Over half of Americans believe in a literal heaven, in a literal hell. Most people who hold these beliefs are Christian and assume they are the age-old teachings of the Bible. Ehrman shows that eternal rewards and punishments are found nowhere in the Old Testament, and are not what Jesus or his disciples taught. He recounts the long history of the afterlife, ranging from The Epic of Gilgamesh up to the writings of Augustine, focusing especially on the teachings of Jesus and his early followers. Ehrman shows that competing views were intimately connected with the social, cultural, and historical worlds out of which they emerged. -- adapted from jacket

DIVThe searing conclusion to the North and South Trilogy brings the battle between the Mains and Hazards—and Confederate and Union armies—to a brilliantly satisfying end /divDIV The last days of the Civil War bring no peace for the Main and Hazard families. As the Mains’ South smolders in the ruins of defeat, the Hazards’ North pushes blindly for relentless industrial progress. Both the nation and the families’ long-standing bond hover on the brink of destruction. In the series’ epic conclusion, Jakes expertly blends personal conflict with historical events, crafting a haunting page-turner about America’s constant change and unyielding hope. /divDIV /divDIVThis ebook features an illustrated biography of John Jakes including rare images from the author’s personal collection./div

A Vintage Shorts “Short Story Month” Selection Pranab Chakraborty was a fellow Bengali from Calcutta who had washed up on the shores of Central Square. Soon he was one of the family. From the winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, a staggeringly beautiful and precise story about a Bengali family in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the impossibilities of love, and the unanticipated pleasures and complications of life in America. “Hell-Heaven” is Jhumpa Lahiri’s ode to the intimate secrets of closest kin, from the acclaimed collection Unaccustomed Earth. An eBook short.

Jon Kalman Stefansson is the winner of the Icelandic Prize for Literature and has been nominated three times for the Nordic Council Prize for Literature. Heaven and Hell, is a perfectly formed, vivid and timeless story, lyrical in style, and as intense a reading experience as the forces of the Icelandic landscape themselves. Der Spiegel said it was "like an oyster--a glinting treasure in a rough shell." In a remote part of Iceland, a boy and his friend Barour join a boat to fish for cod. A winter storm surprises them out at sea and Barour, absorbed in "Paradise Lost", succumbs to the ferocious cold and dies. Distraught from the murky circumstances of Barour's death, the boy leaves the village, intending to return the book to its original owner. The extreme hardship and danger of the journey is of little consequence to him--he has already resolved to join his friend in death. But once in the town he immerses himself in the stories and lives of its inhabitants, and decides that he cannot be with his friend just yet.

It can be said that the words ôheavenö and ôhellö are thrown around flippantly these days. It seems they have become part of our vernacular without much thought or concern about what they really mean. The reality of heaven and hell is a hotly-debated topic spurring countless conversations, books, and sermons. ItÆs fashionable to have an opinion about the reality of heaven and hell, but what does the Bible really say? Heaven and Hell: Are They Real? discusses what Scripture really says about these mysterious places, giving you real, solid, reliable information. The book includes scripture quotes that capture the current interest in the reality of heaven and hell, while offering readings on heaven and hell. Also included are quotes and insights from trusted authors including Billy Graham, Randy Alcorn, C.S. Lewis, and more. For the curious reader looking for more information on heaven and hell, Heaven and Hell: Are they Real? is the perfect choice. Features include: Readings on heaven and hell Questions for digging deeper Additional content from trusted contemporary and ancient scholars Scripture from the NIV

After making a bad decision when she was very young, Kia Clementine finds herself in hell. Then, suddenly, within the time it takes for a shotgun to blast, her hell changes. Out of the blue she sees Sampson Cooper, her celebrity crush. A man the whole world knows is decent, loyal, good. All of these very unlike her now dead husband. He’s sitting at a table right next to hers. And she catches his eye. Terrified of the interest Sam shows in her, Kia still finds the courage to go out with him. Not long after, she shares her dark secrets, and Sam shares that he’ll stop at nothing to gain her trust. As Sam leads Kia to heaven, Kia realizes Sam is living his own hell. But although he gives her beauty, and she gives him everything, he withholds his trust. Even with the beauty, Kia wants it all. But Sam forces Kia to make a heartbreaking decision, and only she can decide. Is it all? Or nothing?