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Spirit Machines
by Robert CrawfordSPIRIT MACHINES, Robert Crawford's fourth collection, attends imaginatively to the fusion of spiritual experience and the insistently material world. In several of the poems, emotional and religious insights merge lyrically with modern technologies of information. The title sequence deals with bereavement and memorializes the poet's father, who died in1997, while the serio-comical catechism of 'A Life-Exam' arises from the experience of hospitalisation. The imaginative, 360-line tour de force 'Impossibility' presents a swirling underwater world imaging the heroic struggle of the nineteenth-century writer and mother, Margaret Oliphant. While some of the poems communicate a sense of hurt and loss, others are insuperably comic, giving the collection an ambitious range and vitality. Throughout the book, Robert Crawford's alert sense of Scotland provides a source and sounding-board for poems -lyrics, ballads, verse narratives and prose poems - that are finely nuanced, moving, and excitingly resourceful.
Spirit of Adventure: Eagle Scouts and the Making of America's Future
by Alvin TownleyAn extraordinary journey alongside America's new generation of Eagle Scouts, who are discovering their purpose and bringing the values of Scouting to the world.Over the past century, Scouts have helped to guide the course of American history. But what does Scouting and the Eagle badge mean to the Scouts of today? How will they shape the future of Scouting and America itself? In Spirit of Adventure, Scouting expert and Eagle Scout Alvin Townley finds the answer.Townley traveled across the country and to the far corners of the globe to meet these young Eagle Scouts. He found them everywhere, continuing the life of adventure and service that they had begun in Scouting. He discovered them in Afghanistan providing medical care to villagers, in Australia saving coral reefs, at the Super Bowl and Olympic venues striving for victory, on desert cliffs and at inner-city schools teaching new lessons, in Africa bringing hope to children, and on the windswept deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz preparing for takeoff.Whether doctors, activists, servicemen, entrepreneurs, or teachers, these young men are changing the world through bold actions that capture the essence of the Scouting tradition. In Spirit of Adventure, Townley answers important questions about the future of Scouting and America, while revealing stories of service, courage, and pure excitement that introduce our nation to an inspiring new generation of leaders.
Spirit of Service: Your Daily Stimulus for Making a Difference
by HarperCollins PublishersInspired by President Obama’s call to national service, Spirit of Service is a daily devotional that will stir the soul and inspire every reader to meet the challenge of helping others with hope, energy, personal resources, and innovation. Offering 365 ways to serve, this self-help experience allows readers to look at all the ways that theycan get involved in service to others, from serving the person sitting next to them to their communities as a whole, from national service to actions that impact the world.
The Spirits: A Guide to Modern Cocktailing
by Richard Godwin'A handbook of classic cocktails essential to every host's repertoire' VogueWant to master the art of mixology from home?Of all the skills you might acquire in life, learning how to make exquisite cocktails is the least likely to be a waste of your time.In this classic guide to cocktailing, writer, columnist and founder of 'The Spirits' newsletter - "a book club but for cocktails" - Richard Godwin offers over 200 delicious, inventive and accessible recipes.Beautifully written, laugh-out-loud funny and full of practical good sense as well as fascinating historical snippets, this little book contains everything that an amateur needs to up their cocktailing game - and increase the sum of human happiness.'Simple to navigate and fun to read, it's the only book I reach for on a Friday evening. The weekend starts here.' Felicity Cloake'I truly love this book. No one writes about drinks like Richard Godwin - I enjoy his prose as much as anything in the glass.' Marina Hyde'The best, most elegant and most sparkling' cocktail book' Esquire
The Spirits Are Always With Me: True Stories and Guidance From A Modern Shaman
by Jane ShuttJane Shutt is a down-to-earth Yorkshire woman who leads an extraordinary life as one of Britain's leading shamanic healers. Shamanism is an ancient spiritual path that exists all around the world; and a shaman uses his or her close affinity with nature and spirits to help those in need of healing. In The Spirits are Always with Me, Jane Shutt explains what shamanism really is, and how it is especially relevant to us in the modern world as we seek to connect with our roots and with our own sense of inner purpose. She shares her own incredible story and the stories of many of those who have come to her for help and healing. Jane reveals the ways in which shamanism can dramatically help people to turn their lives around. She recalls her own shamanic journeys to other levels of reality, including adventures in the Otherworld, spine-tingling visits to the Land of the Dead and other reaches of existence. She shows how shamanism can offer inroads into anything from curing a physical ailment, to dealing with mischievous household sprites, through to healing a whole city.
