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The Biographical Dictionary of Literary Failure
By C. D. Rose, Andrew Gallix. 2014
A darkly comic, satirical reference book about writers who never made it into the literary canonA signal event of literary…
scholarship, The Biographical Dictionary of Literary Failure compiles the biographies of history's most notable cases of a complete lack of literary success. As such, it is the world's leading authority on the subject.Compiled in one volume by C. D. Rose, a well-educated person universally acknowledged in parts of England as the world's pre-eminent expert on inexpert writers, the book culls its information from lost or otherwise ignored archives scattered around the globe, as well as the occasional dustbin.The dictionary amounts to a monumental accomplishment: the definitive appreciation of history's least accomplished writers. Thus immortalized beyond deserving and rescued from hard-earned obscurity, the authors presented in this historic volume comprise a who's who of the talentless and deluded, their stories timeless litanies of abject psychosis, misapplication, and delinquency.It is, in short, a treasure.The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture
By Glen Weldon. 2016
A witty, intelligent cultural history from NPR book critic Glen Weldon explains Batman's rises and falls throughout the ages--and what…
his story tells us about ourselves.Since his creation, Batman has been many things: a two-fisted detective; a planet-hopping gadabout; a campy Pop-art sensation; a pointy-eared master spy; and a grim and gritty ninja of the urban night. For more than three quarters of a century, he has cycled from a figure of darkness to one of lightness and back again; he's a bat-shaped Rorschach inkblot who takes on the various meanings our changing culture projects onto him. How we perceive Batman's character, whether he's delivering dire threats in a raspy Christian Bale growl or trading blithely homoerotic double-entendres with partner Robin on the comics page, speaks to who we are and how we wish to be seen by the world. It's this endlessly mutable quality that has made him so enduring. And it's Batman's fundamental nerdiness--his gadgets, his obsession, his oath, even his lack of superpowers--that uniquely resonates with his fans who feel a fiercely protective love for the character. Today, fueled by the internet, that breed of passion for elements of popular culture is everywhere. Which is what makes Batman the perfect lens through which to understand geek culture, its current popularity, and social significance. In The Caped Crusade, with humor and insight, Glen Weldon, book critic for NPR and author of Superman: The Unauthorized Biography, lays out Batman's seventy-eight-year cultural history and shows how he has helped make us who we are today and why his legacy remains so strong.The Battles of Tolkien (Tolkien Ser. #3)
By David Day. 2016
The defining battles from the history of Middle-earth are presented in a single, entertaining volume.The history of J. R. R.…
Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth is filled with epic battles in an ongoing struggle between good and evil. The Battles of Tolkien recounts many of the greatest conflicts over thousands of years, from the earliest skirmishes of the Valarian Ages to the defining battles in the War of the Ring. Insightful commentary by Tolkien scholar David Day discusses how the people, tactics, and weapons influenced the outcome of each battle, and also how the legends of Middle-earth relate to the real-world mythology on which Tolkien based his famous literary creation. Maps and full-color illustrations help bring this rich universe to life, making it an invaluable reference book for Tolkien fans of all ages. This work is unofficial and is not authorized by the Tolkien Estate or HarperCollins Publishers.A comprehensive, illustrated guide to the history, lands, and inhabitants of Middle-earth. The fantasy world of J. R. R. Tolkien’s…
Middle-earth contains a rich assortment of people, cities, and creatures—as well as a deep, intertwined history that spans thousands of years. In this beautifully illustrated volume, best-selling author and Tolkien scholar David Day presents four decades of research and writing on the lands and inhabitants Middle-earth. Sections of this A-to-Z dictionary are devoted to discussion of the battles, history, beasts, and heroes of Tolkien’s stories. This comprehensive volume on Tolkien’s world also includes an appendix of three primary legends that served as sources for Tolkien’s creations—the Volsunga saga, the Nibelungenlied, and Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle—and more than 200 black-and-white illustrationsNovel Judgements: Legal Theory as Fiction
