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The World According to Star Wars
by Cass R. SunsteinNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER#1 Washington Post Bestseller There’s Santa Claus, Shakespeare, Mickey Mouse, the Bible, and then there’s Star Wars. Nothing quite compares to sitting down with a young child and hearing the sound of John Williams’s score as those beloved golden letters fill the screen. In this fun, erudite, and often moving book, Cass R. Sunstein explores the lessons of Star Wars as they relate to childhood, fathers, the Dark Side, rebellion, and redemption. As it turns out, Star Wars also has a lot to teach us about constitutional law, economics, and political uprisings.In rich detail, Sunstein tells the story of the films’ wildly unanticipated success and explores why some things succeed while others fail. Ultimately, Sunstein argues, Star Wars is about freedom of choice and our never-ending ability to make the right decision when the chips are down. Written with buoyant prose and considerable heart, The World According to Star Wars shines a bright new light on the most beloved story of our time.
The World Afloat
by M.A.C. FarrantIn The World Afloat, a series of seventy-five "miniatures" that melds narrative with elements of prose poem and farce, master of the absurd and expert observer M.A.C. Farrant peers into the complexities of human experience - through the rear window.Inside the linoleum-lined kitchens and lace-trimmed living rooms that drift through these stories, Farrant interrupts the daily routines - doctor's appointments, gardening, mealtimes - of her eccentric yet familiar characters with intensely surreal, laugh-out-loud moments. What happens when a whimsical spirit becomes captive to a middle-aged body? At the end of a Love Your Package workshop, what does the wrap-up dinner look like? Can a soggy tomato salad really end someone's marriage? Brimming with pathos and bathos in equal measure, Farrant's smart prose offers escape and renewal from the monotony of modern life, while at the same time poking fun at her readers' pathological devotion to the technology and interpersonal relationships that leave them feeling bored and empty.Sexuality and depravity, childhood and bad parenting, and love and divorce are all deftly handled in this hot flash of a book that goes straight to the heart of things. As each "miniature" reads stranger (and truer) than the one before, Farrant manages to coax her readers from their well-worn, earthbound narratives and into a world afloat on satire, absurdity, and, in her most brilliant moments, expansive joy.
The World at My Feet
by Catherine IsaacThe dazzling new novel from Richard & Judy book club author Catherine Isaac, The World at my Feet is a story about the transforming power of love, as one woman journeys to uncover the past and reshape her future.The secrets that bind us can also tear us apart… 1990. Harriet is a journalist. Her job takes her to dangerous places, where she asks questions and tries to make a difference. But when she is sent to Romania, to the state orphanages the world is only just learning about, she is forced to rethink her most important rule. 2018. Ellie is a gardener. Her garden is her sanctuary, her pride and joy. But, though she spends long days outdoors, she hasn&’t set foot beyond her gate for far too long. Now someone enters her life who could finally be the reason she needs to overcome her fears. From post-revolution Romania to the idyllic English countryside, The World at My Feet is the story of two women, two worlds, and a journey of self-discovery that spans a lifetime.** Shhh... Can you keep a secret? We can&’t wait to hear what you think about #TheWorldAtMyFeet. No spoilers please! ** 'The World at My Feet brought me to tears. What a beautifully written and incredibly moving novel' Beth O'Leary, author of The Flatshare 'Such an interesting and beautifully written book – I loved it and would highly recommend adding it to your 2021 reading list. It is a wonderful story that I know readers are going to feel moved and uplifted by' Libby Page, author of The Lido &‘A poignant and perceptive novel of love and courage in the face of terrible adversity&’ Erica James, author of Letters From the Past &‘What a moving and uplifting story this is – Catherine Isaac writes with real humanity and kindness, which is exactly what we all need right now&’ Lucy Diamond, author of An Almost Perfect Holiday &‘The World at my Feet is a profoundly moving, heart-filled story showing that, even in the darkest winter, new shoots of love, laughter and hope are waiting to burst through… Catherine Isaac handles Ellie&’s backstory with the kind of sensitivity and delicacy that&’s the mark of an exceptionally accomplished writer. The World at my Feet is exactly the kind of story we all need right now. I adored it&’ Sarah Haywood, author of The Cactus 'Beautifully written, thought-provoking and ultimately uplifting – The World At My Feet is Catherine Isaac's best book so far!' Debbie Johnson, author of Maybe One Day
The World Below: A Novel (Charnwood Large Print Ser.)
