Search

A freaky tale of isolation and the porous membranes between us, Rebecca Gisler's slim novel renders a collapsing world with equal parts aversion, fascination, and tenderness—for readers of Ottessa Moshfegh and Sayaka Murata.At a time when she'd rather be making her own way in the world, an unnamed young woman finds herself moving to a small town at the seaside to care for her uncle. He's a disabled veteran with questionable habits, prone to drinking, gorging, and hoarding—not to mention the occasional excursion down into the plumbing, where he might disappear for days at a time. When the world begins to shut down, Uncle and his niece are forced even closer still. She knows his every move—every bathroom break he takes, every pill he swallows—and she finds herself relying on this man who is the last one person occupying an empty world with her. But then Uncle's health takes a final turn for the worse, he's sent to a hospital that cares for cats, dogs, and Uncles, and any way for her to make sense of this eerie new reality, and her place in it, falls apart.Poet-novelist Rebecca Gisler's debut novel, set against our increasingly disjointed world, welcomes readers into a home of shut-ins as cozy as it is claustrophobic. Gisler's bright, winding prose, masterfully translated from French by Jordan Stump, offers a rare witness to the complex ways in which we order our lives, for better or worse, inside and out.

'Someone rang my husband. Your wife is not well, the person said. Your wife is not well.'When Clara's parents transplant her from Paris to New York at the age of sixteen, a fleeting encounter with a young man seems, for a brief period, to open up new possibilities. As she strives to fulfil her vocation as a writer, and as she struggles in later years with the cumulative constraints of an unhappy marriage, Clara's imagination is strangely haunted by a life that might have been. Tracing Clara's story from her adolescence to her experience of motherhood, and then through to a pivotal bid for freedom, Two Hours is an exceptional novel. Witty, perceptive, and profoundly humane, this is the work of a writer at the height of her powers.Praise for Two Hours:'Alba Arikha takes us magically into the very heart of a woman's experiences—her loves, her art, her fears, and that brief, ecstatic moment that has watermarked her entire life.'—Edmund White'Arikha's Major/Minor is in my view a small masterpiece, and with Two Hours I believe she is making something of similar stature.'—Rachel Cusk'Out of a seemingly casual array of swift vignettes, fleeting encounters, cityscapes caught on the fly, and sudden, bright shocks of emotion, Alba Arikha has constructed a radiant story of loss and love, entrapment and freedom, and the strange patterns of fate and desire that shape our lives. Every piece of her mosaic shimmers with acute observation, and the whole comes together to form a powerfully singular account of the universal struggle to live a life of integrity and meaning. It is a rare and fine accomplishment.'—James Lasdun'A beautifully written, lyrical, and unflinching account of a woman's life, from teenage love to maturity and motherhood.'—Vesna Goldsworthy

“Sharp and funny...Misrecognition is a quietly commanding debut by a writer of intense precision and restraint.” —The New York Times Book Review For fans of Rachel Cusk and Patricia Lockwood, an unflinchingly sharp and funny debut novel about the internet, post-postmodern adulthood, and queer identity. Elsa is struggling. Her formative, exhilarating relationship—with a couple—has abruptly ended, leaving her depressed and directionless in her childhood bedroom. The man and the woman were her bosses, lovers, and cultural guideposts. In the relationship's wake, Elsa scrolls aimlessly through the internet in search of meaning. Faithfully, her screen provides a new obsession: a charismatic young actor whose latest feature is a gay love story that illuminates Elsa's crisis. And then, as if she had conjured him, Elsa sees the actor in the flesh; he and an entourage of actors, writers, and directors have descended upon her hometown for the annual theater festival. When she is hired as a hostess at the one upscale restaurant in town, Elsa finds herself in frequent contact with the actor and his collaborators. But her obsession shifts from the actor to his frequent dinner companion—an alluring, androgynous person called Sam. As this confusing connection develops, Elsa is forced to grapple with her sexuality, the uncomfortable truths about the dramatic end of her last relationship, and the patterns that may be playing out once again.

An unforgettable story about an unlikely friendship and about healing the wounds of a broken past from the million-copy bestselling author of Fresh Water for Flowers Justine is 21 years old and has lived with her grandparents and her cousin Jules since the death of her parents. As a nursing assistant at a retirement home, she spends much of her days listening to her residents'stories. After bonding with Hélène, an almost 100-year-old resident, the two women slowly reveal their stories to one another. Whilst Justine helps Hélène to relive her memories of love and war, Hélène encourages Justine to confront the secrets of her own past, and the loss she keeps buried deep within. One day, a mysterious phone detailing a shocking revelation shakes the retirement home to its core. At once humorous and melancholic, Valérie Perrin's novel depicts the consequences of undeclared love and, in her inimitable way, portrays once again how the past is never really past.

She has power over death. He has power over her. When two enemies strike a dangerous bargain, will they end a war... or ignite one? “A thrilling tale of magic and murder, intrigue and betrayal.”—Cassandra Clare, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sword CatcherHeroes die, cowards live. Daughter of a conquered world, Ruying hates the invaders who descended from the heavens long before she was born and defeated the magic of her people with technologies unlike anything her world had ever seen.Blessed by Death, born with the ability to pull the life right out of mortal bodies, Ruying shouldn't have to fear these foreign invaders, but she does. Especially because she wants to keep herself and her family safe.When Ruying's Gift is discovered by an enemy prince, he offers her an impossible deal: If she becomes his private assassin and eliminates his political rivals—whose deaths he swears would be for the good of both their worlds and would protect her people from further brutalization—her family will never starve or suffer harm again. But to accept this bargain, she must use the powers she has always feared, powers that will shave years off her own existence.Can Ruying trust this prince, whose promises of a better world make her heart ache and whose smiles make her pulse beat faster? Are the evils of this agreement really in the service of a much greater good? Or will she betray her entire nation by protecting those she loves the most?

