Treasury. And Alva Vanderbilt squandered tens of thousands on one evening to crack the closed social circle of the Mrs. Astor. And when Jay Gould, of Black Friday fame, sent his card to one of the Rothschilds, it was returned with the comment, "Europe is not for sale." It was this climate of mid- and late-nineteenth-century excess that fostered the most rapid period of growth in the history of the United States, replacing the unyielding Puritanism of Cotton Mather with the flexible creed of Henry Ward Beecher. National Book Award nominee Milton Rugoff gives his uniquely revealing view of the Gilded Age in this collective biography of Americans from 1850 to 1890. Writing on the political spoilsmen, money kings, parvenus, forty-niners, lords of the press, sexual transgressors, and women's rights leaders, Rugoff focuses on thirty-six men and women from almost every walk of life. His exponents include U.S. Grant, John Charles Frémont, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jim Fisk, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Horatio Alger, free-love advocate Victoria Woodhull, first female surgeon Bethenia Owens-Adair, Brigham Young's rebellious nineteenth wife Anna Eliza Young, Boston Brahmin Charles Eliot Norton, Gold Rush pioneer Sarah Royce, black visionary Sojourner Truth, and to critique American society, Walt Whitman. In examining the Gilded Age, Milton Rugoff offers fresh glimpses into the lives of the celebrities of the era, as well as some lesser-known Americans, while at the same time revealing the roots of problems that still plague us today.

    But the discovery of a beautiful virgin lying abandoned and unconscious on his London doorstep leaves the hardy seafarer weak with passionate longings unlike any he has ever known. When the feisty honey-haired enchantress awakens with no memory save fear, Sean names her Shalyn, after the beguiling wind fairies of his Irish homeland. But his innocent angel turns out to be a devil in disguise -- an infuriating, high-spirited hellion whose breathtaking sensuality inflames Sean's desires to tame her...and to love her with all his soul.

    If you're not a fan of this format and don't like to be tortured, spare yourself. Turn back now. Scotland, 1704 It’s all about that kilt… Acting on a dare, three English brides-to-be sneak into Scotland for a scavenger hunt, their last adventure before marriage. Mallory wants a piece of pirate's treasure, and Vivianne yearns for a love letter from a poet. But Bridget has more on her mind than the game. She knows life with her evil, blackmailing fiancée will be hellish, so she’s determined to make him suffer too—by stealing a Highlander’s kilt and leaving him to wonder how she acquired it. The Scots charged with finding and protecting them along the way are entirely wrong--and perfect--for the job. Rory, for instance, is a kilt-clad Highlander, but he’d rather die alone in a cave rather than get within ten feet of another Englishwoman. Unfortunately for him, the duty to pay his grandfather’s debt will get him—and his two friends—much, much closer to the lasses than that. Come along for the ride.

    After ten years of marriage, they divorced and went their separate ways. Jack stayed in San Francisco. Rachel moved with their two young daughters to Big Sur.Six years later, an alarming middle-of-the-night phone call demands that Jack put aside his own busy life and career as a leading architect to rush to his ex-wife's hospital bed. While she lies comatose, Jack maintains a bedside vigil and finds himself getting to know Rachel better than he ever did -- through their daughters, her friends, and, even more, through her art. Meanwhile, the beauty and grace of the Redwood canyon where she has made her home also work their own special alchemy upon Jack. He begins to see Rachel, his daughters, and the story of his marriage with new eyes.Three WishesWhat if wishes really could come true?It's the question facing waitress Bree Walker when she awakens in the hospital following a blizzard in sleepy Panama, Vermont. While she can't recall the near-tragedy that landed her there, she's overcome with the certainty that she has been granted three wishes. One seems to have come true already; at her side is renowned author Tom Gates, the accident's only witness, who had come to Panama to make sense of his fame; and who now makes Bree his cause.Suddenly, the things Bree has wanted most; a home, a soul mate, a family; are within her grasp. But are the wishes real? And if they are, what is their price? As Bree and Tom consider what their hearts truly require, they discover that to live their dreams, they will have to take unimagined risks....

    Some call him the Golden One; others, the Lord of the Silver Bow. To the Dardanians, he is Prince Aeneas. But to his friends, he is Helikaon. Strong, fast, quick of mind, he is a bold warrior, hated by his enemies, feared even by his Trojan allies. For there is a darkness at the heart of the Golden One, a savagery that, once awakened, can be appeased only with blood.Argurios the Mykene is a peerless fighter, a man of unbending principles and unbreakable will. Like all of the Mykene warriors, he lives to conquer and to kill. Dispatched by King Agamemnon to scout the defenses of the golden city of Troy, he is Helikaon's sworn enemy.Andromache is a priestess of Thera betrothed against her will to Hektor, prince of Troy. Scornful of tradition, skilled in the arts of war, and passionate in the ways of her order, Andromache vows to love whom she pleases and to live as she desires.Now fate is about to thrust these three together; and, from the sparks of passionate love and hate, ignite a fire that will engulf the world.Readers who know the works of David Gemmell expect nothing less than excellence from this author, whose taut prose, driving plots, and full-bodied characters have won him legions of fans the world over. Now, with this first masterly volume in an epic reimagining of the Trojan War, Gemmell has written an ageless drama of brave deeds and fierce battles, of honor and treachery, of love won and lost.From the Hardcover edition.

    Together, the cookbooks contain over 550 of Paula’s classic, down home, Southern recipes and this boxed set makes a tempting addition to any cookbook collection, and a great gift for friends!

