Bertram had no belief in luck. He was not superstitious. A conspicuously unsuccessful assistant accountant, he was planning to get married for the second time. Quite quietly: St Luke's, Maida Hill, and then two weeks in Bournemouth. But Dreuther, a director of Bertram's firm, whimsically switches wedding and honeymoon to Monte Carlo. Inevitably Bertram visits the Casino. Inevitably he loses. Then suddenly his system starts working . . . For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Olivia Kaspen has just discovered that her ex-boyfriend, Caleb Drake, has lost his memory. With an already lousy reputation for taking advantage of situations, Olivia must decide how far she is willing to go to get Caleb back. Wrestling to keep her true identity and their sordid past under wraps, Olivia’s greatest obstacle is Caleb’s wicked, new girlfriend; Leah Smith. It is a race to the finish as these two vipers engage in a vicious tug of war to possess a man who no longer remembers them. But, soon enough Olivia must face the consequences of her lies, and in the process discover that sometimes love falls short of redemption.

Thomas Wolfe contended that The Web and the Rock, the precursor to You Cant Go Home Again, was "not only a turning away from the books I have written in the past, but a genuine spiritual and artistic change." To demonstrate his commitment to a new literary direction, he transformed his protagonist Eugene Gant into the more mature and aware George Webber.The Web and the Rock continues Wolfe's own story through George, a young writer whose works resemble Wolfe's own. The first half of this posthumously published novel describes George's evolution from small-town southern boy to struggling New York novelist and attempts to answer the brooding protagonist's question, "What is it that a young man wants?" The second half is devoted to his tempestuous affair with a sophisticated married woman. Ultimately, George, repulsed by the frivolous lifestyle of his wealthy mistress and her circle, retreats to Europe. But, once again, his idealism is shattered as Hitler rises to power in Germany. Disillusioned, George dreams of returning to the South of his childhood but realizes that "you can't go home again."

Originally written in Bahasa, The Rainbow Troops was first published in 2005 and sold a record-breaking five million copies in Indonesia. The novel tells the inspiring and closely autobiographical tale of the trials and tribulations that the ten motley students (nicknamed the Rainbow Troops) and two teachers from Muhammadiyah Elementary School on Belitong Island, Indonesia, undergo to ensure the continuation of the children’ s education. The poverty-stricken school suffers the constant threat of closure by government officials, greedy corporations, natural disasters and the students’ own lack of self-confidence. The story is written from the perspective of Ikal, who is six years old when the novel opens. Just as the author himself did as a young man, Ikal goes to college and eventually wins a scholarship to go abroad, beating incredible odds to become a writer. This delightful, inspiring book has a fable-like quality that reminds us why we love stories— heartwarming stories, funny stories, stories that remind us of the precious things in life. Ikal and his band of plucky cohorts face obstacles large and small, and the reader can’t help but root for them to beat the odds and get the education— and life— they deserve. The setting is as compelling and memorable as the characters, and a rare window into a world we know little about. The Rainbow Troops is the first of a tetralogy of novels that have all become bestsellers in Indonesia. It was adapted for the screen and shown at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2009.

"And who among us would deny Jane Austen her happy endings or insist that Cary Grant and Irene Dunne should not get back together at the end of The Awful Truth? There are tragedies and there are comedies, aren't there? And they are often more the same than different, rather like men and women, if you ask me. A comedy depends on stopping the story at exactly the right moment." Mia Fredrickson, the wry, vituperative, tragicomic poet narrator of The Summer Without Men, has been forced to reexamine her own life. One day, out of the blue, after thirty years of marriage, Mia’s husband, a renowned neuroscientist, asks her for a “pause.” This abrupt request sends her reeling and lands her in a psychiatric ward. The June following Mia’s release from the hospital, she returns to the prairie town of her childhood, where her mother lives in an old people’s home. Alone in a rented house, she rages and fumes and bemoans her sorry fate. Slowly, however, she is drawn into the lives of those around her—her mother and her close friends,“the Five Swans,” and her young neighbor with two small children and a loud angry husband—and the adolescent girls in her poetry workshop whose scheming and petty cruelty carry a threat all their own. From the internationally bestselling author of What I Loved comes a provocative, witty, and revelatory novel about women and girls, love and marriage, and the age-old question of sameness and difference between the sexes.

From the critically acclaimed author of Beneath a Marble Sky and Beside a Burning Sea--the new novel from "a master storyteller,"* set in contemporary Asia. From John Shors comes an unforgettable story of redemption set in modern-day Vietnam. Dragon House tells the tale of Iris and Noah--two Americans who, as a way of healing their own painful pasts, open a center to house and educate Vietnamese street children. In the slums of a city that has known little but war for generations, Iris and Noah befriend children who dream of nothing more than of going to school, having a home, and being loved. Learning from the poorest of the poor, the most silent of the unheard, Iris and Noah find themselves reborn. Resounding with powerful themes of suffering, sacrifice, friendship, and love, Dragon House brings together East and West, war and peace, and celebrates the resilience of the human spirit.

