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The Plucker: A Beastly Crimes Book (#4)
by Anna Starobinets"A clever whodunit featuring believable animal characters in a convincing, recognizable society. A few full-color illustrations from Muravski add to the appeal. Mystery fans (around the world) should rejoice." — KirkusIn the finale of the four-book Beastly Crimes series, Chief Badger faces his most bizarre case yet, in which someone is plucking and burning the feathers of birds in the Far Woods. To make things even worse, the top suspect is his former assistant, young Badgercat. Chief Badger knows that Badgercat can't possibly be the Plucker, so who plucked Lady Cuckoo and attacked the owl twins, Chuck and Huck? Was it Warbler the barber, who's obsessed with hair, fur, and feathers? Or the sly, treacherous Arctic Fox? Was it the compulsive thief, Sneaky Sal the salamander? Or someone else?Newly translated from the original Russian, this delightfully offbeat mystery is graced by a wealth of full-color illustrations and is certain to thrill all young sleuths. Look for the previous novels in the Beastly Crimes series — In the Wolf's Lair,A Predator's Rights, and The Claws of Rage.
The Plus One
by Sarah ArcherA brilliant but socially inept robotics engineer builds her own wedding date--and learns more about love than she ever expected--in this hilarious and heartwarming debut novel."Prepare to fall in love!" --Aimee Agresti, author of Campaign WidowsWhen she couldn't find Mr. Right, she built him.Dating is hard. Being dateless at your perfect sister's wedding is harder.Meet Kelly. Twenty-nine, go-getter, a brilliant robotics engineer, and perpetually single. So when her younger sister's wedding looms and her attempts to find a date become increasingly cringeworthy, Kelly does the only logical thing: she builds her own boyfriend.Ethan is perfect: gorgeous, attentive, and smart--all topped off by a mechanical heart endlessly devoted to her. Not to mention he's good with her mother. When she's with him, Kelly discovers a more confident, spontaneous version of herself--the person she'd always dreamed she could be. But as the struggle to keep Ethan's identity secret threatens to detonate her career, Kelly knows she has to kiss her perfect man good-bye.There's just one problem: she's falling for him.
The Plus One: A Novel
by Mazey Eddings"Mazey Eddings’s writing is authentic, emotional, and intensely romantic! To me, it’s like a Taylor Swift song in book form." - New York Times bestselling author Ali HazelwoodWhat starts out as a fake wedding date turns into something these childhood enemies never expected in The Plus One, a sparkling romantic comedy by Mazey Eddings.She’s not looking to fix him. She’s looking to love him, if he’ll let her in.Some facts are indisputable. The sun rises in the east, sets in the west. Gravity exists. Indira doesn’t like Jude. Jude doesn’t like Indira. But what happens when these childhood enemies find the only thing they can rely on is each other?On paper, Indira has everything together. An amazing job, a boyfriend, and a car. What more could a late twenty-something ask for? But when she walks in on her boyfriend in an amorous embrace with a stranger, that perfect on paper image goes up in flames. Jude has nothing together. A doctor that’s spent the last three years traveling the world to treat emergencies and humanitarian crises, a quick trip home for his best friend’s wedding has him struggling to readjust.Thrust into an elaborate (and ridiculously drawn out) wedding event that’s stressing Jude beyond belief and has Indira seeing her ex and his new girlfriend far more frequently than any human should endure, the duo strike a bargain to be each other’s fake dates to this wedding from hell. The only problem is, their forced proximity and fake displays of affection are starting to feel a bit…real, and both are left grappling with the idea that a situation that couldn’t be worse, is made a little better with the other around.
