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Taut, panoramic and powerful; Paper Names is an unforgettable debut about the long shadows of our parents, the ripple effects of our decisions and the ways in which our love transcends difference. Outside a New York apartment building, an attempted mugging alters the lives of three people. Tony, a Chinese-born engineer turned Manhattan doorman, who immigrated to the United States to give his family a better life. His daughter, Tammy, who grapples with the expectations surrounding a first-generation American as she grows into an ambitious young woman. And Oliver, a charming white lawyer with a dark family secret, who is continuously propelled towards Tammy and Tony, whether by fate or his choices. Set in New York and China over three decades, Paper Names explores what it means to be American from three different perspectives. As Tony, Tammy and Oliver each strive for their own American dream, and make sacrifices to attain it, every joyous and heart-breaking twist in their stories begs the question: was it all worth it?'Spectacular... Explosive and riveting, the story whipstitches in and out of time like a golden needle'— Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Left Undone ‘Unblinking, nimble, and written with the kind of clarity one expects from a seasoned author. The word stunning is not hyperbole here'— Brian Castleberry, award-winning author of Nine Shiny Objects ‘With a keen eye for detail, a strong sense of pacing, and a deep understanding of human nature, Susie Luo crafts a moving portrait of two families whose fates intertwine'— Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train

WATERSTONES SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE MONTH'A truly original, brilliant novel'Daily Mail'Very special indeed... your world will be a better place for reading this story'Joanna Cannon Everyone deserves a second chance. You just have to take the first step. Rocked by a terrible accident, homeless Kelly needs to escape the streets of Glasgow. Maybe she doesn't believe in serendipity, but a rare moment of kindness and a lost ring conspire to call her home, returning to the small town she fled so many years ago.

Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on 22nd May 1859. His childhood was blighted by his father's heavy drinking which for some years broke up the family. Fortunately, wealthy uncles were willing to support them by paying for education and clothing. He was accepted at the University of Edinburgh to study medicine and also began to write short stories the first, ‘The Haunted Grange of Goresthorpe', was published in Blackwood's Magazine. Despite several other stories and some articles in the British Medical Journal his medical studies took priority.When these finished he was appointed as Doctor on the Greenland whaler ‘Hope of Peterhead'in 1880 and then, after graduation, as ship's surgeon on the SS Mayumba on its voyage to West Africa.1882 saw a move to Plymouth and his own independent practice. With few patients he resumed writing and completed his first novel, ‘The Mystery of Cloomber', although most of his output was short stories based on his experiences at sea. He married Louisa Hawkins in 1885. However, two years later he met and fell in love with Jean Elizabeth Leckie, though they remained platonic out of respect for, and loyalty to, his wife.His literary career suddenly burst into life in November 1886 with ‘A Study In Scarlet', the first of the fabulously successful Sherlock Holmes stories. With two children to support he now revisited his haphazard commercial arrangements and curtailed everything save for commissions from the Strand Magazine. As a sportsman he was remarkably proficient. He was goalkeeper for Portsmouth Association Football Club and played ten first-class cricket matches for the Marylebone Cricket Club as well as captain of the Crowborough Beacon Golf Club in East Sussex. In 1891 tired of writing Holmes stories, he began a series of historical novels and even went so far as to apparently kill off Holmes in a lethal brawl with his arch-nemesis Moriarty.Despite heavy and sustained criticism he continued to write in support of the Boer War, a fact he thought contributed to his knighthood in 1902. The following year to great relief and acclaim he brought Sherlock Holmes back from the dead in his first outing for a decade.Sadly, his wife Louisa died from TB in 1906 and, a year later, he at last married Jean. During the War and for several years after family deaths had left him depressed. In a search for solace and answers he alighted upon spiritualism and, such was his interest, that he wrote several books on the subject.On 7th July 1930 Conan Doyle was discovered in the hall of Windlesham Manor, his house in East Sussex, clutching his chest dying of a heart attack. He was 71.

