Books published by publisher Phoenix Books

In what Christopher Lehmann-Haupt of The New York Times called "the plot of plots", Robert Littell has created the CIA "legends" Francis and Carroll - dubbed "The Sisters Death and Night" by their cohorts. But few know what these enigmatic and extremely dangerous operatives do. They plot - and they're plotting the perfect crime. They've located the perfect pawn, the Potter, the exiled ex-head of the KGB sleeper school - and, with artful deception, the Sisters coerce him into betraying his last and best sleeper, the man he considers his son. Once awakened, this sleeper, an assassin living secretly in the US, will launch a mission of death - unless the Potter, in a desperate race against time, can stop his protegé from committing the Sisters' perfect and world-shattering crime.

Housebound by inclement weather at a villa near Geneva in 1817 in what has come to be known as, "The Year Without A Summer", a gifted group of writers passed the time by reading then-popular ghost stories and contemplating "the nature of the principle of life." Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Shelley's wife Mary, who was then only nineteen, all agreed to each compose ghost stories. Mary Shelley's story came to her during a restive night: "I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion." The result of her vision, which she later published as a full length novel, became the most famous and compelling horror story of all time. This performance by Julie Harris delivers a chilling reading of the original work as told by the young Mary Shelley. Curl up on a lonely evening, with lights low and perhaps a storm raging outside and return to the 19th Century to experience the classic evocation of the macabre.

The Wonderful O tells of a man named Black who despised the letter "O". He deleted it from his language and omitted it from his words. Opals, moonstones, owls and oaks could not possibly be his items of choice. He preferred emeralds, rubies, sapphires and maps. At least they had no "O". Soon he wanted his entire village to omit the letter "O". But the villagers found words they would not do without HOPE, LOVE, VALOR, and the most important one of all.

This work was originally published prior to the conclusion of the O.J. Simpson murder trial. At that time, California state law made it a crime for jurors and ex-jurors to be paid for writing about their service until 90 days after a trial had ended. That law was found to violate Michael Knox's First Amendment rights, clearing the way for his story to be made public before the trial had ended. Here, Knox reveals that while racial divisions existed on the panel, they were grossly exaggerated. He describes the oppressive, bizarre, and demeaning life of sequestration, where alcohol is prohibited and privacy is nonexistent...even during conjugal visits, jurors worried about having their conversation taped. Knox also explains why he was leaning towards a guilty verdict just prior to his dismissal as a juror.

Mitchell, widely known for his original and definitive translations of spiritual writings and poetry, has taken the work of Neruda (1904-1973), whose poems are passionate, humorous, and exceptionally accessible, and brought them to life for a whole new generation of listeners. Mitchell has selected nearly 50 poems for this collection, which focuses on Neruda's mature period, beginning with Elemental Odes, published when he was 50 years old, and ending with Full Powers, published when he was 58.

Everybody's favorite "American in Paris". Art Buchwald began his young career at the age of 22 in 1948 by covering sidewalk cafes and weddings for the legendary Paris Herald Tribune. For the next 14 years he developed a life and career socializing and reporting on the folkways and foibles of some of the most powerful and famous people in the world. More importantly, though, he met and married a redhead named Ann, adopted three children, and created a home for his new family, something new to him as a Jewish foster-child from Queens. Filled with Buchwald's wonderful gift for storytelling, I'll Always Have Paris is a true delight.

The Greatest Story Ever Told, based on the book of the same name by Fulton Ousler, came to ABC for Goodyear Tires on January 26, 1947. This ambitious radio series, with a full orchestra and a 16-voice chorus, dramatized the life and times of Jesus Christ, "the greatest life ever lived." It was the first radio series to simulate the voice of Christ as a continuing character. Warren Parker played the part of Jesus, although none of the show's actors were ever promoted as "stars". Ouster, then religious editor of Reader's Digest, kept a strong interest in the show, meeting weekly with writer Henry Denker before scripts were prepared. They often discussed ideas in terms of modern problems, then found a corollary in the life of Christ and emerged with a theme. Denker, a long-time student of the Bible, held additional meetings with clergy of all faiths. Moreover, an inter-denominational advisory board guided the show. The stories quite effectively captured the essence of Ouster's book, a beautifully simple, popular dramatization of Christ's life as set down by four apostles. Marx Loeb was the director of the radio show, with Leonard Blair as assistant director, and it was produced by Wadill Catchings. William Stoess composed the music. Willard Young directed the orchestra and chorus. The Greatest Story Ever Told became an integrated part of school and church work. The radio show aired on ABC as an early evening Sunday show for the next decade. This Easter-themed audio edition features three full-cast dramatizations from The Greatest Story Ever Told radio series: "The Betrayal", "The Crucifixion", and "The Resurrection".

From basic training to World War II to the Gulf War, America's veterans share their funniest stories in this collection of Reader's Digest's popular "Humor in Uniform" column. Beneath the horror of war lies a rich tradition of comedy and satire, and these anecdotes have entertained readers for decades. Stars of the TV and movie versions of America's favorite military comedy, M*A*S*H, read equally hilarious pieces from all four branches of the armed forces. Whether poking fun at the higher echelons of army power or joking about retired sergeants adjusting to civilian life, Humor in Uniform certainly earns its stripes with laughter.

When Dave Barry goes mano a mano with the Information Superhighway, it's guaranteed to be a rip-roaring adventure. This self-proclaimed computer geek and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist starts with the motto, "Never read the instructions," and slides from there into the world of hardware, software, Windows 95, and the critical issue of RAM ("the bottom line is, if you're a guy, you cannot have enough RAM"). He also shares the wisdom he's gained from forays into cyberspace, including how to use Internet shorthand to chat with total strangers who may be boring and stupid, and a wide selection of very unusual Web sites.

Jim Hawkins, the son of an innkeeper, longs for adventure. When one of the inn's guests, a coarse old bully named Billy Bones, reveals a map showing the whereabouts of Captain Flint's treasure, Jim and his mother flee with the map to Squire Trelawney, outwitting Bones and the other pirates chasing him. With his friend Dr. Livesey, the Squire charters for them The Hispaniola, a schooner carrying a number of pirates led by Long John Silver, who has signed on as cook. Excitement and heroic action await Jim Hawkins as he seeks to foil the pirates, find the treasure, and bring Long John Silver to justice. 1996 Grammy Award Nominee