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Women biography, Anthologies, Literature biography
Human-narrated audio
The beloved New York Times bestselling author reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of…
essays. "Any story that starts will also end." As a writer, Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be. Life, however, often takes turns we do not see coming. Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart. At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay, a surprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores "what it means to be seen, to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self." When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks' short story collection to read one night before bed, she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing. It would introduce her to a remarkable woman—Tom's brilliant assistant Sooki—with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both. A literary alchemist, Patchett plumbs the depths of her experiences to create gold: engaging and moving pieces that are both self-portrait and landscape, each vibrant with emotion and rich in insight. Turning her writer's eye on her own experiences, she transforms the private into the universal, providing us all a way to look at our own worlds anew, and reminds how fleeting and enigmatic life can be. From the enchantments of Kate DiCamillo's children's books (author of the upcoming The Beatryce Prophecy) to youthful memories of Paris; the cherished life gifts given by her three fathers to the unexpected influence of Charles Schultz's Snoopy; the expansive vision of Eudora Welty to the importance of knitting, Patchett connects life and art as she illuminates what matters most. Infused with the author's grace, wit, and warmth, the pieces in These Precious Days resonate deep in the soul, leaving an indelible mark—and demonstrate why Ann Patchett is one of the most celebrated writers of our time
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Journals and memoirs, Arts and entertainment, Anthologies
Human-narrated audio
The international literary icon opens his eclectic closet: Here are photographs of Murakami&’s extensive and personal T-shirt collection, accompanied by…
essays that reveal a side of the writer rarely seen by the public. Considered "the world's most popular cult novelist" ( The Guardian ), Haruki Murakami has written books that have galvanized millions around the world. Many of his fans know about his 10,000-vinyl-record collection, and his obsession with running, but few have heard about a more intimate, and perhaps more unique, passion: his T-shirt-collecting habit. In Murakami T, the famously reclusive novelist shows us his T-shirts—including gems from the Springsteen on Broadway show in NYC, to the Beach Boys concert in Honolulu, to the shirt that inspired the beloved short story &“Tony Takitani.&” Accompanied by short, frank essays that have been translated into English for the first time, these photographs reveal much about Murakami's multifaceted and wonderfully eccentric persona. *Includes a downloadable PDF of images from the book
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Folklore, fables and fairy tales, General fictionAnthologies
Human-narrated audio
A brilliantly original, landmark retelling of Greek myths, recounted as if they were actual scenes being woven into textiles by…
the women who feature prominently in them—including Athena, Helen, Circe and Penelope &“Greek myths were full of powerful witches, unpredictable gods and sword-wielding slayers. They were also extreme: about families who turn murderously on each other; impossible tasks set by cruel kings; love that goes wrong; wars and journeys and terrible loss. There was magic, there was shape-shifting, there were monsters, there were descents to the land of the dead. Humans and immortals inhabited the same world, which was sometimes perilous, sometimes exciting. &“The stories were obviously fantastical. All the same, brothers really do war with each other. People tell the truth but aren&’t believed. Wars destroy the innocent. Lovers are parted. Parents endure the grief of losing children. Women suffer violence at the hands of men. The cleverest of people can be blind to what is really going on. The law of the land can contradict what you know to be just. Mysterious diseases devastate cities. Floods and fire tear lives apart. &“For the Greeks, the word muthos simply meant a traditional tale. In the twenty-first century, we have long left behind the political and religious framework in which these stories first circulated—but their power endures. Greek myths remain true for us because they excavate the very extremes of human experience: sudden, inexplicable catastrophe; radical reversals of fortune; and seemingly arbitrary events that transform lives. They deal, in short, in the hard, basic facts of the human condition.&” —from the Introduction
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Anthologies
Human-narrated audio
Introduction by New York Times bestselling author Henry Louis Gates Jr. Spanning more than 35 years of work, the first…
comprehensive collection of essays, criticism, and articles by the legendary author of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston, showcasing the evolution of her distinctive style as an archivist and author. "One of the greatest writers of our time."—Toni Morrison You Don't Know Us Negroes is the quintessential gathering of provocative essays from one of the world's most celebrated writers, Zora Neale Hurston. Spanning more than three decades and penned during the backdrop of the birth of the Harlem Renaissance, Montgomery bus boycott, desegregation of the military, and school integration, Hurston's writing articulates the beauty and authenticity of Black life as only she could. Collectively, these essays showcase the roles enslavement and Jim Crow have played in intensifying Black people's inner lives and culture rather than destroying it. She argues that in the process of surviving, Black people re-interpreted every aspect of American culture—"modif[ying] the language, mode of food preparation, practice of medicine, and most certainly religion." White supremacy prevents the world from seeing or completely recognizing Black people in their full humanity and Hurston made it her job to lift the veil and reveal the heart and soul of the race. These pages reflect Hurston as the controversial figure she was—someone who stated that feminism is a mirage and that the integration of schools did not necessarily improve the education of Black students. Also covered is the sensational trial of Ruby McCollum, a wealthy Black woman convicted in 1952 for killing her lover, a white doctor. Demonstrating the breadth of this revered and influential writer's work, You Don't Know Us Negroes and Other Essays is an invaluable chronicle of a writer's development and a window into her world and mind. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook
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Death and bereavement, Anthologies
Human-narrated audio
An immensely moving collection of letters on the theme of Grief, curated by the founder of the globally popular Letters…
of Note website.The first volume in the bestselling Letters of Note series was a collection of hundreds of the world's most entertaining, inspiring, and unusual letters, based on the seismically popular website of the same name--an online museum of correspondence visited by over 70 million people. From Virginia Woolf's heartbreaking suicide letter, to Queen Elizabeth II's recipe for drop scones sent to President Eisenhower; from the first recorded use of the expression 'OMG' in a letter to Winston Churchill, to Gandhi's appeal for calm to Hitler; and from Iggy Pop's beautiful letter of advice to a troubled young fan, to Leonardo da Vinci's remarkable job application letter. Now, the curator of Letters of Note, Shaun Usher, gives us wonderful new volumes featuring letters organized around a universal theme. In this volume, Shaun Usher turns to the theme of grief. Contributors to be confirmed.
