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Fidelity
by Thomas PerryA dead detective leaves his wife flat broke and in mortal danger in this crime thriller by the New York Times–bestselling author of Silence. When Los Angeles P.I. Phil Kramer is shot dead on a deserted suburban street, his wife, Emily, is left with an emptied bank account and a lot of questions. How could Phil leave her penniless? What was he going to do with the money? And, most of all, who was this man she had married? Meanwhile, professional hit man Jerry Hobart has some questions of his own. It&’s none of his business why he was hired to kill Phil Kramer. But now that he&’s been ordered to take out Kramer&’s widow, he senses a deeper secret at work—and maybe a bigger payoff from Ted Forrest, the mysterious wealthy man behind the hit.
Here or There
by Rebecca StrongThe extraordinary and the mundane collide as eleven strangers make fateful choices that alter each other&’s lives in this thought-provoking novel. This enigmatic novel follows eleven seemingly unconnected individuals as they move through their day-to-day existences, each finding themselves at moments of uncertainty, nostalgia, insecurity, and, above all, longing for a different life. From a chocolate factory worker with a secret past to a businessman who experiences a strange commute on the London Underground, the choices they make will set off an increasingly surprising sequence of events. As these characters' lives begin to intersect, often without their knowledge, far-reaching consequences prevail, leading some to the extreme act of committing murder. Yet—even after this potent search for better, more fulfilling lives—has each person ended up where they really want to be?
Maverick Marine: General Smedley D. Butler and the Contradictions of American Military History
by Hans Schmidt&“Traces Butler&’s stormy career . . . As pure biography, Maverick Marine is a colorful story about a swashbuckling establishment-shaker.&”—Publishers Weekly Smedley Butler&’s life and career epitomize the contradictory nature of American military policy through the first part of this century. Butler won renown as a Marine battlefield hero, campaigning in most of America&’s foreign military expeditions from 1898 to the late 1920s. He became the leading national advocate for paramilitary police reform. Upon his retirement, however, he renounced war and imperialism and devoted his energy and prestige to various dissident and leftist political causes. This biography of Smedley Butler is &“a sympathetic portrait of a Victorian officer-warrior who lost his way as he advanced in rank and his America and his Marine Corps changed after World War I&” (The Journal of American History). &“This long-awaited biography is as crisp as a David Brinkley commentary. Fact-packed and exquisitely documented.&”—Naval Institute Proceedings
The Song of Everlasting Sorrow: A Novel of Shanghai (Weatherhead Books on Asia)
by Wang AnyiThe classic story of a woman in post-World War II China. &“[A] complex and penetrating portrayal . . . that best displays [Anyi&’s] gifts as a novelist.&”—The New York TimesInfatuated with the glitz and glamour of 1940s Hollywood, Wang Qiyao—a girl born of the longtang, the crowded, labyrinthine alleys of Shanghai&’s working-class neighborhoods—seeks fame in the Miss Shanghai beauty pageant. This fleeting moment of stardom becomes the pinnacle of her life. During the next four decades, Wang Qiyao indulges in the decadent pleasures of pre-liberation Shanghai, secretly playing mahjong during the Anti-Rightist Movement and exchanging lovers on the eve of the Cultural Revolution. Surviving the vicissitudes of modern Chinese history, Wang Qiyao emerges in the 1980s as a purveyor of &“old Shanghai&”—a living incarnation of a new, commodified nostalgia that prizes splendor and sophistication—only to become embroiled in a tragedy that echoes the pulpy Hollywood noirs of her youth. From the violent persecution of communism to the liberalism and openness of the age of reform, this sorrowful tale of old China versus new, of perseverance in the face of adversity, is a timeless rendering of our never-ending quest for transformation and beauty.&“A beautifully constructed cyclical narrative . . . ingenious . . . As the novel builds to its tragic conclusion, the manner in which character types and events recur against the city&’s shifting backdrop is impossible to forget.&”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)&“[A] literary masterpiece . . . The story is spellbinding, colorful, and sad; the writing is dense and thoughtful . . . a page-turner right up to the end.&”—Historical Novel Society
Six Memos for the Next Millennium (The\charles Eliot Norton Lectures #391)