by Sue MillerMaine, 1919. Georgia Rice, who has cared for her father and two siblings since her mother's death, is diagnosed, at nineteen, with tuberculosis and sent away to a sanitarium. Freed from the burdens of caretaking, she discovers a nearly lost world of youth and possibility, and meets the doomed young man who will become her lover. Vermont, the present. On the heels of a divorce, Catherine Hubbard, Georgia's granddaughter, takes up residence in Georgia's old house. Sorting through her own affairs, Cath stumbles upon the true story of Georgia's life and marriage, and of the misunderstanding upon which she built a lasting love. With the tales of these two women--one a country doctor's wife with a haunting past, the other a twice-divorced San Francisco schoolteacher casting about at midlife for answers to her future--Miller offers us a novel of astonishing richness and emotional depth. Linked by bitter disappointments, compromise, and powerful grace, the lives of Georgia and Cath begin to seem remarkably similar, despite their distinctly different times: two young girls, generations apart, motherless at nearly the same age, thrust into early adulthood, struggling with confusing bonds of attachment and guilt; both of them in marriages that are not what they seem, forced to make choices that call into question the very nature of intimacy, faithfulness, betrayal, and love. Marvelously written, expertly told, The World Below captures the shadowy half-truths of the visible world, and the beauty and sorrow submerged beneath the surfaces of our lives--the lost world of the past, our lost hopes for the future. A tour de force from one of our most beloved storytellers.From the Hardcover edition.
The World Beneath: A Novel
by Cate KennedyThis prize-winning debut novel from the author of Like a House on Fire is “reminiscent of Hornby . . . Well-observed and thoughtfully funny” (Minneapolis Star-Tribune). Fifteen years after their breakup, Rich and Sandy have both settled into the unfulfilling compromises of middle age: he’s a late-night infomercial editor with photojournalism aspirations; she makes hippie jewelry for a local market and struggles to maintain a New Age lifestyle that fails to provide the answers she seeks. To distract themselves from their inadequacies, Rich and Sandy cling to the shining moment of their youth, when they met as environmental activists as part of a world-famous blockade to save Tasmania’s Franklin River. Their daughter, Sophie, has always remained skeptical of this ecological fairytale, but when Rich invites her on a backpacking trip through Tasmania for her fifteenth birthday, Sophie sees it as a way to bond with a father she’s never known. As they progress further into the wilderness, the spell of Rich’s worldly charm soon gives way to suspicion and fear as his overconfidence sets off a chain of events that no one could have predicted. “Kennedy evokes a more lyrical version of Jodi Picoult . . . hitting the reader with raw, heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious prose.” —Library Journal “In elegant, fluidly written prose, Kennedy not only delivers scathing portraits of the ineffectual adults and the times that shaped them, but also makes the epic wilderness another vividly rendered character in the story.” —Booklist (starred review) “Kennedy writes like an Antipodean Anne Tyler, wryly aware of the heart’s internal contradictions yet slow to judge.” —Financial Times
The World Between Blinks #1
by Ryan Graudin Amie KaufmanBestselling authors Amie Kaufman and Ryan Graudin invite readers into a wondrous world where lost things are found, and where two cousins must come face-to-face with the impossible…Whenever Jake and Marisol get together, adventure follows. They have their late Nana to thank for that. Her epic trips and treasure hunts were legendary. <P><P>With the whole family reuniting for one last summer vacation at Nana’s home, the cousins are prepared for an extraordinary trip of their own. Following a map Nana left behind, Jake and Marisol sneak out to a nearby lighthouse—then accidentally slip into another world! The World Between Blinks is a magical place, where all sorts of lost things and people wind up. Everywhere they turn, the cousins find real mysteries from history and a few they thought were just myths, from pilot Amelia Earhart to the fabled city of Atlantis. <P><P>But the man who holds the key to Jake and Marisol’s journey home doesn’t want to be found . . . and if the cousins don’t catch him fast, they could end up lost in this world forever. <P><P>This first book in an exciting, fast-paced fantasy adventure series—featuring fun, interesting facts about history––is perfect for fans of Chris Colfer’s Land of Stories and Margaret Peterson Haddix’s The Missing series!
