万本电子书0元读

万本电子书0元读

The Road to Samarcand
The Road to Samarcand
Patrick O’Brian
¥61.51
A classic Patrick O’Brian novel, back in print after many years. When Derrick’s missionary parents are tragically murdered he is entrusted to his gruff uncle Sullivan, Captain of The Wanderer. After surviving a killer typhoon on the South China Sea, and accompanied by their eccentric elderly cousin, they set off across land to discover the treasures of Central Asia. Derrick befriends a fierce Mongol warrior and must help him battle a ruthless Chinese warlord. Given a gift of priceless jade, the group is pursued into the inhospitable mountains of Tibet where they are caught between fierce mountain monks and a terrifying unnamed creature that stalks them through the snow.
Rogue Lion Safaris
Rogue Lion Safaris
Simon Barnes
¥53.76
A funny, romantic, evocative novel set against the safari tourism business in East Africa, written by an award-winning journalist. After the death of his beloved, bankrupt gambler of a father, Dan Lynch follows his university degree in zoology to a run-down safari camp, where he can work as a trainee guide and, most important, be near George Sorensen, the owner. George is a wildlife genius, but no great businessman, and the camp is threatened by lack of visitors, competition from the much more luxurious set-up across the valley, and corrupt local politicians. In learning about the majestic landscape and fauna of Africa, Dan learns a lot about people – and about himself. A beautiful evocation of place, a warmly observant love story, a suspenseful battle against the odds, Rogue Lion Safaris marks the debut of a very bright new voice in fiction.
Tales from a Young Vet: Part 2 of 3
Tales from a Young Vet: Part 2 of 3
Jo Hardy,Caro Handley
¥24.33
The funny, touching and entertaining story of how Jo Hardy, the star of BBC3’s Young Vets, gets to grips with animals big and small, friendly and not-at-all-happy, on the road to becoming a fully qualified vet. ‘Stand well clear. Keep your eyes on them. Oh, and make sure you have insurance.’ Not the most comforting words of wisdom, but probably the most useful for a trainee vet, Jo would say. From well-equipped surgeries to windswept hills and ramshackle barns, Jo has to be able to diagnose and treat any animal, at any time of the day or night. It’s not quite as easy as James Herriot made it seem. Jo’s final year of training saw her race from rectal examinations of cows to spine surgery on a Great Dane, and from treating an eventing horse with a heart problem to inserting a contraceptive implant into a monkey. And then there were the owners – the tough guy who sobbed when his cat was diagnosed with cancer, the woman who was convinced her dog was embarrassed by its stomach upset, and the farmer who loved his cows as much as anyone loves their pets. Gruelling days of animal treatments and visits combined with long nights of study and revision made Jo’s final year of training the most demanding and rewarding year of her life. Her book tells of the highs and lows, the pets that stole her heart, and the lifelong friends that she made – with two legs and four.
Dog Soldiers: Part 1 of 3: Love, loyalty and sacrifice on the front line
Dog Soldiers: Part 1 of 3: Love, loyalty and sacrifice on the front line
Isabel George
¥34.14
Dog Soldiers tells the story of two brave young ‘dog soldiers’ (Army bomb dog handlers), killed in action in Afghanistan with their dogs by their side, through the inspirational words of their mothers. Lance Corporal Kenneth Rowe and Lance Corporal Liam Tasker were both dog lovers from boyhood and went on to do the job they had always wanted to do. Through the soldiers’ mothers – Lyn Rowe and Jane Duffy – the book will take the reader on a journey and a celebration of the young men’s lives that begins with the two young boys growing up and fulfilling their dream to serve Queen and country as Army dog handlers – Ken Rowe with his dog, Sasha, and Liam Tasker with his canine partner, Theo. Both mothers acknowledge that their sons signed up to do the job they loved best and fell with their loyal and trusted best friend beside them. Jane Duffy said of her son, Liam Tasker: ‘I know my son died doing the job he loved. And he loved that dog as I loved my son, with every ounce of his being. To lose Liam was and still is unbearable. But for Liam to have survived without Theo? Unthinkable.’
