Random House New Releases

Explosive Eighteen A Stephanie Plum Novel
Written by Janet EvanovicheBook, 320 pages | Bantam | Fiction - Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths; Fiction - Humorous; Fiction - Romance | $13.99 | November 22, 2011 | 978-0-345-52772-1 (0-345-52772-0)

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum’s life is set to blow sky high when international murder hits dangerously close to home, in this dynamite novel by Janet Evanovich.
 
Before Stephanie can even step foot off Flight 127 Hawaii to Newark, she’s knee deep in trouble. Her dream vacation turned into a nightmare, and she’s flying back to New Jersey solo. Worse still, her seatmate never returned to the plane after the L.A. layover. Now he’s dead, in a garbage can, waiting for curbside pickup. His killer could be anyone. And a ragtag collection of thugs and psychos, not to mention the FBI, are all looking for a photograph the dead man was supposed to be carrying.
 
Only one other person has seen the missing photo—Stephanie Plum. Now she’s the target, and she doesn’t intend to end up in a garbage can. With the help of an FBI sketch artist Stephanie re-creates the person in the photo. Unfortunately the first sketch turns out to look like Tom Cruise, and the second sketch like Ashton Kutcher. Until Stephanie can improve her descriptive skills, she’ll need to watch her back.
 
Over at the bail bonds agency things are going from bad to worse. The bonds bus serving as Vinnie’s temporary HQ goes up in smoke. Stephanie’s wheelman, Lula, falls in love with their largest skip yet. Lifetime arch nemesis Joyce Barnhardt moves into Stephanie’s apartment. And everyone wants to know what happened in Hawaii?
 
Morelli, Trenton’s hottest cop, isn’t talking about Hawaii. Ranger, the man of mystery, isn’t talking about Hawaii.  And all Stephanie is willing to say about her Hawaiian vacation is . . . It’s complicated.

Explosive Eighteen A Stephanie Plum Novel
Written by Janet EvanovichHardcover, 320 pages | Bantam | Fiction - Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths; Fiction - Humorous; Fiction - Romance | $28.00 | November 22, 2011 | 978-0-345-52771-4 (0-345-52771-2)

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum’s life is set to blow sky high when international murder hits dangerously close to home, in this dynamite novel by Janet Evanovich.
 
Before Stephanie can even step foot off Flight 127 Hawaii to Newark, she’s knee deep in trouble. Her dream vacation turned into a nightmare, and she’s flying back to New Jersey solo. Worse still, her seatmate never returned to the plane after the L.A. layover. Now he’s dead, in a garbage can, waiting for curbside pickup. His killer could be anyone. And a ragtag collection of thugs and psychos, not to mention the FBI, are all looking for a photograph the dead man was supposed to be carrying.
 
Only one other person has seen the missing photo—Stephanie Plum. Now she’s the target, and she doesn’t intend to end up in a garbage can. With the help of an FBI sketch artist Stephanie re-creates the person in the photo. Unfortunately the first sketch turns out to look like Tom Cruise, and the second sketch like Ashton Kutcher. Until Stephanie can improve her descriptive skills, she’ll need to watch her back.
 
Over at the bail bonds agency things are going from bad to worse. The bonds bus serving as Vinnie’s temporary HQ goes up in smoke. Stephanie’s wheelman, Lula, falls in love with their largest skip yet. Lifetime arch nemesis Joyce Barnhardt moves into Stephanie’s apartment. And everyone wants to know what happened in Hawaii?
 
Morelli, Trenton’s hottest cop, isn’t talking about Hawaii. Ranger, the man of mystery, isn’t talking about Hawaii.  And all Stephanie is willing to say about her Hawaiian vacation is . . . It’s complicated.

The hardcover edition of Explosive Eighteen contains a tear-out calendar inside! 

If I Should Die A Novel of Suspense
Written by Allison BrennaneBook, 320 pages | Ballantine Books | Fiction - Romance - Suspense; Fiction - Thrillers; Fiction - Romance - Contemporary | $7.99 | November 22, 2011 | 978-0-345-52042-5 (0-345-52042-4)

If I Should Die includes Allison Brennan’s chilling novella Love Is Murder, formerly available exclusively as an eBook!

