From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, a stunningly ambitious and beautiful novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel. In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge. Doerr’s “stunning sense of physical detail and gorgeous metaphors” (San Francisco Chronicle) are dazzling. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, he illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another. Ten years in the writing, All the Light We Cannot See is a magnificent, deeply moving novel from a writer “whose sentences never fail to thrill” (Los Angeles Times).**Amazon.com ReviewAn Amazon Best Book of the Month, May 2014: Does the world need yet another novel about WWII? It does when the novel is as inventive and beautiful as this one by Anthony Doerr. In fact, All the Light We Cannot See--while set mostly in Germany and France before and during the war--is not really a “war novel”. Yes, there is fear and fighting and disappearance and death, but the author’s focus is on the interior lives of his two characters. Marie Laure is a blind 14-year-old French girl who flees to the countryside when her father disappears from Nazi-occupied Paris. Werner is a gadget-obsessed German orphan whose skills admit him to a brutal branch of Hitler Youth. Never mind that their paths don’t cross until very late in the novel, this is not a book you read for plot (although there is a wonderful, mysterious subplot about a stolen gem). This is a book you read for the beauty of Doerr’s writing-- “Abyss in her gut, desert in her throat, Marie-Laure takes one of the cans of food…”--and for the way he understands and cherishes the magical obsessions of childhood. Marie Laure and Werner are never quaint or twee. Instead they are powerful examples of the way average people in trying times must decide daily between morality and survival. --Sara NelsonReview“Exquisite…All the Light We Cannot See, 10 years under construction, is the written equivalent of a Botticelli painting or a Michelangelo sculpture—as filled with light and beauty as the landscapes, museums, and cathedrals…in Rome…Meticulously researched and chock full of beautiful imagery…Nothing short of brilliant, All the Light We Cannot See gives off the kind of mesmerizing and legend-making light as that of the mysterious diamond that sits in the center of the story.” (Alice Evans Portland Oregonian) “Boy meets girl in Anthony Doerr’s hauntingly beautiful new book, but the circumstances are as elegantly circuitous as they can be.…Werner’s experience at the school is only one of the many trials through which Mr. Doerr puts his characters in this surprisingly fresh and enveloping book. What’s unexpected about its impact is that the novel does not regard Europeans’ wartime experience in a new way. Instead, Mr. Doerr’s nuanced approach concentrates on the choices his characters make and on the souls that have been lost, both living and dead.” (Janet Maslin The New York Times) “Doerr, a fabulous writer, pens an epic novel about a blind French girl and a German boy in occupied France and their struggles to survive World War II.” (Mary Ann Gwinn Seattle Times) “Anthony Doerr again takes language beyond mortal limits.” (Elissa Schappell Vanity Fair) “The whole shebang enthralls.” (Good Housekeeping) “Incandescent…Mellifluous and unhurried…Characters as noble as they are enthralling. Doerr looms myriad strains into a luminous work of strife and transcendence.” (Hamilton Cain O, the Oprah magazine) “History intertwines with irresistible fiction—secret radio broadcasts, a cursed diamond, a soldier’s deepest doubts—into a richly compelling, bittersweet package. After you wipe away those stray tears, you’ll be casting the movie in your head; this carefully crafted novel fairly begs for a lush Hollywood conversion.” (Mary Pols People (3 1/2 stars)) “Intricately structured…All the Light We Cannot See is a work of art and of preservation.” (Jane Ciabattari BBC) “Endlessly bold and equally delicate…An intricate miracle of invention, narrative verve, and deep research lightly held, but above all a miracle of humanity….Anthony Doerr’s novel celebrates—and also accomplishes—what only the finest art can: the power to create, reveal, and augment experience in all its horror and wonder, heartbreak and rapture.” (Shelf Awareness) “A novel to live in, learn from, and feel bereft over when the last page is turned, Doerr’s magnificently drawn story seems at once spacious and tightly composed. . . . Doerr masterfully and knowledgeably recreates the deprived civilian conditions of war-torn France and the strictly controlled lives of the military occupiers.” (Booklist (starred review)) “Doerr captures the sights and sounds of wartime and focuses, refreshingly, on the innate goodness of his major characters.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review)) “If a book’s success can be measured by its ability to move readers and the number of memorable characters it has, Story Prize-winner Doerr’s novel triumphs on both counts. Along the way, he convinces readers that new stories can still be told about this well-trod period, and that war—despite its desperation, cruelty, and harrowing moral choices—cannot negate the pleasures of the world.