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'Mr Slope flattered himself that he could out-manoeuvre the lady...he did not doubt of ultimate triumph.' Barchester Towers (1857) was the book that made Trollope's reputation and it remains his most popular and enjoyable novel. The arrival of a new bishop in Barchester, accompanied by his formidable wife and ambitious chaplain, Obadiah Slope, sets the town in turmoil as Archdeacon Grantly declares 'War, war, internecine war!' on Bishop Proudie and his supporters. Who will come out on top in the battle between the archdeacon, the bishop, Mr Slope, and Mrs Proudie? The livelihood of Mr Harding, the saintly hero of The Warden, is once more under threat but clerical warfare finds itself tangled up in the wayward (and sometimes perverse) desires of the many courtships, seductions, and romances of the book. Who will marry Eleanor Bold? Can any man resist the charms of the exotically beautiful 'La Signora Madeline Vesey Neroni'? Will the oily Mr Slope finally get his comeuppance? Trollope's matchless handling of plot and character displays a skill whose distinctive literary qualities are celebrated in this new edition. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

A visit to the local village fete for a spot of fun and relaxation turns into a nightmare for Agatha Raisin when she discovers the body of the local landowner in the woods - with an arrow in his chest and his trousers round his ankles. At first her old adversary, Detective Chief Inspector Wilkes, declares the death a tragic accident, believing the victim has been hit by a stray arrow from an archery demonstration. Agatha is convinced the man was murdered and is shocked when Wilkes eventually agrees... particularly as he considers her to be his prime suspect! Determined to clear her name and find the real killer, Agatha launches her own investigation, quickly becoming involved with a family at war, an unscrupulous gangster -- and a murderer who is determined to make her the next victim... 'This Hamish Macbeth novel maintains Beaton's distinctive voice and includes the usual village eccentrics, loads of Scottish lore, and the light humor that Beaton fans have loved through the years. . . A definite purchase for all mystery collections' Starred Review, Library Journal 'Unmissable!' Peterborough Telegraph Praise for the Hamish Macbeth series: 'First rate ... deft social comedy and wonderfully realized atmosphere.' Booklist 'It's always a treat to return to Lochdubh.' New York Times 'Readers will enjoy the quirks and unique qualities of the cast ... Beaton catches the beauty of the area's natural geography and succinctly describes its distinct flavour.' Library Journal 'Befuddled, earnest and utterly endearing, Hamish makes his triumphs sweetly satisfying.' Publishers Weekly

'Look, my lord! See heaven itself declares against your impious intentions!' The Castle of Otranto (1764) is the first supernatural English novel and one of the most influential works of Gothic fiction. It inaugurated a literary genre that will be forever associated with the effects that Walpole pioneered. Professing to be a translation of a mysterious Italian tale from the darkest Middle Ages, the novel tells of Manfred, prince of Otranto, whose fear of an ancient prophecy sets him on a course of destruction. After the grotesque death of his only son, Conrad, on his wedding day, Manfred determines to marry the bride-to-be. The virgin Isabella flees through a castle riddled with secret passages. Chilling coincidences, ghostly visitations, arcane revelations, and violent combat combine in a heady mix that terrified the novel's first readers. In this new edition Nick Groom examines the reasons for its extraordinary impact and the Gothic culture from which it sprang. The Castle of Otranto was a game-changer, and Walpole the writer who paved the way for modern horror exponents. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

What if your new colleague is the one person who leaves you speechless? Harper Jenkins has a way with words. As Celebrity Editor at a glossy magazine, she knows exactly how to get tight-lipped Hollywood stars talking, landing her exclusive stories and a great reputation. There's only one person who leaves her speechless - her arrogant colleague Ryan, who has been hired as the new Features Editor. Harper remembers Ryan from a decade ago, when they both interned together. Back then she had believed he was someone she could trust - but he betrayed her completely and they've never spoken since. Thrown together again in a busy newsroom, Harper and Ryan clash on everything - he can't bear how chaotic and messy she is while she declares him uptight and infuriating. But as the tension between them builds, who will get to have the last word? READERS LOVE HARPER AND RYAN . . . 'The Last Word is a witty, entertaining, sparkling and addictive novel and I didn't want it to end' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An unmissable, quick-witted, and funny second-chance romance' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I absolutely loved this' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Funny, heartfelt, and so well written' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Katy Birchall is fast becoming one of my favourite authors' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A magnificent enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy with some real laughs and a main character that I couldn't help but root for!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mrs. Craddock (1902) is a novel by W. Somerset Maugham. Controversial for its portrayal of infidelity and marriage across social classes, Mrs. Craddock was instrumental in establishing Maugham's reputation as a leading author of the late Victorian era. Due to its content, the novel appeared exclusively in Bowdlerized form until Maugham saw it republished in 1938. Bertha Ley has always been independent. Orphaned at a young age, she comes into a sizable inheritance at 21 and declares her wish to marry Edward Craddock, a 27-year-old from a working-class background. Despite his initial hesitance, she encourages him to propose and assures him that they can raise a family together. As she signs over control of her fortune to Craddock, ostensibly to give him the confidence he desperately needs, Bertha slowly realizes that she is unattracted to almost everything about him. His morals, interests, and attitudes are all shaped by a way of life she will never understand, and he appears solely dedicated to raising his animals. When their first child is stillborn, things begin to change for the young husband and wife-Bertha retreats while Edward leans into his commitment to work, even taking an interest in local politics. Although Bertha begins to accept her unhappiness, something inside her remains undeterred, longing to be released. This edition of W. Somerset Maugham's Mrs. Craddock is a classic work of British literature reimagined for modern readers. Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

