Wresting this iconic urban center from these misleading, tired clich�s, The City-State of Boston highlights Boston's overlooked past as an autonomous city-state, and in doing so, offers a pathbreaking and brilliant new history of early America. Following Boston's development over three centuries, Mark Peterson discusses how this self-governing Atlantic trading center began as a refuge from Britain's Stuart monarchs and how--through its bargain with slavery and ratification of the Constitution--it would tragically lose integrity and autonomy as it became incorporated into the greater United States.Drawing from vast archives, and featuring unfamiliar figures alongside well-known ones, such as John Winthrop, Cotton Mather, and John Adams, Peterson explores Boston's origins in sixteenth-century utopian ideals, its founding and expansion into the hinterland of New England, and the growth of its distinctive political economy, with ties to the West Indies and southern Europe. By the 1700s, Boston was at full strength, with wide Atlantic trading circuits and cultural ties, both within and beyond Britain's empire. After the cataclysmic Revolutionary War, "Bostoners" aimed to negotiate a relationship with the American confederation, but through the next century, the new United States unraveled Boston's regional reign. The fateful decision to ratify the Constitution undercut its power, as Southern planters and slave owners dominated national politics and corroded the city-state's vision of a common good for all.Peeling away the layers of myth surrounding a revered city, The City-State of Boston offers a startlingly fresh understanding of America's history.

    Integrating social history with economic and architectural analysis, and taking into account such factors as the availability of cheap land, inexpensive building methods, and rapid transportation, Kenneth Jackson chronicles the phenomenal growth of the American suburb from the middle of the 19th century to the present day. He treats communities in every section of the U.S. and compares American residential patterns with those of Japan and Europe. In conclusion, Jackson offers a controversial prediction: that the future of residential deconcentration will be very different from its past in both the U.S. and Europe.

    As the acclaim boss of the streets, he feels that respect is owed to him without a given. Those who can’t live by that, will have to feel his wrath. He is a hothead to say the very least. He gets what he wants and is respected by all. Well almost all. Purety “Pure” Candaberry, is the type of woman, who you’d imagine your son bringing home. She was smart, kind-hearted, beautiful and dedicated to whomever or whatever she chose to give that honor to. But, she had extended that courtesy to the wrong man. She’s awoken one night, to her panicked-stricken boyfriend urging her to get dress. She knows something is majorly wrong by the sweat beads that are awning his face. Instead of questioning it much, she does as told. Before they could make their escape, the front door is being knocked down. Getting to safety at the nick of time, Pure listens as her boyfriend of two years is murdered in cold blood. Like things couldn’t get any worse. She goes into labor at the worst possible time with their son. This one dreadful night, puts her in the crosshairs with the last person she thought she would ever have to deal with. Her now deceased boyfriend leaves behind a debt that is owed and must be settled. Find out what happens to a raging bull, when he cross paths with a matador.

    And it's well worth reading. In this unputdownable book you’ll take an unforgettable ride with the national bestselling author Tiece that's signed under Cole Hart Signature. Her writing is very clever, and this story is great. **Warning** This is not your typical Urban romance, dope boy, thug love, or kingpin savage book. Heart pounding. Drama filled. Love story Women's fiction. Annette Capone, the First Wife to the notorious Prophet Capone is starting to unravel since the loss of her son. All she wants is full custody of his daughter, Myanna to ease her pain and she'll play as dirty as need be to make this happen. But when all is said and done, how will this affect Myanna? Will Annette's devious schemes send the little ones emotions spiraling out of control? Myanna Capone is still grieving the loss of both her parents. For a five-year-old, she seems to be stronger than the average adult. However, it's going to be a long, heartfelt road to travel, but with support from within, will she learn to cope with it all? Elise has met the handsome Liam Deckard and is finally giving love another chance, but will it be everything she's ever dreamed of? Or, is it too good to be? An unexpected twist reveals a new beginning that may just be the thing she's needed to move forward in life. With the love of family and friends, will Dreya be able to keep Myanna safe in her care? Or, will she lose the last piece of her family that is actually helping her to keep everything under control? Find out what happens through the ups and downs, and the trials and tribulations in the third installment of The First Wife..

