Search results for ""epic""

See the Grishaverse come to life on screen with Shadow and Bone, now a Netflix original series.Read from the beginning with this deluxe hardback collector's edition of the first novel in the worldwide-bestselling Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo! This edition features: *Brand-new artwork**Intricate foil iconography from the world of the book**Beautiful endpapers**Sprayed edges* Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold-a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed. Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country's magical military elite-and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift. As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation. Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems. Read all the books in the Grishaverse! The Shadow and Bone Trilogy (previously published as The Grisha Trilogy) Shadow and Bone Siege and Storm Ruin and Rising The Six of Crows Duology Six of Crows Crooked Kingdom The King of Scars Duology King of ScarsRule of WolvesThe Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous MagicThe Severed Moon: A Year-Long Journal of MagicThe Lives of Saints Praise for the Grishaverse "A master of fantasy." -The Huffington Post "Utterly, extremely bewitching." -The Guardian "The best magic universe since Harry Potter." -Bustle "This is what fantasy is for." -The New York Times Book Review "[A] world that feels real enough to have its own passport stamp." -NPR "The darker it gets for the good guys, the better." -Entertainment Weekly "Sultry, sweeping and picturesque. . . . Impossible to put down." -USA Today "There's a level of emotional and historical sophistication within Bardugo's original epic fantasy that sets it apart." -Vanity Fair "Unlike anything I've ever read." -Veronica Roth, bestselling author of Divergent "Bardugo crafts a first-rate adventure, a poignant romance, and an intriguing mystery!" -Rick Riordan, bestselling author of the Percy Jackson series

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What can long-dead dinosaurs teach us about our future? Plenty, according to world-renowned paleontologist and recent star of BBC show The Day the Dinosaurs Died Dr Kenneth Lacovara, who has discovered some of the largest creatures to ever walk the Earth, including the super-massive Dreadnoughtus. 'Majestic, awe-inspiring and deeply humbling. Kenneth Lacovara reveals how dinosaurs have changed how we understand time, the world and ourselves' DR ALICE ROBERTS, anatomist and anthropologist, television presenter, author and professor ‘This is a dinosaur book with a difference. In lyrical prose Kenneth Lacovara shows how an understanding of the past helps to understand the present. The dinosaurs played no role in the great extinction that ended their era: we, on the other hand, are playing a major part in the extinction that is taking place today. And unless we change our ways, if we continue destroying the natural world, this will lead inevitably to our own extinction. But unlike the dinosaurs we have the power to turn things around.’ DR JANE GOODALL, DBE, conservationist, founder of the Jane Goodaal Institute and UN Messenger of Peace ‘Kenneth Lacovara LOVES Dinosaurs, LOVES science and truly LOVES telling you about it. Few non-fiction writers wield words with more poetic and potent affection for their subject. Ken’s deep scholarship and clear enjoyment of his subject always makes ME feel smarter. A man obsessed not just with his subject matter, but with showing us how looking into our deep past can illuminate our future.’ ADAM SAVAGE of THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL By tapping into the wonder that dinosaurs inspire, Dr Lacovara weaves together the stories of our geological awakening, of humanity’s epic struggle to understand the nature of deep time, the meaning of fossils, and our own place on the vast and bountiful tree of life. Go on a journey, back to when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, to discover how dinosaurs achieved feats unparalleled by any other group of animals. Learn the secrets of how paleontologists find fossils, and explore quirky, but fascinating questions, such as: Is a penguin a dinosaur? How are the tiny arms of T. rex the key to its power and ferocity? In this revealing book, Dr Lacovara offers the latest ideas about the shocking and calamitous death of the dinosaurs and ties their vulnerabilities to our own.Why Dinosaurs Matter is compelling and engaging - a reminder that our place on this planet is both precarious and potentially fleeting. As we move into an uncertain environmental future, it has never been more important to understand the past.

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Brent Weeks returns to the New York Times bestselling world of the Night Angel in Night Angel Nemesis, following master assassin Kylar on a new adventure - as the High King Logan Gyre calls on him to save his kingdom and the hope of peace. After the war that cost him so much, Kylar Stern is broken and alone. He's determined not to kill again, but an impending amnesty will pardon the one murderer he can't let walk free. He promises himself this is the last time. One last hit to tie up the loose ends of his old, lost life. But Kylar's best - and maybe only - friend, the High King Logan Gyre, needs him. To protect a fragile peace, Logan's new kingdom, and the king's twin sons, he needs Kylar to secure a powerful magical artifact that was unearthed during the war. With rumors that a ka'kari may be found, adversaries both old and new are on the hunt. And if Kylar has learned anything, it's that ancient magics are better left in the hands of those he can trust. If he does the job right, he won't need to kill at all. This isn't an assassination - it's a heist. But some jobs are too hard for an easy conscience, and some enemies are so powerful the only answer lies in the shadows. Praise for Brent Weeks:'Brent Weeks has a style of immediacy and detail that pulls the reader relentlessly into his story. He doesn't allow you to look away' Robin Hobb'Weeks writes in an inescapably engaging style, and Night Angel Nemesis is no exception. Breathlessly high stakes, terrible missteps, and unexpected revelations keep the story humming along at a breakneck pace' Andrea Stewart'Weeks is a giant of the genre' Nicholas Eames'Nobody does break-neck pacing and amazingly-executed plot twists like Brent Weeks' Brian McClellan'Weeks creates a rich blend of politics, culture and character . . . then throws in magic-using assassins' Peter V. Brett'Unforgettable characters, a plot that kept me guessing, non-stop action and the kind of in-depth storytelling that makes me admire a writer's work' Terry Brooks'Weeks has truly cemented his place among the great epic fantasy writers of our time' British Fantasy SocietyFor more from Brent Weeks, check out:Night AngelThe Way of ShadowsShadow's EdgeBeyond the ShadowsThe Kylar Chronicles Night Angel NemesisPerfect Shadow: A Night Angel Novella The Way of Shadows: The Graphic NovelLightbringerThe Black PrismThe Blinding KnifeThe Broken EyeThe Blood MirrorThe Burning White

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Chosen as a BOOK OF THE YEAR in the Sunday Times, Stylist and Observer'A multifaceted novel that is funny, verbally inventive and moving' Sunday Times, Book of the Year'In Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra (John Murray) a young woman escapes from Italy to Hollywood, leaving her father behind. The story moves between the real war and the better version Hollywood is busy creating. Sometimes tragic, often hilarious' Karen Joy Fowler, Observer, Books of the Year'Its prose pulses with humour, wit and affection' Mail on SundayThe epic tale of a brilliant woman who must reinvent herself to survive, moving from Mussolini's Italy to 1940s Los Angeles-a timeless story of love, deceit, and sacrifice from the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of A Constellation of Vital PhenomenaLike many before her, Maria Lagana has come to Hollywood to outrun her past. Born in Rome, where every Sunday her father took her to the cinema instead of church, Maria immigrates with her mother to Los Angeles after a childhood transgression leads to her father's arrest.Fifteen years later, on the eve of America's entry into World War II, Maria is an associate producer at Mercury Pictures, trying to keep her personal and professional lives from falling apart. Her mother won't speak to her. Her boss, a man of many toupees, has been summoned to Washington by congressional investigators. Her boyfriend, a virtuoso Chinese American actor, can't escape the studio's narrow typecasting. And the studio itself, Maria's only home in exile, teeters on the verge of bankruptcy.Over the coming months, as the bright lights go dark across Los Angeles, Mercury Pictures becomes a nexus of European émigrés: modernist poets trying their luck as B-movie screenwriters, once-celebrated architects becoming scale-model miniaturists, and refugee actors finding work playing the very villains they fled. While the world descends into war, Maria rises through a maze of conflicting politics, divided loyalties, and jockeying ambitions. But when the arrival of a stranger from her father's past threatens Maria's carefully constructed facade, she must finally confront her father's fate-and her own.Written with intelligence, wit, and an exhilarating sense of possibility, Mercury Pictures Presents spans many moods and tones, from the heartbreaking to the ecstatic. It is a love letter to life's bit players, a panorama of an era that casts a long shadow over our own, and a tour de force by a novelist whose work The Washington Post calls 'a flash in the heavens that makes you look up and believe in miracles.'

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Ce volume reunit les cinq communications presentees dans le cadre des "Conferences d'etudes iraniennes Ehsan et Latifeh Yarshater", organisees par l'Unite Mixte de Recherche "Mondes Iranien et Indien" en 2005 au College de France a Paris. Construit autour de la figure de Timur-e Lang (Tamerlan, ca. 1330-1405), l'ouvrage s'interroge sur la manipulation de la memoire historique et sur l'usage que peut en faire le pouvoir a travers la propagande politique en Asie centrale et en Iran au XVe siecle, dans l'empire timouride. Au plus pres des sources persanes, l'auteur analyse le discours des chroniqueurs de la cour de Timur et examine le processus de construction des origines vertueuses du souverain par les historiens de son epoque. En miroir, cette etude s'interesse aux textes historico-litteraires et notamment a la transposition epique de la tradition historiographique. Sur les traces de Timur, de l'Asie centrale a l'Empire ottoman a l'ouest et aux profondeurs de l'Inde a l'est, les sources font emerger deux images contrastees et forgees du conquerant et de ses actions : combattant pour la foi et roi vertueux, Timur apparait en meme temps comme un chef de guerre destructeur et comme un etre demoniaque. Cette memoire manipulee a des fins ideologiques integrera durablement le discours historique des siecles ulterieurs. This volume contains the texts of five Ehsan and Latifeh Yarshater Distinguished lectures on Iranian Studies, organized by the Unite Mixte de Recherche "Mondes Iranien et Indien", and delivered in 2005 at the College de France in Paris. This book inquires into the manipulation of the historical memory of the figure of Timur-e Lang (Tamerlane, ca. 1330-1405) and into the uses that power-holders made of it through political propaganda in Central Asia and Iran during the 15th century, in the Timurid empire. Following up on Persian sources, the author analyses the discourse of chroniclers at Timur's court, and examines how historians of his time constructedthe sovereign's virtuous origins. Interest is shown in this figure's reflection in historico-literary texts, in particular in the epic transpositionof the historiographical tradition. On Timur's tracks from Central Asia to the Ottoman Empire in the West and deep into India in the East, the sources build up two contrasting images of the conqueror and his actions: as a virtuous ruler and fighter for the Faith, on the one hand, and, on the other, as a destructive war lord and a demoniac being. This memory, manipulated for ideological purposes, has become a lasting part of the historical discourse formulated in later centuries.

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Three theories vie to explain the causes, characteristics and chronology behind the emergence of Iron Age Cypriot city-kingdoms: Achaean, Phoenician and autochthonous. Privileged by scholars until as recently as the 1980s, the first linked the emergence of the Cypriot city-state to the great Achaean migrations at the end of the second millennium. Epic foundation myths, telling of cities founded by Achaean heroes returning from Troy, were seen as fabled versions of events unfolding ostensibly at the outset of the Iron Age. The writings of D.W. Rupp cast doubt on the Achaean theory, by placing these developments at a much later date (8th c. BCE) and tracing their origins to the growing influence of the Phoenicians. This hypothesis was hotly contested, giving rise to a third theory, according to which the Cypriot Iron Age was essentially a continuation of the island’s Bronze Age civilisation. The latter theory now holds sway and is scarcely ever contested. The Cypriot city-kingdoms that we observe in the historical period (7th-4th c. BCE) are said to have arisen, after a few decades of instability, as early as the 11th century. Their political and administrative structures would have undergone little more than consolidation in the 8th century, before enjoying their floruit during the Archaic and Classical periods and finally disappearing amid the Wars of the Diadochi at the start of the Hellenistic period. By recasting these developments within the broader context of the re-emergence of state structures in the eastern Mediterranean, La naissance des cités-royaumes cypriotes reassesses the arguments advanced by champions of the received theory. It likewise situates the phenomenon within a firmer theoretical (i.e. anthropological) framework, intended to establish well-defined distinctions. Furthermore, it proposes a shared typology that can accommodate other political entities, traces of which are found throughout the Geometric period (11th-8th c. BCE). Not only does the archaeological evidence compel us to question whether events unfolded as suggested, it reinforces a more nuanced variant of the Phoenician theory. Various state markers, though abundant in the 8th century (Cypro-Geometric III), seem indeed conspicuously absent during Cypro-Geometric I and II. Excavations at one such city-state, the palace of Amathus, have yielded compelling indications as to when a lasting dynasty originally arose. From them, we can surmise that the Kingdom of Amathus was the first of its kind. While the process no doubt took several decades, under no circumstances did it occur before the 9th century BCE. This coincides, moreover, with the wave of resurgent state-building that swept the eastern Mediterranean and engulfed even more westerly regions like the Aegean.

