- Table View
- List View
In the Beginning: The Story of the King James Bible and How It Changed a Nation, a Language, and a Culture
by Alister McGrathThis fascinating history of a literary and religious masterpiece explores the forces that obstructed and ultimately led to the decision to create an authorized translation, the method of translation and printing, and the central role the King James version of the Bible played in the development of modern English. In the sixteenth century, to attempt to translate the Bible into a common tongue wasn't just difficult, it was dangerous. A Bible in English threatened the power of the monarch and the Church. Early translators like Tyndale, whose work greatly influenced the King James, were hunted down and executed, but the demand for English Bibles continued to grow. Indeed it was the popularity of the Geneva Bible, with its anti-royalist content, that eventually forced James I to sanction his own, pro-monarchy, translation. Errors in early editions--one declared that "thou shalt commit adultery"--and Puritan preferences for the Geneva Bible initially hampered acceptance of the King James, but it went on to become the definitive English-language Bible. McGrath's history of the King James Bible&’s creation and influence is a worthy tribute to a great work and a joy to read.
In the Beginning…': A Catholic Understanding of the Story of Creation and the Fall (Ressourcement: Retrieval and Renewal in Catholic Thought (RRRCT))
by Pope Benedict XVIIn four superb homilies and a concluding essay, Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, provides a clear and inspiring exploration of the Genesis creation narratives.While the stories of the world’s creation and the fall of humankind have often been subjected to reductionism of one sort or another — literalists treat the Bible as a science textbook whereas rationalists divorce God from creation — Ratzinger presents a rich, balanced Catholic understanding of these early biblical writings and attests to their enduring vitality.Beginning each homily with a text selected from the first three chapters of Genesis, Ratzinger discusses, in turn, God the creator, the meaning of the biblical creation accounts, the creation of human beings, and sin and salvation; in the appendix he unpacks the beneficial consequences of faith in creation.Expertly translated from German, these reflections set out a reasonable and biblical approach to creation. ‘In the Beginning . . .’ also serves as an excellent homiletic resource for priests and pastors.
In the Big Inning… Bible Riddles from the Back Pew (Tales from the Back Pew)
by Mike ThalerWith hilarious stories and nutty pictures, the Tales from the Back Pew series offers a kid’s unique view of church. Enjoy plenty of giggles with your child—and learn fun, important truths about God, church, and the Bible. How do you know God is a baseball fan? Find out—look inside! The answer is even sillier than the question, and you'll find lots more kooky bible riddles besides. Hold onto your socks so you don't laugh them off!
In the Buddha's Words
by His Holiness the Dalai Lama Bhikkhu BodhiThis landmark collection is the definitive introduction to the Buddha's teachings - in his own words. The American scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi, whose voluminous translations have won widespread acclaim, here presents selected discourses of the Buddha from the Pali Canon, the earliest record of what the Buddha taught. Divided into ten thematic chapters, In the Buddha's Words reveals the full scope of the Buddha's discourses, from family life and marriage to renunciation and the path of insight. A concise, informative introduction precedes each chapter, guiding the reader toward a deeper understanding of the texts that follow. In the Buddha's Words allows even readers unacquainted with Buddhism to grasp the significance of the Buddha's contributions to our world heritage. Taken as a whole, these texts bear eloquent testimony to the breadth and intelligence of the Buddha's teachings, and point the way to an ancient yet ever-vital path. Students and seekers alike will find this systematic presentation indispensable.
