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An A–Z Guide to Food Additives: Never Eat What You Can't Pronounce
by Deanna M. MinichA reference for decoding what those mysterious ingredients are—and how they may affect you: “The definitive guide for the health-conscious shopper.” —Robert H. Lerman, MD, PhDHere’s a tongue twister: Say cochineal extract, diacetyl, tertiary butylhydroquinone, BHA, HFCS, and MSG. It's not just knowing how to pronounce what’s in your food that’s important, it's knowing what it does and how it can affect you. The average American consumes about 150 pounds of food additives per year. With so many processed foods on the supermarket shelves, it can be hard to navigate the waters to an additive-free diet.A-Z Guide to Food Additives helps you change the way you eat and shop—providing heart-healthy tips while helping you avoid undesirable food additives. Also, you’ll get the rundown on which additives do no harm and may even be nutritious. This “additive translator” lets you head down to your grocery store with a grocery list in one hand and your newfound knowledge in the other.A-Z Guide to Food Additives delivers:Essential nutrition adviceHints on what to look for when reading those unreadable ingredient labelsTips on buying fresh produce in order to avoid pesticidesInformation on ingredients that can contribute to headaches, bloating, breathing difficulties, and other problemsSafety ratings for 300 ingredientsReference charts for additives that may cause cancer or allergic reactions, or should be limited for sodium-sensitive people
The College Bound Organizer: The Ultimate Guide to Successful College Applications
by Anna Costaras Gail LissYour step-by-step comprehensive guide to organize every step of the college application process from college search through college admission.College admissions is tougher than ever. With standardized test taking and school visits, the college application essay to write and forms to fill out, there is so much to do. Applying to college is intimidating and overwhelming for both teenagers and parents.The challenge is to be well informed, prepared, focused and organized throughout the multi-step college search and admission process. Your solution is The College Bound Organizer, the ultimate guide to help students effectively navigate this very complicated and stressful process.The College Bound Organizer helps students: Understand what admission officers are looking for in an applicant Prevent common mistakes students make on their applications Build a personal profile Plan an individualized testing schedule Research colleges to identify schools that are a good fit Develop a balanced list of schools Secure letters of recommendation Complete and submit applications accurately and on time Develop the college application essay Apply for financial aid and scholarships Ace interviews Sort and manage application results Make a final decision“Planning ahead and ‘getting there first’ can do more than help students get into a good college—it can provide them with life skills, a solid education, and lifelong friends.” —Business Insider“Using The College Bound Organizer is one way to help you stay focused on what is really important.” —Edward B. Fiske, bestselling author of Fiske Guide to Colleges
The Best American Essays 2012 (The Best American Series)
by Alan Lightman Lauren Slater Malcolm Gladwell Mark Doty Jonathan Franzen Francine Prose Benjamin Anastas Sandra Tsing LohNonfiction from Malcolm Gladwell, Francine Prose, Jonathan Franzen, and more: &“There is not a dud in the bunch. [An] exhilarating collection.&” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) Whether a personal reflection on a wife&’s decline from Alzheimer&’s, a critique of the overdiagnosis of mood disorders, a lighthearted look at menopause, a friend&’s commentary on David Foster Wallace&’s heartbreaking suicide, or a memoir of teaching underprivileged children, this collection highlights the best essays of the year with contributions from: Benjamin Anastas • Marcia Angell • Miah Arnold • Geoffrey Bent • Robert Boyers • Dudley Clendinen • Paul Collins • Mark Doty • Mark Edmundson • Joseph Epstein • Jonathan Franzen • Malcolm Gladwell • Peter Hessler • Ewa Hryniewicz-Yarbrough • Garret Keizer • David J. Lawless • Alan Lightman • Sandra Tsing Loh • Ken Murray • Francine Prose • Richard Sennett • Lauren Slater • Jose Antonio Vargas • Wesley Yang &“A trove of fine writing on big issues.&” —Kirkus Reviews
The House of War and Witness