    After having her daughter at the tender age of 18, her father tried forcing her into marrying her high school sweetheart Ahmod. Ten years later Ahmod is not as sweet as he once was in high school. Shy is very close to her mother and sister but she keeps certain things from them to keep peace in her home and family life. With her father standards so high for his daughters she tends to just hide from the world until she feels that she is worthy enough to be a preacher’s kid. From her father’s rejection and the rejection of Ahmod, she finally finds the courage to leave him and run into the arms of another man. Ahmod wants his cake and eat it too. With two women in his pocket he feels like he would never get caught. When both of the women leave him, he becomes lost. Once Ahmod finds out Shy is fully done with him he tries his best to run back but is it too late? Ahmod doesn’t think so until it’s really too late.

    She claimed the police had inserted a stick inside her… Swaranpreet realised that she had been cruelly violated; He spoke a single sentence but repeated it twice in chaste Punjabi: ‘Please give me a turban? I want nothing else…’ These are voices begging for deliverance in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination in October-November 1984 in which 2,733 Sikhs were killed, burnt and exterminated by lumpens in the country. Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay walks us through one of the most shameful episodes of sectarian violence in post Independent India and highlights the apathy of subsequent governments towards Sikhs who paid a price for what was clearly a state-sponsored riot. Poignant, raw and most importantly, macabre, the personal histories in the book reveal how even after three decades, a community continues to battle for its identity in its own country.

    The Christians have broken the truce and the Fifth Crusade has begun, the irate Saracens are expelling Christians and Jews from their lands, and desperate refugees are pouring into Jerusalem's port city of Acre which is expected to fall. There are coins to be earned carrying those most favoured by God to safety, meaning those with the most coins to pay for a place on one of the company's galleys. And the French governor of Acre wants to leave his young wife behind and flee with the chests of coins he collected from the city's Saracen merchants before he expelled them despite the bribes they paid him. It is a rollicking good story and a very good read.

    

    When Jocelyn throws the idea out there that they should start an exotic maid service, they jump on it. The business takes off with a boom and pretty soon, they’re no longer depending on the government for anything. Instead, they all have a new set of problems. Jewel’s fifteen year old son, Jamal, is smoking marijuana. How can she tell him to stop using drugs when she’s addicted to pain pills herself? Daphne’s sixteen year old daughter, Shirrel, may be a lesbian. What can she do to help her daughter when she’s in denial about her own sexuality? Serena’s seventeen year old son could be on his way to becoming a teenaged father. She doesn’t know how to connect with the three children she already has. Will having a grandbaby make her change her ways? Jocelyn’s twelve year old daughter, Breanna, is sexually active. Has her promiscuous ways rubbed off on her child? These four ladies learn being food stamp bitches is just a state of mind. What’s most valuable and precious are family and true friendships.

    With each growing up on the infamous south side of Chicago without care or guidance from their family, they look to the streets for what they aren’t offered at home – mainly love. When they run into three wild boys with the same mentality and upbringings as them, it sets off a chain reaction of unexpected events that they may not exactly be ready for. The saying love will drive you insane rings true for the brothers Chase, Nature, and Banks. Growing up jumping from group home to group home caused these three boys to come together and claim one another as the only family that they have. Cold to the world and the obstacles that it brings, they simply do as they please and worry about the consequences later. When they run into three beautiful girls after moving into a new group home, they each find someone that they are willing to care about other than each other. The only issue is that the stubborn, self-sufficient girls that they want just won’t quite let them in so easily. What they all expected to be simply puppy love or good friendships grows into strong bonds and territorial behavior over the years. Some want more than the other can offer while others move on to new relationships all together. But when the men are fed up with the games, they decide to take what's rightfully theirs by giving the ladies the only thing they can offer them... love from a real gangsta.

