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Five O'Clock Lightning: A Novel About Baseball, Politics, and Murder
by William L. DeAndreaA onetime baseball catcher confronts the murder of a McCarthyist politician at Yankee StadiumIn 1953 America, McCarthyism is everywhere. Congressman Rex Harwood Simmons is among the leaders who single-mindedly hunt down suspected Communists; he even claims that Communism has infiltrated America&’s favorite pastime. But while watching a Yankee game one afternoon, he becomes a target. As the crowd cheers for a homerun, Simmons is shot dead in his seat. The task of solving the crime falls to onetime ballplayer and Korean War veteran Russ Garrett, who collaborates with &“Vicious Aloysius&” Murphy, a Bronx homicide detective. The investigation won&’t be easy, since there are plenty of people with a motive to plug Simmons. Several clues point to a blacklisted intellectual—but he was driven to suicide years ago. And as Garrett hunts for the killer, a new conspiracy comes to light: a plot to murder Yankee star Mickey Mantle.
Fadeaway (The Harvey Blissberg Mysteries #2)
by R. D. RosenNow a private investigator, Blissberg scours locker rooms and back alleys for two missing basketball starsAfter retiring from baseball, Harvey Blissberg hung out a shingle in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as a private detective with a taste for the less savory side of sports. When key players from the Boston Celtics and the Washington Bullets go AWOL, Blissberg quickly becomes the two teams&’ number-one draft choice to find them. What can a born-again black forward and a white point guard whose nickname is &“Toot &’n&’ Shoot&” have in common? When both of the missing players turn up dead, Harvey searches desperately for the link between them. The hunt leads him back to the city he thought he&’d left behind—Providence, Rhode Island—and an unholy deal struck years ago between two of the city&’s most powerful figures. If he doesn&’t work quickly, Blissberg may be stuck holding the ball when the final buzzer sounds.
To Wake the Dead: The Blind Barber, Death-watch, And To Wake The Dead (The Dr. Gideon Fell Mysteries #3)
by John Dickson CarrHailed by Agatha Christie as &“the king of the art of misdirection,&” John Dickson Carr presents a thrilling murder mystery that has the redoubtable Dr. Gideon Fell tracing clues from London to Sussex to South Africa Mystery novelist Christopher Kent accepts a friend&’s outlandish bet and sets out to travel from Johannesburg to London with nothing but the cash in his wallet and the clothes on his back. He arrives with twenty-four hours to spare, his wallet and his stomach both empty. While cadging a breakfast at a luxurious hotel, he is implicated in the brutal murder of a hotel guest. Fleeing the scene of the crime, Kent takes refuge with Dr. Gideon Fell, the portly genius who specializes in murders too baffling for Scotland Yard. For Kent, getting to London was the easy part. The trick will be avoiding the hangman. To Wake the Dead is the 9th book in the Dr. Gideon Fell Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
The Convivial Codfish (The Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn Mysteries #5)
by Charlotte MacLeodChristmas crimes hit close to home for Boston&’s favorite art sleuths. &“Charlotte MacLeod&’s mysteries are witty and full of humor&” (Maine Crime Writers). The angry old men of the Comrades of the Convivial Codfish club celebrate yuletide doing what they do best: eating, drinking, and greeting the season of giving with a spirited &“bah, humbug!&” Though well past sixty, Jem Kelling is a relative infant compared to some of the club&’s elder statesmen, and he has waited decades to host their annual Christmas scowl. And during his first evening as Exalted Chowderhead, he is thrilled to find the wine abundant, the chowder superb, and the humbugs as lusty as ever. But as the night winds down, Jem is horrified to find that the ceremonial Codfish necklace has vanished—right off of his neck! His nephew-in-law, art investigator Max Bittersohn, is convinced his new uncle was the victim of a practical joke. But when the old man takes a hip-snapping tumble, Max is forced to conclude that one of the scrooges is trying to perpetrate a deadly Christmas jeer.
