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“EDITORIAL DE FUNDACIÓN Ficticia, según diccionarios y enciclopedias, es un ave que, en ciertas regiones de México, emite un canto parecido a la eternidad. Son muchos los aventureros y naturalistas, desde Quetzalcóatl hasta Alexander von Humboldt, que han intentado atraparla, pues la leyenda señala que de lograr enjaular su música, el captor logra su propia inmortalidad. Casi extinta a principios del siglo XX por un fenómeno no del todo explicado, todavía en regiones apartadas, en la selva lacandona, en la sierra tarahumara o en la zona del silencio, hay indígenas que dicen haber soñado con tan melodiosa voz, y al despertar son capaces de contar las más extrañas y fabulosas historias. Son muchos los anecdotistas que le dan a la rara avis la cualidad de dios, pues entre los aztecas, invocar su plumaje, cegador de tan espléndido, era punto de partida para la conversación alrededor del fuego. Por lo que su imagen fue tanto o más importante que las deidades de la agricultura, de la fertilidad o de la guerra, ya que, suponían, era igualmente valioso comer, reproducirse o ir a la batalla, como el tener de qué hablar. De esta manera, e...

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“EDITORIAL DE FUNDACIÓN Ficticia, según diccionarios y enciclopedias, es un ave que, en ciertas regiones de México, emite un canto parecido a la eternidad. Son muchos los aventureros y naturalistas, desde Quetzalcóatl hasta Alexander von Humboldt, que han intentado atraparla, pues la leyenda señala que de lograr enjaular su música, el captor logra su propia inmortalidad. Casi extinta a principios del siglo XX por un fenómeno no del todo explicado, todavía en regiones apartadas, en la selva lacandona, en la sierra tarahumara o en la zona del silencio, hay indígenas que dicen haber soñado con tan melodiosa voz, y al despertar son capaces de contar las más extrañas y fabulosas historias. Son muchos los anecdotistas que le dan a la rara avis la cualidad de dios, pues entre los aztecas, invocar su plumaje, cegador de tan espléndido, era punto de partida para la conversación alrededor del fuego. Por lo que su imagen fue tanto o más importante que las deidades de la agricultura, de la fertilidad o de la guerra, ya que, suponían, era igualmente valioso comer, reproducirse o ir a la batalla, como el tener de qué hablar. De esta manera, e...

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Una de las obras más frescas y originales que haya podido engendrar la literatura de ciencia ficción latinoamericana. El doctor Scott viaja a Rumania, por los funerales de un científico amigo suyo, en donde es atacado por un ser casi sobrenatural, el Monstruo del Baneasa, quien acecha el país con una serie brutal de asesinatos. Dos investigadores de la Interpol son asignados para averiguar el caso y dar con el paradero del Ente. Se descubre luego, en un trama espectacular, que los involucrados de los asesinatos no solo responden al Monstruo del Baneasa sino que a un robot que luego, inevitablemente, choca y se imbuye en una lucha contra el primero....

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–Violenta, pero Libertad al fin y al cabo –se dijo Scott al arribar al aeropuerto Baneasa, al norte de Bucarest, en Rumania, valija en mano, gozoso de pisar un suelo libre de la represión comunista. «Adiós al odio hacia la Naturaleza humana», suspiró satisfecho. Caminaba despacio, feliz, pero desorientado, leyendo los letreros de la Terminal en busca de la sala de espera. Mientras recorría aquellos pasillos, sus ojos no daban crédito a lo que veía: un edificio grandísimo, con nombres de aerolíneas desconocidas para él, «German Wings, My Air y Sky Europe», moderno y atestado de gente, muy lejano de la estrechez y el óxido en las láminas y las canaletas del techo que imaginó, burdamente, a punto de caerle en la cabeza cuando abordaba el avión de ida en Nueva York, la capital financiera del nuevo Imperio, en el aeropuerto John F. Kennedy, quizá el más visitado del mundo después del de Houston. «Soy afortunado», pensaba, «de que hoy, puestos mis pies acá en la estación, que por cierto creía primitiva, estemos ya en el ’92, a tres años de la Caída de ese tirano socialista que respondía al nombre de Nicolae Ceausescu, y he tenido el...

