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Books about Awe
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
A study of the role of randomness in life, and how it can lead to unexpected events.
A black swan is a highly improbable event with three principal characteristics: It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact; and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appear ... (Goodreads)
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
by Judi Barrett
A whimsical story of a town where food literally falls from the sky.
A grandfather reads a bedtime story, chronicling the lives of the citizens of an imaginary town called Chewandswallow, which is characterized by food raining from the sky. The sky provided the ... (Wikipedia)
Salt: A World History
by Mark Kurlansky
Comprehensive overview of the influence of salt on human society, from ancient times to the present.
In his fifth work of nonfiction, Mark Kurlansky turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history: salt. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the ... (Goodreads)
Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back
by Todd Burpo
A young boy's spiritual journey of dying and visiting Heaven, and the aftermath of his visions.
Unglaublich oder erstaunlich? Urteilen Sie selbst: Colton ist vier Jahre alt, als er lebensgefährlich erkrankt und operiert werden muss. Er überlebt um Haaresbreite. Später erzählt er seinen Eltern, ... (Goodreads)
Let the Great World Spin
by Colum McCann
Interconnected stories of ordinary lives in 1970s New York, inspired by a high-wire artist's death-defying feat.
The events of the story are told in a largely non-linear fashion, with several different narrators telling the story from different perspectives. The story is interspersed with fictionalized accounts ... (Wikipedia)
Journey to the Center of the Earth
by Jules Verne
Explorers embark on an incredible subterranean adventure, uncovering the secrets of a lost world.
Designed to appeal to the book lover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautifully bound pocket-sized gift editions of much loved classic titles. Bound in real cloth, printed on high ... (Barnes & Noble)
Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection
by Brandon Sanderson
Eight stories set in the same universe, exploring the power of imagination and the limits of reality.
Brandon Sanderson creates worlds, and those worlds are linked. His universe spans the Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn series the tales of Elantris, and others, comprising a unique constellation of ... (Goodreads)
The Shadow of the Wind
by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
A thrilling mystery set in Barcelona, exploring the power of books and the secrets they keep.
"Gabriel García Márquez meets Umberto Eco meets Jorge Luis Borges for a sprawling magic show."—, The New York Times Book Review, A, New York Times, Bestseller Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in ... (Barnes & Noble)
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
by Scott McCloud
Exploration of the visual language of comics and its role in storytelling.
Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics is a seminal examination of comics art: its rich history, surprising technical components, and major cultural significance. Explore the secret world between the ... (Goodreads)
A Brief History of Time
by Stephen Hawking
Exploring the depths of time and space and the emergence of the universe.
In the ten years since its publication in 1988, Stephen Hawking's classic work has become a landmark volume in scientific writing, with more than nine million copies in forty languages sold ... (Goodreads)
The Little Prince
by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
A fable of an extraterrestrial prince who visits Earth and learns about the fragility of life.
The narrator begins with a discussion on the nature of grown-ups and their inability to perceive especially important things. As a test to determine if a grown-up is enlightened and like a child, he ... (Wikipedia)
Twelfth Night
by William Shakespeare
An intertwined story of mistaken identity, love, and hilarity in a world of deception.
Named for the twelfth night after Christmas, the end of the Christmas season, Twelfth Night plays with love and power. The Countess Olivia, a woman with her own household, attracts Duke (or Count) ... (Goodreads)
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
by Christopher McDougall
A thrilling exploration of the Tarahumara tribe and their superhuman running abilities.
Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does ... (Goodreads)
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
by Mitch Albom
A man's journey to the afterlife, meeting five people who help him find closure.
From the author of the phenomenal #1 New York Times bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie, a novel that explores the unexpected connections of our lives, and the idea that heaven is more than a place; it's ... (Goodreads)
The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality
by Brian Greene
An exploration of space and time in the physical world, looking at the fundamental laws of the universe.
From Brian Greene, one of the world’s leading physicists and author the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Elegant Universe , comes a grand tour of the universe that makes us look at reality in a completely ... (Goodreads)
The Night Circus
by Erin Morgenstern
A fantastical story of two magicians locked in a mysterious duel at a mesmerizing, nocturnal circus.
