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Puffball: A Novel (King Penguin Ser.)
by Fay WeldonA young couple&’s dream of a rustic idyll turns into a battle between good and evil in Fay Weldon&’s novel about passion, deceit, and witchcraft Liffey longs to live in the country. Her dream comes true when she and her husband, Richard, rent the aptly named Honeycomb Cottage. Richard will commute from the city on weekends; Liffey will have a baby. It seems like an ideal arrangement.But being pregnant, living in the country, and waiting for a husband to come home is not easy. For one thing, there&’s really bad neighbor trouble, which Richard refuses to recognize. Liffey finds Tucker, the farmer, far too attentive, and suspects that she is the victim of witchcraft. Tucker&’s wife, Mabs, jealous and spiteful, is obsessed by the idea that she should be pregnant rather than Liffey. As new life swells inexorably inside her, Liffey realizes all are dancing to the baby&’s tune.This is a wise and moving story about love, lust, and the stubbornness of new life. Puffball is a potent brew from Fay Weldon&’s fertile imagination.
Looking for Ginger North
by John DunningAt a California racetrack, an ex-cop investigates the mystery of his mother&’s suicide in this haunting novel from the two-time Edgar nominee. The old wooden tower looms over the racetrack, an eyesore that is too famous to tear down. To Wes Harrison, it is more than an architectural curiosity; it is a bitter reminder of Ginger North, the track employee who, three decades earlier, leapt from the tower to her death. Around the track, she is a legend, something to reminisce about in between races, but to Harrison, Ginger North is much more: she was his mother. A troubled ex-cop, Harrison drifts into the world of the racetrack as a way of connecting with his mother&’s spirit. Armed with a few old case files, he takes a job on the grounds, seeking answers about Ginger&’s death. Standing in his way are certain people—jockeys, trainers, grooms, and owners—who do not want the truth to come out. Conflict is natural among those who work with horses, but at this track, the competition could be deadly.
The Gods in Anger: The Omaran Saga (Omaran Saga #4)
by Adrian ColeThe grimdark Omaran Saga reaches a stunning conclusion. &“Remarkably fine fantasy . . . Adrian Cole has a magic touch&” (Roger Zelazny). Omara is on the brink of war as the terrible forces of Anakhizer gather in the West. Against their assembled might, Simon Wargallow and a handful of allies journey secretly into the forbidden lands, bearing the rod of power. They enter the Deepwalks, an ancient and terrifying forest, where they learn the real nature of the horrors that threaten to engulf Omara. At last they must reach the edge of their world, where they are forced to confront the ultimate evil. Do not miss the entire quartet: A Place Among the Fallen, Throne of Fools, The King of Light and Shadows, and The Gods in Anger.
The Law of Becoming: Jaran, An Earthly Crown, His Conquering Sword, And The Law Of Becoming (The Novels of the Jaran #4)
by Kate ElliottIn this electrifying finale to Kate Elliott&’s Novels of the Jaran, the fight against the alien Chapalii empire comes to an exhilarating end.Charles Soerensen is the human who dared to take on the powerful Chapalii empire. When his plot for a revolt failed, instead of being punished he received a high-ranking title and authority over a whole system of planets—but this did nothing to change his revolutionary inclinations. In this final book, the story of Tess, Ilya, and Charles comes to its stunning conclusion as new generations get involved in the intrigue, Earth&’s exiled jaran people resurface, and the Chapalii overlords make one last, unexpected move.The Law of Becoming is the final volume of the Novels of the Jaran, which begin with Jaran, An Earthly Crown, and His Conquering Sword.
Femininity
by Susan BrownmillerWith intelligence and humor, Susan Brownmiller explores the history and unspoken rules of the burden of &“feminine perfection&” What is femininity? How is it measured? What are its demands? How are women meant to dress, look, think, act, feel, and be, according to the mores of society? Susan Brownmiller offers a witty and often pointed critique of the concept of femininity in contemporary culture and throughout history. She explores the demands placed upon women to fit an established mold, examines female stereotypes, and celebrates the hard-won advances in women&’s lifestyle and attire. At once profound, revolutionary, empowering, and entertaining, Femininity challenges the accepted female norm while appreciating the women throughout history who have courageously broken free of its constraints.
