At that point clots bulging in my left ventricle raced toward my brain, and the more anxious I became as my heart rate climbed, the more each beat cleared the clots from my arm. That's when my world darkened and my mind escaped my body. I saw my physical being from a few feet above, standing with a friend. "I'm right here," I thought in awe, "but I'm also right over there." I was staring at the shell of myself, but I couldn't approach it. I had no physical feeling, as you would with a body. "This is it," I thought, strangely growing peaceful among the chaos that moments earlier had racked my brain. "I no longer have to wonder how I'll die." I fully knew I was dying and I wasn't shocked. A clear understanding that I teetered between life and death enveloped me. From behind, a warm blanket of serenity overwhelmed my senses, and a powerful feeling to fall back and surrender to the tranquility engulfed me. "It's OK, it's beautiful," the serenity beckoned. "Just lay down." But an overwhelming urge knowing with all of my heart that God needed me on earth for a rebirth and a life of His service kept me from that final, peaceful surrender. I rushed back to my body, where noise and babbling suddenly drowned the perfect peace of moments earlier. Like many scientists before this life-changing stroke, to be certain of something I needed hard data. Evidence. Proof. Something I could measure. Heaven can be an abstract concept, for sure. Before the stroke I wanted to touch Heaven, feel it for proof of its existence. In a sense, I got what I asked for. Ted Odom

The author, a computer science professor diagnosed with terminal cancer, explores his life, the lessons that he has learned, how he has worked to achieve his childhood dreams, and the effect of his diagnosis on him and his family.

Two children sitting at home on a rainy day are visited by the cat who shows them some tricks and games.

Hailed as “stunning” (New York Post), “authoritative” (Kirkus Reviews), and “comprehensively researched” (Shelf Awareness), a shocking exposé of the widespread abuses of our personal online data by a leading specialist on Web privacy. Social networks, the defining cultural movement of our time, offer many freedoms. But as we work and shop and date over the Web, we are opening ourselves up to intrusive privacy violations by employers, the police, and aggressive data collection companies that sell our information to any and all takers. Through groundbreaking research, Andrews reveals how routinely colleges reject applicants due to personal information searches, robbers use vacation postings to target homes for break-ins, and lawyers scour our social media for information to use against us in court. And the legal system isn't protecting us—in the thousands of privacy violations brought to trial, judges often rule against the victims. Providing expert advice and leading the charge to secure our rights, Andrews proposes a Social Network Constitution to protect us all. Now is the time to join her and take action—the very future of privacy is at stake. Log on to www.loriandrews.com to sign the Constitution for Web Privacy.

The Greatest Christmas Tales & Poems is a treasure trove that captures the spirit of Christmas through an unparalleled amalgamation of literary mastery. This anthology knits together a remarkable array of stylesfrom the poetical enchantments of William Wordsworth and Alfred Lord Tennyson to the narrative depths explored by Charles Dickens and Leo Tolstoy, traversing the landscapes of folklore with the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen. Emerging from within these pages is a panoramic view of the festive season, observed through myriad prisms of culture, emotion, and era, making it a seminal collection that highlights the universal appeal and diverse interpretations of Christmas. The contributing authors, an illustrious roster of literary giants spanning the 19th to early 20th centuries, bring to this anthology their unique backgrounds, thereby enriching it with a wide cultural and historical span. This collective work not only reflects the Victorian fascination with Christmas as a cornerstone of family and societal celebrationas seen in works by Dickens and Trollopebut also delves into the deeper psychological and ethical questions of the human condition, encapsulated in the tales by Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Such diversity offers a comprehensive view of the eras literary movements, from Romanticism to Realism, and their relationship with Christmas traditions, spirituality, and moral contemplations. For the reader seeking to immerse themselves in the festive season, The Greatest Christmas Tales & Poems provides a unique lens through which the holiday is both celebrated and scrutinized. It invites an exploration into the rich tapestry of Christmas as seen by celebrated authors, whose works traverse the boundaries of time and culture to speak of universal themes of joy, hope, and reflection. This anthology stands as an educational journey and a testament to the power of literature to encapsulate the essence of human experiences and traditions, making it an indispensable addition to any collection.