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A Fall of Moondust (Arthur C. Clarke Collection #No.49)
by Arthur C. ClarkeA &“superbly ingenious&” classic of space survival from the author of 2001: A Space Odyssey—one of science fiction&’s most influential grandmasters (Daily Express). Expanding the Moon&’s population hinges on building a thriving tourist industry. But when a prototype tourist craft called the Selene encounters a moonquake, the ship plummets under a vast body of liquid-fine moondust called the Sea of Thirst. While time runs out for the passengers and crew, rescuers find their resources stretched to the limit by the unpredictable conditions of the lunar environment. Nominated for the Hugo Award in 1963, this brilliantly imagined story of human ingenuity and survival is a tour-de-force of psychological suspense and sustained dramatic tension sure to appeal to fans of Andy Weir&’s The Martian. &“The best book yet about man&’s most dramatic journey, the most exciting science fiction novel for years.&” —Evening Standard &“Expertly told and cruelly exciting to the end.&” —The Sunday Times &“Extremely good . . . with some superbly ingenious and exciting new twists.&” —Daily Express
In the Wake of the Wind
by Katherine KingsleyThe national bestselling author delivers a Regency romance with &“a memorable heroine, steamy lovemaking and delightful scenes involving white magic&” (Publishers Weekly). During her years of exile in Wales, Serafina&’s only solace has been the golden-haired lover who has haunted her dreams. She even convinced herself that he must be the man she is set to marry the next day. But during a moonlight walk in the woods she comes across a dark stranger who shatters her hopes with a kiss and a devastating revelation of the feelings of her betrothed. Preparing to marry a woman he doesn&’t know, Aiden Delaware, Earl of Aubrey, seeks solace in the woods, stumbling upon a maiden as beautiful as a fairy queen. He tells her his darkest secret: He already despises his betrothed and has no wish to be forced into an arranged marriage. The next day, Aiden learns the shocking truth: The beauty from the woods he&’d loved at first sight turns out to be the unwanted fiancée, who now knows his true feelings. Despite this inauspicious beginning, Aiden and Serafina gradually discover that marriage is more than a contract, and love can span more than a lifetime. &“Kingsley has done an excellent job of bringing us two wonderful lovers and a cast of secondary characters you can sink your teeth into.&” —Rendezvous &“Another dreamspun romance . . . Once more Katherine Kingsley works her magic . . . in a story that lifts your heart and makes your soul sing.&” —Romantic Times
Madly Chasing Peace: How I Went from Hell to Happy in Nine Minutes a Day
by Dina ProctorDiscover the 3x3 meditation technique that can turn your life around in this “raw, compelling and deeply inspiring” self-help memoir (Jack Canfield, coauthor of Chicken Soup for the Soul).Many know that thoughts and emotions affect the physical body—but how can you use this knowledge most effectively? Dina Proctor developed the 3x3 meditation technique during her own struggle with suicidal depression and addiction. As a certified life coach, she shares it with her clients. Now, she shares it with readers everywhere.In this book, Proctor recounts her raw, real experience and the 3x3 meditation technique that has been the key to her physical, mental, and emotional healing—leading to better regulation of blood sugar and cholesterol, weight loss, and even improved relationships. The key is not spending hours on end in meditation or visualization practice, but to engage multiple times per day in shorter bursts, to consistently interrupt old thought patterns and negative thinking. If you can spare nine minutes a day, you too can experience its powerful benefits—and in addition to the author’s riveting story of recovery, Madly Chasing Peace provides concrete steps to get you started.
