The book is a gripping tale that explores complex characters and their intertwined lives against a backdrop of significant themes such as love, betrayal, and redemption. Set in a vividly depicted environment, it delves into the emotional struggles and triumphs of its protagonists, offering readers a deep connection to their journeys. The narrative unfolds with unexpected twists, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover the characters' fates. Rich in detail and insight, it promises a compelling reading experience that resonates on multiple levels.
San Francisco, 1947. Bartender Sammy "Two Toes" Tiffin and the rest of the Cookie's Coffee Irregulars--a ragtag bunch of working mugs last seen in Noir--are on the hustle: they're trying to open a driving school; shanghai an abusive Swedish stevedore; get Mable, the local madam, and her girls to a Christmas party at the State Hospital without alerting the overzealous head of the S.F.P.D. vice squad; all while Sammy's girlfriend, Stilton (a.k.a. the Cheese), and her "Wendy the Welder" gal pals are using their wartime shipbuilding skills on a secret project that might be attracting the attention of some government Men in Black. And, oh yeah, someone is murdering the city's drag kings and club owner Jimmy Vasco is sure she's next on the list and wants Sammy to find the killer. Meanwhile, Eddie "Moo Shoes" Shu has been summoned by his Uncle Ho to help save his opium den from Squid Kid Tang, a vicious gangster who is determined to retrieve a priceless relic: an ancient statue of the powerful Rain Dragon that Ho stole from one of the fighting tongs forty years earlier. And if Eddie blows it, he just might call down the wrath of that powerful magical creature on all of Fog City
Set against a backdrop of art and history, the narrative explores the allure of a vibrant blue pigment, reminiscent of the Virgin Mary's cloak. This captivating hue draws artists into a world filled with danger, adventure, and the supernatural. As they navigate the complexities of creativity and obsession, the story delves into the mysteries surrounding this exquisite color, intertwining themes of inspiration and the darker sides of artistic ambition.
This original and provocative work illuminates the origins of the term "philosopher" in ancient Greece by exploring its early meanings. Christopher Moore traces the evolution of philosophos over its first two centuries, showing that it initially referred to aspiring political sages and advice-givers, then to conversationalists about virtue, and finally to investigators examining the nature of those conversations. Contrary to the common belief that philosophers have always "loved wisdom," Moore reveals that they were often mocked for their unrealistic expectations of gaining social status or authority through their discussions and studies.
Taking a fresh approach to the history of early Greek philosophy, the book investigates who was labeled philosophos and why, and how this terminology contributed to the discipline's emergence. Drawing on diverse evidence, it illustrates how a term that began as a wry reference to a distant political group evolved into a concept representing a life of self-improvement through research, reflection, and deliberation. Early philosophy aimed to justify its seemingly dubious pursuits, and this foundational quest for legitimacy offers new insights into the discipline's history and its broader influence.
Set adrift by his pirate crew, Pocket of Dog Snogging washes up on the shores of Greece, aiming to impress the Duke with his comedic talents and become his trusted fool. However, the island is in chaos as Egeus, the Duke's minister, is enraged that his daughter Hermia wishes to marry Demetrius instead of Lysander, the man he has chosen for her. The Duke decrees that if Hermia refuses to marry Lysander by the wedding date, she will face execution or be sent to a nunnery. Pocket, true to his nature, boldly criticizes the decree and the Duke, which leads to a death sentence for him. With guards on his tail, Pocket narrowly escapes and finds himself in the enchanted woods ruled by Oberon, the fairy king, who is in need of a new fool after the murder of his jester, Robin Goodfellow, known as Puck. Oberon offers Pocket a deal: he will lift the death sentence if Pocket uncovers Puck's killer. As Pocket navigates a web of suspects, each with motives for the jester's death, he must utilize his wit and charm to unravel the mystery, save himself, and ensure a happy ending for all involved.
