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The Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman
by Bruce Robinson&“Never before has the painful, knotty journey to maturity been depicted with such gusto. . . . Riotously profane&” (Patrick McGrath, The New York Times Book Review). Thomas Penman is enduring a very bad adolescence. Growing up in dark, dingy 1950s England, Thomas has problems. These include an unspeakable personal hygiene issue, an eccentric, ailing grandfather who speaks to him in Morse code, an unrequited passion for the lovely Gwen Hackett, and an incriminatingly large stash of pornography. To cap it all, his warring parents are having him followed by a private investigator. It&’s hard to believe things could get much worse for him, but, in fact, they are about to . . . A New York Times Notable Book &“An Oscar-winner for the screenplay to The Killing Fields, Robinson debuts in the novel with the hilarious and engaging story of a working-class British teen growing up in the 1950s . . . Love, youth, and satire delivered with the verve and allure of, say, Amis—the real one, that is, not the modernized Martin, but lordly and hilarious Kingsley.&” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) &“A dysfunctional family in an English coastal town of the late 1950s achieves chaotic free-fall in this mordantly comic, rowdy first novel about an unloved, neglected boy&’s furious search for identity . . . The author manages to fuse lyricism, teen angst and raunchy satire of adult hypocrisy into a funny, tender, fiercely beautiful exploration of the humiliations, traumas, sexual awkwardness, first loves and false steps of adolescence.&” —Publishers Weekly
A Horse's Head
by Ed McBainThe author of the 87th Precinct series presents a riotous story of the gamblers, mobsters, and other colorful characters who hang around Aqueduct Racetrack. Andrew Mullaney has the money to get to Aqueduct Racetrack, but nothing to bet once he gets there. It&’s a tragedy, because today he&’s got a sure thing: a filly named Jawbone who&’s guaranteed to win. Desperate, Andrew asks every hood he knows to spot him fifty bucks, tapping chess hustlers, pool sharks, and hoodlums of every stripe, until, finally, he asks the wrong man—who responds by tossing Andrew out the door and down a flight of stairs. For this degenerate gambler, life is hard . . . and it&’s about to get a hell of a lot harder. When a gleaming black Cadillac pulls up in front of him, and a man hops out wielding a Luger and telling him to get in the car, Andrew has no choice but to say yes. Little does he know, he&’s just stepped into the adventure of a lifetime, and by the end of it, he&’ll be rich, dead, or something far, far worse. A suspenseful, humorous yarn perfect for fans of Prizzi&’s Honor or Analyze This, A Horse&’s Head is one of the wildest New York stories ever written. From legendary Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Ed McBain, every page is a laugh-out-loud delight.
Unfuck Your Parenting: How to Raise Feminist, Compassionate, Responsible, and Generally Non-Shitty Kids
by Bonnie Scott Dr Faith G. HarperHow do you raise your kids to be functional adults with big hearts? Young people need to learn to stand up against every kind of oppression, respect boundaries and consent, and gain self-compassion while also navigating money, friends, sex, and school. How can you prepare children and teens to find joy and stability as they cope with uncertainty, violence, and disaster, especially when your own coming-of-age lessons weren't so thoughtfully taught?Parents and mental-health professionals Dr. Faith G. Harper and Bonnie Scott have written a parenting guide for the 21st century that is a must-read for people with children of any age, from infancy to adulthood. Drawing from their experiences raising diverse, politically active young people, this book will help you bring up a new generation with tools to change the world for the better—all while maintaining your own separate identity and relationships, and without losing your mind.
