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The tree collectors : tales of arboreal obsession / by Stewart, Amy,author.;
"The Japanese practice of forest bathing, shinrin-yoku, changes the levels of stress and pleasure hormones in the body, decreasing cortisol and increasing serotonin. Tree collectors know this. And if being around one tree feels good, their thinking goes, imagine how a hundred trees would feel. In her first botanical nonfiction in more than a decade, Amy Stewart brings us on a captivating tour of tree collectors around the world asking: what drives one to collect something as enormous, majestic, and deeply-rooted as a tree? In her gentle, intimate, slyly humorous way, Stewart brings these people to life, organizing their stories into categories. There are the community builders -- like Shyam Sunder Paliwal who, after the death of his daughter, began a movement in his Rajasthan village to plant 111 trees whenever a girl was born -- who do the remarkable work of knitting people together under an arboreal canopy. There are seekers who have taken their passion for trees around the world, or even into space. There are visionaries -- the former poet laureate, W.S. Merwin, who planted a tree a day for over three decades, until he had turned a barren estate into a palm sanctuary. And there are healers -- like Joe Hamilton, who plants trees on land passed down to him by his formerly enslaved great-grandfather -- who have found a way to heal their own lives, the lives of others, or even wounds of the past, by planting trees"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Plant collectors; Trees;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Maame / by George, Jessica,1994-author.;
"Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman. It's fair to say that Maddie's life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson's. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting. When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she's ready to experience some important "firsts": She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it's not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils--and rewards--of putting her heart on the line. Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Jessica George's Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures-and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong"--
Subjects: Bildungsromans.; Novels.; Families; Race relations; Young women;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Anatomy of a scandal / by Vaughan, Sarah,1972-author.;
"An astonishingly incisive and suspenseful novel about a scandal amongst Britain's privileged elite and the women caught up in its wake. Sophie's husband James is a loving father, a handsome man, a charismatic and successful public figure. And yet he stands accused of a terrible crime. Sophie is convinced he is innocent and desperate to protect her precious family from the lies that threaten to rip them apart. Kate is the lawyer hired to prosecute the case: an experienced professional who knows that the law is all about winning the argument. And yet Kate seeks the truth at all times. She is certain James is guilty and is determined he will pay for his crimes. Who is right about James? Sophie or Kate? And is either of them informed by anything more than instinct and personal experience? Despite her privileged upbringing, Sophie is well aware that her beautiful life is not inviolable. She has known it since she and James were first lovers, at Oxford, and she witnessed how easily pleasure could tip into tragedy. Most people would prefer not to try to understand what passes between a man and a woman when they are alone: alone in bed, alone in an embrace, alone in an elevator ... Or alone in the moonlit courtyard of an Oxford college, where a girl once stood before a boy, heart pounding with excitement, then fear. Sophie never understood why her tutorial partner Holly left Oxford so abruptly. What would she think, if she knew the truth?"--
Subjects: Thrillers (Fiction); Upper class; Women lawyers;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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While we were dating / by Guillory, Jasmine,author.;
"Two people realize that it's no longer an act when they veer off-script in this sizzling romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory. Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. He has plenty of casual dates to keep him busy, family drama he's trying to ignore, and his advertising job to focus on. When Ben lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star Anna Gardiner, however, it's hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she's also down-to-earth and considerate, and he can't help flirting a little ... Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she's booked her next movie. However, she didn't expect Ben Stephens to be her biggest distraction. She knows mixing business with pleasure never works out, but why not indulge in a harmless flirtation? But their lighthearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna with a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they've barely shared with those closest to them. When the opportunity comes to turn their real-life fling into something more for the Hollywood spotlight, will Ben be content to play the background role in Anna's life and leave when the cameras stop rolling? Or could he be the leading man she needs to craft their own Hollywood ending?"--
Subjects: Romance fiction.; Actresses; Advertising executives; Deception; Man-woman relationships;
Available copies: 2 / Total copies: 2
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House of Earth and Blood / by Maas, Sarah J.,author.;
