Millhauser is mine.”—David Rollow, Boston Sunday GlobeFrom the Pulitzer Prize–winning author: the essential stories across three decades that showcase his indomitable imagination.Steven Millhauser’s fiction has consistently, and to dazzling effect, dissolved the boundaries between reality and fantasy, waking life and dreams, the past and the future, darkness and light, love and lust. The stories gathered here unfurl in settings as disparate as nineteenth-century Vienna, a contemporary Connecticut town, the corridors of a monstrous museum, and Thomas Edison’s laboratory, and they are inhabited by a wide-ranging cast of characters, including a knife thrower and teenage boys, ghosts and a cartoon cat and mouse. But all of the stories are united in their unfailing power to surprise and enchant. From the earliest to the stunning, previously unpublished novella-length title story—in which a man who is dead, but not quite gone, reaches out to two lonely women—Millhauser in this magnificent collection carves out ever more deeply his wondrous place in the American literary canon.

    In this magnificent new book, she unfolds five pivotal moments in the lives of her characters and in the history of knowledge.During the summer of 1908, twelve-year-old Constantine Boyd is witness to an explosion of home-spun investigation—from experiments with cave-dwelling fish without eyes to scientifically bred crops to motorized bicycles and the flight of an early aeroplane. In 1920, a popular science writer and young widow tries, immediately after the bloodbath of the First World War, to explain the new theory of relativity to an audience (herself included) desperate to believe in an “ether of space” housing spirits of the dead. Half a century earlier, in 1873, a famous biologist struggles to maintain his sense of the hierarchies of nature as Darwin’s new theory of evolution threatens to make him ridiculous in the eyes of a precocious student. The twentieth-century realms of science and war collide in the last two stories, as developments in genetics and X-ray technology that had once held so much promise fail to protect humans—among them, a young American soldier, Constantine Boyd, sent to Archangel, Russia, in 1919—from the failures of governments and from the brutality of war.In these brilliant fictions rich with fact, Barrett explores the thrill and sense of loss that come with scientific progress and the personal passions and impersonal politics that shape all human knowledge.

    His wide-ranging, acclaimed stories from the last two decades, from The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven to his most recent PEN/Faulkner award-winning War Dances, have established him as a star in modern literature. A bold and irreverent observer of life among Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest, the daring, versatile, funny, and outrageous Alexie showcases all his talents in his newest collection, Blasphemy, where he unites fifteen beloved classics with fifteen new stories in one sweeping anthology for devoted fans and first-time readers. Included here are some of his most esteemed tales, including "What You Pawn I Will Redeem," "This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona,” "The Toughest Indian in the World,” and "War Dances.” Alexie’s new stories are fresh and quintessential—about donkey basketball leagues, lethal wind turbines, the reservation, marriage, and all species of contemporary American warriors.An indispensable collection of new and classic stories, Blasphemy reminds us, on every thrilling page, why Sherman Alexie is one of our greatest contemporary writers and a true master of the short story.

    With an increasing number of graduate and business school applicants and an increasing number of GRE test-takers—now a complete test overhaul by the test-maker—a high GRE score is critical to set yourself apart from the competition.New GRE 2011-2012 Premier with CD-ROM is a comprehensive package that includes a book, CD-ROM, and online companion with in-depth strategies, test information, and practice questions to help students score higher on the new GRE Revised General Test. New GRE 2011-2012 Premier with CD-ROM is fully updated and revised with 75 percent all-new content covering the revised and expanded Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing Assessment Test sections, including 50 percent new practice questions and brand new strategies for each of the new question types.New GRE 2011-2012 Premier with CD-ROM features:6 full-length practice tests (1 in the book, 5 online)400 practice questions and answer explanations on the CD-ROMA detailed overview of the test changesKey strategies for all New GRE question typesDetails and practice sets for the Verbal and Quantitative sectionsDiagnostic tool in end-of-chapter practice sets for even more targeted practiceAdvice for the graduate school application processKaplan guarantees that readers will score higher on the GRE Revised General Test using our guide—or get their money back.

     DRAWN TO YOU A one-night stand leaves two strangers craving for more. On the night she discovers her ex’s engagement, Rachel meets Landon, the sexiest man she’s ever seen, who, for some reason, mistakes her for a hooker. The thing is, he’s so sexy, and it’s just one night. What harm can there be in giving in to the desire to lose herself in his touch? 