• “Mesmerizing.” —Town & Country • “Twisty and unsettling.” —People • “Ancient Greece meets Succession by way of Emma Cline…deliciously dark.” —Ruth Gilligan • A “superb…refreshing” (The New York Times Book Review) reimagining of the myth of Persephone and Demeter set on a lush private island, exploring themes of addiction and sex, family, independence, and who holds the power in a modern underworld.Camp counselor Cory Ansel, eighteen and aimless, afraid to face her high-strung single mother's disappointment, is no longer sure where home is when the father of one of her campers offers an alternative. The CEO of a pharmaceutical company, Rolo Picazo is wealthy, divorced, and magnetic. He is also intoxicated by Cory. When Rolo offers her a job, Cory quiets an internal warning and allows herself to be ferried to his private island. Plied with luxury and the opiates manufactured by his company, she tells herself she's in charge. Her mother, Emer, head of a teetering agricultural NGO, senses otherwise. With her daughter seemingly vanished, Emer crosses land and sea to heed a cry for help that only she can hear. Alternating between the two women's perspectives, Fruit of the Dead incorporates its mythic inspiration with a light touch and devastating precision. The result is a tale that explores love, control, obliteration, and America's late-capitalist mythos. Lyon's reinvention of Persephone and Demeter's story makes for a haunting, electric novel that readers will not soon forget.

Mammoth's protagonist is a disenchanted young lesbian. She's inexperienced, irritated by life, eager to gestate, and determined to strip everything else down to essentials. She seduces men at random, swaps her urban habitat for an isolated farmhouse, befriends a shepherd, nurses lambs, battles stray cats, waits tables, cleans house, and dabbles in sex work – all in pursuit of life in the raw. This small bomb of a novel, not remotely pastoral, builds to a howling crescendo of social despair, leaving us at the mercy of Eva Baltasar's wild voice.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A year in the life of the unforgettable Catalina Ituralde, a wickedly wry and heartbreakingly vulnerable student at an elite college, forced to navigate an opaque past, an uncertain future, tragedies on two continents, and the tantalizing possibilities of love and freedom “Diabolically charming and magnetic. I enjoyed the hell out of this little exploding geyser of a book.”—Ira GlassWhen Catalina is admitted to Harvard, it feels like the fulfillment of destiny: a miracle child escapes death in Latin America, moves to Queens to be raised by her undocumented grandparents, and becomes one of the chosen. But nothing is simple for Catalina, least of all her own complicated, contradictory, ruthlessly probing mind. Now a senior, she faces graduation to a world that has no place for the undocumented; her sense of doom intensifies her curiosities and desires. She infiltrates the school's elite subcultures—internships and literary journals, posh parties and secret societies—which she observes with the eye of an anthropologist and an interloper's skepticism: she is both fascinated and repulsed. Craving a great romance, Catalina finds herself drawn to a fellow student, an actual budding anthropologist eager to teach her about the Latin American world she was born into but never knew, even as her life back in Queens begins to unravel. And every day, the clock ticks closer to the abyss of life after graduation. Can she save her family? Can she save herself? What does it mean to be saved?Brash and daring, part campus novel, part hagiography, part pop song, Catalina is unlike any coming-of-age novel you've ever read—and Catalina, bright and tragic, circled by a nimbus of chaotic energy, driven by a wild heart, is a character you will never forget.

Kairós és el déu grec del moment oportú, de les coincidències favorables, de la felicitat instantània. És el temps necessari perquè es compleixi la voluntat divina, segons els cristians. ¿Podríem considerar que la trobada fortuïta de Katharina, de dinou anys, i Hans, un intel·lectual de més de cinquanta, va ser provocada per Kairós? Passats els anys, la resposta és incerta encara. Amb el teló de fons d'una RDA decadent i el trasbals posterior a la caiguda del Mur el 1989, Jenny Erpenbeck narra amb el seu llenguatge inconfusible els abismes de la felicitat: el camí de dos amants a la frontera entre la veritat i la mentida, l'obsessió i la violència, l'odi i l'esperança. La seva història d'amor clandestí es desplegarà i s'ensorrarà en paral·lel a la dissolució de l'estat comunista, que l'un i l'altra viuran amb expectatives diferents. «Erpenbeck posseeix un do insuperable per mostrar com les nostres idees, passions i decisions es configuren —i reconfiguren— pel pas del temps i els canvis històrics.» — John Powers, NPR Traducció de Lourdes Bigorra Cervelló

A fairy tale written for adults, a departure from Firbank's usual work. Ronald Firbank (1886–1926), an author whose work bridges the gap between the aesthetic movements of the late nineteenth century and the modernist literature of the early twentieth century, deserves both recognition and admiration. Born into an upper-class Victorian family, Firbank's upbringing and experiences of his time—rife with societal tensions, religious intrigue, and shifting perspectives—infused his works with idiosyncratic wit and style.

Mississippi lawyer and Civil War veteran, Basil Ransom, visits his cousin Olive Chancellor in Boston. She takes him to a political meeting where Verena Tarrant delivers a feminist speech. Ransom, a strong conservative, is annoyed by the speech but fascinated with the speaker. Olive, who has never before set eyes on Verena, is equally fascinated. She persuades Verena to leave her parents'house, move in with her and study in preparation for a career in the feminist movement. Meanwhile, Ransom returns to his law practice in New York, which is not doing well, so he visits Boston again and proposes to Verena

'Who Would Have Thought It?'details the struggles of a Mexican-American girl born in Indian captivity, Lola, in an American society obsessed with class, religion, race and gender. The first part of the book follows the central family in the years leading up to the start of the American Civil War and the attack on Fort Sumter (1857–1861), and flashbacks are meant to take the readers back further than that time line, such as the kidnapping of Lola's mother in 1846. The second part chronicles the events that took place during the Civil War (1861–1864). Each chapter focuses on a particular character and is told from an omniscient point of view. Who Would Have Thought It? is a semi-autobiographical novel written by María Ruiz de Burton and it reflects the author's ambiguous position between the small in number Californio elite and the Anglo-American populace, which form the majority of the United States population.

