Books with author J. A. Thompson

Why would a smart New York investment banker pay $12 million for the decaying, stuffed carcass of a shark? By what alchemy does Jackson Pollock’s drip painting No. 5, 1948 sell for $140 million? Intriguing and entertaining, The $12 Million Stuffed Shark is a Freakonomics approach to the economics and psychology of the contemporary art world. Why were record prices achieved at auction for works by 131 contemporary artists in 2006 alone, with astonishing new heights reached in 2007? Don Thompson explores the money, lust, and self-aggrandizement of the art world in an attempt to determine what makes a particular work valuable while others are ignored. This book is the first to look at the economics and the marketing strategies that enable the modern art market to generate such astronomical prices. Drawing on interviews with both past and present executives of auction houses and art dealerships, artists, and the buyers who move the market, Thompson launches the reader on a journey of discovery through the peculiar world of modern art. Surprising, passionate, gossipy, revelatory, The $12 Million Stuffed Shark reveals a great deal that even experienced auction purchasers do not know.

The old world of technology has fallen and a new world, filled with magic, has risen from the ashes. Humanity, decimated by massive dragon attacks, is now on the brink of extinction. Those who have survived have been Changed, altered by the gods to enable them to exist in a world thick with magical energy. But a handful have become more and the greatest of these is Simon O'Toole.Simon, once a heavy-set, middle-aged IT worker had been Changed into a slight young man brimming with power: a wizard. Trying to master his new magical skills and fighting to survive against the dragons that are hunting down the few remaining Changlings, the young wizard now faces the greatest threat of his new life. Brown dragons, led by an arrogant and incredibly powerful primal dragon, have invaded the land of the elves, one of humanity's only allies. On the New Earth, the red dragons are aggressively searching for the last of the Changlings. And now Simon has to choose: protect his own people from the ravages of the dragons on this world, or travel to the elven realm to try to save his allies. He is only one man, faced with a terrible choice, and if he makes the wrong decision, it could mean the extinction of the human race and the rise of the gods of Chaos.

The home world of the elves is known as Trillfarness. It was created millennia ago for the elvish race by the lords of Light as a safe haven when they were threatened by the ancient gods of Chaos. Hidden away from the mortal realms, the elves were safe from evil. They lived in harmony with nature, far from the conflicts that plagued the Earth. But now something has changed. Trillfarness has come closer to the plane of Earth than it has ever been and some elves fear that the old evil gods have found them once again. Darkness is stirring in remote corners of their planet and the peaceful elves are threatened. But their race hasn't known war for ages uncounted. Can they stand against the old gods who seek to wipe out their kind? Or will they fall and be lost in the dust of history?

Have you ever wanted to live a life that is free? Have you ever wondered what it would be like waking up in a new and exciting place every day? Many people reach a point in their lives where they yearn for freedom. A house which is stuck in the same place may no longer hold the excitement it once did, and they want to experience new adventures. But how do you change what is regarded as a ‘normal’ life for one that is packed with fun and new encounters? In this book, you will be provided with detailed information about how you can transform your life from one of daily routine into one that is bursting with new-found vitality, through chapters that include: The RV lifestyleFinding the RV that is right for youTransferring to an RV lifeHow to prepare for your new lifeFinancesEarning income on the roadAnd lots more… If you are new to RV living and want to make this a permanent arrangement, then this detailed guide is the perfect place to start. Crammed with great advice that is both sensible and useful, you will be able to seamlessly transition from the old to the new and love every single minute of it. Get a copy today and start living free!

Over 3 years ago, the old Earth began to die. Technology started to break down. Electricity failed. Machines stopped working. Planes, trains and cars became useless hunks of metal. And then the dragons came.On the Night of Burning, the world's great cities were reduced to slag and rubble by dragon fire. Civilization, as we knew it. ceased to be.But before the end came, the Changlings appeared. A few humans, children and adults alike, began to mutate into...something else. Ears became pointed, fingers fused or elongated. Their old languages were lost to them and they began to babble in unknown tongues. Perhaps one in a hundred thousand Changed. Simon O'Toole was one of them.Back then, he was a rather large, middle-aged man. Now he's a skinny, awkward teenager.Simon has lost everything; his family, his friends, the world that he once knew. But he has gained something as well. Through hints in dreams, he has learned to use magical runes that can summon elementals. He can cast fireballs and lightning. In short, Simon has become a wizard.Slowly, carefully, he is learning to use this new power. It might take years to master his magic. Years that Simon may not have.The dragons are still on the hunt. They search for the scattered survivors of their invasion and, when these mundane humans have been exterminated, the dragons will then track down and kill those few who became Changlings. And that means that Simon is rapidly running out of time.

Less than four years ago, Simon O'Toole was a middle-aged I.T. specialist. Now, after the fall of technology and the rise of magic, he has been Changed. He has become a young wizard, struggling to use his new-found powers and trying to survive in a world rich in magical energy and filled with reborn, legendary evil. The world itself has changed. Humans, the few that are left, are being hunted down and destroyed by dragons, the agents of darkness. Only when the last of humanity is destroyed can the ancient ones, the gods of Chaos, return and reclaim the New Earth.Simon, with the help of a handful of allies, managed to destroy a great evil and has now attracted the attention of the Chaotic gods themselves. Only by becoming a powerful wizard and making more allegiances can Simon hope to save the last few remnants of the human race. Time is short and the darkness is growing ever stronger.

