Rose Macaulay was one of the most popular satirical novelists of her day. In this lively, anecdotal collection, she turns her admittedly opinionated attention to life's random, and largely unrecorded, pleasures. From astronomy to new cars, church-going to the turtles in Hyde Park, she never fails to delight and amuse with her sure philosophical sense, sharp wit, and unerring eye for life's subtle ironies. "How true it is that every pleasure has also its reverse side, in brief, its pain. Therefore, I have added to most of my pleasures the little flavor of bitterness, the flaw in their perfections . . . which tang their sweetness and remind us of their mortality and our own, and that nothing in this world is perfect."

DARKMAN Once, he had a normal life, a beautiful girlfriend, and a brilliant medical career—creating synthetic skin for accident victims . . . Then, he was a victim himself, brutally attacked by sadistic criminals—his face and body burned beyond recognition . . . Now, he walks the night, searching for the woman he loves. A man who looks like a monster, he hopes to salvage his scorched flesh . . . and take revenge on those who destroyed his life. EVERY SOUL HAS A DARK SIDE. THIS TIME, IT WALKS LIKE A MAN . . .

Insanity was just the beginning.His madness is legendary.His evil without limit. Scarred in both body and mind, The Joker is possibly the most insidious criminal the world has ever known, his dark genius festering beneath an eternal jester’s grin. Yet, for all the pain and suffering Batman’s nemesis has brought the world over the last five decades, virtually nothing has been learned about him. Until now. In The Further Adventures of The Joker you’re invited to accompany some of today’s most gifted writers on a descent into madness, a journey in search of The Joker’s greatest hopes, dreams . . . and fears. In these stories of crime, mayhem, horror, and twisted humor, you will discover tales you won’t soon forget, tales which will chill your soul and tickle your funny bone.

