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The Girl That He Marries: A Novel
by Rhoda LermanThe novel that Gloria Steinem called &“the feminist Jekyll-and-Hyde of our time―and we recognize the monster in ourselves while we&’re laughing.&” Outrageous and outrageously funny, The Girl That He Marries is the story of Stephanie―nearly thirty and still single, a bright and attractive young woman with an unerring instinct for unmarriageable men and a nagging fear she&’s going to grow old alone. Enter Richard: urbane, ambitious, and eminently marriageable. The adored son of an adoring mother, Richard has been adroitly manipulating people all his life. He&’s especially adroit at the game of love. Before she knows it, Stephanie is hooked on Richard. But before Richard knows it, Stephanie has figured out the rules―and very soon is beating him at his own artful game. In the process, she twists herself into the girl he would marry―and becomes a very different woman. The trouble is, as Stephanie finds out too late, when you play the mating game, you risk getting stuck with the prize. &“[A] hilarious romance a la Kafka.&” —The New York Times Book Review
3001: The Final Odyssey (Space Odyssey Series #4)
by Arthur C. ClarkeThe mysteries of the monoliths are revealed in this inspired conclusion to the Hugo Award–winning Space Odyssey series—&“there are marvels aplenty&” (The New York Times). On an ill-fated mission to Jupiter in 2001, the mutinous supercomputer HAL sent crewmembers David Bowman and Frank Poole into the frozen void of space. Bowman&’s strange transformation into a Star Child is traced through the novels 2010 and 2061. But now, a thousand years after his death, Frank Poole is brought back to life—and thrust into a world far more technically advanced than the one he left behind. Poole discovers a world of human minds interfacing directly with computers, genetically engineered dinosaur servants, and massive space elevators built around the equator. He also discovers an impending threat to humanity lurking within the enigmatic monoliths. To fight it, Poole must join forces with Bowman and HAL, now fused into one corporeal consciousness—and the only being with the power to thwart the monoliths&’ mysterious creators. &“3001 is not just a page-turner, plugged in to the great icons of HAL and the monoliths, but a book of wisdom too, pithy and provocative.&” —New Scientist
Being Brains: Making the Cerebral Subject (Forms Of Living Ser.)
by Fernando Vidal Francisco OrtegaThis &“interesting, informative, and provocative book&” explores the pervasive influence of neuroscience and &“the view that we are essentially our brains&” (History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences). Being Brains offers a critical exploration of neurocentrism, the belief that &“we are our brains,&” which came to prominence in the 1990s. Encouraged by advances in neuroimaging, the humanities and social sciences have gravitated toward the brain as well, developing neuro-subspecialties in fields such as anthropology, aesthetics, education, history, law, sociology, and theology. Even in the business world, dubious enterprises such as &“neuromarketing&” and &“neurobics&” have emerged to take advantage of the heightened sensitivity to all things neuro. While neither hegemonic nor monolithic, the neurocentric view embodies a powerful ideology that is at the heart of some of today&’s most important philosophical, ethical, scientific, and political debates. Being Brains examines the internal logic of this new ideology, as well as its genealogy and its main contemporary incarnations. Being Brains was chosen as the 2018 Outstanding Book in the History of the Neurosciences by the International Society for the History of the Neurosciences.
Arrival of Eagles: Luftwaffe Landings in Britain 1939–1945
by Andy SaundersA fascinating look at German planes that wound up in British territory during World War II, with photos. During the Second World War, a great many Luftwaffe aircraft arrived in the United Kingdom or its coastal waters, but, as with the famous flight of Rudolf Hess, not all of them through &“conventional&” combat circumstances. Some got lost; others were brought by defectors; some were lured through electronic countermeasures by the RAF; and others were brought down in unusual circumstances. However they arrived, all manner of types appeared—He 111, Go 145, Me 110, Ju 88, Me 109 F and G, Fw 190, Do 217—and all were of great interest to the RAF. In some cases, aircraft were repaired and test flown, betraying vital and invaluable information. In Arrival of Eagles, an author of numerous books on military aviation examines a selection of such intriguing cases and draws upon his own research, interviews, official reports, and eyewitness accounts to bring alive these truly unusual accounts, all richly illustrated with photographs.