In the Catskills: A Century of Jewish Experience in "The Mountains"
by Ed. Brown PhilThrough fiction, memoir, music, photography, and art, In the Catskills highlights the Catskills experience over a century and assesses its continuing impact on American music, comedy, food, culture, and religion. It features selections from such fiction writers as Isaac Bashevis Singer, Herman Wouk, Allegra Goodman and Vivian Gornick; and original contributions from historians, sociologists, and scholars of American and Jewish culture that trace the history of the region, the rise of hotels and bungalow colonies, the wonderful flavors of food and entertainment, and distinctive forms of Jewish religion found in the Mountains.What was life--the work, the play, the food, the romance--like at Catskills Mountains resorts? These very personal recollections capture the special sense of community and real sense of freedom that developed. Far from the welter of the city, Jewish families learned to vacation and enjoy themselves, to savor the social mobility and cultural space the resorts afforded, and to nourish their culinary and comic traditions. From "Bingo by the Bungalow" by Thane Rosenbaum to "Young Workers in the Hotels" by Phil Brown to "Shoot the Shtrudel to Me Yudel" by Henry Foner, this charming anthology captures an era that has had enormous impact on the Jewish experience and American culture as a whole."Whenever I speak about the Catskills," observes editor Phil Brown, "I am struck by the strength of people's desire to relive their experiences in the Mountains." If you've visited the Catskills yourself, or heard stories from your parents or grandparents, or are just interested in this extraordinary time and place, pack your bags and prepare to enjoy your stay In the Catskills.
In the Children’s Best Interests: Unaccompanied Children in American-Occupied Germany, 1945-1952
by Lynne TaylorAmong the hundreds of thousands of displaced persons in Germany at the end of World War II, approximately 40,000 were unaccompanied children. These children, of every age and nationality, were without parents or legal guardians and many were without clear identities. This situation posed serious practical, legal, ethical, and political problems for the agencies responsible for their care.In the Children’s Best Interests, by Lynne Taylor, is the first work to delve deeply into the records of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) and the International Refugee Organization (IRO) and reveal the heated battles that erupted amongst the various entities (military, governments, and NGOs) responsible for their care and disposition. The bitter debates focused on such issues as whether a child could be adopted, what to do with illegitimate and abandoned children, and who could assume the role of guardian. The inconclusive nationality of these children meant they became pawns in the battle between East and West during the Cold War. Taylor’s exploration and insight into the debates around national identity and the privilege of citizenship challenges our understanding of nationality in the postwar period.
In the Company of Friends: Dreamwork Within a Sufi Group
by Llewellyn Vaughan-LeeA spiritual group forms a sacred and protected space where energy can flow from the inner to the outer world. Weaving together dreams and spiritual stories, In the Company of Friends explores the psychological and spiritual processes experienced within a group, and how the energy of the path transforms the seeker.
In the Company of Friends: Exploring Faith and Understanding with Buddhists and Christians
by John Ross CarterWinner of the 2014 Frederick J. Streng Award presented by the Society for Buddhist-Christian StudiesIn this work of Buddhist-Christian reflection, John Ross Carter explores two basic aspects of human religiousness: faith and the activity of understanding. Carter's perspective is unique, putting people and their experiences at the center of inquiry into religiousness. His model and method grows out of friendship, challenging the so-called objective approach to the study of religion that privileges patterns, concepts, and abstraction.Carter considers the traditions he knows best, the Protestant Christianity he was born into and the Theravāda and Jōdo Shinshū (Pure Land) traditions of the Sri Lankan and Japanese friends among whom he has lived, studied, and worked. His rich, wide-ranging accounts of religious experience include discussions of transcendence, reason, saṃvega, shinjin, the inconceivable, and whether lives oriented toward faith will survive in a global context with increased pressures for individualism and secularism. Ultimately, Carter proposes that the endeavor of interreligious understanding is itself a religious quest.
