Kazim Ali introduces five autofiction novellas by Kristjana Gunnars—available in the U.S. for the first time, in a single, handsome volume "Between the late eighties and late nineties, Kristjana Gunnars published five transgeneric novels comprised of a scintillating blend of fiction, autobiography, literary theory, and philosophy. Elusive and poetic... rigorous yet passionate...these books were treasured by a devoted readership and have been lauded by critics throughout the years since." – Kazim Ali, from the introduction From a childhood in Cold War Iceland to love affairs and deaths, these short works document a life of perpetual motion, told a discontinuous, subversive style to reflect the singular, feminist, nomadic life of the narrator. It is a life of thought, an ongoing engagement with writers from Proust to Kierkegaard to Kristeva, seeking and often finding a companionship in the writing of others. These five spellbinding narratives act as a bending bow, open to what life has to offer day by day and taking the gentler course, wherein nothing is forced and life’s big questions remain beautifully unanswered. The Prowler is a reminiscence of childhood spent in Iceland, seen from a distance with the Cold War as a backdrop, just before the hyper-modernization of the mid-sixties, when the air of the past was still discernible. When an orange was a delicacy against the darkness. This is Gunnars’ most lauded novella. Zero Hour is a contemplation and remembrance of the narrator’s father and his death. The narrative traces the course of the father’s illness and final moments, and confronts the reality and grief of absolute endings. The Substance of Forgetting is ultimately about happiness. Set in a lush valley in central B.C., the narrator begins to awaken to possibilities of love and transcendence. The Rose Garden is set in Germany and the narrator is on an academic exchange wherein all that happens are things that are not supposed to happen. Night Train to Nykøbing is a darker exploration of life’s (and love’s) unknowns and the dangers inherent in choices we make. The narrator is travelling between Vancouver and Oslo in a continuous back and forth that gives rise to a sense of the liminality of life itself. "The intimacy, grace, and intelligence of these narratives is remarkable. The mystery and quietude honours the beauty of the everyday as it passes, while simultaneously gesturing to vast other worlds. Often I was taken by its openings and distances, and a marvellous, almost translucent quality that permeates the texts. Oddly, at times it felt as if I were inside a whispering many-chambered shell – resonant, enclosed, pearlescent – the pleasure afforded, enormous." –Carole Maso, author of Ghost Dance "From 1989 to 1998, the Icelandic-Canadian writer Kristjana Gunnars published five novellas, each detailing specific moments in the writer’s life. Gathered here for the first time, they offer a significant new strand of thinking about the rise of autofiction and the history of innovative women’s writing in Canada. If you loved discovering Annie Ernaux, you’ll love discovering Kristjana Gunnars." –Sina Queyras, author of Lemon Hound

A guide to making and decorating your own candles, with information about the necessary equipment, ingredients, and procedures.

Newly married bride Laura Wainwright tries her best to settle into life at her husband's oppressive family manor despite his strange family, but when a series of "incidents" endanger her life she must discover what secrets the family is hiding.

Longlisted for the PEN Translation Prize From one of Argentina’s greatest contemporary storytellers, this collection gathers twenty-five of her most remarkable and incandescent short stories in English for the first time The Scent of Buenos Aires offers the first book-length English translation of Uhart’s work, drawing together her best vignettes of quotidian life: moments at the zoo, the hair salon, or a cacophonous homeowners association meeting. She writes in unconventional, understated syntax, constructing a delightfully specific perspective on life in South America. These stories are marked by sharp humor and wit: discreet and subtle—yet filled with eccentric and insightful characters. Uhart’s narrators pose endearing questions about their lives and environments—one asks “Bees—do you know how industrious they are?” while another inquires, “Are we perhaps going to hell in a hand basket?” “Uhart’s stories are concise and filled with both dry and conversational wit and flashes of poignant insight . . . slice-of-life writer . . . ” —Thrillist

Argues that human freedom is threatened by systems of intelligent persuasion developed by tech giants who compete for our time and attention. This title is also available as Open Access.

