Books with author Martin Stephen

The riveting, mega-bestselling, beloved and highly acclaimed memoir of a man, a vocation, and an era named one of the ten best nonfiction titles of the year by Time and Entertainment Weekly.In the mid-seventies, Steve Martin exploded onto the comedy scene. By 1978 he was the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up. In 1981 he quit forever. This book is, in his own words, the story of “why I did stand-up and why I walked away.” Emmy and Grammy Award–winner, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestsellers Shopgirl and The Pleasure of My Company, and a regular contributor to The New Yorker, Martin has always been a writer. His memoir of his years in stand-up is candid, spectacularly amusing, and beautifully written. At age ten Martin started his career at Disneyland, selling guidebooks in the newly opened theme park. In the decade that followed, he worked in the Disney magic shop and the Bird Cage Theatre at Knott’s Berry Farm, performing his first magic/comedy act a dozen times a week. The story of these years, during which he practiced and honed his craft, is moving and revelatory. The dedication to excellence and innovation is formed at an astonishingly early age and never wavers or wanes. Martin illuminates the sacrifice, discipline, and originality that made him an icon and informs his work to this day. To be this good, to perform so frequently, was isolating and lonely. It took Martin decades to reconnect with his parents and sister, and he tells that story with great tenderness. Martin also paints a portrait of his times—the era of free love and protests against the war in Vietnam, the heady irreverence of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the late sixties, and the transformative new voice of Saturday Night Live in the seventies. Throughout the text, Martin has placed photographs, many never seen before. Born Standing Up is a superb testament to the sheer tenacity, focus, and daring of one of the greatest and most iconoclastic comedians of all time.

The most dynamic, hands-on introduction to physical geology. Marshak gives students the tools they need for an enriching hands-on geology experience, in and out of class. The Sixth Edition includes an expanded suite of interactive simulations, Narrative Art videos, Real-World videos, and animations built on the vibrant art from the text. New Smartwork5 online activities provide visual and interactive questions with answer-specific feedback. And the Geotours Google Earth™ exercises get students applying what they’ve learned to real-life site explorations. These easy-to-use tools combine with Marshak’s signature narrative approach to the text and art program to give students the most effective means for visualizing, interacting with, and mastering geology concepts.

To the Special Forces, it’s a mission; to him, it’s the dilemma from hell.Lieutenant Tom Hilton did the most wonderful and stupid thing he could ever do with his life. At the height of the Cold War, he fell for the enemy: Irina, a Soviet naval officer. The streets of Moscow are a world of subterfuge, but they must keep their secret from the KGB.When war erupts in the South Atlantic, Tom is forced to abandon Irina. With the Soviets on his tail, he leads his dive team into the most dangerous place on Earth: a shipwreck with live nuclear weapons. The task is illegal and deniable, but failure is not an option; millions of lives are at stake.With the British submarine HMS Sultan and the Soviet submarine Arkhangelsk facing each other down like gunfighters, Tom’s confronted with a harsh realisation: Irina’s on the other side, playing for the opposition. How can he choose? Will saving Irina lead to the failure of his mission? Can he lead his team to success against the odds?If you like the sound of ‘Jason Bourne meets The Hunt for Red October’, join Tom now in the most dangerous place on Earth.What Amazon readers are saying about the book:★★★★★ ‘Awesome book. It was hard to put down.’★★★★ ‘A very interesting story of two people who display the fact that they are just human, imperfect, quite loyal to their career and eventually to each other… There was certainly no shortage of intense events throughout the book, especially toward the end.’★★★★★ ‘Too hot to handle. Amazing book including a look at both sides of the superpowers as well as Great Britain all heading into a showdown to include nucs. Then comes an amazing ending. The main characters are a British marine officer and a Russian female officer who become involved with each other. Definitely need to read Book 2.’★★★★★ ‘This spy thriller was probably the most enjoyable read I’ve had for quite a while… I learned about diving, the living conditions in submarines and the quiet war in intelligence services. Informative indeed. I am also a sap probably for a good romantic interest in an altogether excellent spy story… I am convinced Stephen Makk is an author of note in the making and is to be followed with keen interest. The comfortable narrative and building of suspense are just too good for this not to be true.’★★★★★ ‘Great storyline. Excellent book. As a former Brit veteran who served during the Cold War specializing in Comms, Diving, Int and Humint I was hooked… Kudos, Stephen. You now have a fan not just for Tom and Irina but all the rest of your books.’★★★★★ ‘Really enjoyed the story. Great plot. Great characters.’★★★★★ ‘It has all the elements! An informational and interesting read. Good insight into a couple of superpowers. The ending had me guessing.’★★★★ ‘I really enjoyed reading this story. A good mix of adventure, suspense, romance… Keep up the good work, Stephen.’★★★★★ ‘This was a lot of fun. Great storyline with engaging characters.’★★★★★ ‘Five stars. It is a very good read. Fast moving with a very good end. I loved it.’★★★★★ ‘Absolutely loved it! Love the characters, loved the story! Very believable. Would recommend to anyone, READ THIS BOOK, you’ll love it! I did.’

