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Showing posts from January, 2025

In search of the Obvious

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 In search of the Obvious Summary This audio book could upset a lot of people It is the first to state the obvious: Marketing is a mess. Jack Trout intends to make a lot of people, who made the mess, very uncomfortable. Only then will they begin to look for the obvious solutions that will separate their products from their competitors—in a way that is equally obvious to customers. All this comes with no jargon, no numbers, no complexity, and a great deal of common sense. The search for any marketing strategy is the search for the obvious. We are in an era of killer competition. Category after category is perceived as a commodity. This fact is the central reason the critically important function of marketing is such a mess. It's also why the average chief marketing officer barely lasts beyond two years in the job. In this audio book, marketing guru, Jack Trout clears up the confusion that surrounds the marketing profession. Instead of focusing on segmentation or customer retention o...

The Insanity of God

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 The Insanity of God Summary The Insanity of God is the personal and lifelong journey of an ordinary couple from rural Kentucky who thought they were going on just your ordinary missionary pilgrimage, but discovered it would be anything but. After spending over six hard years doing relief work in Somalia, and experiencing life where it looked like God had turned away completely and He was clueless about the tragedies of life, the couple had a crisis of faith and left Africa asking God, 'Does the gospel work anywhere when it is really a hard place? It sure didn't work in Somalia.Nik recalls that, “God had always been so real to me, to Ruth, and to our boys. But was He enough, for the utter weariness of soul I experienced at that time, in that place, under those circumstances?” It is a question that many have asked and one that, if answered, can lead us to a whole new world of faith. How does faith survive, let alone flourish in a place like the Middle East? How can Good truly ov...

The Innovator's Solution

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 The Innovator's Solution Summary Clayton M. Christensen is a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. Michael E. Raynor is a director at Deloitte Research. Together, they outline an innovative plan that urges businesses to create disruption rather than fleeing from it. Named one of 2003's Best Business Books by Business Week, this book is a Wall Street Journal and New York Times best-seller.

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill

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 The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill Summary Welcome to the English village of Ivy Hill, where friendships thrive, romance blossoms, and mysteries await. …The lifeblood of the village of Ivy Hill is its coaching inn, The Bell. When the innkeeper dies suddenly, his genteel wife, Jane Bell, becomes the reluctant landlady. Jane has no idea how to manage a business, but with the town’s livelihood at stake and a large loan due, she must quickly find a way to save the inn. Despite their strained relationship, Jane turns to her resentful mother-in-law, Thora, for help. Formerly mistress of The Bell, Thora is struggling to overcome her losses and find purpose for the future. As she works with Jane, two men from her past vie for her attention, but Thora has promised herself never to marry again. Will one of them convince her to embrace a second chance at love?As pressure mounts from the bank, Jane employs new methods, and puzzles over the intentions of several men who seem to have a vested interest i...

In His Image

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 In His Image

Informed Risk

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 Informed Risk Summary Mike Cavanaugh is a firefighter: he rescues people. Inviting them home isn’t usually part of the job description. But when he pulls Christine Palmer out of her burning house, something about the gutsy single mom makes him want to protect her, to make her life a little better. Only somehow Chris and her family end up giving Mike’s life new meaning, and he is happier than he’s been in years. He’s ready to love again. Chris wants to get back on her own two feet—sooner rather than later. When she no longer needs Mike’s support, will she be ready to risk her heart with him?

Influence

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 Influence Summary Imagine knowing how the human mind works... having the power to influence and motivate people at will to buy your products and services... what would that be worth to you? As you listen to this audiobook, you will experience first-hand and quickly discover highly controversial persuasion secrets that will boggle your mind... and the mind of any prospect you target. I'll reveal 47 ways you can use psychological tactics to induce people to pull out their credit cards and buy from you - and, more importantly, how you can use these tactics to double, triple, or even quadruple your income. I uncovered many of these tactics as a result of my ability to sell my own products or services through the power of words. Over the years, I've learned which approaches work, which approaches fail, and -- here's the secret you won't get anywhere else -- WHY they work.

