The Scribe Of Siena

Author : Melodie Winawer
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 480 pages
File Size : 50,5 Mb
Release : 2021-11-02
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781982113711

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Anticipation by Melodie Winawer Pdf

From the author of the “engrossing historical epic” (Booklist) The Scribe of Siena comes a thrilling tale set in the crumbling city of Mystras, Greece, in which a scientist’s vacation with her young son quickly turns into a fight for their lives after they cross paths with a man out of time. After the death of her beloved husband and becoming a single parent to her nine-year-old son Alexander, overworked scientist Helen desperately needs an escape. So when Alexander proposes a trip to Greece—somewhere he's always dreamed of visiting—Helen quickly agrees. After spending several days exploring the tourist-filled streets, they stumble upon the ancient city of Mystras and are instantly drawn to it. Its only resident is Elias, a mysterious tour guide living on the city’s edges…both physically and temporally. In 1237, Elias’s mother promised his eternal service to the Profitis Ilias in Mystras in exchange for surviving a terrible illness. But during his 800 years of labor, he’s had one common enemy: the noble Lusignan family. The Lusignan line is cursed by a deadly disease that worsens with each generation, and a prophecy hints that Elias’s blood is their only hope for a cure. He has managed to survive throughout the centuries, but the line has dwindled down to the last Lusignan and he is desperate to avert his family’s destiny. When Elias runs into Helen, he meets his match for the first time—but he unwittingly puts both her and her young son in danger as a result. With time running out and an enemy after them, Elias and Helen are forced to choose between the city they love, and each other. Blending the historical romance of Diana Gabaldon, the rich detail of Philippa Gregory’s novels, and Dan Brown’s fast-paced suspense, Anticipation is a thrilling and satisfying read like no other.

Author : T.A. Williams
Publisher : Canelo
Page : 305 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 2020-08-27
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781788637640

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Under a Siena Sun by T.A. Williams Pdf

Lucy needed a change of scene. She didn’t expect the change of a lifetime. Doctors Without Borders has been Lucy Young’s life for the past four years. After being rescued from a conflict zone, she’s making a change from saving lives under gunfire to practising medicine in safe, serene Siena. Now treating wealthy patients at a private clinic, she's never felt less comfortable. She’s used to helping those in dire need – not those in need of a nip and tuck. Her turmoil grows when she encounters injured tennis star David Lorenzo, whose smiles make Lucy forget her aversion to the rich. She’s soon falling for the sportsman but is she losing herself in this world of excess? All she’s ever wanted was to help the underprivileged, so can her future lie in Siena at the clinic – with David? This sunny romance is the perfect summer escape for fans of Lucy Coleman and Alex Brown.

Author : Melodie Winawer
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 464 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2017-05-16
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781501152252

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The Scribe of Siena by Melodie Winawer Pdf

"Equal parts ... love story and ... historical conspiracy--think The Girl with a Pearl Earring meets Outlander--debut author Melodie Winawer takes readers deep into medieval Italy, where the past and present blur and a twenty-first century woman will discover a plot to destroy Siena"--

Author : Charlie Lovett
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 50,6 Mb
Release : 2017-03-23
Category : Cathedrals
ISBN : 1846884217

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The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett Pdf

Academic and bibliophile Arthur Prescott finds respite from the drudgery of his professorship in the Barchester Cathedral Library, where he devotes himself to researching the Holy Grail and writing his long-delayed guide to the history of the medieval cathedral. His peaceful existence is shattered by the arrival of a young American academic named Bethany Davis, who has come to digitize the library's ancient books. Arthur's initial hostility towards Bethany turns to affection as he discovers a kindred spirit who shares his interest in the Holy Grail and his devotion to literature. Together, they mount a search for the Book of Ewolda, an esoteric tome that could reveal long-forgotten secrets about the Cathedral, the Grail and their connections to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.As Arthur and Bethany delve further into the past, the secret history of England - from the Norman invasion to the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution and the Blitz - is revealed. A thrilling adventure that will appeal to all bibliophiles and lovers of history, Charlie Lovett's The Lost Book of the Grail is also an enchanting ode to the joys of reading.