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From one of America’s most respected journalists and modern historians comes the highly acclaimed, “splendid” (The Washington Post) biography of Jimmy Carter, the thirty-ninth president of the United States and Nobel Prize–winning humanitarian.Jonathan Alter tells the epic story of an enigmatic man of faith and his improbable journey from barefoot boy to global icon. Alter paints an intimate and surprising portrait of the only president since Thomas Jefferson who can fairly be called a Renaissance Man, a complex figure—ridiculed and later revered—with a piercing intelligence, prickly intensity, and biting wit beneath the patented smile. Here is a moral exemplar for our times, a flawed but underrated president of decency and vision who was committed to telling the truth to the American people. Growing up in one of the meanest counties in the Jim Crow South, Carter is the only American president who essentially lived in three centuries: his early life on the farm in the 1920s without electricity or running water might as well have been in the nineteenth; his presidency put him at the center of major events in the twentieth; and his efforts on conflict resolution and global health set him on the cutting edge of the challenges of the twenty-first. “One of the best in a celebrated genre of presidential biography,” (The Washington Post), His Very Best traces how Carter evolved from a timid, bookish child—raised mostly by a Black woman farmhand—into an ambitious naval nuclear engineer writing passionate, never-before-published love letters from sea to his wife and full partner, Rosalynn; a peanut farmer and civic leader whose guilt over staying silent during the civil rights movement and not confronting the white terrorism around him helped power his quest for racial justice at home and abroad; an obscure, born-again governor whose brilliant 1976 campaign demolished the racist wing of the Democratic Party and took him from zero percent to the presidency; a stubborn outsider who failed politically amid the bad economy of the 1970s and the seizure of American hostages in Iran but succeeded in engineering peace between Israel and Egypt, amassing a historic environmental record, moving the government from tokenism to diversity, setting a new global standard for human rights and normalizing relations with China among other unheralded and far-sighted achievements. After leaving office, Carter eradicated diseases, built houses for the poor, and taught Sunday school into his mid-nineties. This “important, fair-minded, highly readable contribution” (The New York Times Book Review) will change our understanding of perhaps the most misunderstood president in American history.

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Stud confronts the Jungle King about his stolen bag and is now in an epic battle over who gets to claim it—and the Kingdom Maps it contains. Our hero Stud is a 14-year-old boy whose father regularly abandons him on expeditions that he catalogs in his own journals. Having to fend for himself, Stud isn’t like most kids—he can turn his hands into hammers! Unfortunately, the kids in the village don’t think it’s cool and don't allow him to join their own fun adventures. Considering that his father has always advised him that friends are the most important accomplishment a person can make, what’s a boy who can turn part of his body into metal to do? Go on his own adventures, of course! When Stud stumbles upon one of his father’s journals detailing his past adventures with Tara, Stud’s mother; our young hero unknowingly makes a wish. Using “wishing coins” after reading a passage about them, Stud gets sucked into the book, and it is at the location of one of his parents’ adventures! In Hammer, Volume 4, having already landed a hit on the Jungle King, Stud boldly asks for his stolen bag back; but once Brutus gets serious, Stud’s fighting chances begin to dwindle. Brutus is determined to keep that bag so he can use the maps to find and exact revenge on the genie who killed his son, whereas Stud is determined to get his bag back because it’s the only link between him and his friends in the Ocean Kingdom. During their arduous battle, Stud’s ally Brymm interrupts and comes to his aid, while Stud wonders whether he’ll be able to return the favor and help Brymm save her kingdom. Will Stud ever get his bag back? Is Stud going to help Brymm in the future? Will the Jungle King ever avenge his son’s death? Hammer is rated Y for Youth, recommended for ages 10 and up. Saturday AM, the world’s most diverse manga-inspired comics, are now presented in a new format! Introducing Saturday AM TANKS, the new graphic novel format similar to Japanese Tankobons where we collect the global heroes and artists of Saturday AM. These handsome volumes have select color pages, revised artwork, and innovative post-credit scenes that help bring new life to our popular BIPOC, LGBTQ, and/or culturally diverse characters. The inaugural Saturday AM TANKS include: Apple Black, Hammer, Saigami, Oblivion Rouge, Massively Multiplayer World of Ghosts, and Clock Striker.

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As the early church took shape in the mid-first century a.d., a theological struggle of great consequence was joined between the apostle Paul and certain theologians who had intruded into the churches founded by the apostle in Galatia. Writing his letter to the Galatians in the midst of that struggle, Paul was concerned to find a way by which he could assert the radical newness of God’s act in Christ while still affirming the positive relation of that act to the solemn promise God had made centuries earlier to Abraham.With the skill of a seasoned scholar and teacher, J. Louis Martyn enables us to take imaginary seats in the Galatian churches so that we may hear Paul’s words with the ears of the early Christians themselves. Listening in this manner, we begin to sense the dramatic intensity of the theological struggle, thus coming to understand the crucial distinctions between the theology of Paul and that of his opponents. We can therefore see why Galatians proved to be a momentous turning point in early Christianity: In this letter Paul preached the decisive and liberating newness of Christ while avoiding both the distortions of anti-Judaism and his opponents’ reduction of Christ to a mere episode in the epic of Israel’s history. Like the Galatians of Paul’s day, we can begin to hear what the apostle himself called “the truth of the gospel.”As its predecessors in the Anchor Bible series have done Galatians successfully makes available all the significant historical and linguistic knowledge which bears on the interpretation of this important New Testament book. A personal letter written by Paul in the mid-first century to friends in the churches emerging in the region of Galatia, where it was circulated, Galatians is down to earth and pragmatic. This biblical book requires the modern reader to take a seat in one of the Galatian congregations, to listen to Paul's letter with Galatian ears, and discern the contours of Paul's theology. That is exactly what Dr. Martyn makes possible in his marvelous commentary, with its careful translation and creative interpretation of Galatians. Though relatively brief, Paul's letter is filled with complex theological and historical issues that demand a thorough treatment. Readers will not be disappointed in Dr. Martyn's sensitive handling of difficult passages, and all will be delighted to have a fresh translation that makes sense to our modern ears. All in all, this volume will stand out as a shining example of top notch scholarship written for the general reader.

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Their music changed pop history, but we’ve never known much about the people who made it…until now. “...a first-hand account of both the kaleidoscopic talent that drove Stone to the top and attracted so many people to him, and the madness that he soon descended into and never truly returned from, a victim of ego, drug abuse sycophants and the era.... It amounts to a definitive history of one of the rock generation’s greatest and most tragic artists.” —Jem Aswad, Variety, “The Best Music Books of 2022” “…the musical trajectory of Sly & The Family Stone, and especially its namesake and leader, Sly Stone (born Sylvester Stewart), makes even the most shocking episode of Behind the Music look like Nickelodeon programming. Esteemed music journo Joel Selvin chronicles the good, the bad, the ugly (and the really ugly), in a new reissue of his 1998 book, Sly & The Family Stone: An Oral History.” —Bob Ruggiero, Houston PressSly Stone shook the foundations of soul and turned it into a brand new sound that influenced and liberated musicians as varied as Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, and Herbie Hancock. His group—consisting of Blacks and whites, men and women—symbolized the Woodstock generation and crossed over to dominate pop charts with anthems like “Everyday People,” “Dance to the Music,” and “I Want to Take You Higher.” Award-winning journalist and bestselling author Joel Selvin weaves an epic American tale from the voices of the people around this funk phenomenon: Sly’s parents, his family members and band members (sometimes one and the same), and rock figures including Grace Slick, Sal Valentino, Bobby Womack, Mickey Hart, Clive Davis, Bobby Freeman, and many more. In their own words, they candidly share the triumphs and tragedies of one of the most influential musical groups ever formed—“different strokes” from the immensely talented folks who were there when it all happened. “Joel Selvin, the veteran music critic of the San Francisco Chronicle, published a thoroughgoing, book-length oral history of the group in 1998 that is as disturbing and chilling a version as you'll ever find of the ‘dashed ’60s dream’ narrative: idealism giving way to disillusionment, soft drugs giving way to hard, ferment to rot.” —David Kamp, “Sly Stone’s Higher Power” Vanity Fair, August 2007 Available for the first time in years, Sly & the Family Stone: An Oral History, is an unflinching look at the rise and fall one of music’s most enigmatic figures.

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'I couldn't put this book down. Malcolm inspired us to make art out of our boredom and anger. He set us free' Bobby Gillespie, Primal ScreamIncluded in the Guardian 10 best music biographies'Excellent . . . With this book, Gorman convincingly moves away from the ossified image of McLaren as a great rock'n'roll swindler, a morally bankrupt punk Mephistopheles, and closer towards his art-school roots, his love of ideas. Tiresome, unpleasant, even cruel - he was, this book underlines, never boring' Sunday Times'Exhaustive . . . compelling' Observer'Definitive . . . epic' The Times'Gobsmacker of a biography' Telegraph'This masterful and painstaking biography opens its doorway to an era of fluorescent disenchantment and outlandish possibility' Alan MooreMalcolm McLaren was one of the most culturally significant but misunderstood figures of the modern era. Ten years after his life was cruelly cut short by cancer, The Life & Times of Malcolm McLaren sheds fascinating new light on the public achievements and private life of this cultural iconoclast and architect of punk, whose championing of street culture movements including hip-hop and Voguing reverberates to this day. With exclusive contributions from friends and intimates and access to private papers and family documents, this biography uncovers the true story behind this complicated figure.McLaren first achieved public prominence as a rebellious art student by making the news in 1966 after being arrested for burning the US flag in front of the American Embassy in London. He maintained this incendiary reputation by fast-tracking vanguard and left-field ideas to the centre of the media glare, via his creation and stewardship of the Sex Pistols and work with Adam Ant, Boy George and Bow Wow Wow. Meanwhile McLaren's ground-breaking design partnership with Vivienne Westwood and his creation of their visionary series of boutiques in the 1970s and early '80s sent shockwaves through the fashion industry.The Life & Times of Malcolm McLaren also essays McLaren's exasperating Hollywood years when he broke bread with the likes of Steven Spielberg though his slate of projects, which included the controversial Heavy Metal Surf Nazis and Wilde West, in which Oscar Wilde introduced rock'n'roll to the American mid-west in the 1880s, proved too rich for the play-it-safe film business.With a preface by Alan Moore, who collaborated with McLaren on the unrealised film project Fashion Beast, and an essay by Lou Stoppard casting a twenty-first-century perspective over his achievements, The Life & Times Of Malcolm McLaren is the explosive and definitive account of the man dubbed by Melvyn Bragg 'the Diaghilev of punk'.

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‘This excellent debut is a melancholic reminder of the rippling after-effects of war’ The Times 'A touching novel of love and loss' Sunday TimesFor fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Where The Crawdads Sing comes a moving story, inspired by real events, about how hope and love will prevail against all odds. 1921 In the aftermath of war, everyone is searching for answers. Edie’s husband Francis never came home and was declared ‘missing, believed killed’. But when she receives a mysterious photograph of him in the post, hope flares and she begins to search. Harry photographs gravesites on the Western Front, hired by grieving families. Plagued by memories of his last conversation with Francis, he has never stopped searching for his brother. After years apart, their search brings them together. As they uncover the truth they are haunted by the past and their own complex feelings – towards Francis, and towards each other. Are some questions better left unanswered? Perfect for fans of Maggie O'Farrell and Helen Dunmore, The Photographer of the Lost is a beautiful novel, inspired by real events in the wake of the First World War, about love and loss, grief and guilt, and the fleeting, fragile moments of life.Praise for The Photographer of the Lost: 'There's only one word for this novel… and that's epic… A beautifully written must-read' heat 'A gripping, devastating novel about the lost and the ones they left behind' Sarra Manning, RED ‘Terrific first novel’ Daily Mail ‘Scott has done an amazing job of drawing on real stories to craft a powerful novel’ Good Housekeeping ‘A deeply poignant and immersive novel . . . told in beautiful, elevated prose. I was completely caught up in these characters’ stories’ Rachel Hore 'What a wonderful debut novel . . . With a mystery at its heart and a moving, but page turning hook, I couldn’t stop reading' Lorna Cook 'A sublimely rendered portrait of the search for answers amidst the chaos and devastation left behind in the aftermath of World War 1' Fiona Valpy ‘A poignant hymn to those who gave up their lives for their country and to those who were left behind’ Fanny Blake 'I was utterly captivated by this novel, which swept me away, broke my heart, then shone wonderful light through all the pieces' Isabelle Broom ‘Beautiful, unflinching: The Photographer of the Lost is going to be on an awful lot of Best Books of the Year lists, mine included… unforgettable’ Iona Grey 'Momentous, revelatory and astonishing historical fiction!' Historical Novel Society