Constance: A Novel
by Rosie ThomasFrom the &“intrepid, challenge-taking writer&” of The Kashmir Shawl &“comes this story of sisterly rifts and betrayal&” (Good Housekeeping). &“Introspective and descriptive writing carry along . . . Thomas&’ examination of a woman searching for her place in the world. Music writer Constance Thorne is living a seemingly idyllic life in Bali. But paradise can&’t completely insulate her from the world. She is called back to London to be with her dying sister, Jeanette, a journey that is challenging in many ways. Years before, Constance fell in love with her sister&’s husband and ended up not only heartbroken but also estranged from the family. Because she was a foundling and raised by adoptive parents, the rejection hit her very hard. Her solution—to flee to Bali—has anchored her until now. Following Constance from lush Bali back to noisy London, the story line also meanders around Jeanette&’s son, Noah, and his girlfriend, Roxana, who is from Uzbekistan and does her own soul-searching.&” —Booklist &“A terrific book, beautifully written . . . Questions about identity, belonging, infidelity, dying and forgiveness make this a very moving study of the human heart.&” —Australian Women&’s Weekly &“Heart-rending and beautifully written . . . You can&’t fail to be moved.&” —Daily Express &“Prepare to be dazzled . . . An epic tale of sisterhood and betrayal.&” —Company &“Thomas&’ second novel maps out a resonating, touching story that most readers are unlikely to forget . . . An addictive, well-written masterpiece featuring lovely and original characters.&” —Romantic Times
Young Neil: The Sugar Mountain Years
by Sharry Wilson&“A supremely compelling chronicle&” of Neil Young&’s early life (Rolling Stone). Covering the years from 1945 to 1966, this book documents the childhood and teenage life of Canadian musician and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Neil Young. From his birth in Toronto through his school years in Florida, Ontario, and Manitoba, the book examines the development of Young&’s unique talent against a backdrop of shifting postwar values, a turbulent family history, and a musical revolution in the making—and includes many previously unseen photos and set lists. &“Not only takes us on Neil&’s voyage but also uncovers life in the 40&’s, 50&’s, and 60&’s in Ontario and Manitoba . . . Wonderful.&” —Bernie Finkelstein, author of True North: A Life In the Music Business &“Having covered Neil Young for a good portion of his career, I thought I knew everything there was to know about the man and his music. I was wrong. Sharry Wilson&’s book, marked by enormous depth of study and research, opens windows into Young&’s early life and creative development I never knew existed.&” —Dave Zimmer, author, Crosby, Stills & Nash: The Biography
Churchill: A Life
by Martin Gilbert&“A richly textured and deeply moving portrait of greatness&” (Los Angeles Times). In this masterful book, prize-winning historian and authorized Churchill biographer Martin Gilbert weaves together the research from his eight-volume biography of the elder statesman into one single volume, and includes new information unavailable at the time of the original work&’s publication. Spanning Churchill&’s youth, education, and early military career, his journalistic work, and the arc of his political leadership, Churchill: A Life details the great man&’s indelible contribution to Britain&’s foreign policy and internal social reform. With eyewitness accounts and interviews with Churchill&’s contemporaries, including friends, family members, and career adversaries, it provides a revealing picture of the personal life, character, ambition, and drive of one of the world&’s most remarkable leaders. &“A full and rounded examination of Churchill&’s life, both in its personal and political aspects . . . Gilbert describes the painful decade of Churchill&’s political exile (1929–1939) and shows how it strengthened him and prepared him for his role in the &‘hour of supreme crisis&’ as Britain&’s wartime leader. A lucid, comprehensive and authoritative life of the man considered by many to have been the outstanding public figure of the 20th century.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Mr. Gilbert&’s job was to bring alive before his readers a man of extraordinary genius and scarcely less extraordinary destiny. He has done so triumphantly.&” —The New York Times Book Review
The Last Weynfeldt
