First published in 1890, The Sign of Four is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's second book starring legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. The story is complex, involving a secret between four ex-cons from India and a hidden treasure. More complex than the first Holmes novel, The Sign of Four also introduces the detective's drug habit and leaves breadcrumbs for the reader that lead toward the final resolution. Readers are offered an explanation of the mystery from the killer's perspective, encouraging a sense of sympathy with the condemned that the previous book also lacked. Any fan of the mystery genre should consider this book a must-read. Scottish surgeon and political activist SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE (1859-1930) turned his passions into stories and novels, producing fiction and nonfiction works sometimes controversial (The Great Boer War, 1900), sometimes fanciful (The Coming of the Fairies, 1922), and sometimes legendary (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1892).

This book is a facsimile reprint and may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages.

The music of Pulitzer Prize winning composer Michael Colgrass is the music of our time. His works have been commissioned, performed and recorded by major symphony orchestras and noted soloists around the world, and his distinctive voice - steeped in a number of musical histories and styles - has been praised and lauded by critics and audiences alike. Colgrass' "uncanny ability to write accessible music that simultaneously challenges the intellect and stirs the emotions" is the subject of this book. Colgrass' artistic development; the evolution of his work towards "a polyphony of musics"; and his background in acting and theater training are examined at length. Two particular works - Deja vu and Winds of Nagual - are considered in some detail. Colgrass' recent works have involved fusing the many layers of cultural styles, moving towards a grand synthesis of his "counterpoint of characters." Musicians, performers, conductors, admirers of Colgrass' works, wind band enthusiasts, and devotees of contemporary music will all find A Counterpoint of Characters stimulating reading.

Viviane, a beautiful Celtic princess, unwittingly unravels the spell that binds the spirit of the evil Idoc within a circle of tall stones. Once released, the sorcerer-priest uses his powers to deliver vengeance upon those responsible for his original enslavement - including the Princess Viviane. With Idoc in possession of the body of Prince Caradawc, her betrothed, Viviane can no longer judge safely between friend and foe, between this life and previous incarnations. Yet to rescue Caradawc from his nightmare, she must risk everything to reach the dreaded dark tower where Idoc waits. And, to ensure victory over evil, she must seek out Lucifer's Emerald. She journeys through dreams and nightmare, beauty and horror, good and evil to save her lover and destroy the sorcerer-priest. This is a quest for spiritual grace which is beautifully depicted and includes all the timeless ingredients of legend.

This title includes a book and 4 CDs. "A Day in New York: Lifestyle, Fashion and Sightseeing" describes a day in pictures and music in this fascinating city. The trip starts at 6:00 a.m. in Midtown and covers all of Manhattan. The tour includes shopping a la 'Sex and the City', sightseeing in Soho and Greenwich Village, a stroll through Central Park and Harlem as well as visits to museums, restaurants and night clubs - a day full of impressions that ends where it started in Midtown at night. Music CDs: typical tracks from New York labels and artists are assembled here to create a compilation that is as colorful as the city itself. The spirit of the metropolis is reflected in Jazz, Swing, Soul, Pop, Hip-Hop and Gospel, as well as in recordings by musicians who perform in New York's streets and subway stations.