In novels such as The Small Backs of Children and The Book of Joan, she has captivated readers with stories of visceral power. Now, in Verge, she offers a shard-sharp mosaic portrait of human resilience on the margins.

    Manette Ansay explores the rural Midwest landscape and the people who inhabit it: ordinary folk with extraordinary inner lives, struggling to make sense of the isolated, sometimes painful, and often intensely religious worlds in which they live. Her are 15 haunting and exquisitely written tales that offer a rare and unforgettable glimpse into the complexities of being human and being alive.

    On the heels of last year's mesmerising film adaptation of 'Brokeback Mountain' comes this beautiful, single volume collection of Annie Proulx's celebrated Wyoming stories. Inventive, compassionate and wildly funny, they explore the unbreakable bond between a people and their land in rich and robust language, with an eye for detail unparalleled in American fiction. In 'The Contest', the men of Elk Tooth, Wyoming, vow to put aside their razors for two seasons and wait to see who has the longest beard come the 4th of July. Deb Sipple, the moving protagonist of 'That Trickle Down Effect', finds that his opportunism - and his smoking habit - lead to massive destruction. And 'What Kind of Furniture Would Jesus Pick?' is the story of Gilbert Wolfscale, whose rabid devotion to his ranch drives away his wife and sons. Every story of this stunning collection is a tribute to Proulx's wit, her knowledge of the West, and her profound sympathy for characters who must use sheer will and courage to make it in such unforgiving territory.

    Estep follows her first novel, "Diary of An Emotional Idiot, " with a set of linked stories that glimpses two women through the eyes of the men in their lives.

    His stories are singular, as detached and intimate as dreaming." --Marilynne RobinsonWelcome to the surreal and sublime human circus of Mark Mayer's Michener-Copernicus-winning debut, Aerialists, a fiercely inventive collection of nine stories in which classic carnival characters become ordinary misfits seeking grandeur in a lonely world.Under the luminous tent of Mayer's prose, we meet an unforgettable caravan: a heartsick boy finds a new mentor in a tough-talking female bodybuilder. A navy recruit grapples with the impending loss of his childhood by building an exact replica of his neighborhood in code. With the help of a flatulent dog, a boy tries to reunite his parents. A wilderness expert seduces his love interest with the promise of showing her an elusive mountain lion.The circus has always been a collection of American exaggerations--the bold, the beautiful, the freakish, the big. Aerialists finds these myths in everyday contemporary life. Mayer's deftly drawn characters illuminate small-scale spectaculars, and their attempted acts of daring and feats of strength are rendered with humor, generosity, and uncommon grace.

    It has a strong female lead, and though it is aimed at adults, it can also be read by a YA audience.Fans of Ted Chiang will like this one, as well as readers who want a book they can read in one sitting.So wake up with Capsel and see what the future holds for us―you will be quite surprised indeed.-J. Shaw, Editor, Cynical Optimist PressFor fans of Ted Chiang, Blake Crouch, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Yuval Noah HarariFor fans of Science Fiction, SciFi, Strong Female Leads, Environmental Fiction, Future Worlds, Young Adult, YA, Humanity and Time Travel

    Spanning four decades and three prize-winning collections, these twenty-one vintage selected stories and thirteen scintillating new ones take us around the world, from Jerusalem to Central America, from tsarist Russia to London during the Blitz, from central Europe to Manhattan, and from the Maine coast to Godolphin, Massachusetts, a fictional suburb of Boston. These charged locales, and the lives of the endlessly varied characters within them, are evoked with a tenderness and incisiveness found in only our most observant seers.No matter the situation in which her characters find themselves--an unforeseen love affair between adolescent cousins, a lifetime of memories unearthed by an elderly couple's decision to shoplift, the deathbed secret of a young girl's forbidden forest tryst with the tsar, the danger that befalls a wealthy couple's child in a European inn of misfits--Edith Pearlman conveys their experience with wit and aplomb, with relentless but clear-eyed optimism, and with a supple prose that reminds us, sentence by sentence, page by page, of the gifts our greatest verbal innovators can bestow.Binocular Vision reveals a true American original, a master of the story, showing us, with her classic sensibility and lasting artistry, the cruelties, the longings, and the rituals that connect human beings across space and time.

    But when illness comes to claim him, she’s left orphaned and alone, with no-one to turn to for help. Saved only by one man’s kindness, Gracie is thrust into a new life as a housemaid for the Reeves family, where she becomes firm friends with the young and charming Charley. Just as Gracie finds happiness and safety with the Reeves, fate deals her another devasting blow. Outcast once more with nothing but her wits to protect her from the harsh London winter, Gracie must now find her own way in the world; or die trying.

    

    Sometimes it feels like we are all on a different planet earth. Sometimes we are!

    *Includes Crosby's quotes about his life and career. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. *Includes a table of contents. “I think popular music in this country is one of the few things in the twentieth century that have made giant strides in reverse.” – Bing Crosby A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history’s most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors’ American Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America’s most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. In 1948, American polls rated Bing Crosby “the most admired man alive”, and it’s no surprise given how popular he was across every major form of entertainment during the decade. With a string of major hits, Crosby was the most popular singer in the country during that era, with classic songs like “White Christmas” helping pave the way for other singers as varied as Bob Hope, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra. In fact, young Sinatra modeled his clothing and style after Crosby, who was his idol growing up. And as good as he was at singing, Crosby’s work with radio technology helped pave the way for multitracking songs and making it possible to broadcast the same radio programs across the country without cutting another live version. All told, Crosby sold an estimated 500 million records in the 20th century. In addition to being one of America’s most beloved singers and an accomplished radio presence, Crosby not only made popular movies but acted well enough to be critically acclaimed. His Road To… movie series with Bob Hope produced some of the best-selling movies of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, and he won an Oscar for Best Actor in Going My Way (1944) by playing Father Chuck O’Malley. When he was nominated for the same role in the 1945 sequel The Bells of St. Mary’s, he became one of just 4 people nominated for two Oscars for playing the same role. American Legends: The Life of Bing Crosby examines the life and career of one of America’s greatest and most versatile entertainers. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Kelly like never before, in no time at all.

    In some way, the essence of the stories address the age-old question of what it means to be human.Therefore, you will easily correlate with the confusion of Lauren as she experiences changes within herself & continuously sees a man in her dream for no specific reason. You will feel excited to unravel the mystery faced by Rachit when he finds a strange draft research paper, which immediately attracts him. You will experience the shock of Nandita when she suddenly watches something in the pages of a book and blurts, 'this is impossible'. You will understand the suffering of Aaron caused by his repeated nightmares & his disappearance to some remote location.Book is available on Amazon. Order your copy.

     The Hussle and Heart series, dedicated to the late Nipsey Hussle, travels to the slums of Channing City and places a magnifying glass on the lives of the biggest hustlers with the biggest hearts.

    “You know I just worked a twelve-hour shift. Gotta get me right before I go to sleep.” He smiled his ugly smile and opened the screen door. “I’ll take you shoppin’ when I wake up; spend a couple bands on you.”He put his key in the lock and turned it… But the door was snatched open before Mone’s hand could even reach the doorknob.Lacresha’s eyes opened wide with fear as she witnessed a tall masked man step from behind the door and raise a gun to Mone’s face.“Payback’s a bitch, ain’t it?” The masked man stated coldly.

    Her characters are caught at those moments when the delicate link between reason and emotion has been stretched to the breaking point. Often chilling, sometimes poignant, these stories display the full range of Daphne du Maurier's considerable talent.