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Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother: My Autobiography
by Sue Johnston'There was a lot that we kept from my mother. My dad would say to me as a teenager "Don't tell your mother." We couldn't face the disapproval.'Sue Johnston always seemed to be disappointing her mother. As a girl she never stayed clean and tidy like her cousins. As she grew older, she spent all her piano lesson money on drinks for her mates down the pub, and when she discovered The Cavern she was never at home. The final straw was when Sue left her steady job at a St Helen's factory to try her hand at that unsteadiest of jobs: acting. Yet when Sue was bringing up her own child alone, her mother was always there to help. And playing her much-loved characters Sheila Grant in Waking the Dead and Barbara in The Royle Family- although her mum wouldn't say she was proud as such, she certainly seemed to approve. And in her mother's final months, it was Sue she needed by her side.The relationship with your mother is perhaps the most precious and fraught of any woman's life. When she began writing, Sue set out to record 'all the big things, and all the small things. Everything I wanted to tell my mother but felt I never could'. The result is a warm, poignant and often very funny memoir by one of Britain's favourite actresses.
Things I Didn't Expect (when I was expecting)
by Monica DuxPregnancy is natural, healthy and fun, right? Sure it is, if you're lucky. For others, it's an adventure in physical discomfort, unachievable ideals, kooky classes and meddling experts. When Monica Dux found herself pregnant with her first child, she was dismayed to find she belonged firmly in the second category. For her, pregnancy could only be described as a medium-level catastrophe. So, three years later and about to birth her second child, Monica went on a quest: to figure out what's really going on when we incubate. Monica explores the aspects of baby-making that we all want to talk about, but which are too embarrassing, unsettling or downright confronting. She also looks at the powerful forces that shape women's experiences of being pregnant in the west, the exploitative industries, and the medical and physical realities behind it all. Along the way, she fends off sadistic maternal health nurses, attempts to expand then contract her vagina, and struggles to keep her baby's placenta off her hippy brother's lunch menu.
Things I Have Withheld: Essays
by Kei MillerFourteen &“thoughtful and impassioned&” autobiographical essays exploring race, sex, gender, belonging, and alienation by an award-winning author (Kirkus Reviews). In a deeply moving, critical and lyrical collection of interconnected essays, award-winning writer Kei Miller explores the silences in which so many important things are kept. Miller examines the experience of discrimination through this silence and what it means to breach it —&”to risk words, to risk truth; and through the body and the histories those bodies inherit&” the crimes that haunt them, and how the meanings of our bodies can shift as we move through the world, variously assuming privilege or victimhood. Through letters to James Baldwin, encounters with Soca, Carnival, family secrets, love affairs, questions of aesthetics and more, Miller powerfully and imaginatively recounts everyday acts of racism and prejudice from a black, male, queer perspective. An almost disarmingly personal collection, Kei dissects his experiences in Jamaica and Britain, working as an artist and intellectual, making friends and lovers, discovering the possibilities of music and dance, literary criticism, culture, and storytelling. With both the epigrammatic concision and conversational cadence of his poetry and novels, Things I Have Withheld is a great artistic achievement: a work of innovation and beauty which challenges us to interrogate what seems unsayable and why, &“our actions, defense mechanisms, imaginations and interactions&” and those of the world around us.Praise for Things I Have Withheld Shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for NonfictionBOMB Magazine&’s Editor&’s Choice Best Book of 2021 at Slate and Buzzfeed Times (UK), 16 best philosophy and ideas books 2021 &“Miller gives a searing voice to &‘the things&’ I have been trying so hard to write&” in this entrancing collection. . . . Sharp as blades, Miller&’s words cut to the core.&” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) &“There&’s no didacticism or sermons here, merely curiosity and sometimes anger and a deep commitment to speaking the uncomfortable truths we&’d rather not hear. A bold and daring collection.&” —Buzzfeed &“This incisive collection of short essays serves as a tabernacle for stories untold, secrets, and reflections on race and sexuality. . . . Immediately arresting and consistently poignant, Miller&’s essays engage with the urgency of gripping fiction and the authenticity of stunning poetry. An important voice of the Caribbean, who should be read together with the likes of Safiya Sinclair, Oonya Kempadoo, and Colin Channer.&” —Booklist
