Running With Scissors

      Augusten Burroughs
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The true story of an outlaw childhood where rules were unheard of, the Christmas tree stayed up all year round, Valium was consumed like candy, and if things got dull an electroshock-therapy machine could provide entertainment. Running with Scissors is the true story of a boy whose mother (a poet with delusions of Anne Sexton) gave him away to be raised by her unorthodox psychiatrist who bore a striking resemblance to Santa Claus. So at the age of twelve, Burroughs found himself amidst Victorian squalor living with the doctor’s bizarre family, and befriending a pedophile who resided in the backyard shed. The story of an outlaw childhood where rules were unheard of, and the Christmas tree stayed up all year round, where Valium was consumed like candy, and if things got dull an electroshock- therapy machine could provide entertainment. The funny, harrowing and bestselling account of an ordinary boy’s survival under the most extraordinary circumstances.

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    Books of Blood: Volume Three

      Clive Barker
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Alternate Cover Edition for ISBN 9780425093474 To a mortician, the preparation of a corpse is an art. The smooth, silent exchange of blood and embalming fluid is like a symphony to be orchestrated. The presentation of the deceased -- lying in a shining casket framed by flowers -- is an exquisitely composed tableau. And the burial itself is the magnificent climax to his craftsmanship. — Clive Barker also knows how to prepare a body for the grave. He knows how to plunge his readers into unearthly depths, spiraling from dark horror to dizzying madness. He knows how to lower the body temperature to an icy chill -- and make the heart pound faster and faster. Until it stops... To a mortician, the preparation of a corpse is an art. The smooth, silent exchange of blood and embalming fluid is like a symphony to be orchestrated. The presentation of the deceased - lying in a shining casket framed by flowers - is an exquisitely composed tableau. And the burial itself is the magnificent climax to his craftsmanship. Clive Barker also knows how to prepare a body for the grave. He knows how to plunge his readers into the unearthly depths, spiraling from dark horror to dizzying madness. He knows how to lower the body temperature to an icy chill - and make the heart pound faster and faster. This books includes the following stories: (1) Son of Celluloid; (2) Rawhead Rex; (3) Confessions of a Pornographer's Shroud; (4) Scape-Goats; (5) Human Remains

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    The Last Gentleman: A Novel

      Walker Percy
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National Book Award Finalist: A lonely Southerner forges a surprising bond with a New York family in this “brilliant” novel by the author of The Moviegoer (Time). Will Barrett has never felt at peace. After moving from his native South to New York City, Will’s most meaningful human connections come through the lens of a telescope in Central Park, from which he views the comings and goings of the eccentric Vaught family. But Will’s days as a spectator end when he meets the Vaught patriarch and accepts a job in the Mississippi Delta as caretaker for the family’s ailing son, Jamie. Once there, he is confronted not only by his personal demons, but also his growing love for Jamie’s sister, Kitty, and a deepening relationship with the Vaught family that will teach him the true meaning of home.

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    Wonderland

      Joyce Carol Oates
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Joyce Carol Oates’s Wonderland Quartet comprises four remarkable novels that explore social class in America and the inner lives of young Americans. Spanning from the Great Depression to the turbulent Vietnam War era, Wonderland is the epic account of Jesse Vogel, a boy who emerged from a family tragedy with his life spared but his world torn apart. Orphaned after watching his father murder his entire family, Jesse embarks on a personal odyssey that takes him from a Dickensian foster home to college and graduate school to the pinnacle of the medical profession. As an adult, Jesse must summon the strength to reach across the “generation gap” and rescue his endangered teenaged daughter, who has fallen into the drug-infused 1960s counterculture. Hailed by Library Journal as “the greatest of Oates’s novels,” Wonderland is the capstone of a magnificent literary excursion that plunges beneath the glossy surface of American life. Wonderland is the final novel in Joyce Carol Oates’s Wonderland Quartet. The books that complete this acclaimed series, A Garden of Earthly Delights, Expensive People, and them, are also available from the Modern Library. J From the Trade Paperback edition.

