Search results for ""Notorious""

Meng Jiangnü Brings Down the Great Wall brings together ten versions of a popular Chinese legend that has intrigued readers and listeners for hundreds of years. Elements of the story date back to the early centuries B.C.E. and are an intrinsic part of Chinese literary history. Major themes and subtle nuances of the legend are illuminated here by Wilt L. Idema's new translations and pairings. In this classic story, a young woman named Meng Jiang makes a long, solitary journey to deliver winter clothes to her husband, a drafted laborer on the grandiose Great Wall construction project of the notorious First Emperor of the Qin dynasty (BCE 221-208). But her travels end in tragedy when, upon arrival, she learns that her husband has died under the harsh working conditions and been entombed in the wall. Her tears of grief cause the wall to collapse and expose his bones, which she collects for proper burial. In some versions, she tricks the lecherous emperor, who wants to marry her, into providing a stately funeral for her husband and then takes her own life. The versions presented here are ballads and chantefables (alternating chanted verse and recited prose), five from urban printed texts from the late Imperial and early Republican periods, and five from oral performances and partially reconstructed texts collected in rural areas in recent decades. They represent a wide range of genres, regional styles, dates, and content. From one version to another, different elements of the story--the circumstances of Meng Jiangnu's marriage, her relationship with her parents-in-law, the journey to the wall, her grief, her defiance of the emperor--are elaborated upon, downplayed, or left out altogether depending on the particular moral lessons that tale authors wished to impart. Idema brings together his considerable translation skills and broad knowledge of Chinese literature to present an assortment of tales and insightful commentary that will be a gold mine of information for scholars in a number of disciplines. Haiyan Lee's essay discusses the appeal of the Meng Jiangnü story to twentieth-century literary reformers, and the interpretations they imposed on the material they collected.

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New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers the unforgettable tale of a strong-willed beauty who encounters her match in one of London's most notorious-yet irresistible-rakes . . . perfect for fans of Sarah MacLean, Julia Quinn and Eloisa James. 'Lisa Kleypas is the best' Sarah MacLean An eccentric wallflower . . . Most debutantes dream of finding a husband. Lady Pandora Ravenel has different plans. The ambitious young beauty would much rather stay at home and plot out her new board game business than take part in the London Season. But one night at a glittering society ball, she's ensnared in a scandal with a wickedly handsome stranger. A cynical rake . . . After years of evading marital traps with ease, Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, has finally been caught by a rebellious girl who couldn't be less suitable. In fact, she wants nothing to do with him. But Gabriel finds the high-spirited Pandora irresistible. He'll do whatever it takes to possess her, even if their marriage of convenience turns out to be the devil's own bargain. A perilous plot . . . After succumbing to Gabriel's skilled and sensuous persuasion, Pandora agrees to become his bride. But soon she discovers that her entrepreneurial endeavours have accidentally involved her in a dangerous conspiracy - and only her husband can keep her safe. As Gabriel protects her from their unknown adversaries, they realise their devil's bargain may just turn out to be a match made in heaven... 'Kleypas can make you laugh and cry - on the same page' Julia Quinn The Ravenels: Cold-Hearted Rake Marrying Winterborne Devil in Spring Hello Stranger Devil's Daughter Chasing Cassandra Praise for Lisa Kleypas: 'Intricately and elegantly crafted, intensely romantic . . . from a not-to-be-missed romance author' Kirkus Reviews'Witty, often hilarious, and delightfully passionate, this compelling, thrill-laced Victorian romance is another superb series entry' Library Journal, starred review'Readers are introduced to the unforgettable characters and their original personalities through a delightful storyline peppered with sharp repartee and steamy sensuality' RT Book Reviews (top pick)'Is it possible to give a book 6 stars? . . . [This] story has all of the forbidden romance, witty banter, and sigh-inducing declarations of love that you deserve' That's Normal

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A brilliant examination of the enigmatic Russian revolutionary about whom Winston Churchill said "few men tried more, gave more, dared more and suffered more for the Russian people," and who remains a legendary and controversial figure in his homeland today.Although now largely forgotten outside Russia, Boris Savinkov was famous, and notorious, both at home and abroad during his lifetime, which spans the end of the Russian Empire and the establishment of the Soviet Union. A complex and conflicted individual, he was a paradoxically moral revolutionary terrorist, a scandalous novelist, a friend of epoch-defining artists like Modigliani and Diego Rivera, a government minister, a tireless fighter against Lenin and the Bolsheviks, and an advisor to Churchill. At the end of his life, Savinkov conspired to be captured by the Soviet secret police, and as the country’s most prized political prisoner made headlines around the world when he claimed that he accepted the Bolshevik state. But as this book argues, this was Savinkov’s final play as a gambler and he had staked his life on a secret plan to strike one last blow against the tyrannical regime. Neither a "Red" nor a "White," Savinkov lived an epic life that challenges many popular myths about the Russian Revolution, which was arguably the most important catalyst of twentieth-century world history. All of Savinkov’s efforts were directed at transforming his homeland into a uniquely democratic, humane and enlightened state. There are aspects of his violent legacy that will, and should, remain frozen in the past as part of the historical record. But the support he received from many of his countrymen suggests that the paths Russia took during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries--the tyranny of communism, the authoritarianism of Putin’s regime--were not the only ones written in her historical destiny. Savinkov's goals remain a poignant reminder of how things in Russia could have been, and how, perhaps, they may still become someday. Written with novelistic verve and filled with the triumphs, disasters, dramatic twists and contradictions that defined Savinkov's life, this book shines a light on an extraordinary man who tried to change Russian and world history.

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A fascinating, beautifully illustrated guide to the monsters that are part of our collective psyche, from the host of the hit podcast Lore. They live in shadows - deep in the forest, late in the night, in the dark recesses of our mind. They're spoken of in stories and superstitions, relics of an unenlightened age, old wives' tales, passed down through generations. And yet, no matter how wary and jaded we have become, as individuals or as a society, a part of us remains vulnerable to them. Werewolves and wendigos, poltergeists and vampires, angry elves and vengeful spirits. In this beautifully illustrated volume, the host of the hit podcast Lore serves as a guide on a fascinating journey through the history of these terrifying creatures, and explores not only the legends but what they tell us about ourselves. Aaron Mahnke invites us to the desolate Pine Barrens of New Jersey, where the notorious winged, red-eyed Jersey Devil dwells. Mahnke delves into harrowing accounts of cannibalism-some officially documented, others the stuff of speculation . . . perhaps. He visits the dimly lit rooms where seances take place, the European villages where gremlins make mischief, and Key West, Florida, home of a haunted doll named Robert.The monsters of folklore have become not only a part of our language but a part of our collective psyche. Whether these beasts and bogeymen are real or just a reflection of our primal fears, we know, on some level, that not every mystery has been explained, and that the unknown still holds the power to strike fear deep in our hearts and souls. As Aaron Mahnke reminds us, sometimes the truth is even scarier than the lore...Praise for the Lore podcast:'Truth can often be much scarier than fiction - something Mahnke proves as he dives deep into the world of folklore and the darker side of history in a quest to root out the fragment of truth at the bottom of our fears." - Entertainment Weekly'Narrated by Mahnke in a style that evokes spooky campfire stories, Lore is a history lesson like no other.' - Esquire

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All 20-year-old Daisy Haites has ever wanted is a normal life, but as the heiress to London's most notorious criminal empire, it's just not on the cards for her.Raised by her older brother Julian since their parents were murdered, Daisy has never been able to escape the watchful gaze of her gang-lord brother. But Julian's line of work means that Daisy's life is... complicated.And things don't become any easier when she falls hard for the beautiful and emotionally unavailable Christian Hemmes, who also happens to be one of the few men in London who doesn't answer to Julian.Christian's life is no walk in the park either, since he's in love with his best friend's girlfriend, Magnolia Parks.He's happy enough to use Daisy to throw off the scent of his true affections - until she starts to infiltrate those too.As their romance blossoms into something neither were anticipating, Daisy, Christian, and Julian must come to terms with the fact that in this life everything comes at a price. As their relationships intersect and tangle, they all learn that sometimes life's most worthwhile pursuits can only be paid in blood.READERS LOVE THE MAGNOLIA PARKS UNIVERSE'Magnolia and BJ have embedded themselves into my DNA.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book gave drama, love triangles, toxicity, chaos and I ate up every single moment.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'TikTok made me do it, 1000% lived up to the hype.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Hands down the most emotional romance book I have ever read and therefore my favourite' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Ridiculously addictive ... My heart broke a million times' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book will tear your heart out!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Never have I felt more emotions reading a single book before. The angst and pure rollercoaster of emotions was real! Jessa Hastings had me crying by 10%.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐MAGNOLIA PARKS UNIVERSE SERIES1 - Magnolia Parks2 - Daisy Haites3 - Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home4 - Daisy Haites: The Great Undoing5 - Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark (OUT NOW!)

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Without doubt it was one of the toughest jobs. Faced with ruthless criminal, trigger-happy gunslingers and assorted desperados, the lawmen of the Old West tried, and sometimes died, in their efforts to bring some semblance of order to their towns and communities. There were Marshals, City Marshals and Constables who were employed by the local townspeople and whose authority was restricted to within the town or city limits. Then there were the County Sheriffs, who were elected by the citizens of the county, to keep the peace within the county, or the Texas Rangers and Arizona Rangers, who operated under the jurisdiction of their respective state governors and later US Marshals.The United States Marshals were appointed by the President of the United States and had the authority to operate anywhere in the USA and deal with federal crime. Each of these law enforcement officers employed their own deputies, all of whom had the same powers of enforcement. Some believed that former criminals would make the most effective lawmen. Consequently, in some cases notorious gunfighters were employed as town marshals to help bring law and order to some of the most lawless of towns. These lawmen had to deal with the likes of the Dalton Gang, the James Brothers and the Rufus Buck Gang who thought nothing of raping and murdering innocent people just for the hell of it. These outlaws would frequently hide in the Indian Territory where there was no law to extradite them. The only law outside of the Indian Territory was that of Judge Isaac Parker, who administered the rules with an iron fist; the gallows at Fort Smith laid testament to his work. The requirements needed to be a peace officer in the Wild West were often determined only by the individual's skill with a gun, and their courage. At times judgement was needed with only seconds to determine it, and that also meant that there was the odd occasion where justice and law never quite meant the same thing. The expression 'justice without law' was never truer than in the formative years of the West.

