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Improper Relations
by Janet MullanyCompromising liaisons, crossed wires and conflicting loyalties - it's another gem from Regency star Janet Mullany. After losing best friend and distant cousin Ann Weller in marriage to the Earl of Beresford, sharp-witted Charlotte Hayden feels inclined to be even ruder than usual to potential suitors. But after a compromising liaison with Beresford's wicked, wayward cousin, Shad, she's suddenly propelled into a reluctant marriage, and finds herself missing Ann more than ever. But when Ann returns from her honeymoon, she drops a bombshell - not only is she not sure she loves Beresford, she's also had a child out of wedlock, and is planning to betray her husband with her former lover. Charlotte's realisation that she's falling in love with Shad only serves to make her dilemma even worse: should she keep Ann's secret, or tell her husband the truth?
The Improv: An Oral History of the Comedy Club that Revolutionized Stand-Up
by Budd Friedman Tripp WhetsellFeatured in the New York Times 2017 "Holiday Gift Guide for Hardcover Fans" Get an insider's oral history of the World's most iconic comedy club, featuring exclusive interviews with today's most hilarious stars recalling their time on stage (and off) at the Improv. In 1963, 30-year-old Budd Friedman—who had recently quit his job as a Boston advertising executive and returned to New York to become a theatrical producer—opened a coffee house for Broadway performers called the Improvisation. Later shortened to the Improv, its first seedy West 44th Street location initially attracted the likes of Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Albert Finney, and Jason Robards, as well as a couple of then-unknowns named Dustin Hoffman and Bette Midler. While it drew near-capacity crowds almost from day one, it wasn't until comedians began dropping by to try out new material that the Improv truly hit its stride. The club became the first venue to present live stand-up in a continuous format, and in the process reinvented the art form and created the template for all other comedy clubs that followed. From the microphone to the iconic brick wall, the Improv has been the launching pad for practically every major name in American comedy over the last five-plus decades. Now, in The Improv, Friedman, along with a Who's Who of his most famous alumni—including Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Jimmy Fallon, Larry David, Billy Crystal, Lily Tomlin, Judd Apatow, Al Franken, Paul Reiser, Howie Mandel, Bob Saget, Drew Carey, and many more—tell it like it was in the first-ever oral history of how this game-changing comedy club came to be. The Improv gives readers an exclusive look at what really happened onstage and off-mic at one of America's most venerable institutions.
Improv Nation: How We Made a Great American Art
by Sam Wasson&“Like the best of his subjects, which include Stephen Colbert, Bill Murray and Tina Fey, Wasson has perfect timing.&”—Minneapolis Star-Tribune Finalist for the 2017 George Freedley Memorial Award In this richly reported, scene-driven narrative, Sam Wasson charts the meteoric rise of improv from its unlikely beginnings in McCarthy-era Chicago. We witness the chance meeting between Mike Nichols and Elaine May, hang out at the after-hours bar where Dan Aykroyd hosted friends like John Belushi, Bill Murray, and Gilda Radner, and go behind the scenes of cultural landmarks from The Graduate to The Colbert Report. Along the way, we befriend pioneers such as Harold Ramis, Chevy Chase, Steve Carell, Amy Poehler, Alan Arkin, Tina Fey, Judd Apatow, and many others. &“Compelling, absolutely unputdownable…And, in case you&’re wondering, yes, the book is funny. In places, very funny. A remarkable story, magnificently told.&”—Booklist &“One of the most important stories in American popular culture…Wasson may be the first author to explain [improv&’s] entire history…a valuable book.&”—The New York Times Book Review &“Improv Nation masterfully tells a new history of American comedy…It holds the element of surprise—true to the spirit of its subject.&”—Entertainment Weekly
¡Improvisando!: Confesiones de un Ángel en Entrenamiento
by Shel DelisleElla Solo Quiere Volar. ¿Alguna vez has tomado la decisión de hacer algo que parecía ser una buena idea, quizás incluso una idea brillante, y un segundo antes, cuando ya no hay vuelta atrás pensar, “debía de estar totalmente loca cuando se me ocurrió hacer esto”? Y luego, “en fin, allá voy”. Así es como se sentía el Ángel en Entrenamiento, Grace Lightbourne, justo antes de pedirle al Gran Kahuna que la dejara dirigirse directamente a la Tierra en una misión como Ángel Guardián. ¿El problema? Nunca ha sido una gran estudiante y ahora ni siquiera terminará sus últimos tres años de escuela. Para empeorar las cosas, el Árcangel Miguel no está contento con su asignación especial, pero Grace está convencida de que es el camino más rápido hacia sus alas. Además, ¿qué tan difícil puede ser? Estamos hablando de los humanos, después de todo. ¡Improvisando! Es el primer libro de la saga Ángel en Entrenamiento, una irreverente y alegre versión de los Ángeles, el Cielo y todo lo que es divino.
