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The Method of Our Mission: United Methodist Polity & Organization
by Laceye C. WarnerTheology shapes who we are and how we organize to transform the world. Especially written for required United Methodist classes, this accessible book uses a Wesleyan theological frame—connection—to help readers understand United Methodism’s polity and organization as the interrelationship of our beliefs, mission, and practice. The book is organized into four parts—United Methodist beliefs, mission, practice, and organization. Polity and organization are primary embodiments of The United Methodist Church. Functional in nature, these aspects of the denomination facilitate our mission to make disciples for the transformation of the world. This book connects denominational governance and organization to our beliefs as well as our mission. A clear understanding of our identity—as Methodists with Wesleyan roots in connection—and our purpose—to make disciples for the transformation of the world—can help students of United Methodism navigate this treacherous landscape as present and future leaders. Warner also addresses the estrangement between theology and institutional structures and practice by framing governance practices and organizational structure within a Wesleyan theology of connection. This approach will assist current and future denominational leaders in understanding their practices of administration and participation in polity as a theological endeavor and key component of their ministries.This textbook has been updated with changes from the 2016 General Conference.
The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer
by Matt MiofskyDaily prayer the Wesleyan wayPrayer is a spiritual practice, and daily prayer uses the repetition of forms and words to cultivate a deep, meaningful ritual, drawing the individual into an ever-closer relationship with God. This book is organized by liturgical season, but is undated, so the individual is free to begin using it at any point during the year. The book is concise and easy to use and includes the words of scripture and other necessary text. It is a simple, frictionless tool for spiritual health. The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer provides complete texts for Morning Prayers and Evening Prayers, with a new set of texts for each week of the year. Each week is anchored in its liturgical season: Advent, Christmastide, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Eastertide, Pentecost, Sow & Rest (Ordinary Time), and Harvest & Create (Ordinary Time).Each set of prayers centers on a scripture passage, with an emphasis on the Psalms. The prayers draw from familiar historic, classic, and ancient Christian texts, and from Methodism’s rich hymnody. They also feature fresh, original words from new writers. This book facilitates deep daily connection with God--a method for spiritual sustenance.
The Methodist Church in Poland: Activity and Political Conditions, 1945–1989 (Routledge Methodist Studies Series)
by Ryszard MichalakThis book explores the development and activity of the Methodist Church in Poland, focusing on the political conditions under which it functioned after 1945. In particular it considers the role of party and state power, and the nature and impact of religious policy towards the Church. The chapters touch on organizational issues, missionary activity, and key figures in the recent history of the Church. Drawing on more than 20 years of research on Polish Methodism and the increasing availability of archival material, this volume will be of interest to scholars of religion, politics and history.
The Methodist Conference in America: A History
by Russell E. RicheyIn the Methodist lexicon, 'conference' refers to a body of preachers (and later, of laity as well) that exercises legislative, judicial, and executive functions for the church or some portion thereof. 'Conference,' says Richey, defined Methodism in more than political ways: on conference hinged religious time, religious space, religious belonging, religious structure, even religiosity itself. Methodist histories uniformly recognize, typically even feature, conference's centrality, but describe that in primarily constitutional and political terms. The purpose of this volume is to present conference as a distinctively American Methodist manner of being the church, a multifaceted mode of spirituality, unity, mission, governance, and fraternity that American Methodists have lived and operated better than they have interpreted.
The Methodist Experience in America Volume 2: Sourcebook
by Russell E. Richey Kenneth E. Rowe Jeanne Miller SchmidtCommissioned by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for use in United Methodist doctrine/polity/history courses.<P> From a Sunday school teacher's account of a typical Sunday morning to letters from presidents, from architects' opinions for and against the Akron Plan to impassioned speeches demanding full rights for African Americans, women, homosexuals, and laity in the Church, this riveting collection of documents will interest scholars, clergy, and laity alike. This Sourcebook, part of the two-volume set The Methodist Experience in America, contains documents from between 1760 and 1998 pertaining to the movements constitutive of American United Methodism. The editors identify over two hundred documents by date, primary agent, and central theme or important action. The documents are organized on a strictly chronological basis, by the date of the significant action in the excerpt. Charts, graphs, timelines, and graphics are also included. The Sourcebook has been constructed to be used with the Narrative volume in which the interpretation of individual documents, discussions of context, details about events and individuals, and treatment of the larger developments can be found.
