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Blockchain’s Transformative Potential of Financial Technology for Sustainable Futures (Information Systems Engineering and Management #17)
by Vikas Sharma Munish Gupta Nilesh Arora Alvaro Rocha"Blockchain's Transformative Potential of Financial Technology for Sustainable Futures" delves into the groundbreaking impact of blockchain technology on the financial sector, highlighting its potential to foster sustainable development. This comprehensive volume brings together a diverse array of experts who explore how blockchain can revolutionize financial technology (FinTech) by enhancing transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity. The book examines blockchain's role in promoting financial inclusion, providing secure and accessible financial services to underserved populations. By bridging gaps in the current financial system, blockchain empowers individuals and communities, driving economic growth and resilience. Additionally, it addresses the environmental benefits of blockchain, showcasing innovative solutions like decentralized energy markets and transparent supply chains that contribute to sustainability. Readers will gain insights into real-world applications of blockchain, supported by case studies and in-depth analyses. The book also navigates the complex regulatory and ethical landscape, offering guidance on harnessing blockchain's potential responsibly. "Blockchain's Transformative Potential of Financial Technology for Sustainable Futures" is an essential resource for professionals, researchers, and policymakers interested in the future of FinTech and sustainable development. It serves as a catalyst for further research, dialogue, and collaboration, inspiring a new era of financial innovation and sustainability.
Runaway
by Ed McBainA young black man is framed by the police for a murder he didn&’t commit in this gritty New York crime story from the author of the 87th Precinct series. Johnny Lane is outside the Apollo when he sees Luis, and rage floods his veins. Every tough in Harlem knows that Luis tried to rape Johnny&’s girl, and that means he has to die. Johnny comes out swinging, but Luis is wearing brass knuckles, and he almost kills Johnny before the fight gets broken up. A few weeks later, as a brutal winter settles over New York, Johnny is walking down the street when he hears the gunfire. Luis has been shot dead. Johnny runs without thinking, because it&’s bad news for a black man to get caught near a corpse, but the cops catch up with him anyway. He didn&’t shoot Luis, but he had a motive, and that&’s good enough for the New York Police Department. Cornered, alone, and helpless, Johnny has no choice but to find the real killer—or spend the rest of his life on the run from the cops, his friends, and his girl. A hardboiled story of a friendless man hunted by the police, Runaway is vintage Ed McBain. It&’s a story of life on the margins of a merciless city, from an author who knew the dark side of New York better than anyone.
The Rosecliffe Trilogy: The Bride of Rosecliffe, The Knight of Rosecliffe, and The Mistress of Rosecliffe (The Rosecliffe Trilogy #1)
by Rexanne BecnelDesperate enemies become forbidden lovers in this trilogy set in the divided world of twelfth-century Wales from a USA Today–bestselling author. Set in Medieval Wales, this trilogy by Romantic Times Award–winning author Rexanne Becnel introduces the FitzHughs, a clan contending with traitorous enemies, political strife, and their own warring hearts in the name of honor, duty, and love. The Bride of Rosecliffe: Invincible in battle, Randulf FitzHugh journeys to a remote corner of northern Wales to create an English stronghold in the name of King Henry I. But his most formidable adversary is Josselyn ap Carreg Du, a woman ready to marry a barbaric Welsh warlord in order to unite her people against the English invaders—until she&’s taken prisoner. The Knight of Rosecliffe: Vengeance-seeking Welsh beauty Rhonwen ap Tomas must choose between her homeland and her heart when she falls in love with Jasper FitzHugh, an English knight whose life she saved—but whom she&’s now sworn to kill. The Mistress of Rosecliffe: Rogue knight Rhys ap Owain has waited twenty years to avenge his father&’s murder and reclaim his stolen birthright. Isolde FitzHugh, the ravishing eldest daughter of his enemy, will be the instrument of his retribution. But hate is no match for the love that forces them to confront a destiny greater than they could imagine . . .