Because Crack Is Illegal: A 30-Day Devotional for Moms
by Raema MaurielloFrom the author of The Struggle Is Real: &“One of the best devotionals for moms . . . a very real look at motherhood and what the Bible says about it all&” (Fishbowl Family). Because Crack Is Illegal takes a unique and witty approach to daily devotionals for mothers in every stage of life. For thirty days mothers are encouraged through personal, transparent, and comical stories of trials, as well as some bargaining and victory. Each day the reader is challenged to learn, grow, and laugh through reflection and daily application of scripture. &“It&’s hilarious, full of rich truth, and it&’s a 30 day devo. I don&’t even typically like devotion books, but this one is so great. What more could you need? . . . For both new moms and seasoned moms . . . it&’s for you.&” —Happily Rooted &“As a mom, and as a Jesus girl, I just can&’t tell you how much I enjoyed Raema&’s fresh and transparent writing. Both of her short devotionals were such a breath of fresh, reassuring air in my life. They encouraged me to draw closer to Christ while assuring me that I am not alone in this crazy journey of motherhood.&” —A Momma&’s Joy &“It&’s always refreshing when a writer (and especially a fellow mom) can be honest about the struggles of life. And with short (about two pages) entries and Bible references for each of the thirty days, Mauriello makes it easy to get your daily quiet time in. Winning all around.&” —Christina Fowler Blog
A New Leaf: The End of Cannabis Prohibition
by Nushin Rashidian Alyson MartinTwo award-winning journalists offer a &“cogent, well-sourced and ambitious analysis of the slow decline of cannabis prohibition in the United States&” (Kirkus Reviews). In November 2012, voters in Colorado and Washington passed landmark measures to legalize the production and sale of cannabis for social use—a first in the United States and the world. Once vilified as a &“gateway drug,&” cannabis is now legal for medical use in eighteen states and Washington, DC. Yet the federal government refuses to acknowledge these broader societal shifts. 49.5 percent of all drug-related arrests involve the sale, manufacture, or possession of cannabis. In the first book to explore the new landscape of cannabis in the United States, investigative journalists Alyson Martin and Nushin Rashidian demonstrate how recent cultural and legal developments tie into cannabis&’s complex history and thorny politics. Reporting from nearly every state with a medical cannabis law, Martin and Rashidian interview patients, growers, doctors, entrepreneurs, politicians, activists, and regulators. A New Leaf moves from the federal cannabis farm at the University of Mississippi to the headquarters of the ACLU to Oregon&’s World Famous Cannabis Café. The result is a lucid account of how cannabis legalization is changing the lives of millions of Americans and easing the burden of the &“war on drugs&” both domestically and internationally.
The Dragonback Series Books 4–6: Dragon and Herdsman, Dragon and Judge, Dragon and Liberator (The Dragonback Series)
by Timothy ZahnThe final three novels in the Dragonback sci-fi saga from the #1 New York Times–bestselling and Hugo Award–winning author of Star Wars: Thrawn—&“Enthralling&” (Science Fiction Chronicle). Young fugitive Jack Morgan and alien K&’da warrior Draycos are inseparable—quite literally. They&’ve been together since a desperate Draycos was forced to bond with Jack as his host in order to survive. Now they&’re traveling the stars trying to clear Jack of a crime he didn&’t commit, bring down a conspiracy to destroy Draycos&’s people, and generally stay alive . . . DRAGON AND HERDSMAN After nearly being caught, Jack and Draycos are rescued by Alison Kayna, a reluctant mercenary who steals them away to a planet where she plans to meet some friends. But when they get there they see something they never expected: a lost colony of K&’da who have all but forgotten their pride and honor. DRAGON AND JUDGE Just when Jack thinks he has a lead to help Draycos on his quest, he&’s kidnapped by a pack of aliens—not as a prisoner, but as a judge. Jack has no idea why they think he would, or could, know how to be a judge. But they soon reveal they want him specifically because Jack&’s long-lost parents were once asked to do the same thing . . . DRAGON AND LIBERATOR Jack and Draycos have traveled a long way and been through a lot of hard times together, and now it looks like their journey may finally come to an end. Their hunt has brought them to the man at the heart of the deadly conspiracy against the K&’da, and put him within their grasp. But before they can exact justice, they must stop him from unleashing a weapon of apocalyptic power . . .