Not Under the Law is a novel written by Grace Livingston Hill, a popular Christian author. The story revolves around the main character, Beth Austin, who is struggling with her faith and the challenges of everyday life. After a series of events, Beth is forced to confront her beliefs and the role that faith plays in her life. The novel explores themes of love, forgiveness, and the importance of trust in God. Through the story, Hill provides encouragement and guidance to readers as they navigate their own spiritual journeys.

Aurora Floyd is the daughter of a marriage between a nobleman and an actress. As she grows into maturity, this head-strong, dangerous and seductive vixen becomes embroiled in mystery and scandal. The story includes such controversial events as bigamy, murder and elopement.

'Jane Eyre'follows the emotions and experiences of its eponymous heroine, including her growth to adulthood and her love for Mr. Rochester, the Byronic master of Thornfield Hall. Jane spent her childhood living with her uncle and aunt at Gateshead Hall, where she was emotionally and physically abused by her aunt and cousins. After finishing school at Lowood Institution for poor and orphaned girls, where she gain friends and role models she starts working as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she falls in love with her employer, Edward, but their love has a lot of obstacles to beat.'Wuthering Heights'– In 1801, Lockwood, a wealthy young man from the South of England who is seeking peace and recuperation, rents Thrushcross Grange in Yorkshire. He visits his landlord, Heathcliff, who lives in a remote moorland farmhouse, Wuthering Heights. There Lockwood finds an odd assemblage: Heathcliff who seems to be a gentleman, but his manners are uncouth; the reserved mistress of the house who is in her mid-teens; and a young man who seems to be a member of the family, yet dresses and speaks as if he is a servant. After his visit to the Heights, Lockwood becomes ill, and is confined to his bed for some length of time. The Grange housekeeper, Ellen Dean, who is looking after him, tells him the story of the family at the Heights during his convalescence.

The start of a BRAND NEW series from Hannah Lynn, bestselling author of the Holly Berry Sweet Shop series!New starts and hopeful hearts...At 25, Daisy May's life is not living up to expectations. Her childhood dreams of being an artist feel as unachievable as a committed relationship or managing to save enough money for a deposit on a house. But a surprise inheritance could change all that.After Daisy learns she's now the new owner of a forty-foot narrow boat, she sets out for Wildflower Lock, where the fresh country breeze and the calm water is enough to assure her everything will be okay.With the help of the ruggedly attractive, yet grumpy riverman, Theo, she begins to work on her new home, the September Rose. Can she breathe new life into the old boat and learn to navigate not only the canals themselves, but also the people who live there? Or will the whole venture pull her under?'Wildflower Lock is such a beautifully realised location, I want to return there again and again. Hannah Lynn writes with such warmth and fluidity, I was completely invested in Daisy May's journey of self-discovery.'Sarah Bennett‘Heartfelt and engrossing - you'll fall in love with Wildflower Lock.'Fay Keenan

'Sixty years later, Jaffe's classic still strikes a chord, this time eerily prescient regarding so many of the circumstances surrounding sexual harassment that paved the way toward the #MeToo movement.'-BuzzfeedWhen Rona Jaffe's superb page-turner was first published in 1958, it changed contemporary fiction forever. Some readers were shocked, but millions more were electrified when they saw themselves reflected in its story of five young employees of a New York publishing company. Almost sixty years later, The Best of Everything remains touchingly—and sometimes hilariously—true to the personal and professional struggles women face in the city. There's Ivy League Caroline, who dreams of graduating from the typing pool to an editor's office; naïve country girl April, who within months of hitting town reinvents herself as the woman every man wants on his arm; and Gregg, the free-spirited actress with a secret yearning for domesticity. Jaffe follows their adventures with intelligence, sympathy, and prose as sharp as a paper cut.

A brilliant psychological thriller by bestselling author J.A. BakerAfter spending her childhood in care, Eva is desperate to find her birth parents and to get some closure on her difficult past.And so she finishes her relationship with boyfriend Gareth, leaves her home in London, and heads to Whitby in search of the family she has never known.But Eva's close friend, Celia is worried. Eva has stopped answering her calls and when Celia travels to London to speak to her she realises Eva has moved without telling anyone. Both women have been badly damaged by their childhoods, and Celia makes the decision to follow Eva to Whitby, concerned that Eva is unravelling....Gareth, furious that Eva ended things the way she did also decides to go in search of his missing girlfriend. But it is the start of a lethal situation.But who exactly is Eva and why is Celia so concerned about her friend?Some relationships are toxic. Others are deadly.J.A. Baker is the bestselling author of The Woman at Number 19 and Local Girl Missing. The Toxic Friend is a gripping and twisty psychological thriller perfect for fans of Sue Watson, Valerie Keogh and K.L. Slater.Praise for J.A. Baker:'Superbly written with a cast of crazy characters who will make you look differently at your co-workers from now on'Valerie Keogh'Fast-paced, riveting thriller. Gripped until the last page!'Diana Wilkinson'I read this story in a single day. Once you begin, it's difficult to put it down. 5 stars from me!'L.H. Stacey'A twisty, creepy story, expertly told. Perfect for reading on dark winter evenings…with the doors double-locked and bolted. Highly recommended!'Amanda James'A dark and twisty plot that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout'⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader ReviewPlease note this book was previously published as Finding Eva

