Jeremy Bowen, the BBC's Middle East Editor, has been covering the region since 1989 and is uniquely placed to explain its complex past and its troubled present. In The Making of the Modern Middle East - in part based on his acclaimed podcast, 'Our Man in the Middle East' - Bowen takes us on a journey across the Middle East and through its history. He meets ordinary men and women on the front line, their leaders, whether brutal or benign, and he explores the power games that have so often wreaked devastation on civilian populations as those leaders, whatever their motives, jostle for political, religious and economic control.With his deep understanding of the political, cultural and religious differences between countries as diverse as Erdogan's Turkey, Assad's Syria and Netanyahu's Israel and his long experience of covering events in the region, Bowen offers readers a gripping and invaluable guide to the modern Middle East, how it came to be and what its future might hold.
eden opens with a summons. The gardeners of eden are called by their masters, the angels, to see a dead body. It is that of a bird, a creature who has strayed beyond the garden walls.The garden's inhabitants live an eternal and unblemished life, but outside, where there is poverty and sickness and death, this bird has met a fate that is beyond their imagining. And why would anyone want to leave? eden is a place of immortality and plenty - bountiful fields and orchards and lakes, a place where the lord's bidding is done. But really this summons is a warning.Because something is wrong in eden. Years after Adam and Eve left the garden, a woman called Tabi has escaped, and the angels fear further rebellion. They know there are two in eden, gardener Ebon and Jamin, the angel with the broken wing, who would follow Tabi anywhere, who would risk the world outside if only they can find her.Perhaps a fall is coming . . .Deliciously intriguing and utterly propulsive, from Booker-shortlisted autho
The hugely anticipated novel from the internationally bestselling author of The Pull of the Stars and Room'Beautiful and timely' - Sarah Moss, author of Summerwater'Combines pressure-cooker intensity and radical isolation, to stunning effect.' - Margaret AtwoodThree men vow to leave the world behind them and start anew . . .In seventh-century Ireland, a scholar and priest called Artt has a dream telling him to leave the sinful world behind. Taking two monks - young Trian and old Cormac - he travels down the river Shannon in search of an isolated spot on which to found a monastery. Drifting out into the Atlantic, the three men find an impossibly steep, bare island inhabited by tens of thousands of birds, and claim it for God.Their extraordinary landing spot is now known as Skellig Michael. But in such a place, far from all other humanity, what will survival mean?Haunting, moving and vividly told, Haven displays Emma Donoghue's trademark world-building and psychological intensity - but t
"Megan Giddings's prose is brimming with wonder. The Women Could Fly is a candid appraisal of grief, inheritance, and the merits of unruliness." Raven LeilaniReminiscent of the works of Margaret Atwood, Deborah Harkness, and Octavia E. Butler, The Women Could Fly is a feminist speculative novel that speaks to our times.A piercing dystopian tale about the unbreakable bond between a young woman and her absent mother, set in a world in which magic is real and single women are closely monitored in case they are shown to be witches . . .Josephine Thomas has heard every conceivable theory about her mother's disappearance. That she was kidnapped. Murdered.That she took on a new identity to start a new family. That she was a witch. This is the most worrying charge, because in a world where witches are real, peculiar behaviour raises suspicions and a woman - especially a Black woman - can find herself on trial for witchcraft.But fourteen years have passed since her mother's disappearance, and n
From two-time Newbery medalist and living legend Lois Lowry comes a moving account of the lives lost in two of WWII's most infamous events: Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima. With evocative black-and-white illustrations by SCBWI Golden Kite Award winner Kenard Pak. Lois Lowry looks back at history through a personal lens as she draws from her own memories as a child in Hawaii and Japan, as well as from historical research, in this stunning work in verse for young readers. On the Horizon tells the story of people whose lives were lost or forever altered by the twin tragedies of Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima. Based on the lives of soldiers at Pearl Harbor and civilians in Hiroshima, On the Horizon contemplates humanity and war through verse that sings with pain, truth, and the importance of bridging cultural divides. This masterful work emphasizes empathy and understanding in search of commonality and friendship, vital lessons for students as well as citizens of today's world. Kenard Pak's stunnin
From the award-winning author of The Serpent King comes a beautiful examination of grief, found family, and young love, as two teens from rural Tennessee leave everything they know behind except each other.Life in a small Appalachian town is not easy. Cash lost his mother to an opioid addiction and his Papaw is dying slowly from emphysema. Dodging drug dealers and watching out for his best friend, Delaney, is second nature. He's been spending his summer mowing lawns while she works at Dairy Queen.But when Delaney manages to secure both of them full rides to an elite prep school in Connecticut, Cash will have to grapple with his need to protect and love Delaney, and his love for the grandparents who saved him and the town he would have to leave behind.
