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Mutiny or Murder?: The Bloodsoaked Voyage of the Chapman Convict Ship
by Conor ReidyOn 15 March 1817 the convict ship the Chapman departed from Cork with 200 male prisoners on board. When it dropped anchor off Sydney Cove four months later, its prison doors opened to reveal 160 gaunt and brutalised men. Twelve were dead and twenty-eight lay wounded in the hospital below deck. As officials pieced together the horrors of the voyage many questions arose. Why did Michael Collins claim that his fellow convicts conspired to take the ship? Why was Captain Drake unable to rein in the violent and sadistic Third Mate Baxter? Was there really an attempted mutiny on the Chapman? Or was this cold-blooded murder? Using daily journals from the crew, detailed testimony from several convicts and official colonial government correspondence, this book unravels what happened during those four months at sea. Tarnished by intrigue, suspicion and mutual hatred, this is the story of one of the darkest episodes in the history of penal transportation between Ireland and Australia.
Valour: The History of the Gurkhas
by E D SmithSince the short and bloody war between Nepal and Britain in 1814-15, Gurkha volunteers, ever mindful of the their motto, 'It is better to die than be a coward', have fought and died for Britain, including in recent years in the Falklands, Afghanistan and Iraq. In the Second World War an astonishing quarter of a million Gurkhas fought aginst Germany and Japan. They have been awarded thirteen Victoria Crosses. Includes detailed appendices include all regimental changes and battle honours.
A Derby Boy
by Anton RipponAnton Rippon is a Derby boy through and through. He was born just before Christmas 1944, his entrance into the world hastened after his mother fell over a milk churn in the blackout. At the time of his birth, just down the road a Derby Corporation bus driver was recapturing an escaped German prisoner of war. Despite his dramatic entrance into Derby life, Anton survived to become one of the city's best-known writers and personalities with a string of books to his name and a popular weekly column in 'The Derby Evening Telegraph'. 'A Derby Boy' is a collection of Anton's reminiscences of childhood, teenage years and his introduction to the bustling world of work. Nostalgia abounds with tales of family, schooldays, trips to theatres and cinemas, shops and streets, pubs and clubs, sporting life and national events. These memories are recalled with humour and are sure to strike a chord with a great many Derbeians. Tales of mad butchers to dodgy coalmen, eccentric schoolteachers and odd publicans, illegal gambling and irate undertakers combine with his family's often tragic story to open up a new perpective on life in Derby over four generations.
Native Nations: A Millennium in North America
by Kathleen DuValPULITZER PRIZE WINNER • &“A magisterial overview of a thousand years of Native American history&” (The New York Review of Books), from the rise of ancient cities more than a thousand years ago to fights for sovereignty that continue todayWINNER OF THE BANCROFT PRIZE, THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE, AND THE MARK LYNTON HISTORY PRIZE Long before the colonization of North America, Indigenous Americans built diverse civilizations and adapted to a changing world in ways that reverberated globally. And, as award-winning historian Kathleen DuVal vividly recounts, when Europeans did arrive, no civilization came to a halt because of a few wandering explorers, even when the strangers came well armed.A millennium ago, North American cities rivaled urban centers around the world in size. Then, following a period of climate change and instability, numerous smaller nations emerged, moving away from rather than toward urbanization. From this urban past, egalitarian government structures, diplomacy, and complex economies spread across North America. So, when Europeans showed up in the sixteenth century, they encountered societies they did not understand—those having developed differently from their own—and whose power they often underestimated.For centuries afterward, Indigenous people maintained an upper hand and used Europeans in pursuit of their own interests. In Native Nations, we see how Mohawks closely controlled trade with the Dutch—and influenced global markets—and how Quapaws manipulated French colonists. Power dynamics shifted after the American Revolution, but Indigenous people continued to command much of the continent&’s land and resources. Shawnee brothers Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa forged new alliances and encouraged a controversial new definition of Native identity to attempt to wall off U.S. ambitions. The Cherokees created institutions to assert their sovereignty on the global stage, and the Kiowas used their power in the west to regulate the passage of white settlers across their territory.In this important addition to the growing tradition of North American history centered on Indigenous nations, Kathleen DuVal shows how the definitions of power and means of exerting it shifted over time, but the sovereignty and influence of Native peoples remained a constant—and will continue far into the future.&“An essential American history&”—The Wall Street Journal
The Da Vinci Code: Featuring Robert Langdon (Robert Langdon #2)
by Dan BrownTHE #1 WORLDWIDE BESTSELLING PHENOMENON, WITH MORE THAN 85 MILLION COPIES SOLD&“Blockbuster perfection . . . a gleefully erudite suspense novel.&” —The New York Times&“A pulse-quickening, brain-teasing adventure.&” —PeopleWhile in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.Even more startling, the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion, a secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, and he guarded a breathtaking historical secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle—while avoiding the faceless adversary who shadows their every move—the explosive, ancient truth will be lost forever.Robert Langdon returns in The Lost Symbol, Inferno, Origin, and The Secret of Secrets (coming soon)!
