We all know the story of the March sisters, heroines of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. But while everyone cheers on Jo March, based on Louisa herself, Amy March is often the least favorite sister. Now, it’s time to learn the truth about the real “Amy”,...  more

We all know the story of the March sisters, heroines of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. But while everyone cheers on Jo March, based on Louisa herself, Amy March is often the least favorite sister. Now, it’s time to learn the truth about the real “Amy”, Louisa’s sister, May. Stylish, outgoing, creative, May Alcott grows up longing to experience the wide world beyond Concord, Massachusetts. While her sister Louisa crafts stories, May herself is a talented and dedicated artist, taking lessons in Boston, turning down a marriage proposal from a well-off suitor, and facing scorn for entering what is very much a man’s profession. Life for the Alcott family has never been easy, so when Louisa’s Little Women is published, its success eases the financial burdens they’d faced for so many years. Everyone agrees the novel is charming, but May is struck to the core by the portrayal of selfish, spoiled “Amy March.” Is this what her beloved sister really thinks of her? So May embarks on a quest to discover her own true identity, as an artist and a woman. From Boston to Rome, London, and Paris, this brave, talented, and determined woman forges an amazing life of her own, making her so much more than merely “The Other Alcott.”

The only thing "gonzo gastronome" and internationally bestselling author Anthony Bourdain loves as much as cooking is traveling. Inspired by the question, "What would be the perfect meal?," Tony sets out on a quest for his culinary holy grail, and in the process turns the notion of "perfection"...  more

The only thing "gonzo gastronome" and internationally bestselling author Anthony Bourdain loves as much as cooking is traveling. Inspired by the question, "What would be the perfect meal?," Tony sets out on a quest for his culinary holy grail, and in the process turns the notion of "perfection" inside out. From California to Cambodia, A Cooks' Tour chronicles the unpredictable adventures of America's boldest and bravest chef.

A year in the life of a remote southern Italian hill town, rich with local characters and strange, pagan-laced customs -- a place very different from the more gentrified northern Italy of Tuscany and Umbria. Award-winning travel writer and illustrator David Yeadon embarks with his wife, Anne, on...  more

A year in the life of a remote southern Italian hill town, rich with local characters and strange, pagan-laced customs -- a place very different from the more gentrified northern Italy of Tuscany and Umbria. Award-winning travel writer and illustrator David Yeadon embarks with his wife, Anne, on an exploration of the wild, mountainous "lost world" of Basilicata, in the arch of Italy's boot. What is intended as a brief sojourn turns into a much longer and far more intriguing residency across the seasons. The Yeadons make a homein the ancient and alluring hill village of Aliano, where Carlo Levi, author of the world-renownedmemoir Christ Stopped at Eboli, was imprisoned by Mussolini during World War II for anti-Fascist activities. The Yeadons become immersed in Aliano's rich tapestry of people, traditions, and festivals, reveling in the rituals and rhythms of the grape and olive harvests, the unique culinary delights of the region, and other enticing peculiarities of place. At the same time, they discover that much of the pagan strangeness that Carlo Levi and other notable authors revealed still lurks beneath the beguiling surface of Basilicata. Evocative illustrations and richly colorful, often humorous tales of life in the hill village form the framework for Seasons in Basilicata.

The Way I Heard It presents thirty-five mysteries “for the curious mind with a short attention span.” Every one is a trueish tale about someone you know, filled with facts that you don’t. Movie stars, presidents, bloody do-gooders, and villains -- they’re all here,...  more

