The Gun

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The Gun


At a secret arms-design contest in Stalin’s Soviet Union, army technicians submitted a stubby rifle with a curved magazine. Dubbed the AK-47, it was selected as the Eastern Bloc’s standard arm. Scoffed at in the Pentagon as crude and unimpressive, it was in fact a breakthrough—a compact automatic that could be mastered by almost anyone, last decades in the field, and would rarely jam. Manufactured by tens of millions in planned economies, it became first an instrument of repression and then the most lethal weapon of the Cold War. Soon it was in the hands of terrorists.In a searing examination of modern conflict and official folly, C. J. Chivers mixes meticulous historical research, investigative reporting, and battlefield reportage to illuminate the origins of the world’s most abundant firearm and the consequences of its spread. The result, a tour de force of history and storytelling, sweeps through the miniaturization and distribution of automatic firepower, and puts an iconic object in fuller context than ever before. The Gun dismantles myths as it moves from the naïve optimism of the Industrial Revolution through the treacherous milieu of the Soviet Union to the inside records of the Taliban. Chivers tells of the 19th-century inventor in Indianapolis who designs a Civil War killing machine, insisting that more-efficient slaughter will save lives. A German attaché who observes British machine guns killing Islamic warriors along the Nile advises his government to amass the weapons that would later flatten British ranks in World War I. In communist Hungary, a locksmith acquires an AK-47 to help wrest his country from the Kremlin’s yoke, beginning a journey to the gallows. The Pentagon suppresses the results of firing tests on severed human heads that might have prevented faulty rifles from being rushed to G.I.s in Vietnam. In Africa, a millennial madman arms abducted children and turns them on their neighbors, setting his country ablaze. Neither pro-gun nor anti-gun, The Gun builds to a terrifying sequence, in which a young man who confronts a trio of assassins is shattered by 23 bullets at close range. The man survives to ask questions that Chivers examines with rigor and flair.

Throughout, The Gun animates unforgettable characters—inventors, salesmen, heroes, megalomaniacs, racists, dictators, gunrunners, terrorists, child soldiers, government careerists, and fools. Drawing from years of research, interviews, and from declassified records revealed for the first time, he presents a richly human account of an evolution in the very experience of war.

Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet

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Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet

One of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of the Year

For more than four hundred years, the art of ballet has stood at the center of Western civilization. Its traditions serve as a record of our past. A ballerina dancing The Sleeping Beauty today is a link in a long chain of dancers stretching back to sixteenth-century Italy and France: Her graceful movements recall a lost world of courts, kings, and aristocracy, but her steps and gestures are also marked by the dramatic changes in dance and culture that followed. Ballet has been shaped by the Renaissance and Classicism, the Enlightenment and Romanticism, Bolshevism, Modernism, and the Cold War. Apollo’s Angels is a groundbreaking work—the first cultural history of ballet ever written, lavishly illustrated and beautifully told.

Ballet is unique: It has no written texts or standardized notation. It is a storytelling art passed on from teacher to student. The steps are never just the steps—they are a living, breathing document of a culture and a tradition. And while ballet’s language is shared by dancers everywhere, its artists have developed distinct national styles. French, Italian, Danish, Russian, English, and American traditions each have their own expression, often formed in response to political and societal upheavals.

From ballet’s origins in the Renaissance and the codification of its basic steps and positions under France’s Louis XIV (himself an avid dancer), the art form wound its way through the courts of Europe, from Paris and Milan to Vienna and St. Petersburg. It was in Russia that dance developed into the form most familiar to American audiences: The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker originated at the Imperial court. In the twentieth century, émigré dancers taught their art to a generation in the United States and in Western Europe, setting off a new and radical transformation of dance.

Jennifer Homans is a historian and critic who was also a professional dancer: She brings to Apollo’s Angels a knowledge of dance born of dedicated practice. She traces the evolution of technique, choreography, and performance in clean, clear prose, drawing readers into the intricacies of the art with vivid descriptions of dances and the artists who made them. Her admiration and love for the ballet shines through on every page. Apollo’s Angels is an authoritative work, written with a grace and elegance befitting its subject.

A Visit from the Goon Squad

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A Visit from the Goon Squad


Jennifer Egan’s spellbinding interlocking narratives circle the lives of Bennie Salazar, an aging former punk rocker and record executive, and Sasha, the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Although Bennie and Sasha never discover each other’s pasts, the reader does, in intimate detail, along with the secret lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs, over many years, in locales as varied as New York, San Francisco, Naples, and Africa.

We first meet Sasha in her mid-thirties, on her therapist’s couch in New York City, confronting her long-standing compulsion to steal. Later, we learn the genesis of her turmoil when we see her as the child of a violent marriage, then as a runaway living in Naples, then as a college student trying to avert the suicidal impulses of her best friend. We plunge into the hidden yearnings and disappointments of her uncle, an art historian stuck in a dead marriage, who travels to Naples to extract Sasha from the city’s demimonde and experiences an epiphany of his own while staring at a sculpture of Orpheus and Eurydice in the Museo Nazionale. We meet Bennie Salazar at the melancholy nadir of his adult life—divorced, struggling to connect with his nine-year-old son, listening to a washed-up band in the basement of a suburban house—and then revisit him in 1979, at the height of his youth, shy and tender, reveling in San Francisco’s punk scene as he discovers his ardor for rock and roll and his gift for spotting talent. We learn what became of his high school gang—who thrived and who faltered—and we encounter Lou Kline, Bennie’s catastrophically careless mentor, along with the lovers and children left behind in the wake of Lou’s far-flung sexual conquests and meteoric rise and fall.

