Higher Life

Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574) was a man of many talents - a sculptor, painter, architect, writer, and scholar - but he is best known for Lives of the Artists, which singlehandedly established the canon of Italian Renaissance art. Before Vasari's extraordinary book, art was considered a technical skill, and artists were mere decorators and craftsmen. It was through Vasari's visionary writings that Raphael, Leonardo, and Michelangelo came to be regarded as great masters of life as well as art, their creative genius celebrated as a divine gift.

On the night of her high school graduation, a young woman follows her older sister Debbie to Salvation, a Los Angeles bar patronized by energy healers, aspiring actors, and all-around misfits. After the two share a bag of unidentified pills, the evening turns into a haze of sensual and risky interactions—nothing unusual for two sisters bound in an incredibly toxic relationship. Our unnamed narrator has always been under the spell of the alluring and rebellious Debbie and, despite her own hesitations, she has always said yes to nights like these. That is, until Debbie disappears.

A young Zuni girl named Carlie teaches her friend Dan about hiking through the desert and the plants and animals they find there.

Winnie Perry went through a lot when she was 11, from shifting friendships to her teenage sister's mood swings. But now that Winnie is 12, and one step closer to being a teenager herself, there is so much more to deal with. Will her new friendship with Dinah last? Can she handle the pressures of junior high? And, most important, will Winnie survive bra shopping (in public!) with Mom?

I want you to get excited for this year because this is the year that you're going to crush it! This is the year you're going to achieve that dream body you've envisioned about for so long. I'm talking about high school skinny! I know this is your year and all you have to do is listen to what I have to say and promise yourself no excuses. Best of all, my solution is a lifestyle change - not a weight loss program where you gain all the weight back.

Over the course of her sixty-five-year career, the longest of any female filmmaker, Agnes Varda (1928-2019) wrote and directed some of the most acclaimed films of her era. She helped to define the French New Wave, inspired an entire generation of filmmakers, and was recognized with major awards at the Cannes, Berlin, and Venice Film Festivals, as well as an honorary Oscar at the Academy Awards. In this lively biography, Carrie Rickey explores the "complicated passions" that informed Varda's charmed life and indelible work.

Phil Hill, a lowly California mechanic who, defying all expectations, became the first American to win the Grand Prix championship. In the tradition of Seabiscuit and The Right Stuff, Cannell’s high-octane narrative evokes the lives of the daredevils who tempted fate each Sunday by driving well over 150 mph without benefit of seat belts or roll bars.

From the ashes of World War II, Rome was reborn as the epicenter of film, fashion, creative energy, tabloid media, and bold-faced libertinism that made "Italian" a global synonym for taste, style, and flair. A confluence of cultural contributions created a bright, burning moment in history: it was the heyday of fashion icons such as Pucci and Brioni. Rome's huge movie studio, Cinecitta, attracted a dizzying array of stars, like Charlton Heston, Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardner, and Frank Sinatra.

"Beyond Muscle: The Life Philosophy of Mike Mentzer" is a comprehensive exploration of the innovative and influential ideas of the legendary bodybuilder and thinker, Mike Mentzer. This insightful book delves deep into Mentzer's unique Heavy Duty approach to bodybuilding, which transcends physical training to encompass a profound philosophical perspective. Readers are invited to discover Mentzer's alignment with Ayn Rand's Objectivism, emphasizing rational thinking, personal responsibility, and the pursuit of individual success and excellence. Structured into thought-provoking chapters, the ...

When sixth grader Silas Wade does a school presentation on former Major Leaguer Glenn Burke, it’s more than just a report about the irrepressible inventor of the high five. Burke was a gay baseball player in the 1970s―and for Silas, the presentation is his own first baby step toward revealing a truth about himself he’s tired of hiding. Soon he tells his best friend, Zoey, but the longer he keeps his secret from his baseball teammates, the more he suspects they know something’s up―especially when he stages one big cover-up with terrible consequences.

