In Extra Lives, acclaimed writer and life-long video game enthusiast Tom Bissell takes the reader on an insightful and entertaining tour of the art and meaning of video games. In just a few decades, video games have grown increasingly complex and sophisticated, and the companies that produce them are now among the most profitable in the entertainment industry. Yet few outside this world have thought deeply about how these games work, why they are so appealing, and what they are capable of artistically. Blending memoir, criticism, and first-rate reportage, Extra Lives is a milestone work about what might be the dominant popular art form of our time.

'A labour of undiluted love and enthusiasm' Daily Telegraph As Daniel Hardcastle careers towards thirty, he looks back on what has really made him happy in life: the friends, the romances... the video games. Told through encounters with the most remarkable – and the most mind-boggling – games of the last thirty-odd years, Fuck Yeah, Video Games is also a love letter to the greatest hobby in the world. From God of War to Tomb Raider, Pokémon to The Sims, Daniel relives each game with countless in-jokes, obscure references and his signature wit, as well as intricate, original illustrations by Rebecca Maughan. Alongside this march of merriment are chapters dedicated to the hardware behind the games: a veritable history of Sony, Nintendo, Sega and Atari consoles. Joyous, absurd, personal and at times sweary, Daniel's memoir is a celebration of the sheer brilliance of video games.

“Offers a useful reminder of the role of modern science in fundamentally transforming all of our lives.” —President Barack Obama (on Twitter) “An important book.” —Steven Pinker, The New York Times Book Review The surprising and important story of how humans gained what amounts to an extra life, from the bestselling author of How We Got to Now and Where Good Ideas Come From In 1920, at the end of the last major pandemic, global life expectancy was just over forty years. Today, in many parts of the world, human beings can expect to live more than eighty years. As a species we have doubled our life expectancy in just one century. There are few measures of human progress more astonishing than this increased longevity. Extra Life is Steven Johnson’s attempt to understand where that progress came from, telling the epic story of one of humanity’s greatest achievements. How many of those extra years came from vaccines, or the decrease in famines, or seatbelts? What are the forces that now keep us alive longer? Behind each breakthrough lies an inspiring story of cooperative innovation, of brilliant thinkers bolstered by strong systems of public support and collaborative networks, and of dedicated activists fighting for meaningful reform. But for all its focus on positive change, this book is also a reminder that meaningful gaps in life expectancy still exist, and that new threats loom on the horizon, as the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear. How do we avoid decreases in life expectancy as our public health systems face unprecedented challenges? What current technologies or interventions that could reduce the impact of future crises are we somehow ignoring? A study in how meaningful change happens in society, Extra Life celebrates the enduring power of common goals and public resources, and the heroes of public health and medicine too often ignored in popular accounts of our history. This is the sweeping story of a revolution with immense public and personal consequences: the doubling of the human life span.

The games industry moves fast, with release schedules flying by in a blur and hardware constantly changing and updating. But outside the official world of licences and publishing deals, hundreds of games every year find a new home on consoles which have since been abandoned by their manufacturers. This is the hobbyist’s playground of homebrew gaming. The first book by freelance journalist and game developer Robin Wilde, Homebrew Game Development and The Extra Lives of Consoles is the first comprehensive history of the unlicensed and unofficial world of homebrew video games. It explores the methods, enthusiasm and motivations behind the developers who are defying technical limitations and turning nostalgia into brand new gaming experiences for retro consoles. Featuring exclusive interviews with developers behind homebrew hits and Kickstarter successes, as well as others working in the industry, the book dives into what makes the homebrew world tick, and explores some of the best, most innovative, and strangest titles gracing long-retired consoles. As well as providing unique insight into obscure titles, Homebrew Game Development and The Extra Lives of Consoles explores the ongoing developments in this cottage industry, which are opening it up to more and more aspiring developers. Homebrew is an exciting new frontier for game development, and this book opens the door both for readers who were already interested but didn’t know where to start, and gamers who never knew this world existed.

Everyone experiences drama and unexpected changes in their lives. Weve all exulted and endured. Weve had loves and losses. Weve tasted joys and sorrows and successes and setbacks. But each person reacts differently to these issues. In Our Emotional Footprint author Dr. Saul Levine examines humans reactions to relationships, life changes, and unexpected events. Levine introduces ten unique people who are passengers in a single rail car and details their fascinating life stories. He looks at how the passengers fared at different points in their lives, how they may have been courageous at times and fearful at others, or were both caring and callous at different times. Through the lens of the four Bsbeing, belonging, believing, and benevolenceOur Emotional Footprint examines their lives and our own, how theyve affected others in the course of their lives, and how they may have been resilient in the face of defeat and gracious in times of success. A celebration of so-called ordinary people, Our Emotional Footprint offers a collection of stories that provide a unique glimpse at lifes pathways and complexities and how we deal with our hopes and expectations. Praise for Our Emotional Footprint Irv Yalom, MD: a wonderful and original bookthe stories are wise and compassionate Dean Delis, PhD: a rare treasuredeep compassion and wisdom E. Fuller Torrey, MD: helps us analyze our own life tapestry and the emotional footprint which will be our heritagestrongly recommended

Sixteen-year-old Dani is convinced she has nine lives. As a child she twice walked away from situations where she should have died. But Dani's twin, Jena, isn't so lucky. She has cancer and might not even be able to keep her one life. Dani's father is in denial. Her mother is trying to hold it together and prove everything's normal. And Jena is wasting away. To cope, Dani sets out to rid herself of all her extra lives. Maybe they'll be released into the universe and someone who wants to live more than she does will get one. Someone like Jena. But just when Dani finds herself at the breaking point, she's faced with a startling realization. Maybe she doesn't have nine lives after all. Maybe she really only ever had one.

What if you could change your life--without changing your life? Gretchen had a good marriage, two healthy daughters, and work she loved--but one day, stuck on a city bus, she realized that time was flashing by, and she wasn’t thinking enough about the things that really mattered. “I should have a happiness project,” she decided. She spent the next year test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific studies, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Each month, she pursued a different set of resolutions: go to sleep earlier, quit nagging, forget about results, or take time to be silly. Bit by bit, she began to appreciate and amplify the happiness that already existed in her life. Written with humour and insight, Gretchen’s story will inspire you to start your own happiness project. Now in a beautiful, expanded edition, Gretchen offers a wealth of new material including happiness paradoxes and practical tips on many daily matters: being a more light-hearted parent, sticking to a fitness routine, getting your sweetheart to do chores without nagging, coping when you forget someone’s name and more.