'A real page-turner' Ian RankinThe Party House by Lin Anderson is a deeply atmospheric psychological thriller set in the Scottish Highlands, for fans of Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware and Sarah Pearse's The Sanatorium. Devastated by a recent pandemic brought in by outsiders, the villagers of Blackrig in the Scottish Highlands are outraged when they find that the nearby estate plans to reopen its luxury 'party house' to tourists. As animosity sparks amongst the locals, part of the property is damaged and, in the ensuing chaos, the body of a young girl is found in the wreck.Seventeen-year-old Ailsa Cummings went missing five years ago, never to be seen again - until now. The excavation of Ailsa's remains ignites old suspicions cast on the men of this small community, including Greg, the estate's gamekeeper. At the beginning of a burgeoning relationship with a new lover, Joanne, Greg is loath to discuss old wounds.Frightened by Greg's reaction to the missing girl's discovery, Joanne begins to doub
A Tale of Magic (Book 1-3)This #1 New York Times bestseller is the first book in a new series set in Chris Colfer's Land of Stories universe, perfect for both new and longtime fans!When Brystal Evergreen stumbles across a secret section of the library, she discovers a book that introduces her to a world beyond her imagination and learns the impossible: She is a fairy capable of magic! But in the oppressive Southern Kingdom, women are forbidden from reading and magic is outlawed, so Brystal is swiftly convicted of her crimes and sent to the miserable Bootstrap Correctional Facility.But with the help of the mysterious Madame Weatherberry, Brystal is whisked away and enrolled in an academy of magic! Adventure comes with a price, however, and when Madame Weatherberry is called away to attend to an important problem she doesn't return.Do Brystal and her classmates have what it takes to stop a sinister plot that risks the fate of the world, and magic, forever?Fall in love with an all-new ser
An uproarious and bighearted satire - alive with sharp edges, immense warmth, and a cast of unforgettable characters - that asks: who gets to tell our stories? And how does the story change when we finally tell it ourselves?Twenty-nine-year-old PhD student Ingrid Yang is desperate to finish her dissertation on the late canonical poet Xiao-Wen Chou and never read about 'Chinese-y' things again. When she accidentally stumbles upon a strange and curious note in the Chou archives, she convinces herself it's her ticket out of academic hell. But Ingrid's in much deeper than she thinks.Her clumsy exploits to unravel the note's message lead to an explosive discovery, one that upends her entire life and the lives of those around her. With her trusty friend Eunice Kim by her side and her rival Vivian Vo hot on her tail, together they set off a roller coaster of mishaps and misadventures, from campus protests and over-the-counter drug hallucinations, to book burnings and a movement that stinks of
Step into historic London and follow two young wildcats caught in the Great Fire, in The Fire Cats of London: a story of daring, courage and loyalty from bestselling, award-winning author of The Umbrella Mouse, Anna Fargher. Beautifully illustrated throughout by Sam Usher.'Ambitious and wonderful' – Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse on The Umbrella Mouse.Young wildcats, Asta and Ash, find themselves captured and taken from their home in the forest to an apothecary's shop in the heart of London in the summer of 1666, when fear and superstition are rife. Asta's determination to escape London and return to the wild takes her on a perilous race against time to foil a dangerous plot that threatens the city and her brother, Ash, as the flames take hold.Asta and Ash will take you on an inspiring journey around London during the most infamous fire in British history.