by Italo CalvinoThe celebrated author of Cosmicomics and Invisible Cities shares his &“brilliant, original approach to literature&” in these late-career lectures (San Francisco Chronicle). At the time of his death, Italo Calvino was at work on his Charles Eliot Norton poetry lectures to be delivered the following year at Harvard University. The six planned lectures would define the qualities he most valued in writing, and which he believed would define literature in the century to come. Six Memos for the Next Millennium collects the five lectures he completed, forming not only a stirring defense of literature, but also an indispensable guide to the writings of Calvino himself. He devotes one &“memo&” each to the concepts of lightness, quickness, exactitude, visibility, and multiplicity, drawing examples from his vast knowledge of myth, folklore, and works both ancient and modern. Written in the mid-1980s, these lectures have proven to be astonishingly prescient as we have entered Calvino&’s &“next millennium&”. &“One of the most rigorously presented and beautifully illustrated critical testaments in all of literature.&”—Boston Globe &“A key to Calvino&’s own work and a thoroughly delightful and illuminating commentary on some of the world&’s greatest writing.&”—San Francisco Chronicle
Anger Management: 6 Critical Steps to a Calmer Life
by Peter FavaroIdentify what&’s setting you off and why. Find the calm while navigating the (inevitable) storm. And relinquish toxic anger in your life—for good! Anger Management is a practical and down-to-earth program that will teach you not only to understand your own anger, but, perhaps just as importantly, how to deal with the angry behavior of others. It details the role anger and conflict play in day-to-day interactions at home, at work and in social environments. Real-life examples discuss anger that erupts in intimate relationships, on the road, on the job with coworkers, or when dealing with people who are rude, irritating or intimidating. Anger Management also provides two unique sections. The first describes the psychology and behavior of predatory people; the other teaches you how to deal with situations where remaining cool under pressure can be a vital survival tactic. Anger Management is one of the most comprehensive and easy-to-follow anger-management programs available today. It is the ultimate self-help guide, but also an invaluable resource for corporate human resources departments in any business where tension and conflict occur during negotiations or in customer-service interactions.
Don't Squat With Your Spurs On: A Cowboy's Guide to Life
by Texas Bix BenderWith over three million copies sold, this collection of cowboy wisdom and words to live by is &“worthy of a book rustler&” (South Bend Tribune). In the tradition of humorist Will Rogers, Don&’t Squat with Your Spurs On takes a look at life through the eyes of the cowboy. It&’s filled with quips and quotes that represent the Code of the West, like: &“Always drink upstream from the herd&” and &“The easiest way to eat crow is while it's still warm. The colder it gets, the harder it is to swallow.&” A modern classic, it&’s full of good laughs—and good old-fashioned wisdom.
Lincoln, Seward, and U.S. Foreign Relations in the Civil War Era (Studies in Conflict, Diplomacy, and Peace)
by Joseph A. Fry&“A heartening reminder that politicians, at their best, can rise above petty rivalries and jealousies to serve a larger cause.&” —Don H. Doyle, author of The Cause of All Nations: An International History of the American Civil War The Civil War marked a significant turning point in American history—not only for the United States itself but for its relations with foreign powers both during and after the conflict. The friendship and foreign policy partnership between President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of State William Henry Seward shaped those US foreign policies. These unlikely allies, who began as rivals during the 1860 presidential nomination, helped ensure that America remained united and prospered in the aftermath of the nation&’s consuming war. In Lincoln, Seward, and US Foreign Relations in the Civil War Era, Joseph A. Fry examines the foreign policy decisions that resulted from this partnership and the legacy of those decisions. Lincoln and Seward, despite differences in upbringing, personality, and social status, both adamantly believed in the preservation of the union and the need to stymie slavery. They made that conviction the cornerstone of their policies abroad, and through those policies, such as Seward threatening war with any nation that intervened in the Civil War, they prevented European intervention that could have led to Northern defeat. The Union victory allowed America to resume imperial expansion, a dynamic that Seward sustained beyond Lincoln&’s death during his tenure as President Andrew Johnson&’s Secretary of State. Fry&’s analysis of the Civil War from an international perspective and the legacy of US policy decisions provides a more complete view of the war and a deeper understanding of this crucial juncture in American history.
