Author: Carrie Ryan
Publisher: Enterprising Kraken, LLC
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 147
Book Description
“Queen of the Undead, Carrie Ryan, takes readers once again to the world of The Forest of Hands and Teeth." -- School Library Journal on "Bougainvillea." From a life raft cast adrift in the middle of the ocean to the attic of a suburban garage; from the heart-pounding moments just after the dead begin to rise, to the ravaged world generations later, the five stories in The Dead and Empty World present a chilling portrait of what it takes to survive – or not – the zombie apocalypse. This 39,000 word collection contains five previously published stories and never before published bonus materials, including background information on each story, easter eggs, and an essay detailing the inspiration for the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Stories included in this collection: "Flotsam & Jetsam," originally published in The Living Dead 2, edited by John Joseph Adams and published by Night Shade Books; "Scenic Route," originally published in Enthralled, edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong and published by HarperCollins; "Bougainvillea," originally published in Zombies vs. Unicorns, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier and published by Simon and Schuster; "A Game of Firsts," originally published in The First Time, edited by Jessica Verday and Rhonda Stapleton; "Hare Moon," originally published in Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love, edited by Trisha Telep and published by Running Press Teens; later published in a slightly different form by Random House.
The Dead and Empty World
Author: Carrie Ryan
Publisher: Enterprising Kraken, LLC
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 147
Book Description
“Queen of the Undead, Carrie Ryan, takes readers once again to the world of The Forest of Hands and Teeth." -- School Library Journal on "Bougainvillea." From a life raft cast adrift in the middle of the ocean to the attic of a suburban garage; from the heart-pounding moments just after the dead begin to rise, to the ravaged world generations later, the five stories in The Dead and Empty World present a chilling portrait of what it takes to survive – or not – the zombie apocalypse. This 39,000 word collection contains five previously published stories and never before published bonus materials, including background information on each story, easter eggs, and an essay detailing the inspiration for the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Stories included in this collection: "Flotsam & Jetsam," originally published in The Living Dead 2, edited by John Joseph Adams and published by Night Shade Books; "Scenic Route," originally published in Enthralled, edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong and published by HarperCollins; "Bougainvillea," originally published in Zombies vs. Unicorns, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier and published by Simon and Schuster; "A Game of Firsts," originally published in The First Time, edited by Jessica Verday and Rhonda Stapleton; "Hare Moon," originally published in Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love, edited by Trisha Telep and published by Running Press Teens; later published in a slightly different form by Random House.
Publisher: Enterprising Kraken, LLC
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 147
Book Description
“Queen of the Undead, Carrie Ryan, takes readers once again to the world of The Forest of Hands and Teeth." -- School Library Journal on "Bougainvillea." From a life raft cast adrift in the middle of the ocean to the attic of a suburban garage; from the heart-pounding moments just after the dead begin to rise, to the ravaged world generations later, the five stories in The Dead and Empty World present a chilling portrait of what it takes to survive – or not – the zombie apocalypse. This 39,000 word collection contains five previously published stories and never before published bonus materials, including background information on each story, easter eggs, and an essay detailing the inspiration for the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Stories included in this collection: "Flotsam & Jetsam," originally published in The Living Dead 2, edited by John Joseph Adams and published by Night Shade Books; "Scenic Route," originally published in Enthralled, edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong and published by HarperCollins; "Bougainvillea," originally published in Zombies vs. Unicorns, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier and published by Simon and Schuster; "A Game of Firsts," originally published in The First Time, edited by Jessica Verday and Rhonda Stapleton; "Hare Moon," originally published in Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love, edited by Trisha Telep and published by Running Press Teens; later published in a slightly different form by Random House.
Empty World
Author: John Christopher
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1481420003
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
Includes an excerpt from another adventure by John Christopher entitled 'In the beginning.'
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1481420003
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
Includes an excerpt from another adventure by John Christopher entitled 'In the beginning.'
