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Running Ransom Road: Confronting the Past, One Marathon at a Time
by Caleb DaniloffOne man&’s chronicle of his road to recovery as he quits drinking, puts on sneakers, and sweats his way through sobriety. Caleb Daniloff never set out to be a marathoner. Then again, he never set out to be a drunk, either. But after years of sobriety, he puts on a pair of running shoes and starts down a path that will lead him to compete in marathons across the world on a journey of self-discovery. As he runs from Boston to Vermont to Moscow, Daniloff draws lessons from the road and confronts the most destructive period in his life, completing races in each of the cities where he once lived and wreaked havoc. With each step, Daniloff is forced to face his issues rather than maneuver around them. And as he moves forward, he connects with others who have also taken up running on their path to recovery. At once a memoir of addiction, healing, and pushing past your limitations, Running Ransom Road is ultimately the poignant story of one man&’s trek to a better life, one mile at a time—and &“his captivating narrative describes a journey of personal redemption that, fortunately for us, he is willing to share&” (Frank Shorter, Olympic marathon gold medalist). &“Running Ransom Road is Caleb Daniloff&’s unblinking, ultimately triumphant account of his journey from mean, hopeless drunk back to humanity and himself—through distance running. It&’s a searing tale of spiritual redemption—one marathon, one mile, one brave, difficult step at a time.&” —Steve Friedman, coauthor of New York Times bestseller Eat & Run and author of the memoir Lost on Treasure Island
Mistress of Modernism: The Life of Peggy Guggenheim
by Mary V. DearbornThe life story of the bohemian socialite who rebelled against her famous family and became a renowned art collector. Peggy Guggenheim was the ultimate self-invented woman, a cultural mover and shaker who broke away from her poor-little-rich-girl origins to shape a life for herself as the enfant terrible of the art world. Her visionary Art of This Century gallery in New York, which brought together the European surrealist artists with the American abstract expressionists, was an epoch-shaking &“happening&” at the center of its time. In Mistress of Modernism, Mary V. Dearborn draws upon her unprecedented access to the Guggenheim family, friends, and papers to craft a &“thorough biography . . . [that] will appeal to art lovers interested in more than the paint&” (Publishers Weekly). &“With drive and clarity, Dearborn charts Guggenheim&’s peripatetic life,&” offering rich insight into Peggy&’s traumatic childhood in German-Jewish &“Our Crowd&” New York, her self-education in the ways of art and artists, her caustic battles with other art-collecting Guggenheims, and her legendary sexual appetites (her lovers included Max Ernst, Samuel Beckett, and Marcel Duchamp, to name just a few) (Booklist). Here too is a poignant portrait of Peggy&’s last years as l&’ultima dogaressa—the last (female) doge—in her palazzo in Venice, where her collection still draws thousands of visitors every year. Mistress of Modernism is the first definitive biography of Peggy Guggenheim, whose wit, passion, and provocative legacy Dearborn brings compellingly to life.
Maeve (The Diadem Saga #4)
by Jo ClaytonAided only by the powers of the Diadem, Aleytys must battle a powerful corporation to save an endangered planet, in this thrilling science fiction adventure. Author Jo Clayton&’s sensational space opera saga continues in this fourth magnificent excursion to the universe of the Diadem as her incomparable heroine lands in the center of a devastating conflict between an insidious planet-devouring corporate entity and native forest folk and city dwellers who are facing extinction. The planet Maeve is the next stop on the intergalactic journey of the star voyager Aleytys as she searches the universe for her son, others of her advanced human race, and the mother who abandoned her in a dismal barbarian world. Permanently enhanced and cursed by the Diadem, the stolen technology of a vengeful alien society, she is determined to find her way back to Jaydugar, where she was raised and where she hopes to reclaim her kidnapped child. But securing transport will be difficult in this world steeped in political turmoil, as the destructive machinery of a heartless and powerful Company strips the planet bare of its natural riches. The Diadem-induced personalities who share Aleytys&’s mind also experience her outrage over the greed of an insidious corporate monster that would heartlessly displace an entire forest-dwelling native population. Compelled by conscience and a hunger for justice, Aleytys will do everything in her substantial power to help the citizens of Maeve fight back. But the secret plans of the Company go far beyond the despoiling of the woodlands, and neither guerilla warfare nor the remarkable abilities Aleytys brings to the battle may be sufficient to turn back the terrible tide of destruction that threatens the future of a planet and every creature inhabiting it. The many fans of Andre Norton, Marion Zimmer Bradley, C. J. Cherryh, and other master world-builders known for their adept blending of science fiction and fantasy tropes will thrill to the fourth unforgettable installment in a much-beloved science fantasy saga that grows deeper and richer with each succeeding volume. Clayton&’s Maeve enchants and enthralls, while brilliantly expanding an already breathtaking universe.
