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The Wisdom of Leonardo da Vinci (Wisdom)
by The Wisdom SeriesAn intriguing look inside the mind of the Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci stood on a bridge between medieval thought and the modern mind. In this selection of entries from his dozens of coded notebooks and unpublished manuscripts, his unending curiosity in the universe and deep knowledge come through in his energetic style. The self-educated da Vinci developed a philosophical system that set him apart from his contemporaries and marked him as the oracle of a new age, and his vivid imagination and straightforward writing style capture the reader&’s attention whether he is writing about his scientific analysis, his opinion of necromancy, discoveries in nature, or the nature of man. Accompanied by a thorough introduction, The Wisdom of Leonardo da Vinci unveils the man&’s deepest thoughts and musings and proves why he remains an intriguing and enduring figure.
Art in Motion: Animation Aesthetics
by Maureen FurnissArt in Motion, Revised Edition is the first comprehensive examination of the aesthetics of animation in its many forms. It gives an overview of the relationship between animation studies and media studies, then focuses on specific aesthetic issues concerning flat and dimensional animation, full and limited animation, and new technologies. A series of studies on abstract animation, audiences, representation, and institutional regulators is also included.
Mickelsson's Ghosts
by John GardnerGardner&’s final novel: a delicate tapestry of literary genres that create a wonderfully mysterious and ambitious narrative As Peter Mickelsson&’s brilliant career as a professor at Brown University winds down, he suffers from alcoholism and is on the brink of divorce. Seeking a new start, Mickelsson moves to an old farmhouse in the Pennsylvania countryside to take a position at Bingham University. But when mysterious supernatural events begin to occur, it becomes clear that these new surroundings will not provide a refuge for this troubled man, but rather prompt an introspective look into the ultimate value of his life&’s work. With distinctive style and linguistic mastery, author John Gardner weaves together a string of extraordinary plots that culminate in an unforgettable conclusion. This ebook features a new illustrated biography of John Gardner, including original letters, rare photos, and never-before-seen documents from the Gardner family and the University of Rochester Archives.
The Nature of the Game
by James GradyAn ex-CIA operative is on the run from his former employers in this &“brutal, moving&” thriller from the author of Six Days of the Condor (James Ellroy). Jud is not too drunk to recognize the assassin. How the hit man found him in this hard-bitten roadhouse, Jud isn&’t sure, but he&’s not going down without a fight. His hands shaking too much for close combat, Jud perches himself on the bar&’s roof and drops onto the assassin as he steps out into the darkness. Though Jud only meant to stun, the man is dead. Jud doesn&’t care. Quitting the CIA hasn&’t been easy. Once one of the agency&’s top killers, Jud&’s skills have been dulled by civilian life, and his only chance of survival is to go into hiding. But before disappearing completely, he calls one of the few people he can trust, DC journalist Nick Kelley. Together, they&’re about to take on the deadly rot at the heart of the CIA. James Grady revolutionized the thriller genre with his CIA analyst codenamed Condor, immortalized by Robert Redford in Three Days of the Condor, and currently portrayed by Max Irons in the all-new TV series Condor. In The Nature of the Game, Grady introduces another complex hero in a &“brooding, ambitious&” thriller that offers a &“wrap-up of everything awful in the spy business&” (Kirkus Reviews).
Sliphammer
by Brian GarfieldAn Arizona sheriff takes an impossible job: arresting Wyatt EarpWyatt Earp rides the train to Tucson alongside his brother Morgan, who makes the trip in the comfort of a wooden casket. Earp comes from Tombstone, along with his two surviving brothers and Doc Holliday, on a mission of vengeance for his murdered kin. They suspect Frank Stillwell of being the shooter, and are not interested in the bandit&’s denials. Earp is hardly off the train before he kills Stillwell, and he&’s on his way north before the body is cold. Unfortunately for the Earp gang, Stillwell had friends in high places. The governor issues warrants for their arrest, and sends a pair of lawmen north to Colorado to apprehend them. Jeremiah Tree, a sheriff nicknamed &“Sliphammer&” for his choice of pistol, is given the unenviable task of arresting Wyatt and his brother Warren. It&’s a suicide mission, but Sliphammer is too cool to fear any gunman, legendary or not.
