Doc Ebersole lives with the ghost of Hank Williams—not just inthe figurative sense, not just because he was one of the lastpeople to see him alive, and not just because he is rumored to havegiven Hank the final morphine dose that killed him. In 1963, ten years after Hank's death, Doc himself is wracked byaddiction. Having lost his license to practice medicine, hismorphine habit isn't as easy to support as it used to be. So helives in a rented room in the red-light district on the south sideof San Antonio, performing abortions and patching up the odd knifeor gunshot wound. But when Graciela, a young Mexican immigrant,appears in the neighborhood in search of Doc's services, miraculousthings begin to happen. Graciela sustains a wound on her wrist thatnever heals, yet she heals others with the touch of her hand.Everyone she meets is transformed for the better, except, maybe,for Hank's angry ghost—who isn't at all pleased to see Doc doingwell. A brilliant excavation of an obscure piece of m

"There are tales of Middle-earth from times long before TheLord of the Rings, and the story told in this book is set in thegreat country that lay beyond the Grey Havens in the West: landswhere Treebeard once walked, but that were drowned in the greatcataclysm that ended the First Age of the World. "In that remotetime Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in the vast fortress ofAngband, the Hells of Iron, in the North; and the tragedy of Turinand his sister Nienor unfolded within the shadow of the fear ofAngband and the war waged by Morgoth against the lands and secretcities of the Elves. "Their brief and passionate lives weredominated by the elemental hatred that Morgoth bore them as thechildren of Hurin, the man who had dared to defy and to scorn himto his face. Against them he sent his most formidable servant,Glaurung, a powerful spirit in the form of a huge wingless dragonof fire. Into this story of brutal conquest and flight, of foresthiding-places and pursuit, of resistance with lessening hope, theD

For over fifty years, Eudora Welty and William Maxwell, two ofour most admired writers, penned letters to each other. They sharedtheir worries about work and family, literary opinions andscuttlebutt, moments of despair and hilarity. Living half acontinent apart, their friendship was nourished and maintained bytheir correspondence. "What There Is to Say We Have Said" bearswitness to Welty and Maxwell's editorial relationships - both inhis capacity as New Yorker editor and in their collegial back-andforth on their work. It's also a chronicle of the literary world ofthe time; read talk of James Thurber, William Shawn, Katherine AnnePorter, J. D. Salinger, Isak Dinesen, William Faulkner, JohnUpdike, Virginia Woolf, Walker Percy, Ford Madox Ford, JohnCheever, and many more. It is a treasure trove of readingrecommendations.

First published in 1938, The Hobbit is a story that "grew inthe telling," and many characters and events in the published bookare completely different from what Tolkien first wrote to readaloud to his young sons as part of their "fireside reads." For thefirst time, The History of the Hobbit reproduces the originalversion of one of literature's most famous stories, and includesmany little-known illustrations and previously unpublished maps forThe Hobbit created by Tolkien himself. Also featured are extensiveannotations and commentaries on the date of composition, howTolkien's professional and early mythological writings influencedthe story, the imaginary geography he created, and how he came torevise the book in the years after publication to accommodateevents in The Lord of the Rings.

The Tin Drum, one of the great novels of the twentiethcentury, was published in Ralph Manheim's outstanding translationin 1959. It became a runaway bestseller and catapulted its youngauthor to the forefront of world literature. To mark the fiftiethanniversary of the original publication, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,along with Grass's publishers all over the world, is bringing out anew translation of this classic novel. Breon Mitchell, acclaimedtranslator and scholar, has drawn from many sources: from a wealthof detailed scholarship; from a wide range of newly-availablereference works; and from the author himself. The result is atranslation that is more faithful to Grass's style and rhythm,restores omissions, and reflects more fully the complexity of theoriginal work. After fifty years, THE TIN DRUM has, if anything,gained in power and relevance. All of Grass's amazing evocationsare still there, and still amazing: Oskar Matzerath, theindomitable drummer; his grandmother, Anna Koljaiczek; his mother,Agnes;

Here for the first time, the original, complete Star Warstrilogy in a special 25th anniversary collector's editionhardcover.Twenty-five years after the phenomenon was born, StarWars remains one of the greatest fantasy epics ever told. Here inone collector's edition are the original stories from the firstthree classic films -- Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The EmpireStrikes Back, and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi -- each a New YorkTimes bestseller with over one million copies in print. Read thesethrilling novels to see where it all began with Luke Skywalker, afarm boy looking for adventure in a galaxy far, far away....