Unhooked: A Holistic Approach to Ending Your Struggle with Food
by Laura DawnBreak unhealthy food habits with these practical steps that combat the mental and emotional factors keeping us hooked, unhappy, and overweight. Our relationship with food extends far beyond survival. It incorporates aspects of physiology, emotions, thought patterns, and how we feel about ourselves—all influenced by a culture that turns food into a source of compulsion and guilt. Despite our best efforts, many of us remain hooked to unhealthy food habits—habits that keep us overweight and unhappy. In Unhooked, Laura Dawn sheds light on the food struggle from six essential perspectives: environmental, physiological, behavioral, mental, emotional, and spiritual. And she provides concrete steps you can take to free yourself from your personal food traps—whether it&’s chronic overeating, incessant cravings, food addiction, yo-yo dieting, disordered eating, or the inability to eat certain foods in moderation. These steps empower us to shift our perspective on food, fueling our transformation to vibrant health and reminding us that we are all worthy of living the healthy lives of our dreams.
The Island of Last Truth
by Flavia CompanyA novel of adventure, survival, and psychological suspense with “a surprise ending worthy of Hitchcock” (Publishers Weekly).Legend in the academic world has it that Dr. Matthew Prendel, an expert sailor, had been shipwrecked years ago. His boat was attacked by pirates. He survived thanks to an incredible stroke of luck while his entire crew perished, but then found himself embroiled in a ferocious fight for survival between two castaways on a desert island. There, too, he was lucky and came out the victor.But perhaps luck played no part in it. Perhaps something darker was at play, something bigger at stake. The only sure thing is that Matthew Prendel disappeared for five whole years. He has been back in New York now for a while, or so they say. One should never rely entirely on hearsay . . .A blend of adventure story and noir mystery, The Island of Last Truth is a riveting tale filled with both suspense and incisive psychological observation.
Mrs. Miniver (Isis Cassettes Ser. #261)
by Jan StrutherThe beloved classic novel of an English housewife bravely enduring WWII—the basis for the Academy Award–winning film starring Greer Garson. Winston Churchill once remarked that Mrs. Miniver, the fictional British housewife featured in Jan Struther&’s newspaper columns about quotidian English life, did more for the Allied cause than a flotilla of battleships. As tensions rose across Europe, Mrs. Miniver&’s domestic concerns expanded from automobiles and Christmas shopping to include gas masks, keeping calm, and carrying on. An international sensation when it was first published, this novelized collection of those columns won America&’s heart—and broad public support for entering WWII. Mrs. Miniver&’s story was so essential to Allied morale that when William Wyler&’s film adaption was made, President Roosevelt ordered it rushed to theaters.
