Best of
International

2014

Half of a Yellow Sun / Americanah / Purple Hibiscus


Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - 2014
    The lives of Ugwu, a young boy from a poor village, Olanna, a middle class woman, and Richard, a white man and a writer intersect in intimate and unexpected ways during the vicious Nigerian civil war. This is a story about Africa, about moral responsibility, the end of colonialism, ethnic allegiances, class and race – and about how love can move in to complicate all these things.Fearless, gripping, spanning three continents and numerous lives, ‘Americanah’ is a richly told story of love and expectation set in today’s globalized world. Ifemelu and Obinze fell in love as teenagers in Lagos. Thriteen years later, Obinze is a wealthy man in a newly democratic Nigeria; Ifemelu has achieved success as a writer in America. When Ifemelu returns to Nigeria, and the pair reignite their shared passions – for their homeland and for each other – they face the toughest decisions of their lives.‘Purple Hibiscus’ is a compelling tale of adolescence, set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s military coup. Fifteen-year-old Kambili’s life is regulated by the high walls of her family estate and the dictates of her repressive father. However when Nigeria begins to fall apart, Kambili and her brother are sent to live in their aunt’s laughter-filled house, where they discover life, love, and a terrible, bruising secret deep within her family.

Farewell Kabul: From Afghanistan to a More Dangerous World


Christina Lamb - 2014
    She crossed the Hindu Kush into Afghanistan with mujaheddin fighting the Russians and fell unequivocally in love with this fierce country of pomegranates and war, a relationship which has dominated her adult life.Since 2001, Lamb has watched with incredulity as the West fought a war with its hands tied, committed too little too late, failed to understand local dynamics and turned a blind eye as their Taliban enemy was helped by their ally Pakistan.Farewell Kabul tells how success was turned into defeat in the longest war fought by the United States in its history and by Britain since the Hundred Years War. It has been a fiasco which has left Afghanistan still one of the poorest nations on earth, the Taliban undefeated, and nuclear armed Pakistan perhaps the most dangerous place on earth.With unparalleled access to all key decision-makers in Afghanistan, Pakistan, London and Washington, from heads of state and generals as well as soldiers on the ground, Farewell Kabul tells how this happened.In Afghanistan, Lamb has travelled far beyond Helmand – from the caves of Tora Bora in the south to the mountainous bad lands of Kunar in the east; from Herat, city of poets and minarets in the west, to the very poorest province of Samangan in the north. She went to Guantánamo, met Taliban in Quetta, visited jihadi camps in Pakistan and saw bin Laden’s house just after he was killed. Saddest of all, she met women who had been made role models by the West and had then been shot, raped or forced to flee the country.This deeply personal book not only shows the human cost of political failure but explains how short-sighted encouragement of jihadis to fight the Russians, followed by prosecution of ill-thought-out wars, has resulted in the spread of terrorism throughout the Islamic world.

Gazpacho for Nacho


Tracey C. Kyle - 2014
    Nacho won't even try other dishes?until he discovers miles and piles of mouthwatering vegetables at the market. This lively rhyming story, sprinkled with Spanish, will delight little chefs. A recipe for Gazpacho and a Spanish glossary are included.

Crash Point


John Carson - 2014
    As the investigation unfolds, a 25 year-old murder case is re-opened, and when Miller delves into the past, he finds that somebody had a secret that is costing people their lives. He also discovers the awful truth of who really killed his wife in a hit-and-run two years ago, and how his wife’s killer is coming after him…

The Undesirables: Inside Nauru


Mark Isaacs - 2014
    Nobody knew. The intention was clear: this was the No Advantage policy. Take them to a distant island, lock them away, punish them, forget about them. Criminals were given a sentence to serve; these men were not even given that. Lost hope ebbed out of the men in uncontrollable sobs and tears. Queue jumper, boat person, illegals. Asylum seekers are contentious front-page news but obtaining information about Australia’s regional processing centres is increasingly difficult. We learn only what the government wants us to know.Mark Isaacs worked for the Salvation Army inside the Nauru Detention Centre soon after it re-opened in 2012. He provided humanitarian aid to the men interned in the camp. What he saw there moved him to speak out.The Undesirables chronicles his time on Nauru detailing daily life and the stories of the men held there; the self-harm, suicide attempts, and riots; the rare moments of joy; the moments of deep despair.Mark's eyewitness account humanises a political debate usually ruled by misleading rhetoric.About the authorMark Isaacs became impassioned by the asylum seeker debate after a visit to Villawood Detention Centre while writing for Oxfam. Months later, in October 2012, Mark was employed by the Salvation Army to work at the regional processing centre in Nauru. While there, Mark established the Recreations program and Oceans program for asylum seekers. He eventually resigned from the Salvation Army in June 2013 and spoke out publicly against the government's No Advantage policy.

Half a Man


Michael Morpurgo - 2014
    Grandpa’s ship was torpedoed during the Second World War, leaving him with terrible burns. Every time he came to stay, Michael was warned by his mother that he must not stare, he must not make too much noise, he must not ask Grandpa any questions about his past. As he grows older, Michael stays with his grandfather during the summer holidays, and as he finally learns the story behind Grandpa’s injuries, he gets to know the real man behind the solemn figure from his childhood. Michael can see beyond the burns, and this gives him the power to begin healing some of the scars that have divided his family for so long.

Dear Malala, We Stand with You


Rosemary McCarney - 2014
    She survived this brutal attack and has emerged as a very powerful voice for social justice in the world. Dear Malala, We Stand with You captures the impact Malala has had on girls from all walks of life. In powerfully simple language and stunning photographs, the struggles from poverty and violence faced by girls everywhere become a catalyst for change. The book includes an excerpt from Malala’s UN speech and provides readers with ways they can help and participate. Malala’s bravery has shown that one person and one voice is enough to change the world. As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, the terrorists are most afraid of "the girl with a book." Author Rosemary McCarney has over 20 years of international development work and runs the Canadian operations of Plan International as President and CEO.

Rise: A Soldier, a Dream, and a Promise Kept


Daniel Rodriguez - 2014
    But on the battlefield, under the daily rain of sniper fire, he made a promise to his best friend. “When I get out of this shithole, I’m going to play college football.”Daniel had joined the army just weeks after graduating from high school, having recently suffered a devastating loss. At age nineteen he had no idea what war really was; he just wanted to get out of town. Almost immediately, he was deployed to Iraq (and would later serve in Afghanistan). And he grew up fast — stopped sleeping, started smoking. Killing became second nature. He fought in the infamous Battle of Kamdesh and for his bravery he was awarded a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. But his best friend was not so lucky.Against all odds, Daniel returned home — broken, but still alive. Stuck in the clutches of PTSD, Daniel remembered that fateful promise to his friend and knew he had to make good on it. He embarked on a grueling training regimen and when he posted a video of his efforts, it went viral overnight. By some mix of grit, determination, and the power of the Internet, he earned a spot on the Clemson University football team.A powerfully delivered narrative of a young soldier, his unlikely dream, and how he found his way out of darkness, Rise is inspiring, quintessentially American, and will resonate with anyone who has ever fought for what they what they wanted.

A Tropical Frontier: The Cow Hunters


Tim Robinson - 2014
    Smith Award, 2015. [Rating: R] The Fourth novel in the "Tropical Frontier" series, The Cow Hunters is the sequel to The Good Dog. The Florida Prairie, 1860, cattle country. War looms, but to the settlers living along a jungled, tropical creek, it all seems very far away. For Becky Hackensaw, there are much more pressing matters, such as providing an education for her six children, but where to find someone willing to brave an uninhabited wilderness overrun with wild animals, alligators, poisonous snakes, and bloodthirsty mosquitoes?