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    The Clue of the Black Keys

      Carolyn Keene
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During an archaeological expedition in Mexico, two professors, the senior Dr. Joshua Pitt and young Terry Scott find a clue to buried treasure. The clue was a cipher carved on a stone tablet. Before the older professor had time to translate it, he and the tablet disappeared! Terry tells Nancy of his suspicions of a Mexican couple, posing as scientists, who vanished the same night as Dr. Pitt. Nancy follows a tangled trail of clues that lead to Florida and Mexico and a secret of antiquity that can only be unlocked by three black keys. This book is the revised text. The plot of the original story (©1951) is similar with minor revisions.

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    Mystery of the Midnight Rider

      Carolyn Keene
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Some equestrians are up to more than horseplay in this third book of the Nancy Drew Diaries, a fresh approach to a classic series. At the prestigious—and competitive—River Heights Horse Show, the prizes, which range from money to possible placement on the Olympic Team, are so highly coveted that anyone from the riders to the owners will do anything to win…even drug the horses! Who’s up to no good? Nancy, Bess and George are on the case!

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    The Concubine

      Shay Savage
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Royalty requires sacrifice. As King Camden’s health declines, the need for an heir becomes crucial, impossible to ignore. With no other viable choice, Alexandra must stand stoically by when Hadley comes to the court of Silverhelm as Branford’s concubine. The queen’s edict of duty echoes through Alexandra’s mind as she accepts the loathsome conditions for the sake of the kingdom. The only person more devastated by the circumstances is Branford himself. As Branford spurs Alexandra’s affections, and King Edgar continues press his post-war advantage, all seems lost to the young couple. Treachery still lies deep within the castle of Silverhelm, and the revelation of the traitor will come from the least likely of sources.

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    Bright Lights, Big City

      Jay McInerney
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With the publication of Bright Lights, Big City in 1984, Jay McInerney became a literary sensation, heralded as the voice of a generation. The novel follows a young man, living in Manhattan as if he owned it, through nightclubs, fashion shows, editorial offices, and loft parties as he attempts to outstrip mortality and the recurring approach of dawn. With nothing but goodwill, controlled substances, and wit to sustain him in this anti-quest, he runs until he reaches his reckoning point, where he is forced to acknowledge loss and, possibly, to rediscover his better instincts. This remarkable novel of youth and New York remains one of the most beloved, imitated, and iconic novels in America.

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    Ai! Pedrito!: When Intelligence Goes Wrong

      L. Ron Hubbard
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A rollicking and unpredictable adventure through the world of spies and double agents, lovers and enemies (often one and same). It has been said that somewhere in the world you have an exact double. This rocket-ride of a novel ignites with the sudden cry of "Ai! Pedrito!", as Naval Lieutenant Tom Smith discovers that his exact look-alike is the notorious South American revolutionary and spy, Pedrito Miraflores. Inspired by a real incident in the life of L. Ron Hubbard, "Ai! Pedrito!" is a fun-to-read, compelling novel of what can sometimes happen when intelligence goes wrong. "All the fast pacing of James Bond and the adventure of Indiana Jones." *—Mystery Scene

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    Already Dead

      Denis Johnson
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A contemporary noir, Already Dead is the tangled story of Nelson Fairchild Jr., disenfranchised scion to a northern California land fortune. A relentless failure, Nelson has botched nearly every scheme he's attempted to pull off. Now his future lies in a potentially profitable marijuana patch hidden in the lush old-growth redwoods on the family land. Nelson has some serious problems. His marriage has fallen apart, and he may lose his land, cash and crop in the divorce. What's more, in need of some quick cash, he had foolishly agreed to smuggle $90,000 worth of cocaine through customs for Harry Lally, a major player in a drug syndicate. Chickening out just before bringing the drugs through, he flushed the powder. Now Lally wants him dead, and two goons are hot on his trail. Desperate, terrified and alone, for Nelson, there may be only one way out. This is Denis Johnson's biggest and most complex book to date, and it perfectly showcases his signature themes of fate, redemption and the unraveling of the fabric of today's society. Already Dead, with its masterful narrative of overlapping and entwined stories, will further fuel the acclaim that surrounds one of today's most fascinating writers.

