A generous selection from New Zealand's foremost writer of short stories. Peter Simpson in reviewing Owen Marshall's stories in the New Zealand Listener wrote: 'Marshall is held in uncommon affection by New Zealand readers - generally we admire and respect rather than love our writers.' This love is perhaps evoked not just by the superb quality of Marshall's writing but because his stories so precisely capture his fellow New Zealanders and their country. From the provinces to the cities, the remote landscapes to journeying overseas, Marshall's stories show a deep understanding of who and where we are. Sometimes he skewers the locals with sharp and sly comedy, in other stories there's an elegiac sadness or a grim reality, but always an insightful exploration of human emotions. From the substantial body of work created over the last thirty years, critic, writer and academic Vincent O'Sullivan has selected sixty stories that give a wide representation of Marshall's range. He once wrote that short stories should aspire to a combination of 'intransigence and poetry', both of which are evident in this fine selection. 'Marshall is a writer who speaks with equal intensity to the unbearable loveliness and malevolence of life.' - Carolyn Bliss, World Literature Today

A collection of entertaining, sometimes tragic short stories.

Organized crime and the mob figures who run it have long captured the imagination of the American public, appearing since the early twentieth century as characters in a host of popular books, movies, and television programs. But often what the public knew of such figures and their criminal careers was as much myth as fact. This book offers highly readable, carefully researched biographies that dispel the the myths but preserve the fascination surrounding 10 infamous New York mob leaders of the twentieth century. Each in-depth biography will help interested readers understand how and why each of these men achieved special notariety within the world of organized crime. Each biography describes the early years of each man, assessing how he came to a criminal career; his rise to prominence within the mob, providing reaction from those who knew him and witnessed his actions; and the last years of his career, assessing why it ended as it did. Each biography is illustrated with a picture of its subject and concludes with a listing of additional information resources, both print and electronic. A detailed subject index provides further access to the large amount of information contained in each biography. A timeline allows readers to quickly and easily track the birth, death, and important events in the life of each mobster.

What happens when an ordinary man becomes a messiah? A witty, prescient and eloquent satire by one of New Zealand’s finest writers. Far into the twenty-first century, Albous Slaven's life is spectacularly and irrevocably altered after he hangs for an instant from a power line. While recuperating, he senses a new-found gift; the gift of oratory. Driven to hold rallies throughout New Zealand, Slaven astounds and alarms the ruling politicians. He too is astounded and often bemused by the response of the tens of thousands who flock to hear him. But what is his message? Is he a Messiah, a political saviour, or an idealist who conjures up forces he can neither understand nor control? Shortlisted for the Montana Book Award for Fiction and described by Vincent O'Sullivan as `Delightfully sardonic; philosophically mischievous', this novel deftly and disconcertingly explores its characters' lives in this lyrical picture of New Zealand.

Alfred Ollivant "The Gentleman: A Romance of the Sea" is a thrilling nautical story that dives into sailors' lives and ocean secrets and techniques. At its core is Captain Dene, a seasoned sailor diagnosed for his daring and leadership. When he meets a mysterious individual recognized handiest as the Gentleman aboard his deliver, the tale takes a thrilling flip. As the unconventional progresses, readers are drawn right into a global of high seas and treacherous journeys. The Gentleman, together with his enigmatic look and fascinating presence, will become a pivotal player in Dene's life, weaving a tangled internet of relationships and betrayals. Against the backdrop of storms and shipwrecks, Dene and the Gentleman's friendship is challenged, revealing deep-seated secrets and hidden desires. Ollivant's descriptive narrative and depictions of marine lifestyles provide a sensible photograph of the ocean and the men who sail it. As Dene struggles with the demands of his process and the intricacies of human relationships, "The Gentleman" develops as a gripping tale of journey, love, and the enduring pressure of the ocean.