万本电子书0元读

万本电子书0元读

The Cleft
The Cleft
Lessing, Doris
¥83.03
From Doris Lessing, "one of the most important writers of the past hundred years" (Times of London), comes a brilliant, darkly provocative alternative history of humankind’s beginnings.In the last years of his life, a Roman senator embarks on one final epic endeavor, a retelling of the history of human creation. The story he relates is the little-known saga of the Clefts, an ancient community of women with no knowledge of nor need for men. Childbirth was controlled through the cycles of the moon, and only female offspring were born—until the unanticipated event that jeopardized the harmony of their close-knit society: the strange, unheralded birth of a boy.
The Family Fortune
The Family Fortune
Horowitz, Laurie
¥84.16
Jane Fortune's fortunes have taken a downturn. Thanks to the profligate habits of her father and older sister, the family's money has evaporated and Jane has to move out of the only home she's ever known: a stately brick town house on Boston's prestigious Beacon Hill. Thirty-eight and terminally single, Jane has never pursued idle pleasures like her sibling and father. Instead, she has devoted her time to running the Fortune Family Foundation, a revered philanthropic institution that has helped spark the careers of many a budding writer, including Max Wellman, Jane's first—and only—love. Now Jane has lost her luster. Max, meanwhile, has become a bestselling novelist and a renowned literary lothario. But change is afoot. And in the process of saving her family and reigniting the flames of true love, Jane might just find herself becoming the woman she was always meant to be.
The Foreign Student
The Foreign Student
Choi, Susan
¥83.03
Highly acclaimed by critics, The Foreign Student is the story of a young Korean man, scarred by war, and the deeply troubled daughter of a wealthy Southern American family. In 1955, a new student arrives at a small college in the Tennessee mountains. Chuck is shy, speaks English haltingly, and on the subject of his earlier life in Korea he will not speak at all. Then he meets Katherine, a beautiful and solitary young woman who, like Chuck, is haunted by some dark episode in her past. Without quite knowing why, these two outsiders are drawn together, each sensing in the other the possibility of salvation. Moving between the American South and South Korea, between an adolescent girl's sexual awakening and a young man's nightmarish memories of war, The Foreign Student is a powerful and emotionally gripping work of fiction.
The Name of the World
The Name of the World
Johnson, Denis
¥83.03
The acclaimed author of Jesus' Son and Already Dead returns with a beautiful, haunting, and darkly comic novel. The Name of the World is a mesmerizing portrait of a professor at a Midwestern university who has been patient in his grief after an accident takes the lives of his wife and child and has permitted that grief to enlarge him.Michael Reed is living a posthumous life. In spite of outward appearances -- he holds a respectable university teaching position; he is an articulate and attractive addition to local social life -- he's a dead man walking.Nothing can touch Reed, nothing can move him, although he observes with a mordant clarity the lives whirling vigorously around him. Of his recent bereavement, nearly four years earlier, he observes, "I'm speaking as I'd speak of a change in the earth's climate, or the recent war."Facing the unwelcome end of his temporary stint at the university, Reed finds himself forced "to act like somebody who cares what happens to him. " Tentatively he begins to let himself make contact with a host of characters in this small academic town, souls who seem to have in common a tentativeness of their own. In this atmosphere characterized, as he says, "by cynicism, occasional brilliance, and small, polite terror," he manages, against all his expectations, to find people to light his way through his private labyrinth.Elegant and incisively observed, The Name of the World is Johnson at his best: poignant yet unsentimental, replete with the visionary imaginative detail for which his work is known. Here is a tour de force by one of the most astonishing writers at work today.
