todayilearned
1–20 of 135 results
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Guided Destiny
3005I began writing Guided Destiny as a form of therapy to help me to cope with the loss of my son. I wanted to remember every aspect of his remarkable life and the journey he took us on. Never before had I met someone so astonishing. To be his parent was a true honor. The first days of writing were filled with tears. Then as the days progressed I felt as if we were reliving his life together. What I did not expect to happen were the words that appeared on the paper. Words, that were not mine, wo…
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Prisoner of the Vatican: The Popes, the Kings, and Garibaldi’s Rebels in the Struggle to Rule Mod…
2348Praise for David Kertzer and Prisoner of the Vatican:”Kertzer once again proves himself a truly compelling historian.” — André Aciman”Prisoner of the Vatican reads like exciting fiction. And it has astounding contemporary relevance.” — Alfred Uhry”Kertzer’s careful scholarship and lucid writing make the human character of this religious institution quite clear.” — James Carroll”Fascinating.” — Entertainment Weekly”Lively . . . filled with telling anecdotes and colorful descriptions of the…
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The Journeyer
2278Marco Polo was nicknamed “Marco of the millions” because his Venetian countrymen took the grandiose stories of his travels to be exaggerated, if not outright lies. As he lay dying, his priest, family, and friends offered him a last chance to confess his mendacity, and Marco, it is said, replied “I have not told the half of what I saw and did.” Now Gary Jennings has imagined the half that Marco left unsaid as even more elaborate and adventurous than the tall tales thought to be lies. From the …
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Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victor
2063NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF A SPY AMONG FRIENDSIn 1943, from a windowless basement office in London, two brilliant intelligence officers conceived a plan that was both simple and complicated— Operation Mincemeat. The purpose? To deceive the Nazis into thinking that Allied forces were planning to attack southern Europe by way of Greece or Sardinia, rather than Sicily, as the Nazis had assumed, and the Allies ultimately chose. Charles Cholmondeley of MI5 and the British naval intellige…
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The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring in Wartime Washington
2001Now in paperback, and following her extraordinary, bestselling, and much-acclaimed accounts of the most guarded secrets of the Second World War, here is a rollicking true story of spies, politicians, journalists, and intrigue in the highest circles of Washington during the tumultuous days of World War II.When Roald Dahl, a dashing young wounded RAF pilot, took up his post at the British Embassy in 1942, his assignment was to use his good looks, wit, and considerable charm to gain access to th…
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Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
1835The astonishing national bestseller and hugely entertaining story that completely changed the way we run.An epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? Isolated by Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons, the blissful Tarahumara Indians have honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest or injury. In a riveting narrative, award-winning journalist and often-injured runner Christopher McDougall sets out to discover their secrets. In the process, he takes his read…
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Natural Harvest: A collection of semen-based recipes
1675Semen is not only nutritious, but it also has a wonderful texture and amazing cooking properties. Like fine wine and cheeses, the taste of semen is complex and dynamic. Semen is inexpensive to produce and is commonly available in many, if not most, homes and restaurants. Despite all of these positive qualities, semen remains neglected as a food. This book hopes to change that. Once you overcome any initial hesitation, you will be surprised to learn how wonderful semen is in the kitchen. Semen…
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World Order
1659“Dazzling and instructive . . . [a] magisterial new book.” —Walter Isaacson, Time Henry Kissinger offers in World Order a deep meditation on the roots of international harmony and global disorder. Drawing on his experience as one of the foremost statesmen of the modern era—advising presidents, traveling the world, observing and shaping the central foreign policy events of recent decades—Kissinger now reveals his analysis of the ultimate challenge for the twenty-first century: how to build a s…
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Coreyography: A Memoir
1627“Spares no details.” ―Starred Publishers Weekly Review”An incredible read.” ―Richard Donner, Director”People always ask me about life after childhood stardom. What would I say to parents of children in the industry? My only advice, honestly, is to get these kids out of Hollywood and let them lead normal lives.” ―Corey FeldmanA deeply personal and revealing Hollywood-survival story.Lovable child star by age ten, international teen idol by fifteen, and to this day a perennial pop-culture staple…
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The Radioactive Boy Scout: The True Story of a Boy and His Backyard Nuclear Reactor
1538Growing up in suburban Detroit, David Hahn was fascinated by science, and his basement experiments—building homemade fireworks, brewing moonshine, and concocting his own self-tanning lotion—were more ambitious than those of other boys. While working on his Atomic Energy badge for the Boy Scouts, David’s obsessive attention turned to nuclear energy. Throwing caution to the wind, he plunged into a new project: building a nuclear breeder reactor in his backyard garden shed.In The Radioactive Bo…
