“Eyewitness testimonies to the culture and commerce of slavery . . . coupled with smart commentary” from an acclaimed historian. “Essential.”(Kirkus Reviews) In this important book, Noel Rae integrates firsthand accounts into a narrative history that brings the reader face to face with slavery’s everyday reality. From the travel journals of sixteenth-century Spanish settlers who offered religious instruction and “protection” in exchange for farm labor, to the diaries of Reverend Cotton Mather, to Central Park designer Frederick Law Olmsted’s travelogue about the “cotton states,” to an 1880 speech given by Frederick Douglass, Rae provides a comprehensive portrait of the antebellum history of the nation. Most significant are the testimonies from former slaves themselves, ranging from the famous Solomon Northup to the virtually unknown Mary Reynolds, who was sold away from her mother as child. Drawing on thousands of original sources, The Great Stain tells of a society based on the exploitation of labor and fallacies of racial superiority. Meticulously researched, this is a work of history that is profoundly relevant to our world today. “Noel Rae expertly assembles the most consequential accounts from the era of the American slave trade. . . . A vivid and comprehensive picture.” —Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award-winning author of Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America “Uniquely immediate, multivoiced, specific, arresting, and illuminating.” —Booklist “Many histories have been written of slavery in America, but far too few have let the participants, and particularly the victims, speak so directly for themselves. Rae has helped to fill that historical vacuum in this important work, and the voices are intense, eloquent, and haunting.” —National Book Review

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE PEN/FAULKNER AWARD • The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of American Pastoral delivers “a master novelist's haunting parable about our troubled modern moment" (The Wall Street Journal). It is 1998, the year in which America is whipped into a frenzy of prurience by the impeachment of a president, and in a small New England town, an aging classics professor, Coleman Silk, is forced to retire when his colleagues decree that he is a racist. The charge is a lie, but the real truth about Silk would have astonished even his most virulent accuser. Coleman Silk has a secret, one which has been kept for fifty years from his wife, his four children, his colleagues, and his friends, including the writer Nathan Zuckerman. It is Zuckerman who stumbles upon Silk's secret and sets out to reconstruct the unknown biography of this eminent, upright man, esteemed as an educator for nearly all his life, and to understand how this ingeniously contrived life came unraveled. And to understand also how Silk's astonishing private history is, in the words of The Wall Street Journal, "magnificently" interwoven with "the larger public history of modern America."

A princess must win back her kingdom, save a prince, and restore peace in this fantasy by the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of the Splintered series. After Lyra—a princess incapable of speech or sound—is cast out of her kingdom of daylight by her wicked aunt, a witch saves her life, steals her memories, and raises her in an enchanted forest…disguised as a boy known only as Stain. Meanwhile, in Lyra’s rival kingdom, the prince of thorns and night is dying, and the only way for him to break his curse is to wed the princess of daylight—for she is his true equal. As Lyra finds her way back to her identity, an imposter princess prepares to steal her betrothed prince and her crown. To win back her kingdom, save the prince, and make peace with the land of the night, Lyra must be loud enough to be heard without a voice, and strong enough to pass a series of tests—ultimately proving she’s everything a traditional princess is not. “A decadent fantasy anchored in childhood delights with vibrantly detailed writing and brilliantly theatrical subplots.” —Kirkus Reviews “[A] reimagining of “The Princess and the Pea” . . . An emotionally complex tale of fate, inner beauty, and found family that illustrates the strength of love born from friendship.” —Publishers Weekly

The People’s War is the story of one of history’s great events, the American Revolutionary War, told almost entirely in the words of the soldiers who fought it and the civilians who endured it. Drawing on thousands of original sources—diaries, letters, memoirs, newspapers, pension applications—Noel Rae has culled the most colorful and vivid passages and woven them into a vibrant, eyewitness narrative that takes us from the peaceful days before the Stamp Act, through all the war’s major events, and ends with farewell accounts of what happened in later life to the people we have come to know along the way. Some of these figures, like Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, and King George III, are familiar figures, but most were ordinary people, little known to history, but here briefly emerging from obscurity: a farm boy who ran away to sea at the age of twelve, a pretty young widow roughed up by Tory ruffians, and a slave who escaped to the British after witnessing his mother being flogged. These are but a few of those whose collective voices, drawn from all sides of the conflict, bring the Revolution truly to life—in a history at its most entertaining and authoritative, for who better qualified to tell what happened than the people who were there?

Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for "normal." Born with a port wine stain covering half her face, all her life she’s been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust. But when she’s abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It’s that—or succumb to a killer.

