The Mysterious Plus opens with a situation recently in the news: the murder of an American embassy official in a North African country. The aim of the novel, however, is broader than an individual act of violence. Its murder becomes a symbol of the fanatic-inflamed divisions between Muslim Middle East and Judeo-Christian West, which are fraying the ties that bond humanity. The hero of The Mysterious Plus straddles both worlds. To save his sister, Omar Naaman, nineteen, betrayed comrades and country during Algeria’s fight for independence from colonial rule. At the war’s end, the defeated French, grateful for his double-dealing service, whisked him to France, bestowing a new identity, Remy Montpellier. Years later, Remy is coerced by the French DGSE (their intelligence service) to return incognito to Algeria, where as Omar he is still branded as a traitor, in fact, as the last of the “Seven Devils,” the first six “great collaborators” having been tracked down and killed by Algerian agents. Sent to investigate the gay-bashing murder of an American embassy attaché, who (DGSE suspected) was trafficking classified documents, Remy gradually moves from pursuer to pursued. Will he fulfill the true purpose of his returning to Algiers, or will his treasonous past overtake him? How does the “Mysterious Plus” control the answers to these two questions and hence the resolution to the novel? In his previous book, The Saint of Sodomy (GLB, 1999), William Tarvin, who lived in the Middle East for two decades, satirized Muslim sexual hypocrisies. Though the same barbed wit infuses The Mysterious Plus, it is counterpoised by a darker strain, that materialistic/spiritual differences between West and Middle East threaten to sever the cords bonding humanity. Addendum: Since the novel incorporates ideas from around one thousand philosophical, religious, literary, social, psychological, historical, and political works, Tarvin has provided some commentary and definitions in end-of-chapter footnotes.

Throughout history, the human condition has been depicted in many forms, including fireside tales, street performances, plays, dramas, poems, short stories and the novel, just to name the most obvious. Every conceivable aspect of human existence has been confronted in multiple episodes of truths, half-truths, as well as fictionalized from the Real. Nothing new, of course, could be written about the many foibles and predicaments of human nature. But, for every tale, there is a different slant, a different set of characters, and a different drama unfolding. In the stories between the covers of this book, are characters who live only in the imagination of the author. Based upon reality, of course, but placed in their own settings, the stories are made up from the fabric of the human raw materials we each carry with us from Life's experiences. For every decision, there is a consequence, a payoff. Some outcomes are desirable and some are undesirable. But, with each decision we make, in large measure, we are creating our own lives. So... BEWARE!!

Two Plus Two: Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Series Enjoy four books in the Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery Series. Two are "numbered" books, and two are special books to the series. The Unexpected Resolution (Book 10) The Twain Does Meet (Novella) Underground in Ocean Alley (Book 11) Aunt Madge and the Civil Election (an Aunt Madge Long Short Story) Many of the story lines from earlier books come together in these four books. “The Unexpected Resolution” is part of another box set of Jolie Gentil cozy mysteries. However, the four books in this grouping are part of an integral story line. If you’ve already read “The Unexpected Resolution,” I hope you enjoyed it. If you haven’t, you’ll appreciate having these books together.

This work is a composite index of the complete runs of all mystery and detective fan magazines that have been published, through 1981. Added to it are indexes of many magazines of related nature. This includes magazines that are primarily oriented to boys' book collecting, the paperbacks, and the pulp magazine hero characters, since these all have a place in the mystery and detective genre.

Introducing the Continental Op—legendary hardboiled sleuth—in the first of seven short-story collections featuring Dashiell Hammett’s infamous detective The house is soaked with gasoline, and it takes only a spark for it to be engulfed in flames. As the ruins smolder, the case-hardened operative from the Continental Detective Agency is the one person determined to untangle the tough questions: Who tossed the match and why? Was it an angry neighbor, a disgruntled servant, or the old man in the window who was seen giving one last look at the world before the fire consumed him? In the wreckage of the ruined house, the Continental Op will find that nothing burns hotter than greed. “Arson Plus” is the story that introduced the world to the Continental Op, the nameless detective whom Dashiell Hammett described as “a little man going forward day after day through mud and blood and death and deceit—as callous and brutal and cynical as necessary” (William F. Nolan, Dashiell Hammett: A Casebook). Born in the pages of Black Mask in 1923, the Continental Op is ageless, a hardworking hero as much for our time as he is for his own. Rediscover the early stories of the original hardboiled detective in the first volume of the Collected Case Files of the Continental Op, featuring “Arson Plus,” “Slippery Fingers,” and “Crooked Souls.”

Activities Plus-Grade 1 presents a whole year's worth of activities in one book! This teaching resource guide contains a multitude of classroom-tested activities and worksheets which will enable you to provide review, reinforcement, and enrichment of the basic skills taught at the first grade level. Whether you are an experienced teacher or homeschooler, or just getting started, the wealth of materials found in this guide are certain to enhance your instruction. Language arts, social studies, science, and mathematics activities are presented in individual sections for your convenience. Each activity includes a stated purpose and a list of necessary materials, many of which are readily available or can be easily obtained. Complete step-by-step procedures are provided for each activity, and when applicable, suggestions are included for adapting an activity to another discipline or for use with less advanced or more accelerated students.