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Christopher Moore returns with a zany noir set in post-World War II San Francisco, featuring a colorful cast, including a hapless bartender, his Chinese sidekick, a sharp-edged doll, a tight-lipped Air Force general, a wisecracking waif, and Petey, a black mamba. In the summer of 1947, an enigmatic blonde named Stilton walks into the saloon where Sammy "Two Toes" Tiffin tends bar, sparking instant attraction. However, before Sammy can act, General Remy arrives with urgent business, as Sammy is the go-to guy for connections on the street. Meanwhile, a suspicious object has been spotted near Mount Rainier, followed by a mysterious plane crash in Roswell, New Mexico. The real strangeness unfolds on the streets of San Francisco. When one of Sammy's schemes backfires and Stilton mysteriously disappears, he must confront his dark secrets and navigate bizarre occurrences to find her. Combining elements of Raymond Chandler and Damon Runyon with a dash of Bugs Bunny, this story is a wild ride through the noir genre, infused with Moore's signature humor and wit.
In San Francisco, the souls of the dead are mysteriously disappearing—and you know that can’t be good—in New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore’s delightfully funny sequel to A Dirty Job. Something really strange is happening in the City by the Bay. People are dying, but their souls are not being collected. Someone—or something—is stealing them and no one knows where they are going, or why, but it has something to do with that big orange bridge. Death Merchant Charlie Asher is just as flummoxed as everyone else. He’s trapped in the body of a fourteen-inch-tall “meat puppet” waiting for his Buddhist nun girlfriend, Audrey, to find him a suitable new body to play host. To get to the bottom of this abomination, a motley crew of heroes will band together: the seven-foot-tall death merchant Minty Fresh; retired policeman turned bookseller Alphonse Rivera; the Emperor of San Francisco and his dogs, Bummer and Lazarus; and Lily, the former Goth girl. Now if only they can get little Sophie to stop babbling about the coming battle for the very soul of humankind . . .
New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore channels William
Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe in The Serpent of Venice, a satiric Venetian
gothic that brings back the Pocket of Dog Snogging, the eponymous hero of
Fool, along with his sidekick, Drool, and pet monkey, Jeff. Venice, a long
time ago.
Absolutely nothing is sacred to Moore. The phenomenally popular, New York
Times-bestselling satirist whom the Atlanta Journal-Constitution calls,
Stephen King with a whoopee cushion and a double-espresso imagination returns
with a lampoon on the Great French Masters.
A code word for gas cylinder and a nickname for rum. Also, to have sexual intercourse with someone. An observation balloon. A small, light tank with a very top speed of 8 m.p.h. In four long years, 1914 - 1918, the Western Front maimed a generation of young men and women bonded by combat and burdened by duty. Now, through the letters of Christopher Moore's Captain Cartwright, comes an extraordinary lexicon of the phrases and lingo of life at the front. Whether born from the desperation of gallows humour in France and Flanders - 'If it keeps on like this, someone's going to get hurt' - or borrowed from further afield - ' comfortable, safe, pleasant. From the Hindustani, khush, pleasure' - wherever he was, whatever he was doing, Tommy invented or borrowed his own word for it. From Ammo to Zig-Zag, this is a fascinating glimpse into the world of our First World War heroes. So boil up the dixie and scrounge yourself some dooly. By the time you've drummed up you'll be slinging the bat like a barber's cat.
En el París de finales del siglo XIXun joven pintor se ve atrapado en una odisea surrealista para descubrir el misterio de la muerte de Vincent van Gogh. El pequeño y lujurioso conde Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, bailarinas de cancan , mucho coñac y un tono muy particular de azul le acompañarán en su viaje. Azul es la última novela del único e inigualable Christopher Moore, el autor que es tan divertido como Terry Pratchett y tan irreverente como Tom Sharpe, y que ya tiene millones de seguidores en todo el mundo. «Gracias a una hábil mezcla de comedia y misterio, Moore construye una intrincada historia que mantendrá alerta al lector con sus innumerables giros argumentales y su humor socarrón.» Booklist «Moore hace una reinterpretación de la historia del arte de lo más entretenida – e intrigante – en esta ambiciosa novela. Los fans de la elegancia socarrona de Moore estarán encantados.» Publishers Weekly
The mayhem begins when an ancient alien beacon is activated, summoning massive spaceships that release pods transforming into people-eating, flying creatures resembling mythological griffins. These creatures wreak havoc, destroying communications and military infrastructure while systematically killing nearly everyone on Earth. However, a trio of New Yorkers refuses to surrender to these intergalactic invaders. Mo, a snarky Gothy game enthusiast; Steve, a skateboard-punk; and Curt, a buff commando with a talent for cosmetics, are determined to fight back, with Florida becoming their battleground. Armed with M-16s, a big f**king gun, and plenty of courage, they embark on a journey from New York City to Orlando, where a downed spacecraft presents a new challenge. In Florida, they encounter Liz, a skilled killer whale trainer, and Oscar, a middle-aged man in a squirrel costume, both of whom have managed to survive the initial onslaught. Together, this unlikely band of heroes plans to infiltrate the alien ship, confront the invaders, and save what remains of the world. If all goes well, Steve might even have a chance to start repopulating Earth.
