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A Haunted History of Denver's Croke-Patterson Mansion (Haunted America)
by Jordan Alexander Leggett Ann Alexander LeggettStep into this nineteenth-century Colorado landmark and discover its paranormal history . . . Photos included! An ominous air hangs about Capitol Hill&’s historic Croke-Patterson Mansion. Rumors of spirits and strange events have cast a shadow across its elegant Gilded Age facade. The lonely halls are haunted with stories of a doctor&’s wife who committed suicide and the ghostly figure of a young woman who appears to visitors. Tenants of the building have also claimed to hear the cries of children, and dark specters in the basement prevent even the hardiest souls from staying for too long. In this fascinating book, authors Ann Alexander Leggett and Jordan Alexander Leggett explore the mysteries that have plagued this Denver mansion for over a century.
Ghosts of Plymouth, Massachusetts (Haunted America)
by Darcy H. LeeCenturies of horror and hauntings: An award-winning look at the dark history of the town where the Pilgrims landed. Includes photos! Plymouth is known worldwide as &“America&’s Hometown,&” landing place of the Pilgrims in 1620 and home of the first Thanksgiving. But the real story of the town is a tale of grim beginnings, plague, desperation, massacre, murder, and fear. A ghostly Victorian couple is known to wander Burial Hill. A shocking crime on Leyden Street, one of the oldest streets in America, still haunts the area. The crew of the brigantine General Arnold, trapped offshore during an icy eighteenth-century blizzard, are suspected to haunt not one but three locations. In this fascinating tour of the New England landmark, Darcy H. Lee exposes the haunting acts that lie beneath Plymouth&’s cherished history. Silver Medal, 2018 Independent Publisher Award for Regional Non-Fiction E-BookFinalist, 2018 Eric Hoffer Book AwardFinalist, 2018 International Book Awards History: General Category
Murder and Mystery in Atlanta (Murder And Mayhem Ser.)
by Corinna UnderwoodThe shocking story of the turn-of-the-century Atlanta Ripper and six other notorious cases from the dark side of Georgia&’s capital city. Throughout 1911, Georgia&’s Gate City was terrorized by a serial killer whose gruesome murders mirrored those of London&’s Jack the Ripper. Only Atlanta&’s Ripper claimed nearly three times as many victims—African American servant girls who, week by week, fell prey to the mysterious slasher. Like Jack, he was never found. His killing spree was just one in a century of appalling Atlanta crimes that would make national headlines. This chilling volume also includes the story of thirteen-year-old factory worker Mary Phagan, whose brutal slaying led to one of the most infamous trials in Georgia history. Journalist Corinna Underwood also explores the facts behind what came to be known as the Atlanta Child Murders and the conviction of perpetrator Wayne Williams; as well as the inexplicable vanishing of newlywed, Mary Shotwell Little. Still being investigated after forty years, the case of the &“disappearing bride&” haunts Atlanta to this day.
Materially Crafted: A DIY Primer for the Design-Obsessed
by Victoria Hudgins&“Perfect for anyone embracing their crafty side for the first time (or those who just want to keep developing their design chops)&” (HGTV). Design enthusiasts are bombarded with beautiful inspiration at every turn, but many lack the foundation necessary to recreate their dream projects. In Materially Crafted, Victoria Hudgins, creator of the popular design blog A Subtle Revelry, uncovers the best and least intimidating ways to work with the most popular crafting materials—from spray paint and concrete to thread, wax, and paper—and presents more than thirty easy projects to get everyone started. Peppered with Hudgins&’s tips for &“merrymaking the everyday&” (using simple DIY ideas to live life more joyfully) plus inspirational photos of projects created by other prominent bloggers, Materially Crafted is an indispensable guide for a new generation of design enthusiasts looking to DIY their own distinctive style. &“Her book focuses on materials and great ways (including 30 main projects) to transform them into something special.&” —Design*Sponge
Haunted Burlington: Spirits of Vermont's Queen City (Haunted America)
by Thea Lewis&“[Burlington&’s] Ghost Guru . . . is responsible for keeping alive those things that are dead but still floating around, sometimes quite literally&” (Ravenous Monster). The vibrant city of Burlington is a perpetual hub of activity, with hordes of shoppers strolling up and down Church Street and groups of college students scattered about the lawns of UVM. Stop and listen to the stories of Queen City Ghostwalk guide Thea Lewis, and discover the ghostly shapes and spirits that appear among the throngs of the city&’s living. Meet the mischievous poltergeist who haunts Converse Hall and the ghost of the Flynn Theater. Take a peek at peculiar happenings at the Firehouse Center or the old Howard Opera House. Lewis delivers plenty of chills with a strong dose of history and a pinch of humor. &“For Lewis, a gifted storyteller, a good story makes a haunted place all the more compelling.&” —Happy Vermont Includes photos!
