Other books that might interest you

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  The House of Mirth

  Edith Wharton

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  “The House of Mirth” was the breakthrough novel for Edith Wharton and its immediate commercial and critical success put her on the American literary map.   
  Based on Wharton’s own experiences among the elite of the New York City social set in the late 1890’s, “The House of Mirth” is both a fascinating glimpse into the upper-reaches of high society and a searing satire of the cruelties, frivolities and hypocrisy of the city’s ultra-rich.  The story follows the romantic entanglements of twenty-nine year old Lily Bart, a beautiful socialite who has fallen on hard financial times and must secure a rich husband before the clock runs out and she is forever branded a spinster.   
  An immediate success when it was first serialized and published in 1905, “The House of Mirth” launched Wharton’s extraordinary career and remains an American literary classic to this day.  It is presented here in its original and unabridged format.

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  Invasion of the Sea

  Jules Verne, Edward Baxter,...

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  Jules Verne, celebrated French author of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in 80 Days, wrote over 60 novels collected in the popular series "Voyages Extraordinaires." A handful of these have never been translated into English, including Invasion of the Sea, written in 1904 when large-scale canal digging was very much a part of the political, economic, and military strategy of the world's imperial powers. 
  Instead of linking two seas, as existing canals (the Suez and the Panama) did, Verne proposed a canal that would create a sea in the heart of the Sahara Desert. The story raises a host of concerns — environmental, cultural, and political. The proposed sea threatens the nomadic way of life of those Islamic tribes living on the site, and they declare war. The ensuing struggle is finally resolved only by a cataclysmic natural event. This Wesleyan edition features notes, appendices and an introduction by Verne scholar Arthur B. Evans.

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  A Knowing One - A witty...

  Judith Hale Everett

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  An uneasy friendship turns into a dangerous game when the love of a woman is on the line. 
  Just when Tom Breckinridge has decided to propose marriage to Diana Marshall, a rival has come out of the woodwork: Reginald Popplewell, a childhood neighbor of Diana's, and now heir to a viscountcy. Diana's father much prefers Reginald, but Tom believes Reginald has something to hide. 
  When Mrs. Marshall invites Tom to a house party at their home near Brighton, Tom finds even more to dislike about "dear Reggie," but Diana won't hear a word against him and goes so far as to wring a pledge from Tom that he will make a friend of Reginald. Knowing just how risky it can be to befriend a con man, Tom will discover to what lengths he is willing to go to win Diana.

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  Blue Desert

  Celia Jeffries

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  2021 IPNE Finalist, Literary Fiction 
   
   
   
  2021 Women's Book Awards Sarton Finalist, Historical Fiction 
   
   
   
  Alice George is a headstrong young British woman who finds herself living among the Tuareg, a tribe of nomadic warriors. While the outside world faces the catastrophe of World War I, the Tuareg continue to crisscross the Sahara as a matrilineal society in which the men are veiled, and the women hold property—a world in which anything can happen. It is a world well suited to eighteen-year-old Alice, who discovers a life she could never live in corseted England. 
   
   
   
  In 1917, Alice returns home to a world completely alien to the one she left in the Sahara. Her silence about that life is finally broken sixty years later when she receives a telegram announcing Abu has died in the desert. "Who is Abu?" her husband asks. "My lover," she replies. Thus, begins a weeklong journey of revelation as Alice lays bare her secrets. 
   
   
   
  Can Alice face her demons and open her heart more fully to the life she once lived in the Sahara—a life she has hidden from her husband and herself? Blue Desert is a story of exile, family secrets, and the power of love.

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  A Versailles Christmas Tide

  Mary Stuart Boyd

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  Step into the opulent world of Versailles during Christmastime with Mary Stuart Boyd’s charming holiday tale, The Versailles Christmas Tide. Set against the luxurious backdrop of the French palace, this story brings to life the festive celebrations, historical elegance, and enchanting customs of a bygone era. Boyd captures the wonder of the season, blending vivid descriptions of holiday decor with the timeless spirit of togetherness and joy. 
  Narrated by Tiffany Perdue, this audiobook transports listeners to a magical Versailles, where Christmas comes alive with warmth and sophistication. Perdue’s narration enhances the rich atmosphere and historical details, inviting audiences into a celebration that is both lavish and heartwarming. 
  Perfect for fans of classic literature, historical settings, and holiday tales, The Versailles Christmas Tide offers an immersive journey into the splendor of the season, making it an ideal listen for those who cherish timeless holiday traditions.

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  A Set of Six

  Joseph Conrad

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  Each of the stories in this collection is spun from a simple, if typically wry and bleak, idea. In "Gaspar Ruiz", a South American general who has fought in a war of independence tells his guests a long tale about a notorious strong man that explains the origin of his current domestic arrangements. "The Informer" leads the reader into the depths of a political conspiracy, dealing very slyly indeed with questions of truth and pretence. In "The Brute", we are asked whether we can believe there could be such a thing as a positively malevolent ship, while "An Anarchist" introduces us to an unfortunate man who has had a vision of society itself as malevolent and has not been able to rest in peace ever since. "The Duel", the most obviously likeable tale in this collection, recounts the history of an unfortunate feud between two officers of Napoleon's army that caused them to fight a series of duels over many years. "Il Conde" rounds out the collection, giving a new twist to the saying "See Naples and die".

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