Best of
Cultural

2013

The Midnight Rose


Lucinda Riley - 2013
    . .In the heyday of the British Raj, eleven-year-old Anahita, from a noble but impoverished family, forms a lifelong friendship with the headstrong Princess Indira, the privileged daughter of Indian royalty. As the princess's official companion, Anahita accompanies her friend to England just before the outbreak of World War I. There, she meets young Donald Astbury—reluctant heir to the magnificent, remote Astbury Estate—and his scheming mother.Ninety years later, Rebecca Bradley, a young American film star, has the world at her feet. But when her turbulent relationship with her equally famous boyfriend takes an unexpected turn, she's relieved that her latest role, playing a 1920s debutante, will take her away from the glare of publicity to a distant corner of the English countryside. Shortly after filming begins at the now-crumbling Astbury Hall, Ari Malik, Anahita's great-grandson, arrives unexpectedly, on a quest for his family's past. What he and Rebecca discover begins to unravel the dark secrets that haunt the Astbury dynasty . . .A multilayered, heartbreaking tale filled with unforgettable characters caught in the sweep of history, The Midnight Rose is Lucinda Riley at her most captivating and unforgettable.

A Fort of Nine Towers: An Afghan Family Story


Qais Akbar Omar - 2013
    Until he was 7, he lived with his father, a high school physics teacher, and mother, a bank manager, in the spacious, garden-filled compound his grandfather had built. Noisy with the laughter of his cousins (with whom they lived in the typical Afghan style), fragrant with the scent of roses and apple blossoms, and rich in shady, tucked-away spots where Qais and his grandfather sat and read, home was the idyllic centre of their quiet, comfortable life. But in the wake of the Russian withdrawal and the bloody civil conflict that erupted, his family was forced to flee and take refuge in the legendary Fort of Nine Towers, a centuries-old palace in the hills on the far side of Kabul. On a perilous trip home, Omar and his father were kidnapped, narrowly escaping, and the family fled again, his parents leading their 6 children on a remarkable, sometimes wondrous journey. Hiding inside the famous giant Bamiyan Buddhas sculpture, and among Kurchi herders, Omar cobbles together an education, learning the beautiful art of carpet-weaving from a deaf mute girl, which will become the family's means of support. Against a backdrop of uncertainty, violence and absurdity, young Qais Omar weaves together a story--and a self--that is complex, colourful, and profound.

Big Hair, Don't Care


Crystal Swain-Bates - 2013
    Designed to boost self-esteem and build confidence in kids of all races, this beautifully illustrated picture book is aimed at boys and girls who may need a reminder that it's ok to be different.

East of Mecca


Sheila Flaherty - 2013
    Driven by financial desperation, Sarah and Max Hayes are seduced by promises of a glamorous expatriate lifestyle in Saudi Arabia. Sarah surrenders her career when Max accepts a prestigious job with Ocmara Oil Company and they relocate their family to the shores of the Persian Gulf. Locked inside the heavily-guarded Ocmara compound, Sarah becomes invisible within the fundamentalist Islamic Kingdom. Gradually, she is drawn into a clandestine, illicit friendship with Yasmeen, a Saudi woman. Together they find freedom beneath the veils and behind the walls of the Saudi women’s quarters—until inconceivable events force Sarah to make life-or-death decisions. Told with riveting authenticity and exquisite detail, East of Mecca explores the abuse of absolute power with an elegant balance of cultural nuance and moral inquiry. Long after you have turned the last page, you will be haunted by the vivid characters and powerful scenes illuminating this tour de force.

The Scavenger's Daughters


Kay Bratt - 2013
    Together they build a fulfilling life around the most menial of jobs—Benfu’s work collecting trash. As he sorts through the discards of others, he regularly discovers abandoned children. With unwavering determination, he and Calli spend decades creating a family of hand-picked daughters that help heal the sorrow and brighten their modest home. But all is not perfect and when crisis threatens to separate their family, Benfu—or possibly his band of headstrong daughters—must find a way to overcome the biggest hardship yet. Inspired by a true story, and set against the backdrop of a country in transition, The Scavenger’s Daughters is a sweeping present day saga of triumph in the face of hardship, and the unbreakable bonds of family against all odds.

The Blessing Cup


Patricia Polacco - 2013
    A single china cup from a tea set left behind when Jews were forced to leave Russia helps hold a family together through generations of living in America, reminding them of the most important things in life.

Golden Boy


Tara Sullivan - 2013
    Not the good brown skin his family has and not the white skin of tourists. Habo is strange and alone. His father, unable to accept Habo, abandons the family; his mother can scarcely look at him. His brothers are cruel and the other children never invite him to play. Only his sister Asu loves him well. But even Asu can’t take the sting away when the family is forced from their small Tanzanian village, and Habo knows he is to blame.Seeking refuge in Mwanza, Habo and his family journey across the Serengeti. His aunt is glad to open her home until she sees Habo for the first time, and then she is only afraid. Suddenly, Habo has a new word for himself: Albino. But they hunt Albinos in Mwanza because Albino body parts are thought to bring good luck. And soon Habo is being hunted by a fearsome man with a machete. To survive, Habo must not only run but find a way to love and accept himself.

Little You


Richard Van Camp - 2013
    With its delightful contemporary illustrations, Little You is perfect to be shared, read or sung to all the little people in your life--and the new little ones on the way!

Second Suns: Two Doctors and Their Amazing Quest to Restore Sight and Save Lives


David Oliver Relin - 2013
      In this transporting book, David Oliver Relin shines a light on the work of Geoffrey Tabin and Sanduk Ruit, gifted ophthalmologists who have dedicated their lives to restoring sight to some of the world’s most isolated, impoverished people through the Himalayan Cataract Project, an organization they founded in 1995. Tabin was the high-achieving bad boy of Harvard Medical School, an accomplished mountain climber and adrenaline junkie as brilliant as he was unconventional. Ruit grew up in a remote Nepalese village, where he became intimately acquainted with the human costs of inadequate access to health care. Together they found their life’s calling: tending to the afflicted people of the Himalayas, a vast mountainous region with an alarmingly high incidence of cataract blindness.  Second Suns takes us from improvised plywood operating tables in villages without electricity or plumbing to state-of-the-art surgical centers at major American universities where these two driven men are restoring sight—and hope—to patients from around the world. With their revolutionary, inexpensive style of surgery, Tabin and Ruit have been able to cure tens of thousands—all for about twenty dollars per operation. David Oliver Relin brings the doctors’ work to vivid life through poignant portraits of patients helped by the surgery, from old men who cannot walk treacherous mountain trails unaided to cataract-stricken children who have not seen their mothers’ faces for years. With the dexterity of a master storyteller, Relin shows the profound emotional and practical impact that these operations have had on patients’ lives.  Second Suns is the moving, unforgettable story of how two men with a shared dream are changing the world, one pair of eyes at a time.Praise for Second Suns   “As miracles go, it’s hard to beat making the blind see. Yet that’s exactly what the eye surgeon Dr. Geoffrey Tabin can do. He services poor people in the developing world who have developed cataracts—a clouding of the lens of the eye that is the world’s leading cause of blindness. . . . Second Suns is a hopeful work, a profile of two doctors who have dedicated their lives to bringing light to those in darkness.”—Time   “A compelling and inspiring book . . . Second Suns portrays heroic health care delivered under harrowing conditions: Ruit and his teams carry their equipment on multi-day treks up steep mountain trails, sometimes hiking at night with flashlights or head lamps, to reach settlements where they typically spend several days operating on hundreds of villagers in makeshift surgical theaters.”—The Washington Post   “Second Suns should be required reading for anybody with an interest in humanitarian philanthropy—or, for that matter, a desire to feel a little better about the world.”—Outside   “A detailed, heartfelt account of the work of [two] dedicated pioneers.”—Kirkus Reviews

שתיים דובים


Meir Shalev - 2013
     In the year 1930, three farmers committed suicide here . . . but contrary to the chronicles of our committee and the conclusions of the British policeman, the people of the moshava knew that only two of the suicides had actually taken their own lives, whereas the third suicide had been murdered. This is the contention of Ruta Tavori, a high school teacher and independent thinker in this small farming community, writing seventy years later about that murder and about two charismatic men she loves and is trying to forgive her grandfather and her husband and her son, whom she mourns and misses. In a story rich with the grit, humor, and near-magical evocation of Israeli rural life for which Meir Shalev is beloved by readers, Ruta weaves a tale of friendship between men, of love and betrayal, that carries us from British Palestine to present-day Israel, where forgiveness, atonement, and understanding can finally happen."

Sweetest Kulu


Celina Kalluk - 2013
    Lyrically and lovingly written, this visually stunning book is infused with the Inuit values of love and respect for the land and its animal inhabitants.

The Race of My Life: An Autobiography


Milkha Singh - 2013
    After that first race, Milkha Singh became an athlete by default. And what followed was the stuff legends are made of.In this remarkably candid autobiography, Milkha Singh shares the amazing highs of winning India’s first ever gold in athletics at the Commonwealth Games, the unbridled joy of being hailed as the ‘Flying Sikh’ in Pakistan, as well as the shattering low of failure at the Olympics.Simple yet ambitious, famous yet grounded, Milkha Singh was a man who defined his own destiny and remained committed to running. And yet, remarkably for a man whose life was dominated by sports, he continues to remain disillusioned with the way sports is run…Powerful and gripping, The Race of My Life documents the journey of an impoverished refugee who rose to become one of the most towering figures in Indian sports.

Customs of the World: Using Cultural Intelligence to Adapt, Wherever You Are


David Livermore - 2013
    Based on groundbreaking research, these twenty-four lectures address dynamics and customs related to working, socializing, dining, marriage and family--all the areas necessary to help you function with a greater level of respect and effectiveness wherever you go. You'll also encounter practical tips and crucial context for greeting, interacting with, and even managing people from other parts of the world.In the first half, you'll analyze ten cultural value dimensions researchers have identified as helpful for comparing cultures, and you'll see how these "archetypes" play out in day-to-day lives. In the second half, you'll examine ten cultural clusters around the world that, when combined with your understanding of the ten cultural dimensions, provide strategic insight into how to be more effective as you live, work, and travel in the globalized world.

