The first book of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin is a tale of wizards, dragons and terrifying shadows.

The island of Gont is a land famous for wizards. Of these, some say the greatest — and surely the greatest voyager — is the man called Sparrowhawk. As a reckless, awkward boy, he discovered the great power that was in him — with terrifying consequences. Tempted by pride to try spells beyond his means, Sparrowhawk lets loose an evil shadow-beast in his land. Only he can destroy it, and the quest leads him to the farthest corner of Earthsea.

George and his large, simple-minded friend Lennie are drifters, following wherever work leads them. Arriving in California’s Salinas Valley, they get work on a ranch. If they can just stay out of trouble, George promises Lennie, then one day they might be able to get some land of their own and settle down some place. But kind-hearted, childlike Lennie is a victim of his own strength. Seen by others as a threat, he finds it impossible to control his emotions. And one day not even George will be able to save him from trouble.Of Mice and Men is a tragic and moving story of friendship, loneliness and the dispossessed.

Коллекция ярких стикеров — это идеальное решение для творческих людей.Забавные котики и собачки, радужные единороги, фламинго, ленивцы, ламы и другие всеми любимые персонажи украсят ваш bullet journal, простой ежедневник, записную книжку или блокнот, создав лёгкое и игривое настроение.Помимо очаровательных зверушек, в этом сборнике вы найдёте наклейки с забавными и мотивирующими фразами на русском и английском языках, а также стикеры с элементами оформления в стиле bullet journal, благодаря которым вам будет легче ориентироваться в своих записях.Эти стикеры преобразят не только страницы ежедневника, но и смартфон, ноутбук, обложки документов — трендовые изображения модных цветов круто смотрятся на любой поверхности!

William Stoner enters the University of Missouri at nineteen to study agriculture. A seminar on English literature changes his life, and he never returns to work on his father’s farm. Stoner becomes a teacher. He marries the wrong woman. His life is quiet, and after his death his colleagues remember him rarely.Yet with truthfulness, compassion and intense power, this novel uncovers a story of universal value — of the conflicts, defeats and victories of the human race that pass unrecorded by history — and in doing so reclaims the significance of an individual life.

Nora is a cut-throat literary agent at the top of her game. Her whole life is books.Charlie is an editor with a gift for creating bestsellers. And he’s Nora’s work nemesis.Nora has been through enough break-ups to know she’s the one men date before finding their happy-ever-after. To prevent another dating dud, Nora’s sister has persuaded her to swap her city desk for a month’s holiday in Sunshine Falls.It’s a small town straight out of a romance novel, but instead of meeting sexy lumberjacks, handsome doctors or cute bartenders, Nora keeps bumping into…Charlie.She’s no heroine. He’s no hero. So can they take a page out of an entirely different book?

It’s the following Thursday.Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He’s made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn’t that be a bonus?But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians.Can the Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?

Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content.The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers’ story comprehension and develop vocabulary.Visit the Penguin Readers websiteExclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys.The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) is the story of a boy in Missouri in the 1840s. Tom Sawyer’s parents are dead and he lives with his aunt in a small village next to the long Mississippi river. One night, Tom and his friend, Huckleberry Finn see Injun Joe kill Dr Robinson. «We can’t say anything about it. Or we will die,» says Tom. But then the wrong man goes to prison…

In this brilliant transatlantic survival guide, Erin Moore examines the key differences between the British and the Americans through their language.You’ll discover why Americans give — and take — so many bloody compliments and never, ever say ‘shall’ (well hardly ever), as well as what the British really mean when they say ‘proper’, why they believe it is better to be bright than clever and how the word sorry has at least eight different meanings for them.

At the time of his death in 2015, award-winning and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett was working on his finest story yet — his own.The creator of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, Terry Pratchett was known and loved around the world for his hugely popular books, his smart satirical humour and the humanity of his campaign work. But that’s only part of the picture.Before his untimely death, Terry was writing a memoir: the story of a boy who aged six was told by his teacher that he would never amount to anything and spent the rest of his life proving him wrong. For Terry lived a life full of astonishing achievements: becoming one of the UK’s bestselling and most beloved writers, winning the prestigious Carnegie Medal and being awarded a knighthood.Now, the book Terry sadly couldn’t finish has been written by Rob Wilkins, his former assistant, friend and now head of the Pratchett literary estate. Drawing on his own extensive memories, along with those of the author’s family, friends and colleagues, Rob unveils the full picture of Terry’s life — from childhood to his astonishing writing career, and how he met and coped with what he called the ‘Embuggerance’ of Alzheimer’s disease.A deeply moving and personal portrait of the extraordinary life of Sir Terry Pratchett, written with unparalleled insight and filled with funny anecdotes, this is the only official biography of one of our finest authors.

‘My dear, I don’t give a damn.’Margaret Mitchell’s page-turning, sweeping American epic has been a classic for over eighty years. Beloved and thought by many to be the greatest of the American novels, Gone with the Wind is a story of love, hope and loss set against the tense historical background of the American Civil War.The lovers at the novel’s centre – the selfish, privileged Scarlett O’Hara and rakish Rhett Butler – are magnetic: pulling readers into the tangled narrative of a struggle to survive that cannot be forgotten.