Things I Learned About My Dad in Therapy Essays
by Heather B ArmstrongI Said Stop Throwing Peas! Dammit! Whether we've inherited his nose, sense of humor, or entire value system, our dads loom large in who we are and the choices we make. In this collection of true life tales from the trenches of parenting, Heather B. Armstrong, creator of dooce.com, brings together some of the best and brightest voices of the blogosphere to share their fears, foibles, and fantastic moments of fatherhood. Bracingly funny, cheerfully cranky, and always honest, this charming collection of essays redefines the notion of the "modern American family," and reads like a love letter to fatherhood. Heather B. Armstrong is the award winning publisher of dooce®. She gained notoriety in 2002 as one of the first people to be fired because of a blog, and in 2005 dooce.com was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 50 Coolest Websites. Armstrong has been on Good Morning America, CNN, NPR, and ABC's World News Tonight as a featured commenter on both blogging and postpartum depression, as well as profiled in the New York Times Sunday Style section and the Washington Post Weekend Magazine. She was published in Real Simple's Family edition in August, 2007. Armstrong lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, daughter, and dog.
Things I Learned From Falling: The must-read true story of 2020
by Claire NelsonAn inspirational and gripping first-person account of determination, adversity and survival against the odds.'Uplifitng and brave' - StylistThe must-read true story of 2020.In 2018, Claire Nelson made international headlines. She was in her thirties and was beginning to burn out - her hectic London life of work and social activity and striving to do more and do better in the big city was frenetic and stressful. Although she was surrounded by people all of the time, she felt increasingly lonely.When the anxiety she felt finally brought her to breaking point, Claire decided to take some time off and travelled to Joshua Tree Park in California to hike and clear her head. What happened next was something she could never have anticipated.While hiking, Claire fell 25 feet, gravely injuring herself and she lay alone in the desert - mistakenly miles off any trail, without a cell phone signal, fighting for her life. She lay in the elements for four days until she was miraculously found - her rescuers had not expected to find her alive.In THINGS I LEARNED FROM FALLING Claire tells her incredible story and what it taught her about loneliness, anxiety and transformation and how to survive it all.
Things I Learned From Knitting: ...whether I wanted to or not
by Stephanie Pearl-McPheeWith a knitter’s perspective, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee describes the astonishing wisdom and hard-to-swallow truths that are embedded in everyday clichés. You’ll laugh with Pearl-McPhee as she realizes that “babies grow” after spending nights knitting a now-too-small sweater. “Beginning is easy, continuing is hard” takes on a new meaning to the knitter who has five projects going, but wants to start another. The next time you drop a stitch, take a cue from this insightful collection and remember, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
Things I Learned from Falling: A Memoir
by Claire NelsonThe gripping first-person account of one woman's survival in Joshua Tree National Park against the odds."A vibrantly physical book"—The Guardian • "Uplifting and brave"—Stylist • "A riveting account of loneliness, anxiety and survival"—CosmopolitanIn 2018, writer Claire Nelson made international headlines when she fell over 25 feet after wandering off the trail in a deserted corner of Joshua Tree. The fall shattered her pelvis, rendering her completely immobile. There Claire lay for the next four days, surrounded by boulders that muffled her cries for help, but exposed her to the relentless California sun above. Her rescuers had not expected to find her alive.In THINGS I LEARNED FROM FALLING Claire tells not only her story of surviving, but also her story of falling. What led this successful thirty-something to a desert trail on the other side of the globe from her home where no one knew she would be that day? At once the unbelievable story of an impossible event, and the human journey of a young woman wrestling with the agitation of past and anxiety of future.