The Dead Detective: A Dead Detective Novel
by William HeffernanA Florida cop with a connection to the dead investigates the murder of a monstrous woman in this &“edgy police drama&” by the Edgar Award-winner (New York Times Book Review). When Harry Doyle was ten years old, he was murdered by his mentaly ill mother—and brought back to life by two Tampa cops. Twenty years later he has dedicated his life to putting killers behind bars as a homicide detective who has the unwanted ability to hear the postmortem whispers of murder victims. Dubbed &“The Dead Detective&” by his fellow cops, Doyle now faces his most difficult case—a beautiful murder victim who was a notorious child molester. It is a case that will shake Harry to his very core. A former investigative reporter, William Heffernan is a three-time nominee for the Pulitzer Prize. His other crime novels include The Corsican, The Dinosaur Club, and the Edgar Award-winner, Tarnished Blue. &“The Dead Detective is a meaty story that offers an intriguing and conflicted protagonist, a darkly fascinating victim, solid police procedural detail, a knowing look at the Tampa Bay area and its politics, an unlikely murderer, and a creepy denouement that hints that Harry will be back.&”—Booklist
101 Things To Do With Pancake Mix (101 Things To Do With)
by Stephanie AshcraftThe author of 101 Things to Do with a Cake Mix turns her cooking skills to flapjack fixings for quick and easy breakfasts, dinners, and desserts. Basic pancake mix can be easily and magically transformed into a host of mouthwatering, not-just-for-breakfast meals and treats. Open a simple box and settle in for some good eats including French Fried Pickles, Berry Jam Muffins, Sweet Potato-Cranberry Pecan Loaf, Citrus-Toffee Pancakes, S&’More Pancakes, Lemon Waffles, Dutch Baby Cakes, Country-Style Pizza, Instant Chicken Pot Pie, Coconut Battered Shrimp, Gooey Chocolate Cherry Cake, and Candy Bar Cookies. Bonus! Recipes for appetizers and entertaining—plus luscious syrups and toppings—are also featured.
Owl Song at Dawn
by Emma Claire Sweeney&“Tender and unflinching, a beautifully observed novel about familial love and stoicism in the face of heartbreak.&”—Carys Bray, award-winning author of The Museum of You Maeve Maloney is a force to be reckoned with. Despite nearing 80, she keeps Sea View Lodge just as her parents did during Morecambe&’s 1950s heyday. But now only her employees and regular guests recognize the tenderness and heartbreak hidden beneath her spikiness. Until, that is, Vincent shows up. Vincent is the last person Maeve wants to see. He is the only man alive to have known her twin sister, Edie. The nightingale to Maeve&’s crow, the dawn to Maeve&’s dusk, Edie would have set her sights on the stage—all things being equal. But, from birth, things never were. If only Maeve could confront the secret past she shares with Vincent, she might finally see what it means to love and be loved—a lesson that her exuberant yet inexplicable twin may have been trying to teach her all along. Stylist Magazine Top &“Books to Read on a Staycation&” &“Funny, heartbreaking and truly remarkable.&”—Susan Barker, New York Times bestselling author &“I found the novel most poignant and tender in its depiction of disability, without a whiff of sentimentality . . . it crept under my skill and will stay there for a long time.&”—Emma Henderson, Orange Prize-shortlisted author of Grace Williams Says It Loud &“Amazing: fierce, intelligent, compassionate and deeply moving . . . an important and very beautiful book.&”—Edward Hogan, Desmond Elliot Prize-winning author of Blackmoor &“Fresh, poignant and unlike anything else.&”—Jill Dawson, Whitbread and Orange Prize-shortlisted author of The Crime Writer
Wing It!: Flavorful Chicken Wings, Sauces, and Sides
by Robert QuintanaLet your appetite take wing! Travel around the globe with recipes for every taste—from Cajun Blackened to African Piri Piri to Mole Verde and more. Chicken wings, a favorite tailgating fare and popular finger food, have moved beyond the traditional hot sauce coating and blue cheese dressing to a more sophisticated, unique palate that is sure to please your inner &“foodie.&” With a range of recipes for wings, sauces, marinades, and brines that cover local flavors such as smoke and barbecue to more exotic international spices like curry and garam masala, serious wing lovers will definitely find a new favorite.Recipes include Chinese Tea-Smoked Wings, Greek God Wings, Carnival Wings, Carnitas Chicken Wings, Yucatan Pibil Wings, Olive Wings, Garlic &“Don&’t Even Think About Kissing Me&” Wings, and more.