The Night Circus is a phantasmagorical fairy tale set near an ahistorical Victorian London in a wandering magical circus that is open only from sunset to sunrise. Le Cirque des Rêves (The Circus of ... (Wikipedia)
Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold
by Stephen Fry
Reimagining of classic Greek myths, with a modern twist.
Mythos is a modern collection of Greek myths, stylishly retold by legendary writer, actor, and comedian Stephen Fry. Fry transforms the adventures of Zeus and the Olympians into emotionally resonant ... (Goodreads)
Bluets
by Maggie Nelson
A lyrical exploration of love, loss, and grief, expressed through memories and reflections.
Suppose I were to begin by saying that I had fallen in love with a color... A lyrical, philosophical, and often explicit exploration of personal suffering and the limitations of vision and love, as ... (Goodreads)
Collected Fictions
by Jorge Luis Borges
An anthology of Borges' masterful short stories, exploring the depths of human thought and imagination.
Jorge Luis Borges has been called the greatest Spanish-language writer of our century. Now for the first time in English, all of Borges' dazzling fictions are gathered into a single volume, ... (Goodreads)
Cloud Atlas
by David Mitchell
A dynamic narrative spanning centuries, exploring the interconnectedness of humanity.
The book consists of six nested stories; each is read or observed by a main character of the next, thus they progress in time through the central sixth story. The first five stories are each ... (Wikipedia)
Metamorphoses
by Ovid
A collection of tales of transformation, featuring gods and mortals.
Prized through the ages for its splendor and its savage, sophisticated wit, The Metamorphoses is a masterpiece of Western culture–the first attempt to link all the Greek myths, before and after ... (Goodreads)
A Briefer History of Time
by Stephen Hawking
A concise overview of the history of the universe, from the Big Bang to the present day.
Stephen Hawking's worldwide bestseller, A Brief History of Time, has been a landmark volume in scientific writing. Its author's engaging voice is one reason, and the compelling subjects he addresses ... (Goodreads)
The Lord of the Rings: The Art of the Fellowship of the Ring
by Gary Russell
A detailed exploration of the creative process behind the making of the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic novel.
With complete and unrestricted access to artwork created over a five-year period, this authoritative and insightful book illustrates the creative development of The Fellowship of the Ring . This ... (Goodreads)
Galápagos
by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
A journey to the Galápagos Islands revealing secrets of evolution, humanity, and the future.
Galápagos is the story of a small band of mismatched humans who are shipwrecked on the fictional island of Santa Rosalia in the Galápagos Islands after a global financial crisis cripples the world's ... (Wikipedia)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot
A riveting exploration of the power of medical science and its implications for medical ethics.
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her enslaved ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her ... (Goodreads)
Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling
by Ross King
An exploration of the artistic genius of Michelangelo, and the turbulent politics behind the Sistine Chapel.
In 1508, despite strong advice to the contrary, the powerful Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the newly restored Sistine Chapel. With little experience as a painter ... (Goodreads)
Kafka on the Shore
by Haruki Murakami
A surreal journey of self-discovery, exploring the boundaries between the real and surreal.
Comprising two distinct but interrelated plots, the narrative runs back and forth between both plots, taking up each plotline in alternating chapters. The odd-numbered chapters tell the 15-year-old ... (Wikipedia)
Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings
by Jorge Luis Borges
A collection of metaphysical tales and philosophical musings exploring the nature of reality.
Although his work has been restricted to the short story, the essay, and poetry, Jorge Luis Borges of Argentina is recognized all over the world as one of the most original and significant figures in ... (Goodreads)
The Magician's Nephew
by C.S. Lewis
An epic journey through time and space, exploring the origins of Narnia and discovering its wondrous inhabitants.
The story begins in London during the summer of 1900. Two children, Digory and Polly , meet while playing in the adjacent gardens of a row of terraced houses . They decide to explore the attic ... (Wikipedia)
A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century
by Barbara W. Tuchman
A captivating narrative of the 14th century and its tumultuous history.
The 14th century gives us back two contradictory images: a glittering time of crusades and castles, cathedrals and chivalry, and a dark time of ferocity and spiritual agony, a world plunged into a ... (Goodreads)
The Gene: An Intimate History
by Siddhartha Mukherjee
An exploration of the science of genetics and its implications for humanity.