Road Ends


Mary Lawson - 2013
    He was thinking about the lynx. The way it had looked at him, acknowledging his existence, then passing out of his life like smoke. . . It was the first thing—the only thing—that had managed, if only for a moment, to displace from his mind the image of the child. He had carried that image with him for a year now, and it had been a weight so great that sometimes he could hardly stand. Mary Lawson’s beloved novels, Crow Lake and The Other Side of the Bridge, have delighted legions of readers around the world. The fictional, northern Ontario town of Struan, buried in the winter snows, is the vivid backdrop to her breathtaking new novel.  Roads End brings us a family unravelling in the aftermath of tragedy: Edward Cartwright, struggling to escape the legacy of a violent past; Emily, his wife, cloistered in her room with yet another new baby, increasingly unaware of events outside the bedroom door; Tom, their eldest son, twenty-five years old but home again, unable to come to terms with the death of a friend; and capable, formidable Megan, the sole daughter in a household of eight sons, who for years held the family together but has finally broken free and gone to England, to try to make a life of her own.  Roads End is Mary Lawson at her best. In this masterful, enthralling, tender novel, which ranges from the Ontario silver rush of the early 1900s to swinging London in the 1960s, she gently reveals the intricacies and anguish of family life, the push and pull of responsibility and individual desire, the way we can face tragedy, and in time, hope to start again.

Sweet Bean Paste


Durian Sukegawa - 2013
    He has a criminal record, drinks too much, and his dream of becoming a writer is just a distant memory. With only the blossoming of the cherry trees to mark the passing of time, he spends his days in a tiny confectionery shop selling dorayaki, a type of pancake filled with sweet bean paste.But everything is about to change.Into his life comes Tokue, an elderly woman with disfigured hands and a troubled past. Tokue makes the best sweet bean paste Sentaro has ever tasted. She begins to teach him her craft, but as their friendship flourishes, social pressures become impossible to escape and Tokue's dark secret is revealed, with devastating consequences.Sweet Bean Paste is a moving novel about the burden of the past and the redemptive power of friendship. Translated into English for the first time, Durian Sukegawa's beautiful prose is capturing hearts all over the world.

The See-Through Leopard


Sibel Hodge - 2013
    After a car accident that kills her mum, Jazz is left with severe facial scars and retreats into a dark depression.Fearing what will happen if Jazz doesn't recover, her dad makes a drastic decision to move them from England to a game reserve in Kenya for a new start. And when Jazz finds an orphaned leopard cub, it sets off a chain of events that lead her on a two year journey of discovery, healing, and love.“A percentage of the royalties from the sale of this book will be contributed to Panthera, a leading international conservation organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the world’s big cats, plus other wildlife conservation groups.” -- Sibel Hodge, Author

No.1 Ladies Detective Agency Omnibus Edition: No.1 Ladies Detective Agency; Tears of the Giraffe; Morality for Beautiful Girls


Alexander McCall Smith - 2013
    Precious Ramotswe is the head of Botswana's first detective agency.

The Sleeping Dictionary


Sujata Massey - 2013
    IT IS NOT FOR LACK OF EFFORT. In 1930, a great ocean wave blots out a Bengali village, leaving only one survivor, a young girl. As a maidservant in a British boarding school, Pom is renamed Sarah and discovers her gift for languages. Her private dreams almost die when she arrives in Kharagpur and is recruited into a secretive, decadent world. Eventually, she lands in Calcutta, renames herself Kamala, and creates a new life rich in books and friends. But although success and even love seem within reach, she remains trapped by what she is . . . and is not. As India struggles to throw off imperial rule, Kamala uses her hard-won skills—for secrecy, languages, and reading the unspoken gestures of those around her—to fight for her country’s freedom and her own happiness.

Party Time: Raving Arizona


Shaun Attwood - 2013
    Within a decade, he became a stock-market millionaire. But he was leading a double life.After taking his first Ecstasy pill at a rave in Manchester as a shy student, Shaun became intoxicated by the party lifestyle that would change his fortune. Years later, in the Arizona desert, Shaun became submerged in a criminal underworld, throwing parties for thousands of ravers and running an Ecstasy ring in competition with the Mafia mass murderer Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano.As greed and excess tore through his life, Shaun had eye-watering encounters with Mafia hit men and crystal-meth addicts, enjoyed extravagant debauchery with superstar DJs and glitter girls, and ingested enough drugs to kill a herd of elephants. This is his story.

The Best Place on Earth


Ayelet Tsabari - 2013
    In “Casualties,” Tsabari takes us into the military—a world every Israeli knows all too well—with a brusque, sexy young female soldier who forges medical leave forms to make ends meet. Poets, soldiers, siblings and dissenters, the protagonists here are mostly Israelis of Mizrahi background (Jews of Middle Eastern and North African descent), whose stories have rarely been told in literature. In illustrating the lives of those whose identities swing from fiercely patriotic to powerfully global, The Best Place on Earth explores Israeli history as it illuminates the tenuous connections—forged, frayed and occasionally destroyed—between cultures, between generations and across the gulf of transformation and loss.

Loyal to a Degree


Horst Christian - 2013
    Russian tanks have broken through the German defense lines east of the KLV evacuation camp in Poland where he and 120 other German boys are living. The time has come to leave the camp and return to Berlin.Despite his young age, Karl is a trained member of the Hitler Jugend (Hitler Youth) and assistant to KLV camp leader. Due to injuries sustained in battle, the camp leader is handicapped and unable to see to the evacuation of the boys from the camp. The job falls squarely on Karl’s shoulders as orders come from headquarters putting him in command of the mission. He must refine and execute an evacuation plan that will reunite the boys with their families and he must do it on his own. Berlin has no soldiers to spare.Once back in Berlin, Karl is reunited with his good friend and fellow Hitler Jugend member, Harold. The two boys are close and share a common bond – they are both “subway rats.” They earned the nickname because of the time they spent playing in and exploring the subway tunnels under Berlin when they were younger. They are experts when it comes to the subway system but little do they know, their unique knowledge of the tunnels will put them in grave danger.When SS leaders learn Karl is a subway rat, they take advantage of his knowledge and order him to act as a guide for SS demolition commandos in the tunnels. Having been relieved of his previous post, Harold is ordered to assist Karl. The SS cannot be trusted and Karl walks a fine line between life and death as he follows orders while working on a secret plan with Harold. The fall of Berlin is imminent and it’s only a matter of time before the Russians take over the city.Facing death at every turn, Karl must use his wits simply to stay alive. As the chain of command breaks down, the SS starts conducting courts-martial on the fly, executing anyone with a single bullet in their pocket. Meanwhile, the nightly air raids continue, scorching the city and leaving the stench of death in the air. Chaos reigns as the Russian Army moves closer and closer.As a member of the Hitler Youth growing up, Karl has been taught that loyalty to the Fatherland comes first, yet he is fighting for a cause he does not understand. In the final days before Berlin falls, Karl finds himself hungry, scared, and completely disillusioned with the war. He also realizes that he can only afford to be loyal to a degree as he is forced to make a crucial decision – live or die.Books In The Series:Children To A DegreeLoyal To A DegreeTrust To A DegreePartners To A Degree

A Seaside Escape


Lisa J. Hobman - 2013
    But cupid's arrow has a habit of striking when you least expect it... A heartwarming, feel-good romance to curl up with this winter perfect for the fans of Marian Keyes and Veronica Henry. Mallory Westerman is the successful proprietor of Le Petit Cadeau, a gift shop extraordinaire in thriving Leeds. Concentrating solely on her business, she has almost given up on finding someone to love. That is until she literally falls into the arms of a handsome, intriguing stranger who becomes her Knight in shining armour. The whirlwind romance that ensues changes her life-path irrevocably. However, the road to true love is never smooth and things don't always turn out how you expect...

The Garden of Burning Sand


Corban Addison - 2013
    Zoe’s organization is called in to help when an adolescent girl is brutally assaulted. The girl’s identity is a mystery. Where did she come from? Was the attack a random street crime or a premeditated act?A betrayal in her past gives the girl’s plight a special resonance for Zoe, and she is determined to find the perpetrator. She slowly forms a working relationship, and then a surprising friendship, with Joseph Kabuta, a Zambian police officer. Their search takes them from Lusaka’s roughest neighbourhoods to the wild waters of Victoria Falls, from the AIDS-stricken streets of Johannesburg to the matchless splendour of Cape Town.As the investigation builds to a climax, threatening to send shockwaves through Zambian society, Zoe is forced to radically reshape her assumptions about love, loyalty, family and, especially, the meaning of justice.

Don't Tell a Soul


Tiffany L. Warren - 2013
    Warren’s inspirational bestseller What a Sista Should Do are older—but are they wiser?...Once successful, Pam Lyon’s husband, Troy, has blown their fortune. Now he’s hustling to make a comeback. But his partner, Logan, is more interested in connecting with Pam—and soon he crosses a line that will challenge Pam’s marriage…Taylor Oldman’s ex, Luke, is finally out of prison and wants a relationship with their eleven-year-old son. But newly remarried Taylor doesn't want Luke in her life. The problem is, the boy is acting out—and Luke is the only one who can reach him. Can Taylor forgive Luke for the sake of their child?... Recently divorced, Yvonne Hastings is lonely for the first time in years. She finds solace by befriending new church member Eva Logan. Eva is trying to leave behind her scandalous past, but it seems she can’t let go of everything. And when her behavior starts to affect Yvonne, she’ll have to reflect on what it means to be a good friend in and out of church…As their personal lives test them like never before, can these three women find a way to keep the faith—and their friendship?...

Olivia, Mourning


Yael Politis - 2013
    Her father’s will bequeathed the land to whichever of his offspring would put in a crop and stake a claim to it. Olivia insists, “I’m sprung off him just as much as Avis or Tobey.”The problem: she’s seventeen, female, and it’s 1841.She has a friend who would make a perfect partner for this endeavor. Mourning Free knows how to run a farm, having worked many years for local farmers. More importantly, Olivia has complete trust in him and no fear of a romantic entanglement developing between them. Mourning will put in the crop for her and she will then help him buy land of his own.The problem: Mourning is black, the orphaned son of runaway slaves, and reluctant to travel and work with a white girl. He especially fears the private agents from the south who patrol the free states, hunting fugitive slaves.Olivia believes she and Mourning can make their partnership work and they set off together. All goes well, despite the drudgery of survival in an isolated log cabin. Incapable of acknowledging her feelings for Mourning, Olivia thinks her biggest problem is her unrequited romantic interest in their young, single neighbor. Then she is betrayed and violated and her world falls apart.Strong-willed, vulnerable, and compassionate, Olivia is a compelling protagonist on a journey to find a way to do the right thing in a world in which so much is wrong.Awards2010 YWO Book of the Year2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, Quarter-Finalist