The Forest of Hands and Teeth
Author: Carrie Ryan
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0375891978
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. Now, she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death? [STAR] "A bleak but gripping story...Poignant and powerful."-Publishers Weekly, Starred "A postapocalyptic romance of the first order, elegantly written from title to last line."-Scott Westerfeld, author of the Uglies series and Leviathan "Intelligent, dark, and bewitching, The Forest of Hands and Teeth transitions effortlessly between horror and beauty. Mary's world is one that readers will not soon forget."-Cassandra Clare, bestselling author of City of Bones "Opening The Forest of Hands and Teeth is like cracking Pandora's box: a blur of darkness and a precious bit of hope pour out. This is a beautifully crafted, page-turning, powerful novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it."-Melissa Marr, bestselling author of Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange "Dark and sexy and scary. Only one of the Unconsecrated could put this book down."-Justine Larbalestier, author of How to Ditch Your Fairy
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0375891978
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. Now, she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death? [STAR] "A bleak but gripping story...Poignant and powerful."-Publishers Weekly, Starred "A postapocalyptic romance of the first order, elegantly written from title to last line."-Scott Westerfeld, author of the Uglies series and Leviathan "Intelligent, dark, and bewitching, The Forest of Hands and Teeth transitions effortlessly between horror and beauty. Mary's world is one that readers will not soon forget."-Cassandra Clare, bestselling author of City of Bones "Opening The Forest of Hands and Teeth is like cracking Pandora's box: a blur of darkness and a precious bit of hope pour out. This is a beautifully crafted, page-turning, powerful novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it."-Melissa Marr, bestselling author of Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange "Dark and sexy and scary. Only one of the Unconsecrated could put this book down."-Justine Larbalestier, author of How to Ditch Your Fairy
Portal Through the Pond
Author: David K. Anderson
Publisher: Magical Scrivener Press
ISBN: 1939233054
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 250
Book Description
They said her grandfather was dead. They said her grandmother was crazy. Christy knows they're wrong. When her grandmother dies, 13-year-old Christy inherits an old family secret: the pond behind her house is in fact a portal to another world. What’s more, she learns that her grandfather went through the portal when he mysteriously “disappeared” nine years ago. Christy tries to respect her grandmother’s final wishes and not go exploring, but when a classmate named Rob falls into the pond, she has to act. Since no one would believe her if she told them the truth about the pond, Christy arranges her own rescue party. In order to rescue Rob, she’ll have to brave a bizarre alien landscape, evade hostile creatures, and protect Danny, the boy from next door who followed her through the portal. Meanwhile on Earth, the grown-ups launch a frantic search, and they’re willing to drain the pond to find out what happened. Will Christy be able to find her grandfather, rescue Rob, and return safely to Earth before she becomes a permanent resident of the Empty World? Portal Through the Pond is the first book of the Empty World Saga, a science fiction adventure series for kids aged 8-12. If your kids have blown through the Land of Stories, devoured the Keeper of the Lost Cities, or can't wait for the next Wings of Fire, make the complete Empty World Saga their next read. Pick up your copy of Portal Through the Pond, and land in an alien world!
Publisher: Magical Scrivener Press
ISBN: 1939233054
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 250
Book Description
They said her grandfather was dead. They said her grandmother was crazy. Christy knows they're wrong. When her grandmother dies, 13-year-old Christy inherits an old family secret: the pond behind her house is in fact a portal to another world. What’s more, she learns that her grandfather went through the portal when he mysteriously “disappeared” nine years ago. Christy tries to respect her grandmother’s final wishes and not go exploring, but when a classmate named Rob falls into the pond, she has to act. Since no one would believe her if she told them the truth about the pond, Christy arranges her own rescue party. In order to rescue Rob, she’ll have to brave a bizarre alien landscape, evade hostile creatures, and protect Danny, the boy from next door who followed her through the portal. Meanwhile on Earth, the grown-ups launch a frantic search, and they’re willing to drain the pond to find out what happened. Will Christy be able to find her grandfather, rescue Rob, and return safely to Earth before she becomes a permanent resident of the Empty World? Portal Through the Pond is the first book of the Empty World Saga, a science fiction adventure series for kids aged 8-12. If your kids have blown through the Land of Stories, devoured the Keeper of the Lost Cities, or can't wait for the next Wings of Fire, make the complete Empty World Saga their next read. Pick up your copy of Portal Through the Pond, and land in an alien world!
