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The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories (Classic Seuss)
by Dr. SeussWhat&’s better than a lost treasure? Seven lost treasures! These rarely seen Dr. Seuss stories were published in magazines in the early 1950s and are finally available in book form. They include &“The Bippolo Seed&” (in which a scheming feline leads a duck toward a bad decision), &“The Rabbit, the Bear, and the Zinniga-Zanniga&” (about a rabbit who is saved from a bear by a single eyelash), &“Gustav, the Goldfish&” (an early rhymed version of the Beginner Book A Fish Out of Water), &“Tadd and Todd&” (about a twin who is striving to be an individual), &“Steak for Supper&” (in which fantastic creatures follow a boy home in anticipation of a steak dinner), &“The Strange Shirt Spot&” (the inspiration for the bathtub-ring scene in The Cat in the Hat Comes Back), and &“The Great Henry McBride&” (about a boy whose far-flung career fantasies are bested only by those of Dr. Seuss himself). An introduction by Seuss scholar Charles D. Cohen traces the history of the stories, which demonstrate an intentional move toward the writing style we now associate with Dr. Seuss. Cohen also explores the themes that recur in well-known Seuss stories (like the importance of the imagination or the perils of greed). With a color palette enhanced beyond the limitations of the original magazines, this is a collection that no Seuss fan (whether scholar or second grader) will want to miss.
The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories: Read & Listen Edition (Classic Seuss)
by Dr. SeussWhat&’s better than a lost treasure? Seven lost treasures! These rarely seen Dr. Seuss stories were published in magazines in the early 1950s and are finally available in book form. They include &“The Bippolo Seed&” (in which a scheming feline leads a duck toward a bad decision), &“The Rabbit, the Bear, and the Zinniga-Zanniga&” (about a rabbit who is saved from a bear by a single eyelash), &“Gustav, the Goldfish&” (an early rhymed version of the Beginner Book A Fish Out of Water), &“Tadd and Todd&” (about a twin who is striving to be an individual), &“Steak for Supper&” (in which fantastic creatures follow a boy home in anticipation of a steak dinner), &“The Strange Shirt Spot&” (the inspiration for the bathtub-ring scene in The Cat in the Hat Comes Back), and &“The Great Henry McBride&” (about a boy whose far-flung career fantasies are bested only by those of Dr. Seuss himself). An introduction by Seuss scholar Charles D. Cohen traces the history of the stories, which demonstrate an intentional move toward the writing style we now associate with Dr. Seuss. Cohen also explores the themes that recur in well-known Seuss stories (like the importance of the imagination or the perils of greed). With a color palette enhanced beyond the limitations of the original magazines, this is a collection that no Seuss fan (whether scholar or second grader) will want to miss.This Read & Listen edition contains audio narration.
The Bird of Time
by George Alec EffingerFar into the future, Hartstein's graduation present from his grandparents was a wonderful trip…into the past. He had a long future in the doughnut industry to look forward to but this trip was the icing on the cake. It had been a long time since that first experiment in time travel was successfully pulled off, although not without its flaws. Now, in the future, time travel was a lucrative tourist industry. But the time travel industry was keeping one little fact to itself: two percent never came back. This cover-up was the work of the Agency. The Agency knew what others did not: that the past wasn't really the past but a complicated dynamic of individual perceptions of what the past might have been. The past isn't real and reality becomes a state of mind. While selling their particular brand of escapist entertainment and vacation packages, the Agency didn't bother to tell its clients or the populace in general that a war was going on--a time war. The Agency was spending its time in a neck-and-neck battle with the Temporary Underground. The battlefield was none other than the space-time continuum, the weapons were time-shifts and theoretical mathematics. Hartstein had no idea what his trip would be or where it would take him.
The Birding Dictionary
by Rosemary MoscoWith birding more popular than ever, this clever pocket-sized guide is a unique gift that celebrates the obsession with hilarious definitions and clever illustrations of terms that birders know and love. Acclaimed science communicator and cartoonist Rosemary Mosco offers a clever, humorous gift that's perfect for any birdwatching obsessive in The Birding Dictionary. It is a &“dictionary&” filled with hilarious and informative definitions for more than 200 birding terms, plus over 50 witty full‑color illustrations. Terms range from bird species, anatomy, and behaviors to the insider birdwatching jargon that all birders know and speak fluently, from "alpha code" to "zygodactyl." With equal parts quirky humor, accessible science, and impulse giftability, The Birding Dictionary is the latest in Workman&’s legendary &“pocket dictionary&” series, which includes Golfing, Skiing, Sailing, and others, with a whopping 2.5 million copies in print.
