Egypt is the setting for this collection, but the stories are universal -whether it's the girl whose mother no longer recognises her, a young man who uses the changing political climate to avenge his despotic father, or the woman consumed by guilt for abandoning her children. Echoing V.S. Pritchett's words, they 'look for the silent moment in which our singularity breaks through, when emotions change, without warning, and reveal themselves. And while revealing themselves they also unveil the scents and sensations of modern Cairo, from the early 1930s to the present day. Essential reading, not only for those with a love of this fascinating city but for those who cherish the story, unobtrusively and beautifully rendered. Views: 46
Richly drawn and sharply observed, A Nearly Perfect Copy is a smart and affecting novel of family and forgery set amidst the rarefied international art world.Elm Howells has a loving family and a distinguished career at an elite Manhattan auction house. But after a tragic loss throws her into an emotional crisis, she pursues a reckless course of action that jeopardizes her personal and professional success. Meanwhile, talented artist Gabriel Connois wearies of remaining at the margins of the capricious Parisian art scene, and, desperate for recognition, he embarks on a scheme that threatens his burgeoning reputation. As these narratives converge, with disastrous consequences, A Nearly Perfect Copy boldly challenges our presumptions about originality and authenticity, loss and replacement, and the perilous pursuit of perfection. From the Hardcover edition. Views: 46
A jaded spy and a shell-shocked country doctor team up to solve a murder in postwar England.James Sommers returned from the war with his nerves in tatters. All he wants is to retreat to the quiet village of his childhood and enjoy the boring, predictable life of a country doctor. The last thing in the world he needs is a handsome stranger who seems to be mixed up with the first violent death the village has seen in years. It certainly doesn't help that this stranger is the first person James has wanted to touch since before the war.The war may be over for the rest of the world, but Leo Page is still busy doing the dirty work for one of the more disreputable branches of the intelligence service. When his boss orders him to cover up a murder, Leo isn't expecting to be sent to a sleepy village. After a week of helping old ladies wind balls of yarn and flirting with a handsome doctor, Leo is in danger of forgetting what he really is and why he's there. He's... Views: 46
In this second book in her series, Grace is excited to start a new French baking business with her friends, and to have an adorable new dog to train, too! But she quickly learns that both the business and the dog are big responsibilities, especially when her energetic pup has difficulty adjusting to her new home. Grace does her best to give her pet what she needs to be happy. Can she also help her friends blend their unique talents, and whip up a recipe for a successful business? Views: 46
In this timeless survival story, four indentured servants escape their Russian Alaska work camp in a stolen canoe, only to face a harrowing journey down the Pacific Northwest coast. Battling unrelenting high seas and fierce weather from New Archangel, Alaska, to Astoria, Oregon, the men struggle to avoid hostile Tlingit Indians, to fend off starvation and exhaustion, and to endure their own doubt and distrust. Based on an actual incident in 1853, The Sea Runners is a spare and awe-inspiring tale of the human quest for freedom. Views: 46
Over 200,000 copies sold! Now with a newly refreshed design, this classic mathematical folktale tells the story of a clever farmer who outwits the Emperor of China and becomes the wealthiest man in the world—all starting with one grain of rice.When a humble farmer named Pong Lo asks for the hand of the Emperor's beautiful daughter, the Emperor is enraged. Whoever heard of a peasant marrying a princess? But Pong Lo is wiser than the Emperor knows. And when he concocts a potion that saves the Princess's life, the Emperor gladly offers him any reward he chooses—except the Princess.Pong Lo makes a surprising request. He asks for a single grain of rice, doubled every day for one hundred days. The baffled Emperor obliges—only to discover that if you're as clever as Pong Lo, you can turn a single grain of rice into all the wealth and happiness in the world!Praise for A Grain of Rice:"Gracefully illustrated. . . . This original... Views: 46
From his seat in the tiny aeroplane, Fred watches as the mysteries of the Amazon jungle pass by below him. He has always dreamed of becoming an explorer, of making history and of reading his name amongst the lists of great discoveries. If only he could land and look about him.As the plane crashes into the canopy, Fred is suddenly left without a choice. He and the three other children may be alive, but the jungle is a vast, untamed place. With no hope of rescue, the chance of getting home feels impossibly small.Except, it seems, someone has been there before them ... Views: 46
If you like Poldark, you'll love Gloria Cook!In the small mining village of Meryen, a dark secret lurks...Amy Lewarne finds her life changed forever when she finds her brother, Toby, dead. And troubles follow when Titus Kivell, the head of a powerful yet belligerent family, puts his son Sol in Toby's place. Despite his wild and formidable nature, Amy is inexplicably drawn to Sol, as he is to her. But will his family ties be the ruin of her?Book One in the Meryen series – a Cornish saga perfect for fans of Poldark, Dilly Court and Val WoodNote: previously published as Keeping Echoes Views: 46