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The House of Wings
by Betsy ByarsWhen Sammy must spend weeks alone with his grandfather, he learns that the old man isn&’t quite as boring as he thought . . .When his parents leave for Detroit, Sammy is left alone with his out-of-touch grandfather in a dull, creaky house. All Sammy wants to do is run away to rejoin his folks. But Grandpa&’s world holds a few surprises, including a majestic crane found in the woods with a broken wing. Sammy finds himself seeing his grandfather&’s world through new, wild eyes. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Betsy Byars including rare images from the author&’s personal collection.
The History of the Beano
by Iain McLaughlinThe Beano is Britain's longest-running and best-loved comic. Since 1938 it has brought thrills and laughter to generation after generation of children, seeing the young and young-at-heart through World War 2, the social changes of the 1950s and 60s and on into a new millennium. How has the comic evolved since its early days? How many of the classic characters and their stories do you remember? What are the important changes that have happened through the years, why have they happened and why has The Beano survived when all the other comics have folded? Every child in the UK since the 1950s has known Dennis the Menace, the Bash Street Kids, Minnie the Minx and Roger the Dodger, but how many know the writers and artists who created these iconic comic characters? How do they write the scripts week after week? Where did the inspiration come from? How did the artists come to work for this Great British institution? This is the story of the Beano Comic, told in the words of the people who made it, going back to the dark, harsh days of the 1930s and continuing through to the present day. A unique insight into the country’s most beloved comic.
Letters on Literature and Politics, 1912–1972
by Edmund WilsonLetters on Literature and Politics, 1912-1972 contains a selection of the literary critic and author Edmund Wilson's personal correspondence.As editor Leon Edel states in his introduction to these papers: "More than a sampling, the present volume provides sufficient material to show the energy and vitality of Wilson's professional relations with friends and acquaintances; it shows even more the continuity of his imaginative life from his youth to the end."
Big Sky Country (The Americana Series #26)
by Janet DaileyA savvy heartbreaker meets her match—a stubborn Montana rancher—in this sizzling Americana romance from the beloved New York Times–bestselling author. Discover romance across America with Janet Dailey&’s classic series featuring a love story set in each of the fifty states. One of America&’s premier romance authors, with more than 300 million copies of her books sold, Dailey continues her beloved Americana series with a love story as breathtaking as the mountains of Big Sky Country. There isn&’t a male heart in Helena, Montana, that Jill Randall couldn&’t break with her charm, brains, and dazzling looks. So when a tanned mountain of a man named Riordan shows up at her door to stop his brother from marrying Jill&’s gentle, shy roommate, the ever-persuasive seductress takes charge. But Riordan is as stubborn as he is handsome. An enigmatic loner—as comfortable in designer suits as he is in jeans, cowboy boots, and a Stetson—he&’s seen it all, and he&’s not about to let a beautiful schemer sweet talk him into changing his mind. And at Riordan&’s ranch on the rolling prairie—beneath a Montana sky that goes on forever—Jill Randall is about to discover she&’s finally met her match.
Dogboy: A Novel (Isis Series)
by Gillian WhiteIn the calm village of Middlehempston, a former social worker&’s past comes back to haunt herJem loved her job. She was a social worker, and she always took care of her cases. One boy, Fergus, took to her instantly. From the age of eight, when his mother died and he landed at the social services office, he loved Jem fiercely. But Jem&’s marriage to Gerry, in Fergus&’s mind, was the deepest betrayal. Years later, when a callous tycoon&’s life is falling apart around him, it&’s Gerry who steps in to help. And Jem must deal with the return of an old acquaintance: Fergus, armed with a shotgun and a thirst for vengeance.
