Best of
Cultural

2009

A Child of a Crackhead


Shameek Speight - 2009
    Shameek A Speight takes writing to a new level ! • A must read! This is an amazing work of literature! He watched as she screamed and yelled with every strike that the man, made to her face. From her mouth, she spit blood that was rolling down her face. He continued to watch the 6'2" dark skin man repeatedly hit and kick the woman in the stomach, again and again. Noooo stop! please stop!" as she yelled his closed fist went upside her head. Michael knew he had to do something to stop the man from beating the beautiful brown skin woman, with tears running down his own face he yelled, Daddy stop! Daddy stop!, as he ran his 6 year old frame between his father and mother. "Daddy stop hitting mommy!", All he felt was his father's big black hands grasp him around his neck and squeeze until he couldnt breathe and threw him across the room. Micheal sat on the floor crying. Partly because of the pain he felt, but mostly because of the beating his mother was getting. How does Micheal, child of a crack head, fight to stay a live ? what will he face and those he truly love ? and do they survive the terror of the man they call Black ice. This story tells the countless beating's, killing's, lies, infidelity and betrayels of a crack head and how a mother and child survive the street life.

16 on the Block


Babygirl Daniels - 2009
    Sixteen-year-old Summer Flynt is forced to grow up quickly when she learns she is responsible for her older sister's debt to a thug.

Annie's Girl: How an Abandoned Orphan Finally Discovered the Truth About Her Mother


Maureen Coppinger - 2009
    She was just three years old.      She remained in the orphanage until the age of 16, subjected to cruelty and neglect, and starved of love and affection. One of her closest friends was taken away to an asylum after her spirit was broken by repeated beatings, and Maureen herself faced a constant battle against despair. It was an environment from which no one emerged unscathed.      Throughout these tormented years, Maureen dreamed only of escape, and when she was contacted again by her mammy she believed all her dreams were about to come true. Life in the outside world brought its own challenges, however, and Maureen was thrown into turmoil when she discovered that the truth about her past was more murky than she had ever realised.      Annie's Girl stands apart as a poignant testimony to the resilience of the human heart. This touching and evocative memoir is the incredible story of an illegitimate industrial-school survivor's profound struggle to overcome a shame-filled past and solve the mystery of her origins.

Daughters of God


M. Russell Ballard - 2009
    "While women live in homes under many different circumstances--married, single, widowed, or divorced, some with children and some without--all are beloved of God, and He has a plan for His righteous daughters to receive the highest blessings of eternity," writes Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve. Elder Ballard's respect and love for women are evident in the way he speaks about them, which he has done in several landmark addresses in recent years. Daughters of God presents three of those classic messages to and about women, accented with inspirational images. A perfect gift, this meaningful book will lift and encourage women in all of life's circumstances.

Millionaire Wives Club


Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker - 2009
    Whitaker’s steamiest novel yet, we meet the four deliciously dramatic, designer-clad divas from prime time’s new hit reality show, The Millionaire Wives Club.Evan: Married to a pro-football star who isn’t in love with her anymore, Evan is digging her freshly manicured nails in ever deeper as she fights to keep the husband who loves someone else.Milan: Half Dominican, half black, and beautifully exotic-looking, Milan is watching her has-been husband’s fortune fade fast–while her romantic attachment to Evan’s husband is heating up.Jaise: Divorced from a former boxing star who’s now married to a white woman, Jaise is trying to raise her sixteen-year-old son on her own. Will her huge alimony checks keep her from falling in love?Chaunci: Editor of the hottest black women’s magazine, Chaunci is now engaged to the high-powered man who helped finance her magazine when she was just a struggling single mom. But when a onetime passionate flame reignites, Chaunci may not be able to resist its charms.When these starlets’ private lives run as wild as their emotions, their relationships with one another inevitably turn into high-profile catfights. Through it all, the cameras never stop rolling on TV’s guiltiest pleasure, where power–and diamonds–are always a girl’s best friend.

Who Is He To You


Monique D. Mensah - 2009
    Jessica lives the upscale lifestyle of a refined society matron. She strives to be the perfect wife, but without her husband, Ross, she would be nothing more than the abused stripper he rescued 16 years ago. Ryan, a fiery thirty-something, is quickly slipping into depression and prescription drug-addiction as her boyfriend, Anthony, artfully dangles the empty promise of marriage. As the shattered lives of three very different women collide, they find that they have one thing in common: they are all in a desperate fight to hang on to love. But when love involves incest, self-mutilation, drug-addiction and murder, will they continue to fight or will they find the strength to escape before it's too late? Experience their emotional journey through to the shocking end where these women will experience injury, imprisonment and even death while crafting new lives from the ashes of their ruination.

Honolulu


Alan Brennert - 2009
    As for me, my parents named me Regret."Honolulu is the rich, unforgettable story of a young "picture bride" who journeys to Hawai'i in 1914 in search of a better life.Instead of the affluent young husband and chance at an education that she has been promised, she is quickly married off to a poor, embittered laborer who takes his frustrations out on his new wife. Renaming herself Jin, she makes her own way in this strange land, finding both opportunity and prejudice. With the help of three of her fellow picture brides, Jin prospers along with her adopted city, now growing from a small territorial capital into the great multicultural city it is today. But paradise has its dark side, whether it's the daily struggle for survival in Honolulu's tenements, or a crime that will become the most infamous in the islands history...With its passionate knowledge of people and places in Hawai'i far off the tourist track, Honolulu is most of all the spellbinding tale of four women in a new world, united by dreams, disappointment, sacrifices, and friendship.

Scared


Tom Davis - 2009
    Once a celebrated and award-winning photojournalist, he is reeling from debt, a broken marriage, and crippling depression. The source of Stuart's grief is his most famous photo, a snapshot of brutality in the dangerous Congo. A haunting image that indicts him as a passive witness to gross injustice.Stuart is given a one last chance to redeem his career: A make-or-break assignment covering the AIDS crisis in a small African country. It is here that Stuart meets Adanna, a young orphan fighting for survival in a community ravaged by tragedy and disease. But in the face of overwhelming odds, Adanna finds hope in a special dream, where she is visited by an illuminated man and given a precious gift.Now, in a dark place that's a world away from home, Stuart will once again confront the harsh reality of a suffering people in a forgotten land. And as a chance encounter becomes divine providence, two very different people will find their lives forever changed.

Catholic Bible Dictionary


Scott Hahn - 2009
    It has been a fertile generation for biblical scholarship, an eventful time for biblical archaeology, and a fruitful time for the Church’s interpretation of the Bible. It is time for a new resource.Scott Hahn, internationally renowned theologian and biblical scholar, has inspired millions with his insight into the Catholic faith. Now he brings us this important reference guide, written specifically for Catholics, which contains more than five thousand clear and accessible entries and covers a wide range of people, places, and topics. From Genesis to Revelation, the whole of salvation history is presented and explained in smart, easy-to-understand prose.Catholic Bible Dictionary is an invaluable source of information, insight, and guidance for Catholics and others who are interested in enriching their understanding of Sacred Scripture. Scott Hahn draws from two millennia of scholarship to create an accessible and comprehensive tool for deeper and more rewarding biblical study.

Growing Up bin Laden: Osama's Wife and Son Take Us Inside Their Secret World


Jean Sasson - 2009
    In gripping detail, they recount the drama, tensions, and everyday activities of the man they knew as a husband and father. Married at fifteen, Najwa describes the transformation of the quiet, serious young man she fell in love with into an authoritarian husband and stern father, an entrepreneur, and – finally – the leader of a complex international terrorist network. Uprooted from a life of extraordinary luxury and privilege in Saudi Arabia, they suddenly found themselves living life on the run, fleeing from country to country under assumed names and fake passports. Omar describes how he and his siblings were brought up in remote ranches and fortified Afghani mountain camps, handling Kalashnikovs and learning desert survival skills. Their eventual escape from Afghanistan would come just days before the terrible events of 9/11 changed the world forever. With unprecedented access and exclusive family photographs, Jean Sasson, author of the bestselling Princess, presents the story that we were never meant to hear.

