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The Beechers: America's Most Influential Family
by Obbie Tyler ToddThe Reverend Lyman Beecher was once called “the father of more brains than any other man in America.” Among his eleven living children were a celebrity novelist, a college president, the most well-known preacher in America, a suffragist, a radical abolitionist, a pioneer in women’s education, and the founder of home economics. Rejecting many of their father’s Puritan beliefs, the deeply religious Beechers nevertheless embraced his quest to exert moral influence. They disagreed over issues of slavery, women’s rights, and religion and found themselves at the center of race riots, denominational splits, college protests, a civil war, and one of the most public sex scandals in American history. They were nonetheless unified in their “Beecherism”—a phrase used to describe their sense of self-importance in reforming the nation. Obbie Tyler Todd’s masterful work is the first biography of the Beechers in more than forty years and the first chronological portrait of one of the most influential families in nineteenth-century America.
The Beekeeper: Saving The Stolen Women Of Iraq
by Max Weiss Dunya Mikhail<P>The true story of a beekeeper who risks his life to rescue enslaved women from Daesh <P>Since 2014, Daesh (ISIS) has been brutalizing the Yazidi people of northern Iraq: sowing destruction, killing those who won’t convert to Islam, and enslaving young girls and women. <P>The Beekeeper, by the acclaimed poet and journalist Dunya Mikhail, tells the harrowing stories of several women who managed to escape the clutches of Daesh. <P>Mikhail extensively interviews these women—who’ve lost their families and loved ones, who’ve been sexually abused, psychologically tortured, and forced to manufacture chemical weapons—and as their tales unfold, an unlikely hero emerges: a beekeeper, who uses his knowledge of the local terrain, along with a wide network of transporters, helpers, and former cigarette smugglers, to bring these women, one by one, through the war-torn landscapes of Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, back into safety. <P>In the face of inhuman suffering, this powerful work of nonfiction offers a counterpoint to Daesh’s genocidal extremism: hope, as ordinary people risk their own lives to save those of others.
The Beer Drinker's Guide to God
by William B. MillerIt's no accident that Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine! Written by an Episcopalian priest-slash-bar owner, this thoughtful, well-written book of spiritual essays distills lessons about the character of God from stories about adult beverages."Oh taste and see that the Lord is good." --Psalm 34:8 Being upright does not mean you have to be uptight--at least according to Father Bill Miller, an Episcopal priest/bar owner. As a fan of both spirits and the Holy Spirit, he is very familiar with the intoxicating lure of some of God's finer creations, and in The Beer Drinker's Guide to God he brews up insightful, beautifully written reflections about the strange intersections of God, and, well...beer. In this humorous collection of essays, he weaves together stories from his life in ministry, his travels in search of the world's best Scotch, his conversations with Trappist monks, and colorful evenings in his bar, Padre's. He also reflects on the lessons he's learned from baseball, Playboy bunnies, Las Vegas, and his attempts to become chaplain to the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, all while (somehow) crafting essays about the spiritual importance of generosity, sacrifice, openness, and spiritual transformation. Really. Essays include: · WWJD: What Would Jesus Drink?· Brewed Over Me and Distill Me, O Lord· Pearls of Great Price· Chicken Soup for the Hooters Girl's Soul· Miss Hawaii and Other Miss Takes· Don't Leave me Hanging: The Theological Significance of Athletic Supporters From the deeply touching to the laugh-out-loud funny, these stories ultimately open our minds to the glory of God and our mouths to some of God's more delicious creations. The Beer Drinker's Guide to God is a smart, hilarious book for those thirsty for God's truth.