James (Pulitzer Prize Winner): A Novel
by Percival EverettPULITZER PRIZE WINNER • #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER • A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and darkly humorous, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW'S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE • KIRKUS PRIZE WINNER • A LOS ANGELES TIMES BEST FICTION BOOK OF THE LAST 30 YEARS In development as a feature film to be produced by Steven Spielberg • A Best Book of the Year: The New York Times Book Review, LA Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Economist, TIME, and more. "Genius"—The Atlantic • "A masterpiece that will help redefine one of the classics of American literature, while also being a major achievement on its own."—Chicago Tribune • "A provocative, enlightening literary work of art."—The Boston Globe • "Everett&’s most thrilling novel, but also his most soulful."—The New York TimesWhen Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond. Brimming with the electrifying humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a literary icon, this brilliant and tender novel radically illuminates Jim&’s agency, intelligence, and compassion as never before. James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.
Journey of Awakening: A Meditator's Guidebook
by Ram DassFind the practice that&’s right for you with this exploration of the many paths of meditation—from mantra, prayer, singing, visualizations, and &“just sitting&” to movement meditations such as tai chi &“Everyone has experienced a moment of pure awareness. A moment without thinking &‘I am aware&’ or &‘that is a tree.&’ Such moments bring a sense of rightness, of clarity, of being at one. Such moments are the essence of meditation.&”—Ram Dass Ram Dass is an American psychologist and spiritual teacher who has studied and practiced meditation for many years. Here he shares his understanding and suggests how you can find methods suitable for you. He illuminates the stages and benefits of meditative practice, and provides wise and often humorous advice on overcoming difficulties along the way.
The Wealth of Shadows: A Novel
by Graham MooreNATIONAL BESTSELLER • &“A thriller of a different kind—with an unlikely band of economists and bureaucrats working in the shadows to save the world.&”—Charles Frazier, New York Times bestselling author of Cold MountainAn ordinary man joins a secret mission to bring down the Nazi war machine by crashing their economy in this thrilling novel based on a true story, from the Academy Award–winning screenwriter of The Imitation Game and bestselling author of The Last Days of Night.1939. Ansel Luxford has everything a person could want—a comfortable career, a brilliant spouse, a beautiful new baby. But he is obsessed by a belief that Europe is on the precipice of a war that will grow to consume the world. The United States is officially proclaiming neutrality in any foreign conflict, but when Ansel is offered an opportunity to move to Washington, D.C., to join a clandestine project within the Treasury Department that is working to undermine Nazi Germany, he uproots his family overnight and takes on the challenge of a lifetime.How can they defeat the enemy without firing a bullet?To thwart the Nazis, Ansel and his team invent a powerful new theater of battle: economic warfare. Money is a dangerous weapon, and Ansel&’s efforts will plunge him into a world full of peril and deceit. He will crisscross the globe to broker backroom deals, undertake daring heists, and spar with titans of industry like J.P. Morgan and the century&’s greatest economic mind, Britain&’s John Maynard Keynes. When Ansel&’s wife takes a job with the FBI to hunt for spies within the government, the need for subterfuge extends to the home front. And Ansel discovers that he might be closer to those spies than he could ever imagine.The Wealth of Shadows is a mind-expanding historical novel about the mysterious powers of money, the lies worth telling to defeat evil, and a hidden war that shaped the modern world.