by Mike Carey Linda Carey Louise Carey&“A fantastical ghost story and a suspenseful military mystery . . . A daringly original fantasy novel&” from the acclaimed authors of The Steel Seraglio (Publishers Weekly, starred review). In 1740, an Austrian infantry company more than two hundred strong arrives at the Prussian border. Their orders: to defend the town of Narutsin when war—inevitably—breaks out. But they don&’t get the warm welcome they&’re expecting. If anything, the locals seem strangely secretive, and the soldiers who previously garrisoned in the village have disappeared. Fearing the villagers may be consorting with the enemy, the commander orders his prim young lieutenant Klaes to investigate . . . On the outskirts of town, in a dilapidated manor known as Pokoj, the road-weary soldiers make their home for the winter. Accompanying them is Drozde, a camp follower and entertainer who possesses a very special talent: she can see and communicate with the dead. She&’s the only one who knows that the crumbling mansion is far from empty. It&’s teeming with ghosts—and they know her. Each spirit tells Drozde how they became a part of Pokoj&’s sprawling history, hinting at its future as well as its past. As she listens to their tales, it becomes apparent that the story of the manor hasn&’t yet ended—and that she and Klaes have their own parts to play in the horror that is to come . . . &“All of the characters come alive on the pages—even the ghosts. . . . A compelling, accomplished novel.&” —Strange Horizons &“Delightfully odd . . . Subtle horror and extra special creepiness . . . A fine example of what the Careys are capable of.&” —Starburst
Big Embroidery: 20 Crewel Embroidery Designs to Stitch with Wool
by Nancy NicholsonStash-busting embroidery projects for home décor, clothes, and accessories with folk art-inspired designs, by author of Modern Folk Embroidery.Big Embroidery is all about stitching beautiful designs up fast using yarn instead of embroidery thread. Designer Nancy Nicholson has created a collection of stunning designs based on traditional crewel work, and adapted them for a modern audience using everyday yarn. Crewel embroidery is traditionally done using two-ply wool and stitched onto linen. Nancy shows how to get beautiful results using different types of yarn and fabric, including upholstery fabrics, woolens, and tweeds, to create a collection of stunning quick-to-stitch projects. Choose from home decor items such as cushions, bags, wall hangings and table runners, as well as ideas for embellishing clothing. Nancy shows readers how to do all the key embroidery stitches with a stitch library featuring easy-to-follow diagrams of all the basic crewel embroidery stitches in detail.
Snow
by Ronald Malfi&“Some &‘old school&’ horror storytelling of the highest degree&” from the award-winning author of Bone White (Bloody Disgusting). They come in with the snow. They are the snow . . . The blizzard begins pummeling the Midwest on Christmas Eve, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at Chicago&’s O&’Hare International Airport. Todd Curry doesn&’t need another reason to disappoint his son, so he joins three other people in renting the last four-wheel drive available and they set out into the blinding snow. Only two hours into the treacherous trip west, Todd swerves to avoid a man in the middle of the highway. The stranger claims his daughter is lost somewhere out in the snow. Though his odd demeanor and ripped clothes make Todd and his group uneasy, they agree to take the man to the nearest town—if the now-damaged car can make it. What awaits them at the next exit, however, is nothing they could have imagined. Around an empty town square, fires burn, cars are abandoned, storefronts are smashed. And there is no one to be seen—for now . . . But soon the shadows lurking on the edges of their vision will step into the light, and Todd and his fellow travelers will find themselves facing a sharp-scythed evil shaped from the snow, tearing its way into human form—and taking the neighborhood by storm. &“Malfi&’s descriptive writing captures the cold and desperate scene in a way that will lure new fans to the genre.&” —Las Vegas Review-Journal &“An impressively atmospheric novel with a wicked streak.&” —Dread Central
Skeleton Key: A Xanth Novel (The Xanth Novels #44)
by Piers AnthonyThere&’s no dancing around a demonic threat in the fantasy world of Xanth in the New York Times–bestselling series. Squid, the alien cuttlefish, is getting an upgrade: a boost to her shape-changing talent so she can lead a mission against a foreign Demon who&’s stirring up trouble in Xanth. At Squid&’s side are her rescued siblings and one very special child—Larry, a girl in a boy&’s body, who will act as a secret host for their adoptive mother, the Demoness Fornax. Aboard the Fire Boat, they form a plan to disguise themselves as a traveling dance troupe. Each child is paired up with a native Xanthian. But it&’s the friendship that blossoms between Squid and Larry that will power their quest, and they&’ll have to do some fancy footwork to avoid the trials and tribulations that await them.