Fox Cities Murder & Mayhem (Murder And Mayhem Ser.)
by Gavin SchmittWind through the criminal history of the cities along northeast Wisconsin&’s Fox River with the author of Milwaukee Mafia as your guide. The safe and sedate Fox Cities have seen their share of horrible crimes. Coldblooded murder, kidnapping, prostitution, organized crime and other misdeeds shocked and appalled not just the community but the entire state. Murderer Porter Ross tried to commit suicide by eating bedsprings. Wenzel Kabat mutilated and burned a man in order to take over his farm. The Appleton Butcher left dismembered human remains on a playground for children to find. In this volume, crime writer and leading expert on the Milwaukee Mafia Gavin Schmitt turns his magnifying glass on small-town America. Includes photos!
Haunted Plantations: Ghosts of Slavery and Legends of the Cotton Kingdoms
by Geordie BuxtonChilling stories of the antebellum era, ranging from Savannah, Georgia to the Carolina coast, with photos included. Members of a shackled West African tribe drag themselves off a slave ship while singing, drowning in a Georgia creek to avoid being sold. Mysterious letters from a long-ruined church near Mepkin Abbey solicit a man to join the faith. A French teacher disappears from a school after marking final exams in blood. An Egyptian mummy triggers a heart attack in a city museum. These stories and more are wrenched from the gravest parts of America&’s past—real lives of people on plantations from Savannah to Charleston and the coast of the Carolinas. Richly illustrated with both historic and contemporary images, most deal with the hub of the East Coast slave trade, Charleston, South Carolina. Sifting through folklore, legends, and emotionally raw history, these stories relate encounters with the supernatural—and reminds us that what actually happened here doesn&’t always need a ghost to be disquieting.
Murder & Mayhem in St. Lawrence County (Murder And Mayhem Ser.)
by Cheri L. Farnsworth&“Contains twelve intriguing stories, true murder cases from New York&’s North Country . . . Illuminates the dark side of northern New York&’s early days (Murder By Gaslight). St. Lawrence County is known for its picturesque waters and pristine seasons. But underneath this fair facade lies a sordid past, rife with tales of killings and cunning, like the man who slashed his wife to death after instructing a constable to close the door and depart; a robbery that descended into the brutal axing of a mother and her two small children; the unsolved case of a young woman bludgeoned to death on school grounds in an upscale neighborhood; and the gruesome poisoning of one man at the hands of his son, his wife and her lover. Join author Cheri Farnsworth as she investigates these and other notorious cases of murder and mayhem in New York&’s North Country. Includes photos!
Haunted Lake Tahoe (Haunted America)
by Janice OberdingAlong the California-Nevada border lies a beautiful tourist spot—with a history of hauntings. Photos included! Locals say the ghosts of the Donner Party haunt their doomed campsite in the Sierras. Wealthy recluse George Whittell is said to have never left his beloved Thunderbird Lodge, though he died in 1969. The ghosts of Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and members of the Rat Pack are thought to gallivant in the showroom and cabins of the Cal Neva Lodge, a popular celebrity retreat. Prisoners from the past may remain in the old Truckee Jail, and the restless spirit of a murdered showgirl might linger in the Tahoe Biltmore. Travel back to Tahoe&’s golden age and explore the spot where glamour meets ghoul . . .