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Post-Gaddis, close third-person tragicomedy; linear storytelling, mise-en-scene not overexpansive.

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Having lost her mother, and virtually rendered `orphan`, in the absence of `father`, a little girl Named Bhoomika, by dint of sheer circumstances, happens to reach a virgin teacher. Here, the `blessed opportunity for education` awaits her, as she is inspired and guided by this benevolent lady towards higher education. Once, she was offered a part-time job of `a reader for a blind class-fellow` of hers at Khadi Degree College, Guhahati: and she gladly accepted it. Of course, some nascent opportunities came to her, even in Delhi, when she was staying in a Working Women’s Hostel, while doing some odd jobs to support self, economically. But the travails of life also came her way; and she coped up with every sort of situation, by way of `fine-tuning` the responses from her brain and heart, every time, with an objective to attaining a quality decision from within. Having once been requested by very senior colleague to stay with one spinster Professor, during her illness, she served the lady so dutifully that the Professor persistently requested her to live with her till the young girl is married off. Having attained some extraordinary ...

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"In fact, I had never spoken to her even a single word, though she continued to send me signals for initiating a dialogue with her. I had to go to fetch my daily quota of water from the water-tap, provided at the back of her tenement, for all the four segments, in the vicinity. Almost every time, we had to place our buckets or utensils, in a queue, while waiting for our turn. Being shy of passing through the front lane, while approaching the water-tap, I preferred to walk along the back of the segment, in our front. God knows, how she could spot me from such a long distance that I had come out of my room, with buckets in my hands. Quite often, I marked her busy in looking towards me with furtive glances, while waiting for her turn, as she would deliberately waste her time, simply to ignore the fact of my arrival there and would thus make room for me to place my buckets before hers.” .......... It pains him to recall his last meeting with that `unfortunate girl`, who was destined to spend a spinster's life and breathe her last, while resting her head at Bihari's knee, who kept caressing her forehead, in the presence of her trusted ...

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The Analytical Sketches of the biography, titled `Jhalla` (A Silly Lad) is an exposition of the various stages, leaving behind sweet and sometimes sour reminiscences on the mind of the author. This treatise aims to provide the glimpses of the life’s journey already traversed by him for over 8 decades. Here, in this book, he jumps from one stage to another, to provide the reader of his past and the present day life. The scheme of the book is based on segments and their contents. These divisions are enumerated as under: Segment one Since birth till the demise of my mother; Segment Two from the age of 11 to the time of my marriage; Segment Three; from our marriage to the time of our first issue’s marriage; Segment Four Almost to the time we became grandparents; Segment Five From the time I joined legal fraternity as an Advocate and Miscellaneous. However, the reader would be enlightened with the details of the story of the author’s life, in the chronological order on the various topics. (i) Memoirs of Jhalla (A Silly Lad) (ii) Jhalla lands into an entirely new world; (iii) Almost decade-long-struggle for subsistence, in the off...

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Poems by Jan De Raeymaeker

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-- EMERALD AND BERYL -- Then life comes back On the limbs of the lost and gone Criss-crossed thousands Finding slow decay On the bones of Beech The tomb-teeth of Pine Feeding from the fallen And bowered stumps Reaching skyward, bit by bit Its innocent stems Topped in emerald and beryl Alive and vibrant, and so delicate ...

