A wonderful historical novel from one of our best loved and most prolific writers As a young man Ernest Burton was a bold and reckless journeyman blacksmith, seducing all young girls he comes across. We watch him grow to become a master Blacksmith, and a tyrannical father of eight who refuses even to try to remain faithful to the woman he married and who reigns over his young family with an iron fist, instilling in his sons and daughters a mixture of fear and hatred of him. Burton is an extraordinary fictional creation -- a bully who shows no mercy in his relentless terrorism of his sons, he can also be effortlessly charming, with a magnetic attraction that effects all he meets. Written in the sparse, plain language that Sillitoe has made his own, A Man of His Time is a mesmerising portrait of an extraordinary individual, aware that he is, in many ways, the last of a dying breed. It's a rich, absorbing, wonderfully readable novel that... Views: 127
"An intimate look at the making of a man, an actor, an advocate—and most importantly—a happy human being. A wonderful book that is funny, honest, fearless, and generous in its vulnerability." —Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize-winning author of Shuggie BainThere is absolutely no logical reason why I am here. The life trajectory my nationality and class and circumstances portended for me was not even remotely close to the one I now navigate. But logic is a science and living is an art.The release I felt in writing my first memoir, Not My Father's Son, was matched only by how my speaking out empowered so many to engage with their own trauma. I was reminded of the power of my words and the absolute duty of authenticity.But...No one ever fully recovers from their past. There is no cure for it. You just learn to manage and prioritize it. I believe the second you feel you have triumphed or... Views: 127
It descends from space . . . THE BLACK FORTRESS raining death and destruction upon the planet KRULL Who will rise to defend the people? Who will defy the red-eyed Beast who dwells within the Fortress? One man dares. Colwyn, who is armed with the magical Glaive. Colwin, abetted by a band of newly freed felons; a Cyclops with a sorrowful secret; the magician Ergo, small in size but great in heart; an aged Seer; and a brave young boy. Colwyn, whose betrothed is the captive of the Beast and fighting desperately to resist his loathsome embrace . . . Views: 127
Some secrets last a lifetime. When Becky and her mum move to the tiny village of Oakbridge, Mum is hoping for a new beginning. But when Becky discovers an old photo of her mum in hospital clutching a baby, twelve years before Becky was born, Becky becomes haunted by the thought that her mum is keeping something from her. Stifled by her mum's over-protectiveness and depressive moods, Becky feels more alone than ever. The only place she finds comfort is at the beautiful local Butterfly Garden with her new friend, the wild-spirited and impulsive Rosa May. But Becky can't shake off the unanswered questions. Why can't she swim? Where is her dad? Who is the baby in the photo? And why is her mum lying to her? As the two girls spend more time together however, Rosa May's unpredictable temper and possessive streak suggests that she is hiding something as well...and in the heat of the sun-drenched summer, it seems that Becky is the only one in the dark.About the AuthorAnne-Marie Conway is a primary school teacher specialising in drama, but also runs her own children's theatre company, Full Circle. She lives in London with her husband, two young sons and two eccentric cats, Betty and Boo. Anne-Marie's first book, Phoebe Finds Her Voice, was shortlisted for the inaugural Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition. Views: 127
From the great French novelist comes this long-unavailable collection of tales in the tradition of Boccaccio's Decameron.Balzac's Contes Drolatiques, or Droll Stories, were originally published in three volumes in the 1830s. Set in medieval Europe, these stories were Balzac's attempt to write in the great tradition of Rabelais and Boccaccio, to render the Middle Ages with a touch of raunchy humor, and to provide a delightful portrait of medieval France. Balzac took the old themes that had delighted his ancestors—the tales of faithless wives and confiding husbands, of monks incredibly endowed for amorous athleticism, of lusty wenches and adventurous lads, and of great bouts of eating and drinking.Droll Stories has always been an essential part of Balzac's work when published in French, but it has been excluded from the definitive English editions. This book presents all three volumes of this classic and enduring work. Views: 127
