The Legend of Gold and Other Stories

The Legend of Gold and Other Stories
Author: Jun Ishikawa
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
Total Pages: 324
Release: 1998-10-01
Genre: Literary Collections
ISBN: 9780824820701

The four stories and novella translated in this volume represent the best short fiction by Ishikawa Jun (1899-1987), one of the most important modernist writers to appear on the Japanese literary stage during the years before and after World War II. Throughout his career, Ishikawa resisted the tide of popular opinion to address issues of political and artistic significance and thereby paved the way for a generation of Japanese internationalists and experimentalists, including Abe Kobo and Oe Kenzaburo. Highly acclaimed and respected in Japan, Ishikawa remains little known in the West-in part because of the tendency of Western critics and readers of Japanese literature to focus on writers concerned with aesthetic issues. Combining a strong interest in politics with a brilliant use of modernist techniques, Ishikawa's work defies easy categorization. Banned in 1938, "Mars' Song" has been called the finest example of anti-war fiction written during Japan's march to war in China and the Pacific. In it Ishikawa denounces the chorus of jingoism that swept Japan, and via a metafictional tale within a tale, he warns against the suicidal destruction to which complicity in warmongering will lead. The allegorical "Moon Gems," written in the spring of 1945, further explores the tenuous position of the writer moving against the current in a country not only still at war but very near defeat. In "The Legend of Gold" and "The Jesus of the Ruins," both from 1946, Japan has been reduced to a charred wasteland yet Ishikawa envisions destruction as fertile ground for rebirth and resurrection. Finally, the semi-surrealistic novella The Raptor plumbs the meanings and possibilities of peace in the post-Occupation era. William Tyler's eminently readable translations are faithfully expressive of stylistic and tonal nuances in the original works. In a perceptive introduction and the critical essays that follow, Tyler emphasizes Ishikawa's importance as an anti-establishment--even "resistance"--writer and argues that the writer's political iconoclasm goes hand-in-hand with the modanizumu of his literary experimentation. The Legend of Gold will be of tremendous importance in enlarging a Western understanding of the development of the writer's role as social critic and the evolution of the modernist movement in postwar Japan.

Orange World and Other Stories

Orange World and Other Stories
Author: Karen Russell
Publisher: Vintage
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2019-05-14
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0525656146

From the Pulitzer Finalist and universally beloved author of the New York Times best sellers Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon Grove, a stunning new collection of short fiction that showcases Karen Russell’s extraordinary, irresistible gifts of language and imagination. Karen Russell’s comedic genius and mesmerizing talent for creating outlandish predicaments that uncannily mirror our inner in lives is on full display in these eight exuberant, arrestingly vivid, unforgettable stories. In“Bog Girl”, a revelatory story about first love, a young man falls in love with a two thousand year old girl that he’s extracted from a mass of peat in a Northern European bog. In “The Prospectors,” two opportunistic young women fleeing the depression strike out for new territory, and find themselves fighting for their lives. In the brilliant, hilarious title story, a new mother desperate to ensure her infant’s safety strikes a diabolical deal, agreeing to breastfeed the devil in exchange for his protection. The landscape in which these stories unfold is a feral, slippery, purgatorial space, bracketed by the void—yet within it Russell captures the exquisite beauty and tenderness of ordinary life. Orange World is a miracle of storytelling from a true modern master.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories
Author: Washington Irving
Publisher: Courier Corporation
Total Pages: 180
Release: 2012-06-08
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0486131009

Among the first tales by an American writer, the title story and "Rip Van Winkle" marked the entry of Washington Irving into world literature. Also includes "The Devil and Tom Walker," "The Spectre Bridegroom," and more, 15 short stories in all.