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'Witty, intelligent, and hard to put down, you'll love A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem' Rachel Van DykenAn intrepid female reporter matches wits with a serious, sexy detective in award-winning author Manda Collins' fun and flirty historical romcom, perfect for readers of Evie Dunmore, Julia Quinn, Tessa Dare and Netflix's Enola Holmes!Of all the crime scenes in all the world, she walks into his. Twice.England, 1865: Notorious newspaper columnist Lady Katherine Bascomb is determined to educate the ladies of London on the nefarious criminals who are praying on the fairer sex. But when her reporting leads to the arrest of an infamous killer, Katherine flees to a country house party to escape her doubts about the case - only to become witness to a murder herself! When the lead detective accuses Katherine of inflaming - rather than informing - the public with her column, she vows to prove him wrong.Detective Inspector Andrew Eversham's refusal to compromise his investigations nearly cost him his career, and he blames Katherine. When he discovers she's the key witness in a new crime, he's determined to prevent the beautiful widow from once again wreaking havoc on his case. Yet as Katherine proves surprisingly insightful and Andrew impresses Katherine with his lethal competency, both are forced to admit the fire between them is more flirtatious than furious. But to explore the passion between them, they'll need to catch a killer . . .Praise for Manda Collins'Manda Collins heats up the ballroom and writes romance to melt even the frostiest duke's heart' Tessa Dare, New York Times bestselling author'Utterly charming' Popsugar'Manda Collins is a delight! I read A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem waaay past my bedtime, absorbed by its spot-on period detail, the well-crafted characters, and, of course, the intriguing mystery. Brava!' Elizabeth Hoyt, New York Times bestselling author'Mystery, romance, and an indomitable heroine make for a brisk, compelling read' Madeline Hunter, New York Times bestselling author'Manda Collins writes sexy and smart historical romance, with a big dash of fun' Vanessa Kelly, USA Today bestselling author'Sexy, thrilling, romantic . . . Manda Collins makes her Regency world a place any reader would want to dwell' Kieran Kramer, USA Today bestselling author

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A keepsake collection of Lord John Grey's shorter adventures and a spectacular addition to any Gabaldon fan's library, Lord John and the Hand of the Devils brings these three unique novellas together for the first time.____________Lord John and the Hellfire Club marks the first appearance of Lord John outside the Outlander novels (and chronologically precedes the novel Lord John and the Private Matter). A young diplomat is killed in the street as he begs Lord John for help. Witnessing the murder, Grey vows to avenge the young man, as the trail leads to the notorious Hellfire Club and the dark caves beneath Medmenham AbbeyIn Lord John and the Succubus, Grey's assignment as liaison to a Hanoverian regiment in Germany finds him caught between two threats: the advancing French and Austrian army, and the menace of a mysterious 'night-hag,' who spreads fear and death among the troops. Acknowledging that he is unlikely to fall victim to a succubus, Lord John is obliged to contend with the marauding night-hag before the enemy arrives. This tale with a touch of the supernatural bridges the action between Gabaldon's two full-length Lord John tales.Finally, in Lord John and the Haunted Soldier, Lord John is called to the Arsenal at Woolwich to answer a Royal Commission of Enquiry's questions regarding a cannon that exploded during the battle of Krefeld (a central action in Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade). Accusations ensue, and Lord John finds himself knee-deep in a morass of gunpowder, treason, and plot -- haunted by a dead lieutenant, and followed by a man with no face.____________Readers love Lord John and the Hand of Devils . . .***** 'John Grey is my spirit animal. I am such a fan of this series!'***** 'My eyes couldn't read fast enough!!'***** ' I enjoyed all three, once again became lost in the time period within seconds of starting to read....I don't know how Diana G. does it!'***** 'I really, really liked this trilogy of novellas that were included in this book.'***** 'The insight is fascinating, interesting and favourable.'

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Following on from the bestselling The Seven Sisters and The Storm Sister, The Shadow Sister is the third book in Lucinda Riley's spellbinding series of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the Seven Sisters constellation.Star D'Aplièse, in her late twenties, is at a crossroads in her life after the sudden death of her beloved father – the elusive billionaire, named Pa Salt by his six daughters, all adopted by him from the four corners of the world. He has left each of them a clue to their true heritage, but Star – the most enigmatic of the sisters – is hesitant to step out of the safety of the close relationship she shares with her sister CeCe. In desperation, she decides to follow the first clue she has been left, which leads her to an antiquarian bookshop in London, and the start of a whole new world . . .A hundred years earlier, headstrong and independent Flora MacNichol vows she will never marry. She is happy and secure in her home in the Lake District, living close to her idol, Beatrix Potter. But, when machinations outside of her control lead her to the London home of one of Edwardian society's most notorious players, Flora is pulled between passionate love and duty to her family. But she finds herself a pawn in a game – the rules of which are only known to others – until a meeting with a mysterious gentleman unveils the answers that Flora has been searching for her whole life . . .As Star learns more of Flora's incredible journey, she too goes on a voyage of discovery, finally stepping out of the shadow of her sister and opening herself up to the possibility of love.The epic, multi-million selling series continues with The Pearl Sister.'Absolutely impossible to put down! The Seven Sisters books just keep getting better and better' - Tracy Rees, author of Amy SnowPraise for the Seven Sisters:'A masterclass in beautiful writing' – The Sun'Heart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly enthralling' – Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party'A breathtaking adventure' – Lancashire Evening PostFive-Star Reader Reviews:'Absolutely incredible''Totally addictive''Ideal for when you need to escape'

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If you’re not paranoid, you’re not paying attention…Cary Mackin is a TV journalist who has covered crime for nearly twenty years. After losing her job she moves to a small town in Connecticut—only to get caught up in the web of a deranged serial killer. Cary has a dark secret that drives everything she does: a deep-seated, lifelong fear that one day she will be murdered. As the madman Cary stumbled upon continues to terrorize the beautiful countryside where she now resides, will her premonition come true? “Premonition…a psycho-thriller roller coaster ride that probes the dark corners of one woman’s seemingly overwhelming paranoia…or is it? From a crime and justice expert, Premonition nails every detail of the criminal mind, the hunter and the hunted. Premonition is full of twists and surprises…I love it! Bravo!” —Nancy Grace, Founder, CrimeOnline.com, Host of CrimeStories on Fox Nation, Sirius XM, and NYT Bestselling Author “My friend and colleague at Court TV, Wendy Whitman, has created a compelling psychological thriller filled with shocking twists that captivate the reader to the very end—and wanting more. Whitman takes daring literary risks with a complex character, Cary Mackin, and her haunting premonition that she will one day be murdered. Driven by her foreboding fear, Mackin deploys extraordinary investigative and forensic skills to track down the man she sees as the killer…before he strikes again—at her! Whitman weaves plot, personality, and prose in a high-octane suspense that will give you paper cuts as you quickly turn the pages. Premonition offers a gripping storyline…and a chilling chase to an ending that you never expected.” —Gregg Jarrett, Network Legal Analyst and Bestselling Author “Whitman’s debut novel is sure to be a great read for true crime fans. If there is anyone best suited to write a book about the reality of evil in this crazy world we live in, it’s Whitman. Her book is unique because although fiction, it so mirrors reality that each page hits home more and more. Having been in the criminal law arena for fifty-five years and having dealt with two notorious serial killer cases, Whitman’s novel captures all aspects of the utter insanity of the criminal mind. In this world of Covid, we all need some respite and a great book is just what the doctor ordered.” —Gerald P. Boyle, Attorney, Represented Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer “Chilling and original, Premonition is a brilliant debut thriller from Wendy Whitman, an insider whose deep knowledge of crime and the law has created a platform for suspenseful storytelling. Taut and fast-paced, Whitman’s tale, and her unique central character, combine to create a riveting plot that drives the story to its stunning conclusion.” —Jack Ford, Emmy and Peabody Award–Winning Journalist and Bestselling Author of Chariot on the Mountain “All of those cases on Court TV certainly permeated the mind of producer Wendy Whitman. Her book is a truly breathless thriller through every twist and turn. A stellar debut novel with a terrific female heroine!” —Rikki Klieman, Attorney and CBS News Legal Analyst “A unique psychological thriller that weaves true crime into a plot that keeps the reader captivated from the very first page. A bold, heartfelt debut novel from an author who has created one of the most complex and provocative heroines in recent memory. A perfect read sure to keep you up at night.” —Rita Cosby, Emmy-Winning TV Host and Bestselling Author of Quiet Hero “The decades of Wendy Whitman’s focus and dedication to the crime and justice genre shine through each page, as she spins the yarn in this gripping crime tale. Speaking from experience that has imbued her with personal knowledge of the inner workings of hundreds of criminal minds, she is an authoritative voice in telling crime stories…because she has lived through reporting some of the most disturbing ones in American history. Brava, Wendy!” —Ashleigh Banfield, Court TV Special Contributor and Host of Judgment with Ashleigh Banfield “Wendy Whitman’s debut novel is more than a crime story. Readers will identify with some of her protagonist’s obsessions including food choices (‘borderline vegan’) and her love for animals. Peppered throughout the book are safety tips drawn from actual cases Whitman learned from years covering criminal trials at Court TV where she rose from a producer to a programming executive. There’s something for everyone in Premonition.” —Beth Karas, Former Prosecutor and Host of Oxygen’s Snapped: Notorious “Gripping, suspenseful, and thoughtful, Premonition gives a behind the scenes look at the dangers that surround us as we go about our daily lives. If you’re looking for a crime thriller to get lost in, this is it.” —Dr. Robi Ludwig, Psychotherapist, TV Personality, and Author

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“The perfect summer read” (USA TODAY) begins with a shocking tragedy that results in three generations of the Adler family grappling with heartbreak, romance, and the weight of family secrets across the course of one summer. “Rachel Beanland is a writer of uncommon wit and wisdom, with a sharp and empathetic eye for character. She’ll win you over in the most old fashioned of ways: She simply tells a hell of a story.” —Rebecca Makkai, Pulitzer Finalist for The Great BelieversAtlantic City, 1934. Every summer, Esther and Joseph Adler rent their house out to vacationers escaping to “America’s Playground” and move into the small apartment above their bakery. Despite the cramped quarters, this is the apartment where they raised their two daughters, Fannie and Florence, and it always feels like home. Now Florence has returned from college, determined to spend the summer training to swim the English Channel, and Fannie, pregnant again after recently losing a baby, is on bedrest for the duration of her pregnancy. After Joseph insists they take in a mysterious young woman whom he recently helped emigrate from Nazi Germany, the apartment is bursting at the seams. Esther only wants to keep her daughters close and safe but some matters are beyond her control: there’s Fannie’s risky pregnancy—not to mention her always-scheming husband, Isaac—and the fact that the handsome heir of a hotel notorious for its anti-Semitic policies, seems to be in love with Florence. When tragedy strikes, Esther makes the shocking decision to hide the truth—at least until Fannie’s baby is born—and pulls the family into an elaborate web of secret-keeping and lies, bringing long-buried tensions to the surface that reveal how quickly the act of protecting those we love can turn into betrayal. Based on a true story and told in the vein of J. Courtney Sullivan’s Saints for All Occasions and Anita Diamant’s The Boston Girl, Beanland’s family saga is a breathtaking portrait of just how far we will go to in order to protect our loved ones and an uplifting portrayal of how the human spirit can endure—and even thrive—after tragedy.

