Social Games

Olivia Peters is over the moon when her literary idol, the celebrated novelist and much-adored local priest Mark D. Brendan, offers to become her personal writing mentor. But when Father Mark’s enthusiasm for Olivia’s prose develops into something more, Olivia’s emotions quickly shift from wonder to confusion to despair. Exactly what game is Father Mark playing, and how on earth can she get out of it?

Ever since George Washington used them to help topple the British, spies and their networks have helped and hurt America at key moments in history. In this fascinating collection, Paul B. Janeczko probes such stories as that of Elizabeth Van Lew, an aristocrat whose hatred of slavery drove her to be one of the most successful spies in the Civil War; the "Choctaw code talkers," Native Americans who were instrumental in sending secret messages during World War I; and more.

Everyone in Lumush’s Nairobi neighborhood knows to stay away from the house on Desai Street. A family died there, and now the place is haunted by strange noises and ghosts in the night. Lumush and his friends, Dado, Mose, and Odush, who spend their free time hanging out by the wreck of an old Zephyr car near the railway yards, begin sneaking into the old house on Desai Street in search of adventure. They soon realize that it’s not ghosts they have to fear but Mwachuma, the malevolent owner of the town junkyard who has his own reputation for violence.

Nearly everyone has played chess at some point in their lives. Its rules and pieces have served as a metaphor for society including military strategy, mathematics, artificial intelligence, literature, and the arts. It has been condemned as the devil’s game by popes, rabbis, and imams, and lauded as a guide to proper living by different popes, rabbis, and imams. In his wide-ranging and ever fascinating examination of chess, David Shenk gleefully unearths the hidden history of a game that seems so simple yet contains infinity.

Do you have relationships you'd like to repair but feel it's too late or don't know where to start? It could be a co-worker, ex-friend, or family member. Perhaps the conflict has gone on for so long that trying something new and different seems hardly worth the effort or even feels like a complete waste of time. In Build New Bridges: The Art of Restoring Impossible Relationships, author Greg Stephens offers practical tools and hope for tackling seemingly insurmountable conflicts.

Jack Callahan is the star of his baseball team and sixth grade is supposed to be his year. Undefeated season. Records shattered. Little League World Series. The works. That is, until he up and quits. Jack's best friend Gus can't understand how Jack could leave a game that means more to them than anything else. But Jack is done. It's a year of change.

Narrated by Rupert Degas, and behind-the-scenes diaries narrated by the author and screenwriter Mark Stay. This audiobook also features exclusive sound effects from the film. To find his father, one boy must defy an empire.... Three years ago, Earth was conquered by a force of robots from a distant world. They have one rule: stay in your homes. Step outside and you get one warning before you're vaporised by a massive robot Sentry or a crawling Sniper or a flying Drone.

From leading global futurist and advisor James Canton, the acclaimed author of The Extreme Future and Technofutures, comes Future Smart: the essential blueprint on what's coming next. It details the key changes--in health and medicine, technology and communication, the global economy, the Earth's climate, energy, and business--that every person, company, and government must understand in order not only to adapt accordingly but to thrive in the coming decades.

Award-winning comedian and popular-science writer Helen Keen uncovers the astounding science behind the mystical, blood-soaked world of Game of Thrones, answering questions like: Is it possible to crush a person's head with your bare hands? What really happens when royal families interbreed? Does Cersei have borderline personality disorder? What curious medical disorder does Hodor suffer from? And more.

A look at how commercialization has transformed youth sports from fun into a heavily commercialized and profitable venture. Examining the youth sports economy from many sides - the major corporations, the small entrepreneurs, the coaches, the parents, and, of course, the kids - Hyman probes the reasons for rapid changes in what gets bought and sold in this lucrative marketplace. He reveals the effects on kids and profiles the individuals and communities bucking this destructive trend of commercialization.

Josh Valentine was trapped in anxiety, shyness, and depression for over a decade until he stumbled upon this truth in the lowest moments of hating himself: Confidence is a skill; it’s a muscle, and you can build it faster than we can fathom. In fact, confidence is self-love, self compassion, and building yours is the very point of life. You see, the point of life is to achieve our highest levels of emotional growth; our most positive internal state.

Understand how to use mind games and mental manipulation! You will learn the main techniques that manipulative people use to control their targets and to get them to do whatever they want. All the main tricks that narcissist, Machiavellians, sadistic people, sociopaths, and even psychopaths use to keep others under their thumb will be revealed to you, so that you can learn to protect yourself from manipulation or control, whether its orchestrated by your partner or spouse, a member of your family, a friend with personal agendas, or a colleague with malicious intentions.

Dark Seduction Secrets and Mind Games isn’t just a book. It’s a wake-up call and tactical guide to help you recognize, resist, and ethically master the same psychological weapons manipulators use so you’re never left powerless again.

Based on the Disney Channel series Andi Mack, these original novels extend the world and story of the hit show.

Millions of us love sports—playing, supporting, watching. But have you ever thought about how your love for sports connects with your love for Jesus? This book will show you what the Bible says. You’ll discover a more liberating approach than feeling a bit guilty, a deeper approach than seeing sports as only an evangelistic opportunity, and a better approach than not linking your faith and your love of sports at all.

Feeling overwhelmed and lost in the world of mind games and dark psychology is far more common than you might think. But all hope is not lost. Understanding the tangled web of manipulation is easier when armed with the right knowledge and strategies. Many survivors of narcissistic abuse have tread this path before, emerging stronger and more confident. This book, Dark Psychology and Mind Games In Love, is your key to navigating these treacherous waters and empowering yourself and those around you.

Uncover the secrets of Metal Gear Solid on the PlayStation 1 with this comprehensive guide! Packed with detailed cheats, hacks, hints, tips, and tricks, this unofficial handbook is your key to mastering the art of infiltration, overcoming challenging encounters, and navigating the intricate plot twists of Hideo Kojima's iconic stealth adventure.

What if saving the Earth were a game? Not just any game, but the greatest game we’ve ever played. This workbook helps social and environmental change professionals learn how to implement powerful techniques from the fields of game design, behavioral psychology, design, data science, and storytelling, that are not only proven to have impact, but also can make your project fun. In a 10-step framework of exercises, tutorials, and case studies, How to Save the World will teach you the art of changing the world — and it’s often not what you think.

The Sickness Unto Death, and Other Fun Danish Party Games: Kierkegaard Without the Prozac is your gloriously sarcastic, brutally insightful, and occasionally soul-crushing guide to philosophy’s original sadboy, Søren Kierkegaard. Tired of listening to philosophy that feels like intellectual sandpaper? This book unpacks Kierkegaard’s anxiety-fueled, despair-drenched theology with the humor and honesty it desperately needs.

Phil Chalmers has spent more than a decade visiting high security prisons to interview young offenders, his mission is to attempt to answer the questions we all are asking. In Inside the Mind of a Teen Killer, Phil explores the reasons why teens kill; the warning signs we must be looking for; and offers a game plan to keep our homes, schools, and communities safe. This book may help save your life or the life of a child you love!