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Shirley Jackson Award Finalist: “The stories in this collection range from unsettling to downright chilling, but are uniformly intelligent... and memorable.” —Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times–bestselling author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves This collection of nine stories, suffused with apocalyptic anxiety and stubborn hope, comes from an author widely acclaimed for his mix of the fantastic, the menacing, and the melancholy—and includes, among other tales, “The End of the World As We Know It,” a Nebula and International Horror Guild Award finalist; “The End of the End of Everything,” a Shirley Jackson Award winner; and “The Bluehole,” a Bram Stoker Award finalist. “Nine gorgeously-written and closely-observed tales of ordinary people trying to hold it together when everything is falling apart.... I can't think of a more accomplished master of the fantastic short form. Prepare to hunt feral Girl Scouts! Pack your bags for a dinosaur safari! Invite friends to your end of the world party! Dale Bailey is the poet of the apocalypse; his stories are guaranteed to haunt you.” —James Patrick Kelly, Nebula Award–winning author of The First Law of Thermodynamics “There's a wonderful clarity in the writing, a strong emotional center in each piece, fully realized characters, and as dark as these pieces get, and they get dark, Bailey, unlike a lot of his contemporaries, never forgets the humor, which makes the darkness more profound. Nine stories that will stay with you long after the reading is done.” —Jeffrey Ford, World Fantasy Award–winning author of Big Dark Hole

A disgruntled grad student finds a way to get rid of his problems in this “creepy, satiric twist on the campus novel” with an “utterly chilling ending” (Publishers Weekly).An International Horror Guild and Shirley Jackson Award–Winning Author and a Bram Stoker Award Nominee Massive crowds of adoring fans gather at West Georgia University's football stadium every Saturday to see the mighty Fighting Bobcats. Underneath the stadium, in a dingy office, PhD student Alex Kern toils away, grading undergrads'papers, struggling to pass his own classes, and bemoaning his crumbling romantic relationship. Then one day, he discovers a strange, seemingly bottomless hole. When Alex throws a rock into it, he can't hear it land. And before long, he throws something else into it: a very annoying student. But nothing happens. No missing-person alerts. No investigations. Alex then disposes of a world-renowned Ezra Pound scholar. Still nothing. Everything appears to be fine. Until he makes the mistake of dropping the Fighting Bobcats'star quarterback down the hole... “Takes on every aspect of campus life with razor-sharp glee, especially the all-too-common elevation of sports over academics, and the unforgiving hierarchy of academia. Alex's metamorphosis, from basically decent to completely unhinged, is both terrifying and fascinating.” —Publishers Weekly

Experience a colorful year in the life of a novelist and her partner as they run a Glastonbury witchcraft supply shop in this charming memoir. While some might know Glastonbury for its five-day music festival, the Somerset market town is also known as a center of pilgrimage and miracles. For over a thousand years, visitors have come to Glastonbury for Christ, the goddess, the god, angels, and fairies, as well as solutions and answers. It is also where novelist Liz Williams met Trevor Jones, the owner of a witchcraft shop. Their relationship began to flourish, and in 2005, Liz took the plunge and moved from Brighton to Glastonbury to live and work with Trevor. Her life would never be the same... In Diary of a Witchcraft Shop, Liz and Trevor share anecdotes from the course of one year in their lives. Experience the eccentric day-to-day life of a small business in a tourist town, with staff troubles and quirky customers. Get a glimpse of the pagan world, its rituals, and its holidays. Travel with Liz and Trevor to the Houses of Parliament, Ireland, Brittany, and elsewhere. There are also plenty of surprises, too, like Shetland ponies and the TARDIS. Full of humor as well as insightful observations from life's light-hearted—and sometimes dark—moments, Diary of a Witchcraft Shop shows that sometimes life is stranger than fiction.

The former American History editor explores the creation and restoration of an essential part of a twentieth-century home's identity—the American porch. “In this delightful look at an American icon, journalist and documentary scriptwriter... Dolan traces the history of the porch, using this history to explore subjects such as architecture, history, slavery, colonialism, trade, anthropology, sociology, consumer behavior, and publishing.” —Library Journal In 1981, Michael Dolan and his wife, Eileen O'Toole, bought a 1926 suburban bungalow in the Palisades area of Washington, DC. It was a fixer-upper and DIY project that consumed their lives for twelve years. As rooms were transformed with updated electrical wiring and plumbing, the house's porch became a storage area, rotating appliances, furniture, and construction materials as they were used and discarded. After the interior renovation was completed, Michael finally turned his attention to the porch, working with contractors to resurrect it—a reconstruction that inspired him to uncover the history of porches and their significance as a symbolic piece of Americana. “In praise of the porch: Come up and sit a spell.” —USA Today “A wry, well-researched look at the place and the people who rocked, talked and courted on [the American porch] for three centuries.” —Parade “The porch is making a comeback, gradually replacing its humbler rival the deck, which the traditionalist Dolan refers to as the platform shoe or leisure suit of American architecture.” —Time “Dolan amply demonstrates that the porch is primarily a means of escaping the heat and, almost as important, a locus for casual social interaction.” —Publishers Weekly