Aurora:In Search of the Northern Lights
Aurora:In Search of the Northern Lights
Dr Melanie Windridge
¥95.26
The beautiful aurorae, or northern lights, are the stuff of legends. The ancient stories of the Sami people warn that if you mock the lights they will seize you, and their mythical appeal continues to capture the hearts and imagination of people across the globe. Aurora explores the visual beauty, ancient myths and science of the northern lights and challenges the popular theory of how the lights are formed. Plasma physicist Melanie Windridge explains this extraordinary and evocative phenomenon, a scientific marvel unlike any other in which the powers of astronomy, geology, magnetism and atomic physics combine to create one of the wonders of the natural world. As Melanie travels in search of the perfect aurora, she uncovers the scientific realities of this plasmic phenomenon full of natural power. She combines the science behind the lights with a fascinating travelogue as she pursues the aurora across the northern hemisphere – from the Arctic Circle to Scotland.
Walking Through Spring
Walking Through Spring
Graham Hoyland
¥73.58
Walking Through Spring follows Graham Hoyland’s journey as he creates a new national trail, walking with the Spring from the south coast in March up to the border with Scotland, which he reaches on the longest day:the twenty-first of June. How does the Earth’s angle to the sun make the seasons change? Which plants start blooming first? Which birds survive the bitter winter in our hedgerows and which arrive from overseas? Graham Hoyland introduces us to England’s unique botanical, geographical and social landscape as Spring unfolds across the country – from dairy cows cantering and kicking their heels when released into lush meadows in the West Country, to new lambs in the Peak District. Avoiding roads, Walking Through Spring begins on the sea shore at Lymington, up through the New Forest, following the old ways to Salisbury and Bath, then heads north along the Cotswold Escarpment, up the River Wye through England’s secret county of Herefordshire to Offa’s Dyke. Hoyland takes us through John Lewis-Stempel’s famous meadowland, across the Malvern Hills and along canal tow-paths to the Pennine Way, Yorkshire Dales and the English Border country. The journey also engages with England’s rural characters:farmers, tractor drivers, pub landlords and narrow-boat owners. What does Spring mean to them? Is it really getting earlier every year? Away from the streams of gleaming cars and motorways, can Springtime help us reconnect with the old England of The Wildwood and Pan?
Every Time a Bell Rings
Every Time a Bell Rings
Carmel Harrington
¥37.47
Belle has taken all the Christmas decorations down. This year they won’t be celebrating. As foster parents, Belle and Jim have given many children the chance of a happier start in life. They’ve loved them as if they were their own. They shouldn’t have favourites but little Lauren has touched their hearts. And now her mother is well enough to take her back and Belle can’t bear the loss. Hence, Christmas is cancelled. So when Jim crashes his car one icy December night, after an argument about Lauren, Belle can only blame herself. Everything she loves is lost. And Belle finds herself standing on The Ha’Penny Bridge wishing she had never been born. But what happens to a Christmas wish when an angel is listening… Will Belle realise, before it’s too late, that her life is the most wonderful life of all? Inspired by the timeless tale of beloved Christmas movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, Carmel Harrington’s next book tells the story of Belle, a young woman and foster carer from Dublin who faces the hardest decision of her life this Christmas on The Ha’Penny Bridge. Full of Irish charm, magic, and the warmth of the festive season this is an emotional, heartwarming story that will stay with you long after you’ve reached ‘The End’. Perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern & Jojo Moyes. Carmel is the bestselling author of The Life You Left & Beyond Grace’s Rainbow, voted Romantic eBook of the Year 2013.
The Silent Cry:Part 3 of 3
The Silent Cry:Part 3 of 3
Cathy Glass
¥15.60
The heartbreaking true story of a young, troubled mother who needed help. The sixteenth fostering memoir by Cathy Glass. It’s a big, exciting moment for Laura when she decides to finally take her new baby out to the school playground for the first time ever. What should be a happy, magical moment quickly sours, however, when Laura suddenly feels queasy and runs off back home. None of the other schoolyard mothers seem to notice this troubled, struggling woman – apart from Cathy. But when Cathy tries to help, she finds herself hitting wall after wall. Laura needs medical help but refuses to see a doctor. Her own cold mother refuses to help. It is left to Cathy to try and bring light to this dark and dangerous place.