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    Crusader

      Sara Douglass
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tencendor is dead and only the StarSon can help it live again... but Qeteb is hungry for life - and power. the timekeeper Demons have destroyed the Star Gate and the magic of the StarDance. terrifying, bitter, cruel, they have resurrected Qeteb and will now destroy the StarSon and tencendor forever. But without the StarDance can the Enchanters and gods do anything, or must they stand aside in the face of the Demons power. Can Drago, the StarSon, and those he has taken through death - his witches - meet with the demons one-on-one and win. If only one fails, Drago will be severely weakened... the dramatic conclusion to the Wayfarer Redemption trilogy will have readers on the edge of their seats as Sara Douglass takes us on an unforgettable journey through a wasted tencendor...

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    Balance Wheel

      Taylor Caldwell
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One Against Armageddon Charles Whitmann was a lonely man, a widower. Though he loved a woman, every code of honor and decency forbade him to speak of this love. Isolated as Charles was, he was the head of a great industry-and he had Jimmy, the son who meant more to him than life itself. Now, suddenly, Charles Whittmann knew his world was doomed. He had been given a glimpse into the future, into the monstrous greed of corrupt and powerful men who were sweeping civilization toward war. He had to fight this evil alone... Taylor Caldwell's blasting novel on the destructions of war and the doomed lives of innocents, echoes a potent message for today.

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    Demonsong

      F. Paul Wilson
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The first meeting between Glaeken and Rasalom, back in the dim recesses of the First Age. Written in the 1970s, and in a style geared more toward fantasy than the hardboiled prose of the Repairman Jack novels, "Demonsong" kicks off Wilson's massive Secret History of the World.Note: This is a short story (less than 10,000 words) and not a novella. Customers who enjoy the traditional Regency Romances of Georgette Heyer, Barbara Metzger, and Carla Kelly will enjoy this witty Regency short story by New York Times bestselling author Candice Hern. Lydia Bettridge is a young woman suffering the pangs of unrequited love. To capture the attention of Geoffrey Danforth, the man who has stolen her heart but barely notices her, she has resorted to desperate measures with a seemingly clever plan. By engaging the help of Phillip, a friend of her brother's, to play the love-smitten fool in public, she hopes to pique the interest of her unnamed love. But when Geoffrey himself shows up to take Phillip's place, all her careful planning is turned upside down. What's a girl to do but to make the best of it? This short story was originally published in The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance.

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    I Will Fear No Evil

      Robert A. Heinlein
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Johann Sebastian Bach Smith is immensely rich; and very old. His mind is still keen, so he has surgeons transplant his brain into a new body; the body of his gorgeous, recently deceased secretary, Eunice. But Eunice hasn't completely vacated her body...

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    Sweet Legacy

      Tera Lynn Childs
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United triplets descended from Medusa must find gate between human and monster worlds, rescue aunts jailed under Mt Olympus. Greer must use her second sight, even though she hears gods argue in her mind. Grace wants to trust her adopted brother, Thane, but what is his secret? Orphan Gretchen has fought all her life, but now boys are helping - or are they?

