Publisher: Advantage Media Group
When the odds are stacked against you, will you have the audacity to wonder, and the unrelenting courage to thrive? Mary Ann Cloyd's The Audacity to Wonder is a compelling memoir that takes readers from her modest beginnings in a small Texas town to prominent leadership positions as a partner at PwC.
This audiobook is narrated by an AI Voice. Hearts of the Crown: Royal Romances That Shaped Nations True love stories that changed history—and the world. When kings and queens followed their hearts, empires trembled, alliances shifted, and history was rewritten. Hearts of the Crown uncovers the most captivating royal romances that defined destinies, toppled thrones, and forever altered nations. From King Edward VIII’s shocking abdication for Wallis Simpson to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s enduring love that strengthened an empire, these real-life love stories reveal how passion and politics collided behind palace doors. Explore the forbidden affairs, arranged marriages, and secret relationships that influenced diplomacy, inspired revolutions, and tested the limits of loyalty and power. Perfect for fans of The Crown, Victoria, and royal biography books, Hearts of the Crown blends historical nonfiction and human emotion to show how love—whether scandalous or strategic—shaped the fate of monarchies across Europe and beyond.Show book
For decades, America has been considered to be the natural home of serial killers. Infamous names like Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer are internationally known and feared, and rightly so. But what if, just south of the border, there was a far more active network of serial killers? What if the perfect storm of crime, fuelled by this nation's deadly narco wars, has turned Mexico into an ideal hunting ground for many of the most bizarre and blood thirsty serial killers the world has ever seen? Serial Killers of Mexico delves into this criminal underbelly to tell the stories of the psychopathic loners, professional narco assassins and the overwhelmed law enforcement trying desperately to hunt them down. “If I was a serial killer looking for new victims, I'd head over the border to Mexico because life is cheap there and the police have got so much other sh*t to investigate, they don't bother with random killings.” - A FORMER FBI AGENTShow book
“Riveting...powerful...brilliant...necessary.” (Kirkus Reviews) For those drawn to both Tara Westover’s moving account of a difficult childhood and Susan Cain’s research on underappreciated traits... Canaries Among Us reveals the exquisite joy and tender heartache inherent in raising a child who is undervalued by a community. A lifeline to those struggling with learning differences, bullying, and anxiety, Canaries Among Us explores one of the most widespread threats to child well-being: a lack of acceptance. This heart-rending exposé provides a candid view of the ways unique children are regularly misunderstood and mistreated. Fortunately, through raw storytelling and groundbreaking science, Taylor points to an inspirational alternative: supporting, and even celebrating, the dazzling variety of our humanity. Praise: "[A]n important book with essential messages for all of us." (BookTrib) “[A] masterpiece...a poignant, urgent, and important story that has yet to be told and needs to be heard.” (Rosalie Whitlock, CEO of the Children’s Health Council) “This book should be required reading for educators, caregivers, and health.” (Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees & Wannabes) “For any parent who has worried their child does not fit in...this amazing book will heal your soul.” (Jo Boaler, author of Limitless Mind) Editor's pick—Booklife by Publisher's Weekly Five out of five stars—SF Book Review Warning: Content covers bullying and anxiety. It also mentions a broad range of victimizations in an effort to recognize, validate, and support all survivors. Still, the content might be difficult for some. Please prioritize self-care. Note: This book was previously subtitled A Mother’s Quest to Honor Her Child’s Individuality in a Culture Determined to Negate It.Show book
Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was born on 24th June 1842 at Horse Cave Creek in Meigs County, Ohio. His parents were poor but they introduced him to literature at an early age, instilling in him a deep appreciation of books, the written word and the elegance of language. Growing up in Koscuisko County, Indiana poverty and religion were defining features of his childhood, and he would later describe his parents as “unwashed savages” and fanatically religious, showing him little affection but always quick to punish. He came to resent religion, and his introduction to literature appears to be their only positive effect. At age 15 Bierce left home to become a printer’s devil, mixing ink and fetching type at The Northern Indian, a small Ohio paper. Falsely accused of theft he returned to his farm and spent time sending out work in the hopes of being published. His Uncle Lucius advised he be sent to the Kentucky Military Institute. A year later he was commissioned as an Officer. As the Civil War started Bierce enlisted in the 9th Indiana Infantry Regiment. In April 1862 Bierce fought at the Battle of Shiloh, an