Showing results by narrator "George Newbern" in All Categories

When the world's most notorious cartel bosses get arrested, they call Benn Bluestone. A drug lawyer sharp enough to exploit loopholes in the system, Bluestone loves the money, the women, the action that come with his career...but working between the lines of justice and crime has taken its toll, and he desperately wants out. He's convinced himself that only an insanely rich client can guarantee him a lavish retirement.

Fred is the sole offspring of Lenny Snyder, the famous (or notorious) pied piper of the counterculture, and in middle age he hates being reminded of it. But neither can he ignore any longer his psychedelically bizarre childhood. From infancy, for instance, he was called Freedom (in fact his given name) not only by those who should have known him but also by members of the burgeoning movement led by his father, who happily exploited having his wife and his toddling, then walking and talking, and finally observant son in tow.

In her debut novel, author Jaclyn Gilbert weaves together the strands of two lives that form a union as finely nuanced and delicate as a spider’s web - and just as vulnerable. Following the relationship of Murray and his ex-wife, Nancy, in alternating narratives, we experience their early moments of hope and desire as well as their fears and failings. With poignancy and grace, Late Air traces the collapse of a marriage, exhausted by time and trauma, and one couple’s journey to regain their footing. 

Ike Singer is a demolitions expert, or master blaster. He is second to none at his craft, knows every type of explosive known to man, and is the one everyone turns to when they need a safe, controlled explosion. Despite being at the very top of his profession, a personal mistake that led to catastrophe nearly brought Ike's life to ruin. He has spent every day since atoning for that sin and trying to piece his family back together. And after a great deal of work and soul-searching, Ike believes he has finally moved on.

The Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow are visited by a young boy named Woot who learns that the Tin Woodman was once a man who loved a young girl of Oz. Inspired, the three of them set off to find the girl.

Cap’n Bill, a little girl named Trot, and Button-Bright are marooned in Jinxland, a mountainous region adjacent to Oz but separated by a bottomless chasm. While there, they get embroiled in a political rivalry between good King Kynd and the notorious usurper Krewl. When the Scarecrow gets wind of the trouble via Glinda’s Great Book of Records (a kind of precursor to the internet), he joins the fight between good and evil.

Dorothy Gale and her little dog Toto find themselves traveling through mystical places on their way to Oz. Accompanied by a kind stranger and some other characters, Dorothy follows the road through Foxville and realizes they will make it to the Land of Oz in time for Princess Ozma's royal birthday party. Once the band reaches Oz, Dorothy is met with some familiar faces as the celebration begins.

In today's world, many are suffering from information overload and are re-thinking the consequences of "over-sharing". The Secret Life is a helpful guide to leading a quietly powerful life - one that can lead to greater personal effectiveness, satisfaction, and success. The concepts that originated with Maimonides - one of history's greatest philosophers - demonstrate the benefits of living a more private life. The result is an antidote to the depression, finger-pointing, divisiveness, unhappiness, and inefficiency that many of us would like to change in ourselves and in the world.

Snow-White, fair-haired, quiet, and shy, and Rose-Red, dark-haired, outspoken, and lively, are two little girls living with their mother in a small cottage by the woods. They give shelter on a winter night to a kindly bear, who treats them gently and returns every night. In the summer, the girls encounter a wicked dwarf whose beard is stuck in a tree. Freeing the dwarf, the girls are met with loud ungrateful recriminations for cutting his beard.

A queen sewing by the window during a snowfall pricks her finger. Admiring the drops of blood on the snow, she wishes for a daughter as white as that snow, as red as that blood, and as black as this ebony window frame. The queen dies after giving birth to Snowdrop. The girl's stepmother, a vain and vindictive woman with a magic mirror, plots to eliminate Snowdrop, who grows more beautiful by the day. Snowdrop is left in the forest to die but takes shelter with seven dwarfs who become her protector when the evil stepmother learns she is still alive.

A peasant sends his seven sons to fetch water for his daughter's christening. Having lost their pails in the well, they are afraid to return home without having completed their task. The peasant, thinking they have gone off to play, curses them whereupon they are immediately transformed into ravens. When the daughter is grown up she sets off to discover the whereabouts of her long-lost brothers.

Dummling, the youngest and simplest of three brothers, is sent into the forest to chop wood. He shares his food and drink with a little gray man who directs him to a tree which, when chopped down, is found to contain a golden goose. Dummling sets off on a journey with the goose under his arm, eventually arriving in a kingdom wherein the king will offer his daughter's hand in marriage to any man who can make her laugh.

In The Elves and the Shoemaker, a poor shoemaker prepares his last piece of leather to work on before turning in for bed. In the morning, he is amazed to find the shoes already made. Selling these to a grateful customer, his financial obligations are met and he is able to buy enough leather for two more pairs. When these are completed overnight in a similar fashion he stays awake to solve the mystery. Learning that a team of naked elves is responsible for the fine shoes, the shoemaker and his wife create tiny clothes for the elves to thank them.

A poor shoemaker prepares his last piece of leather to work on before turning in for bed. In the morning, he is amazed to find the shoes already made. Selling these to a grateful customer, his financial obligations are met, and he is able to buy enough leather for two more pairs. When these are completed overnight in a similar fashion, he stays awake to solve the mystery. Learning that a team of naked elves are responsible for the fine shoes, the shoemaker and his wife create tiny clothes for the elves to thank them. 

A miller's careless boast that his clever daughter can spin gold from straw is forced by the king to deliver on this claim. A little man arrives to help the miller's distraught daughter in exchange for her firstborn child. Later, when the daughter, now the queen, gives birth to her first child, the little man comes to collect. He agrees to release the queen from her promise if she can learn his name.

A lonely couple hopes for a child, even, the wife says, if it were no bigger than my thumb. To their delight, their wishes come true, and the boy is named Tom Thumb for his diminutive stature.

The boy is crafty and helps his father by directing the family horse to haul firewood by standing in his ear and whispering commands. Embarking on several adventures, Tom displays a knack for tricking the slow-witted people who attempt to take advantage of Tom's unique size.

A tailor parleys his success at killing seven flies in one stroke into a string of unlikely successes. Making a belt with the words Seven at one blow written on it, the gullible townspeople assume the tailor to have amazing strength. After a contest in which he tricks a giant into believing he is stronger, the tailor persuades the king he can rid the kingdom of giants. In exchange for this the king offers his daughter's hand in marriage and half his kingdom. When the king balks on this promise and creates more conditions, the tailor must again rely on his wits to prove his bravery.

A childless couple awaits the arrival of their firstborn. One day, the husband is caught stealing the salad greens, called Rapunzel, that his wife craves from the garden of the evil witch next door. The witch strikes a deal with the man, obtaining their firstborn child in return for all the Rapunzel the wife can eat. The child, growing up in captivity with the witch turns into a beautiful maiden with a voice of gold and extraordinarily long hair. When a handsome prince passes through, the witch's cunningly-won custody arrangement starts to fall apart.

A princess' maid turns on her mistress while traveling and forces her to switch roles with her. The false princess then kills the princess' horse to keep it from talking and forces the real princess to herd geese with the boy, Conrad. Conrad begins to notice strange things about the new goose-girl and informs the king. Will the false princess be discovered?

In this tale, twelve princesses, each of astounding beauty, are locked in their shared bedroom by their father each night. Vexed to discover that their dancing shoes show signs of wear every morning, the king demands an explanation, which they refuse to give. The king offers his kingdom and marriage to any of his daughters as a reward to the man who solves the mystery. However, if the mystery remains unsolved after three nights, the erstwhile suitor will be put to death. After many entrants fail, a wise old soldier finally cracks the case.