',A triumph of storytelling', Guardian THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, SEPTEMBER 2025 A dismembered corpse is discovered in the vault of a silver shop. The police initially believe it to be that of a convicted armed robber - but not everyone agrees with that theory. One of them is Decima Mullins, who calls on the help of private detective Cormoran Strike as she',s certain the body in the silver vault was that of her boyfriend - the father of her newborn baby - who suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. The more Strike and his business partner Robin Ellacott delve into the case, the more labyrinthine it gets. The silver shop is no ordinary one: it',s located beside Freemasons', Hall and specialises in Masonic silverware. And in addition to the armed robber and Decima',s boyfriend, it becomes clear that there are other missing men who could fit the profile of the body in the vault. As the case becomes ever more complicated and dangerous, Strike faces another quandary. Robin seems increasingly committed to her boyfriend, policeman Ryan Murphy, but the impulse to declare his own feelings for her is becoming stronger than ever. A gripping, wonderfully complex novel which takes Strike and Robin',s story to a new level, The Hallmarked Man is an unmissable read for any fan of this unique series. PRAISE FOR THE CORMORAN STRIKE SERIES ',A superlative piece of crime fiction', Sunday Times ',The work of a master storyteller', Daily Telegraph ',A scrupulous plotter and master of misdirection, Galbraith keeps the pages turning . . . Strike and Ellacott remain one of crime',s most engaging duos', Guardian ',No one can deny [Robert Galbraith, pseudonym of] J. K. Rowling',s formidable talents as a crime writer', Daily Mail ',Strike is a compelling creation . . . this is terrifically entertaining stuff', Irish Times

Following the award-winning bestseller They Called Us Enemy, George Takei’s new full-color graphic memoir reveals his most personal story of all—told in full for the first time anywhere! George Takei has shown the world many faces: actor, author, outspoken activist, helmsman of the starship Enterprise, living witness to the internment of Japanese Americans, and king of social media. But until October 27, 2005, there was always one piece missing—one face he did not show the world. There was one very intimate fact about George that he never shared…and it rhymes with Takei. Now, for the first time ever, George shares the full story of his life in the closet, his decision to come out as gay at the age of 68, and the way that moment transformed everything. Following the phenomenal success of his first graphic memoir, They Called Us Enemy, George Takei reunites with the team of Harmony Becker, Steven Scott, and Justin Eisinger for a jaw-dropping new testament. From his earliest childhood crushes and youthful experiments in the rigidly conformist 1950s, to global fame as an actor and the terrible fear of exposure, to the watershed moment of speaking his truth and becoming one of the most high-profile gay men on the planet, It Rhymes with Takei offers a sweeping portrait of one iconic American navigating the tides of LGBTQ+ history. Combining historical context with intimate subjectivity, It Rhymes with Takei shows how the personal and the political have always been intertwined. Its richly emotional words and images depict the terror of entrapment even in gay community spaces, the anguish of speaking up for so many issues while remaining silent on his most personal issue, the grief of losing friends to AIDS, the joy of finding true love with Brad Altman, and the determination to declare that love openly—and legally—before the whole world. Looking back on his astonishing life on both sides of the closet door, George Takei presents a charismatic and candid account of how far America has come…and how precious that progress is.

What does the Bible say about the value of women? Does the Bible teach that women are as valuable as men or does it portray them as somehow more flawed, more suspect, or weak and easily deceived? Beginning from Genesis and working all the way through the storyline of the Bible, Worthy demonstrates the significant and yes, even surprising, ways that God has used women to accomplish His kingdom goals. Because, like men, they are created in His image, their lives reflect and declare His worth. Worthy will enable and encourage both men and women to embrace this true and lofty vision of God's creation, plan, and their value in His eyes. Bestselling author Elyse Fitzpatrick and pastor Eric Schumacher together invite women to embrace a transformative and empowering view of their Maker, themselves, and the church. But this isn't only a book for women. It is also a book for men, especially leaders, who want to grow in their understanding of God's perspective on women, people who normally make up the majority of their congregations; men who might be wondering if they've missed something amid the abuse scandals that are rocking the church. Might the headlines they're reading today about abuse have their roots in a denigration of the value and worth of women? Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women will help every reader see the value, place, and calling of women through study questions and a "Digging Deeper" section that will help men and women discover how to cherish, value, and honor one another for God's glory.

BOOK FOUR IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES A gorgeous, collectable look for this beloved and bestselling fantasy series that glows, burns, and smolders. (Huffington Post). The deluxe paperback editions each feature tip-ins with exclusive character art! Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale of Sabaa Tahir's beloved New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series, and discover: Who will survive the storm? Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off... The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning. By his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family. Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory or to an unimaginable doom. And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life and love he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save or destroy all that he knows.

Brimming with evocative quotes, intriguing facts and delightful trivia, this pocket-sized gem raises a glass to Ireland's legendary brew. The Little Guide to Guinness takes you on a fascinating journey through time - from the remarkable story of Arthur Guinness and his famous 9,000-year lease to the science behind the perfect pour and the ways in which this frothy stout has left its mark on everything from medicine to marketing. Along the way, you'll uncover quirky customs, global celebrations and the enduring appeal of the beloved "black stuff". Whether you're a Guinness aficionado or a curious newcomer, this book captures the spirit and pride poured into every glass. A satisfying sip of knowledge for anyone who loves pubs, pints and good company - and the perfect gift for St Patrick's Day, birthdays or your next pub round! Sample Content: "I was blue mouldy for the want of that pint. Declare to God, I could hear it hit the pit of my stomach with a click." James Joyce, describing a first taste of the black stuff in Barney Kiernan's pub, Ulysses, 1922 "At one with the One, it didn't mean a thing besides a glass of Guinness on a sunny day." Graham Greene, writer and journalist "My Goodness, My Guinness." Iconic advertising slogan, 1935 In the early 20th century, Guinness was marketed as a health tonic. Doctors recommended it to blood donors and even to pregnant women, thanks to its iron content. The famous slogan "Guinness is Good for You" was born from this era. While it's true that Guinness contains a small amount of iron (about 0.3 mg per pint), you'd need to drink dozens of pints a day to hit your recommended daily intake!