The Birth Mother (Family Man Ser. #13)
by Tara Taylor QuinnFAMILY MANA story written for the heart-and from the heart...by the bestselling author of Jacob's Girls.Bryan's niece. Jennifer's daughter. He knows it. She doesn't.Dashing ladies' man, brilliant entrepreneur and bachelor uncle, Bryan Chambers is now a bachelor father. That's because suddenly-tragically-he's the only remaining family his eleven-year-old niece, Nicki, has. And obviously he's not doing a good enough job of surrogate fathering, as Nicki simply isn't getting over her parents' deaths. There's only one thing that interests Nicki these days and that's finding the woman who gave her away eleven years before. Her birth mother.Desperate to help his niece, Bryan tracks down Jennifer Teal, Nicki's birth mother. She's twenty-seven-beautiful, successful and unmarried. But there's a hitch or two.The first hitch? She doesn't seem to like kids. The second? Bryan's falling in love with her.FAMILY MAN
The Birth of Canis: A Get Fuzzy Collection (Get Fuzzy #19)
by Darby ConleyBucky, Satchel, and Rob are back for more madness and mayhem. And the world couldn't be happier! Darby Conley's previous titles include two New York Times best-sellers. Bucky Katt is a rather obstinate Siamese who constantly battles his "owner" Rob for control of their home. Satchel Pooch, the Labrador-Shar-pei mix who's sweet and lovable, makes a nice lackey for Bucky. Bucky knows he's smarter than everyone else; it's just a matter of convincing the rest of the world. Satchel always tries to do the right thing but very often ends up the brunt of Bucky's antics. Rob Wilco is a bachelor trying to regain household domesticity. Together, this seemingly typical threesome gets into some less-than-typical but hilarious situations. There's never a dull moment at the Wilco residence.Get Fuzzy, featured in over 650 newspapers worldwide, is one of the most highly lauded cartoons in the country. The National Cartoonists Society named it Best Comic Strip of 2002. Its sidesplitting humor and hilariously illustrated facial nuances appeal to animal lovers everywhere. Bucky and Satchel's words and expressions are what we all picture our beloved pets saying and doing.
The Birthday Ball
by Lois Lowry Jules FeifferPrincess Patricia Priscilla is bored with her royal life and the excitement surrounding her sixteenth birthday ball. Doomed to endure courtship by three grotesquely unappealing noblemen, she escapes her fate-for a week. Disguised as a peasant, she attends the village school as the smart new girl, "Pat," and attracts friends and the attention of the handsome schoolmaster. Disgusting suitors, lovable peasants, and the clueless king and queen collide at the ball, where Princess Patricia Priscilla calls the shots. What began as a cure for boredom becomes a chance for Princess Patricia Priscilla to break the rules and marry the man she loves.
The Birthday Party of Dread (Fangbone! Third Grade Barbarian #3)
by Michael RexAs seen on Disney XD, a hilarious graphic novel perfect for fans of Captain Underpants!Fangbone and his friends are full of ideas for Eastwood Elementary's "Invention Convention." Unfortunately, Venomous Drool has ideas of his own--like sending a curse to crush Fangbone! But when the misdirected spell sends a terrifying monster to attack Bill at his birthday party instead, Fangbone must invent a way to save his best friend--and fast! The graphic novel series that boys go wild for!
The Birthday Party of No Return!: The Birthday Party Of No Return (Goosebumps Hall of Horrors #6)
by R. L. StineWelcome to the Hall of Horrors, HorrorLand's Hall of Fame for the truly terrifying.Lee Hargrove only wants one thing-to win a scholarship to Summer Sports Camp. His school is holding a competition and the winner gets to attend the camp for free. Lee is one of the favorites to win along with his friend, Cory "Lucky Duck" Duckworth and another athletic classmate, Laura Grodin. Laura is good...for a girl, but how can anyone compete with Cory's good luck streak? Lee has an idea and he's about to give Cory an unforgettable birthday present that will really get the party started.