Things I Learned from Falling: The must-read true story
by Claire NelsonAn inspirational and gripping first-person account of determination, adversity and survival against the odds.'Uplifting and brave' - Stylist'A riveting account of loneliness, anxiety and survival' - Cosmopolitan'A vibrantly physical book' - the Guardian'Claire Nelson relives a life-changing four days' - The Times'What a story; never heard a story like that before' - Chris EvansIn 2018, Claire Nelson made international headlines. She was in her thirties and was beginning to burn out - her hectic London life of work and social activity and striving to do more and do better in the big city was frenetic and stressful. Although she was surrounded by people all of the time, she felt increasingly lonely.When the anxiety she felt finally brought her to breaking point, Claire decided to take some time off and travelled to Joshua Tree Park in California to hike and clear her head. What happened next was something she could never have anticipated.While hiking, Claire fell 25 feet, gravely injuring herself and she lay alone in the desert - mistakenly miles off any trail, without a cell phone signal, fighting for her life. She lay in the elements for four days until she was miraculously found - her rescuers had not expected to find her alive.In THINGS I LEARNED FROM FALLING Claire tells her incredible story and what it taught her about loneliness, anxiety and transformation and how to survive it all.(p) 2020 Octopus Publishing Group
Things I Learned from Falling: The must-read true story
by Claire NelsonAn inspirational and gripping first-person account of determination, adversity and survival against the odds.'What a story; never heard a story like that before' - Chris Evans'Uplifting and brave' - Stylist'A riveting account of loneliness, anxiety and survival' - Cosmopolitan'A vibrantly physical book' - the Guardian'Claire Nelson relives a life-changing four days' - The TimesIn 2018, Claire Nelson made international headlines.The relentless pace of work, social activity and striving to do more and better in the big city was frenetic and stressful. Surrounded by people, Claire was increasingly lonely - and beginning to burn out. When the anxiety she felt finally brought her to breaking point, Claire decided to take some time out and travelled half-way around the world to clear her head. What happened next, on a hike in California, was something she could never have anticipated.Things I Learned from Falling is an incredible story of courage, determination and survival against the odds. Utterly gripping and profoundly moving, this inspirational memoir reminds us all how easily life can go off course, how simply we can lose touch with the truly important and that - even when we are utterly broken - we can be made whole again.
Things I Like About America: Personal Narratives
by Poe BallantinePOE BALLANTINE'S RISKY PERSONAL ESSAYS are populated with odd jobs, eccentric characters, boarding houses, buses, and beer. He takes us along on his Greyhound bus journey through small town America (including a detour to Mexico) exploring what it means to be human. Written with piercing intimacy and self-effacing humor, Ballantine'stories provide entertainment, social commentary, and completely compelling slices of life.
Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself
by Alan AldaPicking up where his bestselling memoir, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, left off–having been saved by emergency surgery after nearly dying on a mountaintop in Chile–beloved actor and acclaimed author Alan Alda offers an insightful and funny look at some impossible questions he’s asked himself over the years: What do I value? What, exactly, is the good life? (And what does that even mean?) Here, Alda listens in on things he’s heard himself saying at critical points in his life–from the turbulence of the sixties, to his first Broadway show, to the birth of his children, to the ache of September 11, and beyond. Reflecting on the transitions in his life and in all our lives, he notices that “doorways are where the truth is told,” and wonders if there’s one thing–art, activism, family, money, fame–that could lead to a “life of meaning. ” In a book that is candid, wise, and as questioning as it is incisive, Alda amuses and moves us with his uniquely hilarious meditations on questions great and small.
Things I Should Have Said
by Jamie Lynn SpearsIn this intimate national bestselling memoir, actress and musician Jamie Lynn Spears opens up for the first time, telling her unfiltered story on her own terms. You&’ve read the headlines, but you don&’t know Jamie Lynn Spears. The world first met Jamie Lynn as a child star, when it was her job to perform, both on set and for the press. She spent years escaping into different characters—on All That, Zoey 101, and even in the role as Britney&’s kid sister. But as she grew up, faced a teen pregnancy, raised her daughter on her own, pursued a career, and learned to stand on her own two feet, the real Jamie Lynn started to take center stage - a raw, blemished, and imperfect woman, standing in her own power. Despite growing up in one of America's most tabloid-famous families, Jamie Lynn has never told her story in her own words. In Things I Should Have Said, she talks frankly about the highs and lows, sharing what it was like traveling the world as a kid, how she moved into acting and performing herself, what life as a child star took from her, and the life-changing reality of becoming a teen mom. She talks about how she finally found love and how the mistakes she has made have taught her more than anything else. She also shares vulnerably about how the ATV accident that nearly took her daughter's life brought her back to her faith and caused her to reevaluate and redirect her life. Frank, courageous, and inspiring, Things I Should Have Said is a portrait of a wife, momma, sister, daughter, actress, and musician doing the best she could to show up for herself and teach her daughters to have the courage to love every part of themselves, too.
