Here are the best short stories and novel extracts from the 2015 Pikihuia Awards for Maori writers as judged by Witi Ihimaera, Sir Wira Gardiner and Poia Rewi. The book contains the stories from the finalists for Best Short Story written in English, Best Short Story written in Maori and Best Novel Extract. Views: 24
Sisters Emma and Jeannie are best friends, but when the unthinkable happens, both families are devastated. Can they find a way from heartbreak to forgiveness? Views: 24
One of the world?s best loved presenters meets one of the world?s greatest authors in this beautiful selection of timeless, haunting stories. Vividly brought to life through abundant illustrations and Stephen?s masterly introductions, Oscar Wilde?s short stories are here made accessible to an entirely new generation. Whether you know it or not, the stories in this book are familiar. Like old friends whose charm and warmth never fade, Oscar Wilde's short stories have enchanted generations of readers, and this beautiful book makes them accessible to an entirely new readership. Selected and presented by one of Wilde's biggest fans, the book includes a foreword from Stephen Fry, who will also supply short introductions to the stories themselves, explaining why they mean so much to him and why they should mean a lot to you too. Meet the selfish giant, whose garden was cloaked in perpetual winter until he allowed the children to enter and play, the happy prince whose statue stood... Views: 24
Richard Mahony is a restless man. Ballarat, England, Melbourne, Europe, the bush: elsewhere is always better. Searching for a place, a meaning, a life, Mahony and his wife Mary journey from wealth to poverty, order to chaos, sanity to the asylum. The Fortunes of Richard Mahony is a towering novel. This edition reproduces the text of the 1930 Heinemann edition, which gathered all three books in one volume. It includes a new introduction by Peter Craven.Henry Handel Richardson was born in Melbourne in 1870. She was was sent to board at the Presbyterian Ladies College in 1883—an experience that provided material for her novel The Getting of Wisdom. She published her first novel, Maurice Guest, in 1908, followed by the trilogy that would become The Fortunes of Richard Mahony. Her final novel The Young Cosima appeared in 1939.Peter Craven is one of Australia's best-known literary critics. He was a founding editor of... Views: 24
An exploration of domestic derangement, as sinister as Daphne Du Maurier's classic Rebecca, that plumbs the depths of sibling rivalry with wit and menace.Oh, to be a Beloved—one of those lucky people for whom nothing ever goes wrong. Everything falls into their laps without effort: happiness, beauty, good fortune, allure. Betty Stash is not a Beloved—but her little sister, the delightful Gloria, is. She's the one with the golden curls and sunny disposition and captivating smile, the one whose best friend used to be Betty's, the one whose husband should have been Betty's. And then, to everyone's surprise, Gloria inherits the family manse—a vast, gorgeous pile of ancient stone, imposing timbers, and lush gardens—that was never meant to be hers. Losing what Betty considers her rightful inheritance is the final indignity. As she single-mindedly pursues her plan to see the estate returned to her in all its glory, her... Views: 24
Auschwitz Lullaby brings to life the story of Helene Hannemann - a woman who sacrificed everything for family and fought furiously for the children she hoped to save.
On an otherwise ordinary morning in 1943, Helene Hannemann is preparing her five children for the day when the German police arrive at her home. Helene's worst fears come true when the police, under strict orders from the SS, demand that her children and husband, all of Romani heritage, be taken into custody. Though Helene is German and safe from the forces invading her home, she refuses to leave her family - sealing her fate in a way she never could have imagined.
After a terrifying trek across the continent, Helene and her family arrive at Auschwitz and are thrown into the chaos of the camp. Her husband, Johann, is separated from them, but Helene remains fiercely protective of her children and those around her. When the powers-that-be discover that Helene is not only a German but also a trained nurse, she is forced into service at the camp hospital, which is overseen by the notorious Dr. Mengele himself.
Helene is under no illusions in terms of Dr. Mengele's intentions, but she agrees to cooperate when he asks her to organize a day care and school for the Romani children in the camp. Though physically and emotionally brutalized by the conditions at Auschwitz, Helene musters the strength to protect the children in her care at any cost. Through sheer force of will, Helene provides a haven for the children of Auschwitz - an act of kindness and selflessness so great that it illuminates the darkest night of human history.
Based on a true story, Mario Escobar's Auschwitz Lullaby demonstrates the power of sacrifice and the strength of human dignity - even when all hope seems lost.
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The anonymous caller has
an ominous tone and an unnerving message about something “real dead . .
. buried in your marsh.” The eco-volunteer on the other end of the
phone thinks it’s a prank, but when a young woman’s body turns up in
L.A.’s Bird Marsh preserve no one’s laughing. And when the bones of more
victims surface, homicide detective Milo Sturgis realizes the city’s
under siege to an insidious killer. Milo’s first move: calling in
psychologist Alex Delaware. The murdered women are
prostitutes–except the most recent victim; a brilliant young musician
from the East Coast, employed by a wealthy family to tutor a musical
prodigy, Selena Bass seems out of place in the marsh’s grim tableau. Conveniently–perhaps
ominously–Selena’s blueblood employers are nowhere to be found, and
their estate’ s jittery caretaker raises hackles. But Milo’s instincts
and Alex’s insight are too well-honed to settle for easy answers, even
given the dark secrets in this troubled man’s past. Their investigation
unearths disturbing layers–about victims, potential victims, and
suspects alike–plunging even deeper into the murky marsh’s enigmatic
depths.Bizarre details of the crimes suggest a devilish serial
killer prowling L.A.’s gritty streets. But when a new murder deviates
from the pattern, derailing a possible profile, Alex and Milo must look
beyond the suspicion of madness and consider an even more sinister mind
at work. Answers don’t come easy, but the darkest of drives and desires
may fuel the most devious of foes.Bones is
classic Kellerman–relentlessly peeling back the skin and psyches of its
characters and revealing the shadows and sins of the souls beneath. With
jolt after jolt of galvanizing suspense, it drives the reader through
its twists and turns toward a climax as satisfying as it is shattering. Views: 24
Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Budapest Jews in 1944-45, was arrested by the Soviets and taken to Moscow where he disappeared. Now, more than 70 years after these events, many mysteries about Wallenberg's life and fate persist. As both a literary detective story and historical investigation Alan Lelchuk uses a fictional investigation to explore what really happened. Views: 24
After reading about her sister Hannah’s success in homesteading to Denver City, Paulina Hoffman decides to embark on the adventure of a lifetime, traveling with an older couple to the Kansas Territory. What she hadn’t anticipated was wagon master, Samuel Tucker, who catches her eye from the start. The handsome outdoorsman is responsible for this group of homesteaders, seeing to their safety and guiding them along the Platte River on the Oregon Trail. As the days turn into weeks, their relationship grows, especially after Paulina falls victim to Cholera and Samuel nurses her back to health. Falling in love with one of the homesteaders is the last thing Mr. Tucker had expected, but, as he rescues the beauty from disaster, more than once; he finds himself unable to resist the pull of Paulina. Living in Denver City was never the plan, but the dictates of his heart might just change his mind…and his life. This is the second book in The Colorado Brides Series, chronicling the lives of the Hoffman sisters and their adventures in finding love out west. Look for: An Unexpected Widow An Unexpected Bride An Unexpected Annulment An Unexpected Mother And The Arizona Brides Series will be available in the fall of 2013.** Views: 24