Landon prefers his women beautiful and sophisticated, with no desire for romance or commitment, so when his brother ignores his protests and sends him a hooker on his birthday, he’s surprised by how willing he is to continue paying for her services. It should be easy, except she’s no hooker, and she has no intention of letting him into her life.

 As the billionaire owner of Swanson Court Hotels, Landon is accustomed to getting what he wants, and Rachel is not going to be an exception.
 WILD SEXY THING Daphne doesn’t want love, or romance, or sex, or even a relationship. She wants some time alone without casual sex with guys whose names she can’t be bothered to remember in the morning–a temporary period of celibacy. Too bad her new roommate’s brother is hot, insanely hot, like melt your panties and spread your legs kind of hot. From the moment she sets eyes on Jason Wild, Daphne can’t stop craving the sensual delight she knows she will find in his arms. Her self-imposed celibacy is no match for his blatant sexuality and all the naughty things he promises to do to her. Jason is not interested in commitment, and Daphne is done with hookups, but it’s only a matter of time before they indulge in their naughty fantasies about each other. Only, what happens after, when it’s time to walk away? AWAKENING (A DANGEROUS MAN #1) His voice is hoarse. “I am going to make love to you now,” he says. “So if you want me to stop, tell me.” 
I shake my head frantically. If he stops at this point, I’ll probably die.
 Sophie Bennett has virtually no experience with men. Orphaned from birth, she’s been sheltered all her life. So nothing prepares her for David Preston. The intensely attractive businessman is entirely out of her league and dangerous for her heart. Can she handle him, or is she in over her head? UNDENIABLE Her passion for him ruined her life once already, but he still has the power to make her crave him with just one touch. Olivia Wilder fell in love with Jackson Lockewood the first time she laid her eyes on him. She gave him her heart and her love, and she ended up alone, heartbroken, and with scars that were almost too much for her to bear.
 Seven years later, they cross paths again. Jackson is everything she remembers, only more irresistible. Underneath his disdain, his desire to possess her lights a response within her, but she has no desire to rekindle their past or face the pain of all those years ago.
 However, Jackson has no intention of making it easy for her. This time, he’s determined to make her pay for the past, and for the future they should have had, even if it means destroying her in the process. "Serena Grey drew me in and held my attention through the Awakening series. Knocked me out with her stand-alone "Undeniable" and most recently has body slammed me with "Drawn to You." - Epic Book Addict.

    Gioia has published five volumes of poetry, served as the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, and currently sits as the Poet Laureate of California, but he is also a graduate of Stanford Business School and was once a Vice President at General Foods. He has studied opera and is a published librettist, in addition to his prolific work in critical essay writing and editing literary anthologies. Having lived several lives, Gioia brings an insightful, varied, eclectic eye to this year’s Best American Poetry. With his classic essay “Can Poetry Matter?”, originally run in The Atlantic in 1991, Gioia considered whether there is a place for poetry to be a part of modern American mainstream culture. Decades later, the debate continues, but Best American Poetry 2018 stands as evidence that poetry is very much present, relevant, and finding new readers.

    Originally published in 1924 and long out of print, these tales are vintage Wharton, dealing boldly with such themes as infidelity, illegitimacy, jealousy, the class system, and the condition of women in society Included in this remarkable quartet are False Dawn, The Old Maid, The Spark, and New Year's Day.

    From the classically libidinous Henry Miller to the hilariously contemporary Fran Lebowitz, Drinking, Smoking and Screwing includes novel excerpts, essays, poems, and short stories in a bawdy and thoroughly entertaining anthology with no warnings -- and no apologies.

    And when those barriers are gone, all these ex-cons have is one shot at a future they never thought possible.Embark upon the journey five women take as they learn who they really are once they’ve been granted their freedom. With the Second Chance Ranch, they get more than they ever imagined. From falling in love and finding themselves, their stories will pull at your heartstrings as you cheer for unlikely heroes—heroes who will steal your heart. With one click, these women will be set free—for good.

