"One of the funniest books you'll read this year."--Publishers Weekly Love can be messy, painful, and even tragic. When seen through the eyes of Simon Rich it can also be hilarious. In thirty short, sharp, ingenious stories, Rich conjures up some unforgettable romances: An unused prophylactic describes life inside a teenage boy's wallet; God juggles the demands of his needy girlfriend with the looming deadline for earth's creation; and a lovestruck Sherlock Holmes ignores all the clues that his girlfriend's been cheating on him. As enchanting, sweet, and absurd as love itself, these stories are Simon Rich's Valentine to readers, an irresistible collection of delights. All that's missing is the heart-shaped box.

In a return to the short story, the form in which she made her debut with "There Are Jews in My House," Vapnyar presents a delightful new collection about the abiding, overlapping appetites for food and love.

From the author of To Die For comes this poignant, stirring, and occasionally hilarious story of a woman's attempt to remake her life after a searing divorce. Maynard's novel captures love as one approaches middle age in contemporary America.

Bestselling author Jonathan Lethem delivers a hilarious novel about love, art, and what it's like to be young in Los Angeles. Lucinda Hoekke's daytime gig as a telephone operator at the Complaint Line—an art gallery's high-minded installation piece—is about as exciting as listening to dead air. Her real passion is playing bass in her forever struggling, forever unnamed band. But recently a frequent caller, the Complainer, as Lucinda dubs him, has captivated her with his philosophical musings. When Lucinda's band begins to incorporate the Complainer's catchy, existential phrases into their song lyrics, they are suddenly on the cusp of their big break. There is only one problem: the Complainer wants in.

Never Love a Stranger

In this moving, wry, and candid novel, widely acclaimed novelist Ayelet Waldman takes us through one woman’s passage through love, loss, and the strange absurdities of modern life.Emilia Greenleaf believed that she had found her soulmate, the man she was meant to spend her life with. But life seems a lot less rosy when Emilia has to deal with the most neurotic and sheltered five-year-old in New York City: her new stepson William. Now Emilia finds herself trying to flag down taxis with a giant, industrial-strength car seat, looking for perfect, strawberry-flavored, lactose-free cupcakes, receiving corrections on her French pronunciation from her supercilious stepson – and attempting to find balance in a new family that’s both larger, and smaller, than she bargained for. In Love and Other Impossible Pursuits Ayelet Waldman has created a novel rich with humor and truth, perfectly characterizing one woman’s search for answers in a crazily uncertain world.

Five years in the making, the Edgeworks Abbey Archive represents Harlan Ellison's last word on his written legacy. Researched and edited by the author's long-time associate, Jason Davis, under the supervision of Harlan and Susan Ellison, this collection assembles the preferred texts of each story and essay along with previously uncollected and unpublished material to create the definitive edition.A FEW (AMONG THE MANY) QUESTIONS THIS BOOK ANSWERS: What stopped Attila the Hun from sacking the Holy City of Rome in the year 452 when it lay defenseless before him? Where is the sunken continent of Atlantis and what will happen if it rises? Has anyone ever made an interesting case for the merits of waging war, and how does war benefit the human race? What happened When Santa Claus attacked Ronald Reagan in the men's toilet of the abandoned Camarillo State Mental Institution? Is it true that Jesus had a homosexual liaison with Prometheus? Does the Abominable Snowman exist, and what's his sex life like? What's the worst thing that can happen to those who do too much bad dope? How do you identify and survive the attentions of emotional vampires? Are you listening? Why are the bizarre stories of Harlan Ellison so damned popular, translated into thirteen languages, and made into movies; why do they influence a whole generation of younger writers, provoke lynch mobs, and win this Ellison person such an unconscionable array of literary awards? ASK NOT FOR WHOM THIS BOOK TOILS. IT TOILS FUR THEE, KIDDO.

