2010, ISBN: 9781908172112

Hardcover

Orbit. Good. 19.9 x 13.4 x 3 centimetres (0.2. Paperback. 2007. 441 pages. Cover worn<br># Logan Tom is doomed to remember the pa st and determined to rescue the future. Far behind … More...

Orbit. Good. 19.9 x 13.4 x 3 centimetres (0.2. Paperback. 2007. 441 pages. Cover worn<br># Logan Tom is doomed to remember the pa st and determined to rescue the future. Far behind him lies a boy hood cut violently short by his family's slaughter, when the forc es of madness and hate swept our world after decadent excesses le d to civilization's downfall. Somewhere ahead of him rests the on ly chance to beat back the minions of evil that are systematicall y killing and enslaving the last remnants of humanity. Navigating the scarred and poisoned landscape that once was America and gui ded by a powerful talisman, Logan has sworn an oath to seek out a remarkable being born of magic, possessed of untold abilities, a nd destined to lead the final fight against darkness. # Across th e country, Angel Perez, herself a survivor of the malevolent deat h-dealing forces combing the land, has also been chosen for an un canny mission in the name of her ruined world's salvation. From t he devastated streets of Los Angeles, she will journey to find a place - and a people - shrouded in mystery, celebrated in legend, and vital to the cause of humankind...even as a relentless foe f ollows close behind, bent on her extermination. Meanwhile, in the nearly forsaken city of Seattle, a makeshift family of refugees has carved out a tenuous existence among the street gangs, mutant s, and marauders fighting to stay alive against mounting odds - a nd something unspeakable that has come from the shadows in search of prey. # In time, all their paths will cross. Their common pur pose will draw them together. Their courage and convictions will be tested and their fates will be decided, as their singular crus ade begins: to take back, or lose forever, the only world they ha ve. ., Orbit, 2007, 2.5, HarperCollins. Good. 112mm / 177mm. Paperback. 2000. 628 pages. Cover worn. Text tanned<br>The Seven Kingdoms are torn by strife as the three surviving contenders for the throne conti nue their struggle for power, Robb Stark defends his fledgling ki ngdom from the ravaging Greyjoys, Winterfell lies in ruins, Jon S now confronts an escalating threat from behind the Wall, and Dane rys Stormborn and her dragon allies continue to grow in power. He re is the third volume in George R. Martin's magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fa ntasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and tr ansport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Alread y hailed as a classic, George R. Martin's stunning series is dest ined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fic tion. A Storm of Swords Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently a s ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lanni ster, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of th e Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord ... [more]Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceres s who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Star k, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plot s against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his s ister hostage at King's Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Mea nwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the e xiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still l eft in the world. But as opposing forces maneuver for the final t itanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the o utermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of my thical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose anima ted corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in t he balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have explod ed in a veritable storm of swords. ., HarperCollins, 2000, 2.5, Harlequin Kimani. Very Good. 4.21 x 0.81 x 6.62 inches. Mass Market Paperback. 2010. 384 pages. <br>A Little Dare When Shelly Brockman walks into his office, Sheriff Dare Westmoreland can almost taste the sweet, st eamy passion they'd once shared. Then she informs him that he is the father of her son, the unruly preteen Dare arrested earlier t hat day, and his fantasies turn to fury. Shelly has returned to h er Georgia hometown to get her son away from the mean streets of Los Angeles, and she hopes that getting to know his father will d o her child a world of good. But will being so close to Dare--the only man to ever make Shelly's heartbeat race--reopen old wounds , or will this be her last chance to secure his love forever? Th orn's Challenge One sizzling kiss from Thorn Westmoreland isn't enough to convince Tara Matthews to risk her heart again...or is it? The beautiful doctor and the hard-driving motorcycle tycoon m ix like oil and water. Why, then, can't Tara erase the memory of the sexy