• Arts & Photography
  
• Audiobooks
  
• Biography
  
• Business & Investing
  
• Calendars
  
• Children
  
• Computers & Internet
  
• Cooking, Food & Wine
  
• Film
  
• General AAS
  
• Greeting Cards & Accessories
  
• Health, Mind & Body
  
• History
  
• Home & Garden
  
• Humor, Comics & Pop Culture
  
• Literature & Fiction
  
• Mysteries & Thrillers
  
• Nonfiction
  
• Parenting & Families
  
• Reference
  
• Religion & Spirituality
  
• Romance
  
• Science & Nature
  
• Science Fiction & Fantasy
  
• Sports
  
• Teens
  
• Travel
  

List Price: $13.95
Price: $9.77
You Save: $4.18 (30%)

Water for Elephants: A Novel

Author: Sara Gruen
ASIN : 1565125606
Sales Rank : 107
Studio : Algonquin Books
Binding : Paperback
EAN : 9781565125605
ISBN : 1565125606
Number Of Pages : 350
Publication Date : December 09, 2007
Publisher : Algonquin Books
Manufacturer : Algonquin Books
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Algonquin Books

Product Description

As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

Amazon.com Review

Jacob Jankowski says: "I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other." At the beginning of Water for Elephants, he is living out his days in a nursing home, hating every second of it. His life wasn't always like this, however, because Jacob ran away and joined the circus when he was twenty-one. It wasn't a romantic, carefree decision, to be sure. His parents were killed in an auto accident one week before he was to sit for his veterinary medicine exams at Cornell. He buried his parents, learned that they left him nothing because they had mortgaged everything to pay his tuition, returned to school, went to the exams, and didn't write a single word. He walked out without completing the test and wound up on a circus train. The circus he joins, in Depression-era America, is second-rate at best. With Ringling Brothers as the standard, Benzini Brothers is far down the scale and pale by comparison.

Water for Elephants is the story of Jacob's life with this circus. Sara Gruen spares no detail in chronicling the squalid, filthy, brutish circumstances in which he finds himself. The animals are mangy, underfed or fed rotten food, and abused. Jacob, once it becomes known that he has veterinary skills, is put in charge of the "menagerie" and all its ills. Uncle Al, the circus impresario, is a self-serving, venal creep who slaps people around because he can. August, the animal trainer, is a certified paranoid schizophrenic whose occasional flights into madness and brutality often have Jacob as their object. Jacob is the only person in the book who has a handle on a moral compass and as his reward he spends most of the novel beaten, broken, concussed, bleeding, swollen and hungover. He is the self-appointed Protector of the Downtrodden, and... he falls in love with Marlena, crazy August's wife. Not his best idea.

The most interesting aspect of the book is all the circus lore that Gruen has so carefully researched. She has all the right vocabulary: grifters, roustabouts, workers, cooch tent, rubes, First of May, what the band plays when there's trouble, Jamaican ginger paralysis, life on a circus train, set-up and take-down, being run out of town by the "revenooers" or the cops, and losing all your hooch. There is one glorious passage about Marlena and Rosie, the bull elephant, that truly evokes the magic a circus can create. It is easy to see Marlena's and Rosie's pink sequins under the Big Top and to imagine their perfect choreography as they perform unbelievable stunts. The crowd loves it--and so will the reader. The ending is absolutely ludicrous and really quite lovely. --Valerie Ryan

List Price: $27.95
Price: $16.77
You Save: $11.18 (40%)

The Case Against Barack Obama: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media's Favorite Candidate

Author: David Freddoso
ASIN : 1596985666
Sales Rank : 1220
Studio : Regnery Publishing
Binding : Hardcover
EAN : 9781596985667
ISBN : 1596985666
Number Of Pages : 298
Publication Date : December 04, 2008
Release Date : December 04, 2008
Publisher : Regnery Publishing
Manufacturer : Regnery Publishing
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Regnery Publishing

Product Description

He's the media's darling, an inspiration to many, and the answer to everything from health care to taxes. He, of course, is Barack Obama - the silver-tongued senator with a phrase for everything and a promise for everyone. Sound too good to be true? That's because he is, as David Freddoso, investigative reporter and NRO columnist, shows to devastating effect in "The Case Against Barack Obama". In this shocking expose, Freddoso examines the reality behind the rhetoric, the plans behind the promises, and the faults behind the facade, revealing: why Obama's inexperience and extreme left-wing voting record is more dangerous than any threat we face today; why the Rev. Wright debacle reveals Obama's poor judgment of character and deceitful nature; and, why it won't be politics of change with President Obama - it will be liberal politics as usual.Freddoso exposes the real Barack Obama: a typical big-government politician, the Number 1 most liberal U.S. senator, - and - if he were commander-in-chief - a serious threat to our national security.

