Public Space

With his signature wit and thought-provoking insights, Neil deGrasse Tyson - one of our foremost thinkers on all things space - illuminates the past, present, and future of space exploration and brilliantly reminds us why NASA matters now as much as ever. As Tyson reveals, exploring the space frontier can profoundly enrich many aspects of our daily lives, from education systems and the economy to national security and morale.

Longlisted for the 2026 PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction “An awe-striking masterpiece of love.” —Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times bestselling author “The sentences alone in In Open Contempt make it one of the most memorable books of the decade. But it’s the unexpected...

"Narrator Jennifer Hale's outstanding performance brings this story of alien invasion to life...Hale's range of differentiation is masterly as she animates all the quirky characters Kira meets. From the rough, snarky slang of ex-military woman to the half-mad musings of a human "ship mind,"...

This book is for anyone who has ever wondered what life might be like without pants, without shame, and without the constant battle of wrestling yourself into clothes you never wanted to wear in the first place. Kristin Williams, a 38-year-old suburban nudist from outside Seattle, shares her chaotic, funny, and painfully relatable adventures of being naked in places where most people definitely are not. From navigating airports while basically undressed, to slipping out of a sarong in a parking lot, to dealing with clothed people who have a lot of questions, she brings readers along for ...

The never-before-told story of NASA’s 1978 astronaut class, which included the first American women, the first African Americans, the first Asian American, and the first gay person to fly to space. With the exclusive participation of the astronauts who were there, this is the thrilling...

Discover how the automobile fundamentally reshaped American life beyond mere transportation in this compelling cultural history. From drive-in theaters where families watched movies under the stars to restaurants that served meals on trays attached to car windows, this installment in the best-selling AMERICAN POP series explores how cars became extensions of living space that transformed entertainment, dining, commerce, and even religious worship. This richly detailed narrative examines the rise of distinctive automotive architecture like Googie-style buildings with their space-age ...

A city is not only streets and buildings. A city is where life happens. People walk to work, children play in parks, neighbors meet on sidewalks, and conversations begin in cafés and public squares. When public spaces are well designed, people enjoy being outside and feel connected to their community. But when streets are dirty, broken, or confusing, people avoid them. Public life becomes weaker. Over time, the city loses its energy. Cities for People offers 52 clear and practical ideas to make cities cleaner, safer, and more welcoming. The book focuses on simple improvements that can ...

You already know what a third place is. You just might not have a name for it. It's the diner counter where the coffee appears before you order it. The barbershop where the same four people have been arguing about the same things for fifteen years. The library reading room on a Tuesday morning. The bar in Boston where everybody knows your name. Ray Oldenburg named it in 1989: the third place, the informal gathering space beyond home and work where people are known, where status gets checked at the door, and where conversation is the whole point. He argued it wasn't a luxury. It was ...

The Soul of the City: James Hillman on Architecture, Nature, Community, and the Psychology of Place argues that cities are not just containers for human life. Streets, buildings, parks, vacant lots, schools, libraries, and public squares actively shape attention, mood, memory, and social life. Using the ideas of James Hillman, this book presents a grounded way to think about the psyche as something expressed in the world around us, not sealed inside the individual mind. It asks why one block feels inviting and another feels harsh, why some neighborhoods hold identity while others feel ...

Billions lack safe water. AI drives energy demand. Resources and time are scarce. Climate anxiety rises; old solutions can't keep up What if the answer is a technology set aside decades ago—not for failure, but because gas was cheap and this fuel wasn't weaponized? Thorium.

From the award-winning author of The Entrepreneurial State and Mission Economy, an inspiring call to solve our deepest challenges—from inequality to climate change—by embracing a radical new approach to economics and the economy. Whether it’s the water crisis, widespread poverty, or the...