    Although she’s had her share of downfalls, she continues to be the very best that she can be. Being hurt in the past by her ex-lover only gives her a reason to never love again, until she meets up with Hennessey.After five long years locked behind bars, Hennessey knows that being a drug dealer isn’t something he wants to continue to pursue to get his money up. So, instead he turns his dirty money into opening up furniture businesses. Meeting Keice only motivates him to want to go harder and do better, but that's something that his ex-girlfriend, Camille will not let him do if she's not included.Keice is already scared to love again. However, Hennessey is ready minus the ex-girlfriend issues. With their closest friends sharing this wild journey with them, what will the inevitable bring this unpredictable couple?

    When it feels like the universe is working against her, can Karter keep her head above water? Or, will her constant stress and worrying cost her and Dez the one thing they both so desire, a child? Dez’s first priority is always to protect his family, even when he’s not in the best position to do so. But, with a detective on his back with an ax to grind, can Dez stay a free man? Or, will he have to get his hands dirty one last time to show why he was the king to begin with? “You’ll never make it anywhere in life without a degree.” The words her father said to her still rang strong in Melodee’s ears, even eight years later. Setting out to prove her parents wrong, Melodee focuses on doing what she has to do to secure her future. But, will she allow Dame to step in help, or will her ‘I can do it myself’ attitude run him away? In this final installment, this crew is struggling to keep the family together. But, one thing about the Wright brothers, they always have some tricks up their sleeves, and for the women they love, they’ll paint the town red. Find out why Karter and Melodee are still in love with the King of Chicago.

     A secret cargo is headed for Japan. The Japanese High Command has entrusted it to a veteran destroyer captain - the best in the Imperial Navy - and he will stop at nothing to see that it reaches its final destination... Carrier-based dive bombers could not stop it, nor could the guerilla-commandos of the Philippine Islands. Now, the submarine Wolffish is the last ditch hope of the Allied Command. Still shaken by a recent tragedy, and desperately low on fuel, torpedoes, and morale, the war-weary submarine and her eighty-man crew must pull together to track down and destroy the cargo before it reaches Japan, and changes the course of the war...

    Brandy is a gold digger with a capital G! She doesn’t care whose man she sleeps with or goes after. Money was good and business was great until she decides to plot and scheme to set up the wrong person. Tip becomes pregnant, but by who? Her long time boyfriend or the Jamaican man who used to pimp her? Tracy is a good girl gone bad. She is head over heels in love with her first love. She doesn't know about his other life until its too late. Diamond is in love with her high school sweetheart and their relationship is great until she falls for someone else. When Brandy’s diary is found what will happen to their friendship? Will there friendship be able to stand through all the trials and tribulations life throws at them?

    Despite the bad cards life has dealt her, she’s trying to move on and live her best life while tackling college at the same time. Problem is, one of her lovers isn’t ready to let go. The king of Harlem, Carlos Mills aka Loso, is still the street’s finest. Now that everything on the block is running smoothly, he's finally ready to focus on his personal life and commit to his girlfriend, Amaya. He’s got it all figured out. They’re gonna get married, buy a new house and start a family. Everything is perfect until people start to show their true colors. After Remy’s boyfriend found out the truth about her and DC’s affair, she starts to uncover Sur’s secret life too. She wasn’t the only one with skeletons in her closet. But, as the old saying goes… Some lies can get you hurt. DC has now found himself in a love triangle that hits a lot closer to home than he thinks. Promise, his baby mother, isn’t the only woman who has gained a place in his heart. And if that’s not enough, imagine finding out that both of your women know each other almost better than they know you. As these couples embark on a journey of love, heartbreak, betrayal, and pain, they’ll find out that people and things are not always what they appear to be. The minute you think life is what it should be, those slithery snakes come out of hiding. Get ready to unfold all the drama in Diary of The Plug’s Daughter II.