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Iago: A Novel
by David SnodinAn unforgettable adventure beginning where Shakespeare's Othello leaves offWounded in love, tormented by his past, Shakespeare's most complex villain is brought magnificently to life in this tale of two adversaries—one an accused killer; the other, one of the most powerful men in Venice. Having escaped from Cyprus, accused of the murders of the governor, known as the Moor, and his lovely young wife, Iago is now locked in battle with Annibale Malipiero, known as Il Terribile, the chief inquisitor of Italy's greatest city.Malipiero is repelled by the more brutal tasks of the interrogante. His obsession is with the very nature of evil. What makes a man into a murderer, he longs to know? Is Iago a lone psychopath, or does he lie at the heart of a more widespread Ottoman conspiracy? Malipiero knows that torture will not provide him with the answers he seeks. But there is, perhaps, a more audacious and unusual route to the truth . . . Exuberantly inventive, thrillingly complex, and richly entertaining, Iago will captivate fans already familiar with Shakespeare and appeal to anyone who loves a rich historical novel. Iago marks the emergence of a remarkable new literary voice.
Tears of the Cheetah: The Genetic Secrets of Our Animal Ancestors
by Stephen J. O'BrienThe history of life on Earth is dominated by extinction events so numerous that over 99.9% of the species ever to have existed are gone forever. If animals could talk, we would ask them to recall their own ancestries, in particular the secrets as to how they avoided almost inevitable annihilation in the face of daily assaults by predators, climactic cataclysms, deadly infections and innate diseases.In Tears of the Cheetah, medical geneticist and conservationist Stephen J. O'Brien narrates fast-moving science adventure stories that explore the mysteries of survival among the earth's most endangered and beloved wildlife. Here we uncover the secret histories of exotic species such as Indonesian orangutans, humpback whales, and the imperiled cheetah-the world's fastest animal which nonetheless cannot escape its own genetic weaknesses.Among these genetic detective stories we also discover how the Serengeti lions have lived with FIV (the feline version of HIV), where giant pandas really come from, how bold genetic action pulled the Florida panther from the edge of extinction, how the survivors of the medieval Black Death passed on a genetic gift to their descendents, and how mapping the genome of the domestic cat solved a murder case in Canada.With each riveting account of animal resilience and adaptation, a remarkable parallel in human medicine is drawn, adding yet another rationale for species conservation-mining their genomes for cures to our own fatal diseases. Tears of the Cheetah offers a fascinating glimpse of the insight gained when geneticists venutre into the wild.
Big Muddy Blues: True Tales and Twisted Politics Along Lewis and Clark's Missouri River
by Bill LambrechtAmerica's Missouri River may be the nation's longest and most historically significant river, encompassing many of America's natural wonders between Missouri and Montana, draining almost 600,000 square miles in ten states and part of Canada, and, after Lewis and Clark's expedition 200 years ago, opening the West to a frenzied rush of expansion.But the Missouri is also the site of a vast, politically driven drama. It tops a list of emerging big-stakes river wars around the country that pit conservation, development, farm, barge, American Indian, and government interests against one another in clashes made even more complicated by the scarcity of water in many river basin states.In Big Muddy Blues, veteran journalist Bill Lambrecht uses the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's epic adventure west as a lens to show the other side of the story: what's been lost over 200 years. And the losses, on top of the 120 miles cut off the river by Army Corps stabilization efforts, aren't slight. Dependent on every word uttered in courtrooms and legislatures for their futures are more than 80 rare and endangered species, the family farms that require a stabilized river, the barges of shippers that require a heavier flow, and dozens if not hundreds of sacred Native American burial grounds.Running through it all is the water--more than 2,300 miles of it--that slakes the thirst of people in one-sixth of the nation and has, in the last few hundred years, been home to Native Americans, explorers, and settlers; river pirates, shipwrecks, and steamboats; and farmers, conservationists, and the Army. This is the story of "Big Muddy," of its influence on the formation and stability of our nation and of its place in the center of an escalating river war that will set the stage for water wars in the decades to come.