Kiyo's Story: A Japanese-American Family's Quest for the American Dream


Kiyo Sato - 2009
    He, his wife, and their nine American-born children labored in the fields together, building a successful farm. Yet at the outbreak of World War II, Kiyo's family was ordered to Poston Internment Camp. This memoir tells the story of the family's struggle to endure in these harsh conditions and to rebuild their lives afterward in the face of lingering prejudice.

Mama Says: A Book of Love for Mothers and Sons


Rob D. Walker - 2009
    Written in rhyming text, this is a "must have" for every family.Gentle, but powerful life lessons spoken to a child, delivered with a mother's immutable love. Stunning illustrations will leave readers breathless and deeply moved. Never heavy-handed, Mama Says teaches the universal importance of kindness, sharing, diligence, and faith, along with the importance of courage and a willingness to always try your best. Here is the perfect gift book for any mother--as a baby gift, a holiday gift, a birthday gift, a Mother's Day gift, or just as a way to say "I love you."

Shades of People


Shelley Rotner - 2009
    A perfect resource for starting conversations about race with young children, Shades of People celebrates the diversity of everyday life. This beautiful picture book and its board book edition, All Kinds of People, pair simple text and vibrant photographs to explore one of our most notable physical traits.At school, at the beach, and in the city, diverse groups of children invite young readers both to take notice and to look beyond the obvious. Combining lively action shots and candid portraits, Shelley Rotner's photographs showcase a wide variety of kids and families--many shades, and many bright smiles.For even younger readers, this title has also been adapted as a board book, All Kinds of People.An ALA Notable Book.

The Social Network - screenplay


Aaron Sorkin - 2009
    The movie was released in October, 2101.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1285016/

Now Is the Time for Running


Michael Williams - 2009
    Can he use that gift to find hope once more?Just down the road from their families, Deo and his friends play soccer in the dusty fields of Zimbabwe, cheered on by Deo's older brother, Innocent. It is a day like any other ..until the soldiers arrive and Deo and Innocent are forced to run for their lives, fleeing the wreckage of their village for the distant promise of safe haven. Along the way, they face the prejudice and poverty that await refugees everywhere, and must rely on the kindness of people they meet to make it through. Relevant, timely, and accessibly written, Now Is the Time For Running is a staggering story of survival that follows Deo and his mentally handicapped older brother on a transformative journey that will stick with readers long after the last page.

Imitation


Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - 2009
    In "Imitation" she explrored a unique aspect of the Nigerian-American experience. Following the fashion of her country, Nkem has left Nigeria to raise her children in America, while her husband Obiora remains in their homeland. One day, a friend calls Nkem from Africa with the news that Obiora is keeping a girlfriend. "This is what happens when you marry a rich man," says the friend. Caught between two worlds and wanting the best for her children, Nkem faces a difficult decision. All the more powerful for its restraint and calm, "Imitation" is a fascinating tale of one woman's struggle against isolation.

Too Many Mangos: A Story about Sharing


Tammy Paikai - 2009
    They pick large, small, ripe, half-ripe, and even green mangos. But this time, they've picked too many, so it's time to load up the wagon and share the tasty treats with friends and family. Along the way, they show young readers the many ways to enjoy the treasured island fruit, and introduce their friendly neighbors around the block. Tammy Paikai's thoughtful text and Don Robinson's vibrant illustrations capture the joys of island living while teaching a valuable lesson about friendship and community.

The Mythology Handbook: An Introduction to the Greek Myths


Hestia Evans - 2009
    flaps. maps. stickers. eight hero and monster cards. fact files on beasts and heroes. many heroic and monstrous activities

Born Under a Million Shadows


Andrea Busfield - 2009
    In his short life eleven-year-old Fawad has known more grief than most: his father and brother have been killed, his sister has been abducted, and Fawad and his mother, Mariya, must rely on the charity of family to eke out a hand-to-mouth existence. Then Mariya finds a position as housekeeper for a charismatic western woman, Georgie, and Fawad dares to hope for an end to their struggle. He soon discovers that his beloved Georgie is caught up in a dangerous love affair with the powerful Afghan warlord Haji Khan, a legendary name on the streets of Kabul. At first resentful of Haji Khan's presence, Fawad learns that love can move a man to act in surprising ways, and an overwhelming act of generosity persuades him of the warlord's good intentions.But even a man as influential as Haji Khan can't protect Fawad from the next tragedy to blight his young life, a tragedy so devastating that it threatens to destroy the one thing Fawad thought he could never lose: his love for his country.

The Tuner of Silences


Mia Couto - 2009
    Mwanito's been living in a big-game park for eight years. The only people he knows are his father, his brother, an uncle, and a servant. He's been told that the rest of the world is dead, that all roads are sad, that they wait for an apology from God. In the place his father calls Jezoosalem, Mwanito has been told that crying and praying are the same thing. Both, it seems, are forbidden. The eighth novel by The New York Times-acclaimed Mia Couto, The Tuner of Silences is the story of Mwanito's struggle to reconstruct a family history that his father is unable to discuss. With the young woman's arrival in Jezoosalem, however, the silence of the past quickly breaks down, and both his father's story and the world are heard once more. The Tuner of Silences was heralded as one of the most important books to be published in France in 2011 and remains a shocking portrait of the intergenerational legacies of war. Now available for the first time in English.

The Invisible Mountain


Carolina De Robertis - 2009
    Later, as a young woman in the capital city—Montevideo, brimming with growth and promise—Pajarita begins a lineage of independent women. Her daughter Eva, intent on becoming a poet, overcomes an early, shattering betrayal to embark on a most unconventional path toward personal and artistic fulfillment. And Eva’s daughter Salomé, awakening to both her sensuality and political convictions amidst the violent turmoil of the late 1960s, finds herself dangerously attracted to a cadre of urban guerilla rebels. From Perón's glittering Buenos Aires to the rustic hills of Rio de Janeiro, from the haven of a Montevideo butchershop to U.S. embassy halls, The Invisible Mountain celebrates a nation’s spirit, the will to survive in the most desperate of circumstances, and the fierce and complex connections between mother and daughter.

A History of Bangladesh


Willem Van Schendel - 2009
    A country chiefly famous in the West for media images of poverty, underdevelopment, and natural disasters, Bangladesh did not exist as an independent state until 1971. Willem van Schendel's history reveals the country's vibrant, colourful past and its diverse culture as it navigates the extraordinary twists and turns that have created modern Bangladesh. The story begins with the early geological history of the delta which has decisively shaped Bangladesh society. The narrative then moves chronologically through the era of colonial rule, the partition of Bengal, the war with Pakistan and the birth of Bangladesh as an independent state. In so doing, it reveals the forces that have made Bangladesh what it is today. This is an eloquent introduction to a fascinating country and its resilient and inventive people.

Pavane for a Dead Princess


Min-gyu Park - 2009
    Pavane for a Dead Princess is his attack upon the beauty-fetish that reigns over popular culture, detailing the relationship between a man with matinee-idol good looks and "the ugliest woman of the century." To complicate matters further, Park also includes a so-called "writer's cut" of the same story, offering alternate versions of the facts, giving the reader the opportunity to imagine all the different ways this same novel might have been written.

The Usborne Book of Famous Paintings


Rosie Dickins - 2009
    "Provides a picture-by-picture introduction to 35 of the world's best-known, best-loved paintings -- from oil paintings to prints -- all beautifully reproduced and explained in a simple, engaging way"--Back cover.

Elizabeti's Doll


Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen - 2009
    After looking around her village, Elizabeti finds the perfect doll to love, and names her Eva.When Mama changes the new baby's diaper, Elizabeti changes Eva. When Mama sings to the baby, Elizabeti sings to Eva. And one day when Eva turns up lost, Elizabeti realizes just how much she loves her special doll.Sure to become a classic story for bedtime or naptime, Elizabeti's Doll is a universal tale of love and tenderness that will touch readers of all ages.

