Other books that might interest you

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  Conscripts Call

  Griff Hosker

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  From the ashes of tragedy, new beginnings arise. 
   
  England, 1940: When seventeen-year-old John Sharratt’s life is shattered by a single, devastating bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe, he is thrust into a world of loss and longing. With his family gone and his heart heavy, John’s conscription into the army offers a refuge and a new beginning, even in the face of turmoil. 
   
  "The army had to be my future. I had nothing else and the bombing raid had brought the war home to me. My fingers clenched into fists. I wanted revenge." 
   
  As he dons the battledress of a British soldier at Seaforth Barracks, John embarks on an intense journey of transformation. Amidst gruelling training and the camaraderie of fellow soldiers, -those who will become his new family, - he learns not only to wield a weapon but also to navigate the depths of grief and resilience. Each drill sharpens his skills, especially as a marksman. As his section sees postings in Greece, Crete and North Africa, will John emerge from the shadows of his past to thrive as a rifleman, or will the weight of his sorrow consume him? With the world on the brink of an all-out war, the lad from Lancashire must face the darkest of nights before the dawn of hope can break through. 
   
  Set during the early years of WW2, Conscript’s Call is more than a tale of historical conflict; it is an exploration of the profound impact of loss and the unyielding strength of the human spirit. 
   
  The first in Griff Hosker’s brand-new WW2 ‘Rifleman’ series which takes a poignant look into the horrors of war, the bonds created and the struggles of those left behind. A must-read for fans of David Gilman, James Holland and Douglas Reeman.

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  Ryūnosuke Akutagawa - A Short...

  Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

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  Ryūnosuke Niihara was born in Kyōbashi, Tokyo in Japan on the 1st March 1892.  Sadly, his mother suffered severe mental illness after his birth and so, at only eight months old, he was sent to be raised by his maternal uncle and aunt, from whom he received the Akutagawa family name.  
   
  He was fascinated by classical Chinese literature from his early years and began writing after entering what was then the Tokyo Imperial University in 1913 to study English Literature.   
   
  The following year Akutagawa and his friends revived the literary journal ‘New Currents of Thought’ which published their own works and translations of such icons as W B Yeats and Anatole France. 
   
  Akutagawa published "Rashōmon" in 1915 and whilst it was disliked by his friends everyone else knew better.  As other short stories followed so did his growing literary reputation as the father of the Japanese short story. 
   
  Much of his work reinterpreted former classical works and incidents and this, melded with his strong dislike of naturalism, produced a writer of rare and genuine quality.  His character palette featured strong and domineering women, mainly based on his mother and the aunt who helped raise him. 
   
  In 1921, he spent four months in China as a reporter.  Whilst there his health was compromised by several illnesses and both his physical and mental health spiralled downwards.  He began to suffer from hallucinations and dreaded that he might have inherited his mother’s mental disorders.  
   
  Although he survived one suicide attempt Ryūnosuke Akutagawa died on the 24th July 1927 in Tokyo from an overdose of Veronal, a barbiturate.  He was 35. 
   
  1 - Ryunosuke Akutagawa - A Short Story Collection - An Introduction 
  2 - In A Grove by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 
  3 - Rashomon by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 
  4 - The Cold by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 
  5 - The Mine Cart by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 
  6 - The Socialist by Ryunosuke Akutagawa

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  Sarai - A Novel

  Jill Eileen Smith

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  Sarai, the last child of her aged father, is beautiful, spoiled, and used to getting her own way. Even as a young girl, she is aware of the way men look at her, including her half brother Abram. When Abram finally requests Sarai's hand, she asks one thing—that he promise never to take another wife as long as she lives. Even her father thinks the demand is restrictive and agrees to the union only if Sarai makes a promise in return—to give Abram a son and heir. Certain she can easily do that, Sarai agrees. 
   
   
   
  But as the years stretch on and Sarai's womb remains empty, she becomes desperate to fulfill her end of the bargain—lest Abram decide that he will not fulfill his. To what lengths will Sarai go in her quest to bear a son? And how long will Abram's patience last? 
   
   
   
  Jill Eileen Smith thrilled readers with The Wives of King David series. Now she brings to life the strong and celebrated wives of the patriarchs, beginning with the beautiful and inscrutable Sarai.

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  Simply Beautiful

  P. O. Dixon

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  In a fascinating tale of long-lost family ties, Miss Elizabeth Bennet finds herself face-to-face with her father after years of separation. The reunion sparks a whirlwind of conflicting sentiments as Elizabeth grapples with the daunting task of reconciling her past with her present. The challenges ahead loom large, requiring her to summon every ounce of strength and resilience she possesses.  
  Amid the tangled web of complicated family dynamics, one person remains steadfast by Elizabeth's side—Mr. Darcy. Their bond, forged through their shared upbringing at the illustrious Pemberley estate, is an open secret. Yet, as their connection deepens, doubts begin to emerge, and whispers of criticism surface. Some question the boundaries of their relationship, pondering if their closeness defies the conventions of propriety. 
  While Elizabeth courageously navigates the maze of familial obligations, she finds herself at a crucial crossroads. Will Mr. Darcy, her devoted companion, stand resolutely beside her as they face the trials ahead? Or will the winds of change and the manipulations of others conspire to tear them apart?

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  Tales of Three Hemispheres - A...

  Lord Dunsany

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  In the dark days that followed the first world war, it seemed to many that all dreams had died, that wonder and fantasy could not survive in a world that knew trenches and poppies blooming where the blood fell.Come now as we travel through strange adventures and wonderful magics. Learn of the whimsies of gods, and the terrible fates that await those that cross them. See how the office of postman fell vacant in Otford-under-the-wold, and how a sack of emeralds brought only disaster to it's holder. Explore the strange mysteries of the old brown coat, the deep inland of China with a confused shepherd, the lands where the dwarves fought the demigods, and a city of wonder perhaps less unreal than it first appears.Includes Idle Days On The Yann from A Dreamer's Tales as the first part of three stories, collectively titled 'Beyond The Fields We Know'. Come along with the poet as he searches to once again pass beyond the realities mundane and into the Lands of Dream, along the fabled river Yann, to find the fate of the Avenger of Perdondaris.Edward Plunkett, the Baron Dunsany, was just gaining his stride as the world's first modern fantasy author, and wrote this book of tales to help show that dreams still came, dark and fantastical as they may be.

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  I Will Close My Eyes - A Novel

  Amy Fillion

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  I woke up this morning, the day of Barbara's funeral, and I fell out of bed. 
   
   
   
  And so begins the tale of one-hundred-and-one-year-old Martha Mayhew. Born in southern New Hampshire in the early 1920s, Martha meets her new neighbor Barbara Brown at the tender age of three and a half. The two girls learn immediately that they are bound to each other, and as the years progress, their friendship blossoms. 
   
   
   
  But though Martha's home is loving and supportive, she learns quickly that Barbara's is not. Why does Mr. Brown do the things he does? And why, too, does Barbara's older brother, Robert, make Martha feel so internally uncomfortable? 
   
   
   
  With Barbara at her side, Martha grows into a young woman, falls in love, and maneuvers a nuanced life filled with both tenderness and heartbreak—from the Great Depression to World War Two to Vietnam and to the AIDS epidemic of the '80s. 
   
   
   
  When you are bonded to another as Martha is to Barbara, you feel their happiness and sorrow as well as your own—explicitly and undeniably. They are intertwined, and it is together that lessons are absorbed and hearts learn to heal.

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