Can I Let You Go?:Part 1 of 3
Can I Let You Go?:Part 1 of 3
Cathy Glass
¥28.45
Can I Let You Go? is the true story of Faye, a wonderful young woman who may never be able to parent her unborn child. Faye is 24, pregnant, and has learning difficulties as a result of her mother’s alcoholism. Faye is gentle, childlike and vulnerable, and normally lives with her grandparents, both of whom have mobility problems. Cathy and her children welcome Faye into their home and hearts. The care plan is for Faye to stay with Cathy until after the birth when she will return home and the baby will go for adoption. Given that Faye never goes out alone it is something of a mystery how she ever became pregnant and Faye says it’s a secret. To begin with Faye won’t acknowledge she is pregnant or talk about the changes in her body as she worries it will upset her grandparents, but after her social worker assures her she can talk to Cathy she opens up. However, this leads to Faye realizing just how much she will lose and she changes her mind and says she wants to keep her baby. Is it possible Faye could learn enough to parent her child? Cathy believes it is, and Faye’s social worker is obliged to give Faye the chance.
A Model World
A Model World
Michael Chabon
¥18.74
In this compelling collection of short stories, bestselling author Michael Chabon explores adolescent desire, love, friendship and fatherhood, moving subtly and incisively across this powerful emotional ground. Wry and whimsical, but also with intellectual depth, A MODEL WORLD is a collection of eleven wonderful stories about growing up and growing wise. In ‘S Angel’ a group of wedding guests is hijacked by a fast-talking real estate agent, but not before the bride herself disappears. ‘Smoke’ takes us to a baseball catcher’s funeral, where one of the mourners – a has-been pitcher – confronts the ruins of his career. In the hilarious title story, a graduate student plagiarizes a dissertation on the movement of clouds, only to find himself and his faculty advisor in a parlour game where each player must confess the worst thing he or she has ever done. The second part of the book, ‘The Lost World’, is a series of stories about a young boy, Nathan Shapiro, who must face the wrenching emotions caused by his parents’ bitter divorce. Serious, yet shot through with wit, humour and compassion, these are unforgettable stories from one of America’s most celebrated writers.
The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom
The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom
Christopher Healy
¥51.50
A fast-paced and hilarious fantasy quest in the grand tradition of Shrek and The Princess Bride, starring four very unlikely, but likeable, heroes. Prince Liam. Prince Frederick. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You’ve never heard of them, have you? But you’ve probably heard of Prince Charming, the guy who rides in at the last minute to save the girl. Well that’s them, all four of them. They are all Prince Charmings. Only in reality, they are a little less heroic than you might expect. One day, cast out of their castles for one reason or another, the four Prince Charmings stumble upon each other, then shortly afterwards, upon an evil plot to bring about the downfall of the kingdom. Can the princes stop their bickering, overcome their failings and become the heroes the stories always said they were?
The Golem and the Djinni
The Golem and the Djinni
Helene Wecker
¥57.09
New York, 1899. Two strangers, one destiny. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. When her master, the husband who commissioned her, dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York in 1899. Ahmad is a djinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian desert. Trapped in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard centuries ago, he is released accidentally by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop. Though he is no longer imprisoned, Ahmad is not entirely free – an unbreakable band of iron binds him to the physical world. The Golem & The Djinni is their magical, unforgettable story; unlikely friends whose tenuous attachment challenges their opposing natures – until the night a terrifying incident drives them back into their separate worlds. But a powerful threat will soon bring Chava and Ahmad together again, challenging their existence and forcing them to make a fateful choice.
Earth Strike (Star Carrier, Book 1)
Earth Strike (Star Carrier, Book 1)
Ian Douglas
¥54.74
The first book in the epic saga of humankind's war of transcendence There is a milestone in the evolution of every sentient race, a Tech Singularity Event, when the species achieves transcendence through its technological advances. Now the creatures known as humans are near this momentous turning point. But an armed threat is approaching from deepest space, determined to prevent humankind from crossing over that boundary—by total annihilation if necessary. To the Sh'daar, the driving technologies of transcendent change are anathema and must be obliterated from the universe—along with those who would employ them. As their great warships destroy everything in their path en route to the Sol system, the human Confederation government falls into dangerous disarray. There is but one hope, and it rests with a rogue Navy Admiral, commander of the kilometer-long star carrier America, as he leads his courageous fighters deep into enemy space towards humankind's greatest conflict—and quite possibly its last.