Posing Beauty: African American Images from the 1890s to the Present


Deborah Willis - 2009
    Determined to redress this imbalance, Willis examined everything from vintage ladies’ journals to black newspapers, and started what would become a lifelong quest. With more than two hundred arresting images, many previously unpublished, Posing Beauty recovers a world many never knew existed. Historical subjects such as Billie Holiday and Josephine Baker illuminate the past; Angela Davis and Muhammad Ali take us to the civil rights era; Denzel Washington, Lil’ Kim, and Michelle Obama celebrate the present. Featuring the works of more than one hundred photographers, including Carl van Vechten, Eve Arnold, Lee Friedlander, and Carrie Mae Weems, Willis’s book not only celebrates the lives of the famous but also captures the barber shop, the bodybuilding contest, and prom night. Posing Beauty challenges our most fundamental assumptions about what it means to be “beautiful.”

The Jewish Code


Perry Stone - 2009
    Breaking the Jewish Code helps readers unlock the amazing secrets to this success.

Jumping Through Fires: The Gripping Story of One Man's Escape from Revolution to Redemption


David Nasser - 2009
    Some see it as the answer to every problem, while others see it as the problem itself. Simply put, religion is the single greatest force in history. But in a much more intimate sense, what does religion mean to one life? This memoir tells of a life filled with heartbreak and healing.

Receive Me Falling


Erika Robuck - 2009
    The haunting words of an historian and former cane worker on the Caribbean island of Nevis launch Meghan Owen on her quest to unlock the secrets of an abandoned sugar plantation and its ghosts. After Meg's parents die in a car accident on the night of her engagement party, she calls off her wedding, takes leave of her job in Annapolis, and travels to land she's inherited on Nevis. A series of discoveries in an old plantation house on the property, Eden, set her on a search for the truth surrounding the shameful past of her ancestors, their slaves, and the tragedy that resulted in the fall of the plantation and its inhabitants. Through a crushing phone call with her lawyer, Meg learns that her father's estate was built on stolen money, and is being sued by multiple sources. She is faced with having to sell the land and plantation home, and deal with the betrayal she feels from her deceased father. In alternating chapters, the historical drama of the Dall family unfolds. Upon the arrival of British abolitionists to the hedonistic 19th century plantation society, Catherine Dall is forced to choose between her lifestyle and the scandal of deserting her family. An angry confrontation with Catherine's slave, Leah, results in the girl's death, but was it murder or suicide? Hidden texts, scandalous diaries, antique paintings, and confessional letters help Meghan Owen uncover the secrets of Eden and put the ghosts to rest.

Isle of Tears


Deborah Challinor - 2009
    When armed conflict drives a wedge between Maori and Pakeha, not everyone can choose sides easily. For Isla McKinnon, the choices are bitter. Taken in by local Maori when her parents are brutally murdered, she has grown to womanhood and taken a Maori husband. In a thrilling tale of love and loss from the land wars - when simmering tensions between Maori and the encroaching Pakeha settlements exploded into bloody warfare - love and trust are put cruelly to the test. Separated from her husband and her family and restored to Auckland society, Isla must learn to survive in both worlds. Inevitably, she must decide between them, and lose part of her heart forever.

11处特工皇妃 [Division 11's Princess Agent]


潇湘冬儿 - 2009
    She could be said to be the pinnacle of military intelligence building.***Chu Qiao was once agent 005 for the the military unit 11. After being framed and thrown into prison, she successfully escaped but then sacrificed her life to protect the special agent unit from being bombed. When she woke up again, Chu Qiao had traveled to the Xia Dynasty as an 8-year-old slave girl. Due to receiving help from Yan Xun during their escape, their fate was bound together, as Chu Qiao would then spend years helping him rebel and reconquer his land.However, as they walked further and further down the path to their dream, they grew further apart. One reason was because of the way they dealt with things, the other was because of a rather meddlesome Zhuge Yue, who never stopped loving Chu Qiao, despite having their loyalties lie on opposite ends.The old regime will crumble and wither away, letting the new Xia Dynasty be reborn from the ashes.

Something Torn and New: An African Renaissance


Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o - 2009
    In Something Torn and New, Ngugi explores Africa's historical, economic, and cultural fragmentation by slavery, colonialism, and globalization. Throughout this tragic history, a constant and irrepressible force was Europhonism: the replacement of native names, languages, and identities with European ones. The result was the dismemberment of African memory. Seeking to remember language in order to revitalize it, Ngugi's quest is for wholeness. Wide-ranging, erudite, and hopeful, Something Torn and New is a cri de coeur to save Africa's cultural future.

Works of John Muir


John Muir - 2009
    It is indexed alphabetically, chronologically and by category, making it easier to access individual books, stories and poems. This collection offers lower price, the convenience of a one-time download, and it reduces the clutter in your digital library. All books included in this collection feature a hyperlinked table of contents and footnotes. The collection is complimented by an author biography. Table of Contents The Mountains of California (1894)The Grand Canon of the Colorado (1902)Stickeen (1909)The Yosemite (1912)The Story of My Boyhood and Youth (1913)Travels in Alaska (1915)Steep Trails (1918) (edited by W. F. Bade)Appendix:John Muir Biography

Racial Domination, Racial Progress: The Sociology of Race in America


Matthew Desmond - 2009
    Examining how race is not a matter of separate entities but of systems of social relations, this text unpacks how race works in the political, economic, residential, legal, educational, aesthetic, associational, and intimate fields of social life. Racial Domination, Racial Progress is a work of uncompromising intersectionality, which refuses to artificially separate race and ethnicity from class and gender, while, at the same time, never losing sight of race as its primary focus. The authors seek to connect with their readers in a way that combines disciplined reasoning with a sense of engagement and passion, conveying sophisticated ideas in a clear and compelling fashion.

Serendip: My Sri Lankan Kitchen


Peter Kuruvita - 2009
    Offering Sri Lankan curries of every kind, as well as traditional snacks, breads and sticky sweet treats, it is a treasury of spicy meals and tasty morsels.

The Shivering


Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - 2009
    United in a common loss, Ukamaka is glad to have someone she can confide in about her home, her ex-boyfriend, her life as a graduate student in the United States, and her ambitions. But, in her eagerness to discover a new friend in Chinedu, Ukamaka is slow to realize the tragic and desperate secrets he is protecting from her.       In this poignant, stirring short depicting the solitary lives that immigrants face in the United States, acclaimed author of Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie celebrates faith and the fragile ties that can grant salvation.   An ebook short.

Night & Day


Sherrie Hansen - 2009
    Each is a mature adult and each feels an abiding sense of being unfulfilled. Fate draws together these two star-crossed lovers who are so alike, and yet as distinct as night and day.

Six Months in Sudan: A Young Doctor in a War-torn Village


James Maskalyk - 2009
    I went to Sudan, and am writing about it again, because I believe that which separates action from inaction is the same thing that separates my friends from Sudan. It is not indifference. It is distance. May it fall away.”In 2007 James Maskalyk set out for the contested border town of Abyei, Sudan, as a doctor newly recruited by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). Equipped with his experience as an emergency physician in a downtown hospital and drawn to the hardest parts of the world, Maskalyk spent his days treating malnourished children, coping with a measles epidemic and watching for war. Worn thin by the struggle to meet overwhelming needs with few resources, he returned home six months later more affected by the experience, the people and the place than he had anticipated.Six Months in Sudan began as a blog that Maskalyk wrote from his hut in Sudan in an attempt to bring his family and friends closer to his hot, hot days. It is the story of the doctors, nurses and countless volunteers who leave their homes behind to ease the suffering of others, and it is the story of the people of Abyei who suffer its hardship because it is the only home they have. With great hope and insight, Maskalyk illuminates a distant place and chronicles the toll of war on one community, one man, and the cost of it to all of us.

