Indie Publishing: How to Design and Produce Your Own Book
by Ellen Lupton
Published 2008 by Princeton Architectural Press

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9781568987606

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Jacket Notes:

"Indie Publishinga (TM)s" special focus on the visual design of books makes it unique among publish-it-yourself manuals. Readers are taken step-by-step through the process of designing a book to give it personal style as well as visual coherence and authority. Design principles such as scale, cropping, pacing, and typography are explored in relation to each example, along with commentary on how to create effective title pages, tables of contents, captions, and more. The book aims to inspire readers with examples of print projects similar to those they might undertake on their own. Sample designs include a picture book, artista (TM)s portfolio, exhibition catalog, poetry chapbook, novel, and zine. Indie Publishing addresses the important business aspects of independent publishing a " from how and why you should get an ISBN number to creating promotional materials and using the internet to market your book. This comprehensive, illustrated guide concludes with a curated portfolio of the most exciting examples of independent publishing from the contemporary scene, reproduced in full color.

Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (and Why We Don't Know about Them)
by Bart D Ehrman
Published 2009 by HarperOne

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780061173936

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Jacket Notes:

The "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Misquoting Jesus" reveals how books in the Bible were actually forged by later authors and that the New Testament itself is riddled with contradictory claims about Jesus--information that scholars know but the general public does not. Picking up where Bible expert Bart Ehrman's "New York Times" bestseller "Misquoting Jesus" left off, "Jesus, Interrupted" addresses the larger issue of what the New Testament actually teaches--and it's not what most people think. Here Ehrman reveals what scholars have unearthed: The authors of the New Testament have diverging views about who Jesus was and how salvation works The New Testament contains books that were forged in the names of the apostles by Christian writers who lived decades later Jesus, Paul, Matthew, and John all represented fundamentally different religions Established Christian doctrines--such as the suffering messiah, the divinity of Jesus, and the trinity--were the inventions of still later theologians These are not idiosyncratic perspectives of just one modern scholar. As Ehrman skillfully demonstrates, they have been the standard and widespread views of critical scholars across a full spectrum of denominations and traditions. Why is it most people have never heard such things? This is the book that pastors, educators, and anyone interested in the Bible have been waiting for--a clear and compelling account of the central challenges we face when attempting to reconstruct the life and message of Jesus.

Blue Collar & Proud of It: The All-In-One Resource for Finding Freedom, Financial Success, and Security Outside the Cubicle
by Joe Lamacchia
Published 2009 by Health Communications

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780757307782

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Jacket Notes:

This guide is a "What Color Is Your Parachute?" for the blue collar trades--part motivational primer, part comprehensive resource guide for the millions of people who want a rewarding career (and a life) when they're not cut out to spend their days in a cubicle. The All-in-One Resource for Infrastructure Jobs, Green Careers, Reliable Blue-Collar Work, and More! Not everyone is suited to a white-collar career or wants to get the four-year degree

that these jobs typically require. But that doesn't mean you have to turn your back

on a great salary, exciting work, and a profession that commands respect.

Joe Lamacchia is proof. After graduating high school, he said no to college-and found

personal and professional success as the owner of a thriving landscaping company. He also started BlueCollarandProudofIt.com, a resource for people who want to find work in the skilled trades. Blue-collar workers build and maintain our bridges, keep our cars running, fix our plumbing, and provide vital services to every home. That's why Lamacchia

calls these 'necessary jobs.' Most blue-collar work simply cannot be outsourced to foreign

countries and it's often recession-proof. As Baby Boomers retire, blue-collar industries

are experiencing workforce shortages because there aren't enough well-trained

people to fill all of these jobs. That is, until now . . .

Blue Collar and Proud of It gives you the information you need to pursue a stable, enjoyable, well-paying job-one that makes a difference every day in your community.

Whether you're just out of high school, have been a victim of downsizing, or are looking for a new direction, Lamacchia explains all the options, outlines the necessary training, and delivers true stories of people who have made their own way in the blue-collar world. Discover a wealth of opportunities, including:

- carpentry - machinery - roofing - electricians - truck drivers - green construction

- Broadband technicians - welding - ironworkers - solar panel installation

- water conservation

As They See 'em: A Fan's Travels in the Land of Umpires
by Bruce Weber
Published 2009 by Scribner Book Company

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780743294119

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Jacket Notes:

