What we cannot keep. What we cannot lose. A sweeping masterwork of love and loss, secrets and survival, On the Sickle's Edge is told through the voices of three characters who lay bare their family's saga: the endearing, scrappy South-African born Lena, transported to Latvia and later trapped in the USSR; her granddaughter Darya, a true Communist whose growing disillusionment with Soviet ideology places her family at mortal risk; and Steven, a painter from Boston who inadvertently stumbles into the tangled web of his family's past. Against the roiling backdrop of twentieth-century Russia and Eastern Europe, the novel delivers equal parts historical drama, political thriller and poignant love story. On the Sickle's Edge takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride through some of the most tumultuous events of the 20th century. Instantly immersed in seven generations of the Shtein family, we witness their exhilarating celebrations and provocative controversies, and gain an intimate understanding of the pivotal events in South Africa, Latvia and the Soviet Union. Neville Frankel's ability to combine historical insight and human passion is spellbinding. I couldn't put it down. -- Pamela Katz , The Partnership: Brecht, Weill, Three Women, and Germany on the Brink In the hands of a masterful storyteller, On the Sickle's Edge pits the weight of an oppressive regime against individual tenacity and profound personal courage. Inspired by Frankel's own family history, this multi-generational epic holds up a mirror to a universal truth: all immigrants face the powerful tension between assimilation and cultural identity. We have--all of us--lived life on the edge of the sickle. -- Rabbi Andrew Baker , Director of International Jewish Affairs, American Jewish Committee

Shortlisted for the prestigious Sapir Prize, winner of UNSECO's international competition for Short Stories from the Mediterranean, Amstel is a haunting collection of stories about family, love and longing. These captivating tales take conventional life and tilt it sideways, delivering a memorable blend of the real and the surreal: A mother invites her reluctant son for cocktails and Amstel beer, then drunkenly reveals a part of her life that would have better remained hidden; a lonely man invites a battered young mother and her son into his empty home and a new hope is born in him; a pregnant woman in Jerusalem and her Palestinian cleaning lady draw closer until the Intifada tests their comradeship; a crazy Moroccan girl who habitually bites the back of her hand until it bleeds, believes she's found love; a woman exits her house momentarily into the night chill, the entrance door slams behind her and she has nowhere to go except to the small campfire Palestinian workers from The West Bank have kindled nearby - these are some of the diverse characters populating the intriguing stories in Amstel.Praise for Amstel:"I discovered a lush, rare literary language in the story 'Amstel.' I read it and was dumbfounded that writers still exist who are capable of creating a sentence worthy of Thomas Mann, filled with detail and sparks and shards of images all flowing together to create a portrait from within and simultaneously observed from a distance...It is a truly classic tale, with no jarring notes...demanding a period of reflection before reading anything."Benny Ziffer, Haaretz Daily

Created by Debi Derryberry, the voice of Jimmy Neutron and many other memorable cartoon characters. Your child will fall in love with Baby Banana. Baby Banana can fly with his yellow peel wings! In this Baby Banana adventure, Baby Banana flies with his Momma Duck and his Daddy Gorilla to get licorice from the Licorice Tree for a treat. Debi invites you and your child to listen to her award-winning preschool music on all platforms!

This vivid and colorful memoir recounts the experience of a Jewish-American man growing up during the turmoil of the Bush and Obama eras and dealing with the 2008 recession, crazy relatives, depression, failed romances, political and law careers, and foreign adventures in Israel, South Korea, and China. It contains richly detailed portraits of 2000's American life and the various fascinating cities of America, from New York to Chicago to New Orleans. It also has outrageous sexual comedy, Jewish shtick, and provides a serious look at the social issues facing the modern United States, from welfare to homelessness to the expense of college and over-competitiveness in the workforce. A must-read for people of what Newsweek has dubbed "Generation Screwed." If you enjoyed "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", you'll love this. Its a heartfelt and at times hilarious commentary on our American life.

Step into the halcyon world of pre-war England through the eyes of George Sherston, the fictionalized alter ego of poet and war hero Siegfried Sassoon. In "Memoirs of a Fox-hunting Man", Sassoon masterfully captures the innocence of youth, the thrill of the hunt, and the deep, abiding connection to a countryside untouched by the horrors of the Great War. Through Sherston’s adventures—on horseback and off—readers are immersed in the gentle rhythms of country life, the camaraderie of the hunting field, and the quiet introspections of a young man coming of age. Yet beneath the light-hearted tales and sporting escapades lies an undercurrent of change, as the encroaching reality of war looms over this idyllic existence. Sassoon’s prose is at once nostalgic and sharply observant, offering a portrait of an era and a generation on the cusp of irrevocable transformation. Whether you are a lover of classic literature, historical fiction, or poignant coming-of-age stories, this evocative narrative offers both a window into a vanished world and a powerful commentary on the innocence lost to war.