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Lost in the night .......4 Read on .................5 Sightless ...............6 Silver-locks ............7 Cheese and onion ........8 Fall of dreams ..........9 Gob .....................10 Sifting .................11 The death of a swan .....12 Loss ....................13 School’s out ............14 Cripple .................15 Thistle nettle ..........16 Quivering note ..........17 Stranger ................18 Wisdom ..................19 Buckle and rust .........20 Ba-na-na ................21 Stimuli .................22 Emerald and Beryl .......23 Excavation ..............24 Failure .................25 Awkward moment ..........26 Little people ...........27 Next ....................28 Fishing net .............29 Underworth ..............30 He’d almost laughed .....31 Raw .....................32 ...

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En «no entiende ce´l joven», la contracción «ce´l» se origina de«ce el» (ce, conjunción completiva; el, artículo determinante). Y en «la´descubierto» esta procede de «la ha descubierto» (la, artículo determinante; ha, verbo auxiliar del verbo principal conjugado en participio descubrir = ha descubierto ), que escrito en grafía moderna sería «la´descubierto». Entonces lo que vemos aquí es la contracción del verbo auxiliar «a» (ha) en la figura del apóstrofo ´ superpuesto atrás del verbo en participio "descubierto". Es aconsejable que las conjunciones, preposiciones, pronombres, verbos auxiliares, o cualquier otro elemento gramatical que no sea un verbo primario o principal pero susceptible a la contracción, ante la presencia de un artículo, mantengan su grafía –o categoría gramatical– intacta. Por ejemplo: –Ce el (Ce, conjunción ,el, artículo) = Ce´l; -Sobre el = sobre´l. Normalmente los artículos son los que sufren la pérdida de su vocales, aunque este principio no es obligatorio. Por ejemplo en la frase, «Ant´estas palabras», se evidencia la perdida de vocales en la preposición “Ante” y no en el artículo determinante “estas”. ¿Po...

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Ayer fue´l día de la boda, ella sonríe, su sonrisa es opaca, i bien la finje. Se irá de luna de miela las Arubas, mui lejos del puente, en tanto ce´l joven de cabellos negros i largos, a conquistado un nuevo amor, a la ce besandol´aze esta pregunta: «¿Me amás vos a mí?», la otra le contesta ce «sí». L´abraza,posa la partida barbilla en su ombro, i en el bolsillo de su pantalón, para su asombro, vibra´l teléfono, lo abre despazio, cauteloso, arruga los ojos, le a caído un mensaje de texto, de larga distanzia, número para él nocivo, uno aze tiempo olvidado i aora mui insolente, con dibujitos, ce dize: «Vos i yo,a perpetuidad, seremos los amantes bajo´l puente». TRES FABULAS ACEPTABLES EL MILAGRO DE LA MULTIPLICAZIÓN DELOS PANES, EN EL REINO ANIMAL Reunidos los animales en la selva, luego d’una devastadora defla-grazión, corrió entre ellos, ardiendo como la yesca seca, el sigiente ru-mor: –Es el milagro de la multiplicazión de los alimentos –siseó la boa–.Lo escuxé dezir al mono cuando éste estaba rindiendo cuentas a los delClub de los Animales de la Copa Alta. –Ummm… –Era el búo c´e...

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ÍNDICE ––– NOTA…………………………………………………………..Página 41. TRES POEMAS MALOS DE AMOR………………….Página10Vos así lo cisisteCuando te conozíLos amantes bajo´l puente2. TRES FÁBULAS ACEPTABLES…………………..…Página 22La multiplicazión de los panes, en el reino animalLa fábula del macaco i l´ardillaRealiti Xou3. TRES CUENTOS EXCELENTES…………………...Página 26L´istoria de MotecuzomaMoscas el SicarioLa bestia del Baical1. UN MANIFIESTO DISPARATADO………………….Página 46...

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This compilation of 56 fictional stories has been interspersed, with a view to categorize these independent theme-based entertaining bits of literature, created by the author for that type of readers who do not like lengthy novels/stories. However, the three sections, namely Micro Stories, Short Stories and Long Tale trifurcating the complete book indicate to the fact that the author kept in mind the immediate availability of the time at the disposal of his valued reader at that hour of the `ever-fleeing` time. It has also been kept in mind that the piquant captians should be worth the substance below thereof. The reader may choose beforehand `the captivating item` from the List of contents provided separately for every category, vis a vis Micro Stories, Short Stories or Long Tales. ...