Middlemarch, A Study of Provincial Life is a novel by the English author Mary Anne Evans, who wrote as George Eliot. It first appeared in eight installments (volumes) in 1871 and 1872. Set in Middlemarch, a fictional English Midland town, in 1829 to 1832, it follows distinct, intersecting stories with many characters. Issues include the status of women, the nature of marriage, idealism, self-interest, religion, hypocrisy, political reform, and education. Despite comic elements, Middlemarch uses realism to encompass historical events: the 1832 Reform Act, early railways, and the accession of King William IV. It looks at medicine of the time and reactionary views in a settled community facing unwelcome change. Eliot began writing the two pieces that formed the novel in 1869–1870 and completed it in 1871. Initial reviews were mixed, but it is now seen widely as her best work and one of the great English novels.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Named a Best Book of 2023 by Time, Huffington Post, Kirkus, and more • A New York Times Book Review Editors'Choice • A Roxane Gay Audacious Book Club Selection • A Marie Claire Book Club Pick A surreal novel with “a dark, delicious edge” (Time) about a woman in Silicon Valley who must decide how much she's willing to give up for success—from an award-winning writer whose work Roxane Gay calls “utterly unique and remarkable.”A year into her dream job at a cutthroat Silicon Valley start-up, Cassie finds herself trapped in a corporate nightmare. Between the long hours, toxic bosses, and unethical projects, she also struggles to reconcile the glittering promise of a city where obscene wealth lives alongside abject poverty and suffering. Ivy League grads complain about the snack selection from a conference room with a view of unhoused people bathing in the bay. Start-up burnouts leap into the paths of commuter trains, and men literally set themselves on fire in the streets. Though isolated, Cassie is never alone. From her earliest memory, a miniature black hole has been her constant companion. It feeds on her depression and anxiety, growing or shrinking in relation to her distress. The black hole watches, but it also waits. Its relentless pull draws Cassie ever closer as the world around her unravels. When she ends up unexpectedly pregnant at the same time her CEO's demands cross into illegal territory, Cassie must decide whether the tempting fruits of Silicon Valley are really worth it. Sharp but vulnerable, unsettling yet darkly comic, Ripe portrays one millennial woman's journey through our late-capitalist hellscape and offers a brilliantly incisive look at the absurdities of modern life.

This carefully crafted ebook:'Pride and Prejudice & Sense and Sensibility'is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents.'Pride and Prejudice'– Mr. Bennet of the Longbourn estate has five daughters, but his property is entailed, meaning that none of the girls can inherit it. His wife has no fortune, so it is imperative that at least one of the girls marry well in order to support the others on his death. The story charts the emotional development of Elizabeth Bennet who learns the error of making hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between the superficial and the essential.'Sense and Sensibility'– When Mr. Henry Dashwood dies, his house, Norland Park, must pass directly to his grandson, the son of John Dashwood, the child of the elder Dashwood's first wife. His second wife, Mrs. Dashwood, and their daughters, Elinor, Marianne and Margaret, inherit only a small income, but John makes a promise to his father that he will take care of his half-sisters. However, John's greedy wife, Fanny, persuades him to renege on the promise and the Dashwood women soon become the unwelcome guests in Norland Park. Mrs. Dashwood decides to move her family to Barton Cottage in Devonshire, near the home of her cousin, Sir John Middleton.

Excerpt:'The way to Berrie Down Hollow lay along a lane, winding and narrow: not a prosaic lane, bounded to right and left by low-cropped, unromantic hedges, and scanty banks covered with coarse wiry grass, where never a wild flower would dream of blooming, but a delicious lane, bordered by old elms and beech trees; where were smooth bits of turf, pleasantly suggestive of a gallop over the sward; a lane by the sides whereof trailed brambles and the dark-leaved ivy; a lane where the hawthorn in the sweet May-time, when it opened its earliest buds, stretched its white arms out across the grass, striving to touch the passer-by who idly paused to inhale its fragrance; a lane where twined in picturesque disorder wild bryony and traveller's joy, dog-roses and honeysuckles, the woody nightshade and the greater bindweed (old man's nightcap as the children irreverently call it); where the eye was refreshed by looking on soft cushions of moss and ferns, graceful, and drooping, and cool; where blossomed in their due season primroses and violets, the wild hyacinth, the blue speedwell, delicious clumps of birds-foot trefoil, the pink cranesbill, the wood strawberry and anemone, ground ivy, the “hindering” knot grass, “everywhere humble and everywhere green;” St. John's Wort, that balm of the warrior wound; tufted vetch, the creeping cinquefoil, with many another wild flower, which in the early days little hands love to gather; which boyhood, and manhood, and middle age pass by unnoticed, but which come back fresh and bright as ever to the memory of the old man too feeble to totter away to the shady lane, to the warm sunny bank where the buds are springing, and the flowers blooming, and the lights and shadows flitting backwards and forwards, coming and going, coming and going just as they did half a century previously, when he was young and strong, and active like the best.'

Glen's Creek is a novel written by Mary Jane Holmes and published in 1865. The story is set in a small New England town and follows the lives of the residents of Glen's Creek, a tight-knit community with a rich and complex history. The central character of the novel is Amy Lawrence, a young woman who has recently returned to Glen's Creek after many years away. Amy is a kind and gentle woman, who is deeply committed to her family and friends, and who is determined to make a new life for herself in her hometown. As the novel progresses, Amy becomes involved in a complex web of relationships and intrigues that threaten to tear apart the fabric of the community. She is drawn into a love triangle between two handsome and eligible suitors, and finds herself at the center of a bitter and long-standing feud between two prominent families. Throughout the novel, Holmes explores a range of themes, including the nature of love and relationships, the power of family and tradition, and the importance of personal integrity and moral courage. She also offers a vivid and highly detailed portrait of life in small-town America during the mid-19th century, with all its joys, sorrows, and complexities.'Glen's Creek'is a classic work of American literature that has been widely praised for its engaging characters, vivid descriptions, and powerful themes. It is a moving and thought-provoking story of love, loss, and the struggle for personal freedom and fulfillment, and remains a beloved classic of the genre.

Two Fares East is a Western novel written by W.C. Tuttle and published in 1944. The story is set in the American West during the early 20th century and follows the adventures of a young woman named Lynne Devlin, who finds herself caught up in a dangerous game of love and deceit. The novel begins with Lynne Devlin fleeing from her home in the East and heading West in search of a new life. Along the way, she meets a handsome cowboy named Ben Bowers, and the two quickly fall in love. However, their happiness is short-lived when they become entangled in a complex web of lies and deceit involving a wealthy cattle baron and his scheming daughter. As the situation grows increasingly dangerous, Lynne and Ben must navigate a range of obstacles and dangers, including corrupt lawmen, hired gunmen, and treacherous terrain. Along the way, they must also confront their own doubts and fears, and find the strength to stand up for what they believe in. Throughout the novel, Tuttle explores a range of themes, including the nature of love and betrayal, the power of greed and ambition, and the importance of personal integrity and moral courage. He also offers a vivid and highly detailed portrait of life in the American West during the early 20th century, with all its dangers, hardships, and romance.'Two Fares East'is a classic work of Western literature that has been widely praised for its engaging characters, vivid descriptions, and exciting plot. It is a thrilling and action-packed story of adventure, danger, and romance, and remains a beloved classic of the genre.

