- Table View
- List View
Galileo and the Magic Numbers
by Sidney RosenThis &“enjoyable&” biography of the brilliant astronomer will intrigue young people who are &“bored with the textbook approach to science&” (The New York Times Book Review). Sixteenth century Italy produced Galileo, a genius who marked the world with his studies and hypotheses about mathematical, physical, and astronomical truths. His father, musician Vincenzio Galilei said, &“Truth is not found behind a man&’s reputation. Truth appears only when the answers to questions are searched out by a free mind. This is not the easy path in life but it is the most rewarding.&” Galileo challenged divine law and the physics of Aristotle, and questioned everything in search of truths. And it was through this quest for truth that he was able to establish a structure for modern science.
The Koran: Selected Suras (Dover Thrift Editions: Religion Ser.)
by Arthur JefferyThe Koran is the sacred scripture of Islam, a collection of revelations that Mohammed, the Prophet, said he had received from God (through the angel Gabriel) in seventh-century Arabia. Mohammed preached these revelations in rhymed verses that comprised suras, or chapters. Shortly after his death, his followers published the suras as the Koran (an adaptation of a word meaning "scripture lesson"), which today is considered one of the great sacred books of the world. Deeply moralistic, full of passion and fervor, the suras deal with such topics as the omniscience and majesty of God, death and judgment, the proper conduct of the faithful, stories of previous prophets, kindness to orphans, and much more.The complete Koran consists of 11 suras — arranged from longest to shortest — plus an opening prayer and two closing charms. The selections in the present volume were carefully chose to give a cross-section of the whole and to illustrate Mohammed's teaching as it developed from the rhapsodic style of his early Meccan period to the workaday legislative material of the Medinan period. This excellent English translation replaces the original verse form with accurate, highly readable prose, making a treasury of eternal wisdom from the Koran accessible to both the novice and the serious student.
The Moonflower
by Phyllis A. WhitneyThe wife of a scientist fights for her marriage—and her husband’s sanity—in postwar Japan in this novel by “a superb and gifted storyteller” (Mary Higgins Clark). When Jerome Talbot’s brilliant career as an atomic physicist leads him once again to Japan, his wife, Marcia, knows it means yet another long separation, but she hopes to reunite with him soon. Confidently awaiting word to join him, she is blindsided when she receives a letter demanding divorce. Stunned and hurt, she leaves their home in Hawaii to confront Jerome in Kyoto, certain she’ll get an explanation to heal her wounded heart. But when Marcia arrives, she can’t be sure of anything . . . Jerome has become a stranger—obsessed, cruel, unhinged, and resolved never to return home—committed only to his work, which reaches back to World War II. Even more peculiar, he’s living in unusual intimacy with a a close-knit, unnervingly private Japanese family whom Marcia is forbidden to talk to and to whom Jerome seems not only beholden, but enslaved. Marcia resolves to stay in Kyoto until she discovers the secret driving her husband mad—and the truth behind a terrible legacy that could threaten both their lives. A “brilliant, absorbing, [and] moving” novel of romantic suspense by a New York Times–bestselling, multiple award–winning author—who was herself born in Yokohama—The Moonflower is an authentic exploration of life in postwar Japan, as well as a chilling tale of guilt, family secrets, and a marriage at risk in the never-forgotten shadow of Hiroshima (Richmond Times-Dispatch). This ebook features an illustrated biography of Phyllis A. Whitney including rare images from the author’s estate.
North To Adventure
by K. M. PeytonNick knows he wants to work on the crew of a ship, so when his uncle puts together a crew for the Nimbus to go north looking for the Puffin, which was lost years earlier, Nick becomes the most junior member of its crew. In the rough arctic seas and landscape, Nick and his eskimo friend Utak save the day and find out the truth about the Puffin.
Things Fall Apart (inZone Books)
by Chinua AchebeOkonkwo is a respected leader of the Ibo tribe. When the British colonize his West African village by erecting a church, Okonkwo watches as the beliefs and traditions of his tribe begin to fall apart.
The Year When Stardust Fell
by Raymond F. JonesMayfield was the typical college town. Nothing too unusual ever happened there until a mysterious comet was suddenly observed by the scientists on College Hill. And then one day the modified engine on Ken Maddox's car began overheating mysteriously. By morning it didn't run at all. . . .