The Plus One: The next sparkling & swoony enemies-to-lovers rom-com from the author of the TikTok-hit, A Brush with Love!
by Mazey EddingsIt started as a fake date for the wedding from hell . . . The next sparkling and swoony enemies-to-lovers rom-com from the author of the TikTok-hit A Brush with Love and Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake.'Mazey Eddings's writing is authentic, emotional, and intensely romantic! To me, it's like a Taylor Swift song in book form' Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author Readers gave A Brush with Love FIVE SHINING STARS!'Swoony, steamy, adorable . . . Read. This. Book. You won't be disappointed. It's a keeper and Mazey Eddings is on my auto-read list forever''There was so much to love about this book . . . Thank you to Mazey Eddings for this romance with its messy, true, and painfully real representation of anxiety . . . We need more books like this in the world'............................................Some facts are indisputable: Gravity exists.Indira doesn't like Jude.Jude doesn't like Indira.Indira has everything together: an amazing job, a boyfriend, a car. What more could a late twenty-something want? Well, not walking in on her boyfriend with another woman, for one thing.Her childhood enemy, Jude, has nothing together. Having spent three years travelling the world to treat emergencies and humanitarian crises, a quick trip home for his best friend's wedding has him struggling to readjust.Thrust into an elaborate (and ridiculously drawn out) wedding, Jude and Indira - who can't seem to escape her ex and his new girlfriend - are both soon at breaking point.Their solution? A bargain to be each other's fake dates.But what happens when the forced proximity and fake displays of affection start to feel a bit too . . . real?............................................Raves for Mazey Eddings!'Blends sweetness, breathless romance, and moments of striking vulnerability' HELEN HOANG'Prepare to smile, laugh, and cry your way through this witty, fast-paced rom-com' EVIE DUNMORE'Laugh-out-loud funny, almost unbearably cute' ROSIE DANAN'A contemporary romance masterpiece . . . The most intoxicating slow burn I've read in ages' RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON'Funny and cute while also exploring serious topics, powerfully underscoring the truth that relationships require work, and that happy endings are for everyone' SARAH HOGLE'Brims with emotional depth, whip-smart banter, and sizzling chemistry' CHLOE LIESE
The Plus One: The next sparkling & swoony enemies-to-lovers rom-com from the author of the TikTok-hit, A Brush with Love!
by Mazey EddingsIt started as a fake date for the wedding from hell . . .The next sparkling and swoony enemies-to-lovers rom-com from the author of the TikTok-hit A Brush with Love and Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake.............................................Some facts are indisputable:Gravity exists.Indira doesn't like Jude.Jude doesn't like Indira.Indira has everything together: an amazing job, a boyfriend, a car. What more could a late twenty-something want? Well, not walking in on her boyfriend with another woman, for one thing.Her childhood enemy, Jude, has nothing together. Having spent three years travelling the world to treat emergencies and humanitarian crises, a quick trip home for his best friend's wedding has him struggling to readjust.Thrust into an elaborate (and ridiculously drawn out) wedding, Jude and Indira - who can't seem to escape her ex and his new girlfriend - are both soon at breaking point.Their solution? A bargain to be each other's fake dates.But what happens when the forced proximity and fake displays of affection start to feel a bit too . . . real?............................................'Mazey Eddings's writing is authentic, emotional, and intensely romantic! To me, it's like a Taylor Swift song in book form' Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author'Blends sweetness, breathless romance, and moments of striking vulnerability' HELEN HOANG'Prepare to smile, laugh, and cry your way through this witty, fast-paced rom-com' EVIE DUNMORE'Laugh-out-loud funny, almost unbearably cute' ROSIE DANAN'A contemporary romance masterpiece . . . The most intoxicating slow burn I've read in ages' RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON'Funny and cute while also exploring serious topics, powerfully underscoring the truth that relationships require work, and that happy endings are for everyone' SARAH HOGLE'Brims with emotional depth, whip-smart banter, and sizzling chemistry' CHLOE LIESE(P) 2023 Macmillan Audio
The Plus: Self-Help for People Who Hate Self-Help
by Greg GutfeldNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Greg Gutfeld wants to be your new guru, and he hates himself for it.Before Greg Gutfeld was a Fox News star and a New York Times bestselling author, he was a self-help writer for health magazines who had no idea what he was talking about. But now, after years of experience, he finally feels qualified to guide people on the journey of life—call this book punishment for his sins, and a huge reward for you! In The Plus, Greg teaches you how to brainwash yourself into better behavior, retaining the pluses in your life and eliminating the minuses. His approach to self-help is simple, and perfect for cynics; it&’s not about positive thinking in the short term, it&’s about positive being in the long term. With tough love and more than a little political incorrectness, he delivers sage wisdom such as: -If you aren&’t getting happier as you&’re getting older, you&’re doing it wrong. -Resist the media&’s command to expand destructive narratives. -If you&’re in the same place you were three years ago, wake up. -Don&’t tweet when drinking. Modern life grows emptier and emptier as society becomes increasingly polarized, and even those who don&’t subscribe to New Age beliefs are seeking comfort and meaning. In The Plus, Greg shows how skeptics too can advance themselves for the betterment of their lives and the healing of their communities.