New York Times–bestselling author Dr. Angelo Acquista offers a weight loss regimen and delicious recipes designed to improve overall wellness. Created from fresh, plant-based ingredients, the cuisine of Sicily is one of the world's most balanced—and flavorful—diets. These Mediterranean recipes combine essential proteins, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and fat to nourish our bodies with the natural antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that sustain our health and fight disease. Diagnoses of obesity, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, hypertension, depression, and heart disease, among many other conditions, have been linked to the processed fast-food meals that have come to dominate our lifestyles. Sharing his family's recipes, Dr. Angelo Acquista reveals how anyone can prepare healthy, tasty food to reduce their risks of developing debilitating and life-threatening illnesses. He also provides a weight-loss meal plan calculated to help readers lose between five to ten pounds in two weeks. From breakfast through dinner, appetizer to dessert, in The Mediterranean Prescription, you'll find amazing recipes for every taste, including: Chickpea Salad Minestrone Soup Baked Zucchini with Eggplant and Tomatoes Broiled Portobello Mushrooms Spaghetti with Shrimp and Cognac Sauce Pizza Sweet and Sour Tuna Salmon with Orange and Lemon Chicken Cacciatore Filet Mignon Rib Roast Poached Pears in Chianti And much more! With tips and strategies on maintaining your healthy eating lifestyle, including how to stock your pantry and fridge, smart restaurant dining choices, exercises, and the best food for your children, Dr. Acquista's knowledge and menu is a prescription for life.

Cultural shifts of the late twentieth century reveal dark secrets at an elite prep school, in this posthumously discovered novel by the author of “Our Crowd.” Located in bucolic Connecticut, the Crittenden School has long held a venerable reputation as one of New England's premier preparatory schools. However, times are changing, and that change is coming to Crittenden. In the midst of social upheaval, the headmaster's wife, Clarissa Spotswood, is thrust into faculty and student intrigues—a role for which she is woefully unprepared. Clarissa has spent the past thirty years quietly standing by her husband, Headmaster Hobart Spotswood, projecting the image of the model society wife. But this meticulous façade is shattered when Clarissa uncovers horrific events within the school's insular community. And interspersed with the drama is Clarissa's own journal entries revealing a secret history of her own. Previously unpublished, The Headmaster's Wife was written by the late Stephen Birmingham, author of notable works such as Real Lace and Life at the Dakota. Discovered after Birmingham's death, the manuscript was transcribed and edited by his son, Carey Birmingham.

An inspiring history of the voting rights movement in America, from Frederick Douglass and Alice Paul to John Lewis, James Clyburn, and the Obamas. At the country's founding, voting rights were only extended to white male property owners. Although those rights had expanded to men regardless “of their race, color, or previous condition of servitude” in 1870, it wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that barriers African Americans faced were struck down. Meanwhile, the fight for women's suffrage wasn't won until 1920. Native Americans finally gained citizenship and the right to vote in 1924, and young men of eighteen who faced military draft could not vote until 1971. For 250 years, Americans have marched and fought, been beaten and jailed—and even died—to win and protect the right to vote. Progress has been hard-won and incremental. In Every Vote Is a Prayer, Cathy Cambron chronicles those battles and urges us to remember, as Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves―and the only way they could do that is by not voting at all.”

The Vatican adoption scandal seen on 60 Minutes. “I was spellbound... one of the best books I've recently read” —Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Olive Kitteridge. A powerful church. An acquiescent government. In The Price of Children, investigative journalist Maria Laurino details the shocking story of mothers and children deceived and exploited as directed by the highest levels of the Vatican. Between 1950 and 1970, the Vatican and the American Catholic Church sent nearly four thousand Italian children to the United States for adoption into “good” Catholic homes. With the religious stigma of unwed motherhood turning families against daughters and a Church and State wanting “illegitimate” children sent abroad, mothers were lied to, given forms to sign that they didn't understand, or even told their baby had died, all to further supply this international adoption pipeline. Maria Laurino uncovers archival correspondence among priests who ran this program; provides testimonies from birth mothers and their adopted children; and with passion and insight, considers how the intersection of Catholicism, women, sex, and sin shaped private lives. The Price of Children is a moving and brilliant account about the tenacity of people searching for their origins and trying to answer long-buried questions. It is a chilling lesson for post-Dobbs America as the author describes the danger of a powerful church and acquiescent government dictating the shape of a woman's life. “I could not put this book down. An amazing read. Laurino eloquently unfolds the nefarious history of the Italian ‘war adoptions'in a manner that is entirely readable and clear as a bell, her research precise and well rendered.” —Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize–winning author “An extraordinary work of investigative journalism.” —Corriere della Sera “By shedding light on the mistreatment suffered by single mothers of that time, [The Price of Children] invites all women to defend those civil rights which, today, are questioned in many parts of the world.” —Vanity Fair Italia “[An] astonishing investigative work.... Maria Laurino's painful, very rich and very human book.... Helps us ask fundamental questions about the present and the future.” —Doppiozero

The classic first-person account of the sinking of the Titanic by a journalist and survivor of this historic tragedy. In April of 1912, the luxury ocean liner RMS Titanic embarked on its maiden voyage. Leaving Southampton, England, its passengers ranged from a “who's who” of the British upper class to humble travelers hoping to start new lives in America. But very few of those aboard would survive after the ship collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Among those who did survive was Lawrence Beesley, a journalist who, after witnessing the ship sink from a lifeboat, recorded his harrowing experience in The Loss of the S.S. Titanic. Here is Beesley's authoritative account of the Titanic, from the ship's construction, the fanfare surrounding its departure, its fateful collision, the survivors'rescue aboard the RMS Carpathia, and the lessons learned from the terrible tragedy.