The Bitchy Waiter: Tales, Tips & Trials from a Life in Food Service
by Darron CardosaMillions of people have, at some point in their lives, waited tables. Some only did it in college, or got out by sheer determination, good luck . . . or suicide. Others took it on as permanent employment. And many remain haunted by nightmare scenarios where they are the sole server in a restaurant packed with complaining patrons. For all those disenchanted current and former food service employees, Darron Cardosa has your back. His career began at a Texas steakhouse in 1984, and since 2008 he&’s vented his frustrations in the popular blog The Bitchy Waiter. A snarky mix of David Sedaris, Anthony Bourdain, Erma Bombeck, and Mo Rocca, Cardosa distills 30 years of food service into dark, funny tales—about crazy customers, out-of-control egos, and what really goes on in that fancy restaurant—that anyone who worked in the industry will recognize and relate to.
The Bitter Price of Love
by Amanda BrowningMistress for hire!Hunter Jamieson has been furious to discover that his cousin's intended bride was the same little gold digger who had run out on him only days before. And it seemed Reba Wyeth was up to her old tricks....She needed money-fast. And marrying Eliot Thorson III seemed the perfect deal. He'd get a beautiful woman on his arm. Reba would get the cash. Simple. Only Hunter Jamieson stood in her way. She had made the mistake of falling for the man, only to have to say goodbye. She'd had her reasons, of course, but Hunter wasn't interested in explanations-only revenge!The wedding was off! If Reba wanted money she could have it, but on one condition-that she become his mistress!Of Trail of Love:"Amanda Browning's portrayal of one woman's difficult search for the truth packs a wallop in itself, but when paired with an obsessive love, readers get twice the fun."-Romantic Times
The Black Book: A Novel (Narrativas Contempor Ser.)
by Lawrence Durrell&“The first piece of work by a new English writer to give me any hope for the future of prose fiction.&” —T. S. Eliot As over-the-top as it is inventive, Durrell&’s breakthrough novel is a series of sordid vignettes drawn from the lives of decadent artists, doomed bohemians, and continental rascals inhabiting a shabby London hotel, narrated in turns by the unforgettable Lawrence Lucifer and Gregory Death. Together, these characters seek to escape the absurdity of a Europe haunted by devastating war, yet beginning to pitch toward another apocalypse. First published in 1938, and influenced by Henry Miller and the sincere pranksterism of the surrealist movement, The Black Book marks the emergence of one of the most revolutionary voices in twentieth-century English literature. This ebook contains a new introduction by DBC Pierre.
The Black Box
by Alek PopovDespite receiving his ashes and a note saying that he has died, two brothers believe their father's death has been faked in this satirical novelIn 1990, two Bulgarian brothers, Ned and Ango, receive an unusual package from the USA: a black plastic box containing the ashes of their late father, a professor allowed out of communist Bulgaria to teach in the USA during the 1980s. However, the brothers are left with a nagging sense that something is not quite right. Since neither of them has seen the body they begin to doubt if he is he really dead. But if the death had been faked, why? 15 years later, as the brothers forge new and very different lives (Ned a management consultant; Ango a dog walker to the rich) in their new home in New York, some answers begin to emerge . . . A darkly comic tale of disillusionment, The Black Box explores the nature and logic of our Western neo-liberal capitalist system and how so many of us are all driven to acts of greed, imprudence, and recklessness in the pursuit of money and wealth.
The Black Brook
by Tom DruryA small-time art forger runs afoul of the New England mob in this comic crime novel from the author of The End of Vandalism: “One of our living masters” (McSweeney’s). Paul Emmons has his faults—envy, lust, naiveté, money laundering, and art forgery to name a few. A fallen accountant and scamster, Emmons and his wife, Mary, are exiled abroad, though they enjoy inadvisable returns to New England to check on the property they own but cannot claim. Paul’s unfortunate association with Carlo Record, president of the fraudulent company New England Amusements, was always destined to get him into trouble. When Carlo and his cronies—Ashtray Bob, Line-Item Vito, and Hatpin Henry—try to coerce Paul into stealing the John Singer Sargent painting “The Black Brook” from the Tate gallery in London, Paul and Mary hatch a plan to trick the tricksters . . . Through it all, Paul searches for his true mission in life in this “irresistibly droll portrayal of an All-American liar, loser, and innocent” (Kirkus Reviews). This Grove edition features a new introduction in the form of a conversation between Drury and Daniel Handler.