A TRIP TO THE DARK SIDE
 
Aspiring FBI agent Lucy Kincaid and her P.I. boyfriend, Sean Rogan, are heading to the Adirondack Mountains for a pleasant romantic getaway when they detour to help troubled friends, owners of a new resort who are battling malicious vandals. After Lucy and Sean pursue an arsonist into an abandoned mine shaft, Lucy stumbles upon an even more heinous crime—and the perfectly preserved remains of its victim.

The only thing more disturbing than the discovery of the corpse is its sudden disappearance. While the local police remain skeptical, Lucy is dead certain that there’s a connection between the sabotage at the resort and the murder—one that the less-than-neighborly citizens of Spruce Lake seem to have a stake in keeping hidden. Then, when a cold-blooded sniper targets Sean and Lucy, FBI agent Noah Armstrong enters the fray to ensure that more bodies don’t hit the ground. Now three outsiders race to untangle a violent conspiracy before they end up like the rest of Spruce Lake’s secrets: dead and buried.

Look, I Made a Hat Collected Lyrics (1981-2011) with Attendant Comments, Amplifications, Dogmas, Harangues, Digressions, Anecdotes and Miscellany
Written by Stephen SondheimHardcover, 480 pages | Knopf | Music - Musicals; Music - Songwriting | $45.00 | November 22, 2011 | 978-0-307-59341-2 (0-307-59341-X)

After his acclaimed and best-selling Finishing the Hat (named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2010), Stephen Sondheim returns with the second volume of his collected lyrics, Look, I Made a Hat, giving us another remarkable glimpse into the brilliant mind of this living legend, and his life’s work.
 
Picking up where he left off in Finishing the Hat, Sondheim gives us all the lyrics, along with excluded songs and early drafts, of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Assassins and Passion. Here, too, is an in-depth look at the evolution of Wise Guys, which subsequently was transformed into Bounce and eventually became Road Show. Sondheim takes us through his contributions to both television and film, some of which may surprise you, and covers plenty of never-before-seen material from unproduced projects as well. There are abundant anecdotes about his many collaborations, and readers are treated to rare personal material in this volume, as Sondheim includes songs culled from commissions, parodies and personal special occasions over the years—such as a hilarious song for Leonard Bernstein’s seventieth birthday. As he did in the previous volume, Sondheim richly annotates his lyrics with invaluable advice on songwriting, discussions of theater history and the state of the industry today, and exacting dissections of his work, both the successes and the failures.
 
Filled with even more behind-the-scenes photographs and illustrations from Sondheim’s original manuscripts, Look, I Made a Hat is fascinating, devourable and essential reading for any fan of the theater or this great man’s work.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan
Written by Drew KarpyshynHardcover, 320 pages | LucasBooks | Fiction - Science Fiction - Space Opera; Fiction - Science Fiction - Adventure; Fiction - Adventure | $27.00 | November 15, 2011 | 978-0-345-51134-8 (0-345-51134-4)

There’s something out there:
a juggernaut of evil bearing down to crush the Republic—
unless one lone Jedi, shunned and reviled, can stop it.

Revan: hero, traitor, conqueror, villain, savior. A Jedi who left Coruscant to defeat Mandalorians—and returned a disciple of the dark side, bent on destroying the Republic. The Jedi Council gave Revan his life back, but the price of redemption was high. His memories have been erased. All that’s left are nightmares—and deep, abiding fear.

What exactly happened beyond the Outer Rim? Revan can’t quite remember, yet can’t entirely forget. Somehow he stumbled across a terrible secret that threatens the very existence of the Republic. With no idea what it is, or how to stop it, Revan may very well fail, for he’s never faced a more powerful and diabolic enemy. But only death can stop him from trying.

Then Again
Written by Diane KeatonHardcover, 304 pages | Random House | Biography & Autobiography - Personal Memoirs; Biography & Autobiography - Entertainment & Performing Arts; Health & Fitness - Diseases - Alzheimer's & Dementia | $26.00 | November 15, 2011 | 978-1-4000-6878-4 (1-4000-6878-9)

Mom loved adages, quotes, slogans. There were always little reminders pasted on the kitchen wall. For example, the word THINK. I found THINK thumbtacked on a bulletin board in her darkroom. I saw it Scotch-taped on a pencil box she’d collaged. I even found a pamphlet titled THINK on her bedside table. Mom liked to THINK.
 
