By the author of Destiny Disrupted: an enlightening, accessible history of modern Afghanistan from the Afghan point of view, showing how Great Power conflicts have interrupted its ongoing, internal struggle to take form as a nation

Mr. Calder lives with a golden deerhound named Rasselas. Mr. Behrens keeps bees. No one would suspect the pair are in fact agents and often tasked with jobs that no one else can take on. They are dangerous. Their adventures in this series of thrillers show the author to have a clear grasp of counterintelligence operations.

In its fight for global dominance, Communist China has thrown out the old rules of war. China expert General Robert Spalding walks us through their new playbook. Many Americans are finally waking up to the alarming reality of China's stealth war on the United States and puzzling over how to push back against its insidious infiltration. What few realize is that we have one real advantage in this war: the Chinese Communist Party strategy for total war has been written out in Unrestricted Warfare, the Chinese book, well known there, that has become their new Art of War. In War Without Rules, retired Air Force Brigadier General Rob Spalding takes Americans inside Unrestricted Warfare. He walks readers through the principles of this book, revealing the Chinese belief that there is no sector of life outside the realm of war. He shows how the CCP itself has promised to use corporate espionage, global pandemics, and trade violations to achieve dominance. Most importantly, he provides insight into how, once Americans are aware of the tactics, we can fight back against CCP’s creeping influence. More than a vital read for those interested in China, War Without Rules is essential reading for anyone—from policymakers and diplomats to businessmen and investors—finally waking up to the stealth war. Knowledge is power, and it’s time to arm yourself.

The New York Times bestseller Shortlisted for the 2020 Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings reveals for the first time the unorthodox culture behind one of the world's most innovative, imaginative, and successful companies There has never before been a company like Netflix. It has led nothing short of a revolution in the entertainment industries, generating billions of dollars in annual revenue while capturing the imaginations of hundreds of millions of people in over 190 countries. But to reach these great heights, Netflix, which launched in 1998 as an online DVD rental service, has had to reinvent itself over and over again. This type of unprecedented flexibility would have been impossible without the counterintuitive and radical management principles that cofounder Reed Hastings established from the very beginning. Hastings rejected the conventional wisdom under which other companies operate and defied tradition to instead build a culture focused on freedom and responsibility, one that has allowed Netflix to adapt and innovate as the needs of its members and the world have simultaneously transformed. Hastings set new standards, valuing people over process, emphasizing innovation over efficiency, and giving employees context, not controls. At Netflix, there are no vacation or expense policies. At Netflix, adequate performance gets a generous severance, and hard work is irrel­evant. At Netflix, you don’t try to please your boss, you give candid feedback instead. At Netflix, employees don’t need approval, and the company pays top of market. When Hastings and his team first devised these unorthodox principles, the implications were unknown and untested. But in just a short period, their methods led to unparalleled speed and boldness, as Netflix quickly became one of the most loved brands in the world. Here for the first time, Hastings and Erin Meyer, bestselling author of The Culture Map and one of the world’s most influential business thinkers, dive deep into the controversial ideologies at the heart of the Netflix psyche, which have generated results that are the envy of the business world. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with current and past Netflix employees from around the globe and never-before-told stories of trial and error from Hastings’s own career, No Rules Rules is the fascinating and untold account of the philosophy behind one of the world’s most innovative, imaginative, and successful companies.

Michael thinks school would be more fun without rules and gets his wish. But is it exactly what he was hoping for?

The popular Social Studies Connects series links history, geography, civics and economics to kids’ daily lives. Featuring stories with diverse characters who face situations young readers can relate to, these books support reading and social studies skills including researching, inferring, comparing, and communication. An activity to stimulate curiosity about the world is included in each book! Rules are ruining Rex’s life—or so he thinks. Will taking a break from rules make him feel better, or worse? (Social Studies Topic: Civics/Rule and Laws)

The biggest mistake Marcia Powers ever made was letting ballplayer Brock Carter walk out of her life. She made him choose his career over her hometown and held onto a secret—a four-year-old daughter posing as her baby sister. Brock’s back and this time, he wants answers, especially when Marcia’s little “sister” gets attached to him. Marcia’s dad isn’t telling and neither are her friends. Brock is determined to rekindle their romance and pulls out all the stops, debunking every one of Marcia’s excuses. Marcia is losing her heart again but will she survive the fallout when Brock discovers the real reason she sent him away? What will Marcia lose to win back his trust and keep his love? --- Men of Spring Baseball romances can be read standalone but are more fun when read together. Book 1, Playing Without Rules (Marcia & Brock) Book 2, Playing Catch (Jeanine & Kirk) Book 3, Playing for the Save (Jamie & Ryan) Book 4, Playing Fastball (Tina & Timmy) Prequel Novella, Playing The Rookie (Jessica & Jay)