In 1984, Johnny East, a dancer, is invited to West Berlin by mad Alice, an English girl living a bohemian life in the city at the heart of the Cold War. Alice is besotted with Johnny but on a trip to the East one day, Johnny meets and falls in love with a Russian tightrope walker in East Berlin. They begin an affair that leaves a trail of East-West transits, both legal and illegal, including one of the most daring crossings of the Berlin Wall. Twenty years on Johnny is the director of an aerial company and with an exciting new performance returns to Berlin, a new vibrant city, to face the ghosts of the past, the present, and Alice. The Last Dance over the Berlin Wall is a story of young love, decadence and tragedy in the walled-in city of West Berlin.
The Algarve is the source of inspiration for this exciting new collection of short stories, memoirs and poetry. Seventeen contemporary writers both recollect and recreate the lives of people along the Algarve coast from Tavira to Sagres and up into the mountains. They take us on a journey back in time to the Moors, through the Revolution of April 1974, and into the twenty-first century. Some mourn the vanishing years of the simple pastoral life, impoverished though it was, some celebrate it. Others on short visits have been enchanted or amused by an event with one of its inhabitants and, somehow, when they left, a bit of their heart has stayed behind. All of them are united by their fondness of Portugal and its serene and laid-back southern province.
A young English couple in search of an easier life in the sun, a German hippie with a singing dog, a UK property developer, a Portuguese waiter, a showgirl at the casino, a drug dealer, an old widow in the mountains and a fisherman's son are just some of the memorable cast of characters that inhabit these interlinking stories. Minor characters in some stories become protagonists in others in this rich tapestry of life in the Algarve in the summer of 2007 when a little girl went missing.
What does it take to finally let go of things that just aren't working in your life? The suffering of a broken heart? Losing a job? Or maybe the painful disintegration of a long-standing friendship? It is the cruel fusion of all these things and more that leads Natalie to believe the life she's living belongs to somebody else. On discovering that her boyfriend is being unfaithful, she begins to ask questions: why does this pattern keep repeating itself over and over? Will the rest of her life continue to play out like some tragic Nabokov novel? She decides to sell her flat, say goodbye to friends and family and take a year off to wander around Russia, Mongolia, China, SE Asia and India in the hope of finding something, anything that can point her in the direction of her true self. On her journey she meets various people who help to do just that, amongst them two elderly Australian back packers travelling through Siberia, a heart broken divorcee in China, an eccentric, tattooed masseuse in Thailand and a gorgeous American fireman in Vietnam. This is a heartfelt account of tragedy that turned into a quiet yet unwavering triumph, divulged with an acute honesty that will keep you hooked until the very last page.
The brains of the biggest action star in the world are sprayed against a seedy apartment wall. It’s not how Detective Nick Archer wanted to start his day. Movie star, Low Seward, has just been found shot in a dirty Skid Row hovel. Nick only has two leads--a packet of mysterious purple powder found on the victim and a set of whacked out witnesses glued to the floor. Outside, roaming the dark streets of Los Angeles, Ray Cobb wants nothing more than a dry place to sleep. But his night is far from over. A body has been dumped in his Chinatown squat and Ray is the only suspect in the killing. To clear his name, he must turn to his old friend, Nick. But Ray is going to have to prove his innocence without Nick’s help. Ray and Nick’s investigations collide as they slide deep into a pulp noir world of drugged out Hollywood-types, indentured Ukrainian hitmen, and a fastidious florist prone to kidnapping. Mistakes from the past resurface and both men learn reckless decisions can have dire consequences. The Last Dance of Low Seward is the second volume of Brad Grusnick's Vagrant Mystery Series, a modern noir exploring the underbelly of Los Angeles. Be sure to pick up Book 1 in the series, The Last Will and Testament of Ernie Politics.
From the #1 Kindle Bestseller comes an exotic tale of love, family and friendship 'The perfect holiday companion' - Heat 'The ultimate feel-good read' - Candis 'Sun-soaked escapism' - Best ********** Cuba, 1958 Elisa is only sixteen years old when she meets Duardo and she knows he's the love of her life from the moment they first dance the rumba together in downtown Havana. But Duardo is a rebel, determined to fight in Castro's army, and Elisa is forced to leave behind her homeland and rebuild her life in distant England. But how can she stop longing for the warmth of Havana, when the music of the rumba still calls to her? England, 2012 Grace has a troubled relationship with her father, whom she blames for her beloved mother's untimely death. And this year more than ever she could do with a shoulder to cry on - Grace's career is in flux, she isn't sure she wants the baby her husband is so desperate to have and, worst of all, she's begun to develop feelings for their best friend Theo. Theo is a Cuban born magician but even he can't make Grace's problems disappear. Is the passion Grace feels for Theo enough to risk her family's happiness? ******** SEE WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING ABOUT ROSANNA LEY: 'An impeccably researched and deftly written narrative that kept me hooked until the end' - Kathryn Hughes, bestselling author of The Letter 'Loved it from start to finish. A brilliant holiday read' - Amazon reviewer 'Perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore, Victoria Hislop and Leah Fleming' - Candis 'On so many levels a fantastic read' - Amazon reviewer 'A fascinating story with engaging themes' - Dinah Jefferies, bestselling author of The Tea Planter's Wife 'Warm, enthralling, one of my favourite authors' - Amazon reviewer
As America watched the fall of the Berlin Wall with great enthusiasm, President George H. W. Bush called the incident simply "a good development." He knew that the Cold War was far from over and that bringing it to an end would require not only symbolic gestures but also practical diplomacy. During Bush's presidency (1989-93), the Berlin Wall fell, the Warsaw Pact dissolved, Germany was reunified, and the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Yet, many people believe the Cold War ended under Reagan and that Bush's foreign policy achievements were merely an extension of Reagan's policies. In this in-depth look at the Bush administration's handling of the end of the Cold War, author Christopher Maynard argues that Bush actually made a fundamental shift in foreign policy regarding the Soviet Union. In part, he believes, historians have downplayed Bush's contribution because they have focused on the strong ideological rhetoric of Reagan and Gorbachev without looking at the day-to-day process of policymaking during the Cold War. Out of the Shadow incorporates a variety of important, previously unused sources. Its focused treatment of the topic will appeal to scholars interested in both the first Bush presidency and the Cold War.
A riveting story of adventure, danger and friendship for readers 11+, perfect for fans of Alex Rider and CHERUB. What would you risk for a friend you've never met . . . ? In 1960s Berlin the Wall is everywhere. It cuts through streets, parks, even houses. Teenagers Harry and Jakob live either side of the divide. In West Berlin, American Harry witnesses the brutal shooting of a boy trying to escape over the Wall into the West, and decides to emulate his comic book heroes and help those in the East however he can. On the other side in East Berlin, Jakob is the adopted son of a high up Stasi officer, feeling suffocated by the rules of a strictly regimented society and desperate to find his real family. When Jakob finds a message that Harry has sent over the Wall, he grasps the opportunity. The boys begin a secret friendship, evading the authorities using lemon juice as invisible ink to share hidden messages. They soon realise that a bold plot to carve a tunnel under the wall is the only way out for Jakob – and it's time to put their friendship to the test. Just how much are they prepared to risk for each other – and for freedom? 'A real page turner which will keep you reading long after you should have turned out the light!' Independent Book Reviews – Fiona Sharp 'It has everything a school Library Manager could possibly hope for in a book to recommend to their students. It gives the reader historical knowledge. It is an adventure. It is thrilling. The pacing is perfect. There is no bad language' Dudley School Librarian
