Download or read book The Hazards of Good Fortune written by Seth Greenland and published by Europa Editions. This book was released on 2018-08-21 with total page 503 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “An entertaining tale rich in schadenfreude as bad things happen to a hapless billionaire” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Jay Gladstone was born to privilege. He is a civic leader and a generous philanthropist, as well as the owner of an NBA team. But in today’s New York, even a wealthy man’s life can spin out of control, no matter the money or influence he possesses. Jay sees himself as a moral man, determined not to repeat his father’s mistakes. He would rather focus on his unstable second marriage and his daughter, Aviva, than worry about questions of race or privilege. However, he moves through a sensitive and aware world: that of Dag Maxwell, the black star forward, and white police officer Russell Plesko, who makes a decision that has resonating consequences—particularly for a DA whose hopes for a future in politics will rest on an explosive prosecution. Set during Barack Obama’s presidency, this artful novel illuminates contemporary America and does not shy away from questions about our scalding social divide—why is conversation about race so fraught, to what degree is the justice system impartial, and does great wealth inoculate those who have it?—and explores the aftermath of unforgivable errors and the unpredictability of the court of public opinion. “Greenland takes a Dickensian delight in letting the plot sprawl with parallels, digressions, false leads, and twists.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “A wild and funny page-turner of a novel that grabs you and doesn’t let go.” —Larry David

Download or read book The Hazards of Good Fortune written by Seth Greenland and published by Europa Editions. This book was released on 2018 with total page 614 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jay Gladstone was born to privilege. He is a civic leader and a generous philanthropist, as well as the owner of a basketball team. When a white cop shoots an unarmed black man, the reverberations reach all the way up to the highest levels of society. Combining elements of comedy and tragedy, the multi-layered narrative shifts from Jay Gladstone's gilded universe to the worlds of an opportunistic district attorney, an aging professional athlete in search of one last payday, a group of college radicals, a virtuous but unlucky cop who wants to be a lawyer, and a feisty pair of talk radio personalities.

Download or read book The Hazards of Good Fortune written by Seth Greenland and published by Europa Editions UK. This book was released on 2018-08-23 with total page 529 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fiction that feels as contemporaryas tomorrow's headlines. Jay Gladstone was born to privilege. He is a civic leader and a generous philanthropist, as well as the owner of a basketball team. But in today's New York, even a wealthy man's life can spin out of control, no matter the money or influence he possesses. When a white cop shoots an unarmed black man in ambiguous circumstances, the reverberations reach all the way up to the highest levels of society. Combining elements of comedy and tragedy, the multi-layered narrative shifts perspectives from Jay Gladstone's gilded universe to the worlds of an opportunistic district attorney who refuses to let a failing marriage interfere with her plan to run for Governor, an aging professional athlete in search of one last payday, a group of college radicals determined to take bold action in the fight against racism, a virtuous but unlucky cop who wants to be a lawyer, and a feisty pair of talk radio personalities who serve as Greek chorus. Set during the last year of Barack Obama's presidency, the novel does not shy away from the scalding social and racial divide. With a brilliant eye for character, and a finely wrought plot that mixes biting humour with uncomfortable truth, readers will find comparisons with Tom Wolfe's Bonfire of the Vanities.

Download or read book I Regret Everything written by Seth Greenland and published by Europa Editions. This book was released on 2015-02-03 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the author of The Angry Buddhist: “An intoxicating and ultimately moving modern romance . . . A story that’s all the sweeter for its shadows” (Los Angeles Review of Books). I Regret Everything confronts the oceanic uncertainty of what it means to be alive, and in love. Jeremy Best, a Manhattan-based trusts and estates lawyer, leads a second life as published poet Jinx Bell. To his boss’s daughter, Spaulding Simonson, at thirty-three years old, Jeremy is already halfway to dead. When Spaulding, an aspiring nineteen-year-old writer, discovers Mr. Best’s alter poetic ego, the two become bound by a devotion to poetry, and an awareness that time in this world is limited. Their budding relationship strikes at the universality of love and loss, as Jeremy and Spaulding confront their vulnerabilities, revealing themselves to one another and the world for the very first time. A skilled satirist with a talent for biting humor, Seth Greenland creates fully realized characters that quickly reveal themselves as complex renderings of the human condition—at its very best, and utter worst. I Regret Everything explores happiness and heartache with a healthy dose of skepticism, and an understanding that the reality of love encompasses life, death, iambic pentameter, regret, trusts, and estates. “Affecting and funny.” —The New York Times “Edgy and sweet, witty and wise, I Regret Everything is rollicking good fun. It’s also, in the end, a deeply moving love story between two unforgettable characters discovering what it means to truly be alive.” —Maria Semple, New York Times–bestselling author of Where’d You Go Bernadette “A poignant story of dreams and the way they can crash into the reality of the dreamers.” —Booklist