Another Man's War: The True Story of One Man's Battle to Save Children in the Sudan


Sam Childers - 2009
    And it always seemed to be ""another man's war. I always seemed to be fighting for someone else. But it always came back to me. The Word says we're born into sin, and sin always comes back to war." --"Sam ChildersSam Childers has always been a fighter. Born to a violent father and a mother of great faith, his life was a contradiction. With an affinity for drugs and women, the angry young man grew into a drug-dealing biker. But that was then. Nowadays Sam--along with the cadre of Sudanese soldiers he employs--spends his time in the most dangerous parts of Sudan and Uganda rescuing the youngest victims of war, orphans and child-soldiers. His mission is simple: save the children, no matter the cost.Endorsements:"Another Man's War is about true terrorism . . . against more than 200,000 children in northern Uganda and Southern Sudan. Sam Childers--a fighter and a preacher (some call him a mercenary)--tirelessly leads a small militia into the jungle, daring to fight against a vicious army outnumbering him one thousand to one. One man can make a huge difference. Sam Childers certainly does." -- "Peter Fonda, actor/filmmaker, best known as star of "Easy Rider"The Reverend Sam Childers has been a very close friend to the government of South Sudan for many years and is a trusted friend." -- "President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan""The Reverend Sam Childers is a long time devoted friend to our government and his courageous work is supported by us." -- "President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda""Sam Childers is one of those rare men [who is] willing to do literally whatever it takes to promote the message of Jesus Christ and save children from the tyranny of evil men." -- "John Rich, lead singer and songwriter, Big & Rich"

What Darwin Saw: The Journey That Changed the World


Rosalyn Schanzer - 2009
    The Beagle’s round-the-world surveying journey lasted five long years on the high seas. The young Darwin noticed everything, and proved himself an avid and detailed chronicler of daily events on the Beagle and onshore. What Darwin Saw takes young readers back to the pages of his journals as they travel alongside Darwin and read his lively and awestruck words about the wonders of the world.We follow Darwin’s voyage, looking over his shoulder as he explores new lands, asks questions about the natural world, and draws groundbreaking conclusions. We walk in his footsteps, collecting animals and fossils, experiencing earthquakes and volcanoes, and meeting people of many cultures and languages. We examine his opinions on life in all its forms. We consider the thoughts of this remarkable scientist, who poured his observations and research into his expansive theories about life on Earth. In this exciting and educational account, Charles Darwin comes alive as an inspirational model for kids who think and question the world around them.

Duck for Turkey Day


Jacqueline Jules - 2009
    There's just one problem: her Vietnamese American family is having duck for Thanksgiving dinner - not turkey! Nobody has duck for Thanksgiving - what will her teacher and the other kids think? To her surprise, Tuyet enjoys her yummy thanksgiving dinner anyhow - and an even bigger surprise is waiting for her at school on Monday. Dinners from roast beef to lamb to enchiladas adorned the Thanksgiving tables of her classmates, but they all had something in common - family! Kids from families with different traditions will enjoy this warm story about "the right way" to celebrate an American holiday.

Rumi: Persian Poet, Whirling Dervish


Demi - 2009
    From a holy man, Shamsuddin, Rumi learned to listen for the sacred sound of God within himself. When his creative spirit was awakned, he recited more than 5, rhymed couplets. He also wrote about the love that resides in the soul of everyone, regardless of religion or background. He founded the order of the whirling dervishes, who believed their spinning dances put them in touch with God and brought peace and love into the world. To honor the 8th anniversary of his birth, the United Nations declared 27 The Year of Mawlana Jalaladdin Rumi.

Uncle Tom's Cabin


Frederic P. Miller - 2009
    Anti-Tom literature, Tom Shows, Uncle Tom's Cabin (film), Origins of the American Civil War, Slavery in the United States, Timeline of the African American Civil Rights Movement, Uncle Tom, Ramona, Harriet Beecher Stowe, A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin, African American, James Weaver, Free Soil Party, Stereotypes of African Americans, Black Arts Movement, Black Power.

The Hurt Locker: The Shooting Script


Mark Boal - 2009
    Boal's screenplay follows the layered, complex relationship between three soldiers who are thrown together in the crucible of combat—with only 38 days left in their tour. Starring Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, and Evangeline Lilly, with Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, and David Morse.This Newmarket Shooting Script® Book includes:Exclusive Introduction by Kathyrn Bigelow Complete shooting script 16-page color insert with 23 color photos Production Notes Storyboards Complete cast and crew credits

The Art of the Idea: And How It Can Change Your Life


John Hunt - 2009
    It suggests that the surest way to liberate ourselves is through the power of our ideas.” —Nelson Mandela Foundation“This is not just one of those books that makes you think. It challenges you to think. It demands that you think, and to beware of all those obstacles that would stop you from trusting your instincts and finding an idea.” —Lee Clow, Global Director of Media Arts, TBWA\Chiat DayAs an award-winning playwright, author, and Worldwide Creative Director of TBWA, John Hunt has witnessed again and again the power of original thinking to transform both companies and individuals. In The Art of the Idea , Hunt addresses everyone from the global boardroom to the man on the street, bridging the gap with ease. Few can argue with Hunt’s claim that it is ideas that move the world forward, and he refreshingly articulates that anyone can play: there is no hierarchy to original thinking. The Art of the Idea provides a toolbox for achieving excellence and offers a new way of defining your world. By illustrating how to create space so ideas can breathe, it provides a lifeline to those who find themselves stuck in a rut. Unassuming, original, and accessible, the publication includes insights by this leader in creative thinking, and is accompanied by 20 original paintings and collages by the internationally acclaimed South African artist Sam Nhlengethwa. The Art of the Idea grants permission to trust our instincts, endure initial ridicule, and practice thinking as a team sport.Whatever your idea is about ideas, this book will change it.

What Does It Mean to Be Global?


Rana DiOrio - 2009
    Living respectfully and peacefully with one another, they celebrate diversity, see how their actions affect another person's experience, and come to understand that being global means being a citizen of the world. More Awards for What Does It Mean to Be Global?• The USA Book News Best Books Award for Children's Picture Book: Nonfiction• The Next Generation Indie Book Award for Multicultural Nonfiction• Learning Solutions Magazine Teachers' Choice™ Award for Children's Books• IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Winner for Interior Design in Children's/Young Adult• The Nautilus Silver Award for Children's Illustrated

To Kill a Tiger: A Memoir of Korea


Jid Lee - 2009
    Drawing on Korean legend and myth, as well as an Asian woman?s unique perspective on the United States, Lee weaves her compelling personal narrative with a collective and accessible history of modern Korea, from Japanese colonialism to war-era comfort women, from the genocide of the Korean War to the government persecution and silence of Cold War-era pogroms. The ritual of storytelling, which she shares with the women of her family, serves as a window into a five-generation family saga, and it is through storytelling that Lee comes to appreciate the sacrifices of her ancestors and her own now American place in her family and society.In To Kill A Tiger Lee provides a revelatory look at war and modernization in her native country, a story of personal growth, and a tribute to the culture that formed her.

The Long Shadow of the Ancient Greek World


Ian Worthington - 2009
    - from the emergence of Greece at the end of the Dark Ages to the final disintegration of Greek autonomy through the Macedonian kings Philip II and Alexander the Great.These 48 riveting lectures tell the story of ancient Greek institutions and the people who molded them during the Archaic and Classical periods.Concentrating on the city-states of mainland Greece, with a special focus on Athens, Professor Worthington guides through some of history's most hard-fought struggles - from armed conflicts (such as the Persian Wars, the Peloponnesian War, and the campaigns of Alexander the Great) to political and social struggles (including the late 6th-century civil war in Athens that pitted nobles against the lower classes and eventually produced the first stirrings of democracy).As you explore innovative Athenian approaches to democracy, law, and empire, you discover how these approaches served as the bedrock for ideas and practices that you live with every day. You also encounter a wealth of intriguing links to many of our own contemporary institutions and attitudes about democracy, law, and empire.By the end of Professor Worthington's final captivating lecture, you discover that there was nothing inevitable about democracy, the Western concept of justice, or any of the other traditions and institutions that now play such central roles in the politics of the modern Western world. The story of how this tentative structure transformed into the firm foundation of our contemporary world is gripping, enlightening, and immensely rewarding.

