From the three-time Emmy nominated actor, climate activist, and author of Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution—Rainn Wilson’s memoir is about growing up geeky and finally finding his place in comedy, faith, and life. For nine seasons Rainn Wilson played Dwight Schrute, everyone's favorite work nemesis and beet farmer. Viewers of The Office fell in love with the character and grew to love the actor who played him even more. Rainn founded a website and media company, SoulPancake, that eventually became a bestselling book of the same name. He also started a hilarious Twitter feed (sample tweet: “I'm not on Facebook” is the new “I don't even own a TV”) that now has more than four million followers. Now, he's ready to tell his own story and explain how he came up with his incredibly unique sense of humor and perspective on life. He explains how he grew up “bone-numbingly nerdy before there was even a modicum of cool attached to the word.” The Bassoon King chronicles his journey from nerd to drama geek (“the highest rung on the vast, pimply ladder of high school losers”), his years of mild debauchery and struggles as a young actor in New York, his many adventures and insights about The Office, and finally, Wilson's achievement of success and satisfaction, both in his career and spiritually, reconnecting with the artistic and creative values of the Bahá’í faith he grew up in.

“The future sure won’t have been what it used to be” when Piers Anthony reveals a world within the world of Xanth—and its infinite possibilities (Kirkus Reviews). The miraculous and mirth-filled land of Xanth holds many marvels. But now an extraordinary new aspect of this remarkable realm unfolds as young Forrest Faun’s quest takes him to a tiny planet hidden in the heart of Xanth. There, with a delightful “day mare” as his constant companion, Forrest will find more marvels then he ever dreamed of. Packed with magic, mystery, and merrymaking, Faun & Games is the freshest and most exciting Xanth adventure in a month of Pundays! “With plenty of the spry characters and cheerful wordplay for which Anthony’s works are known, this new Xanth tale should, like its predecessors, manage to wiggle its way onto the bestseller lists.” —Publishers Weekly

In science, sometimes it is best to keep things simple. Initially discrediting the discovery of neurons in jellyfish, mid-nineteenth-century scientists grouped jellyfish, comb-jellies, hydra, and sea anemones together under one term - "coelenterates" - and deemed these animals too similar to plants to warrant a nervous system. In Dawn of the Neuron, Michel Anctil shows how Darwin's theory of evolution completely eradicated this idea and cleared the way for the modern study of the neuron. Once zoologists accepted the notion that varying levels of animal complexity could evolve, they began to use simple-structured creatures such as coelenterates and sponges to understand the building blocks of more complicated nervous systems. Dawn of the Neuron provides fascinating insights into the labours and lives of scientists who studied coelenterate nervous systems over several generations, and who approached the puzzling origin of the first nerve cells through the process outlined in evolutionary theory. Anctil also reveals how these scientists, who were willing to embrace improved and paradigm-changing scientific methods, still revealed their cultural backgrounds, their societal biases, and their attachments to schools of thought and academic traditions while presenting their ground-breaking work. Their attitudes toward the neuron doctrine - where neurons are individual, self-contained cells - proved decisive in the exploration of how neurons first emerged. Featuring photographs and historical sketches to illustrate this quest for knowledge, Dawn of the Neuron is a remarkably in-depth exploration of the link between Darwin's theory of evolution and pioneering studies and understandings of the first evolved nervous systems

DAWN OF THE APOCALYPSE gathers the pinnacle of speculative fiction to explore end times across diverse landscapes, from the desolate to the dystopian. It stitches a rich tapestry of literary approaches, ranging from the classic gothic horror of Edgar Allan Poe to the socio-political dystopias envisioned by Ayn Rand and H.G. Wells, and the unique utopian perspective of Edward Bellamy. The anthology thrives on its variety, not just in the cataclysmic events it portrays but also in the myriad ways these events are perceived and interpreted by its characters. Key pieces within this collection stand as milestones in the science fiction genre, framing apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic narratives as lenses through which we critique and comprehend contemporary societal fears. The authors, both pioneers, and craftsmen of their time, come from a broad spectrum of backgrounds, each contributing to the anthology's overarching theme with their unique flavor of apocalypse. These writers are not just storytellers but visionaries who collectively paint a multifaceted picture of humanity at the brink. They belonged to and were influenced by a range of historical, cultural, and literary movements, from the romanticism and transcendentalism of the 19th century to the early 20th century's modernism and the budding science fiction genre. Their combined works offer a historical capsule of societal anxieties and hopes, reflecting on themes of human resilience, the abuse of technology, and the moral dilemmas of progress. DAWN OF THE APOCALYPSE is an essential collection for readers eager to dive into the depths of human imagination faced with its own end. It offers an unparalleled opportunity to traverse the vast landscapes of apocalyptic fiction through the eyes of some of the most influential authors in literary history. This anthology not only serves as an academic goldmine for those studying the evolution of speculative fiction and its impact on society but also provides a timeless reflection on humanity's perennial concerns with its own survival and legacy. Readers are invited to witness the end of worlds not just as an exercise in literary exploration but as a mirror to our collective psyche across generations.

A fully updated edition of one of the most original accounts of evolution ever written, featuring new fractal diagrams, six new 'tales' and the latest scientific developments. THE ANCESTOR'S TALE is a dazzling, four-billion-year pilgrimage to the origins of life: Richard Dawkins and Yan Wong take us on an exhilarating reverse journey through evolution, from present-day humans back to the microbial beginnings of life. It is a journey happily interrupted by meetings of fellow modern animals (as well as plants, fungi and bacteria) similarly tracing their evolutionary path back through history. As each evolutionary pilgrim tells their tale, Dawkins and Wong shed light on topics such as speciation, sexual selection and extinction. Written with unparalleled wit, clarity and intelligence; taking in new scientific discoveries of the past decade; and including new 'tales', illustrations and fractal diagrams, THE ANCESTOR'S TALE shows us how remarkable we are, how astonishing our history, and how intimate our relationship with the rest of the living world.

Brave explorers and mortal enemies across the world clash at a mysterious lost continent. After long voyages, encountering hurricanes and sea monsters, Criston Vora and Saan race to Terravitae, the legendary promised land. Saan's quest is to find the Key to Creation, a weapon that may defeat Uraba's enemies, and Criston wants vengeance against the monstrous Leviathan that ruined his life long ago. Back home, two opposing continents and religions clash for the remnants of a sacred city, unleashing their hatred in a war that could end both civilizations. Queen Anjine and Soldan-Shah Omra are driven by mutual hatred, heaping atrocity upon atrocity in an escalating conflict that only their gods can end. Meanwhile, the secretive Saedrans. manipulating both sides, come ever closer to their ultimate goal: to complete the Map of All Things and bring about the return of God.