Emil Ganz was always extraordinary. Child genius. Prize-winning astrophysicist. Then, missing person. A decade later he re-emerges as Jupiter, guru of an apocalyptic cult, bringing shame on his family and worrying parents. But when he's found dead, the consequences are more extraordinary.
A former scientist who pointlessly murdered a woman during a robbery attempt describes his amoral, aimless life as he awaits trial. "Banville's style, which is spare yet richly eloquent, and his extraordinary psychological penetration, are what lift his novel to a level of comparison with Camus's The Stranger and Dostoyevski's Crime and Punishment."
True Hallucinations: Being an Account of the Author's Extraordinary Adventures in the Devils Paradise
This mesmerizing, surreal account of the bizarre adventures of Terence McKenna, his brother Dennis, and a small band of their friends, is a wild ride of exotic experience and scientific inquiry. Exploring the Amazon Basin in search of mythical shamanic hallucinogens, they encounter a host of unusual characters -- including a mushroom, a flying saucer, pirate Mantids from outer space, an appearance by James and Nora Joyce in the guise of poultry, and translinguistic matter -- and discover the missing link in the development of human consciousness and language.
When the old woman died, she left each of her grandchildren something very special. For Kirby, the gift of dance. For Brendon, the gift of music. And for Nancy, the most extraordinary gift of all . . . magic.
Despite its grand, hagiographic title, one of Hero’s greatest strengths is its ability to represent Lawrence—“a scholar and warrior, an imperialist and supporter of Arab independence, a politician and rebel, a publicity seeker and recluse” — as a complex, multilayered figure. Korda gives a painstaking account of Lawrence’s audacious exploits, extraordinary victories, and disheartening failures. He also dissects previous biographers’ disagreements, confronts some of the most entrenched misconceptions surrounding Lawrence, and ultimately contributes to a greater understanding of Lawrence.