experience which, though terrifying, became the source of several short stories. Two years later he sustained a serious head wound and was off duty for several months. He was discharged in early 1865. A later expedition to inspect military outposts across the Great Plains took him all the way to San Francisco. He remained there to become involved with publishing and editing and to marry, Mary Ellen on Christmas Day 1871. They had a child, Day, the following year. In 1872 the family moved to England for 3 years where he wrote for Fun magazine. His son, Leigh, was born, and first book, ‘The Fiend’s Delight’, was published. They returned to San Francisco and to work for a number of papers where he gained admiration for his crime reporting. In 1887 he began a column at the William Randolph Hearst’s San Francisco Examiner. Bierce’s marriage fell apart when he discovered compromising letters to his wife from a secret admirer. The following year, 1889 his son Day committed suicide, depressed by romantic rejection. In 1891 Bierce wrote and published the collection of 26 short stories which included ‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge’. Success and further works including poetry followed. Bierce with Hearst’s resources helped uncover a financial plot by a railroad to turn 130 million dollars of loans into a handout. Confronted by the railroad and asked to name his price Bierce answered “my price is $130 million dollars. If, when you are ready to pay, I happen to be out of town, you may hand it over to my friend, the Treasurer of the United States”. He now began his first foray as a fabulist, publishing ‘Fantastic Fables’ in 1899. But tragedy again struck two years later when his second son Leigh died of pneumonia relating to his alcoholism. He continued to write short stories and poetry and also published ‘The Devil’s Dictionary’. At the age of 71, in 1913 Bierce departed from Washington, D.C., for a tour of the battlefields where he had fought during the civil war. At the city of Chihuahua he wrote his last known communication, a letter to a friend. It’s closing words were “as to me, I leave here tomorrow for an unknown destination,” Ambrose Bierce then vanished without trace.Show book
Imagine that Isaac Babel’s Cossacks wassail together with Runyonesque Liverpool Jews outside the plate-glass window of a Hampstead café where a Klezmer band is playing to a packed and tea-drinking congregation of jazzmen, Hasidic scholars, surrealists, old soldiers, and retired strippers; and you have the tone and temperature of this unique and unclassifiable memoir – no, not memoir, more a stream-of-consciousness novella – no, not a novella but a piece of autobiographical fiction – no, not autobiography but a picaresque drama conquered from the unreliable and fertile brain of the eponymous Fastovski.And who is Fastovski? Is he real or invented? Is he perhaps the alter-ego of real-life jazz pianist, Klezmer swinger, big band leader and flaneur, Wallace Fields, who stares at us from the book’s frontispiece in shades, Diaghilev coat and moustache, over a cup of strong black coffee? Fastovski’s not telling and anyway, who cares.This is a book to be devoured, disseminated, denounced, and delighted in. It belongs to all who think art and life are one and that the Arch-Savant of Canterbury, Issy Bonn, Rashid the Manic Berber Chef of NW3, and Mrs Karl Popper, have an equal claim on history. I haven’t had such a good time since I shared Sir Ralph Richardson’s motorbike with a parrot and a striking grandmother clock.Piers PlowrightAugust 2008Show book
What if you could unlock the secrets of the cosmos, understand the nature of the divine, and discover your soul’s purpose? Corpus Hermeticum: Ancient Wisdom on the Divine, the Cosmos, and the Soul is a modern translation of the foundational Hermetic texts, designed to make the profound teachings of Hermes Trismegistus accessible to contemporary readers. These ancient writings explore the fundamental truths about creation, the interplay between the material and spiritual realms, and the path to self-discovery and enlightenment. Far more than a historical document, the Corpus Hermeticum provides timeless insights into the mysteries of existence, inviting readers to contemplate their connection to the divine and their place in the cosmos. What You’ll Discover in This Modern Translation: - The Nature of the Divine and the Cosmos – Explore the sacred principles that govern creation and the interconnectedness of all things. - The Path to Enlightenment – Learn how to align your soul with divine wisdom and achieve spiritual awakening. - Timeless Spiritual Practices – Discover ancient teachings that remain relevant for personal growth and reflection today. - Bridging the Material and Spiritual Worlds – Understand the Hermetic principle of “as above, so below” and its implications for daily life. Imagine understanding the divine truths that connect you to the cosmos, discovering the potential within your soul, and finding clarity in life’s mysteries. The teachings of Hermes Trismegistus have inspired spiritual seekers for millennia—now, it’s your turn. Take the first step toward spiritual enlightenment and cosmic understanding. Get your copy today and uncover the ancient wisdom that can transform your life.Show book
