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<p><strong>Now a major motion picture starring Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba</strong> </p>
<p>The penultimate volume in the Dark Tower series, <em>The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah</em>, a #1 <em>New York Times</em> bestseller, is a pivotal installment in the epic saga. </p>
<p>Susannah Dean is possessed, her body a living vessel for the demon-mother Mia. Something is growing inside Susannah's belly, something terrible, and soon she will give birth to Mia's "chap." But three unlikely allies are following them from New York City to the border of End World, hoping to prevent the unthinkable. Meanwhile, Eddie and Roland have tumbled into the state of Maine -- where the author of a novel called <em>'Salem's Lot</em> is about to meet his destiny.... **</p></div>


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<p>Enter once more the world of Roland Deschain—and the world of the Dark Tower...presented in a stunning graphic novel form that will unlock the doorways to terrifying secrets and bold storytelling as part of the dark fantasy masterwork and magnum opus from #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King.“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” With these unforgettable words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King’s iconic character Roland Deschain of Gilead. Roland is the last of his kind, a “gunslinger” charged with protecting whatever goodness and light remains in his world—a world that “moved on,” as they say. In this desolate reality—a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic, and yet one that mirrors our own in frightening ways—Roland is on a spellbinding and soul-shattering quest to locate and somehow save the mystical nexus of all worlds, all universes: the Dark Tower. Now, in the graphic novel series adaptation Stephen King's The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger, originally published by Marvel Comics in single-issue form and creatively overseen by Stephen King himself, the full story of Roland's troubled past and ongoing saga is revealed. Sumptuously drawn by Richard Isanove, Sean Phillips, Luke Ross, and Michael Lark, plotted by longtime Stephen King expert Robin Furth, and scripted by New York Times bestselling author Peter David, The Gunslinger adaptation is an extraordinary and terrifying journey—ultimately serving as the perfect introduction for new readers to Stephen King’s modern literary classic The Dark Tower, while giving longtime fans thrilling adventures transformed from his blockbuster novels. Now near death following a vicious attack by the Slow Mutants, Roland Deschain is taken in by a group of nuns who specialize in anything but the healing arts. These hideous, corpse-like creatures—the Little Sisters of Eluria—have murder on their twisted minds. And in his current condition, there’s almost nothing that the last gunslinger can do to prevent their tender mercies from taking hold….</p></div>


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<h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they were grown-up men and women who had gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But none of them could withstand the force that drew them back to Derry, Maine to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name. What was it? Read <strong>It</strong> and find out...if you dare! </p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>The amazingly prolific King returns to pure horror, pitting good against evil as in The Stand and The Shining. Moving back and forth between 1958 and 1985, the story tells of seven children in a small Maine town who discover the source of a series of horrifying murders. Having conquered the evil force once, they are summoned together 27 years later when the cycle begins again. As usual, the requisite thrills are in abundance, and King's depiction of youngsters is extraordinarily accurate and sympathetic. But there is enough material in this epic for several novels and stories, and the excessive length and numerous interrelated flashbacks eventually become wearying and annoying. Nevertheless, King is a born storyteller, and It will undoubtedly be in high demand among his fans. BOMC main selection. Eric W. Johnson, Univ. of Bridgeport Lib., Ct.<br />Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p>


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<p class="description">ON NOVEMBER 22, 1963, THREE SHOTSRANG OUT IN DALLAS, PRESIDENTKENNEDY DIED, AND THE WORLD CHANGED.WHAT IF YOU COULD CHANGE IT BACK? In this brilliantly conceived tour de force, Stephen Kingwho has absorbed the social, political, and popular culture of his generation more imaginatively and thoroughly than any other writertakes readers on an incredible journey into the past and the possibility of altering it. It begins with Jake Epping, a thirty-five-year-old English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching GED classes. He asks his students to write about an event that changed their lives, and one essay blows him awaya gruesome, harrowing story about the night more than fifty years ago when Harry Dunning's father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a sledgehammer. Reading the essay is a watershed moment for Jake, his lifelike Harry's, like America's in 1963turning on a dime. Not much later his friend Al, who owns the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to the past, a particular day in 1958. And Al enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsessionto prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake's new life as George Amberson, in a different world of Ike and JFK and Elvis, of big American cars and sock hops and cigarette smoke everywhere. From the dank little city of Derry, Maine (where there's Dunning business to conduct), to the warmhearted small town of Jodie, Texas, where Jake falls dangerously in love, every turn is leading eventually, of course, to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and to Dallas, where the past becomes heart-stoppingly suspenseful, and where history might not be history anymore. Time-travel has never been so believable. Or so terrifying.</p>


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<div><p>Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.</p><p><br></p><p></p><h3 class="productDescriptionSource">Review</h3> <div class="productDescriptionWrapper"> “A master storyteller.” —<i>Los Angeles Times</i><br><br>“Scary! . . . Serves up horrors at a brisk, unflagging pace.” —<i>The New York Times</i><br><br>“This chilling novel will haunt you, and make your blood run cold and your heart race with fear.” —<i>Nashville Banner</i><br> <br>“Guaranteed to frighten you into fits. . . . with a climax that is literally explosive.” —<i>Cosmopolitan</i><br><br>“The most wonderfully gruesome man on the planet.” —<i>USA Today</i><br><i> </i><br>“An undisputed master of suspense and terror.” —<i>The Washington Post</i><br><i> </i><br>“[King] probably knows more about scary goings-on in confined, isolated places than anybody since Edgar Allan Poe.” —<i>Entertainment Weekly</i><br><i> </i><br>“He’s the author who can always make the improbable so scary you’ll feel compelled to check the locks on the front door.” —<i>The Boston Globe</i><br><i> </i><br>“Peerless imagination.” —<i>The Observer</i> (London) <div class="emptyClear"> </div> </div> <h3 class="productDescriptionSource">About the Author</h3> <div class="productDescriptionWrapper"> Stephen King is the author of more than fifty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. Among his most recent are <i>11/22/63</i>; <i>Full Dark, No Stars</i>;<i> Under the Dome</i>; <i>Just After Sunset;</i> <i>Duma Key</i>;<i> Lisey’s Story</i>; <i>Cell</i>; and the concluding novels in<i> </i>the Dark Tower saga: <i>Wolves of the Calla</i>,<i> Song of Susannah</i>,<i> </i>and <i>The Dark Tower.</i> His acclaimed nonfiction book, <i>On Writing</i>, is also a bestseller. He was the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, and in 2007, he received the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. He lives in Maine with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.<br> <br>www.stephenking.com </div></div>


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<div><p><strong>Stephen King returns to the characters and territory of one of his most popular novels ever, <em>The Shining</em>, in this instantly riveting novel about the now middle-aged Dan Torrance (the boy protagonist of <em>The Shining</em>) and the very special twelve-year-old girl he must save from a tribe of murderous paranormals.</strong><br></p><p>On highways across America, a tribe of people called The True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless—mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky twelve-year-old Abra Stone learns, The True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the “steam” that children with the “shining” produce when they are slowly tortured to death.<br></p><p>Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father’s legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant “shining” power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes “Doctor Sleep.”<br></p><p>Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan’s own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra’s soul and survival. This is an epic war between good and evil, a gory, glorious story that will thrill the millions of devoted readers of <em>The Shining</em> and satisfy anyone new to the territory of this icon in the King canon.</p></div>


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<p><b>A journey through British food, from the acclaimed author of <i>The Apple Orchard</i></b></p><p>In Britain, we have always had an awkward relationship with food. We've been told for so long that we are terrible cooks and yet when someone with a clipboard asks us what the best things are about being British, our traditional food and drink are more important than the monarchy and at least as significant as our landscape and national monuments in defining a collective notion of who we are. </p><p>Taking nine archetypically British dishes - Pie and Peas, A Cheese Sandwich, Fish and Chips, Spag Bol, Devonshire Cream Tea, Curry, The Full English, The Sunday Roast and a Crumble with Custard - and enjoying them in their most typical settings, Pete Brown examines just how fundamental food is to our sense of identity, perhaps even our sense of pride, and the ways in which we understand our place in the world.</p>


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<p>Pete Brown has visited hundreds of pubs across the UK and is uniquely placed to write about pubs that ooze atmosphere, whatever the reason, be it food, people, architecture, location or decor. The best pubs are those that always have a steady trade at any time on any day of the week, and where chat flows back and forth across the bar. They're the places where you want to drink weak beer so you can have several pints and stay longer. Some are grand Victorian palaces, others ancient inns with stunning views across the hills. Some are ale shrines, others gastropubs (though they probably don't call themselves that any more). A precious few are uniquely eccentric, the kinds of places that are just as likely to have terrible reviews on Trip Advisor as great ones, because some people don't realize that the outside toilets, limp sandwiches on the bar and really disturbing full-size mannequin glaring at you from the corner are all part of the charm.This collection of 300 pubs with...


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<div><p>Naomi Novik ended her acclaimed, beloved nine-volume Temeraire series last year with a stunning finale, <em>League of Dragons</em>. Fans missing their favorite series can now rejoice: Novik returns with an original Temeraire collection as unique as the world she has created, with each tale inspired by an accompanying piece of fan art.  </p><p>The Temeraire novels provide a window into an alternate nineteenth century populated with Novik's own richly human and unforgettably draconic characters as they adventure alongside well-known historical figures. That tradition continues here. Readers will delight at appearances by fan-favorite characters from the series and historical figures like the famed explorer Matteo Ricci. In “Planting Season,” Novik shows us an early glimpse of American dragon John Wampanoag at Boston Harbor. “Golden Age” finds a dragon who believes he remembers being called Celeste hatch from a shipwreck-tossed crate onto an island where he meets others of his kind. But other famous fictional characters are to be discovered here as well. Readers will certainly recognize a certain Miss Bennet (here <em>Captain</em> Bennet) and her suitor, Mr. Darcy, in “Dragons and Decorum.”  </p><p>Filled with the inventive world-building, rich detail, sparkling wit, and deep emotion that readers have come to expect from Novik's work, <em>Golden Age and Other Stories</em> is a treasure at home on any Temeraire-lover's bookshelf.</p><p class="description">


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With the acclaimed Temeraire novels, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author Naomi Novik has created a fantasy series like no other, combining the high-flying appeal of Anne McCaffrey's Pern saga and the swashbuckling derring-do of Patrick O'Brian's historical seafaring adventures. Now, with <i>League of Dragons,</i> Novik brings the imaginative tour de force that has captivated millions to an unforgettable finish.<br>  <br> Napoleon's invasion of Russia has been roundly thwarted. But even as Capt. William Laurence and the dragon Temeraire pursue the retreating enemy through an unforgiving winter, Napoleon is raising a new force, and he'll soon have enough men and dragons to resume the offensive. While the emperor regroups, the allies have an opportunity to strike first and defeat him once and for all--if internal struggles and petty squabbles don't tear them apart.<br>  <br> Aware of his weakened position, Napoleon has promised the dragons of every country--and the ferals, loyal...


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<p><b>"An absorbing adventure."--<i>Publishers Weekly</i> (starred review)</b><br>  <br> Former Aerial Corps captain Will Laurence and his faithful dragon,  Temeraire, have been put out to pasture in Australia--and it seems their  part in the war has ended just when they are needed most. The French  have invaded Spain, forged an alliance with Africa's powerful Tswana  empire, and brought revolution to Brazil. With Britain's last desperate  hope of defeating Napoleon in peril, the government that sidelined  Laurence swiftly offers to reinstate him, convinced that he's the best  man to enter the fray and negotiate peace. So the pair embark for  Brazil, only to meet with a string of unmitigated disasters that forces  them to make an unexpected landing in the hostile territory of the Incan  empire. With the success of the mission balanced on a razor's edge, an  old enemy appears and threatens to tip the scales toward ruin. Yet even  in the midst of disaster, opportunity may lurk--for...


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A dazzling blend of military history, high-flying fantasy, and edge-of-your-seat adventure, Naomi Novik’s Temeraire novels, set in an alternate Napoleonic era in which intelligent dragons have been harnessed as weapons of war, are more than just perennial bestsellers—they are a worldwide phenomenon. Now, in Tongues of Serpents, Naomi Novik is back, along with the dragon Temeraire and his rider and friend, Capt. Will Laurence.Convicted of treason despite their heroic defense against Napoleon’s invasion of England, Temeraire and Laurence—stripped of rank and standing—have been transported to the prison colony at New South Wales in distant Australia, where, it is hoped, they cannot further corrupt the British Aerial Corps with their dangerous notions of liberty for dragons. Temeraire and Laurence carry with them three dragon eggs intended to help establish a covert in the colony and destined to be handed over to such second-rate, undesirable officers as have been willing to accept so remote an assignment—including one former acquaintance, Captain Rankin, whose cruelty once cost a dragon its life.Nor is this the greatest difficulty that confronts the exiled dragon and rider: Instead of leaving behind all the political entanglements and corruptions of the war, Laurence and Temeraire have instead sailed into a hornet’s nest of fresh complications. For the colony at New South Wales has been thrown into turmoil after the overthrow of the military governor, one William Bligh—better known as Captain Bligh, late of HMS Bounty. Bligh wastes no time in attempting to enlist Temeraire and Laurence to restore him to office, while the upstart masters of the colony are equally determined that the new arrivals should not upset a balance of power precariously tipped in their favor.    Eager to escape this political quagmire, Laurence and Temeraire take on a mission to find a way through the forbidding Blue Mountains and into the interior of Australia. But when one of the dragon eggs is stolen from Temeraire, the surveying expedition becomes a desperate race to recover it in time—a race that leads to a shocking discovery and a dangerous new obstacle in the global war between Britain and Napoleon.


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When Britain intercepted a French ship and its precious cargo–an unhatched dragon’s egg–Capt. Will Laurence of HMS Reliant unexpectedly became master and commander of the noble dragon he named Temeraire. As new recruits in Britain’s Aerial Corps, man and dragon soon proved their mettle in daring combat against Bonaparte’s invading forces. Now China has discovered that its rare gift, intended for Napoleon, has fallen into British hands–and an angry Chinese delegation vows to reclaim the remarkable beast. But Laurence refuses to cooperate. Facing the gallows for his defiance, Laurence has no choice but to accompany Temeraire back to the Far East–a long voyage fraught with peril, intrigue, and the untold terrors of the deep. Yet once the pair reaches the court of the Chinese emperor, even more shocking discoveries and darker dangers await.


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“A splendid series.”–Anne McCaffrey“Naomi Novik has done for the Napoleonic Wars what Anne McCaffrey did for science fiction: constructed an alternate reality in which dragons are real in a saga that is impressively original, fully developed, and peopled with characters you care about.”–David Weber, author of the Honor Harrington seriesAfter their fateful adventure in China, Capt. Will Laurence of His Majesty’s Aerial Corps and his extraordinary dragon, Temeraire, are waylaid by a mysterious envoy bearing urgent new orders from Britain. Three valuable dragon eggs have been purchased from the Ottoman Empire, and Laurence and Temeraire must detour to Istanbul to escort the precious cargo back to England. Time is of the essence if the eggs are to be borne home before hatching.Yet disaster threatens the mission at every turn–thanks to the diabolical machinations of the Chinese dragon Lien, who blames Temeraire for her master’s death and vows to ally herself with Napoleon and take vengeance. Then, faced with shattering betrayal in an unexpected place, Laurence, Temeraire, and their squad must launch a daring offensive. But what chance do they have against the massed forces of Bonaparte’s implacable army?


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<p>DID YOU KNOW...</p> <p><li> A piece of toast was dropped into wine in ancient Rome to toast someone for good health?</p> <p><li> The word 'bridal' originated from 'bride ale', a special alcohol brewed for a marriage feast?</p> <p><li> Rum was so important in New England that a contract wasn't considered sealed until a glass had been drunk?</p> <p>'Drink' contains everything you have ever wanted to know about alcohol, from how to make absinthe to the cultural history of zythos (beer), and is packed with fascinating and curious facts about life's 'second greatest pleasure' (according to essayist Samuel Johnson).</p> <p>Bottoms up!</p>


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<p><B>&#147;An intoxicating brew of drinking lore, boozy anecdotes and hop-driven history&#8212;this is the sort of school I wish I'd gone to." &#8212;Adrian Tierney-Jones, author of <I>1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die</I></B><BR>Humans were seeking out alcohol millions of years before the word &#147;keg" was coined. <I>School of Booze</I> contains everything you have ever wanted to know about alcoholic beverages, from how to make absinthe to the cultural history of zythos (beer). It covers the discovery and invention of fermented alcohol, ancient history, toasting, alcohol and health, alcohol's role in religion, origin of slang expressions, virtually every known form of alcoholic beverage and their histories, temperance and prohibition movements and law, and much more.<BR>Packed with fascinating miscellany and curious facts to entertain your friends at the pub, this book is an essential compendium of knowledge about what essayist Dr. Samuel Johnson called life's...


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<span id="freeText13310557302016721794">The Doctor promised 
Romana the end of the universe, so she’s less than impressed when what 
she gets is a cricket match. But then the award ceremony is interrupted 
by eleven figures in white uniforms and peaked skull helmets, wielding 
bat-shaped weapons that fire lethal bolts of light into the screaming 
crowd. The Krikkitmen are back. <br><br>Millions of years ago, the 
people of Krikkit learned they were not alone in the universe, and 
promptly launched a xenophobic crusade to wipe out all other life-forms.
 After a long and bloody conflict, the Time Lords imprisoned Krikkit 
within an envelope of Slow Time, a prison that could only be opened with
 the Wicket Gate key, a device that resembles – to human eyes, at least –
 an oversized set of cricket stumps…<br><br>From Earth to Gallifrey, 
from Bethselamin to Devalin, from Krikkit to Mareeve II to the far edge 
of infinity, the Doctor and Romana are tugged into a pan-galactic conga 
with fate as they rush to stop the Krikkitmen gaining all five pieces of
 the key. If they fail, the entire cosmos faces a fiery retribution that
 will leave nothing but ashes…</span>


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<div><h3>Product Description</h3><p>The soldiers of Armageddon are on the march, laying waste to worlds in their passage. An audacious plan could stop them forever, but it carries risks that one starship captain is unwilling to take. For Captain Jean-Luc Picard, defending the future has never been so important, or so personal -- and the wrong choice will cost him everything for which he has struggled and suffered. </p><p>For Captain William Riker, that choice has already been made. Haunted by the memories of those he was forced to leave behind, he must jeopardize all that he has left in a desperate bid to save the Federation. </p><p>For Captain Ezri Dax, whose impetuous youth is balanced by the wisdom of many lifetimes, the choice is a simple one: there is no going back -- only forward to whatever future awaits them. </p><p>But for those who, millennia ago, had no choice...this is the hour of their final, inescapable destiny. </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p><strong>David Mack</strong> is the author of numerous Star Trek books, including Wildfire, A Time to Kill, A Time to Heal, Warpath and the critically and fan acclaimed series Star Trek: Destiny. With Marco Palmieri, he developed the Star Trek Vanguard series, for which he has written two novels, Harbinger and Reap the Whirlwind.</p><p>His other novels include the Wolverine espionage adventure Road of Bones, and his first original novel, The Calling, will publish in July 2009.</p><p>Before writing books, Mack co-wrote with John J. Ordover the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fourth-season episode ?Starship Down? and the story treatment for the series' seventh-season episode ?It's Only a Paper Moon.?</p><p>An avid fan of Canadian progressive-rock trio Rush, Mack has attended shows in all of their concert tours since 1982. Mack resides in New York City with his wife, Kara. Learn more about him and his work at www.infinitydog.com. </p></div>


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<div><h3>Product Description</h3><p>Half a decade after the Dominion War and more than a year after the rise and fall of Praetor Shinzon, the galaxy's greatest scourge returns to wreak havoc upon the Federation -- and this time its goal is nothing less than total annihilation. </p><p>Elsewhere, deep in the Gamma Quadrant, an ancient mystery is solved. One of Earth's first generation of starships, lost for centuries, has been found dead and empty on a desolate planet. But its discovery so far from home has raised disturbing questions, and the answers harken back to a struggle for survival that once tested a captain and her crew to the limits of their humanity. </p><p>From that terrifying flashpoint begins an apocalyptic odyssey that will reach across time and space to reveal the past, define the future, and show three captains -- Jean-Luc Picard of the <em>U.S.S. Enterprise</em>, TM William Riker of the <em>U.S.S. Titan</em>, and Ezri Dax of the <em>U.S.S Aventine</em> -- that some destinies are inescapable. </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p><strong>David Mack</strong> is the national bestselling author of more than a dozen books, including <em>Wildfire</em>, <em>Harbinger</em>, <em>Reap the Whirlwind</em>, <em>Road of Bones</em>, and the Star Trek Destiny trilogy — <em>Gods of Night</em>, <em>Mere Mortals</em>, and <em>Lost Souls</em>. His first original novel, the supernatural thriller <em>The Calling</em>, debuted in July 2009 to critical acclaim. In addition to novels, Mack's diverse writing credits span several media, including television (for episodes of <em>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine</em>), film, short fiction, magazines, newspapers, comic books, computer games, radio, and the Internet. Recent novels include <em>The 4400: Promises Broken</em>, <em>Star Trek Vanguard: Precipice</em>, and an expanded edition of his Mirror Universe tale <em>The Sorrows of Empire</em>. Mack has been to shows in every Rush concert tour since 1982, and he finally met two-thirds of the band in 2007. He currently resides in New York City. </p></div>


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<div><h3>Product Description</h3><p>On Earth, Federation President Nanietta Bacco gathers allies and adversaries to form a desperate last line of defense against an impending Borg invasion. In deep space, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Captain Ezri Dax join together to cut off the Collective's route to the Alpha Quadrant. </p><p>Half a galaxy away, Captain William Riker and the crew of the <em>Starship Titan</em> have made contact with the reclusive Caeliar -- survivors of a stellar cataclysm that, two hundred years ago, drove fissures through the structure of space and time, creating a loop of inevitability and consigning another captain and crew to a purgatory from which they could never escape. </p><p>Now the supremely advanced Caeliar will brook no further intrusion upon their isolation, or against the sanctity of their Great Work....For the small, finite lives of mere mortals carry little weight in the calculations of gods. </p><p>But even gods may come to understand that they underestimate humans at their peril. </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p><strong>David Mack</strong> is the national bestselling author of more than a dozen books, including <em>Wildfire</em>, <em>Harbinger</em>, <em>Reap the Whirlwind</em>, <em>Road of Bones</em>, and the Star Trek Destiny trilogy — <em>Gods of Night</em>, <em>Mere Mortals</em>, and <em>Lost Souls</em>. His first original novel, the supernatural thriller <em>The Calling</em>, debuted in July 2009 to critical acclaim. In addition to novels, Mack's diverse writing credits span several media, including television (for episodes of <em>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine</em>), film, short fiction, magazines, newspapers, comic books, computer games, radio, and the Internet. Recent novels include <em>The 4400: Promises Broken</em>, <em>Star Trek Vanguard: Precipice</em>, and an expanded edition of his Mirror Universe tale <em>The Sorrows of Empire</em>. Mack has been to shows in every Rush concert tour since 1982, and he finally met two-thirds of the band in 2007. He currently resides in New York City. </p></div>


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SUMMARY: Winston Smith lives in a society where the government controls people's lives every second of the day. Alone in his small, one-room apartment, Winston dreams of a better life. Is freedom from this life of suffering possible? There must be something that the Party cannot control - something like love, perhaps?


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<p>'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.' Drunken Mr Jones of Manor Farm has neglected his livestock for too long. In a burst of insurgent fervour they rise up and he is deposed, with the pigs taking charge of the newly named Animal Farm. Everything runs smoothly, productivity soars, and all animals are well-fed and happy. But the further away the memory of the revolution, the more distant seem its ideals, and when Boxer the workhorse is betrayed, the horrifying extent of the pigs' corruption is revealed. Orwell's 'fairy story', a scathing satire of Soviet communism, is as potent now as it was in 1945. Animal Farm is one of literature's most electrifying examinations of power and corruption. George Orwell, born Eric Arthur Blair (1903 - 1950) was a teacher, novelist and journalist. He also served his country, including in the Home Guard during the Second World War. He later became the literary editor of the Tribune and wrote for the Observer and Manchester Evening News. The author of nine books, Orwell is best know for the allegorical Animal Farm (1945) and dystopian satire Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949). They have gone on to become two of the most influential books of the twentieth century. 'A wise, compassionate, and illuminating fable.' New York Times 'There are no replacements for George Orwell, just as there are no replacements for a Bernard Shaw or a Mark Twain...he pricked, provoked and badgered lazy minds, delighted those who enjoyed watching an original intelligence at work.' Time 'A book for everyone and Everyman, its brightness undimmed after fifty years.' Ruth Rendell 'Timeless, even transcendent.' Christopher Hitchens 'Absolutely first rate.' New Yorker</p></div>


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<p>Back at his post as a doctor in the Twentieth legion in Roman-occupied Britain, Ruso uncovers a new danger even closer to home than the neighboring barbarians. <strong><em>*As mysterious injuries, and even deaths, begin to appear in the medical ledgers, it's clear that all is not well amongst the native recruits to Britannia's imperial army. Is the much- decorated Centurion Geminus preying on his weaker soldiers? And could this be related to the appearance of Emperor Hadrian? </em></strong><em>Bound by his sense of duty and ill-advised curiosity, Ruso begins to ask questions nobody wants to hear. Meanwhile his barbarian wife, Tilla, is finding out some of the answers-and marked as a security risk by the very officers Ruso is interrogating. <strong><em>*With Hadrian's visit looming large, the fates of the legion, Tilla, and Ruso himself hang in the balance.</em></strong><strong><em /></strong></em><em /></p><hr /><hr /><hr /><hr /><h3>About the Author</h3><p><strong>Ruth Downie</strong> is the author of the <em>New York Times</em> bestselling <em>Medicus</em>, as well as <em>Terra Incognita</em>, <em>Persona Non Grata</em>, and <em>Caveat Emptor</em>. She is married with two sons and lives in Devon, England.</p>


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<p><b>The eighth gripping novel in the bestselling Medicus series, in which Ruso and Tilla investigate the death of the wife of Ruso's friend in the sacred hot spring of Aquae Sulis.</b><br/><b><br/></b><br/>A scandal is threatening to engulf the popular spa town of Aquae Sulis (modern-day Bath). The wife of Ruso's best friend, Valens, has been found dead in the sacred hot spring, stabbed through the heart. Fearing the wrath of the goddess and the ruin of the tourist trade, the temple officials are keen to cover up what's happened. But the dead woman's father is demanding justice, and he's accusing Valens of murder.<br/><br/>If Valens turns up to face trial, he will risk execution. If he doesn't, he'll lose his children.<br/><br/>Ruso and Tilla do their best to help but it's difficult to get anyone&#8212;even Valens himself&#8212;to reveal what really happened. Could Ruso's friend really be guilty as charged?


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<div><div style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><br></div><div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">The medicus Ruso and his wife Tilla are back in the borderlands of Britannia, this time helping to tend the builders of Hadrian’s Great Wall. Having been forced to move off their land, the Britons are distinctly on edge and are still smarting from the failure of a recent rebellion that claimed many lives. </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">Then Ruso’s recently arrived clerk, Candidus, goes missing. A native boy thinks he sees a body being hidden inside the wall’s half-finished stonework, and a worrying rumor begins to spread. When the soldiers ransack the nearby farms looking for Candidus, Tilla’s tentative friendship with a local family turns to anger and disappointment. It’s clear that the sacred rites to bless her marriage to Ruso will have to wait. Tensions only increase when Branan, the family’s youngest son, also vanishes. He was last seen in the company of a lone and unidentified soldier who claimed he was taking the boy to see Tilla. </span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'MS Shell Dlg 2', sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">As Ruso and Tilla try to solve the mystery of the two disappearances—while at the same time struggling to keep the peace between the Britons and the Romans—an intricate scheme involving slavery, changed identities, and fur trappers emerges, and it becomes imperative that Ruso find Branan before it’s too late.</span></font></div></div></div>


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<p>Ruso and Tilla's excitement at arriving in Rome with their new baby daughter is soon dulled by their discovery that the grand facades of polished marble mask an underworld of corrupt landlords and vermin-infested tenements. There are also far too many doctors&#8212;some skilled&#8212;but others positively dangerous. <br/><br/>Ruso thinks he has been offered a reputable medical practice only to find that his predecessor Doctor Kleitos has fled, leaving a dead man in a barrel on the doorstep and the warning, "Be careful who you trust.†? Distracted by the body and his efforts to help a friend win the hand of a rich young heiress, Ruso makes a grave mistake, causing him to question both his competence and his integrity.<br/><br/>With Ruso's reputation under threat, he and Tilla must protect their small family from Doctor Kleitos's debt collectors and find allies in their new home while they track down the vanished doctor and find out the truth about the heiress's dead...


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<p>Wind-swept North Britannia, where the natives are in the mood for killing...Gaius Petreius Ruso, medicus to the Twentieth Legion, has been posted to the hostile north - and thrown into a no-win situation. Thessalus, the current doctor at the Fort of Coria, has confessed to a grisly murder and his Prefect demands that Ruso take charge of the patients and convince Thessalus to retract his confession. But, it seems a reputation for solving tricky murders down south isn't always helpful.Unfortunately, the corpse is offering up few answers other than to suggest that the natives might be more murderous than restless. If Ruso is to identify the killer, he'll need all his wits about him to keep Romans, natives and slave girls from each other's throats.The second novel in the bestselling Gaius Petreius Ruso series. Formerly published as Ruso and the Demented Doctor.</p></div>


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<p><span style="font-weight: 600; font-style: italic">*THE </span><strong>NEW YORK TIMES* BESTSELLER </strong>Welcome to the most remote part of the Roman Empire. Britannia, AD117 - primitive, cold, damp and very muddy.<strong> The Gods are not smiling on army doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso in his new posting in Britannia. He has vast debts, a slave girl who is much more trouble than she is worth and an overbearing hospital administrator to deal with . . . not to mention a serial killer stalking the local streets. Barmaids' bodies are being washed up with the tide and no one else seems to care. It's up to Ruso to summon all his skills to investigate, even though the breakthroughs in forensic science lie centuries in the future, and the murderer may be hunting him down too. If only the locals would just stop killing each other and If only it were possible to find a decent glass of wine, and a slave who can cook, Ruso's prospects would be a whole lot sunnier . . . </strong>The first novel in the <em>New York Times</em> bestselling Gaius Petreius Ruso series. With a gift for comic timing and historic detail, Ruth Downie has conjured an ancient world as raucous and real as our own. Perfect for fans of Lindsey Davis and Steven Saylor.<strong> </strong>Formerly published as RUSO AND THE DISAPPEARING DANCING GIRLS<strong> </strong>Praise for Ruth Downie:<strong> "a wonderful and well-written story" - Ben Kane, author of the Eagles, Hannibal, Spartacus and Forgotten Legion series. "My advice, read this first adventure in the series then move swiftly on to the next, and the next. You will not be disappointed" - Helen Hollick, Author - Discovering Diamonds Review "Ruso will be a hit even if he wears socks with his sandals ... the beginning of an addictively escapist series" - The Times "Enthralling" - Daily Express "Ruso is a comic invention whose fumblings lead him to the truth in spite of himself, and a character you can warm to" - Guardian "Downie wields a wit sharper than a Roman scalpel" - Vicki Leon, author of Working IX to V </strong></p></div>


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<p>The third novel in the bestselling Gaius Petreius Ruso series. Formerly published as Ruso and the Root of All Evils. At last Gaius Petreius Ruso, doctor to the Legions, is to return home to Gaul. Little does he realize the letter summoning him back has been forged, and that the sunny Mediterranean lifestyle conceals dark threats. His family are in terrible debt to dangerous men and when the principal creditor, Severus, is poisoned in the Ruso home, they become the primary suspects in his murder. But the crimes go far deeper. What role did Severus play in the deliberate sinking of a cargo ship? Who are the brutal investigators sent by Rome? And how worrying is the outbreak of the new religion, Christianity, in the neighbourhood?When Ruso takes a job stitching up gladiators in the local amphitheatre, matters come to a head. Even Tilla, his loyal companion, may not be able to save him from the clutches of a most devious killer...</p></div>


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<p>Doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso has arrived back in Britannia with his new wife Tilla and a trunk full of wedding crockery. His friend and colleague Valens has promised to help him find work, so while Tilla yearns for somewhere to make a home, Ruso is tasked with hunting down missing tax man Julius Asper.﻿Of course there's something else missing: money. And the Council of the town of Verulamium is bickering over what's become of it. Compelled to delve deeper when Asper is found murdered, Ruso discovers that the good townsfolk may not be as loyal to Rome as they claim.Despite Ruso's best efforts to get fired from the job of investigator, he and Tilla find themselves trapped at the heart of a treacherous conspiracy involving theft, forgery, buried treasure, and the legacy of Boudica, the rebel queen.The fourth novel in the bestselling Gaius Petreius Ruso series. Formerly published as Ruso and the River of Darkness.</p></div>


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<p><strong>A novella from the author of bestseller </strong><span style="font-weight: 600; font-style: italic">Medicus,</span><strong> featuring reluctant investigator Ruso and his partner Tilla. A tale of murder, intrigue, and betrayal in Roman Gaul.</strong> </p>
<p>It's AD 123 and the sun is shining on southern Gaul. Ex-military medic Ruso and his British wife Tilla are back after a long absence - but it's not the reunion anyone had hoped for. </p>
<p>Ruso's brother has left him in charge of a farm he has no idea how to manage, a chronic debt problem and a gaggle of accident-prone small children. Meanwhile his sister Flora has run away to rescue her boyfriend, who's accused of murdering a wealthy guest at a party. </p>
<p>Can Ruso and Tilla save the boyfriend from the murder charge - or should they be saving Flora from the boyfriend? Will any of the guests tell the truth about the fatal party before it's too late? And meanwhile, how long can Ruso continue to lie about what's inside the bath house? </p>
<p><strong>Don't miss this novella from the author of the </strong><span style="font-weight: 600; font-style: italic">New York Times bestseller Medicus.</span> **</p></div>


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As one of the most ancient of human beverages, mead arose in part because it was easy to make. Today's hobbyists rediscover the simplicity of making mead while reveling in the range of flavors that can result. In The Compleat Meadmaker, veteran beverage hobbyist and meadmaker, Ken Schramm, introduces the novice to the wonders of mead. With easy-to-follow procedures and simple recipes, he shows how you can quickly and painlessly make your own mead at home. In later chapters he introduces flavorful variations on the basic theme that lead to meads flavored with spice, fruits, grapes and even malt.


