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Peace Diplomacy, Global Justice and International Agency
by Carsten Stahn Henning MelberAs UN Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld shaped many of the fundamental principles and practices of international organisations, such as preventive diplomacy, the ethics of international civil service, impartiality and neutrality. He was also at the heart of the constitutional foundations and principles of the UN. This tribute and critical review of Hammarskjöld's values and legacy examines his approach towards international civil service, agency and value-based leadership, investigates his vision of internationalism and explores his achievements and failures as Secretary-General. It draws on specific conflict situations and strategies such as Suez and the Congo for lessons that can benefit contemporary conflict resolution and modern concepts such as human security and R2P. It also reflects on ways in which actors such as international courts, tribunals and the EU can benefit from Hammarskjöld's principles and experiences in the fields of peace and security and international justice.
Peace Is a Shy Thing: The Life and Art of Tim O'Brien
by Alex VernonThe first literary biography of Tim O'Brien, the preeminent American writer of the war in Vietnam and one of the best writers of his generation, drawing on never-before-seen materials and original interviews. "Vietnam made me a writer." —Tim O'Brien Featuring over one hundred interviews with family, friends, peers, and others—not to mention countless exchanges with Tim O'Brien himself—Peace is a Shy Thing provides a nearly day-by-day, gripping account of O'Brien's thirteen months as an infantryman in Vietnam and gives equal diligence to reconstructing O'Brien's writing process. This meticulously researched biography explores the life and journey that turned O’Brien into a literary icon and a household name. It includes an unpublished short story about O'Brien from a college girlfriend, documentation of his comical involvement with the Washington Post's coverage of Watergate, and a 1989 attic exchange between American and Vietnamese writers on the eve of the publication of O'Brien's most beloved book, The Things They Carried, years before the two countries normalized relations. Peace is a Shy Thing is as much a history of the era as it is a story of O'Brien's life, from his small-town midwestern mid-century childhood, to winning the National Book Award and his status as literary elder statesman. A story which Vernon, a combat veteran of the Persian Gulf War and a literary scholar trained by officers and professors of the Vietnam era, is uniquely suited to tell.
Peace Meals
by Anna BadkhenTravel books bring us to places. War books bring us to tragedy. This book brings us to one woman's travels in war zones: the locals she met, the compassion they scraped from catastrophe, and the food they ate.Peace Meals is a true story about conflict and food. It illustrates the most important lesson Anna Badkhen has observed as a journalist: war can kill our friends and decimate our towns, but it cannot destroy our inherent decency, generosity, and kindness--that which makes us human. Badkhen writes: There is more to war than the macabre--the white-orange muzzle flashes during a midnight ambush . . . the scythes of shrapnel whirling . . . like lawnmower blades spun loose; the tortured and the dead. There are also the myriad brazen, congenial, persistent ways in which life in the most forlorn and violent places on earth shamelessly reasserts itself. Of those, sharing a meal is one of the most elemental. No other book about war has looked at the search for normalcy in conflict zones through the prism of food. In addition to the events that dominate the news today--the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq--Peace Meals also bears witness to crises that are less often discussed: the conflict in Chechnya, the drought cycle in East Africa, the failed post-Soviet states, the Palestinian intifada. Peace Meals focuses on day-to-day life, describing not just the shocking violence but also the beauty that continues during wartime: the spring flowers that bloom in the crater hollowed by an air-to-surface missile, the lapidary sanctuary of a twelfth-century palace besieged by a modern battle, or a meal a tight-knit family shares in the relative safety of their home as a firefight rages outside. It reveals how one war correspondent's professional choices are determined not only by her opinion of which story is important but also by the instinctive comparisons she, a young mother, makes each time she meets children in war zones; by her intrinsic sense of guilt for leaving her family behind as she goes off to her next dangerous assignment; and, quite prosaically--though not surprisingly--by her need to eat. Wherever Badkhen went, she broke bread with the people she wrote about, and the simple conversations over these meals helped her open the door into the lives of strangers. Sometimes dinner was bread and a fried egg in a farmer's hut, or a packet of trail mix in the back of an armored humvee. Sometimes it was a lavish, four-course meal at the house of a local warlord, or a plate of rice and boiled meat at a funeral tent. Each of these straightforward acts of humanity tells a story. And these stories, punctuated by recipes from these meals, form Peace Meals. Following Badkhen's simple instructions, readers will taste what made life in these tormented places worth living.
