Cartea aceasta reprezint o confesiune sincer despre tririle, sentimentele, nvmintele i convingerile mele. Am depnat aici amintiri din ntreaga mea via, cu bune i cu mai puin bune, cu frumoase i mai puin frumoase. Dragostea, acest sentiment minunat, este cea care mi-a ghidat destinul, ncepnd cu dragostea pentru prini, apoi cu cea pentru alesul inimii, continund cu dragostea pentru copii, pentru familia toat, pentru oameni n general i, alturi de toate acestea, dragostea pentru cntec.“ Maria Dragomiroiu

Via?a e un vis. Apoi te treze?ti. Eu l-am inventat pe Max. Cel pu?in asta mi-am spus ?ntotdeauna. To?i b?rba?ii pe care i-am adorat ?nc? din copil?rie, combina?i ?ntr-un singur tip perfect. Problema e c? m-am ?n?elat. Pentru c? ?n u?a clasei, uit?ndu-se direct la mine, st? Max. Max al meu. Max cel din visele mele. Max al meu care nu exist? ?n realitate. De c?nd se ?tie, Alice ?l viseaz? pe Max, un b?iat pe care nu l-a ?nt?lnit niciodat?. ?mpreun? au c?l?torit prin toat? lumea, au c?l?rit pe elefan?i roz, s-au b?tut cu biscui?i ?n Muzeul Metropolitan de Art? ?i s-au ?ndr?gostit nebune?te, iremediabil, unul de cel?lalt. Max e b?iatul viselor ei (?i doar al viselor ei) p?n? ?n diminea?a ?n care ?l descoper? st?ndu-i al?turi la or?, c?t se poate de viu. Dar el habar nu are cine e Alice. C?nd te ?ndr?goste?ti ?n vis, mai poate realitatea s?-?i fie de ajuns? ??n mod evident, sunt perfect con?tient? c? par sut? la sut? ??c?nit? c?nd spun c? m-am ?ndr?gostit de un om pe care nu l-am ?nt?lnit niciodat?, care nici m?car nu exist?. Dar din moment ce nu-mi pot aminti o perioad? ?n care s? nu-l fi visat pe Max, mi-e greu s? fac diferen?a. Locurile se schimb?, la fel ?i pove?tile, ?ns? Max r?m?ne acela?i, ?nt?mpin?ndu-m? ?n fiecare vis cu z?mbetul lui pozna? ?i inima lui mare. El e sufletul meu pereche.“

Azt mondják, hogy a leghosszabb visszhang, amelyet valaha mértek, 75 másodpercig tartott, de megnyugtathatok mindenkit, hogy ez sokkal tovább szól majd. A durranás megsüketítette k?rül?ttem a világot, mindent semmivé némított, hagyta, hogy pusztításának tük?rképe sokkal tovább megmaradjon, mint kellett volna. ?r?kké k?vetni fog engem, el fog pusztítani engem – elpusztít benneteket. Válaszokra vártok? ?n is.

Trez "Latimer" valójában nem létezik. ?rnyékként él és dolgozik az emberi világban ezzel a kitalált személyazonossággal. Kisgyermekként a szülei eladták a S'Hisbe faj királyn?jének, Trez viszont elsz?k?tt, és bártulajdonosként évek óta a New York állambeli Caldwellben él. A szexrabszolgaság el?l menekült el, amire a királyn? kényszeríteni akarta. Soha senkire sem tudott igazán támaszkodni... csak ikertestvérére, iAmre. iAmet mindig is egyetlen cél vezérelte, megóvni testvérét az ?npusztítástól. Már úgy érzi, hogy kudarcot vallott, amikor Trez életében megjelenik a kiválasztott Selena. Ekkor azonban már túl kés?. Elérkezett az id?, hogy Trez teljesítse a k?telességét, és n?ül vegye a királyn? lányát. Nincs menekvés, nem tehet semmit, hogy elkerülje. Csapdába esve a szíve vágya és a kéretlen sors k?z?tt Treznek el kell d?ntenie, hogy bajba sodorja-e saját magát és másokat... vagy ?r?kre hátat fordít a n?nek, akit szeret. Ekkor azonban váratlan tragédia t?rténik, amely mindent megváltoztat. Az érzelmileg mélypontra került Treznek muszáj újra életcélt találnia, kül?nben ?r?kre elveszíti ?nmagát és a lelkét. iAm pedig, a testvéri szeretet nevében, arra készül, hogy meghozza a legnagyobb áldozatot... J. R. Ward neve fogalom a vámpírt?rténetek rajongóinak k?rében. Akit egyszer rabul ejtett káprázatos, rémséges, baljós és szenvedélyes világa, az odaadó híve és olvasója marad. A K?nyvjelz? magazin 2015. novemberi számában megjelent cikk: Vér dupla whiskeyvel

