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A Beautiful Spy: From The Million-copy Sunday Times Bestseller
by Rachel HoreFrom the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller comes a thrilling novel about a woman with an extraordinary life, based on a true story. 'Fantastic… Exciting, impeccably researched and full of powerful period atmosphere' Daily MailMinnie Gray is an ordinary young woman.She is also a spy for the British government. It all began in the summer of 1928... Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn&’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference. Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement. She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion. What if they find out? Full of suspense, courage and love, A Beautiful Spy is a stunningly written story about resisting the norm and following your dreams, even if they come with sacrifices. 'Rachel Hore has written a masterful novel, rich in period detail, and her heroine is an unforgettable character' Sunday Express 'As far as her friends and family think, Minnie is an ordinary girl but she is a government spy – recruited to infiltrate the communist government. But how long can anyone lead a double life?' Best &‘Stunning. A masterclass in storytelling. Flawless writing and a great plot that builds suspense… I loved every moment&’ Dinah Jefferies, author of The Tuscan Contessa &‘Rachel Hore brilliantly contrasts the thrilling world of high-stakes politics with the inner life of a passionate woman leading a dangerous double existence&’ Wendy Holden, author of The Governess 'Phenomenal! Absolutely loved it. I was rooting for Minnie from page one right to the very end... What a treat of a read' Tracy Rees, author of The House at Silvermoor'A compulsive and enjoyable read' Historical Novel Society &‘Based on the life of Olga Gray, this atmospheric thriller is a delight to read&’ Sun 'Minnie Gray – on the outside an ordinary woman, inside a spy for the British Government who is asked to infiltrate the Russians' My Weekly
A Beautiful Spy: From the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller
by Rachel HoreFrom the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller comes a thrilling novel about a woman with an extraordinary life, based on a true story. 'Fantastic… Exciting, impeccably researched and full of powerful period atmosphere' Daily MailMinnie Gray is an ordinary young woman.She is also a spy for the British government. It all began in the summer of 1928... Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn&’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference. Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement. She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion. What if they find out? Full of suspense, courage and love, A Beautiful Spy is a stunningly written story about resisting the norm and following your dreams, even if they come with sacrifices. &‘A superb novel. I absolutely loved it. Rachel Hore brilliantly contrasts the thrilling world of high-stakes politics with the inner life of a passionate woman leading a dangerous double existence&’ Wendy Holden, author of The Governess 'Phenomenal! Absolutely loved it. I was rooting for Minnie from page one right to the very end... What a treat of a read' Tracy Rees, author of The House at Silvermoor Praise for Rachel Hore: 'Absorbing&’ BARBARA ERSKINE &‘An emotive and thought-provoking read&’ ROSANNA LEY 'A poignant story, rich in period detail' SUNDAY MIRROR &‘Readers are sure to be engrossed and swept away' JANE JOHNSON 'Engrossing, pleasantly surprising and thoroughly readable' SANTA MONTEFIORE &‘Her women are brave and good and you desperately want them to win&’ DAILY MAIL &‘Rachel Hore's research and mastery of the subject is deeply impressive' JUDY FINNIGAN
A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal
by Jen Waite“Like Big Little Lies, A Beautiful Terrible Thing is a startling reminder that fairy tales aren’t real. A master class in suspenseful storytelling, Jen Waite recounts the lies, betrayals, and infidelity she endured with unrestrained honesty and deft candor. I couldn’t turn away.”—Jillian Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of Some Girls: My Life in a Harem and Everything You Ever WantedWhat do you do when you discover that the person you've built your life around never existed? When "it could never happen to me" does happen to you?These are the questions facing Jen Waite when she begins to realize that her loving husband—the father of her infant daughter, her best friend, the love of her life—fits the textbook definition of psychopath. In a raw, first-person account, Waite recounts each heartbreaking discovery, every life-destroying lie, and reveals what happens once the dust finally settles on her demolished marriage.After a disturbing email sparks Waite's suspicion that her husband is having an affair, she tries to uncover the truth and rebuild trust in her marriage. Instead, she finds more lies, infidelity, and betrayal than she could have imagined. Waite obsessively analyzes her relationship, trying to find a single moment from the last five years that isn't part of the long-con of lies and manipulation. With a dual-timeline narrative structure, we see Waite's romance bud, bloom, and wither simultaneously, making the heartbreak and disbelief even more affecting.
