The Kicker of St. John's Wood


Book Description

This is a story of America in the year 2020: Fractured socially and politically, its enemies are gaining ground and its civil liberties are threatened like never before. Jayesh Blackstone, a professional football player, finds himself at the focal point of an historic experiment: a woman is going to play in a football game, and it will happen in the Super Bowl. It turns out that this is just a foretaste of the metamorphosis that is taking shape. The very same event is the venue for an announcement by world leaders of a new order, one that defines humanity exclusively in terms of race and gender. The new reality steadily encroaches on Blackstone's world; he is compelled to choose his allies, declare his identity, and determine the price he is willing to pay to live the life of a free individual. Embracing controversy from its very first pages, The Kicker of St. John's Wood is a rampage through the pantheon of contemporary idols, and a literary journey into the American national psyche of the twenty-first century.




Workshop of the Second Self


Book Description

The year is 2030. The place is Centerville, a typical city. Clifton Pembroke is a young professional with a promising career in the field of "disability advocacy." He helps people raise their disability profile-a single index that encompasses every variety of injustice and disadvantage that may befall an individual. Raising one's disability profile can bring a host of benefits, including subsidies and preferential treatment. But some people are no longer satisfied with these benefits. They assert that their very birth was an injustice, that a fundamental travesty has occurred, that in fact they should have been a different person. They even know who that other person is, and they intend to receive their just compensation-by obtaining the legal right to seize the other's identity. Clifton becomes entangled in ethical dilemmas that run to the core of what it means to be human. In choosing sides, he must make difficult, even dangerous decisions. In his search for answers, he gropes in the darkness until he meets the people who are building the workshop of the second self.




The Embracer


Book Description

This is the revised second edition of Gary Wolf's first novel, originally published in 2003. Imagine a society without gender roles, and even without gender itself. This is the emerging reality in the world of the early 2040s. Harris, a talented but despondent software engineer, spends his free time chasing the latest rage in consciousness-expansion. His mundane life takes an unexpected turn when he lands a high position at the BrainHost company, located at the pinnacle of world culture, the CityTech urban agglomeration. Harris discovers that in CityTech, romance is being replaced by the "coital matrix," where every stage of the process is preplanned and engineered. Meanwhile, BrainHost and others are experimenting with the implantation of male and female sexual organs inside the body of a single person, while eliminating all external traces of gender. This self-contained human, the Embracer, is seen by its creators as the panacea of humanity. Alternately repelled and enticed by the new order, Harris is drawn into the maelstrom. He eventually becomes a leading advocate. But then he must confront a beautiful young woman who aims to sabotage the mighty CityTech...




Scotland Yard's Murder Squad


Book Description

Get a behind-the-scenes look at fourteen historic cases from the Murder Squad of Scotland Yard in this collection perfect for true crime fans. In 1906 the Metropolitan Police Commissioner was asked by the Home Office to make available skilled investigators for murder inquiries nationwide as few constabularies had sufficiently skilled—or indeed, any—detectives. Thus was born the Reserve Squad, or Murder Squad, as it later became known. Despite a reluctance by some forces to call upon The Met, the Murder Squad has proved its effectiveness on countless occasions with its remit extended to British territories overseas. A particularly sensitive case was the murder of a local superintendent on St. Kitts and Nevis. A former Scotland Yard detective, the author uses his contacts and experiences to get the inside track on a gruesome collection of infamous cases. Child murderers, a Peer’s butler, a King’s housekeeper, gangsters, jealous spouses and the notorious mass murderer Dr. Bodkin Adams compete for space in this spine-chilling and gripping book which is testament to the Murder Squad’s skills and ingenuity—and the evil of the perpetrators. Brimming with gruesome killings, this highly readable book proves that there is no substitute for old fashioned footwork and instinct.







Philadelphia Directory


Book Description




A Book of Five Swords and a Scroll


Book Description

A Book of Five Swords and a Scroll, is about five Japanese swords that came to the United States after W.W.II and a Japanese hanging scroll of a 'Seated Samurai. The book is richly illustrated with over 110 photographs of these swords, map segments, and other associated materials. There are three original short stories centered around three of the swords. The book also contains sections regarding Medieval Japan, the Samurai, Japanese Sword Smiths, and Japanese Sword Care and Cleaning; Detail Technical Data of these swords is included, and there is a short biography of artist of the scroll. The chapter about the scroll, regards a person famous in 14th Century Japanese History. Two of these swords are over 450 years old. n addition there is a short biography of a unique US Marine that fought at Wake Island, Dec 8, 1941 - Dec 23, 1941 in WWII and taken as a Prisiner Of War by the Japanese. He spent a total of 1350 Days as a POW in Camps in China and Japan. This version of the book is in Color.




Wake And Reunion


Book Description

Wake And Reunion revolves around the Battle of Wake Island from Dec.8-23,1941. While many of the US Defenders are mentioned the book includes the Individual bio's of 17 Wake Island Defenders, and their return to United States after 1350 days as POWs of the Japanese until the surrender of the Japanese ending WWII in September 1945. The chapter Vindication and Aftermath, deals with United States actions against Japanese held Wake Island and the official report of the surrender of Wake Island by the Japanese back to the United States, September 1945. The book also contains the complete roster of all men on Wake Island when it fell to the Japanese Dec.23, 1941. Wake And Reunion is richly illustrated with over 100 photographs, letters, and diagrams, some of which date back to the 1930's. Also included are photos of what was to be the Wake Island Defenders last organized reunion in October 2005.







The Timberman


Book Description