Este posibil? o autoanaliz?? Dac? da, c?nd, ?n ce m?sur? ?i cu ce limite? Putem utiliza tehnicile psihanalitice pe cont propriu, pentru a ne rezolva problemele? Este introspec?ia constructiv? sau mai degrab? inutil?? Acestea sunt ?ntreb?rile pe care le abordeaz?, ?n cartea sa, Karen Horney, al?turi de prezentarea a numeroase studii de caz. Argumente sunt destule, at?t pro, c?t ?i contra: noi ne cunoa?tem cel mai bine pe noi ?n?ine, introspec?ia este constructiv? ?n momentul ?n care o utiliz?m ?n slujba dorin?ei de a deveni o fiin?? mai bun?, mai ?nzestrat? ?i mai puternic?, iar insighturile ob?inute prin autoanaliz? sunt mai bine primite; pe de alt? parte, factorii emo?ionali ?i rezisten?ele constituie o dificultate important? ?n acest demers. Astfel, autoanaliza este, ?n viziunea autoarei, o ?ncercare de a fi pacient ?i analist ?n acela?i timp, metoda de baz? r?m?n?nd aceea?i ca la orice psihanaliz?: asocierile libere. Dincolo de tehnici ?i metode, mesajul este simplu ?i percutant: pentru c? via?a ta este cel mai bun psihoterapeut, crede ?n tine ?nsu?i!Fiecare autoanaliz? reu?it? spore?te ?ncrederea ?n sine, dar exist? ?i un alt c??tig, datorat faptului c? ai cucerit ?n ?ntregime un teritoriu prin ini?iativ? proprie, perseveren?? ?i curaj. Acest efect se manifest? ?n analiz?, ca ?i ?n alte aspecte ale vie?ii. S? g?se?ti de unul singur o c?rare pe munte ??i d? un sentiment mai deplin de putere, dec?t s? mergi pe poteca indicat?, de?i efortul ?i rezultatul sunt acelea?i. O astfel de realizare nu-?i insufl? numai o m?ndrie justificat?, ci ?i un sentiment de ?ncredere ?n propria capacitate de a te confrunta cu situa?ii grele ?i de a nu te sim?i pierdut ?n lipsa ?ndrum?rii.Autoanaliza este o ?ncercare de a fi pacient ?i psihanalist ?n acela?i timp. S? nu uit?m c? acest proces este nu numai suma dintre travaliul analistului ?i cel al pacientului, dar ?i o rela?ie uman?. Faptul c? sunt implicate dou? persoane are o influen?? considerabil? asupra contribu?iei fiec?reia. Pacientul are trei sarcini principale. Prima este s? se exprime c?t mai complet ?i sincer cu putin??. A doua este s? devin? con?tient de for?ele pulsionale incon?tiente ?i influen?a lor asupra vie?ii sale. Iar a treia e s?-?i dezvolte capacitatea de a schimba acele atitudini care ?i perturb? rela?iile cu sine ?nsu?i ?i cu lumea din jurul lui. [...] Dac? pacientul are capacitatea de a lucra singur pentru a g?si solu?ia la o problem?, poate fi oare folosit? aceast? capacitate de o manier? deliberat??