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The extraordinary second book in the epic Shadow Skye trilogy.In a world of shadows, hope can be found...Agatha and Jaime have rescued their clan and returned home to Skye as heroes. But when Agatha uncovers a threat to their people, she unwittingly releases a terrible power that could kill every living thing on the island. Jaime must race to Scotia to hunt an ancient blood magic, which may be their only chance of survival. Meanwhile, Sigrid, a Norvegian girl with an unusual gift, journeys to the court of Ingland where a dangerous alliance is forming - one that will soon turn its vengeful eyes to Skye. Sigrid will have to risk everything if she and the people of Skye are to survive the gathering shadows...Cover illustration by Violet Tobacco. Praise for the Shadow Skye trilogy:“Thrilling, strange and brutally involving.” Guardian“A story fantasy-loving young readers may not even know they’ve been waiting for.” New York Times“A gripping story and a dark one.” Wall Street Journal“An absolute cracker. Electrifying.” Belfast Telegraph“A proper barnstormer.” SFX“A wild, thrilling and sometimes dark fantasy adventure.” The Week Junior“The chill barren setting of Scotia provides rich terrain for an unsettling wildness.” Irish Times“Packs a real punch with its high-level suspense.” BookTrust“Rich in atmosphere while dripping with grisly violence ... A fresh and exciting debut.” Kirkus“A gripping, brutal adventure that completely swept me away.” Emma Carroll, author of The Somerset Tsunami “Agatha is that rare thing in fiction: a truly original hero, one for all of us. What a great book!” Ian Irvine, author of The Three Worlds Cycle"A thrilling adventure in a beautifully imagined world. I defy you not to want to follow Agatha to the end of the known world." Frank Cottrell-Boyce, author of Millions “A brave new voice in fantasy fiction.” Sally Green, author of Half Bad“I could hardly turn the pages fast enough.” Holly Jackson, author of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder“Darkly beautiful, original and brimming with hope and compassion.” Kesia Lupo, author of We Are Blood and Thunder“A sublimely plotted, windswept adventure.” Cerrie Burnell, author of The Girl with the Shark’s Teeth“A triumph.” Katy a Balen, author of The Space We’re In“One of the freshest, most exciting fantasies I’ve ever read.” Sarah Ann Juckes, author of Outside“The fandom I’ve been waiting for. Forget Gryffindor, Dauntless, and House Stark... I want to be a Hawk.” Aisha Bushby, author of A Pocketful of Stars

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A BRAND NEW FANTASY FROM THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHORThe only way to win, is to survive.'Each page is fierce and filled with yearning - I loved it' ANDREA STEWARTEvery year, thousands flock to San-Er, the dangerously dense capital twin cities of the kingdom of Talin, where the palace hosts a set of deadly games. Those confident in their ability to jump between bodies can enter a fight to the death - for the chance to win unimaginable riches. Princess Calla Tuoleimi has been in hiding for five years, ever since she murdered her parents to free the people of Talin from her tyrannical family. Only one person stands in her way of finishing the job: her reclusive uncle King Kasa. However, she knows he always greets the victor of the games. If she wins, she will finally get the chance to kill him. Enter Anton Makusa, whose childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace. He's deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Which means his last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning. When Anton proposes an unexpected alliance with Calla, they quickly find their partnership spiraling into something all-consuming. But before the games close, Calla must decide what she's playing for - her lover or her kingdom. For no matter what, only one of them can walk out alive . . .#1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong's adult epic fantasy debut, inspired by Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, is a fiery collision of power plays, spilled blood, and romance amidst a set of deadly games.*** READERS LOVE IMMORTAL LONGINGS ***'OH MY GOD I CANNOT PUT INTO WORDS HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS BOOK!' Netgalley - 5 star review'The world of San-Er is possibly the most unique thing I've ever read and if you love The Hunger Games you will most certainly love this' Netgalley - 5 star review'EXCUSE MEEE??? WHO GAVE CHLOE GONG THE RIGHT TO UTTERLY OBLITERATE MY MIND AND SOUL???' Netgalley - 5 star review'5. big. shiny. stars. good f******g god dude she has done it AGAIN. NO MISSES. BANGER AFTER BANGER . . . AND I WILL ALSO BE SENDING MISS GONG MY THERAPY BILL. thank you very much' Netgalley - 5 star review 'The Hunger Games x 90s Asian Noir x Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. RUN DON'T WALK to pre-order this bad boy, trust me you need it in your life' Netgalley - 5 star review

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The first full-length narrative biography of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, considered by many to be one of the greatest drummers in rock history, and a genuine wild man of epic (and sadly fatal) proportions. Beast: John Bonham and the Rise of Led Zeppelin is the first-ever biography of the iconic John Bonham, considered by many to be one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) rock drummer of all time. Bonham first learned to play the drums at the age of five, and despite never taking formal lessons, began drumming for local bands immediately upon graduating from secondary school. By the late 1960s, Bonham was looking for a more solid gig in order to provide his growing family with a more regular income. Meanwhile, following the dissolution of the popular blues rock band The Yardbirds, lead guitarist Jimmy Page sought the company of new bandmates to help him record an album and tour Scandinavia as the New Yardbirds. A few months later, Bonham was recruited to join the band who would eventually become known as Led Zeppelin-and before the year was out, Bonham and his three bandmates would become the richest rock band in the world.In their first year, Led Zeppelin released two albums and completed four US and four UK concert tours. As their popularity exploded, they moved from ballrooms and smaller clubs to larger auditoriums, and eventually started selling out full arenas. Throughout the 1970s, Led Zeppelin reached new heights of commercial and critical success, making them one of the most influential groups of the era, both in musical style and in their approach towards the workings of the entertainment industry. They added extravagant lasers, light shows, and mirror balls to their performances; wore flamboyant and often glittering outfits; traveled in a private jet airliner and rented out entire sections of hotels; and soon become the subject of frequently repeated stories of debauchery and destruction while on tour. In 1977, the group performed what would be their final live appearance in the US, following months of rising fervor and rioting from their fandom. And in September of 1980, Bonham-plagued by alcoholism, anxiety, and the after-effects of years of excess-was found dead by his bandmates.To this day, Bonham is posthumously described as one of the most important, well-known, and influential drummers in rock, topping best of lists describing him as an inimitable, all-time great. As Adam Budofsky, managing editor of Modern Drummer, explained, "If the king of rock 'n' roll was Elvis Presley, then the king of rock drumming was certainly John Bonham."

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A suspense filled tale of murder on the American frontier—shedding new light on a family of serial killers in Kansas, whose horrifying crimes gripped the attention of a nation still reeling from war. 'A carefully researched and horribly compelling examination of unimaginable evil intruding upon everyday life' The Observer In 1873 the people of Labette County, Kansas made a grisly discovery. Buried by a trailside cabin beneath an orchard of young apple trees were the remains of countless bodies. Below the cabin itself was a cellar stained with blood. The Benders, the family of four who once resided on the property were nowhere to be found. The discovery sent the local community and national newspapers into a frenzy that continued for decades, sparking an epic manhunt for the Benders. The idea that a family of seemingly respectable homesteaders—one among the thousands relocating farther west in search of land and opportunity after the Civil War—were capable of operating "a human slaughter pen" appalled and fascinated the nation. But who the Benders really were, why they committed such a vicious killing spree and whether justice ever caught up to them is a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. Set against the backdrop of postbellum America, Hell’s Half-Acre explores the environment capable of allowing such horrors to take place. Drawing on extensive original archival material, Susan Jonusas introduces us to a fascinating cast of characters, many of whom have been previously missing from the story. Among them are the families of the victims, the hapless detectives who lost the trail, and the fugitives that helped the murderers escape. Hell’s Half-Acre is a journey into the turbulent heart of nineteenth century America, a place where modernity stalks across the landscape, violently displacing existing populations and building new ones. It is a world where folklore can quickly become fact and an entire family of criminals can slip through a community’s fingers, only to reappear in the most unexpected of places. “Dark and bloody, hard-nosed but lyrical, Hell’s Half-Acre is a true-crime mass-murder mystery from the Old West. Susan Jonusas has stripped down a notorious story, researched it to hell and back, and rebuilt in prose so immediate and immersive that it feels like she must have been there. Beware the Benders, but all hail Susan Jonusas. This is a stunning debut from a great and powerful new voice in narrative non-fiction.” Dan Jones, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Templars, The Plantagenets and Blood and Thrones

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Beauteous Truth explores the inextricable connection between the Good, the True and the Beautiful. It is a book that makes the necessary connections between faith and reason and between theology, philosophy, history and literature. It presents a panoramic overview of Western Civilization, from Homer to Tolkien, and highlights the importance of the great figures of the Catholic cultural revival, including Newman, Wilde, Chesterton, Belloc, and C.S. Lewis. Ranging from Shakespeare to Solzhenitsyn, Beauteous Truth celebrates the marriage of sanity and sanctity, which is the fruit of the indissoluble union of fides et ratio. Early ReviewsWhat we have here is a glorious and compendious portmanteau of – well – of Everything, as it were. We have all long since discovered that Joseph Pearce is a polymath. But he has outdone himself with this volume. The subtitle is the cue: “Faith, Reason, Literature, and Culture.” And the text fulfills that promise. Readers are in for a bracing itinerary that will take them from Greek classicism through the Middle Ages, the Counter-Reformation, the Romantic Movement, and into modernity. The presiding factor in the whole thing is a robust Catholic orthodoxy. The author/guide speaks with both authority and brio. This book qualifies for the “Highly recommended” slot. – Thomas Howard (St. John’s Seminary, Boston, emer.)Joseph Pearce has not only written much on Catholic letters but on the whole tradition of letters in our culture. In this collection, he brings together his wide, amazingly wide reflections and considerations on literature and what it really stands for. While many paths to the highest things might be taken, the literary path is perhaps the most pleasant and the most engaging. Pearce not only draws us out, alerts us to authors who speak to us, but he also opens doors to writers and themes in Catholic and western literature that would be otherwise closed to us without his sensitive guidance and insight. We have here the whole of Pearce where he tells us everything about which he has been thinking. It is a great contribution to our understanding of reality, to the things that are.” – James V. Schall, s.j., Georgetown UniversityThis interdisciplinary collection of essays previously published in such journals as St. Austin Review, First Things, and Chesterton Review provides rich food for thought on an array of topics dealing with the intersection between beauty, truth, culture, and Catholicism. Brief yet pithy, each essay can stand alone, inviting wide ranging meditation on the modern situation in light of history, literature, science, and religion. Taken together, the essays offer an epic sweep of a culture at crossroads urgently needing to reclaim the illumination of Christ. This is a book to savor and return to, time and again. – Dr. Mary Reichardt, Professor of Catholic Studies and Literature, The University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn.

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The remarkable story of how a large public-private partnership worked to control and defeat riverblindness—a scourge which had devastated rural communities and impeded socioeconomic development throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa for generations.Riverblindness (onchocerciasis)—a pervasive neglected disease, transmitted by the blackfly, that causes horrific itching, disfigurement, and loss of vision—is also known as "lion's stare" in reference to the fixed, lifeless glare of the eyes blinded by the disease. The disease has destroyed countless lives for generations, particularly in Africa. Its effects are so devastating that the areas where it is most common (large expanses of land around rivers where the fly breeds) end up abandoned as villages move farther and farther away to more arid environments in order to escape the fly-biting, and hence the disease. The disease devastates communities from multiple angles: a large portion of each stricken community's population is disabled, often permanently blind in the prime of life, placing a burden on the rest, and communities' efforts to escape infection force them to move to areas where farming is less productive.To defeat riverblindness would not only release these communities from the heavy toll of the disease, but would also open more fertile areas in Africa to be inhabited, thus alleviating extreme poverty. These were the goals of the World Bank, led by then-president Robert McNamara, when launching a partnership to combat riverblindness more than forty-five years ago. In this book, Bruce Benton tells the remarkable story of that partnership's success. An authoritative account of the launch and scale-up of the effort, the book covers the transformation of the fight from a top-down high-tech operation to a grassroots drug treatment program covering all of endemic Africa. How, Benton asks, did the effort become such a unique partnership of UN agencies, donors, NGOs, a major pharmaceutical company, universities, African governments, and the stricken communities themselves? Highlighting the importance of disease control in alleviating absolute poverty and promoting development, Benton examines the key developments, individuals, and notable qualities of the partnership in realizing success. He also extracts lessons from this particular story for addressing future challenges through partnership. Drawing on Benton's twenty years of experience managing the riverblindness program for the World Bank, along with extensive research and interviews with 100+ players in the program, Riverblindness in Africa is the first and only book of its kind. The story of the battle has an epic scale, both in terms of geography and the vast number of people and organizations involved. It provides a template for a broad range of global health efforts and is an excellent example of evolving, increasingly effective approaches to disease control and elimination.

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“Thompson-Hernández's portrayal of Compton's black cowboys broadens our perception of Compton's young black residents, and connects the Compton Cowboys to the historical legacy of African Americans in the west. An eye-opening, moving book.”— Margot Lee Shetterly, New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures“Walter Thompson-Hernández has written a book for the ages: a profound and moving account of what it means to be black in America that is awe inspiring in its truth-telling and limitless in its empathy. Here is an American epic of black survival and creativity, of terrible misfortune and everyday resilience, of grace, redemption and, yes, cowboys.”— Junot Díaz, Pulitzer prize-winning author of This is How You Lose HerA 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.The Compton Cowboys is illustrated with 10-15 photographs.

