Download or read book A Series of Unfortunate Events 01 The Bad Beginning written by Lemony Snicket and published by Egmont Books (UK). This book was released on 2012-09-01 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is nothing to be found in the pages of A Series of Unfortunate Events but misery and despair. You still have time to choose another international best-seller to read. But if you must know what unpleasantries befall the charming and clever Baudelaire children read on . . . In The Bad Beginning the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune and cold porridge for breakfast. Then again, why trouble yourself with the unfortunate resolutions? With 5 million copies sold in the UK alone, one might consider Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events to make him one of the most successful children’s authors of the past decade. We, however, consider these miserable so-called adventure stories and the Hollywood film starring Jim Carrey that accompanied the books for children as nothing more than a dreadful mistake.

Download or read book Perfume written by Patrick Süskind and published by Random House. This book was released on 2015-06-25 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An erotic masterpiece of twentieth century fiction - a tale of sensual obsession and bloodlust in eighteenth century Paris 'An astonishing tour de force both in concept and execution' Guardian In eighteenth-century France there lived a man who was one of the most gifted and abominable personages in an era that knew no lack of gifted and abominable personages. His name was Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, and if his name has been forgotten today. It is certainly not because Grenouille fell short of those more famous blackguards when it came to arrogance, misanthropy, immorality, or, more succinctly, wickedness, but because his gifts and his sole ambition were restricted to a domain that leaves no traces in history: to the fleeting realm of scent . . . 'A fantastic tale of murder and twisted eroticism controlled by a disgusted loathing of humanity . .. Clever, stylish, absorbing and well worth reading' Literary Review 'A meditation on the nature of death, desire and decay . . . A remarkable début' Peter Ackroyd, The New York Times Book Review 'Unlike anything else one has read. A phenomenon . . . [It] will remain unique in contemporary literature' Figaro 'An ingenious and totally absorbing fantasy' Daily Telegraph 'Witty, stylish and ferociously absorbing' Observer

Download or read book Divine Punishment written by Sergio Ramírez and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this, the greatest work of a storied literary career, Sergio Ramriez transforms the most celebrated criminal trial in Nicaraguan history - the murders in 1933 of three high society women by a Casanova named Castaneda - into an examination of the entire Nicaraguan society on the brink of the first Somosa dictatorship. Passion, money, sex, gossip, political intrigue and judicial corruption all merge into a novel that reads like a courtroom drama wrapped in yellow journalism disguised as historical fiction posing as melodrama of the first order."Melodrama is comedy without humor. Sergio Ramrez returns the smile to the newspaper serial, but in the end this smile freezes on the lips--we are back in the heart of the darkness. Between the fullness of comedy and the imminence of tragedy, Sergio Ramrez has written the great novel of Central America. . ."--Carlos Fuentes "Divine Punishment is by far the best novel by Sergio Ramrez, former vice-president of Nicaragua, and one of my favorite novels, period. Set in the Nicaraguan city of Len in the 1930s, and based on a true story, it concerns the case of Oliverio Castaneda, a young charmer and social climber accused of killing neighbors, patrons, and lovers by poisoning. The convoluted affair (still used as a case study in Central American law schools) was never solved, and Ramrez himself cagily leaves it open-ended. Hilarious, riveting, beautifully constructed and written." - Dan Bellm"Divine Punishment is a darkly comic detective novel set in Len in 1933. A stranger comes to town with all the latest fox-trot records and is welcomed into the hearts and beds of the mother and two daughters of the most respectable family in town. Soon the young wife and the paterfamilias drop dead, apparently poisoned. Justice has nothing to do with power, as the young investigative judge sent from the capital soon finds out. A ripping good read, set in the author's hometown ten years before his birth."--John Oliver Simon

Download or read book Alpha God written by Hector A. Garcia and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2015-03-10 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book uses evolutionary psychology as a lens to explain religious violence and oppression. The author, a clinical psychologist, examines religious scriptures, rituals, and canon law, highlighting the many ways in which our evolutionary legacy has shaped the development of religion and continues to profoundly influence its expression. The book focuses on the image of God as the dominant male in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This traditional God concept is seen as a reflection of the “dominant ape” paradigm so evident in the hierarchical social structures of primates, with whom we have a strong genetic connection. The author describes the main features of male-dominated primate social hierarchies— specifically, the role of the alpha male as the protector of the group; his sexual dominance and use of violence and oppression to attain food, females, and territory; in-group altruism vs. out-group hostility (us vs. them); and displays of dominance and submission to establish roles within the social hierarchy. The parallels between these features of primate society and human religious rituals and concepts make it clear that religion, especially its oppressive and violent tendencies, is rooted in the deep evolutionary past. This incisive analysis goes a long way toward explaining the historic and ongoing violence committed in the name of religion.

