dinner for one

Learn to detect the secret signals that shape power, trust, and influence. In all aspects of today's world, power, trust, and influence are negotiated in every glance, pause, and click. Perfecting the art of social observation is the key to success in any endeavor. In How to Read the Room, Pamela Meyer draws on cutting-edge behavioral science, intelligence-agency tradecraft, and real-world storytelling-from comedy clubs and boardrooms to digital deepfakes and family dinners-to reveal the unseen forces that shape every human encounter. This essential survival manual introduces a clear, four-step framework for social observation-one that turns the elusive art of "reading people" into a disciplined practice. Meyer provides a structured way to decode what's really happening in any room-why certain people command attention, how power shifts, and how subtle cues can reveal intent. Through vivid examples and field-tested strategies, readers will learn how to profile motives, sense emotional undercurrents others miss, and turn observation into influence without manipulation. Mastering these tools will unlock the rarest form of social intelligence: the ability to not only read any room, but to leave it better than you find it.

1- CORK PLACEMATS SET OF 4: Designed in London, England, these beautifully finished placemats in a high-quality lacquered Van Gough Almond Blossoms Inpired cork backed placemats come in a most practical size of 15.75" x 11.4" each; Backed with a naturally non slip cork, our 0.2" thick dining table mats offer ultimate protection without compromising on unique table decor qualities 2- FREE COASTERS SET OF 4: To add to the sophisticated dining experience, we included a free set of 4 cork coasters for drinks in gloss lacquered finish to match your cork mats; Each 4" x 4" in size and perfect to use on their own as bar coasters or coffee table coasters to enjoy their protective and decorative quality daily 3- RUSTIC VAN GOUGH INSPIRED BOTNICAL COUNTRY FARMHOUSE TEAL BLUE FLORAL ELEGANCE: These beautifully polished with smooth rounded edges hardboard placemats and coasters feature uniquely minimalistic yet ever-fashionable stylish vintage Van Gough Blossoming Almond Tree design; Luxurious addition to any dining set, our plate mats for dining table will guarantee to demand attention, adding an air of originality and finesse 4- STYLISH TABLETOP PROTECTION: Our placemats with cork back have hardwood support and are scratch-preventive and safe on all surface types, each mat offering a perfect way to safeguard your furniture while decorating them at once; This elegant thick placemat set doesn't lack the durability to use with cold and up to 266°F hot tableware, making them ultimate heat resistant placemats for tabletop protection 5- LUXURY GIFT-WRAPPED: We presented our dining table placemat and coaster set in luxuriously elegant gift-ready packaging wrapped in classic black ribbon to make a statement; Oozing European flair and guaranteed to raise eyebrows and start conversations at the dinner table, these table decorations for dining rooms are undoubtedly one of a kind unique home gift for anyone

Third Culture Cooking is American Cooking: Delicious everyday multicultural recipes, borrowing from our parents and their parents' homes, melding the old with the new and the familiar with the unfamiliar to create bold flavors and new classics for the next generation of cooks. The food that author Zaynab Issa cooks-inspired by her East African and South Asian roots, the American suburban delights she grew up eating, and her international travels-is packed with unique and flavorful riffs. Her affectionate homages to the chain restaurants we love are reflected here: fluffy cinnamon rolls that rival Cinnabon's, Baskin Robbins-inspired almond fudge squares, and an artichoke dip that recalls TGI Fridays' delights that will make you want to stay in. To complete the collection, Zaynab looked to her primary inspiration, the women who've fed her, and meticulously recorded her favorite traditional dishes from each of them. Beyond the recipes, Zaynab shares her tips on establishing yourself as a confident cook-one who prepares food consciously, hosts with pride, and is never without a well-stocked pantry. The book includes sections like "Set Yourself Up for Success," which outlines Zaynab's essential kitchen tools and ingredients, "On Food & Feelings" to guide the reader through cooking based on their mood, and "Host with the Most" featuring suggested menus and Zaynab's method for executing any organized dinner. Finally, look to "Eating with Your Eyes" for her philosophy on serving beautiful food. For extravagant entertaining as well as weeknight ease, Third Culture Cooking is a love letter to American home-cooking and the many influences that make it so. Recipes include: French Onion RamenSamosas Two WaysChocolate Cake with Chai ButtercreamFarzana's BiryaniThai-Style Crispy SalmonSteak Sandwich with Date ChutneyTandoori TacosBaklava GranolaBanana Cake with Tahini FudgeChicken Kitchriand many more!

