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The gold-bug: and other tales and poems
Par Edgar Allan Poe. 1963
Delilah's daughters: A Novel
Par Angela Benson. 2014
Delilah Monroe and her husband Rocky always dreamed of their three daughters making it big as a musical trio. After…
Rocky's death, Delilah's determination is even stronger. But the daughters find that the price of fame might be more than they're willing to give. 2014Paradiso: Poema Di Dante (1787) (Dover Thrift Editions)
Par Dante Alighieri, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 2017
The last great literary work of the Middle Ages and the first important book of the Renaissance, Dante's Divine Comedy…
culminates in this third and final section, Paradiso. The 14th-century allegory portrays a medieval perspective on the afterlife, tracing the poet's voyage across three realms — Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise — to investigate the concepts of sin, guilt, and redemption. Expressed in sublime verse, the trilogy concludes with this challenging and rewarding venture into the dwelling place of God, angels, and the souls of the faithful.Guided by Beatrice, the incarnation of beatific love, Dante undergoes an intellectual journey from doubt to faith. Beatrice instructs the poet in scholastic theology as they pass through the nine spheres of Paradise to the Empyrean, a realm of pure light in which the redeemed experience the bliss of God's immediate presence. This edition features the renowned translation by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and serves as a companion volume to the Dover editions of Inferno and Purgatorio.Moth; or how I came to be with you again: Or, How I Came To Be With You Again
Par Thomas Heise. 2013
"A deeply melancholic and moving work of art."-Carole MasoEvery writer is a man or woman resuscitated, brought back for a…
little while before being dismissed. While I was hovering in bed barely asleep, my father would sneak in to check on me. Sometimes he came in the shape of a stranger, but his black eyes with a mark of sorrow never changed. When I was younger I could run so fast my shadow would fly off me. I would leave it behind in the city where I was born. There was no city, only my mother's arms. Dear grief, hermetic as a goat's skull. The future where you are, but how to get there except waiting another year.The narrator in Thomas Heise's adventurous novel tries to fuse together his present and past, abandonment by his parents, childhood in an orphanage, and a strong sense of disconnection from his adult life. The story is written in columnar, densely lyrical sections, looping and vertiginously dropping into the speaker's past, across several cities in Europe. W.G. Sebald, Samuel Beckett, and Michelangelo Antonioni's films come to mind, especially L'Avventura and Red Desert. Heise's language is precise (dirigibles "no larger than a fennel seed") and his lush, unfolding sentences offer a great, gorgeous pleasure. Moth is a haunting, one-of-a-kind novel that will stay with the reader for a long, long time.Thomas Heise is the author of Horror Vacui: Poems and Urban Underworlds: A Geography of Twentieth-Century American Literature and Culture. He teaches at McGill University.Inferno
Par Dante Alighieri, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 2003
Enter the unforgettable world of The Inferno and travel with a pair of poets through nightmare landscapes of eternal damnation…
to the very core of Hell. The first of the three major canticles in La divina commedia (The Divine Comedy), this fourteenth-century allegorical poem begins Dante's imaginary journey from Hell to Purgatory to Paradise. His encounters with historical and mythological creatures--each symbolic of a particular vice or crime--blend vivid and shocking imagery with graceful lyricism in one of the monumental works of world literature.This acclaimed translation was rendered by the beloved nineteenth-century poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. A skilled linguist who taught modern languages at Harvard, Longfellow was among the first to make Dante’s visionary poem accessible to American readers.True Story: this genre-defying novel marks the arrival of a powerful new literary voice
Par Kate Reed Petty. 2020
Inventive, electrifying and daring, True Story is a novel like nothing you've ever read before.*One of Entertainment Weekly's top five…
