Clara never asked to be special. She was perfectly happy e-stalking her crush’s blog, avoiding the attention of the Bronze Brigade clique at school, awaiting the next visit from her avant-garde Aunt Grace, and dreaming of a strange young man ... who feels too real to be only a dream. But then her world literally separates at the seams, as a blinding light rips her mother away right before her eyes. In one, inexplicable moment, Clara loses the life and family she had known and is thrown into a transcendental battle being fought between Fallen Souls and Guardians. The Guardians have protected her from the shadows while waiting for her to awaken and remember a promise she made in another world. When Clara learns what is expected of her, and the price she must pay to restore order, she can only hope that the still dormant ancient soul that lives inside of her is truly fighting on the side of Good. Burden of the Soul grapples not only with the battle between Good and Evil, and Action and Complacency, but pits its unlikely heroine squarely against herself. Half of Clara is an ancient soul who made a promise to fight a war, the other half is an adolescent girl who never asked to be special.

A thoughtful and surprising argument for American tax reform, arguably the most overdue political debate facing the nation, from one of the most respected political and economic thinkers, advisers, and writers of our time.

The United States Tax Code has undergone no serious reform since 1986. Since then, loopholes, exemptions, credits, and deductions have distorted its clarity, increased its inequity, and frustrated our ability to govern ourselves.

At its core, any tax system is in place to raise the revenue needed to pay the government’s bills. But where that revenue should come from raises crucial questions: Should our tax code be progressive, with the wealthier paying more than the poor, and if so, to what extent? Should we tax income or consumption or both? Of the various ideas proposed by economists and politicians—from tax increases to tax cuts, from a VAT to a Fair Tax—what will work and won’t? By tracing the history of our own tax system and by assessing the way other countries have solved similar problems, Bartlett explores the surprising answers to all of these questions, giving a sense of the tax code’s many benefits—and its inevitable burdens.

Tax reform will be a major issue debated in the years ahead. Growing budget deficits and the expiration of various tax cuts loom. Reform, once a philosophical dilemma, is turning into a practical crisis. By framing the various tax philosophies that dominate the debate, Bartlett explores the distributional, technical, and political advantages and costs of the various proposals and ideas that will come to dominate America’s political conversation in the years to come.

• ISBN13: 9780849913457
• Condition: New
• Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!

Weary travelers. You've seen them -- everything they own crammed into their luggage. Staggering through terminals and hotel lobbies with overstuffed suitcases, trunks, duffels, and backpacks.

Backs ache. Feet burn. Eyelids droop.

We've all seen people like that.

At times, we are people like that -- if not with our physical luggage, then at least with our spiritual load.

We all lug loads we were never intended to carry. Fear. Worry. Discontent. No wonder we get so weary. We're worn out from carrying that excess baggage. Wouldn't it be nice to lose some of those bags?

That's the invitation of Max Lucado. With the Twenty-third Psalm as our guide, let's release some of the burdens we were never intended to bear.

Using these verses as a guide, Max Lucado walks us through a helpful inventory of our burdens. May God use this Psalm to remind you to release the burdens you were never meant to bear.

From beloved award-winning author Max Lucado comes Traveling Light, refreshing words wrapped around the biblical passages of the 23rd Psalm to reenergize weary spiritual travelers. In his inimitable, pastoral voice that both soothes and exhorts, Lucado gently unpacks the verses of the psalm while helping readers lay down the burdens of doubt, anxiety, perfectionism, and fear. "You can't enjoy a journey carrying so much stuff," Lucado writes. "Why don't you just drop all that luggage?" Lucado mixes personal transparency with his trademark humor, offering uncomplicated counsel. Change your focus. Make time for rest. Know you are not alone. Be humble. Trust God. It's only when we set down our "luggage" and let God carry it for us, says Lucado, that we are free to share grace, offer comfort, and help lift the load of others. As you read Lucado's words and work through the study questions, you'll find your own load feeling a little lighter. --Cindy Crosby

**Nominated for the Best Adult Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Book of 2011 on Goodreads**

"An awesome beginning to the series!" -Imaloud

**Nominated for the Best Adult Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Book of 2011 on Goodreads**

"An awesome beginning to the series!" -Imaloud

• ISBN13: 9780143038825
• Condition: New
• Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!