So begins Diane Keaton’s unforgettable memoir about her mother and herself. In it you will meet the woman known to tens of millions as Annie Hall, but you will also meet, and fall in love with, her mother, the loving, complicated, always-thinking Dorothy Hall. To write about herself, Diane realized she had to write about her mother, too, and how their bond came to define both their lives. In a remarkable act of creation, Diane not only reveals herself to us, she also lets us meet in intimate detail her mother. Over the course of her life, Dorothy kept eighty-five journals—literally thousands of pages—in which she wrote about her marriage, her children, and, most probingly, herself. Dorothy also recorded memorable stories about Diane’s grandparents. Diane has sorted through these pages to paint an unflinching portrait of her mother—a woman restless with intellectual and creative energy, struggling to find an outlet for her talents—as well as her entire family, recounting a story that spans four generations and nearly a hundred years.
 
More than the autobiography of a legendary actress, Then Again is a book about a very American family with very American dreams. Diane will remind you of yourself, and her bonds with her family will remind you of your own relationships with those you love the most.

Then Again
Written by Diane KeatoneBook, 304 pages | Random House | Biography & Autobiography - Personal Memoirs; Biography & Autobiography - Entertainment & Performing Arts; Health & Fitness - Diseases - Alzheimer's & Dementia | $12.99 | November 15, 2011 | 978-1-58836-942-0 (1-58836-942-0)

Mom loved adages, quotes, slogans. There were always little reminders pasted on the kitchen wall. For example, the word THINK. I found THINK thumbtacked on a bulletin board in her darkroom. I saw it Scotch-taped on a pencil box she’d collaged. I even found a pamphlet titled THINK on her bedside table. Mom liked to THINK.
 
So begins Diane Keaton’s unforgettable memoir about her mother and herself. In it you will meet the woman known to tens of millions as Annie Hall, but you will also meet, and fall in love with, her mother, the loving, complicated, always-thinking Dorothy Hall. To write about herself, Diane realized she had to write about her mother, too, and how their bond came to define both their lives. In a remarkable act of creation, Diane not only reveals herself to us, she also lets us meet in intimate detail her mother. Over the course of her life, Dorothy kept eighty-five journals—literally thousands of pages—in which she wrote about her marriage, her children, and, most probingly, herself. Dorothy also recorded memorable stories about Diane’s grandparents. Diane has sorted through these pages to paint an unflinching portrait of her mother—a woman restless with intellectual and creative energy, struggling to find an outlet for her talents—as well as her entire family, recounting a story that spans four generations and nearly a hundred years.
 
More than the autobiography of a legendary actress, Then Again is a book about a very American family with very American dreams. Diane will remind you of yourself, and her bonds with her family will remind you of your own relationships with those you love the most.

From the Hardcover edition.

Smokin' Seventeen A Stephanie Plum Novel
Written by Janet EvanovichPaperback, 336 pages | Bantam | Fiction - Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths; Fiction - Humorous; Fiction - Romance | $8.99 | November 15, 2011 | 978-0-345-52770-7 (0-345-52770-4)

Where there’s smoke there’s fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum.
 
Dead bodies are showing up in shallow graves on the empty construction lot of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. No one is sure who the killer is, or why the victims have been offed, but what is clear is that Stephanie’s name is on the killer’s list. Short on time to find the murderer, Stephanie is also under pressure from family and friends to choose between her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and the bad boy in her life, security expert Ranger. Stephanie’s mom wants her to dump them both for a former high school football star who’s just returned to town. Stephanie’s sidekick, Lula, suggests a red-hot boudoir “bake-off.” And Joe’s old-world grandmother gives Stephanie “the eye,” which may mean that it’s time to get out of town.

With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men, and a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie’s life looks like it’s about to go up in smoke.

