Now, in this new and highly revealing biography, Tom Lodge draws on a wide range of original sources to uncover a host of fresh insights about the shaping of Mandela's personality and public persona, from his childhood days and early activism, through his twenty-seven years of imprisonment, to his presidency of the new South Africa. The book follows Mandela from his education at two elite Methodist boarding schools to his role as a moderating but powerful force in the African National Congress. Throughout, Lodge emphasizes the crucial interplay between Mandela's public career and his private world, revealing how Mandela drew moral and political strength from encounters in which everyday courtesy and even generosity softened conflict. Indeed, the lessons Mandela learned as a child about the importance of defeating ones opponents without dishonoring them were deeply engrained. They shaped a politics of grace and honor that was probably the only approach that could have enabled South Africa's relatively peaceful transition to democracy. Here then is a penetrating look at one of the most celebrated political figures of our time, illuminating a pivotal moment in recent world history.Authoritative and fair-minded...deserves to be read widely.--Adam Roberts, The EconomistA fascinating, indeed riveting, and plausible as well as persuasive examination of why Nelson Mandela should have acquired a world following and can remain as he does an iconic figure even in the 21st century. It is certain to provoke much heated debate.--Desmond Tutu

    The best match would be a blood relative, and no one in the immediate family matched. Another possibility is her deceased husband’s brother, a man once accused of murder, a man that his own family disowned, who now lives in Australia and no one has heard from in ten years. Leila flies to Australia, determined to meet Ryan and drag him home with her, if he tested as a donor match. He tells her that she can have any part of him she wants, but he’s never returning to the country that had treated him so unfairly. Can she convince him to do the right thing and put his past grievances behind? Will he leave his scuba-diving business, and the land he’s come to love, to help his brother’s daughter, the niece he’s never known?This is an emotionally compelling story, sure to capture your heart. How can a woman not love a man who is willing to save her daughter’s life? Excerpt “Look, Ryan, if you’re a match, you need to fly home with me immediately. As a matter of fact, I’m not leaving here without you.” Patience gone, she put her hands on her hips and glared at him. He snapped, “In that case your daughter will die alone.” Leila’s mouth dropped open. Tears gushed from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She stared at him, realizing she was a bad judge of character. His family had been right all along. He was an evil, heartless man. CHAPTER FIVE “I’m sorry, Leila. I didn’t mean that.” Ryan tried to put his arms around her, but she shrugged him off. “Leave me, please.” Her words were icy, and he didn’t blame her. “No. I’m not going anywhere until you look at me. I need to know you forgive me.” He rubbed a hand over his face, frustrated and filled with self-loathing and shame. “It was a terrible, cruel thing to say. I can’t believe those words came out of my mouth.” She looked at him, her eyes still swimming with tears. Her silence hurt him more than any words ever could. He lifted a finger and swept one sloppy, fat tear away. “Leila, I know you don’t understand why I can’t go back, and I’m not interested in explaining it. But I do want to help, I really do.” Her body shook as she began to cry harder. Her sobs tore at his heart, and he wanted--no, he needed to offer comfort. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her body against his. He held her for a long time, letting her cry it out, glad that she had his shoulder to cry on. Not that he deserved it, or had earned the right, but he took it anyway. “Don’t cry. Please don’t cry. We will save your girl. I promise.” His mouth was on her brow, dropping light kisses, his hands rubbing her back, warming her, comforting her. “It’ll be all right. I don’t know how, but trust me. Please, Leila?” She lifted her face, and her lovely blue eyes were filled with hope. “Do you mean that?” She drew in a ragged breath. “You promise?” “Yes, yes, yes.” He didn’t know what he was doing, but his mouth found hers, and he was kissing her as if his life depended on it. She didn’t move away. He couldn’t be certain that she returned his kiss, but he was so lost in her that it didn’t matter. He wanted to kiss away her pain and her fears, and ease her torment. That was the only thing that mattered. He didn’t need her to respond or to pretend that she forgave him. He could never forgive himself.

    Or another definition of success.