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<p>Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's <i>Navigators of Dune</i> is the climactic finale of the Great Schools of Dune trilogy, set 10,000 years before Frank Herbert's classic <i>Dune</i>.</p><p>The story line tells the origins of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood and its breeding program, the human-computer Mentats, and the Navigators (the Spacing Guild), as well as a crucial battle for the future of the human race, in which reason faces off against fanaticism. These events have far-reaching consequences that will set the stage for<i>Dune</i>, millennia later.</p>


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If you're looking for an alternative to the "P" languages (Perl, PHP, and Python), or want to explore a new paradigm of server-side application development, this Node book is for you. You should have at least a rudimentary understanding of JavaScript and web application development.


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<b>Two longtime friends share an intimate and urgent conversation about life, music, and their enduring love of America, with all its challenges and contradictions, in this stunningly produced expansion of their groundbreaking Higher Ground podcast, featuring more than 350 photographs, exclusive bonus content, and never-before-seen archival material.</b><br>&#160;<br><i>Renegades: Born in the USA</i> is a candid, revealing, and entertaining dialogue between President Barack Obama and legendary musician Bruce Springsteen that explores everything from their origin stories and career-defining moments to our country&rsquo;s polarized politics and the growing distance between the American Dream and the American reality. Filled with full-color photographs and rare archival material, it is a compelling and beautifully illustrated portrait of two outsiders&mdash;one Black and one white&mdash;looking for a way to connect their unconventional searches for meaning, identity, and community...


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<h3>T<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; ">he Doctor is trapped in a parallel world, unable to act as the Earth is threatened by a poisonous liquid leaking from top-secret drilling project Inferno.</span></h3>


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<div><h3>Product Description</h3><p>Brewing home versions of popular commercial beers has never been simpler or more fun than it is with the 200 recipes in <em>CloneBrews</em>. Home brewers will find everything they need to brew up a batch of their own clone of Magic Hat #9, Ithaca Brown Ale, Moose Drool, or Samuel Adams Boston Ale. And with 200 possibilities to choose from, home brewers will find the perfect taste for every mood and every season.</p><p>Revised, updated, and expanded, the second edition of <em>CloneBrews</em> contains 50 new recipes that reflect the current popularity of strongly hopped India pale ales and American pale ales as well as the growing interest in brown ales, imperial beers, English bitters, porters, stouts, wheat beers, and Belgian ales. The new edition also contains expanded and updated mashing guidelines and a complete review of ingredients and materials. All new to the second edition is a Food Pairing feature that recommends the best foods for every beer an indispensable feature for the brewer who also loves to barbecue or cook!</p><p>Tested and retested, tasted and retasted, Tess and Mark Szamatulskis recipes are the product of 20 years spent running a successful homebrew supply shop and working with customers to create perfect beer clones. They deliver the flavors that home brewers want, described in clear recipes that every brewer will want to make.   </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>You can now brew beer at home that tastes just like your favorite brands with this collection of 150 "cloned" recipes for premium beers from around the world, such as:</p><p>-- Pilsner Urquell</p><p>-- Pete's Wicked Ale</p><p>-- Guinness Extra Stout</p><p>-- Paulaner Hefe-Weizen</p><p>-- Dos Equis</p><p>-- Sierra Nevada Pale Ale</p><p>-- Bass Ale</p><p>-- Anchor Steam Beer</p><p>-- Foster's Lager</p><p>-- Chimay Red</p><p>All 150 recipes come with separate extract, mini-mash, and all-grain instructions. You'll also find tips for replicating any commercial beer so you can make your own clones when you discover a new favorite! </p></div>


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<p>It's a great time to be a beer drinker, but also the most confusing, thanks to the dizzying array of available draft beers. Expert Joshua Bernstein comes to the rescue with <I>The Complete Beer Course</I>, demystifying the sudsy stuff and breaking down the elements that make beer's flavor spin into distinctively different and delicious directions. Structured around a series of easy-to-follow classes, his course hops from lagers and pilsners to hazy wheat beers, Belgian-style abbey and Trappist ales, aromatic pale ales and bitter IPAs, roasty stouts, barrel-aged brews, belly-warming barley wines, and mouth-puckering sour ales. There is even a class on international beer styles and another on pairing beer with food and starting your own beer cellar. Through suggested, targeted tastings, you'll learn when to drink down-and when to dump those suds down a drain.


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<p style="font-weight: 600">AN INCREDIBLE VICTORY BUT AT A TERRIBLE PRICE . . . .</p>
<p align="justify">Against all the odds, Jack West Jr found the Three Secret Cities but at a heartbreaking cost. </p>
<p align="justify">His beloved daughter Lily, it appeared, was slaughtered by Sphinx in a cruel ancient ritual.</p>
<p align="justify" style="font-weight: 600">TO THE MOUNTAINS AND THE FALL!</p>
<p align="justify">With his rivals far ahead of him, Jack must now get to one of the five iron mountains - two of which have never been found - and perform a mysterious feat known only as 'The Fall'. </p>
<p align="justify">Although what is this object on the moon that is connected to it?</p>
<p align="justify" style="font-weight: 600">A NEW PLAYER ARRIVES !</p>
<p align="justify">Amid all this, Jack will discover that a new player has entered the race, a general so feared by the four legendary kingdoms they had him locked away in their deepest dungeon. </p>
<p align="justify">Only now this general has escaped and he has a horrifying plan of his own . . . .</p>
<p align="justify"> </p>
<p align="justify"><strong>The Two Lost Mountains</strong> is Matthew Reilly's sixteenth novel, and the sixth installment in the Huntsman Series which features Jack West Jr as the main protagonist. </p>
<p align="justify">It serves as the sequel to The Three Secret Cities.</p></div>


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<p>A special prequel to The Two Lost Mountains from Australia's favourite novelist and the author of both the Jack West Jr and Scarecrow series.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When a satellite hunter intercepts a top-secret transmission from the Moon, his old friend Jack West Jr is his only hope...</p></div>


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<b>In this new military sci-fi thriller from the Nebula Award&#8211;winning author of <i>Cold Welcome, </i>admiral Kylara Vatta is back&#8212;with a vengeance.</b><br> Ky beats sabotage, betrayal, and the unforgiving elements to lead a ragtag group of crash survivors to safety on a remote arctic island. And she cheats death after uncovering secrets someone is hell-bent on protecting. But the worst is far from over when Ky discovers the headquarters of a vast conspiracy against her family and the heart of the planet's government itself.<br> With their base of operations breached, the plotters have no choice but to gamble everything on an audacious throw of the dice. Even still, the odds are stacked against Ky. When her official report on the crash and its aftermath goes missing&#8212;along with the men and women she rescued&#8212;Ky realizes that her mysterious enemies are more powerful and dangerous than she imagined. <br> Now, targeted by faceless assassins, Ky and her...


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<p class="description">SUMMARY:<br>Edith Grossman's definitive English translation of the Spanish masterpiece. Widely regarded as the world's first modern novel, and one of the funniest and most tragic books ever written, Don Quixote chronicles the famous picaresque adventures of the noble knight-errant Don Quixote of La Mancha and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, as they travel through sixteenth-century Spain. Unless you read Spanish, you've never read Don Quixote. "Though there have been many valuable English translations of Don Quixote, I would commend Edith Grossman's version for the extraordinarily high quality of her prose. The Knight and Sancho are so eloquently rendered by Grossman that the vitality of their characterization is more clearly conveyed than ever before. There is also an astonishing contextualization of Don Quixote and Sancho in Grossman's translation that I believe has not been achieved before. The spiritual atmosphere of a Spain already in steep decline can be felt throughout, thanks to her heightened quality of diction. Grossman might be called the Glenn Gould of translators, because she, too, articulates every note. Reading her amazing mode of finding equivalents in English for Cervantes's darkening vision is an entrance into a further understanding of why this great book contains within itself all the novels that have followed in its sublime wake." From the Introduction by Harold Bloom Miguel de Cervantes was born on September 29, 1547, in Alcala de Henares, Spain. At twenty-three he enlisted in the Spanish militia and in 1571 fought against the Turks in the battle of Lepanto, where a gunshot wound permanently crippled his left hand. He spent four more years at sea and then another five as a slave after being captured by Barbary pirates. Ransomed by his family, he returned to Madrid but his disability hampered him; it was in debtor's prison that he began to write Don Quixote. Cervantes wrote many other works, including poems and plays, but he remains best known as the author of Don Quixote. He died on April 23, 1616.</p>


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<p align="justify"> </p>
<p align="justify"> </p>
<p align="justify">In his first full-length autobiography, comedy legend and national treasure Billy Connolly reveals the truth behind his windswept and interesting life. </p>
<p align="justify">Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of 4, and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy's life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds. </p>
<p align="justify">Billy found his escape first as an apprentice welder in the shipyards of the River Clyde. </p>
<p align="justify">Later he became a folk musician - a 'rambling man' - with a genuine talent for playing the banjo. </p>
<p align="justify">But it was his ability to spin stories, tell jokes and hold an audience in the palm of his hand that truly set him apart. </p>
<p align="justify">As a young comedian Billy broke all the rules. </p>
<p align="justify">He was fearless and outspoken - willing to call out hypocrisy wherever he saw it. </p>
<p align="justify">But his stand-up was full of warmth, humility and silliness too. </p>
<p align="justify">His startling, hairy 'glam-rock' stage appearance - wearing leotards, scissor suits and banana boots - only added to his appeal. </p>
<p align="justify">It was an appearance on Michael Parkinson's chat show in 1975 - and one outrageous story in particular - that catapulted Billy from cult hero to national star. </p>
<p align="justify">TV shows, documentaries, international fame and award-winning Hollywood movies followed. </p>
<p align="justify">Billy's pitch-perfect stand-up comedy kept coming too - for over 50 years, in fact - until a double diagnosis of cancer and Parkinson's Disease brought his remarkable live performances to an end. </p>
<p align="justify">Since then he has continued making TV shows, creating extraordinary drawings . . .  and writing. </p>
<p align="justify"><strong>Windswept and Interesting</strong> is Billy's story in his own words. </p>
<p align="justify">It is joyfully funny - stuffed full of hard-earned wisdom as well as countless digressions on fishing, farting and the joys of dancing naked. </p>
<p align="justify">It is an unforgettable, life-affirming story of a true comedy legend. </p>
<p align="justify" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 600">'I didn't know I was Windswept and Interesting until somebody told me. </p>
<p align="justify" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 600">It was a friend who was startlingly exotic himself. </p>
<p align="justify" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 600">He'd just come back from Kashmir and was all billowy shirt and Indian beads. </p>
<p align="justify" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 600">I had long hair and a beard and was swishing around in electric blue flairs. </p>
<p align="justify" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 600">He said: 'Look at you - all windswept and interesting!'</p>
<p align="justify" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 600">I just said: 'Exactly!' </p>
<p align="justify" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 600">After that, I simply had to maintain my reputation . . . .  '</p></div>


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<b>The sixth novel in James S.A. Corey's <i>New York Times</i> bestselling Expanse series&#8212;now a major television series from Syfy!</b> <br><p><br><p>A revolution brewing for generations has begun in fire. It will end in blood.<p><br><p> <p>The Free Navy - a violent group of Belters in black-market military ships - has crippled the Earth and begun a campaign of piracy and violence among the outer planets. The colony ships heading for the thousand new worlds on the far side of the alien ring gates are easy prey, and no single navy remains strong enough to protect them.<p><br><p> <p>James Holden and his crew know the strengths and weaknesses of this new force better than anyone. Outnumbered and outgunned, the embattled remnants of the old political powers call on the <i>Rocinante</i> for a desperate mission to reach Medina Station at the heart of the gate network. <p><br><p> <p>But the new alliances are as flawed as the old, and the struggle for power has only just begun. As...


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<div><p>ENTER A NEW FRONTIER.</p><p>"<em>An empty apartment, a missing family, that's creepy. But this is like finding a military base with no one on it. Fighters and tanks idling on the runway with no drivers. This is bad juju. Something wrong happened here. What you should do is tell everyone to leave."</em></p><ul><li>*</li></ul><p>The gates have opened the way to a thousand new worlds and the rush to colonize has begun. Settlers looking for a new life stream out from humanity's home planets. Ilus, the first human colony on this vast new frontier, is being born in blood and fire. </p><p>Independent settlers stand against the overwhelming power of a corporate colony ship with only their determination, courage, and the skills learned in the long wars of home. Innocent scientists are slaughtered as they try to survey a new and alien world. The struggle on Ilus threatens to spread all the way back to Earth. </p><p>James Holden and the crew of his one small ship are sent to make peace in the midst of war and sense in the midst of chaos. But the more he looks at it, the more Holden thinks the mission was meant to fail. </p><p>And the whispers of a dead man remind him that the great galactic civilization that once stood on this land is gone. And that <em>something</em> killed it. </p><p>**</p></div>


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<div><p>From <i>New York Times </i>bestselling author James S.A. Corey...</p><p><br></p><p>Before his trip to the stars, before the <i>Rocinante</i>, Amos Burton was confined to a Baltimore where crime paid you or killed you. Unless the authorities got to you first. <br><b></b></p><p>Set in the hard-scrabble solar system of <i>Leviathan Wakes,</i> <i>Caliban's War</i>, Abaddon's Gate and the upcoming Cibola Burn, <i>The Churn </i>deepens James S. A. Corey's acclaimed Expanse series.</p></div>


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<p>Welcome to the future. Humanity has colonized the solar system—Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond—but the stars are still out of our reach.Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, The Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for—and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. War is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why.Detective Miller is looking for a girl. One girl in a system of billions, but her parents have money and money talks. When the trail leads him to The Scopuli and rebel sympathizer, Holden, he realizes that this girl may be the key to everything.Holden and Miller must thread the needle between the Earth government, the Outer Planet revolutionaries, and secretive corporations—and the odds are against them. But out in the Belt, the rules are different, and one small ship can change the fate of the universe.</p>


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Auberon is one of the first and most important colony worlds in humanity’s reach, and the new conquering faction has come to claim it. Governor Rittenaur has come to bring civilization and order to the far outpost and guarantee the wealth and power of the Empire. But Auberon already has its own history, a complex culture, and a criminal kingpin named Erich with very different plans. In a world of deceit, violence, and corruption, the greatest danger Rittenaur faces is love.


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<p><b>An audacious, darkly glittering novel about art, fame, and ambition set in the eerie days of civilization's collapse, from the author of three highly acclaimed previous novels.</b><br><br>One snowy night a famous Hollywood actor slumps over and dies onstage during a production of <i>King Lear</i>. Hours later, the world as we know it begins to dissolve. Moving back and forth in time-from the actor's early days as a film star to fifteen years in the future, when a theater troupe known as the Traveling Symphony roams the wasteland of what remains-this suspenseful, elegiac, spellbinding novel charts the strange twists of fate that connect five people: the actor, the man who tried to save him, the actor's first wife, his oldest friend, and a young actress with the Traveling Symphony, caught in the crosshairs of a dangerous self-proclaimed prophet. Sometimes terrifying, sometimes tender, <i>Station Eleven</i> tells a story about the relationships that sustain us, the ephemeral...</p>


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<p>The wildly entertaining story of progressive rock, the music that ruled the 1970s charts&#8212;and has divided listeners ever since.</p><p>The Show That Never Ends is the definitive story of the extraordinary rise and fall of progressive ("prog") rock. Epitomized by such classic, chart-topping bands as Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, and Emerson Lake &amp; Palmer, along with such successors as Rush, Marillion, Asia, Styx, and Porcupine Tree, prog sold hundreds of millions of records. It brought into the mainstream concept albums, spaced-out cover art, crazy time signatures, multitrack recording, and stagecraft so bombastic it was spoofed in the classic movie This Is Spinal Tap.</p><p>With a vast knowledge of what Rolling Stone has called "the deliciously decadent genre that the punks failed to kill," access to key people who made the music, and the passion of a true enthusiast, Washington Post national reporter David Weigel tells the story of prog in all its pomp,...


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The hugely anticipated sequel to Hank Green's #1 New York Times bestselling debut novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing


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<div><p><strong><em>In his much-anticipated debut novel, Hank Green spins a sweeping, cinematic tale about a young woman who becomes an overnight celebrity before realizing she's part of something bigger, and stranger, than anyone could have possibly imagined.<br></em></strong><br>The Carls just appeared. Coming home from work at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship--like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armor--April and her friend Andy make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. The next day April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world--everywhere from Beijing to Buenos Aires--and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight. </p><p>Now April has to deal with the pressure on her relationships, her identity, and her safety that this new position brings, all while being on the front lines of the quest to find out not just what the Carls are, but what they want from us.</p><p>Compulsively entertaining and powerfully relevant, <em>An Absolutely Remarkable Thing </em>grapples with big themes, including how the social internet is changing fame, rhetoric, and radicalization; how our culture deals with fear and uncertainty; and how vilification and adoration spring from the same dehumanization that follows a life in the public eye.</p></div>


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Beer Lover's Chicago features Chicagoland's breweries, brewpubs, and beer bars geared toward hop heads looking to seek out the best beers&#8212;from bitter seasonal IPAs to rich, dark stouts. The book also features beer recipes for home brewers, regional food recipes that incorporate beer, suggested regional food and beer pairings, and walkable pub crawl itineraries for craft beer-centric towns and cities.<br />


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<p>Goose Island opened as a family-owned Chicago brewpub in the late 1980s, and it soon became one of the most inventive breweries in the world. In the golden age of light, bland and cheap beers, John Hall and his son Greg brought European flavors to America. With distribution in two dozen states, two brewpubs and status as one of the 20 biggest breweries in the United States, Goose Island became an American success story and was a champion of craft beer. Then, on March 28, 2011, the Halls sold the brewery to Anheuser-Busch InBev, maker of Budweiser, the least craft-like beer imaginable. The sale forced the industry to reckon with craft beer's mainstream appeal and a popularity few envisioned. Josh Noel broke the news of the sale in the <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, and he covered the resulting backlash from Chicagoans and beer fanatics across the country as the discussion escalated into an intellectual craft beer war. Anheuser-Busch has since bought four other craft breweries, and from...


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<h3>Product Description</h3><p>C&amp;C brings you our complete collection of Edgar Allan Poe short stories, comprised of over 60 classic short stories, by one of the most influential writers of the romantic genre. Selections includes, but not limited to the following: "A Tale of Jerusalem" (1832), "Bon-Bon" (1832), "Loss of Breath" (1832), "Metzengerstein" (1832), "The Duc de L'Omelette" (1832), "Four Beasts in One" (1833), "MS. Found in a Bottle" (1833), "The Assignation" (1834),, "Berenice" (1835), "King Pest" (1835), "Lionizing" (1835), "Morella" (1835), "Shadow" (1835), "Mystification" (1837), "A Predicament" (1838), "Ligeia" (1838), "Silence" (1838), "The Devil in the Belfry" (1839), "The Fall of the House of Usher" (1839), "The Man That Was Used Up" (1839), "William Wilson" (1839), "The Business Man" (1840), "The Man of the Crowd" (1840), "A Descent into the Maelström" (1841), "Eleonora" (1841), "Never Bet the Devil Your Head" (1841), "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" (1841), "Three Sundays in a Week" (1841), "The Gold-Bug" (1842), "The Landscape Garden" (1842), "The Masque of the Red Death" (1842), "The Mystery of Marie Rogêt" (1842), "The Oval Portrait" (1842), "The Pit and the Pendulum" (1842), "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains" (1843), "The Black Cat" (1843), "The Tell-Tale Heart" (1843), "Mesmeric Revelation" (1844), "Thou Art the Man" (1844), "The Angel of the Odd" (1844), "The Balloon-Hoax" (1844), "The Oblong Box" (1844), "The Premature Burial" (1844), "The Purloined Letter" (1844), "The Spectacles" (1844), "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether" (1844), "Some Words with a Mummy" (1845), "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" (1845), "The Imp of the Perverse" (1845), "The Power of Words" (1845), "The Cask of Amontillado" (1846), "The Domain of Arnheim" (1846), "The Sphinx" (1846), "Hop-Frog" (1849), "Landor's Cottage" (1849), "Mellonta Tauta" (1849), "The Light-House" (1849), "Von Kempelen and His Discovery" (1849), </p>


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<p>From mass-produced lagers to craft-brewery IPAs, from beers made in Trappist monasteries according to traditional techniques to those created by innovative local brewers seeking to capture regional terroir, the world of beer boasts endless varieties. The diversity of beer does not only reflect the differences among the people and cultures who brew this beverage. It also testifies to the vast range of plants that help give different styles of beer their distinguishing flavor profiles.<br>This book is a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated compendium of the characteristics and properties of the plants used in making beer around the world. The botanical expert Giuseppe Caruso presents scientifically rigorous descriptions, accompanied by his own hand-drawn ink images, of more than 500 species. For each one, he gives the scientific classification, common names, and information about morphology, geographical distribution and habitat, and cultivation range. Caruso provides...
From mass-produced lagers to craft-brewery IPAs, from beers made in Trappist monasteries according to traditional techniques to those created by innovative local brewers seeking to capture regional terroir, the world of beer boasts endless varieties. The diversity of beer does not only reflect the differences among the people and cultures who brew this beverage. It also testifies to the vast range of plants that help give different styles of beer their distinguishing flavor profiles. This book is a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated compendium of the characteristics and properties of the plants used in making beer around the world. The botanical expert Giuseppe Caruso presents scientifically rigorous descriptions, accompanied by his own hand-drawn ink images, of more than 500 species. For each one, he gives the scientific classification, common names, and information about morphology, geographical distribution and habitat, and cultivation range. Caruso provides detailed information about each plant’s applications in beer making, including which of its parts are employed, as well as its chemical composition, its potential toxicity, and examples of beers and styles in which it is typically used. The book also considers historical uses, aiding brewers who seek to rediscover ancient and early modern concoctions. This book will appeal to a wide audience, from beer aficionados to botany enthusiasts, providing valuable information for homebrewers and professional beer makers alike. It reveals how botanical knowledge can open new possibilities for today’s and tomorrow’s brewers.
Giuseppe Caruso teaches forest botany at the Mediterranean University in Reggio Calabria and biology and agricultural biotechnology at the Istituto Tecnico Agrario “V. Emanuele II” in Catanzaro, Italy. He holds a doctorate in environmental and applied botany and researches the flora and vegetation of southern Italy, as well as habitat recovery and restoration processes. He is also a beer expert and taster. Marika Josephson is the James Beard Award-nominated co-owner and brewer at the Scratch Brewing Company in Ava, Illinois. She is a coauthor of The Homebrewer‘s Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to Making Your Own Beer from Scratch (2016).


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<B>Lessons in baseball enlightenment from three-time MLB Manager of the Year Joe Maddon.</B><BR /> No one sees baseball like Joe Maddon. He sees it through his trademark glasses and irrepressible wit. Raised in the &ldquo;shot and beer&rdquo; town of Hazleton, PA, and forged by 15 years in the minors, Maddon over 19 seasons in Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Anaheim has become one of the most successful, most colorful, and most quoted managers in Major League Baseball. He is a workplace culture expert, having engineered two of the most stunning turnarounds in the past quarter century: taking the Rays from the worst record in baseball one year to the World Series the next and leading the Cubs to their first World Series title in 108 years.<BR /> &#160;<BR /> Like his teams, Maddon defies convention. He is part strategist, part philosopher, part sports psychologist, and part motivational coach. In THE BOOK OF JOE, Maddon gives readers unique insights into the game, including the tension...


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Long before corner bars stitched the social fabric of Chicago's neighborhoods together, raucous pioneers like Mark Beaubien were fermenting over the untapped potential of the unbroken prairie. Take a determined saunter from the clamor of Chicago's first breweries, through the hidden passages of thousands of speakeasies and then back into the current of the contemporary craft beer revival. Follow a path plastered with portraits of infamous saloonkeepers and profiles of historic bars. Author June Sawyers serves as an expert guide, stopping every so often to collect a vintage beer label, explain an original recipe or salute the heady history that sits atop the City of Big Shoulders.


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<b>Jack Reacher is back in a brand-new, page-turning thriller from acclaimed #1 bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child.<br></b><br><i>Digging graves had not been part of my plans when I woke up that morning.&#160;<br></i><br>Reacher goes where he wants, when he wants.&#160;That morning he was heading west, walking under the merciless desert sun&mdash;until he comes upon a curious scene.&#160;A Jeep has crashed into the only tree for miles around. A woman is slumped over the wheel.<br>&#160;<br>Dead?&#160;No, nothing is what it seems.&#160;<br>The woman is Michaela Fenton, an army veteran turned FBI agent trying to find her twin brother, who might&#160;be mixed up with some dangerous people.&#160;Most of them would rather die than betray their terrifying leader, who has burrowed his influence deep into the nearby border town, a backwater that has seen better days.&#160;The mysterious Dendoncker rules from the shadows, out of sight and under the radar, keeping his dealings...


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<b>The gripping new Jack Reacher thriller from the #1 <i>New York Times </i>bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child<br>&ldquo;<i>No Plan B</i> is not to be missed. A perfectly plotted, fast-paced thriller, with bigger twists than ever before. It&rsquo;s no wonder Jack Reacher is everyone&rsquo;s favorite rebel hero.&rdquo;&mdash;Karin Slaughter</b><br>In Gerrardsville, Colorado, a woman dies under the wheels of a moving bus. The death is ruled a suicide. But Jack Reacher saw what really happened: A man in a gray hoodie and jeans, moving stealthily, pushed the victim to her demise&mdash;before swiftly grabbing the dead woman&rsquo;s purse and strolling away.<br> When another homicide is ruled an accident, Reacher knows this is no coincidence. With a killer on the loose, Reacher has no time to waste to track down those responsible.&#160;<br> But Reacher is unaware that these crimes are part of something much larger and more far-reaching: an arsonist out for revenge, a foster...


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<p>This is a long-awaited book from Roger Protz, a highly respected authority on beer, on the rebirth of IPA or India Pale Ale &#8211; one of the most popular styles in today's craft beer revolution. Around the world, young brewers, with passion, reverence and commitment, are bringing flavour back to beer after decades of domination by global giants and their bland products. Such is the fervour for IPA that the journey started by India Pale Ale in Victorian England is far from over. </p> <p><strong>1. How the revival started</strong>: Covers the fascinating events that caused IPA to take off in the early 1990s, both in London at seminars and festivals, and in the US. By 2014, IPA is the leading category at the annual Great American Beer Festival. The renaissance is now worldwide, with IPAs brewed in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan and elsewhere.</p> <p><strong>2. The history of IPA &#8211; its rise and fall were equally spectacular</strong>: Starting out...


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<p><b>Reissued with a new preface by the author on the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 journey to the moon</b></p><p>The years that have passed since Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins piloted the Apollo 11 spacecraft to the moon in July 1969 have done nothing to alter the fundamental wonder of the event: man reaching the moon remains one of the great events&#8212;technical and spiritual&#8212;of our lifetime.</p><p>In <i>Carrying the Fire</i>, Collins conveys, in a very personal way, the drama, beauty, and humor of that adventure. He also traces his development from his first flight experiences in the air force, through his days as a test pilot, to his Apollo 11 space walk, presenting an evocative picture of the joys of flight as well as a new perspective on time, light, and movement from someone who has seen the fragile earth from the other side of the moon.</p>


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<b>Writer and performer on <i>Late Night with Seth Meyers</i> Amber Ruffin writes with her sister Lacey Lamar with humor and heart to share absurd anecdotes about everyday experiences of racism. </b><br> Now a writer and performer on <i>Late Night with Seth Meyers</i> and host of <i>The Amber Ruffin Show, </i>Amber Ruffin lives in New York, where she is no one's First Black Friend and everyone is, as she puts it, "stark raving normal." But Amber's sister Lacey? She's still living in their home state of Nebraska, and trust us, you'll never believe what happened to Lacey. <br> <br> From racist donut shops to strangers putting their whole hand in her hair, from being mistaken for a prostitute to being mistaken for Harriet Tubman, Lacey is a lightning rod for hilariously ridiculous yet all-too-real anecdotes. She's the perfect mix of polite, beautiful, petite, and Black that apparently makes people think "I can say whatever I want to this woman." And now, Amber and Lacey share these...


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<p>ebook, 319 pages</p><div> <p>Hardcover, 352 pages</p> <p>Published: 20022</p> <p>John Rebus stands accused: on trial for a crime that could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. It’s not the first time the legendary detective has taken the law into his own hands, though it might be the last. But what drove a good man to cross the line</p> <p>Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke may well find out. Clarke is tasked with the city’s most explosive case in years, an infamous cop, at the center of decades of misconduct, has gone missing. Finding him will expose not only her superiors, but her mentor John Rebus. And Rebus himself may not have her own interests at heart, as the repayment of a past debt places him in the crosshairs of both crime lords and his police brethren. One way or another, a reckoning is coming – and John Rebus may be hearing the call for last orders…</p></div>


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Andrzej Sapkowski, winner of the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement award, started an international phenomenon with his Witcher series. The Last Wish is the perfect introduction to this one-of-a-kind fantasy world.


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<div><p class="description">SUMMARY:<br>Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank's remarkable diary has since become a world classic -- a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit. In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the "Secret Annex" of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death. In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, her account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.</p>
<h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>Anne Frank's diaries have always been among the most moving and eloquent documents of the Holocaust. This new edition restores diary entries omitted from the original edition, revealing a new depth to Anne's dreams, irritations, hardships, and passions. Anne emerges as more real, more human, and more vital than ever. If you've never read this remarkable autobiography, do so. If you have read it, you owe it to yourself to read it again. </p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>This startling new edition of Dutch Jewish teenager Anne Frank's classic diary?written in an Amsterdam warehouse, where for two years she hid from the Nazis with her family and friends?contains approximately 30% more material than the original 1947 edition. It completely revises our understanding of one of the most moving and eloquent documents of the Holocaust. The Anne we meet here is much more sarcastic, rebellious and vulnerable than the sensitive diarist beloved by millions. She rages at her mother, Edith, smolders with jealous resentment toward her sister, Margot, and unleashes acid comments at her roommates. Expanded entries provide a fuller picture of the tensions and quarrels among the eight people in hiding. Anne, who died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in March 1945, three months before her 16th birthday, candidly discusses her awakening sexuality in entries that were omitted from the 1947 edition by her father, Otto, the only one of the eight to survive the death camps. He died in 1980. This crisp, stunning translation provides an unvarnished picture of life in the "secret annex." In the end, Anne's teen angst pales beside her profound insights, her self-discovery and her unbroken faith in good triumphing over evil. Photos not seen by PW. <br>Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p>

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Two boys discover a series of caverns underneath their moon colony home in this futuristic story from the author of the Tripods series.<BR>Marty and Steve may live on the moon, but that doesn&#8217;t mean they don&#8217;t want to get away every once in a while. So when Steve makes the suggestion to skip school and take a lunar car out to explore the moon&#8217;s surface like real astronauts, Marty thinks it&#8217;s a great idea.<BR> <BR>But the fun quickly ends when the lunar car crashes, stranding Marty and Steve beneath the moon&#8217;s surface.<BR> <BR>There, in a bizarre, cave, Marty and Steve find the unexpected: a world filled with various plants, food, and life&#8230;including a man who supposedly went missing more than one hundred years before. The boys think that they&#8217;ve found the most wonderful place in the galaxy&#8230;but they soon learn that the joy comes with a price. The strange creature that is keeping them alive also wants to control them, and when Marty and...