reads of the summer*'A mind-blowing page-turning un-put-downable heartwarming empathetic formally inventive horror suspense thriller, with a life-affirming and timely feminist message' Elif Batuman, author of The Idiot'This debut novel unfolds like a mystery, flitting between genres to weave an inventive tale' Buzzfeed (29 Summer books you wont be able to put down)After a college party, two boys drive a girl home: drunk and passed out in the back seat. Rumours spread about what they did to her, but later they'll tell the police a different version of events. Alice will never remember what truly happened. Her fracture runs deep, hidden beneath cleverness and wry humour. Nick - a sensitive, misguided boy who stood by - will never forget.That's just the beginning of this extraordinary journey into memory, fear and self-portrayal. Through university applications, a terrifying abusive relationship, a fateful reckoning with addiction and a final mind-bending twist, Alice and Nick will take on different roles to each other - some real, some invented - until finally, brought face to face once again, the secret of that night is revealed. Startlingly relevant and enthralling in its brilliance, True Story is by turns a campus novel, psychological thriller, horror story and crime noir, each narrative frame stripping away the fictions we tell about women, men and the very nature of truth. It introduces Kate Reed Petty as a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction.True Story: this genre-defying novel marks the arrival of a powerful new literary voice
Par Kate Reed Petty. 2020
Inventive, electrifying and daring, True Story is a novel like nothing you've ever read before.*One of Entertainment Weekly's top five…
reads of the summer*'A mind-blowing page-turning un-put-downable heartwarming empathetic formally inventive horror suspense thriller, with a life-affirming and timely feminist message' Elif Batuman, author of The Idiot'This debut novel unfolds like a mystery, flitting between genres to weave an inventive tale' Buzzfeed (29 Summer books you wont be able to put down)After a college party, two boys drive a girl home: drunk and passed out in the back seat. Rumours spread about what they did to her, but later they'll tell the police a different version of events. Alice will never remember what truly happened. Her fracture runs deep, hidden beneath cleverness and wry humour. Nick - a sensitive, misguided boy who stood by - will never forget.That's just the beginning of this extraordinary journey into memory, fear and self-portrayal. Through university applications, a terrifying abusive relationship, a fateful reckoning with addiction and a final mind-bending twist, Alice and Nick will take on different roles to each other - some real, some invented - until finally, brought face to face once again, the secret of that night is revealed. Startlingly relevant and enthralling in its brilliance, True Story is by turns a campus novel, psychological thriller, horror story and crime noir, each narrative frame stripping away the fictions we tell about women, men and the very nature of truth. It introduces Kate Reed Petty as a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction.The Long Take
Par Robin Robertson. 2018
A stunning modern epic that innovatively combines noir narrative and lyrical poetry, The Long Take follows Walker, a survivor of…
D-Day, from bucolic Cape Breton to an America beset by paranoia and corruption.Walker is a D-Day veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder; he can’t return home to rural Nova Scotia, and looks instead to the city for freedom, anonymity, and repair. As he finds his way from New York to Los Angeles and San Francisco, we witness a crucial period of fracture in American history, one that also allowed film noir to flourish. The Dream had gone sour but — as those dark, classic movies made clear — the country needed outsiders to study and dramatize its new anxieties. Both an outsider and, gradually, an insider, Walker finds work as a journalist, and tries to piece his life together as America is beginning to come apart: riven by social and racial divisions, spiraling corruption, and the collapse of the inner cities.An epic for the modern world, it is a tale of damaged people trying to find kindness in the world, of cynicism and paranoia, and of redemption. Robin Robertson's fluid verse pans with filmic immediacy across the postwar urban scene — and into the heart of an unforgettable character. The Long Take is a genre-crossing work of stunning originality, beauty, and immediacy.Secrets in the Dark: THE glamorous blockbuster you NEED to read this summer!
