Singer Castle


Book Description

In 1905, the New York Times called it the Castle of Mysteries, and rightly so. Located on Dark Island, Singer Castle was modeled after the castle described in Sir Walter Scotts Woodstock, complete with dungeons, turrets, labyrinths, and even secret passageways. World-famous architect Ernest Flagg designed it for Singer Sewing Machine Company president Frederick Bourne. Singer Castle provides an unforgettable tour and fascinating history, revealing why this place is truly a castle of mysteries.




Singer Castle Revisited


Book Description

Singer Castle Revisited is a fresh look at this castles rich 100-year history with many new stories and photographs of its original owner, Frederick G. Bourne; his daughter Marjorie, who owned the castle for the next 40 years; and Dr. Harold and Eloise Martin. The Bournes were well known for their marvelous collection of yachts and Gold Cupwinning speedboats. Since the release of Singer Castle, the new owners of this historical Thousand Islands landmark have invested nearly $10 million into restoring it to its original condition. In addition, gracious relatives of the former owners families have shared their private collections of previously unpublished pictures dating from as far back as the castles construction.




No Crowns in the Castle


Book Description

A Grammy Award-winning singer and her husband share what a Godly marriage looks like and encourage readers with faith-forward and Biblical relationship advice. ​ Fantasia Taylor—American Idol, Grammy-winning vocalist, and chart-topping singer—and her husband businessman Kendall Taylor were both successful and living in their purpose when they met and married three weeks later. Their marriage has had its ups and downs, but the one thing that has sustained them through all of it is the practice of taking off their crowns—the accolades, their egos, the things the world tells you matter—and serving each other within the home. It doesn’t matter who you are in the world—you need to humble yourself and serve your partner in order to put your marriage, your family, and your faith first. Seven years later, after facing a host of real-world challenges—from marital stress to professional and financial pressures, to their high-risk pregnancy and the premature birth of their daughter—Fantasia and Kendall’s marriage has become a beacon of hope and love as they have opened up about their lives in their weekly ‘Taylor Talks’ broadcast. Now, in their first book together, Fantasia and Kendall dish about their shared experiences and struggles, opening up about the challenges and triumphs they’ve faced together and how they have come out stronger for them. They also share stories about how they've made their relationship work against all odds and why they try to always treat each other like royalty. In their trademark no-nonsense, real-talk style, they discuss topics that affect all relationships, including the importance of submitting to one another, handling conflict, clearing the lines of communication, keeping the romance alive, navigating the challenges of blended family, and how to maintain healthy relationships when you haven’t seen them modeled before. Insightful, wise, and grounded in faith, Fantasia and Kendall’s story offers hope and encouragement and gives straight-up advice about making your relationships last.




The Last Castle


Book Description

A New York Times bestseller with an "engaging narrative and array of detail” (The Wall Street Journal), the “intimate and sweeping” (Raleigh News & Observer) untold, true story behind the Biltmore Estate—the largest, grandest private residence in North America, which has seen more than 120 years of history pass by its front door. The story of Biltmore spans World Wars, the Jazz Age, the Depression, and generations of the famous Vanderbilt family, and features a captivating cast of real-life characters including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe, Teddy Roosevelt, John Singer Sargent, James Whistler, Henry James, and Edith Wharton. Orphaned at a young age, Edith Stuyvesant Dresser claimed lineage from one of New York’s best known families. She grew up in Newport and Paris, and her engagement and marriage to George Vanderbilt was one of the most watched events of Gilded Age society. But none of this prepared her to be mistress of Biltmore House. Before their marriage, the wealthy and bookish Vanderbilt had dedicated his life to creating a spectacular European-style estate on 125,000 acres of North Carolina wilderness. He summoned the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to tame the grounds, collaborated with celebrated architect Richard Morris Hunt to build a 175,000-square-foot chateau, filled it with priceless art and antiques, and erected a charming village beyond the gates. Newlywed Edith was now mistress of an estate nearly three times the size of Washington, DC and benefactress of the village and surrounding rural area. When fortunes shifted and changing times threatened her family, her home, and her community, it was up to Edith to save Biltmore—and secure the future of the region and her husband’s legacy. This is the fascinating, “soaring and gorgeous” (Karen Abbott) story of how the largest house in America flourished, faltered, and ultimately endured to this day.




