Long Road

A leading music journalist’s riveting chronicle of how beloved band Pearl Jam shaped the times, and how their legacy and longevity have transcended generations. Ever since Pearl Jam first blasted onto the Seattle grunge scene three decades ago with their debut album, Ten, they have sold 85M+ albums, performed for hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, and have even been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack Of A Generation, music critic and journalist Steven Hyden celebrates the life, career, and music of this legendary group, widely considered to be one of the greatest American rock bands of all time. Long Road is structured like a mix tape, using 18 different Pearl Jam classics as starting points for telling a mix of personal and universal stories. Each chapter tells the tale of this great band — how they got to where they are, what drove them to greatness, and why it matters now. Much like the generation it emerged from, Pearl Jam is a mass of contradictions. They were an enormously successful mainstream rock band who felt deeply uncomfortable with the pursuit of capitalistic spoils. They were progressive activists who spoke in favor of abortion rights and against the Ticketmaster monopoly, and yet they epitomized the sound of traditional, male-dominated rock ‘n’ roll. They were looked at as spokesmen for their generation, even though they ultimately projected profound confusion and alienation. They triumphed, and failed, in equal doses — the quintessential Gen-X tale. Impressive as their stats, accolades, and longevity may be, Hyden also argues that Pearl Jam’s most definitive accomplishment lies in the impact their music had on Generation X as a whole. Pearl Jam’s music helped an entire generation of listeners connect with the glory of bygone rock mythology, and made it relevant during a period in which tremendous American economic prosperity belied a darkness at the heart of American youth. More than just a chronicle of the band’s career, this book is also a story about Gen- X itself, who like Pearl Jam came from angsty, outspoken roots and then evolved into an establishment institution, without ever fully shaking off their uncertain, outsider past. For so many Gen-Xers growing up at the time, Pearl Jam’s music was a beacon that offered both solace and guidance. They taught an entire generation how to grow up without losing the purest and most essential parts of themselves. Written with his celebrated blend of personal memoir, criticism, and journalism, Hyden explores Pearl Jam’s path from Ten to now. It's a chance for new fans and old fans alike to geek out over Pearl Jam minutia—the B-sides, the beloved deep cuts, the concert bootlegs—and explore the multitude of reasons why Pearl Jam’s music resonated with so many people. As Hyden explains, “Most songs pass through our lives and are swiftly forgotten. But Pearl Jam is forever.”

Follow that road! Speed off on an eventful bicycle ride along the bold yellow road that cuts through town, by the sea, and through the country. Ride up and around, along and through, out and down. Frank's striking graphic style is executed in just five joyous colors, and his spare, rhythmic language is infectious. Hit a bump? Get back on track! Reach the end? Start again!

Introducing a remarkable new character from #1 New York Times bestselling writer David Baldacci: Atlee Pine, an FBI agent with special skills assigned to the remote wilds of the southwestern United States who must confront a new threat . . . and an old nightmare. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Catch a tiger by its toe. It's seared into Atlee Pine's memory: the kidnapper's chilling rhyme as he chose between six-year-old Atlee and her twin sister, Mercy. Mercy was taken. Atlee was spared. She never saw Mercy again. Three decades after that terrifying night, Atlee Pine works for the FBI. She's the lone agent assigned to the Shattered Rock, Arizona resident agency, which is responsible for protecting the Grand Canyon. So when one of the Grand Canyon's mules is found stabbed to death at the bottom of the canyon-and its rider missing-Pine is called in to investigate. It soon seems clear the lost tourist had something more clandestine than sightseeing in mind. But just as Pine begins to put together clues pointing to a terrifying plot, she's abruptly called off the case. If she disobeys direct orders by continuing to search for the missing man, it will mean the end of her career. But unless Pine keeps working the case and discovers the truth, it could spell the very end of democracy in America as we know it... "Love it!" --Lisa Gardner"Atlee Pine is unforgettable." --James Patterson "David Baldacci's best yet." --Lisa Scottoline "Heart-poundingly suspenseful." --Scott Turow "A stunning debut." --Douglas Preston "A perfect blend of action, secrets, and conspiracies." --Steve Berry "Baldacci is at the top of his game." --Kathy Reichs

ABC News’ Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz shares remarkable tales of heroism, hope, and heartbreak in her account of “Black Sunday”—a battle during one of the deadliest periods of the Iraq War. The First Cavalry Division came under surprise attack in Sadr City on Sunday April 4, 2004. Over 7,000 miles away, their families awaited the news for forty-eight hellish hours—expecting the worst. In this powerful, unflinching account, Martha Raddatz takes readers from the streets of Baghdad to the home front and tells the story of that horrific day through the eyes of the courageous American men and women who lived it. “A masterpiece of literary nonfiction that rivals any war-related classic that has preceded it.”—The Washington Post

We have all been there, a point that can send our lives in one direction or the other. This is a point where we can either continue the way we have been living, or branch out, take a chance, and seek more out of life. The Long Road North chronicles this juncture in Quentin Super's life. His memoir takes us through various stages that many people have experienced: partying, promiscuity, emptiness, and eventually a desire for something more. &nb

Joe is your average guy, who has led an average life. Or quite possibly, there could be more, much more. But he would never tell anyone that. He possesses the talents of being in the right place at the right time. Or does he? He's not afraid to speak his mind, no matter the place and the time. Joe is one of those magical guys who came from an era when the world was vastly less complex and complicated. And while the rest of the world evolved in their way, he evolved too, but not in the same direction. He was born his own person, grew up his own person, and lived his life on his terms. The people who engage in his life are as special as he is. Through the crossroads and intersections of their lives, everyone comes to the realization that it is, indeed, a long road to hero.

One day while sitting on a park bench, Mark was asked by an old man, "Why do you do what you do? Why do you work where you work or live where you live?" Whether we agree or not, life really is about a series of paths and decisions whereby even one small change can alter our lives forever. We usually want to blame others, including God, for our decisions. Only by examining the paths we have taken can we really see where we're at! It is only when we look deep within ourselves we discover that as writers, singers, musicians, interior decorators, or even truck drivers, we all have gifts! Having them is not to question; rather, it is WHAT WE DO WITH THEM that really matters! Wherever your passions lie, you can erase your doubts and restore your joy. Just imagine yourself on a park bench...

Koba Sharikov is a truly dauntless man, who has achieved many things in spite of the difficulties he has faced, and has made the impossible become possible. Abandoned at birth to an orphanage in the midst of World War II, Sharikov's story reveals the true diversity of human life, from larceny to love, loss, and boatbuilding. His is a life lived to its full potential, where education-both formal and informal-became a passport to adventure. "I had a dream to live a life with no poetry unwritten, no song unsung, and no painting left unpainted, so that at the end, I could claim that all has been said and done." These pages scratch the surface of a life lived with vigour and enthusiasm, and take the reader on a vivid and inspiring journey. Follow Sharikov's transformation from the small boy who took sanctuary amid the roots of a tree near his orphanage to the man who moved on to provide similar roots to orphaned African children. His life's story is truly a testimony to his motto: "more is in me."