Audrey s-a ?nconjurat mereu de c?r?i ?i muzic?, filosofie ?i visuri. E ceea ce o deosebe?te de fiin?ele Echo, ni?te ma?in?rii misterioase, lipsite de emo?ii, alc?tuite ?n a?a fel ?nc?t s? semene cu fiin?ele omene?ti ?i s? serveasc? st?p?nilor umani. DANIEL e un Echo – dar e diferit de cei din specia lui. Simte o puternic? leg?tur? cu Audrey; un sentiment pe care n-a fost programat s?-l aib? ?i pe care nu ?i-l poate explica. Dar e hot?r?t s? ?ncerce. O poveste zguduitoare despre iubire, pierdere ?i ceea ce ne face cu adev?rat umani. Excelent... foarte omenesc ?i sensibil. –Patrick Ness Minunat de amuzant, inventiv si captivant. –The Times O poveste extraordinar?, de citit dintr-o suflare. The Sun ?Noi urma s? fim o lume a noastr?, un univers ?n doi, ?i asta era bine. De fapt, era incomparabil mai bine dec?t un univers al unuia singur. Ea ?nsemna totul. Ea ?nsemna speran??, team?, iubire ?i durere. Ea era c?t se poate de vie. Iar a fi viu ?nseamn? a avea posibilit??i ?i incertitudini. Via?a este ceva ira?ional, iar ira?ionalul nu poate fi cartografiat. De aceea, ?n fiecare via?? — ?n fiecare via?? adev?rat? — exist? o ?ncreng?tur? de alte vie?i, ca ?n gr?dina potecilor ce se bifurc? despre care citisem c?ndva. S? iube?ti pe cineva este un proces prin care ?l aju?i pe cel?lalt s? g?seasc? cea mai bun? variant? dintre vie?ile posibile ?i s? o tr?iasc?.“

Cine ne urm?re?te din umbr?? Din zorii omenirii, dorin?a de a controla g?ndurile, comportamentele ?i ac?iunile altora a fost foarte r?sp?ndit?. De la folosirea persuasiunii coercitive de c?tre egiptenii din Antichitate ?i cavalerii templieri p?n? la afirma?iile actuale privind h?r?uirea electronic? ?i ?bombardamentul“ cu microunde, am fost mereu la mila celor dornici s? ne reprogrameze g?ndirea ?i s? ne remodeleze convingerile. ?n R?zboaiele PSI g?sim relat?ri fascinante despre: ?ncerc?rile str?vechi de control al min?ii folosind vr?ji, po?iuni ?i ritualuri; sectele ?i folosirea reprogram?rii mentale; tehnici de control mental moderne, de la hipnoz?, droguri ?i electro?ocuri la radia?ie ?i control mediumnic; povestea secret? a c?ut?rii adev?ratului Candidat Manciurian – MKUltra ?i conexiunea CIA; ?minunata lume nou?“ a metodelor ingenioase de h?r?uire electronic? ?i de supraveghere agresiv?.

S? ascult?m avertismentul megalitic al trecutului!Baz?ndu-se pe teoria sa revolu?ionar? potrivit c?reia Sfinxul din Egipt dateaz? cu mult mai devreme dec?t 2500 ?.Hr., geologul Robert Schoch apeleaz? la dovezi ?tiin?ifice pentru a confirma existen?a unei civiliza?ii avansate care le preced? pe cele ale Egiptului, Sumerului ?i Greciei Antice. De asemenea, vorbe?te ?i despre catastrofa care a distrus-o acum aproape 12 000 de ani, afirm?nd c? mo?tenirea acesteia ne poate da ?nv???turi pre?ioase privind viitorul omenirii.Combin?nd dovezi adunate din mai multe discipline ?tiin?ifice, Schoch demonstreaz? c? ultima er? glaciar? s-a sf?r?it brusc ?n 9700 ?.Hr., ca urmare a unor explozii solare. Acestea au provocat desc?rc?ri electrice/plasmatice care au declan?at activitate vulcanic?, cutremure, incendii ?i inunda?ii masive provenite din topirea ghe?arilor ?i de la ploile toren?iale.Autorul explic? modul ?n care aceste evenimente au eradicat civiliza?ia vremii ?i au dat omenirea ?napoi cu mii de ani. Civiliza?ia a reap?rut ?n jurul anului 3500 ?.Hr., cu fr?nturi de memorie ?i aptitudini pe cale s? se formeze. ?n acest cadru, el analizeaz? leg?tura dintre monumentele megalitice, ora?ele subterane ?i legendele antice, precum ?i reinterpretarea textelor rongorongo de pe Insula Pa?telui ?i ?ngroparea inten?ionat?, ?n urm? cu 10 000 de ani, a complexului de la G?bekli Tepe din Turcia.Schoch prezint? dovezile ?tiin?ifice care sugereaz? c? istoria s-ar putea repeta ?i un flux de mas? coronal? suficient de puternic ar putea distruge civiliza?ia actual?.?