When the mayor of a small Alabama town starts targeting Pride events, bad boy Zeke begins hosting a series of “Pride Speakeasies” in this joyful queer coming-of-age! "A book that demands to be read, shared and celebrated."—PinkNews There’s nothing Zeke Chapman wants more than to tarnish the perfect reputation his father is so obsessed with. He quit the baseball team, started fighting at school, and nearly flunked junior year. Newly out as gay, Zeke isn’t sure where his queer identity fits in with his bad-boy persona. His father has always told him to stay quiet and not attract attention, but his friends are pushing him to be just as out and proud as they are. Most days, Zeke isn’t sure how to be a “good gay” or what that even means. When his best friend, Sawyer, begs him to help the QSA plan Pride Day, he obliges—mostly to piss his dad off. But then the mayor announces an ordinance that cancels all LGBTQ+ celebrations. Angered by the injustice—and his father’s support of it—Zeke decides to put his rebellious ways to good use and plans a series of underground “Pride Speakeasies”. As the speakeasies grow, and the community comes together to declare him “King of Pride”; Zeke finally feels like he’s doing something that matters. But friendship drama, a mysterious cyber-crush, and rising tension with his rival and ex Cohen “Coco” Fisher threaten to undermine his newfound pride. When his final party ends in near-disaster, Zeke must ask himself what he’s really trying to do. After all, there’s a reason that the first pride was a riot.

Refusal is the new Dick Francis novel from bestseller, Felix Francis. When Sir Richard Stewart, chair of the horse racing authority, demands ex-investigator Sid Halley examines some suspicious races, he is given a firm no. Sid retired six years ago - and nothing will make him go back. But he's wrong. Next day, Sir Richard is found dead. Then Sid's six-year-old daughter goes missing and he receives an anonymous call: declare the alleged race-fixing clean, or else. With his family in danger, how can Sid refuse? But this anonymous foe has underestimated the guile and determination of Sid Halley. Extreme situations demand extreme solutions and Sid will do anything to get his life back, or die trying. The work of thriller master Dick Francis continues through his son Felix's solo efforts: Bloodline, Gamble, and now Refusal. Praise for Dick Francis and Felix Francis: 'From winning post to top of the bestseller list, time after time' Sunday Times 'The Francis flair is clear for all to see' Daily Mail 'The master of suspense and intrigue' Country Life 'Nail-biting, suspenseful' Choice Felix Francis is the younger son of thriller-writing legend, Dick Francis, with whom he co-wrote the four most recent Dick Francis Novels, Dead Heat, Silks, Even Money and Crossfire, with Felix taking an increasingly greater role in the writing. Sadly Dick died in February 2010 but his work will live on through Felix. Refusal is Felix's third solo Dick Francis novel. Felix trained as a physicist and spent seventeen years teaching A-level physics before taking on the role as manager to his father, and then as author. He lives in Oxfordshire.

'Completely addictive!' ¿¿¿¿¿ reader review Iris loves being a mermaid. So, when her Mom, Queen of the Ocean, declares that she's to be wed to a human, she's furious. Finn wants to be the first human mayor of magical New York. He needs a magical wife as part of his PR strategy to win over his constituents, and he's fine with a loveless marriage. But after his reluctant fiancé Iris douses him with seawater at their first meeting, Finn finds himself wanting this romance to be more than a business arrangement. Iris can't stand Finn on principle, but no matter how far she pushes him, Finn just won't break off their engagement. In fact, he keeps going out of his way to make her life easier. And soon, this mermaid is left wondering if life might be better in Manhattan than under the sea... Tropes: ¿ ¿Arranged marriage ¿¿ ¿Only one bed ¿ ¿Romantasy ¿ ¿¿Spice Readers LOVE Mermaid in Manhattan! 'I was hooked from start to finish and never wanted to come up for air' Emma Lucy, bestselling author of Live, Ranch, Love 'An enchanting romp with all the charm of a classic rom-com!' A. T. Qureshi, USA Today bestselling author of The Baby Dragon Cafe 'Jessica Gadziala has mastered the magical romcom!' Grace Reilly, bestselling author of First Down 'Witty, swoony and completely bingeable' Nadia El-Fassi, bestselling author of Best Hex Ever 'I loved Finn and Iris...It's a version of New York I would happily live in' Athena Carstairs, author of There's Pumpkin About You 'Utterly addictive' Annabelle Slator, author of The Launch Date 'Completely addictive!' ¿¿¿¿¿ reader review 'Had me kicking my feet and screaming' ¿¿¿¿¿ reader review

A poignant meditation on the nature of desire, and the enduring power of love, Gabriel García Márquez's Love in the Time of Cholera is translated from the Spanish by Edith Grossman in Penguin Modern Classics. Florentino Ariza is a hopeless romantic who falls passionately for the beautiful Fermina Daza, but finds his love tragically rejected. Instead Fermina marriesdistinguished doctor Juvenal Urbino, while Florentino can only wait silently for her. He can never forget his first and only true love. Then, fifty-one years, nine months and four days later, Fermina's husband dies unexpectedly. At last Florentino has another chance to declare his feelings and discover if a passion that has endured for half a century will remain unrequited, in a rich, fantastical and humane celebration of love in all its many forms. Gabriel García Márquez (b. 1928) was born in Aracataca, Colombia. He is the author of several novels, including Leaf Storm (1955), One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967), The Autumn of the Patriarch (1975) Chronicle of a Death Foretold (1981) and The General in His Labyrinth (1989). He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982. If you enjoyed Love in the Time of Cholera, you might like Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude, also available in Penguin Modern Classics. 'The nearest thing to sensual pleasure prose can offer' Daily Telegraph 'An amazing celebration of the many kinds of love between men and women... among Márquez's best fiction' The Times 'The greatest luxury ... is the eerie, entirely convincing suspension of the laws of reality ... the agelessness of the human story as told by one of this century's most evocative writers' Anne Tyler, author of The Accidental Tourist