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<p>A re-issue of this forgotten favourite introduced by Malorie Blackman, Grinny will chill you to the core... This book is based on my diary and other writings of the Aunt Emma period. Later on, it all turned sour and I used to be almost frightened of the diary and writing the next page. Everything I had written seemed to add up to something horrible. The more I wrote, the more certain it seemed that the horror was true and would get worse. I did not keep a diary any more.Tim's diary charts the arrival of his mysterious Great Aunt Emma, an old lady who appears grinning on his doorstep and decides to stay. Nicknamed 'Grinny' for her constant eerie smile and mindless chatter, at first their aunt seems to be strange but harmless. But when Tim and his sister Beth make a horrifying discovery about their visitor, they realise that the safety of the entire planet is in jeopardy, and the silent invasion has already started.<p>40% Aliens, 20% Chilling, 20% Weird, 10% Thriller


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<div>A crazed and dying Flight Lieutenant, nine village children, a top-secret spacecraft--all of them out of control and adrift in space! Someone must take charge. But who? Brylo has the brains but not the personality. So it is the powerful young bully Tony who sets himself up as Captain--and steers the ship and its cargo of children towards new and horrifying dangers...<div>This book is both a first-class science-fiction story and an interesting study of conflict between the two boys.</div><div><br></div><div>For boys of ten and over.</div><div><br></div></div>


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The Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov are one of the great masterworks of science fiction. Unsurpassed for their unique blend of nonstop action, daring ideas, and extensive world-building, they chronicle the struggle of a courageous group of men and women to preserve humanity’s light against an inexorable tide of darkness and violence. Led by its founding father, the great psychohistorian Hari Seldon, and taking advantage of its superior science and technology, the Foundation has survived the greed and barbarism of its neighboring warrior-planets. Yet now it must face the Empire—still the mightiest force in the Galaxy even in its death throes. When an ambitious general determined to restore the Empire’s glory turns the vast Imperial fleet toward the Foundation, the only hope for the small planet of scholars and scientists lies in the prophecies of Hari Seldon. But not even Hari Seldon could have predicted the birth of the extraordinary creature called The Mule—a mutant intelligence with a power greater than a dozen battle fleets… a power that can turn the strongest-willed human into an obedient slave.


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After years of struggle, the Foundation lies in ruins—destroyed by the mutant mind power of the Mule. But it is rumored that there is a Second Foundation hidden somewhere at the end of the Galaxy, established to preserve the knowledge of mankind through the long centuries of barbarism. The Mule failed to find it the first time—but now he is certain he knows where it lies. The fate of the Foundation rests on young Arcadia Darell, only fourteen years old and burdened with a terrible secret. As its scientists gird for a final showdown with the Mule, the survivors of the First Foundation begin their desperate search. They too want the Second Foundation destroyed… before it destroys them.


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<p>'Always readable, illuminating and honest. It made me miss the real Terry.' <i>- </i><b>NEIL GAIMAN</b><br>'Sometimes joyfully, sometimes painfully, intimate . . . it is wonderful to have this closeup picture of the writer's working life.' - <b>FRANK COTTRELL-BOYCE, OBSERVER</b><br>'Spins magic from mundanity in precisely the way Pratchett himself did.' - <b>THE TELEGRAPH</b><br>'As frank, funny and unsentimental as anything its subject might have produced himself.' - <b>MAIL ON SUNDAY</b><br>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<br><b>At the time of his death in 2015, award-winning and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett was working on his finest story yet - his own.</b><br>The creator of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, Terry Pratchett was known and loved around the world for his hugely popular books, his smart satirical humour and the humanity of his campaign work. But that's only part of the picture.<br>Before his untimely death, Terry was writing a memoir: the...


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<p>From its bravura opening onwards, THE CROW ROAD is justly regarded as an outstanding contemporary novel. 'It was the day my grandmother exploded.<p>I sat in the crematorium, listening to my Uncle Hamish quietly snoring in harmony to Bach's Mass in B Minor, and I reflected that it always seemed to be death that drew me back to Gallanach.' Prentice McHoan has returned to the bosom of his complex but enduring Scottish family.<p>Full of questions about the McHoan past, present and future, he is also deeply preoccupied: mainly with death, sex, drink, God and illegal substances...


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<b>The fourth novel in Isaac Asimov&rsquo;s classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series<br>THE EPIC SAGA THAT INSPIRED THE UPCOMING APPLE TV+ SERIES&#160;<i>FOUNDATION</i></b><br>At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations has come to an end. The scientists of the First Foundation have proved victorious, and now they return to Hari Seldon&rsquo;s long established plan to build a new Empire on the ruins of the old. But rumors persist that the Second Foundation is not destroyed after all&mdash;and that its still-defiant survivors are preparing their revenge. Now two exiled citizens of the Foundation&mdash;a renegade Councilman and a doddering historian&mdash;set out in search of the mythical planet Earth . . . and proof that the Second Foundation still exists.<br>Meanwhile someone&mdash;or something&mdash;outside of both Foundations seems to be orchestrating events to suit its own ominous purpose. Soon representatives of both the First and Second...


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<p>Paperback, 500 pages </p>
<p>Published 1986</p>
<p>Golan Trevize, former Councilman of the First Foundation, has chosen the future, and it is Gaia. A superorganism, Gaia is a holistic planet with a common consciousness so intensely united that every dewdrop, every pebble, every being, can speak for all—and feel for all. It is a realm in which privacy is not only undesirable, it is incomprehensible. <br><br>But is it the right choice for the destiny of mankind? While Trevize feels it is, that is not enough. He must know. <br><br>Trevize believes the answer lies at the site of humanity's roots: fabled Earth . . . if it still exists. For no one is sure where the planet of Gaia's first settlers is to be found in the immense wilderness of the Galaxy. Nor can anyone explain why no record of Earth has been preserved, no mention of it made anywhere in Gaia's vast world-memory. It is an enigma Trevize is determined to resolve, and a quest he is determined to undertake, at any cost.<br><br>[ Original description here: <br>Горстка смельчаков пытается найти прародину человечества - Землю, чтобы получить разгадку тайн истории Галактики. <br>= A handful of brave souls trying to find humanity's ancestral home—the Earth, to get answers to the mysteries of the history of the Galaxy.</p>
<p>The fifth novel in Asimov's popular Foundation series opens with second thoughts. Councilman Golan Trevize is wondering if he was right to choose a collective mind as the best possible future for humanity over the anarchy of contentious individuals, nations and planets. To test his conclusion, he decides he must know the past and goes in search of legendary Earth, all references to which have been erased from galactic libraries. The societies encountered along the way become arguing points in a book-long colloquy about man's fate, conducted by Trevize and traveling companion Bliss, who is part of the first world/mind, Gaia.From the Paperback edition.</p></div>


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<p>Paperback, 464 pages </p>
<p>Published 1993</p>
<p>Here, from a grand master of science fiction, is the long awaited final novel of the greatest series ever told. Completed just before his death, Forward The Foundation is the crowning achievement of a great writer's life, a stirring testament to the creative genius of Isaac Asimov. <br><br>As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionary theory of psychohistory and ensure a place for humanity among the stars, the great Galactic Empire totters on the brink of apocalyptic collapse. Caught in the maelstrom are Seldon and all he holds dear, pawns in the struggle for dominance. Whoever can control Seldon will control psychohistory—and with it the future of the Galaxy. <br><br>Among those seeking to turn psychohistory into the greatest weapon known to man are a populist political demagogue, the weak-willed Emperor Cleon I, and a ruthless militaristic general. In his last act of service to humankind, Hari Seldon must somehow save his life's work from their grasp as he searches for is true heirs—a search the begins with his own granddaughter and the dream of a new Foundation.</p></div>


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<b>The first of two prequel novels in Isaac Asimov&rsquo;s classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series<br></b><br><b>THE EPIC SAGA THAT INSPIRED THE UPCOMING APPLE TV+ SERIES&#160;<i>FOUNDATION</i></b><br>It is the year 12,020 G.E. and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire, forty billion people have created a civilization of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Yet Cleon knows there are those who would see him fall&mdash;those whom he would destroy if only he could read the future.&#160;<br>Hari Seldon has come to Trantor to deliver his paper on psychohistory, his remarkable theory of prediction. Little does the young Outworld mathematician know that he has already sealed his fate and the fate of humanity. For Hari possesses the prophetic power that makes him the most wanted man in the Empire . . . the man who holds the key to the future&mdash;an apocalyptic power...


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<b>The complete and accessible guide to learning the Maori language, no matter your knowledge level.</b> Fun, user-friendly and relevant to modern readers, Scotty Morrison's <i>Maori Made Easy</i> is the one-stop resource for anyone wanting to learn the basics of the Maori language. While dictionaries list words and their definitions, and other language guides offer common phrases, <i>Maori Made Easy </i>connects the dots, allowing the reader to take control of their learning in an empowering way. By committing just 30 minutes a day for 30 weeks, learners will adopt the language easily and as best suits their busy lives. Written by popular TV personality and te reo Maori advocate Scotty Morrison, author of <i>The Raupo Phrasebook of Modern Maori</i>, this book proves that learning the language can be fun, effective &#8212; and easy! 'This is not just a useful book, it's an essential one.' &#8212;Paul Little, <i>North & South</i>


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<b>Kei hea o putu whutuporo? </b>Where are your rugby boots?<b>Homai te ranu tomato</b>Pass me the tomato sauce<b>Kei te pehea te huarere i tenei ra?</b>How is the weather today?<b>Kei hea to mahi kainga?</b>Where is your homework?<b>Kati te whakaporearea i to tuahine!</b>Stop annoying your sister!<i>M</i><i>a</i><i>ori at Home</i> is the perfect introduction to the Maori language. A highly practical, easy and fun resource for everyday New Zealanders, it covers the basics of life in and around a typical Kiwi household. Whether you're practising sport, getting ready for school, celebrating a birthday, preparing a shopping list or relaxing at the beach, <i>Maori at Home</i> gives you the words and phrases - and confidence - you need.


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<h3>Product Description</h3><p>One of the best loved comic creations of our time, in both literature and television, Reginald Perrin is once again a major BBC series. This omnibus edition comprising the first three novels represents one man’s outrageous adventures in his quest to avoid a mundane existence. </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>David Nobbs was born in Kent. After university, he entered the army, then tried his hand at journalism and advertising before becoming a writer. A distinguished novelist and comedy writer, he lives near Harrogate with his wife Susan. </p>


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<p>While researching his family's history in rural New England, Robert Olmstead stumbles upon the town of Innsmouth. As Robert spends the day there, he learns more about the place and becomes increasingly disturbed by what he hears. In the end, the truth will horrify him, and change his life forever.</p><p>"The Shadow Over Innsmouth" was the only one of H.P. Lovecraft's stories to be published in a book and not a periodical during his lifetime. It has become an important part of the Cthulhu Mythos and influenced both film adaptations and video games. In 1994 an anthology named The Shadow Over Innsmouth was published featuring stories inspired by the Innsmouth lore written by various Lovecraftian authors.</p><p>HarperCollins brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperCollins short-stories collection to build your digital library.</p>


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<div><p><br></p> <p>"<b>The Call of Cthulhu</b>" is one of H. P. Lovecraft's best-known short stories. Written in the summer of 1926, it was first published in <i>Weird Tales</i>, February 1928. It is the only story written by Lovecraft in which the extraterrestrial entity Cthulhu himself makes a major appearance.</p> <p>It is written in a documentary style, with three independent narratives linked together by the device of a narrator discovering notes left by a deceased relative. The narrator pieces together the whole truth and disturbing significance of the information he possesses, illustrating the story's first line: "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity; and it was not meant that we should voyage far."</p> <p><br></p></div>


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<div><p>"The Cats of Ulthar" is a short story written by H.P. Lovecraft in June 1920. In the tale, an unnamed narrator relates the story of how a law forbidding the killing of cats came to be in a town called Ulthar.<br></p><p>The Cats of Ulthar was a personal favorite of Lovecraft's, who was an ardent cat lover.</p></div>


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<div><p>"The Music of Erich Zann" is a short story by American author H. P. Lovecraft. Written in December 1921, it was first published in National Amateur, March 1922.<br></p><p>A university student is forced, by his lack of funds, to take the only lodging he can afford. In a strange part of the city he had never seen before, on a street named "Rue d'Auseil", he finds an apartment in an almost empty building. One of the few other tenants is an old German man named Erich Zann. The old man is mute and plays the viol with a local orchestra. He lives on the top floor and when alone at night, plays strange melodies never heard before.</p></div>


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<div><p>"Among the tales of H. P. Lovecraft, 'The Dunwich Horror' remains my favorite." -Robert M. Price The Dunwich Horror is the story of Wilbur Whateley, son of a deformed albino mother and an unknown father, and the strange events surrounding his birth and precocious development. Wilbur matures at an abnormal rate, reaching manhood within a decade--all the while indoctrinated him into dark rituals and witchcraft by his grandfather. Lurking in the quiet village of Dunwich, a supernatural horror lies in wait in this classic tale of horror by H.P. Lovecraft. When a cute college coed and her professor visit the library at the infamous Miskatonic University, they discover a young man who wishes to check out the dreaded Necronomicon. An ancient book for divining demons, the Necronomicon allows its user to bring hell to Earth, and human sacrifice is the required offering. Written in 1928, The Dunwich Horror was first published in the April 1929 issue of Weird Tales.. It is considered one of the core stories of the Cthulhu Mythos.</p><p><em></em></p></div>


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<p>Multi-eyed protoplasmic entities, flesh-eating ghouls, animate corpses, time-traveling body snatchers, and, yes, huge albino penguins. These are some of the bizarre creatures that populate the universe created by American horror author H. P. Lovecraft. Lovecraft has influenced many of today's most famous writers and artists, including master of contemporary horror fiction Stephen King, Academy Award-nominated director Guillermo Del Toro, and artist and <I>Alien</I> set-designer H. R. Giger.<p>This collection includes three selections from the Cthulhu Mythos: the novella <I>At the Mountains of Madness</I>, which is often considered Lovecraft's masterpiece; &#147;The Thing on the Doorstep"; and &#147;The Shadow Out of Time." While including all the chilling &#147;cyclopean vistas," monstrous abominations and appalling transformations that readers have come to expect from Lovecraft, this also showcases his fantasy writing in stories such as &#147;The Cats of Ulthar," &#147;The...


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<p><b>Join award-winning beer writer Mark Dredge on his search for the world's best beer adventures and experiences.</b></p><p>This collection of over 150 unmissable beer experiences features the world's greatest beers, bars, breweries and events: it's the ultimate bucket list for every beer lover. Combining travel, city guides, food and history, The Beer Bucket List takes you around the globe, via traditional old British pubs, quirky Belgian bars, brilliant Bavarian brauhauses, spots to enjoy delicious food and beer, the hop gardens of New Zealand, Southeast Asia's buzzing streets, amazing beer festivals, unique beer styles, pioneering breweries and the best new craft brewers. This is any beer lover's must-read book about the most essential beer experiences on the planet.</p>


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<B>Dismiss the stereotype of the bearded brewer.</B><BR /> It's women, not men, who've brewed beer throughout most of human history. Their role as family and village brewer lasted for hundreds of thousands of years—through the earliest days of Mesopotamian civilization, the reign of Cleopatra, the witch trials of Medieval and Renaissance Europe, and the settling of colonial America. <I>A Woman's Place Is in the Brewhouse</I> celebrates the contributions and influence of female brewers and explores the forces that have erased them from the brewing world.<BR /> <BR /> It's a history that's simultaneously inspiring and demeaning. Wherever and whenever the cottage brewing industry has grown profitable, politics, religion, and capitalism have grown greedy. On a macro scale, men have repeatedly seized control and forced women out of the business. Other times, women have simply lost the minimal independence, respect, and economic power brewing brought them.<BR /> <BR /> But there are...


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<p><b>Develop your palate and become your own beer sommelier.</b><br>Beer is now brewed in a dizzying variety of styles, available to enjoy like never before. Let's drink to this diversity with a new appreciation of just how complex and mind-expanding beer can be.<br>In this ebook, enjoy a series of guided tastings of more than 50 different beer styles-from smoked black lager to sour-fermented wild ales, triple green-hopped IPAs and cask-matured barley wines. With each tasting, you will learn to identify how aroma, taste, texture, and finish all combine to create the distinctive flavor profile of the particular beer style. You will discover which unique ingredients and aspects of the brewing process combine to produce each style, while quick reviews of the best examples from around the world will lead you to explore further. <br>To help establish your beer palate, the course starts with a solid grounding in the range of flavors found in beer and the art of detecting them-opening...


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Writing with “a sense of wonder that hasn’t prevailed since the days of Heinlein” (Books in Canada), best-novel Hugo and Nebula Award-winner Robert J. Sawyer brings you “a truly science-fictional work of alternate history” (S.M. Stirling). While J. Robert Oppenheimer and his Manhattan Project team struggle to develop the A-bomb, Edward Teller wants something even more devastating: a weapon based on nuclear fusion — the mechanism that powers the sun. But Teller’s research leads to a terrifying discovery: by the year 2030, the sun will eject its outermost layer, destroying the entire inner solar system — including Earth. After the war ends, Oppenheimer’s physicists combine forces with Albert Einstein, computing pioneer John von Neumann, and rocket designer Wernher von Braun — the greatest scientific geniuses from the last century racing against time to save our future. Meticulously researched and replete with real-life characters and events, The Oppenheimer Alternative is a breathtaking adventure through both real and alternate history. Advance Praise for The Oppenheimer Alternative • “I loved it!” —Lee Smolin, author of The Trouble with Physics • “An imaginative restructuring of a phantasmagoric life into an alternative phantasmagorical story. Oppenheimer fans will be intrigued.” —Martin J. Sherwin, co-author of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer • “Really great, a page turner; I was hooked from the beginning to the end. Another fine addition to the Sawyer canon!” —Andre Bormanis, co-executive producer, The Orville and Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey • “Incredibly realistic: the characters, locations, the era, and even the science. I felt like I was back in Los Alamos — and I should know: I worked there! Breathlessly riveting; Sawyer pulls it off masterfully.” —Doug Beason, former Associate Laboratory Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory • “I knew many of these physicists, and Sawyer nails them accurately.” —Gregory Benford, author of The Berlin Project About the Author Robert J. Sawyer’s novel FlashForward was the basis for the ABC TV series of the same name. He is one of only eight writers ever to have won all three of the science-fiction field’s top awards for best novel of the year: the Hugo (which he won for Hominids), the Nebula (which he won for The Terminal Experiment), and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award (which he won for Mindscan). A member of the Order of Canada and one of the initial inductees into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, Rob lives near Toronto.


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<p>All will must bend to the perfect truth of <em>The Praxis</em></p><p>For millennia, the Shaa have subjugated the universe, forcing the myriad sentient races to bow to their joyless tyranny. But the Shaa will soon be no more. The dread empire is in its rapidly fading twilight, and with its impending fall comes the promise of a new galactic order . . . and bloody chaos. </p><p>A young Terran naval officer marked by his lowly birth, Lt. Gareth Martinez is the first to recognize the insidious plot of the Naxid -- the powerful, warlike insectoid society that was enslaved before all others -- to replace the masters’ despotic rule with their own. Barely escaping a swarming surprise attack, Martinez and Caroline Sula, a pilot whose beautiful face conceals a deadly secret, are now the last hope for freedom for every being who ever languished in Shaa chains -- as the interstellar battle begins against a merciless foe whose only perfect truth is annihilation. </p>


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<p>The Dread Empire of the Shaa is no more, following the death of the last oppressor. But freedom remains elusive for the myriad sentient races enslaved for ten centuries, as an even greater terror arises. The Naxids—a powerful insectoid species themselves subjugated until the recent Shaa demise—plan to fill the vacuum with their own bloody domination, and have already won a shattering victory with superior force and unimaginable cruelty. But two heroes survived the carnage at Magaria: Lord Gareth Martinez and the fiery, mysterious gun pilot Lady Caroline Sula, whose courageous exploits are becoming legend in the new history of galactic civil war. Yet their cunning, skill, and bravery may be no match for the overwhelming enemy descending upon the loyalist stronghold of Zanshaa, as the horrific battle looms that will determine the structure of the universe—and who shall live to inhabit it—for millennia to come.</p><p>**</p>


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<p class="description">SUMMARY:<br>The universe has fallen into bloody chaos now that the dread empire of the tyrannical Shaa is no more--at the mercy of the merciless insectoid Naxid who, freed from subjugation, now hunger for domination. But the far-flung human descendants of Terra have finally tasted liberty, and their warrior heroes will not submit. Separated by light-years, Lord Gareth Martinez and his one-time comrade and lover, the mysterious guerilla fighter Caroline Sula, each pursue a different road to victory in tomorrow's ultimate battle--for the new order will be far more terrible than the old...unless one last, bold, and desperate stratagem can hold a shattered galaxy together</p>


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<p>This short novel takes place in the universe of Walter Jon Williams’ Dread Empire’s Fall series.  </p><p>Three years after the Naxid war, Lord Gareth Martinez has accepted a meaningless post as Inspector General of Chee, a newly-settled world. Intending nothing more than a pleasant vacation with his family, Martinez first discovers corruption among the contractors engaged to develop Chee, but then finds something far more dangerous--- a literal cosmic menace that threatens to wipe out all life on the planet.</p><p>**</p>


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<p>Nebula Award-winning author Walter Jon Williams returns to the sweeping space opera adventure of his Praxis universe with <i>Impersonations</i>, an exciting new novel featuring the hero of <i>Dread Empire's Fall</i>!</p><p>Having offended her superiors by winning a battle without permission, Caroline Sula has been posted to the planet Earth, a dismal backwater where careers go to die. But Sula has always been fascinated by Earth history, and she plans to reward herself with a long, happy vacation amid the ancient monuments of humanity's home world.</p><p>Sula may be an Earth history buff, but there are aspects of her own history she doesn't want known. Exposure is threatened when an old acquaintance turns up unexpectedly. Someone seems to be forging evidence that would send her to prison. And all that is before someone tries to kill her.</p><p>If she's going to survive, Sula has no choice but to make some history of her own.</p><br><p><b>Reviews:</b><br><b></b><br>"Well told...


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<p>Blending fast-paced military science fiction and space opera, the first volume in a dynamic trilogy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Praxis, set in the universe of his popular and critically acclaimed Dread Empire's Fall series&#8212;a tale of blood, courage, adventure and battle in which the fate of an empire rests in the hands of a cadre of desperate exiles.</p><p>It's been seven years since the end of the Naxid War. Sidelined for their unorthodox tactics by a rigid, tradition-bound military establishment, Captain Gareth Martinez and Captain the Lady Sula are stewing in exile, frustrated and impatient to exercise the effective and lethal skills they were born to use in fighting the enemy.</p><p>Yet after the ramshackle empire left by the Shaa conquerors is shaken by a series of hammer blows that threaten the foundations of the commonwealth, the result is a war that no one planned, no one expected, and no one knows how to end.</p><p>Now, Martinez, Sula, and...


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<p style="font-weight: 600">"Space opera the way it ought to be . . . Bujold and Weber, bend the knee; interstellar adventure has a new king, and his name is Walter Jon Williams."—George R. R. Martin</p>
<p style="font-weight: 600">Following <em>The Accidental War,</em> the second book of a brand-new series set in the Praxis—an epic mix of space opera and military science fiction, from a grand master of science fiction, Walter Jon Williams.</p>
<p>The Praxis, the empire of now extinct Shaa, has again fallen into civil war, with desperate and outnumbered humans battling several alien species for survival. Leading the human forces are star-crossed lovers Gareth Martinez and Caroline Sula, who must find a way to overcome their own thorny personal history to defeat the aliens and assure humanity’s survival.</p>
<p>But even if the human fleet is victorious, the divisions fracturing the empire may be too wide to repair, as battles between politicians, the military, and fanatics who want to kill every alien threaten to further tear the empire apart. While Martinez and Sula believe they have the talent and tactics to defeat an overwhelming enemy, what will prevent their fellow humans from destroying themselves?</p></div>


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<p><strong>"Interstellar adventure has a new king, and his name is Walter Jon Williams." &#8212;George R.R. Martin</strong></p><p><strong>Blending fast-paced military science fiction and space opera, the third and final volume in a dynamic trilogy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Praxis, set in the universe of his popular and critically acclaimed Dread Empire's Fall series, comes a tale of blood, courage, adventure, and battle in which the fate of an empire rests in the hands of two lovers.</strong></p><p>Shattered Victory</p><p>Star-crossed lovers Gareth Martinez and Caroline Sula have decisively beaten the forces of the corrupt Zanshaa government. It seems all there's left to do is to travel to the capital of Zanshaa to reunite the empire under the banner of the Restoration. Before they can sweep up the pieces, though, it's revealed that any advance would spring an enemy trap. To make things worse, their opponents have more resources than Martinez and Sula could...


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<div>This first-ever collection of Iain Banks's short fiction includes a novella 
never before published in Britain - <i>The State of the Art</i>. A striking 
addition to the growing body of Culture lore, it adds definition and scale to 
the previous works by using the Earth of 1977 as contrast.<br><br>The other 
stories in this collection, all previously published in magazines and 
anthologies, range from science fiction to horror, dark-coated fantasy to 
morality tale.<br>All bear the indefinable stamp of Iain Banks's staggering 
talent.</div>


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<h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>In the midst of a war between two galactic empires, a shapechanging agent of the Iridans undertakes a clandestine mission to a forbidden planet in search of an intelligent, fugitive machine whose actions could alter the course of the conflict. Banks ( Walking on Glass ) demonstrates a talent for suspense in a new wave sf novel that should appeal to fans of space adventure. For large sf collections. JC<br />Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>'Banks is a phenomenon: the wildly successful, fearlessly creative author of brilliant and disturbing non-genre novels, he's equally at home writing pure science fiction of a peculiarly gnarly energy and elegance' William Gibson 'There is now no British SF writer to whose work I look forward with greater keenness' The Times 'Poetic, humorous, baffling, terrifying, sexy - the books of Iain M. Banks are all these things and more' NME </p>


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<p class="description">SUMMARY:<br>In The Player of Games, Iain M. Banks presents a distant future that could almost be called the end of history. Humanity has filled the galaxy, and thanks to ultra-high technology everyone has everything they want, no one gets sick, and no one dies. It's a playground society of sports, stellar cruises, parties, and festivals. Jernau Gurgeh, a famed master game player, is looking for something more and finds it when he's invited to a game tournament at a small alien empire. Abruptly Banks veers into different territory. The Empire of Azad is exotic, sensual, and vibrant. It has space battle cruisers, a glowing court--all the stuff of good old science fiction--which appears old-fashioned in contrast to Gurgeh's home. At first it's a relief, but further exploration reveals the empire to be depraved and terrifically unjust. Its defects are gross exaggerations of our own, yet they indict us all the same. Clearly Banks is interested in the idea of a future where everyone can be mature and happy. Yet it's interesting to note that in order to give us this compelling adventure story, he has to return to a more traditional setting. Thoughtful science fiction readers will appreciate the cultural comparisons, and fans of big ideas and action will also be rewarded. --Brooks Peck</p>


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EDITORIAL REVIEW: The man known as Cheradenine Zakalwe was one of Special Circumstances' foremost agents, changing the destiny of planets to suit the Culture through intrigue, dirty tricks and military action. The woman known as Diziet Sma had plucked him from obscurity and pushed him towards his present eminence, but despite all their dealings she did not know him as well as she thought. The drone known as Skaffen-Amtiskaw knew both of these people. It had once saved the woman's life by massacring her attackers in a particularly bloody manner. It believed the man to be a lost cause. But not even its machine could see the horrors in his past. Ferociously intelligent, both witty and horrific, USE OF WEAPONS is a masterpiece of science fiction.


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EDITORIAL REVIEW: The Twin Novae battle had been one of the last of the Idiran war, and one of the most horrific: desperate to avert their inevitable defeat, the Idirans had induced not one but two suns to explode, snuffing out worlds and biospheres teeming with sentient life. They were attacks of incredible proportion -- gigadeathcrimes. But the war ended, and life went on. Now, eight hundred years later, light from the first explosion is about to reach the Masaq' Orbital, home to the Culture's most adventurous and decadent souls. There it will fall upon Masaq's 50 billion inhabitants, gathered to commemorate the deaths of the innocent and to reflect, if only for a moment, on what some call the Culture's own complicity in the terrible event. Also journeying to Masaq' is Major Quilan, an emissary from the war-ravaged world of Chel. In the aftermath of the conflict that split his world apart, most believe he has come to Masaq' to bring home Chel's most brilliant star and self-exiled dissident, the honored Composer Ziller. Ziller claims he will do anything to avoid a meeting with Major Quilan, who he suspects has come to murder him. But the Major's true assignment will have far greater consequences than the death of a mere political dissident, as part of a conspiracy more ambitious than even he can know -- a mission his superiors have buried so deeply in his mind that even he cannot remember it. Hailed by SFX magazine as "an excellent hopping-on point if you've never read a Banks SF novel before," *Look to Windward* is an awe-inspiring immersion into the wildly original, vividly realized civilization that Banks calls the Culture.


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<h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Banks's labyrinthine and devious ninth Culture space opera novel (after 2008's Matter) adeptly shifts perspective between vast concepts and individual passions. The blissfully disorganized, galaxy-spanning Culture has fabulous technology that gives human and alien entities freedom to choose who and what they want to be. When sex slave Lededje Y'breq is murdered by a politician on the planet Sichult, the artificial intelligence running one of the Culture's immense starships resurrects her so she can seek revenge. Meanwhile, the Culture is uneasily watching the conflict over whether to preserve virtual Hells for the souls of "sinners" or give them the release of death. Leaping with jaw-dropping speed from character to character and from reality to virtuality, the narrative swiftly pulls these concerns together. New readers may be taken aback by the rapid pace, but fans will dive right in and won't come up for air until the final page. (Nov.) (c) <br />Copyright © PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. </p><h3>Product Description</h3><p>It begins in the realm of the Real, where matter still matters. </p><p>It begins with a murder. </p><p>And it will not end until the Culture has gone to war with death itself. </p><p>Lededje Y'breq is one of the Intagliated, her marked body bearing witness to a family shame, her life belonging to a man whose lust for power is without limit. Prepared to risk everything for her freedom, her release, when it comes, is at a price, and to put things right she will need the help of the Culture. </p><p>Benevolent, enlightened and almost infinitely resourceful though it may be, the Culture can only do so much for any individual. With the assistance of one of its most powerful - and arguably deranged - warships, Lededje finds herself heading into a combat zone not even sure which side the Culture is really on. A war - brutal, far-reaching - is already raging within the digital realms that store the souls of the dead, and it's about to erupt into reality. </p><p>It started in the realm of the Real and that is where it will end. It will touch countless lives and affect entire civilizations, but at the center of it all is a young woman whose need for revenge masks another motive altogether. </p><p>SURFACE DETAIL is Iain M. Banks' new Culture novel, a breathtaking achievement from a writer whose body of work is without parallel in the modern history of science fiction. </p>


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EDITORIAL REVIEW: Iain M. Banks, the international bestselling author of *The Player of Games* and *Consider Phlebas,* is a true original, a literary visionary whose brilliant speculative fiction has transported us into worlds of unbounded imagination. Now, in his acclaimed new novel, Banks presents an engrossing portrait of an alien world, and of two very different people bound by a startling and mysterious secret. On a backward world with six moons, an alert spy reports on the doings of one Dr. Vosill, who has mysteriously become the personal physician to the king despite being a foreigner and, even more unthinkably, a woman. Vosill has more enemies than she first realizes. But then she also has more remedies in hand than those who wish her ill can ever guess. Elsewhere, in another palace across the mountains, a man named DeWar serves as chief bodyguard to the Protector General of Tassasen, a profession he describes as the business of "assassinating assassins." DeWar, too, has his enemies, but his foes strike more swiftly, and his means of combating them are more direct. No one trusts the doctor, and the bodyguard trusts no one, but is there a hidden commonality linking their disparate histories? Spiraling around a central core of mystery, deceit, love, and betrayal. *Inversions* is a dazzling work of science fiction from a versatile and imaginative author writing at the height of his remarkable powers.


