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Dante's Purgatory: A Study on Part II of The Divine Comedy by Anthony M. Esolen
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Dear Committee Members
Julie Schumacher - 2014
His department is facing draconian cuts and squalid quarters, while one floor above them the Economics Department is getting lavishly remodeled offices. His once-promising writing career is in the doldrums, as is his romantic life, in part as the result of his unwise use of his private affairs for his novels. His star (he thinks) student can't catch a break with his brilliant (he thinks) work Accountant in a Bordello, based on Melville's Bartleby. In short, his life is a tale of woe, and the vehicle this droll and inventive novel uses to tell that tale is a series of hilarious letters of recommendation that Fitger is endlessly called upon by his students and colleagues to produce, each one of which is a small masterpiece of high dudgeon, low spirits, and passive-aggressive strategies. We recommend Dear Committee Members to you in the strongest possible terms.
Love It Forward
Jeff Brown - 2013
Building on the success of his first collection, Ascending with Both Feet on the Ground, Brown has put together another wondrous book, this time including many of his most profound love and relationship quotes with the reader. With a writing style that is unforgettably unique, he reminds us of the magnificent life that awaits us. And with grounded wisdoms that enhearten and elevate, he reminds us that we are never alone in this beautifully relational human dance. We become the love we have received, and we love it forward to those we touch.In an era when readers often have little time to read entire books, this brilliantly hearticulated collection of wisdoms will immediately engage your interest. And, as an added bonus, he has included some of his most inspiring blogs in the collection, including ‘You are Sacred Purpose’, ‘Apologies to my (sweet) body’, and some of the poignant inspirations he wrote for ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’. Love It Forward is a fantastic gift book and the perfect companion for anyone seeking support on their quest for a more authentic and meaningful life.EARLY PRAISE FOR LOVE IT FORWARD… “Love It Forward offers readers delicious wisdom and uplifting insights about everyday life and what really matters, like love, for instance. This book is delightful.”—CAROLINE MYSS, Author of Anatomy of the Spirit and Sacred Contracts ***“An exciting, vibrant, juicy, challenging book by one of our bravest and most illumined writers, a Lion in the making.”—ANDREW HARVEY, author of The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism ***
Kisses from Katie
Katie Davis - 2011
Katie Davis left over Christmas break her senior year for a short mission trip to Uganda and her life was turned completely inside out. She found herself so moved, so broken by the people and the children of Uganda that she knew her calling was to return and care for them. Her story is like Mother Teresa’s in that she has given up everything—at such a young age—to care for the less fortunate of this world. Katie, a charismatic and articulate young woman, has gone on to adopt 14 children during her time in Uganda, and she completely trusts God for daily provision for her and her family, which includes children with special needs. To further her reach into the needs of Ugandans, Katie established Amazima Ministries. The ministry matches orphaned children with sponors worldwide. Each sponsor's $300/year provides schooling, school supplies, three hot meals a day, minor medical care, and spiritual encouragement. Katie expected to have forty children in the program; she had signed up 150 by January 2008; today it sponsors over 400. Another aspect of the ministry is a feeding program created for the displaced Karamojong people—Uganda's poorest citizens. The program feeds lunch to over 1200 children Monday-Friday and sends them home with a plate for food; it also offers basic medical care, Bible study, and general health training.Katie Davis, now 21, is more than fascinating, she's inspiring, as she has wholeheartedly answered the call to serve.
Leah Remini: Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology
SummaRead Books - 2015
Remini is widely known for her work in the comedy TV series The King of Queens.In this memoir, Remini goes into great details about all aspects of her life, including, but not limited to, how she was introduced to the church, how she coped with raising a family, how she handled her acting career as well as her interactions with other celebrities who were also involved in the Church of Scientology.SummaReads Features:* Chapter Summaries: Clear, concise and easy to understand descriptions, key concepts and important details.* Chapter Key Takeaways and Points: The most important concepts of each chapter containing at least four specific bullet points.Advantages of SummaReads:* Spend less time reading and more time enjoying and understanding your favorite books.* Discover important detailed analysis you may have missed the first time.* Learn key concepts in simple and efficient manner.* Use as a "cheat sheet" and reference to quickly access important information.* Focus on critical information and eliminate unnecessary details.* Can be used as an effective study aid.