Unsolved Murders & Disappearances in Northeast Ohio (Murder And Mayhem Ser.)
by Jane Ann TurzilloThe Agatha Award–nominated account of Northeast Ohio&’s most chilling unsolved crimes from the author of Wicked Women of Ohio. Cold case files litter the desks of authorities all across Northeast Ohio. Louise Wolf and Mabel Foote, Parma teachers, were on their way to school one winter morning when a maniac sprang from the bushes and bludgeoned them to death. When young Melvin Horst went missing on his way home from playing with friends in 1928, many thought he was kidnapped or accidentally killed by a bootlegger&’s car. Charles Collins&’s death looked like suicide but was proved otherwise by two preeminent surgeons and has remained a mystery for more than one hundred years. Author Jane Ann Turzillo recounts eight unsolved murders and two chilling disappearances in Northeast Ohio&’s history. Includes photos!
Heaven Came to Me: God Revealed Through Compelling and Convincing True Stores
by Marlene SommerAn inspiring account of God&’s many miraculous interventions in one woman&’s life. When Marlene Sommer was an innocent five-year-old, she suffered devastating abuse at the hands of a minister. As a consequence, her entire childhood was haunted by nightmares of this traumatic event. But God came to the rescue that fateful day by comforting her with His loving presence, the first of many astonishing physical contacts with God throughout her life. This remarkable collection of events will inspire readers with the many miraculous moments Marlene has experienced. Whether she was suffering through a personal loss or comforting a friend, truly improbable circumstances converging at just the right moments will convince you that God does interact with our lives through tangible signs from above. God revealed His presence and love in her most challenging times. These true and astounding life experiences will reaffirm your faith in God, who shows His presence in quiet and reticent manners or in gallant, glorious ways. Heaven Came to Me is a book about an ordinary person who has been touched by the extraordinary. Marlene&’s amazing lessons taught her how to endure many daunting struggles and heartbreaking adversities that ultimately brought her to a cherished personal relationship with God. These riveting accounts will give you chills, bring you to tears, make you smile, offer you comfort, and leave you awestruck. Ultimately, Marlene&’s stories affirm that our true purpose in life is to help and to comfort others through their own hardships and sorrows in life. In the process, Heaven Came to Me may persuade those who doubt the existence of God—and delight those who already believe.
Nashville Eats: Hot Chicken, Buttermilk Biscuits, and 100 More Southern Recipes from Music City
by Jennifer Justus&“Perfectly captures the spirit of Music City . . . An incredible collection of recipes that makes you want to spend as much time as possible in Nashville&” (Sean Brock, chef and author of Heritage). If it seems like Nashville is everywhere these days—that&’s because it is. GQ recently declared it &“Nowville,&” and it has become the music hotspot for both country and rock. But as hot as the music scene is, the food scene is even hotter. In Nashville Eats, more than one hundred mouthwatering recipes reveal why food lovers are headed south for Nashville&’s hot chicken, buttermilk biscuits, pulled pork sandwiches, cornmeal-crusted catfish, chowchow, fried green tomatoes, and chess pie. Author Jennifer Justus whips up the classics—such as pimento cheese and fried chicken—but also includes dishes with a twist on traditional Southern fare—such as Curried Black Chickpeas or Catfish Tacos. And alongside the recipes, Jennifer shares her stories of Nashville—the people, music, history, and food that make it so special. &“A love letter to the working-class cooking of Nashville . . . Nashville Eats by Jennifer Justus is a well-honed cultural passkey to one of America&’s great culinary cities.&” —John T. Edge, coeditor, The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook
Choosing the Right Thing to Do: In Life, at Work, in Relationships, and for the Planet
by David A. ShapiroWe all want to do the right thing. But determining the right thing to do isn't always easy. Everytime we pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV, someone tells us how we ought to behave. Rarely, however, do we get much assistance in deciding what to do for ourselves. Meanwhile, technological developments and rapid social changes make the right decisions-especially about the BIG issues-life, death, sex, justice, and so on-harder and harder to identify.Choosing the Right Thing to Do responds to the growing need that people of all ages have for moral guidance-without moralizing. It contains a rich palette of principles and strategies, stories and examples, ideas and insights that offer real-world help for intelligently addressing the often quite troubling choices we face every day in our personal relationships, jobs, and lifestyles.