The Secrets to Creating Amazing Photos: 83 Composition Tools from the Masters
by Marc Silber&“This friendly book leads us clearly and gracefully from the basics to advanced techniques in photography composition . . . highly recommended.&” —Brian Taylor, executive director, Center for Photographic Arts There&’s a common misconception that composition is mysterious and that only certain people have that natural gift for the techniques involved. The truth is that composition involves a set of skills that you can master. Just as you can use cookbook recipes to make your favorite meal—you don&’t have to be a famous French chef—you also can take amazing photos by just following a recipe! Marc Silber has spent years studying the works of masters and interviewing some of the biggest names in photography. The Secrets to Creating Amazing Photos puts at your fingertips ideas for improving your skills by giving you easy-to-follow &“recipes&” that will improve your photography right now! Composition is one of the biggest keys to creating photos that others will love. No matter what kind of camera or smartphone you&’re using, you can take your photography to the next level and beyond by learning composition tools and secrets known to the masters of the art. With this handy guide, you can flip to the look you want on the spot and follow the recipe for creating an image that inspires you. Use it when you&’re out photographing to get new ideas and inspiration. &“Buy it, read it and then apply what you have learnt from this superb new book . . . This is a complete must-have, a veritable cornucopia of wisdom gained over decades of experience.&” —Gray Levett, editor of Nikon Owner magazine
Power Your Life With the Positive: Life Lessons and Secrets for Success from Luminaries and Everyday Heroes
by Cyrus WebbReal-life people share their inspiring, true stories of life-altering success that prove the power of positivity, even when things are at their lowest.Drawing on his relationships with industry insiders and those in front of and behind the camera in the entertainment industry, author Cyrus Webb has compiled a compendium of encouragement. Power Your Life with the Positive is filled with stories of amazing life turnarounds from real people proves the importance of optimism in an often-negative world. As one of the world’s most positive people, Cyrus Webb is perfectly suited to remind readers that it is possible to find the silver lining in every cloud through the advice and insights in this book. Power Your Life with the Positive is pure inspiration that will lift hearts, open minds, and create a movement of pass-it-on positivity and happiness. In these times of economic uncertainty, civic strife and political turmoil, it more important than ever to offer people hope and ideas on how to believe that the best is yet to come.The notables featured in Webb’s book faced their own fears, believed enough in their goals and dreams to pursue them and reaped rewards by sticking to their guns and not allowing their own doubts and those of others to stop them, including: supermodel Tess Holliday, Grammy award-winning singer and actress Stephanie Mills, Prison Break creator Paul T. Scheuring, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Reading Rainbow’s LeVar Burton, as well as recording artist Keith Sweat, The Walking Dead’s Jeryl, actress Antonique Smith, The Dukes of Hazzard actor John Schneider, actor Dan Bucatinsky of Scandal and 24, bestselling authors Mary Higgins Clark and Wally Lamb, American Idol’s Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks, artist Aubrey O’Day, and many more.
