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Showing 141 - 160 of 25432 items
By Mildred Pitts Walter. 1996
By Barbara Chase-Riboud. 1979
Bringing to life one of the greatest and most controversial love stories, this fictional account reveals the beautiful and elusive…
Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson's mistress for 38 years whom he loved and lived with until he died. Adding to the scandal, she was a quadroon slave and Jefferson fathered a slave family whose descendants are alive today. In this novel, Jefferson and his mistress are fully realized, as are many of the other personages of the early Republic--Aaron Burr, Dolly and James Madison, John and Abigail Adams, and Sally's mother Elizabeth, who was Jefferson's father-in-law's mistress. This brilliant and highly acclaimed novel is a contemporary masterpiece--a poignant, tragic, and unforgettable meditation on the history of race and sex in America.By Michelle Paver. 2004
Thousands of years ago the land is one dark forest. Its people are hunter-gatherers. They know every tree and herb…
and they know how to survive in a time of enchantment and powerful magic. Until an ambitious and malevolent force conjures a demon: a demon so evil that it can be contained only in the body of a ferocious bear that will slay everything it sees, a demon determined to destroy the world.Only one boy can stop it - 12 year old Torak, who has seen his father murdered by the bear. With his dying breath, Torak's father tells his son of the burden that is his. He must lead the bear to the mountain of the World Spirit and beg that spirit's help to overcome it.Torak is an unwilling hero. He is scared and trusts no one. His only companion is a wolf cub only three moons old, whom he seems to understand better than any human.Theirs is a terrifying quest in a world of wolves, tree spirits and Hidden People, a world in which trusting a friend means risking your life.Launched at the height of the Harry Potter phenomenon, the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness is the ultimate magical adventure. Audio edition also available, read by Ian McKellen.By Matthew Landis. 2018
A trio of seventh graders become one another's first friends as they discover the secrets of a Civil War soldier…
in this middle grade novel for fans of Gordon Korman and Gary SchmidtTwelve-year-old Oliver Prichard is obsessed with the Civil War. He knows everything about it: the battles, the generals, every movement of the Union and Confederate Armies. So when the last assignment of seventh-grade history is a project on the Civil War, Oliver is over the moon--until he's partnered with Ella Berry, the slacker girl with the messy hair who does nothing but stare out the window. And when Oliver finds out they have to research a random soldier named Private Raymond Stone who didn't even fight in any battles before dying of some boring disease, Oliver knows he's doomed. But Ella turns out to be very different from what Oliver expected. As the partners film their documentary about Private Stone--with Oliver's friend Kevin signing on as their head writing consultant--Oliver discovers that sometimes the most interesting things are hiding in uninteresting places. Even Private Stone is better than expected: There's a mystery buried in his past, and Oliver knows he can figure it out.By Marilyn Sachs. 1973
Nicole Nieman has never really thought about being Jewish. Now, with the Nazis occupying France, it is the only thing…
on her mind. An almost endless stream of refugees comes to stay at their house, and her parents wonder if they too ought to escape over the border to switzerland or take the chance and wait it out. Then one awful day Nicole comes home from school to find her parents and her sister gone. The Nazis who have taken them are still looking for her. Where can Nicole hide? And will she ever see her family again? Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor BookA heart-wrenching and unforgettable story of two women – centuries apart – linked by the hidden secrets of a beautiful…
woman in a Venetian painting. Venice 1704: Anastasia is desperate to escape her controlling father and plans to marry her childhood sweetheart. But instead of the life she has always dreamed of, she finds herself trapped in Venice, the unwilling wife of a silk weaver.Anastasia seeks comfort in painting and draws strength from her talents. Despite her circumstances, two women reach out to her and give Anastasia a reason to hope. And together they make a momentous decision which will change all of their lives…London 2017: Millie wants more from her relationship and more from her life. So when her boss Max abruptly ends their affair, she takes the opportunity to write a feature in Italy.Staying in a gorgeous villa, Millie unexpectedly falls in love with the owner, Lorenzo. Together they begin to unravel an incredible story, passed down through generations of women. And Millie finds herself compelled to discover the identity of a mysterious woman in a portrait…A richly evocative and utterly page-turning story about lost secrets, family heirlooms and love against all odds. The Silk Weaver’s Wife is perfect for readers who enjoyed Island of Secrets, The Secret Wife and Amy Snow.What readers are saying about The Silk Weaver’s Wife:‘I adored watching the past and present come together throughout the storyline. I absolutely LOVED this book! Debbie Rix has blown me away with her enchanting and flawless writing style. One memorable and alluring novel. I cannot recommend this book enough, you must read this one!’ The Writing Garnet Blog, 5 stars‘I've just spent the most luscious three days cocooned in this novel which details the interwoven stories of two women across the centuries … Seamlessly written and researched. Rix weaves magic and more. Evocative and captivating barely do the book justice.’ The Book Trail, 5 stars‘Debbie Rix is one of my favourite historical fiction authors and with this book, she has surpassed herself! The research is skillfully woven into a fabulous story, the past and the present interweaving beautifully, culminating in a dramatic and immensely satisfying finale.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars‘If you enjoy historical fiction you will definitely enjoy this one. I just couldn’t put it down. Definitely one I recommend.’ Consumer Reviewer‘Perfect historical fiction mixed with present day. I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed this book. I gobbled it up over the afternoon and night. Definitely want to read this author again.’ Nik Book Lover‘The book is beautifully written and the Italian setting is perfectly drawn in both modern and historical settings, with sufficient detail to bring Pisa vividly to life, clearly by someone who loves it and knows it well… this is a wonderful story.’ Being Anne Reading‘This is a stunning book. So amazingly researched …A beautifully…By Donna Jo Napoli. 2018
Through the eyes of twelve-year-old Lorraine this haunting novel from the award-winning author of Hidden and Hush gives insight and…
understanding into a little known part of history—the Irish potato famine. It is the autumn of 1846 in Ireland. Lorraine and her brother are waiting for the time to pick the potato crop on their family farm leased from an English landowner. But this year is different—the spuds are mushy and ruined. What will Lorraine and her family do? Then Lorraine meets Miss Susannah, the daughter of the wealthy English landowner who owns Lorraine’s family’s farm, and the girls form an unlikely friendship that they must keep a secret from everyone. Two different cultures come together in a deserted Irish meadow. And Lorraine has one question: how can she help her family survive? A little known part of history, the Irish potato famine altered history forever and caused a great immigration in the later part of the 1800s. Lorraine’s story is a heartbreaking and ultimately redemptive story of one girl’s strength and resolve to save herself and her family against all odds.By Rosanna Ley. 2014
THE #1 KINDLE BESTSELLER. An unforgettable story set off the sun-soaked coast of Sicily for fans of Dinah Jefferies, Victoria…
Hislop and Santa Montefiore.'The perfect holiday companion' - Heat'The ultimate feel-good read' - Candis'Sun-soaked escapism' - Best**********When Tess Angel receives a solicitor's letter inviting her to claim her inheritance - the Villa Sirena, perched on a clifftop in Sicily - she is stunned. Her only link to the island is through her mother, Flavia, who left Sicily during World War II and cut all contact with her family. When Tess goes to Sicily, Flavia realises the secrets from her past are about to be revealed and decides to try to explain her actions. Meanwhile, Tess' teenage daughter Ginny is stressed by college, by her blooming sexuality and filled with questions that she longs to ask her father, if only she knew where he was...********SEE WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING ABOUT ROSANNA LEY:'An impeccably researched and deftly written narrative that kept me hooked until the end' - Kathryn Hughes, bestselling author of The Letter 'Loved it from start to finish. A brilliant holiday read' - Amazon reviewer'Perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore, Victoria Hislop and Leah Fleming' - Candis 'On so many levels a fantastic read' - Amazon reviewer'A fascinating story with engaging themes' - Dinah Jefferies, bestselling author of The Tea Planter's Wife 'Warm, enthralling, one of my favourite authors' - Amazon reviewerBy Jen Malone, Kristine Asselin. 2018
Freaky Friday meets Downton Abbey in this middle grade mystery that features a modern day twelve-year-old switching bodies with a…