Sleeping With Ghosts
Sleeping With Ghosts
Lynne Pemberton
¥53.76
A blockbuster novel of suspense, intrigue and revenge, from the celebrated author of Platinum Coast and Eclipse Kathryn de Moubray comes from a respectable English family. So when she discovers that her grandfather was a high-ranking Nazi and wanted war criminal who disappeared in 1944, she is devastated – and compelled to trace the family history that her mother, now dead, kept hidden for so many years. Adam Krantz, a New York art dealer whose family was wiped out in the Holocaust, is on a mission to find their legacy: an exquisite collection of paintings which vanished at the same time as Kathryn’s grandfather. Adam is convinced that the two are connected. They meet in St Lucia, and again in London when a priceless painting turns up mysteriously, amidst a storm of controversy. Despite the bitterness and betrayal of the past, the attraction between them grows stronger. But will it unite them or drive them apart as they unravel the extraordinary events that took place in wartime Berlin more than fifty years ago?
My Fair Man
My Fair Man
Jane Gordon
¥46.11
A modern Pygmalion story with a twist, by the bestselling author of STEPFORD HUSBANDS. Hattie George is a woman with a mission. A dedicated socialist, she wants to make the world a better place. Teased by her friends, especially her best friend’s boyfriend, Jon, she bets that she can transform Jimmy, a young Geordie who lives on the streets and sells the Big Issue, into a drop-dead gorgeous, man-about-town – in just a few weeks. With his taste for brown sauce and brown ale, and his very different table manners, Jimmy will never turn the heads of the chattering classes or change Jon’s cynicism. Or will he? As Hattie’s mission is launched, there is more than one transformation taking place, resulting in chaos, hilarity, heartbreak and misunderstanding. Just who is trying to impress who? MY FAIR MAN is a modern fairy tale and a witty portrayal of men, women and contemporary society, in which Jane Gordon explores with humour, sympathy and incisiveness the important issues of gender, class, and different people’s motivations.
The Dastardly Book for Dogs
The Dastardly Book for Dogs
Rex,Sparky,Joe Garden
¥63.77
It’s time to jump out of the handbag and take control of the lead. From the same kennel as The Dangerous Book for Boys, this hilarious doggy equivalent barks one simple question: What's happened to us?! Designer dog beds? Organic gluten free gourmet doggie biscuits? Spa treatments? Everyone likes to be pampered now and then – but isn't there more to being a dog than wearing a mini cashmere sweater and riding around in a Louis Vuitton handbag? What about the simple pleasures of life – feeling the wind in your fur, digging up the grass beneath your paws, smelling another dog's bottom? Isn't that part of the great joy of being a dog? This book is for good dogs, bad dogs, and the millions of people who love them, either way, but owners will no doubt recognize their own lovable pets, and maybe themselves, in these pages. After all, so many people talk to their dogs, they might as well read to them, and learn a little something in the process. Chapters include: Foul Smells Every Dog Should Roll In, What's Edible?, How to Bury a Bone, Building a Bed out of Laundry, Escaping the Lead, Dogs in Literature, Courageous Dogs in History, Formal Rules of Fetch, Enhancing Your Walk and Amazing Bath Time Escapes. The Dangerous Book for Boys tapped into a male desire to recapture a back-to-basics sense of fun. Now, a boy's sense of fun is perfectly fine, but a dog's sense of fun is hilarious. Leg-humping, bottom-sniffing and tail-chasing – these are not just the bedrock of dog life; they are the bedrock of comedy.
