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万本电子书0元读

Karma and Other Stories
Karma and Other Stories
Reddi, Rishi
¥94.10
In this sparkling collection, award-winning writer Rishi Reddi weaves a multigenerational tapestry of interconnected lives, depicting members of an Indian American community struggling to balance the demands of tradition with the allure of Western life.In "Lord Krishna," a teenager is offended when his evangelical history teacher likens the Hindu deity to Satan, but ultimately forgives the teacher against his father's wishes. In the title story, "Karma," an unemployed professor rescues birds in downtown Boston after his wealthy brother kicks him out of his home. In "Justice Shiva Ram Murthy," which appeared in The Best American Short Stories 2005, an irascible retired judge reconnects with a childhood friend while adjusting to a new life with his daughter and her American husband. In "Devadasi," a beautiful young woman raised in the United States travels back to India and challenges the sexual confines of her culture. And in "Bangles," a widow decides to return to her native village to flee her son's off-putting American ways.Set mostly in the Boston area, with side trips to an isolated immigrant community in Wichita, Kansas, and the characters' hometown of Hyderabad, India, Karma and Other Stories introduces a luminous new voice.
Revenge of the Rose
Revenge of the Rose
Galland, Nicole
¥94.10
Welcome to a world of intrigue of the most intriguing kind, where emperors and popes desperately vie for power, even as their subjects and servants engage in behind-the-scenes machinations of their own.The Holy Roman Empire circa 1200 A.D.Impoverished young knight Willem of Dole believed he would spend his life in rural Burgundy, struggling to provide for his widowed mother and younger sister, Lienor. And so it's with surprise—and apprehension—that he obeys a summons to the magnificent court of Konrad, Holy Roman Emperor, whose realm spans half of Europe. Willem's mischievous friend Jouglet, Konrad's favorite minstrel, is no doubt behind it somehow . . . but what's in it for Jouglet?Court life is overwhelming to the idealistic young Willem, who is shocked by the behavior of his fellow knights, for whom chivalry is a mere game. Yet under Jouglet's witty, relentless tutelage, the na?ve knight quickly rises in Emperor Konrad's esteem—until suddenly his sister, Lienor, becomes a prospect for the role of Empress. This unexpected elevation of the sibling "nobodies" delights Jouglet, but threatens three powerful—and dangerous—men at the court: the Emperor's brother, Cardinal Paul, who has in mind a different bride for Konrad; the Emperor's uncle, Alphonse, Count of Burgundy, who would keep secret certain things that only Willem can reveal; and most especially the Emperor's own steward Marcus, who is hopelessly in love with Konrad's cousin Imogen. For if Willem's star keeps rising, Imogen will be betrothed to the knight by royal decree—and Willem's star will surely continue to rise, unless Marcus figures out a way to stop it. But that would entail outscheming clever Jouglet, ablest of schemers.Gossip, secrets, and lies are the fuel of daily life in Konrad's court. As Konrad edges closer to proclaiming Lienor his bride, those around Willem play a perilous game of cat-and-mouse as they attempt to secure their own fortunes, knowing that even the slightest move can shift the playing field entirely. And through it all, Jouglet remains Willem's most maddening yet staunchest ally. But what, really, does Jouglet stand to gain . . . or lose?Transporting the reader to the brilliant, conniving heart of the largest empire of medieval Europe, Revenge of the Rose is a novel rich in irony and tongue-in-cheek wit, and reveals all the grit and color, politics and passion, of court life in the Holy Roman Empire.
Tropic of Night
Tropic of Night
Gruber, Michael
¥94.10
Jane Doe lives in the shadows under an assumed name. A once-promising anthropologist and an expert on shamanism, everyone thinks she's dead. Or so she hopes.Jimmy Paz is a Cuban-American police detective. Straddling two cultures, he understands things others cannot.When the killings start -- a series of ritualistic murders -- all of Miami is terrified. Especially Jane. She knows the dark truth that Jimmy must desperately search to uncover. As their lives slowly interconnect, Jane and Paz are soon caught in a cataclysmic battle between good and an evil as unimaginable as it is terrifying . . .