The Day Christ Died
The Day Christ Died
Bishop, Jim
¥77.49
"This is a book about the most dramatic day in the history of the world, the day on which Jesus of Nazareth died. It opens at 6 P.M.—the beginning of the Hebrew day—with Jesus and ten of the apostles coming through the pass between the Mount of Olives and the Mount of Offense en route to Jerusalem and the Last Supper. It closes at 4 P.M. the following afternoon, when Jesus was taken down from the cross. . . . The fundamental research was done a long time ago by four fine journalists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The rest has been added in bits and pieces from many men whose names span the centuries."—from the Foreword
Flesh of the God
Flesh of the God
Haney, Lauren
¥48.91
A young, untested policeman confronts deceit, treachery, and deadly peril in an ancient and magnificent world. Author Lauren Haney dazzles with a spellbinding "prequel" -- the first investigation of the brilliant Egyptian, Lieutenant Bak.A proud officer in the service of Queen Hatshepsut, it was Lieutenant Bak's great misfortune to lead his charioteers in a raid of a house of pleasure frequented by Egyptians of very high station. Reassigned for his transgressions, Bak is exiled to Buhen -- a fortified city in the most desolate part of the Nile valley. Barely has he set foot in this nest of vipers when he discovers Nakht, Buhen's capable commandant, slain with a dagger in his breast -- and Nakht's very beautiful, young wife covered with fresh blood. Bak's carefully honed instinct makes him hesitate to condemn the frightened widow. Perhaps the man's death was divine retribution for recent offenses directed toward the gods. Finding the truth in this terrible place will be as difficult as finding water in the heartless desert that surrounds it -- while more death may be far too easy to come by.
Soul Catcher
Soul Catcher
White, Michael C.
¥82.80
Augustus Cain faces a past he wants to forget, a present without prospect or fortune, and an uncertain future marred by the loss of his most prized possession: the horse that has been his working companion for years. He is also a man haunted by a terrible skill—the ability to track people who don't want to be found. Rosetta is a runaway slave fueled by the passion and determination only a mother can feel. She bears the scars—inside and out—of a life lived in servitude to a cruel and unforgiving master. Her flight is her one shot at freedom, and she would rather die than return to the living hell that she has left behind.In the perilous years before the Civil War, the fates of these two remarkable people will intertwine in an extraordinary adventure—a journey of hardship and redemption that will take them from Virginia to Boston and back—and one that will become an extraordinary test of character and will, mercy and compassion. It is an odyssey that will change them both forever.Soul Catcher is a dazzling tapestry of imagination and character, atmosphere and emotion. Poignant and utterly compelling, it is a story to be savored and remembered.
Shadows Still Remain
Shadows Still Remain
de Jonge, Peter
¥55.91
Edgy, electrifying and dark—a riveting debutA Beautiful Woman, MissingNew York City, 2005. Thanksgiving weekend. A topless Kate Moss peers down from a billboard over rain-spattered Houston Street. Escaping a troubled past, Francesca Pena came to the city and reinvented herself. At New York University, her beauty and charisma are the envy of her privileged pals, yet none knows the real Francesca—who, after a night of drinking, is now missing. A High-Stakes GambleDetective Darlene O'Hara of the Seventh Precinct and her partner, Serge "K." Krekorian, set out to find Pena. But when the case turns high-profile and Homicide is called in, O'Hara—who has an eighteen-year-old son she saddled with the name Axl Rose O'Hara, and whose binge drinking exacerbates the massive chip on her shoulder—refuses to let go. Risking both her and K.'s careers, she defies NYPD brass and Homicide legend Patrick Lowry to secretly pursue her own investigation.A Desperate Chase—and a Chilling TwistFollowing a deadly trail that leads from NYU's ivory towers to Brooklyn tattoo parlors, from a skanky strip club to a whitewashed boutique run by a Korean madam, O'Hara closes in on her prey. But she has to move fast, because Lowry and the NYPD are about to make a devastating mistake that will leave the real killer free.
A Ticket to Ride
A Ticket to Ride
McLain, Paula
¥83.03
"It was August. For years it was August . . . . There was heat like wet gauze and a high, white sky and music coming from everywhere at once."In the long, hot Illinois summer of 1973, insecure, motherless Jamie falls under the dangerous spell of her older, more worldly cousin Fawn, who's come to stay with Jamie and her uncle as penance for committing an "unmentionable act." It is a time of awakenings and corruptions, of tragedy and loss, as Jamie slowly discovers the extent to which Fawn will use anything and anyone to further her own ends—and recognizes, perhaps too late, her own complicity in the disaster that takes shape around them.