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SUMMARY: Iain M. Banks is a true original, an author whose brilliant speculative fiction has transported us into worlds of unbounded imagination and inimitable revelatory power. Now he takes us on the ultimate trip: to the edge of possibility and to the heart of a cosmic puzzle....Diplomat Byr Genar-Hofoen has been selected by the Culture to undertake a delicate and dangerous mission. The Department of Special Circumstances--the Culture's espionage and dirty tricks section--has sent him off to investigate a 2,500-year-old mystery: the sudden disappearance of a star fifty times older than the universe itself. But in seeking the secret of the lost sun, Byr risks losing himself.There is only one way to break the silence of millennia: steal the soul of the long-dead starship captain who first encountered the star, and convince her to be reborn. And in accepting this mission, Byr will be swept into a vast conspiracy that could lead the universe into an age of peace...or to the brink of annihilation.


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<div><p>The Scavenger species are circling. It is, truly, the End Days for the Gzilt civilization. <br></p><p>An ancient people, organized on military principles and yet almost perversely peaceful, the Gzilt helped set up the Culture ten thousand years earlier and were very nearly one of its founding societies, deciding not to join only at the last moment. Now they've made the collective decision to follow the well-trodden path of millions of other civilizations; they are going to Sublime, elevating themselves to a new and almost infinitely more rich and complex existence. <br></p><p>Amid preparations though, the Regimental High Command is destroyed. Lieutenant Commander (reserve) Vyr Cossont appears to have been involved, and she is now wanted - dead, not alive. Aided only by an ancient, reconditioned android and a suspicious Culture avatar, Cossont must complete her last mission given to her by the High Command. She must find the oldest person in the Culture, a man over nine thousand years old, who might have some idea what really happened all that time ago. It seems that the final days of the Gzilt civilization are likely to prove its most perilous.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>"Scotland-resident Banks' Culture yarns, the science-fiction equivalent of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, brim with wit and wisdom, providing incomparable entertainment, with fascinating and highly original characters, challenging ideas and extrapolations, and dazzling action seamlessly embedded in a satirical-comedy matrix."<br></p><p>(<strong><em>Kirkus Reviews</em></strong> )<br></p><p>"This rich, sweeping panorama of heroism and folly celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Culture, Banks's far-future semi-utopian society.... The action tumbles along at a dizzying pace, bouncing among a fascinating array of characters and locales. It's easy to see why Banks's fertile, cheerfully nihilistic imagination and vivid prose have made the Culture space operas bestsellers and award favorites." (<strong><em>Publishers Weekly</em></strong> )<br></p><p>"One of Banks' best Culture novels to date." (<strong><em>Booklist<em> on </em>The Hydrogen Sonata</em></strong> )<br></p><p>Praise for <em>Surface Detail:</em><br></p><p>"Banks' ability to combine humor and horror, the cosmic and the human, as he builds an action-packed story on a moral framework, as well as his wonderfully original characters and, of course, the lavish descriptions of weapons and spaceships, makes <em>Surface Detail</em> all you could ask for in a space opera. Nobody does it better." (<strong><em>Times </em>(UK)</strong> )<br></p><p>"This is an engrossing novel of ideas ornamented by fantastically cinematic set-pieces." (<strong><em>The Guardian</em> (UK)</strong> )<br></p><p>"<em>Surface Detail</em> is the type of widescreen space adventure we've come to expect from Banks, full of elaborate games, spellchecker-busting names, salty dialogue and, above all, a thrilling sense of the limitless scope SF affords an author's imagination." (<strong><em>Financial Times</em> (UK)</strong> )<br></p><p>"Banks' labyrinthine and devious ninth Culture space opera novel...adeptly shifts perspective between vast concepts and individual passions." (<strong><em>Publishers Weekly</em></strong> ) </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Iain Banks came to controversial public notice with the publication of his first novel, <em>The Wasp Factory</em>, in 1984. <em>Consider Phlebas</em>, his first science fiction novel, was published under the name Iain M. Banks in 1987. He is now widely acclaimed as one of the most powerful, innovative and exciting writers of his generation. Iain M. Banks lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. Find out more about Iain M. Banks at www.iainbanks.net. </p></div>


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In a world renowned even within a galaxy full of wonders, a crime within a war. For one brother it means a desperate flight, and a search for the one - maybe two - people who could clear his name.  For his brother it means a life lived under constant threat of treachery and murder.  And for their sister, even without knowing the full truth, it means returning to a place she'd thought abandoned forever.<BR><BR>Only the sister is not what she once was; Djan Seriy Anaplian has changed almost beyond recognition to become an agent of the Culture's Special Circumstances section, charged with high-level interference in civilisations throughout the greater galaxy.<BR><BR>Concealing her new identity - and her particular set of abilities - might be a dangerous strategy, however. In the world to which Anaplian returns, nothing is quite as it seems; and determining the appropriate level of interference in someone else's war is never a simple matter.<BR><BR>MATTER is a novel of dazzling wit and ...


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In the outskirts of space, and the far corners of the Polity, complex dealings are in play.<BR> <BR> Several forces continue to pursue the deadly and enigmatic Penny Royal, none more dangerous than the Brockle, a psychopathic forensics AI and criminal who has escaped the Polity's confinements and is upgrading itself in anticipation of a deadly showdown, becoming ever more powerful and intelligent.<BR> <BR> Aboard Factory Station Room 101, the behemoth war factory that birthed Penny Royal, groups of humans, alien prador, and AI war drones grapple for control. The stability of the ship is complicated by the arrival of a gabbleduck known as the Weaver, the last living member of the ancient and powerful Atheter alien race.<BR> <BR> What would an Atheter want with the complicated dealings of Penny Royal? Are the Polity and prador forces playing right into the dark AI's hand, or is it the other way around? Set pieces align in the final book of Neal Asher's action-packed Transformation...


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<div><p><strong>Their nemesis lies in wait . . .</strong>  </p>
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<p>Orlandine has destroyed the alien Jain super-soldier by deploying an actual black hole. And now that same weapon hoovers up clouds of lethal Jain technology, swarming within the deadly accretion disc 's event horizon. All seems just as she planned. Yet behind her back, forces incite rebellion on her home world, planning her assassination.
Earth Central, humanity's ruling intelligence, knows Orlandine was tricked into releasing her weapon, and fears the Jain are behind it. The prador king knows this too - and both foes gather fleets of warships to surround the disc. 
The alien Client is returning to the accretion disc to save the last of her kind, buried on a ship deep within it. She upgrades her vast weapons platform in preparation, and she'll need it. Her nemesis also waits within the disc's swirling dusts - and the Jain have committed genocide before.
 <strong>In this second volume of Rise of the Jain, Neal Asher takes us on a thrilling ride into interstellar politics and impending war. <em>The Warship</em> is set in Neal's popular Polity universe. </strong></p><h3>Review</h3>
<p>Neal Asher's books are <strong>like an adrenaline shot</strong> targeted directly for the brain (John Scalzi on <em>The Soldier)</em></p>
<p><em>The Soldier</em> provides everything we demand from Asher: a <strong>beautifully complex universe</strong> where AIs, aliens and post-humans scheme and struggle  - <strong>magnificently awesome</strong>. Then Asher turns it up to eleven (Peter F. Hamilton on <em>The Soldier</em>)  </p>
<p>A <strong>richly imagined</strong> , exotic world, non-stop action and <strong>unimaginable stakes</strong> - I couldn't put <em>The Soldier</em> down (Yoon Ha Lee, author of <em>Ninefox Gambit</em>, on <em>The Soldier</em>)  </p>
<p>Neal Asher's coruscating mix of <strong>epic space opera</strong> , weaponized Darwinism and <strong>high-stakes intrigue</strong> channels the primal flame of deep-core science fiction (Paul McAuley, author of <em>Four Hundred Billion Stars,</em> on <em>The Soldier</em>) </p>
<h3>Book Description</h3>
<p><strong>Neal Asher ramps up the action in this second book in his Rise of the Jain trilogy. Expect epic conflicts in space, extraordinary aliens and impossible choices ...</strong></p></div>


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<p>In The Human, the final book in Neal Asher’s epic Rise of the Jain trilogy, an entire galaxy hangs in the balance as the ancient and powerful Jain threat emerges anew . . . </p>
<p>A Jain warship has risen from the depths of space, emerging with a deadly grudge and a wealth of ancient yet lethal technology. It is determined to hunt down the alien Client, and will annihilate all those who stand in its way. So Orlandine must prepare humanity’s defense. </p>
<p>Both humanity and the Prador thought their ancient foe—the Jain—had perished in a past age. And they resolve to destroy these outliers at any cost. Orlandine wants the Client’s inside knowledge to act, but the Client has her own agenda. Earth Central therefore looks to the Prador for alliance, after the Jain destroy their fleet. However, not everyone is happy with this, and some will do anything to shatter this fragile coalition. </p>
<p>As the Jain warship makes its way across the galaxy, it seems unstoppable. Human and Prador forces alike struggle to withstand its devastating weaponry. Orlandine’s life work is to neutralize Jain technology, so if she can't triumph, no one can. But will she become what she’s vowed to destroy? **</p>
<h3>Review</h3>
<p><strong>Praise for the Neal Asher and the Rise of the Jain Series</strong> </p>
<p><strong>“ Neal Asher's books are like an adrenaline shot targeted directly for the brain.”— </strong><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 600">New York Times</span><strong> bestselling author John Scalzi</strong> </p>
<p>“With mind-blowing complexity, characters, and combat, <strong>Asher ’s work continues to combine the best of advanced cybertech and military SF.</strong>”— <em>Publishers Weekly</em> , <strong>Starred Review<br>​</strong><br>“In this <strong>riveting sequel</strong> to&#160; <em>The Soldier</em> , Asher <strong>ramps up the pyrotechnics</strong> <strong>in the thunderous first salvoes of war</strong> &#160;. . . while entwining the reader in twisty conundrums and misdirections. <strong>This is Asher at the top of his game and the field of military science fiction.</strong>”— <em>Publishers Weekly</em> , <strong>Starred Review</strong> </p>
<p>“<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 600">* Asher's </span><strong>*intergalactic chess match</strong> combines vivid descriptions of human, alien, and AI psyches with <strong>explosive and violent confrontations</strong>. . . . Asher’s <strong>distinctive and compellin</strong> g adventure&#160; <strong>will appeal to fans of of military science fiction, space opera, and even cyberpunk</strong>.”— <em>Booklist</em> </p>
<p>"Over the years <strong>I have returned to several comparisons when describing Asher’s work</strong>: Doc Smith (for <strong>space operatics</strong> ), Olaf Stapledon (for <strong>vast galactic-historical sweep</strong> ), Jacobean revenge tragedy (for grotesquery, melodrama, and gaudy violence), carnival thrill rides (for mere <strong>visceral excitement</strong> ). All those apply here, and those <strong>titanic battle sequences suggest that I add the Marvel superhero franchise</strong> – thrill rides for the eyes – to the list. . . .&#160;but it’s <strong>also a lot smarter than those thrill-ride movies</strong>."— <em>Locus</em> , reviewed by Russell Letson </p>
<p>“ <strong>A richly imagined, exotic world, nonstop action, and unimaginable stakes--I couldn't put </strong><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 600">The Soldier</span><strong> down.</strong> ”—Yoon Ha Lee, author of <em>Ninefox Gambit</em> </p>
<p>“ Neal Asher's coruscating mix of epic space opera, weaponised Darwinism and high-stakes intrigue <strong>channels the primal flame of deep-core science fiction.</strong> ” —Paul McAuley, author of <em>Four Hundred Billion Stars</em> </p>
<p>" <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 600">The Soldier</span><strong> provides everything we demand from Asher</strong>: a beautifully complex universe where AIs, aliens and post-humans scheme and struggle—magnificently awesome. <strong>Then Asher turns it up to eleven.</strong>"—Peter F. Hamilton </p>
<p>“ <strong>I had thought with the Transformation trilogy</strong> ( <em>Dark Intelligence, War Factory, Infinity Engine</em> ) <strong>that Asher had maxed out what could be done with the Polity setting</strong>—that the near-metaphysical implications of the fate of Penny Royal constituted a kind of narrative event horizon. <strong>I think I might have been mistaken.</strong> ”—Russell Letson, <em>Locus</em> </p>
<p>“ <strong>In addition to elaborate space battles between gigantic warships and spectacular descriptions of technology, Asher excels at “humanizing” his intelligent machines.</strong>”— <em>Booklist</em> </p>
<p>“ <strong>Asher is a modern master of sci-fi.</strong> ” — <em>Starburst</em> magazine </p>
<p>“ <strong>A wide-screen special-effects extravaganza</strong> , a space opera featuring gods and monsters . . . <strong>Doc Smith and Olaf Stapledon in a blender, turned up to eleven</strong> , with the contents splattering across the ceiling.”—Russell Letson, <em>Locus</em> </p>
<p>“ Asher has an amazing talent for world-building, for writing larger-than-life characters, for weaving gripping plots and for imagining exotic alien races and wonderful technologies. <strong>Huge ships! Big weapons! Space battles! Ground battles! Treason! Revenge! This is New Space Opera at its best.</strong> ” — <em>Sense of Wonder</em> </p>
<p>“ <strong>Hardboiled, fast-paced space opera</strong> . . . Asher’s books are <strong>similar to the world of Iain M. Banks’ Culture universe</strong> , but the Polity is arguably a much darker and more vicious environment—and all the better for it.” — <em>The Register</em><br></p>
<h3>About the Author</h3>
<p><strong>Neal Asher</strong> is a science fiction writer whose work has been nominated for both the Philip K. Dick and the British Fantasy Society awards. He has published more than twenty books, many set within his “Polity” universe, including <em>Gridlinked</em> , <em>The Skinner</em> , and <em>Dark Intelligence</em>. He divides his time between Essex and a home in Crete. </p></div>


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<p style="font-weight: 600">This high-octane adventure is set in the same world as Neal Asher's acclaimed Polity universe. It's a thrilling, fast-paced standalone novel, perfect for fans of Alastair Reynolds and Stephen Baxter.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 600">Created to die – determined to live . . .</p>
<p>Jack Four – one of twenty human clones – has been created to be sold. His purchasers are the alien prador and they only want him for their experimentation program. But there is something different about Jack. No clone should possess the knowledge that’s been loaded into his mind. And no normal citizen of humanity’s Polity worlds would have this information.</p>
<p>The prador’s king has been mutated by the Spatterjay virus into a creature even more monstrous than the prador themselves. And his children, the King’s Guard, have undergone similar changes. They were infected by the virus during the last humans-versus-prador war, now lapsed into an uneasy truce. But the prador are always looking for new weapons – and their experimentation program might give them the edge they seek.</p>
<p>Suzeal trades human slaves out of the Stratogaster Space Station, re-engineering them to serve the prador. She thinks the rewards are worth the risks, but all that is about to change. The Station was once a zoo, containing monsters from across known space. All the monsters now dwell on the planet below, but they aren’t as contained as they seem. And a vengeful clone may be the worst danger of all.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 600">‘Neal Asher’s books are like an adrenaline shot targeted directly for the brain - <br>John Scalzi, author of the Old Man’s War series</p>
<p style="font-weight: 600">'Magnificently awesome. Then Asher turns it up to eleven' - Peter F. Hamilton, author of <em>Salvation</em> and others, on Asher's <em>The Soldier</em></p></div>


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<table><tr><td>Author:</td><td>Neal Asher</td></tr><tr><td>Title: </td><td>War Bodies </td></tr><tr><td>Genre: </td><td>Science Fiction</td></tr><tr><td>Publisher:</td><td>Tor; Tom Doherty Associates</td></tr><tr><td>Identifier:</td><td>9781597806626, 9781529050080, asin:B0BPSYH5DW</td></tr><tr><td>Grade:</td><td>retail</td></tr><tr><td>Length:</td><td>454 pages</td></tr></table><div><p>Hardcover, 400 pages </p><p>Published: 2023</p><p>Long ago, the Cyberat left Earth to co-evolve with machines. Now, led by the powerful dictator Castron, their Old Guard believe that machines should replace the physical body. But these beliefs are upended with the arrival of the human Polity – and their presence ignites rebellion.</p><p> </p></div><p style="text-align:right">Jul 2023 - epub verified by zardox.</p>


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<p><b>"Excellent SF adventure debut." &#8212; <i>Publishers Weekly</i>, starred review</b><p><br> Hail Bristol has made a name for herself in the galaxy for everything except what she was born to do: rule the Indranan Empire. <p><br><p>When she is dragged back to her home planet to take her rightful place as the only remaining heir, she finds that trading her ship for a palace is her most dangerous move yet. <p><br><p><br><p><b>The Indranan War</b><p><i>Behind the Throne</i><p><i>After the Crown</i>


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<p><b>The </b><b>adrenaline-fueled</b><b>, <i>Star Wars-</i>style sequel to <i>Behind the Throne</i>, a new space adventure series from author K.B. Wagers.</b><p><b><br></b><p>Former gunrunner-turned-Empress Hail Bristol was dragged back to her home planet to fill her rightful position in the palace. With her sisters and parents murdered, the Indranan empire is on the brink of war. Hail must quickly make alliances with nearby worlds if she has any hope of surviving her rule. <br> When peace talks turn violent and Hail realizes she's been betrayed, she must rely on her old gunrunning ways to get out of trouble. With help from an old boss and some surprising new allies, she must risk everything to save her world.


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<p><b>The adrenaline-fueled, explosive conclusion to the Indranan War trilogy by K. B. Wagers.</b><p><br><p>Gunrunner-turned-Empress Hail Bristol was dragged back to her home planet to take her rightful place in the palace. Her sisters and parents have been murdered, and the Indranan Empire is reeling from both treasonous plots and foreign invasion.<p><br><p>Now, on the run from enemies on all fronts, Hail prepares to fight a full-scale war for her throne and her people, even as she struggles with the immense weight of the legacy thrust upon her. With the aid of a motley crew of allies old and new, she must return home to face off with the same powerful enemies who killed her family and aim to destroy everything and everyone she loves. Untangling a legacy of lies and restoring peace to Indrana will require an empress's wrath and a gunrunner's justice.<p><br><p><b><br>The Indranan War</b><i>Behind the Throne</i><i>After the Crown</i><i>Beyond the Empire</i>


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<B>Gunrunner empress Hail Bristol must navigate alien politics and deadly plots to prevent an interspecies war, </B><B>in this second novel of&#160;the Farian War space opera trilogy.</B>&#160;In a surprise attack that killed many of her dearest subjects, Hail Bristol, empress of Indrana, has been captured by the Shen — the most ruthless and fearsome aliens humanity has ever encountered. As she plots her escape, the centuries-long war between her captors and the Farians, their mortal enemies and Indrana&#39;s oldest allies, finally comes to a head.&#160;When her captors reveal a shocking vision of the future, Hail must make the unexpectedly difficult decision she&#39;s been avoiding: whether to back the Shen or the Farians.&#160;Staying neutral is no longer an option. Will Hail fight? Or will she fall?&#160;<B>Praise for The Farian War Trilogy:</B><BR />&quot;Action- and emotion-packed, folding political tension, personal relationships, and trauma into a vivid space opera that...


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<p><b><i>There Before the Chaos</i> begins an epic space opera trilogy featuring the fan-favorite gunrunner empress, Hail Bristol, who must navigate alien politics and deadly plots to prevent an interspecies war.</b><p><b><br></b><p><i>The battle for the throne is over. The war for the galaxy is just beginning.</i><p><b><br></b><p>Hail Bristol, infamous galactic gunrunner and former runaway princess, never expected to inherit the throne of Indrana. But after avenging the murder of her entire family and cleansing the Empire of usurpers in a bloody civil war, the former outlaw must fulfill her duties to her people. Hail retires her gun and throws herself into the rebuilding of her Empire. <p><br><p>Her hard-won peace is short-lived. When Indrana's closest ally asks Hail to intervene in an interstellar military crisis, she embarks on the highest stakes diplomatic mission the Empire has ever faced. Caught between two alien civilizations at each other's throats, she must uncover each...


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<p><B>Gunrunner empress Hail Bristol must navigate alien politics and deadly plots to prevent an interspecies war, </B><B>in the explosive finale to the Farian War space opera trilogy.</B><BR />When Hail finally confronts the Farian gods, she makes a stunning discovery. There are no gods&#8212;only the Hiervet, an alien race with devastating powers who once spread war throughout the galaxy long before humanity's ancestors crawled out of the sludge of Earth's oceans. <BR />But this knowledge carries with it dire news: the Hiervet have returned, eager to take revenge on those of their kind who escaped. And they don't care who gets caught in the middle of the battle&#8212;Shen, Farian, or Indranan.<BR />Once again, the fate of the galaxy is on the line and Hail will have to make one final gamble to leverage chaos into peace.<BR /><B>Praise for The Farian War Trilogy:</B><BR />"A fantastic send-off for one of science fiction's most remarkable recent protagonists." &#8212;<I>Publishers...


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<p><strong>The Expanse meets the Battle Room in Ender's Game as K. B. Wagers brings us the</strong> <strong>rollicking first entry in a unique science fiction series that introduces the Near-Earth Orbital Guard&#8212;NeoG&#8212;a military force patrolling and protecting space inspired by the real-life mission of the U.S. Coast Guard.</strong><br/>For the past year, their close loss in the annual Boarding Games has haunted Interceptor Team: Zuma's Ghost. With this year's competition looming, they're looking forward to some payback&#8212;until an unexpected personnel change leaves them reeling. Their best swordsman has been transferred, and a new lieutenant has been assigned in his place. </p><p>Maxine Carmichael is trying to carve a place in the world on her own&#8212;away from the pressure and influence of her powerful family. The last thing she wants is to cause trouble at her command on Jupiter Station. With her new team in turmoil, Max must overcome her self-doubt and win their...


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<p><strong>The Near-Earth Orbital Guard (Neo-G)&#8212;inspired by the real-life mission of the Coast Guard&#8212;patrols and protects the solar system. Now the crew of Zuma's Ghost must contend with personnel changes and a powerful cabal hellbent on dominating the trade lanes in this fast-paced, action-packed follow-up to A Pale Light in the Black.</strong><br/>Zuma's Ghost has won the Boarding Games for the second straight year. The crew&#8212;led by the unparalleled ability of Jenks in the cage, the brilliant pairing of Ma and Max in the pilot seats, the technical savvy of Sapphi, and the sword skills of Tamago and Rosa&#8212;has all come together to form an unstoppable team. Until it all comes apart.</p> <p>Their commander and Master Chief are both retiring. Which means Jenks is getting promoted, a new commander is joining them, and a fresh-faced spacer is arriving to shake up their perfect dynamics. And while not being able to threepeat is on their minds, the more important...


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<p><strong>NeoG&#8212;the Near-Earth Orbital Guard, a diverse military force that patrols and protects the solar system, inspired by the real-life mission of the Coast Guard&#8212;and the crew of Zuma's Ghost are under attack, and shocking truths are about to be exposed.</strong></p> <p><strong>What the black takes should stay in the black.</strong></p><p>Ensign Nell "Sapphi" Zika has been working hard to get past her trauma, but the unnerving pleas for help she's hearing in the Verge and the song she can't get out of her head are making that increasingly difficult. As Zuma's Ghost gears up for a final run at the Boarding Games, their expert hacker is feeling anything but confident. Plus, her chief's robot dog, Doge, is acting weird&#8212;a computer problem she can't find an answer to&#8212;and the increasing number of missing freighters is putting everyone living on or stationed around Trappist on edge.</p><p>It doesn't help the NeoG's mission that Dread Treasure is sidelined...


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<b> The long-awaited sequel to the Hugo award-winning novels <i>Cyteen</i> and <i>Downbelow Station</i>. </b> <br> The direct sequel to <i>Cyteen, Regenesis</i> continues the story of Ariane Emory, Personal Replicate, the genetic clone of one of the greatest scientists humanity has ever produced, and of her search for the murderer of her progenitor-the original Ariane Emory. Murder, politics, deception, and genetic and psychological manipulation combine against a backdrop of interstellar human factions at odds to confront questions that have remained unanswered for two decades... <br> Who killed the original Ariane Emory? <br> And can her Personal Replicate avoid the same fate?


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<p>Paperback, 176 pages </p>
<p>Published 1981</p>
<p>Freedom was an isolated planet, off the spaceways track and rarely visited by commercial spacers. It wasn't that Freedom was inhospitable as planets go. The problem was that outsiders—tourists and traders—claimed the streets were crowded with mysterious characters in blue robes and with members of an alien species.<br><br>Native-born humans, however, said that was not the case. There were no such blue-robes and no aliens.<br><br>Such was the viewpoint of both Herrin the artist and Waden the autocrat—until a crisis of planetary identity forced a life-and-death confrontation between the question of reality and the reality of the question.</p></div>


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<div><p>W.E.B. Griffin's bestselling series, THE CORPS and BROTHERHOOD OF WAR, have captured the pride and glory of the military community. Now he reveals a city police force with the same unique blend of realism, drama, and action. Here are the brave men and women behind the badge as you've never seen them before--their hopes and fears, their courage and heroism, sparked by a single, shocking event: the killing of a cop in the line of duty. </p><h4>Annotation</h4><p>A cop has been shot--cold-bloodedly gunned down while trying to prevent a holdup. Regulations say the investigation is to be handled like any other homicide. But when a cop is killed in the line of duty, it is different. And the brotherhood in blue will stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice. Original. </p></div>


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W.E.B. Griffin has captured a worldwide audience with his stunning novels of men and women of outstanding courage. BROTHERHOOD OF WAR revealed the drama and challenge of army life...THE CORPS explored the proud tradition of the Marines...Now BADGE OF HONOR takes you behind the scenes of today's urban police force. A brutal Mafia slaying rocks the city of Philadelphia when the only living witness is revealed—a wealthy debutante involved with the targeted mobster. One of the suspects is a cop, Matt Payne, who unwittingly takes on the ultimate battle between organized crime, upper-class power...and his own police force.


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<div><p><strong>The dramatic <em>New York Times</em>-bestselling adventure in W.E.B. Griffin’s Badge of Honor series about the Philadelphia police force.</strong>  </p><p>Having investigated his share of gruesome murders, Philadelphia Homicide Sergeant Matt Payne is beginning to think nothing can shock him – until the case of a young socialite’s death lands on his desk. The Camilla Rose Morgan he’d known as a teenager was beautiful and brilliant – how was it possible she’d jumped to her death from her own balcony? Her brother tells Payne she’d tragically been battling a lifetime of mental demons, and there is plenty of evidence of it, but still…something just doesn’t sit right. The more Payne digs, the more complications he discovers. Reputations are on the line here, and lives – and if Payne doesn’t tread carefully, one of them may be his own.  </p><p><em>From the Hardcover edition.</em></p><p>**</p><h3>Review</h3><p><strong>Praise for <em>Deadly Assets<strong><em><br>
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“A very gripping, very well-researched look at a couple of days in Philly . . . Griffin and Butterworth have a real feel for rough neighborhoods that tourists never see.” —</em>Connecticut News<br>
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“Gripping . . . Payne and his cohorts face long odds in a gritty police series that provides sociological comment but no easy answers.” —</em>Publishers Weekly*<br>
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Praise for Griffin</em> *and Butterworth</strong><br>
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“Griffin has the knack. With enviable skill he doles out humanizing detail for a large and colorful cast, and you care what happens to virtually all of them. Griffin is one of those writers who sets his novel before you in short, fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes. Before you know it, you’ve gobbled it up.” —<em>The Philadelphia Inquirer</em><br>
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 “If God is truly in the details, then Griffin must be the pope of police procedurals. What’s amazing is that all these factoids don’t slow down the story’s considerable momentum for a minute. Nor do they keep Griffin’s gritty cops from convincing us of their individuality.” —<em>Publishers Weekly</em><br>
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“Fans of Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct novels better make room on their shelves. . . . Badge of Honor is first and foremost the story of the people who solve the crimes. The characters come alive.” —<em>TheGainesville Times</em><br>
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“Speedy plotting, lively entertainment.” —<em>Kirkus Reviews</em><br>
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“Griffin’s books sell millions. They deserve it!” —<em>Houston Chronicle</em></p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>W.E.B. Griffin is the author of seven bestselling series: The Corps, Brotherhood of War, Badge of Honor, Men at War, Honor Bound, Presidential Agent, and Clandestine Operations. He lives in Fairhope, Alabama, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.  </p><p>






</p><p>William E. Butterworth IV has been a writer and editor for major newspapers and magazines for over twenty-five years, and has worked closely with his father for several years on the editing of the Griffin books. He is the co-author of several novels in the Badge of Honor, Men at War, Honor Bound, Presidential Agent, and Clandestine Operations series. He lives in St.Petersburg, Florida. </p></div>


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<p><b>The dramatic new novel in the Philadelphia police saga by #1 <i>New York Times</i>&#8211;bestselling author W. E. B. Griffin.</b><br> <br> In Philadelphia&#8212;suffering among the country's highest murder rates&#8212;the tension between the Philadelphia Police Department and its Citizens Oversight Committee has long been reaching a boiling point. That turmoil turns from bad to worse shortly after the committee begins targeting police shootings&#8212;especially those of twenty-seven-year-old Homicide Sergeant Matt Payne, the "Wyatt Earp of the Main Line"&#8212;and then the committee's combative leader is found shot dead point-blank on the front porch of his run-down Philly row house.<br> <br> As chanting protesters fill the streets, the city threatens to erupt. Payne, among many others accused of being complicit in the leader's death, becomes quietly furious. He suspects there's something deeper behind it all, but what? Ordered to stay out of the line of fire, he struggles...