Par Ceril Campbell. 2020
The ultimate glamorous, escapist blockbuster - perfect for fans of Melanie Blake, Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran's Lace.'Campbell's warm, wise…
bonkbuster...transports you to the sexual free-for-all of the 1970s... There's an upbeat honesty in the writing that reminded me of Jilly Cooper' Rowan Pelling, Daily Mail'A rip-roaring, gold-plated, sizzling bonkbuster - this is one for Jackie Collins fans everywhere who are missing the glitz!' Fiona WalkerGlamour. Deceit. Sex. Deadly ambition.They have the world at their feet. And they want it ALL.5* reader raves for Secrets in the Dark!'Wow, wow, wow. Hot, steamy, surprising. Fantastically written, fun read. For anyone missing the amazing Jackie Collins your book needs are fulfilled in Ceril Campbell. I promise you won't be disappointed''Pure unadulterated fun''As an avid reader of anything by Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran, this novel felt like candy to me!' 'A fantastic gripping read hyped as the new Jackie Collins which didn't disappoint . . . please say Ceril Campbell is already writing her next book!!' Innocent Phoebe has only known a life of privilege.Street-smart Paula has had to make her own way in the world.When the two girls meet as teenagers, they form a deep sisterly bond, recognising in one another a yearning for love and for lives that are different from the ones they were born into. But when they each suffer a personal trauma, they are torn apart and set out on very different paths. So begins a rollercoaster journey throughout the 1970s of extreme highs and lows for Phoebe and Paula, as they travel from the epicentre of cool on the Kings Road, Chelsea, to the glamour of Paris, LA and the South of France. It's a scandalous world of sex, drugs, celebrity and wealth - alluring, addictive...and deceptive.Readers adore Secrets in the Dark!'For those of you missing the fabulous Jackie Collins, look no further than Ceril Campbell's debut novel' 5* reader review'The perfect escapism...easy to read, full of luxury, romance, style, fashion and rock and roll. Highly recommend!' 5* reader review'Anyone interested in what made swinging London cool would enjoy this exciting, action-packed narrative - it is both a love letter to London and a tantalizing mystery' 5* reader review'Loved, loved the story and could not put the book down' 5* reader review'Terrific mystery that has you guessing till practically the last page. Highly recommended' 5* reader review'The new Jackie Collins' 5* reader review'A great debut novel with a clever twist at the end. Recommend as a brilliant holiday read' reader reviewThe Maidens: The instant Sunday Times bestseller from the author of The Silent Patient
Par Alex Michaelides. 2020
We all keep secrets. Even from ourselves. 'A thrilling, heart-in-throat ride' STEPHEN FRY 'An absolute jaw-dropper' LUCY FOLEY 'Elegant, sinister,…
stylish' CHRIS WHITAKER 'Grips from start to finish' HARRIET TYCE * * * * * From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient comes a spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder, and obsession...Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike - particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana's niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?When another body is found, Mariana's obsession with proving Fosca's guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything - including her own life. * * * * *'There's definitely a flavour of The Secret History to Alex Michaelides's second novel ... The Maidens is a compelling read, and delivers its Hellenic thrills in style.' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'A book which screams 'make me into a TV series' ... his writing, especially his characterisation, possesses a unique sparkle and more promise than most other writers.' DAILY MAIL 'Nothing short of genius.' WOMAN & HOME 'Elegant, sinister, stylish and thrilling, The Maidens answers the weighty question, how do you go about following one of the biggest thrillers of the past decade? You write something even better.' CHRIS WHITAKER, bestselling author of WE BEGIN AT THE END 'Grips from intriguing start to horrifying finish ... A brilliant achievement.' HARRIET TYCE 'A page-turner of the first order' DAVID BALDACCI 'The greatest campus novel since The Secret History by Donna Tartt ... with a climatic twist that you will NEVER see coming.' TONY PARSONS 'A stunning psychological thriller ... Michaelides is on a roll.' PUBLISHERS WEEKLYSecrets in the Dark: THE glamorous blockbuster, that's the escapist treat you NEED!
