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Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
by Stanislaw LemThe absurdly brilliant far-future satire from &“the Borges of scientific culture&” (Time). The year is 3149, and a vast paper destroying blight—papyralysis—has obliterated much of the planet&’s written history. Fortunately, these rare memoirs, preserved for centuries in a volcanic rock, record the strange life of a man trapped in a hermetically sealed underground community . . . From the Kafka Prize–winning author of Solaris, this is an entertaining and thought-provoking blend of politics, philosophy, humor, and science fiction. Translated by Michael Kandel and Christine Rose
Miserably Happy: Infuse Your Life with Genuine Meaning, Purpose, Health and Happiness
by Dr. Michelle A. Brannick Dr. Kevin BrannickIn this unique self-help book, two doctors offer an innovative approach to contentment and wellness that begins with ending our addiction to &“happiness.&” Miserably Happy offers a unique take on the popular subject of happiness. Acknowledging the positive aspects of this powerful emotion, the book also explores its negative consequences. The truth is that all too often the pursuit of happiness—especially in its modern definition as the experience of pleasure—can lead to misery. In Miserably Happy, you will discover a new definition of happiness based in the physical, mental, and spiritual properties of being human. The human mind, aligned with our biology, defines our health and wellness. As the authors point out: &“In living within our created nature we become deeply connected to ourselves, others, our communities, the environment and, indeed, the universe. . . . The secret to lasting genuine happiness is found in nature.&” Providing a bold new definition of healthy human functioning and development, Miserably Happy can be your path to genuine meaning, purpose, and happiness in your life.
Will the Circle Be Unbroken?: Reflections on Death, Rebirth, and Hunger for a Faith
by Studs TerkelThe renowned oral historian interviews ordinary people about facing mortality: &“It&’s the unguarded voices he presents that stay with you.&” —The New York Times In this book, the Pulitzer Prize winner and National Book Award finalist Studs Terkel, author of the New York Times bestseller Working, turns to the ultimate human experience: death. Here a wide range of people address the unknowable culmination of our lives, the possibilities of an afterlife, and their impact on the way we live, with memorable grace and poignancy. Included in this remarkable treasury are Terkel&’s interviews with such famed figures as Kurt Vonnegut and Ira Glass as well as with ordinary people, from policemen and firefighters to emergency health workers and nurses, who confront death in their everyday lives. Whether a Hiroshima survivor, a death-row parolee, or a woman who emerged from a two-year coma, these interviewees offer tremendous eloquence as they deal with a topic many are reluctant to discuss openly and freely. Only Terkel, whom Cornel West called &“an American treasure,&” could have elicited such honesty from people reflecting on the lives they have led and what lies before them still. &“Extraordinary . . . a work of insight, wisdom, and freshness.&” —The Seattle Times
The Weight of a Feather: A Mother's Journey Through the Opiates Addiction Crisis
by Lynda Hacker AraozA mother recounts her journey with her son through his trials of addiction and his long road to recovery in a memoir full of honesty, humor, and hope. The Weight of a Feather chronicles the relationship between a mother and her son from his journey into the dark world of addiction to his final recovery years later. In this raw and candid memoir, Lynda Hacker Araoz is ruthlessly honest about the deception, betrayal, and violence inherent in the world of addiction, as well as the many pitfalls one encounters on the pathway to recovery. However, she balances out the weight of her family&’s struggles with lighter moments of connection with her son and the absurdities they encounter. Above all, The Weight of a Feather is a testimony to the enduring strength of family love. It brings comfort and hope to others who are going through a similar ordeal and provides insight for those who wonder why recovery can be so elusive. Lynda urges readers to take a fresh look at the world of addiction, calling for a new model for treatment in light of the opioid epidemic impacting families across the country.