Author : Judith Merkle Riley
Publisher : Canelo
Page : 656 pages
File Size : 46,8 Mb
Release : 2018-11-15
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781788633130

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A Vision of Light by Judith Merkle Riley Pdf

A village girl receives a divine vision that will lead her into the chambers of the English Inquisition... Young, wealthy and twice married, Margaret has a modest enough ambition: she wishes to write a book. But this is 1355, and the notion of a woman wanting to record her experiences and thoughts is not just arrogant, it’s possibly heretical. Three clerics contemptuously decline to be Margaret’s scribe, and it is only starvation that persuades Brother Gregory, a renegade Carthusian friar with a mysterious past, to take on the unseemly task of chronicling her life. As she narrates her life story, an extraordinary tale unfolds filled with perilous brushes with death, where a mix of miracle and Margaret’s innate intellect pull her through. But this is a world where a clever woman is at constant risk of being accused of witchcraft... A Vision of Light, first in the critically acclaimed historical Margaret of Ashbury Trilogy is a remarkable novel that challenges all of our notions about women’s roles in the medieval era, perfect for fans of Ariana Franklin, Sarah Perry and Jessie Burton. ‘Both arresting and absorbing’ The New York Times ‘Fascinating and factual...If all chronicles of earthly life were recorded with such drama, flair, and wit, the world would be full of history majors’ Los Angeles Times

Author : Diana Gabaldon
Publisher : Dell
Page : 560 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2004-10-26
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780440335160

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Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Pdf

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A STARZ ORIGINAL SERIES Unrivaled storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon’s work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion and history that combines exhilarating adventure with a love story for the ages. One of the top ten best-loved novels in America, as seen on PBS’s The Great American Read! Scottish Highlands, 1945. Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding clans in the year of Our Lord . . . 1743. Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of a world that threatens her life, and may shatter her heart. Marooned amid danger, passion, and violence, Claire learns her only chance of safety lies in Jamie Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. What begins in compulsion becomes urgent need, and Claire finds herself torn between two very different men, in two irreconcilable lives. This eBook includes the full text of the novel plus the following additional content: • An excerpt from Diana Gabaldon’s Dragonfly in Amber, the second novel in the Outlander series • An interview with Diana Gabaldon • An Outlander reader’s guide Praise for Outlander “Marvelous and fantastic adventures, romance, sex . . . perfect escape reading.”—San Francisco Chronicle “History comes deliciously alive on the page.”—New York Daily News

Author : Elizabeth Kostova
Publisher : Little, Brown
Page : 660 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2005-06-01
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780759513839

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The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova Pdf

The record-breaking phenomenon from Elizabeth Kostova is a celebrated masterpiece that "refashioned the vampire myth into a compelling contemporary novel, a late-night page-turner" (San Francisco Chronicle). Breathtakingly suspenseful and beautifully written, The Historian is the story of a young woman plunged into a labyrinth where the secrets of her family’s past connect to an inconceivable evil: the dark fifteenth-century reign of Vlad the Impaler and a time-defying pact that may have kept his awful work alive through the ages. The search for the truth becomes an adventure of monumental proportions, taking us from monasteries and dusty libraries to the capitals of Eastern Europe—in a feat of storytelling so rich, so hypnotic, so exciting that it has enthralled readers around the world. “Part thriller, part history, part romance...Kostova has a keen sense of storytelling and she has a marvelous tale to tell.” —Baltimore Sun

Author : T.A. Williams
Publisher : Canelo
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2021-07-08
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781800320840

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Secrets on the Italian Island by T.A. Williams Pdf

Her work has got in the way of relationships before – but never like this Anna’s job as a geologist takes her all over the world, including to the beautiful island of Elba, where she’s sent to look for precious metals. And the island isn’t the only thing that’s gorgeous – she can’t believe her luck when she meets windsurfer Marco and sparks fly. But Anna must keep her role on Elba a secret to avoid upsetting the locals, which means lying to Marco even as they grow closer. When her old friend Toby visits, Anna suddenly finds herself torn between the attentions of the two men. However, Anna’s not the only one keeping secrets. Is Marco being entirely honest with her? And why did Toby really come to visit? A fun and escapist romance, perfect for fans of Lucy Coleman and Alex Brown.