Sizzle in Hell's Kitchen: Ethnic Recipes from Restaurants of New York City's Ninth Avenue Neighborhood
by Carliss Retif PondTake a culinary tour through one of New York City&’s most diverse and delicious neighborhoods with traditional recipes from around the world. Hell's Kitchen is internationally renowned for the way its diverse communities are reflected in its incredible restaurants, many of which have been in the same families for generations. Sizzle in Hell&’s Kitchen collects recipes from a variety of the neighborhood&’s most iconic eateries including Barbetta, Chez Josephine, El Azteca, La Kabbr, Zanzibar, and many others. Here you&’ll find dishes from these cuisines: African, Louisiana, Belgian, Brazilian, Chilean, Chinese, Cuban, Druze (Israeli), Egyptian, Ethiopian, French, German, Greek, Indian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Moroccan, Middle East, Puerto Rican, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, and more.
Tagged for Murder: A Pi Mystery Set In Chicago (The Dek Elstrom Mysteries #7)
by Jack FredricksonThe &“well-crafted seventh mystery featuring wily, wise-cracking Chicago PI Dek Elstrom . . . [a] delightfully eccentric detective series&” (Publishers Weekly). When the man who&’s hired Dek Elstrom disappears, the private investigator&’s search for his missing client unearths some shocking findings. The dead man is found spread-eagled on the top of a box car on an abandoned rail siding. He&’s dressed in a $2000 suit, yet half his teeth are rotten and his skin is bad. Who was he . . . and how did he end up there? When he&’s offered an exorbitant fee to photograph the scene, PI Dek Elstrom doesn&’t ask many questions. But his photos reveal something surprising: there&’s a witness to the murder, a tagger who&’s returned to the scene to paint what he saw. His work quickly disappears. What is it that the mysterious graffiti artist wants the world to know? Then a second body shows up—and the case takes a shocking new twist . . . &“There&’s a good story here, and perhaps readers as easy going as Dek won&’t mind the laid-back pace.&”—Booklist Praise for the Dek Elstrom mystery series &“An investigator with a seductive one-two punch—a delectably smart mouth and a delightfully nimble brain.&”—William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author &“Elstrom has lost none of his initial appeal.&”—The New York Times &“With a gripping plot and a quirky but determined hero, The Confessors&’ Club represents another fine effort from an author who excels at every requirement of the genre—and then some.&”—Richmond Times-Dispatch
Lincoln's Final Hours: Conspiracy, Terror, and the Assassination of America's Greatest President
by Kathryn Canavan&“Will startle and enthrall even the most hard-core of Lincoln aficionados.&” ―Erik Larson, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Splendid and the Vile When John Wilkes Booth fired his derringer point-blank into President Abraham Lincoln's head, he set in motion a series of dramatic consequences that would upend the lives of ordinary Washingtonians and Americans alike. In a split second, the story of a nation was changed. During the hours that followed, America's future would hinge on what happened in a cramped back bedroom at Petersen&’s Boardinghouse, directly across the street from Ford&’s Theatre. There, a twenty-three-year-old surgeon—fresh out of medical school—struggled to keep the president alive while Mary Todd Lincoln moaned at her husband&’s bedside. Lincoln&’s Final Hours takes a magnifying glass to the last moments of the president&’s life and the impact his murder had on a country still reeling from a bloody civil war. This fast-paced, thoroughly researched account not only furnishes a glimpse into John Wilkes Booth&’s personal and political motivations but illuminates the stories of ordinary people whose lives were changed forever by the assassination.Lincoln's Final Hours moves beyond the well-known traditional accounts of the assassination, offering readers a front-row seat to the drama and horror of Lincoln&’s death by putting them in the shoes of the audience in Ford&’s Theatre that dreadful evening. Through careful narration of the twists of fate that placed the president in harm&’s way, of the plotting conversations Booth had with his accomplices, and of the immediate aftermath of the assassination, Kathryn Canavan illustrates how a single night changed the course of history.