The World Between Blinks #2: Rebellion of the Lost
by Amie Kaufman Ryan GraudinBestselling authors Amie Kaufman and Ryan Graudin invite readers back to the wondrous world where lost things are found in this second book of an exciting, fast-paced middle-grade fantasy adventure series. Perfect for fans of Chris Colfer’s Land of Stories and Margaret Peterson Haddix’s The Missing!When Jake and Marisol return unexpectedly to the World Between Blinks, they find that nothing is as they left it. The Administrator is on an unstoppable mission, ordering his Curators to catalog absolutely everyone and everything as if they're exhibits in a museum. With rebels like Amelia Earhart and Queen Nefertiti facing the threat of their hourglasses of memories being flipped, Jake and Marisol, along with Marisol’s big brother, Victor, must locate a mysterious item known as the Rocket. This unknown object is their only chance to defeat the Administrator—before everything that makes the World wonderful is lost, in a whole new way.…Propelled by a page-turning mystery and plenty of action, this sequel also features fun, interesting facts about history and engaging back matter that helps readers separate fact from fiction!
World Class: One Mother's Journey Halfway Around the Globe in Search of the Best Education for Her Children
by Teru ClavelAn eye-opening firsthand exploration of why Asian students are outpacing their American counterparts, and how to help our children excel in today’s competitive world.When Teru Clavel had young children, the oldest barely two, she watched as her friends and fellow parents vied to secure a spot in the right New York City preschools. Following a gut feeling that a truly world-class education involves more than the privilege and ennui of elite private schools, Teru and her family moved to Asia, embarking on a ten-year-long journey through the public schools of Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo. During this time, Teru discovered firsthand why students in China and Japan are far outpacing their American counterparts. In Hong Kong, her children’s school was nicknamed The Prison for its foreboding, austere facilities, yet her three-year-old loved his teachers and his nightly homework. In Shanghai, in a school without flush toilets, the students were kept late not out of punishment but to master the day’s lesson. In Tokyo, her children and their classmates were responsible for school chores, like preparing and serving school lunches—lunches that featured grilled fish, stewed vegetables, and miso soup, not hot dogs and french fries. These schools were low-tech and bare-bones, with teachers who demanded obedience and order. Yet Teru was shocked to discover that her children thrived in these foreign and academically competitive cultures; they learned to be independent, self-confident, and resilient, and, above all, they developed a deep and abiding love of learning. The true culture shock came when Teru returned to the States and found their top-rated California school woefully ill-prepared to challenge her children. Her kids were passing, but the schools were failing them. In this revelatory book, Teru shares what she learned during her decade in Asia, providing practical tips and takeaways to bring the best of Asia’s education and parenting philosophies into American homes and schools. Written with warmth and humor, World Class is an insightful guide to set your children on a path towards lifelong learning and success.
The World Deserves My Children
by Natasha LeggeroA laugh-out-loud funny collection of insightful and razor-sharp essays on motherhood in our post-apocalyptic world from comedian Natasha Leggero.When Natasha Leggero got pregnant at forty-two after embarking on the grueling IVF process, she was over the moon. But once her feelings of bliss dissipated, she couldn&’t help but shake the lingering question: Am I doing this right? And then, Should I be doing this if the world is about to end? In The World Deserves My Children, Natasha explores themes like &“geriatric&” motherhood, parenting in an environmental panic, fear and love, discipline (and conflicting schools of thought on how not to raise a brat), and more. Ultimately, Natasha determines that motherhood is worth it. After all, where do you think the next five generations of humans will be if the only people who are having kids don&’t believe in science? The world deserves my children.
