A book of brilliant, adventurous stories from the award-winning Doug Dorst. With the publication of his debut novel, Alive in Necropolis, Doug Dorst was widely celebrated as one of the most creative, original literary voices of his generation-an heir to T.C. Boyle and Denis Johnson, a northern California Haruki Murakami. Now, in his second book, The Surf Guru, his full talent is on display, revealing an ability to explore worlds and capture characters that other writers have not yet discovered.In the title story, an old surfing-champion-turned-surfwear- entrepreneur sits on his ocean-front balcony watching a new generation of surfers come of age on the waves, all but one of whom wear wet suits emblazoned with the Surf Guru's name. An acid-tongued, pioneering botanist who has been exiled from the academy composes a series of scurrilous (and hilarious) biographical sketches of his colleagues and rivals, inadvertently telling his own story. A pair of... Views: 49
April 27, 2010 A death row inmate finds redemption as a prison journalist in this uplifting memoir. In 1961, after a bungled bank robbery, Rideau was convicted of murder at the age of 19 and received a death sentence that was later commuted to life in prison at Louisiana's Angola penitentiary, then the most violent in the nation. Against all expectations, his own included, he turned his up-to-then cursed life around, becoming editor of the prison newsmagazine, the Angolite, and an NPR correspondent who published nationally acclaimed articles on prison violence, rape and sexual slavery, and the cruelty of the electric chair. Rideau frames his 44-year fight to get his conviction reduced to manslaughter and win parole (he succeeded in 2005) as a black man's struggle against a racist criminal justice establishment. More inspiring is his self-reclamation through tough, committed journalism in an unpropitious setting where survival required canny alliance building against predatory inmates and callous authorities alike. To a society that treats convicts as a worthless underclass, Rideau's story is a compelling reminder that rehabilitation should be the focus of a penal system. With probing intelligence but only a ninth-grade education, Rideau honed his acclaimed journalism skills inside Louisiana's notorious Angola prison. In 1961, at the age of 19, he killed a white woman in the course of a bank robbery. Sentenced to death, he was eventually given a life sentence after repeated appeals based on irregularities in his trial and national changes in policy regarding the death penalty. Rideau suffered years on death row and in solitary; once integrated into the broader population, he worked his way onto The Angolite, the prison publication. Eventually becoming editor, he earned the respect of the warden, prisoners, guards, as well as the broader journalism profession, with exposés of the politics and economics of the prison system, earning several prestigious press awards along the way. He struggled with journalistic principles in a highly charged environment in which all sides were hyperpartisan and often violent. After 44 years and scores of appeals lost to political machinations, Rideau was finally freed in 2005. This is more than a prison memoir; it is a searing indictment of the American justice system. Views: 49
Everyone's favorite panda is gearing up for a brand-new adventure in this bodacious retelling of Kung Fu Panda 3! Kung Fu Panda 3—starring Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Rebel Wilson, and more—bursts into theaters on January 29, 2016!When Po's biological father lands on his doorstep, Po is shocked. At his father's urging, he returns to the secret panda village where he was born. And, after a few days of awesome feasts and incredible parties in the village, Po begins to wonder if he should ever return to the Valley of Peace. But while Po parties with his newfound family, a terrible power is gathering—an evil spirit known as The Collector has been stealing the powers of every Kung Fu master he meets...and his sights are set on Po. Relive the action, adventure, humor, and awesomeness in this novelization of Kung Fu Panda 3 that comes with an 8-page, full-color glossy insert with stills from the movie! © 2015... Views: 49
This eagerly awaited new novel from Trevor Cole combines the humour and sharp observations of contemporary life that he is known for with an irresistibly twisted premise, for fans of the quirkily macabre Six Feet Under and Dexter, and readers of Paul Quarrington, Miriam Toews, Jonathan Franzen, and, of course, Trevor Cole.In his first two, GG-shortlisted novels, Trevor Cole proved himself a master of drawing us into the shadowy side of human nature with sharp observation and warm wit. In Practical Jean, he goes a step further: this is a darkly humourous and revelatory tale of an ordinary, small-town woman with the usual challenges of middle age — a do-nothing husband, a family that refuses to understand her — who realizes her fondest wish is to protect her dearest friends from the indignities of aging and illness. And that's when she decides to kill them . . .From the Hardcover edition.Review“A jaw-dropping, near-perfect satire.” — Chatelaine“Practical Jean should be a starred pick for every book club. . . . [A] biting and black comedy of middle-class mores gone murderously wrong [that] combines diamond-cut social satire with thoughtful contemplations of friendship’s burdens, meaning and purpose. . . . This wise and funny writer finishes off his latest novel with an epilogue whose closing words will leave you laughing (or shuddering and laughing) for days.” — The Globe and Mail“Funny and dark and occasionally surprising. . . . A darkly comic look at friendship and the sometimes dubious values of practical thinking.” — Edmonton Journal “Wickedly funny. . . . This has to be one of the darkest comedies written by a Canadian in my memory. Every page has a droll surprise, a laconic statement of absurdity, a deadpan wink at the world.” — SunTimes (Owen Sound)“A clever and timely novel with plenty of bite.” — Telegraph Journal (St. John)"[A] rare thing -- a novel that tackles a deep, dark philosophical question through seemingly banal events and leaves the reader pondering for days after reading the last page. . . . Thought-provoking." — *Vancouver Sun"A deliciously dark comedy that feeds off our deepest, primordial fear . . . a mischievous, subversive tour-de-force."— Kitchener Waterloo Record"With his diabolical deadpan, Trevor Cole reminds us that literary fiction can be at once thoughtful, provocative, and blackly funny. Practical Jean is wicked smart fun." – Annabel Lyon, author of The Golden Mean"Practical Jean may be the blackest comedy ever written about the white middle class. H... About the AuthorTREVOR COLE is the author of two acclaimed previous novels, Norman Bray in the Performance of His Life and The Fearsome Particles, both of which were shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award for Fiction and long-listed for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Trevor is also an award-winning magazine journalist. Views: 49