A Bed of Red Flowers: In Search of My Afghanistan
by Nelofer PaziraWritten with compassion, intelligence and insight, A Bed of Red Flowers is a profoundly moving portrait of life under occupation and the unforgettable story of a family, a people and a country. "The picnic of the red flower" is a traditional time of celebration for Afghans. One of Nelofer Pazira's earliest memories is of people gathering in the countryside to admire the tulips and poppies carpeting the landscape. It is the mid-1970s, and her parents are building a future for themselves and their young children in the city of Kabul. But when Nelofer is just five the Communists take power and her father, a respected doctor, is imprisoned along with thousands of other Afghans. The following year, the Russians invade Afghanistan, which becomes a police state and the center of a bloody conflict between the Soviet army and American-backed mujahidin fighters. A climate of violence and fear reigns. For Nelofer, there is no choice but to grow up fast. At eleven, she and her friends throw stones at the Russian tanks that stir up dust and animosity in the streets of Kabul. As a teenager she joins a resistance group, hiding her gun from her parents. Her emotional refuge is her friendship with her classmate Dyana, with whom she shares a passion for poetry, dreams and a better life. After a decade of war, Nelofer's family escapes across the mountains to Pakistan and later to Canada, where she continues to write to Dyana. When her friend suddenly stops writing, Nelofer fears for Dyana's life. With lyrical, narrative prose, A Bed of Red Flowers movingly tells Pazira's haunting story, as well as Afghanistan's story as a nation.
A Beer in the Loire
by Tommy BarnesTommy Barnes was fed up; frustrated by his boring job, loathing the daily commute and to cap it all, failing to make it as a stand-up comedian. But he didn’t break; he made himself redundant and took off to France with girlfriend Rose.Settled in a dilapidated house in the Loire they are plagued by calamities (mainly of Tommy’s making), excitable neighbours , a destructive puppy and an unexpected pregnancy.When it looks like the money has run out. Tommy has an epiphany. Beer will save him, of course it will, it always has. After all there is a craft beer revolutions sweeping the world. Sadly it turns out that 20 years of drinking beer doesn’t qualify you to brew it.Featuring colourful characters, a stunning location, and an inspiring collection of beer recipes, this is an irresistible feast
A Beginner's Guide To Acting English
by Shaparak KhorsandiIt's 1977 and life in Iran is becoming unpredictable. The Shah will be overthrown and events are about to take place on the world stage. But for five-year-old Shappi Khorsandi all this means is that she must flee, leaving behind a mad extended Iran clan and everything she has ever known.Shappi and her beloved brother Peyvand arrive with their parents in London - all cold weather and strange food - without a word of English. If adapting to a new culture isn't troubling enough, it soon becomes clear that the Ayatollah's henchmen are in pursuit. With the help of MI5, Shappi's family go into hiding. So apart from checking under the family car for bombs every morning, Shappi's childhood is like any other kids' - swings in the park, school plays, kiss-chase and terrorists.'An extraordinary story...really funny and warm'Graham Norton
A Beginner's Guide to Dying
by Simon BoasINTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • Lessons for all of us in how to approach life—from someone in the process of dying. • "Simon Boas was a gifted storyteller with a rare ability to find humor and humanity in life&’s most profound moments. A Beginner&’s Guide to Dying showcases his wit, warmth, and wisdom, offering a deeply moving and unexpectedly funny meditation on mortality." —Hospice Nurse Julie McFadden, author of Nothing to FearIn his mid-40s, aid worker Simon Boas was diagnosed with incurable cancer—it had been caught too late, and spread throughout his body. But he was determined to die as he had learned to live—optimistically, thinking the best of people, and prioritizing what really matters in life. Deemed &“a funny, touching meditation on death&” by the Sunday Times, this warm and wise book offers lessons for all of us in how to approach life.The advice includes: &“Do get in touch, but don&’t just turn up unaccounted,&” and &“Do listen, but don&’t minimize things.&” And just as wisely: &“to exist is to have won the lottery of life.&”This remarkable book, a runaway bestseller in the UK, is not just a meditation on dying, but also a hymn to the joy and preciousness of life. A Beginner&’s Guide to Dying is destined to become a modern classic.
