The Hard Stuff

The first memoir by Wayne Kramer, legendary guitarist and cofounder of quintessential Detroit proto-punk legends The MC5 "Voyeuristically dramatic." -THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW In January 1969, before the world heard a note of their music, the MC5 was on the cover of Rolling Stone. Led by legendary guitarist Wayne Kramer, the band was a reflection of the times: exciting, sexy, violent, chaotic, and even out of control. The missing link between free jazz and punk rock, the MC5 toured the country, played alongside music legends, and had a rabid following, their music acting as the soundtrack to the blossoming blue collar youth movement. Kramer wanted to redefine what a rock 'n' roll group was capable of, and though there was power in reaching for that, it was also a recipe for personal and professional disaster. The band recorded three major label albums but, by 1972-it was all over. Kramer's story is (literally) a revolutionary one, but it's also the deeply personal struggle of an addict and an artist, a rebel with a great tale to tell. From the glory days of Detroit to the junk-sick streets of the East Village, from Key West to Nashville and sunny L.A., in and out of prison and on and off of drugs, Kramer's is the classic journeyman narrative, but with a twist: he's here to remind us that revolution is always an option.

Facing his demons in his first year of sobriety, Matthew Scudder finds himself on the trail of a killer. When Scudder's childhood friend Jack Ellery is murdered, presumably while attempting to atone for past sins, Scudder reluctantly begins his own investigation, with just one lead: Ellery's Alcoholics Anonymous list of people he wronged. One of them may be a killer, but that's not necessarily Scudder's greatest danger. Immersing himself in Ellery's world may lead him right back to the bar stool. In a novel widely celebrated by critics and readers, Lawrence Block circle back to how it all began, reestablishing the Matthew Scudder series as one of the pinnacles of American detective fiction. "Right up there with Mr. Block's best . . . A Drop of Hard Stuff keeps us guessing." -- Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal

In this humorous, action-packed crime thriller, a strip club bouncer working for a coalition of mob bosses must steal $4 million in diamonds—twice. Ex-black-ops-specialist-turned-strip-club-bouncer Joe Brody has a new qualification to add to his resume: an alliance of New York City’s mob bosses has deemed him its “sheriff.” In the straight world, when you “see something” you “say something” to the law. In the bent world, they call Joe. Still reeling from a particularly difficult operation—and having plummeted back into the drug and alcohol addiction that got him kicked out of the military as a result—Joe has just managed to detox at the clinic of a Chinese herbalist when the mob bosses phone. They need Joe to help them swindle a group of opioid dealers (of all things). But these are no typical drug-ferrying gangsters. Little Maria, the head of the Dominican mob, has discovered that her new heroin suppliers belong to an al Qaeda splinter group, and that they’re planning to use their drug funds to back their terrorist agenda. With Joe in command, the mob coalition must pull off an intricate heist that will begin in Manhattan’s diamond district. At stake is not only their business, but the state of the world. For readers who like a liberal dose of humor mixed with gritty crime, The Hard Stuff is a brilliant, action-packed thriller from a fresh virtuoso of the crime caper genre. Praise for The Hard Stuff “With The Bouncer (2018), Gordon established himself as a major player in comic thrillerdom, right up there with Thomas Perry . . . Much of Gordon's genius comes from his ability to build character in a few subtle brush strokes, so his entire cast . . . get under our skins in an instant and stay put. There are some grisly doings this time, but the lightness of touch that distinguishes Gordon's prose, whether his characters are bantering or dismembering, is still what makes this series soar.” —Booklist (starred review) “Highly entertaining. . . . Gordon has a knack for twisty story lines, nonstop action, and over-the-top sequences.” —Publishers Weekly “Gordon is fashioning himself an impressive crime world niche somewhere between Donald Westlake and Elmore Leonard, with his raucous, rollicking stories of New York City crime. . . . Come for the intricate, surprising crime scenarios; stay for the banter.” —CrimeReads

Today—as repeated attempts to "fix ourselves and our lives" fail—many of us face unprecedented fears about the future, struggle with unspeakable life tragedies, and sink under the belief that certain lives do not matter in our society. Others confront our epidemic of anxiety with fierce resistance, or "the fight to be right," criticizing anyone and everyone just to end up stuck. In the face of such pervasive human suffering, New York Times best-selling author and legendary life coach Iyanla Vanzant challenges us: What if it’s not them—what if it’s you? What if you need to "get over it"—and get over yourself? Because no matter how much we would like to blame people and circumstances beyond our control, the truth is staggeringly simple: anything and everything we experience is a function of what and how we think. In Get Over It! Iyanla offers a unique spiritual technology called "thought therapy," a process that harnesses proven spiritual tools with the science of neuroplasticity. The 42 prayers and affirmations, and complementary energy-clearing tools at the heart of the thought therapy process are designed to neutralize and eliminate the unconscious, unproductive, soul-destroying dominant negative thought patterns (DNTPs) and discordant emotional energies, allowing you to get to the root cause of your personal suffering, and make life-affirming choices. If you’re ready to break free of your ego’s resistance and willing to face yourself, willing to change, and willing to heal and grow—then now’s the time to Get Over It!

