The last novel by Verne first published in France fourteen years after Verne's death. In it, two politicians and their entourage travel through French West Africa in the late 19th or early 20th century to gather evidence to support arguments for and against giving voting rights to black Africans.

Steve and Scott Lyndon, the owners of Lyndon Logging, a company located in California's Sierra Mountains, are tired of picking up trash left behind by a scrounging bear. One night, they catch the bear digging in their trash barrels but when they turn on the yard light they discover a child with the bear. What ensues is a journey that will change the Lyndon brothers' lives forever.Paige Frey left her Montana homestead after graduation with the intention of never returning home; not for weekends, holidays, weddings...or funerals. When news of her mobster step-father’s death reaches all the way to the big apple, Paige's first reaction is a resounding good-riddance to both Giovanni Denmari and her sizable inheritance. Only the sage advice of her roommate Erik convinces her to return home to claim what's hers.But if she thought returning to Montana would mean a simple weekend trip, she was dead wrong. Family dysfunction, ex-boyfriends, Erik's bizarre behavior and probate quickly turn her mountain retreat into a madhouse.

Book 2, Robot Horizon seriesWhat's the cost of rediscovering true love in a shattered world? Star must find out, or not survive the outcome. A trek along dangerous roads provides the answer. After Winston's dismal failure as Mech City mayor, Star convinces him to journey with her to the West Coast where he might be upgraded so as to satisfy her robust desires. Science Fiction / Humor / DystopianBook 2, Robot Horizon seriesWhat is the cost of true love in a shattered world? Star is willing to pay it, or not survive the outcome. A trek along dangerous roads provides answers. After Winston's dismal failure as Mech City mayor, Star convinces him to journey with her to the West Coast where Dr. Jerry Che, her creator, might still survive. She wants Winston upgraded to full functionality so that he can satisfy her robust appetites. Numerous foes, human and robotic, stand in the way. The dystopian adventure continues. There's fun at the end of the road!Science Fiction / Humor / Dystopian

Sadira Pascal's father is declared dead when his hovership, the 'Bright Star', crashes. But as Sadira looks into her father's crash, she realizes he might just be alive.It's bad enough that Sadira Pascal's father doesn't make it home to celebrate her fifteenth birthday. He might be a busy hovership engineer pulling overtime on a new design, but he's always been home for the important things. It's worse when she discovers her father decided to ride on the maiden voyage of his newest ship, the CAS Bright Star, without even telling her. But things really fall apart during Sadira's field trip with her class to observe the hovership launch. Instead of a successful flight, she watches the Bright Star fall out of the sky. The Central government confirms her father's death, leaving Sadira to pick up the pieces of her former life. While she struggles with her loss, Private Baruj Haddad tries to convince her that her father and the rest of the Bright Star crew are still alive. At first, Sadira doesn't believe there's any hope. But then she stumbles across a message that makes her think maybe, just maybe, her father is still alive. As she digs deeper into the Bright Star's crash, Sadira uncovers secrets about her father's work, secrets that put her and everyone she loves in danger.

The Wonderful Roundabout is a collection of illustrated short stories for children, meant to inspire little ones to be kind, brave and curious. Each story is split into parts of approximately 500 words, so they can be easily read at bedtime. They are suitable for children over 5 years of age as the narratives may be too complex for those younger.The Wonderful Roundabout is a collection of illustrated short stories for children, meant to inspire little ones to be kind, brave and curious. Each story is split into parts of approximately 500 words, so they can be easily read at bedtime. They are suitable for children over 5 years of age as the narratives may be too complex for those younger. The stories usually portray characters facing challenges. One friendly bear wants to learn how to read. A brave sailor leads the way to a magical island. A smart little boy tries to build a flying machine. They each succeed by perseverance, openness and ingenuity. They achieve great things by doing simple, good deeds. An important aspect of the book is that there are no situations where a character has to do wrong in order to gain something. Even when battles take place, as they sometimes do on pirate ships, they have no detail of violent gestures or actions. This is a point that has been attentively pursued throughout the book. There are many classical children's stories that involve a great deal of violence. Hansel and Gretel's own parents leave them in a forest to die, the huntsman in Snow White kills the wolf, Cinderella's sisters are filled with envy. The Wonderful Roundabout was written with the belief that stories can set the foundations for the moral character of children and, therefore, should, in all ways, inspire kids to become caring, generous and motivated individuals. Which is why references to violence or mischief are removed. The obstacles our characters face are more those that appear when one tries to follow a dream that is not readily accessible - such as reaching a magical castle, transforming a bicycle into a mouse or building a bridge in a beautiful place. Simply put, if at least one child becomes a better person after hearing one of the stories, then The Wonderful Roundabout would have fulfilled its purpose.