The Way I Heard It presents thirty-five mysteries “for the curious mind with a short attention span.” Every one is a trueish tale about someone you know, filled with facts that you don’t. Movie stars, presidents, bloody do-gooders, and villains -- they’re all here, waiting to shake your hand, hoping you’ll remember them. Delivered with Mike’s signature blend of charm, wit, and ingenuity, their stories are part of a larger mosaic -- a memoir full of surprising revelations, sharp observations, and intimate, behind-the-scenes moments drawn from Mike’s own remarkable life and career. This isn't funny -- A hero under the influence -- On the importance of better driving -- No polite way to put it -- A patient man -- Another tortured artist -- Size matters -- Can you be there by nine? -- A full-figured gal -- The orphan hero -- Something is missing -- Words, words, words -- Call it what you will -- Not your typical homemaker -- The biscuit bomb -- The men behind bars -- The cherry pie is to die for -- A manly man, a gold medal, and a really big sea -- A tale of two pupils -- Oh, brother! -- The American rock star -- The 25-million-dollar kiss -- How the game was played -- The mystery of the vanishing woman -- His last letter home -- One hell of a toll -- Breaking the silence -- Keep your voice down! -- The biggest name in town -- Charlie's big break -- Bobby brings home the bacon -- The greaseman cometh -- A little town up north -- Something unforgettable and real -- The star of the show

In 1910, Olive MacLeod, a thirty-year-old, redheaded Scottish aristocrat, received word that her fiancé, the famous naturalist Boyd Alexander, was missing in Africa. So she went to find him. Olive the Lionheart is the thrilling true story of her astonishing journey. In jungles,...  more

In 1910, Olive MacLeod, a thirty-year-old, redheaded Scottish aristocrat, received word that her fiancé, the famous naturalist Boyd Alexander, was missing in Africa. So she went to find him. Olive the Lionheart is the thrilling true story of her astonishing journey. In jungles, swamps, cities, and deserts, Olive and her two companions, the Talbots, come face-to-face with cobras and crocodiles, wise native chiefs, a murderous leopard cult, a haunted forest, and even two adorable lion cubs that she adopts as her own. Making her way in a pair of ill-fitting boots, Olive awakens to the many forces around her, from shadowy colonial powers to an invisible Islamic warlord who may hold the key to Boyd’s disappearance. As these secrets begin to unravel, all of Olive’s assumptions prove wrong and she is forced to confront the darkest, most shocking secret of all: why she really came to Africa in the first place. Drawing on Olive’s own letters and secret diaries, Olive the Lionheart is a love story that defies all boundaries, set against the backdrop of a beautiful, unconquerable Africa.

From Marc Levy, the most-read French author alive today, comes a modern-day love story between a famous actress hiding in Paris and a bestselling writer lying to himself. They knew their friendship was going to be complicated, but love?and the City of Lights?just might find a way.On the big...  more

From Marc Levy, the most-read French author alive today, comes a modern-day love story between a famous actress hiding in Paris and a bestselling writer lying to himself. They knew their friendship was going to be complicated, but love?and the City of Lights?just might find a way.On the big screen, Mia plays a woman in love. But in real life, she?s an actress in need of a break from her real-life philandering husband?the megastar who plays her romantic interest in the movies. So she heads across the English Channel to hide in Paris behind a new haircut, fake eyeglasses, and a waitressing job at her best friend?s restaurant.Paul is an American author hoping to recapture the fame of his first novel. When his best friend surreptitiously sets him up with Mia through a dating website, Paul and Mia?s relationship status is ?complicated.?Even though everything about Paris seems to be nudging them together, the two lonely ex-pats resist, concocting increasingly far-fetched strategies to stay ?just friends.? A feat easier said than done, as fate has other plans in store. Is true love waiting for them in a postscript?

The New York Times bestselling author of The Last Train to London revisits the dark early days of the German occupation in France in this haunting novel—a love story and a tale of high-stakes danger and incomparable courage—about a young American heiress who...  more

The New York Times bestselling author of The Last Train to London revisits the dark early days of the German occupation in France in this haunting novel—a love story and a tale of high-stakes danger and incomparable courage—about a young American heiress who helps artists hunted by the Nazis escape from war-torn Europe. Wealthy, beautiful Naneé was born with a spirit of adventure. For her, learning to fly is freedom. When German tanks roll across the border and into Paris, this woman with an adorable dog and a generous heart joins the resistance. Known as the Postmistress because she delivers information to those in hiding, Naneé uses her charms and skill to house the hunted and deliver them to safety. Photographer Edouard Moss has escaped Germany with his young daughter only to be interned in a French labor camp. His life collides with Nanée’s in this sweeping tale of romance and danger set in a world aflame with personal and political passion. Inspired by the real life Chicago heiress Mary Jayne Gold, who worked with American journalist Varian Fry to smuggle artists and intellectuals out of France, The Postmistress of Paris is the haunting story of an indomitable woman whose strength, bravery, and love is a beacon of hope in a time of terror.

