When Isabel Archer, a beautiful, spirited American is brought to Europe by her wealthy Aunt Touchett, it is expected that she will soon marry. But Isabel, resolved to enjoy the freedom that her fortune has opened up and to determine her own fate, does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors. It is only when she finds herself irresistibly drawn to the cultivated but worthless Gilbert Osmond that she discovers that wealth is a two-edged sword and that there is a price to be paid for independence. With its subtle delineation of American characters in a European setting, Portrait of a Lady is one of the most accomplished and popular of Henry James's early novels.

The Zombie Survival Guide is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now. Fully illustrated and exhaustively comprehensive, this book covers everything you need to know, including how to understand zombie physiology and behavior, the most effective defense tactics and weaponry, ways to outfit your home for a long siege, and how to survive and adapt in any territory or terrain.Top 10 Lessons for Surviving a Zombie Attack 1. Organize before they rise! 2. They feel no fear, why should you?3. Use your head: cut off theirs.4. Blades don’t need reloading.5. Ideal protection = tight clothes, short hair.6. Get up the staircase, then destroy it. 7. Get out of the car, get onto the bike.8. Keep moving, keep low, keep quiet, keep alert!9. No place is safe, only safer. 10. The zombie may be gone, but the threat lives on. Don’t be carefree and foolish with your most precious asset—life. This book is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now without your even knowing it. The Zombie Survival Guide offers complete protection through trusted, proven tips for safeguarding yourself and your loved ones against the living dead. It is a book that can save your life.

The inhabitants of Redwall relax in the haze of summer. But as they do, the neighboring stronghold of Salamandastron lies besieged by the evil weasel army of Ferhago the Assassin. Worse still, Mara, beloved daughter of Urthstripe, Badger Lord of the Fire Mountain, is in terrible danger.

Then a lightning bolt uncovers the sword of Martin the Warrior, and young Samkin embarks on an adventure that leads him to Mara. Can the good creatures triumph over the villainous Assassin?

In an alternate version of frontier America, young Alvin is the seventh son of a seventh son, and such a birth is powerful magic. Yet even in the loving safety of his home, dark forces reach out to destroy him.

Years ago, the vermin clan of Sawney Rath kidnapped one of Redwall's own—a baby otter, destined to become their Taggerung, a warrior hero of ancient legend. But as young Tagg grows, he rebels against his destiny.

The young otter journeys in search of his birthplace, a member of Sawney's clan always near, out to destroy the deserter. With the feisty mouse Nimbalo, Tagg fends off the avenging vermin, but can he find his way back to the Redwall family from whom he was separated so long ago?

Here is all of the excitement and adventure a Redwall fan could wish for!

Larry Darrell is a young American in search of the absolute. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of Maugham's most brilliant characters - his fiancee Isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and Elliot Templeton, her uncle, a classic expatriate American snob. The most ambitious of Maugham's novels, this is also one in which Maugham himself plays a considerable part as he wanders in and out of the story, to observe his characters struggling with their fates.

The Kreutzer Sonata is a gripping novella by Leo Tolstoy, exploring themes of jealousy, murder, and the complexities of marriage. When Marshal of the Nobility, Pozdnyshev, suspects his wife of having an affair with her music partner, his jealousy consumes him, leading to a tragic act of murder.

Controversial upon its publication in 1890, The Kreutzer Sonata illuminates Tolstoy’s then-feverish Christian ideals, his conflicts with lust, and the hypocrisies of nineteenth-century marriage. It also delves into his thoughts on the role of art and music in society.

This work remains relevant in understanding Tolstoy as an artist and offers insights into feminism and literature. The novella also includes Tolstoy’s sequel to the story, providing a deeper understanding of its themes.

American Gods is a blend of Americana, fantasy, and various strands of ancient and modern mythology, all centering on the mysterious and taciturn Shadow. After three years in prison, Shadow is ready to return to his life and the wife he deeply loves, but his plans are upended by her sudden death in a mysterious car crash.

On his flight home, Shadow meets the enigmatic Mr. Wednesday, who seems to know more about him than possible. Wednesday claims to be a former god and the king of America, and he draws Shadow into a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA. A storm of preternatural and epic proportions looms on the horizon, and Shadow finds himself caught in the middle of a battle for the very soul of a nation.

