By no means absurd, it seems to me, but altogether reasonable, is the impulse which urges me to write out a detailed narrative of my years of adversity and of the vicissitudes which befell me during that wretched period of my life. My adventures, in themselves, were worthy of record and my memories of them and of the men and women encountered in them are clear and vivid. It is natural that I should wish to set them down for the edification of my posterity and of any who may chance to read them. For my experience has been, I believe, unique. Since the establishment of the Principate in our Republic many men, even an uncountable horde of men, have incurred Imperial displeasure. Of these not a few, after banishment from Italy or relegation to guarded islands or to some distant frontier outpost, have survived the Prince who exiled them and have, by the favor of his successors, been permitted to return to Rome and to the enjoyment of their property. But I believe that no Roman nobleman implicated, justly or unjustly, in any conspiracy against the life of his Sovereign, ever escaped the extreme penalty of death. Some, by their own hands, forestalled the arrival of the Imperial emissaries, others perished by the weapons or implements of those designated to abolish the enemies of the Prince. Except myself not one ever survived to regain Imperial favor in a later reign; except myself not one ever recovered his patrimony and enjoyed, to a green old age, the income, position and privileges to which he had been born. If such a thing ever occurred, certainly there is no record of any other nobleman domiciled in Italy, except myself, having grasped at the slender chance of escape afforded by the device of arranging that he be supposed dead, of disguising himself, of vanishing among the populace, of passing himself off for a man of the people. I not only was led, by my clever slave, to attempt this histrionic feat, but I succeeded in the face of unimaginable difficulties. An experience so notably without a parallel seems peculiarly deserving of such a record as follows. Views: 99
Maria Thompson Daviess was a popular author during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Her "Pollyanna" novels were critically acclaimed and continue to be read today."There are some women who will brew mystery from the decoction of even a very simple life. Matilda is one of them," remarked the major to himself as he filled his pipe and settled himself before his high-piled, violet-flamed logs. "It was waxing strong in her this morning and an excitement will arrive shortly. Now I wonder—" Views: 99
Interpol have tried and failed to find her. Now the combined forces of
Scotland Yard and MI5 must try the impossible to prevent a major
international incident. Dominic Elder carries her autograph wherever he
goes. Witch is his passion, his obsession. And being retired is no bar
to his willingness to restart the hunt. MI5 know that the man who wrote
the Witch file is the key to catching their quarry. But the truth isn't
easy to spot. And it is only when an MI5 novice and his French
counterpart piece together the smallest of clues, that Witch suddenly
looks vulnerable . . . Views: 98
Abby Knight's latest gig is the perfect marriage of her talents. Not only does her bride-to-be cousin, Jillian, want Abby to be a bridesmaid, she also wants her to sign on as floral designer and sleuth. Although Jillian agrees to marry a different man nearly once a year, she has yet to make it to the altar. But this time, it's cold dead feet that may stop the wedding. Views: 98
"Oz lifts the veil on kibbutz existence without palaver. His pinpoint descriptions are pared to perfection . . . His people twitch with life." — ScotsmanIn Between Friends, Amos Oz returns to the kibbutz of the late 1950s, the time and place where his writing began. These eight interconnected stories, set in the fictitious Kibbutz Yekhat, draw masterly profiles of idealistic men and women enduring personal hardships in the shadow of one of the greatest collective dreams of the twentieth century.A devoted father who fails to challenge his daughter's lover, an old friend, a man his own age; an elderly gardener who carries on his shoulders the sorrows of the world; a woman writing poignant letters to her husband's mistress—amid this motley group of people, a man named Martin attempts to teach everyone Esperanto.Each of these stories is a luminous human and literary study; together they offer an eloquent portrait of an idea and of a charged... Views: 98
Prize MoneyPrize MoneyPrize Money - Sailor\'s Knots, Part 10. is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by W. W. (William Wymark) Jacobs is in the English language, and may not include graphics or images from the original edition. If you enjoy the works of W. W. (William Wymark) Jacobs then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. Views: 98
