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A kid from Marlboro Road : a novel / by Burns, Edward,1968-author.;
"An Irish-American family comes to life in this first novel by actor and independent filmmaker Ed Burns. The book opens at a wake, as our twelve-year-old narrator, an aspiring writer, takes in the death of his beloved grandfather, Pop, a larger-than-life figure to him. The overflowing crowd includes sandhogs in their muddy work boots, old Irish biddies in black dresses and cops in uniform, along with the family in mourning. There's an open casket, the first time he's seen a dead person. Later, at the bar across the street, he tells a story to the assembled crowd about the day his dad proposed to his mom, and how he almost got beat up by her brothers for it, and then how Pop made him propose twice. His mom calls him "Kneenie," and with her husband and older son Tommy lost to her, he's the best thing she's got. He sees her struggling, but doesn't know how to help -- since like his brother and father before him he knows he'll also abandon her soon enough. Stories cascade between the prior generation's colorful origins in the Bronx and the softer world of the Long Island town of Gibson, where the family lives now. There are scenes in the Rockaways, at Belmont Race Track, and in Montauk. Out of individual struggles a collective warmth emerges, a certain kind of American story, raucous and joyous"--
Subjects: Bildungsromans.; Novels.; Family life; Irish Americans; Mothers and sons;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Such a good mother : a novel / by Monks Takhar, Helen,author.;
"Rose O'Connell is barely surviving. Her relationship with her husband is on the rocks and their son isn't fitting in at his new school, the prestigious Woolf Academy. Their tiny flat in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood--the very place Rose grew up as the daughter of an infamous local con artist--can barely contain her family. Rose can't catch a professional break either, trapped in the same junior bank teller role for years. Life as the only mom in a nametag and uniform at The Woolf's shiny school gates isn't easy. Not so for those in the elite and secretive Circle, a tight-knit group of mothers who rule the school, led by the charismatic and glamorous Amala Kaur. In exchange for supporting The Woolf's relentless fundraising and public image drives, the women enjoy lucrative business opportunities, special privileges for their children, and the admiration of the entire community. After the mysterious death of one of The Circle's members, Rose dares to hope that filling the vacancy could set her family up for success. And when Amala makes the shocking decision to invite Rose into their clique, her fortunes, self-esteem, and status soar. But the deeper Rose gets inside The Circle, the darker the secrets lurking within every perfectly Instagrammable life. Far from being a dream come true, being inside The Circle could prove Rose's worst nightmare ..."--
Subjects: Thrillers (Fiction); Psychological fiction.; Novels.; Cliques (Sociology); Families; Mothers; Schools; Social classes;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Great-Uncle Harry : a tale of war and empire / by Palin, Michael,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."Some years ago a stash of family records was handed down to Michael Palin, among which were photos of an enigmatic young man in army uniform, as well as photos of the same young man as a teenager looking uncomfortable at family gatherings. This, Michael learned, was his Great-Uncle Harry, born in 1884, died in 1916. He had previously had no idea that he had a Great-Uncle Harry, much less that his life was cut short at the age of 32 when he was killed in the Battle of the Somme. The discovery both shocked him and made him want to know much more. The quest that followed involved hundreds of hours of painstaking detective work. Michael dug out every bit of family gossip and correspondence he could. He studied every relevant official document. He tracked down what remained of his great-uncle Harry's diaries and letters, and pored over photographs of First World War battle scenes to see whether Harry appeared in any of them. He walked the route Harry took on that fatal, final day of his life amid the mud of northern France. And as he did so, a life that had previously existed in the shadows was revealed to him. Great-Uncle Harry is an utterly compelling account of an ordinary man who led an extraordinary life. A blend of biography, history, travelogue and personal memoir, this is Michael Palin at his very finest."--
Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Palin, Harry, 1884-1916.; Soldiers; Somme, 1st Battle of the, France, 1916.; World War, 1914-1918;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Strega / by Holm, Johanne Lykke,1987-author.; Vogel, Saskia,translator.; translation of:Holm, Johanne Lykke,1987-Strega.English.;
"With toiletries, hairbands, and notebooks in her bag, and at her mother's instruction, a nineteen-year-old girl leaves her parents' home and the seaside town she grew up in. Out the train window, Rafa sees the lit-up mountains and perfect trees-and the Olympic Hotel waiting for her perched above the small village of Strega. There, she and eight other girls receive the stiff black uniforms of seasonal workers and move into their shared dorm. But while they toil constantly to perform their role and prepare the hotel for guests, none arrive. Instead, they contort themselves daily to the expectations of their strict, matronly bosses without clear purpose and, in their spare moments, escape to the herb garden, confide in each other, and quickly find solace together. Finally, the hotel is filled with people for a wild and raucous party, only for one of the girls to disappear. What follows are deeper revelations about the myths we teach young women, what we raise them to expect from the world, and whether a gentler, more beautiful life is possible. In stimulating and uninhibited imagery, Johanne Lykke Holm builds a world laced with the supernatural, filled with the secrecy and potential energy of girls on the cusp of womanhood. An allegory for the societal rites and expectations of women and the violence we too easily allow, Strega builds like a spell that keeps exerting its powers long after reading"--