Gilded Age heiress in order to solve a famous art heist. Hannah Jordan lives in a museum…well, sort of. She is the daughter of the caretaker for mansion-turned-museum The Elms in Newport, Rhode Island. Hannah’s captivated by stories of The Elms’s original occupants, especially Maggie Dunlap, the tween heiress subject of a painting that went missing during a legendary art heist in 1905. But when a mysterious mirror allows Hannah and Maggie to switch places in time, suddenly Hannah is racing to stop the heist from happening, while Maggie gets an introduction to iPhones, soccer (which girls can play!), and freedoms like exploring without supervision. Not to mention the best invention of all: sweatpants (so long, corsets!). As the hours tick off to the art heist, something’s not adding up. Can the girls work together against time—and across it—to set things right? Or will their temporary swap become a permanent trade?By Rose Solari. 2012
Louise Terry is the quintessential, modern American woman; a successful and independent artist, sexually liberated and head strong, she's determined…
to carve out a life for herself where her painting comes first and where she can avoid messy romantic entanglements. But when her estranged mother, Margaret, dies, leaving a box of documents, photos, and journals, Louise discovers in its contents a new and very different woman from the one who raised her. This Margaret was admired by Catholic priests and Wiccan priestesses alike for her spiritual gifts and was working, at the time of her death, on assembling her visions of a 12th-century cross-dressing woman mystic who not only managed to infiltrate the male bastion of Glastonbury Abbey, but who instigated the tragic fire that burned it to the ground in 1184. Determined to pursue the fragments her mother left behind, Louise travels to England where she meets a cast of characters whom she must depend on to find her way. Blurring the boundaries between past and present, between the body and the spirit, between female and male, this page-turning mystery is a sexy romp through time and space, a profound meditation on the mother-daughter connection, and an enlightening exploration of what it means to make love, to make art, and to make a life worth living.By Karen White, Lauren Willig, Beatriz Williams. 2018
The lives and loves of three remarkable women—two in the past, one in the present—and the tragic final voyage of…
the HMS Lusitania.From the New York Times bestselling authors of The Forgotten Room comes a captivating historical mystery, infused with romance, that links the lives of three women across a century—two deep in the past, one in the present—to the doomed passenger liner, RMS Lusitania.May 2013Her finances are in dire straits and bestselling author Sarah Blake is struggling to find a big idea for her next book. Desperate, she breaks the one promise she made to her Alzheimer’s-stricken mother and opens an old chest that belonged to her great-grandfather, who died when the RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-Boat in 1915. What she discovers there could change history. Sarah embarks on an ambitious journey to England to enlist the help of John Langford, a recently disgraced Member of Parliament whose family archives might contain the only key to the long-ago catastrophe. . . .April 1915Southern belle Caroline Telfair Hochstetter’s marriage is in crisis. Her formerly attentive industrialist husband, Gilbert, has become remote, pre-occupied with business . . . and something else that she can’t quite put a finger on. She’s hoping a trip to London in Lusitania’s lavish first-class accommodations will help them reconnect—but she can’t ignore the spark she feels for her old friend, Robert Langford, who turns out to be on the same voyage. Feeling restless and longing for a different existence, Caroline is determined to stop being a bystander, and take charge of her own life. . . .Tessa Fairweather is traveling second-class on the Lusitania, returning home to Devon. Or at least, that’s her story. Tessa has never left the United States and her English accent is a hasty fake. She’s really Tennessee Schaff, the daughter of a roving con man, and she can steal and forge just about anything. But she’s had enough. Her partner has promised that if they can pull off this one last heist aboard the Lusitania, they’ll finally leave the game behind. Tess desperately wants to believe that, but Tess has the uneasy feeling there’s something about this job that isn’t as it seems. . . .As the Lusitania steams toward its fate, three women work against time to unravel a plot that will change the course of their own lives . . . and history itself.By Paul Doherty. 2001
The war may be over, but devastating secrets are about to come to light...Of Love and War is a compelling…