These are the tales of Eternal Voyager. Tales from a distant future in which all life is virtual. Everyone in the Metaverse takes for granted the ability to teleport; to change shape; to create entire planets for their playgrounds and to make backup copies of themselves, so they cannot permanently die. And what do these people who live beyond the conventional universe do with their powers? Mostly they play RPGs. ***** "I loved Conor Kostick's Epic and these six short novels (more like long, self-contained chapters) are sort of related. They are set in a universe (called the Metaverse) where virtual characters have come alive and have fun and adventures." Reader Review ***** "From a plague of vampyrism to silver orb aliens, to talking to dragons and battling orcs, Eternal Voyager [party animal] tackles them all with sharp humour and several quick avatar changes. Have you ever solved your own murder? Join a romp through metaversal adventures which just about cover every possible realm and involves a broad spectrum of characters. Parallels between the avatar world and our own are unmistakable - sometimes amusing, sometime deadly serious. Highly recommended." Reader Review

"One day, a young man receives an unexpected letter from his grandmother, kicking off a literary adventure that brings home to him everything he has not seen. Once Upon Argentina relates the lives of the narrator's relatives-- a group of people from all over the world gathered in a land where immigrant traditions merge and thrive. The lives of these relatives intersect, like a set of Matryoshka dolls or a hall of mirrors, as the personal and social stories of twentieth century Argentina converge. Beyond these tales of hardship and triumph, Andres Neuman's novel experiments with the nature of the autobiography, encompassing prenatal memories, expanding the autofiction genre with a new voice and twist. Merging present and past, collective experiences and his own, the narrator explores a genealogy populated by unforgettable characters, offering us the story of the construction of a country, his Argentine childhood, and his early literary discoveries.With extraordinary delicacy and intensity, combining elegy, tragedy, and humor, Andres Neuman reveals a world as real as it is fantastic, as strange as it is our own. Once Upon Argentina is a coming-of-age tale, a political novel, and a love letter to the absent ones."--Publisher's website

The Crimean war is raging a world away from London. Martha Lackland, Abel Lackland’s daughter, astonishes her family and friends by announcing her intention to go to the Crimea to work amongst the British soldiers. After the initial shock, her family rally round to help her raise money for food and medicines. Once in Scutari, Martha meets Florence Nightingale. She also meets a surgeon – the dashing Alexander Laurence and love grows between them amidst the devastation of war.

Stanley G. Weinbaum's classic horror novel, originally entitled "The Mad Brain". When an unassuming man's personality changes dramatically toward the sinister, the woman he loves seeks help from a psychologist, leading to a disturbing discovery.

"Celebrated stage actress Mona Zahid wakes up on Thanksgiving morning to the clamor of guests packed into her Manhattan apartment and to a wave of dread: her in-laws are lurking on the other side of the bedroom door; she's still fighting with her husband; and in just a few weeks she will begin rehearsals as Shakespeare's Cleopatra, the hardest role in theater. In an impulsive burst, Mona bounds out the door with the family dog in tow ("I forgot the parsley!" is her lame excuse) to find her estranged mentor, Milton Katz, who was recently forced out of the legendary theater company he founded amid accusations of sexual misconduct. Mona's escape turns into an overnight adventure that brings her face-to-face with her past, with her creative power and its limitations, and ultimately, with all the people she has ever loved. Beguilingly approachable and intricately constructed, at once funny and sad and wise, Mona Acts Out is a novel about acting and telling the truth, about how we play roles to get through our days, and how the great roles teach us how to live."--Amazon

London in the Blitz. Poppy is a mature and capable woman. She struggles to enable her family to lead normal lives. The problems they create are known to all mothers-a daughter torn between two men and a difficult and headstrong stepdaughter. It is a time of fear and uncertainty but love and passion grow amidst the devastation.