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<div><p><strong>The dramatic new novel in the Philadelphia police saga by the #1 <em>New York Times</em>–bestselling author.</strong><br></p><p>For Philadelphia homicide detective Matt Payne, the news from an old law-enforcement friend sends a shiver down his spine: a connection between the Mexican drug cartels and the Russian mob.<br></p><p>Russian girls are being smuggled in to work in the sex trade, and now some of them are dying or just disappearing. The trail leads right to Philadelphia—where Payne learns that’s not all. It isn’t just Russian girls who are vanishing. Teenage girls are being lured from foster homes. Police department sources are turning up dead. The lone living witness has gone into hiding, with everybody—the Russians, the cartels, some of Philadelphia’s most powerful politicians—all looking for her. It’s up to Payne to find her—and hope he gets to her first.<br></p><h3>Review</h3><p><strong>Praise for *The Last Witness</strong>*<br></p><p>“Explosive.”—<em>Publishers Weekly</em><br><br>“Great good fun.”—<em>Kirkus</em><br></p><p><strong>Praise for W. E. B. Griffin</strong><br></p><p>“Griffin is one of those writers who sets his novel before you in short, fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes. Before you know it, you’ve gobbled it up.” —<em>The Philadelphia Inquirer</em></p><h3>About the Author</h3><p><strong>W. E. B. GRIFFIN</strong> is the author of six bestselling series.<br></p><p><strong>WILLIAM E. BUTTERWORTH IV</strong> has worked closely with his father for over a decade, and is the coauthor of more than ten books with him, most recently <em>The Spymasters</em> and <em>Empire and Honor</em>.<br></p></div>


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<h3>Product Description</h3><p><strong>The dramatic new novel in Griffin's <em>New York Times</em>- bestselling chronicle of the Philadelphia police force. </strong>   </p><p>There's a sudden spike in murders in Philadelphia, but no one seems to mind much because the victims all seem to be lowlifes. The more Homicide Sergeant Matthew Payne investigates, however, the more he gets a bad feeling-one that only gets worse when vigilante groups spring up claiming credit for some of the hits, even though Payne knows it can't be true. As the targets get bigger and events start moving out of control, Payne realizes that if he and his colleagues can't figure out who's behind this very soon, the violence could overtake them all.   </p><p>Filled with authentic color and detail, this is a riveting novel of the men and women who put their lives on the line-storytelling at its absolute best. </p><h3>About the Author</h3><p><strong>W.E.B. Grifin</strong> is the author of six bestselling series: The Corps, Brotherhood of War, Badge of Honor, Men at War, Honor Bound, and Presidential Agent.   </p><p><strong>William E. Butterworth IV has been an editor and writer for more than twenty-five years, and has worked closely with his father for almost a decade. He is the coauthor of five previous books with him, most recently <em>The Traffickers</em> and <em>The Honor of Spies</em>. </strong></p>


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<div><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>Book 7 of Griffin's "Badge of Honor" series continues the saga of the Philadelphia Police Department, focusing once again on the Special Operations unit. Detective Matt Payne is sent to Harrisburg to gather evidence against a narcotics unit that is suspected of stealing from the very people whom they have arrested. Payne is also working with the FBI in its attempt to locate several terrorists who, in 1968, blew up a scientific laboratory, killing 11 people. While walking in the footsteps of law-enforcement officers, Griffin gives a clear picture of what it is like to be a police officer, how police officers think, how politicians bring pressure to bear on their actions, and how the justice system works. Everything Griffin writes immediately goes on the best sellers lists, mainly because he tells such richly detailed stories using a huge, engaging cast of characters who by this time will have become old friends to many readers?and this book is no exception.?Jo Ann Vicarel, Cleveland Heights-University Heights P.L., Ohio<br>Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Kirkus Reviews</h3><p>The latest installment--and first hardcover--in the prodigious Griffin's Badge of Honor series on detectives in the Philadelphia police force. As in his several successful series on soldiers (including The Last Heroes, Vol. I of Men in War, 1997, and Line of Fire, Book V of The Corps, 1992), Griffin is particularly deft at catching the hierarchies of all-male societies, and the ways in which men school themselves for action. His protagonist here, Special Operations detective Matt Payne, shares with Griffin's other heroes an appetite for testing himself, a knack for getting into very dangerous situations, and a willingness to meet violence with violence. In this case, Payne is up against both a group of corrupt and lethal cops and a cabal of urban terrorists. Don't expect George V. Higgins, or even Christopher Newman here--while Griffin endows his Philadelphia setting with a terse authenticity, and his characters are distinct, if not remarkable, you won't find realistic chat, deep plumbings of character, or a detailed portrait of police politics. What you will find is a shrewdly paced plot, sharp, vivid action, and a rather mordant view of human nature. Not deep, but lively. -- <em>Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.</em></p></div>


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<p><B>Griffin's popular Badge of Honor police series returns, with a story of murder and lawlessness as compelling as today's headlines.</B><p>J ust as with his remarkable military novels, millions of readers have been captured by the rich characters and vivid realism of W. E. B. Griffin's police dramas. "Griffin has the knack," writes <I>The Philadelphia Inquirer</I>. "He sets his novel before you in short, fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes. Before you know it, you've gobbled it up."<p>Homicide Sergeant Matthew Payne is used to murder, but lately there's been an awful lot of it in Philadelphia. A gangland shooting in a popular tourist location has left six dead, most of them innocent bystanders, and days later the body of a headless Latina turns up in the Schuykill River. Everybody assumes they're not related, but Payne can't shake the hunch that there's something more to it&#8212;and that hunch leads him far from the City of Brotherly Love to the Texas&#8211;Mexico border. There,...


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<div><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p>That there's an Establishment in any big city cop shop is no surprise, but the pols, police, press, and prosecutors who hang out together in W.E.B. Griffin's Philadelphia are so tightly connected that there's hardly any room to breathe in this Badge of Honor thriller. While a couple of minor characters from outside this old-boys’ network make a few cursory appearances, plus the obligatory perp, it's mostly an inside story about golden boy Matt Payne, Main Line scion and third generation cop who's just been promoted to Homicide, and his mentors, friends, and family. The perp is a clever psychopath who rapes and murders his way across country while he's buying and selling exotic cars. Griffin fills in the story with plenty of carefully detailed department procedures in this newest in one of his many bestselling series (Honor Bound, Men at War, Brotherhood of War, The Corps). Justice triumphs and, of course, there's plenty of hero worship and not a flawed cop on the force, which won't surprise or displease the author's legion of true blue fans. <em>--Jane Adams</em></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>If God is truly in the details, then Griffin must be the pope of police procedurals. Want to know what paragraph of the Pennsylvania Criminal Code you violate if you use a flashing blue light attached to your car to get through traffic? Or what the chances are of a patrolman or detective passing the Philadelphia Police Department's exam for promotion to sergeant? Or what happens to the badge worn on the chest of an officer killed in action, after the funeral? All of this-and much, much more-is revealed in the eighth data-heavy entry in Griffin's Badge of Honor series (The Murderers, The Investigators, etc.). What's even more amazing is that all these factoids don't slow down the story's considerable momentum for a minute. Nor do they keep Griffin's gritty cops from convincing us of their individuality. Matt Payne, a detective with the Philadelphia police force, has just been promoted and transferred to Homicide. The cases he gets during his first few days at the post are a rich mix of mayhem entangling all strata of Philadelphia society: an apparently simple shooting in a fast food outlet that turns out to be almost unsolvable; a savage rape and murder with some serious anti-cop political overtones; an extradition case involving a fugitive murderer from France; and, for comic relief, the supervision of a visiting movie star who wants to make his police pictures more authentic. What holds it all together is Griffin's infectious respect for and fascination with police work. <br>Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<div><p>The robbery ended in murder, the killers claimed to be terrorists, and the only cooperative witness feared for his life. Police officer Matt Payne knew the dangers of his profession--but never thought that he himself would be the one who needed protection...In BADGE OF HONOR, W.E.B. Griffin reveals the explosive world of law enforcement with the same power and authenticity that made his BROTHERHOOD OF WAR and THE CORPS series nationwide bestsellers. </p><h4>Annotation</h4><p>Officer Matt Payne is assigned to protect a witness to a robbery and murder of an innocent bystander by terrorists. In a deadly confrontation, Payne kills one of the terrorists . . . and his hame is added to their hit list. "(Griffin) captivates you with characters the way few authors can."--Tom Clancy. Original. </p></div>


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A perfectly typed bomb threat makes its way to the Philadelphia Police Department--the calling card of a political assassin on the loose. It couldn't happen at a worse time, since a rogue cop has brought corruption into the force. The police can't trust their own people as seconds tick away toward an explosion that could rock the nation.


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<p>A Philadelphia narcotics cop is shot dead in his home. A bar owner's wife and partner are gunned down during an attempted robbery. And in a beautiful mansion, a young woman dies of a heroin overdose. At first the crimes seem unconnected. But these four deaths are about to trigger a massive convergence of corruption, cops, and the mob that could tear the Philadelphia Police Department apart from the inside out. All the way to the top...</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>One challenge of series writing is to make each individual novel stand on its own, and Griffin almost succeeds with this fast-paced slice-of-cop-life entry in his Badge of Honor series, the sixth volume overall (after The Assassin) and the first to be published in hardcover. The story, set in 1975, centers around the murder of Philadelphia policeman Jerry Kellog, perhaps committed by a corrupt cop because Kellog's wife, who's left him for another cop, has revealed that her husband's narcotics unit is dirty. Meanwhile, bar owner Gerry Atchison hires a small-time hit man to kill his cheating wife and his thieving business partner. Finding solutions to the three murders unites Giffin's huge cast of characters, among them high-profile detective Matt Payne and take-charge Sgt. Jason Washington, both of Special Operations. Heavy on the dialogue and action, with a touch of politics and a dash of soap opera, this swiftly paced novel has the feel of a breezy, expansive ensemble piece. But it lacks the solidity of many stand-alone novels and, though engaging enough, gives the impression of characters and an author who are already looking toward the next book. <br />Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>This is the first hardcover in Griffin's series about the exploits of a group of cops in Philadelphia, but, thanks to his "Saga of the Corps" and "Brotherhood of War" series, the author is no stranger to the best sellers lists.<br />Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p>


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Renowned guitarist Steve Howe tells his own story in his own words, often unflinchingly as he recounts times of triumph and torment amidst the cream of the UK's prog rock bands. Best known for his work with Yes, a group prone to sudden upheavals, and AOR supergroup Asia, Steve Howe's passage through these and other bands is a roller-coaster ride of constant touring, tense recording sessions, and frequent trips to all corners of the globe. A workaholic, he soon realised that the temptations of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle weren't for him and instead dedicated his life to excellence in musicianship. Born in North London in 1947, Steve got his first guitar at the age of 12 and thereafter devoted himself passionately to mastering its intricacies. After spells in psychedelic bands of the late sixties, he was invited to join Yes in 1970, thus finding himself in a spotlight that shines to this day. In the meantime he raised a family, adopted vegetarianism as a lifestyle, and watched as...


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Murder is hardly the best way for Lord Peter and his bride, the famous mystery writer Harriet Vane, to start their honeymoon. It all begins when the former owner of their newly acquired estate is found quite nastily dead in the cellar. And what Lord Peter had hoped would be a very private and romantic stay in the country soon turns into a most baffling case, what with the misspelled 'notise' to the milkman and the intriguing condition of the dead man - not a spot of blood on his smashed skull and not a pence less than six hundred pounds in his pocket. Author Biography; Dorothy L. Sayers is the author of novels, short stories, poetry collections, essays, reviews and translations. Although she was a noted Christian scholar, she is most known for her detective fiction. Born in 1893, she was one of the first women to be awarded a degree from Oxford University. Her first book featuring Lord Peter Wimsey, Whose Body?, was published in 1923 and over the next 20 years more novels and short stories about the aristocratic amateur sleuth appeared. Dorothy L. Sayers is recognized as one of the greatest mystery writers of the 20th century.


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The stark naked body was lying in the tub.Not unusual for a proper bath, but highly irregular for murder -- especially witha pair of gold pince-nez deliberately perched before the sightless eyes. What's more, the face appeared to have been shaved after death. The police assumed that the victim was a prominent financier, but Lord Peter Wimsey, who dabbled in mystery detection as a hobby, knew better. In this, his first murder case, Lord Peter untangles the ghastly mystery of the corpse in the bath.


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The plot concerns Lord Peter's investigation into the death, three years earlier, of an elderly lady in the last stages of cancer. The lady's death has aroused no suspicion, despite her doctor's dismay at her end coming so quickly, but Wimsey suspects that it may, after all, have been 'unnatural'. The difficulty of discovering the method is compounded by the difficulty of discovering someone with the motive and opportunity to kill.


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When Harriet Vane attends her Oxford reunion, known as the "Gaudy," the prim academic setting is haunted by a rash of bizarre pranks: scrawled obsentities, burnt effigies and poison-pen letters -- including one that says, "Ask your boyfriend with the title if he likes arsenic in his soup."Some of the notes threaten murder; all are perfectly ghastly; yet in spite of their scurrilous nature, all are perfectly worded. And Harriet finds herself ensnared in a nightmare of romance and terror, with only the tiniest shreds of clues to challenge her powers of detection, and those of her paramour, Lord Peter Wimsey.


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Rustic old Riddlesdale Lodge was a Wimsey family retreat filled with country pleasures and the thrill of the hunt -- until the game turned up human and quite dead. He lay among the chrysanthemums, wore slippers and a dinner jacket and was Lord Peter's brother-in-law-to-be.His accused murderer was Wimsey's own brother, and if murder set all in the family wasn't enough to boggle the unflappable Lord Wimsey, perhaps a few twists of fate would be -- a mysterious vanishing midnight letter from Egypt...a grieving fiancee with suitcase in hand...and a bullet destined for one very special Wimsey.


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90-year-old General Fendman was definitely dead, but no one knew exactly when he had died -- and the time of death was the determining factor in a half-million-pound inheritance.Lord Peter Wimsey would need every bit of his amazing skills to unravel the mysteries of why the General's lapel was without a red poppy on Armistice Day, how the club's telephone was fixed without a repairman, and, most puzzling of all, why the great man's knee swung freely when the rest of him was stiff with rigor mortis.


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Nine tellerstrokes from the belfry of an ancient country church toll the death of an unknown man and call the famous Lord Peter Wimsey to one of his most brilliant cases, set in the atmosphere of a quiet parish in the strange, flat, fen-country of East Anglia


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In A PRESUMPTION OF DEATH, Jill Paton Walsh tells how World War II changed the lives of Peter, Harriet and their growing family. The story opens in 1940. Harriet Vane - now Lady Peter Wimsey - has taken her children to safety in the country. But the war has followed them: glamorous RAF pilots and even more glamorous land-girls scandalise the villagers; the blackout makes the night-time lanes as sinister as the back alleys of London. Then the villagés first air raid practise ends with a very real body on the ground - not a war casualty but a case of plain, old-fashioned murder. And even before the second body is found, Lord Peter Wimsey and his brilliant wife are on their way to finding the killer.


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Mystery novelist Harriet Vane knew all about poisons, and when her fiancÉ died in the manner prescribed in one of her books, a jury of her peers had a hangman's noose in mind. But Lord Peter Wimsey was determined to find her innocent--as determined as he was to make her his wife.


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Lord Peter Wimsey takes up employment as a copywriter for an advertising agency in order to discover more about the recent mysterious death of one of the employees. In the process he discovers much of the convoluted private lives of the other employees, as well as getting a feel for what it is like to work for a living. Eventually he traces a connection to a drug-smuggling operation, which he proceeds to infiltrate and uncover. Wimsey makes the connection between the drug-smugglers and the employee who has become their tool and has responded to a blackmail threat with murder.


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<p>Lord Peter Wimsey's last three baffling cases all demonstrate his unique detction skills at their most spectacular. The engima of a house numbered thirteen in a street of even numbers; an indignant child accused of theft, a dream about a game of chess that uncovers the true story behind a violent death. Each of the stories introduces a different side of the twentieth century's most ingenious detective hero.</p>


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<div><p>Now a major motion picture<br></p><p>A great modern classic and the prelude to <em>THE LORD OF THE RINGS</em></p><p>Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.<br></p><p>“A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible . . . All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take <em>The Hobbit</em> to their hearts.” – <em>New York Times Book Review</em></p><h3>Amazon.com Review</h3><p><em>"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."</em></p><p>The hobbit-hole in question belongs to one Bilbo Baggins, an upstanding member of a "little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves." He is, like most of his kind, well off, well fed, and best pleased when sitting by his own fire with a pipe, a glass of good beer, and a meal to look forward to. Certainly this particular hobbit is the last person one would expect to see set off on a hazardous journey; indeed, when Gandalf the Grey stops by one morning, "looking for someone to share in an adventure," Baggins fervently wishes the wizard elsewhere. No such luck, however; soon 13 fortune-seeking dwarves have arrived on the hobbit's doorstep in search of a burglar, and before he can even grab his hat or an umbrella, Bilbo Baggins is swept out his door and into a dangerous adventure.</p><p>The dwarves' goal is to return to their ancestral home in the Lonely Mountains and reclaim a stolen fortune from the dragon Smaug. Along the way, they and their reluctant companion meet giant spiders, hostile elves, ravening wolves--and, most perilous of all, a subterranean creature named Gollum from whom Bilbo wins a magical ring in a riddling contest. It is from this life-or-death game in the dark that J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork, <em>The Lord of the Rings</em>, would eventually spring. Though <em>The Hobbit</em> is lighter in tone than the trilogy that follows, it has, like Bilbo Baggins himself, unexpected iron at its core. Don't be fooled by its fairy-tale demeanor; this is very much a story for adults, though older children will enjoy it, too. By the time Bilbo returns to his comfortable hobbit-hole, he is a different person altogether, well primed for the bigger adventures to come--and so is the reader. <em>--Alix Wilber</em></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>Noted artist Hague provides 48 dazzling paintings for this first-ever version of the timeless fantasy classic. All ages. <br>Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div>


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<p>The stalwart cocktail classic has been around for almost a century and continues to be the go-to drink for weekend brunches, parties, and game-day tailgating. <i>The Bloody Mary Book</i> features 65 new and innovative recipes to surprise any party guest.<br>A basic Bloody Mary requires no more skill than simply pouring, but this book makes use of all possible flavors, different liquors, and a rainbow of garnishes that can be purely decorative or practically serve as a main course. The drinks are a dizzying array of creativity, from the Vegan Mary, which is packed with umami, to a Middle Eastern Mary, adding cumin, coriander and harissa for an extra bit of spice, as well as a Gazpacho Mary, pureed with onion, garlic, peppers and cucumber to yield a veritable meal in a glass. The bar food complements the beverages nicely, with Scotch Eggs, Tuna Poke with Mango and Avocado, Smoked Salmon Spread, and Spiced Mixed Nuts, and the garnishes start with homemade Dilly Beans and pickles...


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<p>Raise a glass to vintage beer! Treat yourself to a tour through time with this historical collection of beer recipes from 1800 to 1950. Within these pages, you'll discover timeless recipes, along with drink profiles, and tales of how these tasty brews became a part of the evolution of beer. Each chapter delves into a different style of beer: porter, stout, pale ale, mild ale, stock ale, burton ale, scotch ale, brown ale, dinner ale, light ale, table beer, and more, and explores the history of each style with recipes representative of different periods in time. Whether you choose to adapt the recipes to suit your palette or recreate them, you'll bring history to life with each brew you make. Learn how beer has evolved over the last two hundred years and how you can easily recreate authentic recipes right in your own home.


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<p>The memoir of one of the great musicians of our time, Tony Iommi—Grammy-winning revolutionary guitarist, cofounding member of Black Sabbath, and architect of heavy metal</p>


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<div><p class="description">EDITORIAL REVIEW:</p>
<p class="description">"They've said some crazy things about me over the years.  I mean, okay: 'He bit the head off a bat.'  Yes.  'He bit the head off a dove.'  Yes.  But then you hear things like, 'Ozzy went to the show last night, but he wouldn't perform until he'd killed fifteen puppies . . .'  Now *me*, kill fifteen puppies?  I love puppies. I've got eighteen of the f**king things at home.  I've killed a few cows in my time, mind you.  And the chickens.  I shot the chickens in my house that night. It haunts me, all this crazy stuff.  Every day of my life has been an event.  I took lethal combinations of booze and drugs for thirty f**king years.  I survived a direct hit by a plane, suicidal overdoses, STDs.  I've been accused of attempted murder.  Then I almost died while riding over a bump on a quad bike at f**king two miles per hour. People ask me how come I'm still alive, and I don't know what to say.  When I was growing up, if you'd have put me up against a wall with the other kids from my street and asked me which one of us was gonna make it to the age of sixty, which one of us would end up with five kids and four grandkids and houses in Buckinghamshire and Beverly Hills, I wouldn't have put money on me, no f**king way.  But here I am: ready to tell my story, in my own words, for the first time. A lot of it ain't gonna be pretty.  I've done some bad things in my time.  I've always been drawn to the dark side, me.  But I ain't the *devil*.  I'm just John Osbourne: a working-class kid from Aston, who quit his job in the factory and went looking for a good time."</p></div>


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<p>The Complete Regional Guide to Craft Beer<p> <p>With quality beer producers popping up all over the nation, you don't have to travel very far to taste great beer; some of the best stuff is brewing right in your home state. <I>Beer Lover's New England</I> features breweries, brewpubs, and beer bars geared toward brew enthusiasts looking to seek out the best beers New England has to offer, from bitter seasonal IPAs to rich, dark stouts.<p> <p>Written by a local beer expert, <I>Beer Lover's New England</I> covers the entire beer experience for the proud, local enthusiast and the traveling visitor alike, including:<p> <p>Brewery and beer profiles with tasting notes and full-color photos<p>Must-visit brewpubs and beer bars<p>Top annual beer festivals, tastings, and events<p>Clone beer recipes for homebrewersn and hobbyists<p>Food recipes made with local craft beer<p>Beer-centric city trip itineraries with pub-crawl maps


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<p>It's an extraordinary tale of yeast-obsessed monks and teetotal prime ministers; of how pale ale fuelled an Empire and weak bitter won a world war; of exploding breweries, a bear in a yellow nylon jacket and a Canadian bloke who changed the dringking habits of a nation. It's also the story of the rise of the pub from humble origins through an epic, thousand-year struggle to survive misunderstanding, bad government and misguided commerce. The history of beer in Britain is a social history of the nation itself, full of catastrophe, heroism and an awful lot of hangovers. 'a pleasant antidote to more po-faced histories of beer' Guardian 'Like a good drinking companion, Brown tells a remarkable story: a stream of fascinating facts, etymologies and pub-related urban phenomena' TLS 'Packed with bar-room bet-winning facts and entertaining digressions, this is a book into which every pub-goer will want to dip.' Express</p>


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<p>The original India Pale Ale was pure gold in a glass; a semi-mythical beer specially invented, in the 19th century, to travel halfway around the world, through storms and tropical sunshine, and arrive in perfect condition for a long, cold drink on an Indian verandah. But although you can still buy beers with ‘IPA’ on the label they are, to be frank, a pale imitation of the original.</p>
<p>For the first time in 140 years, a keg of Burton IPA has been brewed with the original recipe for a voyage to India by canal and tall ship, around the Cape of Good Hope; and the man carrying it is the award-winning Pete Brown, Britain’s best beer write. Brazilian pirates and Iranian customs officials lie ahead, but will he even make it that far, have fallen in the canal just a few miles out of Burton? And if Pete does make it to the other side of the world with ‘Barry’ the barrel, one question remains: what will the real IPA taste like?</p>
<p>Weaving first-class travel writing with assured comedy, <em>Hops and Glory</em> is both a rollicking, raucous history of the Raj and a wonderfully entertaining, groundbreaking experiment to recreate the finest beer ever produced.</p></div>


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'Brilliant.' Alan Johnson 'Compelling.' David Kynaston 'The beer drinkers' Bill Bryson.' Times Literary Supplement The untold story of a British institution. Pete Brown is a convivial guide on this journey through the intoxicating history of the working men's clubs. From the movement's founding by teetotaller social reformer the Reverend Henry Solly to the booze-soaked mid-century heyday, when more than 7 million Brits were members, this warm-hearted and entertaining book reveals how and why the clubs became the cornerstone of Britain's social life – offering much more than cheap Federation Bitter and chicken in a basket. Often dismissed as relics of a bygone age – bastions of bigotry and racism – Brown reminds us that long before the days of Phoenix Nights, 3,000-seat venues routinely played host to stars like Shirley Bassey, Louis Armstrong, and the Bee Gees, offering entertainment for all the family, and close to home at that. Britain's best-known comedians made reputations...


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Meet Pete Brown: beer jounalist, beer drinker and author of an irreverent book about British beer, Man Walks Into A Pub. One day, Pete's world is rocked when he discovers several countries produce, consume and celebrate beer far more than we do. The Germans claim they make the best beer in the world, the Australians consider its consumption a patriotic duty, the Spanish regard lager as a trendy youth drink and the Japanese have built a skyscrapter in the shape of a foaming glass of their favourite brew. At home, meanwhile, people seem to be turning their back on the great British pint. What's going on? Obviously, the only way to find out was to on the biggest pub crawl ever. Drinking in more than three hundred bars, in twenty-seven towns, in thirteen different countries, on four different continents, Pete puts on a stone in weight and does irrecoverable damage to his health in the pursuit of saloon-bar enlightenment. 'A fine book. . . the exact tone that a work on this social drug requires.' The Times 'Over 300 bars later and the man still manages to make you laugh.' Daily Mirror 'Carlsberg don't publish books. But if they did, they would probably come up with Three Sheets to the Wind...' Metro  'A marvellous book which is as enlightening about the countries he visited as any travel guide.' Adventure Magazine


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'An absorbing love letter to the English apple tree...lyrical and joyful' - TLS 'A delightful book' - Sunday Times Shortlisted for the André Simon Food and Drink Book Award 2016 A Radio 4 Book of the Week 'Wonderful, revelatory ... very moving' - Sheila Dillon, BBC Radio 4 'His ability to laugh at himself, openness to wonder and willingness to go wherever the search takes him make Brown an engaging writer and The Apple Orchard an entertaining journey' - Mail on Sunday Taking us through the seasons in England's apple-growing heartlands, this magical book uncovers the stories and folklore of our most familiar fruit. 'An orchard is not a field. It's not a forest or a copse. It couldn't occur naturally; it's definitely cultivated. But an orchard doesn't override the natural order: it enhances it, dresses it up. It demonstrates that man and nature together can - just occasionally - create something more beautiful and (literally) more fruitful than either could alone. The vivid brightness of the laden trees, studded with jewels, stirs some deep race memory and makes the heart leap. Here is bounty, and excitement.' **


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<div><p>"You just cover a lot of territory and you do it aggressively and you do it fairly and you don’t play favorites and you don’t take any prisoners.  It’s the old school of slash-and-burn metropolitan column writing. You just kick ass.  That’s what you do.  And that’s what they pay you to do."--Carl Hiaasen</p><p>"Carl Hiaasen is one of America's finest novelists. His newspaper column is another side of the same talent, examining with a corrosive writer's eye the outrageous carnival of Southern Florida. The inhabitants are all here: thieves, conmen, and hustlers, perfumed swine and oiled mannequins, legal swindlers and patriotic crooks, executioners and lap dancers, and yes, even an occasional hero. This is a splendid collection by a native son whose rage at the despoiling of Florida can only be relieved by dark laughter."--Pete Hamill</p><p>Readers who eagerly anticipate each new Carl Hiaasen novel will relish this selection of his Miami Herald columns, written with the same dark humor and satirical edge as Tourist Season, Strip Tease, Stormy Weather, and the rest of Hiaasen’s brilliant and nationally acclaimed fiction. Known for evoking the disastrously flawed paradise of modern South Florida, Hiaasen proves in these columns that facts can indeed be stranger than the fiction they inspire.<br>  Beginning with "Welcome to South Florida," a chapter introducing such everyday events as animal sacrifice, riots at the beach, and a shootout over limes at the supermarket, this collection organizes over 200 columns into 18 chapters, chronicling the events and defining the issues that have kept the South Florida melting pot bubbling throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. An introductory essay provides an overview of Hiaasen’s career and outlines his principal concerns as a journalist.<br>Since its inception in 1985, Hiaasen’s twice-weekly "baseball-bat-to-the-forehead" column has become enormously popular for its passionate conviction and willingness to confront powerful interests in pursuit of the public good. Amid the corruption and chaos of a city on the edge, Hiaasen’s pointblank honesty and clear articulation of what’s right have secured him wide respect across the community’s many racial and ethnic divides as well as the admiration of his peers, who compare him to A. J. Leibling, I. F. Stone, and H. L. Mencken.<br>In addition to South Florida color and world-class journalism, readers of Kick Ass will find one of Florida’s staunchest defenders in action, and they’ll take great pleasure in watching him work.</p><p>Bestselling author Carl Hiaasen has written Tourist Season, Strip Tease, Sick Puppy, Skinny Dip, and many other novels that have helped define Florida noir. He is also the author of three popular books for young readers, Hoot, Flush, and most recently, Scat. His nonfiction includes Team Rodent: How Disney Devours the World and Downhill Lie: A Hacker's Return to a Ruinous Sport. A Florida native and lifelong resident, Hiaasen still writes regularly for the Miami Herald, where he has worked for 33 years and where these columns first appeared. Diane Stevenson teaches research writing in the psychology department at the University of Florida.</p><h3>From Kirkus Reviews</h3><p>A public service to his many fans, this compendium of Miami Herald columns by best-selling novelist Carl Hiaasen (Lucky You, 1997, etc.) reveals an angry, alert civic muckraker in the pugilistic vein of Mencken or Royko. Though best known for his ribald crime fiction, with its meticulous universe of South Florida idiocy and venal conspiracy, Hiaasen cut his teeth as an investigative reporter, and this spirit is strong in both his chosen subjects and his wry attention to unforgiving evidentiary detail. As editor Stevenson notes, the collections thrust, which she constructed by sifting through Hiaasens 1300-plus columns, was to present his advocacy of realistic growth and decent government in Florida. Along the way Hiaasen stops to gut innumerable big fishcrooked politicians, rogue cops, insensate tourists, swollen developerswithin a rough chronology reaching back to the cocaine-crazed Reagan '80s. Although Hiaasen is a truly funny writer, a stern moral compass lies beneath his slapstick. His quixotic outrage regarding the despoliation of his home state (cf. the columnist/terrorist of his Tourist Season, 1986) is as unforgiving as an Uzi, as authentic as a Waffle House breakfast. Hiaasens zestful attacks on Miamis many embarrassing or indicted leaders end up addressing the threats posed, for instance, by the crash overpopulation of Florida, epitomized by the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Andrew upon shoddy developments, a dire issue that pro-business boosters (e.g., The Mouse) labor to minimize. But even the loopier pieces (tame dachshund-eating alligators, Geraldo Riveras faked drug raids) are informed by Hiaasens unforgiving focus upon the social rot beneath the zany facade. Such columns, like his fiction, reveal Hiaasen as a crystalline, pitiless seer of human weakness in much the same vein as his Floridian forbears, Charles Willeford and Harry Crews. Deeply satisfying, both for what it reveals of the serious priorities of a supposedly light novelist and for the outrageous epic of Florida profiteering and entropy within. -- <em>Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.</em></p><h3>Review</h3><p>...this collection of lively and well-reported pieces... illuminated by all the wit and keen descriptive powers of his fiction. -- <em>Salon.com</em><br></p><p>Carl Hiaasen is one of America's finest novelists. -- <em>Pete Hamill</em><br></p><p>Reminiscent of the snarky, opinionated newspaper articles of the great Mark Twain, Hiaasen's columns are finely crafted little gems. -- <em>Booklist</em></p></div>


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<b>The second gripping novel in the #1 internationally bestselling Thursday Murder Club series, the first of which Kate Atkinson called "A little beacon of pleasure in the midst of the gloom. . . SUCH FUN!"</b><br>Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim&mdash;the Thursday Murder Club&mdash;are still riding high off their recent real-life murder case and are looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet at Cooper&rsquo;s Chase, their posh retirement village.<br> &nbsp;<br> But they are out of luck.<br> &nbsp;<br> An unexpected visitor&mdash;an old pal of Elizabeth&rsquo;s (or perhaps more than just a pal?)&mdash;arrives, desperate for her help. He has been accused of stealing diamonds worth millions from the wrong men and he&rsquo;s seriously on the lam.<br> &nbsp;<br> Then, as night follows day, the first body is found. But not the last. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim are up against a ruthless murderer who wouldn&rsquo;t bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can our four...


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<b>A new mystery is afoot in the fourth book in the&nbsp;Thursday Murder Club&nbsp;series from million-copy bestselling author Richard Osman</b><br><b>It's rarely a quiet day for the Thursday Murder Club.</b><br>Shocking news reaches them&mdash;an old friend has been killed, and a dangerous package he was protecting has gone missing.<br>The gang's search leads them into the antiques business, where the tricks of the trade are as old as the objects themselves. As they encounter drug dealers, art forgers, and online fraudsters&mdash;as well as heartache close to home&mdash;Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim have no idea whom to trust.<br>With the body count rising, the clock ticking down, and trouble firmly on their tail, has their luck finally run out?<br><b>And who will be the last devil to die?</b>


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<div><h3>From School Library Journal</h3><p>YA-No sooner had the Free Bards joined the Duke of Kingford's Company to escape the king's edict banning street performances than accidents began to happen. Spilled paint, forgotten lines, and actors tripping escalate to theft from the wardrobe mistress, life-threatening scenery crashes, and finally, the theater set ablaze during an opening performance. Magic, fantasy, romance, court intrigue, details of medieval life, and church politics are spiced with people who don't fit their stereotypes. A fast-paced romp.<br>Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>Product Description</h3><p>When representatives of Alanda's Church seek to ferret out unauthorized magic and music, the Free Bards--those who will not or cannot join the priest-condoned Guild--fight back. </p></div>


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Never before has the evolution of pale ale been so thoroughly explored. Terry Foster pays proper homage to this distinctive ale and the sub-styles it has spawned. This all-new revised and expanded edition includes a new section on American IPA's, pale ales and amber ales. The Classic Beer Style Series from Brewers Publications examines individual world-class beer styles, covering origins, history, sensory profiles, brewing techniques and commercial examples.