racer from her head, or thoughts of his passionate cares ses from her body? Thorn has wanted Tara since the day they met. His plan is to seduce the prickly doctor and indulge in a casual affair. But before he can savor the success of their passion, she turns the tables on him. Now instead of working her out of his s ystem, Thorn is hell-bent on winning Tara's love.... Editorial R eviews About the Author Brenda Jackson is a New York Times best selling author of more than one hundred romance titles. Brenda li ves in Jacksonville, Florida, and divides her time between family , writing and traveling. Email Brenda at authorbrendajackson@gmai l.com or visit her on her website at brendajackson.net. Excerpt . ® Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Sheriff Dare W estmoreland leaned forward in the chair behind his desk. From the defiant look on the face of the boy standing in front of him he could tell it would be one of those days. Look, kid, I'm only goi ng to ask you one more time. What is your name? The boy crossed his arms over his chest and had the nerve to glare at him and say , And I've told you that I don't like cops and have no intention of giving you my name or anything else. And if you don't like it, arrest me. Dare stood to his full height of six-feet-four, feel ing every bit of his thirty-six years as he came from behind his desk to stare at the boy. He estimated the kid, who he'd caught t hrowing rocks at passing cars on the highway, to be around twelve or thirteen. It had been a long time since any kid living in his jurisdiction had outright sassed him. None of them would have da red, so it stood to reason that the kid was probably new in town. You will get your wish. Since you won't cooperate and tell me w ho you are, I'm officially holding you in police custody until so meone comes to claim you. And while you're waiting you may as wel l make yourself useful. You'll start by mopping out the bathroom on the first floor, so follow me. Dare shook his head, thinking he didn't envy this kid's parents one bit. Shelly had barely bro ught her car to a complete stop in front of the sheriff's office before she was out of it. It had taken her a good two hours in At lanta's heavy traffic to make it home after receiving word that A J had not shown up at school, only to discover he wasn't at home. When it had started getting late she had gotten worried and call ed the police. After giving the dispatcher a description of AJ, t he woman assured her that he was safe in their custody and that t he reason she had not been contacted was because AJ had refused t o give anyone his name. Without asking for any further details Sh elly had jumped into her car and headed for the police station. She let out a deep sigh. If AJ hadn't given anyone his name that meant the sheriff was not aware she was AJ's mother and for the m oment that was a comforting thought. As she pushed open the door, she knew all her excuses for not yet meeting with Dare and telli ng him the truth had run out, and fate had decided to force her h and. She was about to come face-to-face with Sheriff Dare Westmo reland. *** Sheriff, the parent of John Doe has arrived. Dare looked up from the papers he was reading and met his secretary's gaze. Only one parent showed up, Holly? Yes, just the mother. Sh e's not wearing a wedding ring so I can only assume there isn't a father. At least not one that's around. Dare nodded. What's the kid doing now? he asked, pushing the papers he'd been reading as ide. He's out back watching Deputy McKade clean up his police mo torcycle Dare nodded. Send the woman in, Holly. I need to have a long talk with her. Her son needs a lot more discipline than he' s evidently getting at home. Dare moved away from his desk to st and at the window where he could observe the boy as he watched Mc Kade polish his motorcycle. He inhaled deeply. There was somethin g about the boy that he found oddly familiar. Maybe he reminded h im of himself and his four brothers when they'd been younger. Alt hough they had been quite a handful for their parents, headstrong and in some ways stubborn, they had known just how far to take i t and just how much they could get away with. And they'd been sma rt enough to know when to keep their mouths closed. This kid had a lot to learn. Sheriff Westmoreland, this is Ms. Rochelle Brock man. Dare swung his head around and his gaze collided with the w oman he'd once loved to distraction. Suddenly his breath caught, his mouth went dry and every muscle in his body froze as memories rushed through his spiraling mind. He could vividly recall the first time they'd met, their first kiss and the first time they h ad made love. The last time stood out in his mind now. He dragged his gaze from her face to do a total sweep of her body before re turning to her face again. A shiver of desire tore through him, a nd he was glad that his position, standing behind his desk, block ed a view of his body from the waist down. Otherwise both women w ould have seen