A War Like No Other: The Constitution in a Time of Terror
by Owen Fiss&“A scholarly and cautionary collection of essays focusing on what [Fiss] views as the post-9/11 debasements of key provisions of the Constitution&” (Kirkus Reviews). A leading legal scholar for more than thirty years, Owen Fiss&’s focus was civil procedure and equal protection. But when the War on Terror began to shroud legal proceedings in secrecy, he realized the bulwarks of procedure that shield the individual from the awesome power of the state were dissolving, perhaps irreparably, and that it was time for him to speak up. The ten chapters in this volume cover the major legal battlefronts of the War on Terror from Guantánamo to drones, with a focus on the constitutional implications of those new tools. The underlying theme is Fiss&’s concern for the offense done to the US Constitution by the administrative and legislative branches of government in the name of public safety and the refusal of the judiciary to hold the government accountable. A War Like No Other is an essential intellectual foundation for all concerned about constitutional rights and the law in a new age. &“Fiss is one of our most clear-eyed and hard-edged constitutional analysts, and this critique of the damage done to our constitutional heritage in the name of waging a war on terror is the most devastating I have seen.&” —Stanley N. Katz, director of the Princeton University Center for Arts and Cultural Policy Studies &“An essential contribution from one of the country&’s foremost legal scholars.&” —Jonathan Hafetz, former senior attorney for the National Security project of the ACLU &“Thought-provoking.&” —Publishers Weekly
Our Daily Poison: From Pesticides to Packaging, How Chemicals Have Contaminated the Food Chain and Are Making Us Sick
by Marie-Monique Robin&“An enlightening and deeply disturbing account&” of the dangerous chemicals that have infiltrated our food, by the Rachel Carson Prize–winning journalist (Booklist). Our Daily Poison is &“a gripping and urgent book&” for anyone concerned about democracy, corporate power, or public health (Raj Patel, author of Stuffed and Starved). In it, award-winning journalist and filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin travels across North America, Europe, and Asia to document the shocking array of chemicals we encounter in our daily lives—from the pesticides that blanket our crops to the additives and plastics that contaminate our food—and their effects on our health over time. Following the trail of the synthetic molecules in our environment and our food, Robin traces the ugly history of industrial chemical production, as well as the shoddy regulatory system for chemical products that still operates today. Using scientific studies, expert testimony, and interviews with farmworkers suffering from acute chronic poisoning, Robin demonstrates how corporate interests—and our own ignorance—may be costing us our lives. &“What Rachel Carson&’s groundbreaking Silent Spring did for the environmental movement, Robin is doing for awareness of toxins in the food chain.&” —Publishers Weekly &“This may be one of the most important books of the year.&” —Kirkus Reviews &“Full of facts, stories, and wisdom.&” —The Huffington Post
The Nazi's Wife: A Thriller
by Peter WatsonStolen gold and forbidden love intertwine in this riveting novel set during the last days of the Third Reich by &“a superb writer and a masterful storyteller&” (Houston Chronicle). Walter Wolff, an officer in the US Army&’s art recovery unit, has been assigned to track down a priceless collection of gold coins stolen from a monastery in Austria. General Eisenhower believes the treasure could be melted down and used to finance the escape plans of high-ranking Nazi officials, including Adolf Hitler&’s private secretary, Martin Bormann. So Wolff sets out in pursuit of Bormann&’s right-hand man, Rudolf von Zell, the last person known to possess the coins. His only lead is von Zell&’s beautiful, enigmatic wife, Konstanze. But as Wolff works to win Konstanze&’s trust, he finds himself falling in love with her. As their relationship intensifies, so too does the pressure to fulfill his mission—only at what cost? Inspired by real events involving one of the Monuments Men, The Nazi&’s Wife is an &“outstanding story&” featuring &“exceptionally good writing&” (The Daily Telegraph).
