Illustrated with visual artifacts of the period. With the long-awaited publication of this book, we have for the first time in any modern literary form one of the most vital and important of ancient myths: that of Inanna, the world's first goddess of recorded history and the beloved deity of the ancient Sumerians.The stories and hymns of Inanna (known to the Semites as Ishtar) are inscribed on clay tablets which date back to 2,000 B.C. Over the past forty years, these cuneiform tablets have gradually been restored and deciphered by a small group of international scholars. In this groundbreaking book, Samuel Noah Kramer, the preeminent living expert on Sumer, and Diane Wolkstein, a gifted storyteller and folklorist, have retranslated, ordered, and combined the fragmented pieces of the Cycle of Inanna into a unified whole that presents for the first time an authentic portrait of the goddess from her adolescence to her completed womanhood and godship. We see Inanna in all her aspects: as girl, lover, wife, seeker, decision maker, ruler; we witness the Queen of Heaven and Earth as the voluptuous center and source of all fertile power and the unequaled goddess of love.Illustrated throughout with cylinder seals and other artifacts of the period, the beautifully rendered images guide the reader through Inanna's realm on a journey parallel to the one evoked by the text. And the carefully wrought commentaries providing an historical overview, textual interpretations, and aannotations on the art at once explicate and amplify the power, wonder, and mystery embedded in these ancient tales.Inanna--the world's first love story, two thousand years older than the Bible--is tender, erotic, frightening, and compassionate. It is a compelling myth that is timely in its rediscovery."A great masterpiece of universal literature."--Mircea Eliade

    A sweltering, segregated society. Hadachinou is a lonely boy. His mother shares secrets with her best friend Jamila while his father prays at the mosque. Sneaking through the sun drenched streets of Tripoli, he listens to the whispered stories of the women. He turns into an invisible witness to their repressed desires while becoming aware of his own.

    When her new-born son Billy is diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome, she finds herself facing bigotry and taboo as well as heartbreak. In this powerful memoir, Uuganaa skilfully interweaves the extraordinary story of her own childhood in Mongolia with the sadly short life of Billy, who becomes a symbol of union and disunion, cultures and complexity, stigma and superstition – and inspires Uuganaa to challenge prejudice. Mongol is the touching story of one woman's transformation from outsider to fearless champion of love, respect and tolerance. It's a moving tribute by a remarkable woman to her beloved baby son, testifying to his lasting impact on a sometimes imperfect world.

    

    When Elizabeth Endicott arrives in Aleppo, Syria she has a diploma from Mount Holyoke, a crash course in nursing, and only the most basic grasp of the Armenian language. The year is 1915 and she has volunteered on behalf of the Boston-based Friends of Armenia to help deliver food and medical aid to refugees of the Armenian genocide. There Elizabeth becomes friendly with Armen, a young Armenian engineer who has already lost his wife and infant daughter. When Armen leaves Aleppo and travels south into Egypt to join the British army, he begins to write Elizabeth letters, and comes to realize that he has fallen in love with the wealthy, young American woman who is so different from the wife he lost. Fast forward to the present day, where we meet Laura Petrosian, a novelist living in suburban New York. Although her grandparents' ornate Pelham home was affectionately nicknamed "The Ottoman Annex," Laura has never really given her Armenian heritage much thought. But when an old friend calls, claiming to have seen a newspaper photo of Laura's grandmother promoting an exhibit at a Boston museum, Laura embarks on a journey back through her family's history that reveals love, loss - and a wrenching secret that has been buried for generations.

     Written with incredible honesty and self-knowledge, Between the Lines is a stunning collection of poems from Céline Zabad. Ranging in length from a single line to full pages, her poems mimic at once the brevity and vastness of feeling. Her verse is at times as free as a cloud, other times as solid as stone. Her words are philosophies and feelings in their own rights, on love, loss, loyalty, betrayal, hope, and disappointment—on life. Zabad encapsulates the thrill of love’s first blush and the freezing burn of heartbreak. Her feelings flow freely throughout the collection, lending her poetry uncommon authenticity and power. Nature thrives between the lines of her verse, reminding the reader that tears are as natural as raindrops. Whether you’re looking for new ways to think about your own feelings or are simply passionate about poetry, you’ll find plenty to love in this collection. To better understand the complexities of emotion in yourself and others, you must read Between the Lines.

    Now for the first time in English, all of Borges' dazzling fictions are gathered into a single volume, brilliantly translated by Andrew Hurley. From his 1935 debut with The Universal History of Iniquity, through his immensely influential collections Ficciones and The Aleph, these enigmatic, elaborate, imaginative inventions display Borges' talent for turning fiction on its head by playing with form and genre and toying with language. Together these incomparable works comprise the perfect one-volume compendium for all those who have long loved Borges, and a superb introduction to the master's work for those who have yet to discover this singular genius.

