The Birmingham Library.exe

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Now that I am not addressing you But the "you” of poetry I am probably doing something horrible and destructive. But this "I” is the I of poetry And it should be able to do more than I can do.

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In Trackless Woods In trackless woods, it puzzled me to find Four great rock maples seemingly aligned, As if they had been set out in a row Before some house a century ago, To edge the property and lend some shade. I looked to see if ancient wheels had made Old ruts to which the trees ran parallel, But there were none, so far as I could tell– There'd been no roadway. Nor could I find the square Depression of a cellar anywhere, And so I tramped on further, to survey Amazing patterns in a hornbeam spray Or spirals in a pine cone, under trees Not subject to our stiff geometries.

The remarkable story of a young man haunted by a great loss; of dreams and nightmares that have unintended consequences for the world around us; and of a journey into the past that is necessary to mend the present.

Misono is an office drone with his own ups and downs at work, but thankfully he has an ally -- his senpai Shizuka, who happens to be a witch. Shizuka is always ready to lend a hand to those in need, but Misono thinks she should take better care of herself, since zipping around on a broomstick to run errands can be quite stressful. Is Misono's overprotective concern for Shizuka driven by mere respect for this flustered witch, or could it be more? Let this magical romantic comedy cast its spell on you!

Source title: Dandadan, Vol. 1 (1)

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Source title: De que hablo cuando hablo de escribir (Spanish Edition)

In September 1969, a fumbling, cranky old church deacon known as Sportcoat shuffles into the courtyard of the Cause Houses housing project in south Brooklyn, pulls a .38 from his pocket, and, in front of everybody, shoots the project’s drug dealer at point-blank range.

Three years ago the aliens invaded Tokyo. Nothing was ever the same again. But after a while, even impending doom starts to feel ordinary. The Japan Self-Defense Forces are still looking for a way to combat the alien threat, but so far conventional weapons have had no effect. Maybe it’s time to try something unconventional. Meanwhile, Kadode Koyama and her best friend avidly track the aliens’ movements on social media and less enthusiastically study for college entrance exams. When the end of the world looms overhead, you learn to take things one step at a time.

The alien menace has been hovering over Tokyo for years, but the Invaders aren’t content to just sit back and loom. One of them has taken to the streets of the city in human disguise in order to observe the locals. He may not be the first, and he certainly won’t be the last. Meanwhile, Kadode Koyama and her friends continue to deal with the peril of upcoming college entrance exams as the stress of studying under the constant threat of annihilation sends some running to safer cities. At least it’s almost Christmas!

The defense business is booming in Japan, and the amazing Hujin weapons are finally getting their chance to shine. But civilians are fed up with the inconvenience of being collateral damage, and their protest signs are starting to get really pointed! Meanwhile, Kadode has to face up to the realities of living in an apocalypse and not taking her college entrance exams seriously. At least high school is finally over!

Despite the ongoing menace of wild Invaders and A-ray contamination, people are still moving to Tokyo to find opportunities and themselves. After all, the likelihood of getting squashed by a crashing Invader vessel is still extremely low! Meanwhile, Kadode and her friends have started university, where they must face the crisis of choosing which student club to join—a critical decision that will affect the rest of their lives!

Now that it’s totally legal for civilians to kill Invaders, private companies have been rushing to prove their worth in the containment efforts, and their confirmed kill rates are starting to rival those of the SDF! But there are signs of trouble with the mother ship, and perhaps the Invaders are getting tired of this one-sided slaughter. Meanwhile, Ontan has found an Invader in a human suit and is keeping him at Kadode’s apartment. He’s a bit strange as housemates go, but at least things between Kadode and Mr. Watarase seem to be heating up!

The collaboration between S.E.S. and the Self-Defense Forces is going beautifully. Fujin Type 9s patrol the streets of Tokyo, and the slaughter of the Invaders is at an all-time high. It’s almost enough to distract the populace from the ominous smoke coming from the mother ship! Meanwhile, Kadode is getting used to having an Invader living in her apartment. His delicious cooking almost makes up for the stress of dealing with the constant threat of vigilante exterminators taking him down right in front of her eyes!