Daniel Johnson -- journalist, editor, scholar, and chessenthusiast who once played Garry Kasparov to a draw in asimultaneous exhibition -- is the perfect guide to one of history'smost remarkable periods, when chess matches were front-page newsand captured the world's imagination. The Cold War played out inmany areas: geopolitical alliances, military coalitions,cat-and-mouse espionage, the arms race, proxy wars -- and chess. Anessential pastime of Russian intellectuals and revolutionaries, andlater adopted by the Communists as a symbol of Soviet power, chesswas inextricably linked to the rise and fall of the "evil empire."This original narrative history recounts in gripping detail thesingular part the Immortal Game played in the Cold War. Fromchess's role in the Russian Revolution -- Marx, Lenin, and Trotskywere all avid players -- to the 1945 radio match when the Sovietscrushed the Americans, prompting Stalin's telegram "Well donelads!"; to the epic contest between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spasskyin 197

In the "stifling heat of equatorial Newark," a terrifyingepidemic is raging, threatening the children of the New Jersey citywith maiming, paralysis, life-long disability, and even death. Thisis the startling and surprising theme of Roth's wrenching new book:a wartime polio epidemic in the summer of 1944 and the effect ithas on a closely knit, family-oriented Newark community and itschildren. At the center of NEMISIS is a vigorous, dutiful, twenty-threeyear old playground director, Bucky Cantor, a javelin thrower andweightlifter, who is devoted to his charges and disappointed withhimself because his weak eyes have excluded him from serving in thewar alongside his contemporaries. Focusing on Cantor's dilemmas aspolio begins to ravage his playground--and on the everday realitieshe faces--Roth leads us through every inch of emotion such apestilence can breed: the fear, the panic, the anger, thebewilderment, the suffering, and the pain. Moving between the smoldering, malodorous streets of besieg

Comparing Google to an ordinary business islike comparing a rocket to an Edsel. No academic analysis orbystander’s account can capture it. Now Doug Edwards, EmployeeNumber 59, offers the first inside view of Google, giving readers achance to fully experience the bizarre mix of camaraderie andcompetition at this phenomenal company. Edwards, Google’s firstdirector of marketing and brand management, describes it as ithappened. We see the first, pioneering steps of Larry Page andSergey Brin, the company’s young, idiosyncratic partners; theevolution of the company’s famously nonhierarchical structure(where every employee finds a problem to tackle or a feature tocreate and works independently); the development of brand identity;the races to develop and implement each new feature; and the manyideas that never came to pass. Above all, Edwards—a formerjournalist who knows how to write—captures the “Google Experience,”the rollercoaster ride of being part of a company creating itselfin a whole new u

Spanning a period of almost 50 years, the stories of Henry Jamesrepresent one of the most remarkable feats of sustained literarycreation in modern times -- a body of work that, for sheerrichness, variety, and intensity, is unsurpassed in its genre. Thiscollection includes all the major stories as well as many that areunfamiliar but equally fascinating and memorable.Volume II includesthe magnificent works of James's maturity -- "The Figure in theCarpet", "The Turn of the Screw", "The Beast in the Jungle", amongmany others -- in which the deepening darkness of the author's ownlife casts a tragic but heroic shadow on the themes of hisyouth.

Alan Lee, the Oscar-winning conceptual designer for the Lordof the Rings movie trilogy, discusses his approach to depictingTolkien's imaginary world. The book presents more than 150 of Lee'scelebrated illustrations to show how his imagery for both theillustrated Lord of the Rings and the films progressed from conceptto finished art. In addition, the book contains 20 full-colorplates and numerous examples of the conceptual art produced forPeter Jackson's film adaptation. The Lord of the Rings Sketchbookprovides a wealth of background information and will be of interestto those who know and love Tolkien's work, from books to films toDVDs, as well as to budding artists and illustrators interested inhow to approach book illustration.

(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed) Raymond Chandler's first threenovels, published here in one volume, established his reputation asan unsurpassed master of hard-boiled detective fiction. "The BigSleep," Chandler's first novel, introduces Philip Marlowe, aprivate detective inhabiting the seamy side of Los Angeles in the1930s, as he takes on a case involving a paralyzed Californiamillionaire, two psychotic daughters, blackmail, and murder. In"Farewell, My Lovely," Marlowe deals with the gambling circuit, amurder he stumbles upon, and three very beautiful but potentiallydeadly women. In "The High Window," Marlowe searches the Californiaunderworld for a priceless gold coin and finds himself deep in thetangled affairs of a dead coin collector. In all three novels,Chandler's hard-edged prose, colorful characters, vivid vernacular,and, above all, his enigmatic loner of a hero, enduringly establishhis claim not only to the heights of his chosen genre but to thepantheon of literary art.