A Visit from the Goon Squad is a book about the interplay of time and music, about survival, about the stirrings and transformations set inexorably in motion by even the most passing conjunction of our fates. In a breathtaking array of styles and tones ranging from tragedy to satire to PowerPoint, Egan captures the undertow of self-destruction that we all must either master or succumb to; the basic human hunger for redemption; and the universal tendency to reach for both—and escape the merciless progress of time—in the transporting realms of art and music. Sly, startling, exhilarating work from one of our boldest writers.

The New Yorker Stories

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The New Yorker Stories


When Ann Beattie began publishing short stories in The New Yorker in the mid-seventies, she emerged with a voice so original, and so uncannily precise and prescient in its assessment of her characters’ drift and narcissism, that she was instantly celebrated as a voice of her generation. Her name became an adjective: Beattiesque. Subtle, wry, and unnerving, she is a master observer of the unraveling of the American family, and also of the myriad small occurrences and affinities that unite us. Her characters, over nearly four decades, have moved from lives of fickle desire to the burdens and inhibitions of adulthood and on to failed aspirations, sloppy divorces, and sometimes enlightenment, even grace.

Each Beattie story, says Margaret Atwood, is "like a fresh bulletin from the front: we snatch it up, eager to know what’s happening out there on the edge of that shifting and dubious no-man’s-land known as interpersonal relations." With an unparalleled gift for dialogue and laser wit, she delivers flash reports on the cultural landscape of her time. Ann Beattie: The New Yorker Stories is the perfect initiation for readers new to this iconic American writer and a glorious return for those who have known and loved her work for decades.

True Grit

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True Grit
  

Charles Portis has long been acclaimed as one of America's foremost comic writers. True Grit is his most famous novel--first published in 1968, and the basis for the movie of the same name starring John Wayne. It tells the story of Mattie Ross, who is just fourteen years of age when a coward going by the name of Tom Chaney shoots her father down in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and robs him of his life, his horse, and $150 in cash money. Mattie leaves home to avenge her father's blood. With the one-eyed Rooster Cogburn, the meanest available U.S. Marshal, by her side, Mattie pursues the homicide into Indian Territory.

True Grit is eccentric, cool, straight, and unflinching, like Mattie herself. From a writer of true cult status, this is an American classic through and through. This new edition, with a smart new package and an afterword by acclaimed author Donna Tartt, will bring this masterpiece to an even broader audience.

Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge's View

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Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge's View


The Supreme Court is one of the most extraordinary institutions in our system of government. Charged with the responsibility of interpreting the Constitution, the nine unelected justices of the Court have the awesome power to strike down laws enacted by our elected representatives. Why does the public accept the Court’s decisions as legitimate and follow them, even when those decisions are highly unpopular? What must the Court do to maintain the public’s faith? How can the Court help make our democracy work? These are the questions that Justice Stephen Breyer tackles in this groundbreaking book.

Today we assume that when the Court rules, the public will obey. But Breyer declares that we cannot take the public’s confidence in the Court for granted. He reminds us that at various moments in our history, the Court’s decisions were disobeyed or ignored. And through investigations of past cases, concerning the Cherokee Indians, slavery, and Brown v. Board of Education, he brilliantly captures the steps—and the missteps—the Court took on the road to establishing its legitimacy as the guardian of the Constitution.

Justice Breyer discusses what the Court must do going forward to maintain that public confidence and argues for interpreting the Constitution in a way that works in practice. He forcefully rejects competing approaches that look exclusively to the Constitution’s text or to the eighteenth-century views of the framers. Instead, he advocates a pragmatic approach that applies unchanging constitutional values to ever-changing circumstances—an approach that will best demonstrate to the public that the Constitution continues to serve us well. The Court, he believes, must also respect the roles that other actors—such as the president, Congress, administrative agencies, and the states—play in our democracy, and he emphasizes the Court’s obligation to build cooperative relationships with them.

Finally, Justice Breyer examines the Court’s recent decisions concerning the detainees held at Guantánamo Bay, contrasting these decisions with rulings concerning the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. He uses these cases to show how the Court can promote workable government by respecting the roles of other constitutional actors without compromising constitutional principles.

Making Our Democracy Work is a tour de force of history and philosophy, offering an original approach to interpreting the Constitution that judges, lawyers, and scholars will look to for many years to come. And it further establishes Justice Breyer as one of the Court’s greatest intellectuals and a leading legal voice of our time.

The Sounds of Star Wars

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The Sounds of Star Wars


Any Star Wars fan can mimic Darth Vader's voice or Chewbacca's roar with ease. But how many of them would be able to identify the lion's roar used in the sound of the Millenium Falcon's engine? In this aurally astonishing and visually engaging book, New York Times best-selling author J. W. Rinzler reveals the illuminating history of the sounds that make the Star Wars universe so believable, as recounted by their creator, legendary sound designer Ben Burtt. An attached sound module with an exterior speaker and headphone jack lets readers listen to more than 250 unique sound effects, and more than 300 photographs illustrate the epic's many memorable scenes. From the first films to the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, The Sounds of Star Wars is Star Wars as you've never heard it before.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)


The war against Voldemort is not going well; even the Muggles have been affected. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses. And yet . . . As with all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Harry receives some extraordinary help in Potions from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. And with Dumbledore's guidance, he seeks out the full, complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort -- and thus finds what may be his only vulnerability.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

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Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity


In today's world, yesterday's methods just don't work. In Getting Things Done, veteran coach and management consultant David Allen shares the breakthrough methods for stress-free performance that he has introduced to tens of thousands of people across the country. Allen's premise is simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential. In Getting Things Done Allen shows how to:

€ Apply the "do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it" rule to get your in-box to empty
€ Reassess goals and stay focused in changing situations
€ Plan projects as well as get them unstuck
€ Overcome feelings of confusion, anxiety, and being overwhelmed
€ Feel fine about what you're not doing

From core principles to proven tricks, Getting Things Done can transform the way you work, showing you how to pick up the pace without wearing yourself down.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking (2 Volume Set)

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Mastering the Art of French Cooking (2 Volume Set)

The perfect gift for any follower of Julia Child—and any lover of French food. This boxed set brings together Mastering the Art of French Cooking, first published in 1961, and its sequel, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume Two, published in 1970.