The dryly precocious, soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old hero of this engagingly offbeat debut novel, Oliver Tate lives in the seaside town of Swansea, Wales. At once a self-styled social scientist, a spy in the baffling adult world surrounding him, and a budding, hormone-driven emotional explorer, Oliver is stealthily (and perhaps a bit more nervously than he’d ever admit) nosing his way forward through the murky and uniquely perilous waters of adolescence. His objectives? Uncovering the secrets behind his parents’ teetering marriage, unraveling the mystery that is his alluring and equally quirky classmate Jordana Bevan, and understanding where he fits in among the pansexuals, Zoroastrians, and other mystifying, fascinating beings in his orbit. “It’s in my interests to know about my parents’ mental problems,” he reasons. Thus, when he discovers that his affable dad is quietly struggling with depression, Oliver marshals all the daytime-TV pop-psychology wisdom at his command–not to mention his formidable, uninhibited powers of imagination–in order to put things right again. But a covert expedition into the mysterious territory of middle-aged malaise is bound to be tricky business for a teenager with more to learn about the agonies and ecstasies of life than a pocket thesaurus and his “worldly” school chum Chips can teach him. Ready or not, however, Oliver is about to get a crash course. His awkwardly torrid and tender relationship with Jordana is hurtling at the speed of teenage passion toward the inevitable magic moment . . . and whatever lies beyond. And his boy-detective exploits have set him on a collision course with the New Age old flame who’s resurfaced in his mother’s life to lead her into temptation with lessons in surfing, self-defense . . . and maybe seduction. Struggling to buoy his parents’ wedded bliss, deep-six his own virginity, and sound the depths of heartache, happiness, and the business of being human, what’s a lad to do? Poised precariously on the cusp of innocence and experience, yesterday’s daydreams and tomorrow’s decisions, Oliver Tate aims to damn the torpedoes and take the plunge.

"The Story of the Stone" (c. 1760) is one of the greatest novels of Chinese literature. The first part of the story, The Golden Days, begins the tale of Bao-yu, a gentle young boy who prefers girls to Confucian studies, and his two cousins: Bao-chai, his parents' choice of a wife for him, and the ethereal beauty Dai-yu. Through the changing fortunes of the Jia family, this rich, magical work sets worldly events - love affairs, sibling rivalries, political intrigues, even murder - within the context of the Buddhist understanding that earthly existence is an illusion and karma determines the shape of our lives.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Magic will warm readers’ hearts and spread the wonder of the holiday season with its tales of love, joy, and awe. A fantastic holiday gift for the young and young at heart. Christmas is a magical time of year -- a time of family, friends, and traditions. Readers will revel in the 101 holiday stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Magic that spread the special joy, wonder, and blessings of the season with its tales of finding the perfect Christmas tree, being with family, seeing the awe in a child’s eyes, and enjoying the magic of the season.

Everyone who's anyone in New York City is suffering from post-college-application cabin fever and it's time to run a little wild Could it be that Serena is smitten with Blair's stepbrother or will the Fashion Week parties pull her away from any attempt at true love? Dan and Vanessa are mad about each other and pursuing their creative dreams -- but be careful of what you wish for. Nate hits an all-time low as Blair's Yale interview with a tall, handsome alum takes an unexpected turn and Jenny makes a new friend who gets a little too close for comfort. And just who is going to get into college early acceptance? Wintertime has never been hotter in NYC as things steam up all over Fifth Avenue.

A young, street-savvy runaway looking for a place to call home realized he might have conned his way into the wrong family in this fast-paced and thrilling novel from award-winning author Cristin Terrill.It seems too good to be true when Daniel Tate, missing since he was abducted from one of California's most elite private enclaves at the age of ten, turns up on a snowy street in Vancouver six years later. At first too traumatized to speak, he is eventually able to tell the authorities who he is and is reunited with his overjoyed family. In time, they tell him, he'll recover the memories he's missing; all that matters is that they have him back. It's perfect. A miracle. Except for one thing: That boy isn't Daniel Tate. But he wants to be. A young con artist who's been taking on false identities for years, this impostor has stumbled onto the scam of a lifetime. Daniel has everything he's ever dreamed of—wealth, privilege, the chance to make a fresh...