**Pre-order Elphie, the spellbinding prequel to Wicked, now** The global bestseller that inspired the hit musical phenomenon. Now a major movie and record-breaking box office sensation. ¿ ¿ In this classic tale of good and evil, what if we weren't told the whole story? Long before Dorothy follows the yellow brick road and triumphs over the Wicked Witch of the West, a little girl with emerald-green skin is born in the land of Oz. Elphaba grows up to be smart and prickly, a lonely outsider with an extraordinary talent for magic. Arriving at university, she dares to believe she might finally fit in. But Oz isn't the haven she'd dreamed of. Some of its citizens are in grave danger, and Elphaba is determined to protect them from the Wizard's power. And when the world declares her a wicked witch, Elphaba takes matters into her own hands... This is the original novel by Gregory Maguire, first published in 1995. It is a reimagined prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and contains adult content. ¿ Fall under the WICKED spell this year ¿ 'One of my absolute favourite books! A completely different take on the classic' 'Kept me on the edge of my seat from the second I picked it up' 'I have a penchant for fairytale retellings that are a bit dark and misunderstood villains and this ticked all my boxes' 'This is a real Oz, it makes you believe in it' 'A real joy to sink into a very different world' 'You see the Wicked Witch and Dorothy in a whole new light' 'Funny, sad and unputdownable' 'Honestly, it's better than The Wizard of Oz!' 'Wonderfully written, witty and thought provoking' 'A favourite of mine for many many years'

THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL is the #1 movie now streaming on Netflix—starring Academy Award winner Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Michelle Yeoh, Sofia Wylie, Sophie Anne Caruso, Jamie Flatters, Earl Cave, Kit Young, and many others! In the New York Times bestselling sequel to Soman Chainani's debut, The School for Good and Evil, Sophie and Agatha are back in Gavaldon, living out their Happily Ever After, but life isn't quite the fairy tale they expected. Witches and princesses reside at the School for Girls, where they've been inspired to live a life without princes, while Tedros and the boys are camping in Evil's old towers. A war is brewing between the schools, but can Agatha and Sophie restore the peace? Can Sophie stay good with Tedros on the hunt? And whose heart does Agatha's belong to—her best friend or her prince? Soman Chainani has created a spectacular world that Newbery Medal-winning author Ann M. Martin calls "a fairy tale like no other, complete with romance, magic, humor, and a riddle that will keep you turning pages until the end." Princes vs Princesses: The School for Good and Evil has been divided. Witches and princesses have created a School for Girls, convinced they don’t need princes—but Prince Tedros and the boys are ready for a war. Friendship or True Love?: Agatha thought she had her happy ending. Now she must choose between her best friend, Sophie, and the prince who holds her heart. The Battle for Good and Evil: Sophie is determined to stay Good now that she’s home in Gavaldon. But as the conflict escalates, she discovers the line between saint and sinner is thinner than she ever imagined. A Fairy Tale Like No Other: This bestselling sequel is packed with the epic magic, thrilling adventure, and witty humor that made Ann M. Martin declare it a series like no other.

'A triumph of storytelling' Guardian THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, SEPTEMBER 2025 A dismembered corpse is discovered in the vault of a silver shop. The police initially believe it to be that of a convicted armed robber - but not everyone agrees with that theory. One of them is Decima Mullins, who calls on the help of private detective Cormoran Strike as she's certain the body in the silver vault was that of her boyfriend - the father of her newborn baby - who suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. The more Strike and his business partner Robin Ellacott delve into the case, the more labyrinthine it gets. The silver shop is no ordinary one: it's located beside Freemasons' Hall and specialises in Masonic silverware. And in addition to the armed robber and Decima's boyfriend, it becomes clear that there are other missing men who could fit the profile of the body in the vault. As the case becomes ever more complicated and dangerous, Strike faces another quandary. Robin seems increasingly committed to her boyfriend, policeman Ryan Murphy, but the impulse to declare his own feelings for her is becoming stronger than ever. A gripping, wonderfully complex novel which takes Strike and Robin's story to a new level, The Hallmarked Man is an unmissable read for any fan of this unique series. PRAISE FOR THE CORMORAN STRIKE SERIES 'A superlative piece of crime fiction' Sunday Times 'The work of a master storyteller' Daily Telegraph 'A scrupulous plotter and master of misdirection, Galbraith keeps the pages turning . . . Strike and Ellacott remain one of crime's most engaging duos' Guardian 'No one can deny [Robert Galbraith, pseudonym of] J. K. Rowling's formidable talents as a crime writer' Daily Mail 'Strike is a compelling creation . . . this is terrifically entertaining stuff' Irish Times