Peace Warriors (Profiles #6)
by Andrea Davis PinkneyMeet six heroic social activists.The next book in our six-in-one, full-color bio series will focus on Peace Warriors. Featuring men and women who have worked passionately to pioneer peaceful solutions to violent conflicts throughout history. Our peace warriors will include Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Dorothy Day, and Ellen Sirleaf Johnson. Find out about their childhoods, where they went to school, what their families were like, and their major accomplishments. Six inspiring tales of courage and conviction.
Peace Work (Spike Milligan War Memoirs)
by Spike MilliganSpike Milligan's legendary war memoirs are a hilarious and subversive first-hand account of the Second World War, as well as a fascinating portrait of the formative years of this towering comic genius, most famous as writer and star of The Goon Show. They have sold over 4.5 million copies since they first appeared.'The most irreverent, hilarious book about the war that I have ever read' Sunday Express'Brilliant verbal pyrotechnics, throwaway lines and marvelous anecdotes' Daily Mail'Desperately funny, vivid, vulgar' Sunday Times'I had not informed my parents of my return, I wanted it to be a lovely surprise; it was, for me, they were away ...' The seventh and last volume of Spike Milligan's memoirs sees our hero returning from war and Italy ... but to what? Aside from shooting large, inaccurate guns at Germans, all he has done for five long years is blow a trumpet, tell rude jokes and write and perform sketches for the entertainment of bored and murderous soldiers - who on earth is going to pay a civilian to do more of that? From the giddy heights of Hackney Empire to a Zurich Freak Show and beyond, Spike makes his way through the backwaters of showbiz, first as band musician then as one-man wild-act and eventually in the company of a group of like-minded comedians called Harry Secombe, Michael Bentine and Peter Sellers. They decide to call themselves The Goons...'That absolutely glorious way of looking at things differently. A great man' Stephen Fry'Milligan is the Great God to all of us' John Cleese'The Godfather of Alternative Comedy' Eddie Izzard'Manifestly a genius, a comic surrealist genius and had no equal' Terry Wogan'A totally original comedy writer' Michael Palin'Close in stature to Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear in his command of the profound art of nonsense' GuardianSpike Milligan was one of the greatest and most influential comedians of the twentieth century. Born in India in 1918, he served in the Royal Artillery during WWII in North Africa and Italy. At the end of the war, he forged a career as a jazz musician, sketch-show writer and performer, before joining forces with Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe to form the legendary Goon Show. Until his death in 2002, he had success as on stage and screen and as the author of over eighty books of fiction, memoir, poetry, plays, cartoons and children's stories.
Peace and Bread: The Story of Jane Addams
by Stephanie Sammartino McPhersonA biography of the woman who founded Hull-House, one of the first settlement houses in the United States, and who later became involved in the international peace movement.