Scary, gripping, and deeply unsettling, American Gods is a dark and strange road trip that explores the soul of America. The story reveals surprising truths about the country and its people, and Shadow's path is lined with a kaleidoscope of eccentric characters whose fates are intertwined with his own.

A storm struck on the night Laura Shane was born, and there was a strangeness about the weather that people would remember for years. But even more mysterious was the blond-haired stranger who appeared out of nowhere – the man who saved Laura from a fatal delivery. Years later – another bolt of lightning – and the stranger returned, again to save Laura from tragedy. Was he the guardian angel he seemed? The devil in disguise? Or the master of a haunting destiny beyond time and space?

An ocean voyage of unimaginable consequences Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty. But I was just such a girl, and my story is worth relating even if it did happen years ago. Be warned, however: If strong ideas and action offend you, read no more. Find another companion to share your idle hours. For my part I intend to tell the truth as I lived it.

Finally armed with dragonlances, a group of heroes, composed of a knight, barbarian, dwarf, and half-elf, faces a deadly showdown with the evil dragons and Takhisis, the Queen of Darkness. The darkness of war and destruction engulfs the land, but hope dawns with the coming of spring.

Knight and barbarian, warrior and half-elf, dwarf and kender, and dark-souled mage; they must overcome their own doubts and resolve their own conflicts before they can hope to defeat the formidable Takhisis, the Queen of Darkness.

The mystery of Ryhope Wood, Britain's last fragment of primeval forest, consumed George Huxley's entire, and long, life. Now, after his death, his sons have taken up his work. But what they discover is beyond what they could have expected. For the Wood is a realm where myths gain flesh and blood, tapping primal fears and desires subdued through the millennia. A realm where love and beauty haunt your dreams -- and may drive you insane.

Stephen Huxley has already lost his father to the mysteries of Ryhope Wood. On his return from the Second World War, he finds his brother, Christopher, is also in thrall to the mysterious wood, wherein lies a realm where mythic archetypes grow flesh and blood, where love and beauty haunt your dreams, and in promises of freedom lies the sanctuary of insanity.

The Complete Far Side is a masterful collection of every Far Side cartoon ever syndicated, spanning the years from 1980 to 1994. This collection is a must-have for fans of Gary Larson's twisted and irreverent humor.

Dive into the quirky world of The Far Side with over 4,000 cartoons, including more than 1,100 that have never before appeared in a book. These cartoons are presented in a (more or less) chronological order by year of publication.

Additional Far Side cartoons created after Larson's retirement are also included, along with introductions to each of the 14 chapters that offer a rare glimpse into the mind of Gary Larson.

Enjoy complaint letters, fan letters, and queries from puzzled readers, alongside some of the more provocative or elusive panels. This lavish production is not just a book; it's a celebration of comic brilliance and a testament to Larson's unique genius.

Eccentric, arrogant, and ingenious, Sherlock Holmes remains the world's most popular and influential fictional detective. In four novels and fifty-six short stories, Holmes, with his trusted friend Dr. Watson, steps from his comfortable quarters at 221B Baker Street into the swirling fog of London. Combining detailed observation with brilliant deduction, Holmes rescues the innocent, confounds the guilty, and solves the most perplexing puzzles crime has to offer.

Volume I of The Complete Sherlock Holmes begins with Holmes's first appearance, A Study in Scarlet, a chilling murder novel complete with bloodstained walls and cryptic clues. This is followed by the baffling The Sign of Four, which introduces Holmes's cocaine problem and Watson's future wife.

Volume I also includes the story collections The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, and concludes with the tale "The Final Problem," in which Conan Doyle, tired of writing Holmes stories, kills off his famed sleuth.

Virtual Reality? The territory of Veelox has achieved perfect harmony. Fifteen-year-old Bobby Pendragon arrives on this territory in pursuit of the evil Saint Dane, but all is peaceful on Veelox - because it's deserted. The inhabitants have discovered a way to enter their own personal dream worlds, where they can be whomever they want, wherever they want. Their bodies lie in stasis while their minds escape to this dream realm.

