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Who's Yer Daddy?: Gay Writers Celebrate Their Mentors and Forerunners
by Jim Elledge David GroffWho's Yer Daddy? offers readers of gay male literature a keen and engaging journey. In this anthology, thirty-nine gay authors discuss individuals who have influenced them--their inspirational "daddies." The essayists include fiction writers, poets, and performance artists, both honored masters of contemporary literature and those just beginning to blaze their own trails. They find their artistic ancestry among not only literary icons--Walt Whitman, Oscar Wilde, André Gide, Frank O'Hara, James Baldwin, Edmund White--but also a roster of figures whose creative territories are startlingly wide and vital, from Botticelli to Bette Midler to Captain Kirk. Some writers chronicle an entire tribal council of mentors; others describe a transformative encounter with a particular individual, including teachers and friends whose guidance or example cracked open their artistic selves. Perhaps most moving are the handful of writers who answered the question literally, writing intimately of their own fathers and their literary inheritance. This rich volume presents intriguing insights into the contemporary gay literary aesthetic.
Whose Side Are You On?
by Teddy JamiesonFrom the late 1960s, Northern Ireland has been mired in violence. Yet it has had seen more than its fair share of sporting heroes - from footballer George Best, through snooker champion Alex Higgins, to boxer Barry McGuigan. Life was tough for these working-class lads, but they could shine on the football field or find refuge at the town boxing club. For other kids, like the young Teddy Jamieson, a knockabout in the back-lanes was as good as it got, but at least they had their heroes. Watching McGuigan on telly, Teddy could feel proud to be Northern Irish. But sport - like everything else in Northern Ireland - could quickly turn nasty when politics were involved. This extraordinary journey through sport and the Troubles has it all: from Olympic gold-medals to Gaelic football; from death threats to reconciliations. Then there is Teddy's own story, as we learn how the age-old playground question 'Whose side are you on?' doesn't always have an easy answer.
Why a Soldier? A Signal Corpsman's Tour from Vietnam to the Moscow Hot Line
by David Fitz-EnzHe was one of the best, Airborne, proud to serve his country and fight its toughest war--in the hell that was Vietnam. Known to all as "Fitz," Signal Corps officer David Fitz-Enz served two tours in Vietnam. He was a soldier, combat photographer, and platoon leader, fighting America's cruelest war--from the VC-infested rice paddies of the Mekong Delta to the dreaded Ia Drang Valley, where the enemy ruled the night. Dispensing with traditional, sluggish chains of command, the Signal Corps developed a rapid-response system based on greater flexibility, cutting-edge communications technology, and interdependence between the branches of the military during the war. Now commanders in the field were able to call in artillery, air strikes, and reinforcements at a moment's notice. Fitz-Enz himself orchestrated the first-ever hook up over tactical systems between the President in the Oval Office and a general in the Vietnam jungle. The only book of its kind, WHY A SOLDIER? gives us the inside view of the Corps as it launched an exciting new era in strategic and tactical communications that set the groundwork for all future military operations.
Why AC/DC Matters
by Anthony BozzaAustralian rock giants AC/DC have sold more records in the U.S. than Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, and than the Rolling Stones, yet have always been undervalued and unappreciated by mainstream rock music critics. In Why AC/DC Matters, former Rolling Stone staff writer and New York Times bestselling author Anthony Bozza addresses this inequity, penning a just tribute to these monsters of rock. Brimming with fascinating stories and insights from musicians, fans, music scholars, and the author himself, Why AC/DC Matters is an overdue homage to arguably the greatest rock and roll band of all time.
Why Am I Always the One Before 'The One'?
by Charlotte WardI'm 27 years old. I've no money and no prospects. I'm already a burden to my parents. And I'm frightened.My jaw dropped as the scene with Charlotte Lucas from Pride and Prejudice echoed round the cinema. My name was Charlotte. I was 27. And I too, in Jane Austen speak, was yet to command a high price in the marriage market.It was almost as if the film was talking to me. I hadn't found The One.Charlotte Ward had always believed that after a few serious boyfriends, some unsuitable encounters, and the odd broken heart, she would find the right guy and all would be happy ever after. However, towards the end of her 20s, it had become clear that finding this one was actually pretty tricky. In fact, she'd soon realized that every boyfriend she'd whipped into shape and then broken up with, had settled down with someone else almost immediately. The training that Charlotte had given them had set them up for life just not life with her.In this witty, intimate memoir, Charlotte shares her experiences and insights on dating, breaking up and starting over again. It wasn't an easy journey, but now happily settled with The Beau, has Charlotte finally reached the coveted status of The One?
Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?
by Jeanette WintersonHeartbreaking and funny: the true story behind Jeanette's bestselling and most beloved novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. In 1985, at twenty-five, Jeanette published Oranges, the story of a girl adopted by Pentecostal parents, supposed to grow up to be a missionary. Instead, she falls in love with a woman. Disaster. Oranges became an international bestseller, inspired an award-winning BBC adaptation, and was semi-autobiographical. Mrs. Winterson, a thwarted giantess, loomed over the novel and the author's life: when Jeanette left home at sixteen because she was in love with a woman, Mrs. Winterson asked her: Why be happy when you could be normal? This is Jeanette's story--acute, fierce, celebratory--of a life's work to find happiness: a search for belonging, love, identity, a home. About a young girl locked out of her home, sitting on the doorstep all night, and a mother waiting for Armageddon with two sets of false teeth and a revolver in the duster drawer; about growing up in a northern industrial town; about the Universe as a Cosmic Dustbin. She thought she had written over the painful past until it returned to haunt her and sent her on a journey into madness and out again, in search of her biological mother. It is also about other people's stories, showing how fiction and poetry can form a string of guiding lights, a life raft that supports us when we are sinking.
Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?
by Jeanette WintersonJeanette Winterson’s novels have establishing her as a major figure in world literature. She has written some of the most admired books of the past few decades, including her internationally bestselling first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, the story of a young girl adopted by Pentecostal parents that is now often required reading in contemporary fiction. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? is a memoir about a life’s work to find happiness. It's a book full of stories: about a girl locked out of her home, sitting on the doorstep all night; about a religious zealot disguised as a mother who has two sets of false teeth and a revolver in the dresser, waiting for Armageddon; about growing up in an north England industrial town now changed beyond recognition; about the Universe as Cosmic Dustbin. It is the story of how a painful past that Jeanette thought she'd written over and repainted rose to haunt her, sending her on a journey into madness and out again, in search of her biological mother. Witty, acute, fierce, and celebratory, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? is a tough-minded search for belonging for love, identity, home, and a mother.
Why Be Jewish?: A Testament
by Edgar BronfmanEdgar M. Bronfman's clarion call to a generation of secular, disaffected, and unaffiliated Jews, this book addresses the most critical question confronting Judaism worldwide. Completed in December 2013, just weeks before he passed away, WHY BE JEWISH? expresses Edgar Bronfman's awe, respect, and deep love for his faith and heritage. Bronfman walks readers through the major tenets and ideas in Jewish life, fleshing out their meaning and offering proof texts from the Jewish tradition gleaned over his many years of study with some of the greatest teachers in the Jewish world. With honesty, poignancy, and passion, Bronfman shares In WHY BE JEWISH? insights gleaned from his own personal journey and makes a compelling case for the meaning and transcendence of a secular Judaism that is still steeped in deep moral values, authentic Jewish texts, and a focus on deed over creed or dogma.
Why Beethoven: A Phenomenon in One Hundred Pieces
by Norman LebrechtWithout Beethoven, music as we know it wouldn&’t exist. By examining one hundred of his compositions, a portrait emerges of the man behind the music.Lebrecht has immersed himself in the rich catalog of Beethoven recordings and presents a unique picture of the man through his music. He selects the best recordings of one hundred key pieces, showing the composer as we&’ve never seen him before. Unruly, offensive, and hopeless in so much of his life, yet driven to a fault and devoted to his art, conquering deafness to pen masterpieces. Norman Lebrecht has been grappling with this icon at the heart of music for his entire life. Who was the irascible, unpredictable, warped genius who stretched what music could do to the breaking point? In this unique examination, Lebrecht attempts to understand the power of this man through his compositions, the history of who has performed them, and what it has meant to successive generations of audiences. In turn a detective story (we learn who Elise of &“Fur Elise&” is for the first time) and a confession, Why Beethoven aims to rise to the challenge of how to encompass the relentless energy of this singular genius. With a narrative that mirrors the wayward sequence of Beethoven&’s compositions, Beethoven emerges as a cornerstone of the world as we know it.