by Martin Suter&“A sophisticated and urbane novel with a swanky, dapper European setting that is as much Poe and Chandler as Hitchcock and Truffaut . . . A page-turner&” (André Aciman, New York Times–bestselling author of Call Me by Your Name). Adrian Weynfeldt is an art expert in an international auction house, a bachelor in his mid-fifties living in a grand Zurich apartment filled with costly paintings and antiques. Always correct and well-mannered, he&’s given up on love until one night—entirely out of character for him—Weynfeldt decides to take home a ravishing but unaccountable young woman. The next morning, he finds her outside on his balcony threatening to jump. Weynfeldt talks her down and soon finds himself falling for this damaged but alluring beauty and his buttoned-up existence comes unraveled. As their two lives become entangled, Weynfeldt gets embroiled in an art forgery scheme that threatens to destroy everything he and his prominent family have stood for. This refined page-turner moves behind elegant bourgeois façades into darker recesses of the heart. &“Suter . . . leavens the sensationalism of crime fiction with psychological insight and melancholy . . . Comfort food for readers who crave memorable characters, romance, and touching, drawn-from-life scenes.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Swift, edgy . . . What distinguishes this work is the air of slightly faded existential elegance, which sets off the modern setting splendidly . . . Great for sophisticated suspense fans.&” —Library Journal (starred review) &“Set in the midst of that vibrant and bizarre organism known as the art world. A captivating read about a memorable protagonist.&” —Noah Charney, author of The Museum of Lost Art
Sticking It Out: From Juilliard to the Orchestra Pit: A Percussionists's Memoir
by Patti Niemi&“By turns reflective and dramatic, poignant and hilarious, Sticking It Out offers an irresistible portrait of the artist as a young percussionist&” (San Francisco Chronicle). When Patti Niemi was ten years old, all the children in her school music class lined up to choose their instruments. Boy after boy chose drums, and girl after girl chose flute—that is, until it was Patti&’s turn. From that point onward, Patti devoted her life to mastering the percussive arts. Cymbals, snare drum, marimba, timpani, chimes: she practiced them all, and in 1983, she entered Juilliard, the most prestigious music conservatory in in the world. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing New York City in the 1980s, Sticking It Out recounts Patti&’s years mastering her craft and struggling to make it in a cutthroat race to a coveted job in an orchestra. Along the way, she has to compete with friends, face her own crippling anxiety, and confront the delicate, and sometimes perilous, balance of power between teachers and their students. Bringing us inside a world that most of us never get to see, Patti&’s vivid memoir is &“an eye-opening tale of demanding teachers, grueling practice schedules, severe performance anxiety and bias against &‘girl drummers&’—a funny, poignant first-person account of the fierce commitment it takes to succeed in classical music&” (San Jose Mercury News). &“One of the funniest-ever classical-music books . . . and certainly among the best written.&” —The Philadelphia Inquirer &“A shattered-mirror insight into the bizarre world of hitting things with sticks.&” —Neil Peart, bestselling author, lyricist, and drummer for Rush
Beneath the Gated Sky (Veil of Stars #2)
by Robert ReedA novel featuring &“aliens of real depth and conviction . . . and an absorbing narrative&” from the Hugo Award–winning author of Beyond the Veil of Stars (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Porsche and Cornell fell in love as they infiltrated an alien world for the sake of humanity. But Porsche it turns out, is not human . . . Now the two return to Earth only to discover a conspiracy so deep that it casts doubt on those to whom they&’ve entrusted their lives, in this follow-up to the New York Times Notable Book Beyond the Veil of Stars—about which Publishers Weekly stated, &“This may be one of the best science-fiction novels of the year.&” &“A visionary writer.&” —David Brin, New York Times–bestselling author of Insistence of Vision
Next Life Might Be Kinder: A Novel
by Howard NormanThis haunting story of love and the aftermath of a murder is &“a complex literary novel and a page-turner that&’s impossible to put down&” (Minneapolis Star-Tribune). Sam Lattimore met Elizabeth Church in an art gallery in 1970s Halifax. But their brief, erotically charged marriage was extinguished with Elizabeth&’s murder. Since that traumatic loss, Sam&’s life has grown complicated. In a moment of desperate confusion, he sells his life story to a Norwegian filmmaker named Istvakson, known for the stylized violence of his films. Soon he comes to regret his decision, leading to an increasingly intense game of cat and mouse between the two men. Furthermore, Sam has begun &“seeing&” Elizabeth—not only seeing but holding conversations with her, almost every evening, and what at first seems simply hallucination born of terrible grief reveals itself, evening by evening, as something else entirely. Next Life Might Be Kinder is a &“riveting&” novel (The Washington Post) by a two-time National Book Award nominee, the acclaimed author of The Bird Artist and What Is Left the Daughter—and features &“an opening sentence worthy of the Noir Hall of Fame&” (The New York Times).
