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A Guardian and a Thief : A Novel. by Majumdar, Megha.;
Megha Majumdar's electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller A Burning--longlisted for the National Book Award--is set in a near-future Kolkata ravaged by climate change and social disharmony, in which the lives of five characters collide and their fates become inextricably linked--a propulsive and shattering tour de force. In a dystopic Kolkata beset by flooding and blight, Ma, her two year old daughter Mishti, and her elderly father Dadu are just days from leaving the collapsing city behind to join Ma's husband in the home he has been building for them in Ann Arbor, Michigan. After procuring long-awaited passports and visas from the consulate, they pack their bags for the flight to America. But in the morning, they awaken to discover that Ma's purse, with all the treasured documents within it, has been stolen. A Guardian and a Thief tells two stories: the story of Ma and her family, their struggle to emigrate to America, and their devastation in the wake of the theft that changes their fate to one of implacable tragedy; and the story of Boomba, the thief, whose hunger and desperation to care for his family drive him to commit a crime whose consequences he cannot fathom. With stunning control and command, Megha Majumdar paints a kaleidoscopic portrait of two families whose destinies become inexorably entangled, wresting compassion from each narrative as the complexities of each character's circumstances--their helplessness in the face of poverty and corruption, and the need to stave off encroaching catastrophe--are captured with clarity and piercing empathy. A masterful new work from one of the most exciting voices of her generation.Library Bound Incorporated
Subjects: FICTION / Literary; FICTION / World Literature / India / General;
Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 1
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Dominion The Railway and the Rise of Canada [electronic resource] : by Bown, Stephen.aut; Ward, Wayne.nrt; cloudLibrary;
A thrilling new account of the engineering triumph that created a nation In The Company, his bestselling work of revisionist history, Stephen R. Bown told the dramatic, adventurous and bloody tale of Canada's origins in the fur trade. With Dominion he continues the nation's creation story with an equally gripping and eye-opening account of the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway. In the late 19th century, demand for fur was in sharp decline. This could have spelled economic disaster for the venerable Hudson's Bay Company. But an idea emerged in political and business circles in Ottawa and Montreal to connect the disparate British colonies into a single entity that would stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. With over 3,000 kilometres of track, much of it driven through wildly inhospitable terrain, the CPR would be the longest railway in the world and the most difficult to build. Its construction was the defining event of its era and a catalyst for powerful global forces. The times were marked by greed, hubris, blatant empire building, oppression, corruption and theft. They were good for some, hard for most, disastrous for others. The CPR enabled a new country, but it came at a terrible price. Stephen R. Bown again widens our view of the past to include the adventures and hardships of explorers and surveyors, the resistance of Indigenous peoples, and the terrific and horrific work of many thousands of labourers. His vivid portrayal of the powerful forces that were moulding the world in the late 19th century provides a revelatory new picture of modern Canada's creation as an independent state.
Subjects: Audiobooks.; Canada; North America; History;
© 2023., Penguin Random House,
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Triple jeopardy : a Daniel Pitt novel / by Perry, Anne,author.;
"Young lawyer Daniel Pitt must defend a British diplomat accused of a theft that may cover up a deadly crime in this riveting novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Twenty-one Days. Daniel Pitt, along with his parents, Charlotte and Thomas, is delighted that his sister, Jemima, and her family have returned to London from the States for a visit. But the Pitts soon learn of a harrowing incident: In Washington, D.C.,one of Jemima's good friends has been assaulted and her treasured necklace has been stolen. The perpetrator appears to be a man named Philip Sidney, a British diplomat stationed in America's capital who, in a cowardly move, has fled to London, claiming diplomatic immunity. But that claim doesn't cover his other crimes. When Sidney winds up in court on a separate charge of embezzlement, it falls to Daniel to defend him. He plans to provide only a competent enough defense to avoid a mistrial, allowing the prosecution to put his client away. But when word travels across the pond that an employee of the British embassy in Washington has been found dead, Daniel grows suspicious about Sidney's alleged crimes and puts on his detective hat to search for evidence in what has blown up into an international affair. As the embezzlement scandal heats up, Daniel takes his questions to intrepid female scientist Miriam fford Croft, who brilliantly uses the most up-to-date technologies to follow a whole new path of investigation. Daniel and Miriam travel to the Channel Islands to chase a fresh lead, and what began with a stolen necklace turns out to have implications in three far greater crimes--a triple jeopardy, including possible murder"--