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An epic history of money, trade and development since 1933In 1933, Keynes reflected on the crisis of the Great Depression that arose from individualistic capitalism: 'It is not intelligent, it is not beautiful, it is not just, it is not virtuous - and it doesn't deliver the goods ... But when we wonder what to put in its place, we are extremely perplexed.' We are now in a similar state of perplexity, wondering how to respond to the economic problems of the world.Martin Daunton examines the changing balance over ninety years between economic nationalism and globalization, explaining why one economic order breaks down and how another one is built, in a wide-ranging history of the institutions and individuals who have managed the global economy. In 1933, the World Monetary and Economic Conference brought together the nations of the world: it failed. Trade and currency warfare led to economic nationalism and a turn from globalization that culminated in war. During the Second World War, a new economic order emerged - the embedded liberalism of Bretton Woods, the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development - and the post-war General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. These institutions and their rules created a balance between domestic welfare and globalization, complemented by a social contract between labour, capital and the state to share the benefits of economic growth.Yet this embedded liberalism reflected the interests of the 'west' in the Cold War: in the 1970s, it faced collapse, caused by its internal weaknesses and the breakdown of the social contract, and was challenged by the Third World as a form of neo-colonialism. It was succeeded by neoliberalism, financialisation and hyper-globalization. In 2008, the global financial crash exposed the flaws of neoliberalism without leading to a fundamental change. Now, as leading nations are tackling the fall-out from Covid-19 and the threats of inflation, food security and the existential risk of climate change, Martin Daunton calls for a return to a globalization that benefits many of the world's poor and a fairer capitalism that delivers domestic welfare and equality.The Economic Government of the World is the first history to show how trade, international monetary relations, capital mobility and development impacted on and influenced each other. Martin Daunton places these economic relations in the geo-political context of the twentieth century, and considers the importance of economic ideas and of political ideology, of electoral calculations and institutional design. The book rests on extensive archival research to provide a powerful analysis of the origins of our current global crisis, and suggests how we might build a fairer international order.

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A revelatory eyewitness account of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and heroism of the Ukrainian resistance by Pulitzer Prize finalist Yaroslav Trofimov, the chief foreign-affairs correspondent for The Wall Street Journal.'Reads like a great novel' SEBASTIAN JUNGER‘An instant classic’ STEVE COLL'An essential first draft’ ANNE APPLEBAUM ‘Essential reading’ CLARISSA WARD‘Outstanding’ PETER FRANKOPANSince Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Yaroslav Trofimov has spent months on end at the heart of the conflict, very often on its front lines. In this authoritative account, he traces the war’s decisive moments—from the battle for Kyiv to more recently the gruelling and bloody arm wrestle involving the Wagner group over Bakhmut—to show how Ukraine and its allies have turned the tide against Russia in a modern-day battle of David and Goliath. Putin had intended to conquer Ukraine with a vicious blitzkrieg, in a few short weeks. But in the face of this existential threat, the Ukrainian people fought back, turning what looked like certain defeat into a great moral victory, even as the territorial battle continues to seesaw to this day. This is the story of their epic bravery in the face of almost unthinkable aggression.For Trofimov, this war is deeply personal. He grew up in Kyiv and his family has lived there for generations. He tells the story of how everyday Ukrainian citizens—doctors, computer programmers, businesspeople, and schoolteachers—risked their lives and lost loved ones. At once heart-breaking and inspiring, and combining vivid reportage with expert military analysis and rare insight into the thinking of Ukrainian leadership, Our Enemies Will Vanish tells the riveting story Ukraine’s fight for survival and refusal to surrender as it has never been told before.---------------------------------------‘Achieves the highest level of war reporting: a tough, detailed account that nevertheless reads like a great novel. I did not really understand Ukraine until I read Trofimov's account’ SEBASTIAN JUNGER, bestselling author of The Perfect Storm ‘A stunning work of eyewitness reportage and literary nuance that brings alive both the brutalities of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the war’s small absurdities and comic interludes. An instant classic’ STEVE COLL, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Ghost Wars ‘Extraordinarily brave reporting, exceptionally clear writing. An essential first draft of the history of the war’ ANNE APPLEBAUM, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Twilight of Democracy ‘A gripping read that meticulously lays out what’s at stake in Ukraine. Essential reading’ CLARISSA WARD, author of On All Fronts ‘An essential document for our times’ DEXTER FILKINS, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Forever War ‘An outstanding, breath-taking and authoritative account’ PETER FRANKOPAN, bestselling author of The Silk Roads ‘Takes the reader from the corridors of power to frontline trenches. Trofimov’s gripping account is full of crisp details’ QUENTIN SOMERVILLE, BBC Middle East Correspondent

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A GRAZIA BOOK CLUB PICK, Ghost Girl, Banana is a powerful debut novel about the family secrets unearthed by a surprise inheritance. Set between Hong Kong in the 1960s and London in the 1990s, and revealing the hidden life of a mother to her daughter, it asks questions of identity, race and belonging.'A real nail-biter ... so winningly chronicled by Wharton' NEW YORK TIMES'Ambitious ... readers won't be disappointed as Wharton ultimately resolves many mysteries in the book' GUARDIAN'An astounding debut ... written with emotion and astuteness, this deserves to be on book prize lists' PRIMA1966: Sook-Yin is exiled from Kowloon to London with orders to restore honour to her family. As she strives to fit into a world that does not understand her, she realizes that survival will mean carving out a destiny of her own.1997: Sook-Yin's daughter Lily can barely remember the mother she lost as a small child. But when she is unexpectedly named in the will of a powerful Chinese stranger, she embarks on a secret pilgrimage to Hong Kong to discover the lost side of her identity and claim the reward. But she soon learns that the secrecy around her heritage has deep roots, and good fortune comes at a price.'Genuine and joyously written' Platinum'Brilliant' Hello!'A gripping and evocative tale of family secrets, courage, adversity and love. Sook-Yin and Lily's stories are beautifully told and truly unforgettable . . . such accomplished storytelling and gorgeous prose. Brilliant' Emma Stonex'An absolute wrecking ball of a novel. Ghost Girl, Banana is an enchanting, suspenseful journey through family, distance, money and betrayal. I loved it so much' Erin Kelly'A story of family, love, redemption and belonging, told with such heart and empathy. Essential and utterly unforgettable' Fíona Scarlett'Ghost Girl, Banana is an epic yet deeply intimate novel. I could feel the vibration of these women existing in the wider world; their stories are so skilfully shot through with the hum of change' Kate Sawyer, author of Costa prize-shortlisted The Stranding'An intriguing, beautifully written study of the stories we inherit. I loved being in Lily and Sook-Yin's heads, my heart breaking for them . . . I loved it!' Nikki May'Sparkling prose and a page-turning plot combined with wonderful storytelling . . . An absolutely dazzling debut' Julie Owen Moylan'From the first pages, I was drawn into the worlds of Lily and Sook-Yin and the stories that bind them together across the years. Wiz is a master storyteller, weaving Lily and Sook-Yin's stories of belonging together with elegance and wit' Ronali Collings'Fresh, funny, infuriating, heartbreaking - Ghost Girl, Banana is sure to be a massive hit. I adored it' Emily Koch'Captivating characters and lucid prose' Melissa Fu

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Mark Gregory Pegg's history of the Middle Ages opens and closes with martyrdom, the first that of a young Roman mother in a North African amphitheater in 203 and the second a French girl burned to death beside the Seine in 1431. Both Vibia Perpetua and Jeanne la Pucelle died for their Christian beliefs, yet that for which they willingly sacrificed their lives connects and separates them. Both were divinely inspired, but one believed her deity shared the universe with other gods, and the other knew that her Creator ruled heaven and earth. Between them, across the centuries, lives were shaped by the ebb and flow of the divine and the human. Here is the story of people struggling in life and in death to understand themselves and their relationship to God. Beatrice's Last Smile interweaves vivid portraits of such individuals to offer a sweeping and immersive story. Some are of enduring renown DL Augustine, Muhammad, Charlemagne, Heloise DLand others are obscure. An Egyptian youth fighting demons in the desert as the first monk; a Briton becomes a holy man after enslavement in Ireland; an emperor in Constantinople watches as rioters torch the city; a old Syrian monk advises the English on sex; the soul of a Merovingian noble flies through the night sky to heaven; an Irish warrior surfs the waves like a dolphin as he flees the Vikings; a crusader's boots squelch with blood on the streets of Jerusalem; a troubadour sings of love; a Muslim lord expresses admiration of the Templars; a pope proclaims that Christendom encompasses all time and space; a barefoot Franciscan friar visits the Great Khan of the Mongols; a Parisian rabbi argues for the holiness of the Talmud; and a poet laments being alive amid the horror of the Black Death. Together, they take readers from the vastness of the Roman Empire to small communities between the Mediterranean and the North Sea, from the nomads of the Asian steppes to the triumphant Church of Latin Christendom. Beatrice's Last Smile offers a pulsating history of the West: the passionate belief in the old gods that yields to a cosmos shaped by one; the transition from a penitential culture to a confessional one; the universal obsession with imitating Christ. The book is named for the moment in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy when his long-dead love, Beatrice, smiles one final time at Dante in paradise before turning away to look eternally upon the face of God. Mark Gregory Pegg's epic narrative captures a millennium within that fleeting smile, in ways that modern readers will find illuminating and haunting.

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#1 New York Times BestsellerFox News Channel’s Chief Political Anchor illuminates the heroic life of Ulysses S. Grant "To Rescue the Republic is narrative history at its absolute finest. A fast-paced, thrilling and enormously important book." —Douglas BrinkleyAn epic history spanning the battlegrounds of the Civil War and the violent turmoil of Reconstruction to the forgotten electoral crisis that nearly fractured a reunited nation, Bret Baier’s To Rescue the Republic dramatically reveals Ulysses S. Grant’s essential yet underappreciated role in preserving the United States during an unprecedented period of division.Born a tanner’s son in rugged Ohio in 1822 and battle-tested by the Mexican American War, Grant met his destiny on the bloody fields of the Civil War. His daring and resolve as a general gained the attention of President Lincoln, then desperate for bold leadership. Lincoln appointed Grant as Lieutenant General of the Union Army in March 1864. Within a year, Grant’s forces had seized Richmond and forced Robert E. Lee to surrender.Four years later, the reunified nation faced another leadership void after Lincoln’s assassination and an unworthy successor completed his term. Again, Grant answered the call. At stake once more was the future of the Union, for though the Southern states had been defeated, it remained to be seen if the former Confederacy could be reintegrated into the country—and if the Union could ensure the rights and welfare of African Americans in the South. Grant met the challenge by boldly advancing an agenda of Reconstruction and aggressively countering the Ku Klux Klan. In his final weeks in the White House, however, Grant faced a crisis that threatened to undo his life’s work. The contested presidential election of 1876 produced no clear victory for either Republican Rutherford B. Hayes or Democrat Samuel Tilden, who carried most of the former Confederacy. Soon Southern states vowed to revolt if Tilden was not declared the victor. Grant was determined to use his influence to preserve the Union, establishing an electoral commission to peaceably settle the issue. Grant brokered a grand bargain: the installation of Republican Hayes to the presidency, with concessions to the Democrats that effectively ended Reconstruction. This painful compromise saved the nation, but tragically condemned the South to another century of civil-rights oppression.Deep with contemporary resonance and brimming with fresh detail that takes readers from the battlefields of the Civil War to the corridors of power where men decided the fate of the nation in back rooms, To Rescue the Republic reveals Grant, for all his complexity, to be among the first rank of American heroes.

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Embark on an adventure to see the stars with this inspiring guide that spotlights the world's best places to explore the night sky. Discover 100 spectacular sites including dark sky parks, observatories and wild mountains and experience the meditative wonder of stargazing - with essential travel tips so you can have the ultimate starry-eyed trip.See shooting stars soar through the cosmos from the Brecon Beacons in Wales; or visit the Grand Canyon National Park for its mesmerising views of the glittering night sky. Featuring an introduction to stargazing, in-depth profiles of dark sky sites, calendars of meteor showers and eclipses, and a further collection of must-visit locations to watch space phenomena, this fascinating book is perfect for those interested in astronomy, astrology, and the amazing world around us.Inside Stargazing Around the World: A Tour of the Night Sky:- A comprehensive collection of the best stargazing sites around the world offering unforgettable views and scenery- Practical information and essential travel tips on how and when to visit for the greatest night sky tours- Stunning astrophotography within the internal pages of the book- Written by Valerie Stimac, an expert author on astrotourism- Contents include an introduction to stargazing; dark sky sites around the world; observatories open to the public; where and when to see meteor showers, auroras and eclipses; and more- Key destinations featured include Mont-Mégantic (Canada); Parque Nacional Torres del Paine (Chile); McDonald Observatory (USA); NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (USA); Grand Canyon (USA); Uluru (Australia); Warrumbungle National Park (Australia); Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky National Park (New Zealand), Aotea (Great Barrier Island); Yeonyang (South Korea); Iromote-Ishigaki (Japan); Eifel National Park (Germany); Teide Observatory (Spain); Royal Observatory (UK); Northumberland International Dark Sky Park (UK); Lauwersmeer National Park (The Netherlands) and many more!Bursting with unique travel inspiration, readers will find profound and mindful stargazing expeditions within this epic guide. Whether you wish to view our galaxy's constellations from the summit of a mountain or the comfort of a cosy armchair, this beautiful book will take you there.About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet, a Red Ventures Company, is the world's number one travel guidebook brand. Providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973, Lonely Planet reaches hundreds of millions of travellers each year online and in print and helps them unlock amazing experiences. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com and join our community of followers on Facebook (facebook.com/lonelyplanet), Twitter (@lonelyplanet), Instagram (instagram.com/lonelyplanet), and TikTok (@lonelyplanet).