Bangkok wird von Demonstrationen erschüttert. Chaos und Angst herrschen in der Thaigesellschaft wie unter den Expats. Privatdetektiv Calvino begibt sich mitten hinein in den politischen Feuersturm, als er einen Fall von Medikamenten-Piraterie untersucht. Dabei stößt er auf ein einflussreiches politisches Netz, das mit aller Macht seine wirtschaftlichen Interessen gewahrt wissen will. Ein 19-jähriges Thaimädchen und ein prominenter Rechtsanwalt werden am selben Abend tot aufgefunden. Beide stehen im Zusammenhang mit Calvinos Ermittlungen. Aufgerüttelt vom Untreue-Index, bei dem Bangkok weltweit an oberster Stelle steht, beauftragt ihn eine Gruppe von Ehefrauen, die eheliche Treue ihrer Gatten zu untersuchen. Calvino sieht sich mit Kräften konfrontiert, die ihn an die Grenzen seiner Ermittlungskunst führen.
The city of San Francisco is being stalked by a huge shaved vampyre cat named Chet, and only I, Abby Normal, emergency back-up mistress of the great Bay Area night, and my mangahaired love monkey, Foo Dog, stand between the ravenous monster and a bloody massacre of the general public. Whoa. And this is a love story? Yup. See, while some lovers were born to run, Jody and Tommy were born to bite. Well, reborn, that is, now that they're vampires. Good thing theirs is an undying love, since they're imprisoned in a bronze statue. Their Goth Girl Friday, Abby Normal, wants to be a bloodsucking fiend, too, but right now she's really busy with other stuff like Chet, who's getting bigger and smarter—and thirstier—by the minute. Before you can say "OMG! WTF?" Tommy and Jody are sprung from captivity, and join forces with Abby and the entire crew to hunt big cat and save the city. And that's when the fun really begins.
Christopher Moore im Doppelpack „Der Lustmolch“: Drei Dinge ereignen sich in jenem schicksalsträchtigen September in Pine Cove, bevor das Unheil über die kalifornische Kleinstadt an der Pazifikküste hereinbricht: Im nahen Atomkraftwerk entsteht ein winziges Leck in der Kühlleitung; Mavis Sand sucht einen Blues-Sänger für ihre Bar; und Bess Leander, Mutter zweier Töchter, erhängt sich. Die Ereignisse überschlagen sich … „Flossen Weg!“: Seit Jahren versucht der Meeresbiologe Nate Quinn zu ergründen, warum Buckelwale singen. Da geschieht plötzlich etwas Seltsames: Eine riesige Schwanzflosse taucht aus dem Meer auf mit der deutlichen Aufschrift: Fang mich! Und derselbe Wal versucht mehrmals über das Telefon bei Nate ein Pastrami-Sandwich zu bestellen. Nate glaubt seinen Verstand zu verlieren, bis er der Bitte nachkommt und in die wundersame Welt der Wale hinabtaucht …
This is a bawdy tale. Herein you will find gratuitous shagging, murder, spanking, maiming, treason, and heretofore unexplored heights of vulgarity and profanity,. . . If that's the sort of thing you think you might enjoy, then you have happened upon the perfect story!' So speaks Christopher Moore, one of America's funniest and bestselling authors, regarded as highly as classic satirists such as Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. Read Fool and discover for yourself why this book has dominated bestseller lists across the world, and why it has reduced millions of grown men and women to tears of helpless laughter...