Par Ceril Campbell. 2021
The ultimate glamorous, escapist blockbuster - perfect for fans of Melanie Blake, Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran's Lace.'Campbell's warm, wise…
bonkbuster...transports you to the sexual free-for-all of the 1970s... There's an upbeat honesty in the writing that reminded me of Jilly Cooper' Rowan Pelling, Daily Mail'A rip-roaring, gold-plated, sizzling bonkbuster - this is one for Jackie Collins fans everywhere who are missing the glitz!' Fiona WalkerGlamour. Deceit. Sex. Deadly ambition.They have the world at their feet. And they want it ALL. Innocent Phoebe has only known a life of privilege.Street-smart Paula has had to make her own way in the world.When the two girls meet as teenagers, they form a deep sisterly bond, recognising in one another a yearning for love and for lives that are different from the ones they were born into. But when they each suffer a personal trauma, they are torn apart and set out on very different paths. So begins a rollercoaster journey throughout the 1970s of extreme highs and lows for Phoebe and Paula, as they travel from the epicentre of cool on the Kings Road, Chelsea, to the glamour of Paris, LA and the South of France. It's a scandalous world of sex, drugs, celebrity and wealth - alluring, addictive...and deceptive.Listeners adore Secrets in the Dark!'For those of you missing the fabulous Jackie Collins, look no further than Ceril Campbell's debut novel' 5* reader review'The perfect escapism...easy to read, full of luxury, romance, style, fashion and rock and roll. Highly recommend!' 5* reader review'Anyone interested in what made swinging London cool would enjoy this exciting, action-packed narrative - it is both a love letter to London and a tantalizing mystery' 5* reader review'Loved, loved the story and could not put the book down' 5* reader review'Terrific mystery that has you guessing till practically the last page. Highly recommended' 5* reader review'The new Jackie Collins' 5* reader review'A great debut novel with a clever twist at the end. Recommend as a brilliant holiday read' reader review(P) 2021 Headline Publishing Group LtdThe Maidens: The instant Sunday Times bestseller from the author of The Silent Patient
Par Alex Michaelides. 2020
We all keep secrets. Even from ourselves.'A thrilling, heart-in-throat ride' STEPHEN FRY'An absolute jaw-dropper' LUCY FOLEY'Elegant, sinister, stylish' CHRIS WHITAKER'Grips…
from start to finish' HARRIET TYCE* * * * *YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN THE MAIDENS.The Maidens are Cambridge University's most exclusive society, whose members are selected by the charismatic professor of Greek tragedy, Edward Fosca.A SECRETIVE SET OF THE BRIGHTEST, MOST CAPTIVATING STUDENTS.When one of the Maidens is murdered, grieving young therapist Mariana Andros is drawn back to the idyllic campus where she was once herself a student.THE GROUP FROM WHICH EACH VICTIM WILL BE CHOSEN.Because beneath the university's ancient traditions and beauty is a web of secrets, jealousy and lies. And when the killer threatens the person she loves most, Mariana will give anything to stop them - even her own life... From the #1 global bestselling author of The Silent Patient comes a spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder, and obsession...* * * * *'There's definitely a flavour of The Secret History to Alex Michaelides's second novel ... The Maidens is a compelling read, and delivers its Hellenic thrills in style.' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH'A book which screams 'make me into a TV series' ... his writing, especially his characterisation, possesses a unique sparkle and more promise than most other writers.' DAILY MAIL'Nothing short of genius.' WOMAN & HOME'How do you go about following one of the biggest thrillers of the past decade? You write something even better.' CHRIS WHITAKER, bestselling author of WE BEGIN AT THE END'Grips from intriguing start to horrifying finish ... A brilliant achievement.'HARRIET TYCE'A page-turner of the first order'DAVID BALDACCI'The greatest campus novel since The Secret History by Donna Tartt ... with a climatic twist that you will NEVER see coming.'TONY PARSONS'A stunning psychological thriller ... Michaelides is on a roll.'PUBLISHERS WEEKLYGod Went to Beauty School
Par Cynthia Rylant. 2003
A deeply compelling collection of poems about God and our everyday world from a Newbery medalist. Cynthia Rylant takes teens…
on an invigorating spiritual journey as she explores what God's life on Earth might be like. Rylant's reflective and often humorous verse follows God as he tries out human activities such as getting a dog, writing a fan letter, and making spaghetti. God Went to Beauty School combines the awesome with the everyday in an accessible, thought-provoking, and intelligent manner.Purgatorio (Dover Thrift Editions: Poetry Ser.)