In the Company of Men
by Brian DonohuePremise:This true story started over 20 years ago at a simple Bible Study with six men. The men read passages about Christ returning to the Father and the imminent coming of the Holy Spirit.Over the next 20 years, each man must confront his own crisis: the heartaches, the triumphs, the steps closer to the Holy Spirit, and the steps away. These unvarnished stories of life in the raw are all accurately told with no bows or ribbons.The story is told by a seasoned trial lawyer where each account asks the &“jury&” (the reader) to render a &“verdict&”--not on the six men--but on whether the Holy Spirit is a source of guidance, peace and call-to-action for the reader.In the process of reading the book and working through the Study Guide, the reader will:hear six real-life stories, each with painful twists and life-altering choicesgain a useful understanding of how the Holy Spirit can work in the reader&’s lifeexperience unique insights into how men react in crisis and support one anotherhear a fresh, short-hand way, to discover and remember the role of the Holy Spirit in the reader&’s life: DWJWD! – Do What Jesus Would Do!experience suspense, heartful emotions, and surprises along the way!Features:a non-fiction story reporting the lives of six men: their pains, losses and crises through a 20-year lens, accurately reported by a trial lawyeran extremely easy read – simple yet profoundno preaching – the author is not a minister, priest or rabbi but simply a witness to the true accounts of these menan integrated study guide challenging the reader to analyze their own livesa robust website with an online storeFoundational Question:The big question for the reader:How does the Holy Spirit work in your life, if at all?Ancillary Products:A robust web site with an online store full of wonderful products and related services, including: readers reactions, a featured song with an original verse, real-life videos and much more.
In the Company of Sages: The Journey of the Spiritual Seeker
by Greg BogartExplains how to successfully navigate the process of initiation, instruction, testing, and self-transformation under the guidance of a spiritual teacher • Explores how to approach a teacher for initiation and the importance of gauging your inner response and feeling of trust and resonance with the teacher • Discusses the process of separating from a spiritual teacher and how to negotiate the emotional conflicts that can arise at this stage • Shares the author's experiences with several remarkable teachers and details lessons learned through testing and confronting doubts and fears In the search for inner awakening and self-realization, a spiritual mentor can be key to advancement. Yet the process of finding an authentic spiritual teacher who resonates with you can be daunting, especially for anyone who has had a negative experience with a guide. Exploring the emotional nuances of mentoring relationships, Greg Bogart details the path of spiritual apprenticeship: the process of aligning with a teacher, establishing a dynamic spiritual practice, and the later stages of separation and finding the teacher within. The author explores the importance of gauging your inner response and feeling of trust and resonance with a teacher and your readiness to receive initiation. He explains how the teacher-student relationship affects the student’s state of consciousness over time and how most students eventually need to become independent from their spiritual guides. Describing emotional conflicts that can arise at this stage, he shows how wise teachers accept our need to separate and graduate while immature teachers try to thwart and control us. Openly sharing his own personal journey, the author illustrates the lasting resonance of his encounters with several provocative spiritual mentors, including Swami Muktananda and Dane Rudhyar. He discusses how some fierce teachers practice "crazy wisdom" to confront our doubts, fears, and fixations and to activate our dormant potentials. Examining practices in Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist Yoga, Sufism, and Jewish and Christian mysticism, he also explores the deeper mystical aspects of the guru-student relationship. The author shows how, ultimately, initiation leads the spiritual seeker to find the teacher within and how this can naturally lead to teaching others. Describing nine stages of the spiritual seeker’s journey, the author affirms that a direct path to self-liberation is still attainable through initiation and instruction in the company of sages.
In the Company of Women: Deepening Our Relationships with the Important Women in Our Lives
by Brenda HunterAll women long for the enjoyment, counsel and emotional support found in close relationships. However, although they might wish that strong friendships would just "happen," they generally find that they require skill and effort. In the Company of Women gives insight into the art of friendship, offering wisdom and practical advice into how a woman can make-and nurture-lifelong relationships with other women. Whether a woman is single or married, employed or parenting full-time, In the Company of Women will give her tips for building stronger, closer relationships with her mother, sisters, daughters, friends, mentors and peers throughout every phase of her life.From the Trade Paperback edition.
In the Cool Shade of Compassion: The Enchanted World of the Buddha in the Jungle
by Kamala TiyavanichA fascinating collection of stories of the Thai forest monks that illuminates the Thai Forest tradition as a vibrant, compassionate, and highly appealing way of life.This work ingeniously intermingles real-life stories about nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Buddhist monks in old Siam (today’s Thailand) with experiences recorded by their Western contemporaries. Stories of giant snakes, bandits, boatmen, midwives, and guardian spirits collectively portray a Buddhist culture in all its imaginative and geographical brilliance. By juxtaposing these eyewitness accounts, Kamala Tiyavanich presents a new and vivid picture of Buddhism as it was lived and of the natural environments in which the Buddha’s teachings were practiced.This book was previously published under the title The Buddha in the Jungle.