The Methodist Experience in America Volume I: A History (Methodist Experience In America Ser. #Vol. 2)
by Russell E. Richey Kenneth E. Rowe Jean Miller SchmidtBeginning in 1760, this comprehensive history charts the growth and development of the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren church family up and through the year 2000. Extraordinarily well-documented study with elaborate notes that will guide the reader to recent and standard literature on the numerous topics, figures, developments, and events covered. The volume is a companion to and designed to be used with THE METHODIST EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA: A SOURCEBOOK, for which it provides background, context and interpretation. Contents include:Launching the Methodist Movements 1760-1768Structuring the Immigrant Initiatives 1769-1778Making Church 1777-1784Constituting Methodism 1784-1792Spreaking Scriptural Holiness 1792-1816Snapshot I- Methodism in 1816: Baltimore 1816Building for Ministry and Nuture 1816-1850sDividing by Mission, Ethnicity, Gender, and Vision 1816-1850sDividing over Slavery, Region, Authority, and Race 1830-1860sEmbracing the War Cause(s) 1860-1865Reconstructing Methodism(s) 1866-1884Snapshot II- Methodism in 1884: Wilker-Barre, PA 1884Reshaping the Church for Mission 1884-1939Taking on the World 1884-1939Warring for World Order and Against Worldliness Within 1930-1968Snapshot III- Methodism in 1968: Denver 1968Merging and Reappraising 1968-1984Holding Fast/Pressing On 1984-2000A wide-angled narrative that attends to religious life at the local level, to missions and missionary societies , to justice struggles, to camp and quarterly meetings, to the Sunday school and catechisms, to architecture and worship, to higher education, to hospitals and homes, to temperance, to deaconesses and to Methodist experiences in war and in peace-making A volume that attends critically to Methodism’s dilemmas over and initiatives with regard to race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and relation to culture A documentation and display of the rich diversity of the Methodist experienceA retelling of the contests over and evolution of Methodist/EUB organization, authority, ministerial orders and ethical/doctrinal emphases
The Methodist Unification: Christianity and the Politics of Race in the Jim Crow Era (Religion, Race, and Ethnicity)
by Morris L Davis&“A ground-breaking analysis of the intertwined political, racial, and religious dynamics&” in the early twentieth century Methodist Church (Wendy J. Deichmann Edwards, United Theological Seminary, Dayton Ohio). In 1939, America&’s three major Methodist Churches sent delegates to Kansas City, Missouri, for what they called the Uniting Conference. They formed the largest, and arguably the most powerful, Protestant church in the country. Yet this newly &“unified&” denomination was segregated to its core. In The Methodist Unification, Morris L. Davis examines this unification process, and how it came to institutionalize racism and segregation in unprecedented ways. Davis shows that Methodists in the early twentieth century—including high-profile African American clergy—were very much against integration. Many feared that mixing the races would lead to interracial marriages and threaten the social order of American society. The Methodist Unification illuminates the religious culture of Methodism, Methodists' self-identification as the primary carriers of &“American Christian Civilization,&” and their influence on the crystallization of whiteness during the Jim Crow Era as a legal category and cultural symbol.
