Modeling and Simulation in Python

Solve Animal Mysteries from A to Z! Join Abbi and her friends on the hunt for proof of a cougar in the woods! Inspired by Ron Roy's A to Z Mysteries series, this bright and modern animal adventure story is perfect for budding young chapter book readers.A to Z Animal Mysteries #1: The Absent Alpacas (彩色印刷)A to Z Animal Mysteries #2: Bats in the Castle (彩色印刷)A to Z Animal Mysteries #3: Cougar Clues (彩色印刷)

Mehar, a young bride in rural 1929 Punjab, is trying to discover the identity of her new husband. She and her sisters-in-law, married to three brothers in a single ceremony, spend their days hard at work in the family's 'china room', sequestered from contact with the men. When Mehar develops a theory as to which of them is hers, a passion is ignited that will put more than one life at risk.Spiralling around Mehar's story is that of a young man who in 1999 travels from England to the now-deserted farm, its 'china room' locked and barred.In enforced flight from the traumas of his adolescence - his experiences of addiction, racism, and estrangement from the culture of his birth - he spends a summer in painful contemplation and recovery, before finally finding the strength to return 'home'.

An interactive board book adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic—featuring 12 different sounds! A perfect choice for celebrating Pop on Father's Day and all year long!This interactive adaptation of the classic bestseller will have babies and toddlers giggling with glee! Featuring simple rhymed text that teaches the basics of word construction, combined with wacky illustrations that help decode the words, children can press the matching buttons and listen to sounds that bring the story to life.

Dream up anything you like, dear reader, and watch it come to life on the next page--just no tigers! This fun read-aloud about creativity and perspeverance will have your reader giggling and inspired, all while our hero learns that with a bit of practice, even the wildest challenges can be tamed. This book is MAGIC! Imagine anything you like, and the illustrator will draw it on the next page. There's only one rule: DON'T THINK OF TIGERS! Ready? Oh dear. You thought of tigers, didn't you? Please, think of anything else. A cow doing ballet? No problem! Just no tigers. Our illustrator really, really can't draw tigers... Or can he? As his hilariously silly and irresistibly charming drawings of tigers improve, Alex Latimer delivers a subtle but important message about practice, creativity, and embracing imperfection. A fun read-aloud that's sure to delight time and time again, this is the perfect book for kids who love to draw--and for those who don't (but might soon!).

A haunting debut story collection on friendship, mothers and daughters, and the deep-rooted truths of our homelands, centered on Latinas of indigenous descent that shines a new light on the American W

Explore Hawkins with fan-favorite character Eleven in a novel based on the iconic Netflix series Stranger Things. It's summer vacation, and everyone in Hawkins has plans--everyone except Eleven. She feels trapped by her overprotective father and wants to break out and find a normal teen life like she sees in her magazines. Luckily, Eleven's not alone. Her friend Max needs to flee a troubling home life and an increasingly dangerous older brother. They decide to escape together, and in Hawkins in the summer of 1985, there is only one place to go: the all-new Starcourt Mall. Will midnight movies and an overnight party in the food court be the solution to their problems? Or will Eleven and Max discover that a little freedom can lead to a lot of trouble, and that the ghosts of the past are never far away? Filled with details from Netflix's series Stranger Things, this novel explores Hawkins--and Eleven's place in it--like never before.

A fearless writer confronts grief and transforms it into art, in a book of transforming power and love.In this imagined dialogue between mother and child in a timeless world, Yiyun Li meets life’s dee

Interest in Buddhism continues to grow throughout North America, and more and more readers are moving beyond the familiar Zen and Tibetan traditions to examine other types of Buddhism. In Shin Buddhis

The author of What They Didn't Teach You About the Civil War focuses on the resilience and vitality of humankind and World War II, both on the American home front and in the trenches in an anecdotal h

Here, in her first book in eight years, Sonia Sanchez offers a powerful exploration of personal and shared pain. With passion and precision, Wounded in the House of a Friend confronts issues of rape,

“Masterful . . . Somewhere between Faulkner and Conroy.”—The Denver Post In Ruin Creek, David Payne revisits North Carolina’s windswept Outer Banks and the Madden family. Writing in the contrapuntal v

From the New York Times bestselling author of Wonder comes a spine-tingling Halloween picture book adventure!I cast the spell that brings to life this playground of the night.Here my phantoms come—but not to spook or fright.They’re here because they want to laugh, to frolic and be merry.They’re here because they need to take a break from being scary.When all the trick-or-treating is done and children are tucked in, ghosts are drawn to one special place: the Haunted Playground! Ruled by Rex Magnificus, ghosts arrive not to haunt but to play. But will the appearance of two human children interrupt their revelry? From two master storytellers, this Halloween story is a modern classic!