'The Yellow Wallpaper'by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a mesmerizing and unsettling exploration of the female psyche and the stifling constraints of 19th-century society. The story is narrated by a woman suffering from what her husband and physicians diagnose as'nervous depression.'She is confined to a room in her home and prescribed a treatment of complete rest.As the protagonist spends her days in isolation, she becomes increasingly obsessed with the room's yellow wallpaper. Her descent into madness is vividly portrayed through her journal entries, revealing a haunting journey of unraveling sanity.Gilman's writing is a poignant critique of the patriarchal norms that suppressed women's voices and autonomy during her time. The novella serves as a powerful feminist statement, highlighting the devastating effects of the'rest cure'and the silencing of women's inner struggles.'The Yellow Wallpaper'is a psychological masterpiece that continues to resonate with readers, scholars, and feminists alike. It offers a chilling portrayal of the intersection of mental health, gender, and societal expectations.Step into the haunting world of'The Yellow Wallpaper'and experience the eerie and thought-provoking narrative that challenges the status quo and illuminates the resilience of the human spirit. Charlotte Perkins Gilman's work remains a timeless exploration of the female experience and the importance of self-expression.ABOUT THE AUTHORCharlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) was a pioneering American feminist, writer, and social reformer. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Gilman is best known for her influential works of feminist literature, including the short story'The Yellow Wallpaper.'Gilman's writing often addressed gender inequality and the stifling effects of the traditional roles assigned to women in society.'The Yellow Wallpaper'is a powerful portrayal of a woman's descent into madness as a result of the oppressive treatment and confinement she experiences at the hands of her physician husband. In addition to her literary achievements, Gilman was an advocate for women's rights and believed in economic independence for women. She wrote extensively on topics related to feminism, including her book'Women and Economics.'Gilman's legacy as a feminist thinker and writer continues to be celebrated today, as her works remain relevant in discussions of gender equality, mental health, and social reform. She played a significant role in advancing the feminist movement and challenging societal norms of her time.

From the New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years and One Italian Summer comes a love story that will define a generation. Being single is like playing the lottery. There's always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all.Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. Every time she meets a new man, she receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it—the exact amount of time they will be together. The papers told her she'd spend three days with Martin in Paris; five weeks with Noah in San Francisco; and three months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend. Daphne has been receiving the numbered papers for over twenty years, always wondering when there might be one without an expiration. Finally, the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there's only a name: Jake. But as Jake and Daphne's story unfolds, Daphne finds herself doubting the paper's prediction, and wrestling with what it means to be both committed and truthful. Because Daphne knows things Jake doesn't, information that—if he found out—would break his heart. Told with her signature warmth and insight into matters of the heart, Rebecca Serle has finally set her sights on romantic love. The result is a gripping, emotional, passionate, and (yes) heartbreaking novel about what it means to be single, what it means to find love, and ultimately how we define each of them for ourselves. Expiration Dates is the one fans have been waiting for.

‘a compelling, intricate and multifaceted tale'–The Saturday Paper ‘Politica can't make war make sense (what can?), but it does offer a small balm. In her book Kassab looks horror in the eye, dignifies private desires and grieves their loss, and in doing so reminds us what being human looks like.'–Meanjin ‘Like an impressionist painter, Kassab uses words like brushstrokes to build a vivid picture of intertwined lives set against the continuing drumbeat of war. The narrative moves between past, present and future and uses time as an effective device to illustrate how the effects of war linger long after its cessation.'– Books and PublishingA captivating literary journey that delves into the intertwined lives of a town, its people, and a region shaped by revolution and war. The war broke out and she decided to call her dad. Weeks and weeks they do not speak, and the weeks become months and then they are so many years. She imagines herself starting this story. She imagines how she will tell this story later to someone else.We hadn't spoken for years but then the war broke out... As conflict plays out across an unnamed region, its inhabitants deal with the fallout. Families are torn apart and brought together. A divide grows between those on either side of the war, compromises are struck as the toll of violence impacts near and far. We learn about those who are left behind and those who choose to leave in a great scattering. As the stories of those affected play out, they weave together to show the whole of a society in the most extreme of circumstances. Even after the last shot is fired, their world will never recover. From the acclaimed author of The House of Youssef, Australiana and The Lovers comes a powerful new novel that asks again if it's possible to ever measure the personal cost of war.PRAISE FOR POLITICA: ‘In a 2022 interview, Kassab said a responsibility of the novelist is to “write with an eye towards humanity”. And she never falters in this, with Politica always drawing us back to war's immeasurable personal cost.'– The Guardian‘a rewarding tale of real people navigating war, love, loss, poverty and many other challenges, all linked by time and location. The novel asks if it is possible to ever measure the personal cost of war. Through all the stories she creates here, Kassab makes it clear that it can never be.'– The Saturday Paper ‘an evocative literary tale'– Australian Women's Weekly