Scattered Links


M. Weidenbenner - 2014
    Scattered Links is a novel that pulls its characters from the gutters and, in the end, celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit. Thirteen-year-old Oksana lives on the streets of Russia with her pregnant mama and abusive aunt—both prostitutes. When Mama swells into labor, Oksana makes a decision to save herself from abandonment, a decision that torments her forever. But her plan fails when her aunt dumps her in an orphanage before she has the chance to say goodbye to her mama or tell her the secret that haunts her.Scattered Links is a story of family and the consequences that come from never learning how to love, of a girl’s inability to bond with her adopted family and the frustrations that follow. How can a child understand the mechanics of forming a healthy relationship when she never had a mother who answered her cries, held her when she was frightened, fed her when she was hungry, or loved her unconditionally?Only when the child meets a rescued abused horse, and recognizes the pain in his eyes, does she begin to trust again.

101 Kruger Tales: Extraordinary Stories from Ordinary Visitors to the Kruger National Park


Jeff Gordon - 2014
    A lioness prises open the door of a terrified couple. A leopard helps itself to a family’s picnic breakfast. A fleeing impala leaps through an open car window. A lion charges around inside a busy rest camp. A hyaena snatches a baby from a tent. A tourist takes a bath in a croc-infested dam… These are just a few of the 101 jaw-dropping sightings, scrapes and encounters in this collection of extraordinary true stories from the roads, camps, picnic sites and walking trails of South Africa’s Kruger National Park, as told by the very people who experienced them. There are no game ranger tales here – each and every story happened to an ordinary Kruger visitor doing what over a million tourists do in this spectacular reserve each year. It is a book to keep by your bedside in Kruger, to dip into at home when you’re missing the bush, to lend to friends who’ve never visited Kruger or to pore over before your next trip. Just don’t expect to ever sleep soundly in a safari tent again…

Imani's Moon


JaNay Brown-Wood - 2014
    When she decides she wants to touch the moon, she works hard to reach her goal, even in the face of teasing from the naysayers around her.

End of the Line


Sharon E. McKay - 2014
    This suspenseful novel vividly portrays the fear, uncertainty, and terror of the Nazi occupation in Holland. It is a story that reflects both the worst and best of humankind. A worthy addition to children’s books about the Holocaust, The End of the Line will leave young readers to ponder how the most dreadful conditions can lead ordinary citizens to perform the most heroic acts. People like Lars, Hans, and Mrs. Vos, who risked their own lives to save Jews in wartime Europe, were later recognized and honored as “Righteous Gentiles.”

Gaza Writes Back (#1)


Refaat Alareer - 2014
    Their experiences, especially during and following Israel’s 2008-2009 offensive known as “Operation Cast Lead”, have fundamentally impacted their lives and their writing. Indeed, many of these writers saw the war as a catalyst for their writing, as they sought an outlet and a voice in its aftermath. They view the book as a means of preserving Palestinian memories and presenting their own narratives to the world without filters. Their words take us into the homes and hearts of moms, dads, students, children, and elders striving to live lives of dignity, compassion, and meaning in one of the world’s most embattled communities. (Some of the stories also take us with courage and empathy into the imagined world of Israelis living just on the other side of the great barriers Israel has built in and around Gaza and the West Bank to wall the Palestinians in.) These stories are acts of resistance and defiance, proclaiming the endurance of Palestinians and the continuing resilience and creativity of their culture in the face of ongoing obstacles and attempts to silence them. Whether tackling the tragedy that surrounds missile strikes and home raids, or the everyday indignities encountered by Palestinian refugees, Gaza Writes Back brings to life the real issues that the people of Gaza face. One prominent theme in many of the stories is the value placed on the wisdom of parents and grandparents. A sense of longing pervades the book, as the characters in the stories reveal desires ranging from the mundane to the complex—including, in several of the stories, a strong yearning to return to the characters’ long-cherished family homes and properties after many decades in exile from them. Social differences within Gaza are also sensitively explored. A few stories are especially difficult—but critical—to digest , for the vividness with which they depict the experiences of victims of Israeli military strikes and confront the legacy of violence and occupation, particularly on young people.Readers will be moved by the struggles big and small that emerge from the well-crafted writing by these young people, and by the hope and courage that radiates from the authors’ biographies. The contributors are university students and recent graduates, Palestinians who have chosen to speak out in their second language, which is an “expressive way to be more creative in a world where words are significantly mighty,” according to Tasnim Hamouda. Another contributor, Nour El Borno, believes “that if a person can write effectively, it is his or her duty to get up, write, and help change this world to something better.” Five years after Operation Cast Lead, these stories remind us that the pain lingers on and the people of Gaza will be forever scarred by the attack. Yet, the call for justice remains forceful and persistent, and these young Gazan writers refuse to let the world forget about them—their land, their people, and their story.

Along the Tapajós


Fernando Vilela - 2014
    Here, the homes are on stilts and everyone travels around by boat—even to school! When the rainy season comes, they must leave their village and relocate to higher ground for a while. But after moving this year, Cauã and Inaê realize they’ve left behind something important: their pet tortoise, Titi! Unlike turtles, tortoises can’t swim, and Cauã and Inaê are really worried. So the pair sneaks back at night on a journey along the river to rescue him. Will they be able to save Titi?This picture book, first published in Brazil, offers kids a unique look into the lives of children who live along Brazil’s beautiful Tapajós River.

There Was a Wee Lassie Who Swallowed a Midgie


Rebecca Colby - 2014
    I don't know why she swallowed the midgie,So teeny and squidgy!"In this hilarious twist on the much-loved rhyme, the wee lassie swallows a succession of Scotland's favourite creatures to catch that pesky midge -- including a puffin, a Scottie dog, a seal, and even Nessie!After all that, she can't still be hungry. Can she?Kate McLelland's funny, engaging illustrations bring to life this uniquely Scottish version of a classic rhyme.

A Market Tale


Martin Walker - 2014
    A Vintage eBook Original Short.      Between the seventeenth-century mairie and the stone bridge over the river that winds through town, the village of St. Denis hosts its weekly market, as well-stocked with local gossip as with fresh produce and pâtés. As summer blooms, the newest talk of the town is the rapport between Kati, a Swiss tourist, and Marcel, a popular stall owner whom Kati meets over his choice strawberries. None are happier than police chief Bruno to see Marcel, a young widower, interested in love again, but as his friend’s romance deepens, Bruno senses trouble in the form of Marcel’s meddlesome sister Nadette. Even as Kati begins to put down roots in St. Denis, vending her delicious baking in the market, it seems the overbearing Nadette will stop at nothing to make her feel unwelcome. When her schemes reach the limits of law, Bruno takes it upon himself to set things right.

Judge Surra


Andrea Camilleri - 2014
    Sicily, 1862. In the newly united Italy, Judge Surra arrives in Montelusa to take charge of the local court, in a town where conflict has been kind to a select few. At first, Surra is baffled by the quaint local customs: cryptic anonymous notes, mutterings in the street, tasty - if tasteless - gifts of disembodied animal heads. However, buoyed by his twin passions for justice and fine dining, Surra is determined to settle into island life, no matter who stands in his way. Distilling his customary humour and tension into this miniature masterpiece, Andrea Camilleri casts an ironic eye on the corruption and charm of a turbulent small town, testing his naïve but noble hero against the darkest arts of the Mafia.This story is available in print as a part of the collection Judges, published by MacLehose Press.

The Miracle of the Kurds: A Remarkable Story of Hope Reborn in Northern Iraq


Stephen Mansfield - 2014
    In this riveting account, Mansfield movingly tells the stories of the people who have fashioned one of the greatest economic and cultural resurrections in human history.They are the largest people group in the world without a homeland of their own. Despised and persecuted the world over, they even call themselves "the people without a friend." Saddam Hussein tried to wipe them from the face of the earth, killing several hundred thousand of them in the attempt. Their sufferings have become legend.They are the Kurds, descendants of the ancient Medes best known today from the pages of the Bible -- inhabitants of what the world now calls Northern Iraq. Yet today the Kurds are rebuilding so brilliantly from war and oppression that even their enemies call it "a miracle." Six star hotels stand where bombs once fell, shopping malls and gleaming schools rise where massacres once occurred. National Geographic and Conde Nast have listed modern "Kurdistan" as a "must-see" tourist destination.