A Song for Bellafortuna


Vincent B. "Chip" LoCoco - 2013
     *Named a 2015 Best ReadsA Song for Bellafortuna is an inspirational Italian Historical Fiction novel concerning a young man’s desire to free his Sicilian village from the domination of one family’s long reign. For years, the beautiful, yet secluded, hilltop village of Bellafortuna, Sicily, was a great producer of wine and olive oil. The entire village prospered. However, after the arrival of the Vasaio family, production dwindles and the villagers soon find themselves in crushing debt to the Vasaios. Only one family in the village remains outside the control of the Vasaios, but the reason haunts Antonio Sanguinetti every day of his life. Antonio is determined to erase this legacy by offering financial and emotional support to his fellow villagers. He introduces them to the choral song from Verdi’s opera, Nabucco, which becomes the rallying cry for the villagers and offers them hope for a better life. When Antonio’s only son, Giuseppe, discovers his family’s past, he becomes determined to take on the Vasaios and remove them from power. Led by the young Giuseppe, a plan is hatched that could result in either complete freedom for the villagers, or if it fails, forever solidifying the Vasaios’ control. Find out what happens in A Song for Bellafortuna, a sweeping epic historical fiction tale of love, drama, sacrifice, and redemption, set among the beautiful landscape of Sicily. The novel has been called lyrical, intelligent, majestic, magical, powerful and compelling. Here are some advance reviews. "Vincent B. LoCoco writes a heartwarming piece of historical fiction . . . He captured the essence of the Sicilian culture, especially regarding the value of ancestry and music . . . A Song For Bellafortuna is a beautiful tale of antiquity." – Readers Favorite 5 Star Review "The book was a joy to read. It is a wonderful story, told in a magical way.” -Cavaliere Ufficiale Aldo Mancusi, President of the Enrico Caruso Museum of America in New York "An inspiring story of an Italian village threatened by commerce and saved by opera." -John Biguenet, author of The Torturer’s Apprentice and Oyster Categories: Historical Fiction Italian Historical Fiction Historical Romance European Historical Fiction Christian Historical Fiction Christian Historical Fiction Romance Opera Music Historical Fiction Biographical

Fairytales for Lost Children


Diriye Osman - 2013
    These characters - young, gay and lesbian Somalis - must navigate the complexities of family, identity and the immigrant experience as they tumble towards freedom. Using a unique idiom rooted in hip-hop, graphic illustrations, Arabic calligraphy and folklore studded with Kiswahili and Somali slang, these stories mark the arrival of a singular new voice in contemporary fiction.

Hawaiki Rising


Sam Low - 2013
    Sam Low, the author, has sailed with us on three voyages, written numerous articles and now, after ten years of work, has finished Hawaiki Rising. This book is an important part of our 'olelo, our history, and it contains the mana of all those who helped create and sail Hokule'a." Nainoa Thompson

The Promise of Provence


Patricia Sands - 2013
    But instead of receiving an anniversary card from her husband, she finds a note asking for a divorce.Fifty-five and suddenly alone, Katherine begins the daunting task of starting over. She has her friends, her aging mother, and her career to occupy her, but the future seems to hold little promise—until, after a winter of heartbreak, Katherine is persuaded to try a home exchange holiday in the South of France.In Provence, bright fields of flowers bloom below medieval hilltop villages with winding cobblestone streets. Charmed by the picturesque countryside, the breathtaking Côte d’Azur, and the enchantment-filled boulevards of Paris, Katherine feels life opening up once again. Lavender perfumes the air, and chance encounters hint at romance and passion. But memories of heartbreak and betrayal linger—and her former life waits for her back home. Can she find the courage to begin again? Revised edition: This edition of The Promise of Provence includes editorial revisions.

Soul of a Tiger: A Miraculous True Story of a Family Who Survived the Cambodian Genocide


Sreyreath Kuy - 2013
    Born in the Year of the Tiger, Rachana’s undeniable symbolic life or death experiences prove that faith, belief, and the will to survive can prevail above all odds. In what was one of the most appalling mass murders known to mankind, the Khmer Rouge inflicted evil upon the first class citizens of Cambodia from 1975-1979. Throughout the next gruesome four years of the Killing Fields, and even prior during the Cambodian Civil War, nearly a quarter of the entire country’s population was lost from starvation, torture, insurmountable tragedy, disease, and blatant atrocities. Families were broken and the entire landscape of the country was destroyed. Inspired by a true story, one young woman defies all odds in this profound journey of love, anger, bravery, forgiveness and survival. Along with her beloved mother and two young daughters, Rachana experiences both the best and worst of mankind. Through insurmountable adversities, this tearfully authentic and courageous story will take you on a compelling pursuit of freedom, surprising sacrifices and life or death decisions to be made along the way.

White Dog Fell from the Sky


Eleanor Morse - 2013
    In apartheid South Africa in 1976, medical student Isaac Muthethe is forced to flee his country after witnessing a friend murdered by white members of the South African Defense Force. He is smuggled into Botswana, where he is hired as a gardener by a young American woman, Alice Mendelssohn, who has abandoned her Ph.D. studies to follow her husband to Africa. When Isaac goes missing and Alice goes searching for him, what she finds will change her life and inextricably bind her to this sunburned, beautiful land. Like the African terrain that Alice loves, Morse’s novel is alternately austere and lush, spare and lyrical. She is a writer of great and wide-ranging gifts.

Katie Opens Her Heart


Jerry S. Eicher - 2013
    Eicher (nearly half a million copies sold) returns with the first book in another of his delightful and compelling series.Here is the touching story of an awakening young Amish girl, Katie Raber, who finds she wants more from life than to be known as simply "Emma Raber's daughter."Emma has refused to remarry since Katie's daett died soon after she was born. And in an effort to keep Katie home, Emma has forbidden her from participating in the rumspringa tradition.When widower Jesse Mast calls for Mamm's hand in marriage, Katie hopes to move into a new phase of life and leave the old "Emma Raber's daughter" behind. But Emma is having none of it, and Katie must consider abandoning all hope of ever changing her mamm's bitterness or of ever having popular Ben Yoder notice her. Out of sheer frustration, she begins attending nearby Mennonite youth gatherings.Sparks fly when Jesse's children object fiercely to the attentions their daett is paying to Emma Raber. And widowed Ruth Hochstetler makes her own move for Jesse Mast's hand.Book one in the Emma Raber's Daughter series.

A Thousand Hills to Heaven: Love, Hope, and a Restaurant in Rwanda


Josh Ruxin - 2013
    Newlyweds Josh and Alissa were at a party and received a challenge that shook them to the core: do you think you can really make a difference? Especially in a place like Rwanda, where the scars of genocide linger and poverty is rampant? While Josh worked hard bringing food and health care to the country's rural villages, Alissa was determined to put their foodie expertise to work. The couple opened Heaven, a gourmet restaurant overlooking Kigali, which became an instant success. Remarkably, they found that between helping youth marry their own local ingredients with gourmet recipes (and mix up "the best guacamole in Africa") and teaching them how to help themselves, they created much-needed jobs while showing that genocide's survivors really could work together. While first a memoir of love, adventure, and family, A Thousand Hills to Heaven also provides a remarkable view of how, through health, jobs, and economic growth, our foreign aid programs can be quickly remodeled and work to end poverty worldwide.

American Betrayal: The Secret Assault on Our Nation's Character


Diana West - 2013
    In American Betrayal, West digs deeper to discover the root of this malaise and uncovers a body of lies that Americans have been led to regard as the near-sacred history of World War II and its Cold War aftermath.Part real-life thriller, part national tragedy, American Betrayal lights up the massive, Moscow-directed penetration of America's most hallowed halls of power, revealing not just the familiar struggle between Communism and the Free World, but the hidden war between those wishing to conceal the truth and those trying to expose the increasingly official web of lies.American Betrayal is America's lost history, a chronicle that pits Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight David Eisenhower, and other American icons who shielded overlapping Communist conspiracies against the investigators, politicians, defectors, and others (including Senator Joseph McCarthy) who tried to tell the American people the truth.American Betrayal shatters the approved histories of an era that begins with FDR's first inauguration, when "happy days" are supposed to be here again, and ends when we "win" the Cold War. It is here, amid the rubble, where Diana West focuses on the World War II--Cold War deal with the devil in which America surrendered her principles in exchange for a series of Big Lies whose preservation soon became the basis of our leaders' own self-preservation. It was this moral surrender to deception and self-deception, West argues, that sent us down the long road to moral relativism, "political correctness," and other cultural ills that have left us unable to ask the hard questions: Does our silence on the crimes of Communism explain our silence on the totalitarianism of Islam? Is Uncle Sam once again betraying America?In American Betrayal, Diana West shakes the historical record to bring down a new understanding of our past, our present, and how we have become a nation unable to know truth from lies.

Tiy and the Prince of Egypt


Debbie Dee - 2013
    With her mother consumed by the need to keep up appearances, and her father too busy to care, Tiy just wants to disappear into the background. But her hope for a quiet life is shattered when she rescues Prince Amenhotep from a sandstorm and is rewarded with an invitation to attend the royal school in Egypt’s capital”"-a place where girls like her will never belong.Amenhotep welcomes her into his close circle of friends and their friendship strengthens into a bond neither is willing to lose. But when Amenhotep becomes Pharaoh and is pressured by the priests to marry, the strength of their friendship is threatened. Will Tiy find enough courage to accept Amenhotep’s hand when he wants her to become the next Queen of Egypt, especially when her feelings run no deeper than friendship? And how can she protect him from the Nubian rebels who are determined to take control of Egypt? ˃˃˃ "This story is a rare gem." - Playing for Sweeps ˃˃˃ "Debbie Dee blew me away, yet again....I was at the edge of my seat over and over." - Kayla's Place ˃˃˃ "Really draws you in." - Trips Down Imagination Road

Global Mom: Eight Countries, Sixteen Addresses, Five Languages, One Family


Melissa Dalton-Bradford - 2013
     Follow this family of six on their passage—extraordinary, hilarious and heartbreakingly poignant—from Bright Lights (of New York City) to the Northern Lights (of Norway) to the City of Light (Paris) to the speed-of-light of the Autobahn (in Munich). Continue deep into the tropics of Southeast Asia (Singapore) and end your voyage in the heights of the Swiss Alps (Geneva). As varied as the topography—the craggy fjords, the meandering Seine, the black forests, the muggy tropics, the soaring Alps—this multicultural tale traverses everything from giving birth in a château in Versailles to living on an island in a fjord. From singing jazz on national Norwegian T.V. to judging an Indonesian beauty contest. From navigating the labyrinth of French bureaucracy and the traffic patterns of Singapore to sitting around a big pine table where the whole family learns languages, cultures, cuisines—where they, in short, learn to love this complex and diverse world and, most importantly, each other.

The Prayer


Stephan J. Myers - 2013
    A haunting children’s Christmas tale from the imagination of Stephan J Myers, The Prayer is a rhapsody of images and words that will linger long after the last page is turned. Images and words that touch that special place inside, where the heart and mind know no boundaries. A tale of hope and reflection for readers young and old, as the ghost of Christmas fades and a New Year begins. Since it was first written in 2009, The Prayer has been read by thousands of readers across the world in its original text; leaving the imagination of the reader to paint the images the words evoke. For the first time, the words of The Prayer come to life as they were originally intended. Praise for Stephan J Myers “Myers' fairy tale is a rhapsody of colours, musicality and clever rhyming …... Each picture, with its vivid colours and soft lines, is a narrative statement of its own...so brilliant it should be framed!” “This is definitely a book that will be treasured and read again and again. The thing I still remember about my favourite childhood reads is the illustrations. There is so much detail on every page, I'm sure these will be remembered by generations to come.” “As far as writing and illustration go this is what dreams are made of. Immaculately written and illustrated.” “A truly charming & magical story by the very talented Stephen J Myers. As for the illustrations, they are simply stunning! I would highly recommend this book. A delightful read for all ages.”