An Important Family (Sound Ser.)
by Dorothy EdenThe saga of an English family in New Zealand and the secret that haunts them, from the New York Times–bestselling author of The American Heiress. For Kate O&’Connor, desperate to escape her tragic past in England, the opportunity to immigrate to New Zealand with Sir John Devenish and his wife and daughter is a chance to start over. Exhilarated by this wild, primitive place on the other side of the world, Kate&’s happiness is marred by a love she knows is taboo. When a sudden and suspicious death throws her life into turmoil, she begins to uncover the real reason the Devenish family left England. From a grand townhouse in London to a sheep farm in New Zealand, An Important Family, which was hailed by the Cleveland Plain Dealer as &“a compulsive page turner,&” is the story of a country in the midst of colonization—a transformation that parallels Kate O&’Connor&’s own rite of passage into womanhood as she finds her future in a magnificent new land.
Sins of the Fathers
by Susan HowatchA New York Times–bestselling, &“grippingly readable&” tale of wealth, greed, and power in post-WWII New York by the author of The Rich Are Different (The Sunday Times). Among the Wall Street elite, no name inspires as much awe and envy as Van Zale. The family&’s sprawling banking empire, run by the determined and talented Cornelius Van Zale, is thriving. Their lifestyle, glittering and luxurious, is the epitome of the American Dream. But behind the gilded perfection of their public persona, the Van Zales hide dark secrets: a world of complicated affairs, bitter rivalries, dangerous alliances, and grasping corruption. Vicky Van Zale, caught between the maneuverings of her father, Cornelius, and the ambitions of her husband and lover, finds herself a pawn in a vicious battle for control. And they&’re all willing to pay any price to win—no matter how deadly. Author Susan Howatch, renowned for her historical family sagas, takes on the disturbing world of the American elite in this novel inspired by the bitter reigns of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Octavian, a classic tale of American avarice in the booming postwar years that still resonates today. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Susan Howatch including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s personal collection.
Escape from Freedom: Escape From Freedom, To Have Or To Be?, And The Anatomy Of Human Destructiveness
by Erich FrommWhy do people choose authoritarianism over freedom? The classic study of the psychological appeal of fascism by a New York Times–bestselling author. The pursuit of freedom has indelibly marked Western culture since Renaissance humanism and Protestantism began the fight for individualism and self-determination. This freedom, however, can make people feel unmoored, and is often accompanied by feelings of isolation, fear, and the loss of self, all leading to a desire for authoritarianism, conformity, or destructiveness. It is not only the question of freedom that makes Fromm&’s debut book a timeless classic. In this examination of the roots of Nazism and fascism in Europe, Fromm also explains how economic and social constraints can also lead to authoritarianism. By the author of The Sane Society and The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness, this is a fascinating examination of the anxiety that underlies our darkest impulses, an enlightening volume perfect for readers of Eric Hoffer or Hannah Arendt. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Erich Fromm including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author&’s estate.
Triplet
by Timothy ZahnWhen a young researcher ventures through a mysterious planetary system, dangerous secrets come to light in this novel from a Hugo Award–winning author. Grad student Danae Panya&’s dream assignment has been approved. She&’ll study Triplet, the strange planetary system scarred by nuclear war and connected through portals. The most experienced Courier of Triplet, Ravagin, will lead her to its hidden worlds—Threshold, Shamsheer, and Karyx—and introduce her to their secrets, including their advanced technology, their dark magic, and the captivating demon culture of the innermost planet. But though they begin their journey with only scholarly research in mind, Danae and Ravagin quickly find themselves embroiled in the menacing dynamics roiling throughout Triplet. Will Ravagin be able to get them both out alive?
The Withdrawing Room (The Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn Mysteries #2)
by Charlotte MacLeodDeath pays a visit to Sarah Kelling&’s Boston boardinghouse in this cozy mystery from the bestselling author of the Peter Shandy series. Though the inheritance from her dearly departed Alexander was meant to set Sarah Kelling up for life, it vanishes quickly in the face of hounding from charitable organizations and the IRS. Facing the loss of her stately Back Bay brownstone, Sarah opens her home to lodgers—deciding she prefers a boardinghouse to the poorhouse. Soon she&’s cooking meals and serving tea for a cast of quirky residents, a cozy little family that would be quite happy were it not for the unpleasant presence of a certain Barnwell Augustus Quiffen—a man so rude that no one really minds when he&’s squashed beneath a subway car. Sarah replaces her lost boarder quickly, and the family dynamic is restored. But when another lodger dies suddenly, the boardinghouse appears to be cursed. Now it&’ll take more than a glass of sherry to soothe Sarah&’s panicked residents, and she must turn to detective Max Bittersohn for help before her boarders bolt. &“The epitome of the &‘cozy&’ mystery&” (Mostly Murder), award-winning author Charlotte MacLeod&’s Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn Mysteries have charmed readers the world over.