Dark Matter (Star Carrier, Book 5)
Dark Matter (Star Carrier, Book 5)
Ian Douglas
¥69.26
The fifth book in the epic saga of humankind's war of transcendence… An enemy might just have to become an ally . . . in order to save humankind The United States of North America is now engaged in a civil war with the Earth Confederation, which wants to yield to the demands of the alien Sh'daar, limit human technology, and become a part of the Sh'daar Galactic Collective. USNA President Koenig believes that surrendering to the Sh'daar will ultimately doom humankind. But when highly advanced, seemingly godlike aliens appear through an artificial wormhole in the Omega Centauri Cluster 16,000 light years from Earth, President Koenig is faced with a tremendous choice: continue fighting the Sh'daar . . . or ally with them against the newcomers in a final war that will settle the fate of more than one universe.
Star Strike (The Inheritance Trilogy, Book 1)
Star Strike (The Inheritance Trilogy, Book 1)
Ian Douglas
¥45.22
Planet by planet, galaxy by galaxy, the inhabited universe has fallen to the alien Xul… Now only one obstacle stands between them and total domination: the warriors of a resilient race the world-devourers nearly annihilated centuries ago . . . A power vast, ancient, and terrifying, the mighty Xul have lost track of the insignificant humans hundreds of years after devastating their home world—which has enabled the United Star Marines to operate unnoticed and unhindered. A near-autonomous intergalactic policing force, they battle in defense of an Earth they may not live to see again. Now, following the trail of a vanished twenty-fourth-century transport, they are journeying through an unexplored stargate to the edge of an unknown galaxy many light years from their sun. For the last, best, and only chance to defeat the tyrants of the universe may at long last be at hand . . .
The Third Policeman (Harper Perennial Modern Classics)
The Third Policeman (Harper Perennial Modern Classics)
Flann O’Brien
¥53.56
A masterpiece of black humour from the renown comic and acclaimed author of ‘At Swim-Two-Birds’ – Flann O’Brien. A thriller, a hilarious comic satire about an archetypal village police force, a surrealistic vision of eternity, the story of a tender, brief, unrequited love affair between a man and his bicycle, and a chilling fable of unending guilt, ‘The Third Policeman’ is comparable only to ‘Alice in Wonderland’ as an allegory of the absurd. Distinguished by endless comic invention and its delicate balancing of logic and fantasy, ‘The Third Policeman’ is unique in the English language.
March
March
Geraldine Brooks
¥68.47
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and Richard and Judy pick. From the author of the acclaimed ‘Year of Wonders’ and ‘People of the Book’, a historical novel and love story set during a time of catastrophe on the front lines of the American Civil War. Set during the American Civil War, ‘March’ tells the story of John March, known to us as the father away from his family of girls in ‘Little Women’, Louisa May Alcott’s classic American novel. In Brooks’s telling, March emerges as an abolitionist and idealistic chaplain on the front lines of a war that tests his faith in himself and in the Union cause when he learns that his side, too, is capable of barbarism and racism. As he recovers from a near-fatal illness in a Washington hospital, he must reassemble the shards of his shattered mind and body, and find a way to reconnect with a wife and daughters who have no idea of the ordeals he has been through. As Alcott drew on her real-life sisters in shaping the characters of her little women, so Brooks turned to the journals and letters of Bronson Alcott, Louisa May’s father, an idealistic educator, animal rights exponent and abolitionist who was a friend and confidante of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. The story spans the vibrant intellectual world of Concord and the sensuous antebellum South, through to the first year of the Civil War as the North reels under a series of unexpected defeats. Like her bestselling ‘Year of Wonders’, ‘March’ follows an unconventional love story. It explores the passions between a man and a woman, the tenderness of parent and child, and the life-changing power of an ardently held belief.
Guardian Angel (Mills & Boon Intrigue) (Colby Agency, Book 21)
Guardian Angel (Mills & Boon Intrigue) (Colby Agency, Book 21)
Debra Webb
¥24.53
A red-hot hidden hero! Who was the mysterious Guardian Angel? He’d succeeded where the FBI had failed, rescuing countless kidnapped children. His closely held hidden identity – as reclusive Nathan Tyler – was the only thing safeguarding his most private secrets. Colby agent Ann Martin had a serial kidnapper on her hands and no viable leads. Except the Guardian Angel. Undisclosed liaisons with the vigilante weren’t safe. The man was no saint, but neither was she. And breaking all the rules was only the first step they’d take together…