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The Mystic Masseur: The Mystic Masseur (Caribbean Writers Ser.)
by Sir V. S. NaipaulThe Mystic Masseur, V. S. Naipaul’s first published novel, is the story of the rise and rise of Ganesh, from failed primary school teacher and struggling masseur to author, revered mystic and MBE – a journey equally memorable for its hilarity as its bewildering success. An unforgettable cast of characters witness this meteoric ascent: Ganesh’s father-in-law, Ramlogan, whose shop gave the impression that ‘every morning someone went over everything in it – scales, Ramlogan, and all – with a greased rag’; his aunt, the Great Belcher, with her troubling wind; his wife Leela, and her fondness for putting a punctuation mark after every word. Soon, Ganesh’s small hut is filled with books (1,500, as his wife will attest), and his trousers and shirt disappear to be replaced by more suitable attire for a proper mystic. As ‘The Woman Who Couldn’t Eat’ and ‘Lover Boy’, the man who fell in love with his bicycle, line up to be cured, it looks like the mystic masseur is surely destined for greatness. In one of the author’s finest comic creations we see the immense sensitivity, humour and endlessly inventive imagination that have become the hallmarks of V. S. Naipaul’s genius.
The Nightwatchman's Occurrence Book: and Other Comic Inventions (Vintage International)
by Sir V. S. NaipaulWith a preface by the author. V. S. Naipaul’s legendary command of broad comedy and acute social observation is on abundant display in these classic works of fiction – two novels and a collection of stories – that capture the rhythms of life in the Caribbean and England with impressive subtlety and humour. The Suffrage of Elvira is Naipaul’s hilarious take on an electoral campaign in the back country of Trinidad, where the candidates’ tactics include blatant vote-buying and supernatural sabotage. The eponymous protagonist of Mr Stone and the Knights Companion is an ageing Englishman of ponderously regular habits whose life is thrown into upheaval by a sudden marriage and an unanticipated professional advancement. And the stories in A Flag on the Island take us from a Chinese bakery in Trinidad – whose black proprietor faces bankruptcy until he takes a Chinese name – to a rooming house in London, where the genteel landlady plays a nasty Darwinian game with her budgerigars. Unfailingly stylish, filled with intelligence and feeling, The Nightwatchman's Occurrence Book is the work of a writer who can do just about anything that can be done with language. ‘V. S. Naipaul has a substantial claim as a comic writer . . . This humour, conducted throughout with the utmost stylistic quietude, is completely original’ Kingsley Amis, Spectator
The Other Country
by Carol Ann DuffyThe Other Country was Carol Ann Duffy’s third collection, and as with her later books, takes its readers on journeys that seem initially similar – but soon prove anything but. This book leads our imagination to places our minds could not have suspected were there, or would not have dared to go alone. Some of its voices are disarmingly direct, while others blur the lines between fantasy and reality, confession and self-delusion, forcing us to re-examine everything we thought we knew about some of our most basic human drives and emotions. Deeply intelligent, unflinchingly honest, with a deftness of touch and tone, and openness all the more moving for its lack of sentimentality, The Other Country is as remarkable a collection today as it was on its first publication.
PICADOR SHOTS - 'Death of the Pugilist, or The Famous Battle of Jacob Burke and Blindman McGraw' (Picador Shots)
by Daniel MasonDeath of the Pugilist, or The Famous Battle of Jacob Burke & Blindman McGraw Rising from a childhood of rough dockside brawls, a young bare-knuckle fighter faces off against a legendary behemoth. The Ecstasy of Alfred Russel Wallace In the jungles of the Malay Archipelago, a botanist is struck by an epiphany that will change not only his own life, but the course of science.
