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The Detections of Dr. Sam Johnson: Johnson (The Dr. Sam Johnson Mysteries #2)
by Lillian de la TorreEight exquisite mystery stories set in London, starring Dr. Samuel Johnson, one of the greatest minds of the eighteenth century. In 1775, as the British Empire is about to be cracked by the earthquake of the American Revolution, twenty English families join in the ghoulish bargain known as a tontine. Each puts £5,000 into a common fund to be held in trust for their children with the terrible stipulation that the money will go to the last child left alive. Such a bargain should take seventy or eighty years to come to fruition, but there is a curse upon this tontine. Sixteen of the twenty children are dead within four years—and the survivors have no one to turn to but the great Dr. Sam Johnson. The seventy-year-old scholar has seen his share of trickery, corruption, and murder, but he&’s never encountered anything quite as chilling as &“The Tontine Curse.&” In this story, and the seven others included in this volume, Dr. Johnson and his assistant, biographer James Boswell, pit their wits against the darkest mysteries of the Enlightenment. In this charming, brilliant series, author Lillian de la Torre features Johnson and Boswell, real-life forerunners of Holmes and Watson, in an assortment of &“excellent detective puzzles&” (The New York Times).
The Voyage of the Beagle: Journal Of Researches Into The Natural History And Geology Of The Countries Visited During The Voyage Of H. M. S. Beagle Round The World
by Charles DarwinThe riveting firsthand account of the historic voyage that led to the theory of evolution When the HMS Beagle set sail in 1831, the science of biology was not far removed from the Dark Ages. When the ship returned to England nearly five years later, Charles Darwin had the makings of a theory that would revolutionize our understanding of the natural world. From volcanoes in the Galapagos to the coral reefs of Australia, The Voyage of the Beagle documents the young naturalist&’s encounters with some of the earth&’s most stunning features. Darwin&’s observations of the people, places, and events he experienced make for compelling reading and offer a fascinating window into the intellectual development of his ideas about natural selection. A brilliant travelogue and a revealing glimpse into the Victorian mindset, The Voyage of the Beagle is an indispensable companion volume to On the Origin of Species. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Reflections: The World of Paul Monette
by Paul MonetteFrom an acclaimed memoirist and National Book Award winner: Three groundbreaking works of nonfiction put a human face on the AIDS epidemic. Paul Monette&’s searing memoirs of growing up, coming out, and losing his beloved partner to AIDS are now available in a single volume. Becoming a Man: This National Book Award–winning memoir follows Monette&’s childhood. Growing up all-American, Catholic, overachieving . . . and closeted, Monette wrestled with his sexuality for the first thirty years of his life, priding himself on his ability to &“pass&” for straight. This intimate portrait of a young man&’s struggle with his own desires and journey to adulthood and self-acceptance through grace and honesty is witty, humorous, and deeply felt. Borrowed Time: Chronicling Monette&’s relationship with Roger Horwitz, this tragic true story follows Horwitz&’s fight against and eventual death from AIDS. A &“tender and lyrical&” memoir (TheNew York Times Book Review), it remains one of the most raw and human tales of the AIDS era—a &“searing, shattering, ultimately hope-inspiring account of a great love story&” (San Francisco Examiner). The Last Watch of the Night: Compiling work from the last two years of his life, this collection of essays documents Monette&’s reflections as he slowly succumbed to AIDS. Ringing with humor, rage, and passion, his words provide a breathtaking view from inside the AIDS scourge. Brutal, funny, and startlingly honest, this comprehensive volume brings together some of the most important stories of the AIDS era.
