After writing Fridthjof's Saga Tegner was considered the father of modern Swedish poetry. Fridthjof's Saga dates back to the 8th century in Iceland. King Beli had two sons, Helgi and Halfdan, and a daughter named Ingeborg. On the other side of the fjord, lived the king's friend whose son Frithjof was called "the bold" and he was the bravest among men. Frithjof had been raised together with Ingeborg by their foster-father Hilding. Both Beli and �orsteinn died in war whereupon Helgi and Halfdan ruled the kingdom. The two kings were jealous of Frithjof's excellent qualities and so they refused to let him marry Ingeborg. When Frithjof returned he burnt down Baldr's temple and went away and became a Viking. After three years, he came to king Ring. Just before the old king died, Frithjof's identity was apparent to everybody and the dying king appointed Frithjof Earl and made him the care-taker of Ring and Ingeborg's child. When Ring died, Frithjof and Ingeborg married and he became the king of Ringerike. Then he declared war on Ingeborg's brothers killing one of them and making the second his vassal.

    More than a third of all adults report experiencing it, with the figure climbing steeply among those over sixty-five. Marina Benjamin takes on her personal experience of the condition--her struggles with it, her insomniac highs, and her dawning awareness that states of sleeplessness grant us valuable insights into the workings of our unconscious minds. Although insomnia is rarely entirely welcome, Benjamin treats it less as an affliction than as an encounter that she engages with and plumbs. She adds new dimensions to both our understanding of sleep (and going without it) and of night, of how we perceive darkness.Along the way, Insomnia trips through illuminating material from literature, art, philosophy, psychology, pop culture, and more. Benjamin pays particular attention to the relationship between women and sleep--Penelope up all night, unraveling her day's weaving for Odysseus; the Pre-Raphaelite artists' depictions of deeply sleeping women; and the worries that keep contemporary females awake.Insomnia is an intense, lyrical, witty, and humane exploration of a state we too often consider only superficially. "This is the song of insomnia, and I shall sing it," Marina Benjamin declares.

    The tales collected here represent the essence of the storyteller’s art, with its ancient roots in fantastical legends and tales told around a fire. In Bedtime Stories, great writers of the past two centuries explore the boundaries between the real and the unreal, between waking and dreaming. From the surreal night visions of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” to the unspeakable horror that haunts two little girls in A. S. Byatt’s “The Thing in the Forest,” from Washington Irving’s comical “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” to Ursula K. LeGuin’s sly perspective on Sleeping Beauty in “The Poacher,” these spellbinding stories transform the stuff of fables and fairy tales into high art. Isak Dinesen, Vladimir Nabokov, Angela Carter, Julio Cortázar, Steven Millhauser, Neil Gaiman, Haruki Murakami, and many more mingle their voices in this one-volume gateway to dreams--the perfect bedside companion for fiction lovers everywhere.

    The tales illuminate the mystical significance of knighthood and its ethos of self-purification and honour, decoding many allusions found in medieval art, literature and song.

    Words That Matter is a gathering of some of the greatest wisdom to appear in the magazine over the last decade, from historical figures and spiritual leaders to authors and actors, philosophers and Nobel Prize winners. Here are the insights of Maya Angelou, Eckhart Tolle, Alice Walker, Elie Wiesel, Martha Beck, Suze Orman, and dozens of others on love and sex, friendship and gratitude, success and money, and beyond. And, of course, we've included the best of Oprah—her most memorable moments, her advice on aging brilliantly, her favorite ways to give thanks, and her take on pursuing your wildest passions.Words That Matter is a book to keep on your bedside table or by your favorite reading chair—a book you will return to again and again, finding new ways to think about life each time you do.

    

    And how does the man repay her selfless act? By kissing her - her, a respectable woman.Not only is Raphael di Santori grateful for his life being saved, he would also like to thank his rescuer very intimately - more intimately than decorum allows. But then, Raphael has never been one to play by the rules - as a vampire he doesn't have to.Novella #2 (Venice Vampyr: Final Affair)Viola Costa has been given three months to live but she refuses to die a virgin. She travels to Venice where she wants to experience physical pleasure with a man without causing a scandal for her family. Afterward, she plans to take her own life to ensure she exits the world painlessly and with dignity. Unfortunately, the man she meets in a disreputable club couldn’t be a worse choice for her plans.Dante di Santori, a hedonistic vampire, saves Viola from a violent rake. To stop her from seeking out even more dangerous men to find carnal pleasures, he offers her a night of passion in his arms, only to discover she’s a virgin.Viola flees, disdainful of the sex act and determined to end her life. Horrified, Dante stops Viola from harming herself and proceeds to deliver the pleasure he promised – one kiss and one touch at a time until she’s ready to take all of him, over and over again.Then events force Dante’s hand ...Total Length: approx. 59,000 words / 231 pages on the NookWarning: These vampire novellas are sexually more explicit than my other books. So, if you're a little squeamish about things like voyeurism, bondage, and other sexual taboos, it's safe to assume you won't like this one.These novellas are also available separately.EXCERPT of Novella #2:“That was a terrible thing you did.”He gave her a bemused look. “You should be grateful to me, not badgering me.”“Grateful? You got me thrown out of the club.”“As I said, you should be grateful for that. You don’t belong there. You’re an innocent.”Anger churned up in Viola. “I’m not an innocent,” she lied. “I’m a widow, and I’m here to find some … pleasures.” It was the same lie she’d given Salvatore, even though he hadn’t questioned her motives.The man arched an eyebrow and raised one side of his mouth, mocking her.“Now you’ve destroyed my chances of being with a man tonight.”The man took a step closer, his body almost touching hers. His voice was low when he replied, “And you listen to me now, woman. The man you wanted to be with tonight beats the women he beds. It’s part of what get’s him off. He’s violent, and he enjoys seeing women suffer. Was that what you were looking for?”Instinctively, Viola took a step back.Was the stranger telling the truth? Had he truly saved her from being beaten? She shook off the thought. No, the two men probably had had some prior quarrel. “No matter. Now I have to go somewhere else to find what I need.”“Are you crazy? Didn’t you hear what I just said?”“I heard you loud and clear. Now, would you please direct me to where I might find another place like this? You owe me that much.” She thrust her chin up and waited.The stranger shook his head. “I will do no such thing. Go home and be glad you didn’t get hurt tonight.”She narrowed her eyes. “Fine ... Maybe somebody else can advise me.” Viola turned on her heels but before she could even take one step, a hand clasped over her forearm and pulled her back. She snapped her head back to him, surprised by his boldness, and clenched her jaw.“Signore, I suggest you remove your hand now.”He did not yield to her threat. “You have no idea of the dangers out there. A woman like you shouldn’t be prowling the night alone.”“It’s none of your business. So, unless you want to bed me yourself, let go of me.”