The Plutonium Blonde (Nuclear Bombshell #1)
by Lawrence Ganem John ZakourA private detective searches for a plutonium-powered android in this “surprisingly clever” sci-fi noir that “spoofs the genre and everything else in sight” (Science Fiction Chronicle).Zachary Nixon Johnson is the last private eye on earth—and in the pop culture-crazed world of 2057, that makes him a bit of a celebrity. It also makes him a magnet for trouble. But when the famous BB Starr, a former exotic dancer who is now the CEO of the world’s largest corporation, hires him to find her illegal, plutonium-powered, psychotic android clone, Zach knows that his life is about to get even weirder.Once Zach starts investigating, his life is suddenly filled with unwanted publicity and unexplained assassination attempts. Not only is this case more trouble than it’s worth, but the mystery of the missing android is deeper than he thought. Together with his beautiful, kick-boxing surgeon girlfriend Electra, his genius inventor tech expert Randy, and his holographic, sentient super-computer sidekick HARV, Zach must find a way to unravel the mystery, find the missing android, and quite possibly save all humanity from total destruction.
The Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation: 97 Things That Annoy, Bother, Chafe, Disturb, Enervate, Frustrate, Grate, Harass, Irk, Jar, Miff, Nettle, Outrage, Peeve, Quassh, Rile, Stress Out, Trouble, Upset, Vex, Worry, and X Y Z You!
by Laura Lee Linda O'LearyThe Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation is an A-to-Z illustrated compendium of everyday annoyances--from airline legroom, missing socks, and knuckle cracking to video buffering, telemarketers and internet trolls--complete with truly informative scientific explanations and wry commentary.This collection of 100 headaches, day-ruining events, moment destroying mishaps and infuriating everyday aggravations presents the fascinating facts behind the world's most frustrating situations. Laura Lee's dry, humorous and scientific text explains why fingernails on the chalkboard make you cringe; why people drive slowly in the fast lane; why dripping faucets annoy women more than men; why the other line is always faster than the one you are on; and more. She also gives tips on how to deal with annoying things like brain freeze, hangnails, and that coworker that wears too much perfume. Amazingly, some things are less annoying when you know the facts. Redesigned with enlightening diagrams and witty drawings, The Pocket Guide of Aggravation, finally answers the question, why is that so annoying?
The Pocket Guide to Brilliance (Pocket Guide To Ser.)
by Bart KingThe author of Dad Humor offers an entertaining look at American history&’s geniuses, leaders, and dunderheads in a clever quest to define brilliance. With dry humor and a wealth of fascinating trivia, Bart King explores what it means for a person to be brilliant. What he discovers is that brilliant people are those who walk farther, think deeper, and talk louder than the rest of us. They do what it takes to get the job done—and then some. The masters of brilliance profiled here include presidential candidate John Lindsay, who released chickens into his opponent&’s crowd to spur on a debate; the first female journalist, Anne Newport Royall, who forced an interview with John Quincy Adams after catching him skinny dipping; and Benjamin Franklin, who of course coined the phrase "A penny saved is a penny earned," but also offered the lesser known "A man who lives on hope, dies farting."
