Arcadia Public Library

"Four short stories set in a hutong, or residential alleyway, of Beijing, China. Yu'er, her grandfather, and their eccentric neighbors experience the magic of everyday life."--

"An American frigate tracks down a ship-sinking submarine commanded by the mysterious Captain Nemo." *** "The voyage of the 'Nautilus' permitted Verne to describe the wonders of an undersea world almost totally unknown to the general public of the period. Indebted to literary tradition for his Atlantis, he made his major innovation in having the submarine completely powered by electricity, although the interest in electrical forces goes back to Poe...

The true story of Homer Hickam Jr., a high school student in rural West Virginia, who seemed destined to repeat his father's harsh life in the coal mines, until he turned his attention to the skies.

The deep forests of Poland and Belorussia are the domain of the occupying Germans during World War II. The three Bielski brothers go into the forests to undertake the impossible task of foraging for food, weapons and survival, not just for themselves but for a large mass of Polish Jews fleeing from the German war machine. The brothers, living with the fear of discovery, must contend with neighboring Soviet partisans and deciding whom to trust. They...

"First published in 1844, Alexandre Dumas's swashbuckling epic chronicles the adventures of D'Artagnan, a gallant young nobleman who journeys to Paris in 1625 hoping to join the ranks of musketeers guarding Louis XIII. He soon finds himself fighting alongside three heroic comrades - Athos, Porthos, and Aramis - who seek to uphold the honor of the king by foiling the wicked plots of Cardinal Richelieu and the beautiful spy "Milady." As Clifton Fadiman...

Violette Toussaint is the caretaker at a cemetery in a small town in Bourgogne. Casual mourners, regular visitors, and sundry colleagues--gravediggers, groundskeepers, and a priest--visit her to warm themselves in her lodge, where laughter, companionship, and occasional tears mix with the coffee she offers them. Her life is lived to the rhythms of their funny, moving confidences. Violette's routine is disrupted one day by the arrival of Julien Sole--local...

Queen Elizabeth's reign is threatened by familial betrayal and Spain's invading army. She and her shrewd advisors must act to safeguard the lives of her people. When the dashing seafarer Walter Raleigh captures her heart, Elizabeth is forced to make her most tragic sacrifice for the good of her country. A tale of one woman's crusade to control her love, destroy her enemies, and secure her position as a beloved icon of the western world.

Mr. Bean enters a church raffle and wins a vacation to France as well as a camcorder. Boarding a Eurostar train and arriving in Paris, the French language proves to be a barrier for Bean. He struggles to catch his train to the south of France. He orders a seafood meal and finds the consumption of the platter to be a challenge. Just before catching his train, he asks Russian film director Emil, who is on his way to be a judge at the Cannes Film festival,...

"When D.C. reporter Cal McCaffrey is assigned to investigate the murder of an assistant to an up-and-coming politician, he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens to bring down the nation's power structures. In a town of spin-doctors and wealthy power brokers, he will discover one truth: when fortunes are at stake, no one's integrity, love, or life is safe." -- Container.

Jenna, a waitress at a small-town cafe, has a gift for making great pies. Seeking to make a better life for herself, she decides to compete for a 25,000 baking prize. An obnoxious husband, a potential pregnancy, and a handsome stranger provide further challenges.