"Dolls are not a luxury. They are as necessary to a child's life as a loaf of bread . . . What a doll does for a little girl is develop her capacity to love others and herself." -Madame Alexander A wonderful offering for young doll enthusiasts and women's history buffs alike This fascinating book tells the stories of courageous dollmakers, all of whom were-and continue to be-filled with passion, vision, and determination. They are the unsung heroines behind some of the most important dolls of the last hundred years-such as Barbie (Ruth Handler) and Madame Alexander's collection (Beatrice Alexander). Entrepreneurs and feminists of their time, these strong women displayed both creative genius and astute business acumen, serving as excellent role models for today's young female readers.

In the vein of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and Number the Stars, this fusion of fairy tales, folklore, and World War II history eloquently illustrates the power of love and the inherent will to survive even in the darkest of times. In the land of dolls, there is magic. In the land of humans, there is war. Everywhere there is pain. But together there is hope. Karolina is a living doll whose king and queen have been overthrown. But when a strange wind spirits her away from the Land of the Dolls, she finds herself in Kraków, Poland, in the company of the Dollmaker, a man with an unusual power and a marked past. The Dollmaker has learned to keep to himself, but Karolina’s courageous and compassionate manner lead him to smile and to even befriend a violin-playing father and his daughter—that is, once the Dollmaker gets over the shock of realizing a doll is speaking to him. But their newfound happiness is dashed when Nazi soldiers descend upon Poland. Karolina and the Dollmaker quickly realize that their Jewish friends are in grave danger, and they are determined to help save them, no matter what the risks.

Although born into privilege, Ayna Landau marries Karl Adler in 1924 and opens the door to a world of opportunities that propel her husband's company to the height of success in the porcelain doll industry of interwar Germany. As she basks in the glory of her triumphs, her idyllic life is interrupted by Adolph Hitler's meteoric rise to power in the 1930s as head of the Nazi Party. While the chaos the Nazis create throughout Europe culminates in World War II, Ayna and her family risk everything they have worked for to secure the safety and freedom of not only their family and friends, but strangers who seek their help, as well. Struggling to survive the depths of personal tragedy that befall her by the war's end, she abandons the Adler Doll Works and their beautiful villa to flee Germany mere days ahead of the approaching Russian army, determined to be reunited with her children in Switzerland. Ayna's perseverance and resolve to restore the Adler name to the prominence it once held becomes her final mission, in an effort to bequeath its legacy to her children, grandchildren, and all future Adlers.

EWA CHAPLIN WASN'T AFRAID TO MAKE DOLLS THAT WEREN'T COMFORTING. SHE SEEMED TO KNOW THAT DOLLS ARE PEOPLE, JUST LIKE US. THE BEWITCHING NEW NOVEL FROM THE AWARD-WINNING GUARDIAN FRESH VOICES AUTHOR 'A fantastic book' Andrew O'Hagan 'Wholly original - worthy of a modern Grimm' Andrew Caldecott, author of Rotherweird 'A masterful and multi-layered haunted toyshop of a novel' Tony White, author of The Fountain in the Forest Stitch by perfect stitch, Andrew Garvie makes exquisite dolls in the finest antique style. Like him, they are diminutive, but graceful, unique and with surprising depths. Perhaps that's why he answers the enigmatic personal ad in his collector's magazine. Letter by letter, Bramber Winters reveals more of her strange, sheltered life in an institution on Bodmin Moor, and the terrible events that put her there as a child. Andrew knows what it is to be trapped; and as they knit closer together, he weaves a curious plan to rescue her. On his journey through the old towns of England he reads the fairytales of Ewa Chaplin - potent, eldritch stories which, like her lifelike dolls, pluck at the edges of reality and thread their way into his mind. When Andrew and Bramber meet at last, they will have a choice - to remain alone with their painful pasts or break free and, unlike their dolls, come to life. A love story of two very real, unusual people, The Dollmaker is also a novel rich with wonders: Andrew's quest and Bramber's letters unspool around the dark fables that give our familiar world an uncanny edge. It is this touch of magic that, like the blink of a doll's eyes, tricks our own . . .

Forgetful scientist Simon Morgan lost his chance with Amity Archer ten years ago. He knows there is no hope...until a sea captain trades a meal for an ancient stone reputed to have the power to give him his heart's desire. Immediately after pocketing the stone, Simon runs into Amity. Did the ancient artifact cause this chance encounter or was it mere coincidence? Like her favorite travel writer Mrs. Peabody, Amity Archer yearns for adventure, but she's horrified when her father asks Simon Morgan to escort her on her first real adventure. With Amity's Aunt Clementine as a buffer between them, will Simon be able to prove that his love for Amity is real? Can Amity show Simon that her love for him has nothing to do with a so-called magical rock?