The story of a Boston heiress who wishes for nothing—except happiness—by a New York Times–bestselling author who “never falters when it comes to storytelling” (Publishers Weekly). Caroline Ames is rich beyond imagining. But after a childhood with a cold, rejecting father, she is irrationally terrified of poverty, seething with hostility, and incapable of giving or receiving love. Those who cross her path tend to find themselves at the very least suffering, if not thoroughly broken.A Prologue to Love introduces three generations of the Ames family during the Gilded Age and the early twentieth century—painting a compassionate portrait of a difficult woman, those who have hurt her, and those she has hurt. It is a vivid, profoundly moving novel that explores the damage that everyday evil can do—and what it takes to overcome it.

New York Times Bestseller: In Victorian Britain, an affluent woman hosts a group of Catholic priests in her home—and listens as they tell their stories. Rose, a young girl visiting her grandmother, sits among eleven priests from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. As each guest shares the most challenging moments of their vocations, tests of faith that have brought them face-to-face with the miseries, temptations, and evils that lurk beyond the peaceful confines of the rectory, their worldly, wealthy hostess and her granddaughter come to learn the struggles and outcomes of these confrontations with the human condition. “The priests themselves represent a mixed lot—men of exalted backgrounds, culture, worldly experience, who have found their hardest task bringing themselves down to the humble people of their flocks; men who understand only the intellectual, realistic aspects of their faith—and must learn to accept the mystical as well; men who hide their saintliness under uncouth exteriors, who learn the hard way to love their fellow men, who encounter devils as well as saints, murderers, sinners.... Lively reading.” —Kirkus Reviews

A bestseller “alive with the bustle of ancient times” that “movingly reconstructs St. Luke's search for God” (The New York Times). Two millennia ago, a Greek man known as Lucanus traveled to Alexandria to study medicine. He would become one of the greatest doctors of his time and heal the sick all throughout the Mediterranean world. But his extraordinary work as a physician is not his greatest legacy. Today he is known around the world as St. Luke—author of the third Gospel of the New Testament. He never laid eyes on Jesus, but he heard about Christ's life and death, and saw God in Him. He retraced Jesus's steps and sought out those who had known Him—including His mother, Mary. The resulting account is a cornerstone of Christianity and world history. From the celebrated author of Captains and the Kings and Great Lion of God comes this stirring and deeply inspiring story, counted “among the bestselling religious novels of all time” (The New York Times Book Review). “A portrait so moving and so eloquent I doubt it is paralleled elsewhere in literature.” —Boston Herald “Magnificent.... [Caldwell] has made St. Luke a real and believable man and recreated on a vast canvas the times and people of his day. You see as large as life all the glory and decadence of Rome and all the strife, turmoil and mysticism of Africa.... A glowing and passionate statement of belief.” —The Columbus Citizen

From the New York Times–bestselling author, a tale of family tensions and foul play at a snowed-in Connecticut country house... Laura and Henry Frazier, David Gates, and Alice Bullowe are in Connecticut for Christmas. The family is staying in a country home Laura inherited from her aunt, Clara, and Alice, also a niece of the late Clara Beame, is more than a little disappointed by the terms of the will. As an edge of hostility threatens to spoil the party, the drama only grows as manipulative games are played, a blizzard roars outside, a surprise guest arrives—and the holiday turns more scary than merry... “One of the few mysteries where no one at all seems to be off limits as the murderer.” —Dead YesterdayPraise for Taylor Caldwell “Her sense of timing and her ability to keep even the most alert reader guessing is something readers don't find very often.” —Hartford Courant “This bestselling author can tell an engrossing story.” —Publishers Weekly

An in-the-room account of John Colt's scandalous nineteenth-century murder trial from “America's principal chronicler of its greatest psychopathic killers” (Boston Review). In this masterful account, renowned true-crime historian Harold Schechter takes you into the life and crimes of convicted murderer John Caldwell Colt, drawing parallels between John's rise to notoriety and his brother Samuel Colt's rise to fame as the inventor of the legendary revolver. With a killing that made headlines around the nation, John Colt became a cultural touchstone whose shocking villainy inspired and provoked such writers as Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, and Herman Melville. Unlike his brother, John lived a nomadic existence, bouncing from one job to another. His one distinction, writing a reference accounting book, would play a part in his fall from grace. For in New York City, on September 17, 1841, John murdered printer Samuel Adams with a hatchet during a heated argument over proceeds from book sales. A media circus ensued, galvanizing the penny press, which printed lurid headlines and gruesome woodcut illustrations. The standing-room-only trial created unforgettable moments in legal history, including such dramatic evidence as Samuel Adams's decomposed head. The verdict and its aftermath would reverberate throughout the country and beyond, giving John Colt lasting infamy. “[Schechter] leads us through Colt's trial with such precision that you can smell the cigar smoke in the courtroom.... Killer Colt succeeds in making us care about this story now by showing why it mattered to so many people then.” —HistoryNet