the arousal pressing against the zipper of his pan ts. His gaze moved to her dark brown hair, and he noted that it was shorter and cut in one of those trendy styles that accented t he creamy chocolate coloring of her face as well as the warm bran dy shade of her eyes. The casual outfit she wore, a printed skir t and a matching blouse, made her look stylish, comfortable and u ltrafemi-nine. Then there were the legs he still considered the m ost gorgeous pair he'd ever seen. Legs he knew could wrap around his waist while their bodies meshed in pleasure. A deep sigh esc aped his closed lips as he concluded that at thirty-three she was even more beautiful than he remembered and still epitomized ever ything feminine. They'd first met when she was sixteen and a soph omore in high school. He'd been nineteen, a few weeks shy of twen ty and a sophomore in college, and had come home for a visit to f ind her working on a school project with his brother Stone. He ha d walked into the house at the exact moment she'd been leaning ov er Stone, explaining some scientific formula and wearing the sexi est pair of shorts he had ever seen on a female. He had thought s he had a pair of legs that were simply a complete turn-on. When s he had glanced up, noticed him staring and smiled, he'd been a go ner. Never before had he been so aware of a woman. An immediate a ttraction had flared between them, holding him hostage to desires he'd never felt before. After making sure Stone didn't have des igns on her himself, he had made his move. And it was a move he'd never regretted making. They began seriously dating a few months later and had continued to do so for six long years, until he ha d made the mistake of ending things between them. Now it seemed t he day of reckoning had arrived. Shelly. Dare. It was as if th e years had not passed between them, Dare suddenly thought. That same electrical charge the two of them always generated ignited f ull force, sending a high voltage searing through the room. He c leared his throat. Holly, you can leave me and Ms. Brockman alone now, he thought it best to say. His secretary looked at Shelly then back at him. Sure, Sheriff, she murmured, and walked out of the office, pulling the door shut behind her. Once the door clos ed, Dare turned his full attention back to Shelly. His gaze went immediately to her lips; lips he used to enjoy tasting time and t ime again; lips that were hot, sweet and ultraresponsive. One nig ht he had thrust her into an orgasm just from gnawing on her lips and caressing them with the tip of his tongue. He swallowed to get his bearings when he felt his body begin responding to just b eing in the same room with her. He then admitted what he'd known for years. Shelly Brockman would always be the beginning and the end of his most blatant desires and a part of him could not belie ve she was back in College Park after being gone for so long. Sh elly felt the intensity of Dare's gaze and struggled to keep her emotions in check, but he was so disturbingly gorgeous that she f ound it hard to do so. Wearing his blue uniform, he still had tha t look that left a woman's mind whirling and her body overheated. He had changed a lot from the young man she had fallen in love with years ago. He was taller, bigger and more muscular. The few lines he had developed in the corners of his eyes, and the firmne ss of his jaw made his face more angular, his coffee-colored feat ures stark and disturbingly handsome and still a pleasure to look at. She noted there were certain things about him that had rema ined the same. The shape of his mouth was still a total turn-on, and he still had those sexy dimples he used to flash at her so of ten. Then there were those dark eyes--deep, penetrating--that at one time had had the ability to read her mind by just looking at her. How else had he known when she'd wanted him to make love to her without her having to utter a single word? Suddenly Shelly f elt nervous, panicky when she remembered the reason she had moved back to town. But there was no way she could tell Dare that he w as AJ's father--at least not today. She needed time to pull herse lf together. Seeing him again had derailed her senses, making it impossible for her to think straight. The only thing she wanted w as to get AJ and leave. I came for my son, Dare, she finally fou nd her voice to say, and even to her own ears it sounded wispy. Dare let out a deep breath. It seemed she wanted to get right dow n to business and not dwell on the past. He had no intention of l etting her do that, mainly because of what they had once meant to each other. It's been a long time, Shelly. How have you been? he asked raspily, failing to keep his own voice casual. He found th e scent of her perfume just as sexy and enticing as the rest of h er. I've been fine, Dare. How about you? Same here. She nodded . Now may I see my son? Her insistence on keeping things nonpers onal was beginning to annoy the hell out of him. His eyes narrowe d and his gaze zeroed in