Fresh from his battle with Saint Dane in 1937 Earth, Bobby is confident that they can defeat whatever Saint Dane has planned for this world. But once Bobby enters the virtual world, will he be able to resist the lure of the ultimate in escapism?

The Time Traveler's Wife is an innovative and imaginative debut novel by Audrey Niffenegger. It tells the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian. Their relationship is marked by an extraordinary twist—Henry suffers from Chrono-Displacement Disorder, which causes him to involuntarily slip in and out of time, landing at various points in his own life.

Their tale unfolds from both Clare and Henry's perspectives, exploring how they navigate the challenges of Henry's unpredictable disappearances and the impact of time travel on their marriage. Despite the uncontrollable nature of Henry's condition, they strive for normalcy in their lives, seeking steady jobs, good friends, and a family of their own. Through a narrative that is at times harrowing and at others amusing, The Time Traveler's Wife depicts a deep and passionate love that endures the tumultuous effects of time, making it an intensely moving and unforgettable love story.

The nightmare begins...

Vampire Blood Trilogy comprises of three chilling tales: Cirque Du Freak, The Vampire's Assistant, and Tunnels of Blood. Join Darren Shan’s descent into the darkness as he navigates a world filled with vampires, danger, and thrilling adventures.

Cirque Du Freak: Enter a world of freaks and wonders where nothing is as it seems.

The Vampire's Assistant: Experience the struggles and excitement of becoming entwined with the supernatural.

Tunnels of Blood: Face the ultimate challenge as secrets unravel and destinies are forged.

This trilogy is a gripping introduction to the Saga of Darren Shan, where every page invites you deeper into a world of mystery and suspense.

Amanda and Josh think the old house they have just moved into is weird. Spooky. Possibly haunted. And the town of Dark Falls is pretty strange, too.

But their parents don't believe them. "You'll get used to it," they say. "Go out and make some new friends."

So Amanda and Josh do. But these creepy new friends are not exactly what their parents had in mind. Because they want to be friends... Forever.

Jorge Luis Borges declared The Invention of Morel a masterpiece of plotting, comparable to The Turn of The Screw and Journey to the Center of the Earth. Set on a mysterious island, Bioy's novella is a story of suspense and exploration, as well as a wonderfully unlikely romance, in which every detail is at once crystal clear and deeply mysterious.

Inspired by Bioy Casares's fascination with the movie star Louise Brooks, The Invention of Morel has gone on to live a secret life of its own. Greatly admired by Julio Cortázar, Gabriel García Márquez, and Octavio Paz, the novella helped to usher in Latin American fiction's now famous postwar boom. As the model for Alain Resnais and Alain Robbe-Grillet's Last Year at Marienbad, it also changed the history of film.

I was born to be a point guard, but not a very good one. There was a time in my life when I walked through the world known to myself and others as an athlete. It was part of my own definition of who I was and certainly the part I most respected.

When I was a young man, I was well-built and agile, ready for the rough and tumble of games, and athletics provided the single outlet for a repressed and preternaturally shy boy to express himself in public. I lost myself in the beauty of sport and made my family proud while passing through the silent eye of the storm that was my childhood.

Pat Conroy’s journey back to 1967 reveals the season that was seminal and easily the most consequential of his life. The place is the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, that now-famous military college, and in memory, Conroy gathers around him his team to relive their few triumphs and humiliating defeats.

In a narrative that moves seamlessly between the action of the season and flashbacks into his childhood, we see the author’s love of basketball and how crucial the role of athlete is to all these young men who are struggling to find their own identity and their place in the world.

In fast-paced exhilarating games, readers will laugh in delight and cry in disappointment. But as the story continues, we gradually see the self-professed “mediocre” athlete merge into the point guard whose spirit drives the team. He rallies them to play their best while closing off the shouts of “Don’t shoot, Conroy” that come from the coach on the sidelines.

Coach Mel Thompson is to Conroy the undermining presence that his father had been throughout his childhood. In these pages, heartbreakingly, we learn the truth about the Great Santini.