Spanning the globe and several centuries, The Gene is the story of the quest to decipher the master-code that makes and defines humans, that governs our form and function. The story of the gene ... (Goodreads)
The Silmarillion
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Epic saga of the history of Middle-Earth, a world filled with mythical creatures.
The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien’s world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of ... (Goodreads)
A Short History of Nearly Everything
by Bill Bryson
A captivating overview of the natural sciences, spanning the history of the universe.
In Bryson's biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand—and, if possible, answer—the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory ... (Goodreads)
Rendezvous with Rama
by Arthur C. Clarke
A mysterious alien spacecraft discovered in the Solar System, explored by a human team.
After an asteroid falls in Northeast Italy in 2077, creating a major disaster, the government of Earth sets up the Spaceguard system as an early warning of arrivals from deep space. The "Rama" of the ... (Wikipedia)
Ubik
by Philip K. Dick
A mind-bending sci-fi tale exploring the nature of reality and the power of the subconscious.
By the year 1992, humanity has colonized the Moon and psychic powers are common. The protagonist, Joe Chip, is a debt-ridden technician working for Runciter Associates, a "prudence organization" ... (Wikipedia)
Cosmos
by Carl Sagan
Voyage through the vastness of space, unlocking the mysteries of the universe.
Cosmos has 13 heavily illustrated chapters, corresponding to the 13 episodes of the Cosmos television series. In the book, Sagan explores 15 billion years of cosmic evolution and the development of ... (Goodreads)
A Wild Sheep Chase
by Haruki Murakami
A surreal journey of self-discovery through fantasy, reality, and the unknown.
This quasi-detective tale follows an unnamed, chain-smoking narrator and his adventures in Tokyo and Hokkaido in 1978. The story begins when the recently divorced protagonist, an advertisement ... (Wikipedia)
Captain's Fury
by Jim Butcher
A captain of the King's army must battle forces of evil and protect an ancient secret.
Two years have passed after the Night of the Red Stars and the Battle at the Elinarch (in book three of the Codex Alera , Cursor's Fury ). Rufus Scipio/Tavi had been repelling attacks from the Canim ... (Wikipedia)
At the Mountains of Madness
by H.P. Lovecraft
A scientific expedition to Antarctica uncovers secrets of an ancient civilization.
The story is recalled in a first-person perspective by the geologist William Dyer, a professor at Arkham 's Miskatonic University , in the hope to prevent an important and much publicized scientific ... (Wikipedia)
The Hidden Life of Trees: what they feel, how they communicate : discoveries from a secret world
by Peter Wohlleben
An exploration of the complex relationships between trees and the environment.
A, New York Times, bestseller,, With more than 2 million copies sold worldwide, this beautifully-written book journeys deep into the forest to uncover the fascinating—and surprisingly moving—hidden ... (Barnes & Noble)
1,000 Places to See Before You Die
by Patricia Schultz
An inspiring journey to explore the beauty of the world, discover hidden gems and make memories.
Around the World, continent by continent, here is the best the world has to offer: 1,000 places guaranteed to give travelers the shivers. Sacred ruins, grand hotels, wildlife preserves, hilltop ... (Goodreads)
The Secret Keeper
by Kate Morton
A woman unravels her family's past, uncovering secrets and lies that span generations.
During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a ... (Goodreads)
Inside the Human Body
by Joanna Cole
A journey through the inner workings of the human body, from the bones to the organs.
Talk about a change of plans! Ms. Frizzle and her class are on the Magic School Bus headed for a museum. They have been studying how the body turns food into energy, and now they are going to see an ... (Goodreads)
Aesop's Fables
by Aesop
Collection of morals and lessons conveyed through a series of animal-based tales.
The fables of Aesop have become one of the most enduring traditions of European culture, ever since they were first written down nearly two millennia ago. Aesop was reputedly a tongue-tied slave who ... (Goodreads)
The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
by Sam Kean
Fascinating tales of discovery and exploration of the elements of the periodic table.
Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium (Cd, 48)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie's reputation? And why did tellurium (Te, ... (Goodreads)
Leonardo da Vinci
by Walter Isaacson
Biography of the world's greatest polymath, exploring his legacy of art and science.