The Pocket Mommy
by Rachel EugsterSaying goodbye to Mom at the kindergarten door can be tough. Samuel hates it and wishes he could have a tiny, pocket-sized mommy to carry around with him all day. His mom slips a pretend mommy into his pocket, and when she comes to life, Samuel is delighted . . . at first. But he soon discovers that having a mom along in kindergarten isn't as much fun as he thought it would be. Sure, she helps him remember the words to songs and keeps him company. But she also rearranges the bookshelf, corrects his artwork, and tries to clean out the guinea pig cage--all with disastrous (and comic) results. An energetic romp with a sweet core, The Pocket Mommy follows one little boy as he navigates the age-old conflict between the comfort of the familiar and the joy of letting go.
The Poe Estate
by Polly ShulmanThis is a mind-bending, rousing adventure celebrating classic ghost and horror stories, by the author of The Grimm Legacy and The Wells Bequest. Sukie's been lonely since the death of her big sister, Kitty--but Kitty's ghost is still with her. At first that was comforting, but now Kitty's terrifying anyone who gets too close. Things get even weirder when Sukie moves into her family's ancestral home, and an older, less familiar ghost challenges her to find a treasure. Her classmate Cole is also experiencing apparitions. Fortunately, an antique broom's at hand to fly Sukie and Cole to the New-York Circulating Material Repository's spooky Poe Annex. As they search for clues and untangle ancient secrets, they discover their histories intertwine and are as full of stories of love, revenge, and pirate hijinks as some of the most famous fiction.
The Poetics of Impudence and Intimacy in the Age of Pushkin
by Mariette NowakIn early nineteenth-century Russia, members of jocular literary societies gathered to recite works written in the lightest of genres: the friendly verse epistle, the burlesque, the epigram, the comic narrative poem, the prose parody. In a period marked by the Decembrist Uprising and heightened state scrutiny into private life, these activities were hardly considered frivolous; such works and the domestic, insular spaces within which they were created could be seen by the Russian state as rebellious, at times even treasonous. Joe Peschio offers the first comprehensive history of a set of associated behaviors known in Russian as “shalosti,” a word which at the time could refer to provocative behaviors like practical joking, insubordination, ritual humiliation, or vandalism, among other things, but also to literary manifestations of these behaviors such as the use of obscenities in poems, impenetrably obscure allusions, and all manner of literary inside jokes. One of the period’s most fashionable literary and social poses became this complex of behaviors taken together. Peschio explains the importance of literary shalosti as a form of challenge to the legitimacy of existing literary institutions and sometimes the Russian regime itself. Working with a wide variety of primary texts—from verse epistles to denunciations, etiquette manuals, and previously unknown archival materials—Peschio argues that the formal innovations fueled by such “prankish” types of literary behavior posed a greater threat to the watchful Russian government and the literary institutions it fostered than did ordinary civic verse or overtly polemical prose.
