WINNER OF THE 2019 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION NATIONAL BESTSELLER "Electrifying" ( People ) - "Masterly" ( The Guardian ) - "Dramatic and memorable" ( The New Yorker ) - "Magic" ( TIME ) - " Ingenious" ( The Financial Times ) - A gonzo literary performance" ( Entertainment Weekly ) - "Rare and splendid" ( The Boston Globe ) - "Remarkable" ( USA Today ) - "Delicious" ( The New York Times ) - "Book groups, meet your next selection (NPR) In an American suburb in the early 1980s, students at a highly competitive performing arts high school struggle and thrive in a rarified bubble, ambitiously pursuing music, movement, Shakespeare, and, particularly, their acting classes. When within this striving "Brotherhood of the Arts," two freshmen, David and Sarah, fall headlong into love, their passion does not go unnoticed--or untoyed with--by anyone, especially not by their charismatic acting teacher, Mr. Kingsley. The outside world of family life and economic status, of academic pressure and of their future adult lives, fails to penetrate this school's walls--until it does, in a shocking spiral of events that catapults the action forward in time and flips the premise upside-down. What the reader believes to have happened to David and Sarah and their friends is not entirely true--though it's not false, either. It takes until the book's stunning coda for the final piece of the puzzle to fall into place--revealing truths that will resonate long after the final sentence. As captivating and tender as it is surprising, Susan Choi's Trust Exercise will incite heated conversations about fiction and truth, and about friendships and loyalties, and will leave readers with wiser understandings of the true capacities of adolescents and of the powers and responsibilities of adults.

In "Men in War," Andreas Latzko presents a poignant exploration of the psychological and moral complexities faced by soldiers during wartime. This powerful narrative is woven with vivid imagery and stark realism, reflecting Latzko's incisive observations of the human condition in the harrowing backdrop of conflict. Each narrative intertwines character-driven stories, portraying the profound sense of loss, camaraderie, and existential dread that permeate the battlefield. As a work deeply rooted in the early 20th-century literary context, it resonates with the growing disillusionment that emerged from the catastrophic impacts of World War I. Andreas Latzko, an Austrian writer and veteran of World War I, drew on his experiences and those of his comrades to craft this compelling collection. His own exposure to the brutal realities of war profoundly shaped his worldview, leading him to question notions of heroism and glory. Latzko's background in philosophy and his empathetic understanding of the soldier's plight inform his nuanced storytelling, revealing both the triumphs and tragedies inherent in the human experience. "Men in War" is an essential read for anyone seeking to comprehend the profound psychological scars left by war. Latzko's masterful prose invites readers to reflect on the shared humanity of those who endure conflict, making this book not only a historical account but a timeless meditation on the costs of warfare.

Step back in time to early 20th century New York City with Fannie Hurst's "Just Around the Corner: Romance en casserole," a captivating exploration of urban life and the timeless pursuit of love. This meticulously prepared edition allows readers to experience a classic work of women's fiction, steeped in the vibrant atmosphere of a bygone era. A compelling example of early urban fiction, "Just Around the Corner" offers a glimpse into the heart of the city, exploring themes of romance and the challenges faced by women navigating the complexities of city life. Hurst's keen observations and engaging storytelling create a rich tapestry of human experience, making this a resonant and enduring work for anyone interested in the enduring power of the human spirit. Discover a story that captures the essence of New York and the universal yearning for connection. 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.

“Cynthia†is a poignant novel by Leonard Merrick, showcasing his talent for crafting compelling narratives and memorable characters. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century London, the story follows the intertwined lives of individuals navigating love, loss, and societal expectations. Merrick's elegant prose and keen observations create a rich tapestry of human experience, inviting readers to reflect on the complexities of relationships and the enduring power of the human spirit. This edition of “Cynthia†offers readers a chance to rediscover a classic work of British literature, celebrated for its insightful portrayal of human emotions and its timeless themes. Leonard Merrick's ability to capture the nuances of human interaction makes “Cynthia†a rewarding read for those who appreciate finely crafted literary fiction. 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 was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. 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. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. 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.

Product Description Ivan Klima has been acclaimed by Booklist as "one of the most important literary voices of Eastern Europe, on a par with Havel, Konrad, and Haraszti." His novels Waiting for the Dark, Waiting for the Light and The Ultimate Intimacy have established him as a writer with a uniquely wry perspective on human affection. In Lovers for a Day, he delivers a beautiful and masterfully crafted collection of short stories on the theme of love. In "Heaven Hell Paradise," a doctor who has escaped to London comes back to communist Czechoslovakia to be with his lover and realizes too late that he barely knows her. And in "A Baffling Choice," a young woman begins an affair with an older man who lives in her apartment building, right under the nose of his wife. The dreams and frustrations of the student cafeteria and the turmoil of political exile in the early 1960s evolve into portraits of people struggling with responsibility, fidelity, and absence, haunted by a terrible guilt when their desires begin to become reality. Klima's unique wisdom creates a personal political history of Prague that is an acute and moving examination of our attempts to find freedom in love. Amazon.com Review Ranging over nearly three decades, the stories collected in Ivan Klíma's Lovers for a Day offer a fine cross section of the Czech writer's career. Yet the book also traces the misunderstandings and frustrations, the hopes and disenchantments of an entire nation--where, ironically enough, Klíma's creations were banned until the mid-1990s. How does this fictional barometer work? The earlier tales, which tend toward dissections of private life, seldom mention the Communist regime--yet their protagonists are so thoroughly warped by political circumstance that even love becomes an avatar of control and constraint. In the later, post-perestroika stories, Klíma's characters explore their newfound freedom. Yet that, too, turns out to be something of a mixed bag, in both the public and private sector. No wonder the judge in "It's Raining Out" finds his new beat--divorce court--nearly as dispiriting as the old regime's political trials: He would divorce couples on grounds of infidelity or mutual incompatibility. Some of them were husbands and wives who had stopped living together long ago, but in spite of that, he could never rid himself of the conviction that most of the divorces were unnecessary, that people were attempting to escape the inescapable: their own emptiness, their own incapacity to share their lives with another person. For Klíma's countryman desire represents a zone of freedom: an assertion of the unique self in the face of a collective state. For Klíma, alas, eros is yet another venue for repression. Suggesting that national politics might inscribe itself onto the deepest contours of the individual, he's able to write about both at once. It's a grim equation, perhaps. But Klíma's mastery of the medium, and his rare emotional intelligence, make for a superb exposition of love among the ruins. --Burhan Tufail From Publishers Weekly Sophisticated readers may expect to admire anything new from the justly revered Czech novelist (Waiting for the Light, Waiting for the Dark). Many of them will be disappointed with these 12 short stories. Klima's tales are sorted into three unequal sections: "Lovers for One Night" collects five stories from the 1960s, while "Intimate Conversations" and "About Love and Death" hold seven from the '80s and '90s. All these dejected fictions concern the success or failure of hopeful myths of intimacyAbut they are not equally successful. The fiction from the '60s tends to drown in involuted rhetoric; sometimes it's trite, other times it's supercharged with languid enervations and prominent symbolism through which the characters barely appear. It's hard to know whether the translator or Klima is responsible for such clunky prose as "She knew everything. She knew precisely why it was w