You've Already Changed Your Life
Jade Chang - 2021
the World and the Amazon Original The List comes a timely and thought-provoking exploration of the small moments that change us in big ways.In You’ve Already Changed Your Life, Jade Chang posits that humans are infinitely adaptable, that the seeds of personal transformation are sown when we least expect it, and that identifying your own small (but profound!) shifts will help you retell the story of your life.As Jade shares the unlikely moments that changed her forever, we join her on a quest to understand what makes people who they are. She takes us from a surprising history of personality tests to a debunking of the popular science theory of the reptile brain, with several unexpected stops along the way, all with her characteristic charm and wit. Part memoir, part investigation into the science of the mind, this Audible Original questions the old stories we’ve told ourselves about our capacity for change and gives you a blueprint to discover all the ways that you have, indeed, already changed your life.
NPR American Chronicles: The Civil War
National Public Radio - 2011
This revealing collection of Civil War stories features gripping history, expert commentary, and unforgettable voices:Shelby Foote reflects on the southern perspectiveE.L. Doctorow discusses Sherman and The MarchSam Waterston performs the Gettysburg AddressHal Holbrook honors Iowa in the Civil WarSusan Stamberg reports from Lincoln’s summer retreatJames McPherson tours Gettysburg’s hallowed groundTony Horwitz explores the world of Civil War reenactorsPlus visits to battlefields at Manassas, Antietam, Gettysburg, and much more.The NPR American Chronicles series explores the historical events that continue to resonate in our lives. Expert commentary and unforgettable stories create vivid sound portraits of history’s greatest people and events, examined in multi-faceted and moving detail.
Madden: A Biography
Bryan Burwell - 2011
Longtime sports columnist Bryan Burwell has written the first comprehensive biography of this living legend, whose incredible football knowledge, down-home sensibilities, and tireless work ethic made him arguably the most popular sports analyst in any sport. As a coach, he has the highest winning percentage in history, and he led the Oakland Raiders to a 1979 Super Bowl Championship. He followed that up by becoming the most beloved and popular football announcer in the country, and in the third stage of his public life, the Hall of Fame coach became known to new generations of fans through his eponymous line of groundbreaking video games, which are among the bestselling titles of all time."
An Unfinished Story
Boo Walker - 2020
Claire finally finds the courage to move on; then she discovers among the remnants of her shattered world her husband’s last manuscript. It’s intimate, stirring—and unfinished. An idea comes to her…What if she can find someone to give David’s novel the ending it deserves?Whitaker Grant is famous for his one and only bestselling novel—a masterpiece that became a hit film. But after being crippled by the pressure of success and his failed marriage, Whitaker retreated from the public eye in his native St. Petersburg, Florida. Years later, he’s struggling through a deep midlife crisis. Until he receives an intriguing request from a lonely widow. To honor David’s story, Whitaker must understand, heart and soul, the man who wrote it and the woman he left behind.There’s more to the novel than anyone dreamed. Something personal. Something true. Maybe, in bringing a chapter of David’s life to a close, Claire and Whitaker can find hope for a new beginning.
SARGE!: Cases of a Chicago Police Detective Sergeant in the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s
John DiMaggio - 2018
DiMaggio, one of the most decorated officers on the force during a career that spanned the years 1957 to 1991. Among his awards are two Superintendent’s Awards of Valor, Mayor Richard J. Daley’s Praiseworthy Acknowledgment Plaque for Exceptional Act of Bravery Involving Risk of Life, a Presidential Citation of Appreciation, the Illinois Police Association Award of Valor, and many more.Upon his retirement in 1991, DiMaggio wrote a fascinating account of his work as a cop. The manuscript languished among his personal effects until after his death in 2008, after which his family decided to resurrect it, spruce it up, and submit it for publication. It turns out that he was an excellent word craftsman and storyteller; in fact, he was no stranger to writing—for many years he wrote the “Ask Sarge” column for the Mystery Writers of America Midwest Chapter newsletter.Told in a conversational, “regular guy” voice in episodic fashion, “SARGE!” reveals to the reader what it was really like to be a cop. The manuscript in many ways takes the form of a prose treatment of a weekly television police drama. A large selection of PHOTOS is included.DiMaggio takes the reader back to the decades such as the turbulent 1960s, when the police department was making a painful transition from “old school” to modernization. The author describes firsthand the legendary riots that occurred in Chicago after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. He illustrates the integration of minorities into the department and how that played out. He also goes into famous cases of corruption and the politics of navigating such a large department. One of the “set pieces” of the book is the story of how DiMaggio, as part of the “Three Musketeers”—a trio that included two detectives who were close friends—investigated a series terrifying slasher attacks on women that occurred in the city in the mid-70s. The case became one of the police department’s most memorable. Among the other cases detailed in the book include how DiMaggio found himself entering the home of a crazed young man holding hostages with a shotgun; the investigation of the discovery of a headless corpse; the take-down of the Chicago “Mad Bomber”; how an anonymous audio tape provided clues to the identities of armed robbers; and the manhunt for a cop killer. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and The Chicago Police Foundation.
