《一件小事》叙写的是知识分子“我”从一个人力车夫身上看到生活的希望和获得改造自己力量的故事；作品以恳切真挚的笔致，描绘了人力车夫高大的正面形象，以充满热情的歌唱，抒发了作者对城市苦力工人的敬意和赞美。全书为日文版。难词标注假名，供日语学习者学习使用。

本书以国际高速铁路高标准客运服务为依据，结合我国高速铁路运营实际编写，以旅客出行的全过程体验为主线，涵盖旅行咨询、购票、进站乘车，以及旅客在旅行中所需的部分延伸服务等内容。采用对话式结构，内容针对性强，便于学习掌握，有较强的实用性。本书可供铁路客运职工和相关管理人员工作学习使用，也可供相关院校师生教学参考之用。

Bayesian modeling with PyMC3 and exploratory analysis of Bayesian models with ArviZ Key Features *A step-by-step guide to conduct Bayesian data analyses using PyMC3 and ArviZ *A modern, practical and computational approach to Bayesian statistical modeling *A tutorial for Bayesian analysis and best practices with the help of sample problems and practice exercises. Book Description The second edition of Bayesian Analysis with Python is an introduction to the main concepts of applied Bayesian inference and its practical implementation in Python using PyMC3, a state-of-the-art probabilistic programming library, and ArviZ, a new library for exploratory analysis of Bayesian models. The main concepts of Bayesian statistics are covered using a practical and computational approach. Synthetic and real data sets are used to introduce several types of models, such as generalized linear models for regression and classification, mixture models, hierarchical models, and Gaussian processes, among others. By the end of the book, you will have a working knowledge of probabilistic modeling and you will be able to design and implement Bayesian models for your own data science problems. After reading the book you will be better prepared to delve into more advanced material or specialized statistical modeling if you need to. What you will learn *Build probabilistic models using the Python library PyMC3 *Analyze probabilistic models with the help of ArviZ *Acquire the skills required to sanity check models and modify them if necessary *Understand the advantages and caveats of hierarchical models *Find out how different models can be used to answer different data analysis questions *Compare models and choose between alternative ones *Discover how different models are unified from a probabilistic perspective *Think probabilistically and benefit from the flexibility of the Bayesian framework Who this book is for If you are a student, data scientist, researcher, or a developer looking to get started with Bayesian data analysis and probabilistic programming, this book is for you. The book is introductory so no previous statistical knowledge is required, although some experience in using Python and NumPy is expected.

Leverage PowerShell to perform many day-to-day tasks in Microsoft Azure Key Features *Deploy and manage Azure virtual machines with PowerShell commands. *Get to grips with core concept of Azure PowerShell such as working with images and disks, custom script extension, high availability and more. *Leverage hands-on projects to successfully apply what you learned through the course of this book. Book Description As an IT professional, it is important to keep up with cloud technologies and learn to manage those technologies. PowerShell is a critical tool that must be learned in order to effectively and more easily manage many Azure resources. This book is designed to teach you to leverage PowerShell to enable you to perform many day-to-day tasks in Microsoft Azure. Taking you through the basic tasks of installing Azure PowerShell and connecting to Azure, you will learn to properly connect to an Azure tenant with PowerShell. Next, you will dive into tasks such as deploying virtual machines with PowerShell, resizing them, and managing their power states with PowerShell. Then, you will learn how to complete more complex Azure tasks with PowerShell, such as deploying virtual machines from custom images, creating images from existing virtual machines, and creating and managing of data disks. Later, you will learn how to snapshot virtual machines, how to encrypt virtual machines, and how to leverage load balancers to ensure high availability with PowerShell. By the end of this book, you will have developed dozens of PowerShell skills that are invaluable in the deployment and management of Azure virtual machines. What you will learn *Manage virtual machines with PowerShell *Resize a virtual machine with PowerShell *Create OS disk snapshots via PowerShell *Deploy new virtual machines from snapshots via PowerShell *Provision and attach data disks to a virtual machine via PowerShell *Load balance virtual machines with PowerShell *Manage virtual machines with custom script extensions Who this book is for This book is intended for IT professionals who are responsible for managing Azure virtual machines. No prior PowerShell or Azure experience is needed.

