Modern Fiction

Born a slave, the Roman Stoic philosopher Epictetus (c. 55-135 AD) taught that mental freedom is supreme, since it can liberate one anywhere, even in a prison. In How to Be Free, A. A. Long - one of the world's leading authorities on Stoicism and a pioneer in its remarkable contemporary revival - provides a superb new edition of Epictetus's celebrated guide to the Stoic philosophy of life (the Encheiridion) along with a selection of related reflections in his Discourses.

In a world where social media, online relationships, and relentless self-absorption threaten the very idea of deep and lasting friendships, the search for true friends is more important than ever. In this short book, famous Roman politician and philosopher Cicero offers a compelling guide to finding, keeping, and appreciating friends. With wit and wisdom, Cicero teaches not only how to build friendships but also why they must be a key part of our lives. For, as Cicero says, life without friends is not worth living.

A romance novel set in Haverly, a suburban town in the United States, during the mid-20th century. Step into the world of "Song of Two Worlds," where love dances on the edges of societal expectations and personal desires. In the quaint town of Haverly, Elizabeth Nola, a vibrant young soprano, finds herself at a crossroads, her heart pulled between two compelling suitors amid the whispers of a community steeped in tradition. Join her journey as she navigates the trials of love, loss, and the search for identity in a time when the heart often battles against the weight of societal pressures. ...

I’m Ross Kelly, one of Stormy’s closest friends. Tucker and Callum are the other two in our group. We all grew up here in Gusty Rock and the four of us have always been friends. The guys are like brothers, but they don’t really know my family life. They think they do, and they know most of it. But there are secrets they aren’t aware of. That no one’s aware of with one exception, my little sister, Shelby. My parents knew once upon a time, but they’re both dead now. I miss Mom, but not Dad. He doesn’t deserve being missed. The secrets have to do with that, but I’m not getting ...

Jim Loney is a mixed-blood, of White and Indian parentage. Estranged from both communities, he lives a solitary, brooding existence in a small Montana town. His nights are filled with disturbing dreams that haunt his waking hours. Rhea, his lover, cannot console him; Kate, his sister, cannot penetrate his world. In sparse, moving prose, Welch has crafted a riveting tale of disenfranchisement.

On Libby Bennet’s To Do list • Put that arrogant Will Fitz in his place. He bet Libby $50 that she couldn’t find a date to prom. Maybe Libby wasn’t interested in prom before, but now, it’s on. • Help her heartbroken sister, Jane. Teo’s been in love with her for years, and now, when Jane’s finally interested, he blows her off. Jane insists Teo has moved on, but Libby knows there is no way he could have forgotten her sister so easily. • Figure out what to do about Jeremiah, the new guy in school that her mother invited to LIVE WITH THEM. Every day he’s the star of his own ...

A Collection of Short Tales is an anthology of unique stories that will capture one's imagination. Characters that you might cheer or jeer for are woven into these stories. Maybe... just maybe you will get lost within a tale and emerge a new person. Or maybe... just maybe you will have a good laugh. Either way dive into this compilation of distinctive stories and have fun.

In the pulverized ruins of eastern Ukraine, the battle for Chasiv Yar is the focal point of the entire war. For the Ukrainian defenders, it is the last door protecting the country's heartland; for the relentless Russian army, it is the gateway to total victory. At the center of this inferno is Captain Ivan Tkachuk, a battle-weary officer tasked with holding the city’s most critical sector: the Kanal microdistrict. Haunted by past battles and carrying a tremor from a shell that landed too close , Ivan is given command of the last reinforcements—a handful of terrified new soldiers who ...

An exploited child worker in the silver mines of Bolivia finds an ally – but at what cost? A young woman's affair has terrifying repercussions when her lover's wife dies. A sailor's wife takes her communion with Nature a little too far…From a hungry young woman who is not what she seems, to a boy who has taken his mother's advice a little too seriously; from disfigured girls willing to pay any price to fit in, to an immigrant who cannot escape his tormentor; from a new home with a sinister secret, this collection plumbs the depths of the psyche and dredges up some very modern horrors.

En el verano de 1816, el poeta Percy B. Shelley y su esposa Mary se reunieron con Lord Byron y su médico en una villa a orillas del lago Leman. A instancias de Lord Byron y para animar una velada tormentosa, decidieron que cada uno inventaría una historia de fantasmas. La más callada y reservada, Mary Shelley, dio vida así a quien sería su personaje más famoso: el doctor Frankenstein. Al cabo de un año completaría la novela.