The Point Between: A Metaphysical Mystery
by M. A. DemersIt's hard to tell fact from fiction, especially when you're a ghost ...Bestselling mystery novelist Lily Harrington has been found hanging in her home in the tiny, oddball haven of Point Roberts, Washington, and all signs point to suicide. Worried the truth will be buried with her, Lily teams up with Marcus Mantova, the sexy detective of her novels, to influence the investigation and catch her killer. Yet no sooner has Lily come to terms with the existence of Marcus, the womanizing egomaniac she had thought a product of her imagination, than dead Whatcom County detective Penelope Winters also worms her way onto the case. Lies, frauds, and competing agendas take Lily on a roller-coaster ride over heaven and earth until, at last, she discovers the truth and another chance at life. PRAISE FOR THE POINT BETWEEN"As a mystery writer I really enjoyed all of the wonderful ideas about the afterlife M.A. Demers had with The Point Between! ... This book was a real page turner. I highly recommend it!" - Teresa Trent, Cozy Mystery Writer (teresatrent.com), 5 STARS"Demers does a great job of telling her story while developing characters with depth and personality. An effective way of provoking some "metaphysical" questions and inquiries. All the more enjoyable because it is set in my hometown, Point Roberts, Wa." - Annelle Norman, 5 STARS"Fun read with charming characters. Interesting point of view from the ghost of the victim who is trying to solve her own murder along with a few other ghosts. Loads of twists and turns and overall entertaining." - Kim Reed, NetGalley Review, 5 STARS"Cute read! If you love dime-store mystery novels, this will be right up your alley. There are several twists and turns, and the ending was somewhat unexpected." - Yvie Field, NetGalley Review, 4 STARS"A well-paced compelling read with touches of humor." - Juanita Foster, NetGalley Review, 4 STARS
The Poison Song (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy)
by Jen WilliamsFrom two time British Fantasy Award-winning author, Jen Williams, comes the electrifying conclusion to the Winnowing Flame trilogy. Exhilarating epic fantasy for fans of Robin Hobb. 'One of the best fantasy novels of the year, if not the decade' James Oswald 'A fitting finale, triumphant and bittersweet in all the best ways' SciFiNow All is chaos. All is confusion. The Jure'lia are weak, but the war is far from over.Ebora was once a glorious city, defended by legendary warriors and celebrated in song. Now refugees from every corner of Sarn seek shelter within its crumbling walls, and the enemy that has poisoned their land won't lie dormant for long.The deep-rooted connection that Tormalin, Noon and the scholar Vintage share with their Eboran war-beasts has kept them alive so far. But with Tor distracted, and his sister Hestillion hell-bent on bringing ruthless order to the next Jure'lia attack, the people of Sarn need all the help they can get.Noon is no stranger to playing with fire and knows just where to recruit a new - and powerful - army. But even she underestimates the epic quest that is to come. It is a journey wrought with pain and sacrifice - a reckoning that will change the face of Sarn forever.Join forces with the heroes of the WINNOWING FLAME TRILOGY as they strive to silence the Jure'lia's poison song once and for all.What readers are saying about the WINNOWING FLAME trilogy:'The woman is a genius! Modern and fresh fantasy... one of my favourite series of the last few years and it ended super strong''A fitting end to the trilogy and I am very sad to be leaving this world behind''Loved it! When I grow up, I want to be a war-beast''Williams knocks it out of the park''All the stars for this. ALL... An exceptional finale that exceeded every expectation''Feminist fantasy at its best''The perfect conclusion to an epic and epically brilliant fantasy trilogy. Jen Williams is a master''Brilliantly creative fantasy''Great pacing, top-notch writing, quality characterisation, plenty of action!''More action, scarier monsters and a more expansive story''Be ready for some great reveals and twists that may break your heart, but that will overall leave you fist pumping the air''The world building continues to blow my mind'
The Poison Song (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy)