On the brink of revolution, with a tide of hate turned against the decadent royal court, France is in turmoil--as is the life of one young woman forced to leave her beloved Paris. After a fire destroys her home and family, Claudette Laurent is struggling to survive in London. But one precious gift remains: her talent for creating exquisite dolls that Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France herself, cherishes. When the Queen requests a meeting, Claudette seizes the opportunity to promote her business, and to return home. . . Amid the violence and unrest, Claudette befriends the Queen, who bears no resemblance to the figurehead rapidly becoming the scapegoat of the Revolution. But when Claudette herself is lured into a web of deadly political intrigue, it becomes clear that friendship with France's most despised woman has grim consequences. Now, overshadowed by the specter of Madame Guillotine, the Queen's dollmaker will face the ultimate test. Infused with the passion and excitement of a country--and an unforgettable heroine--on the threshold of radical change, this captivating novel propels readers into a beguiling world of opulence, adventure, and danger, from the rough streets of eighteenth-century London to France's lavish Palace of Versailles. "Winningly original. . .glittering with atmospheric detail!" --Leslie Carroll, author of Royal Affairs "Unique, imaginative. . .replete with delightful details and astounding characters, both real and imagined." --Donna Russo Morin, author of The Courtier's Secret

Dollmaker is a historical review of a war many would just as soon forget. But Dollmaker is different. It provides the reader with an alternative outcome. Call it historical revisionism with a twist of bitter truth. From this unique vantage the war in Vietnam is experienced through the life and actions of an unlikely leader; a charismatic woman who isn't democratic, isn't communist, and is not going to take the back seat to the Americans in the conduct of the war. Le Bon, or Lady Bon, as she is affectionately known, finds passionate outlet early in life as a doll maker. She makes dolls of every description. Starting with dolls of cloth and clay, she soon graduates to crafting dolls of flesh and blood. Breaking traditional gender roles, she ascends to the highest pinnacles of power organizing a grassroots paramilitary force called the Blue Shirts. Soon these Vietnamese shock troops under her command garner respect with their communist foes. All during this time, a gung-ho Marine named Mike Grant is working his way up the ladder of military prestige and influence. When the female Vietnamese firebrand and the ambitious American meet, the war, its outcome, and the world would never be the same again. Dollmaker peels back the scab covering our collective consciousness regarding Vietnam. It exposes the underlying passions behind power and power's corrupting tincture. It is also a candid, frequently scathing review of what we, as humans, hold dear and what we often blindly adhere to through our allegiance to tradition.

'A terrifying lesson in US history – and a haunting tragedy' Guardian Gertie is the young mother of five children – uneducated, determined, strong. Her only ambition is to own her own small farm in the Kentucky hills where she lives, to become self-sufficient and free. Whenever the struggle to live off the land eases, her inarticulate imagination takes its freedom and flies. Because Gertie is also an artist, a sculptor of wood and creator of beautiful handmade dolls. When the family is forced to move to industrial Detroit, with its pre-fab houses, appliances bought on credit and neighbours on every side, life turns into an incomprehensible, lonely nightmare. Gertie realises she must adapt to a life where land, family and creativity are replaced by just one thing: the constant need for money. ‘A masterwork... A superb book of unforgettable strength and glowing richness’ New York Times WITH AN AFTERWORD BY JOYCE CAROL OATES

An American Vein is an anthology of literary criticism of Appalachian novelists, poets, and playwrights. The book reprises critical writing of influential authors such as Joyce Carol Oates, Cratis Williams, and Jim Wayne Miller. It introduces new writing by Rodger Cunningham, Elizabeth Engelhardt, and others.

A powerful saga set in turn-of-the-twentieth-century London from the Sunday Times bestselling author. For Ruby and Rosetta Capretti life in the slums of the East End holds little promise. Although very similar in looks they dream of very different futures. Coquettish, flamboyant Rosetta is desperate to leave the claustrophobic confines of the sewing sweatshop to follow in her wayward aunt's footsteps and work under the bright lights of the music hall. Ruby, quieter and more modest, has always longed to train as a nurse, a pipe-dream for a girl from her humble background. And then, by the side of their father's grave, they meet handsome Jonas Crowe. But little do they know how much one man will affect both their lives for ever.