Double, Double
by John BrunnerA mutant species from the sea unleashes a tide of terror in this horror thriller from &“one of the most important science fiction authors&” (SF Site). In Double, Double, a random collection of strangers converges on a seaside town, not knowing one another and having nothing in common. A mystery from the sea, a shape-shifter, begins to take over the people and produce oddly behaving duplicates of them. A combination of scientific knowledge and a little luck may be all that stands between mankind and an alien invasion. For each generation, there is a writer meant to bend the rules of what we know. Hugo Award winner (Best Novel, Stand on Zanzibar) and British science fiction master John Brunner remains one of the most influential and respected authors of all time, and now many of his classic works are being reintroduced. For readers familiar with his vision, this is a chance to reexamine his thoughtful worlds and words, while for new readers, Brunner&’s work proves itself the very definition of timeless.
Prospero's Cell: A Guide to the Landscape and Manners of the Island of Corfu (Faber Library #No. 20)
by Lawrence DurrellFrom a member of the real-life family portrayed in The Durrells in Corfu, this memoir of the idyllic Greek island is &“among the best books ever written&” (The New York Times). Before Lawrence Durrell became a renowned novelist, poet, and travel writer, he spent four youthful years on Corfu, an island jewel with beauty to match the long and fascinating history within its rocky shores. While his brother, Gerald, was collecting animals as a budding naturalist, Lawrence fished, drank, and lived with the natives in the years leading up to World War II, sheltered from the tumult that was engulfing Europe—until finally he could ignore the world no longer. Durrell left for Alexandria, to serve his country as a wartime diplomat, but never forgot the wonders of Corfu. In this &“brilliant&” journey through that idyllic time and place, Durrell returns to the land that made him so happy, blending his love of history with memories of his adventures there (The Economist). Like the blue Aegean, Prospero&’s Cell is deep and crystal clear, offering a perfect view straight to the heart of a nation.
Lyric Powers
by Robert von HallbergThe authority of poetry varies from one period to another, from one culture to another. For Robert von Hallberg, the authority of lyric poetry has three sources: religious affirmation, the social institutions of those who speak the idioms from which particular poems are made, and the extraordinary cognition generated by the formal and musical resources of poems. Lyric Powers helps students, poets, and general readers to recognize the pleasures and understand the ambitions of lyric poetry. To explain why a reader might prefer one kind of poem to another, von Hallberg analyzes—beyond the political and intellectual significance of poems—the musicality of both lyric poetry and popular song, including that of Tin Pan Alley and doo-wop. He shows that poets have distinctive intellectual resources—not just rhetorical resources—for examining their subjects, and that the power of poetic language to generalize, not particularize, is what justly deserves a critic’s attention. The first book in more than a decade from this respected critic, Lyric Powers will be celebrated as a genuine event by readers of poetry and literary criticism.
Sex and the Single Girl: The Unmarried Woman's Guide to Men (Cult Classics Ser. #Vol. 1)
by Helen Gurley BrownThe 1962 blockbuster that took on &“one of the most absurd (if universal) myths of our time: that every girl must be married&” (The New York Times). Helen Gurley Brown, the iconic editor in chief of Cosmopolitan for thirty-two years, is considered one of the most influential figures of Second Wave feminism. Her first book sold millions of copies, became a cultural phenomenon, and ushered in a whole new way of thinking about work, men, and life. Feisty, fun, and totally frank, Sex and the Single Girl offers advice to unmarried women that is as relevant today as it was when it burst onto the scene in the 1960s. This spirited manifesto puts women—and what they want—first. It captures the exuberance, optimism, and independence that have influenced the lives of so many contemporary American women.
