Simon & Schuster

Alaska, 1989. In a world where Alaska is still a Russian possession, charter captain Grigorivich Plesnett has a stained past — as a major in the Czar's Troika Guard he was cashiered for disobeying a direct order. Now, ten years later, Grig charters out to a cossack and discovers his past has not only caught up with him but is about to violently change his future, and the future of all nine of the nations of North America as well. Spanning Alaska from the Southeastern Inside Passage to the frozen Yukon, this is an epic tale of one man's journey of redemption and courage to face old challenges and help birth a new nation.

Why does popcorn cost so much at the movies? When does it make sense not to recycle? Why are laws against polygamy detrimental to women? Steven Landsburg, noted economist, demystifies the economics of everyday behaviour in these witty and accessible essays. Professor Landsburg examines everything from taxes, unemployment and illiteracy to the mating game, the death penalty and environmentalism to solve the puzzling questions that occur in daily living. Both controversial and humourous, The Armchair Economist is about the things that we find mysterious, and why we find them mysterious, and shows how the laws of economics can reveal themselves in surprising ways. Put your convictions to the test with the Armchair Economist.

The first volume of Anthony Seldon's riveting and definitive life of Tony Blair was published to great acclaim in 2004. Now, as the Labour Party and the country get used to their new leader and a new Prime Minister, Seldon delivers the most complete, authoritative and compelling account yet of the Blair premiership. Picking up the story in dramatic fashion on 11 September 2001, Seldon then brings us right up to date as Blair hands over the reins to his arch-rival, Gordon Brown. Based on hundreds of original interviews with key insiders, many of whose views have hitherto been kept private, BLAIR UNBOUND serves both as a fascinating 'volume two' of this masterclass in contemporary history and a highly revealing and compelling book in its own right.

THE BRO CODE provides men with all the rules they need to know in order to become a bro and behave properly among other bros. THE BRO CODE has never been published before. Few know of its existence, and the code, until now, has been verbally communicated between those in the 'bro'. Containing approximately 150 unspoken rules, this code of conduct ranges from the simple (bros before hos) to the complex (the hot-to-crazy ratio, complete with bar graphs and charts). With helpful sidebros THE BRO CODE will help any ordinary guy become the best bro he can be. Let ultimate bro and co-author Barney Stinson and his book, THE BRO CODE share their wisdom, lest you be caught making eye contact in a devil's three-way (two dudes, duh.) Sample Articles from THE BRO CODE: Article 1: Regardless of veracity, a Bro never admits familiarity with a Broadway show or musical. Article 53: A Bro will, whenever possible, provide his Bro with prophylactic protection.Article 57: A Bro may not speculate on the expected Bro / chick ratio of a party or venue without first disclosing the present-time observed ratio.

THE BRO CODE provides men with all the rules they need to know in order to become a bro and behave properly among other bros. THE BRO CODE has never been published before. Few know of its existence, and the code, until now, has been verbally communicated between those in the 'bro'. Containing approximately 150 unspoken rules, this code of conduct ranges from the simple (bros before hos) to the complex (the hot-to-crazy ratio, complete with bar graphs and charts). With helpful sidebros THE BRO CODE will help any ordinary guy become the best bro he can be. Let ultimate bro and co-author Barney Stinson and his book, THE BRO CODE share their wisdom, lest you be caught making eye contact in a devil's three-way (two dudes, duh.) Sample Articles from THE BRO CODE: Article 1: Regardless of veracity, a Bro never admits familiarity with a Broadway show or musical. Article 53: A Bro will, whenever possible, provide his Bro with prophylactic protection.Article 57: A Bro may not speculate on the expected Bro / chick ratio of a party or venue without first disclosing the present-time observed ratio.

The strange power: Kaitlyn is an artist, but not an ordinary one; everything she draws comes true. When she is invited by Dr Xetes, a scientist who is studying psychic abilities, to join his school of talented individuals in California, Kaitlyn is only too happy to go. There she meets Rob, a healer, and Gabriel, a dark lone wolf, who apparently wants nothing to do with her. But with so much supernatural energy going around, it's hardly surprising that the psychics soon develop a telepathic link that can't be broken. The Possessed: Having learned the dark secrets of the psychic institute, Kaitlyn and her new friends are on the run, not even daring to contact their parents or old friends. As the group hide-out together they grow closer and Kaitlyn finally discovers Gabriel's dark secret: he's a psychic vampire. In order to survive he needs to drain other people's life-force, but he's been holding back to keep others safe. Kaitlyn offers herself as a source — and finds the experience not entirely un-enjoyable. The Passion: Back at the lab, captured like animals, Kaitlyn and her friends are still in danger from the evil Dr Xetes. To escape they will need to face the true meaning of what their psychic link really means. But Kaitlyn is battling with an internal conflict too: Rob or Gabriel? Sunlight or darkness? She'll need to search her heart for the answer.