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<p>Beer culture has grown exponentially in the United States, from the days of Prohibition to the signing of HR 1337 by then-President Jimmy Carter, which legalized homebrewing for personal and household use, to the potential hop shortage that all brewers are facing today. This expansion of the culture, both socially and commercially, has created a linguistic and cultural turn that is just now starting to be fully recognized. The contributors of Beer Culture in Theory and Practice: Understanding Craft Beer Culture in the United States examine varying facets of beer culture in the United States, from becoming a home brewer, to connecting it to the community, to what a beer brand means, to the social realities and shortcomings that exist within the beer and brewing communities. The book aims to move beer away from the cooler and taproom, and into the dynamic conversation of Popular and American cultural studies that is happening right now, both within and outside of the classroom.</p></div>


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<div><p><em>NOS4A2</em> is a spine-tingling novel of supernatural suspense from master of horror Joe Hill, the <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>Heart-Shaped Box</em> and <em>Horns</em>.</p><p>Victoria McQueen has a secret gift for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. On her Raleigh Tuff Burner bike, she makes her way to a rickety covered bridge that, within moments, takes her wherever she needs to go, whether it’s across Massachusetts or across the country.</p><p>Charles Talent Manx has a way with children. He likes to take them for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the NOS4A2 vanity plate. With his old car, he can slip right out of the everyday world, and onto the hidden roads that transport them to an astonishing – and terrifying – playground of amusements he calls “Christmasland.”<br><br>Then, one day, Vic goes looking for trouble—and finds Manx. That was a lifetime ago. Now Vic, the only kid to ever escape Manx’s unmitigated evil, is all grown up and desperate to forget. But Charlie Manx never stopped thinking about Victoria McQueen. He’s on the road again and he’s picked up a new passenger: Vic’s own son.</p><p>Exclusive to the print edition of <em>NOS4A2</em> are more than 15 illustrations by award-winning Locke &amp; Key artist Gabriel Rodríguez.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Quite simply the best horror writer of our generation, Joe Hill’s masterful storytelling is on full display in NOS4A2. It is by turns terrifying and hilarious, horrifying and full of heart, and relentlessly compelling.” (Michael Koryta, New York Times bestselling author of The Prophet on NOS4A2 )<br></p><p>“Fascinating and utterly engaging, this novel is sure to leave readers wanting more. One thing is for certain, however. After reading this book, readers will never hear Christmas carols in quite the same way again.” (Library Journal (starred review) on NOS4A2 )<br></p><p>“[A] new take on the fantasy-horror genre...Highly recommended.” (The Sun Herald (Sydney, Australia) )<br></p><p>“[A] lovely, earnest collection of short fiction.” (Village Voice )<br></p><p>“[An] inventive collection . . . brave and astute.” (New York Times Book Review (Editor's Choice) )<br></p><p>“[A]stounding . . . .Though most of the stories have elements of horror, the overall mood of the collection is one of heartbreaking wonderment . . . Highly recommended .” (Library Journal (starred review) )<br></p><p>“[An] undeniably readable work.” (Booklist (starred review) on NOS4A2 )<br></p><p>“NOS4A2 is a brilliant exploration of classic and modern monsters and dark fantasties, all cut up, restitched and retooled...With this novel, riveting from beginning to end, Joe Hill has become a master of his craft.” (Publishers Weekly on NOS4A2 )<br></p><p>“Fascinating and utterly engaging, this novel is sure to leave readers wanting more. One thing is certain, however. After reading this book, readers will never hear Christmas carols in quite the same way again.” (Library Journal (starred review) on NOS4A2 )<br></p><p>“Hill is so skillful that we don’t know till the very end whether he’ll get away with it. . . Hill’s story is quite original and, for horror fans of a certain ironic bent, it’s an unqualified delight.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on NOS4A2 )<br></p><p>“NOS4A2 will pull you in from the first pages, and draw you away from your other responsibilities.” (Cleveland Plain Dealer )<br></p><p>“Read it with the lights on and your children locked in a closet.” (BookRiot.com on NOS4A2 ) </p><h3>From the Back Cover</h3><p>Joe Hill, the acclaimed, award-winning author of the <em>New York Times</em> bestsellers <em>Heart-Shaped Box</em> and <em>Horns</em>, plunges you into the dark side of imagination with a thrilling novel of supernatural suspense that will have you flinching at shadows and checking the rearview mirror <em>again and again</em>. . . .</p><p>NOS4A2</p><p>Don't slow down</p><p>Victoria McQueen has an uncanny knack for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. When she rides her bicycle over the rickety old covered bridge in the woods near her house, she always emerges in the places she needs to be. Vic doesn't tell anyone about her unusual ability, because she knows no one will believe her. She has trouble understanding it herself.</p><p>Charles Talent Manx has a gift of his own. He likes to take children for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the vanity plate NOS4A2. In the Wraith, he and his innocent guests can slip out of the everyday world and onto hidden roads that lead to an astonishing playground of amusements he calls Christmasland. Mile by mile, the journey across the highway of Charlie's twisted imagination transforms his precious passengers, leaving them as terrifying and unstoppable as their benefactor.</p><p>And then comes the day when Vic goes looking for trouble . . . and finds her way, inevitably, to Charlie.</p><p>That was a lifetime ago. Now, the only kid ever to escape Charlie's unmitigated evil is all grown up and desperate to forget.</p><p>But Charlie Manx hasn't stopped thinking about the exceptional Victoria McQueen. On the road again, he won't slow down until he's taken his revenge. He's after something very special—something Vic can never replace.</p><p>As a life-and-death battle of wills builds—<em>her</em> magic pitted against <em>his</em>—Vic McQueen prepares to destroy Charlie once and for all . . . or die trying. . . .</p><p>Joe Hill's acclaimed works of fiction, <em>Horns</em>, <em>Heart-Shaped Box</em>, and <em>20th Century Ghosts</em>, have already earned him international acclaim. With <em>NOS4A2</em>, this outstanding novelist—"one of America's finest horror writers" (<em>Time</em> magazine); "a major player in 21st-century fantastic fiction" (<em>Washington Post</em>)—crafts his finest work yet. Disturbing, mesmerizing, and full of twisting thrills, Hill's phantasmagoric, devilishly playful masterpiece is a terrifying high-octane ride.</p></div>


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<B>For the first time ever, The Silo Saga Omnibus brings together all of the work in Hugh Howey's ground-breaking, best-selling, acclaimed series, including the individual novels <I>Wool, Shift,</I> and <I>Dust</I>, as well as original essays by the author, and a bonus chapbook of short fiction, <I>Sil</I><I>0 Stories.</I></B><BR /> The remnants of humanity live underground in a vast silo. In this subterranean world, rules matter. Rules keep people alive. And no rule is more strictly enforced than to never speak of going outside. The punishment is exile and death.<BR /> When the sheriff of the silo commits the ultimate sin, the most unlikely of heroes takes his place. Juliette, a mechanic from the down deep, who never met a machine she couldn't fix nor a rule she wouldn't break.<BR /> What happens when a world built on rules is handed over to someone who sees no need for them? And what happens when a world broken to its core comes up against someone who won't stop until things are...


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<h3>Review</h3>
<p>A fun new occult mystery series. -- <em>Locus</em>  
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<p>A really enjoyable read...Jim Butcher strikes just the right narrative balance between wizard and wiseguy, mystic and mobster. -- <em>Lynn Flewelling, author of Traitor's Moon</em>  
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<p>A very promising start to a news series...unusually well-crafted. -- <em>Locus</em>  
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<p>Exciting, well-plotted, complex, an excellent read and amazingly good first novel. -- <em>Chris Bunch, author of The Warrior King</em>  
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<p>Fans of Laurel K. Hamilton and Tanya Huff will love this series. -- <em>Harriet Klausner, BookBrowser</em>  
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<p>Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and Tanya Huff will love this new fantasy series. -- <em>BookBrowser</em>  
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<p>Good luck putting the book down, I know I couldn't. -- <em>Fan Attic</em>  
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<p>Harry is a remarkable character...With more novels like this gem, Jim Butcher will not need magic to become a household name. -- <em>BookBrowser</em>  
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<p>Try it, you'll like it. An exciting debut novel suggesting there are wizards and witches among us... wish I'd thought of it myself. -- <em>Glen Cook, author of Faded Steel Hat</em>
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<h3>Product Description</h3>
<p>Could a werewolf be loose in Chicago? Common sense says no. The grisly evidence says yes. So does Harry Dresden. And with his weird connections, he should know.... 
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<b>The gripping new Jack Reacher thriller from the #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child</b><br>&#160;<br><i>A string of mysterious deaths. A long-classified mission. A young MP with nothing to lose.</i><br>1992. All across the United States respectable, upstanding citizens are showing up dead. These deaths could be accidents, and they don&rsquo;t appear to be connected&mdash;until a fatal fall from a high-floor window attracts some unexpected attention.<br>&#160;<br>That attention comes from the secretary of defense. All of a sudden he wants an interagency task force to investigate. And he wants Jack Reacher as the army&rsquo;s representative. If Reacher gets a result, great. If not, he&rsquo;s a convenient fall guy.<br>&#160;<br>But office politics isn&rsquo;t Reacher&rsquo;s thing. Three questions quickly emerge: Who&rsquo;s with him, who&rsquo;s against him, and will the justice he dispenses be the official kind . . . or his own kind?


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<b>&ldquo;Madcap fun, with an entertaining new cast of characters and Osman&rsquo;s trademark wit. Delightful!&rdquo; <i>&mdash;</i>Shari Lapena<br>From the #1 bestselling author of The Thursday Murder Club Series</b><br><b>A brand new mystery. An iconic new detective duo. And a thrilling new murder to solve . . .</b><br><b>Steve Wheeler</b> is enjoying retired life. He still does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him at home. His days of adventure are over. Adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy&rsquo;s job now.<br><b>Amy Wheeler</b> thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. Working in private security, every day is dangerous. She&rsquo;s currently on a remote island protecting mega-bestselling author Rosie D&rsquo;Antonio, until a dead body and a bag of money mean trouble in paradise. So she sends an SOS to the only person she trusts . . .<br>As a thrilling race around the world begins, can Amy...


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The brand new John Rebus thriller from the iconic Number One bestseller Ian Rankin: one of the must-read books of the year.


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<p><b>The sports gambling book you can bet on</b><i>&nbsp;</i></p> <p>Sports betting combines America's national pastime (sports) with its national passion (gambling). In the U.S., more than a third of the population bets on at least one sporting event every year. With the recent lifting of the federal ban on sports gambling, states are pushing legislation to take advantage of the new potential source of revenue.&nbsp;</p> <p>The best sports betting books are data driven, statistically honest, and offer ways to take action. <i>Sports Betting For Dummies </i>will cover the basics, as well as delving into more nuanced topics. You&rsquo;ll find all the need-to-know information on types of bets, statistics, handicapping fundamentals, and more.</p> <li>Betting on football, basketball, baseball, and other sports&nbsp;</li> <li>Betting on special events, such as the Superbowl or the Olympics&nbsp;</li> <li>Money management</li> <li>Betting on the internet</li> <p>With handy tips, tricks,...


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<b>The hilarious, heartwarming new novel from #1 internationally bestselling author Marian Keyes.</b><br><b>Anna has just lost her taste for the Big Apple . . .</b><br>Anna has a life to envy. An apartment in New York. A well-meaning (<i>too</i> well-meaning?) partner. And a high-flying job in beauty PR. Who wouldn't want all that? Anna, it turns out.<br>Turning a minor mid-life crisis into a major life event&nbsp;, she switches the skyscrapers of Manhattan for the tiny Irish town of Maumtully (population 1,217), helping old friends Brigit and Colm set up a luxury coastal retreat.<br>Tougher than it sounds. Newsflash: the locals hate the idea. So much so, there have been threats&mdash;and violence.<br>Anna, however, worked in the beauty industry. There's no ugliness she hasn't seen. No wrinkle she can't smooth over.<br>There's just one fly in the ointment: old flame Joey Armstrong. He's going to be her wingman. Never mind their checkered history. Never mind what might have...


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<p>THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET SERIOUS FOR HARRY DRESDEN, CHICAGO'S ONLY PROFESSIONAL WIZARD, in the next entry in the No. 1 New York Times and No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling Dresden Files.Harry has faced terrible odds before. He has a long history of fighting enemies above his weight class. The Red Court of vampires. The fallen angels of the Order of the Blackened Denarius. The Outsiders.But this time it's different. A being more powerful and dangerous on an order of magnitude beyond what the world has seen in a millennium is coming. And she's bringing an army. The Last Titan has declared war on the city of Chicago, and has come to subjugate humanity, obliterating any who stand in her way.Harry's mission is simple but impossible: Save the city by killing a Titan. And the attempt will change Harry's life, Chicago, and the mortal world forever.</p></div>


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<div><p><strong>HARRY DRESDEN LIVES!!!<br></strong> <br>After being murdered by a mystery assailant, navigating his way through the realm between life and death, and being brought back to the mortal world, Harry realizes that maybe death wasn’t all that bad. Because he is no longer Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard.<br></p><p>He is now Harry Dresden, Winter Knight to Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness. After Harry had no choice but to swear his fealty, Mab wasn’t about to let something as petty as death steal away the prize she had sought for so long. And now, her word is his command, no matter what she wants him to do, no matter where she wants him to go, and no matter who she wants him to kill.<br></p><p>Guess which Mab wants first?<br><br>Of course, it won’t be an ordinary, everyday assassination. Mab wants her newest minion to pull off the impossible: kill an immortal. No problem there, right? And to make matters worse, there exists a growing threat to an unfathomable source of magic that could land Harry in the sort of trouble that will make death look like a holiday.<br></p><p>Beset by enemies new and old, Harry must gather his friends and allies, prevent the annihilation of countless innocents, and find a way out of his eternal subservience before his newfound powers claim the only thing he has left to call his own…His soul.</p><h3>Review</h3><p>“Butcher is the dean of contemporary urban fantasy.”—<em>Booklist </em><br></p><p>“Harry Dresden is perhaps the best-written supernatural detective working today.”—<em>SF Revu<br></em> <br>“If there is an author that defines urban fantasy, it is Jim Butcher.”—<em>Fresh Fiction<br></em> <br>“What would you get if you crossed Spenser with Merlin? Probably you would come up with someone very like Harry Dresden.”—<em>The Washington Times</em></p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>A martial arts enthusiast whose résumé includes a long list of skills rendered obsolete at least two hundred years ago, <strong>Jim Butcher </strong>turned to writing as a career because anything else probably would have driven him insane. He lives in Independence, Missouri, with his wife, son, and ferocious guard dog.</p></div>


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<p><strong>HARRY DRESDEN IS BACK AND READY FOR ACTION, in the new entry in the #1 </strong><span style="font-weight: 600; font-style: italic">New York Times</span><strong> bestselling Dresden Files.</strong> When the Supernatural nations of the world meet up to negotiate an end to ongoing hostilities, Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, joins the White Council's security team to make sure the talks stay civil. But can he succeed, when dark political manipulations threaten the very existence of Chicago - and all he holds dear? **</p></div>


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<p class="description">Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago's first (and only) Wizard P.I. Turns out the ‘everyday’ world is full of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. But even a career of narrow escapes and supernatural shenanigans hasn’t prepared Harry for this. A vampire with a grudge has kidnapped his daughter. A daughter he never knew he had. Furthermore, this vampire plans to use her blood in a violent ritual sacrifice - designed to kill Harry, his ex-partner Susan and their child. As allies are perilously thin on the ground, Harry must find a new source of strength. In the past, there had always been a line he wouldn’t cross, and he’s never given in to the full fury of his own untapped dark powers. But then, only his own life was at stake. Magic - it can get a guy killed.</p>


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Not every danger comes in the form of a mega-threat like a Titan. Some predators are a lot cozier… more personal. When one such creature threatens an independent tutor, Harry Dresden must shake off the blood and dirt of his most recent battles and rise to the occasion, even when it turns out that the new predator is far more dangerous and connected than first appearances would suggest.


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When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic…


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<h3>Review</h3>
<p>"Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton and Tanya Huff will love this series." <br />
-_Midwest Book Review_  
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<p>"What would you get if you crossed Spenser with Merlin? Probably you would come up with someone very like Harry Dresden."<br />
-_Washington Times_
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<h3>Product Description</h3>
<p><strong>Now available in hardcover-the fourth novel in the <em>New York Times</em> bestselling Dresden Files series.</strong>  
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<p>Harry Dresden's faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. All par for the course for Chicago's only professional wizard.  
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<p>But in all Harry's years of supernatural sleuthing, he's never faced anything like this: the spirit world's gone completely postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble-and not just of the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly.  
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<p>Someone-or something-is stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc. But why? And why do so many of the victims have ties to Harry? If Harry doesn't figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself. 
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SUMMARY:
Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago's first (and only) Wizard P.I. Turns out the 'everyday' world isfull of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in.Harry Dresden should be happy that business is good - makes a change. But now he's getting more than he bargained for: a duel with the Red Court of Vampires' champion, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards; professional hit men using Harry for target practice; the missing Shroud of Turin (less missing than expected) and a headless corpse the Chicago police need identifying . . . Not to mention the return of Harry's ex-girlfriend Susan, still struggling with her semi-vampiric nature. And who seems to have a new man. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you're charging.Magic - it can get a guy killed.


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SUMMARY:
Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago's first (and only) Wizard P.I. Turns out the 'everyday' world isfull of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in.Luckily, however, he's not alone. Although most people don't believe in magic, the Chicago P.D. has a Special Investigations department, headed by his good friend Karrin Murphy. They deal with the . . . stranger cases. It's down to Karrin that Harry sneaks into Graceland Cemetery to meet a vampire named Mavra. Mavra has evidence that would destroy Karrin's career, and her demands are simple. She wants the Word of Kemmler - and all the power that comes with it. But first, Harry's keen to know what he'd be handing over. Before long he's racing against time, and six necromancers, to get the Word. And to prevent a Halloween that would truly wake the dead.Magic - it can get a guy killed.


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SUMMARY:
Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago's first (and only) Wizard P.I. Turns out the 'everyday' world is full of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in.Harry's had worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Dodging flaming monkey poo, for instance. Or going toe-to-leaf with a plant monster. Still, there's something troubling about this case. The Producer believes he's afflicted by an entropy curse - but it's the women around him who are dying. And Harry only got involved as a favour to Thomas, his flirtatious self-absorbed vampire acquaintance. Thomas has a personal stake in the case Harry can't work out, until his investigation leads him straight to Thomas's oversexed relatives. Harry's about to discover the skeleton in Thomas's family closet: a revelation that will change Harry's life for ever.Magic - it can get a guy killed.


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Again Kimball Kinnison and the Galactic Patrol take up battle with Boskonia. The warfare leads to some odd corners of the universe and some stranger worlds. There is the planet Lyrane where a matriarchal society exists; the frigid world of Onio, with its incredibly alien inhabitants, on which the utterly weird and unhuman Lensman, Nadreck of Palain Seven works so efficiently. Typical E.E. Smith action, intrigue and imagination.


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<h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3>
<p>Harry Dresden, Chicago's only consulting wizard, takes on phobophages, creatures that feed on fear who attack a horror film convention, in the diverting eighth installment of Butcher's increasingly complicated Dresden Files series (_Dead Beat_, etc.). Harry finds that fighting monsters is only the prelude to maneuvers amid the warring wizards of the White Council and the vampire Red Court. Less and less V.I. Warshawski with witchcraft, Harry aims his deductive powers at political intrigues rather than crime solving. The body count from the magical melees, however, would do any hard-boiled gumshoe proud. Butcher's believable, likable set of characters go for the jocular much more than the jugular. Deeper fears do run through the book, and Harry, taking on an apprentice, has to face up to the consequences of his all-too-human failings. Look for the series to really take off with the debut of a two-hour pilot on the Sci-Fi Channel this summer produced by Nicholas Cage. <em>(May)</em> <br />
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 
</p>

<h3>From</h3>
<p>The second Dresden Files hardcover finds Chicago wizard Harry Dresden assigned an unpleasant task by the White Council of Wizards. He has to find out where the Winter Fairy Court stands in the White Council's war against the vampires. To make matters worse, he has gotten a missive from a powerful wizard claiming someone is using black magic in Chicago. It doesn't take long for Harry to pinpoint the source of the problem. Molly, the daughter of a close friend, comes to him for help after her boyfriend is accused of attacking an elderly theater owner at a horror-movie convention. When another attack occurs and Harry sees the dangerous type of magic used, he knows he is dealing with a very serious threat indeed. Butcher is in fine form here, and with the Sci Fi channel in the process of turning the first Dresden Files novel, <em>Storm Front</em> (2000), into a TV movie, expect the series' audience to grow. <em>Kristine Huntley</em><br />
<em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em>
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<h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3>
<p><em>Starred Review.</em> At the start of Butcher's superlative ninth Dresden Files novel (after 2006's <em>Proven Guilty</em>), hardboiled wizard detective Harry Dresden learns that someone is killing Chicago's minor wizards. Joined by his police friend, Sergeant Murphy, and his Amazonian apprentice, Molly Carpenter, Harry discovers that his brother, Thomas, is a prime suspect. As a Warden of the White Council, at war with both the Red Court of blood-drinking vampires and the White Court of psychic vampires, Harry has to go into action. And there's plenty of that, including a battle with ghouls on the lakefront that turns into a gripping flashback of another encounter with ghouls some years before in New Mexico. The large cast features such finely drawn characters as gangster Gentleman Johnnie Marcone and Harry's first love, Elaine Mallory. This installment is sure to get a lift from <em>The Dresden Files </em>TV series, which debuted on the Sci-Fi Channel in January. <em>Author tour. (Apr.)</em> <br />
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 
</p>

<h3>From</h3>
<p><em>Starred Review</em> This time, when Harry Dresden gets a call from Murphy, it's off the record, because she has been demoted, things in SI are politically shaky, and the police have already declared a suicide. Once Harry gets a good look, though, the suicide is clearly a murder with magical intent. As he investigates, hoping as always to stop the killer before more die, evidence points to the worst possible suspect: his half brother. In another complicated case, there are a lot of very powerful players, and with the war between the White Council and the Red Court vampires, politics are played hard and fast. In tracking down the killer, Harry manages to catch the attention of the White Court vampires again, too. On top of all that, he is still teaching strong-willed, occasionally impulsive teenager Molly Carpenter, and the teacher-student dynamic is difficult for him. And oh, yes, Lasciel, the demon trapped in a coin Harry has secured under his summoning circle, is a lingering presence. As usual in the Dresden Files, of which this is volume 9, Butcher puts the characters in a lot of danger, creates appalling moral choices for them, and spins an excellent noirish detective yarn in a well-crafted, supernaturally charged setting. The supporting cast is again fantastic, and Harry's wit continues to fly in the face of a peril-fraught plot. <em>Regina Schroeder</em><br />
<em>Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved</em>
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<h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3>
<p>Intricate yet accessible plotting and near-Arctic winter weather mark the 10th Harry Dresden adventure from bestseller Butcher (after 2007's <em>White Night</em>). A friendly snowball fight opens the Chicago-based wizard-detective's latest tale, but it's not long before a host of more dangerous foes are out for Harry's blood. A missing human mobster is said to be seeking greater influence among Chicago's extranormal population, but the true threat proves both more subtle and of much greater consequence. Butcher smoothly manages a sizable cast of allies and adversaries, doles out needed backstory with crisp efficiency and sustains just the right balance of hair's-breadth tension and comic relief. Encounters with a series of increasingly dangerous Billy Goats Gruff unfold with particular cleverness, and key developments involving Sgt. Karrin Murphy, Harry's reluctant police liaison, will intrigue seasoned fans as well as newcomers attracted by last year's TV adaptation of the series. <em>(Apr.)</em> <br />
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 
</p>

<h3>From</h3>
<p>Investigating a questionable crime scene, Harry Dresden realizes something much nastier than simple arson is involved. Then the Winter Queen Mab shows up, requesting one of the two favors he still owes her. Soon Harry is embroiled in Fae maneuvering and fighting an even nastier enemy, all because Mab maneuvered him into helping crime boss Marcone. Fortunately, Harry has amazing friends, including some characters he hasn’t gotten along with in the past. Packed with the epic battling characteristic of the Dresden Files, promising something fascinating for the next volume, this is another fine combination of mystery and fantasy, seasoned by Harry’s appalling sense of humor. --Regina Schroeder 
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<h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3>
<p>The search for a traitor in the highest circles of power forms the main plot thread of Butcher's 11th hard-boiled fantasy novel featuring Chicago's wizard detective Harry Dresden (last seen in 2008's <em>Small Favor</em>). Harry, a warden of the magic-governing White Council, finds himself in an unusual position when Morgan, his fellow warden and frequent antagonist, asks for his help. One of the White Council's leaders has been murdered, and Morgan was found at the scene of the crime holding the murder weapon. If he has been framed, then another senior wizard is behind the killing and may be trying to destroy the council entirely. Aided by werewolf and vampire allies, Dresden investigates with his trademark sardonic noir flair. Despite the sprawling plot, both fans and newcomers will get into the fast-paced action. <em>(Apr.)</em> <br />
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 
</p>

<h3>From School Library Journal</h3>
<p>When fans of the immensely popular <em>Dresden Files</em> series last left the urban wizard in <em>Small Favor</em>, he was dealing with the aftermath of an adventure that might have left his best friend's life and family in danger. But Harry is back in fine form in his 11th outing, which begins with another, extremely unexpected White Council Warden begging for sanctuary at Harry's place and ends with several frightening revelations. Once again, Butcher's urban fantasy features excellent, irreverent humor, the return of favorite characters, and new challenges from unexpected foes. Harry's cop friend, the tiny but fierce Murphy, sticks by his side here, as do the werewolves Harry befriended in 2001's <em>Fool Moon</em>. Longtime readers will not be disappointed. Recommended for public libraries collecting the series; this is also a great book to plunge newbies into the dark, magical side of Chicago.—Stacey Rottiers, Warren Civic Ctr. Lib., MI <br />
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 
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SUMMARY:
Let's get something clear right up front.I'm not Harry Dresden.Harry's a wizard. A genuine, honest-to-goodness wizard. He's Gandalf on crack and an IV of Red Bull, with a big leather coat and a .44 revolver in his pocket. He'll spit in the eye of gods and demons alike if he thinks it needs to be done, and to hell with the consequences--and yet somehow my little brother manages to remain a decent human being. I'll be damned if I know how. But then, I'll be damned regardless.My name is Thomas Raith, and I'm a monster.So begins "Backup," a twelve thousand word novelette set in Jim Butcher s ultra-popular Dresden Files series. This time Harry's in trouble he knows nothing about, and it's up to his big brother Thomas to track him down and solve those little life-threatening difficulties without his little brother even noticing.


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<p class="description">SUMMARY: The first short story collection in the #1 New York Timesbestselling series-including a brand-new Harry Dresden novella! Here, together for the first time, are the shorter works of #1 New York Timesbestselling author Jim Butcher-a compendium of cases that Harry and his cadre of allies managed to close in record time. The tales range from the deadly serious to the absurdly hilarious. Also included is a new, never-before-published novella that takes place after the cliff-hanger ending of the new April 2010 hardcover, Changes. This is a must-have collection for every devoted Harry Dresden fan as well as a perfect introduction for readers ready to meet Chicago's only professional wizard.</p>


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<p>Called "The Black Pope" by many of his followers, Anton La Vey began the road to High Priesthood of the Church of Satan when he was only 16 years old and an organ player in a carnival: "On Saturday night I would see men lusting after halfnaked girls dancing at the carnival, and on Sunday morning when I was playing the organ for tent-show evangelists at the other end of the carnival lot, I would see these same men sitting in the pews with their wives and children, asking God to forgive them and purge them of carnal desires. And the next Saturday night they'd be back at The carnival or some other place of indulgence. "I knew then that the Christian Church thrives on hypocrisy, and that man's carnal nature will out!" From that time early in his life his path was clear. Finally, on the last night of April, 1966—Walpurgisnacht, the most important festival of the believers in witchcraft—LaVey shaved his head in the tradition of Ancient executioners and announced the formation of The Church Of Satan. He had seen the need for a church that would recapture man's body and his carnal desires as objects of celebration. "Since worship of fleshly things produces pleasure," he said, "there would then be a temple of glorious indulgence . . ."</p></div>


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<B>One of AARP's <I>Nine New Music Memoirs and Biographies for Rock and Blues Fans</I></B><BR /><B>In his tell-all, legendary Doors guitarist, Robby Krieger, one of <I>Rolling Stone'</I>s "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time," opens up about his band's meteoric career, his own darkest moments, and the most famous black eye in rock 'n' roll.</B><BR /> <BR />Few bands are as shrouded in the murky haze of rock mythology as The Doors, and parsing fact from fiction has been a virtually impossible task. But now, after fifty years, The Doors' notoriously quiet guitarist is finally breaking his silence to set the record straight.<BR />Through a series of vignettes, Robby Krieger takes readers back to where it all happened: the pawn shop where he bought his first guitar; the jail cell he was tossed into after a teenage drug bust; his parents' living room where his first songwriting sessions with Jim Morrison took place; the empty bars and backyard parties where The Doors played their first...


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<p><strong>Murderbot—the sardonic, almost-homicidal, media-loving android created by Martha Wells—has proven to be one of the most popular characters in 21 st century science fiction. Everything that makes this protagonist (it would be wrong to call Murderbot a hero) beloved of fans is on display in</strong> Compulsory <strong>.</strong></p>
<p><strong>While trying to watch episode 44 of</strong> The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon <strong>, Murderbot is—</strong> again <strong>, what is it with humans?—distracted by something that is technically outside its purview. A miner is suddenly in danger following a pointless (to Murderbot’s way of thinking) argument, and the choice is to risk discovery and leap into action, which would require hitting the pause button during a</strong> very <strong>exciting part of</strong> SanctuaryMoon <strong>, or to follow orders and stay still.</strong></p>
<p style="font-weight: bold">This is a tougher choice than it seems. But then, when has Murderbot ever been faced with an easy choice?</p>
<p style="font-weight: bold">A shorter version of this story originally appeared in Wired magazine.</p></div>


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<p><em>ASIN moved from</em><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33396171.less_recent_edition"><em>less recent edition</em></a> </p>
<p style="font-weight: bold">A murderous android discovers itself in <em>All Systems Red</em> , a tense science fiction adventure by Martha Wells that interrogates the roots of consciousness through Artificial Intelligence. </p>
<p style="font-style: italic">"As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure." </p>
<p>In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. </p>
<p>But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. </p>
<p>On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is. </p>
<p>But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.</p></div>


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<p><b>A <i>USA Today </i>bestseller</b><br><b></b><br><b>The "I love Murderbot!" &#8212;Ann Leckie</b></p><p><b><i>Artificial Condition</i> is the follow-up to Martha Wells's Nebula Award-winning, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling <i>All Systems Red</i></b></p><p>It has a dark past&#8212;one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself "Murderbot". But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more.</p><p>Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don't want to know what the "A" stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue.</p><p>What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks...</p><p>At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.</p>


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<p><b><i>Rogue Protocol </i>is the third entry in Martha Wells's Hugo, Nebula, Alex, and Locus Award-winning, <i>New York Times</i> and <i>USA Today </i>bestselling series, The Murderbot Diaries.</b><br><b></b><br><b>Starring a human-like android who keeps getting sucked back into adventure after adventure, though it just wants to be left alone, away from humanity and small talk. </b></p><p><i>Who knew being a heartless killing machine would present so many moral dilemmas?</i></p><p>Sci-fi's favorite antisocial A.I. is back on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris Corporation is floundering, and more importantly, authorities are beginning to ask more questions about where Dr. Mensah's SecUnit is.</p><p>And Murderbot would rather those questions went away. For good.</p><p><b>"I love Murderbot!"&#8212;<i>New York Times</i> bestselling author Ann Leckie </b><br><b></b><br>Murderbot Diaries<br>#1 <i>All Systems Red</i><br>#2 <i>Artificial Condition</i><br>#3...


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<p><b>The <i>New York Times </i>and <i>USA Today </i>bestselling Murderbot series exploded onto the scene in 2017, and the world has not been the same, since.</b><br><b></b><br><b>Murderbot returns in its highly-anticipated, first, full-length standalone novel. </b></p><p>You know that feeling when you're at work, and you've had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot.</p><p>Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you'll read this century.<br><b></b><br><b>&#8212;</b></p><p><i>I'm usually alone in my head, and that's where 90 plus percent of my problems are.</i></p><p>When Murderbot's human associates (not friends, never friends) are captured and another not-friend from its past requires urgent...


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<p>The <i>New York Times </i>bestselling security droid with a heart (though it wouldn't admit it!) is back!<br>Having captured the hearts of readers across the globe (Annalee Newitz says it's "one of the most humane portraits of a nonhuman I've ever read") Murderbot has also established Martha Wells as one of the great SF writers of today.<br> <i><br> No, I didn't kill the dead human. If I had, I wouldn't dump the body in the station mall.<br> </i><br> When Murderbot discovers a dead body on Preservation Station, it knows it is going to have to assist station security to determine who the body is (was), how they were killed (that should be relatively straightforward, at least), and why (because apparently that matters to a lot of people&#8212;who knew?) <br> Yes, the unthinkable is about to happen: Murderbot must voluntarily speak to humans!<br> Again!<br> <b>A new standalone adventure in the <i>New York Times</i>-bestselling, Hugo and Nebula Award winning series!</b><br>At the...