The original Marvel rollicking space opera where the brother Gods of Thunder and Mischief team up to retrieve a deadly, cursed crown. Long ago, Thor saved the people of Miskander from a rebellious horde. As a thank you for his selfless heroism, he was gifted a crown which he safely stored on Asgard. Until Loki stole it. The Trickster God has been partying hard as a rock band guitarist and thought it would be fun to bequeath the crown to the lead singer, Nihilator, unaware of its true significance—and the corruptive, destructive influence of its true power. Joining forces with the Korean tiger-goddess Horangi, a band of space pirates—and Loki—Thor must not only recover the crown from Nihilator to stop an apocalypse, but also redeem himself for the role he played during the so-called revolution on Miksander... Thor: Metal Gods is a collaborative novel by Aaron Stewart-Ahn, Jay Edidin, Brian Keene, and Yoon Ha Lee.

A stressed out, super-powered private investigator puts herself in harm's way in pursuit of justice in this original Marvel story. As a private eye in New York City, it's Jessica Jones's job to investigate humanity's worst, unleashed impulses. Possessing superhuman strength and endurance does nothing to help her process other people's tragedies, much less her own slate of unresolved traumatic issues. Realizing drinking and hitting things is no way to cope with her problems—no matter how much fun it is—Jessica gives therapy a try. But she finds it hard to look after herself when so many people need help. Hired to find a missing boy, Jessica follows a trail that ends with his dead body, the apparent victim of a drug overdose. Her gut instinct tells her the case isn't solved, leading Jessica into an even deeper, darker mystery... Jessica Jones: Playing With Fire is a collaborative novel by Lauren Beukes, Vita Ayala, Sam Beckbessinger, Zoe Quinn, and Elsa Sjunneson.

T'Challa fights for Wakanda's future while reckoning with its past in this original Marvel super hero story. Isolated from the world, the African kingdom of Wakanda is a land of scientific and technological marvels unknown to countries even on its own continent. Previous rulers believed that their nation could only survive by closely guarding Wakanda's secrets and keeping them out of the hands of those who would exploit and weaponize them. King T'Challa, the Black Panther, believes the time has come to share his nation's knowledge and resources with the world, including former apartheid state Rudyarda. As Wakanda's politicians debate for and against aiding a former colonized region with an infamous history, the kingdom's past deeds come to light when T'Challa's father, T'Chaka, is resurrected from the ancestral plane—prepared to reclaim both his rule and the Black Panther mantle. But T'Chaka isn't the only one to return from the spiritual realm. As dead men rise and political rivals act against him, T'Challa turns to those he trusts most—Shuri, Okoye, and Misty Knight—to uncover who, or what, is responsible for bringing the dead back to life. As the chaos spirals around him, threatening all of Wakanda, T'Challa must face T'Chaka and acknowledge the failings of his father's rule. Black Panther: Sins of the King is a collaborative novel by Ira Madison III, Geoffrey Thorne, Tananarive Due, Mohale Mashigo, and Steven Barnes.

Based on the comic book series by Frank Miller and John Romita Jr., a prose adaptation exploring the origin story of the crime-fighting vigilante. Raised by a single father and tormented by bullies, Matt Murdock thought he understood how to survive on the streets of his New York City neighborhood. Until his life was irrevocably altered when he was blinded by radioactive materials while saving a man's life. But the accident also left Matt with a profoundly keener strength in all his other senses, a power he hones with the help of a tough mentor. Soon, Matt is transformed into a finely tuned weapon—a weapon with a purpose he does not fully understand until his father is brutally murdered. Struggling with his rage, Matt takes to the streets, exacting vengeance until destroying evil doers becomes second nature and he becomes... Daredevil. This thrilling novelization by Paul Crilley adapts the comic book series by Frank Miller and John Romita Jr.

Wild West lore collides with a life of crime in this biographical novel of the legendary Cherokee outlaw. Growing up on Indian Territory in Oklahoma, Henry Starr had an illustrious family lineage: half Cherokee warriors, half western outlaws. Inspired by dime-store novels and old family tales, he began robbing banks to avenge the bitter mistreatment of his people. But while Starr's criminal career soon made him a legend, it also won him a death sentence. That was years ago, before a lucky twist of fate set Henry free. But while the world has changed around him, the myth of the outlaw Henry Starr lives on. Now his best chance at a new life is to work in Hollywood—depicting his former self in silent films. As Henry is drawn into a glamorized version of his own past, it becomes difficult to separate truth from fiction. And he soon finds himself returning to the life that made him a notorious icon. A fictionalized tale of Henry Starr's dramatic life, novelist and historian Richard Slotkin brings authentic period detail to this saga of the frontier.

