Ayesha's Gift: A daughter's search for the truth about her father


Martin Sixsmith - 2017
    She is warned that her life is in danger; powerful, ruthless men have reasons to want her silenced.   But there are things she needs to know, that compel her to press on with her search for the truth.    Was her father an innocent victim?  Can she continue to revere the image of him she grew up with, that of a good, loving parent?  Or will she be forced to accept that her father was not the person she thought he was?     Ayesha decides that the only way forward is to fly to Pakistan and confront his killers.    When she goes, Martin Sixsmith goes with her.   The denouement of their journey together is extraordinarily moving, with unforeseen repercussions for them both.

Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Mexico to Canada


Bruce Buck Nelson - 2018
    For five months I hiked through the California desert, the snows of the Sierra Nevada, and the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington. My goal was to succeed in an epic challenge: to hike 2,650 miles and reach Canada before the October snows. It was an unforgettable summer of sunrises, river crossings, and high mountain passes; of physical and mental challenges and peaceful wilderness camps under the stars. In the fall colors of September I reached the border of Canada.This is the story of my thru-hike.

A Night With a Ravishing Governess


Henrietta Harding - 2020
    Eager to change her circumstances, she decides to depart for Buckinghamshire to take upon a governess position, but a great surprise awaits her; trying to escape from her cruel and deviant lover, Aaron Barlow, she will end up into another man's arms. Graham will steal her heart from the very first moment. When their sizzling passion becomes undeniable, will the fiery Bridget manage to find true love?Being the eldest son of the Duke of Huntington, Graham is the sort of man who never bothered himself with frivolous courting. When he meets the new governess of their family, he's faced with something powerful, life-altering; emotions he could never have foreseen. The whip-smart and bright-eyed Bridget immediately steals his heart, but this union is something the Duke would never approve of. Will Graham be able to prove that their love is meant to be?When the Duke's priceless heirloom is ripped from his study during a ball, it's obvious to everyone that Bridget is the thief. Now, she must prove her innocence both to Graham and the Duke himself. Their journey to discover the true thief will slowly lead them to a burning affair that will tear their worlds apart. Will they let each other close enough to fight together for their love? Will they survive to meet the passionate future they could have together?

Chinese Business Etiquette: A Guide to Protocol, Manners, and Culture in thePeople's Republic of China


Scott D. Seligman - 1999
    The author, with 25 years of experience dealing with the Chinese, provides up-to-date advice on how to succeed, avoid gaffes, interpret behaviour and make positive impressions.

A Brief History of China: Dynasty, Revolution and Transformation: From the Middle Kingdom to the People's Republic


Jonathan Clements - 2019
    For millennia, China was the largest and richest nation on earth. Two centuries ago, however, its economy sank into a depression from which it had not fully recovered—until now. China's modern resurgence as the world's largest nation in terms of population and its second-largest economy—where 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty in the space of a few decades—is the greatest untold story of the 21st century.A Brief History of China tells of the development of a rich and complex civilization where the use of paper, writing, money and gunpowder were widespread in ancient times and where silk, ceramics, tea, metal implements and other products were produced and exported around the globe. It examines the special conditions that allowed a single culture to unify an entire continent spanning 10 billion square kilometers under the rule of a single man—and the unbelievably rich artistic, literary and architectural heritage that Chinese culture has bequeathed to the world. Equally fascinating is the story of China's decline in the 19th and early 20th century—as Europeans and Americans took center stage—and its modern resurgence as an economic powerhouse in recent years. In his retelling of a Chinese history stretching back 5,000 years, author and China-expert Jonathan Clements focuses on the human stories which led to the powerful transformations in Chinese society—from the unification of China under its first emperor, Qinshi Huangdi, and the writings of the great Chinese philosophers Confucius and Laozi, to the Mongol invasion under Genghis Khan and the consolidation of Communist rule under Mao Zedong. Clements even brings readers through to the present day, outlining China's economic renaissance under Deng Xiaoping and Xi Jinping. What really separates this book from its counterparts is the focus on women, and modern themes such as diversity and climate change. Chinese history is typically told through the stories of its most famous men, but Clements' telling gives women equal time and research—which introduces readers of this book to equally important, but less commonly-known facts and historical figures.Often seen in the West in black or white terms—as either a savage dystopia or a fantastical paradise—China is revealed in the book as an exceptional yet troubled nation that nevertheless warrants its self-description as the Middle Kingdom.

Sarah Churchill Duchess of Marlborough: The Queen's Favourite


Ophelia Field - 2002
    Tied to Queen Anne by an intimate friendship, Sarah hoped to wield power equal to that of a government minister. When their relationship soured, she blackmailed Anne with letters revealing their intimacy, and accused her of perverting the course of national affairs by keeping lesbian favourites. Her spectacular arguments with the Queen, with the architects and workmen at Blenheim Palace, and with her own family made Sarah famous for her temper. Attacked for traits that might have been applauded in a man, Sarah was also capable of inspiring intense love and loyalty, deeply committed to her principles and to living what she believed to be a virtuous life.Sarah was a compulsive and compelling writer, narrating the major events of her day, with herself often at center stage. This biography brings her own voice, passionate and intelligent, back to life, and casts a critical eye over images of the Duchess handed down through art, history, and literature. Here is an unforgettable portrait of a woman who cared intensely about how we would remember her.