Learn development skills and improve productivity when programming in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2018 - the popular Enterprise Resourse Planning management system used across a variety of industries for business process management Key Features *Solve common business problems with the valuable features and flexibility of Dynamics NAV *Understand the structure of NAV database - how documents and business entities are mapped to DB tables *Design user interface and bind the presentation layer with the data storage Book Description Microsoft Dynamics NAV is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software suite for organizations. The system offers specialized functionality for manufacturing, distribution, government, retail, and other industries. This book gets you started with its integrated development environment for solving problems by customizing business processes. This book introduces the NAV development environment – C/SIDE. It gives an overview of the internal system language and the most essential development tools. The book will enable the reader to customize and extend NAV functionality with C/AL code, design a user interface through pages, create role centers, and build advanced reports in Microsoft Visual Studio. By the end of the book, you will have learned how to extend the NAV data model, how to write and debug custom code, and how to exchange data with external applications. What you will learn *Manage NAV Server configuration with Microsoft Management Console *Manage NAV installation with the NAV Administration Shell *Create integration events and extend functionality via the NAV event model *Run XML Ports from C/AL code *Design reports and write client code in RDLC expressions Who this book is for This book is for experienced NAV users who have an understanding of basic programming concepts. Familiarity with NAV development environment or its internal development language-C/AL is not expected.

Architect scalable, reliable, and maintainable applications for enterprises with Python Key Features *Explore various Python design patterns used for enterprise software development *Apply best practices for testing and performance optimization to build stable applications *Learn about different attacking strategies used on enterprise applications and how to avoid them Book Description Dynamically typed languages like Python are continuously improving. With the addition of exciting new features and a wide selection of modern libraries and frameworks, Python has emerged as an ideal language for developing enterprise applications. Hands-On Enterprise Application Development with Python will show you how to build effective applications that are stable, secure, and easily scalable. The book is a detailed guide to building an end-to-end enterprise-grade application in Python. You will learn how to effectively implement Python features and design patterns that will positively impact your application lifecycle. The book also covers advanced concurrency techniques that will help you build a RESTful application with an optimized frontend. Given that security and stability are the foundation for an enterprise application, you’ll be trained on effective testing, performance analysis, and security practices, and understand how to embed them in your codebase during the initial phase. You’ll also be guided in how to move on from a monolithic architecture to one that is service oriented, leveraging microservices and serverless deployment techniques. By the end of the book, you will have become proficient at building efficient enterprise applications in Python. What you will learn *Understand the purpose of design patterns and their impact on application lifecycle *Build applications that can handle large amounts of data-intensive operations *Uncover advanced concurrency techniques and discover how to handle a large number of requests in production *Optimize frontends to improve the client-side experience of your application *Effective testing and performance profiling techniques to detect issues in applications early in the development cycle *Build applications with a focus on security *Implement large applications as microservices to improve scalability Who this book is for If you’re a developer who wants to build enterprise-grade applications, this book is for you. Basic to intermediate-level of programming experience with Python and database systems is required to understand the concepts covered in this book.

Learn a modern approach to data analysis using Python to harness the power of programming and AI across your data. Detailed case studies bring this modern approach to life across visual data, social media, graph algorithms, and time series analysis. Key Features *Bridge your data analysis with the power of programming, complex algorithms, and AI *Use Python and its extensive libraries to power your way to new levels of data insight *Work with AI algorithms, TensorFlow, graph algorithms, NLP, and financial time series *Explore this modern approach across with key industry case studies and hands-on projects Book Description Data Analysis with Python offers a modern approach to data analysis so that you can work with the latest and most powerful Python tools, AI techniques, and open source libraries. Industry expert David Taieb shows you how to bridge data science with the power of programming and algorithms in Python. You'll be working with complex algorithms, and cutting-edge AI in your data analysis. Learn how to analyze data with hands-on examples using Python-based tools and Jupyter Notebook. You'll find the right balance of theory and practice, with extensive code files that you can integrate right into your own data projects. Explore the power of this approach to data analysis by then working with it across key industry case studies. Four fascinating and full projects connect you to the most critical data analysis challenges you’re likely to meet in today. The first of these is an image recognition application with TensorFlow – embracing the importance today of AI in your data analysis. The second industry project analyses social media trends, exploring big data issues and AI approaches to natural language processing. The third case study is a financial portfolio analysis application that engages you with time series analysis - pivotal to many data science applications today. The fourth industry use case dives you into graph algorithms and the power of programming in modern data science. You'll wrap up with a thoughtful look at the future of data science and how it will harness the power of algorithms and artificial intelligence. What you will learn *A new toolset that has been carefully crafted to meet for your data analysis challenges *Full and detailed case studies of the toolset across several of today’s key industry contexts *Become super productive with a new toolset across Python and Jupyter Notebook *Look into the future of data science and which directions to develop your skills next Who this book is for This book is for developers wanting to bridge the gap between them and data scientists. Introducing PixieDust from its creator, the book is a great desk companion for the accomplished Data Scientist. Some fluency in data interpretation and visualization is assumed. It will be helpful to have some knowledge of Python, using Python libraries, and some proficiency in web development.

