![]() ![]() A book about love and worry, honesty and denial, beautifully written. ![]() ![]() Other adjectives that come to mind: Funny, moving and beautiful.", Elizabeth McCracken, author of An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination and The Giant's House Alexa Stevenson''s Half Baked is one of the best memoirs I''ve read in years: it''s unbelievably sad and funny about some of the saddest, scariest things in the world. What I'm trying to say is: it's for everyone. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically and The Know-It-All "This is a book for all those who have had kids, or plan to have kids, or who ever were a kid themselves at one point. Serious and hilarious, endearing and biting-well, I can't wait to read her first book, and I know I'm not the only one. Though she's original, her work reminds me of Calvin Trillin's, in the depth of its comedy and its generosity of spirit. Elizabeth McCracken, author ofAn Exact Replica of a Figment of My ImaginationandThe Giant's House "I would read anything Alexa Stevenson wants to write, but particularly this book. ![]()
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![]() ![]() ![]() Katz’s lively, deeply researched “Gangsters of Capitalism” tracks Butler’s three decades of foreign conquest. His answer: “Yes.” Smedley Butler was the tip of the spear in democracy-thwarting invasions and occupations beginning in 1898 whose beneficiaries included the banker J.P. empire-building expedition - in Cuba, the Philippines, Panama, Mexico, Nicaragua and Haiti - asked himself the same question. ![]() Some wonder: Were they instruments of less-than-noble imperialist adventures?Ī century ago, a gimlet-eyed Marine who featured in pretty much every early U.S. veterans of the country’s 21-century “forever wars” - men and women who lost buddies and limbs to roadside bombs and suffer psychic scars - struggle to understand the why behind them. “Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America’s Empire” by Jonathan M. Martin's Press shows "Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America's Empire" by Jonathan M. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Bingo continues to up the stakes as he becomes involved in everything from the rise of socialism, a little side betting on the lengthiness of a country parson’s sermon, and a parlance with amateur dramatics to woo the current flavor of the moment. Bingo Little, an old school chum of Bertie’s, brings many laughs into the story as he falls in love constantly, each time with a specimen worse than before, pawning Bertie off as a novelist of radical female romance to try and woo his stingy uncle over to the idea of a not-so-above-board wedding with a shop girl. In typical Wodehouse fashion, The Inimitable Jeeves doesn’t focus on a central plot, but instead a mapping of mini-escapades centered around the fashionably clueless Bertie and his clever butler, Jeeves, as they navigate the pompous upper class world of British aristocracy, running into some right rummy characters. I tucked the Inimitable Jeeves, a semi-novelish collection of short stories written (and published separately) about Bertie and Jeeves, into a towering hand-full of audio books and got ready to let the warmth of laughter brighten this winterish spring. With this in mind, I hit the library in search of a pick-me-up, discovering the P.G. ![]() The victim of a long-bumpy commute with an ever more ill-tempered pickup, I decided that it was time to weave some classics back into my slumping reading list. ![]() ![]() In a time of nearly universal homophobia, racism, sex discrimination and thoughtless assaults on the natural world, a few brave, stubborn, de-centered people fought against all odds for gay rights, feminism, civil rights and protection of the natural world. The only courage we have been witness to is the courage of isolated people.”Ī half-century later, those “isolated people” are some of the most consequential figures in American history. ![]() It was a time when, as Norman Mailer put, “a stench of fear has come out of every pore of American life, and we suffer from a collective failure of nerve. For a model of social progress in American history, the last place to look would be the postwar period, 1946-1963, sometimes known as the “long Fifties.” After 15 years of Depression and war-and then a nuclear-armed standoff that passed for peace-the retreat into a fearful conformity ruled, and progressive initiatives took on the character of subversion. ![]() ![]() Thrown into the mix of two diametrically opposed prophesied individuals are a number of magical objects, crafted in ancient times, which will be sought after by the Dark Sun and his forces. ![]() It actually takes a bit of time before a prophecy is revealed predicting an ancient struggle between the force of light, lead by the Bright Star, and the forces of darkness, lead by the Black Sun. Ancient stone alters bleed and strange creatures stir in the dark places of the world. He yearns to wield his sword and spear to protect his king’s realm. Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors, learning the art of war. ![]() Much of Malice is about set up as Gwynne details the signs and portents of a world teetering on the edge of a great (and mysterious) conflict. Called a Hell of a debut by bestselling author Conn Iggulden, the epic fantasy, Malice by John Gwynne, is the first in The Faithful and the Fallen series. Authors & Illustrators John Gwynne Make sure you dont miss out on any Pan Macmillan news John Gwynne John Gwynne studied and lectured at Brighton University. As a result Malice’s prose walks a middle ground as it tries to appeal to both teens and adults. Malice, in a way similar to Robert Jordan’s The Eye of the World, is a novel that seems written to bridge the gap between teens and adults. It’s a debut fantasy that reminds me very much of lazy summer days as a teen barricaded in my parent’s air conditioned home while pouring over the latest dictionary sized fantasy novel. Malice is a debut novel from John Gwynne that travels a more traditional path than many novels in recent years. ![]() ![]() ![]() Now, however, the couple have broken up, but can’t bear to tell the parents. Their parents hoped and prayed the two would grow up to marry–in fact, they thought that really was the plan. They’ve had the holidays together all their lives. Kate and Chuck grew up in the chocolate factory playing together while their parents worked. The two parent-couples are business partners in a chocolate company. Kate and Chuck come from families joined at the hip…well, more or less joined. Whatever! They’ve been the perfect thing for unemployment. Plus, #20BooksForChristmas–though I had thought I’d only do 10 Christmas books. I had a big errand day, so just listened to the last 1/4 at home while having dinner alone. This one was available, was new, and was only 5 hours long–great for me drives on errands. ![]() ![]() Gameplay Īn arrow points at an enemy whom Link is targeting as he prepares to swing his sword ( GameCube version). A high-definition remaster for the Wii U, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, was released in March 2016. In 2011, the Wii version was rereleased under the Nintendo Selects label. By 2015, it had sold 8.85 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling Zelda game until being overtaken by Breath of the Wild in April 2018. Twilight Princess was critically acclaimed upon its release, received numerous game of the year awards, and has been called one of the greatest games of all time. The game takes place over a century after Ocarina of Time, in an alternate timeline from The Wind Waker. ![]() To do so, he takes the form of both a Hylian and a wolf, and he is assisted by a mysterious imp named Midna. The story focuses on series protagonist Link, who tries to prevent Hyrule from being engulfed by a corrupted parallel dimension known as the Twilight Realm. ![]() The GameCube version was also released in December 2006 as the final first-party game for the console. The Wii version was a launch game in North America in November 2006, and in Japan, Europe, and Australia the following month. ![]() Originally planned for release exclusively on the GameCube in November 2005, Twilight Princess was delayed by Nintendo to allow its developers to refine the game, add more content, and port it to the Wii. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii. ![]() ![]() June 28th on Bookmark Lit – June 29th on Girl in the PagesĪs I mentioned in my intro paragraph, I’ve been reading Sarah’s books for over a decade. Once and For All, Dessen Favorites, and Wrap-Up ![]() June 21st on Bookmark Lit – June 22nd on Girl in the Pages June 14th on Bookmark Lit – June 15th on Girl in the Pagesīlog Features: Cover Colors and I Will Go Down with My Ship June 7th on Bookmark Lit – June 8th on Girl in the Pagesĭessen Recommendations and Similar Stories Introduction, Our Sarah Stories, and Discussion of Someone Like You Our feature will take place over 4 weeks this June on Wednesdays at Lauren’s blog and on Thursdays here! Schedule Over the past 12+ years I’ve read and loved almost all of her books, and with Once and for All out this Sarah has surely been on everyone’s mind! Lauren from Bookmark Lit and I are therefore joining forces this summer to discuss all things Dessen this month- when we started reading her books, our experiences with rereading, and other fun discussions, recommendations, and personal stories. Her books have been around long before YA was a well-known genre and I remember her books being some of the first I ventured into in middle and high school summers when the YA section at my local library was lacking and I didn’t even really know what a contemporary novel was. Most readers and bloggers can agree that Sarah Dessen is the Queen of Contemporary. ![]() ![]() ![]() The Spare Room is a shortish novel from 2008 by the Australian writer Helen Garner. 'Helen Garner writes the best sentences in Australia.' 'Garner has always had a mimic's ear for dialogue and an eye for unconscious symbolism, the clothes and gestures with which we give ourselves away.' 'She is outstanding in the accuracy of her observations, the intensity of passion.her radar-sure humour.' There is not a paragraph, let alone a page, where she does not compel your attention.' 'Helen Garner is an extraordinarily good writer. In 2006 she won the Melbourne Prize for Literature. Her most recent books are The First Stone, True Stories, My Hard Heart, The Feel of Stone and Joe Cinque's Consolation. She is also one of Australia's most respected non-fiction writers, and received a Walkley Award for journalism in 1993. She has published many works of fiction including Monkey Grip, Cosmo Cosmolino and The Children's Bach. Helen Garner was born in Geelong in 1942. ![]() ![]() ![]() It's the life he never wanted, and there's one man to blame: the Duke of Bradenton. Only the father he never knew leaves him a title, wealth, lands and the responsibility to care for it all. Kenneth would much rather be in Scotland, the gorgeous country of his mother's ancestors, than in prim and proper England. If he won't abandon his revenge, she'll take matters into her own hands. When Kenneth Macleod, the new Duke of Foxworth, forges a feud against her brother, she doesn't care how powerful he is - or that neither man wants her involvement. ![]() ![]() What happens when the duke kidnaps her instead? Welcome to book 3 in the bestselling series The Secret Crusaders from the talented Melanie Rose Clarke Social justice crusader Sophia Hawkins will do anything to protect her family. "item_description" : "When a Scottish duke targets her brother, Sophia will do anything to protect her family, including kidnapping the powerful lord. ![]() |