     FANG CHRONICLES: MANDY’S STORY by D’Elen McClain- Every beastkind knows you don’t mess with a Kodiak bear—everyone that is except Mandy, the wolf-pack Alpha’s sister. When Mandy hears whispers that the bad attitude bear, Honey, has chosen a mate, she takes matters into her own hands because her wolf decided months before that Honey was hers. BIG BAD BEAST by Skhye Moncrief- Each wants the other, but neither can stand to be in the same room together…And each has secretly lusted for the other like a dark explosive sin. Stand back and watch the fireworks light up the Minnesota Territory’s post-apocalyptic sky because the BIG BAD BEAST can’t help but to huff and to puff and to blow Josie’s house in… FERAL FASCINATIONS by Skhye Moncrief- Their blood lust flares hotter than a solar storm…She seduced an earthling to create their were-assassin blood bond. Shanghaied to fight a war between vampires and werewolves, his gut shouts escape. But humanity needs a hero. Colliding in a universe of psychic mind-reading games, each realizes trusting the other is as dangerous as buying into their FERAL FASCINATIONS. THE GEORGIAN EMBRACE by Sky Purington- Everything changes for eighteenth century Isabel when Devin, a mysterious stranger claiming to be from the future, appears on her Georgian's worksite. Even as smoldering, unavoidable desire ignites between them they must struggle to stay one step ahead of the time-warping house caught in Calum's Curse. Better yet, the rival werewolf determined to finish the legacy it began. CARNAL THIRST by Celeste Anwar- When Danior found the woman being drained of life by one of his clan, for some unfathomable reason, he knew he could not allow her to die. Against the ruling of the council, Danior secrets her away, taking her through the change from human into vampire and forever changing life as she knows it. But the move ensures they will be outcasts--hunted to the death by his people. THE PROTECTORS DAMON by Teresa Gabelman- The Vampire Council Warriors have been ordered to train social workers how to protect themselves against vampire attacks. VC Warrior Damon DeMaster’s and social worker Nicole Callahan clash at their first meeting. Even as sparks fly and tensions mount, Nicole and Damon depend on each other to protect the children of both races against the new drug hitting the streets, Crimson Rush.

    There’s just one problem, Luke Carter… Six years ago she seduced him, but a realization had him turning his back on her and became the cause of her long exodus. But with her brother’s imminent deployment Bellamy knows she’s bound to see him. Luke Carter made the mistake of crossing a line he never should’ve crossed six years ago… He knows he’s the reason why Bellamy avoids home, and with her coming back home he’s hoping to make things right. He just wasn’t expecting her to look so damn beautiful. However, there’s one more problem, Bellamy’s been keeping a secret from Luke for past six years. When passion builds between them she knows that she must tell Luke the truth, but will it bring them closer together? Or will it drive them apart for good? SECOND CHANCES - BOOK #2 Stacy Hutchins thought she’d finally met the one, until a startling realization that shatters everything... Mark Jefferson, her undercover DEA agent boyfriend lied about one tiny little detail…his wife and kids. Stacy hates liars and cheaters so she kicks him to the curb. But Mark makes it very clear he will not go willingly. Has his obsession with Stacy tied them together forever? Or will Mark finally walk away? Dustin Carmichael swore off women a long time ago, until his sister reconnected with her best friend from high school, Stacy. But after a perfect month together, a year ago, Stacy played the ‘friends’ card. Unfortunately, they’ve been good friends ever since. When Stacy life turns to shambles, Dustin’s more then willing to be there for her. As she tries to get herself together, Stacy finds herself in another dilemma, she can no longer deny the feelings she’s always had for Dustin. Will her failure to see that Dustin has changed stop them from having something everlasting? BEGIN AGAIN - BOOK #3 Two years ago Journey Cummings spent two of the best weeks of her life with the man of her dreams, until he left her without even a goodbye… Journey has spent the last two years trying to find the man that left her high and dry after two blissful weeks together, but he seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. With no hope in finding the father of her son, she tried to just move on, until a chance encounter changes everything. Dylan Carmichael knew he messed up when he lied and walked away from Journey two years ago, but it was over and there was nothing he could do about it now… That is until she walked into his brother's reception on the arm of another and drops the biggest bombshell, he has a son. Can Dylan prove to Journey that he won't walk away again and can she trust him with her heart and their son? When tragedy strikes can Dylan be man enough to keep their new little family together before it falls apart? ONE DAY AT A TIME - BOOK #4 For the past 4 years Cash has been living his life one day at a time… Finally sober, he's running is own business and repairing his relationship with his sister. He's happy with his life and proud of the accomplishments he's made. Now if only he could completely forgive himself for the mistakes he's made. Tessa Brooks has lived a simple life… She helps her widowed brother raise his daughter and spends her days surrounded by books.

