Seven samurai will teach him what it means to be a warrior…one by one he will remind them of what they taught. Young Miyamoto Musashi, who goes by the nickname Hachi, studies at the local samurai school of the Yoshioka’s. When he accidently meets his master’s daughter, Umi, in a forbidden garden beneath a peach tree, it’s love at first sight. They plan to meet again beneath the tree, but Umi never shows. Driven by his desire to prove he is worthy, Hachi vows to become the greatest samurai who has ever lived to earn the right to see Umi again. As he trains under seven great samurai, he never forgets Umi and his desire to be with her grows. When Hachi suffers a great betrayal, he is driven by his own sense of justice and the driving force of what it means to be a samurai while he searches for peace and tranquility. A classic tale of devotion and revenge, Miyamoto will come face to face with his own destiny in this origins tale of his life.

Jake Blaine is an American studying abroad in Bangkok, Thailand. When he notices beautiful Mischa Lemnova from across the lobby, he is instantly drawn to the coy and mysterious woman. As Jake chases after the woman of his dreams, he explores the city and nightlife with a group of international students from around the world as they all search for their own place in the sun. This pseudo-memoir of youth and love set against the colorful and provocative backdrop of Bangkok proves that it’s not always about the destination, but the connections and encounters we experience along the way.

In this complete reference to integrating edible plants into a wide range of private and public landscapes, landscape designer Cheryl Beesley thoroughly answers the questions of how to plant, where to plant, and what to plant. She covers garden layout, bed construction, and fencing options and offers specific design examples for a wide variety of possibilities for edible landscapes, such as a schoolyard, restaurant, or residence. She presents an extensive pallet of edible plant choices for Texas arranged by trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals and includes detailed information about plant families as well as individual plants. Appendixes instruct readers on disease and insect control, additional variety selections, and plant and seed sources. As the author points out, however they are incorporated, vegetables and fruits—long relegated to their own plots and often hidden from view—can become beautiful and practical additions to the ornamental landscape.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A modern classic of true crime, set in a most beguiling Southern city—now in a 30th anniversary edition with a new afterword by the author “Elegant and wicked . . . might be the first true-crime book that makes the reader want to book a bed and breakfast for an extended weekend at the scene of the crime.”—The New York Times Book Review Shots rang out in Savannah’s grandest mansion in the misty, early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. In this sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative, John Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case. It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: the well-bred society ladies of the Married Woman’s Card Club; the turbulent young gigolo; the hapless recluse who owns a bottle of poison so powerful it could kill every man, woman, and child in Savannah; the aging and profane Southern belle who is the “soul of pampered self-absorption”; the uproariously funny drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; the sweet-talking, piano-playing con artist; young people dancing the minuet at the black debutante ball; and Minerva, the voodoo priestess who works her magic in the graveyard at midnight. These and other Savannahians act as a Greek chorus, with Berendt revealing the alliances, hostilities, and intrigues that thrive in a town where everyone knows everyone else. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a sublime and seductive reading experience.