The Bees
by Carol Ann DuffyA winner of the Costa Book Award, "beautiful and moving poetry for the real world" (The Guardian)The Bees is Carol Ann Duffy's first collection of new poems as British poet laureate, and the much anticipated successor to the T. S. Eliot Prize–winning Rapture. After the intimate focus of the earlier book, The Bees finds Duffy using her full poetic range: there are drinking songs, love poems, poems to the weather, and poems of political anger. There are elegies, too, for beloved friends and—most movingly—for the poet's mother. As Duffy's voice rises in this collection, her music intensifies, and every poem patterns itself into song. Woven into and weaving through the book is its presiding spirit: the bee. Sometimes the bee is Duffy's subject, sometimes it strays into the poem or hovers at its edge—and the reader soon begins to anticipate its appearance. In the end, Duffy's point is clear: the bee symbolizes what we have left of grace in the world, and what is most precious and necessary for us to protect. The Bees is Duffy's clearest affirmation yet of her belief in the poem as "secular prayer," as the means by which we remind ourselves of what is most worthy of our attention and concern, our passion and our praise.
The Beet Fields
by Gary PaulsenFor a 16-year-old boy out in the world alone for the first time, every day's an education in the hard work and boredom of migrant labor; every day teaches him something more about friendship, or hunger, or profanity, or lust--always lust. <P><P>He learns how a poker game, or hitching a ride, can turn deadly. <P>He discovers the secret sadness and generosity to be found on a lonely farm in the middle of nowhere. <P>Then he joins up with a carnival and becomes a grunt, running a ride and shilling for the geek show. <P>He's living the hard carny life and beginning to see the world through carny eyes. <P>He's tough. Cynical. By the end of the summer he's pretty sure he knows it all. <P>Until he meets Ruby.
The Beethoven Encyclopedia
by Paul NettlThis comprehensive A-to-Z reference is comprised of detailed and authoritative entries on every aspect of the great composer&’s life. Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most famous and revered composers in classical music. His instantly recognizable concertos and symphonies continue to be among the most performed by symphonies across the globe. In this definitive reference volume, eminent musicologist Paul Nettl provides students and researchers with an in-depth biographical resource organized in alphabetical entries. The Beethoven Encyclopedia covers the German composer&’s music, personal life, and patrons, among other topics, such as the forces that inspired his genius.
The Beethoven Quartet Companion
by Robert Martin Robert WinterWhile the Beethoven string quartets are to chamber music what the plays of Shakespeare are to drama, even seasoned concertgoers will welcome guidance with these personal and sometimes enigmatic works.This collection offers Beethoven lovers both detailed notes on the listening experience of each quartet and a stimulating range of more general perspectives: Who has the quartets' audience been? How were the quartets performed before the era of sound recordings? What is the relationship between "classical" and "romantic" in the quartets? How was their reception affected by social and economic history? What sorts of interpretive decisions are made by performers today?The Companion brings together a matchless group of Beethoven experts. Joseph Kerman is perhaps the world's most renowned Beethoven scholar. Robert Winter, an authority on sketches for the late quartets, has created interactive programs regarded as milestones in multimedia publishing. Maynard Solomon has written an acclaimed biography of Beethoven. Leon Botstein is the conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra as well as a distinguished social historian and college president. Robert Martin writes from his experience as cellist of the Sequoia Quartet. And the book is anchored by the program notes of Michael Steinberg, who has served as Artistic Advisor of the San Francisco Symphony and the Minnesota Orchestra.