Citizens without a City: Destruction and Despair after the L'Aquila Earthquake
by Jan-Jonathan BockIn 2009, after seismic tremors struck the Italian mountain town of L'Aquila, survivors were subjected to a "second earthquake"—invasive media attention and a relief effort that left them in a state of suspended citizenship as they were forcibly resettled and had to envision a new future.In Citizens without a City, Jan-Jonathan Bock reveals how a disproportionate government response exacerbated survivors' sense of crisis, divided the local population, and induced new types of political action. Italy's disenfranchising emergency reaction relocated citizens to camps and sites across a ruined townscape, without a plan for restoration or return. Through grassroots politics, arts and culture, commemoration rituals, architectural projects, and legal avenues, local people now sought to shape their hometown's recovery. Bock combines an analysis of the catastrophe's impact with insights into post-disaster civic life, urban heritage, the politics of mourning, and community fragmentation.A fascinating read for anyone interested in urban culture, disaster, and politics, Citizens without a City illustrates how survivors battled to retain a sense of purpose and community after the L'Aquila earthquake.
Perfect Piecing Handy Pocket Guide: Tips & Tricks to Fine-Tune Your Patchwork & Quilting (Pocket Guide Ser.)
by Patty MurphyExpert piecing tips and tricks to fine-tune your patchwork Determining what makes a great quilt is different for everyone. Most quilters agree that one important element of every beautiful quilt is impeccable piecing—square blocks, perfect points, little or no bulk in the seams. How do you get there? This pocket guide will show you how to use basic techniques and foolproof tips to solve common construction problems for the basic quilt blocks. Reach past your quilting style and focus solely on technique to make your piecing perfect—or at least more effortless! Learn how to cut, sew, and press for success while constructing basic quilting blocks Perfect your blocks including the Four-Patch, Nine-Patch, half-square triangle, quarter-square triangle, and Flying Geese Quick and easy reference to all things patchwork including supplies, techniques, tips and tricks, and more
The Dark Light Years
by Brian W. AldissA strange alien species forces us to question our definition of civilization in this biting satire from the Grand Master of Science Fiction. What would intelligent life‑forms on another planet look like? Would they walk upright? Would they wear clothes? Or would they be hulking creatures on six legs that wallow in their own excrement? Upon first contact with the Utod— intelligent, pacifist beings who feel no pain—mankind instantly views these aliens as animals because of their unhygienic customs. This leads to the slaughter, capture, and dissection of the Utod. But when one explorer recognizes the intelligence behind their habits, he must reevaluate what it actually means to be &“intelligent.&”
Night of the Golden Butterfly: A Novel (The Islam Quintet #5)
by Tariq AliThe Islam Quintet concludes with a powerful portrait of life and loveTariq Ali&’s epic quintet, which began on the streets of medieval Granada, culminates in present day with Night of the Golden Butterfly. The story darts between the past and present of Dara, a Lahore-born writer who now lives in London. Dara is called back to his homeland by an old friend, the hot-tempered and mysterious Plato, who, at seventy-five, has finally fallen in love. Dara is to help Plato&’s newfound inamorata to write a book about his friend&’s life. Dara retraces not only Plato&’s steps but also his own, meeting old friends across the world as they retread the paths of their lives. Night of the Golden Butterfly is a gorgeous and lyrical capstone that finds heart and humor in the passage of time, the practice of reconciliation, and the irresistible draw of home.
D-Day with the Screaming Eagles
by George KoskimakiA collection of eyewitness accounts of the Normandy landings that &“gives you the [feeling] that you are there during the frenzied first hours of the invasion&” (Kepler&’s Military History Book Reviews). Many professional historians have recorded the actions of D-Day but here is an account of the airborne actions as described by the actual men themselves, in eyewitness detail. Participants range from division command personnel to regimental, battalion, company, and battery commanders, to chaplains, surgeons, enlisted medics, platoon sergeants, squad leaders and the rough, tough troopers who adapted quickly to fighting in mixed, unfamiliar groups after a badly scattered drop. And yet they managed to gain the objectives set for them in the hedgerow country of Normandy. This book is primary source material. It is a &“must read&” for anyone interested in the Normandy landings, the 101st Airborne Division, and World War II in general. Hearing the soldiers speak is an entirely different experience from reading about the action in a narrative history.
