Shortly before the onset of hostilities in Europe in 1939, the celebrated Italian conductor, Maestro Marcantonio Omodei, departs Rome to accept a position with New York's Metropolitan Opera Company under Toscanini. His wife, Anita, plans to join him after the arrival of their precious baby.

Christened Marcus Aurelius, the boy is born amidst the first salvos of the European war. Separated from his family for the duration of hostilities, the Maestro is forced, enemy alien status notwithstanding, to endure the mild discomforts of wartime New York City, while mother and child are left to face an uncertain future. Reconciled to a long separation from the one true love of her life, Anita manages the resulting trials with grit and humor. The experience stirs her to reassess her ancestral values, a process that dramatically transforms not only her world, but also her very being. Through it all, Anita is abetted by two childhood friends: Adriana, a blasphemous and fiercely cynical spinster, and a worldly nun named Eugenia.

Wrenched from the fringes of her relatively humdrum purgatory, Anita is swept into the vortex of a developing tempest and the deceptive calm that follows its conclusion.

In 1927, in a town deep within the Calabrian mountains, an oppressed and isolated family lives under the tyranny of a violent baron who wants to subdue and recruit the brothers Pietro and Ferruccio by any means possible. When the brothers reject his offer, the enraged baron exacts his revenge on the family in a brutal attack-on their children. He attempts to kill Ferruccio's toddler son, Nicola, and forcefully adopts Pietro's now-orphaned four-year-old niece, Carmen. As astute as he is dangerous, Pietro-now calling himself Zione-insinuates himself into the baron's inner circle, waiting for the perfect moment to exact his own revenge.

Years pass, and the world is at war. Ferruccio returns from the horrors of the Russian Front with a frostbitten foot, only to find there are battles to be won at home as well. Nicola, now a man, is engaged to Carmen, who carries his child. But the baron forbids his adopted daughter to marry. Under threat of death, Ferruccio flees to Miami. There he seeks protection and help from a local boss. Back in Italy, Carmen gives birth to their child before joining Nicola in Florida, in the hopes of starting a new life in the New World. Together they open an Italian restaurant and try to find happiness so far from home.

They will never forget the Great Sila, the "viddanedda," the beech forest, the fountains, and the procession of Santa Caterina. They will always remember their lost Calabria with love.

A war that could turn friends into enemies, lovers into fighters . . . Summer 1935. In Margaret Pemberton's Beneath the Cypress Tree best friends Kate Shelton, Ella Tetley and Daphne St. Maur are on the cusp of a new life, having graduated with Classics degrees. Kate is desperate to start work on an archaeological dig straightaway and she is thrilled to be given a position at the famous Knossos palace site in Crete. However, she doesn't bargain for working with gruff site director Lewis Sinclair - nor for her own complex feelings towards him. In Yorkshire, Ella's family expect her to marry Sam, her steady friend who is training to be a doctor, but Ella too feels pulled to the Mediterranean by the promise of freedom. When she meets Christos, life as a country GP's wife seems even less appealing . . . Daphne however throws herself into London's high society, falling madly in love with diplomat and heir Sholto Hertford - but then his work brings them to Crete, and Daphne becomes enchanted by the island as well. Meanwhile, the threat of war rumbles on, as reports of Hitler's rapid expansion across Europe become impossible to ignore. It seems that nothing can touch the perfect, glittering sea and snow-capped mountains, but Kate, Ella and Daphne know that the island haven they now call home will never be the same again.

1950s Liverpool. In the tight-knit Irish Catholic community of the Four Streets, two girls are growing up. One is motherless - and hated by the cold woman who is determined to take her dead mother's place. The other is hiding a dreadful secret which she dare not let slip to anyone, lest it rips the heart out of the community. What can the people of the Four Streets do when a betrayal at the very heart of their world comes to light?