Dac vei citi aceast carte, vei realiza c i-ai ratat adolescena. Fragmente din manuscris au circulat prin cminele studeneti din Cluj i au destrmat mai multe cupluri dect vacanele de var: fetele i doreau s fie iubite precum Roxana, clasicele suc i film ncetnd brusc s nsemne ceva. Nu citi aceast carte! Dar cumpr-o, ca s-l fereti i pe altul de ea.“ – Sorin-Mihai Gradn tririle autorului, Roxana pare o himer. Roxana este experiena trit de toi n spiritul adolescenei. mprtit sau nu, pasiunea este cea care ne contureaz imaginea a ceea ce vom deveni. Cu ct mai puternic pasiunea, cu att mai mare potenialul viitoarelor triri care abia se deschid.“ – Lucian MareValul de sinucideri generat de Suferinele tnrului Werther va prea o glum pe lng tsunamiul generat de apariia obiectului pe care-l ii n mn.“ – iQ 666)Dac ai putea scrie un jurnal att de sincer, n-ai mai avea nevoie de memorie sau de preot.“ – Karel Cispic)Dac ai 16 ani i i pic n mn Caietul Roxanei, nici n-o s tii ce te-a lovit. Va fi manualul tu, cartea scris cu snge, pentru tine, din care vei afla tot ce ai nevoie s tii pentru a trece cu bine (sau nu) de adolescen. Dac ai peste 16 ani i dai de Caietul Roxanei, te va atinge o nostalgie infernal: pentru iubirile adevrate pierdute pentru totdeauna, pentru anii n care puteai tri doar pentru rock i filosofie, pentru vremurile n care Romnia avea un ritm cu care nc mai puteai rezona. Un Cioran mai rzvrtit ca niciodat, mai sincer i mai intens, mixat cu Nietzsche i Lautreamont, pe fundal cu Guns N’ Roses i gothic metal, tefan Bolea din Caietul Roxanei are tot ce-i trebuie pentru a deveni rock star-ul i scriitorul-cult al unei generaii noi cu gust pentru poezie i filosofie.“ – Cristina Nemerovschi

Cherry: Ochi migdala?i fermec?tori, piele de culoarea cafelei cu lapte, imagina?ie debordant?, umor ?i reac?ii imprevizibile...Via?a lui Cherry e pe cale s? se schimbe pentru totdeauna. ?mpreun? cu tat?l ei, se mut? la Somerset, unde o mam? nou? ?i patru surori noi – nou?e ?i a?teapt?. Acolo vor s? realizeze proiectul la care au visat dintotdeauna: o afacere cu ciocolat?.Dar prima zi petrecu t? la Somerset ?i ofer? lui Cherry o surpriz?: fermec?torul Shay Fletcher o vr?je?te pe loc. O singur? problem?: Shay are deja o iubit?... Honey, noua sor? vitreg? a lui Cherry.Cherry ?tie foarte bine c? prietenia ei cu Shay e periculoas?. Dar asta nu ?nseamn? c? poate sta departe de el...?Emo?ionant, tandru ?i de neuitat.“ - The GuardianSeria Clubul fetelor dependente de ciocolat?are ?n distribu?ie surori rebele, b?ie?i supercool ?i una dintre marile iubiri ale lui Cathy – ciocolata.