The Development
by John Barth&“A merry satire about the smart, moneyed, and demanding retirees living in a gated community . . . Scintillating on the surface and churning with danger below&” (Booklist). From a National Book Award–winning author, this is a collection of &“nine darkly comic stories set in a gated community on Maryland&’s Eastern Shore&” (Publishers Weekly). Something has disturbed the comfortably aging denizens of Heron Bay Estates, a pristine retirement community in Chesapeake Bay. In the dawn of the new millennium—and the evening of their lives—these empty nesters have discovered that their tidy enclave can be surprisingly colorful, shocking, and surreal. From the high jinks of a toga party to a baffling suicide pact, John Barth, &“a comic genius of the highest order,&” brings compassion to the lives of his characters with the mordant humor that has earned him a reputation as one of our most original storytellers (The New York Times Book Review). &“Disturbing, but humorous . . . Reading &‘The Development&’ is a worthy investment in lofty literary real estate.&” —The Seattle Times &“Perhaps the most prodigally gifted comic novelists writing in English today.&” —Newsweek &“A low-key, clear-eyed, battered-but-unbowed portrait of the diminishments and minor pleasures of age. Barth&’s prose still has its sinew and snap; he examines near-decrepitude with mordant, rueful wit.&” —Kirkus Reviews
The Jaguar's Children: A Novel
by John VaillantThis &“extraordinary&” novel of one man&’s border crossing reveals &“a human history of sorrow and suffering, all of it beginning with the thirst to be free&” (NPR). Héctor is trapped. The water truck, sealed to hide its human cargo, has broken down. The coyotes have taken all the passengers&’ money for a mechanic and have not returned. Héctor finds a name in his friend César&’s phone: AnniMac. A name with an American number. He must reach her, both for rescue and to pass along the message César has come so far to deliver. But are his messages going through? Over four days, as water and food run low, Héctor tells how he came to this desperate place. His story takes us from Oaxaca—its rich culture, its rapid change—to the dangers of the border, exposing the tangled ties between Mexico and El Norte. And it reminds us of the power of storytelling and the power of hope, as Héctor fights to ensure his message makes it out of the truck and into the world. Both an outstanding suspense novel and an arresting window into the relationship between two great cultures, The Jaguar&’s Children shows how deeply interconnected all of us are. &“This is what novels can do—illuminate shadowed lives, enable us to contemplate our own depths of kindness, challenge our beliefs about fate. Vaillant&’s use of fact to inspire fiction brings to mind a long list of powerful novels from the past decade or so: What is the What by Dave Eggers; The Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif; The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult.&” —Amanda Eyre Ward, The New York Times Book Review &“[A] heartbreaker . . . Wrenching . . . with a voice fresh and plangent enough to disarm resistance.&” —The Boston Globe &“Fearless.&” —The Globe and Mail
The Love Match (The Waverly Women Series #3)
by M. C. BeatonThe third Waverley sister meets her match in a dazzling Regency romance from the New York Times–bestselling author of The First Rebellion and Silken Bonds. By day Felicity championed women&’s rights, but by night she dreamed of romance. She was the secret author of a scandalous new novel—the tale of a lady &“rake&” and her passionate exploits. Yet one titled gentleman grew more and more intrigued with this headstrong young woman, and Felicity would soon learn that real life could be infinitely more interesting (and stranger) than fiction. Praise for M. C. Beaton and her novels &“The best of the Regency writers.&” —Kirkus Reviews &“A delightful tale . . . romance fans are in for a treat.&” —Booklist &“Nicely atmospheric, most notable for its gentle humor and adventurous spirit.&” —Publishers Weekly
How Women Decide: What's True, What's Not, And Why It Matters
by Therese Huston&“An authoritative guide to help women navigate the workplace and their everyday life with greater success and impact&” (Forbes). So, you&’ve earned a seat at the table. What happens next? We all face hard decisions every day—and the choices we make, and how others perceive them, can be life changing. There are countless books on how to make those tough calls, but How Women Decide is the first to examine a much overlooked truth: Men and women reach verdicts differently, and often in surprising ways. Stress? It makes women more focused. Confidence? Caution can lead to stronger resolutions. And despite popular misconceptions, women are just as decisive as men—though they may pay for it. Pulling from the latest science on decision-making, as well as lively stories of real women and their experiences, cognitive scientist Therese Huston teaches us how we can better shape our habits, perceptions, and strategies, not just to make the most of our own opportunities, but to reform the culture and bring out the best results—regardless of who&’s behind them.