The Dayton Anthology (Belt City Anthologies)
by Shannon Shelton MillerStories, poems, and essays that pay homage to the innovative spark and high-flying spirit that help the Midwest&’s Gem City survive and thrive. A part of Belt&’s City Anthology Series, The Dayton Anthology offers a portrait of a city recovering from the twin 2019 crises of devastating tornadoes and the mass shooting that took the lives of nine residents in the Oregon District. In over fifty essays and poems, contributors reflect on these traumas and the longer-term ills of disinvestment and decay that have plagued Dayton and the Miami Valley for years. But they also draw our attention to the resilience of the people who call Dayton home. This is the city that brought the world the Wright brothers&’ invention of flight, the cash register, and the hydraulic pump. It also gave us the soaring poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar and the comedy of Dave Chappelle. Edited by Shannon Shelton Miller and with contributions from Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley and former Ohio Governor Bob Taft. A delightful tour of a city that never counts itself out, that captures the true diversity of Dayton&’s residents.
Murder Among Children (The Mitchell Tobin Mysteries #2)
by Donald E. WestlakeWhen some West Village hippie kids get mixed up with the mob, the results are murder—and ex-cop Mitch Tobin tries to clean up the mess. On the outskirts of Greenwich Village, among a wasteland of warehouses and tenements, a group of young people are opening a coffee shop. They are idealistic, giddy, and beautiful—the picture of 1960s youth—but their optimism cannot last. When a corrupt detective comes around demanding regular bribes, one of the young hippies, Robin Kennely, asks for help from a distant relative, the honest but fallen former cop Mitchell Tobin. When Tobin visits the coffee shop for the first time, he finds Robin in a state of shock, clutching a knife and covered in blood. Two corpses lie upstairs. It seems impossible that anyone but Robin could have killed them, but for the sake of a group of children whose lives are so much brighter than his own, Tobin attempts to prove otherwise.
Blackcollar (The Blackcollar Series #1)
by Timothy ZahnA genetically enhanced fighting force may be humanity&’s only hope in this novel by the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Star Wars: Thrawn. Decades after a successful invasion of Earth and the Terran Democratic Empire by the Ryqril—hostile, leathery-skinned aliens—resistance fighter Allen Caine is training for an undercover mission. He will assume the identity of an aide to the senate—part of the government that colludes with the invaders. But when the mission begins earlier than planned, Caine finds himself stuck on the off-planet outpost of Plinry with no idea of what awaits. He&’s responsible for the most important mission undertaken by the resistance in twenty years, and when the operation goes awry, Caine&’s only hope is to locate Plinry&’s so-called blackcollars—the elusive, martial arts–trained guerilla force whose wartime resistance efforts are legendary. With his life and the freedom of everyone in the TDE on the line, Caine&’s success will depend on whether or not he can find them. . . .
The Pursuit of Harmony: Kepler on Cosmos, Confession, and Community
by Aviva RothmanA committed Lutheran excommunicated from his own church, a friend to Catholics and Calvinists alike, a layman who called himself a “priest of God,” a Copernican in a world where Ptolemy still reigned, a man who argued at the same time for the superiority of one truth and the need for many truths to coexist—German astronomer Johannes Kepler was, to say the least, a complicated figure. With The Pursuit of Harmony, Aviva Rothman offers a new view of him and his achievements, one that presents them as a story of Kepler’s attempts to bring different, even opposing ideas and circumstances into harmony. Harmony, Rothman shows, was both the intellectual bedrock for and the primary goal of Kepler’s disparate endeavors. But it was also an elusive goal amid the deteriorating conditions of his world, as the political order crumbled and religious war raged. In the face of that devastation, Kepler’s hopes for his theories changed: whereas he had originally looked for a unifying approach to truth, he began instead to emphasize harmony as the peaceful coexistence of different views, one that could be fueled by the fundamentally nonpartisan discipline of mathematics.
