But ambition quickly took wing. The house swelled to 225 rooms and became - until 2012 when it was topped by the home of a billionaire in Mumbai, India – the world’s largest residence ever built for a private citizen. Here’s the story of the house that Vanderbilt built - from the gardens by Frederick Law Olmsted to the John Singer Sargent portraits that adorn its walls.

    

    At first I tried to deny my condition (trying to treat a tumor with hot baths and ice packs). Eventually, I decided I would learn as much about my illness as possible while trying to keep my emotions on hold.What followed was an experience that finally forced me to deal with issues about my body that I had tried to ignore for decades. Along the way I dealt with a physician who gave me ridiculous advice and acquaintances who asked unbelievable questions. But I was also fortunate to be surrounded by people who supported me and doctors who helped me through the process.

    These stories span characters and emotional states with canny details that touch the depths of your soul. Picturing the complexities of love, misery and mystery, the stories try to gnaw your heart like never before.• What does a flower teach us we often fail to see?• “The belly is an ungrateful wretch.” Is it true?• Ever wondered about the sparseness and illusions in life?• Does death put an end to true love?• Have all the ascetics won over their emotions?With the power of simple language, this book transports the readers to a world scarcely thought of in our bustling lives. The allegories maintain an intense rhythm of life prompting the readers to perceive things from a unique angle.“A whole bookful to make you think, cry, think again and move on.”

    Sheila O'Flanagan has captivated millions of readers with novels like SUDDENLY SINGLE, IF YOU WERE ME and THINGS WE NEVER SAY, and in this delightful ebook she invites us in for a glimpse of her world...Pop over with a cup of tea (or a glass of wine!) and share all the exciting, scary (and slightly nutty) moments of life as a writer.Includes:IT'S NOT HOW YOU IMAGINE IT - A WRITER'S LIFEFAMILY PARTIES - AND HOW TO SURVIVE THEMA Q&A WITH THE AUTHORA SHORT STORYAnd the very special first chapter of MY MOTHER'S SECRETNOT A NOVEL - more a really good gossip!

    What really happened to missing child Madeleine McCann? Crime writer Chelsea Hoffman delves into the evidence against the girl's parents, as well as the numerous theories in her case, with never-before-seen exclusive interviews and a look at the media madness surrounding this mysterious disappearance.

    A friend or acquaintance says, “You know, there’s an old bike that’s been sitting in this garage for years.” The hunt is on. And rather than the usual worthless Hondazukimaha pile of hopeless oxidation, at the back of that barn you find a genuine classic, the motorcycle collector’s dream.The Vincent in the Barn tells forty such stories--tales of motorcycle hunting dreams come true. From Ducatis in basements to Vincents abandoned in sheds, Harleys in barns to Brit bikes moldering behind urban garages, these are the stories that fuel every motorcyclist’s fantasies. The only difference? They’re true.See Tom Cotter, author of Motorbooks “In the Barn” series, interviewed by Jay Leno on JayLenosGarage.com: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/j...

    Each story follows the life of a person living on a fictitious council estate in London. The stories illustrate the realities and struggles that ordinary people go through at a time when people are feeling disenfranchised and are frustrated at not having their voices heard. Ranging from a humorous look at the gentrification of London to the realities of living with addiction the stories place the reader in the shoes of each character allowing them to feel their emotions.

    Cricket and Bollywood. So there are only two kinds of people, who have unconditional fan following in India. That is Film actors and Cricket players. There are millions of Indians, who are huge fan of Cricket and cricketers. The book is all about collection of memoirs of the author in regard with his idols in the game. Book gives inside in to career span of few of the most prolific Indian cricketers in contemporary Cricket and few of greatest in international Cricket. The career path of them is embedded with most splendid performance of these players and interesting anecdotes (few of them are untold). All in all, a full sketch of these players in a very concise and interesting manner. There are chapters on:- Sachin Tendulkar Kapil Dev Kris Srikkanth Javagal Srinath Mohd. Azharruddin Ajay Jadeja Rahul Dravid Viv Richard Wasim Akram Shane Warne Author – Pankaj Agrawal

    Ltd this book holds tales revolving around adolescent crime, deceit, treachery and bad judgement. In ‘Soulmate’, a case of sibling rivalry leads to disastrous consequences, while in ‘Heartbreak’, the dark side of the nicest of people is exposed. ‘Naaz’ reveals how cultural differences can sometimes lead to danger and ‘Double MMS’ shows a college girl’s stabs at popularity going horribly awry.Written by bestselling author Ira Trivedi, Gumrah: 11 Short Teen Crime Stories is a must-read, with every story revealing the consequences of wrong choices. Like the show, the message of the book, aimed especially at the younger generation, is: ‘Be aware, be prepared, be safe!’

    He had a beautiful new girlfriend and sudden prosperity as an author. But when he adopts an orphaned infant mouse, his world is turned on its head. The mouse comes to symbolize everything left unresolved in his life — his relationship with his divorced parents, his fear of family and commitment, and his inability to feel true happiness and love. By turns hilarious and moving, Mishka Shubaly’s latest Kindle Single captures the journey we all take in life — from being loved, to giving love. Cover by Adil Dara.

    There are 20 stories of murder and not all of them made national headlines. Included are The Folly Beach Murders, Facebook Party at the Port, the Alligator Man, the Bamber Family Murders, the Laurel Five, Murder in the Cape, the Old Orchard Beach Murders, Die, My Daughter Die!, A Case of Twisted Revenge, The Poughkeepsie Prostitute Killer, Triple Murder at Starved Rock, She Can Rot in Hell, The Clairemont Killer, A Serial Killer in Yonkers, The Sacramento Vampire, The Elk Grove Murders, The Fresno House of Horror, Absolutely No Remorse and The Chimayo Massacre.

    These twelve cases cover 100 years of crime history over several different countries, demonstrating once more that serious crime is a phenomenon that knows no boundaries. One of the major themes of this volume is crimes against the most vulnerable people in our society, including the elderly and the young. You will read about a case in Indiana where a twelve-year-old girl was brutally tortured and murdered, not by a deranged pedophile or a career criminal, but by girls her own age who let their undeveloped minds and peer pressure get out of hand. The bizarre case of a serial killer who targeted elderly women in Australia is also profiled, demonstrating that not only are killers driven by diverse motives, many of which will be impossible for most of us to understand, but also that not all serial killer victims are society’s “throw aways.” You will also read about two contestants for the “worst parent of all-time award.” These two separate cases involved men, who instead of protecting and caring for their children, ultimately played major roles in the horrible, painful deaths of their children. Educate yourself on the world of true crime and learn that not everything is always as it seems. Follow the criminal investigations as detectives from around the world broke some of the most baffling true crime cases of the last 100 years.

    A fun read, salt and peppered, with the science behind distilling. This authoritative guide book introduces whiskey-making in a easy step-by-step process.

    While hard work, passion and focus emerge as winning lessons, delicate and tender learnings from Dr Mohan's life, such as empathy or spirituality, are not forgotten.Written in Dr Mohan's sagacious and affable voice, and peppered with examples of his bold and unusual ideas such as planning a diabetes expo or conducting a country-wide diabetes study, this book is a behind-the-scenes account of a person honoured internationally for delivering path-breaking care to hundreds of thousands of people with diabetes.