The Millionaire Mind (Millionaire Set #1)
by Dr. Thomas J. StanleyThe New York Times bestseller that gives &“readers with an entrepreneurial turn of mind . . . road maps on how millionaires found their niches&” (USA Today). The author of the blockbuster bestseller The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America&’s Wealthy shows how self-made millionaires have surmounted shortcomings such as average intelligence by carefully choosing their careers, taking calculated risks, and living balanced lifestyles while maintaining their integrity. Dr. Thomas J. Stanley also builds on his research from The Millionaire Next Door and takes us further into the psyche of the American millionaire. Stanley focuses in on the top one percent of households in America and tells us the motor behind the engine; what makes them tick. His findings on how these families reached such financial success are based on in-depth surveys and interviews with more than thirteen hundred millionaires. &“A very good book that deserves to be well read.&” —The Wall Street Journal &“Worth every cent . . . It&’s an inspiration for anyone who has ever been told that he wasn&’t smart enough or good enough.&” —Associated Press &“A high IQ isn&’t necessarily an indicator of financial success . . . Stanley tells us that the typical millionaire had an average GPA and frugal spending habits—but good interpersonal skills.&” —Entertainment Weekly &“Ideas bigger than the next buck.&” —Orlando Sentinel
Exceptional Clearance
by William J. CaunitzA bloodthirsty serial killer plans a series of Christmas murders as revenge against the NYPD Thelma Johnston holds her breath as she passes the dealers on the corner of St. Marks Avenue. She&’s been sober five years, but the temptation to relapse never goes away. She inhales deeply once she passes and finally arrives home, arms laden with Christmas presents for her two children. She&’s fumbling for her keys when a shape comes out of the darkness and presses her against the dark side of her stoop. Within seconds, she&’s dead. Thelma died just a few blocks from a precinct house, and while the cops could do nothing to save her, they&’ll try their best to avenge her. But when Lt. John Vinda realizes Thelma&’s death was part of a series of slayings, he knows he has to solve the case before the media catches on. It&’s Christmas in New York, and there&’s a killer on the prowl.
Growing Up Gronk: A Family's Story of Raising Champions
by The Gronkowski FamilyHuge boys, huge dreams, huge success—how one family from Buffalo put five boys on the track to realizing their athletic potential and making it &“big.&” &“The beauty of Growing Up Gronk is that you never really have to grow up at all. A fascinating look inside a larger-than-life football family.&” —Dan Shaughnessy, bestselling author of Francona: The Red Sox Years It is so statistically unlikely as to be almost unbelievable. Somehow, the Gronkowski family has produced three sons who play in the NFL (Rob, Chris, and Dan), one who was drafted into Major League Baseball (Gordie Jr.), and another who is the starting fullback for Kansas State (Goose). Their father, Gordy, even played college football for Syracuse. How did it happen? From an early age, Gordy realized the potential his sons had and worked with them to make the most of it. Beyond their monstrous size, physicality, and raw talent, he instilled in them a commitment to fitness, health, drive, and determination that would give his boys a leg up in ways other families simply couldn&’t match. And the boys&’ motivation certainly wasn&’t something solely triggered by a driven father. They were like a pack of adolescent wolves readying themselves for the recruiting hunt. Still, all were honor roll students; the three oldest earned college degrees. Each was motivated and inspired by his brothers. Competition and bragging rights were—and continue to be—a big part of what makes the Gronkowskis tick. Growing Up Gronk reveals the secrets to the Gronkowskis&’ astonishing collective success while opening the door to a lively, entertaining, one-of-a-kind household.