In.
by Will McPhailA poignant and witty graphic novel by a leading New Yorker cartoonist, following a millennial's journey from performing his life to truly connecting with people Nick, a young illustrator, can&’t shake the feeling that there is some hidden realm of human interaction beyond his reach. He haunts lookalike fussy, silly, coffee shops, listens to old Joni Mitchell albums too loudly, and stares at his navel in the hope that he will find it in there. But it isn&’t until he learns to speak from the heart that he begins to find authentic human connections and is let in—to the worlds of the people he meets. Nick&’s journey occurs alongside the beginnings of a relationship with Wren, a wry, spirited oncologist at a nearby hospital, whose work and life becomes painfully tangled with Nick&’s. Illustrated in both color and black-and-white in McPhail&’s instantly recognizable style, In elevates the graphic novel genre; it captures his trademark humor and compassion with a semi-autobiographical tale that is equal parts hilarious and heart-wrenching—uncannily appropriate for our isolated times.
In a Badger Way: A Honey Badger Shifter Romance (The Honey Badger Chronicles #2)
by Shelly Laurenston“Hot and humorous.” —USAToday.com Petite, kind, brilliant, and young, Stevie is nothing like the usual women bodyguard Shen Li is interested in. Even more surprising, the youngest of the lethal, ball-busting, and beautiful MacKilligan sisters is terrified of bears. But she’s not terrified of pandas. She loves pandas. Which means that whether Shen wants her to or not, she simply won’t stop cuddling him. He isn’t some stuffed Giant Panda, ya know! He is a Giant Panda shifter. He deserves respect and personal space. Something that little hybrid is completely ignoring. But Stevie has a way of finding trouble. Like going undercover to take down a scientist experimenting on other shifters. For what, Shen doesn’t want to know, but they’d better find out. And fast. Stevie might be the least violent of the honey badger sisters, but she’s the most dangerous to Shen’s peace of mind. Because she has absolutely no idea how much trouble they’re in . . . or just how damn adorable she is.
In a Dark Wood: A Novel
by Amanda CraigThirty-nine, divorced, jobless: Benedick Hunter is going nowhere, heading in the exact opposite direction he expected. So when he comes across a children's book that his mother, Laura, wrote, he decides that her life and work - haunting stories replete with sinister woods, wicked witches and brave girls who battle giants - hold the key to finding out why his own life is such a mess. Setting out to discover why Laura killed herself when he was six, Benedick travels to the US. As he grows more obsessed with what happened to his mother, Benedick enters into a dark wood - one that is both hilariously real and terrifyingly psychological. Dark humorous and inventive, In a Dark Wood casts light on the nature of depression, genius and of the healing power of storytelling.
In a Daze Work: A Pick-Your-Path Journey Through the Daily Grind
by Siobhán GallagherChoose your way to a perfect day with this adventurous book full of personality, tongue-in-cheek wordplay, and gorgeous illustrations. From small-talk to dating to death, In A Daze Work is an exciting, playful new spin on the minute and mundane decisions that make up your daily life. Each flip of the page puts you in control of the story: Will you stay in or go out? Do you wake up or sleep in? How will you navigate a bad date, or a party full of cookie-cutter couples (available in vanilla flavor only)? More important, where will your decisions take you? Bringing humor and sly self-reflection to the humdrum details of adulthood, this relatable visual journey will help you find the extraordinary (or at least hilarious) moments in any day of the week. ----*Features American Illustration award-winning art
In a Glass Grimmly (Grimm Ser. #2)
by Adam GidwitzWhat really happened when Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water? Well, yes, Jack did break his crown and, yes, Jill did come tumbling after. BUT, they also went on a quest to find a looking glass, which really turned out to be a quest to find themselves. They challenged giants to an eating competition, were drowned by mermaids and were captured by goblins. Did they ever find the looking glass? Well, you'll just have to read this book and find out. Straight into the New York Times Top 10 - alongside A Tale Dark and Grimm! A brilliant combination of thoughtful, literary, gory and laugh-out-loud funny. 'This second foray is even more enjoyable than the author's acclaimed debut' Publishers Weekly The Grimm fairy tales are celebrating their 200th anniversary this year and the continued interest in them is more apparant than ever.