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Mysteries and crime stories, Short storiesAnthologies
Human-narrated audio
Noir stories from twenty-one writers, including Sara Paretsky, Marcus Sakey, and Barbara D'Amato. In Stuart Kaminsky's "Blue Note," gambler Pitch…
Noles must win at a poker game or his blues-singer mother will lose a finger to a loan shark. Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. 2007
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Short storiesAnthologies
Human-narrated audio
Twelve short stories about the harsher aspects of human experience. In the title piece Will, a teenage boy, elopes with…
his pregnant girlfriend, Olivia, and moves into an apartment near a psychiatric hospital. Will becomes successful and blissfully happy with Olivia--unless that's merely a dream. Some strong language. 2010
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Literature, Literature biography, Criticism, Politics and government, Philosophy, Anthologies
Human-narrated audio
Essayist explores the life and work of George Orwell (1903-1950), best known as the author of 1984 and Animal Farm.…
Discusses Orwell's political beliefs and the ways they were shaped by the times in which he lived. Challenges Orwell's critics and argues that his ideas remain relevant. 2002
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Romance, Bestsellers (Fiction), Holiday fiction, Short stories, General fictionAnthologies
Human-narrated audio
Four Christmas novellas filled with romance. In the title story, single Melanie McLaughlin applies to an adoption agency to fulfill…
her wish for children. Meanwhile, her friend's brother, professor Bryce Landry, falls in love with Melanie--and comes through for her when two orphaned siblings need a home. Bestseller. 2011
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Romance, Bestsellers (Fiction), Contemporary romance, WesternsAnthologies
Human-narrated audio
Morie Brannt, denied the opportunity to work on her wealthy father's Texas ranch, takes a job incognito on Mallory Kirk's…
Wyoming spread to learn the business. The two manage to hide their attraction--until a crisis leaves Mallory in danger. Some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2011
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Short storiesAnthologies
Human-narrated audio
Twenty short stories selected from the past year's American and Canadian magazines. In "Foster" an Irish girl is sent to…
live with strangers for the summer. In "Free Fruit for Young Widows" an Israeli man explains war to his son. Some violence and some strong language. 2011
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Short storiesCriticism, General non-fiction, Anthologies
Human-narrated audio
Annual anthology of stories, essays, and poems published by small presses. In "We Don't Deserve This" married, globe-trotting physicians Jake…
and Sarah, who haven't seen their kids in years, discover that the two young teens are child pornographers. Strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex. 2011
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Science fiction, Short storiesAnthologies
Human-narrated audio
Anthology of fourteen science-fiction short stories. Includes works by Stephen Baxter, Charles Stross, Karl Schroeder, and more. Strong language. 2011
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Mysteries and crime storiesAnthologies
Human-narrated audio
Newlyweds Daisy Dalrymple and Scotland Yard detective Alec Fletcher are sailing to America when their honeymoon is interrupted by a…
series of mysterious accidents and a murder. Suspicion falls on an American millionaire, a chorus girl turned trophy wife, and a gambler. 2001
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Romance, Short stories, Contemporary romance, Animal storiesAnthologies
Human-narrated audio
Three romances featuring people who knit. In "The Twenty-first Wish" ten-year-old Ellen hopes her adopted mother will marry her birth…
father. In "Coming Unraveled" Robyn goes home to help her grandmother run a knitting store. In "Return to Summer Island" Caro meets a marine who is redeploying to Afghanistan. 2011
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Poetry, Criticism, Anthologies
Human-narrated audio
Poems by award-winning 2011-2012 U.S. poet laureate. Levine, from Detroit, chronicles the lives of working-class citizens from 1963-1988 in this collection. Includes "The Horse" and "These Streets." 1991
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Poetry, Anthologies, Journals and memoirs
Human-narrated audio
A half century of the Pittsburgh-born writer's poetry, dating back to 1962 when he won the Yale Younger Poets Prize…
for his first anthology, Views of Jeopardy. Among the subjects are his working-class city, the women he has loved, and life's losses. Includes twenty-one previously uncollected works. 2012
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Short storiesCustoms and cultures, Criticism, Anthologies
Human-narrated audio, Human-transcribed braille
Twenty-eight stories written in the 1920s and 1930s by fourteen African American women. Most were originally published in magazines and…
chronicle the struggles of race, gender, and poverty. In the title piece, a woman passes for white until her husband's bigotry breaks her silence. Violence and strong language. 1993
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Serious and literary fiction, Short stories, General fictionAnthologies
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Eleven stories by the acclaimed Russian writer (1828-1910). The title piece examines death and the possibilities of redemption. Includes "The…
Prisoner of the Caucasus," inspired by Tolstoy's experiences in the Chechen War, and "Hadji Murat," featuring a Chechen rebel who defects. Translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. 2009
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Travel and geography, Travelogues, Anthologies
Human-narrated audio
Selection of thirty essays that originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveler between 1988 and 2011. In "The Peak of My…
Desire" Russell Banks--author of The Lost Memory of Skin (DB 74780)--reminisces about his attempt to climb the Andes in Ecuador. 2011