Why Beethoven: A Phenomenon in 100 Pieces
by Norman LebrechtWithout Beethoven, music as we know it wouldn&’t exist. Who was this titan of world culture? 'You want to build a Beethoven library? There can be no better starting point... Brilliant.' John Suchet, Classic FM presenter Through 100 recordings, Lebrecht brings to life the composer as we&’ve never seen him before. Unruly, offensive and hopeless in so much of his life, yes, but driven to a fault and devoted to his art, conquering deafness to compose some of the towering works of our culture. Along the way, we encounter the great musicians who have taken on the challenge of Beethoven, in all their glories and foibles. In this revealing, unique biography, Beethoven emerges as a cornerstone of the modern world. All recordings are freely available on Idagio and YouTube.
Why Ben?
by Brooke KinsellaAt 2. 30 in the morning of 29 June 2008, Broke Kinsella received a phone call. It was her sister Jade, telling her that their beloved brother Ben had been stabbed while out celebrating finishing his GCSEs. The Kinsella family's shock soon turned to grief when Ben lost his fight for life later that day, surrounded by those who love him. Too upset at the time to speak about Ben's senseless murder, and with Ben's killers now convicted and behind bars, the former East Enders actress is able to reveal her full story in this heartbreaking and beautifully written memoir that celebrates the life of a young man whose future was so cruelly stolen from him. Beginning with Ben's death an ending with the aftermath of the trial of his killers, the book is an extremely personal and powerful portrait of loss in the age of knife crime. From their first Christmas without Ben to facing the accused in court for the first time, Brooke writes in detail about the devastation that was caused in one night and which has changed her and her family's life forever. It is a powerfully moving and brave exploration of grief.
Why Bernie Sanders Matters
by Harry JaffeMissionary. Radical. Hippy. Revolutionary. Red Mayor. Pragmatist. Socialist. Hot from the campaign trail, a vivid new biography that goes inside Bernie Sanders's contradictions, his unusual life, and his electrifying quest to make the American dream a reality for all. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders may be the least political person in politics--a brusque, unpolished, Jewish Socialist from Brooklyn with deep-seated convictions and distaste for small talk. He is also, at seventy-four, the rising star of the Democratic party, whose underdog bid for the presidential nomination has hit the marks of a serious contender: He's competitive with, and in some cases leading, Hillary Clinton in early state polls. He's closed the fundraising gap, and is drawing crowds of thousands to campaign rallies. Why? Because where most candidates are calculating and rehearsed, Sanders is frank, authentic, and impassioned. For thirty years, he has spoken out against income inequality, environmental injustice, and privatized healthcare. Now--amid an ever-widening chasm between the rich and the rest, and growing voter disenchantment--the country is listening. With reporting from inside the campaign, personal relationships with Sanders's friends and colleagues, and meticulous research, noted reporter Harry Jaffe offers an engaging, insightful portrait of the ultimate outsider candidate, charting Sanders's course from Brooklyn to Burlington, and now to Des Moines and beyond. Within the untold narrative of Sanders's origins and political development, he also examines the growth of the progressive movement, and the recent developments--including the Occupy movement, the Great Recession, and the rise of the millennial generation--that have shifted Sanders's views from fringe to focal point. At once a captivating biography, and a thought-provoking window into the contemporary political landscape, this will become the defining account of a pivotal moment in American history.
Why Bob Dylan Matters
by Richard F. Thomas“The coolest class on campus” – The New York TimesWhen the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to Bob Dylan in 2016, a debate raged. Some celebrated, while many others questioned the choice. How could the world’s most prestigious book prize be awarded to a famously cantankerous singer-songwriter who wouldn’t even deign to attend the medal ceremony?In Why Bob Dylan Matters, Harvard Professor Richard F. Thomas answers this question with magisterial erudition. A world expert on Classical poetry, Thomas was initially ridiculed by his colleagues for teaching a course on Bob Dylan alongside his traditional seminars on Homer, Virgil, and Ovid. Dylan’s Nobel Prize brought him vindication, and he immediately found himself thrust into the spotlight as a leading academic voice in all matters Dylanological. Today, through his wildly popular Dylan seminar—affectionately dubbed "Dylan 101"—Thomas is introducing a new generation of fans and scholars to the revered bard’s work. This witty, personal volume is a distillation of Thomas’s famous course, and makes a compelling case for moving Dylan out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and into the pantheon of Classical poets. Asking us to reflect on the question, "What makes a classic?", Thomas offers an eloquent argument for Dylan’s modern relevance, while interpreting and decoding Dylan’s lyrics for readers. The most original and compelling volume on Dylan in decades, Why Bob Dylan Matters will illuminate Dylan’s work for the Dylan neophyte and the seasoned fanatic alike. You’ll never think about Bob Dylan in the same way again.