The Cazalet Chronicles: Five Novels in One Collection (The Cazalet Chronicles #1)
by Elizabeth Jane HowardFor fans of Downton Abbey: A multigenerational saga of an upper-middle-class British family before, during, and after World War II by a bestselling author. As war clouds gather on England&’s horizon, the Cazalet siblings, along with their wives, children, and servants, prepare to leave London and join their parents at their Sussex estate, Home Place. Thus begins the decades-spanning family saga that has engrossed millions of readers. The Light Years: Hugh, the eldest of the Cazalet siblings, was wounded in France and is haunted by recurring nightmares and the prospect of another war. Edward adores his wife, a former dancer, yet he&’s incapable of remaining faithful. Rupert desires only to fulfill his potential as a painter, but finds that love and art cannot coexist. And devoted daughter Rachel discovers the joys—and limitations—of intimacy with another woman. Marking Time: Narrated primarily through the voices of teenagers Louise, Polly, and Clary, the second novel details the continuing story of their fathers. With the outbreak of war, Edward is determined to do his bit for England. But Hugh, injured in World War I, must sit back and watch other men fight for their country, including his brother Rupert, who enlists and goes missing in action. Confusion: As the world reels in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, the Cazalets are dealt a tragic blow, and a new generation struggles to find peace with each other, a peace that seems to prove as elusive as it is in the larger world. Casting Off: The war is over, but for the Cazalets—and England—the challenges continue. Against the backdrop of a crumbling empire, the family soldiers on in the wake of disappointment, heartbreak, and tragedy. But the family comes together again as three generations of Cazalets struggle to hold onto Home Place, the beloved Sussex estate that has been their refuge and their heart. All Change: In 1956, the death of eighty-nine-year-old matriarch Kitty &“the Duchy&” Cazalet marks the end of an era—and the commencement of great change for the family. And Home Place, the beloved Sussex estate where the Cazalets have gathered for years, is now a beloved relic that, with its faded wallpaper and leaky roof, has aged along with its occupants. A rich historical read for those who love E. M. Forster, Evelyn Waugh, or Downton Abbey, this is the story of a family &“[rendered] thrillingly three-dimensional by a master craftsman&” (TheSunday Telegraph).
The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability
by Peter KornbluhRevised and updated: the definitive primary-source history of US involvement in General Pinochet&’s Chilean coup—&“the evidence is overwhelming&” (The New Yorker). Published to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of General Augusto Pinochet&’s infamous September 11, 1973, military coup in Chile, this updated edition of The Pinochet File reveals the shocking, formerly secret record of the US government&’s complicity with atrocity in a foreign country. The book now completes the file on Pinochet&’s story, detailing his multiple indictments between 2004 and his death on December 10, 2006, including the Riggs Bank scandal that revealed how the dictator had illegally squirreled away over $26 million in ill-begotten wealth in secret American bank accounts. When it was first released in hardcover, The Pinochet File contributed to the international campaign to hold Pinochet accountable for murder, torture, and terrorism. A new afterword tells the extraordinary story of Henry Kissinger&’s attempt to undercut the book&’s reception—efforts that generated a major scandal that led to a high-level resignation at the Council on Foreign Relations, illustrating the continued ability of the book to speak truth to power. &“The Pinochet File should be considered the long awaited book of record on U.S. intervention in Chile . . . A crisp compelling narrative, almost a political thriller.&” —Los Angeles Times
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis: Stories
by Max ShulmanRiotous tales of the college playboy-next-door—the basis for the iconic television show. &“Shulman&’s creation was born a sitcom hero&” (The A.V. Club). Including stories first published in Cosmopolitan and the Saturday Evening Post, this bestselling collection follows the romantic escapades of Max Shulman&’s famed collegiate Don Juan. Like most undergraduates, Dobie Gillis is a bit scattered—sometimes he&’s as quick as a whip, other times dull as a doorstop, and his major keeps changing from chemistry to law to journalism. But no matter what subject he should be studying, Dobie always has a girl on his mind. In &“Love Is a Fallacy,&” Shulman&’s best-known short story that to this day is taught in writing classes and English survey courses as an archetypal example of the genre, Dobie finds the perfect bride-to-be. She&’s beautiful and gracious, but not too smart—a flaw that he sets out to fix, with the most hilarious and ironic of consequences. In &“The Unlucky Winner,&” Dobie and Clothilde Ellingboe cut corners in class to make more time for their dates. But after an impossible English assignment sends the couple deep into the stacks to plagiarize an obscure essay, Dobie finds himself in a ridiculous bind. And in &“She Shall Have Music,&” Dobie can&’t focus on his duties as circulation manager for the college humor magazine because his girlfriend, Pansy, has been shipped off to New York by her purple-faced father. The desperate Romeo hatches a plan to save the magazine and visit his girl, but a series of bad decisions and a Lithuanian wedding band threaten to ruin everything.