Download or read book A Hazard of New Fortunes written by William Dean Howells and published by Standard Ebooks. This book was released on 2023-03-28T06:39:24Z with total page 554 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Basil March jumps at the chance to leave his boring job to become the founding editor of a new magazine. But this also means that he must leave comfortable Boston for the confusion and chaos of 1890s New York. As March and his wife try to find a decent place to live, he also struggles to find contributors and readers. The Marches are quickly drawn into the tangled lives of their fellow New Yorkers: a bitter German socialist who lost his hand fighting for the Union in the Civil War, a colonel nostalgic for slavery, Bohemian artists, increasingly desperate workers on strike, a slick publicist, a starchy society family, and a wealthy farmer-turned-speculator who hurts those he loves most. Born in Ohio, William Dean Howells was a highly successful magazine editor before he became a full-time writer. He believed that this midlife novel, which draws on his own family’s experiences moving from Boston to New York, was his “most vital work.” Mark Twain, whom Howells helped early in his career, called A Hazard of New Fortunes “the exactest & truest portrayal of New York and New York life ever written … a great book.” This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.

Download or read book My Vast Fortune written by Andrew Tobias and published by Random House. This book was released on 2011-10-12 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book will make you rich. Filthy stinking rich. You will never need to work again. You will spend the rest of your life on the Riviera sipping piña coladas and listening to Sinatra. And even if this doesn't happen, Andrew Tobias will provide you with such a wealth of wit that you will retire with a vast fortune of laughter. " --Christopher Buckley, author of Wry Martinis As Newsweek put it, "Andrew Tobias remains the funniest of the financial writers." Forbes identified him as "one of the financial community's most pithily perceptive observers." In My Vast Fortune, the bestselling author of The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need tells the amusing and illuminating story of how he amassed dizzying (well, to him) wealth. Then, he describes the unusual ways he's put it to work. Among his more famous money adventures are: His personal campaign against smoking in Russia, which began when he spotted an opportunity to buy cheap TV airtime for commercials. "Excuse my pronunciation, " he told ninety million Russians night after night, "but I have something important to tell you." His decision to buy real estate in Miami over the phone, without ever seeing it. For the price of a swank two-bedroom apartment in New York, Tobias realized he could buy most of a neighborhood--so he did. Oops. The tragicomic story of liberal as slumlord. His crusade to fix the auto insurance mess, which pitted him against--of all people--his onetime hero Ralph Nader. After spending $250,000 of his vast fortune on a referendum in California (where he has never lived), Tobias came to two conclusions: 1) "Each of us has a calling and--though appallingly boring--auto insurance seemed more and more to be mine" ; and 2) "Ralph Nader is a big fat idiot." Finally, Tobias addresses your vast fortune and offers his wisest tips on how to make it and how to spend it. Witty and compassionate, Andrew Tobias is a plutocrat for the nineties, a capitalist with a heart. If you enjoyed The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need, you'll love My Vast Fortune.

Download or read book Luck written by Nicholas Rescher and published by University of Pittsburgh Pre. This book was released on 2001-03-15 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Luck touches us all. "Why me?" we complain when things go wrong—though seldom when things go right. But although luck has a firm hold on all our lives, we seldom reflect on it in a cogent, concerted way. In Luck, one of our most eminent philosophers offers a realistic view of the nature and operation of luck to help us come to sensible terms with life in a chaotic world. Differentiating luck from fate (inexorable destiny) and fortune (mere chance), Nicholas Rescher weaves a colorful tapestry of historical examples, from the use of lots in the Old and New Testaments to Thomas Gataker’s treatise of 1619 on the great English lottery of 1612, from casino gambling to playing the stock market. Because we are creatures of limited knowledge who do and must make decisions in the light of incomplete information, Rescher argues, we are inevitably at the mercy of luck. It behooves us to learn more about it.