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Welcome to the feudal fantasy world called Perceforest! A World of High Chivalry, Wonder, Existential Menace, and Sacred Kingship Perceforest is a fictional world of high chivalry set against the forces of the primal wild. It is based on a vast epic of the same name, written in the fourteenth century by an anonymous author about the lands that would later be known as England and Scotland. The author introduces a vast array of characters: kings, knights, damsels, sorcerers, and even the occasional talking animal. The setting described in these pages is that of the Perceforest saga, modified and expanded to create a new fantasy world with all the adventure of the original work, but one without the explicit connection to Britain, Arthur, or his Knights. It is expected that one or more players will have knight characters, even if this is not their primary career. Being a knight is more than just being in charge of a horse and harness: a knight is expected to uphold the code of chivalry and act with honour and courage; caution and fore-thought are foreign concepts. Perceforest is a world rich in magic. There are evil sorcerers and enchanter-knights, damsels steeped in secret lore and witches weaving spells. The land is strewn with wonders — invisible castles, magical swords, men made of iron, and even fish on horseback! Players can have characters such as talking animals, playful badger knights, magpie heralds, or snake magicians. A hostile force looks on the civilised land with envious eyes; this force is commonly called The Forest, which is a shorthand term for the primal wild that created all living things save for mankind. The settlers brought with them the gentle culture that now permeates much of Bretaigne society, along with new laws and the rigorous policy of land clearance that robbed The Forest of its territory in order to plant crops and raise livestock. The player characters are at the forefront of defending this way of life, having been placed in charge of a village and charged with making it prosper. The fortunes of a kingdom are tied to the health and character of its king, and when one prospers so does the other. As the saga opens both of the Twin Kingdoms are ruled by ailing kings, a state of affairs that results in lawlessness and chaos. As members of the ruling elite, the player characters are expected to take up the fight against injustice and help to keep the kingdom safe until the king recovers.

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Discover, or return to, the world's greatest heroic fantasy artist, Frank Frazetta in this landmark art collection entitled, Fantastic Paintings of Frazetta. The New York Times said, "Frazetta helped define fantasy heroes like Conan, Tarzan and John Carter of Mars with signature images of strikingly fierce, hard-bodied heroes and bosomy, callipygian damsels" Frazetta took the sex and violence of the pulp fiction of his youth and added even more action, fantasy and potency, but rendered with a panache seldom seen outside of major works of Fine Art. Despite his fantastic subject matter, the quality of Frazetta’s work has not only drawn comparisons to the most brilliant of illustrators, Maxfield Parrish, Frederic Remington, Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth but, even to the most brilliant of fine artists including Rembrandt and Michelangelo and, major Frazetta works sell for millions of dollars, breaking numerous records. This innovator’s work has not only inspired generations of artists, but also movies and directors including the Conan films, John Carter of Mars, the sensationally successful Lord of the Rings trilogy, Robert Rodriguez’ films including From Dusk Till Dawn, Ralph Bakshi films, the epic, award-winning Game of Thrones series, Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow, Disney’s animated Tarzan films, Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now and George Lucas’ Star Wars series. The Forbes magazine article Schwarzenegger's Sargent led with the line, "Which artist helped make Arnold governor? Frank Frazetta, the Rembrandt of barbarians." J. David Spurlock started crafting this book by reviving the original million-selling 1970s mass market art book, Fantastic Art of Frank Frazetta. But, he expanded and revised to include twice as many images and, presents them at a much larger coffee-table book size of 10.5 x 14.625”! The collection is brimming with both classic and previously unpublished works of the subjects Frazetta is best remembered for including barbarians, beasts, and buxom beauties. Game of Thrones creator George R. R. Martin said, “Though he bears only a passing resemblance to the Cimmerian as Robert E. Howard described him, Frazetta’s covers of the Conan paperback collections became the definitive picture of the character… still is.” Schwarzenegger said, “I have not been intimidated that often in my life. But when I looked at Frazetta’s paintings, I tell you, it was intimidating.” Game of Thrones, Conan and Aquaman film star Jason Momoa said, “I am a huge Frank Frazetta fan. Both of my parents are painters, so I'd known Frazetta's paintings, that's what I wanted to bring to life.” See the revolutionary art that helped inspire Schwarzenegger, Momoa, the Lord of the Rings films and Game of Thrones: FRAZETTA!

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‘Melvyn not only makes you think … he makes it enjoyable too. He’s brilliant.’ – John Humphrys, the Today Programme. ‘In a troubled world where many sneer at experts, In Our Time is always a treat. Those who know what they're talking about, talk about it, and they do it under the benevolent if occasionally testy guidance of one who knows how to bring out the best in them. Listen, read, mark, and inwardly digest; agreeable glass of accompanying refreshment optional.’ - Sir Diarmaid MacCulloch 'This beautifully produced and expertly edited book is a wonderfully rich and varied sample of 50 In Our Time programmes, from ancient Greek philosophy to dark matter via the gin craze. It will whet your appetite to visit or revisit the many hundreds of other programmes in this remarkable series.' - Professor Angela Hobbs 'Bragg gives short shrift to pretension of any kind, while remaining stalwart in his search for knowledge. His methodology in In Our Time is... not unlike that of a man throwing a stick at a dog: he chucks his questions ahead, and if the chosen academic fails to bring it right back, he chides them. He retains enough of his bluff Cumbrian origins not to be taken in by gambolling and tweedy high spirits.' - Will Self, from a February 2010 issue of London Review of Books In Our Time has been the cornerstone of broadcasting every Thursday morning on BBC Radio 4 for the past twenty years, with over 800 episodes since its launch in October 1998. Presented by one of Britain’s greatest champions of the arts, Melvyn Bragg, the show explores ideas across history, religion, philosophy, science and culture. With a vast array of contributors from the world of academia, such as Mary Beard, Angie Hobbs and Diarmaid MacCulloch, it is one of Radio 4’s most successful programmes, attracting a weekly live audience exceeding 2 million listeners, and, per episode, it is one of the world’s most downloaded podcasts. To honour this major anniversary of BBC broadcasting, this beautifully illustrated book provides a lively and colourful guide to fifty of the most captivating discussions from the past two decades of In Our Time, as chosen by Melvyn and the producer Simon Tillotson, and, influenced by listeners who have recommended their favourite programmes from those years. Highlights include ‘Romulus and Remus’, ‘The Death of Elizabeth I’, ‘Ada Lovelace’, ‘The Gin Craze’, the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’ and ‘The Salem Witch Trials’, and there are additional behind-the-scenes insights, peppered with Melvyn Bragg’s remarks both on and off air. This is a captivating gift for all fans and a celebration of this iconic series.

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See the Grishaverse come to life on screen with the Netflix series, Shadow and Bone -- Season 2 premiering March 16, 2023! Discover what comes next for the daring rogue Nikolai in the riveting sequel to King of Scars.The wolves are circling and a young king will face his greatest challenge in the explosive finale of the instant No.1 New York Times-bestselling King of Scars Duology.The Demon King. As Fjerda's massive army prepares to invade, Nikolai Lantsov will summon every bit of his ingenuity and charm - and even the monster within - to win this fight. But a dark threat looms that cannot be defeated by a young king's gift for the impossible. The Stormwitch. Zoya Nazyalensky has lost too much to war. She saw her mentor die and her worst enemy resurrected, and she refuses to bury another friend. Now duty demands she embrace her powers to become the weapon her country needs. No matter the cost.The Queen of Mourning. Deep undercover, Nina Zenik risks discovery and death as she wages war on Fjerda from inside its capital. But her desire for revenge may cost her country its chance at freedom and Nina the chance to heal her grieving heart.King. General. Spy. Together they must find a way to forge a future in the darkness. Or watch a nation fall.Read all the books in the Grishaverse!The Shadow and Bone Trilogy(previously published as The Grisha Trilogy)Shadow and BoneSiege and StormRuin and RisingThe Six of Crows DuologySix of CrowsCrooked KingdomThe King of Scars DuologyKing of ScarsRule of WolvesThe Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous MagicThe Severed Moon: A Year-Long Journal of MagicThe Lives of SaintsPraise for the Grishaverse "A master of fantasy." -The Huffington Post "Utterly, extremely bewitching." -The Guardian "The best magic universe since Harry Potter." -Bustle "This is what fantasy is for." -The New York Times Book Review "[A] world that feels real enough to have its own passport stamp." -NPR "The darker it gets for the good guys, the better." -Entertainment Weekly "Sultry, sweeping and picturesque. . . . Impossible to put down." -USA Today "There's a level of emotional and historical sophistication within Bardugo's original epic fantasy that sets it apart." -Vanity Fair "Unlike anything I've ever read." -Veronica Roth, bestselling author of Divergent "Bardugo crafts a first-rate adventure, a poignant romance, and an intriguing mystery!" -Rick Riordan, bestselling author of the Percy Jackson series

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'I couldn't put this book down. Malcolm inspired us to make art out of our boredom and anger. He set us free' Bobby Gillespie, Primal ScreamIncluded in the Guardian 10 best music biographies'Excellent . . . With this book, Gorman convincingly moves away from the ossified image of McLaren as a great rock'n'roll swindler, a morally bankrupt punk Mephistopheles, and closer towards his art-school roots, his love of ideas. Tiresome, unpleasant, even cruel - he was, this book underlines, never boring' Sunday Times'Exhaustive . . . compelling' Observer'Definitive . . . epic' The Times'Gobsmacker of a biography' Telegraph'This masterful and painstaking biography opens its doorway to an era of fluorescent disenchantment and outlandish possibility' Alan MooreMalcolm McLaren was one of the most culturally significant but misunderstood figures of the modern era. Ten years after his life was cruelly cut short by cancer, The Life & Times of Malcolm McLaren sheds fascinating new light on the public achievements and private life of this cultural iconoclast and architect of punk, whose championing of street culture movements including hip-hop and Voguing reverberates to this day. With exclusive contributions from friends and intimates and access to private papers and family documents, this biography uncovers the true story behind this complicated figure.McLaren first achieved public prominence as a rebellious art student by making the news in 1966 after being arrested for burning the US flag in front of the American Embassy in London. He maintained this incendiary reputation by fast-tracking vanguard and left-field ideas to the centre of the media glare, via his creation and stewardship of the Sex Pistols and work with Adam Ant, Boy George and Bow Wow Wow. Meanwhile McLaren's ground-breaking design partnership with Vivienne Westwood and his creation of their visionary series of boutiques in the 1970s and early '80s sent shockwaves through the fashion industry.The Life & Times of Malcolm McLaren also essays McLaren's exasperating Hollywood years when he broke bread with the likes of Steven Spielberg though his slate of projects, which included the controversial Heavy Metal Surf Nazis and Wilde West, in which Oscar Wilde introduced rock'n'roll to the American mid-west in the 1880s, proved too rich for the play-it-safe film business.With a preface by Alan Moore, who collaborated with McLaren on the unrealised film project Fashion Beast, and an essay by Lou Stoppard casting a twenty-first-century perspective over his achievements, The Life & Times Of Malcolm McLaren is the explosive and definitive account of the man dubbed by Melvyn Bragg 'the Diaghilev of punk'.

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The mind-blowing murder mystery debut with magical passengers, epic adventure, and a twist you can’t guess.If Agatha Christie wrote fantasy, this would be it!----------"Agatha Christie with glitter magic.' I’m totally here for it. I hoovered up White’s chunky novel in a day. Both funny and flirty as it deals with issues of class, snobbery and sexuality amongst all the magic and murder. The result is hugely entertaining' Herald-----------For a thousand years, Concordia has maintained peace between its provinces. To mark this incredible feat, the emperor's ship embarks upon a twelve-day voyage to the sacred Goddess's Mountain.Aboard are the twelve heirs of the provinces of Concordia, each graced with a unique and secret magical ability known as a Blessing.All except one: Ganymedes Piscero – class clown, slacker, and all-round disappointment.When a beloved heir is murdered, everyone is a suspect. Stuck at sea and surrounded by powerful people and without a Blessing to protect him , Ganymedes's odds of survival are slim.But as the bodies pile higher, Ganymedes must become the hero he was not born to be. Can he unmask the killer and their secret blessing before this bloody crusade reaches the shores of Concordia?Or will the empire as he knows it fall forever?----------------------------Praise for Voyage of the Damned:'Frances White has crafted a brilliantly clever tale full of heart-warming characters, riveting twists and a gloriously conceived world. A poignant, quirky and utterly delightful read. I felt EVERYTHING while reading Voyage of the Damned' Bea Fitzgerald, bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen'Burned through this in about two days. Absolutely bloody brilliant! Voyage of the Damned is clever and comedic, while also heartfelt and harrowing. I hope readers will come to enjoy Dee's escapades as much as I did' - Sunyi Dean, author of The Book Eaters'An enchanting, bloody delight. Full of magic, laugh-out-loud humor, and so much murder' - Gabi Burton, author of Sing Me To Sleep----------------------------Readers can't stop raving about this book and its chaotic protagonist, Dee . . .Dee Fan Club Testimonials:‘He’d spit in the face of authority and unapologetically flirt with anything that moves’ Reader review‘Ganymedes Piscero, AKA Dee, is my favorite sort of disaster child’ Reader review'He's chubby, anxious, imperfect and 100% relatable—the kind of hero the world could use more of.' Reader review'I would protect him with my life.' Reader review'Ganymedes is an absolute riot. He's hilarious, chaotic, and a total queer underdog that you can't help but root for.' Reader review

