Journalist and publisher Brandt Ayers's journey takes him from the segregated Old South to covering the central scenes of the civil rights struggle, and finally to editorship of his family’s hometown newspaper, The Anniston Star. The journey was one of controversy, danger, a racist nightrider murder, taut moments when the community teetered on the edge of mob violence that ended well because of courageous civic leadership and wise hearts of black and white leaders. The narrative has outsized figures from U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy to George Wallace and includes probing insights into the Alabama governor as he evolved over time. High points of the story involve the birth of a New South movement, the election of a Southern President, and the strange undoing of his presidency. An Afterword, made imperative by the cultural and political exclamation point of a black President, bridges the years from the disappearance of the New South in the 1980s to Barack Obama’s first term.

In a realm where divine beings reign supreme, a tapestry of myths and legends unfolds. Weaving tales of power, betrayal, and redemption. This short story of fictional gods embodies unique aspects of nature and humanity, navigate a cosmic landscape fraught with celestial conflicts and mortal tribulations.

Total surrender to God: the surprising key to experiencing the sense of peace and purpose you crave. There is a gnawing feeling inside all of us that says we could be better. If we would just be more organized or work a little harder, we’d finally have the rich and fulfilling life we want. But the message of the cross is different. The message is not one of God saying, “I died for your sins to work as a consultant to help you achieve the life you’re determined to have.” Jesus died to reconcile us to God so that we can die and give our lives to him and to others—a total surrender that is truly a beautiful defeat! Perspective and peace in the midst of the stormy chaos of life are always available to the person who lives a surrendered life. The result is a rich existence basking in the pleasure and approval of God.

Torn between the high Marxist ideals of the bygone days and the lures of an aggressively captivating market economy, Abhi, the protagonist, can keep his trust in none but himself. The novella is a political thriller that breathlessly narrates the inside story of the deteriorating student politics in Bengal during the early days of the 21st century. A page-turner. An admirer of Che Guevara, Abhi, the erstwhile GS (general secretary) of the college union, fights from the beginning with the shadows of his unknown enemies. And when he is about to enter into the heart of the matter, he gets devastated discovering the truth. An action thriller, the novella is not without a romantic angle. However, here, too, the readers keep guessing: Does Diya, the bold and the beautiful fresher from the Department of English, nurture romantic feelings for Rishi, the newly elected GS from the rival union? Or does she have a weakness for Abhi, the defeated one?

"Art of the Defeat offers an unflinching look at the pivotal role art played in France during the German occupation. It begins with Adolf Hitler's staging of the armistice at Rethondes and moves across the dark years - analyzing the official junket by French artists to Germany, the exhibition of Arno Breker's colossi in Paris, the looting of the state museums and Jewish collections, the glorification of Philippe P?tain and a pure national identity, the demonization of modernists and foreigners, and the range of responses by artists and artisans. The sum is a pioneering expos? of the deployment of art and ideology to hold the heart of darkness at bay"--Page 4 of cover.

An exploration of love and its excesses, missteps, and modest triumphs, from the Booker Prize-winning author of The Sea, The Sea In a dark comedy of errors, Iris Murdoch portrays the mischief wrought by Julius, a cynical intellectual who decides to demonstrate through a Machiavellian experiment how easily loving couples, caring friends, and devoted siblings can betray their loyalties. As puppet master, Julius artfully plays on the human tendency to embrace drama and intrigue and to prefer the distraction of confrontations to the difficult effort of communicating openly and honestly. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.