Return to Mars (The Grand Tour #7)
by Ben BovaThe New York Times–bestselling and six-time Hugo Award–winning author&’s epic Grand Tour adventure continues. Jamie Waterman is returning to the red planet, this time in charge of an expedition in which he hopes to demonstrate that one can study Martian life not only for the sake of the pursuit but more, that it can be profitable. Waterman also hopes to revisit a part of the canyon where he thought he spied a primitive cliff dwelling during the first Martian mission. But this second voyage to Mars brings trouble right away as Waterman clashes with Dex Trumball, the son of a billionaire who is backing the expedition. Dex wants to turn the planet into a tourist attraction, while Waterman wants to preserve the planet solely for scientific research. As their rivalry heats up—both professionally and personally—Waterman is faced with betrayal and sabotage. But the planet still guards its most closely held secrets . . . discoveries that could change what everyone thought they knew about Mars—and life in space . . . &“Bova shines in making science not only comprehensible but entertaining.&” —The New York Times Book Review
Minerva (The Six Sisters Series #1)
by M. C. BeatonThe first of six sisters navigates the marriage mart in the Regency series from the New York Times–bestselling author of the Agatha Raisin Mysteries. Poor Minerva. Prudish, self-righteous, and incredibly beautiful, she is to be sent to London to capture a wealthy husband. But Minerva doesn&’t know the first thing about flirting. The London dandies find her moralizing appalling and concoct a plan to assault her virtue—an assault that will scandalize all London society. Meanwhile, Lord Sylvester Comfrey, whom she met earlier through her father, has been keeping a careful eye on the girl. A fact that she resents. She dislikes Lord Sylvester. There is something about him that disturbs her. Now the plan to destroy Minerva&’s reputation begins to unfold. And Minerva stumbles headlong into the trap. But the plotters have reckoned without Lord Sylvester . . . &“Readers who long for the brightest and best of today&’s Regencies will give thanks that the Reverend Armitage has five more daughters!&” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review Praise for M. C. Beaton&’s novels &“A delightful tale . . . romance fans are in for a treat.&” —Booklist &“Nicely atmospheric, most notable for its gentle humor and adventurous spirit.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Living Infinite: A Novel
by Chantel AcevedoA nineteenth century Spanish princess is determined to publish her tell-all memoir in this &“fresh, fast-moving historical fiction from a master storyteller&” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). After her cloistered childhood at the Spanish court, her youth spent in exile, and a loveless marriage, the Bourbon infanta Eulalia gladly departs Europe for the New World. In the company of Thomas Aragon, a small-town bookseller and the son of her childhood wet nurse, she travels first to a Cuba bubbling with revolutionary fervor, and then to the 1893 Chicago World Fair. As far as the public is concerned, she is there as an emissary of the Bourbon dynasty. But secretly, she is in America to find a publisher for her scandalous autobiography, a book that might well turn the old world order on its head. Latino International Book Award winner Chantel Acevedo brings Bourbon Spain, Revolutionary Cuba, and fin de siècle America vividly to life in her new novel based on a true story. The Living Infinite is a timeless tale of love, adventure, power and the quest to take control of one&’s destiny.
Ton-Up Lancs: A Photographic History of the Thirty-Five RAF Lancasters that Each Completed One Hundred Sorties
by Norman FranksAn updated and expanded photographic history of the famed military aircraft—and the men who flew them. Aviation historian Norman Franks updates his classic book, The Lancaster, with new information and photos. The Avro Lancaster was a four-engine heavy bomber that played a crucial role in World War II, and this illustrated volume records the history of thirty-five of them, supported by stories from aircrew members. The most famous of the bombers is &“Queenie&” (W5868), the only one of these Lancasters that survives, now in the Bomber Command Hall at the Royal Air Force Museum in London. Ton-Up Lancs delves into some of the controversies surrounding Queenie and other Lancasters, and also includes detailed listings of each raid these thirty-five Lancasters flew during from 1942 through 1945, together with the names of the pilot and crew that took them on sorties all over Hitler&’s Third Reich and Northern Italy, on support missions before and after D-Day in June 1944, and attacks on V1 rocket launch sites situated in Northern France. The book also offers a view from one of the Lancaster&’s former skippers on what it was like to fly a bomber tour of operations in Bomber Command.
Dream Big: I Dare You! Better Yet . . . I Double Dare You!!
by Roger PalmieriAlign your actions to meet your goals and find success and self-fulfillment—from the sought-after speaker, coach, and Mind-Set Performance expert. By combining compelling prose, thought-provoking quotes, and real-life stories with grounding exercises, Dream Big: I Dare You! Better Yet . . . I Double Dare You!! informs, entertains, and persuades its readers to take their dreams seriously. Designed as an inspiring and practical guide book, the exercises turn insights into actionable steps that enhance results. Since 1978, Roger has fine-tuned and applied his Dream Big philosophy throughout his broad speaking, training, and coaching platform. His strong, highly experienced, common sense voice has encouraged thousands of people to live life fully, to achieve success, and to contribute significantly to others. Dream Big: I Dare You! Better Yet . . . I Double Dare You!! hands the frustrated dreamer a toolbox to take them from wishing and hoping to finally having their big dream become real.
Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics, and the Battle Over Global Warming
by Chris MooneyAn investigation into climate change and increasingly dangerous hurricanes from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Republican War on Science. A leading science journalist delves into a red-hot debate in meteorology: whether the increasing ferocity of hurricanes is connected to global warming. In the wake of Katrina, Chris Mooney follows the careers of leading scientists on either side of the argument through the 2006 hurricane season, tracing how the media, special interests, politics, and the weather itself have skewed and amplified what was already a fraught scientific debate. As Mooney puts it: &“Scientists, like hurricanes, do extraordinary things at high wind speeds.&” Mooney—a New Orleans native, host of the Point of Inquiry podcast, and author of The Republican Brain—has written &“a well-researched, nuanced book&” that closely examines whether we as a society should be held responsible for making hurricanes even bigger monsters than they already are (The New York Times). &“Mooney serves his readers as both an empiricist who gathers data and an analyst who puts it into context. The result is an important book, whose author succeeds admirably in both his roles.&” —The Plain Dealer &“Engaging and readable . . . Mooney catches real science in the act and, in so doing, weaves a story as intriguing as it is important.&” —Los Angeles Times Book Review &“Mooney has hit upon an important and controversial topic, and attacks it with vigor.&” —The Boston Globe &“An absorbing, informed account of the politics behind a pressing contemporary controversy.&” —Kirkus Reviews
The Potting Shed: A Play
by Graham GreeneFrom the British novelist, this Tony Award–winning drama of family secrets delivers &“brilliantly effective . . . enormously provocative . . . theatrical suspense&” (New York Post). The Callifer family has assembled in the English country home of Wild Grove where its patriarch—a once-renowned rationalist and man of letters—nears death. Arriving unexpectedly to pay his respects is his son, James, a pariah among the Callifers, who finds a dark veil still drawn over his mysterious childhood. It was decades ago, when James was fourteen, that something happened to him in the garden shed, a black hole in his memories. For everyone else, it&’s an unforgettable source of unease—and for some, unforgiveable. To discover the truth, James seeks out his ostracized uncle, an alcoholic priest with nothing left to lose. What unfolds makes for &“some of the most moving, forceful and compelling theatre since Eugene O&’Neill&” (The Harvard Crimson). Graham Greene&’s Tony Award–winning work for the stage made its Broadway debut in 1957 and was hailed by the New York Times as &“an original drama that probes deep into the spirit and casts a spell.&”
The Fight for $15: The Right Wage for a Working America
by David Rolf&“Rolf shows that raising the minimum wage to $15 is both just and necessary, lest the American dream of middle class prosperity turn into a nightmare&” (David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist). Combining history, economics, and commonsense political wisdom, The Fight for $15 makes a deeply informed case for a national fifteen-dollars-an-hour minimum wage as the only practical solution to reversing America&’s decades-long slide toward becoming a low-wage nation. Drawing both on new scholarship and on his extensive practical experiences organizing workers and grappling with inequality across the United States, David Rolf, president of SEIU 775—which waged the successful Seattle campaign for a fifteen dollar minimum wage—offers an accessible explanation of &“middle out&” economics, an emerging popular economic theory that suggests that the origins of prosperity in capitalist economies lie with workers and consumers, not investors and employers. A blueprint for a different and hopeful American future, The Fight for $15 offers concrete tools, ideas, and inspiration for anyone interested in real change in our lifetimes. &“The author&’s plainspoken approach and stellar scholarship illuminate in-depth discussions about the deliberate policy decisions that began to decimate the middle class at the start of the 1980s as well as the insidious new ways in which big business continues to attack American workers today via stagnant wages, rampant subcontracting, unpredictable scheduling, and other detrimental practices associated with the so-called &‘share economy.&’&” —Kirkus Reviews &“David Rolf has become the most successful advocate for raising wages in the twenty-first century.&” —Andy Stern, senior fellow at Columbia University&’s Richard Paul Richman Center for Business, Law, and Public Policy
Dead Aim (The Chris Klick Mysteries #1)
by Ridley PearsonThe &“remarkable&” first novel in the series starring an ex-musician and amateur sleuth in beautiful, rural Idaho, by the #1 New York Times–bestselling author (Kirkus Reviews). Chris Klick wants to get far away from his past in the fast-paced West Coast music industry. But trouble seems to find him even in the peaceful environs of Idaho. When a woman named Nicole Russell tells the amateur sleuth about her missing husband, missing Labrador, and missing fifty-thousand dollars, Klick&’s suddenly up to his ears in mystery. Aided by his best friend, former basketball star Lyel, Klick pursues Nicole&’s husband, dog, and lost cash in corrupt Snow Lake. But helping Nicole recover her money may mean losing everything . . . Originally published under the name Wendell McCall, this is the debut novel in the series featuring Chris Klick, full of wit, grit, and adventure.