Broken Wing: A Novel
by Thomas LakemanMike Yeager, an FBI agent with a gift for profiling, is no angel, yet somehow the Bureau has always found a way to forgive him his mistakes. Now, even though he's in disgrace, there's a job that only he can do. In New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, a couple was kidnapped; the husband---a spy---was tortured and killed, and now the wife is in danger.Normally the Bureau might ask Yeager to lead a rescue mission, but this time, they want him to pose as a fallen agent---a broken wing---infiltrate the group responsible, and wait to see what he can learn. The kidnappers are thought to be working for Emelio Barca, one of the most powerful crime bosses in New Orleans, and the target of Mike's past botched case.Mike sees this opportunity as his last chance, even though it's bound to wreck his renewed relationship with fellow agent Peggy Weaver, maybe for good. He's gone undercover once before in his career, and that time his mistakes led to Barca's escape and the maiming of Mike's first partner. This time he vows Barca won't get away. One way or another, Yeager's career will come full circle in the Big Easy, the city where it all began.Broken Wing is a breathtaking page-turner from a writer who seems to have mastered the genre in only three novels.
Leo Thorsness: Vietnam: Valor in the Sky (Medal of Honor #3)
by Michael P. SpradlinFor middle-grade readers, the true story of a pilot in the U.S. Air Force who received the Medal of Honor for his great acts of aerial valor. Lieutenant Colonel Leo K. Thorsness was a Wild Weasel pilot in the Vietnam War, targeting enemy missile sites. On a 1967 mission, when his wingmen ejected from their burning aircraft, Thorsness initiated attacks on enemy planes and other daring maneuvers in order to protect them. Two weeks later, he was shot down and would become a P. O. W. for the next six years.This is the third nonfiction middle-grade book in the Medal of Honor series, which profiles the courage and accomplishments of recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest and most prestigious personal military decoration, awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary acts of valor.
The Widow Killer: A Novel
by Pavel KohoutIn the downward spiral of the Third Reich's final days, a sadistic serial killer is stalking the streets of Prague. The unlikely pair of Jan Morava, a rookie Czech police detective, and Erwin Buback, a Gestapo agent questioning his own loyalty to the Nazi's, set out to stop the murderer. Weaving a delicate tale of human struggle underneath the surface of a thrilling murder story, Kohout has created a memorable work of fiction
Pearl Harbor Betrayed: The True Story of a Man and a Nation under Attack
by Michael GannonA naval historian draws on newly revealed primary documents to shed light on the tragic errors that led to the devastating attack, Washington's role, and the man who took the fall for the Japanese tactical victory.Michael Gannon begins his authoritative account of the "impossible to forget" attack with the essential background story of Japan's imperialist mission and the United States' uncertain responses--especially two lost chances of delaying the inevitable attack until the military was prepared to defend Pearl Harbor.Gannon disproves two Pearl Harbor legends: first, that there was a conspiracy to withhold intelligence from the Pacific Commander in order to force a Pacific war, and second, that Admiral Kimmel was informed but failed to act. Instead, Gannon points to two critical factors ignored by others: that information about the attack gleaned from the "Magic" code intercepts was not sent to Admiral Kimmel, and that there was no possibility that Kimmel could have defended Pearl Harbor because the Japanese were militarily far superior to the American forces in December of 1941.Gannon has divided the story into three parts: the background, eyewitness accounts of the stunning Japanese tactical victory, and the aftermath, which focuses on the Commander, who was blamed for the biggest military disaster in American history.Pearl Harbor Betrayed sheds new light on a crucial and infamous moment in history.
Kindness Boomerang: How to Save the World (and Yourself) Through 365 Daily Acts
by Orly WahbaKindness Boomerang contains 365 daily acts, one for each day of the year, accompanied by inspirational quotes, personal stories on the power of paying it forward, and tangible steps to change your outlook on life. This book empowers you to bring positivity into your everyday life and the lives of those around you. Wahba invites you to practice kindness in relationships, kindness with yourself, kindness with nature and kindness in many more forms. This book is a call to action for anyone who wants to live a more connected and fulfilling life.