Just Over the Horizon (The Complete Short Fiction of Greg Bear #1)
by Greg BearThe New York Times Book Review hails this collection of thirteen dazzling stories and a rare screenplay by Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author Greg Bear as a &“solid introduction to the oeuvre of a classic writer.&” Greg Bear—author of Queen of Angels, Eon, and Hull Zero Three, among many other hugely popular novels—has an ability to transform challenging scientific concepts into gripping fiction that has won him numerous awards and an avid following. He has written novels about interstellar war, human evolution, intelligent bacteria, international terrorism, and the exploration of deep space—but he doesn&’t stop there. This brilliant collection of Bear&’s stories, each newly revised by the author, proves he is a master of the short form as well. Just Over the Horizon offers thirteen mind-bending explorations of the near future . . . or just beyond the border of conventional reality. The volume includes: · &“Blood Music,&” a Hugo and Nebula award–winning classic and the basis for the novel of the same name—and the first science-fictional exploration of nanotechnology; · &“Sisters,&” in which high school students find maturity and family by confronting a tragic genetic destiny; · &“Tangents,&” winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, about a persecuted scientist who seeks refuge in a better world; · &“Dead Run,&” a tale of union truck drivers ferrying souls through Death Valley into Hell, adapted for an episode of the television series The Twilight Zone; · &“Sleepside Story,&” which Bear calls one of his favorite pieces, an urban fantasy tale that takes a music student by Night Metro to the Sleepside mansion of a magical woman of the night, inverting &“Beauty and the Beast&” in a very modern mirror; · &“Genius,&” the screenplay written for the television series Outer Limits, but never produced. Just Over the Horizon combines Bear&’s intense concern with the human condition with a deep understanding of science, resulting in a collection long to be remembered.
Dream of Orchids: Hunter's Green, Dream Of Orchids, And The Winter People
by Phyllis A. WhitneyA bookseller reunites with her estranged, enigmatic father in Key West in this suspenseful New York Times bestseller by &“a master of suspense&” (Mary Higgins Clark). Twenty-five years ago, Long Island bookstore owner Laurel York was abandoned by her father, author Clifton York. Ever since, she&’s followed his life and career with morbid resentment. When Clifton&’s collaborator shows up in her shop with the gift of an orchid, she reluctantly agrees to accompany him back to Key West to help her and her father come to terms with the past—even in light of her late mother&’s warning: &“There is something terribly wrong in that house . . .&” Laurel arrives at her father&’s estate in the historic district of Old Town expecting past wounds to show their scars. But what she doesn&’t anticipate are her father&’s cool reception, two strange stepsisters, rumors of a buried treasure, and the whispers about Clifton&’s second wife—and her bizarre death in a greenhouse full of orchids. The only one who seems to be happy about her presence is the mysterious Marcus O&’Neill—if only she could be sure she can trust him. Now, in a house of bad blood and family secrets, Laurel finds herself alone, unprepared for the real reason she has been summoned, and, with every new revelation, more afraid for her life. Edgar Award winner Phyllis A. Whitney, &“headmistress of handsomely-schooled suspense [is] in full bloom&” in this gothic romance of deception and murder (Kirkus Reviews). This ebook features an illustrated biography of Phyllis A. Whitney including rare images from the author&’s estate.
