Things Fall Apart tells two intertwining stories, both centering on Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first, a powerful fable of the immemorial conflict between the individual and society, traces Okonkwo’s fall from grace with the tribal world. The second, as modern as the first is ancient, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world with the arrival of aggressive European missionaries. These perfectly harmonized twin dramas are informed by an awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul.

One of Chinua Achebe's many achievements in his acclaimed first novel, Things Fall Apart, is his relentlessly unsentimental rendering of Nigerian tribal life before and after the coming of colonialism. First published in 1958, just two years before Nigeria declared independence from Great Britain, the book eschews the obvious temptation of depicting pre-colonial life as a kind of Eden. Instead, Achebe sketches a world in which violence, war, and suffering exist, but are balanced by a strong sense of tradition, ritual, and social coherence. His Ibo protagonist, Okonkwo, is a self-made man. The son of a charming ne'er-do-well, he has worked all his life to overcome his father's weakness and has arrived, finally, at great prosperity and even greater reputation among his fellows in the village of Umuofia. Okonkwo is a champion wrestler, a prosperous farmer, husband to three wives and father to several children. He is also a man who exhibits flaws well-known in Greek tragedy:

Okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand. His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children. Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness. It was deeper and more intimate than the fear of evil and capricious gods and of magic, the fear of the forest, and of the forces of nature, malevolent, red in tooth and claw. Okonkwo's fear was greater than these. It was not external but lay deep within himself. It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father.

Achebe does not introduce the theme of colonialism until the last 50 pages or so. By then, Okonkwo has lost everything and been driven into exile. And yet, within the traditions of his culture, he still has hope of redemption. The arrival of missionaries in Umuofia, however, followed by representatives of the colonial government, completely disrupts Ibo culture, and in the chasm between old ways and new, Okonkwo is lost forever. Deceptively simple in its prose, Things Fall Apart packs a powerful punch as Achebe holds up the ruin of one proud man to stand for the destruction of an entire culture. --Alix Wilber

Now recognized as one of the most influential books of the twentieth century, "Silent Spring" exposed the destruction of wildlife through the widespread use of pesticides. Despite condemnation in the press and heavy-handed attempts by the chemical industry to ban the book, Rachel Carson succeeded in creating a new public awareness of the environment which led to changes in government and inspired the ecological movement.

Silent Spring, released in 1962, offered the first shattering look at widespread ecological degradation and touched off an environmental awareness that still exists. Rachel Carson's book focused on the poisons from insecticides, weed killers, and other common products as well as the use of sprays in agriculture, a practice that led to dangerous chemicals to the food source. Carson argued that those chemicals were more dangerous than radiation and that for the first time in history, humans were exposed to chemicals that stayed in their systems from birth to death. Presented with thorough documentation, the book opened more than a few eyes about the dangers of the modern world and stands today as a landmark work.

Having a Bible that can travel anywhere-in a briefcase, purse, backpack, glove compartment, or computer case-is especially helpful in these busy times, which is why the ESV Personal Size Reference Bible is so ideal. Larger and more readable than the Compact Bible but not quite as big as the Thinline Bible, this version is just right for men, women, and students on-the-go. They will appreciate its variety of cover options too. The scriptural text is conveniently offered in a user-friendly, single-column paragraph format that allows it to read like a book.

[Bullet points below:]

Size: 5.0" x 7.25"

7.4-point type

1,344 pages

Black letter text

Single-column, paragraph format

Introductions to each book

Cross-references

Ribbon

Christians who have longed for a more readable literal Bible translation will find much to praise in the English Standard Version. The ESV's translation team of over 100 members has admirably attempted to preserve the stylistic variety of biblical authorship and ease of reading (at the eighth-grade level) despite the word-for-word translation, which historically has resulted in a choppier text flow. Bible study aficionados will appreciate the short introductions to each book, an extensive center column cross-reference system, full-color maps, and a 14,500-entry concordance. The hardcover edition includes the basic Bible frills: a presentation page, as well as marriage, birth, and death registries. --Cindy Crosby

just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in.

More than thirty years ago, a classic was born. A searing novel of the Mafia underworld, The Godfather introduced readers to the first family of American crime fiction, the Corleones, and the powerful legacy of tradition, blood, and honor that was passed on from father to son. With its themes of the seduction of power, the pitfalls of greed, and family allegiance, it resonated with millions of readers across the world-and became the definitive novel of the virile, violent subculture that remains steeped in intrigue, in controversy, and in our collective consciousness.

The story of Don Vito Corleone, the head of a New York Mafia family, inspired some of the most successful movies ever. It is in Mario Puzo's The Godfather that Corleone first appears. As Corleone's desperate struggle to control the Mafia underworld unfolds, so does the story of his family. The novel is full of exquisitely detailed characters who, despite leading unconventional lifestyles within a notorious crime family, experience the triumphs and failures of the human condition. Filled with the requisite valor, love, and rancor of a great epic, The Godfather is the definitive gangster novel.

It's time: The new girls are taking the spotlight at Canterwood Crest!Lauren has moved around enough to have the "new girl" code down:

1. Lay low.

2. But not too low.

3. Don't amubush the in crowd.

But Canterwood isn't just any school. And Lauren is about to face an initiation unlike any she's ever encountered. Bon chance, Lauren--you're going to need it!

A novel about a tomorrow that could happen today. In this unforgettable story about the aftermath of a catastrophe that has wiped out almost the entire population of America, George R. Stewart brings into chilling focus the terrors, the challenges, and the triumphs of human survival.

It is the 1870s and twin brothers Sean and Garrick Courtney are born into the wilds of Natal. They could not be more different, and fate, war and the jealous schemes of a woman are to drive them even further apart. But as history unfolds, a continent is awakening. And on the horizon is the promise of fortune, adventure, destiny and love...'The world's leading adventure writer' - "Daily Express" 'The pace would do credit to a Porsche, and the invention is as bright and explosive as a fireworks display' - "Sunday Telegraph". ' ...action follows action ...mystery is piled on mystery ...tales to delight the millions of addicts of the gutsy adventure story' - "Sunday Express". ' ...a natural storyteller who moves confidently and often splendidly in his period and sustains a flow of convincing incident' - "The Scotsman".