Volume One is the classic cookbook, in its entirety—524 recipes.
“Anyone can cook in the French manner anywhere,” wrote Mesdames Beck, Bertholle, and Child, “with the right instruction.” And here is the book that, for nearly fifty years, has been teaching Americans how.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking is for both seasoned cooks and beginners who love good food and long to reproduce at home the savory delights of the classic cuisine, from the historic Gallic masterpieces to the seemingly artless perfection of a dish of spring-green peas. The techniques learned in this beautiful book, with more than one hundred instructive illustrations, can be applied to recipes in all other French cookbooks, making them infinitely usable. In compiling the secrets of famous Cordon Bleu chefs, the authors produced a magnificent volume that continues to have a place of honor in American kitchens.

Volume Two is the sequel to the great cooking classic—with 257 additional recipes.
Following the publication of the celebrated Volume One, Julia Child and Simone Beck continued to search out and sample new recipes among the classic dishes and regional specialties of France—cooking, conferring, tasting, revising, perfecting. Out of their discoveries they made, for Volume Two, a brilliant selection of precisely those recipes that not only add to the repertory but, above all, bring the reader to a new level of mastery of the art of French cooking.

Each of these recipes is worked out step-by-step, with the clarity and precision that are the essence of the first volume. Five times as many drawings as in Volume One make the clear instructions even more so.

Perhaps the most remarkable achievement of this volume is that it will make Americans actually more expert than their French contemporaries in two supreme areas of cookery: baking and charcuterie. In France one can turn to the local bakery for fresh and expertly baked bread, or to neighborhood charcuterie for pâtés and terrines and sausages. Here, most of us have no choice but to create them for ourselves.
Bon appétit!

What to Expect When You're Expecting: 4th Edition

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What to Expect When You're Expecting: 4th Edition

Announcing a brand new, cover-to-cover revision of America's pregnancy bible. What to Expect When You're Expecting is a perennial New York Times bestseller and one of USA Today's 25 most influential books of the past 25 years. It's read by more than 90% of pregnant women who read a pregnancy book—the most iconic, must-have book for parents-to-be, with over 14.5 million copies in print.

Now comes the Fourth Edition, a new book for a new generation of expectant moms—featuring a new look, a fresh perspective, and a friendlier-than-ever voice. It's filled with the most up-to-date information reflecting not only what's new in pregnancy, but what's relevant to pregnant women. Heidi Murkoff has rewritten every section of the book, answering dozens of new questions and including loads of new asked-for material, such as a detailed week-by-week fetal development section in each of the monthly chapters, an expanded chapter on pre-conception, and a brand new one on carrying multiples. More comprehensive, reassuring, and empathetic than ever, the Fourth Edition incorporates the most recent developments in obstetrics and addresses the most current lifestyle trends (from tattooing and belly piercing to Botox and aromatherapy). There's more than ever on pregnancy matters practical (including an expanded section on workplace concerns), physical (with more symptoms, more solutions), emotional (more advice on riding the mood roller coaster), nutritional (from low-carb to vegan, from junk food–dependent to caffeine-addicted), and sexual (what's hot and what's not in pregnant lovemaking), as well as much more support for that very important partner in parenting, the dad-to-be.

Overflowing with tips, helpful hints, and humor (a pregnant woman's best friend), this new edition is more accessible and easier to use than ever before. It's everything parents-to-be have come to expect from What to Expect...only better?.

The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

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The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

The success stories speak for themselves in this book from money maestro Dave Ramsey. Instead of promising the normal dose of quick fixes, Ramsey offers a bold, no-nonsense approach to money matters, providing not only the how-to but also a grounded and uplifting hope for getting out of debt and achieving total financial health.

Ramsey debunks the many myths of money (exposing the dangers of cash advance, rent-to-own, debt consolidation) and attacks the illusions and downright deceptions of the American dream, which encourages nothing but overspending and massive amounts of debt. "Don't even consider keeping up with the Joneses," Ramsey declares in his typically candid style. "They're broke!"

The Total Money Makeover isn't theory. It works every single time. It works because it is simple. It works because it gets to the heart of the money problems: you.

The Investment Answer

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The Investment Answer

The Investment Answer shows you, in clear and understandable language, how to take control of your finances and think about investing in a different way. Whether you are new to finance or an experienced investor, this book is essential reading. Former United States Senator Bill Bradley says that “every American should read this book,” and Bob Waterman, co-author of In Search of Excellence, remarks, “if I could give only one book on investing to my friends and family, this one would be it.”

This book cuts through the Wall Street hype to give you just what you need to know. Joe Grundfest, Stanford Law School Professor and former SEC Commissioner, says that “Gordon Murray and Dan Goldie share secrets that Wall Street would rather you not know. Read this book and prosper.”

The Investment Answer will teach you to take advantage of how markets really work and how to benefit from the wisdom that Nobel Prize winners have acquired over the last 60 years. Nobel Laureate and Father of Modern Portfolio Theory, Harry Markowitz, remarks that “the book offers sound advice, which you will rarely if ever get from a daily financial newscast.” Gene Fama, widely recognized as the father of modern finance, says that the book is “an excellent primer for the investor who is not a finance specialist.”

You probably know the important measures of your physical health: your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. But do you know the important measures about your investment health? Is your advisor is a fiduciary who really works for you or for his firm? What is your percentage mix of stocks, bonds, and cash? How much you are paying in fees and investment-related taxes?

Most of us can't answer these important financial questions...but we must. This book will help you become a smarter investor and a better steward of your money.

The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have

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The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have

Cancer survivor, poet, and philosopher Mark Nepo has consciously allowed life to move through him. The Book of Awakening is the result of his journey of the soul and will inspire others to embark on their own.

