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A London Season
by Patricia BrayA tale of a rake, an impoverished country girl, and a miraculous makeover—by an author praised for her &“richly realized characters&” (RT Book Reviews). Caring for eight siblings and burdened by a bankrupt estate, Jane Sedgwick happily accepts her aunt&’s invitation to the festive London season. This could be her chance to find a wealthy husband and get the entire family out of debt . . . But the upper crust of London bristles at Jane&’s blunt country ways—with one exception: Lord Glendale. The handsome lord, not in the market for a wife, finds himself amused by Jane&’s frank manner and he wagers that—within the month—even provincial Jane can be brought into fashion. His plan succeeds only too well, as Jane blossoms into the most popular young lady of the season. Now will Lord Glendale relinquish Jane to her newfound admirers? Or will he take the biggest gamble of all—and risk his heart in a challenging game of love?
Pockets: A Novel
by Stuart RossA fragmented, surrealist novel of loss, nostalgia, and childhood secrets from the award-winning poet and author of A Sparrow Came Down Resplendent. A wonderful dream and a horrific nightmare, a fuzzy consciousness of pain and family, Pockets is a novel of fragments—both literally and figuratively. In a series of prose-poem chapters, the nameless narrator, in a largely Jewish 1960s suburb in the northern reaches of Toronto, repeatedly enters the world, as if for the first time. His landscape is one of bicycles with banana seats, Red Skelton, trilobite fossils, and overwhelming loss. Among shadows that both comfort and threaten, a brother who drifts through the sky, he finds his narrative full of pockets of emptiness he can&’t help but try to fill. A heartbreakingly personal and brilliantly evocative work, Pockets redefines the novel, delivering infinite scope in something diminutive and pocket-sized. It is a work to be read and reread for its poetic beauty and hidden gems of revelation.
From the Land of the Moon
by Milena Agus“Powerful . . . The vivid descriptions of the Sardinian landscape are a fitting complement to the heroine’s conflicted heart” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).As this compelling novel opens, a young unnamed woman reflects on the life of her bewitching, eccentric, and fiercely emotional grandmother, whose abiding search for love spans much of the twentieth century. In 1943, as American bombs fall on the city of Cagliari, she is thirty and considered an old maid, still living at home with her parents. But when the bombing ceases, and despite her protests, her father forces her to marry the first man to propose, an older widower she doesn’t love. After suffering several miscarriages, she is sent for treatment at a spa on the mainland, where she falls in love with an injured Italian army veteran. Back home, she gives birth to a son. She never reveals the affair to her husband—but decades later, she returns to the mainland and travels to her former lover’s hometown of Milan. Dressed in her finest coat and shoes, she wanders the streets in search of the elusive veteran . . .Set against a backdrop of rugged mountains and Italian villages lost in time, this international bestselling novel is a multigenerational family saga about love, lust, and country.“Agus’s descriptions of the everyday are as beautiful and haunting as her portrayal of life’s most dramatic episodes. Add an unexpected ending and the result is a graceful, powerful book.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Redemption: Redemption (The Bloodlight Chronicles #3)
by Steve StantonThe conclusion of the epic sci-fi series, set in a world of cloning, artificial intelligence, and battles in a virtual realm . . . A new blood-transmitted virus has become a black market staple due to its rejuvenating effects, forcing infected &“Eternals&” into a tightly knit underground where they must hack the &“V-net&” for food and shelter. When the leader of the Eternals, Helena Sharp, begins to lose her immortality, she flees to an old lover for strength and solace, as the entire Eternal community is thrown into chaos. Meanwhile, young clone Niko discovers the truth about her gifted daughter—who carries the future heritage of humanity in her augmented DNA. This knowledge forces Niko to confront her progenitor, Phillip Davis, with a litany of experimental abuse—only to discover that Phillip has fully integrated his persona with the AI monster who controls V-space. With the aid of the charismatic avatar Philomena, he embarks on a program of manipulation and control that will redefine the boundaries of death and consciousness. Advancing the post-cyberpunk genre into new territory, this compelling series delves into intriguing questions of religion, God, family, and the universe&’s central source of life.
