From the acclaimed, bestselling author of 2 beloved classics, Adult Onset is a powerful drama about motherhood, the dark undercurrents that break and hold families together, and the power and pressures of love.
Mary Rose MacKinnon--nicknamed MR or "Mister"--is a successful YA author who has made enough from her writing to semi-retire in her early 40s. She lives in a comfortable Toronto neighbourhood with her partner, Hilary, a busy theatre director, and their 2 young children, Matthew and Maggie, trying valiantly and often hilariously to balance her creative pursuits with domestic demands, and the various challenges that (mostly) solo parenting presents. As a child, Mary Rose suffered from an illness, long since cured and "filed separately" in her mind. But as her frustrations mount, she experiences a flare-up of forgotten symptoms which compel her to rethink her memories of her own childhood and her relationship with her parents. With her world threatening to unravel, the spectre of domestic violence raises its head with dangerous implications for her life and that of her own children. Views: 1 205
This beautiful new edition features unpublished notes for the novel and other illuminating documentary material, all of which is included in a new Afterword by Tappan Wilder. On Friday noon, July the twentieth, 1714, the finest bridge in all Peru broke and precipitated five travelers into the gulf below. With this celebrated sentence Thornton Wilder begins The Bridge of San Luis Rey, one of the towering achievements in American fiction and a novel read throughout the world. By chance, a monk witnesses the tragedy. Brother Juniper then embarks on a quest to prove that it was divine intervention rather than chance that led to the deaths of those who perished in the tragedy. His search leads to his own death -- and to the author's timeless investigation into the nature of love and the meaning of the human condition. This new edition of Wilder's 1928 Pulitzer Prize winning novel contains a new foreword by Russell Banks. Views: 1 166
The publication of volume two of this landmark collection celebrates the close of the centennial year of Thornton Wilder's birth. This volume collects 17 plays from the author's three-minute and five-minute plays for five actors series and includes the full-length play "The Alcestiad," a major work by the author of "Our Town" and "The Skin of Our Teeth" which has long been unavailable. Views: 1 081
"Thornton Wilder: A Life brings readers face to face with the extraordinary man who made words come alive around the world, on the stage and on the page."
—James Earl Jones, actor
"Comprehensive and wisely fashioned….This book is a splendid and long needed work."
—Edward Albee, playwright
Thornton Wilder—three-time Pulitzer Prize winner, creator of such enduring stage works as Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth, and beloved novels like Bridge of San Luis Ray and Theophilus North—was much more than a pivotal figure in twentieth century American theater and literature. He was a world-traveler, a student, a teacher, a soldier, an actor, a son, a brother, and a complex, intensely private man who kept his personal life a secret. In Thornton Wilder: A Life, author Penelope Niven pulls back the curtain to present a fascinating, three-dimensional portrait one of America's greatest playwrights, novelists, and literary icons. Views: 945
The author of such classics as Our Town and The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Thornton Wilder was a born storyteller and dramatist—rare talents on glorious display in this volume of more than three hundred letters he penned to a vast array of famous friends and beloved relatives. Through Wilder's correspondence, readers can eavesdrop on his conversations with Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Noël Coward, Gene Tunney, Laurence Olivier, Aaron Copland, Paul Hindemith, Leonard Bernstein, Edward Albee, and Mia Farrow. Equally absorbing are Wilder's intimate letters to his family.
Wilder tells of roller-skating with Walt Disney, remembers an inaugural reception for FDR at the White House, describes his life as a soldier in two World Wars, and recalls dining out with Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor. In these pages, Thornton Wilder speaks for himself in his own unique, enduring voice—informing, encouraging, instructing, and entertaining with his characteristic wit, heart, and exuberance. Views: 945
Thomas Cromwell. Son of a blacksmith, political genius, briber, charmer, bully. A man with a deadly expertise in manipulating people and events. Mike Poulton's two-part adaptation of Hilary Mantel's acclaimed novels 'Wolf Hall' and 'Bring Up the Bodies' is a thrilling and utterly convincing portrait of a brilliant man embroiled in the lethal, high-stakes politics of the court of Henry VIII. 'Wolf Hall' begins in England in 1527. Henry has been King for almost twenty years and is desperate for a male heir, but Cardinal Wolsey is unable to deliver the divorce he craves. Into this volatile court enters the commoner Thomas Cromwell, who sets out to achieve the King's desire, whilst methodically and ruthlessly pursuing his own reforming agenda. In 'Bring Up the Bodies', Anne Boleyn is now Queen, her path to Henry's side cleared by Cromwell. When the King begins to fall in love with Jane Seymour, Cromwell must negotiate within an increasingly perilous court to satisfy Henry, keep the nation safe, and advance his own ambitions. Hilary Mantel's novels are the most formidable literary achievements of recent times. She is the first writer to win the Man Booker Prize with consecutive novels.