*Journey to an underground world where adventure awaits and heroes are made in this middle grade novel from the bestselling, Pulitzer-nominated author of The Monk of Mokha* and Her Right Foot. When Gran and his family move to Carousel, he has no idea that the town is built atop a secret. Little does he suspect, as he walks his sister to school or casually eats a banana, that mysterious forces lurk mere inches beneath his feet, tearing up the earth like mini-hurricanes and causing the town to slowly but surely sink. When Gran's friend, the difficult-to-impress Catalina Catalan, presses a silver handle into a hillside and opens a doorway to underground, he knows that she is extraordinary and brave, and that he will have no choice but to follow wherever she leads. With luck on their side, and some discarded hockey sticks for good measure, Gran and Catalina might just find a way to lift their town--and the known world--out of danger. In The Lifters, critically acclaimed author Dave Eggers establishes himself as a storyteller who can entertain and inspire readers of any age. **"This book is a ripper, full of all the good stuff: adventure, mystery, and lots of great jokes." - Mac Barnett, Caldecott Honor-winning author of * Extra Yarn* **"Full of surprises, magic, and heart." - Rebecca Stead, Newbery Award-winning author of * When You Reach Me* **"[A] cozy contemporary novel about lifting spirits and rebuilding community through teamwork and imagination." --* Publishers Weekly* **"A heart-gladdening work of allegorical genius." --* The Guardian* **"A warm and rewarding read . . .Eggers skillfully handles the trope of the kids who save the town, with plenty of humorous adult cluelessness but an equal measure of compassion." --* The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books* "Original . . . and always intriguing. . . . Eggers's story moves along briskly thanks to mounting suspense and bite-size chapters." --* Booklist* ** A Junior Library Guild selection

In this portrait of Doris Lessing's homeland, the author recounts the visits she made to Zimbabwe in 1982, 1988, 1989 and 1992, after being banned from the old Southern Rhodesia for 25 years for her political views and opposition to the minority white Government. The visits constitute a journey to the heart of a country whose history, landscape, people and spirit are evoked by the author in a narrative of detail. She embraces every facet of life in Zimbabwe from the lost animals in the bush to political corruption, from AIDS to a successful communal enterprise created by rural blacks, and notes the kind of changes that can only be appreciated by one who has lived there before.

An NYRB Classics Original Few writers had to confront as many of the last century’s mass tragedies as Vasily Grossman, who wrote with terrifying clarity about the Shoah, the Battle of Stalingrad, and the Terror Famine in the Ukraine. An Armenian Sketchbook, however, shows us a very different Grossman, notable for his tenderness, warmth, and sense of fun. After the  Soviet government confiscated—or, as Grossman always put it, “arrested”—Life and Fate, he took on the task of revising a literal Russian translation of a long Armenian novel. The novel was of little interest to him, but he needed money and was evidently glad of an excuse to travel to Armenia. An Armenian Sketchbook is his account of the two months he spent there. This is by far the most personal and intimate of Grossman’s works, endowed with an air of absolute spontaneity, as though he is simply chatting to the reader about his impressions of Armenia—its mountains, its ancient churches, its people—while also examining his own thoughts and moods. A wonderfully human account of travel to a faraway place, An Armenian Sketchbook also has the vivid appeal of a self-portrait.