Negotiating with Evil: When to Talk to Terrorists
by Mitchell B. ReissIn a career spanning decades, Mitchell B. Reiss has been at the center of some of America&’s most sensitive diplomatic negotiations. He is internationally recognized for his negotiation efforts to forge peace in Northern Ireland and to stem the nuclear crisis in North Korea. In Negotiating with Evil, Reiss distills his experience to answer two questions more vital today than ever: Should we talk to terrorists? And if we do, how should we conduct the negotiations in order to gain what we want? To research this book, Reiss traveled the globe for three years, unearthing hidden aspects of the most secret and sensitive negotiations from recent history. He has interviewed hundreds of individuals, including prime ministers, generals, intelligence operatives, and former terrorists in conflict-torn regions of Europe, Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. The result is a fascinating examination of the different methods countries have employed to confront terrorist movements, the mistakes made, the victories achieved, and the lessons learned. Negotiating with Evil is a penetrating and insightful look into high-stakes diplomacy in the post-9/11 world and a vital contribution to the global security debate as the United States and its allies struggle to confront terrorist threats abroad and at home.
The Killing Doll
by Ruth RendellA girl experiments with the occult to keep her family together in this psychological thriller from the New York Times–bestselling author of Dark Corners. In a quiet house in the London suburb of Manningtree, fifteen-year-old Pup and his emotionally damaged older sister, Dolly, have become closer than ever since the death of the their mother. Pup&’s bookish obsession with witchcraft gives their disordered life a sense of purpose. Dolly isn&’t sure what to expect from the talisman Pup makes her, until their father brings home a vulgar new wife. Then, Dolly, resentful and suddenly empowered, makes a deadly wish—the first of many. In a depressed neighborhood on the other side of town, a paranoid hermit has been questioned in a series of brutal murders. Lately, he&’s taken to living in a tunnel behind a fort of mattresses, where he keeps his knives. Soon, his life and the lives of Pup and Dolly will converge. As one of them struggles toward something close to sanity, the other two will descend even further into darkness. &“Only Rendell can show us how chillingly easy it is for ordinary people to slide into criminal behavior,&” and in The Killing Doll, the tumble is relentless (Oprah.com). &“Rendell, who perfected the art of the truly suspenseful psychological thriller&” is a three-time recipient of the Edgar Award, and the author of numerous bestsellers (The Boston Globe).
The Time of the Angels: A Novel (The\collected Works Of Iris Murdoch Ser.)
by Iris MurdochFrom &“one of the most significant novelists of her generation&” and a Man Booker Prize winner, a priest descends into madness in a London rectory after WWII (The Guardian). Carel Fisher was once a bastion of faith, a shining example of Anglican goodness and Christian values. But time and circumstance have worn him down as surely as the bombs of the Blitz have broken apart the very walls around him. His convictions have vanished and his belief in mankind has tarnished. Imprisoned within his own mind and the decaying walls of his ruined rectory, he has few companions left: his niece and his household staff, all of whom become collateral damage as Father Carel&’s reality becomes a twisted mirror for his views on the human condition. As relationships and desires, resentments and retributions, begin to crowd the small church, secrets are revealed that will shatter the lives of all involved, no matter how good or innocent they are. At once haunting and mysterious, The Time of the Angels is a captivating tale of madness and morality that &“excites and delights,&” while calling into question ideas of religion and decency in a world torn apart by the aftereffects of war (The New York Times).