In a Good Place
by Rachel JohnsonMimi and her husband, Ralph, have left social climbing, pushy parenting, and their marital problems behind them in London in favor of perfect, bucolic tranquility. Or so they thought. What should be rural heaven turns out to be just as tricky to navigate as Notting Hill, even with Mimi's new best friend Rose -- Dorset's answer to Martha Stewart -- by her side.
In a Heartbeat
by Carla CassidyDOES THE HEART REMEMBER LOVE?Caleb McMann embarked on the most emotional journey of his life, the search for the little girl who had received the ultimate gift-a new heart. His daughter's heart. Hitting pay dirt, he temporarily moved next door to Erica Clemmons and her child, Hannah, to secretly check up on the young girl.However, Caleb had never counted on bonding with Hannah-or falling for her beautiful mother, whose compassion and life-affirming kisses made him whole again. But in a heartbeat everything could change, especially since he couldn't keep his true identity under wraps forever. Was a fresh start with this woman and child too much to hope for...?
In a Holidaze
by Christina LaurenThis instant New York Times bestseller from Christina Lauren will wrap you &“in its cozy, jolly embrace like a beloved holiday sweater&” (Entertainment Weekly) as Maelyn Jones discovers what happens when Christmas wishes comes true.It&’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She&’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions. But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will spend at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy. The next thing she knows, tires screech, metal collides, and everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she&’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe. &“Take one lovably flawed heroine, add a doting boy-next-door hero, and sprinkle in a cozy family holiday, and you have the recipe for a delicious time-looping romantic comedy&” (Library Journal, starred review) that will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.
In a Minute, Mama Bear (Mama and Bella Bear)
by Rachel BrightRachel Bright's In a Minute, Mama Bear is the first in a new series following Mama Bear and Bella Bear, from the author and illustrator of the #1 Publishers Weekly bestseller Love Monster.Mama Bear is all ready to start her busy day: there are errands to run, classes to get to, and lots more to do. Mama is raring to go! But toddler Bella is lagging behind. So Mama Bear decides to throw the to-do list out the window and spend the day playing and relaxing in the park with Bella Bear—and together they find that sometimes, when things don’t go as planned, they can still have a whole lot of fun.
In a New York Minute
by Kate Spencer&“A sparkling delight about found and chosen family, being brave even in the tiny moments, and the rewards we can reap when we put our authentic selves out there. What a sweet, hilarious treat.&” —Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author Franny Doyle is having the worst day. She&’s been laid off from her (admittedly mediocre) job, the subway doors ripped her favorite silk dress to ruins, and now she&’s flashed her unmentionables to half of lower Manhattan. On the plus side, a dashing stranger came to her rescue with his (Gucci!) suit jacket. On the not-so-plus side, he can&’t get away from her fast enough. Worse yet? Someone posted their (entirely not) meet-cute online. Suddenly Franny and her knight-in-couture, Hayes Montgomery III, are the newest social media sensation, and all of New York is shipping #SubwayQTs. Only Franny and Hayes couldn&’t be a more disastrous match. She&’s fanciful, talkative, and creative. He&’s serious, shy, and all about numbers. Luckily, in a city of eight million people, they never have to meet again. Yet somehow, Hayes and Franny keep running into each other—and much to their surprise, they enjoy each other&’s company. A lot. But when Franny&’s whole world is turned upside down (again!), can she find the courage to trust in herself and finally have the life—and love—she&’s always wanted? A clever, tender rom-com romp for readers of Jasmine Guillory, Abby Jimenez, and Sophie Cousens. Read this if you love: Opposites attract romance A love letter to New York City An adorable meet disaster Found family
In a Not So Perfect World: A Novel
by Neely Tubati-Alexander“Tubati Alexander is a writer to watch!” —Emily GiffinOne of Good Morning America's 15 books to read heading into spring and a SheReads and Zibby Mag Most Anticipated Book of the YearThe author of Love Buzz follows her acclaimed first novel with a delightful Caribbean-set romp about an ambitious designer of apocalyptic video games with a strategy for (almost) everything who discovers what happens when her best-laid plans go off course . . .Sloane Cooper is up for her dream job as a designer for a top video game company. During the interview, though, she somehow promises the all-male panel that she’ll remain single and fully dedicated to the work. It’s actually fine—after her last boyfriend cheated on her, she vowed to focus on her career anyway.Enter Charlie, aka Hot Neighbor Guy, a near-stranger who shocks her with the offer of an all-inclusive trip to a Turks and Caicos resort. The catch? Charlie originally planned the trip with his ex, and asks Sloane to pose as his new girlfriend to make his old flame come running back. Against her better judgment, Sloane says yes; she can use the time away to develop a game design that will dazzle the Catapult team and get her a job offer.Despite sparks flying in paradise, the trip can’t lead to more. As their connection deepens, Sloane is reminded that she can’t fall for Charlie and get knocked off her professional path. Besides, he’s trying to win back his true love.Can Sloane figure out a way to move past heartbreak, land the job of her dreams, and avoid catching feelings? The zombie apocalypse would be easier to solve—at least she’s prepared for that.