on her mouth; bad timing on his part. Sh e nervously swiped her bottom lip with her tongue, causing his bo dy to react immediately. He remembered that tongue and some of th e things he had taught her to do with it. He dragged air into his lungs when he felt his muscles tense. Aren't you going to ask wh y he's here? he asked, his voice sounding tight, just as tight as his entire body felt. She shrugged. I assumed that since the sc hool called and said he didn't show up today, one of your officer s had picked him up for playing hooky. No, that's not it, he sai d, thinking that was a reasonable assumption to make. I'm the one who picked him up, but he was doing something a bit more serious than playing hooky. Shelly's eyes widened in alarm. What? I ca ught him throwing rocks at passing motorists on Old National High way. Do you know what could have happened had a driver swerved to avoid getting hit? Shelly swallowed as she nodded. Yes. The fir st thought that came to her mind was that AJ was in need of serio us punishment, but she'd tried punishing him in the past and it h adn't seemed to work. I'm sorry about this, Dare, she apologized , not knowing what else to say. We moved to town a few weeks ago and it hasn't been easy for him. He needs time to adjust. Dare s norted. From the way he acted in my office earlier today, I think what he needs is an attitude adjustment as well as a lesson in r espect and manners. Whose kid is he anyway? Shelly straightened her spine. The mother in her took offense at his words. She admit ted she had spoiled AJ somewhat, but still, considering the fact that she was a single parent doing the best she could, she didn't need Dare of all people being so critical. He's my child. Dare stared at her wondering if she really expected him to believe tha t. There was no way the kid could be hers, since in his estimatio n of the kid's age, she was a student in college and his steady g irl about the same time the boy was born. I mean who does he real ly belong to since I know you didn't have a baby twelve or thirte en years ago, Shelly. Her gaze turned glacial. He is mine, Dare. I gave birth to him ten years ago. He just looks older than he r eally is because of his height. Shelly watched Dare's gaze sharpe n and darken, then his brows pulled together in a deep, furious f rown. What the hell do you mean you gave birth to him? he asked, a shocked look on his face and a tone of voice that bordered on anger and total disbelief. She met his glare with one of her own . I meant just what I said. Now may I see him? She made a move to leave Dare's office but he caught her arm. Are you saying that he was born after you left here? Yes. Dare released her. His fe atures had suddenly turned to stone, and the gaze that focused on hers was filled with hurt and pain. It didn't take you long to f ind someone in California to take my place after we broke up, did it? His words were like a sharp, painful slap to Shelly's face. He thought that she had given birth to someone else's child! How could he think that when she had loved him so much? She was sudd enly filled with extreme anger. Why does it matter to you what I did after I left here, Dare, when you decided after six long year s that you wanted a career with the FBI more than you wanted me? Dare closed his eyes, remembering that night and what he had sai d to her, words he had later come to regret. He slowly reopened h is eyes and looke, Harlequin Kimani, 2010, 3, Delacorte Press. Good. 5.1 x 1.2 x 7.6 inches. Hardcover. 2006. 336 pages. Ex-library. Cover worn. <br>Some women shop. Some eat. Dora cures the blues by bingeing on books-reading one after anot her, from Flaubert to bodice rippers, for hours and days on end. In this wickedly funny and sexy literary debut, we meet the begui ling, beautiful Dora, whose unique voice combines a wry wit and v ulnerability as she navigates the road between reality and fictio n. Dora, named after Eudora Welty, is an indiscriminate book jun kie whose life has fallen apart-her career, her marriage, and fin ally her self-esteem. All she has left is her love of literature, and the book benders she relied on as a child. Ever since her la rger-than-life father wandered away and her book-loving, alcoholi c mother was left with two young daughters, Dora and her sister, Virginia, have clung to each other, enduring a childhood filled w ith literary pilgrimages instead of summer vacations. Somewhere a long the way Virginia made the leap into the real world. But Dora isn't quite there yet. Now she's coping with a painful separatio n from her husband, scraping the bottom of a dwindling inheritanc e, and attracted to a seductive book-seller who seems to embody a ll that literature has to offer-intelligent ideas, romance, and a n escape from her problems. Joining Dora in her odyssey is an e lderly society hair-brusher, a heartbroken young girl, a hilariou s off-the-wall female teamster, and Dora's mother, now on the wag on, trying to make amends. Along the way Dora faces