Discover a project-based approach to mastering machine learning concepts by applying them to everyday problems using libraries such as scikit-learn, TensorFlow, and Keras Key Features * Get to grips with Python's machine learning libraries including scikit-learn, TensorFlow, and Keras * Implement advanced concepts and popular machine learning algorithms in real-world projects * Build analytics, computer vision, and neural network projects Book Description Machine learning is transforming the way we understand and interact with the world around us. This book is the perfect guide for you to put your knowledge and skills into practice and use the Python ecosystem to cover key domains in machine learning. This second edition covers a range of libraries from the Python ecosystem, including TensorFlow and Keras, to help you implement real-world machine learning projects. The book begins by giving you an overview of machine learning with Python. With the help of complex datasets and optimized techniques, you’ll go on to understand how to apply advanced concepts and popular machine learning algorithms to real-world projects. Next, you’ll cover projects from domains such as predictive analytics to analyze the stock market and recommendation systems for GitHub repositories. In addition to this, you’ll also work on projects from the NLP domain to create a custom news feed using frameworks such as scikit-learn, TensorFlow, and Keras. Following this, you’ll learn how to build an advanced chatbot, and scale things up using PySpark. In the concluding chapters, you can look forward to exciting insights into deep learning and you'll even create an application using computer vision and neural networks. By the end of this book, you’ll be able to analyze data seamlessly and make a powerful impact through your projects. What you will learn * Understand the Python data science stack and commonly used algorithms * Build a model to forecast the performance of an Initial Public Offering (IPO) over an initial discrete trading window * Understand NLP concepts by creating a custom news feed * Create applications that will recommend GitHub repositories based on ones you’ve starred, watched, or forked * Gain the skills to build a chatbot from scratch using PySpark * Develop a market-prediction app using stock data * Delve into advanced concepts such as computer vision, neural networks, and deep learning Who this book is for This book is for machine learning practitioners, data scientists, and deep learning enthusiasts who want to take their machine learning skills to the next level by building real-world projects. The intermediate-level guide will help you to implement libraries from the Python ecosystem to build a variety of projects addressing various machine learning domains. Knowledge of Python programming and machine learning concepts will be helpful.

Big data processing and analytics at speed and scale using command line tools. Key Features * Perform string processing, numerical computations, and more using CLI tools * Understand the essential components of data science development workflow * Automate data pipeline scripts and visualization with the command line Book Description The Command Line has been in existence on UNIX-based OSes in the form of Bash shell for over 3 decades. However, very little is known to developers as to how command-line tools can be OSEMN (pronounced as awesome and standing for Obtaining, Scrubbing, Exploring, Modeling, and iNterpreting data) for carrying out simple-to-advanced data science tasks at speed. This book will start with the requisite concepts and installation steps for carrying out data science tasks using the command line. You will learn to create a data pipeline to solve the problem of working with small-to medium-sized files on a single machine. You will understand the power of the command line, learn how to edit files using a text-based and an. You will not only learn how to automate jobs and scripts, but also learn how to visualize data using the command line. By the end of this book, you will learn how to speed up the process and perform automated tasks using command-line tools. What you will learn * Understand how to set up the command line for data science * Use AWK programming language commands to search quickly in large datasets. * Work with files and APIs using the command line * Share and collect data with CLI tools * Perform visualization with commands and functions * Uncover machine-level programming practices with a modern approach to data science Who this book is for This book is for data scientists and data analysts with little to no knowledge of the command line but has an understanding of data science. Perform everyday data science tasks using the power of command line tools.

