Lights Of Dragomar

‘We have to be prepared for everything, even for someone who destroys everything so that no one has it, not even him.’ They stood side by side again in silence on the terrace, high up on the mountain, watching the play of colours in the night sky. They heard the wind and the occasional cracking of ice floes piled on top of each other in the ocean in front of them. The waves that thundered recurrently against the rocks were a low murmur up on the mountain, accompanied by the fresh smell of the sea. ‘Will we win?’ asked Galbohei, without taking his eyes off the sky glow. ‘We have the advantage,’ replied Eremides. ‘We know the value of freedom and we don’t want to lose it. We know friendship and will not give it up. We know love and want to be able to continue to love.’ Antarctica, circa 1540. Two aging swashbucklers confer on how to defend or stand their ground against a hostile force they know. Things look tight. They live on an island, in a mountain rich in tradition and myths. It is called “The Mountain of Hope”. Actually, it is Dragomar, supposedly the ancient home of dragons and their successful “cultural successors”. A slightly pubescent youth is bored far away from Dragomar. Everything is trivial, transparent and repeats itself in a daily rhythm. He would like to travel the ocean but he is not allowed to yet. He dreams of adventures and battles that seem so real to him, as if he were having a déjà vu with a claim to historical truth. Fire seems to come out of his nose and he changes in other ways as well. He is drawn toward a distant island where there is a mountain with a crystal shining brightly and mysteriously at the top. He is told that he is a foster child and that his grandfather, his last relative, lives on the distant island. The budding hero sets out, meets various people, develops physical and mental abilities, is kidnapped. There is a sea battle for him, because he is supposed to be something like an heir to the throne. He learns about history, past forms of government and more about ancient myths. So much for the plot. That Italian emperor penguins completely deface and shred the “Band of Brothers” speech of Henry V; that a black dragon can spit black holes and is about to merge into the matrix; that really fascistic meanies are afraid of the crowd of penguins and are prone to vulgarity; that the topic of separation of powers is a real problem ... all this fills the pages in such a way that it is irrelevant whether there is a human, animal or dragon giving something to the best. A little excursion into humanity. A little unexplained philosophy; a little unexplained physics; a little unexplainable behaviour. Myths, legends, magic - and everyday life.

This book explains the historical and philosophical understanding of Eurasia and its current relevance to the formation of the Eurasian Union. It considers Eurasia's historical underpinnings, and its current economic, political and geo-strategic relevance in world politics.

Through its millennium–long existence, Gaza has often been bitterly disputed while simultaneously and paradoxically enduring prolonged neglect. Jean-Pierre Filiu’s book is the first comprehensive history of Gaza in any language. Squeezed between the Negev and Sinai deserts on the one hand and the Mediterranean Sea on the other, Gaza was contested by the Pharaohs, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Arabs, the Fatimids, the Mamluks, the Crusaders and the Ottomans. Napoleon had to secure it in 1799 to launch his failed campaign on Palestine. In 1917, the British Empire fought for months to conquer Gaza, before establishing its mandate on Palestine. In 1948, 200,000 Palestinians sought refuge in Gaza, a marginal area neither Israel nor Egypt wanted. Palestinian nationalism grew there, and Gaza has since found itself at the heart of Palestinian history. It is in Gaza that the fedayeen movement arose from the ruins of Arab nationalism. It is in Gaza that the 1967 Israeli occupation was repeatedly challenged, until the outbreak of the 1987 intifada. And it is in Gaza, in 2007, that the dream of Palestinian statehood appeared to have been shattered by the split between Fatah and Hamas. The endurance of Gaza and the Palestinians make the publication of this history both timely and significant.

Sylvia, the fourth princess of Lautreamont, has grown up feeling overshadowed by her eldest sister's accomplishments, while Veronica, a battle-hardened war hero, is ruthless in demanding that her younger sister live up to her expectations. When the infamous terrorist known as Avdocha comes to Lautreamont, wanting nothing less than to take Veronica's head, the younger Sylvia becomes her bait that will lure Veronica into a trap. Ash Blake must use his ability to command any dragon at will in order to rescue Sylvia. But can his heroics help Sylvia hold her head high and fight back as a proud princess of Lautreamont?

In 1959, Liverpool Football Club were in the Second Division. Liverpool Football Club had never won the FA Cup. Fifteen seasons later, Liverpool Football Club had won three League titles, two FA Cups and the UEFA Cup. Liverpool Football Club had become the most consistently successful team in England. And the most passionately supported club. Their manager was revered as a god.Destined for immortality. Their manager was Bill Shankly. His job was his life. His life was football. His football a form of socialism. Bill Shankly inspired people. Bill Shankly transformed people. The players and the supporters.His legacy would reveberate through the ages. In 1974, Liverpool Football Club and Bill Shankly stood on the verge of even greater success. In England and in Europe. But in 1974, Bill Shankly shocked Liverpool and football. Bill Shankly resigned. Bill Shankly retired. Red or Dead is the story of the rise of Liverpool Football Club and Bill Shankly. And the story of the retirement of Bill Shankly. Of one man and his work. And of the man after that work. A man in two halves. Home and away. Red or dead.

From the author of The Future Homemakers of America comes the hilarious and moving story of one unstoppable woman's unforgettable ride through an ever-changing century.... What hope is there for Poppy Minkel? She has kinky hair, big ears, skin that's too sallow, and an appetite for fun. Poppy's mother, Dora, despairs of ever finding her a husband, despite the lure of the family fortune offered by Minkel's Mighty Fine Mustard. Correctness, duty, and Dora Minkel Ear Correcting Bandages are the weapons in this husband hunt-and they serve as torture to a girl who has her own hazy ideas about beauty, love, and marriage. After the sudden death of her father, Poppy's rebelliousness bursts into full bloom. From one World War to the next, from New York to Paris, she'll invent her own extraordinary life with never a moment of self-doubt...as acclaimed author Laurie Graham treats us to a rollicking, exhilarating celebration of passion over prudence.