Pandemonium breaks out at the science museum when Twitch the squirrel tags along on a school trip.The fluffy squirrel hero of 8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel ÷ 1 Dog = Chaos takes his show on the road in this chapter book. When Twitch hears that the school children are taking a field trip to the science museum, he decides he wants to join in the fun—so he stows away on the school bus and hides in a backpack to get in. But as always, not everyone is glad to see a squirrel in their midst. Pursued by security guards, Twitch turns the exhibits into his own private carnival rides—swinging on a Foucault pendulum, riding a model Mars Rover, and skittering across the Bernoulli air pressure table. Just when it seems like there's no escape, Twitch's chaotic romp turns up some surprises for the museum staff. . . . and a friendly boy in a wheelchair saves the day for the squirrel, sneaking him back out. With more than fifty energetic... Views: 127
Three sequential tales of alien warfare in one epic volume from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Force Awakens and Star TrekInto Darkness. For millennia, the Weave, an alliance of species, have fought to resist the telepathic Amplitur, who strive to unite all self-aware life-forms in their great "Purpose." The Weave is slowly losing ground, but for both sides, warfare focuses more on outthinking and outmaneuvering your foe than destruction. In fact, most regard violence as hideously barbaric, and even the thought of harming another sentient being is beyond imagining. Then they come to Earth . . . A Call to Arms When one of its scout ships lands on Earth, the Weave quickly realizes that humanity's almost innate ability to wreak havoc and death may hold the key to turning the tide in their fight. Unfortunately for all, the Amplitur have the same idea—and mankind is caught... Views: 127
Five dishonored soldiers.Former Special Forces.One last mission.These are the men of Hard Ink. Beckett Murda hates to dwell on the past. But his investigation into the ambush that killed half his Special Forces team and ended his Army career gives him little choice. Just when his team learns how powerful their enemies are, hard-ass Beckett encounters his biggest complication yet--a seductive, feisty Katherine Rixey. A tough, stubborn prosecutor, Kat visits her brothers' Hard Ink Tattoo shop following a bad break-up--and finds herself staring down the barrel of a stranger's gun. Beckett is hard-bodied and sexy as hell, but he's also the most infuriating man ever. Worse, Kat's brothers are at war with the criminals her office is investigating. When Kat joins the fight, she lands straight in Beckett's sights... and in his arms. Not to mention their enemies' crosshairs. Now Beckett and Kat must set aside their differences to work together, because the only thing sweeter than justice is finding love and never letting go. Views: 126
Rock Star International bestselling sensation Jackie Collins, "the queen
of glamour fiction" (San Antonio Express-News) captures the raw,
electric thrill of life in the spotlight in this pulse-pounding novel.
Three talented, ambitious dreamers have struggled for super-stardom -
and lived hard and fast in a mind-bending whirl of parties, drugs, and
sex. Now their fates collide at the plush Los Angeles estate of a
powerful music industry magnate, where one man's secret vendetta will
trap them in its sudden, murderous heat…
Rock Star blows the lid off the hard-driving lifestyles of today's
music superstars. Kris Phoneix - the legendary and wildly sexy guitar
hero. Bobby Mondella - black soul superstar with a past. Rafaella - an
exotically beautiful girl who comes between them with a vengeance. Rock
Star takes you on a dangerous trip through the jungle of broken dreams
and blackmail, hit records and hit men... a jungle of sex, drugs and
rock'n'roll. Rock Star is a story that burns. Feel the heat...
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Like his countrymen Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, Mankell writes mysteries that connect crimes in Sweden to the rest of the world. Faceless Killers (1997), the first of his books about provincial police inspector Kurt Wallender to appear here, involved Turkish immigrants and Eastern European villains. This novel, written in 1993, links the murder of a real estate agent in Wallender's town of Ystad to South Africa, where Nelson Mandela has just been released from prison, and to Russia, where the KGB is busy planning Mandela's fate. Wallender is a classically dour but dedicated policeman whose progress through his cases is a combination of hard slogging and lucky breaks. But several factors render this effort less compelling than its predecessor. The first is the Day of the Jackal syndrome: we know that Mandela wasn't killed by KGB agents or white Afrikaner terrorists, and that knowledge makes the suspense writer's job even harder. Second is the book's length?560 pages is a long haul,... Views: 126