Pride and Prejudice: Pride And Prejudice Is A Classic 1813 Romantic Novel Of Manners Written By Jane Austen
by Jane AustenJane Austen&’s classic comedy of manners is one of the most enduring love stories in English literature In a remote Hertfordshire village in the early nineteenth century, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have a problem. Or rather, five vivacious, headstrong problems: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Catherine, and Lydia. Mr. Bennet loves his daughters dearly, but spends more time with his nose buried in a book than planning for their futures. Since her husband&’s property can only pass to a male heir, Mrs. Bennet insists that the girls find rich husbands. But her daughters would rather fall in love than listen to their mother&’s advice. Jane, the eldest and most beautiful, attracts the attentions of a young gentleman named Charles Bingley, but his good friend Mr. Darcy disapproves of the match. Elizabeth, always eager to defend her sweet-natured sister, detests the prideful Mr. Darcy, even after he asks for her hand in marriage. But when a chance encounter reunites the combative couple, Elizabeth realizes that her prejudices have been standing in the way of her heart&’s true desire. A razor-sharp satire of English country life and a stirring tribute to the power of romance to overcome the longest of odds, Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen&’s masterwork and one of the finest novels ever written. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Under Fire: The Story Of A Squad (Casemate Classic War Fiction #4)
by Henri BarbusseThe original translation of one of the first World War I novels—at first criticized for its harsh realism but now celebrated as a classic. Set in early 1916, Under Fire follows the point of view of an unnamed foot soldier in a squad of French volunteers on the western front. It combines soaring, poetic descriptions with the mundane, messy, human reality of soldiers living in their own filth. Gradually, names and features are given to the men who emerge from the mud, from the dignified leader, Corporal Bertrand, to the ebullient Volpatte and the obsessive Cocon. Intermingled with details of how the men navigate daily life in the putrefied atmosphere of the trenches is a political, pacifist argument about this war and war more generally. Caught up in events they cannot control, the soldiers go through their daily routines: foraging for food, reading letters from wives and mothers, drinking, fighting in battle, and, in harrowing scenes for which the novel is noted, discovering dead bodies in advanced stages of decomposition. Through it all, they talk about the war, attempting to make sense of the altered world in which they find themselves.Under Fire (originally published in French as Le Feu) drew criticism at the time of its publication for its brutal detail, but went on to win the Prix Goncourt, a prestigious literary award that Henri Barbusse—a World War I soldier who wrote from vivid, painful experience—shares with renowned authors such as Marcel Proust and Marguerite Duras. Here, the original translation by William Fitzwater Wray, which first appeared in 1917, captures both the intensity of the story and the essence of the era. A glossary is also provided.
The Book of Joe: About a Dog and His Man
by Vincent PriceIn the tradition of Anna Quindlen&’s Good Dog. Stay., the iconic star of the Dr. Phibes films shares the heartwarming tale of his mischievous mutt. Actor Vincent Price won acclaim for his performances as a menacing villain in dozens of macabre horror films, such as House of Wax. Less well known, though, is Price&’s lifelong love of animals, especially his fourteen-year-old mutt, Joe. From his wife&’s passion for poodles to film set encounters with all types of creatures, including goats, apes, and camels, Price&’s life was full of furry, four-legged friends. But it was Joe who truly captured his heart. Intelligent, courageous, and devoted to his owner, Joe was a special dog with a personality all his own. In this touching and light-hearted memoir, with a new introduction by Bill Hader and a preface by Vincent Price&’s daughter, Victoria, Joe gets involved in all sorts of hijinks: At one point, the actor has to defend his canine companion in court! Despite some bad habits, like stealing guests&’ shoes, pursuing lustful trysts with neighboring dogs, or belly flopping into the garden fishpond—crushing more than a few fish—Price loves his Joselito, whose unconditional loyalty more than makes up for his minor indiscretions. And when Price&’s elderly cousin who comes to stay with him is stricken with cancer, Joe never leaves her side. Price&’s tender and witty recollections of his time spent with Joe will bring joy to any animal lover&’s heart. The Vincent Price Family Legacy will donate a portion of the proceeds from this book to the Fund for Animals.