Bitter Blood: A True Story of Southern Family Pride, Madness, and Multiple Murder
by Jerry BledsoeThe &“riveting&” #1 New York Times bestseller: A true story of three wealthy families and the unbreakable ties of blood (Kirkus Reviews). The first bodies found were those of a feisty millionaire widow and her daughter in their posh Louisville, Kentucky, home. Months later, another wealthy widow and her prominent son and daughter-in-law were found savagely slain in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Mystified police first suspected a professional in the bizarre gangland-style killings that shattered the quiet tranquility of two well-to-do southern communities. But soon a suspicion grew that turned their focus to family. The Sharps. The Newsoms. The Lynches. The only link between the three families was a beautiful, aristocratic young mother named Susie Sharp Newsom Lynch. Could this former child &“princess&” and fraternity sweetheart have committed such barbarous crimes? And what about her gun-loving first cousin and lover, Fritz Klenner, son of a nationally renowned doctor? In this tale of three families connected by marriage and murder, of obsessive love and bitter custody battles, Jerry Bledsoe recounts the shocking events that ultimately took nine lives, building to a truly horrifying climax that will leave you stunned. &“Recreates . . . one of the most shocking crimes of recent years.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Absorbing suspense.&” —Chicago Tribune &“Astonishing . . . Brilliantly chronicled.&” —Detroit Free Press &“An engrossing southern gothic sure to delight fans of the true-crime genre. Bledsoe maintains the suspense with a sure hand.&” —The Charlotte Observer
Our Country: Northern Evangelicals and the Union during the Civil War Era (The North's Civil War)
by Grant Brodrecht&“A welcome contribution to the growing literature on religion during the Civil War era.&” —Civil War News Northern evangelicals&’ love of the Union arguably contributed to its preservation and the slaves&’ emancipation—but in subsuming the ex-slaves to their vision for a Christian America, northern evangelicals contributed to a Reconstruction that failed to ensure the ex-slaves&’ full freedom and equality as Americans. By examining Civil War-era Protestantism in terms of the Union, Grant R. Brodrecht adds to the understanding of northern motivation and the history that followed the war. Our Country contends that non-radical Protestants consistently subordinated concern for racial justice for what they perceived to be the greater good. Mainstream evangelicals did not enter Reconstruction with the primary aim of achieving racial justice. Rather they expected to see the emergence of a speedily restored, prosperous, and culturally homogenous Union, a Union strengthened by God through the defeat of secession and the removal of slavery as secession&’s cause. Brodrecht addresses this so-called &“proprietary&” regard for Christian America, within the context of crises surrounding the Union&’s existence and its nature from the Civil War to the 1880s. Including sources from major Protestant denominations, the book rests on a selection of sermons, denominational newspapers and journals, autobiographies, archival personal papers of several individuals, and the published and unpublished papers of Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and Ulysses S. Grant. The author examines these sources as they address the period&’s evangelical sense of responsibility for America, while keyed to issues of national and presidential politics.
The Moral Underground: How Ordinary Americans Subvert an Unfair Economy
by Lisa DodsonA &“fascinating&” look at the disconnect between corporate policies and workers&’ real lives—and the everyday heroes who try to help (Publishers Weekly). For the poor, there are challenges every day that they don&’t have extra money to solve: a sick kid, car trouble, an unexpected dentist bill. The obstacles can make it harder to hold on to a job—but a job loss would be catastrophic. However, there are countless unsung heroes who bend or break the rules to help those millions of Americans with impossible schedules, paychecks, and lives make it from paycheck to paycheck. This book tells their stories. Whether it&’s a nurse choosing to treat an uninsured child, a supervisor deciding to overlook infractions, or a restaurant manager sneaking food to a worker&’s children, middle-class Americans are secretly refusing to be complicit in a fundamentally unfair system that puts a decent life beyond the reach of the working poor. In this tale of a kind of economic disobedience—told in whispers to Lisa Dodson over the course of eight years of research across the country—hundreds of supervisors, teachers, and health care professionals describe intentional acts of defiance that together tell the story of a quiet revolt, of a moral underground that has grown in response to an immoral economy. It documents a whole new phenomenon—people reaching across America&’s economic fault line—and provides an account of the human consequences and lives behind the business-page headlines. &“If only this book had been published in 2007. Then the hundreds of people interviewed by Lisa Dodson would have been able to pass along an important piece of advice: What&’s good for business is not necessarily good for America.&” —Time
Divided: The Perils of Our Growing Inequality
by Adam Smith Paul Krugman Barack Obama Barbara Ehrenreich Joseph E. Stiglitz Elizabeth WarrenEssays on the dangers of the wealth and income gap, collected by the New York Times–bestselling author of It&’s Even Worse Than You Think. This collection includes writings by a wide range of voices—including Adam Smith, Elizabeth Warren, Barbara Ehrenreich, Joseph E. Stiglitz, Studs Terkel, Paul Krugman, Barack Obama, and David Cay Johnston—illuminating the reality of economic inequality in America, where in spite of the fury that followed the 2008 financial crisis, little has to been done to address the gulf between the one percent and the ninety-nine percent. Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist David Cay Johnston explains that in this most unequal of developed nations, every aspect of inequality remains hotly contested and poorly understood. These writings, from leading scholars, journalists, and activists, offers a multifaceted look at the problem, exploring its devastating—and dangerous—implications in areas as diverse as education, justice, health care, social mobility, and political representation. Provocative and eminently readable, here is an essential resource for anyone who cares about the future of America—and compelling evidence that inequality can be ignored only at the nation&’s peril.