In the Cosmic Zone: Embody the 12 Astro Archetypes to Unleash Your Genius and Activate Your Authentic Self
by Madi MurphyStep out of the Comfort Zone and into the Cosmic Zone with 12 actionable keys, and embark on a journey to unlock your highest potential and navigate life with clarity and cosmic alignment.The Cosmic Zone is where everyday individuals flex their supernatural powers and live to their highest potential. We all have access to the Cosmic Zone, and we were all born with the 12 Universal Keys; each chapter is dedicated to one of those keys, which are based on astrological archetypes.In her debut book, Madi Murphy, co-founder of the digital astrology community CosmicRx, reveals how each Key manifests in your life and also identifies the barriers that keep you rooted in the Comfort Zone, hindering growth and fulfillment. From working with imposter syndrome, to accessing your creativity, to fighting for what&’s right, The 12 Universal Keys to The Cosmic Zone will unlock readers ability to:Go from stagnation to empowered action. Feel &“at home&” wherever you go.Shift from perfectionism to progress.Overcome shame and take back your power.And more!Murphy empowers readers with actionable tools and rituals designed to dissolve these barriers and embody the essence of each Key. By recognizing when to assert themselves and when to cultivate a more receptive stance, readers will learn to navigate life's challenges with resilience and purpose.
In the Country of Empty Crosses
by Miguel Gandert Arturo MadridArturo's Madrid's homeland is in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in northern New Mexico, where each town seems a world apart from the next, and where family histories that extend back four centuries bind the people to the land and to one another.This New Mexico is a land of struggle and dispute, a place in which Madrid's ancestors predate those who landed at Plymouth Rock.In the Country of Empty Crosses is Madrid's complex yet affirming memoir about lands before the advent of passable roads--places such as Tierra Amarilla, San Augustín [insert "u" and note accent on I], and Los Fuertes that were once among the most remote in the nation. Madrid grew up in a family that was doubly removed from the community: as Hispanic Protestants, they were a minority among the region's politically dominant Anglo Protestants and a minority within the overwhelmingly Catholic Hispanic populace.Madrid writes affectingly of the tensions, rifts, and disputes that punctuated the lives of his family as they negotiated prejudice and racism, casual and institutional, to advance and even thrive as farmers, ranchers, and teachers. His story is affectionate as well, embracing generations of ancestors who found their querencias-their beloved home places-in that beautiful if sometimes unforgiving landscape. The result is an account of New Mexico unlike any other, one in which humor and heartache comfortably coexist. Complemented by stunning images by acclaimed photographer Miguel Gandert -- ranging from intimate pictures of unkempt rural cemeteries to New Mexico's small villages and stunning vistas -- In the Country of Empty Crosses is a memoir of loss and survival, of hope and redemption, and a lyrical celebration of an often misunderstood native land and its people.
In the Country of Empty Crosses
by Miguel Gandert Arturo MadridArturo's Madrid's homeland is in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in northern New Mexico, where each town seems a world apart from the next, and where family histories that extend back four centuries bind the people to the land and to one another.This New Mexico is a land of struggle and dispute, a place in which Madrid's ancestors predate those who landed at Plymouth Rock.In the Country of Empty Crosses is Madrid's complex yet affirming memoir about lands before the advent of passable roads--places such as Tierra Amarilla, San Augustín [insert "u" and note accent on I], and Los Fuertes that were once among the most remote in the nation. Madrid grew up in a family that was doubly removed from the community: as Hispanic Protestants, they were a minority among the region's politically dominant Anglo Protestants and a minority within the overwhelmingly Catholic Hispanic populace.Madrid writes affectingly of the tensions, rifts, and disputes that punctuated the lives of his family as they negotiated prejudice and racism, casual and institutional, to advance and even thrive as farmers, ranchers, and teachers. His story is affectionate as well, embracing generations of ancestors who found their querencias-their beloved home places-in that beautiful if sometimes unforgiving landscape. The result is an account of New Mexico unlike any other, one in which humor and heartache comfortably coexist. Complemented by stunning images by acclaimed photographer Miguel Gandert -- ranging from intimate pictures of unkempt rural cemeteries to New Mexico's small villages and stunning vistas -- In the Country of Empty Crosses is a memoir of loss and survival, of hope and redemption, and a lyrical celebration of an often misunderstood native land and its people.
