Author: Lisa See
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1408811790
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 399
Book Description
Peony has neither seen nor spoken to any man other than her father, a wealthy Chinese nobleman. Nor has she ever ventured outside the cloistered women's quarters of the family villa. As her sixteenth birthday approaches she finds herself betrothed to a man she does not know, but Peony has dreams of her own. Her father engages a theatrical troupe to perform scenes from The Peony Pavilion, a Chinese epic opera, in their garden amidst the scent of ginger, green tea and jasmine. 'Unmarried girls should not be seen in public,' says Peony's mother, but her father allows the women to watch from behind a screen. Here, Peony catches sight of an elegant, handsome man and is immediately bewitched. So begins her unforgettable journey of love, desire, sorrow and redemption.
Watching the Spring Festival
Author: Frank Bidart
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
ISBN:
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 82
Book Description
Mortality--imminent, not theoretical--forces the self to question the relation between the actual life lived and what was once the promise of transformation. This plays out against a broad landscape. The book opens with Marilyn Monroe, followed by the glamour of the eighth-century Chinese imperial court (seen through the eyes of one of China's greatest poets, Tu Fu). At the center of the book is an ambitious meditation on the Russian ballerina Ulanova, Giselle, and the nature of tragedy. All this gives new dimension and poignance to Bidart's recurring preoccupation with the human need to leave behind some record or emblem, a made thing that stands, in the face of death, for the possibilities of art. Mortality--imminent, not theoretical--forces the self to question the relation between the actual life lived and what was once the promise of transformation. This plays out against a broad landscape. The book opens with Marilyn Monroe, followed by the glamour of the eighth-century Chinese imperial court (seen through the eyes of one of China's greatest poets, Tu Fu). At the center of the book is an ambitious meditation on the Russian ballerina Ulanova, Giselle, and the nature of tragedy. All this gives new dimension and poignance to Bidart's recurring preoccupation with the human need to leave behind some record or emblem, a made thing that stands, in the face of death, for the possibilities of art.
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
ISBN:
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 82
Book Description
Mortality--imminent, not theoretical--forces the self to question the relation between the actual life lived and what was once the promise of transformation. This plays out against a broad landscape. The book opens with Marilyn Monroe, followed by the glamour of the eighth-century Chinese imperial court (seen through the eyes of one of China's greatest poets, Tu Fu). At the center of the book is an ambitious meditation on the Russian ballerina Ulanova, Giselle, and the nature of tragedy. All this gives new dimension and poignance to Bidart's recurring preoccupation with the human need to leave behind some record or emblem, a made thing that stands, in the face of death, for the possibilities of art. Mortality--imminent, not theoretical--forces the self to question the relation between the actual life lived and what was once the promise of transformation. This plays out against a broad landscape. The book opens with Marilyn Monroe, followed by the glamour of the eighth-century Chinese imperial court (seen through the eyes of one of China's greatest poets, Tu Fu). At the center of the book is an ambitious meditation on the Russian ballerina Ulanova, Giselle, and the nature of tragedy. All this gives new dimension and poignance to Bidart's recurring preoccupation with the human need to leave behind some record or emblem, a made thing that stands, in the face of death, for the possibilities of art.
Peony in Love
Author: Lisa See
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1408811790
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 399
Book Description
Peony has neither seen nor spoken to any man other than her father, a wealthy Chinese nobleman. Nor has she ever ventured outside the cloistered women's quarters of the family villa. As her sixteenth birthday approaches she finds herself betrothed to a man she does not know, but Peony has dreams of her own. Her father engages a theatrical troupe to perform scenes from The Peony Pavilion, a Chinese epic opera, in their garden amidst the scent of ginger, green tea and jasmine. 'Unmarried girls should not be seen in public,' says Peony's mother, but her father allows the women to watch from behind a screen. Here, Peony catches sight of an elegant, handsome man and is immediately bewitched. So begins her unforgettable journey of love, desire, sorrow and redemption.
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1408811790
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 399
Book Description
Peony has neither seen nor spoken to any man other than her father, a wealthy Chinese nobleman. Nor has she ever ventured outside the cloistered women's quarters of the family villa. As her sixteenth birthday approaches she finds herself betrothed to a man she does not know, but Peony has dreams of her own. Her father engages a theatrical troupe to perform scenes from The Peony Pavilion, a Chinese epic opera, in their garden amidst the scent of ginger, green tea and jasmine. 'Unmarried girls should not be seen in public,' says Peony's mother, but her father allows the women to watch from behind a screen. Here, Peony catches sight of an elegant, handsome man and is immediately bewitched. So begins her unforgettable journey of love, desire, sorrow and redemption.
