Classic Book Hall of Frame

A young artist meets Stephen Crane as America's hunger for empire draws them both into warOliver Fischer, a self-styled bohemian, boardwalk caricaturist, and student at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, enrages his banker father and earns the contempt of Philadelphia's foremost realist painter Thomas Eakins when he attempts to stage Manet's scandalous painting The Luncheon on the Grass. Soon after, he is ensnarled, along with Mark Twain and Andrew Carnegie, in a clash between the Anti-Imperialist League and their expansionist foes. Sent to Key West to sketch the 1898 American invasion of Cuba, in company with war correspondent Stephen Crane, he realizes––in the flash of a naval bombardment––that our lives are suspended by a thread between radiance and annihilation.The Caricaturist, the penultimate, stand-alone book in The American Novels series, is a tragicomic portrait of America struggling to honor its...

A mother and child missing for thirty yearsAn old stone house with no historySecrets buried below the floorGlimpsed lives from 200 years pastIf only the stones could talkNow a new mystery - the mother's pendant is foundFrom the author of The Old Balmain House this is a story set in early SydneyIts consequences reverberate down through successive generations until todayShe bends forward. A silver pendant falls from her top, swinging free on a chain from her neck.The name 'Cindy' is in silver cursive letters. On its back is a heart symbol and, 'From Jim'.I remember so clearly the day I bought it. I did not have money to buy my Cindy a wedding ring.But, with the twenty dollars I had saved, I bought this. I gave it to her with all my love.She hung it around her neck, where it stayed until she and our baby vanished.Now, after thirty years, it has returned.

There's Trouble in the Skies...For Sophia Stevenson, there's no going back to the life she knew. She never asked for the powers that make her a precious commodity to the secret society of Illuminists—and their archenemies. Captain Bion Donkova would give anything to possess the powers that have fallen in Sophia's lap. If only the beautiful, infuriating woman could stay out of trouble, he wouldn't have to keep coming to her rescue...Bion and Sophia have friction to spare—and nothing fuels a forbidden passion better than danger...Praise for A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious:"Fascinating...inspiring...The chemistry is off the charts."—Fresh Fiction"Fast-paced, unique...a whole new world that I can't wait to read more of."—Night Owl Reviews"This story grabbed me right at the beginning...it's going in my personal library."—Long and Short ReviewsReview"As the high-stakes escapade unfolds, fans and new readers alike will be spellbound and eager for more of this clever, sexy series. " - RT Book Reviews"The world building was amazing, and I really felt like I was sucked into the story and swept along for the ride with the characters. Plus the setup for book 3 was a nice touch, so now I have to wait for that to come out. Well played, Ms. Wine, well played." - Rom Fan Reviews"This is the second book that I have read about the Illuminist Society and I was not disappointed. Sophia and Bion are total opposites and what attracts more? The fire between the pair, plus quite a bit of action, and danger keeps you reading. Historical prim and proper London, plus a secret society with more open rules, makes a very interesting blend. I cannot wait for the next episode." - Book LoonsAbout the AuthorAcclaimed author Mary Wine has written over 30 works of erotic fantasy, romantic suspense, and historical romance. An avid history-buff and historical costumer, she and her family enjoy participating in historical reenactments. Mary lives with her husband and two sons in Yorba Linda, California.

The opening salvo of the Aubrey-Maturin epic, in which the surgeon introduces himself to the captain by driving an elbow into his ribs during a chamber-music recital. Fortunately for millions of readers, the two quickly make up. Then they commence one of the great literary voyages of our century, set against an immaculately-detailed backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. This is the place to start--and in all likelihood, you won't be able to stop.

Border Brides (The Lion of the North, Guardian of Darkness, The Warrior Poet, The Savage Curtain, The Questing)

Werewolf Steve Matuchek and witch Ginny Graylock defend America in this fantasy duology from the multiple Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author. Operation Chaos: In a world where magic is real, werewolf Steve Matuchek and powerful witch Virginia Graylock are paired together in the war to stop the invading Caliphate forces from taking over America. Their mission: stop the enemy from unleashing their superweapon—a genie in a bottle. And that is only the beginning of an adventure that will take them quite literally to Hell and back . . . "Operation Chaos was one of the truly fine fantasies of the 1970s, a fantasy whose magic was so splendidly engineered that you felt it was as logical—and as likely—as our real technology." —Harry Turtledove "A great read, from a master writer at the top of his game." —GirlsWithGuns.org Operation Luna: Now married with three...