Coincidence or Destiny?: Stories of Synchoronicity That Illuminate Our Lives
by Phil Cousineau“A delightful reflection of our communal experience of moments that defy rational explanation” from the bestselling author and award-winning filmmaker (NAPRA ReView).The pricking anticipation of a phone call seconds before ringing, the premonition dream of birth exactly nine months before, the chance meeting that opens a new career path, the eerie realization of a loved one’s death half a world away . . . From Jung to Einstein, across boundaries of culture and time, people have recognized the potential for synchronicity to reveal a hidden order to seeming random events, and to offer a glimpse of one’s destiny.In Coincidence or Destiny? bestselling author Phil Cousineau shares more than eighty stories of coincidence, some simple, and some so extraordinary they challenge our belief system. Coincidence or Destiny? threads together what the author calls “sly winks of fate” from ordinary individuals around the world, to well-known scholars such as Larry Dossey and Huston Smith to famous movies such as Casablanca, each story demonstrates how meaningful coincidences can profoundly change and guide people’s lives.“Many things happen to us in life that are fraught with meaning. Amazing coincidences that become turning points in the road. Happenstance events that suddenly become pieces of the puzzle of our lives. Put them together, and you may find an answer to why things are the way they are. [Coincidence or Destiny?] is a wonderful collection of such times.” —Gannett News Service
Double Jinx: Poems
by Nancy Reddy“Dark narratives about femininity . . . Reddy channels the vibe and energy of Plath and Sexton, but it’s her arresting language that’s the real draw here.” —Publishers WeeklyDouble Jinx follows the multiple transformations—both figurative and literal—that accompany adolescence and adulthood, particularly for young women. Drawing inspiration from sources as varied as Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the rewritten fairy tales in Anne Sexton’s Transformations, and the wild and shifting dreamscapes of Brigit Pegeen Kelly’s work, these poems track speakers attempting to construct identity.A series of poems depict the character of Nancy Drew as she delves into an obsession with a doppelgänger. Cinderella wakes up to a pumpkin and a tattered dress after her prince grows tired of her. A young girl obsessed with fairy tales becomes fascinated with a copy of Grey’s Anatomy in which she finds a “pink girl pinned to the page as if in vivisection. Could she / be pink inside like that? No decent girl / would go around the world like that, uncooked.”The collection culminates in an understanding of the ways we construct ourselves, whether it be by way of imitation, performance, and/or transformation. And it looks forward as well, for in coming to understand our identities as essentially malleable, we are liberated. Or as the author writes, “we’ll be our own gods now.”“Exquisitely crafted poems . . . an exploration of woman’s manifold selves.” —Rebecca Dunham, author of Cold Pastoral
Love
by Elizabeth von ArnimRomance between a middle-aged widow and a younger man scandalizes 1920s London society in this classic novel by the author of The Enchanted April.Although they thoroughly enjoy watching performances of The Immortal Hour, it is no longer the sole reason Catherine and Christopher continue returning to the theater in King&’s Cross. On Catherine&’s ninth visit, and Christopher&’s thirty-sixth, the two theater lovers finally strike up a conversation, and sparks begin to fly. Christopher is infatuated with Catherine and is relieved to discover that her marriage has dissipated. While Catherine appreciates the attention from the handsome, flame-haired gentleman, there is one complication: she is forty-seven years old, and Christopher is twenty-five. But she cannot resist his charms. Soon their public relationship will shock everyone, including Catherine&’s daughter and son-in-law—who is not much older than Catherine!