In My Losing Season, Pat Conroy has written an American classic about young men and the bonds they form, about losing and the lessons it imparts, about finding one’s voice and oneself in the midst of defeat. In his trademark language, we see the young Conroy walk from his life as an athlete to the writer the world knows him to be.

From the kid who brought you Fargo Rock City -- the first book in history to garner the praise of Stephen King, David Byrne, Donna Gaines, Sebastian Bach, Jonathan Lethem, and Rivers Cuomo -- comes Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs -- the first book in history to examine breakfast cereal, reality television, tribute bands, Internet porn, serial killers, and the Dixie Chicks. Countless writers and artists have spoken for a generation, but no one has done it quite like Chuck Klosterman -- with an exhaustive knowledge of popular culture and a seemingly effortless ability to spin brilliant prose out of unlikely subject matter. Whether deconstructing Saved by the Bell episodes or the artistic legacy of Billy Joel, the symbolic importance of The Empire Strikes Back or the Celtics/Lakers rivalry of the 1980s, Chuck will make you think, he'll make you laugh, and he'll drive you insane -- usually all at once. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs is ostensibly about movies, sports, television, music, books, video games, and kittens...but, really, it's about us. All of us. As Klosterman realizes late at night, in the moment before he falls asleep, "In and of itself, nothing really matters. What matters is that nothing is ever 'in and of itself.'"

In "The Blank Slate," Steven Pinker explores the idea of human nature and its moral, emotional, and political colorings. He shows how many intellectuals have denied the existence of human nature by embracing three linked dogmas: the Blank Slate (the mind has no innate traits), the Noble Savage (people are born good and corrupted by society), and the Ghost in the Machine (each of us has a soul that makes choices free from biology).

Each dogma carries a moral burden, so their defenders have engaged in desperate tactics to discredit the scientists who are now challenging them. Pinker injects calm and rationality into these debates by showing that equality, progress, responsibility, and purpose have nothing to fear from discoveries about a rich human nature. He disarms even the most menacing threats with clear thinking, common sense, and pertinent facts from science and history.

Despite its popularity among intellectuals during much of the twentieth century, he argues, the doctrine of the Blank Slate may have done more harm than good. It denies our common humanity and our individual preferences, replaces hardheaded analyses of social problems with feel-good slogans, and distorts our understanding of government, violence, parenting, and the arts.

Pinker shows that an acknowledgement of human nature that is grounded in science and common sense, far from being dangerous, can complement insights about the human condition made by millennia of artists and philosophers. All this is done in the style that earned his previous books many prizes and worldwide acclaim: wit, lucidity, and insight into matters great and small.

Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out.

At sixteen, Adrian Mole's life continues to be nothing but a set of tragic circumstances. His tempestuous relationship with an alluring schoolmate tortures him, while his intellectualism continues to be ignored by the British press. Despite it all, he remains as agonizingly funny as ever in this, the second of his diaries.

Adrian navigates the complexities of adolescence with a blend of humor and insight, offering readers a glimpse into the hilarious and sometimes poignant world of a teenage diarist.

The wedding of Clay Forrester and Catherine Anderson was the social event of the season. It seemed like a page out of a fairy tale. But everything about it—from the formal vows to the magnificent reception—was a lie.

Catherine had reluctantly agreed to Clay's "marriage of convenience"...and the only thing that could threaten their arrangement was the unexpected arrival of love.

Naruto is a ninja-in-training with an incorrigible knack for mischief. His wild antics amuse his teammates, but Naruto is completely serious about one thing: becoming the world's greatest ninja!

UZUMAKI NARUTO Twelve years ago the Village Hidden in the Leaves was attacked by a fearsome threat. A nine-tailed fox spirit claimed the life of the village leader, the Hokage, and many others. Today, the village is at peace, and a troublemaking kid named Naruto is struggling to graduate from Ninja Academy. His goal may be to become Hokage, but his true destiny will be much more complicated. The adventure begins now!

Adrian Mole's first love, Pandora, has left him; a neighbor, Mr. Lucas, appears to be seducing his mother (and what does that mean for his father?). The BBC refuses to publish his poetry, and his dog swallowed the tree off the Christmas cake.

