Philip Roth's new novel is a candidly intimate yet universal story of loss, regret, and stoicism. The best-selling author of The Plot Against America now turns his attention from one family's harrowing encounter with history (New York Times) to one man's lifelong skirmish with mortality. The fate of Roth's everyman is traced from his first shocking confrontation with death on the idyllic beaches of his childhood summers, through the family trials and professional achievements of his vigorous adulthood, and into his old age, when he is rended by observing the deterioration of his contemporaries and stalked by his own physical woes. A successful commercial artist with a New York ad agency, he is the father of two sons from a first marriage who despise him and a daughter from a second marriage who adores him. He is the beloved brother of a good man whose physical well-being comes to arouse his bitter envy, and he is the lonely ex-husband of three very different women with whom he's made a mess of marriage. In the end he is a man who has become what he does not want to be. The terrain of this powerful novel — Roth's twenty-seventh book and the fifth to be published in the twenty-first century — is the human body. Its subject is the common experience that terrifies us all. Everyman takes its title from an anonymous fifteenth-century allegorical play, a classic of early English drama, whose theme is the summoning of the living to death.

Written when Hemingway was at the height of his creative powers, the stories in Winner Take Nothing glow with the mark of his unique talent. Hunters, wives, old men of wisdom, waiters, fighters, women loved, women lost: they are all here, living on the raw edge, making love, facing the inevitable reality of death. The characters, the dialogue, the settings, the remarkable insight could have come only from Hemingway's imagination. As an introduction to his work, or as an overview of the themes he developed at greater length in his novels, it is a stunningly successful collection.

This is the definitive thesaurus for middle school and high school students seeking to communicate more effectively by means of a broader vocabulary. No other book at this level offers as many synonyms, example sentences, or features. New to this edition is an informative Parts of Speech table.

Fanboy has never had it good, but lately his sophomore year is turning out to be its own special hell. The bullies have made him their favorite target, his best (and only) friend seems headed for the dark side (sports and popularity), and his pregnant mother and the step-fascist are eagerly awaiting the birth of the alien life form known as Fanboy's new little brother or sister. Fanboy, though, has a secret: a graphic novel he's been working on without telling anyone, a graphic novel that he is convinced will lead to publication, fame, and — most important of all — a way out of the crappy little town he lives in and all the people that make it hell for him. When Fanboy meets Kyra, a.k.a. Goth Girl, he finds an outrageous, cynical girl who shares his love of comics as well as his hatred for jocks and bullies. Fanboy can't resist someone who actually seems to understand him, and soon he finds himself willing to heed her advice — to ignore or crush anyone who stands in his way.

The Beauty of the Beast is an exciting book offering lasting value. The poetic parade of the animal king dom ranges from the lowly earthworm to the majestic whale an d just about every creature in between. All poems are brief and fun to read aloud.

«Inspired by Sigmund Freud's only, traumatic visit to America (a society of savages, he was to claim), Jed Rubenfeld's novel is an intricate tale of murder and the mind's dangerous mysteries. On a sweltering August evening in 1909 Freud disembarks from a steamship in New York City, accompanied by his protégé and rival Carl Jung. Across town, a debutante is found dangling from a chandelier, whipped, mutilated, and strangled. The next day, a second beauty—a rebellious heiress—barely escapes the killer, but is hysterical and can remember nothing. American Freudian Stratham Younger calls on his idol to analyze the spirited girl. «As The Interpretation of Murder races past ravished damsels, sinister aristocrats, architectural marvels (the building of the Manhattan Bridge), hysterical symptoms, a Hamlet-Freud nexus and downright criminal wordplay ('there are more things in heaven and earth, Herr Professor, than are dreamt in your psychology'; 'sometimes a catarrh, I’m afraid, is only a catarrh'), it cobbles together its own brand of excitement. That excitement is as palpable as it is peculiar».»

The atmosphere of Bleak House, the sensuous thrill of Perfume, and the mystery of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell all combine in a story of murder, deceit, love, and revenge in Victorian England. After killing the red-haired man, I took myself off to Quinn's for an oyster supper. So begins the extraordinary story of Edward Glyver--booklover, scholar, and murderer. As a young boy, Glyver always believed he was destined for greatness. A chance discovery convinces him that he was right: greatness does await him, along with immense wealth and influence. Overwhelmed by his discovery, he will stop at nothing to win back a prize that he knows is rightfully his. Glyver's path to reclaim his prize leads him from the depths of Victorian London, with its foggy streets, brothels, and opium dens, to Evenwood, one of England's most beautiful and enchanting country houses, and finally to a consuming love for the beautiful but enigmatic Emily Carteret. His is a story of betrayal and treachery, of death and delusion, of ruthless obsession and ambition. And at every turn, driving Glyver irresistibly onward, is his deadly rival: the poet-criminal Phoebus Rainsford Daunt. The Meaning of Night is an enthralling novel that will captivate readers right up to its final thrilling revelation.

