ENDED Audio Book Giveaway - The Concise King

For the first time, an edition of Martin Luther King's most important speeches and selected sermons are assembled and available on CD as a value-priced edition. Hachette Audio believes that the timeless message of King, in his own words and voice, are essential listening for any American and for any world citizen interested in American history, social justice, or non-violent protest. We hope to make these incredibly momentous speeches, extraordinary historical documents, accessible to an even wider population via this affordable offering.

Edited by Clayborne Carson, read by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King, Dr. Dorothy I. Height, Edward M. Kennedy, Andrew Young, and various other readers.

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book.
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
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• The drawing will last till December 26
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 27
• Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - saemmerson, ludeluh, yellowlabs4ever

ENDED Audio Book Giveaway - Cleaving By Julie Powell

Julie Powell thought cooking her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking was the craziest thing she'd ever do--until she embarked on the voyage recounted in her new memoir, CLEAVING.

Her marriage challenged by an insane, irresistible love affair, Julie decides to leave town and immerse herself in a new obsession: butchery. She finds her way to Fleischer's, a butcher shop where she buries herself in the details of food. She learns how to break down a side of beef and French a rack of ribs--tough, physical work that only sometimes distracts her from thoughts of afternoon trysts.

The camaraderie at Fleischer's leads Julie to search out fellow butchers around the world--from South America to Europe to Africa. At the end of her odyssey, she has learned a new art and perhaps even mastered her unruly heart.

After a misspent youth involving loads of dead-end jobs and several questionable decisions, Julie Powell, author of Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, has found her calling as a writer-cum-butcher. She lives in Long Island City, Queens, when she isn't in Kingston, NY, cutting up animals.

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book.
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 25
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 26
• Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - k2e2t2, LayDeeBugLove, john_postol

ENDED Audio Book Giveaway - Dear John By Nicholas Sparks

An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else.

Nicholas Charles Sparks is an internationally bestselling American author, writing novels with themes that include Christianity, love, tragedy and fate. He has fifteen published novels, four of which have been turned into films, including The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, and Nights in Rodanthe. Movies are expected in 2010 for two more books, The Last Song and Dear John.

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book.
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 24
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 25
• Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - sbcashortie, mrshemphill, JodiMof3

ENDED Audio Book Giveaway - Hollywood Moon By Joseph Wambaugh

There's a saying at Hollywood station that the full moon brings out the beast--rather than the best--in the precinct's citizens. One moonlit night, LAPD veteran Dana Vaughn and "Hollywood" Nate Weiss, a struggling-actor-turned cop, get a call about a young man who's been attacking women. Meanwhile, two surfer cops known as Flotsam and Jetsam keep bumping into an odd, suspicious duo--a smooth-talking player in dreads and a crazy-eyed, tattooed biker.

No one suspects that all three dubious characters might be involved in something bigger, more high-tech, and much more illegal. After a dizzying series of twists, turns, and chases, the cops will find they've stumbled upon a complex web of crime where even the criminals can't be sure who's conning whom.

Wambaugh once again masterfully gets inside the hearts and minds of the cops whose jobs have them constantly on the brink of danger. By turns heart-wrenching, exhilarating, and laugh-out-loud funny, Hollywood Moon is his most thrilling and deeply affecting ride yet through the singular streets of LA.

Joseph Wambaugh, a former LAPD detective sergeant, is the bestselling author of 18 prior works of fiction and nonfiction, including The Choirboys and The Onion Field. In 2004, he was named Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America. He lives in southern California.

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book.
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 23
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 24
• Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - bekki1820cb, cardshark42, icewoman96

ENDED Audio Book Giveaway - The Imperial Cruise By James Bradley

In 1905 President Teddy Roosevelt dispatched Secretary of War William Taft, his gun-toting daughter Alice and a gaggle of congressmen on a mission to Japan, the Philippines, China, and Korea. There, they would quietly forge a series of agreements that divided up Asia. At the time, Roosevelt was bully-confident about America's future on the continent. But these secret pacts lit the fuse that would-decades later-result in a number of devastating wars: WWII, the Korean War, the communist revolution in China.

One hundred years later, James Bradley retraces that epic voyage and discovers the remarkable truth about America's vast imperial past-and its world-shaking consequences. Full of fascinating characters and brilliantly told, THE IMPERIAL CRUISE will forever reshape the way we understand U.S. history.

