By Rolf Boldrewood

"A Modern Buccaneer Vol.1" invites readers on an exhilarating voyage across the high seas of the 21st century. This captivating novel follows the daring exploits of Captain James Reynolds, a charismatic and enigmatic figure who navigates the complex waters of modern-day piracy. From heart-pounding heists to unexpected alliances, readers will be swept away by the thrilling adventures of Captain Reynolds and his crew as they challenge the conventions of traditional piracy in a contemporary setting. With its blend of action, intrigue, and unexpected twists, "A Modern Buccaneer Vol.1" is a must-read for fans of swashbuckling tales and high-stakes adventure."

Macmillan, 1894, 247 pages

By Robert Graves

“From The Autobiography Of Tiberius Claudius Born B.C. X Murdered And Deified A.D. Liv.”

NY. Vintage Random House. 1961. 453p.

USED BOOK. MAY CONTAIN MARK-IP

By Robert Graves

“The troublesome reign of Tiberius Claudius Caesar, emperor of the Romans (born 10 b.c., died a.d. 54), as described by himself; also his murder at the hands of the notorious agrippin a (mother of the emperor nero) and his subsequent deification, as described by others.”

NY. Vintage Random House. 1962. 584p.

USED BOOK. MAY CONTAIN MARK-UP

By Irving Stone

FROM THE COVER: “Set in the days of the deadly Borgias, the warring popes and the mighty Medicis, this is the truly great novel of Michelangelo, his lifelong friendships, his passionate loves and his unquenchable genius. ….

"Irving Stone has painted the portrait of a supreme craftsman, one of the most versatile artists of all time, and he has also laid before us a cyclorama of one of the world's most astounding ages." New York Times

NY. Fontana books. 1970. 786p.

USED BOOK. MAY CONTAIN MARK-UP

By Max Byrd

FROM THE COVER: “It is 1784, and Jefferson, the newly appointed American ambassador to the court of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, has just arrived in Paris-a city adrift in intrigue, upheaval, and temptation that will challenge his principles, incite his passions, and change Thomas Jefferson forever.... Through the eyes of his impressionable young secretary, William Short, we watch as the future president builds his dream of an America with fellow patriots John Adams and Ben Franklin, and as he struggles between political ambition and an unexpected crisis of the heart with a woman who has the power to destroy him. And we discover-behind the face the complex Virginian shows the world -an enigmatic statesman who fights for individual liberty even as he keeps slaves, who champions free will even as he denies it to his daughters, and who holds men to the highest standards of honor-even as he embarks on a shadowy double life of his own.”

"A Novel To Be Admired And Enjoyed,The Best Fictionalized Life Of Jefferson Yet!' -Jack McLaughlin,

NY. Bantam. 1994. 470p.

USED BOOK. MAY CONTAIN MARK-UP

By Hilary Mantel

FROM CHAPTER 1:

“So now get up."

Felled, dazed, silent, he has fallen; knocked full length on the cobbles of the yard. His head turns sideways; his eyes are turned toward the gate, as if someone might arrive to help him out. One blow, properly placed, could i kill him now. Blood from the gash on his head--which was his father's first effort is trickling across his face. Add to this, his left eye is blinded; but if he squints sideways, with his right eye he can see that the stitching of his father's boot is unraveling. The twine has sprung clear of the leather, and a hard knot in it has caught his eyebrow and opened another cut.”

NY. Henry Holt and Company. 2009. 548p.

By John Meade Falkner

Edited with an Introduction by Edward Wilson who notes: “The detailed apparatus to this edition has been demanded not only by Time, which has altered not just the senses of words but a whole cultural hinterland beyond a modern reader's recognition, but by Falkner himself, who delighted in sowing his novel with literary and antiquarian allusions. Indeed, a character, Mr Gaskell, in The Lost Stradivarius itself, when reading an eighteenth-century diary in pursuit of highly sensational matter cannot resist telling us that "the minute details given were often of high antiquarian interest'“

London. Oxford University Press. 1954. (1895). USED BOOK. CONTAINS MARK-UP.

By Madeline Miller

FROM USA TODAY: “"It takes a truly gifted writer to make a song this old feel this beauti- fully new. What's startling about this sharply written, cleverly reimagined, enormously promising debut novel from Madeline Miller is how fresh and moving her take on the tale is--how she has managed to bring Achilles and his companion Patroclus to life in our time without removing them from their own."

