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The Strength of Hope: A Holocaust Survivor's Guide to Love and Life
by Fiona Harris Abram GoldbergOne of the most uplifting stories you will ever read. Abram Goldberg is a beacon of joy and optimism, and a master of keeping perspective.The day Abram and his mother arrived at Auschwitz death camp they both knew it would be her last. In their final moment together, Abram's mum urged her nineteen-year-old son to 'do everything humanly possible to survive, and tell people what happened here'. Then she was taken to a gas chamber and murdered. Abram had already endured and survived so much until that moment, but with his strength of hope, sometimes reduced to a flicker, he survived.After liberation, Abram eventually found his way to Belgium, where he met the love of his life, fellow Auschwitz survivor Cesia. The young couple came to Australia, where that flicker of hope grew as bright as the sun, illuminating everything they touched and everyone who came into their sphere. Without bitterness and always with perspective, Abram has never forgotten his mother's last words to him. And in their seventy-five years of marriage, Abram and Cesia have remained dedicated to educating people about the Holocaust and to living their lives to the fullest in tribute to its victims.
The Strength of Hope: A Holocaust Survivor's Guide to Love and Life
by Abram Goldberg HarrisOne of the most uplifting stories you will ever read. Abram Goldberg is a beacon of joy and optimism, and a master of keeping perspective.The day Abram and his mother arrived at Auschwitz death camp they both knew it would be her last. In their final moment together, Abram's mum urged her nineteen-year-old son to 'do everything humanly possible to survive, and tell people what happened here'. Then she was taken to a gas chamber and murdered. Abram had already endured and survived so much until that moment, but with his strength of hope, sometimes reduced to a flicker, he survived.After liberation, Abram eventually found his way to Belgium, where he met the love of his life, fellow Auschwitz survivor Cesia. The young couple came to Australia, where that flicker of hope grew as bright as the sun, illuminating everything they touched and everyone who came into their sphere. Without bitterness and always with perspective, Abram has never forgotten his mother's last words to him. And in their seventy-five years of marriage, Abram and Cesia have remained dedicated to educating people about the Holocaust and to living their lives to the fullest in tribute to its victims.
The Strength to Say No
by Mouhssine Ennaimi Rekha KalindiThe true story of one girl who said "no" to tradition, and the effect it had upon a nationIn a remote village in Bengal, 11-year-old Rekha and her large family lived by rolling handmade cigarettes. She frequently observed the abrupt departure of her friends to go live with their mothers-in-law, where they were often treated like slaves. In spite of her youth, Rekha was aware of the harm done to these little girls. When, in their turn, her parents found a husband for her, a man she didn't know, she flew into a blinding rage at the idea of being taken away from any further schooling for good. After that, Rekha went from village to village to tell her story, and especially to explain the tragic consequences of early marriages. Thanks to her, several dozen children found the courage to say no to this tribal tradition. Her story gained national attention with India's newspaper hailing her for accomplishing change that the India government was incapable of making. Her exemplary journey gained her the recognition of the highest courts in the land, she has had an audience with the Indian President, and she is a recipient of India's National Bravery Award. Written with the collaboration of Mouhssine Ennaimi, a distinguished reporter for Radio France, The Strength to Say No, translated from Ennaimi's acclaimed French edition, is a documentary portrait of one girl's monumental struggle.
