Subtitled A Novel of Many Manners, Evelyn Waugh's notorious first novel lays waste the heathen idol of British sportsmanship, the cultured perfection of Oxford, and the inviolable honor codes of the English gentleman.

Helena is the intelligent, horse-mad daughter of a British chieftain who is thrown into marriage with the man who will one day become the Roman emperor Constantius. Leaving home for lands unknown, she spends her adulthood seeking truth in the religions, mythologies, and philosophies of the declining ancient world, and becomes initiated into Christianity just as it is recognized as the religion of the Roman Empire. Helena — a novel that Evelyn Waugh considered to be his favorite, and most ambitious, work-deftly traverses the forces of corruption, treachery, enlightenment, and political intrigue of Imperial Rome as it brings to life an inspiring heroine.

«Guy Crouchback, determined to get into the war, takes a commission in the Royal Corps of Halberdiers. His spirits high, he sees all the trimmings but none of the action. And his first campaign, an abortive affair on the West African coastline, ends with an escapade that seriously blots his Halberdier copybook. «Men at Arms» is the first novel in Waugh's brilliant Sword of Honor trilogy recording the tumultuous wartime adventures of Guy Crouchback («the finest work of fiction in English to emerge from World War II» — «Atlantic Monthly»), which also comprises «Officers and Gentlemen «and» Unconditional Surrender.»

«Fueled by idealism and eagerness to contribute to the war effort, Guy Crouchback becomes attached to a commando unit undergoing training on the Hebridean isle of Mugg, where the whisky flows freely and respect must be paid to the laird. But the comedy of Mugg is soon followed by the bitterness of Crete, where chaos reigns and a difficult evacuation must be accomplished. «Officers and Gentlemen» is the second novel in Waugh's brilliant Sword of Honor trilogy recording the tumultuous wartime adventures of Guy Crouchback («the finest work of fiction in English to emerge from World War II» -»Atlantic Monthly»), which also comprises «Men at Arms «and» Unconditional Surrender.»

Gilbert Pinfold is a reclusive Catholic novelist suffering from acute inertia. In an attempt to defeat insomnia he has been imbibing an unappetizing cocktail of bromide, chloral, and creme de menthe. He books a passage on the SS Caliban and, as it cruises towards Ceylon, rapidly slips into madness. Almost as soon as the gangplank lifts, Pinfold hears sounds coming out of the ceiling of his cabin: wild jazz bands, barking dogs, and loud revival meetings. He is convinced that an erratic public-address system is letting him hear everything that goes on aboard ship... until instead of just sounds he hears voices. And not just any voices. These voices are talking, in the most frighteningly intimate way, about him!

Put Out More Flags is Waugh's superb send-up of smart England, the bohemian crowd, as World War II approaches. Making a return appearance, Basil Seal this time insinuates himself into an odd but profitable role in the country's mobilization.

This is the third volume in the 'Sword of Honor' trilogy. The other volumes in this trilogy include: 'Men at Arms' and 'Officers and Gentlemen'.

This trilogy spanning World War II, based in part on Evelyn Waugh's own experiences as an army officer, is the author's surpassing achievement as a novelist. Its central character is Guy Crouchback, head of an ancient but decayed Catholic family, who at first discovers new purpose in the challenge to defend Christian values against Nazi barbarism, but then gradually finds the complexities and cruelties of war overwhelming. Though often somber, Sword of Honor is also a brilliant comedy, peopled by the fantastic figures so familiar from Waugh's early satires. The deepest pleasures these novels afford come from observing a great satiric writer employ his gifts with extraordinary subtlety, delicacy, and human feeling, for purposes that are ultimately anything but satiric. Sword of Honor comprises the three acclaimed novels Men at Arms, Officers and Gentlemen, and Unconditional Surrender.

These colorful, playful books encourage interactive learning through prediction and repetition; but most importantly, they look really fun.--Dr. Robert Needlman, co-founder of Reach Out and Read and author of Dr. Spock's Baby Basics.

The Usual Gang of Idiots, as their writers and artists have long called themselves, brilliantly satirize politics, celebrities, movies, television, advertising, music and more. (They've never been above a cheap gag or a horrific pun, either.) Totally MAD is a celebration of this cultural touchstone and includes such classics as Spy vs. Spy, Al Jaffee's The MAD Fold-in, Sergio Aragones' A MAD Look At... Dave Berg's The Lighter Side of... Planet Tad, The MAD Strip Club, The Fundalini Pages, the spectacular movie and TV satires of Mort Drucker, Jack Davis and Tom Richmond plus the outrageous artwork of Don Martin and Drew Friedman. Specially complied by the staff of MAD, each page is lavishly illustrated by many of the world's greatest cartoonists and humorous illustrators. Whether you grew up with MAD in the 50s, 60s or 70s, reading it under the covers with a flashlight so your parents wouldn't catch you, or in the 80s, 90s and beyond, reading it while watching the MAD TV shows on Fox and Cartoon Network, this book will bring back great memories and create new ones.

In high school, Olivia, Tracy and Holly had been known as The Godmothers, and their friendship has endured throughout the ensuing decades. Now, with the death of Olivia's husband, a wealthy Italian Count, and her return to America, the friends decide to reunite on a luxury cruise in the Caribbean. Along with Tracy's college-aged daughter and a two-man crew, they begin their journey uneventfully, enjoying the sun and the warm, clear waters of the Caribbean. Then, a series of devastating events unfolds, leaving the women crewless, starving and terrified. Almost overnight, what was meant to be a blissful vacation devolves into a desperate fight for survival, as they soon find themselves battling the elements, a horrifying attack by drug traffickers, and their own frailties. It is at once a story about the bonds of friendship, the love between mothers and their children, and the strengths we don't know we possess until we are faced with our own mortality.

