Unpacking the Purge is a holistic examination of the concept of self-improvement through the lens of a professional organizer. Rolanda L. is a New York City-based organizer who supports executives, entrepreneurs, and everyday people in achieving their personal and professional goals by implementing "success-positive" home and work environments.

One of the most surprising developments in Mexico's transition to democracy is the outbreak of criminal wars and large-scale criminal violence. Why did Mexican drug cartels go to war as the country transitioned away from one-party rule? And why have criminal wars proliferated as democracy has consolidated and elections have become more competitive subnationally? In Votes, Drugs, and Violence, Guillermo Trejo and Sandra Ley develop a political theory of criminal violence in weak democracies that elucidates how democratic politics and the fragmentation of power fundamentally shape cartels' incentives for war and peace. Drawing on in-depth case studies and statistical analysis spanning more than two decades and multiple levels of government, Trejo and Ley show that electoral competition and partisan conflict were key drivers of the outbreak of Mexico's crime wars, the intensification of violence, and the expansion of war and violence to the spheres of local politics and civil society.

Whetherwe are eavesdropping on the imaginative Saturdays of a Portuguese cleaning lady or living through a divorced woman's search for the elusive orgasm. Norma Harrs manages in this collection of short stories to absorb the essence of her narrator's psyche with the clarity of a good actress who gets under the very skin of her characters. Love, either the absence of or yearning for, is the theme that links that stories in this collection together. Love for a family member, a friend, a lover, or a husband, and sometimes that lack of reciprocity, is the element that gives the stories poignancy and force. The variety in these stories keeps the reader always guessing. The author doesn't limit us to the easy answers, but brilliantly provokes us to enlarge our own landscape.

“Hickman proves to be a master of suspense, plot twists, exhilaration and killer climaxes.” —RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars Top Pick After one too many failed relationships, businesswoman Bernadette Gibson is resigned to singlehood. Yet on the heels of her fiftieth birthday she meets Cooper “Coop” Dennis, a charismatic nightclub owner who literally sweeps her off her feet. But just as they’re ready to make the ultimate commitment, a secret from Coop’s past threatens to end their relationship . . . As her fortieth birthday approaches, bestselling novelist Testimony “Tess” Sinclair is hurting—especially since her ex-boyfriend got married. For a change of scenery she travels to the sleepy southern town of Bourbon, NC, to visit her cousin, Bernadette—and finds unexpected love. Yet as wedding bells promise to ring, Tess wrestles with a secret that could end their happily ever after before it begins . . . Up-and-coming makeup artist and single mom Arizona May is thrilled to be just a few months away from marrying the love of her life. Until then, she and her fiancé are committed to celibacy. But on the eve of Arizona’s thirtieth birthday, they surrender to passion—and she discovers something about her Prince Charming that leads her to rethink their plans . . . As Bernadette, Tess, and Arizona strive to find happiness, they develop a bond that strengthens and surprises them—and carries them through their struggles, to the other side. “Readers will enjoy the twist and turns in Hickman’s tale, which has a definite soap opera vibe. We know there’s a romantic train wreck ahead, but we can’t turn away from the drama.” —Library Journal on Secret Indiscretions

When widespread state-criminal collusion persists in transitions from autocracy to democracy, electoral competition becomes a catalyst of large-scale criminal violence.

This accessible, student-friendly book provides a concise overview of the primary debates surrounding the impact and effects of social media. From Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to Snapchat and TikTok, social media has become part of our everyday experience. However, its proliferation has brought a myriad of serious concerns about the long-term effects of social media on socializing and personal relationships and the impact on well-being and mental health (particularly in relation to children and adolescents), as well as issues linked to information and culture (such as privacy, misinformation, and manipulation). Featuring contributions by leading international scholars and established authorities such as Christian Fuchs, Henry Jenkins, Michael A. Stefanone, and Joan Donovan, editor Devan Rosen brings together key contemporary research from multiple disciplines in order to provide crucial insight into these debates. This book will be an important resource for students and scholars of media and communication, as well as educators, parents, policy makers, and clinicians interested in the impacts of social media.