Rise of the Governor: The Walking Dead (The Walking Dead #1)
by Jay Bonansinga Robert KirkmanThe world has gone to hell - and that story starts here. Philip Blake’s life has been turned upside down. In less than seventy-two hours, an inexplicable event has resulted in people everywhere . . . turning. Now the walking dead roam the streets, massacring the living, and it seems that nowhere is safe. Escaping his small town, Philip has just one focus in life – to protect his young daughter Penny. And he’ll do whatever it takes to ensure she survives. With his two old high-school friends and his brother Brian, Philip decides to aim for Atlanta. It’s said refugee centres are being set up there. But between them and safety stand the walking dead – and they must, somehow, pass through them to reach salvation. The Walking Dead novels are based on the award-winning graphic novels created by Robert Kirkman, which also inspired the TV series. This is fast-paced, action-packed storytelling about the lengths some people will go to survive. This book features new characters, new storylines and the same in-depth character-based plotting that has made the long-running television series such an success.
PICADOR SHOTS - 'The Then Wives' (Picador Shots)
by Sylvia BrownriggThe Then Wives A husband remembers a party many years – and at least one wife – ago. A Dictionary of Betrayal Entries on the theme of love, loss, party etiquette and sleeping with other people’s partners.
PICADOR SHOTS - 'The Unrequited' (Picador Shots)
by Niall WilliamsIn June, 2006, Picador launch Picador Shots, a new series of pocket-sized books priced at £1. The Shots aim to promote the short story as well as the work of some Picador's greatest authors. They will be contemporarily packaged but ultimately disposable books that are the ideal literary alternative to a magazine. The Unrequited by Niall Williams is to be one of the first. 'The Unrequited' opens with the arrival in Oslo of Raphael Newell, a Dublin accountant. Someone who has always previously lived on the margins of life, Ray has come to Norway find the married woman he has fallen in love with. Rejuevnated and invigorated by the experience of being in love, Ray sees the world differently; everything and everyone around him is transformed, and he feels for the first time that he has really come alive. Recounting the couple's first meeting alongside Ray's Norwegian quest, The Unrequited is both love story and fable, both a story for our times and -- in the themes of love, life and loss it explores -- one that is timeless; a story for all ages, in all senses of the word.
One Man's Meat: The Year of Short Stories
by Jeffrey ArcherOne Man's Meat is part of The Year of Short Stories and is one of several digital shorts released to celebrate the publication of Jeffrey Archer’s magnificent seventh collection, Tell Tale.Taken from Jeffrey Archer's third collection of short stories, Twelve Red Herrings, comes One Man's Meat, an irresistible, witty and ingenious short read.When Michael Whitaker spots the stunning Anna Townsend on the steps of the theatre, he decides he will do whatever it takes to get to know her. Finding a way to get a ticket for the seat next to her, he then invites her to a drink at the interval. By the end of the play, Michael asks her to accompany him to dinner. But what will her answer be?What follows are four different endings . . . choose just one, or – if choosing to read all four – they can be read in the following order: Rare, Burnt, Overdone, and À Point . . .Be sure to look out for more from The Year of Short Stories collection, including The Endgame and No Room at the Inn.
No Room at the Inn: The Year of Short Stories
by Jeffrey ArcherNo Room at the Inn is part of The Year of Short Stories and is one of several digital shorts released to celebrate the publication of Jeffrey Archer’s magnificent seventh collection, Tell Tale.Taken from Jeffrey Archer's sixth collection of short stories, And Thereby Hangs a Tale, comes No Room at the Inn, an irresistible, witty and ingenious short read.Richard has spent an idyllic month in Italy, soaking up the sun and the rich culture – even though his girlfriend decided at the last minute not to accompany him. Finding himself in the beautiful historic town of Monterchi, he spends his last few euros on a simple yet delicious meal. He is recommended the Albergo Piero for his stay that night. When he is told they have no rooms, the beautiful receptionist tells him to wait a moment – there might just be a room after all . . .Be sure to look out for more from The Year of Short Stories collection, including The Endgame and In the Eye of the Beholder.
