Title: Running the Books_ The Adventures of an Author: Avi Steinberg File Type: Mobi Subject:Autobiography Description:From Publishers Weekly In this captivating memoir, Steinberg, a Harvard grad and struggling obituary writer, spends two years as a librarian and writing instructor at a Boston prison that's an irrepressibly literary place. True, his patrons turn books into weapons (and one robs him while out on parole), but he's beguiled by the rough poetry of inmate essays and kites--contraband notes secreted in library books--and entranced by the skywriting with which they semaphore messages letter-by-letter across the courtyard. And there's always an informal colloquium of prostitutes, thieves, and drug dealers convened at the checkout desk, discussing everything from Steinberg's love life to the gangsta subculture of Hasidic Jews. Gradually, the prison pulls him in and undermines his bemused neutrality. He helps a forlorn female prisoner communicate with her inmate son, develops a dangerous beef with a guard, and finds himself collaborating on the memoir of a charismatic pimp whose seductive rap disguises a nasty rap sheet; he has to choose sides, make queasy compromises, and decide between rules and loyalty. Steinberg writes a stylish prose that blends deadpan wit with an acute moral seriousness. The result is a fine portrait of prison life and the thwarted humanity that courses through it. (Oct. 26) (c) br PWxyz, LLC. Test Data Test Data From When Steinberg graduated from Harvard, he expected to become a rabbi, but neither his faith nor his chosen lifestyle made that a suitable career choice. As a stopgap, he applied to work in a Boston jail library. There he was responsible not only for the day-to-day functioning of the library but also for teaching inmates creative writing. A dedicated intellectual and instinctively diffident, he was almost too easy prey for tough, aggressive, streetwise, ever-conniving criminals. To his chagrin, the hard-bitten prison staff equally tested his presuppositions about humanity’s benevolence. Caroming instantaneously from profane comedy to abysmal tragedy, Steinberg recounts his struggles to relate humanely to people at the edge of society. Prison librarianship offers some of the profession’s greatest challenges, and Steinberg tells just what it’s like to suddenly recognize that the mugger attacking him in the park was the same guy he had checked out some books to a few months earlier. --Mark Knoblauch Test Data

Title: The River of Shadows Author: Robert V. S. Redick File Type: Mobi Subject:Fantasy Description:ReviewstrongPRAISE FOR ROBERT V. S. REDICKstrong “Robert Redick is an extraordinary talent.”_—New York Times_ bestselling author Karen Miller strong The Red Wolf Conspiracystrong “This is one terrific read. . . . I can’t remember when I’ve been more enthralled.”—Terry Brooks “Masterful storytelling . . . a delight.”—_Los Angeles Times_ “With comparisons to George R. R. Martin and Philip Pullman, this is highly recommended for all fantasy collections.”—_Library Journal _(starred review) strongThe Ruling Seastrong “Exciting . . . enough plot twists and double-crosses to satisfy the most demanding lovers of suspense . . . Redick’s brilliant depiction of the microcosmic world aboard the Chathrand will captivate readers.”—_Publishers Weekly_ “This high-seas adventure has all the ingredients for a good read: a large and diverse cast of characters, magic, deceit, betrayal and unexpected twists.”—_RT Book Reviews_ “Easily one of the best fantasy novels of the year.”—Fantasy Book Critic From the Hardcover edition.In the gripping sequel to Robert V. S. Redick’s acclaimed epic fantasy novels The Red Wolf Conspiracy and The Ruling Sea, the crew of the vast, ancient ship Chathrand have reached the shores of the legendary southern empire of Bali Adro. Many have died in the crossing, and the alliance of rebels, led by the tarboy Pazel Pathkendle and the warrior Thasha Isiq, has faced death, betrayal, and darkest magic. But nothing has prepared them for the radically altered face of humanity in the South. They have little time to recover from the shock, however. For with landfall, the battle between the rebels and centuries-old sorcerer Arunis enters its final phase. At stake is control of the Nilstone, a cursed relic that promises unlimited power to whoever unlocks the secrets of its use—but death to those who fail. And no one is closer to mastering the Stone than Arunis. Desperate to stop him, Pazel and Thasha must join forces with their enemies, including the depraved Captain Rose and the imperial assassin Sandor Ott. But when a suspicious young crewmember turns his attentions to Thasha, it is the young lovers themselves who are divided—most conveniently for Arunis. As the mage’s triumph draws near, the allies face a terrible choice: to break their oaths and run for safety, or to hunt the world’s most dangerous sorcerer through the strange and deadly dream kingdom known as the River of Shadows, and to face him a last time among the traps and horrors of his lair. Brimming with high adventure, dark enchantment, and unforgettable characters, The River of Shadows deftly secures Redick’s place in the ranks of epic fantasy’s most original and enthralling storytellers. From the Hardcover edition.