Paper Aeroplane: Poems 1989–2014


Simon Armitage - 2014
    Now, twenty-five years on, Simon Armitage's reputation as one of the nation's most original, most respected and best-loved poets seems secure. Paper Aeroplane: Poems 1989-2014 is the author's own selection from across a quarter-century of work, from his debut to the latest, uncollected work. Drawing upon all of his award-winning poetry collections, including Kid, Book of Matches, The Universal Home Doctor and Seeing Stars, this generous selection provides an essential gathering of this most thrilling of poets, and is key reading for students and general readers alike.

The 20th Christmas


Andrea Rodgers - 2014
    For two decades, she grieves the loss of Chase and struggles with her marriage to her husband, Alan. Meanwhile, Lydia Feller mourns the death of her estranged sister, who spent years living on the streets with mental illness and substance abuse. Lydia adopts the boy that she believes was her sister's son and raises him in a happy, stable home with her husband, Daniel, and their four children.God works in miraculous ways as, twenty years later, both women's worlds collide . . .

Farewell, Four Waters: One Aid Workers Sudden Escape from Afghanistan


Kate McCord - 2014
    . .All she needed were stamps and signatures. Marie and her translator stood in the government offices in Kabul, Afghanistan, to complete the paperwork for her new literacy project. The women in her home town, the northern village of Shehktan, would learn to read.But a spattering of gun shots exploded and an aid worker crumpled. Executed. On the streets of Kabul. Just blocks from the guesthouse. Sending shockwaves through the community.The foreign personnel assessed their options and some, including Marie’s closest friend, Carolyn, chose to leave the country. Marie and others faced the cost and elected to press forward. But the execution of the lone aid worker was just the beginning.When she returned home to her Afghan friends in Shehktan to begin classes, she felt eyes watching her, piercing through her scarf as she walked the streets lined in mud brick walls.And in the end . . . It took only 14 days for her project, her Afghan home, her community—all of it—to evaporate in an eruption of dust, grief, and loss. Betrayed by someone she trusted. Caught in a feud she knew nothing about, and having loved people on both sides, Marie struggled for the answer: How could God be present here, working here, in the soul of Afghanistan?A novel based on true events.

The Woman Who Borrowed Memories: Selected Stories


Tove Jansson - 2014
    Her art flourished in small settings, as can be seen in her bestselling novel The Summer Book and in her internationally celebrated cartoon strips and books about the Moomins. It is only natural, then, that throughout her life she turned again and again to the short story. The Woman Who Borrowed Memories is the first extensive selection of Jansson’s stories to appear in English. Many of the stories collected here are pure Jansson, touching on island solitude and the dangerous pull of the artistic impulse: in “The Squirrel” the equanimity of the only inhabitant of a remote island is thrown by a visitor, in “The Summer Child” an unlovable boy is marooned along with his lively host family, in “The Cartoonist” an artist takes over a comic strip that has run for decades, and in “The Doll’s House” a man’s hobby threatens to overwhelm his life. Others explore unexpected territory: “Shopping” has a post-apocalyptic setting, “The Locomotive” centers on a railway-obsessed loner with murderous fantasies, and “The Woman Who Borrowed Memories” presents a case of disturbing transference. Unsentimental, yet always humane, Jansson’s stories complement and enlarge our understanding of a singular figure in world literature.

Children Growing Up with War


Jenny Matthews - 2014
    The right to free education. The right to a name and nationality. The right to affection, love, and understanding. In conflict zones around the world, children are denied these and other basic rights. Follow photographer Jenny Matthews into refugee camps, overcrowded cities, damaged villages, clinics, and support centers where children and their families live, work, play, learn, heal, and try to survive the devastating impact of war. This moving book depicts the resilience and resourcefulness of young people who, though heavily impacted by the ravages of war, search for a better future for themselves, their families, and their cultures.

Mr. Frank


Irene Luxbacher - 2014
    Frank is sewing the most wonderful outfit of his long career. Who could it be for?In all his years working as a tailor, Mr. Frank has made all kinds of clothes. From the practical uniforms of the 1940s to the wild and weird designs of the 1960s and 1970s, he has seen (and sewn) just about everything. But today’s project is especially close to Mr. Frank’s heart.With its use of textiles and sensitive period detail, Irene Luxbacher’s artwork is the perfect complement to her understated text. The result is a story that children and grandparents can share with equal delight.

Silk Road Vegetarian: Vegan, Vegetarian and Gluten Free Recipes for the Mindful Cook


Dahlia Abraham-Klein - 2014
    Plus, most of these delicious recipes can be made using ingredients from your local Farmer's market or CSA share!Delicious vegetarian and vegan recipes include:Bengali Potato & Zucchini CurryAfghan RisottoZucchini with Basil VinagretteTurkish Baked Eggplant with MintCurried Lentil BurgersIsraeli Chopped SaladSesame Kale SaladAnd dozens more… Dishes from the Silk Road have their roots in the ancient village food traditions of Asia, where a few healthy ingredients from local gardens were blended with spices to create meals that are nutritious, varied and flavorful, as well as being ethical and sustainable.Author Dahlia Abraham-Klein is a food educator and nutritionist who draws from her own family heritage to create meals that honor what is most meaningful about cooking and food everywhere in the world—a connectedness to place, history and family. Her book is about developing culinary awareness and celebrating diversity—discovering foods with contrasting tastes and textures that are simple and easy to prepare, yet totally exciting and different.Silk Road Vegetarian delves into the cultural and spiritual traditions of the Silk Road to show how cultural traditions have influenced the cuisine. Each dish has a rich history—linking past to present in a particular place. At the same time, the recipes address pressing contemporary needs by showing us how to eat a healthy, balanced and yet interesting diet with locally-sourced, earth-friendly ingredients.The astonishing array of recipes in this book will inspire every home cook. All dishes are easy and simple to prepare, and codes are applied to identify which ones are:VegetarianVeganGluten-freeTry one of these recipes, and you'll agree that peoples living along the Silk Road created a unique culinary tradition that we have much to learn from today.

Big Little Man: In Search of My Asian Self


Alex Tizon - 2014
    Immigrating from the Philippines as a young boy, everything he saw and heard taught him to be ashamed of his face, his skin color, his height. His fierce and funny observations of sex and the Asian American male include his own quest for love during college in the 1980s, a tortured tutorial on stereotypes that still make it hard for Asian men to get the girl. Tizon writes: "I had to educate myself on my own worth. It was a sloppy, piecemeal education, but I had to do it because no one else was going to do it for me."And then, a transformation. First, Tizon’s growing understanding that shame is universal: that his own just happened to be about race. Next, seismic cultural changes – from Jerry Yang’s phenomenal success with Yahoo! Inc., to actor Ken Watanabe’s emergence in Hollywood blockbusters, to Jeremy Lin’s meteoric NBA rise.Finally, Tizon’s deeply original, taboo-bending investigation turns outward, tracking the unheard stories of young Asian men today, in a landscape still complex but much changed for the Asian American man.

The Open Ocean


Francesco Pittau - 2014
    With elegant, graphic illustrations, plus intriguing facts about each animal, learning about ocean life has never been so fun or interactive.

Amazing World Atlas: Bringing the World to Life


Deborah Murrell - 2014
    Touching on popular culture, sports and school life, this will bring the world to life for kids aged 8 and up.More than 300 amazing photographsOver 50 illustrated mapsThe perfect present for every kid!About Lonely Planet: Started in 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel guide publisher with guidebooks to every destination on the planet, as well as an award-winning website, a suite of mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet's mission is to enable curious travellers to experience the world and to truly get to the heart of the places they find themselves in.TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2012 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia)

Because I Am a Girl: I Can Change the World


Rosemary McCarney - 2014
    Because I am a Girl is a global initiative from Plan International to end gender inequality, promote girls' rights and lift millions of girls out of poverty. Plan helped the UN declare October 11th the -International Day of the Girl- to recognize and advocate for girls' rights globally. This book illustrates the Because I am Girl call to change by telling stories of girls around the world. They begin by telling us -Because I am a girl, I eat if there is food left over when everyone is done- and -I am the Poorest of the Poor.- But it ends with the inspiring section -Because I am a Girl, I can change the world.- Each part begins with one real girl's story, illustrated with Plan's amazing photographs.