Freshen up your meals with Jamie's essential collection of healthy and delicious recipes for the whole family Let Jamie teach you how to make healthy eating a part of everyday family life with Super Food Family Classics. With easy-to-follow, tried and tested recipes, Jamie has created a cookbook that will allow you to add more fruit and veg to your family's plates, without sacrificing any flavour - or your time. With these tasty recipes, you can . . . · Sneak in extra veg onto their plate with Squash Mac 'N' Cheese · Enjoy a no-arguments family dinner with Chicken Fajitas, Smoky Dressed Aubergines & Peppers · When you need a no-fuss meal on the table fast try Chicken Goujons or Pasta Pesto · Get ahead with freezer-friendly Jumbo Fish Fingers or Proper Chicken Nuggets · Use ingredients your family already love with Sweet Potato Fish Cakes or Chocolate Porridge With valuable advice on everything from cooking with kids and tackling fussy eaters, to good gut health and how to budget, Jamie's Super Food Family Classics is the kitchen companion every family needs. In Jamie's extensive collection of internationally loved and trusted cookbooks, this is the one about healthy food for all the family 'Brilliant recipes' Mail on Sunday 'Our failsafe foodie of choice' Sunday Times 'Jamie Oliver is great - I'd put him in charge of the country' Guardian

NATIONAL BESTSELLER A young woman pretends to be someone she isn’t in this “spellbinding” (Vogue), “smoldering” (The Washington Post) novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Girls. “Under Cline’s command, every sentence as sharp as a scalpel, a woman toeing the line between welcome and unwelcome guest becomes a fully destabilizing force.”—The New York Times A BELLETRIST BOOK CLUB PICK VULTURE’S INAUGURAL "BEACH BOOK READS" BOOK CLUB PICK LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/FAULKNER AWARD A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, Time, NPR, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Vogue, Glamour, Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Slate, Time Out, Chicago Public Library, Electric Lit, Bookreporter “Alex drained her wineglass, then her water glass. The ocean looked calm, a black darker than the sky. A ripple of anxiety made her palms go damp. It seemed suddenly very tenuous to believe that anything would stay hidden, that she could successfully pass from one world to another.” Summer is coming to a close on the East End of Long Island, and Alex is no longer welcome. A misstep at a dinner party, and the older man she’s been staying with dismisses her with a ride to the train station and a ticket back to the city. With few resources and a waterlogged phone, but gifted with an ability to navigate the desires of others, Alex stays on Long Island and drifts like a ghost through the hedged lanes, gated driveways, and sun-blasted dunes of a rarefied world that is, at first, closed to her. Propelled by desperation and a mutable sense of morality, she spends the week leading up to Labor Day moving from one place to the next, a cipher leaving destruction in her wake. Taut, propulsive, and impossible to look away from, Emma Cline’s The Guest is a spellbinding literary achievement.

Sydney is the capital city in the state of New South Wales. Its charm provides visitors with a wealth of experiences from the nearby beautiful sandy beaches to its amazing architecture, including the famous Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and the views from the Sydney Eye are truly amazing. High-quality wall calendar with 12 beautiful images. We care about the environment. We avoid overproduction and thus significant amounts of waste as we produce our calendars via print-on-demand in the markets we operate in. This means we can keep our transport routes short and ensure climate-conscious logistical processes. 14 Pages Consisting of 1 Cover | 12 Months | 1 Index Page | Cardboard Spine at the back This calendar was re-released this year with the same images and new dates. Illustrations: January: Darling Harbour February: Sydney Opera House from Parramatta River March: Sydney Showboats dinner cruise April: Cockle Bay Wharf, Darling Harbour May: Passenger ferries and Sydney Harbour Bridge June: Hyde Park from top of Sydney Eye July: Skyline from top of Sydney Eye August: Archibald fountain, Hyde Park September: Queenscliff passenger ferry October: View down Parramatta River November: Traditional Sail boat approaching Darling Harbour December: Sydney skyline QUALITY - High-quality photo calendar with 12 beautiful images on light-resistant paper, robust spiral binding with hanger. PERFECT GIFT - calendars for friends and family, for children, all ages and all occasions, from Christmas to birthdays and everything in between. LOTS OF CHOICE - Wall calendars in different sizes (DIN A4 and DIN A3), for any topic and personal taste, featuring photography, painting and illustrations. Sydney, one of Australia's largest cities, provides visitors with wide and varied experiences., author: Sue Burton

Katherine Center's The Bodyguard is "My perfect 10 of a book. As funny and sweet as all the very best nineties rom-coms, but with Center's signature heart-tugging depth. I wish I could erase it from my mind just to read it again for the first time. A shot of pure joy."-Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Book Lovers She's got his back. Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she's an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker. He's got her heart. Jack Stapleton's a household name-captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid. They've got a secret. When Jack's mom gets sick, he goes home to the family's Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn't want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah-against her will and her better judgment-finds herself pretending to be Jack's girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, says no one will believe it. What could possibly go wrong? Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it's easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That's the hardest thing she's ever done. "Great rollicking fun! Prepare to laugh and swoon and grin your pants off."-Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Heart Principle "Absolutely, unequivocally delightful!"-Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here

Sometimes the life you're meant to live comes together after everything falls apart. For years, Anna Capozzi followed the rules. She put family and career before love and dreams and never missed a Sunday dinner with her demanding Italian parents and her brother , Frank. When she shocks herself by walking off the job and away from her nursing career , Anna's life falls apart...which sets the real Anna free to come together, as she starts her own business and meets the man of her dreams . But before she can celebrate her new life, her father's growing forgetfulness leads to a devastating diagnosis. Once again, Anna's dreams are put on hold to put the family first , while Frank faces a turning point in a serious relationship complicated by a hidden past . When a long-buried family secret comes to light, Anna and Frank begin to question everything they thought they knew about their parents, their roots , and themselves. Bound by love, burdened by secrets, and shaped by tradition , Anna must find the strength to let go of the life she thought she wanted and embrace the one she's meant to live. When Goodbyes Begin is a heartfelt, multi-generational story about identity, sacrifice, and coming home.