Cat Karina
by Michael ConeyOn an earth inhabited by a cat-like race of women, one felina stands alone—from the award-winning author. &“His tales have heart&” (Strange Horizons). Few true humans remain on the future Earth, where caimen, shrugleggers, and felinas dominate. The peoples are descendents of crocodiles, alien races, and jaguars, and they are much different than the humans--they are products of genetic experiments, created to perform specific functions. Some work in the swampy lands, others are the strong burden-bearers, but none are as beautiful as the felines-- not even the humans. And no one is worthy enough to win over the most attractive felina, Karina. She is a rare beauty of great prowess, with a tempting sculpted physique that could lure anyone to her.
Arctic Obsession: The Lure of the Far North
by Alexis S. TroubetzkoyThe epic history of the explorers and adventurers who risked -- and sometimes lost -- their lives in the quest to conquer and claim the Arctic.Ever since approximately 325 BC, the Arctic has been the backdrop for tales of triumph and disaster, of hardship and horrors endured by those who were drawn to the northern latitudes. For centuries the major world powers sponsored teams of explorers seeking trade routes as well as the chance to claim new territories. These commercial interests brought them into contact with natives, who at first saw white crews die in the forbidding landscape they called home only to later succumb to disease, alcohol, and the drastic environmental changes wrought by global trade.At a time when global warming is drastically altering the region, Arctic Obsession chronicles an age when the Arctic remained one of the last unconquered places on Earth.
A Wind from the North: The Life of Henry the Navigator
by Ernle BradfordThe captivating biography of Prince Henry of Portugal, the navigator and explorer who helped usher in the Age of Discovery. Before Columbus, Vespucci, and Sir Francis Drake, there was Henry the Navigator. Pirate hunter, intrepid explorer, and ship designer, the Portuguese prince was one of the great innovators who pioneered the Age of Discovery. In an effort to locate the mythic kingdom of Prester John, Prince Henry organized voyages into the Southern Atlantic and developed a new kind of ship, the caravel, specifically for the task. His explorations yielded riches and fame for Portugal, as well as the discovery of Madeira and the Canary Islands. Yet the scope of his contribution to the world is often overshadowed by other figures. In this expertly researched biography, Ernle Bradford brings to light the captivating tale of a pioneer who initiated an era of exploration and forever changed the course of history.
Scalpel: A Novel (Folio Ser. #Vol. 37541)
by Horace McCoyReturning home in the wake of his brother&’s death, a successful man must grapple with his coal-town rootsFor four generations, Colonel Tom Owen&’s family has been defined by the coal business. Having pulled himself out of the mines and through college, Tom is now a celebrated army surgeon who served in Europe under General Patton. But when his younger brother dies in a mine accident, he returns to their hometown of Coalville, Pennsylvania, where he confronts his grieving mother and learns the real cause of his brother&’s death. Tom resents the coalmines, and his new medical practice is dedicated largely to healing miners injured in them. Despite his distinguished career, he starts to have doubts about his value—both as a surgeon, and a human being. Tom has two paths before him, and his professional and personal destinies hang in the balance. This tale of going home again is one that will resonate with readers long after the final page. This ebook features an extended biography of Horace McCoy.
