He never planned on becoming a leader—or a hero . . . In early October of 1944 Private William Meller was 20 years old. Joining I Company, 28th Divison as a rifleman, he was indoctrinated on the front line to the horrors of fighting the battle-hardened German Wehrmacht in the wet freezing cold of the Huertgen Forest. In early November, fighting with only rifles and grenades for three days and without food, water or medical supplies two hundred men of I Company were surrounded, killed, wounded or captured. This created the only Cease Fire in WWII. Meller and two GIs escaped to the American lines with the guidance of a German Corporal. In early November I Company was re-formed, with Meller as Sergeant-squad leader, second Platoon and moved to the Ardennes; installed their Outpost one half mile facing the Siegfried Line on the German-Luxembourg border next to Walthausen. At 6:30 AM December 16 the Panzer Lehr German Division crossed the Our River: With Staff Sergeant Meller, now the Platoon Leader, 12 men stopped the German Armored Infantry offensive until they ran out of ammunition and the Panther Tanks arrived at 4:30 PM. This was beginning of The Battle of the Bulge. INCLUDES PHOTOS

“Hailed as the queen of Irish crime fiction, French spins a taut tale of retribution, sacrifice, and family.”—TIME It’s a blazing summer when two men arrive in a small village in the West of Ireland. One of them is coming home. Both of them are coming to get rich. One of them is coming to die. Cal Hooper took early retirement from Chicago PD and moved to rural Ireland looking for peace. He’s found it, more or less: he’s built a relationship with a local woman, Lena, and he’s gradually turning Trey Reddy from a half-feral teenager into a good kid going good places. But then Trey’s long-absent father reappears, bringing along an English millionaire and a scheme to find gold in the townland, and suddenly everything the three of them have been building is under threat. Cal and Lena are both ready to do whatever it takes to protect Trey, but Trey doesn’t want protecting. What she wants is revenge. From the writer who is “in a class by herself;” ( The New York Times), a nuanced, atmospheric tale that explores what we’ll do for our loved ones, what we’ll do for revenge, and what we sacrifice when the two collide.

'A richly told tale of tangled loyalties. French ratchets up the tension in increments . . . By the end, these characters have taken on such solidity that, long after finishing it, I often catch myself wondering how they’re doing – a testament to the author’s mastery of her craft' GUARDIAN Return to the dark underbelly of Ardnakelty in the thrilling new sequel to The Searcher. ----- It’s a blazing summer when two men arrive in the village. They’re coming for gold. What they bring is trouble. Two years have passed since retired Police Detective Cal Hooper moved from Chicago to the West of Ireland looking for peace. He’s found it, more or less – in his relationship with local woman Lena, and the bond he’s formed with half-wild teenager Trey. So when two men turn up with a money-making scheme to find gold in the townland, Cal gets ready to do whatever it takes to protect Trey. Because one of the men is no stranger: he’s Trey’s father. But Trey doesn’t want protecting. What she wants is revenge. Crackling with tension and slow-burn suspense, The Hunter explores what we’ll do for our loved ones, what we’ll do for revenge, and what we sacrifice when the two collide, from the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Tana French. --- Nobody writes tension like Tana French: 'Terrific - terrifying, amazing' STEPHEN KING 'One of the greats of contemporary crime fiction' IAN RANKIN 'The most important crime novelist to emerge in the last ten years' WASHINGTON POST ‘A truly great writer’ GILLIAN FLYNN 'Among the first rank of great literary novelists' OBSERVER 'A masterful, beautiful mystery...' CHRIS WHITAKER 'Crime fiction's biggest contemporary star' GUARDIAN ‘Completely; indescribably magnificent’ MARIAN KEYES ‘Lyrical; suspenseful, unpredictable’ HARLAN COBEN ‘Comes closer to perfection than anything I’ve read in the last decade’ SARAH HILARY ‘A spectacularly talented writer’ LOUISE O’NEILL