The Black Dog: The brilliant debut novel from one of Britain's most-loved comedians
by Kevin BridgesTHE BLACK DOG is the exciting debut novel from one of Britain's most-loved comedians, Kevin BridgesDeclan dreams of becoming a writer. It's a dream that helps him escape the realities of his life - going through the motions at college and stacking supermarket shelves part-time, whilst fighting a battle with the ever-darkening thoughts in his head. He has his pet Labrador for companionship and his best friend-turned-mentor, a pseudo-intellectual who works as a greenskeeper at the local municipal golf course, both of which help keep the worst of his anxieties at bay. But following a drunken row with local gangsters, Declan's worries threaten to spiral out of control. James Cavani - Declan's idol and his hometown's claim to fame - is a renowned writer, director and actor. But despite his success, his past hasn't relinquished its hold of him, and through his younger sister's battle with drug addiction, he finds himself returning to a world he thought he had escaped. At face value, their lives couldn't be more different, but perhaps fate has a way of bringing kindred spirits together - and perhaps each holds the other's redemption in their hands.Praise for THE BLACK DOG:'I've just finished THE BLACK DOG with a massive lump in my throat - what a brilliant book. Touching, raucous, visceral and really funny with some moments of real profundity.' Harriet Tyce'One of the funniest stand-up comedians in world and now the author of a brilliant novel. Kevin's talent is starting to annoy me now.' Rob Beckett 'Immensely readable, fast moving and an insight into two sides of Kevin Bridges, I really enjoyed it. Kevin's warmth and wit shine through in his first novel. Never a dull moment and an array of engaging, quirky characters. A funny and absorbing read with some great insights into the world of negotiating being famous.' Jo Brand'I love this book. Brilliantly drawn, believable characters of raw heart and honesty. Cannot recommend enough.' Matt Coyne'Vulnerable and raw - this is a beautiful debut novel from the king of comedic storytelling.' Tom Allen 'It's funny (obviously) and dark (obviously) but tender and surprising, too.' Bobby Palmer'Watching Kevin, I was sure he was born to be a stand-up comic, but reading his book it is clear he can do absolutely anything he sets his mind to. I look forward to visiting his Michelin starred restaurant and living on his self-built space community. Everything that is great about Kevin's stand up - the characters he creates, the unapologetic root in working class life, the straddling of worlds - is what's great about this book.' Jon Richardson
The Black Dog: The brilliant debut novel from one of Britain's most-loved comedians
by Kevin BridgesTHE BLACK DOG is the exciting debut novel from one of Britain's most-loved comedians, Kevin BridgesDeclan dreams of becoming a writer. It's a dream that helps him escape the realities of his life - going through the motions at college and stacking supermarket shelves part-time, whilst fighting a battle with the ever-darkening thoughts in his head. He has his pet Labrador for companionship and his best friend-turned-mentor, a pseudo-intellectual who works as a greenskeeper at the local municipal golf course, both of which help keep the worst of his anxieties at bay. But following a drunken row with local gangsters, Declan's worries threaten to spiral out of control. James Cavani - Declan's idol and his hometown's claim to fame - is a renowned writer, director and actor. But despite his success, his past hasn't relinquished its hold of him, and through his younger sister's battle with drug addiction, he finds himself returning to a world he thought he had escaped. At face value, their lives couldn't be more different, but perhaps fate has a way of bringing kindred spirits together - and perhaps each holds the other's redemption in their hands.Praise for THE BLACK DOG:'I've just finished THE BLACK DOG with a massive lump in my throat - what a brilliant book. Touching, raucous, visceral and really funny with some moments of real profundity.' Harriet Tyce'One of the funniest stand-up comedians in world and now the author of a brilliant novel. Kevin's talent is starting to annoy me now.' Rob Beckett 'Immensely readable, fast moving and an insight into two sides of Kevin Bridges, I really enjoyed it. Kevin's warmth and wit shine through in his first novel. Never a dull moment and an array of engaging, quirky characters. A funny and absorbing read with some great insights into the world of negotiating being famous.' Jo Brand'I love this book. Brilliantly drawn, believable characters of raw heart and honesty. Cannot recommend enough.' Matt Coyne'Vulnerable and raw - this is a beautiful debut novel from the king of comedic storytelling.' Tom Allen 'It's funny (obviously) and dark (obviously) but tender and surprising, too.' Bobby Palmer'Watching Kevin, I was sure he was born to be a stand-up comic, but reading his book it is clear he can do absolutely anything he sets his mind to. I look forward to visiting his Michelin starred restaurant and living on his self-built space community. Everything that is great about Kevin's stand up - the characters he creates, the unapologetic root in working class life, the straddling of worlds - is what's great about this book.' Jon Richardson