The Hardness Factor
The Hardness Factor
Lamm, Steven
¥94.10
Hard is good, harder is better -- for your health, your libido, your life. Such is the provocative premise behind Dr. Steven Lamm's The Hardness Factor, a groundbreaking book that will change the way men live and love. The Hardness Factor measures male health through the quality of an erection -- perhaps the greatest male motivator for better living (more so than fear of cancer, heart attack, or stroke). The Hardness Factor asks, Can men be hard and in shape for sex their entire livesThe answer is, absolutely. Here for the first time are scientific, evidence-based regimens -- emphasizing nutrition, supplements, and exercise -- to increase erectile quality. By following the programs in The Hardness Factor, you willimprove overall health;produce stronger, harder, and longer-lasting erections;increase strength, fitness, flexibility, and vitality;restore self-confidence; andachieve maximum sexual gratification with your partner.A renowned New York clinician, bestselling author, and a favorite expert on the television show The View, Dr. Lamm offers straight talk for men of all ages in "The Four-Day Insurance Policy," which can provide a quick fix for that upcoming Saturday night (or any other dating emergency), and the more detailed "Six-Week Hardness Factor Program," which will improve a man's sex drive, stamina, hardness, and, most of all, health. This comprehensive guide also includes numerous recipes created by acclaimed chef Waldy Malouf, aimed at promoting nutritional health and jump-starting the libido.After following The Hardness Factor, you will not only achieve optimal health and sexual fitness but also understand why the penis is the best barometer of a man's health.
The Pearl that Broke Its Shell
The Pearl that Broke Its Shell
Hashimi, Nadia
¥94.10
A luminous and unforgettable tale of two women, destiny, and identity in AfghanistanKabul, 2007: The Taliban rules the streets. With a drug-addicted father and no brothers, Rahima and her sisters can rarely leave the house or attend school. Their only hope lies in the ancient Afghan custom of bacha posh, which allows young Rahima to dress and be treated as a son until she is of marriageable age. As a boy, she has the kind of freedom that was previously unimaginable . . . freedom that will transform her forever.But Rahima is not the first in her family to adopt this unusual custom. A century earlier, her great-great-grandmother Shekiba, left orphaned by an epidemic, saved herself and built a new life in the same way—the change took her on a journey from the deprivation of life in a rural village to the opulence of a king's palace in the bustling metropolis of Kabul.Crisscrossing in time, The Pearl That Broke Its Shell interweaves the stories of these two remarkable women who are separated by a century but share the same courage and dreams. What will happen once Rahima is old enough to marryHow long can Shekiba pass as a manAnd if Rahima cannot adapt to life as a bride, how will she survive?
Warriors of the Storm
Warriors of the Storm
Cornwell, Bernard
¥94.10
The ninth installment in the New York Times bestselling Saxon Tales, the epic saga of the making of England, magnificently brought to life by “the reigning king of historical fiction” (USA Today).A fragile peace reigns in Wessex, Mercia and East Anglia. King Alfred’s son Edward and formidable daughter, Aethelflaed, rule the kingdoms. But all around the restless Northmen, eyeing the rich lands and wealthy churches, are mounting raids.Uhtred of Bebbanburg, the kingdoms’ greatest warrior, controls northern Mercia from the strongly fortified city of Chester. But forces are gathering against him. Northmen allied to the Irish, led by the fierce warrior Ragnall Ivarson, are soon joined by the Northumbrians, and their strength could prove overwhelming. Despite the gathering threat, both Edward and Aethelflaed are reluctant to move out of the safety of their fortifications. But with Uhtred’s own daughter married to Ivarson’s brother, who can be trusted?In the struggle between family and loyalty, between personal ambition and political commitment, there will be no easy path. But a man with a warrior’s courage may be able to find it. Such a man is Uhtred, and this may be his finest hour.
The Raw Food Detox Diet
The Raw Food Detox Diet
Rose, Natalia
¥94.10
A top nutritionist provides her simple, proven five-level diet plan to safely make the transition to eating raw foods, and to detoxify and achieve a perfect body no matter how you eat now. The raw food craze has taken off, as raw restaurants spring up and celebrities, models, and other fans tout the effects of eating raw. However, many people who are intrigued by raw food simply don't know how to make the transition from what they're eating now, or how to achieve the benefits of eating raw without giving up their lifestyle or the foods they love. Natalia Rose, an in-demand nutritionist, shows how in The Raw Food Detox Diet. Whether your diet is primarily made up of meat and potatoes, or tofu and tempeh, you can incorporate the flavour and lasting health benefits of raw food into your life. Over time, our bodies build up poisons and store waste from food that is not fully eliminated. Raw food helps to detoxify the body by flushing out these poisons and setting us back on a course toward greater energy, clearer skin and shinier hair, and a slim, natural figure. But making the transition to a raw diet too quickly can have negative effects on the body. Instead, the healthier way is to make a gentle change based on your previous diet and current needs. You do not conform to The Raw Food Detox Diet; it conforms to you, and you choose how far you want to go. Whether you're looking to live an all-raw lifestyle, or just to improve your energy and shape while still eating the foods you love, this groundbreaking diet book will energize and inspire you to achieve your goals safely and easily.