Playing with Fire (The Daniel Jacobus Mysteries #5)
by Gerald EliasThe blind musician pursues a deadly case of fraud among high-end violin dealers in this &“consistently entertaining series&” by the author of Devil&’s Trill (Booklist). When an anxious phone call from violinmaker Amadeo Borlotti disturbs Daniel Jacobus&’s Christmas Eve festivities, he and his dear friends Nathaniel and Yumi make light of it. Surely whatever Amadeo needs to discuss can wait until morning. But shocking news arrives on Christmas Day: Borlotti&’s home has burned to the ground and Borlotti himself has disappeared—with a fortune far beyond that of a humble violinmaker. It seems Borlotti had more than his share of secrets. What began for him as an innocent mistake escalated into fraud and larceny. A helpless captive to his past indiscretions, he was consumed by them. Now it is up to Jacobus and his team to find out how and why. In the fifth Daniel Jacobus mystery, the curmudgeonly, blind recluse &“indulges his inner Sherlock in a low-key tale that examines music as metaphor, provides insights into the creation of world-class violins, and exposes how some people can turn arson and insurance fraud into lucrative careers&” (Publishers Weekly). &“Readers . . . will enjoy a most unseasonal fable of the little insurance fraud that grew and grew.&” —Kirkus Reviews
The Dixon Cornbelt League: And Other Baseball Stories
by W. P. KinsellaFrom the author of Shoeless Joe—the basis for the film Field of Dreams—come baseball stories that define &“a world in which magic and reality combine&” (The New York Times). Shortstops who run with the wolves, painted eggs that reveal deeply disturbing meanings, long-dead Hall of Famers who miraculously return to the game, an Iowa minor-league town with a secret conspiracy: these are the elements from which W. P. Kinsella weaves nine fabulous stories about the magical world of baseball. From the dugouts, clubhouses, bedrooms, and barrooms to the interior worlds of hope and despair, these eerie stories present the absurdities of human relationships and reveal the writer&’s special genius for touching the heart. &“His short stories about baseball are wistful things of beauty which serve to remind us how the game should feel—the innate glory of a diamond etched in the minds of Americans.&” —Calgary Sun &“[Kinsella] uses baseball . . . as a familiar starting place for exploring, with pinpoint control, the human psyche.&” —Booklist &“Stories that read like lightning and tantalize the reader with fascinating scenarios.&” —Publishers Weekly
Silversword
by Phyllis A. WhitneyIn the Hawaiian Islands, a divorcée is threatened by a dangerous deception from her past, in this novel from &“a superb and gifted storyteller&”(Mary Higgins Clark). Hawaiian-born Caroline Kirby was only six years old when her parents died under mysterious circumstances, and she was shuttled off to live with her grandmother in San Francisco. Now, after years under the strict governance of the old woman, followed by an unhappy marriage, the young, newly single Caroline is anxious to return to the lush vistas of her island home, reunite with her long-lost relatives, and above all, finally defy her eccentric grandmother&’s sinister warning to never question the past and never, ever go home again. At first, Maui is even more splendid than she remembered, and family and acquaintances more inviting than she could have dreamed—including David Reed, a childhood friend who now offers the possibility of a new romance. But soon, in the imposing shadow of the Haleakala volcano, where her parents met their fate, Caroline begins to fear that her entire world has been built on a lie, and everyone she has come to trust is guarding a long-dormant secret so shocking it could not only change her life, but end it. From the Edgar and Agatha Award–winning &“Queen of the American gothics&” (The New York Times), Silversword is a novel filled with &“ever-reliable scenic suspense&” (Kirkus Reviews). This ebook features an illustrated biography of Phyllis A. Whitney including rare images from the author&’s estate.