In the Courts of Three Popes: An American Lawyer and Diplomat in the Last Absolute Monarchy of the West
by Mary Ann GlendonA rare firsthand account of the three popes who worked to modernize the Catholic Church—and to evangelize the modern world—from a renowned international lawyer, Harvard law professor, and former ambassador to the Vatican&“Mary Ann Glendon&’s book joyfully, and with humility, brings us inside her deft, grace-filled, and brilliant public diplomacy career.&”—Mike Pompeo, former U.S. secretary of stateFor twenty centuries, the Catholic Church has radically shaped world history—and survived it. In the decades following the Second Vatican Council, three popes have carried forward this legacy, striving to lead the Church and its governing body—the last absolute monarchy of the West—into the modern world.With In the Courts of Three Popes, accomplished diplomat, international lawyer, and Harvard professor Mary Ann Glendon gives readers a rare inside look at the papacies of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. She shares her role in key developments in the Church&’s recent history, like the Church entering the third millennium, in Pope John Paul II&’s words, on its knees in penance for failures such as clergy sex abuse, or in leading the way for lay women to hold positions of power in the Church. Glendon illuminates the issues vexing the Church today: the place of faith in secular politics, relating the Church to other religions, clericalism and the power of laypeople, and corruption at the Vatican Bank and within the Roman Curia.Glendon provides a one-of-a-kind analysis of the inner workings of the Holy See, showing readers that, despite its many failings, the Catholic Church is a living, breathing community. Behind the Church&’s doctrines and policies and institutions lie people, personalities, aspirations, and relationships that still promise to transform lives.
In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist
by Ruchama King Feuerman"A beautiful novel that coils the history and mystery of Jerusalem into a private and vivid tale of personal dignity, ownership, love-- and the overlap of all three, the space we call the soul." --Dara Horn"The unlikely friendship of an intellectual New York Jew and a working-class Jerusalem Arab drives Feuerman's evocative second novel...This friendship is all the more unlikely because it occurs in the divided city of Jerusalem... The city itself emerges as a character: its climate and topography are depicted with a lyricism that contrasts with the area's political tension. [The] story unfolds as a belated coming-of-age tale....[written in a] quiet, lovely mood." -- Publishers WeeklyAn eczema-riddled, middle-aged former Lower East Side haberdasher, Isaac Markowitz, moves to Israel where he becomes, much to his own surprise, the assistant to a famous old rabbi who daily dispenses wisdom (and soup) to the collection of seekers gathered in his courtyard. It is there that he meets Tamar, a young American woman on a mission to live a spiritual life with a spiritual man, and who sees Isaac as that man long before he sees himself that way. Into both of their lives comes Mustafa, a devout Muslim, deformed at birth, unloved by his own mother, a janitor who works on the Temple Mount, holy to both Muslims and Jews.When Isaac, quite by accident, runs into the crippled custodian going about his work and suggests that he is, by cleaning this holy site, like a Kohain, a Jewish high priest, Mustafa is overcome: This Jew is the first person in his life who sees him as someone worthy. In turn, Mustafa sees Isaac as someone wise who can help him. When Mustafa finds an ancient shard of pottery that may date back to the first temple, he brings it to Isaac in gratitude. That gesture sets in motion a series of events that land Isaac in the company of Israel's worst criminal riff raff, put Mustafa in mortal danger, and Tamar trying to save them both. As these characters - immigrants and natives; Muslim and Jewish; prophets and lost souls - move through their world, they are never sure if they will fall prey to the cruel tricks of luck or be sheltered by a higher power.