Peace and Good Order: The Case for Indigenous Justice in Canada
by Harold R. JohnsonAn urgent, informed, intimate condemnation of the Canadian state and its failure to deliver justice to Indigenous people by national bestselling author and former Crown prosecutor Harold R. Johnson."The night of the decision in the Gerald Stanley trial for the murder of Colten Boushie, I received a text message from a retired provincial court judge. He was feeling ashamed for his time in a system that was so badly tilted. I too feel this way about my time as both defence counsel and as a Crown prosecutor; that I didn't have the courage to stand up in the court room and shout 'Enough is enough.' This book is my act of taking responsibility for what I did, for my actions and inactions." --Harold R. JohnsonIn early 2018, the failures of Canada's justice system were sharply and painfully revealed in the verdicts issued in the deaths of Colten Boushie and Tina Fontaine. The outrage and confusion that followed those verdicts inspired former Crown prosecutor and bestselling author Harold R. Johnson to make the case against Canada for its failure to fulfill its duty under Treaty to effectively deliver justice to Indigenous people, worsening the situation and ensuring long-term damage to Indigenous communities. In this direct, concise, and essential volume, Harold R. Johnson examines the justice system's failures to deliver "peace and good order" to Indigenous people. He explores the part that he understands himself to have played in that mismanagement, drawing on insights he has gained from the experience; insights into the roots and immediate effects of how the justice system has failed Indigenous people, in all the communities in which they live; and insights into the struggle for peace and good order for Indigenous people now.
Peace from Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through
by Iyanla VanzantNew York Times best-selling author Iyanla Vanzant recounts the last decade of her life and the spiritual lessons learned--from the price of success during her meteoric rise as a TV celebrity on Oprah, the Iyanla TV show (produced by Barbara Walters), to the dissolution of her marriage and her daughter's 15 months of illness and death on Christmas day. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Iyanla shares why everything we need to learn is reflected in our relationships and the strength and wisdom she has gained by supporting others in their journeys to make sense out of the puzzle pieces of their lives.
Peace, Love & Barbecue: Recipes, Secrets, Tall Tales, and Outright Lies from the Legends of Barbecue
by Mike Mills Amy Mills TunnicliffeA one-of-a-kind collection of recipes, photographs, and behind-the-scenes stories from legendary pitmaster Mike Mills.In Peace, Love, & Barbecue--a unique combination of cookbook, memoir, and travelogue--Mike Mills, the unrivalled king of barbecue, shares his passion for America's favorite cuisine: its intense smoky flavors, its lore and traditions, and its wild cast of characters.Through conversational anecdotes and black-and-white photographs, readers meet a diverse circle of colleagues and friends and join Mills in a behind-the-scenes tour of the barbecue contest circuit, with stops at some of the best "shrines, shacks, joints, and right-respectable restaurants."Also included are prizewinning recipes that have earned Mills his fame and fortune as a barbecue maestro. These 100 recipes will enable anyone with a grill to achieve champion barbecue flavor right in their own backyard. The selection features Mills' own secret concoctions and treasured family recipes as well as choice contributions from his pitmaster friends, and it covers all manner of barbecued meat and fish, sauces and dry rubs, as well as the sides, soups, and down-home sweets that complete any great barbecue feast.With its folksy, fun-loving tone and its unique insider's take on a hugely popular--and deeply American--subject, this volume will appeal to barbecue lovers, food mavens, and cooks of all stripes.
Peace, Love, Action!: Everyday Acts of Goodness from A to Z
by Tanya ZabinskiAn invitation to young readers to roll up their sleeves, get inspired, and take action to build a sustainable, just, and loving world.Peace, Love, Action! is an illustrated, illuminated A-Z of everyday actions that directly make a peaceful, fun, and vibrant world. With original artworks bringing each action to life, "make friends," "go local," "cooperate," "forgive" --seemingly small deeds can really add up! Illustrated by Tanya Zabinski in her characteristic earthy style, each action comes with an inspirational mini-bio of a real hero who exemplifies that action, from Thich Nhat Hanh ("breathe") to Wangari Maathai ("plant"), and follows with a set of "What You Can Do" prompts. With a foreword by singer-songwriter and activist legend, Ani DiFranco.