In the Name of the People: Angola's Forgotten Massacre


Lara Pawson - 2014
    The protestors were supporters of the MPLA, however the ruling elite feared this new 'factionalism' might lead to a coup d'état. The events of May 1977 are little talked of in Angola today – and virtually unknown outside the country. In this book, journalist Lara Pawson tracks down the story of what really happened on that fateful day. In a series of vivid encounters, she talks to eyewitnesses, victims and even perpetrators of the violent and confusing events of the 27th May and the following weeks and months. From London to Lisbon to Luanda, she meets those who continue to live in the shadow of the appalling events of 40 years ago and who – in most cases – have been too afraid to speak about them before. Pawson investigates not only the unwritten story of the 27th May - one of the biggest taboos in Angolan contemporary history – but she also challenges long-held assumptions about political opposition in Angola, as well as the MPLA, Cuba and the former President Agostinho Neto. Despite Angola's enormous oil wealth, poverty and racial division remain live problems for most of its people. This book contributes to a deeper understanding of modern Angola – its people and its politics; past, present and future.

Blind Spot: How Neoliberalism Infiltrated Global Health


Salmaan Keshavjee - 2014
    What started as an untested and unproven theory that the creation of unfettered markets would give rise to political democracy led to policies that promoted the belief that private markets were the optimal agents for the distribution of social goods, including health care. A vivid illustration of the infiltration of neoliberal ideology into the design and implementation of development programs, this case study, set in post-Soviet Tajikistan’s remote eastern province of Badakhshan, draws on extensive ethnographic and historical material to examine a “revolving drug fund” program—used by numerous nongovernmental organizations globally to address shortages of high-quality pharmaceuticals in poor communities. Provocative, rigorous, and accessible, Blind Spot offers a cautionary tale about the forces driving decision making in health and development policy today, illustrating how the privatization of health care can have catastrophic outcomes for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

Outpost: Life on the Frontlines of American Diplomacy: A Memoir


Christopher R. Hill - 2014
    From the wars in the Balkans to the brutality of North Korea to the endless war in Iraq, this is the real life of an American diplomat.Hill was on the front lines in the Balkans at the breakup of Yugoslavia. He takes us from one-on-one meetings with the dictator Milosevic, to Bosnia and Kosovo, to the Dayton conference, where a truce was brokered. Hill draws upon lessons learned as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon early on in his career and details his prodigious experience as a US ambassador. He was the first American Ambassador to Macedonia; Ambassador to Poland, where he also served in the depth of the cold war; Ambassador to South Korea and chief disarmament negotiator in North Korea; and Hillary Clinton’s hand-picked Ambassador to Iraq. Hill’s account is an adventure story of danger, loss of comrades, high stakes negotiations, and imperfect options. There are fascinating portraits of war criminals (Mladic, Karadzic), of presidents and vice presidents (Clinton, Bush and Cheney, and Obama), of Secretaries of State (Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, and Hillary Clinton), of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and of Ambassadors Richard Holbrooke and Lawrence Eagleburger. Hill writes bluntly about the bureaucratic warfare in DC and expresses strong criticism of America’s aggressive interventions and wars of choice.

The Acid Diary


Daniel S. Fletcher - 2014
    Fletcher, author of the well-received "Jackboot Britain".

Collected Works of Baroness Emma Orczy


Emmuska Orczy - 2014
    This comprehensive eBook presents Orczy’s collected works, with all the Scarlet Pimpernel adventures in the US public domain, numerous illustrations, rare texts, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Orczy’s life and works * Concise introductions to the major novels and other texts * 25 novels, with individual contents tables * Special ‘Scarlet Pimpernel Series’ table of contents, allowing you to navigate the famous works quickly * Includes rare novels appearing for the first time in digital publishing, including BY THE GODS BELOVED, A SON OF THE PEOPLE and NICOLETTE * Images of how the books were first published, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * Famous works are fully illustrated with their original artwork * Special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the short stories * Easily locate the short stories you want to read * Includes Orczy’s rare OLD HUNGARIAN FAIRY TALES – available in no other collection * Includes Orczy’s autobiography - discover the author’s personal and literary life * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please note: due to US copyright restrictions, Orczy’s later novels and short stories cannot appear in this edition. When new texts become available in your public domain, they will be added to the eBook as a free update. Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Scarlet Pimpernel Series The Novels THE EMPEROR’S CANDLESTICKS IN MARY’S REIGN THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL BY THE GODS BELOVED I WILL REPAY A SON OF THE PEOPLE BEAU BROCADE THE ELUSIVE PIMPERNEL THE NEST OF THE SPARROWHAWK PETTICOAT GOVERNMENT A TRUE WOMAN FIRE IN STUBBLE MEADOWSWEET EL DORADO UNTO CÆSAR THE LAUGHING CAVALIER A BRIDE OF THE PLAINS THE BRONZE EAGLE LEATHERFACE LORD TONY’S WIFE A SHEAF OF BLUEBELLS HIS MAJESTY’S WELL-BELOVED THE FIRST SIR PERCY THE TRIUMPH OF THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL NICOLETTE The Short Story Collections OLD HUNGARIAN FAIRY TALES THE CASE OF MISS ELLIOTT THE OLD MAN IN THE CORNER LADY MOLLY OF SCOTLAND YARD THE LEAGUE OF THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL CASTLES IN THE AIR The Short Stories LIST OF SHORT STORIES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER LIST OF SHORT STORIES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER The Autobiography LINKS IN THE CHAIN OF LIFE Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks

Our Heroes: How Kids Are Making a Difference


Janet Wilson - 2014
    In addition to the ten main profiles, sidebars feature many more children. Included is eleven-year-old Andrew Adansi-Bonnah from Ghana, who raised thousands of dollars for refugee children in Somalia after seeing their desperate situation covered in the news. Another child profiled is twelve-year-old Mimi Ausland from the United States, nicknamed "Dr. Doolittle" by her family. After learning about the shortage of food for shelter animals, she started a website to collect donations of dog and cat food; her site is now one of the most visited animal-rescue websites in the world. These children never set out to be heroes or to become famous, but they are role-models for us all.

Whose Woods These Are: A Horror Short Story


Darcy Coates - 2014
    This trip is a final pilgrimage for her, a chance to visit her father’s much-loved forest on the anniversary of his death. At least, that’s what Anna planned. A lot has changed in the last decade. A fence has been constructed around the wood’s perimeter and the campers’ parking lot has been closed. Inside the forest, Anna finds trees that have been scarred with deep gashes, almost as though they’d been attacked. As she pushes deeper into the woods and daylight fades, she starts to hear strange and horrific animal calls… and the creature that calls the woods home begins to stalk its prey. Whose Woods These Are is a half-hour story, perfect for a chilling read late at night.

This is M. Sasek


Olga Černá - 2014
    series of books have delighted new generations of admirers and sold close to a million copies since Universe began reissuing them in 2003.A charming biography of the artist behind the "This is..." series of children's books - illustrated with archival documents, drawings, and illustrations in the style of M. Sasek

Brotherhood


Mohamed Mbougar Sarr - 2014
    In response, their mothers begin a secret correspondence, their only outlet for the grief they share and each woman’s personal reckoning with a leadership that would take her beloved child’s life.At the same time, spurred on by their indignation at what seems to be an escalation of The Brotherhood’s brutality, a band of intellectuals and free-thinkers seeks to awaken the conscience of the cowed populace and foment rebellion by publishing an underground newspaper. While they grapple with the implications of what they have done, the regime’s brutal leader begins a personal crusade to find the responsible parties, and bring them to his own sense of justice.In this brilliant analysis of tyranny and brutality, Mbougar Sarr explores the ways in which resistance and heroism can often give way to cowardice, all while giving voice to the moral ambiguities and personal struggles involved in each of his characters’ search to impose the values they hold most dear.