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection! It’s a new star-crossed romance about the magic of first love from the acclaimed author of We Are the Ants and Brave Face, Shaun David Hutchinson. Jack Nevin’s clever trickery and moral flexibility make him the perfect assistant to the Enchantress, one of the most well-known stage magicians in turn-of-the-nineteenth-century Europe. Without Jack’s steady supply of stolen tricks, the Enchantress’s fame would have burned out long ago. But when Jack’s thievery catches up to them, they’re forced to flee to America to find their fortune. Luckily, the Enchantress is able to arrange a set of sold-out shows at Seattle’s Alaska–Yukon–Pacific World’s Fair Exposition. She’s convinced they’re going to rich and famous until a new magician arrives on the scene. Performing tricks that defy the imagination, Laszlo’s show overshadows the Enchantress, leaving Jack no choice but to hunt for the secrets to his otherworldly illusions. But what Jack uncovers isn’t at all what he expected. Behind Laszlo’s tricks is Wilhelm—a boy that can seemingly perform real magic. Jack and Wilhelm have an instant connection, and as the rivalry between the Enchantress and Laszlo grows, so too does Jack and Wilhelm’s affection. But can Jack choose between the woman who gave him a life and the boy who is offering him everything? It’s a stirring tale about the magic of love from award-winning author Shaun David Hutchinson. Star-Crossed Lovers: Jack is an expert thief of illusions; Wilhelm can perform real magic. When their rival mentors declare war, their instant connection puts them on a collision course. Rivals to Lovers: Tasked with stealing the secrets of his competition, Jack instead finds himself falling for the quiet, mysterious boy behind the otherworldly magic. A Lush Historical Setting: Step into the spectacle and wonder of the 1909 Seattle World’s Fair, where magic and ambition collide on the world stage. Found Family: Torn between loyalty to the woman who gave him a life and the boy offering him a future, Jack must decide where his heart truly belongs.

Learn the C++ programming language in a structured, straightforward, and friendly manner. This book teaches the basics of the modern C++ programming language, the C++ Standard Library, and modern C++ standards, including C++23. No previous programming experience is required. C++ is a language like no other, surprising in its complexity, yet wonderfully sleek and elegant in so many ways. It is also a language that cannot be learned by guessing, one that is easy to get wrong and challenging to get right. To overcome this, each section is filled with real-world examples that gradually increase in complexity. Modern C++ for Absolute Beginners, Second Edition teaches more than just programming in C++23. It provides a solid C++ foundation to build upon. The author takes you through the C++ programming language, the Standard Library, and C++11 to C++23 standard basics. Each chapter is accompanied by the right amount oftheory and plenty of source code examples. You will work with C++23 features and standards, yet you will also compare and take a look into previous versions of C++. After reading this book, you'll be able to start programming in modern C++ standards. You will do so with plenty of relevant source code examples, freely available via a dedicated GitHub repository. What You Will Learn Get Introduced to modern C++ in a friendly but effective way Work with the basics of C++: types, operators, variables, constants, expressions, references, functions, classes, I/O, smart pointers, polymorphism, and more Set up the Visual Studio environment on Windows and GCC on Linux, where you can write your own code Declare and define functions, classes, and objects, and organize code into namespaces Discover object-oriented programming: classes and objects, encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and more using the most advanced C++ features Employ best practices in organizing source code and controlling program workflow Get familiar with C++ language do's and don'ts, and more Manage the basics of lambdas, inheritance, polymorphism, smart pointers, templates, modules, contracts, concepts, and more Who This Book Is For Beginner or novice programmers who wish to learn C++ programming. No prior programming experience is required.

#1 NYT-bestselling author Stephanie Laurens is back with a challenging case in which, from the first, the Adairs and Inspector Stokes are under significant pressure to identify the murderer of a powerful nobleman. When the Earl of Moran is found bludgeoned to death in his study, the finger is pointed at his mother's companion, Mary Alder, who the earl had dismissed and who was found standing over his body. Mary is the mother of Julian, one of Barnaby Adair's Lads Network's brightest stars, and in desperation, Julian and his employer, Curtis, appeal to the Adairs and Stokes for help in saving Mary from the hangman. While the investigators quickly establish that Mary couldn't have been the murderer, pressure builds to quickly declare the murderer's identity, yet who actually accomplished the deed is difficult to imagine, let alone prove. After being dismissed-for no apparent reason-from her position as companion to the Dowager Countess of Moran, Mary Alder believes she is fulfilling her last duty to the earl before leaving his employ the following morning, only to discover, on entering his study, that the earl has been struck down and is very dead. Then she's discovered standing, horror-struck, over the body, and is accused of committing the crime. On learning of his mother's predicament, Julian seeks help from his employer, Curtis, who immediately enlists the assistance of the Adairs and Stokes on Mary and Julian's behalf. As the investigators have already been directed to solve the politically and socially sensitive case without delay, they are swiftly on the scene-only to find that all their prime suspects were in the drawing room at the time of the murder, under each other's eyes. Indeed, despite a plethora of potential suspects, there's a dearth of evidence that places any of them anywhere near the earl's study at the fateful time. In solving this case, the investigators are forced to look past the obvious and confront their own prejudices before-fact by fact and motive by motive-they finally answer the question of who killed the Earl of Moran. A historical novel of 78,000 words interweaving mystery, crime, and a touch of romance.

"... I wish that I could send this book back in time to my younger self - and to all the trans women longing for a clearer reflection of our lives. This [book] stands powerfully alongside the work of thinkers such as Vivian Namaste, Mirha Soleil-Ross, and Julia Serano." - Kai Cheng Thom, author of Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars Can a synthesis of trans liberation and feminism be easily arrived at? This collection asserts that, as a matter of fact, we possessed the answer to that question decades ago. Second-Wave feminism is, today, nearly synonymous with 'transphobia'. Any mention of this era or the movement of 'radical feminism' conjures images of feminists allying with right-wingers and the authoritarian state, providing legal justification for outlawing gender-affirming care and spreading deeply evil caricatures of trans women to rationalize their exclusion as feminist subjects. In the ensuing struggle to reconcile trans rights with feminism, the specter of the trans-exclusionary radical feminist has often reared its head in opposition. One may be tempted to conclude that the Second Wave, as a whole, has done irreparable harm to feminist, queer and trans politics, and must be discarded entirely. But is that truly the case? Radical feminism also is responsible for repudiating bioessentialistic notions of gender with theories that place it as a firmly social phenomenon. It gave us the language to describe patriarchy as a regime of mandatory heterosexual existence and dared to dream of a post-gender existence long before anyone spoke the phrase "breaking the binary". Modern transfeminism owes much to radical feminist theory, and despite all propaganda to the contrary, the two schools of thought may be far more allied than believed. This series of essays aims to reconstruct and reintroduce the radical feminist framework that its misbegotten inheritors seem determined to forget and in doing so boldly makes the claim that transfeminism, far from being antagonistic to radical feminism, is in fact its direct descendant. It shows how a comprehensive social theory of transsexual oppression flows almost naturally from radical feminist precepts and dares to declare that a materialist, radical transfeminism is the way forward to seize the foundations of patriarchy at the root.

