- Table View
- List View
Wilma Tenderfoot: The Case of the Putrid Poison
by Kennedy Emma Dorman BrandonAnother hilarious adventure with Wilma Tenderfoot!Wilma Tenderfoot has realized her dream of becoming an apprentice detective to the famous Theodore Goodman, and she's one step closer to finding out what happened to her parents. Now a new case has sprung up--actors at the Valiant Vaudeville Theatre are being poisoned one by one. Wilma is ready to put her skills to the test, but right in the middle of the investigation, Theodore disappears! Wilma must solve the case on her own (with her dog, Pickle, of course. ) Can she discover who the poisoner is before she is the next target? .
The Wilt Alternative: (Wilt Series 2) (Wilt #2)
by Tom SharpeHenry Wilt is no longer the victim of his own uncontrolled fantasies. As Head of a reconstituted Liberal Studies Department he has assumed power without authority at the Fenland College of Arts & Technology and the fantasies he now confronts are those of political bigots and reactionary bureaucrats - in addition to his wife's enthusiasm for every Organic Alternative under the compost heap and the insistence of his quadruplets on looking at every problem with an unflinching lack of sentimentality. It is only when Wilt becomes the unintentional participant in a terrorist siege that he is forced to find an answer to the problems of power, which have corrupted greater men than he. With a mental ingenuity born of his innate cowardice, Wilt fights for those liberal values which are threatened both by international terrorism and by the sophisticated methods of police anti-terrorist agents. In the confusion that follows, Wilt resumes his dialogue with the unflagging Inspector Flint and is himself subjected to the indignity of a psycho-political profile. Bitingly funny and brilliantly written, The Wilt Alternative exposes the farcical anomalies, which have become the social norms of our time.
Win Bigly: Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don't Matter
by Scott Adams"If you watched the entire election cycle and concluded that Trump was nothing but a lucky clown, you missed one of the most important perceptual shifts in the history of humankind. I'll fix that for you in this book." Adams was one of the earliest public figures to predict Trump’s win, doing so a week after Nate Silver put Trump’s odds at 2 percent in his FiveThirtyEight.com blog. The mainstream media regarded Trump as a novelty and a sideshow. But Adams recognized in Trump a level of persuasion you only see once in a generation. Trump triggered massive cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias on both the left and the right. We’re hardwired to respond to emotion, not reason. We might listen to 10 percent of a speech—a hand gesture here, a phrase there—and if the right buttons are pushed, we decide we agree with the speaker and invent reasons to justify that decision after the fact. The point isn’t whether Trump was right or wrong, good or bad. Win Bigly goes beyond politics to look at persuasion tools that can work in any setting—the same ones Adams saw in Steve Jobs when he invested in Apple decades ago. For instance: · If you need to convince people that something is important, make a claim that’s directionally accurate but has a big exaggeration in it. Everyone will spend endless hours talking about how wrong it is and will remember the issue as high priority. · Stop wasting time on elaborate presentation preparations. Inside, you’ll learn which components of your messaging matter, and where you can wing it. · Planting simple, sticky ideas (such as “Crooked Hillary”) is more powerful than stating facts. Just find a phrase without previous baggage that grabs your audience at an emotional level. Adams offers nothing less than “access to the admin passwords to human beings.” This is a must read if you care about persuading others in any field—or if you just want to resist the tactics of emotional persuasion when they’re used on you.
Winchester Christmas Wedding: High-caliber Christmas Winchester Christmas Wedding (Whitehorse, Montana: Winchester Ranch Reloaded #3)
by B. J. DanielsA female agent goes after a rogue agent and becomes entangled in danger in this romantic suspense from a New York Times–bestselling author.The Winchester Ranch is a place of age-old scandal and deadly family secrets. For DEA agent T. D. Waters, the thriving ranch and mysterious Winchester clan have the answers he’s looking for. With the heart of a cowboy and a rebellious streak that can’t be tamed, he’s not going to let anyone interfere with his investigation. Nor will he let a beautiful, lonely siren distract him from his mission.But when T.D.’s hunt for the truth puts lives at risk, protecting Lizzy Calder—and wrestling their potent attraction—becomes his mission. As the danger rises, secrets surface—and all hope for a Winchester Ranch wedding may be destroyed.