PeaceJam: A Billion Simple Acts of Peace
by Ivan Suvanjieff Dawn Gifford EngleThe Dalai Lama, the Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Costa Rican president Oscar Arias and political rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi are just some of the Nobel Peace Laureates who have joined the PeaceJam Foundation in their Global Call to Action. <P><P>This book profiles all of these laureates and their work with teens around the world as they combine forces to help stop the spread of disease, promote women?s rights, provide equitable access to food and water, and more. Combining profiles of the laureates? including personal bios?heartwarming tales of the youth and their projects, and tips on how readers can get involved, this is a comprehensive guide to the PeaceJam Foundation. Both humbling and inspiring, PeaceJam: A Billion Simple Acts of Peace is sure to excite anyone who picks it up to think about simple ways to help make our world a better place.
Peaceable Kingdom Lost: The Paxton Boys and the Destruction of William Penn's Holy Experiment
by Kevin KennyWilliam Penn established Pennsylvania in 1682 as a "holy experiment" in which Europeans and Indians could live together in harmony. In this book, historian Kevin Kenny explains how this Peaceable Kingdom--benevolent, Quaker, pacifist--gradually disintegrated in the eighteenth century, with disastrous consequences for Native Americans. <p><p> Kenny recounts how rapacious frontier settlers, most of them of Ulster extraction, began to encroach on Indian land as squatters, while William Penn's sons cast off their father's Quaker heritage and turned instead to fraud, intimidation, and eventually violence during the French and Indian War. In 1763, a group of frontier settlers known as the Paxton Boys exterminated the last twenty Conestogas, descendants of Indians who had lived peacefully since the 1690s on land donated by William Penn near Lancaster. Invoking the principle of "right of conquest," the Paxton Boys claimed after the massacres that the Conestogas' land was rightfully theirs. They set out for Philadelphia, threatening to sack the city unless their grievances were met. A delegation led by Benjamin Franklin met them and what followed was a war of words, with Quakers doing battle against Anglican and Presbyterian champions of the Paxton Boys. The killers were never prosecuted and the Pennsylvania frontier descended into anarchy in the late 1760s, with Indians the principal victims. The new order heralded by the Conestoga massacres was consummated during the American Revolution with the destruction of the Iroquois confederacy. At the end of the Revolutionary War, the United States confiscated the lands of Britain's Indian allies, basing its claim on the principle of "right of conquest." <p><p> Based on extensive research in eighteenth-century primary sources, this engaging history offers an eye-opening look at how colonists--at first, the backwoods Paxton Boys but later the U.S. government--expropriated Native American lands, ending forever the dream of colonists and Indians living together in peace.
Peaceful Kitchen: More than 100 Cozy Plant-Based Recipes to Comfort the Body and Nourish the Soul
by Catherine PerezFrom nutritionist and social media star @plantbasedrd, more than one hundred, nourishing, feel-good, and easy-to-follow recipes, inspired by Mexican and Dominican flavors, for mindful, creative plant-based meals.In her first cookbook, Catherine Perez, a food creator and registered dietitian, guides you through a delightful exploration of mouthwatering plant-based recipes, proving serenity can be found in a well-balanced, wholesome meal. Whether you are considering a plant-based diet, lead a dedicated vegan lifestyle, or just want some new ways to season and enjoy veggies, Peaceful Kitchen is for you.Perez helps you take the stress out of eating well with recipes that pull from the Mexican and Dominican dishes and flavors she was raised on—adding her own delicious twists—served with a side of the latest evidenced-based research. From Moro de Habichuelas to Breakfast Tostadas, she shows you how eating healthfully doesn’t mean eating blandly. Inviting you into her own life, Perez inspires you to make the kitchen a true expression of yourself—bringing your own imagination, heritage, and fun to mealtime—so you can cultivate calm as you prepare mindful, sustainable meals. Discover meals like:• Mangú Power Bowl with Crispy Adobo Chickpeas and Onions,• Peach Upside-Down Baked Oatmeal,• Spicy Peanut Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad,• Tofu Tinga Tacos,• Wholesome Date and Pistachio Cookies,• Dominican Sofrito,• And so much more! With recipes that are both nostalgic and innovative, delicious and nutritious, flavorful and filling, Perez will reshape how you eat, one dish at a time, and help you turn the kitchen into your Zen space.
