Short Days

With this, his first collection of stories, Raymond Carver breathed new life into the American short story and instantly became both the recognized master of the form and one of our best-loved fiction writers. Carver shows us the humor and tragedy that dwell in the hearts of ordinary people; his stories are the classics of our time.

Anyone who has ever gazed up at the sky or stared out of the window knows something about birds. In this fun, eye-opening and inspiring book, award-winning nature writer Simon Barnes paints a riveting picture of how birdwatching has framed his life and can help us all to a better understanding of our place on this planet. How to be a Bad Birdwatcher shows why birdwatching is not the preserve of twitchers, but one of the simplest, cheapest and most rewarding pastimes around.

Valentine Welburn has grown accustomed to her freedom in Calcutta. So when she reaches the gray shores of England to debut in her first London Season, she is irked by the conventions of high society. With her irrepressible spirit, unusual beauty, and a large fortune, the stage is set for gossip. Scandal and intrigue ensue when two men - the distinguished Lord Marbeck and the dashing, dangerous Sir Richard Brindley - appear on the scene.

Vampires, ghosts, and other horrors abound in this collection of 19th-century fantastic literature, selected and edited by Italo Calvino, a 20th-century master of the speculative.

In a story of perseverance and determination told with warmth and sparkling with humor, a short winter day finds Samuel and Papa walking a long road on Samuel's first trading trip. Meeting strangers, practicing good manners, and proud to be in Papa's company, Samuel watches and learns as Papa trades up from almost nothing to the milk cow Mama is yearning for. Simple text combines with vivid illustrations for a satisfying tale that will resonate with readers who enjoy an adventure with dad.

It was supposed to be 10 days. A temp job. In and out. Money for bills. Work for the experience. I was going to pad my resume and move on. Then the boss called me to his office. Dorian Cave, ex-pro athlete and all alpha boss. Rock solid and rock hard. He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and turned this temp job into a dirty dream.

Stocking stuffers like handknit scarves make the coziest of Christmas gifts—unless they're used as accessories for murder! When grinchy thefts steal the good cheer at a local nursing home, Siobhan O'Sullivan manages to identify one missing item before the tractor parade—a hideous shamrock scarf wrapped around a very dead body. The festivities go cold at Pans 'N' Pancakes the instant a diner dies while knitting a brilliant green scarf. Suspects pile up when frosty-tempered Carys Walnutt is found strangled by a handmade scarf auctioned at Arborville's tree-lighting ceremony.

Wild Wallaby and Kind Koala decided it might be a good thing to have this crocodile along for the journey after all, even if she was a little cranky. They approached her and asked if she'd like to stick together for a while. She gave a full-toothed smirk. "It might not be a bad idea to always have a couple of plump snacks nearby." Wild Wallaby laughed and hopped off. "You'd have to catch me first." The Cranky Crocodile snapped her jaws at him. "Don't tempt me." Kind Koala couldn't tell whether or not she was joking.

Two bloody brilliant short stories from number-one best-selling crime writer Stuart MacBride, featuring DS Logan McRae and his boss, DI Steel. 'Stramash': something fishy is happening on the isle of Jura. DS Logan McRae gets a phone call from DI Steel ordering him to come to the island at once. One freezing night's sleep in a hatchback and two storm-battered ferries later, Logan arrives - but there's no sign of Steel. She's lumped him in the middle of a policing nightmare, with bodies and bullets and tiny, wee boats.

Follow a core group of characters known as the Trailblazers as they use alien technology and knowledge discovered in Antarctic ruins to obtain limited immortality and lead Humanity out into the galaxy, encountering, befriending, and fighting hundreds of alien races, all the while desperately trying to prepare Earth for the unbeatable threat at the core of the Milky Way that is destined to return and reclaim their lost colony...and their former Human slaves.

Anything for You is stimulating reading, both for experienced players and those just discovering the joy of tying up your lover or bending over for the one you love. These explicit stories of obsessive desire unlock the door to a world of obsessive desires, the passion that lies just beneath the skin.

A pandemic survivor walks the trails of the Cinque Terre and looks back on a friend’s battle with AIDS decades ago. A daughter returns to her mother’s beloved Florence as a final goodbye, only to rediscover herself inside the curtailed reincarnations of Florence’s past. A frazzled mother misreads her young son’s struggles with identity and self-preservation; another mother and her daughter fall under the enchantment of a mysterious woman in Venice offering a phantom bird of flight and possibility.

It's another Mother's Day and Miranda is still not pregnant. Her unsuccessful attempts have left her defeated and despondent. Everyone, it seems, is a mother except her. As she prepares to spend another Mother's Day surrounded by family, Miranda must come to terms with how her infertility has affected her relationship with her husband, her sisters and her friends. But the ultimate challenge is learning to forgive her own body for its betrayal and recognizing when hope has changed from an ally to a foe.

"A Song For Sadye" offers new insights into the life of the bard, Sadye, who plays an important role in the second half of the DemonWars Saga. "The Education of Brother Thaddius" picks up the DemonWars story immediately following Immortalis, the last book of DemonWars, and opens to door for the next saga in the world of Corona.

Marcus Richmond might be the quiet one in the Winchester witches' world, but that doesn't mean he has nothing to say. Between renovations at his stable - and plans for a bright future with a certain feisty witch - Marcus has his hands full. Things get even more hectic when local FBI Agent Landon Michaels discovers blood in Marcus' loft and a series of strange occurrences and thefts plague Hemlock Cove.

¡Hola, amigo! Are you ready to unlock the secrets of Spanish and embark on an unforgettable linguistic adventure? Look no further! 'Spanish Short Stories For Beginners' is your magical key to mastering the beautiful language of salsa, and siesta! Imagine confidently ordering tapas in Barcelona, effortlessly chatting with locals in Mexico City, or impressing your friends with your flawless Spanish pronunciation. This audiobook will make it all possible!

Every now and then, right in the middle of an ordinary day, a woman rebels, kicks up her heels, and commits a small act of liberation. Imagine that the people in these wonderful stories - who do all of these things and more - are asking you, "What would you do, if nobody was looking?"

i>39 Years of Short-Term Memory Loss is a seriously funny, offbeat, and irreverent memoir that chronicles the early days of Saturday Night Live and features some of its greatest personalities---Al Franken, Lorne Michaels, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Bill Murray, Michael O'Donoghue, and Chris Farley.

Albert Maltz’s novel captures the racial tension of America and the failure of the American dream. As time ticks along with indifference, the inmates of Washington’s District Jail now spend their lives numbed by a daily routine behind bars, shut out of society. Each prisoner has a story: some are charged with assault, murder and manslaughter, others with forgery, robbery and larceny; others still were simply born to certain parents at a certain time in a certain country.

Follow a core group of characters known as the Trailblazers as they use alien technology and knowledge discovered in Antarctic ruins to obtain limited immortality and lead humanity out into the galaxy, encountering, befriending, and fighting hundreds of alien races all the while desperately trying to prepare Earth for the unbeatable threat at the core of the Milky Way that is destined to return and reclaim their lost colony...and their former human slaves.