NY. Harper Collins. 2012. 426p. USED BOOK. CONTAINS MARK-UP

By Colleen McCullough

FROM THE COVER: “The publication thirteen years ago of Birds was a landmark event, a remarkable achievement now surpassed by a novel in which storytelling and scholarship combine to bring to life one of history's most important epochs. The First Man in Rome sweeps the reader into an irresistibly vivid world of political intrigue, danger, wars, assassinations, devas- tating upheaval, intricately passionate family alliances and rivalries - and undeniable reality. It is New Year's Day of 110 B.C., and two of the latest in a long line of noble Roman mediocrities are assuming the coveted mantle of consul. But among those watching are two very different men, men whose vision, ruthlessness, and courage will force shattering change upon the Roman Republic, strug- gling to cope with mushrooming territorial possessions and the growing resentment of the Italians it treats as third-class citizens. One of these two men is Marius, a wealthy rustic barred by his low birth from grasping his prophesied destiny, to become the First Man in Rome- he who stands above all his peers through sheer excellence. The second is (continued on back flap)…..”

NY. William Morrow and Company, Inc. 1960. 897p. USED BOOK CONTAINS MARK-UP

By Henry James

The Bostonians is a novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in The Century Magazine in 1885–1886 and then as a book in 1886. This bittersweet tragicomedycentres on an odd triangle of characters: Basil Ransom, a political conservative from Mississippi; Olive Chancellor, Ransom's cousin and a Boston feminist; and Verena Tarrant, a pretty, young protégée of Olive's in the feminist movement. The storyline concerns the struggle between Ransom and Olive for Verena's allegiance and affection, though the novel also includes a wide panorama of political activists, newspaper people, and quirky eccentrics.

• More...

  Henry James originally entered into an agreement with the Boston publisher James R. Osgood & Co. to publish the book in the United States for $4,000. Osgood made a separate agreement with The Century for the magazine to serialize the novel. In May 1885, before the serialization had finished and James had been paid any of the money owed to him, Osgood's firm went bankrupt.[1] James was able to recover part of the lost sum by selling the copyright to Macmillan and Co., which published The Bostonians in a three-volume edition in Britain in February 1886, and in a one-volume edition in the US in May 1886.[1] James was not, however, able to recover any money for the serialization in The Century.[2]

• Plot...

  Mississippi lawyer and Civil War veteran, Basil Ransom, visits his cousin Olive Chancellor in Boston. She takes him to a political meeting where Verena Tarrant delivers a feminist speech. Ransom, a strong conservative, is annoyed by the speech but fascinated with the speaker. Olive, who never has set eyes on Verena, is equally fascinated. She persuades Verena to leave her parents' house, move in with her and study in preparation for a career in the feminist movement. Meanwhile, Ransom returns to his law practice in New York, which is not doing well. He visits Boston again and walks with Verena through the grounds of Harvard College, including the impressive Civil War Memorial Hall. Verena finds herself attracted to the charismatic Ransom. Basil eventually proposes to Verena, much to Olive's dismay. Olive has arranged for Verena to speak at the Boston Music Hall. Ransom shows up at the hall just before Verena is scheduled to begin her speech. He persuades Verena to elope with him, to the discomfiture of Olive and her fellow-feminists. The final sentence of the novel shows Verena in tears – not to be her last, James assures us.

London. Macmillan . 1886. 419p.

By Robert Harris

London. Hutchinson. 2003. 341p.

The novel is set against the backdrop of the impending eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which eventually destroys the city of Pompeii and leads to the death of thousands of its inhabitants. Harris uses meticulous historical research to bring the city and its inhabitants to life, and the novel provides a vivid and immersive portrayal of life in ancient Rome.

The novel also explores themes of greed, corruption, and political intrigue, as Attilius uncovers a conspiracy involving the corrupt aquarius in charge of Pompeii's water supply, as well as the wealthy and powerful Pompeian elite. The novel's suspenseful plot and vivid descriptions of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius create a gripping and immersive reading experience.

By Katharine Susannah Prichard

From the jacket: No writer has painted a more vivid picture of the tragic meeting of primi­tive and civilized humanity than Katharine Susannah Prichard in Coonardoo. First published in 1929, this remarkable novel has become an Australian classic, as moving in its deli­cate portraiture of an aboriginal girl as it is revealing in its authentic know­ledge of the outback scene in north­western Australia. The little black girl Coonardoo and the boy Hugh are childhood play­mates, and the relationship that gradually develops from their early bond is compelling and disastrous. Coonardoo has her tribal partner; Hugh, the station-owner, must marry. This drama is played out in the deserts and cattle country of the north­west, a cruel story redeemed by the poetic quality-of Coonardoo and her devotion to the man whose race dealt so harshly with hers.

Melbourne. Angus and Robertson. 1929.