The Strenuous Life: Theodore Roosevelt and the Making of the American Athlete
by Ryan Swanson&“It seemed as if Theodore Roosevelt&’s biographers had closed the book on his life story. But Ryan Swanson has uncovered an untold chapter&” (Johnny Smith, coauthor of Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X). Crippling asthma, a frail build, and grossly myopic eyesight: these were the ailments that plagued Teddy Roosevelt as a child. In adulthood, he was diagnosed with a potentially fatal heart condition and was told never to exert himself again. Roosevelt&’s body was his weakness, the one hill he could never fully conquer—and as a result he developed what would become a lifelong obsession with athletics that he carried with him into his presidency. As President of the United States, Roosevelt boxed, practiced Ju-Jitsu, played tennis nearly every day, and frequently invited athletes and teams to the White House. It was during his administration that America saw baseball&’s first ever World Series; interscholastic sports began; and schools began to place an emphasis on physical education. In addition, the NCAA formed, and the United States hosted the Olympic Games for the first time. From a prize-winning historian, this book shows how Roosevelt fought desperately (and sometimes successfully) to shape American athletics in accordance with his imperialistic view of the world. It reveals that, in one way or another, we can trace our fanaticism for fitness and sports directly back to the twenty-sixth president and his relentless pursuit of &“The Strenuous Life.&” &“Essential reading for anyone who cares about the history of sports in America.&” —Michael Kazin, author of War against War: The American Fight for Peace, 1914–1918
The Striker and the Clock: On Being in the Game
by Georgia CloepfilAn illuminating perspective on the life of an athlete and the pursuit of excellence outside the spotlight.Georgia Cloepfil played professional soccer for six years, on six teams, in six countries. In those years, the sport became more than a game—it was an immersive yet transient way of life. In South Korea, she lived and practiced in an isolated island compound next to an airport. In Australia, she coached youth teams on the side to pay her rent. In Lithuania, she played in the European Champions League, to empty stadiums and little fanfare. She lived out of a single suitcase, chasing better opportunities and the euphoria of playing well. The Striker and the Clock is a beautiful examination of the joy and pain of serious athletics. It&’s also an eye-opening look at the still-developing world of professional women&’s soccer. Written in ninety short passages—reflecting the ninety inexorably passing minutes of a soccer match—the book is a love letter to a maddening sport and a reflection on the way it has shaped a life. In vivid prose, it portrays the athlete as an artist, debating how much of herself to devote to her craft. This finely wrought, singular book celebrates the complex appeal of sports and the fulfillment found in fleeting moments of glory.
The Strong Black Woman: How a Myth Endangers the Physical and Mental Health of Black Women
by Marita GoldenMajor Health Crisis Among Black Women Generated from Systemic Racism “Marita Golden’s The Strong Black Woman busts the myth that Black women are fierce and resilient by letting the reader in under the mask that proclaims ‘Black don’t crack.’” ―Karen Arrington, coach, mentor, philanthropist, and author of NAACP Image Award-winning Your Next Level LifeSarton Women’s Book Award#1 New Release in ReferenceMeet Black women who have learned through hard lessons the importance of self-care and how to break through the cultural and family resistance to seeking therapy and professional mental health care.The Strong Black Woman Syndrome. For generations, in response to systemic racism, Black women and African American culture created the persona of the Strong Black Woman, a woman who, motivated by service and sacrifice, handles, manages, and overcomes any problem, any obstacle. The syndrome calls on Black women to be the problem-solvers and chief caretakers for everyone in their lives―never buckling, never feeling vulnerable, and never bothering with their pain.Hidden mental health crisis of anxiety and depression. To be a Black woman in America is to know you cannot protect your children or guarantee their safety, your value is consistently questioned, and even being “twice as good” is often not good enough. Consequently, Black women disproportionately experience anxiety and depression. Studies now conclusively connect racism and mental health―and physical health.Take care of your emotional health. You deserve to be emotionally healthy for yourself and those you love. More and more young Black women are re-examining the Strong Black Woman syndrome and engaging in self-care practices that change their lives.Hear stories of Black women who:Asked for helpBuilt lives that offer healingLearned to accept healingIf you have read The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, The Racial Healing Handbook, or Black Fatigue, The Strong Black Woman is your next read.