Devyn's Dilemma


Book Description

Longing for love, can she escape the shadows that follow her to Dark Island? 1910, Thousand Islands, New York. Others may consider The Towers castle on Dark Island an enchanting summer retreat, but to Devyn McKenna, it's a prison. Yet as she works as a maid for Frederick Bourne, former president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, her life blossoms under the kindness of his family and fascinating entrepreneurs such as J.P. Morgan, Thomas Lipton, and Captain Vanderbilt. But more than anything, the growing friendship of Mr. Bourne's valet, Brice McBride, begins to pry away the painful layers that conceal Devyn's heart. Brice is drawn to the mysterious Devyn even though he's certain she's hiding a secret, one far more dangerous than the clues they find in The Towers that hint of a treasure on the island. When Devyn is accused of stealing Bourne's investment in Vanderbilt's New York City subway expansion, he might not be able to protect her. Written for the General Market (G): Contains little or no; sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language.




Castle of Water


Book Description

"A unique, inventive exploration of love, loss, and survival." —Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale "A moving, harrowing, and downright literary novel." —Michelle Gable, New York Times bestselling author of A Paris Apartment "Brilliant, clever, riveting—pick your adjective, they all apply." —Thomas Christopher Greene, bestselling author of The Headmaster's Wife Two very different people, one very small island. For Sophie Ducel, her honeymoon in French Polynesia was intended as a celebration of life. The proud owner of a thriving Parisian architecture firm, co-founded with her brilliant new husband, Sophie had much to look forward to—including a visit to the island home of her favorite singer, Jacques Brel. For Barry Bleecker, the same trip was meant to mark a new beginning. Turning away from his dreary existence in Manhattan finance, Barry had set his sights on fine art, seeking creative inspiration on the other side of the world—just like his idol, Paul Gauguin. But when their small plane is downed in the middle of the South Pacific, the sole survivors of the wreck are left with one common goal: to survive. Stranded hundreds of miles from civilization, on an island the size of a large city block, the two castaways must reconcile their differences and learn to draw on one another's strengths if they are to have any hope of making it home. Told in mesmerizing prose, with charm and rhythm entirely its own, Dane Huckelbridge's Castle of Water is more than just a reimagining of the classic castaway story. It is a stirring reflection on love’s restorative potential, as well as a poignant reminder that home—be it a flat in Paris, a New York apartment, or a desolate atoll a world away—is where the heart is.




Max's Castle


Book Description

An ingenious sequel to Max's Words and Max's Dragons, Max's Castle shows readers just how much fun wordplay can be in this winning collaboration between author Kate Banks and illustrator Boris Kulikov. When Max finds a pile of forgotten toys under the bed, his brothers Benjamin and Karl wonder what's so special about some old blocks. So Max shows them. With some clever twists of both blocks and imagination, he constructs not only a castle but an entire adventure, complete with pirates and knights, a dark dungeon and a dragon.




Señorita Mariposa


Book Description

A captivating and child-friendly look at the extraordinary journey that monarch butterflies take each year from Canada to Mexico; with a text in both English and Spanish. Rhyming text and lively illustrations showcase the epic trip taken by the monarch butterflies. At the end of each summer, these international travelers leave Canada to fly south to Mexico for the winter--and now readers can come along for the ride! Over mountains capped with snow, to the deserts down below. Children will be delighted to share in the fascinating journey of the monarchs and be introduced to the people and places they pass before they finally arrive in the forests that their ancestors called home.




Strange Days


Book Description

When inexplicable events begin to occur, Los Angeles native Alex Mata uses his special ability of time travel to save the world from alien invasion in this captivating debut novel that weaves sci-fi and contemporary fiction.




New York City Subways


Book Description

New York City Subways traces the history of mass transportation in Manhattan and New York City's outer boroughs. Public transportation has long been vital to the city, with horse-drawn surface lines established by 1831 and elevated railroad lines constructed during the 1870s and 1880s. The concept of subways, railroads operating underground, originated in London in 1863 and was applied to New York City by 1904. This collection of vintage postcards brings you through the tunnels of the subway, onto the platforms of the long-gone els, and examines New York's renowned terminals, especially Grand Central and Penn Station.