"Not A Wake" is a collection of poetry, short stories, a play, a movie script, crossword puzzles and other surprises, constructed according to a unique principle: counting the number of letters in successive words of the text (the first word has 3 letters, the next word has 1 letter, the next word has 4 letters, and so on) reveals the first 10,000 digits of the famous mathematical number pi (3.14159265358979...). Fans of the number pi, constrained writing (such as Georges Perec's "La Disparition"), wordplay, puzzles, or experimental prose and poetry will find much to savor in this, the first book-length work based on the pi constraint.
"A work that is as disturbing as it is empathetic, as beautiful as it is riveting." —Eimear McBride, New Statesman In the aftermath of the Norman Invasion of 1066, William the Conqueror was uncompromising and brutal. English society was broken apart, its systems turned on their head. What is little known is that a fractured network of guerrilla fighters took up arms against the French occupiers. In The Wake, a postapocalyptic novel set a thousand years in the past, Paul Kingsnorth brings this dire scenario back to us through the eyes of the unforgettable Buccmaster, a proud landowner bearing witness to the end of his world. Accompanied by a band of like-minded men, Buccmaster is determined to seek revenge on the invaders. But as the men travel across the scorched English landscape, Buccmaster becomes increasingly unhinged by the immensity of his loss, and their path forward becomes increasingly unclear. Written in what the author describes as "a shadow tongue"—a version of Old English updated so as to be understandable to the modern reader—The Wake renders the inner life of an Anglo-Saxon man with an accuracy and immediacy rare in historical fiction. To enter Buccmaster's world is to feel powerfully the sheer strangeness of the past. A tale of lost gods and haunted visions, The Wake is both a sensational, gripping story and a major literary achievement.
Betrayed by oilmen’s promises in the 1970s, the people of Prince William Sound, Alaska, awaken on March 14, 1989, to the nation’s largest oil spill. Not One Drop is an extraordinary tale of ordinary lives ripped apart by disaster and of community healing through building relationships of trust. This story offers critical lessons for a society traumatized by political divides and facing the looming catastrophe of global climate change. Author Riki Ott, a rare combination of commercial salmon “fisherm’am” and PhD marine biologist, describes firsthand the impacts of oil companies’ broken promises when the Exxon Valdez spills most of its cargo and despoils thousands of miles of shore. Ott illustrates in stirring fashion the oil industry’s 20-year trail of pollution and deception that predated the tragic 1989 spill and delves deep into the disruption to the fishing community of Cordova over the following 19 years. In vivid detail, she describes the human trauma coupled inextricably with that of the sound’s wildlife and its long road to recovery. Ott critically examines shifts in scientific understanding of oil-spill effects on ecosystems and communities, exposes fundamental flaws in governance and the legal system, and contrasts hard won spill-prevention and spill-response measures in the sound to dangerous conditions on the Alaska pipeline. Her human story, varied background, professional training, and activist heart lead readers to the root of the problem: a clash of human rights and corporate power embedded in law and small-town life. Not One Drop is as much an example of how too many corporate owners and political leaders betray everyday citizens as it is one of the universal struggle to maintain heart, to find the courage to overcome disaster, and to forge a new path from despair to hope.
A harrowing psychological thriller debut about a woman who awakens after an assault with no physical proof of the attack and who must try to convince everyone of what really happened. When Dr. Alex Taylor opens her eyes, she is hooked up to an IV, is bound to an operating table, and her legs are raised in stirrups. Disoriented and alarmed, she assumes she's been anesthetized and brought to surgery after being in an accident. But the man standing over her, with his face hidden behind a surgical mask and wielding instruments, is no doctor she recognizes at the hospital where she works as a successful and respected doctor. He’s a stranger—and he’s calmly and methodically telling her how he's about to attack her. Before Alex can even scream for help, she succumbs to another dose of anesthesia, rendering her unable to defend herself…. When she comes to on a gurney, she finds herself surrounded by her colleagues and immediately reports the attack and rape. The police are skeptical of her bizarre story. And after a physical exam reveals no proof of any attack, even her boyfriend has doubts. Despite Alex's adamant claims, no one believes her, leaving her to wonder if she has, in fact, lost her mind. Until she meets the next victim… An edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller, Don't Wake Up is also a provocative, timely exploration of victimhood, abuse, and the discrediting of women in our culture.