some powerful choices. Between two irresistible men. Between idleness and work . And most of all between the joy of well-chosen words and the un tidiness of real people and real life. Editorial Reviews From P ublishers Weekly Kaufman, a former L.A. Times staff writer, and M ack, a former attorney and Golden Globe Award- winning film and T V producer, check in with this solid, thoughtful chick lit debut. Dora, at 35, is a twice-divorced former young reporter on the ri se at the L.A. Times. Second ex-husband Palmer is now head of Son y Pictures, and still supporting her. Dora's depressed, and she o nly leaves the house to stalk Palmer and buy more books. At the b ookstore, she meets elegantly scraggly comp lit Ph.D. Fred, and t hey begin an unlikely courtship. Dora is soon surprised by Fred's invitation to meet his mother, Bea, whom Dora likes instantly, a ll the more so when she learns Bea is also raising Harper, the si x-year-old daughter of Fred's troubled sister. The bond between B ea and Dora gives Dora something she never had with her own, alco holic mother, and helps her make decisions that bring her life ba ck into focus. Dora is the kind of deadpan and imperfect heroine with whom readers can easily identify. Kaufman and Mack mishandle the abrupt ending and epilogue, but are most likely setting up a welcome sequel. (June 6) Copyright ® Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Book list Book lust meets chick lit in this tale of a love-challenged bookworm. Dora, named for Eudora Welty, confesses, I collect new books the way my girlfriends buy designer handbags. Estranged fro m her husband and living in a luxurious L.A. high-rise, she deals with melancholy by taking long baths while drinking wine and rea ding paperbacks. Luckily, her habit must be fed, requiring freque nt trips to the local bookstore, where she meets tall, handsome F red--a starving playwright who ekes out a living by providing boo k-group recommendations to Brentwood housewives. Soon they're inv olved in a heated romance, but things begin to sour when Dora mee ts his family. Then Dora's husband pops up, and confusion creeps in. Dora is a charming character, and readers will appreciate som e of her more neurotic tendencies, such as her debilitating fear of driving on freeways. No literary masterpiece, this cowritten d ebut reads instead like a gossipy e-mail from a witty, intelligen t friend. A list of referenced books and authors is included at t he end. Emily Cook Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Review A book with the word Literacy in the titl e? A book with a lot of astute and telling quotes used as a plot device?... Literacy and Longing in L.A. turns out to be the most delightful read of the year.... An absolute romp dotted with the kind of wise sayings you never want to forget.-Liz Smith Kaufman and Mack cultivate a bright, breezy tone.... This is chick ficti on in its purest form, so humor is always plentiful.-The Miami He rald Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack have a lot of nerve! How d are they come up with the brilliant idea to write a novel about a woman who tells her life story through her obsession with books! And how dare they execute it so beautifully?!...The book is shar p, seamless and very, very funny. I wish I had written it.-Sara N elson, author of So Many Books, So Little Time A poignant and w itty tale of life, love and letters in Los Angles...[a] brilliant debut novel.-Karen Quinn, author of The Ivy Chronicles A wonder ful story that completely won me over-insecure bookish Dora will appeal to anyone who has ever found solace or inspiration in read ing. This is chick lit for bookworms, at times breezy, sexy, prof ound...-Denise Hamilton, author of Prisoner of Memory A delightf ully stylish romp through life and love in Southern California in which our heroine offers irrefutable proof that literacy and L.A . are not mutually exclusive. -Judith Ryan Hendricks, author of T he Baker's Apprentice I'm absolutely crazy about Literacy and Lo nging in L.A., which deftly serves up all the best elements of so -called 'chick lit,' lovingly larded with light-hearted, quick-wi tted, absolutely astonishing learning!-Carolyn See, author of Mak ing a Literary Life Funny and charming.... What a pleasing combi nation: books and romance.-Fort Worth Star-Telegram Funny and ch arming.... A bit of chick lit for women who actually love to read .