The Wind in the Willows (Puffin Classics)
by Kenneth GrahameSpend a season on the river bank and take a walk on the wild side . . . Spring is in the air and Mole has found a wonderful new world. There's boating with Ratty, a feast with Badger and high jinx on the open road with that reckless ruffian, Mr Toad of Toad Hall. The four become the firmest of friends, but after Toad's latest escapade, can they join together and beat the wretched weasels?PLUS A behind-the-scenes journey, including author profile, a guide to who's who, activities and more.
The Window cleaner from Trifouilly-les-Oies
by Agnès RuizVictor is 30 years old. He is window cleaner from Trifouilly-les-Oies and has broken up with his girlfriend. His world collapses! It is the time for him to question himself. He decides to leave everything behind and go on a World Tour aboard his faithul old Ford vehicle. Will he manage to forget his unhappy love affair? Agnès Ruiz is the author of several best-sellers. She gained immense success with her first novel "Ma vie assassinée ". She writes for adults as well for the teenagers. Her novels on the inquiries of detective Rachel Toury also has attained striking success in Europe and across the Atlantic. Several of her titles are translated into several languages. She is a native of Normandy (France) and has lived in Canada for the past 20 years. She is married and has three children.
Window Shopping: A Novel
by Tessa BaileyUSA TODAY BESTSELLERA sizzling, feel-good, opposites-attract holiday romance from Tessa Bailey, #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer—now in a beautiful new package!Two weeks before Christmas and all through Manhattan, shop windows are decorated in red and green satin. Stella is standing alone outside a famous department store, when a charming man asks her opinion on the décor.It’s a tragedy in tinsel, she says, unable to lie. Then he asks for a better idea, with a twinkle in his eye. She didn’t know he owned the place, when he put her on the spot, and now she’s working for that man, trying to ignore that he’s hot.But as a down-on-her-luck girl with a difficult past, Stella knows how to make a good opportunity last. So she gives it her all, working without stopping. Trying to resist temptation, because she’s just window shopping.
Windswept (Occupied Space #1)
by Adam RakunasA finalist for the 2016 Philip K. Dick Award, Windswept is the gonzo noir you didn't know you needed until now. Newly reissued, this Author’s Preferred Edition features essays, stories, and, for the first time, a mouth-watering recipe for chicken tacos.Two-fisted labor organizer Padma Mehta is on the edge of space and the edge of burnout. All she wants is to retire, buy a rum distillery, and spend the rest of her life on the beach. To do that, she has to recruit five hundred people to the Union, and she’s thirty-three short. When a small-time scam artist tells her about forty people ready to tumble down the space elevator to break free from her old bosses, Padma checks it out.Now Padma’s up to her eyeballs in trouble as everyone around her starts turning up dead. Can she fight her way through the city’s warehouses, sewage plants, and up the elevator itself to save her job, her planet, and her sanity?And can she do it all before Happy Hour?Praise for Windswept:“This twisty David-and-Goliath tale is clever, fast-paced, and frequently funny, taking plenty of well-deserved potshots at corporate greed.” – Publishers Weekly“Adam Rakunas is one funny SOB, and now everyone’s going to know it. Windswept is a zippy, zany ride, with more fast turns than a Wild Mouse rollercoaster. There’s more witty banter and laughs per page than anything I’ve read in years, making this, my friends, the rarest kind of science-fiction-comedy novel: one that’s actually funny. Buckle the hell up.” – Daryl Gregory, award-winning author of We Are All Completely Fine“Windswept is a classic noir story shot full of space-rum and rocketed into the future.” – The Seattle Review of Books“Part action-adventure, part space opera, part farce… Recommended for Star Trek fans who loved stories like ‘The Bell Riots’.” – Dark Matter Zine“This mélange of fast-paced action, character study, social study and witty dialogue makes up a thoroughly enjoyable narrative treat.” – Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviews“I loved the worldbuilding of Windswept… Seriously, this book is just plain funny. Even so, it manages to present an interesting perspective on politics, consumerism, and unionizations.” – Bookaneer
Windswept & Interesting: My Autobiography
