A collection of 98 enthralling and pulse-quickening stories, spanning five decades, venerates the remarkable imagination of J. G. Ballard.With a body of work unparalleled in twentieth-century literature, J. G. Ballard is recognized as one of the greatest and most prophetic writers in the world. With the much-hailed release of The Complete Stories of J. G. Ballard, readers now have a means to celebrate the unmatched range and mesmerizing cadences of a literary genius. Whether writing about musical orchids, human cannibalism, or the secret history of World War III, Ballard's Complete Stories evokes the hallucinations of Kafka and Borges in its ability to render modern paranoia and fantastical creations on the page. A Washington Post Best Book of 2009, Boston Globe Best Book, Los Angeles Times Favorite Book, and San Francisco Chronicle Best Book. Views: 521
"Doon the wynds an' up the streets,
Where revenants sought souls tae eat,
The Butcher called for twitching meat
An' Burke an' Hare did answer."
-anon.
1827. A year after the Cadaver Riots tore the heart from Edinburgh. Fear still chokes the Old Town, for though the revenants were driven back with shot and steel, they still lurk in the city's shadowed closes. When night falls, they strike.
In dissecting rooms anatomists slice twitching flesh as they dream of cures and glory. For the greatest among them, Robert Knox, there is no price that cannot be met in the quest for knowledge. Behind closed doors he trades in walking death, dealing with devils to keep the flesh market supplied...
Set between the slums of 19th Century Edinburgh and the ivory towers of its academia, The Flesh Market is an almost true story of murder, mad science, obsession, and the restless dead. Views: 521
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute. The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined - every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute . . . and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes. Views: 521
A Roman adventure, set at the end of the Roman Republic - a page-turning rollercoaster of love battle and adventure.82 bc; on the streets of Rome a young thief, Aulus Veridius Scapula, survives by house-breaking and living off his wits. Captured by a retired Legionary Prefect, Quintus Cerealis, he is forced into the Legions. His journeys take him to Pontus, to love, loss, battle and adventure. Will he unlock the secrets hidden in the amulet? only the Gods can tell.A Roman adventure set in the Caucasus region. Views: 521
The epic conclusion to the bestselling Tales of the Otori—"one of the most thrilling new series of our time." -The Times (London)
A dazzling epic of warfare and sacrifice, passionate revenge, treacherous betrayal, and unconquerable love, The Harsh Cry of the Heron takes the storytelling achievement of Lian Hearn's fantastic medieval Japanese world to startling new heights of drama and action. Fifteen years of peace and prosperity under the rule of Lord Otori Takeo and his wife Kaede is threatened by a rogue network of assassins, the resurgence of old rivalries, the arrival of foreigners bearing new weapons and religion, and an unfulfilled prophecy that Lord Takeo will die at the hand of a member of his own family.
The Harsh Cry of the Heron is the rich and stirring finale to a series whose imaginative vision has enthralled millions of readers worldwide, and an extraordinary novel that stands as a thrilling achievement in its own right. Views: 521
The book that marked the first appearance in the United States of Robertson Davies’ mischievous alter ego, Samuel Marchbanks, is now available as an eBook for the first time.
In 1942, two years after returning to Canada from Britain, Robertson Davies took up the role of editor of the Peterborough Examiner. During his tenure as editor at the Examiner, a post he held until 1955, and later as publisher of the newspaper (1955–65), Davies published witty, curmudgeonly, mischievous, and fiercely individualistic editorials under the name of his alter ego, Samuel Marchbanks, “one of the choice and master spirits of his age.”
In this single volume, first published in 1985, the “gentle headwaiter to Marchbanks’ splendid banquet” has edited and selected from his alter ego’s observations to bring together previous titles in the Marchbanks bibliography: The Diary (1947), The Table Talk (1949), and Samuel Marchbanks’ Almanack (1967).