Flesh and Blood: A Frank Clemons Mystery (The Frank Clemons Mysteries #2)
by Thomas H. CookNow living in New York, ex-cop Frank Clemons investigates a brutal slashing The sleek high-rises of Park Avenue make Frank Clemons uneasy. The former Atlanta homicide detective came to New York after a sickening murder case soured him on the South, but despite the glitz of his new surroundings and the beauty of the woman he shares them with, the city makes his skin crawl. Now a private eye, he is only at ease in the city&’s darker corners, among the whores, gamblers, and pimps who call Eighth Avenue home. That affinity for the isolated is what draws him to Hannah Karlsberg, an elderly seamstress who deserved a better death than she got. Hannah&’s employer asks Clemons to find the victim&’s next of kin, so the police can release the body for burial. As he learns about the dead woman&’s past, which stretches back to the Lower East Side of the 1930s, Clemons becomes obsessed with unearthing the decades-old secret that led to her death. Flesh and Blood is the second book in the Frank Clemons Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
The Crimean War (Images of War)
by John Grehan Martin MaceThe Crimean War was a conflict between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, British Empire, Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining Ottoman Empire. Most of the conflict took place on the Crimean Peninsula, but there were smaller campaigns in western Anatolia, the Caucasus, the Baltic Sea, the Pacific Ocean and the White Sea. The Crimean War is known for the logistical and tactical errors during the land campaign on both sides (the naval side saw a successful Allied campaign which eliminated most of the ships of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea). Nonetheless, it is sometimes considered to be one of the first modern wars as it introduced technical changes which affected the future course of warfare, including the first tactical use of railways and the electric telegraph. It is also famous for the work of Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole, who pioneered modern nursing practices while caring for wounded British soldiers. The war also led to the establishment of the Victoria Cross in 1856 (backdated to 1854), the British Army's first universal award for valor. The Crimean War was one of the first wars to be documented extensively in photographs. News correspondence reaching Britain from the Crimea was the first time the public were kept informed of the day-to-day realities of war. This unique collection of images will prove to be an invaluable resource for historians, students and all those interested in what was one of the most significant periods in British military history. Each picture will tell its own story, and will be fully captioned with historical detail.
Sophie's Choice: A Novel (Vintage International)
by William StyronThis award-winning novel of love, survival, and agonizing regret in post–WWII Brooklyn &“belongs on that small shelf reserved for American masterpieces&” (The Washington Post Book World). Winner of the National Book Award and a modern classic, Sophie&’s Choice centers on three characters: Stingo, a sexually frustrated aspiring novelist; Nathan, his charismatic but violent Jewish neighbor; and Sophie, an Auschwitz survivor who is Nathan&’s lover. Their entanglement in one another&’s lives will build to a stirring revelation of agonizing secrets that will change them forever. Poetic in its execution, and epic in its emotional sweep, Sophie&’s Choice explores the good and evil of humanity through Stingo&’s burgeoning worldliness, Nathan&’s volatile personality, and Sophie&’s tragic past. Mixing elements from Styron&’s own experience with themes of the Holocaust and the history of slavery in the American South, the novel is a profound and haunting human drama, representing Styron at the pinnacle of his literary brilliance. This ebook features an illustrated biography of William Styron, including original letters, rare photos, and never-before-seen documents from the Styron family and the Duke University Archives.
The Proud and the Free: A Novel
by Howard FastA soldier in the American Revolution must struggle for his country&’s existence and its most precious ideals—even though it means fighting against his commanding officersIn 1781, Jamie Stuart is a twenty-three-year-old soldier serving amongst Jews, free slaves, Catholics, Native Americans, and others grouped together in a &“Foreign Brigade.&” They are part of a larger Pennsylvania Line that is forced to fight without pay, re-enlist without end, and survive without basic provisions. Enslaved and abused, Stuart and his friends join the mutiny of the entire Pennsylvania Line against its officers, holding their superiors accountable to the principles promised by their developing nation. In The Proud and the Free, Fast brilliantly imagines a forgotten moment in American history that marked one of the nation&’s earliest struggles for freedom against tyranny. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Howard Fast including rare photos from the author&’s estate.