A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind: How to Be "Normal" in Your Twenties with Anxiety and Depression
by Emily ReynoldsYour twenties can be isolating, infuriating and painful - but how do you stay healthy and realistic when you're also dealing with depression, mania, or anxiety? Emily Reynolds's A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind explores the unique challenges, including: How to deal with pressure at school and college Tips for dating when you are mentally ill (and what to expect when you're on the other side) Handling self-harm and suicidal thoughts Advice for your family and friends Learning how to navigate the internet and the online community Advice on diagnosis, treatment, and maintaining your mental healthA blackly funny, deeply compassionate, and extremely practical book, A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind is all at once the author's personal account of what it's like to live with mental illness, a guide to dealing with and understanding it, and a companion to make the journey feel a little less lonely.
A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind: My road to staying sane, and how to navigate yours
by Emily Reynolds'A really clear, funny, useful guide to mental health.' Keith Stuart, author of A Boy Made of Blocks'Warm, welcoming and wise.' Red magazine'This is a funny, brutal, kind, sobering, remarkably brave and clear-eyed book. Compelling and necessary.' Warren Ellis, author of Normal, Gun Machine and Transmetropolitan'Emily Reynolds is a brilliant writer on an important subject. And hilarious too.' Adam Rutherford'This book isn't just brilliantly written and welcoming in its tone; it's honest, practical and important. It is going to help so many people - including friends and family who desperately want to help a loved one but don't know how.' Emma Gannon, author of Ctrl Alt DeleteEmily Reynolds is mad. After years of trying - and failing - to cope with her symptoms, she was finally diagnosed as bipolar in her early twenties. Since then Emily has been on a mission to find the best way to live with her illness, and now she wants to share that knowledge with you. Living with mental illness is isolating, infuriating and painful - but also very boring and, sometimes, kind of gross. A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind is a companion to make the journey feel a little less lonely. A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind gives you tips on:How to deal with exam pressure at school and universityHow to date when you are mentally ill (and what to expect when you're on the other side) Navigating the internet and the online mental health communityHandling self-harm and suicidal thoughtsDiagnosis, treatment and maintaining your mental healthA blackly funny, deeply compassionate and extremely practical book, A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind is a candid exploration of mental illness that is both a personal account of what it's like to live with mental illness and a guide to dealing with and understanding it.
A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind: My road to staying sane, and how to navigate yours
by Emily Reynolds'A really clear, funny, useful guide to mental health.' Keith Stuart, author of A Boy Made of Blocks'Warm, welcoming and wise.' Red magazine'This is a funny, brutal, kind, sobering, remarkably brave and clear-eyed book. Compelling and necessary.' Warren Ellis, author of Normal, Gun Machine and Transmetropolitan'Emily Reynolds is a brilliant writer on an important subject. And hilarious too.' Adam Rutherford'This book isn't just brilliantly written and welcoming in its tone; it's honest, practical and important. It is going to help so many people - including friends and family who desperately want to help a loved one but don't know how.' Emma Gannon, author of Ctrl Alt DeleteEmily Reynolds is mad. After years of trying - and failing - to cope with her symptoms, she was finally diagnosed as bipolar in her early twenties. Since then Emily has been on a mission to find the best way to live with her illness, and now she wants to share that knowledge with you. Living with mental illness is isolating, infuriating and painful - but also very boring and, sometimes, kind of gross. A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind is a companion to make the journey feel a little less lonely. A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind gives you tips on:How to deal with exam pressure at school and universityHow to date when you are mentally ill (and what to expect when you're on the other side) Navigating the internet and the online mental health communityHandling self-harm and suicidal thoughtsDiagnosis, treatment and maintaining your mental healthA blackly funny, deeply compassionate and extremely practical book, A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind is a candid exploration of mental illness that is both a personal account of what it's like to live with mental illness and a guide to dealing with and understanding it.