The Black Dog: The brilliant debut novel from one of Britain's most-loved comedians
by Kevin BridgesTHE BLACK DOG is the exciting debut novel from one of Britain's most-loved comedians, Kevin BridgesDeclan dreams of becoming a writer. It's a dream that helps him escape the realities of his life - going through the motions at college and stacking supermarket shelves part-time, whilst fighting a battle with the ever-darkening thoughts in his head. He has his pet Labrador for companionship and his best friend-turned-mentor, a pseudo-intellectual who works as a greenskeeper at the local municipal golf course, both of which help keep the worst of his anxieties at bay. But following a drunken row with local gangsters, Declan's worries threaten to spiral out of control. James Cavani - Declan's idol and his hometown's claim to fame - is a renowned writer, director and actor. But despite his success, his past hasn't relinquished its hold of him, and through his younger sister's battle with drug addiction, he finds himself returning to a world he thought he had escaped. At face value, their lives couldn't be more different, but perhaps fate has a way of bringing kindred spirits together - and perhaps each holds the other's redemption in their hands.(P)2022 Headline Publishing Group Limited
The Black Dove
by Steve HockensmithIn the summer of 1893, Gustav "Old Red" Amlingmeyer and his brother Otto (a.k.a. "Big Red") find themselves down and out in San Francisco. Though cowpokes by training, the brothers are devotees of the late, great Sherlock Holmes and his trademark method of "deducifying." But when they set out to land jobs as professional detectives, they land themselves in hot water, instead. First their friend Dr. Chan mysteriously takes a potshot at them, fatally wounding Big Red's new hat. Then a secretive young woman from their past pops up and convinces them that Chan's in trouble -- and they're just the men to get him out of it. Unfortunately, they're too late: By the time they track Chan down again, he's dead. The police call it a suicide. Old Red calls that a lie. When he and his brother set out to prove it, they put themselves on a collision course with shady S.F.P.D. cops, brutal Barbary Coast hoodlums and the deadly Chinatown tongs. Before long, all sides are in a race to uncover the secret that could rock the city. And their only clue to what's actually going on is the enigmatic, exotic and extremely difficult to find "Black Dove."
The Black Dress
by Deborah Moggach&“A darkly funny novel about betrayal, loneliness and the surprising pleasure of being single again&” from the author of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Good Housekeeping). At sixty-nine years old, Pru has found herself alone for the first time in her life. Her grown children are out of the house, and her husband, Greg, has filed for divorce. She attributes Greg&’s betrayal to a cancer scare and a more-than-midlife crisis, but that doesn&’t make her feel any better—or less lonely. It seems that nothing—not even her eccentric, free-spirited best friend, Azra—can pull her out of her depression. Until Pru sees a black dress in a thrift store window . . . Its sleek silhouette calls to mind long-gone days of cocktail parties and sophisticated conversation. And it gives Pru a brilliant idea: where better to wear a black dress—and find age-appropriate single men—than at a funeral? As Pru combs through the obituaries and attends masses and wakes, she finds comfort among the bereaved. After all, they&’re all grieving someone they have lost. But Pru&’s about to discover that though her new dating plan may get her out of the house and back on the market, the life she&’s so desperately trying to leave behind isn&’t done with her yet . . . &“With dry wit and observation, Moggach tackles the perils of ageing with brutal honesty.&” —Daily Express &“This page-turner is like the best wakes, it will make you feel hungry and alive.&” —The Times (London) &“As ever with Moggach, the joy is in her witty observations of middle-class life and bracingly tart portrayal of family relationships.&” —Daily Mail
The Black Hole Bandits (Mr. Kazarian, Alien Librarian)
by Steve FoxeMr. Kazarian has a problem...his evil cousin, Kronkhold, is threatening to consume the galaxy with his new device, a black-hole generator. Mr. K's four favorite students are in the library researching Albert Einstein when they see Mr. K heading out on his mission to stop Kronkhold. What better way to learn about black holes and Einstein's theories than to ride along? Oh, and hopefully help save their home in the Milky Way. Bravely facing Kronkhold and his space-pirate flunkies, Mr. K and the students get a little too up close and personal with a black hole and must outwit the evil scientist to save the galaxy and themselves! Science fiction packed full of space facts!