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review)) “This novel has the physical and emotional heft of a masterpiece…[All the Light We Cannot See] presents two characters so interesting and sympathetic that readers will keep turning the pages hoping for an impossibly happy ending…Highly recommended for fans of Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient.” (Evelyn Beck Library Journal (starred review)) "What a delight! This novel has exquisite writing and a wonderfully suspenseful story. A book you'll tell your friends about..." (Frances Itani, author of Deafening) “This jewel of a story is put together like a vintage timepiece, its many threads coming together so perfectly. Doerr’s writing and imagery are stunning. It’s been a while since a novel had me under its spell in this fashion. The story still lives on in my head.” (Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone) “All the Light We Cannot See is a dazzling, epic work of fiction. Anthony Doerr writes beautifully about the mythic and the intimate, about snails on beaches and armies on the move, about fate and love and history and those breathless, unbearable moments when they all come crashing together.” (Jess Walter, author of Beautiful Ruins) “Doerr sees the world as a scientist, but feels it as a poet. He knows about everything—radios, diamonds, mollusks, birds, flowers, locks, guns—but he also writes a line so beautiful, creates an image or scene so haunting, it makes you think forever differently about the big things—love, fear, cruelty, kindness, the countless facets of the human heart. Wildly suspenseful, structurally daring, rich in detail and soul, Doerr’s new novel is that novel, the one you savor, and ponder, and happily lose sleep over, then go around urging all your friends to read—now.” (J.R. Moehringer, author of Sutton and The Tender Bar) “A tender exploration of this world's paradoxes; the beauty of the laws of nature and the terrible ends to which war subverts them; the frailty and the resilience of the human heart; the immutability of a moment and the healing power of time. The language is as expertly crafted as the master locksmith's models in the story, and the settings as intricately evoked. A compelling and uplifting novel.” (M.L. Stedman, author of The Light Between Oceans) Views: 41
Wilbur Whateley is half-man and half-other-worldly-monster-god. He can bend reality to his will and with his dark powers will one day end the menace known as mankind. But even a servant of the Great Old Ones gets lonely. One day he finds the perfect woman for himself-someone so sick, twisted, and demented that he can't help but fall in love. With this degenerate human, he can finally have a family and bring humanity closer to its destruction... "Yog-Sothoth be praised!" From the modern master of hardcore horror, comes a perverse sequel to H.P. Lovecraft's tale The Dunwich Horror. Only Edward Lee would dare to take one of the most beloved stories in classic horror and splatter it with gore and other bodily fluids. Views: 41
A more than professional interest . . . a more than personal intrigue.Orlando Coppersmith should be happy. WWI is almost a year in the past, he's back at St. Bride's College in Cambridge, his lover and best friend Jonty Stewart is at his side again, and—to top it all—he's about to be made Forster Professor of Applied Mathematics. And although he and Jonty have precious little time for an investigative commission, they can't resist a suspected murder case that must be solved in a month so a clergyman can claim his rightful inheritance.But the courses of scholarship, true love, and amateur detecting never did run smooth. Orlando's inaugural lecture proves almost impossible to write. A plagiarism case he's adjudicating on turns nasty with a threat of blackmail against him and Jonty. And the murder investigation turns up too many leads and too little hard evidence.Orlando and Jonty may be facing their first failure as amateur detectives, and the ruin of... Views: 41
Megan Bradley Is Putting Down Roots After years spent traveling the globe, she never expected to be back in her hometown sharing an office with her former sweetheart, Dr. Luke Morton. Megan is focused on building her business, and doesn't have time to dwell on past mistakes. But she can't ignore her feelings for the handsome doctor who works down the hall. Luke is afraid to trust his heart to Megan, knowing she may not stay for long. But as they work together, their romance quickly rekindles. When a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes her way, Luke must free Megan to choose between a big-city career or love and family...right there in Snowgum Creek. Views: 41
As the fifth novel in acclaimed historian Adrian Goldsworthy's Napoleonic series opens, British fortunes in the Peninsular War are at their lowest ebb. Lieutenant Hamish Williams of the 106th Foot will soon discover just how precarious their situation is, and what bloody sacrifices are necessary to prevent total victory for the French. While the Navy keeps the British foothold at Cadiz from falling to the enemy, help from the valiant but divided Spanish guerrillos will be vital if the French advance on land is to be halted. Alongside the experienced 'exploring officer' Lieutenant Hanley, Williams joins the Spanish partisans behind enemy lines, but while he learns much about the viciousness of guerrilla warfare - not least that women can sometimes fight with all the ferocity of their male counterparts - he quickly finds that the greatest danger comes from his own side. Carrying vital knowledge of a traitor, Williams must find his way back to the British lines before a deadly French trap can be sprung, but with the British commanders determined to go on the attack, will he be able to avert disaster? Views: 41