The #1, New York Times, bestseller from Walter Isaacson brings Leonardo da Vinci to life in this exciting new biography that is “a study in creativity: how to define it, how to achieve it...Most ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Complete Works
by William Shakespeare
A comprehensive collection of works, containing plays, sonnets, and narrative poems.
Tempest Two Gentlemen of Verona Merry Wives of Windsor Measure for Measure Comedy of Errors Much Ado About Nothing Love's Labour's Lost Midsummer Night's Dream Merchant of Venice As You Like It ... (Goodreads)
2001: A Space Odyssey
by Arthur C. Clarke
An interstellar journey of exploration, confronting humanity's place in the universe.
A mysterious alien civilization uses a tool with the appearance of a large crystalline monolith to investigate worlds across the galaxy and, if possible, to encourage the development of intelligent ... (Wikipedia)
Tuck Everlasting
by Natalie Babbitt
A young girl discovers the secret of a family that has found the key to eternal life.
12-year-old Winifred "Winnie" Foster is frustrated with her family because they keep her cooped up in the house, and considers running away from her home in rural Treegap. One day, while in a wooded ... (Wikipedia)
The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World
by Andrea Wulf
Biography of the German scientist who changed our understanding of the natural world.
The acclaimed author of Founding Gardeners reveals the forgotten life of Alexander von Humboldt, the visionary German naturalist whose ideas changed the way we see the natural world—and in the ... (Goodreads)
Out of Africa
by Isak Dinesen
Memoir of a Danish author's life in Kenya, exploring nature and culture.
'Out of Africa' is Isak Dinesen's memoir of her years in Africa, from 1914 to 1931, on a four-thousand-acre coffee plantation in the hills near Nairobi. She had come to Kenya from Denmark with her ... (Goodreads)
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything
by Joshua Foer
An exploration of the science of memory and its potential to unlock hidden abilities in the human mind.
The blockbuster phenomenon that charts an amazing journey of the mind while revolutionizing our concept of memory An instant bestseller that is poised to become a classic, Moonwalking with Einstein ... (Goodreads)
The Divine Comedy
by Dante Alighieri
A poetic journey through the afterlife, guided by the Roman poet Virgil.
The Divine Comedy describes Dante's descent into Hell with Virgil as a guide; his ascent of Mount Purgatory and encounter with his dead love, Beatrice; and finally, his arrival in Heaven. Examining ... (Goodreads)
The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds
by Michael Lewis
A fascinating examination of the two psychologists who changed the way we view the human mind.
Forty years ago, Israeli psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky wrote a series of breathtakingly original papers that invented the field of behavioral economics. One of the greatest ... (Goodreads)
People of the Book
by Geraldine Brooks
A journey through time as an ancient book is discovered and its secrets revealed.
The "complex and moving" ( The New Yorker ) novel by Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks follows a rare manuscript through centuries of exile and war. Inspired by a true story, "People of the ... (Goodreads)
M.C. Escher: The Graphic Work
by M.C. Escher
An exploration of the art of M.C. Escher, differing perspectives in visual illusions.
Presenting the structurally unthinkable as though it were a law of nature M.C. Escher was born in 1898 in Leeuwarden (Netherlands). He received his first drawing lessons during secondary school from ... (Goodreads)
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
by Neil deGrasse Tyson
An accessible exploration of the universe and its mysteries.
Over a year on the New York Times bestseller list and more than a million copies sold. The essential universe, from our most celebrated and beloved astrophysicist. What is the nature of space and ... (Barnes & Noble)
Assassination Vacation
by Sarah Vowell
A comedic travelogue exploring the history of presidential assassinations in the United States.
Sarah Vowell exposes the glorious conundrums of American history and culture with wit, probity, and an irreverent sense of humor. With Assassination Vacation, she takes us on a road trip like no ... (Goodreads)
The Brain that Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science
by Norman Doidge
Exploring the brain's remarkable ability to adapt, heal and change itself.
An astonishing new science called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable. Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Norman Doidge, M.D., traveled the country ... (Goodreads)
The Celestine Prophecy
by James Redfield
A spiritual journey of discovery, unlocking the ancient mysteries of the universe.