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“In recent years,” writes TransAfrica executive director Randall Robinson in the preface to this volume, “there has been no graver moral-political crisis facing the world than apartheid.” For that reason, the prospect of representative democracy in South Africa ranks as one of the most extraordinary sociopolitical achievements of the late twentieth century. Throughout much of the era of repressive white rule, the United States has maintained a complex and often supportive geopolitical and economic relationship with South Africa’s notorious apartheid regime. As that regime comes to its inevitable end, the role of U.S. policy—from the Sharpeville massacre in 1960 to the release of African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela in 1990—can now be examined and understood. South Africa and the United States: The Declassified History makes available, for the first time, the most important internal U.S. government documents on U.S. policy toward South Africa over the last thirty years. Obtained by the National Security Archive through the Freedom of Information Act, this rich and revealing collection includes formerly top secret presidential decision directives, CIA memoranda, State Department policy papers, embassy cables, Defense Intelligence Agency assessments, and other recently declassified documents. Taken together, they dramatically record years of U.S. efforts to prop up the Afrikaner regime, and the evolution of Washington’s policies in the face of mounting domestic and international opposition to the world’s last racially based political system. Among the many revelations in this remarkable volume are details of the Reagan administration’s secret propaganda plan to defuse public and congressional support for economic sanctions; the U.S. role in the development of South Africa’s nuclear weapons capability; and Henry Kissinger’s controversial diplomatic and covert campaigns throughout the southern African region. The context for the declassified documents in South Africa and the United States is provided by concise, authoritative essays on U.S. sanctions policy, the history of nuclear collaboration, and U.S. reaction to upheavals in Angola, Mozambique, and elsewhere in the region. To supplement the narrative and the documents, the volume also provides an in-depth chronology and comprehensive glossaries. The result is an accessible and intriguing documentary history of one of the most significant international issues of our time.

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Ever wonder what history’s monarchs would say if you could talk to them? Well wonder no more, as historical monarchs are interviewed from the grave in this hilarious children's graphic novelWelcome to Corpse Talk, the chat show with a difference - all of the guests are dead! Your host, Adam Murphy interviews magnificent monarchs throughout history in this hilarious graphic novel and talk-show style book.Inside the pages of this delightful graphic novel for kids, you’ll discover: • Humorous text, in the format of an exchange between the interviewer and interviewee • Full-page illustrations offer more detail on the broader cultural and historical context surrounding the monarch’s stories - from the workings of Ramesses II’s empire to the gruesome timeline of Henry VIII’s (mostly) unfortunate brides • A diverse selection of rancorous rulers from around the world, from the Sultan Saladin and Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di to Pharaoh Cleopatra and Empress Matilda Bring history to life! Have you heard of Montezuma, the last ruler of the Aztecs? Or wondered why Queen Victoria was not amused? Find out in this exciting graphic novel! Delve into the lives of famous rulers like Cleopatra, Ramesses II, Henry VIII, and Mary Antoinette who all made ructions in their ruling days. Writer Adam Murphy explores the why, the what, and what were you thinking of these monarchs’ most notorious decisions and behaviors. Just for fun, Adam peppers in a few silly and funny questions to amuse young readers in this hilarious history book for kids. Bold and expressive illustrations by Adam and Lisa Murphy bring historical events to life, literally! The humorous text in this kid’s comic book makes learning history fun and entertaining. Whether you’re a fan of these superb sovereigns or just love a good story, this history book will not fail to inspire you and make you laugh.‘Dig up’ even more fun!DK's Corpse Talk series is a hilarious series of graphic novels for kids that delves into the history of dead famous people in the format of questions and answers. Other books in this series include Corpse Talk: Groundbreaking Women and Corpse Talk: Groundbreaking Scientists.

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In this young readers' edition, a rising New York Times reporter tells the compelling story of the Compton Cowboys, a group of African-American men and women who defy stereotypes and continue the proud, centuries-old tradition of black cowboys in the heart of one of America’s most notorious cities.In Compton, California, ten black riders on horseback cut an unusual profile, their cowboy hats tilted against the hot Los Angeles sun. They are the Compton Cowboys, their small ranch one of the very last in a formerly semirural area of the city that has been home to African-American horse riders for decades. To most people, Compton is known only as the home of rap greats NWA and Kendrick Lamar, hyped in the media for its seemingly intractable gang violence. But in 1988 Mayisha Akbar founded The Compton Jr. Posse to provide local youth with a safe alternative to the streets, one that connected them with the rich legacy of black cowboys in American culture. From Mayisha’s youth organization came the Cowboys of today: black men and women from Compton for whom the ranch and the horses provide camaraderie, respite from violence, healing from trauma, and recovery from incarceration.The Cowboys include Randy, Mayisha’s nephew, faced with the daunting task of remaking the Cowboys for a new generation; Anthony, former drug dealer and inmate, now a family man and mentor, Keiara, a single mother pursuing her dream of winning a national rodeo championship, and a tight clan of twentysomethings—Kenneth, Keenan, Charles, and Tre—for whom horses bring the freedom, protection, and status that often elude the young black men of Compton. The Compton Cowboys is a story about trauma and transformation, race and identity, compassion, and ultimately, belonging. Walter Thompson-Hernández paints a unique and unexpected portrait of this city, pushing back against stereotypes to reveal an urban community in all its complexity, tragedy, and triumph.In addition to reading about the Compton Cowboys, kids will get to see them and the horses that saved their lives. This book includes an 8-page insert of color photos by the author, Whiting Grant winner and New York Times reporter Walter Thompson-Hernández.

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'For anyone who enjoyed Hillbilly Elegy or Educated, Unfollow is an essential text' - Louis Theroux'Such a moving, redemptive, clear-eyed account of religious indoctrination' - Pandora Sykes'A nuanced portrait of the lure and pain of zealotry' New York Times'Unfolds like a suspense novel . . . A brave, unsettling, and fascinating memoir about the damage done by religious fundamentalism' NPRA Radio Four Book of the Week Pick for June 2021As featured on the BBC documentaries, 'The Most Hated Family in America' and 'Surviving America's Most Hated Family'It was an upbringing in many ways normal. A loving home, shared with squabbling siblings, overseen by devoted parents. Yet in other ways it was the precise opposite: a revolving door of TV camera crews and documentary makers, a world of extreme discipline, of siblings vanishing in the night.Megan Phelps-Roper was raised in the Westboro Baptist Church - the fire-and-brimstone religious sect at once aggressively homophobic and anti-Semitic, rejoiceful for AIDS and natural disasters, and notorious for its picketing the funerals of American soldiers. From her first public protest, aged five, to her instrumental role in spreading the church's invective via social media, her formative years brought their difficulties. But being reviled was not one of them. She was preaching God's truth. She was, in her words, 'all in'.In November 2012, at the age of twenty-six, she left the church, her family, and her life behind.Unfollow is a story about the rarest thing of all: a person changing their mind. It is a fascinating insight into a closed world of extreme belief, a biography of a complex family, and a hope-inspiring memoir of a young woman finding the courage to find compassion for others, as well as herself.---More praise for Unfollow'A beautiful, gripping book about a singular soul, and an unexpected redemption' - Nick Hornby'A modern-day parable for how we should speak and listen to each other' - Dolly Alderton'Her journey - from Westboro to becoming one of the most empathetic, thoughtful, humanistic writers around - is exceptional and inspiring' - Jon Ronson'A gripping story, beautifully told . . . It takes real talent to produce a book like this. Its message could not be more urgent' Sunday Times

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Baron Roman Fedorovich von Ungern-Sternberg (1885–1921) was a Baltic German aristocrat and tsarist military officer who fought against the Bolsheviks in Eastern Siberia during the Russian Civil War. From there he established himself as the de facto warlord of Outer Mongolia, the base for a fantastical plan to restore the Russian and Chinese empires, which then ended with his capture and execution by the Red Army as the war drew to a close. In The Baron’s Cloak, Willard Sunderland tells the epic story of the Russian Empire’s final decades through the arc of the Baron’s life, which spanned the vast reaches of Eurasia. Tracking Ungern’s movements, he transits through the Empire’s multinational borderlands, where the country bumped up against three other doomed empires, the Habsburg, Ottoman, and Qing, and where the violence unleashed by war, revolution, and imperial collapse was particularly vicious. In compulsively readable prose that draws on wide-ranging research in multiple languages, Sunderland re-creates Ungern’s far-flung life and uses it to tell a compelling and original tale of imperial success and failure in a momentous time. Sunderland visited the many sites that shaped Ungern’s experience, from Austria and Estonia to Mongolia and China, and these travels help give the book its arresting geographical feel. In the early chapters, where direct evidence of Ungern’s activities is sparse, he evokes peoples and places as Ungern would have experienced them, carefully tracing the accumulation of influences that ultimately came together to propel the better documented, more notorious phase of his career. Recurring throughout Sunderland’s magisterial account is a specific artifact: the Baron’s cloak, an essential part of the cross-cultural uniform Ungern chose for himself by the time of his Mongolian campaign: an orangey-gold Mongolian kaftan embroidered in the Khalkha fashion yet outfitted with tsarist-style epaulettes on the shoulders. Like his cloak, Ungern was an imperial product. He lived across the Russian Empire, combined its contrasting cultures, fought its wars, and was molded by its greatest institutions and most volatile frontiers. By the time of his trial and execution mere months before the decree that created the USSR, he had become a profoundly contradictory figure, reflecting both the empire’s potential as a multinational society and its ultimately irresolvable limitations.

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As one of the greatest rock icons of all time, Gregg Allman has lived it all and then some. Now, he tells the unflinching story of his life, laying bare the unvarnished truth about his wild ride that has spanned across the years. The story begins simply: with Gregg and his older brother, Duane, growing up in the South, raising hell with their guitars, and drifting from one band to another. But all that changed when Duane and Gregg came together with four other men to forge something new-a unique sound shaped by soul, rock, and blues and brimming with experimentation; a sound not just of a band, but of a family. Bringing to life the carefree early days of the Allman Brothers Band, Gregg holds nothing back-from run-ins with the law to meeting girls on the road, from jamming at the Fillmore East to experimenting with drugs. Along the way, he goes behind the scenes of some of the greatest rock music ever recorded, without shying away from the infamous and painful deaths of his brother, Duane, and Allman Brothers bassist Berry Oakley. Speaking for the first time about the profound impact that his brother's death had on him, Gregg offers a tribute to Duane that only a younger brother could write, showing how, to this day, he still confronts the grief of losing his big brother, even as Duane continues to guide and inspire him. Setting the record straight about the band's struggles in the face of death, Gregg shows how the decision to persevere came with a heavy price. While the rock and roll excesses of drugs, alcohol, and personality clashes led to a series of breakups that culminated with the band's permanent reunion in 1989, Gregg fought his own battle with substance abuse and failed marriages, including his tabloid-frenzied relationship with Cher, before finally cleaning up once and for all. Capturing the Allman Brothers' ongoing, triumphant resurgence as well as his own recent fight against hepatitis C, Gregg presents a story as honest as it is fascinating, providing a glimpse inside one of the most beloved and notorious bands in the history of rock music and demonstrating how, through it all, the road goes on...forever.