A Song to Die For
by Mike BlakelyA rousing tale mixing love, music, and mystery from Spur Award–winning author Mike Blakely. It's 1975 and guitarist and singer/songwriter Creed Mason hopes to ride the new wave of Texas-style, Austin-based country music all the way back to the big time. A one-hit wonder whose Nashville career was cut short by a trip to Vietnam, Creed is desperate to get back into the business. His break arrives when a country legend, Luster Burnett, comes out of a fifteen-year retirement for one last album and tour in order to pay off a huge debt to the I.R.S. As Luster's new guitarist and band manager, Creed jumps at the chance of a lifetime. Rosa Martini, a beautiful young mob princess from Las Vegas, is found dead just outside of Austin. Texas Ranger Captain Hooley Johnson looks into the case, only to find a second young woman murdered—a friend of Rosa's. To complicate things, Rosa's adoptive brother, mob hit man Franco Martini, is spotted nosing around Austin in the wake of the murders. Soon it appears to Johnson, and to Creed, that the mob-related murders and the band are somehow connected. When the band wins an unexpected booking at the biggest casino in Vegas, Creed begins to wonder what kind of contract his band is being set up for—a major-label recording deal, or a mob hit?
Lieberman's Thief (The Abe Lieberman Mysteries #4)
by Stuart M. KaminskyAn Edgar Award–winning author steals the show again in &“a beautifully calibrated mix of wit, suspense, and quiet honesty&” (The Washington Post Book World). It should have been an easy score—a suburban house on a quiet cul-de-sac, with the owners scheduled to be gone all night. But career burglar George Patniks has chosen the wrong time to go breaking and entering, because tonight Harvey Rozier will murder his wife. Patniks is the only witness to the brutal killing, but of course he can&’t go to the police. Wise, world-weary Homicide Det. Abe Lieberman has been lied to a lot in his long career on the Chicago police force. Rozier&’s claim of a robbery-gone-wrong just doesn&’t add up, but Lieberman needs hard evidence to confirm his gut instinct. Along with his partner, Bill Hanrahan, Lieberman is looking for a break—and he just might get one . . . if the killer doesn&’t catch the thief first. &“Outstanding . . . Another stellar performance, alight with menace and compassion.&” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Common Core Standards and Black History Month: A Thematic Guide to Black History in Literature and Informational Texts for Middle School Educators
by Pat ScalesBlack History Month is a time when all Americans celebrate the rich African American culture in our society. It was Carter G. Woodson, an African American historian, who began a weeklong celebration, called Negro History Week, in 1926 as a way to honor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Now schools, libraries, churches, and communities find special ways to honor the contributions of African Americans during the month of February. One of the best ways to celebrate is by reading books by and about African Americans. Virginia Hamilton&’s works are among the many children&’s books that call upon readers to think about slavery, freedom, and heritage. Through her stories, Hamilton instills cultural pride, as well as a sense of family and the importance of friendship. Black History Month is a time to help young readers realize that these universal themes transcend race and that through the power of story, all races are truly united.
From the Earth to the Moon and Round the Moon (WordFire Classics)
by Jules VerneJules Verne’s classic science fiction adventure of mankind’s first trip to the Moon! The Civil War was over... ...the Gun Club was finished. What if they changed history? When Barbicane had the idea to repurpose weapons of war for science, his friends laughed at him. His rival, Captain Nicholl, ridiculed him for his ideas. But he didn’t let it deter him. Would they be ready in time? Philosophers had dreamed of setting foot on the Moon for thousands of years. Would the Gun Club have what it takes to man the first mission? Or would technology prove too limited? What dangers awaited them in space? Barbicane’s infectious enthusiasm inspired enemies and adventurers across the world. Would it be enough to get him and his friends safely back to Earth? Would they let their differences divide?...or unite them?
Kennedy Justice
by Victor S. NavaskyFinalist for the National Book Award: A groundbreaking portrait of the intersection of law and politics in Robert F. Kennedy&’s Department of JusticeAs United States Attorney General, the young, legally inexperienced Robert F. Kennedy sat at the head of a vast department tasked with enforcing the law and defending the rights of an entire nation. Although his family connection to the White House raised eyebrows, Robert Kennedy&’s tenure was marked by impassioned battles to root out corruption and protect individual civil liberties. From his fierce stand against organized crime to his tumultuous relationship with FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, RFK proved time and again that he was a champion of fairness.In this investigative account of the Kennedy years, acclaimed scholar Victor S. Navasky crafts an unmatched portrait of the complex interaction of power and principle in the halls of justice.