tale of love, guilt and retribution in the aftermath of the Great War from masterful writer, Paul Doherty. Perfect for fans of Pat Barker and Sebastian Barry.'A powerful and poignant novel with echoes of Birdsong and Gallipoli, [Paul Doherty's] exuberant story of love, guilt and retribution vividly captures the courage and tragedy of the Great War's survivors as the face an uncertain future' - Newcastle Evening ChronicleIn 1921, Lieutenant Henry Gilpin is scouring the country seeking out those who, perhaps, did not do their best for king and country in the Great War. In the mining town of Crouden, Jack Aylward's name is on the top of his list. Many men never returned to Crouden from the mud of Northern France; the survivors are tragically altered. Gilpin may exorcise their ghosts, but he brings new terrors with his justice. Kitty Aylward watches in horror as he tears apart the lives of people she has loved and respected. After a wonderful childhood with her constant companions, Billy and Jack, Kitty had finally married Billy but before he left to fight Billy asked for one strange promise: if he should die, she must marry his closest friend. When her husband was killed kept her oath, but now she slowly realises that Gilpin could hold a terrible secret concerning Jack, and Billy's death.What readers are saying about Paul Doherty:'A tremendous and absorbing read''The sounds and smells of the period seem to waft from the pages of [Paul Doherty's] books''Five stars'By Enriqueta Carrington, Mariela Saravia. 2015
Francesca Pembroke is a woman of ripe age, left a widow when her husband is killed in the Battle of…
Gettysburg. Arthur Robards, an aristocratic young man, is sent to the Civil War to fight for the his country, the Union. But, seeing the war's cost in human life, he flees to a distant mountain, where he is found by Francesca, who takes him into her home and tends his wounds. Love and passion are inevitable between these two, a forbidden love springs up...to become Francesca's most cherished secret. Years later, Francesca's daughter Madeleine Robards discovers a diary in her mother's old nightstand, together with a bunch of yellowed letters, which shed light on her own past, as well as her parents'.By Paul Doherty. 1986
What happens when a man turns into a monster?The Lord Count Drakulya is Paul Doherty's second novel exploring the life…
of the man behind the legend. Perfect for fans of C.J Sansom and Ellis Peters.Prince Dracula, or more accurately, Drakulya, was a real person who struggled to control the small Balkan kingdom of Wallachia amidst the cruelty and corruption of I5th-century Europe. Through the eyes of his Greek friend, Rhodros, we see Drakulya, a Renaissance prince, become a despot and wreak a horrifying revenge on his opponents. When Drakulya launches all-out war against his hated enemy, the Ottoman Turks, Rhodros is drawn deeper into the nightmare. His attempts at escape are overtaken by events which sweep Drakulya to a chilling climax and the birth of one of Europe's most terrifying legends...What readers are saying about Paul Doherty:'Paul Doherty's books are a joy to read''The sounds and smells of the period seem to waft from the pages of [Paul Doherty's] books''Mr. Doherty's research is only topped by his imagination'By Miranda Miller. 1950
A breathtakingly original novel of time travel, Bedlam, and a mad Victorian painter London, 1854: Nina, the wife of an…
ambitious doctor, is heavily traumatized by the death of her young daughter and finds herself mysteriously transported 150 years into the future. A tourist in the 21st century, she believes she is witnessing a Utopia, with the grime and evil of Victorian London expunged, and while in the future, she embarks upon a brief affair. Returning to her own time, her husband takes fright hearing her experiences and has her committed to Bedlam, where she meets Richard Dadd and finds another Utopia under the charge of a doctor with 21st-century ideas on patient rehabilitation. Meanwhile, her husband is on a collision course with her lover who is traveling to find her from another time, in this mesmerizing blend of time travel, Victoriana, and romance.By Richard Smolev. 2013
The years after the Civil War were marked by bitter political fights betwen the Democrats and Radical Republicans over how…
to reunite the country, and a deeply divided group of newspapers shouting down their opponents. All claimed to be acting on behalf of the better angels of our nature that Lincoln said should guide us as a people. Meanwhile, Washington was flooded with lobbyists spreading cash to buy influence and votes, and America's West was being opened by the construction of the transcontinental railroad. As a reporter for a Philadelphia newspaper, Benjamin Wright has a front-row seat to this period of transition in our history. He not only covers the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson, which was sparked by disagreements over how to bring the Confederate states back to the Union, but then initiates investigation into the massive theft of government monies by the company building the railroad. His reporting both puts Benjamin into the middle of Horace Greeley's 1872 Presidential campaign and makes him the principal voice covering the Congressional hearings into what became known as the Credit Mobilier scandal. As dizzying as these experiences are, however, they come at an enormous personal cost. And, like so many of us who today are fed up with the intransigence of our elected officials and the media's relentless fanning of the partisan flames, Benjamin's disappointment with both the government and the newspaper business escalates the more closely he witnesses Washington's corrupt soul and the bias of the press.By Rosie Archer. 2015
