He needs a substitute bride...And she will be his queen!When desert prince Dal's convenient bride is stolen, he must find a replacement—immediately. Suddenly shy secretary Poppy is kidnapped by her merciless boss and whisked away to his kingdom. She's shocked to find herself willingly surrendering to his expert seduction! But when it becomes clear that Dal has more than pleasure in mind, will Poppy be persuaded to accept his royal proposal? Views: 48
Machado de Assis (1839-1908) is the great Brazilian author of Philosopher or Dog? and Epitaph of a Small Winner, whose work is admired by writers as different as Salman Rushdie, Carlos Fuentes, Woody Allen and Susan Sontag. Taken from his mature period, these dazzling stories echo Poe and Gogol, anticipate Joyce, and have been compared to the writing of Chekhov, Maupassant and Henry James, yet his modern sensibility and clear-eyed humour remain utterly unique. Views: 48
Product DescriptionThe Time Machine and The Invisible Man, by H. G. Wells, is part of the _Barnes & Noble Classics_ series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of Barnes & Noble Classics: New introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars Biographies of the authors Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events Footnotes and endnotes Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work Comments by other famous authors Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations Bibliographies for further reading Indices & Glossaries, when appropriateAll editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. Barnes & Noble Classics pulls together a constellation of influences—biographical, historical, and literary—to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works.__ The Time Machine, H. G. Wells’s first novel, is a tale of Darwinian evolution taken to its extreme. Its hero, a young scientist, travels 800,000 years into the future and discovers a dying earth populated by two strange humanoid species: the brutal Morlocks and the gentle but nearly helpless Eloi. The Invisible Man mixes chilling terror, suspense, and acute psychological understanding into a tale of an equally adventurous scientist who discovers the formula for invisibility—a secret that drives him mad. Immensely popular during his lifetime, H. G. Wells, along with Jules Verne, is credited with inventing science fiction. This new volume offers two of Wells’s best-loved and most critically acclaimed “scientific romances.” In each, the author grounds his fantastical imagination in scientific fact and conjecture while lacing his narrative with vibrant action, not merely to tell a “ripping yarn,” but to offer a biting critique on the world around him. “The strength of Mr. Wells,” wrote Arnold Bennett, “lies in the fact that he is not only a scientist, but a most talented student of character, especially quaint character. He will not only ingeniously describe for you a scientific miracle, but he will set down that miracle in the midst of a country village, sketching with excellent humour the inn-landlady, the blacksmith, the chemist’s apprentice, the doctor, and all the other persons whom the miracle affects.”Alfred Mac Adam teaches literature at Barnard College-Columbia University. He is a translator and art critic.Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.From Alfred Mac Adam’s Introduction to The Time Machine and The Invisible Man The Time Machine (1895) and The Invisible Man (1897) are now more than a century old. Yet they endure as literary texts, radio plays, and movies, because they appeal directly to two of our deepest desires: immortality and omnipotence. The time machine would allow us to escape death and gain knowledge of the fate of the earth, while invisibility would enable us to go and come as we please, under the noses of friends and enemies. At the same time, both fictions show us the dangers of fulfilled wishes: The Time Traveller discovers the future of humanity is not bright but hideously dark, while the Invisible Man drowns in the madness brought about by his own experimentation. Of course, what Herbert George Wells (1866–1946) wanted to express in these fantasies and what generations of readers have made of them are two radically different things. Erroneously labeled “science fiction,” and tricked out in their film versions with all kinds of fanciful devices with flashing lights and ominous buzzers Wells never mentions, they are really tales that enact the author’s theories and speculations about human society, human nature, and natural history in allegorical fashion. That is, the “science” in Wells’s fictions is nothing more than stage machinery. But, ironically, it is the machinery that has come to dominate our collective imagination. There is nothing unique in this. Think of Gulliver’s Travels (whose long-forgotten original title is Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World), a book that Wells read as a boy and reread throughout his life. In 1726 Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) satirized English political parties, religious quarrels, theories of world government, and science, but his work was so grounded in eighteenth-century British culture that today’s readers need extensive preparation to fathom it. The story of Lemuel Gulliver’s visits to lands populated by giants or