Cat to the Dogs
Cat to the Dogs
Murphy, Shirley Rousseau
¥56.07
A recent earthquake was only the beginning of the big trouble that plagues Molena Point, California. Joe Grey may be merely a cat, but he's already solved more murders than your average human detective, and he knows the "accident" on Hellhag Hill was anything but. Unfortunately Joe's somewhat erratic, if lovable, owner Clyde thinks cats should keep their paws out of police work, and locks Joe and his feline lady friend Dulcie out of the house when Officer Max Harper pays a social call.But Joe can be a very stubborn tomcat when he sets his mind to it. And he's not about to give up the hunt. A killer needs to be apprehended, and Joe Grey's just the cat for the job -- especially since the humans who should be on the case don't seem to have a clue.
Living Well with Back Pain
Living Well with Back Pain
Winter, Robert B., M.D.
¥90.77
If you're one of the millions of Americans suffering from back pain, Robert B. Winter, MD, and Marilyn L. Bach, PhD, have the answers and knowledge you need to effectively manage your condition. In Living Well with Back Pain, Winter and Bach draw on an extensive network of experts to bring you the latest information on:Diagnosing—and even eliminating—the problemExercise programs and over-the-counter drug treatmentsChoosing the right medical practitionerWhen surgery and other invasive procedures are not neededThe authors are affiliated with an internationally renowned back treatment center, the Twin Cities Spine Center, which has treated tens of thousands of back pain sufferers. Their expertise and up-to-the-minute knowledge make this the most comprehensive, current, and accessible back pain book available.
The Notorious Dr. August
The Notorious Dr. August
Bram, Christopher
¥90.73
Christopher Bram tells the story of Augustus Fitzwilliam Boyd, alias Dr. August, a clairvoyant pianist who communes with ghosts, and who finds meaning in his life through a strange love triangle with a righteous ex-slave and nervous white governess. Spanning the years between the Civil War and the early 1920's, this riveting and ambitious historical novel displays the immense talents of a prodigious, highly esteemed author working at the height of his powers.
Thieves of Mercy
Thieves of Mercy
Nelson, James L.
¥149.26
Having survived the bloody Battle of New Orleans and the loss of their ironclad Yazoo River, captain Samuel Bowater, engineer Hieronymus Taylor, and the survivors of their crew are given new orders -- take command of an ironclad warship being built in Memphis, Tennessee.Bowater and his men take passage upriver from "Mississippi" Mike Sullivan, one of the wild, undisciplined captains of the River Defense Squadron, only to find, on their arrival, that their ship is not even half built and the enemy is closing fast. Against their better judgment, Bowater and crew join forces with the mercurial Sullivan on board his ad hoc river gunship the General Page. Outnumbered and outgunned, the Confederates once again fling themselves bravely at the overwhelming power of the Yankee invaders. The deadly back-and-forth fight along the Mississippi ends at last in the massive naval battle of Memphis, and the near-suicidal attempt by the Confederates to hold back the Northern flood.Filled with wild characters and heart-pounding action, and set against the bold backdrop of the Civil War, Thieves of Mercy is a worthy successor to the W. Y. Boyd Award-winning novel Glory in the Name, the book Bernard Cornwell lauded as "by far, the best Civil War novel I've read."
The Camel Bookmobile
The Camel Bookmobile
Hamilton, Masha
¥83.03
Fiona Sweeney wants to do something that matters, and she chooses to make her mark in the arid bush of northeastern Kenya. By helping to start a traveling library, she hopes to bring the words of Homer, Hemingway, and Dr. Seuss to far-flung tiny communities where people live daily with drought, hunger, and disease. Her intentions are honorable, and her rules are firm: due to the limited number of donated books, if any one of them is not returned, the bookmobile will not return.But, encumbered by her Western values, Fi does not understand the people she seeks to help. And in the impoverished small community of Mididima, she finds herself caught in the middle of a volatile local struggle when the bookmobile's presence sparks a dangerous feud between the proponents of modernization and those who fear the loss of traditional ways.
Daughter of Troy
Daughter of Troy
Franklin, Sarah B.