Other People's Marriages: A Novel
by Rosie ThomasFive married couples are about to have their lives upended in this &“hugely enjoyable&” novel by the bestselling author of Daughter of the House (The Times, London). Rosie Thomas, &“a master storyteller&” has been enrapturing readers, earning awards, and garnering critical praise for more than three decades (Cosmopolitan). In Other People&’s Marriages, she offers a breathtaking look at marriage and relationships, with &“the five families&”—the pleasantly hospitable Frosts, the brash and sexy Cleggs, flirtatious Jimmy Rose and aloof Star, maternal Vicky and reliable Gordon Ransome, Michael Wickham and his perfect wife, Marcelle. Old friends, their lives are interwoven in a comfortable pattern of school runs and Sunday golf, barbecues, and shared holidays. Until Nina Cort returns to the cathedral city of her childhood. Rich sophisticated and newly widowed, Nina is an exotic thread in the pattern, whose intrusion reveals a web of hidden flaws. In the course of a year from which none will emerge unscathed, the five families and Nina discover that you can never truly know the fabric of other people&’s marriages. Perhaps not even of your own . . . &“Bestselling author Thomas traces an insightful and touching tale of love found and sustained in her latest novel of contemporary domestic mores . . . A book filled with major pleasures, the foremost of which is Thomas&’s vivid and realistic depiction of men and women struggling to sustain romantic and erotic love amid the draining demands of family life.&” —Publishers Weekly
Ready to Pull the Retirement Trigger?: Your Strategic Guide to Retire With Confidence
by Mary SterkA professional wealth manager guides you through the decision of when retirement is right for you, and how to make the leap with confidence. Many people today want to retire early. Perhaps you want to slow down and enjoy your life, spouse, and grandkids. But there are many factors to consider when deciding whether to move into the retirement phase of your life. What if your savings run out? When should you start taking your Social Security? What if there&’s a major health issue? And perhaps most important of all—where can you turn for answers you can trust? There are no do-overs in retirement. You need a path and a strategy. Mary Stark, wealth manager and owner of Stark Financial Services provides the essential tools and knowledge you need to pinpoint when work becomes optional for you, and create a plan that lets you retire with confidence.
Friendship: An Expose
by Joseph EpsteinThe amusing and erudite anatomy of modern friendship, from the New York Times–bestselling author of Snobbery. Is it possible to have too many friends? Is your spouse supposed to be your best friend? How far should you go to help a friend in need? And how do you end a friendship that has run its course? In a &“smart, delightfully literate, and sophisticated&” anatomy of friendship in all its contemporary guises, Joseph Epstein uncovers the rich and surprising truths about our favored companions (Los Angeles Times). Friendship illuminates those complex, wonderful relationships without which we&’d all be lost. &“Reading [Epstein] is like spending an evening being flatteringly entertained by the most interesting guy at the party.&” —The Seattle Times &“A brilliant and outspoken commentator . . . Epstein&’s graceful style and irrepressible wit provide unalloyed pleasure.&” —Chicago Tribune &“Brisk and delightful.&” —The Wall Street Journal
Dead Run: An Inspector Heimrich Mystery (The Captain Heimrich Mysteries)