Love Alters Not: A Novel of Georgian England (The Golden Chronicles)
by Patricia VeryanPatricia Veryan returns to Georgian England with this eagerly awaited fourth volume in her highly acclaimed series of romantic adventures, The Golden Chronicles. Lover Alters Not opens in 1746, when the impetuous and beautiful Dimity Cranford sets out to rescue her childhood companion, Horatio Glendenning, a Jacobite sympathizer with an urgent message to deliver. Neither of her devoted twin brothers is able to come to her aid, and Dimity becomes the courier for a crucial cypher that the wounded Glendenning is unable to relay..."Combines high adventure and rosy romance." - Publishers Weekly
Threshold
by Sara DouglassFollowing the success of The Wayfarer Redemption series, Sara Douglass brings us a beautifully crafted novel in Threshold, a standalone prequel to the Darkglass Mountain trilogy.Over the hot southern land of Ashdod looms the shadow of Threshold, a massive pyramid which the Magi of Ashdod are building to propel themselves into Infinity, a plane of existence that holds the promise of technological magics and supposedly unimaginable power. For decades, thousands of slaves have lost their lives in the construction of this edifice. Now that this construction is almost complete, the Magi need only to add the finishing touches, and they will let nothing stand in the way of achieving their desire.The Master of the Magi, a young and ambitious man, ready to do anything for power, sees the glassworker slave Tirzah as a plaything, a trifle to relieve the tensions of the day. He senses that under her placid façade Tirzah is hiding something, but try as he may to see beneath her surface, she remains an enigma.What he does not know is that her secret is the knowledge of forbidden magic. That she senses the inherent power in glass and can communicate with it-and that the glass in Threshold screams to her in pain.For it knows what neither Tirzah nor any of the Magi suspect. That something waits in Infinity, watching, biding its time, and when the final glass plate is laid and the capstone cemented in blood, it plans to use Threshold to step from Infinity into Ashdod...At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Stolen Figs: And Other Adventures in Calabria
by Mark RotellaAn effortlessly artful blend of travel book, memoir, and affectionate portrait of a peopleCalabria is the toe of the boot that is Italy—a rugged peninsula where grapevines and fig and olive trees cling to the mountainsides during the scorching summers while the sea crashes against the cliffs on both coasts. Calabria is also a seedbed of Italian American culture; in North America, more people of Italian heritage trace their roots to Calabria than to almost any other region in Italy.Mark Rotella's Stolen Figs is a marvelous evocation of Calabria and Calabrians, whose way of life is largely untouched by the commerce that has made Tuscany and Umbria into international tourist redoubts. A grandson of Calabrian immigrants, Rotella persuades his father to visit the region for the first time in thirty years; once there, he meets Giuseppe, a postcard photographer who becomes his guide to all things Calabrian. As they travel around the region, Giuseppe initiates Rotella—and the reader—into its secrets: how to make soppressata and 'nduja, where to find hidden chapels and grottoes, and, of course, how to steal a fig without actually committing a crime. Stolen Figs is a model travelogue—at once charming and wise, and full of the earthy and unpretentious sense of life that, now as ever, characterizes Calabria and its people.
A Short History of Rudeness: Manners, Morals, and Misbehavior in Modern America
by Mark CaldwellA funny and provocative cultural history of class, manners, and the decline of civilityIn his smart and thought provoking new book, literary/social critic Mark Caldwell gives us a history of the demise of manners and charts the progress of an epidemic of rudeness in America. The breakdown of civility has in recent years become a national obsession, and our modern climate of boorishness has cultivated a host of etiquette watchdogs, like Miss Manners and Martha Stewart, with which we defend ourselves against an onslaught of nastiness. But Caldwell demonstrates that the foundations of etiquette actually began to corrode several centuries ago with the blurring of class lines. Touching on aspects of both our public and private lives, including work, family, and sex, A Short History of Rudeness examines how the rules of our behaviour have changed and explains why, no matter how hard we try, we can never return to a golden era of manners and mores.
Drawn Thread Embroidery
by Moyra McNeillDrawn thread embroidery has been practiced and esteemed for centuries, producing the kind of elaborate linen tablecloths, veils, and shawls passed down through generations. You might think it's too complicated, expensive, and time-consuming to do today. But, in fact, it can be done by anyone who is simply handy with a needle; instead of linen you can use many inexpensive modern fabrics; and while there are many meticulous, intricate designs and patterns, this unique book has lots of ideas for quick and easy projects that will lend beauty and drama to your home and wardrobe.There are separate chapters on all of the well-known drawn thread varieties--needleweaving, reticella, Russian drawn ground, Hedebo, and Hardanger--and even an explanation of how drawn thread techniques can be adapted to the sewing machine.With over 140 photographs and 97 line drawings, this comprehensive book brings a timeless art into the '90s with as much style as precision.