A Celebration of Love
Author: Harsha V. Dehejia
Publisher: Roli Books Private Limited
ISBN: 9788174363022
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 318
Book Description
Takes us to the Nayika in the Indian tradition, one who is paradigm of mankind's perennial quest for a divine and transcendental love.
Publisher: Roli Books Private Limited
ISBN: 9788174363022
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 318
Book Description
Takes us to the Nayika in the Indian tradition, one who is paradigm of mankind's perennial quest for a divine and transcendental love.
The Last True Love Story
Author: Brendan Kiely
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1481429906
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 288
Book Description
From the New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed coauthor of All American Boys and author of The Gospel of Winter comes a cool, contemplative spin on hot summer nights and the classic teen love story as two teens embark on a cross-country journey of the heart and soul. The point of living is learning how to love. That’s what Gpa says. To Hendrix and Corrina, both seventeen but otherwise alike only in their loneliness, that sounds like another line from a pop song that tries to promise kids that life doesn’t actually suck. Okay, so: love. Sure. The thing about Corrina—her adoptive parents are suffocating, trying to mold her into someone acceptable, predictable, like them. She’s a musician, itching for any chance to escape, become the person she really wants to be. Whoever that is. And Hendrix, he’s cool. Kind of a poet. But also kind of lost. His dad is dead and his mom is married to her job. Gpa is his only real family, but he’s fading fast from Alzheimer’s. Looking for any way to help the man who raised him, Hendrix has made Gpa an impossible promise—that he’ll get him back east to the hill where he first kissed his wife, before his illness wipes away all memory of her. One hot July night, Hendrix and Corrina decide to risk everything. They steal a car, spring Gpa from his assisted living facility, stuff Old Humper the dog into the back seat, and take off on a cross-country odyssey from LA to NY. With their parents, Gpa’s doctors, and the police all hot on their heels, Hendrix and Corrina set off to discover for themselves if what Gpa says is true—that the only stories that last are love stories.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1481429906
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 288
Book Description
From the New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed coauthor of All American Boys and author of The Gospel of Winter comes a cool, contemplative spin on hot summer nights and the classic teen love story as two teens embark on a cross-country journey of the heart and soul. The point of living is learning how to love. That’s what Gpa says. To Hendrix and Corrina, both seventeen but otherwise alike only in their loneliness, that sounds like another line from a pop song that tries to promise kids that life doesn’t actually suck. Okay, so: love. Sure. The thing about Corrina—her adoptive parents are suffocating, trying to mold her into someone acceptable, predictable, like them. She’s a musician, itching for any chance to escape, become the person she really wants to be. Whoever that is. And Hendrix, he’s cool. Kind of a poet. But also kind of lost. His dad is dead and his mom is married to her job. Gpa is his only real family, but he’s fading fast from Alzheimer’s. Looking for any way to help the man who raised him, Hendrix has made Gpa an impossible promise—that he’ll get him back east to the hill where he first kissed his wife, before his illness wipes away all memory of her. One hot July night, Hendrix and Corrina decide to risk everything. They steal a car, spring Gpa from his assisted living facility, stuff Old Humper the dog into the back seat, and take off on a cross-country odyssey from LA to NY. With their parents, Gpa’s doctors, and the police all hot on their heels, Hendrix and Corrina set off to discover for themselves if what Gpa says is true—that the only stories that last are love stories.
Romantic Love Letter
Author: Fan HuaLuoXue
Publisher: Funstory
ISBN: 1647577993
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 970
Book Description
This is a long chronicle romance. The main embodiment of the protagonist Prince Peng and Yu Lixia from 1987 to 200was an unforgettable extramarital love. The content is real, vivid and touching, and has strong infectious power. The novel uses real people, real things, real time, real places. It fully reflects the growth process of the peasant born prince peng under unremitting efforts.
Publisher: Funstory
ISBN: 1647577993
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 970
Book Description
This is a long chronicle romance. The main embodiment of the protagonist Prince Peng and Yu Lixia from 1987 to 200was an unforgettable extramarital love. The content is real, vivid and touching, and has strong infectious power. The novel uses real people, real things, real time, real places. It fully reflects the growth process of the peasant born prince peng under unremitting efforts.
