Illogical Stories

An entertaining guide to human nature that reveals how people really make big choices. What makes somebody change their world view completely? Why do some people refuse to alter their perceptions, despite prevailing evidence that says they should? And how can you persuade them to change their minds? Eleanor Gordon-Smith meets six ordinary people who made life-altering decisions and explores the limits of human reason and persuasion.

How both logical and emotional reasoning can help us live better in our post-truth world In a world where fake news stories change election outcomes, has rationality become futile? In The Art of Logic in an Illogical World, Eugenia Cheng throws a lifeline to readers drowning in the illogic of contemporary life. Cheng is a mathematician, so she knows how to make an airtight argument. But even for her, logic sometimes falls prey to emotion, which is why she still fears flying and eats more cookies than she should. If a mathematician can't be logical, what are we to do? In this book, Cheng reveals the inner workings and limitations of logic, and explains why alogic -- for example, emotion -- is vital to how we think and communicate. Cheng shows us how to use logic and alogic together to navigate a world awash in bigotry, mansplaining, and manipulative memes. Insightful, useful, and funny, this essential book is for anyone who wants to think more clearly.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, a call to break through our limits and say yes to a life of infinite possibility. You may know Emmanuel Acho as the host of groundbreaking video series “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.” Or as a New York Times bestselling author. Or as an Emmy-winning television broadcaster. Or as a former linebacker for two NFL franchises. What you probably don’t know is that Emmanuel defines his own life with just one word: Illogical. Behind every triumph, every expression of his gifts, Acho has had to ignore what everyone around him called “logic”: the astronomical odds against making it, the risks of continuing to dream bigger or differently. Instead of playing it safe, at every turn Acho has thrown conventional wisdom—logic—out the window. Now, in this revelatory book, he’s empowering us all to do the same. Whether it’s creating the next groundbreaking startup, fighting for change as an activist, or committing to a personal passion, Illogical is the go-to book for all readers ready to become change-makers. With a step-by-step guide to finding our callings and shifting our mindsets, enlivened by stories from Acho’s life and other illogical pioneers, and the Bible, Acho asks us to replace the limits set for us, and which we set for ourselves, with a world of possibility. Our horizons, he shows us, are endless.

An entertaining guide to human nature that reveals how people really make big choices. What makes somebody change their world view completely? Why do some people refuse to alter their perceptions, despite prevailing evidence that says they should? And how can you persuade them to change their minds? Eleanor Gordon-Smith meets six ordinary people who made life-altering decisions and explores the limits of human reason and persuasion.

Teen and adult fans of All The Bright Places, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and Everything, Everything will adore this quirky story of coming-of-age, coming out, friendship, love...and agoraphobia. Sixteen-year-old Solomon is agoraphobic. He hasn’t left the house in three years, which is fine by him. Ambitious Lisa desperately wants to get into the second-best psychology program for college (she’s being realistic). But how can she prove she deserves a spot there? Solomon is the answer. Determined to “fix” Sol, Lisa thrusts herself into his life, sitting through Star Trek marathons with him and introducing him to her charming boyfriend Clark. Soon, all three teens are far closer than they thought they’d be, and when their walls fall down, their friendships threaten to collapse, as well. A hilarious and heartwarming coming-of-age perfect for readers of Matthew Quick and Rainbow Rowell, Highly Illogical Behavior showcases the different ways we hide ourselves from the world—and how love, tragedy, and the need for connection may be the only things to bring us back into the light.

What if there were a whole world of great horror fiction out there you didn't know anything about, written by authors in distant lands and in foreign languages, outstanding horror stories you had no access to, written in languages you couldn't read? For an avid horror fan, what could be more horrifying than that? For this groundbreaking volume, the first of its kind, the editors of Valancourt Books have scoured the world, reading horror stories from dozens of countries in nearly twenty languages, to find some of the best contemporary international horror stories. The stories in this volume come from 19 countries on 5 continents and were originally written in 13 different languages. All 20 foreign language stories in this volume are appearing in English for the first time ever. The book includes stories by some of the world's preeminent horror authors, many of them not yet known in the English-speaking world.

True Stories of Crime from the District Attorney's Office tell of mayhem, corruption, forgery, murders, and other crimes that were going on in New York City in the late 19th and the early 20th century. Table of Contents: The Woman in the Case Five Hundred Million Dollars The Lost Stradivarius The Last of the Wire-Tappers The Franklin Syndicate A Study in Finance The "Duc De Nevers" A Finder of Missing Heirs A Murder Conspiracy A Flight into Texas A Case of Circumstantial Evidence Arthur Cheney Train (1875-1945) was an American lawyer and writer of legal thrillers, particularly known for his novels of courtroom intrigue and the creation of the fictional lawyer Mr. Ephraim Tutt, a wily old lawyer who supported the common man and always had a trick up his sleeve to right the law's injustices. Train wrote a number of novels and short stories inspired by his parallel career as a lawyer in private practice and a New York County District Attorney.

First published in 1908, “True Stories of Crime from the District Attorney's Office” is a first-hand account of various case files from the New York City District Attorney's office during the late 1890s and early 1900s. Highly recommended for those with an interest in New York City history and early 20th century Americana in general. Contents include: “The Woman in the Case”, “Five Hundred Million Dollars”, “The Lost Stradivarius”, “The Last of the Wire-Tappers”, “The Franklin Syndicate”, “A Study in Finance”, “The 'Duc de Nevers'”, “A Finder of Missing Heirs”, etc. Arthur Cheney Train (1875–1945) was an American lawyer and writer of legal thrillers famous for his courtroom scenes and novels featuring the fictional lawyer Mr. Ephraim Tutt. Other notable works by this author include: “The Needle's Eye” (1924), “The Blind Goddess” (1925), and “Page Mr. Tutt” (1926). Read & Co. History is proudly republishing this classic work now in a brand new edition complete with the introductory chapter “The Pleasant Fiction of the Presumption of Innocence”.