Nepo speaks of spirit and friendship, urging readers to stay vital and in love with this life, no matter the hardships. Encompassing many traditions and voices, Nepo's words offer insight on pain, wonder, and love. Each entry is accompanied by an exercise that will surprise and delight the reader in its mind-waking ability.

Wait for Me!: Memoirs

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Wait for Me! : Memoirs

Deborah Mitford, Duchess of Devonshire, is the youngest of the famously witty brood that includes the writers Jessica and Nancy, who wrote when Deborah was born, “How disgusting of the poor darling to go and be a girl.” Deborah’s effervescent memoir, Wait for Me!, chronicles her remarkable life, from an eccentric but happy childhood in the Oxfordshire countryside, to tea with Adolf Hitler and her controversially political sister Unity in 1937, to her marriage to the second son of the Duke of Devonshire. Her life would change utterly with his unexpected inheritance of the title and vast estates after the wartime death of his brother, who had married Kick Kennedy, the beloved sister of John F. Kennedy. Her friendship with that family would last through triumph and tragedy. Wait for Me!, with its intense warmth and charm, is a unique portrait of an age, and an unprecedented look at the rhythms of life inside one of the great aristocratic families of England. It is irresistible reading, and will join the shelf of Mitford classics to delight readers for years to come.

Unexpectedly Eighty: And Other Adaptations

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Unexpectedly Eighty: And Other Adaptations

 

What does it mean to be eighty? In her wise and playful poems, Judith Viorst discusses marriage, friendship, grand parenthood, and all the particular marvels— and otherwise—of this extraordinary decade. She describes the wonder of seeing the world with new eyes—not because of revelation but because of a successful cataract operation. She promises not to gently fade away, and not to drive after daylight’s faded away either. She explains how she’s gotten to be a "three-desserts" grandmother ("Just don’t tell your mom!"), shares how memory failure can keep you married, and enumerates her hopes for the afterlife (which she doesn’t believe in, but if it does exist, her sister-in-law better not be there with her).

As Viorst gleefully attests, eighty is not too old to dream, to flirt, to drink, and to dance. It’s also not too late to give up being cheap or to take up with a younger man of seventy-eight. Zesty, hopeful, and full of the pleasures of living, Viorst’s poems speak to her legions of readers, who recognize themselves in her knowing observations, in her touching reflections, and in her joyful affirmations. Funny, moving, inspirational, and true—the newest in Judith Viorst’s beloved "decades" series extols the virtues, victories, frustrations, and joys of life.

Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard

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Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard

"Breaking Night reads more like an adventure story than an addiction-morality tale. It's a white-knuckle account of survival. . . . By age 6, Murray knew how to mainline drugs (though she never took them) and how to care for her strung-out parents. She showed uncanny maturity, even as a child, and later managed to avoid that malady of teenagers and memoir writers, self-pity. . . . Murray's stoicism has been hard-earned; it serves her well as a writer. Breaking Night itself is full of heart, without a sliver of ice, and deeply moving." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Liz Murray shows us that the human spirit has infinite ability to grow and can never be limited by circumstance. Breaking Night is a beautifully written, heartfelt memoir that will change the way you look your community, the obstacles in your own life and the American Dream. An inspiration, a must read." (Robert Redford)

"[Liz Murray] reminds us that the greatest acts of love and failure can occur side by side; that isolation and loss can give way to accomplishment and promise. She offers the awesome hope that, regardless of its past, a life can go beyond endurance and reach for triumph. She leave us with the memory of a child who clung to and refused to surrender the dignity of her soul." (Andrew Bridge, author of the New York Times bestseller Hope's Boy)

"As much as it is a memoir, Breaking Night is a primer on how poverty and drug abuse create a heartbreaking underclass of children, one that goes largely unnoticed. By the truly uplifting ending, Liz Murray has shown us the worst, and the very best, of America." (Haven Kimmel, author of A Girl Named Zippy and She Got Up Off the Couch)

In the vein of The Glass Castle, Breaking Night is the stunning memoir of a young woman who at age fifteen was living on the streets, and who eventually made it into Harvard.

Liz Murray was born to loving but drug-addicted parents in the Bronx. In school she was taunted for her dirty clothing and lice-infested hair, eventually skipping so many classes that she was put into a girls' home. At age fifteen, Liz found herself on the streets when her family finally unraveled. She learned to scrape by, foraging for food and riding subways all night to have a warm place to sleep.

When Liz's mother died of AIDS, she decided to take control of her own destiny and go back to high school, often completing her assignments in the hallways and subway stations where she slept. Liz squeezed four years of high school into two, while homeless; won a New York Times scholarship; and made it into the Ivy League. Breaking Night is an unforgettable and beautifully written story of one young woman's indomitable spirit to survive and prevail, against all odds.

The Heroes of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero

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The Heroes of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero

 

After saving Olympus from the evil Titan lord, Kronos, Percy and friends have rebuilt their beloved Camp Half-Blood, where the next generation of demigods must now prepare for a chilling prophecy of their own:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Now, in a brand-new series from blockbuster best-selling author Rick Riordan, fans return to the world of Camp Half-Blood. Here, a new group of heroes will inherit a quest. But to survive the journey, they’ll need the help of some familiar demigods.

Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 15th Edition (Better Homes & Gardens Plaid) Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 15th Edition (Better Homes & Gardens Plaid)

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Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 15th Edition (Better Homes & Gardens Plaid)

The updated and revised 15th edition of America's favorite cookbook

The Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book has been an American favorite since 1930, selling 40 million copies through fourteen editions. This new 15th Edition is the best yet, with hundreds of all-new recipes and a fresh, contemporary style.