Empty World: A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Thriller
Author: Zach Bohannon
Publisher: Empty Bodies
ISBN: 9781718188822
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 270
Book Description
A lone woman. A mysterious drifter. An Empty World. Thirty years after The Fall killed millions of people and turned them into walking corpses, twenty-three-year-old Shell Langford is the last inhabitant of Yazoo City, a small town in the Mississippi Delta. After spending five years on her own, a gang of bandits discovers her barren town, and a solitary drifter helps her escape into the post-apocalyptic wasteland filled with the living dead. Can Shell survive in the Empty World? Empty World takes place 30 years after the events of Zach Bohannon
Publisher: Empty Bodies
ISBN: 9781718188822
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 270
Book Description
A lone woman. A mysterious drifter. An Empty World. Thirty years after The Fall killed millions of people and turned them into walking corpses, twenty-three-year-old Shell Langford is the last inhabitant of Yazoo City, a small town in the Mississippi Delta. After spending five years on her own, a gang of bandits discovers her barren town, and a solitary drifter helps her escape into the post-apocalyptic wasteland filled with the living dead. Can Shell survive in the Empty World? Empty World takes place 30 years after the events of Zach Bohannon
Die Empty
Author: Todd Henry
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1591846994
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
“A must-read for anyone interested in moving from inspiration to action.” —Cal Newport, author of So Good They Can’t Ignore You Most of us fill our days with frantic activity, bouncing from task to task, scrambling to make deadlines and chase the next promotion. But by the end of each day we’re often left wondering if any of it really mattered. We feel the ticking of the clock, but we’re unsure of the path forward. Die Empty is a tool for people who aren’t willing to put off their most important work for another day. Todd Henry explains the forces that lead to stagnation and introduces practices that will keep you on a true and steady course. The key is embracing the idea that time is finite, so you should focus on the unique contribution to the world that only you can make. Henry shows how to sustain your enthusiasm, push through mental barriers, and unleash your best work each day.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1591846994
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
“A must-read for anyone interested in moving from inspiration to action.” —Cal Newport, author of So Good They Can’t Ignore You Most of us fill our days with frantic activity, bouncing from task to task, scrambling to make deadlines and chase the next promotion. But by the end of each day we’re often left wondering if any of it really mattered. We feel the ticking of the clock, but we’re unsure of the path forward. Die Empty is a tool for people who aren’t willing to put off their most important work for another day. Todd Henry explains the forces that lead to stagnation and introduces practices that will keep you on a true and steady course. The key is embracing the idea that time is finite, so you should focus on the unique contribution to the world that only you can make. Henry shows how to sustain your enthusiasm, push through mental barriers, and unleash your best work each day.
Empty Bodies
Author: Zach Bohannon
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781507737132
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 218
Book Description
***FANS OF HORROR...THE END IS HERE! AND IT'S ON SALE FOR A LIMITED TIME!*** Praise For Zach Bohannon and Empty Bodies: "Zach comes out swinging with suspense that will haunt you, and you won't be able to look away." - J. Thorn, Amazon Top 100 Horror Author "Few horror writers work as hard as Zach Bohannon. Turn the lights low, and don't let the blood splatter hit you." - Dan Padavona, Author of Storberry "Bohannon's Empty Bodies is dark, enthralling, and offers an impressive look into a terrifying post-apocalyptic world." - Taylor Krauss, Horror Blogger "Zach Bohannon takes dark thriller and suspense to a terrifying new level, with spine tingling tales of the macabre that will keep you turning the page deep into the night." - David J. Delaney, Author of The Vanishing Overview: In a single moment, everything changes... Hundreds of thousands of people suddenly collapse, leaving their friends and loved ones behind, terrified and confused. Moments later, the fallen rise, and the survivors become the hunted. Perfect for any fan of post-apocalyptic horror, dystopian science fiction, or zombies! Do you like "The Walking Dead", "The Stand", "I Am Legend", "Dawn of the Dead", or "World War Z"? Then you'll love Empty Bodies! Empty Bodies, book one of the Empty Bodies Series ***WARNING*** Empty Bodies is meant for mature audiences only. It features foul language and graphic descriptions of violence and death. Please purchase at your own discretion.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781507737132
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 218
Book Description
***FANS OF HORROR...THE END IS HERE! AND IT'S ON SALE FOR A LIMITED TIME!*** Praise For Zach Bohannon and Empty Bodies: "Zach comes out swinging with suspense that will haunt you, and you won't be able to look away." - J. Thorn, Amazon Top 100 Horror Author "Few horror writers work as hard as Zach Bohannon. Turn the lights low, and don't let the blood splatter hit you." - Dan Padavona, Author of Storberry "Bohannon's Empty Bodies is dark, enthralling, and offers an impressive look into a terrifying post-apocalyptic world." - Taylor Krauss, Horror Blogger "Zach Bohannon takes dark thriller and suspense to a terrifying new level, with spine tingling tales of the macabre that will keep you turning the page deep into the night." - David J. Delaney, Author of The Vanishing Overview: In a single moment, everything changes... Hundreds of thousands of people suddenly collapse, leaving their friends and loved ones behind, terrified and confused. Moments later, the fallen rise, and the survivors become the hunted. Perfect for any fan of post-apocalyptic horror, dystopian science fiction, or zombies! Do you like "The Walking Dead", "The Stand", "I Am Legend", "Dawn of the Dead", or "World War Z"? Then you'll love Empty Bodies! Empty Bodies, book one of the Empty Bodies Series ***WARNING*** Empty Bodies is meant for mature audiences only. It features foul language and graphic descriptions of violence and death. Please purchase at your own discretion.