The World from Rough Stones
by Malcolm MacdonaldThe unforgettable first novel in the classic Stevenson Family Saga from epic master Malcolm MacdonaldJohn Stevenson is a just a foreman when a near-fatal accident bring young Nora Telling into his life. Her nimbleness of mind and his power of command enable them to take over the working mill and rescue it from catastrophe. Together with their friends the Thorntons-who are troubled by a marriage mismatched in passion-they are willing to risk any dare, commit themselves to any act of cunning on their climb from rags to riches.The first novel in the classic Stevenson Family Saga, The World from Rough Stones is the epic story of two ambitious but poor young people who, at the very start of the Victorian Era, combine their considerable talents to found a dynasty and go on to fame and fortune."A monumental saga...rich and tremendous." -Boston Globe"A saga of immense power...the most exciting since the Swanns of Delderfield and the Forsytes of Galsworthy!" -Cincinatti Times"Zestful research and Macdonald's mastery of the dialects and speech of all classes bring his novel noisily to life from the first to the last page." -The [London] Times"A powerful new novel...a successful attempt to blend fiction with authenticity. The story is rich with colourful characters, brawling, boozing, and bedding...leaves the reader waiting impatiently for the next novel in what must be a memorable series." -Yorkshire Evening Post
The World From Rough Stones (Stevenson Family Saga #1)
by Malcolm MacdonaldThe unforgettable first novel in the classic Stevenson Family Saga from epic master Malcolm Macdonald<P> John Stevenson is a just a foreman when a near-fatal accident brings young Nora Telling into his life. Her nimbleness of mind and his power of command enable them to take over the working mill and rescue it from catastrophe. Together with their friends the Thorntons-who are troubled by a marriage mismatched in passion-they are willing to risk any dare, commit themselves to any act of cunning on their climb from rags to riches.<P> The first novel in the classic Stevenson Family Saga, The World from Rough Stones is the epic story of two ambitious but poor young people who, at the very start of the Victorian Era, combine their considerable talents to found a dynasty and go on to fame and fortune.
The World From Rough Stones
by Malcom MacdonaldThe unforgettable first novel in the classic Stevenson Family Saga from epic master Malcolm Macdonald John Stevenson is a just a foreman when a near-fatal accident bring young Nora Telling into his life. Her nimbleness of mind and his power of command enable them to take over the working mill and rescue it from catastrophe. Together with their friends the Thorntons-who are troubled by a marriage mismatched in passion-they are willing to risk any dare, commit themselves to any act of cunning on their climb from rags to riches. The first novel in the classic Stevenson Family Saga, The World from Rough Stones is the epic story of two ambitious but poor young people who, at the very start of the Victorian Era, combine their considerable talents to found a dynasty and go on to fame and fortune.
The World From Up Here (Scholastic Press Novels)
by Cecilia GalanteWren Baker has never felt brave a day in her life. She doesn't even know what she's afraid of, really. Only that if she raises her voice or leaves her mark or ventures too far from home, she'll risk falling flat on her face. But that all changes when Wren's cousin, Silver, walks into her life. Silver is totally fearless. Maybe that's why she's the most popular girl in the sixth grade. She dares Wren to take risks, to live out loud, to finally spread her wings. And when Silver decides to undertake the journey of a lifetime, Wren is forced to make a decision: Is she in or is she out? There's only one way Wren will ever learn to fly. It's time for her to stand at the edge of the unknown...and jump. Full of heartache and hope, The World From Up Here is a tender, moving story about old secrets, new friendships, and what it means to face the things that scare us most.
