The Book Of Mischief

"In the 25 years since [Stern] published his first book, younger Jewish writers have run with a similar shtick . . . But Stern was there first." —The Toronto Globe and Mail The Book of Mischief triumphantly showcases twenty-five years of outstanding work by one of our true masters of the short story. Steve Stern's stories take us from the unlikely old Jewish quarter of the Pinch in Memphis to a turn-of-thecentury immigrant community in New York; from the market towns of Eastern Europe to a down-at-the-heels Catskills resort. Along the way we meet a motley assortment of characters: Mendy Dreyfus, whose bungee jump goes uncannily awry; Elijah the prophet turned voyeur; and the misfit Zelik Rifkin, who discovers the tree of dreams. Perhaps it's no surprise that Kafka's cockroach also makes an appearance in these pages, animated as they are by instances of bewildering transformation. The earthbound take flight, the meek turn incendiary, the powerless find unwonted fame. Weaving his particular brand of mischief from the wondrous and the macabre, Stern transforms us all through the power of his brilliant imagination.

Arnhand, Castauriga, and Navaya lost their kings. The Grail Empire lost its empress. The Church lost its Patriarch, though he lives on as a fugitive. The Night lost Kharoulke the Windwalker, an emperor amongst the most primal and terrible gods. The Night goes on, in dread. The world goes on, in dread. The ice builds and slides southward. New kings come. A new empress will rule. Another rump polishes the Patriarchal Throne. But there is something new under the sun. The oldest and fiercest of the Instrumentalities has been destroyed--by a mortal. There is no new Windwalker, nor will there ever be. The world, battered by savage change, limps toward its destiny. And the ice is coming. Working God's Mischief is the savage, astounding new novel of The Instrumentalities of Night, by Glen Cook, a modern master of military fantasy.

When Jessie and her older sister Kay find a book called The History of Mischief,hidden beneath the floorboards in their grandmother's house, they uncover asecret world. The History chronicles how, since antiquity, mischief-makers haveclandestinely shaped the past &– from an Athenian slave to a Polish salt miner andfrom an advisor to the Ethiopian Queen to a girl escaping the Siege of Paris. Jessiebecomes enthralled by the book and by her own mission to determine its accuracy.Soon the History inspires Jessie to perform her own acts of mischief, unofficiallybecoming mischief-maker number 202 in an effort to cheer up her eccentricneighbour, Mrs Moran, and to comfort her new schoolfriend, Theodore. However, noteverything is as it seems. As Jessie delves deeper into the real story behind theHistory, she becomes convinced her grandmother holds the key to a long-held familysecret.The History of Mischief is about the many things we do to try to escape

A couple makes the mistake of trusting their child to the wrong babysitter Bunny’s parents should not have brought her to New York City, but her father has an important speech to make in the city, and her mother couldn’t bear to be away from the darling nine-year-old girl. When Mommy and Daddy leave for the speech, Bunny will stay in the hotel with a babysitter, sound asleep and perfectly safe. What could possibly go wrong? The sitter is Nell, a plain young woman from Indiana whose dull expression conceals madness. She puts Bunny to bed and amuses herself in the other room, making prank calls and trying on the mother’s jewelry. So far all is well, but something is broken inside Nell’s mind. As long she is in charge, the child will not be safe.

Transporting readers once again into the enchanting world of Cass Shipton and her circle of friends in idyllic Plymouth, Massachusetts, this is Dolores Stewart Riccio's richest, most satisfying novel yet.

Set on the fictional African island of Azania, the novel chronicles the efforts of Emperor Seth, assisted by the Englishman Basil Seal, to modernize his kingdom. Profound hilarity ensues from the issuance of homemade currency, the staging of a "Birth Control Gala," the rightful ruler's demise at his own rather long and tiring coronation ceremonies, and a good deal more mischief.

This New York Times bestseller is a hilarious and inspiring tribute to the iconic comedian Joan Rivers by the person who knew her best--her daughter, Melissa. Joan and Melissa Rivers had one of the most celebrated mother-daughter relationships of all time. If you think Joan said some outrageous things to her audiences as a comedian, you won’t believe what she said and did in private. Her love for her daughter knew no bounds—or boundaries, apparently. ("Melissa, I acknowledge that you have boundaries. I just choose to not respect them.") In The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief and Manipulation, Melissa shares stories (like when she was nine months old and her parents delivered her to Johnny Carson as a birthday gift), bon mots (“Missy, is there anything better than seeing a really good looking couple pushing a baby that looks like a Sasquatch who got caught in a house fire?”), and life lessons from growing up in the Rosenberg-Rivers household (“I can do tips and discounts and figure out the number of gay men in an audience to make it a good show. That’s all the math you’ll ever need.”). These were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to life in the family that Melissa describes as more Addams than Cleaver. And at the center of it all was a tiny blond force of nature. In The Book of Joan, Melissa Rivers relates funny, poignant and irreverent observations, thoughts, and tales about the woman who raised her and is the reason she considers valium one of the four basic food groups.

What if magic took over everything in its path? This is the fate of the old Hardbattle Bookshop. Magic has settled in every corner and brought chaos to Mr. Hardbattle's life, driving away all of his customers. Then one day, just when Mr. Hardbattle's had enough, a young boy named Arthur stumbles in. And soon Mr. Hardbattle, Arthur, and the lovable Miss Quint are banding together to reclaim the shop. A new home for magic must be found . . .

From the pages of the UK's award-winning, infamous music newspaper, The Stool Pigeon, come Krent Able's mind-blowing, appallingly hilarious and beautifully drawn rock-star abusing comic strips, gathered together for the first time. Featuring exclusive new comics and illustrations, join the dashing and hirsute Mr Able as he takes a chainsaw to the icons of music. Including Lou Reed's trouble with monkeys! Johnny Cash in drug-related impotence shocker! Kraftwerk sadly miniaturised and toasted! Lilly Allen crushed by Satan! The Beach Boys return from beyond the grave!

A collection of poems that find meaning in a world where we are "so tired of meaning nothing", "Fuel" covers topics ranging from the border families of southern Texas to small ferns and forgotten books to Jews and Palestinians in the Middle East.