From the Nile to the Hudson, the story of how two Egyptian mummies joined an American museum collection. In 1909, two mummies, one dating from the 21st Dynasty and the other from the Ptolemaic Period, arrived in Albany, New York. Purchased from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo by Albany businessman Samuel Brown for the Albany Institute of History & Art (AIHA), they have been on continuous exhibition since then and are the most popular, celebrated, and best remembered of the museum’s collections. The story of their discovery in the tombs at Deir el-Bahri and their subsequent purchase by Brown, transport by steamship from Cairo to New York City, and steamboat travel to Albany was covered extensively by the Albany newspapers, and visitors from school-aged children to senior citizens often recount stories about their first encounter with the Albany mummies. The Mystery of the Albany Mummies tells the fascinating tale of these two mummies, from their initial mummification in ancient Egypt, to their acquisition by the AIHA in 1909, and finally to 2013, when the mystery of their identities was uncovered through the intersection of historical scholarship, science, and technology. In the book, which draws on the Institute’s 2013–2014 exhibition “GE Presents: The Mystery of the Albany Mummies,” scholars from around the world use new scholarship, scientific methods, and medical technology to determine the ages, sexes, occupations, and lifestyles of these two ancient denizens of the AIHA. “A delightful and engaging tale about the final voyage of an Egyptian mummy, now housed in the AIHA. The inclusion of the highlights of the Albany museum’s Egyptian collection, which are lavishly illustrated, and the accompanying essays provide a wonderful exploration of the history of collecting, and the links between Egypt and America on economic, sociocultural, and mystical levels. A feast for both the eyes and the mind!” — Salima Ikram, author of Ancient Egypt: An Introduction “The Mystery of the Albany Mummies is a lively and authoritative account of a journey of scientific discovery. The two Egyptian mummies and their coffins in the AIHA have been a source of fascination to visitors ever since they were brought from Cairo in 1909, but, as this book explains, it is only in the last decade that they have yielded up their most intriguing secrets. Illustrated with a range of artifacts from the Albany collection, the text reconstructs the vanished world in which these individuals lived over two thousand years ago. It is an object-lesson in presenting accurate and specialized knowledge to a wide audience in an attractive and accessible way.” — John H. Taylor, Assistant Keeper, Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum “A must read for scholars, history buffs, and museum-lovers alike, the story of the Albany mummies is a case study in how the intersection of scholarship and technology can provide us with a glimpse into the ancient past.” — Kara M. Cooney, author of The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut’s Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt

Journey through the biblical stories of the early Christian movement, and see what kind of wild adventures await those who truly believe Jesus. Throughout the book of Acts, believing Jesus and what he said is the core value that marked every believer in the first church. Because they believed Jesus, the early Christians were willing to risk everything—their comfort, their homes, even their lives. In this eight-session video Bible study (streaming included), Lisa Harper launches into the book of Acts to discover how Jesus' command to spread the gospel changed the lives of those who believed and shaped the culture that surrounded the growing church. At the end of this journey together, not only will you have studied this wild, adventurous, risk-taking book of the Bible; but you'll see how God supernaturally orchestrated the events in Scripture to bring about the message of salvation that the early believers preached. Today, we are faced with the same risks. Will we truly believe the words of Jesus and allow them to transform every part of our lives? This study guide has everything you need for a full Bible study experience, including: The study guide itself—with discussion questions, conversation starters, video notes, and a leader's guide. An individual access code to stream all eight video sessions online (you don't need to buy a DVD!). Sessions and video run times: The Declarations that Define Us (21:30) – The book of Acts, an extension of Luke's gospel Earth, Wind, and Celestial Fire (19:00) – The Holy Spirit's dramatic entrance Checkered Pasts Can Make Incredible Preachers (21:00) – The powerful preaching of Peter and Paul What’s Mine Is Yours (20:00) – Finding freedom in freely giving Loving More People, More (16:00) – A challenge to welcome everyone The Need to Be ReGospeled (19:30) – Even Peter and Paul made mistakes along the way Turning Your World Upside Down (20:00) – A closer look at THIS Jesus: the one we're following Bearing the Chain Because (24:00) – Anything is worth seeing the gospel suddenly click for someone Watch on any device! Streaming video access code included. Access code subject to expiration after 12/31/2027. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.

Remember the days when a night at the movies comprised a full three to four hours of varied entertainment? The attraction was not just the colossal main feature, but the supporting program: the newsreel, the cartoon, the shorts and the before-interval picture or "B" feature. Here's a book where you can re-live those wonderful times. No less than 140 varied features (from Hollywood's main studios to Poverty Row) are discussed, all with full cast and technical credits plus other background information. And to round the book out, I've also included 28 cartoons and 9 shorts!