The Methodists and Revolutionary America, 1760-1800: The Shaping of an Evangelical Culture
by Dee E. AndrewsThe Methodists and Revolutionary America is the first in-depth narrative of the origins of American Methodism, one of the most significant popular movements in American history. Placing Methodism's rise in the ideological context of the American Revolution and the complex social setting of the greater Middle Atlantic where it was first introduced, Dee Andrews argues that this new religion provided an alternative to the exclusionary politics of Revolutionary America. With its call to missionary preaching, its enthusiastic revivals, and its prolific religious societies, Methodism competed with republicanism for a place at the center of American culture. Based on rare archival sources and a wealth of Wesleyan literature, this book examines all aspects of the early movement. From Methodism's Wesleyan beginnings to the prominence of women in local societies, the construction of African Methodism, the diverse social profile of Methodist men, and contests over the movement's future, Andrews charts Methodism's metamorphosis from a British missionary organization to a fully Americanized church. Weaving together narrative and analysis, Andrews explains Methodism's extraordinary popular appeal in rich and compelling new detail.
The Methuselah Project: A Novel
by Rick BarryNazi scientists started many experiments. One never ended.Roger Greene is a war hero. Raised in an orphanage, the only birthright he knows is the feeling that he was born to fly. Flying against the Axis Powers in World War II is everything he always dreamed--until the day he's shot down and lands in the hands of the enemy.When Allied bombs destroy both his prison and the mad genius experimenting on POWs, Roger survives. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success--but this ace is still not free. Seventy years later, Roger hasn't aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. This isn't Captain America--just a lousy existence only made passable by a newfound faith. The Bible provides the only reliable anchor for Roger's sanity and his soul. When he finally escapes, there's no angelic promise or personal prophecy of deliverance, just confusion. It's 2015--and the world has become an unrecognizable place.Katherine Mueller--crack shot, genius, and real Southern Belle--offers to help him find his way home. Can he convince her of the truth of his crazy story? Can he continue to trust her when he finds out she works for the very organization he's trying to flee?Thrown right into pulse-pounding action from the first page, readers will find themselves transported back in time to a believable, full-colored past, and then catapulted into the present once more. The historical back-and-forth adds a constantly moving element of suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
The Middle East Today: Political, Geographical and Cultural Perspectives
by Dona J. StewartThe new edition of The Middle East Today provides an accessible and comprehensive introductory textbook for undergraduate students of Middle East Studies, Middle East politics and geography. This updated and revised edition features a host of pedagogical features to assist students with their learning, including; detailed maps and images, case studies on key issues, boxed sections and suggestions for further reading. The book highlights the current issues facing the Middle East, linking them to the rich political, geographical and cultural history of the region. The author examines the crises and conflicts, both current and potential, likely to dominate the region in coming years. The second edition has been fully updated and revised to include discussion of such recent events as: the effects of the Arab Spring Turkey's growing influence in the region the dramatic increase in Iran's nuclear capabilities Usama bin Laden's death and declining support for violent extremist movements in the Middle East. Further supplemented by a companion website containing sample chapters, a selection of maps formatted for use in presentations, and annotated links to online resources and websites, The Middle East Today is an essential resource for all students of Middle East Studies, Middle East politics and geography.