intelligent horses has, however, become a staple of children’s literature. The same applies to Robinson Crusoe (1719), by Daniel Defoe (1660–1731). Only scholars see the relationship between Crusoe’s shipwreck and Defoe’s ideas on the fate of the middle classes during the Restoration, when Charles II returned to England in 1660. Defoe’s message and all his political intentions have been lost, but his story endures as a wonderful demonstration of self-reliance. In the literature of the United States, we have the example of Herman Melville (1819–1891) and his Moby-Dick (1851): Most readers learn about the ambiguous struggle between good and evil embedded in the work long after they’ve read a novel about nineteenth-century whaling and the strange characters engaged in that dangerous work. Much the same has taken place with Wells’s Time Machine and The Invisible Man. Wells cloaked his ideas about the future of society and the role of science in the world so well that readers simply do not see those issues and instead read his short novels as examples of a kind of fiction based on the simplest of propositions: “What if it were possible to travel through time by means of a machine?” or “What if it were possible to make oneself invisible?” In a world—one we share with Wells despite the fact that more than a hundred years separates the moment he published these two works from our own age—when scientists seem to make discoveries every day, it requires no great leap of imagination, no “willing suspension of disbelief,” to accept the basic premise of each text. This is what differentiates Wells from Jules Verne (1828–1905), author of Voyage to the Center of the Earth (1864) and Around the World in Eighty Days (1873). Wells, in a 1934 preface to a collection of his early fictions comments on why they are not comparable to Verne’s writings: These tales have been compared with the work of Jules Verne and there was a disposition on the part of literary journalists at one time to call me the English Jules Verne. As a matter of fact there is no literary resemblance whatever between the anticipatory inventions of the great Frenchman and these fantasies. His work dealt almost always with actual possibilities of invention and discovery, and he made some remarkable forecasts. . . . But these stories of mine . . . do not pretend to deal with possible things; they are exercises of the imagination in a quite different field. They belong to a class of writing which includes the Golden Ass of Apuleius, the True Histories of Lucian, Peter Schlemil, and the story of Frankenstein. . . . They are all fantasies; they do not aim to project a serious possibility; they aim indeed only at the same amount of conviction as one gets in a good gripping dream (_The Complete Science Fiction Treasury of H. G. Wells_). Wells links himself to a tradition, but at the same time he misleads the reader. It is true, as he says in the same preface, that “The invention is nothing in itself,” by which he means that the applied science of Verne is of no interest in his kind of tale. It is also the reason why rediscoveries of Verne, especially films, are always set in the past: His projections became fact very quickly. By the same token, this explains why Wells’s inventions and their ramifications will always be modern. Views: 48
This is the dramatic story of J. P. Donleavy's personal struggle to create and publish a book that became a twentieth-century masterpiece: The Ginger Man . It is literally history combined with Donleavy's autobiography -- from his childhood in the Bronx, education at Catholic schools, service in the U.S. Navy, and travels, to his current life as proprietor of a landed estate in the midlands of Ireland. Trinity College in Dublin after World War II was a mecca for adventurous Americans who used the G.I. Bill as a passport to higher education,. Among them were able-bodied seamen, second class J.P. 'Mike' Donleavy, fighter pilot George Roy Hill (now a celebrated Hollywood actor), and a naval yeoman Gainor Stephen Crist, a Midwestern rara avis and model for the Ginger Man. Student life included degrees in debauchery; drunken brawls in Dublin pubs; comic capers with the playwright Brendan Behan; eccentric Anglo-Irish aristocrats; living on miraculous credit and in constant debt with plenty... Views: 48
In this raw, gut-wrenching, and beautifully written sequel to Invincible, Marcus continues Evie's story of their intense romance, a stunning conclusion to this contemporary duology perfect for fans of Gayle Forman and Sara Zarr.Marcus knows pain. The kind that swallows you like a black hole. His brother committed suicide, his mother left him, and his dad ignores him inside their cavernous house. Relief seems to come only from drugs, alcohol, and secret acts of self-destruction.Until he met Evie. Together, they lived in the moment. They fell in love—hard—creating their own beautiful world. But they each had their own secrets, their own pain.Unforgivable takes off where Invincible ended—with Evie drowning in San Francisco Bay. Marcus finds her just in time, but her survival is not the happy ending he was hoping for. Forbidden from seeing Evie by her parents and unable to reach her, Marcus learns of a pain that might break him... Views: 48
"The Quest For Hope" is the exciting new novel that thrills as it inspires.