Subjects: Detective and mystery fiction.; Pitt, Charlotte (Fictitious character); Pitt, Daniel (Fictitious character); Pitt, Thomas (Fictitious character); Murder; Police spouses; Police; Private investigators;
Available copies: 2 / Total copies: 3
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Nothing good happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday : a novel / by Aram, Jamaluddin,author.;
In this novel about peace in a time of war, debut author Jamaluddin Aram masterfully breathes life into the colourful characters of the town of Wazirabad, in early 1990s Kabul, Afghanistan. It is the early 1990s, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Russian occupation has ended, and civil war has broken out, but life roars on in full force in the working-class town of Wazirabad. A rash of burglaries has stolen people's sleep. Fifteen-year-old Aziz awakens from a dark dream that prompts him to plant shards of glass along the wall surrounding his house to protect his family against theft. Aziz's sister, Seema, decorates kites with her calligraphy and sells fresh scorpions to spare her mother from servicing the local soldiers. Along the main street, three militiamen wait for the fighting to resume, while the Baker, the Watchmaker, the Tailor, and the Vegetable Seller make their modest living and the Bonesetter reads poetry to his cat. And every day at noon, a flaming red rooster walks three blocks to visit his favourite hens. But tensions rise among the town's people. The burglaries have put everyone on edge. The militiamen are on the hunt for the thief who stole their dog--and their ammunition. And a widow, who is the target of men's lust and women's scorn, soon finds herself on the periphery of a terrible violence. While the armed conflict rages on in the background, rumours swirl with a feverish frenzy, culminating in the collective chorus of the town's living, breathing dreams. In this brilliantly kaleidoscopic, darkly funny, and wholly captivating novel about peace in a time of war, Jamaluddin Aram breathes life into the families and friends, lovers and loners, neighbours and sworn enemies who wander the winding alleys of Wazirabad.
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Political fiction.; Novels.; City and town life; Civil war; Communities;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Dominion : the railway and the rise of Canada / by Bown, Stephen R.,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."Stephen R. Bown continues to revitalize Canadian history with this thrilling account of the engineering triumph that created a nation. In The Company, his bestselling work of revisionist history, Stephen Bown told the dramatic, adventurous and bloody tale of Canada's origins in the fur trade. With Dominion he continues the nation's creation story with an equally thrilling and eye-opening account of the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway. In the late 19th century, demand for fur was in sharp decline. This could have spelled economic disaster for the venerable Hudson's Bay Company. But an idea emerged in political and business circles in Ottawa and Montreal to connect the disparate British colonies into a single entity that would stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. With over 3,000 kilometers of track, much of it driven through wildly inhospitable terrain, the CPR would be the longest railroad in the world and the most difficult to build. Its construction was the defining event of its era and a catalyst for powerful global forces. The times were marked by greed, hubris, blatant empire building, oppression, corruption and theft. They were good for some, hard for most, disastrous for others. The CPR enabled a new country, but it came at a terrible price. In recent years Canadian history has been given a rude awakening from the comforts of its myths. In Dominion, Stephen Bown again widens our view of the past to include the adventures and hardships of explorers and surveyors, the resistance of Indigenous peoples, and the terrific and horrific work of many thousands of labourers. His vivid portrayal of the powerful forces that were molding the world in the late 19th century provides a revelatory new picture of modern Canada's creation as an independent state."--
Subjects: Canadian Pacific Railway Company; Railroads; Railroads;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Ring of fire / by Taylor, Brad,1965-author.;