Every Living Thing: The Great and Deadly Race to Know All Life
by Jason RobertsWINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • An epic, extraordinary account of scientific rivalry and obsession in the quest to survey all of life on Earth—a competition &“with continued repercussions for Western views of race. [This] vivid double biography is a passionate corrective&” (The New York Times Book Review, Editors&’ Choice).&“[A] vibrant scientific saga . . . at once important, outrageous, enlightening, entertaining, enduring, and still evolving.&”—Dava Sobel, author of LongitudeFINALIST FOR THE PEN/E.O. WILSON LITERARY SCIENCE WRITING AWARD • A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEARIn the eighteenth century, two men—exact contemporaries and polar opposites—dedicated their lives to the same daunting task: identifying and describing all life on Earth. Carl Linnaeus, a pious Swedish doctor with a huckster&’s flair, believed that life belonged in tidy, static categories. Georges-Louis de Buffon, an aristocratic polymath and keeper of France&’s royal garden, viewed life as a dynamic swirl of complexities. Each began his task believing it to be difficult but not impossible: How could the planet possibly hold more than a few thousand species—or as many could fit on Noah&’s Ark?Both fell far short of their goal, but in the process they articulated starkly divergent views on nature, the future of the Earth, and humanity itself. Linnaeus gave the world such concepts as mammal, primate, and Homo sapiens, but he also denied that species change and he promulgated racist pseudoscience. Buffon formulated early prototypes of evolution and genetics, warned of global climate change, and argued passionately against prejudice. The clash of their conflicting worldviews continued well after their deaths, as their successors contended for dominance in the emerging science that came to be called biology.In Every Living Thing, Jason Roberts weaves a sweeping, unforgettable narrative spell, exploring the intertwined lives and legacies of Linnaeus and Buffon—as well as the groundbreaking, often fatal adventures of their acolytes—to trace an arc of insight and discovery that extends across three centuries into the present day.
The Song That Called Them Home
by David A. RobertsonFrom the award-winning author of On the Trapline comes a cinematic fantasy-adventure story inspired by Indigenous legends.One summer day, Lauren and her little brother, James, go on a trip to the land with their Moshom (grandfather). After they've arrived, the children decide to fish for dinner while Moshom naps. They are in their canoe in the middle of the lake when the water around them begins to swirl and crash. They are thrown overboard and when Lauren surfaces she sees her brother being pulled away by the Memekwesewak — creatures who live in and around water and like to interfere with humans. Lauren must follow the Memekwesewak through a portal and along a watery path to find and bring back James. But when she finally comes upon her brother, she too feels the lure of the Memekwesewak&’s song. Something even stronger must pull them back home.
Carole Lombard: Twentieth-Century Star
by Michelle Morgan‘An entertaining and lucid biography’ We Are Cult?CAROLE LOMBARD was the very opposite of the typical 1930s starlet. A no-nonsense woman, she worked hard, took no prisoners and had a great passion for life. As a result, she became Hollywood’s highest-paid star. From the outside, Carole’s life was one of great glamour and fun, yet privately she endured much heartache. As a child, she was moved across the country, away from her beloved father. She then began a film career, only to have it cut short after a devastating car accident. After she picked herself back up, she was rocked by the accidental shooting of her lover; a failed marriage to actor William Powell; and the sorrow of infertility during her marriage to Hollywood’s King, Clark Gable.
Folklore of Cornwall
by Tony Deane Tony ShawStanding alone at the bottom tip of England and despite the enormous influx of tourists it receives each year, Cornwall boasts many unique traditions. This volume touches on the wide variety of legends, songs and stories and their relationship with the rugged landscape: from standing stones and tales of sea-monsters and mermaids to ghosts, fairies and giants. The book looks at pagan ceremonies and old traditions, and the very Cornish love of singing. It further discusses the Cornish tongue, and the old language of Cornwall. And, of course, no study of Cornwall would be complete without some consideration of King Arthur and his legacy upon the folklore of the county.
Buddhist Folk Tales
by Kevin WalkerBuddhist Folk Tales is a wonderful collection of ancient and modern stories from the Buddhist tradition. From short, snappy tales to longer narratives, they will entertain and tantalise the emotions. Laugh, sigh and cry at stories about previous lives, why the Monkey King wanted to be Master of the Universe, the grimace that comes with the phrase ‘out of the mouths of babes’, and ever-endearing mother love.This is a book to treasure, and read time and again.