Things That Happen to You in Barcelona When You're Thirty
by Llucia RamisWhat happens when you turn thirty and still don&’t know what you want to be when you grow up? In this witty and sharply observed portrait of a generation, lost thirtysomethings grapple with, and avoid, the responsibilities of adulthoodOn the morning after celebrating her thirtieth birthday in Barcelona, a journalist wakes up to a hangover—and a magician in her bed—and wonders if she&’s too old to be living as though she was still twenty years old. Her artist friend, Blai, has already immortalized the rest of their group on canvas. There&’s man-eater Cati, drama-queen lesbian Neus, and wild-haired, poet turned teacher Nil. But as she enters a new decade of her life, the narrator remains &“an idea for a painting that is yet to be defined.&” When she&’s left looking after a stranger&’s bag, she looks inside and finds a love letter that fires her imagination. The search for the truth behind the romantic clue leads her on a hunt through the bars of Barcelona. If she doesn&’t believe in fate, why should she believe in the letter&’s Prince Charming? And what should she do if she finds him? In a precarious era of flat-packed, ready-to-assemble lifestyles and disposable relationships, surprising stories are never too far away.
Ariel
by Steven R. Boyett&“Part post-apocalypse, part road-trip, part sword-and-sorcery . . . One of my favorite adventure novels of all time.&” —Cory Doctorow At four-thirty one Saturday afternoon the laws of physics as we know them underwent a change. Electronic devices, cars, industries stopped. The lights went out. Any technology more complicated than a lever or pulley simply wouldn't work. A new set of rules took its place—laws that could only be called magic. Ninety-nine percent of humanity has simply vanished. Cities lie abandoned. Supernatural creatures wander the silenced achievements of a halted civilization. Pete Garey has survived the Change and its ensuing chaos. He wanders the southeastern United States, scavenging, lying low. Learning. One day he makes an unexpected friend: a smartassed unicorn with serious attitude. Pete names her Ariel and teaches her how to talk, how to read, and how to survive in a world in which a unicorn horn has become a highly prized commodity. When they learn that there is a price quite literally on Ariel's head, the two unlikely companions set out from Atlanta to Manhattan to confront the sorcerer who wants her horn. And so begins a haunting, epic, and surprisingly funny journey through the remnants of a halted civilization in a desolated world.
Death's Savage Passion (The Patience McKenna Mysteries #3)
by Jane Haddam Orania PapazoglouMcKenna investigates the first casualty in a New York literary warThe romance boom has ended, and the women who made fortunes writing bodice-rippers are now scribbling mysteries instead. When the genre&’s &“true&” authors fight back, a battle breaks out in every high-class gin joint in Manhattan. It is take-no-prisoners fighting, and Patience McKenna is caught in the middle. This ex-romance author has just turned to true crime writing when Sarah English comes to visit. A would-be romance writer from the Great Plains, English is dowdy, wide-eyed, and naïve—but she is about to toughen up. When a fading romance writer gets pushed in front of a subway train, English is among the suspects. To prove her new friend innocent, McKenna will need the skills gleaned in both her literary genres.
Mongrel: Essays, Diatribes + Pranks
by Justin ChinIn a time when memoirs are often less than they claim to be and essays do not say enough, Justin Chin breaks onto the scene with a collection that is a combination of confession, tirade, journalism, and practical joke.Mongrel is a cross-section of Chin's imagination and experiences that calls into question what it means to be an Asian-American in San Francisco, the effect your family will always have on you, and the role sexuality plays in your life. Whether it be Internet pornography or family history, Chin manages to dig deep and uncover not only the truths of everyday life, but also the absurdities that surround them.Mongrel is an exploration and distillation of the experiences and imagination of a gay Asian-American whose sensibilities were formed by the maelstrom of '80s American pop culture. A unique collection from a brash, funny new voice.