A celestial overseer observes—and is continually confounded by—a young woman's path into adulthood in this uncanny and darkly humorous novel, unpublished until now and accompanied by a selection of the author's stories.Susan Taubes's novella “Lament for Julia” is the story of a young woman coming of age in the twentieth century as seen through the eyes of a sexless spirit who supposes himself to be charged with her oversight.What is this spirit? An operator from on high (though hardly holy), a narrative I, and a guiding presence that is more than a bit of a voyeur, who remains entirely unknown to Julia herself. About her, the spirit knows both a good deal and very little, since Julia's emotional and physical and sexual being are all baffling, if also fascinating, to an entity that is pure mind.The I and Julia are a mismatched couple, set up for failure from the start, it seems, even if they do somehow manage to deal in their different ways with childhood and Mother and Father Klopps and ugly pink outfits and dances and crushes for a while. After which come love and marriage, not necessarily in that order, at which point things really start to go wrong.Unpublished during Taubes's lifetime, “Lament for Julia” appears here with a selection of her stories. A brilliant metaphorical exploration of a woman's double consciousness that is also a masterpiece of the grotesque, it is a novel like no other, a book, as Samuel Beckett wrote to his French publisher, “full of erotic touches of an emphatic sort [and] raw language,” the product of an “authentic talent,” adding, “I shall reread it.”

Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work “her own darling child” and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, “as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print.” The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen's radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England. Among the writers who have approached nearest to the manner of the great master, we have no hesitation in placing Jane Austen. —Thomas Macaulay ‘Pride and Prejudice'is the best novel in the language. —Anthony Trollope I used to think that men did everything better than women, but that was before I read Jane Austen. I don't think any man ever wrote better than Jane Austen. —Rex Stout Elizabeth Bennet has but to speak, and I am at her knees. —Robert Louis Stevenson Read again, and for the third time at least, Miss Austen's very finely written novel of ‘Pride and Prejudice.'That young lady has a talent for describing the involvements and feelings and characters of ordinary life which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with. —Sir Walter Scott

Discover the captivating world of'Jane Eyre'by Charlotte Brontë. Follow the resilient Jane's transformative journey from a harsh upbringing to her position as a governess. Her connection with the brooding Mr. Rochester, haunted by his past, unfolds in a tale of mystery and love. Brontë's rich prose and intricate characters weave a narrative of passion, independence, and societal challenges. Immerse yourself in a timeless story of personal growth and unyielding spirit that continues to resonate with readers.ABOUT THE AUTHORCharlotte Brontë (1816-1855) was a brilliant and trailblazing British novelist, renowned for her hauntingly beautiful tales. As the eldest of the Brontë sisters, she penned the timeless masterpiece'Jane Eyre,'a captivating exploration of passion, morality, and the strength of the human spirit. Despite the barriers faced by women writers in the 19th century, Charlotte fearlessly challenged societal norms, leaving an indelible mark on literature. Her extraordinary storytelling and vivid characters continue to resonate, making her a true literary legend whose influence lives on in the hearts of readers worldwide.

Memoirs of a Midget is a surrealistic novel and told in the first person by Miss M., who is playfully referred to as'Midgetina'by her faithless friend, Fanny. Hers is the story of a person who, though at home in nature and literature, is physically, spiritually, and intellectually out of place in the world. Notwithstanding her stature Miss M.'s intellect is large and her perceptions preternaturally sharp. Most of the book's narrative covers the events of the twelve-month period between Miss M.'s twentieth and twenty-first years as she attempts to make her way in the world alone after the death of her parents. The book was published to high praise in 1921 and in that year received the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction. Rebecca West later included Memoirs of a Midget on a list of the'best imaginative productions of the last decade in England'.

Alvina Houghton, the daughter of a widowed Midlands draper, comes of age just as her father's business is failing. In a desperate attempt to regain his fortune and secure his daughter's proper upbringing, James Houghton buys a theater. Among the traveling performers he employs is Ciccio, a sensual Italian who immediately captures Alvina's attention. Fleeing with him to Naples, she leaves her safe world behind and enters one of sexual awakening, desire, and fleeting freedom.

Now more relevant than ever, don't miss this special collection from the New York Times bestselling author Octavia E. Butler! Parable of the Sower: When global climate change and economic crises lead to social chaos in the early 2020s, California becomes full of dangers, from pervasive water shortage to masses of vagabonds who will do anything to live to see another day. Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives inside a gated community with her preacher father, family, and neighbors, sheltered from the surrounding anarchy. In a society where any vulnerability is a risk, she suffers from hyperempathy, a debilitating sensitivity to others'emotions. Precocious and clear-eyed, Lauren must make her voice heard in order to protect her loved ones from the imminent disasters her small community stubbornly ignores. But what begins as a fight for survival soon leads to something much more: the birth of a new faith... and a startling vision of human destiny.Parable of the Talents: In 2032, Lauren Olamina has survived the destruction of her home and family, and realized her vision of a peaceful community in northern California based on her newly founded faith, Earthseed. The fledgling community provides refuge for outcasts facing persecution after the election of an ultra-conservative president who vows to'make America great again.'In an increasingly divided and dangerous nation, Lauren's subversive colony--a minority religious faction led by a young black woman--becomes a target for President Jarret's reign of terror and oppression. Years later, Asha Vere reads the journals of a mother she never knew, Lauren Olamina. As she searches for answers about her own past, she also struggles to reconcile with the legacy of a mother caught between her duty to her chosen family and her calling to lead humankind into a better future.