The EGOT-winning composer of The Way We Were and A Chorus Line recounts his remarkable life from childhood to Broadway and Hollywood. The son of Jewish Viennese immigrants, six-year-old Marvin Hamlisch's early musical talent and discipline led him to Julliard, where he studied for more than a decade. From there, Hamlisch got his start as a rehearsal pianist for Funny Girl starring Barbra Streisand. He went on to co-create the classic American musical A Chorus Line and wrote the Oscar Award–winning musical score for The Way We Were. Hamlisch is one of only a handful of people to achieve EGOT status—winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony. In this autobiography, Hamlisch tells the tale of his life and career, revealing personal stories of his childhood, his marriage, and his friendships with stars including Liza Minnelli, Groucho Marx, and others. It offers an intimate view of his life and a compelling portrait of Broadway and Hollywood through the second half of the twentieth century.

National Jewish Book Award Finalist: A “sophisticated and engaging” novel of three innocents drawn into a criminal scheme in modern-day Jerusalem (The Wall Street Journal). Brokenhearted haberdasher Isaac Markowitz has fled the Lower East Side for Israel, where he now assists a renowned elderly rabbi who tends to the hungry and hopeless in his courtyard. Tamar is an American hipster-turned-observant Jew who has come to Jerusalem to find a devout man to spend her life with. And Mustafa, a devoted Muslim, works as a janitor at the Temple Mount, also known as al-Aqsa, a site holy to both faiths. After Mustafa finds a shard of pottery that may date back to the ancient era of the First Temple, he brings it to Isaac. But this simple act of friendship will lead Isaac into Israel's criminal underworld, put Mustafa in lethal danger, and send Tamar on a quest to save them both...This edition also includes “The Rebbetzin's Courtyard,” a short-story sequel to In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist. “How do people get along when they have been taught they can't?... [A] lively, witty, and entertaining novel... hard to put down.” —Alice Elliott Dark, author of Fellowship Point and In The Gloaming “Beautifully detailed and vivid... a delicate balance of courtship tale and thriller.” —Dallas Morning News “Confused about the background of the Gaza conflict? This vibrant evocation of modern Jerusalem may shed some light.” —Daily Mail “A story that is spiritually generous and astutely realistic about an Arab-Israeli and an Israeli-Jew, who may be the most unlikely pair of friends we've seen in current fiction.” —The Brooklyn Rail “The best novel I've read all year.” —The Wall Street Journal

A taboo-breaking guide to the male sexual and urinary system, raising awareness of anatomy, upkeep, and the emergencies that can occur throughout a lifetime. When it comes to men and their medical health, age can lead to a distressing lack of discussion. Boyhood curiosity gives way to reticence in adult men, a discomfort in asking questions and sharing insecurities about their own bodies—especially when it comes to the penis. Though highly focused on in art, daily conversations, and even spam emails, the general public's knowledge of the form, function, and evolution of the penis is sorely lacking. This knowledge gap is the inspiration for Wikipenis. With this book, urologist Nicola Mondaini offers men and the women in their lives—mothers, grandmothers, girlfriends, and wives—a learning tool for the healthy and correct care of the male genital system. Four chapters cover childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Readers can flip to relevant sections to learn about maintenance, diseases, and hazards related to each stage of development. A comprehensive and authoritative handbook, Wikipenis includes information on: Penis structure and function Circumcision and hygiene Effects of smoking, drugs, alcohol consumption, and obesity Sexually transmitted diseases Erectile dysfunction Prostate pathologies Penile cancer Gender dysphoria Piercings Testosterone And more Wikipenis aims to establish a preventative culture from the start, to redesign the relationship between boys and this part of their body—a user's guide that men can consult whenever necessary for a happy and healthy life. “A valuable addition to the world's literature on this important topic.” —John P. Mulhall, Director of Male Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Interviews with David Sedaris, Dave Barry, Jack Handey, Bob Odenkirk, and other humor-writing pros: “Sure to captivate anyone who loves a good comedy.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) If you aspire to write sitcoms, standup, screenplays, or satirical essays—or are just a connoisseur of comedy—you should learn from the professionals. With interviews from twenty-one top humor writers whose credits include everything from Marx Brothers movies to Borat and The Office, readers will score not only professional advice but personal details about their processes, influences, and experiences in the industry—and, of course, more than a few amusing stories. Discover what Paul Feig thinks would have happened to Freaks and Geeks if the show had had another season; what the writers'room at SNL is really like; how the Onion editorial staff dealt with the aftermath of 9/11; and much, much more. These humor writers are among the best in the business, ranging from veterans to newcomers, and have collectively been involved with many of the pop culture touchstones of the last half-century.Interviewees include: Stephen Merchant (The Office) · Harold Ramis (Animal House, Groundhog Day) · Dan Mazer (Da Ali G Show, Borat) · Paul Feig (Freaks and Geeks) · Bob Odenkirk (The Ben Stiller Show) · Todd Hanson (The Onion) · Mitch Hurwitz (Arrested Development) · David Sedaris (Me Talk Pretty One Day) · Al Jaffee (Mad) · Allison Silverman (The Colbert Report) · Robert Smigel (Late Night with Conan O'Brien) · Dave Barry (Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up) · Larry Wilmore (In Living Color, The Bernie Mac Show) · Jack Handey (Saturday Night Live) · Larry Gelbart (M•A•S•H, Tootsie) · Buck Henry · Merrill Markoe · Irving Brecher · Marshall Brickman · George Meyer · Dick Cavett “Remarkably frank interviews... reads like a secret history of popular culture.” —Time “Loaded with information for people interested in comedy, not just those who want to work in the business.” —PopMatters