Three Princes
by Ramona WheelerLord Scott Oken, a prince of Albion, and Professor-Prince Mikel Mabruke live in a world where the sun never set on the Egyptian Empire. In the year 1877 of Our Lord Julius Caesar, Pharaoh Djoser-George governs a sprawling realm that spans Europe, Africa, and much of Asia. When the European terrorist Otto von Bismarck touches off an international conspiracy, Scott and Mik are charged with exposing the plot against the Empire.Their adventure takes them from the sands of Memphis to a lush New World, home of the Incan Tawantinsuyu, a rival empire across the glittering Atlantic Ocean. Encompassing Quetzal airships, operas, blood sacrifice and high diplomacy, Ramona Wheeler's Three Princes is a richly imagined, cinematic vision of a modern Egyptian Empire.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Fertile Ground
by Charles WilsonA team of scientists explore an uncharted region of the Amazon, seeking exotic plants that may yield cures for the diseases afflicting humanity. But their mission goes horribly wrong when the party is attacked by the area's mysterious natives, and when they learn too late that they've landed in the cauldron of a deadly, unknown virus.
The Venice Adriana: A Novel
by Ethan MorddenGreek-American opera singer Adriana Grafanas is the most famous opera singer of her time and her scandals, temperament, and cancellations were the stuff of international headlines. Now, in her early 60s, her voice is in shreds and she is near retirement. Sent to Venice to "pull together" her autobiography, American Mark Trigger is drawn into the compelling world of Adriana and of Venice itself. Trying to uncover the truth about Adriana's life, Mark instead discovers his own passions--men and Adriana's music. Bold, sensual, and evocative of a forgotten time and place, The Venice Adriana is Ethan Mordden at his finest.
The Complete Book of Numerology
by Joyce Keller Jack KellerNumerology is arguably the oldest of the divination arts and often the least understood. In the Complete Book of Numerology, Joyce Keller and her collaborator and husband Jack Keller provide a simple, intelligent, and useful guide which outlines the history, the various systems (Pythagorean, Chaldean, and Chinese), as well as the uses and applications of numerology. From numerology as applied to names and what it can tell you, the concept and reality of "lucky" and "unlucky" numbers, and the practical applications of numerology (for success, evaluating relationships, and to anticipate the larger cycles of life), the Complete Book of Numerology provides readers with a solid understanding, allowing them to utilize and incorporate into their life this, the science of the ancients.
Falwell Inc.: Inside a Religious, Political, Educational, and Business Empire
by Dirk SmillieSpiritual Street Fighter. Radical Educator. Christian Entrepreneur.The late Reverend Jerry Falwell was a controversial and divisive religious and political figure whose legacy will long outlive him. Falwell Inc. is the first close examination of how he built his conservative empire, from the inner workings of the fund-raising juggernauts behind his church, university, and conservative causes, to the explosive growth of Liberty University, founded by Falwell to mint conservative lawyers, judges, and politicans. Falwell's religious ventures are now in the hands of his two very different sons. They are expanding their father's empire beyond what he ever achieved.Investigative reporter Dirk Smillie reveals the financial rapids Reverend Falwell and son Jerry Jr. hit when business failures piled up $100 million in debt and nearly sank his school and ministry. Smillie uncovers the extraordinary impact Falwell, in saving his spiritual enterprises, has had on Lynchburg, Virginia, and how savvy real estate investments and relentless fund-raising saved the empire. Falwell Inc. details the spreading influence his legacy continues to exert on our country.Falwell Inc. is above all an astonishing behind-the-curtains look at a powerful but flawed man and his multimillion-dollar business, political, religious, and education enterprises, by a reporter with unprecedented access to the family.
