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Showing 1 - 20 of 24 items
By Nikolay Gogol. 2005
Author, dramatist and satirist, Nikolay Gogol (1809-1852) deeply influenced later Russian literature with his powerful depictions of a society dominated…
by petty beaurocracy and base corruption. This volume includes both his most admired short fiction and his most famous drama. A biting and frequently hilarious political satire, The Government Inspector has been popular since its first performance and was regarded by Nabokov as the greatest Russian play every written. The stories gathered here, meanwhile, range from comic to tragic and describe the isolated lives of low-ranking clerks, lunatics and swindlers. They include Diary of a Madman, an amusing but disturbing exploration of insanity; Nevsky Prospect, a depiction of an artist besotted with a prostitute; and The Overcoat, a moving consideration of poverty that powerfully influenced Dostoevsky and later Russian literature.By Cara Tanamachi. 2024
On Nami's thirtieth birthday, she's reminded at every turn that her life isn't what she'd planned. She's always excelled at…
everything—until now. Her fiancé blew up their engagement. Her pride and joy, the tech company she helped to found, is about to lose funding. And her sister, Sora, is getting married to the man of her dreams, Jack—and instead of being happy for her, as Nami knows she ought to be, she's fighting off jealousy. Frustrated with her life, she makes a wish on a birthday candle to find her soulmate. Instead the universe delivers her hate mate, Nami's old nemesis, Jae Lee, the most popular kid from her high school, who also narrowly beat her out for valedictorian. More than a decade later, Jae is still as effortlessly cool, charming, and stylish as ever, and, to make matters worse, he's planning a hostile takeover of her start-up. Cue sharp elbows and even sharper banter as the two go head-to-head to see who'll win this time. But when their rivalry ignites a different kind of passion, Nami starts to realize it's not just her company that's in danger of being taken over, but her heart as wellBy Dan Gutman. 2005
A.J. hates school, but things improve when boring Mr. Loring leaves and a young, hip new music teacher, Mr. Hynde,…
arrives. Then Mr. Hynde performs on American Idol and everything changes again. For grades 2-4. 2005By Anna Pasternak. 2007
Daisy Dooley, a thirty-nine-year-old divorced Londoner living with her dachshund-breeder mum, rejoins the dating world. For support, Daisy relies on…
her friends--bachelorette Jess, seemingly happily married Lucy, and commitment-phobic Miles--as she navigates the singles scene searching for true love. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2007By Gary D. Schmidt. 2007
Long Island, 1967. Seventh-grader Holling Hoodhood knows that Mrs. Baker "hates his guts" because she would have Wednesday afternoons free…
if he went to catechism or Hebrew school like his classmates. Mrs. Baker worries about her husband in Vietnam and introduces a reluctant Holling to Shakespeare. For grades 5-8. Newbery Honor. 2007By Kevin Kling. 2009
National Public Radio commentator pens good-humored autobiographical stories about holidays throughout the year. Describes celebrating his fourth birthday inside a…
glass "cage" at the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children, after measles postponed his operation, and holding his breath--and fainting--during Easter services at church. 2009By Martin Michael Driessen, Jonathan Reeder. 2019
In a small town on the Adriatic coast, postman Andrej and funicular railway conductor Josip discover each other's secrets and…
begin blackmailing the other. A strange friendship develops, but war looms. Translated from the original 2017 Dutch edition. Some violence and some strong language. 2019By Erma Bombeck. 1987
With poignant observations and wit, Bombeck focuses on the family, a group that she notes shares the same genes and…
last names, but never seems to agree. She takes a clear-eyed look at her grown children, her husband, and even her dog in this rapier-sharp collection of essays. BestsellerBy Molière. 1959
Alceste vows to speak and act with complete honesty; he will no longer adhere to the conventions of the hypocritical…
society that surrounds him. Somewhat contradictorily, he prefers vain, coquettish Celimene to gentle, sincere Eliante. First published in the 17th century. 1959. Uniform title: Misanthrope.By Wendy Wasserstein. 1990
