An evocative and lyrical history of Cyprus and the Mediterranean.Think of a place where can you stand at the intersection of Christian and Arab cultures, at the crossroads of the British, Ottoman, Byzantine, Roman and Egyptian empires; a place marked by the struggle between fascism and communism and where the capital city is divided in half as a result of bloody internal conflict; where the ancient olive trees of Homer's time exist alongside the undersea cables which provide the world's internet.In Cypria, named after a lost Cypriot epic which was the prequel to The Odyssey, British Cypriot writer Alex Christofi writes a deeply personal, lyrical and historical portrait and history of the island of Cyprus, from ancient times to the present day.This sprawling, evocative and poetic book begins with the legend of the cyclops and the storytelling at the heart of the Mediterranean culture. Christofi travels to salt lakes, mosques and the eerie towns deserted at the start of the 1974 war. He retells the particularly bloody history of Cyprus during the twentieth century and considers his own identity as traveler and returner, as Odysseus was.Written in the same sensitive, witty and beautifully rendered prose as his last book Dostoevsky in Love, with a novelist's flair and eye for detail, Cypria combines the political, cultural and geographical history of Cyprus with reflections on time, place and belonging.
From bestselling and award-winning author Patrick deWitt comes a novel about an ordinary man who thought life's surprises were behind him - until a chance encounter changes everything Bob Comet is a retired librarian passing his solitary days surrounded by books in a mint-colored house in Portland, Oregon. One morning on his daily walk he encounters a confused elderly woman lost in a market and returns her to the senior center that is her home. Hoping to fill the void he's known since retiring, he begins volunteering at the center. Here, as a community of strange peers gathers around Bob, and following a happenstance brush with a painful complication from his past, the events of his life and the details of his character are revealed. Behind Bob Comet's straight man facade is the story of an unhappy child's runaway adventure during the last days of the Second World War, of true love won and stolen away, of the purpose and pride found in the librarian's vocation, and the pleasures of a life lived to the side of the masses. Comet's experiences are imbued with melancholy but also a bright, sustained comedy; he has a talent for locating bizarre and outsized players to welcome onto the stage of his life. With his inimitable verve, skewed humor, and compassion for the outcast, Patrick deWitt has written a wide-ranging and ambitious document of the introvert's condition. The Librarianist celebrates the extraordinary in the so-called ordinary life, and depicts beautifully the turbulence that sometimes exists beneath a surface of serenity. ________________________________________________________________________Praise for Patrick deWitt'A triumph from a writer truly in the zone' Maria Semple, author of Where'd You Go,Bernadette'deWitt remains a true original' Guardian'One of the most talented young writers around' Sunday Times
A WATERSTONES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH In this love letter to reading, curated by Pandora Sykes in aid of the National Literacy Trust, bestselling and beloved writers share their favourite books: the ones they hold most dearly, that they return to time and again and that helped make them the writers they are. WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM : NICK HORNBY * RUTH OZEKI * ANN PATCHETT * BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH * MARIAN KEYES * ELIZABETH STROUT * DEBORAH LEVY * TESSA HADLEY * ELIF SHAFAK * GEORGE THE POET * LEILA SLIMANI * ALI SMITH * DEREK OWUSU * DOLLY ALDERTON * PARIS LEES * JOJO MOYES * PAUL MENDEZ * SEBASTIAN FAULKS * DIANA EVANS * MEENA KANDASAMY * LISA TADDEO * NIKESH SHUKLA * TAIYE SELASI * MONICA ALI * NINA STIBBE * CALEB AZUMAH NELSON * ELIZABETH DAY * SARA COLLINS * DAMON GALGUT * NAOISE DOLAN * WILLIAM BOYD * EMMA DABIRI * FATIMA BHUTTO * KIT DE WAAL
