Book picks similar to
The Cover Artist by Paul Micou


paul-micou
fiction
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novels

Naked Sleeper


Sigrid Nunez - 1996
    To do whatever is the work before her, letting nothing distract her, expecting nothing, fearing nothing -- the way of the Stoics -- this is her ideal. But despite all her stratagems, this ideal constantly eludes her. Life is too unpredictable, her sense of self too fragile and human relationships are too tenuous. She muddles along, a victim of her own anxieties and resentments, her behavior often as mystifying to herself as it is to others. Why though, happily married, does she fly across the country to pursue a man she hardly knows, whom she intuitively mistrusts and does not even much care for? In the aftermath of this calamity, Nona separates from her husband and undergoes a period of intense self-examination. Meanwhile, she struggles to complete a book about her father, a painter, who died when she was a child. Out of both projects -- her work of introspection and her work of memory -- arise thorny questions about love, identity and destiny. Unexpected support appears in the form of one of her father's old lovers, whom Nona now meets for the first time. But while this new friendship thrives, relations between Nona and her husband, and between Nona and her mother, with whom she shares an anguished history, seem to be coming apart. Nona has barely achieved a somewhat surer sense of herself and her way in the world when a series of grave, unforeseeable events threaten her precarious equilibrium.Compelling, emotionally charged and written with the psychological precision and exquisite detail that are among the hallmarks of Nunez's work, "Naked Sleeper" is aboutinescapable and sometimes unendurable complexities of love and the family drama. It is the story of a woman's search for self-knowledge, for understanding of others and for an answer to the imperative question: "How should she live?"

With a Little Luck


Anne Baker - 1999
    Her mother disappeared several months before, so Alice goes to live with her grandparents, Edith and Monty. They love her dearly but are often too preoccupied to have time for poor Alice. Her only real pleasure comes from the hours she spends next door with Nell Ainslie and her handsome son Eric. Slowly but surely, Alice comes to terms with her loss. But when Uncle Frank gets involved in the bakery business where she works, a chilling memory from the night of Len's death comes back to haunt her. And a shocking revelation changes life for the whole family...

Playing with Fire: A Legal Thriller


James Taylor Adams - 2015
    Thwarted in a previous attempt to bring charges for other nefarious crimes, Ms. Battle is determined to put the crime boss behind bars, and this time she has what looks like an airtight case. Claiming he has been framed, Carmine hires the blue blood, Harvard-educated attorney Harrison Fletcher, Jr. who was recently fired from his position as Assistant DA for refusing to compromise his ethics, to help him prove his innocence. Assisted by his beautiful wife and a scruffy, alcohol-loving detective, Harry sets out to discover who set the fire and why. As what really happened that June night becomes clear, evidence begins to disappear. With the defense’s case starting to crumble, Harry devises a way to prove Carmine’s innocence. But will the plan work?

Haunted Falls


Ken Farmer - 2013
    Marshal Bass Reeves in their first book, entitled "The Nations". The story continues in "Haunted Falls", the story of Bass Reeves as he joins other U.S. Marshals in pursuit of the infamous Dalton gang. It is full of adventure, romance, some history, excitement and a unique paranormal twist. You will not want to miss this sequel.

Otis Lee Crenshaw: I Blame Society


Rich Hall - 2005
    A man not above faking his own death to sell more records, this is his not quite true story of romance, recidivism, country music, and an unshakeable belief in Marriage at First Sight.

Wisdom from the Five People You Meet in Heaven


Brandon Gilvin - 2005
    It also offers some pretty important insights into the lives we lead in the here and now. Using the Wisdom Traditions of the Bible as a backdrop, Wisdom from the Five People You Meet in Heaven brings us into a discussion of what might truly be important in life. Illustrating biblical concepts with examples from Albom's novel, this study guide for individuals or groups parallels the characters in The Five People You Meet in Heaven with the themes and insights from Wisdom Literature. Wisdom from the Five People You Meet in Heaven explores the orientation of Wisdom Literature toward life, sharing its teachings on issues of fairness, sacrifice, forgiveness, love, suffering, and what we can learn about our own character. From the Popular Insights series.

The Tailor's Needle


Lakshmi Raj Sharma - 2009
    Part comedy of manners, part social commentary, love story, mystic narration and thriller, it is a sort of Indian version of Oliver Goldsmith's THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD.

The Magnificent Savages


Fred Mustard Stewart - 1996
    Justin Savage, illegitimate son of shipping magnate Nathaniel Savage, heads out to sea in 1851 as a cabin boy on one of his father's clipper ships. When the ship is captured by pirates, Justin is forced to act against his own family's ships by the pirates' leader, the gorgeous Madame Ching.