Granny has a new addition to her arsenal of crime fighting weapons as Fuchsia, Minnesota's most colorful detective. Now along with her famous crook-hooking umbrella, she's acquired a scoundrel-skewering knitting needle. And just in time! Residents of Fuchsia seem to be dropping dead like flies!First, it's Granny's neighbor Sally (who gives up the ghost in her weed-filled front yard); followed by Esmeralda Periwinkle (the squirrel lover on Main Street); and then Mr. Nail, owner of the local hardware store (who is squashed when dozens of bags of fertilizer fall on top of him). Granny is baffled. Who is behind this murder spree? Granny enlists the help of her sort of boyfriend Franklin Gatsby, the town's police chief Cornelius Stricknine (or "The Big Guy"), her reality-show loving neighbor Mavis, and her own son Thor—and, of course, the special assistance of her menagerie of pets—including Mr. Bleaty, the goat. And soon Granny is hot on the trail of this dastardly murderer.Unfortunately, when Granny herself is poisoned, everyone insists that she cool her crime solving ways and stay indoors and out of harm's way. Of course, that's never going to happen—not when Granny knows all the secret passageways and tunnels that run underneath Fuchsia. Out she goes—and watch out, you evil doers! Granny will solve this mystery—you can bet your pink undies, she will! Views: 41
Eric Alford's safe and romantic life on the peaceful Gaspe Coast is shattered by his decision to follow his elder brother John (the Pilgrim and The Chaplain) into the 1914-18 cataclysm of death and destruction known as the "Great War for Civilisation". By his thundering Howitzer, Gunner Alford assaults the Hun through every major Canadian battle of WWI: Ypres, Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Hill 70, The Somme, and "The Hundred Days" that ended the conflict. A developing romance with a lovely Londoner is cut short by a German shell. Evacuated to a Rouen field hospital, he is surrounded by hellish wounds: blindness, amputations, and gas-inflicted horrors. Finally, back in Blighty among other shell-shock victims, he recovers and returns to his Gaspe home, bereft of his London love and changed forever. Views: 41
After their heartbreaking separation, Sara Fielding can’t
resist one last unforgettable night with her soon-to-be-ex-husband, Tom. Their
love has never diminished, but Sara so wants a family—the one thing Tom feels he
can’t give her. Their divorce seems certain—until Sara’s new job unexpectedly
finds her working with Tom. Soon they’re learning more about each other than
ever before. But will discovering Tom’s deepest secret be enough to bring Sara
back to his arms for good? Views: 41
Teague Simon is a man at a crossroads. He's no good around people and spending time alone at the family cottage will hopefully ease his burden. What he doesn't need is the woman next door poking around his business making things worse. And what he really doesn't need are her two young children in his face. How can they help slay the demons that haunt him? Sabrina Campbell is barely surviving and doing everything that she can to hide that fact. She takes care of her kids and keeps herself busy. She's not looking for anything other than the chance to forget. But when Teague Simon shows up, looking as haunted as she is, she's drawn to his pain. His loneliness. She knows his scars run deep, but so do hers. She should stay away and yet she can't. Can these two broken souls somehow heal each other? Views: 41
Rich, beautiful, and wild, Reagan McKinley has everything she needs...but nothing that she wants. That is, until she spends one hot night in the arms of sexy, unbridled Dare Wilde.She's a girl trapped in a rigid world she desperately wants to escape, and he's an untamed artist with an attitude, hell-bent on freeing her—body, mind, and soul. But Reagan's life is not her own, and Dare is not welcome in it. She can't include him in her carefully-controlled, extremely public lifestyle...and yet she cannot give him up.Will a shared passion for art—and, increasingly, each other—be enough to keep them together? Or will it be the thing that ultimately tears them apart? Views: 41
"A thrilling, hilarious, and mysterious romp." —Patricia Engel, author of It's Not Love, It's Just ParisTwo divorces have taught Mariela Estevez that she's better suited to being a mistress than a wife. Whose heart needs all that "forever after" trouble? Still, her affair with her married lover, Hector, has become problematic—especially because he's also a tenant in her apartment building in the heart of Miami's Calle Ocho in Little Havana. But when Hector is found dead just steps from Mariela's back door, on the eve of her fortieth birthday, she's forced to examine her life—and come up with a plan to save it, fast...Complicating matters, Hector's passing sparks the unexpected return of a gift Mariela rejected years ago and thought she'd never have to face again: clairvoyance. Suddenly, Mariela's visions come swiftly and unbidden, as do revelations about her other tenants. Lost loves, hidden yearnings, old jealousies—all reside on Calle... Views: 41