The Grass Is Always Greener: The Year of Short Stories (Modern Times Ser. #Vol. 1)
by Jeffrey ArcherThe Grass Is Always Greener is part of The Year of Short Stories and is one of several digital shorts released to celebrate the publication of Jeffrey Archer’s magnificent seventh collection, Tell Tale.Taken from Jeffrey Archer's fourth collection of short stories, To Cut a Long Story Short, comes The Grass Is Always Greener, an irresistible, witty and ingenious short read.Bill has had the same spot under the archway outside Critchley's Bank for years. He knows all the staff: the yuppies, the middle-management, the executives . . . perhaps better than they know themselves. Across the company, from lowest to highest ranking, each looks at what the other has. But with every rung further up the ladder problems become increasingly complex and more difficult to escape from . . .Be sure to look out for more from The Year of Short Stories collection, including One Man's Meat and The Endgame.
In the Eye of the Beholder: The Year of Short Stories
by Jeffrey ArcherIn the Eye of the Beholder is part of The Year of Short Stories and is one of several digital shorts released to celebrate the publication of Jeffrey Archer’s magnificent seventh collection, Tell Tale.Taken from Jeffrey Archer's fifth collection of short stories, Cat O' Nine Tales, comes In the Eye of the Beholder, an irresistible, witty and ingenious short read.Gian Lorenzo Venici and Paolo Castelli both excelled from their earliest days at school right through to the prime of their careers: Gian in academia and eventually as the most highly regarded art dealer in Italy; Paolo as a football star captain for Roma. After a career-finishing injury, Paolo announces his unlikely engagement to Angelina Porcelli – a lady 'only Rubens' would have found beautiful, and heiress to the largest pharmaceutical company in Italy. The pre-nup clearly stated that Paolo would get nothing were they to divorce – Gian can only conclude that Paolo's love for her is as genuine as Angelina's emerging love of great art. So when Angelina shows interest in the private collection of one of Gian's wealthy clients, he is more than happy to help negotiate . . .Be sure to look out for more from The Year of Short Stories collection, including The Endgame and The Man Who Robbed His Own Post Office.
Spartan: A Novel
by Valerio Massimo ManfrediHerodotus tells us that not all of the three hundred Spartan warriors died at the hands of Xerxes, King of the Persians, in the battle of the Thermopylae: two were saved bringing a life-saving message back to the city . . .Valerio Massimo Manfredi's Spartan is the saga of a Spartan family, torn apart by a cruel law that forces them to abandon one of their two sons – born lame – to the elements. The elder son, Brithos, is raised in the caste of the warriors, while the other, Talos, is spared a cruel death and is raised by a Helot shepherd, among the peasants. They live out their story in a world dominated by the clash between the Persian empire and the city-states of Greece – a ferocious, relentless conflict – until the voice of their blood and of human solidarity unites them in a thrilling, singular enterprise.
After Julius: The Long View, The Sea Change, The Beautiful Visit, And After Julius
by Elizabeth Jane HowardFrom the lauded, bestselling author of The Cazalet Chronicles, After Julius is Elizabeth Jane Howard's funny yet touching story of a family brought together yet falling apart.It is twenty years since Julius died, but his last heroic action still affects the lives of the people he left behind.Emma, his youngest daughter, twenty-seven years old and afraid of men. Cressida, her sister, a war widow, blindly searching for love in her affairs with married men. Esme, Julius's widow, still attractive at fifty-eight, but aimlessly lost in the routine of her perfect home. Felix, Esme's old lover, who left her when Julius died and who is still plagued by guilt for his action. And Dan, an outsider.Throughout a disastrous - and revelatory - weekend in Sussex, the influence of the dead Julius slowly emerges . . .
The Beautiful Visit: The Long View, The Sea Change, The Beautiful Visit, And After Julius
by Elizabeth Jane HowardLife had been distinctly lacking in possibilities - until The Visit. But, ever afterwards, just remembering the smell of the Lancings' house would enrapture her, taking her back to that very first day when Lucy and Gerald had picked her up from the station . . .All the longing, excitement and poignant comedy of adolescence are captured in Elizabeth Jane Howard's first novel The Beautiful Visit, about a young girl growing up in the years around the First World War. Beginning and ending with a visit to the same family, it is a novel full of love, loss, and the ever-lasting effect of war.