¥56.07
The rightful-born queen of Lyrnessos, Briseis watched helplessly from the battlements as her husband and brothers were crushed by the invincible army of King Agamemnon. Taken into slavery, the proud, beautiful seer became the prize of Prince Achilles, the conquering Greeks' mightiest hero. But passion forged chains stronger than any iron, binding the hearts of captive and captor with a love that knew no equal, and when Troy fell, great Achilles promised his beloved Briseis would reign at his side as queen of Thessaly. Yet the jealousy of a ruthless king and the whims of the capricious deities would deny the lovers their happiness. As the flames of war rose higher around them, the prophetess vowed to save the beloved warrior for whom her dark gift foretold doom -- even if it meant defying the gods themselves.
Screams from the Balcony
Screams from the Balcony
Bukowski, Charles
¥95.11
Screams from the Balcony is a collection of letters chronicling Charles Bukowski's life as he tries to get published and work at a postal office, all while drinking and gambling.
The Catsitters
The Catsitters
Wolcott, James
¥72.70
Bartender by day, actor by night, Johnny Downs cheerfully floats through life, living alone with his jukebox and his cat. Blindsided when his dazzling girlfriend dumps him, Johnny is wounded, stunned, and, most of all, clueless. You're like most men -- oblivious, says his friend Darlene. Her diagnosis: Johnny is doomed to be rejected by every woman he desires as long as he clings to his outmoded bachelor ways. Darlene puts him on a rigorous crash course to re-brand himself as husband material. But does Darlene really have his best interests at heartAnd who are all these catsitters that keep coming into his life?
Kissing the Virgin's Mouth
Kissing the Virgin's Mouth
Gershten, Donna M.
¥85.05
Guadalupe Magdalena Molina Vásquez -- wife, scoundrel, courtesan, mother -- is full of contradictions: she believes in love but is suspicious of men; she rejects religion but admires the Virgin Mary; she respects tradition while breaking all the rules. Here, in the Golden Zone of Teatán, Mexico, Magda tells her extraordinary life story -- from a poor Mexican barrio to American affluence, from wide-eyed childhood to worldly courtesan life, from full-blooded youth to oncoming blindness -- and bewitchingly imparts the hard-earned wisdom she has gained through the years.
The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan
The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan
Marisol
¥73.48
Según el dicho latinoamericano, para seducir a un hombre, una mujer tiene que ser una dama en la sala, una cocinera en la cocina y una cortesana en la cama. Pilar no es ninguna de las tres. Cuando hereda los diarios de su abuela difunta, Pilar se da cuenta que hay algo que hace falta en su vida, y descubre el secreto que su abuela decidió guardar oculto durante tantos a?os. En las páginas de los diarios, Pilar aprende los rituales sagrados de la belleza suramericana, las reglas de etiqueta social y las deliciosas recetas que le ense?arán a seducir a los hombres, y a ser la perfecta esposa, mujer y amante.Poco a poco a medida que lee la asombrosa historia que le cuenta su abuela, Pilar comienza a comprender la importancia de la tradición y encuentra maneras de integrarla a su propia vida de mujer profesional e independiente. Y tal vez, encontrará finalmente la manera de querer al hombre que aunque no parece convenirle, es el amor de su vida.
The Captain is Out to Lunch
The Captain is Out to Lunch
Bukowski, Charles
¥88.56
A book length collaboration between two underground legends, Charles Bukowski and Robert Crumb. Bukowski's last journals candidly and humorously reveal the events in the writer's life as death draws inexorably nearer, thereby illuminating our own lives and natures, and to give new meaning to what was once only familiar. Crumb has illustrated the text with 12 full-page drawings and a portrait of Bukowski.
She Was
She Was
Hallowell, Janis
¥79.38
Doreen Woods lives an ordinary life. She is a respected dentist, her son has just graduated from high school, and her husband teaches fifth grade. The one flaw is that her brother, Adam, has MS. Even that isn't all that extraordinary. . . . Then, out of nowhere, Janey Marks shows up, bringing the past with her.In 1971 Doreen was young, idealistic Lucy Johansson. Adam was back from Vietnam, damaged and bitter. Caught up in the anti-war movement Lucy committed a crime that changed everything for both of them.She Was spans America, coast to coast, over four decades, to give us the story of one young woman who, like many of her generation, tried to change the world and how, thirty-four years later, in a world that still needs changing, she must pay the consequences.