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She's Nice Though: Essays on Being Bad at Being Good
by Mia MercadoA PUBLISHERS WEEKLY SUMMER READ“And, at the center of it all, am I actually nice or am I just performing a role I think I’m expected to play?”Mia Mercado is a razor-sharp cultural critic and essayist known for her witty and hilarious dissections of the uncomfortable truths that rule our lives. In this thought-provoking collection of new essays, Mercado examines what it means to be “polite,” “agreeable,” and “nice.” She covers topics from the subtleties of the “Bad Bitch” and why women dominate the ASMR market, to what makes her dog an adorable little freak and how you know if you’re shy. This is a book about the unspoken trick mirror of our “good” intentions: the inherent performance of the social media apology, celebrating men when they do the bare minimum, and why we trust a Midwesterner to watch our stuff when we go pee.Throughout, she ponders her identity as an Asian woman and asks what “nice” even means—and why anyone would want to be it. With writing that is as precise as it is profound, and cultural references that range from trash reality television to the New York Times Sunday-morning crossword puzzle, Mercado uncovers weird, long-overdue truths about our frailties and failings. In the end, she sees them not as a source of shame but as a cause for celebration. Filled with revelations that range from the silly to the serious,She’s Nice Though offers a mind-bending glimpse into the illusions and delusions of contemporary life—and reveals who we *really* are when no one is watching.
She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders
by Jennifer Finney BoylanThe exuberant memoir of a man named James who became a woman named Jenny. She's Not There is the story of a person changing genders, the story of a person bearing and finally revealing a complex secret; above all, it is a love story. By turns funny and deeply moving, Jennifer Finney Boylan explores the remarkable territory that lies between men and women, examines changing friendships, and rejoices in the redeeming power of family. She's Not There is a portrait of a loving marriage--the love of James for his wife, Grace, and, against all odds, the enduring love of Grace for the woman who becomes her "sister," Jenny. To this extraordinary true story, Boylan brings the humorous, fresh voice that won her accolades as one of the best comic novelists of her generation. With her distinctive and winning perspective, She's Not There explores the dramatic outward changes and unexpected results of life as a woman: Jenny fights the urge to eat salad, while James consumed plates of ribs; gone is the stability of "one damn mood, all the damn time." While Boylan's own secret was unusual, to say the least, she captures the universal sense of feeling uncomfortable, out of sorts with the world, and misunderstood by her peers. Jenny is supported on her journey by her best friend, novelist Richard Russo, who goes from begging his friend to "Be a man" (in every sense of the word) to accepting her as an attractive, buoyant woman. "The most unexpected thing," Russo writes in his Afterword to the book, "is in how Jenny's story we recognize our shared humanity." As James evolves into Jennifer in scenes that are by turns tender, startling, and witty, a marvelously human perspective emerges on issues of love, sex, and the fascinating relationship between our physical and our intuitive selves. Through the clear eyes of a truly remarkable woman, She's Not There provides a new window on the often confounding process of accepting ourselves.
She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders
by Jennifer Finney BoylanNATIONAL BESTSELLER • The seminal work of trans literature: a story of love, sex, selfhood, and understanding from the renowned author of Cleavage and co-author of Mad Honey &“A very funny memoir of growing up confused and a very smart consideration of what it means to be a woman.&”—Anna QuindlenWhen she changed genders, she changed the world. It was the groundbreaking publication of She&’s Not There in 2003 that jump-started the transgender revolution. By turns hilarious and deeply moving, Jennifer Finney Boylanexplores the territory that lies between men and women, examines changing friendships, and rejoices in the redeeming power of love and family. Boylan&’s humorous, wise voice helped make She&’s Not There the first bestselling work by a transgender American—and transformed Boylan into a national spokeswoman for LGBTQ people, their families, and the people that love them. This updated and revised edition includes an epilogue from Jenny&’s wife Grace; it also contains the original afterward by her friend, novelist and Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Russo.&“Love will prevail,&” said Boylan&’s conservative mother, as she learned about her daughter&’s identity. She&’s Not There is the story that helped bring about a world in which that change seems almost possible.