Be the Best Bad Presenter Ever: Break the Rules, Make Mistakes, and Win Them Over
by Karen HoughKaren Hough doesn’t want you to be “perfect.” People fear public speaking because they worry about having to conform to all sorts of handed-down rules that tie them up in knots and put their audiences to sleep. It’s authenticity and passion that win people over, she says, not “polish.” But you can’t be authentic if you’re following guidelines that drain the life and personality out of your presentation. Hough debunks over a dozen myths about presenting to make it more fun and natural for everyone. She explains how practicing in front of a mirror makes you worse, why you should never end with questions, and much more. She includes true stories of people who not only were able to become great presenters by being “bad” but actually came to enjoy it! Like them, by following Karen Hough’s wise and witty advice, you’ll be able to tear up the old rules and embrace and develop your own style. You’ll be freed to be a living, breathing, occasionally clumsy human being whose enthusiasm is powerful and infectious.
Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn: Thieves' World, Tales From The Vulgar Unicorn, And Shadows Of Sanctuary (Thieves' World® #2)
by John Brunner Joe Haldeman Philip José FarmerBelly up to Thieves&’ World®&’s favorite bar for tales told by such fantasy stars as Philip José Farmer, David Drake, Janet Morris, and others. In the second shared-world anthology of the Thieves&’ World® series, we see &“the gods themselves taking a hand in the fight for the hearts, minds and souls of the citizens of Sanctuary&” (Fantasy-Faction). Via contributions from Philip José Farmer, David Drake, Lynn Abbey, A.E. van Vogt, Janet Morris, Andrew J. Offutt, and Robert Lynn Asprin, you&’ll revisit the nefarious characters of Sanctuary, including One-Thumb, the proprietor of the Vulgar Unicorn; Regli, a nobleman; Illyra, the seer; Hanes, the thief; the crime lord, Jubal; and introducing Tempus Thales, the immortal mercenary. &“It&’s the best kind of sequel, the kind which was not meticulously planned from the start, unlike the deliberate megafranchises being created today, which may be plotted out for a decade in advance of the launch. . . . An important book in the series . . . Many elements which will be exploited to huge degree and cast a huge shadow over later pages are introduced here for the first time. . . . In some ways, it provides an anticipatory, even direct, model for the grimdark of the nineties which would follow.&” —World of Antra
Maggie: Her Life Is Perfect Until It Falls Apart...