In this classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale that follows the tradition of “Hansel and Gretel” and “Snow White”, a young peasant boy is predestined to greatness — once he overcomes an outlandish decree from the king. Demanding that the boy pluck three golden hairs from the scalp of the devil in order to win the princess’s hand, the king dispatches him to the devil’s cottage in the woods. Along the way many helpers materialize, including the devil’s grandmother, helping the boy on his quest and reassuring readers that the peasant boy will prevail. Illustrations of the deep forest creep and crawl thrillingly — with hidden snakes and demons for children to identify — as the hero pushes on towards his encounter with the devil.

Hunky guys and barely covered gals party on the beach in these five outrageous images from bikini, otherwise known as Max Hernn. Presented in a sturdy keepsake box, this set of large notecards — about 5 x 7 inches — includes white envelopes.

The curious and intrepid editor of Edinburgh's Review of Applied Ethics returns, this time to ponder the philosophical implications of love. In this third outing for Isabel Dalhousie in the Sunday Philosophy Club series, her American cousin introduces her to Dallas bigwig Tom Bruce and his fiancée. Isabel cannot suppress her intuition that the girl is marrying Tom for his money, and begins snooping in spite of herself. Should Isabel say something — especially since Tom seems to have taken a fancy to her — or is she ethically obliged to mind her own romantic house, and her growing feelings for her friend Jamie?

Outdoor living is no longer defined as a simple patio with a few tables and chairs — today, homeowners are designing remarkable spaces in which to eat, relax, meditate, swim, and even sleep! Author Michelle Kodis reveals how to create a customized oasis in nearly any type of setting. Whether building new or redesigning an existing yard, Ultimate Backyards offers inspiration for outdoor spaces no matter the climate or budget — design is the key to creating a unique and personalized space. Learn how to connect an outdoor area architecturally to its environment, whether in the country, a suburb, or a busy urban locale. See first-hand the ways in which architects study a home's surroundings and then make them an integral part of the living space. Thirty case studies share stories, photos, and information on the challenges facing each project at its beginning, and the beautiful end result. Helpful sidebars offer suggestions and solutions on topics such as sustainability, using recycled materials, setting and staying within a budget, and what to do with a really small space. Sections include: Outdoor Rooms — outside spaces that dramatically increase the size and usable space of a home, from screened porches to outdoor family and play rooms; Indoor/Outdoor Combination — outdoor spaces designed to enhance an indoor/outdoor connection, such as a bedroom that opens directly to the outside; Water — pools, spas, ponds, and spaces that utilize water as the focal point; and, Creative Landscapes — landscapes that go beyond the ordinary to truly connect the house to its setting.

In this follow-up to her bestselling Sex with Kings, Eleanor Herman reveals the truth about what goes on behind the closed door of a queen's boudoir. Impeccably researched, filled with page-turning romance, passion, and scandal, Sex with the Queen explores the scintillating sexual lives of some of our most beloved and infamous female rulers. She was the queen, living in an opulent palace, wearing lavish gowns and dazzling jewels. She was envied, admired, and revered. She was also miserable, having been forced to marry a foreign prince sight unseen, a royal ogre who was sadistic, foaming at the mouth, physically repulsive, mentally incompetent, or sexually impotent — and in some cases all of the above.How did queens find happiness? In courts bristling with testosterone — swashbuckling generals, polished courtiers, and virile cardinals — many royal women had love affairs.Anne Boleyn flirted with courtiers; Catherine Howard slept with one. Henry VIII had both of them beheaded.Catherine the Great had her idiot husband murdered, and ruled the Russian empire with a long list of sexy young favorites.Marie Antoinette fell in love with the handsome Swedish count Axel Fersen, who tried valiantly to rescue her from the guillotine.Empress Alexandra of Russia found emotional solace in the mad monk Rasputin. Her behavior was the spark that set off the firestorm of the Russian revolution.Princess Diana gave up her palace bodyguard to enjoy countless love affairs, which tragically led to her early death. When a queen became sick to death of her husband and took a lover, anything could happen — from disgrace and death to political victory. Some kings imprisoned erring wives for life; other monarchs obligingly named the queen's lover prime minister.The crucial factor deciding the fate of an unfaithful queen was the love affair's implications in terms of power, money, and factional rivalry. At European courts, it was the politics — not the sex — that caused a royal woman's tragedy — or her ultimate triumph.