Does life sometimes get you down? Don't worry! Successful predator and life coach Tony Rex is here to help... and he's got KILLER advice. A spoof self-help picture book that will have kids and grown-ups roaring with laughter! Meet T-Rex-turned-life-coach Tony Rex. No matter who you are, or what you're going through, or how fast you're running, Tony Rex is right behind you. Tony's seven-stomp program will help you become your best self, with advice like: DON'T HIDE AWAY (really, stay out in the open where he can spot you) and SLOW DOWN (he'd recommend anything below his top speed of 30mph). So follow along, and remember: nothing can change the fact that you're highly nutritious. Packed with prehistoric pep talks, dino-sized confidence, and tongue-in-cheek tips for life's biggest challenges, this book will motivate little ones to stomp their way to success--and away from the giant dinosaur trying to eat them.

With this newly discovered and never-before-seen picture book by Dr. Seuss himself, celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America! From Alabama to Wyoming, learn the names of all 50 states with a little help from the Cat in the Hat. To sing the 50 United Statesyou have to use your brain. Massachusetts. Minnesota.Missouri and Montana.M-i-s-s-Mississippi.Maryland!Michigan and Maine! In this never-before-seen picture book featuring Dr. Seuss's signature rhyming style, readers will delight in naming the 50 states alongside the beloved Cat in the Hat! Funny, engaging, and educational, this book is ideal for Seuss fans and collectors of all ages. Sing the 50 United States features original, previously unpublished text by Dr. Seuss and brand-new illustrations inspired by his sketches. At the end of the book you'll find a Publisher's Note about how this project came to be, including archival images of the original text and sketches by Ted Geisel--a.k.a. Dr. Seuss! Remove the

A mesmerizing portrait of an aging man’s last pilgrimage, from the New York Times best selling author of The Girls and The Guest.A private plane cuts through the winter night, somewhere over Greenland. David, a retired executive, sits back in his leather seat, playing solitaire on his phone. Click. Click. Drag. Click. The notebook in his jacket pocket is filled with familiar phrases, urgent reminders to himself, but he struggles to recognize his own handwriting. A mystery, among many mysteries. The world, once so knowable, has been rendered inscrutable.This is what David knows: Cody, his assistant, asleep in the seat next to him, will shepherd him along the voyage. A stopover in London. Dinner with his adult daughter. A meeting in France with an old friend, estranged for decades. His final destination is Zurich. David glides through hotel rooms and airports and foreign cities, running out the clock on his mortal life. His grasp on the present slips away, and the past rushes in: the Sun

Three middle school students embark on a quest to find a book that may just save their lives in this spectacular novel about fate and friendship--from the Newbery Award-winning author of When You Trap a Tiger. Once there was a tree. There was a tree. There was a tree. Until the tree fell. And then there was a book. When best friends Nomi, Vi, and Arthur were younger, they found a book that could predict the future. It was so very satisfying and comforting to know what was coming. But as the friends drifted apart, they forgot about the book. Except for Nomi. The final prediction says "How do you turn a girl into flame. You'll never be the same." What does it mean? It sounds dangerous--especially with wildfires raging in the distance. Nomi just knows there's a sequel to the book; if only they could find it, everything would make sense. As Nomi teams up once again with Vi and Arthur, they must navigate their complicated feelings about each other, their fears of the unknown, and the risks

The New York Times bestselling author illustrator of The Wonderful Things You Will Be creates an enchanting picture book about a child finding their "wild" self. What would you do if you let the wild in? Eleanor loved wild things. Every wing and wild sprout. There was somthing wild inside of herthat wanted to come out. With gorgeous illustrations, this book is the ideal addition to any bedtime reading routine or read aloud. The Wildest Thing beautifully expresses a timeless message about little ones unleashing their inner "wild" and encouraging their budding imagination and unique individuality.