In a Sunburned Country
by Bill BrysonA CLASSIC FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ONE SUMMER Every time Bill Bryson walks out the door, memorable travel literature threatens to break out. His previous excursion along the Appalachian Trail resulted in the sublime national bestseller A Walk in the Woods. In A Sunburned Country is his report on what he found in an entirely different place: Australia, the country that doubles as a continent, and a place with the friendliest inhabitants, the hottest, driest weather, and the most peculiar and lethal wildlife to be found on the planet. The result is a deliciously funny, fact-filled, and adventurous performance by a writer who combines humor, wonder, and unflagging curiousity.Despite the fact that Australia harbors more things that can kill you in extremely nasty ways than anywhere else, including sharks, crocodiles, snakes, even riptides and deserts, Bill Bryson adores the place, and he takes his readers on a rollicking ride far beyond that beaten tourist path. Wherever he goes he finds Australians who are cheerful, extroverted, and unfailingly obliging, and these beaming products of land with clean, safe cities, cold beer, and constant sunshine fill the pages of this wonderful book. Australia is an immense and fortunate land, and it has found in Bill Bryson its perfect guide.From the Trade Paperback edition.
In Bed with Her Italian Boss (In Bed with the Boss #7)
by Kate HardyHaving just been fired, Francesca has three immediate requirements: a coffee, an extremely calorific pastry and a new job. Stopping off at her favorite caf?Giovanni's, she manages to pick up all three!Working for darkly handsome Giovanni Mazetti is fantastic-except Fran discovers the job comes with a tantalizing caveat: pretending to be his adoring girlfriend! Soon their kisses start happening in private as well as in public, and although Fran knows it's all a game to Giovanni, she can't help wishing his feelings were for real....
In Bed with the Beast (The Naughty Princess Club #2)
by Tara SivecA tale as old as time: she needs a place to stay, he's a grump with a secret and an extra room...can love find a way?Meet the Naughty Princess Club, a series from USA Today bestselling author Tara Sivec that brings readers to Fairytale Lane and the hilarity—and romance—that three women fall into once they decide to strut their stuff and bring on their own happily ever after. Living in her overprotective dad’s basement, shy Belle lives her life through books. Being a part of the Naughty Princess Club is the first adventure she’s ever had, plus she desperately needs the money to save one of her favorite places - the local library. But when her new friends and new business gets her kicked out of her dad’s house, Belle is rescued by the surly Vincent “Beast” Adams who invites her to be his house guest until she gets back on her feet. Despite his attitude problem and long list of rules, Belle finds herself warming to the muscled man with a penchant for growling and starts seeing a gentle side to him that wasn’t there before. Yet there’s a room that Beast keeps locked and Belle keeps getting hints that Beast is hiding something…can a nerdy librarian tame the beast or will their romance be over before it has a chance to blossom?
In Between the Sheets: Story Collection (Picador Bks.)
by Ian McEwanDarkly brilliant short fiction by the New York Times-bestselling, Booker Prize-winning author of Machines Like Me and Atonement. A two-timing pornographer becomes the unwilling object in the fantasies of one of his victims. A jaded millionaire buys himself the perfect mistress and plunges into a hell of jealousy and despair. Over the course of a weekend, a guilt-ridden father with his teenage daughter discovers the depths of his own blundering innocence. Whether these are the written transcripts of dreams or deadly accurate maps of the tremor zones of our psyche, all seven stories in this collection implicate us in the most fearful ways imaginable. &“His stories are complex and his prose, like Orwell&’s, is as clear as windowpane… McEwan&’s comic edge gives these stories a moral force. They are not meant simply to shock and horrify middle-class readers. Rather, like all good satire, they seek to unmask hypocrisy and cruelty.&”—The Washington Post Book World
In Camp with a Tin Soldier
by John Kendrick Bangs"Jimmieboy" has added two years to his age since his adventures with the Tiddledywinks, and is consequently a much brighter boy than he was at that time. His adventures in the camp of the Tin Soldiers are most amusing, and the book promises to be a very general favorite with thelittle people.