Unele lucruri nu pot fi iertate niciodat?...Un b?ie?el a fost g?sit mort pe terenul de joac?.Avocatul londonez Daniel Hunter a ajuns un maestru al cauzelor pierdute. ?ns? via?a sa se schimb? atunci c?nd ?l cunoa?te pe Sebastian, un b?iat de unsprezece ani, acuzat c? ?i ar fi ucis prietenul.Pe m?sur? ce afl? tot mai multe despre abuzurile din casa lui Sebastian, Daniel este cople?it de amintirile propriei copil?rii, c?nd Minnie, mama sa adoptiv?, l-a salvat, pentru ca apoi s? l tr?deze.Simpatia fa?? de Sebastian ?i amintirile dureroase ?l fac oare pe Daniel s? nu mai vad? adev?rul?Ce s-a ?nt?mplat pe terenul de joac? ?i cine este vinovat de moartea b?ie?elului?Pun?nd sub semnul ?ntreb?rii toate convingerile sale, Daniel ?n?elege c?t de grave pot fi consecin?ele unei erori.?Un roman emo?ionant ?i tulbur?tor. Cu siguran??, va avea cel pu?in tot at?ta succes ca ?nainte s? adorm al lui S.J. Watson.“ – The Guardian?Vinovatul este o reu?it? absolut?, iar talentul Lisei Ballantyne e o descoperire de excep?ie.“ – The Daily Record?E un roman autentic, cu personaje verosimile, care au defecte la fel de verosimile ?i a c?ror poveste e la fel de imprevizibil? ca ?i via?a. Vinovatul o a?az? pe Lisa Ballantyne pe lista autorilor care merit? urm?ri?i ?n continuare.“ – Irish Independent?Daniel era un avocat experimentat ?n cazuri cu adolescen?i: din postura de avocat ap?rase pu?ti de cincisprezece ani acuza?i de ?mpu?carea membrilor unor bande ?i c??iva adolescen?i care se dedaser? la jafuri pentru a ?i procura droguri. Dar nu avusese nicic?nd de a face cu un copil – niciodat? nu ap?rase un b?ie?el. Propria sa copil?rie reprezenta unica lui referin?? ?n leg?tur? cu acest subiect.“?Lisa Ballantyne a reu?it s? scrie un roman care te ?ine cu sufletul la gur? ?i-?i merge totodat? la inim?. Bogat ?n detalii, are totu?i acea stranie simplitate a parabolei.“ – Joyce Carol Oates

Adevratul urma al lui Stieg Larsson.“ – Entertainment WeeklyCnd Sophie Brinkmann l cunoate pe Hector Guzman, viaa ei se afl ntr-un impas.Misteriosul brbat o cucerete pe loc. Totui, Sophie afl repede c nfiarea lui e neltoare: Guzman ascunde lucruri sinistre.Hector Guzman este eful unei organizaii criminale internaionale, cu o filier specializat n trafic de arme i droguri, care se ntinde din Europa pn n America de Sud.Brusc, Sophie se trezete prins ntr-un hi de ambiguitate moral, obsesii terifiante i tactici diabolice.Magnific... Prietenul andaluz mbin drame de familie — Guzmanii aduc puin cu clanul Corleone —, rzboaie ntre organizaii rivale, trafic de arme, poliiti corupi i violen extrem... Miza acestui roman este pe ct de ocant, pe att de fascinant.“ – USA TodayGenul poliist scandinav s-a mbogit cu o nou voce: Alexander Sderberg.“ – Los Angeles TimesUn debut care te ine n priz tot timpul... Cu o intrig complex, dar alert, bine scris i adesea sumbru... Ofer ndeajuns material pentru cel puin nc dou cri, cu o nou provocare la fiecare pagin.“ – The Wall Street JournalSderberg scrie convingtor despre tensiunea psihologic imens cu care se confrunt att rufctorii, ct i cei nsrcinai s-i prind.“ – The New York Times Book ReviewUn thriller care te ine cu sufletul la gur!“ – Booklist

The first five books in the Saga of Dray Prescot of Earth and of Kregen are brought together in this omnibus edition. Together, they make up the Delian Cycle, in which Dray Prescot comes to terms with the alien world of Kregen. Here he tries to make sense of his situation: the Star Lords, the Savanti, the marvelous places, strange beasts and stranger people. And here he pursues his greatest love of two worlds, Delia of the Blue Mountains. Dray Prescot's saga has been aclaimed as the best planetary adventure series since Burroughs stopped writing about Barsoom. This edition contains a map and glossary.

