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Books > Fiction > Special features
Near the end of World War II and after, a small-town Nebraska
youth, Jimmy Kugler, drew more than a hundred double-sided sheets
of comic strip stories. Over half of these six-panel tales retold
the Pacific War as fought by "Frogs" and "Toads," humanoid
creatures brutally committed to a kill-or-be-killed struggle. The
history of American youth depends primarily on adult reminiscences
of their own childhoods, adult testimony to the lives of youth
around them, or surmises based on at best a few creative artifacts.
The survival then of such a large collection of adolescent comic
strips from America's small-town Midwest is remarkable. Michael
Kugler reproduces the never-before-published comics of his father's
adolescent imagination as a microhistory of American youth in that
formative era. Also included in Into the Jungle! A Boy's Comic
Strip History of World War II are the likely comic book models for
these stories and inspiration from news coverage in newspapers,
radio, movies, and newsreels. Kugler emphasizes how US propaganda
intended to inspire patriotic support for the war gave this young
artist a license for his imagined violence. In a context of
progressive American educational reform, these violent comic
stories, often in settings modeled on the artist's small Nebraska
town, suggests a form of adolescent rebellion against moral
conventions consistent with comic art's reputation for "outsider"
or countercultural expressions. Kugler also argues that these
comics provide evidence for the transition in American taste from
war stories to the horror comics of the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Kugler's thorough analysis of his father's adolescent art explains
how a small-town boy from the plains distilled the popular culture
of his day for an imagined war he could fight on his audacious,
even shocking terms.
A gigantic monster returns to the town it ravaged years earlier in this
poignant kaiju manga from the creator of the hit series Colorless. In
the spirit of the classic Godzilla and Godzilla Minus One, GAEA-TIMA
combines thunderous action and character drama with the social
conscience and thematic complexity of the genre's post-war roots.
A monster that people call GAEA-TIMA devastates a small, seaside town.
Ten years later, the resilient community has emerged as a tourist
destination, and Miyako, who became a local celebrity by surviving the
attack, is making a living selling mini-replicas of the beast. But when
GAEA-TIMA returns, Miyako and her neighbors will discover that their
enduring connection to the creature goes deeper than tourism and
trauma. Just what is the true agenda behind the attack of the
"gigantis?" Are there more like GAEA-TIMA waiting for their moment?And
is humanity capable of responding to violence with anything other than
more violence?
The brand new heartwarming festive read from bestseller Sarah
Bennett!Music sensation Aurora Storm finally has her career back on
track, but then she's caught up in a media storm. Desperate to
distract from the story, she enlists the one man she trusts to
pretend to be her boyfriend. Meanwhile, in the small seaside
village of Mermaids Point, Nick Morgan never expected to see Aurora
again. When she calls out of the blue needing his help, he agrees
at once. It feels like she's back in his life for a reason, and
he's determined to make the most of it. Aurora joins Nick and the
rest of his family for their festive celebrations and, as the snow
falls, Aurora finds herself caught up in the romance of Christmas.
But having tasted worldwide fame, can she ever be content with
village life? Two weeks is all Nick has to prove to Aurora that
there's a happy ending for them both in Mermaids Point. There's
always a second chance for love in a Sarah Bennett story, so escape
to the seaside village of Mermaids Point for a festive, feel-good
treat. Perfect for all fans of Trisha Ashley, Holly Martin and
Milly Johnson. Praise for Sarah Bennett: 'A gorgeous story packed
with love, romance and heartfelt emotion. Will bring sunshine into
your day!' Phillipa Ashley 'Cosy, heartwarming and moving, this
story is as beautiful as its cover.' Samantha Tonge 'Happy Endings
at Mermaids Point has passion in spades, romance to make you blush
and a community that cares. I hoped this story would just keep on
going.' Celia Anderson 'What a finale to a fabulous season! I
absolutely loved the story and it was wonderful to see all the
characters get their much deserved happily ever after! An
absolutely gorgeous Christmas read!' Katie Ginger 'This is a real
page turner, with a brisk plot and a really emotional core. The
community we've grown to love at Mermaid's Point is alive with
love, laughter and vibrancy!' Fay Keenan 'I loved Nick and Aurora's
story, and want the Morgan family to adopt me. Sarah Bennett has
surpassed herself.' Jules Wake 'This is the perfect escapist read
and I can't wait to follow the characters in what promises to be a
wonderful series. Five sparkling stars!' Rachel Griffiths'What a
Mer-mazing book! I'm so glad this is a series and I'll get to meet
the characters again because you won't want to leave them after the
final page.' Catherine Miller 'I inhaled this book in two days.