The Lavette Legacy: The Legacy, The Immigrant's Daughter, and An Independent Woman (The Lavette Legacy #1)
by Howard FastFrom activist to family matriarch, Barbara Lavette takes center stage in the final three volumes of the New York Times–bestselling Immigrants saga. New York Times–bestselling author Howard Fast&’s immensely popular Immigrants saga spanned six novels and more than a century of the Lavette family history. The series was considered one of the crowning achievements of the prolific author, who also penned Spartacus, Freedom Road, and April Morning. The Legacy: In this New York Times bestseller, Barbara, the daughter of self-made Italian immigrant Dan Lavette, navigates the turmoil of the 1960s, including the Vietnam War, the feminist and civil rights movements, and Israel&’s Six Day War with Egypt. &“A wonderful book.&” —Los Angeles Times The Immigrant&’s Daughter: At sixty, Barbara is living a quiet life in San Francisco, grieving after the death of a longtime male friend. But when she mounts an unexpectedly competitive congressional campaign, she reconnects with her past as a journalist and human rights activist, and her spirits revive, in this New York Times Bestseller. An Independent Woman: In this emotional farewell, Barbara, the rock and matriarch of her family, marries a Unitarian priest, and together they travel the world—until she faces the toughest challenge of her life. &“Eventful and well-crafted . . . Loyal fans of Fast&’s opus will welcome this bittersweet reunion with a woman they have come to know and admire.&” —People
I Live for This!: Baseball's Last True Believer
by Bill Plaschke Tommy LasordaAn award-winning sportswriter teams up with LA Dodgers manager and Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda to reveal the secrets of his unlikely success. Tommy Lasorda is baseball's true immortal and one of its larger than life figures. A former pitcher who was overshadowed by Sandy Koufax, Lasorda went on to a Hall of Fame career as a manager with one of baseball's most storied franchises. His teams won two World Series, four National League pennants, and eight division titles. He was twice named National League manager of the year and he also led the United States baseball team to the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics. In I Live for This! award-winning sportswriter Bill Plaschke shows us one of baseball's last living legends as we've never seen him before, revealing the man behind the myth, the secrets to his amazing, unlikely success, and his unvarnished opinions on the state of the game. Bravely and brilliantly, I Live for This! dissects the personality to give us the person. By the end we&’re left with an indelible portrait of a legend that, if Tommy Lasorda has anything to say about it, we won&’t ever forget.
Seven Seats to the Moon
by Charlotte ArmstrongA government secret about the end of the world will change what&’s left of a man&’s suburban life in this thriller by an Edgar Award–winning author. California businessman J. Middleton Little is on company assignment in Chicago when he&’s caught eavesdropping on a top-secret confab between high-level government officials. J. knows he isn&’t just hearing things; they actually referred to the coming Armageddon. To ensure his silence, J.&’s been offered the chance of a lifetime: seven seats on an &“ark&” scheduled to carry the last vestiges of the human race from Earth before the apocalypse. In a matter of minutes, J. has gone from a self-described &“middle-class, middle-income, middlebrow man-of-the-street&” to one of the most privileged men in the universe. The only stipulation: He can&’t tell a single soul until the proper time. For now, it&’s back to life in Burbank with his dutiful, intuitive wife; an underhanded and scheming son; his impossibly spoiled daughter; his unhinged father; and a mother-in-law whose religious fanaticism is making J. think twice about his role as savior—especially when he finds himself shadowed by an insidious pack of secret agents, counterspies, and a lone madman on a terrifying mission. Soon enough, J.&’s once-ordinary world will be ripped apart by threats, deceit, cover-ups, secrets, and shifting family loyalties. It will also leave J. wondering what he really does know, what he doesn&’t, what he&’s been led to believe, and above all, why. J. Middleton Little has a lot to learn before the end. This smart, inventive thriller by &“the American queen of suspense novelists&” is impossible to put down (New York Telegraph).
A False Spring: A Memoir
by Pat Jordan&“One of the best and truest books about baseball, and about coming to maturity in America.&” —Time In the late 1950s, acclaimed sportswriter Pat Jordan was a young pitching phenom, blowing away opposing batters for his Fairfield, Connecticut, high school baseball team. Fifteen major league clubs offered him a contract, but it was the Milwaukee Braves who won out, signing Jordan to a $45,000 bonus—one of the largest paid to any new player by the organization—and shipping him off to McCook, Nebraska, to play for their Class D ball club. It did not take long, however, for Jordan to realize he was out of his depth in professional baseball&’s backwoods. He battled with inconsistency and a lack of control for three dismal seasons in such far-flung locales as Keokuk, Iowa, and Palatka, Florida, before the Braves released him and he gave up his dreams of big league greatness. Declared &“unforgettable&” by the Los Angeles Times and &“a major triumph&” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, A False Spring is a powerful and deeply affecting memoir about the gift of athletic talent and the heartbreak of unfulfilled promise.
