![]() ![]() With unprecedented access to all of Christie's letters, papers, and notebooks, as well as fresh and insightful interviews with her grandson, daughter, son-in-law and their living relations, Thompson is able to unravel not only the detailed workings of Christie's detective fiction, but the truth behind this mysterious woman. ![]() Arguably the greatest crime writer in the world, Christie's books still sell over four million copies each year-more than thirty years after her death-and it shows no signs of slowing.But who was the woman behind these mystifying, yet eternally pleasing, puzzlers? Thompson reveals the Edwardian world in which Christie grew up, explores her relationships, including those with her two husbands and daughter, and investigates the many mysteries still surrounding Christie's life, most notably, her eleven-day disappearance in 1926.Agatha Christie is as mysterious as the stories she penned, and writing about her is a detection job in itself. A brilliant and award winning biographer, Laura Thompson now turns her sharp eye to Agatha Christie. ![]() It has been one hundred years since Agatha Christie wrote her first novel and created the formidable Hercule Poirot. ![]()
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![]() As a result, Barker and Llewelyn are brought in to help track down the assassin and others who might conspire against the life of the tsesarevich. Rumored to be the target of a professional assassin known only as La Sylphide, and the subject of conspiracies against his life by his own family who covet his future throne, Nicholas is protected by not only private security, but the professional forces of both England and Russia.Īll of these measures prove inadequate when Prince George of England is attacked by an armed anarchist who mistakes him for Nicholas. In June of 1893, the future Nicholas II travels to London for a royal wedding, bringing with him his private security force and his ballerina mistress, Mathilde Kchessinska. ![]() London, 1893: Private enquiry agents Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn are called in to protect Tsesarevich Nicholas from nefarious forces as he travels to England for a royal wedding-in Dance with Death, the next mystery in Will Thomas’s beloved series. ![]() ![]() ![]() Packed with groundbreaking research, Fierce Valor unveils a compelling portrait of an officer defined by boldness on the battlefield and a telling reminder that few soldiers escape the power of their own pasts. Tested by trials of extreme training, military rivalry, and lost love, Speirs's international odyssey begins as an immigrant child in Prohibition-era Boston, continues through the bloody campaigns in France, Holland, and Germany, and sheds light on his lesser known exploits in Korea, the Cold War, and embattled Laos. Fierce Valor tells the story about perhaps the most mysterious and legendary man to have served in Easy and Dog Company, Ronald Speirs, a man who made a name and reputation for himself in combat and was the subject of several stories and his exploits.Jared Frederick and Erik Dorr are informative in their words. ![]() In Fierce Valor, historians Jared Frederick and Erik Dorr unveil the full story of Easy Company's longest-serving commander for the first time. Rumored to have gunned down enemy prisoners and even one of his own disobedient sergeants, Speirs' became a foxhole legend amongst his troops. His comrades called him "Killer." Of the elite paratroopers who served in the venerated "Band of Brothers" during World War II, none were more enigmatic than Ronald Speirs. Ambrose's Band of Brothers will be drawn to this complex portrait of the controversial Ronald Speirs, an iconic commander of Easy Company during World War II, whose ferocious courage in three foreign conflicts was matched by his devotion to duty and the bittersweet passions of wartime romance. ![]() ![]() ![]() But in the limelight, Lou begins to fear that she’s losing her identity-as an individual, as an artist, and as a person still in love with the girl she left behind.Ī sharply observed and intimate story of grief and healing, doubt and self-acceptance set against the hyper-image-conscious industry of modeling and high fashion, Body Grammar shines with the anxieties of finding your place in the world and the heartbreaking beauty of pursuing love. It’s a whirlwind of learning how to walk and how to command a body she’s never felt at ease in. Determined to find a purpose, Lou moves to New York and steps into the dizzying world of international fashion shows, haute couture, and editorial shoots. ![]() She prefers to take photographs, especially of Ivy, her close friend and secret crush.īut when a hike ends in a tragic accident, Lou finds herself lost and ridden with guilt. Lou has no interest in fashion or being in the spotlight. A sharply observed and intimate story of grief and healing, doubt and self-acceptance set against the hyper-image-conscious industry of modeling and high fashion, Body Grammar shines with the anxieties of finding your place in the world and the heartbreaking beauty of pursuing love. ![]() A coming-of-age queer love story set in the glamorous but grueling world of international modeling-a radiant debut by a talented new writer.īy the time Lou turns eighteen, modeling agents across Portland have scouted her for her striking androgynous look. ![]() ![]() ![]() ( Circe was also on that list but I already had a shiny, new copy at home so I couldn’t buy it again. One of them was an extremely popular title that also happened to fall within the Greek mythology theme: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. ![]() Ten per cent off everything, suckas! I walked up to the bookstore and with my wishlist in hand I pulled three titles from the shelves that were near the top of the list. It was okay, though, because not only did I have a bookstore within walking distance, I also had a coupon left for me on the dresser for said bookstore. (I did do that a few times, too.) So mid-week, I had out-read the few books on the bedside table. If I had put in enough hours writing on any given day, I chose slowly winding my brain down most nights instead of burning the midnight oil and then crashing with a buzzing cerebrum. I kept the bibliopacking list slim but it turned out that my late evenings were spent mostly reading. When I was on my writing residency this year, I actually didn’t bring enough books. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() He only spluttered himself into exhaustion and then sent me away, and I didn't mind his shouting at all, now I knew there were no teeth in it to rend me. ![]() He roared at me furiously for ten minutes after he finally managed to put out the sulky and determined fire, calling me a witless muttonheaded spawn of pig farmers - "My father's a woodcutter," I said - "Of axe-swinging lummocks!" he snarled. But when she finds herself alone in his tower, she discovers the Dragon isn't as fearsome as he seems - and that her powers are more than they seem. Every 10 years, he takes one village girl to his tower 10 years later, he lets her go, with a fine wardrobe and a purse full of silver, but the girls are changed by the experience, and none of them stay home for long.Īgnieszka is convinced the Dragon won't choose her - she's plain, messy, magical only in her ability to rip and stain any item of clothing. Naomi Novik is best known for the Temeraire series - rousing adventure tales of a man and his dragon, set in an alternate-universe version of the Napoleonic Wars where France and England battle it out across land, sea and sky with the help of dragons.īut the Dragon in her new novel, Uprooted, is a man, not a monster - that's the name of the dreaded sorcerer who lives at the edge of a terrible forest, protecting the villages in his valley from horrors great and small, for a price. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title Uprooted Author Naomi Novik ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() At the age of seven, he started singing in church. After the separation of his parents, he grew up in Louisiana, Sacramento on the poultry farm of his maternal grandparents. Greenwood was born in South Gate, California, a few miles south of Los Angeles. ![]() His 1983 single "I.O.U." was also a top-five hit on the adult contemporary charts, and a number 53 on the Hot 100. He also has charted seven number-ones on the US Hot Country Songs list in his career: " Somebody's Gonna Love You", " Going, Going, Gone", " Dixie Road", " I Don't Mind the Thorns (If You're the Rose)", " Don't Underestimate My Love For You", " Hearts Aren't Made to Break (They're Made to Love)", and " Mornin' Ride". Greenwood is known for his patriotic signature song " God Bless the U.S.A.", which was originally released and successful in 1984, and became popular again during the Gulf War in 1991 and after the September 11, 2001, attacks (becoming his highest charting pop hit, reaching number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100), and again during the 20 United States presidential elections as President Donald Trump's rally introduction track. ![]() Active since 1962, he has released more than 20 major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the Billboard country music charts. Melvin Lee Greenwood (born October 27, 1942) is an American country music singer-songwriter. ![]() ![]() ![]() She was feeling suddenly daring, and older, and married. “They’re mating,” Tess said, turning to look at him. “You have some unusual bits of information, Tess.” He tipped his head back to watch the birds in flight, as she was doing. “From Latin, cisterna,” she said agreeably, not taking her eyes from the starlings. A few drunken-looking birds were whirling and swooping after each other. His wife was looking straight up into the sky, so he looked as well. “This must have led to a cistern,” he said. ![]() After poking at the hole for a moment, he couldn’t think how to carry on a pretense of interest. But the bathroom was manifestly uninteresting. He carefully supported Tess down the fall of rocks in the corner. I’m thinking of putting in a plunge-bath myself.” “If you would not object, I would be glad to take a second look at the pipe system leading to the bath. “I found that bathing room extremely interesting,” he answered calmly. ![]() ![]() ![]() The fear of fitting in and the character Simone’s insecurity can be connected to all of the stories that we hear about young teenagers taking their lives simply because did not feel as though they would fit in or they were made to believe that they were not good enough. ![]() Throughout the novel, the reader is shown the theme of teenage insecurities and the standards of social norms. The metaphorical term ‘Koran wielding’ conveys to the readers the misconception that Muslims use the Quran as a weapon to attack Australians. This issue of cultural and religious prejudice is further seen when the driver of the bus increases the volume as the radio declares the imperative “Australians are under threat of being attacked by these Koran-wielding people” (pg. The colloquial language has been used here to create a conversational tone for readers to connect and reflect on these issues happening. ![]() ![]() Locking their girls up in the house” (pg. This prejudice leads the main protagonist, Amal, to suffer from Islamophobic views and discrimination as seen by her hesitation to discuss things openly with her friend through colloquial language “I’m worried that she’ll think, Oh, typical Muslim nutters. In the novel, people hold negative perceptions regarding Islam as a result of the media and a lack of personal understanding towards the Muslims. Prejudice occurs as a result of misconceptions regarding somebody’s beliefs, culture or gender. ![]() ![]() ![]() World War I intensifies, and the pressures of war can be felt in Maisie's England. When Maisie becomes old enough she attends Girton College at Cambridge University, but threats of war soon intervene. Blanche, a discreet investigator, teaches Maisie as much as he can about psychology, science, and anything else Maisie is willing to learn. Soon after getting caught in Lady Compton's library fulfilling her joy of reading and learning, Maisie is introduced to Maurice Blanche, close friend of the Comptons, and becomes his pupil. Maisie becomes a maid at the Belgravia Mansion of Lady Rowan Compton in 1910 at thirteen years old, after her mother dies, and she must help her father make ends meet. It is the first in the series of Maisie Dobbs novels. ![]() Generally well received by critics, mostly because of Maisie's quirky character, the novel was nominated for several awards and received the 2003 Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Set in England between 19, it features the title character Maisie Dobbs, a private investigator building her business in the aftermath of the First World War. ![]() Maisie Dobbs is a 2003 mystery novel by Jacqueline Winspear. ![]() |