It was the week before Christmas and little Joshua Barker is in desperate need of a Christmas miracle. Josh is sure he saw Santa being killed. But coming to Earth seeking a small child whose wish needs granting is none other than Archangel Raziel. Unfortunately, he's not sporting the brightest halo in the bunch.
Waking up to discover that his girlfriend is a vampire and has transformed him into one, Thomas C. Flood - Tommy, to his friends - adapts to his new powers while dealing with a dangerous faction of bloodsuckers trying to kill off all other vampires
Charlie Asher is a pretty normal guy with a normal life, married to a bright and pretty woman who actually loves him for his normalcy. They're even about to have their first child. Yes, Charlie's doing okay—until people start dropping dead around him, and everywhere he goes a dark presence whispers to him from under the streets. Charlie Asher, it seems, has been recruited for a new position: as Death. It's a dirty job. But, hey! Somebody's gotta do it.
"¿Por qué cantan las ballenas jorobadas? Tal es la cuestión que motiva al biólogo marino y a su tripulación a documentar y fotografiar a esos grandes y húmedos mamíferos. Hasta el extraordinario día en que una ballena levanta la cola en el aire y muestra un mensaje escrito con gigantescas letras mayúsculas: 'que te den'. Claro, Nate se pregunta si no habrá pasado demasiado tiempo observando bajo un sol de justicia ... ya que nadie más lo ha visto; ni su compañero de aventuras, ni su impertinente asistente científico, ni siquiera el rastafari fumeta de a bordo. Cuando llegan las copias de las fotografías, y falta esa en la cual la ballena levanta la cola, se convence de que sucede algo muy raro."--Page 4 of cover.
Whale researcher Nathan Quinn has a problem. It’s not a new problem; in fact, it’s been around for nearly 20 million years. And Nate’s spent most of his adult life working to solve it. You see, although everybody (well, almost everybody) knows that humpback whales sing (outside of human composition, the most complex songs on the planet) no one knows why. Nate, a Ph.D. in behavior biology, intends to discover the answer to this burning question—and soon.Every winter he and Clay Demolocus, his partner in the Maui Whale Research Foundation, ply the warm waters between the islands of Maui and Lanai, recording the eerily beautiful songs of the humpbacks and returning to their lab for electronic analysis. The trouble is, Nate’s beginning to wonder if he hasn’t spent just a little too much time in the sun. Either that, or he’s losing his mind. Because today, as he was shooting an I.D. photo of a humpback tail fluke, Nate could’ve sworn he saw the words “Bite Me” scrawled across the whale’s tail. . .
'Twas the night (okay, more like the week) before Christmas, and all through the tiny community of Pine Cove, California, people are busy buying, wrapping, packing, and generally getting into the holiday spirit. But not everybody is feeling the joy. Little Joshua Barker is in desperate need of a holiday miracle. No, he's not on his deathbed; no, his dog hasn't run away from home. But Josh is sure that he saw Santa take a shovel to the head, and now the seven-year-old has only one prayer: Please, Santa, come back from the dead. But hold on! There's an angel waiting in the wings. (Wings, get it?) It's none other than the Archangel Raziel come to Earth seeking a small child with a wish that needs granting. Unfortunately, our angel's not sporting the brightest halo in the bunch, and before you can say "Kris Kringle," he's botched his sacred mission and sent the residents of Pine Cove headlong into Christmas chaos, culminating in the most hilarious and horrifying holiday party the town has ever seen. Move over, Charles Dickens -- it's Christopher Moore time.
In Phnom Penh hält die UNTAC nach dem Bürgerkrieg einen labilen Frieden aufrecht. Waffenhandel, Schmuggel und Raubüberfälle sind an der Tagesordnung, überall ist Korruption, ein Menschenleben ist nichts wert. Jede Nacht hört man Schüsse an illegalen Checkpoints. Hier soll Vincent Calvino einen Mann namens Hatch ausfindig machen, den Geschäftspartner eines Ganoven in Bangkok. Calvino verfolgt die Spur durch den Russischen Markt, die Spitäler, die Bars, das Hauptquartier der UNTAC und das berüchtigte T-3-Gefängnis. Doch er ist nicht der Einzige, der Hatch sucht …
The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing years - except Biff, the Messiah's best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story in this divinely hilarious, yet heartfelt work 'reminiscent of Vonnegut and Douglas Adams' (Philadelphia Inquirer). Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes, Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the Saviour's pal may not be enough to divert Joshua from his tragic destiny. But there's no one who loves Josh more - except maybe 'Maggie,' Mary of Magdala - and Biff isn't about to let his extraordinary pal suffer and ascend without a fight.