"Former Delta Force officer and New York Times bestselling author Brad Taylor delivers a relentlessly fast-paced, gripping thriller featuring Taskforce operators Pike Logan and Jennifer Cahill as they come face-to-face with an insidious threat to strike terror into the heart of America. Fifteen years ago, in order to win a contract in the Kingdom, a desperate defense contractor used a shell company to provide a bribe to a wealthy Saudi businessman. Now a powerful player in the defense industry, he panics when the Panama Papers burst onto the public scene. Providing insight into the illicit deeds of offshore financing, they could prove his undoing. To prevent the exposure of his illegal activities, he sets in motion a plan to interdict the next leak, but he is not the only one worried about spilled secrets. The data theft has left the Taskforce potentially vulnerable, leaving a trail that could compromise the unit. Back in the good graces of the new president, Pike Logan and Jennifer Cahill are ordered to interdict the next leak as well, in order to control the damage. Unbeknownst to either group, the Saudi has been using the shell company to fund terrorists all over the world, and he has a spectacular attack planned, coinciding with the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11. The information Pike and Jennifer uncover will put them on the trail of the imminent threat, but it's one that they might be unable to stop. Called Ring of Fire, it will cause unimaginable destruction across the United States, and it's already in motion. Pike Logan will be challenged like never before, and the ensuing chaos and terror will distract the Taskforce from a truth no one sees: The Panama Papers hold a secret more explosive than any attack, and Ring of Fire was only the beginning. The danger is far from over"--
Subjects: Action and adventure fiction.; Thrillers (Fiction); Special forces (Military science); Special operations (Military science); Terrorism;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The missing millionaire : the true story of Ambrose Small and the city obsessed with finding him / by Daubs, Katie,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."The gripping true crime story of the disappearance of a millionaire from Toronto in 1919, one hundred years ago, which captivated the city and remains one of the great unsolved mysteries. For readers of Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City and Charlotte Gray's The Massey Murder. In 1919, Ambrose Small was another ghost in the city of the missing. Thousands hadn't come home from the First World War, but it was the disappearance of Ambrose Small that captivated Toronto's attention. In this brilliant new book, Katie Daubs unwinds the story of the mercurial Small, who assembled an Ontario theatre empire in the dawn of the twentieth century, sold it for an unbelievable $1.75 million, and disappeared before he could spend a cent. Weaving together a remarkable true crime narrative with social and cultural history, Daubs masterfully tells the story of Ambrose's sensational disappearance. She examines the wild lives of the cast of characters who surrounded him and became prime suspects: his independent, powerful wife, Theresa Small; his longtime personal secretary Jack Doughty, charged with theft and kidnapping; his two unmarried sisters; Patrick Sullivan, a lawless policeman; and Austin Mitchell, a hapless detective. As the years passed, a series of sensational trials exposed the relationships and resentments of Ambrose and his inner circle; allegations of sexual impropriety, murder plots, and confessions swirled; and an explosive OPP report revealed the incompetence of the police. But as the main players died off, nobody would be found guilty, and their secrets were buried for good: Ambrose Small would forever be missing. Drawing on extensive research, from police investigations to political dossiers, private correspondence, and press reports, and her own interviews with surviving descendants of key figures, Katie Daubs masterfully recreates Toronto as it was following the First World War, painting a rich portrait of a city undergoing immense cultural and social change, which protected its elite and was just as hard then as it is now."--
Subjects: True crime stories.; Small, Ambrose, 1866-1919.; Missing persons; Cold cases (Criminal investigation);
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The art spy : the extraordinary untold tale of WWII resistance hero Rose Valland / by Young, Michelle(Michelle T.),author.;
Includes bibliographical references."On August 25, 1944, Rose Valland, a woman of quiet daring, found herself in a desperate position. From the windows of her beloved Jeu de Paume museum, where she had worked and ultimately spied, she could see the battle to liberate Paris thundering around her. The Jeu de Paume, co-opted by Nazi leadership, was now the Germans' final line of defense. Would the museum curator be killed before she could tell the truth -- a story that would mean nothing less than saving humanity's cultural inheritance? Based on troves of previously undiscovered documents, The Art Spy chronicles the brave actions of the key Resistance spy in the heart of the Nazi's art looting headquarters in the French capital. A veritable female Monuments Man, Valland has, until now, been written out of the annals, despite bearing witness to history's largest art theft. While Hitler was amassing stolen art for his future Führermuseum, Valland, his undercover adversary, secretly worked to stop him. At every stage of World War II, Valland was front and center. She came face to face with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, passed crucial information to the Resistance network, put herself deliberately in harm's way to protect the museum and her staff, and faced death during the last hours of Liberation Day. At the same time, a young Free French soldier, Alexandre Rosenberg, was fighting