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‘A spooky rollercoaster of a book. Lots of twists and turns – I loved it’ Simon McCleave ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ No one expected them to go there. The question is: will any of them leave? Six friends travel to a remote island north of the Scottish Highlands for an old school reunion. They’ve rented The Lighthouse – a stunning, now abandoned building that was once notorious for deaths at sea. On the first evening, someone goes missing. The group search all through the night to no avail. But when the five remaining friends return to the lighthouse early the next morning, they are shocked to find James inside. He’s looks terrified – but won’t say a word about where he’s been. The party vow to put the strange night behind them and enjoy the rest of their stay, but when more unexplained things begin to occur, tensions escalate. It’s clear James knows something, but nothing will persuade him to give up the secrets of the island. Is he protecting his friends from a terrible truth, or leading them into more danger? A chilling and powerfully atmospheric suspense novel with a gothic edge, perfect for fans of The Hunting Party and The Sanatorium. Readers have been ensnared by The Lighthouse… ‘Such a strong sense of place…vivid and atmospheric’ CAROLINE CORCORAN ‘Charming, old-fashioned and eerily atmospheric’ DAILY MAIL ‘So creepy it kept me awake!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Claustrophobic and eerie – it kept me guessing!’ NELL PATTISON ‘Wonderfully atmospheric, slow creeping menace, with a chilling edge’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Creepy, tense and so, so atmospheric’ ANDREA MARA ‘Twisty, creepy, impossible to put down – your head will spin’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A claustrophobic atmosphere, mounting suspense and twists and turns that will keep you hooked’ VICKI BRADLEY ‘So many what ifs, twists and turns and nail-biting suspense’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A brilliant page-turner’ CLOSER ‘Doesn’t let you go until the unexpected conclusion – a 5 star read’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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One of the most iconic characters in children’s literature Hergé’s classic comic book creation Tintin is one of the most recognisable characters in children’s books. These highly collectible editions of the original 24 adventures will delight Tintin fans old and new. Perfect for lovers of graphic novels, mysteries and historical adventures. The world’s most famous travelling reporter sets out in search of Red Rackham’s treasure. Determined to find the treasure of the notorious pirate Red Rackham, Tintin and Captain Haddock set sail aboard the Sirius to find the shipwreck of the Unicorn. With the help of an ingenious shark-shaped submarine, Tintin follows the clues deep down on this ocean adventure. Join the most iconic character in comics as he embarks on an extraordinary adventure spanning historical and political events, and thrilling mysteries. Still selling over 100,000 copies every year in the UK and having been adapted for the silver screen by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson in 2011. The Adventures of Tintin continue to charm more than 90 years after they first found their way into publication. Since then more than 230 million copies have been sold, proving that comic books have the same power to entertain children and adults in the 21st century as they did in the early 20th. Hergé (Georges Remi) was born in Brussels in 1907. Over the course of 54 years he completed over 20 titles in The Adventures of Tintin series, which is now considered to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, comics series of all time. Have you collected all the graphic novel adventures? Tintin in the Land of the SovietsTintin in AmericaTintin: Cigars of the PharaohTintin: The Blue LotusTintin: The Broken EarTintin: The Black IslandTintin: King Ottakar’s SceptreTintin: The Crab with the Golden ClawsTintin: The Shooting StarTintin: The Secret of the UnicornTintin: Red Rackham’s TreasureTintin: The Seven Crystal BallsTintin: Prisoners of the SunTintin: Land of Black GoldTintin: Destination MoonTintin: Explorers of the MoonTintin: The Calculus AffairTintin: The Red Sea SharksTintin in TibetTintin: The Castafiore EmeraldTintin: Flight 714 to SydneyThe Adventures of Tintin and the PicarosTintin and Alph-Art

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The greatest hero of the Second World War . . . is a girl you've never heard ofThe blazing debut novel based on the unsung true story of Hannie Schaft, a young-woman-turned-Dutch-Resistance-fighter in Nazi-occupied Netherlands'Inspiring, empowering, and timely, compellingly detailed and impressively researched, but better still, it's an immersive story of a terrifying warren of history through which our guide is the sort of hero we all need right now: relatable and resolute and absolutely right' Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS'An intriguing story that keeps you captivated till the end. A true hero!' 5***** READER REVIEW __________1940, Amsterdam.You're nineteen years old. The war has stolen your future and your country is under siege. The people you love are no longer safe.Will you stand aside as the menace of Nazi evil tightens its grip on your homeland? Or do you unleash your fury, joining forces with your enemies' enemies, plotting to strike?Because if not you, then who?You're drawn deep into a web of plots, disguises and assassinations. The Resistance trained you for this. You flash your enemies a smile and beckon them closer.Little do they know you've grown used to the weight of a gun in your hand.Soon, they will all know your name . . .__________A tale of formidable defiance told through the eyes of a young heroine so notorious that Hitler himself personally ordered for her capture. Buzzy Jackson's debut is an unputdownable novel of love, loyalty, and the limits we confront when our deepest values are tested. 'The Girl with the Red Hair brings Hannie alive and I finished it in almost one gulp! What an amazing, inspiring, true-life hero she was . . . An engrossing read' Gwen Strauss, author of THE NINE'An inspiring book with an immense amount of research. One of those books that will be with me for a long time' 5***** READER REVIEW'A mixture of emotions, from feeling hopeful to a pit of your stomach fear, from heart-warming to heartbreaking. A book I want on my bookshelf to pass down the generations' 5***** READER REVIEW

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In a world of globetrotting explorers and record-breaking journeys - of which he has been part himself - Johno Ellison decided to return to his roots and walk the entire length of the River Wharfe, the Yorkshire waterway beside which he grew up. In his new book for Bradt, Walking the Wharfe, Ellison retraces the steps of Victorian author Edmund Bogg to investigate how the riverscape and its communities have evolved during the intervening 120 years. While wild camping, meeting modern-day Vikings, wartime ghosts and the fearless 'Dales Dippers', and learning how not to deal with a herd of over-inquisitive cows, Ellison encounters a microcosm of English history and culture. Starting in the Vale of York, Ellison walks upstream to explore the region's Viking and Roman heritage, as well as more modern developments such as Tadcaster's disastrous bridge collapse in 2015. He examines a profusion of Victorian spa towns, considers the impact of the Industrial Revolution and enjoys rare wildlife such as red kites and an otter, creatures that have returned to the area following successful conservation initiatives. Traversing the Yorkshire Dales National Park, including along the Dales Way long-distance footpath, Ellison is first bewitched by local legends of giants, trolls and witches, then seduced into wild swimming in a chilly river - albeit not the Strid, a section of the Wharfe notorious worldwide for reportedly drowning everyone who has ever tumbled into it - before seeking refuge in a candlelit pub during a storm that caused a power blackout. During his ascent, Ellison learns from a family who have farmed the Yorkshire hills for five generations before reaching the Wharfe's trickling source amid a vast boggy moorland. This enchanting travelogue is a must-read for anyone interested in nature, 'the great outdoors', or English history and culture. Residents and fans of Yorkshire will love it, as will anyone who has hiked the Dales Way. Above all, by combining personal connections with journalistic curiosity and a nose for a story, Walking the Wharfe affirms that even lesser-known parts of the small island of Britain can hold their own against renowned tourist sites the world over.

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A TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEARA TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARA WATERSTONES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR'Superbly told' Simon Heffer, Daily Telegraph'A hamper of treats' Sunday Telegraph'[Grant employs] scholarship and depth of evidence' London Review of Books'These tales of eleven trials are shocking, squalid, titillating and illuminating: each of them says something fascinating about how our society once was' The Times'Deceptively thrilling' Sunday Times'Excellent . . . Thomas Grant offers detailed accounts of eleven cases at the Old Bailey's Court Number One, with protagonists ranging from the diabolical to the pathetic. There is humour . . . but this is ultimately an affecting study of how the law gets it right - and wrong' GuardianCourt Number One of the Old Bailey is the most famous court room in the world, and the venue of some of the most sensational human dramas ever to be played out in a criminal trial.The principal criminal court of England, historically reserved for the more serious and high-profile trials, Court Number One opened its doors in 1907 after the building of the 'new' Old Bailey. In the decades that followed it witnessed the trials of the most famous and infamous defendants of the twentieth century. It was here that the likes of Madame Fahmy, Lord Haw Haw, John Christie, Ruth Ellis, George Blake (and his unlikely jailbreakers, Michael Randle and Pat Pottle), Jeremy Thorpe and Ian Huntley were defined in history, alongside a wide assortment of other traitors, lovers, politicians, psychopaths, spies, con men and - of course - the innocent.Not only notorious for its murder trials, Court Number One recorded the changing face of modern British society, bearing witness to alternate attitudes to homosexuality, the death penalty, freedom of expression, insanity and the psychology of violence. Telling the stories of twelve of the most scandalous and celebrated cases across a radically shifting century, this book traces the evolving attitudes of Britain, the decline of a society built on deference and discretion, the tensions brought by a more permissive society and the rise of trial by mass media.From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories, Court Number One is a mesmerising window onto the thrills, fears and foibles of the modern age.

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This amazing survival story tells how Jim Wright, a Norfolk gamekeeper's son, aged 23, managed to evade capture by the Japanese during the last few days of the battle on the Malayan mainland. It goes on to describe how Wright, wounded in the foot and finally abandoned bu his wounded comrades, struggles along for two months to survive and rejoin his comrades on Singapore Island, not knowing that they had already surrendered. Hobbling painfully though the jungle, terrified by its strange noises, betrayed by Malays and often hiding only a few feet from Japanese patrols; starving, often without water and utterly exhausted, he slowly made his way towards Singapore. Eventually, almost dead, he was picked up by Chinese communist guerillas who took him to join twenty-five other British and Australian soldiers who were living in a jungle camp. Within a year all his companions has either died or been captured or killed by the Japanese, except for four. Two of these died in 1944 and Jim and the other one were the only ones to come home in 1945\. This is a very exciting story which tells of his jungle left with the guerillas and the action-packed narrative reads in places like a thriller. There are encounters with wild animals, snakes, Japanese soldiers, traitors and death -encounters whose description leaves one with the same chill of fear which Jim Wright must have felt. Finally he is rescued by British forces and taken to freedom in the most unorthodox way -too exciting to describe here. Twenty-five years after his rescue he returns to his jungle haunts and this helps to lay some or the horrors which he has suffered after the war because of the death of so many of his comrades in the jungle.Robert Hamond also served in 18th Division and was taken prisoner at the fall of Singapore. He later worked on the notorious Burma-Siam railway where so many died. Thirty years after the war he met Jim Wright and persuaded him to tell this extraordinary story, a story which Jim had not revealed, even to his family.