A series of intimate letters chronicles the amorous misadventures of the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont — two rivals who use their bodies as weapons in the war of the sexes. Set in the final days of the Ancien Regime, Laclos' dark and erotic epistolary milestone has been a bountiful source of inspiration for filmmakers and stage producers.

The compelling story of a young Muslim boy coming to terms with both his growing manhood and his need to feel a part of a larger family than his own, which is fatherless. It leads him into contact with Islamic extremists.

The diverse peoples of Britain and Ireland are revealed not only by physical characteristics but also through structures and settlements, place names and dialects. Using the latest genetic and archaeological research, the author shows how different peoples traded, settled and conquered, establishing the 'tribal' and regional roots still apparent today. Its vast scope considers the impact of prehistoric peoples and Celtic tribes, Romans and Vikings, Saxons and Normans, Jews and Huguenots, as well as the increasing population movements of the last century.

This, the second and final volume of Stephen Walsh's magisterial biography of Igor Stravinsky, begins in 1934, when Stravinsky is fifty-two and living in France. Already regarded by many as the most important composer of his generation, Stravinsky is nevertheless at this point a fairly unhappy expatriate, all too aware of the war clouds beginning to gather. Though he still maintains a family life with his wife and children, much of his time is spent with his mistress, Vera Sudeykina, while traveling around Europe giving concerts in order to earn the money to support his dependents-which include a number of relatives. Composing, of course, remains the center of his existence. But changes are imminent: within only a few years his wife, Katya, will be dead, his family scattered, and Stravinsky himself, together with Vera, starting over again in America. Stravinsky: The Second Exile follows the composer through the remainder of his long life, years during which he produces such masterworks as The Rake's Progress and Symphony in C, and achieves a new level of fame as a conductor and raconteur in his own right. With a dazzling command of sources in several languages and a keen feeling for accuracy in situations where truth and falsehood have become blurred, Walsh traces and illuminates Stravinsky's increasingly complex and often agonized family relationships along with his crucially important connection with his associate Robert Craft. Walsh is also, as a musicologist and critic, able to speak with knowledge and wit about Stravinsky's work, expertly describing and assessing the composer's musical journey from the neoclassicism of his late French and early American periods, through hisearly essays in serial technique, and on finally to the astonishing intricacies of his final compositions. The first volume of this biography, Stravinsky: A Creative Spring, was received with glowing praise for its insight, narrative skills, and readability. The period covered here, beset as it is with myths and misconceptions, is handled with even greater authority. Carefully weighed, eloquent, packed with rich and fascinating detail, it casts a brilliant new light on one of the greatest artists of our time.

Artie Wu and Quincy Durant, one of Southern California's unlikeliest pairs, find that the local mix-up they are looking into has suddenly expanded in space, from Vietnam to Washington, and in time, through twenty years of intrigue and deception.

This heart warming children's book blends the foundations of language and master-works from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts into a lovely journey that both parent and child will enjoy. Twenty-six works from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon accompany delightful prose that unites the alphabet and art in bold color. As the first ABC book published by the VMFA, it surely will be the quintessential gift for children for years to come.

Talented historian Maya Jasonoff offers an alternative history of the British Empire. It is not about conquest — but rather a collection of startling and fascinating personal accounts of cross-cultural exchange from those who found themselves on the edges of Empire. A Palladian mansion filled with western art in the centre of old Calcutta, the Mughal Emperor's letters in an archive in the French Alps, the names of Italian adventurers scratched into the walls of Egyptian temples: in this imaginative book, Maya Jasanoff delves into the stories behind artefacts like these to uncover the lives of collectors in India and Egypt who lived on the frontiers of European empire. Edge of Empire traces their exploits to tell an intimate history of imperialism. Written and researched on four continents, Edge of Empire tells a story about the making of European empires, ones that break away from the grand narratives of power, exploitation, and resistance, to delve into the personal dimensions of imperialism. She asks what people brought to imperial frontiers and what they took away, and what motives drove them, whether ambition, opportunism, curiosity, or greed. This rich and compelling book enters a world where people lived, loved, and died, and identified with each other across cultures much more than our prejudices about 'Empire' might suggest.

• Over 200 best-of-the-year photos. • Index of top photographers and their representatives, plus technical information. Art directors, designers, photographers, students, and everyone who’s interested in the latest and most innovative photography needs a copy of Photo Annual 2006. This eagerly anticipated yearly anthology presents the latest in cutting-edge images, with profiles of top photographers and full contact information plus camera and film information on each picture. An inspiring resource, a practical art book, Photo Annual 2006 gathers the finest work of the year into one exciting volume.