The Shopkeeper's Wife: A Novel
by Noëlle SickelsIn 1886 Philadelphia, Hanna Willer begins employment as a maid-of-all-work for Isabelle Martin, the pregnant wife of a prosperous shopkeeper. Hanna, fresh from her rural home, is a quietly observant and practical young woman. Isabelle is lonely and restless, dangerously disconted with her life and obsessed with her reckless pursuit of happiness. Yet despite their differences, the two forge an unconventional friendship.But when Mr. Martin dies under suspicious circumstances, and the evidence points to Isabelle, Hanna finds herself thrust into the midst of a murder trial that becomes a touchstone for the shifting values of modern society. As she wrestles with her role, she confronts the attitudes that city life has bred in her--attitudes about what is possible between men and women; what is fair and not fair in the lives of her immigrant friends; and what one person can do in the face of large, powerful forces like the press, public opinion, and accepted wisdom.From the rippling effects of the advent of electricity to labor strikes to the very beginnings of the women's movement, Noelle Sickels delivers an enthralling glimpse of the birthing of modern America and the lives that are forever changed in its wake.
The King (Rodrigo of Caledon #2)
by David FeintuchRodrigo has won the throne of Caledon and mastered the Still&’s magic. Now comes the real challenge: He must rule.When Rodrigo took control of the mystical powers of the Still, he gained the knowledge of his forefathers. On the battlefield, the Still is a potent weapon and Rodrigo proves to be a gifted strategist. But the Still doesn&’t make him perfect, and even the wisdom of generations of Caledonian rulers can&’t prepare Rodrigo for what will come next. A sudden betrayal costs Rodrigo the life and companionship of the person he loves most. With the savage King Hriskil advancing on the north, hoping to seize Caledon, Rodrigo must press on toward an earth-shattering magical confrontation.
The Resurrection Man (The Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn Mysteries #10)
by Charlotte MacLeodBoston&’s married art sleuths are about to discover that you can&’t fake a murder: &“Entertaining . . . good humored . . . Sarah and Max are a winning team&” (Baltimore Sun). If she weren&’t so fabulous, the Countess Lydia Ouspenska might be considered a gangster&’s moll. The last time she met Max Bittersohn, Boston&’s famed art-fraud investigator, she was forging minute Byzantine masterpieces to make ends meet. But when Max bumps into her on the Common, the Countess is back on her feet. She has taken up with Bartolo Arbalest, a master forger currently masquerading as an art restorer. And as Bittersohn knows all too well, even the most genteel fraudster cannot be trusted. With the help of his wife, Sarah, Max looks for the secret lair of Bartolo&’s supposed restoration guild. But when the guild&’s clients begin to die, it becomes clear there is more at stake than a few fabricated icons. The art may be fake, but for Max and Sarah the danger is very real.
The Liberalism of Care: Community, Philosophy, & Ethics
by Shawn C. FraistatAttention to care in modern society has fallen out of view as an ethos of personal responsibility, free markets, and individualism has taken hold. The Liberalism of Care argues that contemporary liberalism is suffering from a crisis of care, manifest in a decaying sense of collective political responsibility for citizens’ well-being and for the most vulnerable members of our communities. Political scientist Shawn C. Fraistat argues that we have lost the political language of care, which, prior the nineteenth century, was commonly used to express these dimensions of political life. To recover that language, Fraistat turns to three prominent philosophers—Plato, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and William Godwin—who illuminate the varied ways caring language and caring values have structured core debates in the history of Western political thought about the proper role of government, as well as the rights and responsibilities of citizens. The Liberalism of Care presents a distinctive vision for our liberal politics where political communities and citizens can utilize the ethic and practices of care to face practical challenges.
Five Seasons: A Baseball Companion
by Roger AngellA chronicle of our national pastime&’s most unforgettable era from the bestselling author of The Summer Game—&“No one writes better about baseball&” (The Boston Globe). Classic New Yorker sportswriter Roger Angell calls 1972 to 1976 &“the most important half-decade in the history of the game.&” The early to mid-1970s brought unprecedented changes to America&’s ancient pastime: astounding performances by Nolan Ryan and Hank Aaron; the intensity of the &“best-ever&” 1975 World Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox; the changes growing from bitter and extended labor strikes and lockouts; and the vast new influence of network television on the game. Angell, always a fan as well as a writer, casts a knowing but noncynical eye on these events, offering a fresh perspective to baseball&’s continuing appeal during this brilliant and transformative era.