Super-heroic spies must unravel a conspiracy—and save the world—in this original Marvel adventure. Before Natasha Romanoff was an Avenger, she was a Russian spy and assassin, genetically altered by Soviet Union–era scientists to become a super soldier. But someone has stolen a sample of her blood—and the blood of James “Bucky” Barnes, the operative known as the Winter Soldier, another human weapon developed in a Russian laboratory. Whoever took their blood possesses the key to recreating the formula flowing through Natasha and Bucky's veins—the formula that enhanced their physiology to superhuman levels. Now, the Black Widow and the Winter Soldier must work together to track down their mysterious enemy—even as their history as lab rats and conditioned agents brutally trained in Russia's notorious Red Room continues to haunt them... Black Widow: Bad Blood is a collaborative novel by Lindsay Smith, Margaret Dunlap, Mikki Kendall, L.L. McKinney, and Taylor Stevens.

“The analysis unveils a sociotypology of [the working class] on the eve of the Third Reich, its potential for resistance as well as seduction.” —Political Psychology Building upon Fromm's 1929 lecture “The Application of Psycho-Analysis to Sociology and Religious Knowledge,” in which he outlined the basis for a rudimentary but far-reaching attempt at the integration of Freudian psychology with Marxist social theory, this study is an attempt to obtain evidence about the systemic connections between “psychic make-up” and social development. Originally an investigation of the social and psychological attitudes of two large groups in Weimar Germany, manual and white-collar workers, a questionnaire was developed to collect data about their opinions, lifestyles, and attitudes—from what books they read and their thoughts on women's work to their opinions about the German legal system and the actual distribution of power in the state.The Working Class in Weimar Germany can ultimately help us understand the establishment of fascism after 1933—that despite all the electoral successes of the Weimar Left, its members were not in the position, owning to their character structure, to prevent the victory of National Socialism.

“A lovely writer, far superior to the average memoirist.... A curious mind, a perceptive observer with an artist's eye, a seeker of truth and beauty.” —Irish IndependentFrom the moment I crossed the mountain, I fell in love with the place, which was more beautiful than any I'd ever seen. And with a way of looking at life that was deeper, richer and wiser than any I'd known before.... From the first day I came here I always knew I'd come back. Sometimes we have to go back to our beginnings to become the person we want to be. More than a decade ago, USA Today–bestselling author Felicity Hayes-McCoy left the hectic pace of London and returned to her home country of Ireland to forge a new life in a remarkable house on the stunning Dingle peninsula. Gorgeously written, this is a life-affirming tale of rediscovering lost values and remembering the things that matter most. “Wise, funny and touching, this book is a portrait of friendships, customs and folklore of Ireland; but what stays with you is harder to catch, like smoke or running water. It is the taste of something we all once knew, ever-present if only you look for it.” ―Joanna Lumley, actress and author of Absolutely: A Memoir “The book glowed... when I finished reading, I felt a sense of well-being, wonder and delight.” —Alice Taylor, bestselling author of To School Through the FieldsPraise for Felicity Hayes-McCoy “A pitch-perfect delight.” —Marian Keyes, international bestselling author of Grown Ups on The Transatlantic Book Club “The spot-on descriptions of Ireland's country roads and expansive sky all but leap off the page.... Maeve Binchy and Patrick Taylor fans will find much to enjoy.” —Booklist on The Library at the Edge of the World “Sunshine on the page.” —Cathy Kelly, bestselling author of Between Sisters on The Month of Borrowed Dreams

A teenager moves to a remote farm in the Catskill Mountains in 1931 to raise her late aunt's baby in this novel from “a writer of talent and vision” (San Francisco Chronicle). Leenie is a precocious fifteen-year-old, but her hopes of going to college depend on her mother's scheme after a family tragedy. Leenie must travel to her late aunt's home and take care of her newborn cousin, lending support to the baby's grief-stricken father, Digger. As Leenie gradually, and with difficulty, grows into her new role, she and Digger form a surprising bond of affection. But the new love and community she's discovered are now at risk from New York City, which considers their remote, fertile valley a promising site for a future reservoir, and the ground under Leenie's feet could soon be swept away...Praise for Same Blood “Remarkable... Impressive.” —Publishers Weekly “The Catskill Mountains are full of myth and mystery in this striking first novel.” —The New York Times Book Review “Scenes that leap from the page and either wrench your heart or twist your guts.” —Chicago Tribune

