Is death necessarily inevitable? The Man Who Refused to Die is the improbable tale of an intransigent character, heroic in his defiance, who refuses to cast aside mortal existence without knowing why he cannot prolong it indefinitely--who refuses to die just because the rest of humanity has thus far failed to avoid such a fate. The Belgian-born, French-based writer and comic-book critic Nicolas Ancion (author of L'homme qui valait 35 milliards) and the artist and illustrator Patrice Killofer (Futuropolis, Psikopat, 676 Apparitions of Killofer) draw on the researches of the molecular geneticist François Taddei for this latest installment in Dis Voir's new series of "illustrated fairy tales for adults," which asks "How do literature and science contaminate one another?"--seeking to mobilize scientific research to provoke dreams and meditations on the laws of the universe.

In engaging, direct prose, Gene Jacobsen chronicles his three-and-a-half-year experience as a prisoner of war, during which time he endured the Bataan death march and subsequent horrors in the Philippines and Japan.

"As the four girls stood by and watched still another family climb aboard the northbound train they renewed their vow. 'We cross our hearts and hope to die," they voiced in unison. 'We'll never leave Meadowsbrook." They felt this was a nice place to live, and since they were born here they planned to die here, convinced they could work together and make their town an even better place in which to live." During the summer of 1934 in Meadowsbrook, Mississippi, four girlfriends growing up in the small town struggle with issues of race, class, and the complex relationships between men and women. As they mature into adults, each searches for that one meaningful and lasting relationship. Georgia Mae Pastures finds love, but it only results in a senseless tragedy. Elizabeth Farrell falls in love with a white man at a time when such unions are considered taboo and dangerous. Natalie Dawson marries Shelton Lamont, a heartthrob who has a hard time keeping his pants above his knees. Tamara Mack marries Tobias Dupree-against her better judgment. Author Augusta Grimm delivers a hard-hitting look at the life of four very different, young African-American females as they journey from childhood to womanhood in "Meadowsbrook."

Zecharia Sitchin’s secret allegorical novel that brings to life the key concepts of his bestselling book The 12th Planet • Reimagines the Epic of Gilgamesh in the context of Sitchin’s discoveries • Details ancient Sumerian sex rituals, the Anunnaki lineage of the gods who lived in Sumer, Anunnaki spacecraft technology, the workings of the Oracle of Anu, and Gilgamesh’s relationship with the goddess Ishtar Written in secret so as not to incite criticism about his controversial discoveries, this novel from the late Zecharia Sitchin brings to life the key themes of his bestseller The 12th Planet. The story begins in London as Astra arrives at the British Museum’s opening for their new Gilgamesh exhibit. There she meets a handsome stranger who knows secrets about her that no stranger should know, including the source of the unusual scar on her hand. Taking her to his apartment, he reveals that she is descended from the goddess Ishtar and that he is the modern-day avatar of Gilgamesh seeking to claim the eternal life Ishtar denied him so long ago. Reenacting their sacred sex ritual from eons ago, they find themselves transported to ancient Sumer as Gilgamesh and Ishtar, where he is at last able to continue his quest for immortality. But as Gilgamesh fulfills his sacred duties with Ishtar, something goes awry and the Oracle of Anu will not renew its blessing upon his kingship. Following the direction of his mother, the Anunnaki goddess Ninsun--the source of his partial divinity--Gilgamesh flees the city for the Anunnaki forbidden zone in search of a way to the planet Nibiru and eternal life. Travel alongside Gilgamesh and his immortal companion Enkidu as they escape the fate pronounced by the oracle, discover a Tablet of Destiny meant for Ishtar, fight off Marduk’s raiders, and foil the plot of the high priest, Gilgamesh’s half-brother who is seeking Gilgamesh’s crown for himself. Retelling the Epic of Gilgamesh in the context of his discoveries about the Anunnaki, Zecharia Sitchin weaves a tale of ancient ceremony, accidental betrayal, gods among men, interplanetary travel, and a quest for immortality spanning millennia.

This book presents Chinese short-short stories in English and Chinese, integrating language learning with cultural studies for intermediate to advanced learners of Mandarin Chinese and students of contemporary Chinese literature. Each chapter begins with a critical introduction, followed by two or more stories in parallel Chinese and English texts; each story is followed by a vocabulary list, discussion questions, and a biography of the author. The chapters are organized around central concepts in Chinese culture such as li (ritual), ren (benevolence), mianzi (face/prestige), being filial, and the dynamics of yin and yang, as well as the themes of governance, identity, love, marriage, and change. The stories selected are short-shorts by important contemporary writers ranging from the most literary to everyday voices. Specifically designed for use in upper-level Chinese language courses, Contemporary Chinese Short-Short Stories: A Parallel Text offers students a window onto China today and pathways to its traditions and past as they gain language competence and critical cultural skills.

On 17 December 2007, 13-year-old Alby Dobinson left his home to make his daily journey to school. Later that day, during his return journey, something happened that would change his life forever. This story charts the remarkable journey undertaken by Alby and those closest to him. Life is always a mixture of good times and bad, laughter and sadness, and Alby’s story reflects this rainbow of human emotion, from suffering to euphoria. As a biography, written in the style of a novel, this book details years of rehabilitation as family members recount their own experiences with humour, regret and acceptance, plumbing the depths of despair and soaring to the heights of joy. The Daily Mail headline “The boy who wouldn’t die” was detested by Alby’s family. However, a small change to it illustrated Alby’s determination. He did not travel his road alone but was accompanied by his mother and stepfather, Lisa and Mark; his younger brother, Jimmy; and his grandparents. What happened to Alby had a profound effect on them all and each has their own special story, including the amusing tale of how Lisa and Mark met and the response to Mark’s declaration that he would run the London Marathon: “You’ve never done more than run for a bus!” This is a story that will amaze and inspire. It is tinged with sadness but the overwhelming message is one of courage and the triumph of one very determined young man and his family.

In the tradition of All Quiet on the Western Front, Elton E. Mackin’s memoirs are a haunting portrayal of war as seen through the eyes of a highly decorated Marine who fought in every Marine Brigade battle from Belleau Wood to the crossing of the Meuse on the eve of the Armistice. Praise for Suddenly We Didn't Want to Die “This beautifully written and truly gripping war memoir is a significant addition to battlefield literature. A minor classic . . . An altogether remarkable job [comparable] to Crane, Remarque and Mailer. Deserves the widest possible audience.”—The Cleveland Plain Dealer “This immediate, eloquent report merit[s] comparison with Thomas Boyd’s Marine Corps [1923] classic Through the wheat.”—Publishers Weekly “A real curiosity: a highly mannered World War I diary, published nearly 80 years after being written and 20 years after its author’s death. Bright snapshots abound…sometimes a young man’s lyricism takes over [but] the horror of war never departs. The diary has the faults one expects, and the promise one prays for. A fine addition to WWI literature.”—Kirkus Reviews “A forthright, eloquent, and powerful memoir certain to become an enduring testament to the drama and tragedy of World War I. Threaded with no small measure of poetry, this superb memoir is sure to become a classic.”—Great Battles “A plain but powerful tale . . . [in] vivid prose loaded with details that bring the horrors of World War I to life, he tells an exceptional new version of the old story of battle transforming a boy into a veteran.”—American Library Association Booklist “To the ranks of Erich Maria Remarque, E.E. Cummings, John Dos Passos and Siegfried Sassoon, we must now add Elton Mackin . . . who, in a terse style reminiscent of Hemingway, [succeeds] in making someone unfamiliar with war truly now the frightfulness of the trenches and the greatness of the many men who fought in them.”—Marine Corps Gazette