The Middle East and Islamic World Reader: An Historical Reader For The 21st Century
by Marvin E. Gettleman and Stuart Schaar&“The many facets of Middle Eastern history and politics are admirably represented in this far-ranging anthology.&” —Publishers Weekly In this insightful anthology, historians Marvin E. Gettleman and Stuart Schaar have assembled a broad selection of documents and contemporary scholarship to give a view of the history of the peoples from the core Islamic lands, from the Golden Age of Islam to today. With carefully framed essays beginning each chapter and brief introductory notes accompanying over seventy readings, the anthology reveals the multifaceted societies and political systems of the Islamic world. Selections range from theological texts illuminating the differences between Shiite and Sunni Muslims, to diplomatic exchanges and state papers, to memoirs and literary works, to manifestos of Islamic radicals. This newly revised and expanded edition covers the dramatic changes in the region since 2005, and the popular uprisings that swept from Tunisia in January 2011 through Egypt, Libya, and beyond. The Middle East and Islamic World Reader is a fascinating historical survey of complex societies that—now more than ever—are crucial for us to understand. &“Ambitious . . . A timely work, it focuses mainly on sociopolitical texts dating from the rise of Islam to the debates concerning U.S. foreign policy in the post-9/11 world.&” —Choice
The Middle East: Past, Present, and Future (World Regional Geography Book Series)
by Keshav Bhattarai Mahmoud YousefThe Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region stands as a remarkable crossroads of tradition and modernity, shaped by millennia of history under empires, colonial powers, and global influences. This book unpacks the intricate dynamics of the region, examining how historical resource exploitation, border manipulation, and cultural impositions have profoundly impacted its languages, traditions, and geopolitical identity. The rich tapestry of Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish, and regional dialects reflects a deep cultural resilience that has resisted globalization, often fueled anti-Western sentiments and prioritized the preservation of heritage over rapid economic development. Central to the region’s geopolitical importance is its vast oil wealth, which has positioned MENA as a cornerstone of the global energy market and a continuous focus of Western interest. This book explores how oil exploitation has economically empowered the region while simultaneously fostering political tension, external interventions, and instability. As the global shift toward green technologies accelerates, the book examines how this transition might redefine MENA’s role in the global energy market, offering both challenges and opportunities for transformation. These dynamics unfold against the backdrop of water scarcity and a scorching, inhospitable climate that further complicates the region’s path forward. Grounded in real-life case studies and an interdisciplinary blend of historical, cultural, and economic analysis, this book offers an unparalleled exploration of the MENA region’s past, present, and future in the context of advanced technological development. Co-authored by a Palestinian native, it brings a unique perspective by dissecting ongoing identity crises through unbiased insights and true-life conversations with individuals who have embraced diverse religious and political ideologies. By intertwining these narratives with the region’s deeply rooted cultural practices, the book presents a compelling human lens to understand MENA's complexities. This rare and thought-provoking study seamlessly balances traditional and modern perspectives, emphasizing the MENA region’s pivotal role at the intersection of Western powers and the Global South. For readers seeking to grasp the intricate dynamics of a region that continues to influence and adapt to an ever-changing global order, this book serves as an indispensable resource.
The Middle English Bible: A Reassessment (The Middle Ages Series)
by Henry Ansgar KellyIn the last quarter of the fourteenth century, the complete Old and New Testaments were translated from Latin into English, first very literally, and then revised into a more fluent, less Latinate style. This outstanding achievement, the Middle English Bible, is known by most modern scholars as the "Wycliffite" or "Lollard" Bible, attributing it to followers of the heretic John Wyclif. Prevailing scholarly opinion also holds that this Bible was condemned and banned by the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Arundel, at the Council of Oxford in 1407, even though it continued to be copied at a great rate. Indeed, Henry Ansgar Kelly notes, it was the most popular work in English of the Middle Ages and was frequently consulted for help in understanding Scripture readings at Sunday Mass.In The Middle English Bible: A Reassessment, Kelly finds the bases for the Wycliffite origins of the Middle English Bible to be mostly illusory. While there were attempts by the Lollard movement to appropriate or coopt it after the fact, the translation project, which appears to have originated at the University of Oxford, was wholly orthodox. Further, the 1407 Council did not ban translations but instead mandated that they be approved by a local bishop. It was only in the early sixteenth century, in the years before the Reformation, that English translations of the Bible would be banned.