• Reviews of more than 900 manga series• Ratings from 0 to 4 stars • Guidelines for age-appropriateness• Number of series volumes• Background info on series and artistsTHE ONE-STOP RESOURCE FOR CHOOSING BETWEEN THE BEST AND THE REST! Whether you’re new to the world of manga-style graphic novels or a longtime reader on the lookout for the next hot series, here’s a comprehensive guide to the wide, wonderful world of Japanese comics! • Incisive, full-length reviews of stories and artwork• Titles rated from zero to four stars–skip the clunkers, but don’t miss the hidden gems• Guidelines for age-appropriateness–from strictly mature to kid-friendly• Profiles of the biggest names in manga, including CLAMP, Osamu Tezuka, Rumiko Takahashi, and many others • The facts on the many kinds of manga–know your shôjo from your shônen• An overview of the manga industry and its history• A detailed bibliography and a glossary of manga termsLOOK NO FURTHER, YOU’VE FOUND YOUR IDEAL MANGA COMPANION!

Fourteen year old Justin McLeod has learned that he is a new Titan, born five thousand years after that mythic race disappeared. Forced to flee from his home by unknown adversaries, he escapes to Sanctuary, a huge, hidden base where other teens like himself have taken refuge. There he begins to learn about his race's past, why he and the other young Titans have appeared at this moment in history, and about his powers and how to use them.But other Titans have also come into the world; older, more powerful and bent on world domination. They see Justin and the new Titans as a threat to their plans. They attack Sanctuary but, thanks in part to Justin's powers, are driven back.Soon after the failed attack, Justin learns that a family friend is being held captive by government forces. So he and his new friend, Aaron, decide to leave Sanctuary on their own to try to save him. However, they are tricked by their enemies and trapped along with six other young Titans.Following a daring escape, the eight teens find themselves stranded on the lowest level of Sanctuary, faced with a daunting task; to travel through the countless levels of this huge complex in the hope that they can reach the top level and safety. Unless, of course, Sanctuary has already fallen.

"Remember the Titans." Three enigmatic words received in an anonymous email that will change fourteen year old Justin McLeod's life forever.Smaller and slighter than the other teens in grade nine, Justin is the perfect target for bullies. But their taunts and abuse don't bother him, because he has a secret. After an accident at the age of twelve left him unharmed, Justin realized that he had become almost totally immune to physical pain and damage.Now he wants to stand up for himself, prove that he isn't afraid. But his mother won't hear of it. She fears that if his unique gift is discovered, the government would take him away from her and use him for their own purposes. He thinks that she's just being paranoid.And then Justin receives that mysterious email. 'Remember the Titans'? What does it mean? He's intrigued enough to research these Titans online. Once that resource is exhausted, he heads for the local library. And there things take a turn for the worse.Justin is confronted by a menacing group of brown-suited men who follow him home. Terrified, he finds himself trapped in his apartment with his mother and the custodian, Mr. Wilson. And when the strangers begin battering down the front door, Wilson offers Justin his one chance to escape to safety...using his own bathtub.

Earning his criminal justice degree is what Philip thinks he's going to college for.Little does the man know, the advice he's about to give a roommate will change his own life forever.Even though Philip's heart is in the right place, his counsel has the ability to destroy lives. And it does.But how marvelous it is when God takes a trial and turns it into a blessing!* * * *Philip's Plunge is a short prequel to the Worthy Battle Series, which explores how Mr. Bones got involved in working with troubled teens. If you're already hooked on the Worthy Battle Series, you'll love this back-story. If you are about to begin the series, be sure to check this book out first. It'll give you a stronger appreciation for the tough-love probation officer.

Chris Wright ran away to live on the streets when his parents were killed only a few days apart. He had no family and didn't want to be left in the care of strangers. Three years later and now almost fourteen, Chris has discovered that he has the power to heal...and the power to harm.A gang of thugs who call themselves 'Talon' want to use Chris and his powers, but he refuses to be used, by anyone. Unfortunately, the gang won't take no for an answer and has tried to force him to join them. He escaped, barely, but now he realizes that he has to either run and hide or leave town to get away from them. And that's when he meets a man named Judge Hawkes who offers him protection...for a price.In return for a safe haven, the judge wants Chris to use his powers to fight the forces of evil. Chris is skeptical to say the least. But according to Judge Hawkes, the end of days is coming and Chris, and those like him, may be humanity's only hope of survival.So now Chris had to make a choice. Run from Talon and spend his life looking over his shoulder, waiting for them to strike, or join the judge and his crazy plan to stop the Apocalypse. Time is short and he has to choose now.

This complete omnibus collects every story from the Eisner Award-winning Scary Godmother series of kid's books and comics in one place for the first time.Enjoy this definitive collection of the hit series that has been adapted into two animated specials and a stage show, full of strange happenings, kind monsters, and Halloween adventures sure to delight and spook young and old alike!Includes the fully painted kid's books Scary Godmother, The Revenge of Jimmy, The Mystery Date, and The Boo Flu, as well as every comic-book story in the Scary Godmother canon and a sketchbook section featuring early concept art.