Here is treasure! Marchbanks on politics, on his furnace, on theatre, on the taxman, on trains, on Christmas, on book-banners, on manners, indeed on everything under the sun! Not only this, but Davies’ copious and quite delectable Notes are “calculated to remove all Difficulties caused by the passage of Time and to offer the Wisdom, not to speak of Whimsicality, of this astonishing man to the Modern Public, in the most convenient form.” Reviewing the first edition of Papers for the New York Times in 1986, Davies’ longtime friend John Kenneth Galbraith said: “Not many journalists would wish to risk having their daily efflux dug out and published after a lapse of 40 years. . . . This writing of four decades ago is consistently incisive, insulting, funny, relevant and altogether interesting.”
The Papers of Samuel Marchbanks, best savoured at leisure, and returned to time and again, “offers a humourous and insightful picture of postwar Canadian life as seen through the eyes of a delightful eccentric who reminds . . . of a boozeless W.C. Fields.” Charles Bishop, English Dept., University of New Orleans. Views: 521
Two Women
Elske -- a girl with no future, until her grandmother's sacrifice saves her from certain death
Beriel -- an imperious princess, determined to claim the kingdom that is her birthright
Fate brings them together, both exiles, one servant to the other. To Beriel, the mistress, Elske offers steadfast loyalty and courage -- hard to come by in her dangerous quest to regain the throne she has been denied by treachery. To Elske, the handmaiden, Beriel's proud example provides a perhaps even more precious gift -- the strength to find her true self. Views: 521
A simple walk through New York has never been more complicated. Especially when you run into the most gorgeous guy you've ever seen, who seems to shy away from all the attention. His secret might keep you apart, but it's a small price to pay just for one night. You can never predict where one night will take you. I hope you enjoy the walk with Isabelle and Evan.One night. One city. One secret. Isabelle never thought her business trip to New York would ever turn out to be one of the most interesting nights of her life. Until she fell ungracefully out of a New York cab and into the arms of the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. When Evan offers to walk her all the way back to her hotel, she could've never imagined the way that night would've turned out. Why does he look so familiar? What is it about him that she finds irresistible? Too bad there's a secret he's hiding behind that will change the course of their night for good. Did you ever think that one night could alter the rest of your life?Neither did she. Views: 521
This book contains Haiku and selected poems, some are based on direct observation of the natural world, others are philosophical and some are of a lighter nature. The author has been published a number of times in the World Haiku Review and the United Haiku and Tanka Society Journal.This book contains a selection of Haiku and other poems organised broadly by topic. Some are based on direct observation of the natural world, others are more philosophic in nature, some may be described as social commentary and some may even be described as humorous. The author was recently published in the Spring edition of the World Haiku Review. Views: 521
Bonds will be made and misunderstandings abound at The Villa; a quaint apartment building in Northern Kentucky. David Kerr moves in to find a new life; while long-time resident, Miss Donna discovers new as well, only right outside her front door.A literary fiction novel based on the unknowing search for love and connection with another; at a time when it is needed most.There is no doubt that Magento currently is one of the most powerful and fast-growing ecommerce platforms. Over the past few years, not only the number of websites using Magento, but also the number of developers specialized in this platform have increased dramatically.In 2012, Magento started Magento Certification Exams which are geared toward professionals who want to differentiate themselves from the competition with the ultimate Magento credential. Store-owners also benefit from this since they can easily find a qualified developer to make sure their website is handled by trusted hands. Magento Certificate becomes valuable and indispensable to developers from all over the world who want to make money in Magento field. “How to pass Magento Certification Exam in 30 days” is written based on the 10 topics announced in the Study Guide of Magento. This book presents full knowledge of each topic as well as provides useful tips for developers to work with Magento. At the end of some topics, you can find questions that are designed to help revise what you have learned. Views: 520
Welcome to my horror fest. How scary can Flash Fiction get? Why not judge for yourself. In these short tales of the macabre I bring the Gothic into the modern. But a warning: there's no blood or gore here. I try to freeze it instead.Pick-me-up, a young adult problem novel, tells a heroic story of Katelyn fighting back against the dysfunctions of her family and her friends. While she tries to live in the right, Katelyn falls into her own problems when she hooks up with a boy full of trouble and his own addictions. This rural-Iowa teenager keeps making decisions that would lead her to the same fate of her two high school dropout sisters. Katelyn fails classes, skips school, and at one point ends up with reserved seating in the Principal's office. Katelyn’s friends back away as she begins to live up to the troubled legacy left by her family. Home life proves no better. Katelyn’s dad disappears and ends up in jail, again. The fragile relationship she has with her mother nearly breaks as Katelyn is dumped with the responsibility of caring for all her older sister’s abandoned children. Katelyn gets her own pick-me-up in the form of a charming older boy with a criminal history. Her friends and scene change as she follows him back into his bad habits. Just as she keeps faith in her family, she keeps giving Tim another chance. Only after she suffers because of her misguided love does she start to take care of herself. She's able to salvage her dignity and rebound to break the dropout streak in her family. Views: 520
One of the most influential works of modern American fiction is available for the first time as an eBook, featuring a new Author’s Note, as well as an Introduction by Joshua Ferris.