Introducing Joe the Bouncer in “a tour-de-force, ranging from underworld crime to a unique caper and a terrorist plot . . . an outstanding new voice” (Robert Crais, #1 New York Times bestselling author). In David Gordon’s diabolically imaginative thriller, The Bouncer, nothing and no one is as expected—from a vial of yellow fragrance to a gangster who moonlights in women’s clothes. Joe Brody is just your average Dostoevsky-reading, Harvard-expelled strip club bouncer who has a highly classified military history and whose best friend from Catholic school happens to be head mafioso Gio Caprisi. FBI agent Donna Zamora, the best shot in her class at Quantico, is a single mother stuck at a desk manning the hotline. Their storylines intersect over a tip from a cokehead that leads to a crackdown on Gio’s strip joint in Queens and Joe’s arrest—just one piece of a city-wide sweep aimed at flushing out anyone who might have a lead on the various terrorists whose photos are hanging on the wall under Most Wanted. Outside the jailhouse, the Fed and the bouncer lock eyes, as Gordon launches them both headlong into a nonstop plot that goes from back-road gun show intervention to high-stakes perfume heist and manages to touch everyone from the CIA to the Flushing Triads. Beneath it all lurks a sinister criminal mastermind whose manipulations could cause chaos on a massively violent scale. “A brilliantly goofy caper novel in the grand tradition of Donald E. Westlake.”—The New York Times Book Review “[An] impressive crime novel . . . Gordon’s sharply drawn supporting cast adds a nice balance to all the action.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Cybersecurity experts from across industries and sectors share insights on how to think like scientists to master cybersecurity challenges Humankind’s efforts to explain the origin of the cosmos birthed disciplines such as physics and chemistry. Scientists conceived of the cosmic ‘Big Bang’ as an explosion of particles—everything in the universe centered around core elements and governed by laws of matter and gravity. In the modern era of digital technology, we are experiencing a similar explosion of ones and zeros, an exponentially expanding universe of bits of data centered around the core elements of speed and connectivity. One of the disciplines to emerge from our efforts to make sense of this new universe is the science of cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is as central to the Digital Age as physics and chemistry were to the Scientific Age. The Digital Big Bang explores current and emerging knowledge in the field of cybersecurity, helping readers think like scientists to master cybersecurity principles and overcome cybersecurity challenges. This innovative text adopts a scientific approach to cybersecurity, identifying the science’s fundamental elements and examining how these elements intersect and interact with each other. Author Phil Quade distills his over three decades of cyber intelligence, defense, and attack experience into an accessible, yet detailed, single-volume resource. Designed for non-specialist business leaders and cybersecurity practitioners alike, this authoritative book is packed with real-world examples, techniques, and strategies no organization should be without. Contributions from many of the world’s leading cybersecurity experts and policymakers enable readers to firmly grasp vital cybersecurity concepts, methods, and practices. This important book: Guides readers on both fundamental tactics and advanced strategies Features observations, hypotheses, and conclusions on a wide range of cybersecurity issues Helps readers work with the central elements of cybersecurity, rather than fight or ignore them Includes content by cybersecurity leaders from organizations such as Microsoft, Target, ADP, Capital One, Verisign, AT&T, Samsung, and many others Offers insights from national-level security experts including former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and former Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell The Digital Big Bang is an invaluable source of information for anyone faced with the challenges of 21st century cybersecurity in all industries and sectors, including business leaders, policy makers, analysts and researchers as well as IT professionals, educators, and students.

His life abounds in colorful anecdote and abrasive repartee. When he was harassed by the House Un-American Activities Committee, his response was: "I consider the activities of this Committee as un-American.

Are you an imperfect, trying-her-best mom? If you're over reading parenting advice, The Magic of Motherhood should be your next read. Motherhood can often feel overwhelming and isolating. Your feelings swing between joy and uncertainty, intense love and anxiety, laughter and tears. Ashlee Gadd and the writers behind the popular blog Coffee + Crumbs have written a beautiful reminder of your identity, both as a woman and a mother. The Magic of Motherhood is a curated collection of honest stories weaving together the love, joy, and magnificent heartache of motherhood. Instead of offering advice, the writers offer something even better: their hearts. You'll read essays about identity, adoption, body image, miscarriage, friendship, faith, and more. After reading, mothers will: Find joy in both beauty and mess Discover a renewed strength and sisterhood Be reassured that they are not alone Want to gift this book on Mother's Day, birthdays, baby showers, National Best Friend Day, and other holidays New and seasoned moms will enjoy The Magic of Motherhood. This book is a love letter to mothers everywhere. Essays from Ashlee Gadd of Coffee + Crumbs and its contributors will provide solidarity for all moms.