We are here to remember what happened and to declare solemnly that ‘they’ must never do it again. But who are ‘they’?How to Spot a Fascist is a selection of three thought-provoking essays on freedom and fascism, censorship and tolerance — including Eco’s iconic essay ‘Ur-Fascism’, which lists the fourteen essential characteristics of fascism, and draws on his own personal experiences growing up in the shadow of Mussolini.Umberto Eco remains one of the greatest writers and cultural commentators of the last century. In these pertinent pieces, he warns against prejudice and abuses of power and proves a wise and insightful guide for our times.If we strive to learn from our collective history and come together in challenging times, we can hope for a peaceful and tolerant future.

From award-winning actor and food obsessive Stanley Tucci comes an intimate and charming memoir of life in and out of the kitchen.Before Stanley Tucci became a household name with The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games, and the perfect Negroni, he grew up in an Italian American family that spent every night around the table. He shared the magic of those meals with us in The Tucci Cookbook and The Tucci Table, and now he takes us beyond the recipes and into the stories behind them.Taste is a reflection on the intersection of food and life, filled with anecdotes about growing up in Westchester, New York, preparing for and filming the foodie films Big Night and Julie & Julia, falling in love over dinner, and teaming up with his wife to create conversation-starting meals for their children. Each morsel of this gastronomic journey through good times and bad, five-star meals and burnt dishes, is as heartfelt and delicious as the last.Written with Stanley’s signature wry humour and nostalgia, Taste is a heartwarming read that will be irresistible for anyone who knows the power of a home-cooked meal.

‘They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.’Everybody knows there’s no such thing as a female wizard. So when the wizard Drum Billet accidentally passes on his staff of power to an eighth daughter of an eighth son, a girl called Eskarina (Esk, for short), the misogynistic world of wizardry wants nothing to do with her.Thankfully Granny Weatherwax, the Discworld’s most famous witch, has plenty of experience ignoring the status quo. With Granny’s help, Esk sneaks her way into the magical Unseen University and befriends apprentice wizard Simon.But power is unpredictable, and these bright young students soon find themselves in a whole new dimension of trouble. Let the battle of the sexes begin . . .Equal Rites is the first book in the Witches series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.

‘There’s a kind of magic in masks. Masks conceal one face, but they reveal another. The one that only comes out in darkness . . .’The Opera House in Ankh-Morpork is home to music, theatrics and a harmless masked Ghost who lurks behind the scenes. But now a set of mysterious backstage murders may just stop the show.Agnes Nitt has left her rural home of Lancre in the hopes of launching a successful singing career in the big city. The only problem is, she doesn’t quite look the part. And there are two witches who would much rather she return home to join their coven.Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg have travelled to Ankh-Morpork to convince Agnes that life as a witch is much better than one on the stage. Only now they’re caught up in a murder mystery featuring masks and maniacal laughter.And the show MUST go on . . .Maskerade is the fifth book in the Witches series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.

‘Holy Wood is a different sort of place . . . Here, the most important thing is to be important.’A new phenomenon is taking over the Discworld: Moving Pictures. Created by the alchemists of Ankh-Morpork, the growing ‘clicks’ industry moves to the sandy land of Holy Wood, attracted by the light of the sun and some strange calling no one can quite put their finger on…Also drawn to Holy Wood are aspiring young stars Victor Tugelbend, a wizarding student dropout, and Theda ‘Ginger’ Withel, a small-town girl with big dreams.But behind the glitz and glamour of the clicks, a sinister presence lurks. Because belief is powerful in the Discworld, and sometimes downright dangerous…The magic of movies might just unravel reality itself.The Discworld novels can be read in any order but Moving Pictures is a standalone.

‘Don’t put your trust in revolutions. They always come round again. That’s why they’re called revolutions. People die, and nothing changes.’The twenty-fifth of May is an important, sombre day in Ankh-Morpork — the anniversary of one of the city’s bloodiest rebellions.But crime stops for nothing, as Commander Sam Vimes of the City Watch knows. When a notorious serial killer emerges from hiding, the chase leads the Watch to the roofs of Unseen University where a magical storm is brewing. It’s a case of wrong place, very wrong time.For Vimes finds himself back in his own rough, tough past with only a killer for company and a city on the brink of revolution to contend with. But he must survive, because he has a job to do: track down the murderer and change the outcome of the rebellion.And get back to the future before his wife gives birth, of course.All in a day’s work …

‘This didn’t feel like magic. It felt a lot older than that. It felt like music.’Being sixteen is always difficult, but it’s even more so when there’s a Death in the family. Susan hasn’t exactly had a normal upbringing, with a skeletal grandfather who rides a white horse and wields a scythe.When Death decides he needs a well-earned break, he leaves Susan to take over the family business. The only problem is, everyone mistakes her for the Tooth Fairy . . .Well, not the only problem. There’s a new, addictive music in Discworld. It’s lawless. It changes people. It’s got a beat and you can dance to it.It’s called Music With Rocks In. And it won’t fade away . . .Soul Music is the third book in the Death series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.