Why Bob Dylan Matters
by Richard F. Thomas“The coolest class on campus” – The New York TimesWhen the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to Bob Dylan in 2016, a debate raged. Some celebrated, while many others questioned the choice. How could the world’s most prestigious book prize be awarded to a famously cantankerous singer-songwriter who wouldn’t even deign to attend the medal ceremony?In Why Bob Dylan Matters, Harvard Professor Richard F. Thomas answers this question with magisterial erudition. A world expert on Classical poetry, Thomas was initially ridiculed by his colleagues for teaching a course on Bob Dylan alongside his traditional seminars on Homer, Virgil, and Ovid. Dylan’s Nobel Prize brought him vindication, and he immediately found himself thrust into the spotlight as a leading academic voice in all matters Dylanological. Today, through his wildly popular Dylan seminar—affectionately dubbed "Dylan 101"—Thomas is introducing a new generation of fans and scholars to the revered bard’s work. This witty, personal volume is a distillation of Thomas’s famous course, and makes a compelling case for moving Dylan out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and into the pantheon of Classical poets. Asking us to reflect on the question, "What makes a classic?", Thomas offers an eloquent argument for Dylan’s modern relevance, while interpreting and decoding Dylan’s lyrics for readers. The most original and compelling volume on Dylan in decades, Why Bob Dylan Matters will illuminate Dylan’s work for the Dylan neophyte and the seasoned fanatic alike. You’ll never think about Bob Dylan in the same way again.
Why Coolidge Matters
by Charles C. JohnsonImagine a country in which strikes by public-sector unions occupied the public square; where foreign policy wandered aimlessly as America disentangled itself from wars abroad and a potential civil war on its southern border; where racial and ethnic groups jostled for political influence; where a war on illicit substances led to violence in its cities; where technology was dramatically changing how mankind communicated and moved about-and where the educated harbored increasing contempt for the philosophic underpinnings of our republic.That country, the America of the 1920s, looked a lot like America today. One would think, then, that the President who successfully navigated these challenges, Calvin Coolidge, might be esteemed today. Instead, Coolidge's record is little known, the result of efforts by both the left and right to distort his legacy.Why Coolidge Matters revisits the record of our most underrated president, examining Coolidge's views on governance, public sector unions, education, race, immigration, and foreign policy. Most importantly, Why Coolidge Matters explains what lessons Coolidge-the last president to pay down the national debt-can offer the limited government movement in the post-industrial age.
Why Did Hitler Hate the Jews?: The Origins of Adolf Hitler's Anti-Semitism and its Outcome
by Peter den HertogThis investigation into the Nazi leader’s mindset is “an inherently fascinating study . . . a work of meticulously presented and seminal scholarship”(Midwest Book Review).Adolf Hitler’s virulent anti-Semitism is often attributed to external cultural and environmental factors. But as historian Peter den Hertog notes in this book, most of Hitler’s contemporaries experienced the same culture and environment and didn’t turn into rabid Jew-haters, let alone perpetrators of genocide. In this study, the author investigates what we do know about the roots of the German leader’s anti-Semitism. He also takes the significant step of mapping out what we do not know in detail, opening pathways to further research.Focusing not only on history but on psychology, forensic psychiatry, and related fields, he reveals how Hitler was a man with highly paranoid traits, and clarifies the causes behind this paranoia while explaining its connection to his anti-Semitism. The author also explores, and answers, whether the Führer gave one specific instruction ordering the elimination of Europe’s Jews, and, if so, when this took place.Peter den Hertog is able to provide an all-encompassing explanation for Hitler’s anti-Semitism by combining insights from many different disciplines—and makes clearer how Hitler’s own particular brand of anti-Semitism could lead the way to the Holocaust.