Spirits of the Dead: Tales and Poems
by Edgar Allan PoeA unique one volume collection of all Poe's best tales and poems. Full of variety, entries include The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mystery of Marie Roget, The Purloined Letter - three classic detective stories - plus The Raven, one of his greatest poems. A wonderful selection of tales and poems that are representative of every genre written by Poe, from the macabre and horrifying to the humorous and purely descriptive.
Spiritual Alchemy: How to Transform Your Life
by Dr Christine PageWe are living in a time of great change, explains Dr Christine Page. And this time presents a wonderful opportunity to reclaim our strength, adjust our focus and become spiritual alchemists, transforming ourselves and our world. In order to survive on Earth, we must reconnect with the divine side of existence. This task is not as daunting as it may seem, for we simply need to honour the wisdom inherent in traditions past and present - wisdom that is offered in this ground-breaking work. '... positively inspirational as she describes the untapped potential of the human spirit. Her book is an invitation to explore the alchemist within and I highly encourage all to read this book who have an appetite for electric transformation' Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit'... a modern map of the journey we must all ultimately take to fulfil our cosmic yearning. This will become required reading by our students' C Norman Shealy, MD, PhD, Founding President, American Holistic Medical Association'Dr Page combines ancient insights and modern science in a way that will help readers reach new depths of understanding and fulfilment' Larry Dossey, MD, author of Healing Beyond the Body'Christine Page is a master teacher with worlds of knowledge, a spiritual healer of blessed gifts, and a brilliant intuitive with critically important insights to share with us all' Belleruth Naperstek, author of Your Sixth Sense
A Spiritual Formation Journal: A Renovare Resource for Spiritual Formation
by Jana Rea Richard J. FosterSpiritual study groups have never been more popular among Christians of all denominations. Coming together to study, pray, and plan ways to serve the community can spark new ideas and deeper reflection in each member of the group. A Spiritual Formation Journal, designed specifically to complement both individual and small group contemplation, is the perfect place to further explore these ideas and carry them into our everyday lives.As part of Renovaré's popular collection of resource books, A Spiritual Formation Journal is uniquely designed with an emphasis on five great Christian traditions: Contemplative, the Prayer-Filled Life; Holiness, the Virtuous Life; Charismatic, the Spirit-Empowered Life; Social Justice, the Compassionate Life; and Evangelical, the Word-Centered Life. Divided into weekly sections, the journal offers an inviting space for written reflection and prayer as well as inspiring quotes, thought-provoking questions, evaluation exercises, and group worksheets to encourage the examination and celebration of spiritual growth.
Spiritual Verses
by The Jalaluddin RumiBegun in 1262 AD, Masnavi-ye Ma ‘navi, or ‘spiritual couplets', is thought to be the longest single-authored ‘mystical’ poem ever written. As the spiritual masterpiece of the Persian Sufi tradition, it teaches how to progress to the ultimate goal of the Sufi path - union with God. Jalaloddin Rumi was a poet and a mystic, but he was first a teacher; in these verses he draws the reader into the complexities of human love and separation and explains the path to divine love through the elimination of self-regard and worldly desires. Drawing on diverse sources from bawdy tales and fables to stories of the prophet Mohammed, these verses are brief in expression yet copious in meaning.