'Darkly unsettling' Guardian'Intoxicating - dark, heady, lyrical' Daily Telegraph'Terrifying and inventive' ObserverIn a world devastated by antimicrobial resistance, two survivors are thrown into crisis when a woman washes ashore on the remote island where they live__________________________Years after complete antibiotic resistance has resulted in the loss of most human life on earth, Kit and Crevan eke out an existence on a remote island. Under a collapsing castle, they spend their days in an underground bunker packed with emergency stores, venturing out only at night. They are safe. One evening a woman washes ashore, nearly drowned. Crevan wants to keep her alive, but Kit isn't so sure. The new arrival will implode Kit and Crevan's world with dire and fatal consequences, churning up the waters of the past and unearthing secrets they have kept from each other and from themselves. Who is really in control - and what are they both capable of doing to protect their haven? Gripping, treacherous and visceral, Whether Violent or Natural is an unforgettably dark and strikingly original work by a major new talent.'Sly, sharp, and utterly captivating' Rory Power, New York Times-bestselling author of Wilder Girls'Hits you like a shot of the very good stuff ... Dark-hearted, complex, and accomplished' C. A. Fletcher, author of A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World
International bestselling author Sara Paretsky selects the twenty best mystery short stories of the year, including tales by Michael Connelly, Jo Nesbo, Joyce Carol Oates, Colson Whitehead, and more in this crime connoisseur's collection. Under the auspices of New York City's legendary mystery fiction specialty bookstore, The Mysterious Bookshop, and aided by Edgar Award-winning anthologist Otto Penzler, international bestseller and MWA Grandmaster Sara Paretsky has selected the twenty most puzzling, most thrilling, and most mysterious short stories from the past year, collected now in one entertaining volume. The classic mystery tale will be familiar to aficionados and casual readers alike: it was invented by Edgar Allen Poe, popularised by Arthur Conan Doyle, and perfected by Agatha Christie. WIthin a few pages, a clue can be discovered, divulged, and its significance determined: all else is mere embellishment.Featuring stories by: Doug Allyn, Colin Barrett, Jerome Charyn, Michael Connelly, Susan Frith, Tom Larsen, Sean Marciniak, Stefon Mears, Keith Lee Morris, Gwen Mullins, Jo Nesbo, Joyce Carol Oates, Annie Reed, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Anna Scotti, Ginny Swart, Ellen Tremiti, Joseph S. Walker, Colson Whitehead, and Michael Wiley - plus a bonus vintage story from the annals of mystery fiction, written over a century in the past.
Power. History. Love. Hate. Vengeance.She will be Queen. Whatever it takes...Daughter of an ousted king, descendant of ancient druids, as a child it is prophesied that one day Gruoch will be queen of Alba.When she is betrothed to Duncan, heir elect, this appears to confirm the prophecy. She leaves behind her home, her family and her close friend MacBethad, and travels to the royal seat at Scone to embrace her new position. But nothing is as Gruoch anticipates. Duncan's court is filled with sly words and unfriendly faces, women desperate to usurp her position, and others whose motives are shrouded in mystery. As her coronation approaches, a deadly turn of events forces Gruoch to flee Duncan and the capital, finding herself alone, vulnerable and at the mercy of an old enemy. Her hope of becoming Queen all but lost, Gruoch does what she must to survive, vowing that one day she will fulfill her destiny and take up the future owed to her. Whatever it may take. A suspenseful, sweeping historical epic, Lady MacBethad is the origin story of the woman who inspired one of Shakespeare's most iconic characters.'Captivating'' - Cressida McLaughlin'Extraordinary' - Emily Koch'Stunning' - Cailean Steed
'A beautiful work that is in turn haunting, touching and redemptive' SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIOREWhen Luiz Schwarcz was a child, he was told little about his grandfather and namesake Láios - 'Luiz' in Hungarian. Only later would Luiz learn that Láios had defied his country's Nazi occupiers and ordered his son to leap from the train on the way to a German death camp, while Láios himself was carried on to his death.Young Luiz assumed responsibility for his parents' happiness, as many children of trauma do, and for a time he seemed to be succeeding. But then, at a high point of outward success, Luiz was brought low by a devastating mental breakdown.This astonishing memoir interrogates a personal story of mental health through a family history of murder, dispossession, silence, and the long echo of the Holocaust across generations.