Why Did I Get a B?: And Other Mysteries We're Discussing in the Faculty Lounge
by Shannon Reed&“Funny...revealing....So send this book to your favorite teacher. They&’ll know you&’re sucking up. They&’ll thank you anyway.&” —People, Book of the Week This hilarious, inspirational, and wise collection of personal essays and humor from a longtime educator explores all the joys, challenges, and absurdities of being a teacher, following in the footsteps of such classics as Teach Like Your Hair&’s on Fire, The Courage to Teach, and Up the Down Staircase. Shannon Reed did not want to be a teacher, but now, after twenty years of working with children from preschool to college, there&’s nothing she&’d rather be. In essays full of humor, heart, and wit, she illuminates the highs and lows of a job located at the intersection of youth and wisdom. Bringing you into the trenches of this most important and stressful career, she rolls her eyes at ineffectual administrators, weeps with her students when they experience personal tragedies, complains with her colleagues about their ridiculously short lunchbreaks, and presents the parent-teacher conference from the other side of the tiny table. From dealing with bullies and working with special needs students to explaining the unwritten rules of the teacher&’s lounge, Why Did I Get a B? is full of as much humor and heart as the job itself.
Why Did You Lie?
by Yrsa SigurdardottirA chilling thriller from the author of THE SILENCE OF THE SEA, winner of the 2015 Petrona Award for best Scandinavian Crime Novel.A journalist on the track of an old case attempts suicide. An ordinary couple return from a house swap in the states to find their home in disarray and their guests seemingly missing. Four strangers struggle to find shelter on a windswept spike of rock in the middle of a raging sea. They have one thing in common: they all lied.And someone is determined to punish them...WHY DID YOU LIE is a terrifying tale of long-delayed retribution from Iceland's Queen of Suspense.(P)2016 Hodder & Stoughton. Published by arrangement with Salomonsson Agency.
Why Did You Stay?: A memoir about self-worth (Karen Pirie #59)
by Rebecca Humphries'Fierce. Game-changing. Urgently necessary. Brilliant, brilliant and did I say brilliant?' EMMA THOMPSON 'Pacy, vivid, compelling and very, VERY funny ... it will help so many' MARIAN KEYES 'A fucking classic. Required reading for all women and men and I believe it's going to be the book of 2022' BRYONY GORDON 'Fuck, this is good. Every page feels important' LUCY VINE Actor, writer and hopeless romantic Rebecca Humphries had often been called crazy by her boyfriend. But when paparazzi caught him kissing his Strictly Come Dancing partner, she realised the only crazy thing was believing she didn't deserve more.Forced into victimhood by the story, Rebecca chose to reclaim her power, posting her thoughts on social media, including advice for other women who might be experiencing what she realised she'd managed to escape: a toxic, oppressive relationship. A flood of support poured in, but amongst the well-wishes was a simple question with an infinitely complex answer: 'If he was so bad, why did you stay?' Empowering, unflinching and full of humour, this book takes that question and owns it. Using her relationship history, coming of age stories and experiences since the scandal during Strictly, Rebecca explores why good girls are drawn to darkness, whether pop culture glamourises toxicity, when a relationship 'rough patch' becomes the start of a destructive cycle, if women are conditioned for co-dependency, and - ultimately - how to reframe disaster into something magical. 'The best [book] about relationships since Three Women' CAROLINE SANDERSON, THE BOOKSELLER 'So funny and heart-breaking. So stunningly written. For any woman who has been asked 'why did you stay?', Rebecca Humphries' book is a hilarious and brilliant read' SUSAN WOKOMA 'Very, very good' PANDORA SYKES 'A magical, magical book' GLAMOUR 'So thoughtful and moving and funny and sad and great, I love it so, so much. I resented having to put it down' DAISY BUCHANAN 'Her thought-provoking story should be required reading for anyone in a relationship' DAILY MIRROR 'A memoir every woman needs to read' RED MAGAZINE 'This book isn't an ice-cold revenge opus; it's a diary of self-discovery, a celebration of friendship, resilience and finding one's self-worth...is it worth the hype? Absolutely: I had to stop myself from reading it one grateful gulp' LAURA PULLMAN, STYLE