The Hidden Girl and Other Stories

The Hidden Girl and Other Stories
Author: Ken Liu
Publisher: S&S/Saga Press
Total Pages: 432
Release: 2020-02-25
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1982134038

Includes stories featured in Pantheon—now an animated series on AMC+ “I know this is going to sound hyperbolic, but when I’m reading Ken Liu’s stories, I feel like I’m reading a once-in-a-generation talent. I’m in awe.” —Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author “Captivating.” —BuzzFeed “Extraordinary.” —The Washington Post “Brilliant.” —The Chicago Tribune With the release of The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories, Ken Liu’s short fiction has resonated with a generation of readers. From stories about time-traveling assassins, to Black Mirror-esque tales of cryptocurrency and internet trolling, to heartbreaking narratives of parent-child relationships, The Hidden Girl and Other Stories is a far-reaching work that explores topical themes from the present and a visionary look at humanity’s future. This collection includes a selection of Liu’s speculative fiction stories over the past five years—seventeen of his best—plus a new novelette. In addition, it also features an excerpt from The Veiled Throne, the third book in Liu’s epic fantasy series The Dandelion Dynasty. Stories include: Ghost Days; Maxwell's Demon; The Reborn; Thoughts and Prayers; Byzantine Empathy; The Gods Will Not Be Chained; Staying Behind; Real Artists; The Gods Will Not Be Slain; Altogether Elsewhere, Vast Herds of Reindeer; The Gods Have Not Died in Vain; Memories of My Mother; Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit—Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts; Grey Rabbit, Crimson Mare, Coal Leopard; A Chase Beyond the Storms (an excerpt from The Veiled Throne, Book 3 of the Dandelion Dynasty); The Hidden Girl; Seven Birthdays; The Message; Cutting

The Legend of the Golden Snail

The Legend of the Golden Snail
Author: Graeme Base
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2010-10-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 9780810989658

A young boy's favorite storybook tells of a Golden Snail that lived long ago in the mythical Spiral Isles. When it journeyed through its magical realm, it took on the shape of a fantastical golden sailing ship. One day the ship was captured by a Great Enchanter and put under his spell. After he became bored with the Snail, the Enchanter banished it to the Ends of the Earth so no one else could ever sail in it. There it remains until a new master comes to claim it. Could a young boy named Wilbur be the next master? Featuring Graeme Base's visually stunning signature art (packed with details, including a hidden "snail and crossbones" to search for in each picture) and a bonus mini book (bound in, nonremovable), The Legend of the Golden Snail is an adventure unlike any other. F&P Level: N F&P Genre: F Praise for The Legend of the Golden Snail Starred Review: "Base's art steers the journey, alternating between action scenes and spectacular seascapes." -Publishers Weekly "This beautiful book is sure to be a hit with the author's fans and cultivate new ones." -School Library Journal "Base's big, elaborate illustrations teem with lively details." -Booklist "The book is chock-full of Base's bold, vibrant images and features fanciful locations. Lots to mull over for future sea adventurers." -Kirkus Reviews

A Touch of Gold

A Touch of Gold
Author: Annie Sullivan
Publisher: Blink
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2018-08-14
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0310765978

Gold is wealth. Wealth is power. Power is a curse. This captivating fantasy adventure—the untold story of the daughter King Midas turned to gold—will dazzle you with the kind of action, adventure, twists, turns, and a bit of romance to make any fan of magic and mythology greedy for more. After King Midas’s gift—or curse—almost killed his daughter, he relinquished The Touch forever. Ten years later, Princess Kora still bears the consequences of her father’s wish: her skin shines golden, rumors follow her everywhere she goes, and she harbors secret powers that are getting harder to hide. Kora spends her days concealed behind gloves and veils. It isn’t until a charming duke arrives that Kora believes she could indeed be loved. But their courtship is disrupted when a thief steals treasures her father needs to survive. Thanks to Kora’s unique ability to sense gold, she sails off on her quest to find the missing items. Magic, mythology, fantasy, and pirate adventures charge through every page as Kora learns that not everything is what it seems—not her companions, not the thieves, and not even Kora herself. A Touch of Gold: Is told from the perspective of Kora, King Midas’s daughter and a strong female protagonist Is a clean fantasy adventure, perfect for fans of the #1 New York Times bestselling books, The Wrath & the Dawn and Cinder Is an enchanting and captivating fantasy adventure/fairy tale retelling Features a beautifully decorated cover Will have strong appeal to readers ages 13 & up