International relations are crumbling as the hotheaded American president demands that the Japanese government share what they know about Invader technology. But the Japanese prime minister has more important things to think about than diplomacy—he wants to make sure his favorite idol is in the bunker with him when the mother ship blows. Meanwhile, the Occult Club is taking a trip to the seashore to meet with someone who claims to have had an extraterrestrial experience! The silly lark ends up revealing something shocking about Oran’s past, but at least the scenery is lovely!

The Occult Club’s trip to the seaside has been a great chance for Kadode and her friends to unwind from the dual stresses of college and living through an endless alien invasion. Oba and Makoto forge a special friendship after hanging out on the beach, culminating in the two of them taking a scenic tour through Oran’s memories from another timeline!

Oba and Makoto are lurking in Oran’s memories from an alternative timeline where she and Kadode simultaneously save the earth and ruin their lives. When the worst happens, Oran takes a desperate leap into another timeline. But things don’t seem to be going very well in that timeline either.

Huge chunks of the mother ship are starting to crash into Tokyo, leveling whole neighborhoods. The Japanese government is ready to nope out of the impending destruction, and the Americans are using the growing panic as an excuse to make their move. What’s worse, the internet is down!

Three years ago the aliens invaded Tokyo. Nothing was ever the same again. But after a while, even impending doom starts to feel ordinary. Wow, it’s the end of the world! Everyone is so screwed…

The end of the world really sucks—rogue AI, foreign occupation, constant firefights between freedom fighters and terrorists, sudden death raining from above. How do you even begin to start over in the middle of all that? Maybe you can’t. Maybe you just have to reset. This is the end!

Disabled, disinclined to marry, and more interested in writing than a lucrative career in medicine or law, Zelu has always felt like the outcast of her large Nigerian family. Then her life is upended when, in the middle of her sister’s lavish Caribbean wedding, she’s unceremoniously fired from her university job and, to add insult to injury, her novel is rejected by yet another publisher. With her career and dreams crushed in one fell swoop, she decides to write something just for herself. What comes out is nothing like the quiet, literary novels that have so far peppered her unremarkable career. It’s a far-future epic where androids and AI wage war in the grown-over ruins of human civilization. She calls it Rusted Robots.

Miller’s battle with Bipolar II disorder, also known as depres­sion, which ruined his life, professionally and personally. Depression was directly responsible for his surrendering the New York Times restau­rant column and, shortly thereafter, leaving the paper altogether. Everything he had worked for so diligently, rising from cub reporter to big-city columnist in less than a decade, vanished. In the ensuing years, unable to work, he lost his home, his life savings, two wonderful wives, the chance to have a family, and numerous friends and colleagues. He became increasingly reclu­sive; like many victims of serious depression, he reached the point where he was afraid to answer the phone. Pile on a brain tumor, electroshock therapy, a near-fatal bout with Lyme disease, accidental drug overdoses (he was once carried out of the newsroom on a gurney), and you have a life in shambles.

In a city so dismal it's known only as "the Hole," a clan of Sorcerers has been plucking people off the streets to use as guinea pigs for atrocious "experiments" in the black arts. In a dark alley, Nikaido found Caiman, a man with a reptile head and a bad case of amnesia. To undo the spell, they're hunting and killing the Sorcerers in the Hole, hoping that eventually they'll kill the right one. But when En, the head Sorcerer, gets word of a lizard-man slaughtering his people, he sends a crew of "cleaners" into the Hole, igniting a war between two worlds.

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Selling copies is the only thing that matters. So what if your first series just ended and you have no idea how to start the next one, your marriage is breaking up, your pure love of manga has been destroyed by the cruel reality of the industry and nothing seems to fill the sucking void inside you… Find the secret combo for a new hit manga series and everything will be okay. Right?