Shadowfane (The Cycle of Fire #3)
by Janny Wurts&“An action-packed and exciting finale&” to the classic science fiction/fantasy trilogy from the acclaimed author of Stormwarden and Keeper of the Keys (Fantasy Literature). Jaric, the Firelord&’s heir, has narrowly survived repeated attacks by the demons—psionically endowed beings—and evaded their attempts to enslave him. Now, on the Isle of Vaere, he trains for his final ordeal: mastery of the Cycle of Fire challenge that broke his father&’s sanity. In the dark court of Scait, Demon Lord of Shadowfane, a vicious adversary arises to a tainted destiny. Emien retains the shape of a man, but his warped snarl of hatred and passion are controlled by a ruthless master. He is recruited to seek out human children who possess latent talent for sorcery and suborn them to further Scait&’s conquest,. With Jaric&’s fate uncertain, Emien&’s own sister, Taen Dreamweaver, must stand on her own to defend humanity, unaware that the victims she spares are the innocent bait to lure her into the malignant thrall of Shadowfane&’s overlords. Praise for Janny Wurts &“Like the best of J.R.R. Tolkien, Ms. Wurts&’s worlds are bursting with the primal force, brimming with unforgettable characters, infused with magic both dark and glorious.&” —Eric Van Lustbader &“A gifted creator of wonders.&” —Raymond E. Feist &“Janny Wurts brings an artist&’s eye for detail and mood to the field of fantasy writing.&” —Robert Lynn Asprin
In Pursuit of Garlic: An Intimate Look at the Divinely Odorous Bulb
by Liz PrimeauThe author of Front Yard Gardens celebrates the joy of garlic—from its culinary history to advice on growing and cooking with the indispensable ingredient. Liz Primeau&’s love affair with garlic began when her teenaged boyfriend took her to an Italian restaurant for spaghetti served with heavenly garlic-laced meatballs, a sublime escape from the bland English dinners she was used to at home. Here, Primeau celebrates that culinary love, discussing garlic's central place in her kitchen and garden, as well as its role in history, art, medicine, and science. Primeau shares the pleasing ritual of beginning each dinner she cooks by chopping garlic, the secret of removing garlic's tight jacket with a confident smack of a knife, as well as her favorite garlic-centered recipes. Primeau also discusses the many varieties of garlic and gives invaluable tips for growing your own. She visits garlic fairs, where she tries to track down France's elusive L'ail Rose, and she explores the issue of cheap Chinese garlic, which has invaded the North American market to the exclusion of local varieties."Packed with fascinating facts, practical advice on growing, curing and storage, recipes and personal stories.&” —Winnipeg Free Press
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2011: The Best American Series (The Best American Series)
by Mary RoachThe New York Times–bestselling author of Packing for Mars presents fascinating essays by Jonathan Lethem, Jaron Lanier, Malcom Gladwell and others.Good science writing, as Mary Roach explains in her introduction, is a cure for ignorance and fallacy. But great science writing adds honey—in the form of engaging characters, stories, and wit—to make the medicine go down. This anthology reveals the essential humanity in our endless quest for knowledge and understanding.From a study of avian mating habits with unintended political implications to a sober exploration of the panic surrounding artificial intelligence, The Best Science and Nature Writing 2011 offers food for thought in a variety of flavors.The Best Science and Nature Writing 2011 includes entries by Deborah Blum, Burkhard Bilger, Ian Frazier, David H. Freedman, Atul Gawande, Stephen Hawking, Christopher Ketcham, Jill Sisson Quinn, Oliver Sachs, and others.
From Pugwash to Putin: A Critical History of US-Soviet Scientific Cooperation
by Gerson S SherThese firsthand accounts of US and Soviet scientists communicating across the Iron Curtain offer &“a stunning portrait of Cold War scientific cooperation&” (Physics Today). For sixty years, scientists from the United States and the Soviet Union participated in state-organized programs of collaboration. But what really happened in these programs? What did the participants and governments hope to achieve? And how did these programs weather the bumpiest years of political turbulence? From Pugwash to Putin provides accounts from sixty-three insiders who participated in these programs, including interviews with scientists, program managers, and current or former government officials. In their own words, these participants discuss how and why they engaged in cooperative science, what their initial expectations were, and what lessons they learned. They tell stories of gravitational waves, classified chalkboards, phantom scientists, AIDS propaganda, and gunfire at meteorological stations, illustrating the tensions and benefits of this collaborative work. From the first scientific exchanges of the Cold War through the years following the fall of the Soviet Union, Gerson S. Sher provides a sweeping and critical history of what happens when science is used as a foreign policy tool. Sher, a former manager of these cooperative programs, provides a detailed and critical assessment of what worked, what didn&’t, and why it matters.
