Literary Society

One of Jane Austen's most complex and mature works, Mansfield Park shows the writer at the top of her form, tackling the manners and customs of early 19th-century society with wit and irony that still resonate with readers two centuries after the book's initial publication. Flo Gibson's compelling narration gives perfect voice to the trials and tribulations of Fanny Price, sent at a young age to live with her rich relations.

On the brink of the Nazi occupation of Paris, a German-Jewish bookbinder stumbles across a manuscript called Crossings. It has three narratives, each as unlikely as the next. And the narratives can be listened to one of two ways: either straight through or according to an alternate chapter sequence. The first story in Crossings is a never-before-seen ghost story by the poet Charles Baudelaire, penned for an illiterate girl.

In this carefully crafted novel, Dickens reveals the complexity of London society in the enterprising 1840s as he takes the listener into the business firm and home of one of its most representative patriarchs, Paul Dombey.

What the World Needs Now is Poems Sweet Poems Anthology, by author Reneé Drummond-Brown and mutually respected writers from across the globe who pen philosophical writings saturated in worldviews relating to: culture, subculture, principles, language, struggle, freedom, equality, inequality and war and peace. It has been said that poetry imitates life, therefore this Anthology gives the reader something of old, something new, something borrowed and ‘sum sho-nuff poetic blues.

In A.D. 256, the specter of treachery hangs ominously over the Roman Empire. The sparks of Christian fervor have spread through the empire like wildfire, and the imperium is alive with the machinations of dangerous and powerful men. All the while, Sassanid forces press forward relentlessly along the eastern frontier. The battle-bloodied General Ballista returns to the imperial court from the fallen city of Arete only to find that there are those who would rather see him dead than alive.

On a ravaged street overlooking a cemetery in Beirut's Christian enclave, we meet an eccentric young man named Pavlov, the son of a local undertaker. When his father meets a sudden and untimely death, Pavlov is approached by a colorful member of the mysterious Hellfire Society - an anti-religious sect that, among many rebellious and often salacious activities, arranges secret burial for outcasts who have been denied last rites because of their religion or sexuality.

Claire Boltwood and her father drive their Gomez-Dep roadster from Minnesota to Seattle, exposing themselves to all the perils of early motoring. They encounter the upper-crust Boltwoods who are at once more noble and more insignificant. Other class barriers exist between Claire and a mechanic named Milt, who, along with his cat, follows close behind.

The House of Mirth was Edith Wharton's first great novel. Set among the elegant brownstones of New York City and opulent country houses like gracious Bellomont on the Hudson, the novel creates a satiric portrayal of what Wharton herself called "a society of irresponsible pleasure-seekers" with a precision comparable to that of Proust.

Naive young Masha Mironova arrives in Moscow at the turn of the century with a modest inheritance and a determination to shed her provincial Siberian upbringing. As soon as she alights in Moscow, she becomes Columbine, a reckless and daring young woman with eccentric outfits and a pet snake worn as a necklace. Columbine soon discovers the Lovers of Death - a small group of poets who conduct seances to determine death's next chosen lover. The string of suicides resulting from the group have drawn attention, and gentleman detective Erast Fandorin investigates.

The war on drugs has been lost but for want of the courage to face the fact that the whole world is rapidly becoming one vast criminal network. From pop stars and princes to crack whores and street kids. From the Groucho Club toilets to the poppy fields of Afghanistan, we are all partners in crime.

Lee Cuddy is 17 years old and on the run, alone on the streets of Philadelphia. After taking the fall for a rich friend, Lee reluctantly accepts refuge in the Crystal Castle - a cooperative of homeless kids squatting in an austere derelict building. But homeless kids are disappearing from the streets in suspicious numbers, and Lee quickly discovers that the secret society's charitable façade is too good to be true. She finds an unexpected ally in Tomi, a young artist and hacker.

In a world fueled by sex, drugs, and money, the savvy, sexy, and professional women of the Black Magnolia Society are taking the entertainment industry by storm making and breaking all the rules. Amidst racial turmoil and social prejudice, three best friends formed a bond that remained throughout their lifetime. Cicely Charles, Katherine Blessing, and Lucinda Lewis formed the Black Magnolia Society in 1936. Over sixty years later, their granddaughters have taken the helm to continue their legacy of sisterhood, strength, courage, and ultimately wisdom. In this first book of an exciting new ...

Born into the household of a wealthy slave owner in Cuba in 1797, Juan Francisco Manzano spent his early years by the side of a woman who made him call her Mama, even though he had a mama of his own. Denied an education, young Juan still showed an exceptional talent for poetry. His verses reflect the beauty of his world, but they also expose its hideous cruelty.

Beautiful, clever, and more than a little bored, Ania Khurana has Delhi wrapped around her finger. Having successfully found love for her spinster aunt, she sets her sights on Dimple: her newest, sweetest, and most helpless friend. But when her aunt's handsome nephew arrives from America, the social tides in Delhi begin to shift. Surrounded by old money and new; relentless currents of gossip; and an unforgettable cast of socialites, journalists, gurus, and heirs, Ania discovers that her good intentions are no match for the whims and intrigues of Delhi's high society.

In a small seaside city on the Jersey Shore, three half-siblings confront the death of a distant and bullying patriarch. They now have the chance to imagine new relationships and new futures, ones that would have been near-unthinkable while their father was alive. Caught in their crossfire are the conservative religious communities that border Asbury Park, the longtime locals who have been pushed to the fringe by the shore’s revitalization, and the legendary town upon which the whole world seems to converge.

Lee Smith, author of the acclaimed The Last Girls, delights with a tale of dry wit. Smith has won many prizes, including the Southern Book Critics Circle Award and the Academy Award in Literature.

At Madeline's Tea Salon, the cozy hub of the Avalon community, local residents scrapbook their memories and make new ones. But across town, other Avalonians are struggling to free themselves of the past: Isabel Kidd is fixing up her ramshackle house while sorting through the complications of her late husband's affair. Ava Catalina is mourning the love of her life and helping her young son grow up without his father. And Frances Latham eagerly anticipates the arrival of a little girl from China - unprepared for the emotional roller coaster of foreign adoption.

The sexy, savvy, and professional ladies of The Black Magnolia Society are back in More Than A Woman. Picking up where Volume I left off, this book reveals the number one question every reader wanted answered - "What happened to Lucinda?" All of the beloved characters are back staking their place amongst the entertainment business elite and juggling their personal drama. It's time to get lost in the world of Black Magnolia all over again.

Queens of the South is a heat filled novel that tells the story of how success does not always equal happiness. A top video vixen is raped on the set. A rapper stands falsely accused and suffers by the hands of street justice. Gloria Cabrera has worked hard to build the top modeling agency in hip hop, but with her money maker being attacked, there needs to be a change in direction. Candy Martinez could care less about anyone but herself and she eventually has to pay for her selfish ways. Supermodel Tabitha Monroe and Happy Ramirez are at war. The former best friends become chief rivals in ...

FROM AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE DUCHESS DIARIES, VIOLET SINCLAIR In the glittering world of Regency London, where whispers behind silk fans and closed doors can make or break a reputation, Lady Anne Hayworth finds herself at a crossroads. Widowed and longing for independence in a society that prizes male dominance, Anne's life takes a thrilling turn when she is introduced to The Lady's Side Club—a secret haven for the elite women of London. "Silk & Discretion" is the first book in the captivating "The Lady's Side" series, where hidden desires meet daring actions. Within the walls of this...