The Blackpool Highflyer (The Jim Stringer Mysteries #2)
by Andrew Martin&“A compelling thriller&” set against the historical backdrop of Edwardian England&’s railway system (Daily Mail). Assigned to drive holidaymakers to the seaside resort of Blackpool in the hot summer of 1905, Jim Stringer is happy to have left behind the grime and danger of life in London. But his dreams of beer and pretty women are soon shattered when his high-speed train meets a huge millstone on the line, leading to a passenger&’s death . . . This is an atmospheric mystery of sabotage and suspicion, from an author who &“does a stunning job of bringing to life the era when steam locomotives chugged from London through the British countryside&” (Booklist). &“A clear winner in literary crime writing . . . Dazzling attention to detail and quality writing.&” —Daily Express &“A steamy whodunnit . . . This may well be the best fiction about the railways since Dickens.&” —The Independent on Sunday
An Incident at Bloodtide (The Mongo Mysteries #12)
by George C. ChesbroA circus-performer-turned-PI deals with sinister sleight of hand in a novel that &“gleefully subvert[s] most of the rules of mystery fiction&” (Publishers Weekly). With a genius IQ, a past career as a circus acrobat, and a black belt in karate, criminology professor Dr. Robert Frederickson—better known as &“Mongo the Magnificent&”—has a decidedly unusual background for a private investigator. He also just so happens to be a dwarf. Mongo and his brother, Garth, are experienced private detectives. So when Garth&’s wife Mary&’s strange ex-boyfriend shows up uninvited, they suspect he, the self-proclaimed magician Sacra Silver, is full of mumbo jumbo. But when a series of annoying pranks disrupts their lives, Mongo and Garth have to deal with Sacra&’s attempts at black magic. Meanwhile, they&’re also investigating a death involving a suspicious multinational corporation. Garth&’s friend, environmental cop Tom Blaine, was found in the Hudson chopped to pieces by a boat propeller—just like the kind on the tanker the victim had seen dumping oil in the river . . . The two problems couldn&’t be less alike, but soon Mongo learns the dirty dealings have a connection that could put everyone he loves in danger. An Incident at Bloodtide is the 12th book in the Mongo Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
The Ashland Trilogy: Shadow of Ashland, A Witness to Life, and St. Patrick's Bed (The Ashland Trilogy #1)
by Terence M. GreenThis family saga that travels through time—from modern Toronto to Depression-era Kentucky—and explores how the ghosts of the past shape our history. Every family has its stories: joys and losses, hopes and regrets. For the family that populates these three novels, the secrets forgotten with the passing of years become suddenly accessible, as journeys through time unite loved ones across the decades. Shadow of Ashland: Leo Nolan&’s mother shows him a rose just before she dies—and claims it was given to her by her brother, who disappeared fifty years earlier. Leo is sure it&’s the delirium talking, the rambling of a sick and elderly woman. But after her death, letters from the same long-lost brother begin to arrive at the family home, postmarked 1934—plunging Leo into a journey that will take him all the way from Canada to Ashland, Kentucky, where he will walk through a window that leads to another time and world. A Witness to Life: This prequel focusing on Leo&’s maternal grandfather, Martin Radey, and the chronology of his life &“is an emotionally charged experience that will not be soon forgotten&” (Dallas Morning News). St. Patrick&’s Bed: In the final chapter to the Ashland Trilogy, a son of the next generation asks questions about his biological father and sets off along with Leo on a quest for his heritage and history. A highly acclaimed epic from &“a special writer,&” The Ashland Trilogy blends the fantastical and the real in a tale that will resonate with anyone who has yearned to know more about the generations who came before (The Globe and Mail).