In the picturesque village of Branscombe, New Hampshire, the townsfolk are all pitching in to prepare for the first annual Festival of Joy. Arriving for the festival, with hopes of an old-fashioned holiday in the country, are: private Investigator Regan Reilly and her husband Jack — head of the NYPD Major Case Squad; Regan's mother, the suspense writer Nora Regan Reilly, and her father Luke, the owner of several funeral homes in New Jersey; Alvirah Meehan — the lottery winner turned amateur sleuth; and Alvirah's husband Willy. With preparations for the festival in full swing, a group of employees at Branscombe's local market, who have recently been cheated of their Christmas bonus by their boss's new wife, learn that they have won $160 million in the mega-mega lottery. Acting on dubious advice from a pair of crooks masquerading as financial advisers, one of their co-workers, Duncan, decided at the last minute not to play. He goes missing, and the next day his girlfriend Flower disappears. A second winning lottery ticket was purchased in the next town, but the winner hasn't come forward. Could Duncan have secretly bought it? Alvirah, Regan and Jack are just the people to find out what is amiss. As they dig beneath the surface, they find that life in Branscombe is not as tranquil as it appears...

Nick and his brother Alan are on the run with their mother, who was once the lover of a powerful magician. When she left him, she stole an important charm amulet — and he will stop at nothing to reclaim it. Now Alan has been marked with the sign of death by the magician's demon, and only Nick can save him. But to do so he must face those he has fled from all his life — the magicians — and kill them. So the hunted becomes the hunter... but in saving his brother, Nick discovers something that will unravel his whole past...

Backed by five years of research, David Marcum and Steven Smith's egonomics informs readers that the key to great leadership is understanding exactly what ego is — and what it should not be. With the aid of real-life examples and persuasive writing, egonomics argues that while most people believe ego is negative, it is actually a healthy, necessary element to management effectiveness and business leadership. Marcum and Smith illustrate that the distinction between a good and a great leader is how humility affects their ambition, and egonomics is full of ideas that help both upper and middle management keep their egos in balance. With a compelling combination of business and psychology expertise, these two specialists explain how (a) being too competitive can make you less competitive, (b) seeking respect and recognition dilutes effectiveness and (c) humility, curiosity and veracity are the essential components to outstanding leadership. Full of the best advice from the experts in the field, egonomics is poised to be the blockbuster business bestseller of the season.

Ben Grant is fed up with always meeting the wrong girl. Having just celebrated his 30th birthday by being dumped by his 30th girlfriend, he decides he can't go on like this. Why can't he be as blissfully happy as his best friend Ashif, about to marry the beautiful Prithi, a bride chosen for him by his parents? Suddenly Ben has a great idea: why not ask his own parents to do the same for him? But while Ben's parents see this as the perfect opportunity to set their son on the right path to matrimonial bliss, it soon becomes clear that Ben's idea of the kind of woman he wants to settle down with is quite different from that of his somewhat traditional mum and dad. Following a series of disastrous dates, Ben starts to realize that he wouldn't let his parents pick him out a shirt to wear, let alone a woman to marry. But when Ben finally meets the girl he thinks might be 'the one' and she's not interested in him, he realizes that maybe he does have something to learn from his mum and dad after all. Can he learn the art of romance from his parents and land the girl of his dreams?

When Natalie Raines, famous Broadway star, is found in her home in Closter, New Jersey, dying from a gunshot wound, her former husband, Gregg Aldrich, whom she was in the process of divorcing, is the chief suspect. What no one knows is that, only days before she was murdered, Natalie accidentally came face to face with the man who killed her former roommate, Jamie Evans. Two years later, career criminal Jimmy Easton, comes forward to claim that Aldrich hired him to kill his wife, but he turned the job down. Based on Easton's testimony, Gregg is charged with the murder of his wife. Handling the case is Emily Wallace, an attractive thirty-two-year-old widowed assistant prosecutor. As Aldrich's trial is making headlines, Emily's boss, Ted Wesley, warns her that this high-profile case will reveal personal matters about her, such as the fact that she had a heart transplant. And, during the trial, Emily experiences sentiments which defy all reason and continue after Gregg Aldrich's fate is decided by the jury. In the meantime, she does not realize that her own life is now at risk.

