Many people dream of escaping modern life, but most will never act on it. The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit tells the remarkable true story of Christopher Knight, a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for 27 years, not out of anger at the world, but simply because he preferred to live on his own.

In 1986, a shy and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the forest. He would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food. Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. He broke into nearby cottages for food, clothing, reading material, and other provisions, taking only what he needed but terrifying a community never able to solve the mysterious burglaries.

Based on extensive interviews with Knight himself, author Michael Finkel provides a vividly detailed account of Knight's secluded life—why did he leave? what did he learn?—as well as the challenges he has faced since returning to the world. It is a gripping story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude, community, and what makes a good life, and a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded.

Beautiful Code: Leading Programmers Explain How They Think offers a unique and insightful look into the minds of leading computer scientists. Through case studies, readers have the opportunity to observe how experts tackle difficult problems in software development, revealing the carefully crafted solutions to high-profile projects. You'll be able to look over the shoulder of major coding and design experts, gaining insight into their thought processes as they navigate through the architecture of their projects, the tradeoffs involved, and the occasions when breaking the rules is necessary.

This book is not your typical design patterns manual or a rigid software engineering doctrine. Instead, it presents a series of narratives that showcase how master coders approach their work. All author royalties from this book will be donated to Amnesty International, making it not just an educational read, but also one that contributes to a global cause.

Pet Sematary is a gripping tale of horror where the boundary between life and death is blurred. When the Creeds move into a beautiful old house in rural Maine, everything seems perfect: a physician father, a beautiful wife, a charming little daughter, and an adorable infant son, all complemented by an idyllic home. The friendly cat adds to the family's happiness, but the nearby woods harbor a chilling secret.

Behind the children's pet cemetery lies another graveyard, one from which the dead return. The Creeds are about to discover that sometimes, dead is indeed better, as they are drawn into a sinister world where the line between the living and the dead is frighteningly thin.