DescriptionE.M. Forster's Howards End is a vivid portrait of London's golden age, before World War I forever changed its values and culture. Forster brings the great city's upper classes to life, detailing their grandiose spending habits, popular fads, Monet and Debussy, the rise of feminism, and the beginnings of urbanization. More than a mere idealization of pre-war London, Howards End provides insightful commentary on the rapid societal changes that occurred at the onset of the 20th century. Masterfully blending the stories of three vastly different groups of people - the independently wealthy, educated Schlegels; the nouveau riche Wilcoxes; and the ambitious but struggling Leonard Bast - Forster weaves a wonderfully rich, unforgettably poignant novel.
DescriptionA vibrant portrait of Edwardian England, Howards End examines personal relationships and conflicting values. The Schlegel sisters, Margaret and Helen, and their brother, Tibby, place their values in civilized living, music, literature, and conversation with their friends. The Wilcoxes, Henry and his children Charles, Paul, and Evie, are concerned with the business side of life and distrust emotions and imagination. Howards End, a charming country house in Hertfordshire that belonged to Henry Wilcox's first wife, becomes the object of an inheritance dispute between the Wilcox family and the Schlegel sisters. Through romantic entanglements, disappearing wills, and sudden tragedy, the conflict over the house emerges as a symbolic struggle for England's very future.
DescriptionIn the summer of 1947, war widow Kate Herrick returns to her childhood home, the tiny, tranquil Rose Cottage. But she soon discovers that someone - perhaps one of her strange, elderly neighbors - has broken in and stolen some important papers. Gossip spreads across the small village, as Kate enlists her childhood friends to help her uncover the truth. This quest opens up old family bitterness, jealousy, and revenge, forcing her to confront her own past. Along the way she finds true happiness in her humble beginnings and discovers romance where she least expects it.
DescriptionFour of the funniest, most perceptive writers in America gathered to read their works aloud at a fundraising event for the homeless. The result is a witty, thought-provoking collection of performances from Garrison Keillor, Maya Angelou, Laurie Colwin, and Tom Wolfe, hosted by Calvin Trillin.
DescriptionAs the director of the U.S. Army's Central Identification Lab in Hawaii (CILHI), Robert Dean "Kel" McKelvey has made a career solving some of the country's most complex identification cases. Though fast approaching emotional meltdown, Kel now faces his th…
DescriptionHow do we find hot stocks without getting burned? How do we fatten our portfolios and stay financially healthy? Former hedge-fund manager and longtime Wall Street commentator Jim Cramer explains how to invest wisely in chaotic times, and he does so in pla…