The SPECTACULAR debut children's book from TV presenter and YouTube star Adam B!Everybody dreams of becoming a superstar YouTube sensation, but for Adam - a penniless, cameraless nobody, with only one friend - it isn't just a dream, it's a COMPLETE AND UTTER, NEVER-GOING-TO-HAPPEN-IN-A-MILLION-YEARS, ABSOLUTE IMPOSSIBILITY!That is until he stumbles across the mysterious Popularis Incrementum website. As if by magic, Adam is thrown into a world of FAME, FORTUNE and hotels with really, really, really FANCY TVs!But Adam's luck may be running out.When he accepts a mission to reach one million subscribers in one year, it becomes clear that he has bitten off way more than he can chew, and his life becomes one epic fail after another.But fortunately for Adam, he still has a trick or two up his sleeve .Featuring bold black-and-white illustrations from James Lancett throughout, this brilliant, bright hardback will make the perfect Christmas gift for budding young YouTubers everywhere! Fans of David Baddiel, Greg James and Chris Smith and Noel Fitzpatrick's Vetman will be spellbound.
The assassination of a Treadstone agent leads two Blackbriar operatives down a rabbit hole of deceit and betrayal in this explosive new series from the world of Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne.A car explodes on a quiet Prague side street - and among the dead is an undercover Treadstone agent. It's not unusual for such men to meet their fates on an operation, but in this case there's one catch: none of the agent's superiors knows why he was there.Two Blackbriar operatives, Helen Jouvert and Donovan Wade, are sent to investigate. Their search for answers will take them deeper into the world of conspiracy and fake news than they ever expected. Treadstone and Blackbriar, intelligence and counter-intelligence, may be two sides of the same coin, but they have one thing in common: answers can be the deadliest commodity of all.Reviewers on Simon Gervais:'Thriller writing at its level best' Providence Journal'Non-stop action meets relentless suspense' The Real Book Spy
Jason Bourne tackles a global media conspiracy and a murderous tech giant in the latest electrifying entry in Robert Ludlum's New York Times bestselling series.Bourne is back... Jason Bourne has faced many killers before, but none as dangerous as the assassin who calls himself Lennon. Bourne thought he had Lennon cornered in Iceland, only to have the killer escape in a fiery explosion. Now Lennon's trail leads Bourne to New York and then to Washington D.C. - and the body count rises with each deadly encounter.Bourne believes the assassin has a shadowy new employer called the Pyramid. The only clue to the group's agenda is a young German woman, murdered in D.C. on her way to a covert meeting. But the woman's entire identity turns out to be a lie, and news reports of her death have been strangely twisted and suppressed.Finding the truth about this woman may be Bourne's only chance to catch Lennon - and uncover the conspiracy behind the Pyramid. But the chase comes with high stakes. Bourne's former lover, journalist Abbey Laurent, is digging into the mystery too, and the battle against Lennon and the Pyramid will soon put Abbey in the assassin's crosshairs. Bourne will need to use every bit of his tradecraft and his genius for mayhem to expose this web of lies and murder before Lennon kills the woman he loves.Praise for Brian Freeman's Bourne books: 'Freeman has a firm grasp of Bourne's tangled background plus the skills to keep the action front and center. Bourne fans will hope for an encore from this talented author' Publishers Weekly 'Freeman's first Jason Bourne thriller is a treat for fans of the late Robert Ludlum' Kirkus Reviews
'Absorbing, moving, and alarmingly believable, Home is an unforgettable story about identity, family, and the terrifying dynamics of a cult' Carole Johnstone, author of Mirrorland'Home is a white-hot gem of a book; brilliantly researched, so gripping and propulsive you'll want to consume it in one go, but also glowingly, humanly real' Kirstin Innes, author of Scabby QueenSomeone has broken into Zoe's flat. A man she thought she'd never have to see again.They call him the Hand of God. He knows about her job in the cafe, her life in Dublin, her ex-girlfriend, even the knife she's hidden under the mattress. She thought she'd left him far behind, along with the cult of the Children and their isolated compound Home - but now he's found her, and Zoe realises she must go back with him if she's to rescue the sister who helped her escape originally. But returning to Home means going back to the enforced worship and strict gender roles Zoe has long since moved beyond. Back to the abuse and indoctrination she's fought desperately to overcome... Going back will make her question everything she believed about her past - and risk her hard-won freedom. Can she break free a second time?'An absolute triumph.... I found myself holding my breath, hoping for the best for her, while expecting the worst. Highly recommended' Laura Shepperson, author of forthcoming debut THE HEROINES