Good Is the New Cool Guide to Personal Purpose: Designing a Meaningful and Prosperous Career
by Bobby Jones Afdhel AzizHow to Supercharge Your Career with Purpose and Impact At a time when employee engagement has never been lower, the Good Is the New Cool Guide to Personal Purpose: Designing a Meaningful and Prosperous Career helps employees bring their full selves to work by helping them discover and use their personal Purpose to fuel their careers. This can lead to higher levels of physical, emotional, and mental health, as well as huge benefits to organizations in the form of higher levels of engagement, innovation, recruitment, and retention. This book explores the ground-breaking GPS to Purpose framework for finding Personal Purpose, helping readers pinpoint their Gifts, Passions, and how they can be of Service to others, and in the process drive business growth through solving social and environmental problems. With ideas applied at Fortune 500 companies like Adidas, PepsiCo, Microsoft, and others, this book discusses topics including: Explaining what Personal Purpose is in a clear and accessible way Unpacking the many mental, physical, and financial benefits of finding Purpose How to unleash your inner ‘Intrapreneur’ at work How to write an inspiring Living Vision for your life—and your work The Good Is the New Cool Guide to Personal Purpose earns a well-deserved spot on the bookshelves of all employees seeking to design a career that is both meaningful and successful—and help them drive growth in an entrepreneurial way through solving social and environmental problems.
101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions
by Ron FryUpdated for today&’s job market, the classic interview prep guide helps you say the right words and get the job you want. No matter how good you look, how much research you&’ve done, or how perfectly your qualifications match the job description, if you&’re not prepared with great answers to the toughest interview questions, you won&’t get the job. 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions is a manual that will help you home in on exactly what the interviewer is trying to learn . . . with each and every question he or she asks. If you&’ve never done well on interviews, never even been on a job interview, or just want to make sure a lousy interview doesn&’t cost you a job you really want, Ron Fry will help you get that job—as he has helped millions of people nationwide and throughout the world. This twenty-fifth anniversary edition of 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions is thoroughly updated to reflect the realities of today&’s job market. Whatever your age and experience, whether you are seeking your very first job or finally breaking into the executive office, this is the one book you need to get that job.
Blood Is Not Enough: Stories of Vampirism
by Gardner Dozois Joe Haldeman Harlan Ellison Tanith Lee Dan Simmons Pat Cadigan Fritz Leiber Jack Dann Edward Bryant Garry Kilworth Chet Williamson Steve Rasnic Tem Leonid Andreyev Gahan Wilson Harvey Jacobs Scott Baker S.N. Dyer Susan Casper&“An excellent collection&” of vampire stories, from authors such as Harlan Ellison, Dan Simmons, Gahan Wilson, Tanith Lee, and Fritz Leiber (Publishers Weekly). Renowned editor Ellen Datlow has gathered seventeen variations on vampirism ranging from classically Gothic to postmodern satire, from horrific to erotic. These stories reflect the evolution of vampire literature from Bram Stoker to Anne Rice and beyond, resulting in a deeper exploration of their inner lives. Expanding the concept of vampirism to include the draining of a person&’s will or life force, Datlow&’s collection transcends the traditional &“black capes and teeth marks on the neck&” to reinvent an eternally fascinating subgenre of horror. In Harlan Ellison&’s &“Try a Dull Knife,&” an empath stumbles bleeding into a nightclub, on the run from emotional vampires. A Broadway actress steals the emotions of her fellow performers in &“. . . To Feel Another&’s Woe&” by Chet Williamson. And in &“The Sea Was Wet as Wet Could Be,&” Gahan Wilson offers his own surreal twist on Lewis Carroll&’s &“The Walrus and the Carpenter,&” as two strangers on a beach lure intoxicated picnickers to a different kind of picnic . . . Blood Is Not Enough includes contributions by Dan Simmons, Gahan Wilson, Garry Kilworth, Harlan Ellison, Scott Baker, Leonid Andreyev, Harvey Jacobs, S. N. Dyer, Edward Bryant, Fritz Leiber, Tanith Lee, Susan Casper, Steve Rasnic Tem, Gardner Dozois and Jack Dann, Chet Williamson, Joe Haldeman, and Pat Cadigan.