Things I Should Have Told My Daughter
by Pearl CleageIn addition to being one of the most popular living playwrights in America, Pearl Cleage is a bestselling author with an Oprah Book Club pick and multiple awards to her credit, but there was a time when such stellar success seemed like a dream. In this revelatory and deeply personal work, Cleage takes readers back to the 1970s and '80s, retracing her struggles to hone her craft amid personal and professional tumult. Though born and raised in Detroit, it was in Atlanta that Cleage encountered the forces that would most shape her experience. At the time, married to Michael Lomax, now head of the United Negro College Fund, she worked with Maynard Jackson, Atlanta's first African-American mayor. Things I Should Have Told My Daughter charts not only the political fights but also the pull she began to feel on her own passions--a pull that led her away from Lomax as she grappled with ideas of feminism and self-fulfillment. This fascinating memoir follows her journey from a columnist for a local weekly to a playwright and Hollywood scriptwriter whose circle came to include luminaries Richard Pryor, Avery Brooks, Phylicia Rashad, Shirley Franklin, and Jesse Jackson. In the tradition of giants such as Susan Sontag, Joan Didion, Nora Ephron, and Maya Angelou, Cleage's self-portrait raises women's confessional writing to the level of fine literature.
Things I'd Tell My Child
by Katie Piper Diane PiperWhether you're only just becoming a mum for the first time or you have children who are growing up faster than you could have ever imagined, motherhood can feel like the most joyful and yet the most daunting of times. But you're not alone. From the moment I knew my first baby was a girl I started to plan, hope and dream. I couldn't wait to experience that special bond, but I also wondered how I'd feel about being a working mum, how I'd hold on to the person I am. I also knew that the world has changed so much since I was growing up. What advice, values and role models would help give my daughter the confidence and strength to cope with all that might come her way - and to give her an open mind and warm heart? And how would I guide her through the issues girls face today? This is my journey in motherhood: my experiences, hopes and fears - with my mum's stories of raising me, a parenting expert's advice and empowering exercises - to guide you from those first wobbly moments to being a happy, healthy mum and raising feisty, independent children who aren't afraid to be themselves - and to go for the life they want. Katie PiperFrom Mother to Daughter is about motherhood, about what you learn as a mother and the things you would tell your daughter and most of all it's Katie and Diane' Piper's celebration of the incredible power of mother-daughter relationships.
Things I've Been Silent About: Memories Of A Prodigal Daughter
by Azar NafisiIn Azar Nafisi's personal story of growing up in Iran, she shares her memories of a life lived in thrall to a powerful and complex mother, against the background of a country's political revolution. Nafisi's intelligent and complicated mother, disappointed in her dreams of leading an important and romantic life, created mesmerising fictions about herself, her family, and her past. But her daughter soon learned that these narratives of triumph hid as much as they revealed. When her father began to see other women, young Azar began to keep his secrets from her mother. Nafisi's complicity in these childhood dramas ultimately led her to resist remaining silent about other personal as well as political, cultural, and social injustices. Things I've Been Silent About is also a powerful historical picture of a family that spans the many periods of change leading up to the Islamic Revolution of 1978-79.