Par Dante Alighieri, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 2017
The second book in the three-part Divine Comedy finds Dante and his guide, Virgil, halfway between Heaven and Hell. Having…
portrayed the tortures of the damned in Inferno, Dante resumes his allegory of the soul's journey to God with Purgatorio. A place of pain but also hope, Purgatory allows its suffering souls to reflect upon their sins and to work toward their moral improvement, paving the way for their eventual entry to Paradiso.Dante transformed the traditional notion of Purgatory by depicting how aspiring souls could undergo moral change, exchanging their human frailty for divine perfection. His exploration of theological issues, especially the role of free will, offers an eloquent and inspiring parable of human possibility and redemption. This edition features the renowned translation by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and serves as a companion volume to the Dover editions of Inferno and Paradiso.True Story: this genre-defying novel marks the arrival of a powerful new literary voice
Par Kate Reed Petty. 2020
Inventive, electrifying and daring, True Story is a novel like nothing you've ever read before.After a college party, two boys…
drive a girl home: drunk and passed out in the back seat. Rumours spread about what they did to her, but later they'll tell the police a different version of events. Alice will never remember what truly happened. Her fracture runs deep, hidden beneath cleverness and wry humour. Nick - a sensitive, misguided boy who stood by - will never forget.That's just the beginning of this extraordinary journey into memory, fear and self-portrayal. Through university applications, a terrifying abusive relationship, a fateful reckoning with addiction and a final mind-bending twist, Alice and Nick will take on different roles to each other - some real, some invented - until finally, brought face to face once again, the secret of that night is revealed. Startlingly relevant and enthralling in its brilliance, True Story is by turns a campus novel, psychological thriller, horror story and crime noir, each narrative frame stripping away the fictions we tell about women, men and the very nature of truth. It introduces Kate Reed Petty as a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction.(P)2020 Penguin AudioSecrets in the Dark: THE glamorous blockbuster you NEED to read this summer!
Par Ceril Campbell. 2021
The ultimate glamorous, escapist blockbuster - perfect for fans of Melanie Blake, Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran's Lace.'Campbell's warm, wise…
bonkbuster...transports you to the sexual free-for-all of the 1970s... There's an upbeat honesty in the writing that reminded me of Jilly Cooper' Rowan Pelling, Daily Mail'A rip-roaring, gold-plated, sizzling bonkbuster - this is one for Jackie Collins fans everywhere who are missing the glitz!' Fiona WalkerGlamour. Deceit. Sex. Deadly ambition.They have the world at their feet. And they want it ALL.5* reader raves for Secrets in the Dark!'Wow, wow, wow. Hot, steamy, surprising. Fantastically written, fun read. For anyone missing the amazing Jackie Collins your book needs are fulfilled in Ceril Campbell. I promise you won't be disappointed''Pure unadulterated fun''As an avid reader of anything by Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran, this novel felt like candy to me!' 'A fantastic gripping read hyped as the new Jackie Collins which didn't disappoint . . . please say Ceril Campbell is already writing her next book!!' Innocent Phoebe has only known a life of privilege.Street-smart Paula has had to make her own way in the world.When the two girls meet as teenagers, they form a deep sisterly bond, recognising in one another a yearning for love and for lives that are different from the ones they were born into. But when they each suffer a personal trauma, they are torn apart and set out on very different paths. So begins a rollercoaster journey throughout the 1970s of extreme highs and lows for Phoebe and Paula, as they travel from the epicentre of cool on the Kings Road, Chelsea, to the glamour of Paris, LA and the South of France. It's a scandalous world of sex, drugs, celebrity and wealth - alluring, addictive...and deceptive.Readers adore Secrets in the Dark!'For those of you missing the fabulous Jackie Collins, look no further than Ceril Campbell's debut novel' 5* reader review'The perfect escapism...easy to read, full of luxury, romance, style, fashion and rock and roll. Highly recommend!' 5* reader review'Anyone interested in what made swinging London cool would enjoy this exciting, action-packed narrative - it is both a love letter to London and a tantalizing mystery' 5* reader review'Loved, loved the story and could not put the book down' 5* reader review'Terrific mystery that has you guessing till practically the last page. Highly recommended' 5* reader review'The new Jackie Collins' 5* reader review'A great debut novel with a clever twist at the end. Recommend as a brilliant holiday read' reader reviewA God Bless Book 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury (A God Bless Book)
Par Hannah Hall. 2023
Sweeten up bedtime with your favorite books from the bestselling A God Bless Book series (about 1.5 million copies sold)!…