Mesopotamia
by Arthur Nersesian&“Thoroughly entertaining, with an offbeat sense of humor . . . There&’s a solid mystery here, underneath the goofiness&” (Booklist). Things have not been going well for journalist Sandy Bloomgarten. Her job went down the drain and her marriage quickly followed. After a lengthy bender, she awakens one morning to the stark realization that she is flat broke. Nonetheless, she&’s still a crack reporter, and when a tabloid offers her a freelance assignment in Memphis—just a stone&’s throw from her childhood home in Mesopotamia, Tennessee—she takes it. Though sent there for one story, she winds up tracking down another: someone is killing Elvis impersonators who perform at the annual Sing-the-King festival. The few available clues lead her to several unlikely characters: a cheating local minister constantly on the make, a strange band of misfits who only cover Elvis tunes, and a small-town private eye who blew himself up along with his crystal meth lab. As Sandy&’s investigation closes, she realizes that she is sitting on what could be the story of the century. The only problem is she can never reveal what she has found . . . &“The immortal shadow of Elvis Presley gyrates wildly through this satiric exploration of America&’s fascination with tabloid journalism.&” —Publishers Weekly
Leaving India: My Family's Journey from Five Villages to Five Continents
by Minal HajratwalaThe PEN Award–winning chronicle of the Indian diaspora told through the stories of the author&’s own family. In this &“rich, entertaining and illuminating story,&” Minal Hajratwala mixes history, memoir, and reportage to explore the collisions of choice and history that led her family to emigrate from India (San Francisco Chronicle). &“Meticulously researched and evocatively written&” (The Washington Post), Leaving India looks for answers to the eternal questions that faced not only Hajratwala&’s own Indian family but all immigrants, everywhere: Where did we come from? Why did we leave? What did we give up and gain in the process? Beginning with her great-grandfather Motiram&’s original flight from British-occupied India to Fiji, where he rose from tailor to department store mogul, Hajratwala follows her ancestors across the twentieth-century to explain how they came to be spread across five continents and nine countries. As she delves into the relationship between personal choice and the great historical forces—British colonialism, apartheid, Gandhi&’s salt march, and American immigration policy—that helped shape her family&’s experiences, Hajratwala brings to light for the very first time the story of the Indian diaspora. A luminous narrative from &“a fine daughter of the continent, bringing insight, intelligence and compassion to the lives and sojourns of her far-flung kin,&” Leaving India offers a deeply intimate look at what it means to call more than one part of the world home (Alice Walker).
The English: A Portrait of a People
by Jeremy PaxmanThe acclaimed author of On Royalty explores the mysteries of English identity in this &“witty, argumentative book bursting with good things&” (The Daily Telegraph). A Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller Being English used to be easy. As the dominant culture in a country that dominated an empire that dominated the world, they had little need to examine themselves and ask who they were. But something has happened over the past century. A new self-confidence seems to have taken hold in Wales and Scotland, while others try to forge a new relationship with Europe. What exactly sets the English apart from their British compatriots? Is there such a thing as an English race? Renowned journalist and bestselling author Jeremy Paxman traces the invention of Englishness to its current crisis and concludes that, for all their characteristic gloom about themselves, the English may have developed a form of nationalism for the twenty-first century. &“Paxman&’s irrepressibly witty bit of Anglo scholarship offers stirring insights.&” —Vanity Fair
Pictures of Perfection (The Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries #15)
by Reginald HillIn this &“tour de force&” of a mystery, the British detectives investigate a disappearance in a deceptively idyllic Yorkshire village (San Diego Union-Tribune). 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. It&’s the Day of Reckoning in the village of Enscombe, a two-day celebration among locals to feast and to pay old debts. When Enscombe&’s constable vanishes, it&’s time for Dalziel and Pascoe to upend the party. At first they&’re confronted with what appear to be only niggling hiccups in the enclave: break-ins, a vicar with a lustful bent, and family feuds. But as Enscombe&’s past comes into focus, the investigators begin to see a bigger crack in the picture-perfect village. Now, in this season when misdeeds must not go unpunished, reckoning will indeed be paid. And it may already be too late for Dalziel and Pascoe to change the course of local history. Pictures of Perfection is the 15th book in the Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
Riding the Bus with My Sister: A True Life Journey