Spirituality, Sustainability, and Success: Concepts and Cases (Palgrave Studies in Workplace Spirituality and Fulfillment)
by Christopher G. BeehnerThis book offers a pragmatic approach to the benefits of spirituality and sustainability for both individual and organizational success. It introduces sustainability and workplace spirituality as contemporary solutions to the challenging organizational environment. The first few chapters introduce the fundamentals of spirituality, workplace spirituality, and sustainability. The author then demonstrates how the three qualities are beneficial in achieving personal and business success. Through the combination of synthesized research summaries and case studies of individuals and organizations, this book offers readers a fresh perspective on the importance of spirituality and sustainability to organizational performance.
Spitalfields: The History of a Nation in a Handful of Streets
by Dan CruickshankSHORTLISTED FOR THE HESSELL-TILTMAN HISTORY PRIZE 2017AN OBSERVER BOOK OF THE YEAR 2016Religious strife, civil conflict, waves of immigration, the rise and fall of industry, great prosperity and grinding poverty – the handful of streets that constitute modern Spitalfields have witnessed all this and much more. In Spitalfields, one of Britain's best-loved historians tells the stories of the streets he has lived in for four decades. Starting in Roman times and continuing right up to the present day, Cruickshank explains how Spitalfields' streets evolved, what people have lived there, and what lives they have led. En route, he discovers the tales of the Huguenot weavers who made Spitalfields their own after the Great Fire of London. He recounts the experiences of the first Jewish immigrants. He evokes the slum-ridden courts and alleys of Jack the Ripper's Spitalfields. And he describes the transformation of the Spitalfields he first encountered in the 1970s from a war-damaged collection of semi-derelict houses to the vibrant community it is today.This is a fascinating evocation of one of London's most distinctive districts. At the same time, it is a history of England in miniature.
Spitfire Girl
by Lily Baxter___________________________1940. The height of the Blitz.In London, eighteen-year-old Susan Banks longs to do her duty in the war. Her secret ambition is to learn to fly - to serve her country and realise her dream. But she knows it is out of the question for a girl like her; a foundling, unwanted and unloved and dependent on strangers for her welfare.Just as she fears she will be trapped forever in a life of servitude and loneliness, she meets Tony Richards, a flying instructor based in Hampshire. And when she is forced to flee London, she heads out into the country. She is taken in by the kindly landlord of the local inn and his daughter. As Susan works hard to earn her keep, and her friendship with Tony - now recalled to duty - blossoms into love, she dares to hope that things are at last looking up for her. But then she receives devastating news - Tony is missing in action. And Susan wonders if she'll ever see the man she loves again and realise her dream of becoming a Spitfire girl...
The Spitfire Girls: (The Spitfire Girls Book 1) (The Spitfire Girls #1)
by Jenny Holmes**Don't miss Jenny Holmes's latest wartime series, The Air Raid Girls. Part 3 - The Air Raid Girls: Wartime Brides - is available now!**----------------------------'Anything to Anywhere!' That's the motto of the Air Transport Auxiliary, the brave team of female pilots who fly fighter planes between bases at the height of WWII. Mary is a driver for the ATA and although she yearns to fly a Spitfire, she fears her humble background will hold her back. After all, glamorous Angela is set to be the next 'Atta Girl' on recruitment posters. Bobbie learned to fly in her father's private plane and Jean was taught the queen's English at grammar school before joining the squad. Dedicated and resilient the three girls rule the skies: weathering storms and dodging enemy fire. Mary can only dream of joining them - until she gets the push she needs to overcome her self-doubt. Thrown together, the girls form a tight bond as they face the perils of their job. But they soon find that affairs of the heart can be just as dangerous as attacks from the skies. With all the fear and uncertainty ahead - can their friendship see them through the tests of war? A heart-warming, romantic story of friendship, camaraderie and triumph over adversity that fans of Donna Douglas, Nancy Revell and Call the Midwife will adore.---------------------------- Readers love Jenny Holmes: 'There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book' 5 star review 'I couldn't put this book down' 5 star review 'Loved the whole story' 5 star review 'This is a totally absorbing book' 5 star review 'An excellent read put together in fine style' 5 star review