The Beggar King and the Secret of Happiness: A True Story
by Joel Ben IzzyThis inspiring memoir by a storyteller who lost his voice, and gained some unexpected wisdom, is “nothing less than a spiritual odyssey” (San Francisco Chronicle). “Heartwarming and smart and wonderfully written,” this is that rare, magical book—a book that tells a good story, but also shows us how the tales we learned when we were children shed light on our adult lives (Detroit Free Press). An award-winning professional storyteller, Joel ben Izzy had the unusual opportunity to relive those lessons when he lost his voice after undergoing surgery for thyroid cancer, and reconnected with his old teacher, Lenny. Through his meetings with Lenny, Joel rediscovers the wisdom of ancient tales and takes us on a journey into a world of beggars and kings, monks and tigers, lost horses and buried treasures—and in the end tells us the secret of happiness. “This is a beautiful book full of old tales—from China, India, Persia, Jerusalem—that help storyteller Joel ben Izzy through dark times of silence and back into light and sound once more. Wonderful!” —Grace Paley “Heartfelt . . . This brief book speaks to people in trouble. It provides edifying advice, intimately given, like the best-selling Tuesdays with Morrie.” —TheDallas Morning News “What a gift, what a blessing, funny, brilliant, wise.” —Anne Lamott
The Beggar Lama: The Life of the Gyalrong Kuzhap
by Jinba TenzinThe Beggar Lama is the story of the Gyalrong Kuzhap, a Tibetan Buddhist polymath and reincarnated lama who has led a remarkable life through the vicissitudes of the twentieth century. Born in 1930 in Tsanlha, Gyalrong, on the easternmost fringes of the Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau, he would go on to become a monk, a Communist official, a professor of Tibetan studies, and a leader in the Tibetan cultural survival movement in China.Drawing on hundreds of hours of in-depth and open-ended conversations over more than a decade, Tenzin Jinba presents the Gyalrong Kuzhap’s life story. The Beggar Lama chronicles his journeys—from Gyalrong to Lhasa, from steadfast Communist to critic of the Chinese regime, from scholar to activist—painting a compelling portrait of an influential and unconventional figure. In so doing, the book shows how the Gyalrong Kuzhap’s tale intertwines with larger social and political developments, providing a wide-ranging history of Tibet, the Sino-Tibetan borderlands, and China over the past century.The Beggar Lama shares the Gyalrong Kuzhap’s insightful and often critical views on Tibetan cultural and religious institutions, the Chinese Communist Party’s social and political agendas, Tibetan studies in China, and the prospects for Tibetan cultural rebirth. Above all, it is a story of hope in dark times, as the Gyalrong Kuzhap seeks with his “last breath” to prevent Tibetan culture and memory from vanishing.
The Beginner's Bible Let's Learn About Jesus: Get to Know God’s Perfect Son (The Beginner's Bible)
by The Beginner's BibleHelp children form a fulfilling, lifelong relationship with Jesus! The Beginner&’s Bible Let&’s Learn About Jesus offers young children an introduction to the life and character of Jesus, giving them a deeper understanding of Christ and the role he plays in their lives. The Beginner&’s Bible is a perennial favorite with young children and their parents, impacting 28 million families for over 30 years.Featuring helpful examples from classic Bible stories, as well as thoughtful questions, fun prompts, and prayers, children will learn about who Jesus is, what he said and did on earth, and how he impacts our lives today. With easy-to-read stories and bright, colorful illustrations, kids will be eager to draw closer to their Lord and Savior and start their faith journey with a solid foundation.The Beginner&’s Bible Let&’s Learn About Jesus:Is part of The Beginner&’s Bible® brand, the bestselling Bible storybook brand of our time, impacting over 28 million families for over 30 yearsIs perfect for children ages 4–8Introduces readers to the life and character of Jesus using simple, accessible languageFeatures thought-provoking questions that encourage further discussion about JesusIncludes vibrant artwork from The Beginner&’s Bible Review The Beginner&’s Bible® complete library for dozens of titles available for kids of all ages and reading levels.
The Beginner's Bible Let's Meet Jesus (The Beginner's Bible)
by The Beginner's BibleIf you&’re looking to introduce the little hearts in your life to the big heart of Jesus, then look no further than The Beginner's Bible Let's Meet Jesus—connecting young readers to Christ in a fun, lasting, meaningful way. With colorful illustrations, classic art, and easy-to-read text highlighting the life of Jesus, this board book is perfect for little ones beginning their journey of faith.The Beginner's Bible Let's Meet Jesus:Is great for children ages 0–4Makes a great gift for Easter, Christmas, birthdays, or holiday gift exchangesFeatures colorful illustrations, classic art from The Beginner&’s Bible, and simple, easy-to-read textIs a wonderful introduction to the bestselling Beginner&’s Bible® brand, with over 25 million products soldCome and meet baby Jesus in this delightful story of Jesus&’s early life! Children will love to see how Jesus was young just like them as they follow his story from the very first Christmas through his early years.