Sailor Moon 2
Written by Naoko TakeuchiTrade Paperback, 244 pages | Kodansha Comics | Comics & Graphic Novels - Graphic Novels - Manga | $10.99 | November 15, 2011 | 978-1-935429-75-3 (1-935429-75-2)

Usagi Tsukino is a normal girl until she meets up with Luna, a talking cat, who tells her that she is Sailor Moon. As Sailor Moon, Usagi must fight evils and enforce justice, in the name of the Moon and the mysterious Moon Princess. She meets other girls destined to be Sailor Senshi (Sailor Scouts), and together, they fight the forces of evil!

Saints Row: The Third - Studio Edition Prima Official Game Guide
Written by Howard Grossman and Alex MusaTrade Paperback, 352 pages | Prima Games | Games - Video & Electronic | $24.99 | November 15, 2011 | 978-0-307-89033-7 (0-307-89033-3)

Saint's Row: The Third Studio Edition includes:

• The exclusive Money Shot Pack - Unlock the Ultor Assassin suit, Togo-13 sniper rifle, and the Ultor Interceptor jet-bike
• Complete everything – Walkthrough for all missions
• Survival of the fittest – Take over all rival gang territory
• Complete every Activity, Diversion, and acquire every collectible
• Full list of all cheats for your cell phone
• All accolades revealed – Attain every Achievement or Trophy
• Studio Edition content - Get a behind-the-scenes tour with the talented Volition, Inc. team  
• One-of-a-kind Saints style cover

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Prima Official Game Guide
Written by David HodgsonTrade Paperback, 656 pages | Prima Games | Games - Video & Electronic | $26.99 | November 11, 2011 | 978-0-307-89137-2 (0-307-89137-2)

Large map Poster inside 
Labeled with important locations, major roads, and hold capitals

A Champion for Skyrim
Multiple character builds based on hundreds of hours of playtesting reveal exactly what Skills, Perks, equipment, and other items to pick, and how to advance through the game, no matter the type of character you want to be.
 
All Collectibles Gathered
If you’re searching Skyrim for Skill Books, Unique Items and Weapons, every single Shout, Dragon Priest Masks, Treasure Maps, Unusual Gems, or even Captured Critters, we show you where every rare item is.
 
The Atlas of Skyrim
A comprehensive tour of every single location, from the vast Hold Cities to the smallest woodland den. Every major exploration point receives a walkthrough flagging important items, with detailed maps throughout.
 
Prowess in Combat
Every weapon, piece of equipment, and spell is detailed so you know which blade, bow, or incantation to crush your enemies with. Every type of combat is tactically analyzed, so you can better any foe in battle.
 
Trainers and Traders
Skyrim is full of merchants to barter with, and trainers to further
increase your Skill, Crafting, and Bartering proficiencies. Every alchemist, blacksmith, innkeeper, trainer, Khajiit caravan, and other vendor revealed.
 
Followers and Friends
Build your friendships across Skyrim and locate every Follower with information inside this guide. Become a Thane. Own property. Marry your favorite Housecarl. Details inside.
 
Massive and Complete Index

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Collector's Edition Prima Official Game Guide
Written by David HodgsonHardcover, 656 pages | Prima Games | Games - Video & Electronic | $39.99 | November 11, 2011 | 978-0-307-89140-2 (0-307-89140-2)

FREE ACCESS to the interactive world map– Code inside

The interactive world map includes over 150 location maps covering all 9 Hold cities. Each map shows the locations of every vendor, trainer, skill book, NPC, and unique item in the realm. You can toggle points of interest on and off and zoom in and out.

-Large map Poster inside- 
Labeled with important locations, major roads, and hold capitals

-A Champion for Skyrim-
Multiple character builds based on hundreds of hours of playtesting reveal exactly what Skills, Perks, equipment, and other items to pick, and how to advance through the game, no matter the type of character you want to be.
 
-All Collectibles Gathered-
If you’re searching Skyrim for Skill Books, Unique Items and Weapons, every single Shout, Dragon Priest Masks, Treasure Maps, Unusual Gems, or even Captured Critters, we show you where every rare item is.
 
-The Atlas of Skyrim-
A comprehensive tour of every single location, from the vast Hold Cities to the smallest woodland den. Every major exploration point receives a walkthrough flagging important items, with detailed maps throughout.
  
-Prowess in Combat-
Every weapon, piece of equipment, and spell is detailed so you know which blade, bow, or incantation to crush your enemies with. Every type of combat is tactically analyzed, so you can better any foe in battle.
 