Dangerous Pleasures: Stories
by Patrick GaleEleven electric stories of lost women, gay men, curious children, and nostalgic adults from the bestselling author of Notes from an Exhibition. A woman tries on a wig and it unlocks a side of herself she never knew existed. Visiting his old boarding school, a man is nearly undone by memories of a romantic encounter with a former classmate. When she introduces her girlfriend to her family, a young woman is shocked by her mother&’s all-too-welcoming reaction. These are the stories of Patrick Gale: loving and warm, familiar and surprising, and all crafted with the precise wit that has made him one of Britain&’s most beloved authors of short fiction. The eleven stories that make up Dangerous Pleasures reveal the hidden joys and buried agonies that lie behind our friends&’ and neighbors&’ happy smiles. Gale understands that the moments that can alter our lives forever come quietly, unexpectedly—as soft and innocuous as a platinum-blond wig. The Sunday Times calls Gale&’s short fiction &“nattily subversive, sexually ambiguous, intelligent and disturbing.&” More than anything, his prose displays an unerring sense of humanity, in every brilliant story, and every perfect line.
Buddwing: A Novel
by Evan HunterAn amnesiac hunts for his lost life in every corner of New York City in this &“brilliant&” novel from the bestselling author of The Blackboard Jungle (Chicago Tribune). Sunrise in Central Park. A man wakes up on a park bench with no idea who he is or how he got there. The only clues to his identity are the gold ring engraved &“From G.V.&” he wears on his right hand and the black address book with a single phone number he finds in his jacket pocket. Lacking a name, the man takes one from a passing beer truck and a plane flying overheard—Buddwing, he decides to call himself. For the next twenty-four hours, Buddwing searches Manhattan hoping to rediscover his missing life. But no matter where he looks or whom he talks to, the past remains a confusing, disconnected jumble. One key name, however, echoes through the dim corridors of his mind: Grace. Unfortunately, there is no grace to be found in the sprawling city. From the pretty young college student who brings him to her Greenwich Village apartment to the drunken sailor on shore leave who shows him a wild time in Chinatown to the wealthy, disillusioned blonde who claims him as a treasure-hunt prize, no one Buddwing encounters has the answers he seeks. Weary and desperate, he fears the life he&’s forgotten is too terrible to recall. But even the most painful memory has to be better than the emptiness of not knowing. Or does it? A vivid, kaleidoscopic portrait of 1950s New York City and a &“fascinating exercise in the workings of the psyche,&” Buddwing was the basis for the Academy Award–nominated film Mister Buddwing starring James Garner, Suzanne Pleshette, Jean Simmons, and Angela Lansbury (St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Evan Hunter&’s personal favorite of his many novels, this masterpiece of psychological fiction moves with dreamlike intensity toward a shattering and unforgettable conclusion.
Double Delight
by Joyce Carol OatesAn upstanding juror becomes dangerously obsessed with a seductive plaintiff in this &“fast-paced, haunting&” novel by a #1 New York Times–bestselling author (Boston Sunday Herald). Terence Greene is admired for his perfect life in an affluent New Jersey suburb, and for his marriage to a minister&’s beautiful and wealthy daughter. He&’s also envied for his successful career as director of an arts foundation. But all of that changes when Terence is summoned to jury duty in Trenton. Ava-Rose Renfrew, the alleged victim in an assault case, is a sexy, irresistibly raw, and low-rent woman who lives on the shadowy banks of the Delaware River with a strange clan she calls family. And she&’s very eager to show Terence her appreciation for his loyalty in the jury box. Before long, their quick and dirty affair becomes an obsession, and getting hooked on a drug as potent and violent as Ava-Rose soon turns Terence&’s respectable life to dust. He&’s willing to do anything for her: lie, embezzle, steal—and worse. For Terence, losing control is half the fun. But trying to get it back is terrifying. The recipient of honors ranging from the National Book Award to the Bram Stoker Award, Joyce Carol Oates has explored obsession and sexual terrors in such acclaimed novels as Zombie, Daddy Love, and Jack of Spades. In Double Delight, writing as Rosamond Smith, she proves herself an abandoned and fearless talent in psychological suspense.