She's Not the Man I Married: My Life with a Transgender Husband
by Helen BoydThis book is a sequel to "My Husband Betty", but delves deeper into the author's own relationship with her husband, and less on the histories of various others. Now we really meet Helen, a rather tomboy-ish adult woman, who falls in love with a man, and later finds out he is a cross-dresser. They marry, as a heterosexual couple. He becomes more and more comfortable in his women's persona, "Betty." This causes Helen to go through a very thoughtful time of learning about and questioning gender issues of all types. How masculine of a woman can she be and still be "woman"? At what point is she labeled Butch" Is that true or not? Does it bother her? How does "trans" change people? Transsexuals, genderqueers who prefer the non-binary middle ground rather than the either/or of male/female, transfolks taking hormones or not, transfolks planning just "top surgery" but not "bottom surgery," safety issues, mainstream America's perceptions, etc. If Betty becomes a full time woman, does that mean they are a lesbian couple, even though they and particularly Helen are heterosexual? Throughout, Helen and Betty remain married and a loving couple, even though they don't know what will happen with them. This non-fiction book, told from the 1st person, presents valid questions of gender vs. sexual orientation, "queer community" vs. mainstream America, Cross-dressers vs. full post-surgical transsexuals, etc. There is much more of Helen's ponderings than there is of their day to day life, although that is included as examples. By the end, it is still unknown whether Betty will fully transition to a female gender or not. This is a very thought provoking book.
She's Unlikeable: And Other Lies That Bring Women Down
by Aparna ShewakramaniAparna Shewakramani of Indian Matchmaking fame knows who she is and what she wants—and she is not afraid to ask for it When Aparna Shewakramani appeared on Netflix's hit series, Indian Matchmaking, it soon became clear that Aparna knew what she wanted. But all stories are told through certain lenses—and her story is no exception. Being on a reality show made Aparna feel like a character. Her decisiveness and sense of self-worth led viewers to see her as a very specific archetype: The villain. The woman you love to hate. The unlikeable woman. It turned around, though, with a single message of support: Be Like Aparna. Soon supporters were in the tens of thousands. Women are tired of seeing other women being vilified simply because they have a voice. In this book, you will learn about the real Aparna Shewakramani. She bares it all—the good, the bad, and the it-depends-on-how-you-look-at-it. There is her mother's bravery in leaving her marriage, Aparna's diagnosis of an autoimmune disease, and her confession that she too is susceptible to the deep-rooted need to be pretty and likeable. But it is also the story of her entrepreneurial spirit and her success. It is about lessons learned and the strength to be your own woman.This is a journey to prevent Aparna-the-person from being erased by Aparna-the-character.
She's the Boss: The Disturbing Truth About Nancy Pelosi
by Rochelle SchweizerWhy Is Nancy Pelosi the Most Dangerous Woman in America? Most people see Pelosi exactly the way she wants them to: a cultured San Franciscan politician from an esteemed family. But underneath the Chanel suit and Mikimoto pearls is a true political boss-as in Tweed. Don't be fooled by her image as a caring, grandmotherly public servant. Nancy Pelosi is all business. She's the Boss charts Pelosi's carefully orchestrated rise to power as a uniquely American ruling-class diva who is not so subtly replacing "by the people, for the people" with "have your people call my people." From her father-- a congressman and then mayor of Baltimore whose political machine was tainted by scandal--Pelosi learned about patronage, ruthlessness, and the credo of the party boss: never admit to anything, never apologize, and attack when challenged. As Speaker of the House, Pelosi once pounded her gavel so hard it left a dent in the lectern. She frightens even those who agree with her on almost everything. She punishes those who stand in her way. And her hypocrisy knows no bounds: While Pelosi spends millions in taxpayers' dollars to green up the capital and expects Americans to pay for their carbon footprints, she demands a bigger jet for her trips across the globe as well as military G5s for holiday weekends. She claims to act for the benefit of the American people, yet enriches her family's portfolio through pet legislation and personal financial dealings. She tried to enact taxpayer funding for abortions, defying the teachings of the Catholic Church, of which she is a member. With promises of utopia, she drives massive legislation deals through Congress by stiff arm twisting, knowing she and her allies will profit at the expense of the electorate. It will be clear after reading She's the Boss that the party works for Pelosi.