Two Times the Fun
Two Times the Fun
Cleary, Beverly
¥94.10
Jimmy and Janet are twins, but that doesn't mean they are just alike.When we first meet Jimmy, he wants to dig a real hole. He likes to use a real, grown-up shovel. While he's working, his sister, Janet, pretends to be a bird! She likes to use her imagination. But the twins both like silly jokes, brand- new boots, and talking to Mr. Lemon, the mailman.As Beverly Cleary writes about Jimmy and Janet's doings, the unique understanding of children that she brings to all of her beloved books is coupled with a keen awareness of duo dynamics that comes from raising twins herself.Originally published as four separate picture books (The Real Hole, Two Dog Biscuits, The Growing-Up Feet, and Janet's Thingamajigs), these are stories that a Jimmy would like because they are so true-to-life, and that a Janet would love because they are so believable.
The Burning Land
The Burning Land
Cornwell, Bernard
¥94.10
In a clash of heroes, the kingdom is born.At the end of the ninth century, King Alfred of Wessex is in ill health; his heir, an untested youth. His enemy, the Danes, having failed to conquer Wessex, now see their chance for victory. Led by the sword of savage warrior Harald Bloodhair, the Viking hordes attack. But Uhtred, Alfred's reluctant warlord, proves his worth, outwitting Harald and handing the Vikings one of their greatest defeats. For Uhtred, the sweetness of victory is soon overshadowed by tragedy. Breaking with Alfred, he joins the Vikings, swearing never again to serve the Saxon king. Instead, he will reclaim his ancestral fortress on the Northumbrian coast. Allied with his old friend Ragnar—and his old foe Haesten—he aims to invade and conquer Wessex itself.Yet fate has different plans. The Danes of East Anglia and the Vikings of Northumbria are plotting the conquest of all Britain. When Alfred's daughter pleads with Uhtred for help, he cannot refuse her request. In a desperate gamble, he takes command of a demoralized Mercian army, leading them in an unforgettable battle on a blood-soaked field beside the Thames.In The Burning Land, Bernard Cornwell, "the reigning king of historical fiction" (USA Today), delivers a rousing saga of Anglo-Saxon England—an irresistible new chapter in his thrilling Saxon Tales, the epic story of the birth of England and the legendary king who made it possible.
Heart-Shaped Box
Heart-Shaped Box
Hill, Joe
¥94.10
Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals . . . a used hangman's noose . . . a snuff film. An aging death-metal rock god, his taste for the unnatural is as widely known to his legions of fans as the notorious excesses of his youth. But nothing he possesses is as unlikely or as dreadful as his latest discovery, an item for sale on the Internet, a thing so terribly strange, Jude can't help but reach for his wallet.I will "sell" my stepfather's ghost to the highest bidder. . . .For a thousand dollars, Jude will become the proud owner of a dead man's suit, said to be haunted by a restless spirit. He isn't afraid. He has spent a lifetime coping with ghosts—of an abusive father, of the lovers he callously abandoned, of the bandmates he betrayed. What's one more?But what UPS delivers to his door in a black heart-shaped box is no imaginary or metaphorical ghost, no benign conversation piece. It's the real thing.And suddenly the suit's previous owner is everywhere: behind the bedroom door . . . seated in Jude's restored vintage Mustang . . . standing outside his window . . . staring out from his widescreen TV. Waiting—with a gleaming razor blade on a chain dangling from one bony hand. . . .A multiple-award winner for his short fiction, author Joe Hill immediately vaults into the top echelon of dark fantasists with a blood-chilling roller-coaster ride of a novel, a masterwork brimming with relentless thrills and acid terror.