-Arizona Republic About the Author Karen Mack, a former attorne y, is a Golden Globe Award-winning film and television producer. Jennifer Kaufman was a staff writer at the Los Angeles Times and is a two-time winner of the national Penney-Missouri Journalism A ward. Their debut novel, Literacy and Longing in L.A., was a #1 L os Angeles Times bestseller and also won the 2006 Southern Califo rnia Booksellers Association Award for Fiction. Excerpt. ® Repri nted by permission. All rights reserved. Master of the Universe All the best stories in the world are but one story in reality, t he story of escape. It is the only thing which interests us all a nd at all times, how to escape. -Arthur Christopher Benson (1862- 1925)- Women do different things when they're depressed. Some sm oke, others drink, some call their therapists, some eat. My mothe r used to go ballistic when she and my father had a fight, then s he'd booze for days on end and vanish into her bedroom. My sister was more into the global chill mode; give 'em the silent treatme nt and, in the meantime, gorge on frozen Sara Lee banana cake. An d I do what I have always done-go off on a book bender that can l ast for days. I fall into this state for different reasons. Some times it's after an I hate your fucking guts fight. Other times i t's symptomatic of my state of mind, ennui up to my ears, my life gone awry, and that feeling of dread whenever I'm asked what I'm doing. How can anyone sort all this out? All things considered, I'd rather read. It's the perfect escape. I have a whole mantra for my book binges. First of all, I open a bottle of good red win e. Then I turn off my cell phone, turn on my answering machine, a nd gather all the books I've been meaning to read or reread and h aven't. Finally, I fill up the tub with thirty-dollar bubble bath , fold a little towel at the end of the tub so it just fits in th e crick of my neck, and turn on my music. I have an old powder-bl ue plastic Deco radio near the tub that I bought at a garage sale in Hollywood a few years ago. The oddest thing: the radio only r eceives one AM radio station, which plays jazz standards from the forties and fifties, and it suits me just fine. Within my bathr oom walls is a self-contained field of dreams and I am in total c ontrol, the master of my own elegantly devised universe. The outs ide world disappears and here, there is only peace and a profound sense of well-being. Most of the people in my life take a dim v iew of this . . . what would you call it? Monomania? Eccentricity ? My sister is perhaps the most diplomatic. We both know that I h ave a tendency to lose my tether to reality when I close myself o ff like this. But then she'll joke that I'm really just another b oring bibliomaniac and what I really need is a little fresh air. She always was a whiz with words. She actually informed me that a book she read by Nicholas Basbanes (appropriately called Among t he Gently Mad) states that the first documented use of the word b ibliomania came in 1750 when the fourth earl of Chesterfield sent a letter to his illegitimate son warning him that this consuming diversion with books should be avoided like the bubonic plague. Ho hum. I peel off my clothes and throw them on the floor. As I' m walking to the tub, I glance at the floor-to-ceiling mirror tha t covers the south wall of my bathroom. Oh god. Wait a minute. Yo u know how you look in the mirror and you look the same and you l ook the same and all of a sudden you look ten years older? It's f itting that at age thirty-five I should notice this. My waist is thicker, my breasts saggier, the beginnings of--shit, is that cel lulite on the backs of my thighs? Why is it that you think this a ge thing won't happen to you? Oh, and look at the backs of my elb ows! They look like old-lady wrinkled elbows with a sharp, bony p rotrusion. I've never been able to figure out my looks. I've bee n told I'm striking. But what does that mean? It's something peop le say when they can't give you the usual compliments, like you'r e beautiful. It could be my height that puts them off. I'm almost five foot ten, which has only recently become fashionable. I als o have enormous feet. Size 10 on a good day. When I was young, I hated my tall, too-thin, sticklike figure, which my mother descr ibed as willowy. She'd argue that my looks were special and would be appreciated when I got older. Just give yourself time, she'd say. You'll see. You'll outshine all those other girls with hourg lass figures. I felt like Frankie in The Member of the Wedding: a big freak . . . legs too long . . . shoulders too narrow . . . b elonging to no club and a member of nothing in the world. It was n't just my appearance. I always felt like an oddball, the except ion in a world where I imagined other families were normal and ha ppy. Virginia and I endured the secrets and shame of an absent fa ther and an alcoholic mother, and the few friends I had, I kept a t a distance, always relieved when they didn't come over. The fac t of the matter was that I was embarrassed that my mother couldn' t cope, and in some ways, she passed that on to me. I shut my ey es as I get into the tub. I have purposely made the water scaldin g hot and when I dip my foot in, my toes turn red and start to st ing. Too hot. I add a little cold, letting the water run through my fingers as I listen to a tinny version of Coltrane blasting ou t Love Supreme. Paul Desmond once said that listening to late-nig ht jazz is like having a very dry martini. I think he's right. I stick my foot back in and then ease my body into the water. Stil