Flesh and Blood: by Patricia Cornwell (A Scarpetta Novel, Book 22) | Summary & Analysis
Book*Sense - 2014
It is Kay Scarpetta’s birthday and a well-deserved vacation awaits. Suddenly, Dr. Scarpetta catches a glimpse of something shinning on a wall in her house. She realizes that they are coins: perfectly minted coins minted in the year 1981, the year her niece, Lucy, was born. All sounds like a coincidence, but Dr. Scarpetta’s instinct takes the best of her. After continuous wondering, she receives a call that will change the course of her entire day, and even her life: There is a killer on the loose.The latest book from Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta series Flesh and Blood follows chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta as she ventures again in a journey or resolving deep mysteries. Set in Cambridge, the story starts with a powerful event: a potential terrorist killer is shooting people from a distance and may have his or her eyes set on Scarpetta herself. A message is sent using coins. The cat and mouse chase, the characters found in the process, and the sub-stories that occur among them are both interesting and credible.You also get the following in this Summary & Analysis of Flesh and Blood:• Detailed Book Review from Experts• Story Setting Analysis of Flesh and Blood• Flesh and Blood Plot Analysis that will help you see the book from another angle.• Pick up bits you might have missed as we decipher the novel.• Details of Characters & Key Character Analysis• Summary of the text, with some analytical comments interspersed• Discussion & Analysis of Themes, Symbols…• And Much More!This Analysis of Flesh and Blood fills the gap, making you understand more while enhancing your reading experience.
The Power Couple
Alex Berenson - 2021
A nice house in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Two well-behaved, healthy teenage children. Important government jobs—Rebecca working in counterterrorism for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Brian serving as a coder for the National Security Agency. Their lives stand to improve even more as Brian, in his off-hours, has just developed and sold a highly profitable app. However, the Unsworths’ marriage isn’t as perfect as it seems. After two decades together, they’ve drifted apart, talking little and having sex even less. Seeking to revive their strained relationship, they decide for their twentieth wedding anniversary to take their two kids, Kira and Tony, on a European getaway. They have a blast…until one night in Barcelona when Kira doesn’t come home from a dance club. She’s gone. Abducted. Over the course of a single weekend, the Unsworths will do everything possible to find her—as Kira herself discovers just how far she’ll go to break free of the trap that’s been set for her. And even as Rebecca and Brian come together for Kira, they realize their marriage is more tenuous than they realized. The Power Couple is both a fast-paced, globe-trotting espionage novel full of surprising twists and a nuanced look at modern marriage—the challenges of balancing career, parenthood, sex, and love.
The Lifegiving Table: Nurturing Faith Through Feasting, One Meal at a Time
Sally Clarkson - 2017
Food and faith, mingled in everyday life, become the combination for passing on God's love to each person who breaks bread with us.In The Lifegiving Table, Sally shares her own family stories, favorite recipes, and practical ideas to help you get closer to the people you love . . . and grow in faith together.
Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad
John Eldredge - 2020
You don’t need to abandon your life to get it back. Begin restoring your life here and now. Your soul will thank you for it.
Bonus Time: A true story of surviving the worst and discovering the magic of every day
Brian Pennie - 2020