HARD LIFE. HARD LUCK. HARD DRUGS. HARD DEALS. HARD TIME. Back in New York City, Seven was the seventh child. But here in Charlotte he's number one on every ladies' list. Even behind bars, he managed to sex a female corrections officer, who lost her job and found herself pregnant. Now Seven is out of the pen and back on the streets. A small-time dealer with big-time dreams, he's ready to take care of business -- for his baby, his baby's mother, his slammin' girlfriend, and his empty wallet. But first, he's got to play the game with the biggest pushers in town. He'll be a soldier for The Man. Then he'll rob the suckers blind before they figure out what's going down. Sure, it could get him killed. But Seven knows there are things in life worth living for -- and things worth dying for. And sometimes you can't tell the difference.

From zines you can fold in a minute to luxurious leather journals and sumptuous sketchbooks, How to Make Books will walk you through the easy basics of bookmaking. Whether you’re a writer, a scrapbooker, a political activist, or a postcard collector, let book artist Esther K. Smith be your guide as you discover your inner bookbinder. Using foolproof illustrations and step-by-step instructions, Smith reveals her time-tested techniques in a fun, easy-to-understand way.

In this inspiring and humorous book, John C. Parkin suggests that saying F**k It is the perfect Western expression of the Eastern spiritual ideas of letting go, giving up, and finding real freedom by realizing that things don't matter so much (if at all). It's a spiritual way that doesn't require chanting, meditating, or wearing sandals. And it's the very power of this profanity that makes it perfect for shaking us Westerners out of the stress and anxiety that dominate our daily lives. With the help of this book, people around the world are now saying F**k It to their worries and concerns, to the shoulds and the oughts that dominate their lives, and finally doing what they want to, no matter what others might think. Self-help for the time-poor and psycho-babble intolerant. MARIE CLAIRE

"Ursula K. Le Guin, a student of the Tao Te Ching for more than fifty years, offers her own thoughtful rendering of the Taoist scripture. She has consulted the literal translations and worked with the scholar J. P. Seaton to develop a version that lets the ancient text speak in a fresh way to modern people, while remaining faithful to the original Chinese. This rendition reveals the Tao Te Ching's immediate relevance and power, its depth and refreshing humor, illustrating better than ever before why it has been so loved for more than 2,500 years. Included are Le Guin's own personal commentary and notes along with two audio CDs of the text read by the author, with original music composed and performed by Todd Barton."--Publisher's website.

This book will change the way you think about and invest in your retirement savings plan-forever. Internationally bestselling author and consumer advocate Dan Solin challenges some basic and misguided assumptions about traditional retirement plans to reveal that: ? 401(k) and 403(b) plans are laden with Porky Pig fees, poor investment choices, and conflicts of interest. You may be better off just saying "No!" ? There is a simple way to make smart choices in these plans- and this book shows you exactly what to do and which funds to avoid. ? There is one investment that could be the key to a successful retirement plan. You can do it yourself, with pre-tax or after-tax money. Create your own, inflation-proof pension plan that is guaranteed to provide you with monthly income for as long as you live, and beyond! Smart Investing is not complicated. You have the power to make meaningful changes to your retirement savings plan-no matter what your age or financial status. "If you haven't taken a recent look at what your own retirement investments are doing and-perhaps even more important-how they are put together, reading Solin's smart little book might provide the impetus for action." -Miami Herald