A World Full of Strangers: A Saga of Love & Retribution
by Cynthia FreemanA multigenerational saga of an immigrant Jewish family in America—from Hester Street to San Francisco—by a New York Times–bestselling author. Katie Kovitz is seventeen years old when her mother dies. Leaving London for New York Harbor during the bitter winter of 1932, the anxious and uncertain young girl relies on the kindness of strangers for refuge. Welcomed into the home of her Polish mother&’s closest childhood friend, Katie is embraced by her new family in a country warm with hope and opportunity. There, on Hester Street in the Jewish ghetto of the city&’s Lower East Side, Katie finally establishes the roots that will come to define her. In New York, Katie also finds her future in three people who will change her life in ways she never anticipated: David, the man she marries, a ruthless achiever willing to abandon his heritage to secure power and prosperity under a new name; Mark, their resolute and devout son, and the embodiment of everything his father hates and rejects; and Maggie, a San Francisco beauty who helps to mold David into the man he&’s always wanted to be, whatever the cost. As dreams and desires collide, and as Katie strives to reclaim her own lost identity, a series of events will forever affect the ambitions, promises, and legacies of an American family. From the prewar ghettos of Manhattan to the glittering hills of postwar San Francisco, author Cynthia Freeman follows the destinies of three generations of a resilient family, their intimate struggles, and personal triumphs, and brings to vivid life the soul and spirit of the extraordinary Jewish immigrant experience in America.
The World In My Kitchen: Global recipes for kids to discover and cook
by Sally Brown Kate MorrisImagine a book that transports kids thousands of miles away with the fresh, healthy dishes of different lands. This book leads little people to explore countries and cuisines to try themselves. Simple recipes, using fresh, healthy and easy-to-source ingredients, with suggested substitutions, will open up different tastes, aromas and cuisines.From the Trade Paperback edition.
The World in Pieces
by Bart MidwoodSpanning several generations and four continents, blending Freudian secrets and contemporary international politics, while tracing the rich and tortuous journey of a particular family, Midwood has opened a door upon both the brightest and darkest aspects of social intercourse and on the reverberations that flow from the actions of particular members of one generation on to the innocent members of the next.
A World in Us: A Memoir of Open Marriage, Turbulent Love and Hard-Won Wisdom
by Gracie X. Louisa LeontiadesA guided tour of non-monogamy, A World in Us begins with Louisa and her husband Gilles, who love each other but whose marriage is going nowhere. They decide to explore polyamory, falling for another couple and trying to forge a life together as a quad. But they are challenged in ways they didn't expect, and their experimentation forces them to accept a new understanding of themselves and each other. This chronicle is followed by Louisa's letters to her younger self. Sometimes love and good intention isn't enough. Do you cut your losses and return to monogamy, or do you rise from the ashes? In this compilation of her previous works, The Husband Swap and Lessons in Love and Life to My Younger Self, Louisa offers candid insight into the polyamorous heart.
The World Is Our Classroom: Extreme Parenting and the Rise of Worldschooling (Critical Perspectives on Youth)
by Jennie Germann MolzHow travelling the world allows new ways to educate children and perform family life on the move A growing number of families are selling their houses, quitting their jobs, and taking their children out of traditional school settings to educate them while traveling the globe. In The World is Our Classroom, Jennie Germann Molz explores the hopes and anxieties that drive these parents and children to leave their comfortable lives behind out of a desire to live the “good life” on the move.Drawing on interviews with parents and stories from the blogs they publish during their journeys, as well as her own experience traveling the world with her ten-year-old son, Germann Molz takes us inside a fascinating life spent on trains, boats, and planes. She shows why many parents—disillusioned with standard public schooling—believe the world is a child’s best classroom. Rebelling against convention, these parents combine technology and travel to pursue a different version of the good life, one in which parents can work remotely as “digital nomads,” participate in like-minded communities online, and expose their children to the risks, opportunities, and life lessons that the world has to offer.Ultimately, Germann Molz sheds light on the emerging phenomenon of “worldschooling,” showing that it is not just an alternative way to educate children, but an altogether new kind of mobile lifestyle. The World is Our Classroom paints an extreme portrait of twenty-first century parenting and some families’ attempts to raise global citizens prepared to thrive in the uncertain world of tomorrow.
