The history of Highland began on the shores of the Hudson River in 1754, when entrepreneur Anthony Yelverton started a sawmill, later followed by a brickyard, store, and ferry service to Poughkeepsie. During the 19th century, steamboats made regular stops near Yelverton's settlement. Starting around 1830, riverfront businesses began to relocate to the "high land" above the river, and a new Highland business district was born. The West Shore Railroad was completed in 1883, with a station at the riverfront. The area was called Highland Landing. The Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge, now the Walkway Over the Hudson, was completed in 1888, and in 1897, a trolley line began operation from Highland Landing up to the Highland village and, from there, westward. Highland had a new claim to fame as the "Gateway to Ulster County."

When eighteen-year-old Lady Catriona Mackintosh discovers a wounded man in the forest near her Highland home, little does she know that he has sworn a sacred oath to kill her father and other members of the powerful Highland confederation known as Clan Chattan. Nor does she realize that she has met her soul mate. Independent, competent, intelligent, fiercely proud of her heritage, determined always to live near her own family, and known to her family as the "wee wildcat" because of her quick temper, Catriona is the daughter of a Highland chieftain and granddaughter of the even more powerful Chief (or Captain) of Clan Chattan. But her life changes forever when she persuades Sir Finlagh Cameron to return with her to her home to recover from his wounds. Sir Finlagh "Fin" Cameron is on a mission for the heir to Scotland's throne, who has sent him to the Highlands to persuade the Chief of Clan Chattan to arrange a secret meeting for him with two other great lords (the Lord of the Isles and the Lord of the North). Until Fin meets Catriona, however, he has no idea that her father was the Clan Chattan war leader who led them in the battle that wiped out many of Clan Cameron's best warriors, including Fin's own father. The sole survivor of that battle, Fin accepted a bequest of vengeance from his dying father, providing him with a dilemma to face as he begins to fall in love with Catriona. He is not the only one enticed by her charms, either. There are two other contenders, one of whom is his own master, the heir to Scotland's throne. With royal mischief afoot, if Catriona and Fin are ever to find happiness, they must first avoid disaster that could change Scotland's history, and find ways to be open and honest with each other.

Walking is simple, but it can also be profound. In an increasingly complex and frantic world, walking can help simplify and focus our lives, is an elegantly sustainable form of recreation, deepens our understanding and appreciation of the world’s great cultural landscapes, stimulates our thinking, and makes us healthier and happier in the process. In Walks of a Lifetime from Around the World, Bob and Martha Manning invite readers to join the walking community. The heart of the book is a series of first-hand descriptions of forty of the world’s great multi-day walks — walking vacations of a few days to a few weeks — spanning six continents, most U.S. states and Washington, DC, and ranging from inn-to-inn walks to backpacking treks. Many of these walks are among the world’s most iconic. Trail descriptions are richly illustrated with color photographs and maps.

Only her love could gentle his savage soul— He was born to a clan of warriors of supernatural strength, but Gavrael McIllioch abandoned his name and his Highland castle, determined to escape the dark fate of his ancestors. Hiding his identity from the relentless rival clan that hunted him, he called himself Grimm to protect the people he cared for, vowing never to acknowledge his love for ravishing Jillian St. Clair. Yet even from afar he watched over her, and when her father sent an urgent summons, "Come for Jillian," he raced to her side—into a competition to win her hand in marriage. Why had he run from her so many years before? And why return now to see her offered as a prize in her father's manipulative game? Furious, Jillian vowed never to wed. But Grimm was the man she loved, the one who urged her to marry another. He tried to pretend indifference as she tempted him, but he could not deny the fierce desires that compelled him to abduct her from the altar. She was the only woman who could tame the beast that raged within him—even as deadly enemies plotted to destroy them both....

This multivolume set is much more than a collection of essays on sports and sporting cultures from around the world: it also details how and why sports are played wherever they exist, and examines key charismatic athletes from around the world who have transcended their sports. Sports Around the World: History, Culture, and Practice provides a unique, global overview of sports and sports cultures. Unlike most works of this type, this book provides both essays that examine general topics, such as globalization and sport, international relations and sport, and tourism and sport, as well as essays on sports history, culture, and practice in world regions—for example, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and Oceania—in order to provide a more global perspective. These essays are followed by entries on specific sports, world athletes, stadiums and arenas, famous games and matches, and major controversies. Spanning topics as varied as modern professional cycling to the fictional movie Rocky to the deadly ball game of the ancient Mayans, the first three volumes contain overview essays and entries for specific sports that have been and are currently practiced around the world. The fourth volume provides a compendium of information on the winners of major sporting competitions from around the world. Readers will gain invaluable insights into how sports have been enjoyed throughout all of human culture, and more fully comprehend their cultural contexts. The entries provide suggestions for further reading on each topic—helpful to general readers, students with school projects, university students and academics alike. Additionally, the four-volume Sports Around the World spotlights key charismatic athletes who have changed a sport or become more than just an outstanding player.