Peacemaker: U Thant and the Forgotten Quest for a Just World
by Thant Myint-U"A wonderful subject, beautifully written, evoking a world startlingly like and unlike our own. Essential reading for anyone interested in the origins and possibilities of our current global crisis."—Rory Stewart, author of Politics on the Edge A new history of the turbulent 1960s told through the life of U Thant, the first UN secretary-general of color, whose decisions once shaped global war and peace. In the early 1960s, a peaceful world was an imaginable goal. The still-young United Nations was widely respected and regarded as humankind’s best hope for resolving global conflicts. African and Asian nations, having recently won their freedom from colonial domination, sought dignity and influence on the world stage. At the helm of their international efforts was U Thant, a practicing Buddhist from a remote town in Burma who, as the UN’s first non-Western secretary-general, became the Cold War era’s preeminent ambassador of peace. From the moment of his predecessor’s mysterious death in 1961, Thant faced a deluge of violent conflicts in Congo, Yemen, Cyprus, and Nigeria, as well as one between India and Pakistan, that threatened larger conflagrations. Crucially, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, he played an indispensable role—virtually hidden until now—in defusing tensions and helping both superpowers find a way back from nuclear confrontation. For years Thant also challenged Washington over its war in Vietnam, identifying paths to peace that could have saved the lives of millions. Drawing on newly declassified documents, Thant’s grandson, historian Thant Myint-U, gives a riveting account of how his grandfather’s gentle yet willful disposition shaped his determination to avoid a third world war, give voice to the newly decolonized world, create a fairer international economy, and safeguard the environment. Rather than a vestige of an idealistic past, U Thant’s fight for peace is central to a fresh understanding of our world today.
Peacemakers (People You Need To Know #2)
by Susanna WrightBe inspired by 20 of the world's most famous advocates for peace. Discover the lives of ten female and ten male peace-makers from throughout history and from around the world. This book is the perfect introduction to some of the most dramatic and world-changing lives of people who have made a huge impact through the advocation of peace. Stunning artwork brings to life ten male and ten female peacemakers from across history and from around the world.Clear, concise text presents their significant contribution to our world alongside the stand-out biographical information from their fascinating lives.
Peacerunner: The True Story of How an Ex-Congressman Helped End the Centuries of War in Ireland
by President Bill Clinton Penn RhodeenPeacerunner is the must-read account of how ex-congressman Bruce Morrison rose from crushing defeat to become a crucial figure in the historic Irish Peace Process that ended centuries of warfare.The world celebrated the end of the fighting in Ireland, but just a handful know the full story of former congressman Bruce Morrison and how critical he was in bringing peace-and none can bring it to life better than author Penn Rhodeen.In Peacerunner, Rhodeen takes us on the journey of Morrison, who worked with Irish Americans to help elect Bill Clinton as the best hope for a new American policy on the ancient conflict. He then devised the political strategy that helped Clinton make that policy a reality. Despite having no official position, Morrison traveled tirelessly to meet with anyone-including those seen as terrorists-who could help end the fighting. In Northern Ireland, he showed that the US could be the honest broker for both sides-and blazed the trail on which Clinton and George Mitchell helped political leaders forge the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and a new beginning for a suffering land.This fast-paced and insightful narrative brimming with unforgettable characters-presidents and prime ministers, politicians of every stripe, activists and guerrilla fighters-reaches far beyond Ireland's bloody history to show that no conflict should be seen as too intractable to solve.Peacerunner isn't just for those curious about how peace came to Northern Ireland-it's a story for anyone eager to know how the world can actually get better.