A Woman of Substance: The Prequel To A Woman Of Substance (Emma Harte Series #1)
by Barbara Taylor BradfordOne of the top-ten bestselling novels ever written. &“An extravagant, absorbing novel of love, courage, ambition, war, death and passion.&” —The New York Times Barbara Taylor Bradford&’s The Emma Harte Saga begins with this record-shattering New York Times bestseller that traces Emma Harte&’s legacy through multiple generations of indomitable women. From the servants&’ quarters of a manor house on the brooding Yorkshire moors to the helm of a profitable international business, Emma Harte&’s life is a sweeping saga of unbreakable spirit and resolve. Rising from abject poverty to glittering wealth at the upper echelons of society, there is only one man the indomitable Emma cannot have—and only one she yearns for. The novel was also the subject of a popular 1984 miniseries starring Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr. &“A long, satisfying novel of money, power, passion and revenge set against the sweep of 20th century history.&” —Los Angeles Times &“A wonderfully entertaining novel.&” —The Denver Post &“A mighty saga. Little has been so riveting since Gone with the Wind.&” —Manchester Evening News &“Tailor-made for fans of McCullough&’s Thornbirds.&” —Publishers Weekly &“The storyteller of substance.&” —The Times (London)
The Master of Knots (The Alligator Mysteries #2)
by Massimo Carlotto“Dangerous, edgy noir crime fiction at its absolute finest and certain to be one of my books of the year” featuring PI Marco “The Alligator” Burrati (reviewingtheevidence.com).A woman has gone missing. Her husband, too ashamed to admit to the police that he and his wife were part of a ring of sexual adventurers that organized sadomasochistic orgies, turns instead to the Alligator. Marco Burrati enters a depraved demiworld where ferocious deviates prey upon lonely victims. But the savagery of this world is only the first surprise this investigation holds in store for the Alligator. Encountering such violence and desperation triggers memories of his own time in prison. And while the unwritten rule of ex-cons is that you must never talk about your experiences behind bars, the Alligator and his two longtime associates, Max the Memory and Beniamino Rossini, are forced to confront demons they thought long buried.In The Master of Knots, “the reigning king of Mediterranean noir,” Massimo Carlotto, gives his readers a work of hardboiled noir fiction that is darker than ever before as he digs into the shadowy corners of human experience (The Boston Phoenix). This stunning novel sets a new high-water mark in the literary history of the Mediterranean Noir novel.“Brooding, sexual, and connected to Italy’s socio-political climate . . . Carlotto’s tight prose makes for a quick and satisfying journey into a world absent of clear-cut morality.” —Publishers Weekly“The author shows a sure grasp of the double lives of BDSM devotees for whom unmasking would mean calamity.” —Kirkus Reviews
"This Is Berlin": Radio Broadcasts from Nazi Germany
by William L. ShirerThe legendary CBS news journalist&’s selection of iconic World War II radio broadcasts from countries throughout Europe. William L. Shirer was the first journalist hired by CBS to cover World War II in Europe, where he continued to work for over a decade as a news broadcaster. This book compiles two and a half years&’ worth of wartime broadcasts from Shirer&’s time on the ground during WWII. He was with Nazi forces when Hitler invaded Austria and made it a part of Germany under the Anschluss; he was also the first to report back to the United States on the armistice between France and Nazi forces in June of 1940. His daily roundup of news from Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Rome, and London, which documented Nazi Germany and the conditions of countries under invasion and at war, became famous for its gripping urgency. Shirer brought a sense of immediacy to the war for listeners in the United States and worldwide, and his later books, including the seminal Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, became definitive works on World War II history. This collection of Shirer&’s radio broadcasts offers all the original suspense and vivid storytelling of the time, bringing World War II to life for a modern audience.
Dearest Dorothy, Slow Down, You're Wearing Us Out!: Welcome To Partonville: Book Two (Welcome to Partonville #2)
by Charlene Ann Baumbich&“Be warned—this series is addictive. You&’ll soon be hooked on the small town of Partonville and its cast of assorted characters&” (BookReporter). In her late eighties, Dorothy Wetstra is still going strong—getting around in her 1976 Lincoln Continental (nicknamed &“The Tank&”), playing bunco with friends, and catching up on local events while sitting at the counter at Harry&’s. But her beloved car seems to be ailing, and as Dorothy packs up her possessions at Crooked Creek Farm and prepares to move to Partonville, Illinois, she&’s determined to find a silver lining. For example, her new home is conveniently located—perfect for her new life as a pedestrian—and she gets to decorate it any way she pleases! Plus, her new friends Katie and Josh will be relocating from Chicago to Crooked Creek Farm. As the moving process proves more arduous than expected, Dorothy realizes it may be time for her to slow down. But old habits die hard, and Dorothy&’s routines will prove as hard to break as The Tank itself . . . &“Fans of Jan Karon&’s Mitford or Philip Gulley&’s Harmony will revel in the antics of the residents of Partonville.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Spirit of '74: How the American Revolution Began
by Ray Raphael Marie RaphaelHow ordinary people went from resistance to revolution: &“[A] concise, lively narrative . . . the authors expertly build tension.&” —Publishers Weekly Americans know about the Boston Tea Party and &“the shot heard &’round the world,&” but sixteen months divided these two iconic events, a period that has nearly been lost to history. The Spirit of &’74 fills in this gap in our nation&’s founding narrative, showing how in these mislaid months, step by step, real people made a revolution. After the Tea Party, Parliament not only shut down a port but also revoked the sacred Massachusetts charter. Completely disenfranchised, citizens rose up as a body and cast off British rule everywhere except in Boston, where British forces were stationed. A &“Spirit of &’74&” initiated the American Revolution, much as the better-known &“Spirit of &’76&” sparked independence. Redcoats marched on Lexington and Concord to take back a lost province, but they encountered Massachusetts militiamen who had trained for months to protect the revolution they had already made. The Spirit of &’74 places our founding moment in a rich new historical context, both changing and deepening its meaning for all Americans.