A blown mission and a dead team leave Adam Hayes on the run in this high-stakes thriller from Robert Ludlum's Bourne universe.From the explosive world of Jason Bourne emerges a new hero. The CIA has a source in Haiti with proof of corruption at the top of the American intelligence community. Yet a simple smash and grab mission is blown wide open when a powerful element in Haiti is threatened by the breach. The CIA team's only hope for survival is a speedy extraction.None of this matters to Adam Hayes. After years of dangerous operations for Treadstone, he's ready to call it quits, but the feeling isn't mutual. Treadstone want Hayes back for one more mission. And when the mission is blown and Hayes escapes with his life, everyone, it seems, is determined to correct that oversight.Reviews for Joshua Hood: 'A worthy addition to the Ludlum bookshelf' Mark Greaney 'The perfect high-octane thriller' Simon Gervais
The adventures of James Bond have thrilled readers since Ian Fleming's novel Casino Royale was published in 1953, and when the movie of Dr No was released in 1962, Bond quickly became the world's favourite secret agent.Science and technology have always been central to the plots that make up the world of Bond, and in Superspy Science Kathryn Harkup explores the full range of 007's exploits and the arms, technologies, tactics and downfalls of his various foes. From the practicalities of building a volcano-based lair, to whether being covered in gold paint really will kill you, and - if your plan is to take over the world - whether it is better to use bacteria, bombs, or poison - this book has all the answers and more.Could our favourite Bond villains actually achieve world domination? Were the huge variety of weapons and technology in Bond's arsenal from both the films and books ever actually developed in real life? And would 007 actually escape all those close shaves intact? From the plots to the gadgets to the ludicrous ways that his life is threatened, Superspy Science takes an in-depth look at the scientific world of James Bond.
A woman wakes up to discover her new husband is missing and sets out on a wild race of power, politics, and revenge in this international thriller from New York Times bestselling author Chris Pavone.You think you know a person...Ariel Pryce wakes up in Lisbon, alone. Her husband is gone - no warning, no note, not answering his phone. Something is wrong.She starts with hotel security, then the police, then the US embassy, at each confronting questions she can't fully answer: What exactly is John doing in Lisbon? Why would he drag her along on his business trip? Who would want to harm him? And why does Ariel know so little about her new husband?The clock is ticking. Ariel is running out of time. But the one person in the world who can help her is the one person she doesn't want to ask...A complex, intelligent, multi-layered thriller, Two Nights in Lisbon is filled with twists, turns, husbands, wives, secrets and lies - and it will linger long after you turn the surprising final page.Praise for Two Nights in Lisbon: 'I defy anyone to read the first twenty pages of this breakneck novel, then try to put it down for five minutes. This is smart suspense at its very best' John Grisham 'Timely, important, layered with ticking suspense' Lee Child 'Two Nights in Lisbon is his best yet. This one is not to be missed' Karin Slaughter 'There's no such thing as a book you can't put down, but this one was close' Stephen King 'Brimming over with surprise, nuance, cunning' Megan Abbott 'An elegantly twisting, lyrical, rocket-paced international thriller of the first order' Lisa Unger
When her parents die in a terrible tragedy, Neva is adopted by an eccentric clock and automata maker who devises a machine to help her when she discovers she has a gift that will prove to be as dangerous as it is desirable: she can predict the weather. Now Neva must find a way to disguise her true identity from those who would destroy her.
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