-Trainers and Traders-
Skyrim is full of merchants to barter with, and trainers to further increase your Skill, Crafting, and Bartering proficiencies. Every alchemist, blacksmith, innkeeper, trainer, Khajiit caravan, and other vendor revealed.
 
-Followers and Friends-
Build your friendships across Skyrim and locate every Follower with information inside this guide. Become a Thane. Own property. Marry your favorite Housecarl. Details inside.
 
-Massive and Complete Index-

 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Movie Tie-in Edition)
Written by Stieg LarssonTrade Paperback, 608 pages | Vintage | Fiction - Mystery & Detective; Fiction - Thrillers | $15.95 | November 8, 2011 | 978-0-307-94949-3 (0-307-94949-4)

Stieg Larsson's #1 bestselling mystery featuring Lisbeth Salander is now a major motion picture directed by David Fincher, starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, from Columbia Pictures/Sony. In theaters December 2011. The first volume in the Millennium Trilogy, and an international publishing sensation, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into one satisfyingly complex and entertainingly atmospheric novel.


From the Paperback edition.

The Myth of the Garage And Other Minor Surprises
Written by Dan Heath and Chip HeatheBook, 70 pages | Crown Business | Business & Economics - Entrepreneurship; Business & Economics - New Business Enterprises; Business & Economics - Management | $0.00 | November 8, 2011 | 978-0-307-95359-9 (0-307-95359-9)

From Chip and Dan Heath, the bestselling authors of Switch and Made to Stick, comes The Myth of the Garage: And Other Minor Surprises, a collection of the authors’ best columns for Fast Company magazine—16 pieces in all, plus a previously unpublished piece entitled “The Future Fails Again.”
In Myth, the Heath brothers tackle some of the most (and least) important issues in the modern business world:

• Why you should never buy another mutual fund (“The Horror of Mutual Funds”)
• Why your gut may be more ethical than your brain (“In Defense of Feelings”)
• How to communicate with numbers in a way that changes decisions (“The Gripping Statistic”)
• Why the “Next Big Thing” often isn’t (“The Future Fails Again”)
• Why you may someday pay $300 for a pair of socks (“The Inevitability of $300 Socks”)
• And 12 others . . .

Punchy, entertaining, and full of unexpected insights, the collection is the perfect companion for a short flight (or a long meeting).
 
 

Catherine the Great Portrait of a Woman
Written by Robert K. MassieeBook, 656 pages | Random House | Biography & Autobiography - Royalty; History - Russia (pre- & post-Soviet Union); History - Modern - 18th Century | $14.99 | November 8, 2011 | 978-1-58836-044-1 (1-58836-044-X)

The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and The Romanovs returns with another masterpiece of narrative biography, the extraordinary story of an obscure young German princess who traveled to Russia at fourteen and rose to become one of the most remarkable, powerful, and captivating women in history.

Born into a minor noble family, Catherine transformed herself into Empress of Russia by sheer determination. Possessing a brilliant mind and an insatiable curiosity as a young woman, she devoured the works of Enlightenment philosophers and, when she reached the throne, attempted to use their principles to guide her rule of the vast and backward Russian empire. She knew or corresponded with the preeminent historical figures of her time: Voltaire, Diderot, Frederick the Great, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, Marie Antoinette, and, surprisingly, the American naval hero, John Paul Jones.

Reaching the throne fired by Enlightenment philosophy and determined to become the embodiment of the “benevolent despot” idealized by Montesquieu, she found herself always contending with the deeply ingrained realities of Russian life, including serfdom. She persevered, and for thirty-four years the government, foreign policy, cultural development, and welfare of the Russian people were in her hands. She dealt with domestic rebellion, foreign wars, and the tidal wave of political change and violence churned up by the French Revolution that swept across Europe. Her reputation depended entirely on the perspective of the speaker. She was praised by Voltaire as the equal of the greatest of classical philosophers; she was condemned by her enemies, mostly foreign, as “the Messalina of the north.”