In the bestselling tradition of George Plimpton's "Paper Lion, As They See Em" gets down, dirty, and loud with professional baseball umpires--granting readers unprecedented access to the hidden game inside America's favorite pastime. Millions of American baseball fans know, with absolute certainty, that umpires are simply overpaid galoots who are doing an easy job badly. Millions of American baseball fans are wrong."As They See 'Em" is an insider's look at the largely unknown world of professional umpires, the small group of men (and the very occasional woman) who make sure America's favorite pastime is conducted in a manner that is clean, crisp, and true. Bruce Weber, a "New York Times" reporter, not only interviewed dozens of professional umpires but entered their world, trained to become an umpire, and then spent a season working games from Little League to big league spring training."As They See 'Em" is Weber's entertaining account of this experience as well as a lively exploration of what amounts to an eccentric secret society, with its own customs, its own rituals, its own colorful vocabulary. (Know what a "whacker" is? A "pole bender"? "Rat cheese"? Think you could "strap it on" or "take the stick"?) He explains the arcane set of rules by which umps work and details the exasperating, tortuous path that allows only a select few to graduate from the minor leagues to the majors. He describes what it's like to work in a ballpark where not only the fans but the players, the managers and coaches, the announcers, the team owners, and even the league presidents, resent them -- and vice versa. And he asks, quite sensibly, why anyone would do a job that offers the chance to earn only blame and never credit.Weber reveals how umps are tutored to work behind the plate, what they learn to watch for on the bases, and how proper positioning for every imaginable situation on the field is drilled into them. He describes how they're counseled to respond -- or not -- to managers who are screaming at them from inches away with purposeful inanity, and tells us exactly which "magic" words result in an automatic ejection. Writing with deep knowledge of and affection for baseball, he delves into such questions as: Why isn't every strike created equal? Is the ump part of the game or outside of it? Why doesn't a tie go to the runner? And what do umps and managers say to each other during an argument, really?In addition to professional umpires, Weber spoke to current and former players including Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Tom Glavine, Barry Zito, Paul Lo Duca, Kenny Lofton, Ron Darling, and Robin Yount, as well as former baseball commissioner Fay Vincent, Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland, and many others in the professional game. He attended the 2006 and 2007 World Series, interviewing the umpire crews who called those games and who spoke candidly about the pressure of being scrutinized by millions -- maybe billions! -- of fans around the world, all of them armed with television's slo-mo, hi-def instant replay. As fans know, in 2008, a rash of miscalled home run balls led baseball, for the first time, to use replay to help big league umps make their decisions.Weber discusses these events and the umpires' surprising reaction to them.Packed with fascinating reportage that reveals the game as never before and answers the kinds of questions that fans, exasperated by the cliches of conventional sports commentary, pose to themselves around the television set, Bruce Weber's "As They See 'Em" is a towering grand slam.

Publishers Weekly 01/12/2009

In a no-holds-barred insider examination of the private world of baseball umpires, both minor and major leagues, Weber, a "New York Times" reporter, dives into the rough basic training school for the men who call balls and strikes in this irresistible book. As a 52-year-old student umpire, the author dons the mask and learns the fundamentals, while spending almost three years visiting baseball venues across the country, as well as interviewing former umpires, players and coaches. Many candidates dream of making it to the majors, as about 100,000 amateur baseball umpires call games in the U.S., Weber writes, but only 68 pro umpires make it to the big show. Baseball fans will love the insightful, richly textured account of Weber trying to master the plate stance, monitoring each pitch and maintaining a proper strike zone in a physically demanding occupation. However, his book lifts heads-and-shoulders above other baseball tomes by putting a funny, surprising treasury of anecdotes from the sport at its entertaining core."(Mar.)" Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

You Majored in What?: Mapping Your Path from Chaos to Career
by Katharine Brooks
Published 2009 by Viking Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780670020829

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Jacket Notes:

Has it happened yet? Have you been asked The Question? You know the one. Itas the question that haunts you from your early undergrad days to months, even years, after you graduatea] a"What are you going to do with that major?"a Inevitably this unleashes waves of anxiety, whether youare a liberal arts student unsure what your degree has prepared you for, someone with a apracticala major whose career field is oversaturated (or just unappealing), or a recent grad still searching for inspiration. But take heart a The Question is fundamentally flawed. Your major does not equal your job!

In "You Majored In What?," nationally known career counselor Dr. Katharine Brooks dispels the myths and the old-fashioned thinking that can make your transition to the areal worlda so daunting and chaotic. Developed from more than twenty years of teaching and guiding students to successful careers, her Wise Wanderings career coaching system helps you mine your academic and life experiences for career gold through creative yet practical techniques including visual mapping, storytelling, and experimenting. Thanks to the Wise Wanderings system, you can forget what youave been told about the job search. You donat have to know where youall be in ten years. You donat have to have picked the perfect major. The job-finding process doesnat have to be one more burden on your already overburdened schedule. All you have to do is pay attention. Embrace the chaos. Think. Create maps. Construct small experiments. Celebrate your education. Consider possible lives. Tell stories. And start wandering. Wisely, of course. Youall be amazed at whatas waiting out there for you.