Implement machine learning and deep learning methodologies to build smart, cognitive AI projects using Python Key Features * A go-to guide to help you master AI algorithms and concepts * 8 real-world projects tackling different challenges in healthcare, e-commerce, and surveillance * Use TensorFlow, Keras, and other Python libraries to implement smart AI applications Book Description This book will be a perfect companion if you want to build insightful projects from leading AI domains using Python. The book covers detailed implementation of projects from all the core disciplines of AI. We start by covering the basics of how to create smart systems using machine learning and deep learning techniques. You will assimilate various neural network architectures such as CNN, RNN, LSTM, to solve critical new world challenges. You will learn to train a model to detect diabetic retinopathy conditions in the human eye and create an intelligent system for performing a video-to-text translation. You will use the transfer learning technique in the healthcare domain and implement style transfer using GANs. Later you will learn to build AI-based recommendation systems, a mobile app for sentiment analysis and a powerful chatbot for carrying customer services. You will implement AI techniques in the cybersecurity domain to generate Captchas. Later you will train and build autonomous vehicles to self-drive using reinforcement learning. You will be using libraries from the Python ecosystem such as TensorFlow, Keras and more to bring the core aspects of machine learning, deep learning, and AI. By the end of this book, you will be skilled to build your own smart models for tackling any kind of AI problems without any hassle. What you will learn * Build an intelligent machine translation system using seq-2-seq neural translation machines * Create AI applications using GAN and deploy smart mobile apps using TensorFlow * Translate videos into text using CNN and RNN * Implement smart AI Chatbots, and integrate and extend them in several domains * Create smart reinforcement, learning-based applications using Q-Learning * Break and generate CAPTCHA using Deep Learning and Adversarial Learning Who this book is for This book is intended for data scientists, machine learning professionals, and deep learning practitioners who are ready to extend their knowledge and potential in AI. If you want to build real-life smart systems to play a crucial role in every complex domain, then this book is what you need. Knowledge of Python programming and a familiarity with basic machine learning and deep learning concepts are expected to help you get the most out of the book

Power up your network applications with Python programming Key Features * Master Python skills to develop powerful network applications * Grasp the fundamentals and functionalities of SDN * Design multi-threaded, event-driven architectures for echo and chat servers Book Description This Learning Path highlights major aspects of Python network programming such as writing simple networking clients, creating and deploying SDN and NFV systems, and extending your network with Mininet. You’ll also learn how to automate legacy and the latest network devices. As you progress through the chapters, you’ll use Python for DevOps and open source tools to test, secure, and analyze your network. Toward the end, you'll develop client-side applications, such as web API clients, email clients, SSH, and FTP, using socket programming. By the end of this Learning Path, you will have learned how to analyze a network's security vulnerabilities using advanced network packet capture and analysis techniques. This Learning Path includes content from the following Packt products: * Practical Network Automation by Abhishek Ratan * Mastering Python Networking by Eric Chou * Python Network Programming Cookbook, Second Edition by Pradeeban Kathiravelu, Dr. M. O. Faruque Sarker What you will learn * Create socket-based networks with asynchronous models * Develop client apps for web APIs, including S3 Amazon and Twitter * Talk to email and remote network servers with different protocols * Integrate Python with Cisco, Juniper, and Arista eAPI for automation * Use Telnet and SSH connections for remote system monitoring * Interact with websites via XML-RPC, SOAP, and REST APIs * Build networks with Ryu, OpenDaylight, Floodlight, ONOS, and POX * Configure virtual networks in different deployment environments Who this book is for If you are a Python developer or a system administrator who wants to start network programming, this Learning Path gets you a step closer to your goal. IT professionals and DevOps engineers who are new to managing network devices or those with minimal experience looking to expand their knowledge and skills in Python will also find this Learning Path useful. Although prior knowledge of networking is not required, some experience in Python programming will be helpful for a better understanding of the concepts in the Learning Path.

A full-color, plant-based guide to help you slim down and eat and feel better; filled with eighty delicious, vegan recipes and nutritious meal plans from the international phenomenon and bestselling brand BOSH!BOSH! has revolutionized plant-based eating! As the largest and fastest-growing plant-based food channel on the web, and the brand behind the smash international bestselling cookbook, BOSH! has introduced readers across the globe to fun, mouth-watering vegan recipes even meat eaters can love.Now, Henry and Ian are on a mission to help you eat well, feel better, and even lose weight. A comprehensive guide to nutritious, wholesome living using only the power of plants, BOSH!: Healthy Vegan features eighty delicious recipes and nourishing meal plans to get you started and help you stay on track.Packed full of nutrition hacks and lifestyle tips, BOSH!: Healthy Vegan will motivate anyone looking to achieve a fit, lean, and healthy body while staying vegan.