New Price: $11.50

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Author: Malcolm Gladwell
ASIN : B001G60FTI
Sales Rank : 138
Studio : Little, Brown and Company
Format : Bargain Price
Binding : Hardcover
Number Of Pages : 288
Publication Date : December 11, 2005
Publisher : Little, Brown and Company
Manufacturer : Little, Brown and Company
Label : Little, Brown and Company

Product Description

How do we make decisions--good and bad--and why are some people so much better at it than others? Thats the question Malcolm Gladwell asks and answers in the follow-up to his huge bestseller, The Tipping Point. Utilizing case studies as diverse as speed dating, pop music, and the shooting of Amadou Diallo, Gladwell reveals that what we think of as decisions made in the blink of an eye are much more complicated than assumed. Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology, he shows how the difference between good decision-making and bad has nothing to do with how much information we can process quickly, but on the few particular details on which we focus. Leaping boldly from example to example, displaying all of the brilliance that made The Tipping Point a classic, Gladwell reveals how we can become better decision makers--in our homes, our offices, and in everyday life. The result is a book that is surprising and transforming. Never again will you think about thinking the same way.

Amazon.com Review

Blink is about the first two seconds of looking--the decisive glance that knows in an instant. Gladwell, the best-selling author of The Tipping Point, campaigns for snap judgments and mind reading with a gift for translating research into splendid storytelling. Building his case with scenes from a marriage, heart attack triage, speed dating, choking on the golf course, selling cars, and military maneuvers, he persuades readers to think small and focus on the meaning of "thin slices" of behavior. The key is to rely on our "adaptive unconscious"--a 24/7 mental valet--that provides us with instant and sophisticated information to warn of danger, read a stranger, or react to a new idea.

Gladwell includes caveats about leaping to conclusions: marketers can manipulate our first impressions, high arousal moments make us "mind blind," focusing on the wrong cue leaves us vulnerable to "the Warren Harding Effect" (i.e., voting for a handsome but hapless president). In a provocative chapter that exposes the "dark side of blink," he illuminates the failure of rapid cognition in the tragic stakeout and murder of Amadou Diallo in the Bronx. He underlines studies about autism, facial reading and cardio uptick to urge training that enhances high-stakes decision-making. In this brilliant, cage-rattling book, one can only wish for a thicker slice of Gladwell's ideas about what Blink Camp might look like. --Barbara Mackoff

List Price: $17.99
Price: $7.99
You Save: $10 (56%)

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 4)

Author: Rick Riordan
ASIN : B001IWO870
Sales Rank : 187
Studio : Hyperion Book CH
Format : Bargain Price
Binding : Hardcover
Number Of Pages : 368
Publication Date : December 06, 2008
Release Date : December 06, 2008
Publisher : Hyperion Book CH
Manufacturer : Hyperion Book CH
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Hyperion Book CH

Product Description

Percy Jackson isn’t expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse. In this latest installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos’s army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth–a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn. Full of humor and heart-pounding action, this latest audiobook promises to be their most thrilling adventure yet.

List Price: $65.00
Price: $39.00
You Save: $26 (40%)

Vanity Fair: The Portraits: A Century of Iconic Images

Authors: Graydon Carter, David Friend
ASIN : 0810972980
Sales Rank : 574
Studio : Abrams
Binding : Hardcover
EAN : 9780810972988
ISBN : 0810972980
Number Of Pages : 384
Publication Date : December 01, 2008
Publisher : Abrams
Manufacturer : Abrams
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Abrams

Product Description

List Price: $15.00
Price: $5.99
You Save: $9.01 (60%)

The Red Tent: A Novel

Author: Anita Diamant
ASIN : B001F0RA3E
Sales Rank : 904
Studio : Picador
Format : Bargain Price
Binding : Paperback
Number Of Pages : 336
Publication Date : December 21, 2007
Release Date : December 21, 2007
Publisher : Picador
Manufacturer : Picador
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Picador

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. Like the conversations and mysteries held within this feminine tent, this sweeping piece of fiction offers an insider's look at the daily life of a biblical sorority of mothers and wives and their one and only daughter, Dinah. Told in the voice of Jacob's daughter Dinah (who only received a glimpse of recognition in the Book of Genesis), we are privy to the fascinating feminine characters who bled within the red tent. In a confiding and poetic voice, Dinah whispers stories of her four mothers, Rachel, Leah, Zilpah, and Bilhah--all wives to Jacob, and each one embodying unique feminine traits. As she reveals these sensual and emotionally charged stories we learn of birthing miracles, slaves, artisans, household gods, and sisterhood secrets. Eventually Dinah delves into her own saga of betrayals, grief, and a call to midwifery.