Peaches & Daddy: A Story of the Roaring 20s, the Birth of Tabloid Media, & the Courtship that Captured the Heart and Imagination of the American Public
by Michael M. GreenburgA &“lively, intelligently rendered account&” of a tabloid romance, scandalous divorce and the rise of yellow journalism in Gilded Age New York (Kirkus Reviews). Edward &“Daddy&” Browning was a famously eccentric millionaire when he crossed paths with fifteen-year-old shop clerk and aspiring flapper Frances Heenan at the Hotel McAlpin. Frances reminded Daddy of peaches and cream—and a scandalous romance began. Thirty-seven days later, amid headlines announcing the event and with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in close pursuit, Peaches and Daddy were married. Within ten months they would begin a courtroom drama that would blow their impassioned saga into a national scandal. Peaches & Daddy vividly recounts the amazing and improbable romance, marriage, and ultimate legal battle for separation of this publicity-craving Manhattan couple in America&’s &“Era of Wonderful Nonsense.&” Their story is one of dysfunction and remarkable excess; yet at the time, the lurid details of their brief courtship and marriage captured the imagination of the American public like no other story of its day.
Peaches and Daddy: A Story of the Roaring Twenties, the Birth of Tabloid Media, and the Courtship That Captured the Heart and Imagination of the American Public
by Michael M. Greenburg"Peaches & Daddy" vividly recounts the amazing and improbable 1926 marriage and legal battle between a 51-year-old Manhattan millionaire and a 15-year-old girl. Their story captured the imagination of the American public and gave birth to tabloid journalism.
Peacock & Vine: On William Morris and Mariano Fortuny
by A. S. ByattFrom the winner of the Booker Prize: A ravishing book that opens a window into the lives, designs, and passions of Mariano Fortuny and William Morris, two remarkable artists who themselves are passions of the writer A. S. Byatt. Born a generation apart in the mid-1800s, Fortuny and Morris were seeming opposites: Fortuny a Spanish aristocrat thrilled by the sun-baked cultures of Crete and Knossos; Morris a member of the British bourgeoisie, enthralled by Nordic myths. Through their revolutionary inventions and textiles, both men inspired a new variety of art that is as striking today as when it was first conceived. In this elegant meditation, Byatt traces their genius right to the source.Fortuny's Palazzo Pesaro Orfei in Venice is a warren of dark spaces imbued with the rich hues of Asia. In his attic workshop, Fortuny created intricate designs from glowing silks and velvets; in the palazzo he found "happiness in a glittering cavern" alongside the French model who became his wife and collaborator, including on the famous "Delphos" dress--a flowing, pleated gown that evoked the era of classical Greece. Morris's Red House outside London, with its Gothic turrets and secret gardens, helped inspire his stunning floral and geometric patterns; it likewise represented a coming together of life and art. But it was a "sweet simple old place" called Kelmscott Manor in the countryside that he loved best--even when it became the setting for his wife's love affair with the artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti.Generously illustrated with the artists' beautiful designs--pomegranates and acanthus, peacock and vine--among other aspects of their worlds, this marvel-filled book brings the visions and ideas of Fortuny and Morris to vivid life.From the Hardcover edition.
Peak Performance
by Tori James'You fall you're dead,' the voice inside my head told me. I was balancing on a knife-edge ridge, sheer drops either side of me. The cold was chilling me to my core. But I could not give up. I had to focus, The summit was within reach. Everest: the highest mountain in the world and also one of the most dangerous. On May 24 2007, Tori James made history when she became the first Welsh woman, and youngest British woman, to climb to the summit of Everest. It was an amazing achievement for the petite farmer's daughter from Pembrokeshire. In Peak Performance Tori shares the inspiration and drive that helped her to succeed in reaching the 'rooftop of the world'.
Peak Performance: The First Welsh Woman to Climb Everest (Quick Reads Ser.)
by Tori James‘You fall you’re dead,’ the voice inside my head told me. I was balancing on a knife-edge ridge, sheer drops either side of me. The cold was chilling me to my core. But I could not give up. I had to focus, The summit was within reach.Everest: the highest mountain in the world and also one of the most dangerous. On May 24 2007, Tori James made history when she became the first Welsh woman, and youngest British woman, to climb to the summit of Everest. It was an amazing achievement for the petite farmer’s daughter from Pembrokeshire. In Peak Performance Tori shares the inspiration and drive that helped her to succeed in reaching the ‘rooftop of the world’.