The Essence of Faith: Philosophy of Religion
by Albert SchweitzerThe Nobel Peace Prize–winning doctor, theologian, and missionary explores the essence of faith in this masterful early work on Kantian metaphysics. Famous for his medical missionary work in what is now the West African country of Gabon, Albert Schweitzer was an accomplished theologian, philosopher, and international bestselling author. While studying for his PhD at the Sorbonne, Schweitzer developed his views on theology through an analysis of Immanuel Kant&’s philosophy of religion. In The Essence of Faith, Schweitzer explores Kantian ideas to arrive at an inspiring meditation on God, faith, and the limits of human understanding. Both an accessible introduction to Schweitzer&’s theology and a strikingly original approach to Kant&’s writing and thought, The Essence of Faith is a slim volume of profound ideas.
I'm Walking as Straight as I Can: Transcending Disability in Hollywood and Beyond
by Geri JewellA candid memoir of building an acting career—and a happy life—with cerebral palsy: &“It&’s a joy to read this book&” (Ian McShane). Exposing real pain, unstoppable perseverance, and unquestionable faith in the human spirit, this autobiography offers a true glimpse beyond actress Geri Jewell&’s public image as a one-dimensional hero. Born with cerebral palsy, Jewell made history when she became the first person with a disability cast in a recurring role on American television in The Facts of Life, and in the years that followed she experienced a string of other successes, including a performance at the White House and a role on HBO&’s Deadwood. But along with such accomplishments, this personal story also depicts some of the less-than-rosy events that happened behind closed doors during her initial climb to fame—among them, her release from The Facts of Life; her manager&’s embezzlement of the money she made on the show; and her struggle with chronic pain, despair, and a fear of revealing her true sexual identity. Told with grace and humor, this inspirational narrative presents an honest portrayal of a woman who refused to give up when others kept knocking her down.
The Club
by Jane HellerWhen a golf club&’s first single female member is murdered, spunky club wife Judy Mills takes a swing at sleuthing in this &“witty, well-plotted&” mystery (Publishers Weekly). Judy Mills has it all: A handsome husband, a thriving career, and a landmark house on two sylvan acres. But when Judy is downsized by her company, her husband suggests she networks with members at The Oaks, the country club he reveres and she abhors. Judy knows the misogyny at the antiquated club is all par for the course, but she finds an unexpected ally in Claire Cox, a staunch feminist who has broken the club&’s ironclad rule against admitting single women. There are other things about The Oaks that Claire intends to change—until she&’s found dead in a sand trap on the golf course. When ruggedly handsome Det. Tom Cunningham asks Judy to secretly investigate, she agrees to shed the role of complacent club wife to become an amateur sleuth. One willing to risk her life to bring a killer to justice, and just maybe bring her golf-obsessed husband to his senses . . . &“Heller delivers perfect reading for the beach—or pool-side at the club.&” —Publishers Weekly
Summers with Lincoln: Looking for the Man in the Monuments
by James A. PercocoA journey across America revealing &“the history of how seven of these monuments came to be . . . and what they mean to us today&” (The Washington Times). Across the country, in the middle of busy city squares and hidden on quiet streets, there are nearly two hundred statues erected in memory of Abraham Lincoln. No other American has ever been so widely commemorated. A few years ago, Jim Percoco, a history teacher with a passion for both Lincoln and public sculpture, set off to see what he might learn about some of these monuments—what they meant to their creators and to the public when they were unveiled, and what they mean to us today. The result is a fascinating chronicle of four summers on the road looking for Lincoln stories in statues of marble and bronze. Percoco selects seven emblematic works, among them Thomas Ball&’s Emancipation Group, erected east of the Capitol in 1876 with private funds from African Americans and dedicated by Frederick Douglass; Augustus Saint-Gaudens&’s majestic Standing Lincoln of 1887 in Chicago; Paul Manship&’s 1932 Lincoln the Hoosier Youth, in Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Gutzon Borglum&’s 1911 Seated Lincoln, struggling with the pain of leadership, beckoning visitors to sit next to him on his metal bench in Newark, New Jersey. At each stop, Percoco chronicles the history of the monument, spotlighting its artistic, social, political, and cultural origins. His descriptions draw fresh meaning from mute stone and cold metal—raising provocative questions not just about who Lincoln might have been, but about what we&’ve wanted him to be in the monuments we&’ve built.