Plenty of new chapters have been added to meet the needs of today's everyday cooks, including new chapters on breakfast and brunch, casseroles, and convenience cooking. 1,000 photos accompany this wide selection of recipes, which cover everything from Pad Thai to a Thanksgiving turkey.

- NEW FEATURES: icons that call out fast, healthy, or classic dishes; an expanded and revised chapter on canning and freezing foods; and new chapters on pizza, sandwiches, wraps, and more
- Presents more than 1,200 recipes, including 750 brand new to this edition
 - More than 800 helpful step-by-step, how-to images and photos
 - New suggestions for personalizing family dinners, new twists on favorite dishes, and plenty of recipes that yield leftovers you can use again in other recipes

Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 15th Edition covers it all! Completely revised, revamped and updated, this is a must for every kitchen.

The Complete Far Side 1980-1994 (2 vol set)

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The Complete Far Side 1980-1994 (2 vol set)

The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon ever syndicated - more than 4,000 comic gems, with more than 1,100 that have never previously appeared in book form! Also included is a rare glimpse into the mind of Far Side creator Gary Larson, with his quirky and thoughtful introductions to each of the 14 chapters. Still want more? Complaint letters, fan letters, and queries from puzzled readers round out this eclectic and definitive collection of what many people consider the most side-splitting cartoon of all time. Actor, author, and comedian Steve Martin writes the delightful and pithy foreword, and Larson's former editor describes what it was like to be "the guy who could explain every Far Side cartoon." It's everything you could want from The Far Side - and much, much more!

Revered by fans as the funniest, most original, most "What the ...?" - inspiring cartoon ever, The Far Side last appeared over nine years ago and still boasts millions of rabid devotees. During its 14-year run, the cartoon was syndicated internationally in more than 1,900 daily newspapers, translated into 17 different languages, and spawned 22 Far Side books.

Most Influential Systems Integrators in Thailand Market 2007-2008 [Paperback]

>>>> More Most Influential Systems Integrators in Thailand Market 2007-2008 [Paperback] This IDC study has profiled and presented 14 most interesting systems integrators (SIs) in Thailand, which grow fast in the next two years. These local SIs possess great potential and talent to develop competitive software solutions in their respective domains and are most likely set to grow rapidly against average IT market growth and give competition to large SIs in Thailand. "Large, foreign vendors should take this opportunity to strengthen business networks with these local experts to increase market penetration, especially in the SMB segment, in Thailand," says Aishwarya Kapoor, market analyst, Software Group, IDC Thailand. Thailand Books

Eat What You Love: More than 300 Incredible Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories

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Eat What You Love: More than 300 Incredible Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories

Eat What You Love! Marlene Koch has worked her magic one again,this time bringing you and your entire family all the foods you love!

Marlene amazingly makes the excess sugar, fat, and calories disappear, but never the taste, with incredible tasting guilt-free recipes for everyone's favorite foods- from luscious milkshakes and melty sandwiches,to creamy soups and crunchy "fried" foods--along with recipes for belly-filling breakfast dishes, sensational salads, perfect pastas, easy-fix entrees and sides, and of course lots of desserts!

And with over 300 super-satisfying recipes under 350 calories, it's easier than ever to love home-style classics like Blue Ribbon Sour Cream Coffee Cake and Everyday Spaghetti and Italian Meatballs, restaurant favorites like Quicker-Than-Take-Out Orange Chicken and Chili's-Style Beef Fajitas, and sweet treats like 5-Minute Blackberry Crisp, Amazing Peanut Butter Cookies, and Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Pie.

Marlene passionately believes no one should have to give up the foods they love and her quick and easy, family friendly recipes are perfect for everyone and every diet. Eat What You Love also features mouthwatering photos, healthy eating tips, complete nutritional analysis (including diabetic exchanges, carb choices, and weight watchers point comparisons), and incredible"Dare to Compare"comparisons.

Dare to Compare: A small Cake `n Shake(tm) milkshake at Cold Stone Creamery® packs 1140 calories, 60 grams of fat and the equivalent of over 25 teaspoons of sugar! Marlene's luscious Vanilla Cake Batter Milkshake has just 175 calories, 4 grams of fat and no added sugars!

Buddhism for Busy People: Finding Happiness in an Uncertain World

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Buddhism for Busy People: Finding Happiness in an Uncertain World

What does it take to be happy? We've all asked ourselves this question at some point, but few of us have found the path to lasting fulfillment. David Michie thought he had achieved his life's goals--the high-level job, the expensive city apartment, the luxury car, the great vacations--but a small voice was telling him he wasn't really happy. A chance remark from a naturopath sent him to his local Buddhist center. There he began the most important journey of his life. In this simple but beautifully written book, David Michie opens the door to the core teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. With wry, self-deprecating humor, he shows us now he began to incorporate Buddhist practices into his daily life. He explains how he came to understand the difference between the temporary pleasures of ordinary life and the profound sense of well-being and heartfelt serenity that comes from connecting with our inner nature. Every once in a while you come across an extraordinary book with the power to change your life. Buddhism for Busy People is one such book.

Truth on Trial in Thailand: Defamation, Treason, and Lèse-Majesté (Rethinking Southeast Asia)

>>>> More Truth on Trial in Thailand: Defamation, Treason, and Lèse-Majesté (Rethinking Southeast Asia) Since 2005, Thailand has been in crisis, with unprecedented political instability and the worst political violence seen in the country in decades. In the aftermath of a military coup in 2006, Thailand's press freedom ranking plunged, while arrests for lèse-majesté have skyrocketed to levels unknown in the modern world. Truth on Trial in Thailand traces the 110-year trajectory of defamation-based laws in Thailand. The most prominent of these is lèse-majesté, but defamation aspects also appear in laws on sedition and treason, the press and cinema, anti-communism, contempt of court, insulting of religion, as well as libel. This book makes the case that despite the appearance of growing democratization, authoritarian structures and urges still drive politics in Thailand; the long-term effects of defamation law adjudication has skewed the way that Thai society approaches and perceives "truth." Employing the work of Habermas, Foucault, Agamben, and Schmitt to construct an alternative framework to understand Thai history, Streckfuss contends that Thai history has become "suspended" since 1958, and repeatedly declining to face the truth of history has set the stage for an endless state of crisis.  This book will be of interest to students and scholars of South East Asian politics, Asian history, and media and communication. Thailand Books