In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist
by Ruchama King Feuerman2013 National Jewish Book Award FinalistAmerican Library Association Sophie Brody Medal Honor Title 2015An eczema-riddled Lower East Side haberdasher, Isaac Markowitz, moves to Israel to repair his broken heart and becomes, much to his own surprise, the assistant to a famous old rabbi who daily dispenses wisdom (and soup) to the troubled souls who wash up in his courtyard. It is there that he meets the flame-haired Tamar, a newly religious young American hipster on a mission to live a spiritual life with a spiritual man. Into both of their lives comes Mustafa, a devout Muslim, deformed at birth, a janitor who works on the Temple Mount, holy to both Muslims and Jews. When Mustafa finds an ancient shard of pottery that may date back to the fi rst temple, he brings it to Isaac in friendship. That gesture sets in motion a series of events that lands Isaac in the company of Israel's worst criminal riff raff, puts Mustafa in mortal danger, and leaves Tamar struggling to save them both.As these characters--immigrants and natives; Muslim and Jewish; prophets and lost souls--move through their world, they are never sure if they will fall prey to the cruel tricks of luck or be sheltered by a higher power. prophets and lost souls - move through their world, they are never sure if they will fall prey to the cruel tricks of luck or be sheltered by a higher power.
In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist: A Novel
by Ruchama FeuermanNational Jewish Book Award Finalist: A &“sophisticated and engaging&” novel of three innocents drawn into a criminal scheme in modern-day Jerusalem (The Wall Street Journal). Brokenhearted haberdasher Isaac Markowitz has fled the Lower East Side for Israel, where he now assists a renowned elderly rabbi who tends to the hungry and hopeless in his courtyard. Tamar is an American hipster-turned-observant Jew who has come to Jerusalem to find a devout man to spend her life with. And Mustafa, a devoted Muslim, works as a janitor at the Temple Mount, also known as al-Aqsa, a site holy to both faiths. After Mustafa finds a shard of pottery that may date back to the ancient era of the First Temple, he brings it to Isaac. But this simple act of friendship will lead Isaac into Israel&’s criminal underworld, put Mustafa in lethal danger, and send Tamar on a quest to save them both . . .This edition also includes &“The Rebbetzin&’s Courtyard,&” a short-story sequel to In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist. &“How do people get along when they have been taught they can&’t? . . . [A] lively, witty, and entertaining novel . . . hard to put down.&” —Alice Elliott Dark, author of Fellowship Point and In The Gloaming &“Beautifully detailed and vivid . . . a delicate balance of courtship tale and thriller.&” —Dallas Morning News &“Confused about the background of the Gaza conflict? This vibrant evocation of modern Jerusalem may shed some light.&” —Daily Mail &“A story that is spiritually generous and astutely realistic about an Arab-Israeli and an Israeli-Jew, who may be the most unlikely pair of friends we&’ve seen in current fiction.&” —The Brooklyn Rail &“The best novel I&’ve read all year.&” —The Wall Street Journal
In the Crosshairs: Inspirational Romantic Suspense (K-9 Unit)
by Dana Mentink Lynette EasonThe heroic men and dogs of the K-9 unit rescue women in jeopardy in these two inspirational romantic suspense novels from USA Today–bestselling authors.Justice Mission by Lynette EasonAfter K-9 unit administrative assistant Sophie Walters spots a suspicious stranger lurking at the K-9 graduation, the man kidnaps her—and she barely escapes. With Sophie’s boss missing and someone determined to silence her, NYPD officer Luke Hathaway vows he and his K-9 partner will guard her. But he must keep an emotional distance to ensure this mission ends in justice . . . not cold-blooded murder.Act of Valor by Dana MentinkWhen airline employee Violet Griffin encounters several suspicious passengers, she’s thrust into the crosshairs of a drug smuggling operation. NYPD officer Zach Jameson and his drug detection beagle, Eddie, can tell this is no small-time threat. Someone’s gunning for Violet, and after recently losing his brothe;r, Zach refuses to lose her, too . . . especially now that she’s gone from friend to the woman he’s falling for.
