The Closer introduced TV mystery fans to the prickly and intense Brenda Leigh Johnson, a brilliant CIA-trained interrogator recruited by L.A.P.D. Assistant Chief Will Pope to head a new homicide squad for high-profile cases. Johnson's thin veneer of Southern charm often cracks as she hones in on a suspect, but she gets results: "She's not Miss Congeniality, I'm aware of that, but she is a closer," Pope says. A ratings smash for TNT, The Closer won fans thanks to its twisty plots and the portrayal of Brenda by Kyra Sedgwick, showing a woman confident in her investigative skills but awkward at personal relationships. It also paved the way for the debut of other original cable-TV series during the summer-rerun doldrums -- and shows with strong female characters over 40, such as TNT's Saving Grace with Holly Hunter and Hawthorne with Jada Pinkett Smith, plus Damages with Glenn Close on FX. Go inside the initial season with this informative guide that includes detailed episode summaries, character bios, interesting trivia, and more.

ABOUT THE BOOK The recent 60 Minutes interview with President Barack Obama impressed upon me the importance of looking at politics from all angles. In this current election year, many tend to think it’s necessary to choose a side and despise everything that comes from the other side. Even members of Congress take this attitude. In reality, however, both sides in the political arena have the capability of creating legislation that makes sense. Taking the best of both worlds is the best approach. The most important action we can take to improve the current economic situation is to listen and be objective. In his interview, President Obama said, "It is my vision for this country to put forth an economic package that will benefit the majority of Americans." Whether or not you agree with his approach, his ideas deserve consideration and respect. MEET THE AUTHOR The Hyperink Team works hard to bring you high-quality, engaging, fun content. If ever you have any questions about our products, or suggestions for how we can make them better, please don't hesitate to contact us! Happy reading! EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK Kroft interview with Obama is called "President Obama: The economy, the congress, the future," an apt title for this important pre-election discussion. Kroft begins by asking the President what he thinks of new polls that state that 75 percent of Americans think he is not doing a good job. Obama replies by saying he would be surprised if Americans felt satisfied, since there is a lot more work to be done. He explains that he is working toward an economy that benefits everyone, not just a few. This initial back and forth sets the tone for the interview, which takes place in Osawatomie, Kansas. Next, Kroft switches to the subject of Congress and getting work done. In spite of it being an election year, the President contends he is still working. He wants to work with both parties in Congress, but will not wait when there is an opportunity to exercise his executive authority to get things done. Speaking on his vision for the future, President Obama says he wants to create policies that benefits the majority of Americans. He is even willing to go against some of the ideology his own party has promoted in the past to accomplish this. Kroft concludes the interview by asking the President why he should be re-elected. Obama gives a convincing argument that includes his accomplishments on health care reform, saving the auto industry, ending Don't Ask Don't Tell, decimating Al Qaeda, and getting the economy on the road to recovery.Let’s take a closer look at Obama’s in-depth discussion of the choices that have gotten him this far and his plans for a second term. Buy a copy to continue reading!

Quicklets: Learn More. Read Less. Robert Kirkman is a New York Times bestselling author living in Richmond, Kentucky. Kirkman is currently a partner at Image Comics, which publishes The Walking Dead. His other works at the company include Invincible and The Astounding Wolf-Man. Invincible has been adapted into a motion comic. The Walking Dead won the 2010 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series and the 2010 Scream Award for Best Comic Book. He also founded a new imprint at Image called Skybound, which focuses on up-and-coming series outside of the mass-market. He remains active on the television series as an executive producer and writer. The Walking Dead originated as a New York Times bestselling comic series written by Robert Kirkman. The first season's universally critically acclaimed. Whether it's because it packs a raw, emotional punch (TV Guide) or contains wonderfully skilled framed shots (Newsday), The Walking Dead shows that it's a unique entry on television network AMC.