Thai, Comprehensive: Learn to Speak and Understand Thai with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon and Schuster' Pimslur Language Programs: Comprehensive) (Thai Edition) [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

>>>> More Thai, Comprehensive: Learn to Speak and Understand Thai with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon and Schuster' Pimslur Language Programs: Comprehensive) (Thai Edition) [Audiobook] [Audio CD] Comprehensive Thai includes 30 lessons of essential grammar and vocabulary -- 16 hours of real-life spoken practice sessions -- plus an introduction to reading. Upon completion of this Level I program, you will have functional spoken proficiency with the most-frequently-used vocabulary and grammatical structures. You will be able to: * initiate and maintain face-to-face conversations, * deal with every day situations -- ask for information, directions, and give basic information about yourself and family, * communicate basic information on informal topics and participate in casual conversations, * avoid basic cultural errors and handle minimum courtesy and travel requirements, * satisfy personal needs and limited social demands, * establish rapport with strangers in foreign countries, * begin reading and sounding out items with native-like pronunciation. About the Author  Dr. Paul Pimsleur devoted his life to language teaching and testing and was one of the world's leading experts in applied linguistics. After years of experience and research, Dr. Pimsleur developed The Pimsleur Method based on two key principles:  the Principle of Anticipation and a scientific principle of memory training that he called “Graduated Interval Recall.”  This Method has been applied to the many levels and languages of the Pimsleur Programs. Thailand Books

Bangkok: Place, Practice and Representation (Asia's Transformations/Asia's Great Cities)

>>>> More Bangkok: Place, Practice and Representation (Asia's Transformations/Asia's Great Cities) Examines the development of the city from its earliest days as the seat of the Thai monarchy to its current position as the most infamous contemporary metropolis in Southeast Asia. Gives a keen insight into the daily life of the city's inhabitants. Review  'Bangkok: Place Practice and Representation is a masterpiece, and is far and away the best profile in English of Bangkok.' - Professional Geographer 'This book is an important milestone in the study of Bangkok' - Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 'Very readable book.' - Asian Journal of Social Science About the Author  Marc Askew is Lecturer in Asian and International Studies as Victoria University, Melbourne Thailand Books

Thai Street Food

Thai Street Food >> More

Thai Street Food transports readers straight into the bustling heart of Thailand’s colorful street stalls and markets--from the predawn rounds of monks fanning out along the aisles to the made-to-order stalls ablaze in neon and jammed with hungry locals after dark. Featuring nearly 100 authentic dishes plus lavish photography accompanying every recipe, this stunning cookbook is the definitive guide to Thailand’s culinary street culture. The recipes, such as Steamed Fish with Chilli and Lime Sauce, Pork Satay, Roast Duck and Egg Noodle Soup, and Sweet Banana Roti illuminate the beguiling world of food so integral to the Thais.

Scholar and chef David Thompson lives with a singular passion for Thailand’s customs, culture, and people. Although he claims “It’s all about the food,” this ambitious work shares his insights into the rhythms and nuances of Thai daily life along with a fascinating history of its richly diverse street cuisine. This cookbook is a tempting, inspiring, and authoritative account of Thai street food, the vibrant culinary mosaic rich with community.

Thailand Food

Thai Massage: A Traditional Medical Technique (Mosby's Massage Career Development)

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Thai Massage: A Traditional Medical Technique (Mosby's Massage Career Development)


This practical and highly illustrated introduction to the principles and techniques of Thai massage discusses the theories of Thai medicine and its Chinese and Ayurvedic influences. It offers clear and easy-to-follow descriptions for all Thai massage techniques accompanied by full color photographs and drawings, with arrows to indicate direction of movement. Basic explanations describe how massage therapists can use elements of these techniques and apply them immediately in their own practice. The book includes a DVD with 45 minutes of video showing techniques and routines in real time, to demonstrate appropriate pacing.




Gives clear and easy-to-follow descriptions for each technique.
Techniques can be used alone, in conjunction with other forms of massage, or to facilitate Yoga and other meditation practices.
Clinically valuable and practical explanations of how to use elements of the procedures make it easy for therapists to enrich their practice with these techniques -- whether applying all of the methods, or starting with stretches alone.
Features an icon throughout the text that calls attention to precautions therapists must be aware of for safe and effective sessions.
Includes a 45-minute DVD presenting video of techniques and routines in real time, to demonstrate proper pacing.




Photographs, drawings, and illustrations of techniques are now in full color, for greater clarity of concepts.
More historical background provides a deeper understanding of this ancient medical art.
An accompanying DVD offers a 45-minute video of a Thai massage session in real time - demonstrating procedures with proper pacing. The visual approach along with its step-by-step narration helps viewers understand how the concepts discussed in the book translate to actual practice. The book also includes DVD icons that indicate which techniques are demonstrated on the DVD.
Increased coverage of body mechanics helps readers understand the difference between correct and incorrect technique.
Legends below the photographs provide specific information on the muscles being pressed or stretched with each technique to help therapists understand how this art of Asian healing corresponds to Western anatomy. A new Muscle Atlas appendix helps to further identify muscles mentioned in these legends.
A new chapter, Correlations to Yoga, outlines the correlations between specific Thai massage procedures and yoga postures to help therapists incorporate Yoga into their practices.
A new chapter, Suggested Sequences, provides guidelines for 60-, 90-, and 120-minute sessions - taking the guesswork out of planning Thai massage sessions.