by Marie MaxwellA &“powerful&” novel about an orphaned sixteen-year-old aspiring singer in 1960s England, from the author of Ruby and Gracie (Booklist). 1962. Confident, bright, and popular, Maggie Wheaton lives with her loving, wealthy parents in a close-knit Cambridgeshire village. But, just days after her sixteenth birthday, her world is destroyed: An accident kills both her parents, and then she suffers the ultimate betrayal when she learns a life-changing family secret. Maggie has no choice but to go and live with her appointed guardian, her mom&’s dear friend Ruby Riordan, in the seaside town of Southend, where she sets out on a deliberate path of self-destruction. Will Ruby be able to save Maggie from herself, or is it all too little too late? &“Maxwell offers powerful testimony to strength, resilience, and what family and love should truly mean.&” —Booklist
The Brotherhood of Freemason Sisters: Gender, Secrecy, and Fraternity in Italian Masonic Lodges
by Lilith MahmudThis &“stupendous ethnography of female Freemasonry in Italy&” reveals the fascinating paradox of elitism and exclusion experienced by &“female brothers&” (Michael Herzfeld, author of Evicted from Eternity). From its cryptic images on the dollar bill to Dan Brown&’s The Lost Symbol, the Freemasons have long been one of the most romanticized secret societies in the world. But a simple fact escapes most depictions of this elite brotherhood: there are also female members. In this groundbreaking ethnography, Lilith Mahmud takes readers inside Masonic lodges of contemporary Italy, where she observes the ritualistic and fraternal bonds forged among Freemason women. Offering a tantalizing look behind lodge doors, The Brotherhood of Freemason Sisters unveils a complex culture of discretion in which Freemasons reveal some truths and hide others. Female initiates—one of Freemasonry&’s best-kept secrets—are often upper class and highly educated, yet avowedly antifeminist. Their self-cultivation through the Masonic path is an effort to embrace the deeply gendered ideals of fraternity. In this lively investigation, Mahmud unravels the contradictions at the heart of Freemasonry: an organization responsible for many of the egalitarian concepts of the Enlightenment and yet one that has always been, and in Italy still remains, extremely exclusive. The result is not only a thrilling look at a surprisingly influential world, but a reevaluation of the modern values we now take for granted
Heirs and Assigns: A New British Country House Murder Mystery Series (The Herbert Reardon Historical Mysteries #3)
by Marjorie EcclesDetective Inspector Herbert Reardon&’s debut mystery &“will delight fans of the TV series Downton Abbey&” (Library Journal, starred review). November, 1928. Family and friends have gathered at the Shropshire country home of Penrose Llewellyn to celebrate the retired wealthy businessman&’s 60th birthday. But the morning after what should have been a convivial supper party, their host is found dead in his bed—and the circumstances look decidedly suspicious. As he questions the victim&’s nearest and dearest, DI Herbert Reardon discovers there are several longstanding secrets lurking amongst the Llewellyn clan—and he is convinced that not everyone is telling him the truth, or at least not the whole truth. Those who stand to inherit most from Pen Llewellyn&’s will—if it can be found—are under the strongest suspicion, and among them hides a ruthless killer. &“Readers will be as keen as the inspector to see how the case develops.&” —Publishers Weekly &“This delightful British country-house mystery features a clever plot, captivating characters, and authentic period detail.&” —Booklist &“Plenty of suspects and unexpected twists.&” —Kirkus Reviews &“Will delight fans of the TV series Downton Abbey and authors Simon Brett and Kate Kingsbury&” —Library Journal (starred review)
I'm Jack
by Mark BlacklockAn &“intelligent, disturbing slice of noir&” that portrays the man who derailed the police investigation into the Yorkshire Ripper (The Guardian). In this provocative novel, Mark Blacklock portrays the true and complex history of John Humble, aka Wearside Jack, the Ripper Hoaxer, a timewaster and criminal, sympathetic and revolting, the man hidden by a wall of words, a fiction-spinner worthy of textual analysis. In this remarkable work, John Humble leads the reader into an allusive, elusive labyrinth of interpretations, simultaneously hoodwinking and revealing. I&’m Jack is a riveting novel about truth, lies, prison and shame. It is also a profound and furious love letter to Sunderland. It is a puzzle, a hoax, a multi-voice portrait and a virtuoso assemblage of textual elements. I&’m Jack announces the arrival of a radically talented and innovative novelist. &“A gripping study in self-invention—and, ultimately, self-erasure.&”—Tom McCarthy, author of the Man Booker Prize finalists, Satin Island and C &“Here are dark telegrams from an expertly realized otherness that is Sunderland. Spare. Swift. Smart. And dangerous. Carrying us through maps of shame to rescue a convincing fiction of the past from its sullen entropy.&”—Iain Sinclair, award-winning author of The Last London &“A chilling debut . . . An audacious exercise in mimicry . . . Its tone is mischievous, with a vein of dark, crafty humor—though the overall effect is somber. Blacklock&’s Humble is impossible to like; yet by the end it is almost impossible not to feel sorry for him.&”—Financial Times &“A deftly executed ventriloquist act, it&’s anchored in the true story of notorious hoaxer John Humble.&”—Observer
What Do Christians Believe?: Belonging and Belief in Modern Christianity (What Do We Believe? Ser.)