Gods and Monsters
Gods and Monsters
Bram, Christopher
¥94.10
Previously titled Father of Frankenstein, this acclaimed novel was the basis for the 1998 film starring Sir Ian McKellen, Lynn Redgrave, and Brendan Fraser. It journeys back to 1957 Los Angeles, where James Whale, the once-famous director of such classics as Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, is living in retirement, haunted by his past. Rescuing him from his too-vivid imagination is his gardener, a handsome ex-marine. The friendship between these two very different men is sometimes tentative, sometimes touching, often dangerous—and always captivating.This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
Island
Island
Huxley, Aldous
¥94.10
In his final novel, which he considered his most important, Aldous Huxley transports us to the remote Pacific island of Pala, where an ideal society has flourished for 120 years. Inevitably, this island of bliss attracts the envy and enmity of the surrounding world. A conspiracy is underway to take over Pala, and events are set in motion when an agent of the conspirators, a newspaperman named Faranby, is shipwrecked there. What Faranby doesn't expect is how his time with the people of Pala will revolutionize all his values and—to his amazement—give him hope.
The Pale Horseman
The Pale Horseman
Cornwell, Bernard
¥94.10
As the last unvanquished piece of England, Wessex is eyed hungrily by the fearsome Viking conquerors. Uhtred, a dispossessed young nobleman, is tied to the imperiled land by birth and marriage but was raised by the Danish invaders—and he questions where his allegiance must lie. But blood is his destiny, and when the overwhelming Viking horde attacks out of a wintry darkness, Uhtred must put aside all hatred and distrust and stand beside his embattled country’s staunch defender—the fugitive King Alfred. New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell’s The Pale Horseman is a gripping, monumental adventure that gives breathtaking life to one of the most important epochs in English history. “Cornwell’s characters are vividly drawn, betrayals lurk around every corner, the humor is as sharp as the swords, and the action is non-stop.” —NPR
The Testing of Luther Albright
The Testing of Luther Albright
Bezos, MacKenzie
¥94.10
Luther Albright is a devoted father and a designer of dams, a self-controlled man who believes he can engineer happiness for his family by sheltering them from his own emotions.But when an earthquake shakes his Sacramento home, the world Luther has constructed with such care begins to tilt: his son's behavior becomes increasingly bizarre and threatening, his loving wife seems to grow distant, the house he built with his own hands shows its first signs of decay, and a dam of his design comes under investigation for structural flaws exposed by the tremors. Nightmarish connections begin to whisper at Luther from the most innocent of places as debut novelist MacKenzie Bezos tightens her net of psychological suspense around the reader with bravura skill. This is a harrowing portrait of an ordinary man who finds himself tested and strives not to be found wanting.
If Today Be Sweet
If Today Be Sweet
Umrigar, Thrity
¥94.10
The recent death of her beloved husband, Rustom, has taken its toll on Tehmina Sethna. Now, while visiting her son, Sorab, in his suburban Ohio home, she is being asked to choose between continuing her old life in India and starting a new one in this unfamiliar country with her son, his American wife, and their child. Her destiny is uncertain, and soon the plight of two troubled young children next door will force the most difficult decision she has ever faced. Ultimately the journey is one that Tehmina must travel alone.
Bad Childhood---Good Life
Bad Childhood---Good Life
Schlessinger, Dr. Laura
¥94.10
In her most important book yet, Dr. Laura Schlessinger shows men and women that they can have a Good Life no matter how Bad their Childhood was.For each of us, there is a connection between our early family dynamics and experiences and our current attitudes and decisions. Many of the people Dr. Laura has helped did not realize how their histories impacted their adult lives, or how their choices in people, repetitive situations, and decisions -- even their emotional reactions -- were connected to those early negative experiences, playing a major role in their current unhappiness. Dr. Laura will help you realize that no matter what circumstances you came from or currently live in, you are ultimately responsible for how you react to them. The acceptance of this basic truth is the source of your power to secure the Good Life you long for. In her signature straightforward style, with real-life examples, Dr. Laura shows you what you will gain by not being satisfied with an identity as a victim, or even as a survivor -- you should strive to be a victor! In Bad Childhood -- Good Life, Dr. Laura will guide you to accept the truth of the assaults on your psyche and soul, understand your unique coping style and how it impacts your daily thoughts and actions, and help you embrace a life of more peace and happiness.