The Beginner's Bible Stories About Jesus (The Beginner's Bible)
by The Beginner's BibleWith simple text, bright art, and a padded cover, The Beginner's Bible Stories About Jesus is a sweet and inspirational board book that presents seven Bible stories in bite-sized chunks that even the youngest readers can understand. The Beginner&’s Bible Stories about Jesus:Follows the story of Jesus&’ life from his humble birth to his life as an adult as he preaches and teaches the peopleFeatures vibrant, three-dimensional artContains easy to read, parent-approved simple text just like The Beginner&’s BibleHas a padded cover that will appeal to the youngest reader and is perfect for little handsWith its message of God&’s love and its stories of the miracles and words of Jesus, The Beginner&’s Bible Stories about Jesus:Is part of the Beginner&’s Bible® brand, which has been a favorite since its release in 1989 with over 25 million products sold.Appeals to kids 3-7Brings stories of the New Testament to life for young readersIs a great baptism, birthday, Easter, Christmas, or any day gift
The Beginner's Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize: Advice for Young Scientists
by Peter DohertyIn The Beginner's Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize, Doherty recounts his unlikely path to becoming a Nobel Laureate. Beginning with his humble origins in Australia, he tells how he developed an interest in immunology and describes his award-winning, influential work with Rolf Zinkernagel on T-cells and the nature of immune defense. In prose that is at turns amusing and astute, Doherty reveals how his nonconformist upbringing, sense of being an outsider, and search for different perspectives have shaped his life and work.Doherty offers a rare, insider's look at the realities of being a research scientist. He lucidly explains his own scientific work and how research projects are selected, funded, and organized; the major problems science is trying to solve; and the rewards and pitfalls of a career in scientific research. For Doherty, science still plays an important role in improving the world, and he argues that scientists need to do a better job of making their work more accessible to the public. Throughout the book, Doherty explores the stories of past Nobel winners and considers some of the crucial scientific debates of our time, including the safety of genetically modified foods and the tensions between science and religion. He concludes with some "tips" on how to win a Nobel Prize, including advice on being persistent, generous, and culturally aware, and he stresses the value of evidence. The Beginner's Guide to Winning the Noble Prize is essential reading for anyone interested in a career in science.
The Beginner's Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize: Advice for Young Scientists
by Peter DohertyThe Nobel Prize-winning medical researcher recounts his unlikely career journey in a memoir that &“opens the vault to the world of science&” (Nature). Beginning with his humble origins in Australia, Peter Doherty tells how he developed an interest in immunology and describes his award-winning, influential work with Rolf Zinkernagel on T-cells and the nature of immune defense. In prose that is both amusing and astute, Doherty reveals how his nonconformist upbringing and search for different perspectives have shaped his life and work. Doherty offers an insider's look at the life of a research scientist. He lucidly explains his own scientific work and how research projects are selected, funded, and organized; the major problems science is trying to solve; and the rewards and pitfalls of a career in scientific research. He also explores the stories of past Nobel winners and considers some of the crucial scientific debates of our time, including the safety of genetically modified foods and the tensions between science and religion. He concludes with some "tips" on how to win a Nobel Prize, including advice on being persistent, generous, and culturally aware.