Paris, 1939: Gazing out at the glittering skyline, Evelina clutches the letter from her love in shaking hands. "I know I do not deserve you, my darling, but I pray that you will change your mind. You have my heart, and I hope that nothing will keep us apart..." London, present day . Blake gazes down at a scrap of shimmering silver velvet attached to a faded dress design. They were left by her great-grandmother at Hope's House, a home for unmarried mothers, and now that her beloved grandmother has passed, the designer's signature is the only clue Blake has about her biological family. Armed with a plane ticket, a Paris address and the details of a handsome fashion curator named Henri , Blake is determined to find out the truth about her talented great-grandmother Evelina's life. Perhaps doing so will help Blake get her old spark for designing back, after her dreams have sat forgotten for so long. Soon Blake is walking down the Champs-Élysées and enjoying intimate dinners with Henri, who is researching Evelina's work as one of Paris' most celebrated designers, whose bold designs rivalled Coco Chanel's. Soon Henri and Blake grow closer, uncovering Evelina's legacy, and her forbidden romance that set the fashion world ablaze. As Blake discovers the devastating choice that caused Evelina to flee the most romantic city in the world, she wonders if she, too, could do the impossible and risk everything for love with Henri. Or will the fallout of Evelina's heart-wrenching past drive Blake back home? A completely addictive and emotional novel about family secrets, forbidden love and having the courage to follow your dreams. Perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Victoria Hislop.

"There was a pain in her chest, a numbness she could feel all down her left side to her fingertips. Behind the closed doors of the bedrooms, there were muffled voices, people dressing on a summer's evening, looking forward to nothing more than a good dinner, nothing that would rip their lives into two halves like a long, jagged seam." Set just before the First World War in London and Nottinghamshire, Ancestral Virgins (Part One) is Downton Abbey with a harder edge and a more shocking secret. Lady Celia Mapperley, young, innocent, and unmarried, is emerging from her protected childhood into a world that seems to hold no place for her. Her mother is pushing her to marry the rich industrialist George Ingham, but Celia is reluctant. Though she is told nothing but hints and whispers, she's both intrigued and repulsed by the mystery of what happens in the dark between a bride and her husband. Feeling ill at ease in every situation, from London's society balls to its suffrage meetings, she despairs of ever finding what will make her truly happy. When a new and wholly unexpected lover comes along, Celia learns the devastating power of desire and is thrust into a scandal so damning it could cost her everything she's ever known. Ancestral Virgins will appeal to fans of Sarah Waters and Kate Atkinson and to anyone enthralled by period dramas in film and television.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From the author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat and one of America s most beloved chefs and teachers 125 meticulously tested, flavor-forward, soul-nourishing recipes that bring joy and a sense of communion A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: THE NEW YORKER, BON APPÉTIT, WASHINGTON POST, SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE, LIBRARY JOURNAL, NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY With all the generosity of spirit that has endeared her to millions of fans, Samin Nosrat offers more than 125 of her favorite recipes simply put, the things she most loves to cook for herself and for friends and infuses them with all the beauty and care you would expect from the person Alice Waters called America s next great cooking teacher. As Samin says, "Recipes, like rituals, endure because they re passed down to us whether by ancestors, neighbors, friends, strangers on the internet, or me to you. A written recipe is just a shimmering decoy for the true inheritance: the thread of connection that cooking it will unspool." Good Things is an essential, joyful guide to cooking and living, whether you re looking for a comforting tomato soup to console a struggling friend, seeking a deeper sense of connection in your life, or hosting a dinner for ten in your too-small dining room. Here you ll find go-to recipes for ricotta custard pancakes, a showstopping roast chicken burnished with saffron, a crunchy, tingly Calabrian chili crisp, super-chewy sky-high focaccia, and a decades-in-the-making, childhood-evoking yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Along the way, you ll also find plenty of tips, techniques, and lessons, from how to buy olive oil (check the harvest date) to when to splurge (salad dressing is where you want to use your best ingredients) to the best uses for your pressure cooker (chicken stock and dulce de leche, naturally). Good Things captures, with Samin s trademark blend of warmth, creativity, and precision, what has made cooking such an important source of delight and comfort in her life.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Dinner for Vampires, Bethany Joy Lenz, comes a romantic psychological suspense set in Victorian-era London amidst the Jack the Ripper murders. 1880s London. Cora Wexford is alone at thirty-eight, with secrets that drove her to flee life in America and come to London. Now, she makes a living by painting the dead. On the evening of her birthday, she is introduced through friends to a charming stranger named Miles Vale. As Cora falls deeper into trust and surrender with Miles, she's given an opportunity to catapult her career. A suffragist and esteemed gallery owner commission Cora to create a series of portraits featuring ordinary women whose recent deaths have been caused or enabled by a system that ignores them. Then a killer in Whitechapel begins murdering women in the same gruesome way. As Cora works tirelessly to honor the victims of this “Jack the Ripper;” she finds herself increasingly disoriented within her own relationship. Her unraveling leads to one question: will anyone notice a woman being dismantled over years by someone sharing her bed? The Betrayal of Cora Wexford is a haunting novel of psychological suspense that examines themes of desire, manipulation and community complicity, showing how easily someone surrounded by witnesses can disappear—and how truly terrifying love can be.