Quicklets: Learn More. Read Less. Tim Ferriss is the author of The 4-Hour Workweek, a New York Times bestseller that incorporates the Pareto Principle and Parkinson's Law into a lifestyle of reduced working hours and more personal free time. After graduating from Princeton University, where he earned a degree in East Asian Studies, Tim started his first business selling nutritional supplements at the age 23. Since selling his business, he has become a Guinness Book Of World Records holder in tango and a host of his own program on the History Channel. Currently working as an angel investor, in 2011 Tim announced he would publish a third book, The 4-Hour Chef. The book is being released by Amazon.com and is expected to become available for purchase in April 2012. The 4-Hour Workweek is Tim Ferriss' first book. Detailing his personal experiences of success and failures in "lifestyle design", the book provides readers with a clear road map on how to outsource mundane work, reduce clutter and information overload to create smooth income streams and more free time. The author believes that pursuing dreams and goals now is more important than deferring them until after retirement, and his book promotes a variety of lifestyle design options that give readers exciting alternatives to the ordinary 9-5 routine.

ABOUT THE BOOK First screened back in 2004, House MD has captured the hearts and minds of viewers across the spectrum. Played by the eminent Hugh Laurie, a former comedian turned actor, Dr. Gregory House is that guy we all hate, but also often wish we could be always sarcastic, incorrigibly sardonic, frequently bitter, and undeniably brilliant. An engaging, fascinating character, many watch the series as much for Laurie as they do for anything else. Many have even gone so far as to make a comparison between Dr. House and Sherlock Holmes, with good reason but more on that in a moment. Set in the modern day, House is a medical drama that centers around the title character and his team of doctors, all of whom work at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. The team is continually confronted with rare, baffling, and downright bizarre illnesses, and it often falls to House himself to show them the cure, or puzzle it out himself. All the while, each of the team members fight through their own personal problems, moral qualms, and workplace drama. MEET THE AUTHOR Nick's been writing since he was old enough to hold a pen. After graduating from the University of Calgary with a BA in English, he spent a year working at a thrift store- before realizing his life was going nowhere. He dropped the job, took up a career as a freelance writer, and hasn't looked back since. That was almost a year ago. Since then, he's written for a number of different blogs and clients. He most enjoys writing about gaming and technology- two passions that take almost as much precedence in his life as his love for the written word. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK What do you get when you take Sherlock Holmes, give him a medical degree, replace his cocaine addiction with a Vicodin addiction, and slap him down into the modern day? You get Dr. Gregory House: a misanthropic, sardonic, bitter medical genius, a man with a chip on his shoulder and a sense of genuine disdain for most of the men around him. In many ways, House is an insufferable ruffian, but few people have the heart to put him in his place as one of the most brilliant doctors of his time, he has a degree of freedom that most medical professionals can only dream of, and is (occasionally) kept in check by his close friend Dr. James Wilson, an Oncologist. The first season of the series introduces us to the titular main character and his cast of medical specialists, Dr. Allison Cameron, Dr. Eric Foreman, and Dr. Robert Chase, along with Houses boss Dr. Lisa Cuddy and his best friend Dr. James Wilson. As we move through the series, Houses relationship with his team begins to show cracks. Cameron feels shes not a valued professional, Foreman disagrees with Houses methodology and Chase clashes with both of them as a result of his propensity for taking Houses side. CHAPTER OUTLINE Quicklet on House, MD Season 1 (TV Show) + About House + About the Director and Producer + Overall Summary + Episode-by-Episode Commentary & Summary + ...and much more House, MD Season 1