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Whether you want to hike the soaring peaks of Torres del Paine, soak in the hot springs of Pucón or lose yourself in Santiago's fine arts museums, your DK Eyewitness travel guide makes sure you experience all that Chile and Easter Island has to offer.Framed by the Atacama Desert, the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, Chile is blessed with wonderful scenery at every turn. And it's not just a feast for the eyes: the country's dramatic landscape is a playground for epic climbs, electrifying surfs and thrilling white-water rafting. Simpler pleasures are also offered in abundance - think world-class wine-tasting, stargazing in the desert and fascinating ancient sites.Our updated 2022 travel guide brings Chile and Easter Island to life, transporting you there like no other travel guide does with expert-led insights, trusted travel advice, detailed breakdowns of all the must-see sights, photographs on practically every page, and our hand-drawn illustrations which place you inside the country's iconic buildings and neighbourhoods. DK Eyewitness Chile and Easter Island is your ticket to the trip of a lifetime. Inside DK Eyewitness Chile and Easter Island you will find: - A fully-illustrated top experiences guide: our expert pick of Chile and Easter Island's must-sees and hidden gems- Accessible itineraries to make the most out of each and every day- Expert advice: honest recommendations for getting around safely, when to visit each sight, what to do before you visit, and how to save time and money- Colour-coded chapters to every part of Chile and Easter Island, from Santiago to Central Valley, Northern Patagonia to Tierra del Fuego- Practical tips: the best places to eat, drink, shop and stay- Detailed maps and walks to help you navigate the region country easily and confidently - Covers: Santiago, Central Valley, Norte Grande and Norte Chico, Lake District and ChiloéNorthern Patagonia, Southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, Easter Island and Robinson Crusoe IslandAbout DK Eyewitness: At DK Eyewitness, we believe in the power of discovery. We make it easy for you to explore your dream destinations. DK Eyewitness travel guides have been helping travellers to make the most of their breaks since 1993. Filled with expert advice, striking photography and detailed illustrations, our highly visual DK Eyewitness guides will get you closer to your next adventure. We publish guides to more than 200 destinations, from pocket-sized city guides to comprehensive country guides. Named Top Guidebook Series at the 2020 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards, we know that wherever you go next, your DK Eyewitness travel guides are the perfect companion.

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“Thompson-Hernández's portrayal of Compton's black cowboys broadens our perception of Compton's young black residents, and connects the Compton Cowboys to the historical legacy of African Americans in the west. An eye-opening, moving book.”— Margot Lee Shetterly, New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures“Walter Thompson-Hernández has written a book for the ages: a profound and moving account of what it means to be black in America that is awe inspiring in its truth-telling and limitless in its empathy. Here is an American epic of black survival and creativity, of terrible misfortune and everyday resilience, of grace, redemption and, yes, cowboys.”— Junot Díaz, Pulitzer prize-winning author of This is How You Lose HerA 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.The Compton Cowboys is illustrated with 10-15 photographs.

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A GRAZIA BOOK CLUB PICK, Ghost Girl, Banana is a powerful debut novel about the family secrets unearthed by a surprise inheritance. Set between Hong Kong in the 1960s and London in the 1990s, and revealing the hidden life of a mother to her daughter, it asks questions of identity, race and belonging.'A real nail-biter ... so winningly chronicled by Wharton' NEW YORK TIMES'Ambitious ... readers won't be disappointed as Wharton ultimately resolves many mysteries in the book' GUARDIAN'An astounding debut ... written with emotion and astuteness, this deserves to be on book prize lists' PRIMA1966: Sook-Yin is exiled from Kowloon to London with orders to restore honour to her family. As she strives to fit into a world that does not understand her, she realizes that survival will mean carving out a destiny of her own.1997: Sook-Yin's daughter Lily can barely remember the mother she lost as a small child. But when she is unexpectedly named in the will of a powerful Chinese stranger, she embarks on a secret pilgrimage to Hong Kong to discover the lost side of her identity and claim the reward. But she soon learns that the secrecy around her heritage has deep roots, and good fortune comes at a price.'Genuine and joyously written' Platinum'Brilliant' Hello!'A gripping and evocative tale of family secrets, courage, adversity and love. Sook-Yin and Lily's stories are beautifully told and truly unforgettable . . . such accomplished storytelling and gorgeous prose. Brilliant' Emma Stonex'An absolute wrecking ball of a novel. Ghost Girl, Banana is an enchanting, suspenseful journey through family, distance, money and betrayal. I loved it so much' Erin Kelly'A story of family, love, redemption and belonging, told with such heart and empathy. Essential and utterly unforgettable' Fíona Scarlett'Ghost Girl, Banana is an epic yet deeply intimate novel. I could feel the vibration of these women existing in the wider world; their stories are so skilfully shot through with the hum of change' Kate Sawyer, author of Costa prize-shortlisted The Stranding'An intriguing, beautifully written study of the stories we inherit. I loved being in Lily and Sook-Yin's heads, my heart breaking for them . . . I loved it!' Nikki May'Sparkling prose and a page-turning plot combined with wonderful storytelling . . . An absolutely dazzling debut' Julie Owen Moylan'From the first pages, I was drawn into the worlds of Lily and Sook-Yin and the stories that bind them together across the years. Wiz is a master storyteller, weaving Lily and Sook-Yin's stories of belonging together with elegance and wit' Ronali Collings'Fresh, funny, infuriating, heartbreaking - Ghost Girl, Banana is sure to be a massive hit. I adored it' Emily Koch'Captivating characters and lucid prose' Melissa Fu

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The third installment in the best-selling series that kicked off with The Mythology Class, which Publishers Weekly called "a must-read" and a "genre-defining classic of Filipino comics."It's open season on the Mythology Class as an army of the undead hunts them down!The next chapter in the Mythology Class saga, this pulse-pounding epic plays out in the porous border between worlds. The Mythology Class has been placed in desperate situations before, but a new influx of evil must be driven back. Will the former classmates return to their former glory and summon the strength that once united their team?The Mythology class friends thought they were safe from the Dark Anitos, but now the evil Budniaan has arrived in their world with his army of zombie warriors and demented engkantos demons, and their lives are once again at stake.With Rey and Misha on the other side of the globe and the group at odds over what to do, the one course they can all agree on is the inevitable one—reunite and combine their strengths to thwart Budiaan's threat. Revisiting a scene of their past triumphs, the group uncovers an ancient artifact. Will it lead them to the safety of the Skyworld, the spirit realm?Will this group of intrepid adventurers be able to summon the spirit of resistance that once defined them? As the most powerfully evil force they've ever faced reaches their borders, they're not really given a choice!This book can stand on its own, though it is part of an ongoing series. A recap at the beginning helps refresh the memories of readers, and for those new to the series, provides the background of the story.**Praise for the Mythology Class series by Arnold Arre**"In this genre-defining classic of Filipino comics from Arre (Halina Filipina), released in 1999 to become the first graphic novel to win the Philippine National Book Award, and now in its first U.S. edition […] this exciting and satisfying adventure, firmly rooted in Filipino culture, is a must-read for its influence." —Publishers Weekly"A modern Filipino literary classic." —Leinil Francis Yu, Marvel Avengers Artist"This is one of those books that helped shape a nation's graphic novels, and should be read with that in mind […] The Mythology Class, a compilation of four shorter books that form a complete story, is a quirky work about the past, present and future all blending together, as a group of wizards and heroes travel forward through time to combat a series of problems in each age they visit. […] While readable by teens, this one may attract adult readers more, and at least the bulk of the characters are probably in their 20s." —ICv2.com

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'This is definitely up there as one of the best books that I have read. It's got a special place in my heart. Just amazing!' 5* reader review'Gorgeous! Exuberant writing, convincing, adorable characters, romance and a little whimsy' TRACY REESLove will always find a way . . . Discover the intriguing secrets of Hawthorn Place in this heartfelt dual-time novel, filled with warmth and charm, perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley and Cecelia Ahern.'An intriguing dual timeline tale that weaves together interesting characters and history, with an added touch of magic' BELLA OSBORNE'An exquisitely detailed and enchanting love story' HEIDI SWAIN'An epic love story, mixed with gorgeous settings, a great deal of mystery and intrigue, lots of laughs, a few tears and fabulous characters, made this an absolute delight to read' KIM NASH'An absolutely wonderful dual time story that captivated me . . . and kept me spellbound' CHRISTINA COURTENAY'A beautifully intriguing love story, that . . . stays with you long after the last page' ROSIE HENDRY'Unforgettable and unique, the twists and turns of this enchanting book are woven together with threads of love and magic. I loved it!' CLARE MARCHANT........................................................................Two houses, hundreds of miles apart . . . yet connected always.When life throws Molly Butterfield a curveball, she decides to spend some time with her recently widowed granddad, Wally, at Hawthorn Place, his quirky Victorian house on the Dorset coast. But cosseted Molly struggles to look after herself, never mind her grieving granddad, until the accidental discovery of an identical Arts and Crafts house on the Norfolk coast offers her an unexpected purpose, as well as revealing a bewildering mystery. Discovering that both Hawthorn Place and Acacia House were designed by architect Percy Gladwell, Molly uncovers the secret of a love which linked them, so powerful it defied reason. What follows is a summer which will change Molly for ever . . .........................................................................'One of those wonderful, magical stories that appear rarely and stay in your heart forever' CELIA ANDERSON'A marvellous dual-time novel filled with mystery, fabulous detail and an enduring love story' MADDIE PLEASE'A wonderful, page-turning story full of intrigue and romance' VICTORIA CONNELLY'I found the book enchanting' SUZANNE SNOW'An enchanting storyline and engaging characters make this book a delight to read' LYNNE SHELBY'A beautifully written timeslip . . . Highly recommended. Five stars' ERIN GREEN'The perfect mix of mystery, magic, and romance' KATE G. SMITHReaders are captivated by The Secrets of Hawthorn Place:'A sweeping five stars from me for this novel that defies time but trusts in love''A sheer delight to read and can highly recommend''Utterly brilliant. The storyline is riveting, you never quite know what could be about to happen as it's constantly twisting and turning . . . such a beautiful book'

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Lonely Planet's Experience Tasmania travel guide reveals exciting new ways to explore this iconic destination with one-of-a-kind adventures at every turn. Spin past the world's only drive-through oyster window, sip wine in the Tamar Valley, surf epic waves on King Island - using our local experts and planning tools to create your own unique trip.Inside Lonely Planet's Experience Tasmania:- Local experts share their love for the real Tasmania, offering fresh perspectives into the region's traditions, values and modern trends to make your travel experience even more meaningful- In the know tips to help you build on your experiences when visiting well-known sights and landmarks- Fun insights that will pique your curiosity and take you to the heart of the place - Learn about the palawa people and enjoy local bush tucker on the Indigenous-led wukalina Walk; scout Tasmania's eccentric underground art scene at the MONA, which aims to shock; chase waterfalls and find peace along Mt Wellington's walking trails- Insider scoop on the best festivals, secret hangouts, hidden locations, tantalising local food scene and photo-worthy views- Handy seasonal trip planner to guide you on where to go, when to travel and what to pack- Practical information on money, getting around, unique and local ways to stay, and responsible travel- Comprehensive selection of maps throughout and beautiful full-colour photography to inspire you as you plan your unforgettable journey- Covers Hobart & Around, Turrakana/Tasman Peninsula & the Southeast, Central Highlands & Midlands, East Coast, Launceston & Around, Northwest & West CoastLonely Planet's Experience Tasmania is an essential travel guide for all explorers looking to immerse themselves in the region's culture. Each book within the Experience series contains handy trip building tools so that you can take your pick of the must-see attractions and activities as suggested by our local experts – and create your own dream travel itinerary to get away from the everyday. Unlock even more travel secrets using the QR codes throughout each guide and discover story-worthy travel moments that you'll never forget.About Lonely Planet:Lonely Planet, a Red Ventures Company, is the world's number one travel guidebook brand. Providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973, Lonely Planet reaches hundreds of millions of travellers each year online and in print and helps them unlock amazing experiences. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com and join our community of followers on Facebook (facebook.com/lonelyplanet), Twitter (@lonelyplanet), Instagram (instagram.com/lonelyplanet), and TikTok (@lonelyplanet)."...these new Experience guides from Lonely Planet are irresistibly attractive." - The Washington Post Book Club'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' – Fairfax Media (Australia)

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___________________________________________________________________________________"Brilliantly wrought... Wonderful... Catling's expertise, imagination and linguistic flair are well matched by his wit and enthusiasm. Hollow is never less than tremendous fun... Catling is a great and wild talent... a raucous novel that thrills and unsettles in equal measure." - TLS"Prose that's sprinkled with neologisms and archaisms, and as crunchy and bitter-cold as snow... it's a nigh unclassifiable work, and all the better for that." - Financial Times"As with all the best fiction, there is a terrifying inevitability about Hollow ... Let it devour you."Iain Sinclair, author of Ghost Milk"Unsettling and delightful... very clever fun...a sheer, shuddering delight... both frightening and hilarious. Catling is a rare kind of writer.'"Scotland on Sunday____________________________________________________________________________From the author of the Vorrh Trilogy comes an epic odyssey following a group of mercenaries hired to deliver a church's ultimate power-a sacred oracle-as the decadence of carnival gives way to the gravity of lent and the mystic landscape grows ravenous - all set within a Bosch painting.The history of art contains no more imaginative or mysterious paintings that the landscapes of Hieronymus Bosch. Art historians ask where the weird creatures depicted there came from, and so too do the central characters of Hollow as they fight their way across these landscapes and encounter these creatures. Author B Catling is the first novelist to engage fully with Bosch's vision and climb imaginatively into it.In this novel it emerges that Bosch gave colour and form to monsters, 'letting them in' to the real world, and that they were still infesting the landscape when it was painted by Bosch's follower Pieter Bruegel. Now a wild bunch of mercenaries with a mission to deliver an oracle made of cloth, bones and a loud voice take a dangerous journey to the monastery at the base of the Tower of Babel, where the most terrifying secret in the world is kept. As they travel through a country painted first by Bosch and then by Bruegel, they are confronted and seduced by monsters and see scenes painted by them. These include the devil playing dice, a lewd mock wedding with a dirty bride, an unholy being living inside a hollow tree and riding a giant rat, and creatures indulging in inter-species sexual play as depicted in The Garden of Earthly Delights. A local marauding woman called Mad Meg with a small army of looting women from Breugel's Dull Gret is one of this novel's stranger characters. Perhaps it is because B. Catling is himself an artist that he has been able to create a modern narrative masterpiece which brings the painterly genius of Bosch and Breugel alive on the page.