It all came down to fate. At stake: $4,000 billion of the world’s trade and 20% of the population. The Taiwanese Tiger and the Chinese Dragon are squaring up at last.The island of Taiwan, long coveted by the Chinese, is separated from China by 100 miles of the Straits of Taiwan. For years there have been tensions between the two countries, with China wanting unification but many in Taiwan preferring independence. The conflict has reached boiling point and the USA has sworn to defend the island. Now billions of lives are threatened in a nuclear exchange between America and its trade partner and foe across the Pacific, China.It all came down to two people: Commander Nathan Blake and May Hsin. He’s commander of the submarine USS Stonewall Jackson; she’s an officer with the National Security Bureau, Taiwan’s intelligence agency. They must both wrestle with their own demons to prevail. For Nathan, it’s his conflicting rules of engagement, whereas May is undercover in the enemy’s lair but finding warmth in the snake’s coils.You’ve been called up. You will serve on board the USS Stonewall Jackson and go along with May Hsin into the backstreets of Shanghai. It’s down to you now. Fate is cruel; get used to it.

North Korea has perfected a ballistic nuclear submarine, positioned far from the Californian coast but capable of raining down terror on Seattle, San Francisco, LA and San Diego. Enough is enough. It’s time to take out this threat and take apart North Korea’s People’s Navy one boat at a time.They say cometh the hour, cometh the man. Cometh the foe, cometh the submarine.In exercises against allied diesel-electric boats, the United States Navy watched and learned. Its answer? The most powerful and silent diesel-electric boat ever to patrol the deeps: the USS Stonewall Jackson.It would require a cunning warrior of the seas to command such a boat. The USN has chosen its best young submariner: Commander Nathan Blake. He’ll need to employ stealth and guile to seek out the foe.The USS Stonewall Jackson is on her way; she’s mean and mad as hell. But will Nathan find that the Korean People’s Navy has a trick up its sleeve? Follow Nathan and the USS Stonewall Jackson into hell and damnation.What Amazon readers are saying about the book:★★★★★ ‘If you love sub stories, you’ll love this one!’★★★★★ ‘Great book. Enjoyed every page. Have read book 2 and am now reading book 3.’★★★★★ ‘Good reading! Fiction on the verge of reality. I have always enjoyed a good submarine story... This one will capture your attention. Hard to put the story aside once you begin.’★★★★★ ‘You wanted to know what was coming next and how they were going to get of trouble when they got in a jam.’★★★★★ ‘Essential reading. To date I have read 7 of the author’s books.’★★★★★ ‘Five stars. A gripping read.’★★★★★ ‘Fast moving; hard to put down; close to accurate as a submarine story can be.’★★★★★ ‘Excellent writing. Submarine warfare at its best. Succinct and current. Looking forward to the next book.’★★★★★ ‘Submariners will find their new home aboard the USS Stonewall Jackson.’