The Temptation of Samuel BurgeThe Temptation of Samuel BurgeThe Temptation of Samuel Burge Views: 98
Sunk far back in the huge leather cushions of his morris chair, old Isaac Flint was thinking, thinking hard. Between narrowed lids, his hard, gray eyes were blinking at the morning sunlight that poured into his private office, high up in the great building he had reared on Wall Street. From his thin lips now and then issued a coil of smoke from the costly cigar he was consuming. His bony legs were crossed, and one foot twitched impatiently. Now and again he tugged at his white mustache. A frown creased his hard brow; and, as he pondered, something of the glitter of a snake seemed reflected in his pupils. Views: 97
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. Views: 97
The Madness of Mr. Lister Views: 97
Banished from Tower Twyll by his brutal half brother, Rhys has carved out a new life as the Outlaw. But then he captures a raven-haired beauty named Tara who may be the true heir to Twyll. She not only inflames his desire, but carries the legendary jewel that threatens his very quest for revenge. From the first, the infamous criminal stokes a passion seductive yet frightening in Tara. For if she is the true heir to Twyll, then she is the sworn enemy of the man who has captured her heart... Views: 97
From the author of What the Body Remembers, an extraordinary story of love and espionage, cultural tension and displacement, inspired by the life of Noor Inayat Khan (code name “Madeleine”), who worked against the Occupation after the Nazi invasion of France. When Noor Khan’s father, a teacher of mystical Sufism, dies, Noor is forced to bow, along with her mother, sister and brother, to her uncle’s religious literalism and ideas on feminine propriety. While at the Sorbonne, Noor falls in love with Armand, a Jewish musician. Though her uncle forbids her to see him, they continue meeting in secret. When the Germans invade in 1940, Armand persuades Noor to leave him for her own safety. She flees with her family to England, but volunteers to serve in a special intelligence agency. She is trained as a radio operator for the group that, in Churchill’s words, will “set Europe ablaze” with acts of sabotage. She is then sent back to Occupied France. Unwavering courage is what Noor requires for her assignment and her deeply personal mission — to re-unite with Armand. As her talisman, she carries her grandmother’s gift, an heirloom tiger claw encased in gold. The novel opens in December 1943. Noor has been imprisoned. She begins writing in secret, tracing the events that led to her capture. When Germany surrenders in 1945, her brother Kabir begins his search through the chaos of Europe’s Displaced Persons camps to find her. In its portrayal of intolerance, The Tiger Claw eerily mirrors our own times, and progresses with moments of great beauty and white-knuckle tension towards a moving and astonishing denouement.Review“The Tiger Claw is a first-rate spy thriller and also first-rate literature. Set in the 1940s in Occupied Paris with haunting similarities to the world today, this is a novel that reminds us that sometimes only fiction can really tell us the truth…. The story of one woman’s courage in the face of racism, betrayal and hypocrisy on one hand and the veils of war on the other. It is also a love story between a Muslim and a Jew told in a language that resonates with mysticism and romance – yet it is brutally honest in its assessment of motives and ambiguities.”—The Giller Prize Jury “Baldwin’s luminous prose captures the reader’s attention. . . . [She] immerses the reader in the atmosphere of the Vichy era, replete with undercurrents of terror and prejudice. . . . Readers, especially those interested in history and politics, will be intrigued by this gripping, richly textured novel penned by a consummate storyteller.”—Winnipeg Free Press “Baldwin has succeeded in crafting yet another indelible story based in fact.”—The Edmonton Journal “The Tiger Claw brilliantly reveals the shifting sands of allegiance in times of war and the duplicity required for survival when all who are operating underground are interdependent but no one can be trusted fully.”—The Gazette (Montreal) “The Tiger Claw is a brilliant novel, a harrowing story of espionage and love, of loyalty and betrayal in the treacherous world of WWII Europe. Shauna Singh Baldwin has an astonishing ability to paint a very large canvas with amazing detail. You are there. ‘Impressive’ hardly even begins to describe it: masterful. I could not put it down. A stunning achievement, but most of all, important.”—Sandra Gulland “A deeply felt, richly evocative novel that resurrects and reinvents a remarkable life, The Tiger Claw tells an affecting story of love and loss amidst the turbulence of war and human dislocation. It confirms Shauna Singh Baldwin as a major literary voice that transcends the borders that divide human experience.”