by Billy ConnollyWINNER OF THE 2022 BRITISH BOOK AWARDS AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR: NON-FICTIONThe funny, frank and full autobiography of the nation's favourite comedian.'It's the first time I've done this. Other people have written about me - or for me - but this time it's just my own life in my own words'In his first full-length autobiography, comedy legend and national treasure Billy Connolly reveals the truth behind his windswept and interesting life.Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of 4, and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy's life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds.Billy found his escape first as an apprentice welder in the shipyards of the River Clyde. Later he became a folk musician - a 'rambling man' - with a genuine talent for playing the banjo. But it was his ability to spin stories, tell jokes and hold an audience in the palm of his hand that truly set him apart. As a young comedian Billy broke all the rules. He was fearless and outspoken - willing to call out hypocrisy wherever he saw it. But his stand-up was full of warmth, humility and silliness too. His startling, hairy 'glam-rock' stage appearance - wearing leotards, scissor suits and banana boots - only added to his appeal.It was an appearance on Michael Parkinson's chat show in 1975 - and one outrageous story in particular - that catapulted Billy from cult hero to national star. TV shows, documentaries, international fame and award-winning Hollywood movies followed. Billy's pitch-perfect stand-up comedy kept coming too - for over 50 years, in fact - until a double diagnosis of cancer and Parkinson's Disease brought his remarkable live performances to an end. Since then he has continued making TV shows, creating extraordinary drawings... and writing.Windswept and Interesting is Billy's story in his own words. It is joyfully funny - stuffed full of hard-earned wisdom as well as countless digressions on fishing, farting and the joys of dancing naked. It is an unforgettable, life-affirming story of a true comedy legend.'I didn't know I was Windswept and Interesting until somebody told me. It was a friend who was startlingly exotic himself. He'd just come back from Kashmir and was all billowy shirt and Indian beads. I had long hair and a beard and was swishing around in electric blue flairs.He said: "Look at you - all windswept and interesting!"I just said: "Exactly!"After that, I simply had to maintain my reputation...'(P)2021 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
Windswept & Interesting: My Autobiography
by Billy ConnollyIn his first full-length autobiography, comedy legend and national treasure Billy Connolly reveals the truth behind his windswept and interesting life.Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of 4, and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy's life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds.Billy found his escape first as an apprentice welder in the shipyards of the River Clyde. Later he became a folk musician - a 'rambling man' - with a genuine talent for playing the banjo. But it was his ability to spin stories, tell jokes and hold an audience in the palm of his hand that truly set him apart.As a young comedian Billy broke all the rules. He was fearless and outspoken - willing to call out hypocrisy wherever he saw it. But his stand-up was full of warmth, humility and silliness too. His startling, hairy 'glam-rock' stage appearance - wearing leotards, scissor suits and banana boots - only added to his appeal.It was an appearance on Michael Parkinson's chat show in 1975 - and one outrageous story in particular - that catapulted Billy from cult hero to national star. TV shows, documentaries, international fame and award-winning Hollywood movies followed. Billy's pitch-perfect stand-up comedy kept coming too - for over 50 years, in fact - until a double diagnosis of cancer and Parkinson's Disease brought his remarkable live performances to an end. Since then he has continued making TV shows, creating extraordinary drawings... and writing.Windswept and Interesting is Billy's story in his own words. It is joyfully funny - stuffed full of hard-earned wisdom as well as countless digressions on fishing, farting and the joys of dancing naked. It is an unforgettable, life-affirming story of a true comedy legend.'I didn't know I was Windswept and Interesting until somebody told me. It was a friend who was startlingly exotic himself. He'd just come back from Kashmir and was all billowy shirt and Indian beads. I had long hair and a beard and was swishing around in electric blue flairs.He said: "Look at you - all windswept and interesting!"I just said: "Exactly!"After that, I simply had to maintain my reputation...'
