A talking chair shows Tom Smart a way to win the hand of a widow.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The knockdown, drag-out, untold story of the other scandal that rocked Nixon’s White House, and reset the rules for crooked presidents to come—with new reporting that expands on Rachel Maddow’s Peabody Award–nominated podcast “Both a thriller and a history book, Bag Man is a triumph of storytelling.”—Preet Bharara, New York Times bestselling author of Doing Justice and host of the podcast Stay Tuned with Preet Is it possible for a sitting vice president to direct a vast criminal enterprise within the halls of the White House? To have one of the most brazen corruption scandals in American history play out while nobody’s paying attention? And for that scandal to be all but forgotten decades later? The year was 1973, and Spiro T. Agnew, the former governor of Maryland, was Richard Nixon’s second-in-command. Long on firebrand rhetoric and short on political experience, Agnew had carried out a bribery and extortion ring in office for years, when—at the height of Watergate—three young federal prosecutors discovered his crimes and launched a mission to take him down before it was too late, before Nixon’s impending downfall elevated Agnew to the presidency. The self-described “counterpuncher” vice president did everything he could to bury their investigation: dismissing it as a “witch hunt,” riling up his partisan base, making the press the enemy, and, with a crumbling circle of loyalists, scheming to obstruct justice in order to survive. In this blockbuster account, Rachel Maddow and Michael Yarvitz detail the investigation that exposed Agnew’s crimes, the attempts at a cover-up—which involved future president George H. W. Bush—and the backroom bargain that forced Agnew’s resignation but also spared him years in federal prison. Based on the award-winning hit podcast, Bag Man expands and deepens the story of Spiro Agnew’s scandal and its lasting influence on our politics, our media, and our understanding of what it takes to confront a criminal in the White House.

A never before seen look into the daily life of someone living with chronic illness, specifically Crohn's disease, colitis and an ostomy. A road map of the emotional reality that takes place in the mind of yourself or your loved ones who bear these burdens. It's a gripping story about overcoming adversity and fearlessly facing unbelievable odds. Austin hid his illness and his life from everyone. The destruction and triumph that this caused, form the stories that fill this book. His experiences and trials are "Next Level" even for Crohnies and Ostomates, and have lessons for all of us. Austin speaks in a no-nonsense tone that pulls not punches. He is fed up with a medical community that has abandoned patient care and lifestyle management for people suffering from chronic illness. Austin scrambled for answers. The auto-immunity and chronic side of these illnesses made life emotionally devastating. He sought help in the naturopathic and homeopathic arena at the Riorden Clinic in Wichita, Ks. The hollistic care that was experienced and discovered, helped Austin take some control over an otherwise uncontrollable life. Even after these steps were taken, the emotional struggles still needed addressed. The only way out of the reclusive, depressing and anxious life is by sharing your story and realizing you aren't the only one dealing with such deep loneliness. You will find in this book a key to understanding and accepting suffering in your life. Your vantage point will be forever changed once you look through Austin's eyes. He believes this world is very good and worth living. Everyone has a story to tell and we can all learn from stories. Check out The Ostomy Guy's podcast on Google, Apple, Spotify and YouTube for more stories like this one. This is a story that will give you hope. You will not only be inspired after hearing Austin's story, you will want to be better at everything you do. You'll want a copy to keep and a copy to give to friends. A book for every home and a story worth reading again and again.

At the height of his career, writing short stories provided Dickens with a release from the formal constraints of his novels and gave free reign to his creative imagination. Ranging from "flights of fancy" to literary masterpieces, Dickens's short stories contained artistic experiments that inspired fuller developments in his novels. Yet the short stories have been all but overlooked in critical discussions. Deborah A. Thomas focuses directly on this body of work, tracing three stages of development. In the early stage until 1840, Dickens produced numerous short stories, culminating in his experience with the abortive Master Humphrey's Clock. In the following ten years, he restricted his writing of short stories to the five Christmas Books but refined his theories about the value of the genre in the context of his work. In the third stage, 1850-1868, Dickens again turned actively to the writing of short stories, many of them the "Christmas Stories" appearing in the weeklies Household Words and All the Year Round, which Dickens edited successively from 1850 to 1869 and from 1859 until his death in 1870. The author concentrates primarily upon the more notable stories, drawing for a perspective upon Dickens' own concept of "fancy." In an increasingly factual age, Dickens—attracted to the unusual and the unknown—found the short story a form in which he could indulge his high degree of fantasy and explore the hidden corners of the mind. Dickens' fascination with psychological abnormality and the supernatural—reflected in his novels—reveals itself even more intriguingly in his short stories. In Thomas's analysis, Dickens' short stories appear as an important key to understanding the novels, while proving worthy in themselves of critical attention. Essential to a thorough study of Dickens, her book sheds light upon previously obscure facets of his developing artistry.