Are three decades of interest in modern physics, ecology, mystical religion and interpersonal psychology finally synthesizing into a new spiritual "common sense"? Are we now beginning to live this ... (Goodreads)
The Grand Design
by Stephen Hawking
Exploring the origins of the universe and the laws of nature that govern its operation.
THE FIRST MAJOR WORK IN NEARLY A DECADE BY ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREAT THINKERS—A MARVELOUSLY CONCISE BOOK WITH NEW ANSWERS TO THE ULTIMATE QUESTIONS OF LIFE When and how did the universe begin? Why are ... (Goodreads)
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
by Mary Beard
An exploration into the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, tracing its impact on the modern world.
New York Times Bestseller A New York Times Notable Book Named one of the Best Books of the Year by the Wall Street Journal , the Economist, Foreign Affairs , and Kirkus Reviews Finalist for the ... (Barnes & Noble)
Something Wicked This Way Comes
by Ray Bradbury
A dark fantasy tale of two boys confronting a mysterious and sinister carnival.
One of Ray Bradbury’s best-known and most popular novels, Something Wicked This Way Comes , now featuring a new introduction and material about its longstanding influence on culture and genre. For ... (Barnes & Noble)
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
by Robert C. O'Brien
A mouse's quest for survival and freedom, aided by the extraordinary intelligence of laboratory rats.
Mrs. Frisby is the head of a family of field mice. Her son Timothy is ill with pneumonia just as the farmer Mr. Fitzgibbon begins preparation for spring plowing in the garden where the Frisby family ... (Wikipedia)
The Labyrinth of the Spirits
by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
A thrilling mystery set in the dark depths of Franco's Spain, weaving together a story of love, revenge, and the supernatural.
Daniel Sempere and Fermín Romero de Torres again appear in the novel set in the Barcelona of the 1950s. Daniel, overwhelmed by rage and need to avenge the death of his mother, Isabella, will discover ... (Wikipedia)
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
by Annie Dillard
A reflective journey through nature, exploring the mysteries of the natural world.
An exhilarating meditation on nature and its seasons—a personal narrative highlighting one year's exploration on foot in the author's own neighborhood in Tinker Creek, Virginia. In the summer, ... (Goodreads)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Visual Companion
by Jude Fisher
A detailed look into the world of Lord of the Rings, from the characters and creatures to the landscapes and battles.
From the New York Times best-selling author of The Two Towers Visual Companion comes a lavishly illustrated keepsake guide to The Return of the King. As Frodo, Sam, and Gollum slowly make their way ... (Goodreads)
The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
by A.J. Jacobs
An exploration of knowledge and the pursuit of wisdom, through an attempt to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica.
Part memoir and part education (or lack thereof), The Know-It-All chronicles NPR contributor A.J. Jacobs's hilarious, enlightening, and seemingly impossible quest to read the Encyclopaedia Britannica ... (Goodreads)
Hell House
by Richard Matheson
A group of paranormal investigators explore a haunted mansion, facing the horrors within.
The story of Hell House concerns four people – Dr. Lionel Barrett, a physicist with an interest in parapsychology , his wife Edith, and two mediums (Florence Tanner, a spiritualist and mental medium, ... (Wikipedia)
The Histories
by Herodotus
Exploration into the rise and fall of empires in the ancient world.
One of the masterpieces of classical literature, the "Histories" describes how a small and quarrelsome band of Greek city states united to repel the might of the Persian empire. But while this epic ... (Goodreads)
The Slow Regard of Silent Things
by Patrick Rothfuss
A solitary journey into the depths of a mysterious underground realm.
Deep below the University, there is a dark place. Few people know of it: a broken web of ancient passageways and abandoned rooms. A young woman lives there, tucked among the sprawling tunnels of the ... (Goodreads)
The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook
by Bruce D. Perry
Insightful case studies of children dealing with extreme trauma, and their resilience.
In this instant classic of developmental psychology, a renowned psychiatrist examines the effect that trauma can have on a child, reveals how PTSD impacts the developing mind, and outlines the path ... (Barnes & Noble)
Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fiction and Illusions
by Neil Gaiman
A collection of short stories featuring mysterious characters and unexpected twists.
