As a little girl, Teressa’s father dotes on her and little sister, Karen, while mercilessly mocking her older sister, Debbie. Teressa thinks its Debbie’s fault—until she gets a little older and he begins tormenting her, too. Soon enough, his verbal abuse turns physical. Her sergeant father brings his military life home, meeting each of his daughters’ infractions with extreme punishment for them all. Meanwhile, their mother watches silently, never defending her daughters and never subjected to physical abuse herself. Terrified to be at home and terrified to tell anyone, Teressa seeks solace in books, music, and the family she can find outside of her home: a best friend, a kind neighbor, and a doting grandfather. At first cowed by her father’s abuse and desperate to believe that maybe, one day, things will change, Teressa ultimately grows into a young woman who understands that if she wants a better life, she’ll have to build it for herself—so she does.

Marine Corps PFC Owen Callahan, fresh out of boot camp at Parris Island, finds himself in a firefight in a Vietnam jungle. His platoon is in trouble, and he charges into action with little regard for his own safety to help get his mates out of danger. Badly wounded, he survives and is eventually awarded the Medal of Honor. Later, when Owen is a staff sergeant at Marine Barracks Washington, DC, his wife suffers a traumatic advance in childbirth, and he turns to Lieutenant Daniel Tucker for assistance in getting a transfer. Lieutenant Tucker helps the young sergeant and his family, who are ever grateful, and the two families stay connected over the years. Later, Owen and Dan are in combat together; Dan is wounded and Owen helps save his life. Owen's daughter Katy matures into a beautiful young woman, and she and Dan begin a romantic relationship. When Dan commands a regiment with Owen as his sergeant major, the romance threatens both Dan's career and their friendship. Will Dan and Katy ever find happiness?

It's Inspector Adrian Philips's job to keep the peace between humans and demons in Avvar. Part demon, part human, he's hated by both sides. But when he meets Roxanne, a fellow outcast, he finds in her everything his soul needs--and his body yearns for. The question is, will the exquisite pleasure they find together be worth the dangerous wrath of their enemies?

In this charming and intimate memoir, the youngest daughter of Winston Churchill shares stories from her remarkable life—and tells of the unbreakable bond she forged with her father through some of the most tumultuous years in British history. Through a combination of personal reminiscences and never-before-published diary entries, Mary Soames, the youngest daughter of Clementine and Winston Churchill, describes what it was like growing up as the scion of one of the lions of twentieth-century statecraft. Warm memories of a childhood spent roaming the grounds of the family’s country estate, tending to a small menagerie of pets, evoke the idyllic mood of England between the wars. As she matures into one of her father’s most trusted companions, we are given rare glimpses inside the glittering social milieu through which the Churchills moved—as well as the rough-and-tumble world of British politics. With fly-on-the-wall immediacy, Mary describes the momentous debate in Parliament where Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was driven from office, paving the way for Winston Churchill’s ascension and the grueling crucible of World War II. During the war Mary served as a gunner in the women’s auxiliary, helping to shoot down the German V-1 rockets then bedeviling London. Styling herself as Private M. Churchill to avoid publicity, she led a unique double life that comes vividly alive again in the retelling. Splitting her time between luncheons at Chequers—where she spent time with the likes of Lord Mountbatten—and the turret of an anti-aircraft battery, she was never far from the center of the action. Hitler even reportedly hatched a plan, never consummated, to hire spies to seduce her in order to gain access to secret British war plans. She attended the Potsdam Conference as her father’s aide-de-camp, arranging a memorable dinner with Harry Truman and Josef Stalin (whom she acidly remembers as “small, dapper, and rather twinkly”). And when British voters overwhelmingly turned on Winston Churchill in the 1945 election, it is left to Mary to recount the pain and devastation her father could never publicly express. The mutual love and affection between Mary Soames and her parents pours forth from every page of this elegantly written memoir. A Daughter’s Tale is both a moving personal history and a source of untold insight into one of the enduring icons of British national life.