This instant Sunday Times bestseller tells the story of two fighter pilots whose remarkable encounter during the Second World War became the stuff of legend. Five days before Christmas 1943, a badly damaged American bomber struggled to fly over wartime Germany. At its controls was a twenty-one-year-old pilot. Half his crew lay wounded or dead. Suddenly a German Messerschmitt fighter pulled up on the bomber's tail - the German pilot was an ace, a man able to destroy the American bomber with the squeeze of a trigger. This is the true story of the two pilots whose lives collided in the skies that day - the American - 2nd Lieutenant Charlie Brown and the German - 2nd Lieutenant Franz Stigler. A Higher Call follows both Charlie and Franz's harrowing missions and gives a dramatic account of the moment when they would stare across the frozen skies at one another. What happened between them, the American 8th Air Force would later classify as 'top secret'. It was an act that Franz could never mention or else face a firing squad. It was the encounter that would haunt both Charlie and Franz for forty years until, as old men, they would seek out one another and reunite.

LIMITED COLLECTOR'S EDITION: This gorgeous, deluxe edition of Katee Robert's devilishly spicy vampire romance has been redesigned with a reversible dust jacket featuring full-colour character art, designed edges and a ribbon bookmark, as well as exclusive material inside. From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the hit Dark Olympus series comes Court of the Vampire Queen: a collection of the spicy, paranormal Bloodline Vampires novels. *** Three powerfully alluring vampire men... and one Queen to rule them all. All Mina ever wanted was to escape her father's control. Half human, half vampire, she lived eternally torn between two worlds, never fully experiencing the pleasures of either - until her father chose her as the pawn in his latest political move, gifting her to the darkly powerful and dangerously seductive Malachi Zion. Malachi is not a vampire to be trifled with. He rules with an iron fist and has a reputation for the darkest of sins. But the longer Mina spends with him, the more she realises he's not the monster she first thought. As fear bleeds into lust, then trust, then something more, Malachi opens Mina up to a world she never knew could be hers for the taking: including the love of Malachi's two closest friends and companions. Now surrounded by all three men and the centre of their shockingly seductive world, Mina may finally have the power to face down her father and take back the life - and crown - that by all rights should be hers. BOW BEFORE YOUR QUEEN. This redesigned Collector's Edition features multiple pieces of black-and-white interior art, as well as exclusive annotations from the author that take readers even deeper into this irresistible vampire romance tale. Tropes Reverse Harem Vampire Romance Dark Romance Romantasy Paranormal Romance Political Intrigue

Part Two of the critically acclaimed Red Riding series Now a Netflix series that is 'better than The Godfather' (Telegraph) - f eaturing a star-studded cast including Andrew Garfield, Sean Bean, Paddy Considine and Rebecca Hall If you thought fiction couldn't get darker than David Peace's extraordinary debut, 1974, then think again. 1977, the second instalment of the Red Riding series, is one long nightmare. Its heroes - the half decent copper Bob Fraser and the burnt-out hack Jack Whitehead - would be considered villains in most people's books. Fraser and Whitehead have one thing in common though, they're both desperate men dangerously in love with Chapeltown prostitutes. And as the summer moves remorselessly towards the bonfires of Jubilee Night, the killings accelerate and it seems as if Fraser and Whitehead are the only men who suspect or care that there may be more than one killer at large. Out of the horror of true crime, David Peace has fashioned a work of terrible beauty. Like James Ellroy before him, David Peace tells us the true and fearsome secret history of our times.

Sittin' In with the Big Band, Vol. I is written at the easy to intermediate-easy level. It provides an opportunity to play along with a professional jazz ensemble to improve your playing, whenever you want. As you play with and listen to the outstanding players in the band, you'll learn about blend, style, phrasing, tone, dynamics, technique, articulation, and playing in time, as well as a variety of Latin, swing, ballad and rock styles. Performance tips and suggestions are included in each book. Books are available for alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, bass, guitar, and drums. Features include 11 big-band charts arranged by a variety of top writers, solo improvisation opportunities, and a play-along CD with demo tracks. Titles: Vehicle * Sax to the Max * Nutcracker Rock * Fiesta Latina * Now What * Goodbye My Heart * Two and a Half Men * Burritos to Go * Drummin' Man * Swingin' Shanty * and Play That Funky Music. This title is available in SmartMusic.