The true story of Katherine Knight, the mother and abattoir worker who became Australia's worst female killer. A must for true crime fans. 'There are murders and there are murders. There are bodies and there are bodies, and then there's what lies waiting behind the front door of the little brick house with its blinds drawn and air conditioner droning on, working against the oppressive Hunter Valley heat. A glimpse into the dark, cockroach corners of the soul. A lot of the blokes at the scene that day will never be the same.' On 29 February 2000, Katherine Knight committed an unspeakable act. A mother of four and a grandmother, she seduced and then stabbed John Price 37 times. A former abattoir worker, she skinned him. A loving partner, she cooked him with vegetables, making a soup with his head. Made gravy. Left him on plates for his family. Why? Pricey was her de facto and he wanted out. She didn't like that. People said that most of the time Katherine Knight seemed normal, until she got angry. She was judged to be legally sane when she committed a crime so horrible that the media shied away from the detail. Journalist Peter Lalor covered the trial and wanted to know what made Knight go way over the borderline. In this unflinching account he uncovers the layers of her dysfunction, opening the door of 84 St Andrews Street and taking us into the lives of Knight's ex-partners, her family and the locals of Aberdeen, NSW. Katherine Knight is currently the only woman serving a life sentence in Australia. She is never to be released.

This unique collection of the greatest French classics books has been designed and formatted to the highest digital standards: A History of French Literature François Rabelais: Gargantua and Pantagruel Molière: Tartuffe or the Hypocrite The Misanthrope The Miser The Imaginary Invalid The Impostures of Scapin… Jean Racine: Phaedra Pierre Corneille: The Cid Voltaire: Candide Zadig Micromegas The Huron A Philosophical Dictionary… Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Confessions Emile The Social Contract De Laclos: Dangerous Liaisons Stendhal

In 'The Greatest Works of G. K. Chesterton,' readers are treated to a collection of some of the most profound and thought-provoking essays, fiction, and poetry by the renowned author. Chesterton's literary style is characterized by his wit, humor, and keen observations on society, religion, and philosophy. His works are known for their paradoxical and witty nature, which challenges readers to think beyond the surface. The collection includes masterpieces such as 'Orthodoxy,' 'The Man Who Was Thursday,' and 'The Ballad of the White Horse,' showcasing Chesterton's versatility as a writer. This compilation provides an in-depth look into the mind of one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th century. Gilbert Keith Chesterton, known as G. K. Chesterton, was a prolific writer and thinker whose works continue to inspire readers to this day. His unique perspective on various topics such as religion, morality, and society set him apart as a leading intellectual of his time. Chesterton's ability to blend humor with profound insights makes his works both engaging and enlightening. I highly recommend 'The Greatest Works of G. K. Chesterton' to anyone interested in delving into the brilliant mind of this literary giant. This collection offers a comprehensive overview of Chesterton's body of work and is sure to leave readers with a newfound appreciation for his contributions to literature.

If you are about to throw your favourite - but heavily stained - shirt in the bin, make sure you read this book first. Now you can tame even the most vexing spots and stains with this handy pocket guide, drawn from the royal bestsellers TALKING DIRTY WITH THE QUEEN OF CLEAN and TALKING DIRTY LAUNDRY WITH THE QUEEN OF CLEAN. Here are Her Majesty's most sought-after stain removal secrets - in one easy to use companion. BANISH STUBBORN STAINS: mustard * wine * spaghetti sauce * lipstick * grass stains * chewing gum * ink * chocolate * grease * tar * rust * nail polish * coffee and tea * and so many more! DISCOVER MAGICAL SOLUTIONS: Lemon juice, shampoo, salt, vinegar and other inexpensive, effective spot treatments make light work - and are waiting in your cupboard! PAMPER YOUR WASHABLES: From silk sheets to suede jackets, consult the Queen's sage advice on fabric types - and lift stains from all your belongings with tender loving care!

This historical exploration of the Green Book offers “a fascinating [and] sweeping story of black travel within Jim Crow America across four decades” (The New York Times Book Review). Published from 1936 to 1966, the Green Book was hailed as the “black travel guide to America.” At that time, it was very dangerous and difficult for African-Americans to travel because they couldn’t eat, sleep, or buy gas at most white-owned businesses. The Green Book listed hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses that were safe for black travelers. It was a resourceful and innovative solution to a horrific problem. It took courage to be listed in the Green Book, and Overground Railroad celebrates the stories of those who put their names in the book and stood up against segregation. Author Candacy A. Taylor shows the history of the Green Book, how we arrived at our present historical moment, and how far we still have to go when it comes to race relations in America. A New York Times Notable Book of 2020