Jonas is already raising eyebrows at his new school and Cathy's day isn’t going much better. Everyone is acting as if she isn’t there, her twin is usurping her friends and her occasional boyfriend is moving on. Can she convince Jonas to help her before it’s too late? Views: 8
The long life and powerful personality of England's beloved Virgin Queen
have eternal appeal, and popular historian Alison Weir depicts both
with panache. She's especially good at evoking the physical texture of
Tudor England: the elaborate royal gowns (actually an intricate assembly
of separate fabric panels buttoned together over linen shifts), the
luxurious but unhygienic palaces (Elizabeth got the only "close stool";
most members of her retinue relieved themselves in the courtyards), the
huge meals heavily seasoned to disguise the taste of spoiled meat.
Against this earthy backdrop, Elizabeth's intelligence and formidable
political skills stand in vivid relief. She may have been autocratic,
devious, even deceptive, but these traits were required to perform a
45-year tightrope walk between the two great powers of Europe, France
and Spain. Both countries were eager to bring small, weak England under
their sway and to safely marry off its inconveniently independent queen.
Weir emphasizes Elizabeth's precarious position as a ruling woman in a
man's world, suggesting plausibly that the single life was personally
appealing as well as politically expedient for someone who had seen many
ambitious ladies--including her own mother--ruined and even executed
for just the appearance of sexual indiscretions. The author's
evaluations of such key figures in Elizabeth's reign as the Earl of
Leicester (arguably the only man she ever loved) and William Cecil (her
most trusted adviser) are equally cogent and respectful of psychological
complexity. Weir does a fine job of retelling this always-popular story
for a new generation. Views: 8
A post-9/11 literary spy thriller from the National Book Award–winning author of Tree of SmokeRoland Nair calls himself Scandinavian but travels on a U.S. passport. After ten years' absence, he returns to Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, to reunite with his friend Michael Adriko. They once made a lot of money here during the country's civil war, and, curious to see whether good luck will strike twice in the same place, Nair allows himself to be drawn back to a region he considers hopeless. Adriko is an African who styles himself a soldier of fortune and who claims to have served, at various times, the Ghanaian army, the Kuwaiti Emiri Guard, and the American Green Berets. He's probably broke now, but he remains, at thirty-six, as stirred by his own doubtful schemes as he was a decade ago. Although Nair believes some kind of money-making plan lies at the back of it all, Adriko's stated reason for inviting his friend to Freetown is for... Views: 8
The Alien film franchise has been embraced by sci-fi fans around the world. The series stars Lieutenant Ellen Ripley and her battles with the deadly Xenomorph commonly referred to as the Alien. Continuing the groundbreaking story fromALIEN: OUT OF THE SHADOWS by Tim Lebbon, this novel will reveal Ripley's legacy, as her descendants continue to be harried by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation in their unceasing effort to weaponize the aliens.Produced by Twentieth Century Fox, the franchise launched with the release of the 1979 film, Alien. The film led to three very successful movie sequels, numerous books, comics and video game spinoffs. This second novel and its two tightly plotted tie-ins will directly relate to the first two films of the franchise, expanding the canon like never before. Alien TM & © 1979, 2013 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Views: 8
She made a life with one man--but always loved another at...The Summer House. Jean Stone captured readers' imaginations with the "graceful prose, vivid imagery and compassionately drawn characters" (Publishers Weekly) of novels like Tides of the Heart and Places by the Sea. Now, in her latest novel, she reveals the public scandals of a family destined for political greatness--and the private secrets of a woman who traded her childhood dreams for a role she was born to play.... As a young girl, Liz Adams always knew that her father, Boston power broker Will Adams, had big plans--dreams and schemes that would bring Liz's older brother all the way to the White House. But when fate deals the family a tragic blow, Will is forced to change his picture-perfect plans--and place the family's political future squarely on Liz's shoulders. Two decades later, Liz has married the man her father molded into the perfect presidential candidate. But weeks before the election, tragedy strikes again--and this time Liz can't hide the pain of a life lived by someone else's rules. Seeking refuge at her family's home on Martha's Vineyard, Liz finds only painful memories of the past--and the long-lost love she let slip away. Now, as her family's darkest hour looms, the woman torn between two men will finally discover what her heart has known all along.... From the Paperback edition.From the Inside FlapShe made a life with one man--but always loved another at...The Summer House. Jean Stone captured readers' imaginations with the "graceful prose, vivid imagery and compassionately drawn characters" (Publishers Weekly) of novels like Tides of the Heart and Places by the Sea. Now, in her latest novel, she reveals the public scandals of a family destined for political greatness--and