"Half-Fae, half-human Bryce Quinlan loves her life. By day, she works for an antiquities dealer, selling barely legal magical artifacts, and by night, she parties with her friends, savoring every pleasure Lunathion-otherwise known as Crescent City-has to offer. But it all comes crumbling down when a ruthless murder shakes the very foundations of the city-and Bryce's world. Two years later, her job has become a dead end, and she now seeks only blissful oblivion in the city's most notorious nightclubs. But when the murderer attacks again, Bryce finds herself dragged into the investigation and paired with an infamous Fallen angel whose own brutal past haunts his every step. Hunt Athalar, personal assassin for the Archangels, wants nothing to do with Bryce Quinlan, despite being ordered to protect her. She stands for everything he once rebelled against and seems more interested in partying than solving the murder, no matter how close to home it might hit. But Hunt soon realizes there's far more to Bryce than meets the eye-and that he's going to have to find a way to work with her if they want to solve this case. As Bryce and Hunt race to untangle the mystery, they have no way of knowing the threads they tug ripple through the underbelly of the city, across warring continents, and down to the darkest levels of Hel, where things that have been sleeping for millennia are beginning to stir."--
Subjects: Fantasy fiction.; Murder; Demonology; Fairies; Angels;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 2
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Ellie and the harpmaker / by Prior, Hazel,author.;
Dan Hollis lives a simple, solitary, but contented life, taking pleasure in the beautiful landscape around him and in his work. For the past twenty-three years he has been making gorgeous Celtic harps, each unique and built entirely by hand. In his barn tucked into the woods of Exmoor, he can be himself, untroubled by social situations that he doesn't always get right or understand. Ellie Jacobs is a lonely housewife who seeks solace in her daily walks and in the poetry she keeps secret from her controlling husband Clive. One day Ellie stumbles across Dan's barn by chance and is stunned by the enchanting workshop. Dan, taken by her enthusiasm for his harps--and her cherry-coloured socks--spontaneously gives her a beautiful cherrywood harp, and Ellie finds she has a deep desire to learn to play it. Clive refuses to let her keep the harp, but Ellie finds she cannot forget either it or its maker, and so she begins to take lessons in secret at the barn, where Dan keeps the harp for her. Gradually drawn into Dan's infectious delight in the countryside they both love, his peculiar charm, and methodical eccentricity, Ellie starts to dream of escaping her loveless marriage and refinding joy. But when she discovers an important secret relating to Dan, she must make one of the biggest decisions of her life: keep it from him and risk their friendship, or unpend his carefully constructed world and change the course of both of their lives forever?
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Pastoral fiction.; Harp makers; Harpists; Housewives; Man-woman relationships;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Desperation in death / by Robb, J. D.,1950-author.;
"The #1 New York Times bestselling author presents a gripping new thriller that pits homicide detective Eve Dallas against a conspiracy of exploitation and evil ... New York, 2061: The place called the Pleasure Academy is a living nightmare where abducted girls are trapped, trained for a life of abject service while their souls are slowly but surely destroyed. Dorian, a thirteen-year-old runaway who'd been imprisoned there, might never have made it out if not for her fellow inmate Mina, who'd hatched the escape plan. Mina was the more daring of the two--but they'd been equally desperate. Unfortunately, they didn't get away fast enough. Now Dorian is injured, terrified, and wandering the streets of New York, and Mina lies dead near the waterfront while Lt. Eve Dallas looks over the scene. Mina's expensive, elegant clothes and beauty products convince Dallas that she was being groomed, literally and figuratively, for sex trafficking--and that whoever is investing in this high-overhead operation expects windfall profits. Her billionaire husband, Roarke, may be able to help, considering his ties to the city's ultra-rich. But Roarke is also worried about the effect this case is having on Dallas, as it brings a rage to the surface she can barely control. No matter what, she must keep her head clear--because above all, she is desperate for justice and to take down those who prey on and torment the innocent."--
Subjects: Detective and mystery fiction.; Novels.; Dallas, Eve (Fictitious character); Child trafficking; Conspiracies; Human trafficking; Murder; Policewomen;
Available copies: 2 / Total copies: 4
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The school of mirrors : a novel / by Stachniak, Eva,1952-author.;
Includes bibliographical references."A lush, engrossing tale of love, deception and scandal in the 18th century French court of King Louis XV. Against the tumult of 18th century France, King Louis XV has tired of courtly intrigues and becomes a connoisseur of innocence. On the grounds of the Palace of Versailles lies Deer Park, a hunting ground that also offers another pleasure: a mansion where his young mistresses are housed. But when these girls first arrive at Deer Park, it is under the guise of a different role. They are promised employment in the household of a count, and, eager to improve their stations, they leave their families to serve him. Veronique is one such girl. She is introduced to "the count," and young and naive as she is, she never doubts his identity. And as he begins to bestow affection on her, she quickly becomes consumed with love for him. It is too late when she realizes who he really is, the stakes of their affair and what she will have to give up to survive. In vivid detail and with a breathless pace, Eva Stachniak captures the story of a fast-changing France, where the once beloved Louis XV is losing ground, his grandson the Dauphin Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are sickening the country with their opulence and the French Revolution is stirring. It is in this France that Veronique's young daughter, Marie-Louise, will grow up searching for answers about her birth. With stirring insight and dazzling intrigue, this novel questions the true meaning of legacy."--Provided by publisher.