The Beginning of Everything: The Year I Lost My Mind And Found Myself
by Andrea J. BuchananA real-life neurological mystery?and captivating story of reinvention by the New York Times bestselling author of The Daring Book for Girls. Andrea Buchanan lost her mind while crossing the street one blustery March morning. The cold winter air triggered a coughing fit, and she began to choke. She was choking on a lot that day. A sick son. A pending divorce. The guilt of failing as a partner and as a mother. When the coughing finally stopped, she thought it was over. She could not have been more wrong. When she coughed that morning, a small tear ripped through her dura mater, the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord. But she didn’t know that yet. Instead, Andrea went on with her day, unaware that her cerebrospinal fluid was already beginning to leak out of that tiny opening. What followed was nine months of pain and confusion as her brain, no longer cushioned by a healthy waterbed of fluid, sank in her skull. At a time in her life when she needed to be as clear-thinking as possible?as a writer, as a mother, as a woman attempting to strike out on her own after two decades of marriage?she was plagued by cognitive impairment and constant pain, trapped by her own brain—all while mystifying doctors and pushing the limits of medical understanding. In this luminous and moving narrative, Andrea reveals the astonishing story of this tumultuous year—her fraught search for treatment; how patients, especially women, fight to be seen as reliable narrators of their own experiences; and how her life-altering recovery process affected both her and her family. The mind-brain connection is one of the greatest mysteries of the human condition. In some folklore, the cerebrospinal fluid around the brain is thought to be the place where consciousness actually begins. Here, in the pages of The Beginning of Everything, Andrea seeks to understand: Where was “I” when I wasn’t there?
The Beholder's Eye: A Collection of America's Finest Personal Journalism
by Scott Anderson Harry Crews Mary Kay BlakelyA collection of the very best in contemporary first-person journalism compiled by the award-winning former Washington Post reporter and author.Great journalists, at one time or another, have all been characters in their own stories: people with personalities that shaped what they saw and reported, and were touched and changed by the experiences about which they wrote; and innovators who borrowed the storytelling techniques of fiction. The Beholder’s Eye showcases the very best of an increasing trend toward personal narrative: Mike Sager stalking Marlon Brando in the Tahitian jungle; J. R. Moehringer’s quest to discover the true identity of an old boxer; Bill Plaschke’s story about a woman with cerebral palsy who runs an obscure Los Angeles Dodgers Web site; Scott Anderson’s story of his lifetime of covering war after war; Harrington’s own tale of his interracial family’s struggle to persevere; and many others. Written by reporters who were willing to reveal themselves in order to bring readers insights that were deeper than supposedly objective third-person stories, their articles are an invaluable resource for aspiring journalists, students, and teachers of the craft of writing, and any reader with an appreciation for masterful storytelling.“Aims to dispel the old journalistic cliché: that a journalist writing about him/herself is always ‘self-indulgent and, quite likely, narcissistic.’ He couldn’t have put together a better lineup of writers to make the point that it doesn’t have to be . . . Not just some of the country’s finest personal journalism, but some of its finest journalism, period.”—Kirkus Reviews
The Believer: Alien Encounters, Hard Science, and the Passion of John Mack
by Ralph BlumenthalThe Believer is the weird and chilling true story of Dr. John Mack. This eminent Harvard psychiatrist and Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer risked his career to investigate the phenomenon of human encounters with aliens and to give credibility to the stupefying tales shared by people who were utterly convinced they had happened.Nothing in Mack&’s four decades of psychiatry had prepared him for the otherworldly accounts of a cross section of humanity including young children who reported being taken against their wills by alien beings. Over the course of his career his interest in alien abduction grew from curiosity to wonder, ultimately developing into a limitless, unwavering passion.Based on exclusive access to Mack&’s archives, journals, and psychiatric notes and interviews with his family and closest associates, The Believer reveals the life and work of a man who explored the deepest of scientific conundrums and further leads us to the hidden dimensions and alternate realities that captivated Mack until the end of his life.
The Believer: How an Introvert with a Passion for Religion and Soccer Became Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Leader of the Islamic State (The Brookings Essay)
by William MccantsIn The Believer, Will McCants tells the story of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State (a. k. a. ISIS), a group so brutal and hardline that even al-Qaida deemed them too extreme. Baghdadi, an introverted religious scholar, with a passion for soccer, now controls large swaths of land in Iraq and Syria. McCants shows how Baghdadi became radicalized in the Saddam Hussein era and found his path to power after connecting with other radicals in an American prison during the Iraq War, culminating in his declaration of a reborn Islamic empire bent on world conquest.
