Convenience Store Woman is an ironic and sharp-eyed look at contemporary work culture and the pressures to conform, as well as a charming and completely fresh portrait of an unforgettable heroine.

Keiko Furukura had always been considered a strange child, and her parents always worried how she would get on in the real world, so when she takes on a job in a convenience store while at university, they are delighted for her. For her part, in the convenience store she finds a predictable world mandated by the store manual, which dictates how the workers should act and what they should say, and she copies her coworkers' style of dress and speech patterns so that she can play the part of a normal person. However, eighteen years later, at age 36, she is still in the same job, has never had a boyfriend, and has only few friends. She feels comfortable in her life, but is aware that she is not living up to society's expectations and causing her family to worry about her. When a similarly alienated but cynical and bitter young man comes to work in the store, he will upset Keiko's contented stasis--but will it be for the better?

Combining cutting-edge neuroscience with the latest discoveries on the human microbiome, The Mind-Gut Connection offers a practical guide that conclusively demonstrates the inextricable, biological link between mind and body. Dr. Emeran Mayer, professor of medicine and executive director of the UCLA Center for Neurobiology of Stress, provides a revolutionary and provocative look at this developing science, teaching us how to harness the power of the mind-gut connection to take charge of our health and listen to the innate wisdom of our bodies.

The Mind-Gut Connection describes the importance of a predominantly plant-based diet for gut and brain health, the role of early childhood in gut-brain development, and the impact of excessive stress and anxiety in gastrointestinal ailments and cognitive disorders. It also details how to "listen to your gut" and pay attention to the signals your body is sending you, providing insights on diet, the microbiome, and much more.

Modern Romance: An Investigation is a journey into the intricacies of finding love in the modern era. Aziz Ansari, known for his sharp comedic voice, and Eric Klinenberg, an NYU sociologist, present an in-depth exploration of the pleasures and perils that come with the quest for love in times where technology has given us more options than ever.

The book takes a humorous and thoughtful look at how the culture of finding love has dramatically transformed in a relatively short period. A few decades ago, the search for a partner was confined to local neighborhoods and family connections. Now, the pursuit of a soul mate extends over years and across continents, with technology as the driving force behind these new romantic dynamics.

Ansari and Klinenberg designed a massive research project that included hundreds of interviews and focus groups from Tokyo to Buenos Aires to Wichita. They also analyzed behavioral data, surveys, and online discussion forums, enlisting the help of leading social scientists. This blend of humor and social science research results in a unique narrative that offers an unforgettable tour of romance in the 21st century.

A Head Full of Ghosts is a chilling thriller that brilliantly blends psychological suspense and supernatural horror. The novel is reminiscent of Stephen King's The Shining, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, and William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist.

The lives of the Barretts, a normal suburban New England family, are torn apart when fourteen-year-old Marjorie begins to display signs of acute schizophrenia. To her parents' despair, the doctors are unable to stop Marjorie's descent into madness. As their stable home devolves into a house of horrors, they reluctantly turn to a local Catholic priest for help. Father Wanderly suggests an exorcism, believing the vulnerable teenager is the victim of demonic possession. He also contacts a production company that is eager to document the Barretts' plight for a reality television show.

With John, Marjorie's father, out of work for more than a year and the medical bills looming, the family agrees to be filmed, and soon find themselves the unwitting stars of The Possession, a hit reality television show. When events in the Barrett household explode in tragedy, the show and the shocking incidents it captures become the stuff of urban legend.

Fifteen years later, a bestselling writer interviews Marjorie's younger sister, Merry. As she recalls those long-ago events that took place when she was just eight years old, long-buried secrets and painful memories that clash with what was broadcast on television begin to surface. A mind-bending tale of psychological horror is unleashed, raising vexing questions about memory and reality, science and religion, and the very nature of evil.

Near an isolated mansion lies a beautiful garden.In this garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees…and a collection of precious “butterflies”—young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes. Overseeing it all is the Gardener, a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens.When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning. FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison are tasked with piecing together one of the most stomach-churning cases of their careers. But the girl, known only as Maya, proves to be a puzzle herself.As her story twists and turns, slowly shedding light on life in the Butterfly Garden, Maya reveals old grudges, new saviors, and horrific tales of a man who’d go to any length to hold beauty captive. But the more she shares, the more the agents have to wonder what she’s still hiding...

What does it take to win success and influence? Some people think that in today's hyper-competitive world, it's the tough, take-no-prisoners type who comes out on top. But in reality, argues New York Times bestselling author Dave Kerpen, it's actually those with the best people skills who win the day. Those who build the right relationships. Those who truly understand and connect with their colleagues, their customers, their partners. Those who can teach, lead, and inspire.

In a world where we are constantly connected, and social media has become the primary way we communicate, the key to getting ahead is being the person others like, respect, and trust. Because no matter who you are or what profession you're in, success is contingent less on what you can do for yourself, but on what other people are willing to do for you.

Here, through 53 bite-sized, easy-to-execute, and often counterintuitive tips, you'll learn to master the 11 People Skills that will get you more of what you want at work, at home, and in life. For example, you'll learn:

• The single most important question you can ever ask to win attention in a meeting
• The one simple key to networking that nobody talks about
• How to remain top of mind for thousands of people, every day
• Why it usually pays to be the one to give the bad news
• How to blow off the right people
• And why, when in doubt, buy him a Bonsai

This book is often described as How to Win Friends and Influence People for today's world, showing how to charm and win over anyone to be more successful at work and outside of it.

Smarter Faster Better, authored by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charles Duhigg, is a profound exploration of the science of productivity. Duhigg presents a riveting analysis of how productivity isn't solely about working harder or faster, but rather about managing how we think, set goals, construct teams, and make decisions.

The book unveils eight key concepts that underpin enhanced productivity. Duhigg takes readers on a journey through various scenarios, such as the story of a Marine Corps general revolutionizing boot camp to instill a 'bias toward action,' and how the creators of Disney's Frozen spurred a creative breakthrough that led to monumental success.

At its core, Smarter Faster Better challenges readers to rethink their daily choices and to view the world in new, profoundly different ways. It's an indispensable guide for anyone looking to optimize their productivity and harness the power of smarter, faster, and better decision-making.

Deep Work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It's a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. This book will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship. In short, deep work is like a super power in our increasingly competitive twenty-first century economy.

Author and professor Cal Newport flips the narrative on impact in a connected age. Instead of arguing that distraction is bad, he celebrates the power of its opposite. The book is divided into two parts: the first makes the case that in almost any profession, cultivating a deep work ethic will produce massive benefits. The second part presents a rigorous training regimen, a series of four rules, for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill:

1. Work Deeply
2. Embrace Boredom
3. Quit Social Media
4. Drain the Shallows

A mix of cultural criticism and actionable advice, Deep Work takes the reader on a journey through memorable stories and no-nonsense advice, such as the claim that most serious professionals should quit social media and that you should practice being bored. It is an indispensable guide to anyone seeking focused success in a distracted world.