An Angel Grows Up
by Tere RiosGrowing up in a New York convent school troubled young Blanca Maria gains wisdom and confidence
Arts of Japan
by Hugo MunsterbergArts of Japan was originally published by Tuttle Publishing in print form in 1957.<P><P> This book," in the words of the author, "represents an attempt to fill a long-felt need for an account of the history of Japanese art which would deal with the crafts as well as with the so-called fine arts and carry the story of Japanese art up to the present day instead of ending with the death of Hiroshige." The reader will quickly perceive how well this aim has been achieved. Here, in a stimulating and informative text and 121 well-selected plates -12 in full colour-is a dynamic treatment of the various influences that have shaped the course of Japanese art history in the fields of painting, sculpture, architecture, and handicrafts. Discussed with challenging insight are the impact of the various Indian and Chinese schools, the pervasive influenceof Zen philosophy, and the many other artistic developments, giving the reader awell-rounded picture of the great significance and contribution of Japanese art. Special features of the book are sections on handicrafts and a chapter on prehistoric art. The book comes at a time when there is an awakened interest in Oriental art throughout the world. At the same time new methods of art research have been so expanded and refined that many interpretations of earlier writers have been made obsolete. Because of linguistic barriers, political upheavals, and the limited number of specialists, misconceptions have been especially numerous in the field of Oriental art. THE ARTS OF JAPAN admirably corrects these misinterpretations, consolidates the results of the most recent scholarship, and in one compact volume presents an up-to-date, authoritative survey of Japanese an throughout its long history and in all its colorful diversity.
As I Lay Dying (Vintage International)
by William FaulknerA true 20th-century classic from the Nobel Prize-winning author of The Sound and the Fury: the famed harrowing account of the Bundren family&’s odyssey across the Mississippi countryside to bury Addie, their wife and mother. As I Lay Dying is one of the most influential novels in American fiction in structure, style, and drama. Narrated in turn by each of the family members, including Addie herself as well as others, the novel ranges in mood from dark comedy to the deepest pathos. &“I set out deliberately to write a tour-de-force. Before I ever put pen to paper and set down the first word I knew what the last word would be and almost where the last period would fall.&” —William Faulkner on As I Lay Dying This edition reproduces the corrected text of As I Lay Dying as established in 1985 by Noel Polk.
Atlas Shrugged: (centennial Edition) (Sparknotes Literature Guide Ser. #17)
by Ayn RandThis is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world--and did. Was he a destroyer or the greatest of liberators? Why did he have to fight his battle, not against his enemies, but against those who needed him most, and his hardest battle against the woman he loved? What is the world's motor--and the motive power of every man? You will know the answer to these questions when you discover the reason behind the baffling events that play havoc with the lives of the characters in this story.Tremendous in its scope, this novel presents an astounding panorama of human life--from the productive genius who becomes a worthless playboy--to the great steel industrialist who does not know that he is working for his own destruction--to the philosopher who becomes a pirate--to the composer who gives up his career on the night of his triumph--to the woman who runs a transcontinental railroad--to the lowest track worker in her Terminal tunnels.You must be prepared, when you read this novel, to check every premise at the root of your convictions. This is a mystery story, not about the murder--and rebirth--of man's spirit. It is a philosophical revolution, told in the form of an action thriller of violent events, a ruthlessly brilliant plot structure and an irresistible suspense. Do you say this is impossible? Well, that is the first of your premises to check.
Blast Off at Woomera
by Hugh WaltersIf the ladder hadn't slipped when Chris Godfrey was chalking up the sports results - and if Sir George Benson hadn't been passing at that very moment - it might never have happened. It had become imperative to fire a conscious human being into space and Sir George, who was Director of Research at Woomera, couldn't see how it was to be done until he met Chris. Once Chris agreed, things moved fast. Whisked to London by the R.A.F., he started his training, was fitted for a G-suit, got to know the landscape of the Moon as well as he knew the school sports ground. Then on to Woomera; and, at last, into space...
Calico Captive
by Elizabeth George SpeareIn the year 1754, the stillness of Charlestown, New Hampshire, is shattered by the terrifying cries of an Indian raid. Young Miriam Willard, on a day that had promised new happiness, finds herself instead a captive on a forest trail, caught up in the ebb and flow of the French and Indian War.<P><P> It is a harrowing march north. Miriam can only force herself to the next stopping place, the next small portion of food, the next icy stream to be crossed. At the end of the trail waits a life of hard work and, perhaps, even a life of slavery. Mingled with her thoughts of Phineas Whitney, her sweetheart on his way to Harvard, is the crying of her sister’s baby, Captive, born on the trail.<P> Miriam and her companions finally reach Montreal, a city of shifting loyalties filled with the intrigue of war, and here, by a sudden twist of fortune, Miriam meets the prominent Du Quesne family, who introduce her to a life she has never imagined. Based on an actual narrative diary published in 1807, Calico Captive skillfully reenacts an absorbing facet of history.