James Bradley is the author of the NYT bestsellers Flyboys and Flags of Our Fathers and the son of one of the men who raised the American flag on Iwo Jima. He lives in New York.

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book.
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 22
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 23
• Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - gsm57, qwills2cats, dlodden

ENDED Audio Book Giveaway - I, Alex Cross By James Patterson

You can't run

Detective Alex Cross is pulled out of a family celebration and given the awful news that a beloved relative has been found brutally murdered. Alex vows to hunt down the killer, and soon learns that she was mixed up in one of Washington's wildest scenes. And she was not this killer's only victim.

You can't hide

The hunt for her murderer leads Alex and his girlfriend, Detective Brianna Stone, to a place where every fantasy is possible, if you have the credentials to get in. Alex and Bree are soon facing down some very important, very protected, very dangerous people in levels of society where only one thing is certain--they will do anything to keep their secrets safe.

Alex Cross is your only hope to stay alive

As Alex closes in on the killer, he discovers evidence that points to the unimaginable--a revelation that could rock the entire world. With the unstoppable action, unforeseeable twists, and edge-of-your-seat suspense that only a James Patterson thriller delivers, I, Alex Cross is the master of suspense at his sharpest and best.

James Patterson is one of the bestselling writers of all time, with more than 160 million copies of his books sold worldwide. He is the author of the two most popular detective series of the past decade, featuring Alex Cross and the Women's Murder Club. He has won an Edgar Award--the mystery world's highest honor--and his novels Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider were made into feature films. His lifelong work to promote books and reading is reflected in his new website, ReadKiddoRead.com, which helps parents, grandparents, teachers and librarians find the very best children's books for their kids.

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book.
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 21
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 22
• Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - hi_joan_elliott, gahome2mom

ENDED Audio Book Giveaway - David Sedaris: Live For Your Listening Pleasure

If you were lucky enough to have caught a performance on David Sedaris's most recent sold-out, 34-city tour, you already know that David Sedaris Live For Your Listening Pleasure is a must-have album! If you didn't hear it live and in person, then you're in for a treat-hilarious brand-new recordings from performances in Denver, New York, Durham, LA, and Atlanta, in one convenient audiobook collection, on sale November 24 for only $17.98.

From the bold feral rabbits of his French backyard to the eating habits of a carnivorous bird Down Under, Live For Your Listening Pleasure takes listeners on a veritable tour of natural wonders, beginning with a fable, "Cat and Baboon," and moving on to the peculiarly American habitat of the "big-box" store."

Sedaris's sparkling essays always shimmer more brightly when read aloud by the author. And his expert timing, mimicry and droll asides are never more polished than during live performances in front of an audience."

Track Listing:
1: Cat and Baboon (Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre in Denver, Colorado)
2-5: Author, Author (Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City)
6-8: Innocence Abroad (Durham Performing Arts Center, in Durham, North Carolina)
9-13 Laugh, Kookaburra (Royce Hall, UCLA in Los Angeles, California)
14-16: Diary Entries (Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia)

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book.
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 20
• Random number generator will be used - 3 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 21
• Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - maryk.marlatt, brc668

ENDED Book Giveaway - Prime-Time Health By William Sears, M.D.

Twelve years ago, renowned physician and author Dr. William Sears was diagnosed with cancer. He, like so many people, wanted-and needed-to take control of his health. Dr. Sears created a comprehensive, science based, head-to-toe program for living a long, fit life-and it worked.

Now at the peak of health, Dr. Sears shares his program in PRIME-TIME HEALTH. This engaging and deeply informative book will motivate readers to make crucial behavior and lifestyle changes. Dr. Sears explores how to keep each body system healthy and delay those usual age-related changes.

William Sears, MD, has practiced pediatrics for more than 30 years, and is an associate clinical professor at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine. Martha Sears is a registered nurse, childbirth educator, and parenting and health consultant. They are the authors of more than 30 books and live in southern California.

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book.
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 19
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 20
• Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - hurdler4eva, judy7885, hasama, pkildow, angela67p

ENDED Book Giveaway - A Good Talk By Daniel Menaker

A GOOD TALK is an analysis of and guide to that most exclusively human of all activities -- conversation.

Drawing on over forty years of experience in American letters, Menaker pinpoints the factors that drive and enliven every good conversation: the vagaries (and joys) of subtext; the deeper structure and meaning of conversational flow; the subliminal signals that guide our disclosures and confessions; and the countless other hurdles we must clear along the way. Moving beyond self-help musings and "how to" advice, he has created a stylish, funny, and surprising book: a celebration of "the most excusively human of all activities."