Since its publication in 1996, George Saunders’s debut collection has grown in estimation from a cherished cult classic to a masterpiece of the form and inspired an entire generation of writers. In six stories (“CivilWarLand in Bad Decline,” “Isabelle,” “The Wavemaker Falters,” “The 400-Pound CEO,” “Offloading for Mrs. Schwartz,” “Downtrodden Mary’s Failed Campaign of Terror”) and a novella (“Bounty”), Saunders introduces readers to an unforgettable cast of characters struggling to survive in an increasingly haywire world. With original commentary from Joshua Ferris and Saunders himself, this eBook edition is the perfect occasion to discover or revisit a virtuosic, uniquely American voice.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from George Saunders's Tenth of December.
Praise for George Saunders and *CivilWarLand in Bad Decline
“There is no author I recommend to people more often—for ten years I’ve urged George Saunders onto everyone and everyone. You want funny? Saunders is your man. You want emotional heft? Saunders again. You want stories that are actually about something—stories that again and again get to the meat of matters of life and death and justice and country? Saunders. There is no one better, no one more essential to our national sense of self and sanity.”—Dave Eggers
“The debut of an exciting new voice in fiction . . . Saunders’s satiric vision of America is dark and demented; it’s also ferocious and very funny.”—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
“Not since Twain has America produced a satirist this funny.”—Zadie Smith
“George Saunders makes the all-but-impossible look effortless. We’re lucky to have him.”—Jonathan Franzen
“An astoundingly tuned voice—graceful, dark, authentic, and funny—telling just the kinds of stories we need to get us through these times.”—Thomas Pynchon
“In CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, George Saunders is improvising around a single scary note. Few writers have sounded it with such clarity, boldness, and wit.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Subversive, hilarious, and emotionally piercing. Few writers can encompass that range of adjectives, but Saunders is a true original—restlessly inventive, yet deeply humane.”—Jennifer Egan
“This book is a rare event: a brilliant new satirist bursting out of the gate in full stride, wildly funny, pure, generous—all that a great humorist should be.”—Garrison Keillor
“[Saunders has] shades of both Denis Johnson and Raymond Chandler. . . . By turns he’s ferocious, witty, and uproarious, but what makes his fiction memorable is the gravitas of its dark portraiture of America.”—The Boston Globe* Views: 520
Simeon prepares to begin the revolution, as Nicholas races towards the city to warn him that the rebellions plans are known.It’s been a year since the initial outbreak of the zombie apocalypse, and for the survivors in the suburbs of Philadelphia, everything is about to change. When a mysterious man shows up at the gate of their safe zone, proclaiming to have “a product of vital interest and importance”, more than a few residents wanted answers, including Connor. Venturing to the nearby Chemcorp facility, survivors throughout the region gather and are introduced to a chemist named Abe Morrow . . . and to a product that would change everything. Views: 520