King Colt
by Luke ShortA master storyteller of the American frontier presents a western about a town that could not be tamed—and the vicious things men will do for gold. Picket-Stake Hendry has spent thirty years roaming the Calico Mountains in search of gold. Finally, in a lonely little canyon far from civilization, he strikes the mother lode, and as soon as he gets home to register the claim, he&’ll be a millionaire. But before he can make it to Cosmos, a bandit attacks him. Cosmos sheriff Johnny Hendry prefers playing cards to fighting crime, and he&’s kept the peace in this rough-and-tumble western town by letting bandits do whatever they want. But when he hears that Pick, his adoptive father, has been murdered, he vows bloody vengeance. For the sake of the old prospector, he will clean up Cosmos—or die where he stands. This incredible story of frontier justice from author Luke Short, winner of a special Western Heritage Trustees Award and the Western Writers of America&’s Levi Strauss Golden Saddleman Award, is a classic of the genre.
The Making of the English Working Class (Penguin History Ser.)
by E. P. ThompsonA history of the common people and the Industrial Revolution: &“A true masterpiece&” and one of the Modern Library&’s 100 Best Nonfiction Books of the twentieth century (Tribune). During the formative years of the Industrial Revolution, English workers and artisans claimed a place in society that would shape the following centuries. But the capitalist elite did not form the working class—the workers shaped their own creations, developing a shared identity in the process. Despite their lack of power and the indignity forced upon them by the upper classes, the working class emerged as England&’s greatest cultural and political force. Crucial to contemporary trends in all aspects of society, at the turn of the nineteenth century, these workers united into the class that we recognize all across the Western world today. E. P. Thompson&’s magnum opus, The Making of the English Working Class defined early twentieth-century English social and economic history, leading many to consider him Britain&’s greatest postwar historian. Its publication in 1963 was highly controversial in academia, but the work has become a seminal text on the history of the working class. It remains incredibly relevant to the social and economic issues of current times, with the Guardian saying upon the book&’s fiftieth anniversary that it &“continues to delight and inspire new readers.&”
Empire of Lies
by Andrew KlavanA pious family man is pulled back into his sordid past—and into a race to stop a terrorist plot—in this thriller by an Edgar Award–winning author. Sustained by a deep religious faith, Jason Harrow has built a stable family and become a pillar of principle and patriotism. Then the phone rings, and his past is on the other end of the line. A woman with whom he once shared a life of violence and desire claims her daughter is missing—and Jason is the one man who can find her. Returning to New York City from the Midwest, Jason finds himself entangled in a murderous conspiracy that bizarrely links his private passions to the turmoil of a world at war. Hunted by terrorists and the police, Jason has only hours to unravel an ex-lover&’s lies and face the unbearable truth: In order to prevent a savage attack on his country, he&’s going to have to risk his decency, his sanity—and his life. &“The most original novelist of crime and suspense since Cornell Woolrich.&” —Stephen King &“Klavan&’s writing is masterful, and his characters superbly drawn.&” —Forbes &“A wickedly satiric thriller with political overtones . . . [that] builds to an explosive climax.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Sea Beggars: A Novel
by Cecelia HollandA sixteenth-century family joins with pirates and William of Orange to fight the Spanish Inquisition in this novel of the Dutch Revolt by &“a first-class storyteller&” (People). Consistently ranked among the top authors of historical fiction, along with Mary Renault, Mary Stewart, Phillipa Gregory, and Diana Gabaldon, the great Cecelia Holland now transports readers to the sixteenth-century Netherlands in an exciting tale of resistance and rebellion against cruel Spanish oppressors that combines unforgettable fictional characters with real historic personages. No one was safe from religious persecution in the Dutch Low Countries when the &“conqueror king,&” Phillip II of Spain, dispatched the Catholic Church&’s Inquisition to the Netherlands in the late 1500s. The van Cleef family has suffered mightily, with a father executed by a Spanish hangman and a mother driven into madness. Now their children, Jan and Hanneke, must survive on their own by any means necessary as fate carries them down separate but equally dangerous paths. Jan&’s destiny is on the high seas—and ultimately in the royal court of England&’s Queen Elizabeth—as he and his uncle Pieter boldly retake the old man&’s captive ship and join the infamous pirates known as the Sea Beggars in their quest