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It has been called a "Noble Possession", abused as "A Nest of Corsairs" and extolled as "The Pearl of the Mediterranean". This city of Tripoli, one of the oldest on both the Mediterranean and the fringes of the Sahara, and never deserted, has meant many different things to many different people over the past 2,500 years. To its first outside visitors, the trading Phoenicians, it was a safe haven and a market. To its later Roman colonizers it was an outlet for the low grade pastoral produce of its Saharan hinterland. Under Muslim Arab rule it became a wealthy transit market, trading with three continents, while under its Turkish and Karamanli rulers, it was notorious for its corsair galleys that preyed on the merchant shipping of the Central and Eastern Mediterranean. After the Napoleonic Wars the city took on a new role as a base for the trans-Saharan exploration and penetration of inner Africa, with British pioneers followed by Germans, French and Italians. In 1911 Italy invaded this last remaining Turkish possession in North Africa, soon transforming a neglected exiles' outpost into an imposing capital symbolizing Fascist imperial pretensions. Tripoli's fall to the British Eighth Army in January 1943 was seen as a turning point in World War Two, while in 1951 its role as joint capital of the newly-independent Kingdom of Libya marked the start of Africa's post- colonial era. Oil found in Libya in the 1950s and 1960s made Tripoli rich - and a prize that fell in 1969 to the rising forces of Arab nationalism personified by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. During his 42 years of eccentric rule, Tripoli was transformed into a mega-city, one hundred times greater in extent and population that it had been a century earlier. But by 2015 continuing post-Gaddafi anarchy and depleting oil reserves made the city's future seem as precarious and uncertain as ever it had been. Mixing personal observation and research with accounts from foreign travellers and residents, John Wright reveals the reality of this unique, remarkable and ever-vibrant city: a city with special social, cultural and linguistic "flavours" that not even visitors from other parts of the Arab World can always understand or define.

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Italy has grappa, Russia has vodka, Jamaica has rum. Around the world, certain drinks—especially those of the intoxicating kind—are synonymous with their peoples and cultures. For Mexico, this drink is tequila. For many, tequila can conjure up scenes of body shots on Cancún bars and coolly garnished margaritas on sandy beaches. Its power is equally strong within Mexico, though there the drink is more often sipped rather than shot, enjoyed casually among friends, and used to commemorate occasions from the everyday to the sacred. Despite these competing images, tequila is universally regarded as an enduring symbol of lo mexicano. ¡Tequila! Distilling the Spirit of Mexico traces how and why tequila became and remains Mexico's national drink and symbol. Starting in Mexico's colonial era and tracing the drink's rise through the present day, Marie Sarita Gaytán reveals the formative roles played by some unlikely characters. Although the notorious Pancho Villa was a teetotaler, his image is now plastered across the labels of all manner of tequila producers—he's even the namesake of a popular brand. Mexican films from the 1940s and 50s, especially Western melodramas, buoyed tequila's popularity at home while World War II caused a spike in sales within the whisky-starved United States. Today, cultural attractions such as Jose Cuervo's Mundo Cuervo and the Tequila Express let visitors insert themselves into the Jaliscan countryside—now a UNESCO-protected World Heritage Site—and relish in the nostalgia of pre-industrial Mexico. Our understanding of tequila as Mexico's spirit is not the result of some natural affinity but rather the cumulative effect of U.S.-Mexican relations, technology, regulation, the heritage and tourism industries, shifting gender roles, film, music, and literature. Like all stories about national symbols, the rise of tequila forms a complicated, unexpected, and poignant tale. By unraveling its inner workings, Gaytán encourages us to think critically about national symbols more generally, and the ways in which they both reveal and conceal to tell a story about a place, a culture, and a people. In many ways, the story of tequila is the story of Mexico.

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"The unfulfilled and unsatisfied mother around whom the child ascends the upward slope of his narcissism is someone real. She is right there, and like all other unfulfilled creatures, she is in search of what she can devour, quaerens quem devoret. What the child once found as a means of quashing the symbolic unfulfilment is what he may possibly find across from him again as a wide-open maw [...] To be devoured is a grave danger that our fantasies reveal to us. We find it at the origin, and we find it again at this turn in the path where it yields us the essential form in which phobia presents. We find it again when we look at the fears of Little Hans [...] With the support of what I have shown you today, you will better see the relationships between phobia and perversion [...] I shall go so far as to say that you will interpret the case better than did Freud himself [...]"Extract from Chapter XI "[...] it's no accident that what has been perceived but dimly, yet perceived nevertheless, is that castration bears just as much relation to the mother as to the father. We can see in the description of the primordial situation how maternal castration implies for the child the possibility of devoration and biting. In relation to this anteriority of maternal castration, paternal castration is a substitute [...]"Extract from Chapter XXI "[In the case of little Hans] The initial transformation, which will prove decisive, is […] the transformation of the biting into the unscrewing of the bathtub, which is something utterly different, in particular for the relationship between the protagonists. Voraciously to bite the mother, as an act or an apprehension of her altogether natural signification, indeed to dread in return the notorious biting that is incarnated by the horse, is something quite different from unscrewing, from ousting, the mother, and mobilising her in this business, bringing her into the system as a whole, for this first time as a mobile element and, by like token, an element that is equivalent to all the rest."Extract from Chapter XXIII

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First published in 1912, Theodore Dreiser's third novel, The Financier, captures the ruthlessness and sparkle of the Gilded Age alongside the charismatic amorality of the power brokers and bankers of the mid-nineteenth century. This volume is the first modern edition of The Financier to draw on the uncorrected page proofs of the original 1912 version, which established Dreiser as a master of the American business novel. The novel was the first volume of Dreiser’s Trilogy of Desire, also known as the Cowperwood Trilogy, which includes The Titan (1914) and The Stoic (1947).Dreiser laboriously researched the business practices and personal exploits of real-life robber baron Charles Yerkes to narrate Frank Algernon Cowperwood's early career in The Financier, which explores the unscrupulous world of finance from the Civil War through the panic incited by the 1871 Chicago fire. In 1927, the monumental novel reappeared in a radically revised version for which Dreiser, notorious for lengthy novels, agreed to cut more than two hundred and seventy pages. This revised version became the most familiar, reprinted by publishers and studied by scholars for decades.For this new edition, Roark Mulligan meticulously reviewed earlier versions of the novel and its publication history, including the last-minute removal of paragraphs, pages, and even whole chapters from the 1912 edition, cuts based mainly on the advice of H. L. Mencken. The restored text better matches Dreiser's original vision for the work. More than three hundred additional pages not available to modern readers--including those cut from the 1927 edition and more than seventy hastily removed from the manuscript just days before publication in 1912--more effectively establish characterization and motivation. Restored passages dedicated to the internal thoughts of major and minor characters bring a softer dimension to a novel primarily celebrated for its realistic attention to the cold external world of finance.Mulligan's historical commentary reveals new insights into Dreiser's creative practices and how his business knowledge shaped The Financier. This supplemental material considers the novel's place within the tradition of American business novels and its reflections on the scandalous business practices of the robber baron era.

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The greatest hero of the Second World War . . . is a girl you've never heard ofThe blazing debut novel based on the unsung true story of Hannie Schaft, a young-woman-turned-Dutch-Resistance-fighter in Nazi-occupied Netherlands'Inspiring, empowering, and timely, compellingly detailed and impressively researched, but better still, it's an immersive story of a terrifying warren of history through which our guide is the sort of hero we all need right now: relatable and resolute and absolutely right' Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS'An intriguing story that keeps you captivated till the end. A true hero!' 5***** READER REVIEW __________1940, Amsterdam.You're nineteen years old. The war has stolen your future and your country is under siege. The people you love are no longer safe.Will you stand aside as the menace of Nazi evil tightens its grip on your homeland? Or do you unleash your fury, joining forces with your enemies' enemies, plotting to strike?Because if not you, then who?You're drawn deep into a web of plots, disguises and assassinations. The Resistance trained you for this. You flash your enemies a smile and beckon them closer.Little do they know you've grown used to the weight of a gun in your hand.Soon, they will all know your name . . .__________A tale of formidable defiance told through the eyes of a young heroine so notorious that Hitler himself personally ordered for her capture. Buzzy Jackson's debut is an unputdownable novel of love, loyalty, and the limits we confront when our deepest values are tested. 'The Girl with the Red Hair brings Hannie alive and I finished it in almost one gulp! What an amazing, inspiring, true-life hero she was . . . An engrossing read' Gwen Strauss, author of THE NINE'An inspiring book with an immense amount of research. One of those books that will be with me for a long time' 5***** READER REVIEW'A mixture of emotions, from feeling hopeful to a pit of your stomach fear, from heart-warming to heartbreaking. A book I want on my bookshelf to pass down the generations' 5***** READER REVIEW

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‘Well, this is a belter of a book! A hugely entertaining and gripping read!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ He’ll watch you.A lawyer is found dead at sunrise on a lonely clifftop at Dunnet Head on the northernmost tip of Scotland. It was supposed to be his honeymoon, but now his wife will never see him again. He’ll hunt you.The case is linked to several mysterious deaths, including the murder of the lawyer’s last client – Scotland’s most notorious criminal… who had just walked free. DS Max Craigie knows this can only mean one thing: they have a vigilante serial killer on their hands. He’ll leave you to die.But this time the killer isn’t on the run; he’s on the investigation team. And the rules are different when the murderer is this close to home. He knows their weaknesses, knows how to stay hidden, and he thinks he’s above the law… Max, Janie and Ross return in the latest gripping novel in this explosive Scottish crime series. Fans of Ian Rankin, Stuart MacBride and Marion Todd will love The Night Watch! Readers LOVE The Night Watch! ‘Wow! Max Craigie and his team are back in this amazing book and they bring with it a little bit of everything! A murder, a suicide, some suspense, intrigue, action, police, dead lawyers, twists, turns, a bit of corruption and serial killers!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is the book that you are desperate to finish so you know ‘who did it’, but on the other hand you don’t want it to come to an end.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Once again Neil Lancaster has written an absolute blinder. It starts off at a furious pace and doesn't let up.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A brilliant addition to the series and Neil is now an auto-buy author for me. Roll on the next one…’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The pace doesn’t let up at all and Neil keeps you guessing with his clever dialogue and excellent plot. Loved it. You won’t be disappointed with The Night Watch.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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In the international bestseller Roma, Steven Saylor told the story of the first thousand years of Rome by following the descendants of a single bloodline. Now, in Empire, Saylor charts the destinies of five more generations of the Pinarius family, from the reign of the first emperor, Augustus, to the glorious height of Rome's empire under Hadrian. Through the eyes of the Pinarii, we witness the machinations of Tiberius, the madness of Caligula, the cruel escapades of Nero, and the chaos of the Year of Four Emperors in 69 A.D. The deadly paranoia of Domitian is followed by the Golden Age of Trajan and Hadrian-but even the most enlightened emperors wield the power to inflict death and destruction on a whim. Empire is strewn with spectacular scenes, including the Great Fire of 64 A.D. that ravaged the city, Nero's terrifying persecution of the Christians, and the mind-blowing opening games of the Colosseum. But at the novel's heart are the wrenching choices and seductive temptations faced by each new generation of the Pinarii. One unwittingly becomes the sexual plaything of the notorious Messalina. One enters into a clandestine affair with a Vestal virgin. One falls under the charismatic spell of Nero, while another is drawn into the strange new cult of those who deny the gods and call themselves Christians. However diverse their destinies and desires, all the Pinarii are united by one thing: the mysterious golden talisman called the fascinum handed down from a time before Rome existed. As it passes from generation to generation, the fascinum seems to exercise a power not only over those who wear it, but over the very fate of the empire. Praise for Steven Saylor: 'Saylor expertly weaves the true history of Rome with the lives and loves of its fictional citizens.' Daily Express 'Saylor's scholarship is breathtaking and his writing enthrals' Ruth Rendell 'With the scalpel-like deftness of a Hollywood director, Saylor puts his finger on the very essence of Roman history.' Times Literary Supplement 'Readers will find his work wonderfully (and gracefully) researched...this is entertainment of the first order.' Washington Post

