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Old School


Tobias Wolff - 2003
    He is an outsider who has learned to mimic the negligent manner of his more privileged classmates. Like many of them, he wants more than anything on earth to become a writer. But to do that he must first learn to tell the truth about himself.The agency of revelation is the school literary contest, whose winner will be awarded an audience with the most legendary writer of his time. As the fever of competition infects the boy and his classmates, fraying alliances, exposing weaknesses, Old School explores the ensuing deceptions and betrayals with an unblinking eye and a bottomless store of empathy. The result is further evidence that Wolff is an authentic American master.

The Wit & Wisdom of Winston Churchill


James C. Humes - 1994
    An extremely entertaining compendium of bon mots, anecdotes, and trivia about Winston Churchill from a leading Churchill lecturer and performer -- useful for speakers, students, of history, and World War II buffs, as well as general readers.

Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk


Legs McNeil - 1996
    Iggy Pop, Danny Fields, Dee Dee and Joey Ramone, Malcom McLaren, Jim Carroll, and scores of other famous and infamous punk figures lend their voices to this definitive account of that outrageous, explosive era. From its origins in the twilight years of Andy Warhol's New York reign to its last gasps as eighties corporate rock, the phenomenon known as punk is scrutinized, eulogized, and idealized by the people who were there and who made it happen.

The Graduate


Charles Webb - 1963
    Embittered by the emptiness of his college education and indifferent to his grim prospects—grad school? a career in plastics?—Benjamin falls haplessly into an affair with Mrs. Robinson, the relentlessly seductive wife of his father's business partner. It's only when beautiful coed Elaine Robinson comes home to visit her parents that Benjamin, now smitten, thinks he might have found some kind of direction in his life. Unfortunately for Benjamin, Mrs. Robinson plays the role of protective mother as well as she does the one of mistress. A wondrously fierce and absurd battle of wills ensues, with love and idealism triumphing over the forces of corruption and conformity.

Split Rock


Holly Hodder Eger - 2016
    She’s lost her favorite aunt, inherited a house and dog on Martha’s Vineyard, and now finds herself alone there with three small children while her husband is away. When she runs into her old boyfriend, she must confront the life she has chosen with the life she might have had. This unforgettable novel weaves together themes of seduction, loss, and forgiveness with the power of love, family, and the ocean. Conjuring endearing characters on a charmed New England island, this is a treasure of a book."A very Vineyard book ... a great, moving read." -- Carly Simon.WINNER, 2019 International Book Awards BEST WOMEN'S FICTION.SILVER MEDALIST, 2019 Independent Publisher Awards BEST ADULT FICTION E-BOOK.FINALIST, 2019 National Indie Excellence Awards BEST WOMEN'S FICTION.FINALIST, 2019 National Indie Excellence Awards BEST REGIONAL FICTION, NORTHEAST.SEMI-FINALIST, William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition BEST NOVEL.

Oracle Night


Paul Auster - 2003
    It is September 18, 1982, and for the next nine days Orr will live under the spell of this blank book, trapped inside a world of eerie premonitions and bewildering events that threaten to destroy his marriage and undermine his faith in reality.Paul Auster's mesmerizing eleventh novel reads like an old-fashioned ghost story. But there are no ghosts in this book - only flesh-and-blood human beings, wandering through the haunted realms of everyday life. Oracle Night is a narrative tour de force that confirms Auster's reputation as one of the boldest, most original writers at work in America today.

Lies & the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair & Balanced Look at the Right


Al Franken - 2003
    He has listened to their cries of slander, bias, and even treason. He has examined the Bush administration's policies of squandering our surplus, ravaging the environment, and alienating the rest of the world. He's even watched Fox News. A lot. And, in this fair and balanced report, Al bravely and candidly exposes them all for what they are: liars. Lying, lying liars. Al destroys the liberal media bias myth by doing what his targets seem incapable of: getting his facts straight. Using the Right's own words against them, he takes on the pundits, the politicians, and the issues, in the most talked about book of the year.Timely, provocative, unfailingly honest, and always funny, Lies sticks it to the most right-wing administration in memory, and to the right-wing media hacks who do its bidding.

The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar


Robert Alexander - 2003
    Now an ancient Russian immigrant, Leonka claims to be the last living witness to the Romanovs' brutal murders and sets down the dark secrets of his past with the imperial family. Does he hold the key to the many questions surrounding the family's murder? Historically vivid and compelling, The Kitchen Boy is also a touching portrait of a loving family that was in many ways similar, yet so different, from any other.

Here Was a Man


Norah Lofts - 1936
    Beloved historical novelist Norah Lofts was the queen of royal tales for generations. Loft’s books are back, and in Here Was a Man, one of the greatest adventurers of the sixteenth century vividly and romantically comes to life. When young Walter Raleigh first presented himself before Elizabeth I, he dreamt of carving out an empire in the New World to lay at her feet. But Elizabeth is equally determined to keep this handsome, witty young man at her side. Through years of frustration, violent quarrels, reconciliation, and the challenges and rewards of exploration, Raleigh desperately tries to hold on to his dream. Lofts peoples her rich tale with some of the greatest personalities of the age, including Shakespeare, Marlowe, Sir Phillip Sydney, and Sir Francis Drake, painting a detailed portrait of the Elizabethan era in all its colorful, contentious glory. Sweeping readers from the courts of Europe to the jungles of South America, Here Was a Man offers history lovers a feast that only Norah Lofts could deliver.