ABOUT THE BOOK If you'll allow me an immediate personal tangent, I feel obligated to tell you my favorite book of all time is 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I read it in high school and came away shocked at how deeply I connected with a genre as fantastical as magical realism. Reading The Shadow of the Wind conjured memories of my first experience with 100 Years of Solitude. Both stories span generations and have a dizzying amount of characters, most of whom never meet, but all of whom are mysteriously connected by a powerful force. MEET THE AUTHOR Luke stole an English degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has been a blogger for nearly a decade and a digital editor at an ad agency for three years. Luke enjoys playing sports, reading, listening to music, trying to play songs he likes on the guitar, quickly giving up on that and playing video games, and spending quality time with his wife. Facebook: /ltrayser Twitter: @ltrayser EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK It's easy to imagine little Daniel, wide-eyed and silent, taking in the book-filled labyrinth of impossible geometry and nodding in response to his dad's question. His father lets him in on one of the Cemetery's traditions: first-time visitors choose a book. Once Daniel chooses, it will be his duty to make sure that as long as he's alive, his book is as well.He chooses The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. He knows nothing about the book or its author, but that doesn't matter. The boy couldn't shake the feeling that it was waiting for him, and for more than 10 years. In the coming pages, Daniel's life will be in danger because of The Shadow of the Wind, so it's paramount that we are fully on board with the notion that he'd put himself in harm's way to preserve words on a page.

ABOUT THE BOOK Dexter broke new grounds for Showtime in multiple ways. It debuted strong with more than 600,000 viewers during the premiere and its finale set a Showtime record with an audience of over a million people. However, Dexter's success was not strictly a matter of numbers. Serial killers are traditionally villains in TV and film but author Jeff Lindsay created a serial killer who lived in more "shades of grey." His original novel "Darkly Dreaming Dexter" allowed the reader to sympathize with main character Dexter Morgan and the show maintained the book's darker tones. Dexter embraced the concept of the anti-hero and took it to further extremes than most shows are willing to. That is one advantage to the show airing on Showtime instead of a broadcast network because the show creators have more creative freedom without worrying about censors. Editors recut the show for airing on CBS after the ratings success on Showtime and due to programming holes left in the CBS schedule from the writer's strike in 2008. Dexter is currently entering its seventh season on Showtime. MEET THE AUTHOR Dave Beaudrie is a graduate and valedictorian of Michigan State University with a B.A. in Advertising. He also studied Theatre and has performed in multiple productions around the country. He is a professional screenwriter as well with several projects either produced or in pre-production. He is licensed as a security specialist in the state of California and worked in the field for several years. Beaudrie is an avid mixed martial arts fan and has written extensively on the subject. He writes comedy as well under a pen name and resides in Los Angeles. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK The casting of Dexter was vital to the show’s success and producers found a star in Michael C. Hall. Fresh off his work in the HBO series "Six Feet Under" and an accomplished stage actor, Hall had proven himself worthy of emotionally demanding roles but the question remained as to whether he could anchor a series himself? The answer was a resounding "yes" as Hall's intense performance created a cultural icon the likes of which hadn't been seen on television before. Hall was charismatic and funny, even while playing a relatively emotionless character without a real sense of humor. The supporting cast was up to the task as well, with Jennifer Carpenter and Julie Benz standing out as the two women in Dexter's life. Carpenter brought a humor and neurosis to Dexter's foster-sister Debra that was an effective counter-balance to Dexter's stoicism. Benz's Rita was a good-hearted woman who desperately wanted to love Dexter but didn't know if she knew how. Dexter first used Rita as a smokescreen to appear "normal" to the outside world but eventually developed a genuine affection and sense of responsibility for both her and her kids, which he himself thought he was incapable of doing. The cast was rounded out by David Zayas as Angel, the closest thing Dexter has to a friend in his life, and Erik King as Sgt. Doakes, who suspects Dexter of illegal activity but can't prove anything. Lauren Velez played Dexter's flirtatious superior Lt. Maria LaGuerta, who had a bone to pick with Debra and who was often a better politician than a cop. Dexter's conscience is kept in check by the memory of his adopted father Harry, played warmly by James Remar. "Dexter" embraced the concept of the anti-hero and took it to further extremes than most shows are willing to. That is one advantage to the show airing on Showtime instead of a broadcast network because the show creators have more creative freedom without worrying about censors. Editors recut the show for airing on CBS after the ratings success on Showtime and due to programming holes left in the CBS schedule.