"Simon Burke has always preferred animals to people. When the countdown to adopting his own dog is unexpectedly put on hold, Simon turns to the PetShare app to find the fluffy TLC he's been missing. Meeting a grumpy children's book illustrator who needs a dog walker isn't easy for the man whose persistent anxiety has colored his whole life, but Jack Matheson's menagerie is just what Simon needs. Four dogs, three cats and counting. Jack's pack of rescue pets is the only company he needs. But when a bad fall leaves him with a broken leg, Jack is forced to admit he needs help. That the help comes in the form of the most beautiful man he's ever seen is a complicated, glorious surprise. Being with Jack--talking, walking, making out--is a game changer for Simon. And Simon's company certainly ... eases the pain of recovery for Jack. But making a real relationship work once Jack's cast comes off will mean compromise, understanding and lots of love"--

A homosexual love affair between an American writer and an Italian actor in Venice. It begins when both are students, is interrupted by World War II, then resumes with full passion, only to turn into jealousy and hate.

Struggling to recover from Carrie the waitress's rejection and his daughter's marriage to a Jewish man, lawyer Albert Schmidt hopes for renewal when both Carrie and his daughter become pregnant and when he falls for a beautiful French widow.

An artist who teaches others but who has lost his own inspiration, German-born painter Danzig finds a muse in the person of a new model named Merav, the Israeli-born granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, but before they can create a new future for themselves, both artist and model must come to terms with the past.

Best-selling author Belva Plain follows the enormous success of "Whispers" and "Daybreak" with another explosive novel that explores the realities simmering below the surface of a seemingly admirable Amencan family. In the opening pages of "The Carousel" a woman is looking at an exquisite music box, a silver carousel. She is pensive and reflects upon how this beautiful object has linked the momentous events of a family's life. She has married into that family, the Greys, whose successful business is nationally known. The sun has long shone upon the patriarch, Oliver Grey, his two sons Ian and Clive, and his niece and nephew, Amanda and Dan. Oliver has recently handed over control of the business to his two sons and his nephew. Amanda has a non-voting share. Now the sky has clouded over and terrible storms arise as a series of incidents threatens to destroy the family... Amanda is making furious demands upon the business. Ian's greed and his adultery collide with Clive's jealousy. And the five-year-old daughter of Dan and his wife has been the victim of sexual abuse. The Greys, pillars of their upstate New York community, are being torn apart. And before their ordeal comes to an end someone will be the victim of murder. As she did in the enormously successful "Whispers," Belva Plain tells a timely story of a family with a dark and dirty secret. With the additional touches of mystery--a new territory for Belva Plain --"The Carousel" confirms her place as one of our most compelling and popular writers. "The queen of the family saga writers...Belva Plain is in a class by herself." -- "The New York Times,"

"Final book in a series about a poor family living in the Bronx in the 1940's. Two sisters come to grips with their own envy, resentment and love for each other."--Page 4 of cover.

The sequel to the phenomenal national bestseller and enduring classic Love Story. Can the love of your life appear twice in a lifetime? Oliver Barrett IV found his soulmate in Jenny Cavilleri. Their love was magical and exhilarating...and though heartbreakingly brief, it was a love to last a lifetime. Two years have passed since Jenny was taken from him, and Oliver believes he will never love again. Then one day, Marcie--beautiful and mysterious--enters his world and suddenly the future holds new promise. From the running track in New York's Central Park to the hushed executive suites of a mightly department store empire, from a snowy Massachusetts Christmas to a shattering moment of turth in exotic Hong Kong--the story of Oliver Barrett IV is a story of passion and principle, of a young man's journey out of sadness, into love.

In a passionate, energetic narrative, The Promise brilliantly dramatizes what it is to master and use knowledge to make one’s own way in the world. Reuven Malter lives in Brooklyn, he’s in love, and he’s studying to be a rabbi. He also keeps challenging the strict interpretations of his teachers, and if he keeps it up, his dream of becoming a rabbi may die. One day, worried about a disturbed, unhappy boy named Michael, Reuven takes him sailing and cloud-watching. Reuven also introduces him to an old friend, Danny Saunders—now a psychologist with a growing reputation. Reconnected by their shared concern for Michael, Reuven and Danny each learns what it is to take on life—whether sacred truths or a troubled child—according to his own lights, not just established authority.

1 novel. 18 people. 18 lives. Infinite combinations: families and friends, colleagues and patients, lovers and mourners... but sometimes a crowd is the loneliest place to be. An exploration of dreams and disillusionment, love and infidelity...