    Journeying between his native Ulster and his adopted London, he balances ideas of home and flight, the need for belonging and the need to remain outside. Formally deft, rhetorically fresh, these poems never shy from difficult choices, exploring cruelty and vengeance wherever they may be found: in love, in work and against political backdrops. But these are brave, resolute writings that resist despair at all times, affirming instead the need to rebuild and to right oneself, to dust down and carry on.

    These men will do anything to claim what belongs to them.  Books included: Just For You They sent me away. No time to say goodbyeI didn’t know if I loved her. I didn’t know she was carrying my child.But when I saw her again I knew she still possessed me. I was the college playboy. The rich shit with Daddy’s money.Lucie was my childhood friend.One night was all it took – rekindled our friendship…Ignited our lust. Then I fucked up. And was gone. Now I’m back, and I’m a better man.The question is will Lucie believe it?Can we have a second chance?I can see the old spark in her eyes. She shares my longing… I hurt her all those years ago.Now I need to step up and prove my heart.Own my past…And show her my love for this child.The child that looks like me. Unprepared Daddy She can’t run away from me…she’s carrying my babies.  Serena, you’re mine and only mine.  I will bring you back…and make you beg.  My life was just so perfect. Money, Fame, Women – you name it, I had it. And yet something seemed missing. Until Her…Her delicious, curvy package was made for me. She’s that sweet and spicy seduction…completely intoxicating – you could call her every man’s dream. And yet, I was a jerk and let her go. I was a bigger jerk thinking she would wait for me. She says she doesn’t need me in her life now. But one look into her luscious eyes and at that pregnant belly, And I know…I will do all it takes to make her mine.  Take My Breath Away One night would change everything…affect our families…our own livesThe feelings buried inside for so long…suddenly coming to life! She was my childhood friendI didn’t know if I loved herAnd now I meet her in college againShe’s gorgeous…I can lose myself forever in those big dark eyes and her silky black hair. But, she’s forbidden fruit, our families hate each otherI am a tough talker but I know my family holds a certain control over meAnd I wonder if she worth losing my family over. Graduation was about the cornerWe both had plans…none of them involved staying togetherWe wanted to run and live our dreamsDreams that weren’t supported by anyoneBut, when I hear she’s carrying my

     New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning authors present this romantic suspense seven-book bundle as part of the UNFORGETTABLES SERIES. Stories in this set include: SPECIAL AGENT FRANCESCA by New York Times Bestseller Mimi Barbour. She flies her own plane, fights to win, and drives like a pro - it’s only men who frighten her! REECE by USA Today Bestseller Donna Fasano. Maggie is forced into hiding with a man who is uncertain of her innocence. RUNNING WITH HORSES by USA Today Bestseller Suzanne Jenkins. . Moving horses to the high country comes just in time when Mindy and her coffee date witness murder at a Mojave Desert cafe. SOMEONE TO LOVE by New York Times Bestseller Patrice Wilton. Allison is hiding out at a small town named Heaven. When her stalker returns, can anyone keep her safe? AT RISK by New York Times Bestseller Rebecca York. Can he save them both from a murder charge and save their relationship? SCORPION’S TRAIL by USA Today Bestseller Nancy Radke. . He goes undercover using several disguises, making the woman he is trying to save think she is falling in love with two different men. THE LADY SAID NO by USA Today Bestseller Jacquie Biggar. . The Race is on to find a Killer in the heart of Kentucky horse country.