The Cross in the Shadow of the Crescent: An Informed Response to Islam’s War with Christianity


Erwin W. Lutzer - 2013
    In this compelling new book, bestselling author Erwin Lutzer urges Christians to see this as both an opportunity to share the gospel and a reason for concern.We have now reached a tipping point—the spread of Islam is rapidly altering the way we live. These changes are cause for alarm, for they endanger our freedoms of speech and religion.At the same time, this opens an incredible door of ministry for Christians, for Muslims normally do not have access to the gospel in their own lands.In The Cross in the Shadow of the Crescent, readers will discover helpful answers to these questions and more:How does Islam’s growing influence affect me personally?In what ways are our freedoms of speech and religion in danger?How can I extend Christ’s love to Muslims around me?A sensitive, responsible, and highly informative must-read!

The Moon Daughter


Zohreh Ghahremani - 2013
    She has two daughters, yet a husband who demands a son. When she gives birth to another girl, Yalda, the impact on her marriage is immediate. In 1970s Iran, living within a culture where marital rights and gender roles are maintained with tradition and fervor, Rana is pushed to make the hardest decision of her life, and begins to set in motion a chain of events that will ripple through the next generation. A family saga, The Moon Daughter explores the universal dynamics of mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the struggles that define us.Advance Praise for The Moon Daughter: "Ghahremani s ability to tell the stories that have not yet been told about Iran enriches the landscape of American fiction and evokes the power of an emerging Iranian-American voice." Persis Karim, Director of Iranian Studies, San Jose State UniversityAt once tragic and triumphant, this spellbinding drama is riveting through the final page." Marjorie Hart, author of Summer at TiffanyReaders of Ghahremani s work are promised another novel that combines lyrical prose, exotic setting, and compelling story." Judy Reeves, author of A Writer s Book Of DaysZohreh Ghahremani writes in both her native language Persian and English. Her debut novel, Sky of Red Poppies, was selected by KPBS and the San Diego Public Library as the citywide reading selection for One Book, One San Diego in 2012. She lives in San Diego with her husband. Visit her online at www.zoeghahremani.com

104 Horses: A Memoir of Farm and Family, Africa and Exile


Mandy Retzlaff - 2013
    In broken English, it tells you that you must now vacate your farm; that this is no longer your home, for it now belongs to the crowd on your doorstep. Then the drums begin to beat.’As the land invasions gather pace, the Retzlaffs begin an epic journey across Zimbabwe, facing eviction after eviction, trying to save the group of animals with whom they feel a deep and enduring bond – the horses.When their neighbours flee to New Zealand, the Retzlaffs promise to look after their horses, and making similar promises to other farmers along their journey, not knowing whether they will be able to feed or save them, they amass an astonishing herd of over 300 animals. But the final journey to freedom will be arduous, and they can take only 104 horses.Each with a different personality and story, it is not just the family who rescue the horses, but the horses who rescue the family. Grey, the silver gelding: the leader. Brutus, the untamed colt. Princess, the temperamental mare.One Hundred and Four Horses is the story of an idyllic existence that falls apart at the seams, and a story of incredible bonds – a love of the land, the strength of a family, and of the connection between man and the most majestic of animals, the horse.

Beneath an Irish Sky


Isabella Connor - 2013
    On the surface, he has everything success, money, a big house and he is never short of an attractive woman by his side, but a tragic road accident shatters Jack's world. Raised as an Irish Traveller, Luke Kiernan hasn't had it easy, and when he wakes in a Dublin hospital to find the man he's hated since childhood at his bedside, he's hungry for revenge.Two very different worlds collide, bringing new dangers, exposing past deceits, and unearthing dark family secrets buried long ago. But from tragedy springs the promise of a fresh start with two women who are intent on helping Jack and Luke mend their lives.Can new love heal old wounds, or are some scars there for good?

Razia's Ray of Hope: One Girl's Dream of an Education


Elizabeth Suneby - 2013
    When a new girls' school opens in the village, a determined Razia must convince her father and oldest brother that educating her would be best for her, their family and their community. Razia's Ray of Hope is the latest inspiring story from the?CitizenKid collection. It is based on the true stories of the?students of the Zabuli Education Center for Girls just outside?of Kabul, founded by a generous and resourceful woman named?Razia Jan, a CNN hero, who also appears in the story.

False River


Dominique Botha - 2013
    “There are barbels in the mud. They will wake up if you step on them.” When Paul and Dominique are sent to boarding schools in Natal, their idyllic childhood on a Free State farm is over. Their parents’ leftist politics has made life impossible in the local dorp school. Angry schoolboy Paul is a promising poet, his sister his confidant. But his literary awakening turns into a descent. He flees the oppression of South Africa, only to meet his death in London. Dominique Botha’s poignant debut is an elegy to a rural existence and her brother – both now forever lost. The novel is based on true events.

Canton Elegy: A Father's Letter of Sacrifice, Survival, and Enduring Love


Stephen Lee - 2013
    Beneath his humble exterior, however, lay one of the most extraordinary stories of the twentieth century.  Lee was born in Canton, China in 1902. As a teenager he was sent to live with relatives in San Francisco. He attended college at Iowa State and later transferred to UC Berkeley where he was one of the first Chinese-Americans to receive a degree. The widespread racism of the time prevented Lee from landing a job in his chosen field of finance, so he burned his papers and returned home to China. With the clouds of war gathering, Lee, an anti-communist, found work in the accounting and logistics office of the Cantonese Air Force where he quickly rose to Colonel and comptroller. In 1929, after securing his position, he married a local beauty named Belle and in 1930, his first child, Amy, was born.  When the Japanese pushed south from Manchuria in 1936, the Cantonese Air Force was merged with that of Chiang Kai-shek's and Lee was forced to flee with his wife and four children to Hong Kong. There Lee took a job with the Canton Trust Company. On the eve of the bombings at Pearl Harbor, the board of the Canton Trust made the fateful decision to send Lee to Kwelin to set up a new office. After Hong Kong fell to the Japanese, Belle and the children were force to flee on foot to Kwelin, which became a three hundred mile, six-week ordeal of hunger and hardship. In 1943, Kwelin was evacuated and the Lees were once again on the move. Forced to play the part of refugees, the Lees moved up river, eventually landing in the small village of Foo-Luke outside of Chungking. There Stephen was invited to teach accounting at the local university. But tragedy soon struck again when a sudden flood nearly washed the family down the Yangtze River. After the war, the Lees returned to Canton where they found that their home had been converted into an auto repair shop by the Japanese. Undaunted, Belle set about rebuilding it while Stephen helped return the city to civilian rule. By 1948, however, the Communists were bearing down on Canton and Lees were compelled to relocate again. In 1955, the Lees fled for a final time--to America. Back in San Francisco, Lee found that attitudes towards Chinese immigrants had not changed much since he first left there 30 years before.  Canton Elegy is a love story, an adventure, and an intimate portrait of one family's struggle to survive. Stephen Jin-Nom Lee, his beautiful wife, Belle, and their four young children, braved famine, flood, corruption, and the devastation of war, on their journey to America. Written so that his grandchildren might one day understand the quiet man who ran the local grocery store, Canton Elegy has all the action of a Hollywood blockbuster. From the 300-mile journey Belle and the children take on foot, to the night when Stephen stands at his window watching Canton burn, Canton Elegy describes events with an artist's sensibility and a poet's heart.

Nocturne: On the Life and Death of My Brother


Helen Humphreys - 2013
    Diagnosed with stage 4B pancreatic cancer at the age of forty-five, he died four months later, leaving behind a grieving family. Martin was an extraordinary pianist who debuted at the Royal Festival Hall in London at the age of twenty, later becoming a piano teacher and senior examiner at the Royal Conservatory of Music. The two siblings, though often living far apart, were bonded on many levels.Now Humphreys has written a deeply felt, haunting memoir both about and for her brother. Speaking directly to him, she lays bare their secrets, their disagreements, their early childhood together, their intense though unspoken love for each other. A memoir of grief, an honest self-examination in the face of profound pain, this poetic, candid and intimate book is an offering not only to the memory of Martin but to all those who are living through the death of family and friends.

The Milk of Birds


Sylvia Whitman - 2013
    Nawra cannot read or write, but when a nonprofit organization called Save the Girls pairs her with an American donor, Nawra dictates her thank-you letters. Putting her experiences into words begins to free her from her devastating past—and to brighten the path to her future.K. C. is an American teenager from Richmond, Virginia, who hates reading and writing—or anything that smacks of school. But as Nawra pours grief and joy into her letters, she inspires K. C. to see beyond her own struggles. And as K. C. opens her heart in her responses to Nawra, she becomes both a dedicated friend and a passionate activist for Darfur.In this poetic tale of unlikely sisterhood, debut author Sylvia Whitman captures the friendship between two girls who teach each other compassion and share a remarkable bond that bridges two continents.

Hide and Seek


H.L. Wegley - 2013
    Lee leads them on a desperate and prayer-filled flight for survival into the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Will Jennifer's pursuit of truth about the conspiracy, and the deepest issues of life, lead her into the clutches of terrorists, into the arms of Lee Brandt, or into the arms of the God she deems untrustworthy?

Yokohama Yankee: My Family's Five Generations as Outsiders in Japan


Leslie Helm - 2013
    Helm draws on his great-grandfather's unpublished memoir and a wealth of primary source material to bring his family history to life.

The Things We Lose, The Things We Leave Behind


Billy O'Callaghan - 2013
    The characters who populate these stories are people afflicted by life and circumstance, hauled from some idyll and confronted with such real world problems as divorce, miscarriage, cancer, desertion, bereavement and the disintegration of love.

Bad Elephant Far Stream


Samuel Hawley - 2013
    Bad Elephant Far Stream is an elephant’s life story, told from her own perspective, through her own eyes.Inspired by the life of a real elephant known as Topsy, it follows Far Stream from her birth and capture in the wild in Ceylon in the late 1860s, through her transportation to America and thirty years with the circus, which ultimately led to her being labeled as “bad.” It’s an unusual and uncompromising novel that explores the questions: What is it like to be an elephant trained for human amusement? What does such a creature think? What does it feel? What does it yearn for?Bad Elephant Far Stream takes the reader on a voyage of discovery to find out.