Empty Planet
Author: Darrell Bricker
Publisher: Signal
ISBN: 0771050895
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Book Description
From the authors of the bestselling The Big Shift, a provocative argument that the global population will soon begin to decline, dramatically reshaping the social, political, and economic landscape. For half a century, statisticians, pundits, and politicians have warned that a burgeoning planetary population will soon overwhelm the earth's resources. But a growing number of experts are sounding a different kind of alarm. Rather than growing exponentially, they argue, the global population is headed for a steep decline. Throughout history, depopulation was the product of catastrophe: ice ages, plagues, the collapse of civilizations. This time, however, we're thinning ourselves deliberately, by choosing to have fewer babies than we need to replace ourselves. In much of the developed and developing world, that decline is already underway, as urbanization, women's empowerment, and waning religiosity lead to smaller and smaller families. In Empty Planet, Ibbitson and Bricker travel from South Florida to Sao Paulo, Seoul to Nairobi, Brussels to Delhi to Beijing, drawing on a wealth of research and firsthand reporting to illustrate the dramatic consequences of this population decline--and to show us why the rest of the developing world will soon join in. They find that a smaller global population will bring with it a number of benefits: fewer workers will command higher wages; good jobs will prompt innovation; the environment will improve; the risk of famine will wane; and falling birthrates in the developing world will bring greater affluence and autonomy for women. But enormous disruption lies ahead, too. We can already see the effects in Europe and parts of Asia, as aging populations and worker shortages weaken the economy and impose crippling demands on healthcare and social security. The United States is well-positioned to successfully navigate these coming demographic shifts--that is, unless growing isolationism and anti-immigrant backlash lead us to close ourselves off just as openness becomes more critical to our survival than ever before. Rigorously researched and deeply compelling, Empty Planet offers a vision of a future that we can no longer prevent--but one that we can shape, if we choose.
Publisher: Signal
ISBN: 0771050895
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Book Description
From the authors of the bestselling The Big Shift, a provocative argument that the global population will soon begin to decline, dramatically reshaping the social, political, and economic landscape. For half a century, statisticians, pundits, and politicians have warned that a burgeoning planetary population will soon overwhelm the earth's resources. But a growing number of experts are sounding a different kind of alarm. Rather than growing exponentially, they argue, the global population is headed for a steep decline. Throughout history, depopulation was the product of catastrophe: ice ages, plagues, the collapse of civilizations. This time, however, we're thinning ourselves deliberately, by choosing to have fewer babies than we need to replace ourselves. In much of the developed and developing world, that decline is already underway, as urbanization, women's empowerment, and waning religiosity lead to smaller and smaller families. In Empty Planet, Ibbitson and Bricker travel from South Florida to Sao Paulo, Seoul to Nairobi, Brussels to Delhi to Beijing, drawing on a wealth of research and firsthand reporting to illustrate the dramatic consequences of this population decline--and to show us why the rest of the developing world will soon join in. They find that a smaller global population will bring with it a number of benefits: fewer workers will command higher wages; good jobs will prompt innovation; the environment will improve; the risk of famine will wane; and falling birthrates in the developing world will bring greater affluence and autonomy for women. But enormous disruption lies ahead, too. We can already see the effects in Europe and parts of Asia, as aging populations and worker shortages weaken the economy and impose crippling demands on healthcare and social security. The United States is well-positioned to successfully navigate these coming demographic shifts--that is, unless growing isolationism and anti-immigrant backlash lead us to close ourselves off just as openness becomes more critical to our survival than ever before. Rigorously researched and deeply compelling, Empty Planet offers a vision of a future that we can no longer prevent--but one that we can shape, if we choose.