In Bangkok sterben zu viele amerikanische Touristen mit der Nadel im Arm: Drogentote oder Opfer eines Verbrechens? Ein amerikanischer Anwalt braucht für seine Bangkokvisite einen Bodyguard. Vincent Calvino nimmt den Job für viel Geld an, zusammen mit Jessada Santisak, einem beurlaubten Thai-Polizisten aus Los Angeles. Die beiden werden von einem Strudel von Ereignissen mitgerissen und müssen ganz schön rudern, um sich und den Anwalt über Wasser zu halten. Mitten in der Regenzeit, wenn Bangkok im Schlamm versinkt, finden sie sich auf einmal in der Welt des Cybersex-Business wieder.
Vincent Calvino stammt eigentlich aus Brooklyn. Er war ein Anwalt auf dem steilen Weg nach oben, bis er sich mit den falschen Leuten anlegte. Deswegen ist er jetzt Privatdetektiv in Bangkok. Zusammen mit seinem thailändischen Freund Pratt, dem hohen Polizeibeamten, mischt er Bangkok auf. Nicht immer zur Freude derjenigen, die in Südostasien die ganz großen Räder zwischen Hongkong, Tokio und Phnom Phen drehen. Schon bei ihrem ersten Auftritt stecken Calvino und Pratt ganz tief drin im großen Spiel um Macht, Reichtum und Korruption. Auch wenn alles in einer üblen Bar anfängt, als wär’s ein schlechter Traum.
In Christopher Moore's ingenious debut novel, we meet one of the most memorably mismatched pairs in the annals of literature. The good-looking one is one-hundred-year-old ex-seminarian and 'roads' scholar Travis O'Hearn. The green one is Catch, a demon with a nasty habit of eating most of the people he meets. Behind the fake Tudor façade of Pine Cove, California, Catch sees a four-star buffet. Travis, on the other hand, thinks he sees a way of ridding himself of his toothy travelling companion. The winos, neo-pagans, and deadbeat Lotharios of Pine Cove, meanwhile, have other ideas. And none of them is quite prepared when all hell breaks loose.
When aspiring young writer Tommy Flood meets beautiful Jody on her nocturnal visit to the supermarket, he unwittingly begins an eternal relationship with a vampire
From Christopher Moore, author of Fluke, comes a quirky, irreverent novel of love, myth, metaphysics, outlaw biking, angst, and outrageous redemption. As a boy growing up in Montana, he was Samson Hunts Alone -- until a deadly misunderstanding with the law forced him to flee the Crow reservation at age fifteen. Today he is Samuel Hunter, a successful Santa Barbara insurance salesman with a Mercedes, a condo, and a hollow, invented life. Then one day, shortly after his thirty-fifth birthday, destiny offers him the dangerous gift of love -- in the exquisite form of Calliope Kincaid -- and a curse in the unheralded appearance of an ancient Indian god by the name of Coyote. Coyote, the trickster, has arrived to transform tranquillity into chaos, to reawaken the mystical storyteller within Sam ... and to seriously screw up his existence in the process.
From the epic journeys into the unknown by the first people who crossed the Bering land bridge thousands of years ago to Roberta Bondar's landmark voyage into space, The Story of Canada is as vast in scope as the country itself. Authors Janet Lunn and Christopher Moore tell the country's story through rich narrative, recreations of daily life, folk tales, and fascinating facts. The book is splendidly illustrated with original paintings by Alan Daniel, as well as hundreds of historical photographs, maps, paintings, posters, and cartoons. And this updated edition takes Canada's story right up to the present day, with new material on the Charlottetown Accord, the resurgence of Quebec separatism, and Canadian peacekeeping efforts in the former Yugoslavia. The result is a highly readable history that is as beautiful as it is informative, an essential reference for every Canadian family.