Princess Electra has made her home in the poor village of Helsop. She gathers herbs and works in the clinic. A visit from her mother, the Queen, ends in Electra's return to Fernland and a visit from the feared nation of Barburee. Will Electra be able to save her family and friends from these cut throat invaders?In Book 1 (Princess Electra) Electra met her real parents, the King and Queen of Fernland for the first time. She chose not to live the life of a princess and chose instead to help a poor village survive. In Princess Electra Book 2 Out of Barburee, Electra finds her chosen life of simplicity threatened by the spectre of the Great Khan's army. She is called back to play her role as Princess of Fernland, but how much will she be willing to give up to aid her countrymen? Electra's quick wit comes to the fore once again as kingdoms clash and alliances rise and fall.

The finding of a diary dramatically changes the life of someone else. A strange story with a surprise ending which most readers will not see coming.Book is about a 30 minute read. Reviews are always welcome.The golden age of freedom withers across the Solar System as independent colonies fall under the dominion of Barbary and Sons, a ruthless cartel run by a 24th century cross between Genghis Khan and the CEO of Walmart.One man rises in opposition. Rork Sollix raids Barbary's cargo ships for fun and profit, along with his lovestruck teenage servant Lala Fevari and his ragtag crew. Just days from death, betrayed by his own men and on the run, Rork tries to safeguard Lala on Earth. But Barbary kidnaps her, throws Rork in a bleak Delhi prison and aims to make the young girl pay for Rork's crimes.

Our Dachshund heroine in this story is Goldi, a longhair wheaten Dachshund. Their parents give Identical twin daughters PJ & CC 'Goldi' as a housewarming gift when they buy their first home together. This story takes us through the hilarious adventures of a puppy and two young ladies juggling jobs and sharing responsibility for her care.The preoccupation stage of our existence, determines our type of evolution, and future. Preordain is a cosmic inter global and intergalactic glow-flow of every critical and relative performed actions and inaction. Everyone plays and intricate role, whether ying or yang, everyone that ever existed, contributes to our stepping stone relay future, of our earth, and off course the universe.

The seventh installment in #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Gordon Korman's Swindle series! UNLEASHED: freed from restraint, running wild, not being held back by anyone or anything . . . Luthor, a former attack dog, is supposed to be on his best behavior now that he’s in the care of Savannah, a girl who’s easily a dog’s best friend. But every time a certain truck passes by Savannah’s house, Luthor goes into attack mode — and chaos follows. Meanwhile, Griffin Bing is locked in the fight of his life with his archenemy, Darren Vader. Both are trying to win an invention contest — and will stop at nothing to be victorious. A runaway dog. Some majorly strange inventions. A mysterious neighbor. A stolen object of great value. These are a few of the ingredients in UNLEASHED, Gordon Korman’s latest Swindle mystery. Like a Doberman with a mission in mind, there’s no holding this story back!

Short stories and some poems. Some are a bit tense; some are amusing, some border on nonsense. The poems are whatever the reader sees in them.Short stories and some poems. Stories up to 2500 words in length. Some are a bit tense; some are amusing, some border on nonsense. The poems are whatever the reader sees in them.