In December 1967, Chuck Robb was catapulted onto the national scene when he married Lynda Bird Johnson, the daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson, in a nationally broadcast White House wedding. Shortly thereafter, Robb, a U.S. Marine, deployed to Vietnam, where he commanded India Company of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Regiment, and was awarded the Bronze Star. These two experiences—seemingly polar opposites—illustrate much about the eventual Virginia governor and U.S. senator, who combined a commitment to family with an ingrained sense of civic duty on the national stage. In the Arena offers the first political memoir of the noted statesman’s extraordinary life, tracing his path from early days as an anonymous Marine to his fairytale wedding, from night movements in Vietnam to engaging in the height of Democratic politics in the Virginia state capitol and U.S. Senate, and from experiencing personal highs and lows to becoming a principled fighter and exemplar of today’s moderate Democrat. Despite representing a conservative state, he stood up for a woman’s right to choose, the Equal Rights Amendment, the constitutionality of flag burning, gay rights, and gun control. As governor, Robb raised the education budget by over $1 billion and appointed a record number of women and minorities to state positions, including the first African American to the Virginia Supreme Court. In 1996, in his second term in the Senate, he was the only southern senator to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act, the legislation banning gay marriage, calling the movement to end this discrimination a "fight for civil and human rights." Progressive on social issues, he was fiscally conservative and pro–national security, going on to co-chair the 2004 WMD Commission under George W. Bush. Looking back from our deeply partisan era, Robb’s independent approach now seems remarkable, as well as instructive. Full of honest reflections, In the Arena pulls back the curtain on one of America's proven political leaders and reveals the surprisingly colorful story of his career, marriage, and life.

Two of the wildest hearts in Scotland fight for their destiny in this searing-hot romance, sure to be devoured by fans of Jennifer Ashley’s Shifters Unbound series and Shelly Laurenston’s Pride Stories. As a bear-shifter in a pack roaming the Scottish countryside, Bryce Matheson embodies brute force and untamed abandon. As a widower, he’s running scared. When Bryce attempted to open his scarred heart to another, she grew tired of waiting for him to state his intentions, and the unearthly beauty spurned him for someone who wasn’t worthy. But now that fate has conspired to set Kenzie Denune free once again, Bryce vows to finally win her love. Kenzie is a witch who summons her powers to protect those too weak to care for themselves. After surviving an abusive husband, she swears off men—even men like Bryce, whose iron muscles make her knees weak, and whose piercing eyes fill her with longing. Her life’s purpose is to help others. However, dark forces have different plans for her gifts. To save herself, Kenzie must team up with the shifter who has always stirred her soul—and trust in a passion powerful enough to set her blood aflame. Praise for A Highlander’s Passion “A sexy power play between two characters that brought me to tears with laughter and emotion . . . I’m in love with the Highlander’s Beloved series!”—Kelly Moran, award-winning author of Return to Me “A sexy-hot blast of mystery, magic, and a second chance at claiming the love of a lifetime.”—Maeve Greyson, author of the Highland Time Runners series “Packed with red hot passion, mystical suspense, and snicker-inducing humor, this heart-tugging kilted romance entertains and satisfies from beginning to end. Well done, Ms. Davis.”—Mackenzie Crowne, RONE Award–winning author of A Song for Sophie “Vonnie Davis is a bard of romance in the truest sense of the word: She’s a comedian, a storyteller, and a poet. I never hesitate to recommend her to readers because she never fails to deliver. She’s absolutely brilliant.”—Melissa Snark, author of Battle Cry “The beautiful Highlands, witchcraft, and shifters set the scene for this passionate tale.”—Fresh Fiction “I am such a huge fan of Vonnie Davis. Her books just make me happy.”—Romancing the Readers “I loved A Highlander’s Passion. . . . We have some very sexy Highlander bear shifters, great fun-loving characters, and a sweet romance. . . . I can’t wait for more books in this series.”—Angel’s Guilty Pleasures “An excellent story that had a whole lot of everything I needed to escape the real world for a few hours: lust, love, the past, the present, the future, a touch of mystery and suspense, and a healthy happily ever after.”—Written Love “Quite an entertaining read, exciting and action-packed.”—Musings of a Bookish Kitty “A good read for fans of Katie MacAlister’s books . . . I’d recommend this to readers who like contemporary Highland romance and paranormal romance with a lot of action.”—Libromancer’s Apprentice “This fun, sexy read kept me turning the pages needing to know more about the sexy shifter and his witch.”—Travels n Reads Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.