Why indeed?

The History of the Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire was written by English historian Edward Gibbon and originally published in six quarto volumes. Volume 1 was published in 1776, going through six printings; volumes 2-3 in 1781; and volumes 4-6 in 1788-89. It was a major literary achievement of the 18th century, adopted as a model for the methodologies of historians.

The books cover the Roman Empire after Marcus Aurelius, from 180 to 1590. They delve into the behavior and decisions that led to the eventual fall of the Empire in both the East and West, offering explanations. Gibbon is called the first modern historian of ancient Rome due to his objective approach and accurate use of reference material, setting a standard for 19th and 20th-century historians.

His work is characterized by pessimism and detached irony, common to the historical genre of his era. Although he published other books, Gibbon devoted much of his life (1772-89) to this one work. His Memoirs of My Life & Writings reflect on how this book virtually became his life.

Gibbon offers explanations for why the Roman Empire fell, a task made difficult by the scarcity of comprehensive written sources. According to Gibbon, the Empire succumbed to barbarian invasions due to the loss of civic virtue. They had become weak, outsourcing defense to barbarian mercenaries who eventually took over. Romans had become effeminate, incapable of maintaining a tough military lifestyle. Additionally, Christianity fostered a belief in a better life after death, sapping patriotism and martial spirit. Like other Enlightenment thinkers, Gibbon held the Middle Ages in contempt as a superstitious, priest-ridden dark age, believing only the age of reason could progress history.

Mohammed sits in a café in Vienna, preparing to propose a daring alliance. His network of agents and sympathizers in Europe and the Middle East is about to join forces with a Colombian's drug network in America. The potential for profits is enormous, and the potential for destruction is unimaginable.

In the shadows, a top-secret U.S. agency known as The Campus operates off the books, handpicked by President John Patrick Ryan. Among their ranks is Dominic Caruso, a rookie FBI agent, barely a year out of Quantico, whose decisive actions resolve a particularly brutal kidnap/murder case. His brother, Brian, is a Marine captain just back from his first combat action in Afghanistan, already a man to watch. And their cousin? None other than Jack Ryan, Jr.

Jack Ryan, Jr. was raised on intrigue. As his father ascended through the ranks of the CIA and into the White House, Jack received a life course in the way the world operates from agents, statesmen, analysts, Secret Service men, and black ops specialists like John Clark and Ding Chavez. But nothing has prepared him for the real-world danger he is about to face.

The blockbuster bestseller that kickstarted a new genre--the medical thriller--is now available in trade paperback for the first time. They called it "minor surgery," but Nancy Greenly, Sean Berman and a dozen others--all admitted to Boston Memorial Hospital for routine procedures--were victims of the same inexplicable, hideous tragedy on the operating table. They never woke up.

Susan Wheeler is a third-year medical student working as a trainee at Boston Memorial Hospital. Two patients during her residency mysteriously go into comas immediately after their operations due to complications from anesthesia. Susan begins to investigate the causes behind both of these alarming comas and discovers the oxygen line in Operating Room 8 has been tampered with to induce carbon monoxide poisoning.

Then Susan discovers the evil nature of the Jefferson Institute, an intensive care facility where patients are suspended from the ceiling and kept alive until they can be harvested for healthy organs. Is she a participant in--or a victim of--a large-scale black market dealing in human organs?

This is Edmond Rostand's immortal play in which chivalry and wit, bravery and love are forever captured in the timeless spirit of romance. Set in Louis XIII's reign, it is the moving and exciting drama of one of the finest swordsmen in France, gallant soldier, brilliant wit, tragic poet-lover with the face of a clown. Rostand's extraordinary lyric powers gave birth to a universal hero--Cyrano De Bergerac--and ensured his own reputation as author of one of the best-loved plays in the literature of the stage.

This translation, by the American poet Brian Hooker, is nearly as famous as the original play itself, and is generally considered to be one of the finest English verse translations ever written.

Harry Dresden, Chicago's only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for 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...
A handless and headless corpse the Chicago police need identified...
Not to mention the return of Harry's ex-girlfriend Susan, who's still struggling with her semi-vampiric nature. And who seems to have a new man in her life.

Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you're charging.

The Owens sisters confront the challenges of life and love in this bewitching novel from New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman. For more than two hundred years, the Owens women have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their Massachusetts town. Gillian and Sally have endured that fate as well: as children, the sisters were forever outsiders, taunted, talked about, pointed at. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, with their musty house and their exotic concoctions and their crowd of black cats. But all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape. One will do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they share will bring them back—almost as if by magic...

While pursuing his quest for the Dark Tower through a world that is a nightmarishly distorted mirror image of our own, Roland, the last gunslinger, encounters three mysterious doorways on the beach. Each one enters into the life of a different person living in contemporary New York. Here he links forces with the defiant young Eddie Dean and the beautiful, brilliant, and brave Odetta Holmes, in a savage struggle against underworld evil and otherworldly enemies.

Once again, Stephen King has masterfully interwoven dark, evocative fantasy and icy realism.

In print since 1948, this is a single-volume collection of Oscar Wilde's texts. It contains his only novel, The Portrait of Dorian Gray as well as his plays, stories, poems, essays, and letters. Illustrated with many photographs, the book includes introductions to each section by Wilde's grandson, Merlin Holland, Owen Dudley Edwards, Declan Kiberd, and Terence Brown.

A comprehensive bibliography of works by and about Oscar Wilde together with a chronological table of his life and work are also included.

She was born with her eyes closed and a word on her tongue, a word she could not taste. Her name was Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she spent the first years of her life listening to her aunt’s stories and learning the language of the birds, especially the swans. And when she was older, she watched as a colt was born, and she heard the first word on his tongue, his name, Falada.

From the Grimm's fairy tale of the princess who became a goose girl before she could become queen, Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original, and magical tale of a girl who must find her own unusual talents before she can lead the people she has made her own.

Enter the city of Hart's Hope, ruled by gods both powerful and indifferent, riddled with sorcery and revenge. The city was captured by a rebellious lord, Palicrovol, who overthrew the cruel king, Nasilee, hated by his people.

Palicrovol, too, was cruel, as befitted a king. He took the true mantle of kinghood by forcing Asineth, now Queen by her father's death, to marry him, raping her to consummate the marriage. But he was not cruel enough to rule. He let her live after her humiliation; live to bear a daughter; live to return from exile and retake the throne of Hart's Hope.

But she, in turn, sent Palicrovol into exile to breed a son who would, in the name of the God, take back the kingdom from its cruel Queen.

Everything that had happened to Nina was real. She had real handcuffs on her wrists, real scars on her back, real fear flooding her mind.

'They're going to kill me,' Nina whispered, and it was almost a relief to finally, finally give up hope.

In a society that allows no more than two children per family under penalty of death, third children are forced into hiding, or to live with false identity papers. In Among the Impostors, Nina Idi was arrested for treason for supposedly trying to trick the Population Police into arresting other students she said were illegal third children. Now she faces torture or death -- unless she agrees to betray three other imprisoned third children. Her dilemma intensifies when she meets the prisoners -- who are only ten, nine, and six.

As she did so brilliantly in the Publishers Weekly best-selling Among the Hidden and in Among the Impostors, Margaret Peterson Haddix once again brings readers to a world in which nothing is as it seems -- a world in which an imprisonment leads to an adventure of mind, body, and spirit.

In Nick Hornby's How to Be Good, Katie Carr is certainly trying to be good. That's why she became a GP, cares about Third World debt and homelessness, and struggles to raise her children with a conscience. It's also why she puts up with her husband David, the self-styled Angriest Man in Holloway.

One fateful day, she finds herself in a Leeds parking lot, having just slept with another man. What Katie doesn't yet realize is that her fall from grace is just the first step on a spiritual journey more torturous than the interstate at rush hour.

Because, prompted by his wife's actions, David is about to stop being angry. He's about to become good—not politically correct, organic-food-eating good, but good in the fashion of the Gospels. And that's no easier in modern-day Holloway than it was in ancient Israel.

Hornby means us to take his title literally: How can we be good, and what does that mean? However, quite apart from demanding that his readers scrub their souls with the nearest available Brillo pad, he also mesmerizes us with that cocktail of wit and compassion that has become his trademark.