Pudd'nhead Wilson: And Those Extraordinary Twins
by Mark TwainA Southern town scandalized by the murder of its most prominent citizen uncovers a mystery even more shocking in this ironic suspense story from a great American master Afraid for her infant son&’s life, a slave switches the boy with her master&’s child. A young New York lawyer fascinated by palmistry and fingerprint analysis moves below the Mason–Dixon line, makes a bad joke, and is immediately and forever branded a &“pudd&’nhead.&” Two Italian noblemen pay a visit to Dawson&’s Landing, Missouri, and become prime suspects in the murder of a local judge. From these disparate plot strands, Mark Twain fashions a humorous and entertaining tale with all the elements of the traditional murder mystery: a case of mistaken identity, a gruesome crime, a sinister villain, an eccentric detective, a climactic courtroom showdown, and an ingenious solution. But beneath this potboiler&’s pomp and circumstance lurks a clear-eyed and savagely compelling indictment of slavery and its poisonous effects on American society. Twain&’s last novel set in the antebellum South, Pudd&’nhead Wilson offers his clearest and most provocative condemnation of racial prejudice. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
White Jenna: Sister Light, Sister Dark; White Jenna; And The One-armed Queen (The Great Alta Saga #2)
by Jane YolenNebula Award Finalist: A long-awaited savior joins forces with her dark twin to confront the evil threatening their land in the second book of the acclaimed epic fantasy the Great Alta Saga Grown to young womanhood in the mountain region of the Dales and trained for combat by the all-female followers of the goddess Great Alta, Jenna reluctantly accepts the fact that she might well be the Anna, the warrior queen who has long been prophesied. Orphaned three times while still a small child, the now-teenage Jenna is compelled to lend her support and skills to the Dales&’ rightful king and his brother, Carum, who holds her heart, for the reign of evil usurper Lord Kalas threatens the future of every worshipper of Alta. But Jenna does not ride alone. Whenever darkness falls, she and her companions—a young priestess in training and an aging warrior—are joined by Skada, white-haired Jenna&’s dark sister, who shares her destiny and her soul. But even their combined powers may not be enough to defeat the entrenched malevolence that means to destroy everything and everyone they hold dear. A finalist for the Nebula Award for best novel, Jane Yolen&’s White Jenna is a wondrous tale of duty, destiny, peril, romance, and fantasy. Interspersed with the myths and poetry the story engendered, it is a brilliantly imaginative creation of a world, a culture, and their enduring lore.
Great American Lives: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie, and The Education of Henry Adams
by Benjamin Franklin V Ulysses S. Grant Andrew Carnegie Henry AdamsBrilliant, captivating, and unforgettable memoirs from four of the greatest minds in American history. Penned between 1771 and 1790 and published after his death, TheAutobiography of Benjamin Franklin is one of the most acclaimed and widely read personal histories ever written. From his youth as a printer&’s assistant working for his brother&’s Boston newspaper through his own publishing, writing, and military careers, his scientific experiments and worldwide travels, his grand triumphs and heartbreaking tragedies, Franklin tells his story with aplomb, bringing to life the flesh-and-blood man behind the American icon. Completed just days before his death, Ulysses S. Grant&’s Personal Memoirs is a clear and compelling account of his military career, focusing on two great conflicts: the Mexican–American War and the Civil War. Lauded for its crisp and direct prose, Grant&’s autobiography offers frank insight into everything from the merits of the war with Mexico to the strategies and tactics employed by Union forces against the Confederacy to the poignancy of Grant&’s meeting with General Lee at Appomattox Court House. Documenting a world of tariffs, insider deals, and Wall Street sharks as well as his stunning rise from bobbin boy to steel baron, The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie opens a window into the great industrialist&’s decision-making process. His insights on education, business, and the necessity of giving back for the common good set an inspirational example for aspiring executives and provide a fitting testament to the power of the American dream. The Education of Henry Adams is the Pulitzer Prize–winning memoir of a brilliant man reckoning with an era of profound change. The great-grandson of President John Adams and the grandson of President John Quincy Adams, Henry Adams possessed one of the most remarkable minds of his generation. Yet he believed himself fundamentally unsuited to the era in which he lived—the tumultuous period between the Civil War and World War I. Written in third person, this uniquely unclassifiable autobiography is the Modern Library&’s number-one nonfiction book of the twentieth century. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
An Infinity of Mirrors
by Richard CondonA Jewish woman in love with a Prussian officer moves to Hitler&’s Berlin in this ominous, &“spectacular&” novel by the New York Times–bestselling author (Kirkus Reviews). Every afternoon, Paule tends to her father&’s newspaper clippings and listens to his stories. An actor, Paul-Alain Bernheim has a sexual appetite and a lust for life that have made him a legend of the Paris stage. He is also a fiercely proud Jew, and he has imbued his daughter with an unshakeable pride in the history of her people. So why, she wonders, has she fallen in love with a German? From the moment Paule spots Wilhelm von Rhode at an embassy reception, she can&’t take her eyes off him. So after a whirlwind Paris romance, when von Rhode is recalled to Berlin, Paule follows as his wife. But as the Nazis tighten their stranglehold on Germany and the world prepares for war, their love may not survive what is to come. &“Fascinating.&” —Life
A Perfectly Good Man: A Novel
by Patrick GaleThe bestselling British novel about love, marriage, family, secrets, and how the power of faith can transform lives even in the midst of inconsolable loss After being paralyzed in a rugby accident, twenty-year-old, wheelchair-bound Lenny Barnes feels he has nothing left to live for and is putting his affairs in order before committing suicide. As lively Mazey Day celebrations take place in the Cornish town of Penzance, Lenny summons a parish priest to his home. Father Barnaby Johnson is shocked to discover that he has been called in not to comfort but to deliver last rites. Lenny&’s death will reverberate not only in Barnaby&’s life but in the lives of his family and those around them, from Barnaby&’s wife, Dorothy, to Modest Carlsson, a parishioner and former teacher whose affair with an underage student cost him his job, his marriage, and, quite possibly, his soul. Narrated in a nonlinear style from the characters&’ shifting perspectives and ages, this spellbinding, exquisitely crafted novel exposes the fault lines in relationships as it limns the consequences of our actions. The novel that author Patrick Gale describes as &“an echo chamber&” to his international bestseller Notes from an Exhibition, A Perfectly Good Man reveals another family in crisis and asks what it truly means to be good. This Richard & Judy Book Club pick is a story of warmth, wisdom, and compassion on crises of faith, the power of prayer, morality, and what it means to be a parent.
Going All the Way: A Novel
by Dan WakefieldTwo friends return home from the Korean War to find their world—and themselves—irrevocably altered in this novel hailed by Kurt Vonnegut as &“gruesomely accurate and enchanting&” and &“wildly sexy&” Willard &“Sonny&” Burns and Tom &“Gunner&” Casselman, Korean War vets and former classmates, reunite on the train ride home to Indianapolis. Despite their shared history, the two young men could not be more different: Sonny had been an introverted, bookish student, whereas Gunner had been the consummate Casanova and athlete—and a popular source of macho pride throughout the high school. Reunited by the pains of war, they go in search of finding love, rebuilding their lives, and shedding the repressive expectations of their families. As Sonny and Gunner seek their true passions, the stage is set for a wounded, gripping account of disillusionment and self-discovery as seen through the lens of the conservative Midwest in the summer of 1954. Rendered in honest prose, national bestseller Going All the Way expertly and astutely captures the joys and struggles of working-class Middle America, and the risks of challenging the status quo. Author Dan Wakefield crafts this enduring coming-of-age tale with fluidity, grace, and deep humanity.