By William P. MacNeil. 2012
Novel Judgements is a book about nineteenth century Anglo-American law and literature. But by redefining law as legal theory, Novel…
judgements departs from ‘socio-legal’ studies of law and literature, often dated in their focus on past lawyering and court processes. This texts ‘theoretical turn’ renders the period’s ‘law-and-literature’ relevant to today’s readers because the nineteenth century novel, when "read jurisprudentially", abounds in representations of law’s controlling concepts, many of which are still with us today. Rights, justice, law’s morality; each are encoded novelistically in stock devices such as the country house, friendship, love, courtship and marriage. In so rendering the public (law) as private (domesticity), these novels expose for legal and literary scholars alike the ways in which law comes to mediate all relationships—individual and collective, personal and political—during the nineteenth century, a period as much under the Rule of Law as the reign of Capital. So these novels pass judgement—a novel judgement—on the extent to which the nineteenth century’s idea of law is collusive with that era’s Capital, thereby opening up the possibility of a new legal theoretical position: that of a critique of the law and a law of critique.The Hobbits of Tolkien (Tolkien Illustrated Guides #6)
By David Day. 2019
Everything you&’ll ever need to know about Hobbits!The history of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth starts with…
one magical word: Hobbit. From that word came a sentence, and then a grand story poured forth to create the infamous fantasy realm studied, written about, and enjoyed by millions. The Hobbits of Tolkien examines the origins of Tolkien&’s most intriguing race. Insightful commentary by Tolkien scholar David Day explores their shire, their society, and their significance in the epic tales of The Lord of the Rings. Illustrations, charts, and commentary help bring this rich universe to life, making it an invaluable reference book for Tolkien fans of all ages. This work is unofficial and is not authorized by the Tolkien Estate or HarperCollins Publishers.The Little White Horse
By Elizabeth Goudge. 1974
When orphan Maria arrives at Moonacre Manor, she feels like she's come home. Her new guardian is kind, like an…
old friend. However, beneath the beauty and comfort lies a tragedy. Maria is determined to find out about it, change it, and give her own life story a happy ending.Rescue Me: An uplifting romantic comedy perfect for dog-lovers
By Sarra Manning. 2021
Margot doesn't have time for love.Will is afraid to love.And neither of them are expecting to fall in love with…
Blossom: a gentle Staffy with a tragic past, a belly made for rubbing and a head the size of a football.After their first meeting at the rescue centre, both Margot and Will want to adopt Blossom so reluctantly agree to share custody. But Will's obsession for micro-managing and clear-cut boundaries and Margot's need to smother Blossom with affection, means that soon they have a very confused and badly behaved dog on their hands.Can they put their differences aside to become successful "co-pawrents" and maybe even friends? And meanwhile, does Blossom have plans of her own?The Slaughterman's Daughter: Winner of the Wingate Prize 2021
By Yaniv Iczkovits. 2020
A SUNDAY TIMES MUST READS PICK"Boundless imagination and a vibrant style . . . a heroine of unforgettable grit" DAVID…
GROSSMAN"A story of great beauty and surprise" GARY SHTEYNGARTThe townsfolk of Motal, an isolated, godforsaken town in the Pale of Settlement, are shocked when Fanny Keismann - devoted wife, mother of five, and celebrated cheese-maker - leaves her home at two hours past midnight and vanishes into the night.True, the husbands of Motal have been vanishing for years, but a wife and mother? Whoever heard of such a thing. What on earth possessed her?Could it have anything to do with Fanny's missing brother-in-law, who left her sister almost a year ago and ran away to Minsk, abandoning their family to destitution and despair?Or could Fanny have been lured away by Zizek Breshov, the mysterious ferryman on the Yaselda river, who, in a strange twist of events, seems to have disappeared on the same night?Surely there can be no link between Fanny and the peculiar roadside murder on the way to Telekhany, which has left Colonel Piotr Novak, head of the Russian secret police, scratching his head. Surely a crime like that could have nothing to do with Fanny Keismann, however the people of Motal might mutter about her reputation as a vilde chaya, a wild animal . . .Surely not.Translated from the Hebrew by Orr ScharfIguana Boy vs. The 30 Second Thief: Book 2 (Iguana Boy #2)
