SHATTERED



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 From critically acclaimed true crime writer Kathryn Casey comes the story of the brutal murders of a mother and child in a quiet suburb of Houston—at the hands of the one closest to them. 


There was no damning evidence directly linking the brutal murder to husband David, who stood by emotionless and dry-eyed as police searched the crime scene. But a dogged eight-year investigation would expose a shocking history of cruelty and domination, infidelity and rage—ultimately resulting in an epic courtroom battle for the ages—as the scandalous truth was revealed about love betrayed and innocent lives . . . shattered. 

Mansion of Happiness, A History of Life and Death



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  Renowned Harvard scholar and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore has composed a strikingly original, ingeniously conceived, and beautifully crafted history of American ideas about life and death from before the cradle to beyond the grave. How does life begin? What does it mean? What happens when we die? “All anyone can do is ask,” Lepore writes. “That’s why any history of ideas about life and death has to be, like this book, a history of curiosity.” Lepore starts that history with the story of a seventeenth-century Englishman who had the idea that all life begins with an egg and ends it with an American who, in the 1970s, began freezing the dead. In between, life got longer, the stages of life multiplied, and matters of life and death moved from the library to the laboratory, from the humanities to the sciences. Lately, debates about life and death have determined the course of American politics. Each of these debates has a history. Investigating the surprising origins of the stuff of everyday life — from board games to breast pumps — Lepore argues that the age of discovery, Darwin, and the space age turned ideas about life on earth topsy-turvy. “New worlds were found,” she writes, and “old paradises were lost.” As much a meditation on the present as an excavation of the past, The Mansion of Happiness is delightful, learned, and altogether beguiling.   

Calling Invisible Women




“Women of a certain age will devour Ray’s sly satire on the perils of big pharma, middle age, and the unseen consequences of living the quiet life.” –Booklist


“Offers a lot of witty charm.” –Kirkus


“Jeanne Ray is truly wise and funny about family, friendship, and love—about the ways in which we see (and don’t see) each other. Calling Invisible Women is an utter delight.” –Hilma Wolitzer

A Single Rose



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Matchmaking comes as easily to Victoria Lesser as breathing. Then two of the couples she has brought together decide to turn the tables, and set up a match for her with a treasure-seeking professor who's sailing to Costa Rica. Usually fearless, the intrepid Victoria gets cold feet, and talks her niece, Shaye, into coming with her. The professor shows a little caution, too - he's brought along his nephew, Noah. As the four of them head for their exotic destination, sparks fly between Shaye and Noah, and the older couple can't help but fan the flames.

Indomitable Will: LBJ in the Presidency



Nearly fifty years after being sworn in as president of the United States in the wake of John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Lyndon Baines Johnson remains a largely misunderstood figure. His force of personality, mastery of power and the political process, and boundless appetite for social reform made him one of the towering figures of his time. But he was one of the most protean and paradoxical of presidents as well. Because of his flawed nature and inherent contradictions, some claimed there were as many LBJs as there were people who knew him.


Through original interviews and personal accounts from White House aides and Cabinet members, political allies and foes, and friends and family—from Robert McNamara to Barry Goldwa­ter, Lady Bird Johnson to Jacqueline Kennedy—as well as through Johnson’s own candid reflections and historic White House telephone conversa­tions, Indomitable Will reveals LBJ as never before.

The Master's Muse





In the tradition of Loving Frank and The Paris Wife comes an unforgettable novel based on the life of George Balanchine’s fifth wife, a star ballerina whose career was cut short after she contracted polio at age twenty-six.
Set against the backdrop of the fashionable, creative New York of the 1960s and ’70s, The Master’s Musetells the remarkable story of two artistic legends whose profound love and complicated relationship forever changed American cultural history.


Once author Varley O’Connor, the daughter of a polio survivor, came across the facts about Tanaquil (Tanny) Le Clercq, she could not get the story out of her mind. O’Connor dug deeper, reading countless articles and interviews and watching hundreds of hours of documentaries and New York City Ballet footage to capture Le Clercq’s essence. The result is an evocative, compelling portrayal of the seventeen-year marriage between George Balanchine—the ballet master credited with creating an American style of dance—and his final wife, Tanaquil Le Clercq.