In 1982, at the age of just twenty-three and halfway through her architecture studies, Elspeth Beard left her family and friends in London and set off on a 35,000-mile solo adventure around the world on her 1974 BMW R60/6. Reeling from a recent breakup and with only limited savings from her pub job, a tent, a few clothes and some tools, all packed on the back of her bike, she was determined to prove herself. She had ridden bikes since her teens and was well travelled. But nothing could prepare her for what lay ahead. When she returned to London nearly two and a half years later she was stones lighter and decades wiser. She'd ridden through unforgiving landscapes and countries ravaged by war, witnessed civil uprisings that forced her to fake documents, and fended off sexual attacks, biker gangs and corrupt police convinced she was trafficking drugs. She'd survived life-threatening illnesses, personal loss and brutal accidents that had left permanent scars and a black hole in her memory. And she'd fallen in love with two very different men. In an age before email, the internet, mobile phones, satnavs and, in some parts of the world, readily available and reliable maps, Elspeth achieved something that would still seem remarkable today. Told with honesty and wit, this is the extraordinary and moving story of a unique and life-changing adventure.

Fifty-two men and one woman have held the post of Prime Minister during the past three centuries - from Sir Robert Walpole to David Cameron. In this omnibus edition, which includes Eighteenth-Century British Premiers , Nineteenth-Century British Premiers , A Century of Premiers , plus new and updated chapters on Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron, Dick Leonard recounts the circumstances which took them to the top of the ‘greasy pole’; probes their political and personal strengths and weaknesses, assesses their performance in office and asks what lasting influence they have had. The author also recounts fascinating and often littleknown facts about the private lives of each of the Prime Ministers, for example who was suspected of being the illegitimate half-brother of George III, who was assassinated in the House of Commons, who spent his evenings prowling the streets of London, trying to ‘reform’ prostitutes, which two premiers, one Tory one Labour, were taught by the same governess as a child, and who was described by his own son as ‘probably the greatest natural Don Juan in the history of British politics’?

'A richly told tale of tangled loyalties. French ratchets up the tension in increments . . . By the end, these characters have taken on such solidity that, long after finishing it, I often catch myself wondering how they're doing - a testament to the author's mastery of her craft' GUARDIANReturn to the dark underbelly of Ardnakelty in the thrilling new sequel to The Searcher. -----It's a blazing summer when two men arrive in the village. They're coming for gold. What they bring is trouble. Two years have passed since retired Police Detective Cal Hooper moved from Chicago to the West of Ireland looking for peace. He's found it, more or less - in his relationship with local woman Lena, and the bond he's formed with half-wild teenager Trey. So when two men turn up with a money-making scheme to find gold in the townland, Cal gets ready to do whatever it takes to protect Trey. Because one of the men is no stranger: he's Trey's father. But Trey doesn't want protecting. What she wants is revenge. Crackling with tension and slow-burn suspense, The Hunter explores what we'll do for our loved ones, what we'll do for revenge, and what we sacrifice when the two collide, from the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Tana French. ---Nobody writes tension like Tana French:'Terrific - terrifying, amazing' STEPHEN KING'One of the greats of contemporary crime fiction' IAN RANKIN'The most important crime novelist to emerge in the last ten years' WASHINGTON POST'A truly great writer' GILLIAN FLYNN'Among the first rank of great literary novelists' OBSERVER'A masterful, beautiful mystery...' CHRIS WHITAKER'Crime fiction's biggest contemporary star' GUARDIAN'Completely, indescribably magnificent' MARIAN KEYES'Lyrical, suspenseful, unpredictable' HARLAN COBEN'Comes closer to perfection than anything I've read in the last decade' SARAH HILARY'A spectacularly talented writer' LOUISE O'NEILL