"Of Mice And Men" (Penguin Study Notes)


Marsaili Cameron
    It includes character studies and summaries of the plot with discussions of the major themes, as well as a background to John Steinbeck.

Emperor’s Bane


S.J.A. Turney - 2016
    Tenzhin is only a boy when his tribe strikes deep into the Jin Empire and faces the might of the Jade Emperor. After his father is killed before his eyes, he is plunged into a new world: ancient, courtly – and brutal.Adopted by the Emperor, the boy must forget his old life and learn to survive the challenges of life as a prince. Tenzhin must perfect his mind, his soul and finally his body, in order to prepare for what lies ahead. Allies are few and far between, and eventually he must face the biggest trial of them all… Emperor’s Bane is a novella set in the Tales of the Empire universe. A gritty tale based on the Mongolian invasions of imperial China, it will engross readers of Guy Gavriel Kay and Conn Iggulden. The Tales of the Empire series Interregnum Ironroot Dark Empress Insurgency

Secret Diary of an Incurable Romantic (Um...and a closet alcoholic)


Chitrangada Mukherjee - 2018
    Have these knots in my stomach. But drinking isn’t an option. Maa is sleeping with me. Baba in Lalitaji’s room. And she on the sofa. Want to step into the toilet, take one swig, and then go directly to sleep. How the hell will Maa know? I mean she’s sleeping like a log. No, no, shouldn’t. What if she wakes up? She’s a light sleeper, after all.11.30 pm: No wine. Or vodka. Terrible, terrible night. When will they go back to Kolkata and let me be?11.32 pm: Chhi . . .Chhi . . . How selfish am I? My parents, one with a heart condition, spent thousands on flight tickets and landed in Chennai. Why? Because they wanted to spend time with their widowed daughter. And what does the daughter want? To sneak into the toilet and take one good swig of wine. Shame on her! Okay, now I’m being over-dramatic.Meet Madhubala Ray a thirty-year-old brand-spanking-new widow in Chennai.She lives with her seventy-year-old mostly-silent MIL—whose name she can’t remember, teaches Social Science to bratty teenagers, and suddenly has a life filled with unpredictable men, catty colleagues, a bisexual best friend, and . . . heart-wrenching memories of her late husband.How does she deal with all of that?By baring it all, in her diary. Join this oddball-widow who always keeps it real as she gives an honest account of a young North Indian working woman in Chennai, who tries to survive a tragedy through wine and vodka, her quirky sense of humour, and refuses to give up on love. Despite its oddities. The question is: does she survive and find love, again?Secret Diary of an Incurable Romantic is a story that is brutally honest, funny, romantic and liberating. It’s a slice of life, you wouldn’t want to miss.

Love and War 1


John Jakes - 1984
    The young would clash on the bloody battlefields of Bull Run and Fredericksburg, while in intrigue-ridden Washington and Richmond strong-willed men and beautiful women would defend their principles with their lives...or satisfy illicit cravings with schemes that could destroy friends and enemies alike. This surging drama is the second part of the trilogy that includes NORTH AND SOUTH and HEAVEN AND HELL. "Craftsmanship nears artistry....A coherent and penetrating vision of the seamy underside of war." (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Horror Fiction: Burn, Baby, Burn


Gerard Harrison - 2017
    Sarah Caysum, a middle aged woman suffering from Munchhausen Syndrome by Proxy (and perhaps something else far more sinister), leaves her four year old daughter Casey trapped in a car to die one summer afternoon in Phoenix, Arizona on a day when temperatures are expected to reach a record breaking 125 degrees.

The Card


Graham Rawle - 2012
    Now, thirty years later, the one card missing from his collection is the legendary card 19 from the 1967 Mission Impossible television series, of which only one exists.One day a mysterious grey-haired man drops a playing card in a deserted alley. Riley picks it up. Is it a secret sign? Before long, he is finding all kinds of bubble gum and cigarette cards on the street, each one apparently containing a further hidden clue to a coded message. Will Riley rise to the challenge and discover the secret of the cards? And will he ever find illusive card 19?Exquisitely written, extremely funny, and visually stunning, The Card is the utterly unforgettable story of a man who views the world - and everything in it - just a little bit differently from the rest of us.

There Should Have Been Castles


Herman Raucher - 1978
    They were two scared kids in love – and reaching for the stars…That’s how it was for Ben and Ginnie in 1951.Ben, the writer who couldn’t seem to make it.Ginnie, the dancer who couldn’t seem to miss.Together the world was theirs for the asking.In the exhilarating world of show biz,from the neon glamour of New York to the starry glitter of Hollywood,it was love and glory – pure, intense, and perfect – all the way.Together they soared on wings of joy and laughter – until it all came flying apart.Could an enchanted love like theirs end, become mere memory, when it deserved minstrels and bold knights on white chargers and pennants flapping gaily from tall towers?