l too hot. I twist the spigot with my toes, adding more cold. The re. Perfect. I pick up The Transit of Venus, an obscure novel by Shirley Hazzard, whose newest book, The Great Fire, has become a favorite among book clubs. The premise is fascinating. It's about two beautiful orphaned sisters whose lives are as predestined as the rotation of the planets. I try to concentrate. The prose is dense and complex; I have to keep rereading paragraphs. I start t o daydream and lose my place. This isn't working for me. Basicall y, I'm still depressed. Maybe it's just the time of year. It's C hristmas, I'm alone, and my social prospects are nonexistent. Thi s is the season to be somewhere else, and for the majority of my friends, that means packing up the kids and maybe a few of their best friends and migrating to second homes in Maui, Aspen, Cabo, Sun Valley, and the second tier, Palm Springs and Las Vegas. Bei ng in West L.A. in December is like being banished to an isolated retreat or even a rehab center where parties and other forms of merriment are verboten. Not that I'm complaining. If you come fro m the east, the weather here in December is glorious. Right up un til the El Ni-o rains in late January and February, the world is temperate, mild, and forgiving. Natural disasters like fires, flo ods, landslides, and earthquakes don't happen in West L.A. This year I have no plans to go anywhere and I am occasionally nagged by that insidious feeling of missing out. When I was with Palmer, we used to go to the Four Seasons on Maui every year. We'd get t he corner suite and even bribe a beachboy to reserve our lounges every day to avoid getting up at five a.m. like everyone else. (I n truth, most of our friends just had their nannies do it.) Now I hear Palmer is going to St. Barts. He thinks it's younger, hippe r, and more fun, unlike being with me. I used to sit by the pool in the shade and read all day. The phone rings. It's my sister, Virginia. She sounds worried. I know you're there, Dora. Why have n't you returned my calls? If you don't pick up I'm coming over . . . I pick up. I'm okay, I say. You don't sound okay. Are you doing another one of your book-hermit things? Nobody knows me lik e Virginia. I've been a little upset. A little, like twenty-fou r hours little or a little, like three days little? Like three d ays little. Doesn't sound little to me. Do you want me to come o ver? I look around. My place is a shambles. No. Really. I'm fine . I was just going out. I convince her that I'm simply marvelous and she buys it. She just doesn't get it. She has a husband and a baby. Who can blame her? I pick up the Hazzard book and try ag ain. This is so depressing. I have just finished an early chapter about Ted Tice, Paul Ivory, and Caro, and I can already tell the y are all eventually doomed to lives of unspeakable loss and trag edy. For one thing, Paul is, Delacorte Press, 2006, 2.5, Paperback. Very Good., 3<

2012, ISBN: 1908172118

[EAN: 9781908172112], Tweedehands, zeer goed, [SC: 5.18], [PU: Piggyback, United Kingdom, London], PIGGYBACK FINAL FANTASY XIII 2 THE COMPLETE OFFICIAL GUIDE, The 100% complete guide to F… More...

[EAN: 9781908172112], Tweedehands, zeer goed, [SC: 5.18], [PU: Piggyback, United Kingdom, London], PIGGYBACK FINAL FANTASY XIII 2 THE COMPLETE OFFICIAL GUIDE, The 100% complete guide to Final Fantasy XIII-2. The dedicated Walkthrough charts the critical path through the main narrative. It also provides regular prompts and tips to direct players to side quests and other optional features within the game world. The Tour Guide chapter includes one section per game location in each time period. This complements the Walkthrough by examining all optional activities offered in the game (side quests, mini-games, puzzles and power-levelling spots). The Completion Timeline chapter offers a visual and streamlined guide to 100% completion. The Strategy & Analysis section gives an advanced analysis of the game's key important systems and features. This covers even the most complex topics such as character development in a thorough, yet user-friendly way. All-encompassing Inventory and Bestiary chapters feature exhaustive lists and tables covering all enemies, weapons, accessories, items and shops. Every secret, every unlockable, every side-quest, every mini-game, every Achievement and every Trophy revealed and explained in a dedicated Extras chapter. We've also added a story recap and an artwork gallery. Carefully designed to avoid unnecessary story spoilers. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged., Books<

ISBN: 9781908172112

Piggyback Interactive. Used - Very Good. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have m… More...

Piggyback Interactive. Used - Very Good. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects., Piggyback Interactive, 3<

2012, ISBN: 1908172118

[EAN: 9781908172112], Tweedehands, goed, [SC: 5.3], [PU: Piggyback Interactive], Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day., Books