For Richer, for Poorer: A Novel
by Edward StewartSet against four tumultuous decades of American history, For Richer, for Poorer is a spellbinding saga of betrayal and love . . . and one woman&’s quest for revengeThe day a brutal massacre turns Bartonville into a battlefield, Kitty is living with her father in a shack owned by the town&’s most powerful family. When the bloodshed is over, the boy Kitty loves lies fatally wounded. But their child will live on. And Tyrone Duncannon&’s death will be avenged.For Richer, for Poorer is the story of Kitty Kellogg Stokes, born into a hardscrabble life in small-town Pennsylvania, who rose to become the most influential woman in the political circles of New York and Washington, DC. When Kitty marries John Stokes Jr., she bears him two sons. So begins a deception that will continue for decades and test the limits of a woman&’s desire for revenge—and a mother&’s love.
Dangerous Lady: Dangerous Illusions, Dangerous Games, Dangerous Angels, And Dangerous Lady (Dangerous #4)
by Amanda ScottA conspiracy against the throne unites a lady and a viscount at odds in this suspenseful Regency romance from a USA Today–bestselling author. Accompanied by her chaperone, her dresser, and her adored pet monkey, Lady Letitia Deverill comes to London to serve as maid of honor to the young Queen Victoria. An impassioned Tory in a sea of Whigs, Letty has no intention of changing her political views. The headstrong noblewoman soon discovers she has enemies at court, and none more formidable than the powerful—and irresistible—Viscount Justin Raventhorpe. Justin, a staunch Whig, is enchanted by this outspoken woman. Brought together by a mysterious shared inheritance, Justin and Letty give in to their mutual desire. As scandal threatens their passionate union, a deadly conspiracy against the throne thrusts Letty into mortal peril, and Justin realizes how far he&’ll go for a love that has become his most dangerous obsession. Dangerous Lady is the 4th book in the Dangerous series, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
Masquerade (Paperback Program Ser.)
by Janet DaileyA New Orleans heiress awakens with memories she&’s afraid to trust in this New York Times bestseller by a master of romantic suspense. One minute, beautiful Louisiana shipping heiress Remy Jardin was being swept away by the uninhibited party madness of Carnival in France&’s Côte d&’Azur. The next, she wakes up in Nice, suffering from amnesia after a brutal attack, her identity and memories lost in a dizzying eddy of confusion. Found by her family and rushed back to her home in New Orleans, Remy feels neither relief nor calm—only dread. For Remy is surrounded by strangers. Her father claims to have Remy&’s best interests at heart, yet he seems too anxious to have her committed. Her conniving brother is filled with cryptic warnings. And what is she to make of slippery and handsome Cole Buchanan, CEO of the family&’s Louisiana shipping line? He claims they were once passionately involved, but his secrets suggest something devious. Now, as Cole claws at her heart anew, Remy wonders if he&’s just another soul she dare not trust, or the only man whose declarations of love can save her.
Fearsome Fauna: A Field Guide to the Creatures That Live in You
by Roger M. KnutsonHypochondriacs beware-- would you believe the nastiest creatures in the known universe live inside our bodies? Not content to just find a home and produce offspring in our internal space, parasites will drink our blood, eat our cells, and infest our muscles. There is very little that can be said in their favor, with perhaps one exception-- they are truly fascinating!Fearsome Fauna is a wickedly amusing and startlingly informative look into the secret world of these fascinating creatures. Perhaps the greatest biological success story of all time (there are more kinds of parasites than insects), parasites have found homes in the vast majority of people on earth and have learned to live in their environment without destroying it (usually). For readers who would like to meet these hardworking beasts-- or learn how to avoid them-- Fearsome Fauna tells you everything you always wanted to know about parasites but were too disgusted or terrified to ask.