A selection of mug rugs?large coasters with room for a favorite mug and a cookie or two?designed by renowned international patchwork artists are included in this project book. Each design has simple step-by-step instructions and beautiful photographs; they are small enough to complete in a few...  more

A selection of mug rugs?large coasters with room for a favorite mug and a cookie or two?designed by renowned international patchwork artists are included in this project book. Each design has simple step-by-step instructions and beautiful photographs; they are small enough to complete in a few hours, but large enough to give space for creativity. A mug rug is an ideal project for trying out new techniques or even for getting to grips with patchwork, quilting, or appliqué for the first time. There is a basic techniques and materials section at the front of the book to get patch workers off and running, and there are many different designs that can be achieved with various fabrics suggestions and additional techniques provided.

He stared at the unfamiliar watch on his wrist. Three hours ago he had stood on English soil. Three hours ago he had been Martin Hearne, British Intelligence agent. Now he was in Nazi-occupied Brittany, posing as Bertrand Corlay, with the Frenchman's life reduced to headings in his...  more

He stared at the unfamiliar watch on his wrist. Three hours ago he had stood on English soil. Three hours ago he had been Martin Hearne, British Intelligence agent. Now he was in Nazi-occupied Brittany, posing as Bertrand Corlay, with the Frenchman's life reduced to headings in his memory. Hearne looked down at the faded uniform which had once been Corlay's, felt once more for the papers in the inside pocket. He was ready. From now on he was one step away from death... The Queen of Spy Writers returns in a stunning series collecting all of her greatest works! Titan kicks off with Assignment in Brittany; the gripping tale of an undercover operative deep in Nazi-occupied France. 

Now in paperback, the New York Times bestselling story of the taming of the depraved and criminal Wild West. The instant New York Times bestseller!THE TRUE STORY OF HOW TWO GUNFIGHTERS BROUGHT LAW AND ORDER TO DODGE CITY, the most depraved and criminal town in the nation Dodge City, Kansas, is...  more

Now in paperback, the New York Times bestselling story of the taming of the depraved and criminal Wild West. The instant New York Times bestseller!THE TRUE STORY OF HOW TWO GUNFIGHTERS BROUGHT LAW AND ORDER TO DODGE CITY, the most depraved and criminal town in the nation Dodge City, Kansas, is a place of legend. The town that started as a small military site exploded with the coming of the railroad?its streets were lined with saloons and brothels, its populace thick with gunmen, horse thieves, and desperadoes of every sort. By the 1870s, Dodge City was known as the most violent and turbulent town in the United States?until Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson, two young and largely self-trained lawmen, led the effort that established frontier justice. This larger-than-life account of Wyatt and Bat?s adventures throughout the West?and the characters they encountered along the way (including Wild Bill Hickock, Jesse James, Doc Holliday, Buffalo Bill Cody, John Wesley Hardin, Billy the Kid, and Theodore Roosevelt)?offers an ?absorbing?fun and revealing? (Wall Street Journal) look at a wildly entertaining chapter in American history that no reader will soon forget. ?Two of the most fabled lawmen of the American West?s fascinating careers are brought to life in Tom Clavin?s Dodge City.? ?New York Post

At once a great love story and literary mystery, I?ll See You in Paris will entertain and delight, with an unexpected ending that will leave readers satisfied and eager for Gable?s next novel.Three women, born generations apart. One mysterious book that threads their lives together. A journey of...  more

At once a great love story and literary mystery, I?ll See You in Paris will entertain and delight, with an unexpected ending that will leave readers satisfied and eager for Gable?s next novel.Three women, born generations apart. One mysterious book that threads their lives together. A journey of love, discovery, and truth?I?ll See You in Paris is based on the real life of Gladys Spencer-Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, a woman whose life was so rich and storied it could fill several books. Nearly a century after Gladys?s heyday, a young woman?s quest to understand the legendary Duchess takes her from a charming hamlet in the English countryside, to a dilapidated manse kept behind barbed wire, and ultimately to Paris, where answers will be found at last. In the end, she not only solves the riddle of the Duchess, but uncovers the missing pieces in her own life.