In this electrifying novel from Cassie Mae, two close friends surprise themselves by shifting from platonic love to sexual attraction.Eric Matua has one friend—his best friend and childhood sweetheart, who needs a place to stay for the summer. Mia Johnson has thousands of friends—who live in her computer. Along with her email chats and Facebook notifications, Mia also devours romance novels, spending countless hours with fictional characters, dreaming of her own Romeo to sweep her off her feet. When she starts receiving supersweet messages from a stranger who thinks she’s someone else, Mia begins to believe that real love is possible outside her virtual world. When the two friends become roommates, Mia finds herself falling harder than she ever thought she could. But Eric keeps his desires locked away, unsure of himself and his ability to give his best friend what she deserves in a boyfriend. As her advances are continually spurned, Mia splits her time between Eric and her computer. But she soon realizes she’s about to lose the only real thing she’s ever had. *Advance praise for The Real Thing“Cassie Mae is awesome! The perfect balance between laugh-out-loud funny and achingly poignant, The Real Thing is the ultimate escapist read. I didn’t want it to end!”*—Lauren Layne, author of Isn’t She Lovely “Watching two best friends figure out how to fall in love makes The Real Thing a summer read of swoon-worthy perfection.”—Jolene Perry, author of *The Summer I Found You* “Cassie Mae’s The Real Thing made me want to close out every social media app and electronic device I have, but I couldn’t manage to stop reading!”—Rebecca Yarros, author of *Full Measures* Praise for Cassie Mae“Cassie Mae’s writing is fresh and original!”—Rachel Morgan, author of the Creepy Hollow series “A fabulous author who tugs on your heart strings as if she owns them.”—Jade Hart, author of *Coffee and Cockpits “Cassie Mae has a knack for developing characters who have you wanting to climb into the pages and become part of their world.”*—Theresa Paolo, author of (Never) Again“Cassie Mae’s books have become my latest guilty pleasure. Pleasure, because who doesn’t love to read a romantic comedy? And I say guilty because when I lay my hands on one, I tend to read them in one sitting and let all my other responsibilities go to the wayside. What dishes?”—Pauline Creeden, author of *Sanctuary“Mae is very good at getting me to chuckle throughout an entire book, because her heroines are quirky and unique.”*—Book NerdReview**Advance praise for **The Real Thing“Cassie Mae is awesome! The perfect balance between laugh-out-loud funny and achingly poignant, The Real Thing is the ultimate escapist read. I didn’t want it to end!”—Lauren Layne, author of Isn’t She Lovely “Watching two best friends figure out how to fall in love makes The Real Thing a summer read of swoon-worthy perfection.”—Jolene Perry, author of *The Summer I Found You* “Cassie Mae’s The Real Thing made me want to close out every social media app and electronic device I have, but I couldn’t manage to stop reading!”—Rebecca Yarros, author of *Full Measures* Praise for Cassie Mae“Cassie Mae’s writing is fresh and original!”—Rachel Morgan, author of the Creepy Hollow series* “A fabulous author who tugs on your heart strings as if she owns them.”*—Jade Hart, author of Coffee and Cockpits “Cassie Mae has a knack for developing characters who have you wanting to climb into the pages and become part of their world.”—Theresa Paolo, author of (Never) Again“Cassie Mae’s books have become my latest guilty pleasure. Pleasure, because who doesn’t love to read a romantic comedy? And I say guilty because when I lay my hands on one, I tend to read them in one sitting and let all my other responsibilities go to the wayside. What dishes?”*—Pauline Creeden, author of Sanctuary“Mae is very good at getting me to chuckle throughout an entire book, because her heroines are quirky and unique.”—*Book Nerd

Discover the original bone-chilling adventures that made Goosebumps one of the bestselling children's books series of all time. Now with all-new bonus materials!Werewolf Village. The Doom Slide. The Coffin Cruise. These are just a few of the terrifying attractions that await Luke and Lizzy Morris at HorrorLand. Step right up and join the Morris family as they ride each ride—and scream each scream—for the very first time. Because it might also be their last.LOOK in the back of the BOOK: This special collector's edition includes a secret guide to the new Goosebumps HorrorLand series, tips & tricks for the Goosebumps HorrorLand video game, and more!

JOINED BY POWER AND PASSION!She was a cool confident businesswoman, a beautiful outcast from the East determined to regain her rightful status. He was a Shield, an intense mercenary respected and feared throughout the opulent cities and savage frontiers of the West. But from the moment they met, fate made them one. Gazing into Gryph's blue-green eyes, Sarianna felt both the heat of his touch and the surge of a mysterious force that branded her his true mate. Was it her destiny to be enslaved by desire and forever bound to her man by a power that frightened her? Soon the woman from the East must learn the ways of the West--as she and Gryph join forces in a dangerous quest to save their world. And soon their love will be tested to its limits--sweeping the Shield and his lady into undreamed of realms of shimmering, shattering ecstasy.

A new Pete the Cat mystery in paperback for the first time! Alex and his friends witness a pig falling from a speeding red truck. Working with the police and an animal rescue group, the kids get permission to keep the pig. But after a local TV station runs a story about the rescue, the angry truck driver shows up at Alex?s house, determined to take the pig to slaughter. Who is this man? What is he hiding? Pete uses his skills to solve the mystery but, as usual, his humans don?t understand. When the dangerous situation turns deadly, can Pete save himself?