This gorgeous special edition of the essential New York Times bestseller with extra pages is the perfect gift for baby showers, birthdays, graduations, and other new beginnings--including back-to-school, no matter what that looks like! This gorgeous special edition of Emily Winfield Martin's modern classic poem will elevate any special occasion! With extra pages designed to be personalized with notes from friends and family, this volume is sure to be treasured and revisited often. From brave and bold to creative and clever, Emily Winfield Martin celebrates all personalities and their potential. With gorgeous and moving illustrations, and a rhyming text, this is a book that parents will love reading over and over to their kids--both young and old. A great gift for any occassion, but a stand-out for birthdays and graduation with it's loving and inspiring message: Then I'll look at you, And you'll look at me, And I'll love you, Whoever you've grown up to be.

Thirteen-year-old Keedie Darrow is used to bullies. Growing up neurodivergent makes you an easy target. But when her friends fall victim, Keedie launches an anti-bullying agency--and business is booming. A moving and inclusive prequel to the award-winning novel A Kind of Spark. Keedie Darrow has never been afraid of standing out. Her autism makes it clear she sees the world differently from others. But ever since Keedie and her twin sister Nina entered middle school, NOT standing out seems to be the only thing that matters. And the more Nina tries to fit in, the less Keedie understands her--or her classmates who become increasingly cruel to anyone who is different. Determined to take a stand, Keedie launches an anti-bullying agency. Soon, kids are lining up to have her tell off their biggest nemeses. But Keedie will have to be careful. It's a fine line between speaking up for what you believe in and becoming a bully yourself.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - An epic novel of star-crossed lovers set in a doomsday cult on the Texas prairie that asks: What would you sacrifice for the person you love? "Symphonic and suspenseful . . . In an epic act of empathy, Bret Anthony Johnston inhabits every point of view, from doomed devotees to perplexed law enforcement."--Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of MarchA New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice Waco, Texas, 1993. People from all walks of life have arrived to follow the Lamb's gospel--signing over savings and pensions, selling their homes and shedding marriages. They've come here to worship at the feet of a former landscaper turned prophet who is preparing for the End Times with a staggering cache of weapons. Jaye's mother is one of his newest and most devout followers, though Jaye herself has suspicions about the Lamb's methods--and his motives. Roy is the youngest son of the local sheriff, a fourteen-year-old boy with a heart of gold and a nose for trou

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - From the author of Sapiens comes the groundbreaking story of how information networks have made, and unmade, our world. "Strikingly original . . . A historian whose arguments operate on the scale of millennia has managed to capture the zeitgeist perfectly."--The Economist "This deeply important book comes at a critical time as we all think through the implications of AI and automated content production. . . . Masterful and provocative."--Mustafa Suleyman, author of The Coming Wave For the last 100,000 years, we Sapiens have accumulated enormous power. But despite all our discoveries, inventions, and conquests, we now find ourselves in an existential crisis. The world is on the verge of ecological collapse. Misinformation abounds. And we are rushing headlong into the age of AI--a new information network that threatens to annihilate us. For all that we have accomplished, why are we so self-destructive? Nexus looks through the long lens of human history to c

這是一本以影集《Wednesday》第一季為基礎的全彩精裝書，介紹劇中各個角色與他們所屬的異能族群，包括狼人、女妖、蛇髮人與心靈感應者等。書中整理了角色檔案、特殊能力、所屬團體與背景設定，並加入Wednesday・亞當絲的個人筆記，讓讀者能更深入了解奈落學院與傑利可鎮的神祕世界。適合喜愛《星期三》的影集觀眾閱讀與收藏，重溫劇情，並認識每一位角色的特色與關係。Nevermore Academy is home to Outcasts of all kinds, from the colorful werewolf Enid Sinclair to the persuasive and beautiful siren Bianca Barclay. Uncover their mysterious world with fun facts, profiles, talents, and more in this character guide based on the hit show.Enter the mysterious world of Nevermore Academy with this full-color, hardcover guide to the first season of the global phenomenon. Go on a deep dive into Wednesday Addams’s friends and foes, Nevermore Academy, the town of Jericho and the Addams family. Peruse the complete guide of Outcasts seen in the show: psychics, Hydes, gorgons, sirens, werewolves, and more! Featuring in-depth character profiles, facts on each Outcast clique, complete coverage on their supernatural abilities—and notes from Wednesday Addams herself—this book is a must-have fo