Few popes have been so misrepresented and maligned for their steadfast defense of the truth as Pope Benedict XVI. Here Msgr. Alfred Xuereb, one of his personal secretaries, shares an intimate look at the daily life of the late pontiff and his witness to the Faith. These precious pages serve to set the historical record straight, as Msgr. Xuereb elucidates never-before-shared details of his spiritual father's holiness, which will help you grow in yours. In these brief yet profound entries you will discover surprising inside information and details about Pope Benedict XVI, including: Why he really abdicated the Chair of Peter Five little-known qualities about his personality How the pontiff prayed, and some of his favorite hobbies and talents What it was like to spend a day with him (Can you guess what he liked to do for fun?) Ways he fostered congeniality and collegiality (even at dinner!) The Holy Father's recollections of when he was a small boy From his first days serving as Pope Benedict XVI's secretary to the last moments of the pope's pontificate, Msgr. Xuereb openly shares personal memories of laughter and tear-filled times, such as the pontiff's abdication. You will see what it was like to spend Christmas and Lent with Pope Benedict XVI, and you will read rare and fascinating details about his personal meetings with international dignitaries of both Church and state. You will learn about the Holy Father's friendships, sense of humor, and genuine concern for each person he encountered and will marvel at the spiritual insights and fervent devotions you will find in these simple yet rich reflections. Also featured are select quotes, meditations on some of the pope's most penetrating addresses, and an engaging interview with Msgr. Xuereb.

The electrifying new thriller from Shari Lapena, author of the bestselling novel of the year, The Couple Next Door. 'Shari expertly traps you, confounds you and leaves you gasping at the end. More, please . . .' FIONA BARTON 'Tense. Unpredictable. Unputdownable. Shari's novels are domestic noir at its finest' SIMON KERNICK 'So many dizzying twists you'd better not drive after reading' LINWOOD BARCLAY 'Smart, twisty thriller . . . It's taut, intelligent and compelling' Heat ***** Why would you run scared from a happy home? You're waiting for your beloved husband to get home from work. You're making dinner, looking forward to hearing about his day. That's the last thing you remember. You wake up in hospital, with no idea how you got there. They tell you that you were in an accident; you lost control of your car whilst driving in a dangerous part of town. The police suspect you were up to no good. But your husband refuses to believe it. Your best friend isn't so sure. And even you don't know what to believe . . . ***** Praise for Shari Lapena: 'I thought the read-it-in-one-sitting thing was a cliche. Not any more.' LINWOOD BARCLAY 'Entirely compelling, utterly realistic. You will not see the twists coming.' Daily Mail 'Meticulously crafted and razor sharp.' HARLAN COBEN 'A twisty, utterly riveting tale.' TESS GERRITSEN 'Shari Lapena furnishes a clever array of motives and suspects. The tension is high and remains to the last, stunning page.' The Times ALSO OUT NOW the new Sunday Times bestseller from Shari Lapena: AN UNWANTED GUEST

"THE OPPOSITES ATTRACT LOVE STORY OF MY DREAMS." -B. K. Borison, #1 New York Times bestselling author "FANS OF ALI HAZELWOOD WILL CHEER." -Grace Reilly, USA Today bestselling author A swoony, steamy, STEM romance in which two curators at a science museum-a handsome but grumpy astronomer and an anxious but sunshine-y entomologist-realize they are the perfect match. Now with exclusive bonus content! Millie has never taken the expected path. Her childhood love for bugs and science led her to entomology, and her role as a curator, inspiring museum visitors every day. It's her dream to run her own department-so when a rare director position opens, she is determined nothing will distract her from her goal. Especially not Finn, her grumpy coworker with his permanent scowl, electric blue eyes, and endless supply of astronomy ties. . . . Not that she's spent time noticing any of those things. Finn doesn't mean to glare at everyone, but he's juggling his role at the museum, navigating the grief of losing his sister, attempting to make his nieces smile, and trying not to ruin dinner for the fifth night in a row. He can't afford to let anything slip, and certainly doesn't need more to deal with-especially not Millie literally stumbling into him, with her bright smile and sunny optimism. He bugs her. She's too starry-eyed for him. They want nothing to do with each other. But with Finn on the interview committee, avoidance is impossible. And Millie soon realizes it's one thing when a job is on the line. It's quite another when it's her heart. Give Me Butterflies is a sweet and sexy STEM romance, featuring: Grumpy x Sunshine Heroine in STEM Slow burn Open door spice Found family Nerdy banter