An Advancement of Learning (The Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries #3)
by Reginald HillThe &“master of . . . cerebral puzzle mysteries&” sends his Yorkshire detectives back to college to be taught a lesson in murder (The New York Times). Reginald Hill &“raised the classical British mystery to new heights&” when he introduced pugnacious Yorkshire Det. Inspector Andrew Dalziel and his partner, the callow Sgt. Peter Pascoe (The New York Times Book Review). Their chafing differences in education, manners, technique, and temperament made them &“the most remarkable duo in the annals of crime fiction&” (Toronto Star). Adapted into a long-running hit show for the BBC, the Gold Dagger Award–winning series is now available as ebooks. If Alison Girling, former principal of England&’s Holm Coultram College, died in an avalanche in Austria, why has her skeleton been unearthed on campus? While no love is lost between conservative detective Andrew Dalziel and the entirety of Liberal Arts, his attention to the grim discovery must be paid. But when he and Peter Pascoe scour the ivory tower for answers, they discover that the shady faculty and creepy student body have more to bury than just one corpse. Try two—and counting. As Pascoe is sidelined by an old college flame, Dalziel&’s suspicions of academia are becoming dire. Because the deeper he digs for secrets, the dirtier they get in this &“steadily, edgily amusing . . . dark comedy&” (Kirkus Reviews). An Advancement of Learning is the 2nd book in the Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
The Golden Ass: The Transformations Of Lucius (Fsg Classics Ser.)
by Robert GravesTranslated from the Latin by the poet and author of I, Claudius, this ancient Roman novel follows the many adventures of a man who transforms into an ass. Driven by his all-consuming curiosity, a young man of good parentage named Lucius Apuleius takes a trip to Thessaly. Along the way, amidst a series of bizarre adventures, he inadvertently offends a priestess of the White Goddess, who promptly turns him into an ass. How Lucius responds to his new misfortune, and ultimately finds a way to become human again, makes for a funny and fascinating tale. The Metamorphosis of Apuleius, referred to by St. Augustine as The Golden Ass, is the oldest novel written in Latin to survive in its entirety. Originally written by Lucius of Patrae, this translation by Robert Graves highlights the ribald humor and vivid sense of adventure present in the original. Providing a rare window into the daily lives of regular people in ancient Greece, Robert Graves&’s translation of this classic tale is at once hilarious, informative, and captivating.
Incest: From "A Journal of Love": The Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin, 1932–1934
by Anaïs NinThe trailblazing memoirist and author of Henry & June recounts her relationships with Henry Miller and others—including her own father. Anaïs Nin wrote in her uncensored diaries like they were a broad-minded confidante with whom she shared the liberating psychosexual dramas of her life. In this continuation of her notorious Henry & June, she recounts a particularly turbulent period between 1932 and 1934, and the men who dominated it: her protective husband, her therapist, and the poet Antonin Artaud. However, most consuming of all is novelist Henry Miller—a man whose genius, said Anaïs, was so demonic it could drive people insane. Here too, recounted in extraordinary detail, is the sexual affair she had with her father. At once loving, exciting, and vengeful, it was the ultimate social transgression for which Anaïs would eventually seek absolution from her analysts. &“Before Lena Dunham there was Anaïs Nin. Like Dunham, she&’s been accused of narcissism, sociopathy, and sexual perversion time and again. Yet even that comparison undercuts the strangeness and bravery of her work, for Nin was the first of her kind. And, like all truly unique talents, she was worshipped by some, hated by many, and misunderstood by most . . . A woman who&’d spent decades on the bleeding edge of American intellectual life, a woman who had been a respected colleague of male writers who pushed the boundaries of acceptable sex writing. Like many great . . . experimentalists, she wrote for a world that did not yet exist, and so helped to bring it into being.&” —The Guardian Includes an introduction by Rupert Pole
Dylan Thomas: A New Life
by Andrew LycettThe renowned literary biographer offers a &“thoroughly well-written&” chronicle of the legendary Welsh poet&’s life that is &“rich in anecdote&” (The New Yorker). Dylan Thomas is as legendary for his raucous life as for his literary genius. The author of the immortal poems Death Shall Have No Dominion, Before I Knocked, and Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night, as well as the short story A Christmas in Wales, and the &“play for voices&” Under Milk Wood, published his first book, 18 Poems, in 1934, when he was only twenty years old. When he died in New York in 1953, at age thirty-nine, the myths took hold: he became the Keats and the Byron of his generation—the romantic poet who died too young, his potential unfulfilled. Making masterful use of original material from archives and personal papers, Andrew Lycett describes the development of the young poet, brings valuable new insights to Thomas&’s poetry, and unearths fascinating details about the poet&’s many affairs and his tempestuous marriage to his passionate Irish wife, Caitlin. The result is a poignant yet stirring portrait of the chaos of Thomas&’s personal life and a welcome re-evaluation of the lyricism and experimentalism of his literary legacy. &“This is the best biography of the poet I have ever read.&” —Robert Nye, The Scotsman