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Endowed with the personality that always remains inclined towards the truest secularism, I cannot afford to prefer one religion over the other. Therefore, it is not a difficult task for me to interact with a person of any faith. I cannot skip from my tract of `humanity before religion`. Being a firm believer in the existence of a `Supreme Power`, denoted by a variety of nomenclatures, I can adjust with followers of any mainstream of faiths. Even an atheist or an agnostic would not be treated as hostile at my hands, because I perceive every person as a human being before anything else. Nevertheless, it would be safer to understand me if the person keeps in mind that I am exposed to only those mainstreams of religion as practised in India. The Principles of Life (dear to my heart): (Formed on the basis of The experience derived through interaction since the childhood, with my parents, siblings, other kin around, my teachers, friends, schoolmates; later on with my pupils, my colleagues, friends, neighbours, co-travellers in a public transport, my clients and my colleagues at Bar and last but not the least my friends at coffee house...

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Two short stories, each looks at life in the future. In Evermore, an old lady finds solace in a gift from her husband. In Pants, a son supports his elderly mother using an unusual nurse....

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From Evermore: The moment the great glass doors of the shopping mall slid silently open, Miriam regretted her decision to come. She hadn’t visited the mall for over a year and was horrified to find herself besieged by scantily clad young men and women, all jostling to persuade her to visit their shop. They were astonishingly beautiful: tall, graceful, perfect features, with large eyes and ideal bodies....

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Sebastian is an intelligent look at alternative ways to live and love, presented as a thriller about the most horrific of the twenty-first century’s most lucrative human enterprises. If you're open to difference and enjoy a fast-paced thriller, then read and enjoy. ...

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During dinner Sebastian’s solitary life was laid bare. Speaking distractedly as if he were talking about someone else, he told about his irritable mother of whom he was so ashamed, never inviting anyone home, his rebellious nudity and sexually promiscuous behaviour that had been encouraged by his mother, who made a healthy profit from exploiting it. When questioned, he swore he had no idea where the money came from to buy the house or to sustain their life style, especially as Desolé was only the part time manager of a small employment agency. Rex and Fee remained sympathetically silent, letting Sebastian choose his own pace to speak about Jack and the ‘guests’, the private hospital where they recovered and Sebastian’s health was tested monthly, and to wonder why, despite becoming friends, none of the young men had contacted him after leaving. Finally they learned about Guapo’s escape, Desolé’s pretence that he was with Mr. Farzdbuk, and the discovery of the porno magazines and internet videos fed by hidden cameras. ‘If I hadn’t met Reginald at high school, and Mr. Noall hadn’t been so understanding, I’d be dead by now. I was a w...

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Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen...

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A STORY TO CHILL YOUR BONES

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WELCOME TO MY INSANITY

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There are historical facts and fanciful vignette in this cutting-edge Scientific Docu-drama. It will take all thru history and beyond into the mind and Will of Creator-God and His Son....

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Encoded E=MC2 This is the story of a most remarkable entity: thermonuclear radiation. The process is the mass of the atom’s nucleus turned into radiative energy. Oddly, atom’s mysterious properties are alluded to in scripture; and for its powers primeval beings via for the prize while exploiting its work. The converting of mass into energy is the subject of Project Manhattan (1945) but it was first in Genesis encoded as English symbols (Periodic Table) and Particle Physics calculations. The stars are created by God, but Jesus ‘became’ a star (his body withstood a nuclear blast; but in the heavens he is enshrined with a stellar figure (probably the Plaedies). Its genesis is fundamental as it presently overshadows our existence for good...or evil! Antiquity reveals it is germane to life; also is instrumental in its' formation as well as the primary function in the Cosmos of stellar entities...so here is the paramountcy of this Mardi Gras of errors:...