the private secrets of a woman who traded her childhood dreams for a role she was born to play.... As a young girl, Liz Adams always knew that her father, Boston power broker Will Adams, had big plans--dreams and schemes that would bring Liz's older brother all the way to the White House. But when fate deals the family a tragic blow, Will is forced to change his picture-perfect plans--and place the family's political future squarely on Liz's shoulders. Two decades later, Liz has married the man her father molded into the perfect presidential candidate. But weeks before the election, tragedy strikes again--and this time Liz can't hide the pain of a life lived by someone else's rules. Seeking refuge at her family's home on Martha's Vineyard, Liz finds only painful memories of the past--and the long-lost love she let slip away. Now, as her family's darkest hour looms, the woman torn between two men will finally discover what her heart has known all along.... Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.It had taken twenty-four years to get to New Jersey, twenty-eight if you started counting from when Daniel was killed. Which would only have been right, for that was when it had all begun...all of the planning and scheming and orchestrating that had landed Liz Adams-Barton here today, standing at a podium, acknowledging enthusiastic applause. "Thank you," she said into the microphone at the Sheraton or Hyatt or Marriott, wherever she was. It was not her job to remember. Logistics was what her brother Roger was for: Liz merely had to show up and give a short, impassioned speech that would deliver the votes to her husband. Her husband, Michael Barton, who--not Daniel--was running for president of the United States. This afternoon, her passion had been directed toward the Northeast Coalition for Handicapped Americans. For an hour now in the red-white-and-blue-decorated banquet room, the audience of eight hundred had been enrapt by her words and now cheered enthusiastically from their wheelchairs and walkers and crutches. They seemed especially delighted that Liz had brought Danny along, Danny, her twenty-two-year-old son--one of them--who sat next to the podium in his own chair with wheels. She glanced down at him. He responded with a hearty wink. Liz smiled back at the crowd. They were not exactly exploiting Danny. He wanted to be there to help put his father--and all of them--into the White House and into the history books. All of them included Liz and Michael and the three children: seventeen-year-old Greg, the politician-in-waiting; twenty-year-old Margaret--Mags--the spirited free-thinker; and of course Danny. All of them also included Will Adams, Liz's father, who stood on the other side of the podium. At seventy-eight, he was nonetheless nodding at the crowd, his faded blue eyes twinkling, the tired lines at the corners of his pale mouth turned up with the pride of accomplishment and the anticipation of a journey nearly won. He was entitled to be proud. Through every stage of the planning and the scheming and the orchestrating, Will Adams had propelled them here to New Jersey where the party's convention would convene tomorrow, where Michael Barton was expected to win the nomination for the highest office in the land. And where Liz would take her own final lap toward becoming the nation's next First Lady. The applause continued; the smile muscles ached in Liz's cheeks. She reached down and took Danny's hand. As she gently squeezed his strong fingers, she wondered what her brother Daniel would have had to say if he only could have seen them now. "You were brilliant, Mom," Danny said as Liz slid into the backseat of the handicapped-equipped van next to her son. Further back was Clay, Danny's ever-present don't-worry-be-happy Jamaican nurse; up front were Keith and Joe, the Secret Service bodyguards assigned to Liz and Danny, their faithful companions, like it or not. Liz sighed. "I wasn't brilliant," she said to her son, "but thanks for the kudos." During one of Michael's three terms as governor of Massachusetts, she had learned that politics was more about presence than it was about perfection. She pushed a shock of highlighted-blond hair from her forehead. In spite of the fact that the media proclaimed her "stunningly youthful," right now, Liz felt every day, month, and year of her forty-four years, presence or not. It had been a long campaign, and the real pressure wouldn't begin until the convention opened tomorrow. "You're much better at this than you think," Danny continued. "You'd be perfectly capable of running for president yourself, you know." She laughed. "And do what? Run against your father?" She did not mention that she could never run, not because the country wasn't "ready" for a female president, but because she had not been groomed to be anything but the physical, emotional, and spiritual support--the wife--of Michael Barton. He was the man with the schooling, the experience, and the backing of her father and his essential connections. Surprisingly, Will Adams had not foreseen that a female president would be possible, not in his lifetime or in Liz's either. It had been one of his few mistakes. "Besides," she added, "why would anyone want to be president? With all those speeches and the long hours and lousy pay? And the way they scrutinize your personal life!" She let out a strained laugh and Danny joined in. Neither of them had the strength to rehash last winter's "scrutiny," an absurd tabloid scandal that had suggested Michael was gay because there was no evidence