The result is a multifaceted jewel of a book: a hilarious romp, a painstaking dissection of middle-class mores, and a powerfully sympathetic portrait of a marriage in its death throes. It's hard to know whether to laugh or cry as we watch David forcing his kids to give away their computers, drawing up schemes for the mass redistribution of wealth, and inviting his wife's most desolate patients round for a Sunday roast.

But that's because How to Be Good manages to be both brutally truthful and full of hope. It won't outsell the Bible, but it's a lot funnier.

Leaving Atlanta is a poignant and evocative coming-of-age novel by the talented Tayari Jones. Set against the harrowing backdrop of the Atlanta child murders of 1979, this story immerses you in the lives of three young black children navigating their way through a world fraught with fear and uncertainty.

The narrative unfolds through the perspectives of fifth-grade classmates Tasha Baxter, Rodney Green, and Octavia Harrison. As they return to school, they face not only the usual childhood challenges but also the terrifying reality of safety lessons, anxious parents, and an omnipresent sense of dread. Jones masterfully captures the innocence and resilience of childhood, painting a vivid picture of how these young souls strive to grow up and survive amidst the chaos.

With its rich storytelling and deep emotional resonance, Leaving Atlanta is a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. It's a story that will linger in your heart long after you've turned the last page.

During the mid 1980s, Howard Marks had 43 aliases, 89 phone lines, and owned 25 companies throughout the world. Whether bars, recording studios, or offshore banks, all were money laundering vehicles serving the core activity: dope dealing.

Marks began to deal small amounts of hashish while doing a postgraduate philosophy course at Oxford, but soon he was moving much larger quantities. At the height of his career, he was smuggling consignments of up to 50 tons from Pakistan and Thailand to America and Canada and had contact with organizations as diverse as MI6, the CIA, the IRA, and the Mafia. This is his extraordinary story.

Katie Wilkinson has found her perfect man at last. He's a writer, a house painter, an original thinker--everything she's imagined she wanted in a partner. But one day, without explanation, he disappears from her life, leaving behind only a diary for her to read.

This diary is a love letter written by a new mother named Suzanne for her baby son, Nicholas. In it she pours out her heart about how she and the boy's father met, about her hopes for marriage and family, and about the unparalleled joy that having a baby has brought into her life. As Katie reads this touching document, it becomes clear that the lover who has just left her is the husband and father in this young family. She reads on, filled with terror and hope, as she struggles to understand what has happened--and whether her new love has a prayer of surviving.

Written with James Patterson's perfect pitch for emotion and suspense, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas captures beautifully the joys of a new family even as it builds to an overwhelmingly moving climax. This is an unforgettable love story, at once heartbreaking and full of hope.

The Motorcycle Diaries is Che Guevara's diary of his journey to discover the continent of Latin America while still a medical student, setting out in 1952 on a vintage Norton motorcycle together with his friend Alberto Granado, a biochemist. It captures, arguably as much as any book ever written, the exuberance and joy of one person's youthful belief in the possibilities of humankind tending towards justice, peace and happiness.

After the release in 2004 of the exhilarating film of the same title, directed by Walter Salles, the book became a New York Times and international bestseller. This edition includes a new introduction by Walter Salles and an array of new material that was assembled for the 2004 edition coinciding with the release of the film, including 24 pages of previously unpublished photos taken by Che, notes and comments by his wife, Aleida Guevara March, and an extensive introduction by the distinguished Cuban author, Cintio Vitier.

"A journey, a number of journeys. Ernesto Guevara in search of adventure, Ernesto Guevara in search of America, Ernesto Guevara in search of Che. On this journey, solitude found solidarity. 'I' turned into 'we.'"—Eduardo Galeano

"As his journey progresses, Guevara's voice seems to deepen, to darken, colored by what he witnesses in his travels. He is still poetic, but now he comments on what he sees, though still poetically, with a new awareness of the social and political ramifications of what's going on around him."—January Magazine

"Our film is about a young man, Che, falling in love with a continent and finding his place in it." —Walter Salles, director of the film version of The Motorcycle Diaries

"All this wandering around 'Our America with a Capital A' has changed me more than I thought." —Ernesto Che Guevara, from The Motorcycle Diaries

Burning Chrome is a compelling collection of ten short stories by the master of science fiction, William Gibson. Renowned for his ability to create intensely-realized worlds, Gibson takes us on a journey through the computer-enhanced lives of his characters. From the chip-enhanced couriers of "Johnny Mnemonic" to the street-tech melancholy of "Burning Chrome", each story is a breathtaking exploration of the future.