From the bestselling author of War of the Roses, soon to be The Roses, a major motion picture starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch, comes the next explosive chapter of the Rose family saga. Meet Josh and Evie Rose, heirs to the notorious legacy of Barbara and Jonathan. In The Children of the Roses, Adler delivers a darkly comic, razor-sharp sequel about love, family, and the havoc we inherit. Josh's marriage to Victoria seems destined to avoid the mistakes of the past. But when a harmless prank involving missing Milky Ways at their son's elite private school spirals into all-out war, everything changes. Josh and Victoria find themselves caught in a whirlwind of emotional chaos, fueled by a depraved headmaster, hidden affairs, and a meddling mother-in-law with a vendetta against men. Meanwhile, Josh's sister Evie, ever loyal and always ready with a comforting meal, tries to hold the family together. As tensions rise, even the children, Michael and Emily, plot their own desperate plan to keep their family from falling apart. Witty, biting, and unforgettable, The Children of the Roses explores how the ghosts of the past haunt the present and how even the most perfect facades can shatter in an instant.

Petrol gauge broken, anxiety and tempers flaring, young lovers Rex and Saskia pull in at a service station to refuel. As soon as they stop the tension is relieved. Rex buries two coins in a crack at the base of a fence post as a secret sign of their love- Saskia goes off to buy a couple of cold drinks and vanishes. Eight years later Rex is still haunted by her. Then one day he sees scrawled in the grime of a yellow car parked outside his window two lines- REX YOU'RE SO SWEET SANDRA and WHEN I WRITE THIS IT SHOWS THE PAIN... and the obsession burns in his blood once again.

A NOVEL OF AN IGNOMINIOUS FALL, THE RISE TO INFAMY, AND LIFE AFTER BOTH. • It is the summer of 1998, and Stephen Glass is a young magazine journalist whose work is gaining more and more acclaim -- until a rival magazine tells Glass's editor that it suspects one of his stories is fabricated. As his editor sorts out the truth, Glass is busy inventing it -- spinning rich and complex blends of fact and fiction, and exploiting the gray world in between. But Glass is caught. His fabulism is uncovered and his career instantly unravels. Worse, his editor learns that it's not the first time. Soon, a long history of invention, passed off as journalism, emerges. Glass suddenly becomes a household name -- an emblem of hubris and a flashpoint for Americans' distrust and dislike of the press. The media is consumed with the story: Once the young man who had been known for mastering the "takedown" article, Glass now becomes the one every journalist wants to take even further down. Once the hunter, Glass becomes the hunted -- the story of the year. Glass responds to this agonizing public scrutiny with a self-imposed exile, first near Chicago with his family and then in the anonymous suburbs of Washington, D.C. There, he begins a long personal struggle with his misdeeds, working out his own answers to the questions of why he fabricated, how he can learn to stop lying, and whether, at age twenty-five, he has destroyed his life irrevocably. Glass encounters a world far stranger than his own fabrications -- one populated by eccentric coworkers, ailing animals, angry masseuses, sexy librarians, competitive bingo players, synchronized swimmers, a soulful stripper, and a mysterious guardian angel who dresses only in purple. Meanwhile, Glass is chased by marauding journalists whose desperation and ruthlessness manage to match even his own. As he dodges his pursuers, Glass grasps at straws only to find that, wondrously, they sometimes hold. Despite himself, he rediscovers the Judaism he'd left far behind in Hebrew school, and falls helplessly in love with a young woman who turns out to have her own shameful past. In the end, The Fabulist is as much about family, friendship, religion, and love -- about getting through somehow, even when it seems impossible -- as it is about reality and fantasy. At once hilarious and harrowing, The Fabulist is one of the year's most provocative novels.

"Investigating the strange ways in which love, in spite of everything -- time, war, betrayal -- can last, Zweig tells the story of Ludwig, an ambitious young man from a modest background who falls in love with the wife of his rich employer. His love is returned, and the couple vow to live together, but then Ludwig is dispatched on business to Mexico, and while he is there the First World War breaks out. With travel and even communication across the Atlantic shut down, Ludwig makes a new life in the New World. Years later, however, he returns to Germany to find his beloved a widow and their mutual attraction as strong as ever. But is it possible for love to survive precisely as the impossible?"--Publisher's description.