"Right Makes Might": Proverbs and the American Worldview
by Wolfgang Mieder“A powerful and timely addition to the literature of rhetoric and folklore.” —ChoiceIn 1860, Abraham Lincoln employed the proverb Right makes might—opposite of the more aggressive Might makes right—in his famed Cooper Union address. While Lincoln did not originate the proverb, his use of it in this critical speech indicates that the fourteenth century phrase had taken on new ethical and democratic connotations in the nineteenth century. In this collection, famed scholar of proverbs Wolfgang Mieder explores the multifaceted use and function of proverbs through the history of the United States, from their early beginnings up through their use by such modern-day politicians as Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Bernie Sanders. Building on previous publications and unpublished research, Mieder explores sociopolitical aspects of the American worldview as expressed through the use of proverbs in politics, women’s rights, and the civil rights movement—and by looking at the use of proverbial phrases, Mieder demonstrates how one traditional phrase can take on numerous expressive roles over time, and how they continue to play a key role in our contemporary moment.
Chaplain Turner's War: Life And Faith On The Frontlines With The U. S. Army In Iraq
by Moni BasuAn award-winning journalist portrays life and faith on the frontlines of the Iraq War through the experience of a US Army chaplain. The US mission in Iraq ended Dec. 18, 2011, as the last American soldiers climbed into trucks and headed south through the desert towards Kuwait. Nearly 4,500 American troops died in the Iraq war. More than 30,000 others were physically wounded. Countless others live with scars that can&’t be seen. While medics and doctors heal the physical scars of the wounded, the military employs a select few to heal the hearts, minds, and souls of soldiers—all of whom are changed forever by war. In January 2008, Atlanta Journal-Constitution international reporter Moni Basu began documenting life at war and at home with Darren Turner, a chaplain in the US Army. Chaplain Turner served as the emotional support system of U.S. soldiers more accustomed to toughing it out than opening up. For the first time ever, the entire series of Ms. Basu&’s articles on Chaplain Turner have been collected into one book. There have been few looks into one of this nation&’s most controversial wars that have been as honest, heartbreaking, and inspiring as Chaplain Turner&’s War. The experiences of the young men and women Chaplain Turner served speak with a clarity and force that is relatable to readers of any religion and of any opinion about the Iraq War. It is a story of people&’s lives who are so often taken for granted as steely warriors, and so rarely appreciated as heroes returning home with a lifetime of emotional weight.
October Suite: A Novel (African American Ser.)
by Maxine ClairThe debut novel by the author of Rattlebone. &“Told in a melody all its own, this story touches many lovely and unexpected notes.&” —Elizabeth Strout, #1 New York Times bestselling author It is 1950 and October Brown is a twenty-three-year-old first-year teacher thanking her lucky stars that she found a room in the best boardinghouse for Negro women teachers in Wyandotte County, Kansas. During an affair with an unhappily married handyman, October becomes pregnant. With job in jeopardy and her reputation in tatters, October goes back to Ohio to be with her family: her older sister, Vergie, and her aunts who raised the sisters after their mother was killed by their father. After giving birth, she gives the child to Vergie and her husband to raise as their own, then returns to Kansas City to rebuild her life. But something is missing—and, apparently too late, October realizes what she has done . . . The Midwest, the flourishing of modern jazz, and the culture of segregation form a compelling historical backdrop for this timeless and universal tale of one person&’s battle to understand and master her own desires, and to embrace the responsibilities and promise of mature adulthood. In October Suite, Clair &“has skillfully brought lyricism and word-play to her first novel, a family saga filled with secrets, redemption, and rivalry, as two sisters try to reclaim bonds forged in early childhood tragedy&” (Library Journal). &“Maxine Clair deserves our admiration for this beautifully written and humane novel.&” —The Washington Post &“A beautifully imagined novel that pulses with all the colors and sounds of the lives we live.&” —Marita Golden, author of The Wide Circumference of Love