In the course of an impressive career as a writer, Herbert Gold has demonstrated many gifts, among them his talent for making high drama of ordinary events, ordinary people. — Chicago Tribune Book World Herbert Gold gives his stories a wry, bright air of wonder – he is a born storyteller. — New York Times One of the most gifted writers in America. — Detroit News The intriguing new story from prizewinning author Herbert Gold, his twentieth novel in more than six decades, takes us on a journey of lost souls seeking attachment, revenge and redemption at the edge of San Francisco Bay. When impoverished court translator Dan Kasdan lets lawyer and con artist Ferd Conway suck him into a shady property deal in Haiti, he’s unprepared for the life-changing complications that follow. First, an unknown daughter has just turned up at Dan’s door in the Tenderloin, nineteen years after a forgotten encounter in the Summer of Love. She, her half-employed husband and their disabled baby son need his care, attention and cash. All this just as Dan’s swollen prostate is confronting him with his own mortality. It’s bad enough when his cohort manipulates Dan into a love affair with Petal, a young woman his daughter’s age. But when Ferd starts pursuing Dan’s daughter as lover and would-be father figure, Ferd’s sleazy disloyalty changes Dan forever. If a psychopath really can fall in love, it had better not be with the wrong person. That could lead to murder among old friends.

Step back in time and immerse yourself in the vibrant social tapestry of Paris with Leonard Merrick's "To Tell You the Truth." This collection of short stories offers a glimpse into the romanticism and cultural nuances of Parisian life. Explore tales woven with the delicate threads of human connection, exploring themes of love, friendship, and the everyday dramas that unfold against the backdrop of the iconic city. Merrick's prose paints a vivid picture of Parisian customs and social interactions, capturing the essence of a bygone era. This meticulously prepared edition brings these timeless narratives to life, allowing you to experience the charm and allure of classic French culture. "To Tell You the Truth" is a literary journey into the heart of Paris, a celebration of its enduring romantic spirit and the complexities of its social life. Perfect for readers who appreciate literary fiction and stories steeped in atmosphere. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Explore the intricate dance of love and deception in Leonard Merrick's "The Man Who Was Good," a compelling psychological drama set in the early 20th century. This meticulously prepared edition, featuring an insightful introduction by J.K. Prothero, delves into the complexities of man-woman relationships, laying bare the subtle nuances of marriage and the devastating consequences of betrayal. Merrick masterfully crafts a story that resonates with timeless themes of trust, identity, and the fragile nature of domestic life. Navigate the psychological landscape of a relationship tested to its limits, as "The Man Who Was Good" explores the hidden depths of human connection and the enduring power of the past. A classic of literary fiction, this novel offers a poignant and thought-provoking exploration of love, loss, and the enduring search for meaning within the bonds of matrimony. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Mia is in Bosnia as a journalist when she is summoned by Asher, the man she blames for her father's death. In his dying moments, Asher returns the dreamcloth to her, a patchwork of beads and lace he stole when she was just a child. The cloth, woven by a seamstress in a grim shtetl in Lithuania, holds the mystery of a forbidden love affair of Mia's grandmother Maya, as she fled the anti-Semitism of Europe in the 1920's. Mia returns to her homeland South Africa, on the eve of the first democratic elections where she grapples to make sense of the injustices, absences and hauntings of her childhood. What happened to her artist father Issey, her nanny Sarafina, and her best friend Grace? The dreamcloth with its 'glimmer of blue silk, a moon of filigree lace and woven cobblestones of amber, ' holds the answers to all that has been lost. Fedler weaves together the present, past and distant past in a stirring epic of family secrets handed down from generation to generation, and ghosts that will not let go of the living.

It's about these 6 friends in college CJ, Dashawn, Marcus, Vanessa, BB, Jasmine. They go through ups and downs. A lot go on while in college. It's not easy but with love, friendship, life, growth and hardship. This will want you to read because this is a great story about how 6 friends in college can make it. Can strive. Learn to love l, fight, make up and always be there for each other hope you like this story. This how it go CJ and BB are step brother and sister, Dashawn and Vanessa are brother and sister Vanessa is dating CJ and Marcus and Jasmine are not related to anyone or is dating no one but that is what the story is about.