Download or read book Murder Past Due written by Miranda James and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2010-08-03 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: FIRST IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING CAT IN THE STACKS MYSTERY SERIES! Everyone in Athena, Mississippi, knows Charlie Harris, the good-natured librarian with a rescued Maine coon cat named Diesel that he walks on a leash. He’s returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but soon enough he’s entangled in a real-life thriller... A famous author of gory bestsellers and a former classmate of Charlie’s, Godfrey Priest may be the pride of Athena, but Charlie remembers him as an arrogant, manipulative jerk—and he’s not the only one. Godfrey’s homecoming as a distinguished alumnus couldn’t possibly go worse: by lunch, he’s put a man in the hospital. By dinner, Godfrey’s dead. Now it’s up to Charlie, with some help from Diesel, to paw through the town’s grudges and find the killer before an impatient deputy throws the book at the wrong person. But every last one of Charlie’s friends and co-workers had a score to settle with the nasty novelist. As if the murder wasn’t already purr-plexing enough...

Download or read book Diccionario Ingles Espa ol Tagalog written by Sofronio G. Calderon and published by . This book was released on 1915 with total page 664 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Cecilia Vald s or El Angel Hill written by Cirilo Villaverde and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2005-09-29 with total page 545 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cecilia Valdés is arguably the most important novel of 19th century Cuba. Originally published in New York City in 1882, Cirilo Villaverde's novel has fascinated readers inside and outside Cuba since the late 19th century. In this new English translation, a vast landscape emerges of the moral, political, and sexual depravity caused by slavery and colonialism. Set in the Havana of the 1830s, the novel introduces us to Cecilia, a beautiful light-skinned mulatta, who is being pursued by the son of a Spanish slave trader, named Leonardo. Unbeknownst to the two, they are the children of the same father. Eventually Cecilia gives in to Leonardo's advances; she becomes pregnant and gives birth to a baby girl. When Leonardo, who gets bored with Cecilia after a while, agrees to marry a white upper class woman, Cecilia vows revenge. A mulatto friend and suitor of hers kills Leonardo, and Cecilia is thrown into prison as an accessory to the crime. For the contemporary reader Helen Lane's masterful translation of Cecilia Valdés opens a new window into the intricate problems of race relations in Cuba and the Caribbean. There are the elite social circles of European and New World Whites, the rich culture of the free people of color, the class to which Cecilia herself belonged, and then the slaves, divided among themselves between those who were born in Africa and those who were born in the New World, and those who worked on the sugar plantation and those who worked in the households of the rich people in Havana. Cecilia Valdés thus presents a vast portrait of sexual, social, and racial oppression, and the lived experience of Spanish colonialism in Cuba.

Download or read book I the Supreme written by Augusto Roa Bastos and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2019-02-26 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I the Supreme imagines a dialogue between the nineteenth-century Paraguayan dictator known as Dr. Francia and Policarpo Patiño, his secretary and only companion. The opening pages present a sign that they had found nailed to the wall of a cathedral, purportedly written by Dr. Francia himself and ordering the execution of all of his servants upon his death. This sign is quickly revealed to be a forgery, which takes leader and secretary into a larger discussion about the nature of truth: “In the light of what Your Eminence says, even the truth appears to be a lie.” Their conversation broadens into an epic journey of the mind, stretching across the colonial history of their nation, filled with surrealist imagery, labyrinthine turns, and footnotes supplied by a mysterious “compiler.” A towering achievement from a foundational author of modern Latin American literature, I the Supreme is a darkly comic, deeply moving meditation on power and its abuse—and on the role of language in making and unmaking whole worlds.

Download or read book Juan de la Rosa written by Nataniel Aguirre and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 1999-04-29 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Long considered a classic in Bolivia, Juan de la Rosa tells the story of a young boy's coming of age during the violent and tumultuous years of Bolivia's struggle for independence. Indeed, in this remarkable novel, Juan's search for his personal identity functions as an allegory of Bolivia's search for its identity as a nation. Set in the early 1800s, the novel is narrated by one of the last surviving Bolivian rebels, octogenarian Juan de la Rosa. Juan recreates his childhood in the rebellious town of Cochabamba, and with it a large cast of full bodied, Dickensian characters both heroic and malevolent. The larger cultural dislocations brought about by Bolivia's political upheaval are echoed in those experienced by Juan, whose mother's untimely death sets off a chain of unpredictable events that propel him into the fiery crucible of the South American Independence Movement. Outraged by Juan's outspokenness against Spanish rule and his awakening political consciousness, his loyalist guardians banish him to the countryside, where he witnesses firsthand the Spaniards' violent repression and rebels' valiant resistance that crystallize both his personal destiny and that of his country. In Sergio Gabriel Waisman's fluid translation, English readers have access to Juan de la Rosa for the very first time.