The Complete Review Guide to Contemporary World Fiction
by M.A. OrthoferA user-friendly reference for English-language readers who are eager to explore contemporary fiction from around the world.Profiling hundreds of titles and authors from 1945 to today, with an emphasis on fiction published in the past two decades, this guide introduces the styles, trends, and genres of the world's literatures, from Scandinavian crime thrillers and cutting-edge Chinese works to Latin American narco-fiction and award-winning French novels. The book's critical selection of titles defines the arc of a country's literary development. Entries illuminate the fiction of individual nations, cultures, and peoples, while concise biographies sketch the careers of noteworthy authors. Compiled by M. A. Orthofer, an avid book reviewer and the founder of the literary review site the Complete Review, this reference is perfect for readers who wish to expand their reading choices and knowledge of contemporary world fiction.&“A bird's-eye view of titles and authors from everywhere―a book overfull with reminders of why we love to read international fiction. Keep it close by.&”—Robert Con Davis-Udiano, executive director, World Literature Today &“M. A. Orthofer has done more to bring literature in translation to America than perhaps any other individual. [This book] will introduce more new worlds to you than any other book on the market.&”—Tyler Cowen, George Mason University&“A relaxed, riverine guide through the main currents of international writing, with sections for more than a hundred countries on six continents.&”—Karan Mahajan, Page-Turner blog, The New Yorker
Song for Night
by Chris Abani&“A devastating portrait of a boy holding onto the shreds of his innocence during a war that deliberately, remorselessly works to yank it away.&”—Los Angeles Times Part Inferno, part Paradise Lost, part Sunjata epic, Song for Night is the story of a West African boy soldier&’s terrifying yet oddly beautiful journey through a nightmare landscape of brutal war in search of his lost platoon. The mute protagonist—his vocal cords cut to lower the risk of detection by the enemy—writes in a ghostly voice about his fellow minesweepers, the things he&’s witnessed, and the things he&’s done, each chapter headed by a line of the sign language these children invented. This &“immersive and dreamlike&” novella (Publishers Weekly, starred review) by a PEN/Hemingway Award winner is unlike anything else written about an African war. &“Not since Jerzy Kosinski&’s The Painted Bird or Agota Kristof&’s Notebook Trilogy has there been such a harrowing novel about what it&’s like to be a young person in a war. That Chris Abani is able to find humanity, mercy, and even, yes, forgiveness, amid such devastation is something of a miracle.&”—Rebecca Brown, author of The End of Youth &“Impressive and fast-paced…narrated with such dry and lucid precision that it brings to mind Babel, Hemingway, McCarthy.&”—Esquire
This Little Piggy: A gripping, page-turning crime thriller
by Bea DavenportThe author of In Too Deep delivers a &“gripping, devastating and utterly absorbing&” thriller of a shocking murder and a community in turmoil (Emma Kavanagh, author of The Missing Hours). It&’s the summer of 1984 and there is a sense of unease on the troubled Sweetmeadows estate. The residents are in shock after the suspicious death of a baby and tension is growing due to the ongoing miners&’ strike. Journalist Clare Jackson follows the story as police botch the inquiry and struggle to contain the escalating violence. Haunted by a personal trauma she can&’t face up to, Clare is shadowed by nine-year-old Amy, a bright but neglected little girl who seems to know more about the incident than she&’s letting on. As the days go on and the killer is not found, Clare ignores warnings not to get too close to her stories and in doing so, puts her own life in jeopardy.Praise for Bea Davenport&’s In Too Deep &“[A] moody, disquieting debut [that] focuses on an unlikely friendship between two women.&”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) &“A tense and suspenseful debut.&”—Margaret Murphy, author of Darkness Falls &“A taut and suspenseful psychological thriller which marks her as a writer to watch and an exciting new voice in crime fiction.&”—But Books Are Better &“One of those compulsive reads that draws you in from the start . . . a clever story.&”—Cleopatra Loves Books
The River Below