Inspired by the true story of World War II's greatest heroine, this international bestseller and "cinematic treat" tells the story of Nancy Wake and the impact she had on the world (Publishers Weekly). Hero. Soldier. Spy. Leader. Her name is Nancy Wake. To the Allies, she was...  more

Inspired by the true story of World War II's greatest heroine, this international bestseller and "cinematic treat" tells the story of Nancy Wake and the impact she had on the world (Publishers Weekly). Hero. Soldier. Spy. Leader. Her name is Nancy Wake. To the Allies, she was a fearless freedom fighter, a special operations legend, a woman ahead of her time. To the Gestapo, she was a ghost, a shadow, the most wanted person in the world. But at first, Nancy Wake was just another young woman living in Marseilles and recently engaged to a man she loved. Then France fell to the Nazi blitzkrieg. With her appetite for danger, Nancy quickly finds herself drawn into the underground Resistance standing up to Nazi rule. Gaining notoriety as the White Mouse, with a 5-million-franc bounty hanging over her head, Wake rises to the top of the Nazi's Most Wanted list—only to find her husband arrested for treasonous activity under suspicion of being the White Mouse himself. Narrowly escaping to Britain, Wake joins the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and parachutes into the Auvergne, where she must fight for the respect of some of the toughest Resistance fighters in France. As she and her maquisards battle the Nazis, their every engagement brings the end of the war closer—but also places her husband in deeper peril.

Visit the charming homes of quilt lovers who collect Little Quilts. Find inspiration for decorating with the small treasures in your home, then create six simple Little Quilts from the patterns provided.

Murder at the French Country Inn is an easy-read novel written by local, Clyde Deighton, who mirrors the plot to factual gangster history at the Inn. The book combines Deighton's imaginative characters with a historical gangsters appendix. -Little Town. Big Trouble. Jaded by divorce and big-city...  more

Murder at the French Country Inn is an easy-read novel written by local, Clyde Deighton, who mirrors the plot to factual gangster history at the Inn. The book combines Deighton's imaginative characters with a historical gangsters appendix. -Little Town. Big Trouble. Jaded by divorce and big-city corruption, a former Chicago cop returns to his boyhood home and takes a job as a rural police chief. All he wants is a quiet life and the occasional stiff cocktail at his favorite haunt-a secluded lakeside resort that was once a gangster hideaway. Then trouble walks into the bar wearing a tight black skirt, a snowmobiling sniper takes aim, and there's murder at the French Country Inn. It's been a long, cold winter in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, but when crime heats up and passions flare, it's almost more than one man can handle...A tale of modern crime in a town filled with colorful characters...and echoes of the Roaring Twenties.

Seventeen-year-old Nicole dreams of spending the rest of her life with her boyfriend Nate. So when she finds herself on her way to Paris to study abroad without him, she’s less than thrilled. Paris is filled with cars that move at the speed of light, edible snails, and a language that...  more

Seventeen-year-old Nicole dreams of spending the rest of her life with her boyfriend Nate. So when she finds herself on her way to Paris to study abroad without him, she’s less than thrilled. Paris is filled with cars that move at the speed of light, edible snails, and a language that Nicole can’t speak or read. Worst of all, Nicole feels lost without Nate. She’s not sure she’s capable of finding joie de vivre on her own, but with the help of some new friends—and a certain handsome Frenchman— Nicole might find Paris as sweet as a café au lait after all.