“Alaska is the real heroine here—with her advocates and her court attendants the members of the cast. There's Chris Storm, native daughter, glamorous, colorful, with a story so incredible that it has to be taken on faith. Brought up by two grandfathers, she might well have been caught in the meshes of their friendship, their rivalry, their enmity. One grandfather, Thor Storm, had sought in Alaska in his youth that freedom of the frontier it still afforded—and stayed, victim of their lure, seeking through the weekly he published, to maintain that freedom. The other grandfather, Czar Kennedy, was High Mogul, big time operator, who had made his millions in Alaska, but who milked her and played in with the Outside—men from Seattle and San Francisco and Washington who stripped her of her riches for their own ends. Chris was brought up by the two of them, with Bridie Ballantyne providing the balance wheel, and Chris managed to survive and be a person in her own right.”—Kirkus Review

Arthur Stringer (1874 – 1950) was a Canadian novelist, screenwriter, and poet who later moved to the United States.In Are All Men Alike? focuses on poor little rich girl Teddie. she is unhappy with the environment in which she was brought up but as soon as she get out of it discovers that all the men she meets have an incurable fondness for kissing her. Which is why she asks: “Are all men alike?”The second tale, The Lost Titian, is a love-at-first-sight tale, in parts well-written with an effective melodramatic final scene.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A young woman pretends to be someone she isn't in this “spellbinding” (Vogue), “smoldering” (The Washington Post) novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Girls. “Under Cline's command, every sentence as sharp as a scalpel, a woman toeing the line between welcome and unwelcome guest becomes a fully destabilizing force.”—The New York TimesLONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/FAULKNER AWARD • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker, Time, NPR, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Vogue, Glamour, Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Slate, Time Out, Chicago Public Library, Electric Lit, Bookreporter“Alex drained her wineglass, then her water glass. The ocean looked calm, a black darker than the sky. A ripple of anxiety made her palms go damp. It seemed suddenly very tenuous to believe that anything would stay hidden, that she could successfully pass from one world to another.”Summer is coming to a close on the East End of Long Island, and Alex is no longer welcome.A misstep at a dinner party, and the older man she's been staying with dismisses her with a ride to the train station and a ticket back to the city.With few resources and a waterlogged phone, but gifted with an ability to navigate the desires of others, Alex stays on Long Island and drifts like a ghost through the hedged lanes, gated driveways, and sun-blasted dunes of a rarefied world that is, at first, closed to her. Propelled by desperation and a mutable sense of morality, she spends the week leading up to Labor Day moving from one place to the next, a cipher leaving destruction in her wake.Taut, propulsive, and impossible to look away from, Emma Cline's The Guest is a spellbinding literary achievement.

Belinda is an 1801 novel by the Irish writer Maria Edgeworth. The novel was Edgeworth's second published, and was considered controversial in its day for its depiction of an interracial marriage between Lucy and Juba. Literary critics argue that Jane Austen's naturalistic female characters owed a debt to this society novel's spirited heroine. Belinda is a young lady who lives with her aunt, Mrs. Stanhope. Being unwed, Belinda is sent to live with Lady Delacour, whom Belinda considers fascinating and charming. Lady Delacour believes herself to be dying of breast cancer. She hides her emotional distress caused by her impending death and poor relationships with her family from Belinda through wit and charm. The first half of the novel is concerned with the blooming friendship between Belinda and Lady Delacour...

Olinda's Adventures: The Amours of a Young Lady is a story of a young middle-class English woman told through the series of letters she writes to her platonic confidant Cleander. Olinda lives in 18th century London in humble and modest conditions and she folds under her mother's persuasion and agrees to an arranged marriage out of interest, while also having a lover who is married. As she pours her heart on the paper in her letters to Cleander, spilling the emotional dilemmas and asking for approval and support, Olinda also follows the progress of Cleander's wooing to Ambrisia, advising him on his moves.

This carefully crafted ebook:'Emma & Persuasion'is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents.'Emma'– Emma Woodhouse has just attended the wedding of Miss Taylor, her friend and former governess, to Mr. Weston. Having introduced them, Emma takes credit for their marriage, and decides that she likes matchmaking. Against the advice of her brother-in-law, Emma forges ahead with her new interest, causing many controversies in the process. Set in the fictional village of Highbury, Emma is a tale about youthful hubris and the perils of misconstrued romance.'Persuasion'– Anne Elliot is a young Englishwoman of 27 years, whose family is moving to lower their expenses and get out of debt, at the same time as the wars come to an end, putting sailors on shore. They rent their home to an Admiral and his wife. Brother of Admiral's wife is Navy Captain Frederick Wentworth, a man who had been engaged to Anne when she was 19, and now they meet again, both single and unattached, after no contact in more than seven years. First time the engagement was broken up because Anne's family persuaded her that Frederick wasn't good enough opportunity. The new situation offers a second, well-considered chance at love and marriage for Anne Elliot in her second'bloom'.

This carefully crafted ebook:'Mansfield Park & Emma'is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents.'Mansfield Park'– Frances'Fanny'Price, at age 10, is sent from her overburdened family home to live with her uncle and aunt in the country in Northamptonshire. It is a jolting change, from the elder sister of many, to the youngest at the estate of Sir Thomas Bertram, husband of her mother's older sister. Her aunt is kind but her uncle frightens her with his authoritative demeanor. Fanny's mother has another sister, Mrs. Norris, who doesn't like and mistreats Fanny. The story follows Fanny's development from troubling adaptation in the wealthy household, through turbulent adolescence, to marriage.'Emma'– Emma Woodhouse has just attended the wedding of Miss Taylor, her friend and former governess, to Mr. Weston. Having introduced them, Emma takes credit for their marriage, and decides that she likes matchmaking. Against the advice of her brother-in-law, Emma forges ahead with her new interest, causing many controversies in the process. Set in the fictional village of Highbury, Emma is a tale about youthful hubris and the perils of misconstrued romance.