The Gospel According to Yeshua's Cat


C.L. Francisco - 2013
    Yeshua ben Yosef is a man with healing hands, seeking solitude in the wastes beyond Qumran. Their paths cross when Yeshua drives away a pack of wild dogs and rescues the wounded cat, carrying her in his arms to a wadi where he settles to pray. An unusual friendship grows up between them, deepened by Yeshua's ability to speak with animals. From their earliest days, Mari's observations illumine the road he must walk, and when he leaves the wilderness, she rides with him, hidden in a sling beneath his robe. In the way of cats, Mari treasures the hours she spends there, curled against Yeshua's heart, dreaming with the rise and fall of his breast. Jesus of Nazareth, Mary Magdalene, and a Cat Although her forebears are Egyptian Mau, Mari is a stranger to civilization. Yeshua's understanding of human hearts shapes her own, and her comments often surprise him into laughter. More than any other, she is Yeshua's companion in the quiet times. Mari narrates the life of Jesus of Nazareth from a cat's eye-view, frequently losing the thread of his teaching as she drowses, focusing instead on their times alone, or events she finds intriguing. When crowds press close for healing, she withdraws behind the folds of his robes. On her own, she pursues a friendship with Mary Magdalene, chastens loutish humans, and looks on as Yeshua transforms the very elements of Earth in his miracles. With Yeshua, Mari learns to love beyond the wont of cats. But in loving him, she discovers loneliness and fear of loss. How can a cat who lives in the eternal Now cope with sudden awareness of the future, with all its uncertainty and pain? A Gospel for Cats and Children As Yeshua's words and miracles take hold of the hearts of the Palestinian people, his enemies' attacks grow venomous, and tensions between Yeshua and Temple authorities escalate. In the end, all roads lead to the Passover festival in Jerusalem, where Mari experiences depths of wonder unsuspected by those caught up in the tumult around her.

You Are Not Dead


Wendy Xu - 2013
    Asian American Studies. "In YOU ARE NOT DEAD Wendy Xu breaks all the old rules that have never done us any favors anyway. She writes beautifully, noticing who we are, and letting us see ourselves with a little more humanity, a little more humor, a little more humility. I'm happy to have read this book."--James Tate"There's a wild and wondrous poet plundering-through our lives, collecting the oddest and most significant things, turning our thoughts toward things we couldn't have known before she turned us toward them. YOU ARE NOT DEAD is precisely how this book can get you to feel and that is an almost otherworldly power. The poet who imagines and builds these poems is irresistible."--Dara Wier"That fluctuating space between the temporary and the infinite is an erogenous zone made all the more enticing when articulated so eloquently. 'We have a lifespan and O how we live it out.' Wendy Xu's poems posit for us a future, a presence, a body resistant to the ravages of time. Mortality is a far planet. Here in Xu's work, we are passionately, and gratefully, alive."--D. A. Powell

Georgetown Academy: Season One


Alyssa Embree Schwartz - 2013
    But everyone always has something to hide.THE IT GIRL NEXT DOOREveryone wants a piece of Ellie Walker and her Senator mom, but Ellie’s always been happy to cede the spotlight. Kind-hearted, sweet, and half of G.A.’s perfect power couple, Ellie has it all…until her ex-boyfriend, Gabe, moves back to town and turns her world upside down leaving her to choose between love and loyalty. THE DC PRINCESSBrinley Madison, of those Madisons, relishes her family’s status as the ultimate D.C. insiders. While her political strategist father plays kingmaker, Brinley maneuvers behind the scenes in school and at home. Brinley knows better than to keep a secret that could hurt her family, but sometimes desire turns to addiction, putting the family reputation at risk.THE OUTSIDEREvan Hartnett doesn’t have the typical pedigree of a G.A., student. In fact, she has no pedigree at all. Her academic scholarship may get her access to the classroom, but she’s still on the outside looking in…until a series of unexpected boyfriends rocket her to national attention.THE CALIFORNIA GIRLTaryn Reyes’ laid-back, bohemian vibe doesn’t exactly mesh with her new surroundings, but she’s remarkably secure and unconcerned. But after her first run-in with D.C.’s dirty politics, she finds out that keeping her integrity and her heart intact may be harder than she thinks.

Leo Tolstoy: Collection of 78 Classic Works with analysis and historical background (Annotated and Illustrated) (Annotated Classics)


Leo Tolstoy - 2013
    * Annotated with concise introduction, including analysis of Leo Tolstoy's works as well as modern view on Tolstoy's historical background.* Original footnotes are hyperlinked for easy reference.* The collection includes alphabetical and chronological indexes of Tolstoy's works.* Each book features its own active Table of Contents.* Includes Leo Tolstoy's Biography.* Includes Leo Tolstoy's most famous quotes.* Includes analysis of Leo Tolstoy's literary style. * All Annotated Classics books are beautifully designed for easy reading and navigation on e-Readers and mobile devices.CONTENTS:NOVELS:Anna Karenina, Translated by Constance GarnettThe Cossacks, A Tale of 1852, Translated by Louise and Aylmer MaudeThe Death of Ivan Ilych, Translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude Hadji Murad, Translated by Louise and Aylmer MaudeMaster and Man, Translated by Louise and Aylmer MaudeThe Kreutzer Sonata, Translator Benjamin R. TuckerResurrection; or, The Awakening, Translated by Louise MaudeA Russian Proprietor, Translated by Nathan Haskell Dole War and Peace, Translated by Louise and Aylmer MaudeChildhood, Translated by C. J. HogarthBoyhood, Translated by C. J. HogarthYouth, Translated by C. J. HogarthDRAMATIC PLAYS:The Cause of it All, Translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude Fruits of Culture, Translated by Arthur HopkinsRedemption, Translated by Arthur HopkinsThe Power of Darkness, Translated by Arthur HopkinsThe First Distiller, Translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude The Light Shines in Darkness, Translated by Louise and Aylmer MaudeSTORIES:Albert, Translated by Nathan Haskell DoleThe Candle, Translated by Benjamin R. TuckerThe Devil, Translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude Fables for Children, Translated by Leo Wiener Father Sergius, Translated by Louise and Aylmer MaudeFamily Happiness, Translated by Louise and Aylmer MaudeA Lost Opportunity, Translated by Benjamin R. TuckerPolikushka: The Lot of a Wicked Court ServantRecollections of a Billiard-marker, Translated by Nathan Haskell Dole Three Deaths, Translated by Nathan Haskell DoleThree Parables, Translated by Nathan Haskell Dole Two Hussars, Translated by Nathan Haskell DoleTHE FORGED COUPON AND OTHER STORIESThe Forged CouponAfter The DanceAlyosha The PotMy DreamThere Are No Guilty PeopleThe Young Tsar TWENTY-THREE TALES (TRANSLATED BY LOUISE AND AYLMER MAUDE):God Sees the Truth, But WaitsThe Prisoner of the Caucasus The Bear Hunt What Men Live ByA Spark Neglected Burns the House Two Old Men Where Love is, There God is Also Ivan The FoolEvil Allures, But Good Endures Little Girls Wiser Than Men; or, Wisdom of ChildrenIlyás The Three Hermits The Imp and the CrustHow Much Land Does a Man Need? A Grain as Big as a Hen's EggThe Godson The Repentant SinnerThe Empty Drum The Coffee-House of SuratToo Dear! Esarhaddon, King of AssyriaWork, Death, and Sickness Three Questions ESSAYS:A Confession Translated by Louise and Aylmer MaudeChurch and State, Translated by Nathan Haskell DoleThe Kingdom of God Is Within You, Translated by Constance GarnettThe Moscow Census, Translated by Isabel F.

Eye Spy


Tahir Shah - 2013
    Amadeus Kaine is fêted by royalty, dictators, Hollywood, and the international jetset. An epicurean of sophistication and dark obsessions, he’s devoted his life to locating the perfect food.While treating one of Central Asia’s most depraved despots, Kaine is given a little pie to eat – a delicacy reserved for guests of the president. It’s the most delicious thing that’s ever passed the surgeon’s lips, and one that has seemingly miraculous effects. All of a sudden, Kaine finds that his bald patch is growing over with thick black hair, and that his body is healing itself from the inside out. But, best of all, he realizes that his mental faculties are stimulated in ways he never believed possible. He can write books in a few hours, learn languages in a matter of days, and effortlessly solve problems from world hunger to global warming.The drawback is that the dictator’s little pies are prepared with human eyes, taken from convicts working in the opal mines. Horrified that he’s unwittingly become a cannibal, Amadeus Kaine can’t think of anything but getting his hands on some more of the illicit specialty.Obsessed in particular by green eyes, he begins hunting for victims to satisfy his wayward craving. While perfecting his method, he learns to appreciate the subtleties in taste. As he does so, a terrible affliction strikes – Occulosis.An eye disease that has jumped the species gap from industrialized poultry farming, the virus rips through society, robbing the masses of their sight. The only man who can save the world is the inimitable Dr. Kaine, who is himself on the run.One of the strangest tales of obsession, mania and intrigue ever told, EYE SPY will quite literally change the way you see the world.

The Devil is a Black Dog: Stories from the Middle East and Beyond


Sándor Jászberényi - 2013
    Characters contemplate the meaning of home, love, despair, family, and friendship against the backdrop of brutality. From Cairo to the Gaza Strip, from Benghazi to Budapest, religious men have their faith challenged, and people under the duress of war or traumatic personal memories deal with the feelings that emerge. Often they seem to suppress these feelings . . . but, no, not quite.  Set in countries the author has reported from or lived in, these stories are all told from different perspectives, but always with the individual at the center: the mother, the soldier, the martyr, the religious man, the journalist, and so on. They form a kaleidoscope of miniworlds, of moments, of decisions that together put a face, an emotion, a thought behind humans who confront war and conflict. Although they are fiction, they could have all happened exactly as they are told. Each story leaves a powerful visual image, an unforgettable image you conjure up again and again.  Jászberényi is able to do all this so convincingly, in part, because he himself is not a "helicopter journalist" but rather lives in a residential Cairo neighborhood. He is, moreover, from a corner of Eastern Europe where cynicism almost equates with survival, and yet his writing evinces not only wry humor but great sensitivity and a profound sense of beauty. He speaks Arabic (in addition to English and his native Hungarian) and immerses himself in the society he reports on. But, in doing so, he still remains a reporter, and as such the stories are approached with the clinical, observant eye of an outsider. Whether addressing the contradictions of international humanitarian work or the moral dilemmas faced by those who seek to improve the health and lives of women and girls, he does so in a singularly provocative and yet intelligent manner.