Windswept & Interesting: My Autobiography
by Billy ConnollyIn his first full-length autobiography, comedy legend and national treasure Billy Connolly reveals the truth behind his windswept and interesting life.Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of 4, and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy's life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds.Billy found his escape first as an apprentice welder in the shipyards of the River Clyde. Later he became a folk musician - a 'rambling man' - with a genuine talent for playing the banjo. But it was his ability to spin stories, tell jokes and hold an audience in the palm of his hand that truly set him apart.As a young comedian Billy broke all the rules. He was fearless and outspoken - willing to call out hypocrisy wherever he saw it. But his stand-up was full of warmth, humility and silliness too. His startling, hairy 'glam-rock' stage appearance - wearing leotards, scissor suits and banana boots - only added to his appeal.It was an appearance on Michael Parkinson's chat show in 1975 - and one outrageous story in particular - that catapulted Billy from cult hero to national star. TV shows, documentaries, international fame and award-winning Hollywood movies followed. Billy's pitch-perfect stand-up comedy kept coming too - for over 50 years, in fact - until a double diagnosis of cancer and Parkinson's Disease brought his remarkable live performances to an end. Since then he has continued making TV shows, creating extraordinary drawings... and writing.Windswept and Interesting is Billy's story in his own words. It is joyfully funny - stuffed full of hard-earned wisdom as well as countless digressions on fishing, farting and the joys of dancing naked. It is an unforgettable, life-affirming story of a true comedy legend.'I didn't know I was Windswept and Interesting until somebody told me. It was a friend who was startlingly exotic himself. He'd just come back from Kashmir and was all billowy shirt and Indian beads. I had long hair and a beard and was swishing around in electric blue flairs.He said: "Look at you - all windswept and interesting!"I just said: "Exactly!"After that, I simply had to maintain my reputation...'
Wine. All the Time.: The Casual Guide to Confident Drinking
by Marissa A. Ross“Can I just be Marissa, please? I want to be hilarious and sexy and smart and insanely knowledgeable about wine.” —Mindy KalingA fresh, fun, and unpretentious guide to wine from Marissa A. Ross, official wine columnist for Bon Appétit.Does the thought of having to buy wine for a dinner party stress you out? Is your go-to strategy to pick the bottle with the coolest label? Are you tired of choosing pairings based on your wallet, instead of your palate? Fear not! Bon Appétit wine columnist and Wine. All The Time. blogger Marissa A. Ross is here to help.In this utterly accessible yet comprehensive guide to wine, Ross will walk you through the ins and outs of wine culture. Told in her signature comedic voice, with personal anecdotes woven in among its lessons, Wine. All the Time. will teach you to sip confidently, and make you laugh as you're doing it.In Wine. All The Time., you’ll learn how to: • Describe what you’re drinking, and recognize your preferences • Find the best bottle for you budget and occasion • Read and understand what’s written on a wine label • Make the perfect pairings between what you’re drinking and what you’re eating • Throw the best damn dinner party your guests will ever attend • And much more
Winefulness: It's time to stop and smell the rosé
by Amelia LovedayWinefulness is the new mindfulness.Cancel the hot yoga and pick up a cool Pinot Grigio - sometimes all you need is a nice glass of wine. Through the good times and the bad, it's always there to pick you up and it's always got your back. So enjoy this collection of wine wisdom for the soul, and learn to view the world through rosé-tinted glasses.As the old saying goes, where there's a wine there's a way.Includes inspiration such as:- It isn't wise to keep things bottled up - No Champagne, no gain- Life is a Cabernet, after all- Every cloud has a Syrah lining- Do things for the right Rieslings
Winefulness: It's time to stop and smell the rosé