'A Room with a View'by E. M. Forster is a captivating novel that takes readers on a journey of self-discovery, love, and societal conventions. Set in the early 20th century, the story follows Lucy Honeychurch, a young Englishwoman torn between societal expectations and her desire for personal freedom.Lucy's life takes a transformative turn when she travels to Italy with her chaperone, Charlotte Bartlett. Amid the stunning landscapes of Florence, Lucy encounters George Emerson, a free-spirited and unconventional man who challenges her worldview. A stolen kiss in the Italian countryside marks the beginning of a passionate connection that defies the conventions of their time.The novel explores themes of class, social norms, and the clash between individual desires and societal pressures. As Lucy grapples with her feelings for George, she must navigate the complexities of her relationships with family, friends, and suitors. Through a series of engaging events, Lucy must ultimately choose between following her heart or succumbing to societal expectations.Forster's insightful prose and keen observations of human nature create a compelling narrative that delves into the complexities of human relationships and the pursuit of true happiness.'A Room with a View'remains a timeless exploration of love's ability to challenge conventions and transform lives, making it a captivating read for those drawn to themes of personal growth and romantic tension.ABOUT THE AUTHORE. M. Forster, a literary luminary of the 20th century, illuminated the world with his insightful prose and boundless imagination. Born in 1879 in London, England, Forster's works exude a unique blend of keen observation and compassionate exploration of human relationships. His novels, including'A Passage to India,''Howards End,'and'A Room with a View,'resonate with themes of class, social conventions, and the intricacies of personal connections. Forster's pen painted vibrant landscapes where characters grappled with the dilemmas of their time, inviting readers to contemplate the nuances of existence. A true wordsmith, his narratives bridge cultures and epochs, inviting us to ponder the intersections of love, identity, and society. E. M. Forster's literary legacy continues to kindle the fires of contemplation, reminding us that human experiences are universal threads woven into the tapestry of time.

'They Looked and Loved'is a romantic novel written by Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller. Set in the late 19th century, the story follows the lives of two young individuals, Clara Graham and Arthur Trevor, who come from different social backgrounds but are drawn together by fate and a mutual attraction. Clara, a beautiful and intelligent young woman, grows up in a wealthy family in New York City. She is well-educated and yearns for independence and a life beyond the confines of societal expectations. On the other hand, Arthur, a charming and ambitious man, comes from a modest background but possesses a strong work ethic and dreams of achieving success. As Clara and Arthur cross paths, their initial encounter sparks a deep connection and they quickly develop a profound love for each other. However, their contrasting social statuses and the disapproval of Clara's family create numerous obstacles in their path. Clara's parents, who prioritize social standing and wealth, discourage her from pursuing a relationship with Arthur, viewing him as an unsuitable match. Determined to overcome the challenges, Clara and Arthur embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. They must confront their own fears and societal pressures while staying true to their feelings. Along the way, they encounter a cast of supporting characters who provide guidance, wisdom, and occasionally, hindrances. As the story unfolds, Clara and Arthur face various trials and tribulations, testing the strength of their love and commitment. They navigate through misunderstandings, betrayals, and external influences that threaten to tear them apart. Through perseverance and unwavering love, they strive to defy societal norms and expectations, ultimately realizing that true happiness lies in following their hearts.'They Looked and Loved'explores themes of love, social class, personal growth, and the pursuit of happiness. It highlights the struggles faced by individuals who challenge societal norms and expectations in their quest for genuine connection and fulfillment. Through the ups and downs of Clara and Arthur's relationship, the novel delves into the complexities of love and the power it holds to overcome barriers and transform lives.

Washington Square is a simple tragicomedy that recounts the conflict between a dull but sweet daughter and her brilliant, unemotional father. After the death of his beautiful and gifted wife Dr. Sloper's heart has grown cold, but his head functions perfectly. He is pretty cruel to his daughter Catherine and against her romance with Morris Townsend.

The story follows a female protagonist Constantia Dudley and her relationship with the mysterious Ormond. The Dudley family lives in New York where they get victimized by a trusted employee who embezzles their money and leave them in huge debt. They are forced to move to Philadelphia where they endure the loss of their mother, a yellow fever epidemic, rigors of winter and the exactions of landlords. Constantia, the daughter of the family, manages to keep the family afloat by her efforts and determination. Her luck changes when she meets Ormond, a wealthy military projector and conscientious atheist, who falls in love with her. Ormond helps the Dudley family to rise from poverty and makes numerous efforts to win Constantia's heart. The Secret Witness thematically focuses on the ways in which individuals change in reaction to their social environments. The novel thoroughly explores the republicanism and republican values common to the early American nation.

The Portrait of a Lady is the story of a spirited young American woman, Isabel Archer, who, in'confronting her destiny', finds it overwhelming. Isabel, originally from Albany, is invited by her maternal aunt, Lydia Touchett, to visit London, following the death of Isabel's father. When the elder Touchett grows ill, at the request of his son, he leaves much of his estate to Isabel. With her large legacy, Isabel travels to Italy and meets several dubious people interested in her wealth.

Robin Brent (featured in The Girl Who Wouldn't Make Friends and New Girls at Wood End by the same author) comes to stay at the Abbey when after her father is injured in a plane crash. She makes friends with the Abbey crowd, and finds romance with Rob Quellyn, a distant relative of Joy's second husband.

This edition of'Sense and Sensibility'has been carefully formatted for your ebook reader with a functional table of contents and contains all the original watercolor illustrations by C.E. Brock. Sense and Sensibility is a novel by Jane Austen, and was her first published work when it appeared in 1811 under the pseudonym'A Lady'. A work of romantic fiction, Sense and Sensibility is set in southwest England between 1792 and 1797, and portrays the life and loves of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne. The novel follows the young ladies to their new home, a meagre cottage on a distant relative's property, where they experience love, romance and heartbreak. The philosophical resolution of the novel is ambiguous: the reader must decide whether sense and sensibility have truly merged. Jane Austen (1775 – 1817) was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature. Her realism and biting social commentary have gained her historical importance among scholars and critics.

