Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father's inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty -- until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold. When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk -- grim fey creatures who seem more ice than...

"The life and times of the wealthiest man who ever lived--Jacob Fugger--the Renaissance banker who revolutionized the art of making money and established the radical idea of pursuing wealth for its own sake. Jacob Fugger lived in Germany at the turn of the sixteenth century, the grandson of a peasant. By the time he died, his fortune amounted to nearly two percent of European GDP. Not even John D. Rockefeller had that kind of wealth. Most people become...

The merchant of Venice: Shakespeare's comedy in which a young merchant attempts to extricate himself from an onerous contract with a vicious shylock The millionairess: Shaw's comedy in which a wealthy, heiress seeks romance with an Egyptian doctor who only tends to the poor Bed among the lentils: A dramatic monologue by a jaded, alcoholic wife of a country vicar Suddenly last summer: A wealthy Southern matriarch tries to influence a young neurosurgeon...

"A stylish, modern adaptation of Shakespeare's dark comedy, with backgrounds drawn on location in Venice. The text is adapted for clarity, and transitions from simple, modern prose to original Shakespearean verse as the play progresses" -- from author's web site