The Diplomat


Ethan Jones - 2014
    The dangerous exchange goes sideways, and Justin wonders if he can trust his team.He turns to an old asset, a woman working for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. With her help and after the arrival of Carrie O'Connor, Justin's partner in the Canadian Intelligence Service, they discover the unexpected truth about the diplomat's kidnapping.With time running out and no one else to turn to, Justin and Carrie are thrust into a game of shadows as they devise a clever plan to turn the tables on the kidnappers.Ethan Jones, #1 Amazon's Bestselling Writer, delivers a heart-stopping thriller that will keep you at the edge of your seat and enthrall you until the very end.The Diplomat is NOT a full-length novel, but a novella of 112 pages.The bonus content includes the first two chapters of DOUBLE AGENTS, the fourth book in the Justin Hall series, which came out in December 2013

Heavenly Khan


Victor Cunrui Xiong - 2014
    About 30 years younger than Muhammad, he grew up in a world of devastating upheaval that tore China asunder and was thrust into the role of a military commander in his father’s rebel army while still a teenager. In the process of vanquishing his enemies on the battlefield, he proved himself to be a great military genius on a par with Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon. As emperor, he reigned over a period of Pax Sinica, which was to a large extent as a consequence of his willingness to listen to and adopt the critical suggestions of his court officials. To the religions of his day—Buddhism, Daoism, and Christianity—he showed a high degree of tolerance. The prestige he had won for Tang China was so high that the states of Central and North Asia honored him with the title of “Heavenly Khan.” Although his father founded the dynasty, it was his reign that laid the groundwork for a brilliant empire that was to endure for centuries.

Hungry for Math: Poems to Munch On


Kari-Lynn Winters - 2014
    This collection of fun poems put the emphasis on math and numbers concepts including measuring time, patterns, counting, symmetry, numbers, shapes, estimating and more!He was hungry for math, always ready to munch.Math for his breakfast. Math for his lunch.

Reporting Under Fire: 16 Daring Women War Correspondents and Photojournalists


Kerrie Logan Hollihan - 2014
    When she boarded the “small tatty plane” she was handed “a rough brown blanket and a brown paper bag for throwing up.” The flight took 16 hours, stopping to  refuel twice, and was forced to dip and bob through Japanese occupied airspace.Reporting Under Fire tells readers about women who, like Gellhorn, risked their lives to bring back scoops from the front lines. Margaret Bourke-White rode with Patton’s Third Army and brought back the first horrific photos of the Buchenwald concentration camp. Marguerite Higgins typed stories while riding in the front seat of an American jeep that was fleeing the North Korean Army. And during the Guatemalan civil war, Georgie Anne Geyer had to evade an assassin sent by the rightwing Mano Blanco, seeking revenge for her reports of their activities.These 16 remarkable profiles illuminate not only the inherent danger in these reporters’ jobs, but also their struggle to have these jobs at all. Without exception, these war correspondents share a singular ambition: to answer an inner call driving them to witness war firsthand, and to share what they learn via words or images.

Madame Sonia Delaunay: A Pop-Up Book


Gérard Lo Monaco - 2014
    Renowned art director and paper engineer Gérard Lo Monaco has created this clever book, published to coincide with a major international exhibition of Delaunay’s work, featuring pop-up illustrations based on her paintings, textiles, and costume designs. Lo Monaco’s highly expressive gouache illustrations convey the same energy and verve as Delaunay’s original artworks, which, for reference, are reproduced at the back of the book. Fun rhyming verses accompany each pop-up, offering children a way of looking at the images. Readers will not only be informed and amused but also inspired by this contemporary interpretation of Delaunay’s work.

Solidarity Ethics: Transformation in a Globalized World


Rebecca Todd Peters - 2014
    Utilizing these theologically rich resources, an ethics of relational reflection, action, and construction is provided as an avenue for building viable strategies for social transformation.

Breaking the Spell: Stories of Magic and Mystery from Scotland


Lari Don - 2014
    . .The Stories included are...The Selkie's Toes * Tam Linn * The Ring of Brodgar * The Witch of Lochlann * The King of the Dark Arts * The Monster of Raasay * School for Heroes * the Loch Fada Kelpie * Whuppity Stoorie * The Three Questions

Among Chimpanzees: Field Notes from the Race to Save Our Endangered Relatives


Nancy Merrick - 2014
     Unbeknownst to much of the public, chimps are in trouble: censuses show them to be extinct in four African countries and nearly so in ten others. A large percentage of the remaining populations live in unprotected, increasingly fragmented forests.   When Nancy Merrick learned these startling facts in 2009, she decided it was past time to discover the extent to which chimpanzees are at risk across Africa and what can be done. Merrick had begun working with primates in 1972 as a young field assistant in Jane Goodall’s famous Gombe camp. Like the rest of the world at the time, she was swept up in the excitement of discovering the remarkable world of chimpanzees—their ability to fashion tools, their dazzling intelligence, and their complex relationships and societies. From that moment on, her human-centered worldview shifted, and she became a devoted advocate for our closest genetic relatives.   When Merrick returns to Africa decades later, she’s alarmed by how much has changed. Human activity, such as agriculture and logging, has encroached on natural habitats throughout equatorial Africa, endangering chimpanzees, gorillas, and bonobos. In an effort to understand what we can do to save great apes, Merrick connects with primatologists and conservationists who are trying to protect the last great forests. Visits to some of Africa’s parks, sanctuaries, and expanding agricultural areas reveal the urgency of the problems and the inspiration of the people leading the search for solutions. Along the way, Merrick demonstrates that the best hope for chimps and other great apes lies in connecting conservation to humanitarian efforts, ensuring a healthy future for animals and humans alike.  Among Chimpanzees is at once an inspiring chronicle of Merrick’s personal search to learn how chimps are faring across Africa and in captivity, a crucial eyewitness account of a very critical period in their existence, and a rousing call for us to join the efforts to be a voice for the chimpanzees, before it’s too late.

The Gardener's Surprise


Carla Balzaretti - 2014
    When a company offers him a new job with a good salary and a house with a big garden, Andy accepts without hesitation, unaware that maybe he’s putting at risk things much more important than his job or his hobby…Overflowing with imagination and illustrations that capture all of the beauty of the world of flowers, The Gardener’s Surprise is a moving story about the importance of our beliefs in our daily lives, as well as a celebration of personal passions as excellent ways of achieving happiness.Lexile Level 870LGuided Reading Level P

Captive No More: True Stories of Rescued Trafficking Victims and the Heroes Who Brought Them to Freedom


Kimberly Rae - 2014
    Inspiring true stories of rescue and hope by: *Rahab's Rope *Truckers Against Trafficking *International Princess Project *Women At Risk Int. *Gospel for Asia *Tiny Hands International and more! Note from the Author: I am in love with this book. (I can say that since I didn't write most of it!) It’s easy to find stories about the problem of human trafficking, stories that can get overwhelming and even discouraging. However, good things are happening, God is at work, and people are making a difference. I wanted a book with those stories in it, the good stories of rescue and hope. Since, I couldn't find a book like that, I made one! Some of my favorite ministries contributed true stories that will motivate and inspire, encourage and bless. The book also includes spreads on each of the ministries included, with ways you can join the fight and change the world.