Download or read book Shambhala written by Joy Mondal and published by Joy Mondal. This book was released on 2023-08-29 with total page 119 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shambhala: An Adventure to Find Mysteries by Joy Mondal In the hidden valleys of the Himalayas, tales whispered on the winds speak of the mythical city of Shambhala—a place of eternal peace and unparalleled beauty. For Om, a curious explorer with an insatiable appetite for the unknown, Shambhala becomes more than just a myth—it becomes an obsession. Accompanied by Boby, the love of his life and his guiding light, Om's journey takes them deep into treacherous terrains, through ancient monasteries and forgotten trails. As they unravel the clues leading to this lost city, they stumble upon a revelation far more incredible than either of them had ever imagined. But the journey to Shambhala is not without its challenges. When the skies darken and disaster strikes in the form of the devastating Kedarnath floods, Om and Boby must rely on each other and the strength of their love to survive the merciless wrath of nature. However, as they stand against the odds, the two realize that the search for Shambhala was never just about finding a city—it was about discovering the mysteries of the heart and soul, and the power of love to overcome all adversities. Hold your breath as you delve into this thrilling adventure where myth intertwines with reality, and destiny plays its cards in unpredictable ways. But remember, this story is far from over... Chapter 2 is on the horizon.

Download or read book Caligula written by Simon Turney and published by Orion. This book was released on 2018-03-08 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'An engrossing new spin on a well-known tale' Antonia Senior, The Times 'Caligula as you've never seen him before! A powerfully moving read from one of the best ancient world authors in the business' Kate Quinn, author of The Alice Network Everyone knows his name. Everyone thinks they know his story. Rome 37AD. The emperor is dying. No-one knows how long he has left. The power struggle has begun. When the ailing Tiberius thrusts Caligula's family into the imperial succession in a bid to restore order, he will change the fate of the empire and create one of history's most infamous tyrants, Caligula. But was he really a monster? Forget everything you think you know. Let Livilla, Caligula's youngest sister and confidante, tell you what really happened. How her quiet, caring brother became the most powerful man on earth. And how, with lies, murder and betrayal, Rome was changed for ever . . . 'A truly different take on one of history's villains . . . All through this I am seeing Al Pacino in The Godfather, slowly stained darker and darker by power and blood' Robert Low, author of The Oathsworn series 'Enthralling and original, brutal and lyrical by turns. With powerful imagery and carefully considered history Simon Turney provides a credible alternative to the Caligula myth that will have the reader questioning everything they believe they know about the period' Anthony Riches, author of the Empire series

Download or read book Ambivalent Desires written by María Mercedes Andrade and published by Bucknell University Press. This book was released on 2011-04-01 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ambivalent Desires: Representations of Modernity and Private Life in Colombia (1890s-1950s) is a literary and cultural study of the reception of modernity in Colombia. Unlike previous studies of Latin American modernization, which have usually focused on the public aspect of the process, this book discusses the intersection between modernity and the private sphere. It analyzes canonical and non-canonical works that reflect the existing ambivalence toward the modernizing project being implemented in the country at the time, and it discusses how the texts in question reinterpret, adapt, and even reject the ideology of modernity. The focus of the study is how the understanding of the relationship between modernity and private life relates to the project of constructing a modern nation, and the discontinuities and contradictions that appear in the process. The question of what modernity is, its implications for everyday life, and its desirability or undesirability as a new cultural paradigm were central issues in Colombian texts from the end of the nineteenth century through the first half of the twentieth. At stake was the definition of the nation's identity and the project of breaking away from the cultural patterns of the colonial past. Considering that the apparently peaceful process of modernization in Colombia was interrupted in the 1950s by the eruption of political violence across the country, this study situates itself on the eve of a crisis and asks how representations of modernity in texts from the period evidence the social fragmentation that may have led to it. The book begins with an analysis of the theme of the private collection in the work of JosZ Asunci-n Silva, and how it is used to propose a specific notion of personal and cultural identity. It continues with an analysis of the modernizing ideology of the popular magazine El GrOfico during the period of economic prosperity of the 1920s known as the 'Dance of the Millions,' focusing on the publication's advertisements and the section devoted to women and the home. Subsequently, the canonical writings of TomOs Rueda Vargas are analyzed in the context of the relation between autobiographical writing and public life, emphasizing the contradiction between the author's public liberalism and his private conservatism, and highlighting his critique of modern life. The works of previously neglected women writers Manuela Mallarino Isaacs, Juana SOnchez Lafaurie, and Fabiola Aguirre are studied in the context of women's relationship to modernity and their conflict between traditional roles that relegated them to the private sphere, and their desire to accept modern standards. The book concludes with an analysis of the novels of Ignacio G-mez DOvila, which have received scant attention to this date, as it discusses his critique of the upper classes' flight into the private and what the author sees as their alienation from a society on the verge of a crisis.