The Marietta Danver Trilogy: Love's Tender Fury; Love Me, Marietta; and When Love Commands (The Marietta Danver Trilogy #3)
by Jennifer WildeThe New York Times–bestselling historical trilogy of an eighteenth-century Englishwoman&’s romances and adventures. A great love story and a journey through the late eighteenth-century from England to colonial America to the Caribbean to imperial Russia, this trilogy by the author of Angel in Scarlet and other beloved historical romances follows Marietta Danver, a poor Englishwoman who escapes Newgate Prison to find a rich and passionate life. Love&’s Tender Fury: Born out of wedlock to a London barmaid, Marietta Danver yearns to overcome her humble origins, but instead is sold into indentured servitude in North America. In the Carolinas and Louisiana, she will find herself arousing unruly passions in the hearts of three men. Love Me, Marietta: Marietta is engaged to a British aristocrat, but meets a rakish, indigo-eyed man in New Orleans she cannot help but feel drawn to. She will find herself reunited with him when she&’s taken prisoner by pirates on the high seas. When Love Commands: Marietta awakens after a traumatic accident and finds herself in the care of a mesmerizingly handsome Russian count and his niece. But when she accompanies them to their lavish estate in St. Petersburg, she is caught up in the intrigues of the imperial court and must fight for her freedom—and her life. Now available in one collection, this is a delicious read from one of the classic names in historical romance.
Good Night, Mr. James: And Other Stories (The Complete Short Fiction of Clifford D. Simak #8)
by Clifford D. SimakStrange, poignant tales of life in outer space and on tomorrow&’s Earth from the multiple Hugo Award–winning Grand Master of Science Fiction. Virtually every major author from science fiction&’s fabled golden age—including Poul Anderson, Isaac Asimov, and Robert A. Heinlein—agreed that Clifford D. Simak was one of the greatest among them. Named Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America, the award-winning author created enduring visions of future worlds, perilous space explorations, and weird alien encounters as rich in emotion and humanity as they are in ingenious invention. This is an essential collection of short fiction from the remarkable mind and heart of a true giant of twentieth-century speculative fiction, featuring powerful examples of literary science fiction at its very best. Beginning with the unforgettable title story—a wry and chilling horror tale about cloning and alien invasion that inspired the classic teleplay &“The Duplicate Man&” from the television series The Outer Limits—Simak propels the reader on a breathtaking journey across the galaxies and into the future. He then enthralls us with the strange chronicle of twin siblings, one tied to the Earth, the other drawn to the stars; imaginings of a volatile reunion of two former enemies who must join forces on Jupiter&’s moon or face extinction; and the story of a house in the middle of nowhere that serves as a gateway back to prehistoric times. With his wondrous tales of a journalist&’s miraculous discovery of fairies and sprites in the world, a census three centuries in the making that uncovers an unknown leap forward in human evolution, and the nightmare realities of future elder care, Simak demonstrates once again that he is not only one of the greatest science fiction writers of the twentieth century, but also one of the greatest of all time.
No Life of Their Own: And Other Stories (The Complete Short Fiction of Clifford D. Simak #5)
by Clifford D. SimakTwelve classic tales of the unknown from the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author of Way Station. Clifford D. Simak had a sublime ability to evoke a lost way of life. He spent his youth in rural Wisconsin, a landscape filled with mysterious hollows, cliffs, dark forests, and the Wisconsin River flowing in its deep-cut valley. As Simak wandered the countryside and the ridges, he peopled them with imaginary characters who later came to life in his stories. One such individual is Johnny, the orphaned farm boy of &“The Contraption,&” who stumbles upon a wrecked starship and receives a priceless gift from its owners. Another is the old prospector Eli, whose surprising discoveries on Mercury get him killed in &“Spaceship in a Flask.&” In &“Huddling Place,&” a man with paralyzing agoraphobia is the only one who can save the life of a dear friend on Mars—if he can bear to make the trip. And in the title story, aliens slowly take over Earth while humans leave it behind and head for the Homestead Planets. Each story includes an introduction by David W. Wixon, literary executor of the Clifford D. Simak estate and editor of this ebook.