All the Way Home
All the Way Home
Giffels, David
¥94.10
Finding the perfect house is never easy. Rebuilding one from a crumbling pile to say nothing of making it into a home is even harder.With their infant son in tow, David Giffels and his wife comb the environs of Akron, Ohio, in search of just the right house for their burgeoning family. Running through David's head the whole time are the lyrics of a Replacements song, ". . . Look me in the eye, then tell me that I'm satisfied," and it gives all the more purpose to their quest. But nothing seems right . . . until they spot a beautiful, decaying Gilded Age mansion. A former rubber industry executive's domain, the once grand residence lacks functional plumbing and electricity, leaks rain like a cartoon shack, and is infested with all manner of wildlife. But for a young man at a coming-of-age crossroads "suspended between a perpetual youth and an inevitable adulthood" the challenge is exactly the allure.All the Way Home follows Giffels's funny, poignant, and confounding journey as he and his wife and a colorful collection of helpers turn a money pit into a house that will complete their family. Nothing could prepare them for a home restoration epic that includes evicting squatters (both four- and two-legged), battling an invading wisteria vine, hunting a ghost, and discovering thousands of dollars in hidden Depression-era cash. But the story's heart lies deeper, in an unexpected series of personal hardships that call into question what "home" really means, and what it means to grow up.Written with the humor and insight of Bill Bryson and John Grogan, All the Way Home is the engaging tale of a young father's struggle to restore a house and find his way . . . without losing himself.
Hooper Finds a Family
Hooper Finds a Family
Paley, Jane
¥94.10
He's endearing.He's funny.He's a survivor.Here comes Hooper, one plucky, spunky dog whose warm spirit and goofy personality are irresistible. Hooper tells his own dramatic rescue tale after being left homeless in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and taking a daring trip from New Orleans to New York to meet his new family. He tells of the terrifying force of Katrina, his trials in the shelter, and being the new dog on the block in a city far from home. As Hooper struggles to find his place, he learns to overcome his fear of water and faces down feisty squirrels as well as the resident bully and top dog in his new neighborhood. In a moving tale of adventure and triumph based on a true story, meet this tenacious puppy who makes an incredible journey in search of home.
Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper
Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper
Perrault, Charles
¥94.10
"Do not stay past midnight. If you remain at the ball a minute longer, your coach will again become a pumpkin."Initially published in 1697, Charles Perrault's Cinderella is one of the most beloved and widely known fairy tales. Cinderella has been ordered into servitude by her cruel stepmother and stepsisters, but when a costume ball is held for the kingdom's marriageable prince, Cinderella's fairy godmother gives her the chance to attend—disguised as a lavishly dressed and bejeweled princess. But Cinderella must depart at the stroke of midnight, lest her fine clothes turn to rags and her coach to a simple garden pumpkin. In her flight, she leaves a tiny glass slipper in her wake—the lovelorn prince's only clue to her identity. Will he find her?This new gift edition presents the unabridged version of the Perrault tale, with the bewitching, brilliantly colored illustrations of renowned artist Camille Rose Garcia.With more than 50 full-color illustrations
How to Build a Girl
How to Build a Girl
Moran, Caitlin
¥94.10
What do you do in your teenage years when you realize what your parents taught you wasn't enoughYou must go out and find books and poetry and pop songs and bad heroes—and build yourself.It's 1990. Johanna Morrigan, fourteen, has shamed herself so badly on local TV that she decides that there's no point in being Johanna anymore and reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde—fast-talking, hard-drinking gothic hero and full-time Lady Sex Adventurer. She will save her poverty-stricken Bohemian family by becoming a writer—like Jo in Little Women, or the Bront?s—but without the dying-young bit.By sixteen, she's smoking cigarettes, getting drunk, and working for a music paper. She's writing pornographic letters to rock stars, having?all?the kinds of sex with all the kinds of men, and eviscerating bands in reviews of 600 words or less.But what happens when Johanna realizes she's built Dolly with a fatal flawIs a box full of records, a wall full of posters, and a head full of paperbacks enough to build a girl after all?Imagine The Bell Jar—written by Rizzo from Grease. How to Build a Girl is a funny, poignant, and heartbreakingly evocative story of self-discovery and invention, as only Caitlin Moran could tell it.
Sastun
Sastun
Arvigo, Rosita
¥94.10
The compelling drama of American herbologist Rosita Arvigo's quest to preserve the knowledge of Don Elijio Panti, one of the last surviving and most respected traditional healers in the rainforest of Belize.