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Part I Science & the First Footnote 3-10 Part II Revelations and WWII 1-12 Part III Jesus and King Hezekiah 3-9 Part IV Jesus and the Atomic Bible 10-23 Part V Abc’s: Atomic Bible for Children 25-55 ......

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Dancing Bare is the amusing and unconventional memoir of an impossibly innocent young man who swaps the suffocating confines of middle-class New Zealand for love and liberation in nineteen-sixties London and Europe. Revelling in the freedom conferred by anonymity, Rigby becomes an actor, stripper, rent boy, lover, teacher and dedicated traveller through Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, where travellers were uncommon and countries still retained many of the differences that made travel so interesting. Rigby meets with a wide variety of people, life styles and customs, eventually settling in Paris where the state did not consider his sexuality to be a criminal offence. A moving, light-hearted and entertaining story of hope and love, sex and sexuality, theatrical showmanship and artless innocence, laced with a little philosophical speculation as he wanders the world in pursuit of true love. ...

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Conceit, ignorance and optimism are the main ingredients of youth. Without a fair dollop of all three I'd never have dared turn up in the largest city on earth, the centre of the English-speaking theatrical world, expecting to land a job as an actor. I was nervous, of course, but that added spice. An existence devoid of unease would be pretty dull. Even hunger triggers exhilaration. Ignorance – some would say stupidity – sometimes propelled me into situations that later, in the light of calm reason, brought blushes and self-recrimination at my crassness. I can only blame the opiate of anonymity. Failure I can cope with – but not if there’s a witness! No one I cared about was around to witness any rebuff, so I dared. London commerce had shaken off the vicissitudes of war with a vengeance. Shops overflowing with goodies, food plentiful and varied, restaurants of every persuasion opening their doors to an increasingly adventurous public; theatres full, film studios on a roll, television had taken off, and best of all, war had exposed religious dogma to rational scrutiny. A god that allowed such a bloodbath was not a god to be f...

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Chapter 1.......... In the Beginning Chapter 2..........When the pupil is ready, the teacher will appear Chapter 3...........Escape Chapter 4..........Shelter, Fashion, Food Chapter 5..........When Ignorance is Bliss Chapter 6..........Jewels Chapter 7..........Performance Chapter 8..........Farce Chapter 9..........Work & play Chapter 10..........Dance and sex and… Chapter 11..........Interviews and work Chapter 12..........Saturday to Tuesday Chapter 13..........Tuesday to Friday night Chapter 14..........Assistant Stage Manager Chapter 15..........Cruising Chapter 16..........Riviera Chapter 17..........Playing in the Parks Chapter 18..........On Tour Chapter 19..........Touring On Chapter 20..........A Winter Tale Chapter 21..........Orgy Chapter 22..........Time Out Chapter 23..........Friendship Chapter 24..........Rootless Chapter 25..........Muddling on Chapter 26..........The Grand Tour Chapter 27..........Even Grander Touring Chapter 28...........Edinburgh Chapter 29..........Of lust and learning Chapter 30.......... Shop assistant and Teacher Chapter 31..........Eureka! Chapter 32.............

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‘Time To Think’ is a collection of eight short tales about how to cope with such things as unwelcome evangelists, visitors, praise, sexual attention, living in a nursing home, relations, genetic modification and sexual urges....

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Spreading the Word Sebastian gazed unseeing from the verandah into the sun filled garden. As usual a zillion thoughts jostled aside all attempts to attain a state of Zen-like relaxation. With an impatient sigh he sat up, dusted a few crumbs from the divan, rearranged the pillows then lay back with his hands at his side. Yogic breathing—that would do the trick. He managed to hold his mind still for at least three seconds before a large spider constructing an intricate web among the rafters caught his attention. He was already on his feet to get a broom when he remembered, and slumped back. ‘Your tendons will never repair if you're always on the go,’ the slim young doctor had snapped only an hour before. ‘Why can’t you just lie back and relax?’ ‘Because it’s not my nature,’ Sebastian had answered with a fetching sigh. ‘Perhaps if you were to massage me...?’ ‘And risk Reginald’s wrath? Not bloody likely.’ ‘Wouldn’t it be worth a broken arm?’ Sebastian grinned. ‘Not even you are worth that, Sebastian. Shut up and let the sounds of nature lull you to somnolence.’ But Sebastian couldn’t. Time plodded. He began to fidget. Struggled to...