The Great Lobster Cookbook: More than 100 recipes to cook at home


Matt Dean Pettit - 2014
     From Matt Dean Pettit, chef and owner of Rock Lobster Food Co., comes a collection of more than 100 simple and delicious lobster recipes showing how fun, easy, and stress-free cooking with lobster can be. A lobster lover since he was a little boy, Matt Dean Pettit started Rock Lobster Food Co. after an eye-opening experience on the East Coast. He had eaten lobster everywhere he could find it, from fresh-off-the-dock to dive bars, and was left wondering why lobster could be so readily available (and so reasonably priced) at the source but reserved for high-end restaurants across the rest of the country. He pledged then and there to bring lobster to the masses.  The Great Lobster Cookbook includes more than 100 of Matt’s best recipes—from the famous Rock Lobster Roll and the Classic Lobster Boil to Lobster Eggs Benny, Lobster Poutine, and even a mouthwatering recipe for Vanilla Bean Lobster Ice Cream. Star chefs, such as Mark McEwan and Roger Mooking, also share their favorite lobster dishes.  With easy-to-follow recipes, notes on lobster anatomy, and basic cooking techniques, Matt demystifies the lobster, highlighting its versatility and taking readers on a cross-country journey into its world, from claw to tail.   A new cookbook classic for every lobster lover, The Great Lobster Cookbook shows that lobster doesn’t need to be reserved for special occasions. Join the Crustacean Nation and get cracking.

Zeraffa Giraffa


Dianne Hofmeyr - 2014
    A young boy, Atir, takes care of Zeraffa on her epic journey and the sailors sing songs as she gazes down at them. In France, Atir leads her through the countryside, and thousands of people marvel at Zeraffa. Paris falls in love with Zeraffa. The King builds her a special house in the Jardin des Plantes. On warm nights, the young princess visits, while Atir whispers stories to Zeraffa of a hot land far away. The amazing story by an award-winning author of a giraffe's extraordinary voyage from Africa to Paris.

All She Wants


Anna Cruise - 2014
    With summer in full swing, she's more than ready to spend her time at the beach and in the clubs, looking for her next one night stand.Her plans are cut short, however, when she's forced to babysit Stuart Woodcock, the Neanderthal-like humanitarian coming to town for a sorority-sponsored speaking engagement. But when Stuart arrives, he's nothing like the pictures she's seen. He's all kinds of hotness—and all kinds of Annika's type of guy.Despite her promise to her sorority sisters to keep things professional, Annika sets her sights on the new man in her life. Stuart gives as good as he gets and Annika soon realizes she might have met her match.Because Stuart isn't sticking around. And, for the first time ever, Annika might not get every single thing she wants.

The Dragon Stoorworm


Theresa Breslin - 2014
    It was ginormous: almost as big as the whole of Scotland! The King of Scotland called for warriors to defeat the terrible dragon and save his daughter, the Princess Gemdelovely, from being eaten. But none who faced the dragon ever returned, until...Gentle Assipattle is no warrior, but maybe together, he and Princess Gemdelovely can free Scotland from the wrath of the Dragon Stoorworm.A lively retelling of the traditional Scottish folk tale of the Dragon Stoorworm (or Mester Stoor Worm), which explains the origins of Scotland's many islands, adapted for a young audience. Award-winning author Theresa Breslin's story unfolds with wry humor while Matthew Land's magical illustrations capture the fairy-tale beauty of Scotland.The Dragon Stoorworm is one of the first titles released in the new Picture Kelpies: Traditional Scottish Tales range of picture books that bring classic Scottish folk and fairy tales to life for young children."(Ages 4-7)"

Father's Chinese Opera


Rich Lo - 2014
    Songs, acrobatics, acting, and costumes make the opera a truly spectacular show to behold. Spending a summer backstage at his father’s Chinese opera, a young boy is instantly enamored with the performers and works hard to be a part of the show. Rehearsing the moves day and night with the show’s famous choreographer, the boy thinks he is soon ready to perform with the others. But the choreographer doesn’t agree. In fact, he laughs at the boy when asked to join the acrobats. Upset, the boy goes home to sulk. What will he do next? Will he give up on his dream, or will he persevere and work his way up in the show?A fascinating, heartfelt, and intriguing story that draws on author Rich Lo’s personal life, and features his own bright, mesmerizing illustrations, Father’s Chinese Opera teaches children about hard work, patience, and the commitment needed to achieve an important goal, while introducing them to an important part of Chinese culture.Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Miss Lou: Louise Bennett and the Jamaican Culture


Mervyn Morris - 2014
    As a poet, performer, storyteller, singer, actress, writer, broadcaster, folklore scholar and children’s television show host, she won hearts and souls for Jamaica with her humorous yet compelling performances worldwide. It is Miss Lou, more than any other figure in Jamaica’s history, who showed that the language spoken by most Jamaicans – patois or Jamaican Creole – is worthy of respect. In Miss Lou: Louise Bennett and Jamaican Culture, Mervyn Morris traces the life of this legendary Jamaican from early beginnings through to her local and international eminence, and discusses aspects of her work. A listing of recommended books and recordings is an added feature of this worthy biography of Miss Lou.

Crowds, Chaos, Colour: Visiting India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh


Jason Smart - 2014
    After some tea and biscuits with a Bangladeshi ambassador, he somehow manages to catch Delhi Belly before even setting foot in India. When he does eventually arrive, Jason is buzzed by fearsome insects, hassled by persistent touts and acquires a worrying 'fish eye' growth on his leg. Nonetheless, Jason never loses sight of the fact that his latest adventure is an eye-opener at every turn. From the majesty of the Taj Mahal to the lifeblood of a river running through central Dhaka, Crowds, Colour, Chaos is a travelogue covering four countries, each with their own unique identities.Jason Smart is the author of six other travel books. For more information, visit www.theredquest.com.

Trinity Flight The First Atomic Veterans of World War 2


Mark Woodbury - 2014
    Despite the powers of your imagination, you could not possibly imagine what actually happened next… Trinity Flight is the never before told World War 2 true story of a nighttime training flight to Alamogordo, New Mexico where three young pilots in AT-6A aircraft accidentally flew into a dark, atomic, and until now, buried chapter in American wartime history. It’s the harrowing true story of Army Air Corps warfare training during the time of Oppenheimer’s Manhattan project and the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. From chemical warfare accidents to unimaginable atomic radiation poisoning, it reveals a secret part of World War 2 history that has been hidden for decades under threats of court martial and treason. This true account tells of an incredible combination of events that cast these pilots into history as the first atomic veterans of World War 2. Though most people think of D Day or Okinawa soldiers on Veteran’s Day, this story sheds new light on America’s non-combat veterans and what so many suffered silently away from the front lines of battle. And unlike other veteran’s wounds of war that may heal with time, an irradiated veteran’s complications can linger for a lifetime like a ticking time bomb; or worse, get passed on to impact their children. This remarkable story of survival and determination is based on extensive actual interviews, recorded transcripts, flight logs, Congressional records, and documents provided by the surviving pilots before they died. This book puts the reader behind the flight controls of B-24 Liberators, B-25 Mitchells, and AT-6 Texan aircraft during a time when our nation’s young men prepared in dangerous training with impatient exuberance for the rigors of air combat. It tells in stunning detail of pilots who after being nearly blinded by the Trinity atomic blast, were then catapulted and irradiated by the shock wave, somehow surviving to later be chased by a B-29 Superfortress into a mysterious dust storm—that would later be revealed to be radioactive fallout. But perhaps one of the most shocking aspects of this story is what actually happened to these young pilots in the aftermath of the blast, as they endured a series of unfortunate and misguided investigations at the hands of an uncaring government for whom they were honor bound to lay down their lives. And finally, it’s a story of one man’s undaunted courage and redemption after decades of fear and secrecy, who survived the odds of radiation poisoning to live long enough to reveal the truth of what happened as he testified before the House Veteran’s Affairs Committee as the Trinity Coordinator for the National Association of Atomic Veterans. On July 16, 1985, exactly 40 years after the date that he flew into the first atomic blast on this planet, the surviving pilot told his remarkable story to the assembled U.S. House Veteran’s Affairs Committee in support of H1613, The Atomic Veterans Relief Act 1985. Written in the combined styles of James Bradley and Jeff Shaara, this book weaves a riveting and gritty account of the times and lives of some of the most remarkable men ever who risked everything to protect their beloved nation. And when you’ve turned the last page, your perception will be forever changed about the true meaning of being one of America’s atomic veterans.