Subjects: Gothic fiction.; Novels.; Hotels; Missing persons; Young women;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Come from away / by Graham, Genevieve,author.;
"In the fall of 1939, Grace Baker's three brothers, sharp and proud in their uniforms, board Canadian ships headed for a faraway war. Grace stays behind, tending to the homefront and the general store that helps keep her small Nova Scotian community running. The war, everyone says, will be over before it starts. But three years later, the fighting rages on and rumours swirl about "wolf packs" of German U-Boats lurking in the deep waters along the shores of East Jeddore, a stone's throw from Grace's window. As the harsh realities of war come closer to home, Grace buries herself in her work at the store. Then, one day, a handsome stranger ventures into the store. He claims to be a trapper come from away, and as Grace gets to know him, she becomes enamoured by his gentle smile and thoughtful ways. But after several weeks, she discovers that Rudi, her mysterious visitor, is not the lonely outsider he appears to be. He is someone else entirely--someone not to be trusted. When a shocking truth about her family forces Grace to question everything she has so strongly believed, she realizes that she and Rudi have more in common than she had thought. And if Grace is to have a chance at love, she must not only choose a side, but take a stand. Come from Away is a mesmerizing story of love, shifting allegiances, and second chances, set against the tumultuous years of the Second World War"--
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Domestic fiction.; World War, 1939-1945; Women;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Not my home / by Johnstone, William W.,author.; Johnstone, J. A.,author.;
"The sudden arrival of big-city elites in small-town America triggers a violent wave of protests--and a possible civil war--in this explosive thriller from the bestselling authors of Down the Dark Streets. This is ... NOT MY HOME They came from the cities. Wealthy professionals fleeing the crime-ridden northern blue states for the peace and tranquility of small-town life. The good people of Springerville, South Carolina, welcome them with open arms. Until ... Almost overnight, they take over the Springerville. They snatch up the real estate. Turn old-fashioned stores into fancy boutiques. Transform the schools. And bring crime and corruption with them. Now one of these invaders--a predatory media mogul from New York--is running for mayor and plans to turn Springerville into a sprawling urban enclave ... just like the ones the northerners left behind ... NOT ON YOUR LIFE Not if Gus Fuller can stop it. A former army sergeant and lifelong townie, Gus runs the old luncheonette his grandfather built--and plans to give the media mogul a run for his money. Everyone in Springerville loves Gus, and he has no problem winning the mayoral race. But when the mogul falsely accuses him of rigging the election, all hell breaks loose. Busloads of angry mobs roll into town. Rioting, looting, burning ... Main Street is a war zone. So Gus and his army buddies are dusting off their uniforms--and taking a stand ... It's time to fight back. It's time to fight hard. It's time to take back our home."--Publisher's description.
Subjects: Thrillers (Fiction); Novels.; Corruption; Small cities;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The other side of silence / by Kerr, Philip,author.;
"Once I'd been a good detective in Kripo, but that was a while ago, before the criminals wore smart gray uniforms and nearly everyone locked up was innocent. Being a Berlin cop in 1942 was a little like putting down mousetraps in a cage full of tigers. The war is over. Bernie Gunther, our sardonic former Berlin homicide detective and unwilling SS officer, is now living on the French Riviera. It is 1956 and Bernie is the go-to guy at the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, the man you turn to for touring tips or if you need a fourth for bridge. As it happens, a local writer needs just that, someone to fill the fourth seat in a regular game that is the usual evening diversion at the Villa Mauresque. Not just any writer. Perhaps the richest and most famous living writer in the world: W. Somerset Maugham. And it turns out it is not just a bridge partner that he needs; it's some professional advice. Maugham is being blackmailed--perhaps because of his unorthodox lifestyle. Or perhaps because of something in his past, because once upon a time, Maugham worked for the British secret service, and the people now blackmailing him are spies. As Gunther fans know, all roads lead back to the viper's nest that was Hitler's Third Reich and to the killing fields that spread like a disease across Europe. Even in 1956, peace has not come to the continent: now the Soviets have the H-bomb and spies from every major power feel free to make all of Europe their personal playground"--Provided by publisher.