So Conceived and So Dedicated: Intellectual Life in the Civil War-Era North (The\north's Civil War Ser.)
by Lorien Foote and Kanisorn Wongsrichanalai&“Outstanding essays&” exploring how educated Northerners viewed, and discussed, the Civil War (Michael B. Ballard, Civil War News). With contributions from multiple historians, this volume addresses the role intellectuals played in framing the Civil War and implementing their vision of a victorious Union. Broadly defining &“intellectuals&” to encompass doctors, lawyers, sketch artists, college professors, health reformers, and religious leaders, the essays address how these thinkers disseminated their ideas, sometimes using commercial or popular venues and organizations to implement what they believed. To what extent did educated Americans believe that the Civil War exposed the failure of old ideas? Did the Civil War promote new strains of authoritarianism in northern intellectual life, or reinforce democratic individualism? How did it affect northerners&’ conception of nationalism and their understanding of their relationship to the state? These essays explore myriad topics, including: *How antebellum ideas about the environment and the body influenced conceptions of democratic health *How leaders of the Irish American community reconciled their support of the United States and the Republican Party with their allegiances to Ireland and their fellow Irish immigrants *How intellectual leaders of the northern African American community explained secession, civil war, and emancipation *The influence of southern ideals on northern intellectuals *Wartime and postwar views from college and university campuses—and the ideological acrobatics that professors at Midwestern universities had to perform in order to keep their students from leaving the classroom *How northern sketch artists helped influence the changing perceptions of African American soldiers over the course of the war Collectively, So Conceived and So Dedicated offers an in-depth look at this part of the nation&’s intellectual history—and suggests that antebellum modes of thinking remained vital and tenacious well after the Civil War.
Louise's Dilemma (The Louise Pearlie World War II Novels of Suspense #3)
by Sarah R. ShaberThe third book in the Louise Pearlie Mysteries is &“an entertaining combination of mystery, adventure, and romance, with a great sense of place and time&” (Historical Novel Society). Young widow Louise Pearlie seizes a chance to escape the typewriters and files of the Office of Strategic Services, the United States&’ World War II spy agency, when she&’s asked to investigate a puzzling postcard referred to OSS by the US Censor. She and FBI agent Gray Williams head off to St. Leonard, Maryland, to talk to the postcard&’s recipient, one Leroy Martin. But what seemed like a straightforward mission to Louise soon becomes complicated. Leroy and his wife, Anne, refuse to talk, but as Louise and Williams investigate, it soon becomes clear that Leroy is mixed up in something that looks a lot like treason. But what? Louise is determined to find out the truth, whatever the cost . . . &“A very good entry in this new and promising series.&” —Booklist
Plain Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman
by Merle Miller&“Never has a President of the United States, or any head of state for that matter, been so totally revealed, so completely documented&” (Robert A. Arthur). Plain Speaking is the bestselling book based on conversations between Merle Miller and the thirty-third President of the United States, Harry S. Truman. From these interviews, as well as others who knew him over the years, Miller transcribes Truman&’s feisty takes on everything from his personal life, military service, and political career to the challenges he faced in taking the office during the final days of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War. Using a series of taped discussions from 1962 that never aired on television, Plain Speaking takes an opportunity to deliver exactly how Mr. Truman felt about the presidency, and his thoughts in his later years on his accomplishments and the legacy he left behind. &“The values of Plain Speaking, on the whole, are those of the highest form of political communication: the bull session. As with all good bull sessions, what is said here ranges widely in quality and seriousness, as one should expect when dealing with a complex man.&” —The New York Times &“Plain Speaking has a nostalgic, downhome quality of good friends gossiping over the back fence, or saying their piece of a twilight eve rocking on the porch—and if those fellas back in Washington have their secret machines running, well, they won&’t like what they overhear. Not one little bit.&” —Kirkus Reviews