Getting It Right: Odd Girl Out, Something In Disguise, Falling, And Getting It Right
by Elizabeth Jane HowardWinner of the Yorkshire Post Novel of the Year Award.From the bestselling author of the Cazelet Chronicles comes Elizabeth Jane Howard's Getting It Right, a touching comedy about a young man trying desperately to get it right.Gavin - a sensitive, shy, hairdresser in the West End - is, at thirty-one, still a virgin. He's a classic late developer, and he's worried that it's getting too late to develop at all.Then one night, Gavin finds himself at a penthouse party and meets people the likes of which he's never come across before. Suddenly, everything begins to change . . . Over the next fortnight, Gavin might start, at last, to "get it right".
The Sea Change: The Long View, The Sea Change, The Beautiful Visit, And After Julius
by Elizabeth Jane HowardFrom the bestselling author of The Cazalet Chronicles, The Sea Change is a witty yet heart-rending story of a marriage in crisis.Emmanuel is a famous playwright. Lillian is his sickly and embittered wife. They have never fully buried the memory of their dead daughter, Sarah. Rich but discontented, they flit from capital to capital in the company of their hero-worshipping young manager.Then Alberta, straight from an English vicarage and the pages of Jane Austen, is appointed as Emmanuel's secretary. This prim and utterly delightful figure helps the family in ways they didn't know they needed. One by one the leopards change their spots . . .
Mefisto
by John BanvilleIs there a numerical solution to the quest for the meaning of life? A brilliant reworking of the classic Dr Faustus theme by Booker Prize-winning author John Banville, Mefisto focuses on the mathematically gifted Gabriel Swan, who seeks a numerical solution to his quest for order and meaning in life.With characteristic wit and mesmeric prose, John Banville's richly imagined novel, Mefisto, is an ode to philosophy, beauty, and identity.
Kepler: A Novel (Revolutions Trilogy #2)
by John Banville‘Superbly illuminates the man, the time, and the everlasting quest for knowledge’ Observer Johannes Kepler, born in 1571 in south Germany, was one of the world’s greatest mathematicians and astronomers. The novel Kepler, by John Banville, brilliantly recreates his life and his incredible drive to chart the orbits of the planets and the geometry of the universe while being driven from exile to exile by religious and domestic strife. At the same time it illuminates the harsh realities of the Renaissance world; rich in imaginative daring but rooted in poverty, squalor and the tyrannical power of emperors.
Eclipse (Cleave Trilogy #1)
by John BanvilleThe first of John Banville's novels concerning father and daughter Alexander and Cass Cleave, Eclipse is a lyrical exploration of memory, family and identity.Alexander Cleave, actor, has left his career and his family behind and banished himself to his childhood home. He wants to retire from life, but finds this impossible in a house brimming with presences, some ghostly, some undeniably human. Memories, anxiety for the future and more particularly for his beloved but troubled daughter, conspire to distract him from his dreaming retirement. This humane and beautifully written story tells the tragic tale of a man, intelligent, preposterous and vulnerable, who in attempting to bring the performance to a close finds himself travelling inevitably towards a devastating denouement.
Doctor Copernicus: A Novel (Revolutions Trilogy #1)
by John Banville‘Banville is superb . . . there are not many historical novels of which it can be said that they illuminate both the time that forms their subject matter and the time in which they are read: Doctor Copernicus is among the very best of them’ The EconomistThe first in John Banville Revolutions Trilogy and winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, Doctor Copernicus is a rich historical novel that explores the life of one of history's greatest scientists. The work of Nicholas Koppernigk, better known as Copernicus, shattered the medieval view of the universe and led to the formulation of the image of the solar system we know today. Here his life is powerfully evoked in a novel that offers a vivid portrait of a man of painful reticence, haunted by a malevolent brother and baffled by the conspiracies that rage around him and his ideas while he searches for the secret of life.