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•‘Spreading the Word’ • ‘Time to Think’ • ‘Free Will’ •‘A Misunderstanding’ •‘Useless Things’ • ‘I Arrived a Week Early’ • ‘Poisoned Chalice’ •‘Mens Sana in Corpore Sano’ ...

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‘Jarek’ takes a tongue in cheek swipe at the extreme elements of 'women’s liberation', while offering a serious alternative to the way we currently teach our children. ...

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Chapter 1. Zeno Skinny-dipping with Raylene’s friends was not Zeno’s idea of a fun night out. He’d only agreed because he wanted to seem tough, and hoped if he felt her up in the water and fucked her afterwards her mates would stop spreading rumours he was queer. The cars screeched to a halt at the boat ramp. Everyone piled out and headed for the small beach until Bob’s girlfriend reckoned there’d be eels and leeches in the river, so she refused to go down. Then the others also chickened out, saying it was too dark, probably dangerous and a stupid idea. ‘Fuck you lot are wimps’, Raylene yelled, grabbing Zeno’s hand and dragging him down to the strip of sand. A half-moon provided enough light to see, and it was hot and humid so Zeno kicked off his sandals, dropped his shorts, jocks and shirt on a rock and ran into the water, calling to Raylene to follow. The river was wide and deep at that point with little current, so he swam upstream a few metres then drifted back expecting to meet her in the water, but the beach was empty. She’d wimped out like the others; all talk and no action. Not too many brains either. He waded out ...

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Chapter 1 Zeno Chapter 2 Stephen Chapter 3 Jarek Chapter 4 Bindi, Irma, Belle & Ari Chapter 5 Adele is Taught a Lesson Chapter 6 Marriage Chapter 7 Bindi & Adele Chapter 8 Preparations Chapter 9 Cador Chapter 10 What to Wear? Chapter 11 Eros Chapter 13 Acceptance Chapter 14 Secrets Chapter 15 National Park Chapter 16 Waterfall Chapter 17 Secret Places - Secret Thoughts Chapter 18 Philosophy and Farewells Chapter 19 Feral Chapter 20 Crime and Punishment Chapter 21 Another successful Week Chapter 22 A Proposal Chapter 23 Partners Chapter 24 Chloe Chapter 25 Refuge Chapter 26 Sebastian Chapter 27 Developments Chapter 28 Plans Chapter 29 Abduction Chapter 30 Resolution...

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Dome of Death is a slightly shocking and occasionally thought provoking romantic thriller about two young men who’d love to be as cool as James Bond in the face of extreme danger, but discover reality is not like fiction. When Max, the director of an Art Gallery in Queensland, falls to his death, Peter, the exhibiting artist who is also Max's ex-lover, unwillingly accepts the widow’s pleas to take over the job. After rescuing a strange young man from a raging sea, Peter’s suspicions about the accident and an investigation into what he thinks is an art swindle, puts him in great danger. He is raped and left for dead, but escapes, only to discover that he and his new friend Jon are wanted for murder. What follows is a hair-raising chase to clear their names. Murder, torture, cyclones, tidal surges, and snuff porn shows are but a few of the complications to be navigated in their search for justice, happiness and love....