She's the Boss: The Disturbing Truth About Nancy Pelosi
by Rochelle SchweizerWhy Is Nancy Pelosi the Most Dangerous Woman in America? Most people see Pelosi exactly the way she wants them to: a cultured San Franciscan politician from an esteemed family. But underneath the Chanel suit and Mikimoto pearls is a true political boss-as in T weed. Don't be fooled by her image as a caring, grandmotherly public servant. Nancy Pelosi is all business. She's the Boss charts Pelosi's carefully orchestrated rise to power as a uniquely American ruling-class diva who is not so subtly replacing "by the people, for the people" with "have your people call my people. " From her father- a congressman and then mayor of Baltimore whose political machine was tainted by scandal-Pelosi learned about patronage, ruthlessness, and the credo of the party boss: never admit to anything, never apologize, and attack when challenged. As Speaker of the House, Pelosi once pounded her gavel so hard it left a dent in the lectern. She frightens even those who agree with her on almost everything. She punishes those who stand in her way. And her hypocrisy knows no bounds: ? While Pelosi spends millions in taxpayers' dollars to green up the capital and expects Americans to pay for their carbon footprints, she demands a bigger jet for her trips across the globe as well as military G5s for holiday weekends. ? She claims to act for the benefit of the American people, yet enriches her family's portfolio through pet legislation and personal financial dealings. ? She tried to enact taxpayer funding for abortions, defying the teachings of the Catholic Church, of which she is a member. ? With promises of utopia, she drives massive legislation deals through Congress by stiff arm twisting, knowing she and her allies will profit at the expense of the electorate. It will be clear after reading She's the Boss that the party works for Pelosi. .
She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth
by Helen Castor“Exhilarating. . . . A precise yet imaginative reading of the past. . . . Readers will love this book, finding it wholly absorbing and rewarding.” —Hilary Mantel, Booker Prize winning author of Wolf HallPrize-winning historian Helen Castor delivers a compelling, eye-opening examination of women and power in England, witnessed through the lives of six women who exercised power against all odds—and one who never got the chance.With the death of Edward VI in 1553, England, for the first time, would have a reigning queen. The question was: Who?Four women stood upon the crest of history: Katherine of Aragon’s daughter, Mary; Anne Boleyn’s daughter, Elizabeth; Mary, Queen of Scots; and Lady Jane Grey. But over the centuries, other exceptional women had struggled to push the boundaries of their authority and influence—and been vilified as “she-wolves” for their ambitions. Revealed in vivid detail, the stories of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France, Margaret of Anjou, and the Empress Matilda expose the paradox that England’s next female leaders would confront as the Tudor throne lay before them—man ruled woman, but these women sought to rule a nation. “Full of beautiful, imperiled ladies; fearless knights; and remarkable, often unbelievable turns of fortune.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer“[Helen Castor is] an accomplished and elegant historian.” —Miranda Seymour, New York Times Book Review“Gripping. . . . A superb history.” —Simon Sebag Montefiore, Daily Telegraph, London“Fascinating.” —Kirkus Reviews“[The] turns of fortune will fasten royalty readers to Castor’s lively narrative.” —Booklist“Castor’s. . . . tight storytelling makes this unusually fine royal history enjoyable reading.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
She: A Celebration Of 100 Renegade Women
by Harriet HallCALLING ALL WOMEN!She: A Celebration of Renegade Women by Stylist's Harriet Hall is the must-have book for women everywhere. Perfect for fans of Caitlin Moran, Lena Dunham and Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls. 'SHE is essential for your bookshelf' StylistSHE is a love letter to all the women who have thrown out the rulebook and threatened the status quo. It's a toast to the brave, bold and brilliant women who make us proud to be ladies.From fashion icon Coco Chanel to Queen Cleopatra, from literary legend Jane Austen to trailblazer Michelle Obama and from kick-ass activist Malala Yousafzai to the one-and-only Beyoncé, SHE honours 100 truly renegade women, from history through to present day. Gorgeously curated and expertly written by Stylist journalist Harriet Hall, and filled with stunning black and white illustrations by Alice Skinner, SHE is a thing of beauty to be worshipped, just like the women that make up its contents.This statement, timely book is the perfect gift for the renegade women in your life who inspire and amaze you or, for YOU, to simply make you proud of being a woman.