Birchwood (Vintage International)
by John BanvilleTold with lyrical prose, John Banville's Birchwood is the elegiac story of the aristocratic decline of an eccentric family riddled with dark secrets.Once the big house on an Irish estate, Birchwood has turned into a baroque madhouse for its ruined inhabitants. One disaster succeeds another, until young Gabriel Godkin runs away to join a travelling circus and look for his long-lost twin sister. Soon he discovers that famine and unrest stalk the countryside, and Ireland is ruined too.
Athena (Frames #3)
by John Banville‘Sleek, beautiful, breathtakingly cunning prose’ Sunday TimesAthena is the third in the Frames Trilogy, a set of loosely connected novels by the Booker Prize-winning author, John Banville. Morrow – a clerkish, middle-aged type encumbered with a chain-smoking dying aunt and a considerable talent for wallowing – is at a loose end when, on two separate occasions, he is beckoned up the stairs of an empty Dublin house. The first is an offer of dubious work, and Morrow soon becomes caught up in a conspiracy to authenticate a series of fake paintings. The second, possibly even odder, is an offer of a love – of a sort. Written in typically luminous prose and featuring a rich cast of characters, Athena is a paean to art, painting, and love, in all its mercurial richness.
Footvote: A Short Story from the Manhattan in Reverse Collection
by Peter F. HamiltonTaken from Peter F. Hamilton's short story collection Manhattan in Reverse, Footvote is a thrilling short story featuring Paulo Myo of the Commonwealth Saga.It's our world, present day - the UK is going to rack and ruin. There are strikes, the power facilities don't have enough technicians to continue running them, oppression and a terminal malaise afflicts the country and there seems no respite from the economic catastrophe. Then Bradley Ethan Murray opens a wormhole, a passage through to a new world and, potentially, a new world order. New Suffolk is available for all 'decent people' from the UK to start a new life - free from the troubles they will leave behind them. But is a new world really the way to help alleviate the problems of Earth? This short story is taken from Manhattan in Reverse, the first short story collection in thirteen years from the master of space opera. The cover image for Footvote was designed by Ioan Dumitrescu as part of a competition run by Pan Macmillan in association with SFX magazine.
The Demon Trap: A Short Story from the Manhattan in Reverse Collection
by Peter F. HamiltonTaken from Peter F. Hamilton's short story collection Manhattan in Reverse, The Demon Trap is a thrilling short story featuring Paulo Myo of the Commonwealth Saga.When a Siddley-Lockheed CP-450 carrying a group of privileged pleasure-seeking Dynasty members is blown up over Nova Zealand, Senior Investigator Paula Myo of the Serious Crimes Directorate is called in to solve the terrible crime. A group called the Free Merioneth Forces have claimed responsibility but there had to be an individual at the end of that missile launcher and Paula is determined to find out who it was. This short story is taken from Manhattan in Reverse, the first short story collection in thirteen years from the master of space opera. The cover image for The Demon Trap was designed by Andrew Parkes as part of a competition run by Pan Macmillan in association with SFX magazine.
Tigers in Red Weather: A Richard and Judy Book Club Selection
by Liza KlaussmannA Richard and Judy Book Club selection.Liza Klaussmann's Tigers in Red Weather tells the story of Nick and her cousin Helena who have grown up together, sharing long hot summers at Tiger House. With husbands and children of their own, they keep returning. But against a background of parties, cocktails, moonlight and jazz, how long can perfection last? There is always the summer that changes everything. The award-winning Tigers in Red Weather is a delicious novel, a book that simmers with tension, threat and an intoxicating cocktail of money, sex, heat, boredom and beauty. Gracefully drawn and utterly intriguing, it's the perfect summer blockbuster.