Swami in a Strange Land: How Krishna Came to the West
by Joshua M. Greene“Master storyteller Joshua Greene reveals the true, thrilling adventure story of Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada, a modern-day spiritual giant.” —Sharon Gannon, author and cofounder of Jivamukti YogaIn 1965, a seventy-year-old man—soon to be known as Prabhupada—set sail from India to America with a few books in his bag, pennies in his pockets, and a message of love in his heart. He landed in New York at the peak of the revolutionary counterculture movement of the ’60s, and went on to spark a global spiritual renaissance that led to the creation of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), which has changed millions of lives. Through the depiction of Prabhupada as both an enlightened luminary and a personable, funny, and conscientious individual, Swami in a Strange Land shows why cultural icons such as George Harrison and Allen Ginsberg incorporated Prabhupada’s teachings into their lives, and why millions more around the globe embarked upon the path of bhakti yoga in his footsteps. Carefully researched, skillfully crafted, and extraordinarily intimate, this narrative follows Prabhupada as he rises from an anonymous monk to a world-renowned spiritual leader. Set in locations as far ranging as remote Himalayan caves and the gilded corridors of Paris’s City Hall, Swami in a Strange Land traces the rise of Eastern spirituality in the West—and in particular, the rise of yoga culture and vegetarianism and the concepts of karma and reincarnation. A remarkable journey into the deepest dimensions of the human experience, Swami in a Strange Land shows how one man with a dream can change the world.“[A] story of timeless love.” —Radhanath Swami, author of The Journey Home
Every Garden Is a Story: Stories, Crafts, and Comforts (Gardening Ser.)
by Susannah SetonA cornucopia of gardening tips, recipes, crafts, gift ideas, stories, and more from the author of Simple Pleasure of the Kitchen. &“May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers,&” reads author Susannah Seton&’s garden plaque, and in Every Garden Is a Story, she teaches how to grow your own wildflower meadow and offers advice on how to keep all the fresh cut flowers from the meadow lasting even longer. She reminds us of a whimsical childhood with accounts of Ghost Gardens and the gathering of Fairy Bouquets, and she awakens us gently with the reminder to detoxify your garden and be kind to the giving Earth.Every Garden Is a Story shows us just how much we can learn from our gardens. From Seton&’s stories about her father&’s quest for a seven-headed sweet pea to tales cancer survival to magical portraits of moon gardens, this book takes us on our own journey down the garden path. Each passage offers something special, like details on how to care for ourselves and our loved ones by caring for our Earth, plus tips, recipes, crafts, and ideas for gifts that keep giving back. There&’s even an extensive resource section of garden centers, online seed catalogs, and recommended reading!
Simple Pleasures of the Home: Comforts and Crafts for Living Well (Simple Pleasures Series)
by Susannah SetonA room-by-room guide to creating domestic bliss.Home—it’s the place where we can let down our hair, loosen our clothes, put our feet up. It’s where those we love most share in the ordinariness and extraordinariness of our days. It’s where many of us spend lifetimes trying to get back to. As the proverb goes, it’s where our hearts are.Simple Pleasures of the Home is for everyone who has the nesting impulse—from passionate and accomplished home decorators to anyone who simply enjoys domestic downtime. Organized room by room, the book includes dozens of:Simple activities for bringing the family togetherCreative ideas for pampering yourself and loved onesEasy-to-follow instructions for making aromatherapy productsTips for candlemakingComfort-food recipes, and more
Hebrew Gothic: History and the Poetics of Persecution (Jewish Literature And Culture Ser.)
