Twilight and Moonbeam Alley

      Stefan Zweig
     Twilight and Moonbeam Alley

In 'Twilight', a fashionable lady is banished from Versailles by the King, and tries to make the best of life on her country estate. Versailles, for all its hollowness, was the only thing that gave her existence meaning; and although she entertains lovers and friends from Paris in her new home, she soon comes to find her new life intolerable - and moves inexorably towards suicide. In 'Moonbeam Alley', a traveller delayed in a French port explores the sailors' quarter. Enticed by a voice singing an aria, he enters a bar near the harbour, where he learns the story of those who run it and frequent it: a tale of violence, unrequited passion and untrue marriage.

Read online

  • 1 257

    Miracles and Massacres

      Glenn Beck
     Miracles and Massacres

1 bestselling author Glenn Beck gives us inspiring, courageous, and little-known stories from American history, from the Founders through September 11. Don’t miss the huge bestseller Miracles and Massacres, history as you’ve never heard it told and incredible events that you never knew existed. HISTORY AS IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE TOLD: TRUE AND THRILLING. Thomas Edison was a bad guy—and bad guys usually lose in the end. World War II radio host “Tokyo Rose” was branded as a traitor by the US government and served time in prison. In reality, she was a hero to many. Twenty US soldiers received medals of honor at the Battle of Wounded Knee—yet this wasn’t a battle at all; it was a massacre. Paul Revere’s midnight ride was nothing compared to the ride made by a guy named Jack whom you’ve probably never heard of. History is about so much more than memorizing facts. It is, as more than half of the word suggests, about the story. And, told in the right way, it is the greatest one ever written: Good and evil, triumph and tragedy, despicable acts of barbarism and courageous acts of heroism. The things you’ve never learned about our past will shock you. The reason why gun control is so important to government elites can be found in a story about Athens that no one dares teach. Not the city in ancient Greece, but the one in 1946 Tennessee. The power of an individual who trusts his gut can be found in the story of the man who stopped the twentieth hijacker from being part of 9/11. And a lesson on what happens when an all-powerful president is in need of positive headlines is revealed in a story about eight saboteurs who invaded America during World War II. If the truth shall set you free, then your freedom begins on page one of this book. By the end, your understanding of the lies and half-truths you’ve been taught may change, but your perception of who we are as Americans and where our country is headed definitely will.

Read online

  • 1 257

    The Orenda

      Joseph Boyden
     The Orenda

In the remote winter landscape a brutal massacre and the kidnapping of a young Iroquois girl violently re-ignites a deep rift between two tribes. The girl’s captor, Bird, is one of the Huron Nation’s great warriors and statesmen. Years have passed since the murder of his family, and yet they are never far from his mind. In the girl, Snow Falls, he recognizes the ghost of his lost daughter, but as he fights for her heart and allegiance, small battles erupt into bigger wars as both tribes face a new, more dangerous threat from afar. Traveling with the Huron is Christophe, a charismatic missionary who has found his calling among the tribe and devotes himself to learning and understanding their customs and language. An emissary from distant lands, he brings much more than his faith to this new world, with its natural beauty and riches. As these three souls dance with each other through intricately woven acts of duplicity, their social, political and spiritual worlds collide - and a new nation rises from a world in flux.

Read online

  • 1 257

    The Dwarves of Death

      Jonathan Coe
     The Dwarves of Death

William's life is beset with frustration: his band turns his melodic songs into grotesque parodies of Status Quo, and cool Madelaine dangles out of reach. Things could hardly get worse, it seems - until he becomes the only witness to a bizarre murder. "A very clever, very funny book ...Brilliant" - "Sunday Times". "Like a Hitchcock movie on drugs ...a novel of considerable gusto and panache" - "Observer". "It's about being young, poor, confused and in love ...Sharp, lucid and witty" - "Guardian".