Infinity Blade

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 Infinity Blade Summary Trained from birth in swordplay and combat, a young knight named Siris has journeyed to the Dark Citadel with a single purpose: fight through the army of Titans to face the tyrannical God King in one-on-one combat. This was his father's sacred mission, and his father's before him, going back countless generations in an effort to free their people from enslavement. But when Siris somehow succeeds where all those from his bloodline previously have failed, he finds himself cast into a much larger world, filled with warriors and thieves, ancient feuds and shifting alliances, Deathless immortals and would-be kings. His quest for freedom will take him on an epic journey in search of the mythical figure known as the Worker of Secrets - the one being in the world who can unravel the secrets of the Infinity Blade. Based on the bestselling video game from ChAIR Entertainment and Epic Games, this all-new adventure from acclaimed fantasy author Brandon Sanderson dig...

Indigo

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 Indigo Summary As a child, Hester Wyatt escaped slavery, but now the dark-skinned beauty is a member of Michigan's Underground Railroad, offering other runaways a chance at the freedom she has learned to love. When one of her fellow conductors brings her an injured man to hide, Hester doesn't hesitate . . . even after she is told about the price on his head. The man in question is known as the 'Black Daniel,' a vital member of the North's Underground Railroad network. But Hester finds him so rude and arrogant, she begins to question her vow to hide him. Galen Vachon is a member of one of the wealthiest free black families in New Orleans. He has turned his back on the lavish living he is accustomed to in order to provide freedom to those who are enslaved in the South. However, as he heals, he cannot turn his back on Hester Wyatt; he is determined to make this gorgeous and intelligent woman his own. Yet there are traitors to be discovered and slave catchers to be eva...

Improbable Planet

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 Improbable Planet Summary The Latest Scientific Discoveries Point to an Intentional Creator Most of us remember the basics from science classes about how Earth came to be the only known planet that sustains complex life. But what most people don't know is that the more thoroughly researchers investigate the history of our planet, the more astonishing the story of our existence becomes. The number and complexity of the astronomical, geological, chemical, and biological features recognized as essential to human existence have expanded explosively within the past decade. An understanding of what is required to make possible a large human population and advanced civilizations has raised profound questions about life, our purpose, and our destiny. Are we really just the result of innumerable coincidences? Or is there a more reasonable explanation? This fascinating book helps nonscientists understand the countless miracles that undergird the exquisitely fine-tuned planet we call home--a...

God's Lions

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 God's Lions Summary Summoned to Rome by an old friend, a Jesuit scholar finds himself using a code discovered in the Bible to unearth an ancient, hidden chapel in the catacombs under the city. When a rogue force of Vatican security officials are alerted to his discovery, the priest flees to the Holy Land with a clue . . . a clue that will lead him and a team of Israeli Christians to a much larger secret in the middle of the barren Negev Desert. Meticulously researched and drawing on scientific fact, John Lyman's intriguing story takes listeners into the world of scholars, archaeologists, code-breakers, and intelligence specialists who have discovered a prophetic code hidden within the Old Testament that authenticates the Bible as a book of supernatural origin and points to a divine plan. This gripping novel is truly a thought-provoking and action-packed thriller with implications for our future.

Gods and Kings

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 Gods and Kings Summary Three-time Christy Award winner and best-selling author Lynn Austin pens a fascinating historical novel based on actual Biblical events. Shortly after the death of King Solomon in 931 B.C., the Promised Land is divided into two separate nations: Israel in the north, and Judah in the south. Hezekiah is the second son of King Ahaz of Judah. As he comes to power, he must navigate a troubled path to reunite his wayward people with Yahweh.