When we sow our seeds in the garden of life, do we settle for a meager display of two or three flowers? Or, do we aim for a pageantry of rich colors and breathtaking beauty? So asks author David Bruce in these exquisite essays inspiring us to live an active spiritual life. Fresh and concise, he ranges in theme from living with purpose, spiritual practice, and digital distractions to reincarnation, the human condition, and advice on books and reading. Free of dogma, he helps the open-minded inquirer find ultimate meaning.

Author Gary Jansen knows how difficult it can be to create significant, sustainable change in our lives. Sometimes we feel too overwhelmed to even start, and in other cases this self-work seems like one more burden. In his new book he offers an answer that he calls "microshifting" - small, incremental adjustments that gradually reshape our deeply rooted patterns. With a blend of masterful storytelling and dozens of practical tips, MicroShifts suggests simple, small changes across many aspects of our lives-everything from how we greet others to how we try to talk to God - to generate big results physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Of all the creatures of the deep blue, none is as captivating as the octopus. In Many Things Under a Rock, marine biologist David Scheel investigates four major mysteries about these elusive beings. How can we study an animal with perfect camouflage and secretive habitats? How does a soft and boneless creature defeat sharks and eels, while thriving as a predator of the most heavily armored animals in the sea? How do octopus bodies work? And how does a solitary animal form friendships, entice mates, and outwit rivals?

A Soul's Purpose By Mitch Deutsch Do you ever find yourself wondering, “What is the true meaning of my life?” This universal quest for purpose has echoed through the ages, resonating with every human heart. From ancient philosophers to modern-day seekers, the search for meaning remains one of humanity’s most fundamental desires. But what if the answer is not something to find, but something to remember? In A Soul’s Purpose, Mitch Deutsch takes you on a transformative journey, offering a refreshing perspective on the age-old question of purpose. Rather than viewing purpose as an ...

What if you went to a school where it was actually all right to be who you really are? That's the enchanting place David Levithan has created in his highly acclaimed first novel. But even if the gay kids and the straight kids all get along just fine, even if it's all right for the quarterback to be a cross dresser named Infinite Darlene and the cheerleaders to ride Harleys into the pep rally, the road to true love is still a strange and winding path, as Paul discovers when he meets the boy of his dreams.

The demand for clean water is growing every year. Water bills are going through the roof, and because you can’t live without it, it seems like there’s nothing you can do. Of course, impure water is better than nothing, but you know that there must be a better way. If these are the same concerns you have, you’re in the right place! The truth is, you’ve been tricked into thinking the only way to quench your thirst is to turn on the tap or buy a bottle of water.

What do you really want? Powerful communication can get it for you. This classic book, now in its revised 16th Anniversary edition, guides you to save time, avoid miscommunication, build confidence, gain instant rapport, persuade with ease, close sales, manage difficult situations, reduce stress through cooperation, gain a new job or protect your job, and align yourself for promotions and raises. As an Executive Coach, author Tom Marcoux helps his clients take their lives to higher levels of success and happiness. He has helped clients prepare for auditions/interviews/speeches, build a ...

Once you’ve been admitted to college, the next step is to develop a strategy of how to find your best life there. But for decades, Professor James T. Hamilton has seen students struggle with their college journey. Some avoid challenging experiences, follow a path of familiar expectations, and rely on shortcuts. Others aim for perfection, ignore their friends and health, labor over what subjects to study, and neglect spending time outside the classroom. The pressure to make college valuable and interesting can feel overwhelming.

Goddesses of High Magick This powerful book will revolutionize the way you practice magick! The Magick of Goddesses is your go-to guide to unlock the secrets of four powerful, yet little-known, goddesses who can help you manifest your desires. You will learn two step-by-step ritual sequences to bring wealth and love into your life. You will also receive guidance on how to work with these goddesses to create a powerful, magickal connection that will change your life and bring you closer to your dreams. In Goddesses of High Magick, you will find: - Step-by-step rituals to attract wealth and ...

In The Aligned Mindset, Dr. Sohee Jun responds to the critical and pressing professional and personal anxieties that keep you up at night. Through real stories interwoven with in-depth interviews and qualitative data, high-powered women open up about the mistakes they’ve made, successes they’ve found, and the critical mindset shifts and practical lessons they’ve learned in their own professional journeys.