While attempting to complete the work of a beloved colleague, Herbert George Li inadvertently transports a young college student through time, tearing multiple holes in the fabric of time and space. With the help of new and old friends, Herb and Alex must undo the mistakes of the past, repairing time before all of human history is erased.Take a bite out of this science fiction mystery series by reading the first two books. Follow Kat, a woman with no memory call the Pandora Project and Kim, a legal assassin known as the Phoenix as they uncover the mysteries of their past in a world of darkness. Follow them through their shaky partnership as they discover the bonds that bind them to a destiny that will either save or destroy their world.**Shades of Gray #1 Noir, City Shrouded By DarknessNoir was a mega-city plagued by a sun blocking mass called Dry Clouds that had mysteriously appeared three decades earlier. The Dry Clouds covered half the planet and forced those living under them to exist in endless night. On this world, corporations were in charge and breaking your contract with them could mean the termination of your life.Kimberly Griffin, a Life Closer (legal assassin) existed in a world of death. She Closed people for a living. It was a lonely demeaning existence, though she wouldn't admit it. There was nothing to drive her in the bleak reality until one day she ran into Kat.Kat, also known as the Pandora Project, was hunted by bio-mechas called Un-Men. She was an experiment of the Sphinx Corporation, and they were testing her to see if she could be the ultimate weapon. Kat refused to be a killer and tried to discover the truth behind her existence. Could she be a new form of bio-mecha?Kim discovered someone close to her had been murdered. Is Kat the key to finding out who did it? Or will her association with Kat only cause her more grief?Pandora of ancient times opened a box and let all good escape. Would Pandora be the hope the planet needed? Or would she destroy the world?**Shades of Gray #2 From Moscow, With Love bonus first half included.Worlds collide . . .A shaky partnership . . .In the second book of the Shades of Gray series, Kat found herself teamed up with Kim. Together they searched for clues to their past. Their partnership stood on shaky ground though. Kim, a Life Closer (legal assassin) known as the Phoenix, needed Kat for the moment, to help in her search for her mother's murder. Once Kim no longer needed Kat, would the Phoenix go through with eliminating her for knowing she's a Life Closer?A haunting melody . . .A forgotten time . . .Kat had discovered little about her past. Over a year ago, she woke to a world of endless night and had no memory of who she was. A music box, a letter, and a gun were her only clues. Kat discovered the melody the music box plays, put her in a trance and healed her body of any injures. Why? She didn't't know.Betrayal . . .A desperate fight . . .Voice, the one who regulated the Phoenix, had sent the Raven and the Wolf to Close her. Why? Kim didn't't know, only that she must eliminate the two Life Closers before they terminated her.Deception . . .The two women collide again . . .Kat was caught up in the struggle as the Raven and the Wolf were also hired to Close the sister of someone dear to her. Now she must protect the sister and Kim, but the Phoenix was hiding a dark secret that put the sister in an even deadlier predicament. What was Kim hiding?I will protect them all . . .No one will die today . . .Could Kat and Kim defeat the two Closers? Could Kat keep the promise to herself that no one else would die? What would happen in the end when Kat discovered the Phoenix's secret?Look for more of the Shades of Gray series.**Shades of Gray Series**1. Noir, City Shrouded By Darkness2. From Moscow, With Love3. Cerberus Versus Pandora4. Sisters

Two teens get drunk one night overlooking their small town of Smith, New Mexico. One claims that he has uncovered a massive government conspiracy involving aliens colonizing the Earth, but the other assumes that he's just crazy and has had too much to drink...Rai Jones, a 25-year-old virgin, has never really seen the ocean, shot a gun, or made love to three Elven maidens at the same time…but he lives in a world where technology and drugs make all things possible. Powered by computers, his life is one big virtual fantasy in which Rai can do whatever he wants to do and be whoever he wants to be. Yet in reality, heʼs merely average, trapped in a mundane job with no prospects for finding real satisfaction, and caught in the tension between his fantasy life and real life. Enter Winry: practically perfect, stunningly beautiful, intelligent, and witty. It’s love at first sight with the aid of Love™ Pills —drugs that replicate the feeling of being in love—and as Rai begins to capture her imagination, the real Winry remains shrouded in mystery, hidden behind the curtain of cyberspace, and scared to have a real relationship. Swept up in a whirlwind of Love™, fake violence, and virtual fantasies, Rai and Winry set out to find the secret to modern life and romance. I. Virtual boy meets virtual girl. II. Boy and girl fall in Love™. III. Complications, adventure, and existential questions ensue...