Chosen by author Elizabeth Gilbert as one of her ten favorite books, Daniel Ladinsky’s extraordinary renderings of 250 unforgettable lyrical poems by Hafiz, one of the greatest Sufi poets of all time More than any other Persian poet—even Rumi—Hafiz expanded the mystical, healing dimensions of poetry. Because his poems were often ecstatic love songs from God to his beloved world, many have called Hafiz the “Invisible Tongue.” Indeed, Daniel Ladinsky has said that his work with Hafiz is an attempt to do the impossible: to render Light into words—to make the Luminous Resonance of God tangible to our finite senses. I am a hole in a flute that the Christ's breath moves through— listen to this music! With this stunning collection of Hafiz’s most intimate poems, Ladinsky has succeeded brilliantly in presenting the essence of one of Islam’s greatest poetic and religious voices. Each line of The Gift imparts the wonderful qualities of this master Sufi poet and spiritual teacher: encouragement, an audacious love that touches lives, profound knowledge, generosity, and a sweet, playful genius unparalleled in world literature.

Sebastião Salgado documents traditional methods of sustainable coffee farming across the globe, revealing rituals steeped in history and pride. The book spans a decade of research into the world of coffee, highlighting relationships characterized by respect, fair exchange, and a shared understanding that ever-improving quality has the power to improve lives.

Perfume blogger Polly is in crisis. Will her husband's absence break her ... or make her? A novel of perfumes, exploring life, love, loss and forgiveness -- Maggie Alderson's new bestseller. 'Delicious and delightful in every way' Daily Mail Are you still married if you haven't seen your husband for months? Polly's life is great. Her children are away at uni, her glamorous mother -- still modelling at eighty-five -- is happily settled in a retirement village, and her perfume blog is taking off. Then her husband announces he needs some space and promptly vanishes. As Polly grapples with her bewildering situation, she clings to a few new friends to keep her going -- Shirlee, the loudmouthed yoga student; Guy, the mysterious, infuriating and hugely talented perfumer; and Edward, an old flame from university. And while she distracts herself with the heady world of luxury perfume, Polly knows she can't keep reality at bay forever. Eventually she is forced to confront some difficult truths: about her husband, herself and who she really wants to be. Praise for Maggie Alderson: 'Maggie Alderson has a light touch, a well-sharpened wit and lots of heart' Better Reading 'The Scent of You is just that: a classic Alderson which mixes everything good in life; perfume, the internet, family and Very Good Looking men, into one can't-put-down read' Vogue 'A lovely combination of glamour, humour and poignancy.' Marian Keyes on Handbags and Gladrags 'Brimming with wit and wisdom' Courier-Mail

The NYT & USA Today Bestselling "Signs of the Zodiac" Urban Fantasy SeriesJoanna Archer's life was forever shattered at sixteen when she was savagely assaulted and left for dead in the unforgiving Nevada desert.By all accounts, she should be dead. Now, by day, Joanna masquerades as a photographer in the glittering facade of Las Vegas. But when darkness descends, she prowls a more sinister Sin City, seeing answers ... and revenge.Yet in a city where the struggle between Light and Shadow remains eternal, Joanna's nightmare is just beginning ... for those in the Shadows have been looking for the girl who got away, and this time they want her for their own. ***"From the one-damn-thing-after-another school of unputdownable books, The Scent of Shadows rockets into the air and explodes like fireworks, with nonstop bursts of action and imagination." - Diana Gabaldon ***The Scent of Shadows is the first book in the Signs of the Zodiac series.

Erica Bauermeister, the national bestselling author of The School of Essential Ingredients, presents a moving and evocative coming-of-age novel about childhood stories, families lost and found, and how a fragrance conjures memories capable of shaping the course of our lives. Emmeline lives an enchanted childhood on a remote island with her father, who teaches her about the natural world through her senses. What he won’t explain are the mysterious scents stored in the drawers that line the walls of their cabin, or the origin of the machine that creates them. As Emmeline grows, however, so too does her curiosity, until one day the unforeseen happens, and Emmeline is vaulted out into the real world--a place of love, betrayal, ambition, and revenge. To understand her past, Emmeline must unlock the clues to her identity, a quest that challenges the limits of her heart and imagination. Lyrical and immersive, The Scent Keeper explores the provocative beauty of scent, the way it can reveal hidden truths, lead us to the person we seek, and even help us find our way back home.