The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton (The Laurence Bartram Mysteries #2)
by Elizabeth Speller&“Combines a Ruth Rendell–like psychological realism, an Agatha Christie–like plot and a Dickensian feel for life&’s roulette . . . Pulse-pounding&” (The Wall Street Journal). When Great War veteran Laurence Bartram arrives in Easton Deadall, he is struck by the beauty of the crumbling manor, the venerable church, and the memorial to the village&’s soldiers. But despite this idyllic setting, Easton Deadall remains haunted by tragedy. In 1911, five-year-old Kitty Easton disappeared from her bed and has not been seen since. While Laurence is visiting, a young maid vanishes in a sinister echo of Kitty&’s disappearance. And when a body is discovered in the manor&’s ancient church, Laurence is drawn into the grounds&’ forgotten places, where deadly secrets lie in wait. &“Speller&’s follow-up to her acclaimed debut, The Return of Captain John Emmett, is a well-crafted mystery with intriguing historical details and measured pacing that creates suspense. Fans of Jacqueline Winspear&’s Maisie Dobbs series and readers who enjoy well-drawn characters in historicals will add this to their wish list.&” —Library Journal &“Leisurely and absorbing . . . a series to be savoured.&” —The Guardian
The Comedies: Lady Windermere's Fan, An Ideal Husband, A Woman of No Importance, and The Importance of Being Earnest
by Oscar WildeExperience the wit of Wilde in these four delightfully satiric plays—including his masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest. In the late nineteenth century, Oscar Wilde&’s plays were the toast of London, celebrated for the Irish playwright&’s mischievous wit, pointed social satire, and gift for energetic farce. Lady Windermere&’s Fan: Gossip leads Lady Windermere to believe her husband is having an affair, and when the woman in question appears at her party, she makes an impulsive choice that threatens to destroy her reputation. An Ideal Husband: When a femme fatale blackmails prestigious politician Sir Robert Chittern, his wife is forced to re-evaluate her standards for &“an ideal husband.&” A Woman of No Importance: Young Gerald Arbuthnot is honored to be chosen as secretary to the sophisticated—and flirtatious—Lord Illingworth. So why does Gerald&’s mother oppose the appointment? The Importance of Being Earnest: In the playful sendup of Victorian courtship and manners, bachelors Jack and Algernon each woo ladies using the ironic alias of &“Ernest.&”
Carry On Regardless: Getting to the Bottom of Britain's Favourite Comedy Films
by Caroline Mary Frost“A thoroughly enjoyable fact-filled romp . . . a must-read for any fan of the Carry On films.” —Daily MailThe completely updated story of Carry On, Britain’s largest film franchise, all the way from the gentle capers of the 1950s, through the raucous golden age of the 1960s, to its struggles in the decades that followed.We take a happy walk down memory lane to enjoy again Sid James’s cheeky chuckle, Kenneth Williams’ elongated vowels, Charles Hawtrey’s bespectacled bashfulness and Barbara Windsor’s naughty wiggle.It all seemed effortless, but exclusive interviews with the series’ remaining stars including Bernard Cribbins, Angela Douglas and Kenneth Cope shed new light on just how much talent and hard work went into creating the laughs. For the first time, the loved ones of some of the franchise’s biggest names—on and off screen—share their personal memories from this unique era.Was Carry On really as sexist, racist and bigoted as critics claim? Three of the films’ female stars explain why they never felt remotely exploited, plus we take a fresh look at some of the series’ biggest titles and discover that, in reality, they were far more progressive than their detractors would have you believe.Finally, with constant talk about new films, fresh productions and tantalizing speculation about a brand new era of Carry On, we ask—does this unique series still have legs?“Fascinating.” —Adrian Chiles“Essential reading for fans of the Carry On Films, which were deceptively ahead of their times” —Tracy-Ann Oberman