'Do not read this. No reader deserves to be terrified like this' Linwood Barclay 'Explosively exciting' SUNDAY MIRROR 'Brutally compelling serial killer thriller... told at blistering pace' DAILY MAIL 'Completely mesmerizing!' Lisa Gardner When the two strangers turn up at Rowena Cooper's isolated Colorado farmhouse, she knows instantly that it's the end of everything. For the two haunted and driven men, on the other hand, it's just another stop on a long and bloody journey. And they still have many miles to go, and victims to sacrifice, before their work is done. For San Francisco homicide detective Valerie Hart, their trail of corpses - women abducted, tortured and left with a seemingly random series of objects inside them - has brought her from obsession to the edge of physical and psychological destruction. And she's losing hope of making a breakthrough before that happens. But the slaughter at the Cooper farmhouse didn't quite go according to plan. There was a survivor, Rowena's 10-year-old daughter Nell, who now holds the key to the killings. Injured, half-frozen, terrified, Nell has only one place to go. And that place could be even more terrifying than what she's running from.

Charlie Sheen – ein Name, der Hollywood in Atem hielt und die Öffentlichkeit wie kaum ein anderer polarisierte. Von gefeierten Filmklassikern wie Platoon und Wall Street über Kultkomödien wie Hot Shots! bis hin zur ikonischen TV-Rolle als Charlie Harper in Two and a Half Men war Sheen ein fester Bestandteil der internationalen Film- und Fernsehlandschaft. Doch sein kometenhafter Aufstieg wurde durch persönliche Eskapaden und Skandale überschattet, die ihn immer wieder ins Zentrum der Boulevardpresse rückten. Dieses Buch bietet einen tiefen Einblick in die faszinierende Karriere eines Schauspielers, dessen Leben weit über das Hollywood-Skript hinausgeht. Mit detaillierten Kapiteln über seine bekanntesten Filme und Serien, seine persönlichen Höhen und Tiefen und seine Beziehung zu den Fans schildert dieses Werk die filmische Reise eines Mannes, der Erfolg und Abgründe gleichermaßen erlebte. Erfahren Sie mehr über die einzigartigen Rollen, die ihn berühmt machen, und die tragischen Wendungen, die ihn zu einer der kontroversesten Figuren Hollywoods werden ließen.

'The Forensic Records Society is like Animal Farm but with blokes for pigs, and much better songs' Guardian Two men with a passion for vinyl create a society for the appreciation of records. Their aim is simple: to elevate the art of listening by doing so in forensic detail. The society enjoys moderate success in the back room of their local pub, The Half Moon, with other enthusiasts drawn to the initial promise of the weekly gathering. However, as the club gains popularity, its founder's uncompromising dogma results in a schism within the movement and soon a counter group forms. Then the arrival of a young woman called Alice further fractures the unity of the vulnerable society. As rifts are forged and gulfs widen, Magnus Mills examines the surreal nature of ordinary lives. The master of the comic deadpan returns for his ninth novel, a spectacularly disingenuous exploration of power, fanaticism and really, really good records.

Henry David Thoreau reflects on life, politics, and society in these two inspiring masterworks: Walden and Civil Disobedience. In 1845, Thoreau moved to a cabin that he built with his own hands along the shores of Walden Pond in Massachusetts. Shedding the trivial ties that he felt bound much of humanity, Thoreau reaped from the land both physically and mentally, and pursued truth in the quiet of nature. In Walden, he explains how separating oneself from the world of men can truly awaken the sleeping self. Thoreau holds fast to the notion that you have not truly existed until you adopt such a lifestyle-and only then can you reenter society, as an enlightened being. These simple but profound musings-as well as "Civil Disobedience," his protest against the government's interference with civil liberty-have inspired many to embrace his philosophy of individualism and love of nature. More than a century and a half later, his message is more timely than ever. With an Introduction by W.S. Merwin and an Afterword by Will Howarth