—Shashi Tharoor “The Tiger Claw is a fascinating story of moral complexity, inner conflict and exile, a magnificent portrait of a very courageous woman, Noor Inayat Khan, the legendary French Resistance fighter, whose divided conscience is reflected in the drama of Nazi-occupied France and British-occupied India. That Noor strikes us a modern figure of heroism and doubt is because of the compelling vision of Shauna Singh Baldwin.”—Marie-Claire Blais Praise for *What the Body Remembers:“A stunning first novel. Intensely atmospheric — an artistic triumph.”—Publishers Weekly* (starred review) “An impressive achievement. . .rich, fascinating, epic. . . An original, extremely readable book that dramatizes the plight of Indian women with great sympathy and love.”—The Gazette (Montreal) “A captivating jewel of a novel by a seasoned and sophisticated writer. . . Beyond being a compelling tale of individuals, What the Body Remembers offers a gimlet-eyed view of a pluralistic society’s disintegration into factionalism and anarchy.”—The Washington PostFrom the Inside FlapFrom the author of What the Body Remembers, an extraordinary story of love and espionage, cultural tension and displacement, inspired by the life of Noor Inayat Khan (code name "Madeleine"), who worked against the Occupation after the Nazi invasion of France. When Noor Khan's father, a teacher of mystical Sufism, dies, Noor is forced to bow, along with her mother, sister and brother, to her uncle's religious literalism and ideas on feminine propriety. While at the Sorbonne, Noor falls in love with Armand, a Jewish musician. Though her uncle forbids her to see him, they continue meeting in secret. When the Germans invade in 1940, Armand persuades Noor to leave him for her own safety. She flees with her family to England, but volunteers to serve in a special intelligence agency. She is trained as a radio operator for the group that, in Churchill's words, will "set Europe ablaze" with acts of sabotage. She is then sent back to Occupied France. Unwavering courage is what Noor requires for her assignment and her deeply personal mission -- to re-unite with Armand. As her talisman, she carries her grandmother's gift, an heirloom tiger claw encased in gold. The novel opens in December 1943. Noor has been imprisoned. She begins writing in secret, tracing the events that led to her capture. When Germany surrenders in 1945, her brother Kabir begins his search through the chaos of Europe's Displaced Persons camps to find her. In its portrayal of intolerance, The Tiger Claw eerily mirrors our own times, and progresses with moments of great beauty and white-knuckle tension towards a moving and astonishing denouement. Excerpt from *The Tiger ClawDecember moved in, taking up residence with Noor in her cell, and freezing the radiator. Cold coiled in the bowl of her pelvis, turning shiver to quake as she lay beneath her blanket on the cot. Above, snow drifted against the glass and bars. Shreds of thoughts, speculations, obsessions ... some glue still held her fragments together. The flap door clanged down. "Herr Vogel..." The rest, in rapid German, was senseless. Silly hope reared inside; she reined it in. The guard placed something on the thick, jutting tray, something invisible in the dingy half-light. Soup probably. She didn't care. She heard a clunk and a small swish. Yes, she did.* Views: 97
Few authors have achieved such renown as World Fantasy Life Achievement honoree and Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master Andre Norton. With the love of readers and the praise of critics, Norton's books have sold millions of copies worldwide.Warlocks of other worlds—or scientists of times unknown? Craike, a man hunted in two worlds . . . Miss Rutheven, whose needles pointed to secret kingdoms . . . Dagmar, with the fatal fascination of Helen of Troy . . . Ully, whose music touched the powers before mankind . . . Tamisan, the sorceress who found herself the victim of her toy . . .These and others like them inhabit Andre Norton's world of High Sorcery, where the primeval desires and fears of man—his loving and loathing—are merged with his dreams of future knowledge and technological power. Those who have enjoyed the alchemy of Norton's other mind-bending tales should enjoy these! Views: 97
SU CASA...MI CASAMaura Wells thought she'd finally found a home for her uprooted family on a sprawling Texas ranch. Until an intruder barged in--all six-foot-plus, heart-stealing man--and claimed her new home actually belonged to him...A man in search of his heritage, Wyatt Gentry arrived at the Rocking R in the dead of the night only to find an alluring interloper pointing a rifle at him! Wyatt had no choice but to offer to share his digs with the head-turning blonde and her children. But having them around was fast turning the temporary arrangement into a permanent affair...and a crusty Lone Star bachelor into a family man. Views: 97
