Afternoon Tea: A History explores the development of the afternoon tea meal, diving deeper than the popular tale of the Duchess of Bedford’s afternoon gatherings to find the meals that inspired those early afternoon teas. Julia Skinner carefully separates the fact and lore around the meal and sets the story of afternoon tea within its historic contexts. Recognizing that a meal’s birth and life never happen in a vacuum, the book sets aside the already well-documented conversations surrounding tea etiquette, instead exploring the social contexts that made the meal possible and popular, moving it from one small subset of the population to a widespread and beloved phenomenon, one that nearly died out at the end of the 20th century before experiencing a resurgence in the 21st. Afternoon tea is a meal that came of age during the British Empire’s most aggressive expansion, and as such became a meal that was transported to new continents with colonial forces. The book explores how this movement took place and uncovers the different ways tea and colonialism intersect in both the colonial and postcolonial worlds. It also looks at afternoon tea in America, a country that broke from the Empire before the meal was established as a set ritual, but which still has its own complex relationship with the beverage and a continuing fascination with the meal. The book concludes by looking at afternoon tea today, including a handful of interviews that show the range of perspectives about the meal and its place in society, as well as its resurging popularity in the last decade.

When the day of Lord Saito Gonji’s birthday arrives, Gonji celebrates with dread, knowing that in a week, he will be married. Sent away in his youth for samurai training, and then to higher education, Gonji is very connected to his studies. After his intelligence is proven, his professors even tell Gonji that he would do great things for Japan one day. However, since he is the youngest son in his family, Gonji is expected to marry—a social expectation that he cannot get around. Now, on his birthday, he is expected to marry a childhood friend, Ohano in one week, which will greatly interfere with his studies. When his family notice how upset Gonji is over the arranged marriage, they grant him one week of pure freedom, allowing him to do whatever he chooses. Soon into the week, Gonji meets a famous dancer. Known by the stage name of Spider, the dancer was at the height of her career after being trained by the most celebrated geisha in Japan. When Spider and Gonji become intimate during the week, their fleeting encounter soon proves to complicate the plans Gonji’s parents made for him. Featuring complex and memorable characters as well as detailed descriptions of Japanese customs and landscapes, The Honorable Miss Moonlight depicts a vivid portrait of 20th century Japan. With themes of gender, sexuality, identity, and a close perspective of the honor/shame culture of Japan in the 1900s, The Honorable Miss Moonlight is as enlightening as it is entertaining. First published in 1912, The Honorable Miss Moonlight is one of Onoto Watanna’s most famous works, yet is rarely found in print. This special edition features a stunning cover design and is printed in an easy-to-read font. With these accommodations, this edition caters to contemporary readers by restoring the novel to modern standards while preserving the original intricacy of Onoto Watanna’s work.

What happens when a Time Traveller makes a sudden return to Ely and its enormous cathedral? Why is the au-pair being suddenly let loose in the cowshed? And what drives Elena to consult a mysterious 'healer' or James to visit his former teacher? In this collection of intriguing short stories the reader is taken on a journey with sometimes unforeseen results.

Reproduction of the original: In Bad Coompany and Other Stories by Rolf Boldrewood

Reproduction of the original: The Little Glass Man and Other Stories by Wilheilm Hauff

The Glitter and Other Stories serves up an offering of ten stories showcasing life's broad palette—from friendships to frustrations, healings, loves, memories, sorrows, and sensitivities. From the interior of a bar to the majesty of a trip to India, author Curt Maury has created a fictional collection ripe with setting and sensory detail. The title story, "The Glitter," finds social services worker Emily Robinson in the lavish home of Trixie Trent, the leading lady of musicals. Here Emily discovers more than she wants to know about this celebrated star. In "The Great Hollow," Greg and Petra, husband and wife, meet in a bar and attempt to come to terms with their childlessness. In Tel Aviv, American David Glick tries to soothe the dying soul of Luigi Roselli, a fellow American injured in a bomb blast in the story "The Blessed." This purposeful collection, with poems included, provides a unique insight into the human condition and its powerful emotions.

"Contact, and Other Stories" by Frances Noyes Hart is a collection of short stories that have entered into the hearts of readers for the past century. Originally written in the first half of the 20th century, the book immediately captured readers who were looking for romance in the written word, without having to read through lengthy stories to get it.