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<p><b>A New York Times Bestseller.<br>A Washington Post Bestseller.<br>A USA Today Bestseller.</b><br><b>Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back in the next installment in Martha Wells's</b> <b>bestselling and award-winning Murderbot Diaries series.</b><br><i><br>Am I making it worse? I think I'm making it worse.</i><br>Following the events in <i>Network Effect</i>, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there's an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can't have the planet, they're sure as hell not leaving without <i>something</i>. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.<br>But there's something wrong with Murderbot; it isn't running within normal operational parameters. ART's crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the...


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<p><strong>Martha Wells's Hugo, Nebula, Alex, and Locus Award-winning, </strong><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic">New York Times</span><strong> and </strong><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic">USA Today </span><strong>bestselling series, The Murderbot Diaries, comes to a thrilling conclusion in </strong><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic">Exit Strategy.</span><br><br>Murderbot wasn't programmed to care. So, its decision to help the only human who ever showed it respect must be a system glitch, right?</p>
<p>Having traveled the width of the galaxy to unearth details of its own murderous transgressions, as well as those of the GrayCris Corporation, Murderbot is heading home to help Dr. Mensah—its former owner (protector? friend?)—submit evidence that could prevent GrayCris from destroying more colonists in its never-ending quest for profit.</p>
<p>But who's going to believe a SecUnit gone rogue?</p>
<p>And what will become of it when it's caught?</p>
<p style="font-weight: bold">"I love Murderbot!" —Ann Leckie</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="font-weight: bold"><u>The Murderbot Diaries</u></p>
<ol>
<li>All Systems Red</li>
<li>Artificial Condition</li>
<li>Rogue Protocol</li>
<li>Exit Strategy</li>
<li>Network Effect</li>
<li>Fugitive Telemetry</li>
<li>System Collapse</li></ol></div>


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<p><b><i>If you had one chance to change history...Where would you go? What would you do? Who would you kill? </i></b><br><b><i> </i></b><br>In <i>Time and Time Again</i>, international best-selling author Ben Elton takes readers on a thrilling journey through early 20th-Century Europe.</p><p>It's the first of June 1914 and Hugh Stanton, ex-soldier and celebrated adventurer is quite literally the loneliest man on earth. No one he has ever known or loved has been born yet. Perhaps now they never will be.</p><p>Stanton knows that a great and terrible war is coming. A collective suicidal madness that will destroy European civilization and bring misery to millions in the century to come. He knows this because, for him, that century is already history.</p><p>Somehow he must change that history. He must prevent the war. A war that will begin with a single bullet. But can a single bullet truly corrupt an entire century? And, if so, could another single bullet save it?</p>


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<p><b>"This does indeed deserve comparisons with <i>Blackadder</i>" Radio Times</b></p><p><b>"A knockabout, well-researched take on the working and domestic life of Shakespeare." <i>The Guardian</i></b></p><p>It's the 1590s. William Shakespeare &#8211; brought to life on screen by the inimitable David Mitchell &#8211; is at the start of his career. But no one is taking him seriously. In London, he is mercilessly mocked by his rivals and at home in Stratford he is belittled by his sullen teenage daughter. </p><p>Yet he is determined to find an ending for his newest creation <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>. Luckily, inspiration is forthcoming. The trials and tribulations of his closest friends and family reveal the plot twists he'd been missing. And not only for this famous tragedy but for many of his finest plays. </p><p>With sparkling wordplay, hilarious gags and his trademark wit, Ben Elton celebrates the great William Shakespeare and reveals the startling stories behind the playwright's...


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<p>The basis for a feature film starring David Bowie in his first major role, <i>The Man Who Fell to Earth </i>tells the story of Thomas Jerome Newton, an alien disguised as a human who comes to Earth on a mission to save his people. Devastated by nuclear war, his home planet, Anthea, is no longer habitable. Newton lands in Kentucky and starts patenting Anthean technology, amassing the fortune he needs to build a spaceship that will bring the last 300 Anthean survivors to Earth.


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<p><i>"Suspenseful, sexy, and with incredibly entertaining storytelling, the first in Yarros' Empyrean series will delight fans of romantic, adventure-filled fantasy."</i> &#8212;<b><i>Booklist</i>, starred review</b><br><i>"</i>Fourth Wing<i> will have your heart pounding from beginning to end. Brutal games, grumpy dragons, complex characters, sizzling sexual tension, magic, and war...a fantasy like you've never read before."</i><b> &#8212;# 1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout</b><br><b>Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from <i>USA Today</i> bestselling author Rebecca Yarros</b><br>Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general&#8212;also known as her tough-as-talons mother&#8212;has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: <i>dragon riders</i>.<br>But when you're...


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Once upon a time Linus Torvalds was a skinny unknown, just another nerdy Helsinki techie who had been fooling around with computers since childhood. Then he wrote a groundbreaking operating system and distributed it via the Internet -- for free. Today Torvalds is an international folk hero. And his creation LINUX is used by over 12 million people as well as by companies such as IBM. Now, in a narrative that zips along with the speed of e-mail, Torvalds gives a history of his renegade software while candidly revealing the quirky mind of a genius. The result is an engrossing portrayal of a man with a revolutionary vision, who challenges our values and may change our world.


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<div><p><strong>From the best-selling author of <em>Skinny Dip</em> and <em>Razor Girl</em>, a hilarious new novel of social and political intrigue, set against the glittering backdrop of Florida's gold coast.</strong>  </p>
<p>It's the height of the Palm Beach charity ball season: for every disease or cause, there's a reason for the local luminaries to eat (minimally), drink (maximally), and be seen. But when a prominent high-society dowager suddenly vanishes during a swank gala, and is later found dead in a concrete grave, panic and chaos erupt. Kiki Pew was notable not just for her wealth and her jewels--she was an ardent fan of the Winter White House resident just down the road, and a founding member of the POTUSSIES, a group of women dedicated to supporting their President. Never one to miss an opportunity to play to his base, the President immediately declares that Kiki was the victim of rampaging immigrant hordes. This, it turns out, is far from the truth.   </p>
<p>The truth might just lie in the middle of the highway, where a bizarre discovery brings the First Lady's motorcade to a grinding halt (followed by some grinding between the First Lady and a love-struck Secret Service agent). Enter Angie Armstrong, wildlife wrangler extraordinaire, who arrives at her own conclusions after she is summoned to the posh island to deal with a mysterious and impolite influx of huge, hungry pythons . . .  </p>
<p>Carl Hiaasen can brighten even the darkest of days and <em>Squeeze Me</em> is pure, unadulterated Hiaasen. Irreverent, ingenious, and highly entertaining, <em>Squeeze Me</em> perfectly captures the absurdity of our times.</p></div>


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<div><span id="freeText141474981414801474" style="color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The ocean is dying. The sea is growing warmer and is gradually rising. Seashells have become so rare that collecting them is now a national obsession. Flawless specimens sell like priceless works of art. Families hunt the tideline in the dark of night with flashlights. Crowds gather on beaches at the lowest of tides, hoping to get lucky. <br><br>Supreme among these collectors is Ness Wilde, CEO of Ocean Oil. Ness owns many of the best beaches, and he keeps them to himself. It's his fault the world turned out this way. And I aim to destroy him. <br><br>My name is Maya Walsh. You might be familiar with my shelling column in the Times. I was working on a series of pieces about Mr. Wilde, when out of the blue, he called. He says he wants to talk. But I don't think he's going to like what I have to say.</span><span style="color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span></div>


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<div><p>In 2007, the Center for Automation in Nanobiotech (CAN) outlined the hardware and software platform that would one day allow robots smaller than human cells to make medical diagnoses, conduct repairs, and even self-propagate.<br></p><p>In the same year, the CBS network re-aired a program about the effects of propranolol on sufferers of extreme trauma. A simple pill, it had been discovered, could wipe out the memory of any traumatic event.<br></p><p>At almost the same moment in humanity’s broad history, mankind had discovered the means for bringing about its utter downfall. And the ability to forget it ever happened.</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>Hugh Howey spent 8 years working as a yacht captain. When he was pulled away from the sea by the love of his life, he turned to his childhood dream of becoming an author. His Molly Fyde series has won praise from reviewers, and now his Wool series has become a #1 bestseller, with Random House publishing in the UK and Ridley Scott and Steve Zaillian securing the film rights. He lives in Jupiter, Florida with his wife Amber and their dog Bella. </p></div>


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<p><B>A new collection of stories, including some that have never before been seen, from the <I>New York Times </I>best-selling author of the Silo trilogy</B><BR /> Hugh Howey is known for crafting riveting and immersive page-turners of boundless imagination, spawning millions of fans worldwide, first with his best-selling novel <I>Wool,</I> and then with other enthralling works such as <I>Sand </I>and <I>Beacon 23</I>. <p> <p>Now comes <I>Machine Learning</I>, an impressive collection of Howey's science fiction and fantasy short fiction, including three stories set in the world of Wool, two never-before-published tales written exclusively for this volume, and fifteen additional stories collected here for the first time. These stories explore everything from artificial intelligence to parallel universes to video games, and each story is accompanied by an author's note exploring the background and genesis of each story. <p> <p>Howey's incisive mind makes <I>Machine Learning: New...


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<p>"Hugh's imaginative worlds and tales within them never fail to entertain!"</p><p><strong>&#8212;Andy Weir, New York Times bestselling author of Project Hail Mary</strong></p><p><strong>The first original novel from author Hugh Howey in six years, Across the Sand takes us back to the world of Sand, to a far future many generations after a disaster has destroyed civilization as we know it, where four siblings struggle to build their futures amid the harsh wastes of endless desert.</strong></p><p>The old world is buried. A new one has been forged atop the shifting dunes, a land of howling wind and infernal sand.</p><p>In this barren home, siblings Conner, Rob, Palmer and Violet daily carve out a future. They live in the shadow of their father and oldest sister, Vic, two of the greatest sand divers ever to comb the desert's depths. But these branches of their family tree are long gone, disappeared into the wastes beyond, leaving the younger siblings scratching in the dust, hopeful...


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Pull on your wellies, grab your flat cap and join Jeremy Clarkson in this hilarious and fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the farm we're all obsessed with Welcome to Clarkson's farm. An idyllic spot offering picturesque views across the Cotswolds, bustling hedgerows and natural springs, it's the perfect plot of land for someone to delegate the actual, you know, farming to someone else while he galivants around the world in cars. Until one day, Jeremy decided he would do the farming itself. After all, how hard could it be? . . . Faced with suffocating red tape, biblical weather, local objections, a global pandemic and his own frankly staggering ignorance of how to 'do farming', Jeremy soon realises that turning the farm around is going to take more than splashing out on a massive tractor. Fortunately, there's help at hand from a large and (mostly) willing team, including girlfriend Lisa, Kaleb the Tractor Driver, Cheerful Charlie, Ellen the Shepherd and Gerald, his Head of Security and Dry Stone Waller. Between them, they enthusiastically cultivate crops, rear livestock and hens, keep bees, bottle spring water and open a farm shop. But profits remain elusive. And yet while the farm may be called Diddly Squat for good reason, Jeremy soon begins to understand that it's worth a whole lot more to him than pounds, shillings and pence . . . Praise for Clarkson's Farm : 'The best thing Clarkson's done . . . It pains me to say this' THE GUARDIAN 'Shockingly hopeful' THE INDEPENDENT 'Even the most committed Clarkson haters will find him likeable here' THE TELEGRAPH 'Quite lovely' THE TIMES


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<p>Welcome to Trace Italian, a game of strategy and survival! You may now make your first move.</p> <p>Isolated by a disfiguring injury since the age of seventeen, Sean Phillips crafts imaginary worlds for strangers to play in. From his small apartment in southern California, he orchestrates fantastic adventures where possibilities, both dark and bright, open in the boundaries between the real and the imagined. As the creator of "Trace Italian"--a text-based, role-playing game played through the mail--Sean guides players from around the world through his intricately imagined terrain, which they navigate and explore, turn by turn, seeking sanctuary in a ravaged, savage future America.</p> <p>Lance and Carrie are high school students from Florida, and are explorers of the Trace. But when they take their play into the real world, disaster strikes, and Sean is called on to account for it. In the process, he is pulled back through time, tracing back toward the moment of his own...


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<div><p>Jeremy works at the Video Hut in Nevada, Iowa. It’s a small town in the center of the state―the first <em>a </em>in Nevada pronounced <em>ay</em>. This is the late 1990s, and even if the Hollywood Video in Ames poses an existential threat to Video Hut, there are still regular customers, a rush in the late afternoon. It’s good enough for Jeremy: it’s a job, quiet and predictable, and it gets him out of the house, where he lives with his dad and where they both try to avoid missing Mom, who died six years ago in a car wreck.</p><p>But when a local schoolteacher comes in to return her copy of <em>Targets</em>―an old movie, starring Boris Karloff, one Jeremy himself had ordered for the store―she has an odd complaint: “There’s something on it,” she says, but doesn’t elaborate. Two days later, a different customer returns a different tape, a new release, and says it’s not defective, exactly, but altered: “There’s another movie on this tape.”</p><p>Jeremy doesn’t want to be curious, but he brings the movies home to take a look. And, indeed, in the middle of each movie, the screen blinks dark for a moment and the movie is replaced by a few minutes of jagged, poorly lit home video. The scenes are odd and sometimes violent, dark, and deeply disquieting. There are no identifiable faces, no dialogue or explanation―the first video has just the faint sound of someone breathing― but there are some recognizable landmarks. These have been shot just outside of town.</p><p>So begins John Darnielle’s haunting and masterfully unsettling <em>Universal Harvester</em>: the once placid Iowa fields and farmhouses now sinister and imbued with loss and instability and profound foreboding. The novel will take Jeremy and those around him deeper into this landscape than they have ever expected to go. They will become part of a story that unfolds years into the past and years into the future, part of an impossible search for something someone once lost that they would do anything to regain.</p><p>



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<p><b>"It's <i>never </i>quite the book you think it is. It's better."</b><br><b>&#8212;<i>The New York Times</i></b><br><b><br>From John Darnielle, the <i>New York Times </i>bestselling author and the singer-songwriter of the Mountain Goats, comes an epic, gripping novel about murder, truth, and the dangers of storytelling.</b><br>Gage Chandler is descended from kings. That's what his mother always told him. Years later, he is a true crime writer, with one grisly success&#8212;and a movie adaptation&#8212;to his name, along with a series of subsequent less notable efforts. But now he is being offered the chance for the big break: to move into the house where a pair of briefly notorious murders occurred, apparently the work of disaffected teens during the Satanic Panic of the 1980s. Chandler finds himself in Milpitas, California, a small town whose name rings a bell&#8211;&#8211;his closest childhood friend lived there, once upon a time. He begins his research with diligence and...


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<p>Black Sabbath's Master of Reality has maintained remarkable historical status over several generations; it's a touchstone for the directionless, and common coin for young men and women who've felt excluded from the broader cultural economy. John Darnielle hears it through the ears of Roger Painter, a young adult locked in a southern California adolescent psychiatric center in 1985; deprived of his Walkman and hungry for comfort, he explains Black Sabbath as one might describe air to a fish, or love to an android, hoping to convince his captors to give him back his tapes.</p></div>


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<p>The one book that shows you how to fix anything anywhere in your home!There are a million things that can go wrong in your home. Faucets leak. Floorboards creak. Paint flakes. Chairs break. With How to Fix Absolutely Anything, you’ll have step-by-step instructions to tackle even the most confounding repairs in your home, including:• Installing a toilet• Replacing the belts on your washer and dryer• Patching up a hole in the wall• Bringing a power adapter back to life• Re-covering chairs• Getting wax out of your carpet• And many more!From changing lightbulbs to fixing a kitchen cabinet hinge, How to Fix Absolutely Anything is a collection of the most indispensible advice and tips from people across the world who face the same problems you do. Hundreds of color photographs and easy-to-follow instructions make this book perfect for all levels of experience. It’s a no-brainer for any homeowner, and the one gift to get any friend, family member, or loved one living on their own for the first time. Broke the microwave handle and don’t know what to do? With How to Fix Absolutely Anything, the solution is only a few pages away.</p></div>


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<p>**<em>From Penn Jillette of the legendary magic duo Penn &amp; Teller: A street performer finds himself enmeshed in a crime and must outwit his fellow conspirators in his greatest juggling act yet</em>  </p>
<p>IN THE EARLY 1970S,** Poe―a quick-witted young juggler from rural Massachusetts―abandons the talent shows of his childhood in favor of a nomadic life. He hops trains, hitchhikes, lives on the streets, sleeps rough, and juggles to feed himself. A few years before, he would have been a hobo; a few decades later, he would have been homeless; but in 1973, he is just a street-juggling hippie.   </p>
<p>After roaming the country for a few years, Poe settles in Philadelphia and masters his street act before ever-growing crowds. In time, he runs all the busking around South Street like the don of a street-performing mafia. But his talent at manipulating crowds attracts the attention of a criminal organization who convince him to provide a diversion during a bank heist for a payday far greater than the coins he collects in his hat. Things go south, an innocent bystander is killed, and this peace-love talking hippie is now a felony murderer.   </p>
<p>He splits town and goes into hiding, but he can’t resist the lure of the crowd, and resurfaces under a pseudonym in Hibbing, Minnesota, drawing large crowds as a regular performer at a Renaissance Fair(e). Unfortunately, his notoriety outs him to the criminal organization who believes he took something of importance from them during the heist. Using all of the wit and misdirection that has made him the best street performer anyone has ever seen, Poe must outsmart and outmaneuver them in order to return to the peaceful life of juggling.   </p>
<p><em>Felony Juggler</em> is an accurate depiction of the streets and street performing in the 1970s, told with the excursive and a-little-too-honest style of Penn Jillette―who was, just coincidently, in his own words, a street juggler and carny trash in the 1970s. Like his previous novel <em>Random</em> , Jillette’s intellectual curiosity, twisting morality, and honed stagecraft fuel a madcap narrative brimming with his renowned humor.</p>


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<b><b>The latest,&nbsp;delectably&nbsp;witty installment of Alexander McCall Smith's sumptuous 44 Scotland Street series.</b></b><br>For the&nbsp;residents of 44 Scotland street,&nbsp;life in Edinburgh's intriguing New Town is a thing to be relished. After all, there are new faces to excite Domenica's anthropological imagination, precious moments with his triplets for Matthew to savor, and the prospect of a trip to the promised land of Glasgow for young Bertie.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>But there are mysteries that need solving too. Could Angus Lordie's dog, Cyril—the only dog in Scotland with a gold tooth—have unearthed a Neanderthal skull? Does the long-suffering Stuart have any hope of kindling a new relationship when Bruce, ever the navel gazer and consummate seducer, effortlessly steps into his&nbsp;pas de deux?&nbsp; And how will the patrons of Big Lou's cafe react to the menu's imminent culinary transformation?<br>&nbsp;<br>The stories of this wonderfully vibrant cast may take...


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<p>Paul Stewart has returned to Scotland to continue his successful career. His agent and girlfriend, Gloria, has arranged for him to write The Philosophy of Food in Six Easy Chapters, a project he relishes but that will have to be delivered in six months. It is not going well, as Paul finds his domestic circumstances unsuited to concentrated hard work: Gloria has now moved in with him (not specifically invited) and has brought with her two extremely vocal and demanding Siamese cats. The cats give Paul no peace. Beginning to worry that The Philosophy of Food will never be written Paul calls on the aid of his cousin, Chloe, who suggests a radical course of action. She has taken a six-month lease on a house in a French village not far from Poitiers and invites him to join her there and get the book finished in peace. He needs no second bidding and it is not long before he escapes to France.</p><p>Once there, however, Paul finds his fortunes tangled up with the fate of one eating...


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<b>From one of our most beloved and best-selling authors: a hilarious new stand-alone novel about one man's misadventures in travel and romance in the Italian countryside.</b><br>When writer Paul Stewart heads to the idyllic Italian town of Montalcino to finish his already overdue cookbook, he expects it to be the perfect escape from stressful city life. But when he arrives, things quickly take a turn for the worse. His hired car is nowhere to be found, and with no record of a reservation at the car-rental counter and no other cars are available, it appears that Paul will be stuck at the airport&#8212;that is, until an enterprising stranger offers him an unexpected alternative: a bulldozer. With little choice in the matter, Paul accepts, and so begins a series of laugh-out-loud adventures as he trundles through the Tuscan countryside. A story of unexpected circumstances and making the best of what you have, <i>My Italian Bulldozer</i> is a warm and witty read guaranteed to put a...


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<b><b>In the Swedish criminal justice system, certain cases are considered especially strange and difficult, in Malm&ouml;, the dedicated detectives who investigate these crimes are members of an elite squad known as the Sensitive Crimes Division.<br></b>These are their stories.</b><br>The first case: the small matter of a man stabbed in the back of the knee. Who would perpetrate such a crime and why? Next: a young woman's imaginary boyfriend goes missing. But how on earth do you search for someone who doesn't exist? And in the final investigation: eerie secrets that are revealed under a full moon may not seem so supernatural in the light of day. No case is too unusual, too complicated, or too, well <i>insignificant </i>for this squad to solve.<br>The team: Ulf 'the Wolf" Varg, the top dog, thoughtful and diligent; Anna Bengsdotter, who's in love with Varg's car (and possibly Varg too); Carl Holgersson, who likes nothing more than filling out paperwork; and Erik Nykvist, who is...


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Alexander McCall Smith&#8217;s Scandanavian sleuth Ulf Varg makes his eBook debut in a Valentine&#8217;s Day puzzle for the super-cool detective with the cult following on Twitter.


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<b><b>One of the author's most beloved characters is back&#8212;and once again she will have to call upon her powers of deduction and her unflappable moral code to unravel a new philosophical mystery.</b></b><br>In Edinburgh, rumors and gossip abound. But Isabel well knows that such things can't be taken at face value. Still, the latest whispers hint at mysterious goings-on, and who but Isabel can be trusted to get to the bottom of them? At the same time, she must deal with the demands of her two small children, her husband, and her rather tempestuous niece, Cat, whose latest romantic entanglement comes&#8212;to no one's surprise&#8212;with complications. Still, even with so much going on, Isabel, through the application of good sense, logic, and ethics, will, as ever, triumph.


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<b>Isabel becomes involved in a delicate paternity case in the twelfth installment of the beloved Isabel Dalhousie Series.</b><br>Isabel finds herself befriended by Patricia, a single mother whose son, Basil, goes to school with Isabel's son. Isabel discovers that Basil is the product of an affair Patricia had with a well-known Edinburgh organist, also named Basil, who was, rumor has it, initially reluctant to contribute financially to the child's upkeep. Though Isabel doesn't really like Patricia, she tries to be civil and supportive, but when she sees Patricia in the company of an unscrupulous man who peddles fake antiquities, her suspicions are aroused and she begins to investigate the paternity of Basil Jr.<br>When Isabel takes her suspicions to Basil Sr., she finds that, although paying child support is taking a severe financial toll on him, he likes the idea of being the boy's father and, in fact, wishes he could have more of a relationship with Basil Jr. Patricia, however,...


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When a matchmaker begins to question her latest match, Isabel Dalhousie is called upon to help.<br> <br>A new baby brings an abundance of joy to Isabel and her husband, Jamie&#8212;but almost-four-year-old Charlie is none too keen on his newborn brother. In fact, he refuses to acknowledge Magnus, and Isabel must find a way to impress upon her older son the patience and understanding that have served as guiding principles in her own life.<br> <br>These are the very qualities that bring Bea Shandon, an old acquaintance of Isabel's, to seek her help in a tricky situation. Something on a matchmaker, Bea has introduced a wealthy female friend to a cosmetic surgeon at her most recent dinner party. Then new information comes to light about the surgeon that causes Bea to doubt his motives and the auspiciousness of the match. Isabel agrees to find out more, but as her enquiries take an unexpected turn, she starts to wonder whom exactly she should be investigating. As ever, Isabel's...


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A Vintage Shorts "Short Story Month" Original Selection<br> <br> Philosopher and amateur sleuth Isabel Dalhousie has an unstinting commitment to her principles. Sticking to her promises has always been one of them. Then Isabel runs into an old classmate facing marital and financial troubles, who reveals a secret that becomes more and more difficult for Isabel to keep. <br> <br> Thankfully, Isabel's devoted husband, Jamie, is there to help our heroine navigate her competing moral obligations. Beautifully perceptive and witty, this original short story by Alexander McCall Smith shows Isabel calling upon all of her intelligence, charm, and tact. <br> <br> An ebook short.


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<b>A Vintage Shorts "Short Story Month" Original Selection<br><br>In this warm, intelligently observed novella, Isabel Dalhousie, Alexander McCall Smith's wonderful heroine, learns valuable lessons about inviting the past (and everyone in it) back into your life.</b><br><br>Isabel Dalhousie--philosopher, mother and friend--has generously agreed to host the opening dinner for her school reunion weekend. Twenty-five former classmates will descend upon her home, bringing with them new names, new looks, and old reputations. While some will see the reunion as an opportunity to forge new friendships and reaffirm old ones, others aren't interested in changing their minds about the past. One particular classmate, Barbara Grant, was known as an especially mean girl who bullied the others relentlessly. As hostess, Isabel feels compelled to help her guests on the path toward reconciliation and forgiveness, but bitter feelings and long-held secrets threaten to derail her efforts entirely....


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<p>The insatiably curious Edinburgh philosopher and amateur sleuth Isabel Dalhousie returns, taking on a case unlike any she's had before--this one with paranormal implications--in the eagerly anticipated new installment of Alexander McCall Smith's beloved and best-selling series.<br>  <br> Through a mutual acquaintance, Isabel is introduced to a six-year-old boy who has been experiencing vivid recollections of a past life, which include a perfect description of an island off the coast of Scotland and a house on the island where he claims to have lived. When the boy's mother asks Isabel to investigate, Isabel naturally feels inclined to help, and so she, her husband, Jamie, and their son, Charlie, set off for the island. To their great surprise, they actually locate the house that the boy described, which leads to more complicated questions, as Isabel's desire to find rational explanations comes up against the uncanny mystery unfolding before her. It's an extraordinarily delicate...


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<b>The latest book in Alexander McCall Smith's popular 44 Scotland Street series is a sheer delight.</b><br> <b> </b><br> Summer has come to Scotland Street. The long days have prompted its denizens to engage in flights of fancy. Some, like the Duke of Johannesburg's plan to create a microlite seaplane, are literal flights, and some, like the vain Bruce Anderson's idea of settling down with one of his many admirers, are more metaphorical.<br> With the domineering Irene off pursuing academic challenges, Stuart and Bertie are free to indulge in summer fun. Stuart reconnects with an old acquaintance over refreshing peppermint tea while Bertie takes his friend Ranald Braveheart Macpherson to the circus. But their trip to the big top becomes rather more than the pleasant diversion they were hoping for. <br> Once again, Scotland Street teems with the daily triumphs and challenges of those who call it home, and provides a warm, wise, and witty chronicle of the affairs in this corner of...


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<b>Our beloved cast of characters are back, as are the joys and trials of life at 44 Scotland Street in this latest installment of Alexander McCall Smith's delightfully charming series. </b><br> <br> Bertie's mother, Irene, returns from the Middle East to discover that, in her absence, her son has been exposed to the worst of evils&#8212;television shows, ice cream parlors, and even unsanctioned art at the National Portrait Gallery. Her wrath descends on Bertie's long-suffering father, Stuart. But Stuart has found a reason to spend more time outside of the house and seems to have a new spring in his step. What does this mean for the residents of 44 Scotland Street? <br> The winds of change have come to the others as well. Angus undergoes a spiritual transformation after falling victim to an unexpected defenestration. Bruce has fallen in a rather different sense for a young woman who is determined to share with him her enthusiasm for extreme sports. Matthew and Elspeth have a...


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<b>Excitement abounds when the revolving door of life brings fresh faces and hilarious new developments to the residents of 44 Scotland Street.</b><br><br>Things are looking up for seven-year-old Bertie Pollock. The arrival of his spirited grandmother and the absence of his meddlesome mother--who is currently running a book club in a Bedouin harem (don't ask)--bring unforeseen blessings: no psychotherapy, no Italian lessons, and no yoga classes. Meanwhile, surprises await Scotland Street's grown-ups. Matthew makes a discovery that could be a major windfall for his family, but also presents a worrisome dilemma. Pat learns a secret about her father's fianc&eacute;e that may shake up her family, unless she can convince the perpetually narcissistic Bruce to help her out. And the Duke of Johannesburg finds himself in sudden need of an explanation--and an escape route--when accosted by a determined guest at a soir&eacute;e. From the cunning schemes of the Association of Scottish Nudists...


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Alexander McCall Smith's wildly popular 44 Scotland Street series chronicles life in a corner of Edinburgh brimming with wit and humor.<br><br>Newlywed painter and sometime somnambulist Angus Lordie might be sleepwalking his way into trouble with Animal Welfare when he lets his dog Cyril drink a bit too much lager at the local bar. The longsuffering Bertie, on the cusp of his seventh birthday party, has taken to dreaming about his eighteenth, a time when he will be able to avoid the indignity of unwanted girl attendees and the looming threat of a gender-neutral doll from his domineering mother Irene. Matthew and Elspeth struggle to care for their triplets, contending with Danish au pairs and dubious dukes to boot, while the narcissistic Bruce faces his greatest challenge yet in the form of an over-eager waxologist. As ever, when Alexander McCall Smith visits 44 Scotland Street, fun is sure to follow.


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<b><b>Precious Ramotswe dips her toe into the world of politics in the newest addition to the beloved and best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.</b></b><br>When Mma Potokwane suggests to Mma Ramotswe that she run for a seat on the City Council, Mma Ramotswe is at first unsure. But when she learns about the proposed construction of the flashy Big Fun Hotel next to a graveyard, she allows herself to be persuaded. Her opponent is none other than Violet Sephotho, who is in the pocket of the hotel developers. Although Violet is intent on using every trick in the book to secure her election, Mma Ramotswe refuses to promise anything beyond what she can deliver&#8212;hence her slogan: "I can't promise anything&#8212;but I shall do my best." To everyone's surprise, she wins.<br> As it turns out, politics does not agree with Mma Ramotswe. Though everyone is supportive, she eventually resigns. She thinks there will be a new election, but she discovers that the rules state that...


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<b>Precious Ramotswe learns valuable lessons about first impressions and forgiveness in this latest installment of the beloved and best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.</b><br> <br> Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are approached by their part-time colleague, Mr. Polopetsi, with a troubling story: a woman, accused of being rude to a valued customer, has been wrongly dismissed from her job at an office furniture store. Never one to let an act of injustice go unanswered, Mma Ramotswe begins to investigate, but soon discovers unexpected information that causes her to reluctantly change her views about the case. <br>Other surprises await our intrepid proprietress in the course of her inquiries. Mma Ramotswe is puzzled when she happens to hear of a local nurse named Mingie Ramotswe. She thought she knew everybody by the name of Ramotswe, and that they were all related. Who is this mystery lady? Then, she is alerted by Mma Potokwani that an unpleasant figure from her past has...


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In this latest installment of the beloved and best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi help a young woman on a quest to find someone from her past.<br>Changes are afoot at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, where Mma Makutsi, who has recently been promoted to co-director, has been encouraging Mma Ramotswe to update to more modern office practices. However, an unusual case will require both of them to turn their attention firmly to the past. A young Canadian woman who spent her early childhood in Botswana requests the agency's help in recovering important pieces of her life there. With only a faded photograph&#8212;and, of course, some good old-fashioned detective skills&#8212;to guide them, Precious and Grace set out to locate the house that the woman used to live in and the caretaker who looked after her many years ago. But when the journey takes an unexpected turn, they are forced to consider whether some lost things may be better...


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<b>This latest installment of Alexander McCall Smith's bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series...as endearing and delectable as ever!</b><br>     Precious Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are both back in harness at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, but for once business is a bit slow. At Mma Makutsi's suggestion, Mma Ramotswe allows herself to be persuaded to take a holiday--her first ever!--even if she finds it a bit odd that Mma Makusti should be so adamant about it. But just as Mma Ramotswe is ready to depart, a new client arrives, a young woman whose father was regarded as a hero in the history of Botswana. Now his reputation is being called into question--was he courageous, as is widely believed, or was he merely a philanderer and opportunist? Though Mma Ramotswe initially wants to cancel her trip, she is cajoled into going by Mma Makutsi's assurances that she and Charlie have the situation well in hand. However Mma Ramotswe finds that she cannot possibly submit to the...