The Master's Plan


Stephany Tullis - 2013
    The story is written with a touch of humor and a solid backdrop of both public service and church 'politics'! Snappy dialogue, interesting yet realistic plot twists, and strong likable characters who have an opinion about everything make this a fun to read and thought-provoking novel.Selena Beatrice Jones, aka ‘SB’ to her friends, is married to Pastor Woodruff T. Jones, pastor of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, Smoothville, Georgia and still sometimes struggles with her status as the good Pastor’s second wife and the daily challenges it brings…with his family and his church of 25 years.But after recently celebrating her 50th birthday, Selena thinks she's got it 'going on' and is excited about God's plans to use her to move Mt. Sinai into the 21st century via The Master's Plan. In her excitement to fulfill her purpose, Selena doesn't realize that when Commissioner Reginald Thompson II, aspiring political candidate, agrees to buy into her Master’s Plan, he does so because he has his own 'master plan'. One designed to get him into the State Legislature!Selena is on a mission to fulfill her God given purpose on earth, confident that her steps are ordered by the Lord! Reginald is just as confident that his master plan will get him into office and that Selena B. Jones is the lady who can help get him there.While the Commissioner’s staff struggle to convince him of the importance of adhering to the often painful and seemingly unnecessary bureaucratic details associated with federal funding of faith based programs, Selena attempts to garner the critically needed backing of church family, community and friends for the Plan. Suddenly her husband disappears! The Plan takes on a life of its own and without the good Pastor’s approval. Selena's hands are full as she struggles to understand Woody's sudden and highly suspect disappearance while defending both his reputation and position as Pastor of Mt. Sinai to a disgruntled and sometimes hostile committee of church elders. The Commissioner’s flagrant reliance on his charm, good looks and ‘massage the truth’ tactics to accomplish his mission causes his chief strategist, Shawn Mallory, to challenge the integrity of the plan. Deciding that his boss has finally crossed the line, Mallory jumps ship just as the master plan project is launched. Unusual and atypical relationships form between government and church officials; old and new friends; and past and present family making this a ‘must read’ for everyone struggling to find purpose!

Mallee Sky


Kerry McGinnis - 2013
    Desperate for comfort, Kate retreats to the Mallee, a place crawling with dark secrets and lingering childhood memories.When she's offered a carer's job on the isolated Rosebud Farm, Kate soon meets old Harry Quickly, an intriguing young boy called Maxie, and a handsome harvest contractor who's not shy about making his intentions known.Under the endless Mallee skies, Kate discovers that she might just have a future in the place that has haunted her past. But are some family secrets better left in the grave or can new friendships heal old wounds?A moving and evocative novel of mystery, heartbreak and courage by the bestselling author of Wildhorse Creek.

Mysterious Traveler


Mal Peet - 2013
    Lynch. Already an old man, desert guide Issa has seen thousands of dawns. One particular morning, however, the desert reveals something new; something that changes his life. Tucked away in a narrow cave, shielded from a treacherous dust storm by a faithful camel, a baby girl lies wrapped in fine cotton and wearing half of a star medallion around her neck. Issa names the girl Mariama. As years pass, Issa loses his sight, and Mariama becomes his eyes. So Issa doesn’t see the pattern on the robes of a mysterious young traveler who comes through their village, or the medallion he wears. Who is this young stranger, and what does his arrival mean for the life Issa and Mariama share in the desert?

Looks Like Daylight


Deborah Ellis - 2013
    For two years she traveled across the United States and Canada interviewing Native children. The result is a compelling collection of interviews with children aged nine to eighteen. They come from all over the continent, from Iqaluit to Texas, Haida Gwaai to North Carolina, and their stories run the gamut — some heartbreaking; many others full of pride and hope.You’ll meet Tingo, who has spent most of his young life living in foster homes and motels, and is now thriving after becoming involved with a Native Friendship Center; Myleka and Tulane, young artists in Utah; Eagleson, who started drinking at age twelve but now continues his family tradition working as a carver in Seattle; Nena, whose Seminole ancestors remained behind in Florida during the Indian Removals, and who is heading to New Mexico as winner of her local science fair; Isabella, who defines herself more as Native than American; Destiny, with a family history of alcoholism and suicide, who is now a writer and powwow dancer.Many of these children are living with the legacy of the residential schools; many have lived through the cycle of foster care. Many others have found something in their roots that sustains them, have found their place in the arts, the sciences, athletics. Like all kids, they want to find something that engages them; something they love.Deborah briefly introduces each child and then steps back, letting the kids speak directly to the reader, talking about their daily lives, about the things that interest them, and about how being Native has affected who they are and how they see the world.As one reviewer has pointed out, Deborah Ellis gives children a voice that they may not otherwise have the opportunity to express so readily in the mainstream media. The voices in this book are as frank and varied as the children themselves.

For the Love of Nadia - My daughter was kidnapped by her father and taken to Libya. This is my heart-wrenching true story of my quest to bring her home


Sarah Taylor - 2013
    

Ladakh Adventure


Deepak Dalal - 2013
    On a visit to this remote, majestic outpost of India, Vikram and Aditya camp out on the lofty Changtang plateau. Here they meet a young Tibetan boy named Tsering. But Tsering is unexpectedly abducted and Aditya pulls off a daring rescue. Suddenly Vikram and Aditya are on the run. On the frozen plateau, often referred to as the "roof of the world", the schoolboys play a dangerous game of hide-and-seek with a band of mysterious determined men. Traversing the barren wastes of Ladakh, the story moves to the mountain-city of Leh. Who is Tsering? Why is he being chased with such fierce resolve? Discover the fascinating secret of Tsering in this fast-moving adventure tale. "Ladakh Adventure" is another enthralling VikramAditya story, set in a wonderous land of startling contrasts and magnificent mountains.

Blackamoores: Africans in Tudor England, Their Presence, Status and Origins


Onyeka - 2013
    Onyeka's book acknowledges this predilection but challenges our perceptions. Onyeka's book is about the presence, status and origins of Africans in Tudor England. In it Onyeka argues that these people were present in cities and towns throughout England, but that they did not automatically occupy the lowest positions in Tudor society. This is important because the few modern historians who have written about Africans in Tudor England suggest that they were all slaves, or transient immigrants who were considered as dangerous strangers and the epitome of otherness. However, this book will show that some Africans in England had important occupations in Tudor society, and were employed by powerful people because of the skills they possessed. These people seem to have inherited some of their skills from the multicultural societies that they came from, but that does not mean all of those present in England were born in other countries: some were born in England. The arguments in this book are supported by evidence from a variety of sources both manuscript and printed, most of which has not been widely discussed - whilst some of it Onyeka has discovered, and this may be the first time that it has been revealed. Other evidence is taken from texts that are the subject of popular discussion by historians, linguists and so on, but Onyeka encourages the reader to re-examine these works in a different way because they reveal information about the presence, status and origins of Africans in Tudor England.

The Black Book of the American Left: The Collected Conservative Writings


David Horowitz - 2013
    When the wreckage he and his comrades had created became clear to him in the mid-1970s, he left. Three decades of second thoughts then made him this movement's principal intellectual antagonist. "For better or worse," as Horowitz writes in the preface to this, the first volume of his collected conservative writings, "I have been condemned to spend the rest of my days attempting to understand how the left pursues the agendas from which I have separated myself, and why."When Horowitz began his odyssey, the left had already escaped the political ghetto to which his parents' generation and his own had been confined. Today, it has become the dominant force in America's academic and media cultures, electing a president and achieving a position from which it can shape America's future. How it achieved its present success and what that success portends are the overarching subjects of Horowitz's conservative writings. Through the unflinching focus of one singularly engaged witness, the identity of a destructive movement that constantly morphs itself in order to conceal its identity and mission becomes disturbingly clear.In Volume I of these writings, "My Life and Times," Horowitz reflects on the years he spent at war with his own country, collaborating with and confronting radical figures like Huey Newton, Tom Hayden and Billy Ayers, as he made his transition from what the writer Paul Berman described as the American left's "most important theorist" to its most determined enemy.

Chance


Peter Dudgeon - 2013
    All in different parts of London. With eight million inhabitants, bad things happen to good people all the time.Only nine-year-old Cassie Janus knows there’s a connection, because she is the killer … in her nightmares at least.Cassie has the rare ability to unearth the darkest emotions of others. She sees a past they would rather keep hidden and a future too horrific to comprehend.Perhaps the killer can be stopped. If only she can make someone - her mother, her friend, her teacher - believe. Her words are dismissed, her sanity questioned. She knows they’ll believe her in the end … but by then, they’ll be facing death.Can she act to save them, or will their fate be left to chance?This is an alternative cover edition: B00HJKZ3E2

Kenta and the Big Wave


Ruth Ohi - 2013
    When tragedy strikes Kenta’s small village in Japan, he does all he can to hang on to the things that matter to him most. But amidst the chaos of an emergency evacuation brought on by the tsunami, Kenta and his family must quickly leave their home, taking with them only the barest necessities. Climbing to safer ground, Kenta watches helplessly as his prized soccer ball goes bouncing down a hill and gets swept away by the waves, never to be seen again… that is until it washes up on a beach on the other side of the world, into the hands of a child who takes it upon himself to return the ball to its rightful owner. In this evocative picture book, Ruth Ohi’s glowing art transports the reader to Japan with gentle images that offer reassurance amidst the background of an environmental catastrophe. Inspired by true stories of personal items being washed ashore thousands of miles away after the tsunami of 2011, Kenta and the Big Wave is about the strength of the human spirit and the power of Mother Nature. Including an afterword explaining tsunamis to young readers.

Echoes of Eden: Reflections on Christianity, Literature, and the Arts


Jerram Barrs - 2013
    However, few of us can effectively explain why certain books, movies, and songs resonate so profoundly within us. In Echoes of Eden, Jerram Barrs helps us identify the significance of artistic expression as it reflects the extraordinary creativity and unmatched beauty of the Creator God. Additionally, Barrs provides the key elements for evaluating and defining great art: (1) The glory of the original creation; (2) The tragedy of the curse of sin; (3) The hope of final redemption and renewal. These three qualifiers are then put to the test as Barrs investigates five of the world's most influential authors who serve as ideal case studies in the exploration of the foundations and significance of great art.

Then She was Born


Cristiano Gentili - 2013
    Medallion Honoree and Awesome Indies Seal of Excellence for Outstanding Independent Literature. Then She Was Born is more than a novel. It’s an international human rights awareness campaign supported by eleven Nobel Peace Prize laureates, the Dalai Lama and Pope Francis. Based on an inconceivable reality for many in the world today, Then She Was Born combines the drama and redemption of Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner with the spirituality of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist.A child is born and the joy of her parents turns to horror. The child is different, in a way that will bring bad luck to their superstitious community. The tradition should be for her to be abandoned, but Nkamba, the grandmother, is allowed to care for her.Naming her Adimu, Nkamba raises her as her own. Adimu is constantly marginalized and shunned by the community, although her spirit remains undiminished and full of faith. But when she encounters the wealthy British mine owner Charles Fielding and his wife Sarah, it is the beginning of something which will test them all.As Charles Fielding’s fortunes wane, he turns in desperation to a witch doctor whose suggestion leaves him horrified. But as events begin to spiral out of control he succumbs to the suggestions and a group of men are sent on a terrible mission. The final acts, of one man driven by greed and another by power, will have a devastating effect on many lives.Cristiano Gentili’s glittering prose and vivid imagery will have you captivated from the first page.