The Spitfire Girls Fly for Victory: An uplifting wartime story of hope and courage (The Spitfire Girls Book 2) (The Spitfire Girls #2)
by Jenny Holmes**Don't miss Jenny Holmes's latest wartime series, The Air Raid Girls. Part 3 - The Air Raid Girls: Wartime Brides - is available now!**----------------------------Planes to deliver. A war to be won. Bobbie Fraser, Mary Holland and Jean Thornton are Atta Girls - part of the Air Transport Auxiliary team flying planes between bases. Taking to the air in anything they're given, their work is dangerous but their courage always comes through. Now there's a new girl joining the ranks - Canadian Viv Robertson, who is bright, brash and brave. But can Viv settle into her new home with the other girls? And when life on the ground leaves them as vulnerable as in the air, can they stick together through the tough times ahead and ultimately fly to victory?A heart-warming, romantic story of friendship, camaraderie and triumph over adversity that fans of Donna Douglas, Nancy Revell and Elaine Everest will adore.----------------------------Readers love Jenny Holmes'A delight to read''I highly recommend this book, great job Jenny!''Really enjoyed this book cant wait to read the next one''Lovely historical drama''I love reading these books on life in WW2''A book you can't put down'
Spitting Gold: A Novel
by Carmella LowkisA deliciously haunting debut for fans of Sarah Waters and Sarah Penner set in 19th-century Paris, blending gothic mystery with a captivating sapphic romance as two estranged sisters—celebrated (and fraudulent) spirit mediums—come back together for one last con.Paris, 1866. When Baroness Sylvie Devereux receives a house call from Charlotte Mothe, the sister she disowned, she fears her shady past as a spirit medium has caught up with her. But with their father ill and Charlotte unable to pay his bills, Sylvie is persuaded into one last con. Their marks are the de Jacquinots: dysfunctional aristocrats who believe they are haunted by their great aunt, brutally murdered during the French Revolution. The scheme underway, the sisters deploy every trick to terrify the family out of their gold. But when inexplicable horrors start to happen to them too, the duo question whether they really are at the mercy of a vengeful spirit. And what other deep, dark secrets may come to light?
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
by Erik Larson#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Devil in the White City and Dead Wake delivers an intimate chronicle of Winston Churchill and London during the Blitz—an inspiring portrait of courage and leadership in a time of unprecedented crisis &“One of [Erik Larson&’s] best books yet . . . perfectly timed for the moment.&”—Time • &“A bravura performance by one of America&’s greatest storytellers.&”—NPR NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review • Time • Vogue • NPR • The Washington Post • Chicago Tribune • The Globe & Mail • Fortune • Bloomberg • New York Post • The New York Public Library • Kirkus Reviews • LibraryReads • PopMattersOn Winston Churchill&’s first day as prime minister, Adolf Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. Poland and Czechoslovakia had already fallen, and the Dunkirk evacuation was just two weeks away. For the next twelve months, Hitler would wage a relentless bombing campaign, killing 45,000 Britons. It was up to Churchill to hold his country together and persuade President Franklin Roosevelt that Britain was a worthy ally—and willing to fight to the end. In The Splendid and the Vile, Erik Larson shows, in cinematic detail, how Churchill taught the British people &“the art of being fearless.&” It is a story of political brinkmanship, but it&’s also an intimate domestic drama, set against the backdrop of Churchill&’s prime-ministerial country home, Chequers; his wartime retreat, Ditchley, where he and his entourage go when the moon is brightest and the bombing threat is highest; and of course 10 Downing Street in London. Drawing on diaries, original archival documents, and once-secret intelligence reports—some released only recently—Larson provides a new lens on London&’s darkest year through the day-to-day experience of Churchill and his family: his wife, Clementine; their youngest daughter, Mary, who chafes against her parents&’ wartime protectiveness; their son, Randolph, and his beautiful, unhappy wife, Pamela; Pamela&’s illicit lover, a dashing American emissary; and the advisers in Churchill&’s &“Secret Circle,&” to whom he turns in the hardest moments. The Splendid and the Vile takes readers out of today&’s political dysfunction and back to a time of true leadership, when, in the face of unrelenting horror, Churchill&’s eloquence, courage, and perseverance bound a country, and a family, together.