Download or read book The Legacy of the Bones The Baztan Trilogy Book 2 written by Dolores Redondo and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2016-08-25 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shortlisted for the CWA International Dagger The second book in Dolores Redondo’s atmospheric Baztan trilogy, featuring Inspector Amaia Salazar. With masterful storytelling and a detective to rival Sarah Lund, this Spanish bestselling series has taken Europe by storm.

Download or read book The Water Rituals written by Eva García Sáenz and published by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard. This book was released on 2021-03-30 with total page 482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: HOW DO YOU UNMASK A KILLER WHO'S SPENT YEARS PREPARING TO HUNT YOU DOWN? A pregnant woman has been murdered in a brutal, ritualistic way: burned, hung, and then placed upside down in a Bronze Age cauldron. When Unai “Kraken” Lopez de Ayala discovers the victim is his first love, Ana Belén Liaño, memories of their time together come flooding back, and with them reminders of a dark secret long buried. Then the killer strikes again, enacting the same ritual against a second expectant parent. Kraken knows he must confront his past in order to unmask this fiend. And there’s no time to waste, because Deputy Superintendent Díaz de Salvatierra has just found out she's carrying a child. And the father could very well be Kraken himself...

Download or read book The Lords of Time written by Eva García Sáenz and published by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard. This book was released on 2021-07-06 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The third novel in the internationally bestselling White City Trilogy sees Kraken on the hunt for a murderer whose macabre crimes are lifted straight from history. Kraken is enjoying life as a family man, content to spend his days with Alba and their young daughter Deba. But there's no rest for the weary, especially when you're the most famous investigator in Vitoria. Kraken and Esti are charged with investigating the mysterious disappearance of two sisters and finding it hard to make any headway when a wealthy businessman's murder appears to shine a light on the case. The man was poisoned with a medieval aphrodisiac--a crime that has eerie similarities to one detailed in the novel everyone in Vitoria is buzzing about. When the two sisters are discovered trapped behind a wall--bricked up alive--the parallels to the novel are undeniable. With the author's identity a closely held secret, will Kraken be able to track down the killer before they can strike again? Or will Vitoria's sordid underworld finally break Kraken, and his family, apart. A VINTAGE CRIME/BLACK LIZARD ORIGINAL

Download or read book Concise English Interlingua Dictionary written by F. P. Gopsill and published by . This book was released on 1987 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The She Devil in the Mirror written by Horacio Castellanos Moya and published by New Directions Publishing. This book was released on 2009-09-30 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Salvadorean society is shocked by the gruesome murder of a young upper-class woman, and no one more so than her best friend Laura. In her first-person solo narration, Laura rattles on and on about her disbelief and horror at the evils all around her—but who’s that in the mirror? Laura Rivera can’t believe what has happened. Her best friend has been killed in cold blood in the living room of her home, in front of her two young daughters! Nobody knows who pulled the trigger, but Laura will not rest easy until she finds out. Her dizzying, delirious, hilarious, and blood-curdling one-sided dialogue carries the reader on a rough and tumble ride through the social, political, economic, and sexual chaos of post-civil war San Salvador. A detective story of pulse-quickening suspense, The She-Devil in the Mirror is also a sober reminder that justice and truth are more often than not illusive. Castellanos Moya’s relentless, obsessive narrator—female, rich, paranoid, wonderfully perceptive, and, in the end, fabulously unreliable—paints with frivolous profundity a society in a state of collapse. Castellanos Moya’s Senselessness was acclaimed “an innovative and invigoratingly twisted piece of art” (Village Voice) and “a brilliantly crafted moral fable, as if Kafka had gone to Latin America for his source materials” (Russell Banks).