Francine Prose

It's been years since Swenson, a professor in a New England creative writing program, has published a novel.It's been even longer since any of his students have shown promise. Enter Angela Argo, a pierced, tattooed student with a rare talent for writing. Angela is just the thing Swenson needs. And, better yet, she wants his help. But, as we all know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions...Deliciously risque, Blue Angel is a withering take on today's academic mores and a scathing tale that vividly shows what can happen when academic politics collides with political correctness.

Young Simone flees the chaotic violence of Haiti only to land in a world no less brutal or bizarre--the world of upstate New York's Porter family. Here, dead sheep swing from trees, light bulbs are ceremoniously buried, a fur-clad mother carves terrifying goddesses from pumice, and learning to lie is the principle rite of passage into adulthood.

The author explores the ancient island of Sicily, considering the various cultural legacies--Greek, Roman, Arab, and Norman--that have shaped the island's colorful culture and history.

The less-than-innocents abroad in these daring short novels are Americans in Europe, involved in what turn out to be pleasure tours of hell: shocking, bewildering trips that change forever their ideas about history, reality, politics, sex - their entire lives. In the title novella, Landau, a third-rate American playwright, attends a literary conference in Prague, where an organized group excursion to a former concentration camp degenerates into a battle of wills and an exercise in egomania and public humiliation. Nina, the heroine of the second novella, "Three Pigs in Five Days," is sent to Paris to write an article for her lover's travel journal - a dizzying, erotic pilgrimage that forces her to see how sex has distorted her view of the world.

Demons from the town of Chelm hide in a crate being shipped to New York because they hope to practice their mischief where streets are paved with gold and there are parties every day.

When an unexpected tragedy shatters the peaceful life of a middle-class family, 13 year-old Nico finds herself suddenly alone with her grief, and teetering on the brink of adulthood. The only person who seems to understand her is her older sister's boyfriend - but their blossoming friendship soon takes a dangerous turn.--Publisher.

From crimereads.com: "American writer Howard Ingham arrives in a sweltering Tunisia in search of inspiration for a new movie script he has been commissioned to write. He falls in with an ex-pat cast of characters worthy of a Paul Bowles novel (though of course he largely favoured Morocco over Tunisia) – a right wing American propagandist, a gay Danish painter and the staff of his hotel. One night, Ingham finds someone breaking into his apartment. He throws his typewriter at the intruder, possibly killing him. The body is dragged away by the intruder’s accomplices. As well as a building novel of suspense The Tremor of Forgery is also a good example of the ‘ex-pat novel’ asking questions about the relative roles of ex-patriate and local in a given locale. If you need a recommendation, no lesser a figure than Graham Greene thought it Highsmith’s finest novel. "

When hungry rhinos rampage the village eating all the sweet potatoes, Roy bravely goes and teaches them new ways to live.

Visually captivating, this stunning book is a photo journal of home cooks in their kitchens. Through arresting scenic photography, personal stories, and authentic recipes, see how individuals in different places cherish and celebrate cooking and eating. Giftable, inspirational, and educational, this title, which takes a "Day in the Life of"--Approach to everyday eating around the world, will appeal to home cooks, culinary experts, and armchair travelers alike, not to mention anyone who experiences the world through food first.