Catherine’s family, friends, ministers, generals, lovers, and enemies—all are here, vividly described. These included her ambitious, perpetually scheming mother; her weak, bullying husband, Peter (who left her lying untouched beside him for nine years after their marriage); her unhappy son and heir, Paul; her beloved grandchildren; and her “favorites”—the parade of young men from whom she sought companionship and the recapture of youth as well as sex. Here, too, is the giant figure of Gregory Potemkin, her most significant lover and possible husband, with whom she shared a passionate correspondence of love and separation, followed by seventeen years of unparalleled mutual achievement.

The story is superbly told. All the special qualities that Robert K. Massie brought to Nicholas and Alexandra and Peter the Great are present here: historical accuracy, depth of understanding, felicity of style, mastery of detail, ability to shatter myth, and a rare genius for finding and expressing the human drama in extraordinary lives.

History offers few stories richer in drama than that of Catherine the Great. In this book, this eternally fascinating woman is returned to life.


From the Hardcover edition.

Inheritance
Written by Christopher PaolinieBook, 880 pages | Knopf Books for Young Readers | Juvenile Fiction - Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic | $13.99 | November 8, 2011 | 978-0-307-97418-1 (0-307-97418-9)

Not so very long ago, Eragon—Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider—was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

This is the much-anticipated, astonishing conclusion to the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.

Sneak Peek at Chapter TItles from Inheritance
Mooneater
To Feed a God
Black-Shrike-Thorn-Cave
A Crown of Ice and Snow
A Cradle Song
Dancing with Swords
A Sea of Nettles
No Honor, No Glory, Only Blisters in Unfortunate Places
The Hall of the Soothsayer
Burrow Grubs


From the Hardcover edition.

Back to Work Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy
Written by Bill ClintonHardcover, 208 pages | Knopf | Political Science - Public Affairs & Administration; Political Science - Government - National; Business & Economics - Government & Business | $23.95 | November 8, 2011 | 978-0-307-95975-1 (0-307-95975-9)

President Bill Clinton gives us his views on the challenges facing the United States today and why government matters—presenting his ideas on restoring economic growth, job creation, financial responsibility, resolving the mortgage crisis, and pursuing a strategy to get us "back in the future business.” He explains how we got into the current economic crisis, and offers specific recommendations on how we can put people back to work, increase bank lending and corporate investment, double our exports, restore our manufacturing base, and create new businesses. He supports President Obama’s emphasis on green technology, saying that changing the way we produce and consume energy is the strategy most likely to spark a fast-growing economy while enhancing our national security.

Clinton also stresses that we need a strong private sector and a smart government working together to restore prosperity and progress, demonstrating that whenever we’ve given in to the temptation to blame government for all our problems, we’ve lost our ability to produce sustained economic growth and shared prosperity.

Clinton writes, “There is simply no evidence that we can succeed in the twenty-first century with an antigovernment strategy,” based on “a philosophy grounded in ‘you’re on your own’ rather than ‘we’re all in this together.’ ” He believes that conflict between government and the private sector has proved to be good politics but has produced bad policies, giving us a weak economy with not enough jobs, growing income inequality and poverty, and a decline in our competitive position. In the real world, cooperation works much better than conflict, and “Americans need victories in real life.”

Catherine the Great Portrait of a Woman
Written by Robert K. MassieHardcover, 656 pages | Random House | Biography & Autobiography - Royalty; History - Russia (pre- & post-Soviet Union); History - Modern - 18th Century | $35.00 | November 8, 2011 | 978-0-679-45672-8 (0-679-45672-4)

The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and The Romanovs returns with another masterpiece of narrative biography, the extraordinary story of an obscure young German princess who traveled to Russia at fourteen and rose to become one of the most remarkable, powerful, and captivating women in history.

Born into a minor noble family, Catherine transformed herself into Empress of Russia by sheer determination. Possessing a brilliant mind and an insatiable curiosity as a young woman, she devoured the works of Enlightenment philosophers and, when she reached the throne, attempted to use their principles to guide her rule of the vast and backward Russian empire. She knew or corresponded with the preeminent historical figures of her time: Voltaire, Diderot, Frederick the Great, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, Marie Antoinette, and, surprisingly, the American naval hero, John Paul Jones.