Adapted by Mike Poulton, the plays were premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in December 2013, directed by Jeremy Herrin. This edition contains a substantial set of notes by Hilary Mantel on each of the principal characters, offering a unique insight into the world of the plays and an invaluable resource to any theatre companies wishing to stage them. Views: 853
Ann-Marie MacDonald’s love of the fabulous is in full force with this multi-layered reworking of her earlier play, The Arab’s Mouth.
Following her father’s death, amateur scientist Pearl MacIsaac struggles to discover the secret of her family’s past, which her father had been kept hidden with the help of the family doctor. Set in Scotland in 1899, this dark and redemptive gothic comedy is a story of family secrets that have come to life and of the birth and evolution of ideas – and truly a play of morals. Reaching out in two directions to reconcile the extremes of rationalism and romanticism, Belle Moral embraces a complex range of turn-of-the-century thought including Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, contemporary medical beliefs and the concept of eugenics. Views: 849
This is a piece of literary work which combines an artistic view of life from different perspectives of time and places. What's more? this is intended to inspire, motivate and give you a sense of purpose. This is a thought provoking work that will set you thinking,changing...This is a piece of literary work which combines an artistic view of life from different perspectives of time and places. What's more? this is intended to inspire, motivate and give you a sense of purpose.This is a collection of poems molded in the art of poetry. Views: 751
Seran is a scout fighting alongside other robots in the war against humans. When she detects wreckage of a fallen battleship, an errant process compels her to fight through the human forces and rescue a survivor. She is drawn to the dying robot and the attraction leads her away from the protocols of machine society.Seran is a scout fighting on a distant planet in the ongoing war between robots and humans. When a battleship falls, an errant process compels her to fight through the human forces and rescue a survivor. Although she sustains heavy damage, she is drawn to the dying robot. Her attraction leads her away from the protocols of machine society, and to the horizon of evolution. Views: 741
A collection of 10 short stories about the son of Sherlock Holmes and grandson of Raffles. Views: 739
An emotional and dangerous journey across Europe as the characters reach to discover their destinies. Colby Linden, burdened with a troubled past, is in search of atonement. Beautiful, seductive Valentina Gussev a woman he knew well, offers him an opportunity. But there is much he does not know about his mission to return a Queen to Sachovia.Sachovia is an Eastern European state newly emerging from its communist past and a recent destructive civil war. A populist call goes up to re-instate the old Monarchy. This does not please the parliamentary opposition and plots are put in place to ensure that a monarchy will never emerge again. Since the assassination of her elder brother, there is only one remaining link to the old monarchy – Natasha Kashinka. She is a child, an orphan and has no desire to leave France, the land of her birth to be taken to a war ravaged country she does not know. But forces greater than she can resist have taken hold of her future. In London, Colby Linden once a high flying close protection officer for Equis Security, has been sidelined after a botched rescue attempt involving the tragic death of a young boy. The boy's death still weighs heavily on Colby's shoulders and he has sunk to a position of obscurity in the depths of Equis security. When an opportunity to redeem himself by covertly escorting young Natasha to Sachovia, he finds himself uncertain that he still has what it takes.Valentina Gussev, an agent of the Sachovian Security Bureau, uses the past she shared with Colby to convince him to accept the commission. They set out together aboard her ketch – The Midnight Falcon to the tiny Greek island of Ikinos where Natasha has been kept secure in the care of young Katrina and Captain Kowalski. The old feelings between Valentina and Colby emerge again but something in Valentina's behaviour suggests that all is not well. The three of them sail to the Croatian city of Dubrovnik and from there, keeping a low profile Colby and Natasha travel north by motorcycle to Trieste where further instructions await them.Valentina returns to Ikinos to tidy up lose ends and finds that Katrina has been abandoned by Kowalski. They leave Ikinos together and it is revealed that Valentina is a double agent working towards the demise of Natasha. Her motivation which has come close to destroying her is blackmail. She believes that her brother Sascha is being held captive on pain of death unless she abandons her conscience and cooperates with the anti-monarchists. The unimaginable happens when Natasha is kidnapped from under Colby's nose in Italy. A ransom is demanded of Boris Koch the Prime Minister of Sachovia for her return. He believes that Valentina is still loyal to his cause and instructs her to sail her ketch to a rendezvous where Natasha will be recovered in exchange for the ransom. It is revealed that Captain Kowalski is one of the kidnappers.Valentina confesses to Colby what she has done, the ultimate betrayal of the ones she loves. Colby is left bewildered and outraged.Before Natasha is safely recovered it seems that she and Kowalski are shot