American Century

"Coleshanger people are pretty bad," said Uncle Edward. "They won't cross water after sunset. And they have to be in bed by midnight, otherwise they think that they'll be turned into baboons and apes. They also worship the flea." Written in 1952, Coleshanger is a humorous, whimsical, and charming recount of English village life in the early part of the last century, a tale waiting 70 years to be heard but still very much the story of us today.

Early 1800s. Thomasina Trelora is on her way to the colonies. Her fate: to be married to a clergyman she's never met. As the Australian coastline comes into view a storm wrecks the ship and leaves her lying on the rocks, near death. She's saved by an Aboriginal man who carries her to the door of a grand European house, Willowbrae. Tom is now free to be whoever she wants to be, and a whole new life opens up to her. But as she's drawn deeper into the intriguing life of this grand estate, she discovers that things aren't quite as they seem.

When seventeen-year-old Abigail Taylor turns down the proposal of her suitor, Tom Dawkins, her family feels that she must go out and make her own way in the world. So a position as a servant is secured for her in the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Dearest David is the story of the few months in the year 1841 during which Abigail experiences life in the Emerson household at the peak of both its intellectual and emotional intensity. She falls in love with the free spirited but emotionally cool Henry David Thoreau. She discovers the power of the prophetic and frightening Lidian Emerson. She ...

Within the annals of history lie stories of courage, sacrifice, and resilience—tales that illuminate the path of humanity's journey through the ages. Among these narratives, few are as compelling as that of the Culper Spy Ring, whose clandestine efforts played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of a nation. In the pages that follow, we embark on a journey through time, traversing the landscapes of the Revolutionary War and the 20th century revelation that brought the once-hidden heroes of the Culper Spy Ring into the light of recognition. Through meticulous research and evocative ...

She's the best matchmaker in town, or is she? Emmie Mueller is ready to join her family in Kansas as soon as her grandmother sells the boarding house. Grandmother won't leave until the bachelors living in the boarding house have a place to live. Emmie has a plan to use her matchmaking skills to find wives for the men. Tables are turned when the bachelors attempt to match her with the newest man in town. Matchmaker Bride is a fun-filled historical Christian historical novella is set in Trenton, Illinois in the late 1800s. If you like stepping back to a simpler time then you'll love Diana ...

Grains of Graphite is a North American poetry collection focusing on a wide range of emotions, many of which are intimate. The book was written with the intent to place readers in different situations, so they may experience emotions through new or altered experiences. People are welcome to interpret scenes in their own way separate from the writer’s vision. There’s beauty in the way individuals relate to the stories in this book. Explore inside this wide-open poetry book. You will see a young adult's troubles when you look. Know happiness also exists through my outlook. The poems did ...

She vowed to marry for love. He promised his daughters a mother for Christmas. Time is running out for both of them. A handshake between two men changes Alma Pickens’ life. Alma’s father promises her hand in marriage with a wedding due before Christmas. How can she keep her vow to her mother and still honor her father? With only Roy's dimples to capture her attention, Alma can’t conceive of loving a man in four weeks time. Widower Roy Gibbons' young daughters want a mother for Christmas, and desperate to grant their wish, he said yes without thinking. With Christmas right around the ...

Afraid of her own shadow and now she's in charge. He can't get her to notice him, it's time to ride out of town. A tragic barn fire takes Katie’s father and leaves her with a debt she can’t pay. To save her family she must save her farm, but how when she can't talk to people? Pete has pined for Katie a long time, but he can’t even get a smile from her. He’s given up on settling down and is ready to ride out of town. When lightning strikes the Tucker’s barn, he offers to help Katie with the farm and hopes to win her heart. Can Katie overcome her shyness and learn to trust Pete? The...

It's only natural that people have always been attracted to get-rich-quick schemes, and in spite of their best efforts, almost everyone has been tempted at one time or another by a promise of riches that can be obtained with little or no work. The attraction is even stronger during periods when ordinary people have indeed struck it rich, particularly the California Gold Rush and the Yukon Gold Rush in the mid-19th century and late 19th century respectively.

A treat for Janeites! Two parodies in the Jane Austen Upside Down Parody Pack! JANE AUSTEN UPSIDE DOWN 1: A PERSUASION PARODY A Regency Short Story: What if Anne Elliot weren't the capable one? What if it were her sister, Mary Musgrove, instead? A capable Mary and a helpless Anne? Oh, the thought. Why, the Regency world might be upside down! Who would Captain Wentworth take back to sea with him? JANE AUSTEN UPSIDE DOWN 2: THORNTON IN MY SIDE An Antebellum Novelette: Out of character, out of place, out of time period, Elizabeth Bennet is away from home, away from Hertfordshire in Regency ...

Will China be the leading global power of this century? Otto Tien-Pok Xing argues that China is set to be the dominant superpower in 10 years.