The Diviner's Tale: A Novel
by Brad Morrow&“In addition to scaring the daylights out of us, The Diviner&’s Tale stands up for the offbeat and unconventional in human nature&” (The Boston Globe). Cassandra Brooks is a diviner, what used to be called a water-witch. Hired by a developer to dowse some land in upstate New York, she is walking a lonely forested valley one spring morning when she comes upon the shocking vision of a young girl hanged from a tree. When she returns with authorities to the site, the body has vanished, leaving in question Cassandra&’s credibility, if not her sanity. The next day, during a return visit with the sheriff to have another look, a dazed, mute missing girl emerges from the woods—alive, and the very picture of Cassandra&’s hanged girl. What follows is the narrative of ever-deepening and increasingly bizarre divinations that will lead this gifted young woman, the struggling single mother of twin boys, hurtling toward a past she&’d long since thought was behind her. The Diviner&’s Tale is at once a journey of self-discovery and an unorthodox murder mystery, a tale of the fantastic and a family chronicle told by an otherwise ordinary woman who is about to be locked in a mortal chess match with a real-life killer who has haunted her since before she can remember. &“[A] splendidly written mystery . . . A compelling story. Grade: A.&” —The Plain Dealer &“An astonishing writer.&” —Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times–bestselling author of Double Delight &“Beautifully written, tight as a tripwire, The Diviner&’s Tale isn&’t quite like any ghost story I&’ve read before.&” —Boing Boing &“Morrow quietly drops clues as he guides you deeper into the mystery of the dead girl—and into Cass&’s own mind.&” —The New York Times
The Condor Years: How Pinochet and His Allies Brought Terrorism to Three Continents
by John DingesA &“compelling and shocking account&” of a brutal campaign of repression in Latin America, based on interviews and previously secret documents (The Miami Herald). Throughout the 1970s, six Latin American governments, led by Chile, formed a military alliance called Operation Condor to carry out kidnappings, torture, and political assassinations across three continents. It was an early &“war on terror&” initially encouraged by the CIA—which later backfired on the United States. Hailed by Foreign Affairs as &“remarkable&” and &“a major contribution to the historical record,&” The Condor Years uncovers the unsettling facts about the secret US relationship with the dictators who created this terrorist organization. Written by award-winning journalist John Dinges and updated to include later developments in the prosecution of Pinochet, the book is a chilling yet dispassionately told history of one of Latin America&’s darkest eras. Dinges, himself interrogated in a Chilean torture camp, interviewed participants on both sides and examined thousands of previously secret documents to take the reader inside this underground world of military operatives and diplomats, right-wing spies and left-wing revolutionaries. &“Scrupulous, well-documented.&” —The Washington Post &“Nobody knows what went wrong inside Chile like John Dinges.&” —Seymour Hersh
Young, Educated & Broke: An Introduction to America's New Poor
by Jamie BorromeoA millennial&’s travels through America&’s political and social landscape—and through the financial struggles of her generation. Young, Educated & Broke, a travel journal memoir, is the intertwined journey in self-exploration of a young twenty-something and her millennial cohort in America. Borromeo&’s social commentary takes the reader around the world to witness firsthand her path to personal growth, as she watches the tragedies and triumphs of her life mirror those of her generation. During the 2008 economic collapse and the years that followed, the author shares her emotional highs and lows and the insights gained. The author and the generation of America&’s New Poor struggle to find a sense of identity, purpose, and security. The questions begin to pile up: Will I pay back my student loans? Was the American Dream really a myth? Will I ever be able to attain financial freedom and security? While the generation as a whole is still grappling with these questions, Borromeo&’s personal journey inward takes the reader through the answers the she herself has found. In her last destination on the Big Island of Hawaii, the author looks inward and finds answers that hold tremendous value for her life that may yet serve her generation in an even more profound way.