Quiver Trees, Phantom Orchids & Rock Splitters: The Remarkable Survival Strategies of Plants
by Jesse Vernon Trail&“Showcases the many weird and wonderful ways plants adapt to survive and spread their progeny . . . A great book for anyone interested in botany&” (The Gardener). Whether it&’s an arctic heather that can create subtropical conditions within its leaves, or a dwarf mistletoe that can shoot its seeds up to fifty feet away, plants demonstrate remarkable strategies in coping with and surviving their environments. Plants are often exposed to bitter cold, relentless winds, intense heat, drought, fire, pollution, and many other adverse growing conditions. Yet they are still able to survive and often even thrive. This book showcases these exceptional plants with absorbing information and stunning photos that will inspire a new respect for nature&’s innovation and resilience. &“From hummingbirds on the high slopes of the Andes to sugarbirds on the South African Cape, Vernon takes the reader on an awe-inducing journey to discover the secret life of pollinators and the plants that depend upon them. . . . You&’ll delight in the surprising, unusual, and downright amazing strategies plants use to cope and copulate.&” —Sierra
Reinhart in Love
by Thomas BergerThe Pulitzer Prize–nominated author of Little Big Man proves that sometimes war doesn&’t change a person, but the world he lives in. Carlo Reinhart returns home from his service in Germany expecting the Ohio he left not too long ago. What he finds instead is new technology, old attitudes, and people he&’s not sure he can relate to anymore. As Reinhart stumbles back into life as a civilian, he finds camaraderie in the most unlikely places. A former classmate, Splendor Mainwaring, a man too smart for his lot in life as a mechanic, becomes a new and eccentric friend. His boss isn&’t just the most over-eager real estate agent in town; he&’s also a seasoned con man. Not even settling down comes easy to the gentle Reinhart. Duping him into marriage, his new wife Genevieve Raven is a force to be reckoned with. Endlessly surprising, this funny, sharp-edged narrative is Pulitzer Prize–finalist Thomas Berger at his very best. With an over the top cast of characters, it&’s impossible not to fall in love with the exact people that make Reinhart&’s life impossible. &“Picture Fielding&’s Tom Jones in a 20th century landscape and you&’ll have some idea of Reinhart in Love.&” —The New York Times
The Guru of Love: A Novel
by Samrat UpadhyayA New York Times Notable Book: &“A ravishingly seductive novel . . . set in contemporary Kathmandu&” (Elle). Ramchandra is a math teacher earning a low wage and living in a small apartment with his wife and two children. Moonlighting as a tutor, he engages in an illicit affair with one of his tutees, Malati, a beautiful, impoverished teenager, who is also a new mother. She provides for him what his wife, who comes from a privileged background, does not: desire, mystery, and a simpler life. Just as this Nepalese city struggles with the conflicts of change, Ramchandra must also learn to accommodate both tradition and his very modern desires, in this &“gripping&” novel by the Whiting Award–winning author of Buddha&’s Orphans (The New York Times Book Review). &“Utterly absorbing . . . Upadhyay&’s lucent and tender storytelling gently unveils the strange interplay between self and family, the private and the political, and most mysteriously, the erotic and the spiritual.&” —Booklist &“Poignant . . . The Guru of Love effectively weaves together the complicated dichotomies of man and mistress, love and lust, tradition and modernity.&” —USA Today &“Reads like a graceful, page-turning mixture of stirring romance and social commentary.&” —Entertainment Weekly
Freud and the Scene of Trauma
by John Fletcher&“This book will reward scholars across a number of disciplines: literary studies, trauma studies, psychoanalysis and psychology, and philosophy.&” —Choice This book argues that Freud&’s mapping of trauma as a scene is central to both his clinical interpretation of his patients&’ symptoms and his construction of successive theoretical models and concepts to explain the power of such scenes in his patients&’ lives. This attention to the scenic form of trauma and its power in determining symptoms leads to Freud&’s break from the neurological model of trauma he inherited from Charcot. It also helps to explain the affinity that Freud, and many since him, have felt between psychoanalysis and literature—and artistic production more generally—and the privileged role of literature at certain turning points in the development of his thought. It is Freud&’s scenography of trauma and fantasy that speaks to the student of literature and painting.