that he had ever had an affair or even considered it. The journalistic sensation had finally died down, deemed "unfounded" by the mainstream media and "simply stupid" by Roger, Liz's brother and Michael's campaign manager. And Roger might have been the one to know. He had "come out" to the family two years ago when Michael was still governor and had asked Roger to be his presidential campaign manager. Roger had said he didn't want anything to hurt Michael's chances at the White House. His wife--who claimed she'd "suspected all along"--agreed to stand by Roger for the sake of the election. And so, Roger's secret was harbored within the walls of the Adams/Barton family, where it was protected, and where it belonged. Their royal blue Yankee blood may have been curdling inside, but, by God, the world would not know it. When the tabloid story on Michael broke, Will Adams himself went forth with a press release blasting the media for using the gay issue as the "last frontier" to discredit a candidate. The accusation was untrue, but even if it wasn't, he said, the issue of sexual preference should not be fodder for the media. His announcement was powerful, but still, the family had held their breaths for Roger's sake. And for all their sakes, because heaven only knew what the media might dream up next. Thankfully, the attack had been dropped. Liz suspected untraceable money had changed hands or that Father had called in favors, but, as usual, she had not asked. She shook her head now and patted Danny's arm. "How about you, honey? How are you feeling?" As with her father, the stress was beginning to become apparent on her son. He ran his hand over what would have been dark hair if he had not had it shaved to a trendy quarter inch. Liz liked the look. It enhanced her son's great bone structure and gorgeous brown eyes. "I'll be glad when we get to the hotel," he said. "I need a nap." "Me, too." Liz gazed out the window at the Atlantic City boardwalk, at the beaches that crawled past in summer-heat slowness. For a moment, she envied the carefree, sun-hat-clad, ice-chest-toting people who strolled toward the gray sand. She wondered how many of them worried about elections or secrets or handicapped sons. "I wish your grandfather had come back with us. He looked as if he should rest, too." She had tried to talk Will out of going across town to meet Michael at a union rally, then from there to the convention center to schmooze for last-minute delegate votes. Not surprisingly, she had failed. "Gramps loves the action, Mom. Hey--this is his dream, isn't it?" Views: 8
Review"The masterpiece among Bioy Casares' short, intense novels is The Invention of Morel, a book that won raves from Borges (who placed it alongside Franz Kafka's The Trial), was called "perfect" by Octavio Paz, and inspired one of French cinema's most infamous moviesf, Last Year at Marienbad (1961). Though it was published in 1940, the book's continuing relevance was recently proven when it was featured on Lost — a cameo many viewers perceive as a key to that TV show's plot. But that doesn't mean this is a tough tract unfit for quality beach time... Just know that Morel is a poetic evocation of the experience of love, an inquiry into how we know one another, and a still-relevant examination of how technology has changed our relationship with reality. It's also a great read — one you'll be pressing into the hands of your fellow beach-goers." --Boldtype Product DescriptionThe Island of Doctor Moreau inspired this 1940 novella. Set on a mysterious island, The Invention of Morel is a story of suspense and exploration as well as an unlikely romance, where every detail is both crystal clear and deeply mysterious. Susan Jill Levine's revision of Ruth Simm's translation offers a new experience of an uncanny work of genius.
Views: 8
Some promises can never be forgotten.... The author of the bestselling Birthday Girls and Places by the Sea, Jean Stone is a gifted storyteller in the tradition of Barbara Delinsky. In this deeply enthralling novel of friendship and family, a woman must face the secrets of the past before she can confront the future.... I am your baby--the one you gave up. Isn't it time we met? The unsigned letter, postmarked Martha's Vineyard, arrives like a thunderbolt out of the blue, instantly sweeping Jessica Bates back thirty years. It was 1968 when young Jess went to Larchwood Hall, a home for unwed mothers, and gave up her beautiful baby girl for adoption. Jess's past still haunts her--especially since she learned that her daughter died in a tragic childhood accident. But now the letter has raised the fragile hope that there was a terrible mix-up, that Jess's daughter is still alive somewhere. Hoping for answers, Jess makes a determined pilgrimage out to the Vineyard, out to those who know the truth about what really happened to her daughter. There, surrounded by sand and sea and memories of lost love, she must make a choice that will change the course of her life forever.... From the Paperback edition.From Publishers WeeklyStone (Birthday Girls) shines up a familiar plot with mature characters, riveting narrative and some surprising twists. As a teen, Jessica Bates had been forced by her unforgiving father to put up her baby daughter for adoption. Now, 30 remorseful years later, Jess receives a message: "I am your baby?the one you gave up. Isn't it time we met?" Assisted by her old pal Ginny, with whom she shares a horrifying past, Jess begins a search for her daughter that takes her to a quaint hotel on Martha's Vineyard. The events that follow (family truths revealed, love ignited and re-ignited, personal healing) are the stuff of much women's fiction, but Stone's graceful prose, vivid imagery and compassionately drawn characters make this one a standout. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. ReviewJessica Bates Randall is a divorced seamstress trying to deal with her divorce, her husband's remarriage, her oldest son's distance, her relationship with her daughter and raising her eighteen year old son on her own. More then enough for most people. On top of all of this, she receives a letter from the child that she had given up for adoption when she was a teenager. Jess thought that her baby had died twenty-five years earlier when she had been hit by a car while riding a bike. Jessica's father had forced her to live at a home for unwed mothers before she was to give up her baby, so very few people knew what had happened to her in the past. Jess wants to find out who is sending her these cruel letters. She enlists the help of Ginny, one of the girls who was at the home at the same time as Jess. Ginny is also going through a crisis; her fourth husband has just passed away and she is not dealing with it well. She is reunited with the daughter that she gave away, who is a famous t.v star. Jess also contacts Philip Archambault, an attorney and the son of one of the other unwed mothers. Phillip met his birth mother P.J, who is now dead of breast cancer, with the help of Jess and therefore feels a lot of loyalty to her. This group begins the search and unearths a shady plot of babies switched at birth. Jess must make the journey to discover whom her child is, what happened and who is to blame. Tides of the Heart is an excellent novel. It is a sequel to Sins of Innocence, although this is a book that is easily read on it's own. Jean Stone has such a way with her characters. They are so multi-dimensional and real, that you feel as though you are listening into real lives that are going on around you. The adoption plot was well done. It had none of the melodrama often associated with this topic; rather it was understated and realistic. If you like Jean Stone you'll love this book. If you haven't read Jean Stone, here's a great place to start! Tides of the heart engrosses the reader from page one! An emotional who-done-it! Jean Stone creates characters you wish were your friends. Michelle Sawyer -- Copyright © 030199 Literary Times, Inc. All rights reserved -- From Literary Times Stone's graceful prose, vivid imagery and compassionately drawn characters make this one a standout -- Publishers Weekly, December 14, 1998 Views: 8
For three and a half years, Jenna has been trying to get a man to fall in love with her. Well, not just any ordinary man, but specifically, Leonard Hartnett, her sometime boss in the mail room where she works. She’s tried everything from the obvious to the ridiculous, and a little beyond, if that were possible, but then sleeping for three months with a shoe she had stolen from his apartment, or lying within a triangular configuration of burning incense and tree bark at four in the morning with the hope of astroprojecting herself into his heart, might just qualify.
But such misguided attempts were months ago, having been driven, she would now say, by erratic hormonal levels that have since quieted from jagged peaks and valleys to smoothed rolling hills, copasetically green. Thanks to a psychic named Verishna, Jenna now has proper counsel as well as a money-back-guarantee to finally, and categorically, make her wish come true. Views: 8
No one brings to life the remarkable bond between humans and their dogs like New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz. He has warmed our spirits with enchanting tales and keen observations of his animal menagerie--the dogs, sheep, chickens, and other residents of Bedlam Farm. Now, Katz is back with what he does best in his first collection of short stories, Dancing Dogs.With his signature insight and gift for storytelling, Katz shares sixteen stories about one of life's most unique relationships: In the title story, a housekeeper loses her job, but discovers her four-legged "children" have some toe-tapping talents that just may get the whole family back on its feet. In "Puppy Commando," a shy grade-school outcast forges an instant connection with a beagle puppy she meets at a shelter--and risks everything to keep him. "Gracie's Last Walk" features a woman who must find a way to say goodbye to her beloved golden retriever--but ends up saying hello to... Views: 8
Rock star, crowdfunding pioneer, and TED speaker Amanda Palmer knows all about asking. Performing as a living statue in a wedding dress, she wordlessly asked thousands of passersby for their dollars. When she became a singer, songwriter, and musician, she was not afraid to ask her audience to support her as she surfed the crowd (and slept on their couches while touring). And when she left her record label to strike out on her own, she asked her fans to support her in making an album, leading to the world's most successful music Kickstarter.Even while Amanda is both celebrated and attacked for her fearlessness in asking for help, she finds that there are important things she cannot ask for-as a musician, as a friend, and as a wife. She learns that she isn't alone in this, that so many people are afraid to ask for help, and it paralyzes their lives and relationships. In this groundbreaking book, she explores these barriers in her own life and in the lives of those around her,... Views: 8
