An engrossing literary novel about a family mystery, revenge, and forgiveness by the bestselling author of Norwegian Wood and The Bell in the Lake The Sixteen Trees of the Somme is an intricately plotted and enthralling novel by the award-winning author of Norwegian Wood and The Bell in the Lake. An international bestseller and longlisted for the Dublin Literary Prize, it tells the story of Edvard and starts at his family’s tree farm in Norway, where he was raised by his grandfather. The death of Edvard’s parents when he was three has always been a mystery but he knows that the fate of his grandfather’s brother, Einar, is somehow connected. One day a coffin is delivered to the farm for his grandfather, long before the grandfather’s death––a meticulous, beautiful, and unique piece of craftsmanship with the hallmarks of a certain master craftsman––raising the thought that Einar isn’t dead after all. Edvard is now driven to unravel the mystery of his parents’ death. Following a trail of clues from Norway to the Shetland Islands to the battlefields of France and sixteen ancient walnut trees colored by poison gas in World War I, Edvard ultimately discovers a very unusual inheritance. Spanning a century and masterfully navigating themes of revenge and forgiveness, love and loneliness, The Sixteen Trees of the Somme displays the rich talents of Lars Mytting––whose novels have sold over a million copies worldwide––in a story that is utterly compelling and unforgettable.

Art, poetry, and desire collide in a sensual, "elegantly moving" (The New Yorker) literary romance set in the cobbled streets and painted halls of Florence, Italy. Margot Harrington, an American volunteer in Florence, is an expert at book conservancy. While struggling to save a waterlogged convent library, she comes across a fabulous volume of sixteen erotic drawings by Giulio Romano, accompanying sixteen steamy sonnets by Pietro Aretino. When first published over four centuries ago, the Vatican ordered all copies destroyed. This one—now unique—volume has survived. The abbess prevails upon Margot to save the order’s finances by selling the magnificently illustrated erotica discreetly—meaning without the bishop’s knowledge. Margot’s other clandestine project is a middle-aged Italian who is boldly attempting radical measures to save endangered frescoes. She is 29 and available; he, older and married. He shares her sense of mission and soon her bed in this daring story of spiritual longing and earthly desire.

Jansson documents how presidents from FDR to Clinton have made ill-advised choices that squandered trillions of dollars. Using Office of Management and Budget projections through 2004, Jansson shows how the madness continues--and how an informed electorate can put an end to it.

Choices about budget priorities are arguably the most important made by the federal government, profoundly affecting the well-being of citizens. Bruce Jansson documents how presidents from FDR to Clinton have made ill-advised choices that wasted trillions of dollars. Going beyond charges of corruption or bureaucratic waste, the book is an eye-opening exposé revealing innumerable useless projects (military as well as civilian), unnecessary tax concessions, and the use of interest payments to cover deficit spending, among other costly mistakes. Using Office of Management and Budget projections through 2004, Jansson shows how the madness continues—and how an informed electorate can put an end to it.

Laurel takes her sisters—Rose, Daisy, and Lily—for granted, and she thinks nothing can go wrong. But when tragedy strikes, it feels like her family is falling apart, and she needs somewhere to turn. Luckily, there’s Jack...

If Dexter and Faith (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) had a daughter and raised her in the land of Santa Clarita Diet....she'd be Clare Bleecker. The small town of Pickman Flats offers a bright sunny place filled with quaint shopping and wine tasting. But underneath the town's inviting exterior lies a dark underbelly, a sinister element that lurks in the shadows. Clare is a devoted vegan who goes to Catholic high school, is fastidious in her manner, and also, well, a serial killer. The Other Clare takes over at the most inopportune of times. She tries to keep her inner beast's lust for blood at bay, but it's hard when there are so many creeps around who help to unleash it. What secret lies hidden beneath Pickman Flats? And who is Clare really? If you want answers, well, there's only one way to find out - even if it kills you. Slay Responsibly, XOXO Clare hr “A stylish, cool, ratatattat machine gun prose that blazes from all chambers -- it's like an unholy union of Heathers and Dexter. Clare Bleecker is an unforgettable, dangerous voice.” -- Tom Holland, writer-director of Fright Night and Child's Play “Clare at Sixteen is a terrifying triumph! What Don Roff has done with this highly personal and deeply disturbing novel is deliver one of the most memorable and ultimately sympathetic serial killers since Robert Bloch conceived of Norman Bates. This bloody and brilliant book, as well as its complex main character, will haunt readers long after their final prayers of the night. BRAVO!" -- Mark Pavia, Writer/Director of Stephen King's The Night Flier "Reminiscent of Heathers, Clare at Sixteen is a delightfully dark teen horror comedy with a dauntless and snarky heroine who serves up her own unique brand of small town justice along with some killer vegan smoothie recipes." --S.G. Browne, author of Breathers and Less Than Hero hr

Smart cities are a fast-growing species, and a fascinating field for new experiments in a number of critical areas, ranging from urban planning, sustainable energy, and transport strategies to social integration and talent attraction, to name a few. As leaders and citizens around the world continue to assess, design, implement and improve on ways to create better cities, they often find themselves confronted with a multitude of decisions and a wide range of partial solutions to specific problems such as traffic congestion, waste management and crime. Unfortunately, they have precious few tools to enable them to define the strategies required and take advantage of the experience of other smart cities around the world. In such a context, metrics can play a significant and constructive role: by quantifying efforts and results, they increase the ability of decision-makers to identify where their priorities should lie as well as the relative merits of various approaches.