‘The universe is, instant by instant, recreated anew . . . The perfect moment is now. Be glad of it.’Time is a resource. Everyone knows it must be managed. You can let it move fast or slowly, but what you mustn’t do is allow it to stop.On the Discworld, the History Monks have the important job of ensuring that tomorrow always comes. But the construction of the world’s first truly accurate clock starts a race against, well . . . time.Monk Lu-Tze, his apprentice Lobsang Ludd and Death’s granddaughter Susan must stop the clockmaker before he completes his task. Because a truly accurate clock will stop time completely.And then, there really will be no tomorrow . . .Thief Of Time is the fifth book in the Death series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.

‘For the enemy is not troll, nor is it dwarf, but it is the baleful, the malign, the cowardly, the vessels of hatred, those who do a bad thing and call it good …’In the city of Ankh-Morpork, tension is rising between dwarf and troll communities.A dwarven fanatic has been stoking the flames of an old hatred born of the Battle of Koom Valley -an ancient war between the races that neither side has quite got over. When the dwarf is murdered, with a troll the only witness, Commander Sam Vimes of the City Watch must solve the case before history repeats itself.With his beloved Watch crumbling around him and war drums sounding, Vimes must unravel every clue, outwit every assassin and brave any darkness to find the solution. But darkness is following him …And at six o’clock every day he must go home to read a bedtime story to his son. There are some things you have to do.Thud! is the seventh book in the City Watch series, but you can read the Discworld novels in any order.

In a ruined and hostile landscape, in a future few have been unlucky enough to survive, a community exists in a giant underground silo.Inside, men and women live an enclosed life full of rules and regulations, of secrets and lies.To live, you must follow the rules. But some don’t. These are the dangerous ones; these are the people who dare to hope and dream, and who infect others with their optimism.Their punishment is simple and deadly. They are allowed outside.Jules is one of these people. She may well be the last.

In a ruined and hostile landscape, in a future few have been unlucky enough to survive, a community exists in a giant underground silo.Inside, men and women live an enclosed life full of rules and regulations, of secrets and lies.To live, you must follow the rules. But some don’t. These are the dangerous ones; these are the people who dare to hope and dream, and who infect others with their optimism.Their punishment is simple and deadly. They are allowed outside.Jules is one of these people. She may well be the last.

Hat, ribbon, bird, rose. To the people on the island, a disappeared thing no longer has any meaning. It can be burned in the garden, thrown in the river or handed over to The Memory Police. Soon enough, the island forgets it ever existed.When a young novelist discovers that her editor is in danger of being taken away by the Memory Police, she desperately wants to save him. For some reason, he doesn’t forget, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult for him to hide his memories. Who knows what will vanish next?The Memory Police is a beautiful, haunting and provocative fable about the power of memory and the trauma of loss, from one of Japan’s greatest writers.

STEP INTO ANOTHER WORLD — OF MAGIC, MAYHEM, MONSTERS AND MANIACAL GODS — IN STEPHEN FRY’S MOMENTOUS SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, MYTHOS’A romp through the lives of ancient Greek gods. Fry is at his story-telling best . . . the gods will be pleased’ TimesDiscover Stephen Fry’s magnificent retelling of the greatest myths and legends ever told . . .No one loves and quarrels, desires and deceives as boldly or brilliantly as Greek gods and goddesses.In Stephen Fry’s vivid retelling, we gaze in wonder as wise Athena is born from the cracking open of the great head of Zeus and follow doomed Persephone into the dark and lonely realm of the Underworld. We shiver in fear when Pandora opens her jar of evil torments and watch with joy as the legendary love affair between Eros and Psyche unfolds.Mythos captures these extraordinary myths for our modern age — in all their dazzling and deeply human relevance.Order TROY now, Stephen Fry’s bewitching retelling of the most legendary story ever told . . .NOW THE INSPIRATION FOR THE MYTHOS SUITE, STEPHEN FRY AND DEBBIE WISEMAN’S MUSICAL PRODUCTION OF FRY’S THRILLING RETELLINGS’A head-spinning marathon of legends’ Guardian’An Olympian feat. The gods seem to be smiling on Fry — his myths are definitely a hit’ Evening Standard’An odyssey through Greek mythology. Brilliant . . . all hail Stephen Fry’ Daily Mail’A rollicking good read’ IndependentSHORTLISTED FOR A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD

When Helen, the beautiful Greek queen, is kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris, the most legendary war of all time begins.Watch in awe as a thousand ships are launched against the great city of Troy.Feel the fury of the battleground as the Trojans stand resolutely against Greek might for an entire decade.And witness the epic climax — the wooden horse, delivered to the city of Troy in a masterclass of deception by the Greeks . . .In Stephen Fry’s exceptional retelling of our greatest story, TROY will transport you to the depths of ancient Greece and beyond.