Roderick Molasar

For the past twenty years, Lee Child has been one of the bestselling authors in the world, thanks to the popularity of his iconic and instantly recognizable hero Jack Reacher. But even at the height of Reacher's fame, Child's short story writing was not confined to the series; throughout the course of his career, he published tales about a range of characters on both sides of the law, including assassins, a body guard, CIA and FBI agents, gangsters, and more.

According to Barker, who first published the book in the 1960s, Rampa's claim that his body had been taken over by a Tibetan Buddhist monk was in no way disproved. In fact, Barker provides a letter from a Tibetan Buddhist scholar stating that Rampa's writings about the inner workings of Tibetan Buddhism were quite accurate and actually revealed closely guarded secrets of the Himalayan monasteries.

It is broadly understood that power and secrecy go together, but the scope of the "web" of secrets surrounding the larger nature of human power(s) is surprising. As discussed in this Secrets of Power I, empowerment is difficult if the larger panorama of societal power and depowerment are not more full understood.

Scientology, created in 1954 by a prolific sci-fi writer named L. Ron Hubbard, claims to be the world's fastest-growing religion, with millions of members around the world and huge financial holdings. Its celebrity believers keep its profile high, and its teams of "volunteer ministers" offer aid at disaster sites such as Haiti and the World Trade Center. But Scientology is also a notably closed faith, harassing journalists and others through litigation and intimidation, even infiltrating the highest levels of government to further its goals.

"...I managed to open the door and get up inside the cab. It had a soft leather seat and the seat felt so good that I knew if I didn't fight it I would soon be asleep." A brutal personal treatise on the need for work, even the most menial - and the need for dignity.

In his final hours in the Oval Office, the outgoing President grants a controversial last-minute pardon to Joel Backman, a notorious Washington power broker who has spent the last six years hidden away in a federal prison. What no one knows is that the President issues the pardon only after receiving enormous pressure from the CIA. It seems Backman, in his power broker heyday, may have obtained secrets that compromise the world’s most sophisticated satellite surveillance system.

Doug and Laura Locke are New Yorkers who need a fresh start, so they move to Galaxy Farm, an old thoroughbred stable in Tennessee. There Doug finds the inspiration to write his epic novel, and Laura renews her passion for teaching. They also rediscover the love that first drew them together. But the home has many secrets. There's a graveyard hidden at the property's edge, and tragic deaths stalked the previous owners. Doug becomes entranced by the abandoned taxidermy in the attic.

On June 1, 1996, John and Joyce Edmonds purchased a ranch in Rainbow Valley, Arizona. What has ensued for the past two-plus decades beguiles all concepts of our reality. After 23 years, John has finally told his whole story. The story of Stardust Ranch transcends its geography, and John and Joyce Edmonds themselves. It becomes a story for the human race at a very important time in our journey as a people on this planet.

In Gerrardsville, Colorado, a woman dies under the wheels of a moving bus. The death is ruled a suicide. But Jack Reacher saw what really happened: A man in a gray hoodie and jeans, moving stealthily, pushed the victim to her demise—before swiftly grabbing the dead woman’s purse and strolling away.

Hot Water Music is a collection of short stories by Charles Bukowski, published in 1983. The collection deals largely with: drinking, women, gambling, and writing. It is an important collection that establishes Bukowski's minimalist style and his thematic oeuvre.