Dive into the intricate tapestry of urban development with "Blueprint Variations," your comprehensive guide to the foundations and frontiers of zoning laws. Unravel the enigmatic threads of city planning, stakeholder involvement, and societal impact within this enlightening read, destined to become an essential resource for enthusiasts and professionals alike. "Blueprint Variations" opens with a rich exploration of the history and fundamentals of zoning in urban development. Navigate through the diverse zoning classifications—from residential to industrial—and uncover the critical ...

Kai Fletcher, small time criminal planner turned reluctant warship captain was drafted into a war older than him by several thousand millennia. While the Kholdrax grow stronger, Kai and his small band of warships must find the remnants of the Gardranian Armada that didn’t awaken with the rest of their fleet. Opposed at every turn by awakening Kholdrax forces, the Vakness Empire, and the space cops of the Dor’Anian Union, Kai is forced to split his small group to better their chances of finding their missing comrades.

Most of the universe is missing—and this book finally makes sense of it. For decades, astronomers have known that everything we can see, touch, and measure accounts for only a tiny fraction of reality. The rest—an astonishing ninety‑five percent—is made of dark matter and dark energy, two invisible forces that shape galaxies, bend starlight, accelerate cosmic expansion, and determine the fate of the cosmos. This plain‑English guide cuts through the confusion and explains the biggest mystery in modern science with clarity, storytelling, and real scientific history. The book ...

In 1969, Honor Moore was twenty-three, a theater student yearning for love and working for radical change, but studying administration and keeping secret, even from herself, her wish to imagine the world by becoming a poet. There was an older lover, a professor, and, with another man, an unwanted sexual encounter. That spring, she had an abortion. A Termination is the story of the young woman who made that decision, and of how that act of resistance, then shrouded in fear and silence, has reverberated throughout her life since.

Step into a visionary tale of urban innovation with "Blueprinting Tomorrow," an extraordinary journey into the architectonic renaissance shaping our cities' destinies. This riveting eBook reveals the impetus behind the future urbanism movement, meticulously dissecting the complex, multi-faceted beast that our cities’ planning and design have become. As you delve into Chapter 1, you will discover the quintessence of 21st-century urbanism, tracing its historical roots and witnessing the transformative power of technology on our built environments. "Blueprinting Tomorrow" doesn't just ...

A burned-out public defender. An alien species that can smell a lie. A contract enforced by biology itself. Marcus Cole hasn't won a case that mattered in years. He's carrying a hundred and forty open files, a guilty conscience over a client he failed, and the quiet certainty that the system he serves is grinding him down to nothing. Then an alien vessel lands in a Nebraska cornfield, and the United States government needs someone to negotiate humanity's first interplanetary trade agreement. Not a diplomat. Not a politician. A public defender from Jacksonville, Florida, chosen for the one ...

Reader reviews for Alice Crowley's HOT writing: "I LOVED THE IMAGINATION OF THIS AUTHOR!" ~Satisfied Kindle Reader "FIVE STARS!" ~Multiple Fans In this jam packed, lusty, busty 5K-word short, a desperate housewife is taken to her anatomical limits by multiple aggressive studs. When the husband in uniform shows up and brandishes his weaponry though, things really go south.

Jane Jacobs and the Human City: Exploring the Principles of Human-Centered Urban Design is a powerful exploration of one of the most influential urban thinkers of the twentieth century. Jane Jacobs changed the way the world understands cities by insisting that real urban vitality comes from people—their interactions, diversity, and daily lives—not from abstract blueprints or top-down planning. This book introduces Jacobs’s life and legacy while connecting her ideas to the modern framework of human-centered design. From her defense of sidewalks and public spaces to her critique of ...

Escape into a world where the concrete meets the communal, where every corner, square, and park has the potential to transform into a hub of human connection. "Spaces of Encounter" is not just another book about the architecture of public spaces—it’s a manifesto for the soul of our cities, the harmony of our communities, and the health of our social fabrics. Unravel the layers of shared spaces through a comprehensive journey across 25 chapters, each offering unique perspectives on the design, purpose, and impact of communal environments. From an exploration into the psychology of public...