LEGO Minecraft Ideas para construir: Incluye un modelo LEGO Exclusivo
by Julia March¡Pasa al siguiente nivel y lleva a cabo tus construcciones LEGO® Minecraft como un experto con más de 50 ideas de construcción!Level up your LEGO Minecraft builds with more than 50 byte-size building ideas!¡Pasa al siguiente nivel y lleva a cabo tus construcciones LEGO® Minecraft como un experto con más de 50 ideas de construcción!¡LEGO® y Minecraft son la combinación perfecta para futuros constructores, creadores e inventores! Este libro te muestra cómo utilizar tu colección de ladrillos LEGO® para darle vida a tus construcciones favoritas de Minecraft.Inspírate para diseñar una guarida, crear un castillo o hacer una casa en el árbol con más de 50 ideas increíbles. Desafía a familiares y amigos a emocionantes juegos que combinan lo mejor de Minecraft y la construcción con LEGO®.©2025 Mojang AB.©2025 The LEGO Group.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Level up your LEGO Minecraft builds with more than 50 byte-size building ideas!LEGO and Minecraft are the perfect match for budding builders, creators, and inventors. This book shows readers how to use their LEGO brick collection to bring their Minecraft builds to life. Be inspired to design a den, create a castle, make a treehouse, and much more with over 50 amazing ideas. Challenge family and friends to exciting games that combine the best bits of Minecraft and LEGO building.© 2023 Mojang AB.©2023 The LEGO Group.
Ganit Prakash (Mathematics) class 9 - West Bengal Board গণিত প্রকাশ নবম শ্রেণি
by West Bengal Board of Secondary Educationগণিত প্রকাশ পশ্চিমবঙ্গ মধ্যশিক্ষা পর্ষদ দ্বারা নবম শ্রেণির শিক্ষার্থীদের জন্য প্রণীত একটি গণিত পাঠ্যপুস্তক, যা জাতীয় পাঠক্রম রূপরেখা ২০০৫ ও শিক্ষা অধিকার আইন ২০০৯-এর আলোকে রচিত। পশ্চিমবঙ্গ সরকারের গঠিত বিশেষজ্ঞ কমিটির তত্ত্বাবধানে তৈরি এই বইটি পাটীগণিত, বীজগণিত ও জ্যামিতির মৌলিক ধারণাগুলি সহজ ভাষায় ব্যাখ্যা করে, যাতে শিক্ষার্থীরা বাস্তব জীবনের সমস্যার সমাধানে গণিতকে কার্যকরভাবে ব্যবহার করতে পারে। গণিতকে একটি ভাষা হিসেবে বিবেচনা করে, সমস্যা বিশ্লেষণ ও সূত্র প্রয়োগে দক্ষতা অর্জনের উপর গুরুত্ব দেওয়া হয়েছে। এই বইটি কেবলমাত্র সরকারি ও সরকার-পোষিত বিদ্যালয়ের ছাত্রছাত্রীদের জন্য নিখরচায় বিতরণের উদ্দেশ্যে প্রকাশিত হয়েছে। শিক্ষাবিদ, অভিজ্ঞ শিক্ষক ও শিল্পীদের সম্মিলিত প্রচেষ্টায় প্রস্তুতকৃত এই গ্রন্থটি গণিত শিক্ষাকে আরও আকর্ষণীয় ও বোধগম্য করে তুলতে সাহায্য করবে বলে প্রত্যাশা করা হচ্ছে।
Beach Vibes: A Beach Read Romance Novel
by Susan MalleryFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery comes an unforgettable beach read about love, secrets, betrayal and the family we&’re born into—and the one we choose for ourselves, perfect for fans of Emily Giffin and Mary Kay Andrews.What would you do if you caught your brother cheating on your best friend? While Beth is proud of her Malibu beach shop, Surf Sandwiches, she's even prouder of her charismatic brother Rick, who rose from foster care through surgical residency. She makes subs, he saves lives. Life takes a turn for the happy after she finds out Rick is dating her new best friend, Jana. Then Jana&’s handsome brother adds even more sparkle to Beth&’s days...and nights.But when she catches Rick with another woman—like, with-with—her visions of an idyllic family future disappear in one awful instant. Either she betrays her brother, or she keeps his secret and risks losing the man she loves and her best friend.Love and loyalty collide with secrets and betrayal in this witty and emotional tale about the lengths we&’ll go to for family, from Susan Mallery, New York Times bestselling author of The Boardwalk Bookshop.Discover more heartwarming tales by Susan Mallery: One Big Happy Family The Summer Book Club The Happiness Plan Home Sweet Christmas The Boardwalk Bookshop
The Blackburn Rovers Miscellany
by Harry BerryThe Blackburn Rovers Miscellany is a gem of a book, packed with facts, stats, trivia, stories and legend. This is the ultimate book of trivia on the club and a treasure trove of information that you can dip in and out of at your leisure. It’s book that will make you smile, laugh out loud, sigh and reflect on the good times and the bad. Written by lifelong fan Harry Berry, this is a book no self-respecting Rovers fan should be without.