In love and war, who can you trust? 1944, Hampshire. Her face still bearing the scars from the explosion at…
the factory, Rita Brown is nonetheless back on her feet. She's caught the eye of local wide boy Blackie Bristow, who's sweeping her around the country in a life of shady glamour. But there's a war on, and life is not all fun and games. Some of the local men are taking advantage of the topsy-turvy world to break more than just hearts, and standing up to them comes with its own costs. Rita keeps calm and carries on with a little help from her friends at the factory. But then she discovers someone there has been leaking secrets to the Germans. With D-Day on the horizon, Rita must work out who she can rely on - and fast.By Wallace Breem. 2012
From the author of EAGLE IN THE SNOW an epic Roman tale about a kidnapping and rescueThe scene is Rome…
in the troublesome year 24 B.C. Emperor Augustus is in ill health and the city is seething with intrigue. There is speculation about the succession, uncertainty in the capital and unrest on the frontiers.The question of an heir is acute. Augustus has only one child, a daughter, Julia. She is married to Marcellus, marking the young man with the Emperor's favour, but some disagree with the match. Powerful rivals engineer crisis and conspiracy.These events are seen through the eyes of Curtius Rufus, ex-centurion, gambler, and a man dissatisfied with life. He comes to the attention of Augustus's lieutenant, Marcus Agrippa, who leads Curtius into the puzzling affair of the legate's daughter, kidnapped, it appears, by pirates and held in captivity in the African desert.By Anita Amirrezvani. 2012
Based loosely on the life of Princess Pari Khan Khanoom, Equal of the Sun is a riveting story of political…
intrigue and a moving portrait of the unlikely bond between a princess and a eunuch.Iran in 1576 is a place of wealth and dazzling beauty. But when the Shah dies without having named an heir, the court is thrown into tumult. Princess Pari, the Shah's daughter and protégée, knows more about the inner workings of the state than almost anyone, but her maneuvers to instill order after her father's sudden death incite resentment and dissent. Pari and her closest adviser, Javaher, a eunuch able to navigate the harem as well as the world beyond the palace walls, possess an incredible tapestry of secrets that explode in a power struggle of epic proportions. Legendary women--from Anne Boleyn to Queen Elizabeth I to Mary, Queen of Scots--changed the course of history in the royal courts of sixteenth-century England. They are celebrated in history books and novels, but few people know of the powerful women in the Muslim world, who formed alliances, served as key advisers to rulers, lobbied for power on behalf of their sons, and ruled in their own right. In Equal of the Sun, Anita Amirrezvani's gorgeously crafted tale of power, loyalty, and love in the royal court of Iran, she brings one such woman to life, Princess Pari Khan Khanoom Safavi. Amirrezvani is a master storyteller, and in her lustrous prose this rich and labyrinthine world comes to vivid life with a stunning cast of characters, passionate and brave men and women who defy or embrace their destiny in a Machiavellian game played by those who lust for power and will do anything to attain it.By Abdullah Hussein. 1963
Published ahead of Paul Scott's Raj Quartet and long before Midnight's Children, Abdullah Hussein's ambitious saga of social struggle The…
Weary Generations was a bestseller in Urdu. Published in 1963 and now beyond its 40th edition, it has never been out of print. A vivid depiction of the widespread disillusionment and seismic upheavals of the Partition era that lead to the creation of Pakistan and Bangladesh, there has never been a more opportune time to discover one of the most important writings about the post-colonial trauma in the region. Naim, son of a peasant, marries Azra, the daughter of a rich landowner. Fighting for the British during World War I he loses an arm. Invalided home, he becomes angered at the subjugation of his countrymen under the Raj and aligns himself with the opposition. His ideals are swept away after Independence in 1947 when he realizes that, as Muslims, his family is no longer safe in their Indian home and that they must migrate to the newly created Pakistan. Regarded as one of the half-dozen most influential novels dealing with Partition or post-colonial malaise, this is an immensely powerful novel in its own right and is essential reading for English language readers seeking to comprehend the historical origins of the tensions in the Indian subcontinent.