A Long, Long Time Ago & Essentially True
by Brigid PasulkaPEN/Hemingway Award Winner: A &“gorgeous&” novel weaving together stories of Poland past and present in one whimsically romantic epic (Chicago Tribune). On the eve of World War II, in a small Polish village, a young man nicknamed the Pigeon falls in love with a girl fabled for her angelic looks. To build a place in Anielica&’s heart, he transforms her family&’s modest hut into a beautiful home. But war arrives, cutting short their courtship and sending the young lovers off to the promise of a fresh start in Krakow. Nearly fifty years later, the couple&’s granddaughter, Beata, repeats this journey, seeking a new life in the fairy-tale city of her grandmother&’s stories. But instead of the rumored prosperity of the New Poland, she discovers a city full of frustrated youths, caught between its future and its past. Taken in by her tough-talking cousin, Irena, and her glamorous daughter, Magda, Beata struggles to find her own place in the world. But unexpected events—tragedies and miracles both—change lives and open eyes. &“A whimsical debut,&” (New York Times Book Review) A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True weaves together two remarkable stories, reimagining half a century of Polish history through the legacy of one unforgettable love affair. This magical, heartbreaking novel &“rings hauntingly, enchantingly, real&” (National Geographic Traveler). &“With a touch of Marina Lewycka and a dash of Captain Corelli&’s Mandolin, this is storytelling that gets under your skin and forces you to press copies into your best friends&’ hands.&” —Elle (UK) &“Funny and romantic like all the best true stories.&” —Charlotte Mendelson, author of When We Were Bad
Nocturnals (Conjunctions #72)
by Peter Straub Diane Ackerman Quincy Troupe Rick Moody Joanna Scott Dinaw Mengestu Robert Kelly Karen Russell David Shields Mei-Mei Berssenbrugge Peter Gizzi Norman Manea Brian Evenson Ann Lauterbach Fred Moten Martine Bellen Mary CaponegroThis spring 2019 edition of Bard College&’s literary journal explores the fascination and mystery of night through stories, poems, essays, and memoirs. Scheherazade famously spun stories for a thousand and one nights in order to sustain her life. In recognition of how vital it is to voice our own stories, the stellar works collected here—including entries by Sallie Tisdale, Rick Moody, Joyce Carol Oates, and many others—address our myriad experiences from dusk to daybreak. In this volume, readers will encounter the monster of Kowloon, which relies on the imaginations of children in order to exist. Three men embark on a hallucinatory journey into the snowy pitch-dark night of the soul. Purgatory can be found here, along with ghosts, alternative universes, an East Village bar that doubles as a portal to another life, and a personal chronicle of a visit to Burning Man in Black Rock Desert. Also included are the nightbird Nycticorax, musical nocturnes, night thoughts at solstice, wheeling galaxies, and the cosmos itself. The pioneering nocturnal photography of George Shiras is celebrated in these pages, and the dichotomous world of night versus day in equatorial Uganda is observed by an ethnographic eye.