to drive the enemy invaders from Dutch waters. Remaining behind in Antwerp, Hanneke, meanwhile, is forced to endure a series of devastating trials that would crush a young woman of weaker spirit and sensibilities. Strong, courageous, and independent, she embarks on a harrowing journey to Germany in the company of refugee ruler William of Orange ahead of the impending terror of Spain&’s sadistic Duke of Alva. But young Hanneke soon realizes there can be no escape or safe haven anywhere as long as her country is in chains, and she vows to dedicate her life to the perilous cause of freedom. A sweeping and epic historical novel rich in color and stunning period detail, Holland&’s The Sea Beggars is an enthralling, action-packed adventure that interweaves fact with brilliant invention. It is yet one more fictional excursion into the breathtaking world of the past by an author the New York Times praises as &“a literary phenomenon.&”
The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole, 1999–2001: 1999–2001 (The Adrian Mole Series #7)
by Sue Townsend&“The trouble with trying to read passages from the Adrian Mole diaries aloud is that you find yourself laughing so hard you can&’t go on&” (Kansas City Star). I wish that I could relate that I have found happiness and contentment . . . but, alas, I cannot—but that is another story . . . &“Probably the most successful comic literary creation of the past two decades&” vents his justified rage in these journals once confiscated by authorities—only to be hijacked yet again by a fraudster named Sue Townsend (TheObserver). Though Adrian has finally found the courage to confront her, the literary parasite refuses to put down her Stolichnaya and come to the door. Now a professional turkey-plucker with his dreams of becoming a serious novelist more elusive than ever, and his teenage passions for Pandora all but faded, Adrian Mole has settled with his new wife in a rural pigsty that&’s spitting distance from his appalling mother and her (fourth, is it?) husband. There are two consolations: He has a son who fears gym class (poor little bird legs!), and he&’s readying his serial-killer comedy for production. But really, there&’s little about the twenty-first century that makes Adrian feel secure. Adrian Mole&’s continuing chronicle of angst has sold more than twenty million copies worldwide, and been adapted for television and staged as a musical—truly &“a phenomenon&” (The Washington Post).
Nights in Berlin: Nights In Berlin, Afternoons In Paris, And Mornings In London (The Francis Bacon Mysteries #4)
by Janice LawLambda Literary Award Finalist: A young Irishman finds love and danger in the shadows of Weimar Germany. Francis Bacon has never cared much for country living, so he is overjoyed when his father sends him to Berlin as punishment for his not-so-innocent flirtations with the other boys at school. With afternoons at the cinema, dinner at the Hotel Adlon, and nights at the most outrageous cabarets in Germany—and in his uncle Lastings&’s bed—he&’ll fit right in. The Great War having ended over a decade ago, and its resulting economic turmoil in the past, Germany is enjoying the &“Golden Twenties&”—a time of healthy fiscal growth, and creative and sexual resurgence, centered in Berlin. Yet dark clouds are gathering as Hitler consolidates power within the Nazi Party and brownshirts march through the streets. As tensions rise, Francis finds his uncle Lastings busy welcoming countless men into his hotel room—some invited for pleasure, others to be recruited for the fight against Bolshevism. But when the Nazis send Lastings fleeing for his life, Francis is left alone, penniless, and hunted, with only his keen sense of hedonism to distract him from a city that gets more menacing every night. Nights in Berlin is the 4th book in the Francis Bacon Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
Three Singles to Adventure
by Gerald DurrellJourney to South America on a search for endangered species with the author of My Family and Other Animals. In 1950, Gerald Durrell set off for British Guiana (now Guyana) to collect native wildlife and bring it back to his Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust on the island of Jersey in the English Channel. On his journey, Durrell experienced all kinds of adventures: some amusing, some thrilling, and some extremely irritating. He traveled up the Essequibo River into the lush tropical forests and trekked across a landscape teeming with life and color. He encountered the sakiwinki monkey and the sloth with curiously green fur, heard the horrifying sounds of rampaging piranhas, and learned how to lasso a galloping anteater. He even met an ill-tempered anaconda and an overly affectionate bird. This remarkable memoir will take you into a wild place in another time, accompanied by the highly entertaining naturalist whose writings inspired popular Masterpiece series The Durrells in Corfu. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Gerald Durrell including rare photos from the author&’s estate.