by Malcolm GuiteA lucid summary and interpretation of the Christian faith from &“one of the leading Christian poets of our time&” (Jeremy Begbie, Duke University). &“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.&”—Jesus Christ Christianity began as a minor sect within Judaism and has become one of the major world religions. What started as a small group of people who shared the same language, lifestyle and background is now a movement which embraces many different languages and cultures, giving rise to an astonishing variety of practices and interpretations—yet all with a common basis of shared faith inspired by the teaching, life, death and new life of a carpenter from Nazareth. How did this happen? What Do Christians Believe? was written for the reader looking for quick practical insights into the beliefs and practices of Christianity. Jesus himself identified love as the essential element in both worship and daily life. Using this teaching, and the core Christian belief that Jesus was God&’s way of opening himself to humanity, theologian, poet, and songwriter Malcolm Guite explains the inner meaning of such key Christian teachings as atonement, redemption and the concept of God as Trinity.
Goodbye Forever: A Woman-in-jeopardy Thriller (The Kit Doyle Mysteries #2)
by Bonnie Hearn HillTalk radio host Kit Doyle goes undercover as a teenaged runaway in this mystery series &“that will attract Erin Hart enthusiasts&” (Library Journal). Seventeen-year-old Jessica is missing. There are no clues as to why she disappeared—apart from the note she left behind: &“I love you. Goodbye forever.&” It turns out that Jessica is not the first teenager to have gone missing, nor the first to have left exactly the same note. With a family connection to the missing girl, crime blogger and radio host Kit Doyle is determined to find out what happened to her. Going undercover as a teenaged runaway, Kit discovers a violent, unpredictable, cult-like world led by a dangerous psychopath—and is pulled deeper and deeper off the grid. If Kit doesn&’t find a way out soon, she&’ll not only lose Jessica, but she herself will be swallowed up whole. &“This suspenseful thriller offers a thought-provoking look at the plight of teenage runaways.&” —Booklist &“Readers will admire the chutzpah with which the 27-year-old finagles her way into a teenage cabal bent on misdeeds.&” —Publishers Weekly &“Kit is a flawed individual whose weak spots spur her to help others. Her determined pursuit of the culprit results in a roller-coaster ride of suspense.&” —Library Journal
Bountiful: Recipes Inspired by Our Garden
by Todd Porter Diane CuA &“beautiful collection of produce-forward recipes&” (Heidi Swanson, author of Super Natural Every Day) that &“will make you want to get into the kitchen immediately&” (The Daily Meal, UK). Todd Porter and Diane Cu are photographers who publish the immensely popular food, gardening, and lifestyle blog White on Rice Couple. Inspired by their love of cooking, growing vegetables and over thirty-eight fruit trees in their suburban garden, Todd and Diane love sharing recipes that are fresh and seasonally simple. Their cookbook, Bountiful, offers one hundred seasonal, flavorful, and approachable recipes, ninety of which have not been posted to the blog, each featuring a vegetable or fruit as the star of the meal. Blueberry Frangipane Tarts, Wilted Mizuna Mustard Salad with Shrimp, Blood Orange Bars with a Brown Butter Crust, and Gin Cocktail with Pomegranate and Grapefruit are just a few examples of recipes that are inspired from their garden bounty. Peppered with personal stories from Todd&’s childhood on a cattle ranch in Oregon and Diane&’s journey from Vietnam to the United States, this cookbook shares the couples&’ beautiful love story as well as their diverse recipes that reflects their love of fresh and healthy produce, seasonally ripe fruit, and sharing a home cooked meal with those you love. &“For so many of us, our kitchens are inextricably linked to our gardens and nobody has captured this union better than Todd Porter and Diane Cu in their perfectly named new book Bountiful.&” —Russ Parsons, food editor for the Los Angeles Times
I Scream Sandwich!: Inspired Recipes for the Ultimate Frozen Treat