The Believers: How America Fell For Bernard Madoff's $65 Billion Investment Scam
by Adam LeBorHow America fell for financier Bernie Madoff's $65 billion investment scam.It was luxurious Palm Beach, by the manicured lawns and Olympic-sized swimming pool, that financier Bernard Madoff ravaged the world of philanthropy and high society he had strived so hard to join, vaporising the assets of charities, foundations and individuals that had trusted him with their funds. It seems nothing was sacrosanct to Madoff, possibly the greatest con-man in history. Even Elie Wiesel's foundation has lost tens of millions. How could Madoff, a pillar of the Jewish community, do this to a Nobel Laureate and Auschwitz survivor? But Wiesel was hardly alone in trusting the rogue financier. How could some of the most sophisticated and worldly people in America fall victim to a collective delusion for year after year? THE BELIEVERS answers these unsettling questions. It opens up the clubbish world where Madoff operated, tracing the links from Palm Beach and The Hamptons to the salons and clubs of Manhattan society. It details the network of relationships across which flows hundreds of millions of dollars. 'The Believers' shows how despite material success and acclaim, some human impulses remain eternal. It reveals how an underlying sense of insecurity still shapes some of the richest and most successful individuals in America, making them crave ever more status and peer acclaim. By focusing on Madoff's connection to, and catastrophic impact on, the American Jewish community, THE BELIEVERS dramatically humanises a story that is part financial scandal and part Greek tragedy.
The Believers: How America Fell For Bernard Madoff's $65 Billion Investment Scam
by Adam LeBorHow America fell for financier Bernie Madoff's $65 billion investment scam.It was luxurious Palm Beach, by the manicured lawns and Olympic-sized swimming pool, that financier Bernard Madoff ravaged the world of philanthropy and high society he had strived so hard to join, vaporising the assets of charities, foundations and individuals that had trusted him with their funds. It seems nothing was sacrosanct to Madoff, possibly the greatest con-man in history. Even Elie Wiesel's foundation has lost tens of millions. How could Madoff, a pillar of the Jewish community, do this to a Nobel Laureate and Auschwitz survivor? But Wiesel was hardly alone in trusting the rogue financier. How could some of the most sophisticated and worldly people in America fall victim to a collective delusion for year after year? THE BELIEVERS answers these unsettling questions. It opens up the clubbish world where Madoff operated, tracing the links from Palm Beach and The Hamptons to the salons and clubs of Manhattan society. It details the network of relationships across which flows hundreds of millions of dollars. 'The Believers' shows how despite material success and acclaim, some human impulses remain eternal. It reveals how an underlying sense of insecurity still shapes some of the richest and most successful individuals in America, making them crave ever more status and peer acclaim. By focusing on Madoff's connection to, and catastrophic impact on, the American Jewish community, THE BELIEVERS dramatically humanises a story that is part financial scandal and part Greek tragedy.
The Bells of Old Tokyo: Meditations on Time and a City
by Anna ShermanAn elegant and absorbing tour of Tokyo and its residentsFrom 1632 until 1854, Japan’s rulers restricted contact with foreign countries, a near isolation that fostered a remarkable and unique culture that endures to this day. In hypnotic prose and sensual detail, Anna Sherman describes searching for the great bells by which the inhabitants of Edo, later called Tokyo, kept the hours in the shoguns’ city.An exploration of Tokyo becomes a meditation not just on time, but on history, memory, and impermanence. Through Sherman’s journeys around the city and her friendship with the owner of a small, exquisite cafe, who elevates the making and drinking of coffee to an art-form, The Bells of Old Tokyo follows haunting voices through the labyrinth that is the Japanese capital: an old woman remembers escaping from the American firebombs of World War II. A scientist builds the most accurate clock in the world, a clock that will not lose a second in five billion years. The head of the Tokugawa shogunal house reflects on the destruction of his grandfathers’ city: “A lost thing is lost. To chase it leads to darkness.”The Bells of Old Tokyo marks the arrival of a dazzling new writer who presents an absorbing and alluring meditation on life in the guise of a tour through a city and its people.