Magicians Impossible: A Novel
by Brad AbrahamHarry Potter meets James Bond in this story of a twenty-something slacker who discovers that he is descended from a line of magical spies and is thrust into the middle of a secret and epic battle.“Magicians Impossible is a mind-bending page-turner! A brilliant and unique mash-up of spells, myth and mayhem, once it got its claws in me I couldn't put it down. Like a veteran stage magician, Brad Abraham has created a hip thriller that turns convention on its ear with misdirection and mayhem. A must read for enthusiasts of edgy and extreme fiction.” —Don Coscarelli, director of John Dies At The EndTwenty-something bartender Jason Bishop’s world is shattered when his estranged father commits suicide, but the greater shock comes when he learns his father was a secret agent in the employ of the Invisible Hand; an ancient society of spies wielding magic in a centuries-spanning war. Now the Golden Dawn—the shadowy cabal of witches and warlocks responsible for Daniel Bishop’s murder, and the death of Jason’s mother years before—have Jason in their sights. His survival will depend on mastering his own dormant magic abilities; provided he makes it through the training.From New York, to Paris, to worlds between worlds, Jason's journey through the realm of magic will be fraught with peril. But with enemies and allies on both sides of this war, whom can he trust? The Invisible Hand, who’ve been more of a family than his own family ever was? The Golden Dawn, who may know the secrets behind his mysterious lineage? For Jason Bishop, only one thing is for certain; the magic he has slowly been mastering is telling him not to trust anybody.
You CAN Train Your Cat: Secrets of a Master Cat Trainer
by Gregory PopovichSince the beginning of time, cats have convinced the world that they are untrainable so they can do whatever they want...but those days are over! Gregory Popovich is a professional cat trainer who's trained cats to perform amazing circus-style tricks for television and stage, and he's about to reveal his most closely guarded secrets so cat lovers everywhere can put an end to the most common problems:- Stop bad litter box habits End early-morning howling Banish your cat from tabletops and countertops - Prevent begging before mealtime - Put an end to destructive clawing - Make peace between rival catsAnd so much more, including how to become an expert cat trainer at home and teach your cat to perform Gregory's favorite tricks, like jumping through a hoop or perching on your shoulders. This fun-to-read book also provides wonderful insights into the mysterious, complex feline mind, explaining why cats do the things they do so we can better understand them and enjoy a closer, more meaningful friendship.
Merry-Go-Horses: A Brisa Story (Wind Dancers)
by Sibley MillerThe Wind Dancers—Kona, Brisa, Sumatra, and Sirocco—are back with four more full-color illustrated titles sure to delight the imaginations of horse-loving little girls everywhere.When the Wind Dancers find themselves at a county fair, they are enchanted by everything there is to see (from the show jumping horses to the English pleasure rides) and do (riding horses that, astonishingly, look just like them). Carousel rides, anyone?
Cold Hands: A Mystery (Superintendent Mike Yeadings Mysteries)
by Clare CurzonWith her customary understated style and her keen ability to delve into the human psyche, Clare Curzon returns readers to Thames Valley and Superintendent Mike Yeadings. This time a case that at first glance looks to be open and shut proves more difficult and Yeadings will have to use his entire team to help solve the mystery. Off to an early morning meeting in Scotland Yard, Superintendent Mike Yeadings boards a commuter train and prepares for the trip. The train, however, doesn't get too far before coming to a screeching halt: there is a body on the tracks. What at first looks like a suicide is soon revealed to be a vicious crime-the victim has been garroted and his hands mutilated. His pockets are also empty which makes them wonder if robbery was the motive or if the killer was trying to hide the identity of the victim to protect himself. Yeadings soon discovers that the victim was a customs officer and that he had been investigating a possible counterfeit operation at Fraylings Court-a family estate that has recently started hosting theme holidays and offering many classes in order to pay off their mounting debt. Along with the guests requiring art lessons, dance classes, and a dog-training course, some shady characters have emerged and started their own nightly poker school. Among those regularly dealt a hand is Detective Sergeant Rosemary Zyczynski of the Thames Valley Police who is working undercover to solve the murder. Will she be able to reveal the killer and the counterfeit operation while maintaining a poker face?
