A "witty, irresistible" account of Jane Austen's most zealously devoted fans and their lively literary community (Lan Samantha Chang, author of The Family Chao).They walk among us in their bonnets and Empire-waist gowns, clutching their souvenir tote bags and battered paperbacks: the Janeites, Jane Austen's legion of devoted fans. Who are these obsessed admirers, whose passion has transformed Austen from classic novelist to pop-culture phenomenon? Deborah Y...

"A vivacious portrait. . . . Byrne's Austen emerges as a worldly woman, profoundly enmeshed in a wider world than she's often acknowledged to occupy. This is an Austen with a sense for the political as well as for the finer points of sensibility—and one who will be unfamiliar (though never unrecognizable) to many readers." — Publishers WeeklyIn The Real Jane Austen, acclaimed literary biographer Paula Byrne provides the most intimate and r...

"[An] intriguing philosophical journey into a critical issue within evolutionary theory that for too long has remained unresolved." —Wall Street JournalMatt Ridley is one of our finest science writers. This book is a treat for bird lovers and evolutionary biologists alike.” —Richard Dawkins, author of The Genetic Book of The Dead and The God DelusionThe New York Times bestselling ...

From the finger waves of the romantic 1910s to the beehive of the rebellious 1960s, retro hair has made a comeback. Vintage Hairstyles presents all the tools, techniques, and step-by-step instructions needed to achieve eye-catching looks for every occasion. Trendsetters, hairstylists, and fashionistas will love creating elegant updos for special events or playful curls for everyday excursions. Featuring a history of beauty trends by the decades, a list of must-have hair products, ...

For fans of The Wager and Mutiny on the Bounty comes a thrilling true tale of power, obsession, and betrayal at the edge of the world.In 1808, an American merchant ship happened upon an uncharted island in the South Pacific and unwittingly solved the biggest nautical mystery of the era: the whereabouts of a band of fugitives who, after seizing their vessel, had disappeared into the night with their Tahitian companions.Pitcairn Island was t...

An archaeology student is transported back to an ancient Ethiopian kingdom where, reborn as a warrior priestess, she must save their civilization from an evil as old as timeArchaeology student and expert in African history Tallahassee Mitford has been asked to authenticate some ancient artifacts. But there's a strange energy emanating from the relics, which, according to legend, can hold the soul of an entire nation. As she examines an ankh, talisman of the Egyptia...

A humorous and rousing set of literal and figurative sojourns as well as a mission statement about comprehending, protecting, and truly experiencing the outdoors, fueled by three journeys undertaken by actor, humorist, and New York Times bestselling author Nick OffermanNick Offerman has always felt a particular affection for the Land of the Free—not just for the people and their purported ideals but to the actual land itself: the bedrock, the topsoil, and ...

"A great book to introduce you to three fascinating sisters whose marriages during the reign of the infamous Edward II transformed England." — Adventures of a Tudor NerdThe de Clare sisters Eleanor, Margaret and Elizabeth were born in the 1290s as the eldest granddaughters of King Edward I of England and his Spanish queen Eleanor of Castile, and were the daughters of the greatest nobleman in England, Gilbert "the Red" de Clare, Earl of Gloucester. They grew...

Marion Dante always knew she would be a nun. She was her mother’s ‘‘sin offering’’, pledged to God even before her birth. So, at the age of fourteen, she entered a convent.Ten years later, she was wrestling with doubts and misery. Shunned by the nuns, her only ‘‘family’’, she set out on the long road to freedom. But freedom was a terrifying prospect. Like a caged bird she clung to her prison bars.Wearing a short skirt, ordering a cup of tea in a café, making everyda...

**An American Library in Paris "Coups de Coeur" SelectionA Los Angeles Times Bestseller"Elaine Sciolino is a graceful, companionable writer.… [She] has laid one more beautiful and amusing wreath on the altar of the City of Light.” —Edmund White, New York Times**Blending memoir, travelogue, and history, The Seine is a love letter to Paris and the river that determined its destiny. Master storyteller and longtime New York Times forei...

Perfect for fans of Jane Austen, this updated edition of Paula Byrne's debut book includes new material that explores the history of Austen stage adaptations, why her books work so well on screen, and what that reveals about one of the world's most beloved authors.Originally published by Bloomsbury Academic in 2003 as Jane Austen and the Theatre, Paula Byrne's first book was never made widely available in the US and is out of print today. An exploration of Austen's passion...

What if an angel fell to earth—and nobody liked him? That's the fascinating premise at the heart of this engrossing fantasy tale from science fiction master H. G. Wells. Penned around the same time Wells captured the world's imagination with novels like The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds, The Wonderful Visit is a satisfying diversion for readers ready to let their imaginations run wild.