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The Times Book of the YearBBC History Magazine Book of the YearDaily Telegraph Book of the Year BOOK OF THE WEEK - The Times ‘The strength of this book lies in the cold realities it delivers. “The thirteen months of 1947-48,” writes Fenby, “provide trenchant examples of how realpolitik can serve a wider purpose if those in power know how to use it.” Crucible captures perfectly the urgency of the time…Read this book for the light it shines on a turbulent time; cherish it for the lessons it provides’ - Gerard DeGroot 'Looking back 70 years Jonathan Fenby argues convincingly that the period from 1947 to 1948 “really did change the world”. His book is an assured gallop across the terrain of contemporary history in this fateful year. The global devastation of the second world war had smashed longstanding institutions and bankrupted empires, leaving behind the kind of power vacuums that were major openings for change and chaos. Crucible swings from one region to the next in a fast-moving account of how local actors filled those vacuums, often with violence.’Mary Sarote, Financial TimesOne year shaped the world we know today. This is the page-turning story of the pivotal changes which were forged in the space of thirteen months of 1947-48 Two years after the end of the second conflict to engulf the world in twenty years, and the defeat of the Axis forces of Germany, Italy and Japan, this momentous time saw the unrolling of the Cold War between Joseph Stalin's Soviet Russia and the Western powers under the untried leadership of Harry Truman as America came to play a global role for the first time.The British Empire began its demise with the birth of the Indian and Pakistan republics with the flight of millions and wholesale slaughter as Vietnam, Indonesia and other colonies around the globe vied for freedom. 1948 also marked the creation of the state of Israel, the refugee flight of Palestinians and the first Arab-Israeli war as well as the victories of Communist armies that led to their final triumph in China, the coming of apartheid to South Africa, the division of Korea, major technological change and the rolling out of the welfare state against a backdrop of events that ensured the global order would never be the same again. This dynamic narrative spans the planet with overlapping epic episodes featuring such historic figures as Truman and Marshall, Stalin and Molotov, Attlee and Bevin, De Gaulle and Adenauer, Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek, Nehru and Jinnah, Ben Gurion and the Arab leaders. Between them, they forged the path to our modern world.

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The dramatic and action-packed story of the last mysterious place on earth—the world’s seafloor—and the deep-sea divers, ocean mappers, marine biologists, entrepreneurs, and adventurers involved in the historic push to chart it, as well as the opportunities, challenges, and perils this exploration holds now and for the future.Five oceans—the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Indian, the Arctic, and the Southern—cover approximately 70 percent of the earth. Yet we know little about what lies beneath them. By the early 2020s, less than twenty-five percent of the ocean’s floor has been charted, most close to shorelines, and over three quarters of the ocean lies in in what is called the Deep Sea, depths below a thousand meters. Now, the race is on to completely map the ocean’s floor by 2030—an epic project involving scientists, investors, militaries, and private explorers who are cooperating and competing to get an accurate reading of this vast terrain and understand its contours and environment. In The Deepest Map, Laura Trethewey documents this race to the bottom, following global efforts around the world, from crowdsourcing to advances in technology, recent scientific discoveries to tales of dangerous dives in untested and costly submersibles. The lure of ocean exploration has attracted many, including the likes of James Cameron, Richard Branson, Ray Dalio, and Eric Schmidt. The Deepest Map follows a cast of intriguing characters, from early mappers such as Marie Tharp, a woman working in the male-dominated fields of oceanography and geology whose discoveries have added significantly to our knowledge; Victor Vescovo, a man obsessed with reaching the deepest depths of each of the five oceans, and his young, brilliant, and fearless mapper Cassie Bongiovanni; and the diverse entrepreneurs looking to explore and exploit this uncharted territory and its resources.In The Deepest Map, ocean discovery converges with humanity's origin story; in mapping the ocean floor, scientists are actively tracing our roots back to the most inhospitable places on earth where life began—and flourished. But for every conservationist looking to protect the seafloor, there are others who see its commercial potential. Will a new map exacerbate pollution and the degradation of this natural resource? How will the race remake political power structures in years to come? Trethewey probes these questions as countries and conglomerates wrestle over the riches that may lie at the bottom of the sea.The future of humanity depends on our ability to protect this vast, precious, and often ignored resource. A true tale of science, nature, technology, and an extreme outdoor adventure The Deepest Map illuminates why we love—and fear—the earth’s final frontier and is a crucial addition to the increasingly urgent conversation about climate change.

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Ashok Vidal was once a member of the highest caste in all of Lok. As a Protector, he devoted his life to upholding the Law, rooting out those who still practiced the old ways and delivering swift justice with his ancestor blade Angruvadal. None was more merciless than he in stamping out the lingering belief in gods and demons among the casteless. His brutality was legendary and celebrated. But soon Ashok learned that his life to that point had been a lie. He himself, senior member of the Protector Order, was casteless. He had been nothing more than an unwitting pawn in a political game. His world turned upside down and finding himself on the wrong side of the Law, he began a campaign of rebellion, war, and destruction unlike any Lok had ever seen. Thera had been first daughter of Vane. A member of the Warrior Order, she had spent her life training for combat. Until a strange sight in the heavens appeared one day. Thera was struck by lighting and from that day forward she heard the Voice. A reluctant prophet with the power to see into the future, she fought alongside Ashok Vadal and his company of men known as the Sons of the Black Sword until a shapeshifting wizard with designs on her powers of precognition spirited her away. He holds her prisoner in the House of Assassins. Ashok Vadal and the Sons of the Black Sword march to rescue Thera. With his sword Angruvadal, Ashok was unstoppable. But Angruvadal is gone, shattered to pieces on the demon possessed husk of a warrior. Now, Ashok must fight without the aid of the magic blade for the first time. Thera’s life depends on it. But there is much more at risk in the continent of Lok. Strange forces are working behind the scenes. Ashok Vadal and the Sons of the Black Sword are caught up in a game they do not fully understand, with powerful forces allied against them. Ashok no longer knows what to believe. He is beginning to think perhaps the gods really do exist. If so, he’s warned them to stay out of his way. They would do well to listen. About prequel Son of the Black Sword: "This book has everything I like in fantasy: intense action scenes, evil in horrifying array, good struggling against the darkness, and most of all people—gorgeously flawed human beings faced with horrible moral choices that force them to question and change and grow."—Jim Butcher, creator of the New York Times best-selling Dresden Files "Best-selling fantasy author Correia casts a compelling spell with this India-influenced series opener. . . . Correia skillfully sets in motion this story of plots within plots, revealing complex, sympathetic characters and black-hearted villains with equal detail and insight. Full of action, intrigue, and wry humor, this exciting series launch promises many more thrills to come."—Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Fans who like Correia’s fast-moving style will be pleased with the plethora of action scenes, and epic fantasy readers interested in delving into a new universe should be equally satisfied. A solid choice for admirers of Brent Weeks and Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series."—Library Journal "Correia is, above all, a storyteller, and he weaves a unique and entertaining tale.Without question, his action sequences pop on the page, his magic system has a nice wrinkle, and he has the foundations laid out for some excellent character growth as the series continues. . . . [A] definite hit."—Bookreporter "The lore here is fascinating and well told. I enjoyed learning the history of the world and the legend of Ramrowan. The politics are just complicated enough to feel real without being too difficult to follow. Where the book truly shines, however, is in the characters. All are well drawn and distinctively voiced."—SFCrowsnest “I loved the book, it was great, fast paced, with wonderful characters, and also a lot of wonderful scenes that screamed to be painted.”—Larry Elmore, legendary, award-winning artist, and cover artist for Son of the Black Sword. "Son of the Black Sword: Saga of the Forgotten Warrior tells of what happens after the war with the gods, when demons were cast out and fell to the world to nearly destroy these unstoppable beasts until the gods sent a hero to save them. Centuries have passed since this event and the people have regulated these events to legend. One Ashok has been chosen to be a protector with a powerful weapon in hand, uncovering those who still practice old ways and are potential dangers to the order - but when he discovers all his efforts have been based on a lie, everything's about to change. A powerful epic fantasy evolves into a solid, compelling read."—Midwest Book Reivew About the Urban Fantasy of Larry Correia: “[A] no-holds-barred all-out page turner that is part science fiction, part horror, and an absolute blast to read.”—Bookreporter.com “If you love monsters and action, you’ll love this book. If you love guns, you’ll love this book. If you love fantasy, and especially horror fantasy, you’ll love this book.”—Knotclan.com “A gun person who likes science fiction—or, heck, anyone who likes science fiction—will enjoy [these books]. . . The plotting is excellent, and Correia makes you care about the characters…I read both books without putting them down except for work . . . so whaddaya waitin’ for? Go and buy some . . . for yourself and for stocking stuffers.”—Massad Ayoob “This lighthearted, testosterone-soaked sequel to 2009's Monster Hunter International will delight fans of action horror with elaborate weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, disgusting monsters, and an endless stream of blood and body parts.”—Publishers Weekly on Monster Hunter Vendetta

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“Owen Pataki’s second novel emerges from the rubble of the French Revolution into the legendary conquests of Napoleon. Readers will love the richly drawn characters and evocative settings in this story that pits the values of humanity against those lusting after power and greed.” —Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of Gates of FireThe year is 1806, and a new French Empire is rising from the shadow of the Reign of Terror. The citizens who shouted “Death to Kings” now chant “Vive l’Empereur!” for Napoleon, who is seeking to consolidate his power. While the peace and prosperity he promised is decadently enjoyed in Paris, fear spreads across Europe, and a new coalition has united against him. In Poland, Andre Valiere’s efforts to serve out his conscription and return home to his family are complicated when he finds himself lured into a plot to seize a hidden fortune. Containing enough riches to bestow glory and wealth upon whoever delivers it to Napoleon, this elusive cache soon draws other, more powerful forces, wishing to claim it. In Normandy, Sophie Valiere strives to manage the family estate in Andre’s absence, but her efforts are imperiled by an influx of refugees and their growing friction with the local farmers. Amidst the infighting that threatens to unleash chaos on the entire province, she is visited by an intriguing Count returning from exile. It isn’t long before this mysterious nobleman has his sights on a new prize. In Paris, retired republican lawyer and former revolutionary, Jean-luc St. Clair, finds himself returning to politics. As his fortunes grow so does his list of enemies, and the opulent streets prove just as dangerous as Napoleon’s battlefields. Inspired by the mysterious origins of the famed Rothschild’s fortune, the bloody battles of the Napoleonic wars, the notorious gangs of nineteenth century Naples, and the real-life mistress who charmed Napoleon into granting Poland a nation-state, Searchers in Winter sets a cast of unforgettable characters—against epic historical events—into thrilling motion from the opening pages. “Armchair time travelers who’ve wondered what it’s like to be embedded in Napoleon's Grande Armée will devour Owen Pataki’s Searchers in Winter.” —Juliet Grey: Author of the Marie Antoinette trilogy “From the very first page of Searchers in Winter, you know you're in the hands of a master storyteller. Owen Pataki brings Napoleon's era to such vivid life you will think you spent time with the people themselves. An utterly absorbing and completely fantastic read!” —Michelle Moran, international bestselling author of Madame Tussaud “Pataki’s keen attention to historical detail and devotion to his subject matter bring readers directly into the heart and grit of the Napoleonic wars. Searchers in Winter boldly plants two feet in the past and never flinches.” —Sarah McCoy, New York Times and international bestselling author of The Baker’s Daughter

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The Western Front evokes images of mud-spattered men in waterlogged trenches, shielded from artillery blasts and machine-gun fire by a few feet of dirt. This iconic setting was the most critical arena of the Great War, a 400-mile combat zone stretching from Belgium to Switzerland where more than three million Allied and German soldiers struggled during four years of almost continuous combat. It has persisted in our collective memory as a tragic waste of human life and a symbol of the horrors of industrialized warfare. In this epic narrative history, the first volume in a groundbreaking trilogy on the Great War, acclaimed military historian Nick Lloyd captures the horrific fighting on the Western Front beginning with the surprise German invasion of Belgium in August 1914 and taking us to the Armistice of November 1918. Drawing on French, British, German, and American sources, Lloyd weaves a kaleidoscopic chronicle of the Marne, Passchendaele, the Meuse-Argonne, and other critical battles, which reverberated across Europe and the wider war. From the trenches where men as young as 17 suffered and died, to the headquarters behind the lines where Generals Haig, Joffre, Hindenburg, and Pershing developed their plans for battle, Lloyd gives us a view of the war both intimate and strategic, putting us amid the mud and smoke while at the same time depicting the larger stakes of every encounter. He shows us a dejected Kaiser Wilhelm II—soon to be eclipsed in power by his own generals—lamenting the botched Schlieffen Plan; French soldiers piling atop one another in the trenches of Verdun; British infantryman wandering through the frozen wilderness in the days after the Battle of the Somme; and General Erich Ludendorff pursuing a ruthless policy of total war, leading an eleventh-hour attack on Reims even as his men succumbed to the Spanish Flu. As Lloyd reveals, far from a site of attrition and stalemate, the Western Front was a simmering, dynamic “cauldron of war” defined by extraordinary scientific and tactical innovation. It was on the Western Front that the modern technologies—machine guns, mortars, grenades, and howitzers—were refined and developed into effective killing machines. It was on the Western Front that chemical warfare, in the form of poison gas, was first unleashed. And it was on the Western Front that tanks and aircraft were introduced, causing a dramatic shift away from nineteenth-century bayonet tactics toward modern combined arms, reinforced by heavy artillery, that forever changed the face of war. Brimming with vivid detail and insight, The Western Front is a work in the tradition of Barbara Tuchman and John Keegan, Rick Atkinson and Antony Beevor: an authoritative portrait of modern warfare and its far-reaching human and historical consequences.

