White-haired melody

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Margaret Atwood

In this witty and heartwarming novella, The Labrador Fiasco, Atwood spins a comedic yet poignant tale of one woman’s chaotic journey into pet ownership that turns her life upside down. Miriam, an overworked and underappreciated office worker, unexpectedly becomes the proud (and occasionally frustrated) owner of a rambunctious Labrador puppy named Diesel. What begins as a well-intentioned decision to bring joy into her life quickly spirals into a series of increasingly ridiculous misadventures. From chewed furniture to dog park disasters, Miriam’s world is turned upside down as Diesel’s boundless energy and unapologetic love for mischief unravel her carefully controlled existence. But in the midst of the chaos, Miriam finds herself reconnecting with parts of herself she had long neglected—her capacity for joy, her need for connection, and her ability to embrace the messiness of life. As Diesel’s antics grow more absurd, Miriam realizes that sometimes, the greatest lessons in love and happiness come from the most unexpected of places. Brimming with Atwood’s signature wit and sharp observation of human nature, The Labrador Fiasco is a delightful exploration of life’s unpredictability and the unconditional bond between humans and their furry companions. A charming, laugh-out-loud tale for fans of quirky characters and unpredictable adventures.

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Amélie Nothomb

""I lived everything during these three years: heroism, glory, treachery, love, indifference, suffering, humiliation. It was China, I was seven years old."". "So announces the narrator of Loving Sabotage, Amelie Nothomb's novel about a young girl who seems already stripped of illusions. The daughter of diplomats posted to Peking for three years in the mid-seventies, she charges about the grim confines of the gated government housing ghetto of San Li Tun on her "horse" (bicycle). In a tireless battle against boredom, she concocts a fantasy life as rich as her surroundings are bleak. During one of her tours of duty as a pathfinder in a war that has broken out in the ghetto between the children of various nations - a hilarious microcosm of "adult" world politics - she encounters a young Italian girl, Elena: beautiful, aloof, disdainful of silly games. Our heroine is instantly infatuated, and comes to realize the only fight worthy of her energies is shattering Elena's indifference."--BOOK JACKET.

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Maher, Kevin

A warm and funny debut about a young man in trouble and a family in love and in pieces. Over the summer, Jim wins the attention of a beautiful older girl-but he also becomes the unwilling target of a devious religious figure in the community. His life starts to unravel as he faces consequences from both his love for his girlfriend and his attempts to avoid the Parish Priest. When he and his girlfriend take a ferry for a clandestine trip to London, the dark and difficult repercussions from the trip force Jim to look for the solution to all his problems in some very unusual places. THE FIELDS is an unforgettable story of an extraordinary character. It's a portrait of a boy who sinks into troubles as he grows into a man, and the loving but fractured family that might be his downfall-or his salvation. Lyrical, funny, and endlessly inventive, it is a brilliant debut from a remarkable new voice.

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Andrea Gibson

Andrea Gibson's dynamic and energetic first book, <em>Pole Dancing to Gospel Hymns</em>, challenges us to not only read, but to react. Hauntingly vivid, the poems march through a soldier's lingering psychological wounds, tackle the curious questions of school children on the meaning of "hate," and tangle with a lover's witty and vibrant description of longing. Gibson's poems deconstruct the current political climate through stunning imagery and careful crafting. With the same velocity, the poignant and vacillating love poems sweep the air out of the room. It's word-induced hypoxia. <em>Pole Dancing to Gospel Hymns</em> whispers with a bold and unforgettable internal voice rich with the kind of questioning that inspires action.