God Is Able

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 God Is Able Summary Got an IMPOSSIBLE situation? The anxiety it brings can wake you in the middle of a needed night’s sleep and then stalk you in the middle of broad daylight. It can sneak up on you and cast a cloak of fear and concern over your shoulders that you can’t seem to shake no matter how hard you try. It can take you down. Squash all hope. Stop you in your tracks. IMPOSSIBLE. IMPENETRABLE. UNCHANGEABLE. Maybe so . . . until God gets involved. No matter the details of your circumstance, His raw power potential and immeasurable ability refuse to cower in the face of any challenge. Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing. Not even that thing. This is the uplifting, well-reasoned answer from New York Times best-selling author Priscilla Shirer—not a denial of life’s adversities and troubles, but a biblical reminder that God is always up to great things, even when His great things are greater then instant remedies and visible change. He is a God who cares . . . and a God who C...

The God I Never Knew

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 The God I Never Knew Summary Who is the Holy Spirit, and exactly what does He do? Many people find the Holy Spirit mysterious and confounding. Why is the third person in the Godhead—the one Jesus said would be the believer’s ultimate source of truth and comfort—the source of such confusion? In The God I Never Knew, Robert Morris clearly explains that the Holy Spirit’s chief desire is for relationship – to offer us the encouragement and guidance of a trusted friend. This insightful and biblically-based book moves beyond theological jargon, religious tradition, and cultural misconceptions to clarify what the Holy Spirit promises to do in your life: · Dwell within you · Be your helper · Guide you into all truth · Comfort you · Pray for you · Show you things to come · Never leave you It’s time to experience the Holy Spirit in a fresh, new way—to meet the God you may have never known. “You will find no better person [than Robert Morris] to introduce you to friendship with the Holy Spir...

The Glitter Dome

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 The Glitter Dome Summary Los Angeles police detectives are swayed by the glamour of Hollywood in this thriller from the author of The Onion Field.

Giving Chase

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 Giving Chase Summary Some small towns grow really good-looking men! This is the case with the four Chase brothers. The homegrown hotties are on the wish list of every single woman in town, and Maggie Wright is no exception. Maggie has finally had it with the men she's been dating, but a spilled plate of chili cheese fries drops Shane Chase right into her lap. The sheriff is hot stuff but was burned by a former fiancée and is quite happy to play the field. After Shane's skittishness sends him out the door, Maggie realizes that Kyle Chase has had his eye on her from the start. Now that Shane has messed up, Kyle has no intention of letting anything stop him from wooing her right into his bed. Now, despite Maggie's happiness and growing love for Kyle, a dark shadow threatens everything–she's got a stalker and he's not happy at all. In the end, Maggie will need her wits, strength, and the love of her man to get her out alive.

The Girl Who Was Taken

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 The Girl Who Was Taken Summary Charlie Donlea, one of the most original new voices in suspense, returns with a haunting novel, laden with twists and high tension, about two abducted girls-one who returns, one who doesn't-and the forensics expert searching for answers. Nicole Cutty and Megan McDonald are both high school seniors in the small town of Emerson Bay, North Carolina. When they disappear from a beach party one warm summer night, police launch a massive search. No clues are found, and hope is almost lost until Megan miraculously surfaces after escaping from a bunker deep in the woods. A year later, the bestselling account of her ordeal has turned Megan from local hero to national celebrity. It's a triumphant, inspiring story, except for one inconvenient detail: Nicole is still missing. Nicole's older sister Livia, a fellow in forensic pathology, expects that one day soon Nicole's body will be found, and it will be up to someone like Livia to analyze the evidenc...

The Girl Who Knew Too Much

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 The Girl Who Knew Too Much Summary The New York Times bestselling author of 'Til Death Do Us Part transports readers to 1930s California, where glamour and seduction spawn a multitude of sins. At the exclusive Burning Cove Hotel on the coast of California, rookie reporter Irene Glasson finds herself staring down at a beautiful actress at the bottom of a pool. The dead woman had a red-hot secret about an up-and-coming leading man, a scoop that Irene couldn't resist. Seeking the truth about the drowning, Irene finds herself drawn to a master of deception. Once a world-famous magician whose career was mysteriously cut short, Oliver Ward is now the owner of the hotel. He can't let scandal threaten his livelihood, even if it means trusting Irene, a woman who seems to have appeared in Los Angeles out of nowhere four months ago. With Oliver's help, Irene soon learns that the glamorous paradise of Burning Cove hides dark and dangerous secrets. And that the past-always just out...