She: A Celebration of Renegade Women
by Harriet HallCALLING ALL WOMEN!She: A Celebration of Renegade Women by Stylist's Harriet Hall is the must-have book for women everywhere. Perfect for fans of Caitlin Moran, Lena Dunham and Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls. 'SHE is essential for your bookshelf' StylistSHE is a love letter to all the women who have thrown out the rulebook and threatened the status quo. It's a toast to the brave, bold and brilliant women who make us proud to be ladies.From fashion icon Coco Chanel to Queen Cleopatra, from literary legend Jane Austen to trailblazer Michelle Obama and from kick-ass activist Malala Yousafzai to the one-and-only Beyoncé, SHE honours 100 truly renegade women, from history through to present day. Gorgeously curated and expertly written by Stylist journalist Harriet Hall, and filled with stunning black and white illustrations by Alice Skinner, SHE is a thing of beauty to be worshipped, just like the women that make up its contents.This statement, timely book is the perfect gift for the renegade women in your life who inspire and amaze you or, for YOU, to simply make you proud of being a woman.
Shedding Our Stars: The Story of Hans Calmeyer and How He Saved Thousands of Families Like Mine
by Laureen Nussbaum Karen KirtleyDuring the German occupation of the Netherlands, 1940 to 1945, all Jews were ordered to register the religion of their grandparents. The Reichskommissar appointed the young lawyer Hans Calmeyer to adjudicate &“doubtful cases.&” Calmeyer used his assignment to save at least 3,700 Jews from deportation and death, dwarfing the number saved by Schindler&’s famous rescue operation. Laureen Nussbaum—née Hannelore Klein—owes her life to this brave German official. In Shedding Our Stars, she tells how Calmeyer declared her mother non-Jewish and deleted her and her family from the deportation lists, saving them from death. She goes on to interweave his story with her family&‘s tale of survival, as well as with that of her boyfriend and, later, husband, Rudi Nussbaum. Since in Amsterdam the Kleins were close to the Franks, Anne Frank and her family also figure in book. Going beyond the liberation of the Netherlands to follow both Calmeyer&’s and the author&’s story to the end of their lives, Shedding Our Stars is a story of courage in the darkest of times, and of the resilience of the human spirit.
Sheepish: Two Women, Fifty Sheep, and Enough Wool to Save the Planet
by Catherine FriendFrom the author of "Hit By a Farm"--a charming memoir. . . with]magical moments ("New York Times Book Review")--comes a hilarious solution to the planet's environmental woes: sheep
Sheepwrecked
by Jackie EllisThis journey through the changing seasons at Rowfoot Farm - tupping time in the autumn, winters as wet, bleak and cold here in Cumbria as elsewhere, lambing and the glories of spring, a bucolic, bee-filled Eden Valley summer with its many shows and fairs - will reveal much that you need to know about the countryside, its quirky customs and ways, and most likely a great deal that you don't. They no longer burn witches (not because they're lily-livered, it's just that getting the necessary timber from sustainable forests is a real chore). You'll find nothing here about welly-wanging either. Jackie doesn't wang her wellies, she just gets them muddy. You won't need to, of course, as this book will ensure you experience rural life vicariously and very cleanly.Along the way, Jackie bumps into friends old and new, peeps back over her shoulder every now and then to recall times past, oh and it wouldn't be her if she didn't have the occasional impassioned rant or take the odd pop at the establishment, but rest assured she's quite gentle with them. So join Jackie (and Katie the Lurcher, Blossom the Cob and Rowfoot's many other residents, four- and two-legged) as she recounts the occasional pitfall and many pleasures of running a small farm in one of the most beautiful parts of England.