Secret Nights
by Anita MillsThis tale of love, suspense, and mystery in Regency England features &“a refreshingly different hero and heroine&” (Publishers Weekly). After her wealthy merchant father is accused of murder, Elise Rand goes to the only person she knows who can help: Patrick Hamilton, Regency London&’s most brilliant trial lawyer. But no amount of cash will convince Patrick to take on what appears to be a doomed case. So a desperate Elise is forced to put her reputation, her sanity, and her heart on the line when she offers a very different method of payment for his legal services: herself . . . &“Mills does the historical romance genre proud with her latest offering. Tautly written and packed with suspense, the plot moves along at a brisk pace while engaging the reader in the moving love story of a refreshingly different hero and heroine . . . With a talent for evoking period atmosphere and her knowledge of the Regency underworld, Mills nips at the heels of Anne Perry&’s Victorian novels of crime and suspense.&” —Publishers Weekly &“An insightful and unusual historical that focuses not only on the glittering decadence of Regency upper-class society but also on its sinister criminal elements. Nicely drawn characters, a complex plot, and well-handled language contribute to this satisfying romance.&” —Library Journal
Economics for the Rest of Us: Debunking the Science that Makes Life Dismal
by Moshe Adler&“Vivid case studies . . . Adler&’s frustration with wrongheaded economic thinking is as entertaining as it is thought provoking.&” —Publishers Weekly Why do so many contemporary economists consider food subsidies in starving countries, rent control in rich cities, and health insurance everywhere &“inefficient&”? Why do they feel that corporate executives deserve no less than their multimillion-dollar &“compensation&” packages and workers no more than their meager wages? Here is a lively and accessible debunking of the two elements that make economics the &“science&” of the rich: the definition of what is efficient and the theory of how wages are determined. The first is used to justify the cruelest policies, the second grand larceny. Filled with lively examples—from food riots in Indonesia to eminent domain in Connecticut and everyone from Adam Smith to Jeremy Bentham to Larry Summers—Economics for the Rest of Us shows how today&’s dominant economic theories evolved, how they explicitly favor the rich over the poor, and why they&’re not the only or best options. Written for anyone with an interest in understanding contemporary economic thinking—and why it is dead wrong—Economics for the Rest of Us offers a foundation for a fundamentally more just economic system. &“Brilliant.&” —David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize–winning and New York Times–bestselling author of It&’s Even Worse Than You Think
American Murder: Three True Crime Classics
by Darcy O'BrienThree riveting accounts of horrific crimes and the twisted minds behind them by an Edgar Award–winning author, in one volume. A father&’s ultimate betrayal, a savage killing spree that terrorized Los Angeles, and the brutal slaying of a rich man&’s college-aged daughter. In this heart-stopping true crime collection, New York Times–bestselling author Darcy O&’Brien uncovers the dark underside of the American dream. Murder in Little Egypt: Dr. John Dale Cavaness selflessly attended to the needs of his small, southern Illinois community. But when Cavaness was charged with the murder of his son Sean in December 1984, a radically different portrait of the physician and surgeon emerged. Throughout the three decades he had basked in the admiration and respect of the people of Little Egypt, Cavaness was privately terrorizing his family, abusing his employees, and making disastrous financial investments. In this New York Times bestseller, as more and more grisly details come to light, so too does rural America&’s heritage of blood and violence become clear. The Hillside Stranglers: For weeks, the body count of sexually violated, brutally murdered young women escalated. With increasing alarm, Los Angeles newspapers headlined the deeds of a serial killer they named the Hillside Strangler. But not until January 1979, more than a year later, would the mysterious disappearance of two university students near Seattle lead police to the arrest of a security guard—the handsome, charming, fast-talking Kenny Bianchi—and the discovery that the strangler was not one man but two. The Hillside Stranglers is the disturbing portrait of a city held hostage by fear and a pair of psychopaths whose lust was as insatiable as their hate. A Dark and Bloody Ground: On a sweltering evening in August 1985, three men breached Roscoe Acker&’s alarm and security systems, stabbed his daughter to death, and made off with over $1.9 million in cash. The killers were part of a hillbilly gang led by Sherry Sheets Hodge, a former prison guard, and her husband, lifetime criminal Benny Hodge. The stolen money came in handy shortly afterward, when they used it to lure Kentucky&’s most flamboyant lawyer, Lester Burns, into representing them. &“The smell of wet, coal-laden earth, white lightning, and cocaine-driven sweat rises from these marvelously atmospheric—and compelling—pages&” (Kirkus Reviews).