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

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 The Girl Who Drank the Moon Summary With more than a million copies sold, Newbery Medal winner The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a must-read for fans of classic children's literature or timeless fantasy fables.Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna’s thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge—with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is d...

A Girl Named Disaster

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 A Girl Named Disaster Summary Eleven-year-old Nhamo is running for her life. When the village witch finder decrees that she must marry a cruel stranger to propitiate an evil spirit, her only recourse is to steal a fishing boat and go looking for a father she has never met. Alone on the Musengezi River, Nhamo has meager resources to help her survive loneliness, hunger, wild animals, and even land mines. During the grueling months in her leaking boat and on a deserted island, she has only visions of her dead mother and other spirit ancestors to sustain her. They transform her solitary journey into a luminous spiritual odyssey, one from which she will need to draw strength when she reaches her destination. Listeners who have enjoyed another of her Newbery Honor books, The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm, know the broad range of imagination and talent this award-winning author brings to her work. Young listeners will gain a healthy respect for the richness of cultural diversity even as they...

Drop the Rock

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 Drop the Rock Summary Based on the principles behind Steps Six and Seven, Drop the Rock combines personal stories, practical advice, and powerful insights to help readers move forward in recovery.Resentment. Fear. Self-Pity. Intolerance. Anger. As Bill P. explains, these are the 'rocks' that can sink recovery—or at the least, block further progress. Based on the principles behind Steps Six and Seven, Drop the Rock combines personal stories, practical advice, and powerful insights to help readers move forward in recovery.

The Dream Giver

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 The Dream Giver Summary Bestselling author Bruce Wilkinson shows how to identify and overcome the obstacles that keep millions from living the life they were created for. He begins with a compelling modern-day parable about Ordinary, who dares to leave the Land of Familiar to pursue his Big Dream. With the help of the Dream Giver, Ordinary begins the hardest and most rewarding journey of his life. Wilkinson gives readers practical, biblical keys to fulfilling their own dream, revealing that there's no limit to what God can accomplish when we choose to pursue the dreams He gives us for His honor.

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

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 The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart Summary A chocolate-filled, girl-powered fantasy with a heroine who learns what it means to be a strong, fearsome human (and dragon). Aventurine is a brave young dragon ready to explore the world outside of her family's mountain cave . . . if only they'd let her leave it. She's determined to prove herself by capturing the most dangerous prey of all: a human. But when that human tricks her into drinking enchanted hot chocolate, she's transformed into a puny human without any sharp teeth, fire breath, or claws. But she's still the fiercest creature in these mountains-and now she's found her true passion: chocolate. All she has to do is get to the human city to find herself an apprenticeship (whatever that is) in a chocolate house (which sounds delicious), and she'll be conquering new territory in no time . . . won't she? A classic fantasy with terrific girl power, perfect for fans of Shannon Hale and Jessica Day George.

Dragonsong

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 Dragonsong Summary Journey to the wonder-filled world of Pern in the first volume of Anne McCaffrey's best-selling Harper Hall Trilogy. Dragonsong is the spellbinding tale of Menolly of Half Circle Hold, a brave young girl who flees her seaside village and discovers the legendary fire lizards of Pern. All her life, Menolly has longed to learn the ancient secrets of the Harpers, the master musicians of Harper Hall. When her stern father denies her the chance to make her dream come true, Menolly runs away from home. Hiding in a cave by the sea, she finds nine magical fire lizards who join her on a breathtaking journey to Harper Hall. Anne McCaffrey's enchanting tales of Pern, with all their colorful dragons and fantastic characters, have won her millions of fans around the world. The winner of the Hugo and Nebula Award, she is one of the best-loved writers in all of fantasy literature.

