2097 is a transformed world. Thirty years earlier, a mysterious plague wiped out 97 percent of the male population, devastating every world system from governments to sports teams, and causing both universal and unimaginable grief. In the face of such massive despair, women were forced to take over control of the planet--and in doing so they eliminated all of Earth's most pressing issues. Poverty, crime, warfare, hunger . . . all gone. But there's a price to pay for this new "utopia," which fourteen-year-old Kellen is all too familiar with. Every day, he deals with life as part of a tiny minority that is purposefully kept subservient and small in numbers. His career choices and relationship options are severely limited and controlled. He also lives under the threat of scattered recurrences of the plague, which seem to pop up wherever small pockets of men begin to regroup and grow in numbers. And then one day, his mother's boss, an iconic political figure, shows... Views: 61
Penguin Decades bring you the novels that helped shape modern Britain. When they were published, some were bestsellers, some were considered scandalous, and others were simply misunderstood. All represent their time and helped define their generation, while today each is considered a landmark work of storytelling.The latecomers are Hartmann and Fibich, brought over to England as children to escape Nazi Germany, now living close to each other in London in their 60s, and still friends. Yet they could not be more different, each having adopted different strategies to reconcile themselves with their past and to cope with an uncertain world. Views: 61
As of early 2010, more than two million U.S. troops have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet the American public is neither much engaged in the issues of these two wars nor particularly knowledgeable about the troops' experiences, which have ranged from positive and energizing to searing and debilitating.Based on scores of interview—some culled from the Library of Congress Veterans History Project and others conducted by the author himself—Through Veterans' Eyes presents a composite narrative of the experiences of U.S. service personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. Minear quotes more than 175 veterans by name and includes a dozen of their own photos from the conflict theaters. Thematic chapters cover duty and service, politics, cultural and ethical challenges, relationships to local populations, and reentry into American society. Neither pro-war nor anti-war, Minear's approach encourages veterans to express their views on issues critical to the nation.What... Views: 61
Sold into slavery by her stepfather, Nassara is stripped, beaten and delivered to the Palace of Misery, where young slaves must hasten to adapt to the Masters' cruel perversities, or face harsh punishment. Adorned in golden rings and chains, oiled and shaven, ready for prostration in the hot sun for the Masters to behold, the slaves of pleasure must perform their duties with compliant devotion. So quickly lost is Nassara's innocence, how terrible the torment her emotions must travel, and what agonies her flesh must endure. Nassara's only consolation is her love for Zheeno, yet Ahmood, the sadistic leader of the whip-boys, is ever vigilant, knowing his Master's infatuation with the beautiful new slave girl. So when the young lovers are undone will Nassara's courage and contrition be enough to save Zheeno? Must she confront the dreaded brush whip of serpents' tails? Will the ruthless Masters be yet more merciless than fate itself? Views: 61