Reaching the throne fired by Enlightenment philosophy and determined to become the embodiment of the “benevolent despot” idealized by Montesquieu, she found herself always contending with the deeply ingrained realities of Russian life, including serfdom. She persevered, and for thirty-four years the government, foreign policy, cultural development, and welfare of the Russian people were in her hands. She dealt with domestic rebellion, foreign wars, and the tidal wave of political change and violence churned up by the French Revolution that swept across Europe. Her reputation depended entirely on the perspective of the speaker. She was praised by Voltaire as the equal of the greatest of classical philosophers; she was condemned by her enemies, mostly foreign, as “the Messalina of the north.”

Catherine’s family, friends, ministers, generals, lovers, and enemies—all are here, vividly described. These included her ambitious, perpetually scheming mother; her weak, bullying husband, Peter (who left her lying untouched beside him for nine years after their marriage); her unhappy son and heir, Paul; her beloved grandchildren; and her “favorites”—the parade of young men from whom she sought companionship and the recapture of youth as well as sex. Here, too, is the giant figure of Gregory Potemkin, her most significant lover and possible husband, with whom she shared a passionate correspondence of love and separation, followed by seventeen years of unparalleled mutual achievement.

The story is superbly told. All the special qualities that Robert K. Massie brought to Nicholas and Alexandra and Peter the Great are present here: historical accuracy, depth of understanding, felicity of style, mastery of detail, ability to shatter myth, and a rare genius for finding and expressing the human drama in extraordinary lives.

History offers few stories richer in drama than that of Catherine the Great. In this book, this eternally fascinating woman is returned to life.

Back to Work Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy
Written by Bill ClintoneBook, 208 pages | Knopf | Political Science - Public Affairs & Administration; Political Science - Government - National; Business & Economics - Government & Business | $11.99 | November 8, 2011 | 978-0-307-95976-8 (0-307-95976-7)

“I wrote this book because I love my country and I'm concerned about our future,” writes Bill Clinton. “As I often said when I first ran for President in 1992, America at its core is an idea—the idea that no matter who you are or where you're from, if you work hard and play by the rules, you'll have the freedom and opportunity to pursue your own dreams and leave your kids a country where they can chase theirs.”

In Back to Work, Clinton details how we can get out of the current economic crisis and lay a foundation for long-term prosperity. He offers specific recommendations on how we can put people back to work and create new businesses, increase bank lending and corporate investment, double our exports, and restore our manufacturing base. He supports President Obama’s emphasis on green technology, saying that change in the way we produce and consume energy is the strategy most likely to spark a fast-growing economy and enhance our national security.

Clinton also says that we need both a strong economy and a smart government working together to restore prosperity and progress. He demonstrates that whenever we’ve given in to the temptation to blame government for our problems, we’ve lost our commitment to shared prosperity, balanced growth, financial responsibility, and investment in the future. That has led our nation into trouble because there are some things we have to do together. For example, he says, “Our ability to compete in the twenty-first century is dependent on our willingness to invest in infrastructure: we need faster broadband, a state-of-the-art national electrical grid, modernized water and sewer systems, and the best airports, trains, roads, and bridges.

“There is no evidence that we can succeed in the twenty-first century with an antigovernment strategy,” writes Clinton, “with a philosophy grounded in ‘You’re on your own’ rather than ‘We’re all in this together.’” Clinton believes that conflict between government and the private sector has proved to be remarkably good politics, but it has produced bad policies, giving us a weak economy with few jobs, growing income inequality and poverty, and a decline in our competitive position. In the real world, cooperation works much better than conflict, and “we need victories in the real world.”

Inheritance
Written by Christopher PaoliniHardcover, 880 pages | Knopf Books for Young Readers | Juvenile Fiction - Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic | $27.99 | November 8, 2011 | 978-0-375-85611-2 (0-375-85611-0)

Not so very long ago, Eragon—Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider—was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

This is the much-anticipated, astonishing conclusion to the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.

Sneak Peek at Chapter TItles from Inheritance
Mooneater
To Feed a God
Black-Shrike-Thorn-Cave
A Crown of Ice and Snow
A Cradle Song
Dancing with Swords
A Sea of Nettles
No Honor, No Glory, Only Blisters in Unfortunate Places
The Hall of the Soothsayer
Burrow Grubs