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The 'Wild West', or American Frontier as it is also known, developed in the years following the American Civil War. However, this period of myth-making cowboys, infamous gunslingers, not always law-abiding lawmen, and saloon madams, is as much the product of fiction writers and film makers as reality. The outlaw came into his, or indeed her, own in the mid to late 19th century. Some of these individuals, men such as Billy the Kid, William Clarke Quantrill, Butch Cassidy or Harry Longabaugh, better known as the Sundance Kid, became household names. Many of those who roamed America's West in the period between 1850 and 1900 often appear as colourful, romanticised, legendary characters. This includes the likes of Frank and Jesse James, who had stepped outside the law due to the harshness of life after the Civil War or under circumstances beyond their control. The majority of outlaws, though, were anonymous common criminals. In 1877, for example, the State Adjutant General of Texas, published 'wanted posters' for some 5,000 outlaws and bandits in the Rio Grande district alone, almost all of whom have since vanished into the mists of time. When it comes to the Wild West, it is important to separate fact from fiction. Of the known recorded killings by the various outlaws and gunfighters, Billy the Kid killed four men, not the twenty that some writers attributed to him. A notorious gunslinger, John Wesley Hardin was said to have killed twenty-seven men, but was only charged with one murder. Wild Bill Hickok killed three men, two of them in Abilene whilst he was City Marshal, and one in Springfield, Missouri, for which he was tried and found not guilty. Clay Allison, however, was thought to have killed at least fifteen men in his time as a gunfighter, whilst some of the outlaw gangs, such as the Rufus Buck Gang and the Evans Gang, were particularly violent and ruthless. The days of the outlaws of the Wild West gradually came to an end at the turn of the nineteenth into the twentieth century. The legends, however, live on.

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Joachim Murat, son of an innkeeper, had won his spurs as Napoleon’s finest cavalry general and then won his throne when, in 1808, Napoleon appointed him king of Naples. He loyally ran this strategic Italian kingdom with his wife, Napoleon’s sister Caroline, until, in 1814, with Napoleon beaten and in retreat towards ruin and exile, the royal couple chose to betray their imperial relation and dramatically switched sides. This notorious betrayal won them temporary respite, but just a year later Murat engineered his own dramatic fall. A series of blunders took the cavalier king from thinking he had secured his dynasty to fleeing his kingdom. His native France did not welcome him, initially because Napoleon had not forgiven him, then, after Napoleon’s fall following Waterloo, because the restored Bourbons were offering a reward for Murat’s head. Fleeing again, fate brought him to Corsica where, welcomed at last, Murat turned to plotting the reversal in his fortunes he so felt he deserved. Murat soon resolved to bet everything on a hare-brained plan to return to Naples as a conquering hero and king. His aim was to take a small band of followers, land near his capital, organise regime change and reclaim his throne. In September 1815, he set off with a small band of followers. What happened next forms the core of this part-tragic, part-ridiculous story and a lesson in how not to stage a coup. Just five days after landing in Calabria, King Joachim was hauled before a firing squad and executed. There is a fine line in history between a fool and a hero. Had Murat succeeded then he would be lauded as daringly heroic but, alas, he failed, and his final adventure has been consigned to oblivion. This is unfortunate as the fall of Joachim Murat is the final act of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe as well as being a dramatic story in its own right. Based on research in the archives of Paris and Naples, Jonathan North’s book aims to throw light on the fate of the mightily fallen Murat and restore some history to a tale that, until now, lay smothered under two centuries of fable and neglect.

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All 20-year-old Daisy Haites has ever wanted is a normal life, but as the heiress to London's most notorious criminal empire, it's just not on the cards for her.Raised by her older brother Julian since their parents were murdered, Daisy has never been able to escape the watchful gaze of her gang-lord brother. But Julian's line of work means that Daisy's life is... complicated.And things don't become any easier when she falls hard for the beautiful and emotionally unavailable Christian Hemmes, who also happens to be one of the few men in London who doesn't answer to Julian.Christian's life is no walk in the park either, since he's in love with his best friend's girlfriend, Magnolia Parks.He's happy enough to use Daisy to throw off the scent of his true affections - until she starts to infiltrate those too.As their romance blossoms into something neither were anticipating, Daisy, Christian, and Julian must come to terms with the fact that in this life everything comes at a price. As their relationships intersect and tangle, they all learn that sometimes life's most worthwhile pursuits can only be paid in blood.READERS LOVE THE MAGNOLIA PARKS UNIVERSE 'Magnolia and BJ have embedded themselves into my DNA.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This book gave drama, love triangles, toxicity, chaos and I ate up every single moment.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'TikTok made me do it, 1000% lived up to the hype.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Hands down the most emotional romance book I have ever read and therefore my favourite' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Ridiculously addictive ... My heart broke a million times' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This book will tear your heart out!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Never have I felt more emotions reading a single book before. The angst and pure rollercoaster of emotions was real! Jessa Hastings had me crying by 10%.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ MAGNOLIA PARKS UNIVERSE SERIES 1 - Magnolia Parks 2 - Daisy Haites 3 - Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home 4 - Daisy Haites: The Great Undoing 5 - Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark (OUT NOW!)

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Friend by day. Traitor by night. The second book in the dark, twisting thriller trilogy about a teen assassin’s attempt to live a normal life. Don't miss the epic conclusion to the series, coming May 2024. 'A dark, enthralling thriller' The Guardian Teen assassin Isabel Ryans now works for Comma, and she’s good at it: the Moth is the guild’s most notorious killer, infamous throughout the city of Espera. But Isabel still craves normality, and she won’t find it inside the guild. She moves in with a civilian flatmate, Laura, and begins living a double life, one where she gets to pretend she’s free. But when Isabel’s day job tangles her up with an anti-guild abolitionist movement, it becomes harder to keep her two lives separate. Forced to choose between her loyalty to her friends and her loyalty to Comma, she finds herself with enemies on all sides, particularly those from the rival guild Hummingbird, putting herself and Laura at risk. Can Isabel ever truly be safe in a city ruled by killers?From award-winning author Finn Longman, an exhilarating voice in YA fiction, comes an addictive trilogy for fans of global phenomena The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Killing Eve and The Hunger Games.PRAISE FOR THE BUTTERFLY ASSASSIN: 'An immersive, fast-paced thriller' The Irish Times 'An electrifying debut!’ Chelsea Pitcher, author of This Lie Will Kill You ‘A heart-in-your-mouth thriller that grips you from the first page until the very last.’ Benjamin Dean, author of The King is Dead 'A bold, jagged and uncompromising thriller that will keep you guessing all the way to the end.’ Tom Pollock, author of White Rabbit, Red Wolf ‘Sharp and layered, with a bright beating heart. The Butterfly Assassin will lure you deep into a fascinating and dangerous new world.’ Rory Power, author of Wilder Girls ‘An utterly addictive story. I told myself "just one more chapter" well into the night.’ Emily Suvada, author of This Mortal Coil ‘Fierce, thrilling, and impossible to put down. Packed full of amazing friendships, plot twists and a desperate fight to survive’ C. G. Drews, author of The Boy Who Steals Houses