by Rachel SimonA &“heartwarming, life-affirming&” memoir of a relationship with an intellectually disabled sibling: &“Read this book. It might just change your life&” (Boston Herald). Beth is a spirited woman with an intellectual disability who lives intensely and often joyfully, and spends most of her days riding the buses in Pennsylvania. The drivers, a lively group, are her mentors; her fellow passengers, her community—though some display less patience or kindness than others. Her sister, Rachel, a teacher and writer, camouflages her emotional isolation by leading a hyperbusy life. But one day, Beth asks Rachel to accompany her on public transportation for an entire year—and Rachel accepts. This wise, funny, deeply affecting book is the chronicle of that remarkable time, as Rachel learns how to live in the moment, how to pay attention to what really matters, how to change, how to love—and how to slow down and enjoy the ride. Weaving in anecdotes and memories of terrifying maternal abandonment, fierce sisterly loyalty, and astonishing forgiveness, Rachel Simon brings to light a world that is almost invisible to many people, finds unlikely heroes in everyday life, and, without sentimentality, wrestles with her own limitations and portrays Beth as the endearing, feisty, independent person she is. &“With tenderness and fury, heartbreak and acceptance . . . Simon comes to the inescapable conclusion that we are all riders on the bus, and on the bus we are all the same.&” —Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean
Demons Don't Dream: Demons Don't Dream And Harpy Thyme (The Xanth Novels #16)
by Piers Anthony&“Series fans will find themselves right at home&” as a computer game draws two players into the illusion-, pun-, and dragon-filled land of Xanth (Kirkus Reviews). Sixteen-year-old Dug has yet to be impressed by a computer game, but that&’s before he gets hooked by Companions of Xanth—and the beguilingly beautiful princess-serpent he&’s chosen to guide him. Nada Naga has her work cut out for her keeping Dug&’s eyes on the magical prize . . . and off of her human form. Kim is no stranger to Xanth, which is why she chooses her favorite companion, Jenny Elf, to accompany her through its marvels—and dangers. Though Kim&’s hyper-enthusiasm is infectious, she doesn&’t really believe that Xanth is real, and it&’s up to Jenny to prove it. What the two players don&’t know is that there&’s more at stake than winning; the very existence of Xanth hangs in the balance. Demons may run the game, but there are voids to avoid, loan sharks to outswim, and Com Pewter—the most evil machine of all—to outwit. Not to mention that a companion may be just as willing to sabotage Dug and Kim as help them succeed . . . &“The legions of Xanth readers can rest assured that [Demons Don&’t Dream] contains plenty of the punningly named animals, vegetables, people and things (such as the Ice Queen Clone and the Censor-Ship) that have become the series&’ raison d&’etre.&” —Publishers Weekly
All or Nothing: A Novel
by Preston L. AllenA &“funny, relentless, haunting, and highly readable&” novel about one man&’s desperate gambling addiction (ForeWord Magazine). P is a school bus driver in Florida, and six month ago he won a hundred grand at the casino. What his wife and family don&’t realize is that the money is long gone. To keep them fooled—and feed his ongoing compulsion—he indulges in bigger and bigger bets, scrounging for cash anywhere he can. Finally, faced with the ultimate financial crisis, he hits it really big. Yet winning, he soon learns, is just the beginning of a deeper problem . . . &“Allen takes his place on a continuum that begins, perhaps, with Dostoyevsky&’s Gambler, courses through Malcolm Lowry&’s Under the Volcano, William S. Burroughs&’s Junky, [and] the collected works of Charles Bukowski and Hubert Selby Jr. . . . colorfully evokes the gambling milieu.&” —The New York Times Book Review &“This is strongly recommended and deserves a wide audience; an excellent choice for book discussion groups.&” —Library Journal
Song of the Tree Frogs: A Novel
by J. W. KitsonThis gripping, suspenseful novel of two brothers and their abusive father explores questions of faith and forgiveness. After a gruesome murder, Phillip must finally face Michael alone for the first time in several months. His greatest fear is whether he can find any forgiveness for the years he remained silent, allowing his younger brother to suffer at the hands of Tony, their sadistic father. Years before the killing, Tony accidentally discovered a letter written to his wife, proving that she had had a passionate relationship with someone named Samuel. Considering the humiliating possibility that Michael might not be his son, and consumed with rage, Tony's only ambition was to destroy the possible evidence of his wife&’s affair. Now Michael is nearly sixteen years old and in the hospital, barely alive. While sitting alone with his brother, Phillip is tormented by recurring memories he can&’t seem to escape—and just when he realizes the hopelessness of his life without Michael, Samuel, the man who wrote the letter to the boys&’ mother, arrives at the hospital. Samuel is confronted with the terrifying reality that he may have missed his only chance to meet the young man he suspects is his son, and refuses to abandon the boys to their barbaric life. Phillip and Michael have only known hatred in their lives, and Samuel and his wife want nothing more than to offer the brothers a chance to learn that love conquers all things—a reality Phillip must embrace if he is ever going to make peace with Michael, and himself, especially after the brutal death that changed everything.