by Bonnie Hearn Hill&“A tortuous tale of murder and madness . . . a psychological thriller offering insight into love, friendship, and mental illness.&”—Kirkus ReviewsWhen a mangled car is pulled from the river, containing bloodstains and a gun, the sense of safety is shattered in Tessa&’s Californian hometown. Tessa, who works at the river conservancy, thinks she saw a girl out on the riverbank—but Tessa&’s memory is failing and could this be the start of something more serious? Tessa&’s friend and co-worker, Claire Barrett, is worried—about the car and the gun, but also about Tessa. With Tessa&’s attorney husband preoccupied with a big case and in denial about his wife&’s memory issues, Claire knows that it&’ll be up to her to work out what&’s going on. When a body turns up and she discovers the identity of the gun&’s owner—someone disturbingly close to home—Claire is determined to uncover the truth . . . whatever it takes.&“This poignant standalone from Hill (Last Words) is as much a story about friendship and loss as it is a mystery . . . A link between Tessa and the murder mystery gradually emerges as this emotionally involving novel builds to a surprising, heart-wrenching climax. Hill&’s balanced treatment of environmental issues will resonate with many readers.&”—Publishers Weekly&“A haunting psychological thriller.&”—Booklist
It Was a Dark and Creepy Night: Real-Life Encounters with the Strange, Mysterious, and Downright Terrifying
by Joshua P. Warren Andrea SaarkoppelFor fans of the TV shows My Haunted House, Ghost Hunters, and Paranormal Witness—chilling, true accounts of the unnerving and unexplained. There were only three rules when Joshua P. Warren began collecting these stories from around the world: they had to be true, they had to be short, and they had to send a shiver down your spine. It Was a Dark and Creepy Night presents a wide variety of weird and spooky tales about ghosts, UFOs, cryptids, angels, demons, ESP, interdimensional contact, and more. Because each tale is short, this eerie little tome is perfect for a subway ride, a plane flight, or a night entertaining guests. An internationally respected investigator of the unknown, Joshua adds his insight to these strange experiences. Some tales are too odd to easily categorize, but each one—simple or complex—transformed an ordinary person&’s life, revealing a facet of those uncanny phenomena that still leave us wondering . . . what if? Imagine that: You met a strange woman who said she remembered Lincoln&’s funeral, then vanished . . .You dreamed you were being attacked by a demon and woke up to find scratch marks across your body . . .The face of the person in front of you suddenly transformed into that of a reptile . . . Remember: These and the many other tales in this fascinating book are true, short, and eminently creepy!
Unregistered (Children of the Uprising #1)
by Megan LynchAn &“exceptional&” dystopian tale with &“scathing commentaries on police brutality, crime prevention, population control, classism, and state-sponsored murder.&”—Publishers WeeklyLiving the ideal life is a human right—unless you&’re unregistered… Bristol lives under the watchful eye of the Metrics as an unlucky second child. The government grants its citizens the ideal life. Perfect spouse. Perfect job. Perfect home. But dare to have more than one child, and you&’ll become an outcast—the unregistered. Now, he&’ll protest the abusive system in the only way he knows how, painting controversial murals in the hidden parts of town. But the government doesn&’t condone dissent. And the frustrated unregistered citizens need to be handled. The relocation plan goes into effect and all unregistered must be sent to far-off desert states. The question is whether Bristol and his friends will be able to escape the government&’s clutches—and survive long enough to discover an unknown world…
Fate, Time, and Language: An Essay on Free Will
by David Foster WallaceThe Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The Pale King and Infinite Jest weighs in on a philosophical controversy in this fascinating early work. In 1962, the philosopher Richard Taylor used six commonly accepted presuppositions to imply that human beings have no control over the future. David Foster Wallace not only took issue with Taylor's method, which, according to him, scrambled the relations of logic, language, and the physical world, but also detected a semantic trick at the heart of Taylor's argument.Fate, Time, and Language presents Wallace's brilliant critique of Taylor's work. Written long before the publication of his fiction and essays, Wallace's thesis reveals his great skepticism of abstract thinking and any school of thought that abandons "the very old traditional human verities that have to do with spirituality and emotion and community." As Wallace rises to meet the challenge to free will presented by Taylor, we witness the developing perspective of this major novelist, along with his struggle to establish solid logical ground for his convictions. This volume, edited by Steven M. Cahn and Maureen Eckert, reproduces Taylor's original article and other works on fatalism cited by Wallace. James Ryerson's introduction connects Wallace's early philosophical work to the themes and explorations of his later fiction, and Jay Garfield supplies a critical biographical epilogue.