By James Bishop. 2018
One boy. One disappointing superpower. Can Dylan and his bunch of hyper iguanas make a lasting impression on the superhero…
collective, run by Ron Strongman, or will he be laughed out of town?He might have the lamest superpower ever but Dylan, AKA Iguana Boy, has proven himself worthy enough to be accepted into the superhero collective. Dylan is excited and his iguanas are hyper. Recipe for success, RIGHT?Iguana Boy and his team of iguanas eagerly await their orders to SAVE THE WORLD. But CEO of the Superhero Collective Ron Strongman doesn't have time for lowly superheroes. Dylan will have to find his own way to get to the top, or else he will be saving silly cats from trees FOREVER. When a new villain is causing chaos across London, Dylan can't believe his luck... this is his chance. Can Iguana Boy bring Repeat Offender to justice ... In 30 seconds or less!Cicada
By Shaun Tan. 2018
A stunning picture book for anyone who has ever felt unappreciated, from Shaun Tan, Academy Award winner and winner of…
the Kate Greenaway Medal 2020. Cicada work in tall building.Data entry clerk. Seventeen year.No sick day. No mistake.Tok Tok Tok!Cicada works in an office, dutifully working day after day for unappreciative bosses and being bullied by his co-workers. But one day, something truly extraordinary happens . . . A story for anyone who has ever felt unappreciated, overlooked or overworked but dreams of magic, from Australia's most acclaimed picture book creator, and first BAME winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal. This is Shaun Tan's first author-illustrator book in five years, and his most important and moving fable since The Arrival.'If you like the Shopaholic series, you'll love the Little Lady' *****'Deliciously addictive' CosmopolitanAs her alter ego, Honey, Melissa is…
the go-to woman for improving men's dating lives, but when her boyfriend Jonathan invites her to New York for a holiday, he has one condition: the blonde wig stays at home. This is easier said than done, and before long Mel finds herself juggling a rude rising star who just so happens to be an ex, Jonathan's manipulative ex-wife, an unruly terrier and escalating crises back at the agency. Can Melissa put the manners back into Manhattan? Or is this a challenge only the Little Lady Agency can handle?READERS LOVE LITTLE LADY, BIG APPLE'Made me laugh out loud' *****'Couldn't put it down' *****'Perfect to escape into' *****'Such a fabulous heart-warming set of books' ******** Discover the rest of Hester Browne's hilarious Little Lady trilogy:The Little Lady AgencyLittle Lady, Big AppleWhat the Lady Wants'A delicious, witty story. I loved it! SOPHIE KINSELLARunning The Little Lady Agency, Mel has one goal and one goal…
only: Make Men Better.But when her grandmother asks her to take on the case of a lifetime - Prince Nicolas of Hollenberg, Europe's most notorious of playboys - has she bitten off more than she can chew?Despite his good breeding, Nicolas is completely set on leading Melissa astray. Can Mel rise to the challenge? And has her own fairy-tale ending been there all along?'The most loveable romantic heroine since Jane Austen's Emma' Chris ManbyREADERS LOVE WHAT THE LADY WANTS'A must-read trilogy' *****'Couldn't put it down!' *****'Perfect for Jilly Cooper fans' *****'Such a fabulous, heart-warming set of books' *****'Fantastic' *****'A delicious, witty story. I loved it! SOPHIE KINSELLAGentlemen! No Little Lady in Your Life? Call the Little Lady Agency:…
everything organised, from your home to your wardrobe, your social life to you. No funny business or laundry.When Melissa is made unfairly redundant from her job at an estate agents' office, she decides it's time for a change. Instead of working for other people, Melissa will go into business for herself: using her organisational skills to whip the lives of London's socially and romantically challenged men into shape.But then Melissa meets Jonathan, and suddenly she must decide if she can mix business with pleasure . . .***READERS LOVE THE LITTLE LADY AGENCY'A heart-warming love story' *****'Very relaxing, enjoyable, entertaining and diverting' *****'Left me with a huge smile on my face' *****'Like a pair of comfy slippers on a cold night' ********Read the rest of Hester Browne's hilarious Little Lady series:The Little Lady AgencyLittle Lady, Big AppleWhat the Lady WantsThe Finishing Touches: a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy with a vintage twist
By Hester Browne. 2010
A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy with a vintage twist, perfect for fans of Jo Thomas and Lucy Diamond.Every girl should know…