From “one of the greatest writers of our time” (Toni Morrison)—the author of Barracoon and Their Eyes Were Watching God—a collection of remarkable stories, including eight “lost” Harlem Renaissance tales now available to a wide audience for the first time. New York Times’ Books to Watch forBuzzfeed’s Most Anticipated Books of 2020Newsweek’s Most Anticipated BooksForbes.com’s Most Anticipated Books of 2020E!’s Top 2020 Books to ReadGlamour’s Best Books In 1925, Barnard student Zora Neale Hurston—the sole black student at the college—was living in New York, “desperately striving for a toe-hold on the world.” During this period, she began writing short works that captured the zeitgeist of African American life and transformed her into one of the central figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Nearly a century later, this singular talent is recognized as one of the most influential and revered American artists of the modern period.Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick is an outstanding collection of stories about love and migration, gender and class, racism and sexism that proudly reflect African American folk culture. Brought together for the first time in one volume, they include eight of Hurston’s “lost” Harlem stories, which were found in forgotten periodicals and archives. These stories challenge conceptions of Hurston as an author of rural fiction and include gems that flash with her biting, satiric humor, as well as more serious tales reflective of the cultural currents of Hurston’s world. All are timeless classics that enrich our understanding and appreciation of this exceptional writer’s voice and her contributions to America’s literary traditions.

“With each new book by Tessa Hadley, I grow more convinced that she’s one of the greatest stylists alive.”—Ron Charles, Washington PostNew York Times Book Review Editors' Choice |A Parnassus First Editions Club Pick | Powell’s Indispensable Book Club Pick | A Washington Post Notable Book | A Slate Best Book of the Year | A Boston Globe Best Book of the Year | A Bookpage Best Book of the YearThe lives of two close-knit couples are irrevocably changed by an untimely death in the latest from Tessa Hadley, the acclaimed novelist and short story master who “recruits admirers with each book” (Hilary Mantel).Alexandr and Christine and Zachary and Lydia have been friends since they first met in their twenties. Thirty years later, Alex and Christine are spending a leisurely summer’s evening at home when they receive a call from a distraught Lydia: she is at the hospital. Zach is dead.In the wake of this profound loss, the three friends find themselves unmoored; all agree that Zach, with his generous, grounded spirit, was the irreplaceable one they couldn’t afford to lose. Inconsolable, Lydia moves in with Alex and Christine. But instead of loss bringing them closer, the three of them find over the following months that it warps their relationships, as old entanglements and grievances rise from the past, and love and sorrow give way to anger and bitterness.Late in the Day explores the complex webs at the center of our most intimate relationships, to expose how, beneath the seemingly dependable arrangements we make for our lives, lie infinite alternate configurations. Ingeniously moving between past and present and through the intricacies of her characters’ thoughts and interactions, Tessa Hadley once again “crystallizes the atmosphere of ordinary life in prose somehow miraculous and natural” (Washington Post).

Set in France and America, News of Our Loved Ones is a haunting and intimate examination of love and loss, beauty and the cost of survival, witnessed through two generations of one French family, whose lives are all touched by the tragic events surrounding the D-Day bombings in Normandy.What if your family’s fate could be traced back to one indelible summer?Over four long years, the Delasalle family has struggled to live in their Nazi occupied village in Normandy. Maman, Oncle Henri, Yvonne, and Fran?oise silently watched as their Jewish neighbors were arrested or wordlessly disappeared. Now in June 1944, when the sirens wail each day, warning of approaching bombers, the family wonders if rumors of the coming Allied invasion are true—and if they will survive to see their country liberated.For sixteen-year-old Yvonne, thoughts of the war recede when she sees the red-haired boy bicycle past her window each afternoon. Murmuring to herself I love you, I love you, I love you, she wills herself to hear the whisper of his bicycle tires over the screech of Allied bombs falling from the sky.Yvonne’s sister, Geneviève, is in Paris to audition for the National Conservatory. Pausing to consider the shadow of a passing cloud as she raises her bow, she does not know that her family’s home in Normandy lies in the path of British and American bombers. While Geneviève plays, her brother Simon and Tante Chouchotte, anxiously await news from their loved ones in Normandy.Decades later, Geneviève, the wife of an American musician, lives in the United States. Each summer she returns to her homeland with her children, so that they may know their French family. Geneviève’s youngest daughter, Polly, becomes obsessed with the stories she hears about the war, believing they are the key to understanding her mother and the conflicting cultures shaping her life.Moving back and forth in time, told from varying points of view, News of Our Loved Ones explores the way family histories are shared and illuminates the power of storytelling to understand the past and who we are.