Ancient Legends Retold: The Legend of Vortigern (Ancient Legends Retold)
by Simon Heywood Fiona Collins'My name is Vortigern ... ' Generations before Arthur's birth, a British warlord looks back on his life: his rise from humble roots to shake the thrones of a dying empire; his stand against chaos amid the aftermath of Rome; his struggle with the greedy, embittered princes of church and kingdom; his loves and his losses, and his last encounter with his own mysterious destiny, on a mountain where the world we know is beginning to take shape before his eyes. Vortigern's voice speaks from the heart of a forgotten darkness, telling a story of courage and cowardice, glory and crime, tragedy and treason.
Revealing King Arthur: Swords, Stones and Digging for Camelot
by Christopher GidlowArthur: mythical hero, legendary king. But was he, as the legends claimed, an actual Dark-Age Briton? From Glastonbury and Tintagel to the supposed sites of Arthur's Camelot and his famous battles, this book investigates how archaeologists have interpreted the evidence. Might new discoveries and the latest theories finally reveal the real King Arthur? For 800 years the controversy over Arthur's existence has ebbed and flowed. Rusty swords, imposing ruins, the Round Table, even Arthur's body itself were offered as proof that he had once reigned over Britain. The quest was revived by the scientific archaeologists of the 1960s. Just as Greek legends had led to the discovery of Troy, so might the romances lead to Camelot. This optimism did not last. Sceptics poured scorn on the obscure manuscripts and strong imagination on which the questers relied. For 30 years academics closed ranks against King Arthur. The discovery at Tintagel of a mysterious slate, inscribed with names from the Arthurian legends, shook this scepticism to its roots. Was it a clue at last? This book argues that it is time to reassess the possibility of a real King Arthur and acknowledge the importance his legends still hold for us today.
Samuel Pepys and the Strange Wrecking of the Gloucester: A True Restoration Tragedy
by Nigel PickfordIn 1682, Charles II invited his scandalous younger brother, James, Duke of York, to return from exile and take his rightful place as heir to the throne. To celebrate, the future king set sail in a fleet of eight ships destined for Edinburgh, where he would reunite with his young pregnant wife. Yet disaster struck en route, somewhere off the Norfolk coast. The royal frigate carrying James and his entourage sank, causing some two hundred sailors and courtiers to perish.The diarist Samuel Pepys had been asked to sail with James but refused the invitation, preferring to travel in one of the other ships. Why? What did he know that others did not?Religious and political tensions were rife in the years leading up to the wreck of the Gloucester. James was a Catholic, as was his wife, and there was a large constituency who wished them dead. Plots and conspiracies abounded. The Royal Navy was itself in disarray, badly equipped and poorly organised. Could someone on board be to blame for the sinking, either from malice or incompetence?Nigel Pickford’s compelling account of the catastrophe draws on a richness of historical material including letters, diaries and ships’ logs, revealing for the first time the full drama and tragic consequences of a shipwreck that shook Restoration Britain.