January 1942. Rommel?s seemingly invincible Afrika Korps is at the gates of Egypt ? perhaps soon to threaten Cairo itself. And Rommel has a spy in the city ? a source so well-informed that the German commander knows in advance every movement of the allied forces. Amongst the teeming streets and bazaars, the British, led by Major Albert Cutler, must find him. But Cairo is a city of fool?s gold, where nothing and nobody, not even Cutler, can be taken at face value? This new reissue includes a foreword from the cover designer, Oscar-winning filmmaker Arnold Schwartzman, and a brand new introduction by Len Deighton, which offers a fascinating insight into the writing of the story.

In this story, "Aliens Did NOT Destroy Chicago" is the title of a video discovered on the internet after claims that aliens nuked the city are broadcast on news networks. The story is told in that format, with a transcriber copying all of the spoken text into long form. The reader is challenged to examine perceptions and exercise discernment through the use of media."Aliens Did NOT Destroy Chicago" is the title of a video discovered on the internet after claims that aliens nuked the city are broadcast on new networks. The story is told in that format, with a transcriber copying all of the spoken text into long form. In this short fiction, the author formulates a scenario where a major US city is destroyed by a false flag operation, and what might occur if the scale were so monstrous it could barely be believed. The reader is challenged to examine perceptions and exercise discernment through the use of media.

"When Mai's family discovers that Vietnam government soldiers will soon apprehend her father and grandmother, the family slips away in the night. They trudge through the swamps of the Mekong Delta toward the sea. The gut-wrenching trip to Hong Kong is just another step toward a new life, which the family eventually finds. Whelan's characters are distinctive, and her story is riveting, haunting, and memorable, reflecting the human virtues of determination, hope, love, and courage in the face of the most devastating of circumstances and injustices."--Booklist.   From the Trade Paperback edition.

Some young ladies marry for money and social standing, a few lucky ones marry for love, but Tiffany Warren is marrying to end a feud. Honoring her mother's promise, Tiffany reluctantly travels west to meet her estranged father and his enemy's eldest son, rancher Hunter Callahan. Once the Warrens and the Callahans are united by marriage, both clans will stop squabbling over a disputed strip of land. In the chaos of a train robbery, Tiffany seizes a golden opportunity: By assuming the identity of her father's new housekeeper, she can live with the father she never knew and assess his true character, as well as that of the neighboring cowboy to whom she is betrothed. But, too late, Tiffany discovers that the rivalry between the Warrens and the Callahans has escalated when the Callahans steal the Warrens' housekeeper as soon as she steps off the train! Now, Tiffany, who is pretending to be Jennifer Fleming, finds herself living in the enemy camp, under the same roof as her fiancé. All too soon she learns her intended is a handsome, sweet talking charmer whom she has to fight off because he can't keep his eyes—or his hands—off Jennifer. After Tiffany's charade is exposed, she refuses to marry Hunter to end the feud. As Hunter goes about claiming his rightful bride-to-be, he knows that although he loves two women—proper, elegant Tiffany as well as spunky, passionate Jennifer—he has only one heart to win.

A historical epic full of bravery and romance that follows two women as they make a life for themselves in 18th-century Spain. It's January of 1748. Caridad is a recently freed Cuban slave wondering the streets of Seville. Her master is dead and she has nowhere to go. When her path crosses with Milagros Carmona's-a young, rebellious gypsy-the two women are instantly inseparable. Milagros introduces Caridad to the gypsy community, an exotic fringe society that will soon change her life forever. Over time they each fall in love with men who are fiercely loyal and ready to fight to the death for their rights as a free people. When all gypsies are declared outlaws by royal mandate, life in their community becomes perilous. They soon find themselves in Madrid-a city of passion and dancing, but also a treacherous one full of smugglers and thieves. Caridad and Milagros must help in the gypsy's struggle against society and its laws in order to stay together; it's a dangerous battle that cannot, and will not, be easily won. From the tumultuous bustle of Seville to the theatres of Madrid, The Barefoot Queen is a historical fresco filled with characters that live, love, suffer, and fight for what they believe.