Things I've Learned from Dying: A Book About Life
by David R. Dow"Every life is different, but every death is the same. We live with others. We die alone." In his riveting, artfully written memoir The Autobiography of an Execution, David Dow enraptured readers with a searing and frank exploration of his work defending inmates on death row. But when Dow's father-in-law receives his own death sentence in the form of terminal cancer, and his gentle dog Winona suffers acute liver failure, the author is forced to reconcile with death in a far more personal way, both as a son and as a father. Told through the disparate lenses of the legal battles he's spent a career fighting, and the intimate confrontations with death each family faces at home, THINGS I'VE LEARNED FROM DYING offers a poignant and lyrical account of how illness and loss can ravage a family. Full of grace and intelligence, Dow offers readers hope without cliché and reaffirms our basic human needs for acceptance and love by giving voice to the anguish we all face--as parents, as children, as partners, as friends--when our loved ones die tragically, and far too soon.
Things I’ve Learned Lately
by Danae JacobsonTeenager Danae Jacobson, an exciting new voice in young adult publishing, offers insights and asks questions gleaned from a perceptive and refreshingly simple view of the world around her. In a debut book, Things I've Learned Lately, her short essays on the life lessons she's experienced discuss everything from love and relationships to the meaning of seasons and of death. Chapters include "Midnight Laughing Cleanses You," "There Is a Time for Everything," and "The Stars Shine Brighter When There Is No Moon. " Danae explores simple truths such as, "Forgiving someone is proof of your love," and, "Coincidences are really 'God-things,'" offering an honest, hopeful approach to young people who, like herself, are striving to match the challenges of life with a firm faith.
Things Joe Biden's Father Told Him: A Treasury of Bidenisms (and Other Malarkey)
by John GuinnessAs President Biden so often tells us: &“My dad had a saying…&” Prudent life lessons—and some downright weird advice—from one Biden to another.Joseph R. Biden Sr. never held political office, but that didn&’t stop him from imparting a lifetime&’s worth of guidance to his son and our 46th president.Featuring such classic Bidenisms as &“I may be Irish, but I&’m not stupid,&” &“Don&’t compare me to the Almighty, compare me to the alternative,&” and the ever-famous &“That&’s a bunch of malarkey,&” THINGS JOE BIDEN&’S FATHER TOLD HIM is a curious catechism of Biden family wisdom.
Things My Dog Has Taught Me: About being a better human
by Jonathan Wittenberg'A wonderful read' -- Lorraine KellyIn this book for dog lovers everywhere, Jonathan Wittenberg says his dogs have taught him, more than anything else, how to appreciate the wonderful world in which we live -- and how to develop better relationships with his friends and families. In this wonderful, warm account of one man and his dog, Jonathan brings all the big themes of friendship, faithfulness, kindness, cruelty, grief, prayer and spiritual companionship to the fore, and shows us how we can learn so much from a dog's approach to life. If you're one of the 8.5 million dog owners in the UK the answer to a better way of living may already be under your roof.
Things My Dog Has Taught Me: About being a better human
by Jonathan WittenbergA dog's guide to life - how to be a kinder, compassionate, more mindful and wiser human.Anyone who has ever fallen hopelessly in love with a dog will know dogs have the capacity to love us back unconditionally, welcome us home with unbridled excitement, forgive us endlessly for our impatience, comfort us when we're feeling low - and then play games with wholehearted contentment - bringing endless joy to our lives.Dogs' sheer zest for embracing life in all its fullness is something we humans can only marvel at. But can our dogs teach us to approach life in this full, technicolour way too? How to love and care for one another with unconditional acceptance; how to be fully present in someone's company; how to be more mindful of the beauty of the natural world around us; how to comfort each other when we're grieving or afraid; and, how to let excitement and joy bubble over in our hearts.Dogs do all these things instinctively and more naturally than their human friends - yet they love us just the same. And in this charming and entertaining story of his beloved canine companion, Jonathan Wittenberg shares with dog lovers everwhere his inability to resist the big, brown-eyed look which says, 'I'll melt your heart if you even think of going out without me', to the security he feels on a twenty-mile trek across the bleak Scottish Highlands with not a soul for a friend but his collie - and everything else he's learned along the way.(P)2017 John Murray Press
Things My Son Needs to Know About the World