'Profound, lyrical, and fascinating, Life's Edge will give you a newfound appreciation for life itself. It is the work of a master science writer at the height of his skills.' - Ed Yong, author of An Immense World We all assume we know what life is, but the more scientists learn about the living world - from protocells to brains, from zygotes to pandemic viruses - the harder they find it to locate the edges of life, where it begins and ends. What exactly does it mean to be alive? Is a virus alive? Is a foetus? Carl Zimmer investigates one of the biggest questions of all: What is life? The answer seems obvious until you try to seriously answer it. Is the apple sitting on your kitchen counter alive, or is only the apple tree it came from deserving of the word? If we can't answer that question here on earth, how will we know when and if we discover alien life on other worlds? The question hangs over some of society's most charged conflicts - whether a fertilized egg is a living person, for example, and when we ought to declare a person legally dead. Life's Edge is a fascinating investigation by one of the most celebrated science writers of our time. Whether he is handling pythons in Alabama or searching for hibernating bats in the Adirondacks, Zimmer revels in astounding examples of life at its most bizarre. He tries his own hand at evolving life in a test tube with unnerving results. Charting the obsession with Dr Frankenstein's monster and how Coleridge came to believe the whole universe was alive, Zimmer leads us all the way into the labs and minds of researchers working on engineering life from the ground up.

I see my story as a suite of songs that have a magical connection. I never understood that connection until I sat down to write. It was then that the magic started to flow.' Let Love Rule is a work of deep reflection. Lenny Kravitz looks back at his life with candor, self-scrutiny, and humour. 'My life is all about opposites,' he writes. 'Black and white. Jewish and Christian. The Jackson 5 and Led Zeppelin. I accepted my Gemini soul. I owned it. I adored it. Yins and yangs mingled in various parts of my heart and mind, giving me balance and fueling my curiosity and comfort.' Let Love Rule covers a vast canvas stretching from Manhattan's Upper East Side, Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant, Los Angeles's Baldwin Hills, Beverly Hills, and finally to France, England and Germany. It's the story of a wildly creative kid who, despite tough struggles at school and extreme tension at home, finds salvation in music. We see him grow as a musician and ultimately a master songwriter, producer, and performer. We also see Lenny's spiritual growth-and the powerful way in which spirit informs his music. The cast of characters surrounding Lenny is extraordinary: his father, Sy, a high-powered news executive; his mother, Roxie Roker, a television star; and Lisa Bonet, the young actress who becomes his muse. The central character, of course, is Lenny, who, despite his great aspirational energy, turns down record deal after record deal until he finds his true voice.The creation of that voice, the same voice that is able to declare 'Let Love Rule' to an international audience, is the very heart of this story. 'Whether recording, performing, or writing a book,' says Lenny, 'my art is about listening to the inspiration inside and then sharing it with people. Art must bring the world closer together.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BOOKLIST In her now classic novel Outlander, Diana Gabaldon told the story of Claire Randall, an English ex-combat nurse who walks through a stone circle in the Scottish Highlands in 1946, and disappears . . . into 1743. The story unfolded from there in seven bestselling novels, and CNN has called it "a grand adventure written on a canvas that probes the heart, weighs the soul and measures the human spirit across [centuries]." Now the story continues in Written in My Own Heart's Blood. 1778: France declares war on Great Britain, the British army leaves Philadelphia, and George Washington's troops leave Valley Forge in pursuit. At this moment, Jamie Fraser returns from a presumed watery grave to discover that his best friend has married his wife, his illegitimate son has discovered (to his horror) who his father really is, and his beloved nephew, Ian, wants to marry a Quaker. Meanwhile, Jamie's wife, Claire, and his sister, Jenny, are busy picking up the pieces. The Frasers can only be thankful that their daughter Brianna and her family are safe in twentieth-century Scotland. Or not. In fact, Brianna is searching for her own son, who was kidnapped by a man determined to learn her family's secrets. Her husband, Roger, has ventured into the past in search of the missing boy . . . never suspecting that the object of his quest has not left the present. Now, with Roger out of the way, the kidnapper can focus on his true target: Brianna herself. Written in My Own Heart's Blood is the brilliant next chapter in a masterpiece of the imagination unlike any other. Praise for Written in My Own Heart's Blood "[Written in My Own Heart's Blood] features all the passion and swashbuckling that fans of this historical fantasy series have come to expect."-People "Another breakneck, rip-roaring, oh-so-addictive page-turner from Gabaldon . . . Take a deep breath, jump aboard, and enjoy the ride."-Library Journal "With her Outlander series, Gabaldon . . . successfully [juggles] a sizable and captivating cast of characters; developing thrilling plotlines that borrow equally from adventure, history, and romance; and meticulously integrating a wealth of fascinating period details into the story without slowing down the pace. The result is a sprawling and enthralling saga that is guaranteed to keep readers up long past their bedtimes."-Booklist (starred review)