Twenty-eight essays and a one-act play by the winner of the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for drama, which she received for…
the play, "The Heidi Chronicles." In a lighthearted, witty way, she discusses nail boutiques, the fitness craze, who wears plaid--and why, backstage at the Kabuki theatre, and lunch at the Metropolitan Museum of ArtBy Ellen Gilchrist. 2010
Half-Cherokee Olivia Hand, a newspaper editor in Tulsa, Oklahoma, confronts her mixed feelings about the war in Iraq as she…
and her cousins endure tragedies. Companion to I Cannot Get You Close Enough (DB 35282) and The Anna Papers (DB 28884). Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2008By Howard A Geltman, Howard Geltman. 2011
A gifted storyteller with an amazing memory tells of his days as one of the students at the Oak Hill…
School before the days of mainstreaming blind children in public schools. Howard captures the essence of a precious time - the adventures, accomplishments, and escapades of students and staff that formed life-long bondsBy Margie Palatini, Jack E. Davis. 2003
It was BIG. It was BAD. It was ... BEDHEAD! No doubt about it, Oliver's having a very bad hair…
day. His parents and sister try to help. They push, they pull, they spritz and they spray; they goop, they glop, and they mousse. But Oliver's hair is still way out of control. And today's class picture day! What's a boy to do? For grades K-3By Julian Fellowes. 2004
Fellowes doesn't try to hide his love of the funny, sealed, above-stairs world of dukes, duchesses, marquesses, nursery maids, herbaceous…
borders and breakfast kedgeree, all of which makes SNOBS such a a good, fresh read' Daily TelegraphEdith Lavery is a woman on the make. The attractive only child of a middle-class accountant, she leaves behind her dull job in a Chelsea estate agents and manages to bag one of the most eligible bachelors of the day - Charles Broughton, heir to the Marquess of Uckfield.But is life amongst the upper echelons of 'good' society all that it seems? Edith soon discovers there's much more to the aristocracy than dancing in Anabel's, shooting small birds and understanding which fork to use at dinner. And then there is Charles's mother, the indomitable Lady Uckfield, or 'Googie' to her friends, who is none too pleased with her son's choice of breeding partner. With twists and turns aplenty, this is a comical tale worthy of a contemporary Jane Austen.Read by Richard Morant(p) 2005 AudioGoBy Mhairi McFarlane. 2014
Ten years after they last spoke, Rachel runs into her former best friend, Ben, once again. She has recently broken…
up with her fiancé, but notices that Ben is married. However, the more time they spend together, the more they realize the flame between them has not died. Strong language. 2012By Henrik Ibsen. 2009
Environmentalist, activist, and attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. contributes a foreword to this Skyhorse edition of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen&’s…
renowned 1882 play. Regarded as one of the foremost playwrights of the nineteenth century, Henrik Ibsen tells the story of the idealist Doctor Thomas Stockmann, the medical officer of a recently opened spa in a small town in southern Norway, who finds that the water is seriously contaminated. He notifies members of the community and initially receives support and thanks for the discovery. Threatened by the possible impact of such a revelation, his brother, the town mayor, conspires with local politicians and the newspaper to suppress the story and pressure Dr. Stockmann to retract his statements. At a public meeting, an attempt is made to keep Dr. Stockmann from speaking, but he launches into a tirade condemning the corruption of the town and the tyranny of the majority. Finding his speech offensive, he is shouted down by the masses and reviled as "an enemy of the people." In his foreword, Kennedy alerts readers to the undeniable fact that the persecution of those who tell uncomfortable truths, which Ibsen described over one hundred years ago, continues to this day and is as relevant now as ever. We face environmental deregulation and degradation, politicians in lobbyists&’ pockets, attacks on facts that are agreed upon by reputable scientists, corporate funded and controlled research, and attempts to impede and suppress whistleblowers. The battle continues and Kennedy joins Ibsen on the front lines.By David Thewlis. 2021
'A riotously good novel, witty and earnest, brimming with sharply drawn characters and creeping suspense. David Thewlis is a fabulous…