Discover quick, easy and delicious recipes for anyone who wants to cook great meals in no time 'This collection of speedy, oven-ready recipes is full of good ideas. It is a friendly hand on the shoulder for anyone too tired to cook' Sunday Times ___________ Feeding a family and juggling the stresses of home life can be really tricky, so Nadiya has crafted over 100 recipes that will teach you how to be time-smart in the kitchen. Featuring recipes that are both quick and easy to make, as well as those that have shortcuts to creating second - and even third - delicious meals without any additional preparation, Nadiya will share with you all her tips and hacks for making meal prep as simple as possible. You'll be able to make all the delicious recipes from Nadiya's BBC2 show including: · RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE CROISSANTS · ONE TRAY PEANUT CHICKEN with gnocci and broccoli · ZINGY MARMALADE HADDOCK with sundried tomatoes easy roast potatoes · BLENDER BEETROOT PASTA with feta, dill and lemon juice · BAKED BEAN FALAFEL BURGERS with siracha sauce and coleslaw · BANANA TARTE TARTIN with simple no-churn ice cream Each recipe also includes how long it will take to prepare and cook, making planning easy. Spin leftovers into completely new meals, learn the most effective way to use your freezer and discover just how easy it can be to batch cook without needing to have the same meal every night. Covering breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts and basics - with recipes that will give you leftovers to have as snacks in between - Nadiya shows you how she manages to always have home-cooked food at hand for her family. Nadiya will show you how you can always make time to cook and eat delicious food. * Pre order Nadiya's new cookbook, Nadiya's Fast Flavours now, for exciting meals guaranteed to get your taste buds going every night of the week * Praise for Nadiya Hussain: 'A national treasure' Independent 'She's baked her way into our hearts and hasn't stopped since' Prima 'The best kind of cookbook . . . you can read it like a novel' Times 'Ideal dishes to serve at family get-togethers' Daily Mail *DISCOVER ALL THE RECIPES FROM NADIYA'S HIT BBC 2 TV SERIES INSIDE *

A New York Times Bestseller Now in paperback, the second edge-of-your-seat installment in the New York Times bestselling series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, called "stylistically mesmerizing" and "out-of-this-world-awesome" by reviewers. Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed. The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault. Hanna is the station captain s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion. When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia and possibly the known universe is in their hands. But relax. They've totally got this. They hope. Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless. Praise for Illuminae: A New York Times Bestseller A PW Bestseller Out-of-this-world awesome. Kirkus Reviews, Starred Stylistically mesmerizing. Publishers Weekly, Starred An arresting visual experience. Booklist, Starred A game-changer. Shelf Awareness, Starred

Few popes have been so misrepresented and maligned for their steadfast defense of the truth as Pope Benedict XVI. Here Msgr. Alfred Xuereb, one of his personal secretaries, shares an intimate look at the daily life of the late pontiff and his witness to the Faith. These precious pages serve to set the historical record straight, as Msgr. Xuereb elucidates never-before-shared details of his spiritual father's holiness, which will help you grow in yours. In these brief yet profound entries you will discover surprising inside information and details about Pope Benedict XVI, including: Why he really abdicated the Chair of Peter Five little-known qualities about his personality How the pontiff prayed, and some of his favorite hobbies and talents What it was like to spend a day with him (Can you guess what he liked to do for fun?) Ways he fostered congeniality and collegiality (even at dinner!) The Holy Father's recollections of when he was a small boy From his first days serving as Pope Benedict XVI's secretary to the last moments of the pope's pontificate, Msgr. Xuereb openly shares personal memories of laughter and tear-filled times, such as the pontiff's abdication. You will see what it was like to spend Christmas and Lent with Pope Benedict XVI, and you will read rare and fascinating details about his personal meetings with international dignitaries of both Church and state. You will learn about the Holy Father's friendships, sense of humor, and genuine concern for each person he encountered and will marvel at the spiritual insights and fervent devotions you will find in these simple yet rich reflections. Also featured are select quotes, meditations on some of the pope's most penetrating addresses, and an engaging interview with Msgr. Xuereb.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER More than one million copies sold! A brilliant (Lupita Nyong o, Time), poignant (Entertainment Weekly), soul-nourishing (USA Today) memoir about coming of age during the twilight of apartheid Noah s childhood stories are told with all the hilarity and intellect that characterizes his comedy, while illuminating a dark and brutal period in South Africa s history that must never be forgotten. Esquire Winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor and an NAACP Image Award Named one of the best books of the year by The New York Time, USA Today, San Francisco Chronicle, NPR, Esquire, Newsday, and Booklist Trevor Noah s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle. Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man s relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life. The stories collected here are by turns hilarious, dramatic, and deeply affecting. Whether subsisting on caterpillars for dinner during hard times, being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping, or just trying to survive the life-and-death pitfalls of dating in high school, Trevor illuminates his curious world with an incisive wit and unflinching honesty. His stories weave together to form a moving and searingly funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time, armed only with a keen sense of humor and a mother s unconventional, unconditional love.

