For decades, video game developers had to fake the behavior of light. They painted shadows directly onto walls and used clever mathematical shortcuts to pretend a flashlight was illuminating a dark room. Then, modern graphics cards finally became powerful enough to execute the holy grail of digital physics: Real-Time Raytracing. Instead of faking the image, raytracing forces the game engine to mathematically simulate millions of individual, invisible light photons. The processor tracks eve...

Marie-Jose Losier or MJ was born in Canada and has been involved in competitive sports since her early years. As a teenager, she ran track against the boys to improve her times (and theirs) and spent her summers on the golf course winning many regional golf tournaments.Marie-Jose's passion for an active and healthy lifestyle led her to a degree in Nutrition at Moncton University in Canada. She then earned a Certificate in Education to enable her to share her knowledge with teenager...

Eleven stories of war by the author of The Red Badge of Courage. Stephen Crane was an American author. He is recognized by modern critics as one of the most innovative writers of his generation. Crane's writing is characterized by vivid intensity, distinctive dialects, and irony. Common themes involve fear, spiritual crises and social isolation. His writing made a deep impression on 20th-century writers, most prominent among them Ernest Hemingway, and is thought to have inspired the Modern...

Have you ever thought about your loved ones who havepassed, dreamt about them or experienced them in waysthat you questioned, "did I just experience that or was it myimagination?" It is my hope that upon reading my story, youwill understand that it is possible to experience your lovedones even after they have passed. It was not a figment of yourimagination, but in fact a supernatural occurrence we are sooften afraid to speak about. I ...

Harper's Young People, an illustrated weekly publication for children, includes serialized and one-off short stories, tales from history, poetry, puzzles, and other fun. This 18th issue of the serial, published on March 2, 1880, tells the tales of a dangerous African hunt, an evil bishop who meets his match, delightfully thwarted suburban hijinks, the weird, wild, and wonderful animals of Tasmania, and more. This periodical was published by Harper & Brothers, known today for their other pu...

The most complete set of the epic Norse eddas, or poems. It contains in beautiful verse the pagan beliefs of the Old Norse. Luckily in this work both the Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson are presented, and you may find a version of the Nibelunglied that you aren't as familiar with. Numerous authors including Tolkien and Martin have acknowledge their debt to and appreciation for these traditional works.

Since the turn of the twenty-first century, the field of positive psychology has sought to implement a science of human flourishing so that we may lead happier, more fulfilling lives. It has found expression not only in academic papers but also popular books and, increasingly, in government policy. The Routledge International Handbook of Critical Positive Psychology is the first volume dedicated to a critical appraisal of this influential but controversial field of study.T...

Be afraid, be very afraid of Terrifying Tales, the sixth volume in the Guys Read Library of Great Reading.Eleven masters of suspense—Kelly Barnhill, Michael Buckley, Adam Gidwitz, Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown, Claire Legrand, Nikki Loftin, Daniel José Older, Dav Pilkey, R.L. Stine, and Rita Williams-Garcia—have come together to bring you a bone-chilling collection of original ghost stories with illustrations by Gris Grimly, perfect for sharing around the campfire, reading under the...

In the autumn of 1913 John Reed was sent to Mexico by the Metropolitan Magazine to report the Mexican Revolution. He shared the perils of Pancho Villa's army for four months, present with Villa's Constitutional Army when it defeated Federal forces at Torreón, opening the way for its advance on Mexico City. Reed's time with the Villistas resulted in a series of outstanding magazine articles that brought Jack a national reputation as a war correspondent. Reed deeply sympathized with the plig...

Dive into forgotten tales of the fantastical with "The Black Cat Vol. 02 No. 07 April 1897." This audiobook collection, unearthed from the archives of 1897, features five thrilling short stories by both new and established voices. Francis Aymar Mathews weaves a tale of a sculptor's desperate plan for love gone awry under a "Copper Moon." In "The Captain's Gray," a warhorse and its deceased master join forces in a spectral battle charge. Meanwhile, a sheriff's deputy grapples with the unexp...

Funny Business, the first volume in Jon Scieszka's Guys Read Library of Great Reading, features ten short stories guaranteed to delight, amuse, and possibly make you spit your milk in your friend's face.There's something for everyone in this collection of short stories from some of the funniest writers around. This hilarious, offbeat first installment in the Guys Read Library is 100% grade-A humor, guaranteed to have kids of all ages asking for more.Authors include Mac Barn...

Heroes and Villains, the seventh volume in Jon Scieszka’s Guys Read Library of Great Reading, is chock-full of adventure featuring an array of characters—with and without capes.Featuring ten all-new, original stories that run the gamut from fantasy to comics to contemporary adventure to nonfiction, and featuring eleven of the most acclaimed, exciting writers for kids working today, this collection is the perfect book for you, whether you use your powers for good—or evil.Aut...