Systems Science

A leading brain scientist's look at the neurobiology of pleasure-and how pleasures can become addictions. Whether eating, taking drugs, engaging in sex, or doing good deeds, the pursuit of pleasure is a central drive of the human animal. In The Compass of Pleasure Johns Hopkins neuroscientist David J. Linden explains how pleasure affects us at the most fundamental level: in our brain.

Continuing the mission he began in Unification, Starfleet Ambassador Spock endeavors to impart the logic of the Vulcans to a small band of Romulans. But Spock and his students are taken hostage, and the Enterprise and Jean-Luc Picard are sent to secure the hostages' release. Read by Jonathan Frakes!

The Commander of Champions thrives in this environment. His powers can only grow stronger from here. Commander Jay Luckrun has a lot of names. One of those names is Beheader of the 72 Immortals. Everywhere he goes, many people and creatures are afraid of him for what he's achieved with his overpowered magic. Their fear is so great that Jay and his pantheon are facing the greatest fight Earth has ever witnessed—A war with the USA.

Weary and tired from playing galactic bounty hunter and assassin, John and his crew of intrepid human survivors find themselves in Spaks after their latest escapade bring more heat than ever. In the outcast station of rebels and pirates, John is caught up in galactic politics once again. As trouble approaches on the hyperdrive engines of his many enemies, John finds answers to the System Quest and even more questions in the Rebel Station.

The galaxy, the multiverse, and the history of astronomy are explored in this engaging compilation of cosmological "tales" by multiple award-winning science writer Marcia Bartusiak. In 32 concise and engrossing essays, the author provides a deeper understanding of the nature of the universe and those who strive to uncover its mysteries. Bartusiak shares the back stories for many momentous astronomical discoveries, including the contributions of such pioneers as Beatrice Tinsley and her groundbreaking research in galactic evolution.

Peter Kraemer, a physics teacher with a passion for astronomy, makes a discovery that he himself can hardly believe: Stars disappear from one day to the next, with nothing left of them. The researchers he contacts provide reassuring and logical explanations for every single case. But when Peter determines that the mysterious process is approaching our home system, he becomes more and more anxious. He alone perceives the looming catastrophe. When he believes he has found a way to avert the impending disaster, he chooses to pull out all the stops.

Jeff Alt takes you along every step of his 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail adventure. This entertaining journey includes bears, bugs, blisters, captivating characters, skunk bedmates, and hilarious food cravings. Alt walked more than five million steps in tribute to his brother, who has cerebral palsy and lives in a home called Sunshine. This trail adventure has inspired an annual event that has raised more than $200,000 for Sunshine. It includes hiking tips for the whole family.

After years of ill health, capitalism is now in a critical condition. Growth has given way to stagnation; inequality is leading to instability; and confidence in the money economy has all but evaporated. In How Will Capitalism End?, the acclaimed analyst of contemporary politics and economics Wolfgang Streeck argues the world is about to change.

At the same time that the Civil Rights Movement brought increasing opportunities for blacks, the United States liberalized its immigration policy. While the broadening of the United States's borders to non-European immigrants fits with a black political agenda of social justice, recent waves of immigration have presented a dilemma for blacks, prompting ambivalent or even negative attitudes toward migrants. What has an expanded immigration regime meant for how blacks express national attachment?

Glitches are appearing across the Minecraft server. Blocks are flickering unexpectedly and randomly disappearing. To make matters worse, villagers are claiming that their entire villages have mysteriously vanished, and they desperately need Gameknight999's help. What's causing the server to overload and glitch, and where have all the NPCs gone? The User-that-is-not-a-user suspects the two questions are related, and that somehow Herobrine's henchmen are responsible.

I, Q is a wild and witty voyage through the secret soul of creation as only the enigmatic Q can tell it! Co-written and read by John de Lancie, who portrayed Q on television for more than a decade!

Late 21st-century Earth is overcrowded, her natural resources dwindling rapidly. World governments and greedy mega corporations are forced to work together toward a solution. A crew of ten humans are sent to Mars aboard Hyperion I to locate a suitable site and establish the first colony. After a months-long flight to the red planet, just as they are about to descend to the surface, problems arise. A careless accident kills a crew member, damages the ship, forcing the others to launch early. And that's just the beginning of their troubles.

Intended to create life from nothingness, the Genesis Wave had the potential to become a weapon of awe-inspiring destructiveness, capable of rearranging matter and life energy on a planetary scale. After cataclysmic close calls, Starfleet wisely decided to destroy all data and records on Project Genesis, hoping to bury its deadly secrets forever...but now it is back with a vengeance...Read by Tim Russ, Tuvok on Voyager!

The Genesis Wave, Book 3 is the final volume of an apocalyptic adventure that pits the desperate crew of the Starship Enterprise against a disaster of universal proportions....Read by Tim Russ, Tuvok on Voyager!

Lieutenant Saru is a Kelpien, a member of a prey species born on a world overrun by monstrous predators...and a being who very intimately understands the nature of fear. Challenged on all sides, he is determined to surpass his origins and succeed as a Starfleet officer aboard the U.S.S. Shenzhou. But when Saru breaks protocol in order to prove himself to his crewmates, what begins as a vital rescue mission to save a vessel in distress soon escalates out of control. Forced into a command role he may not be ready for, Saru is caught between his duty and two conflicting agendas.

The spectacular conclusion to the thrilling double-sized adventure! Even if, against all odds, the Genesis Wave can be defeated, Picard and his potentially treacherous allies must still confront the greater mystery of what unknown intelligence dared to launch the wave against an unsuspecting galaxy - and for what malevolent purpose...Read by Tim Russ, Tuvok on Voyager!

Embark on an out-of-this-world adventure with "Orbiting the Sun, Planets of the Solar System," a captivating and educational children's book that takes young listeners on an exciting journey through space! Packed with colorful illustrations and fascinating facts, this book is the perfect guide for budding astronomers and curious minds.

Nine million Americans are touched by aneurysms during their lifetimes. This is one story of love. Brainstorm is the candid and powerful memoir of the author's harrowing experience of an aneurysm and his road to recovery. It is a journey of love and devotion and a clash of medical beliefs and countercultures.

Hear it before you see the film! The wedding celebration for Will Riker and Deanna Troi is interrupted when Captain Picard and crew are called to Romulus for an emergency diplomatic mission. They face a threat that could lead to the destruction of the planet Earth, and Picard comes face to face with a man who may prove to be his most dangerous adversary yet...and a surprisingly personal nemesis.

Discover how to turn life's challenges into golden opportunities through shadow work with this all-in-one guide, workbook, and journal.