“Extraordinary...beautifully precise...[an] earnestly ambitious debut.” —The New York Times Book Review “A wild, angry, and devastating masterpiece of a book.” —NPR “[A] descendent of the Dickensian ‘social novel’ by way of Jonathan Franzen: epic fiction that lays bare contemporary culture clashes, showing us who we are and how we got here.” —O, The Oprah Magazine “A book that has stayed with me ever since I put it down.” —Seth Meyers, host of Late Night with Seth MeyersOne sweltering night in 2013, four former high school classmates converge on their hometown in northeastern Ohio. There’s Bill Ashcraft, a passionate, drug-abusing young activist whose flailing ambitions have taken him from Cambodia to Zuccotti Park to post-BP New Orleans, and now back home with a mysterious package strapped to the undercarriage of his truck; Stacey Moore, a doctoral candidate reluctantly confronting her family and the mother of her best friend and first love, whose disappearance spurs the mystery at the heart of the novel; Dan Eaton, a shy veteran of three tours in Iraq, home for a dinner date with the high school sweetheart he’s tried desperately to forget; and the beautiful, fragile Tina Ross, whose rendezvous with the washed-up captain of the football team triggers the novel’s shocking climax. Set over the course of a single evening, Ohio toggles between the perspectives of these unforgettable characters as they unearth dark secrets, revisit old regrets and uncover—and compound—bitter betrayals. Before the evening is through, these narratives converge masterfully to reveal a mystery so dark and shocking it will take your breath away.

“Extraordinary...beautifully precise...[an] earnestly ambitious debut.” —The New York Times Book Review “A wild, angry, and devastating masterpiece of a book.” —NPR “[A] descendent of the Dickensian ‘social novel’ by way of Jonathan Franzen: epic fiction that lays bare contemporary culture clashes, showing us who we are and how we got here.” —O, The Oprah Magazine “A book that has stayed with me ever since I put it down.” —Seth Meyers, host of Late Night with Seth MeyersOne sweltering night in 2013, four former high school classmates converge on their hometown in northeastern Ohio. There’s Bill Ashcraft, a passionate, drug-abusing young activist whose flailing ambitions have taken him from Cambodia to Zuccotti Park to post-BP New Orleans, and now back home with a mysterious package strapped to the undercarriage of his truck; Stacey Moore, a doctoral candidate reluctantly confronting her family and the mother of her best friend and first love, whose disappearance spurs the mystery at the heart of the novel; Dan Eaton, a shy veteran of three tours in Iraq, home for a dinner date with the high school sweetheart he’s tried desperately to forget; and the beautiful, fragile Tina Ross, whose rendezvous with the washed-up captain of the football team triggers the novel’s shocking climax. Set over the course of a single evening, Ohio toggles between the perspectives of these unforgettable characters as they unearth dark secrets, revisit old regrets and uncover—and compound—bitter betrayals. Before the evening is through, these narratives converge masterfully to reveal a mystery so dark and shocking it will take your breath away.