As John Rolfe Gardiner's gripping and elegant new novel opens, World War I is raging and letters home from Major William Lloyd describe his life as a volunteer doctor in charge of a base hospital in the "zone of advance."        The Major's new command is...  more

As John Rolfe Gardiner's gripping and elegant new novel opens, World War I is raging and letters home from Major William Lloyd describe his life as a volunteer doctor in charge of a base hospital in the "zone of advance."        The Major's new command is both dream and horror to this upright son of an old New York family, bred to Victorian virtue and duty. Supplies are erratic, sanitation abysmal. Some of his nurses are behaving like trollops and an old prep school enemy turns up as his adjutant.        On the home front, the doctor's anxious wife, Emma, has troubles of her own. Her daunting mother-in-law has moved the family to her Long Island estate to escape city germs. Her two sons, one of enlistment age, are developing alarming pacifist sympathies, and the flag-waving chauffeur is spreading rumors about them. Her teenage daughter is growing up too fast.        But it's the doctor's correspondence from "somewhere in France" that most disturbs, with its frequent mention of the remarkable French nurse, Jeanne Prie. We hear about her devotion to the patients, her doctor-like authority, her revolutionary work with victims of the dangerous unknown fevers spreading through the trenches. We learn, too, of her mysterious origins, of claims that she was an assistant to Louis Pasteur, of the aura of suspicion and wonder that surrounds her.        Gradually the doctor's obsession with Jeanne becomes clear to everyone but himself. And when his son is drafted and follows him to France, and when the nurse's audacious experiments involve her in controversy, the situation spins out of control, forever changing all their lives.        Somewhere in France is a riveting tale of medical suspense, a portrait of a society in transition, and an affecting love story that explores the mysteries of trust and faith.

San Francisco magician Emma Passant is at a loss following the death of her grandfather during a mugging. When an antiques dealer whom Emma had met is also killed with the same gun used to shoot her grandfather, Emma wonders if perhaps the murder was not a random one. The disappearance of a...  more

San Francisco magician Emma Passant is at a loss following the death of her grandfather during a mugging. When an antiques dealer whom Emma had met is also killed with the same gun used to shoot her grandfather, Emma wonders if perhaps the murder was not a random one. The disappearance of a model boat, the Kaito Spirit, named after the Indians on the Caribbean island of San Marcos and a replica of an actual boat on which her grandfather had sailed many years before, only adds to the puzzle. A reference in the will, expressing a desire that her granddaughter will "take her place at the helm and turn the wheel on the legacy that I have kept hidden from her" puzzles Emma even more. Deciding that the key must be in San Marcos, Emma proceeds to the island, where the past reveals itself at last. Although the plot may have a few too many coincidences and overdrawn supporting characters to satisfy purists, Mathes' first novel is a real page-turner with a genuinely surprising ending.

Michelle Cooper combines the drama of pre-War Europe with the romance of debutante balls and gives us another compelling historical page turner.Sophia FitzOsborne and the royal family of Montmaray escaped their remote island home when the Germans attacked, and now find themselves in the lap of...  more

Michelle Cooper combines the drama of pre-War Europe with the romance of debutante balls and gives us another compelling historical page turner.Sophia FitzOsborne and the royal family of Montmaray escaped their remote island home when the Germans attacked, and now find themselves in the lap of luxury. Sophie's journal fills us in on the social whirl of London's 1937 season, but even a princess in lovely new gowns finds it hard to fit in. Is there no other debutante who reads?!And while the balls and house parties go on, newspaper headlines scream of war in Spain and threats from Germany. No one wants a second world war. Especially not the Montmaravians?with all Europe under attack, who will care about the fate of their tiny island kingdom? Will the FitzOsbornes ever be able to go home again? Could Montmaray be lost forever?

The Golden Book of Strasbourg is a colourful guide with pictures and cultural information. Walk in the streets of the Alsatian capital, discover the cathedral and the European Parliament, and explore the Tanner’s District. Bonechi guides are the perfect way to travel without leaving home.

1934: Connie Burroughs loves living in the orphanage that her father runs in the English countryside. Exploring its nooks and crannies with her sister, hearing the pounding of a hundred pairs of feet on the wooden stairs, having a father who is doing so much good. But everything changes the...  more

1934: Connie Burroughs loves living in the orphanage that her father runs in the English countryside. Exploring its nooks and crannies with her sister, hearing the pounding of a hundred pairs of feet on the wooden stairs, having a father who is doing so much good. But everything changes the day she sees him carrying a newborn baby that he says he found near the broken front gate. A baby she recognizes . . . Present Day: Arriving at her father’s beloved cottage beside the Thames, Sarah Jennings is hoping for peace and quiet, and an escape from her difficult divorce. But when she finds her father unwell and poring over boxes of files on the orphanage where he was abandoned as a child, she decides to investigate his elusive past herself. The only person left alive who lived at Cedar Hall when Sarah’s father was there is Connie Burroughs, but Connie sits quietly in her nursing home for a reason. The sewing box under Connie’s bed hides secrets that will change Sarah’s life forever, uncovering a connection between the two women that has darker consequences than she could ever imagine.