Barcelona Skyline
by David C. HallChicago restaurateur Elso Bari specializes in locating those who don&’t want to be found, but in the shadowy worlds of private security and organized crime, it can be hard to distinguish the hunters from the huntedElso Bari runs a restaurant in Chicago, and a sideline in private investigation. A stylish connoisseur of fine wines and gourmet cuisine, he&’s also no stranger to the seedier side of city life. His debt to a powerful organization obliges him to investigate the suspicious death of one of its employees, a man with ties to international art trafficking. The trail leads Elso to Barcelona, where he becomes entangled in the hunt for a female contract killer who uses sex as a weapon—and is too smart to be tracked down by just anybody. Elso is comfortable moving in the shadows, but the deeper he delves into the criminal underworld, the harder it is to know whom he&’s working for and whom he&’s seeking, let alone why. Award-winning author David C. Hall navigates the murky waters of morality and transports the hard-boiled American thriller to the Mediterranean, giving a cosmopolitan twist to this action-packed tale of murder, sex, and betrayal.
The Outward Mind: Materialist Aesthetics in Victorian Science and Literature
by Benjamin MorganThough underexplored in contemporary scholarship, the Victorian attempts to turn aesthetics into a science remain one of the most fascinating aspects of that era. In The Outward Mind, Benjamin Morgan approaches this period of innovation as an important origin point for current attempts to understand art or beauty using the tools of the sciences. Moving chronologically from natural theology in the early nineteenth century to laboratory psychology in the early twentieth, Morgan draws on little-known archives of Victorian intellectuals such as William Morris, Walter Pater, John Ruskin, and others to argue that scientific studies of mind and emotion transformed the way writers and artists understood the experience of beauty and effectively redescribed aesthetic judgment as a biological adaptation. Looking beyond the Victorian period to humanistic critical theory today, he also shows how the historical relationship between science and aesthetics could be a vital resource for rethinking key concepts in contemporary literary and cultural criticism, such as materialism, empathy, practice, and form. At a moment when the tumultuous relationship between the sciences and the humanities is the subject of ongoing debate, Morgan argues for the importance of understanding the arts and sciences as incontrovertibly intertwined.
The Dream Vessel (The Merquan Chronicles #2)
by Jeff BredenbergPostapocalyptic rebels embark on a dangerous sea voyage in the second Merquan Chronicles novel from &“a writer to watch closely&” (Roger Zelazny). An enticing new world awaits—but getting there is half the battle. Destroying a ruthless dictator, it turns out, was easy by comparison. Merqua&’s revolutionaries find themselves landlocked, and the only hope for civilization lies beyond a wild and perilous ocean. Only one shipyard can produce a vessel that is up to the crossing. But how do you negotiate with—or trust—slavers, powder-snorting pirates, and cannibals? To complicate matters, the Rasta mystic Pec-Pec lurks in the background. The power of a world-changing mission has captured his attention. How will this inscrutable magic man, with allegiance to no one, twist the mission to serve his own dark plans?
The Vines of Yarrabee
by Dorothy EdenNew York Times bestseller: A sweeping romantic saga about the colonization of Australia, from the author of An Important Family. When Gilbert Massingham chooses Eugenia Lichfield for his bride, he knows the aristocratic beauty is the ideal mistress for his plantation in the Australian wilderness. But the virile, larger-than-life, vineyard-obsessed Gilbert isn&’t the husband Eugenia imagined when she left England for this untamed land. Then exiled Irish portrait artist Colm O&’Connor and prison refugee Molly Jarvis come into their lives, altering the family&’s destiny. As Yarrabee grows into one of Australia&’s premier vineyards, a subtle struggle for power begins that will have far-reaching consequences for Eugenia, Gilbert, and their children. Featuring a cast of unforgettable characters, The Vines of Yarrabee presents the vitality and violence of pioneer life and an unusual and moving love story.