The Referral Code: Unlock a Constant Stream of Business Through the Power of Your Relationships
by Larry Pinci Phil GlossermanLearn to leverage your existing relationships to connect with potential new customers and clients using the easy-to-implement strategies in this book. While many companies allocate significant resources to marketing and advertising, referrals are the easiest, most effective path to more business and greater income. Unfortunately, many people underutilize this powerful asset because they misunderstand the referral game and lack a system for generating warm business leads. Providing great service or products is simply not enough to motivate most people to refer you. Without an effective referral system, you are missing out on business and income that could be yours. The Referral Code shows you exactly what it takes to receive a constant stream of qualified referrals through your existing relationships. You&’ll learn how to: * Have people refer you, happily, willingly, and more often * Avoid the 3 biggest mistakes that sabotage referrals * Receive referrals that are warmed up and expecting your call * Attract referrals regardless of the current market conditions * And more &“The Referral Code lays out a simple, highly effective system for motivating your clients, friends and associates to connect you with the people they know who need what you offer.&” —Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive
The Day of the Triffids (Popular Penguins Series #Vol. 10)
by John WyndhamThe classic postapocalyptic thriller with &“all the reality of a vividly realized nightmare&” (The Times, London). Triffids are odd, interesting little plants that grow in everyone&’s garden. Triffids are no more than mere curiosities—until an event occurs that alters human life forever. What seems to be a spectacular meteor shower turns into a bizarre, green inferno that blinds everyone and renders humankind helpless. What follows is even stranger: spores from the inferno cause the triffids to suddenly take on a life of their own. They become large, crawling vegetation, with the ability to uproot and roam about the country, attacking humans and inflicting pain and agony. William Masen somehow managed to escape being blinded in the inferno, and now after leaving the hospital, he is one of the few survivors who can see. And he may be the only one who can save his species from chaos and eventual extinction . . . With more than a million copies sold, The Day of the Triffids is a landmark of speculative fiction, and &“an outstanding and entertaining novel&” (Library Journal). &“A thoroughly English apocalypse, it rivals H. G. Wells in conveying how the everyday invaded by the alien would feel. No wonder Stephen King admires Wyndham so much.&” —Ramsey Campbell, author of The Overnight &“One of my all-time favorite novels. It&’s absolutely convincing, full of little telling details, and that sweet, warm sensation of horror and mystery.&” —Joe R. Lansdale, author of Edge of Dark Water
Night Navigation: A Novel
by Ginnah HowardA mother and her adult, drug-addicted son struggle for redemption and recovery in this &“dark debut&” novel that &“has the power to lift and inspire&” (Publishers Weekly).Night Navigation opens on a freezing-rain night in upstate New York: the kindling gone, the fire in the woodstove out. Retired high-school art teacher Del Merrick&’s thirty-seven-year-old manic-depressive son, Mark, needs a ride, but she&’s afraid to make the long drive north to the only detox that has a bed. Through each of the four seasons, Night Navigation takes readers into the deranged, darkly humorous world of the addict—from break-your-arm dealers, to boot-camp rehabs, to Rumi-quoting NA sponsors. Mark can&’t find a way to live in this world; Del can&’t stop trying to rescue him. And yet, during this long year&’s night, through relapse and despair, Mark and Del see flare-ups of hope as they fitfully, painfully try to steer toward the light. Told in the alternating voices of an addict and his mother, this &“harrowing . . . cathartic&” novel adds new depths to our understanding and literature of parents and their troubled children (Kirkus Reviews).