“Graceful and penetrating…This passionate novel not only gives a glimpse into the ballet world of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, its eccentric characters bring the story to life.”—Publishers Weekly


“This is not a novel about victimization or the malevolence of genius but rather about the painful accommodations all of us make for the things and people we love. Thoughtful, tender, and quite gripping, even for readers unfamiliar with the historical events the author sensitively reimagines.”—Kirkus Reviews



“A brilliant novel in memoir form, The Master’s Muse is pure magic. As I read and was thoroughly absorbed by the writing, the remarkable characters, and the story, I simply could not believe this was a work of fiction, not an authentic memoir, expertly written. The Master’s Muse is a superb performance by Varley O’Connor. From one writer to another, my hat’s off.”—Sena Jeter Naslund, author of Ahab’s Wife

Slouching Toward Adulthood



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Millions of American parents sit down to dinner every night, wondering why fully grown children are joining them—or, more likely, grunting good-bye as they head out for another night of who knows what. Sally Koslow, a journalist, novelist, and mother of two "adultescents" digs deep to reveal what lies behind the current generation’s unwillingness—or inability—to take flight.
By delving into the latest research and conducting probing interviews with both frustrated parents and their frustrated offspring, Koslow uses humor, insight, and honest self-reflection to give voice to the issues of prolonged dependency. From the adultescent’s relationship to work (or no work), money (that convenient parental ATM), or social life,Slouching Toward Adulthood is a provocative, razor-sharp, but heartfelt cri de coeur for all the parents who sent their kids to college only to have them ricochet home with a diploma in one hand and the DVR remote in the other.

Cuts Like a Knife




Chicago has a new resident—a heartless killer on a long crime spree. Kristen Conner (think Sandra Bullock inMiss Congeniality) is a good cop and a good girl: she loves her mom, goes to church and coaches her niece’s soccer team. And her track record and instincts as a detective are impeccable . . . but this case and this killer expose a blind spot that ultimately endangers those closest to her. Can she catch this hauntingly familiar culprit before he strikes again? Cuts Like a Knife is loaded with action, humor and wry introspection.

The Richer Sex





Bestselling journalist Liza Mundy's smart, deeply reported analysis of the most important cultural shift since the rise of feminism: the coming era in which women will earn more than men, and how this will change work, love, and sex.

A revolution is under way. Within a generation, more households will be supported by women than by men. In The Richer Sex, Liza Mundy shows how this reality will transform the sexual, dating, marriage, and work habits of men and women worldwide.

The first in-depth examination of this cataclysmic social revolution, The Richer Sex is one of those rare nonfiction books that will cause men and women to rethink how they are living their lives and what the changes around them mean.

We Need to Talk About Kevin








"First off let me say that Ms. Marlo's performance was the best I've heard from a narrator since I've been listening to books. She was perfect. I don't use that term often either! Listen and you will see!!" Audible review.


Book List *Starred Review* In a series of brutally introspective missives to her husband, Franklin, from whom she is separated, Eva tries to come to grips with the fact that their 17-year-old son, Kevin, has killed seven students and two adults... Guiltily she recalls how, as a successful writer, she was terrified of having a child. Was it for revenge, then, that from the moment of his birth Kevin was the archetypal difficult child, screaming for hours, refusing to nurse, driving away countless nannies, and intuitively learning to "divide and conquer" his parents? When their daughter, loving and patient Celia, is born, Eva feels vindicated; but as the gap between her view of Kevin as a "Machiavellian miscreant" and Franklin's efforts to explain away their son's aberrant behavior grows wider, they find themselves facing divorce. In crisply crafted sentences that cut to the bone of her feelings about motherhood, career, family, and what it is about American culture that produces child killers, Shriver yanks the reader back and forth between blame and empathy, retribution and forgiveness. Never letting up on the tension, Shriver ensures that, like Eva, the reader grapples with unhealed wounds.

Mad Women




Mad Women is a tell-all account of life in the New York advertising world of the 1960s and '70s from Jane Maas, a female copywriter who succeeded in the primarily male environment portrayed by the hit TV show Mad Men.