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Mystery fiction.; Gunther, Bernhard (Fictitious character); Private investigators;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Battle of the Atlantic : gauntlet to victory / by Barris, Ted,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index.The Battle of the Atlantic, Canada's longest continuous military engagement of the Second World War, lasted 2,074 days, claiming the lives of more than 4,000 men and women in the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian merchant navy The years 2019 to 2025 mark the eightieth anniversary of the longest battle of the Second World War, the Battle of the Atlantic. It also proved to be the war's most critical and dramatic battle of attrition. For five and a half years, German surface warships and submarines attempted to destroy Allied trans-Atlantic convoys, most of which were escorted by Royal Canadian destroyers and corvettes, as well as aircraft of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Throwing deadly U-boat "wolf packs" in the paths of the convoys, the German Kriegsmarine almost succeeded in cutting off this vital lifeline to a beleaguered Great Britain. In 1939, the Royal Canadian Navy went to war with exactly thirteen warships and about 3,500 regular servicemen and reservists. During the desperate days and nights of the Battle of the Atlantic, the RCN grew to 400 fighting ships and over 100,000 men and women in uniform. By V-E Day in 1945, it had become the fourth largest navy in the world. The story of Canada's naval awakening from the dark, bloody winters of 1939-1942, to be "ready, aye, ready" to challenge the U-boats and drive them to defeat, is a Canadian wartime saga for the ages. While Canadians think of the Great War battle of Vimy Ridge as the country's coming of age, it was the Battle of the Atlantic that proved Canada's gauntlet to victory and a nation-building milestone.
Subjects: Canada. Royal Canadian Navy; World War, 1939-1945; World War, 1939-1945;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The wedding dress sewing circle : a novel / by Ryan, Jennifer,1973-author.;
"Three plucky women lift the spirits of homefront brides in wartime Britain, where clothes rationing leaves little opportunity for pomp or celebration-even at weddings-in this heartwarming novel based on true events, from the bestselling author of The Chilbury Ladies' Choir. After renowned fashion designer Cressida Westcott loses both her home and her design house in the London Blitz, she has nowhere to go but the family manor house she fled decades ago. Praying that her niece and nephew will be more hospitable than her brother had been, she arrives with nothing but the clothes she stands in, at a loss as to how to rebuild her business from a quaint country village. Her niece, Violet Westcott, is thrilled that her famous aunt is coming to stay-the villagehas been interminably dull with all the men off fighting. But just as Cressida arrives, so does Violet's conscription letter. It couldn't have come at a worse time; how will she ever find a suitably aristocratic husband if she has to spend her days wearing a frumpy uniform and doing war work? Meanwhile, the local vicar's daughter, Grace Carlisle, is trying in vain to repair her mother's gown, her only chance of a white wedding. When Cressida Westcott appears at the local Sewing Circle meeting, Grace asksfor her help-but Cressida has much more to teach the ladies than just simple sewing skills. Before long, Cressida's spirit and ambition galvanizes the village group into action, and they find themselves mending wedding dresses not only for local brides,but for brides across the country. And as the women dedicate themselves to helping others celebrate love, they might even manage to find it for themselves ..."--
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Novels.; Fashion designers; Sewing; Wedding costume; World War, 1939-1945;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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A Kid from Marlboro Road [electronic resource] : by Burns, Edward.aut; Burns, Edward.nrt; cloudLibrary;
An Irish-American family comes to life through the eyes of a 13-year-old boy in this debut novel by actor-filmmaker Ed Burns. Immigrants and storytellers, lilting voices and Long Island moxy are all part of this colorful Irish-Catholic community in 1970s New York.A Kid from Marlboro Road opens at a wake, as our twelve-year-old narrator, an aspiring writer, takes in the death of his beloved grandfather, Pop, a larger-than-life figure to him. The overflowing crowd includes sandhogs in their muddy work boots, old Irish biddies in black dresses and cops in uniform, along with the family in mourning. There’s an open casket, the first time he’s seen a dead person. Later, at the bar across the street, he tells a story to the assembled crowd about the day his dad proposed to his mom, and how he almost got beat up by her brothers for it, and then how Pop made him propose twice. His mom calls him “Kneenie,” and with her husband and older son Tommy lost to her, he’s the best thing she’s got. He sees her struggling with depression and is worried his parents might get divorced, but doesn’t know how to help—since like his brother and father before him he knows he’ll also abandon her soon enough.Stories cascade between the prior generation’s colorful origins in the Bronx and the softer world of the of Gibson, the town on Long Island where the family lives now. There are scenes in the Rockaways, at Belmont Race Track, and in Montauk. Out of individual struggles a collective warmth emerges, a certain kind of American story, raucous and joyous.Includes black and white photographs from the author's Irish-American New York family history.
Subjects: Audiobooks.; Coming of Age; Cultural Heritage; Family Life;
© 2024., Recorded Books,
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Results 31 to 40 of 43 | « previous |