'A truly moving, uplifting story about love, connection and finding the courage to start over' - Rowan Coleman'The perfect holiday read' - Josie LLoydWhat are you most afraid of . . .?Gemma is terrified of slowing down, because if she does, she'll have to admit how lonely she's felt since losing the love of her life. So she fills her days with work and taking her dog, Bear, to comfort young patients at the local hospital. That's enough, isn't it?Dan is scared of anyone getting to know the real him.He's the life and soul of every party, but he's certain that if people find out what he's done, everything will fall apart. Casey is Dan's twelve year old daughter - though they barely know each other. She's starting four weeks of treatment for a benign tumour, and is scared this summer could be her last.When Gemma, Dan and Casey meet one scorching July, the connection is instant. Yet they're all used to protecting themselves from heartbreak by keeping their distance. Now that fate - and a sm
The sequel to Jessie Burton's million-copy bestseller The Miniaturist'Elegant, atmospheric, compelling. I absolutely loved it' - Marian Keyes'A book of beauty and insight . .. awe-inspiring. Burton is a master storyteller' - Elizabeth DayIn the golden city of Amsterdam, in 1705, Thea Brandt is turning eighteen, and she is ready to welcome adulthood with open arms.At the city's theatre, Walter, the love of her life, awaits her, but at home in the house on the Herengracht, all is not well - her father Otto and Aunt Nella argue endlessly, and the Brandt family are selling their furniture in order to eat. On Thea's birthday, also the day that her mother Marin died, the secrets from the past begin to overwhelm the present. Nella is desperate to save the family and maintain appearances, to find Thea a husband who will guarantee her future, and when they receive an invitation to Amsterdam's most exclusive ball, she is overjoyed - perhaps this will set their fortunes straight.And indeed, the b
Before he was the guardian of Ciri, the child of destiny, Geralt of Rivia was a legendary swordsman. Join the Witcher as he undertakes a deadly mission in this stand-alone adventure set in the Andrzej Sapkowki's groundbreaking epic fantasy world that inspired the hit Netflix show and the blockbuster video games. Geralt of Rivia is a Witcher, one of the few capable of hunting the monsters that prey on humanity. He uses magical signs, potions, and the pride of every Witcher--two swords, steel and silver. But a contract has gone wrong, and Geralt finds himself without his signature weapons. Now he needs them back, because sorcerers are scheming, and across the world clouds are gathering. The season of storms is coming. . . Witcher collections The Last Wish Sword of Destiny Witcher novels Blood of Elves The Time of Contempt Baptism of Fire The Tower of Swallows Lady of the Lake Season of Storms Hussite Trilogy The Tower of Fools Warriors of God Translated from original Polish by David Fren
NYT Best Children's Books of 2021A family feud before the start of seventh grade propels Meilan from Boston's Chinatown to rural Ohio, where she must tap into her inner strength and sense of justice to make a new place for herself in this resonant debut. Meilan Hua's world is made up of a few key ingredients: her family's beloved matriarch, Nai Nai; the bakery her parents, aunts, and uncles own and run in Boston's Chinatown; and her favorite Chinese fairy tales. After Nai Nai passes, the family has a falling-out that sends Meilan, her parents, and her grieving grandfather on the road in search of a new home. They take a winding path across the country before landing in Redbud, Ohio. Everything in Redbud is the opposite of Chinatown, and Meilan's not quite sure who she is--being renamed at school only makes it worse. She decides she is many Meilans, each inspired by a different Chinese character with the same pronunciation as her name. Sometimes she is Mist, cooling and invisible; other
INSPIRATION FOR THE ORIGINAL SERIES THE LINCOLN LAWYER – THE #1 TV SHOW ON NETFLIXDefense attorney Mickey Haller and Detective Harry Bosch must either work together or die as they investigate a Hollywood lawyer's murder in this "epic page-turner" (Library Journal). Things are finally looking up for defense attorney Mickey Haller. After two years of wrong turns, Haller is back in the courtroom. When Hollywood lawyer Jerry Vincent is murdered, Haller inherits his biggest case yet: the defense of Walter Elliott, a prominent studio executive accused of murdering his wife and her lover. But as Haller prepares for the case that could launch him into the big time, he learns that Vincent's killer may be coming for him next.Enter Harry Bosch. Determined to find Vincent's killer, he is not opposed to using Haller as bait. But as danger mounts and the stakes rise, these two loners realize their only choice is to work together.