The Splendour (Neyler Quartet #3)
by Judith SaxtonBook three in the stunning Neyler family saga.It is 1931, and once again Europe is heading towards disaster. Life must go on however, and a new generation of the Neyler family are making their way in this turbulent world. Louis Rose, the self-confessed black sheep of the family, returns to England for his father's funeral and is greeted with more bad news: he has lost his mistress to his young nephew. Louis' son Simon, meanwhile, has matured and is embarking on his first love affair. The family hope he’ll have more luck in love that his father. Valentine Neyler, Simon's cousin, visits Berlin for the Olympics, but finds herself experiencing first-hand the prejudice which is gripping Germany. Before she knows it she is caught up in the tragedy of a Jewish family struggling to escape the Nazi horror. Dramas, joys and sorrows intertwine and unfold in this inspiring and moving saga, set against the poignant background of a world hurtling towards war, from the Sunday Times bestselling author Katie Flynn.
Splice of Life: A Memoir in 13 Film Genres
by Charles JensenMovies and memory intersect in this compelling and unconventional memoir from queer writer, film aficionado, and Jeopardy! contestant Charles Jensen.Splice of Life follows Jensen from his upbringing and struggles with sexual awareness in rural Wisconsin to his sexual liberation in college and, finally, to the complex relationships and bizarre coincidences of adulthood. Exploring what it means to be male and queer, each essay splices together Jensen' s lived experiences with his analysis of a single film. Deftly woven, Splice of Life shows us how personal and cultural memory intertwine, as well as how the stories we watch can help us understand the stories we all tell about ourselves.
A Splintered History of Wood: Belt-Sander Races, Blind Woodworkers & Baseball Bats
by Spike CarlsenIn a world without wood, we might not be here at all. Without wood, we wouldn't have had the fire, heat, and shelter that allowed us to expand into the colder regions of the planet. If civilization somehow did develop, our daily lives still would be vastly different: there would be no violins, baseball bats, chopsticks, or wine corks. The book you are now holding wouldn't exist. At the same time, many of us are removed from the world where wood is shaped and celebrated every day. That world is inhabited by a unique assortment of eccentric craftsmen and passionate enthusiasts who have created some of the world's most beloved musical instruments, feared weapons, dazzling architecture, sacred relics, and bizarre forms of transportation. In A Splintered History of Wood, Spike Carlsen has uncovered the most outlandish characters and examples, from world-champion chainsaw carvers to blind woodworkers, the Miraculous Staircase to the Lindbergh kidnapping case, and many more, in a passionate and personal exploration of nature's greatest gift.
The Split: The uplifting and joyous read we all need right now!
by Laura Kay'The Split has everything I love in a novel. It's hilariously funny, it's so uplifting, and its characters are irresistibly loveable' - BETH O'LEARY'Full of humour, kindness, cake and a cat, this is the novel to turn to in difficult times' - KATIE FFORDE Following a brutal break up, Ally flees to her dad's house in Sheffield with her ex's cat (who always preferred her anyway). When she realises Emily isn't coming to win back either her or the cat, Ally takes to the sofa to mourn the future she'd planned.After a few days' grace, her dad calls in reinforcements - Ally's old friend and first beard, Jeremy. Reunited, the two find solace in each other's heartbreak and an endless supply of baked goods. But jacked up on sugar and mutual delusion, they concoct a plan to run the half marathon and win back their exes...This seems like the perfect example of their ability to commit and better themselves. But will their exes be waiting at the finish line, or is there a whole new future on the horizon?A brilliant, heart-warming and intensely funny story of love, heartache, friendship and family. Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Beth O'Leary.~*~ PRAISE FOR THE SPLIT ~*~'A warm, funny, comforting read with such loveable characters!' - RUTH JONES'Uplifting, warm and heartfelt, with a cast of engaging characters who quickly became my friends. A feel-good depiction of love, friendship and family, which is very funny, but with moments of true poignancy too. An absolute must-read' - HOLLY MILLER'It's like meeting Marian Keyes and Dawn O'Porter in a cosy gay pub in Sheffield!' MATT CAIN'Wise, wonderful and so much fun. I loved it!' - HEIDI SWAIN 'It was pure fun. Heart-warming and adorable' - JULIE COHEN'It's rare that a book so important to the literary canon is, at the same time, entertaining, heart-warming, and funny' - ANSTEY HARRIS 'I adored The Split - a hilarious but oh-so-relatable tale of how not to handle a break-up. It made me laugh and sigh and head out for a run' - HOLLY HEPBURN'An absolute JOY from start to finish. If you're after a smart, funny romcom with characters to root for, this is one for you' - RICHARD ROPER'Fun, sassy and a joy to read. I loved it!' - EMMA COOPER'Such a lovely and heart-warming book. And it's hilarious! ... You'd be hard pushed to find a better group of characters to spend time with' - SUZANNE EWARTLove The Split? Then read Laura Kay's new heartwarming romcom, Making It, available to pre-order now!