If Chaos Reigns: The Near-Disaster and Ultimate Triumph of the Allied Airborne Forces on D-Day, June 6, 1944
by Flint Whitlock&“A gem of a book that highlights the &‘fog of war&’ as seen by American, British, and Canadian airborne units when they parachuted behind enemy lines.&” —WWII HistoryMagazine &“Gentlemen, do not be daunted if chaos reigns; it undoubtedly will.&” So said Brigadier S. James Hill, commanding officer of the British 3rd Parachute Brigade, in an address to his troops shortly before the launching of Operation Overlord—the D-Day invasion of Normandy. No more prophetic words were ever spoken, for chaos indeed reigned on that day, and many more that followed. Much has been written about the Allied invasion of France, but award-winning military historian Flint Whitlock has put together a unique package—the first history of the assault that concentrates exclusively on the activities of the American, British, and Canadian airborne forces that descended upon Normandy in the dark, pre-dawn hours of June 6, 1944. Landing into the midst of the unknown, the airborne troops found themselves fighting for their lives on every side in the very jaws of the German defenses, while striving to seize their own key objectives in advance of their seaborne comrades to come. Whitlock details the formation, recruitment, training, and deployment of the Allies&’ parachute and glider troops. First-person accounts by veterans who were there—from paratroopers to glidermen to the pilots who flew them into the battle, as well as the commanders (Eisenhower, Taylor, Ridgway, Gavin, and more)—make for compelling, &“you-are-there&” reading. If Chaos Reigns is a fitting tribute to the men who rode the wind into battle and managed to pull victory out of confusion, chaos, and almost certain defeat.
West with the Night
by Beryl MarkhamThe classic memoir of Africa, aviation, and adventure—the inspiration for Paula McLain&’s Circling the Sun and &“a bloody wonderful book&” (Ernest Hemingway). Beryl Markham&’s life story is a true epic. Not only did she set records and break barriers as a pilot, she shattered societal expectations, threw herself into torrid love affairs, survived desperate crash landings—and chronicled everything. A contemporary of Karen Blixen (better known as Isak Dinesen, the author of Out of Africa), Markham left an enduring memoir that soars with astounding candor and shimmering insights. A rebel from a young age, the British-born Markham was raised in Kenya&’s unforgiving farmlands. She trained as a bush pilot at a time when most Africans had never seen a plane. In 1936, she accepted the ultimate challenge: to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean from east to west, a feat that fellow female aviator Amelia Earhart had completed in reverse just a few years before. Markham&’s successes and her failures—and her deep, lifelong love of the &“soul of Africa&”—are all told here with wrenching honesty and agile wit. Hailed as &“one of the greatest adventure books of all time&” by Newsweek and &“the sort of book that makes you think human beings can do anything&” by the New York Times, West with the Night remains a powerful testament to one of the iconic lives of the twentieth century.