In the deft hands of Neil Gaiman , magic is no mere illusion... and anything is possible. In this, Gaiman's first book of short stories, his imagination and supreme artistry transform a mundane world ... (Goodreads)
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
by Christopher Moore
A retelling of the life of Jesus Christ, told through the eyes of his childhood best friend.
Biff is resurrected in the 20th Century to complete missing parts of the Bible , under the inefficient supervision of Raziel ; wherefore Biff narrates that he and Joshua (by Biff's account, the ... (Wikipedia)
Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook
by Anthony Bourdain
A journey through the culinary world, exploring the chefs and cultures that inspire its cuisine.
A lot has changed since Kitchen Confidential. For the subculture of chefs and cooks, for the restaurant business as a whole—and for Anthony Bourdain. Medium Raw explores those changes, taking the ... (Goodreads)
Dream Country
by Neil Gaiman
A collection of short stories that explore the boundaries of dreams, reality, and fantasy.
The third volume of the Sandman collection is a series of four short comic book stories. In each of these otherwise unrelated stories, Morpheus serves only as a minor character. Here we meet the ... (Goodreads)
Contact
by Carl Sagan
A scientist's search for extraterrestrial life, complex journey of self-discovery.
As a child, Eleanor "Ellie" Arroway displays a strong aptitude for science and mathematics. Dissatisfied with a school lesson, she goes to the library to convince herself that ,π, is transcendental . ... (Wikipedia)
Death By Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
by Neil deGrasse Tyson
Exploring the science of the universe, from the edge of a black hole to the big bang.
A vibrant collection of essays on the cosmos from the nation's best-known astrophysicist. "One of today's best popularizers of science." ,—Kirkus Reviews., Loyal readers of the monthly "Universe" ... (Goodreads)
Flotsam
by David Wiesner
A boy discovers a camera with mysterious photographs, inspiring a journey of exploration.
The book has no words , but is told through pictures. A boy is at the beach and finds an old camera. He takes the film to get it developed, and sees photos of fantastical undersea cities and ... (Wikipedia)
The Dark Half
by Stephen King
A writer's dark doppelganger takes over his life and wreaks deadly chaos.
Thad Beaumont is an author and recovering alcoholic who lives in the town of Ludlow , Maine . Thad's own books – cerebral literary fiction – are not very successful. However, under the pen name ... (Wikipedia)
The Beekeeper's Apprentice
by Laurie R. King
A young girl’s journey to becoming a detective apprentice, uncovering crime and solving mysteries.
After losing her family in a tragic motor accident in California, fifteen-year-old Mary Russell goes to live with her aunt in Sussex, England. Wandering the Sussex Downs in April 1915, she literally ... (Wikipedia)
The Art Book
by Phaidon Press
A comprehensive guide to 500 of the world's greatest works of art.
An A to Z guide to 500 great painters and sculptors from medieval to modern times, it debunks art historical classifications by throwing together brilliant examples of all periods, schools, visions ... (Goodreads)
Just My Type: A Book about Fonts
by Simon Garfield
Exploration of the fascinating history and variety of typefaces that have shaped our world.
What’s your type? Suddenly everyone’s obsessed with fonts. Whether you’re enraged by Ikea’s Verdanagate, want to know what the Beach Boys have in common with easy Jet or why it’s okay to like Comic ... (Goodreads)
Carry On
by Rainbow Rowell
Follows two boys on their journey of magical self-discovery as they battle evil forces.
Simon Snow is an 18 year old orphaned magician returning to Watford School of Magicks for his eighth and final year. Raised among the "Normals" (humans without magical powers) Simon was discovered as ... (Wikipedia)
Color: A Natural History of the Palette
by Victoria Finlay
Exploration of the history, science, and cultural significance of color.
Discover the tantalizing true stories behind your favorite colors. For example: Cleopatra used saffron—a source of the color yellow—for seduction. Extracted from an Afghan mine, the blue ... (Goodreads)
The Absolute Sandman, Volume One
by Neil Gaiman
A collection of tales of dreams, fantasy and horror, exploring the power of imagination.
One of the most popular and critically acclaimed comic book titles of all time,, New York Times, best-selling author Neil Gaiman 's masterpiece, The Sandman, set new standards for mature, lyrical ... (Goodreads)
Sundays at Tiffany's
by James Patterson
A woman's journey to reconnect with her childhood imaginary friend and her own past.
