Manu, a young boy, lives without a family and works with a carpenter to make his living. He wishes for a life like all other kids have, where he could belong to a family and just go to school and learn. One day he goes to cut wood in the forest when a tree tells him that there is a treasure that Manu could get so he can live the life he wants. Manus adventure is set by the hunt for that treasure. Was the treasure there, as the tree had told Manu? Does Manu encounter any dangers during his quest? Does Manu find the treasure?

It began to look like a hopeless task. After so many years, the trail had grown cold, and it seemed as if, should they be lucky enough to discover him, the thief might be ready to kill in order to protect his priceless booty. As the investigators scrutinized the art world and delved into old U.S. Army records, they gathered clues and suspects - some of them more than a little frightening. Then, after a series of hair-raising adventures, Honan made headlines around the world by identifying the thief and leading law enforcement authorities to a desolate, tumble-down farm town in northeastern Texas where the treasures had been hidden. Subsequently, Honan was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in investigative journalism.

Greed and guilt, near-indecipherable codes, murder plots born of madness--these motifs drive the best modern mysteries, but they are rooted in the early nineteenth century and the carefully constructed fiction of Edgar Allan Poe. Poe's methods of storytelling and suspense remain relevant, reappearing in detective novels and on screens large and small. This work examines a wide selection of today's mystery and thriller novels, films, television programs, and video games to explore Poe's ongoing influence on popular entertainment. Authors such as Michael Connelly, Stieg Larsson and Dennis Lehane, television shows like The Closer and Dexter, and movies from Laura and Vertigo to Shutter Island and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo all receive attention. The popularity of Poe's narratives in these contemporary guises is testimony to his visionary genius. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

High gas prices aren’t the end of the world- but they may be the beginning of the end. This, at least, is the feeling of many who shudder at the staggering power oil-rich countries have over the world’s political affairs. In Petrotyranny, John Bacher uncovers the frightening facts of the world’s oil industry. He reveals that the worst dictatorships control six times the reserves that are under democratic control, and explores the potential for global conflict that exists as the demand for energy increases and the oil supply decreases. What kind of power will these dictatorships possess in the future? How many wars will be fought over the ever-shrinking supply of oil? Bacher takes an optimistic approach, viewing the problem as a challenge: the world’s democracies need to devise a creative response to avoid the looming crisis. That is, start replacing fossil-fuel burning with renewable energy - and start the process now.