You can hear his every thought. But he can hear yours too... When Elijah suggests going to OneMind to celebrate their ten-year anniversary, Anna is dubious about getting the implant that will allow them to hear each other's thoughts.However, she's eager to please him, and to make up for the fact she can't give him what he really wants, she agrees to take this step towards the ultimate intimacy. And at first things are great. Anna feels closer to her husband, and the novelty of communicating mind to mind is a thrill.But then she develops a strange side effect and begins having dreams that aren't dreams, but memories. Memories that aren't hers. And if Anna is now seeing Elijah's memories, what if he can see hers? Will he discover what she's kept buried in her past?Desperate to keep the truth from her husband, Anna's mind becomes a prison she can't escape.How long can she keep the traitorous thoughts at bay before she drives herself mad?A clever exploration of toxic relationships, power i

Celebrate the holidays with Dr. Seuss! Featuring designs and patterns based on the best-selling How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, this coloring book for all ages is the perfect way to relax and exercise your imagination during the holiday season. With intricate illustrations, playful patterns, iconic images, and quotations to color from How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, artists 3 to 103 can color and celebrate the holiday season. A perfect gift--especially when paired with the picture book How the Grinch Stole Christmas!--it's sure to entertain every Who in Who-ville and beyond.

On sleepless nights, I open the matchbox and reread the story of the girl who gathered shooting stars.After the death of her father, twelve-year-old Tomoko is sent to live for a year with her uncle in the coastal town of Ashiya. It is a year which will change her life.The 1970s are bringing changes to Japan and her uncle's magnificent colonial mansion opens up a new and unfamiliar world for Tomoko; its sprawling gardens are even home to a pygmy hippo the family keeps as a pet. Tomoko finds her relatives equally exotic and beguiling and her growing friendship with her cousin Mina draws her into an intoxicating world full of secret crushes and elaborate storytelling.Rich with the magic and mystery of youth,Mina’s Matchboxis an evocative snapshot of a moment frozen in time, and a striking depiction of a family on the edge of collapse.

A classic Dr. Seuss story about the difficulty of making up one's mind! From the beloved author of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Lorax--this is the perfect book to inspire children to overcome indecision and gain confidence in their choices!It's awfully awfully awfulWhen you can't make up your mind!Do you want to kick a football?Or sit there on your behind?Do you want to go out skating?Fly a kite? Or climb a tree?Do you want to eat a pizza?Take a bath? Or watch TV? Dr. Seuss adds his signature spin to the age-old dilemma of indecisiveness in his rhyming picture-book classic Hunches in Bunches. Whether readers have a "four-way hunch," a "nowhere hunch," or an "up hunch," Dr. Seuss and his unmistakable one-of-a-kind advice will ensure that they won't get "ga-fluppted" when choosing what to do! Now available in the same size as other classic Dr. Seuss books like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Lorax!

Author and illustrator Keith Negley brings his unique and powerful style to the story of young Batman trying to fit in at school in this jacketed hardcover picturebook. A very young Batman faces his greatest challenge ever--going to school! Keith Negley (author and illustrator of Tough Guys Have Feelings Too and My Dad Used to Be So Cool) brings young readers his vision of a shy Caped Crusader who prefers to stick to the shadows and play alone. Even though he initially doesn't fit in with the colorful and more outgoing kids around him, he soon learns that he has plenty to offer on his own terms. Keith Negley's art and story are filled with humor and emotion that will help even the shyest child find their inner super hero while making this jacketed picture book a delight to read at bedtime and any time!

Meet middle schooler Jake McQuade. Jake became the smartest kid in the universe when he accidentally ate a jarful of ingestible knowledge jelly beans. But what happens when those jelly beans fall into the wrong hands?! Readers who enjoy the action of the Last Kids on Earth books will love this fast-paced, spy-packed series that's a "rollicking good time" (New York Times) by the bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library! Jake McQuade's the smartest kid in the universe--or at least he was. But just as his training with the secret agency known as the Consortium is about to start, Jake's jelly beans go missing! And to make matters worse, they (and Jake's genius!) might be wearing off right when he needs his smarts most! Jake needs to solve this mystery fast. Who stole the jelly beans and why? Can Jake figure out what's going on, recover the missing jelly beans, and stop a high-tech heist before it's too late?! From top-secret hideouts to New York City penthouse apartments