My Japan


Etsuko Watanabe - 2009
    Yuko will introduce us to her family, her home, and her city. We ll learn what she does in school, how she celebrates holidays, and lots more.From a typical bedroom and bathroom (two different kinds of toilets!) to a typical day in school (the students are responsible for cleaning it!), these snapshots of Japan are informative and interesting, presenting the questions and answers about the topics kids are curious about. Writing, Japanese holidays and customs, transportation, and festivals...it s all here.

Think No Evil: Inside the Story of the Amish Schoolhouse Shooting...and Beyond


Jonas Beiler - 2009
    Five girls died. Five others were severely injured and left in critical condition. In the aftermath of the massacre, the Amish community shunned the media. But they requested that Amishraised counselor Jonas Beiler come to the scene to offer his moral and spiritual support.In Think No Evil, Beiler offers his first-person account of the events, as well as of those who were closest to the scene: the surviving children, the volunteer fireman Rob Beiler, the local counseling center director Brad Aldricha, and Vietta Zook, aboard the first ambulance to arrive. Beiler poignantly describes the Amish families’ responses to this horrific violence as they reached out to the shocked family members of the killer, offering unconditional forgiveness.The story didn’t end on that horrible day with the deaths of those five little girls. Think No Evil follows the ongoing story of this gentle community having faith in God’s design, of truly demonstrating Christian values, of responding with resilient love in the face of evil, of demolishing the scene of the murders and rebuilding the schoolhouse, and of determining to move forward in living out their faith in peace.

Symbols and Shadows: Unlocking a Deeper Understanding of the Atonement


Donald W. Parry - 2009
    But what does that really mean? How do we identify and understand symbols of the Atonement? Because Jesus Christ and his Atonement are absolutely central to God s plan, our Heavenly Father has given witnesses all around us in heaven, on earth, and throughout His holy word. An ancient legal code, the high priest s sacred vestments, even the seven cities of refuge all these and more provide rich symbols of Jesus Atonement. We find types and symbols in the lives of ancient prophets and the details of modern ordinances, as well as scriptural patterns, stories, and parables that bear witness of Jesus Christ and his divine sacrifice. This remarkable book will increase our understanding of the Atonement and show how it reaches into our hearts, impacts our daily lives, and increases our desire to become like God.

The Coming and Going of Strangers


Simon Van Booy - 2009
    On the verge of giving up—anchored to dreams that never came true and to people who have long since disappeared from their lives—Van Booy's characters walk the streets of these stark and beautiful stories until chance meetings with strangers force them to face responsibility for lives they thought had continued on without them.

I Want to Be Free


Joseph Slate - 2009
    But the Big Man says, "You belong to me." A runaway slave has broken the chains that bound him, but as he sets out for the land of the free, he still carries the weight of an iron ring around his ankle. As long as it remains, and as long as the Big Man hunts him, he'll never truly be free. But rescuing an orphaned slave child from certain capture gives him the strength to keep moving on, and miraculously, the child's love and gratitude are all that is needed to destroy the shackle once and for all.This moving, poetic text is based on a story from the sacred literature of Buddha.

Istanbul: The Collected Traveler: An Inspired Companion Guide


Barrie Kerper - 2009
    This unique guide to one of today's hottest tourist destinations combines fascinating articles by a wide variety of writers, woven throughout with the editor's own indispensable advice and opinions-providing in one package an unparalleled experience of an extraordinary place. THIS EDITION ON ISTANBUL FEATURES:• Seductive, colorful, and in-depth articles that illuminate the dazzling treasures and monuments of Istanbul, from the Grand Bazaar to the Sultans' palaces; the delights of Turkish cuisine; the rich pageant of Istanbul's history; and the people and personalities that define it today. • More personal pieces that take the reader beyond the usual tourist highlights, offering intimate reports on everything from the heavenly scent (and taste) of Turkish roses to the glitzy nightlife of this city of “minarets and miniskirts” to the unusual pleasure of being pummeled to within an inch of your life in an historic Turkish bath.• Enticing recommendations for related reading, including novels, histories, memoirs, and the most useful guidebooks.• An A-Z Miscellany of concise and entertaining information to arm you for your trip-on everything from Alexander the Great and Ataturk to Whirling Dervishes and Turkish Wine. • Interviews, Q & As, and commentary from visitors and residents, ranging from the 18th-century society wit Lady Mary Wortley Montague to Nobel Prize-winner Orhan Pamuk.• Spotlights on unusual shops, restaurants, hotels, and experiences not to be missed.

The Maverick Preacher


Victoria Bylin - 2009
    Now Joshua Blue is a guilt-stricken man scouring the West to find the sister he drove away with his pride. When the trail leads him to Denver, a beautiful boardinghouse owner might be the key to unlocking past secrets....By sheer determination, Adelaide Clark has raised her young son alone. When Joshua arrives at her door, Adie fears he'll tear her family apart. As she gets to know the charming preacher, however, she sees he's come to make amends for past wrongs. Soon his strong faith sparks Adie's long-buried hope for a future with a God-sent partner at her side....

Backstop: A Baseball Love Story in Nine Innings


J. Conrad Guest - 2009
    He plays for any team in any city in America with a major league ball club. You cheer him when he delivers, and boo him when he doesn’t. In what could be his last game after 14 years in the major leagues—the seventh game of the World Series—Backstop chronicles his rookie season, takes the reader to Chicago where he finds romance, and reveals the heartbreak he endured in the aftermath of an adulterous affair.

Finding Martha's Place: My Journey Through Sin, Salvation, and Lots of Soul Food


Martha Hawkins - 2009
    . .  Martha Hawkins was the tenth of twelve children born in Montgomery, Alabama. There was no money, but her childhood was full of love. Martha's mother could transform a few vegetables from the backyard into a feast and never turned away a hungry mouth.   Memories of the warmth of her family's supper table would remain with Martha. Even as a poor single mother without a high school diploma, Martha dreamed of one day opening a restaurant that would make people feel at home. She'd serve food that would nourish body and soul. But time went by and that dream slipped further and further away as Martha battled the onset of what would later become a severe mental illness. But the thing about hitting bottom is that there's nowhere to go but up. Martha decided to step into God's promise for her life. Her boundless faith and joy led her to people who would change her world and lend a helping hand when she most needed and least expected one.    Martha's Place is now a nationally known destination for anyone visiting the Deep South and a culinary fixture of life in Montgomery. Martha only hires folks who are down on their luck, just as she once was. High-profile politicians, professional athletes, artists, musicians, and actors visit regularly. Martha has proven many times that keeping the faith makes the difference between failure and success. This is the story of how Martha finally found her place. . . .

Escape Under the Forever Sky


Eve Yohalem - 2009
    Lucy's mother is the U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia, so Lucy's life must be one big adventure, right? Wrong. Lucy's worrywart mother keeps her locked up inside the ambassador's residence. All Lucy can do is read about the exotic and exciting world that lies beyond the compound walls and imagine what it would be like to be a part of it. That is, until one day Lucy decides she has had enough and she and a friend sneak off for some fun. But to their horror, Lucy gets kidnapped! With only herself to rely upon, Lucy must use her knowledge of African animals, inventiveness, will, and courage to escape, and in the process embarks on an adventure beyond her wildest imagination.

Widow's Walk


Kenneth Weene - 2009
    When she meets Arnie Berger, who becomes both her lover and philosophic guide, Mary's world seems to be transformed. Changes also come for Mary's children, who have been trapped in their own dilemmas. Sean, a quadriplegic, is looking for a fulfilled life. Mary's daughter, Kathleen must cope with infertility and anger in her search for happiness. The lives of all three Flanagans are turned upside down by happiness and tragedy.

Hannibal's Elephant Girl


Ariion Kathleen Brindley - 2009
    I never reached Rome, but then neither did Hannibal. I left him after the battle of Trebbia, taking with me his last remaining elephant, Obolus, and my friend, the slave girl Tin Tin Ban Sunia. This book recounts the first month of our long journey.