By Pierre Magnan

Translated from the French by Patricia Clancy. “It is June 1945. The war is over. As dawn breaks over the hills of Provence, Pierrot, a 15-year-old boy, stumbles across the body of Capitaine Patrocle, a local hero of the Resistance. He has been murdered. In his wallet Pierrot finds a letter written on blue paper, which he conceals beneath his beret. It provides the key to the dramatic events that lie at the heart of this haunting story of illicit passions and pitiless revenge, and leads, ultimately, to the boy’s association with the beautiful Madame Henry and his introduction to the mysteries of love. “ ‘Magnan’s evocation of sun-baked landscapes and small-town Provencal life, still smarting from
the Occupation and the Vichy betrayals, is superb.’ The Times.

London.. Vintage. 1999. 254p.

By Elizabeth Wein

“Harrowing and wholly believable, Code Name Verity wrecked me. It ii a book as unexpected, beautiful, and enduring as tle friendship at its heart. The story's brutality is almost inti­mate. It's depictions ol heroism are so real and vibrant, they live beyond the page. You will want to clutch these characters to youi in the hopes of keeping them safe, and your heart will break knowing that you can't." —Leigh Bardugo. New York Times best-selling author of Shadow and Bone.

NY. Hyperion. 2013. 371p.

By Robert Harris

From the cover: “Ancient Rome - ‘a city of glory built on a river of filth teems with ambitious and ruthless men. None is more  brilliant than Marcus Cicero. A rising young lawyer, backed by a shrewd wife, he decides to gamble everything on one of the most dramatic courtroom battles of all time. Win it, and he could win control of Rome itself. Lose it, and he is finished forever. Internationally acclaimed for its storytelling power and historical accuracy, Robert Harris’s new novel is an epic account of the timeless struggle for power and the sudden disintegration of society.”

London.. Random House. 2006. 495p.

By Niccolo Machiavelli

From Chapter 1: The people who inhabit the northern parts beyond the Rhine and the Danube, living in a healthy and prolific region, frequently increase to such vast multitudes, that part of them are compelled to abandon their native soil, and seek a habitation in other countries. The method adopted, when one of these provinces had to be relieved of its superabundant population, was to divide into three parts, each containing an equal number of nobles and of people, of rich and of poor. The third upon whom the lot fell, then went in search of new abodes, leaving the remaining two-thirds in possession of their native country. These migrating masses destroyed the Roman empire by the facilities for settlement which the country offered when the emperors abandoned Rome, the ancient seat of their dominion, and fixed their residence at Constantinople…..

London. M. Walter Dunne. 1901.

By Emile Gaboriau

Illustrated by W. Glackens. From Chapter 1: In the Paris evening papers of Tuesday, February 28, 1866, under the head of Local Items, the following announcement appeared: " A daring robbery, committed against one of our most eminent bankers, M. André Fauvel, caused great excitement this morning throughout the neighborhood of Rue de Provence. " The thieves, who were as skilful as they were bold, succeeded in making an entrance to the bank, in forcing the lock of a safe that has heretofore been considered impregnable, and in possessing themselves of the enormous sum of three hundred and fifty thousand francs in bank-notes…”

NY. Charles Scribner’s Sons. 1903. 540p.

By Oliver Goldsmith.

“When Dr Primrose loses his fortune in a disastrous investment, his idyllic life in the country is shattered and he is forced to move with his wife and six children to an impoverished living on the estate of Squire Thornhill. Taking to the road in pursuit of his daughter, who has been seduced by the rakish Squire, the beleaguered Primrose becomes embroiled in a series of misadventures–encountering his long-lost son in a travelling theatre company and even spending time in a debtor’s prison. Yet Primrose, though hampered by his unworldliness and pride, is sustained by his unwavering religious faith. In The Vicar of Wakefield, Goldsmith gently mocks many of the literary conventions of his day–from pastoral and romance to the picaresque – infusing his story of a hapless clergyman with warm humour and amiable social satire.”

J.C. Krieger and Company, 1828 300p.

By Sir Walter Scott.

“The Author, on a former occasion, declined giving the real source from which he drew the tragic subject of this history, because, though occurring at a distant period, it might possibly be unpleasing to the feelings of the descendants of the parties. But as he finds an account of the circumstances given in the Notes to Law's Memorials by his ingenious friend Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe, Esq., and also indicated in his reprint of the Rev. Mr. Symson's poems, appended to the Description of Galloway as the original of the Bride of Lammermoor, the Author feels himself now at liberty to tell the tale as he had it from connections of his own, who lived very near the period, and were closely related to the family of the Bride.

London: Collins Clear -Type Press, 1900. 416p.

By E. Phillips Oppenheim.

“… Opposite him, at the other end of the table, sat his wife, Mrs. Barnes, a somewhat voluminous lady with a high colour, a black satin frock, and many ornaments. On her left the son of the house, eighteen years old, of moderate stature, somewhat pimply, with the fashion of the moment reflected in his pink tie with white spots, drawn through a gold ring, and curving outwards to seek obscurity underneath a dazzling waistcoat.”

Boston: Little, Brown, 1912. 424p.