The Strong Man: A powerful story of life under fire and one man's journey back from the brink
by Grant EdwardsA powerful story of life under fire and one man's journey back from the brink Grant Edwards was once an elite athlete, Olympics qualifier and Australia’s strongest man. His Guinness Book of Records feats of strength were acclaimed internationally, and as a high ranking police officer he spent decades protecting vulnerable people around the world. But nothing could shield him from catastrophic harm in the line of duty. Rising above his tough beginnings in 1970s suburbia, where he was bullied for his father’s decision to live as a gay man, Edwards found sanctuary in sport. But he found his true calling with the Australian Federal Police, rising swiftly through the ranks to Commander and personally establishing cybercrime units to fight child exploitation and human trafficking. A highly sought after and disciplined security advisor for governments around the world such as East Timor, Afghanistan and the Americas, Edwards was considered the last person to ‘crack’ – but a narrow escape from a deadly attack in Kabul pushed him to breaking point. This is the story of an extraordinary man and his extraordinary battle back from the brink.
The Strong Man: John Mitchell and the Secrets of Watergate
by James RosenRosen (a Washington correspondent for Fox News) presents a biography of Richard Nixon's Attorney General John Mitchell, whose conviction in the Watergate cover-up trial provided the dubious honor of being the highest-ranking US government official to have to serve time in prison. Rosen addresses a host of previously unanswered questions, including whether Mitchell ordered the Watergate break-in, Mitchell's role in the SEC case against fugitive financier Robert Vesco, the role of the Central Intelligence Agency in Watergate, the response of Mitchell to the discovery that the Joint Chiefs of Staff were spying on Nixon and Henry Kissinger, Mitchell's activities concerning school desegregation and antitrust laws, and Mitchell's response to Kent State. Also covered is Mitchell's involvement in cases concerning Daniel Ellsberg, Lt. William Calley, Jimmy Hoffa, Robert Vesco, Abe Fortas, Clement Haynsworth, John Lennon, the Berrigan Brothers, the Black Panthers, and ITT. In the end, Mitchell is portrayed as a man who repeatedly served as a restraining influence on the darker urges of Richard Nixon and as a victim of many unfair charges concerning the Watergate affair, although some unpunished crimes are also noted, such as his illegal intervention with South Vietnamese officials at the 1968 Paris peace talks, his false testimony before the Senate concerning the ITT case, and his false statements to the FBI agents investigating the 1969-71 Kissinger wiretaps. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
The Strongbox: Searching for My Absent Father
by Terry Sue HarmsFollowing the unexpected death of her alcoholic mother, and worn down by the unceasing taunts of &“bastard&” from her hostile and mentally unstable stepfather, plucky sixteen-year-old Terry Sue sets out to find her biological father—believing this man, whom she has never met, could change her life for the better. But before she can find him, she must identify him, and the unfamiliar names on her birth certificate perplex her. She comes to realize that tenacity must run in her family, for as determined as she is to find her father, he appears equally determined to remain hidden. In The Strongbox, Terry Sue offers readers a forthright and inspirational account of her challenges, as well as her against-all-odds successes. This decades-long personal journey reads like a detective novel, full of setbacks, false leads, jaw-dropping discoveries, and heartening triumphs. The narrative&’s twists and turns also pull back the curtain on many of today&’s inconvenient truths: child abandonment, multigenerational alcoholism, sexism, economic inequality, domestic violence, mental illness, and illiteracy. Undaunted by the many blind alleys she encounters, Terry Sue forges on in her hunt for the loving care and emotional support she never received from her parents, and she ultimately finds it—but it arrives in forms she never expected.