“[A] fascinating collection of essays” on the complicated relations between men and women from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Art of Loving (The New York Times Book Review). The renowned social psychologist delves deep into the fraught relationship between genders, drawing upon the influential insights of Bachofen, Freud, Marx, and Briffault. Not primarily interested in the existence of anatomical and biological differences between the sexes, Fromm instead analyzes how these differences have been made use of throughout human history. Drawing from Bachofen's Mother Right, Fromm expounds on how matriarchal and patriarchal social structures determine relations between the sexes in essential ways, and how they are shaped by the dominant orientation of the social character at any given time. He posits that the most important question concerning gender relations is which characterological orientation determines human relationships: love or hate, love of life or fascination with force. Thus, it will not be gender conflict that will determine humanity's future but whether we opt for love of life or love of death. “As these essays show, Fromm was a wide-ranging thinker whose writings sometimes manifested brilliant insights or practical wisdom.” —Kirkus Reviews

The author chronicles the final months of the life of her close friend and fellow teacher, in this unique and unforgettable memoir. “A wonderful memoir.” —Stephen King When fifty-six-year-old Richard is diagnosed with glioblastoma, a rare and inoperable brain cancer, his colleague and friend Janet Somerville begins to document his life in a personal, months-long letter to him, to one day share with his wife and daughters. Teaching together at a Toronto boys'school, Janet and Richard bonded over their love of musical theater and literature. And now that Richard is nearing his end, it is these memories that comfort both of them through the good days and the bad. Peppered with theatrical references and inside jokes—from Shakespeare to Rodgers and Hammerstein, Monty Python to Avenue Q—the letter offers a touching glimpse into Richard's life. During his treatment, Janet shares with him the day-to-day activities of the school, including the unfiltered witticisms that fall from the mouths of teenage boys. Together they recollect stories of school choir trips, plays directed, and books read. Richard's positive attitude—his playfulness and graciousness—shines through the pages.How Midsummer Night is a beautiful tribute to a man who made his mark on his family and the community around him—a man who was so much more than just another teacher, so much more than just another friend. “I love this book. It sings about grief.” —Hart Hanson, author of The Seminarian “This heartfelt memoir by Janet Somerville explores ways of drawing strength from art in a time of loss.” —Linwood Barclay, international bestselling author of I Will Ruin You

“Her writing celebrates the solid parochial English virtues of stiff-upper-lippery, good-sportingness,[and] dislike of fuss.... Light, witty, easygoing books.” —The New YorkerAs 1951 draws to a close, Christmas approaches—but the conservative upper class of Barsetshire have already received the gift they really wanted: Winston Churchill's re-election as prime minister. Nevertheless, their individual struggles carry on. A member of the House of Lords worries that marriage is not in the cards for him due to an insufficient fortune, while another man does manage to get engaged—but frets that his betrothed doesn't truly love him. The widow Lady Lufton misses her husband—as well as the money she's lost to taxes. And an aspiring scholar falls madly in love, but must choose between Oxford and the object of his affections... “[This] characteristically witty, nostalgic... novel in the beloved Barsetshire series describes the lingering effects of WWII on the fictional village that Thirkell adapted from its Victorian inventor and chronicler, Anthony Trollope.” —Publishers Weekly

Reputations can be deceiving in this classic crime thriller featuring a jewel thief, a prominent London banker, and a determined detective... The man known as “Gunner” Haynes is a highly skilled jewel thief with a tough core and a gentlemanly veneer that have earned him some admirers. The respectable, well-connected London banker Luke Maddison runs in an entirely different circle, but still crosses paths with the criminal one winter night at the Ritz-Carlton, when Gunner's steadying hand saves Luke from a fall. In return, Luke does a favor for Gunner, and a certain bond is cemented. Later, when trouble arises, the two reunite, and DI Horace Bird, aka the Sparrow, along with a feisty female reporter working undercover, will find themselves pulled into a world of con men and killers... “One of the most popular writers of the early twentieth century.” —Mystery Scene

This epic space opera from the father of the genre is an “adventure of an unprecedented kind... The first great ‘classic'of American science fiction” (Isaac Asimov). From Science Fiction– and Fantasy Hall of Fame–inductee E. E. Smith, The Skylark of Space chronicles the groundbreaking adventures of scientist Richard Seaton. After stumbling upon the secrets of atomic energy during a laboratory accident, Seaton partners with wealthy engineer Martin Crane, eager to share his discovery with the world by creating space travel. But this life-changing invention brings grave danger as greedy competitors want to exploit Seaton's secret for their own means, including the unscrupulous Dr. Marc “Blackie” DuQuesne. But DuQuesne's attempt to destroy Seaton and Crane sends the three men out into deep space, where their struggle to persevere leads to an epic tale of intergalactic space battles. “With the exception of the works of H. G. Wells, possibly those of Jules Verne—and almost no other writer—[The Skylark of Space] has... done more to change the nature of all the science fiction written after it than almost any other single work.” —Frederik Pohl, Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author