The Beloved Vision: A History of Nineteenth Century Music
by Ph.D. Stephen WalshA rich and luminous biography of nineteenth century music from the acclaimed author of Debussy: A Painter in Sound.When one thinks of &“great&” classical music—music with the most emotional resonance and timelessness—we harken back to the nineteenth century and the Romantic tradition. We recall the sweet melody of a Schubert song, the heroine dying for love in an Italian opera, the swooning orchestration of a Tchaikovsky symphony. The emotional resonance of nineteenth century has moved generations muscians and resonated with countless listeners. It has inspired artists and writers. But no writer until how has adopted such a vividly insightful narrative approach as Stephen Walsh and he shows how there is more to Romantic music that meets the eye—and the ear. With authority, insight, and passion, The Beloved Vision, links the music history of this singular epoch to the ideas that lay behind Romanticism in all its manifestations. In this complete, entertaining, and singularly readable account, we come to understand the entire phase in music history that has become the mainstay of the twentieth and twenty-first century concert and operatic repertoire. We also come to understand Beethoven, Mahler, Schubert, Chopin, and Wagner anew. The narrative begins in the eighteenth century, with C.P.E. Bach, Haydn and the literary movement known as Sturm und Drang, seen as a reaction of the individual artist to the confident certainties of the Enlightenment. The windows are flung open, and everything to do with style, form, even technique, is exposed to the emotional and intellectual weather, the impulses and preferences of the individual composer. Risk taking—the braving of the unknown—was certainly an important part of what the composers wanted to do, as true of Chopin and Verdi as it is of Berlioz and Wagner. It's an exciting, colorful, story, told with passion but also with the precision and clarity of detail for which Stephen Walsh is so widely admired. The Beloved Vision is a cultural tour de force, by turns bold, challenging, and immensely stimulating.
The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor
by Sonia SotomayorIn this adaptation for middle graders based on her bestselling adult memoir, My Beloved World, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Sonia Sotomayor's extraordinary life inspires. Her achievement serves as a true testament to the fact that no matter the obstacles, dreams can come true. Includes an 8-page photo insert. <P><P>Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic and third woman appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States, was a young girl when she dared to dream big. Her dream? To become a lawyer and a judge. <P><P>As Justice Sotomayor explains, "When I was a child my family was poor and we knew no lawyers or judges and none lived in our neighborhood. I knew nothing about the Supreme Court and how much its work in reinterpreting the Constitution and the laws of the United States affected peoples' lives. You cannot dream of becoming something you don't even know about. That has been the most important lesson of my life. You have to learn to dream big dreams." <P><P> Sonia did not let the hardships of her background--which included growing up in the rough housing projects of New York City's South Bronx, dealing with juvenile diabetes, coping with parents who argued and fought personal demons, and worrying about money--stand in her way. Always, she believed in herself. Her determination, along with guidance from generous mentors and the unwavering love of her extended Puerto Rican family, propelled her ever forward. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
The Ben Lilly Legend
by J. Frank DobieThe Ben Lilly Legend brings back to life a great American hunter--the greatest bear hunter in history after Davy Crockett, by his own account and also by the record. J. Frank Dobie met Lilly and was so struck by this extraordinary man that he collected everything he could find about him. Here are all the stories Ben Lilly told and a great many more Frank Dobie heard about him, put together in a fresh and fascinating contribution to American folklore.
The Bend For Home
by Dermot HealyA funny, direct, lively and moving account of growing up in small-town Ireland. Healy lovingly coaxes his childhood into being until, one day, his elderly mother hands him the coded diary he kept as a teenage tearaway and the uncut past burst in like a blast of raw air.