Soul Train: The Music, Dance, and Style of a Generation


Ahmir Questlove Thompson - 2013
    Questlove reveals the remarkable story of the captivating program, and his text is paired with more than 350 photographs of the show's most memorable episodes and the larger-than-life characters who defined it: the great host Don Cornelius, the extraordinary musicians, and the people who lived the phenomenon from dance floor. Gladys Knight contributed a foreword to this incredible volume. Nick Cannon contributed the preface.

Pomegranates & Pine Nuts: A stunning collection of Lebanese, Moroccan and Persian recipes


Bethany Kehdy - 2013
    Despite its pedigree, conflict in the region has largely kept it under wraps to a wider audience. Hummus, tabbouleh, and stuffed vine leaves now receive global recognition, but there still exists this vast and distinct culinary heritage that remains unexplored: wholesome stews, exotic casseroles and a range of home cooking which revolves around humble, yet delicious vegetables and grains. It is these that routinely welcome home hungry school children and soothe the appetites of tired workers. They too must be shared with the world.  For the past five years, Lebanese-American Bethany Kehdy has sought to demystify Middle Eastern food through her blog DirtyKitchenSecrets.com and her Taste of Lebanon tours. In her debut book, Pomegranates & Pine Nuts, she provides 100+ new recipes that will introduce you to the wonders of the Middle East and change any thought you might have had that this hearty cuisine is complicated or laborious.

Fashion: The Whole Story


Marnie Fogg - 2013
    Filled with indispensable information about every aspect of fashion from 500 BCE to now, this encyclopedic reference highlights in detail key pieces that epitomize certain styles. It profiles fashion icons to show how one designer or style influences another, explains the impact of cultural and historical events on daily wear, and demonstrates how technical innovation can take fashion in new directions. Engaging, all-encompassing, and overflowing with illustrations, this is an indispensable resource for anyone who loves fashion.

If It’s Monday It Must Be Madurai: A Conducted Tour of India


Srinath Perur - 2013
    A delightful travel book!This entertaining travelogue around ten conducted tours contains myriad riches: of hanging on to a camel in the Thar; rediscovering music on the trail of Kabir; joining an ancient pilgrimage; and hunting for sex in Tashkent.

The Knights' Tales Collection: Book 1: Sir Lancelot the Great; Book 2: Sir Givret the Short; Book 3: Sir Gawain the True; Book 4: Sir Balin the Ill-Fated


Gerald Morris - 2013
    Sir Givret the ShortPoor Givret: his size makes him so easy to overlook. But there’s more to knighthood than height, and before long, Givret’s quick thinking lands him a place at the famous Round Table!   Sir Gawain the TrueThe knights didn’t always act quite as gallantly as a true knight should. Even King Arthur’s nephew, known at that time as Sir Gawain the Undefeated, was too full of himself to accept a token of thanks from a rescued princess! Someone needed to teach Sir Gawain that courtesy and friendship are just as important as strength and courage.  Sir Balin the Ill-FatedWhile most of King Arthur’s knights freely chose a life of duty, for Sir Balin the Ill-Fated, destiny was foretold in a prophecy. Still, no matter how dire the task, a loyal and gallant knight never refuses adventure!

Lara's Gift


Annemarie O'Brien - 2013
    But then Lara's baby brother is born and she finds herself supplanted as her father decides to make her brother the next kennel steward. Going against her father's wishes and becoming increasingly sure of her special gift of understanding these incredible dogs, Lara risks everything when she reveals the truth about her visions. Now she must save Zar, her favorite borzoi and the one she raised from birth, from a hungry pack of wolves. Only then can she find her own, extraordinary destiny. . . .

Building the Orange Wave: The Inside Story Behind the Historic Rise of Jack Layton and the NDP


Brad Lavigne - 2013
    He was also a key architect of Layton’s overnight success that was ten years in the making. In Building the Orange Wave, Lavigne recounts the dramatic story of how Layton and his inner circle developed and executed a plan that turned a struggling political party into a major contender for government, defying the odds and the critics every step of the way. The ultimate insider’s account of one of the greatest political accomplishments in modern Canadian history, Building the Orange Wave takes readers behind the scenes, letting them eavesdrop on strategy sessions, crisis-management meetings, private chats with political opponents, and internal battles, revealing new details of some of the most important political events of the last decade.

Stag Hunt


Laura DeLuca - 2013
    Upon the death of the High King, the tribesmen of the realm vie for the throne, and with it, the hand of the fair princess.Balen is desperate to win his lady, but a rival tribesman is equally determined to keep them apart.With her brother, her dearest friend, and the country she loves all hanging in the balance, Eartha must do the unthinkable to ensure her brother’s victory in the stag hunt. Sometimes true love needs a helping hand...or some blood to be spilled.

Shiri


D.S. Taylor - 2013
    With their murderers bearing down on her she turns to obey his final command. "RUN!" Amenhotep, Prince of Egypt, burns her village, enslaves her people, and destroys all she loves. Only Shiri escapes. With tears in her eyes and vengeance in her heart, she races to warn the Shepherd King. If she doesn't reach him in time, all Palestine will burn. It's a race that takes her from the fields of Armageddon, to the sands of Ancient Egypt and the very heart of Pharaoh's court. It's a struggle that brings the deaths of kings and the birth of a god. It's a quest that sees her fall in love.

Unthinkable: The Shocking Scandal of Britain's Trafficked Children


Kris Hollington - 2013
    Yet many childcare experts reckon these crimes are just the tip of an iceberg of wide scale exploitation occurring across the country. The Deputy Children's Commissioner Sue Berelowitz said in June 2012 that there 'isn't a town, village or hamlet in which children are not being sexually exploited'. As this book goes to press, a gang of men similar to those convicted in Rochdale stands trial for similar crimes in Oxford. What is happening in Britain that means young vulnerable girls can be exploited in this way? Award-winning journalist Kris Hollington tells the inside story of some of the most shocking and heartbreaking crimes of recent years, focusing on the Rochdale case but also analysing recent cases in the London area that have echoes of the brutality of organised slavery. His findings expose how the British justice system is failing to protect children in the 21st century. It is a scandal that cannot be ignored.

The Oil Man and the Sea: A Modern Misadventure on the Pacific Tanker Route


Arno Kopecky - 2013
    This region is home to the largest tract of temperate rainforest on earth, First Nations who have lived there for millennia, and some of the world’s most biodiverse waters—one spill is all it will take to erase ten thousand years of evolution.Arno Kopecky and his companions travel aboard a forty-one-foot sailboat exploring the pristine route—a profoundly volatile marine environment that registered 1,275 marine vessel incidents—mechanical failures, collisions, explosions, groundings, and sinkings—between 1999 and 2009 alone. Neither Kopecky nor the boat’s owner have ever sailed before, yet they brave these waters alone when their captain leaves them part way through the journey.Written with Kopecky’s quick humor and deft touch, this is a rich evocation of a mythic place and the ecology, culture, and history of a legendary region with a knife at its throat.

Sarah Osborn's World: The Rise of Evangelical Christianity in Early America


Catherine A. Brekus - 2013
    Remarkably, the memoir she created that year survives today, as do more than two thousand additional pages she composed over the following three decades. Sarah Osborn's World is the first book to mine this remarkable woman’s prolific personal and spiritual record. Catherine Brekus recovers the largely forgotten story of Sarah Osborn's life as one of the most charismatic female religious leaders of her time, while also connecting her captivating story to the rising evangelical movement in eighteenth-century America.A schoolteacher in Rhode Island, a wife, and a mother, Sarah Osborn led a remarkable revival in the 1760s that brought hundreds of people, including many slaves, to her house each week. Her extensive written record—encompassing issues ranging from the desire to be "born again" to a suspicion of capitalism—provides a unique vantage point from which to view the emergence of evangelicalism. Brekus sets Sarah Osborn's experience in the context of her revivalist era and expands our understanding of the birth of the evangelical movement—a movement that transformed Protestantism in the decades before the American Revolution.

Yokai Museum: The Art of Japanese Supernatural Beings from YUMOTO Koichi collection (Japanese and English Edition)


P.I.E. Books - 2013
    Yokai have attracted the artists and have been a common theme in art works until these days because of their unique forms and their mysterious behaviours. This book is a visual collection of art works of Yokai in Japan since the Edo period (1603 - 1868). The works are not only paintings but also wood block prints, ceramics, kimonos, children's playthings such as board games, and more. All items that are featured in the book come from personal collections by Koichi Yumoto, who has the largest Yokai art collection in Japan.

Baba Yaga: The Wild Witch of the East in Russian Fairy Tales


Sibelan E.S. Forrester - 2013
    She appears in traditional Russian folktales as a monstrous and hungry cannibal, or as a canny inquisitor of the adolescent hero or heroine of the tale. In new translations and with an introduction by Sibelan Forrester, Baba Yaga: The Wild Witch of the East in Russian Fairy Tales is a selection of tales that draws from the famous collection of Aleksandr Afanas'ev, but also includes some tales from the lesser-known nineteenth-century collection of Ivan Khudiakov. This new collection includes beloved classics such as "Vasilisa the Beautiful" and "The Frog Princess," as well as a version of the tale that is the basis for the ballet "The Firebird."The preface and introduction place these tales in their traditional context with reference to Baba Yaga's continuing presence in today's culture--the witch appears iconically on tennis shoes, tee shirts, even tattoos. The stories are enriched with many wonderful illustrations of Baba Yaga, some old (traditional "lubok" woodcuts), some classical (the marvelous images from Victor Vasnetsov or Ivan Bilibin), and some quite recent or solicited specifically for this collection

Together Tea


Marjan Kamali - 2013
    Mina, however, is fed up with her mother’s years of endless matchmaking and the spreadsheets grading available Iranian-American bachelors. Having spent her childhood in Tehran and the rest of her life in New York City, Mina has experienced cultural clashes firsthand, but she’s learning that the greatest clashes sometimes happen at home.After a last ill-fated attempt at matchmaking, mother and daughter embark on a return journey to Iran. Immersed once again in Persian culture, the two women gradually begin to understand each other. But when Mina falls for a young man who never appeared on her mother’s matchmaking radar, will Mina and Darya’s new-found appreciation for each other survive?Together Tea is a moving and joyous debut novel about family, love, and finding the place you truly belong.

Almost Anorexic: Is My (or My Loved One's) Relationship with Food a Problem?