In a time when conversation remains deeply important-- for building relationships, for relaxing, even for figuring out who we are-- and also increasingly imperiled (with Blackberries and texting increasingly in vogue), A GOOD TALK is a refreshing celebration of the subtle adventures of a good conversation.

Daniel Menaker has been a part of America's life of letters for almost forty years. As a writer, he has met and talked to thousands of people about their work and their lives. He is widely read and well versed in psychological literature and practices and, as an editor at Random House, has had countless meetings and other exchanges with writers, agents, public figures, and ordinary people. His own writing has appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, and Slate; he lives in New York with his wife and their two children.

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book.
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 18
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 19
• Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - panicxduh, clctaube, jnferris, wmknox, Cmanventuresinc

ENDED Book Giveaway - Beyond Blue By Therese Borchard

Therese Borchard may be one of the frankest, funniest people on the planet. That, combined with her keen writing abilities has made her Beliefnet blog, Beyond Blue, one of the most trafficked blogs on the site.

BEYOND BLUE, the book, is part memoir/part self-help. It describes Borchard's experience of living with manic depression as well as providing cutting-edge research and information on dealing with mood disorders. By exposing her vulnerability, she endears herself immediately to the reader and then reduces even the most depressed to laughter as she provides a companion on the journey to recovery and the knowledge that the reader is not alone.

Comprised of four sections and twenty-one chapters, BEYOND BLUE covers a wide range of topics from codependency to addiction, poor body image to postpartum depression, from alternative medicine to psychopharmacology, managing anxiety to applying lessons from therapy. Because of her laser wit and Erma Bombeck sense of humor, every chapter is entertaining as well as serious.

Therese Borchard is the author of hit daily blog "Beyond Blue" on Beliefnet.com, one of the most popular columns on the site. Her blog appears weekly on The Huffington Post, and she is becoming a top go-to expert in pop psychology. Her work has recently been cited in the Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

Her work has been featured in salon.com, Psychology Today, Real Simple, Redbook, Parenting, More and Ladies Home Journal.

Borchard writes a syndicated column for the Catholic News Service and is a regular guest on Sirius Satellite Radio. She is the author of I Love Being a Mom (a Target selection) and co-author of I Like Being Catholic. She resides in Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and two young children.

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book.
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 17
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 18
• Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - mightynaynay, rhondastruthers, txgigggles, melissamcnicol, beth117

ENDED Book Giveaway - Totally Toned Arms By Rylan Duggan

Totally Toned Arms (Get Michelle Obama Arms in 21 Days) By Rylan Duggan

Once Barack Obama joined the presidential race and attended events with wife at his side, the media, bloggers, and people everywhere started buzzing about Michelle's toned arms--and asking how on earth she does it. Even at the Presidential Inauguration, much of the talk was about Michelle's amazing arms. Media outlets from GMA to CNN to MSNBC have covered the story, inspiring women across the country to call their personal trainers and say, "I want Obama arms!"

Certified personal trainer Rylan Duggan, creator of the successful (and pricey, at $70 each!) e-book series Go Sleeveless!, constantly gets calls from clients and reporters asking for the training secrets behind Michelle's arms. Duggan is the expert quoted in much of this coverage, and in FIGHT ARM FLAB, he offers his 21-day program to get those sleek and sexy arms.

In this low-priced paperback, Duggan reveals the program (combining strength training and cardio) including a 7-day jumpstart maintenance plan, and essential diet secrets designed to shed fat and reveal toned muscle, plus 50-60 black and white photos throughout to illustrate. This is a simple program that anyone can do, no matter what their fitness level, at home and with little equipment. With this series of 25 easy exercises, anyone can have Obama arms--in a matter of weeks!

Rylan Duggan RK, BHK, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, is the creator of the Go Sleeveless! blog and e-book series, and creator of Adonis Fitness, the health and fitness consulting company specializing in women's body sculpting. Duggan is widely quoted in the "Obama arms" press. He lives in British Columbia.

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - Please comment on why you want this book.
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 16
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 17
• Winners have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - edeliz, sueellison, theluckyladybug, jjak2003

Review - Derailed: Five Lessons Learned from Catastrophic Failures of Leadership By Tim Irwin

Derailed: Five Lessons Learned from Catastrophic Failures of Leadership. Tim Irwin Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson, 2009. Hardcover. 240 pages. ISBN 159555274X. $24.99.