On the magnificent and mysterious, beautiful and terrible world of Kregen, a planet orbiting Antares four-hundred light-years from Earth, much may be achieved and much lost. Far more than merely a strong sword arm is required for victory. Far more than a cunning and devious brain is needed to secure success. Having won his princess, Delia of Delphond, Delia of the Blue Mountains, and having become the Emperor of Vallia with Delia at his side as Empress, Dray Prescot has renounced the crown and throne. Any thoughts of a quiet life are foolish, as he well knows. Among the many problems besetting him, the most important are uniting the lands of Paz and beating off the viciously hostile raiders from over the curve of the sea, the feared and hated Shanks. Containing three novels: Scorpio Reborn Scorpio Assassin Scorpio Invasion

The divisions of the Waffen-SS were the e?lite of Hitler’s armies in World War II. SS-Totenkopf is an in-depth examination of one of the most famous – or rather, infamous – of these divisions: the ‘Death’s Head’ division. The book explores the background to the unit’s formation from the early concentration camp guards; the men it recruited and the level of brutalisation to which they became accustomed; the key figures involved in its history, such as Theodor Eicke, its founding commanding officer; and the division’s organization. It also looks at the training regimen of the Waffen-SS, and the uniforms and insignia that members of the division wore. SS-Totenkopf also provides a full combat record of the division, which fought on both fronts during World War II, increasingly serving as a ‘fire brigade’ unit as the war turned against Germany, plugging gaps wherever they appeared in the front. The book outlines the unit’s involvement in the invasion of Poland, the fall of France, the invasion of the Soviet Union, the battle of Kharkov, the defence of Warsaw, and the final fruitless attempt to relieve Budapest in the last days of the Reich. Illustrated with rare photographs and written by an acknowledged expert, SS-Totenkopf is a definitive history of one of Germany’s leading fighting units of World War II.

The struggle for naval supremacy and the naval arms race inspired by HMS Dreadnought may have captured the headlines, but the opening stages of the naval war were dominated by the threat from German cruisers stationed outside European waters, until they were hunted down and sunk by the Royal Navy, notably at the Battle of the Falkland Islands in 1914. Germany switched its focus to the U-boat, seeing it as a weapon capable of winning the war by starving Britain into surrender. Unrestricted submarine warfare led to the sinking of millions of tons of shipping, but it would also force the USA to enter the war on the Allied side in 1917. In the Mediterranean, the French fleet took the lead, while Austria-Hungary supported German actions. The Allied attempt in 1915 to use maritime power to break the strategic deadlock with an amphibious operation in the Dardanelles ultimately failed, although Allied sea power helped sustain the successful campaigns against the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East. What would prove to be the decisive naval engagement of the war took place in 1916 at the Battle of Jutland. Whilst the clash itself was inconclusive, the German High Seas Fleet would be all but confined to port for the rest of the war, handing the initiative to the Royal Navy. The resultant command of the seas allowed the Allies to carry fresh American armies and much-needed supplies to Europe in 1917. However, victory for the Allies was ultimately delivered by the naval economic blockade. By preventing the import of war materials and food, the fighting power and morale of the German armed forces was weakened. It was the mutiny of the High Seas Fleet in October 1918 that prompted the German Revolution and the subsequent abdication of the Kaiser. With the aid of over 300 photographs, complemented by full-colour maps, Naval Warfare provides a detailed guide to the background and conduct of World War I naval operations, describing the struggle to win control of the high seas around the globe.

