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  The Count of Monte Cristo

  Alexandre Dumas

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  The Count of Monte Cristo is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with The Three Musketeers.The story takes place in France, Italy, and islands in the Mediterranean during the historical events of 1815–1839: the era of the Bourbon Restoration through the reign of Louis-Philippe of France. It begins on the day that Napoleon left his first island of exile, Elba, beginning the Hundred Days period when Napoleon returned to power. The historical setting is a fundamental element of the book, an adventure story centrally concerned with themes of hope, justice, vengeance, mercy, and forgiveness. It centers on a man who is wrongfully imprisoned, escapes from jail, acquires a fortune, and sets about exacting revenge on those responsible for his imprisonment.Before he can marry his fiancée Mercédès, Edmond Dantès, a nineteen-year-old Frenchman, and first mate of the Pharaon, is falsely accused of treason, arrested, and imprisoned without trial in the Château d'If, a grim island fortress off Marseille. A fellow prisoner, Abbé Faria, correctly deduces that his jealous rival Fernand Mondego, envious crewmate Danglars, and double-dealing magistrate De Villefort turned him in. Faria inspires his escape and guides him to a fortune in treasure. As the powerful and mysterious Count of Monte Cristo (Italy), Dantès arrives from the Orient to enter the fashionable Parisian world of the 1830s and avenge himself on the men who conspired to destroy him.The book is considered a literary classic today. According to Lucy Sante, "The Count of Monte Cristo has become a fixture of Western civilization's literature, as inescapable and immediately identifiable as Mickey Mouse, and the story of Little Red Riding Hood

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  Secret Carp The (audio)

  Chris Yates

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  The Secret Carp is a fishing book with a difference. As The Independent comments, it is one of the few books that manages to capture the real joy of fishing in such a way that even a non-angler could be seduced. It tells the true story of the events of a single day and night beside an English carp lake in high summer.
  When he stumbled upon a long-neglected, overgrown lake holding some monster carp, Chris Yates knew that he had discovered the kind of place about which every carp angler dreams. He set about trying to catch the huge, elusive inhabitants with rod and line. It was a quest that was to reveal many insights into the secretive behaviour of this king of freshwater fish and bring him thrillingly into contact with his quarry.
  Waiting, watching and stalking, quite undeterred by the damp sleeping bag and the cold. Yates' enthralling story whispers adventure and promise. And it is punctuated by moments of great drama as monster fish disturb the tranquil world of the angler.
  Fishermen of all persuasions will enjoy this masterful angling chronicle.

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  Great British Cycling Legends

  Chris Sidwells

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  The biggest annual sports event in the world is the Tour de France. In the wake of its overwhelming popularity, it’s easy to forget that there is much more to cycling than whoever gets to wear the yellow jersey. Cycling is rich with legends and pioneers, and it is their stories which light up this compelling account of the sport. 
  This is the story of British cycling as told through the lives of the people who built it. From the first recorded race in a Paris park in 1868 to the present day, Great British Cycling Legends profiles the true originals. Follow the most glorious exponents of road and track cycling, the mountain bikers and the cyclo-cross riders. 
  There were the Victorians such as George-Pilkington Mills, a multi long-distance record holder, including that of Land’s End to John O’Groats on a penny farthing bicycle. Then there have been the significant firsts. Dave Marsh was the first British road-race world champion in 1922 and Maurice Burton was the first black British cycling champion in the 1970s. Eileen Sheridan was one of the first female professional cyclists and a major record-breaker into the 1950s. 
  Great British Cycling Legends examines the personalities and their background of the key cyclists, to show what makes each of them legendary. All of them have, in their own ways, shown why cycling continues to exert such an extraordinary grip on the popular imagination.

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  South Away - The Pacific Coast...

  Meaghan Marie Hackinen

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  Shortlisted for the Sixth Annual Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize—Nonfiction Category! 
   
   
   
  Shortlisted for Best Trade Non-Fiction at the 2020 Book Publishing Awards! 
   
   
   
  South Away follows Meaghan Marie Hackinen and her sister in the adventure of a lifetime: bicycling from Terrace, British Columbia, down the West Coast to (almost) the tip of the Baja Peninsula. Along the way Hackinen battles with the elements in Vancouver Island's dense northern forests and frigid Mexican deserts; encounters strange men, suicidal highways, and monster trucks; and makes some emergency repairs as ties and spokes succumb to the ravages of the journey. Luckily, the pair meet some good people along the way and glean some insight about the kindness of strangers. 
   
   
   
  A rare road trip story with two female leads, this travel memoir also chronicles an inner journey, as the author begins to better understand her relationship with her adventurous (and not-so-adventurous) family. South Away tells an engaging and personable tale, with imaginative and memorable depictions of land and sea along the ever-winding coast.

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  Wei Shu and Wu - The Three...

  Rolf Hedger

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  The fall of the Han Dynasty marked the end of one of China’s longest and most influential imperial reigns, setting the stage for the chaotic period of the Three Kingdoms. While the dynasty had enjoyed centuries of stability and prosperity, internal corruption, weak leadership, and external rebellions steadily eroded its power. By the late second century AD, the once-mighty Han court was little more than a battleground for rival factions, warlords, and opportunists seeking to seize control. 
  One of the first major signs of decline was the increasing corruption within the imperial court. Eunuchs, who had gained substantial influence over the young emperors, manipulated state affairs for personal gain. As these power struggles intensified, competent officials and generals were sidelined or purged, leaving the empire vulnerable to both internal unrest and external threats. The weakening of central authority allowed regional governors and warlords to act with growing independence, further fragmenting the empire. 
  Amidst this political turmoil, a major peasant uprising erupted in 184 AD—the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Led by Zhang Jue, a Taoist healer who promised salvation through divine intervention, the rebellion quickly spread across northern and central China, drawing hundreds of thousands of followers. Although the Han government eventually crushed the revolt, the effort severely drained the empire’s resources and exposed its inability to maintain control. The rebellion’s suppression also elevated the status of military commanders, many of whom would later become the powerful warlords who divided the empire.

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  A Language Learner's Guide to...

  Dana Levina

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  Unlock the hidden rhythms of Russian conversation with A Language Learner’s Guide to Russian Idioms, narrated by Ernest Timkin and crafted by linguist Dana Levina. This audiobook isn’t just about memorizing phrases—it’s a cultural passport, revealing how Russians weave humor, history, and wisdom into everyday speech. Imagine transforming awkward pauses into confident exchanges by knowing when to say someone’s “counting crows” (считать ворон) instead of daydreaming, or calling out empty promises as “noodles hung on ears” (вешать лапшу на уши). Whether you’re a traveler aiming to navigate local markets without getting “led by the nose” (водить за нос), a student tired of “thumbing wooden blocks” (бить баклуши) instead of studying, or a professional striving to “take the bull by the horns” (брать быка за рога) in meetings, these idioms bridge the gap between textbook Russian and authentic dialogue. Each expression unfolds with vivid context: Learn why “walking on heels” (ходить по пятам) means relentless pursuit, how “sitting on needles” (сидеть как на иголках) captures nail-biting anxiety, and when to “keep your ear sharp” (держать ухо востро) in tricky situations. Perfect for learners craving cultural fluency, this guide turns idioms from curiosities into tools, helping you decode films, literature, and casual chats with ease. Dive in—before you know it, you’ll be swapping stale translations for phrases that make Russians lean in and smile. Удачи! (Good luck!)

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