t is 1988, just two years away from "the decade of friendship," and there is still time on the clock for all the greed and need of the 80s to wreak havoc on the lives of this ensemble cast of distressed but endearing New Yorkers. With razor sharp wit and great comic invention, Leap Year charts the uneasy paths people take around the physical and emotional land mines of city life. The score of quirky characters ricochet back and forth between downtown lofts, art galleries, health clubs, restaurants--even a sperm bank--in the attempt to discover fame, fortune, and true love. In this leap year, however, everything seems slightly awry, as unexpected affairs, an accidental kidnapping, catering disasters, murder, and a regrettable amount of bad publicity turns everyone's lives upside down. Peter Cameron's Leap Year is a comic valentine to a frenzied era, serving up the lusts and laments of an entire generation with great wit and affection. With its large and lively cast of gay and straight characters, Leap Year is a comic satire with the same appeal as Armistad Maupin's Tales of the City novels.The many fans of Peter Cameron's brilliant novels The Weekend and Andorra now have the opportunity to read the long out-of-print debut novel of one of America's finest writers.From Publishers WeeklyA funny, fast-paced and ambitious first novel by a New Yorker writer whose stories were previously collected in One Way or Another , this romantic comedy (previously published in weekly installments in 7 Days ) chronicles a year in the life of New Yorkers lost in the twilight of the '80s. Loren and David have been separated for several months; David is torn between love for his family (they have a daughter, Kate) and passion for his male temp, Heath; Loren, now seeing Gregory, can't seem to stop loving David. While Heath struggles with the discomfort he feels at loving an older, shorter, bisexual man, Lillian, Loren and David's lonely mutual friend, consults a sperm bank; and Judith, Loren's mother (taking a sabbatical from her marriage at her husband's request) begins an affair with an Asian named Fang. Villains include scheming Amanda Paine, director of an art gallery, and Solange and Anton Shawangunk, its jaded, perverse and ultra-rich co-owners. What happens to Solange at the opening of the show Amanda gives Heath (who is an artist as well as a temp) is among the events raised above simple comedy or melodrama by Cameron's focus on issues of sexual responsibility and his resonant, jewel-like prose. Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library JournalOriginally published in 7 Days magazine, this first novel reveals skill, a dark sense of humor, and, best of all, the promise of better novels to come. Despite some rather frenetic crosscutting and a tendency toward the tour de force , it cleverly satirizes a number of quirky characters caught up in events that include an earthquake, a kidnapping, voodoo at a Day Care Center, and a murder trial. Loren and David, amiably divorced, involved with lovers, and raising their daughter, unify the novel. Other characters have at times slightly contrived connections with them. Despite the emphasis on empty lives caught up in success and sex, the author provides some likable characters, allowing the reader a sense of relief when all turns out well for them. A good choice for current and selective collections.-Elizabeth Guiney Sandvick, North Hennepin Community Coll., MinneapolisCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Keith Doyle, believer in myths, goodhearted nerd, general busybody, and business major at Midwestern University, discovers to his joy—and horror—that a secret village of pointy-eared, magical little elves are occupying a vacant level of the library building. Their leader, The Master, tutors students to pass difficult courses. Marcy, the girl of Keith’s dreams, is already a member of the class. But the library is in danger of being torn down, thanks to a modernization campaign led by Keith himself. The students of the secret class hate him. Marcy is devastated. It looks as though the elves’ home will be destroyed. Keith and the Little Folk need one another. The only thing that can save Keith’s social life is elven magic. And the only thing that can save the elves is the magic of … free enterprise.About the AuthorJody Lynn Nye lists her main career activity as ‘spoiling cats.’ When not engaged upon this worthy occupation, she writes fantasy and science fiction books and short stories. Before breaking away from gainful employment to write full time, Jody worked as a file clerk, book-keeper at a small publishing house, freelance journalist and photographer, accounting assistant and costume maker. For four years, she was on the technical operations staff of a local Chicago television station, ending as Technical Operations Manager. Since 1987 she has published 45 books and more than 110 short stories. Although she is best known as a collaborator with other notable authors such as Anne McCaffrey (the Ship Who series, the Dinosaur Planet series), Robert Asprin (Dragons and the Myth-Adventures), John Ringo (Clan of the Claw) and Piers Anthony, Jody has numerous solo books to her credit, mostly fantasy and science fiction with a humorous bent. Her newest book is Fortunes of the Imperium (Baen Books), the second of the Lord Thomas Kinago books, which she describes as “Jeeves and Wooster in space.” Over the last twenty-five years or so, Jody has taught in numerous writing workshops and speaks at schools and libraries, and teaches the two-day writers' workshop at DragonCon in Atlanta. When not writing, she enjoys baking, calligraphy, travel, photography and, of course, reading. Jody lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with her husband, Bill Fawcett, and Jeremy, their cat. jodylynnnye.com 

EDITORIAL REVIEW: The concluding volume of the trilogy which began with "The Ragged Astronauts" and "The Wooden Spaceships" finds the twin worlds of Land and Overland facing a strange new threat. Bob Shaw's previous novels have earned him a world-wide reputation and he has won the British Science Fiction Award.

A "lot lizard" is a female hooker who works a highway truck stop as her territory. When trucker Bill Ketter looks for a little relaxation and release, he discovers, too late, that he has bitten off more than he can chew. In fact, his lot lizard is the one that does the biting—she is a vampire, one of number who move from one truck stop to the next under the watchful and vicious eyes of the repulsive Carsey Brothers. Against his will, Bill becomes one of the undead. He follows the brothers and their cargo to another stop where he meets his ex-wife and children and Bill finds himself battling the vampires and their age-old leader for the life of his teenaged son. Garton has created another small masterpiece, contemporary adult horror at its most gruesome and loaded with extras doses of sex and gore. The confined setting creates a perfect claustrophobic stage for the story and the hellaciously quick pace never lets the action slow down.

Product DescriptionFor generations the traditional focus for those wishing to understand the roots of the modern world has been France on the eve of the Revolution. Porter certainly acknowledges France's importance, but here makes an overwhelming case for considering Britain the true home of modernity - a country driven by an exuberance, diversity and power of invention comparable only to twentieth-century America. Porter immerses the reader in a society which, recovering from the horrors of the Civil War and decisively reinvigorated by the revolution of 1688, had emerged as something new and extraordinary - a society unlike any other in the world. About the AuthorRoy Porter is Professor in the Social History of Medicine at the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, London.