Read online

  • 1 257

    The Best of Gene Stratton-Porter

      Gene Stratton-Porter
     The Best of Gene Stratton-Porter

Three classic stories for young adults about the wonder and power of our connections with nature and each other. Gene Stratton-Porter was a pioneer naturalist, wilderness advocate, and author. She wrote both fiction and nonfiction about the woods and swampland that she loved so much, and her tales of finding independence and courage through building a relationship with nature touched millions of readers both when she was writing and to this day. In The Best of Gene Stratton-Porter, three of her most timeless classics are collected in one volume. A Girl of the Limberlost, Freckles, and The Harvester demonstrate the power of Stratton-Porter’s writing for young people as she explores how the natural world can provide not just a means of sustenance, but also a source of strength in the face of the world’s difficulties and, ultimately, a place where you can be true to yourself. In both A Girl of the Limberlost and Freckles, we see young Elnora Cornstock and an orphan boy known only as Freckles develop a love of Limberlost Swamp, using it to gain independence and find true connections with others. Taking place in the woodlands of the Midwest, The Harvester tells the story of a young man who lives on his own and who heals an ill girl. In each book, nature is a powerful force that helps the characters deal with the pain of their pasts and the uncertainty of the present. With an introduction by award-winning essayist Scott Russell Sanders, The Best of Gene Stratton-Porter brings together three classic novels that deserve a place on any young adult’s bookshelf.

Read online

  • 1 257

    Gentian Hill

      Elizabeth Goudge
     Gentian Hill

They met as children--in a lush, enchanting land where anguish and strife did not exist. Even then, Zachary and Stella knew that one day they would be lovers. As they grew up, the world rushed into their magic kingdom. War raged--a war to challenge the bravest of men. Zachary answered that challenge, knowing it would sweep him far away, into the depths of danger. Yet he vowed to return to Stella, no matter what, no matter how. Novel set in England at the time of Napoleonic Wars. A lovely retelling of the legend of St. Michael's Chapel at Torquay.

Read online

  • 1 257

    The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

      Rachel Joyce
     The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Recently retired, sweet, emotionally numb Harold Fry is jolted out of his passivity by a letter from Queenie Hennessy, an old friend, who he hasn't heard from in twenty years. She has written to say she is in hospice and wanted to say goodbye. Leaving his tense, bitter wife Maureen to her chores, Harold intends a quick walk to the corner mailbox to post his reply but instead, inspired by a chance encounter, he becomes convinced he must deliver his message in person to Queenie--who is 600 miles away--because as long as he keeps walking, Harold believes that Queenie will not die. So without hiking boots, rain gear, map or cell phone, one of the most endearing characters in current fiction begins his unlikely pilgrimage across the English countryside. Along the way, strangers stir up memories--flashbacks, often painful, from when his marriage was filled with promise and then not, of his inadequacy as a father, and of his shortcomings as a husband. Ironically, his wife Maureen, shocked by her husband's sudden absence, begins to long for his presence. Is it possible for Harold and Maureen to bridge the distance between them? And will Queenie be alive to see Harold arrive at her door?

Read online

  • 1 257

    The Arm and the Darkness

      Taylor Caldwell
     The Arm and the Darkness

THE CARDINAL LUSTED AFTER THE YOUNG QUEEN, AND ALL OF FRANCE KNEW IT! Taylor Caldwell's incomparable talent as a storyteller has never been more brilliantly revealed than in this thrilling novel of France in the time of the infamous Cardinal Richelieu and the struggle for survival between the Catholics and the Huguenots. The Arm and the Darkness is a rich tapestry of the intrigue, loyalty and treachery that marked one of the most glittering epochs in the history of Europe. Across the pages of this novel march the great men and women of the time. Woven into the fabric of this sweeping tale is the tender story of the love between Arsène, a dashing young Huguenot, and the beautiful Catholic peasant girl, Cecile. This is a novel teeming with adventure and passion and stamped with that unmistakable aura of authenticity which has made the stories of Taylor Caldwell world-famous bestsellers.

Read online

  • 1 257

    The Annotated Archy and Mehitabel

      Don Marquis
     The Annotated Archy and Mehitabel

Generations of readers have delighted in the work of the great American humorist Don Marquis, who was frequently compared to Mark Twain. These free-verse poems, which first appeared in Marquis's New York newspaper columns, revolve around the escapades of Archy, the philosophical cockroach who was once a poet, and Mehitabel, a streetwise alley cat who was once Cleopatra. Reincarnated as the lowest creatures on the social scale, they prowl the rowdy streets of New York City in between the world wars. The antics of these two immortal characters are now made available for the first time in their original order of publication in this unique, comprehensive collection, which features many poems never before reprinted. First time in Penguin Classics Archy and Mehitabel is considered the inspiration for E.B. White's Charlotte's Web Features many new poems never reprinted since they were first published early in the twentieth century Introduction places Marquis in the context of American humor and the history of satire