A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind: My road to staying sane, and how to navigate yours
by Emily ReynoldsA funny and moving memoir from a girl with bipolar, including down-to-earth, practical advice for young people and those who love them.Emily Reynolds is mad. After years of trying - and failing - to cope with her symptoms, she was finally diagnosed as bipolar in her early twenties. Since then Emily has been on a mission to find the best way to live with her illness, and now she wants to share that knowledge with you. Living with mental illness is isolating, infuriating and painful - but also very boring and, sometimes, kind of gross. A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind is a companion to make the journey feel a little less lonely. A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind offers advice on:How to deal with exam pressure at school and universityHandling self-harm and suicidal thoughtsAdvice for your family and friends Tips for dating when you are mentally ill (and what to expect when you're on the other side) Learning how to navigate the internet and the online mental health communityAdvice on diagnosis, treatment and maintaining your mental healthA blackly funny, deeply compassionate and extremely practical book, A Beginner's Guide to Losing Your Mind is a candid exploration of mental illness that is both a personal account of what it's like to live with mental illness and a guide to dealing with and understanding it.(P)2017 Hodder & Stoughton
A Beginner's Guide to Native American Herbal Medicine: 75 Natural Remedies for Wellness and Balance
by Angela Locklear QueenImprove your well-being with Native American herbal medicine.Native American herbal medicine offers a powerful way to connect with the earth and heal naturally—and with this handbook of Native American herbs, you can learn all about herb uses and their restorative effects. Written by an Indigenous herbalist, this guide shows you how to responsibly use traditional plants to treat anxiety, colds, inflammation, and more.This standout among books about herbs and healing will help you:Learn about a time-honored practice—Discover the origins of Indigenous peoples' herbalism, its traditional and modern uses, and how tools like the medicine wheel teach us about our relationship with the natural world.Identify the essential herbs—Explore the healing properties of medicinal herbs for wellness, from anise hyssop to yerba santa.Make 75 natural remedies—Ease physical and emotional ailments with remedies like Memory Support Tea, Stress-Induced Headache Tincture, and Antibacterial Healing Herb Liniment.Tap into traditional wisdom today with this Native American herbal medicine book for health and well-being.
A Beginner's Guide to Paradise
by Alex SheshunoffSo You Too Can: - Move to a South Pacific Island - Wear a Loincloth - Read a Hundred Books - Diaper a Baby Monkey - Build a Bungalow And Maybe, Just Maybe, Fall in Love! * * Individual results may vary.The true story of how a quarter-life crisis led to adventure, freedom, and love on a tiny island in the Pacific. From the author of a lot of emails and several Facebook posts comes A Beginner's Guide to Paradise, a laugh-out-loud, true story that will answer your most pressing escape-from-it-all questions, including: 1. How much, per pound, should you expect to pay a priest to fly you to the outer islands of Yap? 2. Classic slumber party stumper: If you could have just one movie on a remote Pacific island, what would it definitely not be? 3. How do you blend fruity drinks without a blender? 4. Is a free, one-hour class from Home Depot on "Flowerbox Construction" sufficient training to build a house? From Robinson Crusoe to Survivor, Gilligan's Island to The Beach, people have fantasized about living on a remote tropical island. But when facing a quarter-life crisis, plucky desk slave Alex Sheshunoff actually did it. While out in Paradise, he learned a lot. About how to make big choices and big changes. About the less-than-idyllic parts of paradise. About tying a loincloth without exposing the tender bits. Now, Alex shares his incredible story and pretty-hard-won wisdom in a book that will surprise you, make you laugh, take you to such unforgettable islands as Yap and Pig, and perhaps inspire your own move to an island with only two letters in its name. Answers: 1) $1.14 2) Gas Attack Training Made Simple 3) Crimp a fork in half and insert middle into power drill 4) No.From the Hardcover edition.
A Beginner's Guide to Paradise: 9 Steps to Giving Up Everything
by Alex SheshunoffSo You Too Can: - Move to a South Pacific Island - Wear a Loincloth - Read a Hundred Books - Diaper a Baby Monkey - Build a Bungalow And Maybe, Just Maybe, Fall in Love! * * Individual results may vary.The true story of how a quarter-life crisis led to adventure, freedom, and love on a tiny island in the Pacific. From the author of a lot of emails and several Facebook posts comes A Beginner's Guide to Paradise, a laugh-out-loud, true story that will answer your most pressing escape-from-it-all questions, including: 1. How much, per pound, should you expect to pay a priest to fly you to the outer islands of Yap? 2. Classic slumber party stumper: If you could have just one movie on a remote Pacific island, what would it definitely not be? 3. How do you blend fruity drinks without a blender? 4. Is a free, one-hour class from Home Depot on "Flowerbox Construction" sufficient training to build a house? From Robinson Crusoe to Survivor, Gilligan's Island to The Beach, people have fantasized about living on a remote tropical island. But when facing a quarter-life crisis, plucky desk slave Alex Sheshunoff actually did it. While out in Paradise, he learned a lot. About how to make big choices and big changes. About the less-than-idyllic parts of paradise. About tying a loincloth without exposing the tender bits. Now, Alex shares his incredible story and pretty-hard-won wisdom in a book that will surprise you, make you laugh, take you to such unforgettable islands as Yap and Pig, and perhaps inspire your own move to an island with only two letters in its name. Answers: 1) $1.14 2) Gas Attack Training Made Simple 3) Crimp a fork in half and insert middle into power drill 4) No.From the Hardcover edition.