Ratha and Thistle-Chaser: The Third Book Of The Named (The Named #3)
by Clare BellThe prehistoric clan of wild cats must face its past when they find another cat capable of speech in this &“intriguing, well written fantasy/adventure&” (Kirkus Reviews). A drought has forced the Named—a clan of sentient, prehistoric big cats—to seek temporary relief near the coast. Much to their surprise, they find a young, clever cat named Newt, whose own clouded history is intertwined with the Named and their leader, Ratha. Rejected by the Un-Named, carrying emotional and physical scars from a childhood incident she can&’t remember, Newt suffers from nightmares of a huge monster she calls the Dreambiter. Newt discovers some small solace with the gentle sea creatures of her ocean beach, but she soon finds herself clashing with Ratha over their protection. In many ways, these two large cats are alike. Perhaps in ways too painful to remember… With RATHA AND THISTLE-CHASER, the third book of the Named series, author Clare Bell explores complex ideas of family and adversity while still providing the thrilling plots and captivating adventure her readers have come to love.
The Last Sunrise: A Novel (The Post-War Trilogy #2)
by Robert RyanThe real history of World War II&’s most daring fighter squadron is the inspiration for this riveting novel of adventure and romance in the Far East Three years after the liberation of Singapore, transport pilot Lee Crane is finally ready to leave. The Berlin airlift is on, and there&’s decent money to be made if you possess both your own plane and a practiced disregard for safety. One last drink with his Indo-Air fly buddies at the Long Bar in Raffles hotel and Crane is gone. Then he sees her: the tall, beautiful redhead he had every reason to believe was dead. If Elsa is alive—and still angry, judging by the sock to the jaw she greets him with—what else might Crane have gotten wrong about the past? In 1941, Lee Crane was a Flying Tiger, one of dozens of American pilots recruited to join the Chinese Air Force in the fight against the Japanese. Wild in the air and on the ground, the Tigers broke hearts all over Burma, and Crane was no different—until he fell in love with a stunning Anglo-Indian widow. But in the chaos of war, Crane lost track of the woman of his dreams, and spent the next seven years convincing himself it wasn&’t meant to be. Now a chance encounter with another long-lost beauty has him ready to plunge back into the past, praying he will come up with a different answer this time. The Last Sunrise is the 2nd book in the Post-War Trilogy, which also includes After Midnight and Dying Day.
The Government of Desire: A Genealogy of the Liberal Subject
by Miguel de BeisteguiLiberalism, Miguel de Beistegui argues in The Government of Desire, is best described as a technique of government directed towards the self, with desire as its central mechanism. Whether as economic interest, sexual drive, or the basic longing for recognition, desire is accepted as a core component of our modern self-identities, and something we ought to cultivate. But this has not been true in all times and all places. For centuries, as far back as late antiquity and early Christianity, philosophers believed that desire was an impulse that needed to be suppressed in order for the good life, whether personal or collective, ethical or political, to flourish. Though we now take it for granted, desire as a constitutive dimension of human nature and a positive force required a radical transformation, which coincided with the emergence of liberalism. By critically exploring Foucault’s claim that Western civilization is a civilization of desire, de Beistegui crafts a provocative and original genealogy of this shift in thinking. He shows how the relationship between identity, desire, and government has been harnessed and transformed in the modern world, shaping our relations with others and ourselves, and establishing desire as an essential driving force for the constitution of a new and better social order. But is it? The Government of Desire argues that this is precisely what a contemporary politics of resistance must seek to overcome. By questioning the supposed universality of a politics based on recognition and the economic satisfaction of desire, de Beistegui raises the crucial question of how we can manage to be less governed today, and explores contemporary forms of counter-conduct. ?Drawing on a host of thinkers from philosophy, political theory, and psychoanalysis, and concluding with a call for a sovereign and anarchic form of desire, The Government of Desire is a groundbreaking account of our freedom and unfreedom, of what makes us both governed and ungovernable.