*COMING SOON* - WHAT JULY KNEW - the new moving mystery by Emily Koch. Available for pre-order now! __________________________________ HOW DO YOU SOLVE YOUR OWN MURDER? Everyone believes Alex is in a coma, unlikely to ever wake up. As his family debate withdrawing life support, he can only listen. But he soon begins to suspect that his accident wasn't really an accident. Even worse, the perpetrator is still out there, and Alex is not the only one in danger. Alex must use a series of clues from his past to solve the mystery of who tried to kill him. He needs to protect those he loves - before they decide to let him go... Keep up to date with all things Emily Koch and subscribe to the newsletter at emilykoch.co.uk _______________________ Praise for If I Die Before I Wake: 'Exhilarating' Daily Mail 'Beautifully written' Cara Hunter, bestselling author of All the Rage 'This is a debut to be reckoned with' Guardian SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA STEEL DAGGER AWARD
"Wake Not the Dead" by Johann Ludwig Tieck is a chilling and atmospheric tale that delves into themes of obsession, ambition, and the boundaries between life and death. Set against the backdrop of a crumbling castle in the German countryside, Tieck's novella follows the ill-fated experiments of the alchemist Victor Fritz, who becomes consumed by the desire to defy the natural order and bring the dead back to life. At its core, "Wake Not the Dead" is a cautionary tale of hubris and moral decay, as Victor's reckless pursuit of forbidden knowledge leads to tragic consequences for himself and those around him. Through Tieck's vivid prose and eerie imagery, readers are drawn into a world of Gothic horror and macabre fascination, where the boundaries between the living and the dead blur and the darkest impulses of the human psyche are laid bare. As Victor delves deeper into the mysteries of life and death, he becomes increasingly isolated from society and consumed by his own hubris, ultimately leading to his downfall. Through his tragic journey, Tieck explores timeless themes of guilt, redemption, and the consequences of playing God, offering readers a haunting meditation on the dangers of unchecked ambition and the fragility of the human soul. More than just a Gothic thriller, "Wake Not the Dead" is a thought-provoking exploration of the darker aspects of human nature and the consequences of tampering with forces beyond our control. As readers immerse themselves in Tieck's atmospheric narrative, they are reminded of the timeless allure of the supernatural and the enduring power of literature to provoke fear, fascination, and reflection.
A compulsive, read-in-one-sitting suspense novel: page-turning, perfectly paced with a trust-no-one cast of characters and a high stakes death-cheating dilemma. Five friends. Only one can survive the Neverworld Wake. Who would you choose?
An intimate, lyrical look at the ancient rite of the Irish wake--and the Irish way of overcoming our fear of death Death is a whisper for most of us. Instinctively we feel we should dim the lights, pull the curtains, and speak softly. But on a remote island off the coast of Ireland's County Mayo, death has a louder voice. Each day, along with reports of incoming Atlantic storms, the local radio runs a daily roll call of the recently departed. The islanders go in great numbers, young and old alike, to be with their dead. They keep vigil with the corpse and the bereaved company through the long hours of the night. They dig the grave with their own hands and carry the coffin on their own shoulders. The islanders cherish the dead--and amid the sorrow, they celebrate life, too. In My Father's Wake, acclaimed author and award-winning filmmaker Kevin Toolis unforgettably describes his own father's wake and explores the wider history and significance of this ancient and eternal Irish ritual. Perhaps we, too, can all find a better way to deal with our mortality -- by living and loving as the Irish do.
"Wake of Vultures is, quite simply, brilliant. A mind-bending mix of history, fantasy and folklore, it's a wild bronco of a read that'll leave you breathless for more."―Rachel Caine, New York Times bestselling author Supernatural creatures create chaos across an unforgiving western landscape in the first book of a propulsive and cinematic fantasy adventure starring ever fearless Nettie Lonesome. Nettie Lonesome dreams of a greater life than toiling as a slave in the sandy desert. But when a stranger attacks her, Nettie wins more than the fight. Now she's got friends, a good horse, and a better gun. But if she can't kill the thing haunting her nightmares and stealing children across the prairie, she'll lose it all—and never find out what happened to her real family. Praise of Wake of Vultures "Nettie Lonesome kicks major ass. There is something strange and wonderful going on in Lila Bowen's head. It's the weird west fantasy that I never knew I've always wanted to read. Now I need more!" ―Wesley Chu, New York Times bestselling author The Shadow Wake of Vultures Conspiracy of Ravens Malice of Crows Treason of Hawks
It was Spring Party Day, the best day of the year, So why were the animals trembling with fear? They'd heard growly noises and crept up to see . . . A huge bear asleep in the old hollow tree!
