From the moment Dale's headlights hit the nyloned legs of lovely Julia Casson on that old Connecticut highway, trouble moved right in on him—and stayed there.Gunmen, straight coppers and crooked coppers, luscious bedtime lovelies and the fabulous mystery of the Task Force dagger deaths...Bogard cracks his way through it all to the most breathless showdown ever. Views: 7
If one had the misfortune to be born in the 12th century, then Sicily was the place to be. The Normans had conquered the island, finding it effectively divided in two, inhabited partly by Arabs, partly by Greeks. From the outset, they had given both these communities major responsibility in the government. As well as Latin and Norman French, Greek and Arabic were official languages of the developing state; and when in 1130 that state became a kingdom under Roger II, it was already an example to all Europe of cultural and religious toleration. The chief minister and head of the all-important navy was always a Greek (our word admiral derives through Norman Sicily from the Arab title of emir), while the treasury was entrusted to Arabs, whose mathematics were better than anyone else's. Roger himself was as unlike a Norman knight as it is possible to be. Brought up in Palermo by an Italian mother in a world of Greek and Muslim tutors, he was a southerner – indeed, an oriental – through and through; and the chapel that he built in the Royal Palace is one of the wonders of the world. The ground plan is that of a western basilica; but the walls are encrusted with Byzantine mosaics as fine as any in existence, while the wooden roof, in the classical Islamic style, would do credit to Cairo or Damascus. Here as nowhere else the Norman achievement is given visual expression. But of course it was all too good to last. The independent Norman kingdom of Sicily endured only 64 years, ending soon after the death of the last legitimate king, William the Good. But perhaps that kingdom, swallowed up by the Holy Roman Empire, carried within itself the seeds of its own destruction. It was too heterogeneous, too eclectic, too cosmopolitan. It hardly tried – or perhaps it had no time – to develop any natural traditions of its own. And it paid the price. Here, then, is the tragedy that forms the backdrop to the Booker-longlisted The Ruby in her Navel. Nowadays the story of Norman Sicily is largely and undeservedly forgotten; knowing it and loving it as I do, I picked the book up with some trepidation (which, I may say, was hardly diminished by its appalling title). But I have long admired its author, so I plunged in – and was instantly, and almost literally, transported. Now, it is not easy to transport a reader 1,000 years into the past, into a country and cultural climate 1,000 miles away from his own; I can only say that Unsworth succeeded triumphantly. His hero, born in England of a Norman father but brought to Sicily as a child, tells his story in the first person. It begins with him working as a civil servant in the office of a high-ranking Arab; he is sent on a mission to Calabria, where he meets a troupe of travelling dancers from eastern Anatolia (one of them the owner of the eponymous navel) and where he is accidentally reunited with a childhood sweetheart, now unhappily married. There follows a somewhat picaresque story of love, betrayals and attempted regicide, all of it set against the constant rivalries of Latin and Greek, Christian and Muslim – the latter further exacerbated by the recent catastrophic second crusade. It is a good story, which holds the attention from start to finish; but its real strength lies in the power of the author's historical imagination. He made me feel what it was actually like to live, work and travel in Norman Sicily. There is no whitewashing; almost all the characters, including the narrator himself, are to a greater or lesser degree unpleasant. But life, one feels, was never dull, if one had the misfortune to be born in the 12th century. Views: 7
Suddenly confronted with his own mortality after a routine checkup, eminent psychotherapist Julius Hertzfeld is forced to reexamine his life and work -- and seeks out Philip Slate, a sex addict whom he failed to help some twenty years earlier. Yet Philip claims to be cured -- miraculously transformed by the pessimistic teachings of German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer -- and is, himself, a philosophical counselor in training. Philips dour, misanthropic stance compels Julius to invite Philip to join his intensive therapy group in exchange for tutoring on Schopenhauer. But with mere months left, life may be far too short to help Philip or to compete with him for the hearts and minds of the group members. And then again, it might be just long enough. Views: 7
Twilight, a world overshadowed by a vast gas giant, bathing the earth in its otherworldly glow. A world of magic and warriors, zealots and monsters. It is here that the human race cling to a small peninsula, ignorant of what lies beyond the World's Ridge mountains. But there are those amongst this fledgling race with truly extraordinary powers, heroes who would delve deep into the mysteries of the past and bring new light to Twilight. Twilight of Kerberos is a sword and sorcery series, following the adventures of a group of characters with unique talents. The Order of the Swords of Dawn have been the bane of heretics for as long as there has been a Final Faith. When an assassin strikes at the heart of the Faith, Gabriella DeZantez must eliminate the danger to the church. But what is the connection between shadowy assassins, fleeing refugees, and an ancient legend of an island made of diamond? Views: 7
Dora suddenly has more to worry about than getting to the doctor's office. Smashing her car, she finds herself stranded on a day when all hell is breaking loose in Kansas City. Going on is not an option, walking two miles, in this heat? This is not something she does, not ever. Where are those overpaid cops when you need a hand? They always seemed to be there when Dora was driving forty-five in a twenty mile an hour school zone, but now when the flesh eating undead are after her, they are nowhere to be found.Walking back to the last intersection she finds a fast food place still open for business as usual, going in she meets her new best friends; Paige and Mike. When the bullets start flying the three scuttle back to take cover in the manager's office, turning on an old television set they begin to realize how bad their situation actually is. They need to get out of the restaurant, but with the chaos starting all around them, where can they go?This book is set in the same universe as "The Zombie Chronicles: Outbreak", but is not a continuation of that story. Views: 7