Dray Prescot begins an entirely new phase of his adventures on Kregen, that magnificent and terrible world four hundred light years from Earth. Reared in the harsh conditions of Nelson's Navy, Dray Prescot failed to find success on Earth but has succeeded in winning fortune on Kregen. He is called the Emperor of Emperors, the Emperor of Paz, but he himself regards these titles as meaningless. Paz is a vast grouping of continents and islands and is inhabited by innumerable races and nations, so why should they band together under Prescot? The Star Lords themselves have chosen him for this heavy task. Intrigue of Antares In this, the first book of the Balintol cycle, the Star Lords have dispatched Dray Prescot to the town of Amintin in the continent of Balintol. Under the streaming mingled lights of the Suns of Scorpio, Dray Prescot sets forth on new adventures in the subcontinent of Balintol. Gangs of Antares All hell was due to break out in the country of Tolindrin, and the city of Oxonium, as the capital, was likely to receive more than its fair share. Dray Prescot is in the middle of it, and strangeness unlike any that he has previously encountered awaits him... Demons of Antares Dray Prescot's task of uniting the disparate countries so that all Paz can defend itself against the predatory, fish-headed Shanks from the other side of the world is complicated. And the megalomaniac desires of certain princes and nobles who are determined to win the crown of Tolindrin for themselves, and who are willing to destroy anyone who gets in their way, isn't helping. They have hired mercenary armies and allied themselves with the traditional enemies of the country. Prescot must travel to Prebaya, the capital of Caneldrin, and use all his strengths and all his scheming and tricks to achieve his goal with as little bloodshed as possible...

Set in the inter-war period, between the late 1920s, when Italy began solidifying its power in its new Libyan colony, and the end of World War II, when control of the country passed into British hands. Spina's chief subjects in these stories are Italian military officers who idle their time away at their club or exploring the strange lands where they have been posted, always at odds between the jingoistic education they received at home and the lessons they've learned during their time in Libya. These short stories map the transformation of the Libyan city of Benghazi from a sleepy Ottoman backwater in the 1910s to the second capital of an oil-rich kingdom in the 1960s. Employing a cosmopolitan array of characters, ranging from Ottoman functionaries, to Sanussi aristocrats and Italian officers, Spina chronicles Italy's colonial experience from the euphoria of conquest - giving us a front row seat to the rise and subsequent fall of Fascism in the aftermath of World War II - to the country's independence in the 1950s. Spina continues his narrative with the discovery of Libya's vast oil and gas reserves, which triggered the tumultuous changes that led to Muammar Gaddafi's forty-two-year dictatorship.

In April 1945, the final dramatic act of World War II in Europe was played out in Germanys capital city. Berlin 1945: The Final Reckoning is a comprehensive history of the last battle of Nazi Germany, which would see the virtual destruction of a city, and the eventual suicide of Adolf Hitler. Berlin 1945: The Final Reckoning begins with a study of the background to the battle and a description of events on the Eastern and Western Fronts before the Soviet forces reached Berlin. The city’s strategic importance to the German war effort and morale is considered, along with factors that caused the Western Allies to halt their advance on the Elbe rather than race the Soviet troops to the Reichstag. The German forces available for Berlin’s defence and their actual defensive preparations (or lack of them) are covered in depth, as is the devastating destruction caused by the ceaseless Allied bombing and remorseless shelling by the Soviet forces. The book describes in words and graphic pictures how, in a city reduced to rubble, a bitter hand-to-hand struggle developed between fanatical Nazis, SS troopers, old men and young boys of the Hitler Youth and the hard-bitten Soviet front-line troops bent on revenge. The suffering of the soldiers and civilians are revealed in full detail, with personal accounts from those involved in the battle. The book also describes the events in the bunker behind the Reichschancellery, where Hitler spent his last months. Finally the reader learns how German commanders disobey the Fuhrer’s orders to fight to the last man, and the fate of the city was sealed. The final chapter discusses the full implications of the battle for the Germans and Soviets, and briefly describes the search for Hitler’s body. Berlin 1945: The Final Reckoning is a brilliant, superbly illustrated account of the battle that ended the Nazi dream of a 100-year Reich.