The Life & Times of Chaucer
by John GardnerThe pinnacle of Gardner&’s medieval scholarship: a fascinating re-creation of the world of one of history&’s greatest writers In this exquisite biography, John Gardner brings to life Geoffrey Chaucer, illuminating his writings and their inspiration like never before. Through exhaustive research and expert storytelling, Gardner takes readers through Chaucer&’s varied career—from writing The Canterbury Tales to performing diplomatic work at the Parliament—and creates a fully realized portrait of an author whose work would remake the English language forever. Written with passion and insight, this a must-read for those interested in Chaucer and the medieval time period. This ebook features a new illustrated biography of John Gardner, including original letters, rare photos, and never-before-seen documents from the Gardner family and the University of Rochester Archives.
The Vanquished
by Brian GarfieldA California politician goes to Mexico to make himself kingThe Sonorans hire Henry Crabb to protect them from Apaches. In the lawless days that followed the Mexican-American War, bands of Indians roamed the countryside, preying on the hard-working peasants of northern Mexico. Desperate for help, a farming community offers Crabb land to establish a colony in exchange for a year&’s protection from the marauders. The Sonorans do not recognize that Crabb—a Californian with frustrated political ambition—is the greatest threat of all. Although their deal was for peaceful settlement, Crabb&’s thoughts turn quickly to conquest. In the tradition of American filibusters like William Walker, Crabb attempts to establish Sonora as an independent country—with him as the dictator. Based on a true story, this is a stunning narrative of conquest, adventure, and the shocking lengths to which ambition can drive men.
The Red and the Green: A Novel (Perennial Bestsellers Ser.)
by Iris MurdochA novel about a troubled Irish family on the eve of the Easter Rising by a Man Booker Prize–winning author. In 1916, with the First World War raging across Europe, Andrew Chase-White, lieutenant in the British army, travels to Ireland to see his family. Though he was raised in England by Protestant parents, many of his relations still live on the Emerald Isle, and are Catholic and nationalist through and through. Andrew&’s arrival in Dublin is the only spark needed to ignite old resentments, new passions, political tensions, and religious crises, sending the family into a torrent of fights and alliances, affairs and betrayals. And as the historic gunfire begins at the General Post Office on the day of the Easter Rebellion, the lives of Andrew and his relations will be indelibly changed. At once an exploration of the tumultuous political landscape of World War I Dublin and an examination of family, love, and loyalty, The Red and the Green is a compelling novel of Englishness and Irishness that continues to stand the test of time and history.
The Alvarez Journal: A Gabe Wager Novel (The Gabe Wager Novels #1)
by Rex BurnsWinner of the Edgar Award: A letter tips off a Denver narcotics detective to a colossal smuggling ring Once, Denver&’s small-time pushers sold nothing harder than dime bags of bad California grass. But in the last year, heroin has appeared on the streets of the Mile High City, and the police department has responded by forming a narcotics division. Detective Gabe Wager and his rookie partner spend their nights trailing dealers, making buys, and acquiring informants, in the hope that a small arrest could turn into a major case. After months picking up scraps, a stray piece of information is about to put Wager on to the biggest bust of his career. A letter from the Seattle DEA says that an informant has named Denver&’s Rare Thing Import Shop as a front for nearly a thousand pounds a week of smuggled marijuana. The case could make Wager&’s career—if the smugglers don&’t kill him first.
Gentleman's Agreement
by Laura Z. HobsonWhen a reporter pretends to be Jewish, he experiences anti-Semitism firsthand in the New York Times bestseller and basis for the Academy Award–winning film. Journalist Philip Green has just moved to New York City from California when the Third Reich falls. To mark this moment in history, his editor at Smith&’s Weekly Magazine assigns Phil a series of articles on anti-Semitism in America. In order to experience anti-Semitism firsthand, Phil, a Christian, decides to pose as a Jew. What he discovers about the rampant bigotry in America will change him forever.