Hockey For Dummies


John Davidson - 1997
    If the first edition didn't already make you a fan, then this edition will!" --Mark Messier, NHL All-Star"My dog, Blue, and I ran out to get Hockey For Dummies, 2nd Edition. We give it two paws up!" --Don Cherry, former NHL coach and "Coaches Corner" commentator for Hockey Night in Canada..".a must read for all hockey fans!" --John Vanbiesbrouck, former goaltender, New York Islanders"...the most comprehensive, easily understood source of hockey history and instruction I've ever come across. Not only was 'JD' a superb player in the NHL, he is also an extremely skilled commentator sharing his knowledge of the game with fans all over North America. From hat tricks to power plays, Hockey For Dummies provides the reader with the wisdom of an expert. --From the Foreword by Wayne GretzkyThis updated edition of the bestselling guide to all things hockey is packed with illustrations and play-by-play descriptions, diagrams, and photos of the NHL's greatest players. It tells you how to:Gear up safely with the right equipment Improve your skills with drills Warm up mentally--and physically--before hitting the ice Respect rules and good sportsmanship Find US and Canadian leagues and camps Former New York Ranger, John Davidson offers you plays only the pros know and tips for playing hockey at any level. And he fills you in on:Hockey ABCs, its origins, positions, gear, rules, and more The complete NHL--explores the various leagues, greatest players, training, and tons of fascinating facts, figures, and priceless trivia The best ways to follow the game from the stands or on TV How the pros do it--includes tips from Gretzky on passing, Messier on winning face-offs, and other star players on how to play like a pro From youth leagues to the secrets of the NHL greats, Hockey For Dummies, is your total guide to this cool sport.

Peyton Place


Grace Metalious - 1956
    At the centre of the novel are three women, each with a secret to hide: Constance MacKenzie, the original desperate housewife; her daughter Allison, whose dreams are stifled by small-town small-mindedness; and Selena Cross, her gypsy-eyed friend from the wrong side of the tracks.

Eloise


Kay Thompson - 1955
    She may not be pretty yet, but she’s definitely already a real person. She loves learning about people who aren’t boring. Take Eloise home with you and she’ll introduce you to life at The Plaza. You’ll be glad you did!

The Story of My Life


Helen Keller - 1902
    Not long after, she also became mute. Her tenacious struggle to overcome these handicaps-with the help of her inspired teacher, Anne Sullivan-is one of the great stories of human courage and dedication. In this classic autobiography, first published in 1903, Miss Keller recounts the first 22 years of her life, including the magical moment at the water pump when, recognizing the connection between the word "water" and the cold liquid flowing over her hand, she realized that objects had names. Subsequent experiences were equally noteworthy: her joy at eventually learning to speak, her friendships with Oliver Wendell Holmes, Edward Everett Hale and other notables, her education at Radcliffe (from which she graduated cum laude), and-underlying all-her extraordinary relationship with Miss Sullivan, who showed a remarkable genius for communicating with her eager and quick-to-learn pupil.

The Gnostic Gospels


Elaine Pagels - 1979
    First published in 1979 to critical acclaim, winning the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award, The Gnostic Gospels has continued to grow in reputation and influence over the past two decades. It is now widely recognized as one of the most brilliant and accessible histories of early Christian spirituality published in our time.In 1945 an Egyptian peasant unearthed what proved to be the Gnostic Gospels, thirteen papyrus volumes that expounded a radically different view of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ from that of the New Testament. In this spellbinding book, renowned religious scholar Elaine Pagels elucidates the mysteries and meanings of these sacred texts both in the world of the first Christians and in the context of Christianity today.With insight and passion, Pagels explores a remarkable range of recently discovered gospels, including the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, to show how a variety of “Christianities” emerged at a time of extraordinary spiritual upheaval. Some Christians questioned the need for clergy and church doctrine, and taught that the divine could be discovered through spiritual search. Many others, like Buddhists and Hindus, sought enlightenment — and access to God — within. Such explorations raised questions: Was the resurrection to be understood symbolically and not literally? Was God to be envisioned only in masculine form, or feminine as well? Was martyrdom a necessary — or worthy — expression of faith? These early Christians dared to ask questions that orthodox Christians later suppressed — and their explorations led to profoundly different visions of Jesus and his message. Brilliant, provocative, and stunning in its implications, The Gnostic Gospels is a radical, eloquent reconsideration of the origins of the Christian faith.

Letters to Judy


Judy Blume - 1986
    She has achieved multimillion-copy sales with her adult novels--Smart Women and Wifey--as well as her young adult novel Forever and fourteen children's titles. In Letters to Judy, she answers the questions and worries that concern parents and kids most.