"Like any sisters who live together and share a husband, my mother and aunties spun a sticky web of loyalties and grudges," Anita Diamant writes in the voice of Dinah. "They traded secrets like bracelets, and these were handed down to me the only surviving girl. They told me things I was too young to hear. They held my face between their hands and made me swear to remember." Remembering women's earthy stories and passionate history is indeed the theme of this magnificent book. In fact, it's been said that The Red Tent is what the Bible might have been had it been written by God's daughters, instead of her sons. --Gail Hudson

List Price: $27.95
Price: $16.77
You Save: $11.18 (40%)

Paul of Dune

Authors: Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson
ASIN : 0765312948
Sales Rank : 962
Studio : Tor Books
Binding : Hardcover
EAN : 9780765312945
ISBN : 0765312948
Number Of Pages : 512
Publication Date : December 16, 2008
Release Date : December 16, 2008
Publisher : Tor Books
Manufacturer : Tor Books
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Tor Books

Product Description

List Price: $24.95
Price: $14.97
You Save: $9.98 (40%)

Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds

Author: Jenny McCarthy
ASIN : 0525950699
Sales Rank : 558
Studio : Dutton Adult
Binding : Hardcover
EAN : 9780525950691
ISBN : 0525950699
Number Of Pages : 248
Publication Date : December 23, 2008
Publisher : Dutton Adult
Manufacturer : Dutton Adult
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Dutton Adult

Product Description

Stories of hope and recovery from a nation of parents of autistic children, by the high-profile, bestselling author of Louder Than Words.

When Jenny McCarthy published Louder Than Words, the story of her successful efforts to save her son, Evan, from autism, the response was tremendous. It hit #3 on the New York Times bestseller list; and Jenny and Evan were featured on the covers of several magazines, including People. But what she hadn’t anticipated was the overwhelming response from other parents of autistic children, who sought her out to share their stories.

No two autistic children heal in exactly the same way. And in her new book, Jenny expands her message to share recovery stories from parents across the country. Mother Warriors, shows how each parent fought to find her own child’s perfect “remedy of interventions” and teaches parents how to navigate safely through the many autism therapies.

Along the way, Jenny shares her own journey as an autism advocate and mother as well as the progress of her son, Evan. Emotional and genuinely practical, Mother Warriors will inspire a generation of parents with hope.

List Price: $24.00
Price: $9.60
You Save: $14.4 (60%)

Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction

Author: David Sheff
ASIN : 0618683356
Sales Rank : 1174
Studio : Houghton Mifflin Co
Binding : Hardcover
EAN : 9780618683352
ISBN : 0618683356
Number Of Pages : 326
Publication Date : December 26, 2008
Release Date : December 26, 2008
Publisher : Houghton Mifflin Co
Manufacturer : Houghton Mifflin Co
Availability : Usually ships in 24 hours
Label : Houghton Mifflin Co

Product Description

Sheff s story is a first: a teenager s addiction from the parent s point of view a real-time chronicle of the shocking descent into substance abuse and the gradual emergence into hope. Before meth, Sheff s son Nic was a varsity athlete, honor student, and award-winning journalist. After meth, he was a trembling wraith who stole money from his eight-year-old brother and lived on the streets. With haunting candor, Sheff traces the first subtle warning signs, the denial (by both child and parents), the three A.M. phone calls (is it Nic? the police? the hospital?), the attempts at rehab, and, at last, the way past addiction. He shows us that, whatever an addict s fate, the rest of the family must care for each other too, lest they become addicted to addiction. Meth is the fastest-growing drug in the United States, as well as the most addictive and the most dangerous wreaking permanent brain damage faster than any other readily available drug. It has invaded every region and demographic in America. This book is the first that treats meth and its impact in depth. But it is not just about meth. Nic s addiction has wrought the same damage that any addiction will wreak. His story, and his father s, are those of any family that contains an addict and one in three American families does.

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best of the Month, February 2008: From as early as grade school, the world seemed to be on Nic Sheff's string. Bright and athletic, he excelled in any setting and appeared destined for greatness. Yet as childhood exuberance faded into teenage angst, the precocious boy found himself going down a much different path. Seduced by the illicit world of drugs and alcohol, he quickly found himself caught in the clutches of addiction. Beautiful Boy is Nic's story, but from the perspective of his father, David. Achingly honest, it chronicles the betrayal, pain, and terrifying question marks that haunt the loved ones of an addict. Many respond to addiction with a painful oath of silence, but David Sheff opens up personal wounds to reinforce that it is a disease, and must be treated as such. Most importantly, his journey provides those in similar situations with a commodity that they can never lose: hope --Dave Callanan

New Price: $7.92

The Areas of My Expertise

Author: John Hodgman
ASIN : B000O17CZ6
Sales Rank : 547
Studio : Riverhead Trade
Format : Bargain Price
Binding : Paperback
Number Of Pages : 256
Publication Date : December 05, 2006
Publisher : Riverhead Trade
Manufacturer : Riverhead Trade
Label : Riverhead Trade

Product Description

Borges meets the bathroom book in John Hodgman's bestselling almanac of complete (and fabricated) world knowledge.

Abridged CDs - 4 CDs, 5 hours

Amazon.com Review

With his Daily Show appearances and his "I'm a PC" Apple ads, John Hodgman has only become more famous since the hardcover edition of his all-you-need compendium of facts, The Areas of My Expertise was released. He has also become smarter. To reflect this, the paperback edition of The Areas of My Expertise has been expanded to include 100 new hobo names and new, additional complete world knowledge. John Hodgman and his fur-hatted associate, Jonathan, have prepared an exclusive video for Amazon customers explaining the above.

Click here or on the image above to watch John Hodgman describe the only book you'll ever need.