Absolutely gorgeous. Sarah Bennett is back, and better than ever!'
Rachel Burton 'A perfect heartwarming read full of family, romance
and intrigue, set in a stunning location - what's not to love?'
Bella Osborne
The storyline of Miss Buncle's Book (1934) is a simple one: Barbara
Buncle, who is unmarried and perhaps in her late 30s, lives in a
small village and writes a novel about it in order to try and
supplement her meagre income. This is a light-hearted, easy read,
one of those books like Mariana, Miss Pettigrew, The Making of a
Marchioness and Greenery Street which can be recommended
unreservedly to anyone looking for something undemanding, fun and
absorbing that is also well-written and intelligent. DE Stevenson
had an enormously successful writing career: between 1923 and 1970,
four million copies of her books were sold in Britain and three
million in the States. Like EF Benson, Ann Bridge, O Douglas or
Dorothy L Sayers (to name but a few) her books are funny, intensely
readable, engaging and dependable. Miss Buncle's Book was the most
popular of her novels because it has a completely original plot and
a charming and delightful central character.
The highly anticipated graphic novel adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune
comes to an epic conclusion in DUNE: The Graphic Novel, Book 3: The
Prophet.
Be transported to the Dune universe with this visual masterpiece that
blends classic science fiction with contemporary comics storytelling.
Brian Herbert, son of Frank Herbert, and New York Times bestselling
author Kevin J. Anderson conclude their faithful adaptation of the
novel Dune with Paul’s manifestation of his great and terrible purpose.
The final battle for Arrakis is swiftly approaching. Paul Atriedes has
accepted his role as the leader of the Fremen but knows his power over
them teeters on the brink―they will either take back their planet or
lead a jihad that will consume the entire cosmos.
Lady Jessica has become a Reverend Mother and must balance her support
of her son with the expectations of the Bene Gesserit Order. Meanwhile,
Baron Harkonnen has continued to groom his cunning nephew, Feyd-Rautha,
to rule the desert planet. All their destinies collide in an epic
finale that will change Arrakis―and the universe―forever.
The Santa Killer is coming to town...One night less than two weeks
before Christmas, a single mother is violently assaulted. It's a
brutal crime at the time of year when there should be goodwill to
all. When DI Barton begins his investigation, he's surprised to
find the victim is a woman with nothing to hide and no reason for
anyone to hurt her. A few days later, the mother of the woman
attacked rings the police station. Her granddaughter has drawn a
shocking picture. It seems she was looking out of the window when
her mother was attacked. And when her grandmother asks the young
girl who the person with the weapon is, she whispers two words. Bad
Santa. The rumours start spreading, and none of the city's women
feel safe - which one of them will be next? He's got a list. It's
quite precise. It won't matter even if you're nice. Ross Greenwood
is back with his bestselling series, perfect for fans of Mark
Billingham and Ian Rankin. Praise for Ross Greenwood: 'Ross
Greenwood is at the top of his game.' Owen Mullen 'Move over Rebus
and Morse; a new entry has joined the list of great crime
investigators in the form of Detective Inspector John Barton. A
rich cast of characters and an explosive plot kept me turning the
pages until the final dramatic twist.' author Richard Burke 'Master
of the psychological thriller genre Ross Greenwood once again
proves his talent for creating engrossing and gritty novels that
draw you right in and won't let go until you've reached the
shocking ending.' Caroline Vincent at Bitsaboutbooks blog 'Ross
Greenwood doesn't write cliches. What he has written here is a
fast-paced, action-filled puzzle with believable characters that's
spiced with a lot of humour.' author Kath Middleton
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