Notes Towards the Definition of Culture: Notas Para La Definición De La Cultura (Raíces De Europa Ser.)
by T. S. EliotThis critique of modern society argues that culture must be organic, and cannot be planned or imposed. The word culture has been widely and erroneously employed in political, educational, and journalistic contexts. In helping to define a word so greatly misused, T. S. Eliot contradicts many of our popular assumptions about culture, reminding us that it is not the possession of any one class but of a whole society—and yet its preservation may depend on the continuance of a class system, and that a &“classless&” society may be a society in which culture has ceased to exist. Surveying the post–World War II world, Eliot finds evidence of decay in cultural standards in every department of human activity, and expects the phenomenon to continue. He suggests that culture and religion have a common root—and if one decays, the other may die too. In observing the superpowers of his day and the course of recent history, he reminds us that &“the Russians have been the first modern people to practise the political direction of culture consciously, and to attack at every point the culture of any people whom they wish to dominate.&” The appendix includes Eliot&’s broadcasts to Europe, ending with a plea to preserve the legacy of Greece, Rome, and Israel, and Europe&’s legacy throughout the last two thousand years. &“Behind the urbanity, the modesty, the mere good manners of Mr. Eliot&’s exposition, one cannot mistake the force and significance of what he has to say, or ignore that it constitutes a fundamental attack on most of our assumptions on the subject.&” —The Spectator
The Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novels Volume Two: Resurrection Row, Rutland Place, and Bluegate Fields (The Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novels)
by Anne PerryReturn to the &“exemplary Victorian company&” of this London sleuthing couple with books four through six in the long-running New York Times–bestselling series (The New York Times). &“For nearly four decades Anne Perry&’s riveting detective novels have played out against the backdrop of the Victorian era&” (The Washington Post). Now, in a single volume, readers can enjoy more of this &“unfailingly rewarding&” series (The New York Times Book Review). Resurrection Row: Lord Fitzroy-Hammond has been dead and buried three weeks when his corpse turns up sitting atop a hansom cab. It may be a macabre practical joke—or something far more sinister. Grave robbing isn&’t Inspector Thomas Pitt&’s usual fare, but the case grows increasingly bizarre as other disinterred bodies appear. And new mother Charlotte Pitt gets involved when her late sister&’s husband becomes a suspect. Rutland Place: Charlotte&’s mother asks her help finding a lost locket that contains a compromising picture—but neither of them expect the missing jewelry to lead to a murder case. When another resident of her mother&’s exclusive neighborhood, known for her prying, is poisoned, Inspector Pitt steps in to discover what secrets the woman may have stumbled upon. Bluegate Fields: The naked body of an aristocratic youth turns up in the sewers beneath Bluegate Fields, one of London&’s most notorious slums. But Arthur Waybourne was drowned in his bath, not in the Thames. The evidence seems to condemn his tutor, who is sentenced to hang. But Thomas and Charlotte believe there&’s a cover-up and race to find the real killer—before an innocent man dangles from the noose.
The White Shirt: Find Your Peaceful & Life-giving Career at Any Stage of Life
by Michael Alan TateThis inspiring parable about a young man in search of his calling is full of the insight, tools, and strategies you need to transition into a life you love. In The White Shirt, a young man named Cyrus leaves a secure career and ventures out into the world to find his true calling. Along the way he learns how to create a simple strategy for success, why it&’s important to share a career plan with the right people, and most importantly, how it all comes together faster with a friend by your side. The White Shirt coincides with a website packed with tools and a step-by-step guide to creating a one-page personal career strategy, developed with a friend over the course of a week. Whether readers are graduating from college, struggling to find a job, re-entering the workforce, changing careers, or preparing for retirement, they will learn how to successfully navigate their transition in The White Shirt.