Thailand Massage

The King Never Smiles: A Biography of Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej

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The King Never Smiles: A Biography of Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej


Thailand’s Bhumibol Adulyadej, the only king ever born in the United States, came to the throne of his country in 1946 and is now the world’s longest-serving monarch. The King Never Smiles, the first independent biography of Thailand's monarch, tells the unexpected story of Bhumibol's life and sixty-year rule—how a Western-raised boy came to be seen by his people as a living Buddha, and how a king widely seen as beneficent and apolitical could in fact be so deeply political and autocratic.
Paul Handley provides an extensively researched, factual account of the king’s youth and personal development, ascent to the throne, skillful political maneuverings, and attempt to shape Thailand as a Buddhist kingdom. Handley takes full note of Bhumibol's achievements in art, in sports and jazz, and he credits the king's lifelong dedication to rural development and the livelihoods of his poorest subjects. But, looking beyond the widely accepted image of the king as egalitarian and virtuous, Handley portrays an anti-democratic monarch who, together with allies in big business and the corrupt Thai military, has protected a centuries-old, barely modified feudal dynasty.
When at nineteen Bhumibol assumed the throne, the Thai monarchy had been stripped of power and prestige. Over the ensuing decades, Bhumibol became the paramount political actor in the kingdom, silencing critics while winning the hearts and minds of his people. The book details this process and depicts Thailand’s unique constitutional monarch—his life, his thinking, and his ruling philosophy.


Thailand History

Thailand's Luxury Spas: Pampering Yourself in Paradise

>>>  More Thailand's Luxury Spas: Pampering Yourself in Paradise No other country in the world offers such an incredible range of luxury spa and wellness destinations than Thailand. Thailand’s Luxury Spas takes you inside this alluring world and reveals the best facilities and spa treatments, new trends in relaxation and holistic wellness therapy, plus well-researched information on Thai traditional healing and herbal lore.  Thailand’s Luxury Spas is your ticket on a journey to an unforgettable spa experience. Thailand Spa

Top 10 Bangkok (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides)

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Top 10 Bangkok (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides)


Drawing on the same standards of accuracy as the acclaimed DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, the DK Top 10 Guides use exciting colorful photography and excellent cartography to provide a reliable and useful pocket-sized travel. Dozens of Top 10 lists provide vital information on each destination, as well as insider tips, from avoiding the crowds to finding out the freebies, The DK Top 10 Guides take the work out of planning any trip.

Thailand Travel

Fighting Strategies Of Muay Thai: Secrets of Thailand's Boxing Camps

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Fighting Strategies Of Muay Thai: Secrets of Thailand's Boxing Camps

There are three elements of Muay Thai boxing: techniques, tactics and strategy. Most Muay Thai books deal only with techniques. Fighting Strategies of Muay Thai is the first book to reveal actual fighting strategies and tactics as taught in the boxing camps in Thailand. Both the author of this book, Mark Van Schuyver, and his partner in this project, Kru Pedro Villalobos, are martial artists. In fact, Villalobos is a professional Muay Thai fighter and trainer who has studied extensively in Thailand with some of the art's most well-known names. And in helping Van Schuyver with this book, Villalobos held back none of the secrets he had picked up in Thailand. Because the elements of timing and the strategies of the Muay Thai system are universal to all types of fighting, this book will be invaluable to Muay Thai fighters and trainers, professional and amateur fighters, and martial artists of all styles, including taekwon do, karate, jujitsu, judo, and no-holds-barred fighting and wrestling. The definitive work on Muay Thai strategies and tactics, Fighting Strategies of Muay Thai is a guide to total fight preparation.

Thailand Boxing

Lonely Planet Phuket Encounter

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Lonely Planet Phuket Encounter

What Will Your Phuket Encounter Be?

Pinching yourself: that crimson-hued sunset and private beach setting is actually real
Plucking rock lobster fresh from a long-tail boat at Rawai’s fi sh market
Drifting to sleep in the shade of coconut palms on deserted Ko Yao Noi
Abandoning yourself to the cocktail-fuelled chaos that is Phuket’s Old Town after dark
Listening to a lovelorn gibbon serenade his sweetheart
Gliding your kayak across translucent waters on a night cruise through limestone caves


Discover Twice the Region in Half the Time

Detailed regional and city maps for easy navigation
Our expert authors uncover the best sights, restaurants, bars, shops, spas and island activities
Unique itineraries and highlights to help you make the most of your beach getaway
Locals share their secret Phuket, why they love where they live and what you didn’t know about the island

Thailand Travel

The Food and Cooking of Thailand

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The Food and Cooking of Thailand

The Authentic Taste of South-East Asia: 150 Exotic Recipes Shown in 250 Stunning Photographs

The book includes all the most famous, popular and classic Thai dishes, and then goes on to feature dozens of more innovative and contemporary ideas and variations. Galangal, Chicken and Coconut Soup, Scented Fish Salad, Red Chicken Curry with Bamboo Shoots, Lemon Grass Pork, Pak Choi with Lime Dressing and Papayas in Jasmine Flower Syrup are just a handful of the delights featured on these pages.


Thai Food

At The Table of Jim Thompson

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At The Table of Jim Thompson

At the Table of Jim Thompson is a unique introduction to the house of Jim Thompson and the cuisine served at the three Jim Thompson restaurants in Bangkok, one which is located just outside the Jim Thompson House, another within the main silk shop and the third in an old house on Saladaeng Road. The recipes are prefaced with an introduction by William Warren, filled with reminiscences of the times spent and the illustrious guests who sat at Jim Thompson¹s table. Over 80 recipes are featured, divided into nine sections for easy reference. Traditional Thai recipes for curries and rice dishes are given a prominent place, while space is also made for novel fusion dishes which give a unique Western twist to conventional Thai dishes. Readers can either use individual recipes to create light meals and snacks, or pick and choose across sections to create a full-course meal complete with starter and dessert. The book is lavishly illustrated with stylish photography which spotlights the attractive texture and hue of the dishes. A glossary provides readers with quick, easy access to Thai terms and culinary references.