Download or read book A Kingdom of Tender Colors written by Seth Greenland and published by Europa Editions. This book was released on 2020-09-15 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Kingdom of Tender Colors is a book about cancer--the funny side. One unremarkable day at the age of 37 Seth Greenland finds himself in everyone's nightmare - a routine doctor visit, some swollen glands, a series of tests, a biopsy, and finally a diagnosis of an aggressive form of lymphatic cancer. A screenwriter and satirist with a blooming career in Hollywood, Seth has felt pretty good about his life until now; suddenly, the world has tipped on its axis. With the support of friends and family, Seth launches into an attempt to save his own life without losing either his sanity or his sense of humor. From chemotherapy treatments, to meditation and more alternative treatments, he battles the disease with wit, honesty, and no small amount of sheer terror. There are no pat answers or inspirational revelations here, just one man confronting hopes and fears recognizable to us all - and triumphing.

Download or read book Firefly Guide to Global Hazards written by Robert Louis Kovach and published by Firefly Books. This book was released on 2004 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Practical information about dangers around the world. Instant communication from around the world has raised the level of interest in global hazards. Natural disasters receive immediate coverage, and in some cases their effects can be felt across continents. This book is a compelling, richly illustrated guide to the many large-scale natural disasters that affect and afflict life on Earth -- both globally and locally. Written in clear, understandable terms, Firefly Guide to Global Hazards is essential reading for anyone interested in or concerned about the environment, geophysics and political affairs. The book provides concise descriptions of all types of hazards and the threats they pose. Some of the global hazards covered are: Earthquakes, volcanoes, fires Flooding, coastal erosion, tsunami Hurricanes, tornadoes, winds Avalanches, landslides, snow and ice Desertification, drought, famine, diseases Pollution, ozone depletion, global warming Comets, meteorites, mass extinctions The book uses case histories to explain the causes, effects and some of the solutions for each hazard or disaster. Illustrated with 200 color photographs and drawings and more than 100 maps, charts, tables and diagrams, this book is an encyclopedia for the curious and the concerned.

Download or read book The Angry Buddhist written by Seth Greenland and published by Europa Editions UK. This book was released on 2012-05-10 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seth Greenland's timely new novel is set in the high California desert between the trailer parks and amphetamine labs of Desert Hot Springs and the classic mid-century architecture of Palm Springs. In this sun-blasted territory, with its equally arid social culture, a fiercely contested congressional election is in progress. The wily incumbent, Randall Duke, is unburdened by ethical considerations. His opponent, Mary Swain, a sexy, well-financed newcomer, does not have a firm grip on American history or elemental economics.

Download or read book What s Luck Got to Do with It written by Joseph Mazur and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2010-06-06 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mathematician Mazur traces the history of gambling from the earliest known archaeological evidence of dice-playing among Neolithic peoples to the first systematic mathematical games of change during the Renaissance, and explains the mathematics behind gambling--including the laws of probability, statistics, and betting against expectations. Photos.

Download or read book Risk Savvy written by Gerd Gigerenzer and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2015-03-31 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new eye-opener on how we can make better decisions—by the author of Gut Feelings In this age of big data we often trust that expert analysis—whether it’s about next year’s stock market or a person’s risk of getting cancer—is accurate. But, as risk expert Gerd Gigerenzer reveals in his latest book, Risk Savvy, most of us, including doctors, lawyers, and financial advisors, often misunderstand statistics, leaving us misinformed and vulnerable to exploitation. Yet there’s hope. In Risk Savvy, Gigerenzer gives us an essential guide to the science of good decision making, showing how ordinary people can make better decisions for their money, their health, and their families. Here, Gigerenzer delivers the surprising conclusion that the best results often come from considering less information and listening to your gut.