A new Second World War novel from bestselling author Diney Costeloe, based on a gripping and moving true story. Plymouth, 1941. As sirens blare all around, the Shawbrook family take refuge in a packed shelter. Bombs have already begun to fall through the night sky when they realise their infant son, Freddie, has been forgotten in the rush, left to sleep in his crib. Terrified, Vera, his young mother races to find him and bring him to safety. The next morning, air raid warden David Shawbrook returns from his watch to find the shelter pulverised, and his family seemingly all dead. Dirty footprints inside their home betray the looters who have rifled through the house. Meanwhile, Maggie waits alone for her husband. Since the death of her infant son, she passes her days at home with neither joy nor aim. But not this morning. For this morning her husband has brought home a child, found abandoned in the aftermath of the terrible raid - a child she is sure is the one she held in her arms so many months before. Praise for Diney Costeloe: 'Truly captivating' Woman & Home 'This is a truly captivating read that brings together vibrant characters and a historical setting' Woman's Own 'A gripping saga' My Weekly

Set against the colorful backdrop of events that gave rise to a fledgling century of technology, this vibrant novel of romance and adventure introduces a stunning new figure to begin the journey of future generations:
Blackie Devlin... Street-wise alumni of turn-of-the-century Hell's Kitchen, Blackie Devlin rose from the tenements to acquire fame and fortune as the owner of one of the hottest dance halls in the infamous Tenderloin. But something was missing...the Excitement and Adventure once found on the streets. He pursues a new dream as an aviator and nears the zenith--but his past threatens to catch up with him and destroy everything...his fame, his fortune, and his life--including the women who love him...

This book (hardcover) is part of the TREDITION CLASSICS. It contains classical literature works from over two thousand years. Most of these titles have been out of print and off the bookstore shelves for decades. The book series is intended to preserve the cultural legacy and to promote the timeless works of classical literature. Readers of a TREDITION CLASSICS book support the mission to save many of the amazing works of world literature from oblivion. With this series, tredition intends to make thousands of international literature classics available in printed format again - worldwide.

Iceland is a country where stories are as important as history. When Vikings settled the island, they brought their tales with them. Every rock, hot spring and waterfall seems to have its own story. Cruel man-eating trolls rub shoulders with beautiful elves, whose homes are hidden from mortal view. Vengeful ghosts envy the living, seeking to drag lost loves into their graves - or they may simply demand a pinch of your snuff. Some of the stories in this collection are classic Icelandic tales, while others are completely new to English translation. Hjoerleifur has always been deeply interested in the rich lore of his island. His grandparents provided a second home in his upbringing and taught him much about the past through their own way of life. Hjoerleifur is dedicated to breathing fresh life into the stories he loves.

The fishermen of Uwa, a city-state in the Igbo land of Africa bring disturbing news to the elders. Three slave ships-certain harbingers of death-are anchored off the coast of the city-state. The sighting of the boats spells doom for the people. The elders are very aware of what has happened in other communities-kidnappings, slave raids, and warfare. Uwa has gone on alert and has adopted a vigilant watch for the slave traders. They will do all they can to avoid being ravaged and destroyed by the rapacious slave trade. Four days later, Okoro Okonta, an enigmatic, charismatic, ruthless slave merchant from the Ako Kingdom, strolls into the city-state and declares his intention to settle in Uwa. The state elders cannot refuse an Ako man the right to settle in the land-that would be inviting certain annihilation within the week. But the elders wonder if his arrival, on the heels of the slave boats, was just a coincidence or something else entirely.

A problem shared, is always a problem halved on Mulberry Lane...LONDON 1950 Peggy Ronoscki is happily settling back into life running her guesthouse on Mulberry Lane, surrounded by close friends and family. Life just seems too good...but then disaster strikes. Pip, her beloved son is left in a coma following a devastating car crash and a young girl collapses in the market leaving Peggy no option but to nurse her back to health. As things begin to go awry, Peggy worries she has brought trouble to her own doorstep? Can her life ever return to normal? Or has Peggy's good nature led her astray? Praise for the Mulberry Lane series: 'When it comes to writing sagas, Rosie Clarke is up there with some of the best in the business' Bookish Jottings. 'Full of drama, romance and secrets ... A perfect example of its genre' That Thing She Reads. 'This is wonderful historical fiction that is so character-driven you'll wish these women lived on your street' 'Absolutely loved this latest instalment and revisiting the ladies of the Lane. Another great story of love and heartache'