This favorite Dr. Seuss story featuring the fun-loving Cat in the Hat is now an interactive board book featuring 12 different sounds! Babies and toddlers will have fun that is funny with this interactive adaptation of the classic bestseller. As the Cat and his mischievous friends, Thing One and Thing Two, turn a dreary day into a wild escapade, children can press the matching buttons and listen to sounds that bring the story to life. And then something went BUMP!How that bump made us jump! From a BUMP! and a CRASH! to the sound of the mother's footsteps as she nears the house, the twelve sounds featured complement the text and add a level of interactivity to this classic story, inviting young readers to experience it in a fun new way. This book comes with a colorful sound module that includes a handy on/off switch, and batteries can be easily replaced. With famously simple vocabulary, hilarious rhymes, and iconic characters, this sound book is the perfect way to introduce a new generat

The gripping and alarming story of the year that transformed the Supreme Court and set the stage for the overturning of Roe v. Wade, with a new preface on the far-right decisions of 2022—from the Pulitzer Prize–winning law columnist for The New York Times“This landmark book gives us an invaluable perspective on the Supreme Court in democracy’s hour of maximum danger.”—Jon Meacham"A dazzling feat...meaty, often scintillating and sometimes scary…Greenhouse is a virtuoso of SCOTUS analysis." —Washington PostIn Justice on the Brink, legendary journalist Linda Greenhouse, who won a Pulitzer Prize for her Supreme Court coverage, gives us unique insight into a court under stress, providing the context and brilliant analysis readers of her work in The New York Times have come to expect. In a page-turning narrative, she recounts the twelve months when the court turned its back on its legacy and traditions, abandoning any effort to stay above and separate from politics. With remarkable clarity a

童年時期因遊戲結緣的Sadie和Sam，長大後再次相遇，攜手投身電玩創作，讓玩家能暫時遠離現實，投向數位虛擬世界的懷抱，兩人合作設計出的遊戲一舉獲得空前成功，但隨之而來的金錢與名利浪潮，是否已準備將兩人沖散？'A gem of a novel' ERIN MORGENSTERNThis is not a romance, but it is about loveTwo kids meet in a hospital gaming room in 1987. One is visiting her sister, the other is recovering from a car crash. The days and months are long there.Their love of video games becomes a shared world -- of joy, escape and fierce competition. But all too soon that time is over, fades from view.When the pair spot each other eight years later in a crowded train station, they are catapulted back to that moment. The spark is immediate, and together they get to work on what they love - making games to delight, challenge and immerse players, finding an intimacy in digital worlds that eludes them in their real lives.Their collaborations make them superstars.This is the story of the perfect worlds Sadie and Sam build, the imperfect world they live in, and of everything that comes after success: Money. Fame. Dupli

'A powerful and haunting tale of a young woman's will to live, of love flowering in defiance of tyranny. It will twine like a dark forest around your heart.' Samantha Shannon on The Wolf and the WoodsmanFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wolf and the Woodsman comes a gothic retelling of The Juniper Tree, where a young witch seeks to discover her identity and escape the domination of her abusive wizard father. Perfect for fans of Angela Carter, Catherynne M. Valente and Shirley Jackson_________________________________A gruesome curse. A city in upheaval. A monster with unquenchable appetites.As the last true witches living in a city shifting from magic to industry, Marlinchen and her two sisters are little more than tourist traps as they treat their clients with archaic remedies and beguile them with nostalgic charm.Marlinchen spends her days divining secrets in exchange for rubles and trying to placate their tyrannical, xenophobic wizard father, who keeps his daughters seq

A deliciously comedic family melodrama about an imploding social media star, a small-town Italian bakery, the treachery of fame, and the pink-frosted pastry at the heart of it all.YouTuber Sabine Rose is a star about to go supernova. Her baking channel, Sweet Rush, attracts millions, her production team agonizingly crafts her every (appropriate) moment, and her agent has positioned her one good meeting away from landing a Netflix series. But her rise to superstardom still needs a final push, and she has the perfect idea to get herself there: a well-documented visit home to her family's small-town bakery.But when Sabine and her chronically underappreciated producer, Wanda, arrive in the small northern town Sabine hasn't seen in a decade, the planned reunion with her family is quickly lost in chaos (and social media opportunity). The Rose family's master baker―Sabine's father―has just died. With her family spiralling into tragedy and farce, Sabine finds her fame growing exponentially, bu