Peerless CEO Falls In Love With Me
Author: Yi Ke
Publisher: Funstory
ISBN: 1649755899
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 1034
Book Description
At the lowest point of my life, I accidentally discovered that my girlfriend was sleeping in the same bed as my opponent.
Publisher: Funstory
ISBN: 1649755899
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 1034
Book Description
At the lowest point of my life, I accidentally discovered that my girlfriend was sleeping in the same bed as my opponent.
Beautiful Boss Fall in Love with Me
Author: Yan Dou
Publisher: Funstory
ISBN: 164759541X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 956
Book Description
As a young journalist who is about to graduate from the university, due to his outstanding ability, he is often taken by the beauty CEO to work with him. After a working entertainment, the two drunken people accidentally had a relationship, but the next day the CEO deemed nothing happened and she was cold to him. But he has fallen in love with her ...However, his girlfriend who grew up with him since they were teenager were around him, and he has almost forgotten her existence. One is the CEO who has feelings since he first met, the other is his first girlfriend who has been with him for many years. How should he choose?☆About the Author☆Yan Dou, an excellent online novelist, has authored many novels. Her representative works include My wife is A CEO, and her urban romance novels have won the readers' favorite because of her distinctive personality.
Publisher: Funstory
ISBN: 164759541X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 956
Book Description
As a young journalist who is about to graduate from the university, due to his outstanding ability, he is often taken by the beauty CEO to work with him. After a working entertainment, the two drunken people accidentally had a relationship, but the next day the CEO deemed nothing happened and she was cold to him. But he has fallen in love with her ...However, his girlfriend who grew up with him since they were teenager were around him, and he has almost forgotten her existence. One is the CEO who has feelings since he first met, the other is his first girlfriend who has been with him for many years. How should he choose?☆About the Author☆Yan Dou, an excellent online novelist, has authored many novels. Her representative works include My wife is A CEO, and her urban romance novels have won the readers' favorite because of her distinctive personality.
Love is Coming
Author: Lian HuaQingQIu
Publisher: Funstory
ISBN: 1647964040
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 419
Book Description
"after the wedding, lin xiaoyi, 26, wanted to end her bachelorhood,in the blind date, he met his ex-husband, nie wei, while his partner had a "bitter face".nie wei laughed at him like a clown.she works as an administrative assistant for the world's top 500 clothing companies, ev,called over the weekend by jack, the head office's chinese executive,but on the way, they were hit by a car accident.the owner of the car was actually chen yifan, the head of the company's marketing department.once the two saw each other, they became enemies. in order to seek revenge ...lin xiaowei let 38 men's best friend liu xu seduce chen yifan,and then shake it off. in the end, liu xu took a glance at chen yifan.at the company's banquet, lin xiaoxi was continuously drunk and had to spout out crazy words in her drunken state.infuriating executives. the next day, she woke up to find that she was lying in the hotel with chen yifan sleeping beside her.returning to the company, he was told to resign.lin xiuyi, who was fired, accidentally got into the company of ev's rival lc,chen yifan won the competition because he was used to trick the marketing department of the ev,lin xiaoyi was once again dismissed as a "spy" sent by the ev.lin xiaoyi's brother lin da gang had a car accident and needed a lot of money.sister-in-law wailed. lin xiaoyi went around borrowing money and looking for a job.after learning about this, chen yifan had lin xiaoyi return to the ev.he also quietly lent lin xiaoi a sum of money through the catkins.lin xiaoxi, who had become a minor planner, had been continuously troubled by her senior employee lin nan.and every time, it would be neutralized by chen yifan. and in the midst of all this suffering,chen yifan secretly had some feelings for the stubborn lin xiaoyi.when movie star jing yi wants to endorse the new ev season,lin found that chen yifan was secretly collecting information on jing yi.she refused to answer all the questions about jing yi.there was an accident during the show that lin xiaoye planned, and lin xiaoye collapsed.because his brother was sick and needed money, tao yu introduced lin xiaoxi to teach doris chinese.however, lin xiaoyi found out that delis was nie wei's current wife.and he quit his job.delis, who was getting along well with lin xiaoxi, wanted to ask the reason.he pulled nie wei along and insisted on finding xiao ai.when yu brought nie wei and his wife to xiao ai's company, nie wei pretended not to know xiao ai.xiao ai felt hurt.at this moment, lin da gang was unable to face the handicapped him and took a sleeping pill