The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya (The Teachings of the Buddha)
by Bhikkhu Bodhi Bhikkhu NanamoliThis book offers a complete translation of the Majjhima Nikaya, or Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, one of the major collections of texts in the Pali Canon, the authorized scriptures of Theravada Buddhism. This collection--among the oldest records of the historical Buddha's original teachings--consists of 152 suttas or discourses of middle length, distinguished as such from the longer and shorter suttas of the other collections. The Majjhima Nikaya might be concisely described as the Buddhist scripture that combines the richest variety of contextual settings with the deepest and most comprehensive assortment of teachings. These teachings, which range from basic ethics to instructions in meditation and liberating insight, unfold in a fascinating procession of scenarios that show the Buddha in living dialogue with people from many different strata of ancient Indian society: with kings and princes, priests and ascetics, simple villagers and erudite philosophers. Replete with drama, reasoned argument, and illuminating parable and simile, these discourses exhibit the Buddha in the full glory of his resplendent wisdom, majestic sublimity, and compassionate humanity. The translation is based on an original draft translation left by the English scholar-monk Bhikkhu Nanamoli, which has been edited and revised by the American monk Bhikkhu Bodhi, who provides a long introduction and helpful explanatory notes. Combining lucidity of expression with accuracy, this translation enables the Buddha to speak across twenty-five centuries in language that addresses the most pressing concerns of the contemporary reader seeking clarification of the timeless issues of truth, value, and the proper conduct of life. Winner of the 1995 Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Book Award, and the Tricycle Prize for Excellence in Buddhist Publishing for Dharma Discourse.
The Middle Matters: Why That (Extra)Ordinary Life Looks Really Good on You
by Lisa-Jo BakerThe best-selling author of Never Unfriended opens up about midlife and what it feels like to have outgrown those teenage jeans, but finally grown into the shape of our souls.Do you ever wonder how you woke up one day with all the responsibilities of a grown-up who secretly enjoys going to Costco, can no longer recognize the tween celebrities on the magazines at checkout, but is still surprised when a Starbucks Barista calls you "ma'am"--because your inside self is frozen in time from about twenty years ago? So does Lisa-Jo Baker. Welcome to the middle!In these intimate reflections on midlife, Lisa-Jo Baker invites women to get a good look at their middles and gives permission to embrace them--beyond what the media, the mirror, the magazines, or our teenagers say. Through gutsy, beautiful storytelling, she admits out loud what most women are thinking about marriage, parenting, failure, and how badly we all want to buy those matching Magnolia Market mugs. Her delicious stories come from not being afraid of who she is (Your Age is Not a Dirty Word). Because she has finally grown comfortable in her own skin (The Scale is Not the Boss of You). She's not asking you to seize the day, just to make sure you actually see it; for all its wildly ordinary glory (Sobbing in my Minivan Over Honor Roll). Because Lisa-Jo knows that the middle might be the best part of the love story of life, muffin top included.
The Middle Path of Moderation in Islam: The Quranic Principle of Wasatiyyah
by Mohammad KamaliIn The Middle Path of Moderation in Islam, leading Islamic law expert Mohammad Hashim Kamali examines the concept of wasatiyyah, or moderation, arguing that scholars, religious communities, and policy circles alike must have access to this governing principle that drives the silent majority of Muslims, rather than focusing on the extremist fringe. Kamali explores wasatiyyah in both historical/conceptual terms and in contemporary/practical terms. Tracing the definition and scope of the concept from the foundational sources of Islam, the Qu'ran and Hadith, he demonstrates that wasatiyyah has a long and well-developed history in Islamic law and applies the concept to contemporary issues of global policy, such as justice, women's rights, environmental and financial balance, and globalization. <p><p> Framing his work as an open dialogue against a now-decades long formulation of the arguably destructive Huntingtonian "clash of civilizations" thesis as well as the public rhetoric of fear of Muslim extremism since the attacks of September 11, 2001, Kamali connects historical conceptions of wasatiyyah to the themes of state and international law, governance, and cultural maladies in the Muslim world and beyond. Both a descriptive and prescriptive meditation on a key but often neglected principle of Islam, The Middle Path of Moderation in Islam provides insight into an idea that is in the strategic interest of the West both to show and practice for themselves and to recognize in Muslim countries.