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From the author of "the definitive history of bourbon" (Sacramento Bee) comes the epic true tale of how beer conquered America, from B.C. to Budweiser and beyond Equally irreverent and revealing, Dane Huckelbridge's masterful cultural history charts the wild, engrossing, and surprisingly complex story of our favorite alcoholic drink, showing how America has been under the influence of beer at almost every stage. From the earliest Native American corn brew (called chicha) to the waves of immigrants who brought with them their unique brewing traditions, to the seemingly infinite varieties of craft-brewed suds found on tap today, beer has claimed an outsized place in our culture that far transcends its few simple ingredients-water, barley, and hops. And yet despite its ubiquity-Americans consume some six billion gallons of beer each year-the story of beer in the USA is as diverse and fascinating as the country itself, overflowing with all the color and character of America's many peoples and regions. A brewery was among the first orders of business when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, and George Washington tried (but mostly failed) to produce beer at Mount Vernon. Since 1776, America has operated under the principle of E. Pluribus, Brewdog: out of many regional brews, one nation of beer drinkers. The first "macrobrew" revolution was in the Midwest, where an influx of German immigrants in the 1800s changed American brewing forever. Bavarian newcomers brought their now-universal lager to St. Louis, Milwaukee, and the rest of the heartland; Busch, Pabst, and Schlitz soon followed, establishing the first great beer empires and ushering in a golden age of brewing that would last into the twentieth century. Then in 1920, Prohibition threatened the very existence of beer in America. Brewers were forced to diversity into a variety of odd products-among them malted milk, porcelain, and cement-in order to survive. When the spigot finally reopened in 1933, many breweries were tapped out. By the early 1980s, a country that once boasted more than a thousand breweries was down to a few dozen, with little to distinguish among them. But stirred by the American entrepreneurial spirit, a cadre of daring young trailblazers decided our options shouldn't be limited to watery, flavorless macrobrews. The microbrew movement began on the West Coast, but quickly spread: today there are thousands of craft breweries, scattered across all fifty states. Drawing upon a wealth of little-known historical sources, explaining the scientific breakthroughs that have shaped beer's evolution, and mixing in more than a splash of dedicated on-the-ground research, The United States of Beer offers a raucous and enlightening toast to the all-American drink.

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Extreme Adventure is a high-octane, eye-popping dream collection of global fantasies, all personally experienced and photographed by award-winning travel photographer Peter Guttman. Whether you are an intrepid traveler or strictly an armchair daydreamer, these photographs will whisk you away on dozens of excursions, including:Ice Climbing in the Colorado Ouray GorgeTornado Chasing across the Great PlainsLand Yachting over the Mojave DesertCanoeing through Alligator Habitat in the EvergladesIce Caving at the Apostle Islands in Lake SuperiorScuba Diving to a Bedroom in the Florida KeysCaravanning Camels to a Saharan OasisScaling the Girders of the Sydney Harbor BridgeExperience all seven continents through the eyes of a fearless explorer and fire your imagination as it navigates the world."Top Five Coffee Table Book for the Holidays. Adventurers will adore this awe-inspiring pictorial of extreme experiences captured across some of the most wondrous corners of the globe. From land yachting over the Mojave Desert to tornado chasing across the Great Plains, award-winning travel photographer Peter Guttman establishes just how epic our planet is and in so doing, instills a sense of raw adventure within even the most faint-hearted readers."--The Manual"This is armchair traveling at its best and just might give you the nudge you need to add more adrenalin-laced activity to your life."--Time Warner Cable News"Using light to its fullest, Mr. Guttman creates stunning images no matter how far he travels...sumptuous, dramatically lit shots...a one-man Explorer's Club"--The New York Times"Peter Guttman is a gutsy photographer who has taken pictures all over the world and paints glorious word-pictures with extraordinary photographs...legendary"--Popular Photography"His photographs all seem to glow from an inner light"--Dallas Morning News"One of the premiere travel photographers"--CNN"Such a beautiful vision"--CBS This Morning"One of the world's most accomplished photographers"--National Public Radio"Guttman's photographs capture the spirit of a place"--Time Magazine"Breathtaking...evocative...stunning"--Kirkus Reviews"It is his thirst for new experiences--and new subjects to photograph--that drives his life. He has chased tornadoes, skydived, gone spelunking, ridden Olympic bobsleds, and climbed high into the rigging of tall ships and to the top of a radio tower at the North Pole"--Kodak Guide to Shooting Great Travel Pictures"His work is filled with joy, beauty and insight, and he conveys his sense of wonder with the world in every photograph. His work is inspiring and impressive"--Society of American Travel Writers"His eye is magical, and he clicks his lens at the perfect moment--time and time again. Gifted photographer Peter Guttman thrives on discovering unusual destinations ... the photography is stupendous."--New Orleans Times Picayune

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Know thyself. It's always good to know who you are, but sometimes that's a little difficult. Kenhodan has no last name, because he has no past . . . or not one he remembers, anyway. What he does have are a lot of scars and a lot of skills, some exhilarating and some terrifying, and a purpose. Now if he only knew where he'd gotten them and what that purpose was . . . Wencit of Rum, the most powerful wizard in the world, knows the answers to Kenhodan's questions, but he can't or won't share them with him. Except to inform him that he's a critical part of Wencit's millennium-long battle to protect Norfressa from conquest by dark sorcery. Bahzell Bahnakson, champion of Tomanak, doesn't know those answers and the War God isn't sharing them with him. Except to inform Bahzell that the final confrontation with the Dark Lords of fallen Kontovar is about to begin, and that somehow Kenhodan is one of the keys to its final outcome. Wulfra of Torfo doesn't know those answers, either, but she does know Wencit of Rum is her implacable foe and that Kenhodan is one of the weapons he intends to use against her . . . assuming she can't kill both of them first. But in the far northern port city of Belhadan, an eleven-year-old girl knows the answers to all of Kenhodan's questions. . . and dares not share them with anyone, even the ancient wild wizard who loves her more dearly than life itself. It's not easy to face the future when you can't even remember your own past, but if saving an entire world from evil sorcerers, demons, devils, and dark gods was easy, anyone could do it. About The Sword of the South: "Weber returns to his epic fantasy world last depicted in War Maid’s Choice . . . With the full pantheon of gods, wizards, elves, dwarves, and dark sorcery, this title is guaranteed to win the favor of Robert Jordan and Michael Sullivan enthusiasts. Designed as an entry point for first-time readers, it also is a great option for teens and adults."—Library Journal About David Weber's War Bahzell Bahnak series: "Irresistibly entertaining."– Publishers Weekly "Fun adventure full of noble steeds, fierce female fighters, dark sorcerers, serious swordplay, and plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor."– Locus About David Weber and the Honor Harrington series: “Weber combines realistic, engaging characters with intelligent technological projection and a deep understanding of military bureaucracy in this long-awaited Honor Harrington novel…Fans of this venerable space opera will rejoice to see Honor back in action.”–Publishers Weekly “. . .everything you could want in a heroine …. Excellent … plenty of action.”–Science Fiction Age “Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!”–Anne McCaffrey “Compelling combat combined with engaging characters for a great space opera adventure.”–Locus

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“Wise, funny, touching, wide-ranging, deep-delving; whip-smart dialogue and graceful, paced sentences, thousands upon thousands of them. Written by a novelist with the eye of a poet, and a poet with the narrative powers of a novelist, this is a book that needed to be written, that tells true things, and is entirely its own being.”—Robert Macfarlane, author of The Lost Words and UnderlandOne of the most acclaimed and revered writers of her generation returns with her most ambitious novel yet—an elegant, multi-layered work, rich in imagination and exquisitely told, that interweaves a quartet of journeys across continents and centuries.As emotionally resonant as Kiran Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss, as inspired as Anthony Doerr’s Cloud Cuckoo Land, as inventive as Louisa Hall’s Speak, and as visionary as David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, Everything the Light Touches is Janice Pariat’s magnificent epic of travelers, of discovery, of time, of science, of human connection, and of the impermanent nature of the universe and life itself—a bold and brilliant saga that unfolds through the adventures and experiences of four intriguing characters.Shai is a young woman in modern India. Lost and drifting, she travels to her country’s Northeast and rediscovers, through her encounters with indigenous communities, ways of being that realign and renew her.Evelyn is a student of science in Edwardian England. Inspired by Goethe’s botanical writings, she leaves Cambridge on a quest to wander the sacred forests of the Lower Himalayas.Linnaeus, a botanist and taxonomist who famously declared “God creates; Linnaeus organizes,” sets off on an expedition to an unfamiliar world, the far reaches of Lapland in 1732. Goethe is a philosopher, writer, and one of the greatest minds of his age. While traveling through Italy in the 1780s, he formulates his ideas for “The Metamorphosis of Plants,” a little-known, revelatory text that challenges humankind’s propensity to reduce plants—and the world—into immutable parts.Drawn richly from scientific and botanical ideas, Everything the Light Touches is a swirl of ever-expanding themes: the contrasts between modern India and its colonial past, urban and rural life, capitalism and centuries-old traditions of generosity and gratitude, script and “song and stone.” Pulsating at its center is the dichotomy between different ways of seeing, those that fix and categorize and those that free and unify. Pariat questions the imposition of fixity—of our obsession to place permanence on plants, people, stories, knowledge, land—where there is only movement, fluidity, and constant transformation. “To be still,” says a character in the book, “is to be without life.”Everything the Light Touches brings together, with startling and playful novelty, people and places that seem, at first, removed from each other in time and place. Yet as it artfully reveals, all is resonance; all is connection.

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Lonely Planet's Experience England travel guide reveals exciting new ways to explore this iconic destination with one-of-a-kind adventures at every turn. Scout Banksy originals in Bristol, glide through the Norfolk broads on a kayak, try pie and mash in London's East End - using our local experts and planning tools to create your own unique trip.Inside Lonely Planet's Experience England:- Local experts share their love for the real England, offering fresh perspectives into the country's traditions, values and modern trends to make your travel experience even more meaningful- In the know tips to help you build on your experiences when visiting well-known sights and landmarks- Fun insights that will pique your curiosity and take you to the heart of the place - discover the epic revival of British seaside towns like Margate; tour mesmerising landmarks linked to the legend of King Arthur such as Tintagel Castle; experience Birmingham's gastro revolution and try its signature dish - the balti curry- Insider scoop on the best festivals, secret hangouts, hidden locations, tantalising local food scene and photo-worthy views- Handy seasonal trip planner to guide you on where to go, when to travel and what to pack- Practical information on money, getting around, unique and local ways to stay, and responsible travel- Comprehensive selection of maps throughout and beautiful full-colour photography to inspire you as you plan your unforgettable journey- Covers London & Around, Southeast England, Southwest England, Birmingham & the Midlands, Northwest England, Lonely Planet's Experience England is an essential travel guide for all explorers looking to immerse themselves in the British way of life. Each book within the Experience series contains handy trip building tools so that you can take your pick of the must-see attractions and activities as suggested by our local experts – and create your own dream travel itinerary to get away from the everyday. Unlock even more travel secrets using the QR codes throughout each guide and discover story-worthy travel moments that you'll never forget.About Lonely Planet:Lonely Planet, a Red Ventures Company, is the world's number one travel guidebook brand. Providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973, Lonely Planet reaches hundreds of millions of travellers each year online and in print and helps them unlock amazing experiences. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com and join our community of followers on Facebook (facebook.com/lonelyplanet), Twitter (@lonelyplanet), Instagram (instagram.com/lonelyplanet), and TikTok (@lonelyplanet)."...these new Experience guides from Lonely Planet are irresistibly attractive." - The Washington Post Book Club'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' – Fairfax Media (Australia)

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