Contents:
Johnny Mnemonic (1981)
The Gernsback Continuum (1981)
Fragments of a Hologram Rose (1977)
The Belonging Kind (1981) with John Shirley
Hinterlands (1981)
Red Star, Winter Orbit (1983) with Bruce Sterling
New Rose Hotel (1984)
The Winter Market (1985)
Dogfight (1985) with Michael Swanwick
Burning Chrome (1982)

Each tale is tautly written and suspenseful, showcasing Gibson's characters at their absolute best.

Dear Reader,

If you have just picked up this book, then it is not too late to put it back down. Like the previous books in A Series of Unfortunate Events, there is nothing to be found in these pages but misery, despair, and discomfort, and you still have time to choose something else to read.

Within the chapters of this story, Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire encounter a darkened staircase, a red herring, some friends in a dire situation, three mysterious initials, a liar with an evil scheme, a secret passageway, and parsley soda.

I have sworn to write down these tales of the Baudelaire orphans so the general public will know each terrible thing that has happened to them, but if you decide to read something else instead, you will save yourself from a heapful of horror and woe.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

A poignant and suspenseful retelling of a classic fairy tale set in a war-torn world. In the last months of the Nazi occupation of Poland, two children are left by their father and stepmother to find safety in a dense forest. Because their real names will reveal their Jewishness, they are renamed "Hansel" and "Gretel." They wander in the woods until they are taken in by Magda, an eccentric and stubborn old woman called a "witch" by the nearby villagers.

Magda is determined to save them, even as a German officer arrives in the village with his own plans for the children. Louise Murphy's haunting novel of journey and survival, of redemption and memory, powerfully depicts how war is experienced by families and especially by children.

Top Ten Reasons Samantha Madison is in Deep Trouble:

1. Her big sister is the most popular girl in school.
2. Her little sister is a certified genius.
3. She's in love with her big sister's boyfriend.
4. She got caught selling celebrity portraits in school.
5. And now she's being forced to take art classes.
6. She's just saved the president of the United States from an assassination attempt.
7. So the whole world thinks she is a hero.
8. Even though Sam knows she is far, far from being a hero.
9. And now she's been appointed teen ambassador to the UN.
10. The president's son just might be in love with her.

In an eventful twist of fate, Samantha Madison, an average sophomore, finds herself at the center of national attention when she inadvertently thwarts an assassination attempt on the president. Now, as the newly appointed Teen Ambassador to the United Nations, Sam navigates the complexities of her new role while also dealing with her feelings for the president's charming son.

Join Sam on her journey as she tackles the ups and downs of teenage life, sibling rivalries, and unexpected fame, all while trying to stay true to herself.

Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer is a riveting exploration of religious extremism and violence. This bone-chilling narrative delves into a double murder committed by two Mormon Fundamentalist brothers who claimed divine inspiration for their actions.

Krakauer provides a meticulously researched account of this "divinely inspired" crime, weaving a multi-layered story of messianic delusion, polygamy, and unyielding faith. The book uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America's fastest-growing religion and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief.

The author takes readers inside isolated communities in the American West, Canada, and Mexico, where some forty thousand Mormon Fundamentalists believe the mainstream Mormon Church went astray when it renounced polygamy. These communities are led by zealots who answer only to God, defying civil authorities and the Mormon establishment in Salt Lake City.

Weaving the story of the Lafferty brothers with a clear-eyed look at Mormonism's violent past, Krakauer examines the underbelly of America's most successful homegrown faith, finding a distinctly American brand of religious extremism. This is a compelling work of non-fiction that illuminates an otherwise confounding realm of human behavior.