Sheeran: A Biography
by Sean SmithThe first comprehensive biography of the Grammy winner, from shy kid with a stammer to worldwide star: &“Well-researched, entertaining.&”—Publishers Weekly With hits like &“Thinking Out Loud,&” and &“Shape of You,&” Ed Sheeran strikes chords in millions of listeners worldwide—a feat all the more staggering given that he couldn&’t even carry a tune until the age of fifteen. Bestselling biographer Sean Smith traces the astonishing journey of the shy little English boy with a stammer who recorded an album in his bedroom and grew up to become a global phenomenon, all the while avoiding flashy showmanship. With compelling new research and interviews, Smith delivers the story of Sheeran&’s remarkable parents, who supported their son&’s dream long before it seemed achievable; the friends and mentors who encouraged his raw talent; and the lovers who inspired his most famous songs. Smith describes the setbacks Sheeran faced before his fortunes were transformed by Elton John&’s management company, a record deal, and a song that changed everything—with some help from Taylor Swift. Now Sheeran has sold more than 150 million records worldwide and earned $432 million touring in 2018 alone—but still made time to play for just 400 people at a charity night to raise money for the homeless. As this captivating book reveals, there&’s no one quite like Ed. &“Sheeran fans will relish this well-told biography.&”―Publishers Weekly &“[Ed Sheeran] has a huge, rabid fan base that will love the story told here...A bio as affable as the subject himself...informative and inspiring.&”― Booklist
Sheikh Abdullah: The Caged Lion of Kashmir
by Chitralekha ZutshiA compelling biography of Sheikh Abdullah, the charismatic, combative, and controversial Kashmiri politician Written by the leading historian of modern Kashmir, this is a comprehensive portrayal of one of the most enigmatic politicians in modern South Asia, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, known as the Lion of Kashmir. Abdullah (1905–1982) devoted much of his life to mobilizing Kashmiris to assert their rights, to trying to achieve a fair resolution for their politically contested state, to shaping its turbulent relationship with India, and to bridging the divide between India and Pakistan. Although he forged ties with the Indian National Congress, Abdullah&’s support for Kashmir&’s accession to India and his advocacy for a more autonomous position for the state within the Indian Union complicated his relationship with India and led to his fall from grace, arrest, and imprisonment. In 1975 he reached a compromise with India that alienated generations of Kashmiris for whose self-determination he had long fought. The people of Kashmir, India, and Pakistan continue to grapple with and contest his legacy. Zutshi&’s rigorously researched and elegantly crafted biography brings this complex figure to life and offers a window onto the political fissures of twentieth-century South Asia more broadly.
Sheila O'Flanagan Invites You In (An e-short)
by Sheila O'FlanaganSheila O'Flanagan has captivated millions of readers with novels like SUDDENLY SINGLE, IF YOU WERE ME and THINGS WE NEVER SAY, and in this delightful ebook she invites us in for a glimpse of her world...Pop over with a cup of tea (or a glass of wine!) and share all the exciting, scary (and slightly nutty) moments of life as a writer.Includes:IT'S NOT HOW YOU IMAGINE IT - A WRITER'S LIFEFAMILY PARTIES - AND HOW TO SURVIVE THEMA Q&A WITH THE AUTHORA SHORT STORYAnd the very special first chapter of MY MOTHER'S SECRETNOT A NOVEL - more a really good gossip!
Sheila O'Flanagan Invites You In (An e-short)
by Sheila O'FlanaganSheila O'Flanagan has captivated millions of readers with novels like SUDDENLY SINGLE, IF YOU WERE ME and THINGS WE NEVER SAY, and in this delightful ebook she invites us in for a glimpse of her world...Pop over with a cup of tea (or a glass of wine!) and share all the exciting, scary (and slightly nutty) moments of life as a writer.Includes:IT'S NOT HOW YOU IMAGINE IT - A WRITER'S LIFEFAMILY PARTIES - AND HOW TO SURVIVE THEMA Q&A WITH THE AUTHORA SHORT STORYAnd the very special first chapter of MY MOTHER'S SECRETNOT A NOVEL - more a really good gossip!
Shelf Life: Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller
by Nadia Wassef“As a bookseller, I loved Shelf Life for the chance to peer behind the curtain of Diwan, Nadia Wassef’s Egyptian bookstore—the way that the personal is inextricable from the professional, the way that failure and success are often lovers, the relationship between neighborhoods and books and life. Nadia’s story is for every business owner who has ever jumped without a net, and for every reader who has found solace in the aisles of a bookstore.”—Emma Straub, author of All Adults Here“Shelf Life is such a unique memoir about career, life, love, friendship, motherhood, and the impossibility of succeeding at all of them at the same time. It is the story of Diwan, the first modern bookstore in Cairo, which was opened by three women, one of whom penned this book. As a bookstore owner I found this fascinating. As a reader I found it fascinating. Blunt, honest, funny.”—Jenny Lawson, author of Broken (in the best possible way)The warm and winning story of opening a modern bookstore where there were none, Shelf Life: Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller recounts Nadia Wassef’s troubles and triumphs as a founder and manager of Cairo-based DiwanThe streets of Cairo make strange music. The echoing calls to prayer; the raging insults hurled between drivers; the steady crescendo of horns honking; the shouts of street vendors; the television sets and radios blaring from every sidewalk. Nadia Wassef knows this song by heart.In 2002, with her sister, Hind, and their friend, Nihal, she founded Diwan, a fiercely independent bookstore. They were three young women with no business degrees, no formal training, and nothing to lose. At the time, nothing like Diwan existed in Egypt. Culture was languishing under government mismanagement, and books were considered a luxury, not a necessity. Ten years later, Diwan had become a rousing success, with ten locations, 150 employees, and a fervent fan base.Frank, fresh, and very funny, Nadia Wassef’s memoir tells the story of this journey. Its eclectic cast of characters features Diwan’s impassioned regulars, like the demanding Dr. Medhat; Samir, the driver with CEO aspirations; meditative and mythical Nihal; silent but deadly Hind; dictatorial and exacting Nadia, a self-proclaimed bitch to work with—and the many people, mostly men, who said Diwan would never work.Shelf Life is a portrait of a country hurtling toward revolution, a feminist rallying cry, and an unapologetic crash course in running a business under the law of entropy. Above all, it is a celebration of the power of words to bring us home.