by Richard LockridgeInspector Heimrich searches for a hit-and-run killer in this intriguing mystery from the coauthor of the &“excellent&” Mr. and Mrs. North series (The New Yorker). Inspector M. L. Heimrich of the New York State Police may not have the flash of hard-boiled city detectives, but there&’s no lead the intrepid investigator won&’t follow until his every hunch is satisfied . . . On the night before Christmas Eve, in Van Brunt, New York, attorney Samuel Jackson is run over in the parking lot of the Old Stone Inn—and it&’s no accident. For Inspector Heimrich, Jackson&’s murder is personal, not only because the man was his friend, but also because the sole witness is his son Michael&’s new girlfriend. The shaken girl says she saw a car back into Sam and then run him over to finish the job. With a case of vicious vehicular homicide on his hands, Heimrich vows to find justice for his friend and make sure the cold-blooded killer doesn&’t make a clean getaway. Inspector&’s Holiday is the 22nd book in the Captain Heimrich Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order. &“Equable as ever.&” —Kirkus Reviews
The Tyranny of Words
by Stuart ChaseThe pioneering and still essential text on semantics, urging readers to improve human communication and understanding with precise, concrete language. In 1938, Stuart Chase revolutionized the study of semantics with his classic text, The Tyranny of Words. Decades later, this eminently useful analysis of the way we use words continues to resonate. A contemporary of the economist Thorstein Veblen and the author Upton Sinclair, Chase was a social theorist and writer who despised the imprecision of contemporary communication. Wide-ranging and erudite, this iconic volume was one of the first to condemn the overuse of abstract words and to exhort language users to employ words that make their ideas accurate, complete, and readily understood. &“[A] thoroughly scholarly study of the science of the meaning of words.&” —Kirkus Reviews &“When thinking about words, I think about Stuart Chase&’s The Tyranny of Words. It is one of those books that never lose its message.&” —CounterPunch
Mr. Wroe's Virgins: A Novel
by Jane RogersA nineteenth century prophet claims seven young women for his own in this &“engaging, serious and gleefully ironic novel&” based on true events (The New York Times Book Review). A New York Times Notable Book In the 1820s, Prophet John Wroe settled his Christian Israelite church in Lancashire, England, where he and his followers awaited the end of the world. And when God told Wroe to find &“comfort and succour&” with seven virgins, his followers supplied him their daughters. This is the story of those seven young women—faithful, cynical, canny, and desperate—and their charismatic leader, as they move headlong toward the historic trial that brings their household to its dramatic end. With impeccable research into the era and the life of John Wroe, Jane Rogers delivers &“a compelling story of astonishing depth, elucidating religious idealism, the beginnings of socialism and the ubiquitous position of women as unpaid laborers&” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). &“[Mr. Wroe&’s Virgins] leaps headlong into the most ambitious and risky territories: faith, love and existential meaning.&” —The New York Times Book Review &“[Rogers] writes better than almost anyone of her generation.&” —The Independent on Sunday
Lord Freddie's First Love
by Patricia BrayA viscount is enraptured—but gossips might get in the way of romance—in this Regency tale by an author acclaimed for &“absorbing storytelling&” (Booklist). Despite having proposed to more than a dozen women, Viscount Frederick remains one of London&’s most eligible bachelors. The debutantes simply don&’t find him dashing enough for their tastes. His pride stinging from his latest rejection, Freddie leaves London for his country estate. After six years abroad, Anne Webster has returned to New Biddeford with a child at her side—a child whose unruly red hair and mischievous green eyes leave society gossips quite sure of the identity of his mother. Though five-year-old Ian is really Anne&’s nephew, nothing could quiet the scandal or erase the stigma once the ton started talking. Anne&’s childhood companion, Viscount Frederick, was the only person to offer friendship—and then, a rapturous love. But how could Anne allow Freddie to destroy his life by marrying a woman with a tarnished reputation such as hers?