The action occurs in 19th century Spain, when a young liberal named Don José (Pepe) Rey, arrives in a cathedral city named Orbajosa, with the intention of marrying his cousin Rosario. This was a marriage of convenience arranged between Pepe's father Juan and Juan's sister, Perfecta. Upon getting to know each other, Pepe and Rosario declare their eternal love, but in steps Don Inocencio, the cathedral canon, who meddles and obstructs the marriage as well as the good intentions of Doña Perfecta and her brother Don Juan. Over the course of time, several events lead up to a confrontation between Pepe Rey and his aunt Perfecta, which is caused by her refusal to allow Pepe and Rosario to marry, because Pepe is a non-believer. The novel ends up with the death of Pepe Rey due to his aunt Perfecta. Rosario turns mad and ends up in a madhouse. The novel illustrates the great power that the church wielded. It also describes the differences between the traditional, provincial outlook, and the modern, liberal outlook of Madrid, the capital.

This otherworldly collection of eight stories, each a masterpiece of transformation, infused with humor, sex, and the universal search for love and beauty—in a world where the laws of time and space, and even species boundaries, don’t apply. Meet a shape-shifting con man, a goddess who uses sex to control her followers, an elderly man possessed by a fox spirit, a woman who falls in love with her 400-year-old ancestor, a kitchen god with three faces in a weasel-infested apartment block, moles who provide underground sanctuary for humans who have lost the will to live, a man nurtured through life by his seven extraordinary sisters, and a woman who is handed from husband to husband until she is finally able to return to the sea.

Dream Fossil is a collection of 15 short stories by the late Satoshi Kon. These stories, serialized in a variety of magazines in the 1980's, give a rare glimpse into the early stages of Kon's uniquely compelling style of storytelling. The buds of dream-like themes and imaginative worldviews that would blossom in his later animated works are also readily apparent. Yes the flights of fancy are anchored by knowing, empathetic portrayals of the very human nature of each story.

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¿Qué ocurre cuando el rechazo y el orgullo por sentirte fuera de lugar se confunden? J. lleva con orgullo su apellido de origen marroquí, pero al mismo tiempo su nombre se le hace extraño. Cuando era niña, su padre, inmigrante recién llegado a España, se fue de casa y desde entonces no ha vuelto a saber nada de él. Un narrador omnisciente nos cuenta la historia de una familia a través de fragmentos y recuerdos de las vidas de todos sus miembros. El lector observa la apatía, la tristeza y el fuerte sentimiento de desarraigo que el padre contagia a su familia hasta que decide que la única salida a esa situación enquistada es marcharse para no volver más. ¿Pueden los sentimientos soterrados modificar la opinión que tenemos sobre los hechos?

El espíritu de la ciencia-ficción transcurre en México DF durante los años setenta y narra la vida de dos escritores jóvenes. Mientras Remo Morán busca la manera de subsistir sin abandonar su sueño, Jan Schrella vive confinado en la buhardilla que ambos comparten, desde donde envía cartas delirantes a sus escritores de ciencia-ficción favoritos. En la ciudad y en sus vidas todo lo importante parece suceder en ese momento mágico y efímero que separa la noche del día, en ese filo en el que el amor puede tornarse desamor y toda obsesión puede ser el germen de un futuro éxito. Bolaño escribió esta novela a comienzos de la década de los ochenta y, como ocurrió con gran parte de su obra, volvió sobre ella durante mucho tiempo. Aquí se encuentra ya la esencia del fascinante universo literario del autor. El mejor Bolaño, el que escribe apasionadamente sobre temas como la búsqueda, la literatura, el amor, la juventud, la amistad, el humor y la rebeldía está ya en este libro.

Todo empezó el 21 de mayo de 2023, en Turín.

Udo Berger, escritor fracasado y campeón de juegos de estrategia, viaja de nuevo al pequeño pueblo de la Costa Brava catalana donde pasaba los veranos de su infancia. Acompañado por su novia, pasa la mayor parte del tiempo con su juego favorito: El Tercer Reich. Una noche conocen a otra pareja de alemanes, Charly y Hanna, con quien planean pasar los siguientes días. Pero cuando Charly desaparece esa misma noche, la apacible vida de Udo cambiará bruscamente. Escrita en 1989 y encontrada entre sus archivos tras su muerte, El Tercer Reich es puro Bolaño —detectives, personajes extravagantes, y un descenso a los infiernos. En su lenguaje, en sus formas y en sus temas podemos ver el germen de futuras obras maestras tales como Los detectives salvajes o 2666.