Wedding Chimes, Assorted Crimes
by Christine ArnessA society wedding photographer falls under suspicion in this &“charming and exciting new tale of romance and suspense&” (RT Book Reviews). In Lake Hope and other posh suburbs of Chicago, the services of photographer Keely O&’Brien are in high demand, especially for all the theme weddings that are currently the rage among the social elite. But after Keely works two weddings from which the gifts are stolen, suspicion starts to fall on her, as well as on caterer Max Summers. Local gossip columnist Flo Netherton insinuates that Keely and Max may be playing some role in the thievery. Putting aside her pride and her distrust of Max, Keely convinces him to help her uncover the real inside contact for the robbers. Together they set out to explore the grimy underside of the lace and tulle world of society weddings, but once-friendly business colleagues are suddenly too busy—or too afraid—to talk. Overnight, Max and Keely become pariahs, and something more sinister than rumor may be responsible for the wall of silence. Then Flo Netherton&’s body is found in Keely&’s ransacked studio—and the stakes are higher than the survival of her business . . .
The Tarrant Rose
by Veronica HeleyAs Jacobites conspire against the English throne, a desperate woman contends with a mysterious suitor in this historical romance of love, war, and deception. Proud and penniless, the raven-haired Sophia knows only two things about the wildly dashing and mysterious Philip Rich: that he&’s the poor and disgraced relative of the Earl of Rame; and that he awakens in her a craving that her betrothed, Sir John Bladen, can never satisfy. Unfortunately for Sophia, pledging herself to the wealthy Sir John is the only way to save her beloved Tarrant Hall. When Sophia makes the crushing choice to scorn Philip in favor of her future, she realizes just how much of a mystery Philip has been. He is, in fact, the famous Earl himself. Whatever the reasons for the Royal Pretender&’s ruse, Sophia fears his next move: avenging his honor with a stunning reprisal. The Earl&’s vow to humble the woman he loved will draw them both into the treacherous plots and intrigue at the luxurious court of George II. While danger lies ahead for Philip and Sophia, so does a resilient desire that could prove to be as passionate as it is dangerous.
The Moon Opera
by Bi FeiyuThis &“gem of a novel . . . gives us a glimpse not only into the Chinese opera world but deep into a woman&’s heart&” (Lisa See, author of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane). Twenty years ago, in a fit of diva jealousy, Xiao Yanqiu, star of The Moon Opera, violently assaulted her understudy. Spurned by the troupe, she turned to teaching. Now, a rich cigarette-factory boss has offered to underwrite a restaging of the cursed opera—but only on the condition that Xiao Yanqiu return to the role of Chang&’e. So she does, this time believing she has fully become the immortal moon goddess . . . Set against the drama, intrigue, jealousy, retribution, and redemption of backstage Peking opera, this &“tiny, perfect novel [with] distant echoes of All About Eve&” is a stunning portrait of women in a world that simultaneously reveres and restricts them (The Times, London).
Killer: The Autobiography of a Mafia Hit Man (Adrenaline Classics Ser.)