writer' Anna Bailey, Sunday Times bestselling author of Tall BonesCelebrated director Jack Drake can't get through his latest film (his most personal yet) without his wife Martha's support. The only problem is, she's dead...When Jack sees Betty Dean - actress, mother, trainwreck - playing the part of a crazed nun on stage in an indie production of The Devils, he is struck dumb by her resemblance to Martha. Desperate to find a way to complete his masterpiece, he hires her to go and stay in his house in France and resuscitate Martha in the role of 'loving spouse'.But as Betty spends her days roaming the large, sunlit rooms of Jack's mansion - filled to the brim with odd treasures and the occasional crucifix - and her evenings playing the part of Martha over scripted video calls with Jack, she finds her method acting taking her to increasingly dark places. And as Martha comes back to life, she carries with her the truth about her suicide - and the secret she guarded until the end.A darkly funny novel set between a London film set and a villa in the south of France.A mix of Vertigo and Jonathan Coe, written by a master storyteller.PRAISE FOR DAVID THEWLIS'S FICTION 'David Thewlis has written an extraordinarily good novel, which is not only brilliant in its own right, but stands proudly beside his work as an actor, no mean boast' Billy Connolly'Hilarious and horror-filled' Francesca Segal, Observer'A fine study in character disintegration... Very funny' David Baddiel, The Times'Exquisitely written with a warm heart and a wry wit... Stunning' Elle'Queasily entertaining' Financial Times'A sharp ear for dialogue and a scabrously satiric prose style' Daily Mail'Laugh-out-loud, darkly intelligent' Publishers Weekly'This is far more than an actor's vanity project: Thewlis has talent' KirkusBy Julian Fellowes. 2004
A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERFROM THE CREATOR OF DOWNTON ABBEY and BELGRAVIA 'A delicious thoroughbred delight' Stephen Fry'A brilliantly malicious portrait…
of upper-class society and all those who long to be accepted by them' Jilly CooperEdith Lavery is a woman on the make. The attractive only child of a middle-class accountant, she leaves behind her dull job in a Chelsea estate agents and manages to bag one of the most eligible bachelors of the day - Charles Broughton, heir to the Marquess of Uckfield. But is life amongst the upper echelons of 'good' society all that it seems? 'Horribly compelling' The Times'Provocative, titillating and seductive' Spectator 'Everything you would hope for from the writer of Gosford Park' Stephen FryBy Julian Fellowes. 2004
A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERFROM THE CREATOR OF DOWNTON ABBEY and BELGRAVIA'A delicious thoroughbred delight' Stephen Fry'A brilliantly malicious portrait of…
upper-class society and all those who long to be accepted by them' Jilly CooperEdith Lavery is a woman on the make. The attractive only child of a middle-class accountant, she leaves behind her dull job in a Chelsea estate agents and manages to bag one of the most eligible bachelors of the day - Charles Broughton, heir to the Marquess of Uckfield. But is life amongst the upper echelons of 'good' society all that it seems? 'Horribly compelling'The Times'Provocative, titillating and seductive'Spectator'Everything you would hope for from the writer of Gosford Park' Stephen FryBy Thornton Wilder. 2003
A timeless statement about human foibles...and human endurance, The Skin of Our Teeth is Thornton Wilder’s brilliant, Pulitzer Prize-winning play,…
now reissued with a beautiful new cover and updated afterword by Wilder’s nephew, Tappan Wilder. Time magazine called The Skin of Our Teeth "a sort of Hellzapoppin' with brains," as it broke from established theatrical conventions and walked off with the 1943 Pulitzer Prize for Best Drama. Combining farce, burlesque, and satire (among other styles), Thornton Wilder departs from his studied use of nostalgia and sentiment in Our Town to have an Eternal Family narrowly escape one disaster after another, from ancient times to the present. Meet George and Maggie Antrobus (married only 5,000 years); their two children, Gladys and Henry (perfect in every way!); and their maid, Sabina (the ageless vamp) as they overcome ice, flood, and war—by the skin of their teeth. Witty, clever, and provocative, The Skin of Our Teeth showcases Wilder’s storytelling genius and his extraordinary talents at delving deep into the human psyche.