Peak Performance: The First Welsh Woman to Climb Everest (Quick Reads)
by Tori James‘You fall you’re dead,’ the voice inside my head told me. I was balancing on a knife-edge ridge, sheer drops either side of me. The cold was chilling me to my core. But I could not give up. I had to focus, The summit was within reach.Everest: the highest mountain in the world and also one of the most dangerous. On May 24 2007, Tori James made history when she became the first Welsh woman, and youngest British woman, to climb to the summit of Everest. It was an amazing achievement for the petite farmer’s daughter from Pembrokeshire. In Peak Performance Tori shares the inspiration and drive that helped her to succeed in reaching the ‘rooftop of the world’.
Peak Pursuits: The Emergence of Mountaineering in the Nineteenth Century
by Caroline SchaumannAn interdisciplinary cultural history of exploration and mountaineering in the nineteenth century European forays to mountain summits began in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries with the search for plants and minerals and the study of geology and glaciers. Yet scientists were soon captivated by the enterprise of climbing itself, enthralled with the views and the prospect of &“conquering&” alpine summits. Inspired by Romantic notions of nature, early mountaineers idealized their endeavors as sublime experiences, all the while deliberately measuring what they saw. As increased leisure time and advances in infrastructure and equipment opened up once formidable mountain regions to those seeking adventure and sport, new models of masculinity emerged that were fraught with tensions. This book examines how written and artistic depictions of nineteenth-century exploration and mountaineering in the Andes, the Alps, and the Sierra Nevada shaped cultural understandings of nature and wilderness in the Anthropocene.
Peaks and Troughs: In at the Deep End, High in the Hills
by Nick PerryA memoir of two brothers using an unexpected inheritance to start an organic farm in 1970 Wales: &“This is Bill Bryson with muck under the fingernails.&” —Brian Morton Londoners Nick Perry and his brother Jack were stuck in a bit of a rut. Nick, in his early twenties with a wife of infant twins, had been jumping from job to job; Jack chauffeured passengers around for their uncle&’s business. Then an aunt they barely remembered, to their complete surprise, left them a tidy sum of money. It didn&’t take long to come up with an idea—buying a plot of farmland in North Wales. Little did they know what a different world they were entering, and what a challenge it would be to find a way to farm that was in harmony with the earth and the animals in their care. The neighbors have little sympathy as Nick deals with the elements and with his nagging self-doubt. But no matter how close to the edge he and his family come, he carries on—and in this war-hearted, humorous, and ultimately inspirational tale, he tells the full story of a young man&’s attempt to run an organic farm in the unforgiving Welsh hills.
Peanut Butter and Naan: Stories of an American Mom in the Far East
by Jennifer Hillman-MagnusonFly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants mom Jennifer Magnuson knew her spoiled suburban brood needed a wake-up call—she just couldn’t find the time to fit one in. But when her husband was offered a position in India, she saw it for what it was: the perfect opportunity for her family to unplug from their over-scheduled and pampered lives in Nashville and gain some much-needed perspective. What she didn’t realize was how much their time in India would transform her as well. A combination of Eat, Pray, Love and Modern Family, with a dash of Chelsea Handler thrown in for good measure, Peanut Butter and Naan is Magnuson’s hilarious look at the chaos of parenting against a backdrop of malaria, extreme poverty, and no conveniences of any kind—and her story of rediscovering herself and revitalizing her connection with those she loves the most. In India, after years of parenting under a cloud of anxiety, Magnuson found a renewed sense of adventure and fearlessness (a discovery that was totally worth the many months of hiding anti-malarial medication in her kids’ morning oatmeal), and started to become the mother she’d always hoped to be. Hers is a story about motherhood that will not only make you laugh and nod with recognition—it will inspire you to fall in love with your own family all over again.