A Beginner's Guide to Paradise: A True Story for Dreamers, Drifters, and Other Fugitives from the Ordinary
by Alex SheshunoffSo You Too Can: - Move to a South Pacific Island - Wear a Loincloth - Read a Hundred Books - Diaper a Baby Monkey - Build a Bungalow And Maybe, Just Maybe, Fall in Love! * * Individual results may vary.The true story of how a quarter-life crisis led to adventure, freedom, and love on a tiny island in the Pacific. From the author of a lot of emails and several Facebook posts comes A Beginner's Guide to Paradise, a laugh-out-loud, true story that will answer your most pressing escape-from-it-all questions, including: 1. How much, per pound, should you expect to pay a priest to fly you to the outer islands of Yap? 2. Classic slumber party stumper: If you could have just one movie on a remote Pacific island, what would it definitely not be? 3. How do you blend fruity drinks without a blender? 4. Is a free, one-hour class from Home Depot on "Flowerbox Construction" sufficient training to build a house? From Robinson Crusoe to Survivor, Gilligan's Island to The Beach, people have fantasized about living on a remote tropical island. But when facing a quarter-life crisis, plucky desk slave Alex Sheshunoff actually did it. While out in Paradise, he learned a lot. About how to make big choices and big changes. About the less-than-idyllic parts of paradise. About tying a loincloth without exposing the tender bits. Now, Alex shares his incredible story and pretty-hard-won wisdom in a book that will surprise you, make you laugh, take you to such unforgettable islands as Yap and Pig, and perhaps inspire your own move to an island with only two letters in its name. Answers: 1) $1.14 2) Gas Attack Training Made Simple 3) Crimp a fork in half and insert middle into power drill 4) No.From the Hardcover edition.
A Beginner's Guide to Paradise: A True Story for Dreamers, Drifters, and Other Fugitives from the Ordinary
by Alex SheshunoffSo You Too Can: - Move to a South Pacific Island - Wear a Loincloth - Read a Hundred Books - Diaper a Baby Monkey - Build a Bungalow And Maybe, Just Maybe, Fall in Love! * * Individual results may vary.The true story of how a quarter-life crisis led to adventure, freedom, and love on a tiny island in the Pacific. From the author of a lot of emails and several Facebook posts comes A Beginner’s Guide to Paradise, a laugh-out-loud, true story that will answer your most pressing escape-from-it-all questions, including: 1. How much, per pound, should you expect to pay a priest to fly you to the outer islands of Yap? 2. Classic slumber party stumper: If you could have just one movie on a remote Pacific island, what would it definitely not be? 3. How do you blend fruity drinks without a blender? 4. Is a free, one-hour class from Home Depot on “Flowerbox Construction” sufficient training to build a house? From Robinson Crusoe to Survivor, Gilligan’s Island to The Beach, people have fantasized about living on a remote tropical island. But when facing a quarter-life crisis, plucky desk slave Alex Sheshunoff actually did it. While out in Paradise, he learned a lot. About how to make big choices and big changes. About the less-than-idyllic parts of paradise. About tying a loincloth without exposing the tender bits. Now, Alex shares his incredible story and pretty-hard-won wisdom in a book that will surprise you, make you laugh, take you to such unforgettable islands as Yap and Pig, and perhaps inspire your own move to an island with only two letters in its name. Answers: 1) $1.14 2) Gas Attack Training Made Simple 3) Crimp a fork in half and insert middle into power drill 4) No.From the Hardcover edition.
A Being So Gentle: The Frontier Love Story of Rachel and Andrew Jackson
by Patricia BradyThe forty-year love affair between Rachel and Andrew Jackson parallels a tumultuous period in American history. Andrew Jackson was at the forefront of the American revolution—but he never could have made it without the support of his wife. Beautiful, charismatic, and generous, Rachel Jackson had the courage to go against the mores of her times in the name of love. As the wife of a great general in wartime, she often found herself running their plantation alone and, a true heroine, she took in and raised children orphaned by the war. Like many great love stories, this one ends tragically when Rachel dies only a few weeks after Andrew is elected president. He moved into the White House alone and never remarried. Andrew and Rachel Jackson's devotion to one another is inspiring, and here, in Patricia Brady's vivid prose, their story of love and loss comes to life for the first time.