The Struggle of Struggles (Civil Rights in Mississippi Series)
by Vera PigeeNamed one of five best books on women in the Civil Rights Movement by Wall Street JournalFrom 1955 to 1975, Vera Pigee (1924–2007) put her life and livelihood on the line with grassroots efforts for social change in Mississippi, principally through her years of leadership in Coahoma County’s NAACP. Known as the “Lady of Hats,” coined by NAACP executive secretary Roy Wilkins, Pigee was a businesswoman, mother, and leader. Her book, The Struggle of Struggles, offers a detailed view of the daily grind of organizing for years to open the state’s closed society. Fearless, forthright, and fashionable, Pigee also suffered for her efforts at the hands of white supremacists and those unwilling to accept strong women in leadership. She wrote herself into the histories, confronted misinformation, and self-published one of the first autobiographies from the era. Women like her worked, often without accolade or recognition, in their communities all over the country, but did not document their efforts in this way.The Struggle of Struggles, originally published in 1975, spotlights the gendered and generational tensions within the civil rights movement. It outlines the complexity, frustrations, and snubs, as well as the joy and triumphs that Pigee experienced and witnessed in the quest for a fairer and more equitable nation. This new edition begins with a detailed introductory essay by historian Françoise N. Hamlin, who interviewed Pigee and her daughter in the few years preceding their passing, as well as their coworkers and current activists. In addition to the insightful Introduction, Hamlin has also provided annotations to the original text for clarity and explanation, along with a timeline to guide a new generation of readers.
The Struggle with the Daemon
by Eden Paul Cedar Paul Stefan ZweigThe Struggle with the Daemon is a brilliant analysis of the European psyche by the great novelist and biographer Stefan Zweig. Zweig studies three giants of German literature and thought: Friedrich Ho¨lderlin, Heinrich von Kleist and Friedrich Nietzsche - powerful minds whose ideas were at odds with the scientific positivism of their age; troubled spirits whose intoxicating passions drove them mad but inspired them to great works. In their struggle with their inner creative force, Zweig reflects the conflict at the heart of the European soul - between science and art, reason and inspiration.Both highly personal and philosophically wide-ranging, this is one of the most fascinating of Zweig's renowned biographical studies.From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Struggles of John Brown Russwurm: The Life and Writings of a Pan-Africanist Pioneer, 1799-1851
by Winston James“If I know my own heart, I can truly say, that I have not a selfish wish in placing myself under the patronage of the [American Colonization] Society; usefulness in my day and generation, is what I principally court.”“Sensible then, as all are of the disadvantages under which we at present labour, can any consider it a mark of folly, for us to cast our eyes upon some other portion of the globe where all these inconveniences are removed where the Man of Colour freed from the fetters and prejudice, and degradation, under which he labours in this land, may walk forth in all the majesty of his creation—a new born creature—a Free Man!”—John Brown Russwurm, 1829.John Brown Russwurm (1799-1851) is almost completely missing from the annals of the Pan-African movement, despite the pioneering role he played as an educator, abolitionist, editor, government official, emigrationist and colonizationist. Russwurm’s life is one of “firsts”: first African American graduate of Maine’s Bowdoin College; co-founder of Freedom’s Journal, America’s first newspaper to be owned, operated, and edited by African Americans; and, following his emigration to Africa, first black governor of the Maryland section of Liberia. Despite his accomplishments, Russwurm struggled internally with the perennial Pan-Africanist dilemma of whether to go to Africa or stay and fight in the United States, and his ordeal was the first of its kind to be experienced and resolved before the public eye.With this slim, accessible biography of Russwurm, Winston James makes a major contribution to the history of black uplift and protest in the Early American Republic and the larger Pan-African world. James supplements the biography with a carefully edited and annotated selection of Russwurm’s writings, which vividly demonstrate the trajectory of his political thinking and contribution to Pan-Africanist thought and highlight the challenges confronting the peoples of the African Diaspora. Though enormously rich and powerfully analytical, Russwurm’s writings have never been previously anthologized.The Struggles of John Brown Russwurm is a unique and unparalleled reflection on the Early American Republic, the African Diaspora and the wider history of the times. An unblinking observer of and commentator on the condition of African Americans as well as a courageous fighter against white supremacy and for black emancipation, Russwurm’s life and writings provide a distinct and articulate voice on race that is as relevant to the present as it was to his own lifetime.