Fans of the show are dying to know how accurate it is: did people really have that much sex in the office? Were there really three-martini lunches? Were women really second-class citizens? Jane Maas says the answer to all three questions is unequivocally yes. And her book, based on her own experiences and countless interviews with her peers, gives the full stories, from the junior account man whose wife nearly left him when she found the copy of Screw magazine he’d used to find “entertainment” for a client, to the Ogilvy & Mather agency’s legendary annual sex-and-booze-filled Boat Ride, from which it was said no virgin ever returned intact. Wickedly funny and full of juicy inside information, Mad Women also tackles the tougher issues of the era, such as equal pay, rampant jaw-dropping sexism, and the difficult choice many women faced between motherhood and their careers.

 LIBRARY JOURNAL  STARRED AUDIO REVEW: The packaging blurb proclaims Maas to be “a real-life Peggy Olson, right out of Mad Men,” but this memoir and exploration of women’s roles in 1960s advertising proves that Maas was far more than the TV character. A major force in many ad campaigns at numerous agencies, Maas provides here an insider’s view of the social, political, gender, censorship, class, and related issues brought up by the popular series—and much the TV audience doesn’t get to see. Her book offers a highly informative and humorous look at not just the advertising industry but the plight and promise of working mothers of the time. VERDICT Coleen Marlo has won multiple audiobook awards for her narrations and along with the author makes the listener want to hear more stories. Essential for collections of history and media and women’s studies for and marketing courses.—Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo

Other People We Married




Other People We Married

A debut collection of quirky, thoughtful, and resonating short stories by Emma Straub.

by Emma Straub

read by Coleen Marlo



Description

A rising literary star debuts with twelve wry, poignant stories of love, hope, and transformation. In 'Some People Must Really Fall In Love,' an assistant professor takes halting steps into the awkward, adult world of office politics and blind dates while harboring feelings for one of her freshman students. Two grown sisters struggle with old assumptions about each other as they stumble to build a new relationship in 'A Map of Modern Palm Springs.' Rome is the setting of 'Puttanesca,' as two young widows move tentatively forward, still surrounded by ghosts and disappointments from the past. These twelve stories, filled with the sharp humor, emotional acuity, and joyful language that are sure to become Straub's hallmarks, announce the arrival of a major new talent.
Straub’s collection of short stories gives listeners a voyeuristic glimpse of the lives of very different people as they make profound choices and discoveries. Whether examining young or old, gay or straight, singles or parents—each work is personal and revealing. Narrator Coleen Marlo delivers the collection impeccably. She sets the appropriate tone for each story and captures the essence of the diverse characters with subtle style. Along with expressing the discomfort of difficult decisions to be made, she enhances the humorous small details sprinkled throughout. Listeners will mostly likely enjoy some of the stories and dislike others in this varied collection. Marlo’s understated narration is effective for these thought-provoking slices of life.  AudioFile 2012

First, Best and Only



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First, Best and Only

A classic tale of love, tragedy, and forgiveness by NYT bestselling author Barbara Delinsky.

by Barbara Delinsky

read by Coleen Marlo


Description

Marni Lange was just seventeen when she fell passionately in love with the irresistibly sexy Brian Webster. Then a tragic accident tore them apart. Fourteen years later, Marni is now a successful businesswoman, about to appear on the cover of a national magazine - and come face-to-face with the world-famous photographer profiling her...Brian Webster. As Marni struggles with her attraction to the man who haunts her past, is she now brave enough to follow her heart and fight for what matters most?

Vaccine Epidemic







National polls show that Americans are increasingly concerned about vaccine safety and the right to make individual, informed choices together with their healthcare practitioners. Vaccine Epidemic focuses on the searing debate surrounding individual and parental vaccination choice.

Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book


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Here is an encyclopedic and authoritative reference to help keep everyone informed and grounded on the topic of breast health. With accessible writing, it delivers a colossal amount of information on issues like cancer types and risk rates, diagnostic options and risks, non-cancer diseases and disorders, environmental and diet factors, dealing with doctors, genetic markers, and more. There’s even a section on how to understand the designs of scientific studies. Coleen Marlo performs this patient-centered guide with laser-accurate phrasing and medical textbook seriousness. Though some listeners might wish for more emotional variety or lightness in her approach, a more personable reading of this data-heavy guide would risk drawing too much attention to the performance. Marlo’s consistency and clarity are exactly right for this no-nonsense resource. T.W. © AudioFile 2012

Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book has long been the bible for the newly diagnosed. In this completely revised fifth edition, it also becomes a guide for those at risk of getting breast cancer, survivors interested in the consequences of their treatment, and anyone who wants to understand the new research about how the local environment influences the manifestations and treatments of many different kinds of breast cancer. Major advances being made in genetic research today mean that prevention and treatment can work not only to get rid of mutated cells (through chemo or surgery), but also to change the environment around the cells (through hormone therapy, exercise, and stress reduction). Among other promising developments discussed are advances in imaging, recognition of breast density as a risk factor, and a section focused on “personalized medicine” to help determine what kind of cancer you have and how best to treat it.
Any woman facing a diagnosis, decisions about treatment, or concerns about prevention will find in Dr. Love’s book the information, guidance, and reassurance she needs.

Drug Muggers




Unpleasant, uncomfortable, and unexplained side effects? Drug Muggers is your side-effect solution. Learn which medications are robbing your body of essential nutrients and find out how to restore your health. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs help millions of people with devastating diseases and chronic conditions. But in the process, these medications can also deplete the body's natural stores of vitamins, minerals, and hormones—the very nutrients you need to keep energy levels high, fend off infections, and be healthy. Pharmacist Suzy Cohen calls these medications “drug muggers,” and she says it's essential to replenish what a drug mugger steals from your body in order to feel your best and avoid side effects. Not understanding the drug-mugging effect may lead to new “diseases” and possibly catastrophic health consequences. Drug Muggers helps you understand how drugs impact your daily life. It reveals why you may be feeling so poor and how to enhance your well-being with affordable nutrients that are sold over the counter. You can (and will) improve the way you feel—whether or not you take medicine!

The Mood Cure: The four step program to take charge of your emotions-today




We're in a bad mood epidemic, but Julia Ross shows you how to rediscover your emotional well-being naturally.

Drawing on thirty years of experience as a psychotherapist, clinic director, and pioneer in the field of nutritional psychology, Julia Ross presents breakthrough solutions to many of the negative emotional states that are diminishing the quality of our lives. Her comprehensive, safe, and natural program is based on the use of four mood-building amino acids and other surprisingly effective nutritional supplements, plus a diet rich in good-moods such as protein, healthy fat, and key vegetables. Beginning with an individualized Mood-Type Questionnaire, Ross's plan will help you.

The Kill Off






Luane Devore's days are numbered. All her neighbors in the declining seaside resort town of Manduwoc want her dead. Some, like her young husband Ralph and his girlfriend Danny, want the thousands of dollars she keeps hidden under the mattress she spends her days resting on. Others want her to stop her malicious gossip--some of which could ruin lives.

Told from multiple perspectives, The Kill-Off tells the story of a woman not long for this earth--but who will finally take matters into their own hands, and when? THE KILL-OFF was the basis of Maggie Greenwald's critically acclaimed film of the same name.

Measure of Darkness

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For the parents whose children have been taken, for the broken lives we piece back together one relentless investigation at a time, our town house is a sanctuary. My name is Alice Crane. I’m just one of a talented team working for Naomi Nantz, the brilliant and very private detective.

Today that sanctuary was violated. The famous kid-finder Randall Shane was taken away by unknown assailants, possibly government agents. Shane’s client is dead, and a boy known as “the keyboard kid” is missing. What is the boy’s connection to a top secret physics lab? Unknown—for now. But under Naomi’s lead, we will infiltrate every illicit boardroom and bedroom and war room. We’ll find that little boy or die trying.

The South Beach Wake-UP Call



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From the creator of the South Beach Diet comes a call to change the fast-food, sedentary way of life that's aging us quickly and killing us slowly.

There is a proverbial ticking time bomb in our midst. It's the toxic lifestyle that is wreaking havoc on our nation's health and well-being and posing an equal threat to everyone from the very young to the very old. In today's fast-food-obsessed, couch-potato culture, two-thirds of all adults and one-third of all children are either overweight or obese, rates of diabetes and heart disease are soaring, and the future for many of us looks dismal.
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