    I was also a fraud, a liar and a cheat. Those lists of birds seen, ticked off like Don Juan’s conquests? A tissue of lies. One hundred and thirty species? More like 60. Dotterel, firecrest, smew? Give me a break.So when I revived my dormant mania early this year, I decided to right my childhood wrongs, even though they were born of good intentions. I would go birdwatching again. I would keep track of the birds I saw. I would not lie. To spice things up, and to guard against enthusiasm fatigue, I set myself a target. Six hundred and one bird species have been recorded in Britain. I would aim to see 200 of them in a year. A doddle, surely?Not so fast, man-cub.Half of the 601 are described as ‘rare’. One, the great auk, is extinct. That leaves 300. My friend Andrew is a proper and active birder. In his best year he clocked up 206. I’m neither proper nor active. What chance do I have? Slim to none. But I like a challenge.Why Do Birds Suddenly Disappear? is the story of that challenge. But it’s not just about birds. It’s about family, music, nostalgia; hearing the stories of strangers; the nature of obsession and obsession with nature. It’s about finding adventure in life when you twig it’s shorter than you thought; losing and regaining contact with the sights, sounds and smells of the natural world; the humiliation of being a professional musician who doesn’t recognise the song of a blue tit. It’s about the first time my parents heard me say ‘fuck’.It’s a book for anyone who has ever seen a small brown bird and wondered what it was, or tried to make sense of a world in which we can ask ‘What's that bird?’ and ‘What's for lunch?’ and get the same answer. It’s also a long overdue thank you letter to my parents.

    So when a family of travellers sets up camp illegally in front of their farm, its the catalyst for a stand-off that can only end in disaster. But to Iris it's an adventure. She secretly strikes up a friendship with the gypsy boy, Trick, and discovers home can be something as simple as a carved out circle in a field of corn...

    World-famous Christian leader and bestselling author, Riley Ellison invites the press to join him in exactly two weeks, at which time he will tell Mead Mountain to move on live television, and in accordance with the promises revealed in Scripture, he claims it will move. The lines are drawn and everyone must choose a side. If the mountain moves at Ellison’s command, no one could reasonably continue to doubt God’s existence, and America will enter into the next Great Awakening. If it does not move, pews will be emptied, believers will be shamed into silence, and the faithful will be made a laughingstock worldwide. In the meantime, Ellison continues to do what he always does: attempt to shine Christ's joy into a dark and broken world. He encounters a gun-toting drunk, a God-hating celebrity, and a desperate woman trying to save the life of her son. Will Ellison's relentless pursuit to emulate Jesus act as a transforming force in the lives around him, or will the horrendous pain of this world cause Riley's spark to finally burn out? And will any of it be enough to overcome the biases of the reporter assigned to his story? It will take a miracle. "...One of the most uplifting and beautiful books I've ever read. This book is filled with the name of Jesus Christ and totally shows God's glory..." "...Best Christian fiction I have read! The book is riveting, thought provoking, and relevant to today..." "...I like Christian fiction, but it often follows a formula. This book breaks that mold, and will change your heart if you let it..." "...It was a story I will want to read again and there will be underlined parts in red..." "...This book took my breath away and made my heart swell. So many beautiful examples of what would happen if we lived out Christ-like love..." "...A real encouragement to me as a Christian, we must not lose hope in a world that seems to be falling apart. Our Heavenly Father sees all and is in complete control of our circumstances. Wow, the call to love is so real and we are able to love thru Christ!..." "...I doubt my little review will mean much, but if you are in a place where you feel God does not hear your prayers, read it..." "...I'll be thinking about this one for a long time..." "...Whatever you think is going to happen to that mountain, you'll be surprised...".

    Spurgeon, the beloved preacher and writer, few are familiar with the life and legacy of his wife, Susie.  Yet Susannah Spurgeon was an accomplished and devout woman of God who had a tremendous ministry in her own right, as well as in support of her husband. Even while dealing with serious health issues, she administered a book fund for poor pastors, edited and published her husband’s sermons and other writings, led a pastor’s aid ministry, wrote five books, made her home a hub of hospitality, and was instrumental in planting a church. And as her own writing attests, she was also a warm, charming, and fascinating woman.Now, for the first time, Susie brings this vibrant woman’s story to modern readers. Ray Rhodes Jr. examines Susannah’s life, showing that she was not only the wife of London’s most famous preacher, but also a woman who gave all she had in grateful service to the Lord.Susie is an inspiring and encouraging account of a truly remarkable woman of faith that will delight Spurgeon devotees and fans of Christian biographies alike.“I am writing in my husband’s study, where he thought, and prayed, and wrote. Every inch of the place is sacred ground. Everything remains precisely as he left it. His books (now my most precious possessions), stand in shining rows upon the shelves, in exactly the order in which he placed them, and one might almost fancy the room was ready and waiting for its master. But oh! That empty chair! That great portrait over the door! The strange, solemn silence, which pervades the place now that he is no longer on earth! I kneel sometimes by his chair, and laying my head on the cushioned arms, which so long supported his dear form, I pour out my grief before the Lord, and tell Him again that though I am left alone, yet I know that ‘He hath done all things well’…”

    And what the young gunslinger sees brings him the darkest of nightmares.