The Student's Life of Washington; Con: For Young Persons and for the Use of Schools
by Washington IrvingWashington Irving (April 3, 1783 - November 28, 1859) was an American author of the early 19th century. Best known for his short stories The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip van Winkle (both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon), he was also a prolific essayist, biographer and historian. Irving and James Fenimore Cooper were the first American writers to earn acclaim in Europe, and Irving is said to have encouraged authors such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Edgar Allan Poe. Irving was also the U.S. minister to Spain 1842-1846.
The Sty's the Limit: When Middle Age Gets Mucky
by Simon Dawson'An amazing story of love, laughter and the challenges of living from the land ... Simon's self-sufficient rural life is an inspiration to us all' - Ben FogleFollowing a drunken misunderstanding Simon Dawson gave up his job in the city, moved to the wilds of Exmoor and became an accidental self-sufficient smallholder with an array of animals. But that was years ago now. Following up on his first book, PIGS IN CLOVER, this is the story of what happens when he suddenly realises that his life is changing all over again. He's not quite the spring chicken that he used to be: he is, horror of horrors, getting older.With a cast of best friends (some more helpful than others) including Ziggy, a panicked soon-to-be father desperate to grow up, Garth, an annoying teenager, and a rather handsome pig called The General, a plan is hatched to help each other mature (or immature). Heartfelt discoveries and hilarious endeavours ensue as they work through their age-related angsts, all with a fair dose of pigs, chickens, lambs and animal madness along the way. This is Exmoor's uplifting laugh-out-loud antidote to middle age in the mud; a place where you truly realise that the sty's the limit!
The Sty's the Limit: When Middle Age Gets Mucky
by Simon DawsonFollowing a drunken misunderstanding Simon Dawson gave up his job in the city, moved to the wilds of Exmoor and became an accidental self-sufficient smallholder with an array of animals. But that was years ago now. Following up on his first book, PIGS IN CLOVER, this is the story of what happens when he suddenly realises that his life is changing all over again. He's not quite the spring chicken that he used to be: he is, horror of horrors, getting older. With a cast of best friends (some more helpful than others) including Ziggy, a panicked soon-to-be father desperate to grow up, Garth, an annoying teenager, and a rather handsome pig called The General, a plan is hatched to help each other mature (or immature). Heartfelt discoveries and hilarious endeavours ensue as they work through their age-related angsts, all with a fair dose of pigs, chickens, lambs and animal madness along the way. This is Exmoor's uplifting laugh-out-loud antidote to middle age in the mud; a place where you truly realise that the sty's the limit!
The Sty's the Limit: When Middle Age Gets Mucky
by Simon Dawson'An amazing story of love, laughter and the challenges of living from the land ... Simon's self-sufficient rural life is an inspiration to us all' - Ben FogleFollowing a drunken misunderstanding Simon Dawson gave up his job in the city, moved to the wilds of Exmoor and became an accidental self-sufficient smallholder with an array of animals. But that was years ago now. Following up on his first book, PIGS IN CLOVER, this is the story of what happens when he suddenly realises that his life is changing all over again. He's not quite the spring chicken that he used to be: he is, horror of horrors, getting older.With a cast of best friends (some more helpful than others) including Ziggy, a panicked soon-to-be father desperate to grow up, Garth, an annoying teenager, and a rather handsome pig called The General, a plan is hatched to help each other mature (or immature). Heartfelt discoveries and hilarious endeavours ensue as they work through their age-related angsts, all with a fair dose of pigs, chickens, lambs and animal madness along the way. This is Exmoor's uplifting laugh-out-loud antidote to middle age in the mud; a place where you truly realise that the sty's the limit!(p) 2016 Magna Large Print Books
The Style Strategy: A Less-Is-More Approach to Staying Chic and Shopping Smart
by Nina GarciaFrom Nina Garcia—fashion judge on Bravo’s hit Project Runway and the New York Times bestselling author of The One Hundred and The Little Black Book of Style—comes Style Strategy: a perfect primer on achieving the best fashion look possible, with a strong emphasis on saving money in the process.