by Amelia LovedayWinefulness is the new mindfulness.Cancel the hot yoga and pick up a cool Pinot Grigio - sometimes all you need is a nice glass of wine. Through the good times and the bad, it's always there to pick you up and it's always got your back. So enjoy this collection of wine wisdom for the soul, and learn to view the world through rosé-tinted glasses.As the old saying goes, where there's a wine there's a way.Includes inspiration such as:- It isn't wise to keep things bottled up - No Champagne, no gain- Life is a Cabernet, after all- Every cloud has a Syrah lining- Do things for the right Rieslings
Wing Ding (Super Sluggers #3)
by Kevin Markey"I'd heard stories about the yips actually taking over a player's arm. Making it twitch like a dog with fleas. But I'd always thought they were urban legends." After winning the pennant last year, the Rounders can't wait to host the midseason All-Star Game! But shortstop Stump Plumwhiff's got a mean case of the yips. Balls used to disappear into Stump's glove as if he were a one-man Bermuda Triangle, but now he's jumpier than the grasshoppers infesting Rambletown Field. Nothing can get these bugs to bug off, not even the windiest weather in Rambletown history! The Rounders need a way to rid Stump of the yips and their home field of insects-before the hated Haymakers hijack the All-Star Game.
Wingfield's World
by Dan NeedlesWalt Wingfield, the character beloved by thousands in every part of the country, is back with a new and complete book, with a new introduction from the author. Walt Wingfield is a Bay Street stockbroker who quits his job and buys a hundred-acre farm in Persephone Township, Ontario. In a series of letters to the editor of the local newspaper, Walt chronicles his modest successes and spectacular defeats in an age when farming has become difficult for farmers old and new. Dan Needles' rich and charming rural neighbourhood may be difficult to find on a map but it is very close to the Canadian soul. Including a new introduction from Dan Needles, the writer who brought this marvellous world to life 27 years ago, and all your favourite mishaps, triumphs and eccentric neighbours Wingfield's World is the full story of one man's attempt to embrace a less complicated world and how he ends up with more complication and drama, and more love and richness than he could have imagined.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Winging It
by Jenny GardinerA hilarious and poignant cautionary tale about two very different types of creatures, thrown together by fate, who learn to make the best of a challenging situation -- feather by feather. Like many new bird owners, Jenny and Scott Gardiner hoped for a smart, talkative, friendly companion. Instead, as they took on the unexpected task of raising a curmudgeonly wild African gray parrot and a newborn, they learned an important lesson: parrothood is way harder than parenthood. A gift from Scott's brother who was living in Zaire, Graycie arrived scrawny, pissed-off, and missing a lot of her feathers -- definitely not the Polly-wants-a-cracker type the Gardiners anticipated. Every day became a constant game of chicken with a bird that would do anything to ruffle their feathers. The old adage about not biting the hand that feeds you -- literally -- never applied to Graycie. But Jenny and Scott learned to adapt as the family grew to three children, a menagerie of dogs and cats, and, of course, Graycie. In this laugh-out-loud funny and touching memoir, Jenny vividly shares the many hazards of parrot ownership, from the endless avian latrine duty and the joyful day the bird learned to mimic the sound of the smoke detector, to the multiple ways a beak can pierce human flesh. Graycie is a court jester, a karaoke partner, an unusual audio record of their family history, and, at times, a nemesis. But most of all, she has taught the family volumes about tolerance, going with the flow, and realizing that you can no sooner make your child fit into a mold than you can turn a wild parrot into a docile house pet. Winging It is an utterly engrossing reminder of the importance of patience, loyalty, and humor when it comes to dealing with even the most unpleasant members of the family.