“An immersive horror fairy tale marrying Crimson Peak to Pan’s Labyrinth upon strange foundations. You’re never really safe here, with Midnight Rooms wondrously defying expectation and refusing obedience. Donyae Coles leads us into a house of sinister magic, full of corners for peeking around, but careful—these walls have claws. A feverish, labyrinthine debut.”—Hailey Piper, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth Set in a foreboding Gothic mansion and infused with the heightened paranoia and creeping horror of novels like Catherine House and Crimson Peak, a spine-chilling debut historical thriller from a fresh voice in the genre that will leave you questioning who, or what, you can trust . . . including your own sanity. England, 1840. Orabella Mumthrope spies an unexpected visitor in her uncle’s parlor. Scruffy in appearance yet claiming to be the scion of a fabulously wealthy family, Elias Blakersby declares a deep desire to make Orabella his wife. The orphaned daughter of a white man and a Black woman—an outsider with no fortune or connections—Orabella never expected to marry. But her uncle has many debts, and Orabella, curious about the seeming devotion Elias bestows upon her, agrees. The new bride is quickly whisked away to Korringhill Manor, the Blakersby family estate, and far from everything she knows. Expecting splendor, Orabella is shocked to find decay, skittish servants, and curt elders. But her kind new husband’s loving touch, promises of a happy life together, and his assurances she’ll never want for anything soothe her concerns. Yet there is a darkness deep within this house. Rooms are locked or hidden away, and the walls seem to thrum with secrets. Orabella can never venture outside unattended; she spends her days having tea with a catatonic sister-in-law and evenings at Elias’s side, dutifully hosting lavish dinners. The darkness soon begins to engulf her, too. Becoming dizzy and drowsy after dinner, she falls into a fitful sleep filled with macabre dreams, and is awakened by blood-curdling screams in the night. In the morning she rises from her bed covered in mysterious bruises. Confused and terrified, she begins to question where her dreams end and reality begins. The longer Orabella stays in this place, the more she loses parts of herself . . . how long until she no longer exists? Midnight Rooms is a sweeping saga with supernatural undertones set in Victorian England. Vibrating with tension, richly atmospheric—haunted by ghosts, guilt, and familial bonds—it is an electrifying story that will linger in your dreams.

“You don’t have to be a fan of Southern fiction or historical fiction to appreciate and enjoy the fabulous storytelling in this collection.” —4½ stars, RT Book Reviews In the most turbulent decade of our nation's history, four Southern women—destinies forged by birth, hearts steeled by war—face near impossible choices on their journeys in life . . . and in love. To Mend a Dream by Tamera Alexander Savannah Darby would do almost anything to revisit her family home. So when new owner, Aidan Bedford, a Boston attorney and former Union soldier, seeks to redecorate the house for his fiancée, Savannah jumps at the opportunity. But the clock is ticking. Can she find the box her father supposedly hid there during the war before her assignment is completed? And before she sees yet another battle lost on the home front? This time, one of the heart. An Outlaw's Heart by Shelley Gray When Russell Stark returns to Fort Worth, he's determined to begin a new life. But when he arrives at his mother's homestead, he discovers she's very ill, and the woman he loved is still as beautiful and sweet as he remembered. With time running out, Russell must come to terms with both his future and his past. A Heart So True by Dorothy Love Abigail knows all too well what is expected of her: to marry her distant cousin Charles and take her place in society. But her heart belongs to another—and a terrible incident forces Abby to choose between love and duty. Love Beyond Limits by Elizabeth Musser Emily has a secret: She's in love with one of the freedmen on her family's plantation. Meanwhile, another man declares his love for her. Emily realizes some things are not as they seem and secrets must be kept in order to keep those she loves safe. “Four intriguing novellas rich in historical detail, with unique settings and surprising premises—each filled with romance and heartbreak, pain and redemption. This collection set in the nineteenth century took me home to times and places in the Deep South I’ve visited only in my dreams. An absolute pleasure to read.” —Cathy Gohlke, bestselling author of Secrets She Kept and Saving Amelie “Among the Fair Magnolias will sweep you into the past, carrying you into the beauty and battles of the Old South. You will love, laugh, and lament as your heart is inspired to face life with courage and live it more fully.” —Cindy Woodsmall, New York Times and CBA bestselling author

Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject Film Science, grade: B, Concordia University Montreal (Mel Hoppenheim School For Cinema), course: New German Cinema, language: English, abstract: ¿Never before and in no other country, were pictures and language in general treated with fewer consciences than here [in Germany].¿ Wim Wenders wrote in an article about Joachim Fest¿s documentary Hitler- Eine Karriere (Hitler ¿ A Career). ¿I don¿t think, that anywhere else has been such a loss in terms of confidence in the own pictures, the own histories and the own myths, than with us.¿ (Novell-Smith, p.566) These lines, which Wim Wenders wrote in the article, stand for the situation of the German film during at least 30 years. The heritage of the film of the Third Reich ¿ the instinctively mistrust against all pictures and histories, which concern the German identity ¿ was the main goal for the German directors of the 60s and 70s to work on. The new German cinema saw itself as part of the political public education system. After the Manifest of Oberhausen in 1962 several German filmmakers decided to make independent productions of film. ¿[¿]We declare that our ambition is to create the new German feature film. This new film requires new freedoms. Freedoms from commercial influences. Freedom from the dominance of interest groups.¿ [¿] (Excerpt of the Oberhausen Manifest in Pflaum, Hans Günther. Cinema in the Federal Republic of Germany. Trans. Timothy Nevill. Published by Inter Nationes. Bonn 1993, p.9) Although not mentioning the question of financial support, the young enthusiastic filmmakers hoped to get money from the government in order to be able to work as ¿authors¿. The government saw the cultural advantages of a strong national cinema and found 1965 the Kuratorium Junger Deutscher Film (Board for the New German Film). ¿Debuts by directors such as Alexander Kluge, Peter Fleischmann and Werner Herzog were assisted by awards from the Board.¿[¿] Little was changed by the law regulating assistance for the German film which came into force in 1968. With the conditions of production prevailing in this country in the mid-Sixties, it was basically impossible to implement the ¿new language¿ postulated in the Oberhausen Manifesto.¿ (Pflaum, p.10) The state-funded German cinema seemed so to have a secret, special cultural order from the government to present Germany to the rest of the world as a cultural motivated and especially self-critique country. That's what the following lines are about and how it came to these years were simply named "New Sensibilismus".