A gorgeous, wildly seductive novel, shimmering with intelligence, humour and joy' - Sarah WatersIn 1838 Frederic Chopin, George Sand and her children travel to a monastery in Mallorca. They are there to create and to convalesce, to live a simple life after the wildness of their Paris days. Witness to this tumultuous arrival is Blanca, the ghost of a teenage girl who has been at the monastery for over three hundred years.Blanca's was a life cut short and she is outraged. Having lived in a world full, according to her mother, of 'beautiful men', she has found that in death it is the women she falls for, their beauty she cannot turn away from, and it is the women and girls who, over her centuries in the village and at the monastery, she has sought to protect from the attentions of men with what little power she has. And then George Sand arrives, this beautiful woman in a man's clothes, and Blanca is in love.But the rest of the village is suspicious of the newcomers, and as winter sets in,
Inspired by award-winning author's Elizabeth Laird's own childhood growing up in post-war London, The Misunderstandings of Charity Brown is a classic coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of The Skylarks' War and I Capture the Castle. Charity Brown's life is about to change - her family have been left a huge, rambling house by a mysterious benefactor, and her parents want to move in and throw open its doors to the needy. Only recently back from hospital after months of isolation with polio, Charity is over-protected and lonely as the only child still at home.Her family are very religious - her sisters are called Faith and Hope, and her brother Ted is studying to be a preacher - so she's both excited and nervous at the thought of sharing her family and new home with strangers. It's a recipe for confusion, joy and endless misunderstandings, including with the new neighbours, an Austrian family with a daughter just Charity's age . .
An honest policeman, Sergeant Wigan, escorts a drunk man home one night to keep him out of trouble and, seeing his fine book collection, slowly falls in to the gentle art of book collecting. Just as t
The passing of the age of the dinosaurs allowed mammals to become ascendant. But mammals have a much deeper history. They - or, more precisely, we - originated around the same time as the dinosaurs, over 200 million years ago; mammal roots lie even further back, some 325 million years.Over these immense stretches of geological time, mammals developed their trademark features: hair, keen senses of smell and hearing, big brains and sharp intelligence, fast growth and warm-blooded metabolism, a distinctive line-up of teeth (canines, incisors, premolars, molars), mammary glands that mothers use to nourish their babies with milk, qualities that have underlain their success story. Out of this long and rich evolutionary history came the mammals of today, including our own species and our closest cousins. But today's 6,000 mammal species - the egg-laying monotremes including the platypus, marsupials such as kangaroos and koalas that raise their tiny babies in pouches, and placentals like us, w
'Taut, compelling and deliciously dark' - B. A. Paris bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors Leah Dawson and McKenna Hawkins had a lot in common, but they had never met.They are smart, professional women living in the same sunny, prosperous neighbourhood in lovely houses with picket fences and beautiful gardens. And they were both married to successful, good-looking men who both seem bent on having 'the perfect wife'. They don't - ever - find themselves in the same train carriage or meet accidentally at the gym or in the coffee shop.And they don't - ever - discuss their problems and find common ground. But they do cross paths. And they see something each recognizes in the other.That they are living in hell. Neither narrator is unreliable. They always tell us the truth.And their truth hurts. A lot. Because these two attractive, intelligent professional women are living in a hell of their husband's making.And there is no way to get out of hell. Is there?