A Guide for the Perplexed: A Novel
by Jonathan Levi&“A fable of fantastical lushness&” unfolds as two women meet in a small Spanish town in this novel from the acclaimed author of Septimania (The New York Times Book Review). Holland and Hanni have come to Spain for two very different reasons. They have nothing in common except their mysterious travel agent Ben. But they soon discover much deeper connections. Stranded overnight because of an airport strike, Hanni and Holland come to realize they share a strange web of history and happenstance―a common labyrinth that stretches back to World War II, the Spanish Inquisition, and beyond. A Guide for the Perplexed is a collection of the letters these women write to their mysterious, unseen travel agent―a long night&’s worth of confessions, a tapestry of tales chasing tales, including an untold saga of Columbus&’s voyage to the New World, stories of war and lost loves, lost children, lost Jews, and the true origins of baseball. Combining the erudition of Umberto Eco with the ingenious storytelling of A Thousand and One Nights, Jonathan Levi weaves together a provocative reimagining of the discovery of America in this inventive debut novel.
From Exile to Washington: A Memoir of Leadership in the Twentieth Century
by W. Michael Blumenthal&“The former Treasury Secretary has shared his story in a memoir that is both an engrossing personal narrative and a thoughtful reflection on leadership&” (Henry Kissinger, author of On China). In a life that has spanned nearly nine decades and has taken him around the world and back, W. Michael Blumenthal has borne witness to the world&’s convulsions and transformations during the twentieth century. Born in Germany between the two world wars, Blumenthal narrowly escaped the Nazi horror, when, in 1939, he and his family fled to Shanghai&’s chaotic Jewish ghetto, where they spent the entirety of the WWII. From these fraught and humble beginnings, Blumenthal would emerge a major leader in American business and politics. In the second half of the century, Blumenthal headed two major American corporations—Bendix and Burroughs (later Unisys); served as a US trade ambassador in the State Department and the White House, advising John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson; and served under Jimmy Carter as the secretary of the treasury. After his retirement from business and politics, he began an entirely new chapter in his career when he conceived and served as the director of Europe&’s largest Jewish museum—the Jewish Museum of Berlin. An essential autobiography by one of America&’s great political figures, From Exile to Washington is an engaging chronicle of the twentieth century&’s greatest upheavals, and a tribute to a lifetime of courage, leadership, and decisiveness. &“Blumenthal&’s astute understanding of history allows him to ably demonstrate the significance of good leadership.&” —Kirkus Reviews &“An astounding life, splendidly recorded.&” —Fritz Stern, author of Five Germanys I Have Known
Murder at Cambridge
by Q. PatrickA student takes a crash course in murder in this mystery from the Edgar Award–winning author who wrote the Peter Duluth series as Patrick Quentin. Patrick Quentin, best known for the Peter Duluth puzzle mysteries, also penned outstanding detective novels from the 1930s through the 1960s under other pseudonyms, including Q. Patrick and Jonathan Stagge. Anthony Boucher wrote: &“Quentin is particularly noted for the enviable polish and grace which make him one of the leading American fabricants of the murderous comedy of manners; but this surface smoothness conceals intricate and meticulous plot construction as faultless as that of Agatha Christie.&” As a young Yankee at an elite English learning institution, Hilary Fenton has managed to navigate the solemn traditions and bizarre rituals of the school without going completely batty. Yet his stoic exterior crumbles when he sees the girl of his dreams and is immediately besotted. Of course, that&’s when the trouble starts. After a fellow student begs him to mail an important letter for him, Hilary discovers the lad dead that night by apparent suicide. But something in his gut tells Hilary that it was murder. Worse, he thinks his dream girl might somehow be involved. Unable to let the incident go—and eager to learn more about the mysterious girl—Hilary decides to meddle in the investigation. Then, yet another killing occurs, followed by an attempted poisoning of Hilary&’s would-be girlfriend. Someone is trying to cover up one killing with another. Now it&’s up to Hilary to put the pieces of the puzzle together before his own education gets cut brutally short.