The Middle Way
by Thupten Jinpa His Holiness the Dalai LamaThe Dalai Lama opens The Middle Way with an elegant argument for the power of compassion in cultivating a happy life. From there, he connects core ideas of Buddhist philosophy to the truths of our shared condition. His Holiness delivers a sparklingly clear teaching on how the Buddhist ideas of emptiness and interdependency relate to personal experience and bring a deeper understanding of the world around us. In down-to-earth style, this book sets forth a comprehensive explanation of the foundational teachings of the Mahayana tradition based on the works of two of Buddhism's most revered figures. Using Nagarjuna's Middle Way, the Dalai Lama explores Buddhist understandings of selflessness, dependent origination, and the causal processes that lock us in cycles of suffering. He grounds these heady philosophical discussions using Tsongkhapa's Three Principal Aspects of the Path, presenting a brief explanation of how to put ethical discipline, wisdom, and compassion into practice. Through these beautifully complementary teachings, His Holiness urges us to strive, "with an objective mind, endowed with a curious skepticism, to engage in careful analysis and seek the reasons behind our beliefs."
The Middle Way: Voices Of Anglicanism
by Lee W. Gibbs John Booty Joseph P. RussellAnglicanism holds in dynamic tension scripture, tradition, and reason. Lee W. Gibbs explores the Anglican way through the inspiring voices of theologians including Richard Hooker, John Donne, Frederick Denison Maurice, C.S. Lewis, and William Temple. Originating from adult Christian Education classes, this book is also an excellent resource for private instruction and inspiration.
The Middle Window
by Elizabeth GoudgeBored with the distractions of London, Judy Cameron insists on taking herself, her parents and her fiance to remote Glen Suilag in the Scottish Highlands. Leaving behind the busy whirl of the capital, she becomes absorbed in an unknown and yet strangely familiar world. As Judy explores the house and glen, secrets begin to unravel and questions arise that she must find the answers to. Why does the strange house feel so familiar? How does she know the laird, Ian Macdonald? Why does she feel so terrified of the middle window in the parlour? And who is the mysterious Judith who haunts her dreams?
The Middle-Length Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment
by TsongkhapaThe first complete English translation of renowned scholar-saint Tsongkhapa's Middle-Length Treatise on the Stages of the Path.Tsongkhapa (1357–1419), the author of the well-known Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment and the teacher of the First Dalai Lama, is renowned as one of the greatest scholar-saints that Tibet has ever produced. A dozen years after writing the Great Treatise, he wrote the Middle-Length Treatise on the Stages of the Path, presented here in its first complete English translation. Half the length of the well-known Great Treatise, this work similarly presents a systematic overview of the Buddhist path. Tsongkhapa begins by abridging the longer work, distilling its explanations for quicker integration. He presents a series of meditations, beginning with recognizing the rarity of our human existence and the great opportunities it affords, followed by reflections on impermanence, suffering, and the promise of liberation from our past actions, until proceeding to the path of bodhisattvas, whose universal compassion seeks to free every being from suffering. Tsongkhapa gives especially detailed instructions on samatha, the deep meditative concentration that is a precondition for the highest insight into the nature of reality. The final and largest section, on that very insight, is unique to this work, particularly Tsongkhapa&’s presentation of conventional truth and ultimate truth. Those new to Tibetan Buddhist teachings will benefit from the approachable style of this classic handbook for enlightenment, and beginners and longtime practitioners alike will cherish the clear guidance from one of Tibet&’s great luminaries.