A ROUGH TRADE AND UNCUT BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025 'Brilliantly entertaining' MOJO 'A rollercoaster tale' Classic Pop 'Endlessly vivid' i Paper 'A beautifully candid bromance . . . the shared vision and the strength of their bond is palpable on every page of a book that even casual fans should devour' Record Collector 'A bruised but brilliant story' God Is in the TV 'Burchill and Kerr take it in turns to tell the story of the band and the story of their friendship. The result feels very Simple Minds, full of ambition, steeliness and proper humour' Herald, Music Books of the Year 2025 The long-awaited memoir from Simple Minds' founder members and lifelong collaborators, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill A candid, moving and kinetic story of self-realisation through the power of music, Our Secrets Are The Same is the remarkable joint memoir by Simple Minds' founder members, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill. It not only reveals the inner workings of one of the most innovative and successful British bands of the past half-century, but the deeply personal tale of an extraordinary friendship which powered teenage dreams into visionary action. Exploring key songs, places, years and events in the Simple Minds story, and told in the distinct voices of both men, Our Secrets Are The Same explores a bond which has encompassed stratospheric highs and humbling lows, marriages and divorces, fatherhood, fickle fame, tricky inter-band dynamics, the occasional explosive bust up, and a ruthless streak to rival the Sicilian Mafia. Their connection is grounded in shared experiences and a set of values and codes so deeply ingrained they don't need to be spoken. For Our Secrets Are The Same is not just the story of two rock stars, but of two sons, brothers, partners and parents who have never forgotten where they come from. Two men who have remained deeply bonded to their roots and each other, while fulfilling a teenage dream to form a world-class live band and take their music around the globe. Fascinating and funny, evocative and inspiring, this unforgettable memoir captures a unique journey through life and music, and a friendship like no other.

G.I. Joe is a highly skilled special operations force of men and women from around the globe. tasked with defending the world from Cobra, a ruthless criminal organization bent on total domination. Wherever there’s trouble, G.I. Joe is there. New to the G.I. Joe Classified Series line, Jason &#34,Shockwave&#34, Faria comes ready for adventure, with multiple points of articulation for high poseability. This Jason &#34,Shockwave&#34, Faria figure contains 9 character-inspired accessory pieces including a riot shield, hat, 2 knives, nightstick, and 4 weapon accessories, plus a footlocker to stow his gear! Shockwave was the youngest member of the Detroit Police Department S.W.A.T. Team, and the holder of two citations for bravery when he applied for, and was accepted by the Joe Team. &#34,Everybody on a S.W.A.T. Team has a specific job, like in a choir. Shockwave is the door kicker. He’s the first inside and the first to find out how bad it really is. He&#39,s also a half-decent tenor when his voice is in shape.&#34, Achtung! Nicht für Kinder unter 3 Jahren geeignet wegen verschluckbarer Kleinteile.

INDIE TOP 40 BESTSELLER A Goodreads Editor's Pick, One of Book Riot's "Best New Releases," One of Samantha Shannon's Debut Novels She's "REALLY EXCITED ABOUT" in 2026 To protect her homeland, one queen must fight her people’s historic enemy—once and for all. Abbakka Chowta never expected to be queen. The youngest of Ullal’s two rajkumaris, Abbakka has spent years in rigorous combat training to become her sister’s blade. But when the monstrous Porcugi attempt to lay claim to Ullal, Abbakka’s world—and fate—are upended. The Porcugi—giant half-men, half-snakes who attack from the sea—haven’t been seen in Ullal since their failed invasion more than fifty years ago. But now, they’re back with vengeance and a choice: pay their tithes or suffer total devastation. Soon, Abbakka’s definitions of strength, subterfuge, and statecraft are put to the test. Will marriage to a neighboring king give her the resources she needs to protect her people . . . or will she watch her homeland be crushed beneath the waves of would-be colonizers? A lush historical fantasy that reimagines the Portuguese attacks on South India in the 1500s and the fierce real-life queen’s story, Burn the Sea is an electrifying exaltation of female power and the value of freedom.