This book is the highly acclaimed first installment in the Invisible Battles series. Readers are calling this a major literary success. The Quest For Hope kicks off the series in style with strong characters and an exciting plot filled with unexpected twists and turns.
Humor is always present, and there are many hard to miss references to well-known Biblical lessons and stories. In total, this book entertains while it teaches and inspires.
The book starts with the major characters in the new land of NOVUS. This is a mysterious kingdom packed with adventure and twists that keep the plot churning. There is never a risk of it becoming dull.
Unfortunately, NOVUS has been taken over by The Dark One, who uses his power to rule over the people. Their lives are steeped in forced ignorance and misery, unable to change their lives out of fear for The Dark One.
However, things were once quite different in NOVUS. Many people remember the benevolent and wise High King, who sees all that happens in the land. The truth of who he is affects everything. The King is now presumed dead by many.
The Dark One knows this memory is a threat to his power, so he works tirelessly to propagandize people into believing the High King was evil and cruel. The Dark One is rather successful at convincing his subjects that HE is the better of the two.
However, there is hope. It turns out the High King is alive and well and stirring up trouble. Servants are sent out through the land to recruit rebels who will fight The Dark One.
Meanwhile, The Dark One believes he has solidified his rule of the land. He needs just one more element to finalize his control. That is Lady Aliatta.
Thus enters one of the book's most fascinating characters. Lady Aliatta is a spoiled young aristocrat whose life becomes entangled with the fate of Novus. Her quest brings her face to face with a shape-shifting apprentice and a master Knight. She is also drawn into an ever-increasing awareness of both the visible and invisible elements of her world
"The Quest For Hope" is a compelling, well-written story of guiding values and the struggle for freedom and happiness. You will find the always evolving plot and rich characters to be thrilling while inspirational.
Get "The Quest For Hope" now and experience an adventure you will never forget
**Review
"Amazing Start to a Series" ~ Veronica
"An enjoyable and thought-provoking read." ~ June
"Great read." ~ ozcrete
From the Author
May His Light Never Be Extinguished.
Prologue
Into the company of the crowded hall entered an Erela: a warrior, seemingly sculpted of diamonds--the many facets of his form catching the light and releasing it in dazzling patterns. He paused for a moment, facing the King and Queen of Novus who were seated on the raised dais at the far end of the room. Then, he began to move slowly and purposefully toward them. His dark eyes pierced deeply into their souls.
Once he arrived at the foot of the thrones, he spoke. It was a strong and powerful voice--a voice not easily ignored.
"I, Zohar, Chief Commander of the High King, have come to you on his behalf. He knows of your worries and has sent me to ease your concerns." His tone became soothing, melodic.
"The High King is concerned that this task He assigned you is simply too much for you to bear. I have requested, on your behalf, to be allowed to relieve you of some of that burden, so that your lives might be easier. In time, you will be better equipped for your new responsibilities. Until then, I have been tasked to share with you my wisdom and strength until you are ready to rule on your own. The High King did not mean to leave you so unprepared."
Reaching into unseen folds of iridescent cloth, Zohar withdrew a small object. "As a token of my solidarity, I bring you this, the Gem of all Knowledge. With this in your possession, you will be able to serve and protect your people, especially, your daughter--"
The Queen let out a sharp breath and her eyes widened with longing.