Switchback Stories


Iain Edward Henn - 2014
    Switchback Stories explores the mixed fortunes of fate that can surprise any one of us at any time:In Washington DC a charismatic anti-drug lobbyist is targeted by a powerful crime cartel. With precise planning, the assassins close in on their prey - alone in his house - only to confront the one scenario they could not envision.A Boston airline disaster and an extraordinary twist of fate have given a selfish man the chance to commit an undetectable killing. No-one will ever suspect a crime has taken place. Is it the perfect murder?An ambitious actor has a foolproof way of advancing her career, at the expense of another. Nothing can go wrong. Sometimes, however, everything going right delivers the most unforeseeable result.A famed South African diamond, unique for its light reflecting brilliance, is guarded by advanced technology. A dynamic cat burglar uses a variation on movie stunt trickery to plan a daring heist.An aging drifter forms a bond with a young woman and her son in the Australian countryside - what is it about their small town he finds both familiar and unsettling?In England's north, the 'Last of the Lighthouse Keepers' uses his knowledge of treacherous waters for a desperate act - setting in motion a chain of events even he is powerless to stop.A collection of seventeen tales with a twist, by the author of the bestselling novels 'The Delta Chain,' and 'Disappear.'

Iran-Contra: Reagan's Scandal and the Unchecked Abuse of Presidential Power


Malcolm Byrne - 2014
    clandestine program. A month later, reports surfaced that Washington had been covertly selling arms to Iran (our sworn enemy and a state sponsor of terrorism), in exchange for help freeing hostages in Beirut. The profits, it turned out, were going to support the Contras, despite an explicit ban by Congress.In the firestorm that erupted, shocking details emerged, raising the prospect of impeachment, and the American public confronted a scandal as momentous as it was confusing. At its center was President Ronald Reagan amid a swirl of questions about illegal wars, consorting with terrorists, and the abuse of presidential power.Yet, despite the enormity of the issues, the affair dropped from the public radar due to media overkill, years of legal wrangling, and a vigorous campaign to forestall another Watergate. As a result, many Americans failed to grasp the scandal's full import.Through exhaustive use of declassified documents, previously unavailable investigative materials, and wide-ranging interviews, Malcolm Byrne revisits this largely forgotten and misrepresented episode. Placing the events in their historical and political context (notably the Cold War and a sharp partisan domestic divide), he explores what made the affair possible and meticulously relates how it unfolded--including clarifying minor myths about cakes, keys, bibles, diversion memos, and shredding parties.Iran-Contra demonstrates that, far from being a junta against the president, the affair could not have occurred without awareness and approval at the very top of the U.S. government. Byrne reveals an unmistakable pattern of dubious behavior--including potentially illegal conduct by the president, vice president, the secretaries of state and defense, the CIA director and others--that formed the true core of the scandal.Given the lack of meaningful consequences for those involved, the volume raises critical questions about the ability of our current system of checks and balances to address presidential abuses of power, and about the possibility of similar outbreaks in the future.

The First Rule of Survival


Paul Mendelson - 2014
    They were never seen again. Now, a new case for the unpredictable Senior Superintendent Vaughn DeVries casts a light on the original enquiry; for him, a personal failure which has haunted and changed him. Struggling in a mire of departmental and racial rivalry, DeVries seeks the whole truth, and unravels a complex history of abuse, deception and murder. Encountering friends, colleagues and enemies, DeVries realises he doesn't know who he can trust.Set against the richly described backdrop of Cape Town, this chilling psychological thriller reveals its secrets one by one, each more shocking than the last.

Return of the White Book: True Stories of God at Work in Southeast Asia


Rebecca H. Davis - 2014
    The people lived in the mountains and were persecuted by the Burmans. Their stories and songs spoke of the creation of the world by "Yuwah" and the first humans' disobedience and capture and slavery to an enemy and evil spirits called "nats." "Yuwah" left them and they had to constantly appease these "nats." However, there was a ray of hope because it was predicted that one day there would be a pale brother who would come to the nation with a White Book. Thabew from the Karen people met Adoniram Judson, the first American missionary and was the first of many of his people to come to faith in Christ as they had been anticipating the Gospel message for generations.

Finding Joy Around The World: Real Life Stories of Discovering Happiness, Inner Peace and Joy


Kari Joys - 2014
    Many of these people have overcome great difficulties in their lives to find their joy and they love sharing their insights and suggestions for others who are still struggling. Their stories are honest, sincere and heart-warming and their suggestions for finding joy are profound and insightful. You'll definitely be surprised and uplifted when you read them! When you complete "Finding Joy Around the World," you'll have a deeper understanding of what joy is and how you can create more joy in your own life.

The Return


Natalia Chernysheva - 2014
    She arrives in the countryside, where she is as big as a giant, looming over a tiny house, a garden and her tiny grandmother. The cabbages and the apple trees are far below. Her grandmother smiles up at her in her yellow hat. The young woman bends down to give her little grandmother a big kiss, and then she smells her grandmother’s cooking. She has returned home. When they sit down at the table, the young woman has shrunk to a child-like size, and the two share a meal together in the garden.In this gentle, wordless story Natalia Chernysheva beautifully captures the feelings of coming home to comfort and memories and of returning to our childlike selves.

Shanghai Future: Modernity Remade


Anna Greenspan - 2014
    Today, among Westerners, at least, the very idea of the futuristic city -- with its multilayered skyways, domestic robotsand flying cars -- seems doomed to the realm of nostalgia, the sadly comic promise of a future that failed to materialize.Shanghai Future maps the city of tomorrow as it resurfaces in a new time and place. It searches for the contours of an unknown and unfamiliar futurism in the city's street markets as well as in its skyscrapers. For though it recalls the modernity of an earlier age, Shanghai's current re-emergence isonly superficially based on mimicry. Rather, in seeking to fulfill its ambitions, the giant metropolis is reinventing the very idea of the future itself. As it modernizes, Shanghai is necessarily recreating what it is to be modern.

Skydiver: Saving the Fastest Bird in the World


Celia Godkin - 2014
    The couple doesn’t know it yet, but they will lose most of these eggs; the first clutch to a volunteer scaling the cliff, and the next to the harmful effects of DDT. Told against the backdrop of scientists’ efforts to understand the raptors’ decline in the wild, this illustrated non-fiction book tells the story of several generations of falcons as they’re taken to a sanctuary, reintegrated into the wild, and ultimately relocated to the ledge of a city skyscraper.With dynamic oil illustrations, author and wildlife artist Celia Godkin effortlessly captures the detail of the falcons and brings to life the different landscapes they inhabit. Skydiver will delight and inform readers with a passion for species preservation, as it documents the struggles and the eventual success of the efforts to save the fastest bird in the world.

Kissing Frogs


Alisha Sevigny - 2014
    But she lost the braces, put on some contacts, and applied all her academic genius to studying and imitating the social elite. Now she rules the school from the upper echelon of the high school realm. With her cool new friends and hottest-guy-in-school boyfriend, life’s a beach — and that’s where she’s headed for Spring Break. That is, until her teacher breaks the bad news that she’s failing Biology — and her only chance to make up the grade is to throw away the culminating trip of her hard-earned popularity and join the Conservation Club in Panama to save the Golden Frog.Unable to let go of her faded college dreams, Jess finds herself in a foreign country with a new social crew, and one handsome face that stands out as a blast from the past, threatening to ruin her queen bee reputation. Travis Henley may have grown up, but he still likes to play childish games and as payment for retrieving Jess’ lost ring from the bottom of a jungle pool, he wants three dates. While Jess does battle with spiders, snakes, wildfires and smart mean girls, she desperately tries to hang on to the last vestiges of her popular existence like the Golden Frog from its webbed toe. But as she starts to care about something more than tanning and texting – a species on the verge of disappearing forever – she may realize the worth of her inner nerd, and the one frog in particular that could be her prince in disguise.Set in the lush and tropical El Valle de Anton, this modern fairytale re-imagining of “The Frog Prince” is toe-curling contemporary romance with an environmentalist heartbeat, in the tradition of Stephanie Perkins.