Why Didn't You Tell Me?: A Memoir
by Carmen Rita WongAn immigrant mother&’s long-held secrets upend her daughter&’s understanding of her family, her identity, and her place in the world in this powerful and dramatic memoir&“This is the Carmen Rita Wong I know—fierce and true. Her story broke my heart and filled it up at the same time.&”—Sunny Hostin, three-time Emmy Award–winning co-host of ABC&’s The View and New York Times bestselling author of I Am These TruthsMy mother carried a powerful secret. A secret that shaped my life and the lives of everyone around me in ways she could not have imagined. Carmen Rita Wong has always craved a sense of belonging: First as a toddler in a warm room full of Black and brown Latina women, like her mother, Lupe, cheering her dancing during her childhood in Harlem. And in Chinatown, where her immigrant father, &“Papi&” Wong, a hustler, would show her and her older brother off in opulent restaurants decorated in red and gold. Then came the almost exclusively white playgrounds of New Hampshire after her mother married her stepfather, Marty, who seemed to be the ideal of the white American dad.As Carmen entered this new world with her new family—Lupe and Marty quickly had four more children—her relationship with her mother became fraught with tension, suspicion, and conflict, explained only years later by the secrets her mother had kept for so long.And when those secrets were revealed, bringing clarity to so much of Carmen&’s life, it was too late for answers. When her mother passed away, Carmen wanted to shake her soul by its shoulders and demand: Why didn&’t you tell me?A former national television host, advice columnist, and professor, Carmen searches to understand who she really is as she discovers her mother&’s hidden history, facing the revelations that seep out. Why Didn&’t You Tell Me? is a riveting and poignant story of Carmen&’s experience of race and culture in America and how they shape who we think we are.
Why Didn't You Tell Me? \ ¿Por qué no me lo dijiste? (Spanish edition)
by Carmen Rita WongLos secretos guardados durante mucho tiempo de una madre inmigrante alteran la comprensión de su hija sobre su familia, su identidad y su lugar en el mundo en este poderoso y dramático libro de memorias.Mi madre guardaba un poderoso secreto. Un secreto que moldeó mi vida y la vida de todos los que me rodeaban de maneras que ella no podría haber imaginado. Carmen Rita Wong siempre ha anhelado un sentido de pertenencia: primero cuando era una niña pequeña en una habitación cálida llena de mujeres latinas negras y morenas, como su madre, Lupe, animándola bailando durante su infancia en Harlem. Y en Chinatown, donde su padre inmigrante, “Papi” Wong, un estafador, la exhibiría a ella y a su hermano mayor en opulentos restaurantes decorados en rojo y dorado. Luego vinieron los patios de recreo casi exclusivamente blancos de New Hampshire después de que su madre se casara con su padrastro, Marty, quien parecía ser el ideal del padre estadounidense blanco.Cuando Carmen ingresó a este nuevo mundo con su nueva familia (Lupe y Marty pronto tuvieron cuatro hijos más), su relación con su madre se volvió tensa, suspicaz y conflictiva, explicada solo años después por los secretos que su madre había guardado durante tanto tiempo. Y cuando esos secretos fueron revelados, aportando claridad a gran parte de la vida de Carmen, ya era demasiado tarde para obtener respuestas.Cuando su madre falleció, Carmen quiso sacudir su alma por los hombros y exigir: ¿Por qué no me dijiste? Ex presentadora de televisión nacional, columnista de consejos y profesora, Carmen busca entender quién es ella realmente mientras descubre la historia oculta de su madre, enfrentándose a las revelaciones que se filtran. ¿Por qué no me dijiste? es una historia fascinante y conmovedora de la experiencia de Carmen sobre la raza y la cultura en Estados Unidos y cómo dan forma a lo que creemos que somos.