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September 1913. A young Pole suffering from tuberculosis arrives at Wilhelm Opitz’s Guesthouse for Gentlemen in the village of Görbersdorf, a health resort in the Silesian mountains. Every evening the residents gather to imbibe the hallucinogenic local liqueur and debate the great issues of the day: Monarchy or democracy? Do devils exist? Are women born inferior? War or peace? Meanwhile, disturbing things are happening in the guesthouse and the surrounding hills. Someone—or something—seems to be watching, attempting to infiltrate this cloistered world. Little does the newcomer realize, as he tries to unravel both the truths within himself and the mystery of the sinister forces beyond, that they have already chosen their next target.

Angels and demons aren’t known for getting along, but their shared enthusiasm for designer labels and luxury items has drawn angel Eniale and demon Dewiela into a tempestuous friendship...which has a tendency to dissolve into conflict. With the powers of Heaven and Hell behind them, even a minor fashion disaster can have near-apocalyptic consequences for the people of Earth!

The battle for the souls rages on! Angel Eniale and demon Dewiela have scoured the Earth for lost spirits and the latest fashions alike, this time alighting on the shores of Japan. With thousands of local deities, Japan is rife with the wandering souls of the dead, ripe for collection! But wresting them from the myriad Japanese gods-and their tenacious shrine maiden-will be no easy task, even for the denizens of Heaven and Hell!

Eniale and Dewiela’s friendship has been peppered with bouts of intense squabbling and bickering-usually at the expense of innocent bystanders. Eni’s latest “get rich quick” scheme and Dewi’s “get souls quick” con seem destined to blow up as spectacularly as the many that have come before. But when the dust settles, the angel and the demon always emerge-fab, fashionable, and the best of friends!!

Source title: Epiléptico: La Ascensión del Gran Mal (Spanish Edition)

Ayano, an elementary school teacher in her thirties, stops by a bar one day and meets another woman named Akari. Sparks fly as the two chat, and before the night is over, Ayano even goes in for a kiss. Akari is intrigued but confused...especially when she discovers that Ayano has a husband! Both Ayano and Akari are about to find out that love doesn’t get any easier, even as you grow older.

Ayano, an elementary school teacher in her thirties, stops by a bar one day and meets another woman named Shuri. Sparks fly as the two chat, and before the night is over, Ayano even goes in for a kiss. Shuri is intrigued but confused...especially when she discovers that Ayano has a husband! Both Ayano and Shuri are about to find out that love doesn’t get any easier, even as you grow older.

Akari decides that it is time for a change, so she goes back to being a hairdresser and moves into a new place. However, her plans to start anew backfire as working at the salon means working with her ex. Also, upon moving to her new place, she discovers that she’s now neighbors with Ayano! Can the two women live side-by-side without crossing any boundaries, or will their mutual attraction draw them even closer to one another?

Ever since Ayano and Akari became neighbors, the two women have tried to put aside their romantic feelings for each other. But their attempts at playing it cool might have been a little too successful, as now Akari is becoming friends with Ayano’s husband and his family! As they spend more time together, Akari realizes that she can’t think of Ayano as just a friend, and Ayano is forced to think about her future.

Ayano leaves her husband Wataru and moves back into her parents’ home. She’s determined to use this time to really think about what she wants out of life, but Wataru is unwilling to back off and is dead set on fixing their marriage. Akari, meanwhile, can’t help but wonder if she and Ayano might have a future together after all.

It’s finally time: Ayano tells her parents that she has left Wataru and has fallen for someone else. And that someone is a woman. When the news breaks, Wataru finally gives up on trying to make things work, which means the wall between Ayano and Akari’s love has now been knocked down. Meanwhile, Eri struggles with her feelings for a married man. Is there a way out of this labyrinth for anyone?

Though they joke that they don’t exactly have a lot to reminisce about, Akari and Ayano agree to go on a short trip together. Is it a date? Only time can tell. Back home, Wataru attempts to navigate the aftermath of the divorce and Eri struggles with her feelings for a married man.