The Split: The uplifting and joyous read we all need right now!
by Laura Kay'The Split has everything I love in a novel. It's hilariously funny, it's so uplifting, and its characters are irresistibly loveable' - BETH O'LEARY'Full of humour, kindness, cake and a cat, this is the novel to turn to in difficult times' - KATIE FFORDE Following a brutal break up, Ally flees to her dad's house in Sheffield with her ex's cat (who always preferred her anyway). When she realises Emily isn't coming to win back either her or the cat, Ally takes to the sofa to mourn the future she'd planned.After a few days' grace, her dad calls in reinforcements - Ally's old friend and first beard, Jeremy. Reunited, the two find solace in each other's heartbreak and an endless supply of baked goods. But jacked up on sugar and mutual delusion, they concoct a plan to run the half marathon and win back their exes...This seems like the perfect example of their ability to commit and better themselves. But will their exes be waiting at the finish line, or is there a whole new future on the horizon?A brilliant, heart-warming and intensely funny story of love, heartache, friendship and family. Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Beth O'Leary.~*~ PRAISE FOR THE SPLIT ~*~'A warm, funny, comforting read with such loveable characters!' - RUTH JONES'Uplifting, warm and heartfelt, with a cast of engaging characters who quickly became my friends. A feel-good depiction of love, friendship and family, which is very funny, but with moments of true poignancy too. An absolute must-read' - HOLLY MILLER'It's like meeting Marian Keyes and Dawn O'Porter in a cosy gay pub in Sheffield!' MATT CAIN'Wise, wonderful and so much fun. I loved it!' - HEIDI SWAIN 'It was pure fun. Heart-warming and adorable' - JULIE COHEN'It's rare that a book so important to the literary canon is, at the same time, entertaining, heart-warming, and funny' - ANSTEY HARRIS 'I adored The Split - a hilarious but oh-so-relatable tale of how not to handle a break-up. It made me laugh and sigh and head out for a run' - HOLLY HEPBURN'An absolute JOY from start to finish. If you're after a smart, funny romcom with characters to root for, this is one for you' - RICHARD ROPER'Fun, sassy and a joy to read. I loved it!' - EMMA COOPER'Such a lovely and heart-warming book. And it's hilarious! ... You'd be hard pushed to find a better group of characters to spend time with' - SUZANNE EWARTLove The Split? Then read Laura Kay's new heartwarming romcom, Making It, available to pre-order now!
Split
by Kristina LloydA Gothic tale of suspense and submission, set in the Yorkshire moorsA visit to Heddlestone, a remote village in the Yorkshire moors, changes librarian Kate Carter's life forever. The place has an eerie yet erotic charge and when Kate is later offered a job in its puppet museum, she leaves London and her boyfriend to take up the post.Jake, the strange and beautiful curator and puppeteer, draws her into his secluded sensual world, and before long she's sharing his bed and discovering a new and frightening side of love and lust.But Heddlestone is a village with secrets and Kate is haunted by a surreal holiday memory of a cool handsome man dominating a woman dressed like a crazy ballerina. The man is Eddie, Jake's brother, and when Kate is seduced by him and his reckless Ukrainian wife she becomes involved in a second dark relationship. Split between the two men, Kate moves closer to the truth of Heddlestone, sensing danger but not knowing if the greatest threat comes from ghosts or reality.