1763: The Crown Colonies of Mystria are in turmoil, trapped between warring empires and facing insurrection from natives and colonists alike...Captain Owen Strake, a wounded and battle-weary Redcoat of the Queen's Own Wurms, has come to this untamed land. At the Queen's command, Owen's mission is to survey this vast, uncharted territory, performing reconnaissance of rival Tharyngians and the savage Twilight People of the wilderness.Prince Vladimir is a Norillian noble, nephew to the Queen. Though he has little real political power, he struggles to ensure the colonists' interests are represented back in Norisle. The one thing he does have is a wurm... one of the few existing dragons from a clutch of eggs discovered in the old world, hundreds of years ago.As Mystria swirls into chaos, Owen becomes prisoner of a Tharyngian necromancer. Meanwhile, Vlad is to be married off to an old world princess, an alliance supposed to help supply money and mercenaries to put down the various insurrections. But, nobody suspects that Vlad's wurm is about to undergo a change that will impact the world's delicate political balance...From New York Times-bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole (Rogue Squadron, I, Jedi) comes At the Queen's Command, the first book of The Crown Colonies, a new fantasy series re-imagining the events of the American Revolutionary War. Views: 49
The parents of beaver kits Nip and Tuck think their offspring are too young to help build the new dam. Nip and Tuck insist that they're old enough to help, but to no avail. One day, when disaster strikes the dam in their parents' absence, the other animals fear that the pond is doomed. They are convinced that Nip and Tuck are too young to fix the damage themselves. But, much to everyone's surprise, Nip and Tuck spring to the rescue, fixing the dam, saving the pond and becoming the heroes of the day. Views: 49
In the fourth release in San Francisco Chronicle's best-selling author Mark Abramson's Beach Reading series of gay mysteries, all is well in the City by the Bay. Tim Snow, recently recovered from a debilitating accident, finds himself aimless and troubled over waning feelings from his boyfriend. And just when he wants to escape all the troubles in his life, new complications arise... three M's worth of trouble: mayhem (a visit from his bigoted and big-haired cousin from Texas ), men (a handsome fashion model who's sending mixed signals), and menace (body parts found in the dumpster of Art's, the restaurant where Tim works as a waiter). As if the investigations of the police aren't disruptive enough, secrets are soon revealed that affect not only Tim's family by blood but also the treasured souls of the Castro he's made an essential part of his life. Views: 49
The pseudonymous Coyle's strong 9th coffeehouse mystery (after 2009's Holiday Grind) pays tribute to New York City firefighters. Clare Cosi, the head barista at Village Blend; Blend owner Madame Dreyfus Allegro Dubois (who's Clare's ex-mother-in-law); and Blend employee Dante Silva narrowly escape death in the bomb-activated blaze that destroys Enzo Testa's Caffe Lucia in Queens and seriously injures Enzo. Clare informs the irritating, overly flirtatious FDNY captain, Michael Quinn, a cousin of her NYPD detective boyfriend, Mike Quinn, that she suspects arson. As fire marshal Stuart Rossi swings into action, Clare is eager to help catch the firebug (aka the Coffee Shop Arsonist), but Rossi is less than enthusiastic about her getting involved. Later, the arsonist torches a Long Island coffeehouse, killing a firefighter, as a warning. While the media worry that a terrorist is loose, new, even more horrible crimes surface. Coyle (the wife-husband writing team of Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini) provides an appendix of useful tips and tempting recipes. Views: 49
SUMMARY:Andy Larkham is late. He is due at the funeral of his favourite school teacher, who once told him: 'It's hard work being anyone.' It's especially hard for Andy - stuck in a dead-end job, terminally short of cash and with a fianc e who is about to ditch him. When the funeral leads to unexpected consequences, Andy has to ask himself: how far will he go to change his life? From early-twentieth-century Turkey to modern day London, Nicholas Shakespeare takes us on an extraordinary journey that explores the temptations of unexpected wealth, the secrets of damaged families and the price of being true to oneself. At once a love story spanning many decades and a tragedy of betrayal and missed opportunities, it is a romance for our times. Views: 49
The ninth gripping adventure in this exciting pony club series. With showjumping contests to win, rivals to defeat, mysteries to solve and ponies in danger to save --" these books are perfect for all girls who love ponies.Issie takes a summer job at Araminta Chatswood-Smith's prestigious showjumping stables where she meets a talented chestnut pony called Flame. Issie must try to keep her head in the glamorous commercial world of showjumping. Especially when she's competing with Ginty McLintoch's riders, including the increasingly unbearable Natasha Tucker. Tempers will flare --" may the best rider win! Views: 49
There have been many film adaptations of Richard Stark's novels over the years, but none of them actually featured a protagonist named Parker—and none of them fully captured Parker's chilling tenacity and laconic anticharm. Here for the first time is the real Parker, played by Jason Statham. Adapted by Black Swan screenwriter John J. McLaughlin, and directed by Taylor Hackford, Parker is sure to both satisfy Stark fans and action-movie lovers. And there couldn't be a better Parker novel to bring to the silver screen than the fast-paced and stylish Flashfire.When Flashfire opens, Parker isn't happy. Three associates have borrowed his money for a job without permission, and he isn't satisfied to wait and see if they make good. Instead, he vows to kill them all. Tearing across America to take their job out from under them, Parker finds himself in West Palm Beach. There things go sour. While attempting to trick the denizens of Palm... Views: 49