The Black Pack: Comedy, Race, and Resistance
by Artel GreatThe Black Pack: Comedy, Race & Resistance is the first book to chronicle the untold history behind the iconic collaborations between a legendary group of comedians—Eddie Murphy, Paul Mooney, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Robert Townsend, and Arsenio Hall—who joined forces as the “Black Pack” in the late 1980s to create a series of socially-charged comedies that revolutionized popular culture and transformed American comedy. Working together as writers, directors, producers, actors, and consultants, the Black Pack created some of the most provocative and enduring Black films and television shows of the twentieth century, including classic productions like In Living Color, Coming to America, Hollywood Shuffle, and The Arsenio Hall Show. The Black Pack collective was armed with a signature comedic style which combined politically-Black satire with edgy social humor that entertained millions, shattered box-office records, and slyly critiqued America’s racial condition. Amid escalating social tensions in the 1980s, the Black Pack’s comedic output transformed anger into art, wielding the cloak of humor as a rebellious tool to confront unjust business practices in Hollywood and challenge racial narratives embedded in American culture. Their work empowered unapologetically Black voices and expanded creative possibilities for Black artists in the entertainment industry. In The Black Pack, Artel Great delivers the most comprehensive analysis of this groundbreaking comedy collective, uncovering how the group’s socially and politically-charged humor defied systemic barriers to achieve unprecedented commercial success and establish a cultural legacy that continues to inspire media creators today and across new generations.
The Black Sheep's Bride
by Paula MarshallA black sheep meets his match when he inherits his brother’s bride in this Tudor-era romance set during a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I.Martin Chancellor, the blackest sheep of a disreputable family, is now the sole heir to the estates—and to his brother’s promised bride! Martin’s reluctance to marry fades when he sees Lady Kate Wyville, but he has no idea that she possesses a free and wily spirit to match his own. Love, trust, and family loyalty all come into question as the Essex rebellion gathers pace against the Queen. . . .
The Blackmail Baby
by Natalie RiversOnce Lorenzo Valente sets his sights on something—or someone—he will not be deterred! His estranged wife, Chloe, might profess to hate him now, yet only weeks earlier she was claiming adoration…proving Lorenzo's belief that love is fickle.But now the stakes have gotten higher…. Chloe has become guardian to her friend's baby and wants a fresh start—plus a marriage annulment. Seeing Chloe as a mother, Lorenzo is more determined than ever to keep her… and claim the wedding night from which she fled!
The Blackmailed Bride
by Kim LawrenceThe scandal…Kate was determined to protect her sister from an impending scandal, and Javier Montero was the only man who could help them avoid public exposure! But Javier wanted something in return. As head of his family's business empire, he needed a wife. Kate would be perfect!The marriage ultimatum!Negotiating with sexy, commanding Javier wasn't easy—and when he insisted on marriage, Kate knew she was about to become a blackmailed bride!
The Blackmailer's Guide to Love: A Novel
by Marian ThurmIn 1970s New York, a woman finds professional success and personal disillusionment: &“Sparkling . . . Looks back on the heyday of glossy magazine publishing.&” —Publishers Weekly One of the many Ivy League graduates with literary ambitions who flock to New York City every year, twenty-five-year-old Melissa Fleischer has the great fortune to be hired as the assistant to high-profile magazine editor Austin Bloch. But after she begins her career with the prestigious publication, Mel learns the extravagantly long lunches her boss often indulges in are actually disguising his affairs with a stream of young women. Mel is left in the distressing position of lying about these never-ending betrayals to Austin&’s wife, Hillarie, who often calls while he is out of the office. Then, unexpectedly, the New Yorker begins printing Mel&’s short stories, offering a spectacular start to what she hopes will be a long and fruitful writing career. Unfortunately, the exhilaration of being published by the magazine she reveres most is soon diminished—by both Mel&’s deeply painful discovery that her own relationship, like Austin&’s, is far from idyllic, and her continuing complicity in Austin&’s betrayals. And nothing seems more difficult than the effort it will take to keep her marriage from falling apart in this novel by an author who &“writes so brilliantly of the battle of the sexes&” (The New York Times Book Review).