When Myriam, a French-Moroccan lawyer, decides to return to work after having children, she and her husband look for the perfect nanny for their two young children. They never dreamed they would find Louise: a quiet, polite, devoted woman who sings to the children, cleans the family's chic...  more

When Myriam, a French-Moroccan lawyer, decides to return to work after having children, she and her husband look for the perfect nanny for their two young children. They never dreamed they would find Louise: a quiet, polite, devoted woman who sings to the children, cleans the family's chic apartment in Paris's upscale tenth arrondissement, stays late without complaint, and hosts enviable kiddie parties. But as the couple and the nanny become more dependent on one another, jealousy, resentment, and suspicions mount, shattering the idyllic tableau.

Before his death in 1609, the brilliant Elizabethan spy, astrologer and mathematician John Dee hid many of his papers, believing that the world was not prepared for the ideas they held. In spring 2003, Dees many times great granddaughter and final holder of the secret was forced to pass the...  more

Before his death in 1609, the brilliant Elizabethan spy, astrologer and mathematician John Dee hid many of his papers, believing that the world was not prepared for the ideas they held. In spring 2003, Dees many times great granddaughter and final holder of the secret was forced to pass the enigmatic legacy to one of her two sons. Diana chose her passionate, tempestuous younger boy, leaving a tiny silver key with a note: For Will, when he is something, or someone, that he is not now. Summer 2003: While seriously ill Lucy King awaits heart surgery in London, Will travels Europe seeking to decipher the clues in the ancient document, and find a lock to fit the key. It is a search which will leave him and Lucy inextricably linked. But Will is not the only one trying to reach the truth at the heart of the Rose Labyrinth.

This exhilarating novel transports you to the lush tropical landscape of 1920s Ecuador, blending family drama, dangerous mystery, and the real-life history of the coastal town known as the “birthplace of cacao.” As a child in Spain, Puri always knew her passion for chocolate was...  more

This exhilarating novel transports you to the lush tropical landscape of 1920s Ecuador, blending family drama, dangerous mystery, and the real-life history of the coastal town known as the “birthplace of cacao.” As a child in Spain, Puri always knew her passion for chocolate was inherited from her father. But it’s not until his death that she learns of something else she’s inherited -- a cocoa estate in Vinces, Ecuador, a town nicknamed “París Chiquito.” Eager to claim her birthright and filled with hope for a new life after the devastation of World War I, she and her husband Cristóbal set out across the Atlantic Ocean. But it soon becomes clear someone is angered by Puri’s claim to the estate… When a mercenary sent to murder her aboard the ship accidentally kills Cristóbal instead, Puri dons her husband’s clothes and assumes his identity, hoping to stay safe while she searches for the truth of her father’s legacy in Ecuador. Though freed from the rules that women are expected to follow, Puri confronts other challenges at the estate -- newfound siblings, hidden affairs, and her father’s dark secrets. Then there are the dangers awakened by her attraction to an enigmatic man as she tries to learn the identity of an enemy who is still at large, threatening the future she is determined to claim…

For Gini Alhadeff, there was rarely a difference between feeling at home and feeling foreign. Born to an Italian family in Alexandria, Egypt, she lived in places as far-flung as Cairo, Khartoum, Florence, and Tokyo; raised Catholic, she did not learn of her Sephardic Jewish roots until she was...  more

For Gini Alhadeff, there was rarely a difference between feeling at home and feeling foreign. Born to an Italian family in Alexandria, Egypt, she lived in places as far-flung as Cairo, Khartoum, Florence, and Tokyo; raised Catholic, she did not learn of her Sephardic Jewish roots until she was living in New York in her twenties. In The Sun at Midday, Alhadeff traces her unusual ancestral history, seeking the source of her chameleon-like skills of adaptation. Through the reminiscences of family members—among them cousin Pierre, a worldly priest and celebrity confessor who recalls the sumptuous lives of Alexandrian ex-pats, and her uncle Nissim, now a gynecologist in Queens, who survived the horrors of the Holocaust—she unearths a wealth of rich and strange stories. Woven together with exhilarating prose, they form an uncommonly affecting memoir of a family whose past defies summation, and of Alhadeff’s own life both in it and apart from it.