In the Dark Before Dawn: New Selected Poems
by Kathleen Norris Thomas Merton Lynn R. SzaboA new, broad, comprehensive view of the innovative poetry of the late, great Trappist monk and religious philosopher Thomas Merton. Poet, Trappist monk, religious philosopher, translator, social criticthe late Thomas Merton was all these things. Until now, no selection from his great body of poetry has afforded a comprehensive view of his varied and largely innovative work. In the Dark Before Dawn: New Selected Poems of Thomas Merton is not only double the size of Merton's earlier Selected Poems (1967), it also arranges his poetry thematically and chronologically, so that readers can follow the poet's multifarious interrelated lines of thought as well as his poetic development over the decades, from his college days in the 1930s to his untimely accidental death in Bangkok in 1968 during his personal Eastern pilgrimage. The selections are grouped under eight thematic headings"Geography's Landscapes," "Poems from the Monastery," "Poems of the Sacred," "Songs of Contemplation," "History's Voices: Past and Present," "Engaging the World," "On Being Human," "Merton and Other Languages."
In the Dark, In the Woods
by Eliza Wass'Haunting, unexpected, beautifully written. One of the best books I've read this year' LOUISE O'NEILLAn unforgettable thriller from an incredible new author, for fans of We Were Liars and Half Bad, reminiscent of The Virgin Suicides.Father wants sixteen-year-old Castley and her five siblings to hide from the world. Living in a falling-down house deep in the woods, he wants to bury their secrets where noone will ever find them. Father says they are destined to be together forever. In heaven. Father says the sooner they get there, the better. But Castley wants to be normal. She wants to kiss boys and wear jean shorts. CASTLEY WANTS TO LIVE. 'A breathtaking, gut-wrenching coming-of-age saga from all sides. Readers will be swept into the Cresswells' claustrophobic world and ache for them long after it's set aflame' - Kirkus'A haunting family portrait centered on the power of belief' - Publishers Weekly
In the Days of Rain: A Daughter, a Father, a Cult
by Rebecca StottA father-daughter story that tells of the author’s experience growing up in a fundamentalist, separatist Christian cult, from the author of the national bestseller Ghostwalk Rebecca Stott both adored and feared her father, Roger Stott, a high-ranking minister in the Brighton, England, branch of the Exclusive Brethren, a separatist fundamentalist Christian sect. A man of contradictions, he preached that the Brethren should shun the outside world, which was ruled by Satan, yet he kept a radio in the trunk of his car and read Shakespeare and Yeats. Years later, when the Stotts broke with the Brethren after a scandal involving the cult’s leader, Roger became an actor and compulsive gambler who left the family penniless and ended up in jail. A curious child, Rebecca spent her insular childhood asking questions about the world and trying to glean the answers from forbidden library books. Only when she was an adult and her father was dying of cancer did she begin to understand all that had happened during those harrowing years. It was then that Roger Stott handed her the memoir he had begun writing about the period leading up to what he called the traumatic “Nazi decade,” the years in the 1960s in which he and other Brethren leaders enforced coercive codes of behavior that led to the breaking apart of families, the shunning of members, even suicides. Now he was trying to examine that time, and his complicity in it, and he asked Rebecca to write about it, to expose all that was kept hidden. In the Days of Rain is Rebecca Stott’s attempt to make sense of her childhood in the Exclusive Brethren, to understand her father’s role in the cult and in the breaking apart of her family, and to come to be at peace with her relationship with a larger-than-life figure whose faults were matched by a passion for life, a thirst for knowledge, and a love of literature and beauty. A father-daughter story as well as a memoir of growing up in a closed-off community and then finding a way out of it, this is an inspiring and beautiful account of the bonds of family and the power of self-invention.Advance praise for In the Days of Rain “In this compelling memoir, Stott peers deeply into her family history in order to uncover the reasons her family, particularly her father, were immersed in the Exclusive Brethren, a branch of the Christian evangelical movement Plymouth Brethren that shuns books and mainstream culture.”