The World Is Our Classroom: How One Family Used Nature and Travel to Shape an Extraordinary Education
by Cindy RossCindy's story begins in the Rocky Mountain wilderness on a unique and extraordinary journey: two parents leading their young children 3,100 miles on the backs of llamas. This Canada-Mexico trek illustrated to Cindy and her husband what experiential education can do. Inspired by the experience, they went on to create a new way of supplementing their children?s education, focusing on two arenas for learning: the natural world and travel. In this age of world connection, it is important to raise broad-minded and empathetic children who are knowledgeable about other cultures. To accomplish this goal, Cindy chose an unorthodox approach: she orchestrated learning opportunities for her children, Sierra and Bryce, in twelve countries. The family traveled the world, moving about on foot and bicycle, living simply and intimately. But just as important, and more accessible for many parents, were the opportunities for learning closer to home. These adventures brought intangible gifts: values--such as compassion, empathy, resilience, self-reliance, and gratitude, among others--not always fostered in a traditional curriculum but crucially important to raising children. By sharing her story, along with honest insights from her children about the importance of their unusual education, Cindy aims to empower parents to believe they can be their children's best and most important educators. It is for parents who are seeking inspiration, who love a good story, and who are looking for an unorthodox way to raise the happiest, healthiest, and brightest children they can.
A World Lost: A Novel (Port William Ser.)
by Wendell BerrySet against the turmoil of the World War II, A World Lost is just one of the classic chapters in Berry's Port William series. The summer of 1944 finds nine-year-old Andy Catlett in that very town in Kentucky, occupied more with watching meadowlarks and dipping into the nearby spring than with the weary news of the day. But when his Uncle Andrew is murdered, Andy confronts his own sense of culpability for the brawl that took his uncle's life. Told from Andy's perspective some 50 years later, the novel explores the gripping power of memory, even after decades have passed and asks each of us what in our own pasts we might have remedied.
World Made of Glass
by Ami PolonskyAn &“inspiring&” (Kirkus, starred review), &“heartfelt&” (The Horn Book, starred review) coming-of-age novel about a girl finding her way to activism in the early years of the AIDS pandemic, from award-winning author Ami Polonsky. Iris tries to act normal at school, going through the motions and joking around with her friends. But nothing is normal, and sometimes it feels like she&’ll never laugh again. How can she, when her dad is dying of a virus that&’s off-limits to talk about? When she knows that soon all she&’ll have left of her kind, loving dad are memories, photos, and a binder full of the poems they used to exchange? In a sea of rage and grief, Iris resolves to speak out against the rampant fear, misinformation, and prejudice surrounding AIDS—and find the pieces of Dad that she never knew before. Along the way, Iris might just find new sides to herself. Critically-acclaimed author Ami Polonsky has crafted a lyrical, tender, earth-shattering novel that will stay with you long after you&’ve turned the last page.
The World of a Few Minutes Ago
by Jack DriscollStories in the realistic tradition of lives overlooked, voices unheard, and characters trying to overcome and transcend confining circumstances.
The World Of Animals (God's Design For Life)
by Debbie Lawrence Richard LawrenceYou will explore every facet of the animal kingdom in this book. From cuddly mammals and slimy frogs, to jellyfish and bacteria, you and your child will discover how God created each animal to be unique. The activities make learning about animals even more fun.
A World of Babies: Imagined Childcare Guides for Seven Societies
by Judy Deloache Alma GottleibThis book is a study in child care among different cultures. The authors of the various chapters are fictitious, with fictional biographies, but the information they contain is carefully researched nonfiction. It is designed as a learning tool for how different cultures view child care, rather than a how to manual.
A World of Babies
by Alma Gottlieb Deloache Judy S.Are babies divine, or do they have the devil in them? Should parents talk to their infants, or is it a waste of time? Answers to questions about the nature and nurture of infants appear in this book as advice to parents in seven world societies. Imagine what Dr Spock might have written if he were a healer from Bali … or an Aboriginal grandmother from the Australian desert … or a diviner from a rural village in West Africa. As the seven childcare 'manuals' in this book reveal, experts worldwide offer intriguingly different advice to new parents. The creative format of this book brings alive a rich fund of ethnographic knowledge, vividly illustrating a simple but powerful truth: there exist many models of babyhood, each shaped by deeply held values and widely varying cultural contexts. After reading this book, you will never again view child rearing as a matter of 'common sense'.