In this classic short story, Miss Marple attempts to solve the unexplainable murder of a baronet who was stabbed, with no one around him in sight... During the first meeting of the Tuesday Night Club at Miss Marple's home, her guests present real tales of mystery, and the wise hostess attempts to solve them from the comfort of her armchair. Next up with a spooky story is local clergyman Dr. Pender... Years ago, Pender attended a costume party at the estate of his college friend, Sir Richard Haydon. Haydon believed that sacred rites to ancient goddesses were once performed on his grounds. Later, socialite Diana Ashley surprised the guests by dressing as a priestess to Astarte. But even more shocking was Haydon's sudden fall. He was stabbed in the heart with no one close enough to attack him, and no weapon to be found. Although decades have passed since the bizarre murder, Miss Marple and her club may be able to deliver justice for Sir Haydon... Originally published in the United States in Detective StoryMagazine in 1928, “The Idol House of Astarte” appeared in Christie's short story collection, The Thirteen Problems, in 1932.

From the author of Winnie-the-Pooh, ten classic children's stories featuring Christopher Robin, his famous teddy bear, and their friends. Venture back to the Hundred Acre Wood in this second collection of Pooh stories from A. A. Milne. Prepare for more fun with Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends: Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Owl, Piglet, Kanga, little Roo, and Tigger. Together they go on all sorts of unforgettable adventures. Pooh and Piglet attempt to build a house for Eeyore, a search party looks for Rabbit's missing relative, and Rabbit schemes to stop Tigger from bouncing. With wonder, whimsy, and imagination, these beloved characters and their stories have won over readers for generations.

A celebrated English stage actor must prove an ingénue innocent of murder in this classic Golden Age mystery. A touring troupe of actors has come to the English village of Peridu to stage a play featuring promising young star Martella Baring. But it's not the show that has everyone talking after Martella is found beside the body of the troupe manger's wife... Actor and theater owner Sir John Saumarez recommended Martella for her role. So when he hears the news of the grisly murder, he rushes to Martella's trial. He's convinced the actress is innocent, but the jury believes otherwise. Enlisting the help of his friends—stage manager Nello Markham and his wife, Doucie—Sir John races to save Martella from the gallows and thrust the real killer into the spotlight... Originally published in 1928, Enter Sir John was adapted into the 1930 British feature film Murder!, co-written and directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

In a beautifully-rendered memoir of the Great War, the English poet recounts his experiences in the combat zones of France and Flanders. Using his gifts as a distinguished poet, Edmund Blunden masterfully shares memories from his service in combat along with the feelings they invoked in him. After enlisting at the age of twenty, he took part in the destructive battles of the Somme, Ypres, and Passchendaele, which he describes as “murder, not only to the troops but to their singing faiths and hopes.” Blunden's autobiography conveys all the horrors of trench warfare, the struggle to comprehend the violence, and the strangeness of observing the war as both a soldier and a poet. With allusive and powerful prose, he conveys the fortitude and despair of his comrades, including the stunning acts of bravery that won him the Military Cross. Although Blunden left the war physically unscathed, he bore mental scars from it for the rest of his life. Originally published in 1928, Undertones of War features thirty-two of Blunden's poems inspired by the war. “An extended pastoral elegy in prose.... No one disagrees that together with Sassoon's and Graves's ‘memoirs'it is one of the permanent works engendered by memories of the war.... It is the sheer literary quality of Undertones of War that remains with a reader.” —Paul Fussell “An established classic.” —D. J. Enright“A masterpiece... The best English book of its kind.” —Cyrill Falls

New York Times–Bestselling Author: “Frank's reconstruction of Dr. [Martin Luther] King's murder and its aftermath is remarkably convincing.” —The New York Times Written by two-time Edgar Award winner Gerold Frank, An American Death examines the infamous 1968 assassination of the legendary civil rights leader in Memphis, Tennessee, in vivid, extensive detail. Frank casts a light on historical truth and builds a coherent narrative of events amid the chaos and conspiracy theories that surround Dr. King's murder. The author recounts the details of April 4, and delves into the shocking events leading up to the fateful day, including James Earl Ray's background and escape from prison, and the manhunt and quest for justice that followed the killing, in this riveting account of a crime that shook a nation. “Provide[s] insight into James Earl Ray and the rather squalid world from which he emerged... persuasively argued.” —Worldview “Frank's picture of Ray... is remarkable.” —TimeIncludes photographs

An emotionally devastated widower is drawn to a married woman in this “impressive” novel set in wartime England (Kirkus Reviews). Lewis Eliot has lost his deeply troubled wife, Sheila, under tragic circumstances. While her suicide has shaken Lewis to his core, it has also put an end to a painful and difficult marriage. In the wake of Sheila's passing and Britain entering the Second World War, Lewis plunges into his civil service work. During this time, he meets Margaret and begins to feel his heart stirring—and sees the possibility of healing. But Margaret already has a husband, severely complicating the attraction they both feel, in this series of historical novels that the Telegraph called “Balzacian masterpieces of the age.” “A master craftsman in fiction.” —The New York Times “An extremely shrewd observer of men and society.” —Commentary