A Beirut Heart
by Cathy SultanA Beirut Heart is the unforgettable story of an American woman who lived amidst the Lebanese Civil War for eight years and through it all attempted to sustain a life with her Lebanese husband and two small children. It is a memoir that offers a unique illustration of the unsung heroes of war-the women who assume the awesome task of keeping the family united during wartime.The book tells the story of how Cathy Sultan moved with her family to Lebanon in 1969. For six years they led an ideal life experiencing the rich culture, exotic food and breathtaking landscape of the city located along the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea.After the war began in 1975, their lives changed forever. Sultan recounts how she held the family together by comforting her children after bomb blasts and consoling her physician husband who spent his days treating wounded civilians. To keep sane, she used cooking as her tranquilizer.The unique narrative places us uncomfortably inside something we seldom consider-the domestic element of civil war-and leaves on the reader a permanent impression of the destroyed city and its resilient people.
A Belated Guest
by William Dean HowellsWilliam Dean Howells (18371920) was an American realist author and literary critic. He wrote his first novel, Their Wedding Journey, in 1871, but his literary reputation really took off with the realist novel A Modern Instance, published in 1882, which describes the decay of a marriage. His 1885 novel The Rise of Silas Lapham is perhaps his best known, describing the rise and fall of an American entrepreneur in the paint business. His social views were also strongly reflected in the novels Annie Kilburn (1888) and A Hazard of New Fortunes (1890). While known primarily as a novelist, his short story "Editha" (1905) included in the collection Between the Dark and the Daylight (1907) appears in many anthologies of American literature. Howells also wrote plays, criticism, and essays about contemporary literary figures such as Ibsen, Zola, Verga, and, especially, Tolstoy, which helped establish their reputations in the United States. He also wrote critically in support of many American writers. It is perhaps in this role that he had his greatest influence.
A Benjamin Franklin Reader
by Walter IsaacsonSelected and annotated by the author of the acclaimed Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, this collection of Franklin's writings shows why he was the bestselling author of his day and remains America's favorite Founder and wit. As a twelve-year-old apprentice in his brother's print shop, Benjamin Franklin taught himself to be a writer by taking notes on the works of great essayists such as Addison and Steele, jumbling them up, and then trying to recreate them in his own words. By that method, he recalled in his Autobiography, he was encouraged to think he might become a "tolerable" writer. In fact, he became the best, most popular, and most influential writer in colonial America. His direct and practical prose shaped America's democratic character, and his homespun humor gave birth to the nation's unique brand of crackerbarrel wisdom. This book collects dozens of Franklin's delight-ful essays and letters, along with a complete version of his Autobiography. It includes an introductory essay exploring Franklin's life and impact as a writer, and each piece is accompanied by a preface and notes that provide background, context, and analysis. Through the writings and the introductory essays, the reader can trace the development of Franklin's thinking, along with the birth of the nation he and his pen helped to invent.
A Better Ending: A Brother's Twenty-Year Quest to Uncover the Truth About His Sister's Death
by James Whitfield Thomson&“Haunting and heartfelt...Thomson&’s memoir is meticulously recounted with powerful suspense and hard-earned wisdom.&” —Robert Kolker, author of Hidden Valley Road A propulsive and moving memoir about a brother&’s decades-long investigation into the circumstances surrounding his sister&’s tragic death—and his own journey to forgiveness and closure.On a summer evening in 1974, Jim Thomson arrived home from a baseball game to the news that his younger sister, Eileen, had taken her own life. To Jim, his parents, and his brother, Keith, the loss was unexpected and devastating. Only twenty-seven years old, Eileen had been living in California with her high school sweetheart, Vic, a cop, surrounded by a circle of close friends and working at a job she loved. It seemed unfathomable that she would kill herself, but as the family gathered in Pittsburgh to say goodbye, more details emerged that seemed to explain the tragedy: Eileen had confided in her parents that she had been suffering from depression, and her storybook marriage had been plagued by bitter fights, infidelity, and guilt. When Jim eventually sat down with his brother-in-law to talk about the final hours of Eileen&’s life, Vic looked him in the eye and explained that he had stormed out of the room in the midst of a volatile argument. Moments later, a gunshot went off. Sensing no lies or evasion, Jim believed him. He recounted the story to the rest of the family, and they got on with their lives as best they could. Twenty-seven years later, with all of his family passed away, Eileen&’s death began to nag at Jim. Now a writer, he wanted to fill in the blanks of her story and answer the questions that were plaguing him. What had the final months of Eileen&’s life been like? Why had she not told him about her troubles? How had the infidelity in her marriage brought her and Vic to that fateful day, and who else had been a part of it? What other demons had she been battling? Determined to uncover the truth, Jim hired a private investigator to help him. Together, they tracked down Eileen&’s old friends and clandestinely obtained copies of police reports, which revealed that Vic and Eileen&’s relationship—and the sheriff&’s investigation that followed her death—was much darker and more complicated than they had imagined. Torn by doubt, Jim began a two-decade journey that took him from the streets of Pittsburgh to the hills of San Bernardino, leading him into a tangled web of secrecy, deception, and shifting stories that forced him to reconsider everything he thought he knew about Vic, Eileen, and himself—and to confront the chilling question of whether his sister had really taken her own life. Told with the precision and pace of a whodunit and the searing emotion of a family saga, A Better Ending is an unforgettable tale about the love between siblings, the murkiness of truth and memory, and the path to acceptance.