Two identical twin sisters and former child actors have grown apart―until one disappears, and the other is forced to confront the secrets they’ve kept from each other in this twisty suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Things.“You be me, and I’ll be you,”I whispered.As children, Sam and Elli were two halves of a perfect whole: Gorgeous identical twins whose parents sometimes couldn’t even tell them apart. They fell asleep to the sound of each other’s breath at night, holding hands in the dark. And once Hollywood discovered them, they became B-list child TV stars, often inhabiting the same role.But as adults their lives have splintered. After leaving acting, Elli reinvented herself as the perfect homemaker: Married to a real-estate lawyer, in a house two blocks from the beach. Meanwhile, Sam has never recovered from her failed Hollywood career, or from her addiction to the pills and booze that have propped her up for the last fifteen years.Sam hasn’t spoke

In her first novel since winning the Newbery Medal for When You Trap a Tiger, Tae Keller offers a gripping and emotional story about a girl who is alienated by her friends . . . for believing in aliens. Sometimes middle school can make you feel like you're totally alone in the universe...but what if we aren't alone at all? Thanks to her best friend, Reagan, Mallory Moss knows the rules of middle school. The most important one? You have to fit in to survive. But then Jennifer Chan moves in across the street, and that rule doesn't seem to apply. Jennifer doesn't care about the laws of middle school, or the laws of the universe. She believes in aliens--and she thinks she can find them.Then Jennifer goes missing. Using clues from Jennifer's journals, Mallory goes searching. But the closer she gets, the more Mallory has to confront why Jennifer might have run . . . and face the truth within herself.Tae Keller lights up the sky with this insightful story about shifting friendships, right and

A stirring meditation on Black performance in America from the New York Times bestselling author of Go Ahead in the Rain “Whether heralding unsung entertainers or reexamining legends, Hanif Abdurraqib weaves together gorgeous essays that reveal the resilience, heartbreak, and joy within Black performance. I read this book breathlessly.”—Brit Bennett, author of The Vanishing HalfAt the March On Washington in 1963, Josephine Baker was 57 years old, well beyond her most prolific days. But in her speech at the march, she was in a mood to consider her life, her legacy, her departure from the country she was now triumphantly returning to. "I was a devil in other countries, and I was a little devil in America, too," she told the crowd. From those few words, Hanif Abdurraqib has written a profound and lasting reflection on how black performance is inextricably woven into the fabric of American culture. Each moment in every performance he examines--whether it's the 27 seconds in "Gi

The new rules of persuasion for a diverse world--a twenty-first-century update of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People by a popular professor at Yale School of Management, filled with stories based on cutting-edge behavioral science.Zoe Chance has been a telemarketer, a door-to-door salesperson, and the brand manager for massive accounts. Years spent trying to get people to buy stuff they didn't really want or need taught her something fundamental about human nature and about how to really influence people over the long term: The transactional approach just doesn't work. So Chance went to Harvard Business School, where she worked with famous behavioral scientist Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational, to understand what did. Of the hundreds of books written about influence, nearly all focus narrowly on one-time transactions that are often framed in the winner-take-all language of the battleground. But nobody wants to be a target, and few of us want to think of

A witty, moving, piercingly insightful new novel about a marvelously complicated woman who can’t be anyone but herself, from the award-winning author of Chemistry“A deeply felt portrait…With gimlet-eyed observation laced with darkly biting wit, Weike Wang masterfully probes the existential uncertainty of being other in America.”―Celeste Ng, author of Little Fires EverywhereJoan is a thirtysomething ICU doctor at a busy New York City hospital. The daughter of Chinese parents who came to the United States to secure the American dream for their children, Joan is intensely devoted to her work, happily solitary, successful. She does look up sometimes and wonder where her true roots lie: at the hospital, where her white coat makes her feel needed, or with her family, who try to shape her life by their own cultural and social expectations.Once Joan and her brother, Fang, were established in their careers, her parents moved back to China, hoping to spend the rest of their lives in their homela

SAND. A hostile world of burning sun.Outlines of several once-busy cities shimmer on the horizon. Now empty of inhabitants, their buildings lie in ruins.In the distance a group of people - a family - walk towards us.Ahead lies shelter: a 'shuck' the family call home and which they know they must reach before the light fails, as to be out after dark is to invite danger and almost certain death.

Eight friends, one country house, four romances, and six months in isolation -- a powerful, emotionally rich novel about love, friendship, and betrayal, a book that reads like a great Russian novel, o