Is it worth making everyone else miserable just so we can be happy? Even as they wrestle with this question, Ayano and Akari decide to move in together. Their new life together sustains Ayano after salacious rumors chased her out of her last teaching job. Meanwhile, Wataru is left hurting in the wake of the divorce and Eri struggles with an adulterous love of her own.

The new term comes, and Ayano starts work at her new school while Akari relishes the joy of living with her. They can’t escape their guilty feelings, but their relationship moves forward nevertheless. Meanwhile, Eri is wrestling with her adulterous love for Morita when she gets a call from Morita’s wife!

Ayano and Akari have started living together, but there are still some issues they need to sort out. Ayano goes to see her ex-husband Wataru to have an honest conversation and get some closure for both of them. Meanwhile, Eri comes to a decision regarding the married man she’s dating, Wataru’s mother, Yoriko, deals with the pain in her heart, and Ayano’s adoring former students figure out where they stand with each other.

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The intimate memoir of Leonard Bernstein and his family, that helped inspire the new movie Maestro The oldest daughter of revered composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein offers a rare look at her father on the centennial of his birth in a deeply intimate and broadly evocative memoir

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A wide-ranging critical and historical survey, Film Theory and Criticism remains the leading text for undergraduate courses in film theory. It is also ideal for graduate courses in film theory and criticism.

In the not-too-distant past, the Ice Witch blankets the world in snow, starvation, and madness, leading the inhabitants to seek their salvation in fire. With that, an unusual destiny unfolds for two young orphans, Agni and Luna, blessed with the ability to regenerate. But will this ability prove to be more of a curse than a blessing?

Following the fight with his longtime enemy Doma, Agni is beheaded, and it’s decided that his head is to be taken to the sea. However, during the journey, a mysterious person named Togata appears, and their madness-tainted filming begins!

After receiving Togata's upgrade, Agni heads to Behemdorg to exact his vengeance on Doma, unaware that Togata has flipped the script entirely. There, instead of finding Doma, Agni is to be pitted against the worst, most violent Blessed that Behemdorg has to offer. But on the way, Agni's heart fills with a new resolve, ruining Togata's much-anticipated climax!

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The aftermath of a father's mysterious disappearance during a walk with his daughter, Louisa, and how the event fractures their family over decades. The story, which spans continents and generations, explores themes of family secrets, grief, identity, and displacement, shifting perspectives between its characters.

Lights interweaves reflections on travel with an in-depth exploration of the human body, broaching life, death, motion, and migration. Chopin's heart is carried back to Warsaw in secret by his adoring sister. A woman must return to her native Poland in order to poison her terminally ill high school sweetheart, and a young man slowly descends into madness when his wife and child mysteriously vanish during a vacation and just as suddenly reappear. Through these brilliantly imagined characters and stories, interwoven with haunting, playful, and revelatory meditations, Flights explores what it means to be a traveler, a wanderer, a body in motion not only through space but through time. Where are you from? Where are you coming in from? Where are you going? we call to the traveler. Enchanting, unsettling, and wholly original, Flights is a master storyteller's answer.

A young girl fighting her way through bounty hunter school. A princess forced to flee her moon empire after a coup. Witch-hunters hell-bent on killing with bloodsucking swords. And a group of ragtag musketeers tracking down armed robbers.

“Extraordinary…a great American biography” (The New Yorker) of the most important African American of the 19th century: Frederick Douglass, the escaped slave who became the greatest orator of his day and one of the leading abolitionists and writers of the era.

Elf mage Frieren and her courageous fellow adventurers have defeated the Demon King and brought peace to the land. But Frieren will long outlive the rest of her former party. How will she come to understand what life means to the people around her?

At Eisen’s urging, Frieren and her apprentice Fern head north seeking the land where heroes’ souls are said to rest, which also happens to be the location of the Demon King’s castle. Along the way, they meet Eisen’s apprentice, whose fighting skills may come in handy—though the Demon King is long gone, his surviving minions have unfinished business with Frieren!