T.A. Heppenheimer

A petty thief and a convicted murderer find themselves entangled in a deadly reality TV game and a heart-pounding attraction for each other.

Before the war-torn world of A Dewdrop Away, there existed a different world, a world where magic was more than a myth. Young Tiallin is part of this world, and as far as he knows, his colony is the only one of its kind left in Arborand. None of the other squirrel races seem to want anything to do with the magic-wielding, aloof white squirrels. To honor his eleventh season, Tiallin is awarded the fortune of working for blind King Sirius, who has grown paranoid due to the mysterious fate of the last white king. When Tiallin’s job becomes to investigate the king’s suspicions, he finds he knows even less about his own colony than he thought. Can Tiallin trust anyone when everyone, including his own family, seems to harbor their own secrets? Meanwhile, Edelle, a dutiful fox squirrel from a close knit community, embarks on a journey to save her colony from a crippling and puzzling famine, and Lute, a mixed breed misfit and former thief, is on the run from his second home and a crime he insists he didn’t commit. What happens when the destinies of three very different squirrels collide and intertwine and they are simultaneously forced to face the truth about themselves and the danger that has been patiently stalking them all from the beginning?

Turbulent Skies opens just after World War I, when intrepid aviators in fragile biplanes navigated by following railroad tracks. In Europe, with many overland routes in ruins, air transport provided a vital link for supplies and communication. And in America, as the escapades of the famous barnstormers thrilled a curious public, adventurers, entrepreneurs, and politicians alike seized upon the novelty...and earning potential. Commercial aviation came of age, and acclaimed author T. A. Heppenheimer takes us step-by-step through the ensuing decades, as discovery, development, and expansion bring the industry to its current globe-spanning status - with an annual revenue of $200 billion. Turbulent Skies comes alive with a wealth of fascinating personalities. Many of these names are familiar; some are legendary: William Boeing, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Amelia Earhart, and, of course, Charles A. Lindbergh. Alongside these icons are such equally intriguing figures as Juan Trippe, under whose guidance Pan Am set the industry pace for more than forty years; Jack Northrop, whose revolutionary monoplane launched Lockheed; Cyrus R. Smith, autocratic president of American Airlines, who advanced the concept of passenger air travel; and the controversial Frank Lorenzo, whose willfully destructive war against the unions brought down Eastern Airlines. Above all, Turbulent Skies is a thrilling look at the amazing achievements of aviation technology. While twin engines, turboprops, and the Concorde SST are among the marvels that already have become reality, Heppenheimer looks to a future where space satellites will transmit landing signals and high-level air traffic control systems will be housed on board aircraft. Compelling and informative, Turbulent Skies will enthrall aviation buffs and prove a valuable resource for all those interested in business and technology in the twentieth century.

A naughty teddy bear, in contrast with his well-behaved owner, ignores all the rules and disrupts their first airplane trip.

Provides an account of the scientist's efforts to predict and prepare for the next earthquake in southern California.