Architectural Graphic Standards: Student Edition (Ramsey/Sleeper Architectural Graphic Standards Series #25)
by American Institute of Architects Keith E. HedgesARCHITECTURAL GRAPHIC STANDARDS THE LANDMARK UPDATE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZED STUDENT RESOURCE IN ARCHITECTURE The Student Edition of the iconic Architectural Graphic Standards has been a rite of passage for architecture, building, and engineering students for more than eighty years. Thoughtfully distilled from the Twelfth Edition of Architectural Graphic Standards and reorganized to meet the specific needs of today’s students, this fully updated Student Edition shows you how to take a design idea through the entire planning and documentation process. This potent resource stays with you through your academic experience and into your first years as a professional with thousands of useful illustrations and hundreds of architectural elements conveniently placed at your fingertips. Presented in a format closely resembling an architect’s actual workflow, this Twelfth Edition student handbook features: Completely new material on resiliency in buildings A versatile treatment written for the design studio setting and aligned with the most current curricular trends, including new and updated coverage on topics related to sustainability, digital fabrication, and building information modeling (BIM) A proven pedagogy that saves students time and ensures young professionals avoid the most common pitfalls Develop a state-of-the-art mastery of design best practices with Architectural Graphic Standards, Twelfth Edition, Student Edition.
Big in Sweden: A Novel
by Sally Franson“Sally Franson is a world class entertainer. She can finesse a serio-comic moment in a way that leaves you catching your breath. Deft and delicious, this book is a flat out delight machine. A heart opener, a page turner, and a true ‘originell!' I laughed out loud, I ugly cried, and I never, ever wanted it to end." -- Meg Ryan, actor, writer, directorA charming, wise, and laugh-out-loud funny novel following an American woman competing on a Swedish reality show in an attempt to discover her roots. Paulie Johansson has never put much stock in the idea of family: she has her long-term boyfriend Declan and beloved best friend Jemma, and that’s more than enough for her. Yet one night on a lark, she lets Jemma convince her to audition for Sverige och Mig, a show on Swedish television where Swedish-Americans compete to win the ultimate prize: a reunion with their Swedish relatives. Much to her shock, her drunken submission video wins her a spot on the show, and against Declan’s advice Paulie decides to go for it.Armed with her Polaroid camera, a beat-up copy of Pippi Longstocking, and an unquenchable sense of possibility, Paulie hops on a plane to Sweden and launches into the contest with seven other Americans, all under the watchful eye of a camera crew. At first, Paulie is certain that she and her competitors have nothing in common besides their passports and views their bloodthirsty ambitions with suspicion. Yet amid the increasingly absurd challenges—rowing from Denmark to Sweden in the freezing rain, battling through obstacle courses, competing in a pickled herring eating contest—Paulie finds herself rethinking her snap judgments about her fellow countrymen, while her growing attachment to her Swedish roots increases her resolve to win the competition herself.Grappling with long-held notions of family, friendship, and love—not to mention her feelings for the distractingly handsome Swedish cameraman who’s been assigned to follow her around—Paulie starts to reconsider her past and rethink what she wants for the future. A fish-out-of-water tale filled with warmth, optimism, and wit, Big in Sweden is at its heart a love story: love for family, friends, country, and—most importantly—oneself. "If you devoured Pippi Longstocking as a kid, you will not be able to turn away from Big in Sweden. Reading this hilarious, heartfelt book was even more fun than watching reality television. I absolutely loved it!" — Jessica Anya Blau, author of Mary Jane
Scottish History: Strange But True
by John and Noreen HamiltonThis book contains hundreds of ‘strange but true’ stories about Scottish history. Arranged into a miniature history of Scotland, and with bizarre and hilarious true tales for every era, it will delight anyone with an interest in Scotland’s past.
The Lords of Folly: A Novel
by Gene LogsdonVeteran nature writer Gene Logsdon debuts a brilliantly comic novel set in rural Minnesota in the 1950s. The novel, inspired by the author's ten years studying in vain for the preisthood, follows the sometimes hilarious, sometimes tragic lives of a group of seminarians who realize they no longer believe the theology they are being taught, nor in the celibate life they are supposed to be leading. They resolve their problems in highly unusual ways, some tragicvally, some happily. Along the way readers encounter a rogue's gallery of colorful and eccentric characters. In the mix there is stuff about organic farming, alcohol distillation, cowboy philososphy, baseball and alternative medicine. This is a truly original work, and it is sure to be controversial.
The Young Visiters
by Daisy Ashford Julia Anderson-Miller Walter KendrickThis, "the greatest novel written by a nine-year-old, " had been in print in Britain since the '20s, but had been out of print in the U.S. for 35 years. It has two hilarious themes: love and social climbing.