by Jen WilliamsFrom two time British Fantasy Award-winning author, Jen Williams, comes the epic conclusion to the Winnowing Flame trilogy. Exhilarating fantasy for fans of Robin Hobb.'One of the best fantasy novels of the year, if not the decade' James Oswald'A fitting finale, triumphant and bittersweet in all the best ways' SciFiNow All is chaos. All is confusion. The Jure'lia are weak, but the war is far from over.Ebora was once a glorious city, defended by legendary warriors and celebrated in song. Now refugees from every corner of Sarn seek shelter within its crumbling walls, and the enemy that has poisoned their land won't lie dormant for long.The deep-rooted connection that Tormalin, Noon and the scholar Vintage share with their Eboran war-beasts has kept them alive so far. But with Tor distracted, and his sister Hestillion hell-bent on bringing ruthless order to the next Jure'lia attack, the people of Sarn need all the help they can get.Noon is no stranger to playing with fire and knows just where to recruit a new - and powerful - army. But even she underestimates the epic quest that is to come. It is a journey wrought with pain and sacrifice - a reckoning that will change the face of Sarn forever.Join forces with the heroes of the WINNOWING FLAME TRILOGY as they strive to silence the Jure'lia's poison song once and for all.What readers are saying about the WINNOWING FLAME trilogy:'The woman is a genius! Modern and fresh fantasy... one of my favourite series of the last few years and it ended super strong''A fitting end to the trilogy and I am very sad to be leaving this world behind''Loved it! When I grow up, I want to be a war-beast''Williams knocks it out of the park''All the stars for this. ALL... An exceptional finale that exceeded every expectation''Feminist fantasy at its best''The perfect conclusion to an epic and epically brilliant fantasy trilogy. Jen Williams is a master''Brilliantly creative fantasy''Great pacing, top-notch writing, quality characterisation, plenty of action!''More action, scarier monsters and a more expansive story''Be ready for some great reveals and twists that may break your heart, but that will overall leave you fist pumping the air''The world building continues to blow my mind'
The Poison Song (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy)
by Jen WilliamsFrom two time British Fantasy Award-winning author, Jen Williams, comes the epic conclusion to the Winnowing Flame trilogy. Exhilarating fantasy for fans of Robin Hobb.'One of the best fantasy novels of the year, if not the decade' James Oswald'A fitting finale, triumphant and bittersweet in all the best ways' SciFiNow All is chaos. All is confusion. The Jure'lia are weak, but the war is far from over.Ebora was once a glorious city, defended by legendary warriors and celebrated in song. Now refugees from every corner of Sarn seek shelter within its crumbling walls, and the enemy that has poisoned their land won't lie dormant for long.The deep-rooted connection that Tormalin, Noon and the scholar Vintage share with their Eboran war-beasts has kept them alive so far. But with Tor distracted, and his sister Hestillion hell-bent on bringing ruthless order to the next Jure'lia attack, the people of Sarn need all the help they can get.Noon is no stranger to playing with fire and knows just where to recruit a new - and powerful - army. But even she underestimates the epic quest that is to come. It is a journey wrought with pain and sacrifice - a reckoning that will change the face of Sarn forever.Join forces with the heroes of the WINNOWING FLAME TRILOGY as they strive to silence the Jure'lia's poison song once and for all.What readers are saying about the WINNOWING FLAME trilogy:'The woman is a genius! Modern and fresh fantasy... one of my favourite series of the last few years and it ended super strong''A fitting end to the trilogy and I am very sad to be leaving this world behind''Loved it! When I grow up, I want to be a war-beast''Williams knocks it out of the park''All the stars for this. ALL... An exceptional finale that exceeded every expectation''Feminist fantasy at its best'(P)2019 Headline Publishing Group Ltd
The Pokémon School Challenge (Pokémon Chapter Books)
by Jeanette LaneGotta catch this action-packed adventure about Ash and Pikachu! This illustrated chapter book features the cool Alola Pokemon from Nintendo's hit games for Nintendo DS, Pokemon Sun & Moon.Ash has reached the next stage of his quest to become a Pokemon Master, and he's going back to school! Since the moment he and Pikachu arrived in Alola, Ash has wanted to learn more about the amazing Pokemon there... and more about Z-Moves, special attacks that only Trainers who've passed the island challenge can use. Does Ash have what it takes to complete the challenge? This chapter book is based on a thrilling three-part storyline from the top-rated animated series now on Netflix. Black-and-white illustrations throughout.
The Polabores: Book 10 (Nelly the Monster Sitter #10)
by Kes GrayNelly's monster sitting adventures are always full of surprises. She certainly can't believe it when she sits a monster who wants to do absolutely nothing! Or when she has to rescue the smallest monster she's encountered yet - but nothing can prepare her for spending Christmas Day with the Dendrilegs!The polarbores like to do absolutely nothing, so Nelly is in for a dull night. But when she invites Asti round to liven things up, she wishes her evening was a little less eventful...
