"Set in the remote Scottish island with a rambling castle and a ruined monastery harking back to more matriarchal times, The Fires of Bride is Ellen Galford's second novel. The author of the rollicking Moll Cutpurse spins a tale of misty legend and mysterious reality in this one. Maria, a visiting artist from the mainland, arrives and is quickly seduced by the island's strange charm. Is it her affair with Catriona -- clan chieftan, doctor, witch -- that makes it impossible for her to leave? Or is it the inspiration of a place where women have, since Viking times, fought off male marauders?" -- Publisher's description.
"The "Arab Spring" all started when a young Tunisian fruit-seller set himself on fire in protest of a government official confiscating his apples without cause and slapping his face. The aftermath of that one personal protest grew to become the Middle East movement known as the Arab Spring -- a wave of disparate events that included revolutions, protests, government overthrows, hopeful reform movements, and bloody civil wars. This book will be the first to bring the post Arab Spring world to light in a holistic context. It is a narrative of the author Shelly Culbertson's journey through six countries of the Middle East, describing countries, historical perspective, and interviews with revolution and government figures. Culbertson, RAND Middle East analyst and former U.S. State Department officer who has been involved with the Middle East for two decades, is uniquely equipped to analyze the current social, political, economic, and cultural effects of the movement. With honesty, empathy, and expert historical accuracy, Culbertson strives to answer the questions "what led to the Arab Spring, " "what is it like there now, " and "what trends after the Arab Spring are shaping the future of the Middle East?" The Fires of Spring tells the story by weaving together a sense of place, history, insight about key issues of our time, and personal stories and adventures. It navigates street life and peers into ministries, mosques, and women's worlds. It delves into what Arab Spring optimism was about, and at the same time sheds light on the pain and dysfunction that continues to plague some parts of the region."--
Gilles Montroville is like any other bored teenager: He's tired of school, doesn't want to go into the family business, and he's tired of people telling him what to do. Rebellion is not an option. Life in France in the Year of Our Lord 1640 is difficult under any circumstances but especially for those who have fallen from favor with the all-powerful church and the guardians of that power. The King and Cardinal Richelieu oversee a network of priests who set snares for the Huguenots, those not following closely enough to the official interpretation of Catholicism. Wealthy citizens are in danger, too, as they are often accused of heresy for the purpose of seizing their land to pay for the costly ongoing war. Young Gilles cares nothing about politics or religion, but a glimpse into another world, a world of complete freedom and exotic strangers, leaves him wanting more from his life. He attempts to live the life that his parents have planned out for him but a sudden turn of events launches him into a world far away from his protected childhood and provincial home, a world that he could never have even imagined.
Vols. 1-3 paged continuously. Vol. 4 by W.G. Sumner, A.G. Keller, and M.R. Davie."Published under the auspices of the Sumner Club on the foundation established in memory of Philip Hamilton McMillan of the class of 1894, Yale College." "Bibliographical note": v. 4, p. [1193]-1268.
A woman is torn between a hardened frontiersman and a Comanche warrior in this blistering Western romance from the author of Virgin Fire. Stranded in the wilderness and desperate for survival, young Cassandra has nearly given up hope when muscular mustanger Alex Harte arrives as salvation. When the rugged wanderer rescues this beautiful seventeen-year-old damsel, he knows his journey is about to take a dramatic turn. Just when Cassandra’s fate seemed safe, Alex and his wild posse have a run-in with an even wilder Comanche. Counts Many Coup has stolen many things from the white man but now he has found the perfect prize: Cassandra. She is stranded again but between the loves of two enemies.
Bestselling author Susan Wiggs literally wrote the book on happily-ever-after love. But orchestrating her daughter Elizabeth's real-world wedding turned into a different story altogether, and one that takes two to tell—the mother and the bride. Here is the all-too-true tale of a mother and daughter collaborating on life's ultimate celebration—a dream wedding. Often poignant, sometimes irreverent and always hilarious, this charming book is also packed with useful advice from both ends of the cupcake-tasting table. Join mother and daughter as they wade through the trenches of flowers and favors, grueling gown decisions…and the cold, cruel realities of a budget. With luck, love and loads of patience, they come out on the other side, bloodied but unbowed, replete with life lessons—and closer than ever before.