Quinn's Book: A Novel (The\albany Cycle Ser.)
by William KennedyIn 1849, a boy saves a girl from the Hudson River in this story &“of wonders and sweetness, magic and horrors [that] immerses itself in the marvelous&” (The Boston Sunday Globe). A penniless Irish orphan, Daniel Quinn is among the crowds gathered at the Hudson River in Albany to watch a legendary dancer aboard the ferry. But when the boat strikes the ice that chokes the water on this wintry day, awe turns to terror. Though the dancer&’s life is lost, Daniel risks his neck and rescues her niece, Maud Fallon. But just as he&’s falling in love with the beautiful, passionate girl, she&’s snatched away from him. As the years pass and Daniel continues his quest for the beguiling Maud, he will witness the rise and fall of great dynasties in upstate New York, epochal prize fights, the exotic world of the theater, visitations from spirits beyond the grave, horrific battles between Irish immigrants and the Know-Nothings, the New York draft riots, the perils of the Underground Railroad, and the bloody despair of the Civil War. Rich with nineteenth-century history and filled with flourishes of humor and magical realism, this is an &“engrossing and eerily profound&” novel (Time) from an author who, in the words of Stephen King, &“writes with verve and nerve [and] paints a full and lively canvas.&” In the tradition of E. L. Doctorow&’s Billy Bathgate or Mark Helprin&’s Winter&’s Tale, it is a remarkable saga from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Ironweed.
A Long Time Dead: A Mike Hammer Casebook
by Mickey Spillane Max Allan CollinsWith an introduction by Max Allan Collins: The first collection of stories starring legendary Mike Hammer, the toughest private investigator in history It starts with a few near-accidents: A car almost swipes Mike Hammer when he&’s crossing the street. A junkie robs the notoriously hardboiled detective at knifepoint. A fight on a subway platform comes close to pushing him in front of a train. While any one of these could be a coincidence, together they make a conspiracy—one that Hammer will have to end in order to survive. And when it comes to finishing something—or someone—nobody does it better than Hammer. One of the twentieth century&’s bestselling American mystery authors, Mickey Spillane changed noir fiction forever when he loosed Mike Hammer on the world. Now these eight short stories, collected and finished by Max Allan Collins, show that Spillane is still capable of redefining the genre. The stories in A Long Time Dead have received numerous accolades, including an Edgar Award nomination, two International Association of Media and Tie-in Writers &“Scribe&” Awards, and a Private Eye Writers of America Shamus Award.
The Long View: Picador Classic (Picador Classic Ser. #40)
by Elizabeth Jane HowardJourneying backward in time—from 1950 to 1926—this masterpiece of women&’s literary fiction presents an indelible portrait of a marriage Forty-three-year-old Antonia Fleming is preparing a dinner party for eight at the house in Campden Hill Square she shares with her husband, Conrad. The occasion is the engagement of their son, Julian. Their other child, Deirdre, hates her father and resents her mother—a reality Conrad ponders, along with the disastrous state of Deirdre&’s single life, as he leaves the bed of his current mistress. In illuminating the quotidian details of domestic life, The Long View perfectly captures a long relationship, with its moments of joy and intimacy, loneliness and regret, and of the roads not taken. As the story moves backward in time, we learn about the events that led up to Conrad and Antonia&’s fateful first meeting—including a startling secret in Antonia&’s past. With brilliant use of reverse chronology, the bestselling author of the Cazalet Chronicles paints a realistic and revealing portrait of a marriage and the decisions, good and bad, right and wrong, that shape lives.