what the finishing touches are.When twenty-first-century girl Betsy is called on to rescue the exclusive finishing school where she grew up from financial ruin, she knows she must overhaul the school entirely. So it's out with debutante decorum and in with modern manners.But with hunky bursar Mark and her gorgeous friend Jamie on the scene, she will have to remind herself that in the modern world, you don't have to rely on old school feminine wiles to get what you want . . READERS LOVE HESTER BROWNE'S HILARIOUS ROMANTIC COMEDIES'A fabulous piece of escapism!' *****'Unputdownable! Really delicious' *****'A must read' *****'Perfect cosy day in bed read' *****Bee a Good Human: A Pollinators' Guide to a Better Life
By Ali Beckman. 2021
Combining inspiration, humor, and entomology, Instagram artist Ali Beckman (@SoFlyTaxidermy) is the internet's go-to gal for bug-related content that makes…
you a happier human. Beckman's witty comics, which use actual insects in everyday situations, illustrate the importance of pollinators as well as body positivity and mental health awareness. Using creatures that are donated, purchased, or found dead to create amusing cartoons, Bee a Good Human highlights the integral role of insects in our environment while also demonstrating we all have a part to play in this world. Beyond bugs, Beckman's art speaks to the value of self-love as she shares a narrative of growth and finding confidence within.Bee a Good Human features the best of Beckman's @SoFlyTaxidermy Instagram art. With 106 color illustrations, many of which have never appeared online, this gift of a book will make you consider the bigger picture—and laugh a little too.The Nanny and the Iceberg: A Novel
By Ariel Dorfman. 1999
Conceived the night of Che Guevara's burial in 1967, Gabriel McKenzie is inextricably bound up in the history and politics…
of his native Chile. Twenty-four years on, and still a virgin, Gabriel returns from Manhattan exile to confront his legacy: a Don Juan father and a country preparing for the five-hundredth anniversary of America's "discovery." Into Gabriel's quest for manhood and identity enter one iceberg, a faithful if eccentric nanny, and a whole host of fantastical characters.Ocean Child
By Tamara McKinley. 2013
1920. Having disobeyed the wishes of her aristocratic family, Lulu Pearson, a young and talented Tasmanian sculptress, finds herself alone…
in London in the wake of the Great War. The future is looking bright until, on the eve of her first exhibition, Lulu learns she has inherited a racing colt called Ocean Child from a mysterious benefactor, and she must return to her homeland to claim him. Baffled by the news, Lulu boards a ship to Tasmania to uncover the truth behind the strange bequest, but it seems a welcome return is more than she can hope for. Unbeknownst to Lulu, more than a few fortunes ride on Ocean Child's success - it seems everyone from her estranged mother to the stable hands has a part to play, and an interest in keeping the family secrets buried.Dreamscapes
By Tamara McKinley. 2005
If you love Lesley Pearse, you're sure to fall for Tamara McKinley!Catriona was born into the world of show business,…
having made her first appearance on stage in her father's arms when she was only minutes old. And although life has never been easy for Catriona, it seems she's finally made her big break: her unique voice has captured the attention of a Sydney opera company, and the only place to go is up. But when scandalous secrets from her teenage years threaten to destroy everything she's worked so hard to achieve, she learns she will have to fight to keep her rightful place at the top.Firestorm
By Tamara McKinley. 2013
If you love Lesley Pearse, you're sure to fall for Tamara McKinley. A tale of hardship, hidden identities and our…
shared struggle to survive. Becky Jackson's family has been managing the hospital in far-flung Morgan's Reach for three generations. When Becky's husband is tragically lost at war, she and her young son Danny must leave the city and return to her birthplace to start over. But for all its charm, Morgan's Reach is a divided community, where blood is thicker than water and grudges run deep. So when a mysterious stranger appears outside the town and Danny begins to act strangely, it is not only Becky's newfound stability that's threatened. And what of the fact that there's not been a drop of rain in over three years? The risk of wildfire looms large and the hospital is already pushed to breaking point. A single spark could level the area in minutes - burning away everything for which the town has worked so hard; exposing the secrets they've fought to keep so close.