The Genius of Impeachment: The Founders' Cure for Royalism
by John NicholsA more-timely-than-ever argument that impeachment is an essential American institution from the author of Horsemen of the Trumpocalypse. This surprising and irreverent book by one of America&’s leading political reporters makes the case that impeachment is much more than a legal and congressional process—it is an essential instrument of America&’s democratic system. Articles of impeachment have been brought sixty-two times in American history. Thomas Jefferson himself forwarded the evidence for impeachment of the first federal official to be removed under the process—John Pickering in 1803. Impeachment is as American as apple pie. The founders designed impeachment as one of the checks against executive power. As John Nichols reveals in this fascinating look at impeachment&’s hidden history, impeachment movements—in addition to congressional proceedings themselves—have played an important role in countering an out-of-control executive branch. The threat of impeachment has worked to temper presidential excesses and to reassert democratic values in times of national drift. The Genius of Impeachment makes clear that we sorely need such a movement today, and that both the president and vice president deserve impeachment. In the spirit of maverick congressmember Henry B. González, who introduced articles of impeachment against both George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan for making war without a declaration, this book is a fearless call to Americans to hold our leaders accountable to democracy. &“Arguing that regular elections are an insufficient democratic guardian against corrupt officeholders . . . this work relies on its power-to-the-people persona for its appeal.&” —Booklist
"The Good War": An Oral History of World War II
by Studs TerkelWinner of the Pulitzer Prize: &“The richest and most powerful single document of the American experience in World War II&” (The Boston Globe). &“The Good War&” is a testament not only to the experience of war but to the extraordinary skill of Studs Terkel as an interviewer and oral historian. From a pipe fitter&’s apprentice at Pearl Harbor to a crew member of the flight that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, his subjects are open and unrelenting in their analyses of themselves and their experiences, producing what People magazine has called &“a splendid epic history&” of WWII. With this volume Terkel expanded his scope to the global and the historical, and the result is a masterpiece of oral history. &“Tremendously compelling, somehow dramatic and intimate at the same time, as if one has stumbled on private accounts in letters locked in attic trunks . . . In terms of plain human interest, Mr. Terkel may well have put together the most vivid collection of World War II sketches ever gathered between covers.&” —The New York Times Book Review &“I promise you will remember your war years, if you were alive then, with extraordinary vividness as you go through Studs Terkel&’s book. Or, if you are too young to remember, this is the best place to get a sense of what people were feeling.&” —Chicago Tribune &“A powerful book, repeatedly moving and profoundly disturbing.&” —People
Monkeys, Myths, and Molecules: Separating Fact from Fiction in the Science of Everyday Life
by Dr. Joe SchwarczThe bestselling popular science author &“has made it his mission to tackle myths about science and the so-called experts who spread them&” (CBC Radio). The internet is a powerful beast when it comes to science; the answer to any query you may have is just a few keystrokes away. But when there are multiple answers from various sources, how do we know what information is reliable? In Monkeys, Myths, and Molecules, bestselling author Dr. Joe Schwarcz takes a critical look at how facts are misconstrued in the media. He debunks the myths surrounding canned food, artificial dyes, SPF, homeopathy, cancer, chemicals, and much more. Unafraid to expose the sheer nonsense people are led to believe about health, food, drugs, and our environment, Dr. Joe confronts pseudoscience and convincingly and entertainingly advocates for a scientific approach to everyday life. &“A compendium of short articles on a variety of subjects, written in a humorous, accessible style, and larded with intriguing trivia . . . Dr. Joe skewers food myths, opposition to GMOs, Dr. Oz, and Vani Hari, aka the Food Babe.&” —Science-Based Medicine &“Ultimately, the author successfully demonstrates how claims should be queried and analyzed before they are accepted . . . Recommended for readers of health, nutrition, and popular science.&” —Library Journal &“The book is chock-full of captivating anecdotes . . . The author engages readers with his wit and wisdom.&” —The Canadian Jewish News
Treason in the Secret City: A World War Two Mystery Set In Tennessee (The Libby Clark Mysteries #2)