Introduction to Secrets: A Story of Addiction, Grief ＆amp; Healing ? Highly educated individuals with doctorates publish papers full of information, facts, and figures, explaining reasons for addiction. It is often good information extensively researched and properly cited. I do not have a Ph.D. or a doctorate. I am simply one who loves to teach, write, and more importantly, a mom who loves her family. I majored in motherhood. I minored in English. ? Sadly, I lost something most dear to my heart, my daughter’s voice. I only hear her voice as echoes in my mind, and as I read her journals. Her journals are full of her—her voice, worries, goals, sadness, hopes, desires, disappointments, happiness and love. Her writing identified her feelings, but they do not clearly define her as a person because her life was so much more. How to define, articulate her essence, her multi-dimensional personality? ??????????? In writing this story, I used words and prose that allow the reader to peer into the looking glass, perhaps to see beyond themselves to what lurks in the background of the human soul. How special each of us really is. We all deserve to be loved and to be recognized for the good we do, for the difference we make by just being. ? The writing of this story has been incredibly difficult. I was told that I was terribly hard on myself. Well, the truth is not always pretty. But accepting the truth as a means to better understand one’s environment and to move forward can be healing. It is not easy. Healing takes time. It can be painful. It is often long and arduous. Sometimes, the nearly healed wound is reinjured, the scab is torn loose, exposing the tender flesh beneath. It may ooze again for a time, but then the healing begins again. Grief can be like that. A year has passed; a year of grief, healing, learning, better understanding addiction. ? The road leading to addiction and the reasons one succumbs to substance use disorder is long and winding. Addiction is complex and those who struggle with it usually face other mental health challenges too. They struggle with loss, loneliness, pain, and emptiness. They long for fulfillment. They feel misunderstood, misjudged, stigmatized, unloved. These voids must be filled. The human spirit demands it. ? Society is quick to formulate judgments toward those struggling with addiction. However, is addiction a choice? Is mental illness a choice? Everyone’s story is different. I can only share mine. The effects of addiction ripple out, washing over everyone in some manner or form. Like many, I originally thought substance use was a choice, a deficit in one’s moral code, a weakness that one should be able to control. Why must tragedy occur to inspire illumination? ? As I began to write, my inner eye became focused, intent on rediscovering Sarah. The Sarah I knew as a child had long ago morphed into an adult I did not recognize or understand. I blamed myself. Where did I go wrong? In how many ways did we fail her as her parents? I wanted to understand. Will sharing my story allow others to more easily identify the symptoms of addiction and to recognize addiction as a disease? I hope so. That is why I am breaking the silence, using Sarah’s voice, as well as my own with a clear objective: To de-stigmatize addiction. ? Can we work towards removing the fear and the terrifying stigmatization attached to addiction and try something different? Let us direct positive energies toward these struggling souls. Rather than projecting fear and judgment, what would happen if society projected understanding, empathy, compassion, and acceptance? Acceptance that they have an illness, not just addiction, but often, buried beneath the surface, acute sadness, and unresolved conflict. ? As society begins to remove the stigma of addiction, boundaries to seeking recovery will lessen, improving the odds of recovery, decreasing the risk of death by overdose. Sarah’s death must not be an ending—let it be a beginning towards understanding, acceptance, and empathy.

Now you can enjoy the full Upheaval Series trilogy at a discounted price. Slow Walk Every journey begins with a need and a single step. SLOW WALK, the first book in the Upheaval series, introduces the reader to a new world where survival often means choosing who deserves to live—and who should die. Edge of Reality Sanity is madness put to good use. George Santayana Book Two of the Upheaval series, EDGE of REALITY takes the reader on an extraordinary and unexpected adventure in a world turned upside down. Solstice Moon Survival can be summed up in three words–Never Give Up. Bear Grylls Book Three of the Upheaval series, SOLSTICE MOON concludes Sydney’s courageous journey, traveling down twisty and challenging paths the reader never imagined.