    She despises her daughter’s blemished looks. Such an ugly duckling is a shame to the house of Knightley among society’s more refined peers. When the young woman turns eighteen her father decides it is high time his daughter marry, but who would even consider such an imperfect girl? It is a troubling question. A passing reference in Regency court to the reclusive Lord Albert Errol, Duke of Whittington, provides a solution. Stewart Knightley approaches the mysterious Duke with an offer to restore his lost fortunes. In return he will take the hand of Florence. Thus begins an unlikely journey that will transform the duckling to a swan. In this original Regency fairytale the classic parable of the Ugly Duckling takes a decidedly romantic Regency turn.

    Emma Hawkins is a dedicated doctor in the little town of Crooked Creek, Montana Territory. Casey Latimer is a wounded soldier in search of a new home and a new beginning. When Casey, battered and bruised, quite literally falls at Emma's feet, she is duty-bound to help him. What happens next is something Emma never expected.EMMA OF CROOKED CREEK is the first short story installment of the Crooked Creek series set in post-Civil War Montana.From the AuthorA little background on Crooked Creek . . .Emma of Crooked Creek was originally written for a short story contest, but while writing it, I realized that I had the makings of a new series that I very much wanted to write. Set in post-Civil War Montana Territory, the characters, time period, and setting came alive, and I'm looking forward to adding to this collection over time.Most of the stories in this series will be short stories or novelettes, but there will be at least two full-length novels, one of which will be a Christmas novel, and another an exciting battle-and-romance-filled western adventure.You'll have a chance to meet many characters from this unique Montana town, but for now, I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into Crooked Creek.

    She shared her passion for climbing with her partner Andrew and it was a dream come true when Andrew proposed at Everest Base Camp. For them, climbing mountains made anything seem possible and represented their attitude to life.But a year after Sally and Andrew were married Sally was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She was only 28 and was training to be a Macmillan nurse – she wanted to care for the terminally ill. But Sally was determined the disease wouldn't slow her down: she went back to work looking after others and, despite warnings that her condition could deteriorate in pregnancy, went on to have three beautiful children.But it was when her youngest child Melissa was diagnosed with severe autism that Sally began to spiral into depression. Sally felt guilty about the pressures faced by her elder daughter Clara in her role as carer. Sally worried that she was missing out on the freedom of childhood.She needed help. Unsure who to turn to, she happened upon Canine Partners and an extraordinary dog called Harmony. They formed an instant bond; Harmony can perform over 100 chores – from putting groceries into the trolley to handing over Sally's purse at the till. Harmony is an unending source of comfort: she intuitively knows when Sally is in pain and calms Melissa when she suffers panic attacks.Harmony has given Sally the ability to start living once more, and become a mother again in her own way. She has shown Sally that the sky's the limit and, with a taste for independence that she hadn't felt since her mountaineering days, Sally set her sights on the peaks of Ben Nevis once more.In August 2010 Sally planned to climb the hardest of the Munro Mountains. Sadly her first attempt was thwarted after her motorised wheelchair short-circuited. But Sally is a fighter and reached the summit in June 2011 with her husband by her side. And Harmony too, of course.

    Now, she finally has her chance --- by bringing sexy outlaw Justin McCord to her employer, a powerful judge who wants him to marry the daughter he allegedly compromised. But Justin has other ideas. The secret spy has a mission to complete, one that holds the fate of a free Texas in the balance. He knows what will happen once they reach Houston: he'll be forced into a sham of a marriage that will allow the corrupt judge to destroy the dream of Texas independence he's fought for, unless ... he's already married. In one bold moment, the tables turn, and Shiloh finds herself the captive of a new husband she cannot trust or completely resist. What begins as a desperate ruse soon leaves them both vulnerble to a passion as wild and unforgiving as the land they both love, even as they are pursued by those who would stop at nothing to destroy everything they hold dear ...

    Six-year-old Birdie Adams wants to run away and join the circus but guesses she’ll have to go to the first grade and hang around with her new baby brother instead. Maybe her big sister needs a little help, too. The circus will have to wait.Twelve-year-old Melanie Adams wants her friend to stop bugging her to get her first kiss. Melanie’s already had her first kiss, but won’t spoil the special secret by talking about it. Norah Adams is a good mother and wife who wants to keep her family safe and happy, but tucking the order form for dogtags in her daughters’ lunch boxes is a big change from the everyday bologna sandwiches.Lola Carter wants the life her sister, Norah, has. Instead she has a factory job, an alcohol and prescription drug addiction, and an abusive boyfriend. Even if President Kennedy prevents World War III, these women’s lives will be changed forever.

    Special Agent Navarro Breed and his beautiful undercover partner embark on a perilous mission to save Geronimo . . . and fall passionately in love.

    The book will also be extremely useful for those preparing for other MBA entrance examinations like XAT, SNAP, CMAT, NMAT, etc. Quantitative Aptitude is quite challenging component of the CAT question paper and the other mentioned MBA entrance examinations. In his inimitable style, Arun Sharma, an acknowledged authority on the topic, provides a comprehensive package of theory and practice problems to enable aspirants to attempt questions with extra speed and confidence.

    They must truly accept the tragic past or risk losing the peace of the future together. First U.S. publication. Simultaneous with a hardcover library edition.

    But Emmy is beautiful, so attracts unwanted attention; her mother's protector has his eye on her, as does evil Marcus Armistead, her employer's nephew. Marcus is excited by Emmy's virginity and has her kidnapped, but Emmy hits him over the head and escapes.Marcus, further enraged, kills her mother and becomes even more determined to rape Emmy, but the combined efforts of the local parson and Emmy's young suitor manage to keep her safe from harm. Finally Emmy sees Marcus get his just desserts, finds out who her father was and attains the respectability she has so longed for.©2005 Anna Jacobs (P)2009 Isis Publishing Ltd