"A fool's tongue is long enough to slit his own throat." ~ from Kate Forsyth's Bitter Greens
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New and Recently Released!
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| Gutenberg's Apprentice: A Novel by Alix ChristieSummoned home to Mainz, Germany, by his adoptive father, master scribe Peter Schoeffer becomes the apprentice of Johannes Gutenberg, who's covertly developing a system of movable metal type. Charged with keeping an eye on the wily, unpredictable Gutenberg, Peter initially chafes at his father’s orders but soon recognizes the world-changing potential of Gutenberg’s press when they begin work on an ambitious project: a printed Bible. But in a 15th-century Europe characterized by economic troubles, political unrest, and religious reform, bringing their masterpiece to completion will require back-breaking labor, utter secrecy, and (most importantly) preventing the reckless Gutenberg from sabotaging his own life’s work. |
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| The High Divide: A Novel by Lin EngerFirst Ulysses Pope abandons his Minnesota farm, leaving behind his Danish wife, Gretta, and their two sons, Eli and Danny. Soon after, the young men embark on a search for their father and vanish into the wilderness. Finally, Gretta strikes out on her own, hoping to find her family during a journey that takes her through the Badlands and into Montana Territory. Like Stef Penney's The Tenderness of Wolves, this family drama is set against the evocative backdrop of the 19th-century North American frontier. |
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| A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon JamesInspired by the attempted assassination of musician Bob Marley on December 3, 1976, this latest novel by the author of The Book of Night Women explores Jamaica's turbulent history through multiple, intersecting narratives that introduce more than a dozen characters. Framed as an oral history, A Brief History of Seven Killings features a diverse cast, an evocative and richly detailed setting, and a sprawling story told by a chorus of distinct voices in pitch-perfect dialogue. |
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| Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi MunaweeraAfter the British abandoned the colony of Ceylon, but before civil war tore apart the new nation of Sri Lanka, Yasodhara Rajasinghe enjoyed a comfortable childhood in Colombo with her loving Sinhalese family. However, while Yasodhara is able to escape by emigrating to the United States, young Tamil girl Saraswathi, an aspiring schoolteacher, is less fortunate. After losing her family and suffering extreme abuse, she becomes a militant, meting out "justice" in exchange for the atrocities committed against her loved ones. Narrated in turns by both women, Island of a Thousand Mirrors examines the origins and ongoing legacy of a brutal 30-year conflict. |
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| An Officer and A Spy: A Novel by Robert HarrisParis, 1895: Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish army officer, is convicted of treason, stripped of his rank, and sentenced to a lifetime of hard labor on Devil's Island, French Guiana. Ordered to investigate the incident on behalf of the French military's new counter-espionage force, Colonel Georges Picquart uncovers evidence of anti-Semitism as well as a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of government. Inspired by the events of the Dreyfus Affair, a real-life political scandal that engulfed Europe in the late 19th century, this gripping tale brings history to life. |
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| Bring Up The Bodies: A Novel by Hilary MantelThis sequel to Hilary Mantel's Booker Prize-winning Wolf Hall continues the story of ambitious courtier Thomas Cromwell's career. Having achieved the pinnacle of success as King Henry VIII's chief minister, Cromwell -- who used cunning and political gamesmanship to secure the annulment that dissolved the King's marriage to Catherine of Aragon and severed the bonds between the Anglican Church and Rome -- must once again appease his sovereign. This time, his task is to replace Anne Boleyn, who has failed to produce a male heir to the throne, with Henry's latest obsession, Jane Seymour. However, dispensing with yet another queen is a tricky business and one false step could cost Cromwell everything. |
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| The Traitor's Wife: The Woman Behind Benedict Arnold and the Plan to Betray America by Allison PatakiOne of the most infamous incidents of the American Revolution unfolds through the eyes of Clara Bell, a maidservant in the household of Philadelphia socialite Margaret "Peggy" Shippen Arnold, wife of General Benedict Arnold. Loyalist Peggy joins forces with her former lover, English officer John André, and convinces Arnold to betray the fledgling American republic, plotting the Continental Army's surrender of West Point to the British forces. Kirkus Reviews praises this debut novel's "fresh perspective" on the circumstances surrounding a well-known historical act of treason. |
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| The Dream of the Celt: A Novel by Mario Vargas LlosaKnighted in 1911 and executed in 1916, Dublin-born diplomat Roger Casement went from hero to traitor in just five years. His investigation of human rights abuses perpetrated by British industry earns him a reputation as a great humanitarian. However, as a fervent Irish nationalist, Casement participates in the Easter Rising and is imprisoned and charged with treason. While Casement awaits trial, his private diaries, containing descriptions of his homosexual relationships, are circulated by the government in an attempt to alienate Casement's supporters, who advocate clemency. Alternating between Casement's early career in the foreign service and his final days, The Dream of the Celt is a fascinating character study of a man whose lofty ideals and human frailties led to his downfall. |
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| Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey by Alison WeirBorn a political pawn, Lady Jane Grey, great-niece of Henry VIII, spends the entire 16 years of her life furthering the political aims of her ambitious family. Ultimately, she surpasses even their wildest hopes when her dying cousin, King Edward VI, names her as his successor. Jane becomes Queen of England, reigning for just nine days before she's deposed by Edward's half-sister, Mary, and charged with treason. This debut novel by historian Alison Weir presents a vividly rendered, richly detailed portrait of an intelligent and perceptive young woman subject to events beyond her control. |
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