The Art of Living: & Other Stories
by John GardnerAn inspired book of short stories that explores the profound relationship between life and art While mourning the loss of his son in the Vietnam War, an Italian chef reflects on the importance of art for future generations. An American boy retreats inward after he kills his younger brother in a farming accident, finding solace in classical music and a friendship with his teacher. Placing the artist at the center of his stories, Gardner produces a series of beautiful moments where art must act as a life-affirming force—and creates a collection of poignant narratives as a result. In The Art of Living, author John Gardner brings his most significant themes to life with stunning eloquence and masterful narration. This ebook features a new illustrated biography of John Gardner, including original letters, rare photos, and never-before-seen documents from the Gardner family and the University of Rochester Archives.
Killers Are My Meat (The Chester Drum Mysteries #3)
by Stephen MarloweA drive-by killing puts Drum on the scent of a Washington sex scandalWhen Chester Drum first took a crack at detective work, PI Gil Sprayregan offered to split a case with him, giving the rookie half the fee and more credit than he deserved. Years later, Drum is established and Gil is at the tail end of a long, slow fall,drinking heavily and considering blackmail to make ends meet. When he gets in over his head, Sprayregan&’s wife begs Drum to help. But her husband has already taken the first step on the road to oblivion. Drum takes a dinghy out to Sprayregan&’s Chesapeake hideout. When they return, a car full of gangsters kills Sprayregan and puts Drum in the hospital. Drum doesn&’t mourn the man who gave him his first break, but to the new widow, he owes a debt. No matter how well connected they are, he will break the men who gunned down Gil Sprayregan.
The Crimson Clue (The Kent Murdock Mysteries #14)
by George Harmon CoxeWhile taking pictures at a society wedding, Kent Murdock stumbles upon a murderEvery society family has skeletons in its closets, but only the Cannings have a fresh corpse. Kent Murdock finds the dead man while taking pictures at the wedding of Patricia Canning and Roger Armington, scions of Boston&’s most prominent—and camera-shy—families. Patricia and Murdock have been friends for years, and she invited him to photograph the wedding against her parents&’ wishes. For the killer, Murdock&’s appearance is very bad luck indeed. The dead man turns out to be Patricia&’s ex-husband, whom she spent three days married to before the family pressured him into an annulment. He traveled to Boston in search of blackmail and found death instead. Whichever Canning killed him had hoped to sweep the murder under the rug. But Kent Murdock&’s camera has a way of finding the truth, no matter how ugly it may be.
The Man Next Door
by Mignon G. EberhartSet during WWII and featuring a female sleuth, “a good spy story with overtones of romance; tense situations and excellent characterization” (The New York Times).Maida Lovell takes her job as secretary to the US War Department head, Steve Blake, seriously. So when a routine assignment to pick up some notes at his family’s home has her stumbling upon a body, and Steve sure to be the chief suspect, Maida agrees to a coverup to protect her boss. But the tables quickly turn and suddenly Maida is at the mercy of an enemy spy intent on blackmailing her into uncovering national secrets. Now, Maida must do all she can to save herself—and her country—from disaster.
The House on Coliseum Street (Voices Of The South Ser.)
by Shirley Ann GrauA provocative novel of a New Orleans woman&’s heartbreaking decision, by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Keepers of the House. Joan Mitchell has two suitors, and can&’t decide whom to marry. A witness to her mother Aurelie&’s less than successful romantic history, she&’d like to skip marriage altogether. Joan and Aurelie live together in a beautiful French Quarter home on Coliseum Street in New Orleans, along with Joan&’s many half-sisters born of Aurelie&’s five disastrous marriages. Joan lives a mostly carefree life, but when she becomes pregnant, she chooses to end her pregnancy rather than marry a man she doesn&’t love—a decision with grave consequences in conservative 1950s New Orleans. The second novel by a National Book Award finalist and one of the most acclaimed voices of the American South, The House on Coliseum Street is a brave, heartbreaking love letter to New Orleans and &“a sad, wistful, young, timeless story, graced by [Shirley Ann Grau&’s] fine drawn perceptions . . . and by the still, soft enchantment of her prose&” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). This ebook features an illustrated biography of Shirley Ann Grau, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s personal collection.
Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times
by Thomas HauserA sweeping biography of one of the greatest and most provocative athletes of all time—&“a life that needs to be understood whether you care a whit about boxing or not&” (The Boston Globe). Athlete, activist, rebel, poet, legend—Muhammad Ali stood larger than life in the imagination of hundreds of millions of people around the world. A gold medalist at the 1960 Olympics, he won the heavyweight championship at age twenty-two by conquering Sonny Liston in dramatic fashion. In the weeks after the upset victory, he confirmed his membership in the Nation of Islam and told reporters he would no longer answer to his &“slave name&”: Cassius Clay. The political establishment stripped him of his heavyweight title when he refused induction into the United States Army during the height of the war in Vietnam. Ultimately, Ali returned to reclaim his crown, prevailing in epic fights against the likes of Joe Frazier and George Foreman. His talent and charisma—and above all, his adherence to principle—made him a cultural icon and one of the most beloved sporting figures of all time. But that is only half the tale. Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times is also the story of Ali, the man. Author Thomas Hauser got closer to Ali than any previous biographer. His work—told in Ali&’s own words and those of hundreds of family members, friends, rivals, and others who interacted with &“The Greatest&” over the decades—reveals a deeply spiritual, complex man, whose public and private battles, including his struggle against the devastating effects of Parkinson&’s disease, gave new meaning to the word courage and changed forever our conception of what makes a champion. Heralded by the New York Times as &“the first definitive biography of the boxer who transcended sports as no other athlete ever has,&” Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the legacy of one of the twentieth century&’s most charismatic and controversial superstars. This ebook includes rare photos authorized by Muhammad Ali Enterprises.
The Face on the Wall (The Homer Kelly Mysteries #Bk. 13)
by Jane LangtonScholar/sleuth Homer Kelly comes to the aid of his artist niece, who&’s implicated in a death, in this &“taut, suspenseful, and absorbing&” whodunit (Kirkus Reviews). Life has not always been fair to Annie Swann. A bad marriage sullied her youth, but since her divorce she has made enough money illustrating children&’s books to add a wing to her house. The new addition&’s focal point will be a thirty-five-foot blank wall, where Annie plans an elaborate mural of the fairy tale characters who pay her bills. But as she paints, mysterious markings appear on the mural: first splotches, then a woman&’s face, ringed with blond hair and covered in blood. It seems to point to the disappearance of Pearl Small, a Harvard student who took classes from Annie&’s aunt Mary. As Mary and her husband, professor and ex-cop Homer Kelly, look for Pearl, Annie continues painting, unaware that with each brushstroke, she marks her wall with another layer of evil.
Reality and Dreams: A Novel (The\collected Muriel Spark Novels Ser.)
by Muriel Spark&“Sleek and suggestive . . . [Reality and Dreams] is so smart and seductive that you fail to notice how completely you&’ve accepted a world gone utterly awry.&” —Kirkus ReviewsBritish film director Tom Richard won acclaim for his moments of pure creative inspiration. But when Richard is hospitalized after toppling from a crane during a shoot, he awakes not knowing what is real and what is not—and with no idea who to trust. Soon his wife, children, and friends are all undergoing crises of their own, from the breakup of a marriage to the loss of a job. As Richard fights to regain his health and stay centered amid the swirling chaos of his personal life, he must also wrest control of his film—his most prized pursuit—from those who seek to take it away. Witty andengrossing, Reality and Dreams is a whiplash ride through the highs and lows of the creative process. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Muriel Spark including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s archive at the National Library of Scotland.