The Subaltern
by George Robert Gleig Pickle Partners PublishingThis ebook is purpose built and is proof-read and re-type set from the original to provide an outstanding experience of reflowing text for an ebook reader. The Reverend Gleig was a famous military author of his day, a former officer in the British army, a commentator on military matters and a close relationship with the Iron Duke, Wellington. He wrote many works and articles including a biography of Wellington, a book based on his own experiences during the war of 1812 in America and editing the memoirs of a Chelsea pensioner. Originally published as a series of articles in Blackwoods Magazine, in the 1820s Reverend Gleig's most famous novel, The Subaltern, was published as a book in its own right soon after going through numerous editions. It presents a slightly coloured and retouched memoir of Gleig's own experiences in the Duke's army in the Peninsular and the invasion of the South of France. Somewhat lighter in tone than some of the more gruesome memoirs written of the war, it is a fascinating read. Text taken, whole and complete, from the 1825 edition, published in Edinburgh by William Blackwood. Original - 392 pages. Author- George Robert Gleig 1796-1888 (1844-1912) Linked TOC.
The Subaltern Officer. — A Narrative
by Captain George WoodThis ebook is purpose built and is proof-read and re-type set from the original to provide an outstanding experience of reflowing text for an ebook reader. George Foot started his military career in the Peninsula as a Lieutenant in the 82nd Foot, Prince of Wales's Volunteers, having being involved in the initial struggles around Lisbon at Roliça and Vimiero in 1808, before the general action at Talavera in 1809. Interestingly, he transferred to the 2nd Battalion of Detachments for the rest of the War before being seriously wounded at the battle of the Pyrenees. His narrative is enlivened with an eye for detail both in the battles he fought in and the towns and villages that he and his foot-sore comrades tramped through. Title - The Subaltern Officer. -- A Narrative Author -- Captain George Wood Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in 1825, London, by Septimus Prowett Original - xvi and 247 pages. Illustrations -- one illustrations.
The Subaltern: The Diaries of George Greig during the Pennisular War
by George GreigLieutenants, or "subalterns" as they were called, were very young in the British Army of the Napoleonic Wars, so George Gleig was not unique when he joined the 85th Light Infantry at the age of 17. Thrown into action in Spain against invading French forces in the summer of 1813, Gleig fought continuously for 18 months. The unique quality of Gleig's personal account was recognized immediately, and his narrative was praised by the Duke of Wellington himself. Although not always readily available to the general public. Gleig's account has been extensively drawn on by later historians and historical novelists. Gleig left behind a unique account of Wellington's victories, the primitive conditions endured by both soldiers and civilians, and the mood of the times.George Robert Gleig had a distinguished career with the British Army. His classic narrative has now been edited with an introduction and chapter notes by Ian Robertson. Robertson has been writing on the Peninsular War for 40 years. His most recent work was Wellington at War in the Peninsula.
The Subject of Psychosis: A Lacanian Perspective
by Stijn VanheuleThis book discusses what Jacques Lacan's oeuvre contributes to our understanding of psychosis. Presenting a close reading of original texts, Stijn Vanheule proposes that Lacan's work on psychosis can best be framed in terms of four broad periods.