Read online

  • 1 257

    Back of Beyond

      C. J. Box
     Back of Beyond

Edgar® Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box delivers a thriller about a troubled cop trying to save his son from a killer in Yellowstone. Cody Hoyt, while a brilliant cop, is an alcoholic struggling with two months of sobriety when his mentor and AA sponsor Hank Winters is found burned to death in a remote mountain cabin. At first it looks like the suicide of a man who's fallen off the wagon, but Cody knows Hank better than that. Sober for fourteen years, Hank took pride in his hard-won sobriety and never hesitated to drop whatever he was doing to talk Cody off a ledge. When Cody takes a closer look at the scene of his friend's death, it becomes apparent that foul play is at hand. After years of bad behavior with his department, he's in no position to be investigating a homicide, but this man was a friend and Cody's determined to find his killer. When clues found at the scene link the murderer to an outfitter leading tourists on a multi-day wilderness horseback trip into the remote corners of Yellowstone National Park--a pack trip that includes his son Justin--Cody is desperate to get on their trail and stop the killer before the group heads into the wild. Among the tourists is fourteen-year-old Gracie Sullivan, an awkward but intelligent loner who begins to suspect that someone in their party is dangerous. In a fatal cat and mouse game, where it becomes apparent the murderer is somehow aware of Cody's every move, Cody treks into the wilderness to stop a killer hell bent on ruining the only thing in his life he cares about. Back of Beyond is a Kirkus Reviews Best of 2011 Mysteries title.

Read online

  • 1 257

    Raven on the Wing

      Kay Hooper
     Raven on the Wing

New York Times bestselling author Kay Hooper brings together romance and suspense in this classic love story of a woman who must lie to keep a safe distance from the man she loves—because telling him the truth is too dangerous for them both. From the moment Raven Anderson literally knocks Josh Long off his feet, he’s determined to keep this elusive beauty in his tight embrace. While Raven denies their electrifying attraction and fends off his advances, Josh uses the resources of his business empire to crack the mystery surrounding Raven’s true identity. But Josh can’t bring himself to believe what the background check confirms—that Raven is an international criminal wanted for her connections to worldwide terrorism. Raven has discouraged Josh’s help and his love, but she’s going to need both. For she is playing a part in a deadly game against an adversary who never loses, who takes no prisoners, and who threatens her very life. From the Paperback edition.

Read online

  • 1 257

    The Best Thing

      Jaci Burton
     The Best Thing

Tori Lewis had a perfect working relationship with Brody Kent, until a year ago, when a flaming hot kiss changed everything between them. With passion dancing a wicked tease around them, they have to decide which direction their relationship is going. But Tori doesn't want to risk losing her job and the only family she knows, while Brody wants to shake things up and make Tori his. Can he convince her he's worth the plunge into the unknown?

Read online

  • 1 256

    Perfect Cover

      Jennifer Lynn Barnes
     Perfect Cover

Bayport High's Varsity cheer squad is made up of the hottest of the hot. But this A-list is dangerous in more ways than one. The Squad is actually a cover for the most highly trained group of underage government operatives the United States has ever assembled. They have the perfect cover, because, beyond herkeys and highlights, no one expects anything from a cheerleader. "From the Paperback edition."

Read online

  • 1 256

    Moloch: Or, This Gentile World

      Henry Miller
     Moloch: Or, This Gentile World

Uncovered along with Crazy Cock in 1988 by Miller biographer Mary V. Dearborn, Moloch emerged from the misery of Miller's years at Western Union and from the squalor of his first marriage. Set in the rapidly changing New York City of the early twenties, its hero is the rough-and-tumble Dion Moloch, a man filled with anger and despair. Trapped in a demeaning job, oppressed by an acrimonious home life, Moloch escapes to the streets only to be assaulted by a world he despises even more — a Brooklyn transformed into a shrill medley of ethnic sights, sounds, and smells. The antagonized Moloch strikes out blindly at everything he hates, battling against a world whose hostility threatens to overwhelm and destroy him.

Read online

  • 1 256

    All Our Worldly Goods

      Irene Nemirovsky
     All Our Worldly Goods

From the author of the bestselling Suite Française. Pierre and Agnès marry for love against the wishes of his parents and the family patriarch, the tyrannical industrialist Julien Hardelot, provoking a family feud which cascades down the generations. Even when war is imminent and Pierre is called up, the old man is unforgiving. Taut, evocative and beautifully paced, All Our Worldly Goods points up with heartbreaking detail and clarity how close were those two wars, how history repeated itself, tragically, shockingly... 'A remarkable novel...beautifully translated... Her voice, compassionate yet always shrewd, with its sharp portrait of France at war and during the optimistic and confused Twenties and early Thirties, is always distinctive' *Literary Review*

Read online

  • 1 256