The Somme: Also Including The Coward (Casemate Classic War Fiction #3)
by A. D. GristwoodTwo World War I classics: The story of a British soldier enduring the battle in France and a novella starring a man who takes drastic steps to escape the Great War.The million British dead have left no books behind. What they felt as they died hour by hour in the mud, or were choked horribly with gas, or relinquished their reluctant lives on stretchers, no witness tells. But here is a book that almost tells it. . . . Mr. Gristwood has had the relentless simplicity to recall things as they were; he was as nearly dead as he could be without dying, and he has smelt the stench of his own corruption. This is the story of millions of men—of millions.&” —H. G. Wells In The Somme and its companion The Coward, first published in 1927, the heroics of war and noble self-sacrifice are completely absent, replaced by the gritty realism of life for the ordinary soldier in World War I and an unflinching portrayal of the horrors of war. Written under the guidance of master storyteller H. G. Wells, they are classics of the genre. Based on A. D. Gristwood&’s own wartime experiences, The Somme revolves around a futile attack during the 1916 Somme campaign. On the battlefront, Tom Everitt is wounded and must be moved back through a series of dressing stations to the General Hospital at Rouen. Few other accounts of the war give such an accurate picture of trench life, and The Spectator praised Gristwood&’s &“very effective writing,&” calling The Somme &“a book which anyone who was not in the War should read.&”The Coward concerns a man who shoots himself in the hand to escape the chaos during the March 1918 retreat—an offense punishable by death—and is haunted by fear of discovery and self-loathing. Together, these works offer a vivid, immersive view of the First World War and the suffering it inflicted on the men who fought it.
Paper Sheriff
by Luke ShortFrom a winner of the Western Heritage Trustees Award: The thrilling story of a sheriff caught between his outlaw in-laws and the woman he loves. Being the sheriff of Sutton County is no easy job, but Reese Branham keeps the peace—even though his own wife comes from the dreaded Hoad clan. The Hoads have always been troublemakers. And when one of them murders a man in cold blood, Branham does his duty, only to watch in dismay as the jury lets the killer go free. Being a woman on the harsh frontier is bad enough. But Jen Truro is also the local prosecutor, and when a killer walks free because the jury doesn&’t trust her, it&’s a hard pill to swallow. Complicating the situation is her past with Branham, whom she spurned one too many times, driving him to marry a woman he doesn&’t love. The Hoad clan is not a forgiving family, and when they plan a massive cattle heist, they have to know Branham won&’t get in the way. If his wife can&’t convince the lawman to mind his own business, the Hoads will be damned if they let him—or his old flame—stop them. A legend of western fiction, Luke Short broke the trail for writers such as Louis L&’Amour and Elmore Leonard. Paper Sheriff is an unforgettable tale of the men and women brave enough to tame the Old West.
Patrol (Casemate Classic War Fiction #2)
by Philip MacDonaldThe novel that inspired John Ford&’s The Lost Patrol: A band of World War I soldiers fights to survive in the desert after their leader is shot and killed.There had been, here, eleven men. Now ten rode away. . . . In the Mesopotamian desert during the First World War, an unseen enemy guns down the leader of a British parol. The officer was the only one who knew their orders, and he did not told anyone else where they are located. Now the sergeant must lead his men through a hostile desert landscape full of invisible Arab snipers. One by one, they are being picked off, and the group of diverse men with different backgrounds must try to come together in order to survive. The decision-making process proves far from easy as tensions and prejudices from their former lives come to a head. The basis for films by Walter Summer and John Ford, this bestselling novel is a suspenseful tale of the Great War for readers of Robert Graves or Ford Madox Ford—or anyone who enjoys an action-packed war story. Author Philip MacDonald, who served in Mesopotamia with the British cavalry, went on to become one of the most popular writers of thrillers and detective fiction.
Juice: A Novel
by Stephen BeckerA corporate executive stands accused of a terrible crime in this searing legal drama from the bestselling author of A Covenant with Death The managing director of a popular West Coast television network, Joseph Harrison has everything a man could want: a successful career, a loving family, the promise of a bright and prosperous future. His life is one happy circumstance after another—until the fateful evening he gets behind the wheel after drinking three martinis and hits a pedestrian. Arraigned on charges of manslaughter, Harrison knows that his perfect world is lost forever. But no one seems to think he should pay for his crime. Not the chairman of the network&’s board of directors, who immediately hires a slick Hollywood attorney to defend Harrison. Not the eyewitnesses to the accident, whose testimonies suddenly change when they step inside the courtroom. Not even the judge, who is pressured by the powerful interests that stand behind the defendant. Only Harrison believes that he should face the consequences—but is he brave enough to proclaim his guilt when the entire system wants to declare him innocent? A dramatic portrait of one man&’s moral crisis and a blistering indictment of the influence of money and power in America, Juice is a masterful novel of suspense from one of the twentieth century&’s most original and captivating authors.