BirthCONTROL: A Husband's Honest Account of Pregnancy
by James VavasourIn this heartfelt and hilarious memoir, a father recounts his many trials and occasional triumphs during he and his wife&’s first pregnancy, week by week. More than four million blissfully ignorant American men are thrust into fatherhood every year, yet these men rarely know what to expect in those crucial first nine months. In BirthCONTROL, author and father James Vavasour offers a real-time, week-by-week account of his journey from pursuing the perfect pregnancy to learning to let go of control. James documented his experiences as they happened in order to capture them in all their wonder, neuroses, and panic. This rare, honest, and unmoderated male perspective on pregnancy will be educational for any couple thinking of starting a family. For those already pregnant, it is a funny, relatable, and often neurotic vision of the day-to-day struggles encountered during this profoundly hormonal time in a couple&’s life. If you&’ve ever had to settle on a baby&’s name or the color of a nursery, be publicly humiliated during birthing classes, or run the obstacle course otherwise known as a grocery store with someone days away from delivery, you&’ll understand.
One Small Yes: Small Decisions that Lead to Big Results
by Misty Lown&“Misty . . . is literally the Steve Jobs of the dance world, and the steps she's taken to build her business apply to any business owner out there&” (Cody Foster, CEO, Advisors Excel). It&’s the small decisions that lead to big results. People were born to live a life of significance. But busyness and fear of failure can overwhelm and get in the way. Now Misty Lown—founder of More Than Just Great Dancing® and MoreThanDancers.com—shares her secrets for following your passion toward success. One Small Yes was written for people who want to make an impact, but are not sure where to start. One Small Yes is for you if you have ever wondered: *What am I here for? *What is my calling? *Can I follow my calling without losing my family or my sanity? *If what I see in my mind is possible, how on earth can I get it all done? Forget about complicated calendars or excessive goal setting exercises. Following your calling is about moving forward, one small yes decision at a time. No matter the size of your dream or the difference you feel called to make, your journey starts with One Small Yes. &“If you want to build a life and a business that makes a difference, Misty Lown will show you the way. What she has accomplished one &‘yes&’ at time is an inspiration to entrepreneurs everywhere.&” —Darren Hardy, New York Times–bestselling author of The Compound Effect &“Misty Lown is a leader of consequence. She knows how to build a winning business through authenticity, grit and determination. Is her book a must-read? YES!&” —Bill McDermott, bestselling author of Winners Dream
Murder on Embassy Row: A Capital Crimes Novel (Capital Crimes #5)
by Margaret TrumanNew York Times Bestseller: The death of a diplomat leads two DC cops into &“an absorbing puzzle&” (The Washington Weekly). British Ambassador to the US Geoffrey James is a shady sort, prone to womanizing and taking financial advantage of his contacts. When he drops dead at his own gala party, everyone suspects the ambassador&’s Iranian valet, Nuri Hafez—who has conveniently disappeared. But Washington Metro&’s Cpt. Sal Morizio and his fellow officer, Connie Lake, are convinced there&’s something far more sinister going on. The Associated Press raved that Murder on Embassy Row moved Margaret Truman, daughter of President Harry Truman, into &“the international spy genre . . . and she&’s good.&” This engrossing and exotic tale of mystery suspense will keep readers guessing as they enjoy a look inside the world of politics, diplomacy, and espionage. &“Truman has settled firmly into a career of writing murder mysteries, all evoking brilliantly the Washington she knows so well.&” —The Houston Post
Blood Curse: The Springtime of Commissario Ricciardi (The Commissario Ricciardi Mysteries #2)