Many other periodicals now publish their versions of a year-in-review each December, and they include in their pages photography. But LIFE, the most respected brand when it comes to pictures and also a trusted source of smart, honest, unbiased journalism, invented the Year in Pictures-and LIFE's volume remains the one a reader must have. This is the book for the footlocker. This is the book to be read now, a year from now, ten years from now. This is our human history, captured in the moment by the world's best photojournalists and put into complete context by LIFE's editors. In politics, Barack Obama, John Boehner and Sarah Palin are all players in 2011, and in Hollywood Mark Wahlberg is on top, and Angelina Jolie remains there. Neil Diamond and Alice Cooper go into rock's Hall of Fame, while Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez take another step out of childhood and into adulthood will they continue on with great success, and for that matter, what will Britney and Lindsay offer us this year? Who will Glee salute next? The rumors include the Boss. Tom Brady may win again, and so might Tiger Woods. Then again, they might not. The Williams sisters must still be reckoned with, as must Lindsay Vonn, who shoots for another World Cup skiing championship. The floods that ruined parts of California and the blizzards that whacked New England made for dramatic pictures, and for pain. Whether the country felt greater pain than it did early in the year when a universally well-liked congresswoman, Gabby Giffords, was targeted by a gunman, and when six innocents, including a nine-year-old girl were killed-well, whether that grief will be exceeded is yet to be determined. LIFE will be there to measure it, record it, and put it in perspective. LIFE invented The Year in Pictures, and does it like no one else.

THE WHITE HOUSE: THE PRESIDENT'S HOME IN PHOTOGRAPHS AND HISTORY covers every aspect of White House Life over the past 200 years. Witness multiple refurbishments to the house, media coverage and popular photography of the White House, and photos of its illustrious inhabitants, visitors, and even pets and illustrations. Accompanying the photographs is an incisive, informative text by renowned critic Vicki Goldberg. A rich visual history and a beautiful gift book, THE WHITE HOUSE is a must for photography and history buffs alike.

Filled with dazzling images from the very first Harry Potter film to the epic finale, this unique poster book allows fans to immerse themselves in the world of Harry Potter. Gorgeous images showcase the many memorable characters and dangerous situations Harry and his friends have encountered in their battle against Lord Voldemort (TM). All the pages in this keepsake edition can be removed from the book and displayed. As a bonus, the book includes 9 oversized collectible film posters. A must-have for all Harry Potter fans. The seventh movie opened on November 19th, 2010 to a huge audience around the country. There is no doubt the highly anticipated eighth movie out July 15th, 2011 with garner the same reaction.

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen. Sometimes life-ending. Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

You don't have to be a student of geography or cartography to have an interest in the world around you, especially with globalization making our planet seem smaller than ever. Now you can IM someone in Alaska, purchase coffee beans from Timor-Leste, and visit Dubai. But what do we really know about these lands?

This lavish volume reproduces 138 tempera, drybrush, and watercolor paintings and pencil studies by Andrew Wyeth. It is the most comprehensive retrospective of the artist's work ever produced and is now available in paperback. What makes this book truly extraordinary are Wyeth's comments about each painting — an autobiography, told through interviews with Thomas Hoving, that offers fascinating, sometimes unexpected, facts about Wyeth's life and art. As Hoving writes in his introduction, Wyeth, in essence, has always painted for himself. This beautifully printed, elegantly designed book reveals that self as never before — and will make a resplendent gift for Wyeth's many admirers.

At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora s box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voice -- those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal -- that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment. A gripping emotional drama with the pace of a thriller, Anita Shreve s Testimony explores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

Brett Messerchmidt is planning Waverly Academy's annual holiday ball and gift exchange. But when some enterprising students decide that playing Secret Satan is infinitely more fun, the entire school starts acting naughty. Now all Brett wants for Christmas is a quiet holiday-and a kiss from a certain someone under the mistletoe. Too bad Callie Vernon has the same idea. Everybody at Waverly is getting into the giving spirit. The only present Tinsley Carmichael wants to unwrap this holiday is her new boyfriend, Julian McCafferty. But what happens when she uncovers a shady secret from his past instead? Santa knows when you've been bad or good... but what's the point of being good when being bad is so much fun?

It's almost Valentine's Day at Waverly Academy, and love is in the air... and in everyone's inboxes. Each year, The Waverly Computer Society runs Perfect Match, an online personality survey that pairs up Waverly Owls with their supposed soul mates. Now the campus is overrun with peculiar pairings, odd couples, and mischief makers hoping to play Cupid for a day. Jenny Humphrey is convinced she'll be paired with her adorable new boyfriend, Isaac Dresden. But when he starts acting skittish, she begins to wonder if he's her Perfect Match after all. Brett Messerschmidt and Tinsley Carmichael definitely aren't feeling the love this Valentine's Day: when Isla Dresden, Isaac's sister, steals Tinsley's thunder-and Brett's boyfriend-the two girls vow to plot their revenge. Callie Vernon is starting to wonder if a girl can have two soulmates. She's in love with both Easy Walsh and Brandon Buchanan, but on February 14th, she can only give one of them her heart. In this final dramatic It Girl novel, the Waverly Owls ponder an age-old question: is all really fair in love and war?