Katherine Center's The Bodyguard is "My perfect 10 of a book. As funny and sweet as all the very best nineties rom-coms, but with Center's signature heart-tugging depth. I wish I could erase it from my mind just to read it again for the first time. A shot of pure joy."-Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Book Lovers She's got his back. Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she's an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker. He's got her heart. Jack Stapleton's a household name-captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid. They've got a secret. When Jack's mom gets sick, he goes home to the family's Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn't want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah-against her will and her better judgment-finds herself pretending to be Jack's girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, says no one will believe it. What could possibly go wrong? Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it's easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That's the hardest thing she's ever done. "Great rollicking fun! Prepare to laugh and swoon and grin your pants off."-Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Heart Principle "Absolutely, unequivocally delightful!"-Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here

'If only my Cantonese parents weren't so allergic to the word love...' 'A wonderfully heartwarming memoir with lots of foodie insights.' Rachel Khoo 'A real and delightful surprise - and also very funny.' Ella Risbridger __ What is the most unsayable thing you have ever wanted to say to your parents? For newly single food journalist Candice Chung, there's been one thing on her mind lately: she has never told them, 'I love you.' Simple. Reasonable. If only her estranged Cantonese parents weren't so allergic to the word 'love'. With a 13-year relationship coming to an end, Candice Chung finds herself losing not only her first love but also her most reliable restaurant review partner. And so when her parents offer to be her new plus-ones, she faces a dilemma: is it better to eat together in polite silence or to try to broach how, for the past decade, they've managed to drift so profoundly apart? Through shared meals and culinary adventures, Candice and her parents begin to break their silence. Yet when a new relationship begins to bloom, it forces her to try to address what still remains unsaid. To do so, she must find a new vocabulary - a way to unscramble what her family has been trying to express all along. Not through words, but with food. Set against the backdrop of this burgeoning new relationship, grasped-at date nights mid-pandemic and an uncertain future across seas, Chinese Parents Don't Say I Love You is packed with heart, humour and those bright-hearted moments around a dinner table that bring us together. __ 'A world-spanning love story, a book of philosophy via the dinner table, a tender portrait of family trying to communicate: Candice Chung's gorgeous memoir is all of these things and more.' Rebecca May Johnson, author of Small Fires 'Tenderly shows how food steps up to provide the emotional support, comfort, and safety that humans need, when words cannot.' Hetty Lui McKinnon 'Will undo anyone whose love language is food.' Tara Wigley, co-author of Ottolenghi SIMPLE

Learn to detect the secret signals that shape power, trust, and influence. In all aspects of today's world, power, trust, and influence are negotiated in every glance, pause, and click. Perfecting the art of social observation is the key to success in any endeavor. In How to Read the Room, Pamela Meyer draws on cutting-edge behavioral science, intelligence-agency tradecraft, and real-world storytelling-from comedy clubs and boardrooms to digital deepfakes and family dinners-to reveal the unseen forces that shape every human encounter. This essential survival manual introduces a clear, four-step framework for social observation-one that turns the elusive art of "reading people" into a disciplined practice. Meyer provides a structured way to decode what's really happening in any room-why certain people command attention, how power shifts, and how subtle cues can reveal intent. Through vivid examples and field-tested strategies, readers will learn how to profile motives, sense emotional undercurrents others miss, and turn observation into influence without manipulation. Mastering these tools will unlock the rarest form of social intelligence: the ability to not only read any room, but to leave it better than you find it.