Shelf Life: How I Found The Meaning of Life Stacking Supermarket Shelves
by Simon ParkeThe day I was appointed Chair of the shop union was the same day the Pope was elected. There the similarities end, however. For while his elevation took place beneath the fine art of the Sistine Chapel, with the mysterious white smoke rising, mine took place in the cold store, with nothing more mysterious than the bacon delivery and yesterday's waste...A vicar for twenty years, Simon Parke trades in his dog collar for a job on the tills in his local supermarket. Among the vegetable aisles and dairy produce he unpacks the meaning of life with his fellow workers, a colourful bunch. Sonny the security guard hates conflict; shelf-filler Winston knows he is destined for something better; and voluptuous Faith is generous with her wares - but sadly not with Simon. You don't have to be off your trolley to work there, but it helps...From checkout charlies to banana rage, from short-changed lows to cold store highs, Shelf Life is a pick-n-mix of wit and wisdom for anyone who loves life and hopes for more - no matter where they find themselves.
Shell-shocked: On The Ground Under Israel's Gaza Assault
by Mohammed OmerOperation Protective Edge, launched in early July 2014, was the third major Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip in six years. It was also the most deadly. By the conclusion of hostilities some seven weeks later, 2,200 of Gaza's inhabitants had been killed, and more than 10,000 injured. In these pages, journalist Mohammed Omer, a resident of Gaza who lived through the terror of those days with his wife and three-month-old son, provides a first-hand account of life on the ground during Israel's assault. The images he records in this extraordinary chronicle are a literary equivalent of Goya's "Disasters of War": children's corpses stuffed into vegetable refrigerators; a family rushing out of their home after a phone call from the Israeli military informs them that the building will be obliterated by a missile in three minutes; donkeys machine-gunned under instructions to Israeli soldiers to shoot anything that moves; graveyards targeted with shells so that mourners can no longer tell where their relatives are buried; fishing boats ablaze in the harbor. Throughout this carnage, Omer maintains the cool detachment of the professional journalist, determined to create a precise record of what is occurring in front of him. But between his lines the outrage boils, and we are left to wonder how .a society such as Israel, widely-praised in the West as democratic and civilized, can visit such monstrosities on a trapped and helpless population.
Shell: One Woman's Final Year After a Lifelong Struggle with Anorexia and Bulimia
by Michelle StewartMichelle Stewart always knew in her heart that her eating disorder would kill her. What she didn't expect in its early stages was that she would continue to function - albeit far from optimally - for decades before succumbing to its deadly effects. <P><P>A conscientious and ambitious woman driven by a desire to make a positive difference in the world, Michelle went on to build a successful career first in journalism and then in communications for the British Columbia Ministry of Health. Michelle devoted her working life to raising awareness of healthcare issues, all the while hiding her own anorexia and bulimia from friends and colleagues. By the time she was 48 years old, more than thirty years of self-imposed starvation, binging and purging had ravaged her organs. In May 2013 she was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure and given only a few months to live.Determined to come out of the shadows and share her story while she still had the chance, Michelle began writing a very personal and revealing blog in which she chronicled her lifelong struggle with her eating disorder and her experiences as a palliative patient within the very same healthcare system in which she had performed her life's work. "I have had a 32 year dress rehearsal for the fate I now face," she writes. This memoir is a collection of the most poignant pieces of writing from that blog, supplemented with previously unpublished pieces of original poetry from the author.Michelle Stewart's book stands out against other eating disorder memoirs in several ways. As a middle aged longtime sufferer, she belies the notion that eating disorders only affect the young - or that victims tend to either recover or perish early. According to experts featured in the foreword, medical practictioners who treat patients with eating disorders are seeing rising numbers of long-term sufferers like Michelle. These tend to be high-functioning individuals who keep their disorder underground for years while their bodies slowly disintegrate. Michelle's advanced years give her a valuable and rare perspective on a widespread mental health problem.Second, through her years spent in healthcare advocacy and communications, Michelle developed well informed insight into issues around medical services and the relationships between healthcare providers and their patients, including palliative patients. In her book, Michelle shares her personal views on disease-specific funding, patient care and the right-to-die movement, making a valuable contribution to the public conversation.Finally, the book is a deeply engaging and compelling tale of terminal illness progression that follows one woman from diagnosis to death. Anyone who has been touched by life-limiting illness in their own experience or in their family will be moved by this account of the palliative care journey told from the patient's perspective.