Daughter Am I


Pat Bertram - 2009
    When twenty-five-year-old Mary Stuart learns she inherited a farm from her recently murdered grandparents -- grandparents her father claimed had died before she was born -- she becomes obsessed with finding out who they were and why someone wanted them dead."A delightful treasure hunting tale of finding oneself in a most unlikely way." --Publisher's Weekly

Islands Linked by Ocean


Lisa Linn Kanae - 2009
    From the author of SISTA TONGUE come stories written with humor and compassion that give voice to characters who find themselves at crossroad moments where past informs present, young teach old, and love can mean holding on or letting go. In "The Steersman," a novice paddler shares her tempestuous yet life-affirming introduction to the tradition of outrigger canoe paddling: ..". in the canoe, we were nameless. We were numbers, and when we weren't numbers, we were random expletives--scrub, donkey, idiot, stupid, jackass, lame ass, dumb ass...." In "Born Again Hawaiian," a young husband discovers how the personal impacts the political when his activist wife shows him how he must fight for what he loves most. And what happens when three local women take in the opera? "Dat suckah Pavarotti--he get um."

Songs of Love, Moon, Wind: Poems from the Chinese


Kenneth Rexroth - 2009
    Also represented are some of the best-known women of Chinese poetry, including Li Ching-chao and Chu Shu-chen. These simple, accessible but profound poems come through to us with a breathtaking immediacy in Kenneth Rexroth’s English versions—a wonderful gift for any lover of poetry.

Naomi's Tree


Joy Kogawa - 2009
    A seed from the tree is eventually carried in the kimono sleeve of a bride, and she and her husband settle in a land across the sea called Canada. Here, the seed is planted in the couple's garden. Over the years, the cherry tree sees many changes, as the couple has children who grow up. And then the grandchildren, Naomi and Stephen, are born. As young Naomi grows, the cherry tree becomes her special friend. Its branches are perfect for climbing, and its leaves provide shelter for her tea parties and games.But one day, Naomi and Stephen's mother leaves their home in Canada to nurse their grandmother, who is ill in Japan. And while she is gone, the war breaks out and she is unable to return to Canada. When the family, along with other Japanese Canadian families, must leave their home to live in an internment camp far away from the coast. And though Naomi dreams of going home, the dream fades as the years go by and she never returns to the little house on the coast. And the little tree is left behind to mourn its loss. For many years the cherry tree sends out a song of love and peace that reaches Naomi only in her dreams. But the insects and small animals hear the song, and they send back their own messages to the tree, assuring it that Naomi is safe and that one day she will return. And one day, when Naomi and Stephen are very old, they do return to the coast and search out their former home. In the backyard, Naomi sees her old friend, twisted and scarred but still alive. And when she throws her arms around the old cherry tree, shehears the voices of the tree and her mother, sending their message of love and peace once more.

Pocket Guide to the Outdoors: Based on My Side of the Mountain


Jean Craighead George - 2009
    Now, Newbery winner Jean Craighead George offers an easy-to-follow guide for fans who want to live the adventure?just like Sam. Learn how to start a fire, build a shelter, catch a fish, identify useful plants, and much more. Hands-on activities are perfect for backyard campers or an afternoon stroll through the park. Illustrated with black-and-white drawings and packed with activities, naturalist trivia, and practical wilderness tips, this entertaining and informative handbook is your guide to outdoor fun.

Breakthrough: The Return of Hope to the Middle East


Tom Doyle - 2009
    In fact, he observes that a spiritual breakthrough has come to the Middle East. A new generation of believers, passionate for God in spite of great challenges, including persecution, provides reason for genuine hope. Breakthrough! was written to tell their story. Doyle reports that in recent years amazing numbers of people in the Middle East--particularly Muslims but also individuals from Jewish or traditional Christian backgrounds--have come to Christ. While surveying how the Christian faith is blossoming in the Middle East, the heart of this book is its personal stories. You'll read about Hamsa, who drove a tank in Saddam Hussein's army during the first Gulf War. Since then Hamsa has become a Christian and today he is a pastor in Baghdad. Rachel grew up in Jerusalem as an Orthodox Jew. At a low point in her life she met some messianic believers. Though it has cost Rachel her relationship with her family, she has embraced Jesus in her own life. Rachel also exercises a fruitful gift of hospitality, inviting both Jews and Arabs into her home for dinner and fellowship nearly every evening. These stories and many more like them, will inform, inspire and challenge you to pray more effectively for the Muslim world in general and the Middle East in particular.

Going Back


Peter Robinson - 2009
    In the novella "Going Back," never before published in the United States, Banks returns home for a family reunion, only to find it taking a decidedly sinister turn.

No More Mulberries


Mary Smith - 2009
    Despite his opposition, she goes to work as a translator at a medical teaching camp in a remote area of rural Afghanistan hoping time apart will help are see where their problems lie. She comes to realise how unresolved issues from when her first husband was killed by a mujahideen group are damaging her relationship with her husband and her son – but is it already too late to save her marriage?

Love Haiku: Japanese Poems of Yearning, Passion, and Remembrance


Patricia Donegan - 2009
    While haiku most often depicts the natural world, when focused on the elements of love and sensuality, haiku can be a powerful vehicle for evoking the universal experience of love. In this elegant anthology, love is explored through beautiful images that evoke a range of feelings—from the longing of a lover to the passion of a romantic relationship. Written by contemporary Japanese poets as well as by haiku masters such as Basho, Buson, and Issa, these poems share not only the haiku poets’ vision for love, but their vision of the poignant moments that express it.

The Night They Stormed Eureka


Jackie French - 2009
    and an unlikely friendship across timeIt's 1854, and the Ballarat goldfields are a place of dreams and rebellion as Sam, a homeless teenager, is called back to the past to join the Puddlehams, who run 'the best little cook shop on the diggings'.The Puddlehams dream of buying a hotel with velvet seats, while others dream of freedom from the British crown, away from the rule of wealthy landowners and corrupt officials.As the summer days get hotter, and the miners' protests are ignored with catastrophic results, Sam experiences first-hand the power of a united stand which will change her life forever.PRAISE FOR JACKIE FRENCH'Jackie French is excellent at telling history in an exciting way for children' - Burke's Backyard

Little Bo in Italy: The Continued Adventures of Bonnie Boadicea


Julie Andrews Edwards - 2009
    Bo is delighted, for now she and Billy can see more of the world, and she can continue her quest to find news of her long-lost brothers and sisters. Bo is determined to make sure they have all found safe and happy homes—even if it takes a lifetime of travels.In beautiful Italy, Little Bo sees wondrous sights, has adventures that test her strength and courage, and makes some surprising new discoveries. Throughout it all, she shows her valiant spirit and once again proves that even a tiny cat can make a big difference.

The Eastvale Ladies' Poker Circle


Peter Robinson - 2009
    Plumbing the territory that he has so successfully staked, The Price of Love and Other Stories includes two novellas and several stories featuring the Yorkshire policeman at his finest.In the novella “Going Back,” never before published in the United States, Banks returns home for a family reunion, only to find it taking a decidedly sinister turn. In “Like a Virgin,” written especially for this volume, Banks revisits the period in his life and the terrible crime that led him to leave London for Eastvale. And in between, the disparate motives that move us to harm one another, from love and jealousy to greed and despair, are all explored with fascinating depth.

African Textiles: Color and Creativity Across a Continent


John Gillow - 2009
    John Gillow has traveled extensively throughout Africa, uncovering the dazzling range of traditional, handcrafted, indigenous textiles from each region.Five sections detail the textile history and traditions of West, North, East, Central, and Southern Africa, examining materials, dyes, decorations, patterns, and techniques. From the stripweave cloth of the Ashanti to Ethiopian embroidery, from Berber rugs to Madagascan silk, the breadth of coverage in African Textiles is peerless. Gloriously illustrated with more than 500 color photographs and drawings, this is an essential sourcebook for anyone interested in textile design and the traditional arts of Africa.John Gillow has written many books on textiles including, with Nicholas Barnard, Indian Textiles.

Latino in America


Soledad O'Brien - 2009
    As she reports the evolution of Latino America, Soledad O'Brien explores how tens of millions of Americans with roots in 21 different countries form a community called "Latino" and recalls her own upbringing and what she's learned about being a Latino in America.