Dubbed "the American Tolkien" by "Time" magazine, #1 "New YorkTimes" bestselling author George R.R. Martin is a giant in thefield of fantasy literature and one of the most excitingstorytellers of our time. Now he delivers a rare treat for readers:a compendium of his shorter works, collected into two stunningvolumes, that offer fascinating insight into his journey from youngwriter to award-winning master. Gathered here, in Volume I, are thevery best of George R.R. Martin's early works, includingnever-before-published fan pieces, his Hugo, Nebula, and BramStoker Award-winning stories--plus the original novella "The IceDragon, "from which Martin's "New York Times" bestsellingchildren's book of the same title originated. A dazzling array thatfeatures extensive author commentary, Dreamsongs, Volume I," " isthe perfect collection for both Martin devotees and a newgeneration of fans.

It began, in 1979, as a mad idea of starting a cable channelto televise local sporting events throughout the state ofConnecticut. Today, ESPN is arguably the most successful network inmodern television history, spanning eight channels in the UnitesStates and around the world. But the inside story of its rise hasnever been fully told-until now. Drawing upon over 500 interviews with the greatest names inESPN's history and an All-Star collection of some of the world'sfinest athletes, bestselling authors James Miller and Tom Shalestake us behind the cameras. Now, in their own words, the men andwomen who made ESPN great reveal the secrets behind its success-aswell as the many scandals, rivalries, off-screen battles andtriumphs that have accompanied that ascent. From the unknownproducers and business visionaries to the most famous faces ontelevision, it's all here.

An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaurDNA has been discovered. Creatures once extinct now roam JurassicPark, soon-to-be opened as a theme park. Until something goeswrong...and science proves a dangeroustoy...."Wonderful...Powerful."THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD "Fromthe Paperback edition."

As a young man Frank Oppenheimer followed in his famousbrothers footstepsgrowing up in a privileged Manhattan household,becoming a physicist, working on the atomic bomb. Tragically, Frankand Robert both had their careers destroyed by the Red Scare. Buttheir paths diverged. While Robert died an almost ruined man, Frankcame into his own, emerging from ten years of exile on a Coloradoranch to create not just a multimillion dollar institution but alsoa revolution that was felt all over the world. His Exploratoriumwas a "museum of human awareness" that combined art and sciencewhile it encouraged play, experimentation, and a sense of joy andwonder; its success inspired a transformation in museums around theglobe. In many ways it was Franks answer to the atom bomb. K. C.Colea friend and colleague of Franks for many yearshas drawn fromletters, documents, and extensive interviews to write a verypersonal story of the man whose irrepressible spirit would inspireso many.

Dan Brown’s record-breaking novel The Lost Symbol weavesa breathtaking trail through the hidden artwork, chambers, tunnels,and temples of our nation’s capital. Now the fascinating visualsappear right before your eyes, making for a sumptuous readingexperience that brings alive Robert Langdon’s heart-stopping racethrough a little-known Washington, D.C. Revealing a world ofancient mysteries, stunning history, and secret societies, thisSpecial Illustrated Edition unveils a whole new level of intrigueand fascination within The Lost Symbol . Over one hundredfull-color images are featured throughout this lavishly illustratedgift edition—an essential companion to the original.

(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed) The only complete edition ofstories by the undisputed master of detective literature, collectedhere for the first time in one volume, including some stories thathave been unavailable for decades. When Raymond Chandler turned towriting at the age of forty-five, he began by publishing stories inpulp magazines such as "Black Mask" before later writing his famousnovels. These stories are where Chandler honed his art anddeveloped his uniquely vivid underworld, peopled with good cops andbad cops, informers and extortionists, lethally predatory blondesand redheads, and crime, sex, gambling, and alcohol in abundance.In addition to his classic hard-boiled stories-in which hissignature atmosphere of depravity and violence swirls around thecool, intuitive loners whose type culminated in the famousdetective Philip Marlowe-Chandler also turned his hand to fantasyand even a gothic romance. This rich treasury of twenty-fivestories shows Chandler developing the terse, laconic, understatedstyle