Shelley Unbound: Discovering Frankenstein's True Creator
by Joseph P. Farrell Scott D. de HartFrankenstein was first released in 1818 anonymously.The credit for Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's authorship first occurred in 1823 when a French edition was published.<P><P> A year earlier, Mary's revolutionary husband, the influential poet, dramatist, novelist, and essayist Percy Bysshe Shelley, died.The same year Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus (its full title) was first published, so was another work by Mary's husband that shares use of the word Prometheus. The drama Prometheus Unbound was indeed credited to Percy Shelley.The secret admission of many experts in English literature is that Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley did not write a good portion of Frankenstein. In Shelley Unbound, Oxford scholar Scott D. de Hart examines the critical information about Percy Shelley's scientific avocations, his disputes against church and state, and his connection to the illegal and infamous anti-Catholic organization, the Illuminati.Scott D. de Hart's fascinating investigation into Frankenstein and the lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Percy Shelley results in an inconvenient truth regarding what we have long believed to be a great early example of the feminist canon.Scott D. de Hart was born and raised in Southern California. He graduated from Oxford University with a PhD specializing in nineteenth-century English literature and legal controversies.
Shelley: The Pursuit
by Richard HolmesShelley: The Pursuit is a most apt title as this is indeed a biography that goes on the chase to bring together all manner of opinions; both contemporary and historical to weave together the short chaotic life of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.
Shelter: A Black Tale of Homeland, Baltimore
by Lawrence JacksonA stirring consideration of homeownership, fatherhood, race, faith, and the history of an American city.In 2016, Lawrence Jackson accepted a new job in Baltimore, searched for schools for his sons, and bought a house. It would all be unremarkable but for the fact that he had grown up in West Baltimore and now found himself teaching at Johns Hopkins, whose vexed relationship to its neighborhood, to the city and its history, provides fodder for this captivating memoir in essays.With sardonic wit, Jackson describes his struggle to make a home in the city that had just been convulsed by the uprising that followed the murder of Freddie Gray. His new neighborhood, Homeland—largely White, built on racial covenants—is not where he is “supposed” to live. But his purchase, and his desire to pass some inheritance on to his children, provides a foundation for him to explore his personal and spiritual history, as well as Baltimore’s untold stories. Each chapter is a new exploration: a trip to the Maryland shore is an occasion to dilate on Frederick Douglass’s complicated legacy; an encounter at a Hopkins shuttle-bus stop becomes a meditation on public transportation and policing; and Jackson’s beleaguered commitment to his church opens a pathway to reimagine an urban community through jazz. Shelter is an extraordinary biography of a city and a celebration of our capacity for domestic thriving. Jackson’s story leans on the essay to contain the raging absurdity of Black American life, establishing him as a maverick, essential writer.
Shelter: An Architect's Journey into Sustainability
by Wayne BinghamAfter practicing conventional glass, steel, and concrete architecture for more than thirty years, an award-winning architect discovers the concept of sustainable living and embarks on a journey that ends with his own strawbale home at the foot of the Grand Tetons. A complete source of information for sustainable and off-the-grid construction, Shelter explores the principles of sustainable living and then illustrates actual execution of those principles in the author's strawbale home. Both an exploration of sustainability from an architect's point of view as well as a practical reference for home builders, Shelter is an indispensable resource to those interested in leaving a smaller foot print on the environment. Follow the author from the beginning idea through the planning, designing, and constructing to the realities of living in his strawbale dream home.