Having gained international renown as Bangkok’s most celebrated social center’, the house Jim Thompson built on the bank of the Klong Maha Nag still preserves the spirit and legend of the man. The Jim Thompson house, as it is popularly known, was the setting for many parties and dinners which Jim Thompson hosted during his time in Thailand. These were always major social events, and the dining room of the house has seen the likes of New York glitterati and the best of Thai society pass through its doors.

Thai food was an essential part of dinners at the house, and guests were always delighted by the dishes featured, which often comprised traditional Thai cuisine. In At the Table of Jim Thompson, dishes which used to grace these memorable parties can now be recreated in your own kitchen, allowing you to savor the flavors and ambience which were the mainstays of dinners at the house on the klong.


ร้านอาหาร Jim Thompson เป็นร้านอาหารไทย-ตะวันตก โดยในไทยมี 5 สาขา คือ สุรวงศ์,บ้านจิม ทอมป์สัน,ศาลาแดงซอย 1,สุขุมวิท 93 และอิเซตัน, มาเลเซีย 1 สาขา, ญี่ปุ่น 2 สาขา และกำลังขยายไปยังสิงคโปร์,จีน,ออสเตรเลีย รวมทั้งในไทยที่ พัทยา จ.ชลบุรี


Thailand Food

World's Best City 2010

Bangkok, Thailand Has Won World's Best City 2010.

BANGKOK is guarantee on travel to the awards come from around the world to vote. On this year, Bangkok capital of Thailand was voted by tourists than 16,000 people around the world to have won 'World's Best City' or city in the world's best tourism year 2010.

Bangkok City

Bangkok City has been ranked as a tourist destination the best in the world. Announcement of the annual World's Best Award 2010 organized by 'Travel & Leisure' magazine. The magazine of travel has been very popular in the United States. A subsidiary of American Express will announce results after the query the reader to sort by type awards, including best cities, Islands best , the best hotels and international airlines, etc. The best of the best tourist destinations in the world will be based.

1. Location overlooking the beautiful and shady.

2. Art, culture and traditions.

3. Food.

4. Shopping.

5. The friendliness of the people.

6. The money's worth.

For tourist attractions in Bangkok That foreigners find most impressive is the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of Emerald Buddha), Wat Pho unblemished Mangklaram. The antique art temple attractions such as Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Arun is pretty places.

Wat Arun

Visitors to places like Chatuchak Market [The weekend Market in Bangkok], Khao San Road, Silom Road, Pratunam Market, Wat Pho and Railway station.

JJ Market

Bangkok is actually included a variety of major department stores, we have Paragon, Central World, this is the world's top Asian sources shopping areas.

Saim Paragon

Nightlife we have with all Silom, Ratchada ,RCA and Khao Sarn Road. The river of Chaopraya cruise and to see casual cruise at night lights are very beautiful.

Khao Sarn Road

RCA Pub

We have met many beautiful beaches such as Pattaya beach , Samet Island, Hua Hin, which is not far from Bangkok. It only takes time a few hours.

Food in Bangkok as a collection. All nations have food to eat Chinese, Thai, Japanese, French and the other. it does not get more expensive.

Travel in Bangkok. Particularly important source trip is easy. We have MRT ,BTS. It covers major source has been exhausted.

Sky Train

5-star hotels along near the river, we have world-renowned Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula Hotel or Shangri-La Hotel. In the city has Four Seasons hotel, Grand Hyatt hotel, it ranked the one of the world in Asia and best already service.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel 

Beautiful dining room. The world's top SIROCCO AT STATE TOWER is considered open room sky high in the world and vote for the Telegraph newspaper. Throw open the top of Sky Bar is best in the world.

Sirocco At State Tower

Siroco At State Tower

Do not hesitate.......

Quickly pack luggage....

Destination is..... THAILAND....

ABOUT THAILAND [part 1]

Thailand is my country. There are about 66 million people in Thailand.  Thailand's major tourist destinations i.e. Pattaya, Phuket, ChiangMai, Bangkok.

Doi Suthep , Chiangmai

Pattaya Beach

Phuket Island

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand. It is the biggest city in the country. There are about 6 million people in Bangkok. Bangkok is the center of almost everything in Thailand : education, trade, industry, communication. etc.

Bangkok City

Thailand is a democratic Kingdom. The king rules the country through three institutions : the Government, the House of Representatives, and the Court of Justice.

Wat Phra Kaew

Thailand is an independent country. Our government has full power all over the country. We have strong armed forces: the Royal Thai Army, the Royal Thai Navy, the Royal Thai Air force, and the Thai Police Force.

Thai Flag

We are proud of our country. 

The Thai flag is the symbol of our country. It has three colors: red, white and blue.
Red is for nation, white for the religions, and blue for the king.

Every time we see our flag up or down we stand up to pay respect. We pay respect for the red, the white and the blue.
The red is the blood of our ancestors. There are few of our brave ancestors: King Naresuan, King Tak Sin, King Rama the First, the people of Bangrachan Camp and Lady Suranaree of Korat.

The white in our flag is for our religions. Buddhism is our state religion. But there are also other religions in Thailand such as Christianity and Islam. On religious day Buddhists go to WAT(Temple), Christians go to church and Moslems go to mosque.

King Bhumibol And Queen Sirikit

The blue in our flag is for our King. The King is the head of our country. King Bhumibol is the head of the Kingdom of Thailand.  He is the center of admiration from the people from all walks of life. His whole life is for his people. He and the Queen visit every inch of the country, at sea or on mountains, to meet his beloved people , teach them and help them. I proud of my King and Queen.

Long live our King and Queen.