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Man-woman relationships; Mistresses; Mothers and daughters; Scandals;
Available copies: 2 / Total copies: 3
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The Late Bloomers' Club : a novel / by Miller, Louise(Chef),author.;
Nora, the owner of the Miss Guthrie Diner, is perfectly happy serving up apple cider donuts, coffee, and eggs-any-way-you-like-em to her regulars, and she takes great pleasure in knowing exactly what's "the usual." But her life is soon shaken when she discovers she and her free-spirited, younger sister Kit stand to inherit the home and land of the town's beloved cake lady, Peggy Johnson. Kit, an aspiring--and broke--filmmaker thinks her problems are solved when she and Nora find out Peggy was in the process of selling the land to a big-box developer before her death. The people of Guthrie are divided--some want the opportunities the development will bring, while others are staunchly against any change--and they aren't afraid to leave their opinions with their tips. Time is running out, and the sisters need to make a decision soon. But Nora isn't quite ready to let go of the land, complete with a charming farmhouse, an ancient apple orchard and the clues to a secret life that no one knew Peggy had. Troubled by the conflicting needs of the town, and confused by her growing feelings towards Elliot, the big-box developer's rep, Nora throws herself into solving the one problem that everyone in town can agree on--finding Peggy's missing dog, Freckles. When a disaster strikes the diner, the community of Guthrie bands together to help her, and Nora discovers that doing the right thing doesn't always mean giving up your dreams.
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Diners (Restaurants); Cooks; Sisters; City and town life; Small cities; Man-woman relationships;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Unto us a son is given / by Leon, Donna,author.;
"Your situation is always ambiguous, isn't it, Guido?", his father-in-law, Count Orazio Falier, observes of Donna Leon's soulful detective, Guido Brunetti, at the beginning of her superb 28th Brunetti novel, Unto Us A Son Is Given . "The world we live in makes that necessary," Brunetti presciently replies. Count Falier was urging his Venetian son-in-law to investigate, and preferably intervene in, the seemingly innocent plan of the Count's best friend, the elderly Gonzalo Rodríguez de Tejada, to adopt a much younger man as his son. Under Italian inheritance laws this man would then be heir to Gonzalo's entire fortune, a prospect Gonzalo's friends find appalling. For his part, Brunetti wonders why the old man, a close family friend, can't be allowed his pleasure in peace. And yet, what seems innocent on the Venetian surface can cause tsunamis beneath. Gonzalo unexpectedly, and literally, drops dead on the street, and one of his friends just arrived in Venice for the memorial service, is strangled in her hotel room--having earlier sent Gonzalo an email saying "We are the only ones who know you cannot do this," referring to the adoption. Now with an urgent case to solve, Brunetti reluctantly untangles the long-hidden mystery in Gonzalo's life that ultimately led to murder--a resolution that brings him way more pain than satisfaction. Once again, Donna Leon brilliantly plumbs the twists and turns of the human condition, reuniting us with some of crime fiction's most memorable and enduring characters.
Subjects: Detective and mystery fiction.; Brunetti, Guido (Fictitious character); Murder;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Results 181 to 190 of 222 | « previous |