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<p>In this seventh installment in the internationally bestselling, universally beloved series, there is considerable excitement at the shared premises of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. A cobra has been found in Precious Ramotswe’s office. Then a nurse from a local medical clinic reveals to Mma Ramotswe that faulty blood-pressure readings are being recorded there. And it looks as though Aunty Emang, the advice columnist in the local newspaper, may not be what she seems.It all means a lot of work for Mma Ramotswe and her inestimable assistant, Grace Makutsi, and they are, of course, up to the challenge. But there’s trouble brewing in Mma Makutsi’s own life. Her greedy uncles are demanding an extra-large bride price from her well-to-do fiancé, a man of substance, Phuti Radiphuti, and though money may buy her that fashionably narrow (and uncomfortable) pair of blue shoes, it won’t buy her the happiness that Mma Ramotswe promises her she’ll find in simpler things – in contentment with the world and enough tea to smooth over the occasional bumps in the road.</p></div>


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<div><p><strong>The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency For All Confidential Matters and Inquiries Satisfaction Guaranteed for all Parties Under Personal Management</strong></p><p>The phenomenal success of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency continues with the bestselling Kalahari Typing School for Men, the fourth book in the series.</p><p>Mma Precious Ramotswe is content. Her business is well established with many satisfied customers, and in her mid-thirties (“the finest age to be”) she has a house, two adopted children, a fine fiancé. But, as always, there are troubles. Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni has not set the date for their marriage. Her able assistant, Mma Makutsi, wants a husband. And worse, a rival detective agency has opened in town—an agency that does not have the gentle approach to business that Mma Ramotswe’s does. But, of course, Precious will manage these things, as she always does, with her uncanny insight and her good heart. </p></div>


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<div><p>This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to “help people with problems in their lives.” Immediately upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witchdoctors.</p><p><strong>The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency</strong> received two Booker Judges’ Special Recommendations and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the <em>Times Literary Supplement</em>. </p><h4>Annotation</h4><p><em>The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency</em> received two Booker Judges' Special Recommendations and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the <em>Times Literary Supplement</em>. </p></div>


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<div><h3>Review</h3><p>“The Miss Marple of Botswana.” –_The New York Times Book Review  </p><p><em>“Smart and sassy . . . Precious’ progress is charted in passages that have the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once.” –</em>Los Angeles Times_  </p><p>“I haven’t read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time.” –Anthony Daniels, <em>The Sunday Telegraph</em></p><h3>Product Description</h3><p>Precious Ramotswe is the eminently sensible and cunning proprietor of the only ladies’ detective agency in Botswana. In <strong>Tears of the Giraffe</strong> she tracks a wayward wife, uncovers an unscrupulous maid, and searches for an American man who disappeared into the plains many years ago. In the midst of resolving uncertainties, pondering her impending marriage to a good, kind man, Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni, and the promotion of her talented secretary (a graduate of the Botswana Secretarial College, with a mark of 97 per cent), she also finds her family suddenly and unexpectedly increased by two. </p></div>


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<p class="description">Here is the fifth novel in the internationally bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency hit series. Once again we are transported to Gaborone, capital city of Botswana, and into the world of Mma Ramotswe and her friends.THE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY. FOR ALL CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS AND ENQUIRIES. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED FOR ALL PARTIES. UNDER PERSONAL MANAGEMENT.Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni are still engaged, but with no immediate plans to get married. Mma Ramotswe wonders when a wedding date will be named, but she is anxious to avoid putting pressure on her fiancé. For indeed he has other things on his mind -- particularly a frightening request (involving a parachute jump) made by Mma Potokwani, the persuasive matron of the orphan farm.Mma Ramotswe herself has weighty matters on her mind. She has been approached by a wealthy lady to check up on several suitors. Are these men interested in her or just her money? This may be difficult to find out, but it’s just the kind of case Mma Ramotswe likes and she is, as we know, a very intuitive lady.Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi -- plucky assistant detective and deputy manager of the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors garage -- is moving. Her entrepreneurial venture, the Kalahari Typing School for Men, is thriving and with this new income she has rented two rooms in a house. Her spare time is occupied with planning the move, the décor and her new life in a house with running water all to herself.In the background of all this is Botswana, a country of empty spaces and echoing skies, a country so beautiful and entrancing that it breaks your heart. Mma Ramotswe has prepared the bush tea and is waiting for us to join her.</p>


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<p>Precious Ramotswe, that cheerful Botswanan private investigator of 'traditional build', is well-known to millions across the world through the best-selling No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Those who have been following her exploits in five previously published novels will soon be able to savour the next instalment, in which, as usual, circumstances are never as straightforward as they seem and events take a more than unexpected turn. Precious Ramotswe, is now married to Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors. The Agency is busy, but Mma Ramotswe cannot ignore the plea which is made to her by a woman who comes to her with a tale of particular misfortune. Unfortunately, her attempts to help are interrupted by a close encounter between her tiny white van and a bicycle, and by a spectacular disagreement between her assistant, Mma Makutsi, and one of the apprentices at the garage. This apprentice has found a fancy girlfriend who drives a large silver Mercedes-Benz. How can he be rescued from his folly? And as for Mma Makutsi, she has found a dancing class, and a man who may not be able to dance very well but who admires her greatly.</p>


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Detective Ulf Varg from the Department of Sensitive Crimes is often called upon to investigate unusual matters. But rarely is he asked to conduct an inquiry on behalf of his own family. Is such a thing ethical? Adding to Ulf's moral discomfort is the fact that he does not exactly see eye to eye with his younger brother Bjorn&#8212;a leading player in one of Sweden's right-wing parties, the Moderate Extremists. Still, family is family, so Ulf finds himself working to uncover the mole leaking secrets to a rival party, the Extreme Moderates. All of this in addition to his responsibilities to the Department, which include investigating a case of cat-related sabotage. As always, it's up to Ulf to close the case . . . even if he encounters unexpected resistance from the victims themselves.<br> <br> From literary master McCall Smith, this is a bewitching short foray, witty and warm, into Scandinavian mystery. <br> <br> A Vintage Short original. An ebook short.


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<b><b>In the second installment in the best-selling Detective Varg Novels, Ulf and his team investigate a notorious lothario&#8212;a wolf of a man whose bad reputation may, much to his chagrin, be all bark and no bite.</b></b><br>The Department of Sensitive Crimes, renowned for taking on the most obscure and irrelevant cases, led by Ulf Varg, their best detective, is always prepared to take on an investigation, no matter how complex. So when Ulf is approached by the girlfriend of Trig Oloffson, who claims her beau (the infamous bad boy of Swedish letters) is being blackmailed, Ulf is determined to help. It turns out that this wild bear of a man may be more of a teddy. And while Swedes are notoriously tolerant, finding out that their beloved rough and tumble ink slinger is more likely to use a pen than a sword . . . well, there are limits. Even for the Swedish.<br>The case requires all of Ulf's concentration, but he finds himself distracted by his brother's questionable politics...


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<b><b>In the latest book in the widely beloved No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Precious Ramotswe takes on a case for a childhood acquaintance but her inquiries will </b>r<b>equire an even more delicate touch than usual.</b></b><br>Mma Ramotswe reconnects with an old friend who has been having problems with her daughter. Though Previous feels compelled to lend a hand, she discovers that getting involved in family affairs is always a delicate proposion. Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni finds himself embroiled in familial drama as well, when one of his clients asks for help evicting an unwanted houseguest who turns out to be the man's own brother.<br> Elsewhere, Charlie and Fanwell are also involved in tricky matters of the heart, as Queenie-Queenie, Charlie's girlfriend, seems to have transferred her affections to Fanwell. It's up to Mma Makutsi to set things right, but she may be be too distracted by her nemesis Violet Sephotho, who has somehow been appointed to the board of a charity....


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<b><b>Mma Ramotswe must balance family obligations with the growing needs of one of Charlie's pet projects in this latest installment in the cherished No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. </b></b><br>Precious Ramotswe loves her dependable old van. Yes, sometimes it takes a bit longer to get going now, and it has developed some quirks over the years, but it has always gotten the job done. This time, though, the world—and Charlie—may be asking too much of it, for when he borrows the beloved vehicle he returns it damaged. And, to make matters worse, the interior seems to have acquired an earthy smell that even Precious can't identify.<br>But the olfactory issue is not the only mystery that needs solving. Mma Ramotswe is confronted by a distant relative, Blessing, who asks for help with an ailing cousin. The help requested is of a distinctly pecuniary nature, which makes both Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni and Mma Makutsi suspicious. And there is no peace at home, either, as the new neighbors...


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<div><p>In the fabulous new installment in the best-selling adventures of Isabel Dalhousie, Isabel is asked to help a doctor who has been disgraced by allegations of scientific fraud concerning a newly marketed drug. Our ever-curious moral philosopher finds her interest piqued. Would a doctor with a stellar reputation make such a simple but grave mistake? If not, what explains the tragic accident that resulted in the death of a patient? Clearly, an investigation is in order, especially since a man's reputation is in jeopardy. Could he be the victim of someone else's mistake? Or perhaps he has been willfully deceived by a pharmaceutical company with a great deal to gain.<br></p><p>Not every problem prompts an investigation (take, for example, her ongoing struggle with her housekeeper, Grace, over the care of Isabel's infant son, Charlie), but, as we've seen, whatever the case, whatever the solution, Isabel's combination of spirit, smarts, empathy, and unabashed nosiness guarantees a delightful adventure.</p></div>


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SUMMARY:
The witty and utterly delightful new novel in the national bestselling 44 Scotland Street series.Featuring all the quirky characters we have come to know and love, The Unbearable Lightness of Scones, finds Bertie, the precocious six-year-old, still troubled by his rather overbearing mother, Irene, but seeking his escape in the Cub Scouts. Matthew is rising to the challenge of married life with newfound strength and resolve, while Domenica epitomizes the loneliness of the long-distance intellectual. Cyril, the gold-toothed star of the whole show, succumbs to the kind of romantic temptation that no dog can resist and creates a small problem, or rather six of them, for his friend and owner Angus Lordie.  With his customary deftness, Alexander McCall Smith once again brings us an absorbing and entertaining tale of some of Scotland's most quirky and beloved characters--all set in the beautiful, stoic city of Edinburgh.


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<p>Introducing Isabel Dalhousie the heroine of the latest bestselling series from the author of the <b>No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency</b>.  Isabel, the editor of the Review of Applied Ethics and an occasional detective, has been accused of getting involved in problems that are, quite frankly, none of her business.  In this first installment, Isabel is attending a concert in the Usher Hall when she witnesses a man fall from the upper balcony.  Isabel can't help wondering whether it was the result of mischance or mischief.  Against the best advice of her no-nonsense housekeeper Grace, her bassoon playing friend Jamie, and even her romantically challenged niece Cat, she is morally bound to solve this case.  Complete with wonderful Edinburgh atmosphere and characters straight out of a Robert Burns poem, <b>The Sunday Philosophy Club</b> is a delightful treat from one of our most beloved authors.<br><br><i>From the Trade Paperback edition.</i>


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<p>In the fourth installment of this enchanting, beloved series, Isabel Dalhousie, who is now a mother, returns to investigate an irresistible puzzle in the art world.Isabel Dalhousie--the nosiest and most sympathetic philosopher you are likely to meet--now has a son, Charlie, whose doting father Jamie has an intriguing idea to pose to Isabel: marriage. But Isabel wonders if Jamie is too young to be serious? And how would Cat respond? On top of these matters, the ambitious Professor Dove has seized Isabel's position as editor of the<i> Review of Applied Ethics</i>. However, nothing it seems can diminish Isabel's innate curiosity. And when she recognizes that two paintings attributed to a deceased artist have simultaneously appeared on the market, she can't help but think that they're forgeries. So Isabel begins an investigation and soon finds herself diverted from her musings about parenthood and onto a path of inquiry into the soul of an artist.<br><br><i>From the Trade Paperback...


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<p>  The sensational sixth installment in the best-selling chronicles of the irrepressibly curious Isabel Dalhousie finds our inquisitive heroine and new mother racing two very troublesome people from her past.<br><br>   Isabel's son, Charlie, is only eighteen months, but his social life is already kicking into high gear, and it's at a birthday party, where Isabel is approached by Minty Auchterlonie, an old adversary and now a high-flying financier. Minty, it seems, is having trouble in her personal life, and seeks Isabel's help. To make matters worse, the anything but peaceable Professor Dove has accused Isabel's journal of plagiarism.  There is also the ever-pressing question of the future of her relationship with Jamie. As always, she makes her way toward the heart of each problem by philosophizing, sleuthing, and downright snooping as only she can.</p><br><br><i>From the Trade Paperback edition.</i>


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<div><p>The third installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s beloved 44 Scotland Street series is sure to delight his many fans. <br></p><p>This just in from Edinburgh: the complicated lives of the denizens of 44 Scotland Street are becoming no simpler. Domenica Macdonald has left for the Malacca Straits to conduct a perilous anthropological study of pirate households. Angus Lordie’s dog, Cyril, has been stolen, and is facing an uncertain future wandering the streets. Bertie, the prodigiously talented six-year-old, is still enduring psychotherapy, but his burden is lightened by a junior orchestra's trip to Paris, where he makes some interesting new friends. Back in Edinburgh, there is romance for Pat with a handsome young man called Wolf, until she begins to see the attractions of the more prosaically named Matthew. <br></p><p>Teeming with McCall Smith’s wonderful wit and charming depictions of Edinburgh, <em>Love Over Scotland</em> is another beautiful ode to a city and its people that continue to fascinate this astounding author.</p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>The irresistible third entry to the 44 Scotland Street series picks up with the residents of 44 Scotland Street where <em>Espresso Tales</em> left off and is as addictive as any book McCall Smith has written. Anthropologist Domenica has flown off to the Straits of Malacca to study modern-day pirates. Back in Edinburgh, Pat moves from 44 Scotland Street and develops a crush on fellow art student Wolf, whose strange ways hint at a darker subplot that involves Pat's flatmate. Pat moves in with gallery owner Matthew, who struggles with both a sudden fortune and a yearning for Pat. Meanwhile, child prodigy saxophonist Bertie becomes a reluctant member of the Edinburgh Teenage Orchestra at age six and later, on a trip to Paris, finds himself wonderfully unsupervised. Poet/portrait painter Angus is tormented by the theft of his beloved dog Cyrus. The proceedings sparkle with McCall Smith's trademark wit (It was not always fun being a child, just as it had not always been fun being a medieval Scottish saint), proving once again, he's a true treasure. Illustrations by Iain McIntosh enliven the text. <em>(Nov.)</em> <br>Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. </p><h3>Review</h3><p>Praise for the 44 Scotland Street series:<br></p><p>“[McCall Smith] is a pro, and he delivers sharp observation, gentle satire . . . as well as the expected romantic complications. . . . [Readers will] relish McCall Smith’s depiction of this place . . . and enjoy his tolerant, good-humored company.” —<em>The New York Times Book Review</em><br></p><p>“Alexander McCall Smith once again proves himself a wry but gentle chronicler of humanity and its foibles.” —<em>The Miami Herald</em></p></div>


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<p>The delightful second installment in Alexander McCall Smith's already hugely popular new detective series, The Sunday Philosophy Club, starring the irrepressibly curious Isabel Dalhousie -- editor of the <i>Journal of Applied Ethics</i> -- and her no-nonsense housekeeper, Grace.<br><br>When Isabel's niece, Cat, asks Isabel to run her delicatessen while she attends a wedding in Italy, Isabel meets a man with a most interesting problem. He recently had a heart transplant, and is suddenly plagued with memories of events that never happened to him. The situation appeals to Isabel as a philosophical question. Is the heart truly the seat of the soul? And it piques her insatiable curiosity: could the memories be connected with the donor's demise? Grace, of course, thinks it is none of Isabel's business. Add to the mix the lothario Cat brings home from the wedding in Italy, who, in accordance with all that Isabel knows about lotharios, shouldn't be trusted . . . but goodness, he is...


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<b>44 SCOTLAND STREET - Book 8<br><br>The residents and neighbors of 44 Scotland Street and the city of Edinburgh come to vivid life in these gently satirical, wonderfully perceptive serial novels, featuring six-year-old Bertie, a remarkably precocious boy--just ask his mother.  </b><br><br>From social media to the finer points of human behavior, this latest episode of Alexander McCall Smith's popular 44 Scotland Street series provides an entertaining commentary on a small corner of modern life in Edinburgh where, contrary to received wisdom, the sun nearly always shines.<br><br>Angus Lordie and Domenica Macdonald are finally tying the knot. Unsurprisingly, Angus is not quite prepared and averting a wedding-day disaster falls to his best man, Matthew. When the newlyweds finally head off on their honeymoon, Angus's dog Cyril goes to stay with the Pollocks--to the delight of one member of the family, and the utter despair of another. The long-suffering Bertie knows firsthand how...


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<div><p><strong>An unstoppable combination: Alexander McCall Smith and Jane Austen, as Sandy modernizes the story of Emma Woodhouse.</strong> <br>          Emma Woodhouse's widowed father is an anxious man, obsessed with nutrition and the latest vitamins. He lives the life of a country gentleman in contemporary England, protectively raising his young daughters, Isabella and Emma. While Isabella grows into a young woman, marries a society photographer for <em>Vogue</em> at the age of 19 and gets down to the business of reproducing herself, Emma pursues a degree in interior design at university in Bath, and then returns to set up shop in her home village. With her educated eye for the coordination of pattern and colour, Emma thinks she can now judge what person would best be paired with another, and sets about matchmaking her young friend, Harriet, with various possible suitors. Little does she know she is not the only person encouraging romantic pairings in the village. As Emma's cupid-like curiosity about her neighbours, both young and old, moves her to uncover their deeper motives, she is forced to confront a few surprising truths about her own.</p><h3>About the Author</h3><p>ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, the 44 Scotland Street series and the Corduroy Mansions series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served with many national and international organizations concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and was a law professor at the University of Botswana. The author lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. </p></div>


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<p class="description">ISABEL DALHOUSIE - Book 9 Nothing captures the charm of Edinburgh like the bestselling Isabel Dalhousie series of novels featuring the insatiably curious philosopher and woman detective.  Whether investigating a case or a problem of philosophy, the indefatigable Isabel Dalhousie, one of fiction’s most richly developed amateur detectives, is always ready to pursue the answers to all of life’s questions, large and small.In this latest installment of Alexander McCall Smith’s endearing Isabel Dalhousie series, the Edinburgh philosopher and amateur sleuth answers an unexpected appeal from a wealthy Scottish collector who has been robbed of a valuable painting.One afternoon over coffee at Cat’s delicatessen, a friend of Isabel’s shares a call for help from Duncan Munrowe. Crafty thieves have stolen a prized painting from his collection, a work by the celebrated French artist Nicolas Poussin that was earmarked for donation to the Scottish National Gallery. Munrowe has been approached by the thieves and hopes that Isabel will assist him in recovering the painting. Never one to refuse an appeal, she agrees, and discovers that the thieves may be closer to the owner than he ever would have expected.Against the backdrop of this intriguing case, Isabel copes with life’s issues, large and small. She and Jamie have begun to suspect that their three-year-old son, Charlie, might be a budding mathematical genius. What should be done about it? Then there is the question of whether Isabel should help a young couple who want to move in together—against the wishes of the girl’s parents. The boyfriend is hoping Isabel might intercede. As she wrestles with these problems, Isabel finds herself tested as a parent, a philosopher and a friend. But, as always, she manages to use the right combination of good sense, quick wits and a kind heart to come to the right solution, proving once again why Isabel Dalhousie has become one of Alexander McCall Smith’s most beloved characters.This ebook edition includes a Reading Group Guide</p>


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<p><b>The twelfth installment in the beloved, best-selling series is once again a beautiful blend of wit and wisdom, and a pro&shy;foundly touching tale of the human heart. </b><br><br>Precious Ramotswe is haunted by a dream in which she is driving her dear old white van. Grace Makutsi dreams that her 97 percent on the Botswana Secre&shy;tarial College exam was a mistake. When Mma Ra&shy;motswe discovers that her van is actually still in use (and, of course, sets out to retrieve it), Mma Makutsi wonders whether her dream will turn out to be pro&shy;phetic as well. <br>They can only wait and see, but, in the meantime, one of Phuti Radiphuti's apprentices has gotten a girl pregnant and, under pressure to marry her, has run away. Naturally, it is up to Precious and Grace to help the couple work things out. In other developments, Mma Ramotswe investigates a case of rural jealousy in which cattle are being poisoned. Add to the mix Violet Sephotho's newly begun, already unstoppable run...


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<p class="description">Duke Leto Atreides is now the skilful and much-loved ruler of Caladan, served by loyal Duncan Idaho. To his court come Gurney Halleck, despised slave of the Harkonnens - and Jessica, the exquisite, perfectly trained concubine chosen by the Reverend Mothers of the Bene Gesserit to be the mother of Leto's daughter. Meanwhile, on Dune - planet Arrakis - House Harkonnen ruthlessly harvests the precious, mind-enhancing drug called spice. And Baron Vladimir is slowly being consumed by a loathesome disease. Rabban Harkonnen - House Atreides' most implacable enemy - prepares to take over his uncle's empire.</p>


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<div><p class="description">THE EPIC PREQUEL TO DUNE -- DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES is a terrific prequel, but it is also a first-rate adventure on its own. Frank Herbert would surely be delighted and proud of this continuation of his vision."—Dean KoontzFrank Herbert's Dune chronicles became an enduring classic and the most popular science fiction series of all time. Working from recently discovered files left by his father, Brian Herbert and best-selling novelist Kevin J. Anderson bring us Dune: House Atreides, the prequel, which captures all the complexity and grand themes of the original work while weaving a new tapestry of great passion and momentous destiny into a saga that expands the tale written by Frank Herbert more than thirty years ago. Complex, brilliant, and prophetic, Frank Herbert's award-winning Dune chronicles captured the imaginations of millions of readers worldwide—and transformed their perception of what the future could be. By his death in 1986, Frank Herbert had completed six novels in the Dune series. But much of his vision—vast, sprawling, and multilayered—remained unwritten. Now, working from recently discovered files left by his father, Brian Herbert and bestselling novelist Kevin J. Anderson collaborate on a new novel, the first volume in the prequel to Dune—where we step onto planet Arrakis...decades before Dune's hero, Paul Atreides, walks its sands. </p><p class="description">Beginning nearly four decades before Dune, House Atreides introduces pivotal characters, alliances, base treacheries, and bright hopes that form the foundation of Dune. On the planet Arrakis, an aging tyrant sits on the Golden Lion Throne and rules all of the known universe, while his son grows dangerously impatient for the crown. A quasi-religious order of black-robed women move their secret breeding program one momentous step closer to creating a god-child they call the Kwisatz Haderach. And a minor family among the nobility, House Atreides, chooses a course of honor that will bring it to destruction at the hands of its mortal enemy, House Harkonnen—or take it to new heights of power.Here is the rich and complex world that Frank Herbert created in his classic series, in the time leading up to the momentous events of Dune. As Emperor Elrood's son Shaddam plots a subtle regicide, young Leto Atreides leaves his lush, water-rich planet for a year's education on the mechanized world of Ix; a planetologist named Pardot Kynes is dispatched by the Emperor to the desert planet Arrakis, or Dune, to discover the secrets of the addictive spice known as melange; and the eight-year-old slave Duncan Idaho is hunted by his cruel masters in a terrifying game from which he vows escape and vengeance. But none can envision the fate in store for them: one that will make them renegades—and shapers of history. Covering the decade when Shaddam wins his throne, the teenager Leo Atreides becomes unexpectedly the rule of House Atreides, and Pardot Kynes uncovers one of the planet Dune's greatest secrets, House Atreides stands next to Dune in its power and scope. While this new novel solves some of Dune's most baffling mysteries, it presents new puzzles springing from the sands where one day Paul Muad'Dib Atreides will walk. But now, in the years before Paul's birth, an unforgettable new epic begins. Fans of the Dune chronicles will relish the opportunity to return to the rich and exotic universe created by Frank Herbert, while new readers will be introduced to an incomparable imagination—a future where the fate of the entire cosmos is at stake. The Story Behind Dune: House Atreidesby Brian HerbertWhen my father first sat down with me to go over one of my manuscripts, he told me that he couldn't teach me how to write; instead, he would teach me what he called "the care and feeding of editors": how to make manuscripts look presentable so that they wouldn't be tossed into a slush pile, unread. He then proceeded to teach me how to write. I remember many instances when we would brainstorm ideas and dissect my own novel manuscripts. He taught me how to develop worlds, to create characters, to invent action...and to describe all of it. We collaborated on the novel Man of Two Worlds, Frank Herbert's last published work, and even talked about working together on a new Dune novel, but we'd set no date, had established no specific details or direction.That novel was not to be. When my father died in 1986, he left several projects unfinished. For years there were rumors that I would write another novel set in my father's Dune universe, a sequel to the sixth book in the series, Chapterhouse: Dune. Prominent writers approached me with offers of collaboration, but in tossing ideas around with them I couldn't visualize the project coming to fruition. They were excellent writers, but in combination with them I didn't feel the necessary synergy for such a monumental task. Along with Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and a handful of other works, Dune stood as one of the greatest creative achievements of all time, and arguably the greatest example of science fiction world-building in the history of literature. For the sake of my father's legacy, I could not select the wrong person.It wasn't until I began conversation with Kevin J. Anderson, a critically acclaimed and internationally best-selling author, that I found someone whose enthusiasm and passion for the Dune universe match my own. Much of Kevin's writing had been influenced heavily by the work of Frank Herbert. I read everything I could get my hands on that Kevin had written, and did more checking on him. It soon became clear that he was a brilliant writer and that his reputation was sterling. We hit it off immediately, both on a personal and professional level; new story ideas fairly exploded from our minds and together, we found the energy to tackle such a massive project.Frank Herbert had left behind literally thousands of pages of notes, ideas, and sketches. Of all the possible Dune stories we could tell, Kevin and I chose to concentrate on an immediate prequel, to go back to the heart of Dune's readership, the core characters and situations that had made this the best-selling science fiction novel of all time: The love story of Duke Leto and Lady Jessica; their first battle with Baron Harkonnen; the quest of the planetologist Kynes, sent to the desert world of Dune to investigate the precious spice and the sandworms and the Fremen...and the power-hungry Crown Prince Shaddam, who would do anything to secure the Imperial throne.The Dune universe is a vast canvas, with ample opportunity for many stories, but we have chosen to start here, featuring the characters with whom all Dune fans are familiar. Dune: House Atreides is a personal story that means a great deal to us; we hope booksellers and readers alike will feel the same way. Signed,Brian Herbert</p></div>


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<p class="description">The sequel to Dune: House Atreides and Dune: House Harkonnen chronicles the origins of the rivalry between Duke Leto and Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, the actions that transformed Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck into heroes, the birth of Paul Atreides, and the creation of the tyrannical Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino. Reprint.</p>


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<p>Hi. I see you're reading the back of my book. This tells me that you either:<p>A) are hoping to find a brief summary of what to expect from a how-to book by Sterling Archer, the world's greatest secret agent, or B) don't know how books work.<p>If your answer was &#147;A,&#148; your best bet is probably the table ofcontents, which is where you'll find the &#147;contents&#148; of this booklisted in a convenient, easy-to-read &#147;table&#148; format. So maybe gocheck that out for a minute and then come back here. I'll wait. . . .<p>Pretty cool, right? What other book will teach you how to dressproperly <i>and</i> how to drive an elephant? How to field strip an AK-47<i>and</i> how to haggle with a Thai prostitute&#8212;in her native tongue?How to pilot an airboat <i>and</i> how to make about a million deliciouscocktails, including a Molotov one? How to kill a guy <i>and</i> how toprepare a fabulous brunch? Plus how to do tons of other stuff thatI forgot, but that is nonetheless...


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<p class="description">'The book everyone's talking about' The Times'Titania McGrath is a genius' Spectator'Just as Bridget Jones was the embodiment of the anxiety-ridden Nineties feminist, a creation whose diary entries encapsulated all our hopes, fears and failures, so Titania McGrath is her millennial successor, a girl every bit as lost and confused, every bit as accurately observed - and equally, catastrophically, hilarious.' Sarah Vine, Daily MailIn Woke, Titania McGrath demonstrates how everybody can play their part in the pursuit of social justice. As a millennial icon on the forefront of online activism, Titania is uniquely placed to guide her readers through the often bewildering array of terminology and concepts that constitute twenty-first-century 'wokeness'. These new ideas often leave the general public bemused, particularly if they don't read the Guardian.Being woke is actually much easier than people think. As Titania demonstrates, anyone can be an activist. By simply adding a rainbow flag to your Facebook profile, or calling out an elderly person who doesn't understand what 'non-binary' means, you can change the world for the better. Indeed, social media has now made it possible to show how virtuous you are without having to do anything at all.Timely and indispensable, Titania's step-by-step guide will help you to become the woke person you need to be in an increasingly progressive world. In a non-patronising manner, Titania will explain why you are wrong about everything and how to become more like her.</p>


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<p><b>A most-anticipated title from <i>USA Today</i>,<i> Goodreads</i>, <i>BookPage</i>, <i>BookRiot</i>,<i> Seattle Times</i>, and <i>The Nerd Daily</i>!</b><br><b><br>Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back in the next installment of Martha Wells' bestselling and award-winning Murderbot Diaries series.<br></b><br><i>Having someone else support your bad decision feels kind of good.</i><br>After volunteering to run a rescue mission, Murderbot realizes that it will have to spend significant time with a bunch of humans it doesn't know.<br>Including human children. <i>Ugh.</i><br>This may well call for... eye contact!<br><i>(Emotion check: Oh, for f&#8212;)</i><br>The Murderbot Diaries<br><i>All Systems Red<br>Artificial Condition<br>Rogue Protocol<br>Exit Strategy<br>Network Effect<br>Fugitive Telemetry<br>System Collapse</i><br><i>Platform Decay</i><br>At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.</p>


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Or, How New Zealand Repelled an Invasion Through Procedural Complexity. A satirical novella by Oliver Hartwich on New Zealand's policy and governance failings.


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From globally heralded beer-brewing authority Randy Mosher comes the ultimate guide to the craft for beginners and advanced brewers alike. Featuring plain-speaking, fun-to-read instructions, more than 150 colorful graphics and illustrations of process and technique, and 100 recipes for classic and popular brews, this handbook covers everything any brewer could ever want, from choosing ingredients and equipment to mashing, bottling, tasting, and serving. Mosher simplifies the complexities, inspiring and teaching today's burgeoning new league of home brewers.


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<p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236251573-mr-wilman-s-motoring-adventure"><span style="color: #6cb4ee">Mr Wilman’s Motoring Adventure</span></a></p>
<p><strong>Lift the bonnet on 20 years of magic and mayhem on</strong> <em>Top Gear</em> <strong>and</strong> <em>The Grand Tour</em> <strong>- from the mysterious man behind the camera . . .</strong></p>
<p style="font-weight: bold">-- </p>
<p style="font-weight: bold"><em>Top Gear </em>turned gloomy Sunday nights into celebratory Friday nights. </p>
<p>It made household names of presenters Clarkson, Hammond and May, their unique chemistry and buddy movie antics proving irresistible to a vast global audience. With these three at the helm, Top Gear earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the most popular factual TV show on the planet. </p>
<p style="font-weight: bold">Then, a short while later, it was all gone. </p>
<p>How did a thoroughly sensible little consumer advice programme on cars turn into a global phenomenon in the first place, though? How did it all go wrong? And how did they rise from the ashes as <em>The Grand Tour</em>, and go on to scale even greater heights? </p>
<p style="font-weight: bold">One man has all the answers. </p>
<p>There from the beginning, <em>Top Gear</em> and <em>The Grand Tour</em> co-creator, and Jeremy’s oldest friend, Andy Wilman, opens the bonnet on over twenty years of motoring mayhem. In <em>Mr Wilman's Motoring Adventure</em>, the mysterious man in the shadows tells the inside story of your favourite TV shows for the first time. </p>
<p style="font-weight: bold">Irreverent, joyful and as laugh-out-loud funny as the shows themselves, it’s the best book about <em>Top Gear</em> and <em>The Grand Tour</em> . . . in the world. </p></div>