Greg Gutfeld was a high-achieving New Yorker in therapy when he was posted to the UK to take up the position of editor of Maxim magazine. Once settled in London he had something of a cultural epiphany. Service and transport were poor and slow, food was soggy and came in tiny portions and the beer was warm. The British, he decided, viewed the world through a prism of dreariness but, despite this, they seemed to be more cheerful than his fellow countrymen, who expected to be happy on demand. After two years in the UK, Gutfeld was12 kilos heavier but a lot more content. The key to his new-found contentment lay in adopting the British attitude to life: having diminished expectations reaps its own rewards. His hilarious observations on British culture, rituals and peculiarities at all levels of society are an illuminating insight into the land of pubs and curry, where everyone is called 'mate' and people with pimples and greasy hair can get on primetime TV.

Christopher Ciccone's extraordinary memoir is based on his forty-seven years of growing up with, working with and understanding the most famous woman of our time. Throughout most of the iconic star's kaleidoscopic career, Christopher played an important role in her life: as her back-up dancer, her personal assistant, her dresser, her decorator, her art director and tour director. If you think you know everything there is to know about Madonna, you're wrong — only Christopher can tell the full and riveting story behind her carefully constructed mythology, and reveal the real woman behind the glittering facade. From their shared Michigan childhood and the early days in Manhattan, when he slept on her roach-infested floor and danced with her in clubs all over town, Christopher was with her every step of the way, experiencing her first-hand in all her incarnations. The punk drummer, the raunchy Boy Toy, Material Girl, Mrs Sean Penn, loving mother, Mrs Guy Ritchie, English grand dame — Christopher witnessed and understood all of them, as his own life was inexorably entwined with that of his chameleon sister.He tangled with a cast of characters from artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, to Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss, Demi Moore and, of course, Guy Ritchie, whose advent in Madonna's life splintered the loving relationship Christopher once had with her. The mirror image of his legendary sister, with his acid Ciccone tongue, Christopher pulls no punches as he tells his astonishing story.

Cornelius Hedge finds it difficult enough to talk to people he does know let alone people he doesn't. So he's plunged into gloom when he is dragooned into driving the female friend of a colleague's wife through France. How on earth is he expected to make small talk from Boulogne to Montelimar? First impressions are not auspicious: the moment he introduces himself, the woman inexplicably bursts into tears. But by the time they've reached their destination, Cornelius has grown increasingly fond of the unassuming Katrina. She is interesting, entertaining, amusing; he'd actually like to see more of her. At their age however, the past has a habit of intruding on the present. Ex-husbands, ex-wives, selfish sisters and sulky teenagers all seem to conspire to thwart the budding romance. What's worse, both Katrina and Cornelius are hiding secrets from their past. Secrets that burst into the open — with rather surprising results.

Three high-powered Hollywood couples, two hot affairs, one underage Russian ex-hooker, a passionate murder — and the players lives are changed forever.

Michael Jackson was one of the greats, an icon of the highest order whose talent and legacy remain indelibly etched in the memories of his fans. In a fitting tribute to his extraordinary, influential work, The Michael Jackson Treasures will showcase 180 images and 15 to 20 items of removable memorabilia to offer fans a hands-on exploration of his day-to-day struggles and triumphs. The text will trace the evolution of his career from The Jackson 5 all the way through his early solo work, to the runaway success of Thriller, his legal troubles, and the outpouring of support and memories from fans and friends after his death. With an elegant, eye-catching foil cover treatment and vellum envelopes to house the removable items, the complete package will become a celebration of Michael Jackson's complicated, fascinating life.

On 30 September 1938 Neville Chamberlain flew back to London from his meeting at Munich with the German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler. As he paused on the aircraft steps, he held aloft the piece of paper which bore both his and the Fuhrer's signature, the promise that Britain and Germany would never go to war with one another again. He had returned bringing 'Peace with honour — Peace for our Time.' Drawing on a wealth of original archival material, David Faber sheds new light on this extraordinary story, tracing the key incidents leading up to the meeting at Munich and its immediate aftermath: Lord Halifax's ill-fated visit to Hitler; Chamberlain's secret negotiations with Mussolini, and the Berlin scandal that rocked Hitler's regime. He takes us to Vienna, to the Sudetenland, and to Prague. In Berlin, we witness Hitler inexorably preparing for war; and in London, we watch helplessly as Chamberlain makes one supreme effort after another to appease Hitler.