The Clue in the Jewel Box (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #20)
by Carolyn KeeneIn celebration of the 75th anniversary of the first appearance of Nancy Drew, Applewood Books is pleased to release the 20th volume in its reproductions of the Original Nancy Drew-Just as You Remember Her. The Clue in the Jewel Box was ghostwritten by Mildred Wirt. It was first issued in January 1943. Its nostalgic dust jacket art and frontispiece were illustrated by Russell Tandy. In The Clue in the Jewel Box Nancy and her friends help Queen Madame Alexandra search for her missing grandson. With only an old photograph of the prince at four years of age, Nancy begins her search. She discovers a secret in a jewel box that helps reunite the royal family. In the late 1950s the first 34 Nancy Drew books were condensed and revised. This is a reproduction of the original, unrevised version.
The Haunted Fountain (Judy Bolton Mysteries Series #28)
by Margaret Sutton Pelagie DoaneJudy and Blackberry are at it again! Unwittingly while trying to help Lorraine, they stumble onto a mystery shrouded by memories of Judy visiting the Brandt estate as a teenager with her grandmother. But when she and her brother, Horace, return the next day to do some light investigating, in trying to avoid some dodgy characters, they instead find themselves underground and trapped in tunnels soon flooding. While investigating some distant moaning, they realize they are trapped underneath the fountain and surrounding pool and only Blackberry, Judy’s ever-faithful cat, can help them! Can Blackberry deliver a message to the outside world and help them expose a deadly jewel theft gang?
Mother Seton: First American-born Saint
by Alma Power-WatersMother grew up during the 18th century. She married young and was widowed young. From wealth she descended to poverty. She converted to Catholicism at a time when this was not acceptable. She eventually became a sister.
Three Plays: Our Town, The Matchmaker and The Skin of Our Teeth (Perennial Classics Ser.)
by Thornton WilderThe three plays - Our Town, The Skin of Our Teeth, and The Matchmaker - describe love, death, human follies and human endurance.
The Chronicles of Narnia Complete 7-Book Collection: The Classic Fantasy Adventure Series (Official Edition) (Chronicles of Narnia #1 - 7)
by C. S. LewisGive the magic of Narnia this holiday season and experience all the adventure of C. S. Lewis’s epic fantasy series in this latest official edition from HarperCollins.This collection contains all seven books in the classic fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia without art, to appeal to older readers. This special ebook edition includes an introduction by C. S. Lewis's stepson, Douglas Gresham, and full text and art for Lewis's very first work—Boxen!Experience C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia in its entirety—The Magician's Nephew; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; The Horse and His Boy; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair; and The Last Battle. This bundle comes with a special introduction by Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis's stepson, for a behind-the-scenes look at Lewis while he was writing the book. The Chronicles of Narnia has become part of the canon of classic literature, drawing readers of all ages into magical lands with unforgettable characters for over sixty years. Epic battles between good and evil, fantastic creatures, betrayals, heroic deeds, and friendships won and lost all come together in this unforgettable world.And then discover the world before Narnia with Boxen, a collection of stories written by C. S. Lewis and his brother when they were children, with the authors' own delightful illustrations. For every reader who has been captivated by the magic of Narnia, Boxen will open a window to another enchanted land and offer the first glimmer of C. S. Lewis's amazing creativity.
The Last Battle: The Classic Fantasy Adventure Series (Official Edition) (Chronicles of Narnia #7)
by C. S. LewisIllustrations in this ebook appear in vibrant full color on a full color ebook device, and in rich black and white on all other devices.Narnia . . . where lies breed fear . . . where loyalty is tested . . . where all hope seems lostDuring the last days of Narnia, the land faces its fiercest challenge—not an invader from without but an enemy from within. Lies and treachery have taken root, and only the king and a small band of loyal followers can prevent the destruction of all they hold dear in this, the magnificent ending to The Chronicles of Narnia.The Last Battle is the seventh and final book in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, a series that has become part of the canon of classic literature, drawing readers of all ages into a magical land with unforgettable characters for over fifty years. A complete stand-alone read, but if you want to relive the adventures and find out how it began, pick up The Magician’s Nephew, the first book in The Chronicles of Narnia.
The Silver Secret (Connie Blair, Book #11)
by Betsy AllenConnie felt increasing alarm. Where was Kit? Had she been kidnapped or-- Connie's mind stopped short of envisioning any other possibility, but for the first time since she had become involved in this mystery she was frightened - not just plain scared as she had been in the cemetery, but sick and cold with fear. It was quite clear that Kit had disappeared because she had been mistaken for Connie. Kit, who knew little or nothing about the silver theft. Kit, who only wanted to have a little fun on her vacation, and who loathed anything even vaguely mysterious, who, in spite of her resemblance to Connie, was as different from her twin as day is from night. With Kit in terrible danger, the Silver Secret became more than a puzzling mystery. Solving it now was a matter of life or death!
