“Ingenious . . . Mary B is a tribute not just to [Jane] Austen but to defiant women of any era.”—USA Today The overlooked middle sister in Pride and Prejudice casts off her prim exterior and takes center stage in this fresh retelling of the classic novel. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY REAL SIMPLE What is to be done with Mary Bennet? She possesses neither the beauty of her eldest sister, Jane, nor the high-spirited wit of second-born Lizzy. Even compared to her frivolous younger siblings, Kitty and Lydia, Mary knows she is lacking in the ways that matter for single, not-so-well-to-do women in nineteenth-century England who must secure their futures through the finding of a husband. As her sisters wed, one by one, Mary pictures herself growing old, a spinster with no estate to run or children to mind, dependent on the charity of others. At least she has the silent rebellion and secret pleasures of reading and writing to keep her company. But even her fictional creations are no match for the scandal, tragedy, and romance that eventually visit Mary’s own life. In Mary B, readers are transported beyond the center of the ballroom to discover that wallflowers are sometimes the most intriguing guests at the party. Beneath Mary’s plain appearance and bookish demeanor simmers an inner life brimming with passion, humor, and imagination—and a voice that demands to be heard. Set before, during, and after the events of Pride and Prejudice, Katherine J. Chen’s vividly original debut novel pays homage to a beloved classic while envisioning a life that is difficult to achieve in any era: that of a truly independent woman. Praise for Mary B “Charming and smart . . . a heedless downhill pleasure—plush, ironic and illuminating.”—Newsday “Watching [Mary] come into her own is a delight.”—People “A new, wholly original perspective on the classic . . . This is the ultimate Austen adaptation for our time.”—Real Simple “The best part about Mary’s star turn is that it bears little relation to the fates of her sisters. She’s a simmering, churning, smart woman determined to concoct an independent life.”—The Washington Post

Carter Years ago, Naomi was the girl who'd saved my life without knowing it. All it took was a handful of innocent words from her to change the decision I was about to make. Ending up in the same town hundreds of miles away from our hometown wasn't exactly a fluke. I knew what loss was. I'd felt the pain and knew how easy it was to suffocate under it, but what if I was the wrench that fit all the pieces of her life and held them in place, so she could put it back together again for her and her niece. What if I was her monkey wrench, and what if she was mine? Naomi Raising my niece by myself wasn't easy but moving to Piersville from Fernandina Beach was the best decision I could have made for us. I just didn't count on Carter Lane being here, too. He'd always been quiet, but around me, that changed. I just don't know what anything the guy does means, though. Carter's helpful, he's great with Shanti, makes me laugh, and it blew my mind when he gave me the Blow Pop I'd given him all those years ago in a frame. Changing life paths isn't easy, but it's a damn sight simpler than trying to figure out a man's mind. Especially his.

Vol. 6 includes "The Celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town of Topsfield, Massachusetts, August 16-17, 1900."

Includes various departmental reports and reports of commissions. Cf. Gregory. Serial publications of foreign governments, 1815-1931.

This collection of papers addresses context-dependence and methods for dealing with it. The book also records comments to the papers and the authors' replies to the comments. In this way, the contributions themselves are contextually dependent. It represents an inquiry into the activities on the semantics side of the pragmatics boundary.