The Politics of British Stand-up Comedy: The New Alternative (Palgrave Studies in Comedy)
by Sophie QuirkThis Palgrave Pivot questions how a new generation of alternative stand-up comedians and the political world continue to shape and influence each other. The Alternative Comedy Movement of the late 1970s and 1980s can be described as a time of unruly experimentation and left-wing radicalism. This book examines how alternative comedians continue to celebrate these characteristics in the twenty-first century, while also moving into a distinct phase of artistic development as the political context of the 1970s and 1980s loses its immediacy. Sophie Quirk draws on original interviews with comedians including Tom Allen, Josie Long, John-Luke Roberts and Tony Law to chart how alternative comedians are shaped by, and in turn respond to, contemporary political challenges from neoliberalism to Brexit, class controversy to commercialism. She argues that many of our assumptions about comedy’s politics must be challenged and updated. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the working methods and values of today’s alternative comedians.
The Politics of Dialogic Imagination: Power and Popular Culture in Early Modern Japan (Chicago Studies in Practices of Meaning)
by Katsuya HiranoIna"The Politics of Dialogic Imagination," Katsuya Hirano seeks to understand why, with its seemingly unrivaled power, the Tokugawa shogunate of early modern Japan tried so hard to regulate the ostensibly unimportant popular culture of Edo (present-day Tokyo)OCoincluding fashion, leisure activities, prints, and theater. He does so by examining the works of writers and artists who depicted and celebrated the culture of play and pleasure associated with EdoOCOs street entertainers, vagrants, actors, and prostitutes, whom Tokugawa authorities condemned to be detrimental to public mores, social order, and political economy. Hirano uncovers a logic of politics within EdoOCOs cultural works that was extremely potent in exposing contradictions between the formal structure of the Tokugawa world and its rapidly changing realities. He goes on to look at the effects of this logic, examining policies enacted during the next eraOCothe Meiji periodOCothat mark a drastic reconfiguration of power and a new politics toward ordinary people under modernizing Japan. Deftly navigating JapanOCOs history and culture, a"The Politics of Dialogic Imagination"provides a sophisticated account of a country in the process of radical transformationOCoand of the intensely creative culture that came out of it. "
The Politics of Humour
by Patrick Merziger Martina KesselThe period between the First World War and the fall of the Berlin Wall is often characterized as the age of extremes--while this era witnessed unprecedented violence and loss of human life, it also saw a surge in humorous entertainment in both democratic and authoritarian societies. The Politics of Humour examines how works such as satirical magazines and comedy films were used both to reaffirm group identity and to exclude those who did not belong.The essays in this collection analyse the political and social context of comedy in Europe and the United States, exploring topics ranging from the shifting targets of ethnic jokes to the incorporation of humour into wartime broadcasting and the uses of satire as a means of resistance. Comedy continues to define the nature of group membership today, and The Politics of Humour offers an intriguing look at how entertainment helped everyday people make sense of the turmoil of the twentieth century.
The Politics of Love: Romantic Comedy
by Ines Saint". . . the perfect balance between serious chemistry and warm, tender moments." ~Meline NaseauWhen Right Meets Left, Sparks Fly and Mistrust Abounds in THE POLITICS OF LOVE, a Romantic Comedy by Ines Saint-- Chicago, Present Day --By most accounts, Jake Kelly is cold, rich and out-of-touch. He's also Chicago's conservative mayoral candidate who genuinely loves his city and doesn’t understand why voters want to know the "real" Jake.Warm, sassy and opinionated, Kayla Diaz is an accomplished music teacher and violinist. She also loves Chicago, is trying to get back to her city and needs a job-- a "comfortable" marriage and family would be nice too.When a friend brings them together to come up with a music program for the city’s public school system as part of Jake’s plans for education reform, sparks ignite and combustion follows.But, after photos of the two of them dancing close at a festival mysteriously show up in local media, things get complicated. Voters love the idea of Jake and Kayla together, but they have it all wrong . . . or do they? Can Kayla trust that Jake wants her for the right reasons or is this just THE POLITICS OF LOVE?Publisher's Note: This book was previously published as STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT and has been updated and edited by the author. Readers who appreciate sweet romance without erotic detail will enjoy THE POLITICS OF LOVE.Fans of Kristan Higgins, Marie Force, Bella Andre, Catherine Bybee as well as fans of sweet, clean romance will not want to miss Ines Saint."The chemistry with both characters blends in beautifully. I like that the sex scenes are left to the reader's imagination and not outright explicit like other books." ~Marlene R.Meet Ines Saint: Born in Zaragoza, Spain and raised in the United States and Puerto Rico, Inés Saint is bilingual and bicultural and knows what it’s like to feel like you belong everywhere, but not quite anywhere. Right now, she is raising her fun, inspiring teens, volunteering for causes she believes in, working on her writing career, and sharing her life with her dream guy. Her greatest joys are spending time with family and close friends, working with kids, reading, and traveling.