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Reeling from the death of his son, a down-on-his-luck rancher witnesses a random murder that pits him head-to-head with a blood-thirsty outlaw!Royce Blood had everything he wanted. He owned a small ranch on good land, and he and his wife, Ophelia, had a ten-year-old son, Nicholas. But Royce’s life was shattered one day when Nicholas decided to take a typical afternoon swim in the river near the family’s ranch. His father had no choice but to watch as his young son was attacked and killed by a bear.Racked with the guilt of his son’s death, Royce sets out to kill the animal, despite desperate pleas from Ophelia. When he finally returns, he finds Ophelia gone. Brokenhearted, Royce abandons everything, turning to drifting and drinking, until an old friend convinces him to take work as a messenger guard on his stage line. His circumstances becoming increasingly dire, Royce comes upon the outlaw Gypsy Davy, notorious for never leaving any witnesses to his crimes.When Royce sees Gypsy Davy kill a woman, he decides to take the law, and his life, into his own hands and by killing Gypsy and avenging the woman’s death. But with the local sheriff in his back pocket and his band of cronies protecting him, Davy is a hard man to find, let alone kill. But Royce is determined, and set on a path that will end with him or Gypsy six feet under. It’s a story of wild Western law and mortality, making The Messenger a gritty tale of the lengths one man will go to save his soul.Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fiction that takes place in the old West. Westerns—books about outlaws, sheriffs, chiefs and warriors, cowboys and Indians—are a genre in which we publish regularly. Our list includes international bestselling authors like Zane Gray and Louis L’Amour, and many more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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Walter Wolff was the son of a Jewish merchant family that fled their German home when the Nazis came to power and took refuge in Brussels, Belgium. On the eve of the German invasion, in May 1940, the family began its second escape. Their sixteen-month odyssey took them through the chaos of battle in France and the dangers of living clandestinely as Jews in occupied territory, before they finally boarded the notorious freighter SS Navemar in Cadiz, Spain, to be among the last Jewish refugees admitted to the United States before Pearl Harbor.Within two years of his arrival in the States, Walter was ready to take the fight back to the Nazis as a soldier in the U.S. Army. Trained for the Intelligence Corps at Camp Ritchie, he was sent first to Italy and then to Germany and Austria, where he interrogated POWs for potential prosecution as war criminals at Nuremburg. At the same time, on his travels in Europe he returned to the confiscated properties of his extended family, throwing out the occupiers and reclaiming ownership. Telling the rousing story of a Jewish boy who fled persecution and returned to prosecute the Nazi oppressors, Walter Wolff’s daughter Nina has reconstructed these events from family lore and her father’s own cache of more than 700 wartime letters and 200 photographs, which he revealed to her shortly before he died.Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Arcade, Good Books, Sports Publishing, and Yucca imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs. Our list includes biographies on well-known historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, Nelson Mandela, and Alexander Graham Bell, as well as villains from history, such as Heinrich Himmler, John Wayne Gacy, and O. J. Simpson. We have also published survivor stories of World War II, memoirs about overcoming adversity, first-hand tales of adventure, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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Revealing the dark truth about the impact of predatory private equity firms on American health care.Won Gold from the Axiom Book Award in the Category of Business Ethics, the Benjamin Franklin Awards by the Independent Book Publishers Association and the North American Book Award in the Catergory of Business Finance, Finalist of the American Book Fest Best Book Social Change and Current Events by the American Book FestPrivate equity (PE) firms pervade all aspects of our modern lives. Unlike other corporations, which generally manufacture products or provide services, they leverage considerable debt and other people's money to buy and sell businesses with the sole aim of earning supersized profits in the shortest time possible. With a voracious appetite and trillions of dollars at its disposal, the private equity industry is now buying everything from your opioid treatment center to that helicopter that helps swoop you up from a car crash site. It may even control how and when you can get your kidney dialysis. In Ethically Challenged, Laura Katz Olson describes how PE firms are gobbling up physician and dental practices; home care and hospice agencies; substance abuse, eating disorder, and autism services; urgent care facilities; and emergency medical transportation. With a sharp eye on cost and quality of care, Olson investigates the PE industry's impact on these essential services. She explains how PE firms pile up massive debt on their investment targets and how they bleed these enterprises with assorted fees and dividends for themselves. Throughout, she argues that public pension funds, which provide the preponderance of equity for PE buyouts, tend to ignore the pesky fact that their money may be undermining the very health care system their workers and retirees rely on.Weaving together insights from interviews with business owners and experts, newspaper articles, purchased data sets, and industry publications, Olson offers a unique perspective and appreciation of the significance of PE investments in health care. The first book to comprehensively address private equity and health care, Ethically Challenged raises the curtain on an industry notorious for its secrecy, exposing the nefarious side of its maneuvers.

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*** THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER! ***Global icon John Grisham returns to Mississippi in his most gripping thriller yet.'As ever with Grisham there are corkscrew twists and turns as he ratchets up the suspense. It is exceptional story-telling, which leaves the reader begging for the novel never to end. Grisham has sold more than 300 million copies of his work. This shows exactly why' DAILY MAILFor most of the last hundred years, Biloxi was known for its beaches, resorts, and seafood industry. But it had a darker side. It was also notorious for corruption and vice, everything from gambling, prostitution, bootleg liquor, drugs . . . even contract killings. The vice was controlled by a small cabal of mobsters, many of them rumoured to be members of the Dixie Mafia.Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco grew up in Biloxi in the sixties and were childhood friends. But as teenagers, their lives took them in different directions. Keith's father became a legendary prosecutor, determined to 'clean up the Coast.' Hugh's father became the 'Boss' of Biloxi's criminal underground. Keith went to law school and followed in his father's footsteps. Hugh preferred the nightlife and worked in his father's clubs. The two families were headed for a showdown, one that would happen in a courtroom.Rich with history and with a large cast of unforgettable characters, The Boys from Biloxi is a sweeping saga of two sons of immigrant families who grow up as friends, but ultimately find themselves in a knife-edge legal confrontation in which life itself hangs in the balance.In this novel, Grisham takes his powerful storytelling to the next level, his trademark twists and turns will keep you tearing through the pages until the stunning conclusion.'It's a story that spans half a century and ends inevitably in a courtroom showdown. A morally complex, compelling and illuminating read' MAIL ON SUNDAY'Invites comparisons with the Godfather trilogy - it spans two generations and several postwar decades - and has a vast cast and a winning energy' SUNDAY TIMES 350+ million copies, 45 languages, 10 blockbuster films:NO ONE WRITES DRAMA LIKE JOHN GRISHAM

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Most Dangerous is the award-winning nonfiction account of an ordinary man who wielded the most dangerous weapon: the truth. In 1964, Daniel Ellsburg was a U.S. government analyst, helping to plan a war in Vietnam. It was the height of the Cold War, and the government would do anything to stop the spread of communism-with or without the consent of the American people. As the fighting in Vietnam escalated, Ellsburg turned against the war. He had access a top-secret government report known as the Pentagon Papers, and he knew it could blow the lid off of years of government lies. But did he have the right to expose decades of presidential secrets? And what would happen to him if he did it? A lively book that interrogates the meanings of patriotism, freedom, and integrity, the 2015 National Book Award finalist Most Dangerous further establishes Steve Sheinkin as a leader in children's nonfiction. This thoroughly-researched and documented book can be worked into multiple aspects of the common core curriculum. Praise for Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War: 2016 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award winner A 2015 National Book Award finalist A 2015 Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon book A 2015 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature finalist Selected for the 2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People List "Steve Sheinkin is a master of fast-paced histories . . . [this] is Sheinkin's most compelling one yet. " -Washington Post "Easily the best study of the Vietnam War available for teen readers." -Kirkus Reviews, starred review By Steve Sheinkin: Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal-the World's Most Dangerous Weapon The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights: Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War Which Way to the Wild West?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About Westward Expansion King George: What Was His Problem?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the American Revolution Two Miserable Presidents: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the Civil War

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“A fascinating, if disturbing, window onto the origins of racism.”—Publishers Weekly“The eighteenth-century essays published for the first time in Who’s Black and Why? contain a world of ideas—theories, inventions, and fantasies—about what blackness is, and what it means. To read them is to witness European intellectuals, in the age of the Atlantic slave trade, struggling, one after another, to justify atrocity.”—Jill Lepore, author of These Truths: A History of the United StatesThe first translation and publication of sixteen submissions to the notorious eighteenth-century Bordeaux essay contest on the cause of black skin—an indispensable chronicle of the rise of scientifically based, anti-Black racism.In 1739 Bordeaux’s Royal Academy of Sciences announced a contest for the best essay on the sources of “blackness.” What is the physical cause of blackness and African hair, and what is the cause of Black degeneration, the contest announcement asked. Sixteen essays, written in French and Latin, were ultimately dispatched from all over Europe. The authors ranged from naturalists to physicians, theologians to amateur savants. Documented on each page are European ideas about who is Black and why.Looming behind these essays is the fact that some four million Africans had been kidnapped and shipped across the Atlantic by the time the contest was announced. The essays themselves represent a broad range of opinions. Some affirm that Africans had fallen from God’s grace; others that blackness had resulted from a brutal climate; still others emphasized the anatomical specificity of Africans. All the submissions nonetheless circulate around a common theme: the search for a scientific understanding of the new concept of race. More important, they provide an indispensable record of the Enlightenment-era thinking that normalized the sale and enslavement of Black human beings.These never previously published documents survived the centuries tucked away in Bordeaux’s municipal library. Translated into English and accompanied by a detailed introduction and headnotes written by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Andrew Curran, each essay included in this volume lays bare the origins of anti-Black racism and colorism in the West.

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Empresses, Art, and Agency in Song Dynasty China is the first book in any language devoted to the art of imperial women in China. Utilizing a wide range of historical sources and materials, this groundbreaking, interdisciplinary study pieces together a lost history of female creativity by focusing on the critical role emperors’ wives played as patrons, collectors, taste-makers, and artists during the three-century Song dynasty (960–1279), an era noted for spectacular cultural achievements. The Song led China to unrivaled intellectual, socioeconomic, scientific, and urban advances. A flourishing printing culture helped spur a dramatic expansion of literacy that benefited women, whose talent in learning was often paired with virtue and was exemplified by the Song imperial women. Paralleling these developments was an unprecedented level of imperial patronage of the fine arts, including painting and calligraphy. However, while individual emperors such as Huizong (r. 1100–1125) have long been recognized for their importance in this arena, the role played by imperial women has remained largely hidden, subject in part to the biases of Chinese historiography. Drawing against the backdrop of their formidable presence in court politics, Hui-shu Lee recounts and reveals the stories of their lives and art. Lee focuses on such Song empresses as Liu, Wu, and Yang Meizi, artists and powerbrokers whose skill and influence helped shape the development of temple construction, sculpture, painting, and many other aspects of arts and culture. Acting in the shadow of the notorious female emperor Wu Zetian of the Tang dynasty, early Song imperial women began to define themselves through images and modes of expression that purposely concealed their power. In the process, they helped forge an effective and lasting model of female agency in China. In her exploration of Song imperial arts, Lee looks at ghost-writing, art collecting, didactic art, and the use of calligraphy and painting as gendered modes of expression. She draws on a number of disciplines, including art history, literature, history, and gender studies, to provide a unique account of the vital role of empresses in shaping Song art and culture.

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Meng Jiangnü Brings Down the Great Wall brings together ten versions of a popular Chinese legend that has intrigued readers and listeners for hundreds of years. Elements of the story date back to the early centuries B.C.E. and are an intrinsic part of Chinese literary history. Major themes and subtle nuances of the legend are illuminated here by Wilt L. Idema's new translations and pairings. In this classic story, a young woman named Meng Jiang makes a long, solitary journey to deliver winter clothes to her husband, a drafted laborer on the grandiose Great Wall construction project of the notorious First Emperor of the Qin dynasty (BCE 221-208). But her travels end in tragedy when, upon arrival, she learns that her husband has died under the harsh working conditions and been entombed in the wall. Her tears of grief cause the wall to collapse and expose his bones, which she collects for proper burial. In some versions, she tricks the lecherous emperor, who wants to marry her, into providing a stately funeral for her husband and then takes her own life. The versions presented here are ballads and chantefables (alternating chanted verse and recited prose), five from urban printed texts from the late Imperial and early Republican periods, and five from oral performances and partially reconstructed texts collected in rural areas in recent decades. They represent a wide range of genres, regional styles, dates, and content. From one version to another, different elements of the story--the circumstances of Meng Jiangnu's marriage, her relationship with her parents-in-law, the journey to the wall, her grief, her defiance of the emperor--are elaborated upon, downplayed, or left out altogether depending on the particular moral lessons that tale authors wished to impart. Idema brings together his considerable translation skills and broad knowledge of Chinese literature to present an assortment of tales and insightful commentary that will be a gold mine of information for scholars in a number of disciplines. Haiyan Lee's essay discusses the appeal of the Meng Jiangnü story to twentieth-century literary reformers, and the interpretations they imposed on the material they collected.