Why Do I Love These People?
by Po BronsonWe all have an imaginary definition of a great family. We imagine what it would be like to belong to such a family. No fights over the holidays. No getting on one another's nerves. Respect for individual identity. Mutual support, without being intrusive. So many people believe they are disqualified from having a better family experience, primarily because they compare their own family with the mythic ideal, and their reality falls short. Is that a fair standard to judge against?" In the pages of Why Do I Love These People?, Po Bronson takes us on an extraordinary journey. It begins on a river in Texas, where a mother gets trapped underwater and has to bargain for her own life and that of her kids. Then, a father and his daughter return to their tiny rice-growing village in China, hoping to rekindle their love for each other inside the walls of his childhood home. Next, a son puts forth a riddle, asking us to understand what his first experience of God has to do with his Mexican American mother.Every step-and every family-on this journey is real. Calling upon his gift for powerful nonfiction narrative and philosophical insight, Bronson explores the incredibly complicated feelings that we have for our families. Each chapter introduces us to two people-a father and his son, a daughter and her mother, a wife and her husband-and we come to know them as intimately as characters in a novel, following the story of their relationship as they struggle resiliently through the kinds of hardships all families endure. Some of the people manage to save their relationship, while others find a better life only after letting the relationship go. From their efforts, the wisdom in this book emerges. We are left feeling emotionally raw but grounded-and better prepared to love, through both hard times and good time.In these twenty mesmerizing stories, we discover what is essential and elemental to all families and, in doing so, slowly abolish the fantasies and fictions we have about those we fight to stay connected to.In Why Do I Love These People?, Bronson shows us that we are united by our yearnings and aspirations: Family is not our dividing line, but our common ground.From the Hardcover edition.
Why Do I Say These Things?
by Jonathan RossWhy is catalogue shopping responsible for Jonathan Ross's inimitable sense of style?Why might wearing cape and mask be a fast track to heaven?Why does Jonathan wince every time he sees a Hoover?And why did he fall in love with a deep-sea diver?Why? Because this is Jonathan Ross. And nothing is out of bounds when it comes to talking about life as he knows it. From sex and pugs to rock 'n' roll and genital warts, Jonathan holds forth as only he can. This sharply observed, laugh-out-loud, outrageous page-turner will leave you asking just one question . . . Why didn't he write it sooner?
Why Do Only White People Get Abducted by Aliens?: Teaching Lessons from the Bronx
by Ilana GaronAccording to Ilana Garon, popular books and movies are inundated with the myth of the "hero teacher"--the one who charges headfirst into dysfunctional inner city schools like a firefighter into an inferno, bringing the student victims to safety through a combination of charisma and innate righteousness. The students are then "saved" by the teacher's idealism, empathy, and willingness to put faith in kids who have been given up on by society as a whole."Why Do Only White People Get Abducted by Aliens?" is not that type of book.In this book, Garon reveals the sometimes humorous, oftentimes frustrating, and occasionally horrifying truths that accompany the experience of teaching at a public high school in the Bronx today. The overcrowded classrooms, lack of textbooks, and abundance of mice, cockroaches, and drugs weren't the only challenges Garon faced during her first four years as a teacher. Every day, she'd interact with students such as Kayron, Carlos, Felicia, Jonah, Elizabeth, and Tonya--students dealing with real-life addictions, miscarriages, stints in "juvie," abusive relationships, turf wars, and gang violence. These students also brought with them big dreams and uncommon insight--and challenged everything Garon thought she knew about education.In response, Garon--a naive, suburban girl with a curly ponytail, freckles, and Harry Potter glasses--opened her eyes, rolled up her sleeves, and learned to distinguish between mitigated failure and qualified success. In this book, Garon explains how she learned that being a new teacher was about trial by fire, making mistakes, learning from the very students she was teaching, and occasionally admitting that she may not have answers to their thought-provoking (and amusing) questions.
Why Do They Hate Me?: Young Lives Caught In War And Conflict
by Laurel HollidayTrue stories. . . Real voices. . . "The day for deportation arrived. We knew our end was near. " -- Janina Heshele, Poland From the centuries-old enmities of Northern Ireland, to the Holocaust and World War II, to the Israel-Palestine conflict, young people share their innermost secrets of growing up. "I'm not allowed to go out with Neil, but the attraction is there between us. I realise that here in Northern Ireland relationships between Catholics and Protestants are strained. But should religion affect how you view a person?" -- Lisa Burrows, Northern Ireland Unable to talk openly, these young people took refuge in writing. Often they had to hide their journals and set down their thoughts in secret. "The Intifada -- that was the start of my grown-up life. . . . The echoes, the ghosts, and the voices make me wonder: Will I ever be able to forgive and forget? Will time ever bury such a tragedy and help me to start over again as a normal human being?" -- Ghareeb, the West Bank On these pages they vividly record their experiences and offer eyewitness accounts of fear and courage, tragedy and triumph.