Around the World in Eighty Days: Kelly's English Comics Simplified Characters (Extraordinary Voyages)
by Jules VerneFor the sake of a bet, an Englishman embarks on the journey of a lifetime, in this classic adventure tale from a master of the form Phileas Fogg believes the world has gotten smaller. With the opening of a new railroad across India, he calculates it will now be possible to circumnavigate the globe in as few as eighty days. When the men at his club disagree, Fogg bets them the astonishing sum of £20,000—half his worth—that he can make the trip. Accompanied by his new manservant, the eccentric Passepartout, Fogg risks his fortune, his honor, and his life to prove the naysayers wrong. From the sands of Egypt to the jungles of India to the icy waters of the Pacific to the dark corridors of a Chinese opium den, Fogg and Passepartout use every mode of transportation possible to race from one exotic exploit to the next. Pursued by a Scotland Yard detective, derailed by a herd of bison, and attacked by Sioux Indians, the travelers never lose sight of their goal—even when they stop to rescue a beautiful damsel in distress. A brilliant blend of comedy, adventure, and fantasy, Around the World in Eighty Days continues to delight and amaze readers of all ages, long after the world of Jules Verne&’s imagination became our reality. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Rent Collector: Adapted for Young Readers from the Best-Selling Novel
by Camron WrightBased on true events. Sang Ly lives at Cambodia's city dump and is grateful she can help earn a living for her family by sifting through the trash for recyclables and things which can be repaired and sold. On a good day, she can earn enough to buy food for her family. She needs enough good days so she can pay the rent collector, Sopeap--a grumpy old woman who shows no mercy and who is willing to evict any tenant who can't pay their rent on time. When Sang Ly is unable to pay her rent for the month, she fears her family will have to leave the dump and their shanty home--a place where her only possessions can be carried in two hands. Little does she know that a discarded children's book found among the mounds of trash would save her. When Sopeap sees the book lying on Sang Ly's cardboard bed, her mood changes. Sang Ly offers her the book if she is allowed to keep her family at the dump. An unlikely friendship develops between the two women, and Sang Ly learns that Sopeap knows how to read--something Sang Ly has always wanted to learn. Being able to read could transform Sang Ly's world beyond the predictable confines of the dump and lead to a future with possibilities and hope. But the rent collector has a secret and tragic past, one that will not be easy for Sang Ly to navigate. With the help of her supportive husband, Ki Lim, and a helpful and humorous boy, Lucky Fat, Sang Ly embarks on a life-changing journey to give her young son, Nisay, a better life and future. The Rent Collector is about the power of literacy, the influence of the past, and finding hope, resiliency, and empowerment in the face of seemingly endless hardship.
Homeland
by Clare FrancisIn this &“thoughtful, deeply atmospheric novel&” by the author of Wolf Winter, a Polish refugee faces suspicion after a death in rural postwar England (Daily Mail). After World War II ends, soldiers are pouring back into Britain, and in 1946, the country is on the brink of the harshest winter in a hundred years. Blizzards rage and everything is in short supply: jobs, coal, food. In the Somerset wetlands, a Polish veteran named Wladyslaw Malinowski seeks work as a laborer. The soldiers of the Second Polish Corps are reluctant to leave, and many of the locals view them with uncertainty, but Malinowski manages to find employment on a farm. He also finds a potential romance in the local schoolmistress, Stella. But when murder rocks the small community, suspicion falls on the outsider. From the international bestselling author of A Dark Devotion and Betrayal, Homeland is an insightful look at how hardship and social upheaval can shape—or shatter—everyday lives, &“a very fine novel indeed&” (The Independent).