Delve into the epic tale of Aeneas, a Trojan hero navigating love, loss, and destiny in the face of the gods' will. Witness his agonizing choice between love for Queen Dido of Carthage and his duty to fulfill the Trojan legacy. Feel the wrath of a scorned Dido as her curse unleashes a torrent of hardships upon Aeneas' journey. Brace yourself for perilous encounters – monstrous Harpies with a taste for misfortune, a volcanic island spewing divine fury, and a chilling prophecy foretelling a land of endless war. Yet, amidst the trials, find solace in acts of unexpected kindness, like the welcoming embrace of the Strophades, a people who offer the weary Trojans a haven of rest and renewal. This captivating chapter excerpt from the Aeneid explores themes of love and loss, divine intervention, and the unyielding human spirit in the face of adversity. As Aeneas and his people press on towards the fabled land of Hesperia, their ultimate destination, will they conquer the challenges that lie ahead? Will they find the promised paradise, or succumb to the wrath of the gods and the vengeful curse of a heartbroken queen?

“Riveting... compliments to the author for providing a tantalizing backstory on Semira mentioned in the Alfonzo series!” -HistoricalLuvR "A Queen Can Rule Without A Jeweled Crown."Semira, Daughter of Ras Afizwusi Set in the early 20th century, the free-spirited Princess Semira is caught between the trappings of duty and tradition. Bound to honor an arranged marriage to a foreign monarch, she must leave her beloved Africa and girlish wishes. Fraught with uncertainty of her husband’s devotion, her suspicions are confirmed when the impotent King bows to the authority of the Papacy. However, a proud Queen shall never bow despite being cast aside for political appeasement. Refusing to return to her father’s house in disgrace, Queen Semira forges a new life In Sicily among the contadini. But, she carries the King's heir and she will need protection from an assassin. Perhaps, the anti-Fascist Lupe might be of aid in the formation of an elite Circle of Protectors.

Renowned today for his contribution to the rise of the modern European fairy tale, Giovan Francesco Straparola (c. 1480–c. 1557) is particularly known for his dazzling anthology The Pleasant Nights. Originally published in Venice in 1550 and 1553, this collection features seventy-three folk stories, fables, jests, and pseudo-histories, including nine tales we might now designate for ‘mature readers’ and seventeen proto-fairy tales. Nearly all of these stories, including classics such as ‘Puss in Boots,’ made their first ever appearance in this collection; together, the tales comprise one of the most varied and engaging Renaissance miscellanies ever produced. Its appeal sustained it through twenty-six editions in the first sixty years. This full critical edition of The Pleasant Nights presents these stories in English for the first time in over a century. The text takes its inspiration from the celebrated Waters translation, which is entirely revised here to render it both more faithful to the original and more sparkishly idiomatic than ever before. The stories are accompanied by a rich sampling of illustrations, including originals from nineteenth-century English and French versions of the text. As a comprehensive critical and historical edition, these volumes contain far more information on the stories than can be found in any existing studies, literary histories, or Italian editions of the work. Donald Beecher provides a lengthy introduction discussing Straparola as an author, the nature of fairy tales and their passage through oral culture, and how this phenomenon provides a new reservoir of stories for literary adaptation. Moreover, the stories all feature extensive commentaries analysing not only their themes but also their fascinating provenances, drawing on thousands of analogue tales going back to ancient Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic stories. Immensely entertaining and readable, The Pleasant Nights will appeal to anyone interested in fairy tales, ancient stories, and folk creations. Such readers will also enjoy Beecher’s academically solid and erudite commentaries, which unfold in a manner as light and amusing as the stories themselves.

This full critical edition of The Pleasant Nights presents these stories in English for the first time in over a century. The text takes its inspiration from the celebrated Waters translation, which is entirely revised here to render it both more faithful to the original and more sparkishly idiomatic than ever before. The stories are accompanied by a rich sampling of illustrations, including originals from nineteenth-century English and French versions of the text.

The purpose of this book is to erase a wrong notion from our minds that the history of this world was shaped only by tough, unflinching, strong men who were physically active as warriors. On the contrary, this book proves that women influenced events as much as men. They even surpassed all their contemporary males in bravery and intelligence many times. This book also analyses certain occurrences in world history that shook our past. Here, the readers will get the chance of travelling more than 3000 years in time through the lives of these daring women. The chapters would also read like crime thrillers because of much vengeance and bloodshed that happened in our past. To sum up, ‘Goddesses of Fury’ is a work which narrates our complicated bygone days from around the world.

A highly-illustrated, entertaining account of English royal history from 1066 to the present that explores the scandals behind each royal dynasty, from the ‘accidental’ murder of William II to American divorcée Meghan Markle, highlighting the individuals honoured with the crown of England—and those unfortunate enough to cross their paths.

Despite its reputation as the longest established in Europe, the history of the English monarchy is punctuated by scandal, murders, betrayals, plots, and treason. Since William the Conqueror seized the crown in 1066, England has seen three civil wars; six monarchs have been murdered or executed; the throne of England has been usurped four times, and won in battle three times; and personal scandals and royal family quarrels abound.

Between 1966 and 1975 North American youth activists established over 35 school- and community-based gay liberation youth groups whose members sought control over their own bodies, education, and sexual and social relations. This book focuses on three groundbreaking New York City groups -- Gay Youth (GY), Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.), and the Gay International Youth Society of George Washington High School (GWHS) -- from the advent of gay liberation in NYC in 1969 to just after its dissolution and the rise of identity politics by 1975. Cohen examines how gay liberation -- with its rejection of stultifying sex roles, attack on institutional oppression, connection between personal and political liberation, celebration of innate androgyny, and resolute anti-war and anti-capitalist stance -- shaped understandings of sexual identity, membership criteria, organization, decision-making, the roles of youth and adults, and efforts to effect social change.

Sixteen-year-old Nikki is again summoned to the Underworld to appear before the Demon Council, the king of the faerie realm enrolls at her small-town Canada high school to experience human life, and her mother begins dating one of her teachers.