This book tells the story of how six previously successful CEOs failed their high profile companies, in other words, got “derailed”. According to the author, Derailment, has its origin in character flaws, and the prescription to cure these is self-awareness, taking responsibility, and, above all, humility.

The six CEOs are: Robert Nardelli (Home Deport), Carly Fiorina (HP), Durk Jager (P&G), Steven Heyer (Starwood), Fran Raines (Fannie Mae) and Dick Fuld (Lehman Brothers).

Robert Nardelli dictatorially micromanaged Home Depot to the extent that executive turnover reached 98 percent. Nardelli failed to respond this signal that something might be awry with his management style. At Hewlett-Packard, Carly Fiorina created a culture of criticism and blame. The only person who could not be criticized was Fiorina herself — despite the fact that her management of a merger with Compaq failed to produce the promised results. She was replaced after she started browbeating her own board.

Durk Jager tore into Procter and Gamble with the aggression of one who believes he is always right — except that he wasn’t always right. Steven Heyer resigned as Starwood Hotels CEO rather than face an inquiry into naughty emails he was alleged to have sent to a female employee.

Frank Raines, CEO at Fannie Mae, failed to take responsibility for the accounting irregularities at Fannie Mae under his leadership thus destroying an entire industry. Dick Fuld fought his way to the top of Lehman Brothers, which promptly collapsed.

A website that accompanies this book offers to assess your personal risk of becoming one of the fallen mighty.

I received this book from the Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program at: http://brb.thomasnelson.com/.

ENDED Book Giveaway - Exit Music by Ian Rankin

It's late in the fall in Edinburgh and late in the career of Detective Inspector John Rebus. As he is simply trying to tie up some loose ends before his retirement, a new case lands on his desk: a dissident Russian poet has been murdered in what looks like a mugging gone wrong. Rebus discovers that an elite delegation of Russian businessmen is in town, looking to expand its interests. And as Rebus's investigation gains ground, someone brutally assaults a local gangster with whom he has a long history.

Has Rebus overstepped his bounds for the last time? Only a few days shy of the end to his long, controversial career, will Rebus even make it that far?

Ian Rankin is a #1 international bestselling author. Winner of an Edgar Award and the recipient of a Gold Dagger for fiction and the Chandler-Fulbright Award, he lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with his wife and their two sons.

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I like Music"
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 13
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 14
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - jeffrey_beckett, alongtheway, cmurphy, justpeachy36, electricisland

ENDED Book Giveaway: 7th HEAVEN By James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

The Women's Murder Club faces not one-but two-terrifying cases that may tear it apart. The teenage son of California's ex-governor has mysteriously vanished-and the pressure on Detective Lindsay Boxer to find him is overwhelming.

When she finally does get a lead, it's devastating. At the same time, Lindsay and her partner, Rich Conklin, must investigate mysterious fires that are destroying some of San Francisco's most beautiful homes-and leaving their owners dead in the debris. But when Lindsay enlists her friends in the Women's Murder Club to help uncover the arsonist, the blazes suddenly rage much too close to home

James Patterson is one of the world's most popular and successful authors. He lives in Florida and New York.

The reading group guide is located at http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780316017701_ReadingGroupGuide(1).htm

Thanks to Hachette for this Giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry only - just say "I like Heaven"
• Leave your email (I cannot contact you without your email)
• Only residents of the US and Canada may enter
• Please no PO Boxes!!!
• The drawing will last till December 12
• Random number generator will be used - 5 copies to give away
• I will post the winners here on December 13
• Winners have 24 hours to reply or a new winner will be selected

WINNERS - pbclark, clynsg, choateorama, heathererwin, heatherstamper09

Review: One Hundred Butterflies By Harold Feinstein and Fred Gagnon

This is one beautiful book. I was very impressed at the quality of the book. It is has 128 pages of which 100 are the butterflies. My first impression when opening this book was amazing, as it displays the butterflies against a black background... it is breathtaking.

Each butterfly was photographed against a black background which brings its beauty out quite clear. You can see even the transparency of the wings in some of the butterflies. The book also has an index on page 127 that has the common and official names for each butterfly.

I also liked that every few pages, the author adds some words written about butterflies that tie in quiet nicely with the book. My favorite one was on page 107 by Hans Christian Adersen, from "The Butterfly"

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower for a companion."

This is a great coffee table book for those who love nature and photography.

Thanks to Hachette for the opportunity to review this book.