The Middlefield Family Collection
by Kathleen FullerTreasuring Emma Adam was Emma's first love and best friend. But then he went away. Determined to experience the freedom of living in the Englisch world, he left Emma heart-broken. How could he have chosen the world over her? Now Adam is back in Middlefield and Emma can't seem to keep him away from her family's farm. But this time she's determined to guard her heart. It might be love that keeps him there . . . or perhaps just guilt. When a newcomer arrives in town and shows an interest in Emma, she dismisses Adam's insistence that she be cautious. Emma knows her Heavenly Father treasures her. But will her new beau? Faithful to Laura Laura Stutzman left her Kentucky community for Middlefield, Ohio, with one purpose: to find Mark King, the man who pledged his love to her, then left. She can't move on with her life until he explains why. Sawyer Thompson wasn't born Amish, but has lived in their community for years. Now he must commit to the Amish church or return to the Yankee world. As his friendship with Laura grows, she begins to let her guard down. But new information surfaces about Sawyer's past and threatens the couple's budding relationship. Both Laura and Sawyer will need to release the anger in their hearts and forgive the people who've harmed them. As Laura struggles to trust God, can Sawyer remain faithful to Laura? Letters to Katie Katherine Yoder has loved Johnny Mullet since the two were children, but he's never returned her affections. Now Johnny is trying to forge a new life for himself by purchasing a farm and building a business of his own. But times are tough, and he soon learns that he can't take anything for granted--especially Katherine. Before Johnny has the opportunity to tell Katherine his true feelings, she's struck by a serious illness. While Katherine struggles to recall recent memories of Johnny, a surprise visitor comes back into her life, claiming that his letters speak of a history and a future for the two of them.
The Middlesteins
by Jami AttenbergFor more than thirty years, Edie and Richard Middlestein shared a solid family life together in the suburbs of Chicago: two children, a nice house in the Chicago suburbs, ample employment, generous friends. But now things are splintering apart, for one reason, it seems: Edie's enormous girth. She's obsessed with food-thinking about it, eating it-and if she doesn't stop, she won't have much longer to live. When Richard abandons his wife, it is up to the next generation to take control. Robin, their schoolteacher daughter, is determined that her father pay for leaving Edie. Benny, an easy-going, pot-smoking family man, just wants to smooth things over. And Rachelle-a whippet thin perfectionist-is intent on saving her mother-in-law's life, but this task proves even bigger than planning her twin children's spectacular b'nai mitzvah party. Through it all, they wonder: do Edie's devastating choices rest on her shoulders alone, or are others at fault, too? With pitch-perfect prose, huge compassion, and sly humor, Jami Attenberg has given us an epic story of marriage, family, and obsession. The Middlesteins explores the hopes and heartbreaks of new and old love, the yearnings of Midwestern America, and our devastating, fascinating preoccupation with food.
The Middlesteins: A Novel
by Jami AttenbergFor more than thirty years, Edie and Richard Middlestein shared a solid family life together in the suburbs of Chicago. But now things are splintering apart, for one reason, it seems: Edie's enormous girth. She's obsessed with food--thinking about it, eating it--and if she doesn't stop, she won't have much longer to live. When Richard abandons his wife, it is up to the next generation to take control. Robin, their schoolteacher daughter, is determined that her father pay for leaving Edie. Benny, an easy-going, pot-smoking family man, just wants to smooth things over. And Rachelle-- a whippet thin perfectionist-- is intent on saving her mother-in-law's life, but this task proves even bigger than planning her twin children's spectacular b'nai mitzvah party. Through it all, they wonder: do Edie's devastating choices rest on her shoulders alone, or are others at fault, too?With pitch-perfect prose, huge compassion, and sly humor, Jami Attenberg has given us an epic story of marriage, family, and obsession. The Middlesteins explores the hopes and heartbreaks of new and old love, the yearnings of Midwestern America, and our devastating, fascinating preoccupation with food.
The Midnight Hour: Canadian Accounts of Eerie Experiences
by John Robert ColomboThe Midnight Hour is amazing, amusing, and frightening. It will make you pause to wonder - about ghosts and spirits, fate and destiny, strange beasts and even stranger human beings. The accounts within describe encounters in Canada with monsters and mysteries from 1784 to the present. Editor and anthologist John Robert Colombo derived these true tales from nineteenth-century newspapers, personal correspondence, e-mails, interviews, and more. The collection is certain to entertain you … especially during "the midnight hour"!
The Midrash Says The Book of Bamidbar
by Moshe WeissmanThe narrative of the weekly Torah-portion in the perspective of our sages. Selected and adapted from the Talmud and Midrash.