Sidonie Wolf never wanted the traditional life of a female vampire — with her favours fought over by powerful Prime males — but she must accept her duty to her kind, even if she's already given her heart to a werewolf she can never have. Erasing Joe Bleythin's memories of their blistering affair was necessary to keep him safe, but he sees her betrayal as unforgivable. So Sid's new assignment to work with Joe to track down supernatural terrorists is sheer torture... a shockingly delicious torture. Joe can't believe his new role with an elite military team known as the Dark Angels has drawn him into an uneasy alliance with the woman who deceived him. Ignoring Sid, even hating her, should be easy. Instead, he wants her more fiercely than ever. Now, partnered with Sid on a dangerous mission, he'll discover just how deep desire can be — and just how far he'll go to keep her...

The struggle for wealth and power that has surrounded oil for decades continues to shake the world economy, dictate the outcome of wars, and transform the destiny of men and nations. The Prize is as much a history of the twentieth century as of the oil industry itself. The canvas of this history is enormous — from the drilling of the first well in Pennsylvania through two great world wars to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and Operation Desert Storm. The cast extends from wildcatters and rogues to oil tycoons, and from Winston Churchill and Ibn Saud to George Bush and Saddam Hussein. The definitive work on the subject of oil and a major contribution to understanding our century, The Prize is a book of extraordinary breadth, riveting excitement — and great importance.

The Secret is an international phenomenon that has inspired millions of people to live extraordinary lives. The Secret to Teen Power makes that material accessible and relevant for today's over programmed, stressed-out teens. It explains how the law of attraction can help teens navigate their friendships, relationships, schoolwork, money, and even more global issues like politics and the environment. It all happens through the basic principles outlined in The Secret to Teen Power that will bring happiness and fulfilment for all who embrace it.

At the age of twelve, Cassandra Madden fell in love with Jefferson Ames, a young man she met at one of her mother's business conferences. Over the years, during periods of loneliness and struggle, Cassandra holds on to this unrequited love in order to cope with her isolated heart and the pain of a cold mother. Even when she grew up, went off to college, and met a man she thought she'd marry, her heart still yearned for Jeff. In a decisive moment, she breaks off her pending engagement and travels to Williamsburg, Virginia, where the now-widowed Jeff lives with his young daughter. Cassandra becomes the child's nanny but, even though she sees the object of her desire every day, Jeff does not seem to even notice her. Then, one day, she hears gunshots coming from a nearby house belonging to a leading actress, and, in an instant, her safe little life is turned upside down. The people around her aren't who they claim to be. Everyone has secrets — and until Cassie unravels those secrets, she and Jeff will never have a chance to be happy together.

In January 1945, in the waning months of World War II, a small group of people begin the longest journey of their lives: an attempt to cross the remnants of the Third Reich to reach the British and American lines. Among the group is 18-year-old Anna Emmerich, the daughter of Prussian aristocrats. There is her lover, Callum Finnella, a young Scottish prisoner of war who has been brought from the stalag to her family's farm as forced labour. And there is the intriguing Wehrmacht corporal whom the pair know as Manfred — who is, in reality, Uri Singer, a Jew from Germany who managed a daring escape from a train bound for Auschwitz. As they work their way west, they encounter a countryside ravaged by war. Their flight will test both Anna's and Callum's love, as well as their friendship with Manfred — assuming any of them even survive. Skilfully capturing the flesh and blood of history, Bohjalian has crafted a rich tapestry that puts a face on one of the 20th century's greatest tragedies — while creating a masterpiece that will haunt readers for generations.

Somewhere in Russia is a man so powerful that no one even knows his name. Yet though he is all but invisible, he is pulling strings — and pulling them hard. With her finger on the switch to the European economy and her sights on the American jugular, Russia gains a new leader. Not just a president, he has been appointed Tsar, a signal to the world that the old imperial power is back — and plans to have her day. At the same time, a mysterious killer brutally murders an innocent American family, in the process blowing up the small midwestern town they called home. Just a taste, according to the new Tsar, of what will happen if America does not step aside in preventing Russia's plans to 'reintegrate' her rogue states. Onto this nightmarish stage steps special agent extraordinaire Alex Hawke, the only man — both the British and Americans agree — who can stop the madness.

There's a new ship of vampirates roaming the seas, leaving a trail of fear and devastation in its wake. When a high-profile pirate is slain, the Pirate Federation takes decisive action and begins training up a ship of dedicated vampire hunters. The team will be led by newly appointed Captain, Cheng Li. Amongst her dynamic crew is young pirate prodigy Connor Tempest. Meanwhile, Connor's twin sister Grace enjoys a bittersweet reunion with their mother. Sally Tempest has some important and shocking news for Grace — the twins' real father is not the man who brought them up. When Sally disappears, Grace is left to pursue the mystery of her true parenthood alone. As she finally uncovers the shocking truth, she knows that both she and Connor are facing a very uncertain future.