The Polter-Ghost Problem
by Betsy UhrigThree best friends discover a haunted orphanage and get swept up in ghoulish shenanigans in this &“laugh-out-loud, high-action read&” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) for fans of Best Nerds Forever and the Fear Street series.One haunted orphanage + two types of ghosts + three freaked-out friends = plenty of trouble. Best friends Aldo, Pen, and Jasper are braced for a boring summer. And equally dull summer journal writing assignments. That is, until they see a slightly transparent boy with a bad haircut appear by the soccer field and then disappear into the woods beyond. The boys follow him and discover the long-abandoned Grauche Orphanage for Orphans, a house in the woods that is most definitely haunted. But the ghosts are not the problem. They have been trapped at the orphanage by a cranky poltergeist who erupts into violent tantrums if they put even a spectral toe across the property line. The ghosts ask the boys to help free them—but who is the angry poltergeist and what does it want? To solve the mystery, the trio must investigate the orphanage&’s dark past, evade Aldo&’s ghastly older brother, borrow a skeptical librarian, and duck lots of flying furniture, all while failing to agree on almost anything. Can they defeat the evil entity and rescue the ghosts before their parents catch on and ground them for eternity?
The Ponder Heart: The Robber Bridegroom / Delta Wedding / The Ponder Heart / Losing Battles / The Optimist's Daughter (Library Of America Eudora Welty Edition Ser. #1)
by Eudora Welty&“A wonderful tragicomedy&” of a Mississippi family, a vast inheritance, and an impulsive heir, by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Delta Wedding (The New York Times). Daniel Ponder is the amiable heir to the wealthiest family in Clay County, Mississippi. To friends and strangers, he&’s also the most generous, having given away heirlooms, a watch, and so far, at least one family business. His niece, Edna Earle, has a solution to save the Ponder fortune from Daniel&’s mortifying philanthropy: As much as she loves Daniel, she&’s decided to have him institutionalized. Foolproof as the plan may seem, it comes with a kink—one that sets in motion a runaway scheme of mistaken identity, a hapless local widow, a reckless wedding, a dim-witted teenage bride, and a twist of dumb luck that lands this once-respectable Southern family in court to brave an embarrassing trial for murder. It&’s become the talk of Clay County. And the loose-tongued Edna Earle will tell you all about it. &“The most revered figure in contemporary American letters,&” said the New York Times of Eudora Welty, which also hailed The Ponder Heart—a winner of the William Dean Howells Medal which was adapted into both a Broadway play and a PBS Masterpiece series—as &“Miss Welty at her comic, compassionate best.&”
The Poodle Apocalypse
by John InmanWith the world suddenly teeming with zombies, Charlie and Bobby are fighting to stay alive. Being about as gay as two people can be, they insist on doing it with panache. Even with the planet throwing up its legs in submission, there is no reason a couple of style-conscious guys can't look good while saying good-bye to the age of man and ushering in the age of... God knows what. Amoebas, maybe. With their loyal zombie poodle, Mimi, at their side, they bravely face the apocalypse head-on. Death, destruction, and the undead they can deal with. But without electricity, it's the depressing lack of blow-dryers and cappuccino machines that really pisses them off--until Bobby goes missing! Suddenly Charlie has more than fluffy hair and a good cup of coffee to worry about....