to commit suicide.chen yifan discovered his feelings for xiao ai in the entanglement between nie wei and xiao ai and confessed.nie wei's mother came and refused to marry with his wife. they were able to get him and xiao ai to remarry.liu xu's mother went to the hospital, and his father brought his wife to visit his ex-wife.liu xu always hated men because of her father's abandonment,when he finally fell in love with chen yifan, the happiness of xiao ai and yifan excited her.mother liu wanted to see her daughter marry out.chen yifan was drunk. when he woke up, he found liu xu lying beside him. the bed sheets had turned red.liu xu asked chen yifan to be responsible.the new year's day fashion show will be held soon, with ev and lc competing for the championship.at the game site, the early lc had the same theme as the ev,the ev was in a mess. lin xiaoyi had finally won the championship.in his excitement, he wanted to share with chen yifan, but he heard the conversation between jing yi and chen yifan.so, they were once a couple. jing yi had left chen yifan for her career.now you want to compound.chen yifan also admitted that being with lin xiaoyi was just a fortune-teller and an attempt to escape from a broken heart.new year's day plans to leak the secret, the evidence is everywhere against lin xiaoyi,her sister-in-law, who wanted money, was dismissed as lin xiaoyi's motive for the crime.chen noticed an unusual relationship between liu xu and jack.the mastermind of the leak was transferred from lin to jack.originally resentful chen yifan jack combined with lc liu kai drunk chen yifan,call liu xu to send chen yifan home to steal planning.and in order to reassure my mother, early family,it actually caused her to have an affair with chen yifan.the crime of stealing secrets, the rape of a woman,the comeback of the movie star jing yi,entertainment industry about jingyi and chen yifan high-profile scandal,could lin xiao-ai and chen yifan's love be fulfilled?can we reap the fruits of our business?... ...."
Publisher: Funstory
ISBN: 1647964040
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 419
Book Description
"after the wedding, lin xiaoyi, 26, wanted to end her bachelorhood,in the blind date, he met his ex-husband, nie wei, while his partner had a "bitter face".nie wei laughed at him like a clown.she works as an administrative assistant for the world's top 500 clothing companies, ev,called over the weekend by jack, the head office's chinese executive,but on the way, they were hit by a car accident.the owner of the car was actually chen yifan, the head of the company's marketing department.once the two saw each other, they became enemies. in order to seek revenge ...lin xiaowei let 38 men's best friend liu xu seduce chen yifan,and then shake it off. in the end, liu xu took a glance at chen yifan.at the company's banquet, lin xiaoxi was continuously drunk and had to spout out crazy words in her drunken state.infuriating executives. the next day, she woke up to find that she was lying in the hotel with chen yifan sleeping beside her.returning to the company, he was told to resign.lin xiuyi, who was fired, accidentally got into the company of ev's rival lc,chen yifan won the competition because he was used to trick the marketing department of the ev,lin xiaoyi was once again dismissed as a "spy" sent by the ev.lin xiaoyi's brother lin da gang had a car accident and needed a lot of money.sister-in-law wailed. lin xiaoyi went around borrowing money and looking for a job.after learning about this, chen yifan had lin xiaoyi return to the ev.he also quietly lent lin xiaoi a sum of money through the catkins.lin xiaoxi, who had become a minor planner, had been continuously troubled by her senior employee lin nan.and every time, it would be neutralized by chen yifan. and in the midst of all this suffering,chen yifan secretly had some feelings for the stubborn lin xiaoyi.when movie star jing yi wants to endorse the new ev season,lin found that chen yifan was secretly collecting information on jing yi.she refused to answer all the questions about jing yi.there was an accident during the show that lin xiaoye planned, and lin xiaoye collapsed.because his brother was sick and needed money, tao yu introduced lin xiaoxi to teach doris chinese.however, lin xiaoyi found out that delis was nie wei's current wife.and he quit his job.delis, who was getting along well with lin xiaoxi, wanted to ask the reason.he pulled nie wei along and insisted on finding xiao ai.when yu brought nie wei and his wife to xiao ai's company, nie wei pretended not to know xiao ai.xiao ai felt hurt.at this moment, lin da gang was unable to face the handicapped him and took a sleeping pill to commit suicide.chen yifan discovered his feelings for xiao ai in the entanglement between nie wei and xiao ai and confessed.nie wei's mother came and refused to marry with his wife. they were able to get him and xiao ai to remarry.liu xu's mother went to the hospital, and his father brought his wife to visit his ex-wife.liu xu always hated men because of her father's abandonment,when he finally fell in love with chen yifan, the happiness of xiao ai and yifan excited her.mother liu wanted to see her daughter marry