Author : Signe Pike
Publisher : Atria Books
Page : 576 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2019-06-04
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781501191428

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The Lost Queen by Signe Pike Pdf

“Outlander meets Camelot” (Kirsty Logan, author of The Gracekeepers) in the first book of an exciting historical trilogy that reveals the untold story of Languoreth—a powerful and, until now, tragically forgotten queen of sixth-century Scotland—twin sister of the man who inspired the legendary character of Merlin. Intelligent, passionate, rebellious, and brave, Languoreth is the unforgettable heroine of The Lost Queen, a tale of conflicted loves and survival set against the cinematic backdrop of ancient Scotland, a magical land of myths and superstition inspired by the beauty of the natural world. One of the most powerful early medieval queens in British history, Languoreth ruled at a time of enormous disruption and bloodshed, when the burgeoning forces of Christianity threatened to obliterate the ancient pagan beliefs and change her way of life forever. Together with her twin brother Lailoken, a warrior and druid known to history as Merlin, Languoreth is catapulted into a world of danger and violence. When a war brings the hero Emrys Pendragon, to their door, Languoreth collides with the handsome warrior Maelgwn. Their passionate connection is forged by enchantment, but Languoreth is promised in marriage to Rhydderch, son of the High King who is sympathetic to the followers of Christianity. As Rhydderch's wife, Languoreth must assume her duty to fight for the preservation of the Old Way, her kingdom, and all she holds dear. “Moving, thrilling, and ultimately spellbinding” (BookPage), The Lost Queen brings this remarkable woman to life—rescuing her from obscurity, and reaffirming her place at the center of the most enduring legends of all time. “Moving, thrilling, and ultimately spellbinding, The Lost Queen is perfect for readers of historical fiction like The Clan of the Cave Bear and Wolf Hall, and for lovers of fantasy like Outlander and The Mists of Avalon” (BookPage).

Author : Laura Morelli
Publisher : Laura Morelli
Page : 306 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2014-03-03
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780989367103

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The Gondola Maker by Laura Morelli Pdf

Award-winning historical fiction set in 16th-century Venice -Benjamin Franklin Digital Award -IPPY Award for Best Adult Fiction E-book -National Indie Excellence Award Finalist -Eric Hoffer Award Finalist -Shortlisted for the da Vinci Eye Prize From the author of Made in Italy comes a tale of artisanal tradition and family bonds set in one of the world's most magnificent settings: Renaissance Venice. Venetian gondola-maker Luca Vianello considers his whole life arranged. His father charted a course for his eldest son from the day he was born, and Luca is positioned to inherit one of the city’s most esteemed boatyards. Soon he will marry the daughter of an artisan prow-maker, securing a key business alliance for the family. But when Luca experiences an unexpected tragedy in the boatyard, he believes that his destiny lies elsewhere. Soon he finds himself drawn to restore an antique gondola with the dream of taking a girl for a ride. The Gondola Maker brings the centuries-old art of gondola-making to life in the tale of a young man's complicated relationship with his master-craftsman father. Lovers of historical fiction will appreciate the authentic details of gondola craftsmanship, along with an intimate first-person narrative set against the richly textured backdrop of 16th-century Venice. "I'm a big fan of Venice, so I appreciate Laura Morelli's special knowledge of the city, the period, and the process of gondola-making. An especially compelling story." --Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun "Laura Morelli has done her research, or perhaps she was an Italian carpenter in another life. One can literally smell and feel the grain of finely turned wood in her hands." --Pamela Sheldon Johns, author of Italian Food Artisans "Romance, intrigue, family loyalty, pride, and redemption set against the backdrop of Renaissance Italy." --Library of Clean Reads "Beautiful, powerful evocation of the characters, the place, and the time. An elegant and thoroughly engaging narrative voice." --Mark Spencer, author of Fiction Club: A Concise Guide to Writing Good Fiction

Author : Diana Gabaldon
Publisher : Anchor Canada
Page : 992 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2010-12-17
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780385674652

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The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon Pdf

Crossing the boundaries of genre with its unrivalled storytelling, Diana Gabaldon’s new novel is a gift both to her millions of loyal fans and to the lucky readers who have yet to discover her. In the ten years since her extraordinary debut novel, Outlander, was published, beloved author Diana Gabaldon has entertained scores of readers with her heart-stirring stories and remarkable characters. The four volumes of her bestselling saga, featuring eighteenth-century Scotsman James Fraser and his twentieth-century, time-travelling wife, Claire Randall, boasts nearly 5 million copies in the U.S. The story of Outlander begins just after the Second World War, when a British field nurse named Claire Randall walks through a cleft stone in the Scottish highlands and is transported back some two hundred years to 1743. Here, now, is The Fiery Cross, the eagerly awaited fifth volume in this remarkable, award-winning series of historical novels. The year is 1771, and war is approaching. Jamie Fraser’s wife has told him so. Little as he wishes to, he must believe it, for hers is a gift of dreadful prophecy – a time-traveller’s certain knowledge. To break his oath to the Crown will brand him a traitor; to keep it is certain doom. Jamie Fraser stands in the shadow of the fiery cross – a standard that leads nowhere but to the bloody brink of war.