by David Fisher Joey the Hit ManNew York Times Bestseller: This groundbreaking tell-all by a mob hit man is &“chilling and compelling—a must-read&” (Former FBI agent Joe Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco). The Bronx-born son of a Jewish bootlegger, &“Joey the Hit Man&” was introduced to crime when he was just eleven years old. For the next thirty years he was a numbers king, scalper, loan shark, enforcer, and drug smuggler. He hijacked trucks, fenced stolen goods, and trafficked in pornography. But Joey really made his name as a Mafia assassin, racking up thirty-eight cold-blooded hits—thirty-five for cash, three for revenge. In Killer, Joey tells the true story of life in organized crime. He exposes the reality of gang wars, discusses how he raised a family while living on the wrong side of the law, and documents the day-to-day business of crime—from making and breaking alliances to staying one step ahead of the cops. He reveals how he faced a grand jury seven times with no convictions (&“never lie to your lawyer&”) and kept a seven-figure fortune out of reach of the IRS. He lays out in graphic detail the difference between getting paid to kill and doing it for personal reasons. &“People think because they saw [The Godfather] they know everything there is to know about organized crime,&” Joey contends. In this no-holds-barred account, he reveals the brutal truth behind the Hollywood fantasy. Forty-five years after this true crime classic shocked readers all over the world and set the standard for bestselling Mafia biographies including Joseph Bonnano&’s A Man of Honor and Philip Carlo&’s Ice Man, the new edition of Killer includes an afterword by coauthor David Fisher that unmasks Joey&’s real identity—and the circumstances behind his death that add another layer of mystery to his complicated, colorful, and fascinating life.
The Zigzag Way: A Novel
by Anita DesaiA young American in Mexico discovers his family&’s past—and a present-day danger—in this &“elegant, exquisite&” novel of suspense (Elle). Eric is a newly minted historian just out of graduate school, plagued by self-doubt over both his past choices and his future options. With no clear direction, he follows his lover, Em, when she travels to the Yucatan for her scientific research, but ends up alone in this foreign place. And so he pursues his own private quest, tracing his family&’s history to a Mexican ghost town, where, a hundred years earlier, young Cornish miners—among them Eric&’s grandparents—toiled to the death. Now, in place of the Cornish workers, the native Huichol Indians suffer the cruelty of the mines. When he inquires into their lives, Eric provokes the ire of their self-appointed savior, Dona Vera. Known as the &“Queen of the Sierra,&” Dona Vera is the widow of a mining baron who has dedicated her fortune to preserving the Huichol culture. But her formidable presence belies a dubious past. The zigzag paths of these characters converge on the Day of the Dead, bringing together past and present in a moment of powerful epiphany. Haunting and atmospheric, with splashes of exuberant color and darker violence, The Zigzag Way is &“a beautifully rendered combination of history, folklore, and modern fiction&” (Entertainment Weekly), from a Booker Prize finalist. &“Long before Jhumpa Lahiri . . . long before Monica Ali . . . another novelist was offering us exquisitely detailed portraits of bodies in transit [and] classes in the art of sly and sensuous fiction . . . Anita Desai was a global, migrant writer before such a thing was fashionable.&” —Time &“Almost unbearably suspenseful.&” —The Boston Globe &“A hypnotic journey.&” —San Jose Mercury News
Great Contemporaries: Essays and Other Works (Winston S. Churchill Essays and Other Works #3)
by Winston S. ChurchillInsightful biographical sketches of major historical figures of the twentieth century, from the incomparable British statesman. Winston S. Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature on the strength of &“his mastery of historical and biographical description.&” Nowhere is that mastery more evident than in Great Contemporaries—which features Churchill&’s profiles of many of the major figures of his time. These short biographies cover political and cultural personalities ranging from Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler, Lawrence of Arabia, and Leon Trotsky to Charlie Chaplin, H. G. Wells, Rudyard Kipling, and George Bernard Shaw. This edition includes five previously uncollected essays and a number of photographs, plus an enlightening introduction and annotations by noted Churchill scholar James W. Muller. Written in the decade before Churchill became prime minister, these essays focus on the challenges of statecraft at a time when the democratic revolution was toppling older regimes based on tradition and aristocratic privilege. Churchill&’s keen observations take on new importance in our own age of roiling political change. Ultimately, Great Contemporaries provides fascinating insight into these subjects as Churchill approaches them with a measuring eye, finding their limitations at least as revealing as their merits.