"An odd but happy marriage of sociological observation and Gonzo-style adventure." -Wired Breaking news, fresh gossip, tiny scandals, trumped-up crises—every day we are distracted by a culture that rings our doorbell and runs away. Stories spread wildly and die out in mere days, to be replaced by still more stories with ever shorter life spans. Through the Internet the news cycle has been set spinning even faster now that all of us can join the fray: anyone on a computer can spread a story almost as easily as The New York Times, CNN, or People. As media amateurs grow their audience, they learn to think like the pros, using the abundant data that the Internet offers-hit counters, most e-mailed lists, YouTube views, download tallies-to hone their own experiments in viral blowup. And Then There's This is Bill Wasik's journey along the unexplored frontier of the twenty-first century's rambunctious new-media culture. He covers this world in part as a journalist, following "buzz bands" as they rise and fall in the online music scene, visiting with viral marketers and political trendsetters and online provocateurs. But he also wades in as a participant, conducting his own hilarious experiments: an e-mail fad (which turned into the worldwide "flash mob" sensation), a viral website in a month-long competition, a fake blog that attempts to create "antibuzz," and more. He doesn't always get the results he expected, but he tries to make sense of his data by surveying what real social science experiments have taught us about the effects of distraction, stimulation, and crowd behavior on the human mind. Part report, part memoir, part manifesto, part deconstruction of a decade, And Then There's This captures better than any other book the way technology is changing our culture.

An exploration of the new “viral” culture of news-making that relies upon bloggers breaking and spreading stories, fresh gossip, scandals, and crises, instead of the media giants of the past.

One by one, the guests arrived at the mansion on Indian Island, summoned by a mysterious host. And one by one, with terrifying meticulousness, they were stalked by a cunning murderer. Utterly baffling...and yet there was a pattern, concealed in a nursery rhyme hanging over the fireplace.

And Then There’s Love In A Week by Vijay Martis Sometimes Love Crashes into You Like a Clumsy Photographer with a Coffee Cup In the bustling streets of London, Olivia Carrington, a driven and ambitious architect, has her life meticulously planned out. But when a chance encounter with James Sullivan, a free-spirited photographer, results in a coffee-soaked disaster, Olivia's carefully constructed world is turned upside down. As they navigate the city together, James's carefree nature challenges Olivia's rigid control, and she finds herself drawn to his adventurous spirit. Despite their differences, they embark on a whirlwind romance, exploring hidden corners of London and discovering new facets of themselves. From the vibrant streets of Notting Hill to the majestic views of the London Eye, James and Olivia's journey is filled with laughter, excitement, and a deepening connection. But as their feelings grow stronger, the challenges of their contrasting lifestyles threaten to tear them apart. Will Olivia's need for control and James's love of spontaneity prove too great to overcome, or can they find a middle ground that allows their love to flourish? As they navigate the complexities of their relationship, they must confront their own fears and doubts to determine if their love is strong enough to withstand the tests of time. And Then There's Love In A Week is a heartwarming tale of love, self-discovery, and the power of embracing the unexpected. Join James and Olivia on their seven-day adventure as they learn to let go, take chances, and find love in the unlikeliest of places. This charming romance novel explores the beauty of London, the complexity of human emotions, and the magic that happens when two people from different worlds collide. With its witty dialogue, engaging characters, and poignant reflections on love and life, And Then There’s Love In A Week is a must-read for anyone who believes in the transformative power of love.

A mother's death forces a teen girl to reevaluate their tumultuous relationship in this powerful coming-of-age novel for teens. For fans of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. After years of physical and verbal abuse from her mother, fourteen-year-old Coi moved in with her father, and together they created a peaceful life. But now, four years later, that peace is shattered when her mother dies. While Coi struggles to find kindness in her heart for the woman who did nothing but hurt her, her mother's passing does help reopen the door to her mother's side of the family. It's only through reconnecting with her estranged family members, especially her younger half-sister Kayla, that Coi's long-held views about her mother are challenged. And when Coi begins to see visions of her mother in her dreams, she is forced to ask herself what it means to forgive and be forgiven, and, most importantly, what it means to be family.

Thrilling suspense from New York Times bestselling and Edgar award winner Nancy Werlin. Five teens are students at Rockland Academy, and they’re the only ones summoned to a meeting in an old building—when the roof caves in on them. They survive, but barely. It was a terrible accident. Or was it? Saralinda: “I’m a huge burden to my mother.” Caleb: “I’m a monster.” Kenyon: “My grandfather hates me.” Antoine: “My mother has already tried to kill me twice.” Evangeline: “I’ll be worth 40 million dollars on my birthday. Then, I fill out the papers to give it all to the Upper East Side Cat Society. Not a penny to my stepmother. Unless I die first—haha.” But their families can’t have banded together to kill them all. That’s crazy. Then another “accident” happens. Now they are four, and in a desperate race to escape the trap that’s squeezing shut around them. REVIEWS: “The trap is sprung. The hunt is on. Don’t expect to sleep tonight. A stunning thriller told in two unforgettable voices.” -Julie Berry, Printz Honor-winning author of The Passion of Dolls “Unpredictable and emotional.” -USA Today “A plot that left me breathless, and strong, memorable characters. Not many writers can do both. Nancy Werlin makes it look effortless. I could not put this book down.” -Linda Sue Park, Newbery Award-winning author of A Long Walk to Water “Tense, vivid, lively, and heart-twisting—I could not catch my breath. What a very great pleasure this was to read. -Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author of The Song of the Lioness quartet A gripping page-turner with a lot of twists and turns. Those fans of mystery looking for something different to read? Werlin’s latest definitely stands out. - RT Book Reviews Although the psychology of the kids—and their parents—is a huge part of the story, it’s the nonstop action that sweeps readers along. People are on the run, bodies are piling up, and murder is in the air. Up until the last moment, it’s not clear who is going to make it out alive. -Booklist

“The best kind of memoir, revealing, refreshing, and reflective enough to make readers turn many of the questions on themselves.” —Booklist (starred review) With humor and opinions aplenty, a woman embarks on an unconventional quest to see if she is meant to be a nun. Just as Jane Christmas decides to enter a convent in mid-life to find out whether she is “nun material,” her long-term partner Colin, suddenly springs a marriage proposal on her. Determined not to let her monastic dreams be sidelined, Christmas puts her engagement on hold and embarks on an extraordinary year-long adventure to four convents—one in Canada and three in the UK. In these communities of cloistered nuns and monks, she shares—and at times chafes and rails against—the silent, simple existence she has sought all of her life. Christmas takes this spiritual quest seriously, but her story is full of the candid insights, humorous social faux pas, profane outbursts, and epiphanies that make her books so relatable and popular. And Then There Were Nuns offers a seldom-seen look inside modern cloistered life, and it is sure to ruffle more than a few starched collars among the ecclesiastical set. “A lovely, heartfelt tale. Get thee to a bookstore and buy it.” —A. J. Jacobs, New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically “In fluid and often playful prose, she introduces women and men (she spent a week at a monastery on the Isle of Wight) who have devoted their lives to prayer, including a skydiving 90-year-old nun.” —Maclean’s