Author : Jennifer N. Brown
Publisher : University of Toronto Press
Page : 329 pages
File Size : 48,8 Mb
Release : 2019-01-01
Category : History
ISBN : 9781487504076

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Fruit of the Orchard by Jennifer N. Brown Pdf

Fruit of the Orchard sheds light on how Catherine of Siena served as a visible and widespread representative of English piety becoming a part of the devotional landscape of the period. By analyzing a variety of texts, including monastic and lay, complete and excerpted, shared and private, author Jennifer N. Brown considers how the visionary prophet and author was used to demonstrate orthodoxy, subversion, and heresy. Tracing the book tradition of Catherine of Siena, as well as investigating the circulation of manuscripts, Brown explores how the various perceptions of the Italian saint were reshaped and understood by an English readership. By examining the practice of devotional reading, she reveals how this sacred exercise changed through a period of increased literacy, the rise of the printing press, and religious turmoil.

Author : Edmund G. Gardner
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 478 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 1902
Category : Art
ISBN : UOM:39015021950632

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The Story of Siena and San Gimignano by Edmund G. Gardner Pdf

Author : Meg Waite Clayton
Publisher : Ballantine Books
Page : 337 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2009-05-05
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9780345502834

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The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton Pdf

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Friendship, loyalty, and love lie at the heart of this beautifully written, poignant, and sweeping novel of five women who, over the course of four decades, come to redefine what it means to be family. “This generous and inventive book is a delight to read, an evocation of the power of friendship to sustain, encourage, and embolden us. Join the sisterhood!”—Karen Joy Fowler, author of The Jane Austen Book Club For thirty-five years, Frankie, Linda, Kath, Brett, and Ally have met every Wednesday at the park near their homes in Palo Alto, California. Defined when they first meet by what their husbands do, the young homemakers and mothers are far removed from the Summer of Love that has enveloped most of the Bay Area in 1967. These “Wednesday Sisters” seem to have little in common: Frankie is a timid transplant from Chicago, brutally blunt Linda is a remarkable athlete, Kath is a Kentucky debutante, quiet Ally has a secret, and quirky, ultra-intelligent Brett wears little white gloves with her miniskirts. But they are bonded by a shared love of both literature—Fitzgerald, Eliot, Austen, du Maurier, Plath, and Dickens–and the Miss America Pageant, which they watch together every year. As the years roll on and their children grow, the quintet forms a writers circle to express their hopes and dreams through poems, stories, and, eventually, books. Along the way, they experience history in the making: Vietnam, the race for the moon, and a women’s movement that challenges everything they have ever thought about themselves, while at the same time supporting one another through changes in their personal lives brought on by infidelity, longing, illness, failure, and success. Humorous and moving, The Wednesday Sisters is a literary feast for book lovers that earns a place among those popular works that honor the joyful, mysterious, unbreakable bonds between friends.

Author : Sr. Mary Alphonsus
Publisher : TAN Books
Page : 320 pages
File Size : 43,5 Mb
Release : 2015-12-08
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781505104288

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St. Rose of Lima by Sr. Mary Alphonsus Pdf

St. Rose of Lima (1586-1617), Patroness of the Americas, is the first canonized saint of the New World. She was the tenth of thirteen children, and her mother experienced no pain at her birth. Though exquisitely beautiful (hence her nickname, Rose), she refused to marry, and while helping support her family by needlework and growing flowers, she practiced heroic charity and lived as a Dominican Tertiary in her parents’ home. Rose tenderly cared for the sick, even those with repulsive wounds, and she often obtained miraculous cures for people from the Child Jesus. On other occasions, she worked miracles in order to feed the members of her family, and became known as “Mother of the Poor.” Rose continually prayed and offered her sufferings for the conversion of the idolatrous Incas. In the year 1615, through her prayers, the Blessed Sacrament and the people of Lima were spared attack by savage pirates. St. Rose was a friend and confidant of St. Martin de Porres, who lived in the same city. Her mystical experiences caused an ecclesiastical inquiry. Though dead at only 31, St. Rose’s love of God was so intense that she was recognized as a saint in her own time and was canonized by the Church just 54 years later, in 1671. St. Rose of Lima has captured the imagination of the world and stands as one of the most popular saints in the history of the Church.