Welcome to Zoone: crossroads of the multiverse. In this inventive fantasy, fans of Diana Wynne Jones and Lisa McMann will step through an enchanted doorway and into a world filled with infinite portals to new—and sometimes perilous—lands.  When a bright blue winged tiger appears on his aunt’s sofa, Ozzie can tell he’s in for an adventure. He’s thrilled to follow Tug—a skyger—through a secret door in the basement and into Zoone, the bustling Grand Central Station of the universe, where a thousand doors act as portals to strange and wonderful worlds.But some doors also hide dangers—and when the portal back to Earth explodes behind him, Ozzie gets more adventure than he bargained for. In a station full of wizards, creepy-crawlies, and the occasional cursed princess, Ozzie has to find a way to repair his door… and possibly save the multiverse in the process. Brimming with colorful characters, magical mayhem, and endless adventure, this new tween series has a doorway for every reader—just be sure to close the door behind you!

A fully illustrated and authorized episode guide celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the hit-television show Friends, including a look behind-the-scenes of cult-favorite episodes, exclusive photos from Warner Bros., brand new interviews with show creators Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and set designer John Shaffner, and more.The beloved show Friends introduced the world to six young New Yorkers living together, falling in love, breaking up (cue Ross's "We were on a break!"), and getting into hilarious shenanigans, which became an instant classic formula that inspired dozens of "hangout sitcoms" long after the show's reign. But no sitcom has ever come close to the series that started it all, spawning iconic looks like "the Rachel" and timeless catchphrases like "How you doin'?" while creating a cultural sensation that catapulted the cast members to instant mega-stardom.Throughout the show's ten- season run, viewers watched Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler, and Joey navigate their twenties and thirties with unwavering friendship, determination, and, of course, plenty of sarcasm. Friends Forever takes fans back to the set where it all began with exclusive photos of the sitcom that won four Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series, eleven People's Choice Awards, and a Golden Globe for Jennifer Aniston for Best Lead Actress in a Television Series. This fully illustrated episode guide will treat readers to nostalgic flashbacks of the top one hundred episodes and sneak peeks of how popularly referenced lines from the show came to be. Friends Forever also boasts new interviews with show creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman on how the show got its start and set designer John Shaffner who reveals his inspirations behind the iconic looks behind Monica’s and Rachel’s apartment and Central Perk. It's no wonder why the Friends cast was chosen by TV Guide readers as the Best Comedy cast of all time, while countless other publications such as Vanity Fair named the show one of the best sitcoms of all time.Fun, hilarious interactives include:Joey’s fake resume vs real one Countdown to the funniest Thanksgiving foods Trivia game Q&A from "The One with the Embryos" (Seriously, what is Chandler Bing’s job?) Follow Ross’s infidelity trail from "The One with the Morning After" Who’s that celebrity? A comprehensive guide to some of the most famous celebrity guest stars from all ten seasons