Teddy, a young football player, learns that sometimes bridging the distance in your family can be harder than stretching for an extra yard on the field in the second book of the Home Team series from New York Times bestselling author and sportswriting legend Mike Lupica.Last spring Teddy's life changed for the better. He started working out, shaping up, and even earned a spot on the Walton baseball team, and with the team he went all the way to the Little League World Series. But the best things to come out of that season were his friendships with Jack, Cassie, and Gus, and the confidence to finally try out for the sport he really loves—football. So when eighth grade begins, Teddy couldn't be more psyched. Until his mom drops a bomb: his father—who left them a long time ago—is back in Walton and back in their lives. And Teddy isn't happy about it. As a former star football player at the school, Teddy's dad is thrilled to find out his son is... Views: 7
Who knew things could get even darker and dirtier in New Orleans? New York Times bestselling author Meghan March introduces the Savage Prince of the city, the man you never want to meet. I do what I want and who I want. I don't follow anyone's rules—even my own. I knew I shouldn't touch her, but it didn't stop me. Didn't stop me the second time either. Only made me want a third. My lifestyle suits the savage I am, and she doesn't. But Temperance Ransom is my newest addiction, and I'm nowhere near ready to quit her yet. I'll have her my way, even if it means dragging her into the darkness. Hopefully it doesn't kill us both. Savage Prince is book one of the Savage Trilogy, set in the same world as Ruthless King, however you do not need to read the Mount Trilogy to devour this scandalously hot new story. Views: 7
SUMMARY:
Kate Stevens needs a daddy for her baby-to-be. Candidates must be dependable, stay-at-home family men who don't rush off to sea every time the wind changes. Patrick Berzani need not apply. The adventure-loving sailor may be the baby's biological father, but he's far from daddy material.Patrick thought he and Kate were great together before, but now? They could be even better. And for Kate to believe he wouldn't be a good father to his child, well, Patrick has something to say about that, too! He just has to convince Kate. So while she interviews prospective daddies, Patrick plans to prove he's the ideal—the only—father for their child. And the man Kate loves and needs. Views: 7
Lillith Mercury Series Book 2: A Hunter herself, there had been a time when the battle lines were clearly drawn and there would've been no question, no doubts, but that time had passed. Marco wasn't the beast Lilith had thought, not her enemy-and she was drawn to the beast man in a way she found almost as incomprehensible as it was hard to resist. She'd always love Alfred, though, always depended on him. Alfred had always been there to protect her, even when she'd only seen him through the eyes of a child. Seeing him through the eyes of a woman entirely changed her perspective. Rating: Sensual-violence, adult language and situations-This is a sequel to Red. Views: 7
From Publishers WeeklyFormer Random House editor Epstein (_Book Business: Publishing Past, Present and Future_) combines his literary lunches with a personal, tried-and-true collection of meals and recipes. The breezy memoir touches on mayonnaise-rich dishes he's eaten with famous friends and neighbors—Olaf Olafsen, Norman Mailer and Jane Jacobs—in between recollection of childhood visits to Maine and recent trips to Sag Harbor, Long Island. Accompanying the stories are recipes meant to resemble conversations, mixed in with peculiar advice on sourcing ingredients and detailed tips on technique. Epstein—who readily admits he still doesn't think of Manhattan as home because of its lack of Ipswich clams—is most comfortable on the New England shore, if his recipes for salmon roe, lobster rolls and fried clams are any indication. While Epstein blends the down-home simplicity of chicken pot pie with the kind of dowdy French classics once served in lower Manhattan, his trips with chef Alice Waters to Craig Claiborne's lunch parties and suggestions for hard-to-find ingredients and out-of-print books cultivate a stuffy air of exclusivity, a tone tempered by the softer, improvisational voice from his kitchen. Be warned, the book's mouthwatering narrative recipes—from steak tartare enclosed in burnt hamburger crust to a simple braised duck with olives—might spur more than a couple of trips to the kitchen. (Oct.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review“_Eating_ is an unpretentious chronicle of an extraordinary life well lived, an antidote of sorts in this age of . . . meals made in an ever-decreasing number of minutes. To read it is to vow to live better.” —_Newsweek _“Full of anecdotes and his gusto for food and life . . . Epstein has produced a book that will warm readers’ hearts.” —_The Washington Times _“[Epstein] treats us to a cornucopia of memories—some personal, some literary, all tied to food—and as many interesting recipes as ruminations. . . . A delight.” —_The Wall Street Journal _ “Delicious. . . . [Epstein] has been present for (or hosted) some of the greatest, most unhinged literary dinner parties of our time.” —_The New York Times_“This convivial memoir by a distinguished publisher charts a lifetime of cooking and consumption. . . . Enlivening.” —_The New Yorker _ “What a storyteller! He brings food into the cultural experience in a beautiful way.” —Alice Waters “The conversational recipes and fond descriptions carry a clear intimation of how one should really live, the very thing that is so compelling in M. F. K. Fisher and Julia Child.” —James Salter, coauthor of Life Is Meals “As Proust demonstrated with his madeleine, taste is a powerful unleasher of memories. Epstein’s book, like M.F.K. Fisher’s The Art of Eating, Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking and, more recently, Amanda Hesser’s Cooking for Mr. Latte,_ _tucks recipes into an entertaining, alternately informative and autobiographical narrative. . . . Eating . . . works for armchair cooks as well as active chefs, and has the advantage of being calorie-free.” —_San Francisco Chronicle<.i> _ Views: 7