The Greatest Works of French Literature serves as a monumental anthology, bringing together an unparalleled collection of works that span genres, styles, and centuries, showcasing the richness of French literary heritage. From the intricate psychological narratives of Marcel Proust to the dramatized societal critiques of Émile Zola, and the romanticized adventures by Alexandre Dumas, this collection transcends the mere assemblage of texts to become a tapestry of human thought and emotion. The anthology highlights the evolution of French literature, embracing the diversity of its expressions - from the foundational philosophical discourses of Jean-Jacques Rousseau to the compelling modernist poetry of Charles Baudelaire. This range not only celebrates the individual genius of each writer but also underscores the collective cultural and historical journey of France itself. The contributing authors and editors, each a luminary in their right, represent the zenith of French literary achievement across several eras. From the Renaissance vibrancy of François Rabelais to the Enlightenment provocations of Voltaire, and into the romantic and existential depths explored by Victor Hugo and Gaston Leroux, the compilation mirrors the broad spectrum of intellectual and artistic movements that have shaped not just French, but global literature. The anthology not only demonstrates the contributors' pivotal roles in crafting the narrative of French literature but also contextualizes their works within the larger tapestry of global literary and philosophical thought, inviting readers to appreciate the dialogues between French literature and worldwide cultural shifts. The Greatest Works of French Literature is an indispensable volume for anyone wishing to dive into the depths of French literary brilliance. It offers readers the unique opportunity to traverse time and genre within the pages of a single book, from enlightenment to romanticism, realism, and beyond. This collection is not just a testament to the enduring legacy of its authors but an invitation to explore the complexities of human experience through the lens of French literary imagination. Whether a student, scholar, or simply a lover of literature, this anthology promises a panoramic view into the heart of French literary artistry, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the rich threads woven into the fabric of cultural history.

This unique collection of the greatest French classics is meticulously formatted for your eReader: A History of French Literature François Rabelais: Gargantua and Pantagruel Molière: Tartuffe or the Hypocrite The Misanthrope The Miser The Imaginary Invalid The Impostures of Scapin... Jean Racine: Phaedra Pierre Corneille: The Cid Voltaire: Candide Zadig Micromegas The Huron A Philosophical Dictionary... Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Confessions Emile The Social Contract De Laclos: Dangerous Liaisons Stendhal‎: The Red and the Black The Charterhouse of Parma... Honoré de Balzac: Father Goriot Eugénie Grandet Lost Illusions The Lily of the Valley A Woman of Thirty Colonel Chabert The Magic Skin The Unknown Masterpiece... Victor Hugo: Les Misérables The Man Who Laughs The Hunchback of Notre-Dame Toilers of the Sea... George Sand: The Devil's Pool Mauprat Alexandre Dumas pere: The Three Musketeers Twenty Years After The Vicomte de Bragelonne Ten Years After Louise de la Valliere The Man in the Iron Mask The Count of Monte Cristo... Alexandre Dumas fils: The Lady with the Camellias Gustave Flaubert: Madame Bovary Salammbô Bouvard and Pécuchet Sentimental Education... Émile Zola: Thérèse Raquin The Fortune of the Rougons The Kill The Dram Shop A Love Episode Nana Piping Hot Germinal His Masterpiece The Earth The Dream The Human Beast Money The Downfall Doctor Pascal... Jules Verne: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Around the World in Eighty Days The Mysterious Island Journey to the Centre of the Earth From the Earth to the Moon Around the Moon In Search of the Castaways Guy de Maupassant: A Life Bel-Ami (The History of a Scoundrel) Mont Oriol Notre Coeur Pierre and Jean Strong as Death The Necklace The Horla Boul de Suif Two Friends Madame Tellier's Establishment... Charles Baudelaire: The Flowers of Evil Anatole France: The Revolt of the Angels The Gods are Athirst (The Gods Will Have Blood) Penguin Island Thaïs Gaston Leroux: The Phantom of the Opera The Mystery of the Yellow Room The Secret of the Night The Man with the Black Feather Marcel Proust: Swann's Way