An expansive new saga chronicling the world-altering changes that take place as three connected universes - the Human world, the Goblin world, and the Faery world - are slowly drawn together. In Book 1, young Galen Arvad, a human with magical powers, must avoid the ritual that puts those with such talents to death. it seems that in the eyes of the community magic is a sign of lunacy, and in a yearly ritual the local "crazies" are offered up to the Dragon Priests. Having successfully dodged the "elections" for many years, Galen is suddenly captured and hauled away with others that are deemed "insane." Now as Galen's wife, Berkita, and his friend, Cephas the dwarf, set off to rescue him, Galen learns of the fate that awaits him... a fate far worse than even his own death.

New York Times Bestselling Author BARBARA DELINSKY THE FOREVER INSTINCT From America's beloved storyteller, Barbara Delinsky, comes a classic novel of a man and woman following their instincts—and doing what comes naturally... When Jordanna Kirkland agrees to go backpacking in New Hampshire, she doesn't realize the trip is for men only—and that one of those men would be Patrick Clayes. Not only is Patrick rugged, handsome, and irresistibly charming, he's also her ex-husband's business rival in New York. Jordanna knows she should ignore her attraction to Patrick. But when the nights get cold, those lips of his are awfully warm—and impossible to resist. Why fight it? What happens in the wild stays in the wild, right? The real problem starts when Jordanna and Patrick go back to the boardrooms of Manhattan—but the passion never stops...

The eighth and seventh centuries BCE were a time of flourishing exchange between the Mediterranean and the Near East. One of the period’s key imports to the Hellenic and Italic worlds was the image of the griffin, a mythical monster that usually possesses the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. In particular, bronze cauldrons bore griffin protomes—figurative attachments showing the neck and head of the beast. Crafted in fine detail, the protomes were made to appear full of vigor, transfixing viewers. Bronze Monsters and the Cultures of Wonder takes griffin cauldrons as case studies in the shifting material and visual universes of pre-classical antiquity, arguing that they were perceived as lifelike monsters that introduced the illusion of verisimilitude to Mediterranean arts. The objects were placed in the tombs of the wealthy (Italy, Cyprus) and in sanctuaries (Greece), creating fantastical environments akin to later cabinets of curiosities. Yet griffin cauldrons were accessible only to elites, ensuring that the new experience of visuality they fostered was itself a symbol of status. Focusing on the sensory encounter of this new visuality, Nassos Papalexandrou shows how spaces made wondrous fostered novel subjectivities and social distinctions.

Shopping Around investigates the issues of contemporary popular narrative, feminine pleasure, and consumer culture, viewing the permutations of the feminine subject as a textual construction evolved through everyday life. A wide spectrum of texts are examined, exposing the fact that women "read" within a complex and conflicted cultural arena characterized by a significant intertextuality that multiply defines "femininity." Shopping Around raises these issues in the context of everyday cultural practices such as applying make-up, reading magazines, watching television, and working-out, providing a unique introduction to postmodern feminist and cultural theory.

**The Art of Alchemy in Metalworking An Unveiled Journey Through Mystical and Modern Crafting** Unlock the enchanting realm where ancient mysticism meets modern science with "The Art of Alchemy in Metalworking”! Delve into the rich tapestry of alchemical practices that have shaped the evolution of metalworking from the dawn of civilization to the cutting-edge innovations of today. **Dive into the Historical Tapestry** Begin your journey with an exploration of the alchemical roots deeply woven into the fabric of ancient metalworking. Discover how early civilizations used alchemy to transform basic metals into prized alloys, setting the stage for modern metallurgy. Learn about the cultural influences that flavored these ancient practices and their lasting impacts on societies around the globe. **Discover the Mystical Qualities of Metals** Each chapter peels back the layers of history and reveals the alchemical processes behind some of the most significant metals and alloys known to man. From the legendary transmutations of copper and the history-changing introduction of bronze to the golden elegance of brass and the enigmatic strength of steel, find out how alchemists viewed and worked with these powerful substances. **Modern Applications with Ancient Wisdom** Explore how these age-old practices have evolved and are applied in contemporary industries. See how the alchemical traditions still influence jewelry making, weapon production, and even biomedical alloys. Understand the philosophical and symbolic meanings that these metals held, and how those meanings translate into modern scientific understandings and applications. **Sustainable and Future-Forward** The book also delves into the environmental impacts of metalworking through a historical lens, offering insights into sustainable practices that promise a greener future. Discover the potential for alchemical principles to inspire future technological advancements, blending time-honored wisdom with cutting-edge science. "The Art of Alchemy in Metalworking" is more than a book; it's a journey through time, merging the mystical and the modern to show how far we've come—and how far we can still go. Embrace the secrets of the past to forge the innovations of the future!

Though his strange and premature death became one of Hollywood Babylon's weirdest chapters, this King of the Crooners' and 'Valentino of Radio' had a voice that spoke to a world still drifting in the malaise following the First World War. Taking a devoted and personal look into this crooner's art and life, this biography derives much of its information from Columbo's otherwise long-lost personal effects, including original movie transcripts, love letters to and from Carole Lombard and other movie actresses, and the singer's daily diaries.'

Following Oliver Dickinson’s successful The Aegean Bronze Age, this textbook is a synthesis of the period between the collapse of the Bronze Age civilization in the thirteenth and twelfth centuries BC, and the rise of the Greek civilization in the eighth century BC. With chapter bibliographies, distribution maps and illustrations, Dickinson’s detailed examination of material and archaeological evidence argues that many characteristics of Ancient Greece developed in the Dark Ages. He also includes up-to-date coverage of the 'Homeric question'. This highly informative text focuses on: the reasons for the Bronze Age collapse which brought about the Dark Ages the processes that enabled Greece to emerge from the Dark Ages the degree of continuity from the Dark Ages to later times. Dickinson has provided an invaluable survey of this period that will not only be useful to specialists and undergraduates in the field, but that will also prove highly popular with the interested general reader.

Secrets of an iconic artifact Florida Book Awards, Bronze Medal for Florida Nonfiction Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Award for Meritorious Achievement in Preservation Communications Excavated from a waterlogged archaeological site on the shores of subtropical Florida by legendary anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing in 1896, the Key Marco Cat has become a modern icon of heritage, history, and local identity. This book takes readers into the deep past of the artifact and the Native American society in which it was created. Austin Bell explores nine periods in the life of the six-inch-high wooden carving, beginning with how it was sculpted with shell and shark-tooth tools and what it may have represented to the ancient Calusa—perhaps a human-panther god. Preserved in the muck for centuries on Marco Island and discovered in pristine condition due to its oxygen-free environment, the Cat has since traveled more than 12,000 miles and has been viewed by millions of people. It is one of the Smithsonian Institution’s most irreplaceable items. In this fascinating account, Bell traces the clues to the Cat’s mysterious origins that have emerged in its later lives. Captivating readers with the miracle and beauty of this rare example of pre-Columbian art, Bell marvels at how an object originally understood to hold cosmological power has indeed transformed the people and places around it. The Nine Lives of Florida’s Famous Key Marco Cat is the story of a timeless masterpiece of staggering simplicity that has prevailed over impossibly long odds.