Other people's families aren't as perfect as they seemWhen the Templeton family from England takes up residence in a stately home in country Australia, they set the locals talking — and with good reason. From the outside, the seven Templetons seem so bohemian, unusual... peculiar even.No one is more intrigued by the family than their neighbours, single mother Nina Donovan and her young son Tom. Before long, the two families' lives become entwined in unexpected ways, to the delight of Gracie, the sweetest of the Templeton children.In the years that follow, the relationships between the Templetons and the two Donovans twist and turn in unpredictable and life-changing directions, until a tragedy tears them all apart. What will it take to bring them together again?From Australia's top-selling female novelist comes her best book yet — a wonderfully entertaining and touching story about the perils and pleasures of love, friendship and family.'So perfect is this... Views: 16
A companion to the groundbreaking PBS documentary series, this volume is a unique and timeless celebration of the blues, from writers and artists as esteemed and revered as the music that moved them.Included in this stunning collection are:Essays by David Halberstam, Hilton Als, Suzan-Lori Parks, Elmore Leonard, Luc Sante, John Edgar Wideman, and many othersTimeless archival pieces by writers such as Stanley Booth, Paul Oliver, and Mack McCormickEvocative color illustrations and rare vintage photographyIlluminating and in-depth conversations and portraits of musicians, ranging from Robert Johnson and Bessie Smith to John Lee Hooker and Eric ClaptonLyrics of legendary blues compositionsPersonal essays by the series directors Martin Scorsese, Charles Burnett, Richard Pearce, Wim Wenders, Marc Levin, Mike Figgis, and Clint EastwoodExcerpts from literary masters James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, Eudora Welty, Zora Neale Hurston,... Views: 16
In 1800, 13-year-old Pierre La Page never imagined he'd be leaving Montreal to paddle 2,400 miles. It was something older men, like his father, did. But when Pierre's father has an accident, Pierre quits school to become a voyageur for the North West Company, so his family can survive the winter. It's hard for Pierre as the youngest in the brigade. From the treacherous waters and cruel teasing to his aching and bloodied hands, Pierre is miserable. Still he has no choice but to endure the trip to Grand Portage and back.From the Trade Paperback edition. Views: 16
From Act I:"I think you left these behind," I said, handing them to her. This happens all the time when women try to return bags they've used. Tampons, lipstick, coins, Tic Tacs, and condoms are the top treasures found."Greasy" let out a sigh as if I were the problem. "I really don't see what the problem is here. It's none of your business what I keep in my handbag."It is when my commission is at stake! I'm not your Designer Handbag Rental Service! My name is not BagBorrowOrSteal.com!This is a place Freeman Hall, a twenty-year veteran "on the floor," knows well. While delivering side-splitting stories alongside brutally cynical commentary, Freeman recounts his most shocking experiences in Retail Hell.From the time he was attacked by a customer's four-year-old, who grabbed onto his leg like a poodle and wouldn't let go, to the day he found the fitting room walls covered in st, Freeman has seen and heard (smelled and felt) it all! Horrifying and hilarious, this behind-the-scenes look at what really goes on at the Big Fancy Stores is rollicking, ready-to-wear wisdom for readers everywhere. Views: 16
A legend is born. Heriot has always known that he was different with his terrifying dreams and psychic powers. Ripped from his family farm, he is forced to serve as the King's magician in the capital city of Diamond. Isolated and lonely, his only friends are the 'mad prince' Dysart and Cayley, a mysterious wild city child. But their friendship is about to be tested to the limit when chilling violence and ambition threatens to crush Diamond and its King. Heriot's psychic abilities hide a deeper power that has the strength to bring Diamond's enemies to their knees. But will he be able to control this power without becoming a monster himself? 'Margaret Mahy is outstanding in the richness of her ideas and in her great story-telling ability. She has a fresh and vivid imagination, which speaks directly to the imagination of the child and an ability to use language to increase the force of her imagery to great effect.' Twentieth Century Children's Writers 'The queen of children's... Views: 16
The discovery of a valuable Central American artifact sends a desperate thief racing halfway around the globe and into a world of violence, mystery, and deadly chaos The world has not been kind to Edmond Hawkins. Having recently fled an African nation suffering under the iron rule of a brutal dictator, Hawkins finds himself in London, penniless and with no prospects. A desperate man, he is driven to thievery, but when he pilfers a bag from a strange woman, his luck begins to change. Looking inside, he finds that in addition to a large amount of cash is a pendant made of solid gold, a rare and priceless artifact that Hawkins soon learns is a national treasure from the tiny Central American nation of Malpelo. Convinced that destiny has come knocking, he sets out across the ocean only to find himself plunged into the fiery heart of violence and revolution once he arrives. Hawkins soon realizes that his actions have inadvertently sparked an inexorable chain of events... Views: 16