    A collection of science fiction stories written by acclaimed author Poul Anderson.Poul Anderson is best known for sci-fi adventure stories in which larger-than-life characters succeed gleefully or fail heroically. Anderson's also famous for writing 'Call Me Joe' (not included in this volume) which featured the premise of a paralyzed man whose mind is remotely controlling an alien body. This same theme also appears in James Cameron's 2009 movie "Avatar" – similar enough that some reviewers are calling for Anderson to receive some form of credit.Included in this volume:Story One: Duel on SyrtisBold and ruthless, he was famed throughout the System as a big-game hunter. From the firedrakes of Mercury to the ice-crawlers of Pluto, he'd slain them all. But his trophy-room lacked one item; and now Riordan swore he'd bag the forbidden game that roamed the red deserts ... a Martian!Story Two: SecurityIn a world where Security is all-important, nothing can ever be secure. A mountain-climbing vacation may wind up in deep Space. Or loyalty may prove to be high treason. But it has its rewards...Story Three: The Valor of Cappen VarraWe have said that there are many and strange shadows, memories surviving from dim pasts, in this fantastic universe of ours...Story Four: Industrial RevolutionEver think how deadly a thing it is if a machine has amnesia—or how easily it can be arranged…Story Five: The Sensitive ManOne man stood between a power-hungry cabal and world mastery--but a man of unusual talents...These are the original and unabridged versions of these classic science fiction treasures. A must-have for fans of classic sci-fi!

    Read the complete series for a discounted price. Includes three full-length novels, two novellas, and is guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seat.Book 1: The BlemishedA beautiful world comes at a price... The Blemished is a frightening take on a fractured future where the Genetic Enhancement Ministry have taken control of Britain. It will take you on a ride filled with adventure, romance and rebellion. Book 2: The Vanished“You’re part of the vanished now. That’s what we all are. The people who have been forgotten.” Mina Hart fought her way out of Area 14. She made it to The Clans so that she can live a normal life with her friends and her father. But what she finds is no safe haven. Novella 1: The Fractured: ElenaIn a fractured Britain, the Genetic Enhancement Ministry have taken control. Parents buy designer babies and those with genetic faults are labelled Blemished and shunned from society. The Fractured is the first part of a spin off series based on The Blemished, which will focus on some of the secondary characters and their stories. Part one follows the life of Elena as she experiences a life changing event.Novella 2: The Fractured: MaggieMargaret Murgatroyd failed in her mission to capture three Blemished escapees. She fears the Ministry will demote her to full-time teacher and remove her Ministry rights. But Margaret is surprised as she’s given a new opportunity with new responsibilities. There's just one catch, the new job brings up her past. Margaret remembers herself as a young girl, Maggie Powell, and the mistakes she made as a lab technician working at the Genetic Enhancement Ministry as it first embarked on its take-over of Britain. She remembers the mistakes she made, the people who betrayed her, and the way it shaped her as a woman.Book 3: The Unleashed“I wanted to live. I wanted us to have a future, and there was nothing else on my mind. With Daniel by my side I ran so fast my lungs ached.” Mina’s world is turned upside down as an important person from her past materialises to take her away from the Compound. She finds herself separated from her friends and facing life-changing decisions on her own. Fans of the popular YA dystopia series 'Blemished' will not be disappointed by this thrilling conclusion. It will keep you guessing right up to the very last page. Trust no one.