by Diane FanningA &“briskly paced and smartly written&” World War II mystery set in Tennessee, featuring research chemist and amateur sleuth Libby Clark (Booklist). May 30, 1944. In the middle of the night, Libby Clark is roused from sleep by a colleague in distress. Marvin&’s cousin Frannie has been charged with treason, and he hopes that Libby, with her clear-headed scientific mind, can help prove her innocence. Libby, a chemist at a secret military facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee is committed to pursuing the truth wherever it takes her. Libby soon uncovers the immoral Dr. Hansrote, who has tricked Frannie into her treachery. But the evil at Oak Ridge runs deeper. And Libby not only finds herself in conflict with the authorities, but also caught in the crosshairs of a deadly cabal of spies, profiteers, and unscrupulous collaborators. Can Libby survive the confluence of challenges? Or will one of them fashion a trap she cannot escape? Treason in the Secret City is the second book in the Libby Clark Mysteries, which also includes Scandal in the Secret City and Sabotage in the Secret City. &“This sequel to Scandal in the Secret City, which has some basis in fact, is faster-paced than Fanning&’s debut while maintaining the 1940s atmosphere.&” —Booklist
Diamond Dust: Stories
by Anita DesaiA collection of stories stretching from India to New England to Mexico from the author of Fasting, Feasting—an &“undeniable genius&” (TheWashington Post Book World). The men and women in these nine tales set out on journeys that suddenly go beyond the pale—or surprisingly lead them back to where they started. In the mischievous title story, a beloved dog brings nothing but disaster to his obsessed master; in other tales, old friendships and family ties stir up buried feelings, demanding either renewed commitment or escape. And in the final exquisite story, a young woman discovers a new kind of freedom in Delhi&’s rooftop community. This is a richly diverse, &“quiet but deeply satisfying&” collection of stories, from a three-time Man Booker Prize finalist (Kirkus Reviews). &“Anita Desai is one of the most brilliant and subtle writers ever to have described the meeting of eastern and western culture . . . Both serious and wonderfully entertaining.&” —Alison Lurie, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Foreign Affairs &“Served up with characteristic perspicuity, subtle humor and attention to the little hypocrisies of the middle class.&” —Publishers Weekly
The Return of Captain John Emmett: A Mystery (The Laurence Bartram Mysteries #1)
by Elizabeth SpellerA man investigates the deaths of his fellow veterans in this &“haunting and beautifully written&” novel of post–World War I England (C. S. Harris, author of the Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries). London, 1920. In the aftermath of the Great War and a devastating family tragedy, Laurence Bartram has turned his back on the world. But with a well-timed letter, an old flame manages to draw him back in. Mary Emmett&’s brother, John—like Laurence, an officer during the war—has apparently killed himself while in the care of a remote veterans&’ hospital, and Mary needs to know why. Aided by his friend—a dauntless gentleman with detective skills cadged from mystery novels—Laurence begins asking difficult questions. What connects a group of war poets, a bitter feud within John&’s regiment, and a hidden love affair? Was his friend&’s death really a suicide, or the missing piece in a puzzling series of murders? As veterans tied to John continue to turn up dead, and Laurence is forced to face the darkest corners of his own war experiences, his own survival may depend on uncovering the truth. At once a compelling mystery and an elegant literary debut, The Return of Captain John Emmett blends psychological depth with suspenseful storytelling that calls to mind the golden age of British crime fiction, &“full of jolting revelations and quiet insights&” (The Wall Street Journal). &“A captivating wartime whodunit.&” —The Boston Globe
The General & His Daughter: The Wartime Letters of General James M. Gavin to his Daughter Barbara (World War Ii: The Global, Human, And Ethical Dimension Ser.)
by Barbara Gavin FauntleroyThe fascinating personal correspondence from a commanding general of the eighty-second Airborne Division to his young daughter during World War II. James Maurice Gavin left for war in April 1943 as a colonel commanding the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the eighty-second Airborne Division—America&’s first airborne division and the first to fight in World War II. In 1944, at age thirty-seven, &“Slim Jim&” Gavin, as he was known to his troops, became the eighty-second&’s commanding general—the youngest Army officer to become a major general since the Civil War. At war&’s end, this soldier&’s soldier had become one of our greatest generals—and the eighty-second&’s most decorated officer. In this book, James Gavin&’s letters home to his nine-year-old daughter, Barbara, provide a revealing portrait of the American experience in World War II through the eyes of one of its most dynamic officers. Written from ship decks, foxholes, and field tents—often just before or after a dangerous jump—they capture the day-to-day realities of combat and Gavin&’s personal reactions to the war he helped to win. With more than 200 letters spanning from Fort Bragg in 1943 to New York&’s victory parade, this collection provides an invaluable self-portrait of a great general, and a great American, in war and peace. Includes a prologue and epilogue by Barbara Gavin Fauntleroy; a foreword by Rufus Broadaway; commentary and notes by Starlyn Jorgensen; and an introduction by Gerard M. Devlin.