The Culture of Disaster
by Marie-Hélène HuetFrom antiquity through the Enlightenment, disasters were attributed to the obscure power of the stars or the vengeance of angry gods. As philosophers sought to reassess the origins of natural disasters, they also made it clear that humans shared responsibility for the damages caused by a violent universe. This far-ranging book explores the way writers, thinkers, and artists have responded to the increasingly political concept of disaster from the Enlightenment until today. Marie-Hélène Huet argues that post-Enlightenment culture has been haunted by the sense of emergency that made natural catastrophes and human deeds both a collective crisis and a personal tragedy. From the plague of 1720 to the cholera of 1832, from shipwrecks to film dystopias, disasters raise questions about identity and memory, technology, control, and liability. In her analysis, Huet considers anew the mythical figures of Medusa and Apollo, theories of epidemics, earthquakes, political crises, and films such as Blow-Up and Blade Runner. With its scope and precision, The Culture of Disaster will appeal to a wide public interested in modern culture, philosophy, and intellectual history.
The Tudors (History Snapshots)
by Michelle RosenbergDiscover more about the famous Tudor monarchs, from Henry VII to Elizabeth I.Everything you never knew about the powerful Tudor dynasty - from Henry VII to the glorious Elizabeth I. From Battles at Bosworth to battles for supremacy of the royal bedchamber, marriage, war, murder, divorce, religious dissent, Renaissance letters, science and art, political alliances, the Reformation, treason, a Virgin Queen, phantom pregnancies, global exploration, bloody beheadings and a fresh look at why Henry VIII became such a terrifying tyrant.
The Snake Eater (The Brady Coyne Mysteries #12)
by William G. TapplyInvestigating the murder of a Vietnam veteran, Boston lawyer Brady Coyne uncovers a military conspiracy in this &“good, fast read&” (Publishers Weekly). Daniel McCloud may grow marijuana, but as far as he&’s concerned, that does not make him a criminal. A Vietnam veteran still suffering from exposure to Agent Orange, he&’s found no help from the government and no relief outside of homegrown grass. When the local police in his small New England town bust him for possession, a friend reaches out to Brady Coyne, a Boston lawyer who usually works with New England&’s upper class. Brady is readying Daniel&’s defense when the case is inexplicably dropped. He&’s just beginning to wonder why when the veteran is found murdered. McCloud had written a memoir, but the manuscript is nowhere to be found. Someone killed the author to keep it from ever seeing the light of day. As Brady digs into McCloud&’s time in the army, he finds that this troubled vet made some enemies in the jungle.
Eve's Bible: A Woman's Guide to the Old Testament
by Sarah S. ForthEve's Bible is for every woman who has ever said, "I've always wanted to read the Bible but . . ."Whatever the reason--"it's too complicated, too big, too old, too many men and too few women, and anyway, I don't know whether I believe it or not"--Eve's Bible helps readers explore the Old Testament regardless of religious affiliation.Eve's Bible challenges conventional ideas about women in the Bible, and shows readers how to draw upon their own truth to interpret the Bible in new and liberating ways.With Eve's Bible as their companion, readers will:* Recognize and read the Old Testament's literary building blocks* Learn how women in the biblical era lived* Learn why the biblical Deity is such a complex character* Derive meaning from scripture by balancing left-brained inquiry with heart-felt intuition*Become their own authority on the BibleA friendly guide that anticipates readers' questions and concerns, Eve's Bible helps readers find their way through the Bible with intelligence and verve.
City of Truth (Harvest Book Ser.)
by James MorrowThis &“delightful&” Nebula Award–winning novella about a world without lies has &“a sharp, unmerciful edge that would have pleased old Jonathan Swift&” (Minneapolis Star-Tribune). Truth reigns supreme in the city-state of Veritas. Not even politicians lie, and weirdly frank notices abound—such as warning: this elevator maintained by people who hate their jobs: ride at your own risk. In this dystopia of mandatory candor, every preadolescent citizen is ruthlessly conditioned, through a Skinnerian ordeal called a &“brainburn,&” to speak truthfully under all circumstances. Jack Sperry wouldn&’t dream of questioning the norms of Veritas; he&’s happy with his life and his respectable job as a &“deconstructionist,&” destroying &“mendacious&” works of art—relics from a less honest era. But when his adored son, Toby, falls gravely ill, the truth becomes Jack&’s greatest enemy. Somehow our hero must overcome his brainburn and attempt to heal his child with beautiful lies. Alternately hilarious and moving, City of Truth thoughtfully explores the pitfalls inherent in any attempt to engineer a perfect society.