The Dark Between the Stars (The Saga of Shadows)
by Kevin J. Anderson“A space opera to rival the best the field has ever seen.”—Science Fiction Chronicle Beginning a new trilogy set in Kevin J. Anderson’s beloved Seven Suns universe, and a horrific new danger threatens the entire Spiral Arm. Two decades after the end of the horrific Hydrogue War, a group of independent gypsy clans, the Roamers, operate giant floating skymines in the clouds of gas-giant planets, where they harvest stardrive fuel at great risk, and great profit. On the planet Theroc, capital of the vast Confederation, humans live inside a gigantic worldforest whose towering trees are all interconnected in a single mind, which telepathic “green priests” can use for interstellar communication. The stagnant alien Ildiran Empire once ruled the entire Spiral Arm, but they are unprepared for human politics and ambitions. Upon this galactic canvas, a large expeditionary ship goes off to explore farther than any human or Ildiran has ever ventured. Beyond the edge of the Spiral Arm, they encounter a mysterious and ominous dark nebula, a huge black cloud so opaque that even starlight cannot penetrate it. The explorers are horrified when the dark nebula begins to expand exponentially. The races of the Spiral Arm will be faced with an evil so ancient that knowledge of its very existence has been obliterated, but it will threaten all life, all planets, and even the fabric of the universe itself. HUGO AWARD NOMINEE
Triplanetary (Lensman Ser. #Vol. 1)
by E. E. SmithThe first installment in the groundbreaking Lensman series, one of the greatest space opera sagas of all time Nevia, located many light years from the Earth&’s sun, is running out of iron, the primary source of energy for the planet&’s dominant amphibious race. Armed with technology that can extract iron atoms from anything it encounters—rock, machinery, man-made structures, even human blood—the Nevians set their sights on a rich lode of the precious element: the planet Earth. Descending on its unsuspecting target, the Nevian space-ship destroys the city of Pittsburgh and its defenseless inhabitants before heading home with three human specimens in its hold. Among them is Conway Costigan, an undercover intelligence operative for the Triplanetary Patrol. From deep within the bowels of the enemy ship, Costigan must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the Nevians before every man, woman, and child on Earth is annihilated. Known as the &“father of space opera,&” E. E. &“Doc&” Smith imagined remarkable future worlds and breathtaking intergalactic battles before the heyday of Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov, and decades before Star Wars and Star Trek became part of the popular culture. His best-known work, the Lensman series, was one of five finalists for the Hugo Award for Best All-Time Series. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Mother Shadow (The Claire Conrad/Maggie Hill Novels #1)
by Melodie Johnson HoweEdgar Award Finalist: After a suicide, two oddball female sleuths investigate a coin collection that is anything but small change. Maggie Hill&’s life has become temporary. Her marriage was temporary, her jobs are temporary, and if work doesn&’t pick up, her time in California might be temporary, too. Her latest employer is Ellis Kenilworth, an aging coin expert with a first-rate collection and a tenth-rate family. One morning, he has Maggie type up a codicil to his will, changing the document so that his million-dollar rare-coin collection goes not to his kin, but to a woman named Claire Conrad. By the end of the day, the codicil has vanished, and Kenilworth has killed himself with a shotgun. When the hyena-like family starts to circle Maggie, she reaches out to Conrad. The heiress is an eccentric private detective who wears only black and white—and whose sense of honesty is as clear-cut as her wardrobe. Together, they fight to protect an old man&’s final wish, battling against a family so greedy that they would steal the coins right out of the dead man&’s hand.
Cards of Grief
by Jane YolenAn alien civilization is forever changed by the incursion of human social scientists—and an ancient prophecy—in this award-winning novel. The year is 2132 when members of the Anthropologist&’s Guild set down on the planet Henderson&’s IV, or L&’Lal&’lor as it is known to the native population. Charged with the nonintrusive study of alien cultures, the crew discovers a society containing no love or laughter. It is, instead, centered around death—a world of aristocratic and common folk in which grieving is an art and the cornerstone of life. But the alien civilization stands on the brink of astonishing change, heralded by the discovery of Linni, the Gray Wanderer, a young woman from the countryside whose arrival has been foretold for centuries. And for Anthropologist First Class Aaron Spenser, L&’Lal&’lor is a place of destructive temptations, seducing him with its mysterious, sad beauty, and leading him into an unthinkable criminal act. Told from the shifting viewpoints of characters both alien and human, and through records of local lore and transcripts of court martial proceedings, Cards of Grief is a thoughtful, lyrical, and spellbinding tale of first contact. It is a true masterwork of world building from Jane Yolen, a premier crafter of speculative fiction and fantasy. This ebook features a personal history by Jane Yolen including rare images from the author&’s personal collection, as well as a note from the author about the making of the book.