Jesus Boy
by Preston L. Allen&“A consummate tragicomedy of African American family secrets and sorrows, and of faith under duress . . . a shout-hallelujah tale of transgression and grace.&” —Booklist Sixteen-year-old Elwyn Parker is a member of the austere community of Christian believers at the Church of Our Blessed Redeemer Who Walked Upon the Waters, a devout and sincere piano prodigy who learns too late that the saintly girl he has had a crush on all his life is inexplicably pregnant and soon to be wed. Then the beautiful forty-two-year-old widow, Sister Morrisohn, in the midst of the confused emotions of her grieving, ends up in Elwyn's arms. Despite the problems posed by their age difference and the strict prohibitions of their strong religious beliefs, Elwyn and Sister Morrisohn's love is true, and as it grows among the ascetics, abstainers, and holy ghost rollers of their church, it exposes with wit, poignancy, and insight the dark secrets and ancient crimes of the pious. In Jesus Boy, &“by turns solemn and funny&” (The New York Times), Elwyn learns through tragedy and epiphany that the holy are no different from the rest of us. &“Heartfelt and occasionally hilarious, Jesus Boy is a tender masterpiece.&” —Dennis Lehane, New York Times–bestselling author of Mystic River and Since We Fell
Secrets of Warfare: Exposing the Myths and Hidden History of Weapons and Battles
by William WeirFrom the battles of Ancient Greece and Rome to WWII and Vietnam, this volume uncovers the surprising truth behind the history of war. Many are familiar the first Civil War battle between the ironclad warships the Monitor and the Merrimac, but few have heard about the airship that Dr. Solomon Andrews offered to Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. Secrets of Warfare exposes the hidden history of human combat, exposing many of myths that have kept the public misinformed about warfare. Some myths are the result of deliberate misrepresentation while others persist through ignorance or bigotry. In Secrets of Warfare, historian William Weir sets the record straight on a number of topics, including: The alleged superiority of Western nations in the ancient world.The myth of the English longbow.The introduction of submarines to warfare prior to World War I.The deadliest American air raids of World War II. The supposed attack on U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin.
White Lies
by Jo Gatford&“An unflinching depiction of dementia, old age and family relationships, and . . . of the wealth of secrets that relatives keep from each other.&”—Emma Healey, #1 international bestselling author of Elizabeth is MissingWe&’re similar, he and I, for the first time—all the symptoms of grief with none of the emotion. It&’s not that it doesn't hurt; I just haven't worked out how to mourn someone I hated.When Matt&’s half-brother Alex dies, his father refuses to hold onto the memory of his favorite son&’s death. It was hard enough the first time, but breaking his dad&’s heart on a weekly basis is more than Matt can bear.Peter, Matt&’s father, is terrified his dementia will let slip the secrets he&’s kept for 35 years. Unable to distinguish between memory and delusion, he pursues one question through the maze of his mind: Where&’s Alex?Faced with the imminent loss of his father, Matt is running out of time to discover the truth about his family. Tortured by his failing memory, Peter realizes that it&’s not just the dementia threatening to open his box of secrets, but his conscience, too.