'...If you wanted to go on from the end of The Hobbit I think the ring would be your inevitable choice as the link. If then you wanted a large tale, the Ring would at once acquire a capital letter; and the Dark Lord would immediately appear. As he did, unasked, on the hearth at Bag End as soon as I came to that point. So the essential Quest started at once. But I met a lot of things along the way that astonished me. Tom Bombadil I knew already; but I had never been to Bree. Strider sitting in the corner of the inn was a shock, and I had no more idea who he was than Frodo did. The Mines of Moria had been a mere name; and of Lothlorien no word had reached my mortal ears till I came there.' -- J.R.R. Tolkien to W.H. Auden, June 7, 1955J.R.R. Tolkien, cherished author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion, was one of the twentieth century's most prolific letter writers. Over the years he wrote a mass of letters -- to his publishers, his family, to friends, and to fans of his books -- which record the history and composition of his works and his reaction to subsequent events.By turns thoughtful, impish, scholarly, impassioned, playful, vigorous, and gentle, Tolkien poured his heart and mind into a great stream of correspondence to intimate friends and unknown admirers all over the world. From this collection one sees a mind of immense complexity and many layers -- artistic, religious, charmingly eccentric, sentimental, and ultimately brilliant.Now newly expanded with a detailed index, this collection provides an invaluable record that sheds much light on Tolkien's creative genius, his thoughts and feelings about his own work, and the evolution of his grand design for the creation of a whole new world -- Middle-earth. Views: 70
Anna and Denise are always planning something, particularly when they need a bit of extra pocket money! They go into business as "The Party People", running birthday parties for younger kids in the area, and publicise it on their blog. As a joke, they also style themselves as "Instruments of Karma", junior Robin Hoods who take revenge on bullies on behalf of others in their school. But they soon discover that revenge is not always so sweet! Views: 70
A brand-new virtual story in a hugely popular comedy horror series for ghouls and girls."AAAYYYOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW!" Stunned awake by piercing screeches from next door, Jamie, newly arrived in the neighbourhood, is certainly experiencing the scream in Scream Street. Favel has an infected tooth and Dr Skully fears the worst – the young banshee needs medicine, and fast! With the help of Luke, Resus and Cleo, Jamie must track down the ingredients for a life-saving remedy. But the four friends are dicing with death: if they're not careful, Favel won't be the only one biting the dust... Views: 70
He was mesmerising, captivating and sexy but there was something detached about the handsome man Anna met in the club that night and for a woman who was used to fending off the obvious advances of male admirers, this was a new experience. In order to become the object of his desires Anna finds herself entering into a world of sexual submission and unquestioning subservience to The Puppet Master. Denying him his erotic pleasures in all their forms means being deprived of his attentions entirely and Anna is besotted enough to want to do anything rather than let that happen. From outgoing, headstrong woman to willing marionette Anna’s obsession sends her dancing to the strings of Daniel’s depraved desires.Taxi teasing is the first part in the Puppet Master series which sees the beautiful and outgoing Anna meet the handsome but cold Daniel for the first time. Obsessed with the fact that he has not fallen for her as she expected, Anna finds herself engaging in a series of breathtakingly imaginative sexual encounters, orchestrated by Daniel, which push her to her limit but exactly how far is she willing to go to hold his attention? Views: 70
Jackie French's critically acclaimed and best-selling ANIMAL STARS series looks at history through the eyes of an animal. Ages: 9-13 All of Australia's dingoes may be descended from one south-east Asian 'rubbish dog' who arrived here over 5,000 years ago. this is a story about the first dingo. It is also the story of Loa, who heads off across the sea in his canoe when the girl he loves marries another. He takes only his spears and a 'rubbish dog', one of the scavengers from around the camp to eat if he gets hungry, or to throw to threatening sharks or crocodiles. But when a storm blows boy and dog out to sea, both must learn to survive in a strange new world as partners - and even as friends. From renowned author Jackie French comes a story about survival in our earliest times. Praise for tHE HORSE WHO BIt A BUSHRANGER: 'this is a gripping, moving story that is also wonderfully evocative of an era when survival meant growing, creating or killing everything you needed. Kids will... Views: 70
Lynne Sharon Schwartz's critically beloved novel about family, tragedy, and philosophyThe field is all around us. It's our needs and our wants. This is what George tells Lydia. A disturbance, however, is something that keeps us from grasping and attaining the things we need. Usually, we can adapt to these disturbances and move forward. But, what happens if a disturbance becomes too great to move past? In this entrancing tale of loss and understanding, acclaimed author Lynne Sharon Schwartz plots the course of a woman's life, through the cycles of love, loss, and acceptance.Lydia's early life is marked by calm constants: a house in Cape Cod, a philosophy group in college. These remain her touchstones as she becomes a busy wife, mother, and music teacher. But when her family's world is suddenly shattered, she struggles to regain her equilibrium. Will she be able to find her way in such a radically altered field? Views: 70