    Featuring popular tales such as “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog” and “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg,” as well as some delightful excerpts from The Diaries of Adam and Eve, this compilation also includes darker works written in the author’s twilight years. These selections illuminate the depth of Twain’s artistry, humor, irony, and narrative genius.From the Trade Paperback edition.Jim Smiley and his jumping frog --The story of the bad little boy who didn't come to grief --Cannibalism in the cars --Journalism in Tennessee --The story of the good little boy who did not prosper --How I edited an agricultural paper once --Political ecoonomy --A true story, repeated word for word as I heard it --The facts concerning the recent carnival of crime in Connecticut --Punch, brothers, punch! --Jim Baker's blue-jay yarn --The stolen white elephant --The McWilliamses and the burglar alarm --The private history of a campaign that failed --Extracts from Adam's diary --The man that corrupted Hadleyburg --The $30,000 bequest --Eve's diary --Captain Stormfield's visit to heaven --Letter from the recording angel --The great dark --The second advent ; Appendix War times --Private history of the "Jumping Frog" story --How to tell a story.

    Driven by love or loneliness, like the man in the title, they’ve boxed themselves in. Frank Tavares tells their stories with humor and compassion. And while the themes may be familiar”"crumbling marriages, feuding neighbors, sparring business partners, and the endless searching for what might have been”"here they become fresh, unpredictable, and surprising. This exciting debut collection from a first-rate storyteller will haunt and fascinate you long after you finish reading. You may never look at a chance pick-up in a bar the same way again.

    Included are:BETTY ZANE (1903)SPIRIT OF THE BORDER (1906)THE LAST OF THE PLAINSMEN (1908)THE LAST TRAIL (1909)THE SHORTSTOP (1909)THE HERITAGE OF THE DESERT (1910)THE YOUNG FORESTER (1910)THE YOUNG PITCHER (1911)THE YOUNG LION HUNTER (1911)THE HORSES OF BOSTIL’S FORD (1912)RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE (1912)TIGRE (1913)FANTOMS OF PEACE (1913)DESERT GOLD (1913)THE RUSTLERS OF PECOS COUNTY (1914)THE LIGHT OF WESTERN STARS (1914)THE LONE STAR RANGER (1915)THE RAINBOW TRAIL (1915)THE BORDER LEGION (1916)WILDFIRE (1917)THE U. P. TRAIL (1918)THE DESERT OF WHEAT (1919)TALES OF FISHES (1919)THE MAN OF THE FOREST (1920)THE REDHEADED OUTFIELD (1920)THE RUBE (1920)THE RUBE’S PENNANT (1920)THE RUBE’S HONEYMOON (1920)THE RUBE’S WATERLOO (1920)BREAKING INTO FAST COMPANY (1920)THE KNOCKER (1920)THE WINNING BALL (1920)FALSE COLORS (1920)THE MANAGER OF MADDEN’S HILL (1920)OLD WELL-WELL (1920)THE MYSTERIOUS RIDER (1921)TO THE LAST MAN (1921)THE DAY OF THE BEAST (1922)TALES OF LONELY TRAILS (1922)THE CALL OF THE CANYON (1924)VALLEY OF WILD HORSES (1927)THE WILD-HORSE HUNTER (1933)And don't forget to search this ebook store for "Wildside Megapack" to see many more entries in this series, covering westerns, mysteries, science fiction, and much, much more!"

    Every day the cynical, cigar-chomping, hard-drinking monkey climbs into his Spitfire to do battle with the waves of German ninjas parachuting over the gentle fields of Kent. But life is not all the joyous rattle of machine guns and the roar of the engine, as Ack-Ack is about to find out… Because it is not 1944. It is the 21st century, in a world where France and Germany merged in the late 1950s, where nuclear-powered Zeppelins circle the globe, where technology is rapidly changing humanity, and Ack-Ack has lived his whole life in a videogame. Ex-journalist Victoria Valois finds herself drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the man who butchered her husband and stole his electronic soul. The heir to the British throne is on the run after an illegal break-in at a research laboratory, and Ack-Ack has been rudely awakened from his game world to find the doomsday clock ticking towards Armageddon… Two unlikely heroes and one mightily pissed-off monkey come together in a sci-fi trilogy full of action, adventure, bananas and bottles of rum. Includes the original Ack-Ack Macaque short story and a brand new epilogue, The Last Macaque.