Winging It: The hilarious and relatable lockdown read for all mums
by Anna Jefferson'If you've ever felt like everyone else knows what they're doing when it comes to their baby while you struggle to change a nappy, then this hilarious and all-too relatable novel is for you!' Fabulous ----Emily is sure she's getting this baby stuff all wrong. Why does everyone else look like they're smashing motherhood when she's barely made it out of her maternity leggings and out of the house? Her other half tries to say all the right things (can't he just keep making her toast?). Her mum is brilliant (but on the other side of the country). Her two new mum-friends seem to feel like misfits too - but there's really just one person she wants to open up to . . . only Emily hasn't spoken to her for fifteen years. Lonely but not alone, Emily's about to discover that when you're starting a family, what you really need are your friends.Hilariously funny and excruciatingly relatable - perfect for fans of THE UNMUMSY MUM, Louise Pentland and Gill Sims.----Readers love the relatable, funny honesty of WINGING IT, giving it a 5-star recommendation:'A frank and funny look at motherhood' *****'I didn't want to put this down!' *****'From page one she had me hooked' *****'Loved, loved, loved this book' *****'It has been a long time since I laughed (and cried!) so much at a book' *****
Winging It: Twenty-one extraordinary interviews from The Tommy Tiernan Show
by Tommy Tiernan'A great read' Brendan O'Connor, RTÉIn nearly three decades as a performer, Tommy Tiernan has never wanted to play it safe. So, when it came to doing a chat show, he threw out the rule book: going in blind, not knowing who would turn up. It could be a global star, like Adam Clayton, or a statesman like Michael D Higgins, or someone unknown to Tommy (and most of his audience), like autism awareness activist, Ciara-Beth Ni Ghriofa or geneticist Aoife McLysaght. It's high-wire stuff and makes for electrifying viewing. Winging It brings together twenty-one extraordinary interviews from The Tommy Tiernan Show on RTÉ One - a mix of the profound, the profane, the funny and the moving.Tommy's belief in honest conversation is at the heart of Winging It. Whether getting to grips with the finer points of boxing with World Champion Kellie Harrington or preserving history with archivist Catriona Crowe. Or talking God with old friend Michael Harding or mental health with Blindboy Boatclub. Or sitting with moments of pain in conversations about grief (Bob Geldof), FGM (Ifrah Ahmed) or drinking (Paul McGrath). It's all about curiosity, bravery and a willingness to listen.Winging It includes material that did not make the TV screen and the interviews are as gripping to read as they were to watch.'Tiernan is superb at forming a rapport ... Seeing his words written down, reveals a natural instinct for drawing people out' Business Post
Wings (Bromeliad Trilogy #3)
by Terry PratchettIn the final installment in the nome trilogy Masklin must hatch a plan (albeit a ridiculous one) to contact the ship that is waiting to take the nomes back home.
Wings of Omen: Storm Season, The Face Of Chaos, And Wings Of Omen (Thieves' World® #6)
by John Brunner Joe Haldeman Philip José FarmerSixth in the magical, action-packed shared-world series: &“Thieves&’ World® has grown into a real presence in the fantasy genre&” (Fantasy-Faction). Under the rule of a humanoid race, the city of Sanctuary finds itself divided. Rebels and assassins stalk the shadows, bringing chaos to the streets—which is nothing new to the lawless locals. But even they will have to put aside their differences to unite against their common enemy. An accomplishment easier said than done in a city where everyone is out for themselves . . . Stories by Chris and Janet Morris, Robin W. Bailey, Diana L. Paxson, Diane Duane, C. J. Cherryh, Andrew J. Offutt, Lynn Abbey, and Robert Lynn Asprin add to the legend and lore of this &“surprisingly rich and deep world&” (Book Riot). &“In the sixth book of the collection, the friction between the residents of Sanctuary and the invading Beysib heats up and makes for some exciting reading . . . Offutt&’s character Shadowspawn gets some good coverage, and a few fresh new characters also get some play . . .&” —Fantasy-Faction &“&‘The Hand That Feeds You&’ [by Diane Duane] is one of the best stories in the entire collection to date.&” —brianbookreviews.blogspot.com
Wink
by Rob HarrellA hilarious and heartwrenching story about surviving middle school--and an unthinkable diagnosis--while embracing life's weirdness. <P><P>Ross Maloy just wants to be a normal seventh grader. He doesn't want to lose his hair, or wear a weird hat, or deal with the disappearing friends who don't know what to say to "the cancer kid." <P><P>But with his recent diagnosis of a rare eye cancer, blending in is off the table. <P><P>Based on Rob Harrell's real life experience, and packed with comic panels and spot art, this incredibly personal and poignant novel is an unforgettable, heartbreaking, hilarious, and uplifting story of survival and finding the music, magic, and laughter in life's weirdness.