Blood of the Dead
Author: A. P. Fuchs
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781897217801
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 272
Book Description
One year ago, the world came to an end. First came the rain. Then came the screams. Then came the undead. The Haven became the only place in the city free of the walking dead. A place of community. A place to be safe. Now, things have changed. The zombies are coming to the Haven, seeking out the remaining survivors of the human race. Joe Bailey prowls the Haven's streets, taking them back from the undead, each kill one step closer to reclaiming a life once stolen from him. Billie Friday and Des Nottingham soon have Joe to thank for their lives. As the dead push into the Haven, the trio is forced into the one place where folks fear to tread: the heart of the city, a place overrun with flesh-eating zombies. They soon discover they are not the only humans there. After meeting an old man with a peculiar past, Joe and the others must make one last stand against the undead or unwillingly meet the same fate. A desperate escape leads them to a place thought impossible to exist and to a discovery that will shake the future. Welcome to the end of all things.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781897217801
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 272
Book Description
One year ago, the world came to an end. First came the rain. Then came the screams. Then came the undead. The Haven became the only place in the city free of the walking dead. A place of community. A place to be safe. Now, things have changed. The zombies are coming to the Haven, seeking out the remaining survivors of the human race. Joe Bailey prowls the Haven's streets, taking them back from the undead, each kill one step closer to reclaiming a life once stolen from him. Billie Friday and Des Nottingham soon have Joe to thank for their lives. As the dead push into the Haven, the trio is forced into the one place where folks fear to tread: the heart of the city, a place overrun with flesh-eating zombies. They soon discover they are not the only humans there. After meeting an old man with a peculiar past, Joe and the others must make one last stand against the undead or unwillingly meet the same fate. A desperate escape leads them to a place thought impossible to exist and to a discovery that will shake the future. Welcome to the end of all things.
The Quick and the Dead
Author: Joy Williams
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 030776382X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 319
Book Description
PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST • From one of our most heralded writers comes the “poetic, disturbing, yet very funny” (The Washington Post Book World) life-and-death adventures of three misfit teenagers in the American desert. Alice, Corvus, and Annabel, each a motherless child, are an unlikely circle of friends. One filled with convictions, another with loss, the third with a worldly pragmatism, they traverse an air-conditioned landscape eccentric with signs and portents—from the preservation of the living dead in a nursing home to the presentation of the dead as living in a wildlife museum—accompanied by restless, confounded adults. A father lusts after his handsome gardener even as he's haunted (literally) by his dead wife; a heartbroken dog runs afoul of an angry neighbor; a young stroke victim drifts westward, his luck running from worse to awful; a sickly musician for whom Alice develops an attraction is drawn instead toward darker imaginings and solutions; and an aging big-game hunter finds spiritual renewal through his infatuation with an eight-year-old—the formidable Emily Bliss Pickless. With nature thoroughly routed and the ambiguities of existence on full display, life and death continue in directions both invisible and apparent. Gloriously funny and wonderfully serious, The Quick and the Dead limns the vagaries of love, the thirst for meaning, and the peculiar paths by which all creatures are led to their destiny. A panorama of contemporary life and an endlessly surprising tour de force: penetrating and magical, ominous and comic, this is the most astonishing book yet in Joy Williams's illustrious career. Joy Williams belongs, James Salter has written, "in the company of Céline, Flannery O'Connor, and Margaret Atwood."
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 030776382X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 319
Book Description
PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST • From one of our most heralded writers comes the “poetic, disturbing, yet very funny” (The Washington Post Book World) life-and-death adventures of three misfit teenagers in the American desert. Alice, Corvus, and Annabel, each a motherless child, are an unlikely circle of friends. One filled with convictions, another with loss, the third with a worldly pragmatism, they traverse an air-conditioned landscape eccentric with signs and portents—from the preservation of the living dead in a nursing home to the presentation of the dead as living in a wildlife museum—accompanied by restless, confounded adults. A father lusts after his handsome gardener even as he's haunted (literally) by his dead wife; a heartbroken dog runs afoul of an angry neighbor; a young stroke victim drifts westward, his luck running from worse to awful; a sickly musician for whom Alice develops an attraction is drawn instead toward darker imaginings and solutions; and an aging big-game hunter finds spiritual renewal through his infatuation with an eight-year-old—the formidable Emily Bliss Pickless. With nature thoroughly routed and the ambiguities of existence on full display, life and death continue in directions both invisible and apparent. Gloriously funny and wonderfully serious, The Quick and the Dead limns the vagaries of love, the thirst for meaning, and the peculiar paths by which all creatures are led to their destiny. A panorama of contemporary life and an endlessly surprising tour de force: penetrating and magical, ominous and comic, this is the most astonishing book yet in Joy Williams's illustrious career. Joy Williams belongs, James Salter has written, "in the company of Céline, Flannery O'Connor, and Margaret Atwood."