The Legend of Gravity

The Legend of Gravity
Author: Charly Palmer
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Total Pages: 23
Release: 2022-01-04
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0374390878

In his author-illustrator debut, Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe–and Africana Book Award–winning illustrator Charly Palmer spins a tall tale about a neighborhood basketball hero. Have you ever heard of Gravity? No, not gravity, the centrifugal force pulling us to the Earth. I'm talking about Gravity--the greatest ball player to ever lace up a pair of sneakers. Gravity is the new kid on the Hillside Projects basketball team, the Eagles. He once jumped so high that his teammates went out for ice cream before he came back down. With Gravity on their side, the Eagles feel unstoppable. They’re ready to win “The Best of the Best,” Milwaukee’s biggest and baddest pick-up basketball tournament. But when they face-off with the Flyers in the final round, the winningest team in the whole city, they realize that it may take a little more than Gravity to bring them to victory. Here is a clever, energetic story about the unsung superstars walking among us, complete with vivid art and heartfelt themes of teamwork, loyalty, friendship, and fun.

Dusk and Other Stories

Dusk and Other Stories
Author: James Salter
Publisher: Modern Library
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2010-07-06
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1588369587

First published nearly a quarter-century ago and one of the very few short-story collections to win the PEN/Faulkner Award, this is American fiction at its most vital—each narrative a masterpiece of sustained power and seemingly effortless literary grace. Two New York attorneys newly flush with wealth embark on a dissolute tour of Italy; an ambitious young screenwriter unexpectedly discovers the true meaning of art and glory; a rider, far off in the fields, is involved in an horrific accident—night is falling, and she must face her destiny alone. These stories confirm James Salter as one of the finest writers of our time. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from James Salter's All That Is.

Japanese Fiction of the Allied Occupation

Japanese Fiction of the Allied Occupation
Author: Sharalyn Orbaugh
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 535
Release: 2007
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9004155465

The reconstruction of identity in post World War II Japan after the trauma of war, defeat and occupation forms the subject of this latest volume in Brill's monograph series Japanese Studies Library. Closely examining the role of fiction produced during the Allied Occupation, Sharalyn Orbaugh begins with an examination of the rhetoric of wartime propaganda, and explores how elements of that rhetoric were redeployed postwar as authors produced fiction linked to the redefinition of what it means to be Japanese. Drawing on tools and methods from trauma studies, gender and race studies, and film and literary theory, the study traces important nodes in the construction and maintenance of discourses of identity through attention to writers' representations of the gaze, the body, language, and social performance. This book will be of interest to any student of the literary or cultural history of World War II and its aftermath. "Japanese Fiction of the Allied Occupation was awarded Choice Outstanding Academic Title 2007,"

The Storyteller

The Storyteller
Author: Traci Chee
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 546
Release: 2018-11-13
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0698410645

The thrilling conclusion to the epic adventure that began with New York Times bestselling The Reader, "a series fantasy lovers will want to sink their teeth into." - Booklist, starred review Sefia is determined to keep Archer out of the Guard's clutches and their plans for war between the Five Kingdoms. The Book, the ancient, infinite codex of the past, present and future, tells of a prophecy that will plunge Kelanna in that bloody war, but it requires a boy--Archer--and Sefia will stop at nothing to ensure his safety. The Guard has already stolen her mother, her father, and her Aunt Nin. Sefia would sooner die than let them take anymore from her--especially the boy she loves. But escaping the Guard and the Book's prophecy is no easy task. After all, what is written always comes to pass. As Sefia and Archer watch Kelanna start to crumble to the Guard's will, they will have to choose between their love and joining a war that just might tear them apart. Full of magic, suspense, and mystery, Traci Chee brings her trilogy to a close in this spellbinding final installment.