Simply retold and wonderfully illustrated, this series brings together charming tales that children will enjoy. Each story takes approximately 10 minutes to read.
A cornucopia of contemporary world fiction that brings together short stories by authors including Calvino, Garcia Marquez, Abe, Duras, Borges and Beckett.
Marriage was her only means of escape . . . Though Honora Tannach came of age amid the misty moors of the Scottish highlands, where warring clans battled to the death for the future of their wild land, nothing frightens her so much as a lifetime trapped in the castle of her cruel stepfather. She is thrilled when a marriage is arranged to the son of a Scottish laird . . . until her betrothed is revealed to be Cavan Sinclare. Though the savage warrior once saved her life, Honora knows no one can tame the heart of such a brute, no matter now finely chiseled his features or how enticing his eyes . . . . After escaping his captors, Cavan's only concern is protecting his clan from the menacing invaders who threaten at every turn—and his beautiful wife is a dangerous distraction. But in the face of fiery passion, their reluctance will fade . . . and Cavan will discover that there is no greater strength than the power of true love.
Yoruba legend and culture were the source of much of Amos Tutuola's writing and the stories collected here are no exception. They feature characters from folklore, archetypal figures from Yoruba society, supernatural or magical happenings, acute human observation and often a moral point. Their very titles - from 'The Duckling Brothers and their Disobedient Sister' to 'Don't Pay Bad for Bad' - are evocative of a unique blend of tradition and imagination, which belongs to the same universal culture as Aesop and the Brothers Grimm.
Are you bored? Do you like exciting and dangerous adventures? Then it's your lucky day! Orville and Wilbur Riot are back with all-new escapades—because, you know, you can't do the same mission twice. (That's Rule #15!) As the brothers say, a bad day is like bad breath . . . it just gets worse unless you do something about it. So Wilbur and Orville are determined to never be bored, even if that means they have to figure out how to become movie stars or foil a diamond heist. This time even Mom gets in on the fun when the brothers announce a switch day—sorry, a dwitch say—and take over the house and their school. This new edition features an updated cover, a list of the Riot Brothers' new games, and a sneak peak of Riot Brothers #3: Stinky and Successful.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts, meet Rafe MacKade of the rebellious and irresistible MacKade brothers! Ten years after disappearing from Antietam, Maryland, the bad boy has come home. Cleaned up, successful and still dangerously good-looking, Rafe MacKade plans to open a bed-and-breakfast with the help of antique shop owner Regan Bishop. Though independent Regan claims to not want to get involved with a rebel, working in such close quarters has her struggling to resist Rafe’s charms. And even though she wants to keep their relationship professional, Rafe is pretty sure that her reaction to their sizzling kisses suggests otherwise… Previously published.
In the Polish city of Lodz, the brothers Ashkenazi grew up very differently in talent and in temperament. Max, the firstborn, is fiercely intelligent and conniving, determined to succeed financially by any means necessary. Slower-witted Jacob is strong, handsome, and charming but without great purpose in life. While Max is driven by ambition and greed to be more successful than his brother, Jacob is drawn to easy living and decadence. As waves of industrialism and capitalism flood the city, the brothers and their families are torn apart by the clashing impulses of old piety and new skepticism, traditional ways and burgeoning appetites, and the hatred that grows between faiths, citizens, and classes. Despite all attempts to control their destinies, the brothers are caught up by forces of history, love, and fate, which shape and, ultimately, break them. First published in 1936, The Brothers Ashkenazi quickly became a best seller as a sprawling family saga. Breaking away from the introspective shtetl tales of classic nineteenth-century writers, I. J. Singer brought to Yiddish literature the multilayered plots, large casts of characters, and narrative sweep of the traditional European novel. Walking alongside such masters as Zola, Flaubert, and Tolstoy, I . J. Singer’s premodernist social novel stands as a masterpiece of storytelling.
Once a cowboy, always a cowboy. Colton Hartman hung up his spurs at eighteen vowing never to return home. Years later, he comes back for his father’s funeral determined to sell his one-third share of the family ranch. Except his irritable, unappeasable father threw one last curveball—to inherit, he and his brothers have to live together on the ranch for a year. The ranch needs massive repairs on a tight budget and even tighter timeline, and the best contractor in Garnet Valley is unfortunately the one woman who never wants to see him again. August “Gus” Jones is determined to prove she’s ready to take over her father's struggling construction firm. Which means she can’t turn down the lucrative Hartman Ranch job, even though the man hiring her is Colton Hartman, the man who disappeared after she declared her love and broke her heart. As Colton once again works the ranch, the attraction between him and Gus quickly flames. Can she convince this stubborn cowboy that this time love is worth sticking around for?
I guess, in truth, “Reno by the/in the Lake” is my “Autobiography Light.” The material is indeed autobiographical in that little has been gleaned from any outside source and it is definitely light both in serious content and the serious nature often portrayed by an autobiography. So read on just for fun. Reno Beach was a magical place in the 1920s, ’30s, ’40s and ’50s, a resort town that never really quite reached its prime. It had, however attained great stature in the hearts and minds of all it entertained, especially in the imagination of a young boy who could see adventure, even in the smallest buttonhole or banal blemish. In his mind a vegetable garden became a wilderness plantation. An overturned rowboat became a fortress, a pirate’s treasure cave or a magician’s maudlin mansion. A willow tree only recently uprooted by the wind and waves of an angry possessive lake trying desperately to reclaim its own; this became the perfect home for “Tarzan (Jimmie) of the Apes.” The fact that I’m even writing this book belies the fact that the place and that little boy still live, if only in my imagination. The stories you’re about to read are about that small waterfront community just east of Toledo Ohio on the western end of Lake Erie and how it’s life; death and frequent revitalizations affected the life of one small boy, namely me. The stories are absolutely true except as altered by an aging memory, wishful thinking and delusions of grandeur, not necessarily in that order, and they represent some of the very best days of my life. I’ve been told that it’s good to share your very best. I hope you enjoy reading my stories nearly as much as I enjoyed living them. The writing’s been fun too. Some names and places may have been altered to protect the innocent and/or the guilty, but not many. Some may also be changed just because I’ve forgotten or don’t really know what I’m talking about. Please forgive me. Many may recognize themselves, a friend or family member in some of these stories and each one probably deserves whatever treatment or attention they received, either good or bad. This book is intended to be a “Bathroom Book.” This is not a negative. For those unable to grasp this creative terminology I provide the following explanation in the form of a prescription: Take in small doses. Continuous exposure could be hazardous to your health and could lead to an abrasive situation requiring an immediate application of Preparation “H.” This does not imply that either you the reader or the writer is full of . . . Anything. Should you disapprove of any of the material in this book please feel free to remove the offending pages and put them to better use right there in the “Reading Room” solving the problems of the moment. I’m sure you understand. Enjoy. Life is short. Don’t waste it on seriousness.