Set in the late 1820s and 1830s, after the Napoleonic Wars, the novel spans a period of 10 to 15 years and details the life of Maggie Tulliver, and her brother Tom, growing up at Dorlcote Mill on the River Floss at its junction with the more minor River Ripple near the village of St Ogg's in Lincolnshire, England. The story begins when Maggie is 9 years old, 13 years into her parents'marriage. Main focus of the story is on her relationship with her older brother Tom, and her romantic relationships with Philip Wakem (a hunchbacked, sensitive and intellectual friend) and with Stephen Guest (a vivacious young socialite in St Ogg's and assumed fiancé of Maggie's cousin Lucy Deane) constitute the most significant narrative threads.

From the best-selling author of Longbourn, a gripping novel of one young woman's unraveling during the Blitz—a story of World War II intrigue, love, and danger • “[A] thrilling novel…atmospheric and memorable.” —Emma Donoghue, best-selling author of HavenIt is 1940 and twenty-year-old Charlotte Richmond watches from her attic window as enemy planes fly over London. Still grieving her beloved brother, who never returned from France, she is trying to keep herself out of trouble: holding down a typist job at the Ministry of Information, sharing gin and confidences with her best friend, Elena, and dodging her overbearing father.On her way to work she often sees the boy who feeds the birds—a source of unexpected joy amid the rubble of the Blitz. But every day brings new scenes of devastation, and after yet another heartbreaking loss Charlotte has an uncanny sense of foreboding. Someone is stalking the darkness, targeting her friends. And now he's following her.As grief and suspicion consume her, Charlotte's nerves become increasingly frayed. She no longer knows whom to trust. She can't even trust herself...Utterly riveting and hypnotic, The Midnight News is a love story, a war story, and an unforgettable journey into the fragile mind and fierce heart of an extraordinary young woman.

A ballerina at the height of her powers becomes consumed with finding her missing brother in this “striking debut” (Oprah Daily).“A compelling novel about the spiritual and bodily costs of the dogged pursuit of art.”—Raven Leilani, author of LusterLONGLISTED FOR THE CAROL SHIELDS PRIZE FOR FICTION • LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/HEMINGWAY AWARDAt twenty-two years old, Cece Cordell reaches the pinnacle of her career as a ballet dancer when she's promoted to principal at the New York City Ballet. She's instantly catapulted into celebrity, heralded for her “inspirational” role as the first Black ballerina in the famed company's history. Even as she celebrates the achievement of a lifelong dream, Cece remains haunted by the feeling that she doesn't belong. As she waits for some feeling of rightness that doesn't arrive, she begins to unravel the loose threads of her past—an absent father, a pragmatic mother who dismisses Cece's ambitions, and a missing older brother who stoked her childhood love of ballet but disappeared to deal with his own demons.Soon after her promotion, Cece is faced with a choice that has the potential to derail her career and shatter the life she's cultivated for herself, sending her on a pilgrimage to both find her brother and reclaim the parts of herself lost in the grinding machinery of the traditional ballet world.Written with spellbinding beauty and ballet's precise structure, Dances centers around women, art, and power, and how we come to define freedom for ourselves.

Handsome, clever, and rich, Emma Woodhouse delights in interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protégée, Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected.

Cet eBook:'Raison et Sensibilité / Sense and Sensibility - Edition bilingue: français - anglais (Avec les illustrations originales de C. E. Brock) / Bilingual Edition: French - English (With the Original Illustrations by C. E. Brock)'est formaté pour votre eReader avec une table de matières fonctionnelle et bien détaillée. Notre édition bilingue aide le lecteur à mieux interpréter l'oeuvre de Jane Austen et est pratique pour faire des recherches et pour apprendre ou enseigner l'anglais et le français. - This carefully crafted ebook:'Raison et Sensibilité / Sense and Sensibility - Edition bilingue: français - anglais (Avec les illustrations originales de C. E. Brock) / Bilingual Edition: French - English (With the Original Illustrations by C. E. Brock)'is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. This bilingual edition helps the reader to understand and to interpret Jane Austen better, is practical for looking up text passages and very useful for learning and teaching English / French language through classic literature. - Raison et Sensibilité ou Le Cœur et la Raison est le premier roman publié de la femme de lettres anglaise Jane Austen. Il paraît en 1811 de façon anonyme puisqu'il était signé by a Lady. Résumé: Marianne Dashwood, ardente et romanesque, qui croit passionnément pouvoir s'affranchir des convenances, s'affiche avec le séduisant Willoughby dont elle est tombée amoureuse, tandis que sa sœur aînée, la raisonnable Elinor, cache le tendre sentiment que lui inspire son beau-frère, Edward Ferrars. - Sense and Sensibility is a novel by Jane Austen, and was her first published work when it appeared in 1811 under the pseudonym'A Lady'. The novel portrays the life and loves of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne. The story follows the young ladies to their new home, a meagre cottage on a distant relative's property, where they experience love, romance and heartbreak.

Longlisted for the PEN Translation PrizeThe internationally beloved author of Kitchen and Dead-End Memories returns with a beautiful and heartfelt story of a young woman haunted by her childhood and the inescapable bitterness that inevitably comes from knowing the truthYayoi, a 19-year-old woman from a seemingly loving middle-class family, has lately been haunted by the feeling that she has forgotten something important from her childhood. Her premonition grows stronger day by day and, as if led by it, she decides to move in with her mysterious aunt, Yukino.No one understands her aunt's unusual lifestyle. For as long as Yayoi can remember, Yukino has lived alone in an old gloomy single-family home, quietly, almost as though asleep. When she is not working, Yukino spends all day in her pajamas, clipping her nails and trimming her split ends. She eats only when she feels like it, and she often falls asleep lying on her side in the hallway. She sometimes wakes Yayoi at 2:00 a.m to be her drinking companion, sometimes serves flan in a huge mixing bowl for dinner, and watches Friday the 13th over and over to comfort herself. A child study desk, old stuffed animals—things Yukino wants to forget—are piled up in her backyard like a graveyard of her memories.An instant bestseller in Japan when first published in 1988, The Premonition is finally available in English, translated by the celebrated Asa Yoneda.