by Karen Grumberg&“Makes a persuasive argument&” that gothic ideas &“play a vital role in how Hebrew writers have confronted history, culture, and politics.&” —Robert Alter, author of Hebrew and Modernity Sinister tales written since the early twentieth century by the foremost Hebrew authors, including S.Y. Agnon, Leah Goldberg, and Amos Oz, reveal a darkness at the foundation of Hebrew culture. The ghosts of a murdered Talmud scholar and his kidnapped bride rise from their graves for a nocturnal dance of death; a girl hidden by a count in a secret chamber of an Eastern European castle emerges to find that, unbeknownst to her, World War II ended years earlier; a man recounts the act of incest that would shape a trajectory of personal and national history. Reading these works together with central British and American gothic texts, Karen Grumberg illustrates that modern Hebrew literature has regularly appropriated key gothic ideas to help conceptualize the Jewish relationship to the past and, more broadly, to time. She explores why these authors were drawn to the gothic, originally a European mode associated with antisemitism, and how they use it to challenge assumptions about power and powerlessness, vulnerability and violence, and to shape modern Hebrew culture. Grumberg provides an original perspective on Hebrew literary engagement with history and sheds new light on the tensions that continue to characterize contemporary Israeli cultural and political rhetoric.
The Book Class
by Louis AuchinclossThe author of Exit Lady Masham explores the lives of twelve members of a high society ladies’ book club in New York over the course of sixty years.“If I have a bias it is in my suspicion that women are intellectually and intuitively superior to men,” writes Christopher Gates, the narrator of this book. “But,” he adds, “I certainly never thought they were “nicer.” And I very much doubt that anyone could think so who was raised, as I was, in a society in which the female had so many more privileges than the male.” Thus, he describes the twelve women who—as debutantes— instituted his mother’s “book class” in 1908 and met every month for over sixty years to discuss a selected title, old or new.During their lifetimes, these women did not have any real political or economic clout comparable to that of the men of their day. Only Adeline Bloodgood had ever held a regular job, and only Polly Travers, as a State Assemblywoman, ever played a formal role in politics. For Georgia Bristed, “the hostess had largely consumed the woman,” and Leila Lee was “a beauty in a day when simply being beautiful was considered an adequate occupation.”Although most of them were surrounded by a staff of servants and had no discernible responsibilities, these women still lived with serious intent backed by a considerable and undeniable power that in no way derived from “the snares and lures of womanly wiles.” Within the protected discipline of their surroundings, their lives were filled with drama and challenge—moments of passion, of betrayal and loyalty, of sweet revenge and joyless conquest, of irony and illumination . . .
Pride and Joy: LGBTQ Artists, Icons and Everyday Heroes
by Kathleen ArchambeauA collection sharing stories of success, happiness, and inspiration from the LGBTQ+ community.In Pride and Joy, award-winning writer and longtime LGBTQ+ activist Kathleen Archambeau tells the untold stories from diverse queer voices around the world. Not like the depressing, sinister, shadowy stories of the past, this book highlights queer people living open, happy, fulfilling, and successful lives.Inside, learn why Tony Kushner quit cello and how Colm Toibin found his voice, why Emma Donoghue calls her experience a fluke and the best advice Bill T. Jones got was from his mother, and also how being an inaugural poet changed Richard Blanco’s life and how Ugandan activist “LongJones” escaped death threats and gained asylum.But you will also see other stories, like the bravery of a Uruguayan author who was rejected by her immediate family even as she began a family of her own. Be inspired by the audacity to fight for justice that motivates National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director Kate Kendell, a Mormon who grew up in Utah. Learn how two couples transcend time and distance to finally be together and how one NBA sports executive summoned the courage to come out. Discover the message of love from the first openly lesbian United Methodist Church Bishop. Learn the secrets of a successful, out IBM executive based in London and the rewards of Ballroom Basix founder in Harlem. See how the Maori philosophy of whanau guided the MP who won marriage rights in New Zealand and how high expectations overcame disability and bullying for an acclaimed mezzo-soprano. Meet the professional violinist and composer impacted by family tensions and the Armenian Genocide. Read about the ballroom dancers and Hungarian activists on neo-Nazi “hit lists.”Pride & Joy shows why there is hope it gets better for everyone in the queer community, including:The transgender choreographer and dancer who continues to break rules and enlighten audiencesThe Dutch singer, songwriter and independent theater producer who breaks down stereotypesThe founder of an award-winning smoking cessation programThe California political director of the Obama re-election campaignThe Russian émigré award-winning computer scientist and the Chinese folk dancer