by Maurizio de GiovanniThe second historical mystery featuring Commissario Ricciardi, “one of the most interesting and well-drawn detectives in fiction” (The Daily Beast).Commissario Ricciardi has visions. He sees and hears the final seconds in the lives of victims of violent deaths. It is both a gift and a curse. It has helped him become one of the most acute and successful homicide detectives in the Naples police force. But all that horror and suffering has hollowed him out emotionally. He drinks and doesn’t sleep. Other than his loyal partner, Brigadier Maione, he has no friends.Naples, 1931. In a working-class apartment in the Sanità neighborhood, an elderly woman by the name of Carmela Calise has been beaten to death. When Ricciardi and Maione arrive at the scene, they learn that Calise was moonlighting as a fortuneteller and moneylender whose clients were some of the city’s rich and powerful. She predicted their futures in such a way as to manipulate and deceive and made many enemies—those indebted to her, swayed by her lies, disappointed by her prophesies or destroyed by her machinations. Murder suspects in this atmospheric thriller abound and Commissario Ricciardi, one of the most original and intriguing investigators in contemporary crime fiction, will have his work cut out for him.“The promise that each life will intersect keeps Ricciardi and Maione’s investigation lively.” —Publishers Weekly“A well-crafted, ultimately moving crime novel set in 1931 Naples . . . This is a solid series with an intriguing detective, and fans will eagerly await the third volume.” —Library Journal
Last Friends (Old Filth Trilogy #3)
by Jane Gardam“The satisfying conclusion to Gardam’s Old Filth trilogy offers exquisite prose, wry humor, and keen insights into aging and death” (The New Yorker).While Old Filth introduced readers to Sir Edward Feathers, his dreadful childhood, and his decades-long marriage, The Man in the Wooden Hat was his wife Betty’s story. Last Friends is Terence Veneering’s turn. His beginnings were not those of the usual establishment grandee. Filth’s hated rival in court and in love is the son of a Russian acrobat marooned in the English midlands and a local girl. He escapes the war and later emerges in the Far East as a man of panache and fame. The Bar treats his success with suspicion: Where did this handsome, brilliant Slav come from? This exquisite story of Veneering, Filth, and their circle tells a bittersweet tale of friendship and grace and of the disappointments and consolations of age. They are all, finally, each other’s last friend as this magnificent series ends with the deep and abiding satisfaction that only great literature provides.“[Gardam’s] prose sparkles with wit, compassion and humor. She keeps us entertained, and she keeps us guessing. Be thankful for her books. Be thankful for this trilogy, which is ultimately an elegy, created with deep affection.” —The Washington Post“Restores us to an era rich in spectacle and bristling with insinuation and intrigue. Vivid, spacious, superbly witty, and refreshingly brisk . . . the story (and the author) will endure.” —The Boston Globe“All three Gardam books are beautifully written but it’s a pleasure to note that Last Friends is the most enjoyable, the funniest and the most touching.” —National Post
Artificial Wisdom
by Thomas R. WeaverIn this propulsive near-future thriller, a journalist uncovers a plot that will upend the order of our world, involving a mysterious murder, a global political battle between a human politician and an AI, and the fight for survival in a climate-ravaged landscape.In 2050, investigative journalist Marcus Tully is still grieving the loss of his wife and unborn child in the deadly heatwave that struck the Persian Gulf ten years ago.Now, the world is both burning and drowning, and the decision has been taken to elect a global leader to steer humanity through the worsening climate apocalypse. The final two candidates are ex-US president Lockwood, and Solomon, an Artificial Intelligence.As election day races closer, Tully begins to unravel a conspiracy that goes to the highest level. Then Solomon&’s creator is murdered, and Tully is pulled in to find the culprit.As the two investigations intertwine in ways he could never have imagined and the world hurtles ever closer to the brink, Tully must find the truth, convince the world to face it and make impossible choices to secure the future of the species.But will humanity ultimately choose salvation over freedom, whatever the cost?