    Over the years, she's turned her intuition into a successful matchmaking service for the ultra wealthy: Billionaire Marriage Brokers. While she specializes in "business" marriages -- paring people off because of their skills, education, or training -- she can spot a potential love match a mile away. When Pamela has a "good feeling" about a bride and groom, a business marriage can become so much more. The Academic Bride Janel Fendrick is a go-getter. She'll accomplish her goal of excavating a Mayan temple even if it means taking a job as a bride. One year of marriage is a small price to pay to have all her dreams come true. What she doesn't realize, is that she's about to get more than she ever dreamed of. The Organized Bride MaKayla thought taking a job as an event planner for a high-end hotel would be a wonderful lead into opening her own events business. However, a one year no-contact clause leaves her clientless if she quits. With nowhere to go, she is intrigued with Pamela's offer for a one-year contract running charities and overseeing contributions--until she finds out that to take her dream job, she also has to take Gabe...for better or worse. The Professional Bride Amber Appleby is not the blushing bride. She makes a career out of being a wife—a business wife that is. After signing divorce papers with her third husband, Pamela Jones calls her into the office to ask a favor. Pamela explains that her life-long friend has passed away leaving a world-class ski resort and extensive financial holdings to his grandson, Rym, with the stipulation that he marry a BMB bride to coach him through his first year as a billionaire. Amber’s up for the assignment but Rym turns out to be a maverick—and a gorgeous one at that. Amber’s skills as a life coach are tested at every turn right along with her heart. Marriage was much simpler when love wasn’t involved. The Country Bride Paige Baker is bound and determined to start her own horse training business. While at an auction where she plans to purchase the horse of her dreams, she meets Pamela Jones and is suddenly on a whole new path in life. Caught up in a whirlwind of wedding plans, Paige wonders what she can bring to the marriage and if her background as a camp counselor and a rodeo star has really prepared her for marriage to the handsome and aloof Mr. Walker. Paige is everything Cody and his daughter need and so much more. Can he stay true to his first wife’s memory and care for Paige or will he allow this angel to slip through his fingers and lose the only mother his daughter, Addison, has ever known? The Resilient Bride Kiera Martin has done the Billionaire Marriage Brokers arrangement once before and it didn’t turn out well. She left her verbally abusive husband and BMB behind to nurse her mom through cancer treatments—expensive cancer treatments. Three years later, with few financial options left, still carrying baggage from her first marriage, and her mom in remission, Kiera gives Pamela one more chance. What she thinks will be the fast road to debt reduction turns out to be the hardest path she’s ever trod as Liam’s diagnosis looms over their every minute together. He showers her with enough love to last eternity, which is good because eternity may be all they have to look forward to.

    Forced to work as a servant in the home of her uncle, a rich rug designer in the court of the Shah, the young woman blossoms as a brilliant designer of carpets. But while her talent flourishes, her prospects for a happy marriage grow dim, and she finds herself faced with a daunting decision--to forsake her own dignity or to risk everything in an effort to maintain it.Both a sweeping love story and a luminous portrait of a city, The Blood of Flowers is the mesmerizing historical novel of an ill-fated young woman whose gift as a rug designer transforms her life. Illuminated with glorious detail of Persian rug-making, and brilliantly bringing to life the sights sounds and life of 17th-century Isfahan, The Blood of Flowers has captured readers' imaginations everywhere as a timeless tale of one woman's struggle to live a life of her choosing.

    After initial tensions they become friends and share their life stories.

    From a timid, dowdy duckling who turns into a confident, sexy swan which sends her into the arms of a handsome artist to a bridesmaid's explosive encounter with the best man to an unproven actress who is being wooed to the stage by a handsome Broadway director. From a journalist's very steamy night with an old flame to a woman who pretends that she is dating a wealthy businessman but never imagines he would show up to collect on that claim. Experience just how much Francis Ray can turn up the heat!

    It is a conflict that has never been acknowledged and a story that has never been told.This surreptitious war began with the Iranian revolution and simmers today inside Iraq and in the Persian Gulf. Fights rage in the shadows, between the CIA and its network of spies and Iran's intelligence agency. Battles are fought at sea with Iranians in small speedboats attacking Western oil tankers. This conflict has frustrated five American presidents, divided administrations, and repeatedly threatened to bring the two nations into open warfare. It is a story of shocking miscalculations, bitter debates, hidden casualties, boldness, and betrayal.A senior historian for the federal government with unparalleled access to senior officials and key documents of several U.S. administrations, Crist has spent more than ten years researching and writing The Twilight War, and he breaks new ground on virtually every page. Crist describes the series of secret negotiations between Iran and the United States after 9/11, culminating in Iran's proposal for a grand bargain for peace-which the Bush administration turned down. He documents the clandestine counterattack Iran launched after America's 2003 invasion of Iraq, in which thousands of soldiers disguised as reporters, tourists, pilgrims, and aid workers toiled to change the government in Baghdad and undercut American attempts to pacify the Iraqi insurgency. And he reveals in vivid detail for the first time a number of important stories of military and intelligence operations by both sides, both successes and failures, and their typically unexpected consequences.Much has changed in the world since 1979, but Iran and America remain each other's biggest national security nightmares. "The Iran problem" is a razor-sharp briar patch that has claimed its sixth presidential victim in Barack Obama and his administration. The Twilight War adds vital new depth to our understanding of this acute dilemma it is also a thrillingly engrossing read, animated by a healthy irony about human failings in the fog of not-quite war.