President Barack Obama’s extended family has attracted considerable debate in the United States. The debate has mostly focused on the berther movement, which claims that Obama is illegally in office because he was not born in the United States. What is little known is the president’s interaction with Kenya, where his father, Barack Obama Senior, was born. Kenyan journalist and author, David Karanja, delves into the intricacies of the Obama-Kenya relations and reveals the heavy burden that the American president carries because of his Kenyan roots.

President Barack Obama’s extended family has attracted considerable debate in the United States. The debate has mostly focused on the berther movement, which claims that Obama is illegally in office because he was not born in the United States. What is little known is the president’s interaction with Kenya, where his father, Barack Obama Senior, was born. Kenyan journalist and author, David Karanja, delves into the intricacies of the Obama-Kenya relations and reveals the heavy burden that the American president carries because of his Kenyan roots.

Deepak Chopra has touched millions of readers by demystifying our deepest spiritual concerns while retaining their poetry and wonder. Now he turns to the most profound mystery: What happens after we die? Is this one question we were not meant to answer, a riddle whose solution the universe keeps to itself? Chopra tells us there is abundant evidence that “the world beyond” is not separated from this world by an impassable wall; in fact, a single reality embraces all worlds, all times and places. At the end of our lives we “cross over” into a new phase of the same soul journey we are on right this minute.

In Life After Death, Chopra draws on cutting-edge scientific discoveries and the great wisdom traditions to provide a map of the afterlife. It’s a fascinating journey into many levels of consciousness. But far more important is his urgent message: Who you meet in the afterlife and what you experience there reflect your present beliefs, expectations, and level of awareness. In the here and now you can shape what happens after you die.

By bringing the afterlife into the present moment, Life After Death opens up an immense new area of creativity. Ultimately there is no division between life and death—there is only one continuous creative project. Chopra invites us to become cocreators in this subtle realm, and as we come to understand the one reality, we shed our irrational fears and step into a numinous sense of wonder and personal power.

The bestselling author of Saving Graces shares her inspirational message on the challenges and blessings of coping with adversity.

She’s one of the most beloved political figures in the country, and on the surface, seems to have led a charmed life. In many ways, she has. Beautiful family. Thriving career. Supportive friendship. Loving marriage. But she’s no stranger to adversity. Many know of the strength she had shown after her son, Wade, was killed in a freak car accident when he was only sixteen years old. She would exhibit this remarkable grace and courage again when the very private matter of her husband's infidelity became public fodder. And her own life has been on the line. Days before the 2004 presidential election—when her husband John was running for vice president—she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After rounds of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation the cancer went away—only to reoccur in 2007.

While on the campaign trail, Elizabeth met many others who have had to contend with serious adversity in their lives, and in Resilience, she draws on their experiences as well as her own, crafting an unsentimental and ultimately inspirational meditation on the gifts we can find among life’s biggest challenges. This short, powerful, pocket-sized inspirational book makes an ideal gift for anyone dealing with difficulties in their life, who can find peace in knowing they are not alone, and promise that things can get better.

Turow's acclaimed second novel, which topped international bestseller lists, is now available in trade paperback. Sandy Stern, the brilliant defense attorney from Presumed Innocent, faces an event so emotionally shattering that no part of his life is left untouched. It reveals a family caught in a maelstrom of hidden crimes, shocking secrets, and warring passions.

Two modern magic mystery tales.

"The Priestess and Her Strobe Light Burden". A ghost story based on a family's mysterious and often tragic history. Where are the fathers? One woman finally breaks the cycle, but must take charge and exact retribution after a terrible accident.

Features plot twists that will appeal to readers fed up with the modern traffic scene.

"Physician to Precarious Longings". A hanky-wringing, bring-tears-to-your-eyes romance. More literary, poetic and sentimental than Mr. Carrick's usual. One comment: "Astonishingly rich, sumptuous writing."

It's a warm-hearted story, allowed to develop at its own pace, that will surprise and move you.

Two modern magic mystery tales.

"The Priestess and Her Strobe Light Burden". A ghost story based on a family's mysterious and often tragic history. Where are the fathers? One woman finally breaks the cycle, but must take charge and exact retribution after a terrible accident.

Features plot twists that will appeal to readers fed up with the modern traffic scene.

"Physician to Precarious Longings". A hanky-wringing, bring-tears-to-your-eyes romance. More literary, poetic and sentimental than Mr. Carrick's usual. One comment: "Astonishingly rich, sumptuous writing."

It's a warm-hearted story, allowed to develop at its own pace, that will surprise and move you.