—Publishers Weekly“Stott’s look into her father’s misguidedness offers readers a simultaneous warning and empathic embrace.”—Booklist“A compelling story of childhood deprivation, liberation, and, ultimately, hope.”—Kirkus Reviews “A marvelous, strange, terrifying book, somehow finding words both for the intensity of a childhood locked in a tyrannical secret world, and for the lifelong aftershocks of being liberated from it.”—Francis Spufford, author of Golden Hill “Writers are forged in strange fires, but none stranger than Rebecca Stott’s. By rights, her memoir of her father and her early childhood inside a closed fundamentalist sect obsessed by the Rapture ought to be a horror story. But while the historian in her is merciless in exposing the cruelties and corruption involved, Rebecca the child also lights up the book, existing in a world of vivid play, dreams, even nightmares, so passionate and imaginative that it helps explain how she survived, and—even more miraculous—found the compassion and understanding to do justice to the story of her father and the painful family life he created.”—Sarah Dunant, author of The Birth of Venus
In the Days of Sand and Stars
by Marlee PinskerTake out your time telescope, wipe the dust and cobwebs from its lens, tilt it upwards, and find a twinkling speck of light. Now look behind it … way back, to the days of sand and stars. Here are the Midrash stories of famous women whose names you may know, but whose daily lives and human thoughts have been ignored for far too long. From Eve to Emzera, from Sarah to Rebecca, they are presented here with humor and affection as they face a new and changing world where miracles and customs shape their destiny. Midrash tales are what-if stories built around the grains of information the Bible offers, and author Marlee Pinsker excels as she imbues these legendary women with warmth and spirit. A wonderful gift book for anyone, but especially meaningful for Bat Mitzvahs and Confirmations, In the Days of Sand and Stars is an impressive, straightforward collection, sparse and clear in its telling. Quebec artist, François Thisdale has produced a marvelous collection of images with his “time telescope” and digital expertise. Through his talents we see all of these very human women in moments of reflection, tenderness, ingenuity, and wonder.
In the Days of the Angels: Stories and Carols for Christmas
by Walter Wangerin Jr."In the perfect center of all my circles and of all the spheres of all the world--is Jesus. Here! Come and see! Can you see the tiny baby born? Can you see the Infant King? Can you recognize in him Immanuel? Now you are seeing Christmas. " And so, in this collection of powerful and evocative stories and essays, does Walter Wangerin open our eyes--and our hearts--to the truth of Christmas. A young boy, intent on self-protection, recognizes in his father's preparations for Christmas "a hope that risks a violent hurt"--and lays bare his heart to love. And so do we. A young girl, encountering death for the first time, finds hope in an empty manger. With her we, too, find hope. A family torn apart by grief finds Christmas once again--and when they do, we weep for both their pain and joy. We weep for ourselves. The African hornbill gives up flight and freedom for the sake of her chicks--and we can only bow our hearts in wonder and gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ, who forsook the glory of heaven to take upon himself the form of man. So much did he love us! The original carols woven throughout this beautiful book, three with musical scores included, are meant to be read or sung aloud. From the whimsical "Sing Softly the Cherries," to the joyful "Carol of All the Instruments," to the triumphant "In the Days of the Angels," Wangerin illuminates and celebrates the true meaning of Christmas. Come worship Immanuel with him. As rare and precious as the gifts the magi brought the Christ child are the jewels presented in these pages by one of America's most beloved Christian storytellers. Full of vivid imagery and unexpected turns, the stories, essays, and original carols are lovingly crafted to reflect not only the Christmas story, but the whole of God's redemptive action in the world: I will love you till day is done-- Love you until that night, Night of dying, Dies in rising! Then in the holy dawn I will bear you, my children, home-- Such is the beauty and power of these compelling pieces, whether you read them silently by the fire or aloud at your Advent celebration, you'll want to return to them year after year, again and again.