out.chen yifan was drunk. when he woke up, he found liu xu lying beside him. the bed sheets had turned red.liu xu asked chen yifan to be responsible.the new year's day fashion show will be held soon, with ev and lc competing for the championship.at the game site, the early lc had the same theme as the ev,the ev was in a mess. lin xiaoyi had finally won the championship.in his excitement, he wanted to share with chen yifan, but he heard the conversation between jing yi and chen yifan.so, they were once a couple. jing yi had left chen yifan for her career.now you want to compound.chen yifan also admitted that being with lin xiaoyi was just a fortune-teller and an attempt to escape from a broken heart.new year's day plans to leak the secret, the evidence is everywhere against lin xiaoyi,her sister-in-law, who wanted money, was dismissed as lin xiaoyi's motive for the crime.chen noticed an unusual relationship between liu xu and jack.the mastermind of the leak was transferred from lin to jack.originally resentful chen yifan jack combined with lc liu kai drunk chen yifan,call liu xu to send chen yifan home to steal planning.and in order to reassure my mother, early family,it actually caused her to have an affair with chen yifan.the crime of stealing secrets, the rape of a woman,the comeback of the movie star jing yi,entertainment industry about jingyi and chen yifan high-profile scandal,could lin xiao-ai and chen yifan's love be fulfilled?can we reap the fruits of our business?... ...."
In the Bazaar of Love
Author: Paul E Losensky
Publisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 8184755228
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 141
Book Description
Amir Khusrau, one of the greatest poets of medieval India, helped forge a distinctive synthesis of Muslim and Hindu cultures. Written in Persian and Hindavi, his poems and ghazals were appreciated across a cosmopolitan Persianate world that stretched from Turkey to Bengal. Having thrived for centuries, Khusrau’s poetry continues to be read and recited to this day. In the Bazaar of Love is the first comprehensive selection of Khusrau’s work, offering new translations of mystical and romantic poems and fresh renditions of old favourites. Covering a wide range of genres and forms, it evokes the magic of one of the best-loved poets of the Indian subcontinent.
Publisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 8184755228
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 141
Book Description
Amir Khusrau, one of the greatest poets of medieval India, helped forge a distinctive synthesis of Muslim and Hindu cultures. Written in Persian and Hindavi, his poems and ghazals were appreciated across a cosmopolitan Persianate world that stretched from Turkey to Bengal. Having thrived for centuries, Khusrau’s poetry continues to be read and recited to this day. In the Bazaar of Love is the first comprehensive selection of Khusrau’s work, offering new translations of mystical and romantic poems and fresh renditions of old favourites. Covering a wide range of genres and forms, it evokes the magic of one of the best-loved poets of the Indian subcontinent.
From Margate to Key West with Love
Author: Sally Forrester
Publisher: BookLocker.com, Inc.
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 195
Book Description
"From Margate to Key West with Love," is a continuation of my previous three historical novels featuring Madam Maria Popoff, her quirky vintage dress shop set in Margate’s King Street and Poppy, a middle-aged woman, who relocates from London to Margate. Poppy, who has many broken pieces, discovers true healing when she answers an advertisement requesting part time help although only special people needed to apply! My novels, although works of fiction, embrace the ups and downs of life, of truly being human, of living through and navigating difficult times and the important part that emotions play in sickness and recovery. They’re set in various historical periods that follow real events. Having spent some time sailing to the Florida Keys, exploring Key West and learning about its checkered history I just knew that I wanted Maria Popoff to come and establish yet another vintage shop. Cousin Rollo has summoned her to the fictitious grand old house called St. Eustace on Whitehead Street in the heart of Old Key West. Maria brings with her wisdom, knowledge, love, compassion and her all seeing eyes to this colourful settlement at the very end of the road. Maria Popoff is certainly a strange character and it’s never really clear exactly who she is. Some see her merely as a kind, particularly old and portly shopkeeper who has a passion for decadent chocolate cake. Those who know her better are struck by her all-seeing eyes that seem to pierce right through you. They’re struck by her wisdom, her knowledge of healing and fascinated by her wizened hands that can touch and seemingly make everything better. Some have called her a gypsy who has the power to look through a crystal ball and foretell the future. However, those who know her best of all realize that she’s a time traveller or maybe she’s an angel. Certainly, she’s an ancient being who appears to cross the dimension of time. Maria has