The Man of Property: Book One Of The Forsyte Saga (The Forsyte Saga #1)
by John GalsworthyThe classic tale of a wealthy English family—and a jealous husband who will stop at nothing to gain dominion over his bride. The first installment of the critically acclaimed Forsyte Saga introduces the Forsyte clan and their endlessly fascinating intrigues. Author John Galsworthy&’s take on the constricted roles of women within the confines of marriage casts an unforgiving light on traditional courtship while rendering otherwise common domestic dramas in the luscious, indelible prose that would establish him as one of English literature&’s brightest luminaries. Upon acquainting the reader with the sprawling Forsyte dynasty, Galsworthy narrows his focus to the relationship between Soames Forsyte, a wealthy solicitor, and his stunning wife, Irene. Determined to keep Irene for himself, Soames slowly narrows his wife&’s social circle before convincing her to move to a countryside home. And when Irene begins to take a romantic interest in architect Philip Bosinney, Soames will stop at nothing to ensure that Irene understands her place within their marriage. Widely regarded as the finest novel in an exemplary series, The Man of Property is a groundbreaking work of Victorian literature and a delightful read from first page to last. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Town and the City: A Novel (Penguin Modern Classics Ser.)
by Jack KerouacA quintessential American family is pulled apart by war and the rapidly changing tides of society in Jack Kerouac&’s captivating first novel Published seven years before his iconic On the Road, Jack Kerouac&’s debut novel follows the experiences of one family as they navigate the seismic cultural shifts following World War II. Inspired by Kerouac&’s own New England youth, the eight Martin children enjoy an idyllic upbringing in a small Massachusetts mill-town. Middle son Peter, a budding intellectual and promising athlete, most strongly feels the lure of the future. When war breaks out, the siblings&’ lives are interrupted by military service; their parents must sell their house after the family business goes bankrupt; and Peter, eager to see the world, voyages overseas as a Merchant Marine. After returning home, Peter is drawn to the kinetic energy of New York City and the progressive, bohemian ideas springing from its denizen young poets, writers, and artists. His new friends are fictionalized versions of Kerouac&’s contemporaries: Allen Ginsberg (as Leon Levinsky), Lucien Carr (as Kenneth Wood), and William Burroughs (as Will Dennison), and other members of the Beat Generation. Seen by Peter&’s parents as hoodlums and junkies, the Beats challenge conventional American ideas of everything from authority and religion to marriage and domestic life.
The Lost Flying Boat: A Novel
by Alan SillitoeA post-WWII adventure from the bestselling author of The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner. A top-secret mission sends a crew of Royal Air Force veterans from South Africa to the subarctic Kerguelen Islands in this suspense-packed tale of lawlessness, piracy, obsession, and greed. At the helm of the Aldebaran, a huge flying boat, sits the monomaniacal Captain Bennett, a man hell-bent on unearthing a treasure buried by the Germans in the final days of World War II. And on the seaplane&’s radio is the young wireless operator Adcock, a man who listens to everything and tries to make sense of it all. The rest of the ex-soldiers on board seek either riches or adventure—but all are fleeing the frustrations and disappointments of their postwar lives. As the voyage takes dangerous turns toward natural and manmade threats, it becomes clear that Captain Bennett is keeping secrets and the Aldebaran is not alone on her quest. Adcock&’s morals are soon put to the test, machine guns are mounted on the flying boat&’s turrets, and the thirst for gold may cost the crew their lives. Classic kitchen sink realism meets high-flying adventure in this British thriller that goes beyond action and into the depths of human values and motivations in a war-damaged world. Drawing upon Alan Sillitoe&’s own wartime experiences as a wireless operator, The Lost Flying Boat is full of aerial heroics, coded messages, shattered dreams, and the will to persevere.