A Killer's Essence: A Novel
by Dave Zeltserman&“A doozy of a doom-laden crime story&” from the author of Small Crimes—now a major film—and The Caretaker of Lorne Field (The Washington Post). Stan Green is a jaded New York City cop assigned to the most shocking homicide of his career—and he finds only one witness, a neurologically damaged recluse subject to demonic hallucinations. Then the murderer strikes again. Stan&’s best hope is a man who claims to be surrounded by ghoulish apparitions. And there&’s just a chance this witness isn&’t insane, but instead terrifyingly perceptive . . . Dave Zeltserman&’s grisly crime novel is backgrounded by the 2004 ALCS playoffs, when the Red Sox triumphed over the Yankees. A knuckle-whitening, surprising, and compelling trip into Stan&’s obsession with a brutal case, this serial-killer mystery is Zeltserman&’s darkest, most gripping work yet. &“Zeltserman&’s lean but muscular style, so evident in A Killer&’s Essence and The Caretaker of Lorne Field, is just as sharply honed here . . . Riveting.&” —The Boston Globe &“This eerie thriller deftly blurs the lines between madness and the perception of reality.&” —The Star-Ledger &“[A] chilling page-turner attuned to the most discerning of avid crime lovers. Well written and well paced. Recommended.&” —New York Journal of Books &“Zeltserman&’s signature creepiness is available here and there, but what really drives this novel is the engaging portrait of an honest, hardworking cop who, on the job and off, gives the best he&’s got, knowing how rarely it will be enough.&” —Kirkus Reviews
The Gateway Arch: A Biography (Icons of America)
by Tracy CampbellThis &“fascinating, engaging&” history of St. Louis&’s monument to American expansion reveals a story of greed, discrimination, and community displacement (NextSTL.com). Rising to a triumphant height of 630 feet, the Gateway Arch is one of the world&’s most widely recognized structures and attracts millions of tourists to St. Louis every year. Envisioned in 1947 but not completed until the mid-1960s, its story is one of innovation and greed; civic pride and backroom deals. Weaving together social, political, and cultural perspectives, historian Tracy Campbell uncovers the complicated and troubling history of this iconic symbol. In this revealing account, Campbell shows that the so-called Gateway to the West was the scheme of shrewd city leaders who were willing to steal an election, destroy historic buildings, and drive out communities in order to make downtown St. Louis more profitable. Campbell also tells the human story of the architect Eero Saarinen, whose prize-winning design brought him acclaim but also charges of plagiarism, and who didn&’t live to see the completion of his vision.
Female Ruins: A Novel
by Geoff Nicholson&“An elegantly constructed and often funny story about a man, a woman and . . . &‘the greatest modern English architect never to have built a building&’&” (The New York Times Book Review). Geoff Nicholson&’s novel tells the story of Christopher Howell, a cult architect who allegedly built just one building, and the search for that fabled building―reputedly a wild, willful amalgam of styles ranging from eleventh-century Norman to twentieth-century Neutra. Ingeniously built into the narrative are bits of Howell&’s essays that celebrate the idea of the &“Cardboard House&” and the architecture of impermanence. When Howell&’s daughter—and keeper of his flame—Kelly, and a Howell groupie named Jack Dexter hook up in a free-falling love affair, the search for this apocryphal building becomes a search for a lost past. Brilliantly funny and seriously obsessive, Female Ruins shows how the castles we build are often symbols of our own needs, follies, and magnificent obsessions. &“A meditative tale of a physical and psychological homecoming that builds its quiet and riveting plot through the dreams, achievements and theories of a dead architect with a mysterious legacy. . . . Nicholson eschews the sarcastic bite of his earlier books (such as Whitbread-nominee Bleeding London), unraveling a complex, subtle story with equally intricate and modulated characters. This restraint, which artfully leads the reader to the poignant yet satisfying denouement, gives the novel special appeal.&” —Publishers Weekly &“With his two protagonists, Nicholson has created believably flawed human beings, and if they sometimes come off as mouthpieces for architectural theory, it is a forgivable sin in an otherwise enjoyable novel.&” —Booklist