seen so much. She’s become weary of man’s indiscretion, his mistakes and of the lessons that humanity never seems to learn. Set in 2021 and 2022 Maria, like most of us, is worried about the state of our planet. She has a heartfelt concern for the environment, pollution and the devastating weather patterns that seem to track man’s hatred and violence towards each other. Maria is horrified by the war in Ukraine. She realizes just how much sorrow the Covid pandemic has robbed people of their loved ones, their sense of financial security, and their livelihoods. I wanted my fourth novel to span the Atlantic so that my readers will also happily discover Poppy still busy in the Isle of Thanet managing all three Madam Popoff vintage shops in the little seaside holiday towns of Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs. Things come into the shops that have a story to tell. Poppy has become proficient, over the years, at fingering certain treasures catching her eye and she discovers their past. Sometimes the stories are heartwarming and pleasant but just like life they don’t always have a fairy tale ending. Likewise, Maria has taught Desmond, a new employee, to sit with things that appear on the doorstep of St. Eustace and discover their history. In this way I bring to light all sorts of historical events that have shaped the community across the Atlantic at the very end of the road. Readers will enjoy stories embracing Key West’s past. Sunken Spanish treasure, sponging, cigar factories, historic links with Cuba, Flagler’s Railroad, hurricanes, First World War submarines and much more.
Publisher: BookLocker.com, Inc.
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 195
Book Description
"From Margate to Key West with Love," is a continuation of my previous three historical novels featuring Madam Maria Popoff, her quirky vintage dress shop set in Margate’s King Street and Poppy, a middle-aged woman, who relocates from London to Margate. Poppy, who has many broken pieces, discovers true healing when she answers an advertisement requesting part time help although only special people needed to apply! My novels, although works of fiction, embrace the ups and downs of life, of truly being human, of living through and navigating difficult times and the important part that emotions play in sickness and recovery. They’re set in various historical periods that follow real events. Having spent some time sailing to the Florida Keys, exploring Key West and learning about its checkered history I just knew that I wanted Maria Popoff to come and establish yet another vintage shop. Cousin Rollo has summoned her to the fictitious grand old house called St. Eustace on Whitehead Street in the heart of Old Key West. Maria brings with her wisdom, knowledge, love, compassion and her all seeing eyes to this colourful settlement at the very end of the road. Maria Popoff is certainly a strange character and it’s never really clear exactly who she is. Some see her merely as a kind, particularly old and portly shopkeeper who has a passion for decadent chocolate cake. Those who know her better are struck by her all-seeing eyes that seem to pierce right through you. They’re struck by her wisdom, her knowledge of healing and fascinated by her wizened hands that can touch and seemingly make everything better. Some have called her a gypsy who has the power to look through a crystal ball and foretell the future. However, those who know her best of all realize that she’s a time traveller or maybe she’s an angel. Certainly, she’s an ancient being who appears to cross the dimension of time. Maria has seen so much. She’s become weary of man’s indiscretion, his mistakes and of the lessons that humanity never seems to learn. Set in 2021 and 2022 Maria, like most of us, is worried about the state of our planet. She has a heartfelt concern for the environment, pollution and the devastating weather patterns that seem to track man’s hatred and violence towards each other. Maria is horrified by the war in Ukraine. She realizes just how much sorrow the Covid pandemic has robbed people of their loved ones, their sense of financial security, and their livelihoods. I wanted my fourth novel to span the Atlantic so that my readers will also happily discover Poppy still busy in the Isle of Thanet managing all three Madam Popoff vintage shops in the little seaside holiday towns of Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs. Things come into the shops that have a story to tell. Poppy has become proficient, over the years, at fingering certain treasures catching her eye and she discovers their past. Sometimes the stories are heartwarming and pleasant but just like life they don’t always have a fairy tale ending. Likewise, Maria has taught Desmond, a new employee, to sit with things that appear on the doorstep of St. Eustace and discover their history. In this way I bring to light all sorts of historical events that have shaped the community across the Atlantic at the very end of the road. Readers will enjoy stories embracing Key West’s past. Sunken Spanish treasure, sponging, cigar factories, historic links with Cuba, Flagler’s Railroad, hurricanes, First World War submarines and much more.