The book opens with Jane Margaux and her imaginary friend, Michael, spending a Sunday at the St. Regis Plaza in New York City eating ice cream together, which they do every Sunday. Michael is an ... (Wikipedia)
The Right Stuff
by Tom Wolfe
The heroic story of the first American astronauts, and their incredible feats of courage.
Tom Wolfe began The Right Stuff at a time when it was unfashionable to contemplate American heroism. Nixon had left the White House in disgrace, the nation was reeling from the catastrophe of ... (Goodreads)
Memories of My Melancholy Whores
by Gabriel García Márquez
An elderly man's reflections on love and life, through the lens of a young prostitute.
An old journalist, who has just celebrated his 90th birthday, seeks sex with a 14 year old prostitute, who is selling her virginity to help her family. Instead of sex, he discovers love for the first ... (Wikipedia)
الفيل الأزرق
by أحمد مراد
A young boy's journey of self-discovery, navigating complexities of tribal life in the Sahara.
بعد خمس سنوات من العُزلة الاختيارية يستأنف د. يحيى عمله في مستشفى العباسية للصحّة النفسية، حيث يجد في انتظاره مفاجأة.. في "8 غرب"، القسم الذي يقرّر مَصير مُرتكبي الجرائم، يُقابل صديقاً قديماً يحمل ... (Goodreads)
A Piece of the World
by Christina Baker Kline
A woman's journey of self-discovery as she comes to terms with a painting that made her famous.
A New York Times bestseller. "Exquisite. A must-read.” —Kristin Hannah From the #1, New York Times, bestselling author of the smash bestseller, Orphan Train, a stunning and atmospheric novel of ... (Barnes & Noble)
Miss Nelson Is Back
by Harry Allard
A mischievous substitute teacher teaches a lesson to unruly students.
In this sequel to Miss Nelson is Missing, the scheming kids in Room 207 are in for a big surprise from the scariest substitute around: Miss Viola Swamp. Includes bonus downloadable audio. When their ... (Goodreads)
The Long Earth
by Terry Pratchett
A journey through alternate worlds, exploring the boundaries of reality and imagination.
The "Long Earth" is a (possibly infinite) series of parallel worlds that are similar to Earth, which can be reached by using an inexpensive device called a "Stepper". The "close" worlds are almost ... (Wikipedia)
Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere
by Mike Carey
A journey of magical realism through the hidden world of London Below.
Graphic adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere collects all nine issues of the Vertigo maxiseries. An ordinary Londoner stops to help an enigmatic girl and joins a battle to save the strange ... (Goodreads)
A Mango-Shaped Space
by Wendy Mass
A girl discovers her unique ability to see colors associated with time, space, and emotions.
As long as she can remember, Mia Winchell has seen words and numbers as colors. However, Mia has kept this a secret from everyone, including friends and family. In the year since her grandfather's ... (Wikipedia)
The Historian
by Elizabeth Kostova
An adventurous search for the truth behind Dracula's legend, spanning centuries.
The Historian interweaves the history and folklore of Vlad Țepeș , a 15th-century prince of Wallachia known as "Vlad the Impaler", and his fictional equivalent Count Dracula together with the story ... (Wikipedia)
Cleopatra: A Life
by Stacy Schiff
Biography of Cleopatra VII, the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt. Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnets, and gold, but ... (Barnes & Noble)
Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the Tenth Dimension
by Michio Kaku
A journey into the unknown, exploring the possibilities of the mysterious world of higher dimensions.
Are there other dimensions beyond those of our everyday experience? Are there gateways to parallel universes? What happened before the first day of Creation? These types of questions are at the ... (Goodreads)
Fruits Basket, Vol. 1
by Natsuki Takaya
A teenage girl's journey of self-discovery as she interacts with a mysterious family cursed by the Zodiac.
When high school student Tohru Honda 's mother dies in a car accident, Tohru decides to live with her grandfather. Renovations on the house and an unsupportive and unkind family members cause her to ... (Wikipedia)
The Paper Magician
by Charlie N. Holmberg
A young woman's journey of self-discovery, learning the power of paper magic.
Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane with a broken heart. Having graduated at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is assigned an ... (Goodreads)
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