Unsigned Hype


Booker T. Mattison - 2009
    And he's not going to learn about all that at school. So when school lets out next month he's not going back. He's finally ready to stop spinning old records at parties and start laying down his own beats--and the Unsigned Hype music contest is the perfect place to launch his career. But will he be able to handle the fame and fortune he seeks?Grounded in the world of today's urban youth, Unsigned Hype will draw readers in with its fresh voice and true-to-life rendering of the hip-hop world. Booker T. Mattison delivers a story with attitude in the vernacular of the urban teen.

Henri Nouwen: A Book of Hours


Henri J.M. Nouwen - 2009
    It is edited and compiled by Robert Waldron.Nouwen spent his life helping people respond to the universal "yearning for love, unity and communion that doesn't go away." He probed deeply at the meaning of living a spiritual life that embraces pain and suffering in ourselves and in the world, yet nevertheless gives us freedom to love deeply wherever we are.More than a prayer book, Henri Nouwen: A Book of Hours, if followed faithfully, helps structure our daily routine with prayer; thus, not only sanctifying our relationship with God, but also sanctifying the minutes and hours of each day.

False World


J.J. Dare - 2009
    In False World, Joe Daniels confronts face-to-face those who robbed him of his career, his life and his wife.

What Can You Do with a Paleta?


Carmen Tafolla - 2009
    . .As she strolls through her barrio, a young girl introduces readers to the frozen, fruit-flavored treat that thrills Mexican and Mexican-American children. Create a masterpiece, make tough choices (strawberry or coconut?), or cool off on a warm summer's day--there's so much to do with a paleta.

Nomad Codes: Adventures in Modern Esoterica


Erik Davis - 2009
    These include Asian religious traditions and West African trickster gods, Western occult and esoteric lore, postmodern theory and psychedelic science, as well as festival scenes such as Burning Man. Whether his subject is collage art or the "magickal realism" of H. P. Lovecraft, Davis writes with keen yet skeptical sympathy, intellectual subtlety and wit, and unbridled curiosity. The common thread running through these pieces is what Davis calls "modern esoterica," which he describes as a no-man’s-land located somewhere between anthropology and mystical pulp, between the zendo and the metal club, between cultural criticism and extraordinary experience. Such an ambiguous and startling landscape demands that the intrepid adventurer shed any territorial claims and go nomad.

Stormy Weather


Sherrie Hansen - 2009
    If the local banker succeeds in bulldozing the Victorian houses she's trying to save, she's in for yet another rough time before the skies clear. The only bright spots on the horizon are her friendship with Luke... and her secret rendezvous with Mac.

Long Juju Man


Nnedi Okorafor - 2009
    A ghost can run faster than me. No, Iwon’t run.’Ngoli has heard many stories about Long Juju Man from her grandfather. But she is not prepared for her first meeting with him in the forest, or for the strange friendship which follows.

Five Queen's Road


Sorayya Khan - 2009
    . . Hindu or not, he wasn’t, goddamnit, going anywhere.’ Lahore, 1947. Dina Lal, a true-blue Lahori, refuses to leave, staying put in Five Queen’s Road, a house he bought, in spite of his wife’s greatest misgivings, from an Englishman who was deeply reluctant to part with it. To insulate his family from the mayhem on the streets, Dina Lal converts to Islam and as added protection invites Amir Shah, a Muslim colleague, and his children, Javid and Rubina, to share the house with him. But the events that unfold over the next few months make a mockery of Dina Lal’s plans. While Dina Lal and Amir Shah cross swords with each other at every given opportunity—though unexpectedly and in spite of themselves rushing to the other’s defence in moments of crisis—a furtive friendship blossoms between Dina Lal and Javid. Ten years later Javid’s European wife, Irene, still struggling with her World War II memories, joins the tumultuous household. Inexplicably, the lines of the house are redrawn, and the new border is no less arbitrary and contentious than the one that sundered the subcontinent. While the house is steadily encroached upon by a car shop settlement and a sweepers’ colony, the occupants’ long-standing feud reaches new heights. But the family sees an unexpected alliance develop and loyalties, to person and nation, are scrutinized. In this stunning novel that weaves family saga and national history, Sorayya Khan writes deftly of characters who battle memories and each other alike.

Across Death Valley: The Pioneer Journey of Juliet Wells Brier


Mary Barmeyer O'Brien - 2009
    Based on  the remarkable story of Juliet Wells Brier, her husband, and their three sons, and their journey from early-day Salt Lake City to the settlement of Los Angeles during the Gold Rush, Across Death Valley reveals the trials of western emigration through the eyes of a woman whose courage was critical to her family's survival.

Military Culture in Imperial China


Nicola Di CosmoDon J. Wyatt - 2009
    There was nothing inherently pacifist about the Chinese governments' views of war, and pragmatic approaches--even aggressive and expansionist projects--often prevailed.Though it has changed in form, a military elite has existed in China from the beginning of its history, and military service included a large proportion of the population at any given time. Popular literature praised the martial ethos of fighting men. Civil officials attended constantly to military matters on the administrative and financial ends. The seven military classics produced in antiquity continued to be read even into the modern period.These original essays explore the ways in which intellectual, civilian, and literary elements helped shape the nature of military institutions, theory, and the culture of war. This important contribution bridges two literatures, military and cultural, that seldom appear together in the study of China, and deepens our understanding of war and society in Chinese history.

School of Lies


Mickey Hoffman - 2009
    It's also murder if you are a manipulative, coercive vice-principal whom everyone would like to see dead. The problem is the person whom the police suspect of the crime is our innocent heroine.

Reggaeton


Raquel Z. Rivera - 2009
    Superstars—including Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, and Ivy Queen—garner international attention, while aspiring performers use digital technologies to create and circulate their own tracks. Reggaeton brings together critical assessments of this wildly popular genre. Journalists, scholars, and artists delve into reggaeton’s local roots and its transnational dissemination; they parse the genre’s aesthetics, particularly in relation to those of hip-hop; and they explore the debates about race, nation, gender, and sexuality generated by the music and its associated cultural practices, from dance to fashion.The collection opens with an in-depth exploration of the social and sonic currents that coalesced into reggaeton in Puerto Rico during the 1990s. Contributors consider reggaeton in relation to that island, Panama, Jamaica, and New York; Cuban society, Miami’s hip-hop scene, and Dominican identity; and other genres including reggae en español, underground, and dancehall reggae. The reggaeton artist Tego Calderón provides a powerful indictment of racism in Latin America, while the hip-hop artist Welmo Romero Joseph discusses the development of reggaeton in Puerto Rico and his refusal to embrace the upstart genre. The collection features interviews with the DJ/rapper El General and the reggae performer Renato, as well as a translation of “Chamaco’s Corner,” the poem that served as the introduction to Daddy Yankee’s debut album. Among the volume’s striking images are photographs from Miguel Luciano’s series Pure Plantainum, a meditation on identity politics in the bling-bling era, and photos taken by the reggaeton videographer Kacho López during the making of the documentary Bling’d: Blood, Diamonds, and Hip-Hop.Contributors. Geoff Baker, Tego Calderón, Carolina Caycedo, Jose Davila, Jan Fairley, Juan Flores, Gallego (José Raúl González), Félix Jiménez, Kacho López, Miguel Luciano, Wayne Marshall, Frances Negrón-Muntaner, Alfredo Nieves Moreno, Ifeoma C. K. Nwankwo, Deborah Pacini Hernandez, Raquel Z. Rivera, Welmo Romero Joseph, Christoph Twickel, Alexandra T. Vazquez

Keep Moving: The Michael Jackson Chronicles


Armond White - 2009
    

Elijah's Coin: A Lesson for Life [With 2 Coins]


Steve O'Brien - 2009
    The question is which we'll choose. Without the right principles and guidance, a traumatic experience can lead one down a barren path. If our view of the world is dark, then further experience will tend to reinforce that view, leading to more pessimism and fruitless or even destructive behavior. How does one break out of this cycle of negativity?That question is at the heart of Elijah's Coin, a thoughtful fable about one young man's descent into a life of crime... until he discovers an unlikely mentor, who begins to teach him a new philosophy of life. It's a philosophy not so much of words as of deeds. The lessons, therefore, prove to be indirect and not fully understood until they are lived. The point is not to state what you believe but to become what you believe. In doing so, you will come to lead a fulfilling and prosperous life. You'll find that life is not about you but about others and that generosity is repaid in kind.Elijah's Coin asks readers to reflect even as they are entertained by a fast-moving, suspenseful story. Ultimately, the book confronts the reader with the possibility — and the opportunity &mdash of inner change. Learn the message, then pay it forward.