The Subterraneans: Road Novels, 1957-1960 - On The Road; The Dharma Bums; The Subterraneans; Tristessa; Lonesome Traveler; Journal Selections (Kerouac, Jack Ser. #1)
by Jack KerouacWritten in just three days, The Subterraneans is the story of Leo Percepied, an aspiring writer and self-styled freewheeling bum who gravitates to the Subterraneans—impoverished intellectuals who haunt the bars and clubs of San Francisco, surviving on booze, Benzedrine, Proust, and Verlaine. Centering on the tempestuous and destructive relationship between Leo and Mardou Fox, a denizen of the San Francisco underground, The Subterraneans is an exuberant and melancholy tale of dark alleys and rooms and of artists and visionaries. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Subtle Body: The Story of Yoga in America
by Stefanie SymanIn The Subtle Body, Stefanie Syman tells the surprising story of yoga's transformation from a centuries-old spiritual discipline to a multibillion-dollar American industry. Yoga's history in America is longer and richer than even its most devoted practitioners realize. It was present in Emerson's New England, and by the turn of the twentieth century it was fashionable among the leisure class. And yet when Americans first learned about yoga, what they learned was that it was a dangerous, alien practice that would corrupt body and soul. A century later, you can find yoga in gyms, malls, and even hospitals, and the arrival of a yoga studio in a neighborhood is a signal of cosmopolitanism. How did it happen? It did so, Stefanie Syman explains, through a succession of charismatic yoga teachers, who risked charges of charlatanism as they promoted yoga in America, and through generations of yoga students, who were deemed unbalanced or even insane for their efforts. The Subtle Body tells the stories of these people, including Henry David Thoreau, Pierre A. Bernard, Margaret Woodrow Wilson, Christopher Isherwood, Sally Kempton, and Indra Devi. From New England, the book moves to New York City and its new suburbs between the wars, to colonial India, to postwar Los Angeles, to Haight-Ashbury in its heyday, and back to New York City post-9/11. In vivid chapters, it takes in celebrities from Gloria Swanson and George Harrison to Christy Turlington and Madonna. And it offers a fresh view of American society, showing how a seemingly arcane and foreign practice is as deeply rooted here as baseball or ballet. This epic account of yoga's rise is absorbing and often inspiring—a major contribution to our understanding of our society.
The Suburban You: Reports from the Home Front
by Mark FalangaYou are about to discover that living in the suburbs is a whole lot funnier than you ever thought possible. For this country’s 145,892,494 (give or take) suburbanites, Mark Falanga is an utterly deadpan (and thoroughly entertaining) spokesman.Mark Falanga is a slick urban dweller, at the top of his game professionally, with a gorgeous corporate executive wife and a hip coterie in the coolest neighborhood in the city. But when baby makes three, Mark and his family enter the twilight zone called the suburbs, where public schools are good, many wives stay home, and children ride their tricycles in the driveway. Nothing is the same ever again.With the dry wit of David Sedaris, and Dave Barry’s love of the absurd, Falanga details his new, suburban landscape from the point of view of a bewildered but gung-ho everyman. From the complex political pecking order in the neighborhood, with its ultracompetitive block parties and its consuming holiday-card rivalry, to the surprises lurking on every corner—such as the twelve-year-old pyromaniac next door and the suspiciously broad-shouldered “lady” on the commuter train—The Suburban You describes in slyly understated prose the vicissitudes of life in the ’burbs.
The Subversive Simone Weil: A Life in Five Ideas
by Robert ZaretskyKnown as the “patron saint of all outsiders,” Simone Weil (1909–43) was one of the twentieth century’s most remarkable thinkers, a philosopher who truly lived by her political and ethical ideals. In a short life framed by the two world wars, Weil taught philosophy to lycée students and organized union workers, fought alongside anarchists during the Spanish Civil War and labored alongside workers on assembly lines, joined the Free French movement in London and died in despair because she was not sent to France to help the Resistance. Though Weil published little during her life, after her death, thanks largely to the efforts of Albert Camus, hundreds of pages of her manuscripts were published to critical and popular acclaim. While many seekers have been attracted to Weil’s religious thought, Robert Zaretsky gives us a different Weil, exploring her insights into politics and ethics, and showing us a new side of Weil that balances her contradictions—the rigorous rationalist who also had her own brand of Catholic mysticism; the revolutionary with a soft spot for anarchism yet who believed in the hierarchy of labor; and the humanitarian who emphasized human needs and obligations over human rights. Reflecting on the relationship between thought and action in Weil’s life, The Subversive Simone Weil honors the complexity of Weil’s thought and speaks to why it matters and continues to fascinate readers today.