The Executioner Always Chops Twice: Ghastly Blunders on the Scaffold
by Geoffrey AbbottA morbidly fascinating mixture of bungled executions, strange last requests, and classic final one-liners from medieval times to the present day.Sometimes it's hard to be an executioner, trying to keep someone from popping up to make a quip when they should have spectacularly sunk without a trace. Or to be told that the condemned to the guillotine won't have a last drink for fear of "completely losing his head." The business of death can be absurd, and nothing illustrates this better than these tales of the gruesome and frankly ridiculous ways in which a number of ill-fated unfortunates met (or failed to meet) their maker.Did you know:When Sir Thomas More was ordered to position his head on the block, he said "though you have warrant to cut off my head, you have none to cut off my beard?"When the guillotine took three strokes to sever the neck of Isabeau Herman, the mob attempted to stone the executioner to death for cruelty?After the English hanged the pirate Captain Kidd they chained his body to a stake on the Thames River as a warning to seafarers?From the strange to the gruesome, from the weird to the completely unbelievable, The Executioner Always Chops Twice is popular history at its best: witty, lively, and wonderfully bizarre.
Fighting Words: A Tale of How Liberals Created Neo-Conservatism
by Ben J. WattenbergHow did a nice, liberal Jewish boy from the Bronx come to be called a conservative?Ben J. Wattenberg has been at the center of American ideas and events since 1966, when he became a speechwriter for and aide to President Lyndon B. Johnson. Recruited out of the blue, Wattenberg worked closely with press secretary Bill Moyers and immersed himself in the world of high-powered Democratic strategy making. Eventually he served as an adviser to two Democratic presidential candidates and in the 1970s helped write the Democratic National Platform. But something funny happened on the way to the Great Society: Key players in the Democratic Party moved to the far left. Wattenberg was not happy with this situation, so he helped establish the Coalition for a Democratic Majority (CDM) and became one of the most outspoken voices in the so-called neo-con movement.Neo-conservatism, with its signature cause of promoting liberty around the world, is a philosophy often misunderstood, and the phrase neo-con is used frequently as an insult by those who fail to understand the concept. Wattenberg traces the emergence of the movement from its earliest roots among Cold War thinkers such as Irving Kristol and Norman Podhoretz and from among the ashes of pre-radical liberalism of the early 1960s, to ideological giants Scoop Jackson and Pat Moynihan, to Jeanne Kirkpatrick and Ronald Reagan. The author also discusses the proliferation of neo-con "think tanks," such as the American Enterprise Institute, as well as the surprising appearance of a neo-conservative platform in George W. Bush's administration, in which a number of Wattenberg's protégés have played key roles. With his characteristic wit and on-target observations, the author recounts personal anecdotes featuring a rich cast of characters from Johnson to Reverend Jesse Jackson to Rudolph Giulani, as well as many others. Never lacking for opinions---he calls himself the "immoderator" of PBS's Think Tank with Ben Wattenberg---the author is here to set the record straight, and as the New York Times has said, "Wattenberg has the annoying habit of being right." Replete with stories never told before, Fighting Words is Wattenberg's firsthand account of the remarkable transformation of American politics over the last four decades.
Dervishes: A Novel
by Beth HelmsThe richly textured, panoramic story of an American mother and daughter stuck in the expatriate community of Ankara, Turkey, in 1975--each of them trying to discover a life in the larger world, each in way over her headWhen she is twelve years old, Canada moves with her mother and father to Ankara, Turkey, where her father has been stationed by the government. It is 1975--the Cold War is in full swing and tensions in the Middle East are escalating. But in Ankara's diplomatic community, the days are lazy and indulgent--one long cocktail party. While her father routinely disappears on official business, Canada and her mother, Grace, find themselves in the company of gossipy embassy wives and wealthy Turkish women, immersed in a routine of card games and afternoons at the baths. By the time summer comes, and the city's electricity shuts down from dawn to dusk, mother and daughter can no longer tolerate the insular society--or each other. Alternating between their perspectives, Dervishes follows Canada and Grace as they set out into the larger city: Grace is drawn to the lover of her wealthy, manipulative Turkish friend; Canada competes with another girl for the attentions of an arrogant Turkish houseboy, one who knows all their mothers' secrets. Before long, both are in over their heads, and their transgressions threaten to strand them between the safe island of westerners and a strange city that guards its secrets fiercely. Written with sensuousness and empathy, Beth Helms's debut is the story of a mother and daughter cut loose from their foundations, hungry for independence but dangerously naive.