by Fredrik BackmanFredrik Backman, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and Beartown, delivers a poignant and insightful memoir from the front lines of one of the most daunting experiences any man can experience: fatherhood. <P><P>Things My Son Needs to Know About the World is bestselling author Fredrik Backman’s revealing look at the relationship between fathers and sons. Delving deep into his own experience and speaking directly to his child, Backman reflects on the perspective and tools his son will need to make his way in the world. <P><P>As he conveys his profound awe at facing all the “firsts” that fill him with wonder and catch him completely unprepared, Backman doesn’t shy away from divulging his own false steps and fatherly flaws. Along the way, he tackles issues both great and small, from masculinity and mid-life crises to practical jokes and poop. <P><P>In between the sleep-deprived lows and wonderful highs, Backman takes a step back to share the sweet, true story of falling in love with a woman who is his complete opposite, and learning to live a life that revolves around the people he cares about unconditionally. <P><P>Alternating between humorous side notes and longer essays offering his son guidance about growing up, Backman contemplates the big and small moments that form their shared life, from soccer matches and Ikea trips to first homes and young love. <P><P>Things My Son Needs to Know About the World is Backman as you’ve never seen him before—intimate, vulnerable, and brave. <P><P>Above all, it is a tribute to the love between a parent and a child. For, as Backman eloquently reminds us, “You can be whatever you want to be, but that’s nowhere near as important as knowing that you can be exactly who you are.”
Things My Son Needs to Know about the World: Las Cosas Que Mi Hijo Necesita Saber Acerca Del Mundo
by Fredrik BackmanThe #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove shares an irresistible and moving collection of heartfelt, humorous essays about fatherhood, providing his newborn son with the perspective and tools he&’ll need to make his way in the world. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World collects the personal dispatches from the front lines of one of the most daunting experiences any man can experience: fatherhood. As he conveys his profound awe at experiencing all the &“firsts&” that fill him with wonder and catch him completely unprepared, Fredrik Backman doesn&’t shy away from revealing his own false steps and fatherly flaws, tackling issues both great and small, from masculinity and mid-life crises to practical jokes and poop. In between the sleep-deprived lows and wonderful highs, Backman takes a step back to share the true story of falling in love with a woman who is his complete opposite, and learning to live a life that revolves around the people you care about unconditionally. Alternating between humorous side notes and longer essays offering his son advice as he grows up and ventures out into the world, Backman relays the big and small lessons in life, including: -How to find the team you belong to -Why airports explain everything about religion and war -The reason starting a band is crucial to cultivating and keeping friendships -How to beat Monkey Island 3 -Why, sometimes, a dad might hold onto his son&’s hand just a little too tight This is an irresistible and insightful collection, perfect for new parents and fans of Backman&’s &“unparalleled understanding of human nature&” (Shelf Awareness). As he eloquently reminds us, &“You can be whatever you want to be, but that&’s nowhere near as important as knowing that you can be exactly who you are.&”
Things Natural, Wild, and Free
by Marybeth LorbieckiAs a child, Aldo Leopold was always looking for adventures in nature. This led Leopold to become a forester, wildlife scientist, author, and ultimately one of the most well-known conservationists in American history. Award-winning author Marybeth Lorbiecki brings Leopold to life in this biography enhanced with historic photographs and a school resource section.Marybeth Lorbiecki is the author of more than twenty-five books for children and adults, and she teaches upper-level college writing and children's literature as an adjunct university professor. Her adult biography Aldo Leopold: A Fierce Green Fire earned a Minnesota Book Award.
Things No Longer There: A Memoir of Losing Sight and Finding Vision
by Susan KriegerEven before the author lost her sight, she was interested in how things are never as we recall them.
Things Seen and Unseen
by Nora GallagherWriter/journalist Gallagher's book is as much the story of a year in the life of her Trinity Episcopal Church as of her own spiritual development. During this year she struggles with faith and community, a fatal illness in her family, guests in the church soup kitchen, and the efforts of a priest who is a gay man and the church's vestry to decide whether he should be called as their rector.