Stormy Weather

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A hilarious and scathing novel from the author of Squeeze Me about a crazed and determined man who has devoted his strange existence to saving southern Florida from con artists and carpetbaggers after a hurricane hits. "Hysterically funny…. Hiaasen at his satirical best." —USA Today When a ferocious hurricane rips through southern Florida, insurance fraudsters, amateur occultists, and ex-cons waste no time in swarming over the disaster area. And caught in the middle are Max and Bonnie Lamb, honeymooners who abandon their Disney World plans to witness the terrible devastation. But when Max vanishes, Bonnie, aided by a mysterious young man with a tranquilizer gun and a roomful of human skulls, has to follow her only clue: a runaway monkey.

The so-called New Negroes of the period between World Wars I and II embodied a new sense of racial pride and upward mobility for the race. Many of them thought that relationships between spouses could be a crucial factor in realizing this dream. But there

Story-time will be eagerly anticipated when you read this wonderful lullaby picture book, populated with a rich cast of animals, from rabbits and bears to owls and seals, as every parent and child prepares for a safe night's sleep. With boundless energy, the text takes a ride through a night-time of possibilities as stormy weather assails the characters. Each fearful moment is calmly laid aside with warm cuddles and sweet caresses of reassurance. Combining soothing text that gently addresses bedtime fears with adorable art that will be familiar to Debi's many fans, this picture book will become a firm family favourite along with hot milk and bedtime kisses. Brilliantly read by Amelia Fox. Please note that audio is not supported by all devices, please consult your user manual for confirmation.

"By far the single most important account and analysis of the Katrina catastrophe." David L. Clark, McMaster University In his newest provocative book, prominent social critic Henry A. Giroux shows how the tragedy and suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina signals a much larger crisis in the United States-one that threatens the very nature of individual freedom and inclusive democracy. This crisis extends far beyond matters of leadership, governance, or the Bush administration. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart of democracy and must be understood within a broader set of antidemocratic forces that not only made the social disaster underlying Katrina possible, but also contribute to an emerging authoritarianism in the United States. Questions regarding who is going to die and who is going to live are driving a new form of authoritarianism in the United States. Within this form of "dirty democracy" a new and more insidious set of forces-embedded in our global economy-have largely given up on the sanctity of human life, rendering some groups as disposable and privileging others. Giroux offers up a vision of hope that creates the conditions for multiple collective and global struggles that refuse to use politics as an act of war and markets as the measure of democracy. Making human beings superfluous is the essence of totalitarianism, and democracy is the antidote in urgent need of being reclaimed. Katrina will keep the hope of such a struggle alive because for many of us the images of those floating bodies serve as a desperate reminder of what it means when justice, as the lifeblood of democracy, becomes cold and indifferent.

At long last, the first serious biography of entertainment legend Lena Horne -- the celebrated star of film, stage, and music who became one of the first African-American icons. At the 2001 Academy Awards, Halle Berry thanked Lena Horne for paving the way for her to become the first black recipient of a Best Actress Oscar. Though limited, mostly to guest singing appearances in splashy Hollywood musicals, "the beautiful Lena Horne," as she was often called, became a pioneering star for African Americans in the 1940s and fifties. Now James Gavin, author of Deep in a Dream: The Long Night of Chet Baker, draws on a wealth of unmined material and hundreds of interviews -- one of them with Horne herself -- to give us the defining portrait of an American icon. Gavin has gotten closer than any other writer to the celebrity who has lived in reclusion since 1998. Incorporating insights from the likes of Ruby Dee, Tony Bennett, Diahann Carroll, Arthur Laurents, and several of Horne's fellow chorines from Harlem's Cotton Club, Stormy Weather offers a fascinating portrait of a complex, even tragic Horne -- a stunning talent who inspired such giants of showbiz as Barbra Streisand, Eartha Kitt, and Aretha Franklin, but whose frustrations with racism, and with tumultuous, root-less childhood, left wounds too deep to heal. The woman who emerged was as angry as she was luminous. From the Cotton Club's glory days and the back lots of Hollywood's biggest studios to the glitzy but bigoted hotels of Las Vegas's heyday, this behind-the-scenes look at an American icon is as much a story of the limits of the American dream as it is a masterful, ground-breaking biography.

In the coming presidential primaries, no state is as important in setting the stage - or affecting the odds - as New Hampshire. This small, mountainous, proudly distinctive state holds the first primary and the results, both real and in comparison to expectations, can greatly influence the competition for the highest office in the land. Candidates who do well can create momentum and gain support, while those who do worse than expected can be counted out. Scala explains the distinctiveness of New Hampshire politics and how the candidates create strategies to appeal to the state's voters. New Hampshire's sympathy for reformist candidates has the paradoxical affect of jumpstarting the campaigns of those candidates least representative of Democratic voters nationally. The implications for Democratic chances to win the presidency in 2004 are discussed.

When Jeanine Stoddard's father, the owner of an oil rig, dies suddenly, he leaves behind four women who have no place to go but the abandoned family farm. In dark and affecting prose, Jiles illuminates the hardship, sacrifice and strength of an ordinary family caught short by circumstances beyond their control.

Stormy Weather deals head-on with our most urgent environmental challenge yet, and is the only book to put simple, effective solutions to global warming in the hands of ordinary citizens, communities, businesses, power utilities, state governments, and national leaders.In a clear style, Stormy Weather explains why the planet has reached this crisis and how scientists predict "runaway" climate change will affect the Earth and our lives. The solutions to global warming revolve around 12 core methods of reducing our use of fossil fuels and filling our energy needs with solar, wind, tidal, and bio fuels. Each user-friendly solution is organized on two facing pages with a description, illustrations, quotations, resources, and a detailed "how-to" section. Solutions are grouped by social sector-Individuals; Citizen Groups; Towns and Cities; State Government; Power Utilities; Businesses; Oil, Coal & Gas Corporations; Automobile Corporations; National Governments; and Developing Nations-breaking-up these vital planet-saving tasks into manageable activities for both individuals and larger organizations.

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF HORRIBLE GEOGRAPHY! Ever wondered where in the world tornadoes rip houses from theground? Or frozen turtles fall from the sky? Get all the answers and more in this book, where the weather makes the rules. Filled with hilarious illustrations by Mike Phillips, HORRIBLE GEOGRAPHY is the perfect escapism from miserable maps, rotten rock piles and dire diagrams. Hold tight!

Explores the nature of the El Niño current and its effects on people and wildlife.