Zohar gave her a kind, understanding smile, and focused the full force of his spirit on her alone. Very slowly, he held up his hand. The jewel sparkled, taunting her with its untapped beauty and power. Colors soared through the room in a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of light and shadow. "Come now," he whispered, offering the Gem up to her.
Malka, Queen of Novus, rose carefully and took a small step forward, scarcely aware of her action. The beauty of the Gem was hypnotizing and she found that she could not look away. Wisdom, he had promised. She would be able to better know how to serve those around her. Queen Malka moved to the end of the dias, stopping within reach of the gift. A hint of doubt crept in and she tore her gaze away long enough to look back for her husband's approval.
King Lev sat frozen, as though in a trance. Something did not ring true. He had heard of this--the Gem of all Knowledge--there was something he should know ... no. He fought to remember. What was it about this Gem? The High King had said to ... or not to ... not to what? King Lev shook his head. Something did not ring true--and yet his wife looked so hopeful. He should do something. He should--
Zohar's hand shot out and seized Malka's outstretched palm. The queen's eyes snapped back to connect with His. She was almost completely in his power, and yet, the choice had to be hers. Ever so slowly, he moved the Gem closer. Glancing back once more, Queen Malka beheld no movement from her husband, no indication that he was even aware of the situation. Very carefully, very consciously, she reached out with her free hand, and took hold of the Gem of All Knowledge.
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Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Views: 48
A panoramic novel that stretches from 1912 to 1967 No Laughing Matter is perhaps Angus Wilson's most autobiographical novel. The novel chronicles the end of the bourgeois way of life as seen through the lives of the six Matthews children and their dysfuntional middle-class family. Their parents - Billy Pop and the Countess - are objects of ridicule to their children who vow never to make their mistakes. Quentin, the eldest, is a socialist who adores women. His fervent views, however, become distilled over the years until he transforms into a cynical TV pundit. Gladys, plump and amenable, is unlucky in love and eventually falls for the charms of a crook. Rupert, the handsome actor, has a successful career until he fails to adapt to the changing theatre. Margaret is a brilliant and highly acclaimed novelist but she becomes bitter as her twin Sukey sinks into domestic bliss, while Marcus, the baby of the family, believes that his career is his life. An ambitious and enriching novel No... Views: 48
When relationship, family, and friend problems make life rough, the swoop-list girls must examine their lives and make positive changes. But can they handle the challenge of confronting their own mistakes? Views: 48
SUMMARY:
Le long périple d'Ayla et de Jondalar touche à son terme. Après un voyage épique à travers l'Europe, les deux héros de la grande saga " Les enfants de la terre " arrivent à l'emplacement de la Neuvième Caverne, un camp de l'âge de pierre situé dans ce que l'on appellera de nombreux millénaires plus tard le Périgord. C'est là que Jondalar retrouve la tribu qui l'a vu naître, et qui se réjouit de son retour. L'accueil fait à l'étrangère qui l'accompagne est plus mitigé. Cette femme parle avec un accent curieux et, surtout, est suivie par un loup et deux chevaux sur lesquels elle exerce un pouvoir troublant. Mais, si la rescapée du Clan étonne les Zelandonii, ceux-ci la surprennent tout autant par leur faon de vivre dans leurs confortables abris-sous-roche et par la splendeur des peintures dont ils ornent leurs grottes. Alors qu'elle donne naissance à un enfant très attendu, la jeune femme prend conscience du rôle qu'elle est appelée à jouer dans la destinée des Zelandonii... Dans ce cinquième volume de sa somptueuse saga préhistorique, Jean Auel puise de nouveau dans ses connaissances scientifiques pour décrire avec son immense talent de conteuse les débuts de l'agriculture et de la domestication des animaux, ainsi que ce tournant dans l'histoire de l'humanité que représenta la maîtrise de la pensée abstraite, du langage et de l'art. Views: 48