The Poison Tree: A True Story of Family Terror
by Alan PrendergastEdgar Award Finalist: The shocking account of a Wyoming father who terrorized his family for years—until his children plotted a deadly solution. One cold November night, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, fifteen-year-old Richard Jahnke Jr., ROTC leader and former Boy Scout, waited for his parents to return from celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the night they met. When his father got out of the car, the boy blasted him through the heart with a twelve-gauge pump-action shotgun. Richard&’s seventeen-year-old sister, Deborah, was sitting on the living room couch with a high-powered rifle—just in case her brother missed. Hours later the Jahnke kids were behind bars. Days later they made headlines. So did the truth about the house of horrors on Cowpoke Road. Was it cold-blooded murder? Or self-defense? Richard Jahnke Sr., special agent for the IRS, gun collector, and avid reader of Soldier of Fortune, had been subjecting his wife, Maria, and both children to harrowing abuse—physical, psychological, and sexual—for years. Deborah and her brother conspired to finally put a stop to it themselves. But their fate was in the hands of a prejudiced and inept judicial system, and only public outcry could save them. Written with the full and revealing cooperation of the Jahnkes, this finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime is &“the ultimate family nightmare, played out in the heartland of America. . . . From the night of the murder through both trials, convictions and both youngsters&’ eventual release . . . it&’s gripping reading&” (Chicago Tribune).
Word for Word: A Translator's Memoir of Literature, Politics, and Survival in Soviet Russia
by Lilianna LunginaA remarkable memoir of living in the Soviet Union and working as a literary translator. In the early twentieth century, Lilianna Lungina was a Russian Jew born to privilege, spending her childhood in Germany, France, and Palestine. But when she was thirteen, her parents moved to the USSR—where Lungina became witness to many of the era&’s greatest upheavals. Exiled during World War II, dragged to KGB headquarters to report on her friends, and subjected to her new country&’s ruthless, systematic anti-Semitism, Lungina nonetheless carved out a career as a translator, introducing hundreds of thousands of Soviet readers to Knut Hamsun, August Strindberg, and, most famously, Astrid Lindgren. In the process, she found herself at the very center of Soviet cultural life, meeting and befriending Pasternak, Brodsky, Solzhenitsyn, and many other major literary figures of the era. Her extraordinary memoir—at once heartfelt and unsentimental—is an unparalleled tribute to a lost world.
Dictionary of American Folklore
by Marjorie TallmanDiscover the delightful tales, characters, and themes of classic American storytelling in this comprehensive Dictionary of American Folklore. Ever wonder the origins of the fairy tales, myths, and legends passed down from generation to generation throughout America&’s long history? From Paul Bunyan to Johnny Appleseed, Marjorie Tallman covers it all in an engaging voice sure to please readers of all ages.
Herma: A Novel
by MacDonald HarrisAn inventive historical novel that delves into the mysteries of gender identity, from the National Book Award–nominated author of The Balloonist. With a foreword by Michael Chabon As a child in Southern California at the dawn of the twentieth century, Herma exhibits an incredible talent for vocal mimicry. Her gift will eventually take her from the choir of her country church to the Paris Opera, thanks in no small part to the machinations of her daredevil agent. But there is a secret at the heart of their intimate relationship, in this opulent rags-to-riches tale full of excitement, sexual intrigue, and decadence, with cameos by Puccini and Proust, among others. &“Set in the first decades of the twentieth century, Harris&’ teeming novel explores the porous boundaries of gender identity. This inventive work will appeal to readers who are interested in the dual-gender theme. Opera lovers will also be intrigued.&” —Booklist &“Once I open any of MacDonald Harris&’s novels I find it almost impossible not to turn and read on, so delightful is the sensation of a sharp intelligence at work.&” —Philip Pullman, author of The Amber Spyglass