The Spoils of Poynton
by Henry JamesMrs Gereth is convinced that Fleda Vetch would make the perfect daughter-in-law. Only the dreamy, highly-strung young woman can genuinely appreciate, and perhaps eventually share, Mrs Gereth's passion for her 'things' - the antique treasures she has amassed at Poynton Park in the south of England. Owen Gereth, however, has inconveniently become engaged to the uncultured Mona Brigstock. As a dramatic family quarrel unfolds, the hesitating Fleda is drawn in, yet she remains reluctant to captivate Owen, who seems as attracted to her as she is to him. Is she motivated by scruple or fear? In The Spoils of Poynton (1897), Henry James created a work of exquisite ambiguity in his depiction of three women fighting for the allegiance of one weak-willed man.
Spoken in Whispers: The Autobiography of a Horse Whisperer
by Nicci MackaySPOKEN IN WHISPERS is the autobiography of a remarkable woman. Nicci Mackay is a horse whisperer, one of only a few people in the world who can calm agitated horses or revive their broken spirits by translating what they say.Nicci, who has had the extraordinary gift of being able to communicate with animals since childhood, tells her story with honesty and humou r.She writes about a life dedicated to animals-from her years spent as groom and jockey in a racing yard, when she operated in secret, to more recent times, after the media discovered her amazing abilities. She now spends her time travelling extensively, translating and interperating on behalf of animals for their owners. Nicci gives the reader a rare and facinating insight into the minds, emotions and bewildering behaviour of our four-legged friends, from thoroughbred stallions to sheepdogs, opening the door to their world through often hilarious, sometime poignant, but always thought-provoking adventures and encounters with the animals she has met throughout her life. As well as horses, Nicci has worked with a variety of domestic pets, farm animals and birds. This will delight all those who share her love of animals.
Spoken Word: A Cultural History
by Joshua BennettA NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR • A &“rich hybrid of memoir and history&” (The New Yorker) of the literary art form that has transformed the cultural landscape, by one of its influential practitioners, an award-winning poet, professor, and slam champion&“Bennett…transport[s] us back to the city blocks, bars, cafes and stages these artists traversed and inhabited…an instructive text for young poets, artists or creative entrepreneurs trying to find a way to carve out a space for themselves…Shines with a refreshing dynamism.&” —The New York TimesIn 2009, when he was twenty years old, Joshua Bennett was invited to perform a spoken word poem for Barack and Michelle Obama, at the same White House "Poetry Jam" where Lin-Manuel Miranda declaimed the opening bars of a work-in-progress that would soon revolutionize American theater. That meeting is but one among many in the trajectory of Bennett's young life, as he rode the cresting wave of spoken word through the 2010s. In this book, he goes back to its roots, considering the Black Arts movement and the prominence of poetry and song in Black education; the origins of the famed Nuyorican Poets Cafe in the Lower East Side living room of the visionary Miguel Algarín, who hosted verse gatherings with legendary figures like Ntozake Shange and Miguel Piñero; the rapid growth of the "slam" format that was pioneered at the Get Me High Lounge in Chicago; the perfect storm of spoken word's rise during the explosion of social media; and Bennett's own journey alongside his older sister, whose work to promote the form helped shape spaces online and elsewhere dedicated to literature and the pursuit of human freedom. A celebration of voices outside the dominant cultural narrative, who boldly embraced an array of styles and forms and redefined what—and whom—the mainstream would include, Bennett's book illuminates the profound influence spoken word has had everywhere melodious words are heard, from Broadway to academia, from the podiums of political protest to cafés, schools, and rooms full of strangers all across the world.