The United States Navy has designed the most powerful and silent diesel-electric submarine to ever patrol the deeps: the USS Stonewall Jackson. It would require a cunning warrior of the seas to command such a boat, and the USN has chosen its best young submariner: Commander Nathan Blake. He’ll need to employ stealth and guile to seek out the foe.This digital boxset is an omnibus edition containing the first, second and third thrillers of the USS Stonewall Jackson series, plus bonus book HMS Holy Ghost.USS Stonewall Jackson: North Korea has perfected a ballistic nuclear submarine capable of lying way off the Californian coast and raining down nuclear terror on the USA. Enough is enough. USS Stonewall Jackson is given the task of tracking down the enemy. But will Nathan find that the Korean People’s Navy has a trick up its sleeve?The Spratly Incident: The South China Sea’s islands and reefs are in dispute, sitting over vast oil and gas wealth. The People’s Republic of China is taking possession of these and turning them into sea fortresses. It’s time for the USS Stonewall Jackson to intervene. Follow Nathan and his crew as they take on the might of the People’s Liberation Army Navy.The Black Sea Horde: The Russian Black Sea Fleet is intent on flooding into the Mediterranean to face the US Sixth Fleet. USS New York City is the tripwire and first line of defense. For her Weapons Officer, young Lieutenant Commander Nathan Blake, it’s the patrol from hell. Stand with Nathan onboard the USS New York City as he faces the Black Sea Horde.HMS Holy Ghost: Captain Luke MacArthur has his orders: hunt down two of the quietest submarines in the world. They were the deadly weapon of the Soviet Union in the Cold War: the Kilo Class, known as the Black Hole for a good reason. Iran intends to use these submarines to choke off the Gulf oil supply. Join the crew of HMS Holy Ghost and help Luke to hunt down the Black Hole.What Amazon readers are saying about the series:★★★★★ ‘If you love sub stories, you’ll love this one!’★★★★★ ‘Great book. Enjoyed every page. Have read book 2 and am now reading book 3.’★★★★★ ‘Good reading! Fiction on the verge of reality. I have always enjoyed a good submarine story... This one will capture your attention. Hard to put the story aside once you begin.’★★★★★ ‘You wanted to know what was coming next and how they were going to get of trouble when they got in a jam.’★★★★★ ‘Essential reading. To date I have read 7 of the author’s books.’★★★★★ ‘Five stars. A gripping read.’★★★★★ ‘Fast moving; hard to put down; close to accurate as a submarine story can be.’★★★★★ ‘Excellent writing. Submarine warfare at its best. Succinct and current. Looking forward to the next book.’★★★★★ ‘Submariners will find their new home aboard the USS Stonewall Jackson.’

The riveting, mega-bestselling, beloved and highly acclaimed memoir of a man, a vocation, and an era named one of the ten best nonfiction titles of the year by Time and Entertainment Weekly.In the mid-seventies, Steve Martin exploded onto the comedy scene. By 1978 he was the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up. In 1981 he quit forever. This book is, in his own words, the story of “why I did stand-up and why I walked away.” Emmy and Grammy Award–winner, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestsellers Shopgirl and The Pleasure of My Company, and a regular contributor to The New Yorker, Martin has always been a writer. His memoir of his years in stand-up is candid, spectacularly amusing, and beautifully written. At age ten Martin started his career at Disneyland, selling guidebooks in the newly opened theme park. In the decade that followed, he worked in the Disney magic shop and the Bird Cage Theatre at Knott’s Berry Farm, performing his first magic/comedy act a dozen times a week. The story of these years, during which he practiced and honed his craft, is moving and revelatory. The dedication to excellence and innovation is formed at an astonishingly early age and never wavers or wanes. Martin illuminates the sacrifice, discipline, and originality that made him an icon and informs his work to this day. To be this good, to perform so frequently, was isolating and lonely. It took Martin decades to reconnect with his parents and sister, and he tells that story with great tenderness. Martin also paints a portrait of his times—the era of free love and protests against the war in Vietnam, the heady irreverence of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in the late sixties, and the transformative new voice of Saturday Night Live in the seventies. Throughout the text, Martin has placed photographs, many never seen before. Born Standing Up is a superb testament to the sheer tenacity, focus, and daring of one of the greatest and most iconoclastic comedians of all time.

Being a doctor is one of the most important jobs in the world. But what do you need to do to become one And what skills does every doctor need to know Welcome to Doctor Academy! Perfect for trainee doctors everywhere, this activity book is packed full of drawing and writing tasks, as well as practical games and experiments. As you complete each activity in the book, you’ll get a better understanding of the skills needed to become a GP and a surgeon. You’ll also get to grips with some fascinating scientific information on how the human body works, what makes us sick, and how we can look after our health. The activities in the book include: Completing a check-upUnderstanding how to talk to your patientsWrapping a bandageDiagnosing illnessesPractising keeping a steady handLearning how to read X-rays And so much more! Included is a bumper pack of extras ­­– apress-out model of a skeleton to build, a poster of key medical discoveries, a boardgame to play with friends and stickers – that take the fun beyond the book. So what are you waiting for Are you ready for the challenge