Threads of Peace: How Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Changed the World
by Uma KrishnaswamiMahatma Gandhi and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. both shook, and changed, the world, in their quest for peace among all people, but what threads connected these great activists together in their shared goal of social revolution?A lawyer and activist, tiny of stature with giant ideas, in British-ruled India at the beginning of the 20th century. A minister from Georgia with a thunderous voice and hopes for peace at the height of the civil rights movement in America. Born more than a half-century apart, with seemingly little in common except one shared wish, both would go on to be icons of peaceful resistance and human decency. Both preached love for all human beings, regardless of race or religion. Both believed that freedom and justice were won by not one, but many. Both met their ends in the most unpeaceful of ways—assassination. But what led them down the path of peace? How did their experiences parallel...and diverge? Threads of Peace keenly examines and celebrates these extraordinary activists&’ lives, the threads that connect them, and the threads of peace they laid throughout the world, for us to pick up, and weave together.
Betsy's Wedding
by Maud Hart LovelaceIn this final book of the Betsy Ray series, Betsy finally marries her high school dream, Joe.
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
by Jean Lee Latham"Nat” was an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard. <P><P> Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a sailor’s world—Salem in the early days, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. But Nat didn’t promise to have the makings of a sailor; he was too physically small. Nat may have been slight of build, but no one guessed that he had the persistence and determination to master sea navigation in the days when men sailed only by “log, lead, and lookout.” Nat’s long hours of study and observation, collected in his famous work, The American Practical Navigator (also known as the “Sailors’ Bible”), stunned the sailing community and made him a New England hero.<P> Newbery Medal Winner
Catch-22: 50th Anniversary Edition (Le\livre De Poche Ser.)
by Christopher Buckley Joseph Heller<P>Fifty years after its original publication, Catch-22 remains a cornerstone of American literature and one of the funniest--and most celebrated--novels of all time. In recent years it has been named to "best novels" lists by Time, Newsweek, the Modern Library, and the London Observer. <P>Set in Italy during World War II, this is the story of the incomparable, malingering bombardier, Yossarian, a hero who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy--it is his own army, which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. <P>Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to excuse himself from the perilous missions he's assigned, he'll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule: a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but if he makes a formal request to be removed from duty, he is proven sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved. <P>Since its publication in 1961, no novel has matched Catch-22's intensity and brilliance in depicting the brutal insanity of war. <P>This fiftieth-anniversary edition commemorates Joseph Heller's masterpiece with a new introduction by Christopher Buckley; personal essays on the genesis of the novel by the author; a wealth of critical responses and reviews by Norman Mailer, Alfred Kazin, Anthony Burgess, and others; rare papers and photos from Joseph Heller's personal archive; and a selection of advertisements from the original publishing campaign that helped turn Catch-22 into a cultural phenomenon.
Cold Hazard
by Richard ArmstrongFrom the Book Jacket: It was a wet, cramped, bone-aching passage. For six endless days seventeen-year-Old Jim Naylor and his men had been at the mercy of a wild North Atlantic gale in a fourteen-foot jolly boat. The small open boat swooped and rolled, driven by tearing February winds. Distrust and suspicion broke out among the four apprentice seamen and one old Shetland sailor who had put out from the sinking cargo ship, Drumlogan, six days earlier. They had been driven way beyond the normal shipping lanes and any hope of rescue - when suddenly a mass of high black cliffs rising out of the ocean gave the men new hope and courage. These gave way again, however, to hopelessness and despair when the desolate, inhospitable island proved to be an ironbound trap that imprisoned them as effectively as the wildness of the sea had ever done. Richard Armstrong's story of the terrifying struggle of five men against the cold fury of the North Atlantic sea is written in a vivid documentary style. It has an authenticity and conviction, based on Mr. Armstrong's seventeen years as a seaman. The illustrations of the British artist C. Walter Hodges have a grim, intense reality, and graphically picture the stark drama of men in the face of the elements.
An Episode of Sparrows
by Rumer GoddenA much-loved English novel reminiscent of "The Secret Garden" Someone has dug up the private garden in the square and taken buckets of dirt, and Miss Angela Chesney of the Garden Committee is sure that a gang of boys from run-down Catford Street must be to blame. But Angela's sister Olivia isn't so sure. Olivia wonders why the neighborhood children--the "sparrows" she sometimes watches from the window of her house --have to be locked out of the garden. Don't they have a right to enjoy the place, too? But neither Angela nor Olivia has any idea what sent the neighborhood waif Lovejoy Mason and her few friends in search of "good, garden earth. " Still less do they imagine where their investigation of the incident will lead them--to a struggling restaurant, a bombed-out church, and at the heart of it all, a hidden garden.