Since Hallie's father died and left behind ten children, money at the Palmer household is tighter than ever. And just when Hallie thought she was graduating from college, it turns out she's four credits short. A professor needs one more student for a project that will take her around the world, only longtime boyfriend Craig has another proposition for Hallie. Thus begins Hallie's great odyssey, for the first time she ventures outside the safety of Cosgrove County and the sixty-mile radius in which she's functioned for her entire life. But somehow, escaping home doesnt translate into leaving behind all of her problems, and, unfortunately, not all can be solved by putting her superior gambling skills to work. Eventually, its time to return home to all the good people who are great at driving each other crazy. Hallie must finally face the biggest decision of her life. Humorous and heartfelt, Best Bet underscores the importance of friends, family, and a sense of belonging. The characters in this modest, but neighborly, small town prove that an ordinary existence made up of small but genuine moments can satisfy a soul thats hungry for life in all of its glories and disappointments.

A Wall Street Journal bestseller, now in paperback. Poker champion turned decision strategist Annie Duke teaches you how to get comfortable with uncertainty and make better decisions. Even the best decision doesn't yield the best outcome every time. There's always an element of luck that you can't control, and there's always information hidden from view. So the key to long-term success (and avoiding worrying yourself to death) is to think in bets: How sure am I? What are the possible ways things could turn out? What decision has the highest odds of success? Did I land in the unlucky 10% on the strategy that works 90% of the time? Or is my success attributable to dumb luck rather than great decision making? Annie Duke, a former World Series of Poker champion turned consultant, draws on examples from business, sports, politics, and (of course) poker to share tools anyone can use to embrace uncertainty and make better decisions. For most people, it's difficult to say "I'm not sure" in a world that values and, even, rewards the appearance of certainty. But professional poker players are comfortable with the fact that great decisions don't always lead to great outcomes, and bad decisions don't always lead to bad outcomes. By shifting your thinking from a need for certainty to a goal of accurately assessing what you know and what you don't, you'll be less vulnerable to reactive emotions, knee-jerk biases, and destructive habits in your decision making. You'll become more confident, calm, compassionate, and successful in the long run.

Face her ten-year reunion as a lowly traffic manager? No way. Izzy Gordon is going to realize her dream of becoming a filmmaker. Her documentary about an old Wisconsin lodge and its gangster history is sure to be a winner. And she's got an ace up her sleeve, since her family owns the land. Too bad this film drops her into a brewing feud. Seems her family wants to sell the property and the lodge owners are fighting to stay open. They've drafted Gib Murphy—globe-trotting photojournalist and prodigal grandson—to stack their hand. Wow. Could this get worse? Apparently it could, because she's developing a thing for Gib…one he's returning. So at what point does her bluff get called and she has to confess her real identity?

If you’ve ever wondered “What will happen to me when I die?” this book is for you. I first considered the question at eight years of age staring down the barrel of a thirty-eight-caliber revolver under a white-knuckled death grip in my father’s hand—the same gun used on him by my older brother years earlier. Drawing on religion, science, philosophy, mathematics, near-death experiences (NDE), out-of-body experiences (OBE), spirit encounters, hundreds of interviews across the globe, and good old-fashioned common sense, Gambling With Your Soul tackles the controversial topic of life after death by standing on two fundamental truths. First, everyone is going to die. Second, no one knows what will happen to them after they die. In the face of these truths, what is your best bet? Analyzing the afterlife beliefs of the world’s top twenty-two religions/nonreligions, this book proves it is Christianity. This is not to say that Christianity is “right,” and all other religions are “wrong.” It is simply your best bet. The book provides an original, objective, and comprehensive answer to the question that’s sewn into the DNA of every human being.

This book blazes a new trail in presenting Vedic Astrology to the twenty-five century reader. There is an organised, systematic approach making the ancient system most relevant to modern life. The logic and rationale behind the apparently mystical and arbitary rules given by the sages is convincingly presented. This book is based on independent research and forty years of astrological practice of the author. ..... this book is meant for people who consider marriage a social commitment who take relationships seriously and for whom companionship is not just fun but is something that inspires, transforms and satisfies the deep urge to love and be loved and has a deeper divine meaning and purpose.

In His memoir, The Best Bet, Jamall Anderson tells the story of how his once rising career spiraled into gambling on games, and even betting against his own teammates. He reveals, for the first time, the role he played in the biggest gambling scandal in the history of NCAA College Football, and how it could easily happen today. Co-written with long time Tampa Bay Times columnist, Ernest Hooper, Anderson's journey details how his decisions at Boston College set off a chain of events that put him on a merry-go-round of disillusionment as he struggled to recapture the promise of his football glory days. Now, looking for closure twenty years after the scandal broke, Anderson offers a cautionary tale for aspiring athletes and the parents and the coaches who guide them. He seeks retribution through contribution. He shares his own failures and the seamy underside of college football that revolves aroung illegal wages, criminal mischief, and using prostitutes to help recruit high school athletes. The intoxicating freedom that came with being a rising star on a Catholic university campus, a lack of oversight by the coaches and administators guiding the Boston College program and society's ever-present temptations, proved to be a pitfall that Jamall couldn't overcome.

When music teacher Andi Nelson suckers high school football coach Mike Kelly into making a bet he has no chance of winning, sparks fly! Ultimately, as Mike and Andi have to put their differences aside to save two students, they realize they have both won the best of all bets.