by Jennie Schacht&“Fair warning: you will want to lick the pages of this book . . . All your wildest ice cream sandwich fantasies are about to come true&” (Kitchn). In I Scream Sandwich!, cookbook author Jennie Schacht redefines this hugely popular sweet treat and shows us how it can easily be the star of a dinner party, child&’s birthday bash, family picnic, or just a lazy summer afternoon. The book includes a variety of ice cream sandwich recipes, from the classic (Vanilla Ice Cream on Soft Chocolate Cookie Bars), to the exotic (Kaffir Lime and Lemongrass Sorbet on Five-Spice Cookies), to the seasonal (Blackberry-Buttermilk Ice Cream on Crispy-Chewy Meringues), to the upscale (Pistachio Gelato on a Brioche Bun). In addition to cookies and ice cream, sandwiches are made with brownies, bars, cakes, brioche, crusts, gelatos, sorbets, and dairy-free options. This idea-filled book also includes recipes for sauces, roll-ins, and decorations. &“You&’ll scream for I Scream Sandwich!—a yummy guide to filling every kind of cookie imaginable with scrumptious ice creams and other frozen delights. Jennie&’s recipes will guarantee a freezer full of chilly treats all year round!&” —David Lebovitz, author of The Perfect Scoop
Peace First: A New Model to End War
by Uri SavirUri Savir has an ambitious, indispensable goal: to bring peacemaking into the 21st century. “Little in today’s world,” writes Savir, “is more progressive than modern warfare. Yet little is more archaic than peacemaking.” We remain trapped in a centuries-old mindset, with leaders bargaining warily for concessions and signing treaties that collapse because no one on the ground has any real stake in them. Drawing on his experiences negotiating the Oslo Peace Accords as well as on trenchant examples from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Northern Ireland, and the former Yugoslavia, Savir argues that an enduring peace is built from the bottom up, not from the top down. He describes a new model based on establishing and nurturing mutually beneficial forms of cooperation beginning on the local level, city-to-city and organization-to-organization. This process of “glocalization”—involving local actors in global issues—is the first step toward constructing a peace ecology: a comprehensive transnational culture dedicated to breaking down the psychological and social barriers between former enemies. These efforts are furthered through the establishment of joint ventures that give each side a tangible stake in maintaining peace. Diplomacy still has a role, but it must reject maneuvering for gain and instead emphasize the advantages both sides will gain with the cultivation of lasting peace. Throughout, Savir provides concrete examples of how these concepts have been put into practice. And he ends with a detailed vision of how this model could bring an enduring peace in one of the world’s most war-torn areas: the Mediterranean Basin. Peace First offers a pragmatic yet revolutionary new approach that promises to end our most intractable conflicts.
Everything is Happening: Journey into a Painting
by Michael JacobsA fascinating journey through a single painting&’s history, meanings and associations by &“one of the great non-fiction writers of this and the last century&” (Simon Schama, Financial Times).Acclaimed travel author and art historian Michael Jacobs was haunted by Velázquez&’s enigmatic masterpiece Las Meninas from first encountering it in the Prado as a teenager. In Everything is Happening Jacobs searches for the ultimate significance of the painting by following the many associations suggested by each of its characters, as well as his own relationship to the work.From Jacobs&’ first trip to Spain to the politics of Golden Age Madrid, to his meeting with the man who saved Las Meninas during the Spanish Civil war, to his experiences in the sunless world of the art history academy, Jacobs delivers a brilliantly discursive meditation on art and life that dissolves the barriers between the past and the present, the real and the illusory. Cut short by Jacobs&’ death in 2014, and completed with an introduction and coda by his friend and fellow art lover, the journalist Ed Vulliamy, this visionary and often very funny book is a passionate, personal manifesto for the liberation of how we look at painting.