Jennifer J. Thomas - 2013
    Some stand at the mirror wondering how they can face the day when they look so fat. Others binge, purge, or exercise compulsively. Many skip meals, go on diet after diet, or cut out entire food groups. Still, they are never thin enough.While 1 in 200 adults have experienced full-blown anorexia, at least 1 in 20 (1 in 10 teen girls!) have exhibited some key symptoms. Many suffer from the effects but never address the issue because they don’t fully meet the diagnostic criteria. If this is the case for you, then you may be “almost anorexic.” Drawing on case studies and the latest research, Almost Anorexic combines a psychologist’s clinical experience with a patient’s personal recovery story to help readers understand and overcome almost anorexia.Determine if your (or your loved one’s) relationship with food is a problemGain insight on how to intervene with a loved oneDiscover scientifically proven strategies to change unhealthy eating patternsLearn when and how to get professional help when it’s needed

Ratgirl: Song of the Viper


Gayle C. Krause - 2013
    Desperation demands she quickly master the role of courageous opponent. She uses her hypnotic singing voice to lead rats to their death, and all the children to safety, in a dying city cursed by the deadly sun.

Bruno, Chief of Police: Books 1-4 (Bruno, Chief of Police, #1-4)


Martin Walker - 2013
    The Bruno novels have been widely praised for balancing a charming evocation of small-town life in La France Profonde with expert plotting and a seamless incorporation of social and political tensions in modern-day France, as well as for venturing into some of the darker corners of the nation’s history. They are international bestsellers and have delighted readers all over the world.Praise for Bruno"A perfect little gem of a whodunit." —Winnipeg Free Press"Martin Walker's bucolic mysteries offer a gentle reminder to slow down and smell the grapes." —The New York Times Book Review"Gallic charm suffuses Walker's third mystery of the French countryside. . . . A savory delight." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

India Dishonoured: Behind a Nation's War on Women


Sunny Hundal - 2013
    A look at the treatment of women in India as well as possible reasons why such treatment occurs.

Rosina, the Midwife


Jessica Kluthe - 2013
    Many of them never returned to Italy.Rosina, the Midwife traces the author's family history, from their roots in Calabria in the south of Italy to their new home in Canada. Against this historic background, comes the story of Rosina, a Calabrian matriarch and the author's great-great-grandmother, the only member of the Russo family to remain in Italy after the mass migration of the 1950s. With no formal training, but plenty of experience, Rosina worked as a midwife in an area where there was only one doctor to serve three villages. She was given the tools needed to deliver and baptize babies by the doctor and the local priest, and, over the course of her long career, she helped bring hundreds of infants into the world.Enhancing the stories and memories passed down through her family with meticulous research, Kluthe has, with great insight, created not only Rosina's story, but also the entire Russo family's. We see her great-grandfather Generoso labouring through the harsh Edmonton winter to save enough money to buy passage to Canada for his wife and children; we glimpse her grandmother Rose huddled in a third-class cabin, sick from the motion of the boat that will carry her to a new land; and we watch, teary-eyed, as her great-great-grandmother Rosina is forced to say goodbye, one by one, to the people she loves.The author's quest to find the details of Rosina's life, despite the separation of place and time and the uncertainty of memory, has created a poetic elsewhere story and a charming memoir that is at once a Canadian story and a Calabrian one.

Awesome Adventures at the Smithsonian: The Official Kids Guide to the Smithsonian Institution


Emily B. Korrell - 2013
    Yet choosing what to see at the Smithsonian can challenge even the most enthusiastic families. Packed with activities, information, and pictures, this lively new guide offers children ages 8-12 years a way to navigate the Smithsonian. Engaging maps, photographs, and illustrations present the main museum halls along with puzzles, games, mad libs, and pages for journal entries, drawings, and superlatives that will help get kids ready for their big trip to the nation's capital and keep them focused and attentive as they navigate the world's largest museum complex that is the Smithsonian Institution. Awesome Adventures at the Smithsonian (spiral bound) is the perfect way to engage any child on their big trip to Washington, DC, and the Smithsonian.

Tasunka: A Lakota Horse Legend


Donald F. Montileaux - 2013
    It leads him far from home, but at last he finds a herd of the strange new creatures. They are horses that shimmer with color and run swift as the wind. The Lakota capture and tame them, and the people grow rich and powerful. They become filled with pride. With their newfound strength they rule over the plains. Then the Great Spirit, who gave the gift of the horse, takes it away. Written in both English and Lakota, Donald F. Montileaux retells the legend of Tasunka from the traditional stories of the Lakota people. Using the ledger-art style of his forefathers he adds colorful detail. His beautiful images enhance our understanding of the horse and its importance in Lakota culture.

Rich Girl Problems (Millionaire Wives Club)


Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker - 2013
    Whitaker's Millionaire Wives Club are back for a third season of explosive lies, forbidden sex, and scandals like you've never seen before!Step into the world of cable TV's hit reality show and meet new bride and new mother Milan, who finally has everything she's ever dreamed of. Problem is her perfect life doesn't work for TV. What will she do when the producer threatens to fire her? Editor-in-chief Chaunci isn't feeling the fame and the last thing she needs is to share the spotlight with her worst enemy, newcomer Journee. Socialite Journee expected her eighty-two-year-old husband to only live four days past their wedding night, but it's been four years. And just when it seems that he's ready to meet his maker, his son--Journee's ex-lover--shows up. Hair care mogul Vera is struggling with her failing marriage and the last thing she needs is her drug-addicted mother to further ruin her life or her image. Jaise is finally standing by her man. But will she live the life she thinks or will it cost her everything?

Monsoon Memories


Renita D'Silva - 2013
    It had none of the fury, the passion of the monsoons. Instead, it was weak; half-hearted.” Exiled from her family in India for more than a decade, Shirin and her husband lead a comfortable but empty life in London.Memories of her childhood – exotic fragrances, colours, stifling heat and tropical storms – fill Shirin with a familiar and growing ache for the land and the people that she loves.With the recollections though, come dark clouds of scandal and secrets. Secrets that forced her to flee her old life and keep her from ever returning.Thousands of miles away, in Bangalore, the daughter of Shirin’s brother discovers a lost, forgotten photograph. One that has escaped the flames.Determined to solve the mystery of an aunt she never knew, Reena’s efforts will set in place a chain of events that expose the painful trauma of the past and irrevocably change the path of the future. An unforgettable journey through a mesmerizing, passionate land of contrasts – and a family whose story will touch your heart.

Ottavia e i Gatti di Roma - Octavia and the Cats of Rome: A bilingual picture book in Italian and English


Claudia Cerulli - 2013
    Follow Octavia and Julius in their tour of the best-loved sights of the Eternal City, with stops at the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum, and the famed Mouth of Truth. Discover more about Rome and the sights mentioned in the story in the informative section at the end of the book. Use the location map to plan your own walking tour of Rome to see all the sights visited by the two cats and engage young children with a treasure hunt in the heart of Rome. The text in Italian with English translation on every page will help Italian language students learn new words and practice their reading skills. Those who love animals will enjoy this entertaining little adventure where two kittens are the bold protagonists. Parents and educators seeking an entertaining way to introduce the subjects of travel, history, archeology, and geography can use the book as a great starting point for further research. Travelers with children can use the book as an introduction to the sights of Rome and as a simplified guide to explain the city to little ones. The map at the end of the book visually explains the route followed by the two cats in the story and can be used for a walking tour of the city of Rome. Fully illustrated. Large print. Ages: 3+

Griots: Sisters of the Spear


Milton J. Davis - 2013
    Charles R. Saunders and Milton J. Davis present seventeen original and exciting Sword and Soul tales focusing on black women. Just as the Griots Anthology broke ground as the first Sword and Soul Anthology, Griots: Sisters of the Spear pays homage to the spirit, bravery and compassion of women of color. The griots have returned to sing new songs, and what wonderful songs they are!

Inheritance


Balli Kaur Jaswal - 2013
    Although her absence is brief, she returns as a different person.Over two decades, as Singapore’s political, social and cultural landscapes change, the family’s attempts to cope with the shifts—those coming from outside and from within—lead to some disastrous consequences. With the traditional expectations of their country on the one hand, and their own volition on the other, Amrit’s family must avoid imploding. How do we confront our legacies, and, when necessary, how do we accept change? Inheritance is a universal story of family, identity and belonging.

Being a Boy


James Dawson - 2013
    Queen of Teen nominee, acclaimed YA author and former PSHCE teacher, James Dawson, expertly guides boys through puberty from surviving the social scene to learning about sex, how to pull, dealing with spotty faces and everything in between. Witty text paired with over 50 hilarious black-and-white illustrations by Spike Gerrell makes this the essential guide to growing up brutal honesty included.

Disability Rhetoric


Jay Timothy Dolmage - 2013
    Traditionally, the body has been seen as, at best, a rhetorical distraction; at worst, those whose bodies do not conform to a narrow range of norms are disqualified from speaking. Yet, Dolmage argues that communication has always been obsessed with the meaning of the body and that bodily difference is always highly rhetorical. Following from this rewriting of rhetorical history, he outlines the development of a new theory, affirming the ideas that all communication is embodied, that the body plays a central role in all expression, and that greater attention to a range of bodies is therefore essential to a better understanding of rhetorical histories, theories, and possibilities.

Saint Homicide


Jake Hinkson - 2013
    Many consider him a fanatic. Others see him as a prophet. And some simply think he’s insane. Here, he tells his story.

My Heart is Not My Own


Michael Wuitchik - 2013
    John Rourke is haunted by his days as a relief doctor in West Africa. In the 1990s, in the midst of a civil war, he provided medical attention and supplies to the people of Sierra Leone. He befriended a local nurse named Mariama Lahai and a doctor named Momodu, but lost contact when the conflict escalated to conflagration. His last memory of Sierra Leone is of Mariama delivering a beautiful baby girl to a tortured, mutilated mother just before armed rebels take the hospital.Now living in Vancouver and happily married to Nadia, who is expecting their first child, John is thrust back into the horrors of the past by the arrival of a package from Sierra Leone. He realizes that before he can commit to his future, he’ll have to confront his conscience and the pain of his past. He embarks upon a journey that takes him back into Mariama’s world of child soldiers, bush-wives, and African secret societies.My Heart Is Not My Own is a story of love, courage, and resilience that is brought to life through the powerful voice of Mariama.

An Actor's Life - A Short Story


Duncan Whitehead - 2013
    Alternate Cover Edition can be found hereIt is Oscar night and Hollywood holds its breath to see if Sir Michael Brookes not only wins the best actor but also the best supporting actor award, which would take his tally of Academy Award wins to an unprecedented six....meanwhile his biggest fan and fellow actor Terry Sparkes watches the ceremony alone in his dingy London flat unaware that this evening will change his life forever......but have Terry's and Sir Michael's paths crossed before?A short story of approximately 7,500 words.