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Sol Plaatje is celebrated as one of South Africa's most accomplished political and literary figures. A pioneer in the history of the black press, editor of several newspapers, he was one of the founders of the African National Congress in 1912, led its campaign against the notorious Natives Land Act of 1913, and twice travelled overseas to represent the interests of his people. He wrote a number of books, including - in English - Native Life in South Africa (1916), a powerful denunciation of the Land Act and the policies that led to it, and a pioneering novel, Mhudi (1930). Years after his death his diary of the siege of Mafeking was retrieved and published, providing a unique view of one of the best known episodes of the South African War of 1899-1902. At the same time Plaatje was a proud Morolong, fascinated by his people's history. He was dedicated to Setswana, and set out to preserve its traditions and oral forms so as to create a written literature. He translated a number of Shakespeare's plays into Setswana, the first in any African language, collected proverbs and stories, and even worked on a new dictionary. He fought long battles with those who thought they knew better over the particular form its orthography should take. This book tells the story of Plaatje's remarkable life, setting it in the context of the changes that overtook South Africa during his lifetime, and the huge obstacles he had to overcome. It draws upon extensive new research in archives in southern Africa, Europe and the US, as well as an expanding scholarship on Plaatje and his writings. This biography sheds new light not only on Plaatje's struggles and achievements but upon his personal life and his relationships with his wife and family, friends and supporters. It pays special attention to his formative years, looking to his roots in chiefly societies, his education and upbringing on a German-run mission, and his exposure to the legal and political ideas of the nineteenth-century Cape Colony as key factors in inspiring and sustaining a life of more or less ceaseless endeavour.

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From one of the greatest rappers of all time, the memoir of a life cut short, a revealing look at the dark side of hip hop’s Golden Era...In this often violent but always introspective memoir, Mobb Deep’s Prodigy tells his much anticipated story of struggle, survival, and hope down the mean streets of New York City. For the first time, he gives an intimate look at his family background, his battles with drugs, his life of crime, his relentless suffering with sickle-cell anemia, and much more. Recently released after serving three and a half years in state prison due to what many consider an unlawful arrest by a rumored secret NYPD hip hop task force, Prodigy is ready to talk about his life as one of rap’s greatest legends. My Infamous Life is an unblinking account of Prodigy’s wild times with Mobb Deep who, alongside rappers like Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, Jay-Z, and Wu-Tang Clan, changed the musical landscape with their vivid portrayals of early ’90s street life. It is a firsthand chronicle of legendary rap feuds like the East Coast–West Coast rivalry; Prodigy’s beefs with Jay-Z, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Ja Rule, and Capone-N-Noreaga; and run-ins with prodigal hit makers and managers like Puff Daddy, Russell Simmons, Chris Lighty, Irv Gotti, and Lyor Cohen. Taking the reader behind the smoke-and-mirrors glamour of the hip hop world, so often seen as the only way out for those with few options, Prodigy lays down the truth about the intoxicating power of money, the meaning of true friendship and loyalty, and the ultimately redemptive power of self. This is the heartbreaking journey of a child born in privilege, his youth spent among music royalty like Diana Ross and Dizzy Gillespie, educated in private schools, until a family tragedy changed everything. Raised in the mayhem of the Queensbridge projects, Prodigy rose to the dizzying heights of fame and eventually fell into the darkness of a prison cell. A truly candid memoir, part fearless confessional and part ode to the concrete jungles of New York City, from the front line of the last great moment in hip hop history.

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A NEXT BIG IDEA CLUB 'MUST-READ'#1 ON COSMOPOLITAN'S 11 BEST NEW NON-FICTION BOOKS TO ADD TO YOUR TBR PILE IN 2023 CNN senior legal analyst and nationally bestselling author Elie Honig explores America’s two-tier justice system, explaining how the rich, the famous, and the powerful— including, most notoriously, Donald Trump—manipulate the legal system to escape justice and get away with vast misdeeds.How does he get away with it? That question, more than any other, vexes observers of and participants in the American criminal justice process. How do powerful people weaponize their wealth, political power, and fame to beat the system? And how can prosecutors fight back?In Untouchable, Elie Honig exposes how the rich and powerful use the system to their own benefit, revealing how notorious figures like Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, Harvey Weinstein, and Bill Cosby successfully eluded justice for decades. He demonstrates how the Trump children dodged a fraud indictment. He makes clear how countless CEOs and titans of Wall Street have been let off the hook, receiving financial penalties without suffering criminal consequences. This doesn’t happen by accident.Over the four years of his administration, Donald Trump’s corruption seemed plain for all to see. The former president obstructed justice, flouted his responsibility to the Constitution, lied to the American people, and set the United States on a dark path to disunity and violence. Yet he has never been held accountable for any of his misdeeds. Why not?Untouchable holds the answer. Honig shows how Trump and others use seemingly fair institutions and practices to build empires of corruption and get away with misdeeds for which ordinary people would be sentenced to years behind bars. It’s not just that money talks, Honig makes clear, but how it can corrupt otherwise reliable institutions and blind people to the real power dynamics behind the scenes.In this vital, incisive book, Honig explains how the system allows the powerful to become untouchable, takes us inside their heads, and offers solutions for making the system more honest and fairer, ensuring true justice for all—holding everyone, no matter their status, accountable for their criminal misdeeds.

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“Few, if any, public servants can match Sir Rodney Brooke’s 60-year record ... six decades of unbroken service across local government, the NHS, education, utilities and beyond surely give him a unique perspective...” – The Guardian Sir Rodney Brooke has had an eventful life at the sharp end – thanks to a career that led him from 15-year-old school-leaver in Yorkshire to the corridors of power at Westminster... and all points in between. In The Winding Stair, his sparkling collection of memoirs, he takes readers through its highs and lows – beginning as a reporter on his hometown Morley Observer newspaper and ending with a CBE, knighthood and honours from five more countries. In so doing, he reveals hitherto unknown details behind six decades’ worth of controversial headline moments and colourful personalities. As a former chief executive of West Yorkshire County Council, he shares fascinating background into the mysterious death of Helen Smith in Jeddah; the Bradford City fire, in which 56 people were killed; and the handling of the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. As Emergency Controller in the event of nuclear war, he was told to shelter in a Pennine underground lair – and restore order as Geiger counters said to emerge. Read how Halifax invented the guillotine; why dogs could bark at night in Otley but not Ossett; how the law told householders in Huddersfield to whiten their doorsteps before 8.00am or be fined five shillings; and why the press camped on his Ilkley lawn after he resigned over the notorious ‘Homes for Votes’ episode – when Dame Shirley Porter was surcharged £42.5m.Accounts of how he organised the final reading of the Riot Act and interviewed a talking dog with Mrs Thatcher’s press spokesman, Sir Bernard Ingham, are found among tales of Princess Diana’s underwear in Roundhay Park, Princess Margaret and the cakes at Leeds/Bradford airport, sex and the Poll Tax, the murky Dolphin Square scandals and how Trafalgar Square very nearly became Nelson Mandela Square. For anyone interested in current affairs and the reality behind politics, The Winding Stair – From Morley Boy to Westminster Knight is not to be missed.

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Bradt's Karakalpakstan is the longest, most detailed and most up-to-date travel guidebook to this autonomous republic - Central Asia's best-kept secret. With detailed information on what to see and do, listings for accommodation and restaurants, and guidance on getting around, this guide provides all the practical advice adventurous tourists need to visit or explore this exciting destination. Roughly the size of Sweden, Karakalpakstan borders Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and was, until recently, dominated by the Aral Sea. As the sea water has retreated, the Aralkum - the world's newest desert - and numerous lakes have formed in its place. Ecotourism is developing rapidly here, as local people recognise the need to protect and restore fragile ecosystems while creating meaningful employment opportunities. Amid Karakalpakstan's remote wildernesses, the intrepid traveller will find unique geology (such as the Ustyurt Plateau), rare wildlife (including a substantial population of the critically endangered saiga antelope, whose peculiarly bulbous nose helps filter desert dust and regulate the animal's temperature), and fabulous star gazing. The region also boasts a long history and rich culture. Scattered through the Kyzylkum, the ruins of the 50-plus desert fortresses of Ancient Khorezm (some proposed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites) attest to the region's former strategic importance. You can explore ancient settlements (such as the necropolis of Mizdakhan, said to include the grave of Adam), and see caravanserais, mausolea and even Chilpik Dakhma, a Zoroastrian 'tower of silence'. Alternatively, celebrate Russian Avant Garde art alongside the superb archaeological and ethnographic collections of Savitsky Museum in Nukus, justifiably known as the 'Louvre of the Steppe'. For something entirely different, why not explore Muynak's ship graveyard on the remains of the Aral Sea, visit the notorious Soviet bioweapons lab Aralsk 7 on Vozrozhdeniya (Resurrection Island), raise your binoculars at the Important Bird and Biodiversity Area of Sudochye Lakes (where 230 types of birds have been recorded) or dance the night away at the annual Stihia festival of electronic music. Written by two Central Asian experts, Bradt's Karakalpakstan is an indispensable practical companion to visiting this excitingly varied republic.

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***Winner of the August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel***'Come home.' Vera's mother called and Vera obeyed. In spite of their long estrangement, in spite of the memories - she's come back to the home of a serial killer. Back to face the love she had for her father and the bodies he buried there, beneath the house he'd built for his family.Coming home is hard enough for Vera, and to make things worse, she and her mother aren't alone. A parasitic artist has moved into the guest house out back and is slowly stripping Vera's childhood for spare parts. He insists that he isn't the one leaving notes around the house in her father's handwriting . . . but who else could it possibly be?There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face them and find out for herself just how deep the rot goes.READERS LOVE JUST LIKE HOME:'If you are a fan of Stephen King, then this book will be the one for you''Along with an engaging plot, the writing is compelling and beautiful. This is a book that I feel will stick with me for a long time to come''A creepy and dark read and definitely not what I was expecting. I could not put this book down and finally turned the last page in the wee hours' 'I was actually terrified while reading it, and the emotion lingered long after I finished it. It kept me up all night' 'A slow burn thriller with an unnerving protagonist and an atmospheric setting? Yes, please!' 'It was dark, creepy and haunting and made me sleep with a light on'**************************************************PRAISE FOR THE ECHO WIFE:'An edge-of-your-seat tale . . . a unique, thrilling adventure, with truly unexpected twists and turns the whole way through' Independent'It's an unpredictable story . . . chilling . . . for an escape from our current stuck-at-home situation, The Echo Wife could be for you' Daily Record'Looking for one of the best science fiction books wrapped up in a mystery? Look no further . . . Gloriously inventive and full of surprises' Woman & Home Online

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