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER Selected for CBS News New York's Book Club with Mary Calvi As seen on Good Morning America, The View, Good Day New York and featured on Katie Couric Media and Read with Jenna Open Book podcast PEOPLE: BEST NEW BOOKS An Elle Best Book of Summer 2025 USA Today Most Anticipated Read of Summer 2025 Publishers Weekly Most Anticipated Book of Summer 2025 From the beloved New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani, a “dazzling” storyteller (Washington Post), and a “comedy writer with a heart of gold” (NYT), comes a novel about one woman’s quest to build her own life before it’s too late. Jess Capodimonte Baratta is not living the life of her dreams. Not even close. In blue-collar Lake Como, New Jersey, family comes first. Recently divorced from Bobby Bilancia, “the perfect husband," Jess moves into her parents’ basement to hide and heal. Jess is the overlooked daughter, who dutifully takes care of her parents, cooks Sunday dinner, and puts herself last. Despite her role as the family handmaiden, Jess is also a talented draftswoman in the marble business run by her dapper uncle Louie, who believes she can do anything (once she invests in a better wardrobe). When the Capodimonte and Baratta families endure an unexpected loss, the shock unearths long-buried secrets that will force Jess to question her loyalty to those she trusted. Fueled by her lost dreams, Jess takes fate into her own hands and escapes to her ancestral home, Carrara, Italy. From the shadows of the majestic marble-capped mountains of Tuscany, to the glittering streets of Milan, and on the shores of enchanting Lake Como (the other one), Jess begins to carve a place in this new/old world. When she meets Angelo Strazza, a passionate artist who works in gold, she discovers her own skills are priceless. But as Jess uncovers the truth about her family history, it will change the course of her life and those she loves the most forever. In love and work, in art and soul, Jess will need every tool she has mastered to reinvent her life. Fed by the author’s cherished Italian roots comes a bighearted, hilarious novel of the moment: the story of one woman’s determination to live a creative life that matters, with enough room left over for love. With a one-way ticket to Italy, Jess is determined to write a new story on her own terms--this time, in stone.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER A young woman pretends to be someone she isn’t in this “spellbinding” (Vogue), “smoldering” (The Washington Post) novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Girls. “Under Cline’s command, every sentence as sharp as a scalpel, a woman toeing the line between welcome and unwelcome guest becomes a fully destabilizing force.”—The New York Times A BELLETRIST BOOK CLUB PICK VULTURE’S INAUGURAL "BEACH BOOK READS" BOOK CLUB PICK LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/FAULKNER AWARD A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, Time, NPR, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Vogue, Glamour, Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Slate, Time Out, Chicago Public Library, Electric Lit, Bookreporter “Alex drained her wineglass, then her water glass. The ocean looked calm, a black darker than the sky. A ripple of anxiety made her palms go damp. It seemed suddenly very tenuous to believe that anything would stay hidden, that she could successfully pass from one world to another.” Summer is coming to a close on the East End of Long Island, and Alex is no longer welcome. A misstep at a dinner party, and the older man she’s been staying with dismisses her with a ride to the train station and a ticket back to the city. With few resources and a waterlogged phone, but gifted with an ability to navigate the desires of others, Alex stays on Long Island and drifts like a ghost through the hedged lanes, gated driveways, and sun-blasted dunes of a rarefied world that is, at first, closed to her. Propelled by desperation and a mutable sense of morality, she spends the week leading up to Labor Day moving from one place to the next, a cipher leaving destruction in her wake. Taut, propulsive, and impossible to look away from, Emma Cline’s The Guest is a spellbinding literary achievement.

Issue Fifty-Nine of Kinfolk considers the meaning of “clean” as a ritual, a feeling and an instinct. If you’re starting to think about spring cleaning, you can read our longform essay, which examines how clean we really need to be; or else find solace in Dirty Habits, which turns its attention to the universal pockets of imperfection we all have—dead plants, missing mugs or a junk drawer. We chart the boom in public bathing culture among younger generations in Tokyo and ask five perfumers and an expert to identify what “clean” actually smells like. We also meet David Bronner, whose soap company has taken on a life of its own: a family business turned countercultural force. And while you may expect to see an issue full of “clean lines” and minimalist design, we instead speak to Leonard Koren, one of the world’s leading aesthetes, who has an entirely different proposition. Elsewhere, we meet Jessie Ware—the down-to-earth, bluntly funny British pop star who turned her mother’s weekly Friday night dinners for family and friends into a beloved podcast. Plus, our contributors spend time with a dry cleaner, a dermatologist and a saxophonist, ask whether culture is dead, and try to make sense of Theseus’ paradox. Since 2011, Kinfolk has set the standard for independent publishing in art, design, aesthetics, architecture, homes and interiors. Our quarterly lifestyle magazine is sold in over 100 countries, published in three languages and makes the perfect coffee table magazine or gift for a creative. Featuring inspiring photography, fashion and style, as well as examinations of slow living, Kinfolk is an art and design publication that seeks to promote quality of life and connect a community of creative thinkers.

From Dorothy L. Sayers, one of the Queens of Crime, comes the third addition to the Lord Peter Wimsey series, Unnatural Death. "The death was certainly sudden, unexpected, and to me mysterious," is what the letter from Dr. Paterson read. Lord Peter Wimsey and his friend, Chief Inspector Charles Parker, go on to discuss the associated case over dinner, unaware that they are being overheard by another. The bystander, Dr. Carr apologetically intrudes and asks to share a story with the two. Three years ago, an elderly patient he had been treating for cancer, Miss Agatha Dawson, dies suddenly. There was no evidence of foul play nor an obvious motive for murder, leaving the doctor suspicious but ultimately unable to find a sufficient cause. Immediately convinced that things are not all as they appear Lord Peter Wimsey takes the case. But with little clues and so much time passed, can the amateur slueth solve the mystery of an old woman's unnatural death? A fantastic addition to a beloved series, Dorothy L. Sayers' Unnatural Death (1927) is both a captivating mystery and compelling meditation on gentleman detective Lord Peter Wimsey himself. Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