From Away: A Novel
by David Carkeet&“If Alfred Hitchcock could remake Fargo, it might feel something like Carkeet&’s comic-absurd latest&” (Publishers Weekly). Denny Braintree, a wisecracking loner devoted to model trains, has found himself stranded in Vermont. His night at the hotel begins promisingly—until his prospective one-night stand walks out on him. As he prepares to leave town, someone mistakes Denny for Homer Dumpling—a local man who mysteriously disappeared three years earlier, and who apparently looks a whole lot like Denny. Instead of correcting the mistake, Denny slips into his new identity as easily as a winter fleece. And it&’s a good thing too, because the woman he&’d hoped to sleep with has turned up dead, and the chief suspect is the out-of-towner who was pursuing her at the hotel . . . As Denny tries to unravel the mystery, he struggles to hide his true identity from Homer&’s increasingly suspicious circle of family and friends, including Homer&’s prickly girlfriend. The adventures of this fast-talking bumbler as his survival instincts are put to the test make for a rollicking novel by an author who has produced &“some of the funniest writing since Mark Twain&” (Jonathan Kellerman, New York Times–bestselling author of Night Moves). &“A deftly funny book.&” —Carl Hiaasen
A Cat Named Darwin: Embracing the Bond Between Man and Pet
by William JordanA scientist contemplates his bond with a sick stray cat in this &“gripping and powerful&” memoir (The San Diego Union-Tribune). Bill Jordan&’s life changed forever the day a stray cat nesting under his bougainvillea bit him on the hand. Trained in biology, Jordan had no particular love for animals and felt vaguely contemptuous of those who did—until the cat, beckoning with a wink and a yawn, led him on a journey to exotic lands, strange cultures, and fascinating discoveries. As their bond deepened and the cat&’s health began to fail, Jordan was forced into a commitment more devoted and sincere than any he had known before. Puzzling through his own feelings, Jordan came to some remarkable conclusions: that those we love live in the synapses and molecules of memory, and that as long as we exist, they exist as part of our brain. In this recollection of the relationship, he meditates on the nature of humans and animals, and the scientific truths about solitude, communication, and companionship.
The Error of Our Ways: A Novel
by David CarkeetNew York Times Notable Book: &“The sorrows of Job [visit] a St. Louis nut salesman, with hilarious results . . . [A] wry updating of the biblical tragedy&” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). In this &“astute, entertaining novel,&” two very different men cross each other&’s paths in St. Louis, Missouri (The New York Times). Ben Hudnut is an upper-middle-class entrepreneur determined to bring an affordable cashew to American consumers. When he isn&’t pursuing this goal, he&’s usually in the company of his wife and four daughters—occasionally joined for family dinner by his dull but devoted secretary. Jeremy Cook, meanwhile, is a cynical unemployed academic, a linguist who doesn&’t know what to do with himself—until he&’s pressured into studying Ben Hudnut&’s baby girl and her unusual speech patterns. But as different as these two men are, they will soon have one thing in common, as both of their lives begin to fall apart around them . . . &“A dark domestic comedy that traces the perils of middle-aged manhood, told with attentiveness to the subtleties of communication.&” —The New York Times Book Review &“Witty, good-natured, and completely convincing: Carkeet has managed, with sympathy and charm, to trace the exceptional adventures of an utterly ordinary man.&” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) &“A shrewd, wickedly funny delight, full of hilarious takes on rocky marriages, sexual boredom, raising kids, communication gaps—and nutty doings, as in almonds and cashews . . . A delectable observer of human foibles and pretense.&” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)