Publisher's Marketing Text:

Has it happened yet? Have you been asked The Question? You know the one. Itas the question that haunts you from your early undergrad days to months, even years, after you graduatea] a"What are you going to do with that major?"a Inevitably this unleashes waves of anxiety, whether youare a liberal arts student unsure what your degree has prepared you for, someone with a apracticala major whose career field is oversaturated (or just unappealing), or a recent grad still searching for inspiration. But take heart a The Question is fundamentally flawed. Your major does not equal your job!
In "You Majored In What?," nationally known career counselor Dr. Katharine Brooks dispels the myths and the old-fashioned thinking that can make your transition to the areal worlda so daunting and chaotic. Developed from more than twenty years of teaching and guiding students to successful careers, her Wise Wanderings career coaching system helps you mine your academic and life experiences for career gold through creative yet practical techniques including visual mapping, storytelling, and experimenting. Thanks to the Wise Wanderings system, you can forget what youave been told about the job search. You donat have to know where youall be in ten years. You donat have to have picked the perfect major. The job-finding process doesnat have to be one more burden on your already overburdened schedule. All you have to do is pay attention. Embrace the chaos. Think. Create maps. Construct small experiments. Celebrate your education. Consider possible lives. Tell stories. And start wandering. Wisely, of course. Youall be amazed at whatas waiting out there for you.

How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give in
by Jim Collins
Published 2009 by HarperCollins

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780977326419

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Jacket Notes:

Good to Great and Built to Last identified the distinguishing characteristics shared by companies that not only achieved greatness, but also sustained it. In How The Mighty Fall, Jim Collins considers the "dark side," offering a perspective on how a fall from greatness can happen - to even the seemingly invincible. Adapting the very methodology that established Good to Great as a landmark, How the Mighty Fall shows that every institution, no matter how great, is vulnerable to decline, but recovery is possible. In some cases, companies emerge stronger - even after having crashed into the depths of a near-catastrophic fall. Decline can be avoided. Decline can be detected. Decline can be reversed. Amidst the desolate landscape of fallen great companies, Jim Collins began to wonder: How "do" the mighty fall? Can decline be detected early and avoided? How far can a company fall before the path toward doom becomes inevitable and unshakable? How can companies reverse course? In "How the Mighty Fall," Collins confronts these questions, offering leaders the well-founded hope that they can learn how to stave off decline and, if they find themselves falling, reverse their course. Collins' research project--more than four years in duration--uncovered five step-wise stages of decline: Stage 1: Hubris Born of Success Stage 2: Undisciplined Pursuit of More Stage 3: Denial of Risk and Peril Stage 4: Grasping for Salvation Stage 5: Capitulation to Irrelevance or Death By understanding these stages of decline, leaders can substantially reduce their chances of falling all the way to the bottom. Great companies can stumble, badly, and recover. Every institution, no matter how great, is vulnerable to decline. There is no law of nature that the most powerful will inevitably remain at the top. Anyone can fall and most eventually do. But, as Collins' research emphasizes, some companies do indeed recover--in some cases, coming back even stronger--"even after having crashed into the depths of Stage 4." Decline, it turns out, is largely self-inflicted, and the path to recovery lies largely within our own hands. We are not imprisoned by our circumstances, our history, or even our staggering defeats along the way. As long as we never get entirely knocked out of the game, hope always remains. The mighty can fall, but they can often rise again.

We Who Are Alive and Remain: Untold Stories from the Band of Brothers
by Marcus Brotherton
Published 2009 by Berkley Caliber

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9780425227633

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Jacket Notes:

From the co-author of "Call of Duty" comes a new collection of untold stories from the legendary Easy Company, the military unit immortalized in "Band of Brothers." From Marcus Brotherton, co-author of "Call of Duty," comes a new collection of untold stories from the "Band of Brothers."

They were the men of the now-legendary Easy Company. After almost two years of hard training, they parachuted into Normandy on DDay and, later, Operation Market Garden. They fought their way through Belgium, France, and Germany, survived overwhelming odds, liberated concentration camps, and drank a victory toast in April 1945 at Hitleras hideout in the Alps. Here, revealed for the first time, are stories of war, sacrifice, and courage as experienced by one of the most revered combat units in military history. In "We Who Are Alive and Remain," twenty men who were there and are alive todayaand the families of three deceased othersarecount the horrors and the victories, the bonds they made, the tears and blood they sheda]and the brothers they lost.

Creepy Cute Crochet: Zombies, Ninjas, Robots, and More!
by Christen A Haden
Published 2008 by Quirk Books

Hardcover, English. ISBN: 9781594742323

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Jacket Notes:

If you're a fan of amigurumi, you already know that super-sweet crocheted bunnies and kitties and pandas have taken the indie craft world by storm. Well, the dolls in Creepy Cute Crochet eat your typical amigurumi for breakfast. This unique craft book contains more than 25 patterns for zombies, ninjas, Vikings, vampires, aliens, robots, and even Death himself. Each easy-to-follow pattern is presented with step-by-step diagrams, hilarious commentary, and full-color photographs of the creatures in their natural environments. Plus each pattern is ranked according to difficulty so that even beginners can share in the fun. The scary-cute photographs, accessible text, and illustrated patterns are sure to be a hit with indie crafters, angsty teens, and hip moms everywhere.