Winkie
by Clifford ChaseAfter suffering decades of brutal neglect, Winkie, a mangy old teddy bear, realises that he can actually move. He jumps out the window, and takes to the forest. But just as he is discovering the joys and wonders of mobility, self-determination, even love, Winkie's luck ends. Discovered by the military, who instantly conclude that he is the evil mastermind behind dozens of terrorist attacks, Winkie is brought to trial. In this War against Terror the prosecution will stop at nothing to get a conviction.Scathingly funny, and not a little weird, Winkie brilliantly exposes the cruel absurdities of our age and explores what it means to be human in an increasingly barbaric world.
Winkie (Books That Changed the World)
by Clifford ChaseA teddy bear is arrested for terrorism in &“this surprisingly effective allegory of our terror-stricken times . . . a funny and sweet yet seriously topical novel&” (Kirkus, starred review). In Cliff Chase&’s scathingly funny debut novel, a mild-mannered teddy bear named Winkie comes to life—only to find himself on the wrong side of America&’s war on terror. After suffering decades of neglect from the children who once loved him, Winkie decides to take charge of his fate by hurling himself off the shelf, jumping out the window, and heading to the forest. But just as he discovers the joys of mobility, self-determination, and even true love, this small brown creature of indeterminate gender gets trapped in the jaws of a society gone rabid with fear and paranoia. Having come upon the cabin of the mad professor who stole his beloved, Winkie is suddenly surrounded by the FBI, who instantly conclude that he is the evil mastermind behind dozens of terrorist attacks. Terrified and confused, Winkie is brought to trial, where the prosecution attempts to seal the little bear&’s fate by calling upon witnesses from the trials of Galileo, Socrates, John Scopes, and Oscar Wilde. Winkie introduces the most memorable protagonist since the Velveteen Rabbit, and—with the help of a lesbian Muslim cleaning woman, a stuttering attorney, and a Lacan-spewing bear cub—exposes the cruel absurdities of our age while exploring what it means to be human.
The Winner: A Novel
by Teddy Wayne“Be prepared to fully lose yourself in The Winner—a book I started and then simply couldn’t stop reading. Teddy Wayne has written a timely, topical novel that still somehow feels like a classic.”—Liz Moore, New York Times bestselling author of Long Bright River Conor O’Toole has never been anywhere like Cutters Neck, a gated community near Cape Cod. It’s a sweet deal for the summer: in exchange for tennis lessons, he receives free lodging in a luxurious guest cottage, far from the cramped Yonkers apartment he shares with his diabetic mother.In this oceanfront paradise, however, new clients prove hard to come by, and Conor has bills to pay. When Catherine, a sharp-tongued divorcée, offers double his usual rate, he soon realizes she is expecting additional, off the court services for her money, and Conor tumbles into a secret erotic affair unlike anything he’s experienced before.Despite his steamy flings with a woman twice his age, he simultaneously finds himself falling for an artsy, outspoken girl he meets on the beach. With cautious, strategic planning, Conor somehow manages this tangled web—until he makes one final, irreversible mistake.A dark, explosive literary thriller that brilliantly skewers the elite, Whiting Award winner Teddy Wayne’s unputdownable novel is cinematic, shocking, and a psychological masterpiece.