“As intellectually playful as the best of Thomas Pynchon and as sardonically warm as the best of Kurt Vonnegut, The Heap is both a hilarious send-up of life under late capitalism and a moving exploration of the peculiar loneliness of the early 21st century. A masterful and humane gem of a novel.” —Shaun Hamill, author of A Cosmology of MonstersBlending the piercing humor of Alexandra Kleeman and the jagged satire of Black Mirror, an audacious, eerily prescient debut novel that chronicles the rise and fall of a massive high-rise housing complex, and the lives it affected before - and after - its demise.Standing nearly five hundred stories tall, Los Verticalés once bustled with life and excitement. Now this marvel of modern architecture and nontraditional urban planning has collapsed into a pile of rubble known as the Heap. In exchange for digging gear, a rehabilitated bicycle, and a small living stipend, a vast community of Dig Hands removes debris, trash, and bodies from the building’s mountainous remains, which Orville Anders burrows into the bowels of the Heap to find his brother Bernard, the beloved radio DJ of Los Verticalés, who is alive and miraculously broadcasting somewhere under the massive rubble. For months, Orville has lived in a sea of campers that surrounds the Heap, working tirelessly to free Bernard—the only known survivor of the imploded city—whom he speaks to every evening, calling into his radio show.The brothers’ conversations are a ratings bonanza, and the station’s parent company, Sundial Media, wants to boost its profits by having Orville slyly drop brand names into his nightly talks with Bernard. When Orville refuses, his access to Bernard is suddenly cut off, but strangely, he continues to hear his own voice over the airwaves, casually shilling products as “he” converses with Bernard.What follows is an imaginative and darkly hilarious story of conspiracy, revenge, and the strange life and death of Los Verticalés that both captures the wonderful weirdness of community and the bonds that tie us together.

Everything has a price . . .Railway magnate Tom Severin is wealthy and powerful enough to satisfy any desire as soon as it arises. Anything—or anyone—is his for the asking. It should be simple to find the perfect wife—and from his first glimpse of Lady Cassandra Ravenel, he’s determined to have her. But the beautiful and quick-witted Cassandra is equally determined to marry for love—the one thing he can’t give.Everything except her . . .Severin is the most compelling and attractive man Cassandra has ever met, even if his heart is frozen. But she has no interest in living in the fast-paced world of a ruthless man who always plays to win. When a newfound enemy nearly destroys Cassandra’s reputation, Severin seizes the opportunity he’s been waiting for. As always, he gets what he wants—or does he? There’s one lesson Tom Severin has yet to learn from his new bride: Never underestimate a Ravenel.The chase for Cassandra’s hand may be over. But the chase for her heart has only just begun . . . 

一本幽默诙谐的现代社会寓言小说集，记录了普通人平凡却又跌宕起伏的生活。 From the?author of the “sophisticated and erudite”?Peculiar Ground?(Boston Globe),?comes a collection of classic, witty fables, elegantly updated for our modern times.It's in the nature of myth to be infinitely adaptable.Each of these startlingly original stories is set in modern Britain. Their characters include a people-trafficking gang-master and a prostitute, a migrant worker and a cocksure estate agent, an elderly musician doubly befuddled by dementia and the death of his wife, a pest-controller suspected of paedophilia and a librarian so well-behaved that her parents wonder anxiously whether she’ll ever find love.They’re ordinary people, preoccupied, as we all are now, by the deficiencies of the health service, by criminal gangs and homelessness, by the pitfalls of dating in the age of #metoo. All of their stories, though, are inspired by ones drawn from Graeco-Roman myth, from the Bible or from folk-lore.The ancients invented myths to express what they didn’t understand. These witty fables, elegantly written and full of sharp-eyed observation of modern life, are also visionary explorations of potent mysteries and strange passions, charged with the hallucinatory beauty and horror of their originals.

索菲·汉娜心理悬疑小说：女主人公贝斯开车送儿子去踢足球，路过多年未联系、曾经的好友芙洛拉家忍不住拜访，却发现芙洛拉家的两个孩子——五岁的托马斯和三岁的艾米丽——看起来仍然和12年前一模一样，这怎么可能呢？ The New York Times bestselling author of The Monogram Murders and Woman with a Secret returns with a sharp, captivating, and expertly plotted tale of psychological suspense.All Beth has to do is drive her son to his soccer game, watch him play, and then return home. Just because she knows her ex-best friend lives near the field, that doesn’t mean she has to drive past her house and try to catch a glimpse of her. Why would Beth do that and risk dredging up painful memories? She hasn’t seen Flora for twelve years. She doesn’t want to see her today—or ever again. But she can’t resist. She parks outside the open gates of Newnham House, watches from across the road as Flora arrives and calls to her children Thomas and Emily to get out of the car. Except . . . There’s something terribly wrong. Flora looks the same, only older. Twelve years ago, Thomas and Emily were five and three years old. Today, they look precisely as they did then. They are Thomas and Emily without a doubt, but they haven’t changed at all. They are no taller, no older. Why haven’t they grown? How is it possible that they haven’t grown up?