Hand Me Down Bride


Juliet Waldron - 2009
    The unexpected death of her aged groom on her wedding night puts Sophie in the unexpected position of literally becoming part of an estate, inherited by the mercurial, rugged, handsome Civil War veteran Karl. All the more astounding because the story

A Party in Ramadan


Asma Mobin-Uddin - 2009
    Although she is too young to fast every day during the Muslim religious festival, Leena decides to fast each Friday instead. When Leena receives an invitation to a party which happens to fall on Friday, she has a dilemma. She doesn't want to miss the party, but she doesn't want to miss fasting either. So Leena decides to go to the party, but not eat or drink anything at all. Later, she will join her family for the meal known as iftar, when the daily fast is broken. But when Leena, who is the only Muslim at the party, sees her friends enjoying fresh lemonade and chocolate cake, her stomach starts to growl and her head begins to hurt. Will she keep her Ramadan fast?Author Asma Mobin-Uddin and illustrator Laura Jacobsen create a story that anyone can connect with while also teaching readers about Ramadan in this Parents' Choice Award book.Booklist says: "The blend of the upbeat and challenging moments will spark discussion, and a final note fills in more about the holy month."

Resurrection: Glen Canyon and a New Vision for the American West


Annette McGivney - 2009
    More than 125 large images by photographer James Kay capture the beauty of the legendary canyons of Glen Canyon as they emerge into the light of day for the first time in nearly 40 years. Each chapter opens with a journal excerpt that personalizes the Glen Canyon story, and the book concludes with a list of recommended hikes in the area that will draw outdoor enthusiasts to reemerging attractions.Throughout her account, McGivney stresses the need for a new model of living in the American West -- the U.S. Department of the Interior must shift its water policy to meet changing needs and Americans must live more sustainably, especially in the arid West.Resurrection eloquently demonstrates why Americans should stand behind the renewal of Glen Canyon and accord it protection as a national park-both to honor the area as a national treasure and to preserve it for future generations.* Published in partnership with Glen Canyon Institute, an NGO with a membership of 3,000 dedicated to making Glen Canyon a national park* Includes an appendix of recommended hikes

The Last Paladin 2: Courage and Faith


Vaughn R. Demont - 2009
    When a vampyr threatens his liege, though, Lennox is forced to take the next step in his training far sooner than expected. Can Lennox survive the ordeal armed with little more than courage and faith?

Correcting Jesus: 2000 Years of Changing the Story


Brian Griffith - 2009
    His most important take-home message: it is not verboten for people of faith to ask why beliefs and practices developed in a specific way. In fact, it could even be considered an obligation for healthy, committed believers to do so.” — Publishers Weekly “I love Brian Griffith for having the heart to try to scrape away the barnacles of ideology and prejudice that keep attaching themselves to those four, frail little gospel boats. Part of this book will break your heart as he describes how little compromises and strategic emphases grow into huge errors and disasters.” —FRANK COTTRELL BOYCE, author of Millions, a Carnegie Medal award-winning book adapted into a feature film directed by Danny BoyleIn Correcting Jesus, Brian Griffith patiently and clearly untangles the many strands of the story of Christianity, and the many changes made over the centuries to the original story of Jesus and his message. If you’ve ever wondered, “Where did that rule come from?” and “Was it always this way?” this book will provide enlightenment.Brian Griffith grew up in Texas, studied history at the University of Alberta, and now lives just outside of Toronto, Ontario. He is an independent historian who examines how cultural history influences our lives, and how collective experience offers insights for our future.

Nursing Homes and Assisted Living: The Family's Guide to Making Decisions and Getting Good Care


Peter S. Silin - 2009
    Silin wrote Nursing Homes: The Family's Journey to provide family members with practical advice and emotional support. This successor volume incorporates the new and sometimes baffling world of assisted living. Nursing Homes and Assisted Living focuses on the psychological, emotional, and practical aspects of helping family members and seniors make a difficult transition.Silin approaches his subject with compassion and sensitivity, guiding readers through the process of finding the best possible care. He describes how nursing homes and assisted living facilities work and outlines the selection process; he explains how to prepare for the day a relative moves into a facility and suggests ways to help the resident settle in; he focuses on the family member's role in solving problems, obtaining good-quality care, and visiting. The author’s insights help caregivers cope with difficult decisions and deal with emotional issues such as guilt and grief, while celebrating the tender, rewarding aspects of being a caregiver. Vignettes from real-life caregivers narrating their experiences amplify Silin’s advice and will resonate with families.This book provides caregivers, family members, and seniors with the information they need to effect successful transitions. It is also a valuable tool for social workers, nurses, and family therapists.

The Me Myth: What do you mean it's not all about me?


Andrew Griffiths - 2009
    Andrew defines 'The Me Myth' as the limiting belief that the world revolves around 'me'. In short chapters he gives advice on how to shift the focus away from 'me' and start living a better life through simple actions like mastering empathy, giving generously, inspiring people and having fun. The message is simple, but profound. And, most importantly, Andrew makes the journey fun! The Me Myth is a result of Andrew's observations as well as his own personal journey. His life has been filled with extraordinary hardships and obstacles, from an unusual childhood to near-death experiences, which he has not only overcome, but thrived on. This is the next step in personal growth - it's time to move away from internal analysis and move the focus outwards

Steeped in History: The Art of Tea


Beatrice HoheneggerBarbara G. Carson - 2009
    In ancient China tea was regarded as one of the seven daily necessities of life; for many Japanese it has served as a ritual element in the quest for enlightenment. In England afternoon tea holds an immutable place in the popular imagination, while in the United States it is often associated with the American Revolution.While various teas have been prepared in an assortment of ways and have played parts in countless culinary practices, it is also important to note that tea is and nearly always been a highly important commodity. As such, it has played a variety of striking and often paradoxical roles on the world stage--an ancient health remedy, an element of cultural practice, a source of profound spiritual insights, but also a catalyst for brutal international conflict, drug trafficking, crushing taxes, and horrific labor conditions.In the course of Steeped in History, editor Beatrice Hohenegger and eleven distinguished historians and art historians trace the impact of tea from its discovery in ancient China to the present-day tea plantations of Assam, crossing oceans and continents in the process. In so doing, they examine the multitude of ways in which tea has figured in the visual and literary arts. These include not only the myriad vessels fashioned for the preparation, presentation, and consumption of tea but also tea-related scenes embellishing ceramics and textiles and forming the subject of paintings, drawings, caricature, songs, and poetry.

The Image Taker: The Selected Stories and Photographs of Edward S. Curtis


Gerald Hausman - 2009
    Features selections of photographs and tribal stories recorded and preserved by the author in his 20-volume masterpiece, The North American Indian, offering the reader a bridge through time to the last generation of Indians from the Buffalo Days of pre-reservation life.

Symbols, Art and Language from the Land of the Dragon: The cultural history of 100 Chinese characters


Ni Yibin - 2009
    Chinese characters have developed over thousands of years, captivating as much with their artistic expressiveness as with their intriguing layers of meaning. In this book the text is accompanied with calligraphy and full-colour reproductions of Chinese brush paintings, calligraphic scrolls cermaics and textiles, whilst each entry explores the meaning behind the character and its significance in Chinese culture, from words such as dragon, mountain and heaven, to abstract concepts such as love, beauty and trust. Drawing on the latest scholarship, this silk-bound edition is both engaging and informative - language as an art form; art as language.