The International No. 1 Bestseller A BBC 2 Between the Covers Book Club Pick 'Cuts to the heart of who we are' Sunday Times 'A book that begs discussion' Vanity Fair All Lina wanted was to be desired. How did she end up in a marriage with two children and a husband who wouldn't touch her? All Maggie wanted was to be understood. How did she end up in a relationship with her teacher and then in court, a hated pariah in her small town? All Sloane wanted was to be admired. How did she end up a sexual object of men, including her husband, who liked to watch her have sex with other men and women? 'I will probably re-read it every year of my life' Caitlin Moran 'Will have millions nodding in recognition' The Times 'As gripping as the most gripping thriller' Marian Keyes 'When I picked it up, I felt I'd been waiting half my life to read it' Observer 'The kind of bold, timely, once-in-a-generation book that every house should have a copy of, and probably will before too long' New Statesman The book Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Alexa Chung, Jodie Comer, Reese Witherspoon, Harry Styles, Fearne Cotton, Caitriona Balfe, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sharon Horgan, Zoe Ball, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Davina McCall, Gemma Chan, Christine and the Queens and Gillian Anderson are all reading

A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2017 A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2017 From the great historian of the American Revolution, New York Times-bestselling and Pulitzer-winning Gordon Wood, comes a majestic dual biography of two of America's most enduringly fascinating figures, whose partnership helped birth a nation, and whose subsequent falling out did much to fix its course. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams could scarcely have come from more different worlds, or been more different in temperament. Jefferson, the optimist with enough faith in the innate goodness of his fellow man to be democracy's champion, was an aristocratic Southern slaveowner, while Adams, the overachiever from New England's rising middling classes, painfully aware he was no aristocrat, was a skeptic about popular rule and a defender of a more elitist view of government. They worked closely in the crucible of revolution, crafting the Declaration of Independence and leading, with Franklin, the diplomatic effort that brought France into the fight. But ultimately, their profound differences would lead to a fundamental crisis, in their friendship and in the nation writ large, as they became the figureheads of two entirely new forces, the first American political parties. It was a bitter breach, lasting through the presidential administrations of both men, and beyond. But late in life, something remarkable happened: these two men were nudged into reconciliation. What started as a grudging trickle of correspondence became a great flood, and a friendship was rekindled, over the course of hundreds of letters. In their final years they were the last surviving founding fathers and cherished their role in this mighty young republic as it approached the half century mark in 1826. At last, on the afternoon of July 4th, 50 years to the day after the signing of the Declaration, Adams let out a sigh and said, "At least Jefferson still lives." He died soon thereafter. In fact, a few hours earlier on that same day, far to the south in his home in Monticello, Jefferson died as well. Arguably no relationship in this country's history carries as much freight as that of John Adams of Massachusetts and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. Wood has more than done justice to these entwined lives and their meaning; he has written a magnificent new addition to America's collective story.

Obszön und liebenswert, durchgeknallt und hochsensibel - Charlie Sheen hat in den letzten 30 Jahren für mehr Schlagzeilen gesorgt als jeder andere amerikanische Schauspieler. Drogenexzesse, Affären mit Pornodarstellerinnen und Callgirls, Gewaltausbrüche und Konflikte mit dem Gesetz stehen im Gegensatz zu schauspielerischen Glanzleistungen in den unterschiedlichsten Rollen. Sheen brillierte in dem Anti-Vietnamkriegs-Drama »Platoon« ebenso wie in der humorvollen Sitcom »Two And A Half Men«, produziert von Chuck Lorre, dem Schöpfer von »The Big Bang Theory«. Sein Arbeitspensum ist legendär, was nur noch von seinem schlechten Ruf übertroffen wird. In seiner Autobiografie erzählt der sich zu seiner HIV-Infektion bekennende Liebling der Klatschpresse von Abstürzen, dem alltäglichen Chaos und cineastischen Triumphen. Es ist eine Geschichte des Kampfes mit der Sucht und den eigenen Dämonen, denen er sich immer wieder stellen muss. Wer auf »political correctness« hofft, wird enttäuscht werden. Stattdessen erwartet den Leser eine Achterbahnfahrt durch emotionale Abgründe, gekrönt von einer mit viel Humor gewürzten Selbsterkenntnis.