dead. Valentina calls Boris Koch and tells him that Natasha is dead. She admits her guilt to him. Boris, driven by vengeance, sends an Assassin after Valentina. Unrest is fermenting again in Sachovia and it looks as if another civil war is about to break out.Valentina convinces Colby to meet Natasha and take her to London until she can make permanent arrangements for the child's welfare.Katrina finds refuge on the Channel Island of Guernsey in a cottage owned by Valentina. She meets a boy and a romance develops. Valentina sails her boat to Guernsey but the assassin is on her tail. After an encounter the assassin is left dead and the Midnight Falcon sunk.Sachovia finally collapses into war again and Boris Koch faces his end with dignity, his hopes dashed.Valentina sinks into a depression which is lifted when she is finally reunited with Natasha and Colby. There is forgiveness and the hope of a happy future for the three of them on Guernsey. Views: 735
A short snippet of alternative World War II history. A case of what might have been.On her twenty-first birthday, Franki Smith receives a dozen black roses and an unsigned invitation to a nightclub that doesn't seem to exist. The dark gift haunts her because of two handwritten words near the top. Little Bird. Her mother's nickname for her.Only, Franki's mother disappeared from her life without a trace exactly three years ago to the day.Who sent the mysterious invitation? Franki's need to answer this question will lead her to the doorway of a strange and dangerous new world. A world her mother went to great lengths to keep hidden.A world someone desperately wants Franki to discover.Return to the world of the bestselling Peachville High Demons series, this time from the viewpoint of a brand new, kickass heroine.Sacrifice Me is a serial new adult paranormal romance with twists and turns that will pull you in and keep you guessing until the last installment. There are six episodes total. The first two are both available now! The remaining episodes will release every two weeks. Each episode is about 17,000 words (or 60 pages).Sacrifice Me: The Demon (Episode 1) - May 12Sacrifice Me: The Dream (Episode 2) - May 12Sacrifice Me: The Darkness (Episode 3) - May 26Sacrifice Me: The Dying (Episode 4) - June 9Sacrifice Me: The Devil (Episode 5) - June 23Sacrifice Me: The Doorway (Episode 6) - July 7**Unlike the Peachville series, this is NOT a young adult story. Due to some language and sexual situations, it is appropriate for readers 16+** Views: 729
Life is short and brutal in the apocalyptic wasteland. Skag Murdet culls herds for slaughter to help sustain the population on razor-thin margins of available sustenance. Everyone has a duty to perform. Everyone has a quota to fill.Parental Warning: This story contains imagery which may be disturbing to young readers.Worst epic fail of her scientific career? Falling for a cyborg she helped create.Kyra Winters never meant for her cyber science discoveries to be used for evil, but that’s exactly what happened. Now returning Peyton 313’s humanity is the last chance she’ll ever have to atone. She can’t get back the lost decade, but she can only change the present by restoring the cyborg who was once Marine Captain Peyton Elliot.Certainly her grand plan for rectifying her mistakes didn’t include madly kissing the confused, passionate Marine when he begged her to. The same scientific mind that constructed the cyborg creator code now warned her not to let Peyton’s tempting offers of heaven cloud her rational decision making. Yet it’s difficult to resist the cyborg she’s restoring when he’s also the most intriguing man she’s ever known. Views: 715
In Penrod and Sam, the imaginative adventures of Tarkington\'s 10-year-old Penrod Schofield continue. Penrod\'s sidekick is Samuel Williams, and together they improvise, causing general mischief and disorder wherever they go. In picaresque fashion, a fencing battle takes them all through the neighborhood; they narrowly escape serious injury while making boastful demonstrations with a loaded gun; they indulge in dubious "\'nishiation" practices for their secret society; they steal food for the starving horse concealed in the Schofields\' empty stable; they attempt to fish a cat out of a cistern using a pair of trousers; and they cause general chaos at Miss Amy Rennsdale\'s dance. Familiar characters from the earlier Penrod volume -- Maurice Levy, Georgie Basset, Roddy Bitts, Herman and Verman, and Marjorie Jones -- make their appearance in Penrod and Sam. This is a delightfully nostalgic look at Tarkington\'s turn-of-the-century Indiana. Views: 689
Thornton Wilder’s renowned 1967 National Book Award–winning novel features a foreword by John Updike and an afterword by Tappan Wilder, who draws on such unique sources as Wilder’s unpublished letters, handwritten annotations in the margins of the book, and other illuminating documentary material.
In 1962 and 1963, Thornton Wilder spent twenty months in hibernation, away from family and friends, in the town of Douglas, Arizona. While there, he launched The Eighth Day, a tale set in a mining town in southern Illinois about two families blasted apart by the apparent murder of one father by the other. The miraculous escape of the accused killer, John Ashley, on the eve of his execution and his flight to freedom triggers a powerful story tracing the fate of his and the victim’s wife and children.
At once a murder mystery and a philosophical story, The Eighth Day is a “suspenseful and deeply moving” (New York Times) work of classic stature that has been hailed as a great American epic.**** Views: 686
