Lives West

Few things have captured the American imagination like the “Wild West,” which still evokes images of dusty cowboys, outlaws, gunfights, gamblers, and barroom brawls over 100 years after the West was settled. A constant fixture in American pop culture, the 19th century American West continues to be vividly and colorfully portrayed not just as a place but as a state of mind.

Exploration of the early American West, beginning with Lewis and Clark’s transcontinental trek at the behest of President Thomas Jefferson, was not accomplished by standing armies, the era’s new steam train technology, or by way of land grabs. These came later, but not until pathways known only to a few of the land’s indigenous people were discovered, carved out, and charted in an area stretching from the eastern Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, and the present-day borders of Mexico and Canada.

Remington’s name remains recognizable today, and his work continues to impress viewers more than a century after he was active. From the bronze statuettes of anonymous Western heroes in crisis to large-scale actions set against vast backdrops, his works found their form through mythology and by "merging his experiences and memories." Both commercially and nostalgia-driven, the dualistic personality of Frederic Remington as a person is at times a problem for modern sensibilities.

Before there was Charles Ponzi, there was Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II. The famed Old West con artist and gangster's criminal career ranged from Texas to Alaska, from Denver to the Klondike. Soapy Smith: The Life and Legacy of the Wild West’s Most Infamous Con Artist looks at the controversial times and crimes of the Western huckster, and the career that led to a notorious end. You will learn about Soapy Smith like never before.

When Delia Byrd packs up her old Datsun and her daughter Cissy and gets on the Santa Monica Freeway heading south and east, she is leaving everything she has known for 10 years: the tinsel glitter of the rock 'n' roll world; her dreams of singing and songwriting; and a life lived on credit cards and whiskey with a man who made promises he couldn't keep. Delia Byrd is going back to Cayro, Georgia, to reclaim her life - and the two daughters she left behind.

Ignatz, a reformed petty criminal, acts as Pippa’s surrogate father while her parents are away. Nine-year-old Pippa arranges a romance between her handicapped teacher and Ignatz, but will her good intentions compensate for her bungling? Though Pippa tackles dangers and grown-up problems with courage and imagination, can she escape the cruelty of the school bully?

In this last book in the trilogy about Gabrielle Allan, the listener finds Gay and her great-aunt, Belle, about to start a new life in a setting far different from their much-loved Drovers Road. The sheep station of Cape Lost is now Gay’s responsibility, and regardless of her three years’ study at the Massey Agricultural College, both the isolation and tasks ahead seem alarming. Despite its remote and nearly inaccessible location, a surprising cast of new and old characters converge on the station’s windswept, sea-edged expanse.

Retirement is your time to shine. After years of hard work, this is your chance to embrace freedom, discover new passions, and build a life that excites and fulfills you every single day. But figuring out where to start and how to avoid wasting time or money can feel overwhelming. That’s where "Retirement Reinvented" comes in.

Resist and Evade follows Sam and Jane Archer as they continue their nightmarish journey through an increasingly hostile and unrecognizable landscape. Torn between a fundamental duty to protect family and their sworn service to community, the Archers reach a critical decision point -- with all or nothing stakes. As local police officers and military veterans start to retake their communities from a gang of ruthless criminals, unbreakable bonds will be forged and unthinkable sacrifices will be made.

Sam and Jane Archer walk out of a backcountry hiking trip into a living nightmare. Their car is vandalized and dead, along with every other vehicle in the trailhead parking lot. Unable to get a cell phone signal, and spooked by a threatening encounter - they resign themselves to a long hike home, suspecting a possible EMP attack against the United States.

Familiar faces and places meet fresh twists and turns in this enthralling novel from acclaimed author Pearl Cleage. Atlanta’s West End district has always been a haven and home to a coterie of unique characters—artists and thinkers, dreamers and doers. Folks here know one another’s...

In the wake of a costly but successful attack to liberate the town of Porter from the New Order, local police officers and military veterans work tirelessly with the people to repair their ravaged community. When a power struggle erupts between two rival gang leaders, one of them concocts a ruthless plan to reign supreme. A plan that could permanently tip the balance of power in his favor against everyone - including the police.

Mark Twain was born fully grown, with a cheap cigar clamped between his teeth. So begins Sid Fleischman's ramble-scramble biography of the great American author and wit, who started life in a Missouri village as a barefoot boy named Samuel Clemens.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BATTERSEA DOGS AND CATS HOME Can Battersea's loneliest cat find a home in time for Christmas? It's Christmas at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and Laura is desperate to find a home for Felicia, a spiky, bad-tempered moggy with a heart of gold. Her boyfriend, Rob, can't...

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY LIBRARY JOURNAL In Robin York’s sizzling debut, a college student is attacked online and must restore her name—and stay clear of a guy who’s wrong for her, but feels so right. When Caroline Piasecki’s ex-boyfriend posts their sex pictures on...

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY LIBRARY JOURNAL In Robin York’s provocative new novel, two young ex-lovers find themselves together again in the shadow of tragedy—and an intense, undeniable attraction. Caroline still dreams about West. His warm skin, his taut muscles, his hand...

Discover the remarkable life of Buffalo Bill... Buffalo Bill was one part renegade, one part folk hero, and all parts showman. He was a phenomenon back in his heyday, and his legend looms large even now. From his days making deliveries for the Pony Express to his time serving in the American Civil War and on into his run as a scout on the Western frontier, Buffalo Bill was a force to be reckoned with. Yet it was his shows that captivated audiences with thrilling tales of the Wild West that made him one of the first true American celebrities and cemented his status as a legend.

Hetty Makes It Happen is second in the award winning Hetty trilogy for young adults. It is full of humor and romance. Continue with Hetty's exciting adventures of the heart.

This book invites you on a fascinating journey through 33 timeless Chinese idioms that hold immense practicality in our everyday lives. This engaging compilation encompasses a wide array of themes, including communication, well-being, and the pursuit of success. Unveiling the universality of these values, these idioms resonate profoundly in our modern lives, offering wisdom that transcends cultural boundaries.

If you feel like life is passing you by at a startling rate or you just exist rather than living life to the full, this audiobook's techniques and insights may motivate you to make powerful changes. From setting goals to freeing yourself from fear, Shelley shares the unique story of how she planned, prepared and executed a year of challenges and life-changing events brought about by her motivational, award-winning blog.