At 17, Anna K is at the top of Manhattan and Greenwich society (even if she prefers the company of her horses and dogs); she has the perfect (if perfectly boring) boyfriend, Alexander W.; and she has always made her Korean-American father proud (even if he can be a little controlling). Meanwhile, Anna's brother, Steven, and his girlfriend, Lolly, are trying to weather a sexting scandal.

Published nine years after her 1933 novelization of the trial and death of Socrates, Rogue’s Legacy is Babette Deutsch imagining François Villon, the notorious French poet known as much for his verse as for his criminality. As Herbert Gorman wrote in the New York Times: “The extant documentation concerning Villon in Rogue’s Legacy is brought to such a sharp and living fictional focus that the result for the reader is very much like draining a huge beaker of ruddy Beaune that the poet loved so well. . . . She has created a character who lives and who might very well be the François ...

After accidentally killing the Grand High Witch of Edinburgh, enchantress investigator Elle Chambers is a marked woman. The coven wants vengeance. The magical world is watching. And Elle is once again caught in the crosshairs of supernatural politics. On the run with werewolf legal advisor Ferguson Black, Elle finds herself drawn to London on a dangerous new case involving a threat to the royals. But London holds its own perils, and Elle must navigate a city steeped in witch-hunting history while staying one step ahead of those who want her dead. Complicating matters, her partnership with ...

She’s a tiny slip of a thing that I can lift one-handed, but my new bride is a spitfire too. From the moment I saw her, I knew I would do anything to protect her. Our marriage has been consummated in body, but I intend to have her heart and soul too. And that means that my sweet bride has to tell me everything. Even her darkest secrets.

In The Making of Modern Britain, Andrew Marr paints a fascinating portrait of life in Britain during the first half of the 20th century as the country recovered from the grand wreckage of the British Empire. Between the death of Queen Victoria and the end of the Second World War, the nation was shaken by war and peace. The two wars were the worst we had ever known and the episodes of peace among the most turbulent and surprising.

Bold and lyrical, sensual and highly charged, Cereus Blooms at Night is the beautifully written, sensational first novel by Shani Mootoo, one of Canada’s most exciting literary voices. At the core of this haunting multi-generational novel are the shifting faces of Mala - adventurer and protector, recluse, and madwoman. Told by the engaging voice of Tyler, Mala’s vivacious male caretaker at the Paradise Alms House, Cereus Blooms at Night is layered with unforgettable scenes of a world where love and treachery collide.

Teen influencer Naema Bradshaw has it all: she’s famous, stylish, gorgeous - and she’s an Eloko, a charismatic person gifted with a melody that people adore. Everyone loves her - until she's cast as the villain who exposed a Siren to the whole world. Dragged by the media, and canceled by her fans, no one understands her side: not her boyfriend, not her friends, not even her fellow Eloko.

When a surprise nuclear attack forces Aidan from hiding, he finds the world to be a much different and more deadly place. Now, he'll traverse a post-apocalyptic landscape populated by violent redneck looters, rogue military factions, and an army of hungry undead.... After two combat tours in the Middle East, Aidan Sullivan just wants to be left alone on his family’s ranch in the Texas Hill Country. But when the bombs fall and the dead walk, Aidan risks life and limb to rescue his aging parents from the zombie horde.

When Lyric Wilde’s not whipping up the best food in town at the Dark Horse Dive Bar, she’s making a name for herself as a rising singer-songwriter. And if any of her online followers cross the line from friendly to fanatical, well, Lyric figures it goes with the territory—and she can take care of herself. But there’s one fan she wants to get to know better—a silent, sexy biker named Viper. A man who makes her think mine every time she looks at him. But who exactly is “Viper?”

LYRICS EDITION: Features all-new original lyrics and music from the Wynter Wild series “having problems putting it down.... an amazing, well written series” - Facebook reviewer When love makes sense… Wynter and her brothers are ready to rock venues all over Seattle. No one can deny the natural chemistry Rule212 has on stage. Behind the scenes there's tension brewing. It's not easy to work, play, and live together. Family means everything to Wynter and she'll do whatever it takes to protect hers. But something at the very heart of this family is ripping it apart. No secrets or lies - ...