Download or read book Leadership on the Line With a New Preface written by Ronald Heifetz and published by Harvard Business Press. This book was released on 2017-06-20 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The dangerous work of leading change--somebody has to do it. Will you put yourself on the line? To lead is to live dangerously. It's romantic and exciting to think of leadership as all inspiration, decisive action, and rich rewards, but leading requires taking risks that can jeopardize your career and your personal life. It requires putting yourself on the line, disrupting the status quo, and surfacing hidden conflict. And when people resist and push back, there's a strong temptation to play it safe. Those who choose to lead plunge in, take the risks, and sometimes get burned. But it doesn't have to be that way say renowned leadership experts Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky. In Leadership on the Line, they show how it's possible to make a difference without getting "taken out" or pushed aside. They present everyday tools that give equal weight to the dangerous work of leading change and the critical importance of personal survival. Through vivid stories from all walks of life, the authors present straightforward strategies for navigating the perilous straits of leadership. Whether you're a parent or a politician, a CEO or a community activist, this practical book shows how you can exercise leadership and survive and thrive to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Download or read book The Bones written by Seth Greenland and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2008-12-01 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Frank Bones is a self-destructive, take-no-prisoners, bad boy comic at the bottom rung. Lloyd Melnick is a long-lost acquaintance whose work on the smash hit The Fleishman Show has made him the hottest comedy writer in town. When their worlds collide the consequences involve a crashed Hummer, corrupt police officers, enraged ex-husbands, sultry bartenders, and high-speed chases to Mexico and back. A brilliant satire, The Bones is a stunning debut that reveals, in all its hilarity and ache, the dark heart of comedy. Seth Greenland is an award-winning playwright. He has written extensively for film and television. A longtime New Yorker, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children. "Who is Seth Greenland and how did he get into my house and gain access to the most secret and disturbed places of my brain? He cuts so close to the bone he whittles it into a fine powder that gets into the clothes you wear and the air you breathe. The Bones is a tour de force, and I rarely use French phrases."-Larry David, creator of Curb Your Enthusiasm "Greenland shows himself a worthy successor to such past masters of the Hollywood novel as Nathaniel West and Budd Shulberg."-Los Angeles Times "Savagely funny...one of the most perceptive and flat-out hilarious novels about the city's brutal Darwinism, a book that makes you cringe through your laughter-induced tears."-San Francisco Chronicle "A pitch-perfect sendup of Hollywood's endemic self-importance...Greenland keeps his foot firmly on the gas and the book's pace is fast, furious and fun."-Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Download or read book I John Kennedy Toole written by Kent Carroll and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2020-05-05 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A rich new novel that explores the true story of A Confederacy Of Dunces and the remarkable life of its author, John Kennedy Toole. I, John Kennedy Toole is the novelized story of the funny, tragic, riveting narrative behind the making of an American masterpiece. The book traces Toole’s life in New Orleans through his adolescence, his stay at Columbia University in New York, his attempts to escape the burden of his demanding mother and his weak father, his retreat into a world of his own creation, and finally the invention of astonishing characters that came to living reality for both readers (and the author himself) in his prize-winning A Confederacy of Dunces. The other fascinating (and mostly unknown) part of the story is how after a decade of rebuke and dismissal the novel came to a brilliant author, Walker Percy, and a young publisher, Kent Carroll, who separately rescued the book, then published it with verve and devotion. The novel that almost never came to be went on to win a Pulitzer Prize and continues to sell at a satisfying rate as it winds its way to the 2 million mark. That audience is the happy ending for this brilliant, unrepentant writer, whose only reward before his untimely death was his unending belief in his work and his characters.

Download or read book A Dangerous Profession written by Frederick Busch and published by St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2011-04-01 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Frederick Busch has an enduring love affair with great books, and here he brilliantly communicates his passion to us all. Whether expounding on Melville or Dickens, or celebrating Hemingway or O'Hara, he explains what literature can ineffably reveal about our own lives. For Busch, there was no other recourse save the "dangerous profession;" it was to be his calling, and in these piercing essays, he demonstrates that we as a culture ignore the fundamental truths about fiction only at our own peril. With keen ruminations that recall the critcs of yore- Edmund Wilson, Lionel Trilling, and Irving Howe-Busch, in this era of moral indirection, has revealed how the literature of our past is the key to our survival in the future.

Download or read book She s Not There written by Jennifer Finney Boylan and published by Broadway. This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A memoir that tells the story of a person who changed genders chronicles the life of James, a critically acclaimed novelist, who eventually became Jenny, a happy and successful English professor.