In 1954, the French writer, politician, and publisher André Malraux posed at home for a photographer from the magazine Paris Match, surrounded by pages from his forthcoming book Le musée imaginaire de la sculpture mondiale. The enchanting metaphor of the musée imaginaire (imaginary museum) was built upon that illustrated art book, and Malraux was one of its greatest champions. Drawing on a range of contemporary publications, he adopted images and responded to ideas. Indeed, Malraux’s book on the floor is a variation of photographer André Vigneau’s spectacular Encyclopédie photographique de l’art, published in five volumes from 1935 on—years before Malraux would enter this field. Both authors were engaged in juxtaposing artworks via photographs and publishing these photographs by the hundreds, but Malraux was the better sloganeer. Starting from a close examination of the photograph of Malraux in his salon, art historian Walter Grasskamp takes the reader back to the dawn of this genre of illustrated art book. He shows how it catalyzed the practice of comparing works of art on a global scale. He retraces the metaphor to earlier reproduction practices and highlights its ubiquity in contemporary art, ending with an homage to the other pioneer of the “museum without walls,” the unjustly forgotten Vigneau.

Two boyhood friends leave Fallujah, Iraq on the eve of one of the largest sieges of the war. Neither of them want to fight in the uprising. The violence of the war follows them up the Euphrates River on a journey neither of them will ever forget. + Falcons on the Floor is the rare novel about war that re-humanizes everyone involved. Through excellent writing and a deep understanding of what occupation does, to civilians and soldiers alike, Sirois and Alshujairy take the reader on a deeply personal journey where we are shown how and why war should be avoided at all cost. Dahr Jamail, independent journalist and author of Beyond the Green Zone + Falcons on the Floor is witty and darkly funny when it needs to be, and its sad and disastrous moments are perfectly timed... Sirois knows his craft. American Book Review + Reading Falcons is to witness the stunning, troubled metamorphosis of one type of fiction into another. Our discussion of a new wave of politically engaged, outward-looking novels starts here. Colorado Review

In the City everything has a price. At the age of twenty-eight, Dubliner Geri Molloy has put her troubled past behind her to become a major player at Steiner's investment bank in London, earning £850k a year doing business with a reclusive hedge fund manager in Hong Kong who, in return for his patronage, likes to ask her about Kant and watch while she eats exotic Asian delicacies. For five years Geri has had it all, but in the months leading up to the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991, her life starts to unravel. Abandoned by her corporate financier boyfriend, in the grip of a debilitating insomnia, and drinking far too much, Geri becomes entangled in a hostile takeover involving her boss, her client and her ex. With her career on the line as a consequence, and no one to turn to, she is close to losing it, in every sense. Taut and fast-paced, On the Floor is about making money and taking risks; it's about getting away with it, and what happens when you're no longer one step ahead; ultimately, though, it's a reminder to never, ever underestimate the personal cost of success.

He began with no athletic ability. His pass-catching skills were so bad that he was told he couldn't catch a cold if he were butt-naked. He fell flat on his facemask during a six-minute jog. He was tormented by referees, subjected to rookie initiation pranks, called Rudy by fans and intimidated by a 250-pound ex-NFL player. Welcome to Jeff Foley's adventure in the Arena Football League. A five-foot-six, 180-pound writer, Foley is every bit the average individual. But the AFL's Albany Firebirds agreed to let him join their squad as an offensive specialist/writer in 1999 and 2000. So, despite never having played a down of organized football ? no Pop Warner, high school or college gridiron experience ? Foley played in three professional contests, running pass patterns against seasoned athletes, competing in front of more than 10,000 people. He lived every fan's dream. Or nightmare? He endured grueling practice sessions, hits, injuries and road trips, and attended team meetings and meals. He was a part of locker room conversations. He was overjoyed by the thrill of success, and dealt with the disappointment that accompanies failure. Foley experienced all life in the AFL has to offer. And lived to write about it.

With 100 games to start a party, ideas to trigger conversation, storytelling setups, and fiendish puzzles—no materials required—The Floor Is Lava is a how-to for turning screen-free time into quality time. Put down the phone and pick up the fun! Analog play is known to stimulate imaginative thinking, problem solving, and interpersonal connection. However, games only seem to exist on screen now and quality time spent together—in person—is rarer than ever. The Floor Is Lava is perfect for anyone looking to disconnect from technology and spend some quality time with family or friends. Packed with one hundred screen-free games, it’s the necessary antidote to digital overload and the answer to every occasion: - hosting a party - long car rides - cooling off on summer days - sitting around the dinner table - holiday gatherings - rainy days The best part is, you don’t need anything to play. So what are you waiting for? Jump up and get started—the floor is lava!

It started as a favor . . . And led to a bunch of dead bodies. Now, John Tyler is on the run. The former soldier offered to pick up his daughter Lexi’s friend Stacy at the airport in bad weather. Simple enough. When they arrived at the young woman’s house, however, four murdered corpses littered the floor. And the killers were circling back . . . Even once they make an escape, their future is hardly certain. Cut off from his friends and support, Tyler must keep Stacy safe from a determined and unknown adversary with a seemingly endless supply of assassins. When Stacy ends up in the enemy’s clutches, Tyler stages a desperate gambit to get her back alive. Why are she and her family targets? Finding out might cost John Tyler his life. Four on the Floor is the kinetic fourth entry in the John Tyler thriller series.