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Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself
1527The healing touchstone of millions, this modern classic by one of America’s best-loved and most inspirational authors holds the key to understanding codependency and to unlocking its stultifying hold on your life.Is someone else’s problem your problem? If, like so many others, you’ve lost sight of your own life in the drama of tending to someone else’s, you may be codependent–and you may find yourself in this book–Codependent No More.The healing touchstone of millions, this modern classic b…
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In the Company of Women: Indirect Aggression Among Women: Why We Hurt Each Other and How to Stop
1456In the Company of Women explains how indirect, or “relational,” aggression can hurt women and hinder them from achieving success and harmony in their adult lives. Gender studies have shown that when a goal is in sight, men generally use direct action to attain it. Women, on the other hand, have been socialized to express aggressive actions through indirect means-using behavior such as shunning, stigmatizing, and With startling insights into the meaning of our everyday behavior, this book offe…
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On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society
1407The good news is that most soldiers are loath to kill. But armies have developed sophisticated ways of overcoming this instinctive aversion. And contemporary civilian society, particularly the media, replicates the army’s conditioning techniques, and, according to Lt. Col. Dave Grossman’s thesis, is responsible for our rising rate of murder among the young.Upon its initial publication, ON KILLING was hailed as a landmark study of the techniques the military uses to overcome the powerful reluc…
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Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void
1378Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? have sex? smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a spacewalk? Is it possible for the human body to survive a bailout from space? To answer these questions…
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The Red Market: On the Trail of the World’s Organ Brokers, Bone Theives, Blood Farmers, and Child…
1361“An unforgettable nonfiction thriller, expertly reported….A tremendously revealing and twisted ride, where life and death are now mere cold cash commodities.”—Michael Largo, author of Final ExitsAward-winning investigative journalist and contributing Wired editor Scott Carney leads readers on a breathtaking journey through the macabre underworld of the global body bazaar, where organs, bones, and even live people are bought and sold on The Red Market. As gripping as CSI and as eye-opening as …
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No More Mr Nice Guy
1331Originally published as an e-book that became a controversial media phenomenon, No More Mr. Nice Guy! landed its author, a certified marriage and family therapist, on The O’Reilly Factor and the Rush Limbaugh radio show. Dr. Robert Glover has dubbed the “Nice Guy Syndrome” trying too hard to please others while neglecting one’s own needs, thus causing unhappiness and resentfulness. It’s no wonder that unfulfilled Nice Guys lash out in frustration at their loved ones, claims Dr. Glover. He exp…
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First Off The Tee
1225Some students of the presidency say that we can learn the most about the men who’ve occupied the Oval Office by studying their ideology. Others say political savvy or family background or regional influences are paramount. But Don Van Natta argues for another standard—by observing the way they play golf. Fourteen of the last seventeen presidents have been golfers, and Van Natta explores two questions: Why is the game of golf so attractive to the men who occupy the Oval Office? And what do th…
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Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae
1191The national bestseller!At Thermopylae, a rocky mountain pass in northern Greece, the feared and admired Spartan soldiers stood three hundred strong. Theirs was a suicide mission, to hold the pass against the invading millions of the mighty Persian army.Day after bloody day they withstood the terrible onslaught, buying time for the Greeks to rally their forces. Born into a cult of spiritual courage, physical endurance, and unmatched battle skill, the Spartans would be remembered for the great…
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The Redwall Cookbook
1178Ever read a Redwall novel and wonder exactly what Abbot’s Special Abbey Trifle is? Or how to make Shrimp ’N Hotroot Soup, that delicacy of otters everywhere? Or Mole’s Favourite Turnip and Tater Deeper ’N Ever Pie? From the simple refreshment of Summer Strawberry Fizz to Great Hall Gooseberry Fool, they’re all here, along with dozens of other favorites sure to turn young hands into seasoned chefs, illustrated in full color with all the charm and magic that is Redwall. A gift like no other for…
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Dear Leader: Poet, Spy, Escapee–A Look Inside North Korea
1175THE STORY THEY COULDN’T HACK: In this rare insider’s view into contemporary North Korea, a high-ranking counterintelligence agent describes his life as a former poet laureate to Kim Jong-il and his breathtaking escape to freedom.“The General will now enter the room.” Everyone turns to stone. Not moving my head, I direct my eyes to a point halfway up the archway where Kim Jong-il’s face will soon appear… As North Korea’s State Poet Laureate, Jang Jin-sung led a charmed life. With food provisio…