The simple 5-minute format makes bedtime easy, and your child is sure to drift off to sleep feeling blessed and loved. A God Bless Book 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury from beloved author Hannah C. Hall will transform your busy days to a peaceful retreat at bedtime.With just five minutes, your active little one will settle down and be captivated by these adorable animals who thank God for His amazing blessings in all parts of life. Kids will love seeing puppies playing dress-up, bear cubs tying their shoes before school, giraffes wearing fun pajamas, owls singing about God's love, and so much more! Full of soothing rhymes and cuddly artwork from Steve Whitlow, this keepsake collection of bedtime stories featuresGod Bless You and Good Night,God Bless My Friends,God Bless My Boo Boo,God Bless My Family,God Bless My School, andGod Bless My Home, a brand-new story that families will cherish.With six favorite stories combined into one beautiful book, this treasury of bedtime stories will make nighttime routines easy and sweet! Share this for Christmas or at a baby shower or gift it to a friend who is looking to create peaceful memories at bedtime.Check out other titles in the A God Bless Book series:God Bless Our BabyGod Bless Our Bedtime PrayersGod Bless Our ChristmasGod Bless Our CountryGod Bless Our EasterGod Bless Our FallGod Bless You and Good Night: Touch and FeelThis book explores the contexts and reception history of Robert Pollok’s religious epic The Course of Time (1827), one of…
the best- selling long poems of the nineteenth century, which has been almost entirely forgotten today. Widely read in the United States and across the British Empire, the poem’s combination of evangelical Calvinism, High Romanticism, and native Scottishness proved irresistible to many readers. This monograph traces the poem’s origins as a defense of Biblical authority, divine providence, and religious orthodoxy (against figures like Byron and Joseph Priestley) and explores the reasons for The Course of Time’s enormous, decades- long popularity and later precipitous decline. A close reading of the poem and an examination of its reception history offers readers important insights into the dynamic relationship between religion and wider culture in the nineteenth century, the uses of literature as a vehicle for theological argument and theodicy, and the important but often overlooked role that religion played in literary— and, particularly, Scottish— Romanticism. This work will appeal to scholars of religious history, literary history, Evangelicalism, Romanticism, Scottish literature, and nineteenth- century culture.The Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso
Par Dante Alighieri, Henry Longfellow. 2017
This convenient single-volume edition contains all three parts of Dante's 14th-century poem ― Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso ― in an…
acclaimed translation by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Combining classical and Christian history as well as medieval politics and religion, this trilogy of sublime verse is among Western civilization's most important artistic works and essential reading for students of literature and history. Dante's allegory of the soul's journey to God begins with Inferno, in which the narrator traverses the underworld in the company of the ancient Roman poet Virgil. As they travel through the nine circles of Hell, the poets encounter historical and mythological figures suffering symbolic punishments for their earthly crimes. In Purgatorio, Dante continues on alone through the realm of redemption, where departed souls reflect upon their sins and work toward their moral improvement. The tale culminates in Paradiso, where the divine Beatrice guides Dante in the final stage of his intellectual journey from doubt to faith.Better
Par John O'Brien. 2009
A riveting and sexually charged posthumous novel from the author of Leaving Las Vegas. "John O'Brien was a stunningly talented…
writer who created poetry from the most squalid materials."—Jay McInerney, author of Bright Lights, Big City Within the walls of a foreboding mansion situated in the hills overlooking Los Angeles, the suave Double Felix plays host to an array of beautiful women as well as his unlikely sidekick William. The mysterious patriarch grants his live-in guests’ every wish while asking nothing in return. Days begin with William and Double Felix discussing their conquests with the ladies over morning Vodka, a ritual that is nonetheless edged in homoerotic tension. From there the drinking continues, only to be interrupted by some miscellany—perhaps a rerun of The Love Boat or some casual sex. But the ongoing torpor has been upset by the house's newest arrival, a stunning young woman named Laurie, with whom both Double Felix and William become hopelessly smitten. Trash-talking Maggie and Zipper, the hooker who flew in on a trick and never left, smolder with envy while Laurie garners more and more attention from the men. As tensions spiral out of control, the house—an almost anthropomorphic entity in itself—ejects some of its denizens while further ensnaring others. Eventually, each faces the same ultimatum: leave or stay. The decision is fraught with consequence. Better delves deep into the psyche of its subjects through an intricate web of cultural icons, loyalty, covert communications, and sex. John O'Brien's characters loom in and out of a surreal world that seems to float high above the rest of us, but is in fact firmly tethered to the human condition. John O'Brien was born in 1960 and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. He moved to Los Angeles in 1982 with his then-wife Lisa. During his lifetime, he was a busboy, file clerk, and coffee roaster, but writing was his true calling. He committed suicide in April 1994 at age thirty-three. His published fiction includes Leaving Las Vegas, The Assault on Tony's, and Stripper Lessons.