The phenomenon of human potential is never beyond our sight. An opportunity is always offered to people. Sometimes in a mysterious way. Whoever ignores or rejects it will never truly experience life's journey. Staying on the same path is to constantly relive the same day. That's why exploration embodies mankind's natural need to deal with the secrets below the surface. Although the facts about us as human beings speak in an understandable language, this doesn't mean we're not an enigma to ourselves. Understanding oneself is a very demanding process, similar to an autopsy. Not a physical autopsy, but a spiritual one. Discovering the anatomy of one's soul cannot be done abruptly. Moments of inspiration will make the realization of whether we are controlled by our consciousness or our subconsciousness easier. Hiding behind a heavy veil until the very end is not truly living. Sometimes a mere piece of paper under a windshield wiper with just three words and a phone number can change your life instantly. The hero of this novel who only refers to himself as “The Recorder” dared to call a number left on a piece of paper beneath his windscreen wiper. He sensed an opportunity. A few weeks later, a telegram arrived: IT'S TIME. IT'S YOUR TURN NOW. MOVE NOW! A trip to an unknown estate marks the beginning of an adventure, and he begins writing the history of his life.

Literature is a world of words and wonder, able to take us on almost unimaginable journeys from the wild and fantastic to the grind and minutiae of life.An author's ideas are his building blocks, his architecture of the mind, building a structure on which all else will rest; the narrative, the characters, the words - those few words that begin the adventure.In this series we look at some of our leading classic authors across two genres: the short story and the poem. In this modern world there is an insatiable need to categorise and pigeon-hole everyone and everything. But ideas, these grains and saplings of the brain, need to roam, to explore and find their perfect literary use vehicle. Our authors are masters of many literary forms, perhaps known for one but themselves favouring another.Story. Poems. Story. Within these boundaries come all manner of invention and cast of characters. And, of course, each author has their own way of revealing their own chapter and verse.

Why do we hold on to things we don't need? “A beautifully assured debut that is part love story, part psychological slow-burner” (Emma Jane Unsworth, international bestselling author of Animals). Miriam is twenty-nine; temping, living with a flatmate who is no longer a friend, and still trying to find her place in life. To move forward, she decides to dispose of the many possessions that anchor her in the past. When Erik, an artist and photographer in his mid-forties, hires Miriam to help clear out his book-filled, paper-packed home, she begins to feel drawn to him, despite his obsessive hoarding and the fact that he's still haunted by his previous marriage. But can there be a happy ending for the troubled pair? This powerful, moving novel explores the unlikely relationship between two very different people—and explores deep questions about fear, freedom, and attachment. “Weaves its way through the cracks of our everyday perceptions to skilfully explore complex issues around illness, grief and longing.... Combining exquisite descriptions with scalpel-sharp human insights, this is a book to languish in, and emerge from deeply moved. It marks the arrival of an elegant and thrilling new voice in literary fiction.” —Emma Jane Unsworth “A simply riveting and unfailingly entertaining read.” —Midwest Book Review “A strong debut novel.” —The Manchester Review

A stunning debut from an award-winning writer, about loss, isolation, folklore, and the joy and dissonance of finding oneself by exploring life outside one's communityIn 1938, a dead whale washes up on the shores of remote Welsh island. For Manod, who has spent her whole life on the island, it feels like both a portent of doom and a symbol of what may lie beyond the island's shores. A young woman living with her father and her sister (to whom she has reluctantly but devotedly become a mother following the death of their own mother years prior), Manod can't shake her welling desire to explore life beyond the beautiful yet blisteringly harsh islands that her hardscrabble family has called home for generations.The arrival of two English ethnographers who hope to study the island culture, then, feels like a boon to her—both a glimpse of life outside her community and a means of escape. The longer the ethnographers stay, the more she feels herself pulled towards them, reckoning with a sensual awakening inside herself, despite her misgivings that her community is being misconstrued and exoticized.With shimmering prose tempered by sharp wit, Whale Fall tells the story of what happens when one person's ambitions threaten the fabric of a community, and what can happen when they are realized. O'Connor paints a portrait of a community and a woman on the precipice, forced to confront an outside world that seems to be closing in on them.