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    F-Zombie

      Jason Thornton
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No blood drippings from their chins, skin hanging loose off their face, no white eyeballs or the stench of rotted flesh. If your best friend was a well fed f-zombie and was sitting in that chair on the other side of the room, yeah that chair with your stuffed teddy bear, you wouldn't have any idea at all. They tied their shoes, buttoned their shirts and combed their hair.No one knows who started using the word 'f-zombie', though the term seemed to fit. There's not one officially recognized source for the 'f' in f-zombie, but each explanation for it is pretty much true. One thing that they are is fastidious. What that means is that they tidy up after themselves, which means they look like everyone else. No blood drippings from their chins, skin hanging loose off their face, no white eyeballs or the stench of rotted flesh. If your best friend was a well fed f-zombie and was sitting in that chair on the other side of the room, yeah that chair with your stuffed teddy bear, you wouldn't have any idea at all. They tied their shoes, buttoned their shirts and combed their hair. Fooled us real good. That's another 'f', 'fooled'. Because they looked so much like everyone else, we liked to say they'd pull a 'fast one' on you. That's where they fool you and it's also how so many people got bit.There was also the name 'festies', cause they'd show up at parties. 'Feisties' because they'd get real agitated if you found out they were an f-zombie and didn't treat them exactly like you had before they were infected. There was the name 'Falsies', cause they're just false. Last one I can remember was 'feasties', cause they were coming to eat you.

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    Over the Hills and Far Away

      Susan Skylark
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Fairy tales, like music and poetry, are a language known to every soul no matter the culture, time, or place. Travel 'over the hills and faraway,' with these varied tales of Faerie and for a little while reclaim the wonder and joy peculiar to a childlike heart.This is a book of contrasts, a stewpot wherein anything and everything might lurk with each spoonful a different taste: high adventure and complete nonsense, serious quests and silly meanderings, real poetry and doggerel verse, one moment grave as death and blithe as a lark the next. As in life, the world of story and Faerie in particular is a varicolored, ever shifting landscape of joy and sorrow, laughter and tears, adventure and quietude. Each story is preceded by a bit of verse or a quotation that may or may not be relevant, many of them are inspired by old nursery rhymes as one wonders what came of the original tale beyond the little passed down from time immemorial to the wondering hearts of children through the ages. Life is a story and with these bits and pieces of story, this crazy quilt of whimsy as it were, perhaps it will add a little more wonder to your own.

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    Three

      Shoshi
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"Three" contains three short stories: Down, The Reckie, and Feena. All the stories are fictional, with fantasy, history, and dystopian elements. You will surely enjoy these stories! And better yet, the book is free! So please take a moment to download this book and submerge yourself in worlds beyond your imagination."Three" contains three short stories: Down, The Reckie, and Feena."Down"Bryan loves caving; his twin Joel hates it. Exploring newly discovered caves, Bryan gets lost. To find him Joel is helped by Roke, a strange, giant of a man who lives in the caves year-round. Quarreling at first, they learn to get along as they overcome the terrors of cave-climbing and attacks by thugs who want to kill them. Finding Bryan near death, they face their biggest challenge: how to save him."The Reckie"Mozart was never able to finish his last and greatest work, his Requiem, because he died of an infection. Carol and Mathew want to time travel to the l8th century to cure him with antibiotics so he can finish it as a gift for her musician dad. They find a way to do it, but then Mozart gives them the wrong music so he has to time travel to America himself to deliver it."Feena"In this dystopian fantasy, Feena is a human survivor of an interplanetary war. She falls for Jome, an enemy robot soldier severely injured in the conflict. An enemy official, called the Inspector, wants her to be his slave and tries to kidnap her. She must find a way to foil him and mend Jome.

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    A Report on Humanity by an Alien

      Ben Ormstad
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A highly advanced alien being, Inxuziot, from the planet Aw01, is an explorer of the Universe. He's been to Earth, and this is his report on Humanity and our not too bright condition as a species.The highly advanced alien being, Inxuziot, who is an explorer of worlds from a planet named Aw01 that exists 3000000000 lightyears away from Earth, has been here for 10 years now. He's been observing and learning the ways of Humanity. Right before his exploration is over and he's about to travel to yet another far away planet somewhere in the Universe, he sits down at the very top of the Himalayas to transmit his experiences of human beings way of life to his people, the Awaritanians, and based on what he's learned, our future isn't necessarily too bright ..

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