his way to Paris with the Allied forces battling to liberate France. Alexandre's father was the exclusive art dealer for Picasso, Matisse, George Braque, and Fernand Léger. The Nazis had taken everything from their family -- their art collection, their nationality, their gallery, and their home in Paris. Vivid and atmospheric, The Art Spy moves from the glittering days of pre-War Paris, home to geniuses of modern culture, including Picasso, Josephine Baker, Coco Chanel, Le Corbusier, and Frida Kahlo, through the tension-riddled cities and resorts of Europe on the eve of war, to the harrowing years of the Nazi occupation of France when brave people such as Valland and Rosenberg risked everything to fight monstrous evil"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Valland, Rose.; Rosenberg, Alexandre P.; Musée du jeu de paume (France); Art treasures in war; Resistance movements, War.; Women museum curators; Women spies; World War, 1939-1945;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The wide wide sea : imperial ambition, first contact and the fateful final voyage of Captain James Cook / by Sides, Hampton,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."From New York Times bestselling author Hampton Sides, an epic account of the most momentous voyage of the Age of Exploration, which culminated in Captain James Cook's death in Hawaii, and left a complex and controversial legacy still debated to this day. On July 12th, 1776, Captain James Cook, already lionized as the greatest explorer in British history, set off on his third voyage in his ship the HMS Resolution. Two-and-a-half years later, on a beach on the island of Hawaii, Cook was killed in a conflict with native Hawaiians. How did Cook, who was unique among captains for his respect for Indigenous peoples and cultures, come to that fatal moment? Hampton Sides' bravura account of Cook's last journey both wrestles with Cook's legacy and provides a thrilling narrative of the titanic efforts and continual danger that characterized exploration in the 1700s. Cook was renowned for his peerless seamanship, his humane leadership, and his dedication to science--the famed naturalist Joseph Banks accompanied him on his first voyage, and Cook has been called one of the most important figures of the Age of Enlightenment. He was also deeply interested in the native people he encountered. In fact, his stated mission was to return a Tahitian man, Mai, who had become the toast of London, to his home islands. On previous expeditions, Cook mapped huge swaths of the Pacific, including the east coast of Australia, and initiated first European contact with numerous peoples. He treated his crew well, and endeavored to learn about the societies he encountered with curiosity and without judgment. Yet something was different on this last voyage. Cook became mercurial, resorting to the lash to enforce discipline, and led his two vessels into danger time and again. Uncharacteristically, he ordered violent retaliation for perceived theft on the part of native peoples. This may have had something to do with his secret orders, which were to chart and claim lands before Britain's imperial rivals could, and to discover the fabled Northwest Passage. Whatever Cook's intentions, his scientific efforts were the sharp edge of the colonial sword, and the ultimate effects of first contact were catastrophic for Indigenous people around the world. The tensions between Cook's overt and covert missions came to a head on the shores of Hawaii. His first landing there was harmonious, but when Cook returned after mapping the coast of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, his exploitative treatment of the Hawaiians led to the fatal encounter. At once a ferociously-paced story of adventure on the high seas and a searching examination of the complexities and consequences of the Age of Exploration, THE WIDE WIDE SEA is a major work from one of our finest narrative nonfiction writers"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Cook, James, 1728-1779; Cook, James, 1728-1779; Scientific expeditions; Voyages around the world;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Museo [videorecording] / by Beale, Simon Russell,actor.; García Bernal, Gael,1978-actor.; Gilmartin, Lynn,actor.; Ortizgris, Leonardo,actor.; Owen, Lisa,actor.; Ruizpalacios, Alonso,film director.; Kino Lorber, Inc.,publisher.;
Gael Garcia Bernal, Simon Russell Beale, Lynn Gilmartin, Lisa Owen, Leonardo Ortizgris.Well into their 30s, Juan Nunez and Benjamin Wilson still can't seem to finish veterinary school or leave their parents' homes. Instead, they wallow in comfortable limbo a suburb of Mexico City. On a fateful Christmas Eve, however, they decide it's finally time to distinguish themselves by executing the most infamous cultural artifacts heist in all of Mexican history, looting the country's iconic National Anthropology Museum in an act worthy of the Ocean's Eleven crew.14A.DVD ; widescreen presentation ; Dolby Digital 5.1, 2.0.
Subjects: Motion pictures, Mexican.; Foreign films.; Fiction films.; Feature films.; Video recordings for the hearing impaired.; Museo Nacional de Antropología (Mexico); Theft from museums; Veterinary students;
For private home use only.
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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