect her son from a system that seeks to compartmentalize and “fix” him, and of her journey toward accepting and valuing him for who he is—just as he is.

A jaw-dropping exploration of everything that goes wrong when we build AI systems and the movement to fix them. Today’s “machine-learning” systems, trained by data, are so effective that we’ve invited them to see and hear for us—and to make decisions on our behalf. But alarm bells are ringing. Recent years have seen an eruption of concern as the field of machine learning advances. When the systems we attempt to teach will not, in the end, do what we want or what we expect, ethical and potentially existential risks emerge. Researchers call this the alignment problem. Systems cull résumés until, years later, we discover that they have inherent gender biases. Algorithms decide bail and parole—and appear to assess Black and White defendants differently. We can no longer assume that our mortgage application, or even our medical tests, will be seen by human eyes. And as autonomous vehicles share our streets, we are increasingly putting our lives in their hands. The mathematical and computational models driving these changes range in complexity from something that can fit on a spreadsheet to a complex system that might credibly be called “artificial intelligence.” They are steadily replacing both human judgment and explicitly programmed software. In best-selling author Brian Christian’s riveting account, we meet the alignment problem’s “first-responders,” and learn their ambitious plan to solve it before our hands are completely off the wheel. In a masterful blend of history and on-the ground reporting, Christian traces the explosive growth in the field of machine learning and surveys its current, sprawling frontier. Readers encounter a discipline finding its legs amid exhilarating and sometimes terrifying progress. Whether they—and we—succeed or fail in solving the alignment problem will be a defining human story. The Alignment Problem offers an unflinching reckoning with humanity’s biases and blind spots, our own unstated assumptions and often contradictory goals. A dazzlingly interdisciplinary work, it takes a hard look not only at our technology but at our culture—and finds a story by turns harrowing and hopeful.

In this novel, Ezra, the son of the apostle Peter, is an active member of a fishermans family living in ancient Capernaum, where Jesus stayed while on Earth, teaching and preaching. Twelve-year-old Ezra is a working member of the family, typical of boys his age. He is excited about traveling with his family and Jesus as they walk about the vast area. A shepherd, he is responsible for the care of the familys animals, sheep and an ornery goat, and other assigned duties. He is intelligent, hard-working, and anxious to learn about Jesus. He becomes a successful eavesdropper. Of course there are conflicts. He secretly befriends a Roman boy, enemy to all Jews at the time. Their developing friendship is important to both boys. Life at that time was difficult for young people, but there were also many happy times as well as problems. The actions and incidents are based on extensive research of the Bible and many other historic references concerning the ancient world. Only Ezra as the imaginary character with the events and incidents with Jesus are a figment of the authors imagination. It could easily have happened to a boy at that time.

A heartwarming, intimate, and amusing memoir of a father’s experience raising his autistic son. When Tom Fields-Meyer’s son Ezra was three and showing early signs of autism, a therapist suggested that the father needed to grieve. “For what?” Tom asked. The answer: “For the child he didn't turn out to be.” That moment helped strengthen the author’s resolve to do just the opposite: to love the child Ezra was, a quirky boy with a fascinating and complex mind. Full of tender moments and unexpected humor, Following Ezra is the story of a father and son on a ten-year journey from Ezra’s diagnosis to the dawn of his adolescence. It celebrates his growth from a toddler to an extraordinary young man, connected in his own remarkable ways to the world around him. And through Ezra’s eyes, Tom—and, in turn, the reader—gains a new and beautiful understanding of the world.

The Manumission of Ezra McIntosh is a historical novel depicting the evolution of the relationship of a Missouri slave (who would have his freedom) and his indulgent master (who would hold him to his services).

The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have established the Teachings of Presidents of the Church series to help you draw closer to your Heavenly Father and deepen your understanding of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. As the Church adds volumes to this series, you will build a collection of gospel reference books for your home. The volumes in this series are designed to be used for personal study and for Sunday instruction. They can also help you prepare other lessons or talks and answer questions about Church doctrine. This book features the teachings of President Ezra Taft Benson, who served as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from November 10, 1985, to May 30, 1994.

Ezra Walker, a photographer for a local newspaper, attempts to get his life back on track following the loss of his mother during a horrible fire. Ezra struggles with the people around him, many of whom think he was involved in his mother's tragic death. Ezra becomes obsessed with proving his innocence. A series of events reveal that his mother's real killer is not only still in town, but is continuing to commit murders. Just when Ezra believes the worst is over, reality quickly sets in. Ezra's long nightmare is just beginning.