The Rose in Darkness (The Inspector Charlesworth Mysteries #2)
by Christianna BrandWhile running for her life, a failed actress comes across a dead bodySari Morne had a shot at stardom, a five-year deal with a European film studio, and a starring role in an Italian romance that was poised to become a classic. But the film flopped, and Sari wasted her big break, disappearing from the set to flirt with her new beau: Prince Aldo, heir to a dukedom. Three years later, she is washed up, and all she has left from her romance is a ring—the tremendous heirloom diamond that the Duke&’s associates will kill to retrieve. Sari is being chased by the Duke&’s henchmen when a tree falls across her path. She swaps cars with a man on the other side of the fallen timber, who is in just as much of a hurry as she is. When she reaches home, she realizes why. There is a corpse in the back seat—a young woman, beautiful no more. Death is all around her, and Sari&’s only hope is to keep running.
The Sarah Zettel Collection: Playing God, Reclamation, The Quiet Invasion, and Fool's War
by Sarah ZettelFour galaxy-spanning novels by an award-winning author with a &“gift for creating fully realized cultures&” (Booklist). In Fool&’s War, Katmer Al Shei has done well with the starship Pasadena, cutting corners where necessary to keep her crew paid and her journeys profitable. But there are two things she will never skimp on: her crew—and her fool. For a long space journey, a certified Fool&’s Guild clown is essential, to amuse, excite, and otherwise distract the crew from the drudgeries of interstellar flight. Her newest fool, Evelyn Dobbs, is a talented jester. But does she have enough wit to save mankind? In Playing God, the planet of the Dedelphi has been riven by war for two centuries. Though delicate, swanlike creatures, the planet&’s natives are fierce in battle, and their ceaseless conflict has reduced their world to a wasteland. To save themselves and their world, the Dedelphi have forged a fragile peace and called for outside intervention. The Earth corporation Bioverse constructs a plan to heal the shattered planet. It&’s the most ambitious engineering project the universe has ever seen, and if it backfires, the result will almost certainly be genocide. In The Quiet Invasion, Dr. Helen Failia is nearing middle age at eighty-three, but has lost none of her fighting spirit. The founder of Earth&’s first fully functioning colony on Venus, she will do anything to ensure that the home she&’s built and nurtured not only survives, but thrives. Despite her constant work, funding for the colony is running out, and she&’s dreading telling the ten thousand colonists they must move to Earth, a world some of them have never even seen. When one of her probes returns with the unprecedented proof of an ancient alien artifact on the surface of Venus she cannot believe her luck. This is the first evidence that humanity is not alone, and the discovery will surely secure the research colony&’s future. In Reclamation, Eric Born knows his way around the universe. He&’s a quick-thinking merchant blessed with natural telekinetic skill. He&’s also that rarest of creatures, a human being. Humans have been scattered across the universe, powerless and oppressed, dispersed so widely that no one knows what planet they first came from. Eric survives by selling his talents to the mysterious galactic tyrants known as the Rhudolant Vitae, but has never forgotten he belongs to the human race, and the distant world, the Realm of the Nameless Powers. The Realm may be a backwater, but Eric will do anything to protect his home from the merciless and powerful Vitae.
Haunted Island (Apple Paperback, An)
by Joan Lowery NixonOn an island in the Mississippi River, a ghost and his dog stand guardWhen their aunt buys an old, run-down inn on the banks of the Mississippi, Chris and Amy Holt go south to help her fix up the place. They lend helping hands during the day, but at night, they wonder about the island in the middle of the river—a mysterious place where the townsfolk will not set foot. The island was created by an earthquake which shook the ground so fiercely that the river ran backwards, destroying the house of a bitter old miser named Joshua Hanover, and carrying away his precious hoard of silver coins. And according to legend, Hanover&’s ghost still roams the island, his phantom dog, Shadow, at his side, searching eternally for his lost treasure. Unable to resist the treasure&’s lure, Chris and Amy journey to the island to find out if the stories are true. There they find danger, and a mystery that is far more frightening than they could have ever imagined.