GarageBand lets you create music of your very own. If you're already a musician, you'll probably flip over GarageBand; it combines the CD-quality samples of Apple's Soundtrack software with the hard-disk recording features of Digital Performer and the canned rhythm tracks of Band in a Box. But what's really mind-boggling is the way this program can turn the inspiration of musical novices into commercial-sounding demos. Imagine how many thousands of singers and instrumentalists, though blessed with enormous native talent, remain undiscovered because they lack recording studios and backup bands. For them, GarageBand may open a lot of doors—or just offer a lot of fun. GarageBand: The Missing Manualis an authoritative, witty guide to constructing digital recordings with GarageBand.

A collection of 12 essays from David Beresford, Carl Hasler, Thomas Martin, Francis Farrell, Aidan Mackay, Sara and Michael Brown, John Tibbets, James Reidy, Ekaterina Volokhonskala, Peter Floriani, David Andrews, and Dale Alquist. Those in the academy have never quite known what to do with Chesterton. They can't figure out if he belongs in the English department or the Theology department. Or Medieval Studies. Since he cannot be assigned neatly to any category, they have found that the most convenient thing to do with Chesterton has been to ignore him. The other problem is that he represents too cumbersome an exception to everything else in the 20th century: the despair in philosophy, the decadence in art, the joylessness in literature, and the myopia in politics. He offered a possible alternative to the total trust that has been placed in science and technology. And against a rising tide of relativism and skepticism, he provided a clear and well-reasoned defense of Christianity in general and Catholicism in specific. But while it is possible to find Chesterton quoted to prove a point, it is all but impossible to see him studied as a whole. However, not only does Chesterton deserve to be studied, he should be required reading on the first day of class in every classroom, no matter what the subject. It is Chesterton more than anyone who provide the right frame of mind for any student opening the door on any subject. His message is this: What you are about to see you might have missed. What you are about to experience is a gift, wrapped up just for you. Unwrap it carefully. It is a treasure. And like all the best gifts, the best thing about it is that it is a surprise. It is not what you think it is. Without such a perspective of gratitiude and wonder you cannot learn anything. "The world will never starve for want for wonders," he says, "only for want of wonder." In everything, there is a mystery calling to you to try to solve it. - from book's back cover.

Dr. Bob Rotella is one of the hottest performance consultants in America today. Among his many professional clients are Nick Price (last year's Player of the Year), Tom Kite, Davis Love III, Pat Bradley, Brad Faxon, John Daly, and many others. Rotella, or "Doc," as most players refer to him, goes beyond just the usual mental aspects of the game and the reliance on specific techniques. What Rotella does here in this extraordinary book, and with his clients, is to create an attitude and a mindset about all aspects of a golfer's game, from mental preparation to competition. The most wonderful aspect of it all is that it is done in a conversational fashion, in a dynamic blend of anecdote and lesson. And, as some of the world's greatest golfers will attest, the results are spectacular. Golfers will improve their golf game andhave more fun playing. Some of Rotella's maxims include:

* On the first tee, a golfer must expect only two things of himself: to have fun, and to focus his mind properly on every shot.

* Golfers must learn to love 'the challenge when they hit a ball into the rough, trees, or sand. The alternatives — anger, fear, whining, and cheating — do no good.

* Confidence is crucial to good golf. Confidence is simply the aggregate of the thoughts you have about yourself.

* It is more important to be decisive than to be correct when preparing to play any golf shot or putt.

Filled with delightful and insightful stories about golf and the golfers Rotella works with, Golf Is Not a Game of Perfectwill improve the game of even the most casual weekend player.

A Gift of Laughter for Every Golfer

This book contains the funniest comments ever made about golf by Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer, Harvey Penick, Bob Hope, Buddy Hackett, Lewis Grizzard, Gerald Ford, and others. You'll also find clever cartoons by David Harbaugh, Bob Zahn, Lo Linkert, Joe Kohl, and others. There's a smile on every page.

One of Mark Twain's wryer observations provides the title for this captivating chronicle of a year in the life of the best golfers on the planet. Rich in the inherent drama and tension of competition, and filled with irony, humor, color, and personal detail, John Feinstein's A Good Walk Spoiledambles beyond fairways and greens into an often-powerful examination of the pressures tour pros—from established stars such as Greg Norman and Nick Price to those constantly on the bubble—carry in their bags, and the elusive search for perfection in their games that keeps these remarkable athletes so focused and driven.

Twenty-six classic Batman tales spanning the entire 50 years of the Caped Crusader's history in comics is included in this collection. Full-color illustrations.

Houghton Mifflin Guerrilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business 0395906253 / HOU0395906253 / Guerrilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits from Your Small BusinessRevised and expanded Third Edition. A valuable resource for any small-business owner. Contains strategies for finding clients, marketing on the Internet, cultivating repeat and referral business, and management lessons in the age of telecommuting. Paperback. 400 pages. 9 x 6 x 1. / Sold As 1 EA / Houghton Mifflin / SKU: HOU0395906253

In one of the most hotly anticipated sequels in memory, J.K. Rowling takes up where she left with Harry's second year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Old friends and new torments abound, including a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girl's bathroom, an outrageously conceited professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, and a mysterious force that turns Hogwarts students to stone.

Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart—such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallowsthat no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review—to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallowsis an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry—bring plenty of tissues.

The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission—not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man—and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.

A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallowsis a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. —Daphne Durham

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Begin at the Beginning

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Hardcover 

Paperback

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Hardcover

Paperback

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Hardcover

Paperback

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Hardcover

Paperback

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Hardcover

Paperback

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Hardcover

Paperback

Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series—no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him. 

* When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists. 

* Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.

* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores—gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden—this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius. 

* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother. 

* The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'. 

* Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book. 

* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children. 

* The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom. 

* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up—the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them. 

* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione—and Ron's objection to it. 

* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge. 

* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming. 

* Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone. 

* Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager. 

* Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape. 

* Dumbledore's confession to Harry.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

* The introduction of the Horcrux. 

* Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur's answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles.

* Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling's most ingenious inventions.

* Fred and George Weasley's Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO—the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!"

* Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator.

* The effects of Felix Felicis.

Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling

"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers."—J.K. Rowling

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.

Did You Know?

The Little White Horsewas J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child.

Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author.

Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer.

A Few Words from Mary GrandPré

"When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing—she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potterart from illustrator Mary GrandPré.

Harry Potter has to sneak back to Hogwarts, after accidentally inflating his horrible Aunt Petunia. But once there everyone is whispering about a prizoner who has escaped from the famous wizard prizon, Azkaban. His name is Sirius Black, and as a follower of Lord Voldemort he is determined to track Harry Potter down — even if it means laying siege to the very walls of Hogwarts!

Read by Jim Dale

8 hours 17 minutes, 6 cassettes

Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.

If you have ever sought pre-approval for a necessary medical treatment, or have had problems arranging appointments with a specialist, or have seen a personal-care physician transferred to a distant clinic, George Anders's book on the growth of health maintenance organizations (HMOs) will confirm your worst fears. A reporter for the Wall Street Journal, Anders provides a series of horrifying case studies: a six-month-old baby who loses his hands and feet after a 42-mile journey to an HMO-approved emergency room; residents of a small town in Tennessee afflicted with an outbreak of a painful bowel infection who find that the drugs needed to suppress the epidemic are not covered; HMOs that select hospitals with low success rates for heart-bypass operations because of cost factors. Anders presents a powerful indictment of the emerging managed-care model for our national health-care system in this disturbing book.