Lily of the Fields


June Hirst - 2014
    As a child she had to look after her father and little sister and work in the fish market. While she was taking sanctuary in the church, after being made homeless by German bombs, she saw a poster advertising the Women’s Land Army. This was the turning point of her life. As a Land Girl she enjoyed deep, everlasting, friendship. Her sexuality was awakened as she met three different men and experienced passion and love.

Memories of a Trip to Sicily (Ricordi d'un viaggio in Sicilia)


Edmondo de Amicis - 2014
    After forty years Edmondo De Amicis returns to Sicily for a grand tour of the island. Keen observer of both places and people, De Amicis gives us flowing accounts of its landscapes, history, and people. At each point in the journey, Messina, Palermo, the interior, the coastlines, Catania, Syracuse, and Taormina, he combines social and historical information with just enough detail to make you feel as though you are his traveling companion. Filled with rich metaphors, you will smell the fresh Sicilian air, feel the Sicilian sun on your face, and hear the Sicilian chatter on the busy streets. Step back in time and tour the island as it was in 1908 with a master narrator as your guide.

Not Your Legacy


Samantha J Wright - 2014
    The two of them continue to practice the religion they were both raised in but scratch below the surface and life’s not what it appears. This story documents her battle with depression, abuse, the aftermath of suicide, a troubled marriage, and most of all her disastrous involvement with the Jehovah’s Witness church. It’s a journey that cost her dearly and as many of her readers have already discovered, Not Your Legacy is far more than just a series of real life events. It tells the story of one woman's metamorphosis of mind, body and soul.

Guess What? - Sweets and Treats


Yusuke Yonezu - 2014
    Young readers are encouraged to use their imaginations to guess what animal will be revealed. A sweet bun becomes a squirrel’s tail, while a chocolate bar transforms into a tortoise’s shell. What will the lollipop turn into? Children will enjoy brainstorming to guess each surprise.

Hope Springs


Eric Walters - 2014
    There are long line-ups at the tiny spring where all the local people get their water, and suddenly the orphans are pushed to the back of the line, unwelcome. Boniface's houseparent, Henry, tells him that the people were mean out of fear--they feared there would not be enough water for their families. When the building of the orphanage's well is completed, Boniface has an idea to help the villagers. A lovely story of kindness and heart, this story shows that, through compassion and understanding, true generosity can spring from unexpected places.

Five Poems


Andrei Voznesensky - 2014
    As a 14-year old, he sent his poems to Boris Pasternak, and soon became his apprentice. He graduated as an architect in 1957, but a fire in the institute, which was symbolic to young Voznesensky, caused him to reconsider his career and he chose instead to focus on his poetry. His first publications in the late 50’s caused a sensation. After successful trips abroad to Europe and US, Voznesensky attracted the attention of such prominent people as president Kennedy and Marylin Monroe. His success abroad led to jealousy at home and he was publicly attacked, humiliated and threatened with exile by the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Nikita Khrushchev. His poetry was so popular in Russia, that he would easily pack stadiums with his readings. He was very active in the theater and wrote a number of songs that became extremely popular with the people. He continued to write poetry until the end of his life. Andrei Voznesensky passed away in Moscow on June 1, 2010 of complications from asthma and heart condition.

Exposed (Encounters in Paris Book 1)


Ada Worthington - 2014
    That is until a chance encounter with a beautiful confident young woman changes his perspective on life, relationships, and everything he thought he knew about himself. Scott's emotions and desires are thrown for a loop by this stranger. How will he react to being exposed? Book One of Encounters in Paris. This is an erotic romance short fiction. Contains adult themes and explicit sexual content of a femdom nature.

The Little Mermaid and Other Fishy Tales


Jane E. Ray - 2014
    Retold and illustrated by the renowned picture-book artist Jane Ray, The Little Mermaid and Other Fishy Tales features an international selection of captivating stories and poems: “The Fisherman and His Wife,” “Whalesong,” “Lobster Quadrille,” “The Ballad of John Silver,” and many more.

The Dinner That Cooked Itself


J.C. Hsyu - 2014
    Tuan was lonely and looked hard for a wife, but even the matchmaker couldn't help him. One night, however, Tuan's luck changed. And so begins the story of Tuan, White Wave, and the Dinner that Cooked Itself. This beautiful and enchanting Chinese fairytale will captivate the imagination with the perfect blend of magic and realism!J.C. Hsyu was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and raised in Los Angeles. A graduate of UCLA and the Clarion Writers' Workshop, she has worked in the animation, VFX, and video game industries and published speculative fiction short stories. She lives in San Francisco, California, with her husband and reads incessantly. The Dinner That Cooked Itself is her first children's book.Kenard Pak grew up in Baltimore and Howard County, Maryland. He studied at Syracuse University and California Institute of the Arts. A visual development artist on many films, Pak has worked for Dreamworks Animation and Walt Disney Feature Animation. The Dinner that Cooked Itself is his second children's book. Pak now lives and works in San Francisco with his patient wife.

8 Historical Spy Novels


William Le QueuxRobert Barr - 2014
    AND A.M. WILLIAMSON ELUSIVE ISABEL BY JACQUES FUTRELLE I SPY BY NATALIE SUMNER LINCOLN JENNIE BAXTER JOURNALIST BY ROBERT BARR THE IVORY SNUFF BOX BY ARNOLD FREDERICKS

Count Girolamo Lucchini: The Life, Escapades and Trial of a Legendary 18th-Century Criminal


Patrizio Patrizi - 2014
    The year is 1789 and a number of unsolved minor thefts and other crimes have led up to a shocking burglary at the city’s beloved charitable pawnbroking institution for the poor, the Monte di Pietà. The police are completely baffled, the citizens are demanding answers, and no one can believe the audacity nor grasp the ingenuity of the crime. This historically accurate account traces the later life of Girolamo Ridolfi, alias Count Girolamo Lucchini, from his days as a gambler and petty thief in Venice to his crime spree in Bologna as a master thief and counterfeiter, and finally to his ultimate fate. Descriptions of 18th-century life and customs in Bologna add a rich backdrop to the story, as Lucchini’s escapades are traced throughout the city. This was a man who could have made his fortune using his extraordinary talents and skills as a master craftsman, but instead, Lucchini chose a life of crime. Yet even as a criminal, he may have succeeded in never paying for his offenses had he not broken one of his own cardinal rules: confide in no one.

The Opposite of Hate


Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar - 2014
    

Race of the rivers


Esther Syiem - 2014
    

War Power, Police Power


Mark Neocleous - 2014
    Why is liberalism so obsessed with waste? Is there a drone above you now? Are you living in a no-fly zone? What is the role of masculinity in the 'war on terror'? And why do so many liberals profess a love of peace while finding new ways to justify slaughter in the name of 'peace and security'? In this, the first book to deal with the concepts of war power and police power together, Mark Neocleous deals with these questions and many more by radically rethinking the relationship between war power and police power.

Hambreelmai's Loom


Mamang Dai - 2014
    Hambreelmai sits by the Kamblang river, happy at her loom, copying patterns from the clouds, the birds, the ripples in the water. She is the first weaver, taught by the goddess Matai herself. One day, Sheipung the porcupine sees her exquisite cloth and wants it… What happens next is the story of how the Mishmi people learnt to weave such beautiful textiles. A well known folktale from the northeastern hills of Arunachal Pradesh, with stunning visuals that follow the colours of Mishmi cloth.Hambreelmai’s Loom has also been translated into Mishmi, the first ever book to be published in that language. Hambreel in Mishmi is a species of little fish with patterns, which still swim in the rivers there.