    It includes a dozen rare images, most never before seen.

    Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th-century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions. Next to nothing is known about Homer's life. His works available in Penguin Classics are The Homeric Hymns, The Iliad and The Odyssey.

    7 billion.Others ... unknown.When 14-year-old Charlie Blake wakes up sweating and gasping for air in the middle of the night, he knows it is happening again. This time he witnesses a brutal murder. He's afraid to tell anyone. No one would believe him ... because it was a dream. Just like the one he had four years ago - the day before his dad died.Charlie doesn't know why this is happening. He would give anything to have an ordinary life. The problem: he doesn't belong in the world he knows as home.He belongs with the others.

    When her husband disappears the same night she meets a beautiful and charismatic man her world is thrown into turmoil. What has happened to Jo? Who is this sexy mysterious man? As Sarah tries to answer these questions her life takes a dangerous turn... Contains hot and steamy sex scenes; aimed at readers of 18+ years.Book extra: Includes a sample chapter from 'Dark Love' (Book 3 of THE TWO VAMPIRES series)

     But, what happens if there was an alternative source that spoke of these events? George Smith, a pioneering English Assyriologist, discovered a number of ancient tablets in the lands surrounding Nineveh, situated in what was previously the infamous civilization of Babylonia. Written in the long-forgotten script of cuneiform, Smith was able to discover some remarkable finds upon their surfaces. The Chaldean Account of Genesis explores these discoveries and explains how the tablets provide an alternative account to the accounts of the Jewish bible. These tablets also throw remarkable light on the myths and legends of Babylon, from the epic of Gilgamesh to the adventures of Ishtar. This work is a remarkable study that should be essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the stories of Old Testament as well as the ancient civilization of Babylon. George Smith, was a pioneering English Assyriologist who first discovered and translated the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest-known written works of literature. His The Chaldean Account of Genesis was first published in 1876. Smith also passed away of dysentery that year during an expedition to excavate the rest of the Library of Ashurbanipal.

    Fifty international words for snow – explored by an award-winning writer – that will enchant readers this Christmas.

    Epics like the Ramayana have been recounted infinite times. Is there a need for another chronicle in the presence of so many? How is this one different? And is it relevant to our ever-changing modern lives? Yes, there is a need, yes this is different and yes, it is relevant. This new series of books, each following one khand of the Ramayana, decodes the eternal wisdom of that poetic scripture through gripping narrative and thought-provoking instruction. In the time-honored custom of spreading wisdom through tales, every fascinating story in the epic is retold here and every character unfolded to captivate your heart and open your mind to life's deepest questions.The narrative closely follows Valmiki's Ramayana, gently weaving in folk tales as well as the beautiful analogies of the Kamba Ramayana. The first of this six-volume series, Rise of the Sun Prince, takes you through the divine story of Lord Rama from His birth up to His marriage. Through these pages are revealed the tales of Dasaratha's leadership, Vishwamitra's quest for power and the intriguing story of a little-known stone maiden. Ramayana: The Game of Life has all of this and much more - food for contemporary thought drawn from an enduring masterpiece.

    Heralded as "The best new musical of the season," by the Wall Street Journal, and "Sumptuous. Gorgeous. As good as it gets," by The New York Times, this show is the breakout hit of 2019, and is positioned to be a longtime Broadway favorite with its poignant social commentary, to the tune of spellbinding music and lyrics.   In this book, Anais Mitchell takes readers inside her more than decade's-long process of building the musical from the ground up--detailing her inspiration, breaking down the lyrics, and offering thoughtful annotations of Hadestown. Fans of the musical will love this deeply thoughtful, revealing, and open look at how the songs from “the underground” evolved and became what they are today.