In a small Cape Cod village in 1761, one woman is about to engage in the struggle of her life, defying her family, friends, and neighbors in a fight for her freedom that resonates even today. . . When was it that the sense of trouble grew to fear, the fear to certainty? When she sat down to...  more

In a small Cape Cod village in 1761, one woman is about to engage in the struggle of her life, defying her family, friends, and neighbors in a fight for her freedom that resonates even today. . . When was it that the sense of trouble grew to fear, the fear to certainty? When she sat down to another solitary supper of bread and beer and pickled cucumber? When she heard the second sounding of the geese? Or had she known that morning when she stepped outside and felt the wind? Might as well say she knew it when Edward took his first whaling trip to the Canada River ... Lyddie has long been the wife of Edward Berry, a well-liked and successful whaler in Satucket Village, Massachusetts. Married for twenty years, Lyddie is used to the trials of being a whaling wife -- her husband's sudden departures, when whales are sighted in the bay; his long absences at sea, when she must run the house herself; the constant fear that one day Edward will simply not come home. But when the unthinkable does happen and Edward is lost at sea, Lyddie finds that she must bear not only the grief of losing her husband but also the insult of losing her autonomy. As a widow, she finds herself cast into society's cellar, her property and rights now at the whim of her nearest male relative, who happens to be her daughter's husband. With her son-in-law -- who was never Lyddie's first choice for her daughter -- implacable and hostile, Lyddie realizes she cannot live under his roof and under his decrees. Refusing to bow to both her "guardian" and the societal and legal pressures brought to bear upon her, Lyddie finds that defying one rule emboldens her to defy another ... and another. As she moves back into the house she shared with Edward -- the house she is entitled to use only one-third of now -- and begins to figure out how she'll make a living on her own, she finds that her defiance earns her nothing but the abuse of friends and neighbors and puts her home and her family at risk. Ultimately, Lyddie must decide how much she values her personal freedom and how willing she is to become estranged from those she loves. While conjuring the hearths and salt air of eighteenth-century colonial America, The Widow's War captures a timeless human longing. With rich, realistic characters, Sally Gunning weaves a tale of a woman's journey to understand herself and her world, and her place in that world. Honest and moving, The Widow's War is a stunning work of literary magic, a spellbinding tale from an assured and gifted writer.

William Trevor's astonishing range as a writer--his humor, subtlety, and compassionate grasp of human behavior--is fully demonstrated in these two short novels. In Reading Turgenev, a lonely country girl escapes her loveless marriage in the arms of a bookish young man. In My House in Umbria,...  more

William Trevor's astonishing range as a writer--his humor, subtlety, and compassionate grasp of human behavior--is fully demonstrated in these two short novels. In Reading Turgenev, a lonely country girl escapes her loveless marriage in the arms of a bookish young man. In My House in Umbria, a former madam befriends the other survivors of a terrorist bombing with surprising results.

Turning Memories Into Memoirs contains countless helpful suggestions for remembering--researching--organizing--collecting and writing memories and family or personal stories. It includes * how-to writing exercises * clear explanation of literary techniques * proven motivational supports and *...  more

Turning Memories Into Memoirs contains countless helpful suggestions for remembering--researching--organizing--collecting and writing memories and family or personal stories. It includes * how-to writing exercises * clear explanation of literary techniques * proven motivational supports and * examples from the workshops. Turning Memories is a useful reference and guide for both beginners and experienced writers who want to write personal and family stories. Revised and Expanded New Edition includes-- * advice on how to establish and maintain a writing life * info about how to craft a unified collection from individual stories * insider tips about self-pubishing options * guidance to explore archetypes to inform your characterization * advice on how to use the Internet to build a wider historical context for your memoirs * 16 all new example lifestories from Turning Memories® participants and affiliate teachers * an updated bibliography * a total of 272 pages * 200+ photos