    His is a voice combining humor and pathos with an edginess creating fresh new stories that are being published in great literary journals regularly.A boy acts out at the death of his father and abandonment by his brother through a savage playground beating; a young man confronts his own troubled history when asked to hire on his girlfriend's strung-out brother in an attempt to keep him out of prison; a teenage babysitter works through a scorching-hot summer afternoon that will prove to alter her life forever; a grieving widower finds comfort in the unlikeliest of places, a recently-built casino; an itinerant farm worker visits the same former lover in South Dakota year after year while following the Harvest north; two friends search for excuses and fail to claim responsibility for their own decisions after one loses his father, and the other's house burns to the ground; and a taxidermist falls in love with the ex-wife of his high school bully and tries to convince her to marry him despite her son who seems to share his father's bullying mentality."A brilliant, sometimes heartbreaking debut by this gifted young writer and Columbia writing teacher. Cross captures the angst and tenderness of the young men and women growing up in the rust belt with little hope and less luck. The moments of grace and redemption shine through. I loved every story." —Linda Bubon, Women & Children First Bookstore"There are countless moments like this in Fires of Our Choosing, lines that appear true from the moment they’ve been written and hang in the back of the mind for days afterwards... With Fires of Our Choosing, Cross climbs boldly into the ring with the greats, if only to deliver a decisive knockout punch." —Urban Waite, Fiction Writers Review"Cross offers no apologies for his characters: their poor choices, their lack of moral fortitude, their betrayals of each other and the poverty of their surroundings and, often, themselves; he leaves these things alone. They are who they are, and if dignity has been denied them by the rest of us, including us story-tellers, it is restored by this collection. That he has undertaken to serve as their raconteur should place Cross on the radar of all the big prizes that gift those blessed with talent, compassion and fearlessness, particularly during this present moment in our history." —Ru Freeman, Huffington PostEugene Cross was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania and received an MFA from the University of Pittsburgh. His stories have appeared in Narrative Magazine (which named him one of "20 Best New Writers" and his story "Harvester's" a "Top Five Story of 2009-2010"), American Short Fiction, Story Quarterly, TriQuarterly, and Callalloo among other publications. His work was also listed among the 2010 Best American Short Stories' 100 Distinguished Stories. He is the recipient of scholarships from the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference and the Chautauqua Writers' Festival, and the winner of the 2009 Dzanc Prize for Excellence in Literary Fiction and Community Service. He currently lives in Chicago where he teaches in the Fiction Department at Columbia College Chicago.

    Once in America she awakens to the stark difference between her dreams and the disillusioning reality of an immigrant’s life. It is her new friends, flamboyant cousin and her new found love that make life in the big city an unforgettable adventure. In America she encounters her wildly flamboyant cousin Isabelle who just happens to be the “IT” actress of the moment and the girlfriend of a notorious dangerous gangster. Isabelle introduces her to the enticing, glamorous but ultimately empty and deceptive world of fame and fortune. Annie falls deeply in love with Jack an extremely successful stockbroker haunted by the ghost of his past which threatens their future. In the end it is the knot that ties family and friends together that helps her through great adversity and devastating loss.

    It's complex and can be hard to understand. Pastors and youth leaders are concerned about low biblical literacy levels in their churches and groups. Reading this book is like having a chat with your best friend ... who also happens to be a Bible scholar. In this case, Mike Pilavachi and Andy Croft.With a thorough discussion of each of the six themes, as well as a summary of the Bible and a discussion of how it came to be in its present form, readers of all ages will read the Bible with new eyes!

    Sinner. Heartless monster. I don’t care what anyone calls me. I did bad things in my past and served time. 8 years in prison made me harder and colder. But there’s one woman who can change me.
 The moment I saw her, I knew I had to commit another sin. Mina’s heart, mind, body and soul… I want everything of her. She makes me feel alive. Again.

 But my MC brothers don’t care about that. They don’t care about Mina. And I can’t stand that. They want to steal her fathers’ rare art collection. And I’m not going to let that happen. I will protect her, no matter what. It doesn’t matter how many more sins I have to commit. I will go through everyone like fire just to save Mina. I love her. Nobody stands a chance against this ruthless Sinner! Sinner is a steamy 60,000+ words full length novel with no cliffhangers, no cheating and a guaranteed HEA! Free bad boy romance books included inside for a limited time as bonus. Grab your copy.

    Ever since she can remember, Sonia has had to abide by her parents' ridiculously unfair rules like not being allowed to date or even kiss a guy. The only reason she thinks she's being held to these rules is when Sonia was eight, she took a sip of her friend’s drink, causing her friend to do everything Sonia asked. As her eighteenth birthday approaches, Sonia is finally about to learn why; she's a Huldra, a dangerous, yet seductive and magical Norse forest maiden who with just one kiss, has the ability to control humans and appropriate parts of their souls. Keeping the rules hasn't been a problem for Sonia because she's never really been attracted to any guy. But when Anthony transfers to her school, every last rule flies out the window. There's just something about Anthony that she can't resist—the way he seems to be hiding a deep, dark secret that is connected to her, the way his mysterious blue eyes cause her heart to beat more rapidly, his athletic, god-like physique. The closer she gets to her eighteenth birthday—the moment she matures into a fully realized Huldra—the harder it becomes to follow her parents' rules. As graduation day approaches, Anthony starts to show interest in her, but she would never have guessed how life-changing and how dangerous Anthony's secrets are, and how overwhelmingly intense a relationship with him could be. Suspenseful, passionate and gripping, E. J. Squires’s contemporary paranormal YA romance brings you on a highly entertaining adventure that you will want to continue on forever.