The New York Times bestseller and basis for the Tony-winning hit musical, now a major motion picture starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande With millions of copies in print around the world, Gregory Maguire’s Wicked is established not only as a brilliant piece of social commentary but as an epic fantasy novel to revisit for years to come. This unforgettable Oz retelling relishes the inspired inventions of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, while playing sleight of hand with our collective memories of the 1939 MGM film starring Margaret Hamilton (and Judy Garland). In this fast-paced, fantastically real, and supremely entertaining novel, Maguire has populated the largely unknown world of Oz with the power of his own imagination. Years before Dorothy and her dog crash-land, another little girl makes her presence known in Oz. This girl, Elphaba, is born with emerald-green skin—no easy burden in a land as mean and poor as Oz, where superstition and magic are not strong enough to explain or overcome the natural disasters of flood and famine. Still, Elphaba is smart, and by the time she enters Shiz University, she becomes a member of a charmed circle of Oz’s most promising young citizens. But Elphaba’s Oz is no utopia. In this gripping political fantasy, the Wizard’s secret police are everywhere. Animals—those creatures with voices, souls, and minds—are threatened with exile. Young Elphaba, green and wild and misunderstood, is determined to protect the Animals and fight for their rights—even if it means combating the mysterious Wizard, even if it means risking her single chance at romance. Ever wiser in guilt and sorrow, she can find herself grateful when the world declares her a witch. And she can even make herself glad for that young girl from Kansas. Recognized as an iconoclastic tour de force on its initial publication, this origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West has inspired the blockbuster musical of the same name—one of the longest-running plays in Broadway history. Popular, indeed. But while the novel’s distant cousins hail from the traditions of magical realism, mythopoeic fantasy, and sprawling nineteenth-century sagas of moral urgency, Maguire’s Wicked is as unique as its green-skinned witch. This is the story of Oz as you’ve never seen it before—a world of moral complexity, political intrigue, and breathtaking magic.

Seminar paper from the year 2007 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Freiburg (Englisches Seminar), course: 20th Century American Drama: Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller, language: English, abstract: The purpose of this term paper is to examine how the characters in Arthur Miller¿s plays are confronted with guilt and responsibility and how they deal with it. Furthermore, I want to demonstrate how personal, individual guilt and responsibility not only become a matter for the individual but also have an important impact on the community and the society. According to Miller, there is a really strong mutual relationship between the individual and society. He states: ¿Society is inside man and man is inside society, the water is in the fish, the fish is in the water.¿ Miller¿s main protagonists always try to defend themselves against an accusation, to deny their responsibility and guilt, and to believe in their innocence. Bigsby mentions what all of the characters concerning innocence and guilt have in common: ¿¿ [They] spend much of their time rebutting charges whose justice they acknowledge even as they are rejected. They are people who try to escape the consequences of their actions, who try to declare their innocence even when that involves implying the guilt of others.¿ This truly applies for the plays and characters I will observe in the following. I decided to focus on two plays published in the 1940s and 1950s: All My Sons (1947) and The Crucible (1953). Their main protagonists experience confrontation with themselves which finally leads to death. Most emphasis will be laid on All My Sons as there we have a number of characters dealing with guilt and responsibility, namely Chris, Larry, Kate, and Joe Keller. In addition, I will discuss the character of Proctor in The Crucible. The dominant question in these characters becomes this one: ¿How can a human being work out the interconnections among the everwidening circles of responsibility: self, family, society, the universe? According to Miller, ¿to violate the codes of any circle is to sin.¿

And the Ass Saw the Angel - Nick Cave's classic Gothic novel, in its full and original form Outcast, mute, a lone twin cut from a drunk mother in a shack full of junk, Euchrid Eucrow of Ukulore inhabits a nightmarish Southern valley of preachers and prophets, incest and ignorance. When the God-fearing folk of the town declare a foundling child to be chosen by the Almighty, Euchrid is disturbed. He sees her very differently, and his conviction, and increasing isolation and insanity, may have terrible consequences for them both... In 2009 Cave released a cut-down version of his novel but this reissue restores the full uncut text, as first published in 1989. Compelling and astonishing in its baroque richness, Nick Cave's acclaimed first novel is a fantastic journey into the twisted world of Deep Southern Gothic tragedy. This book will be adored by readers of Will Self, William Faulkner and Falnnery O'Connor, as well as fans of the cult rock star everywhere. An explosion of linguistic brio and Gothic grotesquery, horrifying, funny and tragic' Michel Faber, Guardian 'As if a Faulkner novel had been crossed with Whistle down the Wind and then narrated by a stoned blues musician ... heady' Daily Telegraph Nick Cave was born in Australia in 1957. He moved to London with his band The Birthday Party in 1990 and four years later he formed The Bad Seeds, with whom he has made 15 studio albums. In recent years he has made two albums with his other band, Grinderman. In 1999 he curated and directed the Meltdown Festival at London's South Bank Centre. He has also written the soundtrack for a number of successful films including The Assassination of Jesse James, Lawless and The Proposition. His novel And the Ass Saw the Angel was an international bestseller, Time Out's Book of the Year, and was reissued in the Penguin Essential series. His second novel The Death of Bunny Monroe was published in 2009. He lives in Brighton with his family.