In the heart of south-central Africa lies an ancient and ruined civilization comprising several thousand stone structures - many as large as modern towns - all surrounded by thousands of abandoned gold mines. The monuments, temples, forts and sculptures of the Zimbabwe culture are reminiscent of the classic civilizations of the Egyptians and Phoenicians. Yet, when the Royal Geographical Society sent teams to investigate in 1893, the resident natives who were living beneath the walls in thatched clay huts denied any knowledge of the vast civilization that had evidently preceded them and were ignorant of the value of gold. Robin Brown-Lowe uses incontrovertible DNA evidence to demonstrate strong links to the mighty civilizations of ancient North Africa and to propose that the Zimbabwe's gold sustained the gold-hungry pharoahs of Egypt and the famolusly gold-loving King Solomon and his lover, the Queen of Sheba. Brown-Lowe also reveals how the truth about the Zimbabwe culture has... Views: 9
From America's master storyteller and writer of historical fiction comes the continuing saga of two families — the Hazards and the Mains. From the first shots at Fort Sumter, both families are divided against each other — and themselves. Some would experience the horrors of war on the front lines on some of the bloodiest battlefields of the Civil War... Some would give their lives for their beliefs... But all would be caught in the triumph and tragedy of a conflict that destroyed a country's innocence — and forged a nation. Views: 9
'I hate Frozen Billy - his painted, staring wooden eyes, the way his eyelids click when Uncle Len pulls a string, his long thin legs and his bright red wooden mouth...'Clarrie and Will live with their Uncle Len - a brilliant ventriloquist in the nearby music hall. But though Len loves his act almost as much as he loves his beer, Top Billing is out of his grasp until Will thinks up a way to double the drama with a new act and some extraordinary new patter that he and Frozen Billy can share on stage.It's a grand idea, hatched in hope and excitement. But, to Clarrie's horror, soon it begins to turn terribly sour...Anne Fine's novel combines her trademark humour, engaging characters and flawless prose to produce a spooky adventure set in the late-Victorian world of the music hall. Views: 9
Erotica/Romance. 10891 words long. Views: 9
An intensely personal narrative of loss, hope, and longing for a child.In this brave and lucid account, Julia Leigh broaches a challenging life event often left undiscussed: how the struggle to have a child can take an agonizing toll. Leigh's experience at the vanguard of medical science is acutely rendered, physically and emotionally, transmitting what it feels like to so desperately wish for a child while knowing that the odds are stacked against you. From the daily shots she puts herself through at home, to hopes raised and dashed, and finally to the decision to stop treatment, Avalanche bears witness to Leigh's raw desire, suffering, strength, and, in the end, transformation—a shift to a different kind of love. The reader looks behind the scenes of a clinic and discovers how things really work: reality is a far cry from the slick marketing of the billion-dollar infertility industry. As for so many women, Leigh's treatment failed, but her ghost child lingers in memory. Views: 9
In exile, in danger, on the run, for six years Alec Milius has been trying to escape his past. But his past refuses to release him. Abandoned by MI6 after a disastrous operation with the CIA, Milius has slowly rebuilt his life in Madrid: he has a flat, a job - and a relationship with the wrong woman. Older and wiser than the young spy who first caught the eye of British Intelligence, Milius still has a talent for deception and a fatal weakness for secrets. So when a prominent politician disappears in suspicious circumstances he can't resist tracking him down. But the rules have changed. Alec is now working alone outside the boundaries of any official agency. Paranoid and expendable, he soon becomes vulnerable to the ruthless duplicities of the secret world. He can trust no one. But as he comes face to face with the nightmare of modern terror, Alec is given one last chance for redemption. Views: 9
When people ask me what I do for a crust and I tell them that I'm a novelist, they immediately assume that my life is a non-stop carousel of limos, television appearances hair-dos, devoted fans, stalkers and all the glitzy paraphernalia of being a public figure. It's time to set the record straight. I write alone, in a darkened bedroom, wearing my PJs, eating bananas, my laptop on a pillow in front of me ...' Her novels are read and adored by millions around the world - now read Marian Keyes's collected pieces: regular bulletins from the woman under the duvet. Views: 9
Introducing Sloan Krause—main character of Death on Tap, the first in a new cozy series from Ellie Alexander! Jules Capshaw, owner of the charming bakeshop Torte, meets Sloan Krause, who's in from out of town for the beer festival that has landed in Ashland, Oregon. Sloan is the brewmaster at the famed der Keller brewing company that operates out of Leavenworth, Washington, and she's come to the festival to show off the newest spring brew. When Sloan drops in to Torte for a pistachio bar and a latte, she meets Jules, who is instantly smitten with the idea of incorporating beer into some baked goods. But when the two go off to sample some of der Keller's brews, they realize that one of the kegs have gone missing. Is someone trying to steal the secret recipe? It's up to Sloan and Jules to get to the bottom of this—and soon. Views: 9