In Charm's Way (The Witches of Thistle Grove #4)
by Lana HarperA witch struggling to regain what she has lost casts a forbidden spell—only to discover much more than she expected, in this enchanting new rom-com by New York Times bestselling author Lana Harper. Six months after having been hit by a power surge that nearly obliterated her memory, Delilah Harlow is still picking up the pieces. Her once diamond-sharp mind has become shaky and unreliable, and bristly, self-sufficient Delilah is forced to rely on friends, family, and her raven familiar for help. In an effort to reclaim her wits and former independence, she casts a dangerous blood spell meant to harness power with healing capacities. While the spell does restore clarity, it also unexpectedly turns Delilah into an irresistible beacon for the kind of malevolent supernatural creatures that have never before ventured into Thistle Grove. One night—just as things are about to go terribly sideways with a rogue succubus—a mysterious stranger appears in the nick of time to save Delilah&’s soul. Gorgeous, sultry, and as dangerous as the knives she carries, Catriona Quinn is a hunter of monsters—and half-human, half-fae herself, she is the kind of sly and morally gray creature Delilah would normally find horrifying. Though Delilah balks at the idea of a partnership, she has no choice but to roll the dice on their collaboration. As the two delve deeper into the power that underlies Thistle Grove, they uncover not only the town&’s hidden history but also a risky attraction that could upend Delilah&’s entire life.
In The Company Of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #6)
by Alexander McCall SmithTHE SIXTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIESThe one where Mma Makutsi finds a dancing partner . . . Although Mma Ramotswe and Mr J. L. B. Matekoni have finally settled down, at the shared premises of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and Speedy Motors the staff are not mixing in a perfectly peaceful manner.But in the course of investigating her latest case, Mma Ramotswe's tiny white van comes into contact with a man on a bicycle who might be able to restore harmony. And Mma Makutsi at last seems to have found someone special . . .
In The Company Of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #6)
by Alexander McCall SmithPrecious Ramotswe, that cheerful Botswanan private investigator of 'traditional build', is now married to Mr J.L.B. Matekoni of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. The Agency is busy, but Mma Ramotswe cannot ignore the plea which is made by a woman who comes to her with a tale of particular misfortune. Unfortunately, her attempts to help are interrupted by a close encounter between her tiny white van and a bicycle, and by a spectacular disagreement between her assistant, Mma Makutsi, and one of the apprentices at the garage. This apprentice has found a fancy girlfriend who drives a Mercedes-Benz. How can he be rescued from his folly? And as for Mma Makutsi, she has found a dancing class, and a man who may not be able to dance very well, but who admires her greatly. And all of this happens against a background of quiet sessions of bush tea, and of a land that stretches out forever under mile upon mile of empty sky...
In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It
by Lauren GrahamAdvice for graduates and reflections on staying true to yourself from the beloved Gilmore Girls actress and New York Times bestselling author of the memoir Talking as Fast as I Can and the novel Someday, Someday, Maybe. “If you’re kicking yourself for not having accomplished all you should have by now, don’t worry about it. Even without any ‘big’ accomplishments yet to your name, you are enough.” In this expansion of the 2017 commencement speech she gave at her hometown Langley High, Lauren Graham, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood, reflects on growing up, pursuing your dreams, and living in the here and now. “Whatever path you choose, whatever career you decide to go after, the important thing is that you keep finding joy in what you’re doing, especially when the joy isn’t finding you.” In her hilarious, relatable voice, Graham reminds us to be curious and compassionate, no matter where life takes us or what we’ve yet to achieve. Grounded and inspiring—and illustrated throughout with drawings by Graham herself—here is a comforting road map to a happy life. “I’ve had ups and downs. I’ve had successes and senior slumps. I’ve been the girl who has the lead, and the one who wished she had the bigger part. The truth? They don’t feel that different from each other.”
In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It
by Lauren GrahamAdvice for graduates and reflections on staying true to yourself from the beloved Gilmore Girls actress and New York Times bestselling author of the memoir Talking as Fast as I Can and the novel Someday, Someday, Maybe."If you're kicking yourself for not having accomplished all you should have by now, don't worry about it. Even without any 'big' accomplishments yet to your name, you are enough." In this expansion of the 2017 commencement speech she gave at her hometown Langley High, Lauren Graham, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood, reflects on growing up, pursuing your dreams, and living in the here and now. "Whatever path you choose, whatever career you decide to go after, the important thing is that you keep finding joy in what you're doing, especially when the joy isn't finding you." In her hilarious, relatable voice, Graham reminds us to be curious and compassionate, no matter where life takes us or what we've yet to achieve. Grounded and inspiring-and illustrated throughout with drawings by Graham herself-here is a comforting road map to a happy life."I've had ups and downs. I've had successes and senior slumps. I've been the girl who has the lead, and the one who wished she had the bigger part. The truth? They don't feel that different from each other."