Sybil, a novel by Benjamin Disraeli, is a powerful representation of the social and political issues of 19th-century England. Through a narrative of love, class struggle, and national identity, Disraeli provides a compelling account of the challenges of the day. The story follows Sybil, a passionate young woman, as she navigates the complexities of English society and the struggles of the working class. Disraeli's writing is richly detailed and poignantly captures the social and political issues of the era, providing a unique insight into the past. With its vivid characters and thought-provoking themes, Sybil is an essential read for those interested in 19th-century England and its people. Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) was an English politician, statesman, and author who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice over his long and distinguished career. Disraeli is also remembered for his prolific literary career and renowned works of fiction, which often featured themes of ambition, power, and social climbing. Disraeli was born in London on December 21, 1804, to Isaac D'Israeli and Maria Basevi. He was educated at a variety of schools and universities, including Higham Hall and Trinity College, Oxford. In 1826, he left Oxford without a degree and embarked on a career in law. Despite his legal career, Disraeli was an avid reader and writer of fiction, and his first novel, Vivian Gray, was published in 1826. The book was well-received, and Disraeli continued to write political and social satire throughout his life. In 1837, Disraeli was elected to the House of Commons, where he aligned himself with the Conservative Party. In 1841, Disraeli's second novel, Coningsby, was published and was an instant success. This was followed by Sybil in 1845, and Tancred in 1847. His novels focused on social and political issues, such as the power of the aristocracy, the role of the Church, and the struggle between tradition and modernity. Throughout his political career, Disraeli continued to write and publish fiction, including Lothair in 1870, Endymion in 1880, and a collection of his works, The Works of Benjamin Disraeli, in 1883. His literary works have been praised for their insight into British society and class structure, and his novels remain popular to this day. Disraeli's legacy as both a politician and an author lives on in the United Kingdom, and his works continue to inspire readers and writers alike. His novels will remain a testament to his incredible talents and singular vision.

Before Europeans arrived in British Columbia, the coastal Indians lived in an environment where there was no want. The fish and fur-bearing mammals in the sea fed and clothed them, they were sheltered in post-and-beam houses, and they travelled around is sturdy canoes. They plundered and waged war against their enemies, and they captured slaves. There's was a world filled with superstition and magic, with supernatural creatures such as the raven, the gluttonous trickster, that could assume human form. The Europeans brought with them smallpox and other communicable diseases to which the Indians had no immunity, and they died by the thousands. The Haida of the Queen Charlotte Islands (since renamed Haida Gwai) were particularly hard hit, their numbers reduced from an estimated 14,000 to 800. Ignoring the rights of the Indians, the Europeans established government, first as a crown colony of Great Britain, then as a province of the Dominion of Canada. The jurisdiction was sustained at first by gold strikes, but when the gold ran out, the mainstay of the economy became the forests. The ones on the coast, with huge trees nudging 300 feet in height and some exceeding 12 feet in diameter, were the first to be exploited. There arose a stalwart band of men known as loggers, who harvested the big trees. One of them, whose name was Bill Clayton, became a legend in his lifetime for his strength and ability to do the work, and they called him "Logger Bill." At the end of the depression, when he is just 16 years old, Bill is unable to find work in Queen Charlotte City. He is forced to leave his Haida sweetheart and go to a remote logging camp, where the only holidays come at Christmas time, and only last for two weeks. She find she is pregnant, and marries her cousin, a common practice among the Haida. Bill is crushed when he hears the news, and sublimates himself in the logging business.Through tragedy and triumph, Bill works his way through life, with four loves and three illegitimate offspring, and through a living history of forest management in BC. He meets a premature death, and his three sons eventually find out about their ancestry. Throughout, the raven appears from time to time, giving rise to the feeling that he may still have some magic in him.

"The Second Mrs. Tanqueray" by Arthur Wing Pinero is a gripping drama that delves into the complexities of love, morality, and societal expectations in Victorian England. The play centers around the character of Paula Tanqueray, a woman with a troubled past who marries for the second time and must grapple with the consequences of her previous actions. As Paula navigates the challenges of her new marriage and attempts to integrate into high society, she faces judgment and scrutiny from those around her. Despite her efforts to leave her past behind, Paula finds herself haunted by the shadows of her former life, leading to tensions and conflicts with her husband, his family, and society at large. Pinero's masterful storytelling and rich character development draw audiences into Paula's world, inviting them to empathize with her struggles and dilemmas. Through Paula's experiences, the play explores themes of forgiveness, redemption, and the enduring impact of one's past choices.

Kelvin is a 33-year-old property developer living in a small Lancashire town. He has five close friends, all in well-paid jobs. Having bought their lovely houses cheaply in the early 1990s, they are free to spend money on their own pleasures - particularly clothes, meals and cars. Most of all, their life revolves around going to see things - art exhibitions, comedians, live music, plays... When we first meet the six friends they are on their way to see a new kind of circus. Once there Kelvin does something unforgivable to a clown, has a strange snack and meets the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. It's the beginning of the end of the good life.