With all odds against him, sixteen-year old Simon struggles with the loss of his alcoholic mother, which leaves him fending for himself. Later that day he finds out that his best friend is a victim of sexual abuse and witnesses this horrible act when visiting her home. Simon finds himself an orphan who turns to self-mutilation, violently lashing out against the evils of the world. This novel is based on one boy's true-life tragedies and has given him the passion to be the voice for the forgotten children of the world.

Just when things seem as bad as they can be, with Del torn between a mother who hates Del's Hispanic spouse and a spouse determined to be part of the family, Del's daughter makes an announcement which adds new and unsolvable racial tension to the stew-pot of problems. Mission Impossible turns into Mission Unthinkable. In recurring nightmares, Del drives but can't see the road ahead. Someone has curtained the windshield, or she moves through heavy fog or a blinding snowstorm-or her headlights won't come on. Again, she is not driving but riding the train-and her spouse climbs off and abandons her, promising, "I'll meet you in Syracuse."

Something has to be done about the situation-but what? Is there a solution?

When Mike Bennek's ailing grandfather asks him to take time off from work for a research holiday to the Ukraine, Mike eagerly accepts. He looks forward to connecting with his family's past; along with his brothers and a few friends, he embarks on the vacation of a lifetime.

From the moment they arrive, the group becomes enchanted with the different culture surrounding them. Exotic new foods, architectural wonders, and the language itself wrap them in the past. But Mike also realizes that, while the Ukrainian people have not forgotten their troubled past, today they are still being haunted by a harmful Russian influence. It is one more narrative he must add to his grandfather's story.

Mike finds his grandfather's birthplace with the help of the beautiful, strong-willed Natasha. He hears stories from long ago and learns more about his family and their culture than either he or his grandfather thought possible. From traditional Easter eggs and the peasants' disdain for the aristocracy to a benevolent nobleman who played a major role in his family's life, Mike comes to appreciate his grandfather-and his history-more than ever before.

With colorful details of the Ukraine and a dash of romance, "Old Country Surprises" speaks to the importance of family and the bonds of loyalty.

Born in a small, impoverished town in northern Italy, Evo J. DeConcini enjoyed school and wanted nothing more than to further his education. He followed his older brothers to America in 1946, at the age of fourteen, eager to take advantage of the opportunities offered by this new world.

As he worked toward a bright future in America--learning English, going to graduate school, and eventually entering the political realm--he also strengthened his ties to the past by researching his family history. "A True Story" jumps backward and forward in time, detailing the lives of the DeConcinis in sixteenth-century Europe and turn-of-the-century America, returning to Evo J.'s life as he continued to pursue the American dream.

The three horror stories included in this collection by Jason Winn will take you on a journey of horror that takes you out of your comfort zone and thrusts you into the cauldron of terror These three disturbing stories of unrelenting horror will plague your mind with nightmares.

"The Wages of Sin"

Special Agent Lydia Bryant, along with an elite team of law enforcement personnel, must transport the deadliest serial killer in the United States to his execution. In the process, she discovers the true mission lurking within this demonic killer's mind. Now, she must race against time to prevent it from coming to fruition.

"Love Thine Enemy"

At forty, Laurel Baxter feels that life is passing her by. As a vampire hunter for the Harker/Van Helsing Institute, she endures lonely nights and constantly limited horizons. Her only hope of gaining the life she so desperately craves rests in the hands of the world's most lethal vampire.

"An Eye for an Eye"

Oliver Ocean is the head of Miami's top modeling agency. Knowing that his models contracts are soon to expire, Ocean plans a final photo shoot with them in the Caribbean. The voyage becomes a bloodbath, though, when Ocean's crew is ambushed by unstoppable zombies.