'SO witty, so entertaining, yet so moving. Countless women will identify with Laura Clark. I loved it so much!' MARIAN KEYES 'Brilliantly entertaining . . . surprisingly moving 'JENNIE GODFREY ' If you're a woman with only so many f*cks left to give, this book is for you' CALLY BEATON 'A book with a big, generous heart' BOBBY PALMER ------- WHO IS LAURA CLARK? To her colleagues: an invisible forty-something HR manager who restocks the meeting-room snacks. To her husband and teenage daughter: the woman who puts food in the fridge and dinner on the table. To her elderly mother: a round-the-clock helpline for endless complaints. Laura Clark is the woman everyone relies on. But barely anyone sees. So, one day, Laura puts on her 'out of office' message - and doesn't come back. And soon, everyone's formerly ordered lives quickly begin to descend into all-out chaos. Where has Laura gone? Has something terrible happened to her? Or has she - unthinkably - decided to finally give her own life the finger? To find out, the people in her life must realise that, maybe, they never really knew Laura Clark at all . . . 'An empowering story for any woman who's ever felt invisible - or is simply sick of everyone's s**t!' FIONA GIBSON 'Intriguing, relatable and utterly fabulous! I was completely hooked from the very first page to the last' HELGA JENSEN 'A wonderfully relatable book that had me laughing, empathising, commiserating and, ultimately, cheering for Laura' SHEILA McCLURE 'As blissful as eating a Twix in the sunshine on the way home from work, this is a gloriously funny manifesto for why we should never take the Laura Clarks of this world for granted!' JULIE MA ' Helen Russell's exquisite storytelling reveals the layers of Laura's life gently like the unfurling of a peony in summer . . . I loved every second of it' JENNI BAYLISS 'Every woman needs to read this . . . 12/10 across the board' RIA LINA READERS LOVE LAURA CLARK: 'Funny, wise and everything in between, I absolutely loved it' ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'So relatable and a little bit chaotic . . . can't recommend it enough' ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The ending was so satisfying' ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Helen Russell has hit it out of the park' ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Laugh-out-loud funny' ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Once I started reading, I couldn't stop' ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER More than one million copies sold! A brilliant (Lupita Nyong o, Time),  poignant (Entertainment Weekly), soul-nourishing (USA Today) memoir about coming of age during the twilight of apartheid   Noah s childhood stories are told with all the hilarity and intellect that characterizes his comedy, while illuminating a dark and brutal period in South Africa s history that must never be forgotten. Esquire   Winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor and an NAACP Image Award Named one of the best books of the year by The New York Time, USA Today, San Francisco Chronicle, NPR, Esquire, Newsday, and Booklist Trevor Noah s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle. Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man s relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life. The stories collected here are by turns hilarious, dramatic, and deeply affecting. Whether subsisting on caterpillars for dinner during hard times, being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping, or just trying to survive the life-and-death pitfalls of dating in high school, Trevor illuminates his curious world with an incisive wit and unflinching honesty. His stories weave together to form a moving and searingly funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time, armed only with a keen sense of humor and a mother s unconventional, unconditional love.

Australia's bestselling cookbook author returns with a stunning new book, Basics to Brilliance -- and a TV series tie in. Australia's most trusted and best-selling cookbook author, Donna Hay, wants to take you from basics to brilliance. Donna believes that, just like anything you want to be good at, mastering the basics is how you build confidence. So, in this book, she's sharing all her favourite, tried and true recipes - think the perfect tender steak, golden roast chicken, crispy pork belly, her nan's sponge cake, and of course the fudgiest brownies! Each basic recipe is followed by clever variations and simple flavour change-ups, so one recipe becomes many and your repertoire naturally grows. Take Donna's 'no-fail meringue mixture' - once mastered, this basic recipe can be tweaked to be turned into the perfect pavlova; divinely flavoured salted caramel, chocolate, rosewater and pistachio, and raspberry meringues for an elegant afternoon tea; or a silky smooth and tangy lemon meringue pie for a divine dessert for a dinner party. This is your ultimate guide to being brilliant in the kitchen! Basics to Brilliance is a luxurious hardback, featuring beautiful photography and featuring over 200 recipes. This is a book you will want to treasure forever. In 2011, Donna's first television series - fast, fresh, simple - premiered on LifeStyle, garnering her a 2012 Astra award for Best New Female Personality and went on to air in more than 17 countries worldwide. In 2016, Donna is returning to Foxtel with a brand new eight part show, Basics to Brilliance, based on this book, which will go to air in late May and be on repeat rotation as the book goes on sale.

The debut cookbook from rising star Irish chef Max Rocha and his hugely popular East London restaurant, Café Cecilia Café Cecilia is a beloved neighborhood restaurant serving simple Irish and European inspired food, that has become not only a foodie haven, but a huge hit with the international art and fashion crowd. It is chef Max Rocha’s first restaurant, and he takes inspiration from what’s in season; the cooking of his mother, Odette; and the food he grew up with in Ireland. Café Cecilia Cookbook, the first and only book on this, one of the UK's most exciting and popular restaurants, features 100 recipes from breakfast through to dinner. Dishes include signature dishes like Guinness Bread and Sage & Anchovy Fritti and seasonal dishes such as Poached greengage, granola and yogurt and Globe Artichokes with Sunflower Seed Tahini, with recipes for a host of soups, salads, breads, cakes, and kombuchas, as well as a selection of fish, meat, and vegetable dishes. With a foreword written by acclaimed British food writer and James Beard Award-winner Diana Henry, and images of the finished dishes shot within the stylish setting of Café Cecilia by Matthieu Lavanchy, together with photographs of the team and restaurant's suppliers by Jacob Lillis, this is a warm celebration of food, family, the loyal Café Cecilia team and all Max Rocha’s experiences.