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Chapter One Exposing oneself in public is not for the faint-hearted. En masse and expertly illuminated the paintings gave viewers rather more insight into the private spaces of my mind than I’d bargained for. The fact that the gallery’s patrons were also baring their souls with every critical utterance and every painting bought was scant consolation – especially as no one was buying! After an hour of eavesdropping among the usual crush of wine-sipping social scramblers, I wished I hadn’t. Stepping back, I collided with an elderly, shapeless little woman loosely wrapped in a sari decorated with mirrors. ‘Young man!’ she demanded as though I’d been caught spraying graffiti, ‘Are you the artist?’ How to respond? People who call themselves artists remind me of Napoleon seizing the jewelled cap, crowning himself and living to rue the day. Such accolades are for others to bestow. If, as frequently happens, a painter’s efforts delight no one but himself, then the labour has been little but therapy. Only those whose works impose order on the chaos of existence and reinvigorate flagging spirits by giving the viewer a glimpse of a le...

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Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six ChapterSeven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-one Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-three Chapter Twenty-Four...

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AGAINST THE WAR follows the intertwined lives of four friends, rowing team mates, who graduate from college at the height of the Vietnam War and struggle to make decisions about the war and the military draft. Two become involved in the war, one as a combat pilot and one as a medic. The other two of the four friends, in trying to avoid the war, become involved in the “war on poverty,” the anti-war movement, and the counterculture that arises from the anti-war movement. In the course of the four and a half years covered in the novel, the four men also meet and court the women who become their eventual spouses. These women become part of the story as they position themselves with respect to the war and the women's liberation movement. In the course of this, also, the eight young people of the novel find themselves within an ever growing phenomenon involving thousands of American youths like themselves reacting to the same far-reaching dynamics of the counterculture and the war. "Menge's book reminds me of both Theodore Dreiser and John Dos Passos. It's a vast panorama with enormous attention to detail." David Willson, Vietnam War F...

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234. Morris is relocated from Sam Neua to a Lao village From Sam Neua, the group that included prisoner of war James Morris headed southwest, so far as he could determine from occasional glimpses of the sun through the canopy of leaves above the road on which the caravan was traveling. Then the shield of leaves dropped away briefly and Morris saw that the wagon was moving along on a road about 400 feet above a town with narrow streets and Chinese-style pagoda roofs. Some of the buildings were demolished and others were in flame. “That is Sam Neua, the actual town,” the third passenger informed. “Where was the camp then?” “Place called Xanthon. Just a few miles away.” “The damage here is from bombing?” “Yes, American planes.” “You’re a soldier?” Morris asked. The man was an American, Morris had already decided, based on the easy informality that he had learned set Americans off from other English-speaking people overseas. “No, I’m a clergyman. Catholic priest.” “Is that so?” “Yes. I’ve been working up in the mountains north of Long Thiueu for about five years. My name is Leonard Blair.” “Well, pleased to meet you, Father....

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PART I: UP AGAINST THE DRAFT 1. Steward brings his 1-A letter to the boat club 2. Brandt and Morris argue about the Vietnam war 3. O’Rourke steps in to bring the crew on task 4. Morris offers Steward a way out of the draft 5. Brandt asks about his dad’s experience in World War Two 6. Brandt struggles to accommodate to Mary Kass’s cultural interests 7. Brandt leaves Mary behind to avoid an audience discussion 8. Mary goes after Matt; they come upon Morris in uniform 9. Brandt rescues Morris in a fight with an antiwar demonstrator 10. Steward gets some heartfelt advice from Barbara Carpenter 11. Steward visits his draft board to ask about his status 12. Steward bores Mary’s sister, Ellen; she winds up with Morris 13. Matt and Mary discuss their relationship and make a commitment 14. VISTA trainee Brandt learns about social problems, meets Dennis Kelly 15. Steward starts Air Force ROTC camp with roommate Orin Brown 16. Steward gives the Air Force camp his sincere best effort 17. Steward “orientates” with Air Force social worker Gary Hansard 18. Brandt arrives at his assigned VISTA worksite in Crabtree, Kentucky 19. B...