Dragons of Wild

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 Dragons of Wild Summary The once peaceful kingdom of Torvald has been ravaged by evil magic, forcing Riders to forget their dragons and their noble beasts to flee to the wilds. Now, anyone who dares to speak of dragons is deemed insane and put to death. Into this dark and twisted land, Saffron was born sixteen years ago. Cursed with dragon affinity and magical powers, she has been forced into a life of exile and raised by dragons—secretly dreaming of a normal life and the family she lost. But as her powers become more uncontrollable, Saffron knows she must find her family before she hurts herself—or worse, her dragon clan. Scholarly and reclusive, Bower prefers to spend his days reading about the legends of the Dragon Riders—even if being caught means death. But as the son of a noble house on the brink of destruction, it falls to him to fulfill a mysterious prophecy and save his kingdom from the rule of the evil King Enric—yet all he wants is to be left alone to read. When fate br...

Dragonfriend

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 Dragonfriend Summary Stabbed. Burned by a dragon. Abandoned for the windrocs to pick over. The traitor Ra'aba tried to silence Hualiama forever, but he reckoned without the strength of a dragonet's paw and the courage of a girl who refused to die. Only an extraordinary friendship will save Hualiama's beloved kingdom of Fra'anior and restore the king to the Onyx Throne. Flicker, the valiant dragonet. Hualiama, a foundling, adopted into the royal family. The power of a friendship which paid the ultimate price. This is the tale of Hualiama Dragonfriend and a love which became legend.

Dragonfly in Amber

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 Dragonfly in Amber Summary The second part of the series from Diana Gabaldon that explores the power of a love which transcends space and time. A magnificent epic that once again sweeps us back in time to the drama and passion of 18th-century Scotland...For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland's majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ...about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ...and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his ....Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire's spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ...in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands upr...

Dracula vs. Grampa at the Monster Truck Spectacular

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 Dracula vs. Grampa at the Monster Truck Spectacular Summary Sitting around poppin' pork cracklins and watching the tube, Grampa and Wiley witness to the awesomest TV commercial they've ever seen: Colonel Dracula's Monster Truck Spectacular is in town! Then the local weatherman breaks in with a dire warning: an F5 tornado could blow through at any minute! So what does a responsible guardian like Grampa do? When Gramma isn't looking, he and Wiley sneak out of the house bound for the monster truck extravaganza of course! At the coliseum, Wiley and Grampa are surprised to be selected for the audience participation round. Their task is to outmaneuver Colonel Drac's vampire monster truck-the Mudsucker-and jump a fiery pit full of giant mechanical lobsters while driving a tiny British clown car. Do you think they'll make it? Maniacal laughter will pierce the night as children gleefully listen to this creepy-crawly tale of monster trucks, tornados, and bloodsucking veh...

Downriver

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 Downriver Summary Fifteen-year-old Jessie is angry with her father for sending her on an outdoor survival program for troubled teens. Confused about her life back home and unsure of herself, she is drawn to the powerful personality of a teammate, the charismatic Troy. At their first opportunity to rebel, she and her six companions 'borrow' their instructor's gear and attempt the dangerous Colorado River through the Grand Canyon on their own. With no maps or guides, they face roaring rapids, drenching rain, injury, and conflict among themselves. The further they travel, the more they realize that the whitewater may be the least of their problems. There's more to Troy, their self-imposed leader, than any of them could have predicted. Chosen by the American Library Association as one of the one hundred Best of the Best Young Adult Books of the past 25 years, Downriver will captivate young readers with its heady dose of excitement, entertainment, and suspense.

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom

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 Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom Summary On The Skids In The Transhuman Future Jules is a young man barely a century old. He's lived long enough to see the cure for death and the end of scarcity, to learn ten languages and compose three symphonies...and to realize his boyhood dream of taking up residence in Disney World. Disney World! The greatest artistic achievement of the long-ago twentieth century. Now in the keeping of a network of 'ad-hocs' who keep the classic attractions running as they always have, enhanced with only the smallest high-tech touches. Now, though, the 'ad hocs' are under attack. A new group has taken over the Hall of the Presidents, and is replacing its venerable audioanimatronics with new, immersive direct-to-brain interfaces that give guests the illusion of being Washington, Lincoln, and all the others. For Jules, this is an attack on the artistic purity of Disney World itself. Worse: it appears this new group has had Jules killed. This up...