Kelly S.

For beginning gardeners and veteran green-thumbs, this uplifting collection of stories is filled with what every gardener knows: gardens fill lives with a special richness because they are a living reminder of the beauty in the world.

Energetic young pastor Paul Hudson rejuvenates a dying church and boosts attendance so high that a new building must be constructed. But in his eagerness to please the new devotees, Paul loses touch with what truly matters.

Nina once bought into the idea that her fancy liberal arts degree would lead to a fulfilling career. When that dream crashed, she turned to stealing from rich kids in LA alongside her wily Irish boyfriend, Lachlan. Nina learned from the best: Her mother was the original con artist, hustling to give her daughter a decent childhood despite their wayward life. But when her mom gets sick, Nina puts everything on the line to help her, even if it means running her most audacious, dangerous scam yet.

Science fiction allows us to go places we can only dream of seeing - other worlds, distant stars, entirely different galaxies. While not every story is concerned with the hard science behind space travel and other futuristic ventures, fiction can give us amazing insight into what we could be capable of and what we dream of doing. In these 10 lectures, Professor Erin Macdonald interweaves real science and the achievements of the imagination to reveal the truth that underlies our favorite stories and sheds light on what the future may hold.