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MAKTUB
From one of the greatest writers of our age comes a collection of stories and parables unlocking the mysteries of the human condition. Gathered from Paulo Coelho’s daily column of the same name, Maktub, meaning “it is written,” invites seekers on a journey of faith, self-reflection, and transformation. As Paulo Coelho explains, “Maktub is not a book of advice—but an exchange of experiences.”
Each story offers an illuminated path to see life and the lives of our fellow people worldwide in new ways, allowing us to tap into universal truths about our collective and individual humanity. Coelho writes, “A man who seeks only the light, while shirking his responsibilities, will never find illumination. And one who keeps his eyes fixed upon the sun . . . ends up blind.” These wise tales offer the perspective of talking snakes, old women climbing mountains, disciples querying their masters, Buddha in dialogue, mysterious hermits, and many saints addressing the mysteries of the universe.
Following the path of his previous internationally bestselling works, this thoughtful collection of short, inspirational pieces, introduced in a foreword by the author and illustrated with black-and-white line art throughout, will engage seekers of all ages and backgrounds.
ISBN: 9780008681036
Publisher: THORSONS
Subtitle: AN INSPIRATIONAL COMPANION TO THE ALCHEMIST
Author: PAULO COELHO -
BABEL
From award-winning author R. F. Kuang comes Babel, a thematic response to The Secret History and a tonal retort to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British empire.
Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.
1828, Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel.
Babel is the world’s center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.
For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide…
Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?
ISBN: 9780008501853
Publisher: HARPER VOYAGER
Subtitle: OR THE NECESSITY OF VIOLENCE: AN ARCANE HISTORY OF THE OXFORD
Author: R. F. KUANG -
THE ISLAND OF MISSING TREES
A rich, magical new book on belonging and identity, love and trauma, nature and renewal, from the Booker shortlisted author of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World.
Two teenagers, a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot, meet at a taverna on the island they both call home. In the taverna, hidden beneath garlands of garlic, chili peppers and creeping honeysuckle, Kostas and Defne grow in their forbidden love for each other. A fig tree stretches through a cavity in the roof, and this tree bears witness to their hushed, happy meetings and eventually, to their silent, surreptitious departures. The tree is there when war breaks out, when the capital is reduced to ashes and rubble, and when the teenagers vanish. Decades later, Kostas returns. He is a botanist looking for native species, but really, he’s searching for lost love.
Years later a Ficus carica grows in the back garden of a house in London where Ada Kazantzakis lives. This tree is her only connection to an island she has never visited – her only connection to her family’s troubled history and her complex identity as she seeks to untangle years of secrets to find her place in the world.
A moving, beautifully written and delicately constructed story of love, division, transcendence, history and eco-consciousness, The Island of Missing Trees is Elif Shafak’s best work yet.
ISBN: 9780241434994
Publisher: PENGUIN
Subtitle:
Author: ELIF SHAFAK -
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
As the Order of the Phoenix watches Harry Potter, troubled times have come to Hogwarts in a year filled with secrets, deception, and suspicion. The deliciously dark fifth installment of Jim Kay’s inspired reimagining of J.K. Rowling’s classic series is an epic artistic achievement, featuring over 160 illustrations in an astonishing range of visual styles.
Now an exciting new collaboration brings together two virtuoso artistic talents, as Kate Greenaway Medal winner Jim Kay is joined by acclaimed guest illustrator Neil Packer, winner of the 2021 BolognaRagazzi Award for non-fiction. Prepare to be enchanted once again as Jim Kay depicts J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world with the dazzling artistic alchemy fans around the globe have come to know and love, perfectly complemented by Neil Packer’s own unique and eclectic illustrations, skilfully woven into the heart of the story.
This is a stunning visual feast of a book, filled with dark magical delights for fans and new readers alike. Breathtaking scenes, iconic locations, and unforgettable characters await inside Luna Lovegood, Professor Umbridge, Grawp the giant, and many more as Harry Potter and Dumbledore’s Army prepare for the coming battle against Lord Voldemort. Perfect for Potterheads of all ages!
ISBN: 9781408845684
Publisher: BLOOMSBURY PUBLISHING
Subtitle:
Author: J.K. ROWLING -
KAFKA ON THE SHORE
Kafka on the Shore follows the fortunes of two remarkable characters. Kafka Tamura runs away from home at fifteen, under the shadow of his father’s dark prophecy. The aging Nakata, a tracker of lost cats, who never recovered from a bizarre childhood affliction, finds his pleasantly simplified life suddenly turned upside down.
ISBN: 9780099494096
Publisher: VINTAGE BOOKS
Subtitle:
Author: HARUKI MURAKAMI -
CROOKED KINGDOM
Crooked Kingdom is the #1 New York Times-bestselling Book Two in the Six of Crows Duology. Now in paperback with a brand-new exclusive piece of art, an interview with Leigh Bardugo and a sneak peek of her next book.
When you can’t beat the odds, change the game.
Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.
ISBN: 9781627792134
Publisher: HENRY HOLT
Subtitle:
Author: LEIGH BARDUGO -
THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON
Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.
One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna’s thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge–with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth’s surface. And the woman with the Tiger’s heart is on the prowl . . .
The Newbery Medal winner from the author of the highly acclaimed novel The Witch’s Boy.
ISBN: 9781616205676
Publisher: ALGONQUIN YOUNG READERS
Subtitle:
Author: KELLY BARNHILL -
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
Publisher: SCHOLASTIC INC
Subtitle:
Author: J.K ROWLING -
HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
Ever since Harry Potter had come home for the summer, the Dursleys had been so mean and hideous that all Harry wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he’s packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange impish creature who says that if Harry returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.
And strike it does. In Harry’s second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor and a spirit who haunts the girls’ bathroom. But then the real trouble begins – someone is turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects… Harry Potter himself!
ISBN: 9780545582926
Publisher: SCHOLASTIC INC
Subtitle:
Author: J.K ROWLING -
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE
Close your eyes and enter the magical world of Harry Potter. In these editions, Jim Dale’s characterful narration is so entertaining, fun, and theatrical that you can almost hear the crackle of the fire in the Gryffindor common room.
Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry’s eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!
Having become classics of our time, the Harry Potter stories never fail to bring comfort and escapism. With their message of hope, belonging, and the enduring power of truth and love, the story of the Boy Who Lived continues to delight generations of new listeners.
ISBN: 9780545582889
Publisher: SCHOLASTIC INC
Subtitle:
Author: J. K. ROWLING