A Better Man: A (Mostly Serious) Letter to My Son
by Michael Ian Black&“Raw, intimate, and true . . . A Better Man cracked me wide open, and it&’s a template for the conversation we need to be having with our boys.&” —Peggy Orenstein, bestselling author of Boys & Sex A poignant look at boyhood, in the form of a heartfelt letter from comedian Michael Ian Black to his teenage son before he leaves for college, and a radical plea for rethinking masculinity and teaching young men to give and receive love. In a world in which the word masculinity now often goes hand in hand with toxic, comedian, actor, and father Michael Ian Black offers up a way forward for boys, men, and anyone who loves them. Part memoir, part advice book, and written as a heartfelt letter to his college-bound son, A Better Man reveals Black&’s own complicated relationship with his father, explores the damage and rising violence caused by the expectations placed on boys to &“man up,&” and searches for the best way to help young men be part of the solution, not the problem. &“If we cannot allow ourselves vulnerability,&” he writes, &“how are we supposed to experience wonder, fear, tenderness?&” Honest, funny, and hopeful, Black skillfully navigates the complex gender issues of our time and delivers a poignant answer to an urgent question: How can we be, and raise, better men?
A Better Way to Live: Og Mandino's Own Personal Story of Success Featuring 17 Rules to Live By
by Og MandinoOg Mandino is the leading inspirational author in the world. But once, he was a thirty-five year old derelict who nearly spend his last few dollars on a suicide gun. Now, for the first time ever, he describes the joyously redemptive process that turned a down-and- out alcoholic into a millionaire and a happy man within ten years. Og Mandino is the only person who could tell this heartwarming tale of personal triumph--because it is his own true story. And it can profoundly influence your life.
A Better Woman
by Susan JohnsonAcclaimed novelist Susan Johnson found, at age thirty-five, that her desire to have a baby became overwhelming. She had no inkling what motherhood would cost -- or give -- her. But as she went on to experience pregnancy and birth, and their impact on her marriage, health, and heart, she recorded it all. In this hauntingly lovely account, Johnson portrays a woman transformed by motherhood, and a writer forever changed by a widening chasm of experience. Her initial ecstasy jostles against bewilderment, rage, and despair, however, when she develops a rare complication of childbirth; she is "a one-woman catastrophe, a small ruined country." She is also burning to get words on paper. The result, A Better Woman, should be required reading for every woman hungry to give birth -- and every mother yearning to have her deepest feelings heard.
A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog Named Trixie
by Dean KoontzIn a profound, funny, and beautifully rendered portrait of a beloved companion, bestselling novelist Dean Koontz remembers the golden retriever who changed his life. A retired service dog, Trixie was three when Dean and his wife, Gerda, welcomed her into their home. She was superbly trained, but her greatest gifts couldn't be taught: her keen intelligence, her innate joy, and an uncanny knack for living in the moment. Whether chasing a tennis ball or protecting those she loved, Trixie gave all she had to everything she did, inspiring Dean and Gerda to trust their instincts and recapture a sense of wonder that will remain with them always. Trixie lived fewer than twelve years; in this wide world, she was a little thing. But in every way that mattered, she lived a big life.