The remarkable untold story of France’s courageous, clever vinters who protected and rescued the country’s most treasured commodity from German plunder during World War II."To be a Frenchman means to fight for your country and its wine." –Claude Terrail, owner, Restaurant La...  more

The remarkable untold story of France’s courageous, clever vinters who protected and rescued the country’s most treasured commodity from German plunder during World War II."To be a Frenchman means to fight for your country and its wine." –Claude Terrail, owner, Restaurant La Tour d’ArgentIn 1940, France fell to the Nazis and almost immediately the German army began a campaign of pillaging one of the assets the French hold most dear: their wine. Like others in the French Resistance, winemakers mobilized to oppose their occupiers, but the tale of their extraordinary efforts has remained largely unknown–until now. This is the thrilling and harrowing story of the French wine producers who undertook ingenious, daring measures to save their cherished crops and bottles as the Germans closed in on them. Wine and War illuminates a compelling, little-known chapter of history, and stands as a tribute to extraordinary individuals who waged a battle that, in a very real way, saved the spirit of France.

“Dear Readers and Booksellers: If you have not yet experienced the great pleasure of a story by William Trevor, I urge you to read this new novel, and to set it in pride of place in your stores. Because the haunting story of Lucy Gault will not fail to capture you with its mystery, its...  more

“Dear Readers and Booksellers: If you have not yet experienced the great pleasure of a story by William Trevor, I urge you to read this new novel, and to set it in pride of place in your stores. Because the haunting story of Lucy Gault will not fail to capture you with its mystery, its compassion, and the beauty of its writing.” -- Louise Dennys, Executive Publisher, Knopf CanadaWilliam Trevor is beloved around the world as one of the finest writers today -- and with just cause: his new novel is a masterpiece of love and loss, and lives suspended in time.Lucy Gault is nine when her parents are faced with the agonizing decision to flee Ireland to be safe from the violence that privilege and Lucy’s English mother have brought upon them -- or to stay in their home and risk losing it to the threat of arson.Lucy cannot bear the thought of leaving Lahardane’s beautiful pastureland, the seashore below pale clay cliffs, and the nameless dog that has become her companion. So she runs away into the nearby woods to convince her parents to stay. Instead, her actions begin the unravelling of her family when they find two bits of her clothing and conclude she has thrown herself into the sea. Now desperate to be rid of the place where their much-loved daughter has died, Captain and Heloise Gault set off to wander restlessly across Europe. In the Lahardane woods, two weeks after the Gaults have gone, the groundskeeper finds the child lying lame and half-dead. He and his wife become Lucy’s life companions as she keeps a 30-year vigil of love and guilt waiting for her parents’ return.

Jerome Sugar learned the art of baking in his grandma’s bakery, also called Sugar, on historic Perdita Street in San Francisco. He supplies baked goods to the Lost and Found Bookshop across the street. When the restaurant that shares his commercial kitchen loses its longtime tenant, a...  more

Jerome Sugar learned the art of baking in his grandma’s bakery, also called Sugar, on historic Perdita Street in San Francisco. He supplies baked goods to the Lost and Found Bookshop across the street. When the restaurant that shares his commercial kitchen loses its longtime tenant, a newcomer moves in: Margot Salton, a barbecue master from Texas. Margot isn’t exactly on the run, but she needs a fresh start. She’s taken care of herself her whole life, pulling herself up by her fingernails to recover from trauma, and her dream has been to open a restaurant somewhere far, far from Texas. The shared kitchen with Jerome's Sugar bakery is the perfect setup: a state-of-the-art kitchen and a vibrant neighborhood popular with tourists and locals. Margot instantly takes to Jerome’s mother, the lively, opinionated Ida. The older woman proves to be a good mentor, and Margot is drawn to Jerome. Despite their different backgrounds their attraction is powerful -- even though Jerome worries that Margot will simply move on from him once she’s found some peace and stability. But just as she starts to relax into a happy new future, Margot’s past in Texas comes back to haunt her…